Post by Admin on Dec 19, 2014 0:10:14 GMT -6
Merrow
Merfolk exist they are a separate distinct race that evolved concordantly with humans, They call themselves the Merrow. Merrow with a power similar to the ardeur are known as sirens. Sirens have the power to "roll" the minds of people in a similar fashion to vampires. This ability is especially effective against other Merrow. It is in fact so much so that that Sirens in olden times were automatically rulers of their kind. Male Merrow that had the ability were especially cruel the power seemingly taking over them. Females tended to handle the power better initially but its double edged nature tended to overwhelm them and their Due to their potential power over other Merrow, sirens are traditionally slain by Merrow before they can become a danger.
The Merrow call themselves as a group the Grex instead of clan. Each Grex is led by the Oceanus and his/her Thethys the titles are interchangeable for either sex. The Oceanus being the undisputed leader of each Grex with the Thetys as their second cum advisor. They are usuallya mated pair of the most powerful Merrow in a region though not always. The Oceanus is protected by a cadre of guards called Tritons the leader of the Tritons is a position called the Pontus. Each Pontus is a chosen position by the Oceanus of each Grex.
The Thetys is protected by a pair of guards called the Tyndaridae. While the Oceanus is given the bulk of the best fighters in a Grex as their honor guard the Thetys are given the top two absolute best in the Grex. This is tested through rigourous trials executed over the course of several years known as the Skamma. The practice is a flawed one as the Skamma is a voluntary trial so some capable combatants choose to purposefully avoid it . It is considered bad form amongst the Grex to do so as the only intentions of some merrow not reveling in their abilities would obviously mean they were up to no good.
Dragons
Most species are believed to be extinct. Which is the way that dragons like it. They exist having mastered the ability to hide what they are. Those that couldn't were either killed or left to die shunned by proper draconic society. Dragons have a host of abilities but unfortunately also a host of weaknesses. They can be killed while in mortal guise by massive amounts of silver, iron, or blessed weapon attacks. While in their true dragon form the same weapons can kill them...however their hides afford them an increased advantage against those selfsame weapons making the possibilities of them dying before destroying the wielder almost nil. It is supposed that while weakened from attacks that any attack could kill them. It is why dragons rarely fight to the death. When damaged they generally flee at their fastest. They have the ability of time so they will often use a constant harrying over the course of decades, eras or even centuries. Dragons flock together in what is known as Weyrs.
Weyrs are led by Dynast (which can be either male or female). A Dynast then chooses his/her Courtesan which act as second in command when the Dynast is away. The Third in command of a Dragon Weyr is the Skar which acts as enforcer protector of the realm. Instead of clans dragons prefer to be called bands i.e. The Furious Scarlet Band of Kualalumpur. There are only seven recognized bands worldwide There are many in fact though a band typical ranges in number from two to five these numbers fluctuate based on the numbers of dragons who have gone into hibernation or taken themselves away from the world.
Dragons being things of magic can and have spawned children with nearly every species. They are the only exception to cross species mating. Their physiology is a strange polyglot of traits allowing for an amazing number of preternatural feats. Namely that of shape changing. Unlike other shape shifters Dragons no matter the guise are always dragons. Their shape shifting does not bring with it a change of perspective. They are able to fold their massive frames in on itself and mitigate ninety percent of their weight. Their ability to do so has not been ciphered out by modern preternatural science mainly because upon death a dragons skin and bone instantly age and decompose at the rate of one century per second until all the years of their life are apparent in the carcass.
Dragons as a species are a divided lot. The divisions are elemental in nature. There are six recognized lines with a series of intermingling which creates off shoot sub-families. Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, Metal, and Ether. Each line has its own natural abilities. Though in todays world it is extremely rare to find dragons of pure enough blood to be of these purer lines instead of their descendant families.
Earth: Stone, Mud, Dust
Fire: Heat, Plasma, Lava, Steam
Air: Wind, Gas, Storm
Water: Ice, Snow,
Metal: Lightning, Electricity, various energies.
Ether: Darkness, Chaos, Fortune
Griffins
The Griffin which has been dated back as far as the Cretaceous period, are believed to be both a wise and a strong creature that is very much protective over what is his/hers. There are many fine details that change with various cultures, but still some facts about this creature always remain relatively the same. A Griffin has the head of the regal and majestic eagle, while it's body is that of the king of beasts himself the lion. From there is where things change for many cultures as far as the finer points. Many see the head, shoulders and front legs being still that of the eagle, with massive wings expand from the middle of the Griffin's back and vary in size depending on age. The middle and lower body are than said to be that of the lion, including the tail. Coloring is another that seems to vary from culture to culture, but the main body (head, front legs and wings) are between white and black to a rich, vibrant gold or a mix of the three. The lower body and tail still remain neutral to that of the lions natural colors.
Griffins are a common topic for both Ancient Greece as well as Ancient Egyptian art and stories. Though the original origins are still very much up in the air for many. But it does seem that they existed or possible could of existed as far back as 3,300 BC if not more. Either way, the Griffin is nearly always protrayed as a protector either of treasures and valuables upto more supernatural realms such as from black magic, evil, witchcraft. Even today many don't have much to go on about the Griffin as it seems to be one of lifes true mysteries as of yet unexplained.
Like the origins many facts about the Griffin's true nature, lifestyle, diet are still not clear even today. It is thought by some Griffin's were mated to one mate for life and should that mate die, the other would continue their lifespan alone. Whether or not it's true is anyone's guess perhaps for some species of Griffins it could be while others it is not. There is speculation that the Hippogriff is the offspring of a Griffin and mare union given the upper body and head retain that look of a eagle, while the lower body and legs seem to favor more of the horses natural body. Still both are creatures of great mystery and secrets still as of today unexplained.
Griffins are one of the more rare of the supernatural community and as such are rarely seen if at all by most. The most anyone has ever seen in one location is two, that being a mated pair of course and possible their young if any are born of the pair. Of course over the centuries like many species, Griffin's have learned to adapt to their ever changing environment allowing them to blend in and coexist without every being noticed.
Are Griffin's pureblooded? Yes, can their line be infected? No. One is born into the Griffin line and as such is considered a rare and very pure blooded species of creature. Most go their entire life without ever being outed to the human population; since they have advanced so well in appearance to make them blend in more naturally. Of course there can be slight hints if one knows what to look for and the young of any Griffin would have to be kept hidden till they learned control. But as a general rule most Griffins live peacefully and undisturbed by the world around them. Though when emotions run high, some Griffin traits do slip out here and there, one being their eyes. They no longer keep the human aspect but instead shift to that of their eagle blood. Of course like all preternaturals they too need to watch how they act in and around humans as obviously they aren't as weak or frail as one might believe. In rare cases a Griffin still in human form has been known to emit a very high-pitched and at times piercing cry when emotionally distressed.
Griffin's do NOT live in any form of a clan, group and there is ever only 2 found in one location. Not counting the offspring if any are born. Whether or not the two are mated is unclear, most speculate they are but things can change.
Crowns, Veils, and certain other errata due to CJ/Nayeli