The Lost World Tribal Archive

Blightwings

Credit and thanks to ._Saphire for the concept art

Name origin: For the longest time, the Blightwings didn't have a name in Dragon. It was only in the year 4986 that their existence was discovered by historians, and after some digging they could never find a direct translation for the tribe's name. So a placeholder name was given based on the tribe's abilities: Poisonwings. However, just after the turn of the century in 5008, a real name was traced back to them, with the help of some Eternitywing language experts. Ever since, the tribe has been called the Blightwings. The name Blightwing itself indicates two things: one, it represents the tribe's ability to exhale harmful toxins that damage environments around them; and two, it also describes how the tribe was seen at the time of its existence. Blightwings were considered highly dangerous and invasive, so they were named to sound like a disease.

Tribe origin: No one is really sure where this tribe came from, as they suddenly showed up about a hundred or so years before the Awakening and didn't share any of their history. Or rather, they never got the chance. The tribe was wiped out about two decades before the Awakening, meaning that there is very little, if any, records left of them, and all of that is just recording the events of their extinction. All that is known is that they approached the Eternitywings at one point with the intent of helping them, and then some time later they did something to aggravate the other tribe that led to the genocide of the Blightwings.

Build and traits: Blightwings, in general, are slightly larger than most other tribes, and have a very unique appearance. Their scales are pointed, with jagged edges that make their scales feel very rough, and even sharp, instead of smooth like most dragon scales. They have spikes down their back, just like most other dragons, sharp spines going from the top of their head to the end of their tail, but they also have additional rows of spines down the sides of their tails. They also have more spikes underneath their jaws and on the joints of their legs and wings. On the subject of wings, the Blightwings have a curious addition of a second pair of wings, smaller and positioned underneath the primary wings. This enables them to have great movement control in the air, as well as slightly faster flight. When not in use, the second pair of wings is often pressed up against the larger pair to make them seem almost hidden. Blightwings feature and horn on the end of their snout and a sharp stinger at the end of their tail.

Colors: Blightwing scales come in many variations of green, from a pale lime to deep forest green. Many Blightwings even feature a wide range of green colors on their body alone, sometimes creating patterns or gradients. As a general rule, though, most Blightwings have darker colors on their extremities and a lighter body. On rare occasions, some Blightwings can have golden brown scales, similar in color to the poisonous gas that they can breathe. Their spines and spikes are generally a deep green, at least several shades darker than their scales. Blightwing eyes can be several different colors; hazel, brown, golden, yellow, lime green, and on rare occasions, can be some shades of orange.

Abilities: Blightwings shared two common abilities throughout their whole tribe, not varying per dragon like so many other Pangaian tribes. Every Blightwing had both the tail stinger and poisonous gas breath weapon. At the end of their tails is a sharp venomous barb that releases a paralyzing toxin, instantly locking up the muscles of their victims and leaving them motionless for up to a day. Injecting a higher dosage of this venom is capable of sending the victim into a coma, or even killing them. Their breath weapon is a blast of yellowish-brown gas that is poisonous to dragons and most other lifeforms, as it is highly irritating when in contact with flesh or inhaled, and can easily disrupt respiratory passages. While not necessarily deadly, this gas is heavier than air and therefore will always settle down to the ground, meaning that if too much gathers in one area it takes a long time for it to disperse, and an abundance in one area can make breathing extremely difficult. Complications from extreme irritation and respiratory damage can potentially lead to much bigger consequences. The Blightwings themselves, of course, are unaffected by this gas, and can breathe in it just fine. But the most notable fact about this gas is that it is not only extremely flammable, but highly explosive. If it comes into contact with an open flame, sparks, or even just very high temperatures, the heavy clouds will combust quickly, the sudden rush of air from the ignition exploding outwards with enough force to cause some serious damage, based on the amount of gas that was lit. If used correctly, however, this can be used as a way to easily start smaller fires, for those that are trained in the technique.

Strengths: Sharp and stabby; can paralyze and poison enemies; acidic blood; access to fire; high mobility in the air; creative and adaptive; great at improv; incredibly persistent and refuse to lose; consistent; very patient; endurance and durability.

Weaknesses: Extreme climates; stronger tribes; usually a bit naive and overconfident; share too much trust; takes training to use abilities properly; strictly vegetarian diet with massive appetites; lack of territory; extinct.

Naming: Blightwings are named after toxic, poisonous, venomous, or other related things, as well as viruses, infections, diseases, parasites, and all other words that could relate to or represent something sickly or unwell. They can also be named after apocalyptic events or descriptions of mass destruction or death. In essence, anything to represent that this tribe is dangerous, a disease, a stain on the continent.

Name Examples: Famine, Cull, Fallout, Parasite, Flood, Invasion, Pandemic, Purge, Damnation, Corruption, Calamity, Holocaust, Plague, Pest, Epidemic, Curse, Decay, Deluge.

Extra: Blightwing blood was the only unique blood color in all of Pangaia, and even had special, terrifying properties. While all other tribes have red blood, the Blightwings seem to have sickly, green-colored blood that is highly acidic. When recently spilled, this blood is capable of eating through wood, sediments, flesh, as well as some softer metals, stones, and other minerals. This acid blood is thought to have been some sort of defense mechanism in the case of injury, though it's unclear how it evolved into being. The blood is safe once it has dried or come into contact with water, often indicated by a lack of sizzling.