Alagaësia Lore And Headcanons Series, Part 1.5: The Ra'zac Life Cycle
(please note that this is all headcanons)
The Ra'zac life cycle resembles that of a dragonfly, but their family behavior is closer to that of a bee hive and certain bird species
under typical condition, the Ra'zac are a highly social species living in hives
eggs are laid by fully grown Lethrblaka. they are smaller and longer than dragon eggs and their shell resembles porous rock
hatchlings are about the size of a cat and are very much like baby birds. though they are not blind and are highly curious about their surroundings immediately after hatching, they are weak and vulnerable. their exoskeleton remains soft for years and gradually hardens until they grow to the size of an adult human. early after hatching they are incapable of hunting on their own, but they are able to feed on dead or live prey if it is previously immobilized
older juveniles approaching the size of a grown human take on the role of caretakers. their smaller size in comparison to Lethrblaka and their dexterous hands allow them to efficiently care for eggs and younger juveniles (after the Ra'zac war and the near extinction of the species, this task was picked up by the Helgrind cult). Ra'zac whose exoskeletons have sufficiently hardened can also venture outside the hive and hunt on their own. in this life stage they are adept mimics, capable of reproducing human speech
when the right conditions are met, a Ra'zac will undergo partial metamorphosis. it will shed its exoskeleton piece by piece and wings will emerge from the hump on their back. this is an exhausting matter that may take hours and the Ra'zac is blind and largely immobile and dependent on its hive for protection. once free of its exoskeleton, it still retains its humanoid physique, its skin is soft and its wings are frail
this intermediate stage may be the one corresponding with the fourth unnamed peak of Helgrind, since it is not technically a separate life stage on its own, it may be the source of questioning the worthiness of being worshipped by the cultists
a Lethrblaka will continue to grow for a few years after moulting, its skin will harden to a leather-like quality and its wings will develop powerful flight muscles. its whole physique becomes longer, sleeker and more aerodynamic, it will develop a head crest and a long tail to aid in maneuvering. these changes also lead to the loss of their speech-mimicking abilities
the role of a grown Lethrblaka is to hunt over large swathes of land, bringing in humans to feed the younger members of their hive. Lethrblaka themselves are capable of eating any other kind of animal, but need to eat relatively little, mostly focusing on providing for their hive. a single Lethrblaka with a hive of ten juveniles at varying stages of growth can easily decimate a village of 150 within half a year
while Lethrblaka are the reproductive stage, it is the Ra'zac that disperse to start new hives. when a hive becomes too large, a pair or a small group of Ra'zac take a number of eggs and settle in an area populated by humans, where they blend in and live undercover as long as they can continue stealthily killing enough humans to feed their younger siblings, or until one of them matures into a Lethrblaka
