Lava-Clutch Lizards
Large, intimidating ambush predators that prefer to live in volcanic mountain ranges where they hunt and wallow in mud holes all day. However, due to their rarity on the mainland, the hare now predominantly found on islands. The price for eggs and live specimens has ballooned to a whopping one thousand Moolah.
Like the extinct fragons, these creatures possess a a very powerful bite force capable of snapping bones, as well as having a similar nasal horn structure and fire resistant skin which aids them in hunting.
Despite living in and around mountain ranges, they have poor eyesight which their noses make up for, as they possess one of the best noses on Oddworld! One that allows them to sniff past the sulfur and smoke.
Larger forelimbs aid in both climbing and in hunting prey such as tares and kintos. While hunting, they simply wait next to the mineral deposits that prey animals need to consume and will either reach out and snag prey in with their claws or cause a chokehold in the cave where it will then feast and when it is done it will simply go back to its den (a large labyrinth of tunnels that they will dig) and sleep. Thanks to their low intelligence, they don’t overthink it.
Eggs are buried in holes dug by the mother where they are incubated and camouflaged from any would be predators. Lava-clutch lizard parents don’t mate for life and aren’t nearly as good at parenting as their flying kin.
These remnants of a wilder Oddworld are threatened by the wildlife trade, culinary industry, and even fashion companies such as Vice Couture who make expensive handbags (which Nakau- Val, Evie,has said are quote: “Fucking tiny and not even pretty. Who would pay that much for that?!”) out of their skin and armored shells. These accessories are enjoyed by figures such as Queen Skillya, Lady Bianca, Lady Carmen, and Anastasia Murkoff.
Lava-clutch lizards are also found in gladiator rings, the Nolybab Zoo, private menageries, and even circuses (at least for those that can afford them). Glenlak circus owner “Tarnuk The Great” owning a set that pulls a carriage in his parade and performs in his show. There is even evidence that in times long past, mudokon tribes that lived in close by, actually tamed and used them.
Fragon and lizard eggs are indeed very similar in appearance but can be distinguished by their size, nesting habits and if there is evidence of a devoted set of fragon parents nearby.
Nakau-Val, Evie, believes that this is most likely how Skye’s egg came to be in the possession of both her and Abe and why it was being transported in an airship. This still leaves several questions unanswered. How was Skye’s egg found and where? Are Skye’s biological parents looking for him? Are there more fragon eggs being mistaken for lava-clutch lizards eggs?
(WOOSH this one took way longer than I expected but I’m glad I stuck with it, especially when it came to adding the background and overlays. So, I’m glad I gave these guys the update they deserve. Anastasia Murkoff doesn’t belong to me, she actually belongs to the lovely @phantomtoff )
