Dragons

Not always scaled, not always winged, they do not breathe fire. Still, these are great and terrible beasts, that gather Wistmettle in hoards and wield it with skill. They are called Dragons, and to slay one is a life defining moment.
A dragon is defined as any wistbeast with a high enough level of intelligence to manipulate wist. They are the most powerful and destructive wistbeasts, due to their ability to manipulate their own form into the perfect weapon, and survive off of the wistmettle they harvest from other wistbeasts.
Dragons keep their distance from humanity, for they know through the memories of who they once were that dragons will be met with unrelenting force once found. So they hide out in the corrupted lands, and hibernate for long periods, subsisting on whatever wist they can acquire.
Dragon slayers are a rare sort, who travel deep into the corrupted lands in search of dragons to slay and take the hoard from. They must have incredible prowess in combat to face the giant beasts, and come out victorious. The combination of such bravery and foolhardiness is a near requirement.
The number of dragons has decreased over time, as the ability to slay lesser dragons has increased. The number of grand and powerful dragons has only increased, for the truly great ones are unkillable and immortal, biding their time and leaving their caves only once in a lifetime.

Basic Information

Genetics and Reproduction

There is no known dragon capable of reproduction.

Growth Rate & Stages

At the start of its life, a dragon is weak and vulnerable. It needs time to learn how to use wist, and how to manipulate and improve its form with the wist. They will slowly add wistmettle armour to their body, often as a layer of scales, and other improvements with time. Fangs, claws, wings and tails are all elements that can be reinforced heavily, made incredibly deadly.
The oldest dragons have learned how to transform the very matter around them with their minds, using a tremendous amount of their power to force change much like a wistorm would.

Dietary Needs and Habits

To continue their existence requires a large amount of wistmettle to keep them going. They will grow with their pile, each new piece offering enough to sustain another little bit of growth. They must spend much of their time sleeping on their hoard, and are quite weak when kept starved of the metal.
Their minds are heavily warped, and they will be singlemindedly focused on their own survival and a few odd quirks unique to the individual dragon.

Additional Information

Average Intelligence

About equivalent to humans.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Dragons will give themselves names infrequently, often exclusively on request from a dragon slayer. They tend to be short and descriptive, e.g. Megafang, Throatripper, Oldest, etc.

Historical Figures

The oldest known dragon, Killer of Kings and Clan Leaders, has been sighted four times in recorded history. First in 2129, when it raided what is now modern Izmitliski during a wistorm. Future appearances were in 2457, 2780, and 2999. Like all dragons, it is assumed to be alive until a slayer kills it and brings back the head.
The other major dragon of note is Glitteringchest, who was born during a wistorm in 2800. Formed from the collective minds of an entire village, it has a staggering intelligence, but is wreaked with conflicting ideas and personalities. An interview with the dragon was successfully conducted in 3089 during an attempted slaying.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Wistbeasts

Lifespan

800 years

Average Height

9 meters

Average Weight

6 tonnes

Average Length

12 meters

Geographic Distribution

• Corrupted Lands

Related Myths

• The First Dragon