Carpet Pythons’ arboreal strength produced a vine‑patterned forest dragon.
Physiology
Large, muscular body
Moss‑patterned scales
Prehensile tail
Wing membranes resembling leaves
Behaviour
Patient, strategic hunter
Protects forest territories
Uses constriction and aerial ambush
Habitat
Rainforests, eucalyptus forests, high canopies
Abilities
Forest Blend: Near‑perfect camouflage
Silent Glide: Minimal wing noise
Constrictor’s Embrace: Immense crushing power
Weaknesses
Avoids open terrain
Cultural Lore Forest clans believe these dragons judge the worth of travellers.
The below image illustrates a juvenile Draco spilota sylvanis, yet to fully develop into its adult form:
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. His titles are also available in libraries.
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Okay, so this image doesn’t really scream dark fantasy at all… right? But it is another AI generated image inspired from my books. This one is based on the machine in my short horror story ‘Darkness in Shadows’. The story is set in the 1980’s and the image was to reflect the style of the technology back then. While it has the elements I provided in the description, the image doesn’t look much like the machine I pictured in my head when I wrote the story. Anyway, I thought I would post it here for those that would like to see it anyway.
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, why not share it with your friends on social media.
Draco acanthophis occultus — “The Stillness That Hunts”
Origin
Death Adders’ ambush lifestyle shaped a compact, horned, viper‑like dragon.
Physiology
Short, thick body
Heavy skull with forward‑curving horns
Tail ends in a glowing lure
Camouflage scales resembling leaf litter or sand
Behaviour
Motionless for days
Strikes with explosive power
Uses lure to attract curious prey
Habitat
Forests, scrublands, desert edges
Abilities
Lure‑Glow: Hypnotic tail light
Venom Bolt: Short‑range venom blast
Perfect Stillness: Nearly invisible when stationary
Weaknesses
Low stamina; poor pursuit ability
Cultural Lore Hunters say if the forest goes silent, the Adder is watching.
The below image illustrates the Draco acanthophis occultus in ‘Perfect Stillness’.
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. His titles are also available in libraries.
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Time for another image representing a scene from one of my stories. This one, generated with the use of AI, is a scene from my short story titled ‘Making Magic’. The story is set in the modern world and follows Alcus, a ‘would-be-writer’, on his visit to a writers’ group, where he meets a number of unique characters and experiences real magic. This is a short story with fantasy and horror themes, and plenty of laughs in between. As for the image, I couldn’t get the AI tool to give me all the characters the way I described them, and every time I asked it to fix something, it would change something else on another character. I’m slowly improving at writing my prompts to generate what I am asking for, but I still have a way to go, and with so many characters in this image, it was a big ask to get them all perfect. Anyway, the image represents the story scene well, even though it isn’t true to the characters descriptions.
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, why not share it with your friends on social media.
Tiger Snakes’ banding patterns evolved into adaptive camouflage abilities.
Physiology
Flexible, amphibious body
Scales shift between striped, mottled, or blotched patterns
Hooded crest with iridescent sheen
Webbed limbs
Behaviour
Highly adaptive; thrives in any biome
Uses pattern‑shifting to confuse predators
Hunts with sudden lunges
Habitat
Wetlands, forests, coasts
Abilities
Pattern Morph: Changes scale patterns instantly
Amphibious Breath: Toxic both in air and water
Hypnotic Display: Dazzling colour pulses
Weaknesses
Pattern‑shifting drains stamina
Cultural Lore Shamans call it “The Many‑Skinned One.”
The below is a rare image of a Draco scutatus variegatus hatchling, captured in its natural environment. The young drake is yet to develop its frilled, iridescent hood and its rear legs.
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. His titles are also available in libraries.
If you liked this post please share it with your friends on social media.
Here we go with another image I have created using AI tools. This one is an illustration of a character known as ‘The Caretaker’ from my short horror story ‘Low Life’. Yes, I know the title of this blog post refers to dark fantasy worlds, but that’s not referring to the genre of the book, it’s referring to the world, and I reckon the world is dark and it is not real, therefore it is a fantasy world. Alright, I might be stretching things a bit, but how about we just let this one slide, eh?
Anyway, the world behind this piece of art is dark indeed, a rendition of a hell with 18 levels in fact. The idea came from the title and theme of the anthology that I originally wrote the short story for – ’18’, which was published by Vision Writers. I subsequently released the story on its own under my own imprint, and later included it in an anthology of my own short stories called ‘Ripples Through Murky Water’. Needless to say, I’m really pleased with how this image came out, it fits the description and portrays the character well. Again, this isn’t exactly how I pictured him in my head, but it is quite close. This version of the character kind of reminds me of a cross between Jack Nicholson in ‘The Shining’, and Christopher Lloyd as Doctor Emmet Brown (A.K.A ‘The Doc’) from ‘Back to the Future’. I don’t have a problem with that, after all one of these falls in the same genre, right?
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, why not share it with your friends on social media.
This weeks post is for one of my personal favourites, the…
RED‑BELLIED EMBER DRAKE
Draco porphyriacus ignis — “The Riverfire Serpent”
Origin
From the Red‑Bellied Black Snake, these drakes became semi‑aquatic fire‑aligned predators.
Physiology
Glossy obsidian scales
Underside glows ember‑red when agitated
Steam‑venting gills
Paddle‑like tail
Behaviour
Ambushes from riverbeds
Uses heat to boil water around prey
Highly protective of nesting sites
Habitat
Rivers, swamps, billabongs
Abilities
Steamfire Breath: Superheated vapour blast
Boiling Aura: Raises water temperature around it
Ember Flash: Blinding red flare from belly plates
Weaknesses
Vulnerable when fully dried out
Cultural Lore Said to be the guardian of sacred waterholes.
The below image illustrates the Draco porphyriacus ignis in a state of ‘Ember Flash’:
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. His titles are also available in libraries.
If you liked this post please share it with your friends on social media.
I hope you are ready for another animal from my creature files. Everyone knows Australia is home to a host of dangerous creatures, but few know of the Marrin-Gul (Shadow that Hunts). More commonly known as the Bush Bastard by those at the local outback pub. This ancient monstrosity is a seasoned hunter; it covers ground quickly with its fast bounds and tears its prey apart with sharp claws and pointed teeth. I certainly would not want to meet one, if I was all alone, in the vast expanse of the Australian Outback.
MARRIN‑GUL
Procyon ferox umbravallis — “The Shadow That Hunts” (Common name: “Bush Bastard”)
Origin
Said to predate the oldest outback settlements, the Marrin‑Gul emerged from a lineage of nocturnal scavengers twisted by drought, starvation, and something older lurking beneath the red earth. When the first frontier cabins were raised, these creatures were already watching from the treeline. Folklore claims they learned to hunt humans by studying the patterns of campfires and the weaknesses of those who wandered too far into the dark.
Physiology
Thick, soot‑black fur that masks movement in low light
Elongated limbs built for bounding pursuit
Oversized claws curved like hooked knives
Needle‑point dentition designed for puncture and tearing
Blood‑rimmed eyes adapted for extreme nocturnal vision
Muscular hindquarters enabling explosive leaps
A tail used for balance during rapid directional shifts
Saliva laced with bacteria that accelerates rot in wounds
Behaviour
Hunts with sudden, silent bursts of speed
Displays territorial aggression toward anything entering its hunting grounds
Emits low, guttural growls that mimic distant wind through the gums
Rarely travels alone; where one is seen, others are circling unseen
Habitat
Remote outback scrub, abandoned homesteads, hollowed creek beds, and regions where human presence has thinned to whispers.
Abilities
Shadow Bound: Covers ground in rapid, loping strides that seem unnaturally fast
Rend‑Strike: A flurry of claw swipes capable of shredding flesh and hide
Night Veil Vision: Sees clearly in near‑total darkness
Pack Echo: Communicates with others through sub‑audible clicks and growls
Fear Break: Its presence induces panic in livestock and unease in seasoned bushmen
Weaknesses
Bright firelight disrupts its depth perception.
High, metallic noises cause it to recoil.
Its endurance is limited — prolonged chases exhaust it quickly, forcing it to rely on ambush tactics.
Cultural Lore
Bushmen say the Marrin‑Gul only hunts those who walk alone after sundown. Old-timers at the pub swear that if you hear claws on corrugated iron at night, you’re already marked. And if you see its eyes glowing red between the trees, you’re not looking at one — you’re looking at the one that wants you to notice it.
Would you survive if this critter sprang at you from the Outback plains? I wouldn’t fancy your chances.
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.
This image was generated (with the help of AI) from the description within a scene from my short horror story ‘The Cold and The Dead’. It took me a few attempts to get the wagon in the right style. The shack in the background and some of the details are not how I imagined, so you’ll find the actual descriptions in the book differ a little, but overall, I’m pleased with how it turned out.
If there is a scene from one of my books that you’d like me to re-create in an image, please leave a comment to let me know which one.
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, why not share it with your friends on social media.
From the King Brown, these dragons became muscular, armour‑plated earth‑aligned beasts.
Physiology
Thick, iron‑like scales
Massive forelimbs for digging
Blunt, crushing jaws
Dust‑storm coloured hide
Behaviour
Slow but unstoppable
Creates vast tunnel networks
Uses tremor‑sense to detect prey
Habitat
Red deserts, rocky outcrops, subterranean caverns
Abilities
Earthshock Roar: Causes localized quakes
Dust Cloak: Surrounds itself in blinding sand
Crushing Coil: Constricts with immense force
Weaknesses
Poor aerial ability; heavy body limits flight
Cultural Lore
Miners leave offerings at tunnel mouths to avoid “the Titan’s displeasure.”
The below image illustrates the Draco australis terravore burrowing out from beneath the desert.
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. His titles are also available in libraries. If you liked this post please share it with your friends on social media.
