Gyallians

The Gyallian Army logo

Draconic shapeshifters, Gyallians are a proud people who can take on a draconic form whenever they so choose. In ancient times they lived on Tehare, but absconded to their own planet once space travel became more available. They are known for being extremely strong, militaristic, and isolationist.

Conventional wisdom has most people keeping their distance from them, as provocation can have serious consequences. There are only specific channels in which Gyallians will do trade with other species. Gyallian metals and alloys are highly prized, as they are imbued with magic and make them much more flexible in application, especially to other magical-inclined species.

As a species, each Gyallian has a draconic form they can shapeshift into at any time. While they are perfect shifters in that shifting almost never causes complications, the draconic form is extremely resource intensive and can only be used for a small amount of time. As a result, most Gyallians prefer to partial shift, which they also do with relative ease.

Research on how Gyallians shift is scarce, but it is mostly understood that it is a function of magic more than it is a function of science.

They have created a culture of obtaining might and power, and is used as a status symbol and determines where a Gyallian may be in society. While power of the mind is appreciated, power of the body is more heavily prized, especially when it comes to how adept one may be at controlling their shifted form and abilities.

Gyallian language is comprised of a strange combination of spoken word and special noises that can only be made by fellow Gyallians. This is more of a physiological restriction than anything else, as Gyallians have the biology to make more animalistic sounds. This language also enables them to speak in their fully shifted dragon forms, since conventional language is difficult for them when in a non-humanoid form.

Gyallia itself is an incredibly dangerous planet with extreme natural environments that most other creatures would shy away from. Gyallians took it as a challenge, rerouting volcanic magma flows, controlling the direction of winds with large structures and magic, manipulating the land to be fertile for growth, etc. Large urban centers are heavily managed and protected in order to keep their species safe, and the wilds are left to their own devices as they make an excellent deterrent for those who would attempt to invade their planet. Maintaining livable conditions in Gyallia means that large portions of the population's jobs are dedicated to infrastructure and construction, both on the physical labor and mental innovation fronts.