Winter Song Dragon
Overview
Winter Dragons are extremely loyal, and care deeply for their families and loved ones. Everything they do they do to build for their younger generation. Dragonlings are extremely precious to them and are highly protective of them. These dragons are great parents and teachers and are very patient. However to those they do not know they are extremely cold towards. Thawing their hearts and becoming one of their trusted friends is an extremely difficult task but a huge accomplishment as it is rare to do so.
These dragons are protective of those who they love, and are very easily offended or quick to anger if you wrong them in any way.
These dragons also have a hunger and high appreciation of art in many forms.
Basic Information
Biological Traits
General Winter Dragon Biology
- All Winter dragons are naturally highly protective of their loved ones, a need to love, and show care. They are also unable to live solitary lives and need to be part of a family unit. However, like all dragons they have a dominant structure, even within their family unit and are territorial.
- Average lifespan of 1000 years.
- Winter dragons are fairly muscular and strong but are also strong flyers as they fly regularly across the sea and over snowy dunes, up and over mountains. With them being one of the best dragons to fight at range along with their strength and endurance they are quite formidable in close range, ground combat, aerial combat, and long range combate.
- These dragons have sharp spikes from their heads down to the tip of their tails. Their scales are white and polished looking reflective. They feel smooth and cold. They have silver plated scales on their thick under belly scales.
- Winter dragons are born with the ability to wield ice magic, the strength of which grows with age and practice. They breathe frost cold enough to freeze salt water. Their scales also radiate cold at all times, though they are capable of controlling the temperature they emit. Winter dragons can also cool any part of their bodies to freeze or greatly pain prey or in defense.
- Winter dragons do not handle heat well, if they get too warm they won't be able to use their magic or use their frost breath. For about 10 hours they will be able to use much of their energy to keep themselves cool, but after that they need an enormous amount of food to replenish their energy and be able to keep themselves cooled off. Without their energy, they will die easily from overheating if they are in hot environments.
- These dragons have white polished looking bones.
- Winter Dragons smell of freshly fallen snow with a bit of pine.
- These dragons have a very clear transparent secondary eyelid, this covers their eyes while in combat. It protects their eyes from blinding light, (specifically the reflective snow.) and from damage while in combat.
- Females of this species have the ability to control the temperature of their first breath, they use this to keep a good temperature for their eggs, while not making them too cold as to completely freeze them.
- Females can lay up to 3 eggs, though 2 eggs are quite common, 3 being more rare.
- Their eyes are sharp and will glow when angered. Their eyes are an ice blue color.
- When angered, cold radiates strongly from the dragon, and frost dust falls from their nostrils.
- Sexual dimorphism: Males have spiky ice looking beards, larger horns, and broader muzzles. Females have no beards, shorter horns, and less broad muzzles.
- Winter dragons have snowflake patterns upon their wings.
- Winter dragons have a huge range of vocalization, able to sing any vocal level, they are even capable of emitting such noise as to defend other beings. They use this to sing their own language to each other and for long distance communication, especially while flying.
- They have serrated claws.
Life cycle biology:
- Winter eggs are white with smooth looking scales.
- Hatchlings are pure white and cannot breathe anything.
- Draglings are able to breathe frost and it will get colder as they grow. They are also capable of flight by this age range. During this age range they are still slim and built more for speed than for battle. Though near the end of this age range they will become well muscled.
- As a young adult they will have all the magical traits as an adult, though it will not be as strong. And at this age they will be sexually mature. During this age they will have their full vocalization range.
- As an adult their frost breath will now be cold enough to freeze salt water.
- As an ancient dragon if they live within a region that's not native to them the following affects will accor. The area will be much colder, Winter and night time will be frigid. Snow and sleet will have a much higher chance of starting. Snow storms will be far more dangerous.
Human Biology:
- Shapeshifting into either human or draconic form takes a lot of energy. They can only shape change about once per day.
- In Human form they have pale white skin. Their skin in certain areas are doted with polished white scales, thier shoulders, arms, legs, hands, fingers, backs, cheeck bones, and pointed ears.
- They have their icey blue horns and a variety of ice blue-white hair colors. Their hair will also glow ice blue when angered, and will freeze if touched.
- Their skin is immune to cold.
- They have a strong flexibale speed build.
- Their eyes are thier dragon eyes in glowing ice blue.
- They have serated white claws instead of finger nails.
Civilization and Culture
Courtship Ideals
At the start of a new year single dragons gather within the branches of the winter world tree to gain a mate. This mating season lasts for a month. The males will pick a place to set up their stage so to speak. They look for places that look beautiful, a place to get the attention of a female, and will get territorial of their stage, not allowing any other males near it. Sometimes fights will break out over stages. The males will begin to sing their heart songs. These dragon's heart songs contain their very being, who they are as a person. Their attitude, traits, talents etc. As they sing, females will come to check them out. If a female is interested she will begin to sing with him, if their song is compatible at all it means that would be a good match. The more compatible the songs are the more compatible they would be as a mated pair. As that signifies they have a lot in common, or would balance each other out. Some songs may have nothing alike in them, but the music itself balances each other out in a superb rhythm, this makes them a good match because it means they would balance each other.
Once a female chooses a male based upon their songs the two will take off into the sky and sing and dance. Finally they will perform the trust fall, locking talons and falling to the ground before letting go at the last moment. This established their trust for one another. Afterwards the two are now a mated pair. They will live together forever and create a lair together.
(Note these dragons have rigid family structures when entering into the mating season no last names are spoken. Family clans are forgotten so as to not interfere with matters of the heart. However once they become a matted pair thair clans and families will not intermingle. Two options lay open to a newly mated pair. 1: They will join the clan / family to whomever of the pair is more dominant. This option is the more traditional one and the one most often taken. 2:They go off to start their own territory, family, and clan. When they do this they will create a new last name for themselves.)
Once winter dragons are ready to lay eggs they will travel to the pillars of winter, this city is used as a massive nesting ground for these dragons. They will choose an empty nesting home, and begin their nesting process. The eggs will take a year to hatch, during the incubation the mother will stay by her eggs at all times breathing on them to keep their temperature stable. While the father will go hunting within the branches of the world tree to feed his mate. Once their hatchlings are hatched they will stay in the nesting grounds nursing them for a few weeks before taking them to their home territory.
Their family clan will welcome the new babies home and the entire family will gather to celebrate.
The parents will lovingly teach and take care of their children until they are young adults, Then they all begin to get territorial of their space and the young adults will leave. However winter dragon families share one large territory together. Only direct family members share a territory, while living separately in their own lairs.
Common Etiquette Rules
Never look these dragons directly in the eyes, otherwise you're challenging their dominance. Because of their nature they are likely to accept your challenge. When interacting with them if you wish to avoid a fight, keep your head slightly bowed in submission and don't look directly in their eyes.
Never give these dragons an order. They are proud, highly independent, and very dominant creatures. They react coldley when given commands.
Upon meeting these dragons, it’s respectful to bow. If you have children, they introduce themselves first. Be sure to pronounce your full name during the introduction, and the name of your mother and father. These dragons take family names seriously and will always remember them.
While interacting with them never say anything negative about their family members in any way even if it is only extremely minor. Only true friends have the honor of joking with these dragons. They need that friendship to know you're not serious. Never lie within their presence, they can tell when you lie and it is greatly offensive to them when you do so.
These dragons don’t really care if you enter into their territories, as theirs not much one can do to them. As long as an army isn’t marching in they don't care. However if you hunt a large animal they may come down and ask for a portion of it, as a tax for letting you pass through.
Never enter a dragon's lair Doing so will result in your death. They are highly territorial already, but even more so with their lairs. Their lairs are nurseries, and holds their art hoards. Only those whom the dragons have great friendship, trust, and respect may enter into their lairs. And once in their lairs it is extremely respectful if you ask about the art in their homes and admire them, or strike up a conversation about them.Common Dress Code
Males and females love wearing jewels of silver and crytite, or plating their horns with it. As an art loving race their jewels and what little decorations they put on their dragon bodies are exceptionally fine and glamorous. These dragons love showing off their jewels.
In human form they use ice to conjure beautiful clothing that's practically art work. The ice can be fine and thin with many patterns of white and blues. Or thick ice made to look like armor. They love conjuring their clothing. No winter dragon in human form will have the same outfit as another. Unlike other dragon races, winter dragons actually enjoy being in human form to create clothing for themselves. If it can be conjured it will be, but otherwise they usually weave it with Ice silk, leathers, and more. Making beatufil clothing that are works of art, clothing that royaltiy would be fortunes for.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Architecture
Overview For the most part winter dragons prefer to build their homes on mountain ledges, and atop top the northern ice formations. Their homes are entirely made from ice, sculpted by their magic and then finished by using their ice breath on them to make them more stable. Their homes are beautifully built into dome like structures, certain parts of their homes are thin to allow light to seep in. Some areas of their home contain crytite, an elemental metal that generates cold, keeping the structure from melting. Their homes always contain elaborate and ornate carvings, and patterns. Their homes are not single domes, they often have multiple domes connected to each other, creating an interesting structure. Because of their love of art, they often have smaller domes rooms built for their human forms, these rooms are used for artwork. Winter Dragons who are banished are forced to live within the frozen wastes past the glacial mountains. That land is extremely scarce in food, mostly those dragons will live along the coast hunting for fish. Pillars of winter This region is a massive glacier with three massive glacier spikes known as the pillars, and the winter world tree is atop this glacier. Winter Dragons have built their domed homes all over the glacier, this glacier acts as a nesting ground for the entire species. The winter palace is located at the base of the world tree built entirely out of ice with domed towers and some of the most ornate and beautifully intricate ice sculptures and carvings.Dragon Royalty
Governance The Winter king or queen keeps records of all winter dragon clans and their territories. The ruling monarch also settles disputes between clans. Clan Members of the royal clan are eligible for monarchy and help vote in the next ruler. The royal clan along with the royal monarchs guard the land and keep an eye on the ember dragons that come to their lands. The clan name for the royal family is Snow Song. Royal Bloodline All royal dragons have a snowflake pattern upon their wings. The Winter king and queen have their nest within their palace. They will raise their hatchlings within it. Only the most dominant dragons within the royal clan can become the king or queen. Even once the current ruling monarchs have children it is not a guarantee that their children will inherit the throne. Once the ruling Monarch dies the entire clan will gather together to determine which among them is the most dominant. Once it has been decided whether through force of will, battle or agreement the new monarch will then be crowned. Mating Even for the royal dragons once they enter the courtship ritual at the world tree no last names are spoken and clans are forgotten. However this is difficult for the royals as they are marked by the patterns on their wings. As a result they often gain much attraction when finding a mate. Finally they are unable to create their own separate clan, such an action would cause the royal family to bear down upon them. Territories The Royal winter dragons claim the world tree as their territory, only they can hunt and make layers within its branches.Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
Coming of Age Rituals
As they grow their parents will teach them how to sing, hunt, use their magic and more. Once they reach the age of young adult they will be ready to leave their parents behind. However they will be unable to leave until they can do everything on their own and are tested with their trail. The parents will begin to get territorial of their home and hunting grounds, and their instincts will begin to push the trials upon their children once they reach the proper age. Similarly the children will also begin to get territorial and crave a place of their own. The parents will have their child create their own room, adding onto the home, they will have their child pour their heart into it, creating works of art within it. Once finished the child will sing their heart song. Creating their room and pouring their heart into it will show the parents that they are ready to make their own layer and give them the experience to do so. The heart song will show that they are ready to claim a mate of their own. The parents will then drive their child from their home and hunting grounds. However upon neutral ground within their territory they will meet every once in a while.Justice System
Dragons that break custom or who wrong another wrong a whole family. These dragons are tracked down by the royal dragons and are judged by them. This could mean banishment or being dealt with by the offended family. It all depends on the crime.Death Ritual
When a winter dragon is close to death it will instinctively travel to the Frost burrow ruins. to lay down and die. They will generally die next to the bones of their families. Should they die somewhere away from the burrow, their family will take their body to it to be laid to rest.Family Structure
The male and female guide and lead the family as equals. The oldest mated pair are the family leaders, their word is law. There is a dominant structure to the family hierarchy, the more dominant ones are those who are the ones who are more respected, gain more of the food, and resources, and get first picks for art and so on. Mated pairs are considered equal, whoever is more dominant the pair will gain that rank from the more dominant. Furthermore the higher the rank the more respect one must show to them, and heed their council. Despite the hierarchy structure of the family all members care for one another and treat each other with respect and love. As much as they can at any rate. Because these dragons value family and have rigid structure they are among the very few dragon species with two names, first and last names. They have a very strong family identity. (Large winter dragon families are referred to as clans. And they will go after their last name. For example clan glacier, or clan white ice.)Family Territories
From the oldest mated pair their direct descendants and their mates live within their territories. These large family units share massive territories. Most people refer to them as family clans. Within the territory they all live quite far from one another as they are territorial to each other about their living spaces.Family Rituals
A few times a year the great mated pair will call for family meetings. Within a favorite and traditional area of the territory the family will meet together. They will often celebrate big moments together such as new couples forming together, new children and others.Hoard
Winter dragons love art, any art. Such as paintings, carvings, sculptures, anything. They hoard art and are one of the few dragon species who actively trade. Mostly with the elves as their art is among the best in the world. Their hoards can vary wildly from one another, as art is very subjective. And oftentimes Winter dragons will create their own art and use it to decorate their hoards and homes.Nesting
They make their nests out of snow and ice, once the eggs are laid the mother will freeze the nest with the perfect temperature of ice. She will then encircle the nest and guard it for the next year, never leaving it. The mother will often sing to her eggs, this helps the babies especially when close to hatching. It helps encourage them to hatch. The father will hunt within the world tree and the sea for the both of them.Mates
Winter dragons are very caring and loving towards one another, always treating each other as equals. They mate for life. Most mates die from depression soon after their mate dies.Lifestyle Facts
These dragons prefer to sleep on snow.Human Form
Winter dragons use their human forms to create works of art.Elven Relations
For the most part the dragons treat the elves as equals. They allow the elves to build within their territories as long as they pay them in works of art. They have very close ties and relations to the elves and many have accepted elves into part of their family clans, whether through great friendship, adoption, or marriage.Interaction with the Dragon Cult
These dragons greatly love the cult, as the cult gives them amazing art from around the world and in vastly different styles than the elves.
Lifespan
1000 years
