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After posting How Dragons Can Hoard People, I decided to do a role reversal and get a different side of things. You see, humans are great at turning things around (AKA subverting devices, reversing technology's desired function), so if dragons decide they have a right to own humans, I figure more than one person will decide they have a right to own dragons.

So, my question is, How Can People Hoard Dragons?

Consider:

  1. Dragons are possessive and forceful personalities in general; others are more crafty, opportunistic, and relentlessly patient. The dragons will also respond violently to humans trying to claim them, seeing this as an attack on their species and an affront to their natural superiority.
  2. The method must result in uncontested ownership-the dragons must not question that they belong to their human. Indoctrination is likely. Controls must be set in place so would-be alpha dragons don't try to slay their human.
  3. The resulting relationship should be akin to the king-subject or master-servant relationship; there can be feelings of friendship and even love between the two, but there should be no question which one is in charge.
  4. The humans don't want to share ownership of their dragons (let alone their authority over them, except maybe with a spouse), any more than a king wants to share his subjects. In other words, it's likely they'll kill the dragon leaders so they have total ownership (and control over) their subjects but it's also possible (but extremely unlikely) that they claim the leaders as well and keep them as overseers.
  5. Finally, I'm looking for the best method possible. Magical will work, but a combination of selective breeding and social conditioning will work as well.
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  • $\begingroup$ the best method possible. How do you decide what is best? $\endgroup$
    – L.Dutch ♦
    Commented Jan 2, 2021 at 6:10
  • $\begingroup$ By how plausible and well-thought it is, and also how efficiently it would work. $\endgroup$
    – Alendyias
    Commented Jan 2, 2021 at 6:11
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    $\begingroup$ You see, humans are great at turning things around (AKA subverting devices, reversing technology's desired function),... That's because you've only been reading human propaganda. Other species' take is quite different $\endgroup$
    – nzaman
    Commented Jan 2, 2021 at 8:09
  • $\begingroup$ Can I reccomend reading Naomi Novik's Temeraire series? While the story tails off toward the end it is a great piece of world building and covers different societal relationships with Dragons. From Bond creatures to dragons hoarding people, Dragon reincarnation as King, dragons as chained slaves or mildly involved local Lord with largesse to dispense. $\endgroup$
    – Jontia
    Commented Jan 2, 2021 at 8:35
  • $\begingroup$ nzaman, what are the other species's take? $\endgroup$
    – Alendyias
    Commented Jan 2, 2021 at 22:23

2 Answers 2

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As eggs. Like sea turtles you study the biology of the creatures including environmental factors that may effect hatching. You then study means of placing freshly fertilized eggs in a torpor like state so they can be kept in storage until needed.

You also use selective breeding so that the only eggs being produced come from dragons demonstrating the characteristics you want. So in this case only the approachable/ reasonable/friendly dragons get to produce eggs. Some eggs you raise for more dragons and some you put in storage.

As a by-product any eggs that pass their use by date? - giant omelettes.

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  • $\begingroup$ Actually, that would work great; it took a little less than 60 years to domesticate silver foxes using selective breeding. Thank you! $\endgroup$
    – Alendyias
    Commented Jan 3, 2021 at 0:22
  • $\begingroup$ The only problem I see is the life span of your dragons. Foxes are a short lived species, 5 years? in the wild. Dragons ??? You could go through several generations of human 'keepers' before your first generation of dragons dies. So it would potentially take thousands of years to selectively breed your desired traits. $\endgroup$
    – Mon
    Commented Jan 4, 2021 at 1:19
  • $\begingroup$ P.S. On consideration if you treat them like souped up (higher metabolism) therapod dinosaurs then lifespans of 20-30 years might be reasonable. $\endgroup$
    – Mon
    Commented Jan 4, 2021 at 1:44
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When introducing a new queen to a bee colony, you let the drones get use to her pheromones.

Similarly, dragons are raised with man-made pheromones whose recipes are given to its owner.

The owner then uses it like cologne or perfume He/she slowly diluttes it in order for the dragon to get use to his/her own pheromones.

After which, the dragon is his/hers.

Of course, you'll need to neuter/spay your dragon for it to be effective.

Lobotomies may not be out of the question.

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  • $\begingroup$ While this is a great answer, I specified fantasy, and why on Earth would neuter/spaying dragons help the situation? Do that, and it'll be much more difficult to replenish your dragon hoard, because letting them reproduce is so much easier.... $\endgroup$
    – Alendyias
    Commented Jan 2, 2021 at 22:31
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    $\begingroup$ Its called selective breeding - you only breed from the dragons that display desirable qualities you wish to promote in the gene pool. In this case it might be temperament. The rest get their dragon berries removed. $\endgroup$
    – Mon
    Commented Jan 3, 2021 at 0:11
  • $\begingroup$ @Mon - I was thinking some form of Artificial Insemination. Magic could be required to collect the seamen (because rum & Elton John aren't magical enough). Besides- would you want to be anywhere near a kingdom (that was hoarding un-neutered dragons) during rut season? Would there even be any semblance of a kingdom when you get back? $\endgroup$
    – Michael Kutz
    Commented Jan 3, 2021 at 11:48

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