MudWings

MudWings, also known as swamp dragons or mud dragons to humans, are a Pyrrhian dragon tribe that reside in the Mud Kingdom. They are currently ruled by Queen Moorhen.

The MudWings were allied with Burn and the SkyWings in the War of SandWing Succession and fought against Blister and Blaze. They were allied with Blister and the SeaWings in the beginning of the War of SandWing Succession, until the assassination of Commander Tempest. Burn forced the MudWings into an alliance by using threats and offered one hundred years of peace between their tribes and protection for the MudWings if she became queen of the SandWings.

Description

A MudWing egg clutch with a red egg from A Guide to the Dragon World, by Joy Ang

A MudWing submerged in the mud with their nostrils on the top of their snout visible from A Guide to the Dragon World, by Joy Ang

MudWings have thick, armored scales. They are usually earthy colors, such as shades of brown, and amber. They are most known for their flat snouts, brute strength, and large size. They may also have gold or amber underscales, usually more visible in sunlight. Their nostrils are located on the top of the snouts, allowing them to lay submerged in mud for long periods of time, usually around one hour. They have thick, curved horns and broad, flat heads. Their eyes have been described as brown, gold, shades of amber, and hazel, sometimes with yellow rings around the pupils. Their bodies are muscular and robust, being based on crocodiles. MudWings may also have markings such as dappled scales.

Diet

MudWings love food and are willing to eat nearly anything, including both fruit and meat. In the marshes, they eat crocodiles and other swamp-dwelling creatures. MudWings will raise and breed livestock such as cows. Their diet is noted to also consist of water birds, hippos, water buffalo, cows, and elephants.

MudWings also prepare dishes such as frozen cream with melon.

Abilities

MudWings can hold their breath for up to an hour, and if a dragon is warm enough, they can breathe fire. Because of their muscular bodies, MudWings are quite strong. They are capable of camouflaging into mud and dirt and may rest while partially submerged. MudWings can use mud to ease pain and help treat wounds.

Clay's fireproof scales protecting him from being burnt by Peril from The Dragonet Prophecy (graphic novel), by Mike Holmes

MudWings that hatch from blood-red eggs are immune to fire. This power only fully activates after exposure to mud; however, it is able to activate while the dragonet is still inside the egg. Though fire will still hurt them, any injuries caused by fire will rapidly heal. If a burn is too deep or large, however, it cannot heal all the way; this ability will not heal deep flesh wounds or internal wounds and is mostly limited to a dragon's scales. Fireproof MudWings may be able to survive in lava for short periods. When burned, a fire-immune MudWing's scales will temporarily fade to black before returning to the dragon's normal scale color. In ancient MudWing times, the queen would order for blood-red eggs to be destroyed before they hatched. This changed when Moccasin's dragonet was discovered to be fireproof.

There has never been a known animus dragon in the MudWing tribe.

Society

Less wealthy and lowborn MudWings usually live on the outskirts of MudWing territory, near the Diamond Spray Delta, while the rest live closer to the center of the kingdom. MudWings hatch close to villages, where they learn and pick up the dragon language by going to schools. After hatching, MudWing sibling groups will often follow older groups to pick up the ways of MudWing life. Royal MudWings hatched in the palace are named shortly after hatching, quickly educated, and trained.

MudWing dwellings from The Dragonet Prophecy (graphic novel), by Mike Holmes

MudWings live in large mud bunkhouses, with a big opening at the top, that house several dragons, usually siblings. They also tend to lie around and nap in large mud puddles. MudWings also have not been ambitious compared to other tribes. It has been a while since they had a queen who was interested in conquering others.

Pairings are not formal, with a breeding night once a month. Neither parent takes part in raising their children, and often the two partners will not know one another or their children in any way. MudWings lay their eggs in well-protected bunkhouses with mud walls and warm rocks for incubation. Eggs are left mostly alone, and oftentimes no adults are present during hatchings. The first MudWing dragonet to hatch is often the largest and is known as a bigwings. They will help their siblings hatch out of their eggs.

MudWings, unlike other tribes, live in troops of siblings, with the bigwings as the caretaker and leader. These sib groups love and trust one another a great deal and work well as units of soldiers. They also protect one another and feel the loss of a sibling deeply. When a sibling is killed or lost, a sib group may take in another dragon who has been orphaned from their own group, known as "unsibs." Several unsibs may also gather to form their own troop.

Besides the bigwings, MudWing troops also have other roles that the siblings fill. This includes a healer who studies the medicinal properties of mud and various leaves, a treasurer who keeps track of the siblings' treasure and provisions, a gatherer who finds additional food besides the prey that is hunted as a group, and a communicator who negotiates with other troops. These roles are assigned by natural skills and personal preference. The bigwings can sometimes be in charge of one of these roles if they have the skills for one of the roles.

MudWings have been stereotyped throughout history as dumb by most dragons. However, according to Bullfrog, the events of the Scorching are in every MudWing history book.

Names

MudWing names generally relate to the earth, swamps, and the flora and fauna that reside there such as Reed, Crane, Pheasant, Sora, Moorhen, and Cattail, or shades of brown, such as Umber, Sepia, and Ochre. Sometimes they can also be named after types of diamonds or minerals, such as Asha. Synonyms of swamps or swampy areas are also used as names, such as Marsh, Swamp, and Bog.

Click here for a list of known MudWings.

Students at Jade Mountain

• An unnamed female MudWing
• Marsh
• Newt
• Sepia
• Sora (formerly)
• Umber (formerly)

Trivia

• No MudWing queen has ever been challenged by a sister for her throne due to the way MudWings form sibling bonds. The oldest female, or bigwings, of the troop is usually the queen due to the hierarchy of these groups.
• Though MudWings are not focused on as much, they are lucky to avoid conflicts with the rest of Pyrrhia.

Gallery

• 
  A typical MudWing (colored), by Joy Ang
• 
  A typical MudWing (lineart), by Joy Ang
• 
  A typical MudWing (transparent) by Joy Ang
• 
  A typical MudWing from the German publication, by Max Meinzold

References

cs:Bahnoleti de:Erdflügler es:Alas Lodosas fi:Mutasiivet fr:Ailes de Boue nl:LeemVleugels pl:Błotoskrzydłe ru:Земляные драконы