Land-Dragons

"It isn’t a dragon. But it doesn’t matter when it rips your arms off just the same."

The Land-Dragon is a towering, reptilian predator with a striking resemblance to ancient draconic imagery, though in truth it is a distant cousin of common Lizard-Kin as apes are to Humans and not a true dragon at-all. Found in the deeper forests, vine-choked ruins, and vine-hung swampfronts of Everwealth and to lesser extent Kibonoji and Kathar, this simian, semi-bipedal beast is a terrifying mix of primitive cunning and raw violence. Despite its beastly frame, it is capable of thought, kin-based communication, and tool usage, making it one of the most dangerous ambush predators across the Three Lands.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Standing up to 10 feet tall when fully upright, the Land-Dragon's body is covered in dark, jagged scales, some of which grow in hardened ridges along its spine, arms, and tail. Its elongated arms end in three thick fingers tipped with hook-like claws, and it can walk either hunched forward or upright depending on terrain or aggression level. Its frog-like tongue can lash out with shocking speed, pulling in prey or disarming enemies. Rows of poison-tipped fangs sit behind a wide, raptor-like maw capable of unhinging in moments of rage. Most distinctive is its massive tail, nearly as long as its entire body, used for balance, bludgeoning, and territorial signaling.

Genetics and Reproduction

Land-Dragons reproduce via internal fertilization and lay clutches of 3-5 leathery eggs, typically in secluded moss chambers or high stone perches within ruins. The eggs absorb ambient heat and decay energy to quicken hatching. Though unrelated to true dragons, their appearance and gestural language suggest an evolutionary blend of reptilian and primate-like features, perhaps magickally influenced long ago.

Growth Rate & Stages

• Hatchling (0-6 months): Rapidly mobile, tongue-capable, but fangless.

• Juvenile (6 months-2 years): Begins vocal mimicry, tail use, and ambush hunting.

• Adult (2+ years): Fully scaled, venomous, capable of organized pack behavior and primitive tool use.

Ecology and Habitats

Land-Dragons dwell in dense jungles, vine-choked ruins, swamp ruins, and cavern grottos across Everwealth’s wildest regions. They favor high, moss-grown stone platforms and shaded water sources where they can silently stalk prey. Their presence is often preceded by the eerie silence of birds and frogs, followed by the subtle rumble of stone disturbed underfoot. They are deeply territorial, marking stone and wood with gouge-scars and scent.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Carnivorous and highly opportunistic. Land-Dragons hunt by ambush, often dropping from trees or leaping from ruined walls. Their tongue and tail are used to immobilize prey, followed by a paralyzing bite. Some are known to drag kills back to communal pits, where multiple Land-Dragons will feast in shifts, suggesting some rudimentary social hierarchy.

Biological Cycle

They do not hibernate, but enter periods of torpor after large meals or injury, during which their natural regenerative capacity accelerates. They can heal from wounds that would cripple most beasts, regrowing flesh and even minor tail segments over time. Their scales darken as they age, and elders bear thickened bone ridges over eyes and shoulders.

Behaviour

Land-Dragons are tribalistic, often seen in small familial groups. Though they cannot speak Common, they communicate through deep bellows, snarling cadences, and tail-beats, which their kin interpret with nuance. Some carry rudimentary tools, such as sharpened sticks, glass-edged clubs, or stone-banded spears. They do not construct, but will decorate nests with skulls, feathers, or scavenged armor. They have been seen offering these tokens to elders or placing them at shrine-like stone altars. Despite their savagery, Land-Dragons do not kill without reason. They test prey with displays first, if the prey runs, they chase. If it fights, they watch. If it kneels or submits, some are known to let it leave, albeit wounded.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Land-Dragons possess keen night vision, heat-sensitive pits beneath their eyes, and the ability to sense tremors through their feet and tail. Their hearing is limited, but they compensate with a heightened awareness of motion and scent trails. Their tongues are used to "taste" magickal energy or recent conflict in the air.

Scientific Name

Varanus tribalis.

Origin/Ancestry

Likely evolved from prehistoric forest lizards, twisted by magickal saturation or arcane residue near ruined dragon sites during the early Schism era.

Conservation Status

Rare and feared. Land-Dragons are not hunted for resources, they are avoided. Most survive in isolated jungle ranges or ruin-zones where human expansion has long since failed. A few are kept as war-beasts by outlaw mages or in gladiatorial arenas, though this is highly illegal and often ends poorly.