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Post by Stage on Feb 23, 2018 23:24:42 GMT
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Post by Stage on Feb 25, 2018 6:35:39 GMT
Names: Beauty dragon, Kauffman's dragon, Kaufmannopulchritudo tiritchiqNative home: Earth CP-2 Mundus range: The tundra of northern Migma Size range: 25 to 28 ft long Weight range: 285 to 400 lb Description: The beauty dragon is a huge, semiaquatic predator of the Arctic north. It has jet black, finely scaled skin and a white, filamentous coat superficially similar to the plumage of an albatross. There is a patagium, or a(n ancestrally) gliding membrane between its front and back limbs, though it is reduced to be anchored only to the hind limbs. This membrane is used to stabilize its enormous body as it swims using a powerful, laterally flattened tail. Its pouched throat and cloacal region are naked of filaments and bear numerous, small, fleshy, hair-like tubercles. Its generic name comes from its discoverer, Tyra Kauffman, and its specific epithet comes from the tiritchiq, a mythical reptile or dragon from Iñupiat legend. Info: The beauty dragon was discovered and named by an arctic conservationist when a pregnant female was thought to be behind a string of human deaths. The dragons of Earth CP-2 are archosaurs of the family Sharovipterygidae, the still existing members of which are in the subfamily Zilantinae. Dragons do not have wings, but patagia attached to one or both sets of limbs that assist them in non-terrestrial movement. Behavior: K. tiritchiq is a diver that mainly eats pinnipeds, but it will also consume small cetaceans, polar bear cubs, and carrion opportunistically. It is an ambush hunter that hangs near vertically in the water column, then surges forward when prey is near enough. It often hunts under seal breathing holes or near the edge of the ice shelf for cover. It is an only moderately fast swimmer that cannot engage in extended chases and thus relies on surprise and its size to catch prey, which is generally much smaller than it. Its throat pouch allows it to haul prey or portions of prey long distances over land. Although much clumsier, it can also hunt on land by laying flat against the ground with its patagium spread, allowing it to blend into dense snow. It raises onto two legs and spreads it forearms, flashing dark armpit patches, thought to be vestigial remains of a secondary gliding membrane, when agitated. It is an facultative biped with a wide, slow gait. Abilities: - Fire breath: The famous fire of dragons comes from the reaction of several aqueous chemicals- namely, ammonium nitrate, sodium chloride, and zinc- stored in well muscled oral glands. This reaction is induced by launching and crossing two streams of the solution using muscle contractions. It is used for ritual combat, to soften ice for carving dens, and to thaw out frozen carcasses. The beauty dragon also uses its breath as defense mechanism. Its fire breath creates cavitation bubbles when used underwater. The bubbles collapse and generate shock waves of hot water to startle very large marine predators such as orcas and sleeper sharks. - Frozen alive: Like all extant members of the true dragons, the beauty dragon can survive extended periods of time frozen without the fatal cell death. The exact physiological cause behind this phenomenon is currently known, but a number of extant reptiles and amphibians can do the same.
- Cloacal respiration: By exchanging gas across its pharynx and cloacal, the beauty dragon, like some turtles, can breath underwater. It can stay fully submerged for many hours under normal circumstances and over half a year if it cuts its circulatory and metabolic functions.
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Post by Stage on Feb 25, 2018 6:36:53 GMT
Names: Boran Pientan, boran
Native home: Asphodel Mundus range: Found mainly on Matta, with some living on the mainland as far north as Farrago's uppermost boarder
Size range: 4'7'' to 5'11'' Weight range: 120 to 220 lb
Description: Pientans are a group of people who, at first glance, appear human. However, they are bipedal exotherms, or cold-blooded organisms. Specifically, they are humanoid squamates. Their 'skin' is actually composed of very fine, granular scales and their 'hair,' which resembles dreadlocks that reach their shoulders or below, is made of keratinized skin. Their 'eyebrows' are modified scales and appear spiny or thorny upon very close inspection. The borans are a race of Pientans known for being stout and tan-skinned. Their hair comes in a broad range of colors, but always remains muted and is rarely very dark. Their eyes come in a spectrum of bright colors, often with subtle marbling in their corneas. The bora are shorter than the other races of Piente. Males borans are larger than females, but, otherwise, they resemble each other more closely than the human sexes do. Female borans lack mammaries and are often just as broad-shouldered as their men. They do tend to have wider hips however. Borans have neither claws like reptiles or nails like humans. The end of their digits are bare except for pads of enlarged scales like those of geckos, though they cannot adhere to surfaces. The bora are heterodont, meaning they possess more than one tooth morphology. In their case, they have exaggerated canines that can resemble fangs in some individuals.
Info: While not the largest group of Pientans, borans hold the majority of political and monetary power among them.
Behavior: As an entire race of people, the bora are of course extremely varied in actions, attitude, and personality. There do tend to be some commonalities between them however. As a people, borans have largely left behind their archaic religion and are more cosmopolitanism than other Pientans. The bora have a broad cultural quirk of assigning nicknames to others. It is unusual for a bora for lack a nickname.
Abilities: - Superhuman: Pientans have a higher muscle mass than humans, making them heavier, sturdier, and more powerful, though only marginally.
Weakness: - As exotherms, Pientans thrive in the heat and become slow and clumsy in the cold. Low enough temperatures can be lethal.
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Post by Stage on Feb 25, 2018 6:37:55 GMT
Names: Boreal bear, taiga bear, Ursus maritimus canusNative home: Novorbis Mundus range: Strictly found in the upper half of Migma Size range: 7.8 to 10.4 ft long Weight range: 1,400 to 2,400 lb Description: Its scientific name meaning “gray haired maritime bear,” the boreal bear is a robust subspecies of polar bear. It is an enormous, heavily built animal with an ashy gray coat, boxy head, and powerful digging forelimbs. Info: Boreal bears are found on the northern taiga forests of Rusidus, the most populated continent on Novorbis. They have expanded their range and become urban pests because of the decrease of a superior predator due to humans. Behavior: It forages nocturnally, searching for carrion or denning animals with its powerful sense of smell, then digging it up from the snow with its hooked claws and muscular forelegs. It is a repeated man-eater, seeing humans as easy prey and seeking them out within its territory. It requires low temperatures to flourish. Boreal bears are surprisingly easy to train, but are often kept in poor conditions that do not match their ecology and are not fed enough. It has yet to be seen whether more bears die from overheating or if more showmen are eaten by badly treated attractions.
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Post by Stage on Feb 25, 2018 6:38:53 GMT
Names: Boreobasileus lexianus, czorol, tsare Native home: Novorbis Mundus range: Found sparsely throughout Migma Size range: 26 to 28 ft long Mass range: 1.1 to 1.4 tons Description: Its scientific name meaning “Lexian northern king,” the czoral is one of the magnaves, the great birds. As such, it is a gargantuan biped. The czorol stands horizontally on three-clawed feet counterbalanced by a long, bony tail. It has vestigial wings and a keratinous sheath on a narrow, toothless, wedge-shaped snout, a rostrum or "beak." It is almost completely covered in thick, white plumage. Females are feathered all the way down to their feet while males have bare patches on their legs. Info: It is the top predator of the taigas it prowls, eclipsing even the boreal bear, which it sometimes feeds on. The czorol has been on the decline since the dawn of widespread firearms in Rusidus. It once ruled the frigid north absolutely, frightening away all smaller rivals, humans included, by flaring its wings and screeching tremendously, but guns have made its threat display a liability. It is quite an easy target, shrieking and fanning its vestigial wings like a great, snowy ostrich, so it has been rapidly pushed back to the extreme north of its range by those who live near the boreal forests it stalk. To make matters worse, the rich and powerful have also taken to hunting them for sport. A beak sheath from one is considered a potent status symbol and ladies' coats made from their pure white feathers are quite popular. It is believed the czorol will be extinct within a handful of decades in its homeland, which has only urged its hunters to slaughter them faster. While not a dedicated man-eater like the boreal bear, it does take humans lives, so many dislike or despise it. Behavior: Its thick jacket of snow white plumage camouflages it until it is close enough to run down and kill prey with powerful kicks. It then picks apart the carcass, breaking it into pieces that can be swallowed whole. While it is strictly solitary most of the year, they gather in large groups during the breeding season. The tannish scales of males along their legs, under their reduced wings, and around their eyes flush mottled red, green, and blue so that they may peacock themselves to both rival males and females. After mating, the females rear three to six young alone while the males may kill even their own offspring if they come across them. It is rare for more than one or two of the infants to survive into adulthood.
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Post by Stage on Feb 25, 2018 6:40:19 GMT
Names: Dentityrannus, tooth tyrant Native home: Arken Mundus range: Found in large bodies of water throughout No Man's Land and very northern Farrago Size range: 19 to 22 ft tall Mass range: 12 to 19.5 tons Description: The dentityrannus is a massive, semiaquatic animal that resemble a cross between a horse and a rhinoceros: a stout, armored body, but a long neck and legs. Despite its name, it actually has a toothless beak, though its esophaguses is lined with backwards-facing spikes to prevent its soft-bodied prey from escaping. Instead, its name is derived from the trio of helical tusks that jut from its snouts - two are protruding canines and one is a fusion of the incisors- as well as its black, full-body, plate-like armor of dermal scales, which are derived from teeth. Info: The ancient people of Arken used to hunt dentityranni by breaking through their armor and setting them aflame. Modern poachers still pursue this practice despite the rest of the world viewing it as inhumane. The ivory from their tusks is highly valuable and their armor can be made into expensive fireproof suits. Behavior: Dentityranni eat only large, soft-bodies creatures such as the larva of man-sized aquatic beetles native to the same portion of Arken, but males are highly territorial. They are at least as dangerous as many Arken hypercarnivores, if not even more so. Despite their dental ornamentation, they tend to kills humans by trampling or drowning them. Abilities: - Fire retardance: The dermal scales of dentityranni are completely heat resistant, though the flesh underneath is not.
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Post by Stage on Feb 25, 2018 6:41:06 GMT
Names: Chupacabra, chupacabras, Cruoripotor calvatus, giant durukuli, giant douroucouli
Native home: Earth CP-2 Mundus range: Found in the tropical rainforests of Farrago
Size range: 2.7 to 3.9 ft tall Weight range: 35 to 50 lb
Description: Its name meaning "naked blood drinker," the giant durukuli is a newly discovered species of night monkey. It is the largest of the New Word monkeys as well as the world's largest hematophagic, or blood-drinking, animal. Its sharp canines and a set of fused incisors create a "dental trident" that leaves a distinctive wound: three punctures. It is darkly colored, with charcoal skin and thin, black fur that is withdrawn from its face, neck, and torso to prevent it from being stained with blood, similar to how carrion birds often have bare heads. It has large, round, nocturnal eyes that emit dull red or blue-green shine when struck by light. This, along with its hairless, alien face, is likely what gave it the majority of its monstrous reputation. It has a partially naked, prehensile tail about as long as its body to help it climb.
Info: It famously feeds on the blood of endotherms, making it a feared modern myth until it was discovered to be a real organism. It lives at lower altitudes and at higher latitudes than many other night monkeys, reportedly extending all the way north into the southern US, though this seems unlikely. It is at least found as far north as Puerto Rico however.
Behavior: It is largely arboreal and feeds in the trees, suspending its prey from branches before making an incision on the neck. A wide, deeply furrowed tongue is then used to lap up the blood. The blood of other mammals only supplements its usual diet of fruits, flowers and their nectar, and hard-shelled insects like beetles though. They are highly monogamous, forming strong pair bonds and sharing extensive childcare duties. If a mated giant durukuli is killed, its partner will mourn terribly. If its mate was killed by another creature, it seeks violent revenge.
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Post by Stage on Feb 25, 2018 6:42:34 GMT
Name: Hund Native home: Arken Mundus range: Found in dense forests throughout Lemuria and its islands Size range: 4.6 to 6.9 ft tall Weight range: 80 to 330 lb Description: The hund are a race of deer-like bipeds. They are covered in unpatterned brown fur and have elongate, vaguely vulpine heads. They have a "cloven foot," split like a cleft hoof, but not bearing a keratin sheath. Male hund are large and sport jagged antlers while females are much more slender. All hund have ferocious canine teeth and carnivorous claws on their nimble hands, though they are devote omnivores. Hund have short tails, but it has become culturally favorable to artificially extend them with moss, weave, and the shed fur of larger animals. Info: The hund appear to live worldwide across Arken, although with patchy distribution that centers around thick, poorly explored forests. It is believed they are the dominant species in uninhabited areas, essentially filling the role that humans fill elsewhere. It has even been much speculated they are advanced enough to construct cities in those unexplored places. Behavior: Hund are extremely intelligent and live tribally in clans that can number in the hundreds. Though powerful and numerous, they are cautious and tend not trust humans, making them all but impossible to contact against their will. In times of great strife however, they have been known to approach small settlements so that they can work together and better their joint chance of survival. Some rumors say that human children have been raised among hund and infants hund among humans, but no such story has ever been proven beyond a reasonable doubt. There are several recorded instances of interspecies relationships between human and hund though, as anatomical similarities are sufficient enough for it. Abilities: - Shadow magic: Hund, as a species, are extremely proficient in the use of shadow magic. It is thought the eldest and most powerful among them can match any human sorcerer in its casting. They are even said to be able to fly on wings of darkness like Adra.
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Post by Stage on Feb 25, 2018 6:48:25 GMT
Names: Devilfish, kraken Native home: Arken Mundus range: Found in the deep, cold waters off northern No Man's Land and Migma Size range: 75 to 110 ft long Mass range: 1.9 to 5.1 tons Description: Kraken are vast, boneless masses of flesh and tentacles. They resemble heavy-bodied sea serpents with forked tails and up to ninety tentacles sprouting from their bodies. These powerful appendages are so numerous that it is difficult to pick out the body of a kraken from its similarly sized and shaped arms. They appear to be made purely of tentacles much of the time. A kraken has a relatively small head with helmet-like armor that resembles a nautilus. Kraken tend to be very dark-colored with little patterning, though they can subtly change their hue to blend into whatever color murk they lurk in: rich blacks, blues, greens, and browns. Info: Krakens are the second largest creature on Arken. On Mundus, they are the main food source of Croder. Behavior: While infamous for sinking ships, kraken are actually timid, easily startled beasts that only attack when surprised. A kraken would much rather keep to itself than anything else. They hate being seen, so they deploy shadow magic to shroud themselves in a cloud of darkness whenever they are forced to leave their lairs. This has exaggerated their already tremendous size in folklore and fishermen's tales. It is possible, but very rare, for kraken to be befriended. They are intelligent, can be taught to understand human speech, and enjoy jokes, riddles, and puzzles. A kraken endeared to a person or town will herd small fish, practically the only creatures they are not intimidated by, for it to catch in great numbers. Abilities: - Shadow magic: Like Adra and hund, kraken are capable of using shadow magic, though they employ it defensively rather than offensively. Theoretically, they could use it as a weapon as well. Weakness: - Kraken are exceedingly shy and do not like bright light. The ocean surface, particularly during the day, is quite overwhelming for them.
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Post by Stage on Feb 25, 2018 6:50:26 GMT
Names: Lebran Pientan, lebran Native home: Asphodel Mundus range: Found mainly on Matta, but many have retreated to the southwest floodplains of Farrago to escape boran oppression Size range: 4'9'' to 6'1'' Weight range: 120 to 195 lb Description: The lebra are Pientans like the bora, though they are fair and lanky instead of dark-skinned and stout. Their 'hair,' actually keratinized skin like the dorsal spines of some lizards, comes in a much wider variety of color and tones than that of the bora and tends to be longer, though it still very rarely passes the back. Their eyes, however, tend to be duller, with solid-colored corneas and no marbling. Opposite to the bora, females lebrans are taller than males. Like the bora, lebran women do not have breasts, but can be distinguished by broad hips more notable on them than the bora due to their overall leaner frames. The lebra are homodont and uniformly have thin, cutting teeth to shear the fruit and meat that makes up the majority of their diet. Info: Although they are the most numerous and widespread people of Piente, the lebra do not hold much social power. Behavior: As a group, the lebra are the most traditionally religious Pientans. Unlike the cosmopolitan and capitalistic bora, they tend to live rurally, their settlements radiating from sites of worship. Abilities: - Superhuman: Pientans have a relatively high muscle density, making them marginally stronger and tougher than humans. Weakness: - Like all Pientans, the lebra loathe the cold, which can slow and potentially kill them.
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Post by Stage on Feb 25, 2018 6:51:26 GMT
Names: Lexian human, Lexian Native home: Novorbis Mundus range: Found largely near Alisdre in western Migma Size range: 4'10'' to 6'4'' Weight range: 100 to 210 lb Description: Lexians are a tall, fair people found in cold climates. Dark hair and eyes are very rare among them. They tend to be muscular due to a lifestyle full of manual labor. Info: The children of a young but prosperous nation, the largest on Rusidus, Lexians were moving fastest towards the future than any other people before many of them were brought to Lemuria. Now faced with both extremely advanced and very archaic cultures, they are taking advantage of both, placing the latter under their thumb for cheap labor and trading with the former for technology and weaponry. Behavior: The Lexian are a little-traveled, hardy people whose life expectancy sits well above sixty years despite a lack of modern medicine. The majority of Lexians were spread thin across relatively rural areas on Rusidus, but on Lemuria they are highly centralized around the cosmopolitan Alisdre, their new capital. Lexians are rabid producers and traders, particularly of weapons and new technologies. Luxuries such as spices and silk also have a high societal value. The common Lexian is an independent-minded person likely focused on a chosen or family trade, but there is an overriding, quiet, submissive loyalty to King Shurik II, or the "Child King," among most Lexians as well, not to mention a respect for his enforcers, the Pale. Abilities: - Military: All Lexian citizens are required to enlist in the military at age fifteen. Most only serve for a maximum of five years (or shorter for the children of wealthy families who support the royal house monetarily), but others may move onto more elite positions and serve the royal Belyovich family longer, potentially for a lifetime. The Lexian military has three main branches: - The Sable, the foot soldiers of the Lexian military. They wear one-piece, ebony-colored cuirasses. These cuirasses can stop pistol and musket shots, but only over long distances. Blunderbusses and dragons can easily penetrate them. They use heavy snaplock firearms, primarily muskets and pistols, as well as shashka sabers, kinzhal knifes, bear or rogatina spears, and Tatar recurve bows.
- The Carmine, also known as red-shoulders, are the cavalry of the Lexian forces and have at least five years of experience each. They wear two-piece, golden-colored cuirasses and crimson, woolen shoulder pieces. The cuirasses can stop pistol and musket shots, but not at close range. Blunderbusses and dragons are much more likely to penetrate them. They use heavy snaplock firearms, shashka sabers, bear spears, and Tatar recurve bows.
- The Pale, sometimes called palebacks, are the dragoons of the Lexian military and the most elite warrior under the crown, each of the approximate score of them possessing at minimum a decade of combat training and experience. They wear three-piece, platinum-colored cuirasses and short, silk capes. Their cuirasses can stop pistol and musket shots at any distance and may even stop blunderbusses and dragons as well. Only the Pale have access to lighter snaphaunce weapons, as well as the firearms flowing in from other Lemurian races and carry blunderbusses and dragons more frequently than the rest of the military. They also use shashka sabers, kinzhal knifes, bear spears, and Tatar recurve bows.
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Post by Stage on Feb 25, 2018 6:52:03 GMT
Names: Lithos parateretes, majigla Native home: Novorbis Mundus range: Found rather densely in No Man's Land with some leakage into the grasslands of northern Farrago Size range: 3.2 to 3.8 ft long Weight range: 25 to 60 lb Description: Its scientific name meaning “stone observer,” the majigla is a short-tailed, stout-bodied creature with a robust, fanged head up to fifty inches long. The movements of the majigla have been described as unsettling due to the way its surprisingly long limbs seem to wane and wax due to its excessive and folded skin, which increases the surface area it has to release body heat. Though its saggy skin is scaly, a thin coat of pale hair that darkens into long whiskers around its eyes and nostrils also cover the majigla, so it has long been debated whether it is a mammal or reptile. An increasingly popular third party claims it should be placed in a group between the two, as it shares similarities and dissimilarities with both. Info: It is said the ultimate fate of many who wander into the desserts of Novorbis to never return is consumption by majigla, though this may be more superstitious that fact. Behavior: The majigla is so named for its unnerving habit of watching passersby inanimately from atop basking stones, though there have been few reported attacks and no officially documented deaths. The majigla is certainly big enough to threaten a human, especially considering it often moves in small groups, but it is rarely observed taking prey much larger than themselves. The hypercarnivorous diet of the majigla mainly consists of small burrowing animals, which it excavates using its saber teeth, strong claws, and robust forearms
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Post by Stage on Feb 25, 2018 6:52:52 GMT
Names: Daivolos anamalos, Jersey Devil, Leeds Devil, monkey-eating bat
Native home: Earth CP-2 Mundus range: Found in tropical Farrago forests, particularly those bordering grasslands
Size range: 7 to 9 ft wingspan Weight range: 15 to 35 lb
Description: Its Latin name meaning "rough devil," the monkey-eating bat is an African chiropteran that ranks among the largest living flying animals. It is a member of the suborder Yinpterochiroptera (or Pteropodiformes) alongside the false vampire bats, fruit bats, horseshoe bats, and mice-tailed bats, though which family it belongs to or if it represents a new family is debated. It is covered in thin, coarse hair into which blood may soak and coagulate over time, giving it a glazed look and reddish tint to which its legendary alias likely owes itself to. Its long, thin, free tail of about thirty inches spirals as it flies. Its head can rotate to an extreme degree, similar to an owl, though not quite as impressive. It has tall protuberances on its humped, horse-like snout that can be mistaken for horns.
Info: A small population of monkey-eating bats was captured for display in America by a showman, but some escaped into the Pine Barrens and began the legend of the Leeds Devil. Its method of terrestrial locomotion, hopping on its large forelimbs, is what results in the infamous "devil's footprints" sometimes found on snowy roofs.
Behavior: Due to its enormity, it does not fly often. It spends approximately 60% of its time climbing trees or even foraging on the ground. It is a hypercarnivore that targets prey similar in size or even larger than it, dispatching victims by delivering a strong bite to the skull or back of the neck. It roosts above game trails and drops down on passing animals from above, preferring to glide because it is a noisy flier. When actively stalking prey, it maneuvers to a branch above prey before pouncing. While not especially fast, its broad wings make it very agile, able to maneuver between trees and branches without flapping. A powerful grip and extreme hauling power allow it to carry prey back to the treetops and away from other predators. When not hunting, it is very slow-moving and cautious. It will abandon prey to avoid confrontation. It seemingly preyed mainly on primates in its home range, leading to its common name.
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Post by Stage on Feb 25, 2018 6:53:55 GMT
Name: Niddron Native home: Noraage Mundus range: Found in open woodlands in Migma Size range: 22 to 46 ft long Mass range: 1.1 to to 4.4 tons Description: A large, flightless dragon that is armored by large osteoderms dorsally and folded plates of cornified skin ventrally, making it appear as if it is made from cracked, crumbling stone. It has robust forelimbs for digging. Male niddrons have scaly nasal horns on their wedge-shaped heads. Aggressive male combat leaves many individuals with missing digits, incomplete tails, and long scars between their osteoderms inflicted by triumphant males on their inferior rivals. Females tend to have scarred heads from mating bites. Info: It is said a giant niddron wanders the maze-like roots of Drassilym, the Noraage world tree, chewing new paths and blocking old ones with its immense body so that the unworthy cast down from the tree must wander, forever lost. Behavior: Niddrons are territorial omnivores. They hunt large game when it is warm and hoofed animals, particularly young ones, are plentiful locally. When the cold sets in and that prey base begins to migrate away, they uproot and eat the roots of trees. Female niddrons are much smaller than males and are actually quite placid, tolerating even being walked on when they are basking on a game trail or road. Males are aggressive and ornery, chasing down intruders at shockingly high speeds considering their size and girth. Thankfully, their stamina is not as impressive and they prefer threat displays to realized attacks. Internal fighting is already risky enough, so they try to avoid outside combat. False charges are made far more often than serious ones.
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Post by Stage on Feb 25, 2018 6:56:06 GMT
Names: Amphiptere, night dragon, Zilant stelligerNative home: CP-2 Mundus range: Northern Migma Size range: 9 to 13 ft long Weight range: 35 to 105 lb Description: Its name meaning "starry dragon," Zilant stelliger, or the night dragon, is a sleek, nocturnal predator with a thick coat of filaments speckled by iridescent, star-like spots. Its patagia, folded skin stretched between its limbs, unfolds into an enormous pair of wings supported by all four limbs that allows it to glide on strong winds or make extended horizontal leaps. Its has a disproportionately large head and huge, conical teeth. Its genus name comes from the Zilant, a Russian dragon or serpent. Info: It was recognized and named when a pair of siblings were discovered to have killed and eaten several humans. Both known species of dragon on CP-2 are covered in feather-like filaments and can survive being frozen alive, a phenomenon seen in the common wood frog. Dragons are endothermic, or warm-blooded. Behavior: The night dragon is a social animal that hunts in pairs or small groups. They patrol a large areas during windy nights, swooping down on prey found in the open. Z. stelliger can take down a variety of prey. Pairs or the rare singular animal can only reliably take small creatures such as deer and wolves, but the largest groups can down elf, moose, and even young boreal bears and czorols. They first slow prey by attacking the heels, severing muscles and tendons, then dash in to inflict life-draining wounds on the throats or bellies of the then sluggish target. Particularly large individuals may even disembowel victims with their guerrilla attacks. It is a facultative biped, preferring to remain on all fours when moving terrestrially, it suddenly rises up and sprints on two legs when closing in on prey or making a threat display. Abilities: - Fire breath: Dragons fire comes from a reaction between aqueous ammonium nitrate, sodium chloride, and zinc sprayed from their jaws by muscular action. It is used for ritual combat, to soften ice for carving dens, and to thaw out frozen carcasses. The night dragon is more aggressive than the beauty dragon with its fire breath, spitting it into the faces of rivals or threats. They may also blast trees to mark particularly good hunting grounds as their own. If these scorch marks are clawed away by another night dragon, expect a fight. - Frozen alive: Like the beauty dragon, the night dragon can survive being frozen for many months, possibly even several years in extreme cases. This is similar to how some frogs and turtles can safely overwinter even at high, near-Arctic latitudes where their slumbering forms frost over.
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Post by Stage on Feb 25, 2018 6:56:39 GMT
Names: Nox wivern, owl-dragon, wyvern Native home: Earth CP-2 Mundus range: Found in the Underground of No Man's Lands, but may wander into undercities Size range: 19 to 21 ft long Weight range: 195 to 265 lb Description: Though its Latin name means "night dragon," it is not to be confused with the Zilantinae species called the night dragon. N. wivern is commonly known as the wyvern or owl-dragon. It is a large, flying animal with owl-like, grasping feet and a powerful, prehensile tail that ends with a hook. It has adaptations for a subterranean life such as large eyes and a powerful sense of hearing. Info: The owl-dragon is a flying drepanosaur. It, like the dragons of Zilantinae, is an archosaur whose ancestry goes back to the Triassic Period. Behavior: Found in large cavern systems, the owl-dragon preys on, despite its size and power, mainly small cave-swelling mammals such as bats. It is territorial however and will attack intruders, whether they be fellow owl-dragons or anything else, with its sharp, curved talons, grasping offenders and twisting about using its thrashing wings and tails. Abilities: - Acid breath: The owl-dragon's oral glands hold aqueous sodium hydroxide, a caustic liquid, that it can launch at creatures that threaten it. It targets the face, particularly the eyes.
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Post by Stage on Feb 25, 2018 6:57:25 GMT
Name: Ozawl
Native home: Arken Mundus range: Remote woodlands in upper Farrago and lower Migma
Size range: 3.3 to 5.5 ft tall Weight range: 290 to 600 lb
Description: The ozawl is a large, shaggy quadruped recognized by its thick, black fur coat, a low, quilled tail which leaves a distinctive trail on the ground, a pair of inward-curved horns set far forward on its flat head like pincers, and, perhaps most distinctly, a broad, singular red eye in the center of its face. Its mouth, which is filled by four blunt, stout tusks for cracking open or grinding its hard food, is located on the bottom of its head and faces almost straight down. Ozawls have horny hooves split into three parts, but their footprint is very indistinct because their fur extends all the way to the soles of the feet.
Info: Ozawls are an uncommon and generally unwelcome species of magical beast in remote parts of Arken. Thankfully, it is a rare creature there and one would be unlucky to stumble across it, but this rarity means there is much unknown about it. This leads to more violent confrontations than necessary and, unfortunately, its volatile nature and stubborn refusal to leave an area even after human habitation has made the standard for dealing with it extermination by either sorcerers or more formidable domestic beasts.
Behavior: It is infamous for its violence and foul temper. A solitary brute that lives exclusively in densely forested mountains, the ozawl has tremendous senses and a terribly short fuse, leading it to quickly detect, tenaciously chase down, and mercilessly gore anything that it perceives as invading its territory. Despite its aggression, it is thought to eat only bark, berries, bulbs, roots, and the occasional pine cone. It is strictly nocturnal, as sunlight hurts its sensitive eye. Its jet black pelt is very effective camouflage at night. The last thing many unfortunate wanderers have seen is a red eyes streaking at them from the darkness.
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Post by Stage on Feb 25, 2018 6:58:13 GMT
Names: Black-masked robber, Gardener's robber, Pennatoraptor ruberNative home: Earth CP-2 Mundus range: Found in dense forests throughout Farrago Size range: 6.4 to 10.2 ft long Weight range: 50 to 170 lb Description: Its scientific name meaning "red feathered thief," P. ruber is a robust dromaeosaur. Adults are striking crimson in color. Both sexes have a silky crest, though the male's is greatly exaggerated. Females have a single black streak on their napes while males have two encircling their entire neck. The long, stiff tails of the males have dark, uniform bands along most of their length. Females have a single, lighter band near the end of the tail, which ends with a broad fan on both sexes. The feathered fan, as well as wide, mobile hips, assist it in making sharp turns. It is heavy and slow compared to many of its ancestors, but this maneuverability allows it to cut off prey in the tangled vegetation it calls home. The raptor, or robber, is semi-arboreal and uses its enlarged toe to help support its weight on low branches and sloped trunks. It has a black, keratinous sheath (or mask, ergo “robber”) on its snout. Info: On its native Earth CP-2, it is only naturally found on the isolated Defluous Isle, in fact the most abundant large predator on the archipelago, but there maybe be a small invasive population in South Florida. Behavior: P. ruber is an intelligent, bold omnivore. Its long tail and broad wings are used heavily in intraspecies body language. For example, dominant individuals walk with their tail raised while submissive animals show them their wings. It enjoys a lifespan of twenty-five to thirty-five years, with females reaching sexual maturity between four to six years while males may take up to eight. Most of the year, it hunts in dense cover by chasing down prey in large, sprawling mobs that may cover the entirety of a patch or band of forest. Its eats fallen fruit seasonally though. Gardener's robber is an aggressive animal that has caused many human fatalities, but some train and employ them as guard animals due to their use of threat vocalizations, which resemble nasally laughter or chuckles. Abilities: - Toxic saliva: P. ruber has destructive enzymes in its saliva that cause mild irritation and pain, encourages persistent bleeding, and causes molecular changes to blood that chemically tags injured prey, allowing them to be tracked through scent.
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Post by Stage on Feb 25, 2018 6:59:12 GMT
Name: Peraptor
Native home: Postellus Mundus range: Found in rocky areas throughout Lemuria, but most densely in No Man's Land
Size range: 11 to 21 ft long Mass range: 2.5 to 10.5 tons
Description: Peraptors can be thought of as biological golems. They have a simple nervous system surrounded by fluid-filled chambers which drive motor functions by contracting and expanding, similar to hydraulics, all encased in mineralized armor. They come in a variety of shapes and forms, but they generally have huge heads with no visible orifice but a large, powerful mouth, stout bodies, short yet robust limbs, and stubby tails. Their stone-like bodies, always the same color and texture as local rocks, allow them to blend almost flawlessly into their environments. The interior of a peraptor glow dimly in the dark, most visible pouring from its mouth of from damage in its rocky armor. Though most of its body is hollow and filled with a reactive fluid that catalyzes the oxidation of food molecules, a peraptors does have some simple organs and body systems: a thick layer of mucus coating its interior, preventing its mineralized body from being digested, thin sheets of muscle fiber connected to important motor points such as joins and jaws, and tubes of fibrous tissue surrounding its nervous system, which are anchored to various locations in its body cavity.
Info: The peraptor represented here is only one of a wide variety of peraptors that can be found on the surface of Postellus. They range in size from that of a lizard to that of a whale, and they can be as anatomically different from above as being completely limbless.
Behavior: Peraptors are chemotrophs. They gain energy by oxidizing electron donors, which they acquired by eating rocks and soil. They have a gizzard-like organ in their anterior that breaks rocks into small pieces with plates of hard, blunt teeth and muscular action. They proliferate through self-replication, though with severe energy limitations. Their domination of Postellus's surface was accomplished through a lack of competition, not fecundity. Peraptor eggs, which resemble oblong crystals, need constant warmth to develop properly. That heat can come from mounds of a regurgitated mix of minerals and body fluids, analogous to dung, or the decomposition of the human body. Although peraptors do hunt humans, they are not active about it. Rather, they are sit-and-wait predators, relying on their camouflage and opportunity to attain human prey. The danger of a peraptor is not being chased, but being surprised. An ambush from a peraptor can be very difficult to fend off if is successful due to their weight and their tenacious anatomies.
Abilities: - Endurance: Just as a simple machine is harder to break than a complex one, the basic nervous system of peraptors makes them extremely hardy. As long as the nerve bundles in its head or chest is not destroyed, a peraptor can continue moving, though of course that does not prevent it from being immobilized if its limbs are disabled. - Navigation: Peraptors have a large mass of magnetite in their heads that allows them to navigate even extremely far distances with unfailing accuracy.
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Post by Stage on Feb 25, 2018 6:59:59 GMT
Names: Ocellated despot, Phobosaurus gorgosNative home: Earth CP-2 Mundus range: Found in the tropical grasslands of Farrago and the arid grasslands of No Man's Land Size range: 21 to 24 ft long Mass range: 1.7 to 2.5 tons Description: Its Latin name meaning "terrible fear lizard," P. gorgos is a large carcharodontid. They are heavy-bodied, large-headed animals with visible musculature, a high dorsal ridge, and skin armored by dorsal scutes, particularly on its laterally flattened tail. Its thin, serrated teeth are meant to slice flesh. It has pebbly eye ridges and a knobbed cranial crest. Adults have meager, dusky plumage on their sides and haunches. Its feathered flanks have rows of spots that vaguely resemble eyes. Unmated males develop silky, yellowish feathers on their dewlaps and flushed, orangish heads during the breeding season. An adult may rarely keep faint bands from its baby coat, though this is observationally linked with high aggression. Females tend to be larger than males. Info: A predator with a small population yet large range on the Defluous Isles. It spread from its small native home to the other islands, disrupting their ecosystems. Inbreeding in its original range has lead to genetic quirks like larger body size and high aggression in many individuals. Behavior: P. gorgos is an ambush predator that hunts in pairs of either siblings or mates. They use their flesh-ripping teeth or short but powerful arms to wound prey, harassing it as it bleeds out. Unsociable outside of their chosen partners, viciously attacking others of their kind that draw too close, they only gather in groups larger than two to mate. It has a lifespan of twenty-five to thirty years. Females mature sexually at four to six years of age while males take six to eight years. They perform vocalizations similar to alligators: loud hissing and guttural gurgles. They do not roar.
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