#And then just a few red scales. The neck stripes specifically are based off one I saw the other day but I liked the idea of a hivewing-

[fantasykiri5]

Imp and Skizzzzz!!

They’re hivewings, of course!!

[grandstarlightmagazine]

Imp and Skizzzzz!!

They’re hivewings, of course!!…(Read More)

[ashen-vulture]

Considering some Creatures

I am a Game Master who happens to be an artist and has paleontology/archaeology as a lifelong obsession. I love drawing monsters for my games, I have a lot of drawings of final bosses and such. And dragons. And there will be dragons in this, too.

During this quarantine mess I decided to mess around with building a new setting that would heavily feature all sorts of megafauna and strange animals that are close to recognizable. To really get a scale for the world, and how small the people in it regularly feel, as well as to show my players some of the more prominent animals, I started working up creature lineups.

And I really liked how they were looking. Every creature is based in something familiar. I’m sure the mammoth is recognizable, though I decided to give mammoths in this setting an exaggerated fatty hump that keep them hardy in times of famine or during migrations when they won’t find as much food.

The small striped Five Horned one is based ever so loosely on Hoplitomeryx. They use their horns for goring attackers and males will wrestle one another by locking horns together and trying to throw each other around until one tires out. The small horns just forward of the eye acts as a guard to keep eyes from getting poked out, and they have a thick neck and sturdy shoulders that aids them in their duels and charges.

The one in the middle wasn’t expressly based on one creature, but rather a combination of giraffes, moose, and extinct camelids, with big padded feet for walking through snow, a long stride allowing them to cover a lot of ground, a huge rubbery nose for warming up air as it enters the body and also acting as an opposable digit, and a long prehensile tongue for grabbing at vegetation.

And I mean from there, it kinda

Just kept going. Here are some birds from the setting. Some folks will probably recognize the base creature for some of these: the Terror Bird (middle, striped), Argentavis (upper left, vulture), and  Pelagornis (right). The small birds aren’t exactly “based” on anything specific, more just filling out the world. Other Big Borb is based on Gastornis and it’s amazing crushing bite, the waterfowl directly next to Example Man (that’s my name for all of my comparison silhouettes) is a giant swan that lives by rivers and sea and spends most of its time walking, wading, or swimming, only really flying to cover large distances to other foraging grounds. It is a very aggressive bird, violence is guaranteed.

The last small one, the only wingless one, is called a Bush Bird. Based partially on revelations about the dodo bird: previously thought to be helpless, stupid ground birds that were fat and slow-moving, it’s likely that this idea came from caged specimens who didn’t have room to roam and were fed lots of cheap food. Though the little red-faced wingless bird might look small and helpless especially in this lineup, its feathers shield it from brambles, their primary nesting space, and they’re light on their feet, able to dash across snow, make quick turns, and recover from tumbles immediately and keep running.

Giant sloth! What megafauna-drenched lineup would this be if I didn’t include a sloth. And for this one I combined traits from several extinct sloth to make a rugged survivalist. They knuckle-walk most everywhere, but they’re also still adept climbers- of cliffs. They will climb the young, steep mountains during certain seasons to eat the seasonal fruit that is dropping that only they, birds, and humans can reach. They will also climb the cliffy coasts, descend down into the ocean to graze on sea plants, pulling their way along with their claws. While not an aquatic mammal it is a strong enough swimmer to get to shore if it loses its grip. Masters of getting where it’s hard to get to eat the things that are hard to eat.

The Apex predators of Sea and Land, known as the Sea Demon and the Huntfather. The Sea Demon is a voracious whale that hunts the known waters, the biggest threat in the sea. They’re not gentle giants, if it is large enough to be worth eating and its made of meat they’re not picky. The Huntfather is the apex predator of the land, it lays in ambush, often hunting in pairs. They utilize stealth and patience to ambush prey, using their bone-crushing jaws to bite for the legs and keep them from running away. I became interested in the idea of a creature that lives in a taiga/plains mix, and how white vertical stripes might help them blend into their environments.

Me: “Hey, what would happen if we took a komodo dragon, Biggified it to like megalania-size, and then gave it big old frill?”

This is called the Beach Tyrant. The species lives along beaches in loosely-associated colonies of other beach tyrants. It has a fluked tail for swimming, a stellar sense of smell, and the same noxious bite monitor lizards are well known for. They use their frills to catch heat from the sun and scare away creatures too big for them to handle (such as mammoths). They spend their time patroling up and down beaches hunting and scavenging.

They got the name Beach Tyrant because they tend to hoard large carcasses. In this setting humans do not have the means to hunt whales, so whale blubber or other parts are rare. Beach Tyrants will not leave a carcass until it is completely clean. They’ll sleep on top of and around it, mark the area, and refuse to relinquish until there is no carcass left.

Okay Who’s Ready For Dragons

So I want to design a RPG setting that will be fun for my players to engage with, and I don’t want it to be a 1:1 representation of our world. And I knew there had to be dragons, and I knew I wanted them to be different from every other dragon I had designed up to this point.

So, where do we get dragons? Well, we have to go back a little bit further than the mammoth for that.

The question I started with was- what if in this world’s version of the mass extinction event, a tiny pterasaur species managed to eek its way past the edge of oblivion and land in the new era? I looked at a combination of some of the largest and smallest pterasaurs. Their wing shape, their walking stance, their proportions, and worked them together with the idea of a showy, and highly social dragon.

So there are a few different “Types“ of dragons the humans of the world recognize: Black, Brown, and Colorful. In reality what they’re seeing are Adolescents, Females, and Males.

Male dragons are twice the height of their female counter parts and will defend nesting mountains in coalitions of 2-5 from invading predators and other males looking to dethrone them. Their crest is both display and a resonance chamber, allowing them to make loud honks, howls, and roars.

Females are smaller and duller in color, with smaller crests that functions similarly to the males. Females make up the bulk of the flock, a healthy dragon roost could have 20-60 of them, and they hunt in packs. They’ll lay down trails of fire to cause herds to split and scatter. They’ll even go into swarms or frenzies where the entire flock will mobilize for a hunt, especially when the youngsters are going out on their very first pack hunt.

The fire they spit is more a gooey vomit of flamable bile followed by an ignition chemical that causes the noxious mucus to catch a persistent fire. They use fire to box in or mark their intended prey, or to drive small prey out of thickets and grass cover where they can be picked off individually.

It is believed in this setting that the sun and the moon are moved across the sky by a giant blue dragon and a giant black dragon. The sun is an enormous pile of gold, and the moon is an enormous pile of silver. Legends tell of people climbing mountains to try to steal gold and silver from the sky, only to become lost wandering forever amongst the silver stars.

That’s it for now, this monstrosity is long enough.

[kommahana93]

Save Me Ch.1

Saravani empire, a country surrounded by two larger countries and a poisonous ocean, is on the brink of war with the greedy desert nation Jīntǔ. The queen of Saravani empire, Maris Shimizu, was supposed to meet with the Jīntǔ crown prince for peace negotiations but instead she had been attacked by them. The Verdeward family, a respected branch family of the empress, were respected doctors well known for their healing magic. It was the Verdeward family that discovered that the poison came from a magical desert beast, a beast whose poison would eat away at the queen’s nervous system until there was nothing left. Lyndon Verdeward was the family head and has went about securing the empress’s pain-tolerance, hoping to by her time until the cure could be made. However, there was only so much the old man could do for the young queen. Thus, Lyndon gave the order for his family to begin gathering medicinal plants and search their library for recipes. His hope was to discover a cure or at least develop a cure but as days passed and the queen’s health began to worsen, Lyndon eventually left the search to his eldest grandchild; Uriel. While Uriel would continue the search, Lyndon would remain at the queen’s side, staving off the effects of the poison the best he could. What the public didn’t know was that the Verdeward family were also knowledgeable in magical creatures, or more specifically, the Verdeward Family protected the few remaining magical creatures left in Saravani Empire. Lyndon had given the very specific order to not use the magical creatures for a cure to the queen’s poison, they could save her without harming an endangered race.

Uriel disagreed with his grandfather. If a magical creature was the one to harm the queen, then surly it was a magical creature that could save her. After a month of searching and no progress had been made, Uriel completed his silent gathering of books to study; then he locked his bedroom door to avoid interruption. As he sat his desk, shifting through old and new texts, occasionally jumping when a clap of thunder sounds too close for his liking. As hours passed, his notes slowly filling the air as he tossed useless sheets aside for clean papers, his books began to dwindle little by little. As he pushed one book aside with a heavy sigh, he reached for another book. Finding the next book to heavy to slide onto his desk, Uriel actually looked at the book next to him. It was a thick leather bound tome with faded-golden hinges, the pages bound inside were faded yellow and the ink was barely legible with its great age.

Mahō Helium Hé Tyrimas Bǐjì. Magical Creature Research Notes.

Uriel moved the thick leather tome to his desk, cringing as the top bowed towards his lap for a moment before straightening again. He opened the book and read the introduction inside: This is the personal property of Elmas Shimizu. Please return if found.

Elmas Shimizu? The twelfth princess who founded the Verdeward family? Uriel thought as he frowned thoughtfully at the inscription. She died a century ago. He didn’t get why he should ‘return’ it to a dead woman, it was properly his grandfather’s book now. He stared at the old worn pages of the tome, the first page told him that the tome was dedicated to recording what the former princess knew about the magical creatures of Saravani. He briefly read the key, or the princess’s way of reminding herself what’s what, before continuing to leaf through the pages. Uriel understood quickly that many of the creatures inside had regenerative properties, even more of them could be used to make medicines.

This book could save Maris! Uriel thought, staring at one of the creatures that he knew had medical properties. All he had to do was find the right creature to make the antidote, then he could save her. He turned each page slowly, silently reading the creature’s names and talents, searching for the one that could (or would be forced to) save his queen. He knew what he was doing was wrong, he promised grandfather that he would protect these creatures, that no one would harm them like he was about to. But… love makes people do crazy things, betraying ancient traditions being one of the many ‘crazy’ things. He came across a page marked with a three stripes in the upper right corner, pausing, he frowned at the stripes before reading inscription of the creature.

All information on this race is based off the male species. No Females have been discovered.

Name: Bolormaa

Pronunciation: Bow-lore-ma

Meaning: Crystal Mother

Nickname/Title: blessed Crystal, eye-five, black-leaf

Gender: Male, no sign of Protandrous

Skin: Brown

Height: 9-12 feet

Weight: 250-300

Body Build: thin, muscular

Eyes: five, purple

Powers: regeneration (known)

Weapon: claws, horns

Weakness: Nightshade (?)

Likes: Azealia flowers

Memory: 9

Strength: 8

Speed: 9

Stamina: 6

Agility: 8

Intelligence: 8.5

Cooperation: 0

Confidence: 10

Patience: 0

Anger: 3

Social skills: unknown

Offensive: 7

Defensive: 3

Magic: unknown

He stared at the bio in confusion, there were many creatures he knew of but he’s never encountered one like this. The picture indicated something almost human. It bore long pointed ears that both drooped down its shoulders and rose high into the air, the implication that their ears could flip about for their hearing went as a hurried side note (great hearing!). The back of their head and neck bore several large leaf-like clusters, two different colors and bearing thick black veins. Its skin was depicted as rough scales intermixed with cracks and stripes of a paler shade. All about its hunched over body, complete with eight limbs, were hard two-colored crystals. Near the bottom of the page sat familiar writing, a lazy scrawl he was used to reading on a blackboard. It was his grandfather’s writing he was sure of it. The old man must’ve done his own research in this tome at some point as well. He read the finer details of the creature, curiosity consuming him.

No sightings in 10 years. A sage in Crystal Ravine, near the city of Foxedge, says that Bolormaa is a good source for magical ingredients; epically in medical positions. The Bolormaa’s natural regenerative-properties is what led to their use during the immortality-search eighty-eight years ago. The greed of humanity used these creatures in their research of immortality; which only succeeding in making the Bolormaas stand on the edge of extinction. It was only by the grace of princess Elmas that the race was spared. Lady Elmas, twelfth princess of our great Saravani empire, vowed to protect the magical creatures from the greed of mortals.

This is where the Verdeward Family was created.

Just another history lesson, one he already knew about; this was useless information. He stared once more at the creature’s known stats, it was marked as one of the greater classes of creatures; a powerful rank 7. Not the absolute most powerful but definitely one of the more dangerous species. With its regenerative powers it could be a great antidote for Maris’s poison. Uriel looked once more to the three stripes at the top right corner. Red meant endangered, no promise of a future. Blue meant killer of man, it wouldn’t hesitate to kill humans. Yellow, that one meant it was to be protected at all cost. He flipped back to the front of the book, there were many names scrawled along the edge, each with various numbers and inscriptions beside them. There, his grandfather’s name.

Lyndon Verdeward (24), Hunter’s moon, year of the first blood moon tetrads.

If his grandfather was twenty-four years old when he wrote this note and he’s currently eighty-seven, followed by the lack of Bolormaa’s presence in the previous ten years of his grandfather’s research…then the last sighting of a Bolormaa was fifty-three years ago. There was a chance he could still find one. They were put on the extinction list a hundred and fifty-one years ago, the last KNOWN sighting was fifty-three years ago. Even if the Bolormaa he found happened to be the last, he would still use it to save his queen.

“Uriel?” a soft voice called. He looked at the wooden door, surprised that the speaker had even bothered to stop at the entrance. The teenager on the other side was well known for barging in unannounced. “Uriel… the queen’s calling for you.” He didn’t answer, choosing instead to write down the notes he needed to hunt down the Bolormaa. It was his only hope now. “Grandfather said she doesn’t have much time left,” he hesitated, one hand braced on a vile on his shelf, his other fisted tightly around the edge of his bag. “Six months,” A soft thump on his door, as if the teenager on the other side slumped against it in defeat. He wouldn’t put it past her, she has always melodramatic. “Quit being a jerk,” her voice broke, hinging on the edge of hysteria and defeat. “Come out already. Its been three days, by dawn it’ll be four days!” he said nothing, stuffing more items into his bag knowing its internal space was greater than its outer appearance.

“Uriel,” her voice cracked, making him cringe with her shrill volume. “please… brother—”

“We are NOT kin!” his voice shook from lack of use, dry from little water in the past days. He should fix that but not right now. If he left his room she would use her own magic to bind him to the castle. He had to leave before she said another word, before she entered his room and spread her magic about like a suffocating ball of cotton. He burst his window shutters open and leapt out the window, ignoring her cry as she burst through his bedroom door.

“Mizu Fèng no Oshiete,” the soft command made the rain twist and bubble, coming to formation beneath his feet and lifting him back into the air. Once more another cry followed after him, he didn’t dare look back. He had three months to find the Bolormaa, two months to incorporate a cure and one month to save his queen.

He could do it. He could prevent a war. He could safeguard the royal lineage. He could save his queen. His queen… she would live. Even if that meant giving up his own organs for Maris’s survival. He would do whatever it took. Be it killing off an endangered race or damning his soul for eternity. Anything to save her.

ANYTHING.

[jawbreakerjuggernaut]

✰ About ✰

“In name of sugar and sweet, prepare to get your ass beat!”

Info

Role: Tank

Difficulty: ★ ★

Health: 250 | Armor: 0 | Shield: 150 | Total: 400

Real Name: Jolene Jacobs

Age: 30

Height:  182 cm / 6′0″

Occupation: Professional Wrestler (World Champion)

Base Of Operation: Detroit, Michigan

Affiliation: Rumble Roulette | Overwatch

Bio

Jolene Jacobs AKA Jawbreaker Juggernaut is a boisterous and glamorous female wrestler of herculean venus proportions. Highly-ranked globally, Jolene is not only profoundly skilled but overall well-liked and has a considerably large fan base.

Jawbreaker Juggernaut is associated with Rumble Roulette, an internet-based wrestling circuit with a deadly twist; individuals or teams participate for both a live and internet audience, gaining fame and fortune from their fans through exposure and donations, however due to the violent nature, the website that broadcasts these live matches is banned in multiple countries.

As fame inherits fortune Jolene was able to obtain a prestigious lifestyle within the confines of D-City, an exclusive underground environment in Downtown Detroit, the heart of Rumble Roulette. X3X1L, Jolene's manager, is an intimidating-looking omnic that doddles more as a personal assistant while handling career affairs that don’t involve Jolene’s performances.

Despite the severity of risks involved, Jawbreaker is akin to the circuit; a connoisseur of anonymously donating the majority her winnings to charities across Detroit, communities and organizations throughout have been built and reestablished both in city and suburban areas.

Abilities

Sucker Punch ∞ Ammunition

40 - 100 Damage 

1 Hit Per Second 

3 Meter Range 

Using extending ( photonically tethered ) gauntlets, a simple swing can conduct a good amount of damage. Alternatively, Jawbreaker can deliver a heavier swing, causing significant damage. 

Star Struck 0, 50, or 200 Damage 

3 Hit(s) Per Second 

16 Meters Per Second Movement Speed 

3 Meter Range 

8 Second Cool Down 

With the basic mechanics of Sucker Punch, hits are produced much faster with increasing damage; capable of hitting multiple targets. 

Take Down 120 Damage 

3 Meter Range 6 Second Cooldown 

Grappling any nearby opponent, they’re boosted up and slammed down with exceeded force; once on the ground, a hard stomp is followed.

The Assist  

2 (150 HP) Second Duration  

8 Second Cooldown  

A comical prop with unlikely properties, Jolene’s Brawllypop Wand not only acts as a costume receptacle, but can generate a sheild for quick defense.

Ultimate Ability: Finishing Move - The Carousel   0, 150, 250 Damage Per Second

Team Ultimate 

6 Second Duration  

6 Meters Range 

Within range, Jolene performs a basic one-foot spin that builds momentum while holding her arms out. At first hit, enemy opponets are dazed and unable to attack; as the number of hits increases as well as her speed, opponets are belted with 360° spinning fists packing stunlocking wallops. 

Story

Jolene Jacobs is a false name; her real name, and identity remains unknown. Keeping her prior life cryptic, she has disclosed very little information about her past self, said information being generally vague. Aside from the obvious (her occupation), it is heavily implied that she is terrified by the idea of anyone knowing her actual identity, and is notorious for dodging questions and making up excuses.

After a spontaneous, unplanned runaway, Jolene went into hiding, but without street smarts, she faltered quickly. Instinctively, a few homeless omnics squatting in an abandoned complex just outside of the city hid her after a cinched run-in with authorities. For the remainder of the year Jolene lingered, meanwhile, the homeless omnics taught her basic skills, improving her survival rate. Upcoming spring, Jolene took residence at Yemoja Women's Sanctuary, a haven providing shelter, social and crises services; between this timeline, Jolene burns off her unidentifiable tattoo on the back of her neck, finds solace in botany and fitness, and officially takes on the alias Jolene Jacobs. 

A year later, the sanctuary was granted a recruiting flyer from Rumble Roulette. Being invitation only, and with the sanctuary barely holding up by lack of government funding, there was little surprise about receiving an invite. When Jolene, unaware of the circuit's existence, questioned the flyer, the other women residing informed her of the basics. With the information given, Jolene volunteers herself as a candidate, however, she is immediately met with discouragement and scare tactics from the residency. Jolene stands by her decision, explaining that this was not an act of martyrization, but of stable hierarchy needs for everyone; swooned by her determination, a few residences followed through. 

Starting from the bottom up, it wasn't until long-running world champion, Emperor T.K.O. ranted about no one being able to give him a real fight. It was then that he issued a gauntlet challenge to every wrestler in Rumble Roulette, stating that if anyone was able to beat him in a match, the winner would become new world champion, regardless of rank. After many grueling losses, it wasn't until Jolene challenged T.K.O. in the ring ( deriding her with misogynistic comments as Jolene responds back with projectile bodily fluid ); Jolene manages to take down Emperor T.K.O. two rounds in with a femur chokehold, becoming the new world champion. Jolene Jacobs adopts the stage name Jawbreaker Juggernaut and continues to hold her title through the current timeline. 

Appearance 

Body Build: Endomorph | Muscular | 107- 98-104 cm / 42-38-41 in | Bra Size: 36H | Dress Size: 12-14 US 

Height: 182 cm / 6′0″ 

Weight: 117 kg / 260 lbs (One Hand: 77.1 kg / 170 lbs | Lift: 136.0 kg / 300 lbs)   

Skin color: (Fitzpatrick Scale) Type II  

Hair style: Straight | 24 inches | Long Bangs | Center Part 

Hair color: Dyed Platinum Hair | Dark Roots (Natural Brunette) 

Eye color: Green 

Distinguishing Features: Performance – Corrected Nose (Prosthetic/Wax) | Corrected Teeth (False Teeth) | Professionally Styled Hair | Professionally Styled Make-Up | Prosthetic Fingers 

Default - Crooked/Broken Nose | Crooked/Missing Teeth | Consistent Bruises/Scars/Lacerations/General Injuries | Right Hand: Amputated Ring Finger | Left Hand: Amputated Index Finger / Amputated Middle Finger 

Uniform: 

Performance - Colors Scheme: #ffffff / #e40000 / #eff300 / #34de2e / #0044e4 | White Strapless Above Knee Length Dress w/ Colorful Trim & Decoration / Large Lace White Ruff / Heart Cups / Decorated Peplum / Colorful Petticoat | White Short Boots w/ Colorful Trim & Jawbreaker Heels 

Default - Color Scheme: #ffffff / #e40000 / #eff300 / #34de2e / #0044e4 | Red Eye Mask | Bikini - Cut Keyhole Top w/ Star-Shaped Cutout & Colored Lining & Attached Collar | White Bikini-Cut Garmet w/ Attached Skirt w/ Colored Striped Accents & Large Red Bow | Colored Elbow Pad Bands w/ Jawbreaker Accented Pads | Tall, White Lace-Up Boots w/ Colored Laces & Colored Accents | White Thigh High Stockings w/ Colored Trim & RR Logo

Accessories: 

Performance – Brawllypop Wand | Colorful Accessories & Jewelry | Crown | Champion Belt 

Default - Brawllypop Wand | Extending Gauntlets | Elbow & Knee Pads 

*Brawllypop Wand: 

Once serving as an accessory to J.J.’s performance wear, this trinket became the purpose of quick costume changes and sheild projection; a click of the crown-shaped topper or a phrase-specific voice command can activate either function.

Personality

Jawbreaker Juggernaut is a boisterous world champion professional wrestler with a personified royalty complex that lives to maul and maim any opponent in the ring. 

She animatedly boasts about being the human epitome of vulgar self-confidence, bad bitch-attitudes, and merciless majesties; a bleach blonde, fake tan, make-up-caked, voluptuous, scantily clad brawn bimbo who laps in the life of luxuries and privileges while being a pill-popping, tabloid foddering, alcohol binging, prissy sex-addict who can do no wrong. With few qualms, she willfully causes bodily harm to anyone who speaks or acts inappropriately/predatory towards her or others and stubbornly refuses authority, never backing down from a fight, repeatedly charming and financially conning her way out of situations, coming off overall as meticulous and fake.

Jawbreaker is adored by millions for her sex/fetish appeal & barbaric fighting style whitelist generous & auspicious towards her fanbase and holds a strong & loyal following.

Jolene herself is an exceedingly intelligent, kind young woman who spent her entire childhood groomed and coercively controlled, having to rip out the silver spoon from her mouth and escape in a panic at barely eighteen. She is plagued with consistent guilt of not being able to escape with her sibling years ago and being unable to return to her known home without consequences; any mention brings up general dismay. Weighted by invariable stressors, she copes through illegal substances, smoking, and alcohol, and self-harms with risky sexual encounters. Ultimately, Jolene has scrapped her goal of living a quiet, lighthearted lifestyle as a biological scientist and indefinitely pursues professional wrestling as her survival calling.

Jolene is terrified by the idea of anyone knowing her actual identity and life prior and being forcibly, unwillingly returned back from once she came.