ShadeScales - WoF Fantribe concept thing by Spookapi on DeviantArt (original) (raw)

These are ShadeScales, a land tribe on Chimarra.

Their scales can shift colors (like RainWings) but only between black and white, and not as detailed as RainWing scales. This is an adaptation that helped them in the extreme hot and cold temperatures of the harsh desert they lived in. White scales helped them keep a bit cooler in the day, and black scales helped them absorb some warmth before the cold night.

ShadeScales used to be the dominant tribe on land, and had collected quite a bit of wealth, not only in treasure but also knowledge. Unfortunately, they've lost much of what they had before after SirenScales began invading land long ago.
SirenScales attacked in the night, taking advantage of the ShadeScales less effective night vision and sometimes killing a small village at a time.

ShadeScales definitely tried to fight back, but had never really fought any battles in their recent past and their lack of many weapons or armor lying around put them at the disadvantage. Especially when the previously more secluded tribe of SoarScales suddenly came out as well, supposedly killing SirenScales - but also destroying important history scrolls and burning down ShadeScale towns along the way. There were also stories of SoarScales killing ShadeScales along with other wildlife before destroying the bodies, so that SirenScales couldn't eat anything. But that might just have been a rumor?

At some point, ShadeScales had enough of it, and brought what remained of their population and history deep into the cool cavern systems of Chimarra, hoping to wait out whatever they could. There, they were expecting to find the SlimeScales who lived there. SlimeScales were a very placid tribe, and already had good relations with ShadeScales for occasional trade. ShadeScales were hoping the SlimeScales wouldn't mind them hiding out in their caves for a short time.
But what the ShadeScales found was that a SirenScale pod was taking over a decent portion of the damp caves themselves, and killing SlimeScales to get rid of them. SlimeScales have poison that can secrete from their scales, which would kill any SirenScale that tried to eat or bite them. But the death of a few SirenScales eating them had upset the pod enough to try exterminating (and not eating) any SlimeScale they found.

The ShadeScale and SlimeScale kingdom managed to meet up and their King and Queen joined together to kill or fight off the SirenScales from this cave for good. And in the end they succeeded, and since then ShadeScales and SlimeScales have had a strong union with one another as one kingdom now in the caves.

It was hard adjusting from their warmer desert home, to the very cool cave systems, but over time ShadeScales have adapted quite a bit. Now using their claws for digging and (begrudgingly) eating the bugs in the cave. Their changing scales are mostly a novelty now, since the caverns are always cold and wet, but the dark scales work well for blending into the shadows.

Also, due to being in one kingdom now, you can imagine Shade and Slime hybrids are pretty common, and often even even 'full' Slime or ShadeScales still have a bit of the other tribe in them somewhere. But even more clear hybrids are so common that sometimes they're just referred to as 'SlickScales'.

(more on how their joined kingdom works exactly will be on the SlimeScale ref)

ShadeScales eat primarily plants, but can also eat bugs (it's just not very preferred). They can survive on just about anything that's a plant, including even tree bark or dried grass in a pinch.

Once in the past, when ShadeScales were still in their desert home, when a ShadeScale was warmed up enough and long enough, they could breathe fire. Now that power is nonexistent in the caves. Even when ShadeScales come out of the cave to gather or plant things to eat, the warmth they get isn't enough for them to breathe fire again.
But, recently there have been incidents where a ShadeScale can seemingly breathe 'ice' once they're cool enough. ShadeScales are interested in this possibility, but are also apprehensive to test further since they might risk hypothermia if they get too cold.
But maybe in the future, ShadeScales within the caves will be able to breath ice instead of fire...

ShadeScale names tend to be things about light, darkness, temperature, sometimes even just smart/cool words that the parents sound neat. (now ShadeScales can also have names relating to caves and stuff too)

ShadeScales don't have the best night vision, but it's slowly improved from living in the cave and also from hybridization with SlimeScales. They have dull, but tough claws and pads. ShadeScales have a good sense of taste, and tend to be picky eaters even though they can eat nearly any plant that exists.

ShadeScales aren't naturally very good swimmers at all, though they've gotten better being forced to swim through some parts of the cave system. Despite the history they've had, ShadeScales still don't invest much into anything to defend themselves - which could be a problem in the future, but they're hoping the caves and the help of SlimeScales will be enough.

I think that's all I have to say on the ShadeScales for now. I'm planning to talk about how exactly their 'triumvirate' rulers work more in the SlimeScale ref.