Slender, creatures of the Downside Under

In addition to these creatures, all monsters i make will have an Element. This element helps determine their unique power, weakness and so forth.

These creatures will be the most (one of three at least) dangerous enemy I will provide against the dragons. As something of an end-event set of beings, the Slender will be tough to beat and are just as smart as a dragon, so expect a great challenge. As a whole Slender are an Extreme Threat Level, however individually different. Fir example, their lowest threat leveled Slender is capable of killing a medium leveled monster, but can be killed by anything higher than it's own power.

Overview: Slender, as their name suggests, are serpentine creatures that have no facial features, but rather a steel-like beak that spans the entire head like a protective shield. Pending on their variant; their colors, abilities, size, and ranks will vary however most of the regulars will range from a grey color to different shades of blue. Instead of regular sight, the Slender uses vibrations in the Earth to track prey and to see what they are fighting they can sense energy and immediately predict where and what the enemy is doing, as well as having their sixth sense enhanced so much they can sense any prey in the area through energy. This is another they can track prey above ground, but if they are hit by light it overloads the senses and causes the Slender to go underground. They aren't affected by sunlight, but if magnified the sunlight can actually burn them.

About a quarter of the way down their snake-like bodies they have two limbs acting as arms, however fitted from the elbow down is a massive spike used mainly for digging but can be used for puncturing through tough dragon scales. Their bodies are toughened to the extent they are resistant to dragon abilities, regarding the elementary powers a dragon possesses. This does not make them invincible however as their bodies are vulnerable to magic and light abilities (such as the control of light). When in rain their bodies become softer, making abilities such as dragons fire more effective. Their bodies are made for speed and defense and can dodge arrows with relative ease.

The Slender works as a hive race, following instructions from a queen/king Slender and constantly keeping a telepathic bond to one another; this is their way of communicating. While Slender aren't necessarily evil, their way of life has been twisted and warped by their ruler, so they don't know the true difference between right or wrong but just obedience. Slender are smarter than they look though, they can coordinate an enemies position and attack pattern, as well as group together to take down a larger foe. They are capable of solving difficult puzzles and have their own language, granted they don't have the mouths for it, but spoken only in telepathy.

1. Armored, Threat Lv. Medium
Element: Metal
"From their flesh to their bone is almost desolate of any blood or marrow, instead in its place resides an odd silver-like fluid. With armor like steel, these creatures are tougher to take down than most."

Armored Slender are a mostly metal creature however still living and well enough to serve amongst the Hive, they have a silver and almost skeletal-like appearance and have two massive claws, fitted with two sets of smaller claws along the belly for digging and movement, they are 60ft in size. They are a slow defender, moving only about 20mph on land and beneath, but making up for their speed they are insanely durable and can even be submerged in lava for a short time. Their bodies are naturally resistant to dragon abilities regarding fire, ice, and lightning. Usually there are numerous amounts of Armored Slender about the horde but only digging underground, they would find the prey or opposing forces by using their vibrations and attack from behind but will retreat and repeat this process. This tactic allows them to distract any foe so that the front line soldiers will get the upper hand.


2. Might, Threat Lv. Medium-High
Element: Stone

Might Slender, as their name suggests, are powerful creatures used for the front lines. These 100ft beasts have a stone like skin that is very tough to penetrate, but once underneath is nothing but muscle with very little flesh, their bones are denser than even that of a dragons. Much like any other Slender, the Might have a serpentine body with a featureless face and a single large claw. They are capable of killing smaller dragon in one swipe or swing, and capable of crippling larger or equal sized dragons due to their immense strength and sharp claw. They are green in color and have a bulkier build than most, it's capable of traveling at 50mph, making it somewhat fast but still dangerous. What's more they have large stones attached to their backs, once one falls in a crowded area it's back explodes, sending shrapnel of stone of and bone in all directions.


3. Winged, Threat Lv. Very High
Element: Ice, Wind, Water, and Lightning

Thought to have been one of the original variants of the Slender as a whole, the Winged Slender are fast in both air and sea, masters of the sky and sea, they are dangerous predators that think independently compared to the rest of the hive. They fly in swarms of at least twenty and above and can fly and swim as fast as 100mph. They have blue, baby blue, or white with grey scales similar to that of a dragons albeit tougher, their color scheme pending on the area they live. They have bat-like wings and have two pairs of limbs, the first pair near the front of the torso that extend into two razor sharp claws with a third appendage that acts as a thumb of sorts, the second pair near the groin area thought to allow for carrying and gripping. These beasts of a monster vary in size, generally the common being 55ft to the largest being 85ft.

The Winged Slender are capable of using the ice, water, wind, or lightning elements for attack. Some carry multiple or all four elements, depending on their sheer power alone they do seem to have ranks, usually multi-powered being higher up and can give the single-powered Slender commands, but only of their own variant. Using the ice element; they can fire off rapid spikes of ice to slow down and slowly tear down enemy forces, they can also have a light shielding of ice along their bodies for protection granted they do get slower. Using the water element; Winged Slender can manipulate the water to cover their bodies allowing them camouflage, they can also create water spouts for aerial forces and spin foes out of control with whirlpools, they are also capable of forming Water Golems which will defend and attack even sea dragons.

Further with the wind element; Winged Slender can create powerful vacuums of air to either speed themselves or slow an enemy, they can create massive tornadoes to damage and slow ground forces as well. As for the more effective lightning element; the Winged Slender are capable of launching bolts of lightning but not thrown like a spear, more driven into the scales and flesh like a stake. They can coat themselves in a lightning cloak to deal damage when colliding with foes and can even summon large torrents of lightning bolts to hit any forces, air and ground.

The Slenders weakness lies at their underbelly where it is soft, but it would be a tough fight to effectively kill a single one let alone an entire swarm.

4. Wild Virulent Slender, Threat Lv. Medium
Tamed Virulent Slender, Threat Lv. Low-Medium
Element: Toxin and Corrosive
"Little abominations they are, I can easily squish one with my paw but ten more show up! It's like they're multiplying or something!"

The Virulent variant is a unique and much later version of a normal Slender. Instead of a serpentine body they have that of dragons with the exception they still have spikes at the end of their limbs instead of paws. They still have the beak-like head but have a scorpions tail that hang over it. Usually, Virulent Slender are colored with orange, green, and yellow splotches all along their body being as they are more of a jungle creature. However they have a twin variant that is colored grey and black signifying that they could evolve to each climate, these live in everywhere that is warm and are susceptible to cold climates. Unlike most Slender, this variant only reaches between eight and thirty feet in height making them smaller than most and killing a single one (to dragons and possible other species) easier.

However, Virulent Slender are never alone. Where there's one, there's most likely an infestation of ninety beneath you. These buggers are smaller but like a hive they stay in large numbers to take foes down. They stay in numbers to take larger Slender down. Unlike most Slender, the Virulent variant that have wild colors are actually feral, the full colored being larger and part of the initial hive that defends the portals. The wild Slender are like ants, they build an underground network and tunnels and one will dedicate itself as a queen. These creatures have long since parted ways from the main hive and have become an independent species. Like ants, they will gather food and expand their home for their own and queen, each worker spending it's entire life serving. The guardians of the queen Slender are larger in size and have insect wings, capable of traveling 70mph.

This would be a problem wild Slender weren't cowards. These Slender turn away when equal sized creatures come their way or run toward their hive for safety and added numbers. Most of them don't fight dragons let alone other species, however if the creature is smaller the Slender either leave it alone or consider it food for the hive.

The abilities of Virulent Slender are different from their normal elemental cousins. Their bodies are fitted with a tough exoskeleton as well as having a strong endoskeleton, allowing them to absorb considerable damage. Naturally, because of the venomous plants they eat, the Slender secrete a powerful poison all along their body do when a predator eats them or get their body part on an open wound the poison will obly take an hour to shut down the organs of the predator. From the stinger they can also spray a strong acid capable of eating away dragon scales, including Earth Dragons. The spikes they have are extremely sharp and combined with their poison can leave grievous wounds.

5. Crystal Slender, Threat Lv. High
Element: Energy, Crystal (Earthly)

Beautiful, jagged, and deadly, Crystal Slender are made up of otherworldly gems that make them a jackpot for any hunters looking for fortunate. Fortunately, they are quite numerous and are wild much like Virulent Slender. Unfortunately, it's near impossible to find them. This variant, because of the energy it uses, had broken off its psychic bond with the main hive long ago making it independent. These Slender are an ice white to a light blue, they are covered every inch with rare crystals that are tougher than steel allowing them high defense. They have two arms fitted with large curved spikes for digging. They can reach between forty and fifty feet in length and can travel 50mpl.

Crystal Slender do not eat for they can absorb energy from the sun or heat for sustenance . They live deep in volcanic caverns and tend to remain dormant until a weary traveler or treasure hunters comes around they will awaken to destroy any intruder. They use echolocation and vibrations in the earth for locating.

As far as powers go, they can emit a shockwave of energy that can knock foes off guard, as well as coat their claws in said energy to deal extra damage. However a unique power they have is they can breath a mist that can form sharp and painful crystals on a foe, slowing them down and distracting them to gain time to strike.