Dragons: Common Species

What do dragons look like? Where are they found? What are their habits? With so many types of dragons to learn about, a field guide is very useful. Unfortunately, accurate field guides are very rare and very expensive. For this reason, I have compiled the characteristics of three of the most common dragons.

The first dragon that I will be covering is the water dragon. This naturally aquatic dragon is most commonly found in the Caribbean sea (check underwater caves). Its eggs are deep, iridescent blue, covered with scales like a fish’s, and are laid in a clutch of two to six. The nests are always fiercely guarded. The dragon itself is 25 feet long (not counting the 10-foot tail) and sports two wings and four legs; the latter are very powerful. Avoid getting kicked. Instead of scales, the water dragon is covered in smooth skin of navy to aqua coloration. A large, brightly colored, webbed ridge rides down its back, and smaller ones frame these dragons’ heads. Though they are webbed, the talons of this dragon sport dangerously sharp claws. The eye colors can be anything. If you meet one of these beasts, do not panic - they are only dangerous if they feel that you are a threat to their young. However, if you should anger a water dragon, watch the tail and claws carefully, as these are the primary weapons of attack. To befriend such a dragon offer it large quantities of octopus, its favorite prey.

The next dragon is the forest dragon. These elusive dragons are found anywhere from the vast, verdant rainforests of Brazil to the bamboo forests of China. With such varied habitats, the looks and tastes of these dragons differ greatly. In general, forest dragons are mint green with paler wings and underbelly. Their spines are covered in leaf-like ridges (the type of leaf depends on where the dragon is from), along with teardrop patterns on their faces that complement their golden eyes. Some forest dragons, however, change color to match their environment. They have two wings and four legs. Their thin tails are tipped with leafy webbing. The eggs of these magnificent beasts are a shiny emerald green with gold patterns on the shell. Each clutch contains but one of these magnificent eggs. If you find one of these massive, 50-foot long beasts, don’t worry, they are the most gentle of all dragons and only eat animals. The call of the forest dragon is a melodic, earthy cry that echos through their wild, pathless forest homeland.

Lastly is the fire dragon. These immense giants are the most dangerous of all dragons, due to their fiery breath. Their scales are brilliant red, glistening like a pool of water reflecting a scarlet sunset. The underbellies and wings of such dragons are pure white, while the spines on their backs are pure midnight black. Eye color varies. These beasts are anywhere from 25-45 feet long, plus a 10-20 foot tail. Despite the fiery coloration of these dragons, their eggs are silver with but a hint of red marbling on their smooth surface. A clutch can contain any number of these spheres, but six is the average number. Fire dragons will live anywhere. In general, they prefer warm places with dark caves but have also been spotted raising young in Siberia. If you meet a fire dragon, do not initiate contact without carrying very large quantities of meat, as they will consume humans. And please, whatever you do, don’t run. Ever.

There are so many types of dragons that I could not name here: earth dragons, air dragons, dark dragons, not to mention hybrids. Of course, even with that list, this document is anything but complete, mainly because new dragons are discovered every year. It does, of course, take someone very special to discover new dragon species; maybe even someone like you.