Draki
What is that in the sky! Is it a bird? Is it a dragon? Oh no, shit it's a Draki... Run, everyone run for your bloody lives! -Some wise dude who lived longer than most, thanks to his ability to distinguish between the different great reptiles.
Basic Information
Anatomy
The great serpents known as draki are often misstaken for dragons due certain similarities in their structure and look. Like their long tails that are part of their spines, and the two massive hindlegs. For draki though, these two legs are all the limbs they have, and instead of having arms, or an extra set of legs like dragons, the draki instead carries two powerfull wings around their body. These wings, with talons attached to their ends can possibly be used as arms, even though they are quite clumsy and weak for their size, but the main function is to allow draki proper flight, like an enormous bird.
Genetics and Reproduction
As a gendeless species, the Draki do not reproduce fast at all. Thanks to their lonely nature and rarity, they do not breed often and when it does happen, they get no more than two to three eggs hatched every twenty or so years. This serves as a factor to why most individuals of the species are highly aggresive and keen on firing their flaming breath before asking intruders any questions.
In contrast, a Draki with two or more juvenile children seem to be far more calm and apt for discussion rather than imediate eradication.
Growth Rate & Stages
At the start of it's life, a Draki is no larger than a puppy, but swiftly grows to be the same size of a fully grown human under the spann of five years. A time which they are considered a hatchling.
A hatchling then proceeds to hang around their lair for fifteen further years, with only small expeditions around their home area, as they grow into full juveniles. Which are the same size of an adult gryphon.
The draki doesn't become mature until it reaches is fourties, in which case they turn into agile living throwers of dangerous elements, the size of three gryphons and with talons that can cut through hardened steel. These warmachines swiftly leave their home lair as fast as they can by this age, and spend the rest of their six-hundered years long lifespan hopefully ruling another, more worthy, domain.
Ecology and Habitats
Surroundings for a draki is a tricky subject. For some individuals it doesn't mean anything and they can possibly manage anywhere, while others are extremely picky.
The habitat therefor depends very much on the individual, for example a Wirdland-draki would only be able to live in a forest, with lots of vegetation to feed their vegetarian diet. Meanwhile a Muspel-draki prefeers meat and heat but are far more suitable to make it's home wherever it wishes, due to it's capability of transforming landscapes into a fiery mess.
Dietary Needs and Habits
As a big whole, Draki are omnivores and can eat anything. From exotic feasts from far away cultures, to days old carcases slain by wild animals.
When it comes down to individuals however, many are picky. Greed-draki for example would only eat proper cooked food, that some humanoid servant has prepared. A Blut-draki instead only drinks blood and seldom kill their prey, while a Jotun-draki prefeers anything as long as it's cold or frozen.
Biological Cycle
Many tales of true undeath or necromancy doesn't come from sighting the impossible, nor actually believing the Gravewalker that they are really living dead. No it comes from seeing a hibernating Draki who recently shed it's scales.
Once every thirty years, they need to swap out their organic plate for upgrades, and in doing so, they leave not only naked flesh but even some bones visible as they sleep for five to seven months during this period to wake up with new scales. It does however happen that they wake up ealier, if an edible intruder make way to their lairs.
Additional Information
Average Intelligence
Varying from stupid to mastermind depending on the type.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Draki have excelent senses, both when it comes to smell and hearing. Some individuals are even capable of altering their lenses with the help of two sets of eyelids, which allows them to switch different visions.
Draki are also naturally gifted in magical prowess, which means that they don't leap close to the risks of a normal dragon having caustic glands for their firebreath.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Considering their solitary nature, and the fact that whelps are not given names but allowed to chose on their own, most draki completely lack any sort of pattern or tradition in their naming. They can be named anything, from masculine human names, to feminine elven names. From names of an item, like Hammer, to completely eratic ones like Hraghnar.
It's however true that they usually have a northernesque tone to their names, but if this tradition is stolen from Northerners or of Northerners copied their style from draki, is unkown. Whomever of the two species came first is after all, lost in history.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Scarnzan, Helisk and Dragontongue, originally known as Kraach'katûl.
Scientific Name
Vesperentis Aeslich
Lifespan
620 years
Average Height
5m
Average Weight
4 tones
Average Length
3.5m
Average Physique
Bulky, powerfull living tanks with a body that is mainly just made up of muscles, and fat.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
The shimmering scales of draki come in many forms and shapes. Be it like sharp blades, jagged teeth or even smooth like a snake. Better yet, they also come in all forms of colours, and various patterns like stripes, spots and even more unorthodox patterns like skulls, flames or even fake eyes.
The styles do not come from dye, or any other cosmetic items. The draki are simply gifted an ability to chose their looks through their diets. They harness the different nutrients and materials to colour new scales, during the regrowth and hibernation period.
Geographic Distribution
Draki types:
Unique:
Nidrhaug the Neverending night.Amorae the Love draki.
Lunaur the Moon Empress.
Solisur the Sun Emperor.
Chronus the Ageless wisdom.
Rare:
Skadi-draki. Powers: Invisibility, firebreath with ash.Blut-draki. Powers: Redirect bloodflow, bloodmagic.
Draug-draki. Powers: Exoskeleton, Reincarnation.
Greed-draki. Powers: Intelligent, eye for details.
Steel-draki. Powers: Acid breath, plate scales.
Ljus-draki. Powers: Radiant, lazer beam breath.
Wrath-draki. Powers: Super strength, super speed.
Skin-draki. Powers: Shapeshifter, silvertongued.
Obsidian-draki. Powers: Razorscales, heat immunity.
Liff-draki. Powers: Empathy, druidism.
Psych-draki. Powers: Manipulative, mindreader.
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