Drakkon

Some dragons become “changed” after the First Molt. These drakkons, as the “normal” dragons call them, lack some part of the draconic soul and do not progress through the usual age/molt cycle; instead they stagnate, remaining in a perpetual adolescence of sorts. Drakkons are intelligent creatures, attuned to elements just like "proper" dragons, but two significant differences remain. First, they will never undergo the Third Molt into proper adulthood. Their Second Molt is abbreviated, usually only a few days. The creature that emerges, although it is the size of a regular young dragon, is physiologically adult and capable of breeding. Second, drakkons never develop a proper sense of hoard. This means that they must draw their energy from the food that they eat; many dragons believe that this is the critical difference that prevents the proper Third Molt. This leaves drakkons feeling perpetually hungry, at least unless they can bond with a mortal partner (as described below).

Frequency

Roughly 1% of hatchlings become drakkons (of the total 70% that fail their First Molt), although there is substantial variation in this rate. Currently, the flights of northern Soefra are experiencing a large upswing in the number of "failed" First Molts that result in drakkon. This has been on the increase for the last 100 years or so, but with a substantial increase in the last 5 years. Drakkons now make up the majority of failed First Molts, and failures are up to 80% of all hatchings. Some of the elder dragons there believe that this is a curse or effect imposed by some hostile party; others believe it is a natural birth defect.

Children of drakkon parents are always drakkons themselves. These "born" drakkons keep the elemental attunement of their parents (with random choice between the two if the two were of different colors) and are wyrmling-sized once they come out of the egg. They never go through a First Molt.

Relationships with regular dragons

Throughout most of the world, drakkons are looked at as lesser. They are not counted as part of the flight and are generally driven out once their condition is known. Coupled with their driving hunger, most of the "rampaging dragons" throughout the world are actually drakkons, driven to desperation by the yawning void within.

With the substantial increase in drakkon population of Soefra has come a sort of societal acceptance within the flights there. A concerted effort to seek out bond-mates for the drakkons has led to the formation of organized dragon knight groups associated with each of the major flights. The drakkons of Soefra are desperate to prove themselves more than talking animals.

Relationships with mortals

Mortals rarely can tell the difference. To mortals, drakkons are dragons. And their hunger gives dragons a bad name.

Physical Description

Drakkons are distinguished by slightly blunted features and muddier colors. They are physically slower, clumsier, and more vulnerable than regular dragons; immature drakkons are incapable of sustained flight (hopping in bounding glides instead) and mature ones are much slower than the young dragons they resemble.

The Dragon Knight Bond

The only known way for a drakkon to fill the void within is to bond to a mortal partner in a mystic ritual involving mingling their blood and souls. The mortal gains power; the drakkon shares his soul, filling the missing pieces. Effectively, the drakkon’s hoard is their partner. Bonded drakkons grow swiftly based on the growth of their partner. The bond means that they will age and die with their partner as well, although that lifespan is greatly extended should the pair gain enough strength. The two gain an empathic link. This connection has its drawbacks, however, and should the knight fall in battle, the dragon too will die, as the dragon's spirit can't live without the knight. Should the dragon fall in battle, the knight can restore its body with a costly ritual. This makes the mortal partner the "senior" companion in the bond in most cases, a humiliation that regular dragons find somewhat shameful.