Drakanis

While Keruals are an old species, the Drakanis is an even older version of their canine cousins. So old, in fact, that they were thought to be myth, up there with Dwaraxes and Jontuns. The Keruals were always the more playful of the two, however the Drakanis does have a good sense of humor, and is even less of a trickster compared to the Keruals. After being almost wiped out, due to their compromised immune system, they’re slowly making a come back now that the gods are walking Arilyan again, and are spotted mostly in the mountains.

## **Climate**

* Varying temperatures rarely bother them, but they prefer higher places for the freshwater, and places they can fly around.
* With their tendency to get sick, they are extremely clean creatures of habit and avoid areas they know will get them dirty. Most tend to care a lot about appearance, and will spend hours grooming and even helping others of their kind to braid and brush hair.

## **Temperament**

Loyal creatures, Drakani are best described as regal. They once roamed the lands acting as a council and source of wisdom to other creatures of Arilyan. This was mostly due to how long they live, and how much they’ve experienced in life.  They are extremely good mediators and know how to see both sides of problems, but are often seen as cold since they tend to look at situations more analytically than with their emotions. They won’t side with the irrational, however they can understand why another creature can choose to act a certain way given who they are, and this sense of immovable rationality can be frustrating at times.

Sadly, they do have a tendency to have a short temper, and it can get them into sticky situations. This usually happens when someone is rude to them first, or talks down to them. Even a young Drakanis absorbs information better than other species, and they get snappy when you assume they don’t know anything. That being said,  they will usually be all talk and not much bite, and win arguments with words, not physically. Best way to handle them is to be nice and respectful, and will return the favor.

## **Other Random Facts**

* Heavily rely on the gods doing their jobs as the keepers of nature, and will generally worship nature deities, due to their need for clean water and food.
* Almost wiped out due to them needing to drink from the purest water sources. They’ll travel for weeks just to get to an area with the most clean water possible, and many died along the way.
* Species evolved to have 2 different types of noses, due to regional differences. The canine nose, commonly found in the north, can eat meat without too much problem but it still needs to be fresh, but can't eat some berries and mushrooms, along with other plants. While the more rabbit nose, commonly found in the south, has to eat very fresh river fish or no meat at all, but can eat berries, mushrooms and other vegetation without a problem.
* They come in all sorts of colours, being one of the biggest variety out there for colours and traits.

## **In Packs**

The Drakanis are able to live in varying styles of packs, and depending on the individual, can be the most solitary, or the most outgoing and pack oriented. Their preference on living in packs is solely up to their personal life experiences. When they do live in packs they easily fall into the more “informative” role, acting as pack parent, or even being considered elders, regardless on if they’re 40 or 400. A pup will never fill this role, but the more adult the Drakanis, the more likely they are to try and lend a hand and give their insight.