The Veldryn
General Information;
Veldryn are slim, reptilian creatures that live underground. Although they can understand many languages, they can't learn to speak any of them; because of this, their methods of speech are non-verbal, including a wide variety of noises. They are very in-tune with members of their own species, and since they have few magical abilities, they rely on their swiftness, which is unmatched by most other beasts.
Statistics;
Name:: Veldryn
Average Lifespan:: 10,000 years
Average Height::4ft/1.2m at the shoulder
Average Weight:: 300 pounds
Location Found:: Felnova.
*all statistics based on averages; extremes in any direction, or found in odd locations, are always allowed.
Notes;
Colors and the Fury A veldryn's colors have been noted to have a profound effect on their Fury; and thus, it is theorized that the strength of their reiatsu plays a key role in the hues splashed across their hide. As it does not depend on genetics, but the strength of one's soul, a brightly colored individual may be born even from parents who have nothing but grayscale tones. Those without bright colors, but yet displaying strong souls, have been noted but are quite rare.
Desert to Caverns Once, veldryn were creatures of the desert sands; but over numerous centuries and countless conflicts with larger and stronger predators, their numbers thinned immensely and they were driven underground. Though they have adapted to live beneath, they still retain the qualities of when they ran amid the dunes of sand, high above and beneath the glaring noonday sun.
Family and Bonds Veldryn have live offspring, and will often rear a litter of three to five healthy cubs. Upon reaching their third year of life, the cubs will leave the care of their parents, and may either stay with their clan or move on to find (or forge) a new one. However, they will always be very closely connected to their parents and siblings through the veldryn's mental bonds, even beyond that of others of their race. It is said that mother veldryn will always know where their children are, even when they are in another Realm.
Diet This is what this species, and any variants, may eat at any given time.
Common:
red meat with a focus on medium to small prey; mushrooms.
Uncommon:
white meat, tubers.
Rare:
very large prey; fish, carrion.
Overview:
Veldryn are primarily carnivores, though they often eat mushrooms and tubers in between hunts to further sustain themselves. When hunting, they prefer lighter prey they can more easily carry home since their hunting grounds tend to be extensive. As veldryn do not hunt in groups, but individually, they will only very rarely attempt to take down prey as large as they are. Only if utterly necessary will they resort to eating carrion.
Credits;
Species info credited to Verridith, SherniKaur, Moonbleached, and Agent.
In-Depth Information;
Appearance The veldryn are lithe, greyhound-like beasts with reptilian influences. Most the size of an average wolf, these quadrupedal beasts have long legs, serpentine tails, with pointed muzzles and slitted nostrils. These nostrils are able to close against the harsh winds of their desert homeland, as do the inner parts of their long and expressive ears. Many sport a furry mane between their ears that stretches down their back up until it reaches the veldryn’s tailbone; at that point is where their fur-tipped tail begins. They have eyes that may come in any color, and may have slitted or round pupils - some may display no pupil at all.
Most often, a veldryn will have scales or hide covering the majority of their bodies; rarely, veldryn may sport a coat of fur that can vary in length from the softest of velvet to inches long. Their forepaws often boast long claws or curved talons, while their hindpaws are somewhat more doglike in appearance. Various mutations are possible with the veldryn, including horns, spikes, multiple ears, and many others. This diversity plays a part in making the veldryn unique.
Color-wise, veldryn can be found in any shade of the spectrum, where muted tones and greys, silvers, and blacks are most common. A colorful veldryn will have a more difficult time finding a mate than a veldryn with grayscale tones, due to their affinity for a more dangerous Fury. Markings may be any color and pattern, and it is not uncommon for grey-toned individuals to sport bright splashes of minimal color. Some choose to decorate themselves with paint or dye, and enjoy wearing small trinkets crafted by magic or nimble-clawed creatures both within their own species and without. However, pure and uninterrupted white is unknown among veldryn individuals, excepting for the White One and his own unique lineage.
Culture Originally, the Veldryn were a desert-dwelling race; it's unnatural for them to live deep underground, but they've adapted to it, and now primarily live in a system of caverns underneath the Exodus Desert and Darklight Mountains. They are led by a single entity: the White Veldryn, who speaks in all tongues and, to this day, remains nameless - even to his followers. Their civilization is loosely based around a basic set of rules put forth by him; if a veldryn were to step out of the boundaries set by him without permission, they could be severely punished. Outsider veldryn, however, will always be welcomed into any clan or tribe, and forgiveness is a common attribute to members of their own race.
The unique way in which veldryn communicate is considered a trait among all but the White One. All veldryn are able to understand any language - even the ancient dragon-tongue - but they cannot learn to speak it. Instead, they communicate using a series of noises that include barks, whistles, chirps, clucks, growls, clicks, and hisses. When speaking to someone who doesn't understand such noises, they will resort to roughly-drawn images in the sand or body language to get their meaning across. Often, however, a veldryn will get frustrated with trying to talk to another and simply leave, asking a different veldryn to take up the task for them.
All veldryn also share a special bond with one another - one that's forged through the spiritual and mental plane, connecting each of them as strongly as it would a dragon and its rider. When one dies, all will feel their death and mourn; when one is in trouble, others may call on their brethren to aid them, much like a deathcat, the ancient enemy that drove them from the desert sands.
Abilities Swift and agile, the veldryn’s dexterity is nearly unrivaled across multiple levels of terrain, including areas that would slow an otherwise dangerous opponent. They can maneuver around obstacles quickly while sprinting and are renowned for being able to outrun even the fastest of opponents. Aware of their surroundings, many veldryn are able to use the environment to their advantage, and can be seen using rock outcroppings, trees, cavern walls, buildings, and other such things as springboards to jump off of and race around.
Although the veldryn have no powerful magic of their own, and most rely on the speed and agility of their bodies, these creatures are born with a unique power that is tapped into in times of great need. Commonly known as the Fury or the Rage, it manifests in the form of elemental magic that befits his or her very being. The Fury lasts only for a period of time that varies by individual, though the effects of using it for prolonged periods may become deadly.
Using the Fury is much like tapping into the reiatsu of one's core being - the more that is used, the higher the risk. Overtaxing on the Fury may prove lethal to the veldryn, and the longer it is used, the more dangerous it becomes. Using it for a small amount of time may only cause disorientation and pain, while longer use may result in debilitation and severe injury. If the Fury is sustained for very long periods of time, it can result in the veldryn's body being torn apart, leading to a violent death. Due to the nature of the veldryn's reiatsu and its effect on their colors, those of more vibrant colorings are more prone to succumbing to the Fury earlier and for longer than those of muted tones.
Species Origin;
Often as he could, Time liked to wander the Realms, visiting the various creatures he had created to see how they were doing, and to spend some time at ease among them, relaxing and sharing his wisdom. It was on one of these forays into Noctis to visit his stonelions, concerned that they were growing and expanding unchecked, that he spotted something new, and unusual.
At first, he thought they were a a pack of kamine migrated from Millirand, but these creatures lacked wings. Hiding himself from sight, he moved closer to better observe the creatures. He found them to be unusual, reptilian canids unlike any he had ever seen, covered in velvetine fur. Though they had only primitive minds, he was impressed by the cleverness and cunning he saw within them, and decided they would serve as a good balance for the stonelions, and curb their steady expansion.
He awakened their minds fully, and gave to them the gift of language and culture, then tasked them with serving as a balance for the stonelions so that neither species would expand too far, matching nehryngi cunning and agility against stonelion strength and fortitude. He blessed the leader of the nehryngi, the first he blessed with an awakened mind, with a higher level of intelligence, the ability to understand all languages, and the power of Sight.
~
In the centuries following Time’s creation of the nehryngi, the species swiftly began to change. Sleek scales began to manifest among them, and their short manes began to fill out, taking on a fluffier look. Fluffy tufts of fur grew on the tips of their tails, and they gained more lithe, agile builds.
It wasn’t long before they ceased to be nehryngi, instead becoming the veldryn, gifted with great speed and cunning. Their ability to speak was lost to them, though they retained their ability to understand many spoken words. Instead, they developed a unique speech of their own, consisting of a variety of animalistic sounds. All veldryn likewise gained the ability to tap into the Fury, a powerful but dangerous eruption of magic that poses as much danger to the veldryn tapping into it as it does to their foes.
Among the veldryn a single individual stood out, a male of pure white who retained the gift of speech in all tongues. How the White One came to be the undisputed leader of all veldryn is long since lost to time, but at some point, under his guidance the veldryn moved to Falnova after that Realm’s creation, and most remained there. To this day, the White One remains the leader of the veldryn, blessed as he is with much greater longevity.
The First Nehryngi is a velvet-furred beast with colors of muted greys, silvers,and blacks, speckled in bright sky blue down her topline, cheeks, and tail. Small spines on her back and hidden in her mane, along with her eyes, horns, and spikes are all of the same color. A long mane of blue-black compliments a sleek form, while long fur decorates the sides of her face, under her tail, and on her chest. The nehryngi's ears are long and expressive, though often droop completely down when not pricked.
subspecies
No subspecies have been discovered for this species yet!
