Copper Dragon

"Wait, so these are copper dragons?"
"Yes."
"What makes them different from brass dragons or bronze dragons?"
"A lack of tin and zinc, presumably."
"Speaking of tins, we're out of peaches."

— Two dragonologists

 

The Glint in the Sand

  Copper dragons are striking beings, renowned for their vibrant, metallic scales that shimmer in hues of reddish-brown. In the warm, dry climates they favor, they demonstrate remarkable adaptability. Their scales, while visually stunning, also provide them some measure of comfort by reflecting the intense sunlight to keep them cool. Agile and swift, these dragons are adept at navigating the challenging terrains of their habitats, from scaling steep cliff faces to swiftly traversing vast desert expanses.   Their roar is distinctive, holding a metallic resonance that can be heard echoing through their rocky domains, almost as if someone created a lion's roar by banging pots and pans together. Though not used to communicate with their own species, their roar is particularly effective at warding off potential threats, as the sound reverberates awkwardly through the would-be intruders, as if the sound is stuttering mid-air.  

The Shine in the Grass

  Copper dragons are particularly socialable creatures and, due to their size being smaller than most of their cousins, are often seen engaging with their local communities and townsfolk. They are highly intelligent, enjoying puzzles and riddles, and often playing games with each other or curious adventurers. Despite their striking appearance, they possess a certain charm and wit that endears them to those who encounter them, though it has been well documented that they are not fond of poker and will, given the opportunity, eat the cards.   Due to their relationship with the communities in their territories, many of which tend to be copper mining towns, copper dragons have become seen as a sign of prosperity for a town.   Some have such a good relationship with their local towns that they may challenge other towns with friendly copper dragons to a race through their mining hills. This oftens ends with the riders that were allowed on the copper dragons being covered in dust and sand, usually arriving in a plume of the two while the riders cough their lungs up, having enjoyed themselves the entire time until the aforementioned dust and sand plume. None of the dragons who participate in such races ever cares which of them wins, and they butt heads as friends at the finish line.