Star Crossed Dragons

Love Is In The Breath Weapon

Dragons are one of the most feared creatures within any fantasy setting. Their thick scales, razor sharp talons, brilliant minds and feared breath weapons make them one of the greatest threats to groups of adventurers and kingdoms alike. With this fearsome persona it is easy to forget that these cunning and sometimes sinister creatures are also capable of love. On especially rare occasions, these menacing creatures can forget their differences and come together with a different coloured dragon. These rare relationships can have startling results in the form of crossbred offspring. Below are the details on two of these unlikely beasts, the Tarnish Dragon and the Pale Dragon.

The Terrifying Tarnish Dragon

Sharing potent and devious intellects, green and copper dragons can occasionally find solace in each other’s company. The result of such a union is the unique and terrifying Tarnish Dragon. Large shield-like scales cover the immense form of these mottled dragons, as thick muscular legs easily carry the weight of their gigantic bodies. Thin long wings remain tucked across the great length of the beast’s spiked back, with a thick and jagged spiked tail ending in a cruel venom tipped stinger. Green and copper flecked orbs peer out over a broad snout that is filled with haphazard rows of protruding and croaked fangs.

The Tarnish Dragon is one of the most formidable beasts that an adventurer can confront. While the nearly flightless dragon is considered weak amongst it’s kin, any band of adventurers that confront the more commonly known Rust Dragon, fear it’s corrosive breath above the fire and ice of other dragons. Metal caught within the gaseous breath of the dragon begins to rust and corrode instantly, while swords and axes that connect with its thick plate-like scales also begin to quickly rust. The dragon’s scales and hide are infected with the same corrosive elements that infest it’s vile breath. The venom stored within the cruel tip of the dragon’s thick tale is potent enough to kill a human within hours and most dragons within days. The venom is a quick acting neurotoxin that breaks down the nerves of the victim, leaving them paralysed. Without immediate treatment the poison eventually begins to break down the brain killing the paralysed victim slowly. The movement of the dragon is restricted due to the large and brittle scales that cover it’s body, combined with it’s great size and weight flight is nearly impossible for the cumbersome beast. However when necessary, a Tarnish Dragon can use the long thin wings upon it’s back to glide for short distances. The mottled green dragon will uses it’s immense size and weight to crush foes, relying on it’s thick scales to protect it, while the dragon’s corrosive body and breath make any would be heroes defenceless against it’s jaws, tail, claws and venom.

Having an aversion to water and moisture of any kind, the Tarnish Dragon tends to lair within extremely arid environments, such as deserts and scarce mountain ranges. Relying on minerals and latent moisture within the rock it consumes to sustain itself. However, the dragon still covets the taste of the flesh and iron rich blood of any creature it can slay. The large array of minerals and salts within the dragon’s digestive system combines in unique stomach acids to provide the dragon with it’s caustic capabilities. Using claws that are designed primarily for tunnelling, accompanied by corrosive properties, the dragon will dig and shape vast caverns and tunnels to store large hoards of jewels and precious stones. Weapons, armour and other metallic treasures of fallen kings and heroes are obviously absent for the mountainous hoards of these cruel spirited dragons. The cavernous home of the Rust Dragons is filled with false floors and precarious walkways that are designed to give way under the weight of any intruder. Lairing far from most civilisations, these beasts have dominion over immense territories, often having several lairs that they frequent erratically. Preferring to travel mostly during the dark of night, Tarnish Dragons will ambush and viciously attack any travellers or creatures they find within their territory.

The Peculiar Pale Dragon

Dwelling within the fetid swamps of the world, black dragons rarely meet their arctic dwelling cousins the white dragons. When these rare encounters occur, the cruel and predatory black dragon will often enslave the feral and more primitive white dragon, typically using the ice wyrm as a pawn within it’s vile schemes. Every now and again the result of a black dragon’s plans is the peculiar Pale Dragon.

The sickening smell of rotting flesh and flora fills the immediate area of a Pale Dragon. Trash and half consumed carcasses stick to the adhesive scales of this disgusting creature. Sacks within the joints of the dragon’s almost transparent wings excrete large thick globs of adhesive that roll down the wings and spine of the dragon covering it completely from the base of it’s thin neck, along the bony rib cage and down to the rotted tip of it’s tail. A thin horn covered head tops the serpentine neck, as a constantly drooling snout of razor sharp serrated teeth leads to the slightly protruding and unblinking pale eyes of the dragon.

The physiology of a Pale Dragon is quite unique. The thin jaw line and serpentine neck of the dragon have made it all but impossible for it to ingest enough food to sustain itself. Instead the dragon’s digestive system is the small rubber like scales that cover the majority of it’s body. As it absorbs nutrients from the rotting food that litters it’s underbelly a thick adhesive gel is produced within a small sack that has replaced the dragon’s stomach. This gel passes through the dragon into the excretion sacks within the wing joints. As the adhesive gel is passed from the wings, it covers the Pale Dragon’s body allowing it to continually capture food. This peculiar beast keeps a store of thickened and refined gel within it’s neck to spit up upon enemies or food that is annoyingly elusive. As the thick glue like spit hits a surface it quickly hardens, encasing creatures in an airless and rock solid cocoon. The Pale Dragon then collects the morbid statue to digest it. When confronted by an adversary it perceives as dangerous a pale dragon immediately takes flight. The dragon uses it’s beating wings to send large globs of excreted adhesive to cover the area in an effort to impede the movement of enemies. The sickening creature then uses it’s breath weapon to encase as many foes as it can. After the initial assault the thin whip-like dragon will rush any remaining adversaries in an effort to wound, slash and maim with teeth and claws. If worried the wily dragon will retreat allowing the fetid and putrid bacteria that covers the rotting trash upon it’s body to infect and sicken enemies. Once ill with the dragon’s squalid disease, targets are stalked from a distance until the Pale Dragon believes the victim is weak enough to be easily consumed.

Pale Dragons prefer to lair within rainforests, swamps and other temperate areas that promote the growth of bacteria and are home to a large array of fauna and flora. The Rotting Dragon constructs large artificial burrows using the glue like gel from it’s wings to piece together rotting trees and leaves. Within these large mound-like lairs, the walls are covered with adhesive so anything foolish enough to intrude upon the dragon’s maze-like home becomes stuck until discovered by the rotting beast. Pale Dragon’s lust after silver and platinum above all other treasures. Large mounds of coins, weapon and armour of these two metals are found within the heart of the dragon’s lair, usually surrounded by a morbid ring of cocooned victims that appealed to the Rotting Dragons sick taste of décor.

They Keep Breeding

For those of you interested in more of these unusual dragons. The Pink, Cyan and Rose Gold dragons can be found HERE, and the Lavender and Platinum Dragons can be found HERE. (The links to previous articles are missing at the moment, we’re working on it, sorry! – editor)