Two Keidran, namely the Magi Brothers, posing.
Keidran are canine- and feline-based, bipedal, sapient animals. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, which include: Tigers, Large Cats, Dogs, Wolves, and Foxes. They are a short-lived but intense race; guided by powerful base instincts. They are highly territorial and usually short-tempered. However, they are relatively easy to subdue and dominate individually, and thus make ideal slaves for Humans. This has been a point of contention for centuries between the two races.
Appearance
The Keidran's appearance, up to this point, is based on one of four real world animals: Large Cats, Wolves, Foxes and Dogs. All Keidrans have catlike eyes with slit-like iris, even if they are canine based, such as the Wolf, Dog and Fox Keidran. They are able to have hair that is a different color from their fur. Due to the Keidran having paws rather than human-like feet, they don't wear shoes. Sometimes, a paw covering (Not like those of the Basitin) which has toe openings is worn.
Traits
- Keidran appear to learn very quickly, given that their comparatively short lifespan allows them less time to become adept at skills that require years for a Human or Basitin to master. All breeds of Keidran appear to have a common language, and both genders have vocal pitches similar enough that they cannot be distinguished by verbal means. Their language is described as being quite 'growly'.
- Their arboreal abodes lend to them significant agility, and they appear to be just as much at home amongst the trees as they are on the ground. They possess great natural strength and endurance, a fact that makes them ideal for slave labour and much sought after by humans. All Keidran are strictly carnivorous, and fall quite ill if they ingest human foods such as bread.
- Females of the species periodically come into estrus, during which they (and any nearby males) lose their ability to rationalise, suffer instinctual lapses and mood swings which can be problematic in confined spaces. However, they are only fertile the week after this cycle, not during. The estrus of Keidrans varies in frequency and intensity, depending on the type of Keidran it effects. While Tiger Keidran experience estrus several times a year, it is typically much lighter than what most Wolves experience. Wolves, on the other hand, only go into estrus twice, usually in the fall and more intensely in the spring. Spring estrus is notorious among all Keidran species.
- Severely injured and/or mentally traumatized/tortured Keidran may retreat into a basal state, becoming "feral" and losing their sentience. With immediate aid, they can be returned to normal. However after an elapsed period of 24 hours, this state is irreversable. A controlled version of this feral state can also be triggered voluntarily, during combat or times of emotional stress. It is also said in the Minikinds comic that Keidran that are hungry enter a feral-like state, but it wears off soon after eating.
Politics
- Each Keidran tribe maintains its own monarchy and system of govenance independant of the other breeds. It is unknown if the Keidran have any kind of united forum for racial discussion.
- It is alluded that each Keidran Tribe has adopted different philosophies in their interactions with the outside world; the Tiger Tribe for example are said to be quite insular and maintain their distance from both Humans and other Keidran, whereas others such as the Dog, Fox and Wolf Tribes living closer to the border of the Human Empire are more commonly seen, albeit as slaves.
- Given the current state of aggression, it is unlikely that any formal diplomatic relations exist between Human and Keidran lands, or between Keidran and Basitin. The Wolf Tribe alone are known to have engaged in a state of open hostilities against the Human Empire, and assassinated the Human king in a calculated opportunistic strike.