Dragons & Such

Salix Babylonika · 2012-06-18 03:33:30

This is a thread about Dragons.

Dragons, in my opinion, are pretty damn cool.

for instance, here's a black dragon:

Misery · 2012-06-18 03:34:11

I love dragons.

One-Winged Eagle · 2012-06-18 03:48:24

I love dragons, but can we please do something with them that isn't done to death?

Salix Babylonika · 2012-06-18 04:05:22

What do you suggest?

Salix Babylonika · 2012-06-18 04:13:05

I've always been partial to the idea of dragons-as-personifications.

Such that, instead of having Red Dragons that *just happen* to be tempermental and *just happen* to breathe fire, you have a Fire Dragon that can be any color fire is because it's the personification of fire and obviously, it breathes fire.

But that also opens up a lot more interesting possibilites since you can basically stick any concept or natural process and turn it into a dragon. Why not a War Dragon? Or a Tree Dragon? Or a Nuclear Dragon?

I just find that kind of thing an interesting thought experiment.

One-Winged Eagle · 2012-06-18 04:29:22

I know is that I don't really want to see any more dragon-riders dragon-human hybrids.

Maybe a more modern dragon somewhat like Godzilla, a dragon of atomic fire. Or the Grendel tradition with a dragon with an actual sense of humor while at the same time being very dangerous. Or an Eastern, serpentine, aquatic dragon, guardians and watchers of the seas and rivers.

Salix Babylonika · 2012-06-18 04:34:06

Well this thread is about dragons, not their riders or offspring. :P

I don't care very much for dragons in the Eastern Tradition, to be honest. I don't dislike them, but I also don't really consider them dragons (them being called such is mostly a western convention anyway). They're more their own thing, I think.

One-Winged Eagle · 2012-06-18 04:37:09

Dragon-human hybrids that turn into dragons.

Also I'm Chinese, so I consider them a legitimate form of dragon tradition.

Tachyon · 2012-06-18 08:05:01

They're obviously an equally legitimate tradition. I agree with Lazuli, though: they are quite different, and calling them "dragons" seems a bit arbitrary. Western dragons have a different body shape and are more greedy, more animal-like and more brutal, as a rule.

I also like dragons (both kinds) and I don't really care if they're overplayed. If anything the long tradition behind them makes them more awesome to me.

Unknown · 2012-06-18 08:58:51

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King_Friday · 2012-06-18 11:00:39

How about a dragon that farts fire but can't figure out how to breath fire yet and needs the aid of his trusty dragon friends to learn how. He could have his own sitcom.

One-Winged Eagle · 2012-06-18 11:17:20

Friday, from one king to another, you are the best.

Justice4243 · 2012-06-18 11:45:16

Dragons are cool Psychic/gem dragons need more love.

ProfessorGator · 2012-06-18 12:00:01

Psychic dragons, you say?

I like dragons a lot, too. I don't mind most of the clichés too much, except for dragons being "always [insert alignment here]".

I like the idea of a story with more dragons on the side of good than evil. On a related note, when I make up ideas for dragon characters, I tend to make them more mystical/magical, smart, and occasionally snooty than greedy and brutal. I know it's weird, but that's how my mind works, I guess.

Imipolex G · 2012-06-18 12:17:38

I'm gonna have to go against the crowd here and say that dragons are both very overplayed and quite boring.

*waits for the flames, no pun intended*

Unknown · 2012-06-18 12:28:15

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Justice4243 · 2012-06-18 13:23:35

Doesn't Chinese culture deify dragons and view them in a more positive light? I am not sure because I am not Chinese.

Yes. I can expand on that when work lightens up a bit here.

Justice4243 · 2012-06-18 14:52:55

So, while we deal with this wonderfully descriptive SharePoint error. I'll talk make good on my promise.

Dragons in the east differ quite a bit from their western counterparts. In western literature, Dragons where often used as a sort of allegorical reference to the forces of nature or evil. Whilst in the east their a sign of Imperial power, often associated with water, and frequently benevolent.

In China a five toed dragon represented the Emperor, while dragons of four and three toes represented different groups depending on which dynasty was in charge.

In myth, legend, and Chines folk religion (or even Taoism, the line between folk religion and taoism is often blurry). Bodies of water (rivers, waterfalls, seas) are thought to be ruled by a dragon. Villages would often have their own local Dragon King that they would venerate and ask to either stop or start rain depending on if they needed less flooding in their lives or more water for crops respectively.

Justice4243 · 2012-06-18 15:00:10

I should mention that some nobles in the west would use dragons on heraldic coat of arms.

My family crest actually supports two dragons supporters.

Unknown · 2012-06-18 15:08:33

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Unknown · 2012-06-18 15:10:57

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Justice4243 · 2012-06-18 15:13:28

I don't think Eastern dragons even have the "fire breathing" trait.

But they can use magic and transform into humans and such...

Salix Babylonika · 2012-06-18 18:15:44

So today I realized something.

Two fictional things I absolutely love are dragons and lasers.

One of my favorite game series of all time is Panzer Dragoon, the dragon (which you play as) of which, spits lasers.

I UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING

Dragons & Such

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