Dragonses

Domestic Drake (Draco familiaris)
Like dogs and cats before them, the Drake as we know it today was born from thousands of years of co-operation with early human society. How exactly the domestication of the Drake’s ancient ancestor happened is still unclear, but it is agreed that the Drake may have shared the same ancestor with many wild dragons, including the European and the Wyvern.  Domestication, however, means that the modern Drake lack many of the features found in wild dragons, such as the venom glands required for fire-breathing and the ability to speak full sentences. Drakes come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and have been valued as pets and working animals for centuries.

SIZE AND GENERAL BODY SHAPE: Size varies by breed, raging anyway from 6 inches in length for the smaller or “toy” varieties to around 42 inches at the shoulder for larger breeds. Body shape is generally reminiscent of a miniature European, with four legs and wings of varying usefullness. Larger breeds sport vestigial wings of no use other than display, whilst many smaller breeds are capable of flapping flight.
COLOURATION: Drakes have been bred in a rainbow of colours, and there are always options for the discerning owner. Various forms of green, red and brown are common, but many breeders often focus on the exotic colour mutations, such as albino or golden strains. It is the dream of many American breeders to produce a "stars and stripes" colour morph.
DIET: Many Drakes are carnivores, feeding excusively on meat. This can be purchased in various forms, such as compressed pellets or kibbles, choice cuts for treats or marrow-filled bones. Certain breeds are omnivourous, able to take vegetable supplements in their diet. “Feral” Drakes feed depending on their size, with larger breeds seeking larger prey, and will also scavenge from dustbins. No Drake is a man eater, despite reports of larger drakes killing and devouring their owners - their placid temperament is what made them pets in the first place!
CALL: A range of calls has been documented – smaller breeds screech, yap, hiss and chirp, whilst the larger breeds bark, roar, purr and snarl. Only the “prusten” snort through the nose, to indicate harmless intentions, is universal among Drakes.
FORMS OF ATTACK: Angered drakes utilise their teeth and claws against enemies in both defence and territorial battles. Some exotic drake breeds are rear-fanged, with a mild hemotoxic venom that causes inflammation and pain in humans, but are usually harmless. Drakes, thankfully, cannot breathe fire.
HABITAT: Domestic Drakes thrive in the home environment no matter the breed, but many breeds are capable of living in the wild. These Feral Drakes are known to form packs or social groups, and the smaller breeds occasionall form flocks or gangs that nest in trees or in burrows.
LAIR: Drakes usually build small nests to raise their eggs and chicks from whatever materials they may find. Drake owners are often advised to provide downy feathers, cushions or shredded newspaper for this purpose. Like kittens and puppies, Drake chicks spend a long duraton with their mother until they are capable of fending for themselves.

Basilisk (Draco basiliscus)
The title of "Most Dangerous Dragon" is a difficult one to award - while many cite the Mongolian Death Worm for it's ferocity, none can deny the unrivaled toxicity of the Basilisk beggars belief. It's hard to believe that such a deadly creature exists, and live solely in the British Isles of all places, but we should be relieved that it no longer occupies the once larger range within Europe it once did. The legends surrounding this creature, whilst exaggerated, are well-founded - the beast has a voracious appetite, is a known man eater and has one of the deadliest venoms known to science.

SIZE AND GENERAL BODY SHAPE: Two to three feet high and four feet long, although reports of individuals reaching almost human sizes have been documented. A two-legged species, the Basilisk sports a coat of downy feathers on it's body and wings, and males sport a red-coloured crest that can be flared at will.
COLOURATION: Basilisks are usually green or light brown, but all bear alternating rings of red, yellow and black on their tails as a warning of the toxicity of their poison. Old Basilisks exhibit greying of the feathers, as well as a paler colouration.
DIET: Meat, and lots of it. Basilisks are active carnivores, and will eat anything they can catch, no matter the size of it. KNOWN MAN EATER!
CALL: Apart from an eerie shriek, the purpose of which is unknown, basiliks are generally silent.
FORMS OF ATTACK: The Basilisk is one of the most venemous and poisonous dragons in the world. There is now currently-known antidote to their bite, and they constantly leak a potent, foul-tastig poison from specialised glands in the skin. Plants shrivel and die wherever they walk, and any insect that alights on a Basilisk's tail dies in mere seconds.
HABITAT: Forested areas, most commonly in the chalk downlands of South England. They use the undergrowth and dark shadows to ambush unsuspecting prey.
LAIR: Basilisks usually inhabit abandoned fox dens or badger sets, and will forcefully chase out the current occupants if needs be. Basilisk eggs resemble stones, camoflaging them against the dirt, and the chicks that hatch are just as deadly as the mother, learning to hunt from her very quickly.

Gargouille (Draco occidentalis minimus)
With the extinction of the prehistoric Tarasque, and the conservation status of the Peluda in question, the Gargouille remains the only known extant species of dragon in mainland Europe. Found almost everywhere, these diminutive creatures come in a wide variety of colours depending on their habitat, and are as common a sight in some developed areas as pigeons or seagulls. A nocturnal species, the Gargouille's name comes from it's habit of posing on the edge of buidlings as it sleeps, matching the appearance of the carven grotesques around it.

SIZE AND GENERAL BODY SHAPE: Around two feet high when standing, three from nose to tail. Gargouilles boast oddly humanoid proportions, able to hobble on two feet, and have diminutive wings that allow them to hover in a similar mannet to hummingbirds.
COLOURATION: Gargouilles are usually slate grey or brown, with various shades in between. Older individuals develop patterns reminiscient of moss or weather erosion to aid in their camoflauge.
DIET: Gargouilles are opportunistic and feed on wild pigeons, rats and bats, and occasionally form gangs to hunt stray dogs and cats. They will even eat pigeon eggs from the nest, and will often snatch food from other animals. Gargouilles will scavenge from dustbins, and many have taken a liking to human food, developing their own unique tastes.
CALL: Gargouilles usually chirp or caw to each other as communication, and will make a high-pitched shrieking sound if threatened. They will often parrot words or phrases from human speech, and older individuals can speak, albiet brokenly.
FORMS OF ATTACK: While Gargouilles can breath fire, this weak flame is mostly used to grill food before eating it. They normally rely on their teeth and claws to inflict wounds, hutning in the manner of piranhas by biting chunks out of prey. When a whole swarm does this, the prey animal usually dies from shock, blood loss and abject terror.
HABITAT: Gargouilles are an adaptable species, and can be found all across Europe, from the coast of Portugal all the way to Romania. Wild Gargouilles gather in social or familial groups in rocky crags or forests, but urban-raised animals prefer belfries, rafters and other dark, warm places.
LAIR: A Gargouille usually lays no more than two or three eggs at a time, and both parents take turns caring for the chicks. Once they learn to fly, they may either stay with their parents to form a new gang or seek acceptance into another one.

Mongolian Death Worm (Draco mongoliensis mortem)
Legends of the Mongolian Death Worm persist in the Gobi desert, describing a blood-red worm-like creature that kills with both poison and electricity. Whilst the tales are indeed fantastical, there is a real creature behind them – a large serpent dragon that has adapted to life in the harsh sands, becoming an opportunistic predator of anything it comes across. There is still some debate as wherever to class the Death Worm as a true dragon or a member of the pseudodragons alongside the Tatzelwurm, but the real question is; why would such a large predator evolve such extreme defences?

SIZE AND GENERAL BODY SHAPE: Average of 2 to 5 feet in length, with the largest recorded specimens being females. Snake-like, with vestigial legs, no wings and smooth scales.
COLOURATION: Universally blood red. A yellowish tiger-stripe pattern appears on receptive females, acting as a colour signal towards potential mates - males instinctively pursue anything yellow.
DIET: Exclusively a carnivore, the Death Worm will eat anything else in the desert. It derives all of it's moisture from it's food, drinking the blood of it's kills. KNOWN MAN EATER!
CALL: Death Worms are usually silent, which is what makes them so dangerous. The only known call is a whistling hiss reminiscient of a boiling kettle, used by males in battles against receptive females or as a warning to intruders.
FORMS OF ATTACK: Unlike the majority of dragon species, the Death Worm is front-fanged, delivering venom with a painful bite. The Death Worm is noted for spraying it’s acidic venom, in a similar fashion to the spitting cobras, which corrodes almost all materials and can kill a grown man. Males occasionally use constriction to take down larger prey, and both genders possess the ability to generate electricity in their tails that can incapacitate targets. In conclusion, startling a Death Worm is inadvisable.
HABITAT: Native to the Gobi Desert, Death Worms have been sighted in China and the Himalayan regions as well as Mongolia. Death Worms tend to roam the deserts in search of food - males have large territories that covers many square miles, maximising the chances of finding prey and mates. Female Death Worms wander wherever they please, making them extremely dangerous.
LAIR: Death Worms lay their eggs underground, to protect them from predators. The eggs are abandoned as soon as they are laid - Death Worm chicks have to fend for themselves immediately after they hatch, and learn to do so with alarming swiftness. Chicks are a sandy colour rather than the blood red of adults, and are innately shy iuntil they develop their venom and electrical powers.

Iridescent Cave Dragon (Draco spelunca mex)
Whilse many varieties of Cave Dragon exists, none are more stunning in their beauty than the Iridescent variety native to Mexico. There are also none that are quite so rare - these dragons live only in one particular area, and are specially adapted to live nowhere else in the world, thus making them a very endangered species. On top of this, their scales are highly-valued by collectors, who indiscriminately capture and kill many hundreds of them. Thankfully, effort is being made to conserve the species, and it is hoped the Iridescent Cave Dragon will recover from this overhunting.

SIZE AND GENERAL BODY SHAPE: Iridescent Cave Dragons attains length between 24 and 35 inces, small even for dragon standards. They are low-slung, with large, decorative wings and four legs tipped with hooked claws.
COLOURATION: In their cave environment, the Iridescent Cave Dragon's skin is pure white. The scales, however, are transpaent prisms that reflect light, giving the dragon a shimmering appearance that also earns it the local name of pequeño arco iris, or the Little Rainbow.
DIET: The species is insectivorous, feeding on crayfish from pools and bugs that wander into the cave. They will also scavenge carrion - many explorers have come across the remains of animals picked clean by swarms of these creatures.
CALL: Iridescent Cave Dragons make no sound.
FORMS OF ATTACK: Like all dragons, the Iridescent Cave Dragon is rear-fanged, but is not particularly dangerous to humans. Agitated individuals spit small clouds of fire at enemies, but since the fire is not very hot this is merely a defensive tactic. The best defence a Cave Dragon has, however, is the shining scales on their wings - when suddenly opened, the resulting flash of light and colour startles and blinds potential prey and predators.
HABITAT: Exclusively found in the Cueva de los Cristales, Mexico. The humidity level is ideal for this cold-blooded species to survive, and allows them to raise their eggs in peace.
LAIR: Like all Cave Dragons, the Iridescent digs scrapes in rock walls and lays it's eggs there, rearing the young in a safe pocket out of the reach of predators. The eggs are just as shimmering and colourful as the scales of the species, and are often overlooked as more crystals by the average person.

Amazonian Changewing (Draco americanus incognito)
It is only recently that we have been able to confirm the existance of this rare and elusive dragon. We know for a fact that it shares the common ancestor most dragons do, and it is perhaps tbe only "four-winged" dragon species in the world, making it uniquely adapted for it's jungle home. It's colour-changing abilities are also well-renowned in the dragon world, able to blend almost seemingly perfectly with it's surroundings. However, there is still so much we have to learn about it - where it makes it's nest, what it's feeding habits are, and why it has been able to elude expert dragonologists for so long until now, disregarding the camoflauge. Theories abound as to it's possible intelligence...

SIZE AND GENERAL BODY SHAPE: Average of 1.7 metres in length, with a wingspan almost double that. Changewings are very slender and graceful, with a narrow head and long, prehensile tail. It's back legs have formed into a kind of wing, which act as rudders in place of the tail, steering the creature as it glides from tree to tree.
COLOURATION: The Changewing has no natural colouration - it constantly changes it's skin tone to blend into it's surroundings, matching tree bark, leaves and forest mulch almost perfectly. Also, it's skin will flash diferent hues depending on it's mood, resulting in a kalidescope of colours. Some theories abound that the dragon can use this colour changing as a form of mating display, much how the Birds of Paradise use elaborate plumage to impress potential mates.
DIET: Assumed to be carnivorous, but their actual diet is a mystery. Do they eat monkeys living in the canopies? Tapirs on the forest floor? Birds on the wing? Some suggest all three, as well as large insects, lizards and snakes. A creature with such a varied diet is unlikely to starve!
CALL: Changewings are perhaps the most vocal of dragons. They can imitate the sounds of animals in the forest around them, and can use these sounds to build complex songs with which to communicate and impress mates. A loud honk is used to warn of danger, whilst a low hiss intimidates enemies and rivals.
FORMS OF ATTACK: Changewings are assumed to be highly venemous, although wherever they rear-fanged or front-fanged is up for debate. The actual toxicity of their venom is unknown, but local tribes are rife with fanciful stories of it's supposed deadliness. Other anecdotes posit that Changewings use their colour-changing abilities to hypnotise their prey, which may explain why few explorers ever remember encountering one. Whilst assumed to not be a man eater, Changewings should still be treated with respect, like any other dragon.
HABITAT: Changewings abound in the Amazon Rainforest, residing somewhere in the canopy and usually only descending for food. Sadly, their forest home is under threat from extensive deforestation and desertification.
LAIR: The breeding habits of the Changewing are a complete mystery. How to they attract mates? Where do they nest? How to they raise their young? Further explorations are required, no doubt!

Hydra (Draco hydra)
Yet another contender for the title of Most Dangerous Dragon, the Hydra's reputation comes from the amount of human fatalities it causes every year due to it's proximity to human habitation. A ravenous hunter and scavenger, this dragon evolved multiple heads in order to take advantage of what feeding opportunities it could find in it's harsh environment. Since the development of human settlements in it's range, however, contact with the Hydra has become increasingly common, often with fatal results. Only a cautious or expert Dragonologist should attempt to track or study one, and too many young students have lost their lives to this beast's jaws.

SIZE AND GENERAL BODY SHAPE: 10 to 12 feet high, 40 feet long. Hydras posses thickset bodies to support their multiple heads, two legs and vestigial wings which are larger in the females. Their skin is leathery like a crocodile's and they may possess around three or seven heads, although specimens with many more have been recorded.
COLOURATION: Universally grey or muddy brown, with no patterns. Displaying females flush blood into their wings to turn them bright crimson, in order to make them look fiercer.
DIET: Anything made of meat. Hydras are ravenous feeders that can strip a carcass to the bone in minutes, staggering back to their lairs gorged with food. The Hydra is notable for it's cannibalistic tendencies, readily eating other Hydras as well as their eggs and chicks. KNOWN MAN EATER!
CALL: A series of guttural howls and bellows when on the attack, melodious chirping when displaying for mates. Each head roars at a different pitch, and males with the largest vocal range are often picked as mates.
FORMS OF ATTACK: Hydras possess a strong venom that works against the blood tissues, and are unique in that they are neither front-fanged nor rear-fanged like many other species. Hydras often attack in a similar manner to Komodo Dragons or sharks, biting a chunk out of the prey and then retiring to let their prey weaken from shock, envenomation and blood loss before moving in for the kill. Hydras will also employ their talons to disembowel prey.
HABITAT: All across costal Europe, from the Nile Delta to Italy as well as Greece. Tourists and dragonologists alike are to be wary when travelling in secluded areas, as these are more than likely part of a male Hydra's territory.
LAIR: Females occupy rocky caves in secluded spots, whilst makes patrol a territory of several square miles. Once a Hydra chick hatches, it leaves the nest immediately - the mother joins the long list of predators that are quite happy to eat them.

Naga (Draco indica)
Nagas are amongst the few dragons, like the European and Oriental, to be classed as sentient species by the British University of Dragonological Studies. The race's attitude towards humans is somewhat mixed, but is generally open to mutual co-operation, although not to the same degree that has allowed Oriental Dragons to flourish. Wreathed in mystic lore and possessing a wide variety of unusual powers, Nagas are truly fascinating even for the expert Dragonologist, and are reccomended highly for beginners to study as their first Advanced Dragon.

SIZE AND GENERAL BODY SHAPE: At 3–6 metres (10–20 ft) in length, the Naga is one of the longest dragons in existance. It possesses a snake-like body which is loaf-shaped in cross-section, with no wings and only two legs, which also function as arms and hands. Their faces are curiously flat and reminiscient of humans.
COLOURATION: Nagas come in a wide range of colours, from deep blue or purple to brilliant green, orange or yellow. Their scales all have an iridescent sheen that makes them lovely to behold.
DIET: One of the few omnivorous wild dragons in existance, Nagas feed on fruit as well as meat. Their preferred diet includes mangoes and dates, as well as deer, pigs, peafowl and more. Some nagas recreationaly chew cannabis leaves as a relaxant, and it is also used as part of religious ceremonies. Nagas are not man eaters - they find the idea of killing sentient beings horrific.
CALL: Nagas hiss when agitated or angry, purr when content and roar when enraged or excited. They are fluent in Indian, English and Draconese, among many other languages.
FORMS OF ATTACK: Nagas lack the venom glands of many dragons, and thus rely on their powerful claws and constriction to bring down their prey. They are also the most well-known users of the fabled "Dragon Hypnosis" technique, where they place potential prey or enemies in a trance to help them escape or calm them before swallowing.
HABITAT: Primarily the jungles of India, although colonies have been found in Cambodia, Vietnam and Pakistan as well. It is believed that Nagas may inhabit locations all across the Indian subcontinent.
LAIR: Nagas are among the few dragons to construct dwellings of grass and mud, similar to the domed nests made by bower birds. Nagas are fiercely protective of their eggs and young, who stay with their mothers for far longer than the average dragon chick. Many Nagas form familial groups consisting of many generations of individuals, as well as males and females "married" from outside the group and thus becoming honourary family members.

British Wyvern (Draco brittanicus) [EXTINCT!]
The British Wyvern is a prominent case study in Dragonological studies, and also a very tragic example of how little support dragon conservation recieves. Once common throughout all of the British Isles, including Ireland and Scotland, it took little effort from so-called "gallant" knights to instigate a country-wide cull of the species, due to it's reputation for maiden-devouring and treasure-hoarding. Despite the actions of a "St. George" to try and raise awareness of the species' better attributes, the species was sadly hunted to extinction just before the onset of the Georgian peroid. What we know of the species comes from accounts written by the S.A.S.D during it's existance.

SIZE AND GENERAL BODY SHAPE: British Wyverns reached an average of 2 metres in length, far smaller than their African cousins. Short and stocky, with two legs and wings, and a broad, muscular skull with serrated teeth for cutting flesh.
COLOURATION: The species was a dull brown or mottled green, with rare brown morphs noted in the notes of a certain Sir Harold Drake of the S.A.S.D. Each wing bore a colourful arrangement of rings in the shape of eyes, the exact colour of which differed on the individual.
DIET: An ambush hunter, British Wyverns fed upon deer, farm animals, wild boar and other large animals. The species was a reputed man-eater, although modern Dragonologists believe the claim was grossly exaggerated and merely served as fuel for the rampant slaughter of these creatures.
CALL: As recorded in Sir Harold's notes, British Wyverns howled like wolves to mark territory, bellowed like bulls to intimidate and barked like dogs to attract mates. It is unknown if they were capapble of speech - if so, the implications of our past actions are not pleasant.
FORMS OF ATTACK: British Wyverns were rear-fanged, and could ignite their venom in flaming streams by grinding the back teeth together, creating. This system was a primitive version of the fire-breathing mastered by the European and its contemporaries. British Wyverns could also bite, stomp, scratch and whip with their tails, and could also flash the decorative eye spots on their wings to shock and frighten foes.
HABITAT: Formerly much of England, Ireland and Scotland. The presence of the Welsh Red in Wales and Morgawr in the south prevented further expansion, as they would be competing for similar food sources.
LAIR: Caves were much preferred due to their relative seclusion from humans, allowing British Wyverns to hide their treasure hoards in secret. Chicks were reared on a diet of regurgitated meat, and would practice fire-breathing on large rocks called "heatstones" that can be commonly found throughout England.