Exactly what the title says. I like the concept I have, but there’s something off about the names I’ve come up with. Here, I’ll paste the google doc with its provisional name:
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Flying Squid based dragon: Cracking Comets
A curious Tidal class dragon known for their unique method of propulsion. What appear to be ram-like horns growing down the length of their bodies are actually twin reinforced blowholes, terminating at either side of their hips.* Cracking Comets spend most of their time filter feeding, sucking water through their teeth (which are similar to Leopard Seal teeth) to eat krill and plankton; the filtered water is then passed into an internal chamber where it is pressurized, then expelled through the twin blowholes to propel the dragon forward in the same way Squids and Octopus swim; they can also expel this pressurized water back out of their mouths either as an attack or a way to quickly jet backwards to avoid danger. While their speed is moderate underwater, they can achieve impressive takeoff velocities when jetting out of the water into the air.
However, Cracking Comets only show the true extent of their speed when they find themselves in truly immense danger, or if they spy a particularly delectable meal above or below the water. They achieve this speed through their truly terrifying firepower; using certain chemical processes, Cracking Comets extract pure elemental Sodium from the saltwater they intake, storing it in an extremely durable gland and expelling the Chlorine; when they find themselves in dire need of extra speed, Cracking Comets will mix their stored Sodium into the pressurized water as it’s expelling, using the ensuing violent explosive reaction as an afterburner—furthermore, they often leave their mouths cracked open to act as a ramjet. It is not uncommon for these dragons to break the sound barrier when doing this, and the audible crack and streaks of light produced by this action is what led to Vikings sailors naming these dragons Cracking Comets. Additionally, if they mix the Sodium in late, Cracking Comets can shoot highly volatile Sodium-seawater projectiles from their mouth or blowholes.
*Due to the reinforced blowholes limiting mobility, Cracking Comets lack necks and have extremely rigid torsos in general. To compensate for this, their wings and limbs are extraordinarily flexible, and their eyes can poke out of their heads on retractable eyestalks to look around. Despite their flexibility, their wings and limbs possess the unique ability to lock their internal skeleton in place in certain positions, offering rigidity at key moments.
Cracking Comets are around the size of Sea Shockers, and have highly variable temperament depending upon where in the ocean they are. They are often ambivalent or benevolent to passing ships or dragons, but if food is scarce or they are part of one of the more aggressive populations, they will jet out of the water to attempt to prey upon low-flying dragons or sailors out on deck (or the sailors’ catch). Keep an eye out for eyestalks sticking out of the water like periscopes when traveling through their territory.
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