Ymaryn Dragons
Reptilian demons have long been attested among the People, but since the discovery of the Dragon Graveyard the systematic study of them has increased incredibly. While the Graveyard contains many strange creatures and sorting out what belongs to what has puzzled the priests for a long time, the striking skeletons of dragons has obviously been a major feature of the site, and has given inspiration to numerous other institutions. Discussion with Khemetri priests and study of Old Xohyr texts upon knowledge of the demonic has further refined the People's knowledge of what dragons must have been like in ages past.
From the study of skulls, the largest dragons must have been serpentine creatures upwards of a hundred strides in length. From discoveries of smaller specimens and disarticulated bones, they were likely winged somewhat like bats, with large wing claws like the talons of an eagle, only scale to monstrously huge sizes. When not in the air they likely slithered like snakes, but could rear up and stomp forward on their wings. While only their bones are known, it is speculated that at that size they must have required great magic to maintain themselves, and may have likely had scales of iron for protection against the teeth of other dragons. There is also some speculation that they were feathered, or at least had a feathered crest behind the head, but that given their supernatural origins those feathers were made of razor sharp purple-black obsidian.
For a long time it has been speculated about how the bones became encased in solid stone, but discussion with the Khemetri about their knowledge of dragons has revealed the fact that they spit fire - or rather, as the People know from their more advanced alchemical knowledge - vitriol. Being powerful supernatural beings from the dawn of time, it makes sense that they would have access to such powerful magic. Further refinements in knowledge in fact suggest that they did not 'spit' water-borne vitriol but pure elemental vitriol of the sort that alchemists cannot isolate. While not an orthodox opinion, many now suspect that lightning is in fact the purest form of vitriol available in the material world. In either case, it is believed that the dragons and other skeletons became encased in stone because of this ability to spit pure vitriol. The transformative effects would turn bone to stone and flesh to liquid mortar, which would settle into great pools that would solidify into solid limestone and shale.
It is believed that most dragons were destroyed by the gods in ages past, with perhaps only a few left in wild places far beyond the borders of the People. There is a vaguely heretical idea that dragons in fact predate Crow, who unmade the world in order to destroy them all and make it fit for gods and humans, but it is generally more accepted that dragons were a breed of demon that followed Crow out of the Dark Beyond Dark at behest of the Great Tyrant Arxin.
