Skeletal
structure: The bones of dragons are incredibly strong. They make excellent use of the
surplus calcium found in the bones of their prey by digesting it and adding it
to their own bones. The rocks that some dragons eat also contain certain
minerals that contribute to their strength. Like bats, the dragons' finger bones
have been incorporated in to the wings. These extended "fingers" add strength
and dexterity to the wings. The "fingernails" at the tip of each wing are
modified into strong, sharp claws which are used in mating and fighting.
The skulls of dragons are truly amazing. The skull is their hardest and
thickest bone. This serves to protect the large brain cavity from injury. Since
dragons often attack the head of their oppenent, the need for this extra
protection becomes clear. The jaw is lined with a single row of razor sharp,
canine teeth designed specifically to tear off flesh. There is no need for
incisors or molars, because like crocodillians, dragons simply tear large chunks
off their prey and swallow. The lower jaw bones can seperate somewhat to allow
for the swallowing of unusually large or tough items. Their teeth are
continually growing, much like rodents, and unless a tooth is completely removed
from the jaw bone, it will grow back entirely. As a consequence, dragons need to
grind their teeth regularly and this accomplished by eating stones.
Approximately every 100 years or so, a new set of teeth grows in and completely
replaces the previous set. Feeding: Wings & Flight: Scales: Senses: Reproduction: Growth and
Longevity: Social:
It is commonly believed that the bones of dragons
are hollow. This belief comes from the fact that birds have hollow bones, an
adaptation that gives them a lighter skeleton. Since dragons also fly, it is
assumed that they too have hollow bones. This is simply not true. Since an adult
dragon can weigh in at more than 100 tonnes, a hollow skeleton would simply not
hold their weight.
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As implied
above, dragons can and will eat a wide variety of items. Their stomach acid is
the most acidic compound known which allows dragons to digest anything from
stones to antlers. Even fur, which not digestable for most predators, is
digested. As a result, dragons rarely defecate, and they can even store energy
for long periods of time enabling them to go long periods without food if
necessary. Stones make up a a fair percentage of their diet and helps to break
down their food as well as providing a large source of essential minerals
necessary for the production of their valuable breath weapons. Despite being
warm blooded, dragons do not need to eat as often as most mammals or birds. When
they do feed, they eat large quantities. An adult dragon can consume a whole
herd of cows, taking in 40 percent of their body weight! Another uncanny ability
is their neutralization of poison, should they happen to eat a poisonous
animal.
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As
previously mentioned, dragons have solid bones which makes for a pretty heavy
skeleton. In order to fly, dragons employ a large wing area in conjuction with
their magic. A dragon's wings are nearly twice the length of the owner and
relatively wide. Although they are tough and leathery, they have an enhanced
sense of touch which allows them to "feel out" the air currents. Like large
birds of prey, they flap their wings only to gain altitude, and then glide.
Their magic adds wind under their wings to give extra upward momentum. If on a
cliff, they simply jump and glide off. On the ground, they crouch down on their
haunches and leap into the air by use of their immensely strong hind legs and in
that same moment, use the wind magic to create a lift and flap away until they
hit an air current. Although strong, the wing membranes are still the most
vulnerable, eyes excepted, part of their body and are the most succeptible to
attack.
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Dragon scales
are comprised of an extremely tough keratinous layer arranged in overlapping
plates. This adds protection not only from physical attacks, but also from the
elements. These scales are continously growing and are replaced periodically
like the scutes of a turtle. As the dragon ages, this rate of replacement
decreases, but never stops. Since these scales do not necessarily shed at the
same time, they are continually shedding scales. Once the scale underneath grows
too large, the top one simply gets pushed out of the way and drops off.
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Like eagles
which need to see their prey from great distances, dragons have extremely keen
distance eyesight. Relying on starlight or moonlight, they can even see very
well at night. They have an excellent sense of direction and can detect
obstacles in their path when flying in foggy conditions. Since their eyes face
forward they have binolular vision which allows them to zero in on their prey.
Dragons have three eyelids. One pair for actually closing the eye, and one
single, membranous eyelid which serves to protect the eye under water or when
flying in strong winds. They have an uncanny ability to `sense' their prey even
when they cannot see. This unusual ability is a combination of one of their
magical abilities with a heightened sense of smell. Their sense of touch is very
well developed. It is so well developed, that as mentioned above, they can feel
the wind currents as they pass over their scales. A dragon's hearing is
phenomenal. Even a small animal can be heard while the dragon is in flight. They
communicate with one another by telepathy and can do so over great distances. It
is crucial to dragon social structure that this be so, as it is sometimes
necessary for a dragon to be called to a meeting of council or to aid one
another. This telepathy is also a means of communication that cannot be detected
by humans or other creatures. Like humans, dragons taste their food and there
can be wide variations in diet between individuals.
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Dragons are very aggressive in
their reproductive behavior. They do partake in light romance, but once the
female goes into heat, which is only about twice in her lifetime, she
aggressively seeks to breed. Since they are so tightly bonded, her passions
infect the male as well. She immediately takes flight, with the male pursuing
her. When he catches up with her he grabs the base of her neck, intertwines her
tail with his and inserts his penis. The mating, which takes place entirely in
flight may take as little as a few minutes or as long as a few hours. At this
point, they are so sexually agitated, that they may actually cause great harm to
one another, sometimes even resulting in death. If death does occur, the
survivor may even commit suicide, a result of the extreme depression caused by
the loss of a loved one. Longer matings usually produce better fertility rates
and larger egg clutches. The 12 - 38 eggs are usually laid in sand in sunny
locations and the mother often coils around the eggs to add her own body heat.
It is important that the eggs remain very warm and the male will do all of the
hunting during the 4 - 6 months of incubation.
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Dragons do most of their growing during the first 4
years, feeding constantly during this period. They can ingest as much as twice
their weight in one day, and spend the remainder of their time sleeping and
digesting. They may grow as much as 5 feet in a week, thus reaching 800 - 1000
feet in total length in this period! After this period, their growth slows down
to about 2 feet per month for the next 100 years or so. The juvenile dragons are
incredibly intelligent, but do not leave their parents until they are about 30
years of age. This amount of time is necessary for the juvenile dragons to
recognise their talents and discover their magical abilities. Despite their
great intelligence, these abilities take time to develop and since dragons can
live 1200 years, they can become very powerful indeed!
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Dragons live
in a highly organized society with their own set of laws and government which
all dragons live by. There is such a thing as murder, rape, theft, etc. with
each criminal act having its own consequences. The best way to explain the
dragon's society is to imagine it like ours. Dragons live in their own caves
just like we live in our houses. They mate for life just like us, if they need
something, they will pay for it if there is no other way to attain the item.
They work together, helping each other out if it suits their needs. The
hatchlings do go to a "school" where they learn from the elders. etc. However
there is a difference in a few places such as the basic instincts dragons have.
Although they have basic instincts such as the love of money and the wish to
live, etc. Dragon's basic instincts are more a way of life...more intense, from
species to species. A red for instance, has a greater love of gold and other
valuables then say, a gold. The red's temper is also the shortest of any other
species'. Copper dragons have a real liking of playing jokes and always seem to
be on a sugar rush. Copper's are also the most playful of the dragons. I will be
adding a list of dragon species in the future.
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