Dragons of the Continent
Álukoi (snowdragon)
Last to reach the Continent, yet first to build, the Álukois take great pride in their culture, language, hospitality, and love of nature. Spending years building underground halls, each will add features to make his or hers unique. Some enjoy carving fanciful monsters, castles and portraits into the walls. When on adventure, they may leave written mementos in stone. Although vegetarians, Álukois are fierce, adorning their halls with trophy heads of slain monsters, and will stop at nothing to protect friends, lands and honor, or to obtain justice. They can recall the face, voice and scent of everyone they ever meet. Due to isolation, the Álukois and lowland humans (hyúlems) have always been profoundly ignorant of each other.
Börltong (beerdragon)
Originally called Léndragons, the Börltongs happily adopted their nickname, as the first to brew beer—even before hyúlems! Ever foremost in the art, these gastronomes have always grown their own crops, starting with barley. Speaking Lendish or Akrolay, these southern cousins to the Álukoi are 3 times larger, inhabiting the Korlatem Mountains. Contrary to hyúlem myth, Börltongs do not horde treasure, eat humans, or breathe fire. Yet by using alcohol and flint, they may drive away trespassers with “fire burps.” Emotional, they have strong tempers, love humor, music, drama, and crave social interaction with any creatures smart or bold enough to befriend them. Hedonists, they have a weakness for human vices...
Lárkong (seadragon) {Sudlisea or Mitersea Monster}
A Legend says giant monsters expelled these amphibians from the ocean. Twice the size of an Álukoi, the Sudlisea Lárkong is slightly larger than the Mitersea type. Both have leathery hides that change hues with mood or need. In prehistoric times, giant balkotars and tierdragons—when not killing each other—drove these shy herbivores nearly to extinction. Assumed to be long gone, Lárkongs suddenly reappeared in Lorgi’s time. Humans have kept looking for them, not to hunt, but in hopes of actually seeing the mythical creatures. By legend, anyone who does earns an extra year of life. Lovers who do so stay united forever.
Língertong (cloud dragon)
Least-understood of dragons, these soar at altitudes of up to 20,000 feet, flying far higher, faster, and farther than tierdragons. Streamlined, silver with steel-hard needle beaks, they glide around mountain peaks, often staying aloft all day—or a moonlit night. Using sonar, they see through clouds, measure distances precisely, and will dive-bomb through a tierdragon’s wings before it can react. Unless the foe retreats to low altitude, the Língertong will strike again, sending it to its death! Why tierdragons fear to fly on cloudy days. Língertongs also like to devour an acre of crops in minutes. Highlanders and Börltongs have always accepted such rare “visitations,” but angry hyúlems made traps, stupidly aiding the reemergence of tierdragons!
Márpotong (sandragon—yes, one word!)
Native to the Tamchizu Desert, these giant serpents can reach 100 feet in length. Despite their frightful appearance, they are long-lived vegetarians, like the Álukois. Always able to find underground water, they have saved parched humans many times. Márpotongs do not make fire, but can dissolve stone with their saliva, carving out huge dens. They will travel vast distances at great speed, even weighed down by tons of goods. Kibak and the Tuzanchim made great use of this by “gifting” choice items to the Márpotongs in return for their services. Compulsive collectors, they keep enlarging their dens and yards to accommodate thousands of disparate items—JUNK—even when having no actual use for any of it!
Shíntarkong (rainforest dragon)
Smallest of the 3 air dragons, the Shíntarkong has a wing span of just 15 feet. Found only in the Shaumwood, these rare nomads keep moving their nests among the top forest canopy, avoiding humans and their ancient enemies: tierdragons, swamp dragons, and balkotars. Herbivores, they have leathery green hides, which change hues with need or mood. They do not throw fire or collect things. Expert spinners, they can mesmerize faster than the most skilled among the Álukoi, then brew vapors to either help or harm, after judging an intruder’s intent.
Shúmerkong (swamp dragon)
The Continent’s biggest land predator, “Tyrant of the Tirsud,” the Flood Lands and Durheim coast, the shúmerkong needs a warm, wet climate. Devouring whatever can fit between its jaws, it may grow as large as a Márpotong! Fortunately, these serpents do not live nearly as long, are slow-breeding, slow thinking, and a favorite prey of the most daring tierdragons in winter. The shúmerkong is the oldest, most primitive dragon form. After a horrific storm, a dead one may wash up on one of the Sudlendish Islands, whose enterprising human natives immediately convert it into myriad commodities, available for immediate sale!
Tierdragon (giant fire dragon)
Most dreaded of all creatures, these really do throw fire, hoard treasure, eat humans, sleep for decades, yet can live 500 years. Growing 6 sets of teeth, they die when the last wear out. Death brings celebration throughout a tierdragon’s reach (hundreds of miles) and a violent race for its riches. Adults can spark and throw fire 5-6 times a day, but the very young or old cannot. Their only enemies are other dragons and giant balkotars, but only when a greedy tierdragon lands in a trap. Requiring fresh meat every 2-3 days, they avoid hunting on cloudy ones (see Língertong). With the mightiest wings and day eyes, they claim vast dominions, only tolerating their own kind when mating. One may steal from another, or kill it for its possessions. Copying hyúlem despots, the most powerful tierdragons may own several lairs, many miles apart, in order to hold the most territory.