Lesser Dragon Physiology

Lesser

The ability to use the abilities of Lesser Dragons. Variation of Dragon Physiology.

Also Called[]

Low-Dragon Mimicry/Physiology
Minor Dragon Mimicry/Physiology

Capabilities[]

The user is or has the ability to take on the form of a Lesser Dragon and/or other dragon-like beings. Variations or mimicry of Dragons tend to lack the size, magical abilities and/or intelligence of the more ancient dragons, and are generally more animal-like in mind and behavior. The most common distinction in physiology, however, is the number and location of legs and presence (or lack thereof) of wings/flight. While traditional dragons tend to be rather large and generally have vast magic/intelligence, this isn't to say they that various depictions of lesser dragons cannot have those characteristics, and that's generally defined by the given setting.

Applications[]

Dragon Physiology

Variations[]

Variations of Dragons are classified most generally by a few traits: The number of legs present, where those legs are positioned, and whether or not the dragon has wings or is capable of flight. Some, such as Sea Serpents, differ in habitat as well to the point of being considered a lesser dragon. Many terms involving variations in Lesser Dragon Physiology are used interchangeably by fictional settings, and many Lesser Dragons are either called Dragons at times or referred to as other types of Lesser Dragons in their respective settings (folklore or otherwise). This can either be due to the similar category of creature or, especially in the case of folklore and coats of arms, different depictions of the same Lesser Dragon having different features.

Amphipteres, dragon-like serpentine creatures with wings and no legs, are not truly dragons, and are more akin to flying snakes. While not draconic in nature, they might be easily confused with lesser dragons. For more information on Amphipteres, see Amphiptere Physiology.

Drakes are a very poorly-documented form of wingless Dragon. Characterized by four legs and no wings, these are the only kind of Lesser Dragon to truly "walk", the next closest being the Wyvern. The size of Drakes varies from that of a house cat to taller than mountains (Though some folklore has larger drakes, it is few and far between and they usually end up better fitting a different class on this page), and while there are some exceptions, drakes are almost universally less intelligent than dragons, having more the intelligence of a predatory animal. In folklore, heraldry, legends and the like, the term "Drake" was often used as an equivalent term to "Dragon", and so rather than referring to a separated class of dragons, "Drake" for the most part did not have meaning on its own until the 1970s. Most representations of Drakes as their own separated category of dragons seem to have started with the Fire-Drakes and Cold-Drakes of J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-Earth, where species of flightless, legged dragons, such as Glaurung, in The Silmarillion (1977), began to arise. The most in-depth information for modern (terrestrial) Drakes aside from the works of Tolkien, and debatably the most distinct use of Drakes, is in Dungeons and Dragons, where they are seen to be tamable creatures often used as land mounts.

Lindworms are serpentine, mostly-grounded Lesser Dragons, not generally depicted as having a venomous bite or any form of breath weapon. The legend originates from Scandinavia, and while Old English scholars tend to depict them without wings and two front legs, examples from Central Europe have (albeit rarely) depicted them with up to four legs and wings. In either case, they do not tend to fly, as the legends near-exclusively speak of another more unusual form of travel (Especially in the oldest depictions from Sweden). By biting their tails, similarly to an Ouroboros, Lindworms can take on a wheel-like shape in order to quickly pursue targets via rolling at high speeds. When not moving quickly, limbed depictions do not tend to use their legs (be it two or four) for actual "walking" like Wyverns or Western Dragons, but rather for traction as they slither along the ground, similarly to the modern Mole Lizard. Lindworms, while able to live in any climate, are seen often as thriving in forests and moors, and are often associated with wealth/hoards, having been one of the first depictions of dragons which brood over a pile of treasures. Fafnir is one of the most famous examples of a Lindworm, and one of the few that was very notably poisonous.

Sea Serpent is a sea monster that typically has the head of a dragon, fins and slender body with no wings. They may or may not have up to four limbs, and roam the seas of various countries. While many depictions of Sea Serpents are associated with dragons, many mythological representations noting them as a sort of aquatic dragon, some settings render them more akin to snakes and separate them as such. The size and proportions of sea snakes, albeit varied, tend to be quite large, allowing many depictions to capsize ships or wrap their bodies around them. For more information on Sea Serpents, see Sea Serpent Physiology

Worms/Wyrms (Rarely also spelled Wurm due to the term's Germanic origin) are dragons with no wings or limbs. While the Lambton Worm is one of the most known, there are others with similar abilities. They are snakelike in appearance (Albeit a bit less slender), and these limbless dragons often grow fast to vast size and are often extremely poisonous with powerful regenerative capabilities, able to grow back or reattach parts of its body together so long as the pieces aren't too far apart. Some may have ability to create or increase treasure large enough for them to lay on, or increase any treasures they are laying on, akin to Lindworms. Wyrms are also associated more with burrowing and hypnosis than other kinds of Lesser Dragon, though that is seen in more modern representations (And while at times displayed in various verses as having such traits, neither trait is by any means universal in how Wyrms are represented). Wyrms may also tend to find themselves at home more underground or in caves than in lairs or dungeons.

Wyverns are winged creatures with a dragon's head, a reptilian body with wings (generally including talon-like claws on them), two hind legs, and oftentimes a barbed tail. They are usually considered extremely venomous, even by draconic standards. Wyverns often use claws that protrude from the ends of the wings as a sort of substitute for front legs when balancing in order to walk, while the hind legs are used for traction and for grabbing prey. While older depictions of wyverns rarely have a breath weapon, modern adaptations of wyverns have seen increased usage of breath weapons, especially those of fire and poison. Many Wyverns have been, even in modern settings, called "Dragons" in their verses/settings, which understandably can generate confusion as to whether or not something is a Wyvern or a Dragon. All Wyverns are Dragons, while not all Dragons are Wyverns. Wyverns are also some of the best-represented kinds of dragons, appearing in things like the Game of Thrones, Skyrim, Dark Souls, and Lord of the Rings franchises. Many of these Wyverns, such as the four just mentioned, are called "Dragons" in their respective verses, and though they may rival more traditional Dragons in power, intelligence, and general ability, their physiology still makes them Wyverns. As a result, Wyverns on average tend to be one of the strongest categories of Lesser Dragons.

Associations[]

Limitations[]

Most variations aren't particularly smart, and have powerful, animalistic instincts.

Known Users[]

See Also: Our Wyverns Are Different.

Wyverns (Dungeons & Dragons)
Linnorm (Dungeons & Dragons)
Sea Serpent (Fairy Tail)
Wyverns (Fairy Tail)
- Green Wyverns
- Blizzardverns
Gwythiants (The Chronicles of Prydain/The Black Cauldron)
Drakes/Wyverns (Dark Souls series)
- Blue Drakes (Dark Souls)
- Hellkite Dragon/Red Drake/Bridge Wyvern (Dark Souls)
- Guardian Dragon (Dark Souls II)
- Ancient Wyvern (Dark Souls III)
- King of the Storm (Dark Souls III)
- Lothric Wyverns (Dark Souls III)
Swampdragons (Discworld)
Trapwurm & Wyrmaw (Cassette Beasts)
Armored Wyvern civilization (Duel Masters)
Wyverns (Fire Emblem)
Dragons (How To Train Your Dragon)
Pendragon (Jack The Giant Killer)
Drake Race (Megami Tensei Series)
Drakes (Middle-earth: Shadow of War)
Flying Wyverns (Monster Hunter)
Aerodactyl (Pokémon)
Noivern (Pokémon)
Naganadel (Pokémon)
Applin Evolutionary line (Pokémon)
Pseudodragons (RPGs)
Divedrakes (Shovel Knight)
Wyverns (Terraria)
Grand Armored Wyvern (World of Warcraft)
Wyvern (Wyvern film)
Lesser Dragon (Yu-Gi-Oh!)
Eclipse Wyvern (Yu-Gi-Oh!)
Photon Wyvern (Yu-Gi-Oh!)
Ancient Sacred Wyvern (Yu-Gi-Oh!)
Red-Eyes Wyvern (Yu-Gi-Oh!)
Wyrm-type monsters (Yu-Gi-Oh!)
Avior (Bakugan Gundalian Invaders)
Vouivres (Arknights)
- Arianrhod Blodeuwedd/Toddifons
- Destructive Dragon Demon
- Fiona Young/Bagpipe
- Jane Willow/Saileach
- Liskarm
- Saria
- Sesa
- Vanilla
Alata (Tensou Sentai Goseiger); as Gosei Red
Dragon Headder and Gosei Dragon (Tensou Sentai Goseiger)
Troy Burrows (Power Rangers Megaforce/Super Megaforce); as Megaforce Red
Gosei Dragon Mechazord (Power Rangers Megaforce/Super Megaforce)
Lychee Dragon Cookie (Cookie Run)
All Wyvern Dragons (Hungry Dragon)