Dragon
An ancient species of incredibly large, isolated creatures who tried to rule the world. Despite their isolated nature and never ending hunger for domination and hoarding, they have survived for eons.
Dragons are incredibly large reptillian creatures that vary greatly in color, size, personality, and biome. They seem to age endlessly, some having lived for thousands of years. They can range in colors throughout the color spectrum, but the most common varieties are the chromatic and metallic dragons. Each type has control over a different element or substance, ranging from fire, ice, lightning, poisonous gas, and liquid acid. A number of rarer dragons have stranger powers like mind control or teleportation. They are also incredibly strong creatures, maintaining their status as apex predators wherever they find themselves. Luckily, they are either rare or highly reclusive, otherwise mortal civilization would be doomed to ash or frost.
Long before the ages of the modern mortal races. The world was ruled by ancient entities. The giants founded kingdoms that spanned continents and built cities that would stand the test of time. However, they were primarily located around the northern hemisphere. The south was the realm of great beasts untouched by the empires of Giants. One of the fiercest creatures were the dragons. Winged reptiles that shared the aspects of serpents and amphibians. They were fierce creatures that could be the apex predator in any biome, but there were those who would feast upon dragons. Giants would travel south and hunt them for sport. Other predators competing for terrain would take down dragons. One day, a dragon would stumble through an interdimensional portal. They flew into the great expanse of the Manafont and drank from the great sources of magic. When the magic flowed past his lips and into his belly, his mind awoke and he transcended the rest of his kind. His intellect grew a hundred times, his power grew in the form of physical strength and magical prowess, able to control it with his newly ascended mind. This dragon would give himself the name Kolsmarriss, the first of the new dragons. He would return to the Mortal Realm and bestow the gift to his kin. The intellect spread throughout dragonkind and this hyper-intelligent race of apex predators formed an empire. However, their empire would be short lived as their savage minds could not handle the new intelligence. They grew highly paranoid and greedy. The apex predators grew competetive and dragon quickly turned against dragon. The only one who did not do as such was the first. Kolsmarriss was heartbroken by his family turning on each other. But when the dragons faced the giants as they expanded south, they had a common enemy. The dragons would wage a great war against Giantkind. Cities were ravaged, countless were slain, and the world burned. New dragon gods rose from their newfound sentience. Gods of honor, duty, and truth. Gods of greed, fear, and death. Kolsmarriss loved his children dearly, even going as far as to fight the gods of the giants himself. However, when he finally witnessed the great destruction that came about from his ascendance, he was terrified. He fled the Mortal Realm, seeking solitude in a realm of his own making. The Mortal Realm continued to burn in his absence. The Dragons and Giants borth destroyed their own planet and their gods abandoned them to dust. However, the world would recover after countless millennia, and new peoples would rise.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Dragons have changed greatly since their origins millions of years ago. Many have evolved or devolved to form different characteristics. However, true dragons usually have the following traits. They have four limbs upon which they have feet with between four to six clawed fingers. They have large leathery wings growing out of their back. They have a very long spine with a tail the length of their torso, powerful enough to rip trees from the ground. Their neck is long and at the end is a head with razor sharp teeth.
In their upper torso or lower neck is an organ known as the Draconis Fundamentum. This organ is a highly magical body part that allows them to access their natural magical abilities. This can include such things as an elemental breath, or other magical abilities. The older they get, the more they learn to use their Draconis Fundamentum earning new abilities. They can change their shape, control mortal minds, and more.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Dragons are omnivorous, able to eat essentially anything aside from the impossible to ingest. Its preferred mode of hunting and foraging is to take to the air. Their eyes are able to track targets for over a mile and their clawed feet and strong enough to grab a hold on countless objects. Some rip trees from the ground feeding on the roots and branches. They feast upon the flesh of larger creatures when available, and smaller creatures when absolutely necessary. They also have different methods of storing and preserving their food for longer terms.
Those who can control ice often freeze their prey for long term storage. Dragons who control fire often char their meals heavily, feasting upon embers. Dragons who live in the harsh deserts often eat whatever they can right away. They form pockets of fat with which to store excess nutrients for long periods without hunting. Acidic dragons turn their prey into a melted slurry, which they drink like a stew. Dragons that spew poison often keep their prey in a small cave or grove, feasting upon their stores whenever hungry. No matter the type, or how they eat their food. They keep their delicacies near their hoard along with their other treasures.
Behaviour
Dragons are usually paranoid, avaricious, gluttonous, and suspicious of others. With their origin as apex predators, they have often had to compete heavily for food, storing it in large quantities and fighting for hunting domain. When the dragons were blessed with a higher intellect they kept many of their animalistic traits, but have gained numerous others. Some have become quite social, curious, gregarious, or shrewd. However, even the most social or seemingly kind dragons hold a deepset greed in their heart. They desire nothing more than to hoard what they love. However, as dragons have grown in intelligence, they have acquired a new taste. Most commonly, dragons wish to hoard precious metals and gemstones. There are examples of dragons hoarding other more excentric collectibles. Pelts, ink, weapons, liquor, and books are all examples of things dragons have been recorded hoarding before. Their ascendence has also blessed them with an amazing memory. They can remember the faces of men long after their deaths. They can recall every object in their hoard and the precise locations where hunting could be best. This has also given them the quirk of holding grudges for an incredibly long time. A dragon with scarcely forget a wrongdoing that was commit against it. The opposite is true as well. If you get a dragon on your side, they can be a potential ally for the rest of your life. Their long memories allow them to recall those it prizes or adores quite easily, but it will always become aware when its debt to the other party is up.
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