Dragon

The Silver Dragon, a native of much of northern Eldham.

### Size

From 1 to 20 meters in length; some marine dragons are some of the largest animals known.

**Dragons** are a broad group of reptiles of the clade Ceratosauria, known for their ability to breathe fire. They are one of only two surviving lineages of dinosaurs alive today, the other being the birds. Dragons have several important roles as cultural icons across Rathnir and Eldham.

## Taxonomy and Hybridization

### Internal Systematics

As animals, dragons can be split into four families; the Eudraconidae, the six-limbed dragons, Wyvernidae, the four-limbed dragons, Dipennadraconidae, the two-limbed dragons, and the Apterodraconidae, which consist of various wingless dragons like the lindworms, Aurlûnoren Lûn, and sea serpents.

### Hybridization

As far as the hybrid human-dragons go, they are generally assumed to have Wyvernid genetic material combined with their human DNA, merged together via a skilled magic process that has been lost to the centuries. While the Celestial Elves may often bear many draconic features, it is unknown whether or not they are hybrids or merely convergently evolved these traits.

Some dragons are reported to transform into human-like forms. While transforming between human and animal form is not unheard of (the Kumiho have similar properties, but with foxes instead of dragons), science has yet to discover the magic mechanism by which this occurs.

## Evolution

The ancestors of modern dragons are hypothesized to have been ceratosaurian theropod dinosaurs which lived during the Lothranic Period roughly 190 million years ago. Many traits possessed by non-draconian dinosaurs included hollow bones, four-chambered hearts, a somewhat endothermic metabolism, air sacs, and an efficient unidirectional respiratory system. These traits allowed for the evolution of powered flight to occur twice in theropods- once in dragons, and once in birds.

The first crown-group dragons appeared in the mid-late Dracian Period, about 155 million years ago. *Eodraco avalofensis,* discovered in Dracian rocks in Drak Yamar, was considered to be the most primitive true dragon known to science before the discovery of *Meredraco*. *Eodraco* was thought to demonstrate that the first true dragons were indeed hexapodal fliers or at least gliders, and that the wyverns and apterodraconids are only secondarily four-limbed. However, later evidence showed that crown-group dragons date millions of years earlier, more closely related to theropod ancestors.

## Dragons in Culture

### Vexillology

Dragons are featured on the flags of many countries, such as that of Drak Yamar, Daelyria, the Regnum Drakaes, Dun Draigath, and the Aurlûnor Velande. The dragon is seen as a sybol of power, and the country often chooses the most well-known dragon species native to the region.

On Eldham, dragons are featured on flags such as in Drak Yamar or in the USSE State of Kramenix.

### Religion

In Aurlûnor, the Twin Dragon faith regards a pair of celestial dragons as the creators of the world. An unrelated but similarly-named religion known as the Followers of the Twin Headed Dragons exist as well. The Faith of Draconism also focuses on Dragons, however, their "Dragon-Gods" are not thought as Dragons, but the Dragons as holy beings. In Milo Paganism, Dragons of all kinds were worshipped as messages from the gods. In the Anglunian religion Arternaia the all-father Azeras is represented as a dragon. While in Draigath Paganism, the Dragons are seen as Mystical, yet Mischevious servants of the Goddess, Aoife, in Dun Draigath.

## Known Dragon Species

*This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it. Names marked with a † represent extinct species.*

**Apterodraconidae**

* Andorn Lindworm (*Ophidophysis borealis)*
* Aurlûnoren Lûn (*Ophidophysis aurlunensis)*
* Great Western Sea Serpent (*Eudeus occidens)*
* Guojiang Weaseldragon (*Paraophidophysis musteloides)*
* Nebskoslavian Lindworm (*Vermisaurus elongatus)*
* Oceanum Sea Serpent (*Eudeus maritimus)*
* Phagosian Sea Serpent (*Thalattophis phagosus*)
* Tortugan Sea Serpent (*Thalattophis tortugae*)
* Varn Torum Sea dragon *(Pristidraco varntorumi)*†

**Eudraconidae**

* Avalof Sawtail (*Serratocauda avalofensis)*
* Bonsai Dragon (*Parvidraco arborens*)
* *Eodraco hexapodum*†
* Niedean Nightdragon, (*Noctidraco niedeae*)
* Onthukhan Imperator Dragon (*Onthukhanax rex*)
* Phoros Maned Dragon, (*Lophodraco phorosensis)*
* Serrona Windrider (*Euruvehor serronae*)
* Silver Dragon (*Lophodraco argyrus*)
* Storm Dragon (*Tonitrus tempestas*)

**Wyvernidae**

* Daelyrian Wyvern (*Wyvernis helmicus)*
* Lesser Wyvern (*Wyvernis communis)*
* Northern Kaladinian Bloodserpent (*Sanguidraco kaladinensis*)
* Vastallosi Wyvern (*Wyvernis vastallosus*)
* Draigathi Red Wyvernae (*Wyvernis Taoiseachicus)*

**Other non-draconic creatures commonly referred to as dragons:**

* Mirauese Winged Lizard (*Alatosaurus morgrendi*)
* Short-Nosed Alligator (*Alligator brevirostris)*
* Celestial Elves (*Alfus alfus,* ethnic group)
* Kamigawan Sky Serpent (*Amphithera camigae*)
* Dragonblood (*Homo sapiens,* ethnic group)
* Sparwoododon *(Sparwoododon madafakker)*