Dragon Roars
Investigations & Toons by M.A.Tucker, October, 2026
Why?
A small,
both in stature & age,
important cohort of readers
declared, henceforth,
they would only read stories with dragons.
How do you weave a dragon into your story?
An investigation would be required — replete with field excursions,
ideally, observing dragons in their natural habitat.
Investigation
Dragons at Savage Mill, Maryland
Dragon Lore
Dragon Roars on the Roadways, Denver, Colorado
No Kings Rally, Denver, Colorado
Findings
Dragons at Savage Mill, Maryland
Savage Mill, Maryland is the site of an artist colony on the footprint of an impressive colonial era industrial site. The wide & deep mill race runs the length of the main mill lined with huge stones — all moved, placed & fitted with muscle power. You’ll likely not admire the stone work as your eye will be distracted by agile, monkey-like creatures (vaguely human) flying from tower to tower on zip lines.
“The Shed” is a separate large building formerly a warehouse for finished mill products with a dragon sculpture guarding the entrance. Inside the entire south end of the two story building there are a number of large gaming tables populated by players huddled over colored cards, figurines & maps murmuring incantations softly. The walls are lined floor to ceiling with thousands of imaginary worlds & creatures — including dragons.
Numerous mythical creatures created onsite adorn shelves. The loft in the northern half of the building houses a well appointed 3D printing workshop where many an artist’s vision has been physically manifested. Magic is in the air.
Finding: Dragons are highly correlated with magic.
Dragon Lore
In olden days, dragons were fearsome, malevolent creatures. A dragon’s roar would make brave men quake in fear & strong women flee in terror. Swooping in breathing fire, they would lay waste to villages & towns, stealing & plundering all precious objects. These would be carried back to the dragon’s lair to be added to the hoard of gold, coin, goblets, chalices & all manner of glittery objects. The dragon would sleep with one eye open to dispose of any who would loot their hoard. The people would be impoverished & the land would wither.
It would take heroes to save the people. A girl (often a highborn princess) & a boy (often a lowborn commoner) would undertake a quest to slay the dragon. Individually, it would be an impossible quest but together, with magic & courage, they would prevail. The people would prosper & the land would flourish.
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In modern times, the narrative is often flipped. The dragon is a magical, beneficent creature. An evil super-villain (sorcerer or sorceress) enslaves the poor beast — “He who possesses the dragon shall rule the land”. The people are impoverished & the land withers.
The heroes, a girl & a boy (one lowborn, one highborn) must free the dragon defeating the super-villain. Again, it takes magic & courage but now the dragon can aid the rescue with magic of its own. At the climax, the super-villain will perish spectacularly making a final attempt to re-master the dragon. The people prosper & the land flourishes.
Finding: Dragons may be malevolent or beneficent & a heroic magical quest is required to either slay or free a dragon.
Dragon Roars on the Roadways, Denver, Colorado
Approaching downtown Denver, remarking on the attractive urban scene, a traveling companion responded emphatically, “I could never live here!”. “Why?” “That!”. As if on cue, a monstrously over-sized truck pulled through the intersection, dwarfing normal vehicles while engulfing everyone in a vicious cloud of deep, ear splitting sound.
Paying closer attention to the cacophony, numerous variations of low rumbling & higher pitched whining rose & fell, echoing through the streets. Some stoically endured, others wilted under the onslaught while some just managed to stay on their feet.
There was obviously a contingent that if asked for a show of hands would without hesitation assent. Do you love riding the gut quaking rumbling of a well outfitted truck or the higher pitched roar of a racy car hitting 100 mph? Did these boys imagine parading their dragons through admiring onlookers?
Finding: Gut quaking rumbling roars may herald dragons but where’s the magic?
“No Kings” Rally, Denver, Colorado
Emerging from the Denver Botanic Gardens the next morning, seemingly excessive throngs of people were streaming toward downtown — many with hand crafted signs & strollers. A quick check of the feed indicated a “No Kings” rally was assembling between us & the hotel. We juked & dodged back to the hotel for various wedding pre-celebrations.
Drama was afoot as we walked downtown. At the previous “No Kings” Rally, security forces had attacked the peaceful marchers with tear gas while the marchers exercised their constitutionally protected right of assembly. High decibel “blow-back” ensued resulting in a tepid promise to not tear gas the marchers as long as they obeyed police orders — ha!
We left the wedding pre-celebration event, making our way back to the hotel. Strolling down an “alley” lined with retail, bistros, bars, etc., a band was tuning up outside preparing for the next show. However, at the end of that long alley, across a wide boulevard, a dozen or so people in Darth Vader black storm trooper outfits were checking each other’s comms, armor & weapons.
Discretion being the better part of valor, we re-routed our stroll to avoid the storm troopers. The lobby had many people taking relief from the march, servicing children, etc. From a high vantage point, we could see an impressively swelling throng of marchers moving by. The national feeds were brimming with either excited or alarmed voices describing the march. A dragon’s roar reverberated across the length & breadth of the land.
One of the fear/rage feeds trumpeted that the march had been infiltrated by terrorists. This assertion was accurate. There were many single, double & triple seat strollers in the thronging crowd. Let’s look at the dynamic & do a bit of math. If there are two minders, in peak form, for each terrorist in a single seat stroller, you have even odds of keeping the terrorist in check. Two minders managing a double seat stroller are at a distinct disadvantage. Two (or shudder — one) minder guarding a triple seat stroller will be hopelessly outgunned.
Then mix in the time of day dynamic. Late in the afternoon, the terrorists have all had nice naps after lunch while rolling along. The minders are pretty worn out. Layer on the old bigot troupe, “they’re not bad individually but when they run in groups — WATCH OUT!”. The security forces were well advised NOT to tangle with these terrorists.
Finding: Some dragon roars reverberate across the length & breadth of the land.
Findings
Finding: Dragons are highly correlated with magic.
Finding: Dragons may be malevolent or beneficent & a heroic magical quest is required to either slay or free a dragon.
Finding: Gut quaking rumbling roars may herald dragons but where’s the magic?
Finding: Some dragon roars reverberate across the length & breadth of the land.
At the risk of mixing metaphors, Dear Reader, imagine “seeing through” the dragon roar to what lies within — malevolent or beneficent?
