Info on Dragons Options

For thousands of years, Dragons have captivated the minds of men, and have insipred many tales, poems and songs (not to mention high-budget movies) about them and their glory.

Dragons were megestic creatures, who roamed the earth long before man. Unfortunatly, they fell into extinction sometime in the 14th century, AD.
But they did have a long rule over the world, and a productive one. Dragons were very spirited and noble creatures. And even though some were evil, dragons became a symbol of strength, bravery, power, and most of all; control.
Until their fall, Dragons were admired, by all sorts of people. Peasents to Czars all shared a fascination, even if suddle, towards the dragon... the most beautiful creature in the world.

Dragons are large reptilian creatures, with a strong lair of scales and cold blood in their veins. They usualy grow to be fairly large, lengthing between 15 - 30 feet, from head to tail, weighing close to a ton or two.
Dragons are divided into two major racial classifications: Western and Eastern. There is also a classification for other dragon-like creatures, called Dragonkin. Dragonkin are pseudo-dragons, consisting of the Wyvern, Drake, Sea-Serpents and many other races that I'm not going to talk about. Dragonkin are actually not dragons themselves, but are closely related.
As for Western and Eastern Dragons; Westerm Dragons take the body shape of winged lizards, While Eastern Dragons have a more serpent-like appearence.
Dragons have slim, horned heads flanked by a pair of spiny frills atop Long muscular necks. The Jaws of a dragon are fairly large and powerful, able to swallow a man whole (should the dragon find need too).
Western Dragons have large, strong leathery wings, used to acheive flight. Most Eastern Dragons do not have them, but can still acheive flight (Discussed in 'Special Features; Flight').
Lastly, Dragons have long, thick tails, usualy tipped with a blunt or sharp end, used in attack. Tails are a good offensive weapon, mainly because they are the strongest apendage on a dragon's body.

Breeds
There are thousands of different breeds of dragons, across the globe. Some have many horns, some have smooth scales, some have hair. Too date, there is no acurate count of all the breeds of dragons. There are many that look similar, but have small differences which set them apart.
The most common way to classify the breeds of dragons are by the colors of their scales. The most common Breeds then are Red and Green, but there are also large numbers of blue, white, gold, black, brown, and many other colors, or combinations of colors. There are a few breeds with two colors, which come from crossbreeding.
So, the only way dragon breeds are cataloged, are as Red, Green, Blue, etc... But each catagory contains hundreds of different races.

Skeleton
Dragons have very thick, heavy bones for an avian. Their skeletons make up close to 45% of their body weight, and an entire skeletal structure of a grown adult can weigh up to 700 lbs.
Dragons have partialy-hollowed bones, for flight, but they are still very sturdy for combat. It is almost impossible to break a dragon's bones, especialy their pelvis, ribs, and theigh bones. They are most fragile in their wings, the longest and thinest bones.
Inside the bones are little pockets, which is where hydrogen needed for fiery breath and to help make a dragon lighter is stored.

Interior
The interior organs of a dragon are very similar to most other reptiles, but are a bit more complex.
In the digestive track, there is the esophegus (of course), a crop, two stomachs, intestines, and rectum. The respretory system consists of two lungs, each strong enough to withstand the dragon accidentaly inhailing it's flames. Dragons have a special set of muscles, that it can flex to draw the hydrogen from it's pockets, and force it into the lungs, where it it blown out, and ignited by the thimbel to produce flame.
The Thor's Thimbel is a small organ on the roof of a dragon's mouth, where a uvula (dangly thing) should be. When flexed, it produces an electric charge, used to ignite the dragon's fire.
Some races of dragons don't have a thimble, and instead have special glands to produce chemicals that mix with the hydrogen to make it fully combustible when in contact with oxygen. It is more dangerous for the dragon, but burns hotter.
Dragon's have very strong hearts. Unlike most reptilian hearts, Dragons actually have four-chambered hearts. Their hearts need to be so strong and efficient, because there's a lot of distance to pump the dragon's cold-blood through.
A Dragon's brain is fairly advanced, too. But it's size varries, depending on the social classification of the dragon (See: Behavior).

Scales
Dragons have thousands of scales covering most of their bodies. The scales are very strong, and can come in any shape from triangle, to tear-drop, to oval. These scales make excelend protection for the dragon, because the skin underneith them is very soft. A dragon can make it's scales stand on end, in battle to make the dragon look bigger, or in bathing, to clean those hard-to-reach places.

Aging
Once hatched from the egg, A dragon can mature very quickly. A dragon will spend only about 4 months as an infant, and will reach adolecance within two to three years.
A dragon usualy reaches adult maturity around the age of 8 or 9, where it's growth slows down remarcably, and will not reach senior age until over a hundred years old.
This is the norm for dragons, but there are quite a few breeds which mature slowly, or die quickly. But the adverage lifespan of a dragon is close to a hundred years.

SENSES
A Dragon has fairly heightened senses. They have exceptional eyesight, sense of smell, and hearing. Dragons are capable of hearing sound waves to low for the human ear, and can see up to a mile further. As for smell, well... You can't beat perfection.

FIERY BREATH
It is a well known fact that Dragons are capable of breathing fire. Not many people know (or even care, for that mater) how, or why.
Dragons are known to devour the bones of their prey. When broken down, the Dragon's stomach acids mixing with the calcium of the bones created hydrogen. The hydrogen is stored in small pockets in the dragons bones until needed.
Of course, bones provide little calcium, so often Limestone, or Firestone as it is known to dragons, is eaten and corroded. If a dragon has had it's fill of hydrogen, it keeps bones lying around it's lair for later.
When a dragon wants to summon up it's fiery breath, it draws the hydrogen from it's bockets, by flexing a special set of muscles. The hydrogen is drawn into the lungs, where it is blown out as a normal breath.
On the roof of a dragon's mouth is a small organ called a Thor's Thimble. When flexed, the Thimble sparks an electrical charge, igniting the hydrogen, and creating a briliant flame.

FLIGHT
Dragons are also much known for their flight. It is quite obvious how this is acheived.
Dragons have very large leathery wings, much like those of a bat. These wings are quite capable of giving the dragon lift. A dragon's wings are very powerful, and the wing muscles are strong enough to lift their pray's weight alone (but the bones leave something lacking to atempt this).
But just in case, those pockets of hydrogen, a gas as lighter than air as it is flamable, help to make a dragon's frame lighter, so not as much work is required.
Some Eastern Dragons don't have wings, but are still capable of flight. Eastern Dragons weigh considerably less per square inch than Western dragons. For Easterns, the pockets of hydrogen alone, under good control, is enough to fly.
Of course, because most Eastern dragons are of the greater class, magic usualy has something or other to do with it.

INTELLIGENCE
Dragons are very intelligent creatures. They can be divided into three social classifications, based on their intellegence.
Lesser class dragons are rather dim, beasts. Mid class dragons are just as intellegent as humans, and can speak in our tounge, too. Greater class dragons are mystics... the ones who protect the earth in myth.
Dragons are facinating not only in appearence and ability, but in personality as well. Dragons are highly advanced social creatures, and can be very emotional at times.
Granted, there are good and evil dragons, but there are also Good and evil Humans too. Evilness is a natural a trail as having green scales (no typecasting here). Dragons can range greatly in their personalities, from very complex characters to rather dull individuals. Some dragons are kind and caring. Some are ruthless and cruel. But each is mentaly unique, and has their own place in a dragon society.
Dragons have a very structured social machine. There are thousands of clans, cults, flights, and gathers of dragons. Each different, each with a leader, each with a purpose. Dragons are very loyal, and respectful. Honor everything, even the opponent at war-time. And a Dragon almost always keeps his word.
Dragons enjoy all kinds of activities, and some even suport hobbies. Dragons enjoy thrills, and hunting. They enjoy learning about interesting things, and talking with friends. Dragons hate loosing, or being tricked. They're not known to have a healthy sense of humor, but know a good joke if they hear one.
Dragon shave very strong family ties. Hatchlings stay with their parents through their infancy, and even some time after that. Families are usualy very close, even closer that bonds in the clans.
There are many Dragon religions, too. Not all Dragons practice religion, but most clans are fast-bound to it. Dragon messiahs are usualy the Greater Class Dragons. The Dragon God is called Bahamut, and the Dragon devil is named Khesisus. Another well-noted Dragon God is Tiamate, who created the universe (Bahamut just rules it, because Tiamate is long dead).

SOCIAL CLASSES
Dragons can be divided into three social classes, or standings. There is rarely interaction between the standings, especialy clan-wise. However, there are always exceptions to every rule, and some cross-over has been noted.
Lesser Class Dragons are wild beasts. They have a small language of primitive roars, and no technology. They are just animals, and very unintellegent to prove it. Most don't know what to make of door-knobs. Lesser Dragons are often captured and riden by Humans, where they make the best steeds possible!
Mid Class Dragons are intellegent, skilled, and very friendly. They have the intellegence of a regular human, and knowledge of their technology and language as well.
Greater Class Dragons are mystics. The origionaters of magic, and control over the earth. They are extreamly intellegent, and powerful. Greater Class Dragons are the guardians of the earth, and possess the greatest magical power of any mortal race.
Most Eastern Dragons are of the greater class. It is thought that some dragons still live, all of which are Greater Class, able to shape-shift, and camoflauge themselves like chameleons.

Communication...

Dragons communicate with eachother, as well as many other species, in more ways than you think.
The most common way a dragon communicates is verbaly, once it's mastered the art of speech in any of the dozens of human dialects, or hundreds of dragon ones. Almost every clan, cult, flight or gather of dragons has a different slang, and then there are many other basis languages for inter-clan communication, and clan-less dragons.
But Dragons are also big body talkers. The movements and expressions of a dragon can convey messages themselves, stirring, and responding to natural reactions. For instance, a Dragon can command you to sit down with a look, and you would understand. Don't worry, you'll know that look when you see it.
The lesser class of dragons are incapable of complex speech, and rely on body talk most of the time. The common natural sound of a dragon is a nice, hearty roar, which the lesser class expresses with great enthusiasm.
The Greater class dragons can also use telepathy to communicate with people, and can sometimes influence a beings mind in this way.
There is also a myth of Dragons communicating across the forest by thumping their tails on hollow logs, but... who could beleive something like that?

Diet...

Dragons feed primarily on cattle, or steers (Horse, Cow, Goat, Deer, Llama, etc.). Vary rarely will they eat humans on the basis of being hungry (do you know how awful you people taste?). You'd need to do something really nasty for a dragon to want to put something as icky as you in it's mouth.
But meat isn't everything. Dragons are herbavours, with molars at the back of their jaws. Their insizors are razor sharp, but are incapable of chewing. Dragon's don't make a habit of eating plants, but it helps when one is too lazy to bother hunting one morning.

Attraction
Dragons, as all sensible creatures do, have very tasty dreams of inadvertantly creating offspring. Their urges, along with hormones, usualy bring togeather a family unit, in the best way possible.
Male dragons look for certan qualities, as do females. Males think their looking for beauty, but it's really a search for the best dragoness possible to physicly bear and nourture young. Females look for a dragon that can provide, and be responsible enough to make them, and future children, happy.
There are thousands of courtship rituals amungst dragon society. Some are short, some last weeks, some involve three words: "I want you". Some require dance, some require song, some require displays of bravery. Usualy, all of them work, depending on the culture of the dragon that is targeted.

Mating
Dragons do it the way almost every other living thing does it. He takes his thing, and puts it in her. They dance around, and he passes his sperm into her, in hopes of contacting with her eggs. And if not 'Drat, I guess we have to do it again *wink wink*. Don't you just love nature?

Pregnancy
Conception is just as one might think, male sperm enter the females tubes, where they meet her eggs, and impregnate them. Females usualy produce multiple eggs at once, which is why they have litters.
A few months after the dragoness becomes pregnant, she will begin to grow as the eggs do. Once the eggs have a hard enough shell (this usualy won't be until over half of the time between sex, and hatching), the female finds a nice spot and lays them. The average western dragon takes about 4 months pregnancy, and 3 months in eggs before it is born unto the world.

Children
yep, after all this, the offspring become stable enough to experience life first hand. They hatch from their eggs, a litter of little dragons, each like their mother and father. It will be about a year before they are truly independant, and relly on their parents until then.
Well, not all of them. Some races abandon their eggs as soon as they are laid, and that's okay with them.

With dragons there are exceptions to every rule. This will also be true with the next generation of dragons...

Feel free to edit or comment on this Radiant... Your the Dragon Master! lol...

Daev

IMHO, I think the best way to find out what a dragon is and does is ask one yourself! That way you could find out what a dragon REALLY IS and what IT DOES or whatnot. Of course if you don't believe in dragons as entities or something along those lines than that's going to be a bit difficult!

By the way daev, nice posts! Very informative! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ac42.gif)