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MacKENZIE's Dragon's Nest

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MacKENZIE's Dragon's Nest

Tag Archives: Mischief Night

A Little Mayhem in the Pumpkin Patch

30 Monday Oct 2017

Posted by Shawn MacKENZIE in Dragon Keeper's Handbook, Dragon's Nest, Dragons, Mischief Night, Month of the Dragon, WAFDE

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Dragon Keeper's Handbook, Dragons, Mischief Night, Month of the Dragon, Pranks, Scare, WAFDE

Halloween is fast upon us. For most of us, it’s our annual nod to the weird and spooky, to the inner desires of our fantasy selves. And to sweet-induced stomach aches we regret in the next day.

Much as Dragons relish the weird and frightening – some might even say it is their default approach to the world – they are decidedly old school when it comes to Halloween. Not that they don’t get a vicarious kick out of our human penchant for dressing up and banding through the streets in search of sugar highs. But they prefer to embrace the day less as a time for digestive overindulgence and more as a solemn celebration of the Otherworld, beyond and between. In the spirit of the Old Faiths, of the Wiccans, Druids, et al., they prefer to keep the 31st – Samhain – sacred. 

The same cannot be said for Samhain Eve, aka Mischief Night. Or Devil’s Night or Cabbage Night – Western Dragons are particularly fond of cabbage – as local customs dictate. In centuries past it was a time for late night raids and scarecrows ablaze with Dragonfire. 

When humans got in on the fun were eggs dripping off windows, frost-spoiled veggies smashed hither and yon, and toilet paper in the trees. I remember when I was a kid, our mailbox was an habitual target for exploding paint cans; at least I knew the mailbox makers were kept in business. In all, it is a night of messy but (usually) harmless hijinks. The tricks before the treats.

What Dragon wouldn’t want to join in? For, awe-inspiring though they may be, Dragons are not exactly sober beings. They have wild, fittingly over-sized senses of mischief. And, after a month of chipping in and generally being on their best behaviour, who among them wouldn’t want to blow off a little good-natured steam?Still, the mood around the Nest is a little different this year, bouncing between weary tail biting to anarchic rebellion. Given how empathetic Dragons are, this is likely a reflection of the general angst around them. Right now, I am hard pressed to keep the Dragons from flying south, buzzing the White House, and leaving noisome mountains of draconic fertilizer in the Rose Garden. (I won’t tell you what they have planned for a certain West Palm Beach residence.)

But I remind them that all the positive PR we’ve been doing throughout the year can be negated in a puff of ill-placed Dragonfire.

Not to mention, drawing unwanted governmental attention can be extremely problematic in these dark times. Low profiles do have their benefits.

So, as you and your Dragons head out tonight for a little pre-Samhain hell-raising, be wise and careful. And keep a thought for the less fortunate Dragons of the world. For the Dragons who don’t have the luxury of frolic, who are being pushed to the fringes and struggling just to survive.

Above all, keep the mayhem to a minimum. Remember, one good draconic fright is better than a thousand TP-ed trees.

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Mischief in the Wind

30 Sunday Oct 2016

Posted by Shawn MacKENZIE in Dragon Keeper's Handbook, Dragons, Fire Dragon, Mischief Night, Month of the Dragon, WAFDE

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Dragon Keeper's Handbook, Dragons, Dragons for Beginners, fire, Flying, Mischief Night, Month of the Dragon, WAFDE

blender3ddragonfight03gg4Every now and then, even the calmest, most disciplined among us need to stretch our wings, kick up our heels, and blow off a little steam. And when better during MotD than on Mischief Night.

Depending on local custom, the day before Samhain is set aside for tricks, not treats. Devil’s Night, Cabbage Night, Mischief Night – in centuries past it was a time for late night garden raids and scarecrows ablaze with Dragonfire.scare When humans got in on the fun there were eggs dripping off windows, frost-spoiled cabbages smashed hither and yon, and firecrackers blowing mailboxes off their posts. In all, it is a night of messy but harmless shenanigans. What Dragon wouldn’t want to join in?

Of course, any time Dragons are involved, a certain amount of prudence is advisable. Through no ill-will of their own, our friends can be a destructive, especially in urban and suburban areas. They are, after all, forces of nature. Very large forces of nature.

So it is best to establish some ground rules and stick to them. This will help keep injuries to body and property – and any ensuant legal actions – to a manageable minimum. Back in the 1990s there was a Mischief Night so incendiary – 130 + arson reports in one day – that Dragons and their people were under suspicion from New Jersey to Michigan. It took almost a decade of laying low and being on their best behavior for public perceptions of Dragons and Mischief Night to return to some semblance of normalcy. 

So, keep things safe and fun. Raise a little ruckus – maybe offer dragon rides to the kids. After all, Dragons are better than cherry-pickers for getting toilet paper into high branches. Try not to spook the neighborhood animals. It makes for terrible Dragon press, especially in rural areas where frightened cows make edgy milkers.

Plus, a civil Mischief Night makes for bigger, better treats tomorrow.

Have fun.imp

 

 

 

 

 

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Devilish Dragons…

30 Friday Oct 2015

Posted by Shawn MacKENZIE in Dragon Keeper's Handbook, Dragons, Mischief Night, Month of the Dragon, WAFDE

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Crop Circles, Dragon Keeper's Handbook, Dragons, fu, Mischief Night, Month of the Dragon, Pranks, Samhain, Scarecrows, WAFDE

Counting down..Samhain is a day away. Pumpkins ready to be carved? Here at the Nest we’ve just come through a much-needed Hermit Day, a time to hunker down for 24 hours and recoup some energy. After all, we are in for 2 days of utter wildness. Energy is essential.divinit2saga21-e1354364044448

Starting today. Tonight is Mischief Night. A time for Dragons young and old, big and small, to cut loose. Stomp out a few crop circles – Dragons love crop circles –cropcircles8

hot-foot the occasional scarecrow-scarecrow

even raid the kitchen for a little indoor rascality –51c16ee4d51e63fd14d4cf05176beae4

In short, a night for good, clean, draconic fun. playful_dragons__worried_toad_by_petalomam-d3j9ane

On the downside, Mischief Night does hold the potential for generating bad Dragon PR. Since anti-Dragon forces are always ready to pounce on the slightest infraction against mannered behavior – forgetting, in the process, that Dragons are WILD! – we want to provide no new slings and arrows to their arsenal. Not a one! To this end, be sure your Dragons understand this is a night for good-natured impishness, not wanton vandalism. How-To-Train-Your-Dragon-2-Wallpapers-19

For, even on Mischief Night, civility counts.

Be safe. Have fun.Fire2-300x200

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AAD-Week: Dragons, Habitat Loss, and Mischief in the Night…

30 Thursday Oct 2014

Posted by Shawn MacKENZIE in Adopt-A-Dragon, Dragon Keeper's Handbook, Dragon Keepers, Dragons, Dragons for Beginners, Endangered species, Habitat Destruction, Mischief Night, Month of the Dragon, Rain forests, WAFDE

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Book Giveaway, Dragon Keeper's Handbook, Dragons, Endangered species, Habitat destruction, Mischief Night, Month of the Dragon, Overpopulation, Public Relations, Rain forests, WAFDE

Rocky Dragon - Dawn Delver

Rocky Dragon – Dawn Delver

Month of the Dragon is almost over and with it Adopt-A-Dragon Week. (Not that you can’t adopt a Dragon at any time; and we hope you will.)

While the more fortunate Dragons round the world are getting ready to raise a little hell tonight, there are others who are just hanging on by their talon tips. They are confronted by habitat loss and urban sprawl, by industry polluting the fishing waters and smogging up the skies. Dragons may live in balance with the world, but they are also great big fiery creatures who can’t help but need a lot of room over which to roam. Back a Dragon into a corner and you get a stressed out, unhappy Dragon.

blender3ddragonfight03gg4

With that in mind, today we’re highlighting some of the weyrs most affected by recent human encroachment.


 MAHATAHOTRA ANJELYu

In the remnants of the once-vast rain forests of Madagascar, between the Mania River and the Parc National de Isalo, lies Mahatahotra Anjely: the weyr of the Terrible Angels. Until recently little was known about the Malagasy Dragons. They were only occasionally glimpsed above the canopy, or playing with lemurs at dusk, and otherwise kept to themselves. When deforestation threatened the indigenous fauna of the island, the Dragons rose to the occasion and started buzzing the lumbermen and generally throwing draconic spanners into the works. It has helped some, though not enough.

The green on the weyr’s banner is in remembrance of forests lost, and in hopes of forests yet to be restored. The orange and red are shades of the evening sky when the sun sets over the Mozambique Channel. The Dragon biting his tail is a symbol of the eternity of Dragon and Earth, no matter what.

DEPSANG WEYRz-j

Dragons are frequently driven to distraction by the foolish ways of humans, and none more so than the Enchantments of Depsang Weyr. Situated high in India’s Depsang Plains, the weyr overlooks the oft-bloodied mountains of Kashmir. From the days of bandits assaulting caravans on the Saser-La road to the sanguinary exchanges of more recent years, they have watched and waited for the indigenous peoples to come to their senses. Unfortunately, things have only gotten worse over time. Still they wait. It is an advantage of draconic longevity, being able to outlast much of our human stupidity.

This patience is evident in the Depsang Weyr standard. A centred Dragon sits, waiting, beneath a mountain sun blazing across a tri-color field. It is of note that the Karakalpak people of Uzbekistan use the same tri-color field on their flag – a link to a shared history, perhaps, along the trade routes of yore.

SAN LONG WEYRz-b

The Dragons of San Long – or Three Dragon – Weyr in central China are as close to urbanites as any in the modern world. Given the population of China, this is not exactly a surprise. Located on the outskirts of the historic city of Shashi in Hubei Province, the weyr dates back to the splendor of the Tang Dynasty. The Dragons are very conscious of their heritage; they’ve been known to lord it over younger weyrs to great effect. No one knows yet how construction of the Three Gorges Dam will impact the Dragons, but speculation is it won’t be good.

Red, white, and black, the flag displays the three Dragons in the weyr’s name, two curvaceous creatures on the red side panels, and, in the centre pale on a sable roundel, the pictograph for Dragon.

MOUNTAINS OF THE MOONz-f

Within sight of the fading snows on Mount Kilimanjaro one finds the weyr known as the Mountains of the Moon. Somewhat isolated by virtue of their location, the Dragons are, none the less, quite a gregarious bunch. Though staying away from the human problems in the region, they have been known to assist in anti-poaching efforts. It has been suggested that, if Dian Fossey had asked for their help with the gorillas, things might not have turned out as badly as they did.

The Mountains of the Moon Weyr celebrates one of the much-maligned pseudo-Dragons, the morose Bi-Polar Equator Jumper, who would certainly have gone extinct were it not for the weyr’s efforts. A B-PEJ is on the pale of jungle green and a compass to help him on his travels is placed front and centre on the tri-color fesses beside him.

CUESTA DE LOS TÍMIDO DRAGÓNESz-n

Of the known South American weyrs, the northernmost is found in the western foothills of the Columbian Andes, Cuesta de los Tímido Dragónes – Hill of the Shy Dragons. With soil enriched by the activities of the Ring of Fire, the weyr’s environs are rain-forest lush and home to a wide variety of cohabitants, everyone from humans, bears, and monkeys, to serpents, hummingbirds, and colorful little frogs. The Dragons feel quite at home. Why then “Shy Dragons?” This epithet comes from the habit the weyr Dragons have of flocking together – a most impressive sight. Safety in numbers, taunt those who know no better. “As you wish,” the Dragons reply unoffended. The truth is, they are just a very social lot, and find that flocking like the other winged creatures is the best way not to spook the whole neighborhood.

The weyr’s bandera shows a gaggle of seven small Dragons crossing a white field. A blue sky Dragon dancing on purple-on-blue stars urges them into the sky.

IYOYPE USORz-q

Long before the Japanese moved north from Honshu, long even before the Ainu moved south from Sakhalin, the snow macaques and cranes and foxes of Hokkaido shared their home with the Dragons of Iyoype Usor – Treasure Lagoon. The weyr is not on a true lagoon, more of a great geothermal pool in the mountains north of Sapporo, and the only treasure about are the Dragons themselves. Still, a name is what it is.

Though associating freely with the island’s indigenous creatures, the Dragons are cool, some might even say aloof, when it comes to interacting with people. The Olympics encroaching on their space in 1972 didn’t help matters: too much modern brouhaha disturbing their hot-spring mediations.

The Usor banner begins with a field of warm, earthen brown. A blue and white Dragon, all coolness and long-life, prances between two blue stars, reminders that, as the Weyr inhabitants say, “We are all star stuff, even Dragons.”

CONSOLE DOS DRAGONES REALzz-c

Deep in the rain forest of Brazil, where Boto dolphins swim with river otters and macaws light up the skies by the hundreds, the Japura flows into the Amazon. It branches through the underbrush forming what amounts to an inland island weyr: Consoles dos Dragones Real – the Island of the Royal Dragons. Descendents of members of the Second Migration, the Royal Dragons adapted quickly to their dense forest environment. They became smaller, leaner, more agile. They shed their heavy scales in favor of lighter, more leathern integuments. Even their diet changed to include more vegetation and nuts. In short, they turned into perfect rainforest denizens, able to move about through underbrush or canopy, not bothered by the steamy climate of their new home. Now they are busy making sure humans do not destroy that home. At the current rate of Amazon deforestation, this is not an easy task.

The standard of Consoles dos Dragones Real is deep forest green with diagonals of river blue. At its centre, a crown tops a Dragon head erased on an ebon roundel.


As you head out tonight with your Dragons for a little pre-Halloween mischief, Keep a good thought for all the pinched and harassed Dragons of the world. Surely there can be room enough for us all.

I end with a cautionary plea: make sure your Dragons only get up to a little mischief this October 30th. No wholesale destruction or mayhem. We don’t want all the positive PR we’ve been doing all year negated in a puff of ill-placed Dragonfire.

scarecrow

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Mischief Night – Dragon Night

30 Wednesday Oct 2013

Posted by Shawn MacKENZIE in Dragon Keeper's Handbook, Dragons, Dragons for Beginners, Month of the Dragon

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Dragon Keeper's Handbook, Dragons, Dragons for Beginners, Mischief Night, Month of the Dragon, Samhain, WAFDE

Mischief Night – Dragon Night

Exactly a year ago, Mischief Night was all but cancelled up and down the east coast of North America due to the ravages of Hurricane Sandy. Dragons eager to let off a little pre-Halloween steam were, instead, enlisted to help with rescue and clean-up. Indeed, October 30, 2012 was simply the beginning of an extended period of draconic chipping in.

dragon-hand-lg

This year, hopes on this side of the Atlantic are for more hijinks and less hard work – though there is labor aplenty for our friends over in Europe.

Peach_Dragon

Depending on local custom, the day before Samhain is set aside for tricks, not treats. Devil’s Night, Cabbage Night, Mischief Night – in centuries past it was a time for late night garden raids and scarecrows ablaze with Dragonfire. When humans got in on the fun there were eggs dripping off windows, frost-spoiled cabbages smashed hither and yon, and firecrackers blowing mailboxes off their posts. In all, it is a night of messy but harmless shenanigans. What Dragon wouldn’t want to join in?

scarecrow

Of course, ‘tis far easier to destroy than to build and you don’t want to undo all the excellent PR Chipping-In Day occasioned. If your Dragons are up for mischief, remind them that we’re talking minor pranks not major vandalism. That means being careful with the fire and no buzzing the neighbors’ sheep or spooking their dogs. (It’s unkind to play on a flock’s fears of predation, and dogs are so naturally silly that it is hardly sporting. Better to leave the canine comedy to the felines of your acquaintance.)

Buzzing the Flock -Allan Guy

Buzzing the Flock -Allan Guy

That said, I am never one for denying a Dragon their October fun.

Dragon Mischief

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