Imp Wyngrew
Imps are the rarest subspecies of wyngrew, most often seen in the bustling capital city of Antova. Their most notable traits are their long, noodle-like bodies, mammalian noses, and full body “mowhawk”, though many also know them for their rumored natural skills of the magic arts and less than tasteful heritage.
Imp Anatomy:
Below is a list of things unique to the Imp subspecies that are all needed to identify a "pure" Imp from a standard!
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Armor plating on their nose and front arms.
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Thin, cat-like nose.
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Longer necks, bodies and tails, giving them a more serpent appearance.
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A flat mammalian muzzle.
Other iconic but not always consistent features are:
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Standard Mohawk from birth, which trails to the back of the neck on wynglings.
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Double Dew Claws on the back feet.
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Natural affinity to see better in the dark.
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Natural abilities in all magical elements.
Adult Traits
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When grown, their bodies are much more serpent-like than the common wyngro, resulting in quadrupeds having very long bodies, and bipedials having very long necks.
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They grow automatically into Sleek Tails when they reach adulthood! (But you can draw them shorter and have them grow into them later if you want!)
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The Mohawk extends down the spine and the tail as a Back Mane. (This is the maximum length! You can have it remain just as a head 'mowhawk' upon growth if you wish as the minimum length, or any length between the maximum and minimum! After growing up, you can also completely remove the Back Mane if you wish!)
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One further quirk is some Imps tend to have ‘double dewclaws’ present on their legs. This is seen as a sign of ‘pure blood’ for Imps, though Standard Wyngrew have also been known to eventually grow this trait if at least one of their parents is a pure Imp. In old times, Imperials would not breed with Wyngrew that did not have the “Double Dews”.
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Imps also tend to grow “Dragon whiskers” from the snout soon after they reach adulthood. This is seen in standard Wyngrew as well, but it’s much more common in Imps.
Rules specific to drawing Imps!
Below is a list of things to keep in mind when designing a bred imp for approval, or just drawing them in the group!
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Imp noses by default are always thin & pink!
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Their necks and bodies should not be overly long. They have around a head's length inside their neck, so make sure they do not grow longer than that!
When getting an Impling approved:
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"Imp mane" on pure and half imps should appear as a mohawk that ends at the back of the neck. (And should not be a full, stylish head of hair!)
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Accents you choose for the normal accent colors will appear also on the hair and armor of the imp.
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Implings do not have longer necks, bodies & tails like their adult counterparts.
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There are two types of imp armor (round and sharp), and depending on the type you choose, they must match between the muzzle and arm plating. This style may never change.
Imperial History
Centuries ago, when Imps were still known as Imperials, this breed of wyngrew thrived.
Imperials were believed to have greater magic prowess than other wyngrew (a belief that still prevails to this day among the higher class, though not all agree whether it’s actually true or not) and built great cities with their power. Through magic, Imperials were able to conquer the great south-west desert and built grand cities in their image with tall towers and long serpentine estates along the rivers they’d made from the rains they’d summoned. They shaped the once-desert into a lush and fruitful paradise, transforming the land as they saw fit like gods on earth. Some structures were said to even float in mid-air.
As the Imperials busied themselves with magic, the more common wyngrew were left with more basic tasks, like construction, cleaning, and harvesting the fruits of the Imperial’s labors.
It was not long before the cultural divide widened. Common wyngrew were seen as just that: common. Lesser. Inferior. Most Imperials soon came to refuse to even court or breed with common wyngrew, instead sticking to their own kind to ensure the purity of their bloodline and passed-on magic prowess was secured. Imperials became the upper class, and common wyngrew the lower, treated little better than servants even in day to day life.
But this could not last.
Magic in the world has tides, as all sages proclaim. This ‘tide’ rises and falls, leading to slow but irreversible waxing and waning of magic … which in turn affects magic power that can be used in the world.
The fall of the Imperial race did not happen overnight, but over years and decades of steady decline. Imperials, being a subspecies far more sensitive to magic, and reliant upon it both in terms of lifestyle and physically, slowly began to have less and less children over the years. Family lines that had once been growing and branching out began to struggle to produce one or two heirs per couple. The magic they used to create their paradise became harder to summon, the magical ‘wells’ of power drying up.
The massive paradise became ever-shrinking islands of oasis’, one by one being lost by the howling desert winds. Eventually no Imperial wynglings were born, and most of the family lines died stubbornly with their homeland, their cities and estates buried by the desert sands.
It was only through the few Imperials that were willing to leave it all and throw themselves on the mercy of commoners that the species managed to survive, if barely. Few of the survivors were able to put their outdated ‘legacy’ behind them and even find love and home among the ‘common masses’, continuing their subspecies.
But now, that desert paradise is but a memory, and all that remains is now in ruins or buried under sand. These ruins are still quite a sight to explore, but because they are so far off the grid, it’s difficult to make the journey. Some who have traveled there claim it to be one of the most haunted ruins around.
Imps Today
Many Imps have forsaken the title of ‘Imperial’ and instead prefer the shorter, less presumptuous title of simply: ‘Imp’ to define their subspecies. Though some still hold on to the fact their subspecies is magically superior than others.
Calling an Imp an “Imperial” today is considered derogatory and may insult most.
Because of their past, Imps have quite a mixed reputation. Some common wyngrew see Imps as bringers of disaster or ill luck, and either avoid or outright refuse to allow Imps near themselves or their homes. This is especially true for smaller, more humble towns. Others see Imps as no different from anyone else with good and bad apples in the bunch.
And some see Imps as truly superior and scramble to hire them either for publicity or belief an Imp can do work faster and more efficiently than others. This belief is still very prevalent in the city of Antova, where many Imps have advantages in acquiring well paid jobs. Many Imp families work right under the royal family.
Most, however, hardly even see Imps in day-to-day life, due to their continued rarity.
Locations: Where do Imps live?
Imps are mostly seen in busy cities, such as the kingdom of Antova. Imps thrive here due to their publicity and the rumor that they have more powerful magic. Purer Imps are also seen as very tight knit to their families and do not often branch out and make friends with “non Imps”. While Imps families do seem to be more well off than others, this is mainly due to better opportunities given to them because of their heritage.
Imps are rarely found in rural areas or towns, as smaller villages usually make use of magic far less, and Imps are still very intune with magic.
It’s usual that many Imps have a difficult time leaving Antova, so when one does travel outside the city, it’s a sight to see.
How do I get an Imp?
In order to keep their rarity, Imps are very rarely sold as auctions, and will never be “Free to Create” like standard Wyngrew. They are much less common, after all!
Make sure to watch the Wyngro group deviations and journals in order to see when auctions and events for Imps happen!
Imps can also be obtained through breeding, although they have different rules than standard gros, so head over to the bottom of the Breeding Page to know more!
