Ancient Dragon

The great beasts of oldest legends, ancient dragons are believed to be fountainhead from which magic came to flow.
The ancient dragons are said to have disappeared following the Breaking War, the land to Scarred and watered with blood for them to call it home.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Depictions of ancient dragons vary somewhat from story to story. Some describe them as hulking behemoths whose unfurled wings could shade an entire city. Others tell of creatures the size of a cottage, upon whose back would ride a trusted Human or Elf as they flew across the land.
While their size may be a matter of debate, most stories do seem to agree on other details. Ancient dragons are usually shown to possess four limbs, each ending in clawed talons. They possessed at least a pair of large wings on their backs, though some tellings speak of the count of appenages going as high as six. Lastly, they would have a long, muscular tail portruding from the base of their spine.
There are some legends, often those centered on the mingling between races, that speak of dragons taking on the forms of men and women. As with most tellings of ancient dragons, the appearnaces taked through these transformations lack concensus. For every one that describes a disguised ancient dragon as being nigh impossible to tell from an ordinary man, there is another that describes them more as elven, with patches of scales over their body, or having eyes of gold with slitted pupils.

Genetics and Reproduction

Anicent dragons are belived to have reproduced via the laying of eggs similar to how modern drakes and wyverns birth their young.
However, tales of them transformed into humanoids often tell of more... mammalian methods of siring the children.

Ecology and Habitats

Ancient dragons seemed to have an affinty for Mana Crystals as historians note that many locations believed to have once been home to the beasts are known to have rich deposits of Mana Crystals.

Behaviour

Numerous tales speak of ancient dragons being being possessed with greed and pride, ruling over others with an iron fist. However, there are others, tales of wise, humble dragons communing with and blessing other races.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Alongside the common theory that ancient dragons would be drawn to locales rich in mana crystals, some theorize that it may have instead been the other way around. A handful of legends and surviving poems from the ancient era speak of dragons turning to stone when they die, becoming "great statues, shimmering with the same power and majesty they held in life even in death." There are those that have taken this to imply that, instead of simple stone, an ancient dragon's body crystalizes the abundant mana residing within them, becoming the rich vein of crystals themselves.

Average Intelligence

Quite high. Despite often being refered to as beasts, stories and legends abound of the prosperous empire the dragons helped build.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Ancient dragons are said to have weilded storm magic, the fabled fifth path of magic, in addition to the other four. Said magic is believe to have been what enabled their rule of the skies by riding the wind with their wings and calling ligtening down upon their foes.

Civilization and Culture

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Legends tell of ancient dragons being the first weilders of magic and sharing their gift with humans and elves. It is unclear and oft debated as to what reason may have been behind such a decision. Some argue that it was the dragons sharing their blessing while others contend that it was a means of vasselship, rewarding the humans and elves that aligned with them.