Erlen Lizards

Erlen lizards¹ or simply erlens² are relatively large reptiles native to the Plain of Kings and the eastern Plain of Spirits in northeastern Dragonía. Virtually all the wild population on the Plain of Kings has been replaced by domesticated varieties of the lizards, which are raised by Mörkels as pets or to keep vermin away from homes and granaries, or feral ones.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Wild erlens and more basal breeds are generally about the size of a cat, while certain domesticated varieties can be about as large as a labrador retriever. They are slender, with long limbs and tail, large eyes and small, sharp teeth for rending flesh to make up for their rather weak bite.
Their body temperature, while less stable than that of birds and mammals, is higher than in most reptiles, allowing erlens to hunt during the winter and at nighttime.
They communicate mainly vocally, ranging from hissing to chirps, though the one most Mörkels associated the lizards with is a kind of creaking noise, similar to the sound of footsteps on snowy ground.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Erlen lizards are primarily carnivorous, specializing in hunting rodents or small birds and their chicks across the eastern plain, though they are not averse to eating eggs, carrion and whatever refuse they can find in and around cities.

Additional Information

Domestication

Erlens were first domesticated during the third century a.Dr, at first to hunt vermin in and around granaries, and later on as pets and -for larger breeds- to guard homes against intruders, or at least alert their owners.

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¹Original icelandic: erleneðlur, singular: erleneðla.
²Erlenur, singular: erlena.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

In the wild, erlens are variously dull green, brown or grey to blend in with their surroundings, sometimes with stripes on their back and tail, while domesticated ones tend to be more colourful.