Claire Agon, or simply Agon in the common tongue, isn’t the only planet circling Tau Ceti. Recently on Earth, astronomers have detected up to five planets circling the class G star, which is similar in type to our own Sol, but it masses only four-fifths that of our own sun. The astronomers are almost correct insomuch as the system actually has six planets. One planet, however, they could not have imagined; it circles Tau Ceti in an elliptical and eccentric orbit, tilted at thirty degrees above the solar plane. That planet is the size of our own Neptune, but instead of being a gaseous planet, it is a rocky planet, with a huge mass relative to Earth and an atmosphere and magnetosphere in a class unto itself. Agonians call this planet “Dor Akun,” or “Death World,” though the term “Father of Death” is also used, depending on the culture.
Dor Akun orbits Tau Ceti once every two hundred years, and when it approaches perihelion, or its closest approach to the star, it actually comes within the orbit of Claire Agon. In addition to this, Claire Agon is also pulled by the gravitational force of Dor Akun, to the point that it, too, reaches perihelion and does so at the same time as its bigger mate, Dor Akun. During this time Dor Akun is a mere million miles from Claire Agon, and it reaches perihelion exactly on the solar plane where Agon orbits Tau Ceti, thus eclipsing Agon as it transits from perihelion and begins its slow, arduous journey up and back to its aphelion, to begin the cycle all over again.
The eclipse lasts an entire Agonian month, and its tidal forces pull mercilessly on the smaller Agon, flexing its crust and creating huge tides and displacements of waters both great and small. Agon is cast into a cold, dark, month-long isolation, suffering immense damage to life there.
Fortunately for those who live on Agon, the event occurs only once every two hundred orbits of Agon and once every orbit of Dor Akun. Where the two planets actually cross orbits, the larger planet, Dor Akun, is inclined by several million miles, and so the paths of the two planets never cross.
Some Earth-based scientists, if they could witness the odd but regular orbits of Agon and Akun, might conclude that the event will eventually decay the Agonian orbit to the point where it either degrades into Tau Ceti, in a spectacular but deadly spectacle of death, or, more likely, on one pass, it will be captured by Dor Akun and her orbit will take her into the deeper regions of Tau Ceti space, where it is cold and dark and eventually even silicon-based life would freeze to death.
This, however, isn’t the only thing that occurs during the transit event. On Earth, we are protected from radioactive particles by its magnetosphere. In Agon the sphere is weaker and charged particles rain down from Tau Ceti yearly, but during the transit event the great magnetosphere of Dor Akun acts much like a wing does on a modern-day airplane as it slices through the air; it funnels a steady stream of highly charged particles from the local star around itself and onto the surface of Claire Agon every two centuries. The phenomenon causes mutations in the silicon-based life forms of Claire Agon, and so evolution there takes place at a much more rapid pace than it does on Earth.
Such is the science of Claire Agon and its dance of death and change with its bigger mate, Dor Akun, all around a nondescript class G spectral star located not very far from our own sun; thus magic is created and dragons are born.
Appendix B
Glossary
A
Agon, Short common name for this planet/world
Akula, Port city in Tyniria
Akun, Common name for Dor Akun
Alexi, Fist of Astor
Amsel, Kesh Arch Mage leader of the Tyniria attack
Amtor, High Mage of Kesh (aka Ke-Tor in the ranger series, given name Torra)
Andrew Vandersot, Ruling noble of the Ulathan northern forces, nephew to Duke Uthor
Arabella, Demi god of Astor
Arches, Pirate/corsair from the far East
Arella, Flower with leaves, known for its healing properties
Arnen, Ancient Order of Druids
Azor Koll, Northman (Barbarian) chieftain and newly appointed leader of the Skull Crusher clan
B
Badlands Road, Northern road from Ulatha into Rigis
Balaria, Island realm known for its assassins and thieves
Blade, Bounty hunter out of Ulsthor
Breakers, Bounty hunter leader out of Ulsthor
Brown Leaf, Arnen druid from the North
C
Casius, Balarian spy
Cider, old port town
Conflagula, Ruling red dragon on Agon (Not the Queen of ALL dragons)
Crimson, Captain of the Balarian Cutter Racer
Critir, Magic Orb used to communicate (Crystal Ball)
D
Damien, Kesh apprentice, one of the fallen wizards, outcast
Deviled Egg, Tavern in Ulsthor
Diamedes, Tynirian historian, born in Ulatha
Dor Akun, Sixth and largest planet in 200-year orbit around Tau Ceti
Dour, Akun cleric and trading broker
E
Earlstyne Forest, Ancient Forest in Ulatha
Edger, Executioner on the pirate/corsair ship Vindicator
Elister aka Elly, Druid and Arnen of the Earlstyne
Eric Bain, Leader of a mercenary company called The Hunt
F
Felsic Mountains, Mountain chain between Kesh and Ulatha
G
Galonin, Chief Arnen druid in Agon
Gorstag, Aide and chief of staff to Duke Uthor of Ulatha
Greystone Mountains, Mountain ranger in the north Savage Lands
H
Highstone Pass, Mountain pass located in Ulatha on the road between Utandra and Regis
Heron, New science advisor to Duke Uthor
I
Infierna, Red dragon
K
Kedam, Kesh name for Damien
Kesh, Realm ruled by wizards, east of Ulatha
Keshtor, Capital of Kesh
Korstud, Lead dwarf protector on Akun
L
Lila, Dryad/Nymph leader
Lindron, Lead elf protector on Akun
Lord Able, Ulathan Minister of Religious Affairs
Lord Andrew, Noble name for Andrew Vandersot, ruling noble of the northern Ulathan forces
Lord Sorex, Ulathan Minister of Foreign Affairs
Lord Vang, Ulathan Minister of Supplies (Quartermaster)
Lunde, Jungle, far south in Agon
M
Mola, Wyvern drone to Infierna
Moartown, Ulathan town located near the base of the Felsic Mountains
Morgan, Arnen druid of the Pentost region
Myra, Female warrior and fiancée to Azor Koll
N
Nevil, Friend and scribe to Lord Tobin
O
Onyx Tower, Seat of government for Kesh, seat of the High Mage
Osric Moross, Captain of one of the Ulathan military companies
P
Pentost, Land region south of Ulatha
R
Raven, Wyvern drone to Conflagula
Red Blade, Captain of the pirate/corsair ship Vindicator
Rigal, Capital of northern border realm loyal to Ulatha
Rigis, Duchy north of Ulatha
Roarwell, King of Tyniria
S
Safron, Realm, south of Ulatha, known for its tobacco and weed
Sara, Moon of Agon
Savage Lands, Lands on the northern frontiers
Staff of Alore, First magical staff of Agon
Suprema, Queen of all dragons living on Akun
T
Talaman, Magical healing globe
Tira, Moon of Agon
Tomlin, Bounty hunter out of Ulsthor
Traveling Toady, Inn and Tavern in Ulsthor
Trovis Mountains, Mountain range, west of Ulatha
Tyniria, Realm south of Kesh, First King o
f Agon
U
Ulan Utandra, Capital of Ulatha
Ulatha, Realm of Duke Uthor Tors
Ulsthor, Westernmost city in Kesh
Uthor Tors, Duke of Ulatha
V
Velvet Vest, Tavern in Ulsthor
Vile Volcano, Lair to Conflagula
Vindicator, Pirate/Corsair ship
W
Western Sea, Sea west of the central realms
Y
Yves, Commander of the Tynirian northern army
Z
Zashitor, Ancient name for a Ranger
Zokar, Balarian assassin