A special look at a character for an upcoming project!

Glyndwr ap Dai
Origin of Name: West Mountain Draeken/Human Welsh "Valley Water son of Dai"
Family: Dai ap Arwel (Sire), Aneira ferch Brynmor (Dame), Iorweth ap Dai (Eldest Brother), Cadwgawn ap Dai (Elder Brother)
Age: Twenty Years

Born in the dragon colony of Twr Niwl, Glyndwr is the youngest of the three sons of one of the strongest dragons, Dai. His father had high hopes for him due to his prowess in flight, but Glyndwr defied tradition and was cast out of his family den when he realized he was... different from the other young males his age. Exiled from his kin for his sexuality, he roamed for a time before settling on the peak of Dubh Binn overlooking the small sovereignty of Dún Abhann. Intending to live quietly, his solitary existence is shattered by the arrival of Prince Alistair, sent on a mission by his father King Athdar to rid the vale of the 'dragon nuisance.' However, finding they have more in common with one another than they once thought, the two forge an unlikely bond, setting in motion events that will shake their respective worlds.

I've done many original characters over the years, but I must admit that Glyndwr is one of my personal favorites. His personality has developed so much over the course of planning his story. He can be witty, snarky, philosophical, humorous, attentive, compassionate, and even vulnerable.

For those wondering, Glyndwr can in fact breathe fire. Magic will not play a role in the story, however, and the means of breathing fire for dragons is in fact a natural process. Dragons have an affinity towards the mineral manganese, which they refer to as 'sparksilver,' gnawing on deposits of it. The manganese they ingest is then excreted onto specialized structures on their lower jaw and the underside of their tongues, forming 'spark patches.' Dragon venom is both corrosive to soft tissue and highly flammable, and they possess two pairs of venomous fangs. The foremost pair functions like a common viper's, while the rear fangs are more similar to a spitting cobra's. Powerful muscles around their rear venom glands force the reactive liquid through numerous tiny pores at high pressure, creating aerosol-like streams. By flexing their tongues against their lower jaws, the manganese deposits strike off each other like flint on steel to produce sparks that ignite the venom streams. The resulting rush of flame is directed by the tongue and propelled by forceful exhalations, providing control and range, and flame-retardant secretions on the tongue's upper surface protects it from the heat.

Glyndwr will appear in my upcoming story series, beginning with 'A Secret Heartfire'. The series will likely be released in numerous installments, which will come live on my Patreon first. Visit https://www.patreon.com/viktornukafarov for early access!