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[[File:IceTransparent.png|centre|thumb|600x600px]]
[[File:IceTransparent.png|centre|thumb|600x600px]]
'''IceWings''' are white, moon silver, pale ice blue, or pale lavender (sometimes iridescent [as Darkstalker had described Arctic]) colored [[dragons]] with the ability to produce a substance from their lungs known as frostbreath. This frostbreath is exceedingly dangerous and lethal to most dragons they use it on (However, [[Peril]] appears to be immune to frostbreath because of her firescales, and is only numbed by it, as revealed in ''[[Moon Rising]]'' and in ''[[Escaping Peril]]''). They can also withstand subzero temperatures. They reside in the northwestern peninsula of [[Pyrrhia]], where the cold areas are located, or the "head of Pyrrhia", known as the [[Ice Kingdom]]. [[Ex-Princess Blaze|Blaze]] had the IceWings' support in the [[War of SandWing Succession]]. She offered them some of the Northern [[Kingdom of Sand|desert]] if she won since most of the land would have been useless to her. The IceWings also heard that there was buried treasure in that area. The IceWings are divided into seven circles, represented by the gift of order. IceWings have a tradition known as The Diamond Trial, which traditionally took place at the 'mouth' of the northern peninsula, where a dragon's frostbreath would come out. (see ''[[Winter Turning]]'').
'''IceWings''', also known as '''ice dragons''' or '''arctic dragons''' to [[humans]], are a [[Pyrrhian]] [[Dragons|dragon]] tribe that resides in the [[Ice Kingdom]], the "head" of the dragon-shaped Pyrrhia, which is known for its cold winds, freezing temperatures, and, formerly, the [[Great Ice Cliff]] (also known as the gift of defense), before it was destroyed by [[Queen Snowfall]],{{Ref|TDG|259}} their current [[queen]].


IceWings and [[NightWings|NightWing]] have hated each other for thousands of years, going all the way back to a war they fought against each other more than 2,000 years before the events of the very [[The Dragonet Prophecy (Book)|first book]]. This is displayed when [[Starflight]] was rescued from the [[Sky Kingdom]] arena by [[Morrowseer]] and a battalion of NightWings, who slaughtered all the IceWing prisoners without hesitation before leaving. The NightWings also did not include an IceWing egg in the [[Dragonets|Dragonet]] [[The Prophecy|Prophecy]], also showing their deep hatred for IceWings. This may relate to a tragedy in the IceWings' past that also contributes to NightWing-IceWing hatred. Later, in ''[[Darkstalker (Legends)]]'', it is revealed that the last IceWing [[Animus Dragons|animus]], Prince [[Prince Arctic|Arctic]], wasn't "stolen" from them like they had been told by Queen Diamond. He had left willingly when he fell in love with [[Foeslayer]], a visiting diplomat NightWing. The IceWings waged war on the NightWings because Prince Arctic had left, and even after the war, hatred was still instilled in the IceWings for the NightWings. They seem to dislike associating with dragons in other tribes because they deem themselves superior to them.
The IceWings supported [[Blaze]] during the [[War of SandWing Succession]], joining her alliance with the promise of a large portion of land near the [[SandWings]]' northern border if Blaze had won.{{Ref|THK|115}}


They, along with the NightWings, were searching for [[Scavenger Dens|scavenger dens]], but unlike the NightWings, it is known why. [[Queen Glacier]] ordered them due to the fact she believed that one day they would find the SandWings's [[The SandWing Treasure|treasure]], and more specifically, the sacred [[The Eye of Onyx|Eye of Onyx]] so that they would stop the war and get their land promised by Princess Blaze.
== Description ==
IceWing scales can range from silvery-gray{{Ref|TDPp}} and white{{Ref|TPJ|296}} to pale shades of blue{{Ref|TDP|154}} and purple,{{Ref|WT|141}} intended to blend into their icy surroundings. Their coloring has been described as "silver like the moons," "pale blue like ice,"<ref name=":1">''[[Dragon guides]]''</ref> "as pale as the moons,"{{Ref|L1|14}} or "moon-white scales".{{Ref|L1|174}} IceWings have dark blue,{{Ref|TDG|44}} sky blue,{{Ref|WT|191}} icy blue,{{Ref|AGttDW|135}} or stormy gray eyes,{{Ref|WT|252}} with forked blue tongues<ref name=":1">''[[Dragon guides]]''</ref> and dark blue blood.{{Ref|MR|276}}{{Ref|TDP|230}}


==Description==
The head of an IceWing is shaped like a diamond and is very narrow, with spikes continuing down their back and tail and a ruff of extra spikes behind their heads. They are usually lean dragons with whip-thin tails that have icicle-shaped spines, ending in very sharp tips. They have serrated claws for gripping the ice.<ref name=":1">''[[Dragon guides]]''</ref> Some IceWings have unusual patterns, such as [[Lynx]], with dark freckles or markings on their faces and wings,{{Ref|WT|259}} and [[Mink]], with feathery patterns of gray along her wings, like whiskers or tufts of fur.{{Ref|TDG|44}}
[[File:Ice Kingdom Map.png|thumb|Ice Kingdom, map by Mike Schley]]
An IceWing's scale pigmentations can range from silvery white colors to pale shades of blue and purple. Their coloring has been described as "silver like the moon", "pale blue like ice", "As pale as the moons," or "pale blue scales were the color of sky reflected in the snow on the distant mountain peaks", and sometimes "moon white scales," although, like the [[SeaWings]], they can have unique coloring. Like [[Anemone]] and [[Albatross]], these ice [[dragons]] can have colorings of muted lavender or pale pink. Most IceWing scales are shades of light blue. Like [[RainWings]], they have a ruff, however, theirs is of extra horns, sharp and shaped like icicles on the back of their necks. IceWing heads are usually shaped like diamonds, and in other words, are very narrow. With that in mind, they are very swift, compact, and skinny dragons that also have surprisingly strong but narrow whip-like tails with extra icicle-shaped spines, being very sharp at the tip of the tail. IceWings have blue, black, or stormy grey eyes, forked blue tongues, blue blood, and ridged, extremely sharp serrated claws and talons to grip the ice while travelling by talon around their habitat. They have also been noted to have dark blue or blue-red blood, making their blush a blue color.  Their claws are described to feel "four times sharper than average claws" due to them being serrated. Some Icewings, such as [[Lynx]], have been described to have darker blue or purple markings.


==Abilities ==
When upset, some IceWings have been shown to ruffle up the spikes around their necks.{{Ref|DoD|191}}
IceWings can withstand both subzero temperatures and very bright light. Their serrated claws are incredibly good at gripping ice and can be used to tear into their enemies' flesh quite easily. Being clawed by an IceWing is said to be equal to being clawed by regular talons roughly four times. According to ''[[The Dragonet Prophecy]]'' and ''Moon Rising'', IceWing scales radiate a chill, similar to [[SandWings|SandWing]] scales, which radiate heat instead. Instead of breathing fire, IceWings exhale a freezing frostbreath, also known by other dragons as "freezing death breath". In fact, fire [[File:20180115_074702.jpg|thumb|Frostbreath, as demonstrated in the graphic novel]]is outlawed, in preference for Moon Globes from the [[Moon Globe Tree]]. Frostbreath can also be used to extinguish fires, demonstrated when Winter attempted to extinguish the flames in the history cave by exhaling frostbreath in ''Moon Rising''. This vapor can quickly induce terrible frostbite, and if the frostbreath enters through another dragon's throat, it can kill them by fusing their internal organs together; [[Queen Battlewinner]] of the Nightwings received frostbreath down her throat by an Icewing she was about to kill, and in order to save herself, she had to stay submerged in lava to melt the ice, this may mean that frostbreath ice is immune to fire. If it hits soil, ice crystals will grow. In the first book when Clay flew over the MudWing territory it was said that the frostbreath can cause limbs to fall clean off, as shown on a dead MudWing. [[Clay]] described it as a cloud of glittering smoke when he battled against [[Fjord]] in the [[Queen_Ruby's_Palace#SkyWing_Arena|SkyWing Arena]], and when Clay shot fire into Fjord's mouth, the chill of his scales swallowed the flame. An IceWing can be stopped from using this defense for a short amount of time by hot metal, fire, or other warm and hot materials. This is mentioned in the prologue of ''The Dragonet Prophecy'', where Burn first had her guards wrap [[Hvitur|Hvitur's]] snout in hot iron chains, and then had them removed, planning to kill Hvitur before his scales cooled down and enabled him to breathe his frostbreath. Frostbreath only works when the IceWing is cold.


If a dragon is shot by frostbreath on the inside, the only known way for them to survive it is for the victim to stay in lava or any other hot substance. [[Queen Battlewinner]] of the [[NightWings]] survived an attack where an IceWing shot its frostbreath down her throat, but due to her internal fire reservoir she could only survive for a short time; however, the fire could not hold it off forever and she was confined to a pool of lava, which kept her temperature in balance. When she attempted to attack Starflight and [[Queen Glory|Glory]] in ''[[The Dark Secret]]'', the ice forced the scales to work in Starflight's and Glory's favor and, despite [[Mastermind|Mastermind's]] and [[Princess Greatness|Greatness's]] efforts to save the queen, she froze to death within seconds. The ice in her body also discolored her eyes, teeth, and scales. In ''Moon Rising'', [[Moonwatcher]] describes IceWings to have sharp, glittering, and bright minds. SkyWings born with too much fire like Peril are immune to the frostbreath, but the area hit by the frostbreath does go numb for a while.
== Diet ==
IceWings prefer to eat creatures that live in the Ice Kingdom, such as reindeer, whales, penguins, hawks, polar bears, seals, walruses, and fish.{{Ref|AGttDW|135}} IceWing meals have been described as containing "bowls of dripping meat."{{Ref|WT|4}} They also consume scavengers,{{Ref|THK|131}} though not very often, as they are rare in the Ice Kingdom. Seals are common among the lower classes due to the gift of subsistence, which consists of holes in the ice found in three different villages where the lower-born IceWings live which are enchanted to always give the hunter a seal when they stick a talon in.{{Ref|AGttDW|151}} IceWings would also eat frozen berries and even have ice cream.{{Ref|TDG|217}}{{Ref|TDG|305}} IceWings typically enjoy their food raw.{{Ref|WT|154}}


=== Animus powers ===
For event feasts such as coronations, IceWings may consume elaborate courses, such as kelp and sedge salads garnished with garlic and ginger, crab soup with moss, whale skin topped with polar bear meat, narwhal blubber seasoned with fulmar oil, diced puffin breast, grated gannet stomach stew, scavenger liver, shark heart, and desserts such as shaved ice flavored with maple syrup and lemons.{{Ref|AGttDW|146}} They will also eat dishes from other tribes, such as frozen cream made from milk and melons, from the [[MudWings]].{{Ref|AGttDW|147}}
[[File:-IcewingAnimus.png|thumb|An IceWing animus planning for the ceremony]]
IceWings were once known for many animus dragons. They have a very strict rule for the use of those powers. An IceWing may only use their power once. These are called ''gifting ceremonies'', when an animus uses his/her power to present a gift to his/her tribe. The IceWings' line of animus dragons ended when Prince Arctic, their last animus, escaped with Foeslayer and gave birth to Darkstalker. An IceWing would say that the NightWings stole their powers.


== Names ==
== Abilities ==
IceWing names are chosen by the family member with the highest rank in the Circle Rankings and must be approved by the queen. They can be named after ice formations such as Glacier, arctic animals (whether they be land or aquatic) such as [[Narwhal]], words for "white" such as Hvitur, polar landscapes such as [[Tundra]], icy weather such as [[Hailstorm]], gemstone such as [[Queen Diamond|Diamond]], or even mountains in the real world, such as [[Changbai]].
IceWings can withstand subzero temperatures and very bright light.<ref>''[[Dragon guides]]''</ref> They have serrated claws for gripping slippery ice, which were described as "ten times sharper than normal claws" and "like getting clawed four times with each claw instead of once" when used offensively.{{Ref|TDP|168}}{{Ref|TDSp}} They are also known for having sharper eyesight than the other Pyrrhian dragon tribes,{{Ref|TDG|83}} and their scales emit an icy-cold chill,{{Ref|TDP|157}} which can freeze tiny drops of water on their bodies.{{Ref|L1|148}}
 
They can handle flight distances well but are weaker when subjected to heat.{{Ref|DoD|289}}
 
They can also exhale a freezing weapon called frostbreath,<ref name=":0">''[[Dragon guides]]''</ref> which appears as a cloud of sparkling smoke,{{Ref|TDP|157}} and can cause limbs to fall clean off from frostbite.{{Ref|TDP|272–273}} Scars from frostbreath look like blackened blisters, as seen on [[Mayfly]].{{Ref|WT|211}} The only known direct cure is the gift of healing, a set of narwhal horns enchanted by [[Queen Diamond]] to heal accidental frostbreath injuries. In other cases, fire, bags of hot rocks, hot mud, or related heat-emitting liquids are used to melt the ice and treat frostbreath on other tribes.{{Ref|DoD|147}}[[File:Frostbreath.png|thumb|[[Fjord]] using frostbreath during combat with [[Clay]] in the [[SkyWing arena]] from [[The Dragonet Prophecy (graphic novel)|''The Dragonet Prophecy (graphic novel)'']], by Mike Holmes]] Frostbreath forms ice crystals where it makes contact with dirt,{{Ref|TDP|272}} forms tiny chunks of ice when used on rain,{{Ref|WT|18}} and can be used to extinguish fires.{{Ref|MR|181}} An IceWing can be prevented from using their frostbreath for a short time by raising their body temperature either via a warm environment{{Ref|WT|90}} or manually heating them up (hot metal, fire, etc.).{{Ref|TDPp}} [[Fjord]]'s scales were described as "dripping with silvery liquid" while in the arena, which indicates that IceWings may be more vulnerable to warm conditions than other tribes.{{Ref|TDP|154}}
 
A dragon affected by frostbreath will first feel freezing pain, shocking the affected area into paralysis, and is quite painful for the first few seconds until the area becomes numb. Victims of frostbreath will sometimes lose consciousness.{{Ref|DoD|146}} [[SkyWings]] who hatch with [[firescales]] cannot be hurt by frostbreath, though an impacted area may be numb for some time.{{Ref|EP|125}}[[File:Battlewinner freeze.png|thumb|298x298px|Frostbreath taking over [[Battlewinner]]'s body from ''[[The Dark Secret (graphic novel)]],'' by Mike Holmes]]
A fire-breathing dragon can survive having frostbreath shot down their throat for a short time, but the only known way to survive a long period of time after sustaining internal frostbreath injuries is by staying immersed in lava.{{Ref|TDS|168}} Internal frostbreath injuries can eventually overwhelm a dragon if they leave the lava,{{Ref|TDS|263}} which is shown in [[Battlewinner]]'s case.


=== Known IceWings ===
As described in [[Moon Rising (book)|''Moon Rising'']], IceWings have sharp, glittering, and bright minds that are hard to read. Groups of IceWings will "reflect" off of one another and become even more difficult to read.{{Ref|MR|226}}
* [[Alba]]
* [[Prince Arctic]]
* [[Changbai]]
* [[Cirrus]] [[Chameleon|(Chameleon's IceWing form)]]
* [[Queen Diamond]]
* [[Ermine]]
* [[Fjord]]
* [[Frostbite]]
* [[Queen Glacier]]
* [[Prince Hailstorm]]
* [[Hvitur]]
* [[Princess Icicle]]
* [[Lynx]]
* [[Prince Narwhal]]
* [[Penguin]]
* [[Queen Snowfall]]
* [[Princess Snowfox]]
* [[Snowflake]]
* [[Princess Tundra]]
* [[Prince Winter]]


=== Animus Dragons ===
==== [[Animus magic]] ====
* [[Prince Arctic]]
IceWings were once known for having more animus dragons than any other tribe, as well as having magic the longest.{{Ref|L1|124}} These dragons were carefully bred into the royal family and monitored with extreme caution, with strict rules for the use of their powers to keep their soul from turning evil. IceWing animus dragons were only permitted to use their power once,{{Ref|L1p}} for the benefit of the tribe, at the gifting ceremony on their seventh hatching day.{{Ref|L1p}} Some animus IceWings went against the rules, such as Queen Diamond who used her power four times — once for her normal animus gift, the gift of healing, another on [[Foeslayer]] to come back to the Ice Kingdom, again for the gift of vengeance (the Diamond Caves), and once to enchant the IceWing crown to make the wearer hate [[NightWings]] as much as she had. IceWings host a test similar to the [[SeaWings]]' [[Talons of Power ceremony]]{{Ref|Event|https://www.deviantart.com/biohazardia/journal/Wings-of-Fire-News-at-Boskone-2020-831252663}} to find animus dragons.{{Ref|L1|116}}
* [[Queen Diamond]]
* [[Princess Frostbite]]
* [[Penguin (Darkstalker)]]


== Students at Jade Mountain Academy ==
The IceWing's line of animus dragons ended when [[Arctic]], the last known IceWing animus, ran away with Hope to the [[Lost city of night|Night Kingdom]], leading the IceWings to believe that the NightWings stole their magic.{{Ref|WT|37}}
* [[Alba]]
{{Dropdown
* [[Changbai]]
|align = left
* [[Ermine]]
|heading = Known Animus Gifts
* [[Prince Winter]] (Left and is working for the [[Talons of Peace]] )
|content = <p></p>
* [[Princess Icicle]] (Former, now awaiting trial)
*'''The gift of compromise:''' This gift is a scepter, carved from dark blue rock and set with little diamonds, which reminds Snowfall of NightWings.{{Ref|TDG|50}} It is unknown what its purpose is.
*'''The gift of defense:''' The Great Ice Cliff, a wall on the border of the Ice Kingdom that shoots icicle spears at anyone who is not an IceWing. This feature was first seen when one of Blaze's soldiers attempted to cross it. IceWing [[hybrids]] can also cross the cliff, as stated by [[Typhoon]], a [[SeaWing]]-IceWing hybrid. Queen Snowfall intends to tear it down after punching a hole in it at the end of ''[[The Dangerous Gift]]'', and it is currently under destruction as of ''[[A Guide to the Dragon World]]''.{{Ref|AGttDW|143}}
*'''The gift of diplomacy:''' Three bracelets that allow the wearer to safely cross the Great Ice Cliff despite their tribe and keep the wearer warm in the Ice Kingdom, as well as a heated dome near the SandWing border, so they do not need to wear the bracelet; created by [[Penguin]].{{Ref|AGttDW|144}} These bracelets were stolen by NightWings, however, and have been lost for about two thousand years. The NightWings of [[Prudence]]'s time suspected there to be a fourth bracelet that the IceWings were keeping hidden.
*'''The gift of elegance:''' An enchantment on the IceWing palace that makes the inner walls mimic the weather outside.{{Ref|AGttDW|144}}
*'''The gift of healing:''' Queen Diamond's first official tribe gift. She enchanted a set of narwhal horns to cure any IceWings of frostbreath wounds.{{Ref|L1p}} Snowfall thinks that the inspiration for the gift was that Diamond herself was hit by frostbreath when she was a dragonet.{{Ref|AGttDW|144}}
*'''The gift of light:''' A tree made of ice, the Moon Globe Tree, enchanted and hand-carved by [[Frostbite]]. The tree grows moon globes which, once picked from the branches, hover over the shoulder of the dragon who picked them and cast a soft glow. They also have different brightness settings that can be changed by rotating the globe. [[Glory]] wanted a cutting to grow in the rainforest.
* '''The gift of order:''' A wall that shows every IceWing aristocrat's name and their current ranking. The names can be slid around like abacus beads if the IceWing rises or falls in rank. Dead IceWing names can be scratched out. There are Circles for each rank, with two different systems for adults and dragonets. There is an alcove in the wall set aside for the IceWing queen,{{Ref|TDG|19}} and the queen must consider that all IceWings on the Gift of Order are important to the Kingdom. The queen must also reorder the ranks of the dragons in the IceWing palace every night. It was destroyed at the end of ''The Dangerous Gift'' by Snowfall, although a piece of it was given to [[Jade Mountain Academy]] for future study.{{Ref|AGttDW|143}}
*'''The gift of splendor:''' The main [[IceWing palace]], enchanted by animus twins to grow from the ground and never be cracked, melted, or harmed in any way from the outside.{{Ref|AGttDW|143}}
*'''The gift of stealth:''' A pair of pale silver wristbands set with diamonds that can make one or more dragons invisible.{{Ref|AGttDW|145}} While dragons are invisible, they must turn visible again before adding more dragons to the invisible group. Dragons in the invisibility circle are only able to be heard by each other. Snowfall uses it to disguise her army when she first meets the dragons from [[Pantala]], then later to catch [[Crystal]] and [[Sky]], on two separate occasions. They were given to [[Sundew]] when she left with the stealth group for Pantala.
*'''The gift of strength:''' A delicate and elegant tiara, which is smaller than the IceWing crown, and gives immense strength to the wearer. Snowfall used it in ''The Dangerous Gift'' to destroy part of the Great Ice Cliff and the entirety of the gift of order.
*'''The gift of subsistence:''' Three ice holes on the outskirts of the Ice Kingdom where if a dragon sticks their claws into it, they will always catch a seal. [[Winter]] thinks it is narrow-minded because it is built only for the lower ranks; any dragon who cared about their ranking would not accept food which came so easily.{{Ref|WT|243}} It was created by [[Caribou (princess)|Caribou]] after [[Snowstorm (advisor)|Snowstorm]] showed her how the outer villages of the Ice Kingdom lived.{{Ref|AGttDW|151}}
* '''The gift of understanding:''' Only part of this gift is available in the Forbidden Treasury, a piece of unwearable silver.{{Ref|TDG|52}} It is unknown what its purpose is. The gift is connected to a story [[Tui]] has not finished yet.{{Ref|Event|https://www.crowdcast.io/e/thedangerousgiftevent}}
*'''The gift of vengeance:''' The [[Diamond Caves]] were Queen Diamond's second animus gift, enchanted so that anyone who touches Hope (a NightWing locked inside with animus-touched shackles) with a diamond-tipped spear can kill her (used for the Diamond Trial). The shackles that bound her were enchanted to refreeze her and revive her each time she was killed. The only way to remove the shackles was to breathe frostbreath on them (Queen Diamond added this to the enchantment in case the IceWing tribe needed Hope as a bargaining chip, but thought that no IceWing would ever even think of freeing her). Together, they were created because Queen Diamond was not satisfied with killing Hope just once, and instead wanted her to suffer for all eternity.
*'''The gift of vision:''' The gift of vision is an animus-touched ring created by the IceWing animus, [[Opal]]. It is enchanted and only shows up for certain queens who are not ready to rule or need to be taught a lesson to become more open-minded. The wearer cannot take this ring off until they have fully learned their lesson. It allows the wearer to see visions through other dragons while the wearer themselves is sleeping, which makes them more open-minded towards other dragons' situations and circumstances. It is a silver ring with a big opal gem in the middle, and it cannot be destroyed. This is shown when Snowfall tried to ask [[Luna]] for assistance to burn off the ring with her flamesilk, or when she was slamming it on the rock.
}}


== Society ==
== Society ==
The IceWings appear to be fairly sophisticated compared to the other tribes, being the only dragons to have social classes. The social order seems to be a little reminiscent of a lower-level Russian 1800's society combined with something that seems a little Spartan. They also seem to be good planners due to their use of the animus IceWings in their tribe.
IceWings appear to be fairly sophisticated, strict, and believe themselves superior in comparison to the other tribes, being the only Pyrrhian dragons to have a hierarchy. They are very prideful and often perceived as rude and arrogant by dragons of other tribes.{{Ref|WTp}} There are strict IceWing codes of behavior: most IceWings agree that the only way to make dragonets strong is to expose all of their weaknesses, and that shame and fear are powerful weapons in teaching. If everyone is disappointed in a dragonet, the consensus is that they will work harder to prove themselves.{{Ref|WT|7}} Most dragonets are seasoned warriors in the Ice Kingdom.{{Ref|WT|66}}
 
Even in times of general peace, IceWings still had minor skirmishes with SandWings and SkyWings.{{Ref|W3q|103}}
 
Royal IceWings are typically not affectionate, as Winter mentioned that hugging their family members would be considered undignified.{{Ref|WT|45}} The lines of guards that attend the IceWing queen are perfectly coiled,{{Ref|WT|58}} and IceWings are noble to their queen's orders.{{Ref|WT|92}} It is painful to hold the IceWing guard stance for too long,{{Ref|WT|58}} but Winter practiced for hours to get the pose perfectly right: his wings folded exactly so, his tail in the right position, his snout up and shoulders back.{{Ref|WT|58}}
 
The IceWing queen, according to the ancient traditions of the tribe, was required to assess and adjust the gift of order each night.{{Ref|TDG|18}} She also has a council of powerful IceWings to guide and support her.{{Ref|TDG|29}} Most queens are killed in royal challenges in a battlefield, an arena, or before the entire court in a bloodstained throne room.{{Ref|TDG|47}}
 
Royal IceWings in the time of ''[[Darkstalker (Legends)|Darkstalker]]'' stored the frozen heads of deceased royal family members on walls in the palace and slid the deceased's corpses into the ocean.{{Ref|W4q|140}} This tradition is no longer practiced.{{Ref|Event|2=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn7Jmbsc7M0|3=(13:50)}}
 
IceWings living in villages outside the palace are less obsessed with status and Circles.{{Ref|DoD|367}} The outer villages are made of ice structures and are named hyphenated phrases.{{Ref|TDG|59}} In the outer villages, scrolls are typically written on sealskin and are circulated between IceWing villages by wandering librarians. They often have revered storytellers, or bards, who memorize stories that they sing or recite. Stories include tales of the [[Great Ice Dragon]] and histories of the IceWing tribe and their heroes. Dragonets are chosen to be their village's bard based on memory and performance skill. [[Caribou (bard)|Caribou]] claimed that it is every young dragon's dream to be their village's bard.{{Ref|AGttDW|148}}
 
IceWings have a mythological figure called the Great Ice Dragon, whom they swear by the teeth of.{{Ref|MR|226}} They also swear by snow monsters{{Ref|MR|289}} and believe in spirits under the ice.{{Ref|TDG|33}}


The IceWings have a class system with the different levels of society labeled with "circle" (ex: the Seventh Circle). They go in order with the First Circle as the highest and most desired class and ends with the Seventh Circle, the lowest and despised. Young IceWings perform tests to determine their rank, and as seen in [[Winter Turning]], there are usually younger dragonets that reside in the Seventh circle. From this, we can assume that IceWing dragonets start at the Seventh circle and work their way up to their determined rank. These tests revolve around every hunt, every fight, and every test of endurance in their earlier years. The place where you rank on your seventh hatching day determines where you will live as an adult. However, the [[Diamond Trial]] is also another last minute possibility. It is a test where a low-ranked IceWing challenges the highest-ranked. For the [[Diamond Trial]], the low-ranked dragon must kill the highest ranked dragon in order for him/her to advance to first place. However, this is risky and the challenger may end up getting killed by the dragon that is being challenged. An [[Animus-Touched Objects|animus-touched ice wall]] with the names of all of the dragonets shows their social rank. If a dragonet dies or is exiled for some reason, the name is slashed through. Once a dragonet turns seven, they are moved to the adult rankings, which determine where they live.
IceWings can have pets such as arctic foxes.{{Ref|AGttDW|140}}


IceWings have a strict behavior to uphold - Winter describes it as "undignified" when [[Moonwatcher|Moon]] is hugging [[Secretkeeper|her mother]].
IceWings have parties, talent shows, and competitions frequently and are always working hard to make something wonderful to share with the rest of the tribe. These include recipes, scrolls, songs, and jewelry.{{Ref|AGttDW|141}}


IceWings are also taught at a young age of their tribe's superiority, and how the NightWings betrayed them. ''(See [[Scrolls#Tribes|scrolls]] for more on their education.)'' They seem to think of themselves as the "best" of the tribes, probably because of their education. This seems to result in haughty, snobby behavior around dragons of other tribes.
Many IceWings polish their scales to maintain a clean look. This can be done via rolling in snow,{{Ref|WT|253}} swimming in cold water,{{Ref|WT|131}} or other various ways.


The royal family has a procedure of decapitating dead members before proceeding to store the IceWing's frozen head on the wall of dead royal family members and then slide the corpse into the ocean, according to Snowflake in ''[[Runaway]]''
==== Circle rankings ====
[[File:Ranking wall adjustment GN.jpg|thumb|[[Tundra]] adjusting [[Winter]]'s rank on the ranking wall to first from ''[[Winter Turning (graphic novel)]]'', by Mike Holmes]]
Before the reign of Queen Snowfall, the aristocracy and nobility of the IceWing tribe were divided into seven ranks of status, known as Circles. The First Circle was the top, highest, or best, while the Seventh Circle was the bottom, lowest, or worst. IceWings below the age of seven were ranked as dragonets and graduated to the adult rankings on their seventh hatching day.{{Ref|WT|8}} A dragonet's ranking on their seventh hatching day determined the course of the rest of their life, and if a dragonet reached their seventh hatching day in the Seventh Circle, they were stationed to an arctic outpost for the rest of their lives.{{Ref|WT|25}} In families in the Ice Kingdom, the highest-ranked parent chose the names for their dragonets, regardless of gender, and were then approved by the queen.{{Ref|L1|15}}


Click [[:Category:IceWings|here for]] a list of known IceWings.
This system was managed via the gift of order and consisted of a wall of ice showing the rankings of every noble and dragonet. The queen was required to adjust these rankings daily. Some noble dragons wore accessories to indicate their rankings, such as a necklace with circles on it.{{Ref|WT|240}}
[[File:Ice wing circle necklace.jpeg|thumb|A ranking necklace, from ''Winter Turning (graphic novel)'', by Mike Holmes]]


==Trivia==
IceWing dragonets raised their ranking through hunting, training, performing traditional IceWing customs, and passing tests given by their guardians.{{Ref|WT|3}} In the dragonet rankings, each hunt was still a chance to prove themselves and increase their rank.{{Ref|WT|3}} The highest-ranked dragonets were more respected. When a dragonet reached their seventh hatching day in the First or Second Circle, they would be housed in the queen's palace and allowed to provide input on important matters. When an adult went into Third Circle or lower, they could have lost their right to live in the palace.{{Ref|WT|249}} If an IceWing died or was exiled, their names were slashed through on the gift of order, as shown in [[Hailstorm]]'s case. If a dragonet went down in the rankings, their parents would too.{{Ref|WT|249}}
* Some IceWings seem to be minimalists, describing [[Blaze's Fortress|Blaze's fortress]] decorations as "garish and gaudy", possibly because their homeland has very little to offer in the way of decoration: mostly ice and snow.
 
*Their breath has been referred to as "freezing-death breath" and "frostbreath". Freezing-death breath was used in the first arc, while in the second arc, it is always referred to as "frostbreath". It is highly likely that it was only called "freezing death breath" because they did not know the actual term for it.
The gift of order has since been destroyed by Queen Snowfall.{{Ref|TDG|303}} She is also working on destroying the gift of defense so that IceWings can become more open-minded to other tribes willing to help them during crises.
* When too warm, IceWings can't use their frostbreath, much like MudWings that can only use flame when they are warm enough.
 
* In ''Moon Rising'' and ''Winter Turning'', it is noted that IceWings have dark blue blood, but in the first book, it was described as blue-red. In the graphic novel, it is confirmed that IceWing blood is indeed a dark blue.
==== Diamond Trial ====
* Winter and [[Icicle]] have made references to "the great ice dragon" and "snow monsters" which means they likely have mythological figures, or at least mythology, as they read sagas of IceWing history.
[[File:Diamond Caves interior GN3.jpg|thumb|[[IceWing gifts|The Diamond Caves]] where the Diamond Trial takes place from ''Winter Turning (graphic novel)'', by Mike Holmes]]
* IceWings eat arctic animals, such as polar bears, arctic foxes, etc. as well as marine animals such as walruses and seals as much of their territory is surrounded by water.
The Diamond Trial, also known as the gift of vengeance, was a way for IceWing dragonets to increase their Circle ranking in the tribe, generally as a last-minute effort to switch the places of two dragonets (the topmost and bottommost positions). It involved entering the Diamond Caves with narwhal horn spears, meant to touch a frozen NightWing - Foeslayer. When she was thawed, both contestants had to battle her. Foeslayer was then frozen again after she had been killed, leaving the two dragonets to fight to the death. However, the trial was rigged - only one of the dragonets, the one the IceWings wanted to win, was given information about the trial and how the spears actually worked.
* The IceWing palace is made of unbreakable and unmeltable animus-touched ice.
 
* They once had animus dragons but the last animus (Prince Arctic) was "stolen" by NightWings, which is why they hate them.
The trial became defunct when Winter secretly freed Foeslayer during the events of ''[[Winter Turning (book)|Winter Turning]]''.
* Albatross was descended from an IceWing, as is all the SeaWing royal family after that.
 
* IceWings have incredibly weak night vision, though it may once have been stronger.
== Names ==
* SkyWings with firescales are immune to frostbreath, but in the area Peril had been hit by frostbreath did go numb for a moment.
Before Queen Snowfall, IceWing names were chosen by the family member with the highest Circle rank and the names had to be approved by the queen.{{Ref|L1|15}} It is unknown if this naming convention is still practiced. They can be named after ice formations like [[Glacier]] and [[Icicle]], arctic animals (both terrestrial and aquatic) such as Penguin, Lynx, [[Narwhal]], and [[Ermine]], words for "white" in various languages such as [[Alba]] and [[Hvitur]], polar landscapes such as [[Tundra]], polar weather such as Hailstorm or Snowfall, and mountains such as [[Changbai]]. They can also be named after blue and white gemstones such as Crystal, Diamond, and Opal, as well as cold seasons like Winter.
* IceWings were the first known tribe to use their animus in a controlled manner, whereas other tribe's animus dragons were killed before they could use their magic or went insane from magic overuse.
 
* As shown in ''Winter Turning,'' IceWings seem to use "Seal Guts!" as an exclamation of disbelief or frustration.
Click [[:Category:IceWings|here]] for a list of known IceWings.
* Being clawed by an IceWing is described as being clawed "four times with each claw instead of one" by Peril in The Dragonet Prophecy.
 
* IceWings are portrayed as knowing how to swim, in both ''Winter Turning'', when Hailstorm reflects on how he felt in the body of Pyrite when he saw water, and in ''Darkstalker (Legends)'' when two IceWings leap out of the water on a beach to kill some scavengers set loose by [[Clearsight]] and [[Listener]] before they jumped back into the water and swam away. This also proves that IceWings don't have as many issues with water as other tribes do.
==== Animus dragons ====
* IceWings are shown to have scheduled sleeping times in ''Runaway''. When Prince Arctic is caught out of his room, the Queen sends him back to bed, after talking about the scheduled IceWing sleeping cycle.
* [[Arctic]]
* IceWings have the most royal and strict society throughout all of Pyrrhia.
* [[Caribou (princess)|Caribou]]
* In ''Winter Turning'', Winter's thoughts revealed that IceWings can see very far.
* [[Darkstalker (L1)|Darkstalker]] (Half-NightWing, Half-IceWing)
* The first IceWing that was introduced in the books was [[Hvitur]] in ''[[The Dragonet Prophecy]]''.
* [[Diamond]]
* Tui has confirmed that Icewings have accents that are different from any other dragon tribe, probably because they live the most isolated from most dragon tribes.
* [[Frostbite]]
* The IceWings have four palaces--the Queen's ice palace shown on the map of Pyrrhia, as well as three outer ones as mentioned in Darkstalker (Legends).
* [[Opal]]
* When IceWings blush, it is blue, as shown in ''Winter Turning''.
* [[Penguin]]
* Only the IceWings in Joy Ang's dragon lineart have a foreleg raised up, as opposed to the other linearts all standing with four legs.
 
* In IceWing society, the dragon with the highest rank in the family chooses their dragonets' names, and the queen must approve them.
==== Students at Jade Mountain ====
* Many NightWings have IceWing blood, as they have Arctic and Whiteout as ancestors.
* [[Alba]]
* In the main books, frostbreath is portrayed as icy air, or shards of tiny ice crystals, however, in the graphic novel, it looks like freezing water. It is unknown which is correct.
* [[Changbai]]
* [[Ermine]]
* [[Icicle]] (formerly; on trial in the Ice Kingdom for attempting to kill [[Starflight]] and Glory, and killing an unnamed NightWing by the orders of [[Queen Scarlet]])
* [[Winter]] (formerly; currently living with the [[Talons of Peace]] in [[Sanctuary]])
* 2 unnamed IceWings
 
== Trivia ==
* IceWings may use fruit juice to make popsicles.{{Ref|Event|https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/275812823643193345/838991337738862642/Tumblr_l_201903406588238.png}}
* There have been legends of animus IceWings that have gone mad from overuse of magic.{{Ref|L1p}}
* IceWings have a specific sleeping schedule.{{Ref|W4q|146}}
* IceWings have trouble smelling things properly in more crowded environments like forests or towns.{{Ref|WTp}}
* IceWings can use their polished scales to make mirror signals by reflecting sunlight.{{Ref|WT|131}} Winter showed to do this in [[Winter Turning (graphic novel)]] to make a beacon signal for the others.
* There is an old IceWing tale that eating a shark heart can give a dragon strength; however, Glacier noted that many IceWings would get sick from eating it.{{Ref|AGttDW|147}}


== Gallery ==
== Gallery ==
[[IceWings/Gallery|(Click here to see gallery)]]
<gallery>
Typical IceWing by Sassy the Beagle.jpg|A typical IceWing (colored), by [[Joy Ang]]
IceTransparent.png|A typical IceWing (lineart), by Joy Ang
Transparent IceWing Base (Joy Ang).png|A typical IceWing (transparent), by Joy Ang
IceWing DE.png|A typical IceWing from the German publication, by [[Max Meinzold]]
</gallery>
 
== References ==
{{References}}


{{EventReferences}}
{{IceWing Navbox}}
{{IceWing Navbox}}


[[cs:Ledoleti]]
[[de:Eisflügler]]
[[de:Eisflügler]]
[[fi:Jääsiivet]]
[[fr:Ailes de Glace]]
[[fr:Ailes de Glace]]
[[Category:Tribes of Dragons]]
[[nl:IJsVleugels]]
[[Category:IceWing History]]
[[pl:Lodoskrzydłe]]
[[Category:Tribes of Pyrrhia]]
[[ru:Ледяные драконы]]
[[uk:Льодокрили]]
 
[[Category:Pyrrhian tribes]]
[[Category:Dragon tribes]]

Latest revision as of 06:18, 26 October 2025

IceWings, also known as ice dragons or arctic dragons to humans, are a Pyrrhian dragon tribe that resides in the Ice Kingdom, the "head" of the dragon-shaped Pyrrhia, which is known for its cold winds, freezing temperatures, and, formerly, the Great Ice Cliff (also known as the gift of defense), before it was destroyed by Queen Snowfall,[1] their current queen.

The IceWings supported Blaze during the War of SandWing Succession, joining her alliance with the promise of a large portion of land near the SandWings' northern border if Blaze had won.[2]

Description

IceWing scales can range from silvery-gray[3] and white[4] to pale shades of blue[5] and purple,[6] intended to blend into their icy surroundings. Their coloring has been described as "silver like the moons," "pale blue like ice,"[7] "as pale as the moons,"[8] or "moon-white scales".[9] IceWings have dark blue,[10] sky blue,[11] icy blue,[12] or stormy gray eyes,[13] with forked blue tongues[7] and dark blue blood.[14][15]

The head of an IceWing is shaped like a diamond and is very narrow, with spikes continuing down their back and tail and a ruff of extra spikes behind their heads. They are usually lean dragons with whip-thin tails that have icicle-shaped spines, ending in very sharp tips. They have serrated claws for gripping the ice.[7] Some IceWings have unusual patterns, such as Lynx, with dark freckles or markings on their faces and wings,[16] and Mink, with feathery patterns of gray along her wings, like whiskers or tufts of fur.[10]

When upset, some IceWings have been shown to ruffle up the spikes around their necks.[17]

Diet

IceWings prefer to eat creatures that live in the Ice Kingdom, such as reindeer, whales, penguins, hawks, polar bears, seals, walruses, and fish.[12] IceWing meals have been described as containing "bowls of dripping meat."[18] They also consume scavengers,[19] though not very often, as they are rare in the Ice Kingdom. Seals are common among the lower classes due to the gift of subsistence, which consists of holes in the ice found in three different villages where the lower-born IceWings live which are enchanted to always give the hunter a seal when they stick a talon in.[20] IceWings would also eat frozen berries and even have ice cream.[21][22] IceWings typically enjoy their food raw.[23]

For event feasts such as coronations, IceWings may consume elaborate courses, such as kelp and sedge salads garnished with garlic and ginger, crab soup with moss, whale skin topped with polar bear meat, narwhal blubber seasoned with fulmar oil, diced puffin breast, grated gannet stomach stew, scavenger liver, shark heart, and desserts such as shaved ice flavored with maple syrup and lemons.[24] They will also eat dishes from other tribes, such as frozen cream made from milk and melons, from the MudWings.[25]

Abilities

IceWings can withstand subzero temperatures and very bright light.[26] They have serrated claws for gripping slippery ice, which were described as "ten times sharper than normal claws" and "like getting clawed four times with each claw instead of once" when used offensively.[27][28] They are also known for having sharper eyesight than the other Pyrrhian dragon tribes,[29] and their scales emit an icy-cold chill,[30] which can freeze tiny drops of water on their bodies.[31]

They can handle flight distances well but are weaker when subjected to heat.[32]

They can also exhale a freezing weapon called frostbreath,[33] which appears as a cloud of sparkling smoke,[30] and can cause limbs to fall clean off from frostbite.[34] Scars from frostbreath look like blackened blisters, as seen on Mayfly.[35] The only known direct cure is the gift of healing, a set of narwhal horns enchanted by Queen Diamond to heal accidental frostbreath injuries. In other cases, fire, bags of hot rocks, hot mud, or related heat-emitting liquids are used to melt the ice and treat frostbreath on other tribes.[36]

Fjord using frostbreath during combat with Clay in the SkyWing arena from The Dragonet Prophecy (graphic novel), by Mike Holmes

Frostbreath forms ice crystals where it makes contact with dirt,[37] forms tiny chunks of ice when used on rain,[38] and can be used to extinguish fires.[39] An IceWing can be prevented from using their frostbreath for a short time by raising their body temperature either via a warm environment[40] or manually heating them up (hot metal, fire, etc.).[3] Fjord's scales were described as "dripping with silvery liquid" while in the arena, which indicates that IceWings may be more vulnerable to warm conditions than other tribes.[5] A dragon affected by frostbreath will first feel freezing pain, shocking the affected area into paralysis, and is quite painful for the first few seconds until the area becomes numb. Victims of frostbreath will sometimes lose consciousness.[41] SkyWings who hatch with firescales cannot be hurt by frostbreath, though an impacted area may be numb for some time.[42]

Frostbreath taking over Battlewinner's body from The Dark Secret (graphic novel), by Mike Holmes

A fire-breathing dragon can survive having frostbreath shot down their throat for a short time, but the only known way to survive a long period of time after sustaining internal frostbreath injuries is by staying immersed in lava.[43] Internal frostbreath injuries can eventually overwhelm a dragon if they leave the lava,[44] which is shown in Battlewinner's case.

As described in Moon Rising, IceWings have sharp, glittering, and bright minds that are hard to read. Groups of IceWings will "reflect" off of one another and become even more difficult to read.[45]

Animus magic

IceWings were once known for having more animus dragons than any other tribe, as well as having magic the longest.[46] These dragons were carefully bred into the royal family and monitored with extreme caution, with strict rules for the use of their powers to keep their soul from turning evil. IceWing animus dragons were only permitted to use their power once,[47] for the benefit of the tribe, at the gifting ceremony on their seventh hatching day.[47] Some animus IceWings went against the rules, such as Queen Diamond who used her power four times — once for her normal animus gift, the gift of healing, another on Foeslayer to come back to the Ice Kingdom, again for the gift of vengeance (the Diamond Caves), and once to enchant the IceWing crown to make the wearer hate NightWings as much as she had. IceWings host a test similar to the SeaWings' Talons of Power ceremony[event 1] to find animus dragons.[48]

The IceWing's line of animus dragons ended when Arctic, the last known IceWing animus, ran away with Hope to the Night Kingdom, leading the IceWings to believe that the NightWings stole their magic.[49]

Known Animus Gifts

  • The gift of compromise: This gift is a scepter, carved from dark blue rock and set with little diamonds, which reminds Snowfall of NightWings.[50] It is unknown what its purpose is.
  • The gift of defense: The Great Ice Cliff, a wall on the border of the Ice Kingdom that shoots icicle spears at anyone who is not an IceWing. This feature was first seen when one of Blaze's soldiers attempted to cross it. IceWing hybrids can also cross the cliff, as stated by Typhoon, a SeaWing-IceWing hybrid. Queen Snowfall intends to tear it down after punching a hole in it at the end of The Dangerous Gift, and it is currently under destruction as of A Guide to the Dragon World.[51]
  • The gift of diplomacy: Three bracelets that allow the wearer to safely cross the Great Ice Cliff despite their tribe and keep the wearer warm in the Ice Kingdom, as well as a heated dome near the SandWing border, so they do not need to wear the bracelet; created by Penguin.[52] These bracelets were stolen by NightWings, however, and have been lost for about two thousand years. The NightWings of Prudence's time suspected there to be a fourth bracelet that the IceWings were keeping hidden.
  • The gift of elegance: An enchantment on the IceWing palace that makes the inner walls mimic the weather outside.[52]
  • The gift of healing: Queen Diamond's first official tribe gift. She enchanted a set of narwhal horns to cure any IceWings of frostbreath wounds.[47] Snowfall thinks that the inspiration for the gift was that Diamond herself was hit by frostbreath when she was a dragonet.[52]
  • The gift of light: A tree made of ice, the Moon Globe Tree, enchanted and hand-carved by Frostbite. The tree grows moon globes which, once picked from the branches, hover over the shoulder of the dragon who picked them and cast a soft glow. They also have different brightness settings that can be changed by rotating the globe. Glory wanted a cutting to grow in the rainforest.
  • The gift of order: A wall that shows every IceWing aristocrat's name and their current ranking. The names can be slid around like abacus beads if the IceWing rises or falls in rank. Dead IceWing names can be scratched out. There are Circles for each rank, with two different systems for adults and dragonets. There is an alcove in the wall set aside for the IceWing queen,[53] and the queen must consider that all IceWings on the Gift of Order are important to the Kingdom. The queen must also reorder the ranks of the dragons in the IceWing palace every night. It was destroyed at the end of The Dangerous Gift by Snowfall, although a piece of it was given to Jade Mountain Academy for future study.[51]
  • The gift of splendor: The main IceWing palace, enchanted by animus twins to grow from the ground and never be cracked, melted, or harmed in any way from the outside.[51]
  • The gift of stealth: A pair of pale silver wristbands set with diamonds that can make one or more dragons invisible.[54] While dragons are invisible, they must turn visible again before adding more dragons to the invisible group. Dragons in the invisibility circle are only able to be heard by each other. Snowfall uses it to disguise her army when she first meets the dragons from Pantala, then later to catch Crystal and Sky, on two separate occasions. They were given to Sundew when she left with the stealth group for Pantala.
  • The gift of strength: A delicate and elegant tiara, which is smaller than the IceWing crown, and gives immense strength to the wearer. Snowfall used it in The Dangerous Gift to destroy part of the Great Ice Cliff and the entirety of the gift of order.
  • The gift of subsistence: Three ice holes on the outskirts of the Ice Kingdom where if a dragon sticks their claws into it, they will always catch a seal. Winter thinks it is narrow-minded because it is built only for the lower ranks; any dragon who cared about their ranking would not accept food which came so easily.[55] It was created by Caribou after Snowstorm showed her how the outer villages of the Ice Kingdom lived.[20]
  • The gift of understanding: Only part of this gift is available in the Forbidden Treasury, a piece of unwearable silver.[56] It is unknown what its purpose is. The gift is connected to a story Tui has not finished yet.[event 2]
  • The gift of vengeance: The Diamond Caves were Queen Diamond's second animus gift, enchanted so that anyone who touches Hope (a NightWing locked inside with animus-touched shackles) with a diamond-tipped spear can kill her (used for the Diamond Trial). The shackles that bound her were enchanted to refreeze her and revive her each time she was killed. The only way to remove the shackles was to breathe frostbreath on them (Queen Diamond added this to the enchantment in case the IceWing tribe needed Hope as a bargaining chip, but thought that no IceWing would ever even think of freeing her). Together, they were created because Queen Diamond was not satisfied with killing Hope just once, and instead wanted her to suffer for all eternity.
  • The gift of vision: The gift of vision is an animus-touched ring created by the IceWing animus, Opal. It is enchanted and only shows up for certain queens who are not ready to rule or need to be taught a lesson to become more open-minded. The wearer cannot take this ring off until they have fully learned their lesson. It allows the wearer to see visions through other dragons while the wearer themselves is sleeping, which makes them more open-minded towards other dragons' situations and circumstances. It is a silver ring with a big opal gem in the middle, and it cannot be destroyed. This is shown when Snowfall tried to ask Luna for assistance to burn off the ring with her flamesilk, or when she was slamming it on the rock.

Society

IceWings appear to be fairly sophisticated, strict, and believe themselves superior in comparison to the other tribes, being the only Pyrrhian dragons to have a hierarchy. They are very prideful and often perceived as rude and arrogant by dragons of other tribes.[57] There are strict IceWing codes of behavior: most IceWings agree that the only way to make dragonets strong is to expose all of their weaknesses, and that shame and fear are powerful weapons in teaching. If everyone is disappointed in a dragonet, the consensus is that they will work harder to prove themselves.[58] Most dragonets are seasoned warriors in the Ice Kingdom.[59]

Even in times of general peace, IceWings still had minor skirmishes with SandWings and SkyWings.[60]

Royal IceWings are typically not affectionate, as Winter mentioned that hugging their family members would be considered undignified.[61] The lines of guards that attend the IceWing queen are perfectly coiled,[62] and IceWings are noble to their queen's orders.[63] It is painful to hold the IceWing guard stance for too long,[62] but Winter practiced for hours to get the pose perfectly right: his wings folded exactly so, his tail in the right position, his snout up and shoulders back.[62]

The IceWing queen, according to the ancient traditions of the tribe, was required to assess and adjust the gift of order each night.[64] She also has a council of powerful IceWings to guide and support her.[65] Most queens are killed in royal challenges in a battlefield, an arena, or before the entire court in a bloodstained throne room.[66]

Royal IceWings in the time of Darkstalker stored the frozen heads of deceased royal family members on walls in the palace and slid the deceased's corpses into the ocean.[67] This tradition is no longer practiced.[event 3]

IceWings living in villages outside the palace are less obsessed with status and Circles.[68] The outer villages are made of ice structures and are named hyphenated phrases.[69] In the outer villages, scrolls are typically written on sealskin and are circulated between IceWing villages by wandering librarians. They often have revered storytellers, or bards, who memorize stories that they sing or recite. Stories include tales of the Great Ice Dragon and histories of the IceWing tribe and their heroes. Dragonets are chosen to be their village's bard based on memory and performance skill. Caribou claimed that it is every young dragon's dream to be their village's bard.[70]

IceWings have a mythological figure called the Great Ice Dragon, whom they swear by the teeth of.[45] They also swear by snow monsters[71] and believe in spirits under the ice.[72]

IceWings can have pets such as arctic foxes.[73]

IceWings have parties, talent shows, and competitions frequently and are always working hard to make something wonderful to share with the rest of the tribe. These include recipes, scrolls, songs, and jewelry.[74]

Many IceWings polish their scales to maintain a clean look. This can be done via rolling in snow,[75] swimming in cold water,[76] or other various ways.

Circle rankings

Tundra adjusting Winter's rank on the ranking wall to first from Winter Turning (graphic novel), by Mike Holmes

Before the reign of Queen Snowfall, the aristocracy and nobility of the IceWing tribe were divided into seven ranks of status, known as Circles. The First Circle was the top, highest, or best, while the Seventh Circle was the bottom, lowest, or worst. IceWings below the age of seven were ranked as dragonets and graduated to the adult rankings on their seventh hatching day.[77] A dragonet's ranking on their seventh hatching day determined the course of the rest of their life, and if a dragonet reached their seventh hatching day in the Seventh Circle, they were stationed to an arctic outpost for the rest of their lives.[78] In families in the Ice Kingdom, the highest-ranked parent chose the names for their dragonets, regardless of gender, and were then approved by the queen.[79]

This system was managed via the gift of order and consisted of a wall of ice showing the rankings of every noble and dragonet. The queen was required to adjust these rankings daily. Some noble dragons wore accessories to indicate their rankings, such as a necklace with circles on it.[80]

A ranking necklace, from Winter Turning (graphic novel), by Mike Holmes

IceWing dragonets raised their ranking through hunting, training, performing traditional IceWing customs, and passing tests given by their guardians.[81] In the dragonet rankings, each hunt was still a chance to prove themselves and increase their rank.[81] The highest-ranked dragonets were more respected. When a dragonet reached their seventh hatching day in the First or Second Circle, they would be housed in the queen's palace and allowed to provide input on important matters. When an adult went into Third Circle or lower, they could have lost their right to live in the palace.[82] If an IceWing died or was exiled, their names were slashed through on the gift of order, as shown in Hailstorm's case. If a dragonet went down in the rankings, their parents would too.[82]

The gift of order has since been destroyed by Queen Snowfall.[83] She is also working on destroying the gift of defense so that IceWings can become more open-minded to other tribes willing to help them during crises.

Diamond Trial

The Diamond Caves where the Diamond Trial takes place from Winter Turning (graphic novel), by Mike Holmes

The Diamond Trial, also known as the gift of vengeance, was a way for IceWing dragonets to increase their Circle ranking in the tribe, generally as a last-minute effort to switch the places of two dragonets (the topmost and bottommost positions). It involved entering the Diamond Caves with narwhal horn spears, meant to touch a frozen NightWing - Foeslayer. When she was thawed, both contestants had to battle her. Foeslayer was then frozen again after she had been killed, leaving the two dragonets to fight to the death. However, the trial was rigged - only one of the dragonets, the one the IceWings wanted to win, was given information about the trial and how the spears actually worked.

The trial became defunct when Winter secretly freed Foeslayer during the events of Winter Turning.

Names

Before Queen Snowfall, IceWing names were chosen by the family member with the highest Circle rank and the names had to be approved by the queen.[79] It is unknown if this naming convention is still practiced. They can be named after ice formations like Glacier and Icicle, arctic animals (both terrestrial and aquatic) such as Penguin, Lynx, Narwhal, and Ermine, words for "white" in various languages such as Alba and Hvitur, polar landscapes such as Tundra, polar weather such as Hailstorm or Snowfall, and mountains such as Changbai. They can also be named after blue and white gemstones such as Crystal, Diamond, and Opal, as well as cold seasons like Winter.

Click here for a list of known IceWings.

Animus dragons

Students at Jade Mountain

Trivia

  • IceWings may use fruit juice to make popsicles.[event 4]
  • There have been legends of animus IceWings that have gone mad from overuse of magic.[47]
  • IceWings have a specific sleeping schedule.[84]
  • IceWings have trouble smelling things properly in more crowded environments like forests or towns.[57]
  • IceWings can use their polished scales to make mirror signals by reflecting sunlight.[76] Winter showed to do this in Winter Turning (graphic novel) to make a beacon signal for the others.
  • There is an old IceWing tale that eating a shark heart can give a dragon strength; however, Glacier noted that many IceWings would get sick from eating it.[25]
  • A typical IceWing (colored), by Joy Ang
    A typical IceWing (colored), by Joy Ang
  • A typical IceWing (lineart), by Joy Ang
    A typical IceWing (lineart), by Joy Ang
  • A typical IceWing (transparent), by Joy Ang
    A typical IceWing (transparent), by Joy Ang
  • A typical IceWing from the German publication, by Max Meinzold
    A typical IceWing from the German publication, by Max Meinzold

References

  1. ↑ The Dangerous Gift, page 259
  2. ↑ The Hidden Kingdom, page 115
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Dragonet Prophecy, prologue
  4. ↑ The Poison Jungle, page 296
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 The Dragonet Prophecy, page 154
  6. ↑ Winter Turning, page 141
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Dragon guides
  8. ↑ Darkstalker, page 14
  9. ↑ Darkstalker, page 174
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 The Dangerous Gift, page 44
  11. ↑ Winter Turning, page 191
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 A Guide to the Dragon World, page 135
  13. ↑ Winter Turning, page 252
  14. ↑ Moon Rising, page 276
  15. ↑ The Dragonet Prophecy, page 230
  16. ↑ Winter Turning, page 259
  17. ↑ Darkness of Dragons, page 191
  18. ↑ Winter Turning, page 4
  19. ↑ The Hidden Kingdom, page 131
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 A Guide to the Dragon World, page 151
  21. ↑ The Dangerous Gift, page 217
  22. ↑ The Dangerous Gift, page 305
  23. ↑ Winter Turning, page 154
  24. ↑ A Guide to the Dragon World, page 146
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 A Guide to the Dragon World, page 147
  26. ↑ Dragon guides
  27. ↑ The Dragonet Prophecy, page 168
  28. ↑ The Dark Secret, prologue
  29. ↑ The Dangerous Gift, page 83
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 The Dragonet Prophecy, page 157
  31. ↑ Darkstalker, page 148
  32. ↑ Darkness of Dragons, page 289
  33. ↑ Dragon guides
  34. ↑ The Dragonet Prophecy, page 272–273
  35. ↑ Winter Turning, page 211
  36. ↑ Darkness of Dragons, page 147
  37. ↑ The Dragonet Prophecy, page 272
  38. ↑ Winter Turning, page 18
  39. ↑ Moon Rising, page 181
  40. ↑ Winter Turning, page 90
  41. ↑ Darkness of Dragons, page 146
  42. ↑ Escaping Peril, page 125
  43. ↑ The Dark Secret, page 168
  44. ↑ The Dark Secret, page 263
  45. ↑ 45.0 45.1 Moon Rising, page 226
  46. ↑ Darkstalker, page 124
  47. ↑ 47.0 47.1 47.2 47.3 Darkstalker, prologue
  48. ↑ Darkstalker, page 116
  49. ↑ Winter Turning, page 37
  50. ↑ The Dangerous Gift, page 50
  51. ↑ 51.0 51.1 51.2 A Guide to the Dragon World, page 143
  52. ↑ 52.0 52.1 52.2 A Guide to the Dragon World, page 144
  53. ↑ The Dangerous Gift, page 19
  54. ↑ A Guide to the Dragon World, page 145
  55. ↑ Winter Turning, page 243
  56. ↑ The Dangerous Gift, page 52
  57. ↑ 57.0 57.1 Winter Turning, prologue
  58. ↑ Winter Turning, page 7
  59. ↑ Winter Turning, page 66
  60. ↑ The Winglets Quartet: Deserter, page 103
  61. ↑ Winter Turning, page 45
  62. ↑ 62.0 62.1 62.2 Winter Turning, page 58
  63. ↑ Winter Turning, page 92
  64. ↑ The Dangerous Gift, page 18
  65. ↑ The Dangerous Gift, page 29
  66. ↑ The Dangerous Gift, page 47
  67. ↑ The Winglets Quartet: Runaway, page 140
  68. ↑ Darkness of Dragons, page 367
  69. ↑ The Dangerous Gift, page 59
  70. ↑ A Guide to the Dragon World, page 148
  71. ↑ Moon Rising, page 289
  72. ↑ The Dangerous Gift, page 33
  73. ↑ A Guide to the Dragon World, page 140
  74. ↑ A Guide to the Dragon World, page 141
  75. ↑ Winter Turning, page 253
  76. ↑ 76.0 76.1 Winter Turning, page 131
  77. ↑ Winter Turning, page 8
  78. ↑ Winter Turning, page 25
  79. ↑ 79.0 79.1 Darkstalker, page 15
  80. ↑ Winter Turning, page 240
  81. ↑ 81.0 81.1 Winter Turning, page 3
  82. ↑ 82.0 82.1 Winter Turning, page 249
  83. ↑ The Dangerous Gift, page 303
  84. ↑ The Winglets Quartet: Runaway, page 146
  1. ↑ Stated by Tui, source 
  2. ↑ Stated by Tui, source 
  3. ↑ Stated by Tui, source (13:50)
  4. ↑ Stated by Tui, source 
IceWings
Queens

Present: Glacier • Snowfall
Historical: Diamond

Royalty
(Present)

Crystal • Hailstorm • Icicle • Mink • Narwhal • Permafrost • Tundra • Winter

Royalty
(Historical)

Arctic • Caribou • Frostbite • Opal • Penguin • Snowfox

Jade Mountain

Alba • Changbai • Ermine • Icicle • Winter

Other Dragons

Cirrus • Caribou • Caribou • Caribou • Caribou • Caribou • Caribou • Fjord • Hvitur • Igloo • Ivory • Lynx • Snowflake • Snowstorm • Snowstorm • Snowstorm • Polar Bear

Hybrids

Darkstalker • Whiteout • Eclipse • Fierceclaws • Shadowhunter • Typhoon

Kingdom

Notable Features: Great Ice Cliff • Moon Globe Tree • IceWing palace • Diamond Caves
Villages: Among-the-Evergreens • Hamlet-That-Worships-the-Whales-Who-Sing-at-Night • Village-of-the-Plentiful-Seals • We-Remember-and-Venerate-Caribou • Where-No-Dragon-Goes-Hungry • Where-the-Terns-Fly • Where-the-Whales-Leap-at-Dawn


cs:Ledoleti de:Eisflügler fi:Jääsiivet fr:Ailes de Glace nl:IJsVleugels pl:Lodoskrzydłe ru:Ледяные драконы uk:Льодокрили

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