"I Was Here'', a project focusing on bringing awareness to animal conservation and protection. I was recently commissioned by Calgary Zoo in Canada to create a realistic Aye Aye for their educational programs. I thought it would be a great to include this magnificent creature in my 'I Was Here' project. Aye-aye's are a rare type of lemur that are closely related to apes, these lemurs are the largest nocturnal primates in the world. They are known for their unique feeding habi

"I Was Here'', a project focusing on bringing awareness to animal conservation and protection. I was recently commissioned by Calgary Zoo in Canada to create a realistic mouse lemur for their educational programs. I thought it would be a great to include this little creature in my 'I Was Here' project. The mouse lemur are some of the smallest primates in the world, roughly 27cm from head to tip of the tail with the pygmy mouse lemur being the smallest. There are more than 20

Rose chested wildcats are shy creatures, they are easily startled and flee when they feel threatened, they are however very loving creatures. Unlike most cats, they're not solitary animals, they live in a pack usually with a matriarch. The rose coloured chest starts to develop when these cats come into maturity, they are born with a white chest but some may have a slight pink tinge. Rose chested wildcats are found around the Snow Peak and Clearview area of the Alpine Ridge re

Soul foxes are very spiritual and intense creatures, they each carry a presence with them that no one can seem to explain. These foxes love nothing more than the dark, they emit a strange glowing light from the tips of their fur, much like an aura, the darker it is the stronger the aura. Not all foxes have the same coloured aura, it varies greatly from their diet, temperament and bloodline. Soul foxes are found only on the Isle of Missing Souls, here they can thrive as the is

"I Was Here'', a project I had been sitting on for a long time, something that I hold closely. A project focusing on bringing awareness to animal conservation and protection. The ocelot, the first animal chosen in the series. Ocelots are a big small cat around 4 ft in length, their coats resemble a leopard giving them the name 'dwarf leopard'. Ocelots are active nocturnal animals, they mostly hunt rodents, fish, reptiles, birds and monkeys. They are great swimmers and tree cl

Background story: The Red Wolf is a powerful Spirit which resides in Kalatha and guardian of Wunderkammer. No one has ever seen it but have felt the full effects of the being, many recall seeing a red shadow pass through the darkness, feeling a weight described as gravity. The Red Wolf is somewhat like a phoenix, sacrificing itself to protect the land and reincarnating into the beast once more. The creatures life force is represented through the black tufts on the back of its

Aurora-tailed unicorns and magical little creatures, their tails and mane pulsate with colours depending on their emotions making it look like an aurora in the sky. They are able to do this due to the ability to add and disperse pigments within their hair follicles. Their horns are like a fingerprint, each horn is unique in length and colour to the individual unicorn. Aurora unicorns are found at the highest point of Wunderkammer in the area of Snow Peak in the Alpine Ridge r

KALATHA Kalatha is well known for it's medicinal plants found throughout the region, milk thistle and opium poppy are some of the most sought after items. Specialist medicinal merchants and healers travel to Kalatha to harvest these plants. Medicinal Plants Stinging Nettle - The leaves are a well known remedy for treating various medical problems such as kidney disorders, cardiovascular system, urinary tract, gastrointestinal tract, locomotor system, skin and many more. Nettl

Background story: No one has ever managed to get close to a lava dragon, they are greatly feared with an incredible bad temper and won't hesitate to blow fire. Lava dragons lay their eggs within the lava pits of a volcano, the eggs will only hatch once the volcano erupts, shooting the eggs out with the lava. The intense heat and power will cause the shell to break and a baby lava dragon will be born. Lava dragons can be found living in volcano craters located in Volcano Alley

Valley rats are a very common little creature, they usually hide in rock faces during the day to avoid the searing heat, once the day cools down they will then come out to feed. Valley rats mostly feed on cacti with their favourite being the Valley Cactus, they have a technique to remove the spines from cacti with each technique unique to each colony, each colony of rats may consist of 50 - 500 rats. Their coat makes them easily blend into the surrounding landscape. Valley ra

Quote: ''... ...'' Personal Name: Kodama of Kalatha Forest Nickname: Great Forest Spirit Age: Unknown Hometown: Kalatha Craft: Spiritcrafter Background Kodama is a bit of a mystery, she is an ancient spirit of the Kalatha forest and has wondered around for many years. She brings life to everything she touches, healing those who are suffering. She is protected by The Red Wolf, a spirit that nobody but Azrael can see. When Kodama walks, she leaves a trail of flowers and grass w

CENTRAL HIGHLANDS Central Highlands is predominantly the central marketplace in Nanclendara, it has a large market where you can get just about anything. It's mostly flat land consisting of open plains, small hills and rivers. Many merchants and travellers choose to pass through Central Highlands because of this, making their journey easier. There are five areas in Valley of Fire. Rickets Point Rickets Point is the highest and most Northern point in Central Highlands, it ove

Background story: Ice foxes are majestic creatures, although they are warm blooded, when you are close to one you can feel a cold sensation emanating from their body. Ice foxes live mainly in caves they have dug themselves called caverns, these caverns have an elaborate tunnel system consisting of an area for their young, an area for the adults and an area for the patriarch. As ice foxes have the ability to mildly change the temperature around them, they can regulate the tem

Quote: "Pshh..." Personal Name: Wolf Terrembrace Nickname: Halfwolf Age: 20 Hometown: Wildfire in the Valley of Fire. Craft: Firecraft Background Wolf was always a quiet individual, mostly keeping to himself as a child. Born a Firecrafter, Wolf was expected to be the prodigy after the death of his father. The stress and pressure of his expectation exceedingly grew and Wolf left Wildfire. During his journey Wolf met Azrael, an Earthcrafter from the village of Fallen Leaves, e

Shrine guardians are very stern and wise creatures, perched on a pedestal and made of stone, they will come to life when one approaches their shrine. They have a tremendously deep voice with some saying it vibrates their bodies. Those wanting to pass through their shrine will have to prove they are worthy, some bring an offering of pottery, food or money while others may complete a selfless deed. Shrine guardians adorn a red bib called a yodarekake which is presented to them

Background story: Fallen Leaves Raccoons are usually found playing around the the leaf litter in the town of Fallen Leaves in the Tall Trees region. They have a unique trait in their vocalisation which almost sounds like laughter, giving them a reputation of being the clowns of Tall Trees. Their coats change colour throughout the different seasons to help them blend in with the environment. This is another one of my region specific creatures, I wanted to take some inspiration

Background story: Mossy sloths are a vital part of the ecosystem, they carry moss, spawn and seeds in their fur and pollinate trees, plants and moss throughout the forest areas. Depending what kind of moss they carry will determine the colour of their fur. Because they are a relatively slow creature who prefers to stay out of the sunlight, sometimes the moss will actually grow on their fur. Mossy sloths are found in mostly dense forest areas like Tall Trees and Kalatha. Also

Snowy rats are wonderful, gentle little creatures, and love nothing more than to cuddle up to something warm. When they are treated nicely, they will bring little gemstones and treasures back to the ones they love as a sign of respect and gratitude. They also have a highly effective camouflaged coat made up of a thicker undercoat to protect them from the cold temperatures. Snowy rats are found from Alpine Ridge throughout Clearwater and in the northern areas of Tall Trees. Af

Background story: Cloud unicorns have a unique ability where they can transform their shape at any time. They are a relatively small creature, only weighing 10 grams enabling them to jump from cloud to cloud. Cloud unicorns are usually white in colour, however when angry or upset their colour changes into grey like a storm cloud. Cloud unicorns are mostly found in the Alpine Ridge region and in some parts of Clearwater. These little unicorns are the smallest dolls that I have

Background story: Rose Quartz Kittens are found around Alpine Ridge through to Clearwater, they are curious and mischievous little creatures and will usually get attached to one person. Once they are attached to one person, they will protect them with their lives. Their coat is a prized possession which can make them a target. They can be found in the southern parts of Alpine Ridge through Clearwater, Kalatha and the Tall Trees regions. This time I wanted to make something a