Common Dragon

Basic Information

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Description

Dragons are large winged quadrapedic reptiles which foster powerful magical abilities. Rumored to have been born from the remains of an angel falling from earth shown by the patches of feathers present which become more apparent as a dragon matures. Recognizable features of a dragon would include large armor-like scales covering the body of the reptile, large horns on the head and down the spine of the animal, sharp teeth, four legs, two wings, patches of feathers, and of course their impressive size. Dragons have large talon-like claws with three fingerlike digits in the front, and one in the back each sporting razor sharp talons which they use to carry off prey along with self defense. Dragons can grasp items with their front appendages much like humans or apes, however they cannot close their claw all the way into a fist, only partially.
Feathers along the wings, their chest, and tail allow for assistance in flying and maneuvering along with keeping them warm while airborne. Dragons are extraordinarily heat sensitive because they are cold blooded animals and need to maintain a warm body temperature in order to stay out of a dormant state. However, some that have adapted to the cold and have much thicker feathery coats that cover larger portions of the dragon and have a higher resistance to low temperatures.
If you do encounter a dragon it is important that you remember to keep your distance. They are dangerous and powerful creatures and should not be underestimated. Dragons would normally be found in caves or cliffs in the wild. However due to being hunted to near extinction, dragons are very rarely seen and will commonly run away from humans before they can be spotted.

Stages of Growth and Development

Dragons are born through eggs which would be laid in cliffside nests. Each brood contains about 1-3 eggs and each egg takes about 2 years to hatch. When dragons are born, they are fully formed and can stand within 8 hours of birth. Dragon neonates are born around a foot tall- much smaller than adults, and will continue to steadily grow throughout their life until adulthood.
As dragons mature, they will develop feathers over time. For the first part of a dragon's life, feathers will not be fully formed and similar to what you would find on a chick. The feathers blend very well into their environment because of earthy tones such as browns and grays. Their fully formed feathers are seen as a sign of a "coming of age" and the dragon would be considered to be an adult. Male dragons have much more colorful feathers with bright patterns than females, which unfortunately doesn't allow males to blend into their environment as well.
When dragons reach old age, their feathers will loose their color and the eldest dragons grow a "beard" which is a symbol of seniority over other dragons. Elder dragons are incredibly rare because dragons are very rarely able to reach adulthood because of being hunted.

Living Conditions and Habitat

Most dragons prefer warm climates, and are known to migrate as the seasons pass. A dragon's natural habitat would be caves present in mountains or cliffs or somewhere of high elevation. Dragons need a lot of room to live in because they tend to hoard shiny items such as gold or jewelry, so the larger the cave the more ideal.

Fire breathing

Fire breathing in dragons is both a mix of magic and organic. Fire breathing begins in the stomach of a dragon. When feeding, dragons are known to typically wolf down their food and do not put much care into separating the meat from the bone, which would typically cause problems in other species. However, the stomach of a dragon has two chambers, one for digestion, and the other for rocks (mostly flint) which dragons swallow to aid with digestion. These rocks would grind up bones and other tough material the dragon consumes. When a dragon consumes these, they leave a residue on the dragon's teeth. Bacteria will feast on remaining food left within the two chambers of the dragon's stomach, and release gas such as methane and hydrogen. These gasses are then stored in sacs within the dragon's body. When a dragon is ready to breathe fire, it will release the gas from its sacs and mix with oxygen in the air. The residue from the rocks will ignite the gas, which would result in the dragon to seem to breathe fire.
Dragons can further the damage by using magic to form fireballs, increase the heat of, or control the flames.

Notable Aspects/Identification

Dragons are covered from head to toe in thick armory scales and horn-like ridges. Dragon scales are very tough, and can only be broken through with very sturdy weapons. Dragons posses four limbs, wings, and a tail. The mouth of a dragon is full of large sharp teeth perfect for tearing through and breaking meat and bone. Teeth in the back of the mouth are much like molars and are used for grinding the stones they consume. Dragons have feather growth on their chest, wings, head, and tail. 
The colors of a dragon's body range from brownish gold, purple, or red. However, red is the most common among them and they can range in shades or patterns covering their bodies. Dragon wings are made of membrane similar to a bat, however have growth of feathers over the top of them to allow help with flight and maneuvering. Dragon eyes come in yellow, orange, blue, or red and they have slit pupils.

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Additional Information

Social Structure

Dragons are commonly found in small family groups consisting of about 5-10 dragons which are all related. The elder dragon would normally be the one in charge, and if there is none present, dragons are seen to fight over dominion of the rest of the group.

Taboos

Dragons are commonly against religion because they blame God for making them be feared and resented among humans which lead to them being hunted. Dragons typically do not hurt humans and despite their appearance they will most likely avoid them.

Beauty Ideals

Bright color feathers, large horns, and piercings to show wealth are considered attractive to other dragons.

Relationships Between Other Species

Dragons do not involve themselves with other species so they do not have a full opinion of any besides humans which they tend to avoid at all costs because of the humans massively slaughtering dragons.

Lifespan:
~1500 years however it is extraordinarily rare because they are commonly killed before then.
Average Height:
Males: 25 ft
Females: 20 ft

Diet:
Dragons are strict carnivores and will not eat anything but meat. Normally targeting anything they can find so they are seen as pests for carrying away livestock because they prefer red meat.