#whiskers are a MUST for a subterranean creature

[sylph8-fr]

WOE

headcanoned dusthides be upon ye

[cryptikexp]

Tips for making a world?

Im building an alien moon orbiting an earth like planet, a few light years away from earth, This is my first world, and I have ambitions. If you have any tips that would be much appreciated. Heres the lore so far;

The moon, Auora, is home to several creatures, in diverse biomes. There is 2 human factions, D.I.S.G, (Direct Interstellar Scientific Group) A group focused on studying alien life in different systems, and The Brotherhood Of Orion, a group hellbent on destroying alien life and D.I.S.G. and one alien faction, The Anog. The three factions are at war, although D.I.S.G and the Anog are seeking peace to ally against the Brotherhood, even though there is a language barrier they are making it work,as Anog militia groups continue to play guerrilla warfare with D.I.S.G much to both sides displeasure.

Some of the creatures that inhabit Auora are,

Aurombas; A large sauropod like creature With a large spiked club on the end of it's tail that excreted paralysing toxins. Males have a large sail and dewlap, with shrunken neck spines protruding from the sides of their necks and hind legs, and females have no sail, and a small dewlap. The female has a large number of spikes all along where the sail would be.

Darakund; a medium sized subterranean bipedal and blind carnivore, it burrows into the ground and sticks it's whiskers out of the ground to detect when prey is overhead, then it launches itself out of the ground to attack.

Auoromimus; a small nocturnal flock herbivore that has legs that resemble running prosthetics, and are armed with arms that have 1 scythe like claw on them. Males have large extravagant tails and head crests, similar to peafowl. They are about 5 foot tall, and very hard to find as they camouflage during the day.

Ulshear; Large slug like amalgamations of dna from anything they can eat. Their life cycle is a gruesome one.

They must continue eating, as they need to have food in their stomach to avoid being digested by their own stomach. They have extremely weak digestive systems, so plenty of food gets stuck all around. Eventually, in a certain place a large enough amount of dna will accumulate to form a parasite, similar to the Cymothoa(?) and will direct food away from the stomach to itself. Eventually the Ulshear cannot eat enough and will succumb to it's stomach acid. This allows the parasite to escape, becoming a new ulshear, although with the next set of horrid adaptations. They are horridous, and are gigantic in some cases.

Darakund live in Auoras harsh deserts, and Aurombas are some of the only other animals to travel through, making their young prime targets for the darakund as they travel to the rainforests from their nests in the desert. Auoromimus inhabit the rainforests and plains of Auora.

Thank you for reading, and any tips would be appreciated :)

[thecreaturecodex]

Chasm Linnorm

“Chinese Dragon” © Russell Dongjun Lu, accessed at his ArtStation here

[Commissioned by @glarnboudin, based on the What’s New Scooby-Doo episode “Block-Long Hong-Kong Terror” This was the first episode of What’s New Scooby-Doo I had seen; it came out right in that unsweet spot where I thought I was too old for cartoons. I was pleasantly surprised--the writers seemed to care more about the mystery than in any other Scooby-Doo series. There were five suspects, two red herrings, and at one point Daphne and Velma discuss possible motives. Also, all of the members of the Scooby Gang have personalities, which is more than can be said for some Scooby-Doo series.

The commissioner suggested that, since it’s referred to as “the bad luck dragon” in the text of the episode, I connect it to linnorms. So I went ahead and just made it a linnorm, which also fills in a CR gap in the linnorms in the Bestiaries. This did, however, add a level of difficulty to the art, because two-legged Chinese dragons are uncommon on the internet, and ones with the right color palette are even rarer.]

Chasm Linnorm CR 15 CE Dragon This immense dragon has a whiskered face and a great mane. Its scales are red and yellow-gold, and it only has two clawed legs.

Chasm linnorms are subterranean dragons that lash spitefully out at creatures they come across. They are sometimes called “bad luck dragons”, as their bite spreads a curse of misfortune, and they have an unnerving tendency to target the same individual or family for their depredations over the course of years or centuries. Although they are native to deep underground canyons, they are sometimes found in cities, dwelling in their sewers or dungeons and emerging to prey on the populace. Chasm dragons feel especially comfortable in large, well-developed cities, as tall buildings and cramped alleys remind them of their subterranean homes.

Unlike most linnorms, chasm linnorms have manes, whiskers and other hair that causes them to more closely resemble imperial dragons. Rumors abound that they are the result of crossbreeding between linnorms and underground imperial dragons, but the two species hate eat other and fight to the death when their paths cross. Like all linnorms, they are covetous, and will happily destroy entire city blocks to obtain a single bauble.

In combat, chasm linnorms act much like their cousins, using their breath weapons when able to blast multiple foes at once. Their fiery breath blows away smaller creatures, and they are fond of using this to push foes off of ledges or knock them from climbing rock walls. Unlike other linnorms, they are not poisonous, but their cursed bite is vile enough to make foes wish for poison. Anyone fortunate enough to slay a chasm linnorm is struck with its death curse, feeling as if a weight is always on their shoulders pushing them down.

A chasm linnorm is fifty feet long and weighs around 13,000 pounds.

Chasm Linnorm                CR 15 XP 51,200 CE Gargantuan dragon (fire) Init +9; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, Perception +21, scent, true seeing Defense AC 30, touch 12, flat-footed 24 (-4 size, +5 Dex, +14 natural, +1 dodge) hp 217 (15d12+120); regeneration 10 (cold iron) Fort +17, Ref +14, Will +14 DR 15/cold iron; Immune curses, fire, mind-influencing effects, paralysis, poison, sleep; SR 26 Defensive Abilities freedom of movement Offense Speed 40 ft., burrow 20 ft., fly 100 ft. (good) Melee bite +23 (2d8+12 /19-20 plus curse), 2 claws +23 (2d6+12), tail +18 (2d6+5 plus grab) Space 20 ft.; Reach 20 ft. Special Attacks breath weapon, constrict (2d6+18), death curse Statistics Str 34, Dex 20, Con 27, Int 5, Wis 20, Cha 25 Base Atk +15; CMB +31 (+33 bull rush, +35 grapple); CMD 46 (48 vs. bull rush) Feats Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Power Attack,, Stand Still Skills Fly +21, Intimidate +19, Perception +21, Stealth +14; Racial Modifiers +8 Stealth Languages Aklo, Common, Draconic SQ lesser compression Ecology Environment underground and urban Organization solitary Treasure triple Special Abilities Breath Weapon (Su) As a standard action once every 1d4 rounds, a chasm linnorm can breathe a 120 foot line that deals 15d8 points of fire damage to all creatures in the area (Reflex DC 25 half). Any creature that takes damage is also subject to a bull rush attempt by the linnorm at its normal CMB, except that the linnorm does not move with its opponent. The save DC is Constitution based. Curse (Su) bite—injury; save Will DC 24; duration 1 minute; effect a creature cursed by a chasm linnorm’s bite must roll all d20 rolls twice and take the worse result. The save DC is Charisma based. Death Curse (Su) Gravity’s call; save Will DC 24; effect the creature’s movement and skills are impeded as if it were carrying a heavy load, and it takes 1d10 points of damage per 10 feet fallen. The save DC is Charisma based. Freedom of Movement (Ex) A linnorm benefits from the freedom of movement spell as an extraordinary ability that cannot be suppressed or dispelled. Lesser Compression (Ex) A chasm linnorm can move through an area half its space without squeezing, and ¼ its space when squeezing. True Seeing (Ex) A linnorm benefits from the true seeing spell as an extraordinary ability that cannot be suppressed or dispelled.

[readbookywooks]

THE PEOPLE THAT LIVED IN HIDING

Now began the happiest times that Caspian had ever known. On a fine summer morning when the dew lay on the grass he set off with the Badger and the two Dwarfs, up through the forest to a high saddle in the mountains and down on to their sunny southern slopes where one looked across the green wolds of Archenland. "We will go first to the Three Bulgy Bears," said Trumpkin. They came in a glade to an old hollow oak tree covered with moss, and Trufflehunter tapped with his paw three times on the trunk and there was no answer. Then he tapped again and a woolly sort of voice from inside said, "Go away. It's not time to get up yet." But when he tapped the third time there was a noise like a small earthquake from inside and a sort of door opened and out came three brown bears, very bulgy indeed and blinking their little eyes. And when everything had been explained to them (which took a long time because they were so sleepy) they said, just as Trufflehunter had said, that a son of Adam ought to be King of Narnia and all kissed Caspian - very wet, snuffly kisses they were - and offered him some honey. Caspian did not really want honey, without bread, at that time in the morning, but he thought it polite to accept. It took him a long time afterwards to get unsticky. After that they went on till they came among tall beech trees and Trufflehunter called out, "Pattertwig! Pattertwig! Pattertwig!" and almost at once, bounding down from branch to branch till he was just above their heads, came the most magnificent red squirrel that Caspian had ever seen. He was far bigger than the ordinary dumb squirrels which he had sometimes seen in the castle gardens; indeed he was nearly the size of a terrier and the moment you looked in his face you saw that he could talk. Indeed the difficulty was to get him to stop talking, for, like all squirrels, he was a chatterer. He welcomed Caspian at once and asked if he would like a nut and Caspian said thanks, he would. But as Pattertwig went bounding away to fetch it, Trufflehunter whispered in Caspian's ear, "Don't look. Look the other way. It's very bad manners among squirrels to watch anyone going to his store or to look as if you wanted to know where it was." Then Pattertwig came back with the nut and Caspian ate it and after that Pattertwig asked if he could take any messages to other friends. "For I can go nearly everywhere without setting foot to ground," he said. Trufflehunter and the Dwarfs thought this a very good idea and gave Pattertwig messages to all sorts of people with queer names telling them all to come to a feast and council on Dancing Lawn at midnight three nights ahead. "And you'd better tell the three Bulgies too," added Trumpkin. "We forgot to mention it to them." Their next visit was to the Seven Brothers of Shuddering Wood. Trumpkin led the way back to the saddle and then down eastward on the northern slope of the mountains till they came to a very solemn place among rocks and fir trees. They went very quietly and presently Caspian could feel the ground shake under his feet as if someone were hammering down below. Trumpkin went to a flat stone about the size of the top of a water-butt, and stamped on it with his foot. After a long pause it was moved away by someone or something underneath, and there was a dark, round hole with a good deal of heat and steam coming out of it and in the middle of the hole the head of a Dwarf very like Trumpkin himself. There was a long talk here and the dwarf seemed more suspicious than the Squirrel or the Bulgy Bears had been, but in the end the whole party were invited to come down. Caspian found himself descending a dark stairway into the earth, but when he came to the bottom he saw firelight. It was the light of a furnace. The whole place was a smithy. A subterranean stream ran past on one side of it. Two Dwarfs were at the bellows, another was holding a piece of red-hot metal on the anvil with a pair of tongs, a fourth was hammering it, and two, wiping their horny little hands on a greasy cloth, were coming forward to meet the visitors. It took some time to satisfy them that Caspian was a friend and not an enemy, but when they did, they all cried, "Long live the King," and their gifts were noble - mail shirts and helmets and swords for Caspian and Trumpkin and Nikabrik. The Badger could have had the same if he had liked, but he said he was a beast, he was, and if his claws and teeth could not keep his skin whole, it wasn't worth keeping. The workmanship of the arms was far finer than any Caspian had ever seen, and he gladly accepted the Dwarf-made sword instead of his own, which looked, in comparison, as feeble as a toy and as clumsy as a stick. The seven brothers (who were all Red Dwarfs) promised to come to the feast at Dancing Lawn. A little farther on, in a dry, rocky ravine they reached the cave of five Black Dwarfs. They looked suspiciously at Caspian, but in the end the eldest of them said, "If he is against Miraz, we'll have him for King." And the next oldest said, "Shall we go farther up for you, up to the crags? There's an Ogre or two and a Hag that we could introduce you to, up there." "Certainly not," said Caspian. "I should think not, indeed," said Trufflehunter. "We want none of that sort on our side." Nikabrik disagreed with this, but Trumpkin and the Badger overruled him. It gave Caspian a shock to realize that the horrible creatures out of the old stories, as well as the nice ones, had some descendants in Narnia still. "We should not have Aslan for friend if we brought in that rabble," said Trufflehunter as they came away from the cave of the Black Dwarfs. "Oh, Aslan!" said Trumpkin, cheerily but contemptuously. "What matters much more is that you wouldn't have me." "Do you believe in Aslan?" said Caspian to Nikabrik. "I'll believe in anyone or anything," said Nikabrik, "that'll batter these cursed Telmarine barbarians to pieces or drive them out of Narnia. Anyone or anything, Aslan or the White Witch, do you understand?" "Silence, silence," said Trufflehunter. "You do not know what you are saying. She was a worse enemy than Miraz and all his race." "Not to Dwarfs, she wasn't," said Nikabrik. Their next visit was a pleasanter one. As they came lower down, the mountains opened out into a great glen or wooded gorge with a swift river running at the bottom. The open places near the river's edge were a mass of foxgloves and wild roses and the air was buzzing with bees. Here Trufflehunter called again, "Glenstorm! Glenstorm!" and after a pause Caspian heard the sound of hoofs. It grew louder till the valley trembled and at last, breaking and trampling the thickets, there came in sight the noblest creatures that Caspian had yet seen, the great Centaur Glenstorm and his three sons. His flanks were glossy chestnut and the beard that covered his broad chest was goldenred. He was a prophet and a star-gazer and knew what they had come about. "Long live the King," he cried. "I and my sons are ready for war. When is the battle to be joined?" Up till now neither Caspian nor the others had really been thinking of a war. They had some vague idea, perhaps, of an occasional raid on some Human farmstead or of attacking a party of hunters, if it ventured too far into these southern wilds. But, in the main, they had thought only of living to themselves in woods and caves and building up an attempt at Old Narnia in hiding. As soon as Glenstorm had spoken everyone felt much more serious. "Do you mean a real war to drive Miraz out of Narnia?" asked Caspian. "What else?" said the Centaur. "Why else does your Majesty go clad in mail and girt with sword?" "Is it possible, Glenstorm?" said the Badger. "The time is ripe," said Glenstorm. "I watch the skies, Badger, for it is mine to watch, as it is yours to remember. Tarva and Alambil have met in the halls of high heaven, and on earth a son of Adam has once more arisen to rule and name the creatures. The hour has struck. Our council at the Dancing Lawn must be a council of war." He spoke in such a voice that neither Caspian nor the others hesitated for a moment: it now seemed to them quite possible that they might win a war and quite certain that they must wage one. As it was now past the middle of the day, they rested with the Centaurs and ate such food as the centaurs provided cakes of oaten meal, and apples, and herbs, and wine, and cheese. The next place they were to visit was quite near at hand, but they had to go a long way round in order to avoid a region in which Men lived. It was well into the afternoon before they found themselves in level fields, warm between hedgerows. There Trufflehunter called at the mouth of a little hole in a green bank and out popped the last thing Caspian expected - a Talking Mouse. He was of course bigger than a common mouse, well over a foot high when he stood on his hind legs, and with ears nearly as long as (though broader than) a rabbit's. His name was Reepicheep and he was a gay and martial mouse. He wore a tiny little rapier at his side and twirled his long whiskers as if they were a moustache. "There are twelve of us, Sire," he said with a dashing and graceful bow, "and I place all the resources of my people unreservedly at your Majesty's disposal." Caspian tried hard (and successfully) not to laugh, but he couldn't help thinking that Reepicheep and all his people could very easily be put in a washing basket and carried home on one's back. It would take too long to mention all the creatures whom Caspian met that day - Clodsley Shovel the Mole, the three Hardbiters (who were badgers like Trufflehunter), Camillo the Hare, and Hogglestock the Hedgehog. They rested at last beside a well at the edge of a wide and level circle of grass, bordered with tall elms which now threw long shadows across it, for the sun was setting, the daisies closing, and the rooks flying home to bed. Here they supped on food they had brought with them and Trumpkin lit his pipe (Nikabrik was not a smoker). "Now," said the Badger, "if only we could wake the spirits of these trees and this well, we should have done a good day's work." "Can't we?" said Caspian. "No," said Trufflehunter. "We have no power over them. Since the Humans came into the land, felling forests and defiling streams, the Dryads and Naiads have sunk into a deep sleep. Who knows if ever they will stir again? And that is a great loss to our side. The Telmarines are horribly afraid of the woods, and once the Trees moved in anger, our enemies would go mad with fright and be chased out of Narnia as quick as their legs could carry them." "What imaginations you Animals have!" said Trumpkin, who didn't believe in such things. "But why stop at Trees and Waters? Wouldn't it be even nicer if the stones started throwing themselves at old Miraz?" The Badger only grunted at this, and after that there was such a silence that Caspian had nearly dropped off to sleep when he thought he heard a faint musical sound from the depth of the woods at his back. Then he thought it was only a dream and turned over again; but as soon as his ear touched the ground he felt or heard (it was hard to tell which) a faint beating or drumming. He raised his head. The beating noise at once became fainter, but the music returned, clearer this time. It was like flutes. He saw that Trufflehunter was sitting up staring into the wood. The moon was bright; Caspian had been asleep longer than he thought. Nearer and nearer came the music, a tune wild and yet dreamy, and the noise of many light feet, till at last, out from the wood into the moonlight, came dancing shapes such as Caspian had been thinking of all his life. They were not much taller than dwarfs, but far slighter and more graceful. Their curly heads had little horns, the upper part of their bodies gleamed naked in the pale light, but their legs and feet were those of goats. "Fauns!" cried Caspian, jumping up, and in a moment they were all round him. It took next to no time to explain the whole situation to them and they accepted Caspian at once. Before he knew what he was doing he found himself joining in the dance. Trumpkin, with heavier and jerkier movements, did likewise and even Trufflehunter hopped and lumbered about as best he could. Only Nikabrik stayed where he was, looking on in silence. The Fauns footed it all round Caspian to their reedy pipes. Their strange faces, which seemed mournful and merry all at once, looked into his; dozens of Fauns, Mentius and Obentinus and Dumnus, Voluns, Voltinus, Girbius, Nimienus, Nausus, and Oscuns. Pattertwig had sent them all. When Caspian awoke next morning he could hardly believe that it had not all been a dream; but the grass was covered with little cloven hoof-marks.