E’et t’qir

The Elven Mounts

"Don't forget, even though we bond with these creatures, the e'et t'qir are still wild beasts. If not treated properly and given the respect it believes it deserves, they will shear the bonds in their heart, no matter how painful."

These ancient creatures are carefully cared for and bred by master e'etqirans, be they elves or other ancient fey, to ease the difficulty in traveling the ever-changing terrain of the Deepewoods. To the outside world, these giant lizards are synonymous with elven warriors and devastating destruction, but most often, the e'et t'qir live humble lives within the luminescent wood, hauling goods, transporting guides, and bonding with the sliver of fey within its heart.

Basic Information

The E'et t'qir, or "riding lizards" are native to the Deepewoods— the empire-sized magical forest that dominates the north-central region of Norvosi —though they're hardy enough given the right diet to survive elsewhere in Telmarea.
Despite the possibility of there being hundreds of different species of lizards within the luminescent wood, only a few subspecies are considered E'et t'qir: the common basilisk, the tuatara, the gekqo, and the draqko.

	Common Basilisk	Tuatara	Gekqo	Draqko
Geographical Origin	Commonly found all throughout the Deepewoods, though especially in the northern marshes	Found mostly within the center of the luminescent wood	Commonly found throughout the southern areas of the wood	Found only within the ancient city of Dorei
Behavior & Temperament	Snappy and quite judgmental, the common basilisks are nonetheless the easiest to navigate a bond with after gekqos due to their innate instincts.	Though picky with their riders, the tuatara are rather mild tempered, only raising the spines along its neck when attacked by other creatures.	Skittish but easily tamed, the gekqo are often sought after for inexperienced riders who don't wish to wait until their maturity to undergo the bond.	Records report nothing but ferocious and protective natures from the draqkos, however, there's a footnote within Melian's journals that indicate they could be quite playful.
Intelligence Range	The common basilisk relies heavily on it's shared bond to grasp intellectual activities, however, of the three common types, the basilisk has the sharpest instincts.	Perhaps the most innately intelligent of the e'et t'qir, the tuatara are commonly known to reject bonds with newer, inexperienced riders.	Gekqos seem to be intelligent enough, capable of learning a handful of commands within months of the bond.	Not much is known about the draqko, but we can infer from Princess Melian's journals that these e'et t'qir form incredibly powerful bonds.

The Royal Family of E'eth Dorei

by John Park

The Royal Family of E'eth Dorei are the only ones known to possess draqkos, the e'et t'qir that so closely resemble wyverns with their two legs and two winglike appendages. While unable to fly, draqkos are capable of gliding upwards of four hundred feet before losing momentum.
It's said that the royal family was gifted the draqkos by none other than the god Silvanus himself in the Exodus Era, where the gods, slowly, and then all at once, departed from the Many Realms of Telmarea.

by Yun Ling

Lifespan

180 years

Average Height

4.5'-8.5' ft

Average Length

5'-12' ft

Geographic Distribution

• The Deepewoods

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The Bond

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Bonding with an e'et t'qir is a special moment, where two souly tethers are connected, bonded in only a way those born within the Deepewoods are capable of.

Though it's common among the elven communities to wait until your maturity, there are many who refuse to wait, and go about the process much earlier, finding that the bond at such an age is incredibly immense and sometimes, an emotional burden.

But the cycle continues, as most find themselves cherising these giant creatures no matter the difficulty.

Of the recorded draqkos most have been silvery-white or the color of oxidized copper.

Though it was always suspected, Roald Levin proved that without some inborn connection to Ancient fey, bonding with an e'et t'qir is impossible.

Master e'etqirans warn riders of leaving the Deepewoods with their mount for too long, lest the e'et t'qir grow ill from not having access the magic-rich nutrients that are within the luminescent woods. To combat this, e'etqirans advise packing dried bolumbi worms to sprinkle over their food for long trips.