Drathnar

Drathnar is a reptilian species native to planet Reçath, with a cautious Vahakin CDAM rating. They are known for strong powers, and even pose a strong invasive threat, however have also been an invaded race that co-exists with a few colonial entities. The species actually has three potentially dramatic forms: Draconic, true Drathnar, and Vizard forms. Draconic or dragon types are almost a new species, ascendant a much different body, set of thinking, and limitations as a quadrupedal beast that manipulates the nature and state of reality around them. Drathnar is the normal form for all, as semi-humanoids resembling a slight draconic appearance, and power exertion more comparable with Saavi, Zeanites, and Tikerin. Among these powers, they can assume the Vizard form, which masks them in a disguise they can train and nurture to blend - All vizards are still drathnar, simply pretending not to be with some occasionally deep roots to keep their form.
The species is broadly lower-tech, but very close to some powerful and unique magic worthy of technological attention. For example, dragons can actually form teleportation and transport across to another planet or universe, removing the drive to create space crafts. Likewise some weapons they do have are vicious because of the nature of crystal tooling.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Bipedal reptilians that vaguely resemble a riffarian or kayltoan with far more dragonoid features. They posses mid-length wings often to a 40% span of their body, conecting in around their shoulder area. Necks are somewhat longer withangular jawed heads. The tail is usually mid-long with a slight tip at the end. Their bodies are covered in scales from birth, though the strength of them varies and requires a diet and proper maturity. Across molts they slowly grow used to each other and interlock better as part of the progressively good armoring. Fully matured Drathnar (Often 23-26 years) have scales virtually on par with stones in strength. These scales are also a biproduct of their blood content and filtering system that imbues it with the species' innate magic. As such scales are thought to be responsive and conductive between magic casting, and the elements of their ecosystem and air. Its even believed that this alludes to their flight ability, able to drive some unseen lift that their wingspan isn't actually adapted to handle on its own. However across their body towards the inner most front and center, their scaling is still close to that of infancy, and almost a flakey flesh. This allows them to better adapt their body between pregnancy, endure inflammatory illnesses, or for fat storage without disturbing the more densely packed scales; But this is also their most vulnerable spot between harm or simple sensory nerves. In rare instances, one will undergo a draconic transformation and true become more of a mythological quadrupedal goliath. This means the loss of posable fingers, but a much more imposing size and elemental friction with their landscape, with blood and scales illuminating so much excessive magic that crystals grow around their presence.
Male and female have a lot in common at first glance. Scales, general size, and most of their normal physique is relatively the same. However testosterone is thought to increase horn growth, sometimes exponentially. Horns on males tend to curl/spiral in the end, or they have extra horns around the jawlines or a short snout type. Females can have some subtle features of curling horns, but its much more rare or less extensive. Females more often have sleeker snouts, and wider hips. However due to the innate powers, gender norms over time have started to display themselves in a false way through illusions almost like a very faint vizard form. While males don't have much more strength, they've found it more assimilating to seem wider shouldered and puff up their biceps for a show of strength, and seem more muscular across the upper body. Females instead will adopt softer illusionary breasts. However while this is increasingly common, not all drathnar participate, especially of early migrants to the moon Yennin, or migrants finding other reptilians. Essentially its an adaptation close to other species with this dimorphism, and were small enough qualities to 'wear' with ease that its become basically subconscious.

Genetics and Reproduction

Drathnar give birth through the reptilian method of eggs. About 3-6 eggs can occur after a female mates, however often only one or two at most are actually live eggs. In most cases the eggs can actually be inspected and weighed without patience to see which are actually worth coveting and nesting, but some refuse to throw out eggs until a certain attempt. The mother will actually spend anywhere between three-to-seven weeks growing the egg clutch (depending on diet & forming amount), and then more of a firm three-to-four weeks for the egg to actually hatch. As such, they are actually a quick race despite their age, however it actually takes quite some time for cognitive learning and then full maturity scales to be on each drarthnar.
Draconic drathnar often must mate with their own (more rare) kind, however they can produce far greater egg clutches and infants. Often this is a dozen or more eggs, and roughly between five-to-nine infants per brood. Contrary to some expectations, this does not produce any assured draconic drathnar, but rather each is expected to be a regular drathnar as any other. However by greater odds, dragon-maturing types have been born from others and considered their lineage special or gifted.
Cross-breeding can be done with most general species, often with a very similar drathnar result regardless of even the mother being foreign. Magic conversion essentually works at both ends of the species, with the seed of a male in a foreign female often mutating the egg into one capable of a more literal drathnar egg. In such a case however the work is all done into only one egg, instead of a clutch or possible many in the outcome. Likewise the offspring will nearly be a clone of the drathnar side, with only small superficial traits of the other race invoked like the eye colors. If an energy being that breed without anatomy, the drathnar side can still be a 'reciever', as is the case with the contentious issue of dragorites mixing with drathnar and a slightly stronger outcome from the genertic ezmarite side.

Growth Rate & Stages

1. Drakie - Six years or younger. Essentially a newborn or toddler. Most only speak around five years.
   
   
2. Child/Shedder - Between the ages of 6-16 They are expected to be growing and shedding a bit. Magic spark and training may begin, but is quite weak. Their wings may be flight-able between ages 7-10.
   
   
3. Drathoar - Named as many Drathnar practice their 'roars'. They are virtually respected like an adult, but a foolish and adapting one, with plenty to study and still understand. Its very possible and sometimes accepted for them to think of a mating, as the more serious maturity from here comes mostly in magic studies and more permanent scale molds.
   
   
4. (Norm) Scalar - Often around age 25, the 'final' cast of scales forms around the individual. It may happen a couple years sooner or later. The scales harden tight and are as reinforced as a stone-like material, with magic charged and often locked into form. Their power may have reached its greatest, and their defenses stern. Their scales can still be shattered, and it will be much more painful, unnatural, and require healing to mend, but they can heal it with time.
   
   
5. (Dragon) Metamorpher - For some Drathnar, between the ages of 20-30 they may actually find their scales breaking out and their bones aching and changing into the first signs of a blooming draconic form. They will reach a day and growth-spurt where they cannot walk on two legs anymore, and their molting takes them closer to a large draconic form. Usually this also magnetizes their magic proficiency more with an elemental neutrality and synergy, able to almost 'hear' and 'speak' with the world. At times they may act a little crazy or schizophrenic in these phases.
   
   
6. (Norm) Gemscale - By age 50, they are regarded like a veteran. Most cultures give them a sense of a special hatchday party and celebration, cultivating their years, service, and experiences if they are loved by the community.
   
   
7. (Dragon) Full Dragon - By age 30-37, Their draconic form would be very close to its final form. They are likely to still grow a little more, but a lot of their power and resemblance to other dragon figures is complete, and they often have found some peer to chat with, or a community that is virtually coronating them.
   
   
8. Elder - Years vary by actions and health, but both draconic and drathnar forms reach a sense of being an elder. Some pass as early as before a second century milestone, while others go on hundreds of years more. Often past 150 years one is considered an elder by at least some, regardless of their health. Generally the age is seen in how they move on their bones and muscles, and the rate their scales recover if damages. Drathnar can occasionally almost become petrified within their own scales if healthy. Dragons eventually turn into nature itself, their body integrating into a mountain, hill, slope, or even decaying into a mass of weed tendrils, etc.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Drathnar are largely omnivores, but have a large preferance for meat unless their needs provoke a vegetable craving. They will eat fruit, plants, grain, dairy, and meats. They tend to however stick to classic and traditional ideals of cuisine, meaning they have not gotten deep into chemicals, additives, processing, or elaborate custom sandwiches. Some see these on rare occasions from settlers, but will mostly give themselves rotisserie, slight seared meats, blacked grilled, and simple spices or bowl mixtures. There are drathnar who have come into contact with more advanced or foreign tastes and enjoyed it plenty, but often they just pay no mind to them and don't try it. In cases like Skarla, it is possible for one to be raised in a community that has lead to it sample exotic meals, and come away passionate for something like pastries.
They also have an ability to ingest more raw products, and have even been witnessed swallowing up smaller critters whole for a long and enduring heavy meal. While they can not fully unhook or stretch their maws as fierce as a ryclin, they have a good amount of flexibility to essentially scarf down even some bigger grounen with enough work and struggle. Essentially if its about the size of a human tween, or smaller, they can cram it live into their stomach. However this is more a rare move, and can even be unhealthy. The more straight and simple diet of a drathnar has allowed most to stay fit and lean, alongside their more constant flow of activities and a desire to stay in with the elements. However they do often eat heavier than a human might for a meal, and burn through some of it quickly. Roots and veggie materials supplement their magic side the best, while meat satisfies their fortitude and hunger the best. Products like grain and fruit are seen often as more shallow enjoyments or combiners to tie into meals, such as using rice in a bowl with spiced herbs and roasted fish to make a hardy and cheap meal out of what would be otherwise insufficient fish. Drink-wise they enjoy a mix of everything outside of processed sodas, and often see juice as a lesser product or even as a 'grounen treat'. Tea, whiskey, and heavier (sometimes dark) beers tend to often be the favorites.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Basics

Their senses of hearing, and seeing is well adapted and a little past the point of humans. They can see in the dark easier if they were raised that way, but on the whole aren't too keen for it. They however have great long range vision and a special muscle in their head during flight that sort of adjusts their eyes for distant sighting. Their ears can be average but tuned in sharper for directional sound. Touch is slightly dull depending on how artificial the item is, with scales being more numb and their nerves somewhat dependent on an elemental reaction. So there would be a diminishing sense of 'feeling' to a rock > Gun > Plastic empty bottle. Otherwise close to elements, they have deeper sensations than most would, especially if its their most attuned state.

Innate Powers

"Innates" and innate powers are abilities and traits every drathnar is born with, unless disabled, in which other races consider them odd or exceptional for. These often stem from special micro-cells in their bloodstream, as well as a conduit reaction among their scales. Among these powers includes...

• Elemental attunement. Able to grasp their natural environments and even spin a soft sixth-sense better.
• Energy based materialization. Able to distribute and cast raw violent energy into quick shapes and forms. A lung further extends this to even a breath.
• Polymorphism / Adopting a vizard - Able to change and alter their form, though some are more proficient and gifted at this than others. Like the scales they mold special to themselves and the elements, it may take time to switch and reform into a vizard.
• Low-Pyromancy: While others will obtain a full adroit and elemental bond with it, even the basic drathnar have some small place in the flame element. This often extends to fireballs, and flame-energy infused breath. It can be cast off the body, or exhaled in a deeper volley from the chest.
• Flying. Initially believed to be natural by their wings, many have actually concluded they exude an energy to help their under-sized wingspan attain a lift. This is also suggested to explain why many struggle to cast heavy magic while mid-air, as their magic is already exerting, even if its unknown to themselves.

Element & Adroit

As a drathnar matures, they grow a closer bond to their environment, and may even feel a calling to certain aspects of it. They may find themselves deeply fascinated with lava, or able to somehow alter another creature from its very blood. This is the start of an adroit, and honing in on it deepens the relations and abilities of their power. This power is always related to an element in some basis, and this element is virtually their magic's home, and where they're most comfortable to extend more of it. However in some instances they are more or less locked into a special niche for most of their ability. Some water users may be uniquely gifted with an adroit of turning themselves into fluid, but not able to even influence a puddle without some peculiar strain. Yet as with the element themselves, a drathnar isn't entirely born confined to it, but rather they can go to be closer to other influences, and attempt to find where they feel a sense of 'fitting' with most activities. As such a young Drakie born feeling a tie to moving stones may still be able to change their fated adroit by tampering more into plants or water for longer periods. However, once one is fully matured it can be difficult to veer off, unless one is going draconic and simultaneously losing some more personal and up-close powers for that of a more heavy and all-elemental range.

Civilization and Culture

Beauty Ideals

Generally drathnar have subtle gender features, and not a very strong appeal towards mating as much as they are attuning themselves and rising in stature around the same age they're sexually mature. They view accomplishments well, and in the way of discussing them, often start to notice features they love in another with age and experience. However this is a generalization, and not to be taken absolute. There are cases of strong early lust devlopments in select individuals, and still standards and ideals that one chases after to look presentable and appealing. Males have extensive horns that can come along their jaws or even over their snout, and find these persuasively masculine and noble features to have. That and settlers have adapted them for a broader shoulder and more thickened bicep look. Females tend to understand they should keep their singular set of horns clean and sharp, and sometimes are more likely to add to them in jewels, or may prefer to decorate their waist or to try drawing attention to their hip curves. As with soft-poly standards and settlers, they have also emulated the male-bicep part more in the bust, and have fake mammaries that have started to attract with a common hourglass sensibility.
The belly is a unisex component of potential attraction and intimacy, as it is the softest and more vulnerable part of a drathnar. Its ordinarily ideal the drathnar stay fit, toned, and powerful. However its also suggested the pudgy and plump drathnar are sought and ideal for mates, as they promote themselves as not only well-off, but open and social without a worry of being hurt in a soft center. To present an open belly on its own is already a sign of courage, and pushing the belly up to another or a claw is seen almost as contextually intimate, so suddenly finding one with a distending and bulging bigger belly is a strange allure (or just temporarily hosting a grounen). At times the same sex may be catty or insulting if engaged in hostile moments, threatening or mocking the doughy center, but the opposite sex is more likely to be attracted or allured to such a feature as someone brave or gentle. This isn't to say bigger is better. Drathnar are inexperienced with weight-gain and may believe this to be a possible theory, but the sickening effects of becoming sluggish, bloated, and misbalanced tend to become repulsive on actually witnessing it, except to those perverse enough to keep 'exploring' this unusual figure (or they're courting a satyr). The species will always pride fit and strong warriors all the same, its just that is considered the more average or expected body-type, while a distended belly is closer to finding a rare "it-person" moment that turns heads.

Lifespan

160-300 Years

Average Height

1.9m-2.5m (Drathnar)
6m-9m (Dragon, On all-fours)

Average Physique

Toned, lithe, sometimes buff.

Geographic Distribution

• Reçath

Related Organizations

• House of Effulgence
• House Of Sunstone
• Sendrid