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  1. rktho

    rktho Contributor Contributor

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    Dragon sea travel?

    Discussion in 'Setting Development' started by rktho, Nov 22, 2020.

    I'm writing a story with dragon characters that involves intercontinental travel. How might dragons, if they felt the need, cross the ocean? I assume that any ships they construct would not only be massive by necessity but also travel at a much slower speed than dragons can fly. However, if they need to transport resources, or if they are not evolutionarily equipped to fly for several days at a time, they would need to develop some way of ocean transport. We will assume that none or few of these dragons are amphibious.
     
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  2. DriedPen

    DriedPen Member

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    Maybe a stupid idea...but what about a hot air balloon that they power via their own fire-breath? They use the trade-winds to get around, but their occasional fire-breath to keep them aloft?
     
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  3. montecarlo

    montecarlo Contributor Contributor

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    Can’t they just glide like albatrosses?
     
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  4. TWErvin2

    TWErvin2 Contributor Contributor

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    Can they swim? Fly and float/swim when rest is needed. They could create barges and pull them via flight or swimming.
    They could hire other races to ship their resources across the oceans?
     
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  5. rktho

    rktho Contributor Contributor

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    Yes, but I don't know if ALL dragons would be able to do that.
     
  6. rktho

    rktho Contributor Contributor

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    Hm. Pulling the barges could work.
     
  7. montecarlo

    montecarlo Contributor Contributor

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    There are two types of dragons in this world, those who can glide across oceans like an albatross, and chumps.
     
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  8. rktho

    rktho Contributor Contributor

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    I might put that quote in the book
     
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  9. CrimsonAngel

    CrimsonAngel Banned

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    Dragons can fly (obviously) but I think that they should be pulling barges. Seems plausible.
     
  10. Le Panda Du Mal

    Le Panda Du Mal Contributor Contributor

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    Chinese dragons (long) are somewhat akin to water elementals and are associated with lakes, rivers, and oceans, as well as clouds and rain. Swimming would be a natural mode of movement for them.
     
  11. Mckk

    Mckk Member Supporter Contributor

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    I can't believe I didn't think of this, but this is a good idea. Esp seeing as Chinese dragons don't have wings - swimming would be natural.
     
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  12. Franz Hansen

    Franz Hansen Member

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    I just have my dragons fly, following currents and flying toward the pole instead of flying straight across. I also took inspiration from whales and dolphins, resting half of their brains at a time while the other half works to keep them afloat (or fly, in the case of my dragons).
     
  13. Iain Aschendale

    Iain Aschendale Lying, dog-faced pony Marine Supporter Contributor

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    Dragons resting on the boat, facing backwards, lips (they do have lips, right?) pursed around the input ends of forged Venturi nozzles, serving as organic solid rocket boosters. The deckhands hunt whales to fuel their dragons.
     
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  14. Naomasa298

    Naomasa298 HP: 10/190 Status: Confused Contributor

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    An animal the size of a dragon that could fly would be naturally bouyant - they'd float. So they could just land on the water, spread their wings and snooze.

    Or else, they'd have ancestral knowledge of islands they could use to stop over on. You can see an awfully long way from high up in the air.
     
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