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.
To see my other Dark City and World Building related posts, you can visit my Fantasy Worlds under the categories section.
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 Reading!
If you’re interested in seeing more of my creature posts, you can find them in my Bestiary.
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.
If you’re interested in seeing more of my creature posts, you can find them in my Bestiary.
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.
To see my other Dark City and World Building related posts, visit Fantasy Worlds under the categories section.
If you are interested, you can purchase your very own ‘Dark City’ mug from my merchandisestore.
