Let's Create 500 Races Using Prompts

500 [s]Drawing[/s] Monster Prompts

Hello, Internet. I'm making a book... er, more accurately, a setting.

If you know me well enough, you should already be assuming that the basis of this new world-building will be none other than monster(girl)s... and you'd be right! I'm a monster(girl) fanatic, and as such, am a massive fan of things like Okayado's "Monster Musume" series and Kenkou Cross's popular "Monster Girl Encyclopedia". Nonetheless, while all that is indeed my passion (and basis), it is not entirely my [i]focus[/i].

I intend to create my own setting, yet it will not be "my take on 'this-or-that' setting" or "generic monster(girl)s in 'such-in-such' world". My setting is to be completely fresh... more or less. Along with a world built from the ground-up in terms of design, monster natives entirely their own species will accompany it. Yes, I'm not talking about lamia, or harpies, or centaurs... I'm talking about new and original species.

And that's where you come in.

You see, I've always had trouble trying my hand at designing creatures and beings from scratch, having usually juggled only a handful of concepts that reference my favorite kinds of monsters... or simply tweaking a generic monster to better suit my tastes. However, with you guys's assistance, I'm quite confident you can lend me a suggestion/request or two, at least to shed enough of a light for me to help take the next step... it [i]is[/i] quite a darkened path I'm traversing, y'know.

Of course, I'm not the type to just carelessly make a plea for help and just expect you all to blindly throw out answers (nor should I expect you to help out at all... it's entirely your choice after all). Instead, I have somewhat of a "guide" (if you can call it that) which should at least aide you all in what you'll be trying to give proper tips for.

Today, I came across a sketchbook labeled "500 Drawing Prompts"; there are pages inside (...I would hope so, since it's... y'know... a BOOK...), each divided into sections. These sections, in turn, contain a single word as a heading. The point of the book? Complete a sketch in relation to the word (e.g. If it says "dog", draw a German Shepherd; if it says "Sabbath", draw a witch orgy... get the reference already). So, what's the point of said sketchbook in this case?

Create a monster(preferablyagirl)person/race based almost exclusively upon the provided word of topic. I know, I know... at this point, you're probably thinking "you honestly expect me, a lurker, to participate in this?" or maybe "how do you expect any of us to create an ENTIRE RACE off a single word? Lemme guess, the first word is shovel, isn't it? Oh, I know! Let's make fucking mole people made out of metal! ...baka" or perhaps you're even thinking "But y tho". Not to worry, dear acquaintance (I'd say friend, but I have few and far between, and it's very unlikely you are one of them... no offense, bozo), for I have an answer to all those statements!

And that is "I don't [s]give a[/s] have an answer". If you want to send an idea my way, props to ya. If not, that's cool too. If you want to work your brain with a bit of extra creativity down this brainstorm route, I encourage it! If you'd rather keep your mind running sleep-mode, no problem. In all honesty, this is entirely MY project to begin with... I'm just offering you guys extra paper and pencils if you want to pitch in as I build.

Ideas and suggestions/requests may or may not be chosen (no matter how "better" your personal snowflake is than everyone else's), so please don't whine IF you so choose to submit an idea that I don't prefer. On the plus side, I will be MUCH more inclined to choosing from amount the more popular choices, so when there is a concept which several of you are quite taken too... there's a good chance I'll accept it (there are PLENTY of fish in this sea... 500 of them fuckers, remember?).

Another reason I'm gonna be a little picky is because the finalized character will be given art. Firstly, I myself will create a drawing of the species... and secondly, I will hire a better artist to sketch the official art (so far, either sud/rocknroll or .less, which should explain everything). I will also be posting each race in a similar fashion as KC does: a profile image alongside a scroll of text... however in my case, the text portion will be in story format... a oneshot fic, if you will.

As of this first post, the word to start us off on this journey is none other than...!

Waterfall.

...To be honest, I already have an idea I am settling on, something based upon the combined influence of the commonly known Jorougumo (from ORIGINAL Japanese lore) and the Huldra (a lesser-known creature of Scandinavian folklore)... more or less, I'm going for a monster who is very self-aware and timid, being quite lonely and desperate for kinship despite her ominous form; she is amphibious, and hides behind/near waterfalls as the sound of them best hides her from those who might run away in fear of hearing her presence.

What are your thoughts? Do you think you could expand upon this idea (from tweaking this basic approach of her design, or simply offering details as to how her physical appearance should be), or do you have a completely new idea for our "waterfall" monster(person)?

Also, don't just think you'll be restricted to just one word, either. For our next races, the second and third entries in my book are "wizard's staff" and "sandcastle". Perhaps you could give me ideas on how to create a species for each? ...Or maybe you can combine two or all three entries to make a single creature?

You may begin.