Water Dragon

* Juvenile
* Baby
* Egg
* Elder

*The **water dragon** is native to places where magic-imbued waters collect. It needs to have a very specific combination of magic and minerals. They are the most playful dragon ever seen, sure to cause a splash with your incoming visitors.*
    —Nogard's description of the **Water Dragon** in The Book of Dragons
The **Water Dragon** is a primary dragon of the Water element.

## Appearance

The **water dragon** has a long, limbless snakelike body, dark blue with a light blue underbelly in an example of countershading, with several dorsal fins along its back. It has a boxy head structure with its eyes positioned near the top of its head, good for peering over the water's surface if need be. Its pectoral fins are fairly large in comparison to its much smaller hind fins, and have spines at the ribs. They also have a large tail fin, moved vertically like that of a dolphin, and two head fins which are used for display purposes and to amplify the **water dragon's** hearing. Many water dragons also have a single long, curly barbel on their chin.
As the dragon grows to an elder age, it will grow more fins along its body, and gain flowing, pink and blue bioluminescence in its fins, making the dragon rather easy to see in the water. It can, however, deactivate the bioluminescence when hunting, and presumably only uses it in courting rituals.

## Abilities

### Weapons

All **water dragons** have long whip-like tails. Spines on its fins can slash its enemy's skin, and also hold a pain-inducing toxin in elders.

### Defenses

The **water dragon** is hard to catch because of its muscular, slippery body, which makes it easy for the dragon to thrash its way out of an enemy's grasp.

### Other Abilities

The **water dragon** has both a set of lungs AND a set of gills, so it is able to survive on both water and land. They can also live in both salt and fresh water. Most water hybrids lack this ability.

### Breath Weapon

**Water dragons** spit a jet of water, foam and bubbles which are used to distract its enemies.

### Weaknesses

**Water dragons** can only crawl slowly on land. As a result they are very vulnerable when beached.

## Habitat

### Regions

**Water dragons** can adapt to salt or fresh water, so they are found in both lakes and oceans. The largest populations are found in Nes Lake, the nearby Lake Kes, the warm Southern Tropics, and the Southern Sea.

### Preferred Home

**Water dragons** like to live near shore so they can come onto land occasionally. They may be found almost anywhere, but they prefer warm coastal waters. Polar seas are too cold for them.

### Sheltering/Nesting

**Water dragons** prefer to hide among the water weed and do not build nests.

## Diet

**Water dragons** eat fish. Young ones eat only tiny fish, but elder **water dragons** may attack and eat large sharks. They swallow small fish whole, but they may wrap their long bodies around very large fish and constrict their prey's gills so they can't breathe, and take them in this way. **Water dragons** are known to hunt using bubble nets, as humpback whales are known to do.

## Lifestyle

### Behavior and Personality

**Water dragons** are extremely playful and quite friendly. Due to their underwater habitat, which is largely inaccessible to air-breathing wizards except through a tricky Oxygenation Spell, not much is known about their daily lives. However, they are known to be mostly carefree and detached from the troubles of the outside world. They hardly ever are cynical and are remarkably curious. They love to play hide-and-seek (even if the seeker is an angry wizard who doesn't see it as a game at all).

### Social Order

**Water dragon** society is too simple to require leaders, but younger **water dragons** often consult elders about problems and rely on them to settle disputes. Disagreements are typically settled peacefully. **Water dragons** mingle freely with dragons of other species and are quite social.

### Relationship to Wizards

**Water dragons** are curious about wizards, though babies and juveniles are always warned to avoid the surface waters until they are older. They always love to find a new playmate, whether human or dragon. Some will welcome wizard company, others will observe from a distance. If they find you swimming, they will try to play with you. They might dunk you under the water or toss you high up into the air, or splash and make huge waves, but don't worry, they won't hurt you on purpose.
Some **water dragons** have bonded to fishermen and help them in exchange for a share of the catch. Others serve as guides for explorers.

## Life Cycle

### Mating

Not a lot is known about how **water dragons** choose their mates, but it is assumed that their courtship rituals mostly involve playing and having fun. It can also be assumed that the elder's bioluminescence may play a factor, considering that the cells for luminescence are in a water dragon's fins from birth, but are not functional until the dragon reaches Elder age.

### Birth

**Water dragon** eggs are laid underwater. The eggshell of the **water dragon** egg can filter oxygen from the surrounding water, making it a valuable component of certain potions. The mother does not eat while the egg is incubating and never leaves the egg alone. She continuously fans water over it with her fins to provide fresh oxygen to the egg.

### Infancy

Baby **water dragons'** lungs are not fully developed, so they stay underwater throughout this stage of their lifespan. The baby is extremely vulnerable to attack by predators and the parents must protect it constantly.

### Adolescence

Adolescent **water dragons** can breathe air but they are still vulnerable, so they are cautioned to stay away from the shore. They spend most of their adolescence playing with other young dragons, but through this play they learn valuable life skills. The young dragon plays and interacts with other dragons of many species, one of few dragons to do so.

### Adulthood

An adult **water dragon's** life can take many paths. Some stay with their residential clan throughout their lives; others migrate hundreds of miles in search of suitable territory. Some wander through their whole lives. Most settle with other dragons, but a few prefer solitude, and some enjoy the company of wizards.

### Lifespan

The total maximum lifespan of a **water dragon** is not known. On average they live 100-200 years, but some have been known to live over 500 years.

### After Death

**Water dragons** are living things, so they die when the time comes. Thank you for your time.
When a **water dragon** dies, it will sink down to the bottom of the water body. In lakes it will quickly decompose or be eaten by scavengers. If it dies in an ocean or sea though, it will sink down completely into the abyss, and will serve as a city for small scavenging fish and algae. A lot of years later the body finally decomposes completely, but the bones will still show traces of the fish civilization that once fed and lived on it.

## History

### Discovery

The **water dragon** was yet another dragon that was known for many years, but was not recognized as a dragon immediately. Because it lived in the water and had flippers instead of legs or wings, people assumed it was a Sea Serpent and not an actual dragon.

### Origin of Name

The term **"water dragon"** was originally applied to any leviathan form dragon, but eventually it became accepted as the species name of the primary **water dragon**.

### Declining Population

The last years, the **water dragon** population is shrinking. The cause: humans.
**Water dragon'** sometimes get caught as by-catch, but that is not always a problem, knowing they can breathe on land temporarily and are often set free.
**Water dragons** hunted down intentionally don't have that luck. They are hunted down for their scales, used in certain jewelry, and for their flesh, served in very expensive restaurants. Actually it is illegal to hunt down **water dragons**, and restaurants may only serve the flesh of **water dragons** who were already dead. But there's still a problem. Most people do not wear '**water dragon** jewels and eat **water dragon** flesh. Some do and want to give a lot of money for that. That's why there are still hunters who catch **water dragons**. They can get a huge fine for that, or even being locked up; but take the risk for the money.

## Magic

**Water dragons** are associated with hydromancy.

## Notable Water Dragons

* Kessi
* Nessie
* Kelpie
* Atlantica
* Pacifica
* Bubbles (Mantia Maree)

## Wizards Associated with the Water Dragon

* Jorsten Seabound has been guided by countless **water dragons** throughout his travels, and once bonded to a water dragon named Atlantica.

**Primary**
***Water Dragon***

**Hybrids**
*Swamp Dragon* - *Seaweed Dragon* - *Coral Dragon* - *Salamander Dragon* - *Mud Dragon* - *River Dragon* - *Ice Dragon* - *Iceberg Dragon* - *Plasma Dragon* - *Current Dragon* - *Fog Dragon* - *Rain Dragon* - *Rust Dragon* - *Quicksilver Dragon* - *Lotus Dragon* - *Shimmer Dragon* - *Abyss Dragon* - *Ooze Dragon*

 **Golden Hybrids**
*Geode Dragon* - *Quicksand Dragon* - *Bubble Dragon* - *Vortex Dragon* - *Conch Dragon* - *Lagoon Dragon* - *Nectar Dragon* - *Trench Dragon*