The Timewyrm

It's been much too long since i've actually done something original and not fanart-y.

With commissions going smoothly and a few extra days at work i've only had short moments to work on my Timeworm, an idea i've had for a long time but never fully completed. Previously, my initial design sucked, it was much like this except it had only two horns which were much larger, a cobra-like hood, another time crystal which stuck out of the metal where it's left arm would be and was exclusively quadrepedal using it's (at the time, fully) mechanical wing as it's left front "foot". It was much too complicated, was never going to work andyway and looked horrible, so i abandonned for a while.

Want to see how bad it looked? [link]

Over the last few days, i've had another think since i still like the idea and it's to do with a mini story involving Kleft and Dover... But that'll be for another time (lol, a pun). I changed it to a standing dragon, deciding simpler is better - simplified the head so that it had a frill like arrangement to it's horns, simplified the wing but still wanted some asymetry to it so i got rid of one joint in the wing and the timestone was removed from it's chest as well as making the plates a bit smaller. A tail barb was also added for a little extra detail too.

Edit: Would have been nice if i actually explained the character ><

So how does Timeflame work? It is purely situational and based on time being non-linear. If you've played Braid you might get an idea of how it works - Reversing time takes into account everything that has already happenned to it - Doors will open and shut, broken parts of walls will fly back and re-form in their original arrangement and de-construct if time goes back far enough etc. But fast-forwarding it will only speed up what's currently happenning to it.

Timeflame will "burn" in any location for about a minute before it degenerates if not maintained, it cannot be extinguished like a normal fire and throwing other items onto the flame imparts the flame's effect onto the item as soon as it enters and starts "burning".

For example... If a tree is already lit and burning, the Timeflame can make it burn slower or faster, freeze time so it stops burning while Time flame is in effect (The fire also will not burn anything that walks into it while frozen in time), or it can reverse the burning so the tree seems to reform. However, if time is reversed past the point where the tree was lit, resuming a forward passage of time will not re-light the tree unless it is done again by a third party, speeding up time on the tree at this point would merely make it die and decay.

Timeflame cannot harm or change a living or dead animal, including its user so the Timewyrm cannot reverse time to save itself from death (Aside from "Fixing" it's mechanical parts). It can do it's best to stay out of such situations though, by stopping arrows or bullets mid-flight, degenerating metal swords and other weapons and generally manipulating objects in it's environment. Therefore, it loves to hide in delapidated old buildings so that if a threat approaches, it can reform broken or decayed parts of the building or interiors to create barriers or obstructions to aid it's escape.

The Timewyrm itself, though twice as tall as Kleft when standing on it's back legs, is actually pretty weak, it's scales are quite soft except it's beak and the top of the head. Horns, claws etc, though encased in Timestones, they're still easily broken and somewhat blunt, so biting and clawing attacks are less effective. Having only one arm is also a major disadvantage in a brawl, let alone against a sword wielding hunter. Therefore, the Timewyrm will prefer to run or fly away from a fight, using Timeflame to manipulate surroundings to hinder and obstruct potential threats. If cornered, it will fight be swinging it's tail barb, kicking with it's legs or as a last resort, may bite or bash with the beak like part or it's mouth, or even punch with its only arm until an opportunity to escape presents itself.

Despite the wings being uneven, it can fly very well. It's back legs are quite strong so it's good at jumping too, but it's posture and being front heavy makes running and other land based motion somewhat subpar, in some cases, it may occasionally require some support from it's arm.