Dragon Training in Reg Rawlins
Bailey Parks and Ember the Firedrake
Dragon training sounds like a neat idea until you remember that dragons are not horses, dogs, or especially cooperative house guests. In the Reg Rawlins Psychic Investigator paranormal mystery series, Ember the firedrake has fire, wings, a hoard instinct, and a mind of his own. Bailey Parks knows exactly how dangerous that can be.
The Man with the Plan: Bailey Parks
Bailey’s experience in The Hidden Hoard of Drakuntsee gives the series a grounded edge. He’s what you might call a behavioral specialist for dragons. In the old days, if a dragon was raiding a sheep farm, Bailey was the guy they called. He understands that you don’t really train a dragon so much as learn how to survive around one without making everything worse.
As Davyn points out, real dragon hunters usually have the scars to prove it. Bailey is lucky to be well-preserved, but he knows the truth: dragons are powerful, machine-like in their strength, and possess a genetic memory that means they’re born already knowing more than most humans learn in a lifetime.
The Wyrm Warder’s Toolkit
If you find yourself with an unwanted dragon on your property, skip the dragon whisperer routine and try some proven deterrents from the books:
- Acorns and Marbles: Dragons hate unstable ground. Tossing acorns on a hard surface makes them skid around, which usually convinces them to land somewhere else.
- Mirrors: Some warders swear by these—though we’ve seen that mirrors in Black Sands can be their own kind of trouble!
- Wind Chimes: The sound and movement are traditional dragon-nays.
- Runes and Chants: For when the physical tools just aren’t enough.
The Cat-Dragon Cold War
And yes, cats and dragons are worse than cats and dogs. Starlight is living proof of this. He reeked of jealousy the moment Ember hatched, mostly because the dragon had flight and fire—two things a tuxedo cat can’t combat with just paws and attitude.
Bailey actually recommends having nice fat cats around to keep dragons away from livestock. In Reg’s world, this is a practical warning: if you have a cat familiar, don’t expect them to play nice with the smoke-vomiting wyrm in the backyard.
More Than a Pet: Understanding Ember
Ember is not a problem to solve. He’s a living, feeling firedrake with needs, instincts, and a lot of fire. He’s a notorious pickpocket who will steal the coins right out of your purse or the earrings off your head to build his hoard. He also has a dragon laugh (tongue lolling and all) and can even belch out unusual purple flames when he’s feeling particularly passionate.
The trick is to respect that while still keeping everyone safe. Firecasters like Reg and Davyn are the best dragon parents because they can handle the heat—literally. But even they know that as a dragon matures, they eventually need to find their own wyrmhold.
If you want to meet the man who literally wrote the book on wyrm warding, check out The Hidden Hoard of Drakuntsee. For the full story of Reg’s chaotic journey as a dragon surrogate, check out the Reg Rawlins big bundle. Just remember: keep your acorns handy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Bailey Parks in The Hidden Hoard of Drakuntsee?
Bailey Parks is a wyrm warder in The Hidden Hoard of Drakuntsee. He understands dragon behavior, dragon deterrents, and the practical reality of living near creatures that are powerful, instinctive, and not especially interested in human rules.
What is a wyrm warder?
A wyrm warder is someone who knows how to discourage, redirect, or survive dragons. Bailey does not treat dragons like pets to be trained. He understands that dragon management is more about respect, caution, and not making a dangerous situation worse.
Can dragons be trained in the Reg Rawlins series?
Not in the ordinary sense. Dragons in the Reg Rawlins series are intelligent, powerful, and driven by deep instincts and genetic memory. They can learn, bond, and respond, but they are not obedient animals.
Who is Ember in the Reg Rawlins series?
Ember is Reg Rawlins’s firedrake. He hatched in her garden and quickly became part of her found family. He is fiery, mischievous, possessive, and fond of collecting shiny things for his hoard.
Why does Ember steal coins and jewelry?
Ember has a dragon’s hoarding instinct. Coins, earrings, and other shiny objects are hard for him to resist, which makes him charming, funny, and occasionally very inconvenient.
What dragon deterrents does Bailey recommend?
Bailey recommends practical dragon deterrents such as acorns, marbles, mirrors, wind chimes, runes, and chants. The goal is not to defeat the dragon, but to make a place less appealing or harder for the dragon to occupy.
Do cats and dragons get along in Reg Rawlins?
Not easily. Starlight, Reg’s tuxedo cat, is deeply unimpressed by Ember. The cat-dragon rivalry is part jealousy, part territorial dispute, and part supernatural household chaos.
Which book should I read for Bailey Parks and dragon training?
Read The Hidden Hoard of Drakuntsee to meet Bailey Parks and explore wyrm warding, dragon behavior, and Ember’s next stage of growth in the Reg Rawlins Psychic Investigator series.
