Dragon

Dragons are diverse group of reptiles, but can be described most generally as all resembling large toothed lizards. There are number of genuses and species that vary significantly and even some unrelated species which may be colloquially called dragons. One defining trait commonly found in dragons that differentiates them from other reptiles is that they are highly adapted to heat. The unique strategy they have developed for thermoregulation is the magical production of fire. They have evolved anatomical structures and behavioral patterns to facilitate a reflexive tap into magic. Most types of dragons are sentient with some wise ones occurring, which tend to be longer-lived.
== Description ==
Dragons are large scaled, winged lizards on average two or three times as tall as human male standing up and 50–80 feet long, with a wingspan of approx. 60 feet. They are most commonly shades of red or green, the fiercest and largest being a deep red with a lighter, even golden yellow underbelly. Dragons have four limbs and two wings, with viciously sharp claws and teeth. On their head, they have two horns, yet soft frills or stumpy spines (cf. crocodile/alligator) down their neck and sometimes they are prominent on the tail (not the back).
== Fire Breath ==
Dragonfire is some of the hottest fire that can be created, much hotter than that of an ambitious mage. It can easily reach temperatures hot enough to metal steel or even iron ore. Metals that melt at temperatures higher than dragonfire at extreme difficult to work, so heat-resistant metals are preferred.
An average sized dragon can sustain its lowest temperature flames for nearly an entire day. At full temperature dragons can breathe fire for about 8 hours before they run out of fire. They often tire or grow too hungry before that point.
Dragons use magic combined with the fire that comes from within them, thus an emptied or starved dragon can still create fire like a mage can.
== Bone ==
Dragon bones are extremely light yet incredibly strong when fresh. As they dry out, they become extremely heavy and useless for personal protection. Often called dragonstone when it has reached this point, it is still utilized in the building of walls.
== Blood ==
Dragon's blood has the alchemical property of increasing comprehension of rhythm. In Skaran dragons, the fresh blood has the effect of imparting the ability to understand the language of all birds.
== Slaying ==
The scales are nearly indestructible. Dragon claws, cold, and higher metals are used to pry scales off slain dragons to use in armor. Thus the scales must be overcome by the strongest metals or repeated strikes. The scales on the underbelly are softer than those on the sides and back. Ballistas are used most often to shoot dragons down, with ensorceled spears guided through the air even more effective. Dragonriders must be trained to repel these sorts of attacks when going against a magically powerful force. The beasts can also be tied up or netted with powerful enough rope or chains. The skin inside the throat, while the most resistant to fire, are the most easily penetrated, thus a great spear down the throat can also be an effective means to slay a dragon, as Aimo Kemmotar did.
== Hoards ==
Dragons gather piles to make nests in materials for their alchemical properties. Gems and precious metals are common for this reason, along with enchanted items.
==Kinds==
Serpent is the general term for all varieties of dragons. It can also be applied to vicious or monsterous snakes and is thus used most often to refer to wyrms and sea serpents.
*Dragon proper
*Drake: wingless dragon (sometimes also applied to dragon young before their wings have spread)
*Wyvern: forewings and hind legs
*Zilant: short, small-winged wyvern with feathers or loose scales
*Guiver: forewings, legess
*Amphitere: thin, snake-like guiver
*Vuïver: shapeshifting guiver with carbuncle on head
*Wyrm: wingless, legless
*Lindwurm: wingless, wyrm with hind legs
*Tatzelwurm: lindwurm with forelegs and felid-like features
*Sangle: small (weaselesque) tatzelwurm with more snake-like head and short forelegs
*Leviathan: sea dragon
*Tarrasque: six-legged, wingless, terrestrial, robust
*Dragon Turtle
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==Variants==
*Atterdrake, Atterwurm: Any variety of dragon (not just drakes or wyrms) that is poisonous, whether only in bite or also by spitting venom
*Steam Dragon: heavier and more robust, stores water in girth much like a camel's hump, black scales, larger condor-like wingspan, soars on the wind flapping very little searching for oasises to replenish its water store, heats water and spit jet of steam as a defense mechanism
==Beyond West Odenna==
*Zmei: three-headed dragon (Tanus)
*Balaur: multi-headed guiver, small wings but flightless (Tanus)
*Zaltis: small wyrm relative, benign and sentiently helpful (Tanus)
*Riu: tatzelwurm with hind legs, of the fire, sea, river, sometimes eat people, tutelary, temples built for them (Garudia)
*Tatsu: flying wyrm (Garudia)
*Shenlong: lionine tatzelwurm-like with hind legs, water affinity (Taicra)
*Bashe: the wyrm of shenlong (Taicra)
*Teng: shenlong wyrm that can fly (Taicra)
*Miru: bearded, wields magic (Taicra)
*Imugi: immature miru, require centuries to fully grow (Taicra)
*Bahamut: bipedal, humanoid dragon
==Interaction with Humans==
Dragons melt the stone of whole cities, metals melt out first, wood burns away, leaves clear stratigraphic layer with distinct marks of being caused by dragons, some people rebuild on top of it, recut the stone and reuse, or people abondon the site and seek safer ground, safer heights.
Mountain fortresses with archers perched on their walls generally deter most dragons, they have to fly high to a place with little landing space except that which is covered in little prickly people—dragons go elsewhere to bother with food, open fields of sheep are far easier prey.
Water mages, particularly those that command the storm, are valued in dragon country.
The hording nature of dragons means they stay away most of the time. They have learned to avoid the large concentrations of people and knights in cities. Picking off livestock is most common. Poisoned arrows are good at cutting losses, but everyone in the countryside looses a little bit to dragons. Magic archers that can carry their arrows beyond the work of the wind are much valued by herders.
== Gallery ==
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==See Also==
Bergman's Rule
Megafauna
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pg123gCWBGEXGX5wZMceK9oIywBo-fzoYq-xmSum_tU/edit
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphiptere
==Sources==
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon
https://dragoncalling.wordpress.com/2014/10/29/dragon-size-chart/
https://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/questions/313/how-could-dragons-be-explained-without-magicCategory:Creatures
Category:Beasts
Category:Dragonkind
Category:Fire