Rhye Dragons

The dragons of Rhye are a family of quadrepedal winged endothermic reptilians that share similarities, although are still distrinct from, with the dragons of the material plane. They are one of the most magically dense creatures in the kingdom, and Rhye magic is integral to their survival, meaning that unlike some other species the dragons are restricted to the continent of Rhye, and range of the mantle of magic.
All dragons communicate through empathetic telepathy. Most can understand elvish and common, however they will only respond by projecting their emotions onto others. In a few rare cases, most notably the bond between messenger dragons and their masters, a direct and more informative telepathic link is formed, allowing direct thought transmission.
The peaks of the Ogre Mountains in the North West of Rhye is known as a sancutary for all dragons to provide a private and safe place for them to breed and raise young. As well as being undesturbed by elves and most others alike, the mountains border The Forest of Pines, where the Guardian Key nourishes herds of huge creatures to provide hunting oppotunities to the dragons nesting there. This prevents the dragons hunting elves or elf livestock and preserves positive interactions between the two races.

Known Species

This section provides a list and brief descriptions of the types of dragons the guild have come across thus far.

Messenger Dragons

The largest and rarest of the Rhye dragons, these huge creatures resemble mighty winged horses. They are known for their imposing inquisitiveness, and delight for picking up and carrying items that take their fancy - a behaviour which the elves have chosen to utilise for deliveries, rather than suffer curious messenger dragons simply picking up items of interest and moving them across the kingdom. Messenger Dragon's have complex magic, believed to be focused on understanding the land and its inhabitants more than altering it, as other dragons do.

Striker Dragons

Native to the Southern plains and forests of Hunter's Court, Striker dragons are cat-like creatures who are highly expert hunters and trackers. Striker dragons poses a varety of magics, including vinvisibility, minor elemental domination, illusion, charming, and ranged elemental attacks.

Sea Dragons

Boasting the largest wingspans of the Rhye Dragons, the sea dragons live upon the cliffs of The Court of the Captain. As their name suggests, they spend much of their time at sea, soaring high, and plummeting down to hunt sea creatures who venture too close to the surface. Sea dragons can often be seen soaring at high altitudes across the kingdom, a visual symbolism that appears in artwork across Rhye, including the decoration upon the carriage of The Night Train. Sea dragon's magic is most pronounced in their domination of the air. They alter wind currents to aid flight, and in older creatures they show expertise in all manner of weather control and generation.

Song Dragons

The most numerous species of dragon in Rhye, Song dragons gather in the court of Jade where they greedily absorb the artistic offerings of the Jadian Elves. They have long, slender serpent like bodies and small wings, and their scales boast irredescent and shimmering scales which change colour with their mood. Most song dragons practice some form of illusionary magic, a skill first exhibited as mimic behaviour when young and extending to their own original creation as they age.

Royal Dragons

Often found in the most prestidous locations, Royal Dragons are known for vanity and obsession with beauty. Royal dragons grow huge ornamentation upon their bodies, including frills, horns, antlers, feathers and exagurated features, with the aim of creating a unique and distinguished look. Notorious charmers, royal dragons can bewitch others to behave as their desire, and it takes a strong will to even notice, let alone resist.

Biology of Dragons

Anatomy

The typical body plan of a Rhye dragon is six limbs, four legs and two wings, and are similar to mammalian structures. Although able to fly, dragons are surprisingly heavy and do not have weight limiting adaptations as creatures such as birds do, instead relying on magic to enable flight and support of their body.

All species of Rhye dragons have strong bones, and unlike birds these are not hollow. The wings are held up by bone structures deriving from hand bones, featuring exagurated didgits. As omnivours, dragons posess several types of teeth, and some species poses decorating fangs and/or tusks, or weaponised teeth.

Diet

As Omnivours, dragons are primarily known as hunters but will eat mushrooms and plant matter that grows around their lairs. They tend to avoid carbohydrates, but enjoy fatty and sweet foods. Even within species, Dragon's have a great reputation for their varied and extravagant hunting, but this is more due to the dragons fancy and enjoyment that a specific need for specialist tactics.
Young dragons are typically fed on the meat of the giant beasts that live in the Forest of Pines. This provides a safe enviroment for them to learn to hunt on a variety of creatures while gaining healthy nurtrition. Since it is magic that primarily sustains Rhye dragons, they eat surprisingly rarely, and will prioritising taste or interesting food, or an exciting hunt.

Senses

The dragons of Rhye have well developed empathetic senses, enabling them to read and projects emotions to great detail to understand those around them. The magic within them is the primary system which recieves and transmits empathy, rather than a physical organ.
To interpret the physical world, dragons have very sensitive sense of touch, sight, and sound. Their sense of smell is primarily driven towards hunting, and is able to detect trace amounts of animal blood or musk, while their response to sweet smells such as flowers is limited.
As creatures of magic, dragons are very sensitive to changes in magic, both in terms of their energy levels and their mood. Where ambient magic is low, dragons can prove extreamly lethargic, while high atmospheric magic can drive them to mania.

Physiology

Dragon's possess a large range of arcane based physiologies, varying not just by species but also by individual. As creatures so linked with magic, their arcane dexterity far exceeds elves, and forms more on an unconsious action that deliberate magic weaving.
Away from magic, their bodies are not surprising. They have a large heart with a duel cirulatory system, lung based oxygen extraction, with a few species also posesing either gills or adaptations for deep sea diving, an egg based reproduction cycle, and simple single-stomach digestive system.
Their immune function is similar to elves, although the energy used to power it comes mostly from magic. Dragons still require a varied died to support their imunne system, but this is mostly to do with gathering the minerals and vitamins that are needed than energy.

Dragon Lifecycle

Dragon's typically lay clutches of two to three eggs, however Song dragons usually only lay a single egg. If the egg is incubated in a warm environment, between 12 and 18 months pass before hatching, however cooler temperatures will extend this time.
Once born, dragons grow rapidly as they absorb magic, and it is a crucial time for parents to ensure that enough nutrition is provided or malformations can occur. Upon reaching adulthood, the need for food drops. Dragons will breed after twenty to thirty years of age when they wish do, without following any form of season or cycle. Thus far, dragon lifespan has not been established.

Arcana

Dragon's can be considered some of the most magically dense creatures in Rhye. As well as being created by it, their lifeforce and many of their biological processes rely on high concentrations of magic. No Rhye dragons have been able to survive beyond the influence of Rhye's magic. Where magic concentrations are high, dragons become highly energised and active.
The relationship with dragons and magic is an unconsious one, unlike the elfs aracana. Magic responds like an invisible limb for dragons, instinctively and easily. Thus, asking a dragon to communicate how they perform a certain arcane feat is like asking an elf how they move their hands when picking up a bag.
Those observing the movement of magic have reported that dragon's actions use not just their own magic from within their bodies and souls but also the magic of Rhye's land. This level of arcane mastery is considered requiring expert level understanding in elf magic artisans, yet is performed effortlessly by dragons.

Medical Sciences and Dragons

There have been few cases of infection in dragons, however injuries and environmental sickness have been known to cause illness.

Injuries

Due to their strong bones, fracture and breakage is nearly unheard of across Dragons. Instead, injuries usually involve cuts and abraisons, especially on the wings, and many have pulled or strained muscles. For cuts, cleaning the site and ensuring it stays dry and fresh is important, while muscular injuries requre rest. This is perhaps the hardest challenge for one tending a dragon. Specialist differ in their opinions, some suggesting the dragons be taken to calm environments while other suggest draining the magic from where the dragon rests, to create a sense of lethargy. The latter approach has been critised as cruel by some zoologists.

Environmental Illness

Dragon's rely on a strong concentration of magic, and much of their physiology depends upon. As such, any environmental effects that remove magic, or transform it may harm a dragon. While dragon's adore warmth, they do not show adverse effects in sevear cold, however egg development will be slowed.
Lack of light is suspected to be of some importance to dragons, although this has not been proven. Observers of dragons claim that they see less of the beasts during long periods of dark weather, and will abandon roosts that are suddenly placed into deep shadow. It is also a common belief that dragons are more often sighted in the sky on days of full, bright sunlight.

Infection

Disease caused by infection including viruses is very rare. Of the cases that are known, most are due to infected open wounds, although a few are from invasion from foriegn bodies into eyes, nostrils, and ears. When suffering an infection, dragons display a strong lethargy and may exhibit symptoms caused by their immune response including feature and magic flaring. As such, distance is advised where possible when interaction with a sick dragon.

Minor Conditions

Many dragons experience irritation from incomplete moulting, which in the worse cases can lead to sores and infection. Treatment includes cleaning the sore, removing the moult manually, and ensuring the dragon is housed in a humid environment until the moult in complete.
Ingrown claws may effect dragons who spend much time in the air, or as a result of a broken claw. If possible, the claws may be extracted and the wound cleaned and kept dry, however it is more likely that you will be able to encourage a dragon to chew out the claw rather than allow you to remove it.
Insomnia, or inability to sleep, can occur for a variety of reasons in dragons, including being housed in an area with high magic content. Other causes may be pain, over excitement, or an inability to act following its impulses, which leads to depression. While the cause should be investigated, treatment is also important. Dragons are generally resistant to most potions, so charming spells are encouraged, as is providing low stimulus resting environments for the dragon to be kept.

Zoological Care

Feeding

Dragon diets should be highly varied, including a selection of meat, eggs, fruits, vegetables, and fish. Amounts for feeding vary between age and species, (see feeding table) however child and juvenille dragons must be fed at least 5x their adult counterparts. It is recomended that once dragons are large enough, they are encouraged to hunt themselves, both for their own enrichment and to let them alter their diet to their own needs.
Manutrition in dragons is indentifiable by malformations in the dragons limbs, ornamentation, and skin. Although they primarily use magic as fuel for growth, their diet provides much need nutrients that promote a healthy body, and so though malformed, the dragon will continue to grow.
Treatment for malnutrition may include a specialised diet, but if possible, the dragon should be allowed to hunt for itself so it can seek out what it is lacking.

Housing

Any space provided as housing for a dragon must be at least 4 time the size of the creatures wingspan. There should be easy access via flight. The floor should be an unobstructed mostly flat surface with at least 1 meter of dry soil or sand, preferably more, especially for larger creatures.
Dragon's dislike cold, and are likely to abandon a chilly lair. We would encourage dragons to be kept at a temperature of 30 degree celcius, with little to know wind. Caves make ideal homes, but buildings and tree hollows may also be suitable.

Skincare

For those working with young dragons, skincare is of as most importance as feeding. Their rapid growth places great strain on their skin, and given their love of hot and dry climates, they have a propensity towards failed moulting. Regular oiling of their hide and large soaking pools will help to prevent this. Dragons should be encouraged to soak at least once a day, and be oiled once per week - or every day during a moult.
As well as discomfort, failed moulting can be a source of significant infection risk to a dragon, and the area should be examined for sores once removed. Any broken skin must be cleaned and kept dry until healed.