The fishing was good, but everyone else was wary. These were Condori waters. ... The crew was pulling up a net when it happened. The claws first appeared on the railing. Golden eyes preceeded the broad snout. Gregus grabbed a pole and advanced upon it. The creature spat at him, covering his face in a green slime. He fell and screamed. The creature looked at all of us slowly and deliberately. Assured that we were no threat, it simply stretched over a bit farther.. secured the huge tuna we had just pulled in with its maw, and slid back over the side. We were in its waters. It only wanted its due. ..... Gregus died the next day of a terrible fever and strictures. His face had been scared and develope terrible white sores. Our limited magics were no avail to stop it. We decided to secure the body in a case and return it to the see when we left these waters. Log of the Dolphin Clanship- Myra
Full Description
These creatures are small semi-intelligent quadrupedal dragonoids. Covered in fine textured green and green-blues scales, their low slung bodies are about 15 feet in length, with a strong thick tail half again that length. Fully amphibious, the creatures are strong predators in either environment. Their fan like 'wings' do not help them fly, but assist in moving through the water (propelled by their long powerful tail). They can slow their descent slightly if they leap from high places on land. They can run at a good clip if prompted, but are fairly moderate of pace in either environment. They are slow and steady tracker/ hunters.
Unlike most dragonlings, they do not spit fire; spitting out a somewhat acidic, somewhat poisonous (actually bacterially filled), and somewhat paralytic goo up to 12 feet (4 meters). They prefer to apply goo to any bite they make with their powerful (but toothless jaws). If not killed by the bite, they will be killed by this goo. If the prey does manage to escape the dragonling, the goo weakens them over time; they drop due to fatigue and toxins becoming easy pickings for the relentlessly following dragonling.
Though as cunning as a dog, these creatures do not live together.. in fact they will compete with each other for food (and eat each other). They will hunt on the land, hunt in warm seas, and even take a bite out of boats in their waters.
Additional Information
They are only native to the Condori Islands and Waters .
The only time they will peacefully co-exist with each other, (everything else is food), is the breeding season (spring every seven years or so). At that time, the dragonlings return to the beaches of their birth islands. Once there, the colonies of dragonlings pair up. Each pair creating sandy castle like nests. Each pairing produces a brood of five eggs. The parents protect their sand castle nest for the year of gestation and six months after their birth. After the fledglings leave the nest, the pair will break up and find their own territories again.
Each dragonling will breed 7 or so times in its life, every second or third seasons. They will live for 100 to 200 years on average.
Lucky for everyone that they do not swim too far from their home islands. Should any eggs manage to float away from here and find their way to another land.... a new colony would begin.
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Good-but without teeth how do they eat?
Many reptiles and birds do not have teeth. They have hard and somewhat sharp jaw ridges that they use to 'crush' and seperate their food.
Brings up quite a few questions, and is yet another play on the Komodo dragon and it's bacteria laced bite.
They are reptilian, but have no teeth; do they have a horn like mouth, or do they swallow their prey whole? Most marine predators tend to have teeth, sharp needle-like teeth for catching fish and such. Do they eat jellyfish instead? Are they vulnerable to their own bites?
Interesting idea with them having parental instincts on top of being a cannibalistic species.
Good biology tends to be recursvie.
I was thinking of solid plate jaw ridges (not quite a beak, but close), with jaws so powerful that they manage to crush and seperate most prey into managable pieces. However, there are other options. They could have bone ridges to serrate, rather than teeth. If it is easier for people to seem them having the typical jaws of terribly sharpo teeth, please feel free. I was trying to avoid that as typical and because of the chemistry.
I was thinking 'tooth free' mostly because of the acidic goo that stays in their mouth. Just as Dragons and their fire would eliminate teeth as an option. That is why I see dragons as beaked creatures rather than toothed.
They should be immune to their own goo. However, the goo should be somewhat effective against another Dragonling.
The partial parental support is just a twist to make them different and make nesting islands one of the world's most dangerous places. Imagine an entire colony of these things hitting the water upon seeing an incoming ship... who they see as an interloper.
There are many many animals that lack teeth but are very proficient at chewing. Most Large herbivores (excluding the horse) only have bottom teeth and have an upper bony chewing plate instead of teeth. And the octopus has no teeth at all yet is a very formidable predator as are all the birds of prey.
4/5
I like them. Makes me think of the concept behind 'The Lost World', as written by Michael Crichton (before Hollywood got at it). Somewhat hidden island of deadly creatures, posing a potential catastrophe if they were to ever find a way off the island.
Good creature, but the summary could use a spellcheck.
So noted