Dragon

Dragons are extremely large and powerful reptilian animals which are capable of using elemental breaths.
== Background ==
Dragons prefer to live in old ruins and cave complexes. Through the Steel Age, humans often destroyed such locations to discourage dragons from nesting close to settlements. Such precautions fell out of practice after dragon hunters from Nevarra hunted them to near-extinction. Most people thought that dragons had been extinct for centuries, but a notable rampage by a high dragon during the end of the Blessed Age caused Divine Faustine II to name the next Age as the Dragon Age.
Not all humans are hostile to dragons. The "dragon cults" of legend were notorious for their fanatic devotion to their particular high dragon. Although much remains unknown, evidence suggests that high dragons may allow such devoted humans to assist in the care of dragonlings in exchange for small quantities of precious dragon blood.
In Dragon Age: The Silent Grove, Yavana says that there was a time "before the Veil, before the mysteries were forgotten," when dragons ruled the skies. Furthermore, she speaks in an unknown tongue to her great dragon.An excerpt from Dragon Age: The Silent Grove.
The scientific study of dragons and their relatives, like Wyverns and Varghests, is called "Draconology" and is taught at the University of Orlais by Professor Frederic. Examinations show that the bodies of dragons form natural cysts around areas in their bodies infected by the Taint, making them unusually resistant—but not immune—to the disease, in stark contrast to other species.Learn More about Dragons.
== Involvement ==
=== Dragon Age: Dawn of the Seeker ===
=== Dragon Age: Origins ===
=== Dragon Age II ===
=== Dragon Age: The Silent Grove ===
=== Dragon Age: Until We Sleep ===
=== Dragon Age: Inquisition ===
== Types of dragons ==
Dragons are classified by the various forms they take as they age. Dragon Age: Inquisition introduces different types of these dragons, for example the Fereldan Frostback.Dragon Age: Inquisition demo E3 2014
=== Dragonling ===
Dragons begin their lives within eggs. A newly hatched dragon is called a dragonling. These sinuous, wingless creatures are born in large numbers, as only a few ever survive to maturity, and are roughly the size of a deer. They have voracious appetites, but lack the features that distinguish their elders of their gender. Dragonlings usually remain with their mothers until they reach adulthood and venture out on their own. 
=== Drake ===
Male dragons never develop into the winged monsters of myth. Their forelegs grow only vestigial spurs where wing membranes would be in female dragons.
Drakes seek out the lairs of high dragons immediately after reaching maturity. Often several drakes will linger around the home of a high dragon, each hoping to receive approval. Once a drake is selected by a high dragon, he will be monogamous for life. Drakes defend their potential nest aggressively, and many would-be dragon hunters have lost their lives to a drake's fiery breath or a crushing blow from its tail.
Drakes are a step up from dragonlings. Ranked normal or elite, the Warden will encounter usually two or more at once. Drakes have an uncanny resistance to fire, being dragons, so it is not recommended to use it against them.
=== Dragon ===
Female dragons take much longer to mature than their male counterparts. They too undergo a metamorphosis of sorts at adulthood; But while males lose the use of their forepaws, females actually grow a third set of limbs specifically to serve as wings.
Young females travel great distances looking for a suitable nesting site. Because of their nomadic habits, these are the dragons most frequently encountered by man.
With a stronger resistance to fire, dragons are mostly elites or boss-level encounters. It is rare to find even one, much less several of them altogether.
=== Mature dragon ===
thumb|right|175px|Mature dragon
Mature dragons are mature female dragons, becoming significantly larger than the normal Dragon but lower than High Dragon. Thus, they are between the two in power.
=== High dragon ===
High dragons are venerable female dragons. They are the monsters of legend and one of the most powerful of all dragonkind. The high dragon will excavate a massive lair for herself in order to accommodate her harem of drakes, eggs, and dragonlings. Its scales are purple rather than green in contrast to other dragons.
High dragons rarely leave their lairs; they prefer to spend their time sleeping, mating, and living off the prey their drakes bring back. 
However, roughly once every century, the high dragon will prepare for clutching by taking wing. Commonly known as a rampage, she will fly far and wide for weeks, eating hundreds of animals, to support her growing dragonlings. Leaving devastation in her wake, she then returns to her lair to lay her eggs, restarting the cycle of dragons.
=== Great dragon ===
The existence of this ancient form of dragon, distinct from High dragons, was revealed in Dragon Age: The Silent Grove.Dragon Age Library Edition Volume 1, pg. 73, annotation by David Gaider. They were active in the time of Calenhad Theirin.As seen in Chapter 1 of Dragon Age: Until We Sleep.. They are the rarest of their kind, though it seems all except two have died out, and one of the remaining is referred to as the "Dragon queen".
== Related creatures ==
=== Dragon thrall ===
Dragon Thralls are normal dragons (as opposed to "Old Gods" and blighted high dragons) that were corrupted by the darkspawn taint, in the manner of Blight Wolves. Two Dragon Thralls are encountered during The Battle of Denerim. Another two are encountered at the end of The Righteous Path guarding the exit of the Silverite Mine.
=== Archdemon ===
The archdemon, while not an actual dragon in the traditional sense, appears somewhat similar to one once it has been awoken by darkspawn during a Blight. Despite not looking very different from other large dragons, Archdemons are immensely more powerful and intelligent than high dragons, serving as the masterminds of darkspawn hordes during the Blights they lead against the world.
=== Spectral dragon ===
The Queen of the Blackmarsh was once a large high dragon, that was wreaking havoc on the village of Blackmarsh and killing everyone that attempted to dispose of her. However, when the new Orlesian baroness heard of her people's plight, she went alone to the dragon. After a brief amount of time and a loud noise, she returned to the village and the high dragon was never seen again.
When the Warden-Commander travels to Blackmarsh in Awakening they can find all five missing dragon bones and return them to the skull northwest of the entrance. After doing so the Fade barrier beside the skull will dissipate leading the way to the fight with the Queen of the Blackmarsh which manifests as a spectral high dragon with powerful lightning-based attacks. After the high dragon is defeated she yields the traditional amount of rare loot as well as an Ancient Dragon Bone which is a powerful material for Wade to make into a powerful weapon.
=== Red Lyrium Dragon ===
The Red Lyrium Dragon was originally a high dragon that was subdued by Corypheus after his awakening. Infused with Red Lyrium its shape was twisted to somewhat resemble an Archdemon, the creature became the main vehicle of Corypheus power, as well as his personal mount.
The Red Lyrium Dragon features in the attacks on Haven, the siege of Adamant Fortress and the attack on the Temple of Mythal. It is slain in the last confrontation between the Inquisitor and Corypheus.
=== Guardian of Mythal ===
If the Inquisitor drinks from the Well of Sorrows, a high dragon named the Guardian of Mythal must be fought to complete the main quest the Final Piece. Afterwards, the dragon will side with the Inquisitor against Corypheus and will challenge his Red Lyrium Dragon. The Guardian of Mythal is killed during the final confrontation.
=== Hakkon Wintersbreath ===
During the Divine Age, a powerful high dragon was bound and forced to serve as the vessel for the Avvar god Hakkon Wintersbreath. Sealed by Ameridan within the Old Temple in the Frostback Basin for ages, the ancient beast was finally freed in 9:41 Dragon by Thane Gurd Harofsen, the leader of the re-formed Jaws of Hakkon. Once freed, Hakkon was confronted and slain by the Inquisitor.
== Codex entries ==
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== Trivia ==
* Codex entry: Yusaris: The Dragonslayer transcribes the tale of the hero Dane slaying a monstrous dragon named FenshalThe description of the Winter Blade also acknowledges that the hero Dane hunted Fenshal. with the mighty blade Yusaris.
== See also ==
* Fauna and flora
* Gurgut
* Varghest
* Wyvern – a smaller reptile related to the dragon
== Gallery ==
Dragon attack.jpg|Concept art from Dragon Age: Dawn of the Seeker
DA2 Mature Dragon in combat with Aveline.jpg|Aveline Vallen battling a mature dragon
Dragon age inquisition 01.jpg|A dragonling in Inquisition
DragonPerch WM.jpg|A high dragon in Inquisition
Dragon tarot.png|Dragon tarot card
Dragonling tarot.png|Dragonling tarot card
Guardian of Mythal CG.jpg|Promotional dragon artwork from Inquisition
== References ==
Category:Creatures
Category:Dragon Age: Origins creatures
Category:Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening creatures
Category:Dragon Age II creatures
Category:Dragon Age: Dawn of the Seeker creatures
Category:Dragon Age: Inquisition creatures
Category:Dragons
de:Drachen
pl:Smok
uk:Дракони