Dragon

Dragons (or wyrms) are very powerful and magical creatures. There are several types of dragons, the most common of which are chromatic and metallic, which tend toward evil and good respectively. They are an ancient race. Few species that still exist can claim longer lineage.
It is a reckoning of dragons on the mainland that caused great political upheaval, which happened to lead to the ability for the Oleander Throne to expand and conquer so much territory. It is this great reckoning to which the calendar is aligned. Years are considered to be either BDR (Before Dragon Reckoning) or DR (post Dragon Reckoning).

Basic Information

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 chromatic 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.
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 characteristic 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.

Ecology and Habitats

A dragon's lair has a profound impact on the region, as the innate magic of the dragon is so immense that it actually changes the ley lines and habitat. Dragons can be found in almost any habitat, though each sub-species of dragon tends to have a preferred location type to make its lair.

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 developing 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.
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 them advancing in age. When eating inorganic materials, dragons needed to eat as much as its 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 had some tactical value, few dragons would resort to do such a thing unless they were starving to the point of death.

Biological Cycle

Dragons became stronger as they grew older; they also became larger, more resistant to damages and magic, had a more dangerous breath, and a great deal of other enhanced aspects. Older dragons could cast draconic magic, such as spells with just a few words, and oftentimes they didn't need long and complex ritual involving words, gestures and components like other wizards, and they radiated a mystical fear aura around themselves. After a millennium or two, a dragon reached his maximum development.
All dragons had some innate magical abilities, but they varied from race to race. Metallic dragons were often able to shapechange into small animals or human forms, and used this ability to secretly help or watch over humans. Dragons also had some innate powers upon the element they are linked to. For example a red dragon, who breathed fire, had some control over other flame.
All dragons also had a frightful presence, a supernatural ability to strike fear in those who saw them. Usually, dragons developed this ability after reaching the young adult age.

Behaviour

All dragons were inherently territorial and covetous. They hoarded wealth—although "wealth" could mean different things to different dragons—and jealously protected their hoards. For most dragons, there was no such thing as enough treasure. They enjoyed collecting mountains of gold, gems, coins, and magic items. They found these treasures radiant and enticing, and would make nooks and beds for themselves in their money piles. The habit of sleeping on their wealth meant that most great wyrms had hundreds of coins and gems embedded in their hides.

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, other 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.