Raudurion

Raudurion (焔爪族「ラウデュリオン」, Raudyurion, "Flame Claw Race") is a major race in Tales of Ylemia.

Background
Formerly the dominant race in Salamandra, the Raudurions are characterized by their blood red hair and bright yellow markings on their extremities and back. They are natural-born warriors adept in manipulating fire, thus earning their title as "Children of the Flames".

Their average life expectancy is twice the average Human's, reaching to about 190-200 years on average and a maximum of 220. They also appear to age physically slowly, which makes them appear younger, although there are those who appear as old as Humans their age until adulthood. Raudurions typically become teenagers by age 20-25, some can be as early as 18, and reach adulthood by 40-45. Their prime age is at 80-100, at the beginning of their middle ages. Their strength will begin to wane by age 130 and become seniors at 150. When approaching the years of their death, Raudurions can unlock the fourth level of their ability.

Raudurions came from a distinct dragon-like race, the Seluek. The Seluek had black scales that appeared like armor covering their clawed limbs, neck, and back, with equally black horns and dragon-like tail. They had white hair, tips red and alight with flames, bright glowing eyes, and snow white exposed skin. Although more dragon-like from their armored appearance and fire manipulation and generation, their devilish appearance and behavior were more closely attributed to demons.

Unlike the Raudurions of today, the Seluek lacked restraint and are immensely apathetic, which is why they were feared and avoided in the ancient times, although some Imuna and Uyvil cults have worshiped them as gods. Seluek were near-immortal beings and never age, but they perish at the touch of water.

To preserve their species, Seluek later evolved into less powerful Draig, sacrificing their power to become more tolerant to water. The Draigs maintained most of their appearance, their normal state lacking their wings, tail, and horns, while yellow markings surfaced on their scales and skin. Their became red and remained alight at the tips. They do revert back to their Seluek form when they are agitated. Because they produced less fire energy, their behavior also changed dramatically into less active beings, although they still remained hostile to other Races and violent when in combat.

Draigs only evolved into Raudurion only recently (around 7000 years ago, during the Age of Diio-Kuldioy). They have lost their original form, only able to access the power when using their ability, Arion. They have lost most of their original power and appearance, but are now more in tune with the world and its inhabitants.

Appearance
Raudurions have their distinct blood-red hair and yellow markings around their arms, legs, and back. All marking patterns are unique to each individual. Because of the strength and dominance of their blood, their red hair and yellow markings are always passed on to their progeny, chimera or not.

Because of their activity, Raudurion body types tend to be fit and athletic to muscular. If they are slim and thin, it wouldn't take long to train and gain an athletic body.

Their skin colors come in various shades of brown, particularly the lighter shades. There is a significant number of Raudurion with pale to ivory white skin colors, though this does not seem to be a dominant trait as Chimera with a Raudurion parent whose skin color is ivory does not have the same skin color.

In contrast to other Races, Raudurions' eyes tend to be bright and vivid, even sometimes able to light up in the dark. This doesn't affect their vision, however.

Raudurions' average height is about the same as humans, wherever they come from. Those Raudurions who do live nearby volcanoes or Fire Element hotspots grow taller than the average Raudurion, which is why in Salamandra, males are on average 183 cm (6'0), females at 170 cm (5'7), and the rest at 176 cm (5'9 1/2). Males can grow at a maximum of 210 cm (6'11), females at 200 cm (6'7), and others at 204 cm (6'8 1/2).

Ability
The Raudurion's race ability is called Arion (火霊変身「アリオン」, Arion, "Flame Spirit Transformation"). This ability allows them to generate flame from their bodies and concentrate the output to their extremities. It also allows them to transition into five levels that increases their ability's power output while also exhibiting temporary physical changes.

Arion allows them to transform into humanoid beings of flame, usually in the forms of fire elementals, dragons, phoenixes, and golems. On the First Level Arion, only their hands and feet become covered in flames. By reaching Second Level Arion, their arms and legs are fully covered in flames, wings and horns also sprout from the back and head, respectively. The Third Level Arion solidifies the flames, appearing as black armor on the Raudurion.

While the use of Arion boosts their fire abilities, it makes the Raudurions more susceptible to water and Water-Element artes and spells.

Trivia

 * Fergon was the race's spoken language, created when they needed a form of communication between themselves, only declining after the Dark Ages. In the recent times, the speakers of the language has declined due to the decline in communication.
 * Although described to be a race that descended from dragons, their Arion forms appear to have more demonic features than reptilian.
 * Historic books have records of Raudurions being dominantly white-haired rather than the known red hair (although this may refer to the Seluek). Galton theorizes that a mutation occurred and it became a dominant gene within the race, but he isn't quite sure why there are no white-haired Raudurions in existence for the past few millennia.
 * Raudurion usually make clothing and equipment that are resistant to their own flames from their own hair. Materials from certain monster types are usually added if the hair isn't enough to make the cloth.