 green dragon (A1) / (A2) slaying a baby green dragon Smaug (A) / (B) Leblong (A) / (B) Chuck Watchdragon |
Initially created by the Implementor Belegur, the term dragon once included a large variety of massive lizards, until they began to decline in the days following the Brogmolithic Volcano Epozz. Now all that survive are the monsterous, large, winged breed that breathe forth fire and smoke; but even this species, which were fairly common in the old days, encountered a little problem in the form of Dimwit Flathead, who took it into his head to hold a feast on the meat of 300 slaughtered dragons. Since that his reign, dragon-sightings have been extremely rare in the Eastlands, but many have since regathered on the western shores of the Shallow Sea where they have restored their once diminished population. During this time of replenishment (which was still in progress during the mid-tenth century), few dragons ventured forth from these hatching grounds.
Immolation is not the only threat from dragons; merely gazing into the eyes of certain breeds is enough to turn the beholder into stone. Found in a wide variety of colors, dragon hide is tough as steel, even at the points which would be considered the weakest--both rock and sword bounce off harmlessly. If one manages to shed dragon blood, the creature heals rather quickly. Thus one of the surest ways to defeat a dragon is to rip out their hearts, but this provides difficulty as dragon anatomy is different than that of humans (and at the time of this publication its whereabouts has not been determined). Explosives are not an effective means to dispose of a dragon, as their fire-resistant bellies are easily able to digest such devices. Even a sleeping dragon is potent; as with every snorty breath, a little puff of flame emerges from the nostrils.
High Magic is best understood by dragons, who are still fluent in the Old Tongue, the ancient runic language which empowers them above all magical creatures. They do not speak in the tongues of men, but can easily be understood with a basic NITFOL spell. Their voices can be so deep that the listener feels it rather than hears it; finding themselves almost hypnotized by the resonance. Although quite intelligent, dragons are also notoriously naive, this being clearly demonstrated by the fact that two dragons, Smaug and Leblong, were each killed in the tenth century when they were startled by their own reflection.
When dragons mate, they mate just once for life, and the only sure way to tell a dragon's sex is to ask it politely.
One of the largest superstitions is the relationship between dragons and good luck. All sorts of rumors in this sphere have been told, from saying that a dragon's eternal gratitude is a bite of luck, to those that consider the rare sight of an airborne dragon to be a omen of prosperity. Regardless of the so-called "good luck", humans for centuries have taken quite a liking to dragon meat, which has been prepared in many forms, especially burgers, and even their eggs make many a fine breakfast meals. Even their scales are used in a wide plethora of incantations and potions. (The list price for a singel scale in 957 GUE was zm10.)
Some famous historical dragons include Leblong (early tenth century), Smaug (948 GUE), Chuck (mid-tenth century), Thermofax (mid-tenth century), and the Watchdragon, said to be the most fierce dragon of all.
During the Great Monster Uprising of the Second Age of Magic, dragons were reported in the following regions: The Gray Mountains (including the Gray Mountains Asylum), Mines of Mendon, Egreth Castle, The Lonely Mountain, and the G.U.E. Tech Training Grounds in the Ethereal Plane of Atrii.
TRIVIA:
- Dragons frequently refer to other intelligent species as "flameless ones."
- Most dragons are able to consume heavy explosives without suffering any sort of ailment.
- Dragons often employ vast, sparkling mounds of treasure as mattresses.
- There was unfortunately, a homosexual dragon club (its known years of operation included the mid-tenth century), titled the Every-Third Saturday of the Month Leather Club, which was shunned by a majority of the dragon population.
MISS UNDERGROUND MANNERS' FORMAL RULES FOR IMMOLATING HUMANS
- One should always introduce oneself before incinerating the human in question. Making a bad impression could injure your sterling reputation, should your victim somehow manage to survive.
- Immolation can often be an embarrassing moment for a human. There's no need to mock or intimidate your victim with malicious peals of laughter or wicked masks of hatred. Instead, put him at ease with a compliment, or a light remark.
- If recent gourmet experiences have included such elements as garlic, onion, or rotgrub, one should politely excuse oneself and rinse one's maw with a fresh, minty solution before spewing flames at the human. Humans can be particularly sensitive to that most unpleasant phenomenon known as "bad breath."