Azaran

ENVENOMED

Taking "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" to heart, Envenomed are dragons who have built up an immunity to a specific poison (or poisons) via gradual exposure, and have become so saturated with it that the toxin can be spread via blood or saliva. Most Envenomed will store enough toxin in their tissues that they can go for long periods of time without taking in more of it, but without maintenance it will eventually fade. However, they will always possess their bright warning colors. As Envenomed deliberately expose themselves to potentially deadly poisons to adapt to them, they are looked upon favorably by the Plaguebringer.

EXPOSURE
A victim exposed to an Envenomed's bodily fluids, usually by being bitten or clawed during a fight, will soon feel the effects of their chosen poison. This can be mild, if only a small dose is taken in and the poison carried by the Envenomed is not highly dangerous, but more often the affected dragon will be incapacitated for days or weeks, if not killed outright. In the event an Envenomed perishes, its remains may initially contaminate the surrounding area, making it unsafe for scavengers, but the effect does not persist long-term.

EFFECTS
The effects of exposure to an Envenomed depend upon the nature of the poisons in its system. As a general rule, they will mirror the effects of the raw poison.

DIET
An Envenomed is capable of changing toxins by adjusting its diet, but a gradual transition is safer than a sudden one, to give time to build resistance to the new toxin. Both toxins remain present at varying concentrations until the first one eventually "wears off," but if an Envenomed continued eating both, it could maintain them both at reduced levels. This is not usually ideal as it is difficult to predict how the poisons will react with each other.

If an Envenomed does not consume its source of poison on a consistent basis, its tolerance will eventually fade. This is typically described as a lack of maintenance, similar to the way certain vaccines require boosters on occasion. When an Envenomed detoxifies, their body fluids lose toxicity faster than their tissues, but both could eventually lose the totality of their stores. Smaller breeds and those with faster metabolisms will go through this process more quickly; a Fae might become nontoxic in a few weeks or months, while a Guardian could take 6 months to a year, if not longer.

Conversely, it is quite impossible for one of this subspecies to overindulge on toxic foods, due to the fact that excess concentration is built up in much of their organic matter, which may at times lead to transmission through their flesh. A change in diet is more dangerous than an increase of intake because the loss of toxins, which are their primary defense mechanism, could leave them vulnerable to environmental illnesses and parasites.


BEHAVIOR
While otherwise as normal and varying in personality as ordinary dragons, Envenomed are extremely bold and not afraid of ending up in a fight, since they will almost always harm their opponent. However, they usually take a hit-and-run approach to combat, giving their chosen toxin time to affect the victim before finishing them. Many clans will not accept Envenomed due to the chance of accidental poisoning of clanmates, but some clans, especially Plague clans, do value or at least tolerate them.


MATING
The type of toxins carried by mates do not have to be the same for them to nest. However, it is beneficial for the mates to have at least some resistance to each other's poisons. In the case of parents with differing diets, their hatchlings will be born with a mild amount of each. The introduction of appropriate foods is crucial at this early stage of life.