Entry #1 Dracaena

[ AN: One of the more out-there designs I came up with. I waffled a fair bit whether to even include them at all. We're approaching the time for the first vote. I plan to release a small 'primer' chapter for each option and then allow the players to vote amongst them at a dedicated space. ]

DRACAENA
General overview and castes.

The Dracaena is a curious species of Monster Girl, her taxonomic categorization a subject of hot debate among scholars. While she is, technically, a bipedal and humanoid being with functional limbs, her legs are entirely incapable of supporting her full weight without the assistance of her lower half. Why? Because that tail is a massive, serpentine body of muscle far more akin to a great constrictor snake than the simple counterweight or aesthetic appendage most would imagine a bipedal being to possess. Consequently, Dracaena as a whole prefer using their powerful tails for locomotion and grappling, reserving their limbs as auxiliary graspers for tool-use or mating. She CAN walk on her legs, provided her tail is not physically incapacitated (paralyzed, pinned, dead weight), but usually has no need to. Even then, she can generally coil herself inward with assistance of her humanoid limbs - just not drag her tail along behind her.

Dracaena are typically very stratified with multiple distinct 'castes' bearing physiological, biological, and societal differences. The 'Queen' - their only 'true' female - tends to be the largest and possesses a signature triad of horns crowning her head. Likewise, four jewel-like spurs are inset into her body - three along the collarbone, and one on the forehead above the crown chakra - which serve as arcane conduits and natural foci. Queens possess socially dominant personalities and are universally the apex of a Dracaena society or family-group. As is the case for many (but not all) Monster Girls, the Queen typically bears offspring in a mammalian fashion. Depending on the sub-species, these children are typically Noble or Common Dracaena unless she is willfully producing a possible heir. She is also immune to transformation via lesser Dracaena castes' reproductive strategies.

By comparison, the Noble and Common castes seem like a gradual degradation of the Queen's essence. Some scholarly circles therefore posit the Queen is actually the baseline for the species, citing that the only naturally occurring mono-caste subspecies are universally 'only-Queen' rather than the others. Of course, this is a hotly debated topic due to the argued definition of what makes any given subspecies 'naturally occurring' when most retain Elmerelda's blessing... but I digress.

'Noble' Dracaena tend to be more slender, but their trademarks are: lack of crown focus, lack of horns, and addition of hermaphroditic reproductive system. They tend to adopt a wider range of roles than their Queen or Common counterparts, and frequently exert authority over the latter. 'Common' Dracaena are a step less sophisticated than the Noble, bearing simply outlooks, no external foci spurs at all, and the least physicality of all castes. Mind, that still places them a fair degree above the typical human. Unless you are in the bedroom, you should not attempt to wrestle a Common Dracaena simply because she has the mass of a pony rather than a bear.

Regarding reproduction, although both 'Common' and 'Noble' castes seem to possess a female system complete with room... they would appear to be almost-universally barren. Instead, when mating with anything other than a Queen Dracaena, their male aspect is typically used as a catalyst for their innate magic in order to transform the partner into a Dracaena of their caste. Such transformation requires penetration and insemination.

INNATE MAGIC
(Hypnotic Gaze, Magic Resistance)

Many Dracaena possess a potent affinity for a specific school of magic - often of a specific element- and those which don't tend to have higher Magic Resistance by way of compensation. However, when looking at the species overall there is one particular 'Magic' they all possess to varying degrees: a Hypnotic Gaze. Meeting the eyes of a Dracaena in the appropriate mood (or with the appropriate inclination) is entrancing.

In Common Dracaena, this results in one's mind simply 'turning off its questions' if they succumb. There is no thought, only blind submission as she leads one into fulfilling whatever purpose she might have. However, Common Dracaena tend to possess the weakest gaze which most people can shake off without much effort when applied in isolation. A malicious Common Dracaena typically wants to mate or kill with little room in between. If they're friendly, they might use the Gaze as a means of alleviating partner distress as a 'final option' which they - simple but heart-felt girls that typical 'friendly' Common Dracaena are - tend to press all-too often much to their supervising Nobles' or Queen's consternation.

Noble Dracaena possess a more potent gaze and - more relevantly - a more creative mind for its application. The effects tend to seep deeper, be harder to shake off. Compared to the Common Dracaena, a Noble is far more discerning and careful with the effects of their gaze both for good or ill. A malicious Noble frames its commands more like reasonable requests that slowly escalate until you've been programmed into a shape it desires. Conversely, a benign or friendly one might proactively use the Gaze to help the partner focus, calm in moments of crisis, or to subtly help actualize self-improvement.

Queen Dracaena, of course, have the most potent Gaze of all. At this level subtlety tends to vanish, and yet the sheer weight behind the magic leads one to incredulously dismiss the very idea any thought, feeling, or behavior she instills might be foreign. A malicious Queen might program her presumed partner in any number of ways to suit her ends, ranging from the base to the insidiously clever (such as encouraging a family man to lead his sons into her den under auspice of a provided excuse; a soldier might lose relevant records regarding her location and activities).

Conversely, benign Queens... almost never use their gaze at all due to its potency and lasting effects. If the target would resist the gaze, it isn't helpful to begin with. If the target doesn't resist the gaze, then the effects must be chosen with great care due to how deeply it warps their psyche, and so most friendly Queens ere on the side of caution to avoid destroying the very thing which drew their affection to begin with. The lack of this same-restraint in their admittedly less-potent children, should they have them, is a source of endless headaches for the matriarchs.

►[ Species: Dracaena ][ Type: Monster Girl (Serpentine) ][ Biology: Bipedal humanoid torso with free-hanging vestigial legs. Pelvis transitions into massive, heavy, prehensile serpentine tail that supports full body weight. Hermaphroditic (Common, Noble). True females (Queens). ][ Movement: Prefers tail-driven locomotion despite vestigial legs. Can coil, constrict, strike. ][ Society: Matriarchal. The Queens lead, Noble Caste manage, and Common Caste form general populace/workforce/soldiers. ][ Common Habits: Looms vertically to display threat or exert authority, or into personal space when curious; coil-based grappling, constricting squeeze; potent hypnotic gaze. ][ Reproduction: Queens bear offspring. Nobles/Commons fertilize external partners, transforming them into same-type Dracaena. ]

CIVIL & DOMESTIC DRACAENA
(Coral, Fidelian)

[ Subtype: Coral ][ Biome: Coastal Waters, Reefs ][ Key Traits: Smallest. Fast, graceful. Brilliant, coral-like scale patterns. Perfect Air/Water Breathing. Social, group tactics. ][ Unique Feature: Can accelerate growth of coral structures for defense, shaping, nest-building.][ Castes: Queens, Noble, Common. ]

[ Subtype: Fidelian- ][ Biome: Domesticated; Civil Biomes. ][ Key Traits: Varies based on host-species integration. Adopts host heraldry as scale patterns. Loyalty, protectiveness. ][ Unique Feature: Can form empathic, telepathic bond with designated 'master' or family.][ Castes: Only Common. ]

WILD DRACAENA
(Abyssal, Agarthan, Hylaean)

[ Subtype: Abyssal ][ Biome: Abyss Sea ][ Key Traits: Dark, smooth, pressure-resistant hides. Bioluminescent lures (angler-type). Venomous tail-barb. Tolerate **** cold/pressure. Water Magic. ][ Unique Feature: Creates temporary vacuum pockets in water to pull prey closer. ][ Castes: Only Queens and Common. ]

[ Subtype: Agarthan ][ Biome: Cave Biomes (Partic. Lush Caves). ][ Key Traits: Bioluminescent scale patterns (communication, luring), **** darkvision, tremor-sense. Smaller, slimmer builds. Earth Magic. ][ Unique Feature: Sonic-resonant crests on head/shoulders for echolocation and long-range communication through rock. ][ Castes: Only Queens and Common. ]

[ Subtype: Hylaean ][ Biome: Deep Forest Biomes, Wild Sylvan Glades, Jungle Biomes ][ Key Traits: 2nd-Largest. Physical power. Mottled green, brown scales for camouflage. Arboreal movement. Constrictor specialist. ][ Unique Feature: Can secrete fast-drying resin to create temporary nests or bind prey.][ Castes: Only Queens. ]

CORRUPTIVE DRACAENA
(Wyrd-, Progyna-)

[ Subtype: Wyrd-Dracaena ][ Biome: Wyrdholds, Wyrd-Maws. ][ Key Traits: Alluring, hypnotic patterns on scales. Suggestive, coiling 'dance'. Spore-laced breath. Wyrd-Fae magic. ][ Unique Feature: 'Siren Coil' - prolonged physical contact transmits addictive euphoria, erodes will, encourages transformation.][ Castes: Only Noble. ]

[ Subtype: Progyna-Dracaena ][ Biome: Progyna-Creche, Progyna-Nests. ][ Key Traits: Dracaena Progyna-Wife variant. Feral devotion to Progyneta. Scales flushed pink/red. Hyper-fertile. Allure of Novelty. Aggressive 'mating press' constriction to secure partners for Progyneta. ][ Unique Feature: 'Broodmare's Coil' - can transfer Progyneta's transformative essence through prolonged skin-to-skin contact, initiating Progyna- transformation in partners. ][ Castes: Only Queens. ]