Dragons

Dragons are creatures from the mythologies of all three peoples of the known world. Some mention is made of dragons or dragon-like creatures in stories from the waygar'i of both Doma and Tíortha Briste, as well as the sammonish'i and the keshal'i.

Though said to live in the depths of the ocean, dragons are none the less closer to amphibions than not, given how at home they are on the land and in the air as they are in the ocean. They are also said to be close to the drakes of the keshal'i homelands, and also the batlatl; the prefered mounts of both the keshal'i and sammonish'i. The difference, of course, is that drakes and batlatl indeed exist, whilst no one has reported seeing a dragon in recent memory, and were considered creatures of myth even in the Third Epoch.

It can be safely assumed that dragons are either smoothed-skinned, as sharks are, or scaled like fishes. Differing stories report differing skins. However, all stories agree that dragons, like most creatures, save insects and arachnids, have four limbs only, with leathern wings stretching over the forelimbs and strong, webbed feet with talons at the rear. Long necks and long tails dominate the iconography of these creatures. How the wings aid or hinder swimming in the depths is uncertain. Some posit that the dragons can alter the alignment of their shoulders to created either wings or flippers as the need arises. With no other flyers who can swim for great distances (certain sea birds of the Southern Archipelago are remarkable divers and can even swim for a short while) with which to compare, we cannot be certain as to how such a creature who both swims and flies would be constructed.

It is said that one of the sammonish'i deities, Ula, choses to appear as a white dragon when travelling the world, and is considered Queen of Dragons. She may, it is said, command dragons and, indeed, was said to have done so both during the Battle for the Dawn (2E) and the Great Battle (3E), appearing with her siblings to join the battle against the Darkness(es?).

Of course, like most creatures of myth, no one living has ever reported seeing one in recent or even distant myth. The last mention of dragons is, in fact, the Great Battle.