Albic Forest Drake
Basic Information
Anatomy
The Albic Forest Drake was a significantly deprecated member of the draconic family, close enough to retain access to a breath weapon, though far less magically potent, but not close enough to retain access to flight. Some of the older beasts had full sized wings that simply couldn't lift their bulk without the profusion of draconic magic used by their cousins, but the later generations had only small vestigial wings if they had any at all. Further, the legs of the species had been shortening over time and losing the grasping opposable thumbs on the forelimbs of their ancestors. Some of the final examples seen were nearly indistinguishable from large lizards until they spat fire or acid, a case of mistaken identity that claimed several lives and motivated the final push to exterminate them.
Genetics and Reproduction
Clutches of eggs laid by an Albic Forest Drake could number in the dozens or even hundreds, though competition and cannibalism would often mean that significantly fewer than that would ever grow beyond the earliest days after hatching. The few times these factors did not sufficiently reduce their numbers in the early stages were the cause of horrific ecological devastation and is often pointed to as a justification for the extermination of the species, but it was rare enough and almost always far enough from civilization that it was not consideration during the time of the actual extinction efforts.
Ecology and Habitats
Though their name implies a forest habitat, and this was their most frequently occupied territory, the drakes shared the tendency of their greater cousins to consider everywhere and anywhere they happened to be their territory, and they could often be found in any temperate or warmer environment. The only environmental aspect they would bow to is temperature, lacking the magical potency of true dragons left them as cold blooded as a common reptile.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Though they lost most or all of their magical perceptions, in turn the drakes had a drastically improved suite of mundane senses. An Albic Forest Drake could see further and with more acuity than an eagle, detect smell at greater distance and with greater discernment than a shark, and its sense of hearing was sufficient to allow a mild echolocation.
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