Legends of Windemere

Today’s creations are courtesy of Kirsten!

Hoggleban

A short, squat goblinoid that is covered in patches of yellow grass on its back.  Hogglebans have wide noses and big eyes because they spend much of their time in the dirt.  They hide in corn fields and feed off crows, but they will turn on a farmer if their treasure horde is removed.  Their favorite trinkets are wind chimes even though they can never get them to work underground.

Triptoclagger

Found within the jungles of Higlong, the Triptoclagger is a large slug.  They have a blue and gold coloration that is a different pattern for each creature.  It is easy to find them because they leave a thick trail of slime, but they are carnivorous with a suctioning mouth on its underside.  Triptoclaggers eat the insides of their prey and leave the skin.  Their meat is highly prized for its rich taste and the high one gets from eating it.

Hyptotiger

Not a true animal, but an enchanted statue that roams the city of Jurkonix.  It was created by a dark wizard before he was executed.  The ‘beast’ is a marble tiger with no coloration beyond its kaleidoscopic eyes.   The Hyptotiger mesmerizes first born children and leads them into the wilderness where they’re never seen again.

Rhynoplatamus

This large beast is 90% nose.  In fact, nobody is sure what the rest of their body looks like because it is always underwater.  Hazy pictures shows a tiny form with four stubby legs, but it shrivels as soon as it touches the air.  The nose is huge and wide like a duck’s bill and it has openings that can be used to collect water.  Filters in the nostrils gather microscopic food and it releases the water from the tip of the nose.  Typically, it uses this ‘attack’ to fend off predators.

Skeptomaniac

This mental condition is when someone becomes vocally skeptical of everything.  Unlike paranoia, this isn’t about fearing that something is out to get you.  It’s more that nothing is to be believed entirely and it grows to a point where even saying ‘hello’ is met with a ‘what do you mean by that?’  Never talk politics, religion, or current events with these people because these topics make the condition worse.

Pectrastripper

This species of squirrel lives within a forest of Pectra trees.  This rodent is black-furred and the size of a common grey squirrel.  Its retractable claws are shaped like razor-edged spoons and are used to scrape the bark off the Pectra trees.  These trees are notorious for their dense bark and only this animal can reach the tender pulp.

Klutzamus

Living on the high cliffs of Mirthgol, this species of deer is extinct.  It’s believed that they thrived before an earthquake broke the land and made the cliffs.  They have three legs with delicate hooves that are terrible for climbing.  Their horns are fan-like, which can catch the strong winds and carry them away.  So there is a rumor that a few might be alive in distant lands that are more suited to their clumsy movements.

Going to take it a little slower today because . . . I might have crammed too many into the first 3 posts and realized I’ll run out of things before next Monday.  My goal is to have this run until my son’s Spring Break is over and I can get to the next book.  So here we go with the suggestions from Lawrence Grodecki:

Stankweed

A pungent plant that is found within the Heap Islands, which are covered in garbage from the nearby Prisyut Kingdom.  Stankweed comes in red, blue, black, white, yellow, and green colors.  The color denotes what the plant grew out of it and each one has a different use.

Red= Grown from discarded food; Allows for easy ingestion of spicy foods
Blue= Grown from discarded plastic; Toxic and can melt lungs (popular with assassins)
Black= Grown from dirty soil; Can create rich fertilizer if fed to cows
White= Grown from discarded paper; Used as base for several medicines
Yellow= Grown from discarded metal; Ground into a highly corrosive paste
Green= Grown from dead organisms; Strong hallucinogen

Nisa

A lonely creature found at the top of Mount Quar who has been there for at least three centuries.  She is blue-furred to help blend into the snow and she hops around on one, large foot.  A yellow sail grows out of her round head to catch the sun for warmth. Her arms are able to helicopter around her body, making it easier for her to climb the cliffs.  A few reports have claimed to see her use this ability to fly for very short distances.  The reason Nisa is called a ‘she’ is because her voice is feminine.  She is known to sing a very sad and melodic song in an unknown language.

Doobong

A type of seal that lurks within the canals of Calca and is known to prey on the local dogs and cats.  It is a muddy brown to blend into the water and the only sign it is around is when its wide tail breaks the surface.  They are able to hold their breath for over an hour and retreat into the sewers to take a breath.  Doobongs have no eyes and work entirely off sound, which helps them avoid boats and catch prey near the water.  Their front flippers are long and have barbs that they use to hold their meal while they drown them.

Seckstipper

At first, this creature was believed to be a type of dragonfly because of its wings and the speed that it flew.  Then somebody managed to catch one for a close look and realized it’s closer to a snake.  Being only 1 inch long, the Seckstipper is incredibly fast and uses its slithering motion to pump the wings.  This creates an erratic flight pattern, but the tiny creature has learned to use this method to get to where it wants to go.  To stay safe, Seckstippers hide among dragonflies or stay within the reeds.  They do have a venomous bite, but it is only lethal to fish whose gills lock up.  Humans would only get a mild rash and 3 minutes of wheezing.

Palawacker

This device is used in the city of Notuc where physical contact is illegal without the proper paperwork.  This means, you need to register a request to give a friend a ‘high five’, which didn’t sit well with one the previous generations.  Their answer was the Palawacker, which is a six foot pole with a flat, plastic hand on each end.  Slapping these together is legal.  As expected, someone people abuse the device and use it in childish manners.  There is a $100 fine for smacking someone upside the head and 1 week in jail for paddling a stranger on the bottom without permission.  There is also a ban on the ‘Grip Version’ due to an increase in wedgies, wet willies, and bra snapping.

Hope everyone is enjoying this series while I’m tackling the toddler during Spring Break.  Working from the phone isn’t as easy or fun as the laptop.  First clutch of critters and creations are from Jackie Mallon:

Jiggywiffle

Hiding within the clouds is this fluffy creature.  It hates the cold, but it can’t leave in anything warmer than freezing.  It resembles a cloud with bare arms, hairy legs, and seven-toed feet. The Jiggywiffle’s mouth is on a stalk coming from the top of its head and it sucks in cold air to absorb the food particles within.  Part of its name comes from the way it moves, which is a strange dance that resembles a fast-paced jig.  It has been known to land on plane wings out of curiosity, but disappears once it is seen.

Hushbundle

The holy relic of the Tribe Whose Name Goes Unsaid.  This item is made of ten cylinders of quartz, which have been bound with dried lion gut.  It is held by the Grand Priestess who is forbidden from talking as long as she has it.  Once a year, she is allowed to hand the Hushbundle to an acolyte and use her voice to sing praise to the Gods.  That acolyte must not speak a word or they will be struck dead on the spot.

Chestmullet

Found in the southern region of Yerg, this is a local style created by the men who grow very long chest hair.  It is trimmed short around the top of the chest, but the bottom is grown long.  The record is a man named Terbuck whose Chestmullet grew down to his ankles. He died of broken heart when it got caught in a closing bus door and had to be surgically removed by a professional.  (Mrs. Terbuck left him for the surgeon.)

Plantopod

A very peculiar and highly prized plant that stands at eight feet tall.  It has a dark yellow stalk with bloated pods hanging off of it.  The pods are different sizes, which range from the size of a pea to the size of a watermelon.  This is because it’s possible to find a watermelon or a pea in the pod.  Sitting in the middle of Farmer Crocker’s land, the Plantopods have been naturally created by the winds mixing all of the crop seeds and pollen.  One never knows what kind of plant will be in the pod.  Warning: Poisonous mushrooms are a possibility.

Rundlebender

A type of deer found within the Anktodo Forest.  Standing at about 4 feet tall, they have short blue fur and antlers that twist out to the sides. A swishing tail can be grown within minutes by the rear Rundlebender, which erases their trail. They travel in herds of 20-30 with an alpha male who is in search of the perfect place to die.  Seriously.  The alpha male is born with the desire to find the perfect resting place and will fight to survive until they find it.  Reports of one-legged alphas limping on have been reported.  Once they find the spot, the females immediately go into heat and breeding commences.

Mogleaf

An addictive plant that grows among pine trees and resembles holly with silver berries.  It smells sweet to attract squirrels and birds, which will chew on the leaves.  This gives them hallucinations and they leave in a mad rush.  Pollen from the Mogleaf is leaked through the pores of an infected animal.

The next set is from Katie Sullivan:

Fizzybender

Much like the Rundlebender, this is a type of deer and is found in the same area.  It is a carnivorous loner with no antlers.  The creature is about 2 feet tall with brown fur and a stump of a tail.  Sometimes it can be found lurking within a Rundlebender herd in preparation for the females to go into heat.  If it impregnates one, the child is born a full Fizzybender.  The name comes from how it eats.  It can stretch its mouth large enough to swallow a bear cub and its elastic stomach is filled with quick working stomach acid.  A fizzy sound can be heard for an hour when the Fizzybender has eaten and it releases foam from its mouth.

Hogelpheffer

A mad scientist attempted to make a creature that could be killed for bacon and breed quickly.  So he combined a pig with a rabbit.  The result is this long-eared, pink-furred creature with a snout and whiskers.  They hop on all fours and have trouble with turns, so they crash into things.  The Hogelpheffers live in Castle Xindro where they were created and people go there for daily hunting.  As of yet, there has been no dent in their population and the scientist has not been seen in a decade.

Lillycastox

Named for two lovers who disappeared in the lake, this large fish is a recent discovery.  The red and blue scale pattern resembles two people embracing.  It has a large fin on its back that it raises to ward off predators and can grow in size by sucking in water.  The whiskers on its face leads people to believe that it is a type of catfish.  It is rumored to be a messenger of eternal love, but it appears that couples who see it end up dying together instead of leaving together.  There is currently a petition to have the lake exorcized or the fish removed.

Waxlenoggin & Wagensnoz

An alcoholic combination of the Pyrup Islands that each child goes through on their thirteenth birthday.  The Waxlenoggin is taken through the mouth and held there without swallowing.  It is said to have a sour taste.  The Wagensnoz is poured through the nose and is a very spicy alcohol.  It mixes with the Waxlenoggin where the tastes combine into a sweet, honey-like mixture.  The child’s prestige and reputation are determined by how long they can last without swallowing or spitting out the alcohol.  Longer you last, the more respect you earn, but there is a limit.  Lasting for an hour results in the child being forbidden from drinking anything other than water for the rest of their life.