Drake

Drakes are the draconic species native to Ryren Thalor. They prowl the Red Sea, the Wastes the few remaining moors and the base of the Golden Peaks, hunting for unsuspecting Fae. They are one of the only species that can survive in the Wastes.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The Drake has 4 legs and no wings. This is how it is differentiated from the other draconic species.
On the flats of the Plains where they reside, strong legs to cover distance fast presented a better survival chance than wings that took them to a sky with no cover from hunters. 
They are covered in heavily armoured scales and are the bulkiest of the draconic species even if they are by far the smallest. The tallest Drake is equal to an elf in size. 
Typically a drake has several small horns on their head and down their spine however it is common for these to be broken off during skirmishes with other Drakes. 
Their eyes resemble that of a cat.

Genetics and Reproduction

Drakes lay eggs in clutches of 3. The mother will often seclude herself from her pack until her eggs are hatched. At which point she will return with her hatchlings to be raised among the pack until they become adults.

Growth Rate & Stages

A drake matures within 2 years from hatching. After a year they will stop being protected by their mother and are seen as an adult drake by its pack, needing to hunt with the pack if it wants food.

Ecology and Habitats

The Drakes are the only draconic species that seems capable of thriving in multiple environments. There seems to be no difference in how they survive in the cold, the desert, the moors or the wastes and no one habitat seems to let the Drakes thrive better than the others.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Drakes are solely carnivores and often prey on Fae kind for their food. They are the leading cause of deaths among Low Fae in Ryren Thalor.

Behaviour

Until other Draconic creatures, Drakes are no more than feral beasts. They hunt, they fight and they kill. They will turn on their own easily and fight with no regard for their own safety or life.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Drakes hunt in packs and have a dominance structure that is determined by ferocity and strength. There is no semblance of familiar structure within these packs with the exception of mothers defending their hatchinglings until they reach adulthood. After which the young drake is left to fend for itself within the pack, even from their own mother.

Domestication

There have been many attempts by the Plains Fae over time to domesticate Drakes. They all ended in slaughter.
Now only the vainglorious Plains Elves still make attempts. They continue to fail.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

The byproducts of Drakes are used by mainly Plains Low Fae. The reflective scales are used for armour, for mirrors, for potion ingredients. Their hide, fangs, and meat are all likewise utilised to the utmost by the Plains Low who make the most of all they can.

Genetic Descendants

• Hydra

Lifespan

200 years

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

There are thought to be many known colourations of Drake. Those that prowl the Wastes are grey in colour. The Red Sea Drakes vary between Red and Orange. The Golden Peaks Drakes are white and the Drakes that make their home in the last moors have scales that appear green among the grass. 
However this is false. 
All Drakes have the same scales. They are reflective and act as camouflage, reflecting back the colour of the landscape around them.

Geographic Distribution

• Golden Peaks
• Red Sea
• Ryren Thalor
• Wastes