Dragon
Dragons are the only other intellegent species in Órlekanú. There are four subspecies, each possessing unique abilities tied to an element.
Basic Information
Anatomy
All dragons have four legs and two wings. They have bat-like wings so have specialised elongated fingers and thick membranes between them. They are generally very muscular as it is required for flight. They have long tails to aid with flight and it can also be used as a weapon. They have sharp talons and teeth used for hunting prey and fighting other dragons.
Genetics and Reproduction
They reproduce like other reptiles, building nests and laying eggs.
Ecology and Habitats
Different subspecies of dragons can be found all over Órlekanú.
Ice dragons live in the icy region of Erala Rúa. They thrive where temperatures are below freezing. Ice dragons can tolerate warmer temperatures as it is necissary each summer when the ice melts. During this time, only a few ice dragons migrate north and chase the ice while the majority remain where they are.
Earth dragons live in forests and grasslands. They migrate vast distances, often in small groups or alone in order to find food and mates.
Air dragons live in places of high altitude, requiring the minimum amount of effort to reach their maximum altitude for flying. They can be found in mountain ranges and, sometimes but rarely, at the tops of cliffs.
Dietary Needs and Habits
All dragons are hunters
Ice dragons will hunt any animal they deem large enough and will sometimes target the Eralan's animals if they come within proximity. They hunt much less frequently than fire dragons at about once per week.
Earth dragons will tyically hunt deer, wolves, bison and any other large animal it comes across. They typically make larger kills due to them being the largest subspecies but they also live in small groups sometimes so they will share their prey between them.
Air dragons are the only dragon race which willingly hunts birds due to their relative abundance. They also hunt mountain goats. Air dragons living on cliffs will dive for fish but this is a rare and highly specialised method of hunting for dragons. Air dragons hunt more often than the other races due to their prey being generally smaller.
Dragons don't store food and eat every few days.
Additional Information
Facial characteristics
Dragons don't use appearence to distinguish between individuals so their individual facial features are pretty uniform across each race.
Earth dragons have short, wide and squarish snouts with small horns protruding from the nose and the chin. Their horns are curved like a ram's and are used for headbutting opponents and trees which are in the way.
Ice dragons' horns are irregular, sharp and almost flat. They look like ice itself is growing out of their heads. They have two sets of main horns, one at the top of the head above the eyes and a second at the back of the lower jaw. Smaller horns protrude along the edge of the lower jaw. Their snouts are also short but are more rounded than the earth dragons. some ice dragons also have a small horn on their cheekbone below their eye.
Air dragons have long, slender snouts which are better for catching flying prey. They only have one set of horns at the top of their head which are long and curve backwards.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
The different races live in different areas. These areas mostly coincide with the borders of Kingdoms but don't completely overlap.
Ice dragons are found exclusively in Erala Rúa. Air dragons live within mountain ranges such as in Gaenel but can also be found in the mountains around Dagdír and on small islands not far from the coast. Earth dragons are commonly found throughout the forests of Dagdír and on the plains.
Average Intelligence
Dragons are highly intelegent beings, typically equal to that of humans and often exceeding them.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Dragons have exceptionally good sight and can see in almost pitch darkness. They can sense the proximity of other living beings in their minds due to their innate magical abilities. Dragons also have an excellent sense of smell used to track prey. They have average hearing and a poor sense of taste.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Wild dragons don't assign names. Instead, as they communicate through shares ideas and sensations, they assign certain mental "feelings" or images to each other. Each dragon can have many different "feelings" from different dragons. Only dragons who are bonded to a rider are given names.
Major Organizations
Fire Riders of Ynrae, Earth Riders of Eslaetír, Ice Riders of Joikwa, Air Riders of Verweth. These are not run by dragons but are a symbol of the Dragons and Humans working together.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Dragons have no native language so communicate by mentally sending images, thoughts, feelings, impressions and ideas to whoever they are trying to communicate with.
Common Etiquette Rules
When meeting a new dragon for the first time, one of the dragons will mentally reach out to the other in rder to establish contact. If the secnd dragon wishes to communicate, they will reach out to the first dragon, accepting their invitation. From there, both dragons allow the other into their mind and they can communicate using images, impressions and feelings.
It is wrong to force entry into another's mind in order to communicate as it can be seen as an attack. Those who attempt this are almost always human magic users and are killed as punishment.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Dragons don't have much of a culture but stories and legends of great deeds done by their ancestors are passed down generations.
Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
Many dragons will ask the god's blessings before a hunt or a long journey.
Common Myths and Legends
Dragons believe they are all decended from one of the four great dragons; Tahla of the Fire, Rasíla of the Ice, Dírla of the Earth and Jaepla of the Air created in Dalavú's likeness. They believe the gods are as real as they are but don't feel the need to worship them.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
The dragons see themselves as better than the humans as all they see them do is destroy each other and the world around them. However, they aren't enemies and bonded dragons will even enjoy the company of humans, even the ones they aren't bonded with.
Genetic Descendants
Origin/Ancestry
Believed to have been born from the separation of ancient beings by the gods and formed into the likeness of the dragon godess Dalavú
Lifespan
150 - 200 years
Average Height
2.0 - 4.5 metres from ground to the top of the head (excluding horns)
Average Length
13 - 17 meters from nose to tail tip
Average Physique
Dragons are usually very muscular in order to support their own weight and for flight. There is a lot of variation between the races.
Earth dragons are the most bulky with thick, muscular legs and bodies, well suited for roaming large distances. they have the shortest wingspan in comparison to their bodies.
Ice dragons are slightly smaller and less bulky as they don't travel as far but still need to keep warm. They have a slightly bigger wingspan than earth dragons.
Air dragons are the smallest subspecies. They are very thin and adolecents are often described as almost gangly. They have long legs and tails. Despite not appearing very big comparatively, air dragons are still very strong. They have the biggest wingspan compared to their bodies.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Ice dragons' scales are varying shades of blue with their body scales being almost white and their underbelly and horns being a darker blue to help them blend in with their surroundings. During a blizzard, it can be almost impossible to spot an ice dragon.
Earth dragons possibly have the greatest variation within their subspecies. Dragons living in forests typically have deep green body scales and dark brown everywhere else with slight grey flecks. Dragons living in grasslands have lighter green body scales with more brown and the rest of them is grey.
Air dragons have very light purple body scales so that they blend in with the sky. Their underside and horns are pale yellow so that when seen from below they dissappear into the sky.
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