skekdris

[skekdris]

First batch of drawings from my 2.5k follower giveaway over on Bluesky! Characters and their owners, in order:

Shred for radiantstarlight.bsky.social

Hallow for burnishedfangs.bsky.social

Igglectus for poweredkelpie.bsky.social

Mags for anarchie.nskanetis.net

Nightmare for vespetus.bsky.social

(Don't know this guy's name) for greatestgummii.bsky.social

[skekdris]

Niadris, The Arhulian

Amazing gift art/raffle pic from @chocodile ! Niadris, is the main character/sona of my Arhulian original species.

Niadris stands about 8-1/2 feet tall, and weighs about 2500 pounds.

Niadris is a "young" Arhulian at a concious age of 37, and a born age of 22. Arhulians live indefinitely - and due to their hereditary memory - they spend most of their youth inside their parent's abomen learning and sharing in memories and learned experiences.

Niadris is quite intelligent and perceptive, but also has little experience in dealing with ordinary people. (The ones that don't run on sight anyways.) They are honest and well-meaning, if blunt.

In the current setting Niadris is in, they are a lone Arhulian in their region. As a foreigner in every sense of the word, they have a deep longing for connection. Although scary and certainly dangerous, above all Niadris is a lonely being looking for compassion and closeness. Although they don't have a heart in the sense like we do, their tough exterior hides a tender soul.

[skekdris]

Not Your Average Beast of Burden

Commission from Yivah!

I've been making it a mini-goal of mine to get commissions of favorite (furry adjacent) species and creatures I've enjoyed from videogames and media. Today, we have a "Driller" and their "pet" muttler from the game BIOMORPH. Drillers are short (about 4 feet tall) goat-like beings. They are pretty much the setting's stand-in for dwarves with how much they center their culture around mining. Most drillers saw off their horns to keep them from getting caught on low ceilings and obstacles.

The creature beside them, is a muttler - a huge mole-like monster with spiked "arms" and a maw that would make a leatherback sea turtle jealous. They have the power to punch apart rocks like a natural pickaxe, and can shoot off rapid fire jabs that can match a jackhammer in their reciprocation. Which begs the question… How in the hell did the drillers manage to domesticate these things? Muttlers can pretty much punch through rock like Rampage Jackson can punch through doors. They have to be a special kind of unhinged to want to domesticate these things. I suppose it's paid off in the end. They pretty much have a living jackhammer and woodchipper at their beck and call.

[skekdris]

I love big and round figures! @baronboar Your work makes me feel happy and comfortable. (Plus rats are always cute.)

Ozwald spends time at the knight's round unwinding between deployments. A rare moment where his guard is dropped.

🏳️‍🌈Happy Pride Everybody!🏳️‍🌈

[skekdris]

This bust shot came out wonderfully by swampjaws! I love the detail and the rendering. They look like they are leaping out of the screen at you!

Lore Nugget Arhulians have a pharyngeal jaw, like that of a moray eel. It is a second jaw that is normally nested inside the throat, that can be extended forward into the mouth. For eels, it's to help them swallow prey since they cannot expand their mouths like regular fish. For Arhulians, it's to help them swallow large prey whole and alive.

The "bite" is a four stroke process: The outer jaw clamps down on the subject > the inner jaw moves forward and bites down > the outer jaw opens > the inner jaw retracts > repeat

(Seriously, if you want to do creature design, just plagiarize marine biology.)

Another feature is their split tongue. Arhulian tongues are hollow and can be used like a straw, or use the prehensile split end to reach for and ensnare small prey. Particularly small specimens can be swallowed by the tongue itself!

Art from my sketchpage comm from Yivah! The purpose for Arhulians to be capable of ingesting prey whole and alive is that their primary way of feeding is by keeping the prey in a suspended state while feeding off of their psionic energy, which provides significantly more nourishment then chemical processes. Although a seemingly limitless source of power, ingested beings have a limit to how much they can be 'drained'. Overfeeding will put the prey in a comatose state, and if not stopped; the beings bond between soul and body snaps - Functionally speaking - undergoing brain death - where even if their body is 'alive' there is no consciousness at the helm. Thus, prey is (usually) released before being drained to a critical state.

This psionic energy not only sustains the Arhulian far more efficiently than chemical feeding, it allows the Arhulian fuel their psionic metabolism. This metabolism can be responsible for synthesizing, transmuting, or disposing of materials from within their bodies. Essentially - pulling energy and matter from nowhere.

Of course, Arhulians have the means to do things the 'traditional' way with organic matter to sustain themselves, it's just a lot less efficient. Particularly large and/or powerful Arhulian morphs reach a level of energy demand that chemical feeding is impractical to sustain them, and they exclusively feed off of psionic energy. "Rumors have it they were once the undisputed ruling species of their... place of origin, literally devouring all other competition. These 'Arhulians' then developed a more 'humane' way of feeding that did not result in permanent consequences for their prey, seemingly out of guilt and a desire for stewardship, or so they say. Not sure how much I buy that, but hey, if a two ton 'badger-pede' wants to pull it's punches, we shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth... er, pun intended."

[skekdris]

Received some interesting questions about how Jo would feel about Theo having friends, were she alive to see it.

In short: Jo might be pleasantly surprised that Theo had managed to make his first ever friend at the tender age of 35 years old. She would be less pleased about his selection.

(Asks & answers under the cut, per usual.)

She might find him an intriguing person on an intellectual level, not only as a living piece of history, but someone who extended his lifespan long after its natural expiration date. I think they could have interesting conversations about magic, politics, and their respective moral philosophies. That said, everything Jo said would be hissed through a jaw tightly clenched.

She wouldn't like Hyden, is what I mean. Damningly, she might find his personality to be disastrously similar to her beloathed husband. Vulgar, slimy, dishonest, infuriatingly unreserved. It wouldn't help that Jo shares a few qualities in common with Hyden's ideal woman (though a penchant for skull brassieres is sadly not one of them). Man might try to shoot his shot. She does not want to be shot at.

Her disapproval would cause tension between the three of them. Hyden is Theo's hero, but his mother is Theo's world. He might not change his mind fully (the two did have their disagreements, despite Theo's worshipful sycophancy) but he would also probably not have the single-minded loyalty to Hyden that he does when Jo is not around to absorb his devotion instead.

I believe Hyden would, at least, attempt to make nice with Jo, if only because he would recognize that she and Theo are a package deal and he wants at least one mage on his side (two would be even better).

Honestly, I think Theo would be more jealous of Jo having friends than vice-versa. Jo was a lonely girl who grew into a lonely woman, comfortable in solitude. She would miss Theo if he were going out to play with his little friends instead of spending time with her, but she can occupy herself. Theo would argue he is also a loner, but in reality he's never been without the undivided attention of his mother. He would cope poorly with losing that. Good thing she also didn't have any other friends! (...These two are very pathetic and weird.)

In theory, Jo would be cautiously pleased about Theo managing to form positive relationships with other people. It would signify a massive leap forward in his social acumen and independence, and could imply he is more capable than she thought of politicking and maybe even psychological manipulation, two very important skills for a man of his status to have.

But beyond being proud of him developing new expertises, she would be exacting in her standards for what a close friend for Theo should be. She feels he is naive and could be easily taken advantage of. Her attitude towards any potential companions would be that of redneck father interrogating his daughter's boyfriend while the barrel of the shotgun in his lap is surreptitiously pointed at the young man's groin. If she judged any individuals untrustworthy, she would attempt to intervene or at least reduce their presence in her son's life in whatever way would be appropriately subtle and convenient.

Ultimately, as far as she's concerned, Theo can have friends. But he cannot forget where his loyalties should lie. Family always comes first.

[skekdris]

Cozy party ~ Finally had the patience to finish this piece. This one means a lot to me since I've been wanting to draw more painters and musicians in the minions community !

[skekdris]

yall gotta learn the difference between "this character is an asshole" and "this character was supposed to be super cool but the author is an asshole" and "this character is a teenage girl who was mean once"

[skekdris]

Wonderful commission by fortunatafox!

My Arhulian species may be two-ton badgerpedes, but that does not stop them from being a bit silly at times. Due to their large, furry (and mammalian) bodies, when they splay out their legs and flop to the ground, it sounds (and feels) like a big carpet being dropped.

[skekdris]

This level of detail is INSANE.

And the bowl of muffins, lmao. Hyden needs to keep his blood sugar up for maximum brainpower, hehe.

Hyden in his dusty, cluttered study. The walls (and floors) are lined with magical tomes and curios from far-off lands, but none of these possessions seem to hold the interest of the weary, washed-up wizard who owns them.

Amazing commission I got from Igoo on FA!

[skekdris]

A deeper look into ambryos. Methinks a few centuries of this thought process going unchecked may have... inflated his ego.

"Playing the Part"

Ambroys and Hyden discuss obligations and expectations after Ambroys makes a teeny tiny inconsequential little mistake.

[skekdris]

Evil wizard and the dragon he turns himself into

[skekdris]

A big commission from Yivah that I have been majorly excited for! This sketchpage puts on display various poses that shows of my Arhulian original species.

Poses from left to right, top to bottom

Bust 1: Drink Arhulians have a long, prehensile tongue that flowered at the tip, and hollow on the inside. This allows them to attain fluids from hard to reach places, as well as ingest small prey. It's exact purpose is unknown, but Arhulians seem to make use of it nonetheless.

Fullbody 1: Slap With the limb spikes, teeth, and psychic senses, it's easy to forget that that average two ton Arhulian can use their own mass as a weapon. Their thick, muscular tail means their rear is almost as well protected as their front, and it the best equipped at giving the unfortunate victim a lot of broken bones and air time.

Bust 2: Focus Arhulians have three pairs of eyes, and each pair can focus on an independent subject. Combined with their "life sense" that is omni-directional and penetrates objects, Arhulians are extremely perceptive. They in fact, appear more agile than they really are due to their awareness allowing them to maneuver to the optimal position to engage multiple combatants.

Fullbody 2: Plunge Provided they have the ideal position to get the drop, (which is not hard due to aforementioned senses) one of the most devastating physical attacks an arhulain can deliver is a plunging attack with their forelimbs. Arhulian bone is stronger than that of ordinary creatures, and short of very thick and/or strong solid material blocking the way, whatever they hit is going to get skewered. And to add injury to injury, at close range, the Arhulians life sense can resolve a being down to their nerves and arteries; they just aren't taking a leap for big damage, they're aiming.

Bust 3: Smile Arhulians are generally pretty subdued in their expressions. Their emotional state affects their "brightness" to psionically attuned beings like other Arhulians, and thus at at early age, they learn to control their emotions. An open display of affection like this means the Arhulian really likes you.

Bust 4: Second Jaw To aid in the swallowing of whole and live prey, Arhulians have pharyngeal jaw - a second, moveable jaw inside their throat. Moray eels have this same feature.

Fullbody 3: Gulp  Tying into above, Arhulians can swallow large (human sized) pret whole and alive, as the true way they feed is to sap their prey of psionic energy while the prey is suspended in a hazy, dream-like state. (Though they can "process" food the more conventional way if the need arises.)

Fullbody 4: Run Arhulian legs sequentially move, just like that of a centipede. When at full speed, an Arhulian has to be mindful of their momentum, as like a train, being fast and heavy means taking turns has to be done with care.

Fullbody 5: Paint Me Speaking of freight trains, when it comes time for passion they take a rather direct approach. To an Arhulian, physical intimacy is more of an intermediate stage of romance. Home base for them is the mental aspect in sharing experiences and memories in the thoughtsphere with those they hold in significance. That said, this one is being abundantly amorous.

Fullbody 6: Plompf When Arhulians sploot, their large, (usually) furred bodies sound like a large, rolled up carpet being dropped on the ground. An Arhulian that does this is either very comfortable, or very tired as a two ton body belly flopping on the ground is quite conspicuous.

[skekdris]

What a gremlin!

Does being a sardonic little prick count as a sense of humor?

Theo himself would describe himself as having "dry, cutting wit," but what that means is that he is insufferable and insulting. He doesn't often laugh at other people's jokes (though he may commit the faux pas of snickering at his own), but he enjoys a well-timed smart remark or ironic comment. He also amuses himself by sprinkling his dialogue with word play and alliteration -- if he's feeling particularly playful he might allow himself a pun or two.

His laugh is unpleasant! His "giggles" are more a combination of wheezing and phlegmy throat noises, and he usually doesn't go beyond that. Great frivolity (or villainy) can raise the pitch and volume of his laugh to horrid, cacophonous shrieking and cackling (often accompanied by a fit of coughing once his tobacco-riddled airways catch up to him).

[skekdris]

Skek-Dragon

Commission from @heckapede

My skeksona has a big western dragon form! In this case, it's a big boost to his physical and magical powers. Unfortunately, his power boost increases his "floor" as well, making any kind of delicate application of spells nigh-impossible.

So although it's technically an upgrade, the size and lack of magical throttling makes the form impractical to be in all the time. But even so, this form catches people off gaurd when they assume a relatively "squishy" mage suddenly needs an army to take them on, instead of a couple of assassins.

[skekdris]

Jocosa gives her son lessons in wielding magic... though despite her best efforts, he grows up learning this particular lesson the hard way.

And, naturally, this was inspired by a question I was sent -- lore rambling below the cut.

Spells aren’t so cleanly divided into utility/combat/etc in this world. Chocodile has already made an excellent overview on how magic functions in Amaranthine, but the short of it is that a mage learn and use any type of magic, whether that be slinging lightning or moving objects or healing wounds or whatever else, but they require extensive knowledge of the forces at play, and it requires intense mental fortitude, quick calculations and precise control to wield it effectively.

Unfortunately, Theo is an inconsistent and erratic magic user. While he often uses magic for small, delicate tasks, like lighting candles or moving a book across a desk, channeling greater amounts of magic is a risky proposition. Theo's thought-scape is akin to a turbulent ocean or volcano about to erupt, and this is a detrimental quality when you need a clear, focused mind to keep your fireball in your hand instead of bursting all over your very flammable furniture.

When riled, as he would be in a combat situation, he’s as likely (or more likely) to get overloaded and immolate himself as he is his opponent. He has no compunctions about using magic for combat, in fact he'd relish the opportunity to use his innate "superiority" as a weapon against his "lessers" but it would be dangerous for him to try (which isn’t to say he wouldn’t attempt it out of desperation or impulsivity, but he'll suffer for it). After implanting the catalyst stone into his hand, his power is amplified -- but not his control. It might be safer for him to stick with weaponized pens.

The exception to Theo's issues with controlling magic is healing magic, which has become his specialty for good or for ill (ironically, more for ill). He wishes he could pluck the strings of pure magic, playing it like a harp as beautifully as his mother did, but for the life of him, he can’t seem to elevate himself above the crude matter of blood and bone.

[skekdris]

"You will fix it, yes?" Three figures, clad in heavy-duty tundra gear, stood over the stricken vehicle. The Prowler lay miserably in the snowdrift, steam billowing from its vents, a dark viscous liquid trickling ominously from the junction between two pipes. The largest figure, a Rabbit, shifted uncomfortably. "You understand these devices, these... mechanical carriages. Snowmobiles. I’ve seen Belov working on them. He knows of them, their inner workings--" "I told you: We'll see." one of the smaller figures snapped. Alex cocked her batty ears toward the Rabbit, scowling. "It isn’t as simple as you seem to think. It's not 'magic'. At best: we'll need something to patch it with. At worst: a replacement part."

"Well! If it CAN'T be fixed, I will NOT die out here!" The shortest figure spoke, his voice rising. Shrill, tense. Theo flattened his ears and crossed his arms, tucking them close to conserve heat. "Assisting Hyden or not, I should have never agreed to come on this godforsaken quest of yours. I left my manor for this!? The sun grows low and-- look! More snowflakes! If we cannot get moving again, I- I will- I will take the remaining snowmobile and return to Northcrest--" "And leave us to die out on the tundra?" Alex snapped. "I think not. Calm down, both of you. Nobody is going to--" But the conversation was interrupted when a fourth figure appeared at the crest of a nearby hill, waving a long clawed arm. "Town over here! Ruins! Let’s shelter for the night, yeah?"

(Story continues HERE in Part 2 due to inexplicable new Tumblr character limits)

TL;DR: Hyden, Theo, and the Rising Dawn depart Theo's manor and head out to the snowy wastes. One of the snowmobiles break down and they must spend the night in the ruins of a town now lost to the encroaching ice. Hyden is miserable, feeling this world is not his and not something he can survive in, but pins hope on meeting Ambroys again.