Daria

Dark Queens are massive true dragons that inhabit ancient volcanic regions, where their armor-like black scales blend seamlessly with basalt and obsidian. Adults average twenty feet in length, stand roughly six feet at the shoulder, and possess comparatively small thirty-foot wings suited more for short flights and displays than sustained travel. A crimson-and-gold frill runs along the neck, serving as their primary means of communication. Mood, warnings, confidence, and dominance are expressed through subtle movements of this display, with larger frills marking older, higher-status Queens. An exclusively female species, they reproduce through obligate parthenogenesis and live almost entirely solitary lives. Territorial disputes are brutal, often ending long before old age can claim either dragon, despite lifespans approaching a thousand years. Patient and calculating, Dark Queens rely on overwhelming strength, remarkable intelligence, and scales so resistant to heat and injury that healthy adults are exceptionally difficult to kill. Fully capable of speech and reason, they are known for their immense pride and regal demeanor, often regarding unexpected visitors with equal parts curiosity and amusement while expecting unquestioning respect in return. Daria is every bit the Queen she believes herself to be. Proud, smug, and delightfully theatrical, she enjoys basking in warm sunlight or disappearing so completely among dark stone that even experienced caretakers overlook her. Respect earns curiosity, and trusted caretakers may be allowed to polish her scales or examine her armor. Even among those she trusts, however, everyone is careful to remember that Daria is never truly tame.