Sand Drake
Sand Drakes, also known as Brown Dragons or Desert Drakes, are a species of four-legged wingless Draconidae that have adapted to live exclusively in harsh, arid, desert environments. Alone amongst Draconidae is their scaleless hides, which have a tough but supple leather-like texture as opposed to scaled or armored hide found on all other dragons. They also have large, wide talons on their feet that allow them to more easily walk on fine, loose sand and dust so often found in the deserts where they live. They have a tendency to lay down in the sand and partially cover themselves with sand and dust to better camouflage their already excellent natural camouflage and thus better ambush their intended prey.
Sand Drakes have the ability to spew a stream of acid from their mouths out to 30' and this acid is so cuastic and so toxic that it is almost always instantly fatal. Small amounts of this acid have entirely dissolved entire oak trees in an hour, and even plate steel will utterly fail after only two hours. Many experts consider this acid to be the strongest caustic agent known. When collected, only the finest containers of the purest crystal material will resist the acid. The only known counter to the acid is fresh saliva of a Sand Drake, preferrably the same drake that the acid came from.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Large four-legged wingless drakes with large narrow heads and antler-like horns on its head and spine. Long powerful tails and dagger-like teeth.
Biological Traits
As with all Draconidae, Sand Drakes continue to grow as long as they live and can feed (or be fed). No known predators of this species of dragon are known. Sand Drakes have very large, splayed claws on their feet that allow them to walk and run on the finest loose sand of any desert. Sand Drakes have the ability to expel a narrow stream of acid from their mouths in a strong stream for as far as 30', and this acid is extremely caustic and toxic to all known forms of life. Small samples of this acid have dissolved entire oak trees to a fine, dry dust in less than an hour, and even polished steel won't hold up against it for more than two hours.
Genetics and Reproduction
Not fully understood, but assumed to be similar to other dragons. What is known is that Sand Drakes construct nests in the soft sands of their home deserts and lay their eggs there. This nest is then buried and left alone and unguarded with only the sun to keep the nest warm. Some evidense exists that once the eggs hatch, the two young dragons will follow the scent of their mother and find her to be fed and taught to hunt and live in the desert wilds. These nests have been found in the past, and when opened the eggs can be harvested (if they are unhatched).
Ecology and Habitats
Seemingly only found in desert or extremely arid regions. All known specimens have been found in deserts. They do not seem especially sensitive to cold, even extreme cold, as they are knoen to frequent far northern deserts where even daytime temperatures rarely reach far above freezing. Most often seen in hot, sandy and extremely dry deserts in the remote central highlands and plateau deserts of the continent. For this reason, they are considered very, very rarely encountered.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Carnivores, with a known preferrence for horse and camel flesh.
Behaviour
Like all Draconidae, Sand Drakes gather and protect hoards. Only a very few hoards have been collected from these creatures due to their rarity and the difficult nature of their natural habitats, but it is thought that they prefer to collect the items most treasured by the victims they hunt or defeat. One large hoard that was examined in great detail roughly a century ago contained very rare and valuable weapons, coins, gems, magical items... and the dried and mummified remains of more than 20 human children.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Solitary ambush predators, and only assumed to associate with other Sand Drakes during mating rituals.
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Aside from the intrinsic value of nearly every ounce of a Sand Drake's body, the most valuable and sought after portions avaialble to harvest are the acid it is able to spew from its mouth and the Dragon Oil that can be expressed from glands in the head, neck and tail of the beast. The acid can only be carried and kept in carefully crafted crystal containers (it dissolves all other materials) and is prized as both a component in poisons and anti-poisons. The oil has the unique ability to make anyone that drinks even the tiniest amount (even a single tiny drop) able to go without drinking any water for as many as three fulll days. This makes the oil of a Sand Drake one of the most valuable and sought-after compounds known.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Seemingly limited to extremely arid regions.
Average Intelligence
Highly intelligent, but not inclined to talk much, as they see all other forms of speech-capable creatures as potential prey and are not fond of talking to their food.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Especially sensitive to vibrations felt through its feet and tail, it does not need to see, hear or smell approaching prey as it can feel their footsteps from as far as 200 yards away. Excellent vision, exceptional sense of smell, very poor hearing.
Civilization and Culture
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Sand Drakes are inherently convinced of their own superiority to all other creatures walking the earth. There is no other creature alive or dead that they fear or are in awe of. If they doubt their abilty to defeat another creature that they might encounter in their chosen deserts, they simply avoid the encounter... but they do not fear it or anything that it can do to them. They are utterly and fundamentally convinced that they are the supremely perfect creature in all the world. Aside from making them utterly fearless, this conviction also makes them utterly insufferable whenever they do choose to communicate with another creature.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Scientific Name
Draconidae Desertum Draco
Lifespan
Limited only by size
Average Weight
6,000 to 8,000 pounds.
Average Length
35' - 55' long
Average Physique
Amazingly strong and fast, especially on loose, fine sand. Able to leap more than their body length from a standstill.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Sand Drakes are rather unique in that there is almost no variation in the coloring from nose to tail or back to belly. They are a uniform sand color with a leathery (but very, very tough) hide. Even their eyes are a sand color, so much so that when they are lying on the surface of the sandy desert ground, they are already amazingly well camouflaged.
