Post by Administrator on Dec 8, 2007 14:36:18 GMT -5
The Mystery that is the Salamandyr revealed!
~ Creature created by Musetta and fleshed out by Selenitas rpers
~ Guide written by Rei
~ Creature created by Musetta and fleshed out by Selenitas rpers
~ Guide written by Rei
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Appearance[/font]
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder ~
A salamandyr is not a very big creature at all. In fact golds of the species are normally much smaller than your average green firelizard. Only a few of the absolute largest queen mandyrs might near the size of a green firelizard. The smallest of mandyrs colors, the white, measures no bigger than the length of your average human male’s middle finger (not including tail). An absolutely tiny creature to be sure! The rest of the colors follow the typical pattern in size with golds as the largest followed by bronzes, browns, blues, greens, and then whites.
In appearance and at first glance you may notice the mandyrs’ physical similarities to it’s close relation the firelizard. But these similarities have only lessened in the time the creature has been around. The salamandyr has a thick and wide body not unlike that of a Terran Leopard gecko their head is also reminiscent of a gecko’s with a wide thick skull prominent eye ridges and a slightly tapered muzzle. Four heavily muscled and strong legs end in clawed feet and are their primary means of transportation. They also however sport a pair of wings upon their back. These wings are normally carried folded and near invisible against the creature’s spine. Flared the wings vary in size and length from mandyr to mandyr but the majority of the species has short wide wings that are not suitable for anything more than gliding. The mandyrs tail is surprisingly long and dexterous. Most mandyrs have a tail twice as long as their body length. They use their tails almost as a second limb and it is not uncommon to see them using it to assist them in climbing to hanging from an object by the almost prehensile appendage. Most mandyrs are also gifted with the ability to detach their tails as a means of escape should a predator grab the appendage or to buy time needed to escape from said predator. Detached mandyr tails will grow back, but they will be thicker and less maneuverable than the original tail.
Perhaps the most common recognizable feature of the mandyr is the frill they sport behind their skulls. A ring of bony spines extends from the base of the creatures skull, almost three forth’s of the way around the creatures head, and are normally connected by a thin layer of tissue not unlike that which makes up wing membranes. However frill-less members of the species are starting to make an appearance. The bony spines surrounding the skull still very much in evidence only completely lacking the membrane that normally stretches between them. The frill is used in many ways. It can be extended or ‘flared’ in anger or fear as a threat display. In mating runs to impress females. Or mainly just to show off. Most of the creatures frills sport brighter colors than the body itself making such threat displays effective in buying time with predators. When not in use the frill is folded back behind the mandyrs head, creating a ruffled collar look of sorts. Mandyrs with only frill spines are still able to flare these spines outwards. The spines can then be used as a weapon or a type of armor to help protect their neck in a fight.
Like all Pernese draconic creatures mandyrs have prominent multifaceted eyes that change colors with their moods. Unlike the slow whirling changes of dragons however the color of mandyr eyes changes rapidly and there is little to no mixing of the colors. They use their tongues to scent the air around them and their mouths are filled with numerous tiny, but sharp, teeth. Mandyr claws are much like dragons in the fact that they can be partially retracted. They use these claws along with their flexible tails to clamber and climb things. Making them primarily arboreal creatures.
Personality
Looks aren’t everything ~
Mandyrs are very intelligent and sport quite huge personalities for such tiny creatures. Short man syndrome anyone? But seriously, salamandyr personalities are as varied and unique as human ones. One key trait almost all salamandyrs have however is a certain level of arrogance. They are very outspoken and expressive creatures for the most part. Using body language and speech both mental and physical to communicate. They are also normally very stubborn creatures paying little attention to any command not given directly to them from their bonded or a gold of their species. Golds of other species are even sometimes outright ignored or given little attention.
Mandyrs are capable of understanding complex emotions and they also tend to have long memories. Again such things do vary from a mandyr to mandyr basis. One could argue that mandyrs are more intelligent than firelizards or possibly even whers. That may well be true for certain members of the species but not for all. There are varying levels of intelligence in the species just as there is for most Pernese draconics.
Diet and Care
Love me, Feed me and never leave me ~
Mandyrs are almost one hundred percent carnivorous. Their diet mostly consisting of raw meat. Protein is the major component of their diet. Most mandyrs are perfectly okay with being provided for by their mindmates. Some prefer to catch their own food and if they do it normally consists of any small creature they can catch and kill. They also have no problems scavenging the kills of other draconics if it comes down to it. Adult mandyrs also have a taste for eggs. Especially egg heavy golds. They will frequently raid the nests of avians and firelizards for these treats if they can manage it. They will absolutely refuse to eat insects and will turn up their nose at most vegetables or fruits. There maybe the odd mandyr that will partake of such foods but the majority of their diet needs to be protein for them to survive and thrive.
As far as care while growing baby mandyrs need to be oiled frequently just like any draconic creature. This is to keep their hide supple and prevent cracking. However since mandyrs do not between (with the exception of whites) oiling them is not paramount to their survival. Although it does help keep their hide healthy and them happy.
Communication and abilities
Why hello there. How do you do? ~
Mandyrs, with the noted exception of whites, can mentally speak like a dragon can. This ability sets them apart from their firelizard relations. For the most part the more eloquent a mandyr is the higher it’s color. For example a gold can normally speak in close to full sentences grammar intact while a green might know only a few words. However again this can vary from mandyr to mandyr and it is not unheard of for a green to possess a higher level of speaking skill and a bronze to only remember a few words. They are also capable of communicating with a wide variety of other noises like chirps, whistles, croons, and squeaks. Perhaps because of this they can decipher firelizard speech and communicate with their cousins more easily if they so choose.
Mandyrs cannot send pictures or between like firelizards. They have to rely on speech and body language for communication and their own legs and wings to get from place to place. The only exception to the rule is white mandyrs. White mandyrs are incapable of mental speech. However they can send images and not like a firelizard either. An image a white mandyr sends is often clearer and more intricate than what a firelizard is capable of. You see white mandyrs can distort and change the images they send to better express themselves communicating as if through a picture book instead of normal speech. The can also insert certain emotions into their pictures. For example and angry white mandyr can broadcast a picture of them growing large and stomping a human, or a hungry one images of themselves or others eating. Whites are also the only mandyr capable of betweening and can be trained to make excellent spies, depending on their personality.
Bonding and Impression
You are mine now~
Mandyrs follow the same impression rules as Pernese dragons. They break from their shells, find the human they want and demand to be fed. They will not pick the first person to feed them. They also, for the most part, prefer to bond to a mind that is not shared by another of their species. A mandyr bond can vary in strength from close to the level one would expect from a firelizard to a dragon strength bond. The bonding strength and level varies on case by case basis with no strength of bond being more common for one color than another.
A human can survive mandyr death depending on the strength of the bond. However if their human dies a mandyr will always die as a result. They will not reimpress or go wild.
Mating
Chase me down ~
Mandyrs are physically mature at around two months of age and it is not uncommon for them to begin running/chasing at this time. Gold mandyrs will normally mate twice a turn while greens of the species can mate four to five times a turn depending on the female. Only gold mandyrs clutch, greens are infertile. A salamandyr run can take place anywhere and at any time and most are done solely on the ground. Although it is not unheard of for those mandyrs capable of flight to perform in the air rather than on the ground. Runs are normally short but intense. Most mandyrs affect their bonded on a level comparable to a green flight. However this can vary from bond to bond with some mandyrs affecting their bonded more or less. It is also not uncommon for bondeds to completely mimic their mandyrs in a mating run. Because of this candidates and weyrlings are highly discouraged from attending mandyr hatchings.
During initial turns mandyrs tended to mate for life. In fact it was not uncommon for them to even choose to forsake life when their mate died. However in recent turns that facet to them has seemed to wane and it has since then become the exception rather than the rule. Most mandyrs now have multiple mates and partners in their lifetime. Although some will still mate for life, it is a rarer occurrence.
Mandyrs can be caught by firelizards and vice versa. If a firelizard catches a gold mandyr her clutch will normally end up being half firelizard half mandyr. It is even possible for a bronze firelizard to sire a queen mandyr. It is not unheard of for a gold mandyr to be caught by a blue mandyr either. If that happens the clutch will be smaller but the chances of siring a white mandyr are greatly increased.
Mandyrs are also unique in the fact that they can be homosexual. It is not unheard of for a green mandyr to mate with another green or a blue mandyr to mate with another blue. However this behavior is unheard of in the higher colorations. For example a queen mandyr will never mate with a green one.
Clutching
Don’t count your chickens~
Queen mandyrs are the only female mandyrs capable of clutching. Clutches can range in size from six to sixteen eggs. A clutch with more than sixteen eggs is highly uncommon but has been known to happen on occasion with some of the bigger queens. A general rule for clutch size is, the bigger the male the bigger the clutch. Meaning bronzes will produce the highest number of eggs and blues the smallest. Mandyr eggs are often but not always vibrantly colored with no indication to what color rests within each egg. Size of egg can be a poor indicator of what lies inside due to the fact that relatively all mandyr colorations start out near the same size at birth. Once the clutch is laid it is fiercely protected by the queen and most often also the sire until hatch time. Predators are driven away with a ferocity that is surprising for their size. Mandyr parents are very devoted often turning and tapping and moving eggs to ensure their offspring hatch with the best chances possible. Hatchlings are also often protected until they make impression and even then it is not uncommon for some queens to dote of their offspring long after hatching.
