StreamSwimmers

### Physical Appearance

StreamSwimmers stand between 1.2 and 2.2 meters in height. They're covered in thick plating which offers a lot of protection against piercing, slashing and fire. They have comparatively small, rounded wings so while they can fly they're much faster in the water. Their webbed feet and powerful rudder tail, adorned with a wide array of possible frills and sails, allows them to even swim up currents no other dragon can compete with. Their sails stretch all the way up to their heads and can also grow on their arms, legs, and chest. They have high set nostrils and protruding teeth like crocodiles and can hold their breaths for up to two hours. StreamSwimmers have stingray like barbs in their wrists or tails, allowing them to stab unsuspecting opponents and inflict a neurotoxin which causes victims to convulse, lose control of individual limbs, and, for smaller prey, pass out. These dragons also possess barbels and organs along the sides of their bodies which allow them to send out electromagnetic impulses. This lets them navigate even in murky waters and they can even communicate by sending signals to each other.

### Coloration

These dragons typically come in two different varieties. One is earthy tones as well as greens and blues. These dragons focus on camouflage in murky, standing water and are therefore typically found in hunter or fighter roles. The second variety is typically more well off and has no need for practical coloration. Merchants, craftsmen and the like, as well as most individuals deeply ingrained in CanopyGlider society fall into this category. These dragons exhibit a much wider array of possible colors, including pinks, oranges, reds, as well as black and white. They also have a much wider variety of patterns than the typical wildtype morph.

*For more information on how to design a StreamSwimmer, go here.*

### Territory and Culture

StreamSwimmers govern themselves and they're proud of that. They don't bow to kings or matrons or a council, they follow whoever has the means to pay them. These are usually merchants who have made a fortune sailing all across the Hearth and selling rare products. As such, StreamSwimmer beliefs and morals are as varied as they get. But the few exclusively StreamSwimmer settlements out there are often built as standing towns on rivers, lakes, or swamps at the orders of a wealthy merchant who would really like an outpost there. These settlements often develop their own microcosmos of morality and ideals and the dragons living there form tight nit groups as they struggle to survive in the wilderness together. But if there is one thing most StreamSwimmers agree on, its their inherent dislike of ReefSwimmers. Shortly after the Age of Frost had ended, three proto-swimmer siblings fought each other for the resource rich tropical oceans. Stream, who thought he could win by convincing the TideMaker to fight by his side, lost immediately and he and all his supporters were chased out and up into the rivers, where they eventually developed into their more modern versions. Granted, this dislike has less to do with the fact the lost and more the fact how ReefSwimmers will still make fun of them and their meek ancestors. Even in the grand scheme of the Hearth StreamSwimmers are generally regarded as the weakest of the Swimmers and by far the most forgettable sub-species overall, always living in someone's shadow.

### Relationship with Patron

Somewhere along the way most StreamSwimmers have lost all faith in their original patron, the TideMaker. The vast majority also hasn't picked a new god to worship, making them the only species who has outright rejected the idea of worship and giving them the highest number of atheists, even more than the StarSeekers who will often be adopted by other cultures. This isn't to say that StreamSwimmers don't believe the gods exist, no, they just believe the old sods don't deserve to be worshipped after repeatedly failing to answer anyone and everyone's prayers.