[Winter] Creature Suggestion: Parfridge

sparklefox • 16 September 2022 at 8:31 AM

Had this dumb idea sitting around for quite a few months now, gonna bite the bullet and make a thread even if it's pretty stupid. I guess it could also maybe work as a Christmas creature because "partridge in a pear tree"? But that's a stretch and a half because it doesn't exactly look Christmassy.

Parfridge = Partridge + Frigid
(Silly name, I know.)

Image: https://i.imgur.com/e9jDiTt.png
(Please forgive the bad attempt at ice/snow. I'm not an artist...)

Egg Description:
Who would've known that an egg could be made entirely of solid ice? These eggs start out rather transparent and thin, to the point where one could see a silhouette of the foetus inside. As the creature inside grows, the "shell" thickens and gradually becomes opaque.
Parfridge require freezing cold temperatures in order to healthily develop. It's not uncommon to see Parfridge mothers coating their icy offspring in snow to ensure they stay as cold as possible. Parfridge nests, hidden deep within evergreen trees, only ever seem to appear in the most blizzard-ridden parts of the island.

Creature Description:
Parfridge hatchlings are a rather odd case. The eggs don't truly "hatch" per say, but the ice around the egg at hatching time slowly morphs into a shape that can only be described as a combination of bird and snowman. Inside this shape is the baby Parfridge, safely growing out of harm's way. How a Parfridge hatchling keeps itself sustained whilst sealed within thick ice is currently unknown, but it's been theorised that the surrounding ice has special properties and the bird absorbs vital nutrients from it.
Eventually, when it has become much more bird-shaped, the ice will suddenly begin to melt away. This is the nearly adult Parfridge emerging from its frozen casing, ready to spread its wings and roam around the wintry lands of Southern Ark.
A curious quirk of the adult Parfridge is that its internal temperature is always sub-zero. Parts of its plump body will very frequently freeze over, forming shining ice crystals all over it. Just like their egg forms, Parfridge require these temperatures in order to stay healthy - if a Parfridge was ever removed from the Coldworld, it could potentially perish without adequate care.

lothar • 16 September 2022 at 8:57 AM

@sparklefox
I love your idea!
Oh the little snow hat for egg and hatchling is so cute...The adult is cooooool,I can hardly wait to see it in winter!

heatherm19 • 16 September 2022 at 11:30 AM

Omg the 2nd stage little baby! So adorable! For not being an artist I think you did great, even with the snow. I love the look and would love to own a few.

prairie • 16 September 2022 at 12:22 PM

@sparklefox
OOOOOOOOH man do I love this!!! This is such a cool design and I'd love to see it here on the site!
Such a creative name too!! ❤️

Pings:
@ian
@pipkitten
@chapus
@iia

nkiay • 16 September 2022 at 3:53 PM

Love it! I think your ice and snow looks good! Its great!

sparklefox • 30 November 2022 at 4:31 PM

Genuinely just realised I never replied to any of these until now... sorry. They'll be really short and simple, sorry again.

@lothar @heatherm19 @nkiay - Thank you very much. Good to know I maybe didn't butcher the ice/snow too hard. A little ice sculpture bird covered in snow just seemed kinda cute to me.

@prairie - Thank you kindly, and thanks for the pings. I'm glad to hear you like the name.

Ian • 31 December 2022 at 6:47 PM

@sparklefox this shall be released tonight on the New Year!

wonder404exe • 31 December 2022 at 8:05 PM

@sparklefox congratulations 🎈🎊🎉