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The Allaban Druegan are what
would be classified as “Western-type” Dragons. This means they
possess certain “reptilian” characteristics such as scaled skin and
clawed feet. They have 6 limbs: four legs and two wings. Their front
legs could more accurately be called “fore limbs” rather than legs
because they can use them in a manner similar to how humans use their arm and
hands as well as for support and walking. Though they can stand on our
rear legs alone, and even walk somewhat we are not as accomplished at this
form of locomotion as bi-pedal Dragons.
Their length varies between 100-200
feet from snout to tail tip, with 140-180 being average, and a tail that
encompasses roughly one-third their total length. (I should point out
that size is not determined by gender, as with some species. Neither
sex is predominantly longer or shorter than the other.) When fully
extended, an Allaban Druegan's total wingspan is roughly twice its length.
But this in no way makes them clumsy or awkward. They are as agile on the
ground as they are in flight. The wings tuck in snugly around the body
to facilitate ease of movement whenever ground speed or stealth is
necessary. In the air they are capable of surprising feats of aerobatic
maneuvering, and can move with absolute silence when needed.
They have no visible ears, and
their
eyes have no discernable pupils. Scale color varies widely among the
Allaban Druegan with most Dragons encompassing several colors at once.
One of their most interesting characteristics is that they can change
their
physical coloration at will in a similar fashion to certain squid and
octopus on Earth do.
The basic colors combinations tend to be chosen
according to Clan tradition, which is, in turn, dictated largely by environment.
Some examples of Clan color
combinations include: For forest Clans — green, brown, black, red, orange,
and yellow. For desert Clans—brown, cream, gold, copper, dusty
greens and grey. For water Clans—blue, emerald, silver, black and
white. For snow Clans—silver, white and pale or ice blue.
The variations that can be achieved are truly breathtaking. All of
these colors can range from sparkling metallics to subtle, dusty hues to
better blend into the background.
Communication among the Allaban
Druegan is
based on a combination of telepathic imagery, empathy, body language, and a
wide range of vocalizations. By vocalization, I do not mean that they
have a language as humans do; their jaw structure is not configured in such a
manner to allow such. But they do use specific sounds to help convey
meaning, to provide emphasis. Tone and inflection (whether or not we
are making a casual statement, an inquiry, expressing anger, etc) play a
vital role in determining the meaning of these vocalizations. The
closest comparison there is native to this planet that you are most likely
familiar is whale song. However, they have
learned the concept of a written and spoken language such as humans use when
dealing with other species who also communicate via a word based language,
although there are still some aspects inherent in such a means of
communication that they find puzzling. The ease at which language permits
dishonesty and untruths they find very disconcerting. When a species
communicates telepathically as they do, such acts are not possible. Falsehoods cannot
be hidden when communicating via thoughts and emotions.
They do possess the “standard”
breath weapon seen among many other species of Dragons, which is
the ability to breath fire. Why they, or indeed any species, originally
developed this ability is unknown, but it is speculated that it was as a
defensive weapon. Large as they may be when compared to some species of
Dragon, they are by no means the largest... and there are some critters that
roam the multiverse who are decidedly unfriendly. But as with life
forms native to this world, they have yet to encounter a
species that is invulnerable to fire... you may find one who is highly tolerant, but
given prolonged enough exposure, and even the most resistant will eventually
have to either give way or suffer injury.
Exactly how the mechanism of fire
breathing occurs with the Allaban Druegan, I don’t know. I am not a Healer
and have never researched the exact mechanics of it. I do know they
create a gas that ignites on contact with atmospheric oxygen and they can
store it in special gas bladders within their chest. The gas is created
as a natural by-product of digestion and burns exceptionally hot when
ignited, but they can control when and how much of the gas is stored. By
contracting specific muscles, those bladders are squeezed and the gas is
expelled through a parallel channel which runs along side the normal air
passage, which is itself simultaneously closed off to prevent the obviously
dangerous, and potentially fatal mixing of the fire gas with residual oxygen
in expelled breath from the lungs. As you may guess this is not
an unlimited means of attack or defense, but it is a most useful addition to
an Allaban Druegan's arsenal..
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