Dragon Information

[Alexias]

(Size Chart Here)

Dragon Eye Hues

green- sleeping, pleasure
red- hunger, anger, sexual agitation and desire
white- extreme danger
purple- stress
yellow- fright, anger, anxiety
orange- uncertainty, suspicion
rainbow- Impression
blue/green to blue- general well-being, love

*The speed with which the eyes whirl indicates the intensity of the emotion*

Dragon Sounds

bellow- alarm, irritation, calling for attention
bugle- greeting, information, joy
croon- pleasure, reassurance, apology
humming- hatching
keen- death cry
moan- distress, anxiety
squeal- fear, surprise
warble- complacent, gratitude
whimper- deep sadness

Pern Dragon Anatomy

Mouth

-triangular muzzle which is more pointed than that of a firelizard
-front teeth are for hunting, molars in the back for chewing firestone
-canines grow in during their first turn
-dragons have a forked tongue
-dragons have 48 teeth at adulthood

Eyes

-multifaceted eyes seem to whirl with emotion
-the faster the eyes whirl the more intense the emotion
-the movement is merely caused by light off of the facets
-dragons have no lashes, only eye ridges for protection
-their eyes have three membranes (first is transparent) which lower when needed
-all three lids close only when sleeping
-when the brow ridges are offered for petting, it is a sign of trust
-dragon eyesight is much sharper than human's, even seeing through banks of fog
-dragons have the ability to see through their rider's eyes, even when not together
-the eye color shows the dragon's mood and emotions

Mind/Communication

-dragons have an enlarged frontal lobe due to enhanced telepathic abilities
-with age, the dragon's ability to concentrate goes
-dragons have a short term memory recall of about 2-3 days
-dragons have trouble remembering other rider's names, hence the honorifics
-dragons are peaceful, and will only attack if their rider is in danger, or an accidental mauling when they hatch
-dragons become agitated on their own during a Fall or flight
-dragons can bespeak anyone they wish, but it is rarely done as they find it distasteful
-dragons can also bespeak watchwhers, but some really don't like to
-dragons can communicate with firelizards but only do so when bored or needed
-the dragon's head knobs seem to replace ears, and may pick up on vibrations that humans can't hear
-dragons have wonderful spacial sense which seems to help when betweening into tight places
-Some dragons have the ability to see what's wrong with animals, as Orlith did with the runner when Moreta asked her to

Hide

-dragon hide is smooth, soft to the touch, strong and hairless
-healthy hides are glossy with no hints of grey
-unhealthy hides have grey in them and may feel chalky
-dragons and firelizards (especially when growing) should be regularly oiled to prevent dry and cracking hides
-golds and greens change tone of color when close to rising and nearer to almost seem to glow
-as dragons age their hides seem to change tones; browns go greenish while golds tend to bronze

Internal Systems

-dragons can hold their breath for up to 10 minutes
-when the dorsally inflated lungs are fully filled, the chest may swell up to twice its size
-dragons have 2 stomachs, one for food digestion and one for firestone to be turned into fuel for fire
-dragons are warm blooded
-dragons have ichor, a copper based blood which is greenish
-dragons have more than one heart, placed in the ribcage like ours

Skeleton

-there are 10 vertebrae in the neck, and 56 in the back with an extremely strong exoskeleton
-dragons have a borun-silicate skeleton, unlike human calcareous ones
-dragon bones are much, much stronger than humans, making them able to sustain their weight, especially in flight
-dragon's skeletons are made up of light, flexible plates with a fused ribcage of one piece
-their joints are ball and socket for strength and less chance of dislocation during flight and landings
-A line of ridges run along a dragon's spine from just behind the head knobs down to the shoulder muscles of the wings, where they grow less prominent and then continue down to the forked tail

Muscles

-dragon muscles are a shiny silver-grey
-dragons have extremely muscled back legs for powerful take offs
-dragons are more muscular as they go up in size

Legs

-Front legs have 5 taloned fingers (pentadactyl) that can hold things like human hands
-The front talons are retractable, but rear are not
-Dragons forelimbs are shorter and they have a sort of gait when they walk, and rest sitting on their haunches
-Back legs have 3 toes

Tails

-Dragonkin have forked tails which hold the sphincter
-They can hold their excreta for up to five days in the event of illness, then go between to release themselves
-If a dragon can not get between in 5 days, then their riders have to clean up after them
-The genitalia are concealed under a pouch like covering of skin under the connection of tail and body
-the genitalia are only shown during mating

Mating

-A period of "proddiness" occurs before the female dragon rises
-signs of proddiness may be increased affection, irritability or mood swings
-golds and greens tend to deepen and brighten in hide color a day before mating
-golds blood kills before rising
-goldriders urge their golds not to eat the meat because it would weigh them down
-blooding ensures they get the energy but not the weight
-the strongest and fastest must catch the queen to ensure the best possible clutches
-golds tend to be possessive over the male dragons chasing her, which is why it's dangerous to have two Golds rise at the same time
-golds will fight to the death while greens don't have this problem
-the clutch is laid after about three months and remains on the sands for about five sevendays

Wings

-dragons can fly after their wings dry, but are not allowed until ready
-dragon wings are usually 1 2/3 the dragon's length
-as dragons age, their finger tip and elbow joints harden, making maneuvers difficult, but gliding is possible since that's done with the shoulder

Aileron: The sections and membranes which make up the mainsails.

Batten Rib: Cartilage ribs within the mainsails, joining sections of aileron to other ribs as well as the different bones/body.

Bones: The wing has 4 major bone groups, each made up of 3 sections. (Inner Bone, Mid-bone, Spar bones, and Outer bone).

Finger joint: An extra bone which protrudes from the "hand" of the dragon from the same point the other bone sections merge.

Finger sail: The section of the spar mainsail which reaches diagonally from the lowest minor joint of the spar bone to the trailing edge.

Leading Edge: The top cartilage of the wing.

Leech: The whole lower edge of the wing, from the body to the forestay tip.

Lub: The whole upper edge of the wing, from shoulder to forestay tip.

Mainsail: The wing has 3 mainsails, each made up of aileron and batten ribs (primary mainsail, secondary mainsail, spar mainsail).

Trailing Edge: The lower cartilage of the wing.

DRoP Info (c) Anne McCaffery

[Alexias]

Dragonhealing

Constipation

Dragon's tails are forked, and this is where their sphincters are located. Excreta may be stored for several days (up to 5), before being expelled between by adult dragons. Weyrlings are not able to go between and need to have their rider muck out their couch. Additionally, a dragon's genitalia are concealed behind pouch-like flaps of hide under the junction of tail and body. these are only revealed during mating.

If a dragon is allowed to overeat repeatedly, he or she will become constipated, complaining about their stomach being in pain, and occasionally even complaining about their genitals being in pain. The most visible sign will be a thickening of their tail, as the excreta is stored, and begins to compact. This is a common complaint in Weyrling dragons.

Assessment:
Has the dragon been overeating?

Determination:
Is the tail thickened with stored excreta?

Treatment:
The dragon must be made to consume at least a gallon of linseed oil, or aloe juice. Purge sticks are something the Weyrlingmasters use to frighten Weyrlings into taking care of their lifemates properly, but don't have any purpose other than this. Several hours to a day later, the dragon will need to be restricted to gentle activities. During and after this time, the bowels will loosen and the stored excreta will be expelled.

Recovery:
The dragon may bee a day or two to recover. Riders should clean up after their lifemate. This generally serves as a reminder to watch what their dragon eats

Muscle Injuries

Dragon muscles are, on the whole, silvery-grey in color, though where the ichor supply is rich, for example in the wings or legs, then the grey darkens and may even be tinted green from the ichor. They are heavily muscled, particularly in regards to their back legs; this allows them to leap far off the ground when they take off.

Injuries that seem to affect the muscles may also include the tendons and ligaments. Sprains happen when ligaments at, or near to, a joint are stretched, or damaged. A strain is a partial tearing of the muscle, often near the junction where the muscle and tendons anchor to the bones. Muscle may also be ruptured, where there is complete tearing of the muscle; this may occur in the fleshy part of the muscle, or in the tendon. Finally, there is always the association of deep bruising that can be extensive in large bulky muscles. Sprains, strains, and deep brusing are very common and may occur from a wrenching, a sudden or violent movement that tears at surrounding tissues, or from overstretching muscle groups.

Injuries of this nature can occur in wings, forelimbs, hindlimbs, neck and even tails. (From mating flights!) In young dragons it can be prevented through the use of muscle exercises, especially utilizing the water to develop groups before they can be used as the water will cushion any deleterious effects.

Assessment:
If the dragon is in pain, then ask a gold to dampen that and still the movement. Involve the rider in this, and ask them for details of the injury. If this is the result of a mating flight, then the Dragonhealer needs to make sure that they start handing the rider skins of wine. Take control of the situation, but never forget to ask a rider first for permission to approach their lifemate: big dragon, in pain, a dangerous combination.

Determination:
Is the dragon favoring one limb/wing, etc over another?
Is there any swelling?
Local pain in the area, eased on elevation?

Treatment:
Numb the area with numbweed.

In severe cases, it may become necessary to splint the injury, and allow it to rest properly. Splint with tree trunks, branches, or other materials that have been prepared beforehand. Supplies of these should be kept in every dragon infirmary.

The site of the injury should be rested and immobilized; with the dragon restricted from flying if there is an ankle, leg, or wing injury. If its a neck or tail injury, only gently flying should be allowed, and they should be restricted from mating flights. (dragons shouldn't want to participate anyway if they aren't feeling well)

Recovery:
Recovery time depends on the severity of the injury. This could be anything from a day or two, to several sevendays. Muscle injuries often benefit from immersion in salt water, and gentle exercise in the water. Both rider and dragon should be cautioned about returning to duty to soon as the area may remain prone to similar injuries for some time.

Skin Complaints

Dragonhide is soft to the touch and hairless. It is not metallic in nature and doesn't have scales. It is extremely resilient to most abrasive injuries and provides, like human skin, a barrier to infection. Absorption of topical substances such as numbweed and oil is possible, though it can take sometimes to penetrate the thick epidermis to reach the germative layer.

Dragon hide should show no fluctuation in coloration unless there is a problem that has not been treated. Some may deepen with age, or turn grey at the muzzle, but on the whole they do not deviate from their base color. If their hide appears dull, patchy. or grey, then a Dragonhealer is needed.

There are three main areas of neglect that will affect a dragon's hide. The first problem lies in the fact that a dragon's hide needs to be oiled regularly. If it is not, then first dry patches, then cracks will appear, which can be fatal when going between. This can be a particular problem in young dragons that grow so rapidly, but older dragons are not exempt. In Weyrling dragons, oiling daily in a necessity. Riders benefit from this by having incredibly soft hands. The second is the problem of ill-fitting straps. Straps that are not flexible, or that are cracked or damaged, can chafe a dragon's hide. These area can become hypersensitive and crack leading to problems when going between. The third, and final problem is that of dull, lackluster, and grey hide. If this is the diagnosis then the immediate thought should be dehydration, followed by investigation of some injury that has not been treated correctly.

Dry or Cracked Hide?

Assessment:
Ask the rider when they last oiled/bathed their lifemate.

Determination:
Is the skin itchy?
Do there appear to be dry areas?
Is one part of the hide paler than the other?
Is the hide flaking?

Treatment:
Instruct rider to bathe the dragon, paying particular attention to the problematical region. Use copious amounts of sand, and scrub the dead hide away.
The dragon should be thoroughly oiled, with particular attention paid to the problematical region.
Numbweed may be applied at Dragonhealer's discretion

Recovery:
Dragon should not between when there is a risk of the dry hide cracking. Once treated, the problem should clear up in a day or two. Riders should be instructed to pay closer attention to their lifemates and in particular to that region.

Chafed Hide?

Assessment:
Are there patches that appear discolored, as if rubbed raw? Dry Areas? Hide flaking?

Determination:
Are the straps ill-fitting?
Are the straps broken, twisted?
Are the straps not flexible?
Does the problem develop when the straps are put on?
Does it develop when they are laying on their couch?
Is it more painful than itchy?

Treatment:
Instruct the rider to bathe the region, paying particular attention to the problematical region. Copious amounts of sand should be used to scrub dead hide away.

The dragon should be thoroughly oiled, paying particular attention to the problematical region.

Numbweed may be applied at Dragonhealer's discretion if applicable. Riding straps will need to be corrected, but if this does not seem to be the problem, the Dragonhealer should start checking couches, etc for stones or lips that might irritate the hide.

Recovery:
Dragon should not between when there is a risk of the dry hide cracking. Once treated, the problem should clear up in a day or two. Riders should be instructed to pay closer attention to their lifemate's and their straps. Straps should be inspected daily for wear and tear. If this continues to be a problem, then the rider should think about padding out parts of the straps with strips of suede.

Stomach Complaints

Dragons have two stomachs, one is for food, and the digestion of such, and the other is for firestone and the complex reaction that is necessary in order to generate flame. Early on dragons learn to concentrate on their second stomach when chewing firestone. However, accidents do happen during this important phase of learning, and often chunks of firestone end up in the food stomach. Ingestion of firestone and passage into the correct stomach leads to the chemical reaction, catalyzed by an acid of some sort. The exact nature of this substance is unknown, but reports from dragons during Weyrling training complaining of a burning feeling in their esophagus lead us to surmise that it is an acid of some kind. Once the chemical reaction has been completed in this second stomach, then a number of flammable gases are produced which when belched forth, ignite on contact with air. Flames can be sustained for well over a minute in an experienced dragon, and the range can be altered from around 2 to 6 meters.

There is no secondary digestive tract for the second stomach, unlike the first, which passes to the tail. The firestone, which has been masticated and subsequently digested inside the second stomach to an odorous ash, is not excreted but disgorged. As Weyrlings, dragons regurgitate in ash pits near the Weyrling barracks, but once between training is underway, dragons will disgorge the contents of their second stomach while between.

Golds do not ingest firestone. Their riders use flamethrowers in Threadfall, which have as much variation in range as a dragon. However, it is an old aunties tale to believe that not ingesting firestone is the reason golds are fertile, unlike their green counterparts. Since gold firelizards ingest firestone, flame and still bear live clutches, it is believed there is something in the genetic makeup of a green dragon that makes her sterile, and not in the firestone. Considering the frequency at which greens rise, this is somewhat of a relief to any Weyr. Additionally, no sane Weyrwoman would risk the fertility of her gold when there are plenty of fighting dragons in the Weyr.

Because dragons have two stomachs it is important to determine the cause of the discomfort. Overeating generally only happens in Weyrling dragons. It can, and will, lead to constipation if left unchecked. Additionally, flying with an overfull stomach can lead to sprains and strains. Since dragons eat freshly killed meat, they do not encounter problems that some humans can have with bad meat. The only other problem they may have is regurgitated acid from the second stomach. This burning feeling will be fleeting and often will pass after a swallow or two. When dragons begin to chew firestone, a stomach ache may result from chewing firestone that is a poor grade. Bad firestone can be recognized by an uneven color, holes that vary widely in diameter, as well as tunnels that may go straight through the rock. This is why it is imperative that Weyrlings are taught to sort firestone early on, so that when feeding their lifemates it becomes second nature to give them the right sized chunks, but also of sufficient quality to produce and sustain a good flame. However, in the case of bad firestone, the Weyrleaders need to be informed immediately so that the stores can be checked, and the Minecraft notified.

Assessment:
Ask the rider if the dragon has eaten recently, or if they have digested firestone.
Have they regurgitated Ash?

Determination:
Is the dragon complaining of an ache in their first or second stomach? If the first stomach, does their stomach look distended? If the second, is their flame unsustainable and blue?

Treatment:
Firestone: Once eaten, the only remedy for the consumption of bad firestone is letting the dragon cough up the ash. Dragons should not be allowed to head into Threadfall after consuming bad firestone.

Overeating: The dragon's eating habits need to be controlled better by their lifemates, especially since overeating can lead to constipation. Dragons should not be allowed to fly, after overeating, in case they strain themselves.

Recovery:
Firestone: The problem should clear once the firestone ash has been regurgitated.

Overeating: Full recovery within a day

Talon Loss

Dragon talons are similar in nautre to canine claws, and even our own fingernails. They are made of keratin, and grow out from a talon bed, which is situated in the foot pad. Thus, the talon itself has no nerves associated with it, and therefore no feeling until it reaches the point where it grows from the talon bed. There it is nourished with ichor and nerves. However, that's not to the say they cannot feel by association through their talons, though it is more correct to say that they feel the connection through the talon to the talon bed.

Talon loss becomes quite common when young dragons are learning to fly. However, it remains a risk throughout life, especially in those dragons that are injured or sick, or otherwise impaired. It is then that takeoff and landings can cause a talon to break of, either fully or partially, particularly on hard surfaces such as rock and compacted dirt.

Though not so common, talon loss can also occur in mating flights, whereby talons are lost by fighting males. hunting may also result in the loss of a talon, particularly when the captured beast is of a sufficient weight that a wrong move will wrench the talon from the bed of the foot.

Assessment:
If the dragon is in pain, then ask a gold dragon to 'dampen' the pain. It's likely that the pain will be fleeting, with the wrenching occasionally accompanied by nausea, which will then lessen to a throb. The Dragonhealer should ask the rider for details of the injury. If its a mating flight injury, the rider should be given a skin of wine unless the Dragonhealer wants their affections coming their way (Not advised until *after* you've dealt with the dragon). Otherwise the rider should only be affected a little, with an uncomfortable feeling predominating.

Determination:
Is there any talon left?
Is the talon hanging at an awkward angle?
Is there dirt associated with the remaining/lost talon?
Is there ichor pooling around the talon bed?

Treatment:
The area around the talon bed should be cleaned with redwort, especially if infection seems likely. If there's some ichoring, then apply numbweed immediately.

If the talon is torn, the Dragonhealer should determine whether it would be more fortuitous to remove the complete talon, or remove the damaged portion. If they decide to remove the talon, they should make sure that the talon bed is fully numbed. The talon is mostly dead, this does not need to be numbed, only the bit near the bed is the living tissue.

The assistance of another dragon may be required to remove the talon, depending on how severe the injury. If it is hanging from the talon bed at a sharp angle, a sterile knife should be used to remove it by severing through as little tissue as possible so as not to damage the talon bed.

If the talon can be saved, remove the part that is damaged with a sharp knife. The Drgaonhealer will need to numb the talon bed with numbweed, otherwise the dragon will feel uncomfortable pressure in this area during the procedure.

Recovery:
The talon should eventually grow back, taking between four and eight sevendays to do so. Any injury site will close within a day or two. Occasionally a talon may not grow back if the talon bed is sufficiently damaged. However, this will not impair the dragon in any way, as they will quickly learn to compensate for the missing talon.

Threadscore

Thread is the whole reason dragons were created. It is a parasitic organism somewhat similar to Terran mycorrhiza, carbon-based and omnivorous. Although its exact origins are unknown, it is believed to hail from the Red Star, as the approach of the erratic wandering planet in the sky heralds a Pass of Thread. As it passes through Pern's atmosphere, Thread unfolds into its threatening form: a tangled mass of greyish-silver filaments that devours anything organic in its path. thread can only be killed by flame, extreme cold, or water.