Races

Dragonoid - by T.A. Saunders ©2010 v1.0

Racial Articles The Best Possible Result of Paradox: The Dragonoid

Tashalasheeri was the start of it all. With the birth of the abomination, Aryxiar came the knowledge that inter-breeding between Dragon and mortal was possible…even successful to a point. Setting out to create an abomination was never Tasha's intention; her intense love for Hazaad had forced her to explore the depths of Draconic power and become the first Astral Wyrm to successfully shapeshift not with magic, but with sheer force of will. It was the only way Tasha could fool the other Wyrms and other Asyndi into believing she was actually an Asyndi, rather than a Dragon hidden by magic. But the advantages of her disguise became plainly obvious quickly and a coupling that was never meant to happen came to pass.

The knowledge of Draconic Shapeshifting has survived the ages and with it the knowledge that offspring can be produced while in humanoid form. Because Draconic Shapeshifting is an alteration of self, rather than a sorcerously imposed alteration, the genetic truth of the dragon is preserved. Because of this, the ability to create an offspring is fostered, though depending on the parents the results can be far different. When the mother is a humanoid and the father is a dragon, the result is a Dragonoid.

It is important to make this distinction because a Dragonoid is genetically only remotely similar to the much larger and much more aggressive Dracothar. Dragonoids are born within the womb of their humanoid parents and take however long that humanoid mother requires to give birth. This development time seems to address an issue of possible mental instability the Dracothar suffer, though so few Dragonoids are ever born, it is difficult to make that determination accurately. There are also far less genetic mutations in Dragonoids, though they can happen. Such mutations can include a cyclopean eye, an extra set of arms or in extremely rare cases, two heads. Because of the greater humanoid influence, Dragonoids are also warm-blooded, rather than cold-blooded as Dracothar are; as such, they are often considered ‘Half-Humanoid' by Dragons, rather than Half-Dragon.

Just with an alteration of parenting, drastic changes are made between the two sub-races, simply because neither was meant to exist in the world, hence there is a lack of genetic symmetry. Dragonoids have gotten the better shake in the deal, as far as being able to integrate into society, but being able to do so is an uphill battle from the womb to the grave for the hybrid race. Level of acceptance from humanoid races varies between borderline hostile to cordial, while Dragons themselves are at best, aloof with their Dragonoid kin.

With so few Dragonoids in the world, they are considered a rarity (or an aberration depending on your viewpoint) and none presently hold any positions of power on Imarel, nor have they organized in any fashion to represent themselves as a people. This has further enshrouded them in mystique, fear and curiosity as a race. Most prefer taking humanoid mates and as such, their children end up looking almost entirely humanoid, with perhaps one physical trait carrying on. No Dragonoid has ever successfully mated with a Dragon, that anybody knows of, nor is it known whether such a coupling could conceive a viable offspring.