Meet the Ten Dragon-Rings Clan of the Imperial Planet of Maklu.

I started this pic a few years ago and left it behind until I finished this pic last year. What good time is that it’s the Year of the Dragon so it’s the best time to upload it. 🙂

11 years ago or so, I drew the original Ten Dragon-Rings Clan on paper and uploaded it on deviantArt. Yes, I drew it with pencil and fineliners and then scanned it on my computer and digitally colored it with a flat background and no shadings at the time. Today, I drew them in full digital artwork with smooth shading and better background. I’ve been improving my art style for years.

As for the characters, I modeled them after Fin Fang Foom’s race from Marvel Comics and it was started with Nextwave issue no. 2 in 2006 when I got introduced to that character. Okay, maybe other comics like Marvel Monsters: Fin Fang Four and Iron Man: Dragon Seed Saga where he must fight together with his arch nemesis the Mandarin against Fin Fang Foom and his brothers when I read the comics.

Enjoy my artwork! 😁

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Leader: Yu Yin Yang
Alignment: Taoist Lotus Clan
Allies: Shanghai Dragon Clan
Enemies: The Dark Mandarin and his Shí Hundun Long Huan Army, Kubar Kai Khan and the Mongolongs, and the Wuklongs
Location: Planet Maklu
The Ten Dragon-Rings Clan (also known as Shí Dá Lóng Huán) is the Asian Allied Alliance and Ancient Allied Alliance as well the team member of the Taoist Lotus Clan. The group of ten Dragonfolk warriors was chosen by their leader's uncle, Yin Yang Yong, to fight the Dark Mandarin and his evil allies with sharpest blades to cut their limbs and body parts and element powers.

Origin
Long ago on the planet of Maklu, Yin Yang Yong’s father was a war hero who defeated the Wuklongs years ago. But he was a disgraced drunkard and low-ranking officer as Yin had lived in a rough time with his parents until his father died in an ambush by the Mongolongs led by the nefarious Dark Mandarin during the military expedition in the northern mountains, leaving only with his mother to take care by himself. However, he was under the constant care of his uncle, Yin Yang Yong, who feared that Yu would become a common criminal and bring shame upon his family’s name if gets into trouble with the Maklan authority. Even when he tried to join the ranks of the imperial army, he was rejected due to his mother’s request fearing for his life would end up like him. Frustrated, he ran away from home but was arrested by the patrols during the curfew and brought to his uncle’s home where he was raised and tutored there. After a heated conversation between him and his uncle, Yu left his home in disgust and returned to his mother’s home. But by the time he got home, his mother was murdered.

After his mother’s death, he was visited by his childhood friends after hearing about what happened last night. But their comforts and condolences wouldn’t ease the pain and suffering he endured so he decided to track down his mother’s killer without their help. Later that night, he tracked down one of his mother’s killers to their hideout which turned out to be the Foom Tong who were hired by the Dark Mandarin to find and kill Yu and his family. With the truth discovered, Yu burst his way into their hideout and attempted to fight them but he was no match for them when he was nearly beaten to death and dragged to their boss, Fen Fang Foom, and then was about to be executed until he was rescued by his friends and dragged them out from the slums.

After a brutal beating, Yu found himself on a boat at the dockside where they tended his wounds and hid from the Foom Tong for days until they were discovered and had to defend the boat, facing a massive army of 1,000 men. Despite the odds, they fended them off from the boat but they were defeated by Fen Fang Foom and his remaining men in a matter of minutes until suddenly Yu was awakened by his Aura and slain any Foom Tong members onboard and killed Fen Fang Foom, cutting him down into pieces. With their leader dead, the Foom Tong fled in terror and Yu’s mother’s death had been avenged. However, his quest for revenge has begun when they venture to the north where the Dark Mandarin might be there but he was heeded by the voice of his uncle, warning that revenge would cost his life and the consequences of his karma. He must go to the ancient temple of Guanglong to be trained by Wei Wang Woo and be received with his first elemental power to defeat the Dark Mandarin and his evil allies.

Upon arriving in the northern region, Yu began to wonder if killing the Dark Mandarin would free him from the torment he endured. But it would cost his life and karma if he walks on the path of darkness, bringing more shame on his family. But when they reached the mountains during the snowstorm, their boat was shot down by the Mongolongs and crashed landed nearby the abandoned Maklong fortress where they had to wait until the snowstorm waned. On the next day, they ventured to the abandoned camp where they discovered a pile of corpses of dead Maklong soldiers including Yu’s father. Horrified by the discovery, Yu vowed to avenge his death but it would get worse if he’s going to kill their leader, Kubar Kai Khan, and cost his karma negatively. After giving them a proper funeral, Yu and his friends continue their journey and survive the harsh conditions in the cold mountains including fighting the Wuklongs instead of the Mongolongs. After arriving at the temple on the mountain top, he was greeted by Wei Wang Woo who was expecting him to come and train with him in the way of Wude to quell his quest for revenge and follow the righteous path of justice. After vigorous training with Wei, Yu finally understood the virtues and mastered the power of Beast or better known as the Spirit Shou-Long, one of the deadliest elementals in the universe, as well as mastered his dual sword while his friends and allies mastered their own elemental power and weapons. With their training completed, they were ready to face the Dark Mandarin and his evil forces.

During their journey, they came across village after village suffering under the tyrannical rule of the Dark Mandarin and helped the poor people any way they could by liberating them from the claws of the Mongolongs and wiping the Wuklongs out from their hiding nests. Furthermore, they also fought the Dark Mandarin’s minions, the Hundun Long Army, and Yu had slain them all singlehandedly. Feeling the power and the karma from within his soul, he developed his elemental strength that was hopefully enough to defeat the Dark Mandarin. But before they head off to the Dark Mandarin’s palace, Yu must deal with Fei Fong Foom, son of Fen Fang Foom, in a fight to the death. But after his fight with Fei Fong Foom, Yu spared his life with humility though he will fight him again for another day and continued his journey to defeat the Dark Mandarin once and for all.

Yu and his comrades have arrived at the Dark Mandarin’s fortress palace and it was heavily guarded, impossible to breach in and fight their way. Instead, they took the cave tunnel as they found a way into the palace but they had to fight off the monsters and survive the traps guarding the tunnel until they reached the dungeons where the Maklong prisoners were held there. After breaching beneath the palace, they freed the prisoners who can fight back as their advantage to distract and weaken the Dark Mandarin’s minions so they can confront the Dark Mandarin himself. There at the throne room, Yu had to face his nemesis alone when his friends were sealed away as they had to defend themselves against his elite warriors and the final battle had begun. It was fierce and brutal and Yu was weakened by the Dark Mandarin’s Chaos element, unable to hit him back. But suddenly, on a verge of his defeat, his aura was reawakened and this time his elemental power of Beast and finally defeated the Dark Mandarin in a fatal blow. But before he was about to finish him off, his nemesis was dragged away to Hell by vengeful spirits of the dead he murdered. Yu stood there and watched though he spared him with pity rather than to save his miserable life. With the Dark Mandarin banished to the underworld, Yu’s ancestors are freed from the torment for years and thanked by his parents and was told to stay on the right path to find his inner peace and defend the defenseless across the Maklu Empire and then bid farewell to Yu before they departed to Heaven. And with that moment, the Dark Mandarin’s minions and evil allies were scattered and leaderless and the northern land was freed from their claws.

After the defeat of the Dark Mandarin and his evil allies, Yu and his friends returned to the capital for well-earned rest. But by the time they arrived, they received the heroes’ welcome and were escorted to the imperial palace to meet the emperor himself! At the imperial palace, Yu was pardoned by the imperial court and the honor of his family’s name was restored. Then they were offered a place within the Maklong Imperial Elite Force but Yu declined at first. However, it was his uncle who planned this and intended for him to become an upstanding citizen of the empire as well as a member of the military council. After the explanation, Yu reconciled with his uncle and accepted the offer from the emperor as the elite team of brave chosen Maklong warriors known as the Ten Dragon Rings.

And on that day, the Ten Dragon-Rings Clan was born.

Team Members
From left to right: Gao Gong Gi, Kao Kang Ki, Shang Shi Song, Ling Lang Li, Yú Yin Yang (leader), Huang Hun Han, Hong Hang Huo, Jing Jang Jong, Dan Dong Dai, Wei Wang Woo

Yu Yin Yang
A young green Maklong Dragonfolk is the leader of the Ten Dragon Rings. Born in the slums of Little Maklu, Yu Yin Yang was ironically the son of a war hero who was slain by the Mongolongs during the tundra campaign. Having lost his parents, Yu was raised and tutored by his uncle, Yin Yang Yong. But at his rebellious age, he got into trouble with the law and the Foom Tong until he learned the truth about his mother’s murder and avenged her death. Now as the Hundun Long Slayer, he wields his dual sharpen blades that can cut his foes in half or into pieces, limb from limb, like cleaves. He may be arrogant and a brash warrior like his father, but he’s fearless and gifted and a bit mature sometimes when it comes to helping the good people of the planet and following the path of Wude. His elemental power is Beast, better known as the Spirit of Shou-Long, as long as he can control it.

Hong Hang Huo
The red Maklong Dragonfolk is a skilled swordsman of the team and the elemental master of Fire as well as one of Yu’s childhood friends from his school. Hong Hang Huo is the son of a blacksmith who followed his path of making finest weapons he can forge from generation to generation. With the passing of his father, he can finally make weapons for the army except the Foom Tong when he refused to pay up for “protection” from other gangs and threatened them back until he fought back. After the destruction of the Foom Tong, Hong Hang Huo joined Yu Yin Yang to fight for justice against the Dark Mandarin and his evil allies. Hong Hang Ho is a quite ambitious adventurer and hardly honorable warrior when he wields his ancestors’ sword, the Burning Sword of Huolong.

Jing Jang Jong
The blue Maklong Dragonfolk is an aquatic warrior of the team and one of Yu’s childhood friends from his school. Jing Jang Jong is a member of the Shuilong tribe living in the coastal town of Makshui where he was trained by his mother who was once a Maklong water dragoness warrior until she retired to raise her family. Now a fully water dragon warrior and a young master of the sea, Jing must follow his ancestors’ footsteps to defend Maklu’s shores from enemies including the Dark Mandarin and his evil allies until he joins Yu Yin Yang and his friends to fight them. With his knowledge of the seas and oceans of the planet, Jing is quite the intelligent one with the elemental mastery of Water. He can harpoon his trident on his enemies straight.

Huang Hun Han
The yellow Maklong Dragonfolk is the hulking warrior of the team and the retainer of Yu Yin Yang. Huang Hun Han was selected by the imperial court at his young age to serve the emperor’s honor guards. For decades, he protected the emperor with his life and crushed his enemies who would dare to assassinate the emperor. After his service with the emperor had ended, he returned to his ancestral home of Mulong where he was born and raised there. Later, he was visited by Yin Yang Yong to join forces with his nephew and assist his new allies to fight the Mongolongs and the Dark Mandarin’s evil minions. A noble warrior with a big heart of gold and honor, Huang Hun Han is very known for wielding his dual battle ax with the elemental power of Wood since he fought the Wuklongs in the Battle of Mujong Hills.

Ling Lang Li
The female Maklong Dragonfolk is the skilled archer of the team and Yu Yin Yang's girlfriend. Ling Lang Li is the descendent of the Vermillion Dragon Archer who defeated the Hundun Dragons centuries ago. Although she skipped her family’s generations, she believed the legend to be true as she was forced to train as the next Vermillion Dragon Archer by her father. Her reflexes of archery and combat skills are exceptional as she never misses her target on sight, even her three arrows in one shot, and ready for her duty to defend the Maklu Empire from all evil which she did when she rescued her boyfriend from the Foom Tong. After the complete annihilation of the Foom Tong, Ling joined Yu and his friends to fight the Dark Mandarin and his evil allies. Her elemental power is Wind which gives her the ability to guide her arrow to her target in a short distance of 100 yards.

Dan Dong Dai
The cyan Maklong Dragonfolk is a young courageous skilled fighter of the team. Dan Dong Dai had lived in his home village until the Mongolongs took over by force. But Dai had managed to escape when he left the village earlier until he came across Yu Yin Yang and his friends. Together they pushed the occupiers out from the village and freed his people including his grandfather from their captivity. After the village was liberated, Dai took his responsibility greatly but he was happily free to go with his new friends for his big adventure that awaits him and ready to fight the Mongolongs and their evil master, the Dark Mandarin. As a skilled fighter, he is armed only with his Bo staff and can break their bones as well as freezing them with the elemental power of Ice to cripple their movement.

Shang Shi Song
The orange Maklong Dragonfolk is a spearman of the team and one of Yu’s childhood friends from his school. Shang Shi Song wants to become a soldier of the imperial army but due to his laziness and lack of fierce combat experience, he becomes a city guard patrolling the streets of Little Maklu. When he overheard Yu getting into trouble with the Foom Tong, he abandoned his post and helped his friends. After the total destruction of the Foom Tong and a letter of his resignation to imperial guards, Song joined Yu and his friends to fight the Dark Mandarin and his evil allies. A humble warrior with a heart of honesty, Shang Shi Song will what he can to defend the defenseless with his spear and the elemental power of Earth.

Kao Kang Ki
The purple Maklong Dragonfolk is a sharpshooter of the team. Kao Kang Ki is a member of the Steel Dragon tribe who is not so very skillful with melee weapons such as sword or spear, but he’s very skillful with his Lian Nu (repeating crossbow) when he reloads it in less than 10 seconds which he focuses on his preferred weapon. However, he was impressed by his people including his father who is a blacksmith and swords master for his impressive sharpshooting skill as well as his engineering skill, thanks to the elemental bolts he forged. Then, he was visited by Yin Yang Yong and offered to join his nephew and his friends to fight the Dark Mandarin and his allies which he accepted when he helped them to fight off the Foom Tong from boarding the ship, taking out 40 in total.

Gao Gong Gi
The black Maklong Dragonfolk is the shadow warrior of the team. Gao Gong Gi was a member of a nomad tribe and had a rough life when he learned about survival in a barren desert from the west with the elemental power of Darkness, giving him the ability of his shadow power for his stealthy approach and killing his targets quietly and sometimes slaying his enemies in a fierce combat to his advantage. But when he got tired of living in a wasteland, Gao left the tribe and traveled to the east where he could find an opportunity and he did when he arrived at Little Maklu. During his time in the slums, he earned the reputation of being a shadow warrior for carrying out the tasks given by his contractors but he was masked for death by the Foom Tong when he killed their men in cold blood. After he dealt with the remaining Foom Tong, Gao followed Yu and his friends as he climbed aboard and convinced them to allow him to join in to fight the Dark Mandarin and his evil allies. Fearless and arrogant but very proud warrior, Gao wields his dual hook swords to carve out his enemies from limbs to jaws as well as ripping and tearing their heart and liver out from their guts.

Wei Wang Woo
The white Maklong Dragonfolk is the powerful magician of the team. Wei Wang Woo was once a member of an ancient clan called Guanglong who is the master of the elements and Wude fighting style with the elemental path of Light. Wei resided in his temple at the mountain top in the north where he meditated by day and fending off the Mongolongs and the Wuklongs all by himself by night. Then he was visited by his old friend, Yin Yang Yong, and was told that his cousin is coming to defeat the Dark Mandarin and his evil allies and Wei agreed to help him to quell his revenge on his father’s murderer by guiding him to the right path of justice. Wise and gentle with wisdom, Wei will cast his psychological magic spell on the forces of darkness with his powerful rod given by his clan. He is also the descendant of a warrior who defeated the previous Dark Mandarin centuries ago.

Inspirations
* The characters are inspired and modeled after Fin Fang Foom from Marvel Comics.