Amphibian eating Winged Monsters

1. Amphibian eating Winged Monsters

   #1

   A chat I had last night with manfred inspired me to come up with a species of avian monsters for my Land of the Eshal setting. Monstrous creatures living in small groupings that dwell in the boughs of the giant cypress trees which thrive in the watery continent of Tarrod,they feed on the sentient eel-men and the other intelligent life forms that dwell there. Just so you kow,they could be called sentient,albiet barely so.
   
   Do you have any suggestions at all for the creation of these winged predators? Any kind of creative input is welcome.

2. Amphibian eating Winged Monsters

   #2

   how about a hybrid creature that resembles a mix between a pelican, or large seagull and a wyvern or even a dragon. It would be large, to say the least, long beak full of needle sharp teeth to snare those slippery eel-men, and an animalistic cunning to avoid thair traps and magics.
   
   beware the Draco-pelican!

3. Amphibian eating Winged Monsters

   #3

   The first thing suggested to me (by way of the combination of "amphibian", "winged", and "monsters") was of some kind of Lovecraftian monster like a byakhee or mi-go.
   But the words "draco-pelican" also intrigues me.
   
   Perhaps something like a winged monster with a bulging pelican-ish throat/bill/food-pouch and needle-teeth, and clusters of eyes or some-such, and big fin-like wings. I imagine webbed hands and feet with tentacular, boneless clusters of fingers, which wrap around prey instead of clawing into them.
   
   Would these be intelligent? Or would they simply be animalistic beasts?

4. Amphibian eating Winged Monsters

   #4

   Well,to answer your question,they are indeed savage vicious things,but they are also very sly and sharp,living in close knit little packs and depending on a complex series of high pitched squaks and whistles to warn each other of any snares or traps,with a different tone for each unique threat. Think of them as wandering in the gray area that lies somewhere between brutishness and sentience.
   
   Thanks for the help,guys. That material will come in very useful indeed.

5. Amphibian eating Winged Monsters

   #5

   The grey area between brutishness and sentience? Oh, that would be the human brain...
   
   I imagine a bipedal beast, possibly only having hind limbs. These would be something of a cross between the webbed feet of a duck or frog, and the wings of a bat. Combine these with powerful legs, and you have something that can swim in powerful bursts, leap out of the water, and move about in the air to capture prey. There would be some additional grasping utility to the wing-feet, enabling them to hold onto limbs or struggling prey quite well (the webbing would also help capture prey, as with a bat's wings). They wouldn't be very manoeuverable in any media, nor would be able to fly very high or far, but could use this to their advantage. By using one leg to grasp the prey, and the other extended to catch the wind (or water), they could dive down in a chaotic spiral patttern that the prey couldn't readily discern to avoid. For additional options, their beaks, teeth, or other mouthparts could be specialised for different prey. With a combination arboreal and aquatic environment, they wouldn't need to have bodies designed for impact onto the hard ground, as with frogs or some insects.
   
   Just imagine one of these beasts leaping out of the water in a huge splash & grasping onto a tree limb. Sighting its prey, it leaps off of the branch, kicks in the air for additional hang-time, then begins its death-spiral towards an unsuspecting victim.

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