Dragon’s By Weight Classes

Dragons are classified by weights and sizes. Keep this in mind when you are considering your position within the corps and the type of dragon you are interested in! If you're going to be a courier dragon/captain then do not ask to have a longwing dragon. Weight is not always a clear indication of size. For example, the Celestial dragon is said to weigh around 18 Tonnes, but drawings of the breed depict it much larger than other breeds of similar weight. Currently, the specifications for the groups are based off confirmed sizes of specific dragon breeds within the book itself. If a dragon breed is crossed through, then that means I am not taking any more of that breed at this time unless you provide a strong case for wanting the breed.

Once you have found a breed that interests you, you can go to the wiki page here to find out more about the dragon. This is including pictures, and colouring for said dragons. You can also google images of some of the dragon breeds.

As per the rules, please don't use a dragon from another country unless you discuss it with me and have good reason for it. French dragons/mixes will be permitted. As some eggs were traded between the French and British before the war. As well as some French dragons that have been captured may have been convinced to give them some eggs.

Lightweight Classes:

Brackets = Country of origin
* = Has a special ability

Courier Class: Up to 6 Tonnes or less

Winchester: 2-3 Tonnes (Britain)
- One of the most common courier breeds. Known for being able to fly at high speeds. They are used mostly as couriers, but if emergency arises, can be used as lightweight combat dragons. They often take shorter routes and distances. Have a ‘chirping’ voice.

Greyling:Average weight presumably somewhere between 2-8 Tonnes (Britain)
- Small but incredibly fast. Used as couriers and lookouts. They can stay in the air for longer periods of time, making them great for mail delivery and are often used for longer distanced courier routs then the Winchesters.

*Sharpspitter: Breed too small and low-flying for combat (Britain)
- A breed holding venom that can incapacitate it’s pray. It isn’t used for much, too small and low flying for combat. Is one of the breeds that helped create the longwing dragons and used mostly for breeding.

Chasseur-Vocifere: 4 Tonnes (France)
- Mostly used as a courier. The name translates as "Ferocious Hunter." If its nature reflects its name, it is possible that this dragon might also be used as a light-weight combat dragon.

Plein-Vite: (France)
- A very small French breed of dragon that is extremely fast, but has little endurance.

Mauerfuchs: (Prussia)
- Is a high-flying courier, similar to the Greyling.

Jade: The smallest dragon breed (China)
- An extremely fast breed. Even smaller than a horse with a deep chest like a greyhound. Wings long and tapered, and longer than it’s body. Used as priority couriers in the Chinese empire, often without a rider. Faster than any European breed.

Unnamed Chinese Breed: Larger than Jade (China)
- A breed of small black dragons with yellow stripes. Little is known about this specific breed, but it appears to have been generally used for guard work.

Cossack: (Russian)
- They are similar to Winchesters in size. Courier weight for British standards, but could have been used as fighters.



Light Combat: 6 – 10 Tons

Grey Copper: (Britain)
- Light Combat-weight dragons used for formation fighting.

Grey Widowmaker: 8 Tonnes (Britain)
- Was once common in Britain but are now almost extinct. A few wilds can be found in Scotland, and others in the breeding grounds.

Garde-de-Lyon: (France)
- A light-weight French dragon of scarlet and blue colouring.

Pascal's Blue: (France)
- This is a very nervous breed of dragon. They can also be useful as couriers or scouts when needed. Primarily a French breed, but Pascal eggs were traded between Britain and France before the war.

Pou-de-Ciel: Barely combat weight, around 6-7 Tonnes. (France)
- Fast attackers that dive and flip between enemies. Several attacking together can easily confuse and damage a more imposing enemy.

Roi-de-Vitesse: (France)
- A light-weight French fighting breed, the name translating to King of Speed.

*Flecha-del-Fuego: (Spain)
- A light combat weight dragon from Spain that is one of a few fire-breathing breeds.

Alaman: (Turkey)
- A light combat dragon that is a bright lemony yellow originating from Turkey.

Li-Lung: (China)
- Not much is known about these Chinese breeds. Li translates into “Plum Tree", this could mean that this breed is the same as an as-yet-unnamed small purple dragon breed.

*Ka-Riu: (Japanese)
- One of only three known dragon's able to spit acid.


Middleweight: 10 – 18 Tons

Anglewing: Slightly larger than a Yellow Reaper. (Britain)
- A small breed of dragon known for skillful manoeuvring. They are only a little larger than Yellow Reapers and can Manoeuvre in tight circles.

*Longwing: Smaller than Celestial but larger than Yellow Reaper. (Britain)
- Longwings are a very picky breed about their Captains, many being lost because suitable Captains could not be found. Longwings take FEMALE riders. Have exceptionally long wings. They are acid spitters projected through bony spurs in the lower jaw. Yellow-orange eyes

Malachite Reaper: Presumably of a similar size to Yellow Reaper. (Britain)
- An uncommon Scottish breed of dragon. They were generally found in Scotland because they preferred cooler climates.

Yellow Reaper: Generally 12-15 Tonnes, though 10-17 is full range (Britain)
- A common breed. They are hardy, can handle heat extremes, and almost always good humoured. They are clannish and prefer to work with other Yellow Reapers, though are mixed with different groups of dragons for balance.

Honneur-d'Or: (France)
- One of three parent strands used in the breeding of the Longwing. The Honneur-d'Or's size was the key reason for its use in this breeding programme.

Pecheur-Couronne: (France)
- One of the two most common French breeds. Wing confirmation and the structure of the breast-bone, which in both breeds is keeled and fused with the clavicle. This anatomical peculiarity renders them both more useful for breeding down into light-combat and courier breeds, rather than into heavy-combat breeds

Pecheur-Raye: (France)
- Similar to Pecheur-Couronne with slightly different markings.

Papillon Noir: Presumably of a similar size to Flamme-de-Gloire (France)
- Sometimes painted yellow over its stripes to create confusion with the Flamme-de-Gloire.

*Flamme-de-Gloire: (French)
- They are some of the most dangerous dragons in the French arsenal because of their ability to breathe fire. Has yellow stripes.

Akhal-Teke: (Turkey)
- It is also the name of a horse breed, which is known for it’s speed, endurance, adaption to the desert climate and having a metallic sheen to its coat and was thought to share those attributes with this paqrticular dragon breed.

Berghexe: (Prussia)
- A Prussian breed with the name meaning mountain witch.



Heavyweight: 18 Tonns and up!

Chequered Nettle: (Britain)
- A heavy-weight dragon that contains a spiked tail that can be used as a weapon towards it’s enemy’s.

Parnassian: Smaller than Celestial (Britain)
- Most commonly British, though the French also have a few of this breed. Typically, their patterning is predominantly white with many black ripples and often red or gold spots with darker rings around them. Very strong paws and claws

Regal Copper: Generally 30-50 Tonnes; the largest dragon breed (Britain)
- Weigh as much as 50 tons and as long as 120 feet; the largest breed of dragon. Female’s are slightly larger and mature male’s develop forehead horns. They do however have poor eyesight. They are not prolific, with only four or five Regal Coppers born in a generation.

Chanson-de-Guerre: Similar in size to Celestial (France)
- Heavy combat fighter, marbled orange, yellow and brown on ivory and is the most common French heavyweight.

Defendeur-Brave: (France)
- Green and gold. This dragon has a wickedly hooked tail capable of doing major damage, especially to light weights.

*Fleur-de-Nuit: (France)
- Deep blue and black hide, these dragons are able see in the dark. Oftentimes a burst of bright light, often through flash powder could injure their sensitive moon-white eyes. However, the French were able to produce some that are less sensitive.

Grand Chevalier: Similar in size to Regal Copper, 35-45 (France)
- Name meaning ‘Large knight,’ These French dragons are large enough to rival the Regal Coppers.

Petit Chevalier: 18 Tonnes (France)
- Despite it’s name meaning ‘Small knight’ this dragon is quite large. It simply refers to the fact that they are smaller than the Grand Chevaliers, the largest of the French dragons.

(Reserved) *Celestial: 18-20 Tonnes (China) [/strike]
- Celestial’s are an extremely rare Chinese breed of dragon, the only one’s able to use the ‘divine wind.’ Only members of the Emperor’s family are permitted to be companions to Celestials. They have five talons on each foot and wings have six spines, where most dragons have five and unlike other dragons can beat their wings backwards and forwards, giving them the ability to ‘hover’ in midair. Unlike other dragons, who are thought to lose their early faculty for language and memorization after their fifth or sixth week, these dragons keep this ability through their lives.

*Imperial: Presumably of a similar size to Celestial (China)
- They are very similar in appearance and ability to the Celestial dragon, able to hover, having five fingered paws, and is nearly identical. The only differences being lack of a facial ruff and tendrils, and unable to produce the divine wind.

*Scarlet Flower: (Chinese)
- Used almost exclusively in military. Said to like fighting so much they are little use for anything other then the Aerial Corps. Crimson Red with a yellow crest along their spine, gold tinted talons and a many horned head. These dragons have double rows of teeth and four venom fangs.

Cauchador Real: 25 Tonnes (Spain)
- Described as being ‘fierce.’ They are one of the breeds that were bread in order to make the Regal Coppers.

*Kazilik: (Turkey)
- This breed of dragon is a highly valuable one. They are capeable of breathing fire, as well as being a heavyweight while the other fire breathers are often light or middleweights. They are native to Turkey and rarely let out of the governments possession. They are known for strong fighting spirits and are often high spirited and hard to handle dragons. Adults are scarlet with green leopard-spots and shining purplish armor plates on the belly. They have two distinctive horns and bristling thorny spines all over, these spines often releasing steam.

Uturuncu: (Incan)
- Feathery scales in colour of deep purple; red eyes; a bit smaller then a Celestial. Nothing in particular is known about this breed.

Dakota: (Canada)
- Large, stripey brown and green with red streaks on it's wings and neck, this dragon is a mystery.



Unknown Or Variable Dragon Weights
For these dragons, their size details are not yet known. For these, it's size can be duscussed and assumed within reason, keeping certain aspects remembered. For example, you cannot make any of them bigger then a Reagal Copper.

Bright Copper: Presumably a middle or a heavyweight dragon(British)
- These dragons have disproportionately large air sacs. They were bread with the Spanish Cauchador Real to create the Regal Copper.

Xenica: Presumably Small combat or middleweight dragons(British)
- Another breed that prefers FEMALE Aviators. Uncommon breed.

Shen-Lung: (China)
- sometimes with a spiked spine; variable sizes. This is the most common Dragon breed in china and often work in civil area's, and are as diverse in personality as people are. On occation the wisest dragons of this breed would be permitted the honour to breed with an Imperial dragon.

Emerald Glass: (Chinese)
- Chinese dragons used almost exclusively in the military. They are described as "lazy" and "slow" and therefore not able to pursue a life of scholarship.

*Sui-Riu: (Japanese)
- These dragons live in water, and can also breath under water and grow largest when living in the ocean, but can live in smaller bodies of water as well and can often be mistaken for sea serpents. These dragons are water spitters.

Copacati: Presumably a Middleweight Dragon (Incan)
- Long, silver scales with green tips; long black fangs. Copacati is also the name of an Incan lake goddess known for her destructive powers.

Lindorm: Presumably a middleweight Dragon (Scandinavian)
- A Scandinavian breed of dragon believed to have been mixed(even in the wild), with Yellow Reapers to create the Malachite Reaper line.

*Ironwing: Presumably middle-weight (Russian)
- Venemous, one of the dragon breeds that provided to the Longwing breed. They are now very uncommon breeds, and not much is known of their details.



Other Dragons
This will be for dragon breeds created by the players. I do NOT want many of these! This section will include possible breeds that are from other, and other mixed breeds that could potentially part of breeding groups, such as mixes with the new Chinese dragons implemented when a Celestial bonded with a British soldier, making them more willing to trade. These breeds must be given a name and attributes of their parents, and run by myself before being accepted.

Angle-brave: Middle-weight similar to Yellow reaper.
Angle-braves are a hybrid of Defendeur-braves and Anglewings, they are a middleweight. Angle-braves have the ability to turn in circles that a some would consider tight, not as tight as an anglewing could turn, they also have the tailspike that a Defendeur-brave has, except it isn't as curved, resulting in a pretty normal looking tail, it still is able to do damage though, angle-braves are normally colored a gold-ish yellow color with green markings

Information On the Aerial Corps And Dragons


Run by the Aerial Command, the Corps is the branch of the British military which engaged in combat and other duties with dragons. The Aerial Corps uniform is much like the Royal Navy uniform, except Aviators have a bottle-green coat with bars instead of epaulettes, and they do not wear stockings and knee-breeches in battle. Aviators typically also wear a long oilskin overcoat, much like a duster along with goggles for flying.

The French equivalent is the Armée de l’Air.


Aviator


Members of the British Aerial Corps.

Prospective aviators were trained from the age of seven with the Corps, with the eventual goal of becoming captain to a dragon. Aviators became captains only if, given the opportunity, a dragonet allowed him or her to place the dragon in a harness. Once done, duty tied aviator and dragon together forever. As a result, aviators live an odd existence outside the traditional bounds of society, although the youth of good families were often given to the corps for training at age 7. Because of their long training and dedication, aviators do not welcome the prospect of anyone outside the Corps attempting to harness a dragon. Though it has happened. Newcomers often find it harder to adjust than those raised in the corps.

Aviators form an isolated society. Their mentality different from that of English society. Many of their practices would be judged as scandalous by the people. The first major difference was the treatment of women. Because some British dragons (e.g. Longwings) would only take female companions, British Corps allowed women to become Aviators. They even wear identical uniforms, which in this time is unthinkable. The presence of women in the Corps had to be kept secret to avoid a scandal.

The second difference was the relaxed way in which aviators thought about family. They engaged in informal relationships, but few of them ever married. It was expected of unmarried women to produce children for the Corps. The larger the dragon the longer its lifespan tends to be. They bond better with new Captains that are related to their old, bonding over shared pain. Thus they breed themselves as much as their dragons in some respects.

The last issue is the attitude towards dragons themselves. People often thought of them as savage and dangerous, and that it's best to keep them as far away as possible. However, the life of the Corps revolved around them. Dragons are cared for and admired as they symbolized power and respect. Unfortunately, when a dragon was unable to fight, it lost this status and was removed to the breeding grounds. If it was hatched with a deformity it was put to death. However, it has to be said that most British aviators are very loyal towards their dragons, to the point that they are judged by how well they tend to their dragon. Neglecting it or being cruel often leaves one alone and disdained by other aviators and dragons alike.

Even though the society isn't aware of how aviators really live, they are looked down on and often thought to be as savage as the dragons. Becoming an aviator is NOT considered a respectable career by society in many regards. Aviators can often be cold to outsiders and protective of each other and especially their dragons.

Captains of the aerial corps are forbidden from dueling. This was because if a dragons Captain dies it can become unmanageable or enraged. The same thing can happen in combat. Thus it is unwise to kill another dragons Captain and prefer to Capture the enemy dragons Captain so the dragon will be obedient for the sake of keeping it's Captain alive. A dragon will almost always choose and value it's Captain's life before any other, and is thus imperative that the Captain stays alive.


Aerial Corps Ranks


✦✦✦✦ Admiral
~ The highest ranking within the corps. They do not usually have dragons, those that did having gotten old and retired to the breeding grounds or lost them to battle and instead run plans and are in charge.
✦✦✦✧ Commodore
~ A rank just above captain, and just below Admiral. Not many receive this rank.
✦✦✧✧ Senior Captain
~ A rank above a Captain. Usually older and more experienced. May or may not have a dragon anymore
✦✧✧✧ Captain
~ Once you have harnessed a dragon, you are automatically placed in the rank of captain, as your dragon will not listen to anyone else but you. It doesn't matter if you're 15 or 50.
✧✧✧✧ Lieutenant
~ Second in command, and often next in line when it comes to a dragon hatching if there are no available Captains depending on number (1st, 2nd, 3rd lieutenant ect.)
✧✧✧ Midwingman
~ Just below Lieutenant. These are usually more seasoned in ways of dragons and have a large amount of experience. All are usually a part of the flight crew.
✧✧ Ensign
~ The second youngest groups, usually around 10 years old and up, and able to be a part of the flight crew.
✧ Cadet
~ Lowest ranks. Usually starting at 7 years old. Cadets usually remain a part of the ground crew for training and learning until around 10 years old, where they might be promoted


Aerial Corps Duties and Positions


Bellmen
- The crew on the lower rigging during a dragon's flight. Generally junior officers such as midwingmen, they were responsible for managing the harness and other equipment.

Lookouts
- Responsible for keeping watch during a dragon's flight. They informed the captain of enemy positions and incoming signals. They were generally ensigns, the youngest officers except for the cadets.

Riflemen
- Positioned as needed on the dragon during flight to fight off the enemy, including boarders. They were generally young, junior officers, such as midwingmen.

The usual weapon of riflemen is the Baker rifle, a revolution in firearms design. Until the introduction of the rifle, guns had barrels that were internally smooth. Rifling the barrel, i.e., putting a spiralling groove down its internal length, made the bullet spin in flight, greatly improving accuracy. This accuracy was vital in dragon-to-dragon fighting, where massed, inaccurate musket fire was impossible.

Runners
- Particularly favored cadets served as messengers and completed errands for the more senior officers. The runners were the youngest members of the flight crew. They could be as young as ten years of age.

Topmen
- Stationed on the upper rigging during a dragon's flight. They were generally junior officers, such as midwingmen, and had a variety of responsibilities, including protecting the captain from boarders. This was necessary because if the captainis captured, the dragon would surrender to save the captain's life.

Signal-Ensign
- Responsible for mastering and using the complex system of flag signals that are critically important for communication between dragons, especially during battle. They are generally young, junior officers, with the rank of ensign.

Ground Crew
- This crew is a part of a dragon's crew that remains on the ground. These positions include: Ground crew chief, Armourer, Armourer's mate, Leatherworker, Gunner, Harness-men, and Surgeons.



One of the unique features of the Aerial Corps is that rank is determined not only by the holder's ability, experience and record of service but also by whether or not they've harnessed a dragon and by that dragon's status among other dragons. A 14-year-old who's harnessed a Winchester or Greyling dragonet is a Captain and as such outranks the first lieutenant of a heavyweight, even though the latter is almost certainly older and has more experience in the Corps.

On the other hand, precedence among captains is determined by the native hierarchies among their dragons, which depends on factors such as size, special abilities and experience. On the battlefield, dragons will instinctively recognize the authority of a Regal Copper with a 20-year-old captain much more readily than that of a Winchester handled by a veteran officer. There is no point arguing with the dragons, so it is the humans who must adapt.

The larger dragons will instinctively prefer to fight with another dragon that is in it's own combat weight. A larger dragon fighting a lightweight will often find it unfair and be not as eager to fight than if it was fighting one of it's own size.


Dragon rigging


In the British Aerial Corps, combat dragons are fitted with several types of harnesses, including a light duty harness, travelling harness, and heavy combat harness. The harnesses consists of thick leather straps held together with large metal rings. On the belly of the dragon, the harness consists of a net (referred to, unsurprisingly, as the 'belly-netting') in which bombs, gunpowder, and some of the crew are kept.

The Crew travels from place to place upon the back of the dragon by means of a series of carabiner hooks and rings: the crew member would unclip the hook (attached to their belt) from the ring, move forward (or backwards, sideways, etc...), and re-clip the carabiner to carabiner when they have reached their location. If moving a relatively long distance across the dragon, you would unclip and re-clip several times. While this method is rather slow and tedious, you remain attached to the dragon's harness most all of the time, which is extremely important should the dragon perform a maneuver such as a roll. Such a maneuver would result in many of the crew falling off the back of the dragon if they were not held on by their carabiners. Crews are trained as vigorously as the dragons so that maneuvers of the men are as smooth and well trained and aren't hindered by the maneuvers of the dragons themselves.

Harness fitting and rigging is the responsibility of the dragon's ground crew, with the main responsibility falling upon the harness-tender.


Formation


In the Aerial Corps, dragons often fly in formation. This is one of the few duties that can be taught by a riderless dragon. Other nations have different formation flying styles. Formations combine the advantages of protection and organisation with the disadvantages of predictability. As such formations can be exploited to their detriment.

For British formations. It is not uncommon for the longwing to be the formation leader, their acid spitting ability making them some of the most valuable dragons, able to eat through metal of guns, skin of soldiers, and the wood of ships alike. The rest of the formation created and formed in way of protecting and defending the longwing in battle.

More Details on Being In the Corps


Position in Society


While in the Royal Navy officers were generally drawn from the upper classes, service in the Aerial Corps is considered less prestigious, and most of the Corps was drawn from the ranks of the shabby-genteel.

The difference in how society views the Corps in contrast to Navy arose in part from the constraints of the service in the Corps. In the Navy, an officer could rely on long furlongs between periods of service, whilst awaiting assignment or a while a ship underwent repairs. In the Corps, particularly after achieving a captaincy, the officers were much more tightly bonded to their assigned dragons and extended time away from them became a practical impossibility. Combined with the young ages at which the Corps began its training, often around seven years old, this led to officers of the Corps being slightly removed from society.

Moreover, the secrecy surrounding certain aspects of the service, the presence of female officers, and the idea that men were commanded under some circumstances by dragons rather than vice versa, as in the case of some training masters, meant the separation from society was imposed from both sides.


Corps Families


Despite the stigma attached to service by society as a whole certain families traditionally sent children to serve in the Corps as a matter of course. As dragons can be expected to outlive their captain, the Corps has to place serious effort into ensuring they are willing to continue service with the Corps following such a death. To this end it has been stated that the Corps breeds its captains, as much as its dragons. A bereaved dragon, being more likely to accept a new captain that through a familial relationship shares their sense of loss. In addition, as certain breeds of dragon will only accept female captains, the question of providing stable officer lines becomes even more important.

Other Information To Keep In Mind

The Most common names for dragons are Greek names. Ex: Maximus, Excidium, Nitidus, Immortalis.... Levitas

On the matter of breeding and eggs: Dragons do not have the same maternal instinct as people do. They may fawn over eggs sometimes. And even hide them away. However, most dragons are happy and willing to give their eggs to human care. Often proud of the eggs they sire.

Dragon eggs are a difficult thing to pinpoint when it comes to hatching. Some can take months to harden, while other eggs can take their sweet time and take ten years or even more to hatch. Thus dragon eggs are watched over carefully for when they harden. Once they start to harden it's a sure thing the egg will hatch within a few months.

Dragons are able to talk right out of the shell, learning languages while still within it. If exposed to more then one language they will learn both.

Please remember despite there being dragons, this is the 1800's. Where it obviously won't be completely historically accurate, do try to keep true to the time period as far as manners ect.

Swearing is rare. Saying things like 'fuck' and asshole' are all but unheard of and any kind of swearing is very unappealing and offensive.

Slavery is still existent at this time and has not been abolished and is still indeed a prospering profession to be a slaver. However, there are those that disagree and those that are still trying to get the bill abolished.
The corps itself DOES NOT have any slaves, and most servants and servers all paid people a part of the corps itself.

Religion is very prominent in this day and age. Due to this homosexuality is an illegal act and a very dangerous thing to be. This does NOT mean you can't be gay. You are more then welcome to be. But do be aware that discreteness is needed. Overall the corps is more lenient and understanding than normal society however, so the chances of being put to death or jailed are slim even if one was discovered. But it is still not wise for it to be flaunted or openly discussed or known.

China doesn't have any love for the British. Thinking the West uncivilized and upset due too the British getting much of the Chinese addicted to opium. Most of the country refuses those of the west.
Additionally China's treatment of dragons is much different. Dragons and people live in harmony and dragons can have their own professions and wages and even schooling. Where most of Britain thinks of them more as animals. The Chinese look down upon them for such things.

Map:

Question And Answer