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.
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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.
The final item in this blessed weapon series is a collaborative piece designed, forged, and crafted by the Elves, Dwarves, and Human mages together. The length of this bow is magically determined by the range of its target, and its arrows always fly silent and true.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this magical weapon series. If there is a weapon you’d like to see forged in the darkness or the light, drop a note in the comments and I will see what I can do.
I’ve saved this one for the last in this series of quotes from my tales. A colourful image with another quote from my short fantasy story ‘Making Magic’. And for extra brownie points I’ve included a dragon.
If you’d like to share your favourite quote, you can do so in the comments.
The next city to plunge into the darkness is… Vancouver!
I’m a big fan of Vancouver City. In fact, I’ve only just returned from a holiday in Canada, and I spent some more time in Vancouver after having enjoyed the hospitality of this city in the past. But this re-imagined version of the city is not the Vancouver I know, and it makes me wonder if the seaplanes in the real world have been replaced by the dragons seen in the sky.
Here are some questions to tweak your dark curiosity…
When the storm clouds coil above the city, what runes awaken on the glass towers of Coal Harbour and why are they there?
What is the cost of passage paid by for the ferrymen to the serpents that dwell beneath Lions Gate Bridge — Do all their passengers make it to the other side?
Which forgotten gods breathe through the neon haze of Granville Street, feeding on the desires of wanderers?
When the fog rolls down from Grouse Mountain, what spectral beings cross the seawall unseen?
What ancient oath binds the ravens circling the Vancouver Lookout, and why do their eyes burn with green fire?
Which souls are trapped within the reflections of False Creek, pleading for release when the moon turns crimson?
When the rain falls black and heavy, what creatures rise from the alleys of Gastown to hunt by the flicker of lanterns?
What memory does the city itself keep — is there really a heartbeat echoing through glass, steel, and shadow — waiting for the one who can hear it?
If you’d like to conjure up your own mug with a ‘Dark City’ design, check out my Merch here.
The weapon this week is a dagger crafted by the by elven and human mages, in a bid to help turn the tide of the battle between good and evil. It may not be a large weapon, but it niggles at the darkness, like a shining thorn in its side. Thus its name perfectly symbolises its qualities.
