madness-dragons

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bunch of backlogged doodles ^^ i have some more cool dragon facts i just havent had much energy to write them out, so for now here's theseuns

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something

not super proud of how this turned out but [throws it back in a circle regardless]

phobos has to keep his workers envenomated! elsewise they start getting ideas <3

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cool dragon facts! crackpot is one apples tall (actually phobos is just really big)

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Here's a rough idea of what Nexus City looks like- from the outside, it really is just a giant termite mound, with two main entrances (sky level for flighted dragons and ground level for flightless dragons, respectively) and several smaller offshoots, depending on where you need to get quickly.

But if you were to cut a cross-section out of it, you'd find there's plenty more under the surface...

(In the event my chicken scratch is illegible, that's sky level housing, industrial district, commercial district, asylum, aquatic housing, chasms, mining, deep labs, and phobos's lair.)

Much of Nexus City is actually underground, especially the more important operations that aren't privy to civilian visitation... There's a certain reputation to be kept, after all!

Phobos can only leave his lair with a great bit of effort, so he usually doesn't, unless it's for something highly important. However, he does have security cameras rigged up all over the city, and a computer system just for monitoring them... He's not always checking it- he has things of his own to work on!!- but he likes knowing that he could look in on anyone at any time.

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cool dragon facts! doc is an herbivore, but can occasionally supplement his diet with small amounts of meat if he wants!

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AND NOW, SOMEONE I COMPLETELY NEGLECTED TO MENTION IN THE FIRST INTRODUCTORY POST!

SAY HULLO TO THE SHERIFF, AND RUNNERS AS A SPECIES!

Runners are often seen as a materialistic, weak, pompous bunch. Native to the same island as basilisks and vultures, they've evolved with a heavy focus on flight and, as their name implies, running- as such, they have hollow bones and small, compact bodies. Not ideal for combat at all! So, how do these tiny treegoers settle disputes amongst eachother?

Typically, they race eachother! In the air or on the ground- it's quicker and cleaner than a brawl, and usually far more enjoyable to them. And if that doesn't work, there's always feathers- runners come in the full spectrum of colors, and perhaps even some we can't see! With these feathers, they can make some purdy vibrant displays, useful both for warding off threats and for decision making.

Of course, all things in evolution can be costly. And this pacifist course has rendered them easy prey on their island home... As food sources decline rapidly with the shrinking territory, runners hardly stand a chance in the way of self defense. Most, if not all by now, have chosen to migrate away in droves, integrating almost completely into society. Very few still exist in the wild- and if they do, they won't for long!

So, what the hell's any of that mean for Sheriff?

I'M SO GLAD YOU ASKED, DISEMBODIED VOICE IN MY HEAD!!!

Not all dragons in Nexus City were kidnapped by Phobos or his brainwashed workers. As a matter of fact, modern day, plenty of dragons come to the city on their own accord in an attempt to make a name for themselves! It's sort of spiraled out of Phobos's control- not that he cares much, at this point.

Sheriff is one of those dragons- sick of his species being seen as a joke, he's determined to either make it big in the city or die trying. (Well, maybe he wouldn't go that far...)

He began as a humble mattress salesman- which caught the eye of Jeb, head of the Industrial District. The two became fast friends- which seemed great for Sheriff's reputation, for a while, anyways.

Even without his full memories intact, Jeb has suspected for a while now that Phobos is entirely unfit to lead, and that whatever he's doing needs to come to a stop quickly before all of dragonkind feels the consequences. Taking advantage of Sheriff's eagerness to be involved and known, he offered to have him be a major part of an assasination plot- it's certainly one way to make a name for yourself!

However, for whatever reason, the plan fell through- Jeb managed to escape with his reputation and position as head of a district intact, while Sheriff took the brunt of the blame and was placed on flight arrest. (Thankfully, the plan was never discovered to be an assassination attempt- had Phobos known, he'd certainly be a lot worse off....)

Even though all they did was ground him, Sheriff's definitely less than pleased about what happened... The two haven't spoken since. Flight is a huge part of runner culture, and without it, he doesn't quite know what to do with himself- his business suffered a blow too, knowing it's headed by a criminal. Perhaps he'll find eventual freedom when the Status Quo makes it's rounds through the City- they are there to liberate, after all!

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sooo, zeds, huh?

In MADNESS:DRAGONS, Zeds are a little different from how they appear in the original series. Dating back to their earliest days on the planet, dragons have always been plagued by parasites and parasitoids alike- the most commonly known and feared being a type of cordyceps. It's a parasitoid fungus which, upon inhalation or ingestion of it's spores, can completely hijack a dragon's body, slowly killing them off and using their body as a breeding ground to propagate and spread. As dragon society evolved, medical advancements prevented an infection from being a death sentence- with the right treatment, the fungus can be safely removed before it completely overtakes it's host. And nowadays, dragons are smarter- they know how to avoid spores and infected creatures in the first place, and as such, most infections nowadays are caused through recklessness or bad accidents.

One interesting property of cordyceps- as long as it has something to feed on, the fungus itself doesn't die of old age... If kept in ideal conditions, it can live and grow indefinitely.

Now, even knowing this, surely no one would be stupid enough to try and make medical use out of one of dragonkind's oldest enemies, would they?

Enter the Enmeshment Program, or 'Plan Zed', unaffectionately nicknamed by Dr. Christoff.

What started off as an earnest and innocent plan devised by Dr. Crackpot to make something vital out of something destructive has long since wandered from it's original goal, to put it lightly. At first, he thought if cordyceps could be genetically modified and nullified of it's instincts to overtake and spread, it's immortal nature could make an internal life support system for terminally ill or injured dragons. Then, it went a little beyond... What if they didn't have to be injured to receive the treatment? Perhaps perfectly healthy dragons could use the immune system boost... Perhaps, if he plays his cards right, he could discover a way to make a dragon immortal, impervious to age as the fungus itself.

Unfortunately, Crackpot's experiments are going... Poorly. Phobos approves, if only because it keeps him busy, and a legion of undead, infectious husks makes a rather efficient way to dispose of dragons seeking to undermine his work. The byproduct of these less than ideal experiments- Zeds- run rampant at night in his district. He insists they're citizens, just like everyone else, and they're completely safe to interact with- but the degrees of sentience they retain are.... Varying, to say the least.

Wearing a facial covering is advisable when venturing into the Chasms district. Who knows what inhaling those spores'll do to you...

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cool dragon facts! Gay

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cool dragon facts! hoffnar can do this

his species can supplement their diets with certain mushrooms and glowworms, coating their insides in bioluminescent schlock! this creates the illusion that they have fire, as the glow is strongest at the back of their throats

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HERES A CHARACTER SYNOPSIS W/ SPECIES CODENAMES & INFO ABOUT EACH GUY!

made a project nexus au where they're all dragons for NO discernable reason, but im having SO MUCH FUN WITH IT

it's gonna have its own lore & plot n shit and maybe ill make a sideblog for it if im feeling spicy??? or just a madcom sideblog in general LOL

BENEATH THE CUT IS ALL THE DESIGNS SO FAR + SOME INFO ABOUT THEIR ROLE IN THE STORY & PARTICULAR SPECIES OF DRAGON!! i added a cut bc there's a lot n i felt itd make the post obnoxiously long otherwise JFHFKRBRJR

phobos' species [nicknamed scorpions] are a sort of parasitoid dragon who's venom is able to rewire and reprogram the minds of others to provide for them- often they're more of a nuisance than anything and are consumed by their thralls once they inevitably break free of the envenomating. but phobos is different, somehow... he's larger, tougher, and carrying things out on a much greater scale than any of his kind have ever managed. Nexus City is a veritable termite mound of kidnapped dragons who would've otherwise lived solitary lives- divided into three sectors governed by his closest aides, every dragon in that mound is working towards... something for him, though what that is remains to be seen. whatever it is can't possibly be good...

dr. hoffnar's species [nicknamed bats] originate from caves deep underground, covered in sensory tendrils that work in place of their now vestigial eyes. they use their tail tips to lure in prey, posing them as a tasty spider and dancing them along the rocks, while the rest of them lurks just out of sight, waiting for their meal to get close enough.... Dr. H doesn't seem to remember where he came from, but he knows at least it was never so bright. his eyes are hopeless as far as vision goes- the tinted glasses he wears are merely to save him the headache from so much light input at a time!

dr. crackpot originates from a volcanic island species [nicknamed vultures]- predominantly scavengers with a nasty toxic bite and long, lanky limbs for scurrying and climbing! the ruff on their chests is made to be plucked from so they have something soft to line their nests with :] the man himself holds the prestigious award for Phobos Suckup Of The Year & couldn't care less where he came from- all he knows is that he gets to do new and exciting work in his district, including a fascinating new project that could potentially make a dragon immortal! how fascinating!!! i'm sure this could have no grave repercussions in the future!!! mind the rumors about his species being cannibalistic and his cap being made of dragonleather- nothing but silly rumors!!!!!

dr. christoff came from a dying species [nicknamed tundras] who grow more and more elusive as the years wear on. they're too heavy to fly- their wings have been repurposed for combat, outfitted with deadly claws at the tips for slashing and swatting! christoff is endlessly puzzled with his origins- why there are gaps in his memories, why no one in the City looks like him, and why no one's able to tell him any of these things- especially the Director!!! he tries his best to concern himself with leading his district, but he can't help but question Phobos' integrity... he's always promising Nexus City works towards the betterment of all dragons, but in what manner? perhaps it's better not to pry- curiosity did kill the cat, after all!

2B, otherwise referred to as doc hails from a grazer species endemic to savannahs and grasslands [nicknamed rhinos]. their thick hides make for excellent protection from the sharpest of fangs, and their sturdy builds ensure they're always the last dragon standing- however, their limbs are far more limited in their range of motion than a typical dragon, so their wings often substitute as hands. 2B leads a ragtag organization of dragons dedicated to putting a stop to Phobos and his antics before he does irreversible damage to their world- as someone who was once under his influence and lived to tell the tale of his escape, he has a rather personal vendetta against the guy.

sanford's species [nicknamed beetles] sport thick, chitinous armor and a deadly chemical weapon in their throats- not quite fire, but a highly volatile chemical irritant that burns just as bad! their elytron protect their wings, which are thin and prone to tearing, and they're some of the more social species! sanford's a fairly easygoing dragon- quick with a joke or a few words of reassurance, for someone who's expertise lay with hand making and rigging explosives, he's got quite a knack for diffusing tension- especially comes in handy working with people like doc and hank!

deimos's species [nicknamed basilisks] hail from tropical rainforests and come in a dazzling array of colors, with prehensile tails and a deadly venom that can be spat or injected. they're not true fliers- they evolved from wyverns like hoffnar and hank(citation needed). their wings became a frontal set of legs to capitalize on clinging and climbing, and the leftover membrane is used for gliding between treetops! deimos is enthusiastic to a fault at times- he'd probably leap directly into an active volcano if sanford weren't around to scruff him back. he's crafty and resourceful, good with locks and pickpocketing, and especially skilled in getting away with it.

and last but not least, Hank. what's a story without a protagonist? Hank is... unlike any documented dragon species, living or extinct. he appears to be adapted for cave dwelling- covered head to toe in fine sensory hairs and heat pits, very few things can stay hidden from him, living or otherwise. 2B found him deep underground, jawless, yet feverishly scraping the meat off the bones of a desiccated dragon carcass with the remaining teeth in his head. he's a force to be reckoned with, and acts entirely of his own agency- though he gets bored easily, and finds taking orders from doc just interesting enough to stick around- mostly because all of his orders involve killin' in some capacity, which he's quite talented in doing. half of why doc keeps him employed is for fear of what might happen were he left entirely to his own devices- a weapon of mass destruction is better off in your hands than anyone else's, no?

thaaaat's a wrap! cogration if you made it this far!!!! hopefully i get to do more things with this au in the future :] maybe even make a fangame for it??? idk dawg!!!!

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GUESS WHO CAVED AND MADE A SIDEBLOOOOG 💥

thats right it was ME. @sewer-sermon.

idfk what im gonna talk about here but im brainstorming SO MUCH worldbuilding n shit for this au and i felt id be remiss not to have an outlet

if you're unfamiliar which is understandable bc i posted a grand total of Once about it so far madness dragons is a madness combat (specifically project nexus) au where theyre all dragons, with some borrowed concepts from wings of fire & tons of original worldbuilding!!!

basic plot synopsis: phobos is kidnapping & mind controlling randomass citizens for some project he refuses to elaborate on, 2B wants to shut it down, hijinks ensue! more to come soon enough, stay tuned <3

important loreposts:

character & species summaries

zeds & cordyceps

the sheriff & jeb

map of Nexus City

to puncture the mind