Sketches for a vampiric otter creature based on legend!
Read more on them here: https://metamorphile.blogspot.com/2020/01/kushtaka_5.html?m=0

For this entry I wanted to create a design for a legendary creature known as the Kushtaka. The material I found literally described them as vampiric otters stalking the icy waters in native legends. I drew a little inspiration from an episode of Doctor Who called "The Vampire Of Venice"giving them glowing spines, eyes, and fins and a deceptive appearance, like the aliens featured in that episode. For the vampiric aspect I initially went for an angler fish-like lantern and cavernous mouth up top, with a skin like a mass of seaweed.

I wanted them to have that sort of windswept cape look that vampires in cinema usually have while they are flying or floating, but eventually I changed it to just wraps of seaweed, like in the next sketch. I tried other body types to litte result, and large wrinkly fins didn't give me that look either, see bottem right sketch. I do miss the giant unsettling grin of the top design...maybe i'll reuse it later.

The mawshot was one of the few things i kept, ditching the angler mouth, and opting for 'otter with too sharp teeth.'

Concept sketches for an entry to the Metamorphiles Compendium. Check out this cool blog filled with all sorts of transformative stuff for your tabletop games! https://metamorphile.blogspot.com/?m=0
Please feel free to use the entries in your tabletop games, and tell us about them!