Ridgeback Dragons
Information relating to the Great Borrowers
 |
Obtained: Rarity:
Breeding Cooldown: Diet:
|
Ridgebacks are massive, cunning dragons. The Ridgeback breed originates from The Shifting Expanse, and most of their species still calls this territory home. A small number have begun to venture out into the world, but their eccentric tendencies and specialized diet have most clans turning them away.
Physical Attributes
The Ridgeback is an imposing dragon, towering meters above other species. Male Ridgebacks possess a large, forward-facing horn that continues to grow throughout the dragon's life. They have sharp, ridged spines running down the length of their body and limbs. These spines are molted each turn. When their mane of spines rejuvenates it's an itchy and time-consuming process. It's wise to tread lightly around a half-spined dragon, as their temper during these times is not at its finest.
These dragons will spend hours baking in the sun, and polish their scales to a glistening sheen by rolling around in the coarse desert sands. Ridgeback aversion to water is legendary, which is ironic given their diet.
Social
Ridgeback society revolves around borrowing. While other dragons might call this stealing, Ridgebacks think borrowing is a normal and necessary facet of life. The Shifting Expanse is an inhospitable homeland, and the cunning Ridgeback learned early-on that it was better to borrow than starve.
These crafty giants use their wits and tunneling abilities to borrow from neighboring territories. Ore is pulled from deep below the enriched ground of the Ashfall Waste, the bounty of the Sea of a Thousand Currents harvested in traps, and miles of subterranean pumps siphon fresh water from the neighboring Sunbeam Ruins. If caught red-handed in the midst of these resource-accumulations, a Ridgeback will simply shrug their spines and claim that they were just borrowing it: If you wanted it back all you had to do was ask!
This tendency to borrow first, ask later does not merely apply to the bare necessities. Ridgeback dragons freely borrow from one-another, the constant back-and-forth borrowing of the same items over and over a game, and the foundation of their relationships.
Lairs
Ridgebacks prefer subterranean lairs carved from sandstone. These giants are adept at tunneling. They will seek to expand their lairs daily if able, the act of tunneling an enjoyable activity. Mixed-species lairs often see other dragon species moaning over the constant scraping cacophony of a tunneling Ridgeback.
Tactics
If pressed into battle, a Ridgeback will close the distance, crashing into their foe and using their wicked spines to carve them up. It is difficult to find a safe purchase on an enraged Ridgeback. These giants prefer to fight alone; close formations tend to create as many damaged friends as foes.