Dragons

But if you see a dragon, boy, ya doomed. Don't give me that look, boy! It's not just that they huge and have claws like spears and teeth like swords. Dragons is ill luck. You see one from a distance you make speed to shore. Sure as ya born, that means storm's coming, or some other curse. You get to shore. You get to shore fast before the ill luck catches ya.
-Barnfred the Toothless

Among the most evocative creatures in all of Azmoth are dragons. Of a myriad of shapes and sizes, from 8 legged serpents to bird-like monstrosities, talking about dragons is an easy way for skalds to capture the interest of an audience. They embody power, fear, majesty, and danger. They are unknowable and do not seem to care about humans.
No one knows where dragons come from. Az-Mozeth did not create them. The first dragons on Azmoth somehow discovered the pocket dimension where Azmoth was hidden and settled here. Theologians debate whether dragons possess the same divine nature as the Elumen and the Shailumen, and most think they do not, since they are able to live on Azmoth and interact directly with its people. Whatever their origin, dragons are immensely powerful and come from some place other than this world.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Each individual dragon has a unique appearance. Any known color is possible -- and there have even been theories that some dragons are colors that are not known.
Every documented dragon has had between four and ten limbs. Generally speaking, there is a pair of legs capable of locomotion and a pair of wings, usually but not always granting the power of flight. The body usually appears serpentine, but may be more rounded. The body may have scales, feathers, or fur. Wings may be leathery like a bat, feathery like a bird, or insectile.
Nearly all dragons have long tails, which in rare cases are prehensile.
They have large mouths filled with sharp teeth, implying a carnivorous nature. Some clearly do eat meat, but not enough observation has been made to conclusively determine if they are exclusively carnivores, or if they actually need to consume meat to survive.
Their heads hold two or more eyes, generally forward facing, and two nostrils. They may have one or more horns, apparently made of keratin. The head is mounted on a serpentine neck of varying length.

Biological Traits

Dragons vary in size. Tip to tail, they may be as small as one meter, or as long as 100 or more.

Genetics and Reproduction

unknown

Growth Rate & Stages

unknown

Behaviour

One thing that is universal about dragons is that they collect things. It is apparently compulsive, and possibly biological. What they collect varies from dragon to dragon. Treasure or gold is the most commonly imagined collection, but a dragon may collect leaves, rocks, model ships, actual ships, people, sheep, books, or anything else. They are compelled to focus on something and gather as much of it as possible.
Many dragons enjoy rolling in a pile of their collection. Some believe this has something to do with contact with the material world. It has even been theorized, earnestly, that their primary motivation is to taunt Az-Mozeth and Di-Anthnik with their ability to interact directly with Azmoth.
Dragons do not appear to be in anyway concerned with how they are perceived or treated by humans. A noteworthy example is the dragon that ended The War of Sery's Folly by appearing suddenly, making a nest of the entire city of Sery and poisoning the surrounding land for decades.

Geographic Distribution

Dragons live wherever they want. Which is to say, to the extent that dragons can be found, they can be found anywhere on Azmoth. They typically have a nest or lair, usually sheltered, such as a cave, where they store their collections.
Dragons can be found anywhere. However, they do prefer dramatic locations such as volcanos or massive canyons. They are found in their highest concentration in The Demon Cliffs, where they roost in alarming numbers.

Sensory Abilities

It is impossible to predict what a dragon can perceive, or even if they need organs such as eyes and ears to do that perception. It is best to assume that it is impossible to hide anything from a dragon. If you have seen one, be assured it is aware of your presence, and assume it knows how many of you there are and a great deal else about you.