Dragons · 8:06pm Oct 8th, 2022
I probably should have done this a long time ago, but since it's "My Little Pony" dragon lore was woefully limited and what examples they made in "FiM" was kinda cliche and underwhelming. Tbh, Spike (naturally) was the most interesting dragon in the entire series, but his dragonly characteristics were hardly touched upon, even in episodes that centered on him.
I finally decided to delve into my own idea for Dragons in the setting of my fic, and here we are:
Dragons are among the oldest mystical creatures, having once been a single species, known in ancient times as the Drakons, before dividing into five subspecies or "Tribes" as the modern dragons call them:
The Drakes, aka the Western Dragons
The Long, aka the Eastern Dragons
The Coatl, aka the Northern Dragons
The Wyverns, aka the Southern Dragons
And last but not least the Selmar, aka the Sea Dragons.
The Dragon Tribes are diverse in both physical characteristics as well as culture. In ancient times, the Dragon Tribes were segregated, similar to the original Pony Tribes, but far more violent and more openly antagonistic with each other. Each Tribe saw themselves as the True Dragons while the others were lesser or unworthy, but these bigotries were merely excuses they used to justify conflicts for food, wealth, and territory. Only the Selmar stayed neutral and uninvolved in the petty disputes and rivalries between the Dragon Tribes, which wasn't difficult for them since they lived in the seas surrounding the Dragon Lands.
In time, a dragon rose up and proved himself the fiercest and strongest in order to unite the Tribes, stating fighting each other over what resources they had would only lead to their own extinction. His wisdom and teachings took root, and before long the Tribes began to get along, such that they began to enjoy a peaceful and prosperous coexistence that seemed to herald a promising future for the Dragons, and they honored the dragon who united them by making him their king.
Alas, another dragon rose up and challenged the Dragon King for the throne. While the dragon tribes had progressed, they were still a species and culture that valued strength and power, thus their King was forced to accept the challenge. The King was slain and his killer took over as the new Dragon King, and declared the dragons would return to the way things were, but instead of fighting each other over what limited resources they had in their homeland, they would turn their gazes outwards and thus began the dreaded age of when dragons terrorized the world and others creatures living in it, attacking other creatures and their cities, villages, plundering their wealth, devouring other creatures, burning their crops, and becoming monsters that were no longer the proud and dignified dragon cultures they once were.
They had become the Wyrms, spurred by a cursed Draconic Greed for treasure along with anything else that caught their greedy gazes. This Greed caused dragons to grow in size, in ferocity, and appetite, but also had the consequence of making them more savage, bestial, and monstrous, severely limiting their intelligence and ruling them with primal and baser instincts.
Finally, another dragon, known as Korangar, who wielded a mysterious sword, challenged the Dragon King and slew him. Using his sword, Korangar called upon all dragons to return to their homeland, where he declared the days of dragons being disgraceful and destructive monsters were over. That they would reclaim their honor and restore their pride and culture. Thus, Korangar, as the new Dragon King, established Dragon Law, and bestowed upon five worthy dragons, one of each tribe, a Bloodstone Relic that would be their symbols of power as they were dubbed the Dragon Lords, the Pillars of Dragon Society, each charged to rule over a quarter of the Dragon Lands and enforce the laws of their king.
The Drakes ruled the West.
The Long ruled the East.
The Coatl ruled the North.
And the Wyverns ruled the South.
The Selmar were charged with protecting the seas surrounding the Dragon Lands.
Since then, the Dragons have reclaimed some of their honor and pride though some regrettably give into Dragon Greed and become Wyrms. As a result, dragonets (dragon children) would be subject to training and studying in order to help them become True Dragons and not Wyrms like those too greedy and too weak to maintain their sense of self.
The Drakes
Known also as the Western Dragons (because they rule the Western Territory), Drakes are mighty and powerful, having six limbs: Their heads, their tails, their wings, two arms, and two legs. Until recently, the Dragon Lord of the West was the drake Torch, until he was succeeded by his daughter, Princess Ember.
Drakes are perhaps the dragons most likely to be seen beyond the borders of the Dragon Lands. They are the most curious and often leave their homeland to explore and see what they can experience in the wider world. They also value strength and honor, and so often go looking for worthy feats and opponents to test their mettle.
The Long
Known also as the Eastern Dragons, since their Lord rules the Eastern Territory, the Long are wise, majestic, and powerful. They have serpentine bodies but have arms and legs, and possess strong magical powers that allow them to fly without the need for wings. They grow antlers instead of horns, lion-like manes around their heads and tufts of fur tipping their tails, and the male Long are known for growing whisker-like tendrils similar to those of a catfish, which are an additional means of sensing.
Long are wise and seek inner peace and harmony, within themselves and in the world around them. They seek to learn knowledge in order to find enlightenment, as well as to share and spread enlightenment in those willing to learn.
The Coatl
Known also as the Northern Dragons, since their Lord rules the Northern Territory, the Coatl are curious, artistic, and wondrous. They have serpentine bodies and grow a pair of wings that also serve as their arms, with claws on their wing joints that they use like hands, but unlike the wings of other dragons Coatl grow feathers on their wings rather than having the membranous wings similar to bats, and they are often colorful and bright. They have a more snake-like appearance than other dragons, bu also grow feathery crests around their heads and on the tips of their tails.
Coatl love life and seek to live it as well and as much as they can, enjoying new experiences, such as art, music, and food, traveling, making new friends, and just enjoying life for the sake of it. Thus they are the most open to befriending other creatures besides dragons.
The Wyverns
Known also as the Southern Dragons, since their current Lord, the Lady Infurya, rules the Southern Territory, the Wyverns are perhaps the cruelest and most elitist of all the dragon tribes. They are known for their bat-like bodies, as they have one pair of legs and their wings double as their arms/forelimbs. They grow horns, spikes, and have strong tails, but overall they are not as physically imposing as the other dragons.
Wyverns view dragons (particularly themselves) as the pinnacle of all creation, and that any other creature is inherently inferior, fit only to be enslaved or devoured. They would gladly burn the whole world to the ground and take over, but they are no match for the other dragon tribes and they wouldn’t dare risk the fury of the Dragon King.
The Selmar
Known also as the Sea Dragons, since they mostly live in the seas surrounding the Dragon Lands, the Selmar are beautiful and mysterious. They have serpentine bodies but also have flipper-like claws that help them swim, along with dazzling fins along their bodies. They somewhat resemble the Long but are more fish-like and adapted to living underwater though they can leave the water, often crawling onto beaches to enjoy the sun and company with one another.
Selmar are the most neutral of dragons, as they took no part in the other tribes' petty squabbles in their early history. They are peaceful, but should not be underestimated, for they will ruthlessly guard their homes and protect their families. Otherwise, they live their lives under the sea, singing to each other, and enjoy floating on the surface to look at the stars.
The Wyrms
Considered disgraces and shameful examples of dragonkind, Wyrms are any dragon that has given into and been consumed by Dragon Greed. This causes the dragon's magic to augment their physical bodies, making them grow larger in order to be strong enough to take what they want and guard their hoards. Not only that, their intellectual capacities become limited, as does their magic, for while Wyrms can still speak and even engage in conversation they are prone to baser and primal instincts, making them very vicious and territorial.
Most dragons nowadays will put their dragonets (dragon children) through the necessary training and studying that will enable them to maintain control of themselves so as not to give into Dragon Greed and become Wyrms, for it is almost impossible for a Wyrm to go back to being a True Dragon after they've given in and changed. It takes something the dragon truly cares about in an unselfish way for them to find their way back to their true selves and change back to the dragon they were before becoming a Wyrm.
Dragon Magic
Dragons possess their own brand of magic that they can learn to wield at will or instinctively. In some ways, a Dragon's first deliberate act of magic is comparable to a Pony getting their Cutie-Mark. Every Dragon discovers a magical power they can wield at will, often something having to do with the individual Dragon's character or a defining trait of who they are.
These Dragons that discover their individual magical power are recognized by being given a Dragon Badge, which signifies the Dragon's magical milestone. Not all dragons observe this traditional custom, but those that do tend to be more intelligent, open-minded, and amicable than other dragons who value strength, power, and ferocity.
Unfortunately, Dragons who give into their own Greed instinctively channel their magic in order to augment their physical power, increasing their size, strength, and senses, at the expense of their intelligence, rational thinking, and especially their magical potential since their magic is being used up in this manner. In other words, Dragons who become Wyrms.
A few dragons devote themselves to studying and training in Dragon Magic, allowing them to become Dragon Wizards, Witches, and Sorcerers, but they are rare. The type of Dragon Magic a dragon uses can also alter their general appearance and abilities.
Would Dragon's have Ether Gear as a type of magic?
5691062
I have no idea what that means, and for the record, Astral Flare (your OC) would be a Drake since he has arms, legs, and his wings come out of his back
5691064
It's from Edens Zero. And thanks for the clarification.
Isnt it “Loongs”
Edit: Wait i just looked it up, it can be loong or long.
5691077
I don't think so. They're also called Lung, and I think Long/Lung is used as both plural and singular
“Dragonets”
Wings of fire reference? Or just a coincidence?
5691079
It is, yes. I like the first series most
Great work with the lore. 🙂
So would that mean the dragon Spike encountered back in New Dog, new tricks was a wyrm? Or was he just a regular dragon?
5691135
A wyrm. Wyrms are also why dragons have such a reputation of being big and scary that almost nopony will study or approach them
Sounds like a lore in search of a story.