Voidwalker
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The Voidwalker (Drakine Véredeí; scientific name Vacuum Geniale) is a shy, reclusive breed of dragon best known for its ability to travel through voids and use psychokinetic limbs known as vectors. They are of the Lurker classification, descended from Skyking Krthonius, and are a Water-Aligned species. They become the dominant species of Euthora during the Reformative Era.
Contents
Appearance
Voidwalkers are lithe, sleek creatures with small, fish-like scales unlike the sharper and more prominent scaling of other dragons. Though smaller, these scales are still strong, being mythril-based, and waterproof. The scale is made of keratin, plated with mythril that has been "dyed" black by pigments secreted from the root of the scale, except for in luminous neon patches that create the Voidwalker's distinct markings.
The Voidwalker is a relatively small species of dragon, with an adult male standing at approximately two meters in height at the shoulder. They are quadrupedal and wingless, with strong legs built for running and a powerful tail with a membranous fin at the tip, built for swimming and steering in the frictionless space of their voids. The fins may vary in shape and size between individuals, but are always horizontal and have two strutted flukes, like a dolphin. Similar to their tail fins, a long dorsal membrane runs down the spine, supported by thin struts, beginning from the base of the skull and ending partway down the tail. The dorsal membrane is used both for steering and for heat regulation.
The membranes carry the same color as the Voidwalker's markings, though a male's are broken by black stripes. The markings are luminescent and usually bright, neon colors, though both of these traits may change if the Voidwalker is subject to a pigmentation anomaly, noted below. Their eyes are also this color, though often slightly paler. A Voidwalker's eyes have no visible sclera and the irises glow brightly enough to drown out the pupil, which is white. Markings may vary wildly between individuals, though underbellies and rings on the neck and tail are fairly common.
The mouth of a Voidwalker vaguely resembles that of a shark, being situated at the bottom of the muzzle and usually unnoticeable if closed. The jaws are lined with small, but needle-sharp teeth, useful mostly for grabbing hold of prey. Their teeth are made more for gripping than for tearing, though they do have canine teeth prominent enough to inflict damage on struggling prey or to tear tougher meat. Physically, Voidwalkers do not have much in the way of weapons- their paws lack talons and are structured mostly for traction when running- and instead tend to let their vectors do the work.
Voidwalkers are highly expressive with their fins and dorsal membrane; most of their body language is conveyed through these means alone, as their scales are too tightly attached to their bodies to bristle, they make few distinct facial expressions, their pupils are nearly invisible, and they have neither talons to unsheathe nor wings to flare. Generally a raised dorsal membrane is an expression of anger or fear, while the movements of the tail fin are more complex. It is difficult to read a non-verbalizing Voidwalker's mood for anyone who is not also a Voidwalker.
Pigmentation Anomalies
These are conditions present from hatching and are a result of the volatile pigments that these dragons produce, particularly in the luminescent ones that form their markings. They still however have a "base" color, which displays in the color of their Voidcore- for example, a melanistic blue Voidwalker will have an electric blue Voidcore, much lighter than the color of its markings.
- Albinism: The result of a severe metal deficiency in the scales, albino Voidwalkers are not truly victims of albinism. Their scales are brittle and a translucent white, unplated keratin. While their dorsal membrane and tail fins display some color, these are highly diluted, washed out variations of what should be their natural marking color. "Albino" Voidwalkers have no markings and thus do not glow; their eyes are entirely cloudy and white, rendering them blind. The lack of mythril in their scales makes these dragons nearly defenseless against attacks, and Voidwalkers with this condition rarely survive to adulthood.
- Leukanism: Causing the markings of a Voidwalker to appear lighter and less saturated, this condition has little effect on the dragon other than appearance. The markings glow more brightly than normal, and may result in colors nearing white on the spectrum. This degree of leukanism is rare, however, and it is more common to see grays tinged with the Voidwalker's base color.
- Melanism: The opposite of leukanism, melanism causes the Voidwalker's markings to be darker in color and glow less brightly. The more severe the melanism, the more physically weak the dragon tends to be, but Voidwalkers afflicted with this condition tend to have a better aptitude for magic and stronger psychic capabilities, including their vectors. Melanistic Voidwalkers tend to be on the smaller side of the scale.
- Severe Melanism: Severely melanistic Voidwalkers lack markings entirely and do not glow. Their dorsal membranes and tail fins are a light, translucent silver, and in the Reformative Era this leads to severely melanistic Voidwalkers being called "silvers", "grays", or some variation as a derogatory term. Though not part of their natural disposition, this aspect of Voidwalker culture- which prizes vibrant, radiant markings- often results in the individual developing an anti-social tendency.
- Spectrum Pigmentation: One of the rarer anomalies in Voidwalker coloration is the production of multiple bright pigments for the markings. While this can result in the Voidwalker having different markings of different hues, it is named more for the tendency of these pigments to blend and create a vibrant gradient across the markings. At their strongest, the glow of a Voidwalker with this condition can be nearly blinding, and is useful for obscuring the specifics of their form when fighting.
Physiology
Abilities
Voidwalkers have two main abilities shared by all individuals of the species. One is their famed pseudo-irritimpery, which is little more than the ability to create, dispel, and travel through portals of void. The other ability is manipulation of the semitransparent psychokinetic limbs known as vectors, which have a range of almost twelve meters, perhaps more if the specimen is older. These vectors can change in shape, ranging from claw- or scythe-like weapons, to whips, to even wings should this otherwise flightless dragon require the ability to fly. They tend to be more numerous and longer-ranged, but otherwise generally weaker, than a Diclonius's vectors.
Behavior
Voidwalkers are shy, quiet, and relatively docile until threatened. Males are slightly more aggressive than the females, and highly protective of their mates and young. However, a wild Voidwalker may be approached if it is made to know that no harm is intended. They are an antisocial breed, adults traveling alone or in mated pairs that are together for life, with only the hatchlings tagging along until old enough to create voids. Young Voidwalkers are often playful and easily tamed even without the use of dracoimpery, and those raised by other species are greatly influenced by them. Voidwalkers are believed to be almost completely silent- they have never been known to roar, hiss, or growl like most dragon breeds, however an angry Voidwalker may make a warbling cry almost like an injured dove. They have the ability to speak intelligibly if taught, but their main method of communication with other sentient creatures is a form of pseudotelepathy in which emotions, sounds, and images are communicated rather than words.
Habitat
Voidwalkers spend almost all their time within their voids, which seem to be exclusive to each individual or mated pair. They seem to only leave their estrangement within the void in order to hunt and familiarize their young with how the "real world" works. Thus, they can be found nearly anywhere due to their ability to travel miles instantaneously through the use of voids.
Evolution
It is unknown how the Voidwalker evolved to lose its wings in favor of vectors. However, the breed is obviously built for running, and they have been observed running at almost twice the speed of the average racehorse while chasing down prey. The ability to simply run from danger or chase prey may have led to losing the need for flight. However, it is still unclear as to how the Voidwalker gained vectors and the ability to create voids.
