Dragons

Written by UmbralGoat

Our ancestors once feared the Ancients; they worshipped the beasts to not get barbecued. All it takes nowadays is a helping of fish to get a new best friend.

Dragons are the third dominant creatures inhabiting Vernelis. They are descended from Ancient Dragons, and while they are still respected by much of the world, they do not carry the same divine status that is attributed to the Celestial Dragons or other gods.

Dragons are much more involved in modern society than in the past. They are highly sapient and incredibly intelligent creatures compared to the Fælen and Humans; dragons are even capable of understanding Ferisian.

Special Abilities

The defining features of dragons are their sentience, ability to fly and their use of Magic, a gift inherited from their ancestors.

Depending on their species, a dragon will have one or two dominant abilities, though as they age they may align with extra forms of magic. This makes them rather unpredictable.

The most common type of Draconic Alignment is Terrara.

Anatomy

Dragons are generally considered warm-blooded and reptilian, though there are plenty of species that possess fur and feathers.

While there is a vast amount of variation, most species are quadrupedal and have horns, wings and tails.

When compared to their ancestors, their bodies are significantly smaller, with the largest modern Great Dragon thought to be about as large as an average Ancient Dragon.

Status

Dragons have a history of being worshipped as gods for their magical abilities. Most of this worship and respect has been placed in the Celestials in the modern day as magic has become less unique to dragons, but dragons themselves are still considered by most as valuable as any other sentient life.

Some cultures still attribute dragons to some religious importance; the Humans of Elegras believe that dragons are the endpoint of the cycle of reincarnation for a Soul.

Domain

Dragons mainly inhabit floating islands in the cloud oceans of the Risen World, though they have also come to reclaim the mountains of the mainlands.

The mountains that dragons claim are often called nests, as they can become home to hundreds of dragons at a time. These nests are home to Great Dragons, a significantly larger species that offers protection to smaller dragons.

Mentality

Draks got a single Soul shared between 'em, ever since the Dark Era. That's how they all remember what we did to 'em...

— Referencing a common tale

Dragons are incredibly intelligent creatures. Though they cannot speak mortal languages, they have shown to be able to interpret and learn them very quickly. This has made integration into certain civilizations very easy.

Dragons are easy to please, and exhibit behaviors not unlike domestic animals like cats, though their individual needs vary from species to species. Relationships between mortals and dragons can become very strong; dragons are very loyal once one gains their respect, and they are considered a companion for life.

One draconic behavior still recognized in modern dragons is the desire to hoard. Dragons are natural hunters and gatherers on their own, and as they hunt, they also sweep their territory to find any objects worth collecting. They will intrude on other nests' territories if it means a new valuable object to add to their collection, even in the face of a battle.

Reproduction & Genetics

Most dragon species mate for life. During pregnancy, a dragon's partner will serve their needs as seen fit; they will gather food even after their eggs have been laid to make sure they are never unattended.

Mating season for dragons begins in the warm months leading into the Veras; throughout the upcoming Invern, dragons become fiercely protective of their eggs.

Ancestors
Ancient Dragons
Population
Est. 3,000,000
Geographic Distribution
All continents, mostly in the mountains Lifespan
750 - 1,500 years
Intelligence
Highly sapient
Average Height
Varies greatly
Average Weight
Varies greatly