The planet of Layor is
situated on the edge of the outer reaches of the known galaxy. By the universal
time scale it is a young planet, less than a hundred million years old.
Slightly smaller than our Earth, gravity is correspondingly lighter. This means
that a man weighing around sixteen stone would only move the scales to thirteen
stone. But weight watchers beware! Mass remains the same! There are two moons, Sebe
and Cise. They move in an almost geosynchronous orbit, although Cise is a lot further
from Layor than Sebe and only half its size, and therefore does not have the gravitational
pull to greatly affect the tides, or rotation, of Layor. In fact the rotation of
Layor only varies by a few minutes each year and each day is twenty-two hours and
forty-eight minutes long. There are two main continents and five smaller subcontinents,
plus many more islands and groups of islands. One such small island, Traag, was
used as a penal colony when Layor was first occupied. Surrounded by a grey sea,
and over a thousand miles from land in any direction, it sits on the edge of Layors
artic circle. Its prison, that housed just forty prisoners, now stands empty, the
walls and buildings are overgrown with the local flora. Even that only consists
of vines and the occasional seed that has been blown in on the wind. Not that the
plants they produce manage to last long, usually just for the brief summer then
they wither and die, unable to stand the harsh, long winter. But, on to brighter
things! For Layor is a beautiful planet. And so are its largest native inhabitants
- dragons. Even though there are three species of dragon, all have allegiance to
one dragon, the DragonQueen. Second only to her is the DragonKing, he is respected
and obeyed but, even he must submit to her wishes. In the story, DragonKing,
a human, Maxwell Tyler, gains the trust, and love, of one particular dragon, Zheenah
(Max pronounced it as Sheena). Captured by an illegal side of a legal mining corporation,
Max is sent to work in the mines where men and women are dying daily in the sweltering
heat and torment of their guards..
The DragonQueen is captured and the dragons
are forced to do the biding of their new masters. But the dragons have one thing
in their favour the miners do not know about. Max finds out that secret, and with
Sheena and a few friends, manages to overcome their captors and restore the DragonQueen
to her rightful place. In so doing Max earns the title of DragonKing, an honour
bestowed upon him by the DragonQueen herself. Within a few years of becoming the
DragonKing, Max encouraged more people to settle on Layor. The young planet had
a wealth of naturally occurring minerals and the chance of making a new life for
those who were willing to take the risk of braving unexplored territory.
In the
beginning Max saw each new arrival himself, but as the influx of people grew he
made arrangements for a few trusted friends to take on the task for him. Of course,
some 'rogues' did get through their screening, but on the whole Layor was a safe
place for those willing to work hard. The adventures of Max and his dragon Sheena
span a wide variety of situations and involve the inhabitants, old and new, of Layor.
The story of DragonSight tells of a young boy, Donny, who looses his sight
and finds consolation in a dragon with problems of its own.
To read the two part
story of DragonSight click on the relevant button below.
Last updated on: 16th January 2010 ©
C.R.Osborne 2000. All rights reserved