#paleo: fangs

[0mnimorphic]

wip intro [last edit: 07/03/2024]

MINORS / AGELESS / BOTS / 'PHOBES DNI

🌑 no designated name; call us 0mni if you must.

🌒 they/them pronouns as in nonbinary and plural. 🌟 if accessible, our pronouns page: [WIP]

🌓 25+ y.o alterhuman experiencing polymorphism since birth 🌠 (pun intended)

🌔 unsure if because of spiritual, psychological, or trauma reasons. 🌟 feels more intrinsic due to experiences prior to our trauma.

🌕 no definitive list of morphs, as they range across time and 'verse. 🌠 we use generalized/vague tags for this reason, see taglist below.

🌖 morphs also range per system member, indicated by an emoji. 🌟 non-specific example (without brackets and slash): (#/🌃)

🌗 currently, we aren't looking for those who knew us in another life. 🌠 due to various reasons, safety included; may change in the future.

🌘 otherwise, we are neurodivergent, disabled, mad, & survivors. 🌟 personal details will be omitted, but trauma may be mentioned.

DETAILS + BYF + DNI + TAGS BELOW:

⭐ Experiencing polymorphism since birth? Unsure of the reason?

your guess is as good as ours. we hope that, by having this blog, we will be able to finally figure out what these shifts indicate after all this time. until then, we don't fret over the details, and just enjoy our alterhuman and nonhuman experiences.

⭐ Switching between plural and singular language?

some of us feel more comfortable referring to ourselves as a collective, while others will use more personal language. this is for comfort reasons, as well as part of our self-acceptance plan.

⭐ Opinions on ___ following you?

as long as you're not on our dni, we (kindly) don't care and want nothing to do with any kind of fight or drama. we are only here for documentation and discovery, as well as pretty pictures and good feels. maybe a friend or two made, if possible and in the future.

⭐ Will you talk more about your plurality?

for safety and comfort reasons, no. apologies for the inconvenience.

BYF:

🌙 this blog is a massive wip by very nature.

🌙 there will be (tagged) trauma themes mentioned. 🌟 dehumanization, social & familial traumas, and death specifically.

🌙 there may be (tagged) suggest!ve & h0rny content mentioned. 🌟 tags pending; NO EXPLICIT NS.FW WILL EVER BE POSTED.

🌙 due to our disabilities, only common triggers are tagged. 🌟 tag examples: #trigger tw #trigger cw (best to blacklist both)

🌙 we are still relatively new to online communities.

🌙 we may get terminology wrong, and apologize in advance.

🌙 we do experience stress-related psychosis + avoidance behaviour. 🌟 for this reason, please let us know GENTLY if we messed up. 👁️‍🗨️ failure to do so will result in an immediate block for our safety.

DNI:

☀️ MINORS & AGELESS BLOGS

☀️ ANTIS, 'PHOBES, BIGOTS, TERFS, ZI0NISTS

☀️ RADQUEER, TRANSID & RELATED (uncomfy 4 trauma reasons)

☀️ DRAMA/CRINGE-FOCUSED BLOGS (incl. "shipping discourse")

☀️ FANDOM BLOGS (unless you're rbing to a secondary kin blog)

we block freely & without warning, and will do so if the vibes are off.

HATE MAIL/RBs WILL NOT BE MET WITH A RESPONSE.

DO INTERACT (AKA Safe Space For):

🌻 Trans women & femmes.

🌻 Intersex & GNC folks.

🌻 Good faith identities.

🌻 Alterhumans, nonhumans, otherkin, otherhearted, etc. 🌟 P-shifters, 'thropes, & species dysmorphic included!

🌻 Folks who experience neurodivergency, disability, personality disorders, madness, chronic illness, trauma, and other lived experiences that cause them to be discriminated against.

🌻 POC & indigenous peoples.

🌻 All underrepresented & disadvantaged communities.

please let us know GENTLY if ever we accidentally say/reblog something appropriative or offensive, so that we can apologize and delete it ASAP. we do our best to be vigilant and stay educated, but colonialism is insidious. it is never in our interest to spread bigotry, and we apologize in advance should this accidentally occur.

we also apologize if we accidentally follow/interact with you when we fall under your dni. we do what we can to double and triple check, but oopsies happen. feel free to block us in such an event.

GENERAL TAGSLIST: (WIP)

#/0mniposting - personal/blog posts

#/cosmic: celestial - space & paradise feels

#/cosmic: horror - abyssal & eldritch feels (horror tw)

#/cosmic: void - void feels

#/digital: affection - robot/android/computer feels

#/digital: infection - virus feels

#/digital: intelligence - ai feels

#/divine: love - yearning, obsession, & grief feels

#/divine: fallen - sacrilege, vice, and reclamation feels

#/divine: wrath - justice, vengeance, & justified rage feels

#/divine: wyldling - circle of life & the red hunt feels

#/paleo: claws - extinct sauropsid feels (dinos, birds, reptiles)

#/paleo: fangs - extinct synapsid feels (mammals)

#/paws: howls in the city - domestic canine feels

#/paws: howls in the desert - desert canine feels

#/paws: howls in the valley - tundra & taiga canine feels

#/paws: mustelid menagerie - self-explanatory feels

#/paws: snarls in the city - domestic feline feels

#/paws: snarls in the sand - desert feline feels

#/paws: snarls in the snow - tundra & taiga feline feels

#/the red hunt - hunting, ferality & gnashing teeth feels

#/the storm within - storms, seas, and subconscious feels

#/the stones below - ancient worship & primordial feels

#/the skies above - worldly disconnect & paradise feels

SPECIFIC TAGLISTS: (WIP)

#/🌿.tri - tw: substances, trauma, glitches, death & grief

#/🌃.lun - tw: death, themes of despair, suggestive themes

#/🍭.mar - tw: death, themes of loss and child death, violence

#/🦡.bli - tw: predation, violence, blood, animal death, grief

#/🦦.ynn - tw: implied relationship abuse, loss of freedom

#/🖥️.iki - tw: loss of freedom, violence, obsession & despair

#/🦉.ryk - tw: themes of loss and death, injustice, unreality

#/🐾.cat - tw: themes of loss and despair, grief, longing

[mammoth-clangen]

It makes me so happy to see how passionate you are about paleo!! That kind of dedication is so lovely to engage with

Oh I'm glad! I worry I'm rambling aimlessly so knowing that at least some people are enjoying it is nice to hear c:

For some paleo related fun, here's a huge Eurasian Pleistocene Big Cat sketchdump from 2023 when I was brainstorming for White Cat, Gold Plains

I still like a lot of these, though I was obviously trying to lean more into realism than I do in Kindred Also they're not Fleet Fangs, they're a different species within the same genera, Homotherium latidens and Panthera (leo) spelaea

Past me was some kind of madlad trying to put spots on things, no wonder the comic died after 10 pages c':

[melonlthawne]

[troythecatfish]

[zzthekaiju]

THE GREAT MONSTER HUNTER RANKING! Part 3

For this part, we're finally starting to look at the bulk of MH's monsters, the Wyverns. To start, the ones that bear the closest relation/resemblance to birds. In truth, they are divided into two sub-categories: the Theropod Bird Wyverns, and the True Bird Wyverns.

Little side-note before I go on, but one thing I've always found to be a little amusing is how almost every big monster is called a "Wyvern", despite most not looking anything the typical image of winged dragons with only wings and legs. My theory is that because Wyverns have only four limbs, so do all the monsters here named after them. Makes sense, right?

We'll look at the first one now. To sum up, these are basically raptors. No strings attached, these are big, JP-style raptors. Since this is a fantasy world, I'm more than willing to let some paleo-inaccuracy slide (though this franchise has ways of surprising me pleasantly). That said, I believe it was a major power move to label the most raptor-like of monsters as birds back during the time when there were still people in furious denial about real-life prehistoric raptors being the most bird-like of dinosaurs.

The Theropod Bird Wyverns:

"Get 'em, boys!"

Most of the Theropod Bird Wyverns all operate the same. A bunch of small raptors led by a really big one. And the hilarious thing is, the smaller raptors don’t do jack diddly squat to impede any hunter who has even the slightest idea of what they’re doing. The beginner hunters they’re meant to fight could literally pretend the minions don’t exist and it wouldn’t make much of a difference. Still, it’s nice as a part of their ecology, so I let it slide.

ANYWAY, the first one is the Velocidrome and its underlings, the Velociprey. For a starter, I love it mainly for its color scheme. The bright hues, especially the blood-orange claws, contrasting with the black stripes make this a visual treat, and there's something intriguing about how its hands are shaped almost like demonic rakes. Impressive for the first “large” monster ever fought in the franchise. 8/10.

(Coughing up sand) "Get 'em, boys!"

The Gendrome and its Genprey are the desert raptors, and they're not quite as interesting visually as their inland relatives. They fight by inflicting paralysis via their long fangs. Cool, but those fangs kinda make it look like they're wearing a mustache from a distance. Just not my thing, these guys are, especially when there are more interesting alternatives. 5/10.

"GeT 'Em bOys!"

Now here's a monster that got beaten with the ugly stick one too many times. The Iodrome and the Ioprey occupy the swamplands, and they've got some rather unusual designs to match their supposedly unpleasant abode. With heads shaped like hatchets and the ability to spit poison, they're definitely memorable for just how weird they are compared to their compatriots. Oh, and despite having to keep moist most of the time, they can inhabit volcanoes for some reason. Maybe that fact about the moistness is more of a "because they can" thing. I dunno, they just look so sickly, it's hard to look at them. But points for standing out in a crowd. 6/10.

"Assault the others, compatriots."

Giadrome is just a re-skinned Velocidrome with ice powers. Not impressed. 2/10.

"Tear 'em up, guys!"

The Great Jaggi marks a turning point in these types of monster. The Dromes all but got replaced by these bulkier, almost deadlier breeds. This guy may not be as vibrant as the Velocidrome he replaced, but he's a standout for just how much abuse his kind keeps inviting upon itself. Jaggi are described as being to larger monsters what chihuahuas are to bigger dogs. In that they will bark and taunt anything and anyone with no heed to the consequences. That might explain why Jaggis were such a punching bag in the series for the longest time, to the point where they've all but retired the big one while the little ones remain. It's a shame, as I like that streak of white hair and the very clearly JP Dilophosaurus-inspired frill on its head. Bring back the Great Jaggi, Capcom! He's a boisterous weakling, but he's our boisterous weakling! 7/10.

"Shhh...tear 'em up, guys."

On the flipside, the Great Baggi and the next Bird Wyvern here managed to escape being stuck in previous generations. Though if I'm being honest, looks aren't what make the Baggi neat. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice design with that horn almost looking like a pompadour haircut, but their trump card is the power in their spit. You see, it contains a sort of sleeping agent that makes its prey drowsy and unable to fight back. So the Baggi's prey could be peacefully sleeping as it's ripped limb from limb by the predator and its underlings. That's all kinds of messed up! Thankfully, it doesn't do enough to down a hunter that badly, but it sure is something to think about. 6/10.

"TEaR 'Em uP, gUYs!"

Just as the Iodrome was the resident raptor swamp freak, so too is the Great Wroggi. I'll admit, I'm a little put-off by the weird almost pig-like snout it has on top of its bloated neck sac that helps it produce the poisonous gasses it lobs at foes. But I like how its skin looks like that of a frog's, and I don't know if anyone's pointed this out, but I find myself fascinated by how its tails is shaped like that of a leaf. Just a neat little detail that goes a long way. 7/10.

"Aye, let's tear 'em up, party dudes!"

Because Great Jaggi got put on sabbatical, his replacement was the equally powerful (not saying much) Great Maccao. However, unlike the Jaggi, it's no team player, as these raptors are cowardly in nature and will often abandon one another if the going gets tough. That already means the Jaggi has one over them. Then again, I admire how their designs bring to mind how raptors were very much feathered, and it makes for some gorgeous plumage. Plus, I like how they fight by balancing on their tails and kicking like a reptilian kangaroo. It makes for a frantic and interesting fight. Still, I'll take the foolish resolve of the Jaggi over the good-looking cowardice of the Maccao. 6/10.

"Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine-"

Monster Hunter: World all but replaced the Theropod Bird Wyvern's signature mob tactics most likely due to giving that strategy to some Fanged Wyverns instead. So, the two new ones introduced go at it solo. The Kulu-Ya-Ku is notable for just how...well, it's got the head of a dodo bird, what do you want me to say? This thing isn't intimidating in the slightest. And it isn't supposed to be. This overgrown plucked turkey spends most of its time using its specially-designed hands to grab and run off with eggs, like how many used to perceive the Oviraptor of real-life prehistory. What's amusing is that if one attacks the arms while it's holding an object, it will comically drop it to the ground and break whatever it was holding, be it an egg or even pots and rocks it attacks the hunter with. Points for having character over my preferred aesthetics. 6/10.

And yes, I'm aware of that one incident in which one got its hands on a crystal from FF:XIV. The sheer absurdity of seeing this joke of a Wyvern get that big and one-shot HR hunters was certainly an experience.

"SOLAR FLARE!"

Another far less funny solo Bird Wyvern is the Tzizi-Ya-Ku. It has the same build, except it has a darker color scheme, and it's head looks like a perpetually angry Dilophosaurus. But then there's its trump card, a pair of fish-like fins that open up and literally flashblind any creature unlucky enough to be in its way. This works on hunters and even large monsters, which makes them accidentally helpful on several occasions. It's a fun design overall, and a pretty amusing gameplay feature when it's not trying to flashbang you. 8/10.

"Karera o hikisaite kudasai, min'na!"

Monster Hunter: Rise would see a return to the pack-hunting Bird Wyverns in the form of the Great Izuchi. Already, we have ourselves a banger, with a raptor covered in feather-like fur and with a head not unlike the cunning weasel it's based off of. Yes, this monster is based on a Japanese weasel of myth known as the Kamaitachi. The catch is that this Yokai weasel was said to wield scythes on its feet to cut travelers with. It was a means of explaining the cutting pain of cold winds in the mountains, but here, it's better explained by the blade-like end of the Izuchi's tail. And it can swing that blade around to the point where you almost forget that it's meant to be a beginner's monster. But being a beginner monster doesn't take away from how neat it is. 8/10.

"Gwaaaaaahhhhh....!"

The Sunbreak expansion of Rise would give us a new Bird Wyvern...with no leader. Which is a shame, because the Boggi have so much charm put into them! If you couldn't tell by the big ears and manic expressions, they're basically goblins if they were also raptors. But alas, they're relegated to common small enemies, with no Great Boggi in sight. But why not?! I can't get enough of the little guys' dopey expressions, imagine what a bigger one would look like! Either way, show these obscure buggers some love, why don't you? 7.5/10.

Now that we've seen the Theropods, we can now move on to the second type of Bird Wyvern, the ones that actually try to look and act like birds, that is.

The True Bird Wyverns:

"You think I'm funny? Thanks!"

Admittedly, the first "True Bird Wyvern" only looks like a bird thanks to its head. Other than that, The Yian-Kut-Ku looks like a typical Wyvern. Though by typical, we mean "kinda goofy". That head looks like a mix between a parrot and a pelican, complete with big frill "ears". Actually, it kinda looks like the sort of thing that would pop up in a bestiary of medieval beasts. And that's what makes it so charming, on top of having a vibrant color scheme. I also like how its head is shaped like that specifically because it can swallow Konchus even when they're rolled up. 7/10.

"You think I'm funny? HOW DO YOU THINK I'M FUNNY?!"

On the other hand, the Yian-Kut-Ku has a larger, and far less approachable cousin. The Yian Garuga feels like what would happen if its smaller kin got sick and tired of being the butt of everyone's jokes, and became as edgy and vicious as possible. You'd think that'd make it several steps up for me, but it sort of loses the scrappy charm of the Yian-Kut-Ku in the process. Still, you got to admire this thing's tenacity. It's so ill-tempered and bloodthirsty, it'll attack monsters many times its size and still be able to walk out of the fight if it can't win. Plus, it's got a metallic-sounding roar that can stun said large monsters too. So yeah, a bit on the edgy side, but at least this guy wears that on its sleeve. 7.5/10.

"Gobble, gobble, mofo"

Gypceros is...well, he's not winning any popularity contests soon. For one thing, the more you learn about its design, the worse it gets. It's skin is made of a material similar to rubber, it's tail can extend like a worm somehow, and it loves nothing more than to blind prey with the odd hammer-like head crest on its unfathomably stupid face. Oh, and in previous generations, it could rob you of items. And to top off this living pile of spite and unease, its favorite trick is to pretend to be dead near the end of its fight, only to spring to life and hit hard.

So yeah, not a big fan of this oversized plucked turkey. As far as I'm concerned, they belong in a Nerscylla's wardrobe. 3/10.

"Could someone help me out here? I got lost."

Hypnocatrice is an odd case. It's actually an immigrant from the MMO Monster Hunter: Frontier. But it somehow got to be in Freedom Unite...and that's it. It's a shame too, because out of all the Bird Wyverns, this one might actually be the most bird-like. With a head like a stork and some pretty feather patterns, Hypno here certainly catches the eye. But other than that, there's nothing terribly special about it, other than its pacifistic attitude and the ability to lob drowsiness-inducing spit. It has its fans, and I don't blame them. After all, absence makes any being seem more appealing. 5.5/10.

"NOOT NOOT!"

Now here's one of the more OUT THERE Bird Wyverns! Qurupeco is just the right blend of intriguing and ridiculous I look for in early-game monsters. It has some of the prettiest plumage out of this monster type, with pretty greens, blues, and red adorning its body. It also looks like a cross between a duck, a pterosaur, and as you might have noticed from that large red throat sac, a frigate bird. But that sac isn't just for attracting mates. The Qurupeco's ace in the hole is the ability to mimic other bigger monsters' sounds, and amplify them with that sac and the odd trumpet-like thing at the top of its beak. And rather infamously, its bag of tricks includes the call of the dreaded Deviljho (which, nine times out of ten, screws over both it AND the hunter it sicced the monstrous pickle on). But without its backup ability, it still has some other cool moves, like the combustible mucus it can spit at foes, or cover its flint-like wing-claws with so that they create a small explosion when slammed together.

My God, what is this thing doing stuck in the third generation?! It's flowing with vibrancy and creativity! Bring it back, Capcom! I don't care if it summons a monster leagues above my ability. I can take it (I most definitely cannot)! 8.5/10.

"Wenk, wenk."

Yeah, Gargwa are labeled as True Bird Wyverns, but they're not large monsters. If anything, they exist to serve the same purpose as everything in the Herbivore type of monster. That being tasty canon fodder for everything around them. That's not to say they aren't appealing, being comically round emu-geese. I like them, they look like something from a fantastical fountain park. 6/10.

"They kicked me out of Ga'Hoole, said my magic act was...too intense. What do they know?!"

So it seems that anytime we get a new True Bird Wyvern, the designers at Capcom pull out all the stops to make it as unique as possible. Thus, we now have our first owl-based monster. And about time, too. Owls have massive potential as monster designs. The Malfestio here just has so much presence. You can't tell from the image, but the insides of its wings are so such beautiful shades of blue...with a dark secret. You see, this jester-like owl has the unique ability to inflict the Confusion status ailment with the scales on its wings that dissipate into a golden mist with enough force...which it then can blow straight at you. Getting hit by this causes the controls to invert for a while. That's really neat, and makes for a unique fight! Plus, it's a man-sized owl. That's just cool. 8/10.

"Oogly boogly!!!"

At first, one might be put off by a name that sounds like "pukey pukey", especially when you learn that this thing vomits globs of poison (and fires it out of the tip of its tail). But the Pukei Pukei more than makes up for it by being a very pretty, if somewhat bizarre, bird. Okay, "bird" is stretching it a bit, but this is the same type that invited the Gypceros in. At least this one has feathers. The fact that it combines those features with those seen in geckos only adds to the neat factor. While its tendency to attack smaller monsters while running from bigger ones paints it in a sort of bully image, a certain crossover event quest from World shows that they're not all that bad. 7.5/10.

"Wings of - thwack!-regret!"

Rise is one of my favorite inductions in this franchise mostly because a lot of the newcomers wear their mythological inspirations on their sleeves. In this case, the Aknosom is based on the Karakasa, a living parasol with a face and one leg to hop on. This beast's intro cutscene does just that (though why is unclear), and it adds a boatload of charm. Aside from that one stance, the wings are designed to look just like an umbrella, and if you look closely, the center of its vibrant head-frill looks an awful lot like an eye. This is on top of just being so unique as a monster based on a Japanese crane. The only reason I don't rank it higher is because I'm a little put off by how it has a distinct lack of body feathers, giving it an unsettlingly naked look (or, based on its fire powers, that of a burnt chicken). Still, it's a winner in my book! 8/10.

And there go the Bird Wyverns! Next up, the stars of the franchise known as the Flying Wyverns!

Index:

Herbivores

Neopterons, Carapaceans, Temnocerans

Bird Wyverns

Flying Wyverns

Piscine Wyverns, Amphibians, Leviathans

Brute Wyverns

Fanged Beasts, Fanged Wyverns

Elder Dragons

[fantomyoshi]

Hey everyone! If you're interested in knowing me more, read this! 👀

(UPDATED. It's a pretty long read!)

23y old ~ She/Her

November gang let's gooooo!

Bday 22/11

I'm a chill and friendly Canadian 🇨🇦 girl. I love playing games and meeting new friends! I can be shy when meeting new people, but I open up eventually. I can be very outgoing and talkative, I love memes and seeing other people's art! I am in no way confrontational but I'll do my best to protect my friends!

I do YouTube videos on Mario Kart, but I hope to expand those videos to more content!

Main OCs you'd expect to see often:

Nirvana (Sculk Iron Golem)

Nerus (Pillager, has 3 dragons, Volt, Quill and Fang)

Wallam (Wandering Trader)

Puff (Warden)

~~

What I enjoy:

Games: Mario Kart, Minecraft, Dragons, Dinosaur games (Ark, Paleo Pines)

I love sugar. I have a big sweet tooth and sweets are definitely a weakness of mine! I also have a cat named Helios. He's just a big goofball but I love him nonetheless! I like to draw, talk and just chill around.

What I don't like:

Rude people, Art thieves, AI art (It's lazy AF), people using my OCs as their own (yes it happened).

~~

I am a SFW Artist (⚠️ Mild Blood and Gore included), so you can expect varieties of Arts unless I'm in a phase of, for example, Dinosaurs, then there's gonna be more posts of these for a while.

I'm a self-taught artist, meaning I've learn everything I draw by using little to no references. I don't use skeletons or bases to draw. I can get heavily inspired by looking at one drawing! I've started at age 4, starting with dinosaurs!

I draw using Clip Studio Paint on my PC and traditionally using my hands! I once used a mouse to draw until I got my drawing tablet in 2022!

~~

What you can expect I draw:

Illagers, Villagers, Dragons, Dinosaurs, Yoshi's, Humans, Iron Golems, Wardens and maybe more!

☄️ I can also do random lore dumps about OCs of mines!

~~

About my OCs

My characters were all created for fun and for story purposes.

- If you'd like to use my characters in your story, go ahead! Please send me a link to it because I'd be very curious to see how you write them up 👀

- You can use my characters for pretty much anything. From being friends or enemies with your characters, to just having a small cameo! If you'd like to pair (ship) one with a character you'd think they'd fit with, I'll allow it, as long it does not go to the border of sexual behavior.

- If shipping OCs together, I'll allow you to replace their current pairing and affiliation. There's a few OCs that will remain unavailable even with this knowledge. *Ritu/Shuteye must be kept paired. Puff the Warden, and any children are unavailable to ship with your OCs.

- Do not use my characters if it's only for hate speech/hurtful criticism. My characters are made for fun and not for someone to use as punching bags.

- Respect the story and lore of my characters. If you use Nerus, he keeps his dragons, home and Trident with him.

- If you use my OCs, note that none of what happens in your story is canon to their lore. If you want this to be canon in any way, an Alternate Universe is made for that.

~~

More

Requests ✅

You can ask me questions! ✅ (Or my OCs)

Fanart ✅

Art Collabs ✅

Art Trades ✅

RP (Roleplay) ✅

RPs I can do: Adventure, Fantasy, Serious/Drama, Multiverse (this can also fuse our worlds together). I will also add Dark themes, simply the tension building interests me! These can all be done with any of the things we like!

I DON'T do the following in RPs: Fetishism, Sexual themes, Extreme violence, Child abuse (Hell Naw)

Usually I do Roleplays on my Discord, but I suppose I can make them here on certain occasions!

[best-fictional-marine-reptile]

ROUND 1 ROUNDUP

Thanks to everyone who participated in Round 1! Just for fun, I thought I would gather up some stats I've found so far. You can get an idea of the individual results here, as always, but this post will have some aggregate data. So, let's get right to it:

Of course, keep in mind that all ranking comparisons are not really indicative of how popular any given candidate is (except maybe the series aggregates at the end), but rather only specifically how much more popular they were than their opponent. So, it's very much anyone's game!

Anyway thanks again to all participants, and I hope for your continued participation in Round 2 (currently ongoing!) and beyond!

Under the cut since I got a bit carried away with the categories...

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Ornithischian Bracket: Top 3 Candidates

1st place: Chomp [Dinosaur King], at 87% (over Armadon [Primal Rage])

2nd place: Styracavus [Flight Rising], at 85.3% (over Riff [Barney])

3rd place: Url [Dinosaur (2000)], at 83.7% (over Darkyloseid [DC])

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Saurischian Bracket: Top 3 Candidates

1st place: Amped Raptor [Magic the Gathering], at 81.6%, over Indoraptor [Jurassic Park]

2nd place: Meganium [Pokemon], at 80.8%, over Denver [Denver, the Last Dinosaur]

3rd place: Raptor Red [Raptor Red], at 77.3, over Voodoo Microraptor [Dinosaur Arcade]

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Megatheropod Bracket: Top 3 Candidates

1st place: Fang [Primal], at 88.2%, over Bonehead [Dinosaucers]

2nd place: Rexy [Night at the Museum], at 86.9%, over General Scales [Star Fox]

3rd place: Greymon [Digimon], at 85.2%, over Jurrac Titano [Yu-Gi-Oh!]

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Overall Top 3

1st place: Fang [Primal], at 88.2%, over Bonehead [Dinosaucers]

2nd place: Chomp [Dinosaur King], at 87% (over Armadon [Primal Rage])

3rd place: Rexy [Night at the Museum], at 86.9%, over General Scales [Star Fox]

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Top Performing Series (Vote %, No Conditions)

1st place: Night at the Museum (84.65)

2nd place: Google Dino Run (84.3)

3rd place: Raptor Red (77.3)

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Top Performing Series (Vote %, Only Series With Average Or Above # of Candidates)

1st place: Prehistoric Planet (66.16)

2nd place: Paleo Pines (65.54)

3rd place: Pokemon (65.34)

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Top Performing Series (% of Matches Won, Only Series With Average Or Above # of Candidates

1st place: Prehistoric Planet (100%), from 5 candidates

2nd place: Digimon (92.86%), from 14 candidates

3rd place: Monster Hunter (90.91%) from 11 candidates

------

Closest Match

Tyrannomon X [Digimon] (49.1%)

vs.

T-Rex [Fantasia] (50.9%)

------

And that's everything I felt like tracking! If you have other questions feel free to ask, although I may not have tracked the right data for it; for example I did not keep track of actual vote counts at all because I didn't realize I should until I had already not done so for several weeks, and really don't feel like doing so.

[fantasy-fields-bitty-center]

Morph masterpost

Pastel

Albino

Piebald

Scaleless

Featherless

Hairless

Melanistic

Off color

Extinguished 

Eldritch eyes < WARNING: Multiple eyes/Body horror

Eldritch mouths < WARNING: Multiple mouths/Body horror

Eldritch arms

Crystal 

Fizzy

Fizzy color

Nightlight

Sunlight

Smoke

Feathery

Fluffy

Scaly

Vitiligo Type N

Vitiligo Type M

Heterochromia

Fall

Spring

Summer

Winter

Freckles Type A

Freckles Type B

Freckles Type C

Freckles Type D

Freckles Type E

Eyeliner

Eyeshadow

Lipstick

Heart

Mask

Paint

Star

Spotted

Striped

Swirl

Mist

Rocky

Beast

Twin bound

Split tail

Short tail

No tail

Long tail

Optical Malfunction

Miscolored

Black light

Polycoria

Dull

Neon

Washed out

Goopy

Valentines

Halloween 

Christmas 

Firework 

Easter 

Legmuff

Furmuff

Double ear

Magic ears

Spikeback

Shark teeth type A

Shark teeth type B

Vampiric

Clown

Glitter

Fanged type A

Fanged type B

Fanged type C

Fanged type D

Fanged type E

Fanged type F

Fanged type G

Fanged type H

Fanged type I

Calico(from Bugsy!)

Skeletal bitties =

here

Lamia bitties =

Flower

Axanthic

Sunset

Bumblebee

Horned bitties=

Here!

Antlered bitties =

Here!

Winged bitties =

Wing type A(for non winged bitties)

Wing type B

Wing type C(for both winged and non winged bitties)

Wing type D

Paleo bitties =

Lux

Bitty specific morphs =

Sunrise(Akhekh only morph)

[miss-barker]

GenLocke FireRed Part 7 - Surf's Up

Caught Forge the Magnemite (Lv. 22, Lax Nature) in the Power Plant.

Caught Twizz the Tangela (Lv. 25, Gentle Nature) on Route 21. 

Caught Clamu the Shellder (Lv. 15, Jolly Nature) on Cinnabar Island. 

Flew over to Pewter City to receive the Old Amber.

Resurrected Paleo the Kabuto (Lv. 5, Brave Nature) and Lazarus the Aerodactyl (Lv. 5, Quiet Nature) at the lab on Cinnabar Island. 

Caught Fang the Raticate (Lv. 36, Hasty Nature) in Pokemon Mansion.

Did all that running around to find the key.

Taught Thunder to Denki.

Caught Ruby the Tentacool (Lv. 8, Lax Nature) on Route 20.

Caught Perry the Psyduck (Lv. 27, Modest Nature) at Seafoam Islands.

Temporarily took Bubbles out of the PC to evolve her into Poliwhirl so I could FINALLY get the Exp. Share.

Did some grinding to prepare for the next gym.

Fought against Gym Leader Blaine. Tempest swept through his entire team with Surf.

[necrothezma]

Have you heard of that Primal show from the creator of Samurai Jack? Although far from scientifically accurate (It’s a series with sauropod-sized spiders, zombie Argentinosauruses and a were-compy that can tear a Triceratops in half. A caveman living in the same time period as a featherless Tyrannosaurus is the least unscientific thing about it), it’s a pretty cool series so far.

Yeah! I've actually watched every episode of it and enjoyed it a lot, it was really cool

[coprolite-posting]

Hey you kids like... Bugs™

...if you need some sort of context pretend there’s a Doge being annoyed by... fuck I give up you make the meme this time. absolute chaos

[fugamsemidei]

The Poochyena pack congregates, physically blocking Paleo from approaching the two that had the kids. Growls, snarls, bared fangs. All clear signs he’d have to get through them before he could even think about saving Ark and Alburune.

From behind the line, the kids cry out in distress.

Paleo roars.

The sound reverberates through the crowd. Two Poochyena flee from the sound alone. The rest charge him with biting fangs.

The one he headbutted goes tumbling forward, rolling across the grass. He slashes with his claws at another, and another, but the dogs are too jumpy, and both attacks miss.

By the time the first dog gets up again, the six of them have him surrounded.

[mammoth-clangen]

I love seeing the colour patterns on your clan gen homotherium and smilodon.

They remind me of cat colours. Colour mutations in animals (cats and prehistoric animals on general too) are my special interest

I remember that my favourite smilodon design was the one from Primeval. I still have the box sets and they were my favourite as a kid (and now lol).

Sad that Smilodon was most likely tawny like lions. It apparently lived in open areas so most likely wouldn't have spots or stripes. But that doesn't mean we can't draw them like it. Also I wonder what mutations they did have in real life (like white lions, white tigers, "strawberry" erythristic leopards, albino leopard, and melanistic leopards and jaguars do appear in the wild)

I actually discovered your comic when I followed the homotherium tag after seeing the frozen cub. I once saw lyuba the mammoth at the natural history museum, London, at a limited exhibition. I'm completely obsessed with the permafrost mummies. I hope I get to see more in person one day.

Here's my kitty, Zoe.

Oh my goosh what a cute cat ;A;

here's my creature, Fat Tilly! She's an 11yr old Selkirk rex who likes loafing and lying in the sun c:

And thank you! I adore colour mutations in extant animals and I agree that it's really fun to contemplate them in extinct ones c:

I'm gonna preempt this getting long and put a cut here jhrjhrf

I'm sure you will already have seen this, but for anyone interested in paleoart depictions of colour mutations, I'd really recommend this great article all about it

White Cat, Gold Plains was actually all about the premise of a Homotherium with piebaldism. Pied is one of my favourite pigment mutations because it's so much deeper than integument patterns; it's actually a neural tube defect that leads to distinct behavioural changes. WC,GP was about Kiina, the pied cat, and her struggles with always being view as 'childish' by her peers and struggling to fit in. There was also more human impact in this story, as Kiina gets picked up as a cub by a group of early humans. It was sort of my own experience/musings on neurodivergency played alongside some thoughts on early domestication attempts humans must have had (though we all know that, sadly, Homotherium did not end up domesticated). Pied animals are typically more trusting, which is why you see so many pied domestic animals! (Fat Tilly and Zoe both are, for example lolol)

Also the Primeval Smilodon has one of the most gorgeous and distinct designs of any media sabercat tbh, I really loved the episode as a whole even though it had a sort of sad-but-expected ending.

I don't remember where I read it, but there was someone discussing Smilodon patterns and the conclusion was basically "we can't be sure". While lions are solid as adults, they're spotted as cubs and likely had spotted ancestors seeing Pantherines seem to have strongly contrasting patterns as the default. Machairodontids aren't even the same lineage as Pantherines, so we really can't know what patterns they had except for Homotherium latidens having dark brown cubs! They could just as easily grow into a different adult coat, like hyena do. (side note, I was sorta hoping that absolutely amazing Homotherium mummy news might drag some people to my comic so I'm glad it did lolol)

Smilodon was also likely very ambush dependent, being too bulky for pursuits even as long as modern lions. Disruptive colouration could have helped with this even in fairly open habitats. This is actually why I gave the Ice Fangs very faint stripes; high contrast tiger striping didn't make much sense, but breaking up the outline a little couldn't be a bad thing even in a steppe environment. I also didn't want them completely solid because there are actual lions to differentiate cx

[kiryuthechimera]

ATOM Contest Entry: Genkakurah

My entry to @tyrantisterror ‘s ATOM contest.

***

Name: Genkakurah Aliases: Blazing Dragon, Puff the Magic Dragon, Genkaku Ryu Date Discovered: October 10, 1956 Place of Origin: Yakushima Notable Stomping Grounds: Japan, San Francisco Bay Area, Dankikang Island Height: 100 feet (115 with horns) Length: 200 feet

Biology and Appearance: Although Genkakurah is most likely a retrosaur, it’s unknown what clade he specifically belongs to, though general consensus is that he’s some bizarre species of Transitional Tyrant. There’s some debate on whether Genkakurah is a naturally occurring creature, or if he’s a manmade experiment, for he simply appeared one day in Yakushima, and possesses various abilities, notably a hallucinogenic venom and psychic powers.

As thought to be the case with bipedal Transitional Tyrants, Genkakurah stands upright, with his tail effectively dragging on the ground. His head looks somewhere between that of a Paleo Tyrant and a crocodilian of some kind, with a robust skull and large jaws filled with sizable teeth, though his teeth generally aren’t visible lest he pulls his lips back or opens his mouth. The exception to this are a pair of pointed teeth that function like fangs; the tips of these poke out from from his mouth even when it’s closed. From atop his head are a set of ivory horns, the likes of which sport multiple branching points and oddly resemble the antlers of deer such as caribou. Running along his lower jaw are multiple osteoderms that give the impression of a beard. From the sides of his head are a pair of spiky fin-like structures.

Genkakurah’s arms are large and muscular, each ending in four clawed digits, one of which functions like an opposable thumb. His stocky legs are digitigrade in posture, ending in four large talons on each foot. From behind him swings a long flexible tail that closely resembles a crocodile’s, with the exception of a thagomizer at the tip reminiscent of that seen in Spike-Tailed Goliaths. Running down his back to his tail are a series of leaf-shaped spines. Across his body, his scales are riddled with osteoderms.

In terms of color, Genkakurah’s head and neck are gray in color, with his eyes a piercing gold and his ‘osteoderm beard’ and fins white. The gray transitions into a brown as it reaches down towards the body, before changing into a red as it arrives at the tail; the thagomizer itself is a similar ivory white as the horns.

Gankakurah possesses the following abilities:

Super strength

An enhanced healing factor

Immunity to radiation

Vocal mimicry - Genkakurah possesses the uncanny ability to mimic a broad variety of different sounds, much like that seen in birds like corvids or lyrebirds. The retrosaur seems to have some basic understanding behind the meaning of the sounds he’s copying, to the degree where one could argue he has a primitive comprehension of the concept of language.

Anti-Gravity Flight - Exploiting the gravity manipulating powers typical of kaiju, Genkakurah can fly through the air despite lacking wings.

Hallucinogenic Venom and Breath - Genkakurah’s trademark weapon, and what earned him his name, is a powerful hallucinogenic venom that he can inject via his bite or claws. Alternatively, similar to that seen in Tyrannopyrodons, he can expel this venom as a projectile, albeit in his case it’s more of a stream of a pink gas cloud. Regardless, the effects of this hallucinogen are potent, and even small doses can be effective. The victim will quickly start feeling woozy and the color will drain away from their skin almost right away. Following this, the poison promptly begins messing with their mind, making them experience powerful and vivid hallucinations that only get worse and worse overtime. Differing victims may have different reactions depending on the individual; some may panic and desperately try to get away from the illusions they’re seeing, others might see everything as a threat and attack whatever’s in their sight in a crazed frenzy, and others still may just stop everything they’re doing and focus all their power on just trying to comprehend what’s happening. Eventually, around an hour depending on the dosage, the victim often just passes out from the poison, though weaker individuals or those who’d gain lethal amounts may end up dying.

Telekinesis

Teleportation

Personality: Genkakurah is an unpredictable individual who doesn’t always stay in the same area. The retrosaur may dwell in a forest in Yakushima one day, before suddenly making his way over to Dankikang Island the very next day. He doesn’t seem to have a set territory in mind, rather choosing a nomadic lifestyle that sees him traversing differing parts of the world. This can sometimes bring him into conflict with more territorial kaiju, but just a quick puff of his hallucinogenic gas is all it takes for instead the confrontation ending with the retrosaur’s amusement at the kaiju’s resulting trip.

Not really possessing the same drive for combat that’s typically the case with kaiju, Genkakurah prefers just watching conflict over partaking in it. The kaiju may watch other monsters duke it out for the amusement of it, sitting or laying down in a rather slothful manner. Other times, though, he may be the one starting the conflict in the first place out of sheer mischievous, spraying other creatures with his poison before letting them go crazy as his venom takes hold. On occasions, Genkakurah may be confronted with a group of two or more kaiju, only to have them all instead fight amongst themselves without having to raise a claw.

Theoretically speaking, Genkakurah would be a highly dangerous threat to humanity, for he could easily fly over a major city whilst breathing out his hallucinogenic gas to cause mass hysteria. It should thus be fortunate, then, that Genkakurah seemingly has no interest whatsoever in attacking humanity. While there have been times where the retrosaur has ventured near populated areas a little too close for one’s comfort, he has never actively engaged in combat with human forces unless provoked. While he’s likely exposed individual groups, such as hikers or tourists in a remote location, to his hallucinogens to be amused at their reactions, he never deliberately attacks humans out of any sort of maliciousness

In fact, Genkakurah in general hardly ever exhibits any real malice or aggression towards others. All of his antics he commits are done purely for fun’s sake and for his entertainment. It’s only on rare occasions, when his anger’s been roused, does he ever utilize his powers for legitimate harmful purposes. Otherwise, Genkakurah seems content to just sit back and chill when not causing trouble with his hallucinogens. Theoretically, if one were to circumvent his breath and try and get to know him, they might find a fun friend in him.

[ren1327]

Seeing Stars ch.8 snippet

Sorry I've been gone so long guys, work is killing me softly and I'm planning to go to a con this sept.

So, I apologize I only have crumbs for now, I promise you a pie later next week.

I had a scene in mind when I first started, the CampFam talking to the Roth's via satellite video call while locked in the security bunker/apartment based on the Jurassic Park TellTale game (love it).

So...enjoy!

----------------------------------

“We’re…well, most of us are fine. Kenji was bit by a troodon.” Ben said, looking up at the monitor.

“A troodon?!” Cole yelled, eyes flicking around in alarm. “Where did—”

“Sorkin’s old lab.” Darius said grimly and they heard a harsh snarl, much like a wolf’s, tiny but elongated fangs peeking past freshly balmed lips.

A throat cleared and Grayson said a soft “Excuse me.”

“You knew Dr. Sorkin?” Ben asked.

“I did…briefly.” Jasper said, hands migrating from the back of the chair and to Grayson’s shoulders to calm his husband.

“Dad?” Cole asked.

Jasper sighed. “Before I met your mother…And after…after the park closed the first time, my brother and I helped with livestock and feed like little Sammy there.”

Sammy smiled and nodded at the older rancher.

“We made friends with a paleo-vet, Gerry Harding. He and his daughter were left by accident, much like y’all are now.” Jasper said and Darius’s eyes widened.

“Wait, he was the one who trained Ben!”

“He taught me the troodon anti-venom and I didn’t even know it…” Ben whispered.

“Guys!” Brooklynn hissed. “Go on, Daddy.”

Jasper nodded and swallowed.

“He told us things…horrible things he saw and about real monsters. Kept alive for the sake of science and a bleeding heart they would claw into themselves. We didn’t believe him. Didn’t think I was true. No such creature on god’s green earth could exist. But then…there was the Indominus. And then, the Scorpius.”

He took a deep breath.

“…I thank the maker my brother didn’t see these things. That he wouldn’t have had the nightmares I did about children…my children bein’ chased down by them, living with them and trying so hard to understand why we take these…dragons…and try to fuck around with them more than we have to.”

He looked at the camera, at Brooklynn.

“Ain’t a day goes by I hope my baby girl isn’t stranded again and I cant protect her. And now…”

Grayson put a hand on Jasper’s.

“We’re coming for you.” Grayson said. “Unfortunately, it might take a while. All helicopters are being used for rescue efforts here. Are you secure for now?”

“Yes.” Brooklynn said. “The tunnels are secure and the dinos all fed and sleeping.”

“Gonna be a lot of shoveling when we get back.” Jasper sighed and Cole snorted out a laugh the same time as Brooklynn.

The elder Roth sibling smiled and looked at the camera.

“I can try to link into your security feed so you guys can rest up. And—”

Cole went silent as Kenji walked to the rest of the group. The oblivious omega smiled, but everyone seemed to zero in on his neck.

“Kenji?” Cole asked, voice like a growl. “Who marked you?”

[therealvagabird]

The Days of Clay - Pt. 1: Lands and Oceans

Another setting concept! This one for a paleo/neolithic world. I’ve had the urge to make this kind of thing for a while now, but I finally got done with the editing.

You can read the full setting rundown all at once on my WordPress. But I will also be posting it in separate parts here on Tumblr depending on your viewing preferences.

Feel free to a leave a comment, and share!

The world is vast, yet humanity is small. Wilds stretch all about, dwarfing even the largest stone houses of Man. It is a primordial era, when the thinking folk knew not the strength of metal, nor the heights of civilization. Most are born and die knowing but a fraction of all the world about them, or if not, braving seas and lands filled with ravenous monsters of a forgotten age. These are the first days, the longest days, the eternal waking dream of those who first knew what it was to tell stories.

In the Days of Clay, humanity exists scattered across many continents and isles in a world of vast seas and dangerous wilds. Great beasts of ages past hunt humans like vermin, and the elements are often the most dangerous foe of all. Fine resources which would allow for technological advancement are rare. Copper and tin are like gold and jewels, though in turn tribals may make extensive use of saurian bones, the carapaces of giant insects, and other exotic materials. Most tribes live confined to tiny fractions of their homeland or hop from island to island in endless seas with nothing but the stars as their guide. Yet others may roam far and wide, or travel from land to land should they be so brave. Though advanced metallurgy and the heights of empire are yet unknown, humanity is not always so “primitive”. In many places there can be found great cities of stone, or gathering places of many tribes, leveraging the power of cooperation. Likewise some crafters may do things with rock and wood and leather that would put even iron-based technologies to shame. Magic is absent, but spirituality is everywhere. The Days of Clay are a time of diversity, danger, and possibilities.

The Thirteen Lands and the Seven Seas

Continents:

Ancient Land of Sakha

Within the waters of Asra, the Great Blood Sea, the old continent of Sakha stands as it has since time immemorial. Not the largest landmass, it nonetheless has many arable river-lands hidden deep within its interior clefts, and numerous peninsulas and nearby islets which have made the coasts a boon for seafaring tribes. The Sakhan peoples are among the most diverse of any continent, having mastered mountain-climbing, boat craft, basic riverside agriculture, and even the domestication of certain beasts of burden. It is the claim of the Sakhan shamans that their land is the oldest in the world, and the birthplace of Manu and Manya – the first humans created by the gods.

Sakha’s climate is very hot, with mountain ranges erupting from broad highland deserts. Within the gaps of these mountains, however, can be found riverways which give rise to flourishing green sanctuaries. Out to the ocean, the bounty of the Blood Sea is abundant, and many tribes stake their claims upon nearby islands, pursuing dangerous seacraft to trade goods between the Sakhan mainland and the outer isles – sometimes even to the far neighbors of the Blood Sea.

Native flora of Sakha includes varieties of desert palms, coniferous trees, and hearty broad-leaf shrubs. Low-lying vegetation is common, and hundreds of varieties of grains, fruits, and aromatic herbs either have their origin in Sakha or were brought there through gradual trade across Asra. Fauna includes many mammalian varieties, including large goats, camels, some pygmy horses, and cattle. Big cats and jackals constitute predator species, and although there are not many saurians to be found upon Sakha, there are a great many enormous snakes and arthropods both in the deserts and along the coasts. Ape-Men are also prominent in the south and east, though not all of their tribes are hostile.

The peoples of Sakha tend to be darker-skinned due to the harsh sun of their home, though are sharp of feature and their hair is less kinky than tribes to the south. Sakhan peoples are as a whole regarded to be more “civilized” than most of their neighbors, having pioneered trends of building, copper-craft, boat building, and other technologies throughout their history. There are hundreds of gods in Sakha, though many of the shamans and priests seem to give reverence to the same higher concepts of “light” and “shadow”. Battles between entire tribes over supposed disputes between their gods are not uncommon. The Sakhans are also noted traders and travelers, sometimes being found on entire other continents after long and adventurous sea-voyages most in their right mind would never consider.

Batyr, Land of Wolves

To the northeast of the Blood Sea there juts a prominent chain of mountainous isles, stretching further and further east all the way into the deeps of the frozen north. The coastlines of Batyr are treacherous to sailors who do not know their secrets, but they hide a hidden boon. Just about the tip of the Land of Wolves there can be found its broad steppelands, which though culminating in snowy barrens at their furthest reaches are some of the most bountiful wilds in all the world. Vast forests and open plains filled with game, if one can just brave the harshness of the winters. To the south, the mountain ranges are less prominent, meaning that those who wish to reach Batyr from outside must know their way about the island-jumps, and the coastal tribes of Batyr are themselves more disposed toward heading south into the Ocean of Tiham than the western Blood Sea.

Though temperate for most of the year, the winters of Batyr are biting cold and can freeze unguarded humans where they stand. Most of the flora that isn’t woody steppe-shrubs are tall and mighty growths of oak and pine which have endured countless years beyond the memories of the oldest shamans. Saurians are unheard of, along with most great reptiles, and any cold-blooded beasts must seek refuge deep underground. Batyr’s greatest wealth and greatest danger, therefor, is held within its name. Massive mammals can be found all throughout the far country’s wilds, from towering mammoths, to great god-birds, and the fearsome dire wolves. There is nary a beast of fur and fang anywhere across the thirteen continents that cannot be found in a larger and more terrible form within Batyr.

Batyrian folk tend to be pale of skin and hairy of body, though darker tribes may also be found, either from ancient mixings with wayward natives of other lands across the Blood Sea, or from tribes out in the distant east. Hair colors come in many ranges, and beards are as popular as anywhere to keep back the chilling winds. Furs are worn in absence of less durable fabrics. Though many are happy to trade, Batyrians have a fearsome reputation, as they are also known to be raiders, and many of the wilder tribes maintain gruesome practices stemming from a single-minded desire for survival. The hunting of large game has bred a people who are not to be trifled with, channeling the unstoppable spirit of the mighty wolf.

Darkest Ar-Nung

Far to the south, beyond the furthest expanse of the Ocean of Tiham, there lies a hidden land where few have journeyed. Though in ancient times humanity did in fact reach those far shores, not but a paltry handful have ever come in or out ever again. South of the very tip of the Hinterlands of Siral’ik, Darkest Ar-Nung dwells across the stormy seas. It is a desert land of great peril, where all must struggle to survive. Though known for its searing and mind-baking heat, to the very south the mountains of Ar-Nung connect to the great ice which blocks off the shadowed reaches of the frozen lands. Travel to Ar-Nung in near impossible save for the savviest of seafarers from Siral’ik who know the way to hop across the island chains of Tiham to eventually reach Ar-Nung’s stormy northern shores. Though there are said to be lands in the frozen wastes beyond Ar-Nung’s most southern mountain ranges, those reaches go unnamed save for being considered to be part of Ar-Nung, as no human has ever journeyed so far into that icy hell and lived.

Within Darkest Ar-Nung there are many perils. It is not just the unforgiving climate and ferocious predatory monsters one must be wary of in the broad deserts, but also the numerous subtle ways one might be killed. Tiny arthropods and reptiles hold enough venom to kill even their titanic cousins in a single bite, while flora of the most beautiful hues – some even resembling their useful or edible counterparts – may likewise inflict a horrid and agonizing death on any who even touch them. Places where water might be found are no less dangerous, as great crocodiles and sharks lurk within the rivers and along the coasts, fit to swallow a grown warrior whole. Meanwhile, to the south, the frozen mountains which lead into the uncharted ice-lands hold untold horrors none have ever braved, from fabled frost-wights and storm-dragons to unnamed, hungering things deep within the mountain caves.

Despite this, the peoples of Ar-Nung are regarded to be rather intelligent and unaggressive, having mastered the delicate art of survival in such a country over many generations, and averse to undue risk and conflict when there is already such peril in their home wilds. They are a dark-skinned folk, even so dark as natives to lands like distant Noba Rugna, though their features do not in any way resemble those of their neighbors, possessing weather-worn faces and bristling hair. The Ar-Nung tribes may be found all about their continent, even within the mountains of the south, and those few who have ever managed to journey to Ar-Nung and back have told stories of those strange and silent folk who engage in all manner of bizarre rituals to ward off misfortune and evil. It is the necessity of the Ar-Nung tribes to know the spirit of every plant and animal upon their country, as to harbor uncertainty is to be subject to a sudden death.

Etlen Rugna

The land known as Etlen Rugna is in fact a jagged and mountainous continent divided up into many smaller regions by prominent inland seas along with numerous lakes and rivers. It dominates the western reaches of the Blood Sea, with its north coming close to the outer isles of Fjallgarth, while its south is likewise not too far by island-hopping from Sakha. Numerous tribes have made the diverse climes of Etlen Rugna their home for long ages, warring and trading in equal measure, enjoying the bounty of what some would call the most plentiful of all mankind’s lands. To the west of Etlen Rugna is the Etlen Udra – the Etlen Sea, which few have ever dared to cross. A quite skilled shipmaster might be able to make it to Frozen Nunaat by way of Fjallgarth, though many upon Etlen Rugna’s shores know nothing of the cousin-continent with which their share a name – Guarana Rugna.

The northern reaches of Etlen are vibrant, seasonal, and rich with many landscapes from soaring mountains to gentle prairies. Rivers, lakes, and inland seas are all commonplace, as well as deep and temperate forests. To the south, weather becomes hotter, culminating in biting deserts to the far south, dotted with oases of palms and other tropical flora. Animals upon Etlen are as diverse as the landscapes or the people, though most are not so large or intimidating as those that might be found upon other continents more suited to their climes – smaller breeds of mammoth are relegated to the furthest northern tundra, for instance, whereas saurian are found upon the outer isles and peninsulas of the far south. Within certain reaches, ape-men might even be encountered in not inconsiderable gatherings. Etlen Rugna is a vast land, though crossing its many wilds is no easy task, dwarfing neighbors like Sakha. Even trade within Etlen’s borders is not always so commonplace.

Just as with their homeland, the peoples of Etlen are varied in appearance and practice. To the north, they become more fair of complexion, whereas to the south their skin and hair becomes darker and rougher, as with each river-gap and mountain pass their roaming territories become more like the harsh deserts and jungle isles across the sea. It’s in the south and east that tribes tend more towards basic practices of agriculture and weaving, while in the north their industries are more inclined towards fishing, hunting, and raiding. There are hundreds of gods and spirits worshipped across Etlen Rugna, and in times of scarcity some of the greatest and most unforgiving bloodlettings have occurred, as tribes turn upon any outside of their immediate kin. The diversity of Etlen fosters as much xenophobia and hatred as it does cooperation and understanding, and even travelers from lands as schismatic as Sakha have remarked on the pains every Etleni takes to distinguish their tribal identity from all others, as confusing one Etleni folk with another is often a grave offense.

Far Anpe and the Islands of Fire

Across many of the far seas to the west, across the Etlen Udra, and the K’aino Udra, and the Devil Sea of Xulub, there is a distant country at the furthest reaches of the world’s shores. This is Far Anpe, a hidden range of mountain isles crowned with fire and watered with mystery. Formed of a grand chain of volcanoes, Far Anpe is most treacherous about its northern and southern tips, where the peaks are still young, and new mounts are prime to be born from the boiling waters of Xulub and the polar ice. Separated from the jungles of its sister-continent Guarana Rugna by the K’aino Udra – the K’aino Sea – Far Anpe is composed of tall mountains in its near entirety. Those places not defined by colossal peaks are fertile beyond compare thanks to the rich black soil, and on the sloping foothills leading out to the sea house numerous tribes who have built civilizations to rival the stonework citadels of distant Sakha. Save for trade with Guarana or the south tip of Dziil, the Anpean peoples go unknown to the rest of the world.

It is said in the ancient stories that the first Anpean tribals were among the most adventurous and daring of all folk in the world, until they came to the Islands of Fire from beyond the northern sea. Their heroic chieftains claimed that these peaks were in fact the gates of hell, and that just beyond – should they be so bold – the promised land of paradise awaited them. Finding the mountains and green slopes of Anpe, the tribes settled there at last, content that they had found their promised land. Most of the Anpean tribes control fortified encampments placed within the mountain clefts, which they use as communal shelters when not engaging in nomadic herding and foraging. Dangerous beasts like snow-jaguars and giant snakes might be found in the clefts, but for the most part the deadlier saurian are relegated to neighboring Guarana Rugna. Long-necked camels provide wealth to the herder tribes, whose wool they trade with the fisher-folk and mountain-dwellers. In certain hidden valleys, large mammals such as the lumbering shellbacks and giant sloths may provide adequate challenge for hunters, and to the south, the very earth heaves with fiery hunger. Apeans tend to have dark skin and hair, do not often grow beards, and have sharp features. Though small in stature, the Anpean people are fair of face and enduring of body and soul, descended from great warriors and grown even stronger off the bounty of their sacred homeland.

Fjallgarth

Northernmost of those continents that border Asra, the Great Blood Sea, the very name Fjallgarth inspires fear in the hearts of those folk who set their tents upon Etlen Rugna’s coldest shores. To the more distant Sakhan, should they be versed enough in stories brought from traveling tongues, it is a name that belongs to a strange land, where the people are white as the snow they wade through. The homeland of the fabled giants. Some stories are more fantastical than others, but save for Frozen Nunaat or other climes within the cold wastes of the icy Skathon Sea, no continents are as frigid and brutal as Fjallgarth.

Mountains, icebergs, fjords, and sharp valleys mark most of Fjallgarth’s landscape. Its coasts are near all intractable to outside sailors, no matter how fine-built their canoes or rafts are built. Sea-serpents dwell in the waves, along with kraken, sharks, and whales of colossal size. Yet this does not deter the brave natives from fishing within the rich yet chilling waters. Inland, there are reaches which can be found which are not so rocky and hard, and indeed many wild stretches where the sun is warm in summer and no sight of snow is to be had in the hot months save for crowning the distant peaks. Yet in the distant north, where both Fjallgarth and Batyr meet the icesheets of the Skathon Sea, even the great mammoth and dire bear struggle to stave off the cold. It is told in the fables that hairy men who feast on human flesh, along with giants who can command the powers of blizzards and wildfires can be found in those treacherous wastes beyond where even the most fearless raider chief might travel.

The folk of Fjallgarth are similar to those of northern Etlen, being fair of skin and hair, though yet moreso than their more temperate southern cousins. They grow to prodigious sizes and are fond of wearing enough furs to match their own hirsute appearances, and engaging in a warrior lifestyle which puts most other folk of Asra to shame. Fjallgarthan tribes are also known to be skilled seafarers, having constructed boats capable of reliable island-hopping. While the Fjallgarthan raiders might build no great temples or broad gathering-grounds – at least not as the southeasterners do – the northmen have been spotted in as far-away lands as Sakha and Noba Rugna.

Frozen Nunaat

Few have traveled to Frozen Nunaat since the ancient days of its settling by humankind. Even the ape-tribes have little to do with the vast wasteland, but for those who dare the gnashing ice, it can be a country of great plenty. From the more temperate volcanic isles in the south rich with fir trees and good fishing, to the prime whaling shores of the icy north, there is more to Frozen Nunaat than its name suggests. Laying beyond the reaches of Asra, in the depths of the cold Skathon Sea, Nunaat is said by some to be the home of frost giants or other mythical beasts.

Most of the continent consists of broad tundra, hence its name, though this is not the totality of its landscape. Along the south shores there is some resemblance to Fjallgarth in terms of the wilds consisting of a blend of pine forests, fjords, and warmer volcanic wastelands and outlying isles. It is here that settlers from Fjallgarth wage intermittent battles with the native folk, though trade of furs and other goods is also common. Fish and game birds are in plenty, and in many ways the southern parts of Nunaat are not so lesser in wealth nor hospitality than places like Etlen Rugna. The winters are harsh, indeed, but any who settle there are well accustomed to them save for the worst of years. Northward, where the distinctions between land and sea become blurred by virtue of the all-encompassing ice, things are less endurable. Most of the interior is considered a hellish desert to all but the most determined of overland travelers, devoid of oases and cold the whole year round. Even in the warmer months, when one might not have to contend with blizzards and endless night, that is the time when the wolves and bears begin their migrations, hungry after the dark months. Yet in the north there is still bounty to be found. Great whales, seals, and penguins migrate along the north shores, and the native Nunaatun peoples display a skill for harpooning that outstrips even the barbaric Fjallgarthans.

Nunaatun tribals, separate from the Fjallgarthan outcasts who have since made semi-permanent encampments upon the south shores, tend to be short of stature and thick of bone. They grow abundant hair, though beards are less common, and their skin tends to be dark from the constant sun-glare off the snow. In many ways they resemble the folk of distant Anpe or Siral’ik, though to see any of those human strains in one place would be a rare sight indeed. Though overall a peaceful people more focused on survival than grander designs of migration or war, they are among the few folk who the Fjallgarthans will speak with reverence of, as it is said by them that when the nights grow dark and the winds cold, nothing will stop a Nunaatun from doing what they must to survive.

Guarana Rugna

East of Anpe, surrounded on three sides by the seas of Xulub, K’aino, and Etlen Udra, the jungles of Guarana Rugna are as deep and green as any abyssal waters. From the highest peak to the lowest river-valley – of which there are hundreds upon hundreds – the verdant plant life of Guarana coats the entire breadth of the continent. Hot, humid, and lush with a diverse menagerie of flora and fauna, the many tribes of Guarana have all they need to survive and more – and even more ways to meet an unfortunate end. Survival-craft is a necessity, even by typical human standards, and river-canoeing is a popular method of navigating the otherwise intractable jungles.

Not all of Guarana is composed of forest – there are also wetlands, grassy plains, and a few small deserts, but for the most part, jungled sprawl coats the majority of the land. Were the trees to be stripped away, it would be seen that Guarana Rugna has a landscape as varied in altitude and natural wonder as any, though this can be hard to tell when trekking through boundless jungle reaches, shrouded by trees which look mountainous in their own right. Saurians are plentiful, and larger mammalians are scarce. Humans, apes, and other warm-bloods must be quick and observant to avoid being snatched up by a stalking pterosaur or raptor, and even great carnosaurs may camouflage themselves within the sheer density of the foliage. Great serpent-leeches and rope-spinners can snatch a whole human up from above or below, yet that is not all. Beautiful flowers and insects as small as a fingernail can deliver agonizing death before an unlucky creature has had time to realize what their lack of awareness has brought upon them. Guarana Rugna is a land of a thousand beauties, and a thousand dooms.

Yet the tribes of Guarana love their home and the bounty it brings, having had their senses honed to obsidian sharpness over long generations, learning from their surroundings so that even the mighty devilsaurs may not tear down their tree-houses, and the quetzal-boa would prove no greater threat than a songbird – when met with a dart coated in harvested manchineel poison. Guaranan folk tend to be short of stature and dark of hair, though their skin tones are very diverse, as some may spend most of their lives shrouded by the heavy foliage, and others baked to a deep brown beneath the coastal sun. Dense body and facial hair is uncommon due to the humidity and heat, though the Guaranans are fond of body paint for many purposes – clan identification, imitation of poisonous creatures, religious use, or camouflage. Though quite skilled at the building and utilizing of river-canoes, as well as high-altitude construction, the Guaranans have never been inclined towards trade beyond the waters, save for a few ambitious peoples who ply the island chains between their northern shores and the south coasts of the Leghen Alps, and a few others who dare cross the K’aino sea to trade with the affluent Anpean peoples.

Himaleh Vistra

East of the Ancient Lands of Sankha, north of the Ocean of Tiham, there is a strange and jagged land considered quite intractable despite its location at a crossroads of several continents. Himaleh Vistra is named for its great mountains, larger than any in all the myriad ranges which dot the shattered lands across the seven seas. To the north of the Vistran range lays little but desert and tundra steppe, yet to the south the river-broken coasts are lush with jungles. It is an overall misshapen land, carved up by peaks and ravines, rivers and gulfs, which have made it notorious as a confusing hinterland for any who dare make the journey to its shores. Yet many have made that journey, for not unlike those peoples who huddle around the Blood Sea, Himaleh Vistra’s central location in the world means that its beaches may oft be landed upon by visitors from far Siral’ik, from Sakha, and even Noba Rugna. If one dares make the trip to Himaleh Vistra in search of rarities not to be found on their home continent, they will be rewarded by seeing more diversity and exotic beauties than most humans would ever bear witness to in their simple lives.

The Vistra range is Himaleh Vistra’s namesake and most prominent feature, composed of a meandering chain of colossal mountains which stretch from east to west, between the closest gaps of Siral’ik and Sakha. A diverse country, most of those hills north of the Vistra range are composed of steppe and tundra, much like the nearby reaches of Batyr and Siral’ik. These other northern steppe-lands are separated from Himaleh Vistra by little more than the straits of the Skathon Sea, and during the coldest winters vast stretches of that ocean may freeze over, allowing mammoths and their hunters to cross should they be so ambitious. To the south, Himaleh Vistra is much more hospitable, lush with deep jungles and fertile riverlands where many tribes make their homes. Saurians might be found, along with ape-tribes as can be encountered across the entire breadth of that continent. Giant snakes are also a common threat and are worshipped by some tribal sects as living gods. Himaleh Vistra is noted as having some of the greatest diversity of flora and fauna of any continent the world over.

Those people who call Himaleh Vistra their home appear quite like the denizens of Sakha in many ways, though they tend to be darker of skin overall. Among the peaks and to the northern steppes, these Vistrans can be seen to have lighter skin, and some with features more like their neighbors in Siral’ik. The divide between the different regions of Vistra is quite pronounced, with the dwellers of the coasts and foothills considering the jungle-tribes to be more primitive than them, while both the southern cultures regard those who live north of the Vistran range as being little more than barbarians. Despite this, the Vistrans are noted to be quite accepting of outsiders, as they have gathered much wealth by aiding enterprising seafarers in finding safe harbor on their jagged shores. The Vistrans have the privilege of being some of the few people to realize that the scope of the world far exceeds the borders of their homeland, and in turn their trade of rare goods has let other tribes realize this truth as well. To find an artifact crafted in far Siral’ik while one is bartering in an Etleni encampment can be attributed to a Vistran trader somewhere down the line.

Hinterlands of Siral’ik

To the furthest north and east, across numerous islands and twisted stretches of land between the Ocean of Tiham and the Skathon Sea, there are the Hinterlands of Siral’ik. Though few journey there, the cultures of that distant country rival even great Sakha in what they have accomplished since their first settling. While goods from Himaleh Vistra are valued in their own right, for a western trader to find an item from Siral’ik is the best of luck, so lauded is the craftsmanship of the mysterious peoples of that mysterious land. Jungle, highlands, forest, desert – all climes may be found in Siral’ik, across the Hinterland’s many offshoot peninsulas and winding reaches. The very borders of the country can be hard to define, for in the north the continent merges with the bitter Skathon ice, and to the south a hundred-thousand islands disperse across the Oceans of Tiham and mysterious Kaiwa.

Giant apes, ape-men, saurians, huge snakes, devil-crabs – these are just a small selection of the species that can be found throughout the many disparate climates of Siral’ik. Much like Etlen Rugna, Siral’ik is a jagged continent which contains within itself climates suitable to near any species that might be found upon the world. Travel within Siral’ik comprises an epic journey in and of itself, to say nothing of travel beyond its shores. Though most of the land is within the frozen north, its winding peninsulas and island-chains venture quite far south, meaning that the distinct appearance of Siralese folk can be found throughout a significant range.

Siralese tribals – sometimes referred to as Siral’iki – tend towards shorter statures, paler skin, dark hair, and almond eyes. Beards are less common than in lands like Batyr, though not rare, and within the south stretches or in the high tundra where the snow-glare is bright, dark skin is also quite normal. Though many of the Siralese peoples live simple lives as nomadic hunters or clan-based fishers and farmers, the adventurousness of the Siralese is well known. Not content with spreading out across the entire breadth of their own homeland, the Siralese are some of the best seafarers in the world, having mastered island-hopping to reach lands as far as Batyr and Himaleh Vistra. Though none ever returned, it was also the case that in the distant past Siralese seafarers managed to reach even Darkest Ar-Nung, as well as cross about the curve of the world upon the waves of the Kaiwa Ocean. While none of the numerous islanders who dwell within the mysterious reaches of Kaiwa would consider themselves “Siralese” – if they have even heard such a word – their appearance attests to a shared blood with both those intrepid tribes and their cousins all the way across Kaiwa in reaches like Dziil.

Leghen Alps

Surrounded by the Sea of Gami to its west and the seas of Xulub and Etlen Udra to the east, the Leghen Alps are an isolated land little-explored from the western reaches. Instead, the tribes of Leghen hold more in common with their neighbors in Dziil or even Guarana and Anpe. Defined by its prime mountain range, the Leghen Alps are great peaks which rise above vast forests, swamps, and other green reaches all along the eastern coast. Across their heights, brief prairies give way to the expanse of the Sea of Gami, whose treacherous waters are all that separate the nomadic Legheni peoples of that region from their counterparts in Dziil. Save for a few fearsome creatures like great bears or the rare ape-tribe, the Leghen Alps are noted as a peaceful place, assuming one does not allow themselves to get lost in the deepest of its forested clefts.

Saurians are quite rare in Leghen save for the southernmost swamps bordering Xulub, with most of the wildlife being composed of smaller mammalians, and the flora being quite typical and not often dangerous. Still, while there are many pleasant climes for settlement, the Legheni know not to dally too long when crossing the passes of the Alps. Strange creatures dwell in those shadowy clefts, and in the wrong season it can be the case that entire tribes would meet a terrible end trapped by vicious snows. Still, so long as one stays in the more explored forests, or along the coasts, there is much plenty. Even the dangerous oceans of Gami and Etlen Udra – prolific homes to some of the most horrifying sea-beasts – are not so treacherous so long as one sticks to the ancestral routes.

Legheni are quite similar in stature and appearance to their neighbors in Dziil, being strong of body and face, if not the tallest in all the lands, with sun-toned skin and dark hair, which they are fond of decorating. Form the forests to the prairies, Legheni tribes are quite adept at surviving the perils of their homeland and then some, having made trips to Dziil and Guarana Rugna in the past in the name of trade – something their neighbors would not otherwise be inclined to do. Hunting, fishing, farming, herding – all are known to the Legheni, and where lumber is good and the call of the open sky is not so pressing, they will even build quite impressive villages among the trees. Yet the Legheni are creatures of habit. They will not venture into waters they don’t know, and they will not tarry in the mountains. The ancestors of the Legheni are, after all, just those individuals who were not so foolish as to get lost in those horrible reaches.

Noba Rugna

Below Etlen Rugna, and forming a great chain between the rifts of the Etlen Udra and the Caraka Sea, Noba Rugna is the southernmost of those continents within the “Asra Bounds” – the area by which seafaring tribes from the various lands about the Blood Sea prefer to travel and trade. At its north, Noba Rugna is a hot but fertile land marked by its bountiful coasts, yet to the south it contains as many mysteries as distant countries like Ar-Nung. Across vast mountains, badlands, deserts, the arid reaches at last give way to jungles of primordial age and depth, at last culminating in the far south shores where sweeping grasslands roll out to the temperate Caraka Sea.

At its northernmost extent, Noba Rugna is not too dissimilar from nearby Sakha, being arid but not the most brutal of climes, with its rocky deserts crossed by numerous rivers about which humans and beasts alike are able to seek succor. Seacraft is common there, and the waters are not so treacherous as those to the south. Some saurians prowl the wastes, but for the most part the land is manageable to those acclimated to the heat. South of the very harshest stretches of the desert expanse, however, there can be found some of the deepest and most lush jungles in all the world – and certainly nearest to Asra. Creatures of every type may be found there, from the smallest pygmy ape-man to the largest and most terrifying saurian. South of those forests, temperate grasslands and savannah proceed out to the south ocean, home to most of the larger mammalian species upon Noba Rugna, as the lizards and great arthropods prefer the damp of the northern jungles.

Noba Rugna’s people are hearty and strong, suited to survival in heats even more unforgiving than summer in Sakha. Along the north shores, they tend to resemble the Sakhan folk a great deal, though perhaps with darker tones to their skin. Within the jungles and grasslands where few northerners have dared tread, the tribals can reach hues as black as night, with rough hair and many diverse features and body types adapted to different climes. Those within the jungles tend towards shorter, lither builds, while within the grasslands endurance and strength is favored for long hunting journeys. Though the northern Noba Rugnans sometimes think of their southern counterparts of primitive, any who have made it past the dangers of the southlands and laid eyes upon the great works and daring feats of those folk would know better.

Wide Lands of Dziil

Far, far to the west, past the reaches of the Leghen Alps, and the great Sea of Gami, there is a land of cruel extremes which extends from the furthest north to its southern twin of Anpe. This is Dziil, the highlands. A series of mountains which cleave their way out from between Gami and the great Ocean of Kaiwa, to the west those grand peaks descend into temperate rainforests up to the far ice, while to the east the foothills roll into broad badlands which meet their end in the waters of Gami. Wild and seldom visited by any save for intrepid seafarers from Leghen, there can nonetheless be found some appealing stretches within Dziil’s borders – though those that claim them as their home must be prepared to defend them from the various tribes of the outer wastes.

Dziil is a mountainous country whose namesake range split the length of the continent down the center. To the furthest north the peaks extend all the way into the great ice-sheets, while to the south they taper off into many of the volcanic islands which define the roiling Sea of Xulub. West of the Dziil range the climate is more temperate, so long as one remains in the middle regions, lush with warm tropics and cool rainforests. East of the peaks, things are not quite so lush, defined by broad prairies at best and searing flatland deserts at the worst, though these mercifully abate at the shores of the Sea of Gami, among the reedy wetlands where the fisher-tribes dwell. Ape-men and saurian are both in abundance out in the west, while enormous bison, aurochs, and other large mammals reserve the eastern plains to themselves, being hunted by the nomadic tribes there. Despite its relative shallow depth, the Sea of Gami is also full of life, including opportunistic super-predators who sailors must be wary of if they wish to journey across the full breadth of the ocean.

Tribal folk of Dziil tend towards dark or tanned skin, though with considerable variation, having strong and beautiful features much like their neighbors, though standing the tallest of all the folk in those lands surrounding the seas of Xulub and K’aino. They are survivalists and hunters, managing to stake out prominent territories throughout their rugged homeland, facing any foes with bravery in their hearts. Though fierce, they are not often ones to war with each other, though when they do it is most common among the eastern tribes. Out in the deserts and plains, many of the nomadic folk see an easy opportunity in raiding their neighbors rather than risking their own starvation. Those who have made it so far as Dziil from other lands – a feat in and of itself – have remarked upon the brutality with which the Dzillai greet intruders.

Seas:

Asra, the Great Blood Sea

One of the most important and well-traveled of the Seven Seas, and perhaps the most storied. It is Asra whose waters border the lands of Etlen Rugna, Fjallgarth, and the Ancient Lands of Sakha. These three lands conduct the most frequent wanderings over the Great Blood Sea, but the mingling waters of Asra also reach as far as the western shores of Batyr, and other lands besides. The Sakhan peoples named the great expanse “Asra” after the rich hue of the setting sun over its waves – it was only later that it became known for the numerous battles which took place across its waters. Though dotted with many islands and host to much travel between its three neighboring lands, the human tribes have also shed much blood upon the waves and lost even more to the jaws of hungering leviathans.

Caraka Sea

The Caraka is a jagged ocean which cuts the land of Noba Rugna from its northern sister of Etlen Rugna. Filtering into the southernmost waters of the Etlen Sea, as well as the western stretches of the Ocean of Tiham, it is a little-explored waterway save for a few of the daring coastal tribes of Noba Rugna. Its waters are warm, but its coasts are treacherous, and one may find themselves stranded on any number of islands if they cannot navigate the inlets of Noba Rugna, or worse – be swept out into the daunting expanse of Tiham.

Etlen Udra / Etlen Sea

To the west of Etlen Rugna lies is sister sea, Etlen Udra. Descending from the southern tip of Nunaat, across the fjords of Fjallgarth and down to the nameless ice at the bottom of the world, Etlen Udra is a stormy ocean of mystery and danger. Unknown to all but a few of the most legendary sailors to have ever journeyed out from the west, Etlen Udra is the path to the Leghen Alps, and even perhaps Dziil, Guarana Rugna, and Far Anpe besides. The Etlen Sea forms the great barrier between these lands and the continents about Asra. Yet within the very oldest stories of humankind does some inkling remain of this truth. Within Etlen Rugna, Guarana Rugna, and Noba Rugna are told stories of the Breaking, when once the fields and mountains stretched unbounded before the elder gods cleaved the Etlen Udra into the wilds, shattering the earth in twain. To the shaman-storytellers of Noba Rugna and Etlen Rugna, it is assumed the western lands sunk into the sea, while the peoples of Guarana Rugna likewise consider the east to be a distant myth.

Great Ocean of Kaiwa

The largest ocean in all the world, so massive that no human has ever comprehended its scale. None have ever crossed its breadth through sheer skill alone. The seafaring clans of the great ocean may journey about its many islands, but even they cannot say where all Kaiwa’s bounds lay. Likewise, unknown to even the wisest shamans, in elder times some hunter tribes of Siral’ik even managed to make the trek across the shattered ice to the north peaks of Dziil, but that way has long since been forgotten. Between Ar-Nung, Siral’ik, Dziil, and Anpe, and speckled with as many islands as there are stars in the sky, the mysteries of Kaiwa are as endless as its blue horizons and abyssal depths.

K’aino Udra / K’aino Sea

Descending down from the Sea of Xulub, the K’aino Udra separates Guarana Rugna from Anpe, and Anpe from Dziil. It is a warm ocean, though quite harsh, and brimming with dangerous creatures. Thick with life, it provides an endless bounty to those who fish along its shores, though crossing its expanse is no easy feat. Even if one avoids death by one of thousands of ravenous beasts large and small which prowl its waters, the many islands within the green waves are said to house hostile tribes of humans, lizardmen, and ape-men. Though all types of predators may be encountered amidst the waves of K’aino, the sea-serpents are the most renowned of all.

Ocean of Tiham

The largest of the eastern oceans, rolling over a great expanse between the south shores of Himaleh Vistra and Batyr, and the far and darkened beaches of Ar-Nung, as well as flanking the eastern edge of Noba Rugna. Tiham is host to many islands, most near to the coasts of its bordering continents. It is rather warm, though prone to storms, yet that has not stopped many seafaring tribes from taking advantage of its riches. Great leviathans may be found in its waters, as with many of the seas, though they are more prevalent about its interior where the abyss descends with sudden rapidity away from the shallow waters near to the broken, isle-flecked coasts. The very name of Tiham comes from the mythical ur-dragon said to dwell within its very deepest waters.

Sea of Gami

Splitting the great plains of western Leghen and eastern Dziil clean down the middle, there is the mighty interior seaway known as Gami, stretching from the ice-flats of the north down to drain at last into the Sea of Xulub. Shallow for the most part, it is not free of perils. Within its teeming waters are as many dangers as there are resources. Still, that has not stopped the native tribes upon both sides of the sea of making the most of it, and some peoples spend near their entire lives upon the waters. So long as one is well-versed in the craft of the waves and keeps a sharp eye out for anything bigger than a saltwater alligator or giant gar, it can be an outright pleasant life exploring Gami’s waters and all its tributaries.

Sea of Xulub / Devil Sea

One of the most terrifying yet enticing of all the world’s great waters, the Sea of Xulub, also known as the Devil Sea, lies where the Sea of Gami filters out between the Leghen Alps and Guarana Rugna, forming a hub between the waters of Gami, K’aino, and the Etlen Udra. It is a warm and tempestuous sea, with many reefs about its edges and many islands that dot its waves. Yet the center of Xulub is unfathomably deep, perhaps as deep as such abysses that can be found in Tiham and Kaiwa. Horrifying beasts lurk below the black waves, and none but the most skilled of seafaring tribes may brave its central waters. Still, the reefs and island chains which wreath the Devil Sea are among the most bountiful to be found, more colorful than Gami and fresher than K’aino, rich with valuable coral and mollusks and tropical fish. It is not uncommon for the tribesfolk of that region to make war over the valuable islands, and battles are far more frequent than among the other island-hopping tribes of reaches like Kaiwa.

Skathon Sea

The northern sea, the name given to all those waters beyond the reaches of Nunaat, Batyr, Siral’ik and the like where the great ice-flows crash together and icebergs roam like mammoth god-beasts. It is not the coldest ocean – the waters beneath Ar-Nung and off the southern tip of Anpe have that honor, but unlike those darkened waves, many people have actually explored the reaches of Skathon. Most of all the shipbuilders of Fjallgarth and Nunaat, who whale and raid among the icy flows just as much as traverse them on foot. Cold-blooded leviathans are predictably rare within Skathon, yet the whales and pinnipeds are more than titanic enough in size to still provide dangerous sport. Yet it is always the gnashing ice and frigid waters that make for the greatest danger of any who seek to traverse the Skathon reaches.