Dragons are what they sound like. They’re quadrupedal, winged creatures sporting horns and scales… and they are also the most numerous race in the mainlands and perhaps the most well known race of Arcardia. They often hold positions of power in the mainlands; such as elemetal masters, researchers, generals, and leaders - besides of course the council, those spots being reserved for the Seraphs.

As a species, they’re rather good generalists and vary greatly between individuals. There is much evidence to believe that Dragons are relatives to the Chimeras due to their highly adaptive and varied nature, but the Dragons... don't much like this theory.

Dragons are a winged, quadrupedal race. They are covered in scales, and on some occasions, fur - but never feathers. Each of their paws have four fingers, a dew claw on the hindlimbs that doesn't make contact with the ground, and a thumb on the forelimbs. They do not have paw pads. Dragons also always have (often small) flexible ears, and a pair... or sometimes more, of horns. These horns are made of bone and appear smooth.

As mentioned previously however, dragons vary quite a lot. All the races of Arcardia can have greatly varying body types and snout or facial shapes, but the dragons can have particularly varying body structures. Whilst they keep their base 2 wings, 4 legs, horns, and ears, beyond that it can be kind of anything goes, and so the Dragons catagorise themselves into different types. These catagories are essentially weight classes. They aren't subspecies, so Dragons can vary along the scale greatly;

Iques dragons ▸ are the base type of dragon. They are average in terms of body type and size. They are sort of a jack of all trades, master of none.

Imperial dragons ▸ typically sport shorter legs, long bodies and necks, and a large wingspan - they are the second largest of the dragon types- though not by height. Their wing type usually supports a passive flying style with high stamina, allowing them to stay airborne for long periods of time without resting.

acer dragons ▸ are the fastest of the dragons. They are streamlined, aerodynamic and their wing type is often built for short but powerful bursts of speed. In general they are excellent active fliers, though they can’t stay airborne for long periods. Acer Dragons are typically of average size, maybe a bit smaller than Iques Dragons.

velo dragons ▸ are typically the smallest of all dragons. They are built for extremely high agility and maneuverability. Like the Acer dragons, they can’t stay airborne for a long time, but they can weave through tight and tricky areas rather well. They are also known for their ability to stay stationary while flying for a short amount of time.

tenax dragons ▸ are the biggest of all the dragons, Tenax dragons are the heavy hitters. They have the most bulk, though as a trade off for strong flight.

Some dragons may also possess a sickle claw on their foot (usually acer or velo dragons have this), and very, very, rarely, webbed hands and feet. Dragons are also omnivorous. They have sharp teeth at the front, and molars at the back. Dragons also do not posses forked tongues - their tongues are rounded at the end. A Dragons eyes appear the same in both their true form and their common form - round pupils with an average sized iris. Their sclera is always white. Their eyesight is also average, nothing to write home about.

adaptability ▸ While nothing compares to the magical abilities of the Chimeras adaptations, the dragons still have a little something that gives them an edge. Unlike a lot of other races, the Dragons can find their homes in all sorts of terrains and biomes, thanks to their adaptable physiology.

During the incubation period, much like an individual may be more likely to get an affinity based on their environment, a dragon's physiology can be greatly affected as well. A Dragon born in the cold northern mountains of Arcardia may be more likely to have fur and a thicker build; or a dragon born in the dry deserts may be more likely to sport rough scales and a better resistance to heat. However, as they are born, is as they stay.

Much of a dragons genetics is affected by their parents, but this extra ability is what makes them as diverse as they are. However despite this, most of the dragon population resides in the mainlands.

Like a lot of the races of Arcardia, Dragons are oviparous - they lay eggs. They can copulate in either forms, but can only lay eggs in their true forms. Dragons lay up to 4 or so eggs on average. Like all shapeshifting races in Arcardia, Dragons’s hatch in their true forms, hence the name. They are able to (clumsily) walk on their own after a few weeks, but it takes about four or five years before they start shapeshifting.