APHEXYS DRAKES Aphexys Drakes are a custom species of anthropomorphic dragons that I've personally created, starting out as a character design that would eventually turn into Sonar Caspersky, back in 2010. As the years went by, I added more and more into the lore, to the point that I now feel it's about time I share a little bit more information about the species itself.
Aphexys Drakes are a species of dragon that are native to the alternative version of earth that my universe takes place in, and can be found all over the planet. With the exception of one of the races, Aphexi are covered in fur with their signature trait being the scales on their shoulders. These scales serve as a heat sink, seeing as Aphexys Drakes do not sweat like humans do, so these scales are almost always exposed. They come in a variety of sizes and shapes that boil down to 6 main races:
(Note: While the art does not depict it: Aphexys Drakes DO have wings. I just didn't wanna draw them, lmao) Coastal Aphexys Drake Also known as Stormdrakes, this is the most widespread race of Aphexi in the world, and can be found pretty much on every continent. They average around 7'4" in height as adults and are generally rather solidly built. A signature trait about them is their spaded tail tips and additional scales going down along the first half of the top side of their tails. Stormdrakes are the only race of Aphexi with a confirmed documented sub-race that's specifically selectively bred, that being Breeders. As opposed to regular Stormdrakes, Breeders have a MUCH higher yield when it comes to their sperm cells as well as quality to their discharge. In addition to this, breeders are exceptionally robust and damage resistant and have an extremely powerful immune defense system. This makes breeder exceptionally well fitted for working as nurses, cleaners, hazmat disposers and explorers.
Trait: Stormdrakes, as the name would imply, has the ability to control the local atmospheric pressure in their surrounding, allowing them to group up to effectively alter the weather. This makes Stormdrakes exceptionally sought after in farming-heavy areas as well as tourist centric cities due to their ability to affect the weather in the local area's favor.
Royal Aphexys Drake Also known as Pulsewings, Pulsewings are far more focused in the more mountainous areas of eastern Europe and Asia, and are all controlled under a government known as the Pulsewing Empire. Their ideology has long been controversial due to their rather blatantly supremacist and often racist stance on the world-stage, often getting into unfavorable exchanges with other nations. This makes them particularly unpopular among Aphexi as they're viewed as self-centered, bigoted and zealously nationalist, having fought multiple wars against the former Stormdrake Empire in the past, few of which they have won. They are taller and more slender in form than most Aphexi, making them a strikingly beatiful view to behold, with sleek physique and an elegant manner of carrying themselves. They stand an average of 8'11" tall.
Trait: Pulsewings have the ability to produce and percisely control sound pressure from the webbing in their wings, allowing them to manipulate airflow and hover without needing to move their wings to any degree. This can also be used to send a highly concentrated blast of wind in specific direction. This was the technique that allowed them to win the "war of the wall" in 1922 with overwhelming success. Other nations around the world have seen the need to develop counter-measures in the case of any other Pulsewing conquests in the future as this can be devastating in combat.
Tropical Aphexys Drake Also known as Koboldrakes, they're a result of Stormdrakes breeding with a now extinct breed of kobolds around 400 years prior, and have now become so abundant that they're recognized even by the Pulsewing Empire as a race in their own right. They are by far the smallest variant of Aphexys Drake, with adults rarely ever growing above 4'. They can mainly be found in the more tropical regions of the americas such as Jamaica, Cuba and the northern coasts of South America. While they are very small compared to most Aphexi, they are incredibly agile and are the only race of Aphexi that doesn't have wings. They hunt mainly using their claws and teeth, and have gained legendary status around the world for their cooking and culinary culture, incorperating tropical spices, fruits and fresh fish in their diets and with a lot of their culture revolving around the food they cook and consume. Their recipes have since been replicated around the world as a form of fine dining called "Apex Tropikal".
Trait: Koboldrakes are what can only be described as "Fluffy Bullets". That being said, they're INSANELY fast runners, with their legs being their strongest parts of their otherwise small frame, and the average Koboldrake being able to cover a whole kilometer in only 3 steps at it's most effective. Along with this, comes an exceptionally fast processing and reaction time that gives way to the rumor that their brains are fundamentally different, as their reaction times and reflexes are close to impossibly fast, clocking in at a staggering 11-16 ms. This makes them even faster in reaction speed than the average housecat. This is highly necessary, considering the breakneck speed they're traveling at, with Koboldrakes regularly being clocked in at well over 120 kmh when given a straight path. Their path isn't always straight, seeing as they'll use building walls and rooftops to travel.
Arctic Aphexys Drake Also known as Tundradrakes, and affectionately known as Yeti, these big warm fluffballs truly put the fluff in fluffdrake, they're normally only ever found in arctic climates such as Siberia, Canada, Greenland and northern Norway. They stand an average 7'10" and are the Aphexi race with the fastest fur growing rate of the whole species. With a hardy physical prowess, Tundradrakes are able to not only survive, but downright THRIVE in very harsh arctic climates, and with their race-specific thick and fluffy manes, they're dubbed the "Eskimos of the Aphexi species". They're a largely nomadic bunch and aren't as abundant in numbers as even the Pulsewings. But they are the only race in the whole species that have never been involved in any kind of conflict, merely just content with living their lives in their settlements, living off of fishing and hunting in the mountains and by the frozen lakes. Tundradrakes are very well known for their hospitality and are by far known as the friendliest and most affectionate of all the Aphexi races, opening their doors and welcoming travelers into their homes completely unconditionally off of nothing but the kindness of their hearts. One would think this would make them vulnerable to malevolent beings willing to take advantage, but one always knows better than to mistake their guard for being down, as Tundradrakes are by far the most dangerous of all races in a combat setting, with one fully grown adult male able to square off against 6 blade-armed assailants. While it has not been tested directly yet, Tundradrakes have been very helpful in allowing themselves to be researched, and one thing became clear; If you brought a shotgun, you're practically unarmed. Even so, they're the one Race of them all who've never given anyone a reason to act with aggression. While they do have wings, they're smaller than other races, and unfit for flying.
Trait: Tundradrakes have the ability to directly control the temperature in their immediate location, either in an ambient manner or in a concentrated area, allowing them to easily build and reform ice-structures and reinforce both wood and saw-dust with water to create incredibly powerful tools.
Aquatic Aphexys Drake Also known as Hydronauts, this is the race that is the most immediately visually different from all the others, being the only race in the species with absolutely no fur whatsoever. They can mainly be found in eastern Asia and northern Oceania, but has been known to migrate to the Chinese coast on occasion. They're largely aquatic but lack gills, making them mainly amphibian and preferring to live in areas along the coasts with immediate access to running water such as rivers or waterfalls. Although some tribes are known to build floating raft-settlements around a few hundred meters away from the coast where they live out their days and feed off crabs, fish and seashells, the shells of which they make intricate art with. As well as being the only race of Aphexi who's average height is largely the same as humans, they are also the least technologically dependent, never having been documented to live in cities or any largely land-based settlements, but sticking to their own settlements. That being said, they are very welcoming of guests and travelers, happily trading with other people both for foods they don't otherwise have access to, and for tools that might help them in their crafts and hunting.
Trait: Hydronauts have exceptionally high capacity to their lungs, allowing them to stay submerged for up to 15 minutes at a time. Along with this, they're fast swimmers, and with their wings being far more reminiscent of flying fins, they travel by swimming underwater before launching into the air and gliding across the waves for upto a kilometer at a time, allowing them to travel vast distances while using a minimal amount of energy. They also have the ability to communicate long distances underwater at a range of several hundred kilometers. How this is done is poorly understood, but it's theorized to be a part of their skulls' structure with the fins on either side of their heads.
Saharan Aphexus Drake Also known as Spitfire, this nickname comes from these creatures being the only race of Aphexi with the confirmed ability to breathe fire. Nothing is currently known about their culture. Nothing is currently known about their physical traits as they're always observed with fully obscuring sun protective clothing. Nothing is currently known about their relations. Nothing is currently known about their diet. Nothing is currently known about their settlements.
Spirfires are incredibly shy creatures and very difficult to even enounter. In the rare event of one being spotted in the wild, it will always do it's utmost to escape whoever made contact.
WARNING!! Spitfire Aphexi are deemed as extremely dangerous and should be avoided at all costs. Although they are known for running away when encountered, there are cases where a Spitfire will take up an intimidating stance, breathe fire and unleash a loud roar. If this should occurr, please follow the following steps: 1. IMMEDIATELY break eye contact and freeze in place for approximately 3 seconds. 2. After these 3 seconds are passed, SLOWLY raise your hands up into the air and keep them there. 3. Make a very gentle howling coo noise with your mouth at a relatively high pitch, like a soft "oooooohhhh", the tone gradually and softly falling in pitch, approximately one coo per 4-6 seconds. 4. Gently walk backwards in the direction you came from. UNDER ABSOLUTELY NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU TURN AROUND. ALWAYS LET THE SPITFIRE HAVE VISUAL CONTACT WITH YOUR FACE AND HANDS. 5. The Spitfire will start making a fast chittering noise when it's making it's escape. If you hear this, you're clear to put your hands down and start leaving the area at your own pace. 6. Never visit that area ever again.
Lisencing The Aphexys Drake Species is not subject to any licensing and is an open species. All I ask is that no credit is being taken for the species themselves. Anyone is allowed to make an OC with the species, modify their appearance and biology and even make up custom Races.
