Dragons

This forum is for serious discussions of any kind.

Moderator: Hall of Speakers Moderators

User avatar
TheIronDragon
CreaturesTrade
Posts: 3
Joined: January 15th, 2020, 8:19:17 am
Location: The Land of Dragons
Contact:

Re: Dragons

Post by TheIronDragon »

Dragons have always been a fascinating topic for me!

Regarding their ability to breathe fire I think there are a number of possibilities that make sense, I remember reading a great post on Worldbuilding about that topic (How could dragons be explained without magic?)

Now whether or not they exist is another question, sadly the advances in modern technology makes it less and less likely. Still dragons were believed to be real for a long time, and still are some areas of China according to this article (The history of Chinese Dragons).

I personally can hardly believe in them due to my scientific background but secretly wish they were real !
User avatar
ToxicFlame
MagiStream Donor
Member of The Dark Brotherhood Member of Artificer's Association Member of Preservationists Association
CreaturesTrade
Posts: 3333
Joined: February 3rd, 2012, 9:10:12 am
Gender: Non-binary
Location: USA, NC

Re: Dragons

Post by ToxicFlame »

I actually think it's cool that @Beguiled brought that up, because while dragons don't (or... haven't/don't yet??) exist scientifically, their cultural significance can't be overstated - along with other creatures like unicorns, mermaids, etc. So viewing, or believing in, dragons as from a spiritual perspective can make them every bit as "real" or as "existent" as, say.... one would a deity. I suppose, though, that starts the philosophical debate of what "exist" means, lol.

I honestly think the most LIKELY scenario is the following:

"Dragons" exist but only as other existing entities, and past descriptions of them were misguided or misunderstood because our ancestors didn't have the scientific means to describe or understand these creatures. The way past sailors mistook manatees or dugongs as "mermaids." Or to put it another way, they do exist as their own species but we do not have the information to understand them, OR it is the reverse sequence of the above and we are simply looking for the wrong creature. There are some parts of the world that their word for giraffe literally used to be "unicorn" because when they first saw the creature - that's what they called it. A "komodo dragon" doesn't breathe fire, but it has a bacterial or venomous bite.

If such creatures do exist, they probably do not fit our fairy tale description of giant flying serpant with wings - they may be more of gliders and they might spit acid like a cobra instead of fire? Or maybe something much much less hot that fire, like maybe being able to withstand higher heat than the average creature or something... Just like with mermaids. Do I think it is possible that an "aquatic ape" could/did exist? Sure. Do I think they're the beautiful sirens of legend? Not really.

That being said, I don't think their lack of existence make any less "real."

And sorry, now that I've reached the end of my thoughts I realize this was all more or less a very pretty way to say a lot of what everyone else already has - lol.
User avatar
Sharl
MagiStream Donor
Member of The Dark Brotherhood An icon depicting the element Void
CreaturesTrade
Posts: 564
Joined: December 22nd, 2009, 12:45:03 am
Gender: Non-binary

Re: Dragons

Post by Sharl »

I'm firmly of the opinion that the prevalence of 'dragon' stories all over the globe is the result of ancient people finding dinosaur/other-paleofauna fossils and not being able to explain them any other way.
http://magistream.com/user/Sharl
From childhood’s hour I have not been
As others were—I have not seen
As others saw—I could not bring
My passions from a common spring—
Edgar Allan Poe, 'Alone'

1312
User avatar
WingsOfFireDragon
Member of Artificer's Association
CreaturesTrade
Posts: 100
Joined: February 23rd, 2020, 8:31:18 pm
Gender: Female

Re: Dragons

Post by WingsOfFireDragon »

I have always loved dragons! But my theory is that maybe once dragons were real and actually were ancestors of dinosaurs.
bookrage
MagiStream Donor
CreaturesTrade
Posts: 496
Joined: June 3rd, 2016, 7:10:31 pm
Gender: Male
Location: the heart of the Library
Contact:

Re: Dragons

Post by bookrage »

My belief is generally that dragons are a concept that came up for the explanation for fossils. Both pterosaurs and that fact that they would most likely appear mos prevelently in high places when they could be seen is a good reason to think they can fly. As far as the fire breath and such, such powers of magical breath were ascribed to a vast array of mythical animals. Unicorns, griffons, angels, and genies were all given such powers in various legends so it does not suggest a unique biological aspect to dragons.

Admittedly the fact that the inuit have legends of dragons even though there are no reptiles where they live is to the idea that they existed, but they still have fossils of reptillian creatures in the area so that explains it away largely.
From out of the depths of the public domain, comes a man, well-read with a book under his arm at all times

I trade 1 to 1 and will accept any creature I don't have, whether that be gender or species for anything I have in my "for trades" tab.

I could really use some clickities
ImageImageImageImageImageImageImage
User avatar
missshadedlove
MagiStream Donor
CreaturesTrade
Posts: 369
Joined: June 11th, 2011, 3:33:49 pm
Gender: Female

Re: Dragons

Post by missshadedlove »

I think it is possible that they exist. There are countless stories/legends from many cultures about them and at some point in time these said cultures had no contact. I am skeptical of them existing due to the fact there isnt any straight forward evidence but I am open-minded that they did exist. Plus i love dragons....i collect statues/figures of them XD.
ImageImage
User avatar
NodoBird
CreaturesTrade
Posts: 7
Joined: February 20th, 2022, 6:24:28 pm
Gender: Male
Location: United States

Re: Dragons

Post by NodoBird »

The argument that bothers me the most about dragons (or anything of the like) existing is that "there are no creatures with more than four limbs."
I kind of get WHY, an extra set of limbs would use up extra energy of any animal that has them, but does that make it impossible? Will that creature fail as a species?
Here are my creatures in case I'm doing this right:

ImageImageImageImageImage
User avatar
NodoBird
CreaturesTrade
Posts: 7
Joined: February 20th, 2022, 6:24:28 pm
Gender: Male
Location: United States

Re: Dragons

Post by NodoBird »

[deleted] ignore this! Sorry, I am new and I made a double post by mistake
Here are my creatures in case I'm doing this right:

ImageImageImageImageImage
User avatar
GuesssWho
Member of Society of the Trident
CreaturesTrade
Posts: 55
Joined: April 10th, 2011, 8:17:34 pm
Gender: Literally just six cats of varying gender identities sharing a suit of human skin
Location: An island hard to reach

Re: Dragons

Post by GuesssWho »

NodoBird wrote:The argument that bothers me the most about dragons (or anything of the like) existing is that "there are no creatures with more than four limbs."
I kind of get WHY, an extra set of limbs would use up extra energy of any animal that has them, but does that make it impossible? Will that creature fail as a species?
. . . those people have obviously never heard of insects.
Wishlist (Looking for a female Lethe Kelpie first and foremost)

ImageImageImageImageImageImageImage
Post Reply

Return to “Hall of Speakers”