Post by Desert on Aug 13, 2009 0:14:48 GMT -5
Present in the Weyr are duvalia, kipepo, and cephalo; also present in Fyr Amenti are a handful of pure whers and pure dragons. Pure-breeds in Fyr Amenti can be playable characters, though anyone looking for a character in FAW is encouraged to create a hybrid.
All of the 1/4 wher, 3/4 dragon hybrids that currently dominate the Weyr have certain physiological peculiarities that are unique to their breed. They have a more muscular forehand and shorter forelegs than pure dragons, making them excellent fliers though awkward when on the ground. Their hides are thicker and scalier -- more like a wher's hide than a dragon's. Their talons are larger, especially the hind set, and are fixed; their teeth as well, especially the canines, are larger -- some individuals look saber-fanged or tusked.
They have wher-like senses: their heads have a series of heat-sensitive pits along their lower jaw, upper jaw, and in two parallel stripes along either side of their muzzle that reaches from just over each upper canine fang to the inside corner of their eyes, and there is a double-row of heat sensors just under their eyes as well. Like the Terran pit-vipers, the hybrids can use these to super-impose a visual representation of the temperatures around them onto what they see with their eyes, which are hypersensitive to light, though not to the extent that a pure wher's are. These hybrids have a very keen sense of smell, pretty much the same as a wher's sharp olfactory capabilities.
One physiological factor that bybrids have more in common with their draconic ancestors is that, unlike whers, they are not especially repulsive to look upon. In fact, most are just as handsome as pure dragons, and some might say that in their rougher-hewn features they have a rakish beauty that is more tasteful than a dragon's sculpted look.
The hybrids, like whers, don't have to bond to humans. The queen- and king-ranked hybrids always choose riders, but the green- and blue-ranked hybrids sometimes do not. This makes them more unstable than the bonded hybrids, and this manifests in one of two ways: they either become very misanthropic, keeping away from the rest of the Weyr for most of their lives and living solitary lives in the farthest reaches of the Weyr, or they become unbearably clingy and possessive, and never stray very far from another hybrid who is bonded to a human. Either way, these unbonded hybrids are quite feral and unpredictable, and can sometimes be dangerous if caught at the wrong time.
When they do choose riders, these hybrids are more like whers in their choice of bonded, in that they are less picky in terms of gender and sexuality. It's not unusual to see a duvalia queen with a male rider, or vice versa; with kipepo and cephalo the differences, since they are lower-ranked, are less likely to raise an outsider's eyebrows.
Also, the range in age widens with hybrids. Hybrid weyrlings can be as young as ten, and as old as twenty-five.
These hybrids also have one common feature, unseen in either dragons or whers, but apparently a fluke brought about by the odd mix of genetics: instead of producing flame when chewing firestone, the hybrids' second stomachs reject firestone altogether. Instead, they can belch a noxious type of gas that serves several functions. Its dark blackish-brown color hides the hybrid from sight, like a Terran squid's ink-jet, giving it a chance to attack or retreat while others are lost amid the foggy haze. Also, the gas is much like smoke in that if inhaled injudiciously, it causes asphyxiation. Not exactly poisonous, but still dangerous to breathe. All hybrids have the capacity to produce this gas.
Also, all hybrids possess an unusual mutation that makes their tongues almost prehensile. They can extend their tongues out to a length equal to or sometimes greater than the length of their own heads, and the muscle itself is unusually strong. A big duvalia could, conceivably, pick up a human with their tongue alone. This has a similarity to old Terran elephants, given the alarming dexterity the hybrids have with their tongues.
There are only three mutants in Fyr Amenti, and all of them can Hatch as male or female. All three mutations also have a fairly similar hide color of dull red; the differences are in size and physiology.
Duvalia, which can grow anywhere from 35 to 55 meters, are the king/queen hybrids. They are darker in color than kipepo or cephalo, with a purple tinge to their hides. They also have the fewest physiological oddities: their defining feature is the armor-like plating on their forequarters.
This tough shell -- similar in composition to human hair and nails -- is of a dark, blackish purple and can be found in specific places on the duvalia's body. On the back of the neck, starting just in front of the shoulder and stretching to the brow; on the forelegs, stretching from scapula to finger-tip; and on the upper wing surface, along the leading edge, from shoulder to pinion-tip. This plating allows the duvalia to rear back on its hind legs, tuck its head, and curl its forelimbs over itself in a protective ball. Their forepaws and wing-thumbs have abnormally large, thick claws as well, and duvalia are the hybrids best known for oversized canine teeth.
It's not unheardof for a duvalia to bear some marking in a metallic color like gold or bronze -- perhaps a throwback to their origins -- and sometimes even copper, though never any shade of silver.
Duvalia queens often bear very small clutches; perhaps as a reflection of the infertility experienced by most hybrid species.
Duvalia are, as a whole, the most stable and draconic of the hybrids. They rarely ever go unbonded, and even when they do they usually become very shy and never show their faces; no unbonded duvalia has survived to sexual maturity. They all between before that stage of life. They tend to be regal, majestic creatures; sometimes haughty, sometimes arrogant, but remarkably good leaders, always level-headed during crises. They are fiercely loyal and protective; possessive, sometimes, but not to the extent of something like a mimic or black. One thing is certain: never cross a duvalia, for they are ruthless when it comes to an enemy.
Kipepo range from 30 to 40 meters, and both genders rank with canon browns. They are often lighter than their fellow hybrids, with a more orange color than red.
A kipepo's defining feature is its wings. These limbs are stunted and deformed on a kipepo, with only two digits per wing: but kipepo have not two but four individual wings. The combined span of these four odd-looking wings is enough to get the kipepo off the ground, though it still means that their flight is awkward and slow, so most kipepo stay grounded. In a kipepo the veins in their wings are very visible, with a darker red color that contrasts strongly with the filmy red of the sail. However, thanks to their odd wing structure, kipepo can reach a true hover; kipepo to other hybrids, dragons and whers are like Terran helicopters to fix-winged aircraft. In this way they are useful when tithe trains come to the Weyr, for they can help lower cargo into the Bowl cavern much more easily than other fliers.
As if to make up for its unspectacular wings, a kipepo's forelegs are more muscles and longer: more like a true dragon's forelegs. They are surprisingly swift and agile runners, and most female kipepo take to running through the forests around the Weyr when they mate, meaning that mostly it's just kipepo males catching the females. The females, like female cephalo, are infertile so this doesn't hamper the hybrid species much. It does, however, mean that a duvalia queen's Flight usually only includes other duvalia, and perhaps a particularly large and adventurous cephalo; besides the ocassional pure wher or dragon.
Kipepo are the playful spirits. Mischief comes naturally to these hybrids; they love a good laugh, but not when the joke is turned onto them. Often proud, they turn petulant quickly when their plans go awry, and can be spiteful if crossed. Kipepo tend to be selfish and self-centered, and therefore careless when it comes to interpersonal relationships.
Less than one-fifth of all kipepo bond to humans, and most of the wild ones are obsessively clingy to a bonded hybrid; they almost always choose to shadow another kipepo.
Cephalo are the smallest and can be anywhere from 20 to 33 meters; they are are blue- or green-ranked. Their hides are usually a color halfway between the orange tint of a kipepo's and the violet tinge on a duvalia.
A cephalo's unique physiology is centered in its tail [[in an odd juxtaposition to its name, which refers to the head, because Desert didn't think that keeping the Plaga-looking part as the head would be very nice]]. The limb is extraordinarily long and whiplike, with the dark shell-like armor found on duvalias covering it, segmented like an old Terran scorpion tail. The bifurcation found on most dragon, wher or hybrid tail-tips has been significantly changed: here, the armor splits, revealing a flesh-colored, bony, drill-like spike.
Most of the dorsal ridges are absent on a cephalo's tail, except for roughly three-quarters of the way down, a series of four spindly spikes juts out of the limb. Also, at the base of the tail, eight thin spikes protrude from either side of the limb, lined up in four pairs.
Needless to say, when a cephalo flails its tail it can cause serious damage. And since cephalo are the most inclined to forego riders, they can be some of the more dangerous hybrids in the Weyr.
Cephalo, when agitated, have a tendency to lash about with their tails. Not the subtle twitching like a feline's -- if anything is within range of that tail, it will be struck, and if it is a body part in the way, broken bones and deep gashes are certain to follow. In the process of swinging, the hard-shelled segments often knock together, resulting in a loud rattling sound not unlike that produced by a Terran rattlesnake.
Unlike the canon dragons with whom they share their rank, most cephalo have long, lanky wings for endurance flying. Since some of the larger cephalo are capable, if not always inclined, to chase a Rising duvalia, this is a boon rather than a bane. Cephalo have been known to catch young and inexperienced smaller duvalia, much like the occasional brown catching a young gold, and the clutches sired by cephalo have been viable and strong, if smaller in size and with fewer duvalia showing up.
Cephalo are the most unpredictable, aggressive hybrids in Fyr Amenti. Their tempers are short and explosive; their moods mercurial. One can usually count on a cephalo to start or join a fight, as they are natural rabble-rousers. They don't lack courage, though, for cephalo are no cowards and will pursue their goals with single-minded determination until the end. When channeled properly, this stubborn belligerence can be very useful, or if left unchecked it can be quite destructive. Less than a third of all cephalo choose riders, and of the unbonded population, the number who choose misanthropy and clinging is fairly even. If they do cling, most choose to cling to a duvalia.
[/size]All of the 1/4 wher, 3/4 dragon hybrids that currently dominate the Weyr have certain physiological peculiarities that are unique to their breed. They have a more muscular forehand and shorter forelegs than pure dragons, making them excellent fliers though awkward when on the ground. Their hides are thicker and scalier -- more like a wher's hide than a dragon's. Their talons are larger, especially the hind set, and are fixed; their teeth as well, especially the canines, are larger -- some individuals look saber-fanged or tusked.
They have wher-like senses: their heads have a series of heat-sensitive pits along their lower jaw, upper jaw, and in two parallel stripes along either side of their muzzle that reaches from just over each upper canine fang to the inside corner of their eyes, and there is a double-row of heat sensors just under their eyes as well. Like the Terran pit-vipers, the hybrids can use these to super-impose a visual representation of the temperatures around them onto what they see with their eyes, which are hypersensitive to light, though not to the extent that a pure wher's are. These hybrids have a very keen sense of smell, pretty much the same as a wher's sharp olfactory capabilities.
One physiological factor that bybrids have more in common with their draconic ancestors is that, unlike whers, they are not especially repulsive to look upon. In fact, most are just as handsome as pure dragons, and some might say that in their rougher-hewn features they have a rakish beauty that is more tasteful than a dragon's sculpted look.
The hybrids, like whers, don't have to bond to humans. The queen- and king-ranked hybrids always choose riders, but the green- and blue-ranked hybrids sometimes do not. This makes them more unstable than the bonded hybrids, and this manifests in one of two ways: they either become very misanthropic, keeping away from the rest of the Weyr for most of their lives and living solitary lives in the farthest reaches of the Weyr, or they become unbearably clingy and possessive, and never stray very far from another hybrid who is bonded to a human. Either way, these unbonded hybrids are quite feral and unpredictable, and can sometimes be dangerous if caught at the wrong time.
When they do choose riders, these hybrids are more like whers in their choice of bonded, in that they are less picky in terms of gender and sexuality. It's not unusual to see a duvalia queen with a male rider, or vice versa; with kipepo and cephalo the differences, since they are lower-ranked, are less likely to raise an outsider's eyebrows.
Also, the range in age widens with hybrids. Hybrid weyrlings can be as young as ten, and as old as twenty-five.
These hybrids also have one common feature, unseen in either dragons or whers, but apparently a fluke brought about by the odd mix of genetics: instead of producing flame when chewing firestone, the hybrids' second stomachs reject firestone altogether. Instead, they can belch a noxious type of gas that serves several functions. Its dark blackish-brown color hides the hybrid from sight, like a Terran squid's ink-jet, giving it a chance to attack or retreat while others are lost amid the foggy haze. Also, the gas is much like smoke in that if inhaled injudiciously, it causes asphyxiation. Not exactly poisonous, but still dangerous to breathe. All hybrids have the capacity to produce this gas.
Also, all hybrids possess an unusual mutation that makes their tongues almost prehensile. They can extend their tongues out to a length equal to or sometimes greater than the length of their own heads, and the muscle itself is unusually strong. A big duvalia could, conceivably, pick up a human with their tongue alone. This has a similarity to old Terran elephants, given the alarming dexterity the hybrids have with their tongues.
There are only three mutants in Fyr Amenti, and all of them can Hatch as male or female. All three mutations also have a fairly similar hide color of dull red; the differences are in size and physiology.
Duvalia, which can grow anywhere from 35 to 55 meters, are the king/queen hybrids. They are darker in color than kipepo or cephalo, with a purple tinge to their hides. They also have the fewest physiological oddities: their defining feature is the armor-like plating on their forequarters.
This tough shell -- similar in composition to human hair and nails -- is of a dark, blackish purple and can be found in specific places on the duvalia's body. On the back of the neck, starting just in front of the shoulder and stretching to the brow; on the forelegs, stretching from scapula to finger-tip; and on the upper wing surface, along the leading edge, from shoulder to pinion-tip. This plating allows the duvalia to rear back on its hind legs, tuck its head, and curl its forelimbs over itself in a protective ball. Their forepaws and wing-thumbs have abnormally large, thick claws as well, and duvalia are the hybrids best known for oversized canine teeth.
It's not unheardof for a duvalia to bear some marking in a metallic color like gold or bronze -- perhaps a throwback to their origins -- and sometimes even copper, though never any shade of silver.
Duvalia queens often bear very small clutches; perhaps as a reflection of the infertility experienced by most hybrid species.
Duvalia are, as a whole, the most stable and draconic of the hybrids. They rarely ever go unbonded, and even when they do they usually become very shy and never show their faces; no unbonded duvalia has survived to sexual maturity. They all between before that stage of life. They tend to be regal, majestic creatures; sometimes haughty, sometimes arrogant, but remarkably good leaders, always level-headed during crises. They are fiercely loyal and protective; possessive, sometimes, but not to the extent of something like a mimic or black. One thing is certain: never cross a duvalia, for they are ruthless when it comes to an enemy.
Kipepo range from 30 to 40 meters, and both genders rank with canon browns. They are often lighter than their fellow hybrids, with a more orange color than red.
A kipepo's defining feature is its wings. These limbs are stunted and deformed on a kipepo, with only two digits per wing: but kipepo have not two but four individual wings. The combined span of these four odd-looking wings is enough to get the kipepo off the ground, though it still means that their flight is awkward and slow, so most kipepo stay grounded. In a kipepo the veins in their wings are very visible, with a darker red color that contrasts strongly with the filmy red of the sail. However, thanks to their odd wing structure, kipepo can reach a true hover; kipepo to other hybrids, dragons and whers are like Terran helicopters to fix-winged aircraft. In this way they are useful when tithe trains come to the Weyr, for they can help lower cargo into the Bowl cavern much more easily than other fliers.
As if to make up for its unspectacular wings, a kipepo's forelegs are more muscles and longer: more like a true dragon's forelegs. They are surprisingly swift and agile runners, and most female kipepo take to running through the forests around the Weyr when they mate, meaning that mostly it's just kipepo males catching the females. The females, like female cephalo, are infertile so this doesn't hamper the hybrid species much. It does, however, mean that a duvalia queen's Flight usually only includes other duvalia, and perhaps a particularly large and adventurous cephalo; besides the ocassional pure wher or dragon.
Kipepo are the playful spirits. Mischief comes naturally to these hybrids; they love a good laugh, but not when the joke is turned onto them. Often proud, they turn petulant quickly when their plans go awry, and can be spiteful if crossed. Kipepo tend to be selfish and self-centered, and therefore careless when it comes to interpersonal relationships.
Less than one-fifth of all kipepo bond to humans, and most of the wild ones are obsessively clingy to a bonded hybrid; they almost always choose to shadow another kipepo.
Cephalo are the smallest and can be anywhere from 20 to 33 meters; they are are blue- or green-ranked. Their hides are usually a color halfway between the orange tint of a kipepo's and the violet tinge on a duvalia.
A cephalo's unique physiology is centered in its tail [[in an odd juxtaposition to its name, which refers to the head, because Desert didn't think that keeping the Plaga-looking part as the head would be very nice]]. The limb is extraordinarily long and whiplike, with the dark shell-like armor found on duvalias covering it, segmented like an old Terran scorpion tail. The bifurcation found on most dragon, wher or hybrid tail-tips has been significantly changed: here, the armor splits, revealing a flesh-colored, bony, drill-like spike.
Most of the dorsal ridges are absent on a cephalo's tail, except for roughly three-quarters of the way down, a series of four spindly spikes juts out of the limb. Also, at the base of the tail, eight thin spikes protrude from either side of the limb, lined up in four pairs.
Needless to say, when a cephalo flails its tail it can cause serious damage. And since cephalo are the most inclined to forego riders, they can be some of the more dangerous hybrids in the Weyr.
Cephalo, when agitated, have a tendency to lash about with their tails. Not the subtle twitching like a feline's -- if anything is within range of that tail, it will be struck, and if it is a body part in the way, broken bones and deep gashes are certain to follow. In the process of swinging, the hard-shelled segments often knock together, resulting in a loud rattling sound not unlike that produced by a Terran rattlesnake.
Unlike the canon dragons with whom they share their rank, most cephalo have long, lanky wings for endurance flying. Since some of the larger cephalo are capable, if not always inclined, to chase a Rising duvalia, this is a boon rather than a bane. Cephalo have been known to catch young and inexperienced smaller duvalia, much like the occasional brown catching a young gold, and the clutches sired by cephalo have been viable and strong, if smaller in size and with fewer duvalia showing up.
Cephalo are the most unpredictable, aggressive hybrids in Fyr Amenti. Their tempers are short and explosive; their moods mercurial. One can usually count on a cephalo to start or join a fight, as they are natural rabble-rousers. They don't lack courage, though, for cephalo are no cowards and will pursue their goals with single-minded determination until the end. When channeled properly, this stubborn belligerence can be very useful, or if left unchecked it can be quite destructive. Less than a third of all cephalo choose riders, and of the unbonded population, the number who choose misanthropy and clinging is fairly even. If they do cling, most choose to cling to a duvalia.
