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"When the Old Ones first crafted their Gates from the substance of stars, I was there to assist their labour. Down the long ages I have come, watching the rise and fall of you lesser races and your civilisations. I’ve laid waste to knights and cities, burned fields and routed armies in my years. I could tell you much of the world that you have forgotten and more that you never knew, but I think not. You and yours are suited for nothing more than to provide me with amusement and the occasional graceful bauble for my lair. I see little else worthwhile about you."

—Brinrairdih, also known as the "The Storm that Roars," Ancient Wyrm[2c]
Fire breathing dragon by sandara-d56vmyu

A monstrous Fire Dragon laying waste to mortal armies with its fiery breath.

Dragons are an incredibly ancient, intelligent, reptilian mortal race whose forefathers lived many thousands of years before even the Elves set foot in the Old World. Today, they are few in number compared to the times of old, when they dominated the Known World and the air was full of soaring Dragons, tussling for supremacy in the primeval skies. Those Dragons who remain today are of a lesser, reclusive breed that spend much of their time asleep in hidden mountainside lairs or sunken caverns. Although fewer in numbers, dragons are still creatures of vast power and when they are roused from their deep slumber, their deeds and actions are the stuff of legends.[1a]

Dragons are a diverse species, apt to display enormous variations in colour and abilities. These differences depend little on the creature's breeding, for the father of all Dragons was the fabled Kalgalanos the Black, and his spawn were all the colours of the sun. The hue of a Dragon's scales goes beyond mere pigments -- it is an indicator of the Dragon's personality and nature. Red, or Fire Dragons, are impatient and wrathful creatures that breathe roaring flame, Forest Dragons are elusive, deep wood creatures that belch noxious fumes, whilst Storm Dragons spit lightning bolts and are whimsical, almost flighty, in temperament.[1a]

A Dragon's size is proportional to its age. They continue to grow throughout their lives, and Dragons of any colour can reach huge proportions if they live for long enough. Few Dragons today can rival the size of Kalgalanos the Black, whose vast, scaly body was bigger than an Empire Greatship, and whose head was bigger than a house. Even so, Dragons remain amongst the largest of all creatures in the mortal world, and powerful servants to those that can tame one or earn its loyalty.[1a]

Dragons have a strong connection to gold. Among Dwarfs, it is believed that gold is the source of their longevity or that they use it to attract mates. Some Runesmiths claim that gold "sings" to them, with their hoards being a "chorus" of staggering beauty. This is also the reason why the loss of even a single coin enrages them, as it distorts the music.[1a]

History[]

Origins[]

The Dragons are ancient creatures who roamed the skies of the frigid Known World long before the Old Ones arrived. In this, they are akin to Dragon Ogres and other primeval creatures that have existed since the dawn of time. Alas, the days of Dragons are slowly fading. Many of them have been hunted down and killed by adventurous Men or Dwarfs. The Blood Dragon Vampires also hunt Dragons, desperately seeking an end to their curse by drinking Dragon blood.

At the dawn of time a dying Dragon would fly to the Plain of Bones to die. This created a huge cemetery filled with skeletons of enormous proportions. With the onset of the Great Catastrophe in which Chaos first entered the world with the destruction of the Old Ones' Polar Gates, some of the skeletons were re-animated as undead monsters and the disgusted dragons no longer go there.

Most of the remaining Dragons have taken refuge in distant mountains and caverns beneath the earth, where they spend their time in deep slumber and dream of days long past. This, again, is a trait they share with the dragon ogres. As time has moved forward, dragons have slept for longer periods, and have proven more and more difficult to rouse. There is some speculation this may be due to the ending of the ice age and change in climate caused by the Old Ones.

Dragons are greatly feared on the battlefield. Even the least powerful Dragons are quite capable of crushing entire armies, and of setting fleets and cities aflame. In the past, the Dragon Princes of Caledor each rode a Dragon into battle, making them an extremely formidable force. However, due to the fading and increasing slumber of the Dragons, those days are long past.

The Dragon Princes now ride sturdy Elven Steeds. However some worthy champions are still able to ride a Dragon into war. These include High Elf PrincesDark Elf NoblesDragon MagesChaos Lords and the Glade Lords of the Wood Elves. Indeed it seems the Elves as a species have a great affinity for the race of Dragons, in contrast to the Dwarfs who are instead famous for despising and slaying the creatures.

Regarding the Old Ones[]

When the Old Ones first came to the Known World, a yet more ancient race already dwelled there -- the Dragons. As the mortal world's orbit was shifted by the arcane sciences of the Old Ones in pursuit of their Great Plan, the Dragons retreated into hibernation, hating the warmth so beloved of the Old Ones. Many still slumber, awaiting a colder age, dreaming of a time when the creations of the Old Ones will be but a memory, and the Dragons will rule the skies once more.[3a] The exact relation between the two species is unknown -- in some tales, the Dragons were servants of the Old Ones, in others, they were their enemies and caused their downfall.[18a]

Of Elves and Dragons[]

"A Dragon is an army unto itself."

Caledorian proverb[17a]

In the Old World, Dragons are creatures of myth and fear. Every land has its legends and folk tales concerning Dragons: legends of fanged mouths that belch scorching flame, and of taloned claws sharp enough to slice through stone. In such tales, Dragons are cruel and whimsical tyrants, given to the slaughter of peoples and the ruination of cities. They are characterised as spiteful, fire-breathing monstrosities that would happily burn and slaughter a whole town; creatures that are now thankfully extinct. On Ulthuan however, Dragons are the subjects of legends quite different to the terrifying folk tales of other lands.[17a]

The High Elves see Dragons quite differently – as noble, intelligent beasts, that are dwindling, but far from extinction. Certainly, Dragons are capable of such terrifying things described in Old World legends, for their raw power exceeds that of any other living creature, and their minds are every bit as wise and cunning as the Elves'. Generations of Elves and Dragons have grown up together, and without the Dragons of Ulthuan, the High Elves would have been annihilated thousands of years ago. They have developed a bond with the Elven Dragon Princes down the centuries which is now bred into their very spirit. Dragons are not dull-witted creatures, but an intelligent species, and their relationship with their Elven masters is extremely close. Dragons are the oldest and greatest allies of the Elves, and the fates of both races are forever intertwined.[17a]

Dragons are an incredibly ancient race whose forefathers lived many thousands of years before even the Elves set foot in the Old World, and amongst the oldest of all living creatures. They antedate the rise of Chaos, long before warm-blooded creatures ruled the world. In days long gone there were many Dragons to be seen, riding the thermals of the mountain ranges and fighting alongside the heroes of the age. In ages past the land of Caledor was the domain of Dragons of all kinds, both great and small, and in ancient days, those noble beasts seemed almost without number. They made their homes high in the encircling mountains and under the smouldering peaks of the Dragon Spine Mountains. There, deep within the honeycomb of volcanic caves and tunnels, the most powerful Dragons of old made their nests of raw gold and gemstones. They grew large, far larger than Dragons of modern times, and slowly multiplied until the skies grew dark with their wings.[17a]

All this happened many years before the ancestors of the Elves came to Ulthuan. When the first Elves came to the land of Dragons, Caledor Dragontamer took possession of it, and named the land for himself. Caledor subjugated the Dragons, mastering them with the aid of sorcery until they submitted to his will, and the Asur of that realm were known as Dragon Princes. Rightly so, as they rode these majestic and fearsome creatures to war and vanquished all who opposed them. Then Caledor and his sons, riding Dragons and with all the Dragons of Caledor at their back, travelled the length of Ulthuan and all Elves acknowledged their rule. Thus began a golden age of order that ended with the coming of Chaos and the rise of Aenarion, the first Phoenix King.[17a]

Caledor Dragontamer recognised Aenarion as Asuryan's chosen one, and presented the Phoenix King with Indraugnir, the greatest and oldest Dragon of that age of this world. Then together Aenarion and Caledor led Dragon riders against the Chaos hordes, and drove them from the heartlands of Ulthuan. Their victory proved to only a temporary respite, for afterwards the armies of Chaos grew stronger and battled with the Elves once more. Many Beastmen were slain and Daemons destroyed, but behind every corpse stood another slavering warrior, another minion of the Dark Gods. Many Elves and Dragons were slain and all the time the Dragons grew weaker and fewer until it seemed that they would be defeated.[17a]

Though they triumphed in the end it was at a terrible cost. Caledor himself was trapped forever in the Vortex of Chaos. Aenarion was slain. Many bright and wondrous things were ended as the power of magic was drawn away from the world. The Dragon lairs cooled. The few Dragons that remained grew sleepy and weary. Increasingly they slept, and the Elves of Caledor found it harder and harder to rouse them. Once few dared the wrath of Caledor, for their Dragonriders could ravage a foe's armies and lands in hours, the great leathery wings of their mounts blotting out the sky with their numbers.[17a]

However, times have changed. Today, they are few in number compared to the times of old, when they dominated the world and the air was full of soaring Dragons, tussling for supremacy in the primeval skies. Now the Great Hall of Dragons lies almost silent. It is still filled with the great forms of wyrmkind, but all are deep in slumber, the sound of their rasping breath filling the air. Those Dragons who remains today are reclusive creatures that spend much of their time asleep in hidden mountainside lairs or sunken caverns found deep within the Dragon Spine Mountains, where they sleep away the centuries away until the end of the world. A mysterious languor that began in the earliest years of Tethlis' reign has caused more and more Dragons to enter a slumber from which only ancient Caledorian songs can rouse them.[17a]

To ride into battle upon the back of a mighty dragon is an ancient tradition in the realm of Caledor that sings in the blood of the Elves. It has been known for a prince to spend months if not years giving voice to the ancient songs of awakening, pleading with the slumbering form of an ancient Dragon to rouse and aid the Elves of Ulthuan, although the younger Sun Dragons can be stirred far quicker than their ancient brethren. The songs of Dragon-waking are an ancient and closely guarded trust. Those seeking to learn the secrets of waking a Dragon are bound by powerful spells cast by Caledorian mages, and it is believed that should they ever seek to divulge their knowledge, they will die. Such a veil of secrecy is essential for the survival of Ulthuan's Dragons.[17a]

The Dark Elves both covet and hate the Dragons who fight beside the High Elves in equal measure, and Malekith's followers would willingly butcher every one of Ulthuan's Dragons just to deny them to their cousins. In the past, raids have been launched against Caledor by Dark Elf Shades, with the intention of stealing unhatched eggs for their depraved masters. The thought of such noble beasts falling into the hands of the hated kin fills all Elves with dread. Thankfully such attacks are rare and successes are rarer still. The Dark Elves have some few Dragons of their own, but they are black-hearted monsters twisted by hate and tortured beyond reason, a poor comparison to the noble beasts of Caledor.

Although fewer in number, Dragons are still creatures of vast power and when they can be awoken they are terrible to behold, their deeds and actions the stuff of legends. The light catches their glistening scales before they spread their great wings to blot out the sun and light the world with their fiery breath. They are huge and terrifying monsters with a cold, alien intelligence which fills sane folk with dread. When times of danger are upon the Asur of Caledor they try to rouse a few from their sleep, but it is an ever greater task. Those Dragons that can be awakened are sometimes sluggish and temperamental. They will soon weaken and tire, and must resume their sleep in order to regain their strength. So their riders are reluctant to use their mounts save in times of direst need. 'Not in a Dragon's age' is a common phrase among the High Elves, and it has been many years since more than a handful rode the skies to battle. But the greatest Princes of Caledor still ride dragons into battle, and no foe of Ulthuan can deny their potency.[17a]

Of Dwarfs and Dragons[]

Dragons are an ancient race, older than even the Dwarfs. The two have much in common, despite their obvious differences, and this has led to a bitter history between them, fraught with death and destruction. Dragons, or "drakk" as they are known in the Khazalid, make their lairs deep in the mountains, near the heart of the world where it is warm and dry. As is their wont, Dwarfs will ever dig deep into the earth and there have been many occasions when the lair of a dragon has been discovered and the inevitable vying for territory begins. Much like Dwarfs, dragons covet gold and hoard it, making their nests of it. The Dwarf hunger for gold is well documented and this has led many an expedition into the domain of such a beast in search of treasure and riches. [4a]

So old is the enmity between Dwarfs and dragons, and the frequency with which the two races have clashed bloodily, that runesmiths have devised many magic runes to slay, and protect against, dragons. The Master Rune of Dragon Slaying was forged long ago and since legend purports that one of Grimnir's axes bore it, only one of the ancestor gods could have first inscribed it. There are many others, such as the Rune of the Furnace, which offers proof against the ravages of dragon fire - all arcane mysteries that baffle even the scholars of the Imperial Colleges of Magic.[4a]

As they are such formidable and deadly creatures, dragons are often sought out by devotees of the Slayer Cult in their quest to meet a worthy end. There are numerous accounts of such dawi being granted their wish when undertaking this perilous task.[4a] Over the years, Dwarfs have learned to make a great many things from the slain carcasses of dragons. They do so proudly and such items are a measure of the Dwarfs' defiance towards the beasts. Drognel, a form of thick stew; dragon-scale shields and cloaks; bone helmets and even dragon-tooth necklaces are all fashioned from dead dragons.[4b]

Slaying a Dragon is a great and mighty achievement. Few have done it, yet there are several known instances. The Karaz-a-Karak Book of Days recounts the tale of Dorin Heldour and how he slew the dragon, Fyskar. Its skin was taken to High King Finn Sourscowl, who had his runesmith, Heganbor, fashion it into a runic cloak. After the great city of Karak Azgal - then Karak Izril - fell it became inhabited by the dragon Graug the Terrible. The creature was the spawn of Skaladrak the Incarnadine that once tormented the northern hold of Karak Kadrin. After many failed attempts by the knights of Bretonnia, Graug was slain by Skalf Dragonslayer who assumed kingship of Karak Azgal, now Dragon Crag, but Skalf made no effort to resettle it and instead established a small town in its foothills. Rumour persists that it is still inhabited by a dragon to this day, one of Graug's offspring that Skalf overlooked.[4a][4b]

Bretonnian Dragonslaying[]

"Many knights of Bastonne bear such an image, for it harks back to the time of Gilles the Uniter, who hailed from Bastonne. It was he who first took the Dragon as his symbol, after he slew the great wyrm Smearghus that had plagued the realm for centuries."

Calard of Garamont, on the symbol of the Dragon.[14]

Most Old Worlders are familiar with the image of a noble Knight riding upon his charger to slay a foul Dragon. Within the noble realm of Bretonnia, however, it has become one of the most enduring images of chivalry in existence. Not only that, but in ages past, the great Uniter himself slew a giant Red Dragon whilst he was still a youngster. Thus, the art of Dragonslaying is sufficiently grand in scale and so steeped in fantasy, that it could not suit the proud Knights of Bretonnia any better...[13]

Dragon Types[]

Dragon Ages[]

Normally, Dragons can be categorised by their age, divided into growth stages as follows, from youngest to oldest:

  • Dragonling
  • Young Dragon, Drake, or Sun Dragon (as known by the High Elves)
  • Dragon or Moon Dragon (as known by the High Elves)
  • Great Dragon or Star Dragon (as known by the High Elves)

True Dragons[]

  • Caledorian Dragon - Not unlike the Fire Dragons found around the mortal world in nature and abilities, the Dragons of Caledor share a special and historic bond with the High Elves of that Ulthuani kingdom. Their scales come in a variety of colours, which morph as the Dragon ages.
    • Sun Dragon - The youngest of Caledor's dragons are referred to by the Elves as Sun Dragons, in reference to their hot tempers and the rich, warm hue of their scales.[12a]
    • Moon Dragon - Those dragons that surpass Sun Dragons in might and enlightenment are known as Moon Dragons. Moon Dragons lived before Aenarion and fought in the wars against the Daemons.[12a]
    • Star Dragon - The oldest and most powerful of Caledor's dragons are referred to as Star Dragons, for they are truly as ancient as the very stars of the firmament. While any Dragon can savage an entire regiment of warriors, tear a Manticore apart, or rip the head off a wyvern, a Star Dragon is so physically powerful that it can battle against even the Greater Daemons of Chaos and prevail.
  • Black Dragon - Cruelly bred by the Dark Elves of Naggaroth from Caledorian stock, stronger than other dragons of similar age due to corrupting magics, but without the mutation found in Chaos dragons.
  • Carmine Dragon - Dragons imbued with the magic of Shyish, the Wind of Death. They hatch the colour of rubies, but darken as they age, with the oldest individuals becoming a deep purple that appears almost black.
  • Fire Dragon - Fire Dragons are hot-tempered and intolerant beasts whose flaming breath and ready rage have long since passed into legend as being synonymous with Dragonkind. Most are shades of red.
    • Doomfire Dragon - Doomfire Dragons are Emperor Fire Dragons that are capable of casting spells drawn from the Wind of Aqshy. They are swift to wrath and take an abiding joy in setting alight the towns and fortresses of lesser races.
  • Forest Dragon - Dragons that are known to live mostly in forested regions of the mortal world (Athel Loren in particular) and to breathe soporific fumes instead of fire.
    • Venom Dragon - Emperor Forest Dragons are toxic and poisonous inside and out, but see themselves as agents of rebirth in the world. They are attuned to the wind of Ghyran.
  • Frost Dragon - Creatures of winter that dwell in frozen climates.
    • Ice Dragon - Emperor frost dragons who are even more sedate and slumbersome. These dragons are attuned to the wind of Hysh.
  • Magma Dragon - A sub-species of dragon known to live in volcanic regions of the world.
  • Nightmare Dragon - Type of emperor dragon possibly be made of pure Shyish rather than being real flesh-and-blood creatures.
  • Storm Dragon - Rarely seen, for they live in the rolling storms high in the atmosphere. They shoot bolts of lightning as a breath weapon.
    • Great Storm Dragon - Emperor Storm Dragons are even wilder and more unpredictable. These dragons channel the wind of Azyr.

Related Species[]

  • Cathayan Dragons - Serpentine, golden-scaled and bejeweled dragons who live in far-off Cathay. After finding a way to imitate the shape of humans, they united the human tribes and forged the nation of Grand Cathay. They are the country's rulling class to this day.
  • Great Wyrm - Similar in form to a wyvern, albeit large enough to rival a true dragon, which can be found in the Dragon Isles. These enormous avian predators primarily hunt adult Terradons, but also have a taste for warm-blooded creatures.
  • Merwyrm - A species of maritime creatures which live in the world's oceans.
    • Pagowyrm - Albino sub-species of merwyrm that dwells in the frigid seas of Naggaroth.
    • Sciowyrm - Pitch-black sub-species of merwyrm that dwells in the deepest ocean trenches.  
  • Sea Dragon - Believed to be descended from an ancient dragon who fell into the ocean and mutated, these gigantic creatures are used by the Dark Elves to pull their ships.
  • Shard Dragon - Degenerate subterranean offshoot of dragons. The most skilled of Runelords are able to control these beasts with potent rune-collars.
  • Wyvern - Similar to dragons in many ways, but smaller, lacking forelimbs, and far less intelligent. Dragons admit some level of kinship with wyverns, albeit with all of the enthusiasm of an Elf prince embracing a particularly drunken and vomit-stained Dwarf.

Notable Dragons[]

A[]

  • Abraxas - Great Wyrm who was wounded and defeated by Sigmar.[2a]
  • Aggraunir - First Sea Dragon to be captured by the Dark Elves.
  • Anaegnir - Mount of Thyrinor.
  • Aragnir - Mount of Bel-Alhor, son of Finubar.
  • Azorgaron - An ancient and powerful black-coloured Dragon worshipped as a god by the Drakk Cultists.

B[]

  • Begeir Seun - Forest Dragon mount of Glade Lord Edrael.
  • Bruwor - Protector of Life

C[]

  • The Cold-Voider - Chaos Frost Dragon

D[]

  • Deathfang - Deathfang the wyrm is a great Green Dragon mounted by the exiled Caledorian prince Asarnil The Dragonlord.
  • Dragon Emperor - Ruler of Grand Cathay, able to take human form, spends most of his time in the Celestial Palace
  • Draugnir - The World Dragon, fabled father of Dragonkind according to the Elves.

F[]

  • Falandraugr - Called the Death-in-Jade, he was slain by King Algrim of Karak Azul.
  • Frigustrex - "Scion of the Cold Void", Chaos Frost Dragon.

G[]

  • Gordinar - Champion of the Flame

H[]

I[]

  • Iaybas The Sapphire Eye - According to the tales of Orsini Sardus, the Storm Dragon Iaybas The Sapphire Eye was seen in the skies over Tobaro during the War of Beasts.

J[]

K[]

L[]

  • Lamoureux - The Frozen Breath

M[]

  • Mergaste - A mighty Wyrm slain by King Baudoin of Bretonnia.
  • Miao Ying - daughter of the Dragon Emperor, sister of Zhao Ming, ruler of the Northern Provinces of Cathay

N[]

  • Nightfang - Mount of Mentheus of Caledor.

O[]

  • Ostermark Ice Dragon - Slain by Markus Wulfhart.

R[]

  • Radixashen - "Serpent of the Worldroots"; a Forest Dragon known as Champion of the Athel Loren.

S[]

  • Shackolot - The Calamity.
  • She - A Warpfire Dragon hired by The Counchil of Tears of Vedenza. Only known by the name of She. (Deceased)
  • Sulekh - First Black Dragon of Malekith, slain by Caledor I.

U[]

  • Urmskaladrak - Disputed Father of Dragons that was killed by Grimnir. May be related to Kalgalanos or Draugnir.

W[]

  • Writhing Wyrm of Rotherham - Slain by the brother of Sir Thibault.

Y[]

  • Ymirdrak - Ice Drake so powerful it froze an entire Ogre tribe.
  • Ymwrath - The Eternal.

Z[]

  • Zhao Ming - Son of the Dragon Emperor, brother of Miao Ying, ruler of the Western Provinces of Cathay.

Miniatures[]

Videos[]

Canon Conflict[]

In earlier editions of Warhammer Fantasy Battles, the name of Malekith's first Black Dragon differed, as it was named Kaliphon[15] or Baraug.[16a]

Sources[]

  • 1: Storm of Magic (8th Edition)
    • 1a: pp. 120-121
  • 2: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Old World Bestiary (RPG)
    • 2a: pg. 52
    • 2b: pg. 53
    • 2c: pg. 54
  • 3: Warhammer Armies: Lizardmen (7th Edition)
    • 3a: pg. 33
  • 4: Grudgelore (Background Book)
    • 4a: pg. 23
    • 4b: pg. 24
  • 5: Warhammer Battle Bestiary (4th Edition)
    • 5a: pg. 54-55
  • 6: Warhammer Armies: Dark Elves (4th Edition)
    • 6a: pg. 55
  • 7: Warhammer Armies: Dark Elves (7th Edition)
    • 7a: pg. 57
  • 8: Warhammer Armies: Dark Elves (8th Edition)
    • 8a: pg. 50
  • 9: Warhammer Armies: Dogs of War (5th Edition)
    • 9a: pg. 42 - 43
  • 10: Warhammer Armies: High Elves (4th Edition)
  • 11Warhammer Armies: High Elves (5th Edition)
  • 12Warhammer Armies: High Elves (7th Edition)
  • 13: Warhammer: Dragonquest - A Bretonnian Scenario
  • 14: Knight Errant (Novel) pg. 106
  • 15White Dwarf 258
  • 16: Warhammer Armies: Dark Elves (6th Edition)
  • 17Warhammer Armies: High Elves (8th Edition)
  • 18 Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition: The Imperial Zoo (RPG)
  • Warhammer Armies: The Empire (8th Edition), pg. 34
  • Warhammer Armies: Vampire Counts (7th Edition), pg. 55
  • Warhammer Armies: Vampire Counts (8th Edition), pg. 49
  • Warhammer Armies: Warriors of Chaos (7th Edition), pp. 35, 70
  • Warhammer Armies: Wood Elves (4th Edition), pg. 69
  • Warhammer Armies: Wood Elves (6th Edition), pg. 31
  • Warhammer Armies: Wood Elves (8th Edition), pg. 59
  • Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Old World Bestiary (RPG), pp. 52-54
  • Warhammer Expansion: Monstrous Arcanum, pp. 30-31, 72, 80, 82
  • Citadel Miniatures Catalogue - Part One (1988), pp. 801 - 806
  • Citadel Miniatures Catalogue - Part One (1989), pp. 801 - 806
  • Caledor (Novel) by Gav Thorpe
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