Chapter 66: A Downed Dragon...

Scylla: Boulder-class dragon

''Overview: High-stealth, pack-oriented dragon optimized for terra-urban supremacy. Instinctive ambush tactics render the dragon highly effective in the close quarters of the tunnels of terra-urban environments, and the telescoping neck allows the dragon to attack and retreat with its main body remaining unexposed. In addition, they are skilled pack hunters, to the point where the ancient Greeks assumed that a pack of Scylla was a single dragon; this tendency can be trained in terra-urban units, allowing significant close-quarters synergistic combat effectiveness. Above ground, they are only primarily of military use in congested areas, where the dragon's slower speed and larger core body will not allow them to be targeted easily.''

''Breath Type: Ethylbenzene/Oxygen-melted mineral projectiles. Due to the telescoping nature of the neck and throat, Scylla have a biological valve that will inhibit firebreathing when the neck is past half-extension. Scylla will preferentially consume mafic rocks over felsic rocks to fuel their projectiles, as the viscosity of the felsic magma risks damage to their tissues. As a result, Scylla magma projectiles tend to be of low viscosity and closer to a spray.''

''Identification: Medium Size. Dark brown to gray-black scales and hide. Four legs with digging/shovel paws capable of grasping only large objects; moderate single wing-pair. Bilateral spike rows along thorax's frontal plane, parallel with belly, used for anchoring in tunnels. Long armored head with jaws optimized for grasping and crunching, single nose horn used for digging. Central thorax roughly egg-shaped. Most significant feature is the extensible neck; normally in a contracted position, with a length of half that of the thorax, it can extend out to four or five times the length of the thorax, and still maintain flexibility at joints. Purple eyes; iris width varies minimally on mood; secondary eyelids shield against bright light.''

Strategic Role: Terra-urban supremacy; urban supremacy; close-quarters infantry support

''Known Weaknesses: Scylla are highly pack-oriented; removing their packmates, especially their riders, will typically put the dragon into full fight-or-flight mode. At full extension, the neck is highly vulnerable to injury along its length. In flight, the Scylla is also very slow. If injured in open air, Scylla are known to develop agoraphobia as a result.''

Phenotype Cluster: B5^F3-SØSØS1+MØTØT5+

''Populations: Small to Moderate. Originally located primarily around sea caves in the Aegean Sea and Black Sea, Scylla have never have had significant success in spreading from their original territories. However, the Turkish Empire has had a successful breeding program in keeping their numbers up for conservation purposes, and many of their urban infantry units are paired with Scylla, to the point where it is those units' signature dragon breed.''

—North Sea Empire, Office of Draconic Intelligence, Dragon Breed Profiles (Declassified), 1822 Edition

Foreshadowing
Put spoilers here

Epigraph Tie-In

 * The epigraph is all about the dragon breed Scylla. The chapter shows the following:
 * The Scylla dragons bringing back Empress Zoe with Emperor Michael riding one of them.
 * Emperor Michael ordering his Scylla to attack the mob.

Links to the Chapter
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