Dragons | Simon's CA-Archive23

The term “dragon” is a collective term to describe myriad species united by superficial appearance and certain magical characteristics. They are more akin to an elephant or dolphin in intelligence, as opposed to human, so are acknowledged as smart in their own right. A dragon imprints on its caretaker after hatching, which allows them to recognize the individual as “safe” until they mature. When they imprint on a sapient being such as a human, their mind is uplifted which allows them to become more capable of self-reflection, and their magic enables them to speak telepathically.

Dragons can live for 500-700 years and reaches sexual maturity between 3 and 10 years (and grows the fastest at this age), but can continue growing until the end of their first century. Their first few clutches tend to have the most eggs (up to 20 eggs for some species) but they also have a relatively low survival rate as mature dragons tend to drive younger dragons out of their territory, leaving the eggs to cool and die. By their first century, dragons have clutches of 1-4 eggs which lets them deliver better care to their hatchlings. Some species are more likely to have lifelong mates but many female dragons, particularly younger ones, have different mates for each of their clutches.

Dragons are typically asocial creatures; females may share territory with other females, typically their clutchmates, but males are driven out of their mother’s territory at sexual maturity and wander other females’ territories. When they imprint on a human or human-like being, dragons become more social and willing to share territories. After the death of their bonded, some dragons will die from the loss of the bond but those who survive will often remain near their bonded’s territory to protect it.

Gold and Iron has come up with a loose classification system for dragons:

True Dragon: These dragons have four legs and at least two wings. They are colloquially known as “Western dragons” or “European dragons”.
Drake: These dragons have four legs and no wings. Varieties of drakes with elongated bodies are called “lung dragons” but are colloquially known as “Eastern dragons” or “Chinese dragons”.
Wyvern: These dragons have two legs and at least two wings. They often have a bat-like body plan.
Serpent: The term “serpent” references any dragon that lives in large bodies of water such as lakes, seas, and oceans.
Hydra: The term “hydra” references any dragon with more than one head.

Forest Dragon

A forest dragon tends to towards one of two extremes: they are either very showy like jungle birds, or are very unobtrusive like cats, with any mixture of leathered wings, feathered wings, fins, and feathers. They tend to be smaller in size, ranging from “large pony” to “small elephant” to better fit between the trees. They are somewhat social, with many dragons coexisting in overlapping territories but being highly hostile to intruders.

Mountain Dragon

A mountain dragon tends to be neutrally colored with bright, crystalline accents. They often have spikes and larger claws to stabilize them while climbing. They are larger in size, ranging from “large horse” to “Tyrannosaurus rex”. They are highly asocial, being hostile unless intending to mate and often killing intruders as soon as possible.