Vori-Gai, Blast Drakes

(Legacy Content)

The Vori-Gai, more commonly known as Blast Drakes, are vicious predators of the wilds between settlements dwelling in forest or cavern dens. Their innate magical properties allow them to generate explosions, which they can then spit as projectiles, or project around themselves as a form of area attack. Due to these properties, they are naturally resistant to explosives, fire, heat, electricity, and sound. It was these properties that gave their ancestors, the Voru-Gai, Blast Dragons their dangerously ferocious nature when combined with their intelligence, resulting in their culling and the onset of the Drakes as a separate species.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Vori-Gai resemble massive lizards with diamond-shaped dark, ashy grey scales separated by equally ashy grey veins. Their heads possess two generally yellow eyes and a maw of fangs, four of which - two on both top and bottom - extend to thrice the length of the others. Their claws resemble the hands of an Alorean, with elongated fingers ending in claws, which can be used to easily grasp things. Their tails are equal in length to their bodies, and end in a shape equivalent to that of a mace head with four flanges set diagonally on its end and reaching a singular point at the tail's end. As for the innards, the beast has similar organs to a reptile of its size, save special energy producing nerves set beneath each and every scale on its body, which serve as the catalyst for the beast's explosive properties.

Biological Traits

All Vori-Gai possess the ability to produce explosive energy and harness it as a projectile or area-of-effect weapon, or to enhance the power of their physical strikes, releasing the energy using the outer veins that encircle their scales. When used as a projectile, a bolt of explosive force is propelled from the mouth out to a range of approximately three-hundred feet, exploding with a force strong enough to knock down solid concrete walls, or clear a fifteen-foot diameter of all vegetation. When used to empower its limbs - and tail strikes - the energy explodes with similar force. When used to create area-of-effect blasts, the power is magnified, and produces anywhere from twice the other amounts to ten-times the other amounts, though the upper echelons of this capability usually results in the Drake losing its explosive power for a period of twenty-four hours.

Genetics and Reproduction

Vori-Gai are sexual creatures and require both a male and a female to reproduce. Breeding between members of the species is uncommon in the appropriate timeframe as most Vori-Gai are singular hunters, though even isolated members will attempt to reconvene during breeding season within the early parts of either Medezel, Ysraizel, or Voruzel. Fertilization occurs in females with a seventy percent chance, after which the female will retreat to a relatively save location, such as a den, and lay a clutch of up to twelve or thirteen eggs. These eggs are generally the size of an Alorean child, and the bottom quarter of the egg will usually be covered in ashy scales similar to those existing on the Drakes themselves. A period of nine to twelve months will follow, with the mother watching closely over the clutch and the father hunting, after which the eggs will hatch. Few eggs actually make it this far, however, as the efforts of other species constantly seek easy prey, even with the most vigilant of mothers.

Growth Rate & Stages

Hatchling Vori-Gai are incapable of moving for the first few days, left to absorb the remainder of the nutrients present in the shattered shell. After this period, the fangless, clawless, and blastless hatchlings begin simplistic movements and the initial stages of learning to walk. This is followed by a period of seemingly playful competition between the hatchlings, biting at each other with toothless maws under the supervision of the mother while the father continuously hunts for them all. After approximately fifteen to twenty years, during which the Drakes grow out their claws, fangs, and develop their explosive abilities, the adolescents are left behind by both the parent drakes, who go off to continue their lives. The children they leave behind are to fend for themselves, usually resulting in the confrontation of one another for what would be childish and petty grudges held from their earlier days. As a result, the Vori-Gai left behind will either flee the area immediately in search of a new den, or slaughter each other for control of the current one. From there, the life cycle continues as normal.

Ecology and Habitats

Vori-Gai can be found most commonly in the forests of Ysrailore and Saeralore, though can also be found in cavern dens across the world and rarely in desert caves in Tyrralore. From there, it serves as a form of apex predator in its surrounding environment.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Vori-Gai require a vast, often carnivore-based diet, though they are not above consuming plant life, especially Veuse if it is available. Typically, a standards Vori-Gai will require around 25-30 pounds of material to sustain themselves. Most of this is acquired through hunting, as they prefer to be carnivores, so it is common for these needs to occasionally not be met. However, in the case of an especially large kill, the Drake will usually drag the carcass back to its den and stow it away under a mount of dirt in the deepest portion of their habitat for later consumption.

Biological Cycle

Most Vori-Gai remain the same all year round. However, when a female is ready to breed, its scales gradually turn a silvery white and its eyes turn a deep red. This state typically ends once the breeding period ends.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Vori-Gai are generally illegal to slay in any circumstance other than self-defense or under bounty contract. In spite of this, Vori-Gai are still sometimes hunted for their scales, said by some cultures to be a means of ascension to higher personal power, or simply for use as décor.

Facial characteristics

The head of a Vori-Gai is typically shaped similarly to that of a cobra with a slightly extended muzzle set upon a hooded, muscular neck, the hood of which can extend and contract in accordance with the situation.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Vori-Gai can be found most commonly in the forests of Ysrailore and Saeralore, though can also be found in cavern dens across the world and rarely in desert caves in Tyrralore. From there, it serves as a form of apex predator in its surrounding environment.

Average Intelligence

All Drakes possess rudimentary or primal intelligence, not enough for them to be considered intelligent, but enough for them to be capable of recognizing danger from past experiences, and learning from the actions and consequences of others.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

The main sensory abilities of the Vori-Gai are dictated by acute sight, hearing, and sense of smell, making them exceptional predators in the wild capable of keeping track of prey at great distances for even greater distances. Additionally, despite their large size, Vori-Gai are known to be capable nighttime ambushers due to their ability to hide themselves during said nighttime.

Scientific Name

Vori (Drake)

Lifespan

2000-3500 years. Drakes inherit some of the imutability of their Dragon ancestors and thusly have extensive life-spans.

Average Height

9' (2.7m) On four legs, 16' (4.9m) On two

Average Weight

5 tons (5080kg)

Average Length

30' (9.1m) From tip to tail, 15' (4.6m) for both tail and body

Average Physique

All Drakes tend to possess outstanding physical prowess, capable of snapping or knocking over large oak trees with ease, or smashing granite boulders with little trouble.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

All Vori-Gai are a form of dark, ashy grey in coloration. The only exception to this are egg-capable females during the breeding period, whose coloration shifts to a stark, silvery-white.