Elder Dragons have had a big impact on our ancestors and how they see the world. Many of these animals took on a spiritual role in religions, whether that be as gods, demons, garden spirits, or holy creatures. But no matter what their roles were in the cultures of ancient people, their bizarre appearance and almost supernatural abilities have left huge impressions on humans.
One of the most common thing associated with Elder Dragons is the weather - specifically storms. In South East Asia, there are many different animals which are said to cause typhoons wherever they go. Most of these creatures are part of the Serpenlong order; however, one species of Hexadrake has also earned this reputation and is arguably one of the most popular, the well studied Eosdracon species.
Found throughout the coastal areas of Asia, its surrounding islands, and even as far as Alaska, Dracometallucornu procellas, better known as Kushala Daoras, are legendary for their ability to withstand even the most extreme typhoons. In fact, these animals who can grow to be 5.5 meters in length, 2.4 in height, and have a 9 meter wingspan, are renowned storm chasers.
(Dracometallucornu procellas procellas.)
Roughly translated to 'dragon with the metal wings who causes storms' in Latin, the name Dracometallucornu procellas is one that describes these animals very well. Thanks to their iron-like scales, Kushala Daoras are incredibly durable, having been known to get back up even after suffering crash landings. However, these scales are also surprisingly light, allowing the animals to stay airborne.
But even if there scales are generally light, Kushala Daoras still need a running start to get off the ground, as their armour contains trace amounts of iron sulfide in them. Biomineralization is actually very common in the kingdom animalia, the only reason that this seems more extraordinary in the Elder Dragons is because their hides contain so much of the mineral that they look like they're made from metal.
These animals occasionally eat sulfur and carbon which adds to their metallic appearance. The minerals are absorbed into their scales, making their armour more durable. Although these deposits can be found anywhere if you know where to look, they're especially common around volcanic areas, compromised of raw exposed rocks which have just been churned up from the ground and contain an assortment of ores that may be hard to find otherwise. Because of this, it's not unusual for Kushala Daoras to visit these regions, especially during seismic events which they can detect, although the way in which they and other animals do it is still a mystery.
However, this diet of metals does have some severe drawbacks. Unlike almost all other Elder Dragons, Kushala Daoras need to shed their skin to grow. Unfortunately, the extra protection they gain makes it very challenging for them to bust out of their old hides. In addition to this, the metal in their scales can actually rust due to oxidation, adding an extra layer to break open and turning them into Rusted Kushala Daoras.
When they rust over, these Elder Dragons will become significantly more aggressive, as they're under a lot of stress to find the right place to molt. Similarly to many invertebrates, their new skin is much softer, meaning that when Kushala Daoras manage to successfully shed, they're vulnerable to attacks, and it can take some time before their hide hardens.
Because of this, it's very important for Rusted Kushala Daoras to find hidden areas when molting, with mountain peaks being a particular favorite of theirs as the cool air speeds up the hardening process. But they aren't just vulnerable after busting out of their old shell. Due to how much energy it takes for these animals to shed their skin, they can end up exhausting themselves, leaving them partially trapped in their own bodies which can be fatal.
This process is something that's more likely to happen to older individuals, as each new layer becomes thicker and heavier than the previous one. Even if they manage to continuously molt successfully, their suits will eventually make it impossible for them to fly, causing them to starve to death or have their internal organs crushed under the weight.
But until this day comes, Kushala Daoras have a trick to help them break out of their old skin. These animals have spiracles on their chest which push out air stored within sacs. By doing this, they can force gasses under their armour, and as the pressure increases, their hide will eventually rip, giving the Elder Dragons an opening through which they can escape.
Thanks to their amazing control over their powerful diaphragm, Kushala Daoras are capable of retracting the muscles on the ventral surfaces to suck air into their sacs, or do the opposite and create blasts of wind around themselves. Besides giving Rusted Kushala Daoras the ability to escape their old skin, this feature also makes them lighter, making it possible for them to spread their scent since their scent glands are located inside the ventral pockets. This allows them to tell other members of their species where they are, what condition they're in, and even their gender. But if the Elder Dragons should ever find themselves in danger, they can also use explosive air blasts to push enemies away.
The short ranged air blasts aren't the only things Kushala Daoras use to defend themselves. By taking in deep breaths, then quickly contracting their diaphragm, they can exhale explosive bursts of wind out of their mouth. However, due to the shape of their teeth and their position in the animals' jaws, the air comes out spinning, creating small short-lived tornadoes. In addition to this, these Elder Dragons possess dragon energy which they can infuse into their twisters.
Since their type of dragon energy is made from their own white blood cells, Kushala Daoras are essentially creating blood tornadoes when deploying this tactic. Yet this has the potential of becoming dangerous to the users since it can leave them open to infections, viruses, and poisons that can enter the body through the spiracles. For this reason, Hexadrakes only use it when they have no other option.
Besides the tiny twisters they can shoot from their mouth, the animals can also create their own mini hurricanes. Instrumental to the creation of these cyclones, Kushala Daora's flexible wings, along with their breadth and unique shape, are made of muscles and skin. By moving their third pair of limits in a special pattern at high speeds, similarly to a hummingbird or bee, these Elder Dragons unintentionally create low pressure vortexes around themselves when flying. Of course, the cyclones will dissipate as soon as the creatures stop flapping.
Yet sometimes, the weather makes it that the Elder Dragons don't need to waste energy flapping their wings. As storm chasers, Kushala Daoras can simply use the powerful air currents to glide while their armour protects them from flying debris. But this does bring up questions such as how they find storms in the first place, and why they'd actively be searching for bad weather. To answer the first question, Kushala Daora horns are actually sensory organs that can detect minute changes in humidity and air pressure, allowing them to track down storms. As for why they look for them, the answer is actually quite simple: hunting opportunities.
During storms and dark nights, many creatures are more susceptible to predation, as their ability to detect them is severely hindered. In addition to this, some species aren't even able to flee in poor weather conditions, making them the perfect prey for hunters. Because of this, Kushala Daoras have much higher chances of succeeding in their hunts. The downpours and powerful winds can also expose hidden minerals, giving the Elder Dragons the chance to strengthen their armour. Kushala Daoras are also known to live in areas which are prone to getting hit by typhoons, cyclones, and hurricanes. So once the raging storms have passed, the Elder Dragons are capable of coming down and feed on the casualties.
Because of this behavior, Kushala Daoras are occasionally known to venture into populated areas, where they can unintentionally cause more damage as they scavenge. Despite also feeding on human cadavers after these storms, there has yet to be any report of individuals becoming man eaters. But this doesn't bring much comfort to people since even simply being close to Elder Dragons can potential send them flying.
Many have tried to repel the animals in the past, but due to the animals' armoured hide, most attacks either bounce off them or deal only minor injuries. Unfortunately, these assaults are almost always met with retaliation from the Hexadrakes. To say these are unfair fights would be an understatement. Because of the difference in size, weapons, and defenses, Kushala Daoras are almost immune to anything mobs might throw at them. Even bullets have been known to ricochet off the animals' hide and hurt, or worse, kill someone.
Really, the best thing to do is leave these animals alone, and let the experts take care of them. Not only is this less dangerous for civilians, minimizes damage to the area, and allows for the Elder Dragons to be safely relocated, but it also makes it next to impossible for the Kushala Daoras to get injured, no matter how unlikely that is to happen in the first place.
But in some parts of the world, people and Kushala Daoras have had no other choice but to learn to coexist with each other. In the Philippines, humans and Dracometallucornu procellas typhoonus, or the Philippine Kushala Daora, commonly have encounters between each other, with the Elder Dragons landing in or near settlements during their travels.
Unlike the type species, D. p. procellas who primarily live in South Korea, and possess silver brow and black skin, D. p. typhoonus are brown with white accents, making them significantly less noticeable than their relatives. Philippine Kushala Daoras are also the most durable members of the species since they inhabit areas where typhoons can be especially violent.
Another notable difference is that they possess significantly elongated wing claws. The feature itself isn't unheard-of in other subspecies of Dracometallucornu, but those seen on Philippine Kushala Daoras are noticeably longer than the ones of their relatives. The exact reasons for this feature isn't very clear; however, they could possibly be used to slash their way across the forests. Another possibility for their wing claws are to help in aerodynamics, with the blades helping the animals cut through air during typhoons which means that they aren't being tossed around in the storms.
Unfortunately, another thing that separates the Philippine Kushala Daoras from their relatives is the fact that they're critically endangered. Unlike Korean Kushala Daoras who've been able to thrive in the DMZ, or demilitarized zones, and variety of protected areas, they're losing their prey due to hunting and poaching, as well as their habitats because of logging, agriculture and urbanization and mining which is depriving them of metals to eat.
If these animals are to survive, it's important to take swift and decisive action. By pushing the government to reevaluate current laws regarding the protection of nature as well as enforcing them, anonymously reporting illegal hunting, mining and logging, allowing plant life to regrow, working with local tribes to protect the environment, aiding and working with organizations whose aim is to defend the Philippine's natural wonders, using environmentally friendly ways of making a living, and most important of all, spreading knowledge to your community about the importance of preserving the archipelago's ecosystems, you too can help save the Philippine Kushala Daoras from extinction.
But not all Kushala Daora subspecies are in such precarious positions. Further north in Japan, Dracometallucornu procellas arashi enjoy being in the least concerned status because they still have plenty of healthy ecosystems to thrive in.
Also know as Silver Kushala Daoras for their shiny grey skin, they have the largest wings of any Dracometallucornu. Instead of the typical 9 meter wingspan, theirs is a massive 11 meters. This increased wingspan is fitting for them, as they're also the largest Kushala Daora subspecies, with adults growing to be 6 meters in length, and 3 in height. However, this would consequently make them heavier than their relatives, making it harder for them to fly.
To get around this problem, these animals not only grew larger wings, but their armour is also much thinner, making it possible for them to take to the skies. But this feature does come at the cost of durability, meaning they're more susceptible to predation and flying objects. In fact, this can sometimes be detrimental to Silver Kushala Daoras, as it makes it harder for them to protect their kill from large carnivores.
Consequently, Silver Kushala Daoras have been known to use their wind shots to combat opponents in a barrage of miniature tornadoes. They've also been recorded dropping from above onto opponents and blasting their adversaries with dragon energy upon impact. Unsurprisingly, the intelligence of these animals in battle, along with their incredible abilities, have made them quite the proliferate figure in Japanese folklore. Many stories tell of these Hexadrakes being masters in the art of battle and adaptability, and aiding the protagonist if bested in combat.
In some legends Silver Kushala Daoras, referred to as Arashi no kemono, are described as being charged with the task of spreading storms around Japan, watering the crops of farmers, or destroying them if the humans have angered their master the Japanese god of the sea and storms: Susano no Mikoto. Working alongside the wind and thunder serpents, Ibushi and Narwa, and storm dragon Amatsu, they help create and distribute the rain, snow, wind, and lightning across the country.
It's quite obvious that Silver Kushala Daoras have left their mark on Japanese culture as creatures who serve a god. However, in some parts Asia between India and Vietnam, Dracometallucornu procellas deius were once and still are in some remote areas revered as storm gods.
Known as Black Kushala Daoras, these Elder Dragons are best known for their shiny, obsidian black scales. It's unknown why their skins is this exact coloration, but considering how dark the jungles they prefer to inhabit are, it may be for camouflage purposes.
This would also explain why they have the same wing claws as the Philippine Kushala Daoras. The bladed parts of their fifth and sixth limbs would make moving through the undergrowth easier, as they can hack away at the vegetation. This seems even more likely as they're known to make clearings in the forests which act as both launchpads and landingpads.
Males have also been known to use these clearings as stages for when they're trying to attract females. During the breeding season, the males will release a strong oder from their spiracles, signaling to any potential mate where they are, and that they're mature and healthy.
But even if their messages are received, the males still need to convince the females that they're the right individual to mate. By spreading and flapping their wings, bobbing their head up and down, and raising up on their back legs, the former will do their best to impress the latter with their moves. If they're successful, the females will join the dance; otherwise, they'll just leave, making it clear they aren't interested.
Interestingly, a tribe known as the Tonno has made ritualistic dance which mimics the males' mating displays. According to some interviews, these dances are to appease their storm god, a Black Kushala Daora whose wings are the heavens and ask him for protection against the winds, rain, and lightning he summons when flying.
Apparently, this religion was once widespread throughout the range of Black Kushala Daoras; however, the belief has become very rare in recent times, since the people who once practiced these rituals have either been assimilated into the modern culture or died out.
Unfortunately, this subspecies of Elder Dragon has also been in decline because of habitat loss and human wildlife conflicts. However, by supporting organizations with the aim of protecting the environment, helping local communities to come up and implement solutions to reduce conflicts between animals and people, using more environmentally friendly management practices of terrestrial and aquatic environments, and aiding the government to enforce natural protection laws, you can do your part in ensuring that the population of these vulnerable Elder Dragons doesn't drop any further. If we save the Black Kushala Daoras, then maybe we can also save the amazing cultures surrounding them.
We can all agree that in the old world Kushala Daora populations can vary greatly depending on the area, but there's no doubt that those in the new world whose ancestors first arrived after being swept to North America by hurricanes, have been thriving on this continent. With a wide range of prey species and plenty of wilderness for them to inhabit, the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Alaska are all great places for Dracometallucornu procellas northecus to call home.
More widely known by the name White Kushala Daora for their light colored skin, these animals roam the varying terrains of northern Canada and the US as one of the top predator. Thanks to their abilities and armoured hide, these Elder Dragons can even compete and take down creatures like moose and polar bears.
Since most storms are significantly less violent in this part of the world, White Kushala Daoras have to be more creative in how they hunt. When hunting during winter or in mountainous areas, their pale coloration allows them to blend in with the snow; however, when summer comes around, they switch to a truly inventive tactic.
Taking advantage of the permanent sunlight during this time of the year, White Kushala Daoras fly into it, meaning that when their prey looks up, they can't see them. Once they're sure that their prey is oblivious to their presence, they tuck in their wings and dive down at amazing speeds, before slamming into their targets, knocking them over, if not outright kill them on impact. Unsurprisingly, this tactic is also dangerous for the Elder Dragons, as one wrong move could end in serious injuries or worse. In fact, it's so risky, that 46 percent of young White Kushala Daora fatalities come from them messing up the dive. But for those who've mastered this technique, the rewards are worth the dangers, as it allows them to even tackle fully grown muskoxen.
Unfortunately for aquatic creatures, even they are not safe from White Kushala Daora attacks. Similarly to eagles, these animals will fly over water and grab whatever is unluckily enough to be in range of their claws. But it's not just fish which can get snatched up by these predators. Creatures as large as seals and young walruses have been known to be ripped from the water and carried off by White Kushala Daoras. In addition to this, they may even drop their catches from great heights, letting gravity do the work of killing their prey.
For the most part, these Hexadrakes have nothing to fear as the apex predators of their environment; however, this may not last forever. Climate change, habitat loss, and oil and gas mining all pose threats to the homes of these creatures and the animals they depend on.
However, it's possible to help the White Kushala Daora. By creating more protected areas, working with organizations whose aim is to defend the environment these animals depend on, and doing your part in stopping global warming, you can help save these near threatened Elder Dragons.
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The weather is incredibly unpredictable, one minute it could be a beautiful sunny day, and the next, you could find yourself caught in the grips of a massive storm. When these sudden changes happen, very few lifeforms are prepared for it, but this isn't the case for Kushala Daoras.
Protected by heavy armoured scales with traces of metal inside them and armed with incredible wind capabilities, Kushala Daoras are the masters of storms. With them always chasing bad weather, it's unsurprising that people have associated them with rain, wind, and lightning for thousands of years, and even claimed that the Elder Dragons can control the weather.
Unfortunately, despite being in the least concerned category as an overall species, many populations of these animals have decreased, just like the belief in their god-like abilities. However with our help, the many subspecies have a chance of surviving.
Just like the weather, these Hexadrakes have many faces. They can be complicated and unpredictable; however, one thing that is always certain is that all over the north Pacific and Indian Oceans, wherever truly devastating weather hits, Kushala Daoras are always sure to be close behind.