[b]Azura Biology[/b]

The Azura claim three masteries above all others: Chemistry, gravity and biology. The physical design of their species is a triumph of biomantic science and engineering. The average Azura should be considered closer kin to a monster than a humanoid in terms of threat. Indeed, at over four meters from nose to tailtip, with bones laced with hyperium and quadranix and muscles made of woven metal fibers, an Azura upon the battlefield has more in common with a main battle tank than an infantryman. 

A modern Azura could not develop in the wild; a child grown outside of Azura society would grow into a much smaller, much less capable entity; an echo of what the species might have been thousands of years ago. A great deal of specialized genetic alchemy is required to enable an infant Azura to meet its full potential. Diet is a big part of this - an Azura diet involves spectacularly complex and exotic minerals along with liquids that are essentially rocket fuel. The Azura's body is able to process and integrate these industrial inputs into a superhuman level of strength, speed and reflexes. 

An adult Azura is akin to a naga; a long serpentine tail in place of legs, and a hooded snake head. They have four arms and a mind capable of multitasking with each of them to full effect. Their scales are invariably blue or violet, most commonly a deep, dark colour kin to black, raising to brilliant and radiant shades as a sign of nobility and beauty. Azura are genetic descendants of sea snakes and have a natural affinity with the ocean and three-dimensional movement. On land they often prefer to levitate using personal grav-rails whenever possible, living their lives in majority zero-gravity environments. 

Much can be inferred about Azura capabilities by assuming their genetic mastery. Their vision is perfect and capable of perceiving a vast spectrum, their hearing acute, they can naturally echolocate or use sonar pulses. They have great control over their physical forms, able to change gender, perform minor acts of shapeshifting, or regenerate from grievous injuries. Their scales are reinforced armour plating, their fangs can pierce steel, and the range of poisons they can generate is dizzying. They can generate chlorophyll to feed on sunlight, rapidly adapt to extreme temperatures and conditions and even survive in hard vacuum without a suit.

Azura are deeply solitary creatures, generally regarding others of their kind as a threat. Many of their direct encounters have an undercurrent of sexuality or violence, and are considered to be tense and exhausting even between friends. Reproductive rates are relatively low due to the sheer investment of resources required to raise a new Azura, and Azura generally prefer fleeting encounters to committed relationships - at least with their peers. They tend to be far more affectionate and patient with their subordinates.

Azura society is generally structured to assume a ratio of one hundred servitors for every true Azura, and even the least can call upon a personal household of guards, servants, mechanics and attendants. In theory Azura citizenship is open to anyone but Azura society is founded on the assumptions of immense individual strength that they each possess and so foreign species often find it extremely difficult to win respect or station within the context of the Endless Azure Skies. It does happen, though - there are small numbers of humans and other aliens who have made names and positions for themselves in the Endless Azure Skies off the back of their own personal might, and they are considered full Azura citizens by the Azura themselves. The visibility of these figures is reduced further by some of them deciding to genetically alter themselves into closer fit with Azura standards of beauty. Those who do not either fit into the Azura structure of nobility or the servitor castes are generally shunted into the Order of Goltir.