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Sunday, January 24, 2016
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Pack Hunting Dragon
Chaser Dragon
Medium: digital painting
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Chasers do not fly. They use their stunted wings to create lift while running, and to frighten off danger. They are swift runners and can run for some distance before tiring. They use their short, sharp claws like cleats to grip the ground and gain traction. Their stripes help to break up their outlines when stalking in tall grass. They use their long, strong tails like rudders so that they can make quick changes in direction while running. They have limited firepower, and prefer to use their flame as a last resort when threatened. Like other dragon species, flame is produced by flammable chemicals secreted by glands in the mouth.
Chasers hunt by splitting the pack into multiple sections. Several sections break off to create ambushes for the prey (usually a deer or a gazelle), while the remaining section rushes the herd. When the animals run, the Chasers either catch an animal on the spot, or if they can't catch up with the animal, they drive it into one of the waiting ambushes. These dragons are very successful hunters; it's estimated that over eighty-five percent of their hunts end in a kill.
Although their social structure is similar to wolves and other wild dogs, Chasers differ in that all members of the pack are free to mate and lay eggs. Chasers typically mate for life. The only major exception to that rule is when another Chaser challenges one of the alpha Chasers. If the original alpha is defeated, the challenger will claim the remaining alpha as its mate. Thus, only the strongest and most intelligent dragons can lead a Chaser pack.
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Thursday, January 14, 2016
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
Friday, January 8, 2016
Vampire Dragon
Vampire Dragon Medium: digital painting |
Native to eastern Europe, vampire dragons are one of the most feared species of dragons, mostly for their unnerving habits. These dragons do not hunt for meat, but rather for the blood of their prey. They are indiscriminate killers, preying on both animals and humans alike. They have few weaknesses, and the only way they can be killed is a thrust through the heart. Because of their ability to rapidly regenerate from injuries, the killer of a vampire dragon must leave the weapon in the dragon's chest until its body begins to decay, otherwise the dragon may regenerate and "return to life." Their powerful sense of smell helps them to locate prey, but dragon hunters have found that it can also be used against them: vampire dragons find certain smells unpleasant, particularly garlic and cloves. They have extremely powerful night vision and are repelled by bright light.
Because they hunt at night, vampire dragons have no pigment in their skin or eyes. They also lack scales, but their skin is thick and leathery. Old vampires are often criss-crossed with scars. These dragons are the most dangerous; they have endured many battles. Vampire dragons have no forelegs and use their wings to crawl around like bats. Thus they are physically similar to wyverns, but are supremely intelligent. They use their long claws to fish prey out of crevices in the castles and mountains they live in. Vampires are a mid-sized to large species of dragon, although they are not very tall; they prefer to hold their bodies low to the ground.
Vampire dragons reproduce by biting eggs of other dragons. They use their long fangs to inject a virus into the embryo, which attacks and alters its DNA so that the baby dragon that hatches from the egg is a young vampire and no longer the species of its parent. These newly-hatched vampires are usually rejected by the parent dragons and grow up in isolation. Thus, vampire dragons are a very solitary species.