D'rahn

The D'rahn (often also written as Drahn) are an alien race in the fictional Wildstorm comic books. They were created by Sean Ruffner and Brett Booth and first appeared in Backlash #28 (January, 1997).

Biology

The D'rahn are humanoid in appearance, but are generally larger than humans with grey skin and red eyes without visible iris or pupil. Three bony ridges are on the top of their head. Their ears are rudimentary, little more than large openings in the sides of their heads. There are similar openings in their cheeks, but the purpose of these openings is unclear. Their hands have large claws and a female D'rahn also showed extendable bone claws.

They are carnivorous and see humans as a source of food.

The female D'rahn have the unique ability of Enlightenment, allowing them to evolve any creature they touch to a more powerful form. They can also use this ability to destroy any living being they touch.

The D'rahn have superhuman strength, speed and durability as well as the ability to fly. Their leader, Lord Typhon had these abilities on par or even slightly above Mister Majestic. Typhon also showed the ability to survive in outer space, while another D'rahn, Syth, could fire energy from his eyes and mouth. It remains unclear which of these powers were inherent to all D'rahn and which were unique to individuals.

Despite all their physical power, the D'rahn are very weak to magic and have no defenses against it.

History

One of the oldest alien empires in the Wildstorm Universe, the D'rahn already colonized the Earth before the Kherubim and Daemonites landed, millennia ago. The Kherubim formed an alliance with the D'rahn, but soon discovered that the D'rahn were even worse than the Daemonites. The Kherubim S'ylton, father of Mark Slayton and Lord of Atlantis, turned on the D'rahn and the War of Atlantis started. S'ylton and the human mages Tapestry, Azrum and Haroth devised a way to trap the D'rahn's leaders. Despite all their power, the D'rahn were vulnerable to magic and S'ylton trapped them within the great Pyramid of Atlantis, then sacrificed himself, while the mages cast their spell to make them sleep. While the D'rahn's leader Typhon and a small group of his chosen were sleeping, the D'rahn homeworld, known as the Hive, was destroyed and the other D'rahn all allegedly died.

Thousands of years later, the Atlantean wizard, Haroth, had come to regret his decision to betray the D'rahn. He wanted the power the D'rahn's enlightenment could give him and he started to search for the two items that could help him wake the D'rahn. One was the Scroll of Displacement, the other S'ylton's ring, which Mark had given to his daughter Jodie. Haroth found the scroll in a museum, but was opposed by Azrum. Coincidentally, Jodie was visiting the museum with her class and Haroth saw the ring. Jodie helped Azrum fight Haroth's minions, but they were forced to flee. Azrum briefed Backlash and his friends on the D'rahn and Haroth's plans. Haroth showed up and managed to steal the ring.

Haroth raised Atlantis and managed to awaken the four remaining D'rahn: Typhon, Pildra, Syth and Zenthrue. He told Typhon that the Hive and his fellow D'rahn had all been destroyed by the Kherubim and Typhon swore to avenge his dead brethren. Haroth was enlightened by Pildra and would now serve as their vasal. Backlash and his team tried to stop the D'rahn, but failed. Over the next few months, Typhon and his group would attack various U.S. military installations, searching for a list with all suspected extraterrestrials living on Earth. Typhon needed the list to find the Kherubim on Earth. Meanwhile, Backlash and his employers Department PSI had formed Wildcore, a group of superhuman beings devoted to stop the D'rahn, including the Kherubim Ferrian, the only warrior ever to best a D'rahn in single combat (Ferrian himself stated that this was just legend; the D'rahn he bested was already wounded in the War of Atlantis).

The D'rahn attacked a military base where the Behemoth was kept, the Daemonite Lord Helspont's submarine. The commander of the base, General Gant, turned out to be a Daemonite and to survive he swore allegiance to the D'rahn. The D'rahn enlightened Gant and his Daemonites to an enhanced form. The D'rahn left, taking the Behemoth, their new Daemonite servants and list with aliens on Earth, but Wildcore did manage to delete most of the list, leaving the D'rahn with only ten names on the list. Wildcore asked Mister Majestic for assistance against the D'rahn and discovered the D'rahn's new Hive. Inside the Hive, Majestic fought Typhon and managed to kill him. Pildra took control of the remaining D'rahn and they retreated.

Culture

The D'rahn are a barbaric race, only interested in war and destruction. Despite their mammalian appearance, their culture and society is very insect-like: they refer to their home as the Hive, soldiers are drones and the leader is followed without question. The D'rahn's leader, known as the Alpha, can be male and seems to be the strongest D'rahn.

Although there seem to be only three D'rahn left alive, little is known about their mating habits and procreation, so three may be enough to establish a new population of D'rahn.

Technology

The D'rahn on Earth had no technology left when they were awoken, but in the future Gen¹³ encountered a D'rahn spaceship, capable of interplanetary flight.

Notable D'rahn

• Lord Typhon, Alpha of the D'rahn, Injured by Mister Majestic
• Lady Pildra, sister to Typhon's Queen and current Alpha. The only living female D'rahn currently known.
• Zenthrue, brother to Syth, a warrior who focuses on physical combat.
• Syth, brother to Zenthrue, a warrior who focuses on ranged combat.

Three members of Gen¹³ (Caitlin Fairchild, Grunge, and Freefall) accidentally travelled to the future, where the D'rahn had conquered most of the Earth. John Lynch had become obsessed with stopping them and released a biological agent, not only killing the D'rahn, but also all humans on Earth. Gen¹³ returned to their own time, but decided to prevent this future from ever occurring.