Drakkar (drah-CAR) (s)
Drakkari (drah-car-EE) (p)
Drakkari are a slender race, built for sinuous movements and cutting smoothly through nearly any medium. Their hides are thick, capable of resisting blows from teeth or claws without much trouble, especially on their underbelly. Their bodies are mostly unadorned, sporting only a frill that starts at the base of one jaw and wraps around the upper part of the head to end at the base of the other jaw. Drakkar have a relatively long, pointed muzzle filled with small, sharp teeth, though they have several sets of molars set far back in their jaws. Their claws on both fore and hind-paws are long and wickedly sharp, though only slightly curved. They have large, powerful membranous wings with three wingtines and a distinct thumb-claw.
Coloration is related to the Drakkar's element, and is only deviated from in very, very rare cases. Usually, a color not matching the element results in dud eggs or premature death, and those few who do live to adulthood remain small and sickly their entire life.
A coloration may range from very plain - just a simple, singular color - or it may have a vivid pattern in it - for example, a Sand Elemental whose hide appears to be made of many grains of sand. Drakkari never have markings distinct from these hide patterns or the natural variation between dorsal and ventral hide.
Drakkari are Medium-Small in size, ranging from 6' to 8' tall at the shoulder, 25' to 34' long from nose to tail tip, and with a wingspan of 25' to 36'. Females are, on average, larger than the males. Occasional outliers can be born, but if they are much larger than 8' tall or smaller than 6' tall, the society itself tends to shun them, and it is unlikely that they will find a mate.
Their height:length:wingspan ratio is: 1:4.2:4.5. Being such that a Drakkar who is 7' tall at the shoulder is approximately 29'5" long and has a wingspan of approximately 31'6" from wingtip to wingtip.
Drakkari primarily speak verbally, their flexible lips and agile tongues allowing them to pronounce most languages, though they tend to have a hissing accent when doing so.
They are also capable of projective empathy, the ability to project emotions to those around them. This is traditionally used in conjunction with their speech, to convey more meaning with their words than would otherwise be possible. For races that don't have the ability to project their emotions, Drakkari are capable, with practice, of picking up on the emotions of others without those emotions being broadcast, though Drakkari only pick that skill up if they are consistently around people who cannot broadcast.
Drakkari are primarily carnivorous, though they are perfectly capable of eating and digesting plant matter as well. They tend to have a large sweet-tooth, and will consume sweet fruits when in their own society. When surrounded by two-feet with the ability to cook, however, Drakkari that have low willpower will become fat from gorging on baked goods and candies.
Drakkari are perfectly aware of, and highly approve of, fermentation and the alcohol that results from it. In their own society, Drakkari have taken the time to cultivate certain fruits that naturally ferment when left on the vine in the sun. Of course, when around societies that are capable of producing alcohol, the Drakkari will indulge much more often.
Drakkari society is currently fragmented and scattered. Each group has their own ways and beliefs, and these differences often cause fighting when two groups meet. Drakkar are perfectly capable, willing, and sometimes overly happy to hold grudges that can last entire generations, further splintering what used to be a fairly unified race into a patchwork of antagonism and wary trust.
The splinter sect of Drakkari that has arrived on Nyracii, hoping to escape from the constant infighting on their homeworld, are relatively peaceful, willing to extend a tentative olive-branch to the races already present upon the world. As they still have "their" two-feet, and many of them are bonded to Drakii, they are willing to open their clutches to other races.
Drakkari have no set naming system, and choose their own names shortly after they have reached an appropriate level of intelligence.