Post by Becca on Mar 28, 2010 17:34:57 GMT
General Physical description:
Dragons are descended from reptiles, but they are now very much removed from their lizard ancestors. They are approximately twice the height of a horse and have a body three times as long. The shape and proportions of the legs and tail in relation to the body aren't much different from that of a cat, though the feet have four long, lizard-like fingers rather than neat feline paws. The shoulders contain the massive amount of muscle necessary for them to beat the wings well. The first half of this huge, leathery structure is kept in place by a single bone, but this then branches into several long fingers with the membrane spread evenly between them. As a general rule, males are larger and proportionately bulkier than females.
The large, bony head is supported by a fairly long, narrow neck and is the highest point of the animal. Overall the features of the head are quite reptilian, though it's narrower than that of an average lizard. They have no visible ears but their eyes are quite large and set facing forward. They have no visible sclera but the iris can be of any colour or pattern of colours. The pupil is always black, and like a cat's eye it has a thin, slit-like shape that expands to form a circle when little light is available. The muzzle is quite long and thick with an oral opening that extends all the way back along the lips. Their tongue is narrow and forked like a snake's, and instead of have sophisticated mammalian teeth they have a series of small, neatly arranged fangs
A dragon's skin is covered in small, overlapping, scales, though these are quite soft and don't offer much protection from injury. They can be of any colour and shade and have any pattern imaginable, though it's rare for a dragon to have a combination of more than three separate shades.
Additions / abilities:
There are a great number of genetic growths and skills a dragon can have, and in fact it's quite uncommon for a dragon to possess none whatsoever. In each of the following, the first part is the name of the growth or ability, the second is a brief description and the last is how many dragons have it.
Movement:
Dragons are lucky beasts in that they can move well in in any situation. On land they can move with surprising speed and agility; capable of reaching speeds up to 25mph and maintaining it over a fairly long distance. In water they are somewhat more cumbersome. They can swim well and, unless they're exhausted, there's little chance of one drowning. Just don't expect any under-water acrobatics from them.
Air is there strong-point of course. They can fly faster than any bird and have remarkable stamina, not to mention supreme manoeuvrability. They make flying seem easy, able to perform the most amazing tricks with barely a thought.
Names:
A dragon's name can literally be anything, as it's the rider that gets to name his or her partner. The most common names are positive personality traits such as 'Brave', 'Joyful' or 'Fierce' and natural things such as flowers and birds are also pretty normal. Some riders choose to give their dragon an ordinary human name, and others make up a name that has no meaning, but sounds aesthetically pleasing. In rare cases a dragon will reject a name chosen for it and demand that its rider choose another, and in even rarer cases a dragonet may choose one for itself.
Temperament:
Dragons are, by nature, fighting beasts and a love of battle is present in almost every one of them. However, they're intelligent creatures, often more so than there rider, and they know to manage their fighting instincts. Each one ahs his or her own personality; some are aggressive and loud, others quiet and peaceful. Some may enjoy reading and making up poetry while others would much prefer to play with his or her friends, and so on. One can't sum up the personality of dragon-kind any better than one could sum up the personality of human-kind. One thing is common to all of them though; they will all sacrifice everything for the protection of their rider.
Dominance fights and high positions:
The leader of Kalum, known as the den-leader is the rider of the most dominant dragon in the den. Frequently younger dragons will attempt to challenge the den-leader verbally, and most of the time he will be able to shout them down. If he isn't however, perhaps because the younger dragon has a lot of support, it will go to a fight. Often the dispute ends there, as the dominant dragon will have the more battle-experience, but if he is particularly old or weak the challenger will overthrow him and take his position.
The same system holds true for deciding who will be the den-second, and who will lead the wings. Occasionally a young dragon will work his way through all the high ranks, fist becoming a wing-second, then a wing-leader, then challenging the den-second and finally beating the den-leader. Because of the brute strength required to win these dominance battles, it's rare for a female dragon to get a high-ranking position, though they challenge often. From time to time one has achieved the rank of wing-second, but never higher. (Note; this does not apply to riders in any way, a male dragon with a female rider is just as likely to become the dominant male as one with a male rider.)
Den-leaders and den-seconds still have normal den duties to fulfil, and the den-leader will almost always also be a wing-leader. Usually the den-second is a wing-leader as well, but of a different wing. Occasionally it happens that the den-second is in same wing as the den-leader, in which case he will become the wing-second of it.
Reproduction and life-cycle:
A dragon reaches sexual maturity aged about two years old, though they don't reach their physical peak until about aged six. A female comes into oestrus (known as 'heat') every three months or so for about four days. When she's in heat she will be moody and snappy, but also very energetic, attempting to mate at every possible opportunity with as many different males as possible. Dragons mate on the ground in a similar manner to cats, and it generally takes two or three minutes. During these mating sessions a rider will be aware of his or her dragons pleasure, but they won't experience it for themselves and neither will they feel any inclination to have romantic relations with the rider of the male dragon.
Gestation lasts for about three weeks a month, after which the female will lay a single white egg approximately the same size and shape as rugby ball. The egg will then be taken to the egg room to be incubated for approximately two months. After this time the egg will start to crack and the egg guard will spread the alarm using a complicated system of ropes and bells. It takes about an hour for a hatchling to fully hatch from the time its egg first shows cracks.
When it's first born the hatchling is only about the size of a cat, but it grows at an incredible rate, doubling size in the first five days. By the time it's six months old it will be half the size it will be as an adult. At this stage it is called a dragonet. Growth begins to slow down after that, with more emphasis being put on the development of musculature. Dragons first start flying when they're about one year old, at which point they are called a fledgling. At this point they'll have about three quarters of their full growth. Six months later they will have reached their full adult size, though muscle will continue to develop until they reach maturity.
Link with humans:
When a dragon hatches it instinctively searches out a human with whom it can form a permanent mental link, called, the 'bond'. From that moment forth the pair will constantly be aware of each other's general emotions whereabouts, and they will love each other no matter what. They are unable to speak in a human voice, their mouths not having the same flexibility as ours, so they converse telepathically. They can talk to anyone in this manner, including each other and even humans to whom they are not bonded.
So strong is the bond between a human and dragon that, once formed, it cannot be broken without the death of both parties. If one of them dies for any reason, the other will follow very shortly. For the dragon, who has never experienced life without a partner, it 's a matter of hours, but some riders that have lost their dragons struggle on for several days before they either commit suicide or just day from the grief.
Riding Equipment:
Due to the mental link with their rider, a dragon needs no form of bridle or reins to tell it where to go. The only equipment worn by the dragon is a saddle designed to make the rider more comfortable and keep him or her secure during more turbulent flights. The rider will also wear 'riding leathers', thick clothing made of cured cow-skin that keeps them warm in the chilly skies, and a pair of goggles made of glass, metal wire and leather that keeps the wind out of their eyes.
Dragons are descended from reptiles, but they are now very much removed from their lizard ancestors. They are approximately twice the height of a horse and have a body three times as long. The shape and proportions of the legs and tail in relation to the body aren't much different from that of a cat, though the feet have four long, lizard-like fingers rather than neat feline paws. The shoulders contain the massive amount of muscle necessary for them to beat the wings well. The first half of this huge, leathery structure is kept in place by a single bone, but this then branches into several long fingers with the membrane spread evenly between them. As a general rule, males are larger and proportionately bulkier than females.
The large, bony head is supported by a fairly long, narrow neck and is the highest point of the animal. Overall the features of the head are quite reptilian, though it's narrower than that of an average lizard. They have no visible ears but their eyes are quite large and set facing forward. They have no visible sclera but the iris can be of any colour or pattern of colours. The pupil is always black, and like a cat's eye it has a thin, slit-like shape that expands to form a circle when little light is available. The muzzle is quite long and thick with an oral opening that extends all the way back along the lips. Their tongue is narrow and forked like a snake's, and instead of have sophisticated mammalian teeth they have a series of small, neatly arranged fangs
A dragon's skin is covered in small, overlapping, scales, though these are quite soft and don't offer much protection from injury. They can be of any colour and shade and have any pattern imaginable, though it's rare for a dragon to have a combination of more than three separate shades.
Additions / abilities:
There are a great number of genetic growths and skills a dragon can have, and in fact it's quite uncommon for a dragon to possess none whatsoever. In each of the following, the first part is the name of the growth or ability, the second is a brief description and the last is how many dragons have it.
- Spikes - small curved spikes running along the length of the spine - 75%
- Sabre fangs - A fang on either side of the jaw extends below the lip - 60%
- Gazelle horns - A pair of horns that sweep back, away from the skull - 60%
- Ram horns - A pair of horns that curl down, around the sides of the skull (cannot appear with gazelle horns) - 60%
- Whiskers - Small, fleshy tentacles on the upper lip - 40%
- Knee spurs - A shark spike growing from the back of the hocks and elbows - 30%
- Ankle spurs - A sharp spike growing from the back of the ankles and wrists - 30%
- Frill - A set of narrow, movable horns around the head with membrane stretched between them (cannot appear with gazelle or ram horns) - 20%
- Unicorn horn - A long narrow horm growing forward from the forehead - 5%
- Acid - The ability to shoot corrosive acid from holes in the primary fangs - 2%
- Fire - The ability to shoot fire from the mouth due to the exhalation of combustable gases - 1%
Movement:
Dragons are lucky beasts in that they can move well in in any situation. On land they can move with surprising speed and agility; capable of reaching speeds up to 25mph and maintaining it over a fairly long distance. In water they are somewhat more cumbersome. They can swim well and, unless they're exhausted, there's little chance of one drowning. Just don't expect any under-water acrobatics from them.
Air is there strong-point of course. They can fly faster than any bird and have remarkable stamina, not to mention supreme manoeuvrability. They make flying seem easy, able to perform the most amazing tricks with barely a thought.
Names:
A dragon's name can literally be anything, as it's the rider that gets to name his or her partner. The most common names are positive personality traits such as 'Brave', 'Joyful' or 'Fierce' and natural things such as flowers and birds are also pretty normal. Some riders choose to give their dragon an ordinary human name, and others make up a name that has no meaning, but sounds aesthetically pleasing. In rare cases a dragon will reject a name chosen for it and demand that its rider choose another, and in even rarer cases a dragonet may choose one for itself.
Temperament:
Dragons are, by nature, fighting beasts and a love of battle is present in almost every one of them. However, they're intelligent creatures, often more so than there rider, and they know to manage their fighting instincts. Each one ahs his or her own personality; some are aggressive and loud, others quiet and peaceful. Some may enjoy reading and making up poetry while others would much prefer to play with his or her friends, and so on. One can't sum up the personality of dragon-kind any better than one could sum up the personality of human-kind. One thing is common to all of them though; they will all sacrifice everything for the protection of their rider.
Dominance fights and high positions:
The leader of Kalum, known as the den-leader is the rider of the most dominant dragon in the den. Frequently younger dragons will attempt to challenge the den-leader verbally, and most of the time he will be able to shout them down. If he isn't however, perhaps because the younger dragon has a lot of support, it will go to a fight. Often the dispute ends there, as the dominant dragon will have the more battle-experience, but if he is particularly old or weak the challenger will overthrow him and take his position.
The same system holds true for deciding who will be the den-second, and who will lead the wings. Occasionally a young dragon will work his way through all the high ranks, fist becoming a wing-second, then a wing-leader, then challenging the den-second and finally beating the den-leader. Because of the brute strength required to win these dominance battles, it's rare for a female dragon to get a high-ranking position, though they challenge often. From time to time one has achieved the rank of wing-second, but never higher. (Note; this does not apply to riders in any way, a male dragon with a female rider is just as likely to become the dominant male as one with a male rider.)
Den-leaders and den-seconds still have normal den duties to fulfil, and the den-leader will almost always also be a wing-leader. Usually the den-second is a wing-leader as well, but of a different wing. Occasionally it happens that the den-second is in same wing as the den-leader, in which case he will become the wing-second of it.
Reproduction and life-cycle:
A dragon reaches sexual maturity aged about two years old, though they don't reach their physical peak until about aged six. A female comes into oestrus (known as 'heat') every three months or so for about four days. When she's in heat she will be moody and snappy, but also very energetic, attempting to mate at every possible opportunity with as many different males as possible. Dragons mate on the ground in a similar manner to cats, and it generally takes two or three minutes. During these mating sessions a rider will be aware of his or her dragons pleasure, but they won't experience it for themselves and neither will they feel any inclination to have romantic relations with the rider of the male dragon.
Gestation lasts for about three weeks a month, after which the female will lay a single white egg approximately the same size and shape as rugby ball. The egg will then be taken to the egg room to be incubated for approximately two months. After this time the egg will start to crack and the egg guard will spread the alarm using a complicated system of ropes and bells. It takes about an hour for a hatchling to fully hatch from the time its egg first shows cracks.
When it's first born the hatchling is only about the size of a cat, but it grows at an incredible rate, doubling size in the first five days. By the time it's six months old it will be half the size it will be as an adult. At this stage it is called a dragonet. Growth begins to slow down after that, with more emphasis being put on the development of musculature. Dragons first start flying when they're about one year old, at which point they are called a fledgling. At this point they'll have about three quarters of their full growth. Six months later they will have reached their full adult size, though muscle will continue to develop until they reach maturity.
Link with humans:
When a dragon hatches it instinctively searches out a human with whom it can form a permanent mental link, called, the 'bond'. From that moment forth the pair will constantly be aware of each other's general emotions whereabouts, and they will love each other no matter what. They are unable to speak in a human voice, their mouths not having the same flexibility as ours, so they converse telepathically. They can talk to anyone in this manner, including each other and even humans to whom they are not bonded.
So strong is the bond between a human and dragon that, once formed, it cannot be broken without the death of both parties. If one of them dies for any reason, the other will follow very shortly. For the dragon, who has never experienced life without a partner, it 's a matter of hours, but some riders that have lost their dragons struggle on for several days before they either commit suicide or just day from the grief.
Riding Equipment:
Due to the mental link with their rider, a dragon needs no form of bridle or reins to tell it where to go. The only equipment worn by the dragon is a saddle designed to make the rider more comfortable and keep him or her secure during more turbulent flights. The rider will also wear 'riding leathers', thick clothing made of cured cow-skin that keeps them warm in the chilly skies, and a pair of goggles made of glass, metal wire and leather that keeps the wind out of their eyes.
