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Young dragon and knight By Strega -- Report

Uploaded: 2 years ago

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Even a comparatively small dragon can swallow a human-sized creature whole. Some hatch out of their eggs with jaws wide enough to take in a smallish human, albeit resulting an awkwardly full dragonet. As dragons grow human-sized meals eventually become trivial, but for a good while a single human is quite a good meal.

Since dragons can digest nearly anything and need metal in their diets to grow proper scales, armored humanoids are favored prey as they come with their own mineral supplements. Even good dragons will eat humans and humanoids if they judge them annoying enough. A lot of young dragons get killed due to this habit but that is small consolation to the many others who go to their reward knowing what it's like to be swallowed alive.

Smaller evil dragons, whose stomach will not hold a whole human, will often swallow people feetfirst so their prey will squirm longer. Having your legs digested while the dragon deliberately swallows air to keep you alive is not a good way to go. The lucky one go in headfirst.

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Fischie

Posted by Fischie 2 years ago Report

I really like how you do your dragons, the lore in particular. It is good to remember that the good ones too are large hungry predators that do not gorge on people out of a sense of manners or charity that can be overstretched.

Oh well and the evil ones simply enjoy a screaming bulge in their gullets way too much to care about some biped's life.

Strega

Posted by Strega 2 years ago Report

Even good dragons have to eat. Smaller ones often take the role of "useful monster" by eating evil humanoids and other troublemakers. Dragons don’t need to eat often but they will take large meals and some will swallow prey their own size if it is shaped right. This leads to the occasional dragon tail hanging out of another’s mouth as the process of digestion gradually makes room for the rest of their meal.

Fischie

Posted by Fischie 2 years ago Report

This reminds me of the culinary guide to chromatic dragons your gold one presented some years ago.
Diets of young dragons sound fascinating as well.

Strega

Posted by Strega 2 years ago Report

I expect that a certain amount of cannibalism takes place. I wouldn’t put it past an older dragon to eat young ones, even ones of the species or even its own young. And I expect that the departure of evil baby dragons from the hutch has some of them eating their litter mates.

Fischie

Posted by Fischie 2 years ago Report

Sounds very reasonable given how much they grow and how territorial they are. Much like some sharks really.

Strega

Posted by Strega 2 years ago Report

Many years ago in a nature book I came across a series of pictures of two baby pike, both the same size. One promptly swallowed the other whole. That sort of thing happens with some species.

deathknight

Posted by deathknight 2 years ago Report

Judging by the size Hatchling red dragon basic level paladin/warrior etc. So they are just now exp and food and loot

Strega

Posted by Strega 2 years ago Report

Not quite a hatchling. Right out of the egg a red dragon would be only human sized. Still quite young by dragon standards, though.

ArcaneSigil

Posted by ArcaneSigil 2 years ago Report

The knight tried rather hard to convince his would be mount that he was not food. Young and impetuous, and riding on his recent victory against a Goblin Cheif, he thought it only proper a knight of his standing be mounted on a Dragon. What dragon didn't matter to him, dragon meant instant respect among other knights. The small, horse sized, red dragon should do. Or so he thought as he got closer. He didn't expect to be taking a personal tour of its insides however.

BatfinK16

Posted by BatfinK16 2 years ago Report

I love how you can see the flesh beneath the scales while the dragon swallows it's prey. Great art.

Strega

Posted by Strega 2 years ago Report

I’m not sure how realistic it is, but it’s fun to draw. 83

doomed

Posted by doomed 2 years ago Report

I guess this is a nice red dragon…, even though he’s melting this guy lol

exploration

Posted by exploration 2 years ago Report

Always happy to see more dragon content from you, whichever side of a stomach they end up on.