How do Dragons exist? With a lot of Luck!

[TheWombatOfDoom]

Dragon descriptions until moved up to OP.

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The Dragons - The Children of Luck



Dragon Characteristics:Some dragons are sentient, and others are savage. Some sentient dragons become savage, giving into their wild natures, or embracing them. Dragons are characteristically quick thinking and highly adaptive. As a whole, Dragons have been known to be quite social with most of the other races, and the sentient ones have their own cities, culture, language. A few hundred years ago, after the Great War of the Ancients, most Dragons retired from the rest of the world, and stay within their homelands - Draeden. However, some do wander, and others are exiled. It is those Dragons that rest of the world sees, and have given the Dragons a harsher light than they deserve.

Dragons are semi-coldblooded, and each has a specialized way to maintain proper temperatures. This is mostly thanks to their connection with Luck, which allow Dragons to evolve faster than most animals to accomidate their habitat, which is evidenced by the expansive amount of dragon species that exist in Aldain. Most Dragons appear somewhat humanoid, but several species do not share these characteristics. Dragons have a Syrinx, which allow them to have a full range of sounds. This allows them to communicate to other races or animals (so long as they care to learn the pertaining language), while still allowing them to communicate to other Dragons in a common tongue racial tongue. Additionally, Dragons communicate to their own species in a third, private language.

All kinds of Dragon species lay eggs, and mothers develop a medullary bone when time comes to lay, to assist them in the process. The hatching time varies per species, as well as developmental and physical characteristics. Most Dragons have a highly keratinized skin, and two sets of lungs. It is popularly believed that all Dragons breathe fire, but in actuality, only a rare few species have the ability.

Wind Dragon

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Many believe the Wind Dragon to be the only kind of dragon. Since it is capable of full on flight, it is mobile enough to reach other lands, and so, is the most sighted. As such, most Dragons are depicted in stories and illustrations as to appear like a Wind Dragon, which is largely incorrect. A Wind Dragon has two arms, two legs, and two wings, making it a six limbed creature. It has an elongated neck, as well as an elongated tail which parts at the very end in a verticle "Y". On each side of the "Y", a taught, wing-like flap of spans tip to a small section of the tail, which the Dragon uses in assistance for flight manuvers. A Wind Dragon's wings are highly vascularized, which allow it to heat its body like giant solar panels. Thick tendons and bracing muscles run down the length of a Wind's back to assist the wings in supporting the weight of the body. The wings are also supported by finger bones similar to the wings of a bat. Three larger finger bones run along the wing, while two smaller fingers span along the top, and are assumed useless. The wings start at the shoulders, and end halfway down the tail of the Wind Dragon.

To counter-act the Wind Dragon's size, thicker skin, and wing muscles, it's body has developed certain characteristics. For instance, the Wind Dragon has an organ attached to its secondary lungs. This organ produces a chemical that heats when mixed with oxygen and causes a lighter than air gas to be produced. The lighter than air gas fills the second lung chamber, and gives the dragon extra lift. This combined with a lighter bone structure within tail and possibly other places allows the Dragon its lift. The lighter than air gas can be breathed out of these lungs to allow it to get less lift. Wind Dragons also have "flint teeth" at the back of its jaw it can rub together, which creates sparks. This feature ignites the gas as it's expelled, creating a stream of flame. The Dragon bends back its tongue to block the flame from traveling down it's throat. This technique has been used for attracting a mate, in self defense, to attack, or as a scare tactic.

Shadow Dragons - 6 Limbed, Breathe fire, Nocturnal, highly migratory, fly, eyes and color adapted for night, double lung with chemical that produces lighter than air gas, heating system in skin from same chemical that produces lighter than air gas. Medium in size.

Sea Dragons (sea serpent-esque)- 3 sets of fins (akin to 6 limbs), Serpent-like, undulates to swim, spines along back - between which are guiding fins, dual blowhole at top of head, water to air adjusting eyes, double lungs, Protocercal tail. Larger in size.

Water Dragons - 4 Limbed, front hands have fins attached at back of wrist, and feet are webbed, Large dorsal-esque fin attached to back by two bones (acts similar to a sail above surface, as well as to absorb sun for heating purposes), these two bones are able to be dislocated so that the sail can collapse, double lungs, protocercal tail, able to travel on land clumsily. Medium in size.

River Dragons - 4 Limbed, powerful front arms to assist in swimming, smaller back legs to assist while on land, monocercal tail for swimming, has barbles extending from back of the skull for manuvering tight areas or for sensing prey, double lung, short neck, land and water capable. Small in size.

Ice Dragons - 4 Limbed, powerful arms and legs, breathe frost (actually breathe fire, but due to cold temperatures comes out as a frost/steam), heating system in skin from same chemical that produces lighter than air gas, icicles grow on it due to warm skin. Medium in size.

Cliff Dragons (wyvern-esque) - 4 Limbed, front limbs are wings with claw on top for latching, strong rear legs for landing, hooked talon like feet, narrow nose and skull, angled ridges along back, single lung, light body. Small in size.

Forest Dragons - 4 Limbed, strong arms and legs, gliding flap of skin between sides and inside of arm (similar to flying squirrels), prehensile tail which ends in tuft of hair, omnivore, no horns, single lung, light body. Small in size.

Land Dragons - 4 Limbed, strong arms and legs, no wings, long bristles that run along back that allow it to blend in with tall grass, can travel at fast speeds for short amounts of time, double lung. Medium in size.

Earth Dragons - 4 Limbed, strong arms and legs, no wings, symbiotic relationship with a fungus that grows along back (looks mossy, almost like dreadlocks), clubbed tail, single lung. Large in size.

Sand Dragons - 6 Limbed, three strong sets of arms/legs it uses to dig, serpent-esque form, skin in spiral patterned ridges along body used for spiraling through sand as it burrows, single lung. Large in size.

Glass Dragons - 4 Limbed, strong arms and legs, skin can changes color for themoregulation/camoflage/attracting a mate, generally lives in warmer climates, breathes fire, double lung. Small in size.

	4 Limbs	6 Limbs		Water Based	Land Based	Air Based		Biome
Cliff Dragon	x					x		Mountains/Bluffs
Earth Dragon	x				x			Plains/Rocky Areas
Forest Dragon	x					x		Forested Areas
Glass Dragon	x				x			Deserts
Ice Dragon	x				x			Tundras
Land Dragon	x				x			Plains
River Dragon	x			x				Freshwater Areas
Sand Dragon		x			x			Desert
Sea Dragon		x		x				Oceans
Shadow Dragon		x				x		Dark Areas
Water Dragon	x			x				Fresh and Salt Water
Wind Dragon		x				x		Mountains