In the First Era, during his seige on the mortal realm, Zhalgo brought forth the Arkhonan from his own essence. They were a hated and feared race, as their prowess in combat was unmatched, and their capability for unspeakable evil was all too apparent. They served as Zhalgo's generals, leading his hordes of monsters to slaughter the humans.
After the long and bloody conflict, Zhalgo was defeated and his forces scattered. Zhalgo abandoned his chosen people, the Arkhonan. When his presence had been expunged from the world, the eyes of the Arkhonan were opened to their abhorrent nature. They then turned on the armies they had once led, and eradicated them. This second conflict thinned their numbers considerably, and they were reduced from proud conquerors to reclusive tribesmen. Over the ages, they were hunted down for their atrocities, and forced into slavery for the Dwarves, which all but quelled their volatile nature. The Arkhonan are largely the workforce behind the Dwarven architectural masterpieces.
Some centuries later, with help from the Northern barbarian tribes, the Arkhonan overthrew their Dwarven masters, and established themselves in society as an equal, respected people. It wasn't long after the uprising that the Nerevale incident occurred. Though the Arkhonan have finally earned their place in the world, the sight of one in modern times is something of a rarity.
Physiology
The typical Arkhon is larger than the other races, even slightly moreso than the Orichai. They are reptilian in nature, with hard scales covering around 60% of their skin, somewhat less so for the females. They are excessively bulky, especially in the case of the males. They walk on powerful digitigrade legs, which allow for high land speeds as well as higher than average endurance. They have four toes, and five clawed fingers. To compensate for balance, they also have tails that act as a counterweight when sprinting full-tilt. They often have horns on their heads in a wide range of shapes and length, in addition to hair. Their skin tones are generally a range of dark browns, greys, and greens. Their similarity to the mythical dragons has earned them the moniker "Dragonkin".
Abilities and Notable Features
Arkhonan are masters of heavy weaponry and brute force. They possess enormous strength, and a natural defense in the form of their scales. In ancient times, Arkhonan generals would mock their enemies by wearing no armor and using no weapon while effortlessly crushing all who dared to challenge their legions. This was perhaps, a little foolish, as their hides are very vulnerable to smaller blades and arrows. The average Arkhon will possess a limited understanding of chaos magic, though some are more attuned than others. A rare few possess the gift of the fire breath of dragons.