Dragons, also called wyrms, were among the most powerful and ancient creatures in the Prime Material. They were inherently magical beings whose lineage stretched further back than nearly any other living race. Dragons existed in many forms, but all true dragons grew stronger, larger, and more formidable with age. Though scaled and winged, they were not reptiles in nature. Their bodies were warm-blooded and moved with the deliberate grace of large predatory cats, their senses sharpened by centuries of survival at the top of the food chain.
The draconic family was vast: true dragons included many broad kinds, often divided by temperament and elemental nature, while countless lesser dragons and dragon-kin filled the margins of the world. Some dragons were solitary and aloof, others meddled in the affairs of smaller peoples, and a few lived entirely beyond the mortal world in strange environments that reshaped their bodies and minds. Despite this diversity, all true dragons shared an affinity for magic and an instinctive understanding of their own growing power over time.
Dragons were apex predators and tireless survivors. They could eat almost anything, converting food into elemental energy stored within their bodies and expended through breath weapons, flight, and magical exertion. Their senses surpassed those of most creatures, granting them keen vision even in darkness, an acute sense of smell, and an uncanny awareness of nearby threats. As dragons aged, their scales hardened, their magic deepened, and their presence alone inspired fear in lesser beings.
Reproduction among dragons was slow and infrequent. Clutches were small, and practices varied widely. Some abandoned their young to fend for themselves, while others formed temporary family units until offspring reached independence. Additionally, dragons were intensely territorial and obsessively covetous, even towards their own young. Each claimed a hoard, defining wealth by personal fixation rather than mere coin; gold, gems, relics, knowledge, or stranger treasures were piled and guarded with absolute devotion. A dragon’s hoard was an extension of its identity, and any threat to it was met with ruthless force or calculated reprisal.
Though some dragons practiced restraint or diplomacy, none ever lost the instinct to claim, protect, and dominate what they believed was theirs.