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Description
The vast Doudin’s Plain was such a bountiful and iconic ecosystem with the beneficial arcane energy of the wild god Doudin supporting its root. The food plants were so packed in nutrients that they could maintain huge varieties of herbivores that roamed the land in massive numbers and diversities like no other places could compare. It was not a big surprise that with so many prey, predators would be found thriving in this paradise as well.
The predators of Doudin’s Plain came in many shapes and forms. They too took advantage of the nutrients that passed from the plant through the meat of their prey. Many used this opportunity to increase in numbers, becoming a common sight within their habitat. Others chose to increase their size and became one of the most frightening creatures the world had ever seen since the days of the dinosaurs.
Here are some examples of the iconic carnivores of Doudin’s Plain.
- Ironbill (Ferraetus stymphalae)
The Ironbill (Ferraetus stymphalae) is a species of terratorn, a type of large bird that are related to the condors and new world vulture, being the only representation of its clade within the Old World in which their ancestors had migrated to from the New World. Ironbill is well adapted to the freezing grassland of Doudin’s Plain winter, scouring the land and sky using its well developed legs and wings for carcasses, as well as mobbing and stealing food from predators of smaller or similar size. In summer however, they could be found stalking on the ground and hunting small prey such as rodents and ground birds in the same manner of caracaras of the New World. Ironbills’ population suffered from the loss of Doudin’s Plain, however they managed to survive living near the coast west of Pensivir where they nowadays can be found sustaining themselves on sea lions and lemming colonies.
- Dire wolf (✝Aenocyon dirus)
The Dire wolf (✝Aenocyon dirus) was once a commonly found predator of Doudin’s Plain. Like the ironbill, they first evolved and migrated from the New World. This large canid looked and behaved similarly to Grey Wolf (Canis lupus) of the Old World, despite not being related to one another. They lived in a large family pack in which they utilized their numbers to bring down larger and more powerful prey. The dire wolf’s population in Doudin’s Plain live in a much larger pack than their New World’s brethrens did, with each containing up to 40 members regularly and were able to hunt large and powerful prey such as unicorns and spearhorns. They outcompeted the grey wolves, limiting the smaller canid to the dense forest area. The dire wolf vanished to extinction once Doudin’s Plain was gone, unable to cope with the diminished prey and nutrients they highly depended on.
- Scimitar cat (✝Homotherium latidens)
The Scimitar Cat (✝Homotherium latidens) was a species of Machairodontine commonly found in Doudin's Plain during the last ice age. The scimitar cats were a quite lanky sabre-tooth cat with proportionally long legs, allowing them to adapt for more cursorial lifestyle in the open plain, where they hunted large grazing herbivores like bison, horses and occasionally young proboscideans that they took down in loose, unrelated pack. The scimitar cats were one of the few megafauna that survived after the degradation of Doudin's Plain, likely in the southern land of Eropan where they solely survived on the last population of Steppe Bison (Bison priscus). The cats eventually succumbed to the competition with other more adaptable predators like lions and the growing population of humans that hunted them for sport.
- Greater cave lion (✝Panthera spelaea grandis)
Cave lion (✝Panthera spelaea) was one of the most iconic predators of the ice age. They ranged from southern regions like Eropan up to the north most of Wild North, the most widespread big cats of its time. They are much larger than any lions or tigers of the present days, with a male could easily reach 400 kg in weight, however one subspecies could grow even further, the Greater cave lion (✝Panthera spelaea grandis) of Pensivir could reach up to 600 kg. A powerful predator, cave lions lived alone or in a small brother or sister coalition, stalking the plain for prey such as horses, bison and camels which they could easily overpower. They would also drive off smaller predators such as scimitar cat, brown bear and tiger from their kill. Like most of the large predators of Doudin’s Plain, cave lions were among those that went extinct once their preferred open habitat was gone. In their absence however had given rise to another big cat, the Dire tiger (Panthera tigris maximus) which had grown significantly and become the top predator of the wood and taiga forest of the north where it was once the plain that cave lions prowled.
- Coastal kelpie (Kelpia marinus)
Northern cousin of the Common Kelpie (Kelpia hippocampos), the coastal kelpie is the only known sea serpent species to inhabit subpolar regions, capable of thriving in extremely cold water thanks to the combination of its thick blubber and special antifreeze substance in their blood. The coastal kelpie is also the largest of all the kelpie species, growing as much as 6 metres long, although larger individuals may have also existed. Large rivers and lakes can be found stretching through the northern Eurus’s landscape. In these waters that the coastal kelpie had called home since the days of Doudin’s Plain. The kelpies roam the rivers and lakes, preying on any animals that wandered into their realm, dragging them into the watery grave before tearing chuck of meat with their powerful neck muscles. It’s said that during the ice age, coastal kelpie used to be very abundant, sustaining their population on the bountiful megafauna. Once Doudin’s Plain was gone however, the kelpies were reduced in numbers and are more likely to be found near estuaries where they may venture out into the sea to hunt seals and sea lions in the place of their long lost food source.
- Eurusian steppe drake (✝Dracodynastes antiquus)
No predators of Doudin’s Plain could stand in the way of the Eurusian steppe drake (✝Dracodynastes antiquus), the absolute apex predator of this ancient ecosystem. This titanic dragon is the largest dragon species ever lived and could grow up to be 9 metres in length and weigh up to 4 tonnes, so large that adults become flightless once they are fully grown. They were well adapted to live on the ground, with long, powerful limbs and semi-digitigrade hind feet, a feature unknown to any other Quaternary true dragon taxa. Even the volant juvenile and subadult still spent most of their time on the ground. The steppe drake is a powerful and endurance runner, capable of covering large areas in search of prey, which they run down with surprising bursts of speed in short distance. Even against much faster prey such as ungulates, the dragon could typically keep pace with the traveling herd and pick off weaklings that weren’t able to keep up. However, the steppe drake was best known for being the main predator of Doudin’s Plain’s various cast of proboscideans. They possessed meat-hook like claws on the front limbs that could hook into the toughest hide and pull the struggling prey such as young mammoths and spearhorn down with ease. With the extinction of their large preys and the vanishing of open plain, the eurusian steppe drake succumbed to the change, leaving the Black Drake (Pachydraco nigra) to become the biggest dragon in its place.
The predators of Doudin’s Plain came in many shapes and forms. They too took advantage of the nutrients that passed from the plant through the meat of their prey. Many used this opportunity to increase in numbers, becoming a common sight within their habitat. Others chose to increase their size and became one of the most frightening creatures the world had ever seen since the days of the dinosaurs.
Here are some examples of the iconic carnivores of Doudin’s Plain.
- Ironbill (Ferraetus stymphalae)
The Ironbill (Ferraetus stymphalae) is a species of terratorn, a type of large bird that are related to the condors and new world vulture, being the only representation of its clade within the Old World in which their ancestors had migrated to from the New World. Ironbill is well adapted to the freezing grassland of Doudin’s Plain winter, scouring the land and sky using its well developed legs and wings for carcasses, as well as mobbing and stealing food from predators of smaller or similar size. In summer however, they could be found stalking on the ground and hunting small prey such as rodents and ground birds in the same manner of caracaras of the New World. Ironbills’ population suffered from the loss of Doudin’s Plain, however they managed to survive living near the coast west of Pensivir where they nowadays can be found sustaining themselves on sea lions and lemming colonies.
- Dire wolf (✝Aenocyon dirus)
The Dire wolf (✝Aenocyon dirus) was once a commonly found predator of Doudin’s Plain. Like the ironbill, they first evolved and migrated from the New World. This large canid looked and behaved similarly to Grey Wolf (Canis lupus) of the Old World, despite not being related to one another. They lived in a large family pack in which they utilized their numbers to bring down larger and more powerful prey. The dire wolf’s population in Doudin’s Plain live in a much larger pack than their New World’s brethrens did, with each containing up to 40 members regularly and were able to hunt large and powerful prey such as unicorns and spearhorns. They outcompeted the grey wolves, limiting the smaller canid to the dense forest area. The dire wolf vanished to extinction once Doudin’s Plain was gone, unable to cope with the diminished prey and nutrients they highly depended on.
- Scimitar cat (✝Homotherium latidens)
The Scimitar Cat (✝Homotherium latidens) was a species of Machairodontine commonly found in Doudin's Plain during the last ice age. The scimitar cats were a quite lanky sabre-tooth cat with proportionally long legs, allowing them to adapt for more cursorial lifestyle in the open plain, where they hunted large grazing herbivores like bison, horses and occasionally young proboscideans that they took down in loose, unrelated pack. The scimitar cats were one of the few megafauna that survived after the degradation of Doudin's Plain, likely in the southern land of Eropan where they solely survived on the last population of Steppe Bison (Bison priscus). The cats eventually succumbed to the competition with other more adaptable predators like lions and the growing population of humans that hunted them for sport.
- Greater cave lion (✝Panthera spelaea grandis)
Cave lion (✝Panthera spelaea) was one of the most iconic predators of the ice age. They ranged from southern regions like Eropan up to the north most of Wild North, the most widespread big cats of its time. They are much larger than any lions or tigers of the present days, with a male could easily reach 400 kg in weight, however one subspecies could grow even further, the Greater cave lion (✝Panthera spelaea grandis) of Pensivir could reach up to 600 kg. A powerful predator, cave lions lived alone or in a small brother or sister coalition, stalking the plain for prey such as horses, bison and camels which they could easily overpower. They would also drive off smaller predators such as scimitar cat, brown bear and tiger from their kill. Like most of the large predators of Doudin’s Plain, cave lions were among those that went extinct once their preferred open habitat was gone. In their absence however had given rise to another big cat, the Dire tiger (Panthera tigris maximus) which had grown significantly and become the top predator of the wood and taiga forest of the north where it was once the plain that cave lions prowled.
- Coastal kelpie (Kelpia marinus)
Northern cousin of the Common Kelpie (Kelpia hippocampos), the coastal kelpie is the only known sea serpent species to inhabit subpolar regions, capable of thriving in extremely cold water thanks to the combination of its thick blubber and special antifreeze substance in their blood. The coastal kelpie is also the largest of all the kelpie species, growing as much as 6 metres long, although larger individuals may have also existed. Large rivers and lakes can be found stretching through the northern Eurus’s landscape. In these waters that the coastal kelpie had called home since the days of Doudin’s Plain. The kelpies roam the rivers and lakes, preying on any animals that wandered into their realm, dragging them into the watery grave before tearing chuck of meat with their powerful neck muscles. It’s said that during the ice age, coastal kelpie used to be very abundant, sustaining their population on the bountiful megafauna. Once Doudin’s Plain was gone however, the kelpies were reduced in numbers and are more likely to be found near estuaries where they may venture out into the sea to hunt seals and sea lions in the place of their long lost food source.
- Eurusian steppe drake (✝Dracodynastes antiquus)
No predators of Doudin’s Plain could stand in the way of the Eurusian steppe drake (✝Dracodynastes antiquus), the absolute apex predator of this ancient ecosystem. This titanic dragon is the largest dragon species ever lived and could grow up to be 9 metres in length and weigh up to 4 tonnes, so large that adults become flightless once they are fully grown. They were well adapted to live on the ground, with long, powerful limbs and semi-digitigrade hind feet, a feature unknown to any other Quaternary true dragon taxa. Even the volant juvenile and subadult still spent most of their time on the ground. The steppe drake is a powerful and endurance runner, capable of covering large areas in search of prey, which they run down with surprising bursts of speed in short distance. Even against much faster prey such as ungulates, the dragon could typically keep pace with the traveling herd and pick off weaklings that weren’t able to keep up. However, the steppe drake was best known for being the main predator of Doudin’s Plain’s various cast of proboscideans. They possessed meat-hook like claws on the front limbs that could hook into the toughest hide and pull the struggling prey such as young mammoths and spearhorn down with ease. With the extinction of their large preys and the vanishing of open plain, the eurusian steppe drake succumbed to the change, leaving the Black Drake (Pachydraco nigra) to become the biggest dragon in its place.
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Comments19
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Fantastic work! I like every animal here honestly, though the Steppe Drake obviously steals the show. I like the design, but I wish the coloration was a little more vibrant. I'd love to see them with a blue color scheme for example.