From the article archive
Walking With Dragons (Part Five)
Interlude Ten
The city is busy, aswarm with people going about their business. He watches from his vantage point high up in the clouds. He has business down below, but doing it as a dragon would not be wise. Masked in shadow the silver dragon lands by a highway leading into town. There he transforms.
Hitching a ride into town takes but a minute. Most non-elves seem eager for a chance to talk with one, even if it be a dragon in disguise. He'll get to his appointment, and have some time before then to check out a new coffee house he'd heard about.
Birth
Dragons can be said to fall into three groups.
There are the egg layers, those who produce fully formed eggs. Among these are the white and green dragons. Among the egg layers a fully formed egg is laid after some time in the female's body. Shortly thereafter the young dragon hatches out.
Second are the provisional egg layers. Here the egg consists of a clear membrane and some yolk. Examples of this type include brass and bronze dragons. With this type the embyro is kept within the female's body until it is just about to hatch, or does hatch. The usual period being two or three years On occasion the embyro's circulatory system will "hook up" with the female's. While not confirmed, it is possible such an arrangement allows for the transference of nutrients and waste products between mother and child.
The last are the live bearers. Prime examples of this type are the gold and red dragons. Here the egg has become an amniotic sack, there is no yolk, and there is a true placenta. In this group the young are born after a gestation period of around three years.
Regardless of how the young dragon comes into the world he is often a weak, helpless thing. Clumsy in movement and unable to fly. Still, he is a dangerous beast, equipped with sharp claws and teeth, and most often possessing a breath weapon that can do great harm to the unwary. It has been suggested that most of the secret dragon magic was developed to help mothers rear their young without suffering debilitating injury.
Raising Junior
During his early days the baby dragon is kept in a nest or creche. There he spends his days eating, sleeping, and interacting with his mates. Most dragons have between 2 and 12 young, depending on how the young come into the world, and on age. A young adult silver dragon will have two infants in her time around, while an old white dragon can have as many as twelve in a clutch.
How the young are treated by their mother depends on the species. White dragons encourage competition among their young, sometimes deadly competition. Red dragons on the other hand, actively discourage this, prefering to present challenges to their young as the wrymlings grow and mature. All dragons will kill a child who is defective in some way, mentally or physically.
When able to get around with some facility the young dragon is allowed out of the nest to explore. At first this exploration is confined to the mother's lair. At this time most of the lair traps will be disarmed, to lessen the threat to the young. The increased safety to adventuring parties is counterbalanced by the fact there is now one or more baby dragons wandering about, and baby dragons do tend to act more instinctively to threats then adults do.
Interlude Eleven
She had always been the curious one. Even while still within her mother she would poke and prod. Never gave mom any rest. Now she sat perched on the rim of the nest, her back to her clutch mates sleeping after a game of rough and tumble. Far below she sees the lair floor, and far away on that floor she see a pile of shiny things.
Virtually hypnotized by the sight she tries to climb down the nest wall, only to tumble and land in a sprawl at its foot. But she is out. Getting to her feet she toddles in the direction of her mother's treasure, mewling with excitement.
Until, that is, gentle jaws pick her off the floor. Mother takes her errant child and places the tot back in the nest. Spotting where and how the infant escaped takes but a moment. Repairing the damage and making it yet harder to escape the nest takes even longer.
With a sigh the adult blue settles down next to the nest. The little lady isn't even four feet long yet, and already she's looking for adventure. Soon her two brothers will be joining her. It's time to hire a nanny.
Out of the Nest
The days of a very young dragon is filled with exploration, seeking out the hidden places in the lair, and giving mom heart palpitations. Some have asked why dragons sleep nearly all the time. Mother dragons have been said to reply, after raising a clutch of kids we need it.
A toddler's skill at getting into things is legendary, and dragon toddlers are no different. If there's any way to get into a place, the baby dragon will get into it.
With the exception of a few whites this is when the young dragon learns to speak. This is when a mother dragon's patience is tested nearly to the breaking point. Sometimes beyond. Baby dragons have to know everything>/i>. Between squabbles, tantrums, exploration, illness, and the incessent questions the typical mother dragon is often stretched so thin she feels as if she's about to float away on the wind.
This is the absolutely worst time to go looking for a dragon's treasure, when she has toddlers in her lair. Perhaps the best thing that can happen to a party is to die a messy death, the worst is having to listen as mom relates her tales of woe. Except for those times when mom captures a party and drafts them into babysitting while she goes off for a week or two of well earned rest.
Interlude Twelve
All five were nestled about her, fast asleep. The lair was a mess. Treasure everywhere, bones too. The servants walked on tip-toes, cautious lest they wake the babies. Even the ogre.
Her pet gnome returned from his visit to his wife and family about this time. Seeing how things lay he walked softly, as only gnomes can, up to his mistress.
"We have a saying amoung my people." he told her, "'If only they weren't so cute.'"
"We have a saying." The green replied, "'If only I wasn't so worn out.'"
Childhood
One would think life would become easier once a dragon enters the young and juvenile years. No such luck. The basic difference between a young and a very young dragon is, the young dragon is larger, smarter, and able to get into more. It is around this time they start learning how to fly. Mostly gliding at first, with powered flight coming later.
This is the time when dragons first go outside. Most mother dragons say it's to introduce their children to the wonders of the outdoors, but will privately admit it's to keep the kids from wrecking the lair with their crashing.
This is also the time when most young dragon fatalities occur. The children are more sure in their movements, and their "arms" are deadly than at any time before. More often than not it's something in the local environment that kills the dragon, but sometimes the deed is done by a sibling. Among whites an especially vicious child will become the sole survivor of the clutch. Among the other species an especially vicious child will be slain by the mother before he can kill his brothers and sisters.
Oh My Raging Hormones
The deadliest time for the males is puberty. Immature male dragons fight constantly as it is, but when the testosterone hits is when the squabbles become fatal. How the mother handles this depends on the species, but even gold dragon mothers have been driven to homicide on occasion. On edge, often feeling murderous, and often as not looking for new help thanks to fatalities and resignations, a mother dragon often drives her male offspring from the lair while the child is still rather young.
Female children get to stay in the lair longer, but eventually they too are sent forth to make their way in the world.
The lair empty, often trashed, and new servants to train, this is when many a female dragon has wondered if it could ever be as hard for hominid mothers, and then laughed a laugh just on the border of insanity.
Closing Notes
Spoke too soon I did, but this shouldn't go much beyond six parts. Seven or Eight I'm thinking. But it will get done before Christmas. With tomorrow's submission we'll deal with establishing a lair, gathering a treasure, and a short (and very incomplete) look at dragon magic. Till then.
Alan Kellogg
The city is busy, aswarm with people going about their business. He watches from his vantage point high up in the clouds. He has business down below, but doing it as a dragon would not be wise. Masked in shadow the silver dragon lands by a highway leading into town. There he transforms.
Hitching a ride into town takes but a minute. Most non-elves seem eager for a chance to talk with one, even if it be a dragon in disguise. He'll get to his appointment, and have some time before then to check out a new coffee house he'd heard about.
Birth
Dragons can be said to fall into three groups.
There are the egg layers, those who produce fully formed eggs. Among these are the white and green dragons. Among the egg layers a fully formed egg is laid after some time in the female's body. Shortly thereafter the young dragon hatches out.
Second are the provisional egg layers. Here the egg consists of a clear membrane and some yolk. Examples of this type include brass and bronze dragons. With this type the embyro is kept within the female's body until it is just about to hatch, or does hatch. The usual period being two or three years On occasion the embyro's circulatory system will "hook up" with the female's. While not confirmed, it is possible such an arrangement allows for the transference of nutrients and waste products between mother and child.
The last are the live bearers. Prime examples of this type are the gold and red dragons. Here the egg has become an amniotic sack, there is no yolk, and there is a true placenta. In this group the young are born after a gestation period of around three years.
Regardless of how the young dragon comes into the world he is often a weak, helpless thing. Clumsy in movement and unable to fly. Still, he is a dangerous beast, equipped with sharp claws and teeth, and most often possessing a breath weapon that can do great harm to the unwary. It has been suggested that most of the secret dragon magic was developed to help mothers rear their young without suffering debilitating injury.
Raising Junior
During his early days the baby dragon is kept in a nest or creche. There he spends his days eating, sleeping, and interacting with his mates. Most dragons have between 2 and 12 young, depending on how the young come into the world, and on age. A young adult silver dragon will have two infants in her time around, while an old white dragon can have as many as twelve in a clutch.
How the young are treated by their mother depends on the species. White dragons encourage competition among their young, sometimes deadly competition. Red dragons on the other hand, actively discourage this, prefering to present challenges to their young as the wrymlings grow and mature. All dragons will kill a child who is defective in some way, mentally or physically.
When able to get around with some facility the young dragon is allowed out of the nest to explore. At first this exploration is confined to the mother's lair. At this time most of the lair traps will be disarmed, to lessen the threat to the young. The increased safety to adventuring parties is counterbalanced by the fact there is now one or more baby dragons wandering about, and baby dragons do tend to act more instinctively to threats then adults do.
Interlude Eleven
She had always been the curious one. Even while still within her mother she would poke and prod. Never gave mom any rest. Now she sat perched on the rim of the nest, her back to her clutch mates sleeping after a game of rough and tumble. Far below she sees the lair floor, and far away on that floor she see a pile of shiny things.
Virtually hypnotized by the sight she tries to climb down the nest wall, only to tumble and land in a sprawl at its foot. But she is out. Getting to her feet she toddles in the direction of her mother's treasure, mewling with excitement.
Until, that is, gentle jaws pick her off the floor. Mother takes her errant child and places the tot back in the nest. Spotting where and how the infant escaped takes but a moment. Repairing the damage and making it yet harder to escape the nest takes even longer.
With a sigh the adult blue settles down next to the nest. The little lady isn't even four feet long yet, and already she's looking for adventure. Soon her two brothers will be joining her. It's time to hire a nanny.
Out of the Nest
The days of a very young dragon is filled with exploration, seeking out the hidden places in the lair, and giving mom heart palpitations. Some have asked why dragons sleep nearly all the time. Mother dragons have been said to reply, after raising a clutch of kids we need it.
A toddler's skill at getting into things is legendary, and dragon toddlers are no different. If there's any way to get into a place, the baby dragon will get into it.
With the exception of a few whites this is when the young dragon learns to speak. This is when a mother dragon's patience is tested nearly to the breaking point. Sometimes beyond. Baby dragons have to know everything>/i>. Between squabbles, tantrums, exploration, illness, and the incessent questions the typical mother dragon is often stretched so thin she feels as if she's about to float away on the wind.
This is the absolutely worst time to go looking for a dragon's treasure, when she has toddlers in her lair. Perhaps the best thing that can happen to a party is to die a messy death, the worst is having to listen as mom relates her tales of woe. Except for those times when mom captures a party and drafts them into babysitting while she goes off for a week or two of well earned rest.
Interlude Twelve
All five were nestled about her, fast asleep. The lair was a mess. Treasure everywhere, bones too. The servants walked on tip-toes, cautious lest they wake the babies. Even the ogre.
Her pet gnome returned from his visit to his wife and family about this time. Seeing how things lay he walked softly, as only gnomes can, up to his mistress.
"We have a saying amoung my people." he told her, "'If only they weren't so cute.'"
"We have a saying." The green replied, "'If only I wasn't so worn out.'"
Childhood
One would think life would become easier once a dragon enters the young and juvenile years. No such luck. The basic difference between a young and a very young dragon is, the young dragon is larger, smarter, and able to get into more. It is around this time they start learning how to fly. Mostly gliding at first, with powered flight coming later.
This is the time when dragons first go outside. Most mother dragons say it's to introduce their children to the wonders of the outdoors, but will privately admit it's to keep the kids from wrecking the lair with their crashing.
This is also the time when most young dragon fatalities occur. The children are more sure in their movements, and their "arms" are deadly than at any time before. More often than not it's something in the local environment that kills the dragon, but sometimes the deed is done by a sibling. Among whites an especially vicious child will become the sole survivor of the clutch. Among the other species an especially vicious child will be slain by the mother before he can kill his brothers and sisters.
Oh My Raging Hormones
The deadliest time for the males is puberty. Immature male dragons fight constantly as it is, but when the testosterone hits is when the squabbles become fatal. How the mother handles this depends on the species, but even gold dragon mothers have been driven to homicide on occasion. On edge, often feeling murderous, and often as not looking for new help thanks to fatalities and resignations, a mother dragon often drives her male offspring from the lair while the child is still rather young.
Female children get to stay in the lair longer, but eventually they too are sent forth to make their way in the world.
The lair empty, often trashed, and new servants to train, this is when many a female dragon has wondered if it could ever be as hard for hominid mothers, and then laughed a laugh just on the border of insanity.
Closing Notes
Spoke too soon I did, but this shouldn't go much beyond six parts. Seven or Eight I'm thinking. But it will get done before Christmas. With tomorrow's submission we'll deal with establishing a lair, gathering a treasure, and a short (and very incomplete) look at dragon magic. Till then.
Alan Kellogg
Recovered from the Gaming Outpost database backup. Original wording is preserved; damaged punctuation and presentation markup have been repaired. Historical links without a local match point to the Internet Archive.