Weretober 2022: Exploring Werebeast Transformations
Hey there everyone! Just wanted to share some worldbuilding I’ve been doing for my setting of Beast Fables!
Smaugust 2022 - Monsters of Mythology, Science Fantasy Edition
So! For this Smaugust, I basically revisit my Pantheons setting, and decided to do some Science Fantasy interpretations of mythologies beasties. Pantheons is essentially a what-if scenario in the future, where gods and mortals walk alongside one another, and by extension, mythology’s monsters.
Batch 1: Chaoskampf-Level Giants
- Gonggong/Kanghui: An insane dragon representing the Devonian Mass Extinction, not satisfied being a giant water elemental, wants to learn the secrets of human-god magic.
- Behemoth: A Cosmic T.rex Guardian of a titanic planet where many of the major monsters of the Galaxy originates from. As a representation of the K-Pg extinction event, his fists are usually all that’s needed to obliterate anything, but a energy laser is always convenient!
- Niddhogg: A snarky, short tempered cosmic Spinosaurus that can tear through the fabric of space, entering in-and-out of Yggdrasil, snapping up planets in his maw. He less represents ONE extinction, and more how extinction can come in anytime.
- Orochi: Once a mighty Yokai that represented the Anthropocene Extinction Event, he’s now reduced to a ghost trapped in Amaterasu’s sword, Kusanagi.
Batch 2: “True” Dragons
- The Red Dragon of Wales: A guardian of the realm of the Arthurian realm called Avalon, beloved by all. (Avalon is a mix between The British Isles, France and Iberia, aka the areas where
- The Cuelebre: The Golden Dragon, who found out that you can get more treasure by selling booze rather trying to raid and hoard gold.
- Illuyaka: A Great Electric Eel, who USED to be a big shot, but his confidence was absolutely crushed after losing to Tarhunz, the Hittite Storm God (well... one of them. They have a lot).
- Zmeya Gorynishche: An evil slaving dragon who haunts mortals after having lost her pups, and now leads a band of monstrous pirates.
Batch 3: Great Shapeshifters
- Kukulcan/Quetzalcoatl: A Grand Beast that’s also the head of multiple pantheons, he’s actually pretty pleasant. Doesn’t like Tezcatlipoca much though.
- Fafnir: A mobster dwarf AND a dragon. Don’t make him mad, lest he feels peckish, so be sure to be on time to pay back those loans...
- Nammu/Tiamat: Both a queen and a literal monster, she revels in being both the highest authority in the Mesopotamian Pantheon AND a giant monster feared by all. She loves picking on Marduk.
- Rahab/Sandalphon: A Cherubim who was once a mighty dragon-looking angel, feared by many, until she interacted more and more with the galaxy, and decided, in her heart, she’d feel more comfortable having a more humanoid form. She can still shapeshift to the dragon form however, when it’s convenient.
Shark Week Day 7: Great White Shark
The finale! Featuring Kara’s mum, and the de-facto leader of the town, Carol Otodona.
It is through her that the town of Tridentsfall keeps on running, and it is her that helps keep the interests of the entire town, from the scholars, the hunters, the herders into consideration, as well as balancing said interests.
It is from her that Kara gets her sense of duty and giving back to the community as much as she can.
Carol wished Kara would take some time for herself though
Shark Week Day 6: Tiger Shark
Day 6 of Shark Week, featuring Kara’s Dad, and one of THE pillars of the community.
Think of him as a combination of Steve Irwin, Robert Bakker and Indiana Jones, all rolled into a Shark, and equipped with a dad bod.
Despite his overly excitable temperament of all things buried in the dirt, he makes emphasis on how not everything that can be dug up, should be dug up. While ancient merfolk civilization can be very disconnected from theirs, some land is sacred to others, so respect that.
In this case however, he just wants some wholesome bonding time with his eldest daughter. The fact he needs extra muscle to break through some tough rocks is but a bonus!
Shark Week Day 5: Great Hammerhead Shark
Day 5! Featuring Steffa the Great Hammerhead! She’s a scholar, curator of the Museum of Tridentsfall... and thus Kara’s employer.
She’s very warm, approachable and everyone in town calls her “Mrs” instead of “Dr” as she’s considered everyone’s teacher. If you are out of town however, do refer to her professional name.
Also, whatever you do, do NOT present to her artefacts from an ancient Merfolk grave. Have some decency!
Beast Fables: An Introduction to Biology/Ecology influenced Werepeople
So, for the past week, I’ve been designing and building lore for the same world as my Merfolk! Thank you so much for your support. It was supposed to be for Mermay, but I just HAD to expand on the world more.
Merfolk series: Part 1
In the world of Beast Fables, Werefolk (also known as Werebeasts, Beastfolk and Werepeople), they’re the land counterparts to the merfolk, and instead of creatures of the say, and having a permanent oceanic/riverine look, they have both a ‘regular’ human form and a beastial half.
To “awaken” their beastial halves, there needs to be a ‘catalyst’ to do so. From the light of the moon for a werewolf, or just basking in the sun for a werecrocodile, or exposure to darkness for weremoles and wereshrews.
Werefolk occupy almost all the niches on the surface, from the sky to the caves, from deserts to tundra. Wherever there’s a solid surface, there’s bound to be werefolk.
The technology of the surface dwellers are akin to Revolutonary America, Regency England and the early Industrial Revolution.
Finally got time to do some personal work. This is for my original setting, simply titled Pantheons. Also Kaijune!
Here, The Archangels Michael and Raphel, witness the emergence of one of the greatest creature to ever walk... A gigantic theropod-like monster named Behemoth.
The planet, forbidden by all angels within the realm of Outremer, is one of impossible size, being as large or larger than the solar system of the Earth, and filled with titanic flora and fauna unlike anything seen in the galaxy.
In spite of all that, it remains one of the lushest, most vibrant places in the Galaxy, untouched by the creeping march of civilization that has devastated the ecosystems in other planets in the Galaxy.
It is name Gan’Haden, after an old story told amongst the Angels.
And on to some personal projects! Doing some world-building, based off my the original setting I had imagined for my Project Pantheons series of creature and character designs.
The more I made lore, the more I found out “hey I could make a science fantasy storyline outta this.” So, well, I did (still rough, but it ha a beginning, middle, and end).
From Top to Bottom:
The Archangels Michael and Raphael. The main guy and gal of the setting, representing the Warrior and the Healer. It’s a classic broody boy (though not really, he’s just trying to do his best) and upbeat girl kinda dynamic, thought with a LOT of development as the mood of the story gets progressively more darker, and more pantheons are introduced to the setting.
The Archangels Gabriel and Raguel. Part of Mike and Raph’s posse, and the Messenger and Justice entity of the Angelic faction. Raguel is from the same twin star system as Raph, essentially making her Raph’s twin. Gabriel is of course, the messenger who acts as the glue of the group as well as the liaison to the rest of Angel-kind... and other godly beings.
All angels in the setting are born from stars, and group of angels manifesting themselves at around the same decade (or two), are considered part of a ‘generation’ of Angels.
The main thing I also want to do drawing my version of the angels is that they don’t always follow the standard gold-white look of angels that’s usually presented. I want to try and do diverse skin tones and color palettes for each.
That’s all from me so far :D.
I don’t know if you’ve seen the NatGeo version of “Life after People”? But it has a few staged scenes with escaped wild animals that are very much in line with the ideas you’ve presented, and if you hadn’t seen it I wanted to recommend it to you. Also, YOU ARE AMAZING!!! Just thought I’d say again. >w
Hi there! Apologies for the late reply, had a pretty busy Saturday xD. But yes! I have indeed seen Aftermath: Population Zero! I enjoyed it’s more comprehensive, smaller scale look on what would happen in a post-human realm, going over the years and months rather than the centuries.
It also does give good insight on the effects of our waste as well as radiation on the earth and how it affects creatures big and small. And again, THANK YOU SO MUCH! I appreciate your kind words a great lot :D
Kaijune - Terra-2 - It’s Joe
I only just realized that this month was also Kaijune! As I’m going to be consumed by other activities, I thought I’d do something special, so I’m revisiting a setting and a character I haven’t updated in a LOOOONG time... Those who’ve followed me since my DA days probably know him!
Set in a world that’s basically a sci-fi genre-crossover where the Kaiju are top-of-the-food-chain, the name of the big guy is Jovis. Over the years he went from being a Heroic Neutral Force of Nature to an unambiguously good and heroic kaiju... that can still cave in the skulls in of other kaiju. What he lacks in cunning (and basic survival instincts), he more than makes up by being really, REALLY strong.
It’s good to bring you back big guy... I missed drawing you!
I can’t believe I managed to find THESE in the UK. Indonesia doesn’t have ‘em (ESPECIALLY Halo Mythos), so finding these in the UK was a dream come true.
Believe me, Halo was actually my first fandom (yes, even before kaiju!), and out of all sci fi franchises, perhaps made the biggest influence in any of my sci-fi work. It’s world building pretty much got in me into to study harder on how to make a constructed world. With the announcement of Halo Infinite, I’m finally back in the Halo mood.
Might make fanart soon...
Zbrush WIP pwogress! My mates from DA knows who this guy is, but for Tumblr folks, this is my original kaiju from waaaaaay back, named Jovis. He’s part of my world building project, about an alternate earth that has long since been colonised by us humans.