In-Depth Information;

Appearance Weredragons have two distinct forms; their humanoid form and their dragonform. When approaching a full moon, their features will slowly change, and the two forms will blend. What features show up and how differs from individual to individual, though it cannot be controlled or banished by any natural means.

Humanoid: Their humanoid shapes often reflect what heritage they held before they or their ancestors were Changed, and can be anything from elven to orcish. Weredragon human form appearances range all across the board, and may have any skin color, hair color, and eye color. However, their culture often dictates where one may be based on appearance and bloodlines alone. Most weredragons that have any sort of wealth are refined, beautiful creatures, with well-defined features, fine clothes, and clean appearances. Those lower in class have less than pleasing looks, cast out from society at large.

Draconic: Most akin to western dragons, weredragons have six limbs in total; two wings, two arms, and two legs. Unlike in their humanoid form, weredragons’ draconic forms are lackluster and dull compared to true dragons, their colors muted and bland. Most are covered in thick hide, and those lucky enough to have scales do not scintillate with light, matte and rough to the touch. Weredragons never have wings that may achieve true flight; they are all vestigial, and can be used for gliding, nothing more. Weredragons' dragonforms have anatomy that is somewhere between fully bipedal and fully quadrupedal, with how much varying from individual to individual.

Culture Most weredragons live in seclusion; their cities are well-guarded and well-hidden, located in places most other species cannot go. While some are more well known and accessible than others - such as the city of Mordue - many have locations that are not found on any map. They are protective of their kind, and very aware of their own mortality. They are not immortal, and while they live long lives, the knowledge that their lives will one day end weighs heavily on their minds. While they remain hale and hearty for most of their lives, when age starts to take its toll, it generally happens suddenly and harshly. This fact leads most weredragons to pursue rather hedonistic lifestyles, while a fair number seek true immortality.

Despite this - or perhaps because of it - weredragons celebrate life while they can. They enjoy all the prestigious joys the worlds have to offer, hold feasts and parties, and treat one another to extravagant wealth and beauty. Courtship between two weredragons is a spectacle of finery and opulence, with marriage rituals that may extend into celebrations lasting weeks. However, there is a black mark on their aristocratic way of life; the weredragon as a race is very vain, and those that do not live up to their expectations of beauty are often pushed out of their society and trod upon. The ugliest of weredragons are treated no better than unwanted pets, fed and watered but often otherwise kept out of sight. Some live on the streets or in other places in the Realms, far from where their race may ridicule and hurt them.

All weredragons are moon-chained, as well; their appearances change with the phases of the moon or moons in any given Realm, and those times beneath the full moon are often the quietest among their cities. Those that must travel while in dragonform may decorate themselves with a multitude of jewels, though never metal. Pure metals are toxic to various degrees to weredragons in their dragonforms, and it is a well-known fact that any were approaching a moon-change must remove all metal piercings, chains, jewelry, armor, etc before their full form is taken, or else risk becoming sick.

Abilities In both forms, weredragons are very physically strong and fast. Their affinity for magic is as broad of a spectrum as their draconic cousins; within reason, no ability or affinity is beyond a weredragon's reach. In-between forms has a variety of different effects on their magic and strength, differing by individual.

They may bite in either form, and these bites are particularly nasty, as their saliva carries the same bacteria which may change another humanoid race into their own. Anyone bitten by them runs the risk of falling victim to the same condition. Once the Change has completely taken hold, it cannot be cured.

Humanoid: Through adolescence on, weredragons in their humanoid forms are commonly stronger, faster, as well as more agile. They may heft many things humanoids of similar size could not, jump higher distances, and execute sharp maneuvers on the ground. Magically, they are less adept in this form than their dragonform, but still quite powerful.

Draconic: In their draconic forms, weredragons are granted with the advantage of taloned hands and sharp fangs, thick hide, and horns. In addition to heightened senses and greater strength, they are more magically adept than their humanoid forms, and often focus their magic as breath-weapons for ease of use.

Rarely, some weredragons suffer from sporadic bouts of rage in their dragonforms. In these rages, they become aggressively defensive and prone to violence over the smallest of offenses, lashing out at even close friends without hesitation. The adrenaline running through their bodies grants them greater strength and a spike in pain tolerance, but they lose all reason until it fades.

subspecies

No subspecies have been discovered for this species yet!