Post by 44 Caliber Love Letter on Feb 23, 2011 18:26:56 GMT -5
Salamandyrs were originally created by Musetta and are used with her permission. They can also be found at Selenitas Weyr
Basic Biology
What your little monster looks like, and what is the frill for?
Salamandyrs are native to the Southern Continent and the southern reaches of the Western Archipelago. They prefer a tropical climate but are capable of surviving elsewhere, though they require human aid to do so. Typical salamandyr habitat is forested, with a good deal of standing water, whether in pools, ponds, lakes, or deep and slow-moving streams. Thus, salamandyrs often live in coastal regions or rainforests, and are rarely found far inland from large water sources. You will never find wild populations of salamandyrs in arid areas, plains, dry forests, or highly populated regions of Pern.
The salamandyr is a small creature, ranging from six to eight inches from nosetip to the base of the tail, with very little difference between colors. As in dragons, color is indicative both of gender and of “rank.” Female salamandyrs can be gold or green, with gold salamandyrs having the most weight, both in power and in build. Male salamandyrs are bronze, brown, and blue. Bronze salamandyrs are the largest, and blues the smallest, though because of the very slight size differences, the largest of blue salamandyrs could very well be larger than a small bronze salamandyr. Their tails are long, usually several inches longer than their bodies, and very slender and whippy after the first inch or two. Salamandyrs have great control of their tails due to the tendons and ligaments that run along it, and can wrap their tails around things or curl them to indicate emotion.
A salamandyr’s skin is resilient to the touch. Unlike some other draconids, salamandyrs do not require oiling. Their hide grows quickly, and injuries will heal many times faster than in their larger, distant relatives, the dragons. Scarring is almost unheard of in salamandyrs; they heal cleanly and any scar tissue is soon replaced by the surrounding skin. Salamandyrs come in many color patterns, and often are brightly marked, particularly on the frill and on their bellies.
Salamandyr heads are rather flat and wide, shaped somewhat like an arrowhead, though with a broader nose. The eyes are set mostly forward, indicative of their predatory lifestyle, and are faceted in much the same way as dragons. However, salamandyrs have excellent night-vision in addition to being quite capable in the sunlight, and can be active at any time of the day. A salamandyr’s teeth are located in the front of the mouth, and are small and needle-like, and slightly hooked. They lack molars, instead having several ridges of cartilage in the back of their throat and mouth which they use to crush eggs and insects. They are capable of unhinging their jaws to get larger eggs and insects into their throat, where they are crushed with powerful peristalsis from their swallowing muscles.
At the base of the skull on the neck, salamandyrs possess a frill of spines with webbing. These frills are often brightly marked and used in emotional displays, particularly ire and wooing. A salamandyr’s belly may also be similarly marked; when a salamandyr rears in aggressive display, they are often showing off their stomach markings as well as giving themselves height. Aggression is common in salamandyrs; except for their mates, they are generally solitary creatures who command clearly defined territories. Territory squabbles are common. Humans are regarded not as equals but as territory; rare is the salamandyr who will deign to share.
A salamandyr’s body is low-slung, flat, and wide. The legs are splayed to the side and possess long, curved claws which constantly grow and are kept dull by use. Salamandyrs are capable climbers, able to cling sideways and upside-down on most surfaces, so long as they have some sort of grip. They are also quite capable swimmers, using their whip-like tail for propulsion, as well as their narrow wings. Salamandyr wings possess a very thick membrane and are rather stubby. They are useless in flight, though a salamandyr is capable of gliding short distances.
The hind legs of a salamandyr are surprisingly powerful. Fully grown salamandyrs are capable of jumping up to a meter vertically, and slightly further horizontally. While in normal motion salamandyrs won't jump, they use their leaping capabilities to catch prey as well as to escape unwanted attention. Good luck trying to catch a salamandyr who doesn't want to be touched. Though they are not capable of between, salamandyrs are fast, agile, and their sudden jumps will leave you grasping thin air. Plus, if you catch one, you'll just end up with a hand full of needle teeth.
In the wild, salamandyrs may inflict their bond on other creatures, such as wild felines or wherries. As with their bond to humans, the relationship is rather parasitical, with the salamandyr harassing its chosen territory-creature and eating its food. However, most salamandyrs "go wild," not making any sort of bond with other creatures and instead living solitary lives. A salamandyr is perfectly capable of living on their own, but many enjoy having a slave to serve them.
Diet & Care
What do you mean, it eats fish and bugs?
Wild salamandyrs are Hatched capable hunters. Though a queen salamandyr will guard her Clutch fiercely with her mate and sometimes even aid the young for a few days, salamandyrs generally have to look out for themselves once they leave the shell. Of course, young salamandyrs do not have the craftiness to stalk prey or steal fire-lizard eggs, though older salamandyrs will do just that. No, the core of a salamandyr's diet always starts out with seafood.
The easiest food for a salamandyr to obtain is stationary food. Young mussels and other shellfish can be crushed in the throat, and barnacles and limpets can be peeled from rock by the stubborn and patient. During spawning season, roe is a common food for salamandyrs, and once the fish hatch, it is not uncommon see salamandyrs chasing the fry down. Of course, most fish are faster than the draconids, but salamandyrs will hunt fish by diving down off of tree branches or rocks. Tidal pools are a favorite hunting ground for many salamandyrs, and are hotly contested territories usually held by a breeding pair.
Salamandyrs also hunt in the trees. The eggs of avians or even the young birds themselves make tasty treats for hungry salamandyrs, though they have to take care to avoid getting killed by the parent birds. But eggs are a favorite for the salamandyr palate, and they will go to great pains to satisfy that desire. Metallic salamandyrs are particularly notorious for this, particularly since fire-lizard and dragonet eggs are even more of a delicacy for them. Gold salamandyrs will actively hunt out fire-lizard Clutches for the sake of devouring them, particularly when they are about to (or have just) Run to mate.
When they can get it, salamandyrs also enjoy meat. Though they are not capable of killing many creatures, they will hunt small birds (particularly nestlings and fledgelings), young tunnelsnakes, and small mammals. Salamandyrs will also help themselves to the kills of larger creatures, and will cheekily eat right next to the large predator. Never dare to call them scavengers, though, unless you greatly desire your eyes to be plucked out and eaten like eggs. Salamandyrs regard themselves as hunters and thieves, not scavengers.
A final part of salamandyr diet is insects. A salamandyr will hunt down and catch locusts, vtols, and other flying insects, and occasionally eat insects which are confined to the ground. Their preference, however, is for those that make an exciting prey. Eating trundlebugs is boring and stupid, and stupid boredom makes everything taste like dirt, as far as salamandyrs are concerned.
Caring for a salamandyr is not inherently that difficult. What is difficult is dealing with their attitude. They are quite capable of fending for themselves, but as you are their territory, they will be quite put off if you don't supply some or most of their food, care, and supplies. Since salamandyrs often have dietary quirks, this may result in a great deal of effort to keep them placated -- and we do mean placated. Salamandyrs are quite monstrous when displeased, and since they are aware that their territory is a living, breathing creature, they will torment you without mercy until you give them what they think they need.
Personalities
Uh, guys, the serpent is talking to me...
These are not your average draconic creatures. Fiercely intelligent, it is safe to say that salamandyrs are one of the most cunning and devious species on Pern. They are trumped only by humans and even that is debatable, for some salamandyrs possess human-level intelligence. Their problem solving skills are bar none. When it comes to figuring out a sticky situation and navigating through it, salamandyrs are at the top of their game. So why are so few of them actually pets…?
They’re pure, unadulterated evil.
Simply put: salamandyrs have a wicked sense of humor more often than not. While it’s not unheard of to meet a particularly sweet or affectionate one, most are fond of doing things just for reactions and thus are very likely to get into trouble. Stealing? Yes, that’s on their agenda. Eating things not theirs (like, oh, a certain firelizard’s eggs)? High up there on fun. Sitting where their mindmates don’t want them to be? Always. To Impress a salamandyr is to embrace the fact that they can and will drive most people positively bonkers. Ornery and contrary without fail, never has there been a salamandyr without at least one annoying little quirk. And they do so love to be annoying. Most of what they do is for reactions, never doubt that, and the more strong the response they get, the happier the salamandyr tends to be. Is it any wonder most people avoid them? Their mindmates are often the target of this merciless taunting, too. Impressing them is certainly not a safe haven from their antics.
Despite the fact that they’re often quite ridiculously malicious, most salamandyrs are not outright mean. They’re just… fond of being irritating. When it comes to someone who is injured or hurt, they tend to be more sympathetic than firelizards, especially if the person in question is their mindmate, and no bullying of their chosen will be tolerated. Ever. They have a very possessive, almost older-siblingesque mindset toward their bondeds: only they may torment their chosen. No one else. Should anyone dare try, it will be a very quick transition from a normally chatty, somewhat irritating creature to excessively violent, even dangerous. Those little claws are lethal and they’re smart enough to know what to target to be deadly!
Salamandyrs as a species are often possessive and dislike sharing their mindmates with anyone, but especially with other draconic species. Since they are usually arrogant (though whether or not it’s without foundation is entirely up to the observer), they see firelizards, dragons and whers as inferior to themselves and come to resent having to share attention with them on any subject – but the possessiveness can spread to other beings as well. Their possessiveness is also not always limited to their humans; some salamandyrs have been known to display possessiveness over each other and over the close relatives of those they bond to as well. Once someone or something is theirs, they become increasingly protective of it, often with aggressive showings of territorial behavior. Face, meet claws.
And yes, like dragons, salamandyrs are known for Impressing upon hatching. However, unlike their larger kin, the depth of their connection varies salamandyr to salamandyr. While all of them are capable of communicating mind-to-mind with other entities (and this is not limited to just their mindmates, no, salamandyrs like to broadcast their feelings), some of them also form dragon-level deep connections, which can make their mating Runs and tender feelings very difficult on their chosen. Often times, when a salamandyr connects this deeply, the human they bond to is incapable of surviving their deaths – which makes it a very good thing that salamandyrs have human-length lifespans and are very gifted at self-preservation. The depth of the connection varies salamandyr to salamandyr and no two bonds are exactly alike. Just as people differ, so too do these little guys~
Mindspeech to a salamandyr is as intimate as images to a firelizard. Salamandyrs are incapable of projecting images (which is also why they can’t go between except to die), but their method of communication is quite effective: they form words. However, it is rarely clear, easy to follow words. Rather, salamandyrs pick up on speech patterns by their chosen and those they’re around most often, with golds and bronzes being the most articulate most of the time (though notable exceptions do occur). Their comprehension of human speech is limited, so sometimes they associate words with incorrect meanings, especially if other salamandyrs use them wrong – to a salamandyr, the word ‘Pretty’ might be the most vicious of insults, because it heard another of its kind use it a similar way. They also tend to leave out unnecessary words, so a sentence from one of them is more likely to be some variant of, You dumb. Why you do? rather than “You’re dumb. Why did you do that?” Peculiarly, though, salamandyrs are capable of hearing any and all dragon speech, and they can also understand firelizards: this makes them utterly invaluable when it comes to spying… but most of them don’t care enough to listen.
Commanding a salamandyr is flat out impossible unless you’re a salamandyr queen – and even then, it’s really only fifty-fifty. Unlike dragons which have to obey a queen’s command, salamandyrs tend to operate under the philosophy of “I’ll do it if I FEEL like doing it.” Queen dragons can rant and rave at them for days and they likely won’t move. The same goes for firelizards. Unfortunately, most of them are also obstinately fearless, which makes making them cooperate difficult. Try bribery. It works better.
Mating & Clutches
Oh Faranth, not MORE of them...
Like fire-lizards and dragonets, salamandyrs reach sexual maturity around five or six months of age. However, there the similarities end. Unlike flits, which have a generally predictable schedule of Rising, salamandyrs have "induced heat" from environmental, rather than internal, conditions. It's not uncommon for a large number of salamandyrs to come into heat all around the same time, which can be frustrating for other creatures in the vicinity.
The environmental cues that induce salamandyr heat are not entirely discernable to humans, but there are some things that are in common. Clues to guessing when a salamandyr "mating season" might start include an exceptional amount of rain, a large amount of organic material (like leaves and sticks) on the ground, approaching fish spawning seasons, and plagues. Though nobody knows how they predict it, often wild salamandyr Clutches hatch out during locust infestations or other booms in salamandyr prey species.
Because they are nearly flightless, salamandyrs do not have "Flights," per se. Instead, a salamandyr will lead her chasers on a "Run," which may include climbing, leaping, swimming, and even dangerous traps scoped out days in advance. There's a good deal of warning before a salamandyr has her maiden Run. For ten days or so beforehand, a maiden emits pheromones which make her practically irresistable. Every salamandyr around her -- male and female -- will attempt to gain her favor, with gifts, feats of derring-do, and an overall lavishing of affection.
In the week preceding a maiden queen's Run, several of the greens in contact with her will also Run. Though greens are capable of Clutching, they do not have the innate instinct to care for eggs, and have a parasitical relationship with queens (more on this later). Because salamandyrs have so little size variation, salamandyr females do not have a bias towards bronzes. A blue can be equally as capable a mate as a bronze. Interestingly, once a maiden salamandyr chooses their mate, they are almost completely loyal to them. Only rarely will a salamandyr seek extra-pair copulations. It's thought that salamandyrs have the capacity for two mental bonds -- one to their Impressed (should they choose one), and one to their mate. Mates will "merge" their territories and be possessive and defensive of both.
Interestingly, salamandyrs do not always choose a salamandyr of the opposite sex for their mate. A small subset of females -- including queens -- will select another female on their maiden Run as their permanent mate. In some cases, two unpaired males who chase the same female will match up as well. Oddly enough, salamandyr "threesomes" are also possible. A maiden salamandyr will sometimes have a strong enough heat in order to induce pairs of salamandyrs to chase her in tandem -- often a greenpair or a double-male pair. If she selects such a pair, she will mate with both, and they share an odd sort of bond. The "third wheel" will refer to the original mated pair as a single salamandyr, and bonds accordingly.
After forming a mating pair in this maiden Run, salamandyrs no longer Run. Instead, the roughly ten-day period of coming into heat is spent courting and mating on the sly. On occasion, the female in heat will mate with a male outside of the mating pair (this is particularly common in double-female pairs). Humans bonded to salamandyrs tend to find themselves "crushing" on their salamandyr's partner's human during this period, and some with deeper bonds find it easier to just sleep with whoever it is while their salamandyr is in heat than to fight off the feelings. On occasion, when both people have deep bonds with their salamandyrs, they cannot help but feel the same affection for the human counterpart that the salamandyr does for its mate.
Unlike the coastal flits, salamandyrs do not lay their eggs in sand. Instead, they build mounds of leaves and sticks, and the heat of the rotting material keeps their eggs warm. Queen salamandyrs have the dedication to build these mounds, while greens will often just scrape a couple leaves together here and there. Remember how greens Run shortly before queens? It's so that they become gravid before the queen salamandyr. A gravid green will try and stalk a queen to figure out which of the numerous mounds she's visiting will be the one that the queen lays in, and then will lay her eggs in that mound while the queen and her mate are elsewhere.
Of course, greens don't always choose rightly -- or the queen salamandyr may discover her few eggs and destroy them (usually eating them). But, on occasion, a green's eggs will be tended alongside a queens. Greens generally only lay a couple eggs (2 or 3), while a queen may lay up to a dozen. The queen will defend her nest mound with violence, while her mate brings her food and gifts and defends the territory.
Human-bonded salamandyrs will often announce to everyone within mental earshot about their eggs hatching, both out of pride and a desire to inflict the monster-babies on other humans. Oddly enough, people seem to come to the Hatchings despite having experience with the beasts. Candidates and weyrlings with dragons younger than five months of age are forbidden to attend salamandyr Hatchings due to the possibility of a deep bond causing issues during mating.
Young salamandyrs will choose (or not) the person or creature to inflict their bond on as they emerge from the nest mound. When a salamandyr bonds to a person with a flit, they will often harass the other draconid until it leaves permanently. Few salamandyrs will bond to a person who has another salamandyr attached, though apparently the bonds of other draconids like flits, dragons, and whers doesn't bother them in the least. If a person ends up with one of the monsters, our condolences. You're stuck for life.
Meet Salamandyrs.
Basic Biology
What your little monster looks like, and what is the frill for?
Salamandyrs are native to the Southern Continent and the southern reaches of the Western Archipelago. They prefer a tropical climate but are capable of surviving elsewhere, though they require human aid to do so. Typical salamandyr habitat is forested, with a good deal of standing water, whether in pools, ponds, lakes, or deep and slow-moving streams. Thus, salamandyrs often live in coastal regions or rainforests, and are rarely found far inland from large water sources. You will never find wild populations of salamandyrs in arid areas, plains, dry forests, or highly populated regions of Pern.
The salamandyr is a small creature, ranging from six to eight inches from nosetip to the base of the tail, with very little difference between colors. As in dragons, color is indicative both of gender and of “rank.” Female salamandyrs can be gold or green, with gold salamandyrs having the most weight, both in power and in build. Male salamandyrs are bronze, brown, and blue. Bronze salamandyrs are the largest, and blues the smallest, though because of the very slight size differences, the largest of blue salamandyrs could very well be larger than a small bronze salamandyr. Their tails are long, usually several inches longer than their bodies, and very slender and whippy after the first inch or two. Salamandyrs have great control of their tails due to the tendons and ligaments that run along it, and can wrap their tails around things or curl them to indicate emotion.
A salamandyr’s skin is resilient to the touch. Unlike some other draconids, salamandyrs do not require oiling. Their hide grows quickly, and injuries will heal many times faster than in their larger, distant relatives, the dragons. Scarring is almost unheard of in salamandyrs; they heal cleanly and any scar tissue is soon replaced by the surrounding skin. Salamandyrs come in many color patterns, and often are brightly marked, particularly on the frill and on their bellies.
Salamandyr heads are rather flat and wide, shaped somewhat like an arrowhead, though with a broader nose. The eyes are set mostly forward, indicative of their predatory lifestyle, and are faceted in much the same way as dragons. However, salamandyrs have excellent night-vision in addition to being quite capable in the sunlight, and can be active at any time of the day. A salamandyr’s teeth are located in the front of the mouth, and are small and needle-like, and slightly hooked. They lack molars, instead having several ridges of cartilage in the back of their throat and mouth which they use to crush eggs and insects. They are capable of unhinging their jaws to get larger eggs and insects into their throat, where they are crushed with powerful peristalsis from their swallowing muscles.
At the base of the skull on the neck, salamandyrs possess a frill of spines with webbing. These frills are often brightly marked and used in emotional displays, particularly ire and wooing. A salamandyr’s belly may also be similarly marked; when a salamandyr rears in aggressive display, they are often showing off their stomach markings as well as giving themselves height. Aggression is common in salamandyrs; except for their mates, they are generally solitary creatures who command clearly defined territories. Territory squabbles are common. Humans are regarded not as equals but as territory; rare is the salamandyr who will deign to share.
A salamandyr’s body is low-slung, flat, and wide. The legs are splayed to the side and possess long, curved claws which constantly grow and are kept dull by use. Salamandyrs are capable climbers, able to cling sideways and upside-down on most surfaces, so long as they have some sort of grip. They are also quite capable swimmers, using their whip-like tail for propulsion, as well as their narrow wings. Salamandyr wings possess a very thick membrane and are rather stubby. They are useless in flight, though a salamandyr is capable of gliding short distances.
The hind legs of a salamandyr are surprisingly powerful. Fully grown salamandyrs are capable of jumping up to a meter vertically, and slightly further horizontally. While in normal motion salamandyrs won't jump, they use their leaping capabilities to catch prey as well as to escape unwanted attention. Good luck trying to catch a salamandyr who doesn't want to be touched. Though they are not capable of between, salamandyrs are fast, agile, and their sudden jumps will leave you grasping thin air. Plus, if you catch one, you'll just end up with a hand full of needle teeth.
In the wild, salamandyrs may inflict their bond on other creatures, such as wild felines or wherries. As with their bond to humans, the relationship is rather parasitical, with the salamandyr harassing its chosen territory-creature and eating its food. However, most salamandyrs "go wild," not making any sort of bond with other creatures and instead living solitary lives. A salamandyr is perfectly capable of living on their own, but many enjoy having a slave to serve them.
Diet & Care
What do you mean, it eats fish and bugs?
Wild salamandyrs are Hatched capable hunters. Though a queen salamandyr will guard her Clutch fiercely with her mate and sometimes even aid the young for a few days, salamandyrs generally have to look out for themselves once they leave the shell. Of course, young salamandyrs do not have the craftiness to stalk prey or steal fire-lizard eggs, though older salamandyrs will do just that. No, the core of a salamandyr's diet always starts out with seafood.
The easiest food for a salamandyr to obtain is stationary food. Young mussels and other shellfish can be crushed in the throat, and barnacles and limpets can be peeled from rock by the stubborn and patient. During spawning season, roe is a common food for salamandyrs, and once the fish hatch, it is not uncommon see salamandyrs chasing the fry down. Of course, most fish are faster than the draconids, but salamandyrs will hunt fish by diving down off of tree branches or rocks. Tidal pools are a favorite hunting ground for many salamandyrs, and are hotly contested territories usually held by a breeding pair.
Salamandyrs also hunt in the trees. The eggs of avians or even the young birds themselves make tasty treats for hungry salamandyrs, though they have to take care to avoid getting killed by the parent birds. But eggs are a favorite for the salamandyr palate, and they will go to great pains to satisfy that desire. Metallic salamandyrs are particularly notorious for this, particularly since fire-lizard and dragonet eggs are even more of a delicacy for them. Gold salamandyrs will actively hunt out fire-lizard Clutches for the sake of devouring them, particularly when they are about to (or have just) Run to mate.
When they can get it, salamandyrs also enjoy meat. Though they are not capable of killing many creatures, they will hunt small birds (particularly nestlings and fledgelings), young tunnelsnakes, and small mammals. Salamandyrs will also help themselves to the kills of larger creatures, and will cheekily eat right next to the large predator. Never dare to call them scavengers, though, unless you greatly desire your eyes to be plucked out and eaten like eggs. Salamandyrs regard themselves as hunters and thieves, not scavengers.
A final part of salamandyr diet is insects. A salamandyr will hunt down and catch locusts, vtols, and other flying insects, and occasionally eat insects which are confined to the ground. Their preference, however, is for those that make an exciting prey. Eating trundlebugs is boring and stupid, and stupid boredom makes everything taste like dirt, as far as salamandyrs are concerned.
Caring for a salamandyr is not inherently that difficult. What is difficult is dealing with their attitude. They are quite capable of fending for themselves, but as you are their territory, they will be quite put off if you don't supply some or most of their food, care, and supplies. Since salamandyrs often have dietary quirks, this may result in a great deal of effort to keep them placated -- and we do mean placated. Salamandyrs are quite monstrous when displeased, and since they are aware that their territory is a living, breathing creature, they will torment you without mercy until you give them what they think they need.
Personalities
Uh, guys, the serpent is talking to me...
These are not your average draconic creatures. Fiercely intelligent, it is safe to say that salamandyrs are one of the most cunning and devious species on Pern. They are trumped only by humans and even that is debatable, for some salamandyrs possess human-level intelligence. Their problem solving skills are bar none. When it comes to figuring out a sticky situation and navigating through it, salamandyrs are at the top of their game. So why are so few of them actually pets…?
They’re pure, unadulterated evil.
Simply put: salamandyrs have a wicked sense of humor more often than not. While it’s not unheard of to meet a particularly sweet or affectionate one, most are fond of doing things just for reactions and thus are very likely to get into trouble. Stealing? Yes, that’s on their agenda. Eating things not theirs (like, oh, a certain firelizard’s eggs)? High up there on fun. Sitting where their mindmates don’t want them to be? Always. To Impress a salamandyr is to embrace the fact that they can and will drive most people positively bonkers. Ornery and contrary without fail, never has there been a salamandyr without at least one annoying little quirk. And they do so love to be annoying. Most of what they do is for reactions, never doubt that, and the more strong the response they get, the happier the salamandyr tends to be. Is it any wonder most people avoid them? Their mindmates are often the target of this merciless taunting, too. Impressing them is certainly not a safe haven from their antics.
Despite the fact that they’re often quite ridiculously malicious, most salamandyrs are not outright mean. They’re just… fond of being irritating. When it comes to someone who is injured or hurt, they tend to be more sympathetic than firelizards, especially if the person in question is their mindmate, and no bullying of their chosen will be tolerated. Ever. They have a very possessive, almost older-siblingesque mindset toward their bondeds: only they may torment their chosen. No one else. Should anyone dare try, it will be a very quick transition from a normally chatty, somewhat irritating creature to excessively violent, even dangerous. Those little claws are lethal and they’re smart enough to know what to target to be deadly!
Salamandyrs as a species are often possessive and dislike sharing their mindmates with anyone, but especially with other draconic species. Since they are usually arrogant (though whether or not it’s without foundation is entirely up to the observer), they see firelizards, dragons and whers as inferior to themselves and come to resent having to share attention with them on any subject – but the possessiveness can spread to other beings as well. Their possessiveness is also not always limited to their humans; some salamandyrs have been known to display possessiveness over each other and over the close relatives of those they bond to as well. Once someone or something is theirs, they become increasingly protective of it, often with aggressive showings of territorial behavior. Face, meet claws.
And yes, like dragons, salamandyrs are known for Impressing upon hatching. However, unlike their larger kin, the depth of their connection varies salamandyr to salamandyr. While all of them are capable of communicating mind-to-mind with other entities (and this is not limited to just their mindmates, no, salamandyrs like to broadcast their feelings), some of them also form dragon-level deep connections, which can make their mating Runs and tender feelings very difficult on their chosen. Often times, when a salamandyr connects this deeply, the human they bond to is incapable of surviving their deaths – which makes it a very good thing that salamandyrs have human-length lifespans and are very gifted at self-preservation. The depth of the connection varies salamandyr to salamandyr and no two bonds are exactly alike. Just as people differ, so too do these little guys~
Mindspeech to a salamandyr is as intimate as images to a firelizard. Salamandyrs are incapable of projecting images (which is also why they can’t go between except to die), but their method of communication is quite effective: they form words. However, it is rarely clear, easy to follow words. Rather, salamandyrs pick up on speech patterns by their chosen and those they’re around most often, with golds and bronzes being the most articulate most of the time (though notable exceptions do occur). Their comprehension of human speech is limited, so sometimes they associate words with incorrect meanings, especially if other salamandyrs use them wrong – to a salamandyr, the word ‘Pretty’ might be the most vicious of insults, because it heard another of its kind use it a similar way. They also tend to leave out unnecessary words, so a sentence from one of them is more likely to be some variant of, You dumb. Why you do? rather than “You’re dumb. Why did you do that?” Peculiarly, though, salamandyrs are capable of hearing any and all dragon speech, and they can also understand firelizards: this makes them utterly invaluable when it comes to spying… but most of them don’t care enough to listen.
Commanding a salamandyr is flat out impossible unless you’re a salamandyr queen – and even then, it’s really only fifty-fifty. Unlike dragons which have to obey a queen’s command, salamandyrs tend to operate under the philosophy of “I’ll do it if I FEEL like doing it.” Queen dragons can rant and rave at them for days and they likely won’t move. The same goes for firelizards. Unfortunately, most of them are also obstinately fearless, which makes making them cooperate difficult. Try bribery. It works better.
Mating & Clutches
Oh Faranth, not MORE of them...
Like fire-lizards and dragonets, salamandyrs reach sexual maturity around five or six months of age. However, there the similarities end. Unlike flits, which have a generally predictable schedule of Rising, salamandyrs have "induced heat" from environmental, rather than internal, conditions. It's not uncommon for a large number of salamandyrs to come into heat all around the same time, which can be frustrating for other creatures in the vicinity.
The environmental cues that induce salamandyr heat are not entirely discernable to humans, but there are some things that are in common. Clues to guessing when a salamandyr "mating season" might start include an exceptional amount of rain, a large amount of organic material (like leaves and sticks) on the ground, approaching fish spawning seasons, and plagues. Though nobody knows how they predict it, often wild salamandyr Clutches hatch out during locust infestations or other booms in salamandyr prey species.
Because they are nearly flightless, salamandyrs do not have "Flights," per se. Instead, a salamandyr will lead her chasers on a "Run," which may include climbing, leaping, swimming, and even dangerous traps scoped out days in advance. There's a good deal of warning before a salamandyr has her maiden Run. For ten days or so beforehand, a maiden emits pheromones which make her practically irresistable. Every salamandyr around her -- male and female -- will attempt to gain her favor, with gifts, feats of derring-do, and an overall lavishing of affection.
In the week preceding a maiden queen's Run, several of the greens in contact with her will also Run. Though greens are capable of Clutching, they do not have the innate instinct to care for eggs, and have a parasitical relationship with queens (more on this later). Because salamandyrs have so little size variation, salamandyr females do not have a bias towards bronzes. A blue can be equally as capable a mate as a bronze. Interestingly, once a maiden salamandyr chooses their mate, they are almost completely loyal to them. Only rarely will a salamandyr seek extra-pair copulations. It's thought that salamandyrs have the capacity for two mental bonds -- one to their Impressed (should they choose one), and one to their mate. Mates will "merge" their territories and be possessive and defensive of both.
Interestingly, salamandyrs do not always choose a salamandyr of the opposite sex for their mate. A small subset of females -- including queens -- will select another female on their maiden Run as their permanent mate. In some cases, two unpaired males who chase the same female will match up as well. Oddly enough, salamandyr "threesomes" are also possible. A maiden salamandyr will sometimes have a strong enough heat in order to induce pairs of salamandyrs to chase her in tandem -- often a greenpair or a double-male pair. If she selects such a pair, she will mate with both, and they share an odd sort of bond. The "third wheel" will refer to the original mated pair as a single salamandyr, and bonds accordingly.
After forming a mating pair in this maiden Run, salamandyrs no longer Run. Instead, the roughly ten-day period of coming into heat is spent courting and mating on the sly. On occasion, the female in heat will mate with a male outside of the mating pair (this is particularly common in double-female pairs). Humans bonded to salamandyrs tend to find themselves "crushing" on their salamandyr's partner's human during this period, and some with deeper bonds find it easier to just sleep with whoever it is while their salamandyr is in heat than to fight off the feelings. On occasion, when both people have deep bonds with their salamandyrs, they cannot help but feel the same affection for the human counterpart that the salamandyr does for its mate.
Unlike the coastal flits, salamandyrs do not lay their eggs in sand. Instead, they build mounds of leaves and sticks, and the heat of the rotting material keeps their eggs warm. Queen salamandyrs have the dedication to build these mounds, while greens will often just scrape a couple leaves together here and there. Remember how greens Run shortly before queens? It's so that they become gravid before the queen salamandyr. A gravid green will try and stalk a queen to figure out which of the numerous mounds she's visiting will be the one that the queen lays in, and then will lay her eggs in that mound while the queen and her mate are elsewhere.
Of course, greens don't always choose rightly -- or the queen salamandyr may discover her few eggs and destroy them (usually eating them). But, on occasion, a green's eggs will be tended alongside a queens. Greens generally only lay a couple eggs (2 or 3), while a queen may lay up to a dozen. The queen will defend her nest mound with violence, while her mate brings her food and gifts and defends the territory.
Human-bonded salamandyrs will often announce to everyone within mental earshot about their eggs hatching, both out of pride and a desire to inflict the monster-babies on other humans. Oddly enough, people seem to come to the Hatchings despite having experience with the beasts. Candidates and weyrlings with dragons younger than five months of age are forbidden to attend salamandyr Hatchings due to the possibility of a deep bond causing issues during mating.
Young salamandyrs will choose (or not) the person or creature to inflict their bond on as they emerge from the nest mound. When a salamandyr bonds to a person with a flit, they will often harass the other draconid until it leaves permanently. Few salamandyrs will bond to a person who has another salamandyr attached, though apparently the bonds of other draconids like flits, dragons, and whers doesn't bother them in the least. If a person ends up with one of the monsters, our condolences. You're stuck for life.
