Dragon
Much has been said about dragons and much of it has probably been said by dragons themselves. Dragons are powerful beings, linked to the land itself through a primordial power. They are strong, they are smart, they are magical and they a very unlikely to let anyone forget it.
One of the strongest desires among dragons is the desire to rule. According to their own legends, this is part of a divine prerogative that sees dragons as stewards of the land, each claiming a territory to manage to govern. This desire to rule even shows through their social interactions and dragon groups tend to be very hierarchical. Their tendency to gather hoards also gives them a reputation for greed, though while dragons can certainly be covetous, their hoarding instincts are more than just a desire for material possessions.
They are also quite emotional creatures, prone to powerful moods. An angry dragon will trample offenders to dust, a passionate dragon will devote their entire existence to their object of affection, a happy dragon will laugh and guffaw like there's no tomorrow. They are said to have big hearts, with a near endless capacity for hate and love, undiluted by concerns for social mores and standards. To a dragon, what they do is right because it is what feels right and if anyone has a problem, they are welcome to challenge them on it.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Anatomy can vary a lot by individual species. In general, dragons have a quadrupedal bodyplan, with a long tail, a head on an extended neck and a pair of great wings. In general, they are covered in a layer of tough scales. They possess sharp claws and strong teeth, more than capable of shredding metal amour. Using their inherent magical power, they can unleash a powerful elemental weapon with their breath, though its exact nature varies depending on the subspecies.
Their stomachs are filled with elemental energy to aid them in digestion, which also helps break down any poisons or diseases there may be in their meal.
Genetics and Reproduction
New dragons come about in one of two ways.
When a new sphere is formed, the surge of primal energy often spontaneously generates everything from a couple to several dozen dragons. Dragons born this way are called firstborn and are revered in dragon culture.
The other way is less exotic. Dragons can, when it suits them, choose to become fertile, often accompanied by eating extra food to give their offspring better chances of survival. They will then mate with a partner of their choice. The female lays one to three eggs, which will hatch in one to two years. Dragons are more than capable of engaging in recreational intercourse, they just never need to worry getting accidentally pregnant.
Growth Rate & Stages
Once hatched, dragons tumble out of their egg fully developed. That is to say, they are from the get go fully capable of controlling their body, their senses are all functional and their minds are ready to absorb information. A newborn dragon has enough instincts to begin hunting on its own if need be, though most dragon parents keep their offspring in the nest and feed them.
Over the years, most dragons will steadily grow in size and power. After a couple of years, they usually leave their parent's den to seek out their own territory, though some subspecies are more communal that others. Over the centuries, they continue to grow in both size and power, with some dragons reaching sizes big enough to blot out all light from the world heart. After about an era, one of two things will happen. For most dragon, ageing sets in and they eventually burn out, their elemental energies consuming them, leaving only bones. For some, who have accumulated enough insight into the world and the nature of the cycle of life, they instead transform into wyrms.
Ecology and Habitats
Habitat varies by sub-species, but there has yet to be found a climate that can't support at least a couple of types. Dragons lay claim to as large a territory they imagine they can keep an eye on and then they rule that territory. Everything in their territory is subject to the dragon as far as they're concerned, though what that means for people living there ranges from having a benevolent guardian to having to pay a "please don't set us on fire" tax every year. Beyond that, dragons take good care of the environment and care for the health of their territory. One of the most surefire way to earn the ire of a dragon is doing things that harm its territory, like overhunting or poisoning the water.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Dragons are omnivorous, but with a preference for meat. The general hunting strategy is to use the flight and sharp senses to scout their territory for something delicious. If that happens to be a creature, they will pounce upon the target from on high, using the breath if the target puts up resistance. Bigger dragons require more food and may enter a state of hibernation to allow their territory to recover from their feeding.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Dragons tend towards being loners or living in small close-knit groups, such as mates, siblings or good friends. Their tends to be a sort of power hierarchy, one which shifts semi-frequently as the dragons challenge one another for dominance. Even very close dragons will occasionally fight for dominance, though fight can take many forms and isn't limited to just brawling. Dragons also engage in games of chance, intellectual challenge, hunting competitions and others.
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Dragonscales make for excellent armor, dragon bones be used to carve strong weapons and many of their bodily fluids are alchemically reactive reagents. While these ingredients can be given willingly, even in the case of bones as dragons will occasionally lose teeth, this has also let to dragonslayers who seek to profit off murdering dragons, whether the dragon in question has done anything wrong or not.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Dragons can be found in a wide variety of spheres
Average Intelligence
Dragons are born with an intelligence on par with a human teenager and only increase in smarts and cunning from there, as they grow older and accumulate more experiences and insights.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
The senses of the dragon are also finely attuned. They can see perfectly well in both day and nightlight. Their sense of smell is also finely attuned, allowing them to track prey over an incredible distance and easily detect nearby hidden creatures.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Dragon names tend to be big, melodic and complex, with lots of meaning packed into them. These names can be hard to pronounce, especially if one isn't well-versed in Derkomai, and dragons detest having it mangled. Therefore, many dragons also have a second name, referred to as a title name, usually composed of more mundane, descriptive words from the most common local language.
Courtship Ideals
Dragon courtship tend to be a mix of actions of deference and competition. A dragon seeking a mate might one day leave a gift of food at the edge of another dragon's territory, then try to seize part of that territory in aerial combat the next. This can go on for a while and for the uninitiated, the difference between dragon rivals and paramours can be quite hard to spot.
Eventually, the dragons might come to an agreement and become mates.
Relationship Ideals
In general, dragon relationships tend to take one of two forms. Either the dragons develop enough mutual respect and admiration that they conclude they are equals, not that this will stop them from challenging one another in different ways. Or one proves notably stronger or smarter, and one partner submits to the other, in which case the relationship becomes more hierarchal. Though it is far from unheard of in the latter case that the dynamic shifts as one partner learns to outmatch the other.
Dragons tend towards monogamous pairings overall, but this seems to be more related to density of population than anything else. In areas with high dragon populations, seeing groupings of multiple mates in not uncommon, and even dragons in a two dragon relationship often have casual flings.
Average Technological Level
Dragons have the insight and dexterity necessary to craft. But between all their natural powers and skills, many find that they don't need to make anything.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Derkomai: Firstborn dragons are born with knowledge of this language and pass it on to their own descendants.
Common Etiquette Rules
Deference to the strong. While strength can be many things, most dragons agree that it should be respected and followed. This also explains their attitude towards many other races, as they see most of them as being inherently weaker than dragons and therefore inherently subject to dragons. Anyone wishing to challenge them on this should expect to be tested. That said, anyone who can prove themself equal or stronger than a given dragon will earn their respect, even if only grudgingly.
Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
The Hoard: Dragons usually collect many things over their life, the most precious of which is part of their hoard. While the archetypical dragon hoard is a mountain of treasures, in truth each dragon collect things according to their own desires. Each of these objects are linked to a specific occasion and has an incalculable value to the dragon. Over their long lives, these objects serves as a sort of mnemonic aid, helping the dragon clearly remember people, events and other things that might otherwise be lost to the fog of time. Stealing from said hoard is likely to send even the most kind-hearted dragon into a frenzy. That said, dragons may sometimes give away pieces of their hoard. This is a sign of extreme trust and gratitude, as the dragon essentially hands over part of their own memory over to another. Very close dragons sometimes shares hoards, again a sign of trust and closeness.
Common Taboos
Doing permanent damage to the environment is a major offence to dragons, even when it isn't their territory who's taking the damage. Likewise, stealing from a dragon's hoard. A dragon who does this to another dragon can at best expect to be scorned by their peers, if not hunted down. The only time it is considered acceptable is if a dragon claims the hoard of a dragon they have killed, in which case it is considered a way to honor a worthy opponent.
Common Myths and Legends
Firstborn: The firstborn are dragons spontaneously generated by a sphere upon its creation. Dragon legends holds that these dragons are born of a union between the draconic pantheon, known as the Council of Wyrms, and the sphere itself. They are therefore afforded great respect as children of both the world and the strongest dragons in existence.
Scientific Name
Verus Draco
Lifespan
About 1000 unless they manage to transcend to become wyrms
Average Height
Varies between sub-species
Average Weight
Varies between sub-species
Average Length
Varies between sub-species
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