Dragons
Dragons were very powerful and magical creatures. There were several types of dragons in the first age of Akeroth, the most common of which were chromatic and metallic. They were an ancient race. Few species that still exist can claim longer lineage. Dragons were the bane of the originating races of Akeroth; their line was so old, they had their own realm during the first recorded journey of the elves to the surfaces of Akeroth.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Dragons were inherently magical beings, and in no case should dragons be considered reptiles, despite obvious similarities such as a scaled epidermis and reproduction by laying eggs. In fact, they were more akin to feline creatures than reptiles, particularly in regards to their posture and movements, as well as being inherently warm-blooded and having an eye composition similar to felines, although far more complex. A good example of this was the placement of the legs: dragons also tended to place their rear foot where their front foot was previously, much like most stalking feline predators.
Genetics and Reproduction
The number of eggs a dragon laid each brood depended on its race, but was usually low, between one and ten. Chromatic dragons of adult age often laid and abandoned clutches of eggs, leaving the wyrmlings to work together to raise themselves until they were old enough to go their separate ways. Metallic dragons of adult age, and some more intelligent dragons, would form families consisting of the mated pair and their offspring. The children generally left the family by the time they reached young adulthood. As dragon couples got older, they became increasingly likely to split apart as the desire for treasure began to outweigh interests in families. Older dragons would continue to mate but would assign a single parent to the duty of raising the offspring.
Thanks to their shape-shifting, dragons could also cross-breed with virtually any other creature, creating a half-dragon. The most commonly heard of were in the humanoid races, particularly humans and elves. Any combination was possible, however, even with devils or angels. Most of the time when dragons of different types crossbred it resulted in no offspring. Whenever offspring did occur between different types, the offspring's biology would almost always favor one of the parent's "type" over the other and might display characteristics that varied from its norm. In very rare instances of crossbreeding yielding offspring, the resulting child's biology might favor neither parent. This might result in them being born as a new type or with albinism.
Dietary Needs and Habits
All dragons were omnivorous and could eat almost anything, thanks to their innate elemental nature that allowed them to consume and digest all sorts of food, including substances that wouldn't qualify as food to other living creatures. Most dragons preferred a carnivorous diet, but a few of them had developed unique dietary habits. Metallic dragons, for instance, preferred to eat primarily inorganic fare. Although they were true apex predators, dragons were not above scavenging for food if necessary.
The Red Archmage believed that each dragon had its own "unique body chemistry" so that their specific, individualized diet would affect their longevity, vigor natural proficiency for casting magic, and proclivity for other activities.
Most dragons usually consumed half their own weight in meat every day. Dragons seldom got fat, as their bodies converted all the eaten food into elemental energy, storing it for later use. Much of this stored energy was expended using their breath weapons and when their bodies changed because of their advancing in age. When eating inorganic materials, dragons needed to eat as much as their own body weight per day to maintain healthy bodies.
In some instances, dragons also ate magic items. These instances were rare, however. While dragons could "inherit" the magical properties of some magic items for a day or so, and as such this would have some tactical value, few dragons would resort to doing such a thing unless they were starving to the point of death.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
As for their senses, which varied slightly depending on the species, dragons were superior in most ways to other creatures - like any predator, they had exceptionally acute senses, which only increased with age. Dragons had excellent depth perception and comparably good peripheral vision, able to see twice as well as a human in daylight; they had great night vision and were able to see even when conditions had no light to offer, though not in color. Dragons could also pick up scents very well, utilizing both their sensitive nose and forked tongue, much like a snake. Their hearing was on par with human hearing, although their minds could filter what noise it hears. Dragon taste was also refined, although they did not respond well to sweet flavors, and most dragons didn't discuss why. They were able to eat almost everything, but each race had a preferred diet; some preferred flesh, others to eat precious metals or gems, and so forth. Of all its senses, a dragon's sense of touch is the only one to decrease with age, due mostly to the development of thick, hard scales.
Dragons were capable of blindsense, the sense in which eyes, ears, and other senses were used to detect invisible persons or objects.
Civilization and Culture
History
It was not clear exactly how dragons came to inhabit Akeroth, but many traditions believed their origin was related to The Creation. Some scholars believe this event precipitated a dramatic climatic change, which in turn sparked the rapid evolution of proto-dragons into the varied forms of dragonkind known today, while others claim that the dragon race was born from falling meteors that were actually dragon eggs.
Regardless of their true origins, in the few centuries that followed their arrival to Akeroth the dragons generally kept aloof from the world's Giants and ignored them, maintaining a relative peace with their kind. Though they regularly preyed upon the herds of animals the giants founded and tended, such as elk and rothé. This led to many minor conflicts with the giants, as they felt slaying these poachers was not only desirable but worthy of great honor or "bragging rights." Though such conflicts were always personal, not tribal or regional. With most being settled by contests of might, skill, or wits rather than outright murder.
Circa -975 BBI, tensions between the two reached their peak and would erupt into a war that would last over Two Hundred years. It was uncertain exactly what finally set off the war between them, but by most accounts, it was when the dragon god Zurteus sent an avatar to lead a flight of dragons to attack Mayfalls Keep. An assault that led to the burning and destruction of a cloud giant city. According to giants, this occurred because Zurteus had inflamed those dragons with thoughts of greed and envy over the Giant's prosperity.
Despite giantkind's best efforts during this war, dragonkind ultimately drove them out of the city. The red skies eventually concluded with a truce, though accounts of the event and its nature differed among the races. According to the giants, this occurred because of a game of Dragon Chess between Zurteus and the Elder Giant All-Father Din, a game whose stalemate result granted the dragons continued ownership of the territories they had won in the war.
However, according to the dwarves, the dragons ceased the war due to a prophecy that they would be no more and they must prepare for the battle between 2 dragon gods, known as the Great Draconic War, a conflict between the followers of Baloryx and Selen that continued unabated even in more recent times.
Draconic rule ended when, through the aid of Sifor, the elves created the Draconic Sylex. This powerful magical artifact captured all dragons across Akeroth and led those who remained to madness and mindless destruction, turning against each other and even against their offspring. This event became known as the Downfall of Dragons. Dragons were unable to retake control of Akeroth, their collective power waxing and waning over the following hundred years. It is said that with the final dragons gone, Sifor could enact his plan to split Zurteus into 5 dragons and prevent their power from rising up against him.
After the last Downfall of Dragons, in -749 BBI, the dragon population of Akeroth was reduced to nothing, or so was thought. That realization sparked the need for the last 5 dragons to look for the help of their gods, marking the prophesied "Division", an ancient myth that foretold the birth of 5 draconic Gods replacing the Great Dragon Lord.
With his and the more recent event of the Draconic Binding, dragons remain captured in the Sylex. Some say that the Elves gifted the Sylex to Sifor but others rumor it's the existence within the hands of Valethar herself who awaits a day when she may regain the power to break the magic holding the Sylex together.
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