The dragons of gnomeworld (better name coming eventually) are carnivorous psittacines with sharp, hook-like talons and non-motile external ears. Although they don’t form agrarian societies like gnomes, they are very intelligent, easily picking up tool-use skills and gnome languages in addition to their natively spoken dragon tongues. They live in small family social groups of 5-7 with a common nest, where they will hoard colorful and sparkling items of all of kinds. They’re also very long lived, averaging about 120 years old compared to the gnomes’ 55. For many of them, gnomes are both a food resource and a potential trade ally.

Green dragons are the most elusive, often only seen as a brief flash of pink among the dense temperate rain forests of the coastal hills. Despite their large size they’re usually not much of a threat to the endemic forest gnomes, as they’re a challenging meal without a lot of meat. Although they are obligate carnivores, green dragons can digest some plant matter. They are known for their sweet tooth and can often be traded with in exchange for candies and fruit.

Gold dragons are found widely throughout the desert, grasslands, and chaparral. They are known for congregating in groups of over 20 to socialize and hunt, using chasing and attack strategies to subdue prey that would be too large or difficult for a single dragon. These groups pose the highest threat to gnome villages in drought years with low wild prey density, which incentivizes attacking the relatively more stable populations of gnomes and their livestock.

Blue dragons, like their green cousins, are not usually gnome hunters. The majority of their diet is scavenged from marine carcasses and intertidal zones, though some prefer to hunt fish in a manner similar to osprey. Blues are most common on the coast but can be found inland along rivers. They have thick bills ideal for cracking open shellfish and snails, though they will avoid breaking the prettier shells, keeping them instead as nest decoration. They are about the size of a royal albatross, but with shorter and broader wings.

Of the four, red dragons are the biggest threat to local gnomes. They often hunt in mated pairs, with the cryptically colored female sneaking into burrows while the occupant is outside. The colorful male then spooks the victim, who rushes out of the open to “safety.” Their bill is their main weapon, with a shape perfect for grabbing and snapping the necks of small vertebrates. Reds build their nests in the abandoned mountain burrows of gnomes and other animals, but will often expand these using their thick talons and beak-held tools.