Dragons

All dragons trace their descent from the wyrms of old, primal forces of destruction whose speech unmade matter, returning it to pure elemental force. True dragons retain the largest portion of that essence and are tied to elements; false dragons were either bred from wyrm essence or are the non-sapient descendants of corrupted dragons.

Dragon, True

All true dragons are born as chromatic, rainbow colored hatchlings. Before they leave the nest, they undergo the First Molt, which involves seeking out a form of elemental or planar energy and encysting themselves inside, becoming attuned to that elemental energy if they survive, awakening as wyrmlings. As they grow, they undergo a Second Molt, becoming young dragons when their hoard imperative awakens. This hoard imperative is the driving force for all maturing true dragons. It commands them to seek out and gather a specific type of item or experience, which could be as simple as shiny coins or gems…or as esoteric as the memory of the smiles on people’s faces when they hear a story. This hoard serves as the dragon’s strength and weakness—it channels the aether of the land to the dragon, extending their lifespans and fueling their power (both physical and magical), but if it is lost or destroyed, the dragon experiences extreme trauma, often dying (but not before going berserk and destroying everything around it). Some few dragons can find a new hoard, but dragons protect their hoards with their lives. Once a young dragon collects enough of a hoard, it undergoes the Third Molt, becoming an adult. Adult dragons are mature and fertile, forming bonds with other dragons. Most dragons end their lifecycle here; a few have the added need to dominate other dragons. These eventually undergo a Fourth Molt, becoming the fearsome ancients, leaders of dragon flights. Many dragons have the ability to transform into mortal forms (although they retain their draconic power).

Dragons are intensely magical creatures—their very bones and body is steeped in elemental energy. As such, a true dragon’s corpse is quite valuable to alchemists and crafters and mages of all kinds; the eggs of true dragons (which can last centuries in a quasi-fossilized state before hatching when exposed to the correct energies) have been used as arcane power sources. Both of these uses cause extremely negative from any true dragons who discover them.

Some dragons seek out and learn mortal magic—this effort leaves them visually changed for reasons that are not clear. Their scales become metallic. Generally, metallic dragons are more tolerant of humanoid mortals than their chromatic (non-metallic) kin; their hoards tend to reflect their mortal-focused nature. This does not make them less dangerous. For many metallics, manipulating mortals is a form of a game and they have little concern for the wellbeing of their play pieces except as sources of their hoard.

Wyrmling dragons

The wyrmling stage generally lasts a few years. Wyrmlings are notoriously curious (like flying, pony-sized cats with opposable claws and lethal breath) and acquisitive. They don’t have a defined horde at this point, so they acquire everything they can in the hopes of finding what they’re looking for, the one thing that will become their special thing for the rest of their very long lives.

Young dragons

Young dragons have discovered what their hoard will be, but haven’t quite acquired enough of it to settle down. This makes them extremely dangerous to be around, since they have almost nothing on their mind except acquiring more of whatever they hoard. At this point they’ve learned to cast spells and shapeshift if metallic. Young dragons still suffer from hunger for normal food, and have a rapacious metabolism. All of those traits mean that most of the dangerous dragons that adventurers run into are of the young category. Generally, most dragons will spend between a few decades and a hundred years as a youngling.

Adult dragons

Adult dragons are the terminal form for most dragons, as not all dragons undergo the final molt to the ancient form. Adults have a steady hoard and can finally stop to think about something other than getting more. Their power grows and their hunger for normal food has waned as their hoard channels elemental aether to them. Adult dragons will still eat food for taste and out of habit, but don’t need to for survival. Those that haven’t settled down with mates usually do so at this point. Adult dragons have become legendary as their presence influences the land around them. Those goblin and other humanoid tribes, especially humans, that serve them are changed by this service over the generations, becoming the so-called kobolds and ryuu-kin (false dragonborn).

Ancient dragons

Only those dragons whose mindsets bend to leading or dominating others of their kind, to becoming leaders of flights and rulers of territory, undergo the final molt and become ancients, the most powerful of their kind. Generally, only dragons who have lived more than 500 years reach this stage, but each ancient is individual. They have enormous, magically-charged hordes. Supremely arrogant and for good measure, ancient dragons are among the most powerful beings who live on the Mortal plane, on par with a devil don or a ranking subordinate of a demon prince.

Dragons, False

False dragons are those who do not bond with elemental sources and thus don’t have the chromatic (or metallic) nature. Generally, they have a feral intelligence but lack languages. Their origin is uncertain, although many believe that they are actually dragon-touched beasts, i.e. beasts infused with draconic essence, rather than degenerate dragons.

Drakes

Drakes are smaller than true dragons and, while they may have some elemental attunement, lack the intelligence of a true dragon. Some societies use them as guardian beasts but many drakes simply live in flocks and packs at the fringes of society and in the wilderness. Drakes are, like true dragons, four-legged with leathery wings.

Guard drakes are a subspecies that have been altered to only have vestigial wings. Like large, pseudo-reptilian (but warm blooded) guard dogs, guard drakes are fiercely loyal to their bonded handlers. Unlike guard dogs, they roar instead of bark. They lack the breath weapon of their true dragon kin, which makes them slightly less dangerous to their surroundings.

Draconewts are small winged drakes with a poisonous tail. More intelligent than their guard drake cousins, some are capable of telepathy. Living in flocks of 3-10 individuals, they are fiercely territorial and often adopt a person or family of humanoids, for better or worse.

Wyvern

Two-legged, with clawed membranous wings and poison tails, wyverns are probably the most familiar of the false dragons. Roosting in steep bleak hills, they prey on large beasts, especially favoring the relatively defenseless herds of cattle.

Dragon Turtle

The dragon turtle is the largest variety of dragon, true or otherwise. Some of the older ones are mistaken for islands. Unlike wyverns, they are intelligent and partake of the nature and mind of Leviathan. They are rarely hostile unless disturbed, although once their fury is roused it is extremely hard to quench. They are known for holding grudges for hundreds of years. Sailors, as a result, treat them very gingerly and reverently.