What can dragons eat?

[BearBear]

About how large do you envision that a "common" adult dragon will become?

Well my "dragons" aren't typical dragons. Typical dragons should realistically be no bigger than T-Rex if they have sufficient food and range. It would absolutely be believable if they had some evolutionary pressure to grow like giraffes, elephants, etc. Our current Earthly Apex predators are human-sized or below except for in the oceans where say a Sperm whale is massive.

Obviously this is fiction and I will reference Godzilla movies here as an example of potential size, see King Ghidorah.

I'd love to go on and on about my flavor of creature referred to and similar to "dragons", but I don't think that's what you want. However, I will anyway. Mine are more anthromophic but they still have "skin wings" tails, large size, etc. In my case they should top out at 1500 lbs or maybe a ton (1000kg) for an alpha male. No more than 10ft tall or (3 meters). Capable of hunting all but Kodiak Grizzlies in claw to claw combat as they also reach 10ft standing and 1500lbs. (Gee what a coincidence.) They're also intelligent in my lore so that affords them toolmaking, traps, hunting techniques, equivalent to humanoids though claws get in the way. If they could get their claws on guns, they'd probably use modified hunting rifles.

In terms of flight dynamics, that's probably difficult but not impossible for the largest among them though I suspect they'd probably not fly long distances at some point in their adulthood where the fatter of their kind may become flightless and the young fit adults could still fly comfortably but not likely so well for migration purposes. Since they don't have the added benefit that say a pterodactyl or bat would have, given they're 6 appendaged instead of having their arms as wings and webbing from arms to legs. They have classid D&D dragon wings, separate arms, and legs.

Your dragon may vary.

 

[Gurkhal]

Sounds pretty cool.

What role do they have in your stories? Are they bad or good guys or neutral? How do they apply their intelligence beyond making tools and more advanced solutions to basic needs? Do they engage in politics? How many of them are there? Do they have a society or are they loners ec.?

 

[BearBear]

What role do they have in your stories? Are they bad or good guys or neutral? How do they apply their intelligence beyond making tools and more advanced solutions to basic needs? Do they engage in politics? How many of them are there? Do they have a society or are they loners ec.?

They've been in three books as minor characters, including one that's a half breed with a human and don't ask me how the lady dragon got pregnant with a humanoid, or wanted to, but love finds a way.

Their role is typically neutral but you know how humanoids love to big game hunt and baby dragons are awfully cute, but of course they grow up, set the castle on fire and down the sewer they go to convene with the goldfish, turtles, crocodiles, etc. They otherwise seek seclusion and good hunting grounds in the forested mountains usually.

Re: Intelligence. In the beginning, shortly after their creation by humanity, they were idolized, held in highest regard, worshiped, and put in actual leadership roles. It devolved quickly as they generally get crankier as they get older. In terms of the races, they're 1st in Intelligence potential but their social skills are kinda more like domination than cooperation, it seems to be a genetic aberration they all inherited. Luck of the draw.

In terms of temperament they're not the worst but they refuse any pecking order less than top. There was a rebellion but I haven't written that book yet. This is kind of the extent of that outline.

There are few, not more than hundreds and there would be a worry about inbreeding and the like but who can worry about such things practically when you're basically outcast and generally solitary creatures by necessity of that "there can be only one leader" mentality. They don't play well with others and family reunions are always troubled. Hmm sounds familiar.

I must add in this timeline of Earth, the population of all hominoids is no greater then a few million because of environmental reasons.

 

[yukio]

Since I established in my fantasy tales that dragons are essentially very large members of the weasel family, they have similar diets. This does include fish (especially, of course, for the 'water dragons').

I don't know why, this got me chuckling more then it should have