Drakens are a race of imaginary creatures, created by Nate Wallis (A.K.A. Dash).

Body

On average, drakens are a total of 8’ long, and come to 32” at the shoulder. An average adult will weigh around 200 pounds. They are quadrupedal, having four legs. They aren’t built to stand on two legs, but they can rear back for short periods, using wings and tail to help balance. They don’t usually like to do so for extended lengths of time, however, since this puts all of their weight on their hind legs, and feels very precarious. Drakens have no fur, feathers, or scales on their bodies anywhere, but their hide is very tough and leathery. In coloration, drakens are extremely varied, but have a tendency toward colors found in nature. In general, they have two colors, one being the color of most of the body, and the other one being the color of any markings. Markings are patterns on the draken’s hide, such as spots, stripes, the underbelly, and other more specific markings. More than one secondary color can be possible. The secondary color is also the color of their wingsails. If a draken has no markings, the secondary color is usually just a lighter shade of their main color.

Head

Drakens have sleek heads with long muzzles. Their eyes are black all the way through. Male drakens have a short horn on the end of their muzzles, which is the main way of determining a draken’s sex. On the back of a draken’s head is the crest. It is a grouping of spikes that is a large factor in separating individuals from each other. There are numerous kinds of crests. Most are either a group of several spikes, or just a single spike, but others have been seen, like a dorsal fin.

Tail

Drakens have long, muscular tails, reminiscent of that of a reptile or dragon. A draken’s tail is usually half of his or her total body length, or about 4’ on average. Their tails are very prehensile, unlike that of a dog or cat, and can be used as a rudder during flight.

Paws

Having four legs, drakens also have four feet, commonly referred to as “paws.” On each paw are four claws, three on the front and one in the back. The claws are sharp enough to cut things, but dull enough that they don’t cut if the draken doesn’t want them to.

Wings

Drakens have two long, powerful wings, fully functional for flight. Their wings have three ribs each, and skin (called the wingsail) stretched between them. Drakens can fly faster than they can walk, and can go very high. The skin on the longest wingbone is the most tactile sensitive place on their body, so they usually use it for feeling textures and such.

Modes of Transportation

Walking, drakens move faster than humans, and have higher stamina as well. They can sprint to very high speeds, but can fly faster than that. In general, drakens will tend to stay on the ground, but they all enjoy flying, and will do so to get to places quicker. In order to see while flying, drakens have a transparent flight membrane that they can close over their eyes. Drakens are also excellent swimmers, and the flight membrane also lets them see underwater. Since they don’t have any fur or feathers, drakens don’t have any bad side-effects for swimming, and dry off rather quickly. Most enjoy swimming as much as flying. Drakens can hold their breaths for a very long time, since they are well adapted for low oxygen at high altitudes.

Diet

Drakens are omnivorous, able to eat all kinds of food. Most of their diet consists of red meat, and most drakens prefer the taste to that of other kinds of food. Some, however like fish more than red meat. Almost all like the taste of fruit, but also know that meat can sustain them better, and is also in more plentiful supply. They can also eat plants, but most take it as a last resort.

Manipulating Objects

Drakens can manipulate objects in three ways: they can use their mouths, their claws, and their tails. Drakens usually feel more comfortable using their teeth to pick things up or move things. They can use their paws, but it’s not very comfortable for them, as it’s like a human doing something with their foot. Draken’s tails are also very prehensile, and drakens are perfectly comfortable using those as well, mainly to pick up things that won't fit in their mouths, or they don't want to accidentally bite into.

Language

Drakens can speak as well as humans, but in general tend to have a slightly less broad grasp of it, since they tend to just say things in the simplest way. All drakens can speak English. There is no specifically draken language. Drakens were naturally mute, but that was changed when they were Awakened.

Lifespan and Reproduction

When born, drakens are very small, about two feet long total. At the beginning of their life, they grow very quickly. At the age of about six years, they reach full physical maturity. After that, however, they age very slowly, and can live upwards of 300 years. After they mature, it is very difficult to tell their age just by looking at them, as they change very little physically after maturity. However, to counteract the effect that huge lifespan has on a population, their reproductive cycle is very slow. Even after being physically mature, female drakens may not become viable breeders for a while. They do not go into heat very often, and may not do so for years at a time. When impregnated, the fetus develops inside the female’s womb for eighteen months, and is much more physically ready for life than a human newborn. Draken children, or “chicks,” can walk very shortly after birth, and learn to talk in a few months. Usually, only one offspring is produced, but multiple births are about as rare as with humans. Near the end of pregnancy, the chick is rather large, and, while able to walk perfectly fine, their mother may have some difficulty flying more than short distances.

External Links

• Dash's personal site Contains Dash's art, as well as the stories the drakens are based in.