Name: Glidias
Age: Unknown (appears to be in his late twenties)
Race: Akivari (Close to an Imperial) and Weredraco
Sexuality: Heterosexual
Marital Status: Married
Afflictions: Weredraco-Ageless, immunity to most diseases and poisons, generates an incredible amount of body heat, resistant to fire, stronger, faster, and generally above average, superhuman senses, temper, prideful. Transformation can be brought on by will power or strong emotions, like anger. It can also be his body's immune response to intense pain and things of that nature.
Torture, Venom, War, and memories- The torture and war left him with countless scars, mentally and physically. The venom was apart of his torture, and it, combined with the other things mentioned, has a variety of effects. It causes varying amounts of pain, which come generally at random or from overexertion. Most of the time it is mind numbing and excruciating. It makes the transformation to Weredraco extremely, and unbearably painful. It has the possibility of making him go feral at any moment. It also forbids him from speaking about certain things about his homeland. Side effects of all he endured are pain, trouble sleeping, coughing, trouble speaking, irritability, drastically slowed regeneration and healing, among other things.
Skills, abilities, and talents: He is a master with just about any weapon except for bows (which he was never trained to use) and magic (which he cannot do). He is also a master of light armours. You won't see him blocking with a shield too often, as he parries or blocks most attacks with his dual swords, so he is out of practice at blocking. He never got to learn crafts to any degree, as he left for a war before he got into most of the smithing or alchemy or anything. He is good enough at smithing to know the ins and outs of repairing equipment. As for alchemy, he knows not to eat that poisonous mushroom on the side of the road. His speech skill leaves much to be desired, because of his personality and afflictions. Glidias can speak most of the language of Tamriel, but cannot read or write it. He is still intelligent though. His sneak level is exceptional, and he is extremely good at sneaking around and stalking, while making very little noise. In Draco form, he can be nigh undetectable under the right circumstances (it's got dark scales that make him difficult to see at night). He is, however, terrible at pickpocketing. He was never a criminal, and it's just not in his nature to steal. Same with lock-picking. He would lose patience after breaking a few picks and demolish whatever door was thwarting him as an act of revenge.
Talents include his skills with surviving in general. Making campfires, making shelter, finding food, and all that. He can speak the dragon language, and understand it, but his afflictions such as venom and torture have made it impossible for him to shout. He can still yell a string of curses quite well though. He is also extremely proficient with unarmed combat.
Appearance: His hair color is a platinum white, he could even be mistaken for an old man in the right lighting, which is rather short and a bit wild and unkempt. His eyebrows share the color. He has no facial hair. His eyes are a drained and haunting shade of white and grey, easily. distinguishable from the rest of his eyeball. It is a bit difficult to describe, but basically a very distinctive silver and grey. He has high, prominent cheekbones, a rather ordinary nose (though it has been broken before), and a medium skin tone (he's a tanned Caucasian by our standards), and a scar on the left side of his face, slanted towards his ear and mouth, going over the cheekbone. It appears to be from a knife. He has another one on his forehead hidden by his hairline. The rest of his body is riddled with scars, though you'd have to catch him with his pants down or shirt off to see them. He is 6ft tall, give or take a few inches. He is muscular but not bulky, and his teeth are sharp and pointed, like a dragon's, though he is still an omnivore. His eyes can also display the reptilian slit pupiled thing.
Draco Form: 8ft tall (varies, but Glidias is 8ft), muscular, and bulky. Mostly stands on two legs, kinda like a bear but more stable, or all four. Vaguely humanoid, it has the head and feet of a dragon (five fingered though) as well as a very long tail (that is appropriate for swing in wide arcs and bludgeoning enemies or flexible enough to wrap around a neck and strangle), as well as a massive wingspan that's almost as long as the body is tall. Its scales are very dark, and ideal for low light situations. The eyes reflect their original color, but gain a more glowing and eerie quality. The slit pupils will of course be present. Under moments of extreme emotions, such as anger, the eyes can flash red, meaning the draco is most likely feral and beyond reason. The duration of such episodes may vary. The scales are extremely tough, and almost impentrable in places
The toughest scales are protecting vital organs. In most cases, the wings will be used as another layer of armour, and they are thick enough to absorb weaker attacks. Both fire and ice will have extremely low effects on a draco, illusion is useless as its senses are too keen, which may also rule out stealth. Extremely fast and strong, engaging it up close is also dangerous
Illusion is most likely to trigger it to rely on instincts rather than thought, making them even more deadly. Arrows have little effect as there are few weakspots. The inside of the mouth and the eyes are about the only soft spots, but dracos go to extreme lengths to protect their eyes. They are much like sharks, and a good jarring or scare to the eyes is likely to fend it off. They do not retain an ability to speak any language other than dragon, though their mental capabilities and willfulness can allow an exceptional or highly trusted or respected individual to make contact with its mind. They can fly and do perform shouts, largely limited to Fire breath, Frost breath, and Unrelenting force. They are resistant to most magicks.
Gear: An enchanted Akivari armour set, as well as an exceptionally strong gauntlet and amulet, that are enchanted to change size and appearance as needed to fit his body as man or draco. The Gauntlet is like a trimmed down Ebony Gauntlet, without the pointed edges and bulkiness, and is exceptionally strong. The amulet looks like a modern dog tag type affair, except it has a locket attached to it with pictures of his family. He has this amulet wrapped around his right hand, tangeled around it practically, along with his wedding ring, and wears the gauntlet to protect them from damage. He has two swords, which appear to be two one handed daedric claymores, with sheathes crossed on his back, a hilt over each shoulder. He carries an average steel knife on his person, and varies with the location he wears it (sometimes a boot, sometimes the hip). He then has his clothes, a standard black sleeveless shirt and pants. His boots are usually his armoured combat boots.
Personality: Glidias is as prideful as a dragon, and loves combat. He loathes to refuse any challenge, and can be very spiteful and vengeful. He largely prefers to be independant, mostly because of pride, partly because he doesn't want to harm those around him if he loses control, and partly because he's damaged. He is extremely impatient in most anything he doesn't see a need for or doesn't enjoy. If he feels it's a waste of time he won't make it a secret. Glidias also isn't the best at controlling his temper, though he is particular about what sets him off. He won't be all, "You looked at me funny, now I'm gonna feed ya' your teeth!" But more like, "You just insulted/attacked me or someone I care about. Now I'm gonna put you in your place." Glidias can come off as arrogant quite easily, usually holding himself with much confidence and great posture, more out of instinct of being a proud draco, than anything. He also gets pretty arrogant with his speech, though he doesn't mean to. Kind of like pointing out flaws or brutal honesty. He can say pretty hurtful things without meaning to hurt. He loathes sacrificing his independence, and despises having to rely on others. He has no qualms with killing just about anyone, except for his family. He is generally a good, but mostly neutral. He doesn't typically go out of his way to help others, and killing comes very easily to him, but at the same time he isn't completely heartless, a psychopath, or a criminal. He is, however, extremely protective, can be patient and kind to those he cares for, and basically has that nice guy side to him.
Bio:
Before Birth: The continent of Akavir is the rightful and ancestral home of the dragons. They rule the island, and all of its inhabitants with an iron fist. Anything that could pose a threat to them is eliminated, especially werewolves, vampires, and the like. They are nonexistent on Akavir. The population is suppressed by the dragons, forced to work and pay tribute and homage to their dragonic masters. The humans have formed what society they can, and the hierarchy is made up of different houses, each holding dominion over a certain area. The leaders of these houses gained their power by proving themselves easily manipulated and no threat to their dragonic masters, as well as being all too willing to do their bidding. They do everything in their power to curry favour from their overlords, often going to extremes. Populations are kept under a certain limit so that humans can never pose a real threat to the dragons, although houses that have proved especially malleable and easily manipulated are granted larger populations and higher rations, as well as greater leniency. The Continent and it's inhabitants are complacent. The most prosperous of these houses, House Draconias, is the house in which Glidias and Brutus are born.
Early Life: Glidias and Brutus were born to the leaders of House Draconias, effectively making them the children of the human King and Queen of Akavir, though they are closely monitored and manipulated by their dragonic overlords. The brothers originally had brown hair and eyes, and could have been mistaken as twins if Brutus wasn't so much bigger than Glidias. The parents often neglected their children, as they were much too eager to please their masters and often forgot about them. Not only that, but the stress of their position as well as the frustration of failures made them abusive. This was only made worse when they decided to use their sons to gain even more favour from their lords. Glidias and Brutus were subjected to what was effectively public torture, escaping permanent damage to their faces only because they were part of the face of House Draconias.They were also handed over to the dragons on occasion and were exposed to all kinds of magic and experimentation by them. This had strange effects on them, which would only become apparent later. Not knowing any better, they simply endured their lot in life. Until a daughter was born to house Draconias.
Early Teens: Not wanting their sister to be exposed to the same hellish lifestyle that they had been, Glidias and Brutus tried desperately to shield their sister from it. When Brutus overheard that his parents planned to turn her over to the dragons, he killed both of his parents, while remaining undiscovered. No one knew it was him nor suspected him, although Glidias would always know deep down what really happened. The continent was thrown into an uproar. The dragon's feared rebellion or treachery was at work, and all traces of leniency or prosperity were gone. The dragons tightened the leash, and the people were worked harder than ever. Even the great houses. The population was reduced because of the dragons' paranoia. No one was spared from the brutal labour, and Glidias and Brutus, while no one knew they were responsible, still ended up being blamed by their fellow people. They suspected many things, one theory being that the entirety of House Draconias was cursed, and brung their curse down upon the rest of them. Another theory was that they had tried to endorse a rebellion, and the dragons had struck them down. Still, others theorized that they'd made a deal with demons, and so on and so on. Whatever they believed, they did not want to interact with the remaining family members. Instead, they needed someone to blame. So they didn't hesitate to take it out on Brutus and Glidias, assigning them the most brutal and back breaking tasks. They accepted them without complaint to spare their sister. Often, they found themselves doing twice or three times the work in order to spare her. The dragon's experimentation began to affect them, and they developed faster than normal, their hair and eyes began to change color. Glidias gaining a whitish tinge to his features, and Brutus, black. This did nothing to help their case, and fueled even more speculation and distrust for them.
Late Teens: Glidias and Brutus's sister was more widely accepted into society. People viewed her as the normal child, and so she was accepted into the culture of their people. Both Glidias and Brutus were never accepted, and never had a Right of Passage or anything else, and were largely ignorant of their people's customs and culture. But, their sister could not bare to see them suffer alone anymore, and began to work alongside them. People began to take pity on her, and so Glidias and Brutus were finally assigned easier tasks, giving them more free time to spend with their sister. She was delighted, and she became something of a tom girl since she was effectively raised by her brothers. As the dragon's cruelty steadily increased, tension and stress among people became more and more commonplace. Glidias and Brutus, though never accepted into their people's culture, and often shunned and ignored, often got into fights and arguments with others. Their sister had, at first, tried to play diplomat and diffuse every situation in order to protect her brothers. She realized two things: one being the it wasn't her brother that needed protection, but the people, and two, she couldn't be around to talk down every situation. Glidias and Brutus did not mind however, as they'd rather be fighting and arguing than being ignored. Eventually, the population could no longer keep up with the demands set upon them by the dragons, and people began to try to tame animals. It was then that they discovered that certain members of their population could communicate with animals, though it was not known how. Most people attributed it to telepathy. Using these abilities, they were able to effectively domesticate and tame most every species. The dragons, seeing a threat, increased their demands and cruelty. Eventually, people had enough, and rebellions and small uprisings began to appear. At first, small and unorganized, but rapidly gaining in strength, supplementing weak manpower with animal power. Many of the dragon's number had left Akavir, seeking to conquer other lands, and leaving behind a relatively small force. As tensions increased, dragons began to outright kill townsfolk and civilians. Glidias, Brutus, and their sister escaped their home, and were found by the rebellion. After promising a better life for the brothers and their sister, they were able to persuade Glidias and Brutus to join the rebel cause. They became apart of one the very first militia groups, while their sister sought desperately to follow in their footsteps. She began to study combat as well as the arts of medicine and healing. The brothers immediately began proving their usefulness, participating in nearly every battle from that point forward. The people slowly began to rediscover the arts of magic, which had been kept nonexistent among the people due to the dragons fearing its use in a rebellion. In a massive feat of strength and power, a spell was cast to which its exact effect was unknown, only that it kept the rest of the world from realizing what was going on in Akavir. It's main purpose was to keep the dragons from calling their brethren home. After rising in the ranks a bit, Glidias and Brutus found combat with the dragons becoming more and more fierce and brutal. The dragons utilized foliage and disguised themselves as natural physical features, as well as utilizing their flight abilities to hit and re locate, among other deadly and effective tactics. They would often ambush their prey, and use overwhelming physical and magical force to annihilate their foes. The humans were forced to learn and adapt. Eventually, Glidias and Brutus lead an invasion on a dragon keep, in which they discovered secrets that helped them combat the dragons, as well as fueled major breakthroughs in magic. Explorers and Settlers from other lands also began to make it to Akavir for the first time, and became instantly ensnared in the conflict, forced to either join the rebellion or be killed by the dragons. The rebels made no effort to warn or stop them, and were all too eager to absorb them into their ranks. These foreigners were more accepting and friendly towards the brothers, and as the brothers rose through the ranks, people began to respect them, though their countrymen would never truly like them.
Adulthood: Glidias and Brutus are accepted into the culture of the foreigners that became trapped on the island, and Akavir suddenly has a diverse and rich culture of dragons, Akaviri people, and people from other strange lands. Their sister is now a full fledged Battle-Ready Medic, and seeks to escape the long shadow cast by her two brothers and make a name for herself. The brothers, now in command of their own troops of mostly foreigners, soon become widely renowned as some of the best warriors as well as commanders in the rebellion. The war was effectively at a stand still. The long and bloody conflict goes back and forth for years, neither side able to gain an advantage. Glidias and Brutus work tirelessly to end the war, never enjoying their opportunities to take leave and go home. It is only when Brutus is separated from his troops, and forced to fight a dragon in a duel all by himself, that he is critically injured and found near death when his troops finally find him and fight off the beast. Not many single beings can hope to match a dragon in single combat, especially not a human. Brutus goes back behind rebel lines against his will, to rest and heal. There, he eventually finds himself falling for a medic, or healer, that nurses him back to health. For the first time in his life, he finds himself reluctant to return to conflict. He proposes to her, and the wedding they have would be huge. Although she is a foreigner, and not a native, the highest ranking among the rebellion determine that a large wedding for one of their commanders will boost morale. It is at this wedding that Glidias meets Skaddi, who is the Maid of Honor, as well as a beautiful singer. She leads most of the songs and music, and drags a reluctant Glidias to the dance floor. Eventually, Glidias too falls for someone. Skaddi. And inevitably, he proposes, and there is another marriage later that year. Glidias and Brutus, now having something to return home to, no longer take foolish risks that they once might have, and practice greater self preservation as well as taking advantage of their leaves. As the war rages around them, Brutus becomes a father to a son, and Glidias a father to a daughter named Avora. Their sister, now a proficient warrior and healer, finally comes out of her brothers' shadows. She not only distinguishes herself in many battles, but also earns a place in history when she saves a young noble, effectively the son of royalty, during one of these battles. They fall for each other, and are due to be married at the grandest wedding ever seen. It would be held deep behind Rebel Lines, in a secure territory, and Glidias and Brutus would be in charge of security. With the Rebels now comfortably in control of the war, they had little to fear, and most of the high ranking rebels were attending the wedding. The dragons, seeking a decisive victory, attack them at the wedding. Not expecting an attack so far behind the lines, the blow was crushing, and the life of the sister as well as her husband were claimed in the ensuing battle. The dragons then gained the upper hand in the war, and taking advantage of the confusion, were on the fast track to victory. Glidias and Brutus would always remember it as one of their biggest failures. Now enraged at their loss, and seeking victory by any means possible, Glidias and Brutus, along with a small expeditionary force, seek out the legendary Tosh Raka, who is said to have become a dragon himself. After a long journey, they find him. Tosh Raka. He ensures that he can give them such power as to turn the tide of any war. Even their Rebellion. The brothers agree to undergo experimentation and magical alterations, and become Weredracos. However, the process effected those whom they had close bonds with, and their families gain longevity as well as other side effects. True to Tosh Raka's word, with the immense power of the Weredracos, or Dracos for short, the rebels were able to turn the tide of the war. In one last, slow, brutal, and bloody phase of war, they were able to obtain victory. Glidias and Brutus were able to return home, retaining some degree of normalcy. Life became peaceful, and a new hierarchy was formed. This one promising to be better than the last. Prosperity reined again. However, the sideffects of the powers at work during the war had long lasting effects on the lands, and wildlife in certain areas became dramatically more dangerous, traps and magic constructs dotted the landscape, and some areas were even completely uninhabitable. And so, Akavir remained a largely unknown, but extremely prosperous empire. Until Akatosh, in his rage of having his children ousted from their homeland, sought to have his children restored. He viewed all weredracos as abominations, and wanted the destroyed along with the rest of it. Not seeking to trigger a divine conflict, he indirectly used his tools, the Crusaders of Auri-El, to spread unrest, chaos, and destruction. More and more people flocked to this cult, and they put pressure on the hierarchy to comply to their demands, demanding justice for wrongs committed during the Dragon War, many of them being forged. With no choice but to comply, and under the threat of a coup, the hierarchy bent the knee. Brutus's wife and son were killed in the process of bringing him in, and using what they learned from that, they took Glidias's family hostage and forced him to come in peacefully. Enduring many, many years of brutal torture and attempted executions, Glidias and Brutus were finally brought forward for what was supposed to be the final execution. It was supposed to kill them for sure. The brothers had been kept whole, and their faces unmarred, so the they would be easily recognizable for the big day. However, the execution failed, and under pressure to do something about the brothers, the hierarchy elected to banish them. They were loaded on to a ship and sent out to sea. Upon leaving, however, the magic from the Dragon War afflicted them with a toxin that would cause them immense pain if they tried to speak of Akavir, and that, coupled with their torture and whatever other poisons there tormentors had concocted, was supposed to keep them from uttering sensitive information. Akatosh was, again, furious. He wanted them dead, not banished. And so, he sent an immense sea serpent to strike them down, and their ship was sunk. But, the brothers survived, and washed onto shore in a strange land.
Extra Information: It is unknown exactly how many Weredracos exist, and it is ludicrous to believe that only two of them could turn the tide of a losing war against an army of dragons. Several of Glidias and Brutus's comrades underwent the experimentation, with varying degrees of success. Many died from the fierce demands of the process, some went insane, and some went rogue. It is unknown how many survived the war, and how many are still out there.
The experiment that Weredracos had to undertake demands a fierce sense of one's identity, a will of steel, the will and desire to go on living and survive, as well as something to live and survive for. These are the primary requirements, and one who possesses these stands a good chance of surviving and successfully becoming a Weredraco. Similar in some ways to Lycanthropy, the spirit of a dragon is bound to the subject. The magics and forces involved with such an operation are both powerful in nature and difficult to understand. The soul of a dragon is placed into the subject, and if the subject lacks a sense of their personal identity, the dragon will overwhelm them and assume control. The subject is then utterly destroyed. If the subject lacks a strong will, they will be unable to assume control, and fend off the dragon's excruciatingly painful and ceaseless assault. If the subject does no wish to survive, the extreme power and nature of the forces at work will grant them their death. If the subject desires to die, they will die. If the subject does not have something to live and survive for, their defenses will crumble, as no individual can withstand the power and rage of a dragon's tortured soul. As stated earlier, the assault is excruciatingly painful and ceaseless.
During the contest between the subject and the dragon, both the subject's mental and physical abilities will be put to the test, and they will find no reprieve, no escape, and will instead find they can scarcely even think. This is where something to survive and live for comes in, not only in the form of potential or material, but bonds. Strong bonds. The magics and forces at work in the experiment will be tying the dragon's soul with the subject's, seeking to bond them together. This amplifies and expands upon any existing bonds, linking the subject strongly and irrevocably to the individuals which they already share a relatively strong bond with. Therefore, accepting the experiment not only alters yourself, but through the bonds you have forged, those you are closest to. Early experiments did not foresee this effect, and it was only after that its effects became apparent. Longevity, and strong connection to the subject have resulted in every case, however there is a myriad of different side effects other than these, which seem both innumerable in possibility and unpredictable in nature. The resulting connection is mostly one way. That is, the subject could feel pain inflicted upon those they bonded with, while those they bonded with could not feel theirs. Those they had bonded with could also read and discern the thoughts and intentions of the subject, and could even override the subject's own will in some cases. As for a successfully created Weredraco, well the side effects are equally innumerable and unpredictable for them. Each case seems to be unique, and we still have not observed all of the possible outcomes.
When the subject and the dragon have been successfully bonded together, they become a Weredraco. The limitations of such power include the susceptibility of the host (the subject) to the dragon's will and killer instincts. The host must be wary of losing themselves in and to the dragon. Often times the soul of the dragon never fully submits, and life becomes a constant battle for the host. In other cases, the most successful cases, the host and the dragon meld together into one identity. Both independent entities in the same being. Altar egos and major changes in personality are commonly observed in the host. Still, the host must always be wary of losing their humanity, as it is quite easy to do so.
A special thanks to: Rextoret, Andre Marek, Lady Imp, Rayven, Gentleman Advernturer, and Madrar, who made it all possible.