There are four species of dragon. The dragons are intelligent but their lives, culture and habitation is completely separate from all of the other intelligent peoples. It’s a little like whales in our world. We know they are majorly intelligent and have small moments of connection with them but no way to actually communicate and understand each other.
The four species of dragon need development but will be based on these four South Australian species that are “at-risk” from human activity:
- A southern bell-frog dragon (amphibious, green, large eyes and mouth)
- A regent parrot dragon (feathered and very brightly coloured)
- A long-nosed fur seal dragon (whiskers and fur, a seal like snout and eyes)
- A Murray-Darling carpet python dragon (snake like scales, a long winding tail, a snake tongue)
There is also a tiny, unintelligent species of dragon that is as common as mosquitos but closer to the size of a sparrow. They are deeply annoying and will deliberately hit people. They look a little like mini flying kangaroos. Some of the peoples train them to fight each other in illegal boxing rings.
Another pest are the SETIMRET. These small pests steal materials and build wherever and whenever they like. You can wake up and find half of your house disappeared and remade into something new a short distance away.
The worlds are all populated by “pet plants” which are little magical plants that grow small creatures, used/treated as pets by the peoples. Different kinds of pets grow better on some worlds than others.
Summary of pet-plants:
- Small animals that can be grown on/as plants and kept as pets (the same way we keep cats/hamsters/dogs etc)
- Most are about the size of an average house-cat once full grown (some exceptions)
- They usually have a mix of features that look both plant + animal
- Usually harvest and “adopted” when about fist-sized
- All pet plants can perform one small magic (rarely useful, just something cute/funny/harmless)
Many of the trees soak up light and glow when it goes dark, providing light when the light-creatures sleep. Other species of trees grow leaves that are, or become, small creatures.
The worlds are full of “flower fairies” which grow inside the closed bud of flowers and then are released into the world. Flower fairies can be domesticated to help with things like keeping food cold, or lighting fires etc but they must be treated well (or they will refuse to give magic). The powers of the fairy directly relate to the flower they grow in and their powers are limited to small things. They are also very small. No bigger than cats to humans in relation to the peoples of these worlds.
The river between is populated by mermaids of terrifying appearance and other hungry dangerous things. These creatures only live in the parts of the river moving through space. Wherever the river touches the world, the river is free of them. The peoples do not know why but they are grateful for it. This is another reason travel between the worlds using the river is not possible, except during very close proximity and even then only with special equipment.
There are many species of spider, but the two most relevant are the silk-spiders which can be used to crate magical fabric for a variety of uses (especially storage) and the nid-spiders, which are like a drug. Most of the folk are at risk of becoming “nids” – those addicted to staring at the spiders. If left unchecked nids eventually turn into huge and horrifying (brainless) spiders themselves.
The worlds also include very mundane animals for food and company (think sheep, cats etc). They are also rare mega and giga fauna, which need to be developed more and other special creatures like a platypus inspired chimera.
lands of the river 