The Evolution of Discworld Dragons
In the discworld there are many creatures, but the most pitiful of all is the swamp dragon or "dracos vulgaris".
The evolution of this species from lizards is an interesting and peculiar story
and unbeknown to most.
There were a group of lizards that used to lie in the swamps all day and eat during the night. They had normal eyesight and had difficulty seeing their food. They also used to get eaten by every other kind of creature that spotted them. These lizards used to eat everything and anything in front of them and over time developed a powerful and intricate digestive system.
The lizards that had highly developed digestive systems didn't die of severe poisoning and had children who inherited their genes etc... (read "the origin of species" for more depth). But these little lizards produced large amounts of waste gas and chemical.
The ones who evacuated the waste flammable gasses in the usual manner of humans became aware of the ability to fly when near naked flames. When one developed the ability to make its own sparks by the rubbing together of two bones it could fly when and where it wanted, it could see its food in the darkness and predators became prey if they got in its way.
Needless to say it had lots of children and Darwinian theory prevailed.
Dragons (these are now as they can voluntarily produce flame) of this kind have a strange attraction to space and most flew out beyond the stars never to be seen again.
Those that remained had children etc.
Now in every species there are anomalies, mutations and to be blunt freaks of nature.
One of those happened.
A dragon was born with a spark bone in its mouth and it couldn't fly.
But it tried belching and sparking and wow what a head rush. This little dragon could walk boldly up to predators and turn them into Sunday roast. Lady dragons found this very attractive. Few of the other males dare challenge it over a mate, and those that did became sorry looking little piles of ash.
The lizards died out and the flying dragons all flew off into space.
Nature was cruel to them in later years and they became the very odd little creatures we know and love.
As for noble dragons, thousands of years ago an enchanter left his magic staff unguarded. Swamp dragons will eat anything and everything in front of them.
You can make your own mind up over what happened after that but it would have impressed Darwin were he there to witness it.
In the discworld there are many creatures, but the most pitiful of all is the swamp dragon or "dracos vulgaris".
The evolution of this species from lizards is an interesting and peculiar story
and unbeknown to most.
There were a group of lizards that used to lie in the swamps all day and eat during the night. They had normal eyesight and had difficulty seeing their food. They also used to get eaten by every other kind of creature that spotted them. These lizards used to eat everything and anything in front of them and over time developed a powerful and intricate digestive system.
The lizards that had highly developed digestive systems didn't die of severe poisoning and had children who inherited their genes etc... (read "the origin of species" for more depth). But these little lizards produced large amounts of waste gas and chemical.
The ones who evacuated the waste flammable gasses in the usual manner of humans became aware of the ability to fly when near naked flames. When one developed the ability to make its own sparks by the rubbing together of two bones it could fly when and where it wanted, it could see its food in the darkness and predators became prey if they got in its way.
Needless to say it had lots of children and Darwinian theory prevailed.
Dragons (these are now as they can voluntarily produce flame) of this kind have a strange attraction to space and most flew out beyond the stars never to be seen again.
Those that remained had children etc.
Now in every species there are anomalies, mutations and to be blunt freaks of nature.
One of those happened.
A dragon was born with a spark bone in its mouth and it couldn't fly.
But it tried belching and sparking and wow what a head rush. This little dragon could walk boldly up to predators and turn them into Sunday roast. Lady dragons found this very attractive. Few of the other males dare challenge it over a mate, and those that did became sorry looking little piles of ash.
The lizards died out and the flying dragons all flew off into space.
Nature was cruel to them in later years and they became the very odd little creatures we know and love.
As for noble dragons, thousands of years ago an enchanter left his magic staff unguarded. Swamp dragons will eat anything and everything in front of them.
You can make your own mind up over what happened after that but it would have impressed Darwin were he there to witness it.