Meralygos

The Dragon Bestiary:

As the first page in the bestiary was full, i realized i'll write all the informations we have gathered in a more schematical way in this new topic. We'll use the other topic to collect quotes and informations. I will collect them here in a better fashion.

In this project, we seek to achieve a detailed description of dragons's physical properties, traits, abilities and, to a lesser extent, even culture. The sources shall be placed in the other forum topic: 

Culture:

 Blue Dragonflight.

Domain: Arcane magic.

Interests: Acquiring, researching, cataloging magic.

Purpose: Monitoring the use of magic for Azeroth's well-being.

Values: Brilliance, Curiosity, Creativity, Knowledge

Location: Northrend, Dragonblight, Mazthoril, Wymrest Temple

Attitude: Solitary, curious, contemplative, eccentric. Highly territorial

Synonym: Azure, Cobalt, Sapphire.

Preferred humanoid form: human, quel'dorei, gnome.

Status after the Cataclysm: Dragonflight disbanded. Single dragons are free to follow their own purpose. While still attuned to arcane magic, they have lost a vast amount of power.

 Black Dragonflight.

Domain: Earth  Chaos

Interests: Pain, subjugation, control.

Purpose: Destruction of Azeroth through the Hour of Twilight // The defense of Azeroth from evil forces such as the Legion (one, Wrathion)

Values: Strenght, Power, Domination

Location: Unknown

Attitude: Power hungry, chaotic, manipulative

Synonym: Obsidian, Onyx.

Preferred humanoid form: human

Status after the Cataclysm: Dragonflight annihilated. So far, Wrathion and Ebonhorn are possibly the sole survivors on Azeroth.

 Netherwing Dragonflight. Nether dragons vary from being highly friendly to mortal races to downright hostile towards all beings. The nether dragons often see themselves as orphans, abandoned on Draenor as it began to shatter, uncared for and unwanted by their father. They are fully sentient intelligent beings and speak Draconic like normal dragons. They also share the ability to learn magic and take humanoid forms. As they reached Azeroth the first time, they fought against the blue dragonflight for the Nexus and most of them were absorbed by Malygos. Recently, the black dragonflight has been enslaving and manipulating them in order to empower their minions. It is unknown what happened to their flight after the cataclysm.

 Twilight Dragonflight. Magical experiments created by Sintharia and Deathwing. While the first generation revealed to be unstable, the second generation made by Deathwing became stable. They are all evil and served Deathwing in the conflict agaisnt the other dragons during the Cataclysm. A few still remain, albeit they are few in numbers and for the most part hide in the elemental plane.

 Bronze dragonflight.

Domain: Time

Interests: Acquiring knowledge, cataloging, time-travelling

Purpose: Keep the time stream inviolate and the order of events progressing as the fates intended.

Values: Wisdom, Patience

Location: Caverns of Time, scattered in the timeways, Bronze Dragonshrine (occasionally), Wymrest Temple

Attitude: Stoic, reclusive.

Synonym: Amber

Preferred humanoid form: quel'dorei, sin'dorei, gnomes, humans.

Status after the Cataclysm: Dragonflight weakened, but intact. They can still travel through the timeways, albeit they lost most of their knowledge regarding future events. They lost their ability to control the flow of time. It is unknown if Soridormi is alive or not.

 Green dragons.

Domain: Dream

Interests: Contemplation, studying dreams

Purpose: Protect and mantain the Emerald Dream (and the hopes of Azeroth alive).

Values: Hope, dreams.

Location: Emerald Dream, Emerald Dragonshrine (occasionally), Wymrest Temple

Attitude: Reclusive, Meditative, Peaceful

Synonym: Emerald

Preferred humanoid form: Kaldorei

Status after the Cataclysm: Weakened. Dragonflight within the Emerald Dream. During Legion, most of the dragonflight, having loss their power, is corrupted by the Emerald Nightmare. Ysera's spirit can be found in the Dream.

 Red dragonflight.

Domain: Life (and its cycle)

Interests: Harmony

Purpose: Protection of living beings; custodians and defenders of life on Azeroth

Values: Life, authenticity and emotions

Location: Vermillion Redoubt, Wyrmrest Temple, Ruby Dragonshrine (occasionally),

Attitude: Friendly, honorable, territorial

Synonym: Crimson, Ruby, Vermillion

Preferred humanoid form: Quel'dorei, sin'dorei, human

Status after the Cataclysm: Weakened.

 Dragonflights attitude over culture, practices and religions.

According to both the War of the Ancients and Dawn of the Aspects, some dragons appear to respect Elune and the demigods (albeit they do not worship them) while others are more indifferent to the mortals' religions. Krasus speaks highly of Cenarius and the Green Dragons are likely connected with Elune and Cenarius' children. In the Night of the Dragon, Krasus believes the Naaru are as powerful as the Aspects. 

Such a respect is not universally applied to all forms of worship. In "War Crimes" it is revealed that some of the bronze dragons (such as Kairoz) and maybe even azure dragons believe shamanism to be a lesser or barbaric form of worship. While they do not blame or mock the races who practice it, they do not bother understanding its meaning to the lesser races, or even respect certain ritual formalities they deem a waste of time. In Dawn of the Aspects, Nozdormu acknowledges Elune as a goddess, but he believes that the goddess doesn't care much about dragons,"as she has the night elves that worship her already".

Most likely, how religious dragons are often depends on the flight - the red and the green are more respectful, while the bronze (and arguably the blue) are more indifferent. They all, however, appear to highly esteem their Aspect ("the word of Malygos is law") and treat them almost as gods; to the point that many dragons used to to mention the Aspects before fighting ("may Malygos protect me!") and others used to mention the Aspects as a form of esclamation ("may the Aspects be praised!").

Dragon's body, health and physique.

 Dragonscale:

 Dragonscales wield magical properties. To bear some bit of the greatest of the leviathans is to have a hold on their power, albeit to make use of it understanding dragon magic is required. Every dragon is somehow linked to his own scales and they can exploit this very link, turning their scales into magical and enchanted amulets. Through it, they can communicate, divine and even release magical spells.

Dragons generally lose scales in much the way other creatures lose fur. The areas exposed generally harden, eventually becoming new scales. At times when more than one breaks free, a dragon has to take care, for the soft flesh is, for a time, susceptible to weapons and poison.

 Dragonscales are extremely resilient and do mitigate magical spells. They are nearly impervious to common weapons such as daggers and swords. Gryphon's talons may lacerate a dragon's scales. While normal weapons do not suffice against a dragon, enchanted blades and arrows or the top quality dwarven-forged weapons may actually penetrate through a dragon's skin. Two-handed axes are a preferable choice compared to maces and hammers, when fighting a dragon, as the latter are less effective.

 Magical resistance. Dragons have a relative high resistance to magical attacks of arcane. Magical spells may deal remarkable damages against a dragon's wings, less protected against such attacks. They appear to survive if hit by powerful lightning magic, albeit the blow may be hard enough to turn them unconscious/make them fall to the ground. It is unknown if such a resistance applies to fel magic aswell. From what we see in Wrath of the Lich King, it seems that this resistance does not protect dragons from necromancy-related abilities, albeit this is unconfirmed.

 Weakspots. Dragons have two main weakspots: the eyes and the soft area between the neck and the skull. The leathery wings, in order to carry the dragon's weight, have to be resilient and tough, but spells and abilities may always leave scars and burning marks.

 Dragonsblood:

 Dragon's blood has unique magical properties and it is often sought after by alchemists. Certain alchemists seek dragon's blood to craft rejuvenating and healing potions.

  Red dragonflight's blood has healing properties and was used by alchemists to create healing potions. Speculation: as red dragonblood trinkets increase attack power and/or armor, the blood may also strenghten and encourage the drinker (much like the black dragon's blood).

  Blue dragons use their blood in order to trigger some of their engines, such as the Focusing Iris. No other known use. We can speculate it can be turned into an elixir capable of enenhancing someone's magical prowess.

  Black dragonflight's increases the strenght of the drinker but also slowly corrupts him/her into the dragon's unwilling servant. Deathwing's blood had been corrupted to the point his own blood became a chaotic, noxious and ardent substance. If the blood of the Aspect of Death falls somewhere, no vegetation would grow there for a thousand years. Black dragons also use their blood for certain rituals, such as enchanting their trinkets and amulets with it.

  Bronze dragonflight's blood is made of sand of time. A chronomancy spell may revert a dragon's bleeding, altough it is not an easy task. It is likely that it retains magical properties related to time.

  Green dragonflight's blood has unknown properties. Likely, because the blood itself is so rare to acquire, the mortal world has yet to make use of it on a large scale.

 Lifespan:

 According to recent sources, dragon do grow up quickly. Wrathion grows from whelp to drake in about five years. Growing from drake to dragon, we have conflicting sources. It takes Awbee six years too, but he's an unique case and many drakes are referred to as ancients beings (i.e. Emberstrife) and Searonix, a black drake, said that mortals became more bold every generation. We also know that the process of growth can be quickened with magic. According to the RPG, it takes about a century for a drake to grow into a dragon. Kosak says it takes "ages" for a dragon to become fully self-aware (Wrathion being an exception due to the experiments performed).

 Dragons do not die from old age. However, they have other limitations such as: death from starving, disease or fatal wound. A dragon, when weakened or struck by disease, also suffers aesthetically: the sheer color of the scales is mitigated and becomes more dull. 

 Skills and feats:

 Flying. As they fly, dragons do not need to flap their wings frequently; their speed allows them to cross vast zones with few beats. Once they are in the air, they can easily choose to hover over a location. The more they increase in size, the quicker they travel. 

While flying, dragons are faster than other flying creatures (wyvern, bats, dragonhawks). Gryphons are more of a challange: these beasts can turn at angles the very dragons can't match. The gryphon's razor-sharp talons can tear off the dragonscale and through their beaks they can rip into the flesh beneath. However, these flying beasts are rather vulnerable and a single hit may very well strike a gryphon down. 

 Hunting. Unless they are facing bigger preys, dragons rather rely on themselves when they hunt. When hunting, they survey the area from above. It is not uncommon for dragons to hover upon their selected target before diving against them. Others, instead, have become so attuned to the world around them that can even predict the prey's movements and act accordingly. On occasion, they carry their prey to higher cliffs, where they devour the victim. Huge dragons may swallow an entire cow in one gulp, or agitate their wings to release powerful wind buffets which stun or knock down their prey.

 Clutches and eggs. Among dragons, laying eggs was not common. Only grown and mature dragons appear to actively reproduce. An average clutch counted between three to six eggs. It is unknown how much times it takes for an egg to hatch, but it deeply varies. Even within their eggs, dragon are conscious and can perceive (aswell as hear) their surroundings. Dragon eggs had a robust shell which easily protects the whelp within. While a good weapon should be able to break the egg without issue, natural agents can hardly scratch the egg itself. After the end of the cataclysm, dragons are unable to lay more eggs.

  Dragon eggs appear sensitive to corruption: the clutches of Alexstrasza have been corrupted into twilight dragons several times. It appears that the whelp broodlings' very essence can be studied and twisted. In Scholomance, Scourge attempted to twist the whelpling's essence of the black dragons, too!

  Blue dragon eggs appear to have a barrier of protective ice surrounding their shell. During the Nexus War, the blue dragonflight placed their eggs near the Nexus. This way, the whelps will feel the effects of the strong arcane energy that is flowing quickly to the Nexus, this will also cause the eggs to hatch quicker than usual and empower them in some way. The azure drakes' runes have likely been caused by the very eggs hatching near the Nexus.

 Magical abilities 

 Dragon's breath:

 Dragon's breath is a breath spell inherent to a dragon's flight. The breath spell appears to be directly bound to the dragon's type (blue/red/green/black/bronze). However, dragons of the same flight can cast different types of breath. For example, a blue dragon may cast ice or arcane breath. A black one may release molten lava, shadowflame or, rarely, fire breath. Bronze dragons usually release sand breath while green ones attack with poisonous breath. Red ones release the traditional fire breath.

Interestingly enough, while proto-dragons do not understand magic, they wield themselves similar breath spells. This proves that magical knowledge is not necessary to cast such spells, as it is a natural spell they do possess. Given the dragons's elemental origin, it is possible to speculate breath spells derive from these very elemental ties. This would imply that their breath is tied to their original element and has so far evolved from their intrinsic elemental magic.

 Dragon's breath spells are not, by necessity, harmful. At times, they can release breaths that do enchant, rejuvenate or hasten individuals in front of them.

  The breath of red dragons is made of fire. It burns but also rejuvenates, and whenever a red dragon breathes upon the soil, the earth is renewed.

  Usually, a green dragon's breath releases a noxious and poisonous mists. They can also breath powerful and corrosive acid breath. If their breath may also rejuvenate as the red dragonflight's one, it has yet to be seen, but given their connection with nature, it is very likely.

  Blue dragons use frost or arcane breath. They can switch in-between the two: Malygos and Kalec use both arcane and frost breath, depending on the narrative. The first can freeze and slow the opponent, while the latter may either inflict several damages upon the frontal targets or replenish their mana. Arcane breath is often chaotic and releases volatile sparks in the wind which may explode. Powerful blue dragons such as Malygos, at times, transmute their own breath (i.e. into giant locusts).

  The breath of the bronze dragonflight is usually composed of sand. It can be used to inflict several damages against the enemy but also control time in the casted cone. They may increase and decrease the speed of time within their breath, even prematurely enforcing the ageing of their victims. It is unknown if this latter ability is still in their possession after the Cataclysm. Kairoz could encase his enemies within blocks of stone with his breath. 

  Black dragonflight's domain allows them to control fire, magma and shadowflame. Breath of black dragons is typically composed of molten, liquid magma or, alternatively, shadowflame. The latter is often used to incinerate a dragon's foe with a swift attack. Some black dragons also release standard flames, akin to red dragons.

Shapeshifting:

Dragons can take the form of other beings, disguising among other races. It's not clear if this transformation has any limitation, as they can assume most azerothian (tauren, human, elf, goblin, half-elves) appearances and even alien ones (orc, draenei). They retain an improved health and a certain resilience... Despite being obiviously weaker in this form: a blow fatal to the shapeshifted race may kill the dragon. This transformation requires a certain amount of energy and concentration. It is possible to stop or negate the dragon's attempt to reverse his form. For example, the elf Dar'khan Drathir's enchanted collar prevented the dragon Kalec from taking his original form.

 There are two cases of mortal races discovering a dragon's true form through means of magic. The case of Iridi, a draenei priest. Ancient draenei have developped such a deep form of divination that they may reveal a dragon's identity through physical contact! You may wish to pay attention to ancient draenei, as they are the likely to sense something odd and unusual from you. The other case is that of a goblin, an old witch that lived in the Swamps of Sorrow. Little is known about her powers and how she did it.

Nothing suggests dragons can naturally sense an other disguised dragon. Quite the opposite, Krasus didn't realize that Lord Prestor was Deathwing, despite scrying for him. It has to be noted that Neltharion used powerful wards to occult his true nature. If divined, the spells failed to acknowledge the existance of the Aspect, "as if he doesn't exist". Such wards are, however, a feat a powerful sorceror may achieve aswell, hence I suggest adopting similar measures to prevent meta-game.

So far, there are no cases of night elves or humans being able to uncover a dragon's guise through divination or other means. However, this is likely due to the fact that dragons place powerful wards to prevent detection, rather than an actual impossibility. Some capable individuals, such as trained moon priestess, may feel an aura of powerful magic surrounding the dragon's mortal form. Certain animals (like nightsabers) will be inclined to respect you as they sense a powerful being beneath the morphed form. Not all of them, as the more aggressive and primal (i.e. crokolisks) are more driven by istinct than respect.

Artifacts whose purpose is to find dragons, may actually detect the presence of a nearby dragon. Dar'khan had a similar artifact - it is unknown if it was the elves' doing or the Scourge's.

Even if a dragon dies while shapeshifted into their mortal form, they remain in their mortal form.

Dragon's unique knowledge:

 Blue Dragons: blue dragons know certain form of magic that are currently unknown to humanoid beings. Among them, the knowledge of crystal magic has been the cause of a conflict between the highborne and the blue dragons in Crystalsong Forest thousands of years ago.

 Crystal magic: it is a volatile form of magic capable of shaping objects and living beings through its radiations. Once a creature is crystallized, blue dragons can draw magic out of them. Apparently, is a "corruptive" or symbiotic force: it merges with trees, plants and even humanoids/dragons. As a being is affected by crystal magic, they mutate into an entity partially (or entirely) composed of crystals. While it shares some similarities with frost magic, it is arcane in nature. Beings affected by crystal magic, apparently, do not lose biological functions and do still walk, breathe and live. On the other hand, crystal magic may bind a being's will to the blue dragonflight: it has been used with such a purpose during the Nexus War against the local wildlife (treants, ancients, dryads) and likely even against a red dragon (Keristrasza). Such magic is responsible for Crystalsong Forest.

Certain ancient dragons, such as Azuregos and Saragosa, have several spikes made of crystal that come out of their body. It may be related to crystal magic, however it's unknown if this is a side-effect, a form of empowerment or even a natural process.

 Mastery over magic: powerful blue dragons can shift their entire body into a translucent form, becomming an intangible presence to spells and physical attacks. There is a weaker version of this spell which allows dragons to reduce damages rather than avoid them completely. Apparently, during this phase shift they cannot attack. Several ancient blue dragons are capable of reflecting back enemy spells. They can also disrupt an enemy spellcasting making their magic unstable and potentially damaging the very caster.

Attuned to the ley-lines. Blue dragons can visualize (or, less likely, sense) the exact position of the ley-lines. Stellagosa and Valtrois, while they speak, mention that this ability is an inherited power, most likely implying it works for all dragons.

 Green Dragons:

 Green dragons possess the knowledge to fade into the Dream at will, becomming intangible to physical attacks. At any moment and without much effort, they can also take back their corporeal form. It is unknown if this ability has any drawback (such an unique feat would make them invincible opponents for warriors and physical fighters alike) but possibly it requires them to be partially unaware of their surroundings, as Eranikus was trapped within a dream when he used this ability, much like being in-between two planes of existance. Their attunement to the Emerald Dream connects them to several creatures of the Dream, making them have bonds and ties with many spawns of the Ancients.

Red Dragons:

 The power over life of the red dragons extends to the point they can reanimate the dead (with necromancy?). 

 Bronze Dragons:

Bronze dragons can obiviously travel through time and are masters of chronomancy. More than that, they can wipe lesser being's memories so that they wont be able to remember dealing with bronze dragons. They can also stop time for a short amount of time (not sure if they still have this ability after the Cataclysm).

 Black Dragons:

While any peculiar ability like that of the bronze or the green has yet to be seen in the black dragons, it should be noted that black dragons have an affinity to the earth and we have often seen them wielding fire and magma with relative ease. More than that, they are also terrifying masterminds. 

 Twilight Dragonflight.

Twilight dragons have the power to shift from this plane of existance to an other, the so-called Twilight Realm. This Twilight Realm is an other plane of existance. They can make other creatures enter this plane aswell. Twilight dragons learn this ability very soon. They can also make their body incorporeal for a short amount of time.

The first generation of twilight dragons also had the ability to absorb magical energy. However, they were highly unstable. In the second generation, this trait appears absent. Considering it is due to this trait that the first twilight dragons were defeated, it is likely that their creator removed such an ability from their powers. 

Additional information.

To fill a few blank spaces. In this section I am writing lore I infer from World of Warcraft sources in an indirect way, hence this is headcanon - not real lore!

What you fill find in the posts below is therefore not canon lore - but what lore hints at.