#wing it worldbuilding

[chiauve]

Time for crappy art I still put too much time into. BEHOLD, a baby Razer before he got his tattoos. Less angry, but still mouthing off. His grandmother was from another clan and he inherited the look.

Clockwise we have (badly drawn) Razer's father, Ryler, a technician of the commoner caste. As proper, he would take Razer with him to work to shadow him and, once marked, become his apprentice and eventually take over. Except...

Enter Finyr, a scholar of the elite caste, who finds a highly intelligent, newly marked halfbreed boy who's already designing and building his own tech and who solved Finyr's astronomical equations by hand. This kid needed to go to the academy, but commoners weren't permitted, so Finyr petitioned the ruling Volrig to allow Razer to ascend caste, to which he would then sponsor him.

Finyr adored Razer and was hoping he would follow him into teaching at the academy, but then the warlords showed up and everything went to shit and none of it mattered anymore.

[dunmeshistash]

Something that completely flew over my head (I am not very observant), I was rereading chapter 87: Winged Lion II to re-check some things about dungeons and I just now realized the ancient humans weren't from the current races we know.

They seem to have characteristics from several of the human races together, and some of them even seem to have fur (like demi-humans?)

It's even implied that the lifespan differences and physical differences (the two asking for muscles and using magic in the background) were due to the Demon granting wishes

I did notice this part but I didn't realize this was probably part of the source of the race differences rather than the races already being different and wishing for different things.

So at some point the human races might have been even more closely related, before a powerful being influenced their evolution.

[buzzkillchainsaw]

Yes I'm serious, no I'm not okay

(I'll be tagging this and further parts as #buzzkill aquatic so feel free to use that tag too if you use my aquatic expansion in your art/animations/fanfics etc)

Next part (tail edition):

[dead-end-draws]

WOF tribe Merchant/Trading booth concepts:

Hey folks! This one was the recent winner of this WOF poll, so here’s my concept art that headcannons trading in Pyrrhia.

Read below cut for close-ups of the individual booths + the thought process / headcannons behind the design choices: 👇

Skywings: The Sky Kingdom’s mountain ranges provide plenty of pasture for raising sheep. As such, Skywing shepherds benefit from traveling to sell their wool, dyes, fabric, and woven tapestries. Many of these merchant tables also include herbs grown exclusively in the mountains, or ibex drinking horns that can be strapped on a dragon’s shoulder & carried in flight.

Along with goods, Skywing merchants may offer sewing services to fix tears, burn marks, or other fabric damage. They are sought out for their quality clothing, and most fabric across Pyrria originated from a Skywing’s talons.

Mudwings: Mudwings’ abundant food & cooking skills are envied almost anywhere in Pyrrhia. Their swamps have fertile soil, responsible for hosting diverse crops which can be purchased as produce at merchant stalls. For those lucky enough to find a traveling Mudwing merchant, the promise of a delicious dish can be whipped up and served at the stall in no time. Along with produce goods, Mudwings sell weaved baskets, spices, and cooking ware.

Sandwings: Sandwing booths offer luxuries of the desert: It’s most common to find accessories such as gold carved jewelry or musical instruments such as drums, lyres, & mandolins for sale. Though, even more sought out across Pyrrhia is Sandwing tattoos/piercings, which are done within the merchant areas. Ink etchings on papyrus paper are stationed outside their tents to showcase designs. All which can be selected, and poked into the skin with a tapping stick and plant dye ink by a trained talon.

Seawings: SeaWings sell a variety of ocean related goods; taking a share in the fish market with Icewings. Outside of food, there are den decorations like driftwood carvings, accessories such as seashell & pearl jewelry, and rope nets weaved by expert Seawing sailors. Some Seawings even sell fishing equipment, canoes, or offer sailor knot tying instructions to curious dragon buyers.

Nightwings: During the war, it was near impossible to find a Nightwing merchant. Most refused to participate in merchant territory, mostly as a way to keep up with their tribe’s mysterious nature.

Though in the more shady, unground parts of the market you can buy from a huge selection of obsidian weaponry, the sharpest in Pyrrhia. No one knew initially how Nightwings smithed so many weapons, or why, until their secret volcano kingdom and the intention to invade the rainforest was discovered. Then forging armor & weapons became clear. Along with a vast armory, for the right price, some Nightwing merchants offer Prophecies & Nightwing Literature (not always guaranteed to always be reliable) and assassin services as well (very reliable).

Rainwings: Though Rainwings haven’t been part of Pyrrhia trading for years, they have a vast hold on dragon medicine. An apothecary of herbs, salves, and remedies are all offered for various ailments due to the rainforest’s abundant resources. Along with medicinal goods, many Rainwings are fruit vendors, promising to any hesitant meat-eating dragons that such an array of flavors isn’t to be missed. Though, their fruit selling pitches often fall flat to most other predominantly meat-eating tribes.

Icewings: Icewings have everything a dragon could need to brace the cold, with a selection of goods only found in the most frigid regions of Pyrrhia. Furs, bone jewelry, and fresh fish (thanks to frost breath) are served on ice. Though Icewings themselves don’t require fur to withstand the cold, it’s considered fashionable and common in upper ranks to wear fur as a status symbol. Since metal is hard to smith without fire & in cold temperatures, fur and bone are more accessible to Icewings for clothing statements.

[sidyashchiy-na-plakhe]

Tribe variations: seawings

Here comes the next part of the tribe variations! I see you liked my previous post on this topic with Icewings, so here is the continuation. I see most people wanted seawings, and in the wof community people REALLY like seawings variations, so here they are! Who do you want to see next: skywings, leafwings or nightwings?

[wofpantheon]

PYRRHIA

*Alt text available!

Roughly 1.5x the size of North America, Pyrrhia is the largest continent inhabited by dragons. Despite it's monumental size, very few areas on the map are considered un-owned territory, with even fewer areas being considered unexplored entirely.

Thanks to the continent's huge climate range, Pyrrhia has the most dragon tribe diversity of any landmass, hosting seven tribes in their entirety.

This includes: SkyWings, IceWings, SandWings, MudWings, RainWings, NightWings and SeaWings.

IceWing Territory

The Ice Kingdom, inhabited primarily by IceWings, is a large peninsula in the far north, also including a smaller cape just slightly south. It borders both the Sky Kingdom and the Kingdom of Sand.

While a large portion of IceWings live within the walls of the Ice Palace (an extravagant city compared to most other palaces), the majority live in villages and towns along the Ice Kingdom's coast. This is ideal for most, since the primary food source of IceWings are fish & sea-faring birds and mammals. However, it's not uncommon to find an IceWing family or two living further inland, hunting elk and other land-dwelling prey.

While only a relatively small portion of IceWing territory remains snowy year-round, the entire territory all the way down to Where-No-Dragon-Goes-Hungry can be seen blanketed in ice and snow during the winter months.

SkyWing Territory

The Sky Kingdom is home to the SkyWings, and is the largest land-based dragon-claimed territory on the map, give or take. Their territory borders several other kingdoms, including the Kingdom of the Sea, Ice Kingdom, Mud Kingdom, and the Kingdom of Sand.

Being quite physically big and territorial compared to most other dragons, SkyWings demand much more space (and use of such space) than their neighbors, despite there being much fewer of them overall. By technicality, the Sky Kingdom encompasses the entire Pyrrhian mountain range; although the SkyWings living any farther south than the Diamond Spray Delta tend not to argue about where borders are drawn, so long as they get a good night's sleep.

SkyWings tend to live solitarily or in pairs/family units, with the exception of those living in the Sky Palace working for the current Queen. Due to this, there are very few dedicated SkyWing towns or villages, with most SkyWings opting instead to pick out an ideal cave in the mountains to call home. This is of course not absolute, and there are many SkyWings living in harmony in bordering towns and cities with other tribes, some being SkyWing dominant.

MudWing Territory

The Mud Kingdom is home to the MudWings; the tribe of the largest land-dwelling dragons in the world. Their kingdom borders the Sky Kingdom, the Kingdom of the Sea and the Rainforest Kingdom.

Despite their size, they actually don't hold the largest amount of territory. Being rather sedentary, they typically never need more than the average pond to themselves and their siblings.

MudWing territory consists of a variety of land types, with the standard swamps and marshes; but also including bamboo forests, floodplains, sparse rainforest and grasslands. This variety in biome gives them plenty of agricultural opportunity, making MudWings one of the largest exporters of both plant and animal produce.

Their rich land also provides an abundance of earthen materials that other tribes covet for their own uses in construction, pottery and other types of craftsmanship; including kaolinite and other clays, calcite, etc!

RainWing Territory

The Rainforest Kingdom is home to the RainWings, the tribe of the smallest and most numerous dragons on the continent. Their kingdom borders the Mud Kingdom and the Kingdom of the Sea.

RainWings live communally, and thus are not separated into several towns. Rather, all RainWings (for the most part) share a single village that extends quite far throughout the rainforest, held together by the Queen's Royal Pavilion (marked on the map as the RainWing Village).

Although, since the events of the NightWing exodus from the Volcano, there lies a single other village amongst the jungle. Some RainWings find it comfortable enough to live there with the NightWing refugees, but don't prefer it.

The rainforest is a dragon's ultimate destination for near any kind of exotic fruit, flower, or animal. While RainWings used to be the top exporter of their tropical produce, these days the MudWings have taken on the task of growing orchards and vineyards, while the RainWings keep to themselves.

SeaWing Territory

SeaWing territory, home to the SeaWings, is technically the largest dragon-claimed territory on earth; this is because the vast majority of their inhabited space is underwater, and thus there is very little competition for territory. The land they control however, is the smallest compared to any other tribe, consisting mostly of small islands and islets. Their territory borders the Rainforest Kingdom, Mud Kingdom and Sky Kingdom.

Despite being the largest kind of dragon on the planet, they are incredibly numerous due to the abundance of food and territory. SeaWings live communally, but are spread across several habitable zones, including the Deep Palace and Summer Palace (their primary homes), and various island caves, huts, deep sea trenches, and sea stacks.

They are also partially migratory, spending warmer springs and summers in the Summer Palace, and living deeper underwater through autumn and winter.

SandWing Territory

The Kingdom of Sand, controlled by the SandWings, is the third largest land-based dragon territory on the continent. Consisting of vast dunes and open savannas, this desert environment isn't suitable for most other tribes. Their kingdom borders the Sky Kingdom and the Ice Kingdom.

Despite their large quantity of land, SandWings are actually not very high in population; more than SkyWings or especially NightWings, but fewer than most. SandWings are largely nomadic, not living in one particular place for their whole lives; instead relying on sparse oases and rivers spread throughout the desert, and traveling around for food.

Some SandWings, particularly those seeking refuge and safety from war, may choose to spend most of their time in small cities like the Scorpion Den, or border towns like Possibility and Sanctuary. Even then, many prefer to stay on their feet and travel often, reserving their town homes for sleep, rough weather or retirement.

Similarly, many SandWings working for royalty may choose to live in the Stronghold.

NightWing Territory

NightWing territory, the smallest and most uninhabitable, is home to the declining population of NightWings. It does not directly border any other kingdoms, but does have an animus-conjured portal to the Rainforest Kingdom.

Despite all the odds, NightWings manage to survive here on the small (near completely ash-polluted) ponds dotting the island, and by using desalination devices to convert seawater into drinkable water.

The prey on their volcanic home is close to non-existent; consisting almost entirely of occasional seabirds, crabs, beached sea turtles, and fish caught far out at sea using nets; although as time goes on, fewer NightWings are in good enough health to carry fish-filled nets back home.

Their fortress is half-collapsed due to a volcanic eruption, and the air is so hot, heavy and sulphuric that one might find it almost impossible to breathe if you hadn't been born there. What a pity.

Version with ALL Points of Interest

Blank Version

*You may use the blank version of the map for personal things as long as credit to Thorne & I is given! Tag me if you do :D I'd love to see!

This has been in the works probably the longest of anything I've made in relation to my WoF headcanons. I swear I've redone this entire map 3 or 4 times. After a year and a half, hopefully this is the last!!

I hope y'all like it!!

Huge thanks to my friend Thorne for her contributions to the climate placing, I wouldn't have been able to make it look at ALL natural without her help.

If you have any questions or suggestions for edits/additions please let me know! My ask box is open too.

[bogcreacher]

what if dragon hatchlings were fluffy. what if gumdrops fell from the sky.

[filurig]

SO my old basilisk refs and things felt grossly outdated esp now bcs i have changed some things about them. So now have a new ref and some more extra informations about them. or at least the basilisk community most relevant to pareidolia...

[incorporeal-entity]

Here is why You should ship Vigilance x Diamond (Diamance)

(art by @aeg3an + permission to use)

1. Toxic Yuri

These two are at war with each other so naturally they hate each other but both are drawn to each other since they both know the stresses of being a queen. This is what drew them together plus the begrudging respect on how both of them are able to one up each other in war. When one side gains the upper hand the other comes up with a strategy to turn the tides back in their favor. This builds respect but also anger and resentment since they are losing dragons.

2. The Drama

Since they are at war with each other how will they grapple with the fact they have feelings for their enemy? They would have to keep their feelings a secret between them or else a massive Royal scandal will occur. They will kill any dragon including advisors if they even think they are starting to grow suspicious. So they send letters mad at the loss of advisors or dragons fallen in war and how their army will reach their kingdom and tear it down but beneath the anger is a sense of longing and how they will be the one to deal the final blow to other and how the winner will hold the loser and look them in the eyes as the life fades form their eyes.

3. How will it end?

How will they end up? Will one finally manage to kill the other leaving nothing behind a feeling of triumph overshadowed by loss and longing? Will they both kill each other in battle with both of them finally being able to embrace each other as their lives come to an end? Will it be an enemies to lovers story to do what Arctic and Foeslayer couldn't? Or will it end like it did in canon the Nighwings leaving and both Queens feeling and immense longing and rage at the fact they weren't able to finish the job? Idk and honestly that is up to you to explore.

In conclusion

The sheer amount of potential this ship has is massive in the ways how the characters will react to their feelings, how they express them or if they try to hide it how their facade falters, and how their story will end. The possibilities and scenarios these ships have is immense and it's why you should ship Diamond x Vigilance.

[raycatzdraws]

A Linked Universe meets The Dark Crystal AU! I don't even remember what started it at this point. I remembered that the Dark Crystal and Age of Resistance are things I like, blinked, and woke up three days later with an AU and a bunch of art.

The designs and the story are a wip and for fun so expect a lot of variation! (I have a few different beginnings, ideas for different designs, etc)! :D

In addition to #linked universe I'll be using the tags #the dark crystal lu au and #courage of the dark crystal!

[dragonskulls]

some character concepts + finalized refs for a small comic im planning 😁

[chiauve]

Quick doodle: Young Volkreg men wear their hair long, and when they hit marriage age, gussy themselves up to show how available they are. Upon marriage, their hair is sheared short and they keep their heads covered.

Quick ficlet: In which a young Ilana spots a certain engineer and her heart goes doki-doki so she of course has to mess with that, which may or may not have consequences.

When the surveyors came, Ilana ducked behind the low wall that followed the road into their farm with her younger sisters. The small girls giggled into their palms like they were the naughtiest of children, despite the fact that the tradition that deemed women were to return to the home when strange men arrived had grown quite lax over the years. Still, Ilana laughed with them, encouraging their fun, while her older sister, Unyila, rolled her eyes behind them.

"We don't have to hide," she grumbled, "and they're just the surveyors, hardly anything new or exciting."

"Shh, I want to see," Ilana said, peering over the wall. Her sisters mimicked her, their short-cropped, dusty yellow hair looking like dulled grass sticking up in a line.

Their father emerged from the house, arms open wide in welcome as three men stepped off the road-skiff. Asfarig clan, like her, by their malar markings, but of the Re'r line. Plateau folk. The first man was the oldest, then a younger but still mature man beside him, the youngest trailed behind.

"That's Rancher Riner!" Yeana, the youngest, announced with an awkward point over the wall.

Indeed, the oldest man was Re'r, but ran a ranch in the lowlands of Nj'ul and was a distant neighbor. He knew their father, and Ilana had seen him a few times at the markets at the oasis, before it dried up.

Despite that familiarity, the girls all braced themselves for the stuffy introductions all men seemed to need to perform or otherwise perish or something.

Their father bowed to Riner, then again opened his arms in friendly welcome. "Rancher Ushte Riner Vun Re'r! It is a pleasure to see you! The response to my request for aid was prompt indeed!"

Riner bowed in turn. Ilana couldn't tell if he was truly old or merely reflected the hard life of the lowlands in his weathered face. He wore loose robes and a speckled country shemagh over his coif.

"But of course, we are long neighbors and must face our troubles together. I thank you for your hospitality, Farmer Ushte Nagul Eln Nj'ul." He gestured to the other man beside him, his tunic of shorter, more fitting make and a keffiyeh common in the cities over his own coif. "Allow me to introduce my dear brother, Technician Ushte Ryler Vun Re'r, and my beloved nephew, Far-seer Kaio Razer Vun Re'r."

"Kaio?" Unyila peered over the wall, "Ya Founders, he's a breaker!"

"A what?" one of the little girls asked, following her eldest in leaning up over the wall.

"See? That third mark on his chin, it means he was Ushte but broke caste and ascended," she actually sounded impressed, and the other sisters oohed aloud.

Ilana was barely paying attention to them, for once her attention had been put to the youngest man, she couldn't stop looking. He was definitely Asfarig, his tattoos proclaimed it, but he also bore the mark of it in his pale eyes, sharp yet even teeth, and blunt nose. And yet.

Had it not been for his tattoos, she would have sworn him an Azrag. Instead of the pale tan skin and dusty yellow hair of the Asfarig, his skin was white, making his markings stand stark in his face. His hair too was white, his head bare in the fashion of an umarried man and worn long, pulled back into a loose ponytail decorated with chips of metal that gleamed and clinked when he turned his head, marking him eligible.

More than that, his eye mask, rather than being the thick and rounded shape of the Asfarig male, was long and sharp, like a shore bird's wings.

Pale Asfarig eyes set into such an exotic eye mask found only far away on the western peninsula of the Azrag...white hair practically afire under the lowland sun...

Ya Founders...he was beautiful.

Ilana swallowed and buried her cheeks in her hands. Oh no, no no, she considered herself better than that. She was not one to pursue a man for looks or even just for the sake of it. What would be would be but not just because her insides were suddenly a-flutter and her cheeks darkening to a grey.

Yeana peered up at her, confused. "Why are you blushing?"

And now she was under scrutiny of them all, curse it.

"You are blushing! Ilana!"

"Do you...like him?"

"Ilana loves the Re'r!"

"Hush, you! I do not!"

"Ilana wants to maaarrry the Re'r!"

Another denial died before it left her mouth, and Ilana paused. She looked back over the wall at the still-chatting men, particularly at the pretty hybrid breaker. An eyebrow rose and a glint lit in her eye. She stood.

"Ilana, no," Unyila hissed, her tone sharp with warning.

She was ignored as Ilana grabbed her skirt and leapt the wall, loping towards the men in a semi-circle and coming up behind, the beads hanging off the simple band adorning her otherwise bare head clicking as she moved. The men didn't see her coming until it was too late, and she saw her father's eyes widen in confusion before she slid up right next to the young Re'r, looping her arm around his. Ancestors, he was tall.

His head snapped down to look at her, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape in confusion. Before he could say anything, Ilana beamed up at him and batted her lashes in the way of city women.

"I like you," she said, still grinning, "Marry me?"

She distantly heard her father choke but was too focused on those bird-wing eyes, which now shifted from her to elsewhere and, clearly finding no help, moved back to her.

"Uh...alright?"

Her eyes lit in delight and she let out a peal of laughter before again grabbing her skirt and sprinting back to the wall, practically diving behind it, cackling the whole way.

Razer watched the young woman run away, laughing.

Ah, of course.

His shocked expression smoothed and he turned back to his father and uncle, who too were staring after the girl in wide-eyed bafflement. Their host, on the other hand, looked after her with a look of horror and dismay. Uh oh.

"Your daughter?" Razer asked slowly.

Farmer Nagul collected himself a bit, looking at his guests with sad eyes. "Yes, my second."

"She is...spirited..." his father and uncle remained silent, forcing Razer to try to fix this. He continued, voice flat and disinterested, "A bit of girlish fun, is all, obviously not binding."

Farmer Nagul's shoulders slumped in relief and Razer tried not to take that personally.

"Thank you...yes, I apologize for her behavior."

"Not at all, she is a lovely girl."

Farmer Nagul nodded and tried to move on with their business. "Please, my friends, this way. We shall eat and drink and then get to work. He gestured to his home, a collection of squat buildings of earth, and waved his guests on. "Friend Riner, Technician Ryler…" he hesitated as he looked to Razer, his eyes falling on the third caste mark, "…my lord Far-seer…"

Razer sighed. "Please don't. While I have received my new mark, until I marry and become a proper member of society, I am still bound to my family."

Again their host looked relieved, and again Razer tried to not take it personally. He followed his father and uncle to the Eln Nj'ul home, glancing back over his shoulder to the wall.

Was he hoping to see the young woman there? She had indeed been lovely, and the way she actually smiled at him…

He sighed. A pity, he supposed.

[dunmeshistash]

Monster Tidbits - Demon

[buzzkillchainsaw]

Tagging this and any previous/further parts as #buzzkill aquatic. Feel free to use that tag whenever you use my aquatic expansion in your own work (not mandatory)

[sidyashchiy-na-plakhe]

Tribal variations (headcanon): part 1(?)

Icewings

The tribes live on quite large territories, and I think that within them there are different variations that differ in mentality and colours. Decided to start with icewings! I hope I will continue to do this. Who would you like to see next: skywings, seawings or leafwings?

[novella-november]

Here's some worldbuilding advice, mainly aimed at fantasy writers, but scifi also applies:

Do your characters (or a beloved companion animal/transportation creature) have wings and fly a lot?

Cool!

Are your winged characters who fly a lot ambush predators who rely on stealth to take down prey? Like owls?

No?

Then here's a fun world-building thing to think about:

How loud are their flapping wings, and how do your characters communicate with each other when they're flying if it is too loud to speak normally, (assuming your characters are not telepathic?)

Do your characters have a unique form of sign language they use while flying in line of sight of each other? How do they draw each others attention to sign to them?

Do they use a series of whistles and chirps made with the mouth to communicate?

Do they have bells, or drums, or some other percussion-based system of communication?

if you answered 'yes' to any of the above three options, you can break it down even more:

Is this flight-language something everyone is taught/knows, or do only specialized groups use it?

Are there different flight-languages or dialects between different communities/settlements? How about age groups?

Is it something that is used commonly during non-flight situations as a way to casually abbreviate speech? Or is that seen as taboo, rude, unlucky, 'low-brow', or sacrilegious?

In what situations could your characters use this form of communication to their advantage?

anyways here's a little BBC documentary clip demonstrating the sound + size difference in owl wings in flight vs other birds :D

It's a fun watch even if you're not writing about winged characters, just some fun, neat science!