Drakes of Lyran Tal
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Range: All regions of the Silver Moon Empire and the Badlands.
Physical Description: Varies by type. In general, drakes possess a scaled hide, four limbs and a set of wings. Size varies by age and power, but a drake is approximately 30-35 feet tall, and proportionately wide and long. No one has ever really been in a position to measure them. Wyrms are larger.
Notes: Drakes are a magical species of high intelligence, beasts that are also Gifted with magic. Drake types are defined by their particular gift, and they tend to locate themselves in territories where their gift is strong. They are deeply connected to the ley lines, and seem to follow the ubiquitous Rule of Seven common to all magic in Lyran Tal, in that there are seven varieties of drakes (see below for details on each type). While the exact number of drakes is unknown, there is one large and powerful drake of each type, called a Wyrm. The Wyrms are ancient and powerful, their magic on par with the most learned and advanced humanoid mages -- and they can shapeshift, a fact that is virtually unknown (unless you are the wyrm or have seen the wyrm shift!). In terms of size, a Wyrm tends to be about a third larger than adult drakes. Their tendency for territoriality goes beyond simple choice, with each tied to the region associated with their magic. The nature of this connection is currently unknown, as is what might happen if a Wyrm leaves its region.
Excessive Information: In general, drakes feed on any sort of sizeable animal, the only requirement being that it is large enough to be worth chasing -- or duping. Cunning, drakes can and will plot traps to make hunting easier. It seems that food availability in combination with space/territory is the limiting factor for the number of drakes in Lyran Tal, since death from disease or other species is not significant. Breeding among the drakes is intermittent, for the females come into season every hundred years, and are only willing to raise young if space, food, and magic are all easily available. A female selects a location rich in her Gift's element, for producing her young pulls just as much magic from her body as it does nutrients. Contrary to popular belief by the populace of Lyran Tal, drakes do not lay eggs; their young are live borne,and born neutral in magic. As such, their ability to cast spells is severely limited, and it is necessary for juveniles to ingest the rannine plant, for its juices provide a focus through which the raw energy of the ley lines is filtered, much like the way the elemental Gifts act for mages and adult drakes. Juvenile drakes vary in appearance as much as the different types of drakes.
Drake maturity is a lengthy process, for once a juvenile drake reaches a certain size, it cannot eat enough rannine to allow it to safely cast magic without risking insanity. At this time, the drake goes through lochneinarite,where it selects its Gift of adulthood and in effect transforms both in body and magic. This process involves decades of hibernation and stasis, and a time of weakness as the drake learns anew how to manipulate its magic. To shift, the drake finds a place rich in the element to which it is shifting, such as a volcano in the case of pyromancy, an ocean or lake for hydromancy, and so on. A secretion oozes out from between its scales, coating the drake in a sticky ichor that hardens quickly. Within this chrysalis, harder than any metal or stone, the drake shifts form, spirit, and gift, emerging as an entirely different being. Often times even temperament changes. A newly emerged drake is often disoriented and weak in their control of magic -- although claws and teeth are still quite able defenses.
Unlike other mages, drakes do not need to learn their magic powers from others, and their spells are more an act of will directing the power drawn from the ley lines. As a drake ages, its ability to control greater amounts of energy increases; how this power manifests depends on the drake and their gift. To achieve the greatest power, a drake must become the Wyrm of a region. Such transformation is very similar to the lochneinarite of juvenile drakes, but even more time is spent within the chrysalis. A newly emerged Wyrm may be disoriented, however, its ability to cast magic is far from impaired.
Another tidbit at odds with common belief is that drakes are not poikilothermic (cold-blooded) like reptiles, but the temperature of their blood fluctuates in time with their magic instead of with their surroundings. At its coolest, drake blood is warm as a sun-soaked stone, for magic is always prevalent within them. When actively using magic, however, their blood surges to boiling hot -- dangerous should any ever have the skill or luck to pierce the scaled hide of an aware and annoyed drake.
Aeromantic (Wind) Drake
Range: Cloosidian
Physical Description: Unknown
- Fcorelianhertumptios: Called 'F'Relian,' (The Evening's Mist): An ancient Cloud Drake that has not been seen for years within the Cloosidian borders. This drake is neither good nor evil, but has been a thorn in the side of the Seleventi for over 500 years. Some say the drake has taken a humanoid form and watches the Seleventi from within, then again this could just be paranoid rumors spread by the Shrikes.
Contact: The Cloosidian Region Leader
Animantic (Spirit) Drake
Range: Unknown
Physical Description: Unknown
Notes: There are no reports of drakes with the Seventh Gift. Whether they truly exist or are merely the theories of learned sages is unknown.
Contact: Lyran Tal Webmaster
Geomantic Drake
Range: Arboria
Physical Description: Unknown
- Gaia Wyrm: Few know of this drake's existence at all, for it stays deep within the earth and natural places. The druids revere it, yet speak to none about the drake's presence or activity.
Contact: The Arboria Region Leader
Hydromantic Drake
Range: Oceannuus
Physical Description: Varies according to who is telling the story, but everyone agrees that an angry sea drake will 'breathe' a stream of super-heated steam.
Contact: The Oceanuus Region Leader
Necromantic Drake
Range: Balthazor
Physical Description: Unknown
- Koth-Seretmatep: Called 'The Crone,' the Black Wyrm resides in a mountain near the Padrical barony of Balthazor. Reclusive, the Black Wyrm has only been encountered once by any single individual, and bears history with the Black Branch Knights. Of neutral temperament, she has not been seen in years and it is unknown if she still lives.
Contact: The Balthazor Region Leader
Pyromantic (Fire) Drake
Range: Thermador; one Wyrm and three other fire drakes
Physical Description: Fire drakes are large, heavily muscled creatures. Their curved and smooth horns are effusive about the head, grow along the spine, and some protect their joints as well. Coloration is some combination of red and orange.
- Plogisostican: The Fire Wyrm, called Mortis Sanguine in the tongue of Men, is the most active and visible of the Wyrms, and of the Fire drakes. Mortis constantly terrorizes caravans moving through his territory in Thermador.
- Noctis Igneus ('Night's Fire'): Surallomyonarraman, or Noctis Igneus, inhabits the Sea of Glass in Southeastern Thermador. He is known for his swift, aggressive tactics and lack of both patience and style in combat, which along with his size, give an impression of youth to the creature. The easiest way to identify him is by his scales, which, except for along his bright red spine-covered back and belly, are a dull crimson so dark that they seem to be almost black at night.
- Nascor Sanguine: A fire drake seen with the Fire Wyrm, Mortis Sanguine. Some believe it to be his mate.
Contact: Shard
Vivomantic Drake
Range: Luminii
Physical Description: The Vivomantic Drake is a lithe creature with scales of silver so bright and clear that those who have seen it don't recognize it as a drake. The scales are perfect mirrors, reflecting so much light that the passing drake looks simply like a flash of light on a sunny day, or a ripple of stars on a cloudless night. It is a living optical illusion, immune to disease, nearly impossible to injure, existing in silence.
Notes: It manifests its connection to the fifth gift primarily in the form of its Breath of Life, an ability that lets it breathe life-force into any living being, curing their ailments. This is an inherent property to the Vivomantic Drake, for it can also cast spells on par with the Archmage of Vivomancy. Though it avoids any direct encounter with most other creatures, it is ever-watchful, always among the living in some way or form, searching for those who are gripped by illness and handicap. For motivations unknown, it is drawn to them. When a person sees the drake, a being of refracted light, warmth and beauty, they see no drake at all, but rather a creature of Starlight; one of Nostrella's Messengers. Their newfound health is a blessing, enforcing their belief in the power of their Goddess. Few, if any, know the Vivomantic Drake for what it really is. Most are content to believe in miracles.
Contact: The Luminii Region Leader
Drakes of the Badlands
The Badlands do not have clearly defined magical regions the way the former Silver Moon Empire does. Because it is not focused, this energy suffuses the land, resulting in a higher proportion of elementals, demi-elementals, and beings with odd magical traits. Spellcasting is a dangerous proposition in the Badlands, as the chaos of the leylines causes insanity and often death in the spellcasters. Not only does one constantly risk being torn apart by backlash, but there is the certain inevitably of going insane the longer and more one practices one's magic... The magic of the Badlands is nebulous and strange, and there are no known Wyrms there. Instead, there are four 'great' drakes; numbers and types of other drakes are unknown.
Aeromantic (Wind) Drake
Hahliahoyarouhanes: 'The Screaming Winds.' The Wind Drake has a pair of especially large wings covered in long, silvery feathers tipped in cobalt blue. The majority of these are for flight, but five are hollow bone digits disguised with vanes. A silvery coat of coarse shaft buds colors its tan hide, and its scaled legs are the only part of the body bare of any hint of feathers. A tail with feathers streaked in cobalt blue has very limited flexibility and is used for steering. A stiff ruffled crest of blue feathers begins at the top of its white and silver mane and runs to the tail, and its fanged maw ends in a beak-like curve.
The Wind Drake is an incredibly fast flier, and generally calls the entire Badlands its home, only avoiding other drakes in its travels. However, it is fiercely territorial and will relentlessly fight any creature that dares come into range of its own domain(where exactly its domain is changes frequently and mostly depends on its very fickle mood).
It is an exceedingly powerful aeromancer, generally foregoing spells for simple, straightforward destruction in its attacks. Since it usually makes its home in the air, it has little regard for the ground, and will unleash its full fury in combat no matter the cost. A deafening cry is capable of shattering stone with its high pitch and flattening forests with booming force and with a flap of its wings the drake can summon immense aeromantic power, unleashing it upon its enemies. Such is also an effective method of movement, as the force of the magics can propel it aloft instantly.
Geomantic (Earth) Drake
Rakgrel: 'The Crystal Mountain.' The Crystal Mountain is aptly named: Rakgrel moves along beneath a gargantuan shell composed entirely of crystals, arrayed in a myriad of colors. These crystals range from the common to the precious, from the minute to the monstrous, adorning even Rakgrel's head and tapering tail, with an explosion of them at the end. Rakgrel can apparently see well enough through its crystalline shell, as hardly any have ever seen what lies beneath it, whether the creature is at rest or on the move. Even its tracks tell nothing certain, for it leaves the ground evenly crushed behind it, and often a wave of residue rides ahead of the giant. Those who draw too near to Rakgrel disappear with surprising swiftness, devoured.
The Crystal Mountain's actual name is Rrckgrll (rrc-k-grl); Rakgrel is an approximation, though who got close enough to learn the beast's true name and carry it back to safety nobody knows. Rakgrel is undoubtedly the largest and the slowest of the great drakes of the Badlands; a true behemoth, it lumbers where it will across most of the land, unhindered by marsh, mountain, sand or river. Sometimes known as the Quake-Maker, the only hint of the extent of Rakgrel's power comes when, for some rare reason, it is irritated. It can set the land to tremors then, until its rage is expended. These incidents are thankfully rare. Nobody remembers the last time somebody or something was suicidal enough to challenge Rakgrel outright, and whole settlements will up and move should they fall in its path.
Pyromantic (Fire) Drake
Oa (o-a): 'Fire's Heart.' Oa is the smallest physically of the four great drakes, though is no less potent. Her soft, smooth hide pulsates with swirling whorls of fire from her depths. Her eyes are black flame, and from each shoulder is a wing of five flaming tentacles.
Fire's Heart, though unpredictable, is surprisingly mellow most of the time, and is content to spend years nestled comfortably in the bowels of a volcano. Though the four great drakes roam where they can, Fire's Heart keeps mostly to the volcanic islands off the southeast coast of the mainland, but when she visits the mainland, she does so by diving directly into the magma of her favored retreats and coming up from beneath the next mountain. Oa possesses a powerful fury, and can raze the land about her in a matter of mere moments. Despite this, she rarely chooses to use her powers unless somehow enraged. Fire's Heart can not actually control lava, but the sheer heat of her body and power of her magic sets stone to melting, turns rivers to steam, and rouses the most sleepy of mountains.
Vivomantic (Life) Drake
Diji'ta'ujora'lurr: 'The Great Serpent.' The Life Drake is an enormous, serpentine creature that travels the vast Badlands by winding its way along much like a snake. Its hide is covered in smooth scales with a pearlescent glow and it has legs and wings, but few would ever know this from its appearance. From years of traveling on its belly over various terrain, earth, plants, and seed have collected on its hide in a tangled blanket of vibrant foliage.
The vivomantic aura the life drake emanates causes the plants adhered to its hide to grow, and as they are scattered by its movement, they take to whatever arable land they come in contact with. The path of the life drake is sometimes easily viewed, as it leaves behind flourishing greenery wherever it goes, often including plants quite foreign to the terrain. But once the drake passes, the growth of these plants is dependent wholly on their adaptation to the environment and if too harsh they will wither away.
A secondary effect of the Life Drake's aura of vitality is its healing. It vitalizes the plants it leaves behind, and those who partake of them immediately find weakness and minor ailments disappearing. Those brave enough to come within a few yards of the drake even find their illnesses healed. And it is rumored that those foolish enough to lay their hands directly on the drake or come into direct contact find themselves healed of any ailment ... even death.
Few are foolish enough to make the attempt, as the Life Drake, although tolerant of bystanders, will still eat whatever food it can find, including sentient creatures. It is not fond of company, but it is occasionally curious about the lands it visits and will briefly chat up locals clear-headed enough to deal with it.
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