Meet the Drakons
Far to the south-west of the Underlands is a range of mountains where no daemon travels unless they are on a royal mission. Tall and rugged peaks of ruby, topaz, emerald, sapphire and crystal dominate the landscape. They are called the Icedfire Mountains; so named as depending on the time of day and season of the year they can have the appearance of either glowing flames or frigid blocks of ice. It is within these peaks and those of the central Crystal Mountains that the Jewelled Drakons, the oldest and most majestic of drakonkind and the steeds of choice to the daemon royalty of old, make their homes.
In years gone by at least two or three drakons would be out in the world serving their royal masters, but as in all things times have changed. The Lords of the Underlands, corrupted by their power, became abhorrent to drakonkind, who were disinclined to continue to forge alliances with such daemon. Now drakons and daemons live apart and as the years passed their differences magnified with drakons very rarely leaving their mountains to visit the daemon world.
Then something changed. Every drakon felt it; from the very old to the infants barely out of their eggs a shimmering glow of energy enveloped the Underlands. Although after the initial blast the force faded it could still be felt as a warmth in every drakon’s heart until one day it abruptly disappeared leaving them just a little bit lost.
Years passed but the memory of that brief period remained with them and its meaning was often discussed by the older drakons. Something significant had happened. Some said that a higher daemon of considerable power and importance had been born. Others said that had that been the case the child must have died.
Then, after twenty-five years, a message was received from the Guardian of the Underlands begging for their assistance. He told them the higher daemon was alive, well and in need of protection.
A meeting of the drakon elders was called and it was decided – a drakon would be sent to the land of the daemons to help provide this protection and that drakon’s name was – Pyrites.
The Drakons of the Icedfire Mountains
Drakons live for a considerably long time – if fact like daemons they are immortal if left to their own devices. Jewelled Drakons are magical creatures who can shrink to the size of a small bird or grow up to the size of two or three bull elephants at will. The most important of the Jewelled Drakons who live in the Icedfire Mountains I have described below, as unfortunately there are very few artists who managed to capture their likenesses without paying the consequences. Those images I have managed to obtain are artistic impressions of those who can only dream of Jewelled Drakons and how they might be.
- Pyrites
Pyrites is a very handsome dragon. His scales are a shimmering combination of reds, oranges and yellows with flecks of gold. Under his chin his scales are smaller and softer, they’re also lighter in colour; a pale lemon with streaks of gold. These scales are very sensitive and Pyrites likes nothing more than for his mistress Lucky to scratch and tickle him there.His eyes though are his most memorable feature. An amazing emerald, amethyst and sapphire kaleidoscope glow; they alone make it hard to imagine he could be dangerous. This has however on several occasions proved to be a false impression. Although a good natured and gentle drakon should anyone attempt to hurt Lucky, he can be very dangerous indeed. - Obsidian
Obsidian is totally black with purple and lilac eyes. His scales however sparkle and shine like the stars so when he does take to the night’s sky he is practically invisible from the ground. He has a tusk on the end of his snout just above his two very large nostrils (all the better to roast you with!) and a ridge of spikes starting between his large fanned ears stretching all the way down his back to the tip of his tail. He is the largest and oldest Jewelled Drakon of them all and as well as being very, very ancient is very, very grumpy. There is however one drakon who can twist him around her little dew claw and that is his mate and mother to his three children, Sapphire. His favourite food is mutton on the bone, lightly roasted and preferably still alive. 
Sapphire
A shimmering silver blue drakon with sapphire blue eyes. She has a ladylike bump on her snout rather than a tusk and more of an undulating line of humps along her back rather than spines. She is also very old, but has kept herself trim by eating less fatty meats that have been well cooked to burn away the grease. She totally ignores Obsidian’s grumpiness and acts as mediator and peace keeper between him and their children and the other drakons.- Jet
He is Obsidian and Sapphire’s eldest son and has inherited his father’s purple and lilac eyes and black scales, although his underbelly is silver blue like his mother’s as is the underside of his wings. He has two tusks on his snout one behind the other, the first being slightly shorter. Although he would never admit it Obsidian is very proud of his firstborn, who is calm, strong and very brave. He takes after his father in liking lightly roasted mutton and keeps himself trim by racing his best friend Mercury. Jet’s mate is Ruby. - Garnet
Obsidian and Sapphire’s only daughter. She has purple eyes flecked with dark red and shimmering dark red scales, a golden underbelly with the same beneath her wings. She has no spikes on her back but about a foot from the end of her tail she has two spines sticking up and out slightly to each side and these can cause quite a bit of damage when she gets excited. She was a bit of a rebel when she was a young drakon, but has calmed down as she’s got older. She and her father clash on most things, particularly her choice in the male drakons she mixes with, but she is still daddy’s little girl no matter how much they argue. - Onyx
Obsidian and Sapphire’s youngest son. His eyes are lilac and amethyst and has scales that start off black on his head but gradually lighten to silver until they reach the end of his tail. He has two horns one coming out from a ridge above each eye and
spikes running down his entire back.He and Obsidian do not get on at all and he’s the stroppy drakon who roasted Lord Raynard’s son. He thinks very highly of himself and fancies himself with the lady drakons. Needless to say thus far he’s had little success. - Mercury
So named as he has eyes that shimmer like liquid mercury. His scales are pale blue and gold and he has a pale gold underbelly which continues under wings. He has a small tusk on his snout and large fanlike ears and soft spines along his back and this, along with his good nature, made him the ideal steed to Kayla’s grandmother until she was allegedly murdered by her own son, though this has never been proven. Consequently he hates Baltheza with a passion and keeps well away from court. His specialist talent is that as well as breathing fire he can spit poison, which paralyses his victim prior to him cooking and eating them. - Ruby
Jet’s mate. She has ruby red scales flecked with gold and huge, luminous green eyes. She has small pointed ears with one small tusk just between them and a smooth back making her unsuitable for riding. A very beautiful drakon who adores Jet, but is still very independent. They have one son Jasper. - Jasper
Jasper’s eyes are purple and flecked with green and the scales upon his back and the upper side of his wings are silver and red while he has a silvery pink underbelly. The undersides of his wings are red with silver streaks tracing the bones. He has too short tusks, one above each nostril and spines like teeth around his flared cheeks. He also has teeth-like spines down his back except for directly behind his wings. He is a bit of a wild child and takes risks when maybe he shouldn’t. He had been considered as a possible steed for Lucky but it was decided he was too unpredictable. 
Diamond
Another very old drakon and a contemporary of Obsidian. He is light green and gold all over with eyes that look like chips of diamonds. He has a long tusk on each side of his head coming out of ridges just above his eyes. He has large, fan shaped ears and gold tipped spines running all the way along his back to the tip of his arrow pointed tail. Unlike Obsidian he is gregarious and patient with all the younger drakons who treat him like a grandparent. He is also very wise and shares his knowledge with the youngsters. His mate in Amethyst.- Amethyst
Is dark purple with a paler scales covering her underbelly and under her wings, which are traced with golden streaks. She has golden eyes with green flecks and a very dainty tooth-like tusk on the end of her snout and a smooth back with no spines. She plans to grow old disgracefully and can often be found playing and racing with the younger drakons – still beating them most of the time. She and Diamond have twin boys. - Silver and Quartz
Diamond and Amethyst’s twin boys. They are almost identical and only Amethyst can tell them apart. Both have ice blue eyes with sapphire flecks and are silver grey in colour with purple streaks on their wings and along their backs. They both have two tusks, one behind the other on their snouts and Quartz insists his are the larger. Both have small ears, long forked tongues and very long thin tails and again Quartz insists his is the longer. They both like playing practical jokes and drive Obsidian to distraction. 
Jade
She has light green scales with a pale lemon underbelly and very large, liquid green eyes. She is petite and dainty with small ears and a tiny bump of a tusk on her snout. She’s beautiful and knows it, acting like a stroppy teenager when she doesn’t get her own way and loves teasing the young male drakons. She spends most of her day preening.- Crystal
Jade’s best friend. She has a similar temperament, although kinder and a bit shy. She is a silver grey with a sky blue belly and sapphire and gold eyes. She has a small tusk on the end of her snout and another between her small bat-like ears. She is long and sinuous with longer, thinner wings than most of the other jewelled drakons. - Topaz
Another older drakon but still a youngster in their terms. She is totally golden except for her eyes which are a fiery orange with green flecks. She is a smaller drakon with the maximum size of a small elephant. She has small ears, no tusks or spines but she does have a forked tongue and can blow out a vapour which can render her prey unconscious for hours, though they rarely ever wake up as they’ve already been eaten.