[b]Starting Country:[/b] Get an Atlas if you’re not sure what the country is you’re looking at! [b]Name of Nation:[/b] Ukraine [b]Race Name:[/b] The Vrael [b]Race Leader:[/b] The Queen or Queens [b]Race Leader Physical Description:[/b] Unknown [b]Race Leader Significant Traits:[/b] [b]The Evermind:[/b] The entirety of Vrael knowledge is contained within the consciousness that has been described as the queen or the Evermind. What is experienced by even the lowliest of the Vrael is known by all members of the race simultaneously through this connection. Because of this universal awareness the queen commands all armies in person without ever needing to be present on the field of battle. This has a potent advantage as well as the issue of time delay and lag in the delivery of orders is never present for the Vrael. [b]All Hail The Queen:[/b] Because the queen and any subsidiary queen spawn she might have is/are completely necessary to the continued survival of the Vrael race such members are defended with little regard for the survival of the defenders. In essence the queen is protected to the death by every possible defender and member of the race. [b]Bad Ass Mother:[/b] No one in living memory has ever witnessed the form of the Vrael queens and lived to tell about it. Ancient legends tell of an ability to take on the forms of other races, skin stronger than steel, the strength of 20 men, blinding speed, elemental magic that made the world shake with anguish, and the ability to read thoughts with a glance [b]Race Physical Description:[/b] [list]- Male Appearances: It is difficult to fully describe the infinite variety of the forms of Vrael. In ancient legends there is talk of forms that turn an enemy's strengths against them. Winged races found themselves confronted with swarms who flew upon buzzing wings and fought with scything claws, the dwarves in their earthen halls found their walls sundered by beasts who loomed as tall as buildings, the beastfolk found that their savage forms were adopted by the foe. The Vrael adapt future generations to face their enemies but there are a handful of set forms that have been reported in all known encounters with the Vrael. The default forms all share the common denominator of possessing insectile features. One of the frequently noted forms is similar to a large spider, another is a massive winged beetle with greet slashing claws. The most common coloration for Vrael chitin is a delightful mix of green and brown. - Female Appearances: No one in living memory has ever witnessed the form of the Vrael queens and lived to tell about it. Ancient legends tell of an ability to take on the forms of other races, skin stronger than steel, the strength of 20 men, elemental magic that made the world shake with anguish, and the ability to read thoughts with a glance. These are of course merely unconfirmed rumors and as none have seen a queen the general assumption is quite logically that the Vrael queens are simply another variety of bug in the fashion of the non queens. It is however known that the Vrael commonly seen are either male or do not possess a gender at all. [/list] [b]Use of Magic:[/b] The queens are the sole repository of magic for the Vrael and it is entirely invested within them. Their magic is elemental in nature and extremely potent for they are the only ones capable of utilizing the vast energy of the race. [b]Life Span:[/b] How long do they live for on average? [list] – Male Lifespan: The lifespan of the typical Vrael is short and brutal, most only live for a year or two at most due to the horrendous losses sustained in combat. - Female Lifespan: There is no known lifespan for a Vrael queen. [/list] [b]Reproduction Rate:[/b] A single queen can lay in excess of a million eggs within a year and the eggs once laid hatch within a single month of the laying. It is only a matter of another month before the hatchling is mature and capable of battle. The only standard constraint upon the Vrael population is that of resources and the population will typically be regulated to avoid outstripping the ability to support it. [b]Society:[/b] The Vrael are entirely a hive based race with little thought for social aspects. [b]History:[/b] (I humbly request permission to finish this at a later time.) [b]Religion:[/b] ----------------- [b]Significant Racial Traits:[/b] [b]Rapid Evolution: [/b] [i]"We unleashed our fiercest firestorms against them. The next month fire barely singed them." -Unknown [/i] The Vrael adjust and adapt the next generation to fight against their enemies. They adopt forms that reflect and neutralize their enemies' strengths. The process becomes more efficient as time passes. [b]Fearless[/b] The Vrael are not capable of feeling fear unless the queen controlling them feels fear. They do not retreat unless ordered and will fight to the death in every encounter unless explicitly commanded not to do so. [b]We Have Reserves!:[/b] Enough said? [b]Preferred Fighting Methods:[/b] The Vrael are a swarm based race that are typically assembled into the greatest concentrations possible before being used in combat. It is not unusual for the Vrael to outnumber their enemy by vast margins. Magic is often the best defense against them for the queens will rarely risk themselves and apart from the queens the Vrael have no magic. [b]Seafaring Capabilities:[/b] The Vrael have no understanding of sea travel. [b]Other Information:[/b]