Quod Draco Encyclopedia

Primary Earth Dragons

The earth dragons are solid, stable, and reliable. They are the largest of the Primal Races, and also have a surprising variation in appearance and color. Most can be found underground, high in the mountains and even in deserts. Wherever one can tread on earth, you can find an earth dragon there. They are constant and unchanging, which has both its advantages and disadvantages. Generally they only eat rocks, but may also dine on a few subterranean animals for a boost in protein. Crystals and gems are their favorite though, and eating them can cause an earth dragon to develop nigh impenetrable scales. They are a peaceful species and only attack when threatened.

Rock Dragons: Rock dragons can vary in size from the size of a small pebble to as large as a boulder. They all are compact with short, stubby tails and legs. Some grow horns and spikes, while others gain bony ridges, and a few are completely smooth. They are one of the most friendly of all dragons species, and the most loyal. Their coloration ranges from browns and grays to entirely black, white, even a dusty red. Rock dragons have a remarkable ability to literally turn to stone. Smaller ones can look just like pebbles, while the larger ones may appears as rocks and boulders found naturally in their environment. Another unique trait is that they have no wings. to compensate for that, however, they can move through the earth like water, diving in and out of the ground like dolphins. Rock dragons are easily tamed, but difficult to train, as they are stuck fast in their ways and won't easily change. If you do plan to train a rock dragon, do so from birth. Then it will be part of their foundation, and be a part of them for the rest of their long lives. Rock dragons can actually live for thousands of years. Because of this, however, they rarely breed, which led to the theory that some of the larger, older ones are really the original Earth dragons themselves!

Sand Dragons: The sand dragons are the dragon equivalent of an oxymoron. They are earth dragons, but in appearance and behavior they defy the traditional definition of earth dragons. At birth, all sand dragons are very tiny, about two inches long. However, they grow rapidly, and some can reach epic proportions and become leviathans of the earth. They live in deserts all over the globe, especially those with lots and lots of sand. Sand dragons' appearance is as ever-changing as the sands themselves. They can never seem to decide on a shape to take. However, whatever form they may choose, all have brilliant yellow scales. They eat cactus fruit and small insects when young, and move on to larger prey as they grow up. At maturity, however, sand dragons rarely ever need to eat. But when they do, they have voracious appetites. Like their appearance, their appetites change as well, and at maturity they are content to eat sand grains. Entire dunes have been known to disappear on windless days. When angered, sand dragons reportedly have the power to invoke sand storms, some as large as small countries. Sand dragons, thankfully, rarely ever anger. They're mellow and calm, as well as easily tamed and trained. Like water dragons, they are quick to learn and develop new skills. If raised among humans, they can learn to mimic and understand human speech. Sand dragons are a favorite pet and mode of transportation among nomads and travelers of the deserts. After all, they're quick and don't even need water!

Crystal Dragons: Crystal dragons are the rarest of all earth dragons. They only come into being when a rock dragon has eaten enough crystals and gems. Their entire physiology changes and they become made of living crystal or gem. Some are made of emerald, or ruby, whilst others are of quartz and even diamond. Their scales are nigh impenetrable and wickedly sharp. Blade made from crystal dragon fragments are rumored to be able to slice through just about anything. The rumors are strongly supported by how crystal dragons move around. They seem to cut through solid rock and earth like butter and leave large tunnels. Compared to other species of earth dragons, crystal dragons are small to medium sized. They don't seem to have any features like eyes and noses, but they do have a mouth, which they use to eat their main food, crystals and gems. They are highly valuable, because wherever they tread, priceless gems are said to form. Due to this, and the fact that all crystal dragons are sterile, they have become exceedingly rare. All are found out in the wild; their secretive and shy nature makes it near impossible to even approach, let alone tame and train a crystal dragon. However, there is an old wives tale that says that crystal dragons will approach a blind person. This is because they cannot see and thus do not truly know their value. With this in mind, a blind person will not hunt or try to kill one of their kind.