#fantasy anatomy

[fantasy-anatomy-analyst]

Quetzalin

my bird folk! I do love info dumping about my own creations. Took a while to make all the art and figure out the best way to present the info!

(image description: under the title "quetzalin worldbuilding", there are two bird-like humanoids flying together. One has blue and black feathers, the other has blue, green, and yellow feathers.)

The quetzalin are a tropical people, found exclusively in one rainforest. Almost all of the quetzalin live in the same central location, in a particular stand of trees that are exceptionally large and sturdy.

They are a peculiar people, having traits of both avians and mammals, and they are the only known species of their kind, though there are known cases of quetzalin producing offspring with elves on rare occasions. These mixed offspring are always infertile and typically take after their quetzalin parent in terms of coloration, and might be mistaken for full quetzalin by those who have never met one, but they have distinct differences in the structure of their bodies that make them stand out from full quetzalin.

(image description: sketch of three bipedal humanoids. from left to right; an elf with monkey-like features and a long tail, a half-elf quetzalin who looks quite bird-like and barely resembles the elf, and a full quetzalin who is distinctly more bird-like and even stands with a different posture and foot position compared to the other two. the main differences between the full quetzalin and the half-elf one are that the half-elf one is a little taller, has a smaller beak and more drooping tail, and stands straighter with flat feet. end description.)

One reason that half-elf quetzalin are so uncommon is just that quetzalin are born from eggs, so any quetzalin with an elf parent, especially a mother, may not develop correctly and is more likely to be miscarried or born prematurely. They're meant to develop within the egg, not a whole womb. The shells of their eggs are quite soft and semi translucent, making them fragile things that require round the clock care. Adult quetzalin communally care for unhatched eggs, so they can be incubated properly and have the best chance of hatching. New hatchlings are helpless, naked, and blind, only able to make a loud peeping sound to beg for food, and they are fed via regurgitation, which can be done by any adult.

They grow downy feathers and open their eyes within their first month, but even as they learn to crawl and walk and speak, they remain quite small until they hit a growth spurt in the early years of puberty, between the ages of 10 and 13. Their flight feathers come in through a series of childhood molts and they can fly proficiently by their teenage years, when they begin to experience the courting season hormone shift and start to grow courting plumage or produce eggs.

(image description: two pages of sketches depicting baby bird people. the first page shows the development from egg to hatchling, as well as two sketches of an adult caring for an egg and an adult feeding a hatchling via regurgitation. the second page shows sketches of a hatchling growing into a fledgling. the initial hatchling looks very scrungly and squinty, the second step is a fluffy baby covered in downy feathers with their eyes open, third is a toddler standing up with stubby wings, and finally is a child crouching as if to leap into the air, with their flight feathers grown in. end description.)

Not all eggs hatch, of course. The majority of eggs laid each courting season are completely unfertilized, especially those produced by young quetzalin still going through puberty. These unfertilized eggs are discarded in a variety of ways. Some are offered up at the temple of their deity, and subsequently made into fertilizer for the trees they all live in. Some are used as a form of emergency food for anyone who is suffering a nutrient deficiency. Many are used to feed the local drake population; a species of flying lizard that spits burning acid and raids nests. The quetzalin have sort of been domesticating them, finding them adorable and feeding them freely.

(image description: a colored drawing of a flying lizard with a crested head. its wings bear resemblance to those of a pterodactyl and its tail also has a wide membrane around it. it is green with stripes and spots of pale yellow and dark orange. next to it is the title "crested drake". below the colored drawing is a sketch of a quetzalin handing an egg to a gleeful looking drake with a wide open mouth. end description.)

Quetzalin are a sexually dimorphic species, but the difference is only clear during their courting season. Half the year, all the male quetzalin grow fancy courting plumage. Some females experiencing menopause also grow similar plumage. Individually, all quetzalin have their own unique coloration, and those who grow courting plumage also have their own unique styles. but for the sake of comparison, I've depicted two quetzalin that look exactly alike so I can show how the courting plumage works.

(image description: two images of matching bird folk with blue and yellow plumage. in the second image, one of them is now sporting many curled orange feathers on their head, wings, and tail, while some of their yellow feathers have also been replaced with orange ones. end description.)

Though they do have a binary form of biological sex, the quetzalin do not identify themselves by their sex. instead, they use genderless pronouns, differing between children and adults, and add a prefix to the adult pronoun to denote their preferred courting role each year.

There are three standard courting roles. Those who Dance, Those who Watch, and Those who Mix. I haven't developed their conlang yet, but these roles will have their own titles. It is most common for Dancers to be males with their courting plumage, while females are most commonly the Watchers. But this is not always the case. Many quetzalin males prefer to watch, many females prefer to dance, and quetzalin of all sorts will take the mixed role, never settling fully on dance or observation.

(image description: digital painting of several bird folks. two in the foreground are perched on large branches, watching three others fly around in the background. they all have colorful and unique plumage. A few of them have flashy courting feathers on display, while others are using flashy props like streamers instead of natural courting feathers. end description.)

(this post got so very long, putting a readmore here)

The role of a Dancer is to show off and be flashy, performing aerial tricks to catch the attention of potential mates. Dancers who don't have natural courting plumage make up for it with flashy props and extra accessories. Dancers avoid each other in the air, as collisions are a common cause of injury to both parties and a detriment to their performances. But they will compete with each other by having dance offs, and many dancers actually flirt with each through paired dances.

(image description: colored drawing of a quetzalin with red and yellow feathers, as well as some darker blue striping. they have a few showy courting feathers on their head and the edges of their wings. they are wearing colored paint on their face and limbs, and wearing a lot of jewelry. end description.)

The role of a Watcher is to perch around the dance arenas and observe the dancers, while also trying to catch the attention of the best and prettiest dancers. They might heckle the dancers, use props or courting plumage to catch the eye of a favored dancer, and compete with each other to gain the best perches and keep their competition away to have a better chance of gaining attention. They may even flirt with each other, bantering playfully.

(image description: colored drawing of a quetzalin with brown and white feathers, striped on the lighter underside of their wings and torso. they are wearing simple dark red accessories and a patterned red and cream skirt, as well as red and cream face paint. they're sitting casually and making a beckoning gesture with one hand, which has a bell tied to the forefinger. end description.)

The mixed role is versatile. It may be someone hiding amongst the watchers, suddenly turning their perch into a dance stage and drawing attention away from the arena. It may be a dancer swooping close to the audience and finding someone to banter with as they hover in place, blocking the view of the arena. They are clever, and flexible, using any means available to them to gain the attention they desire.

(image description: colored drawing of a quetzalin with blue and grey feathers, with their back turned to the viewer. they are wearing purple and white clothing and accessories, including streamers tied to their legs. end description.)

Casual hookups are the most common result of all the courtship performances. Quetzalin find a mate in the arenas and fly off together to have their own private fun. There are also indoor arenas where adult quetzalin hook up in less private ways, performing more explicitly sexual dances and enjoying the voyeurism.

Younger quetzalin going through puberty and experiencing the courting instincts for the first time are kept out of these venues, encouraged to perform only in the public arenas while they are carefully instructed in standard courting etiquette and informed of all the health risks that come with casual hookups.

Young egg layers in particular are at risk as their hormones might spike from sexual interaction and cause problems like excessive egg production, which drains a lot of nutrients and energy from the body. They may also produce malformed eggs, some of which could get stuck. Fully grown quetzalin are less likely to have these problems.

Most long term relationships are built outside of the courting season, established through emotional bonding and platonic intimacy all through the year. Quetzalin who bond in this way may choose to become permanent partners and seal their bond through a ceremony performed in the temple of their deity. Bonded partners often get matching forearm tattoos, depicting intertwined tree branches. They believe these deeper relationships are blessed by their deity, and that they help keep the community strong in the same way that the tangled branches of their sacred trees strengthen their home territory and keep it safe.

Communal preening is one very important form of social bonding, done between friends, family members, and lovers alike. Every quetzalin home has a preening space, and public preening spas are everywhere in their territory. They do have special rules for who can preen which body parts. Young children are preened fully by their caretakers. Casual strangers and acquaintances may preen each other's wings. Close friends and family can preen the feathers of the head. But only lovers and bonded partners can preen each other's whole torso, back, and tail.

(image description: sketches of quetzalin engaging in preening behaviors with each other. on the top, one quetzalin runs their beak gently through the feather on their partner's head, next to the caption "preening with beak = very close relationship. below, one quetzalin uses their hands to preen the feathers of another person's wings, next to the caption "preening with hands = standard politeness". end description.)

For the most part, the quetzalin are an isolated people. In recent generations, they have begun to venture into the world, using their own molted feathers as a major export, but locally they only interact with two groups: elves and centaurs. The elves are their main trade partners, exchanging goods and offering services to each other. The quetzalin mainly consume fish, insects, and other small creatures, though they can eat fruit and nuts as well. Their home trees grow more food than they need for themselves, and they are masterful fishers, so they often trade away food in exchange for things like elf-made cloth and jewelry. They also deal with the drakes that elves consider pests, because they like to raid the coops of domestic birds.

The centaurs are an interesting case. This is a population of centaurs who fled southward when the conflict between their people and the orcish ancestors escalated to war. They are quite at home in the rainforest, being very large herbivores who consume a mixture of leaves and fruit. They have developed a special bond with the quetzalin, allowing the small bird folk to harvest any external parasite or biting insect that find centaur blood to be a tasty meal. The quetzalin appreciate the centaurs' ability to deter predator animals and aid in the care of their home trees. Quetzalin eggs have also become a useful protein source for the centaurs, who do require some level of non-plant food to sustain themselves. This may be the only known case of centaurs openly bonding with a whole population of other people, even crossing the line into a potential symbiotic relationship. It is a very unique situation. For now.

(image description: sketches of a sloth-like ogre, an orc, and a centaur standing together. Both images have a connected caption that reads "bird folk will see megafauna folk and ask 'is anyone gonna perch on that?' and not even wait for an answer." and in the second image, all three of the larger people now have quetzalin perched on their shoulders or backs. end description.)

The quetzalin people believe in just one deity, Ithia. They are a parental deity, depicted as a living tree which crafted the quetzalin out of wood and feathers, beginning only with pairs of solid singular colors. As time went on, of course, the children of each one-color pair mated with each other and gradually mixed their colors more and more with each generation, creating the unique varieties of color and patterns in modern quetzalin. Ithia is believed to have gone dormant after creating the quetzalin, sleeping beneath the earth and giving them their home trees which are sturdy enough to protect them from the region's seasonal storms. In thanks to Ithia and to help maintain the sacred trees, quetzalin offer up their excess eggs for fertilizer and burn molted feathers as well. Every home has a private shrine for Itihia where offerings of food, incense, and trinkets are left in the hopes that Ithia will answer their prayers and grant them aid. More important prayers are given at the temple of Ithia, where various ceremonies are also performed. This includes the bonding ceremony for committed partners, a coming of age ceremony where young quetzalin offer their first eggs or courting feathers, and community prayers pleading for safety whenever the storms come through or other major troubles strike their community.

The quetzalin also have a culture of secret, sacred names. When a quetzalin comes of age, they are to think of their own secret name; a private title for themself which embodies their soul. They perform a private ceremony to give their name to Ithia and the priests, and if they choose to have a bonded partner (or multiple bonded partners) then their secret name may also be used in the bonding ceremony.

"Quetzalin" is itself a public name, while the people actually have another secret name only known to themselves. They learn it when they come of age. No outsiders are told the true name of the quetzalin people. Ithia is also said to have another name, only known to the priests. The quetzalin believe that having a secret name protects their souls. If they die without this name, their soul may be lost and disappear. But with this name, they believe they can make it to the afterlife properly and rest.

The names given to hatchlings are not secret, but they also have a spiritual intention. It is believed that any egg named too early will not hatch, and so they are only named when it is certain that they will survive. As a result, they're usually given names on the day they hatch, to be extra safe. Unhatched eggs are a common occurence, and they are also offered up to Ithia, who will take the lifeless embryos into the earth and give their undeveloped souls another chance.

And now for the truth behind all of these details:

Ithia is no myth. It's just a mispronunciation. The quetzalin cannot pronounce bilabial sounds without great effort, such as M, B, P, F, and V. Ithia's true name is Vivian. Vivian was once a mortal human, and could by modern standards be considered afrolatina. She lived at the peak right before humanity began to fall and go extinct. She studied genetics and evolution and mutations. She was granted the role of an immortal Life entity, one of the last humans to gain this position, one of the only humans to take it while being a highly educated scientist. Vivian was ambitious. She saw the fall of humanity, and she wanted to preserve her people. She aided in tweaking the genetics of the only other hominid species, the dwarves, to ensure that humans could leave some legacy behind through mixed offspring. Then took things a step further and tweaked the genetics of the elves for the same purpose, which was more difficult because elves are primates but not hominids. It worked, though, and this success fueled Vivian's ambitions.

(image description: digital painting of a humanoid woman with brown skin. She has gained extra eyes and has four skeletal arms instead of two living ones. Her hair has been replaced by leaves and flowers. Instead of legs, she only has a skirt of leaves. There are wrinkles on her face, showing her age. Between one pair of hands, she is holding a depiction of the DNA helix. end description.)

She met Death. They were stricken by her passion and they became lovers for a time, though their personalities clashed and they often fought. It was a turbulent relationship. Vivian took advantage of the connection to learn how the afterlife worked, discovering that it was also the source of new souls. When dead souls dissipate, the essence of the creature they once were is sent through the flow of ambient natural magic and latches onto new life as it forms in the womb, creating a soul that matches the creature. Life entities can capture and manipulate this essence a little, influencing the path of evolution. The essence of extinct species is archived in the afterlife, but cannot form a new soul of its type while the species remains extinct.

Vivian decided to extend human kind by crafting a new type of human with their soul essence. Her concept was a little over the top. Humans with wings. But she was determined to go beyond the logical and more reasonable route of making the arms into membranous wings. No, she wanted something more. She wanted to create a people that were truly unique, only possible by the use of her powers now that she was an immortal being. Something mortal science could never have achieved. So she crafted the quetzalin.

(image description: a series of sketches showing the development of the quetzalin as humanoid bird folk. it begins with a more typically human figure that has a pair of feathered wings attached to the back. next, a similar figure but now with a larger wing shoulder making them hunch over and a short tail at the base of their spine. the second image shows the addition of elf genetics followed by a shrinking of the body size and the addition of more bird like features, all of which makes the tail longer and the feet more grabby. the final image shows the quetzalin as they are, with longer tails held more parallel to the ground, raised heels to give them a bent leg posture, a smaller body plan, and much more bird like visual traits. end description.)

It took many attempts. Much to her frustration, Vivian found that she could not make humans with feathered wings that were fully capable of flight without greatly altering their DNA and body shape. She was too ambitious to give up, cobbling together bits and pieces from other creatures. Elf genetics, dinosaur traits, more bird biology, on and on until at last she had the quetzalin. She recycled the souls of her creations by her own power, bypassing the afterlife and disrupting the natural order of things.

(image description: sketches comparing the body shapes of a velociraptor, human, and quetzalin, with the quetzalin in the middle. end description.)

This caused the biggest and final clash between her and Death, and they never spoke again. But Vivian had achieved her goal, even if the end result was much different than her original plan. She rested, going dormant beneath the trees and gradually letting go of the last remnants of her energy to strengthen them and keep her creation safe.

Life entities are not eternal. They cannot be killed or die of natural causes, but they are not eternal. They eventually run out of the power given to them, and their souls dissipate into the ambient magic of the world. Vivian is gone now, though the quetzalin still worship the idea of her. Their knowledge of her has been lost little by little, changing a bit with each generation. This is the origin of most deities in the world. Some grain of truth, some memory of a real Life entity that favored a particular species but eventually faded away, leaving them in the hands of a successor or leaving them on their own.

Death mourned the day they felt Vivian's soul vanish.

And as for the secret name of the quetzalin, it too is a mispronunciation. They know themselves as the Onaxelu. But the name Vivian gave them, the name that embodied their true origin and purpose, was Homo Angelus.

[riteofthorns]

Ears of the Forgotten Realms

(The ones I drew for now anyway lol)

Pls feel free to use as reference for your own art if you want. This isn’t all necessarily “canon compliant” or the word of god or anything so don’t feel bad if I didn’t include something or drew it different than you usually do! This is just for fun to showcase possible different anatomy.

[snakebonewitch]

Research Log 1: Location: East (Barcelos, BR), South (Parque Nacional Serra da Mocidade)

Subject Discovery: Subject 'Ann' discovered via miscommunication during incentive transfer. Live specimen of 'Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris' lost in transfer. Attempt to recapture failed; Researcher made for adequate substitute. Escape from 'Ann's attempt to eat Researcher successful. Process included calling out, biting, begging and feigning despair. 'Ann' did eventually release.

Observations: Subject does not understand English or Español. Has minimal communication with local tribes, but understands small vocabulary. Vocal chords likely not completely developed through lack of necessity. Communication conducted via gestures and rudimentary word associations. Skin shares thin and elastic attributes of Eunectes genus on superior and inferior planes. Subject resorts to armor plating along trunk and head for protection from sun exposure and attacks. Hair is nonexistent on the subject, as are most traits indicative of Homo sapien. Heat pits sit under the eyes, with possibility that they are connected via the same nerve or very similar ones via separate foreman channel. General eyesight is less than 20/20; the heat pits likely make up for this especially while hunting underwater. Lower extremity has prehensile capabilities. Distribution percentage between superior and inferior halves proposes predisposition towards ectothermia, possibility to exhibit endothermic qualities up into mesothermic. Facial creases make expansion of jaw and consumption of large prey possible. Hunting seems to have no particular timeframe. Ambush via the water explains both the additional, transparent lens below the eyelid as well as vertical pupil shape. Adipose tissue centered around upper rib cage. Extensive research finds the deposits create insulation around section no longer anchored by a sternum. As well it potentially guards against lower temperatures, an attempt to breach exothermic tendencies and further supporting mesothermic regulation.

Research Log 2: Location: International Coastal Rd 10, West of Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt.

Subject Discovery: Subject 'Wedjet' encountered among group of traveling vendors. Wares sold by subject include: -Sections of shed removed from Subject's lower region -small vials of yellow liquid, later discovered to be self-extracted venom chemically identical to venom produced by Naja haje.

Observations: Subject 'Wedjet' seemed to hold reservation against analysis. Incentive offered to provide testimony includes: - All (4) remaining specimens of shed from subject (3000EGP) - 3 vials (1.5mL each) subject-extracted venom (4500EGP) - Massage Therapy administered by Researcher during analysis. (RESEARCHER NOTE: I think I just got taken for a ride. I'll need to check what the exchange rate typically is for such things. Pretty sure the massage was just to see what she could get away with asking for; at least she let me keep enough cash on me to travel back.) In contrast to previous Subject, 'Wedjet' is well adapted to life among Homo sapiens. The caravan 'Wedjet' travels with are of no relation. Their discovery of each other is recounted as, quote:

"I was just a snakelet when they found me. They couldn't stop the men that took...them from me. But they found me, left alone in the house, and no one to care for me. That's all in the past now. What happened: happened."

Speech observed to be inhibited while hood is flared. As with Naja haje counterpart, extension of the hood is a conscious effort, only able to sustain position for up to 3 minutes. (Per Subject testimony) Further observation reveals rib structure continuing from trunk section, from vertebrae C7 to C3. Heat pits follow similar position as Subject 'Ann', with differences in size and count. 'Wedjet' expresses aggressive-style humor; on more than one occasion during testimony alluded to sensations of arousal when none were present. Hypothesis of exploitation expressed on part of the Researcher.

Research Log 3: Location: West of Bluewater, NM, USA

Subject Discovery: Researcher was provided local information regarding location. As well provision requirements were noted, namely hiking equipment, personal firearm protection, and guide (RESEARCHER NOTE: 'Guide' being a local from town who can vet that I wasn't there to either steal her cows, invoke Eminent Domain, or capture her for exploitation)

Observations: Subject 'Cera' is an interesting mix between Subject 'Ann' and 'Wedjet'. She lives close to settlements of homo sapiens, but chooses little to no contact with the wider populous. the only forms of contact seem to be from members of the local Indigenous American tribe. They are explained by 'Cera' as, quote:

"...My Middlemen. I, by most accounts, don't exist. But I ain't [sic] survived this long on coyote meat and bunkin' in barns. I raise the cows they don't have means to raise, I get left alone, and we split whatever we get from market; meat and cash."

Subject has been observed practicing eating habits indicative of homo sapiens, with three consistent-sized meals over the course of the day. This is noted in contrast to other observed subjects who otherwise practice eating habits indicative of ancestry. 'Cera' denotes the reason being that an otherwise conventional Lamia eating-style leaves room for predation of stock. Venom naturally produced by Subject's venom glands are noted to not be used in day-to-day life. Similar to 'Wedjet', 'Cera' provides venom samples both for medical antivenin production, as well as private sale. Growths above orbital section speculatively classified as 'horns'. 'Cera' notes they have never shed, but the left one has sustained injury in the past. Quote:

"Sumbitch [sic] had me holed up at least a month. Busted the end off and everything. You can't see it now; this was when I was first startin'. Don't stand behind a steer if you don't want to get kicked. That one made a damn-fine steak."

Research Log 4: Location: Tokyo, JP

Subject Discovery: Initial lead discovered via r/Cryptids (Reddit). Post contains 5 second video of Subject, rolling away in similar fashion to above illustration. Contact with poster helped track subject to near Nakano, Tokyo, Japan. Four (4) nights were expended in search of Subject, finally found exiting a local 7-Eleven.

Observation: Subject 'Chise' describes herself as a "hikikomori" (ひきこもり) a colloquial used to describe individuals experiencing severe social withdrawal (self-imposed and otherwise). Despite this barrier, she does sustain herself using an animated virtual avatar to interact via social media ('VTubing').

'Chise' exhibits higher 'tolerance' for alcohol in comparison to home sapiens. Specific variable that enables this is not yet known, and may require further research.

'Chise' maintains dexterity exhibited in other subjects, despite tail and body lacking similar length. Example provided includes tucking and curling tail into ring formation to assist in locomotion. Speed clocked at 6KPH.

Researcher requested by Subject to maintain communication. Request pending approval. If request denied or slow in turnaround, independent approval will be authorized.

[roseofhybrids]

Some of the solver drone wing anatomy. The hands are based mostly on Uzi's. The elbow to shoulder part (not sure what to call this section exactly). Is based more on V's since we get a better view of it after she attacks N. Very bony, very creepy, very nice.

They're similar to a bat wing, with some notable differences.

We have the extra digit on the hand, of course.

The skin that connects the top of the upper and lower arm is absent, like in many dragon designs.

What looks to be two extra joints between the elbow and shoulder where the humerus bone would usually be. We don't see them bend much, but assuming they have a similar range of motion as an elbow, they could theoretically let the wing turn upside down.

Something that occurred to me in regard to the lights. We see similar lights on Uzi's tail, and at least some of those appear to be eyes. So could they also be eyes on the wings? I feel like they aren't since we also see accent lights on CYN's claw and camera limbs, but it would add just a little extra creepiness to them if one wishes to accept that head canon.

Thinking of expanding this to include the disassembly drone wings and Uzi's tail after I finish up some other drawings

[deborah-the-downer]

TUMBLR

EXTREMELY IMPORTANT QUESTION

[majkoszkice]

Sometimes I like to draw a skull on top of the head to check if everything more or less makes sense. Gnomes have huge eyesockets huh (even despite the fact it's obviously stylised here hahah)

[herosplatling-replica]

i've been getting a lot of questions about how to draw wings on people, so i drew my process out! this is more or less a loose recreation of what goes through my mind when i draw jay/GEB's wings.

[bubblyernie]

Erril's got more notes, this time about elven ears!! :> more excerpts from his memoir

art tag // commission info

[horizon-makoto]

одна из самых любимых работ над которой я заморочился из-за парочки хэдканонов по одной АУшке со своими персонажами

[psyrapmafia]

i'm not exactly fluent in bone anatomy but here is the currently official concept for psyrap cranium. i referenced mostly spotted hyena and juvenile tyrannosaur.

[cryptidinspace]

My own vore fic that I almost never update has induced brain rot. So I’ve decided to ramble at length about the little details of Mers/sirens/sea monsters

I wanted to talk about clothing, but to do that, we have to talk about anatomy first.

Both sirens and Mers have the upper body anatomy of a human. The human lungs function above water, but below water remain mostly unused. The heart and stomach act as usual. They also have a full heart, lungs, and digestive system in their tails. The circulatory system in the tail is directly tied to a pair of gills, usually located around the hip region.

The human part cuts off around the waist, so reproductive organs are only found in the tail. All reproductive anatomy is internal, and all Mers/sirens have both male and female organs, making them all intersex. Most choose their pronouns based purely on vibes, usually in their early teens, though some mer societies try to impose stricter gender binaries based on human civilizations. (This includes Irridesse and Lacey’s town)

They have a fully functioning brain in their skull, as well as a bundle of fused ganglia in their pelvic region. The human pelvis is warped to act as a thin cranium for this ganglia. This bundle of nerves acts a second, much more basic brain, to work on instinct and evade danger if something is interfering with the main brain. This is a big reason why instinct issues are so prevalent in the dangerous waters world, because has literal fish brains trying to keep them alive all the time, and often conflicting with their more rational human minds.

Additionally, and rather uselessly, the tail can stay alive for a while without the upper body. If the upper body is destroyed, the lower body can flail around for a few days before dying of either starvation or exhaustion.

Breasts are a vestigial organ, with no actual milk ducts, and most are covered in patches of scales anyway. Although larger breasts are generally perceived as more feminine in mer culture, they’re seen as an all around nuisance by sirens, as having a larger chest creates more drag in the water. For Sea Monsters, it’s basically inconsequential.

[fantasy-anatomy-analyst]

My knee-jerk reaction to seeing winged humanoid anatomy is I always feel like the wings coming before the human arms or over the top would mess up the mobility of both the arms(not being able to go up) and the wings(having something obstructing downward movement and less room for muscle attachment as there needs to be a hole for the human arms) and that the wings should go beneath the human arms instead to fix those issues, but is that actually anatomically correct or am I crazy?

there are definitely a lot of factors to consider with the addition of wings to a humanoid figure! unfortunately we don't have any real world animals with a similar six limbed body structure to rely on for reference, so a lot of the design inevitably relies on "well, I think it looks functional, so I guess that will do"

this post I reblogged a while back does a good job of showing potential musculature:

now, personally I put the "human" arm much farther forward on the side of the body, while that post leaves it towards the back. but it does show off the way muscles layer over each other, and it gets the wing muscles accurate to real birds! so no, I don't think having a "hole" between the muscles for the arm is a problem, really. there are just a lot of layers in there.

as for placement, as I said I prefer the arm to be more on the side of the body, forward and a little bit down, almost like the foreleg of a quadrupedal animal. it gives a lot more space for the wing to move without bumping the arm so much. putting the wings lower than the arms would necessitate having one's arms stretched over the head every single time they needed to fly, which is fine if you're going for that superman pose!

but in practice I think it would be tiring, so having the arms below the wings and placed forward on the body is, to me, a better option. that way, the arms can just relax into a folded pose, like how birds hold their legs in flight. classic "raptor hands", if you will. loosely folded, hands by the chest. no extra muscle strain interrupting the wing motion.

(image description: sketches of two winged humanoids. the first is "arms above wings" showing a figure with their arms stretched overhead so the wings lower down can flap freely. the second figure is "wings above arms", with the arms lower and more forward on the body, being held with the hands curled by the chest while the wings flap. end description.)

obviously you get more flashy poses when the arms are above the wings and stretched out like that, so they're fun to draw. but the arms being all curled up and situated below the wings feels a little more natural to me, and certainly more effective for long distance flight. the more the limbs just openly dangle in the air, the more drag they create and the heavier they can feel. so it makes sense to me that the arms would just be held closer to the body, which works better when they're below the wings.

[the-drccu]

Hello! This is a blog about the fantasy world of the DRCCU. Originally a vague concept turned roleplay server from 2019-2020, it's since grown into a full on fantasy universe complete with extensive worldbuilding and historical events, alongside a homebrew d&d campaign.

This is mostly a blog for myself to keep track of everything since I like tumblr's tagging system, but people are more than welcome to browse my posts and blog!

Most of my stories are set in this world, including my pet writing project Almost and my Iridescence webcomic. If this blog ends up getting some attention I may post Almost and Iridescence here, but I'm not too pushed about it unless people want to see.

My main tags are as follows:

#drccu¹

#not drccu

#asks

#1800s

#series one / #series one (9196)²

#series two / #series two (9798)

#series 2.5 / #series 2.5 (9793)³

#series three / #series three (9817)

#mori huu: the reaper

#canon series

#noncanon

#fidrash⁴

#dragons⁵

¹DRCCU stands for Dreamer City Canon Universe, as this whole thing started to get fleshed out in a roleplay server set in Dreamer City, one of the locations on the main planet.

²Each "Series" refers to a series of roleplay servers where events took place. Some events have been changed or retconned as to not use characters belonging to other people. Series Two was the longest and has multiple 'chapters.'

³Series 2.5 is called such because it is not canon to the DRCCU, however some events in it foreshadow events in Series Three and reveal new sides to characters that may change your perception of them.

⁴Fidrash is a language I've been working on since ~2016, in the past couple years I've changed a lot and incorporated it into the DRCCU as the language of dragons.

⁵The DRCCU has a lot of lore related to dragons. When I make a post explaining the basics, I will link it here.

More specific tags under the cut, including characters, places, and different groups/alliances.

#series two chapter one (9798)

#series two chapter two (9798)

#series two chapter three (9798)

#series two chapter four (9799)

#series two chapter five (9799)

#series two chapter six (9800)

#series two chapter seven (9802)

#the war (9805)

#ji

#droces

#flora

#fauna

#nevada

#katami / #katzimo

#makitzo / #dreamer city

#kutsuna

#joruun

#jikao

#niotore jikao

#huuyi kanemburn

#hiroshito jikao

#okirya jikao

#lucifer jikao

#mukanai jikao / #subject 02

#kazi karimi

#dreamer karimi

#daniel jikao

#lucinda

#maiko ksutzchi

#taiga karimi

#miles jikao

#megumi ciaboro

#project night

#guild of the fallen prince

#dragon type

#dragon species

#individual dragon

[sabrina-author]

Mer anatomy! -Legs & tail

from right to left: human, mer, seal

[glitching-hell777]

Trio ✝️✝️✝️

Instagram: within.hell

[yewstronaut]

say humans had wings, right? ok, how do toilets work?