The Creation of the Draig'hedinn

by Dovahsdottir

This is a brief introduction to a species I am creating that comes from the Witcher world. I wanted to create a species that my fursona would be/is. And since I love the Witcher world and it's lore, and furries, I decided to blend the two. MandraBella is my werewolf/dragon fursona, and this is how she and The Six were created. I may decide to write stories about her, but not sure!

1. Chapter 1

Journal, Siger Airemet
Cave near ruins of Kaer Morhen

Our ancient colleagues who created the Witchers brought into this world a mutant that was needed. The cost to those who underwent the mutations was...well, severe would be putting it lightly. Horrific. Yes. Horror was in the eyes and faces of the boys they changed into Witchers. And those boys who lived would grow into men bred and trained to fight monsters. Those who didn't died in unspeakable agony, as detailed in the yellowed letters and books we found in this old laboratory.

So what could I and my fellow mages do in order to meet the needs of today? What is needed, I hear you ask? Soldiers. The cost in human lives to wage war has become far too high. So they, our kings and rulers, have charged us with creating mutated soldiers. They are demanding a product that is damage resistant and capable of rapid healing. This way no medics or mages would be needed to keep them alive on the battlefield.

And we succeeded. Like the creation of the Witchers, the cost was high. I shall simply say this, the orphans of war-torn Velen and Skellige were given...purpose. The cost of progress. History will judge us heroes. Because in the future, human lives will be saved by the creation of these living weapons.

For the sake of history, then, I shall commit now to writing the ingredients needed to make what we have named The Draig'hedinn. I am calling this formula, "The Decoctions of the Dragon". A bit pretentious, I grant you. After all, no true dragons' organic material is used. But this historic creation deserves a worthy name. But I digress. Each of the six draconids known in our world can be used, with varying results in the finished product depending on which draconid is chosen. The six we have created each stem from one of these draconids. And as luck, or perhaps the will of the gods, would have it three males and three females survived. Our next course of action is to test for fertility.

The Decoctions of the Dragon
- Any draconid spinal fluid
(Cockatrice, Forktail, Slyzard, Wyvern, Basilisk, Matriarch)
- Any werewolf heart
(Continental, Ulfhedinn)
- Any endrega poison gland
(Drones, Warriors, Workers)
- Mardroeme
- Belladonna
- Mandrake

A Draig'hedinn is best created starting with a human or elven subject. We tried using dwarves; but after two of them exploded after the first injections, we decided that something in the dwarven genetic makeup was simply too weak to accept the constituents. The first transformation to take place is similar to that of werewolves. The subjects' body twists and contorts, changing into the long-legged, muzzled and furred beasts of legend. The shackles on the tables left behind by the Witchers had to be modified with silver to keep them under control. After several hours, the second change happens. Two six inch slits appear on their backs, beneath the shoulder blades, parallel to the spine. And a bulge begins to form at the base of their spine. Then a noxious smelling fluid drips from them, forming a disgusting blister-like sac that bubbles and seems to burn them. Narcotics are needed to keep them from expiring from the pain. A few hours after this, the blisters burst open and their wings and a tail unfurl, sticky and wet with puss and blood. This seems to be the most agonizing part of the transformation, as several previous subjects expired during this stage. We now heavily sedate them once the wings begin to appear and administer an immediate transfusion of blood to keep them alive. It is at this stage that we realized their blood had become acidic and poisonous, as well as their saliva. Once past this part, the healing begins. The plant elements are administered while they sleep. During this stage their fur grows thicker and they will start to show the unique features of their draconid aspects. Some have leathery wings and tails, while others have feathers. Some have a wolf-like snout while others more reptilian. Some have paws for feet and hen-like claws. However, with each of the subjects, the wings are useless. True flight is not possible as they are too stunted. That said, short glides are possible and they can flap and fold them without trouble. A few have wolf-like tails while others have club-like tails like endrega warriors.

The Six, as we have taken to calling the originals, seemed to have no recollection of having ever been anything other than what they are. When they awakened, like newborns they turned to us with the expected behavior of being hungry. We had bred them to be soldiers but, honestly none of us had the heart to refuse them food, drink and a good bath.

The kings will have to wait. Fearsome as the Draig'hedinn may look, fearsome is not at all what they project. Most days we find them playing games of hide n seek with one another, picking wildflowers in the mountain meadows, or visiting the rock troll that lives in the cave by the lake. Do we have the heart to take the joy of life from them, and make them into war machines? We shall see.

PS:

One of them just came to me, a female we call Number Three, and left a bouquet of belladonna flowers and a nicely polished river rock. Three has feathered and furred wings and wolfish back paws, and an interesting feathered pattern at the base of her spine that reminds me of a mandrake plant. I shall call her MandraBella.

MandraBella

Number Three of the Draig'hedinn originals, Female

Genetic makeup: Human, Forktail, Ulfhedinn, Endrega Worker