About Bishel Dragons
Bishel dragons (pronounced "BEE-shull") are a small species of sentient dragon. The average size for an adult Bishen is 4 feet tall and 6 feet long, although size varies between clans. Bishel dragons are omnivorous, eating a variety of foods as available in their environment. They have the ability to communicate via telepathy, and they are able to produce whistling, crooning, bugling, or growling sounds, depending upon their clan. The dragons come in many different colors and elemental types, which can influence their innate magical abilities.
The species is extremely adaptable. Their development is heavily influenced by their surroundings. The changes and mutations that occur when eggs are raised outside their native area inspired the adoption program at Bishen Realm. Located in the Eastern Quadrant of The Creature Refuge, Bishen Realm was originally colonized by the displaced Machesri clan, but now several clans of Bishel dragons have begun adopting eggs through Bishen Realm. The goal of this adoption program is to allow the species to spread and evolve through contact with individuals from a variety of places, species, and cultures. Adoption also provides clans with the means to alleviate overpopulation of their native territories or to move eggs away from degrading conditions. The young egg and wyrm stages of Bishel dragons readily form telepathic bonds, and the bonding of eggs to applicants is the most common type of adoption at Bishen Realm.
Bishel dragons go through four major stages of development:
- Eggs are about 1 foot long and 8 inches in diameter. Appearance and size differs by clan, but there are usually marked differences between male and female eggs.
- Wyrms are the hatchling stage. These young dragons can communicate through telepathy but have little magical ability. They start quite small and grow steadily to their shrape stage.
- Shrapes are physically mature dragons that have not yet developed their full magical abilities, although they may show inclinations to a particular type of magic and produce small sparks of magic at times. Once a shrape develops its first honed magic ability, it is considered an adult Bishen.
- Bishen are fully mature members of their clan. Though they may continue to learn new magical abilities, their elemental types and core magics are set.
