Dragon

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A High Elf hero mounted upon a powerful dragon.

Dragons are massive winged reptiles, which are extremely powerful and intelligent creatures. Dragons have existed in the Warhammer World since long before the Old Ones arrived.[22]

They are also known as Drakes, Wyrms and Serpents. [22]

Overview

Dragons are greatly feared on the battlefield. Even the least powerful dragons are quite capable of crushing entire armies, and of setting fleets and cites aflame. In the past, the Dragon Princes of Caledor each rode a dragon into battle, making them an extremely formiddable force. However due to the fading and slumber of the dragons, those days are long past. The Dragon Princes now ride sturdy Elven warhorses. However some worthy champions are still able to ride a dragon into war. These include High Elf Princes, Dark Elf Nobles, Dragon Mages, Chaos Lords and the Glade Lords of the Wood Elves. Indeed it seems the Elves have a great affinity for the race of Dragons, in contrast to the Dwarfs who are instead famous for despising and slaying the creatures who they call Drakk.

In addition the Blood Dragon Vampires hunt Dragons, desperately seeking an end to their curse by drinking dragon blood.

Behaviour

Dragons occasionally engaged in cannibalism. The dragon Maedrethnir ate dragon flesh at least twice in his life.[8].

History

The Dragons are ancient creatures whose ancestors forebears lived many thousands of years before the first Elves came to the Old World.[19a][22]

Father of Dragons

There are two, perhaps three figures referred to as the "Father of Dragons". The first is Kalgalanos the Black, who is supposedly the ancestor of the entire dragon race.[19a] [22]Dwarf legends tell how Kalgalanos the Black was an enemy of the Dwarfs, and was slain by Grimnir, one of their Ancestor Gods, in the ancient past.

Another figure referred to in a similar manner is Urmskaladrak, who may in fact be the same as Kalgalanos. The second "Father of Dragons" is Draugnir. Legend holds that Draugnir used his fires to heat the forge of the Elven smith-God Vaul as he forged the Widowmaker, the Sword of Khaine. However the thirsting weapon took more from Draugnir than he gave, and the fate of Draugnir's line was forever tied to that of the Elves. Draugnir should not be confused with Indraugnir, who was the dragon companion of Aenarion. As dragons have been in the world since long before the Old Ones, it seems unlikely that either of these is the true original founder of the race.

At the height of Nehekhara's power, rival kings clashed with each other and the Dragons that stalked its eastern mountains - some of the mighty beasts were slain, but others were bound to the will of the monarchs. [21]

At the dawn of time, dying dragons would fly to the Plain of Bones to die.[1] This created a huge cemetery filled with skeletons of enormous proportions. When Nagash, the Great Necromancer, first cast the Ritual of Awakening, some of the skeletons were re-animated as undead Zombie Dragons, and the disgusted dragons no longer go there.[18a][20a]

Dragons dwindled in numbers as the ages passed, and are a fading presence in the Old World. Only a small number still survive there in hidden lairs, primarily in the World's Edge Mountains, and only two or three of these are awake at any given time. Only a few hatchling dragons have been born in the last thousand years.[20a][20b]

It is said that some of the more powerful Dwarf runes required dragonfire to set them into the Gromril and some had even been friends and allies to the Dwarfs in ancient times and exchanged this aid for treasure. However, the Dragons have since betrayed the Dwarfs too many times, and they will no longer trust the Drakk. [20a]

Physical description

Age

In Ulthuan Dragons are further sorted by their age. Growing larger and larger throughout their life they keep on gaining in resistance and strength. The lifespan of dragons is unclear, but they live to be extremely old.[7a][22]

  • Sun Dragons are young and eager dragons.[7a].
  • Moon Dragons are older and more experienced dragons, who lived before Aenarion's reign.[7a]
  • Star Dragons are the oldest and most powerful dragons of all, mighty enough to best a Greater Daemon of Chaos.[7a]

Former editions used "Dragon", "Great Dragon", and "Emperor Dragon" instead of Sun, Moon, and Star Dragon.

Colour and breeds

There are several breeds of dragons, clearly shown by the colour of their scales (i.e.: skin). Each breed has its own kind of breath and help forge their nature. [19a]

  • The two-headed Chaos Dragons are the mutant descendants of Galrauch[6] .

Sleep

In the distant past, dragons were commonly seen Ulthuan. Today, most dragons spend most of their lives asleep. This is a trait they share with the Dragon Ogres. As time has moved forward, dragons have slept for longer periods, and have proven more and more difficult to rouse.

Some sources say that the dragons' sleepiness began around IC -993 during the reign of Tethlis[9]. Other sources that that most dragons were asleep already in the late years of the reign of Bel-Shanaar (around IC -2750)[10]. There is some speculation that the dragons' sleep may be due to the ending of the ice age and change in climate caused by the Old Ones. Some sources suggest that the dragons willingly choose to sleep because they are losing interest in the lives of elves.[10]

Words of taming

When necessary, the elven dragon princes are able to compel the dragons to obedience using words of taming, special arcane words of power discovered by Caledor Dragontamer.[11]

Notable Dragons

Main Article: List of Dragons

Quotes

They have no masters, no obligations, no code of laws. They do what they do, and that is all that can be said of them. These things: blame, regret, servitude - they have no meaning for a dragon. Risk. Splendour. Extravagance. If you had lived for a thousand ages of the world, that is all you would care about, too.

~ Imladrik, Master of Dragons to Liandra on the nature of dragons.[16]

Gallery

Miniatures

Sources

Creatures
Creatures Abyssal Terror - Amphisbaena - Amaxon Swamp Python - Amoeba - Arachnarok Spider - Arcanadon - Basilisk - Bastiladon - Bat Swarm - Bear - Behemoth - Black Leviathan - Bloodwasp - Boar - Boar Centaur - Bog Octopus - Brood Horror - Carmine Dragon - Carnosaur - Carrion - Celestial Lion - Chameleoleech - Chasm Leech - Chasm Spawn - Chaos Steed - Chimera - Coatl - Cockatrice - Cold One - Colossal Squig - Culchan - Daggerfish - Dark Pegasus - Dark Steed - Demigryph - Dog - Doppelganger - Dracoleech - Dragon - Dragon Turtle - Dread Abyssal - Dread Maw - Dread Saurian - Elven Steed - Familiar - Fell Bat - Fen Worm - Fox - Frog - Frost Wyrm - Giant Bat - Giant Beetle - Giant Frog - Giant Owl - Giant Rat - Giant Scorpion - Giant Spider - Gigantic Spider - Gorger - Great Cave Squig - Great Eagle - Great Moon Bird - Great Pox Rat - Great Sabre-toothed Snow Leopard - Great Stag - Great Taurus - Great Wolf - Griffon - Gymmcrab - Helldrake - Hellsteed - Heomreth - Hippogriff - Hippogryph - Hixa - Horse - Hydra - Incarnate Elemental of Beasts - Incarnate Elemental of Death - Incarnate Elemental of Fire - Itxi Grub - Jabberslythe - Jabberwock - Jaguar - Jungle Swarm - Kharibdyss - Ki-rin - Kraken - Lammasu - Lashworm - Latch-Eel - Leviathan - Lion - Lurkerfish - Magma Dragon - Mammoth - Mangler Squig - Manticore - Megaladon - Monstrous Leech - Mourngul - Nightmare - Nightraven - Orb Leviathan - Otter - Pangolin - Pegasus - Phoenix - Pliodon - Preyton - Promethean - Rabbit - Rat Ogre - Raven - Razorbill - Razordon - Razorgor - Reik Eel - Rhinoxen - Ripperdactyl - Roc - Sabre-Toothed Tiger - Sabretusk - Salamander - Sand Clam - Scalemane Reptilion - Sea Dragon - Sea Elemental - Shard Dragon - Siren - Skeletal Steed - Slaughterbrute - Sphinx - Squig - Stegadon - Stirpike - Stoat - Stonehorn - Sunworm - Terradon - Terrorgheist - Theralind's Brood - Thunder Lizard - Tiguana - Toad Dragon - Thundertusk - Tregara - Troglodon - Unicorn - Varghulf - Warhawk - War Hydra - Warp Bat - Warpfire Dragon - Wild Cat - Wolf - Wolf-Rat - Wyvern
Notable Creatures Akholrak - Amanar - Angranir - Araugnir - Argaer - Ashtari - Balorith - Baudros - Big Red 'Un - Blackfang - Boneripper - Bracchus - Bruwor - Bubebolos - Caledair - Ceithin-Har - Cinderbreath - Crimson Scourge - Deathclaw - Deathfang - Draukhain - Drogo Le Mal - Frigustrex - Galrauch - Gargantuan - Ghoritch - Gobbla - Gordinar - Graug - Gribbleback - Grymloq - Hagdar - Indraugnir - Ithragar - Kalandrithir - Kalgalanos the Black - Lamoureux - Maedrethnir - Malgrimace - Mauldekorr - Mergaste - Minaithnir - Mordrak - Mournfang - Oblast Beast - Oriel - Seraphon - Silak - Silverhorn - Silver Wind - Skaladrak Incarnadine - Skoll - Spite - Stormwing - Theralind - Warghan - Wulfag - Xltzhpctli - Ymwrath - Vranesh - Zlaaq - Zwup
Images - Miniatures -