Dragon intelligence
Dragons have often been called intelligent, but what does this mean exactly? A common belief in their world among people who have never met one is that dragons are intelligent for being beasts, but not comparable to humanoids. Others are of the belief that dragons contain wisdom unattainable for humanoids.
In my world, dragons are as intelligent as humans, but it's important to understand that "edual to" does not translate to "same as". Dragons belong to a completely different branch on the life family tree. They are solitary archosaurs - a stark contrast to humanoids as social mammals. Their instincts, motivations and goals may differ from ours, and their long lifespans also contribute to a different view of things at times.
A few examples of how these differences may express:
- Some dragons have a very strong instinct to be territorial and to defend what is theirs, choosing to stay and fight any perceived threat, no matter how great, sometimes resulting them appearing as overconfident or bullheaded, unwilling to see reason or admit to being overpowered. Dragon hunters often utilize this powerful instinct to corner their prey before taking it down. It can also result in fearful dragons being taken for aggressive and "evil", as they will often choose offense as the first line of defense.
- When wounded or trying to find safety, many dragons will try to find a dark, confined space, such as a cave. This instinctually feels safe to them, in contrast to many humanoids who are unnerved by such places. This instinct is also often utilized by dragon hunters.
- Dragons may at times consider humanoids as a potential food source. A dragon hunting a human is unlikely to try to communicate with it - you don't talk to your food. This has often been mistaken for a lack of intelligence, where it is really a lack of interest.
- Dragons generally ignore human laws, country borders etc. Such things are irrelevant to them, same as we are unaware of dragon territory borders - something that is deeply relevant to them. Entering another dragon's territory may result in an immediate attack, sometimes resulting in death. This can lead to dragons crossing distances in patterns that may seem strange to humanoids, as they are making conscious decisions whether to pass through or go around lands claimed by other dragons.
- Some dragons are highly skilled at appearing and acting like humanoids, blending in and living among them for years at a time. You may never realize their true nature at all; a sign as good as any that they are highly intelligent, with great skill at emulating humanoid behaviour. Could you copy a dragon's instincts, behaviour and language to the same degree, not to mention get used to appearing as one?
- Dragons view social bonds, partners, family members etc in different ways compared to humanoids, though this also varies between species. In many species, only one parent is typically involved in raising the young, who then set out to live their own life, with few ties to their past, in stark contrast to humans who often maintain strong social bonds for decades. Most dragons separate love partners and partners they reproduce with, often having a different view than humanoids on what constitutes a relationship.
