Drakes

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Drakes are creatures of the planet Relune.

Traditionally, drakes only bond with night elves. This bonding is of the drake's choosing, and the chosen has no choice in the matter. There have been a few, very rare, cases of drakes bonding with other types of elves, but only those with a warrior's spirit.

Before the Magical Creature Edict, drakes would scent mark things that belonged to them with urine containing small secretions of a foul smelling chemical. Unfortunately, the drakes still do this behavior, except that without the urine, the chemical is undiluted and especially revolting. Drakes will mark their bond upon the initial meeting, this is followed by the drake taking the rider for a hunt together that 'seals' the bond. Such a ride can be put off but it is not reccommended as this will result in the drake marking the chosen more than once. Those that have experienced it have said that being marked is the worst thing they had experienced, but that the act of bonding more than makes up for it.

Drakes are somewhat intellegent, on the level of dolphins or apes, though some moreso than others. As an example, a few drakes are smart enough to realize that water comes out of a faucet and try to get that water into a bottle to take elsewhere.

Coloring can range in the full spectrum, with many different patterns and scale types. A drake could have different colors after a molt and only gets its permanant coloring as an adult. Some drakes have dull scales, others have glossy, metalic, or refractive qualities. Drake patterns are usually symetrical, but this is not always the case. Drake colors are not always complimentary, green orange and purple on the same drake is not uncommon. Baby drakes are usually natural colors such as browns, greens and greys for camoflage purposes, their first molt as a 'young' drake usually leaves them a tangerine orange though this color generally only lasts 6-18 months. Adult drakes have few predators, but they will become nervous in the presence of a dragon, ready to flee at a moments notice.

They are very social creatures and live in large groups, headed by a dominant drake of either gender. These are called emperor drakes. Sometimes a pair will lead in the group. In larger communities, there can be a diverse pecking orders with multiple emperor drakes. In the wild, groups tend not to exceed 20 adults, but only as there is not enough food to support more. A lone drake does not do well without companionship and may become agressive or destructive if it does not have regular access to others. As they are sizable predators, they must move every few months to new hunting grounds, more often with larger groups. Drakes will fight with eachother, but these conflicts are almost never deadly.

Drakes do have distinct personalities, some being passive, others agressive, sneaky, charming. Some people compare them to cats in that they will often do what they want. Drakes are capable of getting revenge and though most retaliate immediately, the more intelegent ones will often bide their time.

Drakes prefer high places in which they can watch their territories. Oceanside cliffs, especially if they have caves for shelter, are prime as the ocean supplies many fish and they are very good fishers as well as hunters. A drake can grab a fish 10 feet below the water and resurface, remaining in flight.

An adult drake needs about 200 lbs of meat in a week and will cache leftover food. A drake can fly carrying 650-800 lbs. An adult drake weighs about 1600 lbs, it can be difficult to discern a drake's gender though there are subtle differences. Hatchlings usually need to be sexed by a specialist, though those with the Mark can mentally connect with the drake and find out that way.

Drakes can fly up to 160 miles in a 24 hour period. Drakes are considered magical creatures and benefit from digestion enhancements and increased sexual activity, but there must be a male and a female to produce eggs. A drake egg weighs 15 pounds and clutches are usually 2-4 eggs, laid in mid spring to late summer. These eggs are incubated for 3-4 months and are helpless for another 3 months. Drakes are considered hatchlings *or 'baby drakes') for a year afterward, at which point they are 'young' for 3 more. A drake is considered juvenile from ages 5-10 years, at which point it will undertake its last full molt and is considered an adult. Males are able to breed at 7 years, though females need to be 8+ and don't generally make good mothers until adulthood. A drake can carry an adult male night elf at 4 years old. A female can lay as many as 6 eggs at a time. Each egg in a clutch might have a different father, as drakes do pair off, but it is more for companionship than breeding purposes. Young are cared for by the group. Drakes are also known to care for sick or injured adults.File:Drakesize.jpg

A drake with a shrink collar is about the same size as a housecat. Shrink collarred drakes must be fed without the collars or they will eventually physically break down and die.

In the Empire, any elf that is bonded to a drake is provided with the means to feed the drake. A drake that is not bound to a soldier can legally be taken and ridden in times of need at the edict of the Emperor regardless of who it is bound to. These drakes are returned to their bond when their services are no longer required.

Those with the Mark can control any or all drakes to do anything it is physically capable of doing. Often, this is used in battle with drakes in tight formation, their rider is then able to focus entirely on the battle and not on directing the drake. The Mark is also capable of directing a drake in very particular tasks. Imperial drakes are given a list of animals they are not permitted to eat (unless being fed) at a young age. This list includes most domestic animals. As these drakes live permanantly near Rylithian, they are not permitted to hunt the surrounding area, but limited fishing is acceptable. As the drakes are fed daily, most of them are not interested in finding their own food, but some will steal any food left unguarded.

A drake who has lost its bond will often die of sadness in a few weeks. Some drakes survive and bond to another, but many are not so lucky. If it does not look like the drake is recovering after 10 days, it is put down in an act of kindness. The shrill cry of a drake at the time of its bond's death is heart wrenching. Drakes live about 150 years, bonded drakes live as long as their rider does, in peak condition. Should a drake bond near the end of its natural life span, they will return to the condition they were in their prime in a few months. Should an old drake lose its rider, its age will return to it and it will die within 2-3 days.

Click on each drake to go to it's bonded rider.

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