My name is Giles Fero, head researcher of house Vartok. I have been tasked with explaining the largely unknown and mysterious beast known as dragons.

The first thing that I need to clarify is the difference between generally planet bound dragons and the far more powerful “space” dragons.

There are many breeds of dragons on the human home world of Searadith. Each dragon was bred for different environments and tasks native to their place of living. These creatures can even survive the dangers of space if they become Novaborn. However their mental capacity is far more similar to simple beasts of burden.

This is the only way that we can train and ride them. Training a dragon is a dangerous task for the brave and foolish, but if accomplished provides great benefits.

Their contributions to war cannot be overstated. As a means of defense and offense, dragons have shaped the way we fight. Even a single dragon has changed the course of many battles. A well trained dragon can attack swiftly and precisely. But an untrained dragon can cause chaos on both sides. Tamed dragons however, are a limited resource due to the time that it takes to be bred and raised from a hatchling.

Like most reptiles and the dragon’s lesser cousins drakes and wyverns, dragons lay eggs, usually in batches of 2 to 3. Not all dragonlings make it to be full adults. The age varies from breed to breed but they usually reach full maturity at 10 years old, with some being 2 years and others 50. This also affects the sizes of each type of dragon which can be grand in scale. The small ones aren’t considered dragons unless they are taller than 15 hands or the average size of a horse.

Dragons are largely understood by us. These creatures have been a part of human civilization for thousands of years. The other type of dragon is far more mysterious. Space dragons were unknown to us until we first left the planet. Only then did we witness them. When people first began to explore space most became lost. In the vastness of space, it was easy to lose your way with no sense of direction or landmarks to work from.

Even if you found a planet, there were no guarantees it would have a Nova, which habitable planets require. However, when the explorers followed the Space dragons they found clear travel points. They were like guides to us in the early days and even now to lost travelers.

Some have tried to capture and control them with disastrous consequences. The power of the space dragon is far greater than any world bound dragon. And a space dragon in danger seems to be able to communicate with others many systems away if in trouble.

There are many feats that space dragons perform that we can’t explain and that searadithan dragons can’t mimic. They travel faster than warp speed between systems. They don’t need oxygen, or at least it doesn’t appear so. We don’t know where they come from. Some believe they were created by the Novas. Others believe that they are the Novas. And others say they are entirely unique. I tend to stay away from such speculations and stick to what I know or perceive to know. I am once again reminded that for all the learning and power of our people, that the universe is filled with the unknown and powerful. I can only continue my learning and be content with what I know.