Tyrant Dragon

The tyrant dragon is a massive and fearsome beast. Its thick scales form a dense, nearly impenetrable, hide. Its roar deafens prey and its claws tear through metal.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Tyrant dragons have a dense skeleton, fortified to support their weight. Unlike their cousins, tyrant dragons do not have functional organs to allow for the spitting of fire or acid. These organs appear to have been rendered useless long ago, the sheer size of the dragon requiring all their bodily functions to go to supporting their existence. The wings of a tyrant dragon are used exclusively for mating, they can never support the weight of the dragon.
The massive beasts have thick scales lining their upper body, with only the soft underbelly close to the ground left unprotected. Short scutes run along their spine, though these do not seem to provide much purpose to the dragon. Their claws are quite thick, able to pierce metal without damage to themself.

Ironic, in a way, that the greatest of the dragons is incapable of the myths that made them so infamous to begin with.

— Pietro VanDerschnine

Biological Traits

Tyrant dragons seem to have a life expectancy of around 40 years, but violent and ruthless combat amongst themselves gives the tyrant dragon an average age of 10. A tyrant dragon that lives beyond this is a frightening threat, at the apex of their species. Tyrant dragons weigh nearly 45 tons. From head to tail they stretch to 55 feet.
Tyrant dragons shed their scales every few months, leaving them in their dens. These scales are of great value to a daring adventurer, blacksmiths and cobblers will buy the durable material for a decent sum.

Genetics and Reproduction

Female members of the species produce eggs, after being courted by a male. Males attract their mates with displays of their impressive wings, the male with the most impressive set winning out over the others. Once the female lays her clutch, the male will patrol a territory of up to two miles around the nest until they hatch. This is necessary, as tyrant dragons who are aware of the nest will attempt to kill the weakened female and consume the eggs (on top of the other predators seeking the vulnerable eggs). The female will protect the young until they reach two years of age, and the male will stay within 30 miles of their mate and young. After the age of two, both the male and female leave the young to survive on their own.

Growth Rate & Stages

Young tyrant dragons grow fairly quickly, being about the size of a bear within a few weeks of their hatching. They do not reach full maturity until approximately 15 years of age, meaning the large majority of tyrant dragons die before they reach their full potential. The oldest of the species can be found in the savannas of Prikari Qilat, where the extremely low population allows them to grow much older than they would in Prikari Taru.

Ecology and Habitats

Partial to arid environments, tyrant dragons are found in the savanas, hot desertes, and hot steppes of Prikari Taru. Although, a small number of tyrant dragons can be found in the savannas of Prikari Qilat as well. The species makes use of spacious caverns and secluded collections of trees to make their dens. 

Dietary Needs and Habits

Tyrant dragons consume large volumes of live prey, most commonly the lions of savannas. They hunt fairly actively, using their strength to kill lions attempting to protect their pack. Tyrant dragons are unique in the manner, using the natural instinct to protect their pack against their prey. 
Because of how much a tyrant dragon must consume, it is easy for their hunting grounds to be rendered devoid of prey. To combat this, they appear to have adopted a cyclical use of dens. A habit shared by the other species of dragons, Dracoris tyranicus have a series of dens in a roughly 30 mile territory they move between every few months. This allows their prey to replenish in one region while they hunt another.

Aye, the habits of tyrant dragons makes plunderin' they nests much easier. No danger taking some mottled scales if they ain't there.

— Hagold Dragoncut

Biological Cycle

Tyrant dragons seem to operate ignorant of seasonal change, generally. In colder seasons they are less active, refusing to do anything in the cold nights of desert life. 

Additional Information

Domestication

There have been plenty of attempts to domesticate the mighty beast, usually by overzealous rulers. This has proven to be an impossible task.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

The shed scales of the tyrant dragon are used in blacksmithing and cobbling. Blacksmiths create powerful armor out of the scales, that allows for excellent mobility and protection. Cobblers often use the scales to create unique footwear, infusing dusted scales into their leather oil to boost the durability while also providing a unique appearance.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Unquestionably, Dracoris tyranicus originated in Prikari Taru, likely deep in the savanas. The species spread all the way out to the far hot steppes of the continent. Somehow, they are also found in the savanas of Prikari Qilat. This is a much smaller populaton, often of older dragons, that could have possibly been brought over by a rogue merchant vessel in the distant past.

Average Intelligence

The species is remarkably intelligent, able to understand the behaviors of other species and turn that against them. They do not appear to be capable of communication, as expected in a species without community.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Tyrant dragons have excellent eyesight and smell, but their hearing is limited. Speculation is that their ears never adequately scaled with their growth, leading to an inability for sound to get past the dense flesh in their ear canals.

Symbiotic and Parasitic Organisms

Draconelles make their homes inside the dens of tyrant dragons. They feed on the scraps of meat left behind after a tyrant dragon eats, in turn they keep prying creature away from the den while the dragon is gone.

Scientific Name
Dracoris tyranicus

Current Status
Least Concern

Average Physique
Thick bodies with dense muscle. The neck is short and thick, supporting a large head that is mostly teeth and jaw.

Body Tint, Colouring, and Marking
Typically range from yellow-greens to grey. It can sport small stripes of a typically yellow color.

Related Myths & Tales
Yolk Lips

Catalogued By
Pietro VanDerschnine