Wind SpeciesThe wind species is considered rare but not endangered. What sets them apart from most species are their wings and that they can fly. They have four different and unique variations with different wing types, known as; Swiftwings, Coastwings, Summitwings and Gladewings. They mostly depend on aerial attacks with their wings and a Wind wolf will at all times protect them, even known for abandoning fights if their wings are in danger. A flightless wolf of this species is considered extremely vulnerable and useless. They are slow on the ground and become easy targets. It’s said that if they lose the ability to fly that they’ll become depressed. Their wings do make them excellent for scouting.
BehaviourThe wind species gained traits commonly seen in birds as they will perform courtship rituals and even have births that partly resembles that of birds. They make unique nests, and their courtship rituals is unique to each type and can differ greatly. Summitwings are the only ones of the variations that will live a solitary life or as a mated pair, and they have been known to hunt other wolves, even other types of their own species to eat. Coastwings will always prefer living around coastlines and are generally more passive than the other variants. Swiftwings are the fastest, and prefers living in huge groups. They are also known to make their fur even more spiky if threatened. Gladewings make their homes in dense forests and have been known to scavenge, even on other wolves. It’s believed the cannibalistic side might be a side effect gained from their Dragon Goddess who resembles both a dragon and a bird. While Gladewings only scavenge, Summitwings will actively hunt wolves for food. The other two variants are generally not known for cannibalism. They spend a lot of time grooming and cleaning their wings, their only fear would be to lose the ability to fly. It’s known that a wolf will die from depression if they lose their ability to use their wings and ability to fly. Swiftwings are the most common to be found, as they tend to live in all sorts of places and have made their homes in similar locations as the other species. From nature they tend to be proud and stubborn, but passionate towards their fellow pack mates.
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Information
Stats / Strengths (Swiftwing)
Stats / Strengths (Coastwings)
Stats / Strengths (Summitwings)
Stats / Strengths (Gladewings)
Advantage / Disadvantage
!!! Coastwings are the only variation of this species that is not weak to the water element but neutral !!! |
When attacking, they prefer working in a group and take turns attacking. Their nests are considered most impressive, as they are round with one single entry point. They are located in trees and made from sturdy pieces of wood. Coastwings on the other side will make their nest near cliff sides or trees on the coast. They will use twigs and anything they can find around the coast to make them. They will scavenge on the beach for smaller animals such as crabs. They also like to socialize with their pack mates as they too live in big groups. They make a lot of head movements and strange unique vocalizations to communicate. To intimidate other species they will actually vocalize louder. From nature they are gentle but daring as they like to push their luck.
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Summitwings are considered as the strangest variant due to their eating habits and solitary lifestyle. Similar to hawks and eagles, they too have preyed on young pups of other species. Aside from that they are also known for hunting young wind wolves of different variants to eat. They are calm and collective and simply see meat as a food source, with no personal intention to kill. To them the meat of a wolf is simply tasty and fulfilling. Because of this they are often targeted by other packs especially if they have young. Their nests are large and impressive, as they are large enough to fit both of the mated pair inside. When threatened they will raise their crest up and spread their wings wide open. When hunting they will attack similar to hawks, using their longer dewclaws and nails to their advantage. With the grip they have they are capable of picking up large creatures but only for a short amount of time. Gladewings are often seen on large trees rather than in the air. Rather than hunting they tend to scavenge by flying down and ripping chunks of meat off of a body they did not hunt. Considered as the thieves of the variants most wolf species will keep a close eye if they are around. Not only do they scavenge for food, but they love shiny objects and are very impulsive to steal. They are considered the most intelligent of the types, as they are said to be able to tell the difference between wolves that form a threat and those that are harmless just by looking. They also have the habit to never give up, as they will find all sorts of ways to reach the goal they have set for themselves. They too are very close to one another. Wind wolves will stay far away from electric species and ice species, as those could quickly cause a lot of damage on them.
Within a pack they are all extremely social except for the “Summitwings”. To gain closer bonds they will clean one another wings and fur. The Coast, Swift and Gladewings tend to be extremely vocal and prefer large groups to live with. Summitwings stand out as they prefer to live alone or bonded to a partner. It’s not unusual for the partners to break up after young are successfully raised, as Summitwings sometimes decide to swap their original mate for a new partner. Swiftwings socialize mostly in the air as they will fly around almost in a playful matter to show of their skills in the air. They are very curious from nature and can be found flying down just to inspect other wolves. Though thanks to their cannibalistic history, most species stay clear from them.
When it comes to fighting and flying, Wind wolves rely on their wings at all times. Unlike other species, all of their elemental energy is stored in their wings. Meaning a flightless windwolf cannot even perform basic elemental moves without them. When other species sense them, it’s mostly the wings they will sense first due to the sheer power. This concentration of energy is also what mostly allows them to be able to fly in the first place. This also means that if they run out of elemental energy they will be forced to land and recharge, some better adapted for gliding can regain stamina and elemental energy by using as little power as possible when gliding. Wind wolves generally have a clue on when to take a break, if they feel low on stamina they'll know that their elemental energy is getting low as well.
When it comes to fighting and flying, Wind wolves rely on their wings at all times. Unlike other species, all of their elemental energy is stored in their wings. Meaning a flightless windwolf cannot even perform basic elemental moves without them. When other species sense them, it’s mostly the wings they will sense first due to the sheer power. This concentration of energy is also what mostly allows them to be able to fly in the first place. This also means that if they run out of elemental energy they will be forced to land and recharge, some better adapted for gliding can regain stamina and elemental energy by using as little power as possible when gliding. Wind wolves generally have a clue on when to take a break, if they feel low on stamina they'll know that their elemental energy is getting low as well.
DietTheir diet is very balanced and has a lot of variety. Eating meat, bird meat, fish, and even eggs. Compared to other species, they will never hunt large animals and therefore will stick to small sized prey or young deer calves. As they are vulnerable on the ground, if threatened they must to be able to fly while carrying their prey. They are weak on the ground and will usually abandon their food if they can’t carry it. They have a history of cannibalism, as Summitwings have been known to prey on pups from other species or even other variations of their own species. Since wind wolves generally are light weights some Summitwings will resort to killing adults or young adults for food. The other variants resort to this if they are in dire need of food. Swiftwings will use their speed to catch prey, the larger it is the more they'll work in team to take it down. They will fly and often attempt to guide the prey towards dangerous area's so they would tumble down. Equally flying down to give quick bites to cause bleeding. Coastwings will usually stick to consuming fish and smaller creatures. While they are a pack,
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they are known to be bad at sharing food. The fastest to take the food will get it, but that doesn't stop a pack mate from attempting to snatch a piece too. Even so this more tense situation that occurs during feeding does not have a huge impact on their overall bond. They won't hold grudges other than a couple of minutes, and will even applaud a pup if it succeeds in snatching a piece. Summitwings on the other hand are notorious for either diving down at high speed stunning their prey mid air (when it comes to smaller birds or wind wolves) or dive bombing towards the floor on to prey. The impact at that speed will usually force the prey animal to fall over or even be unconscious. They have to be careful though, one miscalculation could result to broken wings. When it comes to smaller prey they will usually grab their prey and fly higher up, dropping it from high heights it will kill their target instantly. Gladewings similar to Coastwings do not really hunt larger animals unless the oppertunity is in their favor. If they notice a wounded animal they will usually attempt to give quick bites to cause the animal to bleed to death. Other than that they are scavengers. They will feast on anything meat wise they can find. They are also known to pester hunting parties of wolves. Wolves who successfully caught prey might have to deal with a pack of Gladewings once. They will not stop pestering until the wolves abandon what they hunted down.
- While each variation has history of cannibalism, it is far less frequent for the Swift and Coastwings. Some wind wolves or packs are even strictly against it.
Reproduction
After a bonding process , Wind wolves will mate for life. They are sexually mature around the age of 18. Courtship performances play a vital key in the bonding of two individuals. Depending on what variation, the courtship ritual may alter. Male Swiftwings will always present food before their potential mate and will stretch their wings and await judgement. Impressing a fellow Swiftwing often plays a larger role than bonding over time. Coastwings will both interact during courtship with loud vocals and body movement. Unlike the other variant previous bonding can affect future pairs. Even so it's not unusual for a male to try and win a female over from another male if not bonded. Both Summitwings and Gladewings will perform an aerial courtship dance, in which both fly in the air in sync. Summitwings do pairbond but it can have two outcomes, either they stay together for life or they will raise pups successfully and split up. If they split up they will simply look for a new partner during breeding season. Gladewings only pairbond through general bonding, the aerial courtship dance that takes place with this variant is more so to establish they are partner for life. They do not swap partner unless one of the two has died an early death. Unlike other species, wind wolves have a bizarre way of reproducing pups. Once pregnant, the female will give premature birth after around 2 weeks. The pups will be born with an intact placenta that is transparent and completely covers them, and upon contact with the air these placentas have a unique property as their outer layer will partly harden while keeping the functions inside to provide for the young pups. This way the pups are covered by a shell, which is why most wolves will state that the Wind species lays eggs.
The shell will have the colors of their base pelt colorations, if symbolized it can be patched with different colors. The female will be extremely vulnerable after birth as nearly all of their energy is put in the eggs, they will also become extremely thin as the placenta that covers each egg needs the nutrients to provide outside of the wolf for the pups within the egg. The parents will keep the eggs warm for seven weeks, and the eggs grows along with the pup to match the pups size. It is believed the power they gained from their Dragon God is responsible for this strange type of birth. All variations will build nests for their young. Swiftwings will build round nest which they enter through one opening. Coastwings will build a nest on coast cliff sides, while Summitwings and Gladewings will build a nest in large trees. Males and females will take turns looking after the pups. Mixing two wing-types is not possible, and if a female breeds with a male of another variation, the pups will take on the female’s wing and variation type. When pups break out of their shell they will be blind and deaf, and gain slight sight and hearing after a week. They are not born with floppy ears, and their wings are weak and will need to be at least two months before they can fly. Wind pups live their first months in the nest, either away from the main pack or guarded by them depending on the type.
The shell will have the colors of their base pelt colorations, if symbolized it can be patched with different colors. The female will be extremely vulnerable after birth as nearly all of their energy is put in the eggs, they will also become extremely thin as the placenta that covers each egg needs the nutrients to provide outside of the wolf for the pups within the egg. The parents will keep the eggs warm for seven weeks, and the eggs grows along with the pup to match the pups size. It is believed the power they gained from their Dragon God is responsible for this strange type of birth. All variations will build nests for their young. Swiftwings will build round nest which they enter through one opening. Coastwings will build a nest on coast cliff sides, while Summitwings and Gladewings will build a nest in large trees. Males and females will take turns looking after the pups. Mixing two wing-types is not possible, and if a female breeds with a male of another variation, the pups will take on the female’s wing and variation type. When pups break out of their shell they will be blind and deaf, and gain slight sight and hearing after a week. They are not born with floppy ears, and their wings are weak and will need to be at least two months before they can fly. Wind pups live their first months in the nest, either away from the main pack or guarded by them depending on the type.
- Other species have the tendency to say that the Wind species lays eggs. Despite their wings and bird-like nature they do not lay eggs and still give live birth, the progress and development is simply different. Young pups can be demanding and will vocalize louder in order to gain more food. The parents will treat their young equally and will always attempt to raise the whole litter successfully. However if the parents are in a bad condition, weak or simply starving it is known that they will simply consume the eggs if they believe they will not be able to successfully care for their young. Equally if the parents are in the same desperate state but their pups have already been born, they might choose to kill one of in order to guarantee their other pup will live. The last scenario being extremely rare though, as female wolves are closly bonded to their young it isn't a choice they would like to make.
Physical Appearance of the variations
Swiftwings
Swiftwings have a slender and light body with a light weight. The genders feature a color difference, as well as slight body differences. Aside from their wings which store their elemental energy, they have rather short and smooth fur. The necks have longer and more spiky fur, and their chest has more shaggy and hanging fur. They have extended feather-like structures on their croup which aids in flying. Their muzzle is straight and their ears are long and pointy. Swiftwings love to live in large groups swarming around in the sky. Being the most curious, they have always enjoyed scouting ranks and loves to investigate.
- Males have a light gray pelt featuring some darker grey markings on the face and near white markings on the neck and croup. Their wings are colored dark gray, just like the facial markings. They have slightly shorter neck fur and less markings than females. They are generally more passive, as females can be more aggressive during nesting.
- Females have a warm light-gray color for their base pelt, while their wings have a more dull blue like color. Unlike males, they have a small marking on their wings. They also have longer neck fur. Aside from this they have more markings as they feature these on their head, lower belly, croup extensions and even the tail tip. They do not have a standard third coloration, something that males do have.
Coastwings
Nicknamed the “Gull of the wolves”, they will always remain near coastlines. They have a slender body with smooth and short fur. Between the genders there is both a color and marking difference. Both genders have extended fur near the croup which aid with flying. Their tail is generally long and they do have more webbing between their paws than the other variants. Their muzzle is straight and their ears are long and pointy. Coastwings love fish, and are known to eat fish whole. They are more passive and are curious for strangers. They are the most vocal amongst the other variants with unique sounds only they can make.
- Males have dark and light brown markings. Featuring dark brown colored wings, muzzle, tail tip and a large patch on their neck that runs down their back. Their front feet have light brown colored markings, as does their face. They have shorter extended fur on the croup but other than that males and females are quite alike in body types.
- Standard wise, females only feature two colors compared to males that feature three. They have a bright pelt, featuring dark grey wings and markings on the head, tail and legs. They also have two smaller dot-like markings on each side of their neck. Females tend to come off as more intimidating due to their fully colored head which allows for their eyes to stand out. The extended fur on the croup is longer.
Summitwings
Known as the strongest of the wind species variants, they have strong and large wings. With longer claws and even dewclaws on their back feet, they make an excellent hunter. Their fur is medium-long and they feature a feather-like crest on their heads and extended feather-like structures on their croup. The genders have color differences and minor physical differences. Unlike other species they tend to live solitary or in a bonded pair. They use physical strength for hunting as well as their deadly dewclaws. Known for their solitary life, most Summitwings will only pair during breeding. They prefer to live alone and are often feared by other species, as they have been known to kill pups to eat.
- Males have a more dull coloration compared to females and different markings. They have a dark colored head that extends into a marking that runs down the body to the blacklegs and tail. Their main body pelt is a very light cream color and they feature some pale brown markings. Males unlike females can be aggressive towards other males if females are around.
- Females have more contrast and stand out compared to males, with dark brown marking on their front legs, tail and face. Their wings are darker and they feature lighter cream-colored markings on their whole body, neck, face and crest. Females are more aggressive than males as they make the final choice if the male can be their partner or not. If not, the female will attack the male.
Gladewings
Gladewings are known for living in more dense area’s more so adapted for quick maneuvering which can be vital in forests. They have a dark near black pelt featuring markings either grey and white or white only depending on gender. They have longer more messy fur than the other variants and extended feather like structures on the croup. Their muzzle is straight as their ears are long and pointy. They have long tails and marked wings as well. Gladewings are scavengers and will often tear meat of prey they did not hunt. They are more open to different types of food and have been seen consuming fruits, insects and even types of nuts.
- Compared to females, males have grey markings on their belly and face. They feature a large white marking on the neck and back. Their tail is fully white as their wings feature white coloration on the feathers. Their extended croup feather like structure is straight pointing backwards. Males are always on guard and tend to be protective towards their pack mates and offspring.
- Females stand out more than males due to the contrast of their marking and only featuring white markings. They have markings on their face, belly, tail and front toes. Their wings are also marked as the outer edges have white coloration on the feathers. Females have slightly longer fur than males as their extended feather like structure on the croup faces more downwards than males.
Wing types
- 1. Swiftwings have “high speed wings”. These are designed for speed. The wings taper to a point which allows high flight speed with low drag and low energy consumption. They must flap their wings for short glides during descentions. It’s efficient for high speed flight but cannot easily hold them up at lower speeds.
- 2. Coastwings have “active soaring wings”. These are long and narrow, allowing birds to soar or even fly without flapping their wings for a long time. They are more dependent on wind currents. They are also adapted for high speed and dynamic soaring but less maneuverable than the other variants of the wind species.
- 3. Summitwings have “passive soaring wings”. These wings are broad, allowing for takeoff and landing in fairly confined areas, high lift, low speed soaring, and slow descents. They have good maneuverability and they hold a lot of power. They can often be seen soaring in circles before attacking.
- 4. Gladewings have “elliptical wings”. These wings are good for short bursts of high speed. They allow for fast take offs and tight maneuvering. While they do allow for high speed, it cannot be maintained for very long. The wings are highly slotted between the primary feathers which helps to prevent stalling during sharp turns, low-speed flight and frequent landing and takeoff.
Powers and Abilities
Common moves
- Gust: With this move Wind wolves will flap their wings to release powerful waves of air towards an opponent. This move is sometimes used in aerial combat as well to force another windwolf out of balance in the air.
- Storm wing: For this move they will generate elemental energy in their wings until they light up and strike down the opponent with physical strength. The higher the distance is, the more damage it does. Crashing down however can have devastating results on the wind wolf.
- Swiftstrike(Swiftwings): This move allows for Swiftwings to pass by in such speed that they can cut open opponents. Similar to predatory birds they will dive down from high distances, the more speed the more lethal the cut will be.
- Dive(Coastwings): Coastwings will dive underwater at high speed to strike a potential target or to flee, they will fold their wings straight back forming aerodynamic missiles. With the speed they'll dive they can reach at least 10 meter underwater. Once they resurface, they'll be able to fly away afterwards with ease. Their timing is vital for this to succeed. Their wing and feather structure allows them to dive.
- Tornado(Summitwings): With their powerful wings Summitwings will be able to create small to medium sized tornado's. Unlike the other variants not all summitwings master this as it requires a lot of elemental energy and control.
- Screech(Gladewings): Gladewings will let out a loud screech which has several purposes. In the first instance it hurts opposing wolves as the sound itself is extremely loud and other wolf species pick up on this. They will also use to to intimidate other wolves, especially if they are in group. Finally it is also often used to cause confusion and allow for the individual to flee a dangerous situation.
Abilities
- Wind Howl: This allows them to forcefully create heavy wind currents.
- Dragon breath(Swiftwings): This ability is equally considered an attack. By activating the ability "Wind howl" which creates heavy wind currents, they can manipulate these with their secondary ability "Dragon breath" unique to their variant. This way it will appear as if they send blasts of air directly from their mouth. This attack can send wolves flying if they are directly hit.
- Waterproof(Coastwings): This ability allows Coastwings to be fully resistant to water unlike most other variants. Other variants do have oils which keeps the outer layer waterproof, but this ability allows Coastwings to dive in water without issue as natural oils will repel water when they get out of the water.
- Rapid healing(Summitwings): When they consume meat if damaged, they will recovered extremely fast. Their elemental energy will recharge quicker, but equally their wounds will naturally heal faster. It is so effective that even with a broken leg the bones will be stimulated to heal, but this will require more time in comparison to smaller injuries or bruises.
- Identify(Gladewings): This allows for Gladewings to know the health situation of potential prey or opponent. When activating this ability their pupil will become small, as they’ll be able to read the wolf like an open book. Because of this they can easily tell weak points or injuries their opponent might have had. It also allows them to see if they can handle the opponent or not.
Mythical abilities
- Dragon current(Swiftwings): This mythical ability brings forth a much larger and thicker tornado than those seen by Summitwings (tornado attack). The tornado has a wedge shape and drags anything nearby within in. The Swiftwing in question will remain within the center as smaller currents there keep the wolf steady. The move will only remain for as long as their elemental energy is present. This ability drains constantly at a normal speed so the individual does have to time when to stop to safely land themselves.
- Waterspout(Coastwings): This ability causes for a waterspout to take place on water. An intense columnar vortex will occur over a body of water. While natural waterspouts are generally quite harmless, the current of this one is very different. This mythical ability is quite deadly and will not only drag nearby objects or creatures closer to it, but if closing in the current will drag it down underwater. While not as powerful as a standard tornado on land, the wolf who masters this can summon more then one waterspout. They will last for as long as elemental energy is present within the wolf, but this move doesn't drain as much elemental energy in contrast to the mythical ability of a Summitwing. The wolf who summons these are capable of controlling the current within this area to stabalize it's own flying.
- Hurricane(Summitwings): This ability is known for it's devastating results. Rarely seen in history, those that mastered this mythical ability were often targeted and killed. A hurricane is a powerful storm that Summitwings can summon if they master this ability. While it is extremely powerful it will only last for as long as their elemental energy remains. When they summon this their elemental energy will slowly drop until nothing is left and they are forced to rest and recharge. When this happens the hurricane will stop. When they summon it by howl, it does take time to power up and appear as the weather will alter. The individual itself will remain in the center during this storm.
- Flocking call(Gladewings): This is said to be an ability that allows for an individual of this variant to call upon nature for aid. If mastered their screech will evolve and send out a call that seems to be irresistible by native birds on Delv Ihoo. Any bird in the direct surrounding will obey the command of the Gladewing in question. While animals such as Delvihen wolves can only communicate with fellow mammals, it is believed that if this specific ability is mastered the Gladewing will understand birds for life. The wolf in question can only command one species of bird at a time, this means that they will have to prioritize larger flocks or more dangerous birds to their advantage. This ability will last for as long as their elemental energy is present, it drains very little of it though giving the Gladewing a lot of time.
HabitatThe origin of the species is said to be located on a floating island, but its location is unknown as of now. Wind wolves generally love to explore and its believed that their ancestors are the cause for the different variations, due to moving to different areas to live and explore. Swiftwings can be found all over the place, while Coastwings prefer to stick to the coast. Summitwings prefer the high mountains or valleys while Gladewings prefer more dense areas such as forests. It can happen during travels that variants of this species will be seen in different locations as well, as they like to travel and explore. Most variations value no dense obstructions to be able to see danger, while Gladewings prefers dense areas to be able to hide from danger.
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Dragon Goddess Nephele
Their dragon Goddess is known as Nephele. While she is a dragon, she appeared to resemble both dragon and bird. It is believed that she raised a small part of the land on which the wind species originated before they all left for more land to discover. She is heavily respected by her kind, as to this day they thank her for the wings their kind gained through her.
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Gallery and available coloration's
Below you can find extra images and links which contain the coloration chart. This chart shows all the available coloration's this species can have. Available colors for different mutations are visible as well.
Trivia
- The Wind species was open to the public for a new redesign, and their design changed drastically.
- In most cases both male and female in this species stands out in their own unique ways.
- Originally, no plans were made for variations, but in the end they gained three additional variations.
- Each variation is based of a wing type. Swiftwings have high speed wings, Coastwings have active soaring wings, Summitwings have passive soaring wings and Gladewings have elliptical wings.
- Some of their mutated coloration is based on real life birds of this wing type.
- Female Coastwings are based of the "mediterranean gull", while males are based of "juvenile seagulls" with their brown coloration.
- Female summitwings are based on the "swainson's hawks" while males are based on the same bird but in duller colors.
- Design wise, the Summitwings’ crest was inspired by the "Crested goshawk".
- Female Gladewings are based on "magpies" while males are based on "Australian magpies".
- The variation name "Summitwings" was suggested by "RaqiArtz" on Deviantart.
- The variation name "Gladewings" was suggested by "VioletCyrodiil" on DeviantArt.
- This is one of the only species that takes a lot of characteristics of another animal species, which is birds.
- This is also the only species where one variation is not weak to an element the other variants are weak to; Coastwings and water.
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