Right, 6 more areas to go! *meanders off to play with photoshop and wordpad some more*
I've decided I'm a better writer than spriter digital artist (Thanks Shadow for the correction <3), so I will most likely just make eggs for the rest of my entries and leave the spriting to those who know what they are doing!
Because of the confusion I encountered when reading world Lore and reading pet descriptions, I'm unsure if Lake Lakira is actually its own area or merely an extension of the Keep and Stream, so I am not doing a creature for that area. (Although I have one partially written if its needed )
I did my very best to incorporate creatures into what we already have so far as keep, lore, quests and storylines go, to make them easily workable for the staff.
Thanks for reading and good luck to everyone who has entered!
Entry #1 : Jungle of Raza Creature
Thane's Chameleon:
Spoiler
Sent on a mysterious mission to the depths of the Jungle of Raza by Master Thane, you find yourself wandering in the sweltering, unrelenting humidity of deep jungle. Your goal; to find the heart of the jungle. You have no idea what it is exactly you seek, Thane's missive to you, like all the great Master Magi's communications to his students was cryptic at best. You have searched through this miserable dense jungle for weeks, unknowing if you are any closer to achieving your goal, or if you are perhaps wandering farther from it. With a heartfelt sigh, you lower yourself to a log covered in the oddly glowing lichen that seems to cover everything on the jungle floor in this place. As you sit in meditation, you strive to become one with the jungle around you, the only way to truly survive here. Every creature watches you with suspicion and you are sure you've glimpsed some of the elusive green-skinned people whom dwell here according to legend. You have put aside all worldly goods in your quest, and reduced yourself to the very basics in clothing. You carry no armour or weapons save your own wits and reflexes. You have found this to be a lonely journey, all of your creatures having been left at the keep - this is a test of your merits, not those of your companions. Dusk is fast approaching and you realize you should hurry out of the jungle, as only the most foolhardy risk being caught in Raza after dark, however you cannot bring yourself to leave just yet. Perhaps by putting your fears aside you will learn something hereto unknown.
A branch brushes lightly against your cheek, stirred it seems by an evening breeze. You struggle not to tense, for you know that you are far too deep in the dense tropical jungle for anything short of gale force winds to reach you. Slowly, cautiously, you open your eyes to stare at the leaf just before you. As your eyes slowly bring it into focus, adjusting to the rapidly falling night around you, you realize you are staring... not at a leaf, but instead at a 14 inch long lizard. His head is vaguely helm shaped, and his feet are split with 2 toes going out to each side. His movement is what triggered the branch to sway and brush against you. As you stare deep into the darkest emerald eyes you have ever seen, you hear Master Thane's voice quietly in your mind. "Well done, apprentice. Bring my faithful chameleon home to the keep with you. Only by setting aside fears, both our own and those instilled in us by others, can we truly learn anything new." Slowly, gently, you extend your hand out to the stately chameleon who climbs nimbly up your arm to nestle lightly against the collar of your robes. This has truly been a learning experience.
Egg :
This egg shimmers in the light, seeming to change color and blend into its surroundings. Held to the light you can barely discern a helmed head and curled tail within the fragile shell.
Hatchling :
Your chameleon has hatched out. Tiny irridescent scales cover his entire body. You notice that he has quickly begun to master his camouflaging skills and can often be found sneaking from the quarters of other magi within the keep, a shiny token of his prowess at the stealth game clutched in his strong but tiny jaws. You have noticed that any such token often seems to shimmer and fade into the surroundings much as the chameleon himself does, although unfortunately it doesn't extend to making YOU invisible when your fellow magi come looking for whatever your chameleon has carted off most recently.
Adult :
Your chameleon has matured into his maximum size of about 14 inches. He still often manages to vanish with property of the other magi, only to later leaving it lying about your rooms. While most of the magi do know where to look to get their things back, he tends to take them at the most inopportune time. With full maturity has come a new ability ~ should he be so inclined, and often is for his young master, your chameleon is more than happy to share his ability to blend with his surroundings. A chameleon hiding in the hood of a cloak has kept many a magi out of trouble, or gotten them out of a potentially dangerous situation. He can hold the camouflage for hours on end, making him invaluable for those Magi who take a chameleon companion on their travels and while they search for the most rare and valuable of eggs.
General :
Thane's Chameleons are a very rare find for any magi. Only the most patient and caring of observers can find one. Their camouflaging magic which they share with their magi Masters is very similiar to that of the Telvian Panther. Their small size, and ability to hide not only other creatures, but also objects makes them invaluable for the magi who frequents the more dangerous areas of The World. You will also discover that the ability to speak mind to mind is an attribute that belongs solely to the chameleons. Magi often use their chameleons to communicate with other Magi at great distances by staring deep into their emerald eyes.
*Artwork added, not so sure I'm thrilled with this look. I will write a detailed physical description later today.
Physical descriptions :
Egg - The egg is swirling green and yellow, with a center curl that almost looks like the chameleon's tail can be seen through the egg.
Hatchling - The hatchling is small and his helm/veil portion is not yet fully upright. He should appear shy and seem to be curled up while reaching out to grasp a limb. He is green, with light yellow stripes and highlights along his crest and body.
Adult - Larger version of the hatchling, his body is larger, and flattened out.. (err, how to describe this? Chameleons often flatten their bodies which makes them appear disk-like as they curl up). Pose doesn't matter, curled up or walking along a thin tree limb either would be fine. Bright yellow markings along the crest, veil and body, with light stripes along the tail.
Voltar Firecat
Spoiler
Egg :
This Egg is hot to the touch, with small flames and sparks leaping about its surface. A delicate tail curls around one side of the egg, flicking back and forth from time to time as the egg rocks. Lava red, it is mottled with dark rosettes like a leopard's spots.
Hatchling :
Your egg has hatched out, revealing what at first appears to be a ball of lava until you hear a soft "mew" as a paw extends and claws slowly reveal themselves, followed by a sleek tail stretching out behind what you now see is a silky soft kitten. As you reach out to pet your new companion, you hesitate, for as the kitten stretches to his full length you notice wings extending above his withers, and sparks flying off of them as he shakes his wings out for a good relaxing stretch. He calmly lays back down, stretched to nearly full length and begins cleaning his paws after giving you a cursory once over in the way of cats. As he grows you find that much like a house cat, he is very playful and anything he can reach is fair game to become a cat toy. You work carefully with him, training him so that he knows when it is alright to play cat and mouse fully, and when he should play without tooth or claw. You have learned quickly to invest in flame resistant drapery and bedclothes. You're also rapidly learning the benefit of sleeping with the window open and a cool breeze in the room during summer... the heat never seems to bother your little cub and he has claimed the bottom half of your bed as his resting place when he is not at play. You take great pains to keep him calm and relaxed at all times, much to your chagrin you have discovered that an upset firecat kitten is likely to result in an uproar that travels Keep-wide, as sparks fly from his wings in his distress. Usually such an incident occurs after he has fallen asleep camouflaged to match the stones of the Keep and an unwitting apprentice steps on his tail in the midst of their cleaning duties in your rooms.
Adult :
Your playful kitten has matured into a massive adult, paws that used to playfully grasp your leg are now larger than your spread hand. No longer can he play in your room or lay on your bed.. that had to stop months ago when the bed could no longer support his rapidly growing weight. He now has his own resting spot claimed at the top of one of the Keep turrets. His resting spot is frigid with wind for anyone other than a firecat or a phoenix, yet he lies there blissfully content even in the coldest of weather. Predatory instincts are have been honed during his play with gryphons, hippogryphs and the panthers who reside here at the keep. Regular visits to Voltar keep him content. While sublimely gentle with his Magi, he is wary of strangers, and quick to leap to your defense.
General :
Voltar Firecats are huge graceful creatures. Easily the size of a chimera or manticore, they are fierce predators, yet gentle guardians of their Magi. Their fur is the shifting shades of flowing lava, subtly dappled with dark rosette spots much like a leopard. The offspring of magical matings of the mystical phoenix with Telvian Panthers brought to Voltar by their Magi, these cats are most at home in their native land of volcano and flames, but can survive equally well in the sweltering humidity of the Jungle of Raza. Further attributes come from both parents; a mastery of fire, lava and heat, as well as a pair of flaming wings from their phoenix parents as well as the unsettling ability to vanish at will, effectively camouflaging even their wings with their background. Their great size and strength, coupled with extreme intelligence makes them among the most desired companions a magi may choose during a long and arduous journey. Fully grown Voltar Firecats can easily carry their master as far as he or she could wish, both on the ground or in the air. Mostly nocturnal, a heritage from their panther side, they are often to seen laying about on the walls of the keep during the day sunning, or playing with the phoenixes and fire gryphons around the lava pools created here by the resident magi for the comfort of our more flammable companions.
*Still trying to work out an adult image I'm happy with, this is just a basic idea*
Physical descriptions -
Egg - The egg is bright red, with flames forming across the top, much like the phoenix eggs (this is a phoenix hybrid after all ), dark leopard like rosettes cover the surface of the egg and a tail curls out of it (the example I have given is pretty much how I envisioned it - really happy with that one)
Hatchling - A kitten, but rather large for a "kitten" considering the size of the parents, fiery red with dark rosettes like a leopard, small wings with sparks showering from the wings if possible.
Adult - Large cat, colored like the egg and hatchling, with wings spread and fire falling from the tips.
Arkenian War Bear
Spoiler
Egg:
This Egg is white, edged in the blue white of an ice phoenix's flame. It is freezing to the touch and a claw can be seen emerging from the sturdy shell.
Hatchling:
Your egg has cracked, the large claw ripping through the shell like paper now that the hatchling has decided it is time to join the world. Bits of shell fall away as the hatchling shoves his way fully out, and then sits up. You stare in amazement as your hatchling becomes almost instantly larger, doubling in size within moments of hatching. Small tufted ears sit atop a massive head, icy eyes regarding you curiously as your hatchling staggers to his feet. What feet he has! Huge paws, easily as big as your hand, and thick, yet somehow gangly legs lead up to a rotund body. A small tail can just be seen gracing his rump as he weaves to his feet then quickly gains his balance. Frost forms in his footsteps as he wanders around your quarters, reaming the furniture he brushes up against. You notice his luminescent white fur seems to glow with an inner blue fire. Reaching out to pet him, you immediately pull your hand back and wrap it in your cloak to warm your fingers. Intelligent ice blue eyes seem to be laughing up at you as your new creature bares a mouthful of sharp clearly carnivorous teeth. His muzzle is black, shaped oddly like a chupacabras, as is the rest of his build now that you take a moment to truly assess him. As a passing student rushes by your open door, he raises spikes you haven't seen until now, and bares his teeth while emitting a low growl. You realize that you are dealing with a ferocious predator, and training this youngling is going to be a challenge to you both.
Adult :
Your Arkenian War Bear has matured into an enormous creature, rivaling your firecat, hippogryphs and gryphons in size and strength. Careful training and long hours have turned this natural predator into a loyal companion. He is willing to carry you wherever you wish, and happiest digging a lair out of snow drifts north of the keep. Touching him with your bare hands is not recommended, as it is very easy to contract frost bite from the cold that he carries with him. A special saddle has been made to order, imbued with magic to protect it both from his frost and help to insulate you from the cold. A fierce and proud warrior in his own right, he will tolerate no physical means of control, he can only be handled with a basis of mutual respect. Highly intelligent, he sometimes seems to read your mind before you say a word to him.
General :
The unlikely offspring of chupacabras and ice phoenixes, Arkenian War Bears can handle the most fearsome weather conditions without qualm. Vampiric like their chupacabra ancestors, they also hold amazing sway over the weather and cold like their ice phoenix ancestors. Intelligent, large and with immeasurable strength, these bears are highly sought after, but only the most vigilant and determined of magi manage to raise one from the egg. You must travel deep to the north to obtain an egg, and the training of a hatchling as they grow rapidly to adulthood does not always have a happy ending. Often a cub will abandon his magi if they are not as attentive or deserving of respect as the bear would prefer. On the rare occasion that a magi raises one to adulthood, they must provide the unique care that one requires, often requiring that the magi have another home in Arkene so the bear has somewhere to live comfortably throughout his life, and raise cubs, otherwise the bear may leave at any time when the urge to breed becomes too strong.
Physical description -
Egg - Basically like my example, a blue/white egg with a large sharp blue claw coming out of the top.
Hatchling - Shaped like a polar bear but with some of the attributes of the chupacabra such as fangs and mane, it is icy white, with blue tips on the fur. Each paw sports four large blue claws. Very large for a hatchling as it doubles in size right after hatching. The mane and fangs should both be small, to grow in later.
Adult - Larger version of the hatchling, the mane should fill incompletely now and the fangs be longer. The mane takes on a pale blue tint in the male, and remains white in the female. All of the fur should seem to be tipped in the palest ice blue.