[Didzis]

No sweat Froduck.

I wasn't sure what the decentralized meant, but now I know. Back to he design stage.

[SuperJMan]

it has been awhile since i did one of these. Think i am gonna try and get back into it

[absorbentghost]

Took some time before i started this challenge so here my initial sketch done in art rage (very good for traditional art styles).

[Keenir2]

Originally Posted by SuperJMan

it has been awhile since i did one of these. Think i am gonna try and get back into it
]

Very cool...though at first glance, it looks bigger than a pony. (are the thick legs a retained trait, like Kiwi (bird) legs, from large stout ancestors?)

[TommyArnold]

My idea is that the kikiot is descended from a flying ancestor, but as the flats dried up the animals became more and more ground-dwelling. The fans (remnants of wings) can now be used to kick up small dust clouds, which carry small bugs and other edible substances up into the air, where the almost octopus-like mouth can snag them up pull them in to the mouth. The chest-holes have lids almost like an eye, so that they can be closed briefly as the Kikiot sends up dust clouds when feeding. The eyes are positioned all around the head so that the kikiot is better able to spot edible particles in the dust clouds. Anyways, here's a super-rough sketch.

[TommyArnold]

So here's my Kikiot thus far. Sticking with the ideas from my above post I tried to show the Kikiot as it feeds: kicking up the dust and dirt by flapping its fans (a retained wing-like appendage left over from a bat-type ancestor), and then trying to snag little bugs and leaves from the debris. The Kikiot can also bend over and hobble around on its fans, trolling the dirt with its tentacled mouth for food. I imagine this little guy is still able to get a little lift from flapping so he usually hops around and can give chase to fast bugs, small prey, etc. Those tentacles would also be good for picking through the pools of the salt flats from above.

[TommyArnold]

Sorry to just keep posting but I had totally missed the part where it said 'distinctive pattern covers body' lol. Here's the Kikiot with a pattern, and a few other slight touch-ups.

@absorbentghost: Nice sketch, can't wait to see that guy finished. He looks tough, like he could survive a harsh environment.

[PhiBeS]

Ok. Here is my version of the Kikiot. Still workin on a colored version with its sails displayed also.

[Keenir2]

um, WTArnold, that's a good creature...but those are still wings.

Originally Posted by PhiBeS

Ok. Here is my version of the Kikiot. Still workin on a colored version with its sails displayed also.

That is adorable. a bit Seussian, but entirely novel.

[PhiBeS]

Its still a work in progress...

[TommyArnold]

Originally Posted by Keenir2

um, WTArnold, that's a good creature...but those are still wings.

@Kovah: Would you care to weigh in on this? I'm happy to redesign if the 'fans' on my creature are too much wings and not enough fans. I couldn't seem to find anything in the other threads or in the rules about this...

Thanks!

[Keenir2]

Originally Posted by WTArnold

@Kovah: Would you care to weigh in on this? I'm happy to redesign if the 'fans' on my creature are too much wings and not enough fans. I couldn't seem to find anything in the other threads or in the rules about this...

Thanks!

apologies; what I meant was more addressing how you said they were wings and now they've become fans. that's all, nothing more.

imho, wings are a perfectly good source to get fans from - look at ostriches.

[Didzis]

It has developed many eyes on top of its body because of the profusion of air predators and the fact that there's nowhere to hide on the salt flats. So its only defense is quick reflexes and being allways ready to dodge an assault. Salt flats being mainly flat, it doesn't have to worry about running into anything either. Food is gathered mostly by sense of smell and snappy reflexes.

[SuperJMan]

[lukeheath]

here is my quick sketch of a waky creature hope ya like