Difference between revisions of "Dragon (Euthora)"

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The Euthoran dragon (Drakine drák or dráki, plural drákiu) is a race of sapient, carnivorous reptiles descended from Skyking Shyr and native to Euthora. A group of Euthoran dragons is known as a flight. They have no relation to dragons of other worlds, with the possible exception of dragons from Deveron. Scientific names vary between species, families, and even infraorders, but all Euthoran dragons are members of the suborder Drakontes, in the order Squamata (scaled reptiles).

Dragons are considered to be either a Monster, a race, or both depending on location on Euthora. In general, Sulsian dragons are seen as both, though in the Dissonant Era are considered more of a Monster than a race due to racial tension and the Fyreborne War in Durasken. Acaranian dragons are viewed as elusive and powerful Monsters to be avoided, though there are rare exceptions, as Skyking Shyr is known to take residence on Aravolta Darz in Carisitai. Farixya is still ruled by Skyking Ausurath well into the Harmonic Era, and his kin is treated accordingly. Due to the nature of Ethanol and its inhabitants, dragons there are invariably seen as dangerous Monsters- and rightfully so, as the harsh conditions of the continent have driven the inhabitants (including dragons and Shapeshifters) to feral, territorial extremes.

During the Reformative Era, this Monster-race split is still present, but dependent on species rather than location. Voidwalkers are the dominant species, and are unrelated to the other dragons in the era due to their natures- the Phasma is undead and all other species are created independently and not descended from Shyr. These other dragons are nonsapient, leaving the Voidwalker the last remaining sapient dragon species on Euthora.

Appearance

Physiology

Euthoran dragons are homeothermic (warm-blooded) reptiles.

Dragons commonly consume metal and gemstones to improve or maintain the luster and strength of their scales.

Dragon scales are primarily made from keratin, with metal coatings. The metal varies by species, but commonly consists of Mythril. Bright pigments are secreted from the roots of the scales, which gives dragons their distinctive vibrant, metallic coloration. Dull scales, especially those with a translucent white edge where the metal is corroding, are signs of ill health and malnourishment.

The bones of a Euthoran dragon are strong and sturdy, but hollow in most species (excepting Greater Wyverns and Heavy Saurians, whose bones are dense and solid) to allow the creature to fly. Dragons with denser bones are either flightless or make up for their weight with powerful wing muscles and broad wings.

A dragon's bite strength generally varies from 1000 psi in Lesser Wyverns (enough to very easily snap bone) to nearly 4000 psi in Greater Wyverns and Heavy Saurians (enough to bite through and gnaw solid steel). The only exception to this is the Voidwalker, with a bite strength of merely 350 psi- still several times stronger than that of a human.

Dragon eyes have very dense retinas, allowing them excellent visual clarity even from long distances and small details.

Lungs are very large and blood naturally carries a lot of oxygen, allowing the dragons to breathe properly at high altitudes, such as mountain peaks, where humans would not be able to breathe.

Abilities

Burst Mode

Burst Mode, also known as Hypos, is a combat "technique" of sorts inherent in Euthoran dragons. It is commonly referred to as a form change, as the dragon nearly always goes through drastic physical changes that can vary wildly between individuals. It is chiefly characterized by a sharp increase in fighting capability, whether it be augmented strength, speed, or powers and abilities.

Burst Mode is triggered by a surge of Excess through the dragon's system, usually when pressed hard in battle, and tends to be "unlocked" after the dragon is at least a century old. After initial access to Burst Mode, it tends to be easier to trigger, with long periods of needing to "recharge" between triggers. Burst Mode lasts up to several hours, depending on how long the dragon in question needs it, and it can take up to two days for the dragon to regain the energy spent, depending on how long the dragon was in Burst Mode.

In Cult of Ustream canon, dragons may have access to a form called Advanced Formation if they are given a Stone of Advancing, a stone-like shed scale from the Golden Firedrake Draco Maxima. This is not true Burst Mode, but rather a "medium" between a dragon's normal form and its Burst Mode. It requires less energy to trigger (seeing as the Stone of Advancing is providing much of the Excess needed) and requires less of a cooldown time, at about three hours. It can be considered as something to condition the dragon to the changes involved and often will result in the dragon unlocking Burst Mode early.

Behavior

Dragons are proud, arrogant, yet extremely loyal creatures by nature, and tend to show it when dealing with humans or other races. Ever holding to the belief that they are superior and the perfect form of life on Euthora, a dragon's pride can easily be wounded, causing swift and brutal retaliation. This is especially apparent in wild Sulsian dragons, though dragons bound to a dracoimperist- whether as a Familiar or not- may still display this belief. In general, a dragon under the influence of dracoimpery has had its pride battered down by the servitude, but in the cases of Familiars, the voluntary nature of the bond will often result in the dragon only viewing its master as an equal, still seeing other creatures as inferior.

Dragons are either highly social or highly solitary, and nearly all are territorial. Some smaller dragons, such as Lesser Wyverns and Aquatic Serpentines, may travel in packs, while Voidwalkers tend to travel alone or in pairs, but with few exceptions, most dragons live alone. Generally dragons will not tolerate the presence of other dragons in their territory, though Golden Firedrakes are usually more willing, and Voidwalkers do not have a true territory.

In a hostile interaction, dragons display "standoffish" behavior, in an effort to make themselves appear larger and force their enemy to back down. This includes flaring wings (if the dragon has any), unsheathing talons, bristling scales, and lowering the head to protect the throat. Dragons with bladed tails may raise them threateningly, while others will lash them at the ground. Voidwalkers, Shadowsongs, Darkwing Firedrakes, and Plated Firedrakes will flare any membranous fins they may have. Growling or roaring a challenge is common.

Culture

Customs

A dragon's name is of incredible significance to it, said to be indicative of the dragon's very being. In dragon culture, a nameless dragon is nothing, an entity without identity. Dragons will not change their names lightly, and even titles are given heavy consideration before being adopted by the dragon. In a similar vein, a dragon's surname- the title of one of its ancestors- represents the dragon's entire heritage, even before the generation of the dragon given the title. Dragons treat their names- both given names and surnames- with reverent respect, and slandering the name of a dragon will almost invariably bring the unbridled and indignant fury of the dragon upon the offender.

Language

Main Article: Drakine

Religious Beliefs

Skykings

Main Article: Skyking (Title)

During the Radiant Era, the title of Skyking was given to dragons who presided over areas of land known as protectorates. These Skykings, known to the dragons as Tiirenkáriu, were old or powerful dragons, most of whom were given the title as a sign of honor and gratitude by the population of the protectorate, though some were "sold" the title in a deal, and a select few took reign by way of blood and fire.

The title is derived from Skyking Shyr and his offspring. Dragons granted the honor of this title attach it to their names as a surname, without a hyphen as most Drakine titles, and are not passed to offspring.

A Skyking's duties were theoretically to defend and aid the people of the protectorate, either through battling threats or ensuring there was enough food and water. In return, the people would bring offerings of special foods or wines or precious metals, subservience to the reigning Skyking, and the opportunity for the dragon to occasionally preside over ceremonies, festivals, and meetings of war. Dragons themselves revere the title, and tend to flock to Skykings in the hopes of getting in on the benefits. The position of Skyking is one of utmost power and authority, and it was only by a code of honor that the dragon did not abuse it.

Of course, thie code of honor has been broken many times, but the most prominent cases have been those of Skyking Krthonius, who battled with his brother Skyking Ausurath for claim over the latter's land and was defeated, then chased to an Acaranian protectorate which he ruled with flame and fear; and Skyking Súndávr, who fell to his and his master's desire to rule more than a simple plot of land and was later sealed away by Shyr himself. This latter case eventually led to the assassination of nearly all Skykings for fear it would happen again, the war between dragons and humans in Durasken, and the onset of the Dissonant Era.

During Standard Canon Time, the last known remaining Skykings are Ausurath and Shyr.

Interspecies Relations

Evolution

All Euthoran dragons are descended from Skyking Shyr, their species adapted descendants of the original Ancestral Dragon, Draco Primaethereus. The individual dragon classifications, detailed below, are general groupings of dragons based on Bloodline and physical characteristics.

It is worth noting that Euthoran dragons and Shapeshifters are distantly related. After the original eight offspring of Shyr- known as the Bloodlines, or Pieces of Eight to some- were born, the siblings and their father were still the only dragons on the planet, and being related, could not breed with each other. However, Shapeshifters quickly picked up the draconic form, fulfilling their role as creators and balancers of life and nature, and to this day dragon forms are the easiest Euthoran Monster forms for Shapeshifters to gain.

Species Chart

• Note: The Eras of Creation and Extinction assume the Prime Timeline, with the exception of the Shadow Drake, for reasons noted below.
• Note: The Shadow Drake only exists in Cult of Ustream canon, which takes place in the Dissonant Era.

Reformative Era Dragons

With the exception of the Phasma and Voidwalker, Reformative Era dragons are unrelated to Shyr and the Bloodlines.

The Pieces of Eight

Firedrake Subspecies

Voidwalkers

Lore

Classifications

Glider

Gliders are long, serpentine dragons with four wings and two arms. They are believed to never land, instead diving at the water's surface to fish or soaring on their massive wings when at rest. Gliders can easily reach more than seventy feet in length, with their wings spreading much farther. The reason for their four wings is the different "modes" of flight they take; active flight involves doing the main flying with the larger, primary wings, and steering with the smaller secondary wings. Passive flight, used while the dragon sleeps or rests, involves spreading out all four wings like a massive kite, keeping one area of the brain alert enough to maintain altitude. This method of flight earns Gliders their name; one may soar for almost an entire day without a single flap of its wings. Examples of this class of dragon are the Icestorm and Coralwing Gliders.

Lurker

Lurkers are lithe, wingless dragons with semi-aquatic features. Common features for this class of dragon are narrow, almond-shaped heads with short crests, dorsal and caudal fins, and talonless paws with three toes and a dewclaw. They are extremely agile and fact runners; one species of Lurker, the Voidwalker, is perhaps the fastest land-based predator on Euthora. Lurkers are also very strong swimmers, due to their fins, and tend to be solitary animals. Cave Lurkers, another species, spend more time in the water than out of it, having adapted more to an aquatic lifestyle while other Lurkers prefer to be terrestrial.

Saurian

Heavy

Light

Serpentine

Aquatic

Terrestrial

Wyvern

Greater

Lesser

Alignments

Dragons are finely tuned to their Elemental Alignment, moreso than other creatures on the planet. This stems from the nature of their creation and the spiritual closeness they have with the Divine Spirits. This leads to consistent traits between each element, which are prominent enough to usually be able to tell what Alignment each given dragon species is of. Alignments are generally species-based, but may change depending on the dragon's connection to a member of the pantheon.

• Water-Aligned dragons are slick and highly magical creatures, able to grasp the finer workings of Mana with relative ease. They are often mild in demeanor, neither ever-patient nor uncontrollably ferocious. Although often semi-aquatic, these features are not as indicative of a Water-Aligned dragon as their mastery of magic and aether can be. Most do, however, have small and rounded scales which provide a nearly waterproof barrier when they do take to the water. The most prominent example of a Water-Aligned dragon is the Voidwalker.
• Earth-Aligned dragons are sturdily-built walls of metallic scale and powerful muscle. They are usually very large dragons with high endurance, achieving longevity by virtue of patience and resilience rather than by slaughtering everything around them. While slow and often flightless, these dragons have amazing brute strength that could snap the bones of an unwary dragon of any other Alignment. Armored Wyverns and Hydras fall into this Alignment.
• Fire-Aligned dragons are aggressive and sharply-built, often with spikes or spines and prominent, hooked snouts. They are highly destructive creatures that prefer to attack and kill rather than converse. Though not as intelligent as Wind-Aligned dragons, they are still cunning beasts that punish a lowered guard. Behind their ferocity is a quick, if rebellious, mind that fights against anything that would dare to hold these dragons back. Of the dragons that fall into this Alignment, the Firedrake is the most notable.
• Wind-Aligned dragons are sleek, fast, and often small species that are unrivaled in the sky. They often have either streamlined forms or are powerful fliers, though the trend leans toward swift and small creatures. They are also often highly intelligent, as their patron spirit represents wisdom and cleverness. Most Lesser Wyverns fall into this Alignment.
• Dark- or Light-Aligned dragons are rare and share a connection with one of the planet's two gods. This Alignment is not species-based, being purely based on the individual in question. Only a handful of dragons in Euthora's history have ever been of one of these two Alignments.

Dracoimperists

Main Article: Dracoimpery

Trivia

• Dragons are usually considered adults at 30 to 40 years old, depending on the species.

Notes to Self

• Possible additional Glider, Lurker, Greater Wyvern
  • Really need more Terrestrial Serpentines
• Rewrite prewritten sections