Dragons

**Dragons** are a race of winged primordial creatures, theorised to have existed well before most other life natural to Ygdren. Knowledge of their nature is largely theoretical, gathered from fossils and other remains that were unearth in Almeras by archaeologists and historians, following the establishment of colonies on the western coast. In modern times, no live dragons have ever been sighted, and their existence was in fact widely dismissed as myth by scholars and common folk alike, stories brought over by human settlers from across the ocean. Historians now believe that these stories were rooted in the finding of scattered remains of dead dragons, which explains why the information in said stories varies wildly by culture and region, and is often determined to be inaccurate by actual findings.

From archaeological discoveries, a few things can be determined with relative certainty. Dragons were massive creatures, with four legs, powerful tails, and extensive wingspans. Their shape was similar in some way to that of wyverns, though typically significantly larger. The largest fossils ever found suggest that dragons never really stopped growing. This sustained growth is commonly theorised to be due to a particular diet; the most popular theories suggesting that dragons fed almost exclusively on The Weave, which is generally believed to have been closer to the the Material Plane in ancient times and thus more easily accessible. Other theories suggest instead that the rampant arcana during Ygdren's earlier years infused creatures and beasts that inhabited the planet, and dragons hunted these beasts and fed on that arcana, absorbing it into themselves and growing larger in the process. Interestingly enough, several of the fossilised corpses that have been found often contain remnants of more than one dragon, suggesting that at the very least these creatures fought and generally fed on each other for some unknown reason.

Another particular curiosity of dragons, derived from inspecting the growth of their unique skeletal structure, is that their periods of continuous growth are interrupted by long stretches of stagnation, generally attributed to extremely long hibernation. These periods of sleep generally grew longer and longer the more a dragon had grown, and many of the discovered fossils were likely in such periods of hibernation at the time of their death.

## Variants

Dragons, much like other drakes, are suspected to have particular elemental affinities that are intrinsic to their nature. Their forms on the other hand, are significantly different to other draconic creatures. Instead of flesh and bone, they are believed to have been made of a type of living stone, that somehow grew into structures akin to bone and proto-organic flesh, and was flexible enough to fly and move like any other creature. There are two distinct branches of this living stone, one shaped of crystal-like structures, and the other more akin to porous volcanic rock. This grants the names of the two primary variants: **Crystalline** and **Igneous** Dragons. Each variant in turn had many different sub-types, each bearing an affinity to a particular arcane element. It is generally believed that the different forms derived from where they were hatched, which in turn granted them their particular elemental affinity.

### Crystalline Dragons

Crystalline dragons, the most famous of which is Zephra, the Skyweaver, were always the females of the species (or as close to female as one can get in a completely alien biology). This is believed to be so, as findings suggest they were the only type of dragon capable of bearing eggs. Their forms were generally lither and smaller, with more delicate wings that could in theory allow them to be faster, more nimble, and more dexterous in almost any scenario. From the magical traces that surround the fossils that have been discovered of such dragons, it is likely that they were also significantly more adept at innately weaving arcana than their male counterparts, and historians theorise this likely caused them to be targeted as sources of power by their kin. Remains of crystalline dragons suggest they came in several forms: ruby, sapphire, emerald, quartz, peridot, amethyst, and citrine. Zephra is said to be made of diamond.

### Igneous Dragons

Igneous dragons, the most famous of which is Ziakyr, the Jade Tyrant, were always the males of the species, incapable of bearing eggs. They were typically much larger and bulkier than their female counterparts, and much less magically inclined. Their forms suggest a reliance on brute strength and raw power, driven by instinct, hunger, and innate magical strength that poured like blood through their shapes. Remains of igneous dragons suggest they came in several forms: obsidian, lapis, clay, marble, sulphur, basalt, and amber. Ziakyr is said to be made of jade.

## History

The origin of dragons is, and will most likely always remain, a mystery. It is generally believed, through both the religious foundation of her followers (granted to some by scattered visions and dreams) and through piecemeal historical theory, that dragons originated from The Skyweaver. It is said that when Zephra was young to this existence, she flew between the Material Plane and the planes beyond, and laid eggs deep within the newly born planet, amidst churning molten rock, shifting stone, or volcanic crystal. Under the right conditions, amidst the constantly changing geological activity of the planet, the eggs grew into dragons, bearing the same form of their mother and creator, but much lesser in size and power. These dragons in turn mated, laying clutches of eggs of their own, though with each passing generation the strength of these kin waned and diminished, until it was no more. None of these eggs (original or otherwise) have ever been found intact, but pieces of what seemed to be a clutch of eggs were found next to the remains of a large crystalline dragon near Redcliffe.

Though The Skyweaver valued order and stability amidst the chaos of creation, her children were often far less inclined to follow in her footsteps. They warred and squabbled, locked in an endless contest to climb the ranks and hoard power in an effort to ascend. In particular, Ziakyr, which legends say was the first of her brood to hatch, challenged his mother's belief. He rallied those of his kin who would follow him to his side and destroyed all others claiming their strength for his own, and at last battled Zephra amidst the chaos of The World Stream to take her place in the sky. It is said he had grown large enough to truly contest her, but in doing so fell victim to the curse of all dragons, the endless sleep that becomes ever harder to escape the stronger and larger a dragon grows.