Any of several families of species of usually large, reptilian magical creatures. Most, but not all, dragon species are able to fly in their adult form, and often have dangerous area of effect attacks such as breathing fire or substances on opponents.
Many dragon species are highly intelligent. They are variably disposed toward ponies, regarding them as pets, food items, friends, parasites, or potential looters. (Frequently, a combination thereof.)
Dragons are sometimes taken as eggs and raised by ponies. While the process fairly reliably assures one of a dragon who is favorably disposed to ponies, it cannot be recommended as opportunities to secure fertile dragon eggs without incurring the well-justified anger of an adult dragon are uncommon.
Large dragons are rare on Equus, but their often-destructive activities are rarely challenged as once they were under the Canterlot government during the Golden Age. Use extreme caution in dealing with any dragon larger than your head.
Dragons have their own magical abilities distinct from those of unicorns. Most draconic magic either involves the use and creation of magical artifacts, or the breath-weapon of the practitioner.
It is said that from the Solar Age up until well into the Golden Age, well-to-do ponies sometimes kept dwarf varities of dragons as scribes and secretaries termed "personal digital assistants," so-called for their dexterous appendages. Some of these creatures were even able to send and receive message scrolls via magic. The most common species for this purpose was Draco perfacilis.
Biology
Dragons on Equus were originally of two distinct varieties, carnivorous Cambial dragons (Cambiodraconis spp) and Crustallivorous (Draco spp) dragons. The Cambial dragons were extinct on Equus by the Golden Age.
Crustallivorous dragons are named for their dietary requirement for crystalline minerals. (About 1g of gems per kg of dragon per day. Common crystalline minerals, but not the Crystal Forest, will sustain a dragon but are not preferred.) They also eat more conventional food, and may be more herbivorous or more omnivorous, depending on the individual. They reproduce sexually but are hatched from a hard-shelled egg. Adult dragons are mainly solitary, but come together for social and ceremonial occasions regularly.
Draco perfacilis is a fire-breathing variety of crustallivorous dragon with a wide variety of scale colors. Individuals incubate in the egg for about a year. Childhood lasts about twenty years and by the end of adolescence the dragon will stand about 1.5 meters high. As with other dragons, it continues to grow for many years after reaching reproductive and psychological maturity, reaching its maximum height of about five meters by the end of its second century of life. The lifespan is about a thousand years, although many perish from misadventure rather than old age.
Geography
There are few Dragons living on the Isle of Yore, the huge upland plateau that was once an island, before the fall of the oceans after the Catastrophe over a thousand years ago. There are more dragons on the mainland of Ponyland.
See also DragonHub for information for Dragon player characters.