Creature Name: speckled desert runner.

General Description: a small dragon-like being, the speckled desert runner is a native to the central desert of the planet Camidra. Primarily a biped, it is muscular of build with a elongated body-- with a wide, stubby tail and neck. The nostrils are very wide when fully open, but can be reduced to almost nothing when fully shut, this as a protection against the frequent sandstorms in its native habitat. A desert runner's legs are long, but quite muscular, with five closely mounted digits that can be splayed out when the runner is moving across a particulary soft or insecure surface. Its wings are fanlike and stretch between its forelimbs and the end of its tail, making the desert runner a skilled glider, though true flight is not possible.
From the base of a desert runner's lower jaw to the back of its head stretches a very flexible set of frilled membranes which function as its ears, in older beasts these frills can grow quite large, but they are usually holey and torn from past fights for mates, territory or food. The head of a desert runner resembles that of a camel, but is blunter, its mouth is also shaped quite like that of a camel-- though the teeth leave little doubt about that it is a carnivore. A speckled desert runner has three smooth, gem-like eyes set close to the top of its head, these eyes are usually pale gold of color and protected by a tough, transparent membrane. The thick scales are usually a deep gold-brown or gold-red of color, decreasing in thickness down its legs. As an additional protection, the desert runner has a shield of fused scales protecting the back of its head and part of its neck.

Originally Created by: Something Evil.

Special Abilities: the method of magic used by desert runners is based on mirrors, 'powered' by the energy found in heat and fire, and occationally the lifeforce of other beings in the case of more powerfull spells. Most frequently they use spells to create traps for prey or adversaries, but they may also use it for more dangerous purposes-- like curses and to create firestorms.
Desert runners are slightly telepathic, but due to that they have a vocal language(if a somewhat simple one), they rarely use it.

Specific Physical Statistics
Size at birth: 50 cm long.
Size at maturity: 3-4 meters long.
Time to maturity: 10 years.

Mental Abilities: roughly as smart as humans, desert runners are quite anti-social in the case of anyone not of their race, and as they can be quite violent even among themselves-- they rarely gather in family groups larger than a handfull of individuals. Speckled desert runners also has a insateable appetite for hoarding, and a group may sometimes be in possession of hoards that may be of immense value.

Breeding
How often can the creature get pregnant: once every four or five years.
How long between pregnancies: depends on the female.
How long is it pregnant: 10 months.
Are all females fertile (barring accidents): yes.
Are all males fertile (barring accidents): yes.
How many offspring can the creature have at once: 1-3.
Is there sex linked traits (like color):

Opal speckled; mature queen.
Emerald speckled; mature king.

Crimson speckled; adult female.
Gold speckled; adult male.

Rust speckled: immature female.
Brown speckled: immature male.