Red Dragon

Mountain Dragon

Of the Dragon of Aldern, it is the red dragon that is the most infamous. These are the fire-breathing monsters of cradle-tales, the dragon-gods of Ancient Siduum, and the fearmongering tales told over tankards in a tavern. Reds are the image the hearer pictures in their head when the word dragon is spoken. They are a callous, cunning creature, interested only in their own needs and well-being. Their arrogance so pervasive that the Novya saying 'as arrogant as red,' is common in courts across Ethae. Their confidence is not unfounded as they are the largest of dragon kind, and their raw power is such that they rarely lose in single combat against another dragon. They are creatures of sheer destruction, absolute power, and domination.

Red dragons are created by bathing a dragon egg of a true dragon in the magma pools of volcanos. A ritual that was a common practice in the ancient world, but near lost today. While some scholars point to the near excitation of dragons, and their cults, as the reason for the loss of this knowledge, it is in fact the other way around. The reds at the height of their power in Ancient Siduum wiped out most of the elder priests that knew the rituals. In their hubris, these dragons wanted to prevent new dragons to be born to grow as challenges to the elder. More than the murderous infighting among their own kind, or the endless war against the hated elves, it was the dragon's own self-interest that is bring about their near extinction. It is only the fact that eggs can be incubated in dragon-fire itself that has given the reds new generations.

These dragon's extreme narcissistic nature prevents any real internal culture to develop among their own kind. They and their cults are rivals at best, and enemies more often than not. Reds see themselves as top of the food chain, which means only other red dragons can rival them. This makes any red, even weak younglings, something to eliminate before they can challenge the dragon. Their arrogance does not make them foolish however, and a red will not fight a clearly superior dragon. As death to one of the dragons is the only outcome, reds rarely claim territory near stronger rivals. Exceptions of this appear in history, such as Ancient Siduum, but even then, the reds ego pushed against each other, creating conflict.

As stated above, reds have very little culture among themselves. However, as with any intelligent species, traditions and laws have appeared. Irkalla the Red Mother is the first red dragons, and all their kind acknowledge her as their mother. This means little to the dragons. It is only a shared history they agree on. Giru Mountain is a sacred mountain to all, though largely ignored, as it gains them no power. All other volcano are also scared ground. No dragon can attack another dragon while in volcano. Of course, this only applies if the dragon is stronger, or there are no witnesses to see the attack. These traditions are largely kept out of personal ego, rather than any care for the tradition. Red dragon seem to keep them to avoid 'losing face' amongst its kind for not knowing or keeping these traditions. Something other species find odd, as a red dragon would just as likely kill one of its own, rather than have a conversation. Yet it will keep these traditions just in case another red hears of this and thinks less of the offending dragon.