Creature Creation Challenge #1

[Malkuthe Highwind]

Creature Creation Challenge
This challenge explores one facet of worldbuilding: creature creation, as the title says. Whether or not you're a worldbuilder, at one point or another, you're bound to create different kinds of flora and fauna for your world. This challenge brings two new things to the table: first, all the submissions for this challenge will be put into a "bestiary" of sorts in the Worldbuilder's Guild which will be a resource for yourself and anyone who needs creatures for their worlds; second, every week, there will be a different difficulty for the challenge. ​

The Difficulty Levels

Difficulty 1

- build a creature around a specific theme

Difficulty 2

- build a creature with a specific body part around a specific theme

Difficulty 3

- build a creature to fit a specific role in an ecosystem with a specific body part around a specific theme

Difficulty 4

- build a creature based upon an animal on earth to fit a specific role in an ecosystem with a specific body part around a specific theme

Difficulty 5

- build a creature that will survive in a specific environment based upon an animal on earth and fit a specific role in an ecosystem with a specific body part around a specific theme.

This Week's Difficulty:

- build a creature around a specific theme

This Week's Criteria: Theme: Shadows

Feel free to use this following template for your creatures. You can add on to it or remove things from it as you wish or not use it at all.

Creature Template

Name:
Appearance:
Role: Predator/prey/producer
Habitat:
Life-span:
Sentient: Yes/No
Sapient: Yes/No
Means of Sustenance:
Favourite Food Source:
Major Competition:
Mating Rituals: Courtship rituals, mating grounds, mating season, et cetera
Reproduction: you can include period of gestation
Organization: does this creature travel in packs or herds, or is it a solitary creature that only meets with members of its species for the mating season?
Other:

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The Bestiary​

 

[Mid]

Theme: Shadows

Name: The Dwellers
Appearance: On the rare occurrence that one is seen, it has been reported that these creatures are of rotting flesh and bone. Their face hangs low with their mouth gaping open in what looks like someone screaming. There have been theories that these creatures were once human, possibly a race that evolved differently to the rest however no one has been able to obtain a live or dead specimen leading those to wonder if they eat their dead. Their eyes are black and hollow and on what can be seen of the limited flesh are markings from a language long forgotten. These poor souls were rags for clothes and some believe they glide rather than walk. Their hair, which is covered in an unknown slimy substance, is limp, tattered or nearly gone. They're incredibly tall, over six feet, yet some would assume it be because of the lack of flesh holding them down. Other than this, not much else is known at this time.
Role: Predator
Habitat: Caves are their favorite place to hide in. It's dark, damp and weary yet these creatures have discovered that these elements do not stop humans from entering. In fact, it excites them and leads to a few satisfying meals throughout the month. It has also been rumored that these beings will stalk a particular prey to their home and eventually made their dwellings under the victim's porch or in their attic. Yet this is just rumors and by no means explains the strange deaths that have occurred to various new owners of particular homes, at least…officially anyways.
Life-span: Some say they live decades while other guess at centuries. Truth be told, no one has ever lived by them long enough to properly study and it wasn't old age that killed them.
Sentient: No
Means of Sustenance: Human flesh
Favorite Food Source: Children but mainly their eyes.
Major Competition: The Arachii. A fierce and deadly species of giant spiders who glow a bright blue while feasting on their prey. A warning.
Mating Rituals: To a male, mating is like hunting its next prey. There are fangs and claws drawn, blood is drawn and females are generally held down while the deed is done. It is not uncommon for a mate to lose an eye or a limb…or even their own life which is why it is only commonly done once in their lifetime.
Reproduction: Females lays two to three eggs by rivers or swamps, leaving them to their fate. For those who do manage to break free of their shell, they are born blind with an intense sense of smell and hearing which often leads to them to evade their enemies. Of course, this is just a theory with no actual proof.
Organization: Their breed is incredibly violent, making it rare to see them travel in groups. Even when they mate there is a 50/50 chance in death or injury of one or both of them. Once a female lays her eggs, she immediately leaves the young to fend for themselves.
Other:

"When you don't listen to Mommy and eat your broccoli, they creep into the night and eat your pretty little eyes. If you're caught outside well after Midnight, consider yourself a goner because no one will hear your screams. They feast on your flesh, chew on the fat of your chubby little cheeks and use your bones as toothpicks to clean you out. These are monsters of the Devil who hunt in the shadows. They have no real name, only what we common folk call them. They are known as…

The Dwellers.

Now eat your broccoli, I want a son in the morning."

 

[LaharlSama]

Name: The Valentine
Appearance: The Valentine is a 1 foot tall creature. It takes the form of a rabbit like creature only taller and without fur. This creature has human like hands yet walks around on all four. It has a hunched back and can either be furless or fully covered based on the seasons. Hidden in its nails are retractable claws. Its face has the contours of a dogs although it is able to completely unhinge its jaw like a snake.
Role: Predator/producer
Habitat: usually lives in the forests but since modernization has been found stalking abandoned buildings and garbage/recycling depots.
Life-span: Dependant from each spawn
Sentient: Yes
Means of Sustenance: hearts and flesh of other creatures but is able to survive off of weeds and plants.
Favourite Food Source: Human hearts
Major Competition: Wolves
Mating Rituals: The Valentine is an asexually reproductive species which consumes the hearts and organs of another creature in which to either lengthen it's life or expand its pack to become a ravenous flock of death.
Reproduction: Consumes vital organs, including wombs, in order to reproduce. It is usually birthed from an egg but has been known to be born as a mammal from time to time due to extensive and very dangerous research. The average time for one to be born is 7 weeks in which they usually reside in the rotting corpse of their host.
Organization: Usually travels in packs but can still be deadly when alone.
Other: Likes to take over a host of the opposite gender and attract another before leaping from one body to the other. It usually targets the hearts first in order to kill off the host effectively thus earning it the name of "The Valentine"

 

[Envy]

Re: The Creature Creation Challenge Bestiary

Name: Tchalli
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Mammalia
Subclass: Mournianus
Infraclass: Euralia
Order: Primates
Suborder: Anthropoidea
Genus: Tchallus

Nickname: The shadow of the south
Appearance: A small 4 pound creature with dark brown fur. They have large yellow eyes to see at night. They are nocturnal. They have loose skin that stretches between their limbs so that they can glid between distant trees. Their forelimbs have apposable digits that are extraordinarily long.
Role: Predator/Prey
habitat: forested areas in sub-tropic to tropic zones
life span-15 years
sentient: mildly
Food source: Insects in trees that it locates by tapping on the wood with its long index finger. It then uses its appendages to stick into insect holes and fish out the critters. It also variably enjoys fruits
Favorite food: Tchuxi, a fruit that grows in abundance on vines (similar to gourds)
Competition: XiTcholla, a relative species that is carnivorous rather than omnivorous
Mating ritual: The female comes upon the male and "chooses" it by bitting gently on the neck. then the male does this as well while copulating.
Reproduction: mamalian, with a gestation of approximately 7 months. single offspring

Explanation: This creature, because its noctural has only rarely been seen near living peoples. They are given the nickname "shadow of the south" because the sound they produce while foraging seems to come fromt he south. But when the sound is investigated they have usually moved on, leaving the investigators with fear.

 

[Elflady]

Name: Iljanda (Meaning the Night Bringers)
Appearance: Small four legged creatures with highly nimble front legs with two toes on their hind paws and three toes on their front paws, they also have two small toes on each paw the isn't used for anything, their claws are short and flat like nails on a rhino but have a sharp edge for use in fight and for protection. They have no fur or feathers covering their thick, smooth skin shifting in colours as only pure black can, reflecting colours depending on the light and surroundings, and at night spots light up and glow thanks to the light they absorbed during the day. As they rely on sight, smell and hearing their eyes are large and glow faintly in the dark allowing for perfect sight no matter the light, they have long ears that can turn in almost any direction to capture every sound. Their bodies are square shaped and sturdy with a slender neck and quite small head, their tail is a short stump and their muzzle is sensitive and slender in comparison with their broad skull. They have no horns or spikes to help defend them except their claws and a set of sharp tusks protruding from their mouths like on a sabre-toothed cat although they are quite small and only on males are they clearly visible, the tusks are loosely fastened in the jaw compared to other teeth and can be moved with the facial muscles either backwards to make it easier to eat or moved forward to use in an attack.
Role: Prey
Habitat: Grasslands and forests with easy access to water.
Life-span: 10-15 years
Sentient: No
Means of Sustenance: Grass, moss, bark, berries, roots and fruit.
Favourite Food Source: The rare Aksou berry, it's blue with shifts to purple and slightly resembles a raspberry, it blooms in the spring and the berries grow only for two months.
Major Competition: Other woodland creatures eating the same food as they do, however this is only a problem in winter when food is sparse and offer little nutrient.
Major Threat: While Iljanda are hunted by predators that are bigger than them they can often fight them off but their greatest threat is the Kiljan, a large predatory bird who is the opposite of the Iljanda as their name means Day Bringer and also have a similar role in human culture.
Mating Rituals: They have no need to compete amongst each other for mating as couples are mated for life but when the time comes couples start a playful game of dancing, chasing and playing like young fawns barely weaned. However the ritual becomes slower and more gentle as it goes along in comparison to the similar pattern that are seen when couples form that stay quite playful.
Reproduction: The female gives birth to one, or in rare cases two, fawns after a period of eight months and although shorter and longer periods have happened it is quite rare. The parents both care for the young fawn and raise it, the male is more laid back at times and the mother can be very aggressive if she perceives a threat to her young. The young reach maturity between one and two years which is when the juvenile males are driven off and also when the adults mate again, also if the previous fawn was a female she may stay in the family.
Organization: Iljanda mate for life and a pair of adults generally live with their offspring until the young males reach sexual maturity and leaves to join bachelor groups until they find a mate, the females however tend to stay with their parents until they find a mate or leaves on their own. These families can band together to herds that are loosely connected but the families are strongly knit together and even after a separation they have a bond that allow for the large herds to exist in peace. These large herds aren't always formed, it is common for one to three families to live in an area and the large herds that form out of many families are mostly seen in spring and summer when food is plentiful or every few years when Iljanda from all over the land make their way to the breeding grounds find mates from other herds to help prevent inbreeding.
Behaviour: Iljanda are nocturnal creatures and prefer to hide in large bushes or other concealed places during the day, although they don't sleep all through the day, Iljanda sleeps for a two to three hour period and then socialize or eat some leaves from a bush until next sleep period. Calm and gentle if left undisturbed the Iljanda are still not welcoming against other races or intrusions on their space, especially if they have fawns at the time. If threatened, scared or if their young are attacked the Iljanda wont run like other grazers, instead they fight together viciously with their long teeth and sharp but short claws, their deep rumbling growl, fury and quick and continuous attacks will often drive predators on the run.
Other: People believe that these peaceful grazers bring the night and stalk through peoples dreams to spread nightmares and good dreams, that the light they absorb are vital to them so despite being creatures of the dark they need the sun to survive.

Don't be afraid of the dark my child, it is only the Night Bringer who is coming to give you dreams.

 

[SaigyouAyakashi]

Name: The Sidian Predator
Appearance: It looks like a normal red chested robin aside from the other unknown abilities it possesses. But it's arrival is heralded by flocks of various scavenger and predatory birds.
Role: Predator
Habitat: Jungle
Life-span: 10 years
Sentient: Yes
Means of Sustenance: Hunting. They usually hunt in the night or "raid" human villages.
Favourite Food Source: Larger Mammals
Major Competition: Humans
Mating Rituals: The sidian predator likes to show off it's entourage to it's mate, the larger the flock of of scavengers and other birds in it's "GANG" the better. Or they just fight the competition to the death
Organization: Solitary
Other: It's one of the few animals to kill for pleasure or to deliver a message, as a warning or a form of sick and twisted psychological warfare

 

[Drunken-Rabbit]

Name:
Cysgodol [Welsh for Shadow]

Appearance:
A tall horse like creature, that is as black as night, and it's eyes glow a bloody red. This creature has a snout of a wolf, ears of a fox, body of a horse, tail like a lion, and eyes as sharp as a hawk's. It's feet are hooves and they have a mighty blow.

Role:
Predator

Habitat:
The Cysgodol lives only on the island of Wales, in the woodland's of the island. These woodlands are the closest to the lakes, and therefore are known as "wet-woodlands", they have marshy like ground and have tall trees of alder, birch, and willow. There is a variety of flora on the ground.

Life-span:
10-15 Years

Sentient:
Yes

Means of Sustenance:
The mammals that inhabit the forests in which it lives in, and if a human is close enough and an easy enough target it will attack.

Favourite Food Source:
Deer

Major Competition:
Wolves & Humans

Mating Rituals:
The Cysgodol go farthest away from the marshy ground and water's edge to mate, and they do so by circling around each other and hoofing the ground. They bite the necks of their potential mate and if the female enjoys it and thinks the male is a strong father, than they mate.

Reproduction:
The females give birth to three foals at the maximum, if they give birth to more than three they will kill the weakest and feed it to their stronger offspring.

Organization:
Once the Cysgodol has found a mate it will stay with them for the rest of it's life, once the offspring are about a year old they are weaned of the mother and ready to find their own mate's. If the Cysgodol has not found a mate it will die of loneliness.

Other:
The Cysgodol has a call like no other, it's a shrill shreak like whinny and it gets even louder when it's on the hunt.

 

[Tigrrrlily]

Name: Changes depending on what country they're in, but in English they are Shadow Eaters.
Appearance: Depicted as birdlike or batlike, they appear as disembodied shadows about the size of sparrows.
Role: Scavenger
Habitat: Lives anywhere and everywhere, typically seen at sunrise and sunset, when shadows are biggest.
Life-span: 20-30 years
Sentient: No, barely intelligent
Means of Sustenance: Generally scavenges for any shadows they can find
Favorite Food Source: Shadows of living creatures, particularly animals
Major Competition: No other animal competition, absolute darkness
Mating Rituals: Males compete to see who can bring the biggest shadow to their female of choice. Once she chooses her mate, they work together to weave a nest out of the shadows of sticks/grass. This can happen any time of the year, but it's generally in late spring so it's summer when they hatch. As summer has longer days, this is when shadow eaters thrive.
Reproduction: A female can lay up to 6 eggs at once, which take anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks to hatch.
Organization: Always travels in flocks of up to 50