NOVEMBER 2020 EDIT wrote:
-NOVEMBER 17, 2020 EDIT-
Oh god, people are still looking at this old thing. Please, it is so old & badly formatted. Please stop bumping the thread for a while, I need to re-do it, lmao.
Anyway, there is a re-draw for this suggestion IN PROGRESS. Lemme finish before bringing my old 2015, shamefully bad art back to the top of the page lol. Going to be using actual FR dimensions (640x640), coloring, and shading for these- please come back soon when it's complete!
........ Actually, I am thinking of splitting this suggestion concept into 2 separate breeds entirely. First, my old idea of a cetacean-like, surf-gliding dragon, which is what the updated art will follow.
Secondly, my follow-up idea of a deep-sea, secretive breed that used bioluminescence and stealth to survive. The lore I wrote for the delver breed only got written after I had already finished the art, so the anatomy doesn't quite... match up with the supposed role the species should have filled.
So, I am thinking of splitting this thread into 2 sections- one part with the updated art + new lore of the cetacean/ flying fish breed, and another part with a completely new breed design. This second, secretive breed would follow the original delver lore, with a proper abyssal body-type to match! (I'm thinking something more like the cutlassfish or lancetfish? Seriously, this fits the vibe I was seeing much better lol.)
Delver Dragons
Information regarding the furtive delver species.
Obtained:
Rarity:
Breeding Cooldown:
Diet:
- Seafood, Meat
Overview
Delver dragons are an adaptable, semi-aquatic breed native to the Leviathan Trench. The majority of their population continues to persist there, though recently a number of them have begun migrating to other regions via Sornieth's many waterways.
Physical Attributes
The harsh conditions of the deep sea have made delvers a very dynamic species, one willing to adjust readily in order to ensure their survival. This mid-sized breed is well-suited to the environment of its original birthplace, with its stout limbs and streamlined form, but is still fully capable of traveling on land. Delvers possess both lungs and gills, and while they may look less graceful above the surface, they are willing to come ashore if it's to their advantage. Their specialized wings are not able to support powered flight, but they can glide short distances above water by riding the crests of waves.
The fins of a delver dragon are able to be flared out or folded close to the body either for display or for aid in movement underwater. These fins are topped with thin barbels, which are used to detect motion and vibrations around them. Delvers' heads support six of these sensitive feelers, the ends of which glow with bioluminescence reflecting the dragon's element. Used mainly as lures for attracting prey, these lights also aid in communication with others in the dark depths of their home.
Social
[-Under Construction-]
Lairs
A natural delver lair is a winding, disorienting maze of passageways, dead ends, and escape routes carefully designed to protect the most important dens of the clan. The breed has no trouble in memorizing all the twists and turns of their homes, but visitors will find themselves terribly lost without an escort to guide them... and unwelcome intruders may never see the labyrinth's exit.
A delver in a mixed-species clan will still often attempt to create this system within the lair (much to the dismay of their clanmates), and usually feels the need to sequester away their personal dens in a hidden corner out of reach from other dragons.
Tactics
A delver dragon's default strategy in battle is an ambush with their strong jaws after the target has been lured in with captivating bioluminescence, aiming to end the fight before it even begins. Anything that isn't downed by the initial attack will be pursued, as the delver follows up with a series of quick bites or magical strikes.
If facing off against an opponent with a sizable advantage, a delver will be quick to slip away if the opportunity presents itself, especially if the ambush was seen through. Head-to-head combat is not this breed's ideal solution to conflict- indirect methods such as traps or subterfuge are preferred in settling disputes.
Druddigon wrote:
LORE UPDATE! 12/30/15
......aaand it'skinda done! :D i wish writing lore came as easily to me as drawing does, haha... this took me forever to finalize this much of it, and it still needs lots of improvement. consider most of this a wip as i will be tweaking the wording and syntax a little for a while. but for now, i hope this looks ok!
i'd love to hear any thoughts, suggestions, or questions about this design! also, please tell me if you see any typos or phrasing that seem off (i can never catch all of them...) be sure to ping me! :>
......aaand it's
i'd love to hear any thoughts, suggestions, or questions about this design! also, please tell me if you see any typos or phrasing that seem off (i can never catch all of them...) be sure to ping me! :>
Druddigon wrote:
ART UPDATE! 12/29/15
after reevaluating and staring at this concept for a while, i have decided to revamp the art! the original sketches werent really up to my standards, and i kinda wanted to incorporate some different features into the gulper dragons anyway. they look pretty spiffy now! C:
some changes ive made to the design-
anyway, im happy with the improvements! :D while working on this ive decided that their old lore i gave them doesnt really fit their new image, and so i'll update this post again later when ive got all that sorted out! they dont really seem like gulper dragons to me anymore... i may have to change their name as well :I
i'd love to hear what everybody thinks of the design! i hope it satisfies all the people who want a truly aquatic looking breed :)
after reevaluating and staring at this concept for a while, i have decided to revamp the art! the original sketches werent really up to my standards, and i kinda wanted to incorporate some different features into the gulper dragons anyway. they look pretty spiffy now! C:
some changes ive made to the design-
- the paddle-like flippers are now just webbed feet
- the back legs especially are now better suited for bearing weight out of water
- the wings are sleeker and are now basically large dorsal fins
- the head and teeth now resemble a cetacean more than a catfish (oops?)
- the nostrils are no longer fused as a blowhole atop the head (it has gills, so... why would it need a practical nose :P)
- the gills are now larger for more effective oxygen intake
- the whole body is now thicker for more powerful swimming
- the tail now has flukes! this means the dragon swims by moving its tail up and down instead of side to side :>
- the base of the tail now also has a flare-able fin
- the expandable throat poach is gone (just wasn't fitting in with other design features unfortunately) so technically these things aren't even 'gulpers' even more... idk :/
- the dragon has ALL THE SPIKES NOW. the sensory barbs are present all over instead of just being plain old lame whiskers. practical AND cool looking B)
anyway, im happy with the improvements! :D while working on this ive decided that their old lore i gave them doesnt really fit their new image, and so i'll update this post again later when ive got all that sorted out! they dont really seem like gulper dragons to me anymore... i may have to change their name as well :I
i'd love to hear what everybody thinks of the design! i hope it satisfies all the people who want a truly aquatic looking breed :)
Druddigon wrote:
ORIGINAL CONCEPT! 12/9/15
you know what flight rising is missing? actual water dragons.
naturally, i had to fix this.
so i kinda went through every new breed suggestion i could find, but none were quite to my liking… so i made my own! these guys are from the water flight, and i tried to make them as aquatic as i could considering apparel restrictions. ive taken to calling them gulpers for now C:
gulpers are from the murky waters on the border between the tangled wood and the sea of a thousand currents. the poor water visibility there makes sight hunting difficult, and so they use their barbs to sense vibrations in the water instead. they are ambush predators, waiting hidden in the silt with only their feelers exposed for prey to pass by.
gulpers arent picky eaters either! they’ll try to eat anything they can fit in their mouths. the expandable pouch on their throats allows them to swallow a large amount of water- this can be used to make a vacuum that draws in food. this pouch can also be used to hold excess water which can be discharged with great pressure as a defense mechanism.
behaviorally, gulpers are patient dragons whose hunting tactics often cause other breeds to see them as lazy gluttons. in reality, while gulpers can sit around all day waiting for food to swim into their mouths, they are capable of being surprisingly agile if the need arises. they strike with extreme speed and precision, and will defend their territory fiercely, though they would much rather avoid conflict if possible.
anyway, thats my take on a possible water breed for now! :D there are lots of good ideas for aquatic dragons (whales, plesiosaurs, mosasaurs, sea turtles... etc) and i hope to draw more varieties later. i just hope fr does introduce some kind of aquatic species in the future! ovo
you know what flight rising is missing? actual water dragons.
naturally, i had to fix this.
so i kinda went through every new breed suggestion i could find, but none were quite to my liking… so i made my own! these guys are from the water flight, and i tried to make them as aquatic as i could considering apparel restrictions. ive taken to calling them gulpers for now C:
gulpers are from the murky waters on the border between the tangled wood and the sea of a thousand currents. the poor water visibility there makes sight hunting difficult, and so they use their barbs to sense vibrations in the water instead. they are ambush predators, waiting hidden in the silt with only their feelers exposed for prey to pass by.
gulpers arent picky eaters either! they’ll try to eat anything they can fit in their mouths. the expandable pouch on their throats allows them to swallow a large amount of water- this can be used to make a vacuum that draws in food. this pouch can also be used to hold excess water which can be discharged with great pressure as a defense mechanism.
behaviorally, gulpers are patient dragons whose hunting tactics often cause other breeds to see them as lazy gluttons. in reality, while gulpers can sit around all day waiting for food to swim into their mouths, they are capable of being surprisingly agile if the need arises. they strike with extreme speed and precision, and will defend their territory fiercely, though they would much rather avoid conflict if possible.
anyway, thats my take on a possible water breed for now! :D there are lots of good ideas for aquatic dragons (whales, plesiosaurs, mosasaurs, sea turtles... etc) and i hope to draw more varieties later. i just hope fr does introduce some kind of aquatic species in the future! ovo
FR+3
