Drakes

Drakes are an archaic animal species that were gifted to Angels when they decided to stay on Earth. They diversified over the eons and are now comprised of three major sub-species: Ziz, Dracolisle, and Behemoth.

## Impact on Immortal Culture

Around their arrival on Earth, their range was limited to the Cradle and served nothing more than mere companions and mounts. It was until the Inquisitor rebellion that they were revered among Immortals, seen as symbols of status, wealth, and protection.

### Demons

Drakes at the time were only Ziz, turning into Dracolisles once they were given to Demons. These changes to their anatomy were welcomed, making Drakes a viable replacement after the extinction of Concierges as mounts on Earth. Of course, they had other uses outside of simply being a mount.
Drakes are excellent for a variety of jobs. Dracolisles in particular have hard and bone-like skin to deflect hits, making them effective bulldozers. Their raptor variant are great trackers and for some cultures, they are regarded as a dark omen. That someone's end is nigh.

Northern Hell has it's fair share of mythos surrounding Drakes outside of myths created by humans. The Mother of Dragons is a popular tale that describes the potential existence of a Behemoth Dracolisle said to be the origin of the subspecies. Her scales are said to be invaluable and offer prosperity to any that get their hands on it.
There is another tale regarding 3 serpentine dragons that were apparent gifts from the Seraph to the North's first emperor. They each apparently guard a treasure.
Northern Hell's Imperial Fleet, outside of dealing with ghosts, tries to capture Behemoths.

Their roles in the Cradle haven't changed. Rather, Dracolisles were put to the same tasks as the first Drakes. They're simple companions who live to be spoiled. Many of the breeds eventually became small, or teacup sized, to accommodate a city lifestyle. Larger breeds are still around, but are more often seen as a security measure, protecting important buildings and property.

Outside of these two Sectors, they're not as popular due to the size or lack of resources but are gaining traction in the West.

### Angels

While it became a symbol of warfare for Demons, Angels have made their Drakes a sign for coming of age. At least in Northern Heaven.
Once an Angel hits seven (7) years of age, they're taken by their parents to go pick out a Ziz as a companion. The decision is said to be crucial as the bird will become a life-long companion, especially for an aspiring knight. The bond between Ziz and knight are said to transcend time that if they become separated and reunited, Ziz will always recognize their handlers.

In their home turf, Ziz were simply companion animals. Angels in the cradle were adamant of making them more symbols than anything else. The very image of them was to instill inspiration, a symbol of God's love. Unlike in Hell, larger breeds are more commonplace, smaller ones being seen as a luxury.

Like Dracolisles, they're not too popular outside of these two regions aside their growing popularity in the West.

## Species, subspecies, and breeds

### Ziz and Dracolisle

As mentioned, both animals come from one common ancestor. The younger of the two species being, of course, the Dracolisle that took a few thousand years to be recognized as a separate species. They're iconic but the culture surrounding them can be mostly found in the Northern or European realms of Heaven and Hell. For the most part, they're unpopular outside the North as they're big animals that are tough to train should they not have imprinted on their handlers. They're fast learners, though, and are generally docile, creating a unique bond with their handler. Some upper-class Immortals take their iconic significance seriously by creating exotic breeds such as the Aquatic Dracolisle and the Phoenix or Peacock Ziz. These and other exotic breeds are flightless, their wings being completely useless or nonexistent. Unlike other breeds capable of flight, exotic and aquatic variants tend to be more colorful aside from their signature blue and pink coloration.

### Behemoths

Not all Ziz and Dracolisle are domesticated. During ancient wars, they served as mounts for their masters with many surviving and long forgotten after their masters perished. They became isolated in their new environments but in a negative way. For the most part, these animals were carnivorous and because of their size and prowess, they had no natural predators. They were invasive and once humans came around with livestock, they were considered pests. Some ended up growing a bit too big, hence their name. In culture, they're the source of many alleged dinosaur and cryptid sightings globally, and an excuse for young Earth creationists to prove their point. Some of these sightings ended up in tragedy, especially for humans. Behemoths are able to be tamed with relative ease if it's an Immortal. Humans lack Soul Threads and if a Behemoth can't sense something out of them, they'll see humans as another prey item. Once tamed, they're pretty docile, even with humans.

### Raptors

Because of their size, Ziz and Dracolisle weren't popular outside of the Northern realms. That didn't stop breeders from making them appealing to foreign consumers. A few Demon breeders got the idea to compete directly with Hell Hound breeders, using Dracolisle as a more reliable guard and tracker. The issue was that their wings and large tails were a liability for this specific purpose, thus creating a Raptor variant. They were built for speed and found moderate success in the military of other Sectors. Angels once again followed suit and bred for raptors, but with a different purpose. Ziz Raptors were used for either ghost hunting missions or traveling on Earth and are generally more docile than their Dracolisle counterparts as some breeds are naturally aggressive. Again, much like their winged cousins, they're not as popular in other parts of the world.

### Teacups

Breeders still weren't happy that their animals weren't catching on in other parts of the world. Again, Demons developed a slew of breeds that took the Demon lifestyle into consideration. Their societies are Metropolitan and what better way to distribute Dracolisle than by having cute and small versions of these animals. They were an instant hit in the North with demand slowly rising in other Sectors of Hell. Angels quickly caught on as well seeing not only success in other parts of Heaven but even with humans.
Teacups, in appearance, can resemble any other variant. Those with wings, however, are incapable of flight so that they may avoid injury with furniture. Those with teeth need a little extra care. Just like small dogs, their teeth rot fast and require careful dental monitoring. They also suffer more health complications such as over nutrition, becoming overweight, and fast growth of beaks, claws, and talons. They're obviously high maintenance with many breeds being discouraged to first timers. Breeders often recommend either a Teacup raptor based Dracolisle or a winged Teacup Ziz as they're generally healthy breeds that are easy to care for.