Subject of Mikrosian Culture and Physiology

As a continuation of my visit in Deradune, I would love to discuss Draken culture along with its relation to its biology. The fierce natives of Mikros served as finest soldiers and officers of Dominion since 352 AE, which made them second oldest race to serve under the banner of the empire. The reason behind their martial culture was due to their home planet of Mikros whose tidally-locked orbit marked a ring of habitable areas between the sun-scorched surface and the frozen dark surface. In spite of the small life-supporting ring area which is also volcanic, the planet of Mikros managed to boast a variety of ecosystems and lifeforms, latter including hostile fauna such as two-headed Zogbeasts. The combination of small habitable lands and hostile lifeforms forged the Draken into a tribal warrior society as they compete with both the beasts and other tribes for necessary resources and lands. Even in current times, the Draken population of Mikros has been relative low due to high fatality rates and resource scarcity but the current growth rate has been the most significant one compared to pre-Dominion times with the introduction of “acceptable” technology like medicine and firearms. However, the Drakens are not as primitive as they seem since they managed to create a more centralized authority with High Clanlord as its paramount leader and few urban centers like Kazor before the arrival of Dominus. The only obstacle to their advancement was due to the harsh environment that provided little surplus resources for allocating to any aspects other than day-to-day survival. Despite their aggressive mentality and harsh lifestyles, Drakens are exceptional strategists and can even engage in an academic environment on occasion. As a result of the harsh environment, their physiology played a large role in their survival.

Physiology became a prominent part of Draken evolution due to Mikros' harsh terrain. On average Draken of both sexes have these basic exterior traits: two horns, reptilian-like scaled skin, a tail, and claws on fingers and feet. The resilient skin is the result of extreme climate and radiation that even affected the Mikros' habitable areas while rest of the features are based on the need of defense from hostile lifeforms or remnants from a more aggressive primordial ancestors. Strangely enough, Drakens are unusual in that they seem like reptiles with an egg birth and thick scales. However, they’re more aligned to mammals due to their mammaries glands, sexual dimorphism and being warm-blooded. This seems to have made male's backs are more hunched than female as well.Their lifespan can reach up 130 years barring the mortality rate of harsh lifestyles. To compensate for the attrition rate,a Drakens woman can give birth to 4 to 6 litters—or a clutch—on average and coming out as egg-like casings.

Draken also have a tendency to be harsher towards their young, as a result of the scarcity of resources requiring them to leave the weak behind. Draken children are expected to be more self-reliant than other species, as a way to prevent waste of resources on less productive members of society. Though these practices were abandoned on either open-minded parents or those on comfortable planets, the Draken tradition dictates on the appreciation to those who would be more likely to survive on their own. While culture on the more sedentary and peaceful environment would find Drakens' parenting to be abhorrent due to harsh discipline, the contexts of their origins from harsh, volcanic planet with small habitable areas played a role in their culture to ensure their survival. Despite the harsh parenting methods, Draken society has a small differentiation in gender roles compared to “more traditional” society as both male and female have free choice in embracing their roles of their tribes. Although Clanlords tend to be male, there are many female Clanlords who led the tribe without any opposition as long as they are strong and wise. To the newcomers to Draken tribe, the visitors may mistake the female in the Clanlord's hall as concubines without realization of their purposes as bodyguards and sometimes advisors. Another leadership role for Drakens aside from Clanlord is Bloodshaman, who served as a spiritual leader to Draken communities with the younger ones serving as apprentices. In addition, the role as Bloodshaman is quite respective and one of few roles that Draken consider as pinnacle even among more traditional tribes that prioritize warriors over mystics.

Another critical subject of Draken culture is religion. The main tenants that are held in Draken spiritualism are the Blood Rites. According to the covenants of the Blood Rites, the major virtues of Drakens represented by the five deities: Shezka, goddess of strength and endurance; Werza, goddess of wisdom and strategy; Ravok, god of courage and fury; Hazak, god of loyalty, honor, and blood; Fazaar, god of spirit, fire, and savagery. Although forms of worships may vary from sermons to sacrificial rituals, the current Nexus-born tribe of Dreadtalon hosts arena-style combat in praise of their gods. This year’s volunteers of any races were invited to participate in this sacred tradition, an opportunity I personally could not pass up. Although I lost many matches myself, I managed to attain victory in the tribute to Fazaar as the first and only Cassians to be a champion of current date. In addition to deities and virtues, blood and ancestor worship played a part in Draken Blood Rites. The Draken spirituality also played a role from their background on Mikros. Since the harsh environment made agriculture as less-preferable sustenance that showed a reason for their focus on a hunter-gatherer lifestyle and, in small areas, pastoralist techniques were adopted. As a result, hunting for dangerous beasts and warfare over grazing grounds also played a role in their worship since Blood Shaman provided inspirational chants to the warriors for morale. Two major events related to their culture are The Great Hunt and The Bloodfeast; The Great Hunt served as religious festivals for hunters to prove their worth through games, along with providing vital sustenance for the Tribe. The Bloodfeast rewarded the glorious hunt with a feast to the tribe, and often times a sacrifice to the Gods. There is also Days of Rage, which showed its purpose as a display of their aggression and strength. This holiday became well-known due to the demise of some directors of the Royal Collegium who arrived on the date by a “mistake” in their scheduling.The hunting and warrior culture of Drakens was displayed in their worships through blood, combat, and virtues related to savagery.

This concludes my findings from my visit to Deradune, which I found enjoyment in the area during the time of writing. I hope to inform the readers with the insights into Draken culture and served the Dominion with knowledge. I credit my thanks to Dominion News Network and Royal Collegium for publication of my article.