IceWings
IceWings, also known as Ice Dragons to scavengers, are a Pyrrhian dragon tribe who live in the Ice Kingdom, a northwestern area of Pyrrhia (the ‘head') which is known for its cold winds, freezing temperatures, and the Great Ice Cliff. They are currently ruled by Queen Snowfall.
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 she won.
Description
IceWing scales can range from silvery-gray and white colors to pale shades of blue and purple, intended to blend into their surroundings. Their coloring has been described as "silver like the moons", "pale blue like ice", "as pale as the moons" or "moon-white scales", and "scales the color of sky reflected in the snow on the distant mountain peaks". IceWings have dark blue, black, or stormy gray eyes, forked blue tongues, and dark blue or bluish-red blood.[1][2]
The head of an IceWing is shaped like a diamond and is very narrow, with a ruff of extra horns behind their heads and spikes along their backs. They are lean dragons with thin, whip-like tails with icicle-shaped spines, ending in a very sharp tip.[3] They have serrated claws for walking on ice. Some IceWings have dark freckles or markings on their faces and wings.[4]
Diets
IceWings eat polar bears and other tundra-based creatures, such as whales, seals, penguins, walruses, and fish. IceWing meals have been described as containing "dripping bowls of meat".[5] They also consume scavengers, though not very often, as they are rare in the tundra. IceWings are known to consume fish as well because of their presence in the ocean waters. Seals are common due to The Gift of Sustenance.
Abilities
IceWings can withstand subzero temperatures and very bright light.[6] They have serrated claws for gripping ice, which seem "ten times sharper than normal claws" and "like getting clawed four times with each claw instead of once" when used offensively.[7][8] Their scales emit a chill,[9] and they can exhale a freezing weapon called frostbreath (also known as "freezing death breath".)[10]
Frostbreath appears as a cloud of sparkling smoke,[9] and can cause limbs to fall clean off.[11] It forms ice crystals where it makes contact with dirt,[12] and can be used to extinguish fires.[13] An IceWing can be prevented from using their frostbreath for a short time by raising their body temperature, either via a warm environment or manually heating them up (hot metal, fire, etc.).[14][15]
A firebreathing dragon may survive having frostbreath shot down their throat for a short time, but the only known way to survive after sustaining internal frostbreath injuries is by staying immersed in lava.[16] Internal frostbreath injuries can eventually overwhelm a dragon if they leave their lava.[17]
Dragons born with firescales cannot be hurt by frostbreath, though an impacted area may be numb for some period of time.[18]
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.[19]
IceWings were once known for having more animus dragons than any other tribe. These dragons were carefully bred into the royal family and monitored cautiously, 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, for the benefit of the tribe, at the gifting ceremony on their seventh hatching day, although some dragons disobeyed this rule. The IceWings' line of animus dragons ended when Prince Arctic, the last IceWing known animus, ran away with Foeslayer to the Night Kingdom, leading the IceWings to believe that the NightWings stole their magic.[20]
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Society
The IceWings appear to be fairly sophisticated and strict in comparison to the other tribes, being the only dragons to have a social hierarchy. IceWings are very proud, and often perceived as rude and arrogant by dragons of other tribes.[21] They believe they are superior, and that other tribes are "just a footnote in the great IceWing sagas that told the history of Pyrrhia." IceWings believe their stories are the true history and the only correct retellings of legends and events, and will only interact with other tribes if they stand to gain something from it.
IceWings have a mythological figure called the Great Ice Dragon, whom they swear by the teeth of.[19] They also swear by snow monsters.[22]
Circle rankings
The aristocracy of the IceWing tribe is divided into seven ranks of status, known as Circles. The First Circle is the top, or best, while the Seventh Circle is the worst. Dragonets below the age of seven are ranked as dragonets, and graduate to the adult rankings on their seventh hatchday. A dragonet's ranking on their seventh hatchday also determines the rest of their life in the kingdom. This system is managed via the Gift of Order, and consists of a wall of ice showing the rankings of every noble and dragonet. The dragon with the highest ranking in a family decides their dragonet's names, which are then approved by the queen. Some noble dragons may wear accessories to indicate their rankings, such as a necklace with circles on it.[23]
IceWing dragonets raise their ranking through hunting, training, performing IceWing customs, and passing tests given by their guardians.[24] High-ranking dragonets are more highly respected. When a dragonet reaches their seventh hatchday in the First or Second Circle, they will be housed in the queen's palace, and allowed to provide input on important matters. When an adult loses this rank, they can lose their place in the palace.[25]
If IceWings are in the Seventh Circle by their seventh hatching day, they are stationed on an arctic outpost for the rest of their life,[26]and dead or exiled dragons have their names slashed through on the Gift of Order. Only IceWing nobles use the circle system.
Diamond Trial
The Diamond Trial, also known as the Gift of Vengeance, is a way for IceWing dragonets to increase their ranking in the tribe, generally used as a last-minute effort to switch the places of two dragonets (the topmost and bottommost positions.) It involves entering the Diamond Caves with narwhal horn spears, meant to be touched to a frozen NightWing statue. The NightWing, Foeslayer, then unfreezes, and both contestants must battle her. When killed she will instantly turn back to ice, and the two remaining dragonets must fight one another.
Only the challenging dragonet (the bottommost in the rankings) is given information about the trial.
Names
IceWing names are chosen by the family member with the highest rank and must be approved by the queen. They can be named after ice formations such as Glacier, arctic animals (terrestrial or aquatic) such as Lynx, Narwhal, and Ermine, words for "white" in various languages such as Hvitur, polar landscapes such as Tundra, and polar weather such as Hailstorm. It is also possible for them to be named after blue and white gemstones such as Diamond and after seasons such as Winter.
Click here for a list of known IceWings.
Animus Dragons
- Arctic
- Diamond
- Frostbite
- Darkstalker (half NightWing)
- Penguin
Students at Jade Mountain
- Winter (formerly; currently living with the Talons of Peace)
- Icicle (formerly; on trial in the Ice Kingdom for attempting to kill Starflight, Glory, and killing an unnamed NightWing by the orders of Queen Scarlet)
- Changbai
- Alba
- Ermine
Trivia
- In the time of Darkstalker, IceWings are shown to have scheduled sleeping times.[27]
- 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.[27]
- IceWings have incredibly weak night vision, though it may once have been stronger before the Gift of Light.
- Animus magic may have originated from the IceWings, as so far, SeaWing and NightWing animus dragons have been confirmed to be descended from IceWings.
- IceWings were the first known tribe to use their animus dragons in a controlled manner, whereas other tribes' animus dragons were killed before they could use their magic or went insane from overusing their magic
- In Winter Turning, Winter's thoughts revealed that IceWings can see very far, like SkyWings.
- Tui has confirmed that IceWings have accents that are different from any other dragon tribe. This accent is described as "high-pitched with a tinge of deep in certain words. "
- The IceWings have four palaces -- the Queen's palace shown on the map of Pyrrhia, as well as three outer ones as mentioned in Darkstalker (Legends).
- IceWings eat frozen fruit, sometimes impaled like popsicles.[28]
Gallery
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A typical IceWing (colored), by Joy Ang -
A typical IceWing (lineart), by Joy Ang -
A typical IceWing from the German publication, by Max Meinzold
References
- ↑ Moon Rising, page 276
- ↑ The Dragonet Prophecy, page 230
- ↑ Dragon guides
- ↑ Winter Turning, page 259
- ↑ Winter Turning, page 4
- ↑ Dragon guides
- ↑ The Dragonet Prophecy, page 168
- ↑ The Dark Secret, prologue
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 The Dragonet Prophecy, page 157
- ↑ Dragon guides
- ↑ The Dragonet Prophecy, page 272-273
- ↑ The Dragonet Prophecy, page 272
- ↑ Moon Rising, page 181
- ↑ The Dragonet Prophecy, prologue
- ↑ Winter Turning, page 90
- ↑ The Dark Secret, page 168
- ↑ The Dark Secret, page 263
- ↑ Escaping Peril, page 125
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Moon Rising, page 226
- ↑ Winter Turning, page 37
- ↑ Winter Turning, prologue
- ↑ Moon Rising, page 289
- ↑ Winter Turning, page 240
- ↑ Winter Turning, page 3
- ↑ Winter Turning, page 249
- ↑ Winter Turning, page 25
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 Runaway
- ↑ https://wingsoffire.scholastic.com/forums/topics/328664
