Drakalar

A "subrace" of Bandaloki, the drakalar are a recently established clan of mixed-blood bandaloki that have banded together to form their own territory and customs.

Beliefs

Unlike other bandaloki, drakalar despise the viewpoint that mixed-blood offspring are abominations. They champion the idea that beastfolk of mixed heritage are the natural evolution of Drakala's will. In their eyes, all beasts must adapt or die, and the puritanical perspective of their kin will lead only to their demise. Other bandaloki claim that Drakala created them according to her specific vision, and to go against that vision is sacrilege to the Queen of Beasts. The drakalar argue that Drakala left it up to her creations to adapt and survive as nature demands, and joining together is the only way to do that. Drakala has so far remained quiet on the matter.
Drakalar joyfully welcome outcasts of other clans, even if they aren't of mixed-blood. To the drakalar, any bandaloki that chooses to join and contribute to their culture is a valuable addition. Many of the more tolerant bandaloki accept drakalar ideals and have no qualms about allowing them to grow. The largest supporters of the drakalar are the ulüliandir, wolgogar, and naradir who all have critically low populations. The most vocal protesters are the bandakar, who have the largest population of any clan, and the jodanur, who have the highest ratio of territory to individual. The Zihkwar and Kymonur have no real stake in the drakalars' growth as long as they respect the territory those clans already claim.

Reactions From Other Species

For the most part, the other races of Etherea's Kingdom Council leave the bandaloki to their own devices. But the rise of the drakalar has resulted in a schism among their kin that some members of the Kingdom Council fear will lead to violence. The humans welcome the change, hoping that a fully-united bandaloki will mean less incidents of violence against those that venture into the Wood.
For the time being, the Council has chosen to observe and leave the issue in the hands of the Beast Lord. This has caused some issues, as the current Beast Lord refuses to acknowledge the drakalar as an established clan, and the drakalar refuse to acknowledge his authority. Instead, the drakalar have chosen their wisest female as their spokesperson to negotiate with the Kingdom Council on their behalf.

Naming Traditions

Given Names

Names among the drakalar vary widely based on the strengths and ideals of their clans of origin. For example, ulüliandir embrace ideals of grace and serenity while wulgogar embrace strength and speed. Mixed-blood parents usually give their children names that reflect such ideals. To non-bandaloki, they sometimes give their names as simplistic combinations of words that they feel express who they are. Such examples include Sings-in-the-Wind (ulüliandir), Moonrunner (wulgogar), Swift-of-Hoof (kymonur), etc.

Family Names

Like other clans of bandaloki, the drakalar do not have family names. For those that opt to acknowledge their parents, they introduce themselves by their given name followed by a name they feel combines those of their parents. For outcasts who hate their parents, they might choose to give a secondary name that clarifies what clans their bloodline comes from. Most outcasts, however, choose to fully embrace their identity as drakalar and refuse to acknowledge the clans that spurned them.

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

Because the drakalar are so mixed in appearance and personal preferences, they have no set ideals when it comes to beauty. For the most part, beauty means keeping oneself healthy and clean. Signs of these qualities include thick, lustrous fur, scales that bear a sheen in the light, and neat, strong feathers.

Gender Ideals

Unlike most other bandaloki clans, drakalar view males and females as equals, as their respective strengths are equally important to the continuation of their people. Drakalar of either gender that bear good genes in regards to their heritage are highly sought after as mates. In particular, females that produce strong and healthy young are prime candidates.

Courtship Ideals

Like beauty, there is a lot of variety in drakalar courtship. Different bandaloki clans have different customs, and this is reflected to an extent in the drakalar. In general, drakalar are encouraged to mate and breed according to their individual preferences. To help encourage finding new mates, the drakalar do have a few ceremonial competitions each year in which both males and females can take part to prove their strength. For the most part, that works out well. Some drakalar, however, have taken an interest in the human and elven ways of courtship, where a strong emotional connection is a large factor. Such relationships are considered unwise, as they can potentially result in weak offspring, but the drakalar currently choose not to hinder this practice.

Relationship Ideals

Most bandaloki have temporary mates, and the drakalar are no different. Those with ulüliandir or jodanur heritage may find themselves instinctively driven to find a permanent mate, as that is how Drakala first made those clans. Similarly, those with wolgogar or kymonur blood might feel the need to remain with an established mate as long as they maintain compatibility. Those of other clan heritage, particularly the zihkwar and bandakar, seek only strong, temporary mates that will pass on good genes. Drakalar of zihkwar and bandakar descent rarely form lasting relationships.

Parent Species: Bandaloki
Related Articles: Drakala, the Queen of Beasts | The Kingdom Council | Etherea

Related Locations

• The Enchanted Wood

Cover image by me, Kaari13.