Dragon Maturation

Overview

Dragon kind has the most unique maturation sequence of any Lakis species. Through magic and a result of the complex evolution they have endured to become what they are in the present day, dragons hatch into a form very different from their adult stage and must undergo a number of major changes as they grow up.

Hatchling Stage

Dragons hatch into nearly helpless, grey hatchlings about the same size as a human infant, and remain grey for the first five years of their life. In the first couple of days of their lives they imprint on their mother, ot other guardian if their mother died before they hatched. At this point all dragons, no matter which type they are, look the same and have four legs and two small wings. All will grow at the same rate as well. This form is a remnant of the time tens of thousands of years ago before dragons began morphing into five different types. The hatchling stage is purely about growth while learning how to walk, play, and hunt, as well as how to talk and socialize.

Morphing Stage

Around age five, a dragon’s growth slows down as their bodies transition to morphing. At this stage, hatchlings are now referred to young kings and remain so until adulthood at age twenty. Dragons in the morphing stage begin to change shape and color, and their wings grow to their proper proportions. The process can be painful though for a rare few, the magic that causes the changes can also automatically heal some of the pain. Spirit and swift dragons have the most difficulty morphing, spirit dragons because their spine must stretch and swift dragons because theor forelimbs disappear. It is hypothesized that the conjuring dragons of long ago may have had similar difficulties because their naturally upright structure demands changes in their hips and shoulders similar to those experienced by spirit dragons. Morphing time varies by individual but typically takes between one and three years.

Second Growth

Once their morph is complete, young kings enter their second growth stage, typically marked by varied growth rates depending on their type. Along with size, this stage is important in the building and strengthening of muscles. If a young king has not found their magic during the morphing stage, they will quickly learn to use it during their second growth as their magical ability and stamina increase during this stage. Due to experimentation and ignorance with regards to magic and flight accidents, the second growth stage has the highest death rate of any age.

Adolescence and Puberty

At around age fourteen, the growth rate of younglings begins to slow down again. Body proportions and reproductive maturity are the biggest focuses of this stage. Young kings also build the proper muscle mass depending on their type. Proportioning is the biggest change a dragon feels at this time and can be almost as uncomfortable as morphing, as it happens at a quicker pace. Head crests grow from small and plain to heavy and large. Some dragons must go through neck strengthening except uses to support their bony crowns. The changes that male them reproductively mature do not affect them as much as other changes, but they do affect aggression levels and a dragon’s willingness to seek potential mates. Females are affected earlier than males. Rules against mating until adulthood largely prevent nesting while young, for males usually are less receptive to a young female’s bating and demands, and are thus highly likely to follow the rules. This stage may last a year or two in a majority of younglings. 
Final Growth After puberty, all dragons enter their final growth stage until adulthood, around age twenty. At this point younglings are merely small adults, theri bodies being properly proportioned and possessing all o the same physical and magical abilities of an adult. Smaller male dragons do not grow much in this stage, while larger female dragons can grow quite rapidly, nearly as quickly as they did in their hatchling stage.