Good question. I met someone who identified as a dragon, but never asked. He was a Dom and sadist. I don’t know what dragon meant. He was definitely not a role player.
I DID find this (of course, after I had posted), but I'd be really curious as to what those who identify AS dragons say about this...
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Dragon Play
Dragon play is an emerging sexual identity within the pet play community.
Dragon play puts a uniquely significant focus on self-improvement. While self-betterment is common in pet play as a part of the d/s dynamic, in dragon play, it is arguably the most important aspect.
Power
A dragon is trained and encouraged by their master to rise like a phoenix and grow into the best version of themselves that they can be. This version of themselves should seem imposing, intimidating, and grand compared to their old self; to train as a dragon is not to learn how to eat better, be more productive, and get better sleep, but to become the most grand, successful version of themselves possible, and to work to reach goals that scare them to even think about.
A dragon seeks to one day grow more fantastic than their master. Their master must either rise to the challenge… or accept their sub as the increasingly powerful dragon that they are becoming.
Dynamic
An owned dragon wants its master to teach it where its limits are and flirt beyond them. Their master may train them in fire play or take it into other RACK territories.
An owned dragon loves being owned, but it dares its master to keep up with its power. It wants to be tamed, but it needs someone strong enough to tame it.
A dragon should seek to make their master in awe of them.
Their master should seek to be able to rip away all the power and skill that they’ve developed and remind them how helpless they still are. Though in theory this may sound harsh or cruel, it’s very therapeutic after working as hard as dragons do.
Final Note
You do not need to be a dragon to live a dragon’s lifestyle–I personally identify as a kitten for the aesthetic, but have been living through the dragon play lifestyle for two years. (Does that make me a Chimera?)
You also don’t need to be owned to live this lifestyle, as a dragon is not naturally a pet at all.
Not sure on the dragon, I just looked at it as the spirit animal kind of thing without any specific meaning other than what it means to the person identifying with it. Unicorn does have an in the real Lifestyle meaning though, and it's not the 'little's' rainbows and unicorns play. A Unicorn is a female that seeks out and enjoys casual no strings play with couples. It is primarily used in the Swinging community but is also applicable in the kink world. - Henna
While animal play is around a partner acting like an animal, magical animal play is exactly that: acting like an animal from fantasy. Dragons are associated with primal, surging power. Unicorns are associated with gentility and peace. Magical animal play is centered around behavior reflecting the qualities of the animal they identify as.