Today’s post highlights a magical fantasy relic. While this relic has no sharp edges, it is a dangerous weapon. The type of weapon that is often overlooked. I give you an AI generated image that attempts to illustrate the ‘Blood Rage Amulet’ from my ‘Blood Rage’ trilogy. This is one of several tries. The AI tool wasn’t happy with generating the image as I described it, due to the systems acceptable image generation rules. so, I had to amend the prompts to stay within those rules. In some cases, it allowed certain things on one image, but it wouldn’t allow me to reproduce the effect on another. While the image above isn’t exactly the same as the description in the books, it is a fair representation and I like it.
Here are some of the other attempts, I like them and they all give a good representation of the amulet as I envisioned it, but none of them are exactly as I had imagined:
Feel free to let me know which one is your favourite in the comments.
Happy Reading!
Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here. You can also find his titles available in libraries.
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Welcome back to my Australian dragon series. This week’s post brings you the…
INLAND TAIPAN DREAD WYRM
Draco microlepidotus mortis — “The Pale Doom”
Origin
The Fierce Snake’s venomous potency drove an evolutionary path toward a mythic apex predator.
Physiology
Bone‑white or ash‑grey scales
Heavy, plated skull with multiple horns
Venom sacs evolved into pressurised toxin jets
Wings with cracked‑earth patterning
Behaviour
Solitary, contemplative, almost ritualistic
Burrows deep beneath desert stone
Emerges only during heatwaves or omens
Habitat
Deep desert, badlands, scorched mesas
Abilities
Toxin Jet Breath: Melts armour and stone
Burrow Surge: Erupts from beneath prey
Solar Overcharge: Absorbs heat to amplify power
Weaknesses
Cold renders it sluggish; nocturnal activity limited
Cultural Lore Said to be born from the first lightning strike that ever hit the desert.
The below image illustrates the Draco microlepidotus mortis performing a solar overcharge:
Happy Reading!
Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here. His titles are also available in libraries.
If you liked this post please share it with your friends on social media.
Here is another post from my creature files. This terrifying animal was once extinct, but scientists meddling with the cloning of genes tried to bring it back to life and re-introduce it to the world. They partially succeeded, though you can’t really say this Thylacine is alive. Meet the Bone-Striped Tiger, an undead devil sometimes referred to as a Rot Runner by the locals.
BONE‑STRIPED TIGER
Thylacinus ossifera revenant — “The Rot Runner”
Origin In an ill‑fated attempt to resurrect the extinct Thylacine, geneticists spliced preserved Tasmanian tiger DNA with experimental regenerative sequences designed to repair cellular collapse. The process reanimated the body but failed to restore true life. What emerged was neither clone nor animal, but an undead predator driven by instinct, hunger, and a strange, lingering echo of its former species.
Physiology
• Emaciated, wolf‑like frame with exposed ribs and necrotic musculature
• Bone‑pale striping along the flanks, glowing faintly in low light
• Elongated jaws with desiccated lips pulled back from permanent snarl
• Eyes burning with unnatural red luminescence
• Limbs reinforced by partial ossification, granting unnatural speed
• Thickened tail vertebrae forming a whip‑like, skeletal lash
Behaviour
• Hunts in erratic bursts, alternating between stillness and explosive pursuit
• Drawn to heat, movement, and the scent of decay
• Displays territorial pacing patterns reminiscent of living thylacines
• Emits a rasping, breathless bark‑snarl that carries across wetlands
• Shows uncanny persistence, tracking prey long after a normal predator would give up
Habitat
Swamp margins, dead forests, abandoned research sites, mist‑choked valleys, and any region where rot, stagnant water, and shadow converge.
Abilities
• Gravebound Sprint: Accelerates with terrifying speed despite its decayed frame
• Rot Aura: Proximity induces nausea, weakness, and rapid spoilage of organic matter
• Bone‑Howl: A resonant, corpse‑dry cry that disorients prey and attracts others of its kind
• Death‑Scent Tracking: Follows the faintest trace of blood or decomposition across vast distances
Weaknesses
• Fire disrupts its necrotic tissues;
• Prolonged exposure to sunlight slows its movements;
• Cannot cross running water;
• Becomes disoriented by strong chemical disinfectants.
Cultural Lore
Locals claim the first Rot Runner rose from a vat that cracked open during a storm, lightning illuminating the creature as it staggered into the marsh. Some say the Bone‑Striped Tiger is not merely undead but angry — a spirit wronged by humanity’s meddling, doomed to wander until its lineage is restored or its remains are finally laid to rest.
Would you survive if you saw this beast, just as it spotted you from the tree line? Just how fast can you run?
Happy Reading!
Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here. You can also find his titles available in libraries.
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When I wrote the ‘Blood Rage’ trilogy, I created a whole world for my characters to live in. The world that I wanted to set their story in. It was the world of Armada; a dark, gritty, medieval-style, fantasy world. One of the locations in this world is ‘The Dead Duck’, a tavern whose landlord holds an allegiance to a guild of thieves known as ‘The Crimson Guild’. The image above is an illustration of ‘The Dead Duck’ that I generated using AI, to try and bring the world to life for those who are more visual. I’d like to say here that I have found it very difficult to get AI to produce an image that represents a description I have provided of the image in your head, but I must say that after refining my prompts a few times, I am very pleased with how this one turned out.
The world of Armada has inspired a lot of art for me. I remember sketching some of the scenes to anchor them in my head and support my writing. I have also created other art for merchandise that can be found in my Merch store; here’s an example:
I’ve created a short movie clip of the scene where the Ku-Shee chases Conall and Erin through the forest, as well as other images of the creatures that inhabit the world, and scenes from the book. Most of which I plan to share with you all in future blog posts.
If there are any particular scenes, creatures, or merchandise that you would particularly like to see, please let me know in the comments.
Happy Reading!
Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here. You can also find his titles available in libraries.
If you liked this post please share it with your friends on social media.
Known to lure prey with bioluminescent throat sacs
Territorial around coral reefs
Habitat
Coastal jungles, mangroves, reefs
Abilities
Reef Camouflage: Shifts colour to match coral
Silent Swim: Zero wake movement
Neuro‑Fog Breath: Paralyzes prey in water or air
Weaknesses
Avoids cold water; vulnerable to deep‑sea pressure
Cultural Lore
Island tribes call it The Whispering Current, believing it guides lost spirits to shore.
The below image illustrates the Draco scutellatus littoralis in a night hunt:
Happy Reading!
Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here. His titles are also available in libraries.
If you liked this post please share it with your friends on social media.
This is the second post from my creature files. This week we have crossed the timeline to the Northern Hemisphere in search of strange beasts and find ourselves in Canada. And what dark creature could be more appropriate than this Ribbed-back Revenant, more commonly referred to as a Rib-back. This monster evolved from the grizzly bear and dons a partial exoskeleton of ribs, coupled with a row of defensive bone spikes, that run down either side of its back.
RIBBED‑BACK REVENANT
Ursus horrendum redivivus — “The Rib‑back”
Origin
Born from the grizzly bear’s relentless survival instinct, the Ribbed‑back Revenant represents a grotesque evolutionary divergence. In regions where famine, radiation, and predation pressure converged, the species adapted by externalising portions of its own skeletal structure. What began as hardened scar‑bone plates eventually became a full partial exoskeleton — a macabre armour forged from its own ribs.
Physiology
Towering ursine frame with elongated limbs and hypertrophied musculature
Exposed rib‑plates forming a natural exoskeleton along the flanks
A double row of jagged bone spikes running down either side of the spine
Skull elongated into a predatory wedge with protruding fangs
Eyes glowing with bioluminescent red tissue, adapted for low‑light hunting
Internal organs partially shielded by fused rib‑growths, granting unnatural resilience
Behaviour
Apex scavenger‑predator hybrid; attacks opportunistically but with calculated brutality
Known to stalk wounded prey for hours, letting fear weaken them
Displays territorial aggression toward anything entering its kill‑zone
Emits low, rattling growls caused by air vibrating through its exposed rib structures
Shows an eerie fixation on human remains, often dragging bones back to its den
Habitat
Boreal forests, alpine foothills, and abandoned frontier settlements. Prefers regions scarred by conflict or ecological collapse, where carrion is plentiful and cover is dense.
Bone Spike Charge: A devastating shoulder‑rush that impales prey on its lateral spines.
Gravehowl: A resonant roar amplified by its hollow rib structures, capable of stunning prey.
Revenant Endurance: Can continue fighting long after sustaining wounds that would kill other megafauna.
Weaknesses
Limited flexibility due to ossified rib‑plates; struggles in tight spaces
Bright light disrupts its low‑light vision, causing momentary disorientation
Bone spikes can fracture under extreme blunt force, leaving it vulnerable
Cultural Lore
Frontier survivors whisper that Rib‑backs are the restless spirits of the wilderness itself — guardians twisted by humanity’s encroachment. Some claim the creatures are drawn to battlefields, as if feeding on the echoes of violence. Others insist that when the forest falls silent and the wind carries a hollow rattle, a Revenant is already watching from the treeline.
Would you survive if this Ursidae nightmare crawled out from the bushes before you? Thankfully they are rare creatures that tend to inhabit the wilds, rather than our cities.
Happy Reading!
Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here. You can also find his titles available in libraries.
If you liked this post please share it with your friends on social media.
Welcome to the last of my ‘Dark City’ posts. The final post in this series brings us to… Toronto!
What questions flood your mind when you gaze upon this dark fantasy city? Here are a few I’ve created for you to ponder over:
When the crimson aurora coils above the CN Tower, what forgotten creatures awaken beneath its steel veins?
Which spirits haunt the mist‑choked streets of Queen and Spadina, and what do they whisper to those who walk alone after midnight?
What lies beneath the frozen waters of Lake Ontario, and does it stir when the moon turns red and the runes begin to hum?
What memories do the gargoyles keep of the first night the sky broke open and the city learned to fear its own reflection?
When the Flatiron’s walls pulse with red light, which souls are drawn to its doorway — and which never return?
I hope you’ve enjoyed my ‘Dark City’ Series. If you’d like to see your city (or any other city) transported into a place within this dark fantasy realm, just let me know which city you want to see in the comments, and if I get time, I will see what I can do to bring it to life.
If you want to conjure up your own mug with a ‘Dark City’ design, check out my Merch here.
I’ve been playing around with AI recently and thought I would have a go at creating some images of Australian specific dragons to add to my bestiary. I considered what this should look like to give them a distinctive Australian feel and how it would have come about. This got me thinking about the wildlife, which in turn sparked the idea “what would it look like if our snakes had evolved into dragons”. Well, one thing led to another and before I knew it, I had created my own version of 10 dragons from the Australian realms.
Here is a list of the 10 taken from my newly created ‘Bestiary of Post‑Serpentine Apex Species‘:
The Eastern Brown Drake
The Coastal Taipan Serpent-Wyrm
The Inland Taipan Dread Wyrm
The Mulga Earth-Dragon
The Red-Bellied Ember Drake
The Tiger Stripe Chimera Drake
The Death Adder Ambush Drake
The Carpet Python Forest Guardian
The Olive Python River Serpent
The Woma Sand-Sense Drake
The first is detailed below, with the others to follow over the coming weeks:
EASTERN BROWN DRAKE
Draco textilis fulguris — “The Lightning Wyrm”
Origin
Evolved from the Eastern Brown Snake, these drakes adapted to open plains and sun‑scorched grasslands, developing speed‑enhancing musculature and heat‑diffusing wing‑membranes.
Physiology
Lean, aerodynamic body with bronze‑to‑sand gradient scales
Long, narrow wings that shimmer like heat haze
Eyes adapted to detect micro‑movement at extreme distances
Venom glands modified into vapourised neurotoxin breath
Behaviour
Hyper‑territorial and reactive
Hunts by explosive sprinting takeoff, striking before prey perceives movement
Known to “strobe” its wings to disorient attackers
Neuro‑Mist Breath: Causes paralysis and hallucinations
Heat Mirage Cloak: Bends light around its body
Weaknesses
Poor endurance; relies on ambush and speed
Cultural Lore Farmers claim the Lightning Wyrm is the “anger of the sun,” punishing those who disrespect the land.
The below image illustrates the Draco textilis fulguris strobing its wings for an attack.
Come back next week for the next dragon in this series.
Until then,
Happy Readeing!
Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here. His titles are also available in libraries.
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Welcome to my creature files, a series of posts about fantasy creatures. Some of these will be from my stories, others from mythology and folktales, and some I have just created for fun – Like this week’s creature. The Nocturnal Maw; a larger, darker relative of the drop bear, and its better known, cuter, friendlier cousin the Koala.
NOCTURNAL MAW
Phascoloctonus sanguinolentus — “The Nocturnal Maw”
Origin
Folklore speaks of a once‑ordinary arboreal marsupial twisted by an ancient lunar curse. During a blood‑red moon, the creature’s gentle lineage fractured, giving rise to a predatory offshoot that feeds not on leaves, but on fear, flesh, and the warmth of living breath.
Physiology
• Matted charcoal‑grey fur streaked with dried blood
• Oversized claws adapted for silent vertical ambush
• Lantern‑red eyes capable of piercing total darkness
• Elongated muzzle with carnivore fangs replacing herbivore dentition
• Prehensile limbs retaining koala ancestry but warped for predation
Behaviour
• Nocturnal ambush hunter, descending from trees without warning
• Exhibits territorial rage when the red moon rises
• Emits low, rattling growls that mimic wind through dead branches
• Known to stalk prey for hours before striking
• Displays eerie stillness — can remain motionless for an entire night
Habitat
Dead forests, drought‑stricken bushland, abandoned clearings, and regions touched by wildfire scars. Prefers trees with hollowed cores or skeletal branches.
Abilities
• Crimson Gaze: Induces paralysis or disorientation in prey when eye contact is made
• Silent Drop: Falls from height with near‑perfect soundlessness, crushing prey beneath its weight
• Lunar Frenzy: Strength and aggression surge during red‑moon phases
• Scent of Warmth: Tracks living creatures by heat signature alone
Weaknesses
• Bright light disrupts its night‑vision and causes temporary blindness.
• Fire and intense heat repel it.
• Becomes sluggish during daylight and avoids open ground.
Cultural Lore
Bush legends warn travellers never to camp beneath dead trees during a red moon. Some claim the creature is the restless spirit of the forest itself, awakened to punish those who trespass on scorched land. Others whisper that if you hear nothing at all — no wind, no insects, no rustling — the Nocturnal Maw is already above you.
Would you survive if this little beast fell upon you from the treetop canopy above? Let’s hope you never have to find out.
Happy reading!
Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here. You can also find his titles available in libraries.
If you liked this post please share it with your friends on social media.
My ‘Dark City’ Series of posts is almost at an end, and who knows, I may bring it back to life again another day. But for now, I bring you a dark fantasy portrayal of… Perth!
Perth City. Another place I have yet to visit. Even though I live in Australia, this city is approximately 5 hours flight from Brisbane, and I can get to a number of international destinations in less time than it takes me to get to Perth. However, I still plan to get there one day.
But to visit the Perth of this dark fantasy world it would do you well to ponder these questions:
When the Blood Moon rises over the Swan River, how much blood flows from the ancient runes lit by its glow?
What creatures stir in the mistthat coils around King’s Park, and what secrets does it whisper about the forest’s oldest stones?
When the auroras twist crimson and green above the skyline, do they mark the return of the river god, or the opening of a portal to another realm?
What tribute must the fishermen offer at Elizabeth Quay to keep the tentacled behemoth beneath the waters from rising?
Whichcathedral bells toll backwards at midnight, and what souls respond to their call?
The creature in the water looks oddly familiar to me… I wonder… could it be… is this the lake dweller from one of my own tales or is it just a coincidence?
Come back next week for the final image in my ‘dark city’ series.
If you are interested, you can purchase your very own ‘Dark City’ mug from my merchandisestore.
