#riverdrake

[serpentface]

The goddess Arweny, depicted in Setem-Whe ornamental style. She is usually described as a female elowey protruding from the jaws of a gigantic serpent, or as a small snake with a rat perpetually stuck in its throat.

She is considered to be one of many local spirits of the wilds across the vast forested region known as Nekhuatseth, and is venerated (and cursed) as the god of the hunt-interrupted. She is believed to lend strength and speed to hunted quarry, allowing them to escape predation against insurmountable odds. She is completely impartial, and will lend her mercy to an insect just as easily as she would to a person.

Hunters blame her when what seems to be a certain kill escapes, and pray to her when they find themselves hunted. In many places, it is believed that she will hide all prey if she is not appeased, and as such is left offerings of fruit and wine before any expedition. It is common in rural parts of Nekhuatseth to wear amulets depicting her likeness to ward off attacks from wild beasts.

A folktale from the Sykhilic cult (a Nekh and Setem-Whe religious order devoted to a lunar goddess, scattered in temples at the edges of wilderness areas) intends to teach youths about the dangers and impartiality of the wilds, and illustrates beliefs about Arweny's intervention in the cycle of hunter and hunted.

A young hunter walked alone through the wilds in the heat of the dry season. They were on their rite of passage, and as such were armed only with a knife and could feed only on what game and forage they found on their journey. They were three days in, tired and hungry and missing the comfort of the city more and more with every step.

The hunter stopped at the edge of a clearing to eat a few clumps of dry, tasteless grass. They chewed miserably and dreamed of the great feast that would be held upon their return, when they heard a sudden snap. The youth had only a moment to turn before a great beast seized them in its claws. A tyger had been stalking them, and now pinned them to the earth under one massive paw!

Thinking fast, the young hunter called upon one of the wild gods of these parts. 

“Arweny! Rat-Who-Chokes-The-Snake! Please, lend me your strength!”

And there was a great rustling in the bush, a sliding, slithering sound, and a cackle of frightful laughter. And the hunter felt every muscle in their body seize with a great strength, and they wrenched themself out of the stinking cat’s grasp.

The youth scampered up a tree and sat in its high boughs with their breast heaving. The cat paced below in helpless agitation, for the branches were far too lithe to support its great weight.

The great beast stalked away, and the hunter cried out their thanks to the lord of the triumphant prey and nursed their wounds.

The young hunter walked along deer trails all day, but there was no quarry to be seen, and the scents were weeks old and unpromising. With hunger now gnawing painfully at their gut, they came upon a great river. There were water lillies growing in the shallows with thick, tasty bulbs, and the air was alive with frogsong. The youth crept out into the muddy water, hoping to find something good to eat.

But a slight ripple on the water filled their gut with ice. Their instinct told them to be afraid, and in the fraction of a second, they whispered, “Arweny, lord of the hunt-interrupted, lend me your speed.”

And in that same moment, a colossal riverdrake sprang forth from the murk, faster than the hunter could have run. But their body was seized with a great quickness, and they leapt into the air, high above the drake’s head, and came down upon its jaws, forcing them shut with a snap!

As they sprang away from the beast, they heard a wet slithering sound, and that same cackle of triumph. They silently thanked the lord of the biting quarry, and ran far from the river and its dangers.

But now, the hunter was near starved. The small insects and dessicated grasses they had found along the way did little to abate their hunger. They needed to make a kill or they would surely starve.

And as if by divine will, they came across a river hog hopelessly tangled in a thorny mass of dead vines. It squealed and strained with all its might, but to no avail. The hog collapsed to its side and laid still, chest heaving and showing the terrified whites of its eyes. The hunter sighed in relief and drew their blade.

And suddenly, the hog trembled and burst away, ripping up and dragging all the vines along with it! The hunter was frozen in shock. How was this possible? The hog was as good as dead!

And as if to answer that question, they heard that same slithering, the sound of something heavy dragging its long body over the dry leafbed. And they heard that same cackle, a laugh of triumph, as the prey fled and the hunter starved.

[witchamania]

@riverdrake // cont.

“That’s ‘cause the dick thing is infinitely more interesting,” she pointed out without shame. “Neh, I’m Rekka. I’m just a wandering wannabe-witch and artist.”

[kurisu-uzune]

@riverdrake liked for a starter.

A white portal would appear in some random location, as per usual with Kurisu’s traveling hobby. Random destinations always helped when trying to get rid of his boredom. He always traveled in human form so no one asked to feel his fur.

This time though, he would walk out of the portal and look around, vaguely recognizing the place he had set foot into. “...I feel like i’ve been here before.”

He would speak to himself as he looked around from where he stood, the portal closing behind him.

[likethenorthstar]

I swear, Kenshiro the Bartender is the the most hilarious and coolest thing ever. The names of his drinks are amazing and I want to make them.

The name alone makes it sound fuckin’ great.

[ibadouji]

Avenger looks at Ibaraki. "We can't take you no where."

“What is that supposed to mean?!”

[bearxclaws-blog]

The old demon hands her a cup of hot cocoa. No words were said as he sat next to her and sipped his own.

🐻 — @riverdrake

Nothing needed to be said. With the warm mug between her hands and him beside her, she saw little reason to speak. Her thanks were given in the form of a soft jab of her elbow and a quiet grunt before she sipped at the piping-hot drink. Smooth and sweet, she was tempted to down it all in one gulp. Fortunately for her tongue and the roof of her mouth, she chose to enjoy the drink slowly.

But, once she was finished, she swore she’d ask him for the recipe. Not for her to make, but for someone that was capable of not burning it.

[nekofantasia]

Orochi puts Several thousand yen in the jar and merely grins.

“...Uh.”

She’s very afraid. What are you planning, Orochi?!

[painterofthe-sun]

*holds up their precious daughter* "won't you let us in?"

   “And this comes from the same one who used to slip in whenever he wanted... Truly, this cutie has changed you, hm~?” Amaterasu doesn’t waste a second, picking up the girl and giving a little spin so the girl would laugh, laughing right along with her.

   “Again! Again, again~!!”

[dripdripdropthebass]

🌙

Juvia absolutely just tucked in a sleepy Orochi... And she also just snuggled in behind them, being the big spoon FOR ONCE.

[foulserpent]

depiction of the eloweyn (elven) “wild god” arweny, who is considered the lord of the “hunt interrupted”, believed to lend strength to prey facing insurmountable odds against a hunter. this god’s original name was lost, considered to be an ancient “lord of spears” before being devoured and transformed. 

an old fable about arweny both saving and thwarting a hunter is told to those in the sykhilic cult (unusually devoted followers of the hunting/moon god sykhil) as a reminder of natures impartiality. putting it under the cut. 

A young hunter was on the long walk through the wilds. They were on their rite of passage, and as such were clad only in a light cloth and armed only with a knife. They walked, hunger gnawing in their belly, missing the city more and more with every step.

They were dreaming about the great feast that would be held upon their return, when they heard a sudden snap. They only had a moment to turn before a great beast seized them in its claws. A tyger had been stalking them, and now they were pinned to the earth under one massive paw!

Thinking fast, they called upon one of the wild gods of these parts. 

“Arweny! Rat-Who-Chokes-The-Snake! Please, lend me your strength!” They cried.

And there was a great rustling in the bush, a sliding, slithering sound, and a cackle of frightful laughter. And the hunter felt every muscle in their body seize with a great strength, and they wrenched themself out of the cat’s grasp.

The hunter scampered up a tree, and sat in its high boughs with their breast heaving. The cat paced below in agitation, but it did not climb, as the branches were far too lithe to support its great weight.

It stalked away, and the hunter cried out their thanks to the lord of the triumphant prey, and began to nurse their wounds.

Now the hunter, hunger gnawing deep in their gut, came upon a river. They rooted around its banks, looking for a frog or small snake, or a juicy river bug.

But a slight ripple on the water filled their gut with ice. Their instinct told them to be afraid, and in the fraction of a second, they whispered, “Arweny, lord of the hunt-interrupted, lend me your speed.”

And in that same moment, a colossal riverdrake sprang forth from the murk, faster than the hunter could have run. But their body was seized in a great quickness, and they leapt into the air, high above the drake’s head, and came down upon its jaws, forcing them shut with a snap!

As they sprang into a run away from the beast, they heard a wet slithering sound, and that same cackle of triumph. They silently thanked the lord of the biting quarry, as they ran far from the river and the confused beast.

But now, the hunter was near starved. The small insects and tough leaves they had found along the way did little to abate this hunger. They needed to make a kill, or they would surely starve.

And as if by divine will, they came across a river hog, its legs hopelessly tangled in a mass of vines. It squealed and strained to no avail, and collapsed onto its side. It now laid still, chest heaving and showing the terrified whites of its eyes. The hunter sighed in relief, and drew their blade.

And suddenly, the pig trembled, and burst away, ripping up and dragging all the vines with it! The hunter was frozen in shock. How was this possible? The pig was as good as dead!

And as if to answer that question, they heard that same slithering, the sound of something heavy dragging its long body over the dry leafbed. And they heard that same cackle, a laugh of triumph, as the prey fled and the hunter starved. 

[serpentface]

Bulls of the three native wild cattle species- forest bison, buffalo, and aurochs. All three are referred to together as 'kuliganne' (wild oxen/cattle) and only aurochs have a specific name ('ganamit') in common Wardi vernacular, though some local dialects have individual names for each species.

---

Forest bison are outright diminutive in size with lean builds, gracile legs, and small horns. They thrive best in densely wooded areas with easy access to water, and are found only rarely beyond the treeline. They feed primarily by browsing and do not compete intensely with the other two wild bovines (which are primarily grazers), allowing their ranges to heavily overlap in some areas.

These bison are the rarest and most limited in range of the native bovines (WITHIN the Imperial Wardi region- they have the widest Total range of the three) . These animals were native to the once vast northern forest, and are now confined to the two remaining major areas of intact woodland. The two populations have been separated for centuries and show minor physical differences, with the western Highland forest bison being slightly smaller with thicker coats, and the eastern Oakland forest bison having longer legs and darker coloration (whether they could be classed as separate subspecies would be a matter of debate).

Forest bison herds can grow fairly large when resources allow, and consist of cows, their young, and subadult males. Adult bulls hold individual territories (which frequently overlap with other males with little competition outside of the breeding season) and patrol the peripheries of their local herds to defend against predators. Herds form out of related females and their young, but do not always stay that way- when different groups meet, they will quite readily exchange members before splitting apart again. Their dominance hierarchies are formed based upon age, and are not strictly maintained by behavioral reinforcement.

They are powerful for their size, but they are accessible prey items for most large predators. Small predators like jackals can occasionally take down adults, and calves are sometimes known to be killed by opportunistic nechoi or even large eagles. Forest bison are swift runners and usually flee from attack, though will form protective circles around their calves when cornered.

Forest bison are interfertile with domestic cattle but do not readily breed with them; hybrids are virtually unknown. Kulustaig cattle of the Highlands show signs of trace bison ancestry, but this hybridization likely occurred prior to their ancestors being brought south across the sea rather than with the native forest bison.

---

Buffalo are large, robust, and bulky animals. They are not notably tolerant to dehydration and their range is mostly clustered around large, permanent bodies of water. Wardi buffalo are most populous in savannah and floodplain habitat in the eastern parts of the region, and have largely been kept out of the west (and its highly agreeable, wetter habitats) by the better established aurochs (and the higher density of farmland and livestock). They rarely permanently occupy grassland, but some groups temporarily migrate into the plains during the rainy season.

They are highly social and can group into very large herds as resources allow. Cows and their young form the body of the herd, with bachelor herds existing on the peripheries. Sexually mature bulls generally tolerate each others' presence, and form dominance hierarchies based on size and age.

They are very powerful animals and difficult to kill, with their only regular hunters being lions, crocodiles, riverdrakes, and humans. King hyena (though the largest predator in the region) rarely attempt to tackle healthy adults, and instead pick off sick or injured individuals. Hyenas almost never take down adults, but can be threats to their calves. Buffalo behave aggressively towards sources of predation and will actively mob and attempt to kill lone predators and/or their young. They are extremely dangerous to humans, and may kill more people yearly than any other native fauna (rivaled only by crocodiles).

Buffalo are not interfertile with domestic cattle (and tend to behave aggressively towards them), though that doesn't prevent occasional claims of hybridization. They often compete heavily with livestock (in addition to being a severe danger to humans) and do not benefit from a specifically sacred status, and thus are sometimes methodically extirpated from key pasture and water sources.

---

Aurochs are the most widespread of all native bovines, and can be found throughout the region. The Wardi aurochs is highly adaptable and can be found in a variety of environments, but is most notable for tolerating dry conditions- it can thrive in open grassland and even semi-desert scrub that is wholly inaccessible to buffalo. They also fare decently well at elevation and can be found in parts of the Highlands, though compete with livestock for limited pasture and are often driven off by herders.

They are the least social of the native bovines, with most bulls being entirely solitary outside of the breeding season and cows and their young living in small herds (usually consisting of 2-5 adults). Separate herds sometimes congregate in the cooler rainy season to mate and give birth.

Aurochs are VERY large and have few predators (similarly to buffalo, only humans, lions, riverdrakes, and crocodiles regularly kill them). However, their small group size opens more opportunities for the smaller or solo predators- sufficiently large groups of hyenas can take them down, king hyena are occasionally known to chance attacks on healthy adults, and their young are vulnerable to most predators. They can be highly aggressive when provoked, but do not engage in mobbing behaviors.

They are fully interfertile with domestic cattle (though this particular subspecies is likely not the ancestor that Wardi native cattle are domesticated from). Most do not go out of their way to mate with livestock, but some bulls are known (even locally infamous) for 'seducing' receptive cows within their territories. This crossbreeding is sometimes encouraged in hopes of improving cattle stock, though first generation hybrids can often be aggressive and difficult to manage. Some Wardi aurochs populations show distinct signs of hybridization, including the lyrate horns, dewlaps, and some markings of the native domestic cattle.

Aurochs have a near-ubiquitous venerated status among the Wardi, Wogan, and Cholemdinae peoples. They are considered sacred to the faith of the seven faced God and are valuable sacrifices; the Face of God Mitlamache (and God Itself during the act of creation) is usually represented by an aurochs. The word 'mitla' is the Wardi word for both a crescent moon and the horns of aurochs.

There are several variants of bullfighting practices in Imperial Wardi culture, and wild aurochs are used in some. This includes bull leaping, bull dancing (where a person taunts and dances with the bull while evading harm until the animal tires), and the Very dangerous bull wrestling (where a fighter tires the animal until it can be physically wrestled to the ground). Most bullfighting practices are non-fatal, but aurochs specifically are used in explicitly sacrificial fights, a very difficult rite in which the animal must be brought down with only a small blade.

Here's a map showing the (heavily approximated) ranges of the three species. Low opacity denotes low population density or species overlap. Areas of species overlap with bison may imply simultaneous occupation (as the bison does not intensely compete for resources with the other two), while aurochs/buffalo overlap usually does not (they compete directly and established populations rarely occur in the same places at the same times).

This map only indicates the population of the Wardi aurochs, Wardi buffalo, and forest bison (there are plenty of other species/subspecies in these genera outside of the marked area). The forest bison is the only one of the three to occur on both sides of the Blackmane mountains.

[witchamania]

"Catwalk" Blaire in a traditional kimono

Wardrobe Change! :: { accepting }

“This is pretty and all but I don’t think I’ll be able to be much use in this. It’ll probably only get ruined, actually…”

[katiekhau]

Forgot to post this #sketch I did for the same #pathfinder game from earlier. It's #snake and #drake! #drawing #illustration #roleplaying #tabletopgaming #dragon #riverdrake #sketching #doodle #dailydoodle #quicksketch #ink #instagood #instacool #instadaily

[likethenorthstar]

"Let me help you."

finish “let me ___ you” in my inbox

A pause as he gets up, still staggered by battle. He was pretty worse for the wear leaving that encounter.

“I’m.. I’m fine-” A cough escaped him, the glint of crimson flying out on to harder sand of the desert.  He wasn’t fine. That much was certain. It looked as though he had been mauled, for christ sake! He’s covered in blood, most of it his own… It ended pretty poorly for him, that much was beyond clear.

“Don’t worry about me..” His aura was still going strong, despite his poor current state. He was still pushing on, despite being so severely injured. He most definitely could use that help.

[thefcrsakcnqueen-blog]

@riverdrake liked for a starter

“I know nothing about the beasts of this world, though I am curious about these..Oni, I’ve been hearing about. Could you enlighten me in the least?”

[bearxclaws-archive-blog]

Orochi would wrap his arms around Anita and hold her close. "You know, dragons don't often do affection like this."

🐻; @riverdrake

Secretly ( or not-so-secretly depending on who you were ), Anita sought out affection. She would never ask for it unless she was comfortable at the risk of looking desperate and needy, but she did enjoy hugs when they were given— only it put her off that he was commenting on the significance of his arm being looped around her. A minuscule part of her soaked in the warmth, but a much larger piece made her squirm and want to pry herself out of his embrace.

“Why are you doin’ it then?”