Storm Scalla

The Storms are the masters of weather. They are one of the larger dragon types.

**Habitat:** High Mountains, Plains, Coasts.

## History

The Storms are a type of Scalla, and one of the six created when the Madness ripped through the Unscalla and broke them. Shadowflame is the first of the Frost. His mate is Leviathan. The Storm and the Maelstrom are closely related.

Shadowflame was lost to the Shroud and Leviathan disappeared into the deepest parts of the ocean (known to humans as Mariana Trench (or Marianas Trench).

### *Recent*

It was thought the Storm Scalla were extinct until recently when Darkens The Sky and Cloudskimmer emerged from the annals of time. These two were hiding among the humans after the Second Dragon War.

During their mission to close the Gate of Legends, Tsar'Lena and other members of the Company, found and rescued Shadowflame. He promptly left to find his mate.

> Claws wrapped firmly around the Bridge of Gold, The First stared across the dimming sky and crimson wash of the ocean. He shook his massive head and rumbled a sigh. "I'm going home."
>
>

## Appearance

Storm Scalla in draconic form are heavy-set and long. They leave a trail of rain in their wake, and usually move with thunder and lightning crowning them. Their wings are broad and thick, invoking great winds with each flap.

Storms have multiple sets of horns, both forward facing and backward facing. Their forward facing horns begin along their upper mandible and create a crown of horns up and around the head, culminating in two slightly longer horns at the top of their skull. The second layer of horns, situated further back on the cranium are several longer horns that extend back from their heads. Both male and females have horns. The number varies with the individual.

Numerous spikes and protrusions are scattered on their hide, most of these acting as lightning rods when they use their innate abilities to summon lightning. Their markings suggest lightning or rainstorms, often with black, blue or golden colorations to their hide. Some Storms reflected the gentle storms of summer, with lighter hues, and brought with them gentle showers, thick clouds and cooling breezes.

### *Osteoderms*

From the base of their head to the end of their tail are long spikes, called osteoderms, gathered into sections of three. Although they follow the Scalla’s spine, these ossifications are independent of vertebrae. They can be moved with the muscles and, if they break off, will eventually regrow. The length and number of these osteoderms are different for each Scalla.

When Storms are relaxed, these protrusions lay flat, slightly crossed. When the Scalla becomes emotional, the spine-spikes stand on end. It is around these spine-spikes the Jacobs’ ladder like lightning flares originate.

They break off and can be repaired over time via regrowth. Various reasons for the osteoderms to break off are from excessive damage or accidental. These spine act as electrical conduits for the lightning that Storms manipulate within their body structure. (See Combat: Jacob’s Ladder)

### *Hatchlings*

As hatchlings, Storm Scalla are mostly blues and silvers with the occasional purple or black. Storms are eight to nine feet long in when they hatch, their tails around seven feet long and their wingspan already sixteen feet at birth.

## Abilities

As with the majority of scalla, Storm can alter their form to bipedal ones resembling humans. Storm Scalla favor youthful appearance and their humanoid forms tend to be tall and slender. Their bipedal forms often have blue or violet eyes, or irises that reflect the coloration of their scales.  Their eyes are usually blue or violet, tending to match the general pattern of their scales. Storms can also utilize primal.

### *Electrical Aura / Jacob’s Ladder*

They utilize their osteoderms as electrical conduits, and this allows electricity and lightning to run the course of their body. When they are agitated, enraged, or just generally excited, their bodies ripple with lightning. The lightning fluctuates between their spine-spikes. Storms can also control the strength, so it can be comparable to an electrical pulse (similar to a TENS unit), a mild electrical shock all the way to being struck by true lightning.
The fewer osteoderms a Storm has the more difficult it is for them to manipulate the lightning. Though missing one or two spine spikes will not affect the Storm, the loss of a dozen or more can have serious consequences on their ability to generate their epidural lightning.

This is just an aura and not an ability that can be used to create lightning that zips across the floor or anything like that; however the aura extends a fair distance from the Scalla - up to 50’ - which makes it an effective thing to use against multiple targets.

Due to this ability, Storms are immune to light based attacks, and electrical or lightning based attacks as well.

### *Magnetism*

Their bodies are composed of enough magnetic materials between their hides and their electrification abilities, they can magnetize things that are able to be affected by this. They can draw any material that is naturally reactive to being magnetized to them quite quickly. If the object in question is heavier, secured or stronger than the scalla, then the scalla will be drawn to it instead. Certainly, this makes for awkward moments as the hatchling learns to control the ability.

### *Weather Manipulation*

Older Storm can control the weather around them within a few miles radius. This includes the ability to draw clouds up from a clear sky, and dramatically alter the temperature in either direction.

## Society

Storms divide themselves into Clans, often using landmarks of nearby territories for names. The Clans include but are not limited to the Azure Clan. They are fiercely territorial and fight for dominance among themselves constantly. This has led to many Scallic deaths due to their fierce rivalry among one another.

### *Education*

There are two types of educational methods for Storms. The first is the parents who simply abandoned their clutch shortly after hatching, leaving the hatchlings to fend for themselves. This does not usually go over well as hatchlings tend to fight their siblings from the moment of their birth. Occasionally, the clutch mates do not kill each other, instead establishing a pecking order, ad learning from their siblings. They form a small clan that will stay together until such time as something breaks it apart.

The other type of 'parenting' is for the parents to wait for the hatchlings to duke it out and watch. If a parent favors one of their hatchlings, they may pluck it from the nest fight and prevent more harm from coming to it. If the parent does nothing, the hatchlings will fight until only one is left, and even then that one often succumbs to their injuries if not healed afterward.

Their lessons are often harsh and fast as Storm clutch-mates turn on each other soon after their true teeth replace their ‘egg teeth’. They will often fight to the death as the clutch-mates vie for dominance. If two prove equally as strong, they call a truce and often two similar strength siblings will form an alliance when they leave their parents’ care.

### *Life Span*

As with all Scalla, Storms have indeterminate growth. They gain approximately ?? feet every century or so. This is called a ‘length’ among the Scalla and is how they determine their age.

The life span of a Storm is currently unknown. The majority of Storm lives have ended due to being killed. Those who were not killed had lives that spanned centuries, and there are records of Storm living millenniums until they decided to leave the land. It is unknown what happened to them after they decided to leave, whether they died or simply went elsewhere.  This is common for Scalla.

## Habitat

### *Living Accommodations*

Wherever Storms live, rain is abundant and crops of people flourish.

##### **High Mountains**

Storms live high upon mountain ranges, and favor open-nesting areas. They also enjoy extinct volcanoes as their nesting areas. Storms will dig out caves, if none are found, near the top of the highest point in their territory. These storms typically take other storms as mates. There is a large network of tunnels to create wind vortexes, with only one or two safe paths, to keep out unwanted guests.

##### **Plains / Crags**

Storms that live in plains like environments tend to seek out valleys or crags. Digging a complex tunnel system, not unlike the mountain dwelling storms, to trap and confuse the uninvited.

##### **Coasts / Seaside Cliffs**

Storms that take the traditional mate of a Maelstrom tend to make their home at the base of sea cliffs. Two entryways are generally known, one at sea level and one below, though it has been known that other entry points may be hidden away. These homes have the same complex tunnel system the other two have, most of the tunnels are filled with water for the ease of the Maelstrom's comfort.

### *Traditional Territories*

The Gramera’ger Mountains are the traditional territories of the Storms, as well as some of the islands located to the south-west of the continent. Island archipelagos scattered throughout the oceans were the domains of the Storms as well.

## Religion

The religious views of the Storm reflect similar views to dragons in general. Though they acknowledge the Triad, they are more likely to follow Illynallah or Garthern when they chose a religious path. Their path can also include Dal as Dal is the ever-changing, just as weather can be mercurial so can the deity of magic.

## Known Storms

1. Shadowflame - The First. He has been in the Shroud for centuries.
2. Cloudskimmer - The youngest of the known Storms. He has been living in human society under the guise of Minazku.
3. Darkens The Sky - He has been hiding in the human society for centuries under the guise of Mordochai.
4. **Granker’ga -** (Deceased) An ancient Storm Scalla from the Azure Clan. Wrote one of the first letters of warnings to the humans (about the return of the dragons), fought in the first Dragon Wars on Planet of Legends.
5. ??? - A Storm who broke his osteoderms on purpose. He wanted to train himself to prevent them from standing up during combat, and thought the best way to do this was to start by breaking them off completely.

## External Links

1. ↑ Mariana Trench - The deepest part of the Earth's oceans. It is at least 150' down, possibly further. Creatures that exist here exist nowhere else on the planet...