Shai'varr

Shai'varr
Securisauropteryx orientalis ("Eastern axe-lizard wing", from Latin securis[axe] + sauros[lizard] + pterygios[wing] + orientalis[Eastern, of the east])
Clan: Steel/Wind
Height: 2.5 ft at shoulder ( m)
Length: 10 ft ( m)
Wingspan: 25 ft ( m)
Weight: 150 lbs (70 kg)
Lifespan: 25-30 years
Diet: Carnivorous
Range: Throughout most of Azuma (Yonder)
Offense/Defense: Razor-sharp horns, metallic armor plates and spikes, teeth and claws, oral heat ray
Status: Common
Danger Level: Medium to High - Proceed with caution

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Division: Archosauria
Superorder: Pterosauroidia
Order: Drakea
Suborder: Eodrakeoidea
Superfamily: Microdrakidae
Family: Terrapteridae
Subfamily: Terrapteria
Tribe: Eoterrapterini
Genus: Securisauropteryx
Species: S. orientalis, S. immanis, S. magnus

Despite common belief and rumors from early taxonomical studies, the Eodrakes and Neodrakes share a common ancestor, but neither is directly descended from the other. Also despite common belief the modern drakes were not always gigantic winged predators. Among the Eodrakes, the more primitive of the lineage, the family branched out from a relatively small archosaur that diverged into multiple lineages. The idea of giant flying Eodrakes may have come from fossil evidence of the Great Drakes, but the Eodrakes that survived the Tempest Event were relatively small; the Great Drakes went extinct when climate change made the general biosphere uninhabitable where they were concerned. Unlike the Neodrakes which were equally small at the time but would radiate into a variety of larger and more diverse forms, the Eodrakes remained relatively small predators, and in Azuma they have filled out the midsized carnivore role from that day to this.
Two lineages of flighted Eodrake remain, the Microdrakes and the Terrapterids, and even then, many have appeared, like the true flightless drakes, to have changed their mind about their airborne existence. Their wing membrane is very thin, often reduced, and able to fold more tightly than the complex muscular structure of other pterosauroids, and they alight readily on the ground and walk and run about with greater agility than the Neodrakes elsewhere. The three species of Shai'varr, or Axe-Headed Drake, were once thought to be the "missing links" between these two lineages, as it is the smallest flighted Terrapterid and comes close to the size of large Microdrakes such as the larger Gar'gor'ra species. Cladistic analysis now shows that though the Shai'varr is one of the most primitive Terrapterids, it has more in common with an ancestral species midway down the Microdrake line than the more modern Microdrakes.

The Shai'varr'raou itself, or the Common Axe-Headed Drake, is not a very large drake in comparison to the rest of its family, but at 10 feet long, it is still decently sized. Like other Terrapterids, if its ancestors had had fur then it has presumably lost it; however, studies indicate that the fur that was likely present in the ancestral Terrapterid has become matted, fused, and hardened into keratinous armor plates, not unlike Terran rhino horn. Unlike other Terrapterids, the Shai'varr has not completed the final step of the process, in which each plate has a core of bone; instead it is strengthened from the outside. The creature climbs and digs into high cliffs in search of metallic ore, which it then consumes for minerals and to harden its skeleton and its armor. So despite the metallic appearance, the plates are actually very lightweight, allowing it to fly more freely in the sky.
Though this drake's armor plates are not bony like the more advanced Terrapterids, the Shai'varr does in fact have bony nodules on its skin; these are shown to the outside world as the large blade-like spikes running down its back. The main row, running down the spine, is used to fend off attacks from above, but attacks from the side are deterred by the spikes on either side of this row. Most notable are the axe-like brow ridges and the matching blades on either side of the tail tip, as these extremely exaggerated spikes are its primary weapons and are fused to the skull and tail-bones respectively for extra support. Due to the metallic consistency of its bones and keratin layers, the Shai'varr's spikes are less likely to break than in the case of nonmetallic creatures. It seeks lightweight metals such as aluminum and titanium to harden its spikes and armor, and the resultant combination of speed and weaponry all in all makes it an expert close combat fighter.
Shai'varrs take up to 10 years to mature, and are born with regular keratinized armor; the metallic consistency is an acquired taste that takes about a year or so to develop. From the very start of their lives, they have an instinctive knowledge of survival, as their parents tend to bury their eggs in open spaces with good soil and plenty of high ledges, but then leave them alone to fend for themselves. The flaplings are quite small, about eight inches long at birth, but although their armor and spikes have yet to take form, their wings and claws are already well developed. They will scramble for the first high place they can find, often high ledges but also artificial structures in more urban areas. Their backs are initially covered in small, short bristles, but this covering becomes interlocking armor plates that fuse into the back and develop small spikes after several weeks. The horns and tail blade are nodules of bone at birth; as they develop they stick out as simple knife-shaped blades until maturity, suggesting that the unusual shape of the adults' horns is primarily for sexual display. The manner in which they are used, however, remains the same from cradle to grave, via swinging the neck or tail from side to side to defend themselves or to kill their prey. Juveniles, with stomach acids already capable of dissolving hard rocks and metals, usually feed on small pickings such as insects, rodents, eggs, birds, and the occasional dinosaur hatchling, and are themselves preyed on by meat-eating birds, dragons, predatory mammals (including humans) and even adult Shai'varrs. Nonetheless, they are EVERYWHERE, particularly during the tropical wet season, and in some areas the juvenile populations have even become invasive. Forests, deserts, scrubland, and urban areas throughout Azuma are all visited by this species at one point or another.
Like other drakes, the juveniles of the species grow relatively slowly, as they spend more energy in finding food and battling than in growing up. At three years old they are about two feet long and already expert fliers. Though they can fly from birth, for the first few days they are relatively awkward at it and have to practice flight on a regular basis. Like other Terrapterids they have a series of gas chambers inside the chest, connected to the stomach, which store digestion gas and make them naturally buoyant. Their wings are also long but relatively narrow, allowing them to soar at high speeds by exploiting the air currents. Flaplings tend to launch themselves off high places and then glide on thermals, with the necessary musculature for powered flight being relatively underdeveloped for the first year or so; actual powered flight takes time to function properly. Once the flight mechanism is fully developed, however, the creature basically owns the sky. Its wingspan allows it to glide and then dive with surprising agility for a Terrapterid, and it is as capable in the air as it is on the ground. When fully grown, it can travel for up to 50 miles without landing, exploiting thermals all the while so that it only needs to flap its wings once to get airborne.
While it remains relatively small for the first 7 years of its life, the Shai'varr undergoes a growth spurt afterward. Its blades become more pronounced, and in the case of the tail and head blades they become broader and more axe-like. The final result is a ten-foot-long metallic monster which is well rounded in both aerial and surface battling and in addition fires an oral heat ray. This ranged attack is derived from the natural power cell in its lower jaw, not unlike the one owned by the Pte'ra. The gas used as the fuel in this case, however, is highly pressurized and fired from a separate discharge tube just behind the tongue, forming a very narrow stream. And unlike the Pte'ra, the power cell produces microwave radiation, which discharges from an outlet located right under the business end of the gas pipe. This superheats the gas and concentrates its power considerably, resulting in a powerful cutting beam of light and heat that can theoretically slice through steel. It uses this weapon alongside its teeth, blades, and claws to literally flay medium-sized herbivores alive, most often small hadrosaurs, ungulates, ankylosaurs, and flightless birds. It will then use the heat beam to cook the flesh inside, which the drake eats.
Finally, at the adult age of eleven and up, there is one last matter to worry about. Shai'varrs use their horns for display as well as defense, which suggests that they tend to congregate during the breeding season at the very least. In fact they are nomads by default, and naturally travel in loose groups with little or no family structure. Often they overwhelm large prey such as larger hadrosaurs and the occasional stegosaur, but then they quarrel amongst each other for dibs on the best parts. This is where the axe-like shape of the horns and tail blades comes in. Both genders have axe-blades, although the females' are only half as large as the two-foot-long razors the males flaunt with relative impunity; the size and curvature of the horns in particular is a good guide to the strength and power of the creature, so contests can be settled with as little bloodshed as possible. When fighting they sharpen their horns on rocks, trees, and the ground, flashing their full profiles. A rival may have the chance to back down at any time, but if he chooses to contest the display, they will meet head-on. They lock horns repeatedly and attempt to slash at each others' necks - many older individuals have scars on their neck armor and additional protection is provided by additional plates and scales that cover their bodies like chainmail. Their only weak point is the inside of their mouth, but only rarely does combat result in injury to this region. Males are even more inclined to fight each other at breeding age, as females judge them by the size of their horns; the strongest have the larger horns and win breeding rights by jousting their partners. Only then, should they succeed, they will pass on their genes to the next generation. At the end of the dry season, the now exhausted females will head off to lay their eggs in the same nesting areas that they themselves started in a decade earlier, and as the wet season returns, the cycle will start all over again.

Andy says: "Okay, I'm not gonna lie - the pterosauroid fancy has been all over this easily tameable and accessible beastie for AGES. Thanks to selective breeding and careful choice of metal intake, there are over 70 different Shai'varr breeds recognized today with all kinds of builds and spike shapes. There are two categories, Battle and Show, though they do overlap at times; the Battle breeds are more practical for work, hunting and fighting at the cost of appearance, whereas the Show ones are less adapted for survival but just look cool. Not surprisingly, many, many breeds of this drake have enjoyed a long history in battle and are still used for many purposes today from summons to food to armor to items. Of course, Shai'varrs used to be obtained directly from the wild (though that practice is no longer viable due to captive breeding), but fortunately, they are just as capable to return to the wild once released. Breed qualities are determined by environment and diet as much as by genetics, and feral specimens will, after a few generations at least, invariably return to the appearance of the original 'wildcard strain.'"