Fens and swamps the world over have been found to harbor these feared monsters.

Highly aquatic in nature, it is suggested that the creatures can breathe of water just as well as air, and many have been observed to remain beneath the stagnant waters for more than an hour's time. They tend to lie in wait just under such darkened bodies of water, only their eyes and nose visible as a small algae-covered mound on the otherwise still surface. Their prey consists mostly of deer, bear, forest cats, wolves, and other such large animals.

The dragon will wait until such an animal is quite close, and then will strike from the water's edge with a swift bite, attempting to hold its prey within its jaws as it drags it back into the water. Most prey drowns swiftly, and is then brought up onto land where the dragon will perform the task for which it is famous. From the depths of its belly it spews up an acidic liquid which quickly begins to disintegrate the flesh and bones of the prey. The dragon will jealously guard over this puddle of putridity until it is quite soft and rather unrecognizable, at which point it will slurp it up with apparent relish. This same acidic sputum is used as a defensive weapon, as well. Primarily utilized when the dragon is confronted with a large number of foes, the beast will raise its head above the ground and cough forth a broad spray of its powerful digestive acids, which is usually enough to send any foes fleeing in pain as the acid burns their flesh and fills the air with a sharp, acrid scent. Indeed, it is that very scent which betrays the presence of a recent kill to knowledgeable folk, and thus warns them of the proximity of the beast.

Fen dragons range in size from small, six or eight foot specimens which are presumed to be young, to the famous fen dragon near Sía which is said to be a hundred feet long or more. Most, however, range in size from twenty to thirty feet and are long and thin-bodied, weighing about as much as a horse.

Coloration ranges from dark brown to deep green ranging into black. The colors tend toward a mottled appearance, with only a few reports of distinguishable spots or patterns. Fen dragons are not considered beautiful creatures, with rough scales and a grizzled appearance. They lack the crests and horns present on other dragons, and are, of course, wingless. They possess a wyrm-shaped body. Of their habits, breeding, lifespan, and other preferences, little is known, save that they seem animalistic in nature, and have never been known to hoard treasure or display other signs of intelligence.

In temperate climes, the dragons seem to hibernate through the winter, for there has never been a sighting except in the warmer moons.

Sharp, dangerous predators, the forest dragons seem to have kindred species in both temperate and tropical climes. They are not large dragons, with adults weighing well less than a man and ranging in size from four to six feet, excluding the tail. The forest dragon is a winged creature, drafish in body, and lithe and agile with a long, thin tail and mottled, striped, or spotted markings, always in earthen tones of color.

Despite its small size, the speed, sly wit, and rough armored scales of the creatures make them a more than formidable predator, and large animals are often loathe to dispute prey with the beast.

Forest dragons are solitary hunters, and will shy away from groups. Thus they can pose a serious threat to the solitary traveler, but they will rarely approach prey if it is not alone. Secretive, shy, and well camouflaged, forest dragons are seldom seen. Nevertheless, they possess enough intelligence to be tamed when captured as winglings, making interesting, if sometimes destructive, pets.

Forest dragons mate yearly, males and females coming together only long enough to mate. No courting seems to occur, and it is not known how the creatures find each other. In temperate climes, mating is in the spring, with leathery eggs being laid in the summer within a large nest made by the mother from rushes, sticks, and leaves. A moon later or so they will hatch, and the mother, who is alone by now, will nurse the babies through the winter while they grow large enough to fend for themselves. Although less active in the winter, the dragons can be seen hunting on warmer days.

These small creatures are famous from being portrayed in pictures of mages, acting as familiars. They usually weigh less than three stone, and range in size from the size of a jay to the size of a cat. They often have small horns which are used for combat and crests which are raised as a defensive display.

Fae dragons are supposed to originate upon the elemental realm, and are thus steeped in mystery and superstition. There remains no doubt that the creatures are intelligent, and most are possessed of speech in the Old Tongue or sometimes the tongue of the land. Much magic and glamour is associated with them as well, with reports ranging from sudden appearances and disappearances, to assuming the shape of a human or fae creature. Those who have studied them verify some claims and refute others, but there is little doubt that the dragons are capable of moving back and forth from the fae realm to ours, and from utilizing at least an unrefined version of the glamour attributed to other fae.

In appearance they range over such a broad spectrum that any explanation might very well prove misleading, but they tend toward smallness and lightness of body, with a drake body type and large, spreading wings. Their coloration ranges from bright and colorful to earthy to drab greys and tans. And one of the most beautiful colors of all is the very rare white phase. In general, there seems to be little pattern as to coloration and nature. This is not the case, however, with mottled fae dragons, an earthy colored variety that displays an intricate network of mottling. Most dragons of this coloration are known for an aggravated, vicious temperament and a virulent, venomous bite.

The largest and most terrible of dragons, these are the creatures that are found in ancient tales of valiant warriors and untold destruction.

The wyrm-shaped body, which usually signifies a lighter, smaller dragon, here is found in a form to dwarf all other creatures of Carador. These immense dragons have been reported to exceed eighty paces from head to tip of tail. The tail takes up half this length, but the body tends toward being heavily built. Full-grown specimens are responsible for some of the most devastating tragedies in history, as can be seen in this quote from "Wyrms of Legend".

" . . . it descended from the sky with the sound of a great wind, casting a shadow from its wings which turned the dusk to midnight. The warriors fled like children as it came upon the city, its mouth agape with teeth as long as a man's arm. It landed and the ground shook with its impact, windows shattering in their casings as far down as the temple gates. The beast lay about with a muscled tail which cut through log buildings as if they were paper, and claws which leveled such buildings in a single blow. Now it was that the men attacked with arrows tipped in finest steel, but no arrow could pierce the creature's carapace."

With scales that have been measured a hand's breadth thick, strength to pick up a trading ship, a tail that seems to have a life of its own, and wings which can generate enough wind to blow over all but stone-built buildings, the creature would be enough of a terror if such attributes were not coupled with an almost human intelligence, a near invulnerability to magic, and its most dreaded ability, a penchant for spewing forth great gouts of flame.

The mechanism by which this is accomplished is unknown, though many posit magic as the cause. Whatever the case, the fire is like none known to man, for it comes forth in a thick jet of flame that burns with a heat that melts stone and metal nearly upon contact. Humans caught in the direct blast are often completely incinerated, though the fire quickly cools to normal temperatures as it begins to burn naturally. Even erthynsilver is not immune to the effects of the dragon's flame, though it does not immediately melt as do other materials. Still, it is brought to temperatures at which it becomes malleable.

Fortunately, these creatures are rare, and even when present, are often open to discourse that does not involve violence. For although they are potent, they have a remembrance of history, and know well enough that destruction brings the wrath of humans upon them. And history is full of instances in which mage or knight succeeded against all odds in slaying the beasts. Instead, they will oft bargain for their desires, which include copious amounts of treasure, of which the beasts are overly fond. As well, they often bargain for young men or women, as well as sheep, of which they are fond of eating. The bargain, of course, usually consists of deliveries made to the dragon in exchange for a promise of no attacks. These bargains may last for many centuries, and seem to take place during a state of dormancy in which the dragon sleeps for a year and awakens only for a short while during which time it will collect its "payment".

Any attack upon the beasts must be made during this time if one wishes any hope of success. Though the dragon sleeps, its senses remain sharp, and it awakens easily. Still, at such times it is lethargic and slower to act than during its active state, so the best chance lies here.

As to their breeding, little is known, but it has been observed that young Mountain Dragons are greyish in coloration, with a mottled appearance. This is likely a camouflage, for as the centuries pass, hues emerge from under the grey. Bright reds, oranges, and yellows begin to glow forth in vibrant brilliance, and fully-grown specimens are said to be beautiful beyond compare. Large horns and crests are sometimes present, and the crests are oft raised in times of excitement, making for a beautiful or terrifying sight, depending on one's perspective.

In temperament, Mountain Dragons are known to be intelligent, quick to anger, and perhaps a bit high on their horses. But when you weigh as much as a merchant ship and can toss horses around like playthings, perhaps that's your right.

Known only in Moraithe, these strange dragons are colored a brilliant green or blue, often with stripes. They are quite rare, and luckily are not overly brave when faced with humans. Their scales are fine and provide little in the way of armor, and the dragons seem to have an ill liking for pain. Thus, when one of them wanders in from the jungle and begins to take prey of some of Moraithe's scant livestock, riders are dispatched to launch arrows from afar. A few well-placed strikes and the creature usually flees.

Still, the dragon is large, weighing as much as a war-horse when fully grown and reaching ten paces or more from the head to the tip of the tail on its drake-shaped body. They seem possessed of only a limited intelligence, and are not known to speak.

The most curious and interesting ability of the Jungle Drake, as it is oft known, is a strange propensity for generating shock, much like an eel from the sea. This seems to surround the beast like an aura, and any who touch the flesh are struck with a shock strong enough to render a man unconscious. As well, the dragon can seem to heighten the aura, so that those nearby will feel a tingling in the very air about them. A moment later a bright flash will sheet out from the dragon, sparking like lightning out from the dragon's body to strike all those within ten paces or so. This shock seems to have strength based not only on the size of the creature, but upon the number of opponents surrounding the dragon. A large number of opponents seem to disperse the energy and create only a moderately severe strike, while a lesser number will find the shock enough to start clothes or wood on fire, and kill most men. The dragon is possessed of a wide crest which fans out as a warning before most attacks which are of a defensive nature.

These creatures are rarely seen, and are more common near the isles of Jedda. With long, finned tails and sinuous, wyrm-like bodies, these creatures slip easily through the depths and surface only rarely to speak to humans. For speak they do, with an uncanny intelligence. They are of a truly benign nature, for all the stories of them relate to rescues at sea, or answers to prayers made upon the shore. It is then that they emerge from the waters, glistening and brightly colored in iridescent patterns, and speak their ancient wisdom, or grant boons of magic. More about them is not known, for a dead one has never been found, and a live one never captured.

Although not the largest of dragons, these drake-bodied dragons are said to be closest to the Great Wyrms. At perhaps twenty and five paces, with a single tall crest and shimmering silver scales, the Silver Wyrm makes an impressive sight. They are legendary to the extreme, said to dwell in the highest of mountaintops where clouds always touch. They have a keen interest in the affairs of humans, and with an ability to shift to human shape, they walk among us unseen.

Only the largest of Mountain Dragons could dispute a Silver Wyrm for the title of Lord, for though much smaller, the Silver Wyrm has almost impregnable armor, uncanny agility and speed, a potent resistance to magic, and a strange and powerful breath weapon. For from the lungs of the Silver Wyrm can emerge a shimmering curtain of pure, essential Caradorian magic. The very stuff of creation.

The impact of so much magic upon a creature overwhelms the very reality of its being, and the end result is that creatures so struck fall into a cataleptic state from which they will awaken, unharmed, days later.

The potency of this burst of magic is immense, but harmless. It has been seen to work just as effectively on a Mountain Dragon as it does upon a chickadee, and the consensus is that size or personal power has little to do with resistance.

Drake-bodied and small, Frost Dragons approximate the size of a Jungle Dragon. They have been sighted numerous times on Inidor, and nowhere else.

White to dull, speckled grey in color, the frost dragon is a sharp, wicked looking thing that seems to have a different concept of cold than other creatures. The body of a slain dragon was said, by those who had killed it (using ballistae from their ship), to be so cold to the touch that it nearly ice-burned the hand through thick fur gloves. Hunting, the dragon has been seen to gust forth a sharp exhalation of air so cold that it instantly freezes the flesh of its prey. The explorer Kelavaan, one of the few people to spend any time on the ice-swept expanses of Inidor, relates this tale--

" . . . the beast lunged from behind a pinnacle of ice, surprising the large, white cat that was sniffing over the ground in search of food. The cat, easily the size of a small horse, bolted immediately, but not quickly enough to escape a sparkling white sheet of frozen air that the dragon spewed from its open mouth. The cat was caught in the hindquarters, and it skidded to the side, its back right leg withered and grey, as if transformed to stone. The dragon spread its wings and flapped twice to get itself above the cat, which still hissed and raked out with razored claws. Another spewing of frost -- I could hear it hiss through the air -- and the cat was fully covered, its fur plastered to its body and its claws gone grey. The dragon fell to eating at once, breaking open the frozen outer shell of the quivering, half-dead cat. Ripping free a large section, I saw steam arise from the still-warm heart of the prey -- the dragon set its hunk of flesh aside and breathed lightly upon the interior of the corpse. I wager then that the huge cat was frozen through."

Little else is known of the frost dragon, for they are difficult and dangerous to observe, and seem quite rare even upon Inidor.

These, then, are the most documented dragons. Many others have been sighted in various locales -- many did not resemble the documented types in the least. Whether they represent different breeds of common types, or entirely new types altogether is, at this time, unknown. The best we can do is observe from afar, appreciate the beauty and majesty of such incredible beasts, and hope that they stay relatively disinterested in us.

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