Dragons

Dragons are one of the most powerful and popular creatures in the worlds of mythology and folklore. In many works of fiction Dragons are mostly portrayed as antagonistic forces, some being savage beasts while others are reasonably intelligent and even able to communicate with other lifeforms, namely humans. Some villains can also turn themselves into dragons using magic or similar powers.

The physical appearances of Dragons in fiction (villainous or heroic) are not always the same between each other. Broadly speaking Dragons can be divided into the following groups depending on the traits they possess:

• Western Dragons or European Dragons are depicted as fire-breathing horned lizards with bat-like wings, four legs and a long tail. They are sometimes shown with feathered wings, crests, lion-like manes, sharp spikes and exotic colorations. A Dragon's blood and armored scales often have magical properties. The typical Western Dragon protects a cavern or castle filled with treasures and is often associated with a great Hero who tries to slay it. Though winged and capable of flight the Dragon is generally to be found in its underground lair that identifies it as an ancient creature of the earth.
• Asian Dragons or Eastern Dragons are portrayed as serpents with four legs. Traditionally they symbolize potent and auspicious powers, particularly control over the elements and are representative of strength and good luck. They have also an extended range of supernatural powers such as changing their size and form (mostly to take on human shapes) or color (to blend in with their surroundings as a form of camouflage).
• Lesser Drakes are something of a catchall category including Lesser Draconian Beings such as Wyverns, Wyrms, Lindworms, etc. which are generally smaller and more feral in mind and behavior. Though not entirely accurate to being called Dragons, Lesser Drakes are often considered the distant kin of most Dragons. These also include Wyverns commonly depicted as a subtype of Dragon lacking forelegs due to their wings and modified front legs.

Notable examples include Malefor, Shendu, Maleficent, the Green Death, Deathwing and the Black Dragonflight, Smaug, Alduin, Acnologia and the Shadow Dragons.

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