Draconic Bloodlines

You'd think it'd be cool, having your grandpa be a dragon. But no, scaley armpits and food doesn't taste right unless it's spicy enough to scorch your tongue off. I think I'd rather have pimples!

— A child with a draconic bloodline

There are several types of dragons who polymorph into other sapient species, seeking interesting new additions to their hoard, or simply the kind of social stimulation that can only be experienced by being surrounded by people. Dragons tend to not be good at blending in, tending to be very intense and confident (or arrogant) enough that they tend to ignore things most people would regard as dangerous. Sometimes, during their visit, they spend an evening with someone during their visit, which results in pregnancy at pretty much the same rate as normal for that species. When this happens, if the child is carried to term, they are often born with some draconic features, like patches of scales, a forked tongue, etc. This child, and all of their descendants, are said to have a draconic bloodline.

Common traits

The single most common indicator of a draconic bloodline is the growth of scales, typically in patches replacing body hair. This can be quite uncomfortable in some places, where scales dif into soft skin, and unlike hair, it is neither easy nor painless to remove scales. In many cultures, such scales are also looked down upon, being seen as weird or ugly, making them yet another trigger for body image issues and all the troubles that can arise from them.

A somewhat less common trait is an altered sense of taste. This typically correlates with the type of breath weapon wielded by their draconic ancestor. Those descended from fire breathing dragons tend to like their food particularly spicy, while those descended from dragonce with ice breath prefer cool and minty flavours. Similarly, acid breath is paired with sour foods, poison breath with bitter, and lightning breath with a metallic, coppery sort of taste.

Magical Talents

While by far the most well known result of a draconic bloodline, it's actually quite rare for someone to show any unsual magical talent. Indeed, only two to three percent of families with a draconic bloodline have even a single family member with a natural affinity for magic, and even in these families, the talent often skips one or two generations at a time.

The first manifestation of these magical talents can be quite alarming, and if at all possible, it is generall considered wise to ensure a child gets at least a rudimentary education in magic to develop enough control to avoid spontaneous manifestations that might cause accidents. Barring that, practicing in a safe environment can help a child learn to call upon their magic deliberately and thus learn to control accidental outbursts.

As someone with this magical affinity grows more skilled and more powerful, they sometimes awaken certain draconic characteristics - a few scattered scales can develop into a natural layer of armour around the torso, for instance. Stories about heroes with this sort of background even mention manifesting spectral wings and claws, sometimes even allowing them to fly.