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Pyrotherion — Description

For those who live in these golden times, the Age of Ichor is a bountiful era. Or, perhaps, was. But there is no denying the sheer amount of life and fluids found in the world. Fertile flesh beneath our feet, countless creatures that roam the hills and the very Godly Fluid of life providing it all. It certainly feels like an age of life, but such a bounty was never exclusive to Ichor. The golden fluid didn't bring life to a desolate world, it just brought a new version that overwrote the last. The Age of Eitr that came before was also a time of beast and plenty, perhaps even more if one factors in sheer size. It was an era of megafauna, of primordial giants. Depictions of the past show biomes choked with it, forests and jungles that seemed to reach the very heavens. It was when dragons ruled the world, and when the archetherions roamed its lands. Some folks have a hard time believing it, that the world was so different than what it is now. Is it because we have difficulty envisioning a land we have never seen, or do we not want to accept what was lost so that this current era could exist?
Amongst the plentiful life that existed in the Age of Eitr was the Pyrotherion, a member of the archetherion family. Depictions show a vibrant beast with many scutes, fins and a massive head crest. There is still debate amongst the Antiquaries if the Pyrotherion walked on two hind legs or was down on all fours, but then of course that means there is another party arguing that it did both. Regardless, what was known was that it was a herbivore, which probably puzzled some folk when they looked at this archetherion's snout. Elongated, narrow and with not much of a jaw to be seen. Something more akin to the creatures that feed upon termites or only drink fluids. Indeed, they are right. In a way. The mouth of the Pyrotherion is ill suited to eat plants, but only if they remain in their original, solid state.
The strange head of the Pyrotherion is actually designed around its defining ability: the breathing of Primal Flame. Their body has traces of Eitr like all other archetherions, and they use it to fuel a fiery breath. However, do not liken it to the powerful infernos that the ancient dragons could create, it is not close to that. Their flame is meager compared to it, but it is concentrated. Their crest stores and funnels their Eitr to their snout, which then spits out Primal Flame in a short tight cone. It is more akin to a Yellow Bile cutter than a Yellow Bile bellows, concentrating all the heat to a singular point rather than spraying it all over. The Pyrotherions used this flame just like a cutter, searing through the hard shells and defenses of ancient plants. There is no need for grinding teeth when one can slice through the tough bits and get to the juicy center. Their fire burns and melts their food, and their snouts suck up what remains. Antiquaries theorize that the Pyrotherion targeted specific plant species that provided not only adequate nutrients, but favorable fuel for their flame.
Obviously, this breath ability isn't just for eating, as the Pyrotherion defends itself with it too. When predators approach, their flame is ignited. They may have shot bright plumes from their mouth as a warning, spits of weak flame meant to catch attention rather than burn. But if these signs were ignored, they would turn up the heat and use the cutting flame on their enemies. No doubt they targeted the eyes and sensitive parts of their attacker, making a tussle with them incredibly risky. But, unfortunately, this meant little to the real dragons. They were born from the Primal Flame, and thus the spitting embers of a mere archetherion is no threat to them. If a dragon was hungry, the Pyrotherion was an easy meal that had no chance against their might.
The debate over whether the Pyrotherion was bipedal, quadrupedal or both continues to this day with the Antiquaries. Depictions of this particular archetherion constantly changes depending on who is making it, often leading to confusion in the public. It feels like an argument that could be settled by asking one of the remaining dragons, but their memory isn't the greatest. Also, being the lords of that age, the dragons didn't really pay the closest attention to something so minor. Some Antiquaries have tried to "prove" their point by assembling quick and crude dracomatons in the image of the Pyrotherion and noting how it moves. To outsiders, this may seem like a solid solution, as no doubt making a living model of it would reveal the answer. However, this is ignoring the absurd amount of bias involved in merely designing such a thing, and obviously any Antiquary putting in this much effort and irritation into such a subject isn't going to build something that proves them wrong. Most of these simple dracomatons would quickly be destroyed, but not in battle or any real war effort, more so taken apart by angry researchers of the opposing side. After enough wasted time, resources and depleted patience, it seems the debate has come to an end. No, they haven't gotten their answer, it is just that the Grand Antiquary has ordered it to be shelved. No more wasted constructs, no more Pyrotherion models to be vandalized and no more bickering. The Pyrotherion conundrum has joined the ranks of the legendary "don't asks" of the world. Much like how you don't ask about the uncomfortable chairs in the Church, you don't ask about how the Pyrotherion walks, or the Magdeburg Horror. You can, but just know you are going to get a severe beating for it.