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Description

Rodan

Intro: There was a time when pterosaurs, like most creatures of prehistory, were seen as but evolutionary flukes. Their paper-thin wing membranes supported by brittle twig-like limbs doomed these crude gliders to certain extinction in the wake of the fairer birds and mammals of the modern era. Modern research has all but wholly disproved this first impression. It is now seen as a possibility that pterosaurs were the most aerodynamically fit vertebrate flyers in Earth’s history, having yet to be surpassed. In the age of kaiju, this outlook has not only been likely confirmed in regards to the past, but is also the staggering, terrible truth of today. This is owed to the presence of the mighty pterosaur god; Rodan.

Story: It did not take long after the discovery of Godzilla in the 1950s for the possible existence of other creatures like him to be taken into serious consideration. Investigations were carried out all across the world. One area that gained attention from the covert seekers in the 1960s was the deserted Isla de Mona, of the Puerto Rican island chain, said to be haunted by evil spirits and monsters by people of the neighboring islands. Within the numerous caves were discovered a species of large insectoid, soon named Meganulon after their vague resemblance to dragonfly larva. These creatures, though vicious, were not deemed a threat to the general public, as it was discovered that they were parasites, incapable of surviving on their own outside the caves for long. Studies of the radioactive blood-like substance within the guts of neutralized specimens were inconclusive beyond the fact that something far larger was resting deep within the island’s dormant volcano. Low-frequency acoustics, described as “moans” or “howls” were also detected echoing through the caves. Cave-ins and Meganulon attacks made manned expeditions implausible, and for decades research was limited to remote monitorization.

After Godzilla’s appearance and apparent defeat in 2016, things began heating up. Literally. Volcanic activity spiked across the pacific rim, and the dormant Isla de Mona was reactivated. With the existence of kaiju now revealed, great attention was given to the facilities that had been built on the island. In 2018, the volcano erupted, and the world watched in terror as a great winged beast took flight from the ashes. It flew at incredible speed across the United States before missiles damaged its’ propulsion system within the chest cavity, and unfortunately crash-landed in Chicago. A new containment/research facility was hastily built around its’ comatose body over the next few months. It was eventually dubbed “Radon” after one of the more common radioactive elements in its’ metabolism.

It was soon determined to be a sort of hyper-evolved kaiju pterosaur. Also, it was apparently female. This discovery, mild as it may seem, caused some concern among some researchers. Comparative physiology suggested a close common ancestry with Pteranodon. This well-known pterosaur, hailing from the late cretaceous, is known to have been highly sexually dimorphic. Males were over twice as big as females. And likely far more aggressive…

This theory would unfortunately be confirmed. Another volcano erupted near the western tip of Alaska, and a small town was found wiped out even though it had been clear of the eruption. Soon, there were reports of a very large, very swift UFO moving across the North American continent, gradually spiraling towards Chicago. This object proved to be a male hyper-pterosaur, and was thus labelled “Rodan”. He descended into Chicago and freed his awakened mate. The pair then unleashed their fury upon the human constructs and obliterated the windy city before returning to the Alaskan volcano.

Over the next month, Rodan attacked several nuclear watercrafts and carried them back to his still-recovering mate within their volcanic nest. While he was away, the nest was bombed in hopes of triggering another eruption like the one that engulfed the previous monster. This time, though, there was resistance as Rodan returned to defend his mate. Radon attempted to escape, but another round of bombs to her smaller form felled her from the sky and into the pit of the volcano. Rodan descended after her, and a final bombing trapped both of them back within the Earth…

Abilities: Rodan is one of the swiftest and most powerful flying creatures to have ever lived. He is incredibly agile, despite his size, and routinely cruises at supersonic speeds. When pressed, he is even capable of accelerating beyond mach 6. This is owed not only to his powerful wings, but also to a unique propulsion system with openings along the chest and body cavity. This feature seems to be highly derived from the respiratory air sack system and is analogous to a biological turbine engine. Though this makes him much more lightly built, Rodan is still very resistant to damage as his ventral surface is covered in armored plates and spines. This armor is also very heat-resistant. It is speculated to have evolved as protection from creatures like Godzilla.

Rodan most often attacks while on the wing, pecking and slashing at opponents via a sharp, tooth-filled beak and large raptorial claws on both feet and hands. The flapping of his wings alone in enough to generate hurricane-force winds, and his passing is often accompanied with sonic booms that can disorientate and stun smaller prey. Though most comfortable in the air, he can also gallop about on land and dive into the sea like a gannet. He has been observed hunting whales and submarines like this at considerable depths.

Rodan’s most effective attack is derived from his turbine system. He is able to concentrate and accelerate the flow of air through this system before unleashing it as a “Pneumatic Laser” from his mouth. The force of this highly concentrated gale in enough to reduce trees to sawdust and stone to sand. This attack, fortunately, is used infrequently. As his crest has been seen to glow during moments of heightened emotion, it is also speculated that he may be capable of some form of energy attack. This has yet to be observed.

Character: Though he is wary and aggressive towards approaching humans, Rodan has seldom attacked any major population centers since the 2018 incident. Like Godzilla below, he claims the skies of Earth for himself and roosts where he pleases, generally in more isolated regions near volcanoes, especially around the Pacific. Although he doesn’t have a set territory, there are certain areas rich in radioactive material that he will defend violently. These areas are designated as permanent no-fly zones. In the event that Rodan should approach a populated area, jets and rockets can usually provide a distraction, leading him to settle further away, or at least give more time for evacuations. Like the wind, though, Rodan is very unpredictable and should always be approached with extreme caution.

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Rodan is copyrighted by Toho

Description

Rodan

Intro: There was a time when pterosaurs, like most creatures of prehistory, were seen as but evolutionary flukes. Their paper-thin wing membranes supported by brittle twig-like limbs doomed these crude gliders to certain extinction in the wake of the fairer birds and mammals of the modern era. Modern research has all but wholly disproved this first impression. It is now seen as a possibility that pterosaurs were the most aerodynamically fit vertebrate flyers in Earth’s history, having yet to be surpassed. In the age of kaiju, this outlook has not only been likely confirmed in regards to the past, but is also the staggering, terrible truth of today. This is owed to the presence of the mighty pterosaur god; Rodan.

Story: It did not take long after the discovery of Godzilla in the 1950s for the possible existence of other creatures like him to be taken into serious consideration. Investigations were carried out all across the world. One area that gained attention from the covert seekers in the 1960s was the deserted Isla de Mona, of the Puerto Rican island chain, said to be haunted by evil spirits and monsters by people of the neighboring islands. Within the numerous caves were discovered a species of large insectoid, soon named Meganulon after their vague resemblance to dragonfly larva. These creatures, though vicious, were not deemed a threat to the general public, as it was discovered that they were parasites, incapable of surviving on their own outside the caves for long. Studies of the radioactive blood-like substance within the guts of neutralized specimens were inconclusive beyond the fact that something far larger was resting deep within the island’s dormant volcano. Low-frequency acoustics, described as “moans” or “howls” were also detected echoing through the caves. Cave-ins and Meganulon attacks made manned expeditions implausible, and for decades research was limited to remote monitorization.

After Godzilla’s appearance and apparent defeat in 2016, things began heating up. Literally. Volcanic activity spiked across the pacific rim, and the dormant Isla de Mona was reactivated. With the existence of kaiju now revealed, great attention was given to the facilities that had been built on the island. In 2018, the volcano erupted, and the world watched in terror as a great winged beast took flight from the ashes. It flew at incredible speed across the United States before missiles damaged its’ propulsion system within the chest cavity, and unfortunately crash-landed in Chicago. A new containment/research facility was hastily built around its’ comatose body over the next few months. It was eventually dubbed “Radon” after one of the more common radioactive elements in its’ metabolism.

It was soon determined to be a sort of hyper-evolved kaiju pterosaur. Also, it was apparently female. This discovery, mild as it may seem, caused some concern among some researchers. Comparative physiology suggested a close common ancestry with Pteranodon. This well-known pterosaur, hailing from the late cretaceous, is known to have been highly sexually dimorphic. Males were over twice as big as females. And likely far more aggressive…

This theory would unfortunately be confirmed. Another volcano erupted near the western tip of Alaska, and a small town was found wiped out even though it had been clear of the eruption. Soon, there were reports of a very large, very swift UFO moving across the North American continent, gradually spiraling towards Chicago. This object proved to be a male hyper-pterosaur, and was thus labelled “Rodan”. He descended into Chicago and freed his awakened mate. The pair then unleashed their fury upon the human constructs and obliterated the windy city before returning to the Alaskan volcano.

Over the next month, Rodan attacked several nuclear watercrafts and carried them back to his still-recovering mate within their volcanic nest. While he was away, the nest was bombed in hopes of triggering another eruption like the one that engulfed the previous monster. This time, though, there was resistance as Rodan returned to defend his mate. Radon attempted to escape, but another round of bombs to her smaller form felled her from the sky and into the pit of the volcano. Rodan descended after her, and a final bombing trapped both of them back within the Earth…

Abilities: Rodan is one of the swiftest and most powerful flying creatures to have ever lived. He is incredibly agile, despite his size, and routinely cruises at supersonic speeds. When pressed, he is even capable of accelerating beyond mach 6. This is owed not only to his powerful wings, but also to a unique propulsion system with openings along the chest and body cavity. This feature seems to be highly derived from the respiratory air sack system and is analogous to a biological turbine engine. Though this makes him much more lightly built, Rodan is still very resistant to damage as his ventral surface is covered in armored plates and spines. This armor is also very heat-resistant. It is speculated to have evolved as protection from creatures like Godzilla.

Rodan most often attacks while on the wing, pecking and slashing at opponents via a sharp, tooth-filled beak and large raptorial claws on both feet and hands. The flapping of his wings alone in enough to generate hurricane-force winds, and his passing is often accompanied with sonic booms that can disorientate and stun smaller prey. Though most comfortable in the air, he can also gallop about on land and dive into the sea like a gannet. He has been observed hunting whales and submarines like this at considerable depths.

Rodan’s most effective attack is derived from his turbine system. He is able to concentrate and accelerate the flow of air through this system before unleashing it as a “Pneumatic Laser” from his mouth. The force of this highly concentrated gale in enough to reduce trees to sawdust and stone to sand. This attack, fortunately, is used infrequently. As his crest has been seen to glow during moments of heightened emotion, it is also speculated that he may be capable of some form of energy attack. This has yet to be observed.

Character: Though he is wary and aggressive towards approaching humans, Rodan has seldom attacked any major population centers since the 2018 incident. Like Godzilla below, he claims the skies of Earth for himself and roosts where he pleases, generally in more isolated regions near volcanoes, especially around the Pacific. Although he doesn’t have a set territory, there are certain areas rich in radioactive material that he will defend violently. These areas are designated as permanent no-fly zones. In the event that Rodan should approach a populated area, jets and rockets can usually provide a distraction, leading him to settle further away, or at least give more time for evacuations. Like the wind, though, Rodan is very unpredictable and should always be approached with extreme caution.

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Rodan is copyrighted by Toho