Dragons – the various species.
Woodland Dragon – The woodland dragon is the smallest of all natural dragons and is the only one which is both a herbivore and carnivore, depending on what is available. The woodland dragon is greenish in color with tiny wings and is incapable of flight. While this species is not a fire-
breather it is capable of amazing speeds over rough terrain when pursuing prey or fleeing from an enemy. As a general rule the woodland dragon walks on all fours and stands just over five feet tall. A healthy male will weight in excess of 800 pounds and can live to an age of 150 years or more. Their eyesight, as with all dragons, is exceptional but their night vision is somewhat restricted. Woodland dragons are solitary creatures coming together only to mate. The female will have only one cub at a time and will raise it alone. The mother will not mate again until the cub is old enough to be on its own, which is normally in its 5th year. Woodland dragons roost in the limbs of large trees but do not build actual nests. If they find a tree which is comfortable and near a water source they may reside in it for several months before relocating. Woodland Dragons have been rumored to have killed men, but these stories have never been confirmed. As a general rule, the woodland dragon has the ability to evade detection with its keen eyesight, strong sense of smell, and exceptional hearing. For a human to actually get close enough to observe a Woodland Dragon is rare.
Red Dragon – The red dragon is a fire-breather and is the largest of any dragon
species. Red dragons have large wings and are capable of sustained flight when mature, normally at the age of 5 – 7 years. Their front legs are tiny, forcing the dragon to stand or walk on its hind legs. When fully erect an adult red dragon can be as tall as twenty-five feet and weigh as much as 6,000 pounds. Red dragons are extremely territorial and will defend their territory against any opponent, including other dragons. Red dragons mate every 3rd year and the competition for females is fierce. It is not uncommon for as many as five males to compete for the right to mate with a single female. The female will have 1 or 2 cubs and will raise them alone, normally in a den or cave. The young leave their mother after 3 years, at which time they are most vulnerable to large predators as the dragons cannot fly until approximately their 6th year. The territory of a red dragon is rather small, and will usually consist of a high hilltop from which the dragon can observe its territory. Red dragons are carnivores and their favorite food is mule deer, but will eat anything it can catch, including humans. There have been several instances of red dragons hunting men either for food or to protect their territory. A red dragon can live up to 175 years and will construct a nest of large logs and tree limbs. Red dragons live mostly in warmer regions, but can survive wherever the food supply is plentiful. In ancient times the red dragons' fangs, which can be as much as two feet in length, were considered to have magical powers. Many young wizards perished attempting to obtain a fang for their collection.
White Dragon
– Long thought to be extinct, the white dragon is the most attractive and elegant of the species. While the white dragon is a fire-breather, it does so very rarely and prefers to do battle with its powerful jaws and quick reflexes. The white dragon generally stands on its hind feet and will measure twelve feet tall and an adult can weight as much as 1,200 pounds. Little is known about the white dragon’s mating habits, or their lifespan. Legends tell of white dragons which have lived for nearly 500 years. It was believed the white dragon had a fascination for human women and would occasionally kidnap women. While the dragon would not kill the woman outright, the victim would normally succumb to the elements or starvation while being held captive. The last white dragon sighting was well over 400 years ago.
Ridge Line Dragon – This species makes its home in rocky cliffs and high mountain plains. Its scales are grayish black in color and provide very adequate concealment among the rocks. The ridge line dragon can grow to a standing height of 15 feet and an adult will weigh as much as 1,000 pounds. The ridge line dragon’s diet consists mostly of small game such as rabbits, beavers, muskrats, and fish. They have been known, however, to take down a large deer and have
even attacked wolves. A ridge line dragon will live no more than 80 years and they mate each spring. The female will lay between 3 and 6 eggs but under normal circumstances only 1 of the group will actual grow to maturity. The ridge line dragon is a fire-breather and hunts exclusively with fire. It will stalk its prey, then engulf them in flames before eating them. While the ridge line dragon has powerful jaws, they are used only for chewing and not attack.
Valley Dragon – This species lives exclusively in the great valley. On rare occasions they have been seen in the middle layers of the canyon, but they will normally live and hunt only in the lower layers. They will nest in the canyon's walls, building a nest of wood debris approximately 30 feet above the ground, and they prefer it to be over water. The female will lay no less than 2 eggs but never more than 4. With all the perils of the canyon, the survival rate for young dragons is very small.
A valley dragon generally walks on all fours, and will grow to lengths of twenty feet or more. It has a set of powerful wings which allow it to sustain flight for long periods of time. The valley dragon is a fire-breather which will live up to 90 years. Its diet consists of anything it can catch, but it is strictly a carnivore and is not at all picky about what it eats. The valley dragon is the only dragon that will kill for food even when it is not hungry. It is also the only dragon which will build a food pantry to store excess food in until needed. These food pantries are normally located just off the ground and are built among heavy ground cover. The valley dragon is also the only dragon species which will hunt and live in packs/herds. The packs will normally consist of 3 to 5 males and up to 6 females. Even though they hunt in packs and share the same territory, each dragon will have its own food pantry and they will not share food once it is stored. Before storage, the dragons will divide the kill with the alpha male taking the choice cuts of meat. Valley dragons have excellent night vision and can hunt equally well in daylight or darkness.
Dragoness – Several centuries ago a legend developed, and while many believe them to be a total myth, the stories persist to this day. Certain species of dragon's can develop more intense spirits, generally only after living a very long life. It is said when these spirit dragons die they are often reincarnated in a human form. The form is always that of a woman, but she will never be fully human and will never be comfortable among people. These Dragoness' are fierce warriors, have highly acute senses and like to live in the deepest forests as far from people as possible. They are rarely seen, but a few witnesses have reported the Dragoness' at times can be very violent. The dragoness will often have a special relationship with dragons and can approach them and even live among them. Dragoness' may carry a dagger or knife, but will generally be very scantily clad, and some prefer to remain nude, staying as close to their dragon form as possible and avoid clothing, seeing it as becoming too human. Because they avoid humans and can at times be aggressive, many believe the Dragoness' to be possessed by evil spirits left over from their lives as dragons. This concern is made more credible as a Dragoness is not susceptible to any known spell or potion. Because of this the Dragoness is seen as a natural enemy of wizards and witches.
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