The Krake are a race of avian sapients native to the realm of Draka.
Physiology[]
The size of a Krake increases with age; hatchlings begin life at only a foot or so in body length, while especially old individuals have been known to attain lengths of three meters. This does not include the length of the tail feathers, which varies between populations. In general, the wingspan of a Krake is three times the length of its body (meaning that large examples can have wingspans of ten meters or more).
A Krake's head is beaked and contains a dentary of serrated teeth. Their eyes face forward and possess binocular vision. It is believed that the Krake can see in a multitude of color spectrums that are undetectable by the human eye, but this has not been reliably substantiated.
All of a Krake's body, aside from the beak and feet, is covered in thick, coarse feathers which are colored jet black. These feathers are especially broad and numerous on the wings and tail. When wet, the feathers are slick and have some iridescent properties.
The normal lifespan of a Krake is about ten years, although some have lived to the age of thirty.
Behavior[]
The Krake are gregarious. Both solitary individuals and large, organized flocks are known to exist within Draka.
Krake are very vocal, and have a unique deep, guttural call. Although calls seem indistinguishable to the human ear, it is known that they form a language used between members of the species.
Intelligence and Society[]
The Krake are sapient and also very intelligent. However, they are also hostile towards other sapient races in Draka, and confrontations break out when two species meet.
History[]
Several literary works and other sources have revealed that the Krake have been around throughout Draka for a very long time, even before records began. But they were different than they are today; for example, their feathers were covered with all the colors of the rainbow instead of black. They were a joyous, prosperous civilization and were renowned throughout the realm for hundreds of years.
Then, in the year 3953, the Night arrived in Draka, leading the terrifying Slashers, and wreaked havoc upon the land. Most of the Krake died a terrible death, and those that survived were charred, wounded, and heavily affected by radiation injury. Since then, the species has become worn down by time, and now they are a vengeful group.