Dragon

Dragons are the most unusual of non-human sapients on Macalgra; though specifically they are dragonshifters rather than true dragons, being human in shape for most of their time, they possess the will to change into the shape of a dragon. This unique talent is accomplished through the possession of a second soul template (see Souls), which allows them to change form entirely.

The Dragons are the ancient children of the Nameless First Dragon, a lesser form of Immortal created in the very early days of Macalgra. Thus they are the eldest of all species, and the lowest of the Immortal. They have dwelt in Sarirpala, the mount city, since before mortals trod the world. Possessed of very powerful magic, the might of their physical forms and the ability to assume human shape, they are a species rarely trifled with.

Dragons are alas subject to the ravages of age (abit much delayed), disease and mortal wound. Yet unlike mortals, the souls of dragons will create a new body immediately after death. As this new body matures, they will regain the memories of their past lives, providing a limited form of immortality.

They worship their father-god, and rarely venture beyond Sarirpala's walls but welcome mortal visitors, paying them generously for their stories, knowledge and unusual trinkets.

Dragonkind follows a strict caste system, set along the lines of the many and varied forms of dragon born into the world. From the highest to the lowest, life is dictated by birth.

Castes

Jewel Dragons

Diamond

Diamond dragons are small, quick and graceful, being the second smallest type of dragon. Their scales are silver-white, and extremely reflective, much like a diamond. They rarely have horns or spikes, favouring smooth scales and leather-like wings. Their eyes are light pink. Diamonds have two wings, four legs, and one tail. Average length is 5m-10m.

Opal

Opal dragons are of medium size; they are endurance flyers, built for long distance travel, but not particularly fast. Their scales vary in shade from light white to dark grey or deep cyan, but are always iridescent, reflective colours like their namesake gem. They usually possess two horns. Opal’s eyes are onyx coloured, and they have two wings, four legs and one tail. Average length is 7-13m.

Jade

Jades are extremely large dragons, being serpentine and wingless dragons. Despite their lack of wings, they possess the ability to fly via will. They have deep green gem like scales and a feathered mane along their back and tail which varies in shade. Their eyes are usually a light green or yellow. Jades also have large deer-like antlers. Jades have no wings, four legs and one tail, while verage length is 30m-50m.

Sapphire

Sapphires are tall and long, slender dragons, with brilliant scales in a crystallised blue colour. They have horned small ridges along their backs and leather-like wings. Their tails end in spikes or spades, and their eyes are usually ruby-red. Sapphires have two wings, four legs and one tail; average length is 20m-30m.

Onyx

Onyx are large, stocky dragons, possessed of curling ram-like horns, and many pointed razor sharp spines along their back, tail and backs of their forelegs, connected by frills and able to be laid down. These spines carry paralytic poison. Their scales are large and unevenly placed, while they have long, narrow muzzles and usually red or orange eyes. Onyx have two wings, four legs and one tail. Average length is 35m-45m.

Ameythst

Ruby

Topaz

Elemental Dragons

Fire

Water

Earth

Air

Metallic Dragons

Platinum

Gold

Gold dragons are small, slight and manoeuvrable, with metallic gold scales and white highlights - usually on the wings and horns. They have two or four small horns on their heads, and six spikes on the end of their tales, splayed out in a maple leaf pattern. Golds have two wings, four legs and one tail. Average length is 15m-20m.

Silver

Silver dragons are of average size, possessing an extremely large sail along their back and a spike on the end of their tails. Their scales are a dark metallic grey (silver coloured), and particularly light. Their sail makes flight difficult for them, and their wings are vestigial, useful mostly for displays. Silvers have two wings, four legs and one tail. Average length is 20m-30m.

Bronze

Bronze dragons are large but wingless, with heavily plated armour in a bronze colour and deer like antlers, as well as a fur mane along their neck and long, non-prehensile furred tail. Bronze have no wings, four legs and one tail. Average length is 20m-25m.

Copper

Copper are the longest of dragons, being wingless and legless. There scales are a metallic light brown, with their bodies being long and tapering to the point of a tale. They possess no differentiation between body and neck. Bronze have no wings, no legs and one tail. Average length is 100m-125m.

Steel

Steel dragons are the largest of all the dragons. Their scales are gunmetal grey and Steels are extremely bulky, with short necks and thick tails, heavily armoured in several layers of incredibly hard scales. The scales along their neck can be raised into large, bony like plates. Their teeth are extremely sharp, set in several rows. Average length is 50-80m, and they possess four wings, four legs and one tail.

Mercury

Mercury dragons have shimmering quicksilver scales. Their scales looks can like a liquid from a distance. They are stockier than purple and silvers, but share similar builds. They have forward facing horns, frills down their forelegs and a large claw on the front of their wing. Mercury have two wings, four legs and one tail. Average length is 15m-25m

Chromatic Dragons

Purple

Purples are large, and of regular proportions, able to fly reasonable distances at reasonable speeds. They have vibrant purple scales and many horns along their spines and at the tips of their wings. They also possess frills along the bottom of their neck. Their wings are usually white or yellow. Purples have two wings, four legs and one tail. Average length is 20m-30m

Green

Greens are essentially a genetic variant of purple dragons, matching them in all but colour. Greens and purples interbreed regularly. Purples have two wings, four legs and one tail. Average length is 20m-30m

Red

Red dragons possess four wings, and small, lithe bodies. They are the very fastest of dragons, using their long slender bodies and four wings for extreme manoeuvrability and speed. They however are lightly armoured, and have no horns and a slender, tapered muzzle with small teeth. Their scales are one of several shades of red, ranging from vibrant to dark maroon. Reds have four wings, four legs and one tail. Average length is 15m-20m

Blue

Black

Black dragons are of medium size, with bulky bodies and a large wingspan. Their defining feature however is a number of hard, bony spikes that are spread across their spine, forelegs, neck and head, as well as their tail and over the back of their wings. Their scales are matte black. Blacks have four wings, four legs and one tail. Average length is 35m-45m.

White (Griffins)

Whites (also known as Griffins) are a medium sized dragon, with a shorter neck and stocky body, and ice-white scales. Their wings are their most unique aspect, being possessed of large, feathered wings unlike the leather wings of most species. They also have frills down their backbone and a large frill around their neck, which can be inflated. Their eyes are often white, yellow, black or orange. Whites have two wings, four legs and one tail. Average length is 7m-11m.

Pink (Fairy)

Pink dragons (also known as Fairy dragons) are the smallest of all dragon types. They possess extremely delicate features, and unusual insectoid wings. Extremely agile, they however are fragile with deer-like horns, a soft furred mane, and many tiny scales. Pinks have two wings, four legs and one tail. Average length is 1m-3m.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Divine
• Immortal

Genetic Descendants

• Dorcia