Gallio

Gallio is the astronomer of Clan LockCharge. While in some lairs, this would indicate a profession of stargazing, Gallio also partakes in the more mystical side of astronomy: divination. While dragons like Precision have a natural gift for the art of divination, Gallio prefers the old-fashioned method. By night, he traces the paths of the planets and the rotation of the world in order to assess the state of the universe. While it cannot be said that he is faultless, his weather predictions are usually spot on, and it is this gift that earns his living in the clan. Still, Gallio’s heart belongs to the mysteries of the stars, and it is the greater prophecies, not the weather, that interest him most.

As a hatchling, Gallio discovered a footnote in a scroll which told of a creature called “Galileo,” and being unable to pronounce the name in its entirety, the young snapper shortened it to Gallio and took it for himself. He spent his younger years as an apprentice cosmologist in the Starfall Isles, learning all there was to know about the heavens above Sornieth. He dedicated years to the memorization of the stars, planets, and other cosmological wonders, and in time, he would discover a few that had been hitherto unknown. He grew from a fledgling to a dragon behind a telescope, and soon, he longed to be a part of his own world as well as the one above.

Although Clan LockCharge may appear to be strange place for an astronomer, Gallio, like countless others, found a sense of belonging and homey-ness in the clan. Upon his arrival, he offered to fill the post of a meteorologist and predict the weather for the clan. Fethryn instantly agreed as his grand-nephew, Lear, served as a courier and recounted many stories of fearsome weather conditions. Since Gallio’s addition to the clan, Lear’s journeys have become far less adventurous and a good deal less dangerous—a fact that Fethryn and Basker are infinitely grateful for.

Gallio occupies one of the few tower-cells in Clan LockCharge, although his tower was only built after he arrived. Oberon precisely designed and constructed it according to Gallio’s specifications, and it occupies a prime location for stargazing. Less than fastidious, Gallio has a penchant for messes, and he leaves them nearly everywhere he goes. His private quarters and his study are festooned with piles of old scrolls, forgotten maps, half-finished manuscripts, and above all, hundreds if not thousands of quill pens. Although they seem to cover every surface, Gallio can never seem to find a quill when he needs one, and he is continually purchasing more every market day.

Although Gallio is not precisely solitary, the friends he does keep are few and far between. Many are old friends from his time in the Starfall Isles, with whom he keeps in touch through letters. As a result, Lear is one of the few dragons he interacts with frequently, as the young Pearlcatcher drops by regularly for weather reports as well as to pick up any letters for delivery. Lear lacks a scientific interest in the heavens, but he does appreciate the small tidbits of information that Gallio shares with him, and he relishes the rare chance to stargaze through the tower’s telescope.

Gallio’s rather eccentric wardrobe draws a few chuckles from his neighbors, but he firmly believes that if he wants to delve into the mysteries of divination, he should dress the part. His hat was a gift from Elert, who believes that all young dragons should follow their dreams. Elert and Forge have somewhat adopted Gallio, as they were immediately charmed by his dedication to astronomy. Forge especially keeps Gallio supplied in his favorite food: muffins, and although it may not be precisely due to her influence, Gallio does carry a little extra pudge around his middle.