Gorgons
(Gorgons are so rare that their abilities and effects are mostly unknown to anyone outside of their race)
Classification: Draconic Olympians
Origin:
Believed to be the combined descendants of the original Gorgons of Greek mythology, Stheno, Euryale and Medusa, who in turn were the children of Echidna (Half woman half snake with the power over life and death) and Typhon (A fire breathing dragon with one hundred heads)
Appearance:
Beautiful and human looking for the most part. Hair, eyes and skin can be any human colour.
All gorgons have a strip of snake/dragon scales the width and length of their spine, these tend to mirror the colour of the eyes of their snakes
All gorgon’s hair turns into curled vipers or basilisk type serpents when angered or feel threatened. This can either be a full mass of snakes or just a few random ones throughout the rest of their hair. The eyes of the snakes match the magical venom type their bites produce. (Some have multiple types of snakes and therefore venom)
The full gorgon form consists of snake hair and eyes, they can also transform the lower half of their bodies into snake form which they have been trained to use as a weapon
Human eyes generally but can change to dragon/serpent eyes to hypnotize (vertical pupil) Gorgon eyes (vertical pupil and their eyes glow. Those that look into their eyes at this time turn into stone.)
Creation:
Male Gorgons are sterile except when they breed with female gorgons. Females may breed with anyone; any offspring they conceive will always be pure-bred gorgons. Due to their long-life spans, children are extremely rare, those that do manage to bare children generally only produce one offspring, the maximum children a gorgon can ever produce over their lifetime is four.
Lifespan:
Gorgons live for ten thousand years. They don’t age appearance wise once they turn 25. However, they become ancient crones, withered and haggard once they turn 9900 years old. Their last century is often lived in solitude as they are unable to cope with the ugliness of their appearance. Many opting to turn themselves into stone before they reach that age so that their beauty will remain forever.
Gorgons age and mature as humans do until they reach twenty-five
Characteristics:
Extremely rare, these supes are more oft then not considered merely myth because of their scarcity. Their clans are small, consisting of no more then 20 to 30 people
Matriarchal: Each clan is ruled by a Queen
Clannish; They stand by clan before anyone else. Loyal; protective of those they care about, especially loyal to their family members. For outsiders their loyalty must be earned and can never be brought, and they remain steadfastly loyal unless they are betrayed. Gorgons do not get on with other gorgon clans, they may have peace between them but they are never allies nor are gorgons from other clans to be trusted.
Territorial: Once claimed a gorgon will protect their lands and their home with viscous efficiency.
Heightened Vision: They have heat vision, notice all types of movements, can see into the shadow realm and their over all vision is close to but not quite as good as a vampires.
Sense of Taste: All Gorgons have a heightened sense of taste, it is almost like a second sight and are able to track a quarry just by tasting the air they have passed through
A gorgon comes into their full power after 300 yrs. So generally, they stay within the clan before then for safeties sake.
Hoarders/treasure hunters; Gorgons all have a vice of some sort in this regard. Some like to surround themselves with beauty and so tend to own model agencies, some must be surrounded with music, others collect books, or art, or magical items or lore and information, and some just like shinies at any and all costs.
Gorgons, for the most part, prefer to live in warmer or temperate climates, they dislike the cold and often become sluggish and slow in prolonged extreme cold weather
Powers and Abilities:
Their blood and abilities are draconic
Turn people/creatures/supes into stone with their gorgon gaze. Their eyes change colour to their snakes’ eyes and glow. (This state can be cured with the use of the gorgon’s tears or blood. A person turned to stone has a time frame of five hundred years to be changed back. After that they are nothing more than a stone statue.)
Hypnotize all people/creatures/supes with their draconic eyes (able to alter and wipe memories)
Their snakes have different venom denoted by their eye colour. (Red: This venom causes uncontrolled bleeding. Green: Acidic, flesh eating venom, Black: A flesh to stone venom, it is agonizingly painful and works slowly; even those with healing or rejuvenation powers cannot stop the spread and transformation. (If a gorgon has enough snakes and are old enough to produce a strong enough venom then even vampires will succumb to the full effects of all venom types.) Pale yellow: paralyzing venom. All venom spreads by blood cell to blood cell, regardless of species. A beating heart will spread it faster but not having one will not stop the toxin.
Have minor teleportation (Blink), the older the gorgon the further they can teleport (Max distance is 2 miles (3 klm))
Super strength
Their blood and tears (if given willingly) is a universal curative and healing agent (A large amount of blood if drunk cures any and all transformative conditions), it will also cure and heal gorgon venom and stone effects. (Does not have to be willingly given if taken during their shedding stage; see liabilities and weaknesses)
Natural Armor; Their skin is impenetrable; except for when it isn’t (See Liabilities and weaknesses)
Dragon Fire: Some gorgons inherit the ability to summon and shoot dragon flame from their hands. (Very very very rare ability.)
Liabilities and Weaknesses:
Gorgons are considered mortal until they reach a century of age and can be killed as simply as any human until then.
Gorgon body parts and fluids are considered extremely magical and are often hunted and harvested because of it.
Seeing their own reflection (Must be a mirror big enough to show their face or some other large high reflective item) whilst using their gorgon stare will cause them to turn themselves into stone.
Shaving their head keeps a gorgon weak and unable to defend themselves, although they can still use their gorgon stare.
For three days every season during their birth week and month, a gorgon will become comatose and shed. Their spine scales will flake and peel, leaving them completely powerless during this time. All gorgons seclude themselves during this time, those with royal connections often have bodyguards with different shedding times to theirs so that they can always be protected during this vulnerable period. Telltale signs a gorgon is due to shed is that they become lethargic and extremely aggressive and their spine scales darken, becoming dull and lackluster.
Lifestyle:
Most remain in rural and remote areas. However, those that tend to live near cities and like to live a lavish life style but tend to blend in as much as possible.
Gorgons don't have birthdays, instead their births are recognized by the week and month of the season they are born in. ( First week of the second month of spring)
Common Personality:
Loyal
Vindictive; if a gorgon decides you are an enemy, they have no mercy and no forgiveness.
They can be cold and calculating.
Sensual and passionate.
