17.6.1 Dragonkind
Aetolia's skies, lands and seas are home to various draconic species, ranging from the ancient Primordial Dragons to their many descendants. This section covers the major draconic species that adventurers may encounter in their journeys. This only covers those species that contain a direct lineage to the Primordial Dragons, refer to HELP BESTIARY for this lineage tree. Primordial Dragons The original seven Dragons that awoke near the beginning of time. For more information about these ancient beings, refer to PRIMORDIAL DRAGONS. Dragons Direct descendants hatched from the eggs of female Primordial Dragons. Sentient and intelligent, these creatures never stop growing throughout their lives. They possess four scaled legs, wings, armored scales in various colors, and a preference for solitude. While less powerful than their Primordial ancestors, Dragons remain among Aetolia's most formidable beings. Wyrms Non-sentient predators with environmental adaptations, descended from the seed of male Primordial Dragons, notably the Dragon of Desire. Wyrms grow to about 15 feet, have back legs with bird-like feet, and live in packs of 3-5 with alpha/beta hierarchies. Not all wyrms have wings. They display aggression even when unprovoked and adapt physically to their environment, such as forked tongues in forest wyrms and wider snouts in tundra variants. Dreikathi Sentient, humanoid offshoots spawned from the Dragon of Desire. They are a race of beings with unmatched physical power and affinity for magic. See HELP DREIKATHI for more information. Haekathi Half-breed offspring of the Dreikathi. Physical traits can vary widely, though their draconic blood always pronounces itself strongly on their features. Vierkathi Sentient descendants of wyrms with enhanced abilities for survival in harsh environments. As a race, they maintain some of the pack behaviors of their wyrm ancestors but have developed more specialized hunting techniques. Wyverns Smaller draconic creatures that favour the highlands. Growing to a maximum of 15 feet, these cold-blooded creatures possess two back legs, smaller wings, and venomous tails. Wyrmlings A winged serpent descended from the wyvern, bearing both feathers and scales. Notably different than its cousin the Basilisk due to the presence of wings. Basilisks A feathered serpent descended from the wyvern, known for its ability to paralyse prey. It bears both feathers and scales, though lacks the wings of its cousin, the Wyrmling.
