Jormungandr

These limbless dragons are considered the purest beastial expression of Beranok, much as a Qinglong is of Wylrith. Jormungandr are rare, living only within Skaney and along the southern edges and mountains of KwaZulu. Similar cousin species are also found in Skaney but express a different aspect of Raegeric. A Nidhogg utilizes Ylixa magic while a Fafnir has Ralgot magic. All three of these dragons strike fear into the hearts of those residing in Skaney. All Jormungandr inherit a unique form of Beranok's Charge, absorbing and storing electricity within their body. Only, rather than simply storing it, their body will actually grow larger the more they store. It is only capable of taking it's true draconic form the larger it grows. Dependant on these charges, they are naturally drawn to it electricity. To this end, their draconic eyes allow Jormungandr to perceive electrical and magnetic forces and even reveals the nature of chemical reactions--a perception shared by both of its cousins. While they are able to subsist entirely off of electricity, gaining their moniker of thunder wyrms as they swim within thunderheads, they are infamous for their ravenous apetite for meat. Even mighty Storm Viking fear the ambush of a Jormungandr, emerging from the storm at frightening proportions to gobble them up. They are also feared thanks to their second kaithur which allows them to instill or incite insanity by gazing into its eyes, driving even the most steadfast warrior to madness! Apex Predator Carnivore Diurnal Intelligent Electroreception Fast

Kaithur

First Ability Beranok's Charge Thanks to Beranok's Charge, these dragons can store up electricity inside their bodies without limit, growing larger the more they have stored up and smaller as they expend this raw energy. They can convert their charge into magic energy, empower their muscles with it or re-release it like an Aura. But unlike other manifestations, they cannot produce or summong electricity, reliant on an outside source and helpless when drained! Second Ability Malok's Aura With Malok's Aura, Jormungandr can generate temporary emotions or states related to Malok in those around them by meeting their gaze. Malok consists of feelings, desire for, states of or thoughts of chaos, insanity, selfishness, 'individual over group', unpredictability, etc. Thoughts that are chaotic, unstructured, nonsensical, selfish, etc. fall under this aspect as does a desire for these things. Malok magic leaves a person confused, unpredictable and often out of control. Malok's Shadow Those with Malok's Shadow can generate illusions or hallucinations fueled by the part of a target's mind space which is connected to Malok. These can cause or inspire chaos and insanity or tap into the repressed part of someone's mind and craft illusions related to these thoughts, emotions and memories.

Anatomy

Original Ancestor Lifespan Natrix natrix Ringed Snake 1,500-2,500 years Weight Length 3.4-6.8 oz -- 425-850 lbs 96-193 g -- 193-386 kg 2-4 ft -- 4,000-8,000 ft 61-122 cm -- 1219-2438 m Unlike most dragons, a wyrm has no wings or even limbs. Jormungandr appears no different from a common snake without any electrical charge stored up, difficult to tell apart until it begins to grow. It in fact descends from a common ringed snake, transformed into a dragon during the Era of Legends. More draconic characteristics develop as it collects electrical charges such as horns, spines and even the shape of its head and teeth. At full size, electricity arcs between its spines! It's scales are bright yellow with neon slitted eyesm, rarely if ever dropping their magic form as they rely on their kaithur to survive.

Draconic Features

Dragons in Emynea are unique creatures, often considered the king of beasts. They are divine, possessing elemental magic beyond just their individual Kaithur. These abilities are simply innate to dragons, some academics proposing they have Body manifestations ingrained into their very bones and scales! Jormungandr are totally immune to all energy magic as if it has a Shield manifestation and, like all dragon scales, their hide is very hardy and difficult to damage. Additionally, Jormungandr are able to move along electricity as if it has Beranok's Movement, slithering along electrical discharges at astonishing speeds and sliding through thunderstorms if not transforming briefly into bolts of lightning! Seeming to support the theories, the bones and scales of Jormungandr are extremely powerful as ingredients for Material Magic and True Magic.

Habitat

Freshwater Montane Wetland Shrubland Coastal Much like their original ancestors, the water snake, they are very strong swimmers. They lurk within the many waterways of Skaney, extremely partial to Eldingfjord and Thorreyjar. They might also hunt within Fljotareyjar, competing with Kraken over food. In fact, young kraken are their favorite meal, adults severely territorial towards jormungandr. The only environments of Skaney they avoid are Syremyr and the subteranean tunnels of Flumen Pontem, the domans of their cousin species Fafnir and Nidhogg. Outside of Skaney, they are usually only found in KwaZulu and in high mountains along the coast of Alkelbulan.

Diet

Vermivore Herpetovore Mammalivore Invertivore Anthrovore Avivore Piscivore Jormungandr are able to survive by consuming electricity but are infamous for their apetite for meat! In order to satiate their ravenous hunger, local Ostmen ritually offer them food at least once a month usually procured via Storm Viking raids. But these wyrms are fickle, mirthfully toying with the humans who once attempted to hunt their kind down as juveniles. Each jormungandr is unique with an often larger than life personality. Sometimes they prefer theatrical performances, songs and long stories alongside their meals! When jormungandr do hunt, they are diurnal and they have a strong preference for amphibious and aquatic prey. Their absolute favorite is kraken, gobbling up young and juvenile specimens they encounter. Some may even risk battling an adult kraken for the meal of a lifetime! This is another reason adult kraken are particularly hostile and territorial towards jormungandr, no matter their size or age. A kraken will extirpate any and all jormungandr from their territory in order to protect their offspring if not out of sheer spite. Jormungandr have been known to eat anything they come across while young, hunting along waters edge or amid decaying plant matter. They'll eat frogs and toads but also ants, larvae, earthworms and the like. They will begin targeting larger prey as juveniles and can start using their ability to grow to take on mammalian and avian prey. The older they get, the larger they can become, but it can be difficult to judge the age of a jormungandr without any charge. Adults have been known to devour entire villages when food is scarce and are among the most feared creatures of the mesa.

Life Cycle

Oviparous Promiscuous Precocial Solitary These dragons have a very slow reproductive cycle, breeding only once every few hundred years. They will hatch many eggs but few survive into adulthood. As spring approaches, male jormungandr will begin storing up as much of a charge as they can muster in preparation and can be seen basking across Eldingfjord for weeks. This is because female jormungandr, who will emerge from brumation up to two weeks later, will select only one male to mate with, males drastically outnumbering them. Females will choose the largest male, believing their children will have the best chance surviving into adulthood. It is believed this is why they appear to grow larger every generation! Up until the females emerge, males squabble over the best basking grounds or try to sabotage their rivals, making them expend their charge and shrink. Some are especially crafty, tricking or convincing humans into attacking or harassing other jormungandr in exchange for treasure or favors. But once the female(s) emerge, and unlike their predatory rivals the Kraken, she does not tolerate fights between prospects. She is uninterested in petty squabbles, only intent in finding the optimal mate. Some time in mid summer, female jormungandr will lay batches of eggs numbering anywhere between eight and forty. Building her lair within the heart of a Thorreyjar, she will guard her eggs over the entire ten weeks it takes for them to hatch. She subsists purely off of her own stored charge during this period, unwilling to leave her nest even to feed. Hatchlings are about seven inches long and are immediately independent, dispersing into the wild on their own lest their mother eat them in her desperate hunger! Not many survive to become juveniles, most other species and local humans not hesitating to exterminate any younglings they encounter. Worsening their chances, the jormungandr growth cycle is slow and extended. They remain hatchlings for ten years. Then, they remain juveniles for over a century. They aren't considered full adults until they reach five hundred years and aren't capable of reproduction until they breach 1,000 years old.

Molting

Beyond their journey to adulthood, jormungandr are most vulnerable while shedding. They are unable to alter their size during this time or risk injury. Once the process begins, their old scales won't grow or shrink and the hardiness of these draconic scales can easily pinch, cut and damage their fresh molt if they try to enlarge themselves. Much like any molting snake, their eyes will haze over and appear milky, the old eye scales impeding their vision. They will not hunt during this time and they generally hide themselves away. Despite their vulnerability, local Ostmen know better than to approach a molting jormungandr—they are far more aggressive and reactive, striking anything that moves. Eventually, they are able to shed the outer skin in one piece. These molts are actually highly valued for their hardiness and use in Material Magic. Though these beasts find the whole process personal and embarrassing, one must be careful not to be seen collecting the molt of these proud creatures. Jormungandr also tend to brumate (hibernate) over the winter, males emerging first in spring. They will either do so in small sizes, hiding underneath rocks or old leaves, or will even find old empty mines to brumate in larger sizes.

Behavior

Territorial Communication Agonistic Intelligent Jormungandr are far less hesitant to consume or attack humans than kraken are. They are also far more fickle, demanding awe and respect once they achieve 1,000 years of life. They are chaotic as one might expect of an energy dragon and far more destructive by nature than their cousin fafnir and nidhogg. Adults are also quite territorial, claiming large areas and purposely provoking kraken by doing so. They often seek entertainment, sometimes interfering with humans out of boredom rather than hunger. They enjoy battle thoroughly and some have even taken human familiars, if one can impress them. They are extremely selective. Some will instead keep humans captive as pets, demanding sacrifices or offerings from villages or make unrealistic demands just to see how their victims might react. There is reason Ostmen and Quiris both fear and admire these beasts as an ultimate symbol of power.