Draken

Drakens, or Humanoid Dragons, are one of the five foremost sentient magical species alongside Phoenixes, Fairies, Merfolk, and Kitsunes.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Carrier- Carriers are the smallest of the Draken sexes. Often topping out in the range of 5 foot 5 inches to 5 foot 6 inches but more on average of being 5 foot 3 inches. Their wings are twice their height with a foot added on give or take a few inches. Carriers internal organs are arranged differently than others allowing for a larger cavity to carry litters. When their wings first emerge their scales are pure what and slowly take on the colors of their clan. Carriers are fountains of magic, so much that they need a grounding system leading to the formation of clans to perform the grounding. Their gemstone horns are made of either obsidian or quartz, typically white quartz on top of that. The horns can reach anywhere from 9 to 11 inches
Alpha- Alphas are the largest physically of the Draken sexes. They can easily reach 6 foot 6 inches and above, especially those of the Guard Subclass. Wings can be calculated just the same as Carriers but add 2 feet give or take a few inches. Wings of Alphas carry array of 5 colors, with patterns in the form of stripes, waves, or gradients. Alpha horms come in emerald, ruby, sapphire, and diamond with a length of 15-18 inches. Alphas have several subclasses which deviate from the normal Alpha bodytype, Alphas move into these subtypes to better fit in a clan. Healers are some of the smallest Alphas, almost as small as Carriers, they specifically focus in on magic that heals, using the power they can gain with clans to boost that even further. There are also Guards, some of the largest Alphas, they have specialized in defensive magic and spells to care for the other members of their circle. They often become the caretakers of the children of the clan.
Rheyo- Rheyos are the Drakens with the largest wingspan, often wiry and thin with large wings, which can reach three times their height give or take a few feet. They are the defenders of the clan, the best fighters in the air and sometimes just barely on the sane side of feral. Their wings are colored in gradients with the darkest at the top and the lightest near the bottom. Their horns can be the same material as Alphas but shorter at the same length of Carriers. Rheyo are so tied to the natural waves of the magical world they need to tie into a clan to keep them sane.

Genetics and Reproduction

When Draken reaches puberty they will go through something called an inheritance where they will rapidly come into their adult bodies. About a fourth of Draken babies are born as magical humans and will not go through this inheritance. Their children have a 40% chance of going through this inheritance and becoming Drakens, they will register as magical humans, or wixen until such time. These odds go down by 10% each generation that by the great great great great grandchildren of these lines if they do not undergo this inheritance it will be impossible. Those born as Draken will fall into a very strict binary where Carriers are women and Alpha/Rheyos are male. This binary is far from strict with those who come into the inheritance from wixen, Carriers, Alphas, and Rheyo can be both male or female. Those who go through this inheritance will grow the reproductive organs that class has but still retain their previous reproductive organs.
This combined with how magical cores work in carriers has created the circle system where a Carrier will bond with several Alphas and Rheyo and carry most of the children of the whole clan. Carriers gestate faster than a female Alpha or Rheyo. Carriers will take about 7 months compared to the 9 months of others. Carrier will also more often carry twins or even triplets, about 1/3 babies born from a Carrier will be born as part of a multiple-baby pregnancy.

Biological Cycle

Once a year Draken wings will undergo a scale shedding that lasts about a week starting with the inner scales and then the outer scales. During this time Drakens feel the need to hide away until the shedding is done. The Shedding isn't painful and there is no risk of infection to the skin under the scales if exposed. The hiding inside is mostly for vanity.

Civilization and Culture

Gender Ideals

For Draken the idea of Gender is very fluid, with the clan system having so many roles and the interplay between the races though there are some ideals that have stuck around over the years.
Carrier- Carriers are often seen as gentle, soft-spoken, and full of compassion. Those who are more bold and outgoing are often called brats. Because Carriers are so few many others will give to their every whim causing some to gain an inflated sense of ego.
Alpha- Alphas are one of the most diverse groups in terms of gender ideals, though named after the terms used as the head of a clan Alphas also technically make up the Beta, Guard, Healer, and Keeper members of clans as well. Depending on what role the person looks to fill up in a clan the ideals can swing wildly. Healers, for example, are known for their compassion and their ability to know when they need to take charge while Guards on the other hand for their general mistrust of people and their bulky nature. All are Alphas underneath though.
Rheyo- The Rheyo are the most numerous sex for a Draken, the odds of being born a Rheyo is roughly forty five percent. The Rheyo are warriors tied to a clan, the need for fighting and blood to be spilled is in their soul. You will know a Rheyo by the scars they display proudly, many gained fighting in battles of honor for their clan. Some will stay eternally single for their whole lives while others will bond with many. Rheyo themselves can be split up into several roles, those being King and Aces. Kings are the lead Rheyo in a clan, all Rheyo in a clan, except the Ace, will defer to them. Aces are almost the complete opposite of a King in all sense, they abhor group contact, often only bonding with one member of the clan, usually the Alpha or Carrier. Aces will often spend weeks if not months away from the clan on missions or just fighting in the pits.

Courtship Ideals

When a Carrier comes of age the courtship begins by them presenting themselves to the clans at a yearly ceremony called the Procession. Each new Carrier is given a ribbon that takes in a bit of magic of their suitors, when the suitor enters the clan fully their name turns the color of their magic. Individuals and Clans who are searching for members walk down a stage before all the gathered clans their wings spread to show them off. Afterwards for a four-week period, any Alpha or Rheyo can initiate a courtship, the Carrier has the right to decline at any time even after the Alpha or Rheyo is accepted. During the courtship four events must take place. First, the person doing the courting must provide a gift of meaning to the person being courted. Second the person being courted must provide a meal that is homecooked to the person doing the courting. Third the person doing the courting must do a display of their wings. Finally, the two must exchange scales in a ceremony called the shifting of the scales. Afterwards the courtship is final and there is no going back. The bonding ceremony must take place within a few weeks or both partners will face magical backlash. The Carrier will continue through courtship until they have enough bond mates that their magic core is balanced. After the first presentation a Carrier can be presented with a courtship at any time but it is seen and being far too eager and unsightly if these are done outside the four-week period following the Procession if they are a Draken.

Relationship Ideals

When forming clans the average number is seven but there are been clans as large as twenty, though that was a combined clan. In each clan there is always a trio at the very center, these make up the core of the clan and every member is bonded to at least one of them. The trio of Alpha, Beta, and Carrier is what grounds the clan to the magical ley lines and fuels the transfer of magic to the rest of the clan. The rest of the clan is made up of a mix of Rheyos and Alphas, usually with only one of the following roles, Healer, Keeper, King, and Joker. When a circle is complete and no longer accepting members the Carrier will burn their ribbon.

Common Dress Code

There is a large difference between modern-day clothing and traditional clothing for a Draeken. Modern-day clothing is similar to modern-day wixen wear, though there are some standouts such as specialized shirts to make sure no wing got stuck in clothes. Tight pants are also a major no-no, especially for Carriers, light loose-fitting pants not only helps with sudden fights but also factors in modesty to the equation.
Traditional clothes are much more restrictive, tunics were worn by all. Pants were a mixed affair, though it could be worn by all Carriers would often be shamed if their pants were too tight leading to baggy loose pants that were bound by the ankle being common. One thing that was also shared is the traditional head covering, Draekens first came about in the dusty scrubland, many would wear scarfs around their head to prevent the dust from getting in their eyes, which resulted in problems with their horns catching on the scarfs. Over the generations a head covering consisting of a square 3 foot piece of cloth with on one side a pair of holes that are spaced just far enough they can be slipped over the horns. Once on it is pinned below the chin. The name Scalecloth developed for the head covering as the scales of your circle members were incorporated into the cloth along the edge. Not only does it keep the sand out of your face but the loops over the horn make it so the wind doesn't blow it off your head. In modern times this scarf has evolved into something of a status symbol, the fancier the cloth and rings the more impressive. Both Carriers and Alphas wear the cloth but Rheyos have dropped it from their modern standards, simply for the cause of better fighting.

Common Taboos

To cut the wings of another Draeken is the worst of crimes. To take away their ability to fly is to take away something that is part of their soul. There is also a taboo surrounding Scalecloth, once it is made and given to the owner it is to not be bought or given away and instead buried with the owner or be worn until they become unusable.

History

Long ago Draken walked the earth alongside their more bestial cousins, the true dragons. In the year one thousand two hundred fifty-two the statue of secrecy was passed by a council of all the magical nations of earth forbidding telling non-magicals of magic. Not a single member of the Draken species sat on that council. As their cousins were hunted and shut away in preserves to prevent non-magicals from finding them the Drakens protested the injustices cast down upon them. When the first Creature laws were passed in fourteen thirty-two the four royal Draken clans came together and cast a powerful spell opening a pocket dimension not dissimilar to the one used by the Fairies so they could live in peace. Drakens from all around the world alongside their bestial cousins fled to the new realm establishing a new home there until a measly five percent of the once numerous Draeken population remained on earth.
As creature laws passes and more and more people were hunted the Draken came together with the other foremost magical races to create a place where all would be safe. The Draken offered up their small pocket dimension expanding the borders with the power of the Phoenixes. With this Sanctus was born. Many races moved into Sanctus as the need arose or fled to countries that provided protections for their species. This lead to a population boom and a change to how Sanctus functioned. Instead of the royal court system sections were given the ability to elect a council to rule that section of the realm. These councils would elect a representative to a council in Harmonia who would choose the direction Harmonia and Sanctus was heading.

Related Organizations

• Kalzik Circle