Dragons

== Origins ==
There are creatures on Erwt that defy the rules of common sense, and which generally don't follow the ordinary rules of physics. They come from the deep Ocean, where the difference between air and water, light and dark is indistinct. Most of them stay out there; their constitution doesn't stand up to the more rigid fabric of Erwt, and turn back when they encroach on the calmer waters near the coast. Some others are more resilient. The greatest of these are the Dragons.
== Definition ==
Dragons are a broad category of creatures. To be a proper dragon, a creature must:
# Be larger than a horse.
# Stand outside the common food chain, not even as apex predator.
# Not reproduce.
# Generally behave like a living, cognizant creature.
A fifth requirement is often named, but it is actually a consequence of the aforementioned points:
5. Have a strong tie to its environment.
Since these creatures are supernatural, in that they don't follow the ordinary laws of biology, don't participate in the food chain (i.e. don't eat for sustenance), and sustain their being despite coming from the chaos outside Erwt, they must derive some stability from their surroundings around them in some other way. The exact mechanism is not yet understood, but it appears that they are fundamentally connected to their chosen environment - a change in the dragon is mirrored in the environment, and vice versa. 
Smaller creatures classify as monsters. Creatures that can't survive on Erwt are abominations. Supernatural creatures that reproduce and participate in the food chain are beasts. Natural creatures are just animals. 
== Known Dragons ==
The fourteen Great Dragons are the twelve Landscape dragons, and the dragons of the Sea and the Ocean. There are also a handful Minor Dragons.
# Jormugandr, Serpent Dragon. The Great Dragon of the Outer Ocean. Its true dimensions are unknown, although some theorize it actually encircles the entire Oceanside coast. It rarely stirs, but if it does, the entire coast can be inundated with giant waves and flood waters. It appears to be a giant serpent or eel.
# Akupara, Dragon Turtle. The Great Dragon of the Inner Sea. A massive sea turtle. Akupara is gentle, and swims idly in the waters of the inner sea, often near Ardellia. It sometimes refrains from diving for centuries at a time, allowing sand and seaweed to collect on its back, forming a small island that can be difficult to distinguish from a natural atoll. It's said that it has saved several shipwrecked sailors, and served as a refuge for a wanted Wizard in the First Age.
# Vayu, Air Dragon. The Great Dragon of Gutreal. A dragon with a massive wingspan, it's never seen on the ground. Indeed, it has no discernable legs or feet! Vayu's head is that of an eagle, and its tail is similar to a peacock's. When splayed, the tail resembles a twelve-banded rainbow. The wings and body are covered in white plumage, resembling clouds, and the Air Dragon soars, rather than flapping. When it does flap, however, the sound of rushing wind is overwhelmed by deafening thunderclaps, which have been known to cause avalanches and landslides. Appears in: Over the Edge
# Aranya, Forest Mother. The Great Dragon of the Weald. In the valley where the Entish, Ferroch, and Eyre Forests meet, south of the Wendworn, north of the Lyster, and far, far away from civilization, stands Aranya. She is an enormous tree, towering over the surrounding forest, with a trunk that could house a village if it were hollow. It was only recently, in post-Redeemer times, that the Wizard Ryetel who could speak the language of plants, identified Aranya as the Great Dragon of the Weald, rather than merely an enormous tree. Aranyas lower leaves are broad-leaved, but her upper branches carry needles to withstand the cold air and powerful winds at those heights. It is said her seeds carry powerful alchemical properties.
# Shishara, Frost Dragon. The Great Dragon of Samala.
# Ritika, Golden Dragon. The Great Dragon of Ennobel.
# Menhir, Troll. The Great Dragon of Isolet. The Troll of the Isthmus has guarded the landbridge the Lettish and Oerikan halves of Isolet since the dawn of time. Unlike most of the Great Dragons, this one is easily found. The Isthmus of Isolet is a flat expanse of grassland and wind-pined shrubbery, and Menhir is visible from afar as a solitary megalith of gigantic proportions. More than any other factor, the location of Menhir is what puts the landed border of Lettish and Oerik at the Isthmus' narrowest point. Loud noises and the rumble of marching feet disturb the giant, and the Troll effectively destroys any large contingent of armed might that attempts to trespass on its territory. It has been said that whichever nation learns how to tame or control the monster holds the key to final victory.
# Kuhaka, Malevolent Toad. The Great Dragon of Quipmen. The Kuhaka resembles the native fungus of Quipmen. When motionless, it is impossible to tell the difference. It is large enough for a whole Pmonian running party to scale it in the search for food, without realizing their error until it stirs. It has been known to burrow, for indiscernible reasons. Any fungus harvested from its surface is highly toxic, even that which resembles safely edible varieties. Kuhaka secretes sticky, caustic saliva.
# The Great Dragon of the Aether Waste. No reported observations.
# Excorium, Ash Spectre. The Great Dragon of Exympor. A great, black frame resembling the scorched skeleton of a gigantic winged reptile, the Ash Spectre is enveloped in roiling clouds of choking dark ash. Glowing amber eyes penetrate the dark, and red-hot talons reach out to grasp and sear. The dragon glides the thermals rising from ashen deserts and active volcanoes, high in the sulfurous clouds above Exympor. Excorium kills by mere proximity, its hot ashes filling the lungs of the living, and blinding those who would escape.
# Xirik-Tevn, Gossamer Moth.The Great Dragon of Arif. With enormous wings of a translucent, spun material, this great dragon soars over the sparsely populated deserts. While the wings are distinctly moth-like, especially in the moonlight, Xirik-Tevn's body resembles that of a spider, which betrays its true nature. The Gossamer Moth is a spirit of the desert, and when pristine, lifeless rock and sand is subjected to settlement or livestock, it's liable to rest its wings on the cool desert floor. At sunrise, Xirik-Tevn rises again, carrying with it everything living that was trapped beneath its wings. The wings, which shine like white gold in the the sunlight, are adhesive and ensnare, and its victims quickly dehydrate in the dry air, high above the ground and near the burning sun. Dessicated husks, partly mummified and partly skeletonized, drop to the desert below, when Xirik-Tevn judges them worthy of joining the sands.
# Urodel, Salamander Dragon. The Great Dragon of Ardellia.
# Vanam-halahala, Poison Dragon. The Great Dragon of Indonardel.
# Rhynterm, Segmented Dragon. The Great Dragon of Mangali.
# Kandara, Cave Dragon. Minor reptilian dragon found deep beneath the high peaks of Gutreal. 
# Sand Wyrm, Sand Dragon. Minor worm-shaped dragons found in the Great Dunes of Arif, the vast expanse of shifting sands north of Spring that stretches from Al-Kebir to the badlands.
Category:Fauna