Sneak Peek: Draco Stellaris

A new Earth. New Suns.

The wiser members of the Exodus were not at all surprised when the first Draak-Kin to be conceived and born on Newhome did not directly resemble their parents. The energy of new stars and the Way of a new world gave rise to a new People.

The Earth dragons... "draco terrestrialis" or "draco originalis", as the species was called by some... now had new forms suited to their new home. The official designation given to this new species established by radical new mutations is "draco stellaris", or Star Dragons.

The most noticable mutation was, of course, the extra limbs. Most of Newhome's dominant species, genta or otherwise, are hexapedal, and as they were shaped in eggs receiving the new energies of a new world, the Draak-Kin of Newhome emerged with six limbs instead of four. While all six can be used for climbing and ground-based locomotion from birth, the front four limbs become more winglike as the young Kin matures; eventually, only a single talon at the elbow may remain on the middle and front limbs, depending on the subspecies. This lends the dragons of Newhome a very impressive appearance, particularly when all wings are spread while in flight or during threat or courtship displays.

Horn-like growths on the head have also been observed in all subspecies, though they vary greatly in size, shape, and position; the Diamond Clan boasts complex, branching horns like a very ornate Earth deer, while the Garnet Clan's are straight and bladelike, to give just two examples. All can be quite striking visually, though only the Obsidian Clan, whose horns are front-facing, have developed martial arts weaponizing them. Most dragons see their "crowns" primarily as physical proof of their beauty and sovereignty as opposed to tools of violence.

There are many other small differences accentuated by the new Clans, but the horns and extra wings were enough to make a few of the Starfallen (the quadrupedal Kin who arrived from Earth) question whether this new species was still Draak-Kin. Darktooth the Wise made a firm judgment on the matter: while their Bodies and even a few minor aspects of their Minds were new, their Essence was both fully Draak and fully Kin. Most were satisfied with this, but a few maintain that there are (admittedly minor) Essential differences, and that the two species should not be treated the same, though how and why is highly variable.

In the coming days, we'll reveal the new Clans of Draak-Kin on Newhome: five, as there were on Earth, and they both correspond to and do NOT correspond to the five Clans as they were on the homeworld.

We hope you will look forward to meeting the new Clans and learning about them in the coming weeks.

-L