Russian breeding-grounds

The Russian breeding grounds are part of a major plot point of the latter half of Blood of Tyrants.

## Overview

The breeding grounds of Tsarist Russia are, much like the rest of Russian attitude towards dragons, filled with brutality. Even the Pen Y Fan Breeding Grounds compare favourably, and the maltreatment gives the French a major advantage towards the end of the Russian Campaign of 1912. Known Russian breeding-grounds house between 50 and 100 dragons.

## Location and size

There are two known breeding grounds, one at the Motsha River (usually spelt Moksha), which housed "hundred and more" , and the Ugra Breeding Grounds, also named after a river, which one Russian aviator said were "heavy-weight breeding grounds", in which 50 dragons are interred.

Based on these two known examples, a few conclusions can be drawn: firstly, most seem to be named after the rivers they are close to. Secondly, differing from the British, who keep all breeds and weights intermingled, the Russians seem to seperate their breeding-grounds by the size of the dragons.

## Dragon maltreatment on the grounds

The Russians feed their dragons, just like the British, on raw cattle and other such meat. As such, feeding 100 dragons would be of enormous difficulty, especially during the winter. Threfore the only reason they are able to keep such large breeding grounds is their willingness to starve the dragons. Laurence describes the first breeding ground dragon he sees as "nearly skeletal in appearance, deep concavities between its ribs". Murat wonders how they can produce any eggs at all, considering their almost dead state. Their hunger is proven shortly thereafter once they are freed by the French; their viciousness when fighting for food by attacking the Russian supply lines and their willingness to even eat the wounded during battle disgusts both Temeraire and the Chinese jalan.

Ordinarily, a dragon would fly away if food was lacking. Indeed the British way of making sure the dragons stay within the Breeding Grounds is solely based on the provender of food. As the Russians are unwilling, and possibly even unable to feed that many dragons, they instead hobble them, making flight impossible. Chains and barbed hooks prevent the dragons from freely moving their wings, in a similar, yet simpler design if compared to the chinese hobble. As heavy weights, if in extreme hunger or pain, could possibly break even the strongest hobble, these are less underfed, yet nonetheless hobbled and robbed of their freedom. With both food and freedom on short commons, Laurence is of course outraged once he hears of his allies mistreatment of the dragons, and compares it to slavery.

## Rectification plans of Kutuzov

Laurence and Temeraire, upon realising the terrible treatment of the dragons within the Russian breeding-grounds, begin to plan an evacuation of the breeding stock to China once the war with Napoleon is completed. However, Laurence sees it his duty to warn the Russian General Kutuzov of their plans, telling him that if he would not like such interfence, which Laurence would perfectly understand, they could send the chinese legions away, with Temeraire and Laurence continuing on towards Britain, instead of staying and fighting until the end of the war.

Kutuzov, to Laurence's shock, agrees that by all war time practicality, it is a necessity to free the dragons. He believes that to drive out Napoleon, he will need four hundred dragons or more, which he plans to get through support from both the chinese legions and those dragons in the breeding grounds. He plans to feed the dragons the chinese way; with grain and meat porridge. However he makes it clear that until they are certain the dragons can be feed, he cannot allow their release, as without enough food, the dragons would run rampage, like they did during the Time of Troubles. This supports the previous suggestion that the dragon maltreatment is fundamentally due to the difficulty of feeding them in the traditional cattle style. With Kutuzov now having a new method with which feeding might be possible, and having seen the practical advantages of a large aerial force, he not only lends Laurence an ear, but is the first high ranking non-areial corps officer who agrees with Laurence's practical position.

The revision plan they develop amounts to nothing in the end: before it can be implemented, Murat already begins freeing the Russian Dragons and directing them towards the Russian supply lines, which the starved beasts gladly attack.

## Effect on the Napoleonic wars

(Spoilers for Blood of Tyrants) As the french begin freeing the dragons and directing them towards the Russians and their allies, the latter are unprepared for such attacks. The first freed dragons appear during the Battle of Maloyaroslavets, attacking the Russian supply wagons. This demoralises the Russian forces there, as well as drawing away the attention of the two chinese jalan present. The french victory in that battle is largely due to this attack. The heavyweights of the Ugra breeding-grounds, freed by Murat shortly thereafter, ravage the town Kaluga, in which the new command centre of the Russians was located, and which was wholy unprepared for 40 heavy weights attacking them. The food that the dragons do not take was often spoiled, without intent, and even grain is stolen, for the French had begun to put out cooking pots for the feral dragons, feeding them if they brought grain to put into the couldrons together with the meat. They attack chinese supply depots set up within Russia, and are thus likely to be a key cause for the Chinese jalans' final retreat.

These victories combined shifted the balance of power once more. whereas beforehand, Napoleon had been on the loosing side, balance was once more restored. Choosing to gamble, he marched down Kaluga road, once more pressing onto the Russian forces. By the time of League of Dragons however, he is once more in retreat, and the freed dragons now harass both the Russian and French forces.

## Savagery after their disolvement

Upon the French thus disolving the Russian breeding-grounds, hunger drove the now freed dragons to extremes, eating not just military horses, but also the wounded and dead soldiers.

> "A dozen dragons fleeing carried off men screaming for aid and rescue in their talons. "God in Heaven," Laurence said, sickened, as he saw one wild-eyed creature raise a trashing man to its jaws even as it flew, and with a snap of teeth and a savage jerk tear him in half."
>
>

As the French begin to retreat, the soldiers dying on the roadside due to the cold and exhaustion, the now free feral dragons turn on them as well. They are described as "savage as any murder of crows" , eating the dead French before the bodies are even cold.

## Citations

1. ↑ Novik, Naomi. Blood of Tyrants: A Novel of Temeraire (p. 470). Random House Publishing Group. Paperback Edition.
2. ↑ Novik, Naomi. Blood of Tyrants: A Novel of Temeraire (p. 473). Random House Publishing Group. Paperback Edition.
3. ↑ Novik, Naomi. Blood of Tyrants: A Novel of Temeraire (p. 481). Random House Publishing Group. Paperback Edition.
4. ↑ Novik, Naomi. Blood of Tyrants: A Novel of Temeraire (p. 445). Random House Publishing Group. Paperback Edition.
5. ↑ Novik, Naomi. Blood of Tyrants: A Novel of Temeraire (p. 472). Random House Publishing Group. Paperback Edition.
6. ↑ Novik, Naomi. League of Dragons: A Novel of Temeraire (p. 8). Random House Publishing Group. Paperback Edition.