The Origin of Malys

By Larris

Malystryx is a dragon of the Huuuge Mutha variant, still she is considered one of the smallest of her kind. The Book of the Fifth Age offers an admittedly disputable statement; namely that the dragons "have evolved to their current immensity through centuries of natural selection"(1). But given the effects of gravity, immense dragons like those could not possibly have evolved on a world of Krynn's size. They would have been too restricted by sheer physics like the laws of aerodynamics (yes thank you very much Pern fans), Newton's laws (combined with engineering issues like material strength), and Murphy's Law.

(1)Bo5A p.109

This would lead to the assumption that the great dragons of Ancient Wyrm or Legendary Wyrm size originated, like Cass put it, on another world (with less gravity). Either that or underwater, which I trust I shall be spared to consider a debatable option in this case.

In addition, another point also illustrates this:
We are told in DoNA that Malystryx was unfamiliar with Takhisis, and indeed with the whole Chaos War. This being the case, it is simple logic to assume that she cannot have been on Krynn's surface at all before the departure of the gods. Takhisis would have employed her in the War of the Lance. Even if Malys and her kind was prevented from helping out there, they would at the very least have felt the effects of the Chaos War and the explosion of the Graygem, known as the Second Cataclysm. But they did not.

So what we are looking after is a small planetary body which was not present until after the Second Cataclysm, but is close enough to Krynn itself that travel is possible (and remember, the science/art of spelljamming doesn't work anymore).

I should think you have all guessed it by now, as I am indeed talking about the Moon. Yes, it is my firm belief that the Great Dragons hail from the new, pale satelite of Krynn. It is small. It is new. And it is close. Could you ask for more?

Although DL5A states in several places that the dragons arrived from a faraway land "across the sea", the sea here might just be a metaphor describing the oceans of space. It is furthermore made clear that this is only a rumor at any rate.

Some will point out the fact that Malys and her kind did come from the east having flown over the Courrain Ocean. This is true. But all it indicates is that upon arrival on Krynn they would merely seek to pursue the daylight, following the sun as it was travelling across the sky. (It would not do to make a splash (and what a splash!) into the sea in the dark of the night after having come so far, now, would it?)

As for exactly _where_ the Moon was prior to the Second Cataclysm, I am afraid that your guess is as good as mine. I shall have to devote some more time to research this.

I must also mention the most prominent spin-off from this theory, which says that Malys and the other dragons employed giant space hamster-powered (hi Roger!) vessels to carry themselves off the Moon, since a reliable source (Darkness and Light) reveals that another dragon stranded on Lunitari was unable to lift off and fly to Krynn by itself. We must assume similar physics are in effect on the new Moon, too.

To sum it all up, I would like to conclude this lecture with once again to express my thanks to Cassandra for her original exo-Krynnish concept, to Kinthalas for the giant space hamsters, and to Morten for being a bitch. Thankyou.

*snaps shut the portfolio, bows and steps down from the podium, papers whirling in the wake*

"The Origin of Malys" © Larris