Trakhaney - The Winged Beasts of Nightmares

Much as the Tarakan are feared among the people of Dvergar, they are but the lesser of the two evils born from the death of the traitor god. More than anything, it is the Trakhaney, the Winged Dragon, that has left a scar upon the collective memory of the civilised world.  

Born from Hatred

  Similar to the Tarakan, the Dragons emerged after the death of the Fallen at the start of the Age of Discord. Wherever they are a mutation of the Fallen's original creations or merely the dead god's flesh given unholy life is not clear. Sure is, however, that they have inherited the same hatred for all life as their brethren, the Tarakan. And they pursue it with the same drive, having attacked the other races of Dvergar with unceasing ferocity over the past six thousand years.  

Cunning Minds and Mighty Flesh

  Few would deny that the Dragons are the most dangerous form of life born on Dvergar. Their bodies alone would ensure that as even the smallest of drakes is a strong beast with claws and teeth of iron, not to mention a breath of either acid, poison or fire.   And the small versions are mere ants when compared to the titanic monstrosities usually pictured when thinking of Dragons. However, their most dangerous trait is their mind. Dragons are intelligent without doubt, capable of complex speech and knowledgeable in the finer details of war and civilisation.   As if that was not enough, they are inherently magical creatures, and while they cannot cast spells in the same way that the Dvergari can, they can change the very land around them. The mere presence of a Dragon will have an effect on the nature surrounding them, with, at times, drastic results.   Plants and beasts are affected first, mutating into strange and hostile forms, but eventually, even the other sentient races may see changes to both their bodies and minds. This is known as Dragon Sickness. Dragons come in many forms, and while only some can fly, they all exhibit the same basic traits of four claw-tipped legs, two wings, scales covering the whole body and a single head.  

What does it matter? Dragon is dragon. Four claws, two wings and a fire-spewing head to cut off.

— Amur Scalebreaker

  Kaiven   Smallest of the "real" dragons are the Kaiven or "Running Drakes". Usually, around the height of a cow, they are unable to fly. Not quite as fast as a running horse, they move on all fours and use their plated heads as their main weapon. Sharp teeth and claws may also be used, and while the Kaiven can't breathe fire, they are able to spray a burning, acidic mist from their mouths up to a metres distance.     Suur Trakhaney   Greatest of all living creatures and apex predator of the world, the great winged dragons are the undisputed masters of the draconic world. Towering masses of flesh, they may grow to over a kilometre in length with wingspans of several hundred metres. Their fire can melt steel and stone, and entire cities have burned under the attack of a single of these monsters.   Thankfully, they are relatively rare, and one would be especially unlucky to see more than half a dozen in a single lifetime. Among dragons, they act as leaders, ruling over packs and hordes with unquestioned authority. Their minds are equal to any in the world, and to underestimate a dragon is akin to suicide, as many a foolhardy warrior's fate can attest to.  

They corrupt and pollute the very land around them. You can never miss a dragon's nest, for the stench of death will hang above them like a shroud.

— Magister Themeion of Hebara

 

Draconic Society

  Dragon society follows a number of overlapping structures. At the core are the families, groups composed of a pair of dragons and their spawn. Several families, if they have emerged from the same ancestors, are called a lineage, which may encompass up to a hundred individual dragons.   Hierarchy within families is determined by age, strength and intelligence. The older a dragon is, the larger it usually becomes, for dragons never stop growing. As arguably the most intelligent of the monstrosities born in the west, Dragons are known to form civilisations of their own. These can take two distinct forms.   On one hand are the Dragon Swarms, large hordes of dragons and other draconic life forms usually under the leadership of a single family. Some swarms migrate across the land, others have set territories they fiercely defend and only move when there is nothing to eat anymore.   The second set of civilisations is exclusively created by Suur Trakhaney for the winged dragons have found another way to express their hatred for all other forms of life. To extermination, they add oppression. Flying dragons will enslave other species and build lasting kingdoms.   And while these are always born of violence, long-term exposure to Dragon Sickness may cause some creatures, like Elves, to worship the scaled giants as gods. Dragons, at least the intelligent ones, form complex nets of relationships and are known to engage in diplomacy among each other.   They even seem to engage in some form of religious worship, venerating their ancestors and their fallen creator. Research into this particular matter has been designated as heresy by the New Order, however. And anyone interested may quickly find themselves called a Dracari or "Dragon Cultist".