Dragons are reptilian-appearing magickal creatures, often capable of flight and breathing fire. There are several different types of dragon: the Western Dragon, the Wyvern, and the Chinese Dragon.
Like other magickal creatures, the dragons abandoned earth for other coexisting dimensions. No dragons currently reside on the CotC earth.
It should be noted that according to modern taxonomy, the term “dragon” has no zoological meaning. The giant monitor lizard of Indonesia, Vananus komodoensis, is often called the Komodo dragon, but it is not one in the magickal sense; it merely the closest thing we mundanes will ever see.
The Western tradition of dragons includes flightless dragons as well as those with wings and flight. The most common description compares them to lizards and snakes. They often have a barbed tail. Legend has it that they will gather gold and other precious things into a horde for their own amusement. Dragons generally have an evil reputation in Europe.
![[Wyvern]](img_support/wyvern-kids.gif)
This is a specific type of Western Dragon. It is winged, but has only two legs. A large one is strong enough to easily picked up two young girls and carry them a fair distance. In some traditions, the wyvern has bird wings instead of bat wings, but this is not the case for CotC: bat wings rule.
In complete contrast to the Western tradition, the Oriental or Chinese Dragon has a uniformly good reputation as a beneficent creature. It is considered an ancient symbol of power, fertility, and well-being. The Taoists consider the Chinese Dragon to be one of the deified forces of Nature.
Although the Chinese Dragon is always called a power of the air, none of its representations have wings. This suggests some form of magick which permits it to fly anyway.
| Return to mythos |
| Return to glossary |
| Return to background |
etb/20020628