Forest Dragon
Solitary and elusive, these forest and woodland dwelling wingless worms are ferocious when angered or aroused. They typically adopt and inhabit a specific forest, woods or grove and protect it from all perceived harm or threats. They are intelligent and capable of speech, and are fiercely protective of their chosen forests. Most often described as a "dragon" they are, in fact, a drake, as they are a four-legged wingless Draconidae.
Forest Dragons can expell their stomach acids in a cone as far as 30', and the burning, noxious liquids are an almost instant guaranty of infection and poinsoning. Bites and scratches are also nearly always prone to terrible infection.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Like all dragons, these beasts never stop growing. The older the dragon, the larger the dragon. Forest dragons are wingless, with a moss-colored iron-hard scale on their sides and backs, fading to an off white belly and throat color. They have long, straight antler-like horns across their heads and backs, and long serated teeth and claws. They move on four legs and have large, muscular tails that constitute about 40% of their overall length.
Biological Traits
Capable of hurling its acidic, noxious stomach contents in a cone as far as 30'. Bites and scratches are so prone to infection as to be fatal in almost every case. Capable of blazing speed in lunges and spurts, but not able to run for any significant distances. Amazingly strong and when provoked, ferocious beyond imagining.
Genetics and Reproduction
Like all dragons, Forest Dragons hatch from eggs. Eggs are laid in cluthces of four to twelve after the adult dragons have mated. It is not understood how often Forest Dragons meet to reproduce, nor the period of time between the act of mating and the laying of the clutch. It is widely thought that a fertilized egg will hatch after 18 months, and the newly-hatched dragon is usually about the size of a large dog.
Growth Rate & Stages
Forest dragons add roughly one foot in overall length to their frames every year they live after the first year after hatching. Considered adults capable of reproducing at the age of four, a thirty-foot length (nose to tail) would probably be about 24-years-old.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Solitary carnivores that prefer to hunt outside of their primary lair/den territory. Forest Dragons are also known to scavange carrion whenever it is presented with the opportunity.
Behaviour
Like all Draconidae, Forest Dragons keep and maintain a hoard of collected treasure. Most Forest Dragons see anything available to them through conquest or combat as belonging to them. Thus, their hoards can be truly massive in size, but varied in content and value. Several hoards collected in the region of Rolar weighed in excess of five tons, but contained more trash than treasure. Rusted iron shovels are just as likely to be found within the hoard as golden coins or precious gems. One even had a collection of more than a dozen damaged and broken wagons that it had collected over the course of a single summer, still full of horse manure.
Additional Information
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Almost every portion of a dragon is useful, and some are incredibly valuable. Forest Dragon bile is a key component in many magic, poison and healing potions. Newly-laid eggs are a priceless delicacy, as is the dragon's tail. Dragon claws and teeth make exceptional weapon points. Dragon bones are renowned for their use in bows and crossbows, as well as harpoons. Dragon scales and hides make armor and weapon components of exceptional durability and protection.
Average Intelligence
Intelligent, and their intelligence grows as they age. Older examples are known to speak, and two have shown a capacity to speak more than one language.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Keen eyesight, exceptional sense of smell, poor hearing.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Scientific Name
Draconidae Vermis Sylvanis
Lifespan
Oldest known example was 188 years of age
Average Weight
2,500 lbs to 3,000 lbs for the known examples
Average Length
35' from nose to tail for the known examples
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
All known specimens have exhibited moss-colored scaled skin that grown harder as they age. Color varies to a pale cream color at their bellies and throats. Claws are ebony black, serated and as sharp as daggers.
Geographic Distribution
