Seeing as how Untitled Fantasy Project No. 2 was to centre on the idea of flight in a fantasy/ steampunk world I wanted to include some 'birdmen' of some kind, however I was determined not to resort to the standard cliches of angelic figures with dove- like wings.
I actually ended up with two birdman species, the first pictured above in male and female versions was to be an antagonist race- cooperating with a human empire and assisting them in exploiting the resources of their land.
Physically powerful, these people are none the less slight of build, particularly in the legs, which seem underdeveloped to us- this is because their skeletal composition contains quantities of the lodestone mineral effectively reducing their weight and allowing them limited powers of flight using their vestigial winglets. Their limited flight ability is a source of conflict between this race of Avians and the second race, an example of which is shown below.
These 'Flyers' have the true power of flight. Residing in floating island oases their habitat has come under threat from the human population and their Avian allies who seek the valuable deposits of Lodestone that keep the islands aloft. These people sport better developed membranous wings that stretch from their backs to a special joint at the elbow and then out to a specially lengthened fifth finger on each hand.
Devoted pacifists this race would form an alliance with the sky pirate rebels, providing them with a base of operations from which to conduct a guerilla war against the empire as it spreads into the 'floating valleys' in search of mineral wealth.
More on this later. Sleepytime now.
1 comment:
Have you read Perdido Street Station? I wouldn't necessarily say it was particularly good, but you might find it interesting...
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