Subjectively

Phew… last thirty minutes of August and I’m still not quite done. It’s been a good month though! I’m very happy with a lot of the dragons I’ve made, and I’ve taught myself a few new tricks and techniques that I’m excited to apply to my other art.

Happy Smaugust!

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6 days ago | [YT] | 3,021

Subjectively

Day Twenty-Nine

The moon rests high upon a nest of stars,
And so sleeps still within shell shimmering,
The progeny of worlds afar
Whose anxious teeth and eyes considering.

They sweep and search the seas below,
But restless grows the cosmic roe-
A banquet promised  now laid low,
By hands of mortals meddling. 

A silent shriek for no one’s ears,
Now marks the time in earthly years,
For nigh is she that lindwurm fears:
The Distant Hunger beckoning!

-An excerpt from a centuries-old Drakeseeker’s tome. 

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1 week ago | [YT] | 2,099

Subjectively

Day Twenty-Eight

You return to the summit of the Starseeker Salamanders with a few other dragonologists. The shrine is gone, along with the mysterious berries that once grew there. You and your fellow scientists frantically search for any remnants from the plant with the hope that you may somehow be able to re-introduce it to the area. Under rubble left in the wake of the great lindwurm, you find some broken remnants from the shrine. You’re reminded of the strange alter you found in the dungeons. 

A shadow passes overhead, and you duck for cover with the memory of Cirrostrathus still fresh in your mind. Above you, several different species of birds - gulls, eagles, songbirds and crows - fly as one flock. You and the other scientists watch in amazement. At the center of the birds, a massive four-winged dragon momentarily blocks out the sun. 

It’s a Reginas Wyvern, a rare dragon species with hind limbs used for flying as well as walking. These dragons are so rare, some dragonologists believed them to have been extinct. Even when they were still spotted regularly, never had a phenomenon like this been recorded. 

You look back and forth between the other scientists. None among you could provide any explanation. The birds and the dragon continue flying west towards the highest summit on Wyrett island. What could be calling them there?

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1 week ago | [YT] | 2,543

Subjectively

Day Twenty-Seven

You’ve spent several days recovering at the research outpost in the mountains. Lying awake in bed one night, you stare through one of the open windows and reflect on your journey so far. 

Being a Drakeseeker is not all you had hoped it would be. The decision to slay Marinamaximus felt necessary, but cruel. The many trials you endured to reach the summit with the Stargazer Salamander ended in the untimely demise of one of the most beautiful creatures you had ever seen. And after days lost in some desolate ruin, you question if the Drakeseekers have ever been on the right path. 

The stars flicker in the night, blinking on and off in a curious manner. You walk slowly to the window, and illuminated by the molten rock of the volcano you notice that the sky is the stage of a beautiful courtship dance between two Cerulean Glintwings. 

From the back, they blend in perfectly with the night sky, blocking out the stars as they glide effortlessly through the air. But the feathers on the underside of their bodies reflect the light from below, giving the wyverns the appearance of two shooting stars. 

You return to bed resolved  that your work as a Drakeseeker will not be in vain. 

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1 week ago (edited) | [YT] | 2,047

Subjectively

Day Twenty-Six 

Your disappearance did not go unnoticed. A search and rescue team was dispatched, and they find you and your partner dragon starved and delirious.

You recover in the Eastern Mountain Research Station. The well-fortified base sits near the summit of an active volcano. Researchers stationed here study creatures adapted to extreme conditions, such as the Teddybear Dragon. 

Despite its name, these dragons are anything but cuddly. Their scales are so thick, they are impervious to the heat of their red-hot home, and the dragons don’t even flinch when molten rock splashes on their hide. The lava will cool, adding an extra layer of protection from the elements and potential predators. 

Teddybears are fire-breathing dragons, able to produce their own heat from within. Such dragons are becoming more and more uncommon, leading Drakeseekers to prioritize research of their behaviors in the wild. 

#art #myart #illustration #characterdesign #monsterdesign #digitalart #procreate #dragon #smaugust #smaugust2025

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1 week ago | [YT] | 2,120

Subjectively

Day Twenty-Five 

The eastern mountains, the summit from which you fell, finally appear in the distance. You are still unclear how or why you ended up so far, but now your thoughts are only on reconnecting with civilization. It’s been days since your last proper meal, and your partner dragon seems equally as hungry. You find each other periodically exchanging suspicious looks. 

There’s a research outpost on the nearest mountain peak, this is your new destination. Immediately before you, however, is a massive series of raised structures jutting out of the earth like jagged teeth. 

On closer examination, you recognize the area: Dodoron’s Rest. This labyrinthine natural landmark was used by mages in the elder days, and they revered it for its latent power. Indeed, Dodoron’s Rest is a grave, the moldering remains of a fallen Lindwurm. 

Reluctantly, you carve into the titanic bones. You know that within, edible and highly-nutritious marrow still resides. It reeks, but you eat it nonetheless. The smell attracts a group of uncanny serpentine dragons. You don’t recognize them, but you know enough not to overstay your welcome. You choke down some more marrow and carry on towards the mountains. 

#art #myart #illustration #characterdesign #monsterdesign #digitalart #procreate #dragon #smaugust #smaugust2025

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1 week ago | [YT] | 2,238

Subjectively

Day Twenty-Four

There’s a dark history to Wyrett Island. For all our knowledge and advanced technology, Drakeseekers tend to forget our roots. We were not always scientists, researchers, concerned with the preservation of dragons and the greater ecosystems they balance. 

The ancient crypts where bodies of slain dragons were buried en masse are a grim reminder of the Drakeseeker’s original purpose. It’s as if you can hear them, roaring in eternal anguish. 

Ancient Drakeseekers used all manner of weaponry to dispose of dragon prey; lances, swords, bows and arrows, and even powerful dark magic. The latter was quickly abolished by the Drakeseekers, as more dangerous curses had unintended side effects that some say linger to this day. 

A chill runs down your spine as you continue onwards. If only you could find your way out of these ruins. The world you remember feels more distant with every passing moment… 

#art #myart #illustration #characterdesign #monsterdesign #digitalart #procreate #dragon #smaugust #smaugust2025

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1 week ago | [YT] | 2,159

Subjectively

Day Twenty-Three

After what feels like days, you and your partner manage to find a way out of the dungeons. The sky outside is grey, and the wind whips through the ruins of stone surrounding the subterranean entrance into the dungeons.

Before you, a statue looms ominously over the crumbling walls. It faces away from you, standing sentinel to meet any who would attempt to enter. It appears to be made of copper, but it remains untarnished. While the structures around it are reclaimed by the earth and soil, it stands proud and shimmering in the cold grey light. 

You move around it slowly, gazing up at the remarkable craftsmanship. Your partner dragon flinches and hisses, recoiling as if the statue was alive. 

Though it is made in the likeness of a dragon, it is unlike any dragon that lives on Wyrett Island or has ever lived here. You carry on, unaware as the eyes of the statue follow you intently. 

It shifts slightly to disturb a bird that was getting a little too comfortable on its head. 

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2 weeks ago | [YT] | 2,436

Subjectively

Day Twenty-Two

The tunnel winds downward, lit only by the occasional brazier inexplicably sustaining a purple flame. Is there someone down here maintaining these torches? Or have the fires burned since ancient times when these tunnels were first made?

Your heart sinks as the passageway ends in another large chamber, and you find that there is nowhere to go but back up the way you came. Just before turning around, you notice an intriguing glow from the far end of the chamber. Several candles lit with the same purple fire cast light onto a polished stone that rests within the jaws of a carved dragon head. 

Perhaps you imagine it, but it seems it glows more strongly as you slowly approach it. The stonework is unlike anything you recognize, and the crystal orb has an unnatural air about it. You feel compelled to draw even nearer, and almost unconsciously your arm stretches forward. The stone glows even brighter, your fingers tingle as if an electric charge runs through them. 

A loud grunt from behind you startles you out of your trance. You whip around, ready to face what must surely be the same whiptail you saw in the last chamber - but instead, you come face to face with your partner dragon. It lumbers forward and knocks your back with an affectionate tackle. 

The haunting light from the stone fades as you give your partner a loving scratch behind its head.

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2 weeks ago | [YT] | 1,685