Dragons play a prominent role in many fantasy stories from The Hobbit to A Song of Ice and Fire to Dungeons & Dragons. They’re not as central to the plot of The Witcher, but they do help the main characters come to terms with their destiny in both the books by author Andrzej Sapkowski and the Netflix adaptation. Dragons are complicated creatures, so we’ll break down everything that’s been revealed about them.

Be warned: Spoilers for The Witcher are ahead.

What are the different types of dragons?

Gold dragons are so rare that most consider them a myth. Gold dragons, like witchers, are mutants and cannot reproduce naturally. However, they are shapeshifters, which allows them to walk freely among humans.

Green dragons are the most common, followed by red, black and white. Those names are somewhat misleading. Green dragons are actually greyish, red dragons are brick-red and black dragons are dark brown.

What do dragons want?

Dragons in The Witcher are just as intelligent as humans, so their motivations can be equally unique. Sapkowski’s short story “The Bounds of Reason” and the Netflix episode “Rare Species” both feature a gold dragon named Villentretenmerth who disguises himself as a human knight named Borch Three Jackdaws (Ron Cook). He is kind and honorable, working with the monster-hunting witcher Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill) to try to protect the offspring of the dragon Myrgtabrakke (who was attacked by humans).

Villentretenmerth sees caring for the baby green dragon as a way to extend his own legacy. In the book, he even swears to become a sort of witcher himself, only instead of protecting humans from monsters he would protect creatures viewed as monstrous from humans. Aside from his noble quest, Villentretenmerth also loves human food and drink, ordering one of everything and bottomless ale when he dines with Geralt. He also enjoys the company of human women.

Villentretenmerth has a penchant for sharing wisdom with others, even if they don’t particularly appreciate it. He tells Geralt that he should also find his own legacy. That’s a reference to the witcher’s connection to Princess Cirilla of Cintra, who Geralt comes to care for like a daughter. After spending time with both Geralt and his sorceress-lover Yennefer of Vengerberg, Villentretenmerth informs the two that they are meant for each other but that nothing will come of their relationship. He also tells Yennefer that she will never regain her fertility, which was lost when her appearance was changed with magic. "I'm going to save you both a lot of hurt with a little pain now,” he said. “The sorceress will never regain her womb. And though you didn't want to lose her, Geralt, you will." Unwelcome as the words may be, the two take them to heart.

Dragons have an impulse to collect treasure, amassing mountains of ore, remarkably beautiful sapphires and diamonds the size of cherries. Villentretenmerth carries a fair bit of his collection with him, using it to pay for extravagant meals and generous tipping. However, that wealth causes dragons some serious problems.

Why do dragons have a bad reputation?

Legend on the Continent goes that dragons are “the most revolting of reptiles,” prone to attacking people, breathing fire and carrying off virgins. But witchers know better. While Geralt is fine killing non-intelligent cousins of dragons such as the aggressive two-legged flying dracolizards, he won’t slay true dragons because he doesn’t consider them to be monsters.

Most humans on the Continent fear and hate the unknown, and prejudice is often used by those in power to gain wealth and influence. Like many creatures, dragons have fallen victim to human greed over the centuries. While dragons will sometimes eat livestock when they wake up hungry from a long slumber, they don’t attack people unless threatened. Still, it’s the potential for a dragon to burn down an entire human settlement from above that makes some people view them as the most dangerous creatures on the Continent.

Anti-dragon rhetoric is used as an excuse to hunt them for their treasure and body parts, which are believed to have magical properties. Yennefer herself hunts a dragon thinking that its heart might make her fertile. Dragon hunters also say that dragon meat is delicious, particularly the tail roasted over charcoal.

Because of the rarity of dragons and the perceived danger they pose, kings have been known to offer rewards for killing them. In the story “The Bounds of Reason,” the King of Malleore promises the hand of his princess to whoever can vanquish a dragon. That leads Niedamir, the ambitious young ruler of the neighboring kingdom of Caingorn, to commission a group of dragon hunters in hopes of securing a marriage that would expand his territory. In the episode “Rare Species,” the king enlists dragon hunters to kill a fire-breathing dragon after it scorches the countryside, fearing the dragon might disrupt his pending nuptials. It turns out, however, that the dragon is really just trying to defend her egg from locals who want to steal her treasure.

Where on the Continent are dragons found?

Dragons are rare, having been hunted to near extinction, and they generally try to avoid people. The ones that do survive seek remote mountain caves that are difficult to travel to without wings. White dragons are specifically known to live in the distant north.

One place where dragons can thrive is in the eastern realm of Zerrikania, where they are worshipped by humans. Villentretenmerth is accompanied by the formidable Zerrikanian warriors Tèa (Adele Oni) and Vèa (Colette Dalal Tchantcho), who serve as his bodyguards when he’s in human form since he doesn’t carry any weapons himself. They consider it an honor to hunt with him, calling him “the most beautiful.”

How do you kill a dragon?

Dragons are pretty imposing creatures, towering over humans and stretching about 24 feet long. Despite their size, they can be seriously injured by conventional weapons and poisoned with tainted livestock. You’ll still want to steer clear of a poisoned dragon as they’re prone to spew smoke from both ends and might appear to be dead before killing whoever went to check if it’s breathing. If the poison doesn’t kill it quickly, it’s strong constitution will allow a dragon to return to full strength. Dragon eggs are very vulnerable since they can’t be moved without killing the embryo.

The Continent has several famous dragon slayers. Versions of the zealous knight Eyck of Denesle, the brutal mercenaries known as the Crinfrid Reavers, and the dwarf warrior Yarpen Zigrin and his company all appear in both the story “The Bounds of Reason” and the Netflix show, all hoping to claim the treasure or earn a title from Niedamir. None of them actually succeed in killing the dragon Niedamir is hunting, though in the show Zigrin and his band get to claim credit using teeth given to them by Villentretenmerth.

Elder dragons are extremely dangerous when prepared for a fight. They’re unusually dexterous for their size and have razor sharp teeth and fangs. They are capable of communicating using telepathy, so part of their combat prowess may actually come from reading their enemies’ minds. In the story “The Bounds of Reason,” Villentretenmerth challenges the hunters to single combat with conventional weapons, promising not to breathe fire if they don’t use spells. When Eyck answers his challenge, charging the dragon on horseback with a lance, Villentretenmerth easily evades his blow and kicks the knight out of the saddle with such force that he breaks both of Eyck’s legs.

Would-be dragon hunters don’t only have to worry about dragons. When a pile of treasure is at stake, groups have been known to kill their competition before they even encounter their quarry.

Like Geralt, you’re now armed with everything you need to know about these remarkable creatures, regardless of whether or not you think it’s a good idea to fight one.