What Is An Angel Dragon?

There are many interpretations of what the description "angel dragon" can mean. If you were to ask the common person what they thought an angel dragon was, images of feathered wings and halos on a dragon would probably come to mind.

Unfortunately it a highly ambiguous and often confusing term to use. Other than being a dragon, creatures who are called such do not share any common or identifiable physical traits with one another- this means the term "angel dragon" cannot be classified or used appropriately as a species name by itself.

A very traditional example of an angel dragon would be the serpent-like Asian Lung (Chinese) dragon. In Asian culture, they are quite angelic, described as guardians of rivers and towns, and some some are even celestial beings themselves.

So one could also think that all angel dragons would have to be "angelic" in some way to be associated with the description, but this has been found to not be the case. In fact, the modern term "angel dragon" has been most often used as a synonym for a "cute/chibi dragon" and nothing more.

Apart from the association with the spiritual beings found in Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Zoroastrianism, or describing someone who is beautiful, the word "angel" means: An attendant guardian spirit or guiding influence, especially a benevolent one.

A Dutch Angel Dragon, however, happens to fit that definition perfectly.

So... What is a Dutch Angel Dragon?

Here in this community and website, if we ever refer to "Angel Dragons" or "ADs" for short, we are only talking about a very specific kind, properly known by their full title: “Dutch Angel Dragons” (seen written as "DutchADs" or even "DADs").

They are a fictional species created by Deanna Biesemeyer, known by the username Ino89777, of Skypro Fursuits. Ino created the first Dutch Angel Dragon named Telephone. This iconic character is most commonly known in the form of a fursuit costume that was made for Ino and built by Carly of PhoenixWolf Suits. Ino is the primary performer for the Telephone suit and is responsible for the character’s personality, design, and backstory, as well as the development of the Dutch Angel Dragon species and lore as a whole.

Say "hi" to Telephone, the first Dutch Angel Dragon

So what qualifies a character as a Dutch Angel Dragon? Two things: their physical appearance and their lore. They are a species of dragon that ALL have the following physical traits: horse-like anatomy, feathered wings, no genitalia or digestive tract (in fact they also lack other major organs found in earthly beings), long ears, and fur coats. As a brief summary of their lore, they are supernatural beings similar to poltergeists or ghosts. They walk among us invisible, as guardian angels. These dragons live on a higher dimensional plane of existence and manipulate energy in various ways to grant them physical capabilities such as flight or elemental powers and can use energy to allow themselves to interface with people and objects.

The word "Dutch" in the species title is misleading for some, it does not refer to the Dutch language or people in any way. This was actually the name of Ino's late horse that inspired the species. Read the story of Dutch here.

To read about the series of events that lead to the creation of Telephone and this species of dragon, visit the timeline here.

As of early 2014, Ino has allowed her Dutch Angel Dragons to become an open, regulated species and anyone is invited to create one by following the guidelines posted here.

For the species' origin story and to learn about the Dutch Angel Dragon universe and lore, please read the backstory here.

Disclaimer

Concept Disclaimer:

Dutch Angel Dragons, or more commonly known by their shortened name as simply “Angel Dragons”, are an open and regulated species developed by and copyrighted to Deanna Biesemeyer/Ino. She is the creator of the first (Dutch) Angel Dragon character: Telephone. The word “Dutch” was a title added onto the name to better distinguish it as a proper species. It also does not refer to the Dutch people or language in any way- Ino’s late horse which inspired the creation of the species was named Dutch.

Dutch Angel Dragons are independent from and does not hold claim over the long-standing concept of angelic dragons, and therefore uses of the term “angel dragon” can apply as a description to creatures or ideas completely unassociated with this community and species. It may be best to assume that not every instance or use of the word “angel dragon” refers to Ino’s Dutch Angel Dragons. We do not inhibit the use or dictate the appropriateness of using the term, but we would like to state as a fair warning that using this description for other concepts has been observed to cause confusion and/or create conflict among those familiar with the Telephone character and the specific species it belongs to. This is especially true in circles where Ino's species is most widely known and recognized simply as “Angel Dragons”, with or without the Dutch title involved.

DutchAngelDragons.com may use the shortened term “Angel Dragon” internally, and this will always be describing Ino’s species; the Dutch title is simply to be inferred in these instances. The name/title of this specific species will also always be capitalized as a proper noun (ie. “Angel Dragon” vs “angel dragon”). We often use the alternative term “angelic dragon” when speaking of concepts unrelated to Ino’s species, and we also encourage the use of the species' full title, Dutch Angel Dragon, as much as possible outside of the community.

Use at your own risk.

For additional help on this topic, please see our related FAQ entry:

“My character is being accused of being/not being an Angel Dragon”

"What's the difference between an angel dragon and a Dutch Angel Dragon?"