Starry Knight the Dragon

Without Art and Magic the world would be very dull

[starryknight-dragonarts]

Phosphoantkeros The Phosphoantkeros is based on the Leaellynasaura, that is either a tiny Hadrosaurus, the family of "Duck Bill Dinosaurs" or some kind of Ornithopod from the early Cretaceous...but I gave it a horn and made it a unicorn...Centaur-Dinosaur...? They were actually lived around the Antarctic circle and would have experienced extended periods of daylight and darkness. They give off a soft shimmering phantom-like glow in the dark and then disappear in the daylight leading some to believe they are mythical.

Kuikane I got the idea of this after watching somebody redesign a realistic unicorn cause a Unicorn was not always just a horse with a pretty horn sticking out the front of it's head, it was a unique creature that had features of various ungulates like horses, deer, goats, but was also distinct rather than a chimera of other animal parts. Unicorns tend to be forest creatures which would NOT make sense for a HORSE, their legs are not made for the uneven terrain of a forest but flat open plains...Horses are also an evolutionary abomination and we didn't do that to them, they did that all on their own, they didn't need our meddling like what we did to dogs. Horses are so thoroughly designed for "Goes Fast!" that the rest of their body has had to compensate. They can not use their diaphragm while running to breath so they need the sloshing of their stomach and guts to push the diaphragm for them! Anyway enough talking about how messed up Horses are...you may have notices this unicorn is not a horse, an ungulate, or a mammal, it is based on the Parasaurolophus, and the horn is not actually a horn but a resonance chamber. We actually partially know what a Parasaurolophus sounded like by blowing air through a 3D model of a Parasaurolophus crest based on scans of it's internal structure and sized the air pressure up for the size of the Parasaurolophus's lungs. The sound came out a lot like a Foghorn. It is Hauntingly Beautiful. The Kuikane channel their magic through their singing but they do not have the intelligence to cast spells with intention so it's more instinctual based on what they are trying to communicate. If they feel threatened then they may make a sonic blast to push a predator away.

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Royal Blue Tanialbahr The Tanialbahr is based on Tethydraco a pterosaur closely related to Pteranodon with a hatchet shaped crest.

Tonatiltlapal The Tonatiltlapal is based on Nyctosaurus meaning "Night Lizard" was a mid-sized pterosaur with an absurd antler like head crest. It was first thought to have supported a sail like a mast on a sail ship used for stability in flight but there is no evidence for such a sail existing when we know of other Pterosaurs that have a sail membrane. Somehow thanks to aerodynamic studies we have discovered that even without a sail the large crest provided no significant negative effect that would have hindered it in flight

Tanialdaw The Tanialdaw was based on Phosphatodraco, until I just found some new information that Phosphatodraco might just be Tetydraco again, but for the sake of Soaring, this is a different species...

Tatatiguyra The Tatatiguyra is based on Pterodaustro a medium sized pterosaur with a lower jaw full of modified bristle-like teeth for skimming the water for small crustaceans, plankton, and algae like a flamingo. The Tatatiguyra's second pair of wings are connected to their first pair for greater surface area so they can glide and skim the water while in flight.

King Citlalpolziz The Citlalpolziz is based on my favorite Pterosaur Quezalcoatlus, the largest pterosaur and possibly the largest flying animal to ever exist (That we know of) it pushes the limits on the possible sizes of a flying animal growing to be about the height of a giraffe with a massive beak but all of it's body mass was also distributed very efficiently to be as light as possible for their size. For some time it was questioned whether on not Quetzalcoatlus was even capable of self propelled flight and lifting itself off the ground with one theory being that they could only glide after climbing up to a high location, then it was discovered that they actually were able to launch themselves from from the ground into flight with their powerful arms and fly up to about 80 miles per hour. They would have ruled the skies in their time period being able to show up almost anywhere and skim for fish, snatch smaller creature with it's giant beak or fight off other large predators and steal their kill using their beak like a spear! Citlalpolziz's name comes from a mix between "Citlalpol" the Nahuatl word for the planet Venus meaning "Great Star" which is associated with Quetzalcoatl the Feathered Serpent God, and the Ziz a mythical creature from Jewish mythology described as a Griffon-like bird with a wingspan large enough to block out the sun and was appointed to rule the sky and the birds just as the Leviathan rules the sea and the Behemoth rules the land. Like many giant flying creatures in soaring the Citlalpolziz has a levitation ability allowing it to get bigger and take off with disregard for weight, but they take it a step further having a radius of being able to cause other things around them to levitate like they are weightless and being pulled to the sky into the Citlalpolziz's domain where it can grab them without landing or having to dive to the ground to snatch them. It also has the ability to suddenly cause itself or other objects in it's levitation area to gain a sudden boost of speed in a direction of the Citlalpolziz's choosing, allowing them to gain a sudden burst of speed or throw off creatures that are used to maneuvering in the air.

Kuaraguyra The Kuaraguyra is based on Tupandactylus named for the creator god of the indigenous Tupi people of Brazil, "Tupan" who resides on the sun and the creator of the universe, humanity, and of Good and Evil Spirits. Because Tupan is said to reside on the Sun and controls "Light" I decided to call them Kuaraguyra from the Tupi people's language Guarani, combining "Kuarahy" and "Guyra" for "Sun Bird".

Teskazotz Tezkazotz is based on the tiny (and adorable) bat-like pterosaur Anurognathus, It likely had similar behaviors to a bat as well most active during dawn and dusk before it's completely dark or too bright for them and hunting flying insects. The introduction of Flying birds created competition for small Pterosaurs which birds were more adept at filling the small flying niche, but birds can't see well in the dark leading smaller Pterosaurs to either take up nocturnal niches or grow bigger and hunt the birds. The Tezkazotz are able to create sensory disruptions, not just trick of the light illusions but they can convince the target that there is something with mass where it isn't helping them confuse prey and predators into thinking there are more of them then their actually are.

Snarlfugl The Snarlfugl is based on my second favorite pterosaur the Dimorphodon for very different reasons to the quetzalcoatlus; It's very small and goofy looking with it's big head relative to it's body. The Dimorphodons jaw muscles were designed to snap and close extremely quickly and hold on tightly. It's diet probably consisted of mostly insects, small vertebrates, and carrion.

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Abzutani Abzutani is based on the Plesiosaurus, and named for the primordial Mesopotamian God of Fresh Water from underground aquifers which were thought of as being from a deep underground Ocean of Freshwater that was the source of all Freshwater on land.

Tiamatani Tiamatani is based on the Serpentisuchops, and named for the primordial Mesopotamian Goddess of Salt Water and the Ocean who with Abzu gave birth to the first generation of Gods and then gave birth to an army of Dragons and Monsters to get revenge against the gods after they killed Abzu to take his power.

Phostovanthos The Phostovanthos is based on the Phosphorosaurus, a small nocturnal Mosasaur with advanced sensitive eyes for chasing prey in poorly lit conditions. They are small and quick able to launch themselves up from the dark of the deeper ocean and snatch fish before they noticed they were there.

Thalathiras The Thalathiras is based on a Liopleurodon (AN ENCHANTED LIOPLEURODON CHARLIE!) While it looks like a Mosasaur, it was actually a relative of the plesiosaurus with a shorter neck and a longer jaw. It's four flippers (Now they have Six Flippers!) gave them very good acceleration making them a successful ambush predator and studies of it's skull have shown that it had a powerful sense of smell to identify the sources of certain smells in the water.

Blue Leviathan The Blue Leviathan is based on the Mosasaurus, a marine reptile that probably began as something similar to a Monitor Lizard, but with Dinosaurs dominating on Land they found their own niche in the ocean and became massive aquatic Predators that at full size had no threats...except one but I will get to the Kraken Later. The Leviathan is a sea monster that appears in the Hebrew Bible that is said to be so powerful that humans have no hope of stopping it; It is the embodiment of primordial chaos, it's skin is too hard to pierce by mortal weapons, it breaths fire, and is overall indomitable by mortal beings, only God himself can destroy the Leviathan who will be the last thing killed at the end of time and served at a feast for all the righteous in heaven.

Botoatl Botoalt is based on the Mixosaurus, a small Triassic Ichthyosaur who's name means "Mixed-Lizard" because it seemed to transition between an Eel shaped Ichthyosaur to a Dolphin shaped Ichthyosaur. In Soaring I imagine they have the power to shift between Eel and Dolphin form, one is for swimming fast in open water, the other is for swimming agilely in tight reefs and kelp forests. It gets it's name from the Boto Encantado, a mythical Amazon River Dolphin who has the power to transform into a human leading humans back to the water with them and turning them into Dolphins.

Cetus Levianthan The Cetus Leviathan is not based on a specific species of Mosasaur but just off the idea of what if a mosasaur species filled the niche of a killer whale. The Cetus is a giant sea monster in Greek mythology that Princess Andromeda was almost sacrificed to before being saved by the hero Perseus. They also lent their name to the scientific name of Whales "Cetaceans"

Michipitsi I actually can't remember what this one is based on, I must have forgotten what it was supposed to be and I am now having trouble matching it to any of the marine reptiles I have references for but it has more leg like flippers so I imagine it can probably waddle on beaches for a short period of time or use it's flippers to walk around the sea floor in the shallows. It's name is literally "FISH LIZARD" which I guess is also the meaning of Ichthyosaur...

Botonaue The Botonaue is based on the Ichthyosaurus, a marine reptile that has the fins like a fish and the general body plan of a Dolphin and filled a similar ecological niche being speedy predators. The name comes from a mix of the Amazon River Dolphin and Nanaue a Hawaiian myth of a shapeshifting Shark Man. The Boto Encantado can be identified in human form by a blowhole on the top of their head so they usually wear a hat, and Nanaue can be identified by a Shark Mouth on his back that takes over whenever he enters the water.

Akamptlaimos Akamptlaimos is based on the Tanystropheus, a protosaurian archosaur that is related to dinosaurs but is not actually a dinosaur but was related to them, and extremely recognizable by their elongated neck that could grow up to 10ft long made up of 13 individual extremely stretched rod like vertebrae, and we see long necks pop up many more times in multiple marine reptile species suggesting that is was a successful strategy to be able to catch prey in the water at a distance by moving your head and neck rather than your whole body, but unlike the successful Plesiosaur, the neck of Tanystropheus was rigid so it could not possibly move it's neck around as easily. This is a design that seemingly should not work but evolution went this way for Tanystropheus because it was a successful strategy for them for Millions of years. It was capable of moving around on legs with it's terrestrial limbs but was more comfortable floating and swimming in the water and eating fish.

Syodrekgandr

The Syodrekgandr are not based on any specific prehistoric creature, it's kinda plesiosaur-like but really it's a sea serpent or sea dragon with a name inspired by Norse. Sjodreki means "Sea Dragon" and Gandr like in Jormungandr means "Elongated" which can refer to may things that are long like Snakes.

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Ouraeusobelisk Ouraeusobelisk is based on the Spinosaurus, The Largest Terrestrial Predators (that we know of) and one of the most interesting dinosaurs in the modern day with all of the recent discoveries made about it that have completely changed our understanding of it's behavior and how it lived. We thought it only stood by the side of rivers like a giant heron and would snatch fish as they swam near it but then it was discovered to have a paddle tail so it must have been doing some swimming. Then we thought it couldn't go out into very deep water or the sail would throw off it's balance, but then we discovered it had a salt gland for getting rid of excess salt like an Marine Iguana, so it must have been swimming in sea water or at least water that was very brackish. I also named it after the Ouraeusobelisk after a cross between an Uraeus the crown of Pharaohs used as the simple of Divine Authority, Sobek the Crocodile Headed Egyptian god of the Nile River, Fertility, and Protection, and the mythical Basilisk which is said to be the King of Serpents, probably inspired by the Cobra. Despite appearing Human-Sobek is considered a more animalistic than other gods like he actually has the brain of a crocodile more than a person, however he is also considered benevolent and his fierceness could ward off evil and protect the innocent. The Ouraeusoblisk are called the King of Swamps and wetlands not because they are the most powerful or deadly beast, but because they are legendary for being able to provide for the land around them. Their sails are able to take in energy from the sunlight and then release that energy to make their environment flourish with life because the healthier the kingdom of their domain is around them the better chance they have to keep feeding on healthy prey. They also have a Paralyzing gaze that can stop not just creatures but moving objects in its track as though the King gives the command to halt in place.

Valasilisk The here Valasilisk is based on a mix between the Baryonyx, the Ichthyovenator and the mythical Basilisk. The Baryonyx's name comes from the Greek "Barus" meaning Heavy or Strong, and "Onux" meaning Claw for the Velociraptor-like Sickle Claw on their forelimbs rather than the back. Ichthyovenator means "Fish Hunter" due to it's assumed behavior but we actually do not have a full skeleton of this species but the tail suggests it may have aided in swimming and it's fossil has been found alongside bivalves, fish, and turtles. The Basilisk of myth has no completely set appearance, sometimes it's a snake, sometimes it's a multi-limbed reptilian creature, sometimes it's a Dragon, and other times it can be mixed with the Cockatrice. They are Small but considered the King of Serpents acting like little princes, and they are so deadly that their glare or their breath can kill someone in an instant, they also have venom is so deadly they leave a trail of death and decay behind them. In Soaring the Valasilisk is a creature with a roll in their environment not just a monster that needs to be destroyed before it destroys everything around it so I want to keep the spirit of the Basilisk without it just killing everything. The Valasilisk mainly hunt by fishing in wetlands terrain while hidden in tall grassy areas using their striped pattern to blend in, but if they feel like they are in danger then they can change the grasses in their vicinity to become sharp and poisonous blades for a short period of time. The Poison creates an painful stinging breakout of a ridged crust form on the victim's skin first slowing their movements or petrifying them bit by bit, it is not deadly if the cut is skin deep but it can be made deadly if it's introduced internally causing the petrification of muscle, blocking of the wind pipe, or clotting in the bloodstream

Benusobelisk The Benusobelisk is based on the recently discovered Spinosaurus Mirabilis, a species of Spinosaurus with a large horned crest on their head, aka a Unicorn Spinosaurus. The Benu or Bennu bird is the Egyptian version of the Phoenix and may have been the inspiration of the Phoenix in Greek mythology, but instead of being depicted like a bird of prey, the Bennu was a Crane or Heron. According to myth, the Bennu was self created, sometimes called "He who came into being by himself" and played a role in the creation of the world, it may also just literally be the soul (or the Ba, the personal component of the Soul) of Ra the Sun god and parodically revives itself like the cycle of sunset and sunrise and therefore also are associated with Rebirth so they are also connected to Osiris. The Benusobelisk generally has the same powers as the Ouraeusobelisk being able to absorb sunlight and radiate that energy to their environment, but also have the power to cast burning rays from the intensity of their gaze and burn threats but also set fire to the land and burn it to ash before revitalizing it.

Garolisk

The Garolisk is loosely based on the idea of Gargoyles and ...well Garchomp from Pokemon. The Garolisk are nocturnal predators to prefer to live in arid rocky areas where they can burrow with thier long sharp digging claws and then use their own magic ability to appear to self-petrify as camouflage, appearing to become a statue or completely disappear in the rocky landscape while they rest during the day, however it's not save to approach a sleeping Garolisk as they won't turn up a meal that comes right to them. They are able to detect pressure through the ground and have electroreceptors on their face that can detect the electrochemical signals in animals. At night they emerge to hunt forming up in up to 6 member groups that are not exactly a pack since they don't exhibit pack-like social behavior and will likely go separate ways and join up with other members as it is convenient for them.

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Horned Giant The is based on the Amargasaurus. There has been some debate whether the spines on the Amargasaurus were exposed spikes or sheathed in a sail. I believe the consensus was that they were spike not a sail, but I included a little bit of sail cause it looks cool and I can do what I want. Sauropods in Soaring have a few key similarities to Dragons though it is unclear if they are actually related or convergently evolved similar powers. One theory is that Dragons in the Tannin family are their own branch of their own in the Archosaur family or they ARE Dinosaurs, somewhere between the Sauropods and Therapods. Dragons in Soaring have a natural passive levitation ability that assists them in flight regardless of size and aerodynamics. In Soaring's Sauropods can not fly but the levitation ability in them helps to offset the weight of their bodies so they can get even bigger. They can also generate energy from vibrating the air sacs in their neck, and then once full of power they can release in a roar like a Dragon's ability to also build up energy and then release it as a breath. The Horned Giant's roar creates shock waves with an echo effect so it doesn't just hit once but as you move it creates repeat effects of the original shockwave that lessen in intensity as they continue till they fade.

Quake Titan is based on the Giraffatitan formerly known as the popular Brachiosaurus. The problem with Sauropods is that their heads are small and round relative to their bodies so they have a tendency to end up from the rest of the fossil so we have a bad tendency of getting them mixed up which lead to the who Brontosaurus/Apatosaurus division. Well what we once thought were the bones of Brachiosaurus have been determined to be a different relative, Giraffatitan, now Giraffatitan is one species and Brachiosaurus is a different species. The Quake Titan have the power to raise sand and earth storms from the ground that can cause mass destruction in an area around their migration path but they also create trails through rough terrain and raise fertile earth from the ground that can help boost the growth of plants so there are more plants to eat when they eventually migrate back around.

Tree Giant The Tree Giant is based on the Melanorosaurus, a very early sauropod from the Triassic, and while small compared to later Sauropods it was actually one of the largest creatures of it's time and also was an Omnivore, not a strict herbivore like later Sauropods. Thanks too it's small size, it can not use it to fly, but it can help climb moderately well and slow their decent while in the air and travel quickly through forests. They can also release a concussive sonic blast from their mouth that can paralyze possible threats or prey knocking them out or paralyzing them so the tree giant can get away quickly or swallow an small animal whole.

Club Giant is based on the Shunosaurus and the Spinophorosaurus, two Sauropods that had a spiked club and thagomizer tail! It almost feels like cheating, a Sauropod with Ankylosaur and Stegosaurus weapons, but as I have learned many times now, nature never gives anything to us straight and doesn't care about our preconceived notions or classifications. Rather than channeling the power outwardly, the Club Giant can channel it instead throughout their body so they can move with greater agility than their size would suggest, and stretch their tail like rubber in order to move it around with fluid motions

Thunder Titan The Thunder Titan is based on one of my all time favorite dinosaurs, the Paralititan (Name means "Tidal Giant") . Fun story: When I was a little kid, for one of my birthdays I went to the Natural history Museum in the city, and got to go in back to one of the Lab areas where they had a Leg bone from what was the newly discovered Paralitaitan. Then over a decade later I took a course in college on paleontology and told my professor the story about the Paralititan...funnily enough...She was on the team that FOUND the Paralititan! Really is a small world after all! Few creatures inspire the sort of awe and fear in dragons that comes from the approach of a heard of Thunder Titans. Their massive size scales taller that any dragon and store a lot more power. Their footsteps shake the earth, the howl of their voices send tremors through the air and make waves in the water, and wherever they travel they bring massive storms with them that can completely change the landscape around them destroying what was old and then revitalizing the earth for new life to grow quickly and flourish till the next time they come around.

[starryknight-dragonarts]

Metstlikuauitl

This one isn't based on any real dinosaur, I just made it up. It's WIP name was Lunaceratops "Moon Face Horn". I imagine they have elemental Moon Powers like the Tannin Dragons, maybe even even stronger connection to the Tannin because it is natural to them while the Dragons started harnessing Lunar power a few thousand years ago, however the Metstlikuauitl only have a connection with the Crescent moon which yields the powers of Water and Ice or Earth and Metal.

Eyikuauitl

The Eyikuauitl is the Soaring version of a Triceratops. In Chinese the word for contradiction can be broken down into the words "Shield" and "Spear" coming from a tail where a merchant shows the emperor the greatest weapons he has for sale; A Sheild that was impenetrable to any Spear, and a Spear that could pierce any Shield. The Emperor pointed out that the descriptions of both weapons were a contradiction invalidating both of them. The Merchant was at a lost for words because of this. The Eyikiauitl's power allows them to manifest a defensive barrier from sunlight that can not be broken as long as there is light available to restore it. If the Light around them is dim then the barrier may be able to take a few hits but will dim any available light around them to try to keep itself sturdy, and in total darkness they may be able to manage one barrier before it breaks giving them time to flee.

Ajakuauitl The Ajakuauitl is the Soaring version of the Diabloceratops. I actually drew a version of this previously with a white winter coat that looked like Appa the Sky Bison from Avatar the Last Airbender.

Kuaitlipantera

This creature started as an attempt to make a Ceratopsian Gryphon based on a theory that people may have seen a Ceratopsid fossil and interpreted it as having a Bird Head and Lion Body, but then while I was working on it, somehow it became more Synapsid looking and I think I am kinda leaning into it now.

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Kalkuauitl The Kalkuauitl is based on the Stegosaurus. The Plates on a Stegosaurus were first thought to be a form of armor but this has been disputed as the bony plates are too fragile and do nothing to protect the sides of the body though they would probably make for good intimidation making them look bigger and harder to bite. Their main function was probably for thermoregulation being able to soak up sunlight when they were feeling cold, and displace heat when they were too hot. In Soaring I decided to exaggerate this by having the Kalkuauilt absorb sunlight as transform it into thermal energy making their plates and thagomizers burning hot!

Tlakuitlapan The Tlakuitlapan is based on the Kentrasaurus. As a relative to the Kalkuauitl they have a similar power to turn light into energy, but instead of releasing thermal energy from their plates they turn it into electrical energy that they charge through their spikes like a tazer

Tlatepacholi The Tlatepacholi is based on the Ankylosaurus. The Tlatepacholi is built like an armored tank with plates of bony armor covering it's back, and wide spread legs that are close to the ground preventing it from being turned over on it's back. At the end of it's tail it has a jagged hammer-like club that it can slam into threats and two spiked maul arms that it can raise and punch ahead with and hooked claws that can tear leaves and branches that are too high for it's mouth to reach.

Tlalihuitztli The Tlalihuitztli is based on the Stegouros, though it sounds similar to Stegosaurus, it is a smaller relative to the Ankylosaurus with a plated tail that resembled a Macahuitl, a weapon used by the Aztecs that resembled a sword made of a wooden paddle with an edge of obsidian razors. Obsidian has a unique property where it can make a edge that is finer than any similar metal blade but Obsidian is more brittle being made of Volcanic Glass. According to the account of a conquistador, an Aztec Warrior with a Macahuitl could cut the head clean off a Horse! The Tlalihuitztli has a bladed tail that it uses like a Macahuitl and it's single clawed arm act as a scorpion stinger to try to dive away predators with a single strike rather than getting into a drawn out fight.

Timomanauis The Timomanauis is based on the Spicomellus, a recently discovered Ankylosaur relative that just had the craziest covering of spike armor covering it's body! Thanks to the protective spikes around the mantle of it's armor, it can not raise it's arms overhead. Instead they rest by the side of it's body and then lunge out like a pair of pincers on a beetle.

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Yuanaayo The Yuanaayo is based on the Iguanadon. Iguanadon was one of the earliest dinosaurs discovered and there were a lot of early mistakes. The most famous mistake with early reconstruction of Iguanadon was where people misplaced it's thumb-spikes thinking it might be a horn on their face, but I just learned that one man named Richard Owen claimed that they were not just lizards, but advanced lizards with mammal like features that were given to them by god with transmutation!? I figure the Yuanaayo is the closest comparable creature to a Centaur we are going to see in Soaring

Chimalixo The Chimalixo is based on the Protoceratops. The most famous Protoceratops fossil comes from the Gobi Desert preserving an eternal fight between a Protoceratops and a Velociraptor where it appears they became buried alive in the midst of their battle.

Kuetotlopitsi The Kuetotlopitsi is based on the Microceratus, one of the smallest members of the Ceratopsid family that stood on it's hind legs leaving it's front arms free. I gave it a pair of proto-wing claws it could use to scratch at creatures trying to grab them from above and the quills make them uncomfortable to bite form the back.

Kuachimali The Kuachimali is based on the Pachycephalosaurus. It was previously believed that Male Pachycephalosaurs used it's large cranial dome to ram one another like Bighorned Sheep and Musk Ox, but there is no evidence that Pachys had the neck integrity to take that kind of impact, and we have not discovered scaring on the fossil that would suggest that the every took that kind of impact. An alternate theory is that they may have used their heads to hit each other in the flanks. Having said that I imagine in Soaring the Kuachimali would produce a magical repulsive force from their head but acting as a shield that redirects impacts off their head and protects their body from taking the impact.

Tlitlipanatl The Tlitlipanatl is based on the Koreaceratops. Notably the Koreaceratops had a paddle shaped tail so it possibly spent some time in the water which is unusual for Ceratopsids. Like the Microceratops it was also small enough that it likely walked with it's front legs off the ground despite being planted flat in the image.

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Western Tauriablo The Tauriablo (The Bull Devil) is based on the Carnotaurus. The Carnotaurus is a Medium Therapod from South America who's name means "Meat-Eating Bull". if T-Rex was the Lion of the Cretaceous, then the Carnotaurus was the Cheetah. They are smaller, have a shorter snout, and powerful leg muscles for quick bursts of speed, but they were bad at making turns. The Wings on the Tauriablo are not capable of flight but are used in a similar way to Ostriches helping them turn while sprinting. They also help them cool off be displacing heat and allow them to fan themselves

Eastern Tauriablo The Eastern Tauriablo or King Tauriablo (Bull Demon King) is based on the Carnotaurus, specifically the one from Disney's Dinosaur where they Beefed up the Carnotaurus to make it more intimidating. Most of the same things stand true with the eastern and western Tauriablo, they have powerful legs for running and wings that help them steer and cool themselves down but also have forward facing horns to fully charge down and impale prey.

Langschwanz The Langschwanz, the Long Tailed Kobold, is based on the Sinosauropteryx who's name means "Lizard Winged" and here it quite literally has a Reptilian Dragon-wing.

Achtototl The Achtototl is based on the Archeopteryx, the first dinosaur fossil discovered with feathers. We also know what color the Archeopteryx was and it probably looked a lot like a Crow or Raven with iridescent dark feathers.

Tlanokoch The Tlanokoch is based on the Troodon. The Troodon get's it's name from the shape of it's teeth. It's name means "Wound Tooth" cause their teeth looks like serrated knives. Troodon are also believed to be the smartest dinosaur with cognitive abilities similar to modern Corvids and Parrots. Update: I was just made aware that the Troodon is no longer an officially recognized taxon, some dinosaurs that were previously called Troodon were actually different species. The dinosaur previously called Troodon is now called Stenonychosaurus

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Xikoatl Kite Snake The Xikoatl or "Kite Snake" or "Air Spirit" has a similar power to almost all dragons. Under ordinary physics, the dragons in soaring would need to look more like a Pterosaur, having almost all their body and mass devoted to minimizing as much weight as possible where they can and maximizing surface area to being used for flight, however all dragons have a minor passive ability granted them limited levitation in the air that allows them to gain lift and negate their body mass to fly. The Kite Snake also has the ability of levitation almost never needing to touch the ground, but they do land in trees to rest or wait in ambush. Their green coloration allows them to blend in and appear as a vine before lunging out to pursue small birds, and pterosaurs with minimal energy needed as the ungulate and glide on the wind, but while in flight they are also exposed and could be snatched up by larger flying predators.

Lagarthosozu The Lagarthosozu is inspired off of the Drepanosaurus, a tree dwelling Triassic Protosaurian sort of branch relative of early dinosaurs but not an actual dinosaur itself that has been called a "Monkey Lizard" with a prehensile tail bearing a single claw and front legs that bear a sickle like claw for grip and digging insects out of wood. The Lagarthosozu have a second pair of arms that they can use to grip and hang from branches while handing food or other objects in their claws.

Motletaloua The Motletaloua or "Sliding Stone Turtle" have an unconventionally strong shell partially made up of minerals absorbed from the ground, They are also able to store water in a chamber of their shells allowing them to lay motionless underground for years if conditions are not suitable for them, When they emerge they are usually slow and quite heavy but when threatened they are able to retreat to their shells and release the stored water as a jet to shoot them forward and propel them away from predators. They can only do this trick one time though before they need to get new water. They are able to gain a lot of distance across Salt Flats.

Varanutani The Varanutani, also known as the "Assassin Lizard" are based on Komodo Dragons and Monitor Lizards, currently the largest Lizard species in the world but the world of Soaring is a world of giant reptiles, and this lizard still measures up with them making use of stealth speed and deadly venom. The Varanutani mainly stalk in the cover of tall grasslands and the undergrowth of thick forests beneath the legs of larger creatures using their striped scales to blend in with the tall grass and foliage. Their bites are strong and deliver a deadly hemotoxin. Not only does the toxin prevent the wound from closing but it also inflicts a curse on the prey that while poisoned, the Varanutani is able to enact repeated bites on the victim's body from a distance which will appear as physical wounds. The only way to stop this is to find and kill the Varanutani that is attacking them but most creatures run at the first attack and the Varanutani will run off after the first bite knowing it can track it's prey as soon as it collapse.

Tonakalnemi The Tonakalnemi or "Sunrise Sailback" is a Desert Lizard that live along cliffsides catching sun rays in the early morning and evening with the sail along their backs, and they use the horns on their face like a chisel to carve out burrows in the sides of cliffs to seek shade during the hottest part of the day. The Sunlight they soak up becomes stored energy to give them heat to hunt during the night

Acriristani The Acriristani, or "Rainbow Dragon" is inspired off of a mix of the Longisquama and the modern flying Draco Lizard. Longisquama is a Triassic Protosaurian sort of branch relative of early dinosaurs but not an actual dinosaur itself known for having a structure of long Feather-like scales protruding from its back that were thought at first to first be used for flight, but there is nothing to suggest they were ever used that way, they may have just been used for display or even thermoregulation. The Acriristani use their iridescent sails to communicate with one another and glide across trees.

Yuanatani The Yuanatani are a Giant Lizard but despite their size strong bite they mostly eat plants though are not completely limited to plants and they are not entirely harmless either. Their long tail can be used to lash threats like a whip, they have sharp claws, they are very muscular, and they have thick skin with a bony armor.

Metsalatani The Metsalatani is inspired off of the Sharovipteryx, a Triassic Protosaurian sort of branch relative of early dinosaurs but not an actual dinosaur itself, known for having Back Leg Wings used for gliding between trees. The Metsalatani (Foot-Winged Dragon) has a small extra pair of wings on it's back for stability.

[starryknight-dragonarts]

Dragons tend to keep Domestic Kobolds as pets but there are also wild Kobold species and close relatives. Some individual dragons may keep a few of them as a sort of exotic pet, but they are few and far between, these Kobolds generally belong in the wild

Gluhschwanz The Gluhschwanz (Meaning: Glowing Tail) is a nocturnal relative of the domestic Kobold. While they are in flight, their darker bodies camouflage with the night sky leaving only their name sake glowing tail appear like the streak of shooting star. Some dragons really like them but they are generally considered pests when they get too close and too comfortable around dragon settlements scavenging from the leftovers and garbage and also stealing anything shiny that catches their interest. They like to use shiny objects to decorate their nests so they can see their nests as they approach and the light that reflects from their nests can be used to scare or distract potential predators. Gluhschwanz are also clever and can remember the faces of dragons who treat them nicely or are mean to them. If you are nice to a Gluhschwanz and leave them food, they will reciprocate by leaving you shiny objects. If you are mean to a Gluhschwanz they can use there powers of light to flashbang you and leave you with an magic illumination that covers your body and tells other Gluhschwanz that this dragon is a jerk, prompting others to flashbang you again and again lengthening the affliction. The glow also has an effect of attracting biting insects that the Gluhschwanz eats. Western Gluhschwanz

The Western Gluhschwanz are typically found where there is more visible open sky like plains and deserts, so their bodies tend to be more of a dark blue to match with a starry night sky and have longer wings for long distance sustained flight. Eastern Gluhschwanz The Eastern Gluhschwanz are typically found in places where the night sky is more obscured by trees, so their bodies tend to be more of a black or dark grey color to blend in with the canopy of the forest at night. Their wings are shorter granting them more agility maneuvering around trees and branches so they can't fly for as long a period of time but they can simply perch on a tree and take off again. They also have a prehensile tail that allows them to grip branches so they are not disturbed while resting.

Draak

The Draak, also known as a "Fire Kobold" are a relative of the Gluhschwanz said to be the falling meteor to the Gluhschwanz's shooting star. Their tail also glows, but with a coating of fire that does not harm the Draak, but can still set fire to nearby plants and structures unlike the Gluhschwanz who's luminous tail is usually harmless unless threatened. As a result the Draak is typically not welcomed unless around Fire dragons who also like to coat themselves in a crest of fire and tend to make structures that are very fire resistant. Despite the dangers of having a creature that can set fire to everything, they tend to be playful and friendly around dragons so they are about as popular as Kobold but only with Fire Dragons.

Tree Kobold Wild Tree Kobolds are believed to be the oldest breed of Kobold that spread into different niches as the trees that they have a symbiotic relationship with started to die off. Tree Kobolds are not the most rare form of wild Kobold and are considered a protected endangered species. The tree is called a great Willow-Wisp, that produces a ghostly fire-like glow in the dark and a sweet glowing sap. The Tree Kobolds help spread the seeds of the tree and protect them as they grow, and as a reward the Willow Wisp attracts the bugs that the Tree Kobolds like to eat and they also feed their young on the glowing sap. This was believed to give their Gluhschwanz descendants their glow power.

Cave Kobold

Cave Kobolds are a curious and mischievous species of wild Kobold that are not recommended to be kept as pets even to dragons who are experienced with difficult Kobolds. They tend to live in large family colonies making their homes around caves that are rich in iron. These Kobolds have a magnetic sense that helps them locate iron ore to help them navigate caves even in pitch black and also helps them track their favorite meal, Iron Coated Termites which they will hunt while the termites are exposed from their fortress like mounds gathering more iron. Some dragons have used Cave Kobold sightings as an indicator of where to set up mines, but they must be careful to respect and not disturb the Kobolds who are easily agitated by the sounds and destruction an extensive mining operation can cause. Cave Kobolds have the ability to intoxicate metals which can make a mine entirely unusable for years.

Sea Kobold Sea Kobolds are direct descended from Tree Kobolds who's tree was either blown out to sea by a storm or their tree was cut down and used for lumber to make boats. The Sea Kobolds gradually adapted to their new environment and tend to end up living on Dragon Boats even if they are not made of the same wood that their ancestors used to rely on. Sailor Dragons consider a Sea Kobold living on their boat to be a blessing. They are not as amicable as domestic Kobolds and will avoid or attack crew members if they feel cornered or the dragon gets too close to their nest but they can also deal with pests and warn the crew ahead of time of dangerous weather.

[metamatronic]

teehee yar har

[kaijufluffs]

She's being so big and brave.

[talons-n-scales]

This quiz may take some time, it has 14 questions with many options and a possibility to receive any one of over 60 Wings of Fire characters

there's like. almost every WoF character in here please 😭

[talons-n-scales]

there's two new questions!! I retook and got Willow :D

[starryknight-dragonarts]

I got Whiteout

[starryknight-dragonarts]

Makuta in the MNOG hits different than anywhere else in the Bionicle series. He's still really cool but later series Makuta feels like Lucifer the fallen angel turned Devil of the Bionicle world, Early Series Makuta feels like an Unknowable Eldritch Horror. He is spoken of in hushed tones like he could be present in every shadowy conner, he is the source of madness and plague in wild beasts and Matoran alike, and his influence lingers in places of destruction and tragedy. The Toa go in expecting to fight a monster like the later series Titan form, but then he appears before them as a decrepit little matoran and says "You can not destroy me, for I am nothing; you can not destroy me no more than you can destroy the wind, or the sea, or...the void- I bore you for I am nothing. Out of Nothing you came and it is into nothing you will go. The People of this world are builders but look into their hearts and you will find they also have the power to destroy. I am that power. I am Destruction. And I WILL Destroy you- You expected something else...something like THIS!" And then transforms into a truly grotesque entity that is basically a floating swirling storm of dark tendrils and dismembered body parts

The Bionicle Revised series goes even further with the horror aspect, the matoran body he was using was not just some fake matoran he created to trick the Toa with, we find out how he got the body...it IS a Dead Body of a Ta-Matoran Guard, someone who was Captain Jalla's friend. Makuta possessed the body of a wild Muaka (A giant Tiger Monster) and murdered a bunch of guards just so he could use one later as his Metal Meat Puppet to freak out the Toa with, and then before turning into a corpse tornado he fights the toa like a freaky little goblin creature jumping at them and clawing at gaps in their armor! Scary!

[starryknight-dragonarts]

I recently found a series on YouTube that I have fallen in love with called Bionicle Revised, a fan made retelling of the Bionicle story with the pure focus on telling the story without the need of Marketing, so they change parts of the story generally for the better, but one thing I feel they missed out on was the Bohrok Kal arc. The Bohrok Kal could be considered filler villains who ultimately don't matter in the grander scheme of the story who were just a copy of the Bohrok cause they sold really well and they needed something to keep people's attention between the Bohrok arch and The Mask of Light. In Practice the Bohrok Kal actually had some really good parts to their story. The Kal were the first villains that the Toa fought who were individuals instead of a hoard, and made the conflict feel personal. It also included the introduction of the Mask of Time into the story, and a personal moment of growth on Tahu's part where he gets called out for almost throwing his life away pointlessly trying to just tough his way through a wall of Burning Plasma and realizes he can't go through life being reckless and unafraid to die. So I thought if the main problem was that they are Bohrok again...what if they weren't Bohrok?

Part of what makes the Kal so fun is just how much they antagonize the Toa. The reason the Kal are there in the first place is because the Toa sealed the Bahrag Queens in a Crystalized Protodermis Seal, but the Toa didn't know that the Bahrag and Bohrok swarms play a vital role in the process of reviving Mata Nui. What if instead of being Bohrok themselves, the Kal were covert field agents of the secret Order of Mata Nui doing the dirty work behind the scenes all for the sake of Mata Nui. Then they overhear that the Toa sealed the Bahrag actively interfering with a vital process of Mata Nui's revival and collectively decide to go against protocol to free the Bahrag, but also they have a personal grudge with these Toa specifically.

The main Toa Team were sealed away for thousands of years only to be released in Mata Nui's greatest time of need to be the Elite Emergency Revival Team, however so far they have not been doing a very good job at that. Over the thousands of years they were stuck in stasis pods, their bodies have gotten weaker, they lost their memories, and the pods malfunctioned so when they were meant to be deployed they actually were left adrift at see for about a thousand years unable to do anything. Then after arriving it's understandable that they were lost and confused, but to the Kal it looks like they are just bumbling idiots who are making things worse and now getting in the way. Meanwhile the Kal in this telling have been active in the universe the entire time doing the thankless jobs that needed to be done, all for the sake of Mata Nui and have grown jealous of to their perspective the undeserved praise of Toa, and then had enough when they stop the Bohrok swarm, so they decide to go up and make themselves known, and try to replace the Toa, but like the originals they are also arrogant and get done in by their own lust for power driving them to forgo their duty for selfish gain.

To further emphasize that the Kal are meant to be discount Toa, I decided to make them a Prototype version of the Exo Toa drones that act automatously and can drain the elemental energies from other beings like the Toa to empower their own elemental powers. I didn't draw all 6 of them cause they would roughly look the same: Red = Lightning Blue = Magnetism Green = Vacuum Brown = Plasma White = Sonics Black = Gravity

[starryknight-dragonarts]

I love the Matoran in Bionicle, something that they dropped the ball on massively when they attempted to remake Bionicle back in 2015. They did made all of the villager characters indistinguishable from one another all wearing the exact same mask and none of them have a personality. When Bionicle first came out in 2001 they made a great effort to make you care and want to know the people that the Toa are protecting.

One of the first Matoran you meet is an awkward little Ta-Koro guard named Kapura who is pacing slowly on his own in the middle of a burnt forest minding his own business. Every one of his movements are deliberate, precise, and he comes off as someone who has his head in the clouds but is deeply thoughtful. He says he is "Practicing" but what he's practicing is never entirely made clear, even after he tells you exactly what he's doing...The guy is kinda an enigma and nobody is really able to understand him, and YET somehow his constant practicing pays off eventually!

Keep in mind, Matoran have no powers except for a passive elemental adaptation like Ta-Matoran are able to resist heat, Ga-Matoran are able to hold their breaths longer, Onu-Matoran have better night vision, etc... Kapura has no elemental abilities, and he has no ability to use a mask. By the rules established in this world he shouldn't have any powers, and yet simply by practicing "Being where he's not" he has learned to either move so quickly that it looks like instant transmission, or he straight up teleports, saying that he simply has to focus upon where he is not, and soon enough he will find himself there!? There is no known limit to how far he can travel, he just has to know where he's going. If he ever became a Toa eventually he would be the most insane Toa being able to compete with the speed of anyone wearing a Kakama (mask of speed) while wearing any other mask, and Super Speed/teleporting are already lowkey Over Powered.