Dragon

Dragons are Others made from involutions, as in snarls or recursive loops, perhaps Visceral Knots. They rarely occur, needing "the stars align[ing] right" and something feeds into itself, be it deific, Elemental, Spiritual.<ref name=":0">[Dragons] were a side note in something else I was researching for Rose. About vestiges, and spirits. For Evan, and for you two. [...] they’re sometimes called snags, or recursive loops, or um, shoot, can’t remember the word.”

“Problems,” Peter said. “Problematic.”

“Um. Sure. Most are. Some think dragons are what happens when something feeds into itself. Every dragon is different, and some are more elemental, or mostly elemental, or spirit, or deific. Something like a lesser god that worships itself, or an elemental that takes in more than it puts out. They happen only when the stars align right, and attempts to produce them tends to turn out…”

“Problems,” Peter said, again. “That’s what this stuff mostly boils down to, right?”

“Um. Not exactly, I’m not saying you’re wrong, but-”

“I’m right.”

“Yeah,” Tiff said.

“Yeah,” Peter said.

“It went wrong. So they’re rare and they’re unique and they tend to be feral, not always reptilian, but there’s something to be said for memory and the world remembering the dinosaurs or whatever, so it’s more common, as a given snarl needs to find a reference point, but-” - Excerpt from Sine Die 14.3</ref> Feral and powerful, they are more akin to wild animals and take an enormous amount of effort to defeat. Kind of thing a Dragonslayer would hunt among others.

Types

Every dragon is different, and some are more elemental, or mostly elemental, or spirit, or deific. Something like a lesser god that worships itself, or an elemental that takes in more than it puts out. They happen only when the stars align right, and attempts to produce them tends to turn out wrong. They’re rare and they’re unique and they tend to be feral, not always reptilian, but there’s something to be said for memory and the world remembering the dinosaurs or whatever, so it’s more common, as a given snarl needs to find a reference point,.<ref name=":1">“I’ve played lots of video games,” Evan said. “Dragons, uh…”

“They aren’t like they are in the video games,” Tiff said. “Generally speaking, you don’t deal with dragons. For one thing, they barely exist anymore, for another…”
[...]
“Dragons are so like they are in video games,” Evan said.

“No,” Tiff said. “Um, in video games, a guy with a sword can kill a dragon. Only way that happens here is if a god intervenes, or you’re drawing on some similar degree of power.”
[...]
I said. “Tiff, you know something about dragons?”

“A little bit. They were a side note in something else I was researching for Rose. About vestiges, and spirits. For Evan, and for you two.” - Excerpt from Sine Die 14.3</ref>

Dracoform

There are also creatures that resemble and are called Dragons but it is unknown if they follow the rules of the above "Dragons".<ref name="gb">“You’re settled awfully close to that thing.”

“Sure. Killed whoever lived where we’re at, we set up there, do what we can t’keep the thing going, fish the trough. If it stops turning, it might hear us and decide t’pay a visit. Lost two before we learned.”

I nodded slowly. “What is it? A goblin?”

He gave me a dark, suspicious look.

“What?” I asked.

“Yeh, it’s a goblin, or so we’ve heard. Not what most people would guess. Dragon? Sure. Bat? Yeh. But goblin?” - Excerpt from Null 9.2</ref>

Uses

Dragons are dangerous but not inherently a feral entity, akin to wild animals that can be tamed.

There’s no polar opposite when it comes to dealing with them. Most are amalgams of elemental and spirit and animal and nightmares, on top of whatever else. You have to beat them at their own game. You get the dragons that are all poison, to the point that one drop of venom can clear out a lake. Then you have to just out-poison them. You get the dragons in some areas of the East that are more spirit and elemental, like dragons of the mountains and it’s like you have to destroy a mountain by hitting it with a bigger.

Whatever element or similar that they embody will be multifaceted and potent<ref>“Don’t get burned!” Tiff said. “Dragonstuff is potent. I don’t think that fire ever goes out!”
[...]
“There’s no guarantee the fire will go out if she passes on. With dragon’s breath, it could burn her spirit, even.”
[...]
You get the dragons that are all poison, to the point that one drop of venom can clear out a lake. - Excerpt from Sine Die 14.3</ref> further the snarl or knot that they're devoid of any weakness when it comes.<ref name="defeat">“How do we stop them?” I interrupted.

“Uh. You don’t. Or you don’t easily stop them.” [...] Tiff’s voice dropped a notch in volume. “Most Others, they have weak points. As Blake just evidenced. He wasn’t even directly hit, and we nearly lost him. Faerie, you hit them with something crude, and they can’t deal, on a lot of levels. Goblins, you hit them with refinement, with cunning ideas and passive means. But Dragons are different. Like I said they’re a snarl.”

“Clarify,” I said. I realized how tense I was, after what had nearly happened to Green Eyes, and added, “Please.”

“There’s no polar opposite. Most are amalgams of elemental and spirit and animal and nightmares, on top of whatever else. You have to beat them at their own game. You get the dragons that are all poison, to the point that one drop of venom can clear out a lake. Then you have to just out-poison them. You get the dragons in some areas of the East that are more spirit and elemental, like dragons of the mountains and… it’s like you have to destroy a mountain by hitting it with a bigger mountain.”

“How do you-” I started. “Nevermind. You’re saying the only way to kill ol’ firebreath there is hotter fire?”

“No,” she said. Her voice dropped to be even quieter, as we approached the end of the street. “There’s another way. Most are violent, killing machines. So… if you’re brave enough, you can try the conventional means. Facing them in battle. Eventually someone succeeds. Usually with the backing of some major power. Usually a god. Which makes them rare.” - Excerpt from Sine Die 14.3</ref>

They can be killed through ordinary violence, though this is best accomplished through the right Magic Items and the favor of a deity.<ref name="defeat"/>

As with many Others having the right information when dealing with them is key, the Thorburn Library does not have much information on them for example.<ref name=":1"/><ref> - Excerpt from Sine Die 14.3</ref>

For size and longevity they compare unfavorably to Primeval.<ref>“You talk so casually about facing down monsters bigger and more enduring than dragons. I’ll think on it. For now, tell me about this space the complex seven-E was in.” - Excerpt from Gone Ahead 7.x</ref>

Known Examples

Goblin Dragon
Fire Dragon pet of Giant
- Weak Dragon Wretch<ref> - Excerpt from Judgment 16.10</ref>
- Feral Dragon Wretch<ref> - Excerpt from Judgment 16.11</ref>
Tashlit's Twinned Brother (possibly)<ref> - Excerpt from Shaking Hands 9.z</ref>

References