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Post by Ashe on Dec 29, 2017 6:32:48 GMT -6
Welcome, welcome - to the newest show on the radio; Sporadic Species! With your able and willing host, the researcher at large, "Thako"!
*end music* *Thako begins to speak*
Good evening listeners, and welcome to our show. Before we begin, I would like to request that all our listeners please submit their views with either a telegraph (post number 457), or if you happen to have the technology, a ring. As our program is brand new, our ability to stay on air is determined by the responses of our users; so please help to keep us on board.
Without further ado, I shall begin the show. As you may or may not know, "Sporadic Species" is your front-of-the-line advice and sneak-peek information on species, as well as detailed advice on species that you likely already know about. This week, we are going to begin un-raveling a brand new species in the making at the labs, which appears to yet be named.
Interestingly enough, though this species is not yet named, almost everything about it's habits is decided and already programmed - amazing works the labs can do! I personally have been able to see this species in progress at the tubes, and though their ultraviolet protection is not yet layered, they are a magnificent species to behold!
The first thing I would like to explain to you about them, is the differences between genders - as it has been noted from past population polls, that breeding is the most common way for a species to advance - rather than tube-creation... Apparently, the lead scientist has decided to expand the initial work that was done on the Galabex and Orbaru, and seperate the two genders. Not only will the genders be seperated in biology, but in nature as well - and the labs, it is rumored, will put out an all-out refusal for test-tube breedings. That's right! No genetics, just straight natural breeding. Something about a "test-run", but we'll tell you more about that when we get more solid information to give.
Now... as for the genders, now that I've gotten off my babbling tangent... Though the Species is not yet named; the males are called "Drakes", while the females are known as "Hens". First, let's take a look at the Drakes..
The Drakes seem to be the more agressive or territorial of the two genders, taking something of an odd turn from the normally "equal" or even "matriarachal" natures of laboratory produced species' in the past. I noted the clear distinction in their physical traits immediately upon seeing them; such as prominent horns - quite impressive I might add. Much more muscular than their female counterparts; and apparently their behavior is set to match.
I was privilaged enough to be allowed to read some of their behavioral programming, of which I would be more than happy to recall to you. It appears that the Drakes have a rather wide territorial range, much wider than that of the Hens - in a Drake's territory, multiple Hens will dwell. They are fiercely territorial, and rarely get along with other Drakes. Because of this behavior, they are much more prized as battle-mounts, guardians, or simply mounts for people with a more fiery personality themselves, as Drakes are more difficult to Tame, but not Train.
If one can manage to Tame a drake (a rather difficult task), it is said to be un-doubtably loyal to that individual; and because of this loyalty, the Drake will happily perform any task that it's owner should ask of it.. it would kill for it's owner, and die for it. Females seem to be the opposite, and gain loyalty rather quickly - to almost anyone with a friendly hand and cool temper.
Speaking of the females, or "Hens", I should probably cover some of their biology as well. A Hen will have her territory, and accomidate no other Hens in her hunting ground. She will however, accomidate whichever Drakes happen to find their way in there (and why not, the strongest Drake likely already fought off the others)... This accomidation may be from either acceptance, or nececity (drakes are, after all, much stronger fighters). Hens lack the grander horns of the Drakes, as well as some of the other "fighting features" that they sport, such as the spaded-scales. A Hen's scales are soft, almost leather-like, and rounded at the end of each scuta.
Drakes and Hens will lay clutches ranging anywhere from 6-16 eggs, of which half of them will be infirtile (likely to confuse potential predators, should egg-thieves feel the need for a feast). Interestingly enough, any breed of this species can breed with the other; but they are not designed to live in areas close to one anohther-ah... I suppose I should talk about that next...
There are as of current, seven breeds. The Blue is an un-common breed, designed to live on the cliff-sides of the open seas and oceans. It is also the only breed where the Hens will live in close-quarters without fighting one another. The Green is one of the more common breeds, found in the warmer and more tropical regions. The Red and Gold both are designed to live in the desert regions, where there's far less water than sand - and apparently, the two breeds don't get along at all. The Brown, or Tan is by far the most common breed, likely designed with lower-class individuals in mind; found dwelling in forests and fields of various climates. The White is quite rare, and found only in regions where snow covers the ground nearly every day, and the Black however is by far the most rare, and if found at all, is found in the deepest of caverns where light never touches.
*beep*
Ah - I'm afraid that's all we have time for today... Do remember! Should you have any comments or questions, be sure to leave a tele-*beep*
*music returns*
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Post by Ashe on Dec 29, 2017 6:33:05 GMT -6
*music dies down, and the host starts to speak again*
Good evening once again, this is Thako here with Sporadic Species! It seems we managed to get a couple of telegrams from our listeners, so before we begin, I'd like to start by answering those telegrams. Welcome, by the way, to the second part of the new species preview for Drakes and Hens!
*sound of shuffling papers*
Our first question I would like to address actually one that was asking about breeding rituals, but in the question it mentioned that they were Aves, and I must admit that I seem to have forgotten a small detail about this species on my last broadcast - what they look like!
Generally speaking, this species has 3 sets of limbs. Hind legs, front legs, and a pair of fingered wings. Long neck, long tail - muzzle full of sharp crushing teeth. Their claws are long, thin, and shaped like hooks - not designed for fighting or hunting, but rather designed for climbing. Apparently the forest Browns and Greens are skilled at climbing trees, while the Reds and Blues at climbing cliffs.... and Blacks cavern walls. The White and Gold are the only two exceptions to this rule, who have shorter, thicker claws for walking on flat ground more often, and likely digging. These creatures carry a striking resemblance to Draconics, actually!
Now, back to the breeding ritual question.. The breeding questions were; Is there any sort of breeding ritual, is breeding them in an enclosed space dangerous, and how does a Drake impress a Hen to breed. I'd like to see if I can answer all of those questions.
For starters, as a Drake may own a territory with several Hens' territories inside it, the Hen is likely to accept any Drake that decides to claim her. After all, if she meets a Drake, he's more than likely the most dominant male of the area anywa - as he would have previously chased away any competition. A Drake will fiercely defend his territory, and will fight off any other Drakes he should find straggling into it - and if he should refuse to leave, the fights may even result in serious injury or death. So in essense, the male who "wins" the territory, also "wins" the females inside it. Of course, there are some males who are not strong enough to win a territory, usually younger males - and will attempt to sneak into a territory to steal a Hen, should they get the chance.. a dangerous task to be sure, as the dominant Drake will likely meet such a 'visitor' with a swift bite to the neck. I'm not sure as there's much of an 'impress me' sort of mannerism there, but rather the strongest wins.
Speaking of the strongest winning, that brings me to the next question in line on breeding - the question of if breeding them in a confined space is dangerous. This is a double-sided answer honestly. You see, in the wild, Drakes have established territories. But when tamed, Drakes can learn to "tolerate" living within' close proximity... and a fifty mile radius is likely a close proximity. Because of this, there is no decicive "dominant" male, and that seems to do nothing but confuse the Hens. As the Hens do not know which Drake is dominant, they would more than likely refuse to mate - after all, which one does she let mate with her, if she can't even tell which one? Drakes however, have an entirely different mindset... They are here, therefore all Hens here belong to them. It seems that captivity is the only place where fighting may frequently break out between both Hens and Drakes... and as humans.. er.. excuse me, humanoids.. tend to want to control their environment, including through selective breeding - that also adds complications. A suggested method is to keep Drakes and Hens seperated when in captivity, unless you plan to breed them. If you do plan to breed them, to keep the Hen from fleeing, chaining her may be a good idea (as wing clipping should never be done, as it causes permenant damage). Then simply introduce the Drake. The shorter the lead on the Hen, the less likely she will be able to turn around and bite him... simple as.
Rituals, rituals.. I do believe I covered that previously in the how a Drake impresses a Hen - but more than likely a Drake would not miss an opportunity to claw up some dirt to show off how strong he is. Anyhow, moving on. *shuffling of more papers*
Ah - various questions on nesting habbits. Honestly, I have no idea how long a Hen's gestation period is before she lays her clutch of eggs - I'll have to see if I can find that answer for you next time. Their eggs have a solid shell, and are decently thick, but can be cracked with a good tap by a hammer. The females will generally dig a hole in the ground, and cover the eggs with dirt or sand (or in the case of the White dragon, a very, very deep hole). She will frequently stand guard over her nest, but will continue her daily activities, such as hunting - therefore most of the time the eggs are relatively un-protected from predators, especially as the Drake takes no part in raising the eggs or Hatchlings. Predators it seems, are decently common... there is a feathered species coming out soon as well that has a nasty habit of eatting their eggs.. then again, this species eats their eggs also. The primary predator of this species is however, the Vespa. Though the Vespa does not eat the eggs, it will happily eat any Drake or Hen it can catch.
The next questions are about diet and hunting. The Drakes and Hens are strictly carnivores, and their hunting tactic is fairly simple. Fly. Spot prey (such as a galabex or murp). Dive. Use body-weight in the dive to tackle the prey to the ground. Bite neck, and hold on. As mentioned before, their teeth are both sharp and crushing - primarily crushing, like that of a lion's. Not so much meant for ripping flesh. The younger the Drake or Hen, the more 'sneaky' it must be in it's hunting pattern.. such as the need to stalk prey, as it must eat much smaller prey, like rabbits. Bird eggs are always a favorite. And, if it's a Drake, it will also happily eat the eggs (or hatchlings) of another Drake.
Ah - and the last question we have time for today; how do you go about taming them - or aquiring them. We do know that a single breed will be available for flat adoption, the Brown. The rest we aren't sure how you would get ahold of one - but you can likely find a Black in the catacombs of the Mines (please dont' get eaten). As far as taming goes however... If you hand-raise a Hen from a hatchling, it will be most friendly toward you. If you hand-raise a Drake hatchling however, it will likely leave when it reaches adulthood, or try to kill you and take over your territory.. so when we say "taming", we quite literally mean just that. When it's an adult, it must be broken in - and you must win.. or die. We would like to suggest a muzzle, quick hands, and.. well.. a Drake is not for everyone. Once you win in taming (or breaking) a Drake, it is loyal to you... and only you. A Hen however, though still a predator, can become quite tame if raised properly.
*beep*
Ah, that's my cue, it's time for me to go - until next time ladies and gentlemen! *beeeep! music starts again*
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Post by Ashe on Dec 29, 2017 6:33:27 GMT -6
First, I would like to wrap up what I can about the new dragon-like species, before covering our other questions.
Somebody asked how large they were, and though I'm sure I already answered that earlier, I may have very well missed it. These creatures are designed to be guards or mounts, and as such, they must be large enough to ride. They seem to be (so far) roughly the size of an equillion or galabex.
It is very hard to answer the intelligence question, as intelligence is a very difficult matter to measure - but one can assume they are as intelligent as wiurn. Speaking of Wiurn, the Wiurn and this new species tend to not get along too well, and wiurn as still the top dog, so to speak. I'm not sure how the Drakes tell they are their own hatchlings - but one can assume if it's breeding with a female in it's territory, it would be it's own hatchlings, yes? I mean.. they don't just magically appear one day.
There were some very good questions here, about what will happen when the Drakes arrive.. the Hens of course, are less of a concern. This question was wondering if there would be many wild Drakes roaming the labs' property, as they tend to run away if not tamed. Yes and no, really. The Drakes would certainly prefer no doubt the area of the labs, what with all the abundant food (such as chiryma), and abundant Hens about.. but precautions have been established. You see, I have a friend who happens to be getting ahold of one of the prototypes of this species, a very well trained beast - quite magnificent at that. "Spinesnapper" is his name, the Drake's I mean - and he's quite the impressive Red male. He will be roaming the labs' territory, as the labs are his territory. He has been trained to not confront humanoids however, so as long as you're 'escorting' your Hens when outside, they should be safe from him.
And yes, another question was asked about the same issue - what species would be a good deterent. The new Aves species would be a marvelous deterrent, as well as the Wiurn, a much larger reptile. Vespa however, are by far the best deterrent of this new species; dragon-eaters indeed.
As far as the protected boundries of the city, I doubt anyone needs to worry about that. Asside from the obvious physical means of protection, it's safe to say that "safety features have been set up", and as long as you remain within' the labs' clearly marked boundry - you will be safe from any outside danger.
Somebody also wanted to know how many of them were created... Um.. it's safe to say "lots", but I wouldn't worry too much about little details like that. *nervous laugh* Yes, um... everything you need to worry about is right here at the labs, I wouldn't pay too much mind to what's outside of it. Um... anyhow *coughs* onto the other questions! Um, there was a request to elaborate on the new Aves species as well, but I'm afraid I won't have time on today's show with all of the juicy questions we've had so far today - so I'll have to save that for a later show I'm afraid.
*shuffles papers*
Let's see, first there was a marvelous amount of questions on the Rakai, or Rakai-Sarane more properly. First, a random trivia - did you know that there will be more Sarane species in the future? Just food for thought.
The first Rakai question was on dominance, and I do believe that dominance is not a breed-specific trait, but rather a trait of the individual. Did you know that the packs also tend to be mixed? That is to say, there may be multiple breeds in a single pack, which promotes the creation of new breeds, obviously. Goodness, I can't wait 'till these beasts grow a bit older! When they do reach adulthood, they're usually in a pack for life. When one pack meets another, they tend to 'exchange' the younger juvenile males - as the young males are restless in one territory anyway, and it's likely a way to prevent inbreeding.
Magic in Rakai, magic in Rakai. Oh yes, Rakai are very magical creatures, and will one day be able to harness that magic with ease.. which actually brings us to the color-changing question. When it mentions that a Rakai's crest can change colors, it's not actually refering to the scales themselves, it is instead refering to.. ah... something else - a feature that the younger Rakai do not yet have. The magic is a learned ability typically, but it is not taught by the owners, rather taught by the older Rakai... as all Rakai are currently young however, it will be something of a chaotic 'trial and error' process in the beginning no doubt - and require much guidance from the owner, hopefully you are a mage-in-practice and can help your Rakai along the way.
Last question on the Rakai, involves their heart, and other Rakai mysteries. Their heart is a physical object, and it does contain much magic... I suppose you could aquire it if you wished... but that would involve likely flaying the little pup alive so it's magic was still inside - which I highly doubt anyone would be willing to do. The other mystery questions were about the Pure Rakai and the Time. The Pure's reasoning for being white has not yet been proven, and the Time is simply rare because of it's magic. You see, a Rakai's breed is not decided entirely by genetics, but also decided by the magic within' it's heart. If it's heart is a different magic, it will easily be seen by the color bleeding out onto it's scales, and much more easily seen on it's essence.. um.. but you'll learn more about that later, I'm sure.
The last questions we have time for are about the Floof, one of my favorite species as far as biology is concerned. These questions all concerned the same thing really; their bioluminesence, their empathy, their tie to electricity... it's all the same thing, and I shall attempt to explain why. Think of a Floof for a moment if you will, like an electric eel. It can generate raw electricity within' it's body, and discharge it. A Floof is much the same way. It can create it's own source of electrical power, and in the case specifically of the floof, it's own electro-magnetic static power. This amount of power cannot be sensed by humanoids, nor is it dangerous... er.. unless I suppose you were to cut a live Floof in half or something, but I wouldn't try that, for many, many reasons...
You see, bioluminesence is actually a misnomer for the Floof, as like the Orbaru, it generates it's own current (or electricity) to cause it to glow, like a night-light. Also, with the empathy. You may notice on the Floof it's two antennae-bobbers, which look quite simiar to that of the Chiryma's, but work exactly the same. You see, inside everyone's brain is electricity bridging the gaps in your synapses... these control everything, from breathing to emotion to thought. The antennae of the Floof (and Chiryma) are like radio antennae, able to pick up certain electrical waves... the waves in your brain, and they are so sensitive that they can do this from quite a distance. The more familiar they are with the individual, the more they can "fine tune their dial to your channel", so to speak. Of course, they're not literally radio antennae, but they work on the same notion - they are an elecrically-motivated organ that can sense electro-static frequencies.. from your brain. This is why they can sense emotions, but have no 'psychic' powers at all!
Also, all this electro-static power in a Floof helps it to do two very important things. Float, and eat! Not only does this help it float (like a balloon clinging to the wall), but it also statictically attracts dust, like one of those fancy dust-cleaners you have that makes dust just "float" to the fuzzy cleaner. As the floof flies, not only does it just simple 'catch' dust in it's open mouth, but dust also is statically drawn to it's mouth! Again, this is not something that a humanoid can see or feel, nor is it dangerous - after all, a Floof cannot simply "discharge" as the famous electric eel can.
I hope I was able to answer the bulk of your questions, but we're out of time. Until next time - I hope to get more telegrams, and thank you again for listening fellow citizens of MML! *music begins to play*
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Post by Ashe on Dec 29, 2017 6:33:45 GMT -6
There were a few questions on the Gem Dragons, which are different mind you than the Gem Drakes or Wyrms - so I'd like to touch up on those a bit. Gemlings in general, be they Wyrm, Drake, Dragon, or Widow - all thrive on stone itself, and the miniral-rich waters of the underground. We would just suggest feeding them miniral water, or if you are short of supply on that, you can mix water with a little dirt to brown it up a bit, and that works just as well for them; but we'd suggest that you not drink it yourself. They prize stones to eat - and it appaers that the more precious the stone, the more vast their appetite for it will be. Luckily, they don't need to eat nearly as often as they drink, and with regular mining - you could easily supply them with a single stone a month, which is likely more than enough to keep them fed and happy.
As for the upcoming Drakes and Hens, they require as much special care as one could imagine with a Wiurn. Oiling the wings would be a good idea, especially if they are becoming dry of flakey. All creatures, or almost all creatures.. you own should be washed on a regular basis, and other such grooming care that is generally taken. As far as riding them, I'm sure the local shops will have available a saddle best suited for them; likely just a Wiurn saddle designed for smaller creatures, such as these new Drakes and Hens.
Next, it seems we have quite a few questions on the Karashak, an.... interesting... species, if anything. I should forewarn you that the Karashak is not designed to be a common pet, especially for those who are weak willed, stomached, or easily unsettled. They were designed without a doubt to be 'monsters', and monsters is what they are for sure.
Karashak have anywhere from two to three sets of vocal cords in their single throat, so when they make noises, it is always two noises they make at once. A haunting and terrifying sound to be sure; A "screech-roar" is usually the sound heard when they are falling onto their prey; be it prey for eating or breeding. They can "chuckle", a sort-of "ku-khu-khu" sound; not so pleasant, might I add, which is usually mixed with a purr-growl noise; they usually make that noise when they are happy or busy eatting... which for a Karashak is a state of happy. In fact, almost any sound they make (and they can make quite a range of them) is unpleasant to hear, and usually makes the hairs on your arm stand on end.
There were quite a few questions on their jaws and eating habits, so I'll just mix all of those questions together with the best of my abilitiy. They are indeed carnivores, never dining on berries, fruit, leaves, or even carrion. Fresh meat is their preference; the fresher the better - and it is not unknown for a Karashak to begin dining when their prey is both completely helpless, imobilized, and still kicking. Before I begin on their jaw structure, I feel I should delve into their hunting habits a little further first.
You see, a Karashak lives entirely in the trees. It does not walk upon the ground, for when it does it does so akwardly, clumbsily, and weakly - like a sloth. It moves about the trees like a sloth does, while hanging upside down, using it's long tail also for balance; but unlike a sloth, while hanging upside-down in the trees, it is very, very fast. Horribly fast in fact; so that a creature running below would be hard-pressed to speed away. However, the Karashak is generally not interested in running; for it drops instead.
A Karashak will stalk through the trees on silent claw-less feet, keeping two pairs of eyes on the ground (at the top of it's head), and one pair of eyes above it (on it's bottom jaw, which as it's upside down, faces up). The purpose of looking up is to keep watch for other Karashak - it's primary, and in fact only predator. Though a Karashak can dine on prey much smaller than itself, it tends to only find prey large enough to keep it fed for a week, or even longer - it is not uncommon for Karashak to drop upon prey two times it's own size; and will in fact most commonly drop upon prey half it's size. Prey much smaller than that is considered a waste of energy, and the Karashak most often passes that up, unless it is beginning to starve or prey becomes scarce... or if that prey appears weak in some way.
Once suitable prey is spotted, the Karashak will literally drop from the tree, twisting it's spine like a cat to land "feet down" on top of the prey. It rarely misses it's drop. As you may guess from how it hangs in trees all day, though it's limbs appear frail, once it has a firm grip on something, getting it to let go is next to impossible. With all four legs firmly attatched to it's prey, it may also use it's tail for either balance or grappling - depending on if it's prey has a dangerous tail of it's own or not. A Chelcauda, for example, would most certainly have it's tail wrapped around - to prevent danger to the Karashak in this way. What is done after that is determined by the prey's gender, strength, and the hunger needs of the Karashak...
A Karashak needs the genetic... donation... of the prey animal, and because of this, a Karashak only breeds with female animals - however, a Karashak itself has no "gender" itself per-se, as all Karashak are built the same way. Male prey is always eaten. Female prey however... if a Karashak's hunger is not that great (such as not starving), and if the prey is strong enough to pose a threat to the Karashak - the karashak will likely decide to breed; it would not, after all, wish to find a weak host who would be unable to support a Kara's egg.... I'm sure your imagination can suit you all well enough, and if not, that's simply too bad, as I will not speak of such things on the radio, or even at dinner, or any civil conversation for that matter..
As far as eating however, a Karashak's jaw structure is lipless, like a crocodiles, with curved teeth. These teeth are easily lost if broken, and grow back within' a week. Their "side-jaws" are actually considered mandibles, but they interlock with the upper and lower jaw, locking teeth. Really the Karashak's jaw opens in four different directions; up, down, left, and right. this prevents the prey from escaping it's bite even if it attempts to shake itself free.
As far as Karashak and interactions with others of it's own species... we would suggest keeping them appart at all costs. Even if you do manage to teach it to "no bites", I would not trust them within' close proximity of one another, even when watched. Karashak see others of their own species as nothing more than a threat agains their territory, food, and breeding rights. In addition to which, all Karashak see others of their own species as possible predators, and fear them. There are not even parents in the Karashak world; for Kara will 'infect' a host, and leave it to fend for itself - hoping that the host does not reject the egg, or destroy it once it arrives. Once a Kara hatches, it is perfectly able to fend for itself and begin hunting; and baby Karashak is an adult Karashak's favorite meal.
Ah - I'm out of time!! Very quickly now; the "bumps" on it's nose (both top and bottom) are budding 'horns'. The bumps on it's back are budding arms, and the scales... as it appears to be, are indeed scales along it's back. They are elongated, and rather sharp, though the exact purpose of them (other than to rattle) is unknown. All Karashak "spit" - but some "spit" acid from their sacs, others "spit" chemical flames from their sacs. There are not "dry-sac" Karashak, and in fact, these spits are their best line of defense against their one and only predators!
Laaast question; *timer starts beeping in the background* Vespa; as adults they rarely make noise, but they can make "ts-ts-tsss" noises and light clicking noises. Also, though their primary function is a "dragon eater", they can and will eat any kind of meat - but are happiest when hunting their primary prey. *timer beeps more* Until next time! *music starts*
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Post by Ashe on Dec 29, 2017 6:34:13 GMT -6
Ah, I'm terribly sorry for missing these last few weeks on the radio, but I've been a bit.. detained... *shuffling of papers* Luckily, there are lots of questions for me to answer in this week's broadcast. *Thako coughs a little, and then clears his throat and begins to speak once more*
The first set of questions is about magic, particularly with magical creatures... you see, creatures, unlike humanoids, do not learn magic. Ever. Or at least, no creature from the labs learns magic. They 'learn' magic the same way a puppy learns to walk or chew kibbles; naturally. Take a Malii for example... Your malii is out on an adventure with you, and a cave vulticus starts to offend you with a snarl.. you malii jumps in between the two of you and "poof!" a wall of fire is summoned around the vulticus. Wow. That likely surprised the heck out of you, hurt the cave, and probably surprised the Malii too. From that instance, you would then know that that is a 'spell' you Malii is able to cast - and from that you can work with your malii to teach it to cast that spell upon command, almost the same way you would teach it to come to it's name. But do remember, that each set of spells that creatures like a Malii can learn, is unique to the indivudual Malii. Two Akui malii for example, may have completely different spells. - I really hope that helps, if not, please let me know.
The next question set is about the Ling-Ling. Although this listener was asking about the Green Ling-Ling specifically, I'd like to cover all Ling-Ling in general. Ling-Lings make a variety of noices, from chirps, purrs, and growls and hisses.. .and when they are happiest, they make a "song" that sounds like a bell... truely, a bell - a long, soothing-sounding chime of a bell. Along their spine is a thick and plush mane - which I'm sure they'd be more than happy if you were to stroke. Their scales are smooth, almost like glass, and not slimy at all. They prefer to sleep while "coiled" around something - primarily in your lap. But if they're in the wild, they will usually curl around a stone, or in the nook of a tree's roots. It was also asked if the Ling-Ling (asside from blue) can be taught to swim.. the answer is both yes and no. You see; you could teach in theory a vulticu or equillion to swim, but they're not what you'd call the world's best swimmers... the non-blue Ling-Ling are much the same. Yes they can be taught to swim, and it might even save their lives one day, but they won't be the best at it.
It seems now time to answer a few questions on the Pasha, or Pasha-Sarane... Did you know that "Sarane" means "Dragon" in the language of the desert-people? Neat, huh? Anyhow, back on subject. There were some questions on the Pasha as far as affection goes. Honestly, I don't know for sure, as I've never seen an adult Pasha interact, but I do know what they were designed to do as far as behavior is concerned... You see, adult Pasha are very secretive creatures, and once "seen" though they are less likely to run away for shy-ness, they will stand their ground and be on guard, so to speak... Because of this, you are unlikely to see a Pasha having a nice intimate moment with it's partner or young... But I'm willing to bet they'd love to lay in a meadow and groom each other with their tongues, which are particularly rough, like a cats (and forked, if I'm not mistaken).
It's also due time we answered some questions on the Alurook, especially now that they have a name to their species. Uh.. first is on the eggs. Though an Alurook can develope quite a long ways within' the thick-shell of their egg, they do eventually have to come out. And when they do, this is about the time they've already developed their pin-feathers, and are testing out their ability to fly.. though they'd likely fail for the first month or two. Essentially, in the 'hatchling' stage, they are unable to fly, and to a young Alu, the world is big and scary, so they prefer to hide within' their egg-shell, while their parents bring them food. Parents, in this case, being you. Alu make... oh... all sorts of owl-sounds, I'd imagine - only amplify the volume by... a lot. An egg takes roughly 6 months to incubate before the hatchling is ready to break open the shell and see the outside world - but all creatures here at the labs are given growth hormones to help along with that process, so it should take much less time.
I would like to note at this time a particular quirk of the Alurook.. Although it is a prime predator, and can fairly easily snatch off a prey such as a Wild Equillion (and often does), it's prefered food is eggs... It is not a cannibal however, and it's prefered egg-source for feasting is the Drake / Hen eggs. As a Drake can out-power an Alu though, the Alu is a much more clever creature, able to watch, wait, and learn - and figure out how to 'out-smart' the drake to steal it's eggs. Because of a particular "incident" in the wild however with the prototypes... the Alurook's desire to 'snatch' an egg and bring it back to the nest to eat has been removed, and instead it will simply eat the egg where it finds it. Alurook really do think like parrots, they love to figure things out.
Now for a few questions on the Lamadidron. *you can hear the playful sarcasm in his voice, before he coughs a few more times, then begins to talk again after a pause* The Lama has no teeth, and instead has almost a vulture-like beak... only less sharp, but much more hard. The "stone" parts of it's body never come off... and if one comes off, you may want to begin planning your Lama's funeral. The parts of their body that are beginning to crystallize do become transparent, the more crystalline they become - and you may have noticed that their tail "bloomed", almost like a flower, to reveal the crystal inside. Though the stone-like parts of their body are constantly crystalizing and growing, they do so so slowly, that you will likely never notice. Their hearing is excellent, but their eyesight is only so-so, like a human's, only their ability to see color is perhaps the only thing that works.. no depth, no light, just color... it's difficult to explain without being able to show you... suffice it to say, they are much more likely to see "tall thing with red shirt" as opposed to "this is a man, and it is my owner"... however, they can surely recognize your voice with ease, and you don't have to worry about them walking off a cliff 'cause they can't see where they're going.
As far as what you can teach a Lama to do... Yes, a Lama can 'rear up' on it's hind legs like an equillion, but cannot walk on them. Their claws are becoming quite sharp (and are not particularly brittle), so you can teach them to claw things, but the more natural thing to teach them would be to use their tail, their primary weapon... Um, so yes - you can teach them to use their tail like a club; that's what it's for... I do believe "tail strike" is one of their most known-for ability, is it not?
As far as the care of you Lamadidron goes however, we did have some interesting questions. As far as the moisture of their skin (not to be confused with their 'stones' or 'crystals', which are quite dry), they seem to generate this moisture themselves.. probably has something to do with... oh, say the core can swim in lava - it's like a protective coating that allows them to do so without harm. And yes, the Lama can make other noises asside from just the swan-like call; grunting being one of the more common. But it should be noted that not all Lama are as vocal as others; they certainly don't have quite as wide of a variety of noises as say... a vulticus can make. Also, plural for Lamadidron is just Lamadidron.
Next, is a very good question on the Sea Ponies... Ah,ha, sea ponies, sea ponies... Um... *shuffles through papers for a long while* Well, you see, sea ponies were not in fact created by the labs, so my knowledge of them is somewhat limited... but I did do my research on them for you, and uh... It suggests here that with the correct amount of training, if you are to take your pony to a prime environment... such as the sea, it would feel it has enough ... to grow... ah, here it is. Yes. If it is 'strong enough' to feel confidence in itself, and you are to take it to a large enough (salt) water environment, such as the eastern ocean, or southern sea; the sea pony will feel so inclined to "grow into it's pond", so to speak... As far as telling which gender you have, I'm not really sure. Might I suggest however, that you and your friend bring your sea ponies together, so they may feel more inclined to breed? Some species of frogs you know... *his voice trails off* Oh! We do have some questions on Rakai!
*he clears his throat and quickly changes the subject* The Rakai's jaw structure, as well as tooth structure is almost exactly like that of a Dire Wolf's. The Rakai will use it's bite to hold onto their prey, and pull them down by their body weight.. usually the body weight of several pack-members, actually. I have seen an adult Rakai, and let me tell you they are impressive animals... however, they lack the 'bulk' that the cave vulticus seems to carry, and instead are... yes, more lanky. Lanky will be the word I choose. However, do not mistake 'lank' for loss of power or stamina, as their muscles and scales make up for it! A rakai's ears are quite expressive, like a dog's, and will stand up like a wolf's. As far as their crest of longer scales on their backs go, yes, they are like hackles... they raise, and even rattle, when angry. I have yet to see a Rakai wag it's tail, though I no doubt the very tip of it will wag... When excited however (excited by happy, by angry, or even when hunting), I have seen a rakai's tail "whip", swinging broadly back and forth very quickly.
A rakai has excellent hearing, smell, and vision; but it's sense of taste and touch are almost non-existant... it can feel, but the scales make it difficult to do so; so if you're going to pet one as an adult, we suggest giving it a sturdy slap on the side, as gentle petting (which you should do to the pups) would likely go un-noticed, unless it's directly under their jaw, which is their most sensitive area. Some breeds of rakai are more willing to swim than others; primarly depending on how well you train them... a fury for example, is much less inclined to swim than an arcane.
Rakai are interesting creatures as far as socially is concerned. Although a Rakai is able to be trained to accept anything as "safe", it is not always guaranteed to accept anything as a pack member. That is entirely determined by the pack's alpha mated pair. Two different packs usually try to not interact, unless it's the exchanging of males, but females are never exchanged. The only time a female leave the pack, is if she is exiled, or if she is young an impressionable, and is "stollen" by a rogue male. Speaking of, Rakai do indeed mate for life, but only the Alpha and Beta pairs are considered mated.. the rest do not breed... unless they are 'wrong' (see case about rogue and young female, which will usually start a pack of their own). The only time an individual may seek a new mate, is if the other dies. As far as other pack-to-pack interactions, they do try to avoid each other for wanting to avoid territorial disputes, or disputes over hunting grounds. Anything to avoid a fight, really.
As far as authority goes, the Alpha male and female are 100% equal... if there is only one alpha (reguardless of what it's gender), he or she may have choice in mate, who will then become the other-half of the alpha pair... it's unknown the rhyme or reason as to the choosing of the other alpha, perhaps it is strength, or cunning, or charm... we're not sure. The beta pair is exactly the same - equal.. but equal... under the alpha pair. The pair that is "second in command", if you will. All pack members raise the young, while the female that gave birth nurses them. The lowest members of the pack however, are usually put in charge of 'pup-sitting'. If you would like to breed more rakai than just the alpha or beta pairs, we suggest you not allow your rakai to 'pack up', and instead just raise them in pairs.
Rakai mark their territory by "trails", which only it seems that Rakai and Pasha can see... trails of 'magic', if you will. You may understand more of that when they become adults. Rakai and Pasha seem to have a deeper connection that one would initially expect, and though the rakai does frequently hunt the pasha, they also frequently can befriend them. It's really a mystery as to what determines whether an idividual pasha is hunted or befriended, a mystery of the world, really. I have actually seen a case where the person raising the rakai was the alpha of the pack... however, the 'other alpha' of the pack was.... uh.. let's just say it she was a very confused rakai as to why her mate didn't want her.
The last set of questions on the Rakai had to do with their magic... and honestly, they are difficult questions to answer. You see, a Malii uses magic more because it is magical, where-as a Rakai uses magic because... it's in it's heart and blood. Each breed is specific on it's magic, but... not.. It... it's difficult to explain, really... at least until they're older, and we're allowed to release some more information. Until that time, I should have to consider it 'classified'... But, I'll do my best. As far as laser-beam goes however, no, I don't think I can imagine a Rakai shooting laser-beams from it's eyes or anything like that... but I can imagine a fury rakai... summoning a great pillar of fire... *he coughs a few more times* You know... *cough cough* when it grows up- *hack* and all. *cough*
I uh... *voice is a little strained, and there is a small pause, then he goes back to his normal cheerful tone* The next question or two is about the gods.... Um.... I honestly know nothing about the gods, I'm terribly sorry to say... but I do hear that we will have a historian soon with their own program on the radio.
Haha, and for a particular user, Miss... is it miss? Miss Rythos, I'm not sure how to get your Eblouir to stop sticking to the ceiling, but perhaps you could praise it with treats anytime it walked on the floor, and ignore it when it's on the ceiling? That way it may associate "floor" with treats, that may help.
I did also notice that there was a question scratched out on one of these telegrams, and I'd like to address it very briefly; Let's just say I have an "insider's view" of the lab's inner workings. I suppose it's safe to say tha- *he is cut off, and music begins to play*
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Post by Ashe on Dec 29, 2017 6:34:28 GMT -6
Good morning!
I'm terribly sorry for my lack of previous shows, but it seems we've had a small issue here at the radio's studio, which is a story for ... well, somebody of the more "managerial" possitions.. At any rate, I thought I'd kick off this week's broadcast by talking about an up and coming creature for the labs, the Tzaru!
The Tzaru is a rather unique creature, which from what I hear got it's primary donation of genetics from a creature that lives far underground with the Xeno Kwal! Of course, as with all creatures created at the labs, they are far superior to their 'originals', and much safer to work with - after all, I wouldn't want to meet a "Tz'a'kah'shru".... I... I think I said that correctly... well, suffice it to say, I don't speak Kwal - but the Tzaru is a much better animal to own; if of course, you could even call it an animal.
From first glance, you would think this strange serpentine creature is blind - but don't be fooled! It can see the dimples in your skin far better than you when you're using those super-bright lights over the bathroom mirror! They can 'see' you so well in fact, that they can see your heart beating within' your chest, the blood pumping through your veins - and rumor has it, the aura that you give off when you're afraid or happy, or... whatever. This knowledge that they have of your emotion is not like empathy, not like the Chiryma... it's rather just a cold hard fact, that they know the over-driving emotion that you have... apparently, they use this 'sense' in the wild to track the trails of fear their prey leave behind long after they're gone from sound or smell. Suffice it to say, their sensory organs are things of wonder!
They have a keen sense of "smell" (which helps with their aura-sense, as we understand it), a very keen sense of hearing - so keen in fact that they can hear a mouse's heartbeat from a quarter mile away if they focus on it - and a sense of "sight" without any eyes at all! This sense goes along with their hearing, a form of advanced echolocation, if you will.
Though they are predators by nature, they are quite affectionate creatures to others of their own kind - enjoying particularly the sense of touch. If you are fortuante enough to see one sleeping in the wild, you will likely see it coiled with it's mate or friend (likely both). After they have determined that something is neither dangerous nor food, they use their "soft hands" (as we like to call them) to feel. They are curious creatures, and enjoy exploring their enviornment.. after all; advanced echolocation is granted a way to see an object inside and out, but they can't really know what it's like until they've touched it.
They are by no means unintelligent - in fact, they're quite clever. In theory, they could even learn to use some basic items with those 'soft hands' of theirs, but their desire to do so is likely not there.. after all, why would they use a weapon when they have a perfect weapon upon their face?
Speaking of perfect weapons... There is one thing that you should be cautious about when dealing with a Tzaru, even more so than their maw... They are able to kill their prey before they even reach them - so they say that a Tzaru can make you bleed from your ears, and your brain implode... So they say. Of course, that's why the labs designed the Tzaru to specifically not see humans as an automatic prey animal - but more as a curiosity. Likewise, if you want to avoid contact with a Tzaru, loud noises would be your best defense for this sensitive-hearing creature.
Though at first, the purpose of such a pet was unknown to me, it was quickly explained. Some people want mounts. Others want companions like dogs. Some people want smaller animals as scouts, or even just cute pets... But how many of us have a pet that when traveling beside you, can give their opinions and advice on a situation? Though a Tzaru cannot speak, once attuned to it's owner, it has ways of "letting you know" it's opinion. They are marvelous thinkers; able to see traps, see prey or predators long before you know they're there - and even very clever at setting traps... though granted, not physical traps; more of.... ambushes..
They are not fond of Karashak... is anything?
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Post by Ashe on Dec 29, 2017 6:34:49 GMT -6
First, a question on Baakir. Though the Baakir are still fairly young, it would be acceptable... if you feel that your Baakir is large enough, or sturdy enough to be able to support your weight - teaching it to carry a rider from a young age would likely be a good idea. But be cautious not to stress out your Baakir too much, or you'll strain it's legs with too much work. If -I- had a Baakir, I would certianly start mount-training it now... is small sessions, not large ones.
Talkesh questions now. Males are larger than females, by about a hundered pounds. Each head does have it's own brain - but the brains work in unison... Sadly for those of you who like family feuds, they do not fight with one another, but rather work as three people who all share the same thought, and common goals. Though each of the Talkesh's heads can move and function individually, they usually work in unison... like both of your hands.. you have two hands - but they work together to accomplish the task of tying your shoe. Sound is the same. Each head can make it's own unique sound, but they usually make sound together. Many people consider the 'lion' head to be most dominent, but this is scientifically considered a lie. There is no dominant head - and should one be removed, the animal as a whole will die... If you are hoping to slay a Talkesh, we suggest aiming for the serpent-head, as it is the most volnurable.
Talkesh is a carnivore, make no mistake. All heads of the talkesh is a carnivore. No mistake.
Now for Alurook questions! Alurook can carry a great many heavy bits of prey - equillion for example, can be carried away.. But thundergug... thundergug may be a few thousand pounds too heavy for them. Golossle however, though large and bulky - are surprisingly light for their size, and it might be possible for an Alurook to carry them - though a Golossle might be too much of an opponent for them, what with their fire-breathing and all.. oh, um... I mean... tenacity.
Alurook can carry one rider with no problems at all, and can carry two riders with (relative) ease. Three riders however, would be pushing it... Alurook are primarily designed to carry a single rider plus their gear.... a knight wearing armor, with a 'saddle bag' would be approrpriate weight for a fully mature Alurook.
Golossle, golossle... hm... I haven't done a ton of reasearch on the golossle, and when I asked - the files were somewhat difficult to read... I do believe there was a large coffee stain on their paper files, and the computer files were in-accessable... however, what I did manage to get out of the research I did, I will happily tell you.
Golossle are not the world's best swimmers, but you won't have to really fear them sinking like stones.. in fact, they float quite well.... steering and speed however, are not their strong-points.. you'll likely have a golossle die from exhaustion by swimming in sharp circles in the water before you could teach it to 'swim' properly. I'd like to suggest keeping your golossle away from large bodies of water.
Golossle are ... or will be.. rather large creatures. Though their size only shows them to perhaps carry one or two riders, they can carry much more weight than that. They can actually carry weight equal to 2x a creature of it's own documented strength! See, Golossle are amazing 'pack animals', and owners frequently stack a lot of caravan goods upon their backs with ropes. There is.. or will be, rather... as special Golossle 'saddle', and intersting tent-like object... well, you'll like it.
Golossle are not easily frightened creatures, and in fact - once they reach adulthood, seem to fear nothing. There is very little that can rival a Golossle... Vespa, Wiurn, and... perhaps Alurook might be their only predators, but most would see a Golossle as too great of a challenge to mess with anyway.. A Pliathor could likely easily eat a Golossle, but it rarely goes close enough to the water to find one.
Back to Drakes and Hens, it seems.
Ah, well - there were a few questions reguarding their breeding habits, which is understandable - as breeding Drakes and Hens is one of their best 'features', so to speak.
Hens do not lay eggs all the time, but rather lay eggs in 'clutches'. When a female is 'in season' (which has nothing to do with the time of year mind you, but rather that individual female's body), she begins to lay eggs... one per day, until the Drake finds her. After which, she will produce and lay the rest of her clutch (his clutch) in one to two days. After her clutch is layed, she will stop producing until her next season. The drake can tell when she is in season, by a particular musk she produces, though this is un-noticable to humans (and most humanoids), the Drake can sense this for miles - which is usually when his rivals attempt to enter his territory.
As far as his offspring are concerned, he does indeed drive off his male offspring once they begin to reach adulthood. He will attempt to court them, reguardless of blood... however, the Hens (mothers) usually don't want other females in their hunting ground, so the young hens search far and wide for their own hunting ground - usually this takes them out of the male's territory (and into another's). Inbreeding however, is not entirely uncommon.
Females are fairly docile to all other Drakes and Hens... but Hens tend to not want other Hens in their own personal hunting grounds, which makes sense... there are only so many Galabex to go around, after all. The disputes (with hens) over territory are usually not very agressive - and mostly just hissing displays, and snapping - with little to no contact. When hunting is not involved, the Hens do get along very well... Water-sources and nesting sites are often common 'friendly places', where you can find multiple Hens in one location. A hen has no problem in brooding with another hen, and will often times happily sit on the nest of another female with no dispute.
Each color of Drake/Hen does have it's own specialization for prey. Blues for example, are expert fishers - diving into the water like a torpedo to snatch up fish and (foolishly jumping) Neptica, only to fly them back to their cliff-nests. Reds and Golds eat anything they can find - including travelers, as food is more scarce. Whites do indeed eat Majikiuma, and anything else they can find (travelers included, should they find them)... pretty much, if it moves, and it's small enough they can catch or eat it, they will happily do so... Alurook chicks in particular, seem to be a delicacy... however, the Drakes can rarely seem to find an Alurook's nest, as they are rather clever in hiding them.
Rakai magic, Rakai magic. Well... yes and no. If you bred a Fel and a Fury, you would not get a Rakai with a mixture of magics from the two.. your offspring (no matter how the looked) would be either "Fel magic" or "Fury magic", and not a mixture as many creatures would have... Their biological traits would still be a mixture - but the magic is always pure.
Karashak are designed on a basic biological level to see humans and humanoids (reguardless of gender) as a non-prey substance... they reguard humans with the same interest as they would see a tree, only they know it's living. So, you are indeed in luck... Because of lack of genetic doners, there are a FEW species that may want to give them a slightly wider berth... say... Uthax and Draconics.
There is indeed a reason that the Karashak uses females as their host... it's more of a chemical confusion. The Karashak can chemically confuse the female's body into protecting the Kara spawn, rather than destroying it like an infection as a male's body would.
Chiryma and Floof both have an intersting way of doing Empathy... both of which use (essentially) the same organ. While a Chiryma's is a single "chord", the Floof has a whole bundle of "chords", enhancing their ability by ten-fold... which is just a ball-park guess, by the way. Chiryma's ability to 'send' empathetic messages is more based on an individual connection... after tapping into your brain for so long, it gets to 'know you' so well that it can send messages, and not just recieve... like figuring out a puzzle.
Ah! The "albino" Kito! I had almost forgotten! You see, the breeding / gardening program for the Kito is not yet fully functional, but will be with the proper use of potions (so I am assured)... and aquiring a Niveus Kito has something to do with a reward for excellent breeding - or so I hear.
As for tat-lung... I'd like to avoid most questions reguarding them... as there is currently.... debate, in the council of draconics as to whether the tat-lung will be considered one of 'the people' or not... until the council comes to their decision, I must refrain from commenting on my opinions of the tat-lung's intelligence or lack-there-of.
What I'd really like to talk about is-*music cuts him off*
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Post by Ashe on Dec 29, 2017 6:35:06 GMT -6
The first question was quite interesting to me, and required me to do a smidge of research. It was a question about the number of chambers in a Pasha Sarane's heart. Interestingly enough, both the Pasha and Rakai (sarane) have no chambers in their heart at all. When disected, you may discover that the heart is not organic in matter at all, but is rather a crystallized chemical compound, likely aluminium oxide - the same material that rubies and sapphires are made of. However, it is not a mineral substance that spurs on the "pulsing" of the Pasha or Rakai's heart - it is magic. Pure and simple.
With each "pulse" of the 'heart', a faint light glows from the core of the heart, and all things hosted within' the creatures body, including it's blue, red, or green blood (respectively) move as they are supposed to. They seem to move by... Well... You know how a magenent makes metal move, even though you cannot see the electro-magnetic lines of force? It works in very much the same way. The light "pulsing" of the heart causes the systems within' the Pasha or Rakai's body to move as intended.
It should also be noted, that a Rakai or Pasha cannot live without it's heart, but it's heart CAN live without it's body.
And, before the question arrises, the Drakes and Hens, just known now as Sarane, have in fact a five chambered heart. While the normal heart of a 'mammal' or 'bird' is sufficient for elevated heart rates for long periods of time (which is greatly needed during flight). However, during flight, an extra chamber (the third ventricle, called the flight ventricle) routes blood to the wings, and just the wings. In a sense, the left Atrium splits off into two ventricles, and depending on the need, it determines which chamber beats harder or faster, instead of having one chamber do all the work all the time, be it running/fighting or flying. This almost doubles the durability of the heart, and prevents short life-spans of the Sarane. It should be noted that to handle the workload, the Right Ventricle is simply larger.
Now, onto less anatomy, and onto more behavior, shall we? The next question was about the Alurook, specifically their breeding rituals, and predator/prey outlook.
The Alurook, unlike the Izer, have more of a hunting-based impression system, rather than a display-based system for attracting the opposite sex. Generally, it is the male that attempts to impress the female, and the Male Alurook will do so by flying around her territory. Once the female has (if she ever does) decided that he's an impressive enough flyer, which may take weeks, she may call to him softly. To which, he will respond by hunting, and bringing her his kills. This courtship may last a month total before the female is impressed enough with his ability to consistantly provide.
Izer on the other hand, have more of a "showy" display with dances, chirps, and singing.
Jibiji just simply have singing.
All three bird-like species are very affectionate to their partners, and spend a lot of time grooming one another.
Alurook are predators, through and through. Marvelous hunters, they can tend to have a cold outlook on smaller "prey" animals. However, they do know the dangers of other species that would seek to hunt them, such as the Sarane, who would happily snatch any Alurook out of the sky if they got the chance. As such, Alurook are a much smarter species, and prefer stealth, silence, and stalking - accurate tactics, rather than the Drakes' tactic of soaring through the skies to scout for prey, casting their shadow on all it passes over.
Lastly, there were a few questions on the various breeds of Sarane. It should be noted that the encyclopedia shows many different colors, tail types, and even horn and wing sizes for Drakes and Hens respectively. First, we will talk about the colors. If you were to breed, say... a blue and a red, you would not recieve purple hatchlings, nor would you even recieve blue hatchlings with red spots. Instead, you would either recieve blue or red hatchlings.. Their markings however, would show a clear difference from the "standard breed" of their color.
Now.. onto the tails. Each breed has a different tail type, to help it live in it's native environment. When you breed Sarane of different breeds together, the tail types given to their offspring are not always going to match their color. That's how you get a blue (which normally has a fin-tail), to instead have the brown's classic "whip-tail", or even the white's "furry tail", reguardless of it's color being blue.
Lastly, I shall talk about the horns. Each Drake released to the public, and even those released into the wild are your basic average young drakes. Simple bloodlines. By purifying the bloodlines with top champions, you can achieve a 'champion bloodline' for your Drakes, and even hens. The better the bloodline, the more impressive the Drake's rack. Also, though a Hen does not achieve dominance with battles, they can also have a champion bloodline, by inheriting it from a champion drake, which they in turn can pass down to their offspring. A perfect champion Hen is not only more impressive in general, and can pass down the champion genes to her offspring, but also has larger wings, allowing her to fly.
If however, you do not keep your drakes or hens in fit condition, their ability to produce campion bloodlines may wane, so it's best that if you want a champion bloodline.... make a champion. Breed it to a champion, and when you have the hatchlings - strive for them to be champions too. Generations of champions make a very strong champion boodlines, while lazy Drakes (or even hens), become.. well... fat and lazy, and produce lazy hatchlings.
Last question for today before we bring you back to your regularly scheduled music; it was a question of size. Though Drakes and Hens are "the same size", you can easily tell the size difference when you compare them side by side. A Drake has easily 200 pounds over the Hen. Though he isn't noticably larger if you look at them seperately, side by side, you can tell he's a heftier creature. On that note, most of this weight is in lean muscle mass, while a hen's weight (though she is strong and fit) is in extra fat. And as we all know, muscle weighs more than fat. I suppose it would be akin to looking at the difference between a male and female bear. Same sized animal, but when you put them side by side, you can identify which is the female by sheer bulk.
The different breeds however, are all the same size, respectively. AH! On a final final note... dominance does play a role in size as well. A massively dominant Drake is much larger than a young Drake, who likely has very little territory and few hens under his wing. Sort of like the difference between a geek and a jock, I suppose, really, when you think about it, it-- *the words are cut off by the cue of music*
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Post by Ashe on Dec 29, 2017 6:35:23 GMT -6
The first questions were about the Yumenokei (moon spirits), and so I'd like to address those first. Indeed, only those that were specified have "breed specific" genders. The other breeds, such as the Meigetsu, Pale Moon, etc have no gender specifics - so each Yumenokei... erm, the three basics asside... is unique. I also am aware that each Yumenokei is aligned to a specific 'moon', as it were - but it seems to me for all my research that I had to do on this particular species, that it did not clarify anything about a moon for the Cyberpunk or Ghost Whisper breeds... Therefore, I'm going to assume that their sickness is either random, or non-existant... My research also didn't help clarify if they were to even get a sickness, but it wouldn't surprise me if it popped up now and again, being of the Yumenokei species.
The next question wasn't so much of a question.. or even series of questions, as far as I could tell - but rather a request for a 'how-to' guide for taking care of hatchling Sarane. So, I shall begin, and hopefully I'll manage to answer all those questions in the process... *clears his throat*
When a Sarane first hatches, you can discard the egg shell immediately if you wish, it will have no further use, save for sentimental purposes perhaps. Though hatchlings are cared for by Hens via her protection from predators and the elements, the hatchlings do not need her assistance for feeding. Right from the get-go, they can hunt for themselves - and their survival depends on it. As hatchlings, they hunt small birds, lizards, rodents. Even large insects if hunting is going poorly for them - and should they be particularly skilled or lucky, they might even catch rabbits. As they grow, they will continue to hunt anything that they are skilled (or large enough) to catch and kill successfully without injury. It should be noted that they will also eat eggs, even eggs of other Sarane - but never the eggs of Sarane in their clutch-mothers' nests.... It is however, unlikely that they will ever get close enough to another nesting group to cause any problems there.
The hatchlings are not particularly teritorial at this point, so you will find little to no fighting or scuffling amongst themselves. However, they will never hunt as a pack - and food it seems is the most valuable resource at this point in their life. If they do not manage to hunt enough to feed themselves, they will either die - or be lucky enough that one of the clutch-mothers didn't finish all her food, as she makes no special effort to save them any leftovers. The world of the hatchlings truely is a world of 'survival of the fittest'.
At the end of the day full of exploring, play-fighting, and hunting - all the hatchlings will return to their respective clutch-mother and her nest to keep safe from those noctournal predators, the elements, and the chill of the night. Snuggled safely beside her belly, beneth her wing, or in the coil of her tail... Somewhere safe and close. The hatchlings have far less protection from the cold than their parents - as smaller creatures, they loose body-heat much faster.
If you should happen to find a hatchling Sarane out in the wild, you should be wary that the Hen may be somewhere nearby. And though she's not like a bear who would come charging in at the first whiff of trouble, she will come to investigate in her own lazy manner should the hatchling squeak - and if she finds you, you may be in a world of trouble. And, should a hatchling find danger that it feels is too much for it (which may be a lot of danger, considering how bold these little hatchlings tend to be), it will go running back to the clutch-mother crying.. and that, if nothing else, will certainly get her attention. She protects them primarily with her presence - and lets them fend for themselves... but anything at her nesting site is am immediate threat to not only her, but all her eggs and hatchlings. As the parent to your newly hatched Sarane whelp, you are essentially the clutch mother for it.
When raising my own hatchling, I would raise it differently between drake and hen, personally. With both, I would let them get their exploring and adventuring done, and perhaps their hunting too - as long as I re-inforced their need to stay within' very close range of myself, which might be something of a challenge to teach them, as we (as people) are not nearly as stationary as a wild's nest. They would have to learn that I am essentially the nest, and keep moving with me, wherever I go. With both genders, I would teach them to be gentle (to me, at least), and perhaps to other humanoids.... and likely teach them not to eat my other pets, which also may be a slight challenge. With a hen, all of the teachings you normally bestow upon an average pet would be lax... but for a drake, these teachings would be as strict as I could manage. The last thing I would want on my hands, is a young drake reaching sexual maturity that thinks he can be more dominant than his own 'master'... after all, 'master' is only as far as the beast thinks of you.
When growing up, hatchlings go through a LOT of changes. Their egg-tooth set falls off the tip of their snout. They begin growing horns. The pattern that they will sport in adulthood begins appearing on their thick leathery hide. For Drakes, their teeth grow and grow, and so do their wings, until they are able to use them successfully in flight. For Hens, they gain extra fat, and especially around the muzzle, giving the illusion of "lips" that hide most of their teeth - even though their jaw-structure is pretty much the same. Hen wings don't tend to grow very much as they mature, and hens become much more lazy, while drakes become more restless - more prone to scuffles with their peers.
When a hen reaches sexual maturity, the clutch-mother usually kicks her out of the nesting area - a not so pleasant thing to witness. After which, she'll wander like a lone tiger until she finds her own suitable territory for a nest and hunting. As an owner, you never have to kick your hen out, and she will happily stay in her old 'clutch' forever. With Drakes, it's a different story.
As soon as Drakes reach sexual maturity, which happens to also be the age when their wings are well developed enough to carry them into the skies... Well.. the next time THE drake comes down to visit his hen(s), the younger drakes have one of two options. Learn to fly NOW, or be eaten. Before they reach maturity, the dominant drake (their father) doesn't mind them in his territory, and can smell his blood in them. Once they reach maturity however, blood or not - they... they tend to scatter like pigeons when he lands - and rightfully so. So, if they havne't learned to fly by the time they reach maturity, they'll likely learn soon enough.
As the owner of a Drake hatchling, you can teach your drake the basics of flight (good luck) at any time you wish - even if it's wings are not yet strong enough to carry it. However, I would personally avoid letting it fly, or even learn on it's own how... as once it reaches maturity, I would want it to have the least amount of advantages over me as possible - at least until I successfully broke it. If you feel your Drake is reaching maturity, and you're not yet ready to break it (or not yet successfull), I'd suggest keeping your Drake tethered with a strong chain, to prevent it from flying off when instinct kicks in. It may have loved you as a hatchling; but unless you break it - it will fly off, leave you, attack you, eat you... any of the above.
Lastly, it was a question about fire-breathing. There is no biological reason for a Drake or Hen to breath fire... However, I'm sure you can look foreward to many interesting items for Sarane specifically in various shops soon enough - it wouldn't surprise me if a few of them allowed such a thing to occour.
Unfortunately, that's all the time I have for today. Until next time, on Sporadic Species! Thako out!
*music begins, a merry little tune with a quick beat*
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Post by Ashe on Dec 29, 2017 6:35:45 GMT -6
I would like to take this broadcast to talk about the ‘coming soon’ Elemental Golems (version two) *he whispers the last* Though, this is not truly a ‘version two’, as others have been known, as they have no real association with the previous Elemental Golems, nor can they breed with them. And… though it is true, I am the resident expert of biological sciences, I am not the expert of magic… *he coughs lightly* So, in light of this, I decided to invite with me today a very special, and fairly shy guest… I would like to extend a warm welcome to X’aroth… whom I will one day invite to my show again to explain his, ah… genetic predicament. But today, I’ve brought him here to talk with me about the Elemental Golems, or rather, to correct me, should I be wrong on my explinations.
For starters, we will begin with an elemental’s stages of evolution. We will begin with the most important stage; the seed. The seed is a semi-permiable substance, like an amoeba. Deep within’ it’s center is a core, which should not under any conditions be touched. You may not like the results of doing so. The outer part however, it’s semi-soft body, can be touched. The first creature with a mind that touches the seed is it’s “one”, and the seed attatches it’s heart … metaphorically speaking of course… to he who touches it. This bond is permanent. You may end up wondering how to get an Elemental Seed to grow into something with a bit more noticeable life to it. And, it is from my understanding, that to do so, you must submerge the seed in it’s own element for a minimum of twenty-four hours. After which time, it can be willed into ‘life’… the ‘life’ of the seedling. Elements, elements… Ah, like putting a Fire Elemental Seed in a flame for a day, really.
In further explination of the unique seed, the elemental can never truly die. When it does die, it immediately ‘spits out’ it’s seed, which can end up growing into a brand new elemental. A way of reproducing, as a phoenix reproduces. If your elemental happens to die, or you will it to die, you can get a new seed… If you mix two seeds together, they will reach out to each other, and fuse. And if you know the trick to getting them to ‘grow’, you can even create new elementals. Of course, this new type of elemental does require the two parents to have died, does it not? X’aroth, do you happen to know of any combinations that you’d like to share? *he pauses for a moment, to let the other speak*
*A raspy, and thickly-accented voice comes onto the radio now, clearly X’aroth, for those who have heard his voice before* Yes, it knows of elemental fusions… It knows of Lava, a mix of Fire and Earth, an easy mix to make. Each basic Element can be mixed with another to make a new… but there are more complex Elementals. Glass and Life. Life is Plant, and Glass is Die… Die-mand. Both strong Elementals. Careful, or mix too much mix makes ick. Ick is bad. Shadow and Light cannot be mixed, as it would offend the lord and lady. It is also node. Way to make node, but is hard. Hard hard to make node, with much sacrifice. Or make Wraith, much bad also. *his voice falters, and he fades off, as though he lacks confidence to continue speaking*
*the original voice comes back on now, with a light chuckle* Yes, thank you, X’aroth – you may sit there if you’d like, I’ll give you a minute… yes, there. Well! Now that Elemental Seeds have been lightly covered, I think it’s safe to move onto the Seedlings. First, I shall have to explain the basics of a non-seed Elemental Golem. The head is the only truly solid part of the elemental, it’s carapace, if you will. Within’ it’s Carapace rests the core, or the seed. Oh yes, the seed is still in there! You may notice that there is not “top” to the Carapace, but rather it opens in four different directions, like a snap-dragon flower. In order to kill an Elemental, you would have to damage it’s seed, by either destroying the Carapace to get to it, or be very lucky with a strike, to catch it with it’s mouth open, as it were. Second most important part of a non-seed Elemental Golem is it’s extremities. Ah, tendrils, If you will. An elemental produces tendrils which are very soft and manipulative, like the tentacles of an octopus. They use these to move around in the world. They are neither solid, nor soft. You see, if the Elemental wills it, it can be as fluid as water, seeping into the ground… or it can be as solid as a steel spear. It can also roughly change it’s shape, from smooth and tentacle-like, to broad and flat like a paw to give it more grip. Because of these two features combined, there is no such thing as “up” to an Elemental Golem. But we’ll explain more of that later on the non-Seedlings…
Seedlings themselves are simple. They are merely the Carapace mixed with two Tendrils. Each stage of an elemental can only concentrate on so many tendrils at once, and a Seedling can only concentrate on two. It’s tendrils are not long, which forces the thing to waddle slowly, carrying it’s much heavier Carapace, which protects the core, around. It is small, the size of a coconut. The Seedling form of an Elemental is not very combatant, and is mostly a way for the seed itself to be protected, and move about in the world – to find more sources of it’s element, which it must absorb to survive in good health. You see, to feed a fire elemental, it must ‘eat’ fire that it did not produce. If an elemental begins to run out of it’s element, it is not strong enough to exert any. It is from my understanding that some mages prefer the Elemental Seedling as their familiar, X’aroth, is that true? *there is a small pause, and silence, then Thako speaks again* Apparently, mages prefer them as pets… but not familiars.
With enough time, element to feed it, and willpower of the owner, the Elemental Golem can evolve from the Seedling to the Walker. The Elemental Walker is the size of a large house-cat, and shaped like a tiny dinosaur. It walks on two legs, and has an additional tendril which can be used as a tail for balance… or like a tri-pod. The Elemental Walker has a small body, circled with “Vents”. Vents begin in the Walker stage of an Elemental. These Vents can be used to cause an elemental ‘explosion’, which can be used to remove excess element, or to attack foes. It is here that “no direction of up” is most apparent in an Elemental. Should the elemental be turned on it’s side, or even upside-down, it will retract it’s tendrils as a garden-snail does, and immediately extend them on the “down” side, allowing them to walk again with perfect ease. You cannot flip an Elemental Golem over, nor can you distort it with direction. There IS however, a front and back, as it’s Carapace is it’s front. This begins in the Walker stage, as the Seedling stage doesn’t even have a true body yet. I suppose it’s safe to talk about the body now, which is fairly unique. It’s form is steady, it does not change… however… If you were to punch an Elemental’s body, you might break your fist from the impact. And if you held your hand there, the Elemental might melt away beneath your weight, and absorb you into itself like a pudding or quicksand. Should you slash an elemental with a sword, you might either break your sword, or slice clean through the elemental, where it forms back together as quickly as you slice. Because of this, and Elemental is nearly impossible to harm.
The next stage of the Elemental is the Elemental Stalker. This is much larger, the size of a Rotwieller Hound. It has no tail, but instead has four Tendrils on which to walk, or stalk, quite smoothly. Instead of a ring of Vents, it has four lines of Vents running down the length of it’s body. It is a much more deadly creature, able to stand on it’s rear-tendrils, and attack with it’s front tendrils, turning them into true spears of it’s element. It would be unfortunate to be skewered by a bulky, Hound-sized, steel-hard spear of pure Fire… would it not? An Elemental Stalker is a marvelous thing to have protect it’s “one”, all things considered.
Let me recap. The Seed is unable to move, and not considered ‘alive’ as of yet. You must ‘plant it’ in it’s Element for a day to cause it to grow, and touch it at least once. The Elemental Seedling is able to waddle on it’s two short Tendrils, but is non-combatant. The Elemental Walker is able to walk on three medium Tendrils, and has a body-form, as well as Vents. It uses the Vents to defend itself. The Elemental Stalker walks with ease on it’s four longer Tendrils, and can use them to attack, in addition to it’s Vents… Am I forgetting anything?
*the voice of X’aroth can be heard whispering in the background* Wraith *his word was simple*
Ah yes, *Thako begins again* The Elemental Wraith… An Elemental Golem, in any form, is drawn to it’s Element like a bee to honey. From the moment it can waddle, it makes it’s way toward it’s Element to feed. The closer you get to the source of an Element, the greater the Elementals you will find. If an Elemental should find a Node of it’s Element… it may fuse with it, forming an Elemental Wraith. I… I personally have not seen an Elemental Wraith, but I hear they are things to be feared… Great winged things with two heads, twice as difficult to kill, blanketing the sky with the Element it constantly spouts out of it’s grand wings…
*X’aroth speaks again, in a hushed tone* Slay an Elemental Wraith is get Node. Dangerous. Much dangerous.
*Thako inquires of X’aroth* Is… is there a way to make an Elemental Wraith? *there is only silence from X’aroth, and Thako speaks again, hesitantly* I uh… I suppose it might be safest not to say then…
Also, I would like to take the time to explain the “love” of an Elemental. You see, an Elemental is bound to it’s “one”, if it is indeed bound to anyone at all. It feeds upon the life-force of it’s “one”, though this very thing causes no harm or side-effects… If it’s “one” is serious, then the Golem is serious. If it’s “one” is playful, then the Golem is playful. A Golem can express love to it’s “one” if it’s “one” desires so in their heart… This does not need to be expressed or said – nor does the “one” even need to know what they themselves truly want… A Golem can tap into the inner desires of it’s “one”, and adheres to it. Thusly, one should be cautious with emotions like jealousy… Even if you do not act upon the jealousy yourself, if deep in your heart the seed of it has been planted, the Golem may act upon it for you.
All that being said, here is what a Golem cannot do. It cannot love any but it’s “one”. Ever. It doesn’t even see other living things as things of value; things with life within’ them. Should your lover die, your Golem would feel sorrow itself, but it would not understand why, or associate that sorrow with the death of another… To a golem, there are only two living (and valuable) things in the world… Itself, and it’s “one”… it also has a drive to seek out it’s Element – but that is value in itself. It is (aside from it’s “one”) a heartless creature… which is why it has achieved the title of “golem”.
*the raspy voice can barely be heard in the background, a whisper of a thing* Breed? *that’s the word you thought you heard, anyway*
Ah yes, *Thako continues* You have all been told of the way to fuse Elemental Seeds to create new elementals… but did you know there is a way for Elementals in the wild to fuse? It also involves their death, but… Two Elementals may find a random attraction to one-another, not like love… but more like garden-slugs find such a drive… And on rare occasions, they will interlock Carapaces – allowing their Cores to touch, and instantly die in such a position. The result of this of course, is that the new fused Seeds will form a single new Elemental Golem. Interesting, huh?
Let’s see… uh… You bond to an Elemental by touch, a bond which cannot be broken. And you can will an Elemental to grow, and to die. You feed an Elemental it’s own Element, and it can only be slain by damaging it’s core… You can also fuse Elemental Seeds to create new Elementals… and it’s known that there are… some ways… to extract a node from an Elemental, but that would be truly fatal to the creature… or creatures… Hm… am I forgetting anything?
*X’aroth clears his throat* Ah… mage… Mage tower is like knowing of Elemental. You know Elemental… fusions, or… node-get… Let Mage-tower know, it would please it so, it would.
*Thako chuckles* Yes, yes ‘it’ would be pleased, wouldn’t it..? Ah – ladies and gentlemen, and everything in between… Please thank X’aroth for me for joining me on the radio here, and I would love it if X’aroth would be willing to join me in the future… to discuss it’s… his *he stressed the word with warmth* own biology, as I’m sure the citizens of the labs would be more than pleased to know…
*Silence lasts for a good minute, then music begins to play*
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Post by Ashe on Dec 29, 2017 6:36:02 GMT -6
I would like to take a moment now, if you don’t mind, to talk about the bright and upcoming species – the Equillion version two. Now, some of you may be very proud of your Equillion version one, and I’m fairly sure that the species isn’t doomed for extinction anytime soon. However, breeding prospects offer that the Equillion version two (like most of it’s version two bretheren) take the higherarchy in the breeding pool… That is to say, most offspring would end up as version two offspring, even with just version one parents. Well, that’s what normally happens anyway. It is rumored, according to a very reliable source… that when a v.1 (equillion) is bred with a v.1, it produces v.1 offspring. But when a v.1 is bred with a v.2, the offspring will always be a v.2. That is rumor, of course – but from a very reliable source. *he emphasized the word with a bit of bounce in his voice, as if chuckling to himself*
Now, it stands to explain the origin of both the Equillion, and the Equillion version two. You see, the Equillion took it’s genetics primarily from two creatures. One of which is very rare. Very rare indeed. So rare in fact, that the animals themselves are considered sacred in the lands that their genetics were… ah… acquired, and as such the folks of the labs are no longer allowed in such an area – killed on sight, I do believe. *he clears his throat* Of course, with the version one, by the time the slowly decomposing genes got back to the safety of the labs, much of the gene core was corroded, and something else had to be taken to fill in the gaps. The lead scientist took a common horse, which once roamed the plains to the east – now extinct, they say, to do just that. This mixture produced some very disappointing results (the equillion v.1 we all know and love), but with very robust and healthy animals. The species was a large success in not only physical well-being, but also popularity. But the lead scientist wasn’t happy – his work was not what he would call “perfection”, having lost so much of that precious base dna.
And so, as the story goes – the lead scientist (not wanting to risk life and limb) sent a ah… friend… out to aquire more dna from the sacred species beyond the mountains that divide desert from the most glorious forest in the world… With a cryo unit to boot. The mission was a success. Not only did they get one specimen, but two! And so, with this un-corrupted dna, the lead scientist was able to continue his work with much pleasure. Of course, there were flaws of the original species that simply ‘had to go’, according to the scientist – and so the species was modified, but this time without the genetic interference of the common horse. Instead – a few bits of “equillion” (which has evolved on it’s own quite nicely) to fill in a few… kinks that the scientist wished to work out. And therefore – it should be known, that both Equillion and Equillion v.2 get their basic genetics from a very sacred animal from across the desert… far across the desert – and into the sacred forest. This sacred animal… It is a type of deer, I am told – but most at a glance would call it an equine. I disagree. Some however *he coughs a little* believe they are the children of the god and goddess – a bunch of hogwash, I say – but who am I to judge..?
Now, I shall begin talking about the creatures themselves. As you may or may not know, Equillion – though dulled down by their horse genetics, are primarily elemental creatures. You can see this most in the pure and tainted breeds through mist and fire. However, the flaws of the horse are mostly removed in the version two – and that’s what we’ll be talking about today.
I shall begin with the diet. The sacred species that their genetics came from do not in fact eat “grass”, but rather have a very, very specialized diet. This would not do – for if the diet remained, the lab-species would surely die of starvation over time – and the labs only produces superior species. Because of this modified diet, the Equillion (version two) eat primarily grasses and fruit. They do not easily digest dead grasses, such as hay, but can easily eat much more of the juicy stuff. Grapes, oranges, green-grass, and even tree-leaves are no problem for this animal. There is rarely something that the beast can come across that is “poisonous”, even hen’s bane is edible to the Equillion version 2 – even if hay upsets it’s stomach. Unlike the tainted equillion – the version two hasn’t a carnivorous bone in it’s body – preventing it from attempting to eat it’s own bretheren, and owners.
The species themselves is a marvel to say the least. It has sensitive feet, er… hooves. It’s cloven hooves are sensitive. So sensitive in fact,that they can ‘taste’ whatever is benethe them. Not eat, of course – but… it’s like… oh, it’s hard to explain. They’re sturdy enough, even able to walk across rocks – but they can tell what is beneth their feet without even looking. This makes them very reliable mounts – rarely able to loose their footing, and able to “pick and choose” what to graze without ever lowering their head. They have to use their mouths of course to actually –eat- the food, but they lower their heads much less often than the original equillion, making them less vulnurable to predators such as the estharne, vulticus, and wiurn. After all, the less time you spend with your head to the earth and mind focused on grass – the better, right? But their sensitive cloven hooves is not even close to the most interesting thing I find about them. The most interesting thing about them is about four to six inches above their hooves – right on the outer side of their lower leg.
Along it’s six legs (oh yes, I said six), are vents. These… ah… vents (for they really are similar to the vents of say, an octopus) are able to close to prevent any element from getting out. But most of the time – especially when the animal is excited (say, when it’s running), it opens the vents, and a steady stream of “element” pours out. This is a defensive mechanism, and also a way to impress mates. The Equillion with the “most elemental plume” is no doubt the most attractive. There are two primary breeds. The Sun and the Moon. The Moons’ plume is a very thick misty vapor of water. A very thick fog, if you will. So thick in fact, that it can fill a good portion of forest in a hurry, making it nearly impossible to see the fleeing Equillion. A good defense mechanism for getting away without a fight. The Sun’s plume is a quite different base for tactic – and is instead a plume of fire. Few animals are willing to chase a flaming beast – even IF they can see it broad as daylight. Also, having the plumes at the feet, rather than at the mane makes the animals much more “rider friendly” – especially as the plumes usually happen when the animal is excited. The beast can be trained to not plume upon it’s owner, and the only thing in any decent danger is the owner’s feet – which is easily remedied by appropriate use of knee-high boots.
Now, as the creature is still in development, it’s going to get a bit sketchy with me talking about them, not all of the information could be one-hundered percent reliable… But I have seen the projected outcomes of the species, as well as seen the original sacred beasts, and spoken to the scientist… so I have a fairly solid idea of the outcome, and feel comfortable enough talking about it… The species is much like it’s Equillion bretheren in that it’s fairly “horse-shaped”… or more effectively “stag shaped”, really. It has a long tail with silky hairs at the end, similar to the original equillions. It’s mane however (and tail hairs) are made of a different sort of stuff – a much finer material than typical horse-hair, but much more strong. It’s almost like spider-silk, but non-sticky. Less than a fifth the thickness of a horse’s hair, yet easily ten times stronger. It’s light and shifts at the slightest breeze, and yet when one holds onto it, it will not break. Or rather, is very unlikely to break. The Equillion v.2’s hair is highly valued. The rest of the Equillion’s hair is also silky (though short), but only slightly more coarse. It –looks- like a normal horse’s coat, but is in fact much softer to the touch.
Their ears you may notice are similar to the Wild Equillion’s ears, long, and fairly floppy. They do have fairly good hearing though. But not as good hearing as they have eyesight. An Equillion v.2’s eyes are unique so far to the Labs, as they were heavily inspired by the founding species’ genetics. Their eyes are quite large, and glassy. They look almost like large and smooth gems (though I wouldn’t suggest touching them, as they are in fact, just eyes). These eyes have a special kind of optical nerve-basis, unlike most types of vision. The Equillion v.2 does not see in light and color, as we do. Instead it sees in color – very much in color, but rather…. From my understanding, it can see Auras. Instead of seeing you as a solid object with skin and bone, it might see a misty aura of blues and reds with a core of green. Each person is unique, and the colors constantly shift. The native people with the sacred animal consider them to be able to “see one’s soul” – but I don’t really believe this… From my understanding, it’s being able to see both magic, and chemicals. All the chemicals that you give off – from sweat, to mating chemicals, to ‘fear’, to just plain stink… It can see them, mixed in a cloud of magical aura (otherwise seen as simple electricity, like the jumping between brain-cells). But my understanding of it is infantile compared to the understanding that the lead scientist has – for he managed to ah… inspect the optical nerves of the original species, and modify them to fit his own needs.
Because of this special eye, there are several unique ways in which the Equillion (version two) deals with the world. For starters, the hooves being super-sensitive (tasting) is almost vital. It is not blind – it can see where the grass is (there is chemicals and electricity in the grass after all), but being able to tell exactly what is benethe it’s feet is exactly why the hooves are so sensitive. Second. It does not easily distinguish between “man, equillion, or predator”. The shape of the thing has no meaning. A normal (version one) Equillion would be hard-pressed to be convinced to walk side-by-side with a great Cave Vulticus. One look at it’s shape, teeth, or claws – and it would likely panic. Not so with the Equillion version two. The Equillion version two can “see” the intent of the creature, rather than what it was born as – and this is what determines whether something is dangerous or not… If the lioness at the waterhole is there to drink, why fear it? The lioness crouching in the grass however, should be feared. The version two can easily see the differences, without even seeing the situation – it can look right through to the “soul” of the beast… If one believes such things. This makes it also very hard to trick, or sneak up upon the version two Equillion. And yes, it is drawn to the “innocent” like a bee to honey. Don’t take them to be “lovey-dovey” creatures however – as “innocent” is all a point of view… even hardened warriors are innocent, if their cause is just. And only the Equillion can be the true judge of that. Lastly… This sight makes training either a challenge, or a breeze – depending on the owner. You see… If you try to put a saddle on your Equillion, you may be thinking “Let’s ride you!”… but the Equillion may see, “I’m going to pounce you, own you, catch you, eat you”… In truth, that’s what you’re doing – you want to conquer it (via saddle)… the Equillion makes no distinction – conquer is conquer, the heart is the same, even if the methods and mind are different. Because of this – one has to FEEL and DO in different ways. It is said to be a challenge to learn how to deal with one’s Equillion partner, but once you get the hang of it – they say it is easy. Sorta’ like riding a bicycle. Hard concept at first, but once you learn, you think “oh, why couldn’t I do this before?”
Of course, others… Both the natives, some with more heart than a scientific mind, and.. My good friend X’aroth… Feel that the entire basis of electricity, chemicals, and auras is all hogwash… They believe that the creature can indeed see into one’s soul – see one’s heart, and tell truth from lies. I don’t believe that. However, each has their own opinion… And even the lead scientist is not hard-core on his point of view… he DOES merge magic WITH science, after all. I suppose it’s up to the individual owner as to whether they just have very unique eyes, or the true ability to see soul and truth. The natives revere them as “deliverers of justice” – who can tell the truth in a crime, and impales the heart of the guilty. They are also rumored to do this as a natural habit… so I would be cautious of this.
Now I suppose it’s time to talk about the nose. The nose is shaped like a goat’s. They are not designed to suck up large amounts of air, even when running. The vents on their legs do a large part of this – though I’m not sure how. Their nose is instead used for smelling – but like it’s ears, is a secondary sense, rather than primary (it’s eyes). As far as running is concerned, the two breeds have some major differences – mostly in size. The Moon is lean, and flexible, able to leap greater distances and sprint very fast, but not run as long or carry as much weight. The Sun is more muscular, and tires less quickly. It can trot for long distances with barely tiring, but is not so skilled in agile things like jumping, and sprinting wears it out too quickly. Genetically – their biggest competition is not even the Pasha (as I would have originally thought), but rather the Galabex. Moon prefers the forests, Sun prefers the fields. Ah… *he pauses for a moment, as though thinking, then begins again slowly* I… can’t think of much else to say on them… perhaps I should have taken down notes before I started.. *he laughs nervously* Well, my time is almost up anyway, I might as well request them to start the music a few minutes early.
And remember, if you have any questions for me, specific or broad – be sure to send a telegram! It’s easier to find a subject to talk about, when I have a request or two. *music begins*
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Post by Ashe on Dec 29, 2017 6:36:28 GMT -6
It has come to my attention, that I’ve made mention about the Equillion version two, but have yet to speak at all on the Vulticus version two – here-after to be just called Vulticus, for the ease on my voice box. *he clears his throat*
First, I would like to state that the Vulticus is a… large species. There are two primary statures for the Vulticus, one of which is so massive that a regularly sized individual could even ride one as a mount! The smaller stature is not able to be ridden by anyone but the smallest of humanoids, and is … well, I’ll get into that later. The Vulticus itself does not differ too greatly from it’s ancestors in looks or even in mindset. It is keen of mind, but not considered intelligent. It can be trained easily to learn many tricks and things of the like, for they are attentative toward their pack-mates, which in many cases are quickly replaced by mankind who raise them.
Now, in saying that Vulticus are not intelligent… Let me explain that further. Vulticus are clever hunters. They are able to figure out a trap, if they’ve seen one work before, and can quickly learn to avoid them in the future. They can remember a scent, and teach dangers to their young, which don’t always mind the teachings of their parents, granted – but they can teach others within’ their own pack. They hunt in packs, and can communicate with each other using body language, and can even communicate long distances with mournful sounding howls. But does this put them on a level with primates and other such creatures? No, generally not. It does not mean they can learn to use a knife, or wield magic, or even speak a humanoid language. They are simply beasts, with a clever enough brain to be able to learn from mistakes, and pass those teachings onto their offspring.
Now here is where I contradict myself. Are you ready for this? *he chuckles lightly, as though he told a joke that only he can understand* One of the most important members of a pack, if indeed a pack is lucky enough to have one, is the “Moonseer”. The Moonseer is a smaller-framed vulticus, whom, at birth, is usually marked by other Moonseers. The birth of a Moonseer is considered a very lucky omen to the Vulticus pack, and they try to protect the Seer more than they would other pack-pups, who they teach to hunt and fight and kill. Moonseers usually grow to be the smallest of the Vulticus, and tend to avoid things such as hunting. If they join a hunt, they usually remain in the background, simply to watch and learn – and to share what they’ve learned by the returning hunting party so they may improve their tactics for the kill. Moonseers have a more keen mind than the other Vulticus, and as such they are considered dangerous by man. Moonseers are able to “see” the plants in the forest for their true powers, and by chewing a mixture of plants, can even create salves that would heal their wounded packmates. They can do the same to create “paints”, which actually burn the flesh – causing permanent “fur tattoos”, causing the fur to grow back in an odd color. They spread this paste upon their young to mark them, should the pup be worthy of such a mark (such as a young moonseer, which is marked by a “moon” over it’s eye).
Seers are also keen on magical totem-items, which they love to carry with them to battle, to bring luck to the pack. However, no Vulticus has opposable thumbs, and manipulating plants with paw and fang can only take you so far… Because of this, Seers (though thought of do be wily and dangerous, leading strong packs down upon human villages to slaughter their infants) often seek the aid of men. Knowing men are dangerous however, the Seers tend to seek lone travelers. Shamans and other forest-dwelling men look to the Moonseer as lucky, and often give moonseers man-made totems as an offering of peace. The Moonseers, in return, may ask their pack to protect that individual man – giving him safe passage through the woods for as long as the pack survives, or the totem brings luck. Though the Moonseer is not always the Alpha (rarely so, in fact), the Alpha always listens to the advice of the Seer.
What sort of totems, you ask? Imagine a Deer antler painted with red and blue dots, tied together with dried cougar-gut, and adorned with the fangs of a bear. Acorns dangle from deer-hide leather cords attatched to it, clinking together like a wooden windchime. This sort of item, the Seer may consider “sacred”, and it may carry it with it in it’s jaws wherever it would go. Of course, at the den, it should be safe without the Seer’s fangs to protect it, right? It’s easy to tell a den where a Seer lives with the pack, for all sorts of odd “trinkets” tends to lie about… Even if it’s not man-made, you never know what the may catch the Seer’s eye – and several pebbles of different color, along with bird feathers, nuts, and twigs – all lined up in neat piles. It’s safe to say they are collectors, but they are very picky in what they collect – and as of yet, I can’t figure out what causes the Seer to decide… How is that rock different from this one? Why is that one so special? It’s not more shiny, nor more heavy… It’s just.. well, I can’t read a Vulticus’ mind… Nor, apparently, can other Vulticus read the mind of a Moonseer, for their antics are often met with a quizzical cock of the head.
For some reason, the Labs has decided that Moonseers need to be tracked. Because of this, any SEER Vulticus (not just moonseers) is to be documented and stamped accordingly. This is easy enough done, as each time the offspring would be handed out, it would come pre-stamped with documents attatched, so to speak. Likewise, the scientist has pre-stated to me that only a select number of Seers will be manufactured as custom orders, and will also be stamped, so they (and their offspring) may be tracked.
Next, I shall talk about the next-most astounding group in a Vulticus’ pack. The Bloodpaw. Bloodpaws are also marked at birth. They are given a “paw” on the side of their haunch. They grow to be one of the largest of the pack-members, and because of their strength and dominance in personality, they tend to be the Alphas of the pack. Right from a young age, these pups tend to get into the most fights with their brothers and sisters, and rarely back down from a challenge. “Fox in the den? I can take it!” … Not a lot of Bloodpaws survive to reach adulthood. And those that do… well, “survival of the fittest” speaks for itself. The Bloodpaws are the “elite” hunters and huntresses. They usually lead all hunts, and while the other Vulticus flank the Regal Galabex, it would be the Bloodpaw that makes the first leap at it’s throat. They don’t tend to enjoy the presence of man – and often lead their packs to slaughter them upon finding their scent. It is only when there is a Seer in the pack, that a Bloodpaw is usually swayed away from this sort of behavior… For all pack-members, even an Alpha Bloodpaw will listen (even if begrudgingly) to a Seer.
That is not to say that only Bloodpaw may be Alpha! Even a small seer could be Alpha. But the most common of the Alphas is by default the most common of Vulticus, the “Savage”. The Savage Vulticus is a large-framed Vulticus, and thus the most common. They come in a variety of colors and personalities, but for the most part, are the “staple” of the Vulticus pack. The Savage is not in face “savage” (though some of them easily can be!), but it is named “Savage” simply because the lead scientist refused to use the word “common” or “cave”… That, and they –look- rather savage, don’t they? *he chuckles a bit* Well, at least they look savage when compared to the Windrunner.
A Windrunner Vulticus is noticed at birth by the Seers. If a Seer is in the pack, the Windrunner will live, and be marked forever by “ley lines” upon it’s hide, that “provide the pup with luck and speed”, which it will greatly need in it’s life. You see, the Windrunners are runts. Windrunners are small, weak, sickly. Without the “say so” of a Seer, the adult Vulticus will kill their own pup – so the sickly thing would not take needed milk or meat from it’s healthier brothers and sisters. A Seer however, prevents this from happening, if in fact a Seer is within’ the pack.
Windrunners start small, and stay small. They can hunt, but are never strong enough to be a skilled hunter. They have no “seer eye”, and thus cannot learn to do magic – even chewing of plants to make salves is beyond the reach of their brains (as it is for any non-seer). They are what most pack-members would consider “useless”, and are usually at the bottom of the pack social structure. However, they are called “runners” for a reason. Their lighter bodies make them quicker, more agile. They can travel longer distances without tiring, and… some say, have a bit of extra-ordinary luck about them. If a pack has a Runner, it has a scout, a spy, a clown. Though they usually prefer to stay around the den and watch over the younger pups.
There are other vulticus… But only two are required to be “documented” by the labs… Seers (who apparently have special powers), and Blood (who are physically a “notch above” the others)… I suppose this is for breeding information, or something… Most other vulticus are easily determined as “if it’s big, it’s a Savage – if it’s small, it’s a Runner”.
However… There are two… ah… “special” Vulticus that I feel the need to talk about.
First, is the “Grinningdeath”. Grinningdeath are spotted by a Seer immediately, and are marked much like the Bloodpaw. However, instead of the paw-mark, they are given a series of dots upon their face, which resemble teeth – giving them an eerie white “grin” upon their charcoal-black fur. They can also be noticed easily by their eyes, which are red like the ring around a bloodmoon. Grinningdeath are mad. They are bloodthirsty… Not as a Bloodpaw is bloodthirsty, but… Truly mad. Most packs kick the Death out of their pack once they reach the age they can start doing damage to their pack-mates… Some packs however, seem crazy enough to keep them. Fear these packs… especially the packs with a Death as their Alpha. A Death is the only Vulticus that does not listen to the advice of a Seer, and their actions are at best, unpredictable. Only a mad-man (or perhaps a murderer) would enjoy the company of the Grinningdeath, for most others would tire very quickly of the danger.
Second, is the “Ghosteye”. Ghosteye are also spotted by a Seer immediately, and even by fellow pack-mates, for they are albino. ANY Vulticus (even it’s own mother) will “mark” a Ghosteye at birth… by chewing out their eyes. Savage? Yes. But no paint required, neh? Ghosts heal quickly enough, though are forever blind. They are blinded so they can “see”. See better than any other Seer. It is said to be impossible to cast the Ghost-Vulticus, and it is also said that they can “see” things that men cannot… Veiled in mystery, the Ghosteye is revered by other Vulticus. If a Ghost is in the pack, once it reaches adulthood, the Alpha usually simply walks down from it’s position, and allows the Ghost to take it’s place as the leader of the pack… as Alpha. But Ghosteyes, like Grinningdeath, are rare.
Also… ah… one more thing on Vulticus… To prevent any person around the labs from owning their own “giant village eating pack” – to aid with the safety around the labs, and prevent the further need of more Sarane Drake guards… The labs is putting a restriction out on Vulticus version two – and limiting each humanoid to own no more than three. If you want more, you’ll have to simply “donate” one of your old ones, which we are assured *he stressed the word with hesitation… was that a lie?* that they will be well-kept for the rest of their days… I personally think this is a good thing… can you imagine a pack of great size wandering through the streets? Oh, packs are still likely to form – perhaps a few of us will get together to form a pack… But each person is limited to three Vulticus version two.
OH! *he barked out the word with much excitement* And I almost forgot! The Vulticus will be handed out as PUPPIES! *you can hear the chair creaking on the other end of the radio – clearly, he’s so excited he’s wiggling in his seat* They will even come pre-marked, to prevent confusion, and to help carry on the ‘tradition’ of the pack-life! You’ll get to see all the cute wiggly puppies before you adopt them! That should even help with decisions about which to get, yes? Especially with the limit and all that… I personally am hoping to get a Windrunner before they all run out, that way I can handle it more easily when it grows up – I -… *he cuts himself off, and clears his throat* Um..
I for one, am greatly excited for the future of the Vulticus version two. Ah, um… Any questions?
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Post by Ashe on Dec 29, 2017 6:36:45 GMT -6
Perhaps today I should talk about a creature that many of us know and love, and some of us are loving for the first time because of the newer version two of the species. Today, I will talk about the Izer. The Izer, as I’m sure we all know already, is a bird-like creature, but it does have a small amount of reptile in it – or rather, some sort of reptile-like creature. It has a long skink-like tail, and two clawed “thumbs” on it’s wings, which helps it grasp and climb on branches. It’s general body-shape is not like your typical bird, but is instead a rather tall creature. Long legs, and a long neck help it to stride in the grass. Though it can fly with remarkable agility and speed, when it hunts, it tends to do so by walking with long and smooth strides. This movement resembles many of the carnivorous “waders” that live near water-sources, but these creatures (deluge aside) are not water-bound at all, nor do they regularly eat fish.
They enjoy eating nuts and berries, but the primary source of their diet tends to be small prey animals, like lizards, snakes, and mice. The most major difference one can see between the versions of the Izers are the style of plumage. Where-as the Izer has long and delicate looking feathers, soft and plume-y, with a largely metallic sheen. While the version two of the Izer species has more practical feathers, especially for an omnivore. It’s feathers are less of a hazard – not so fluffy and flowy, but more bristley and smaller. More designed for flight than for show. Many of them preserve their metallic sheen, but this is largely for water-resistance, rather than show.
Those that are keen of eye may notice that the izer’s beak (and even claws) are raptor-built, rather than sparrow-built. Though their neck and legs are long, the tools at the end of them are designed for a sharp amount of damage to their (much smaller) prey. However, unlike most raptors, which prefer to dive down onto their prey, Izer have a more “stomp, claw, peck, dodge, stomp, dodge, peck” sort of tactic. Though any Izer would happily learn to “dive onto prey” for it’s owner. The Izer v.2’s diet has become more uniform, to prevent any problems with breeding.. after all, if a wild parent eats meat, and feeds it’s fruit-eating offspring a mouse… there will be problems. But for all of the version 2 Izer to be omnivores (and primarily carnivores at that), there is no problem with the feeding.
The most unique Izer is perhaps the Roc Izer. Simply because of it’s sheer size. The Roc Izer is nearly the size of a Alurook at it’s peak age, and can easily enough carry a rider into the sky. While all other Izer are small, no larger than a common brown eagle – a marvelous creature that once existed in the mountains to the north, before the labs released a superior species.
*he chuckles to himself* While I’m speaking of unique bodies, perhaps I should talk about something that interests me with the Murp. Once a Murp reaches adulthood, all of them have their horns grow into their peak. This happens reguardless of gender, even if the males are the more competitive of the species. What makes this horned creature most unique, is that as the horns grow, they grow up and in – toward each other. By the time they reach adulthood, most Murp’s horns have grown so much “toward each other” that they actually touch. As they continue to grow, they end up fusing together in the center, forming a sort of “ring”. Like most bovine-creatures, the horn is bone in the center, and “husk” on the outside, with skin sandwiched between the two. But as the murp fight each other in their squabbles over females and grass, the horns strike at the top of the circle – which through enough fights ends up shredding off the outer husk and skin – exposing pure white bone. The Murp don’t seem to notice or care this loss, and in fact – females prefer the males with the most “white” of horns – showing off how often they battle with their peers.
Though I seem to be running out of new uniquenesses to share about our species around the labs, I guess I could talk just as easily a species that I know is currently being imported from the wilderness.
I would like to now introduce you, as it were, to a species that was brought in from the wilds. All of this species at the labs is strictly male – as the labs was unable to successfully bring a female in. Though it would be easy enough to say that this species looks like a serpent – I would be denying you the much richer aspects of such a unique species. This species is symbiotic to itself, please, allow me to explain, *he chuckles* As I mentioned before, this species at the lab is only male, while the female of the species is not only much larger than the male, but also hooded. The differences in gender is much greater than simply sex.
The males are smaller, sleeker, and not hooded. They have many centipede-like legs, which at first may not seem to have any use at all. Is this perhaps the origin of the Salaves species? Perhaps, but I don’t honestly know. By themselves, the males are shy, and almost skiddish. Most people enjoy the companionship of a single Haiy (or male of the species). The females however (if you’re lucky enough to see one, which is most likely in their natural habitats) is called a Dragh, and it’s nature is both lazy, and aggressive. While the Dragh may not be attatched to any element (though it’s very venomous), the Haiy may be able to breathe fire, or even spit sparks.
A Haiy does not simply mate with a Dragh – he attatches. This is where his cenetpede-like legs come in handy, for when he wraps around her, he notches his claws beneth her scales to help hold on. Obviously, this is not the only place he attatches, but we don’t need to talk about that – we need to talk about the much more interesting things! Like behaviors! You see, the Dragh prefers to have Haiy attatched, the more the better in fact, though she can only successfully (recorded) host up to four males. Once these males have attatched themselves, they will never let go. Even if they are slain, they remain attatched, and only with great difficulty can the Dragh remove her previous partner Each “family” of this species is called a “Haiydragh”… oh yeah, you heard it right. And no, it doesn’t grow new heads when you cut one off… but a new male can attatch… Also, there are reports of many more heads on such a beast – but these are simply the offspring, which ride upon their mother until they are old enough.
The female head of the Haiydragh is the one that determines where the family moves, hunts, and sleeps. She is the thinker of the family, and she is lazy. Though she is in charge of all travel, she does not usually attack. Why would she, when she has up to four perfectly willing males to do it for her? She is usually hidden, with her head tucked down in between the males’. They will not only kill prey for her, and allow her to eat first, only eating for themselves after she is full, but they will also defend her with their lives. Though a Haiy is normally timid by itself, once it attaches to a Dragh, it’s confidence bolsters to the extra-ordinary, and it becomes mightily aggressive.
Should a new male (a fifth) arrive and wish to join the family, he must successfully defeat any one of the males to take his place – a difficult task, considering he would have to contend with all of them at once, even if to defeat just one. If there is room however, the remaining Haiy have no motivation to fend him off anymore, after all – the more to help the Dragh, the better… As long as there’s room. This is a creature that functions most extraordinarily as a single cohesive unit, even though there is more than one brain, and more than one mouth to feed. They compete with ants over their ability to work together as a single form, reguardless of their individuality, even going so far as to fuse their bodies together. The oldest of the Haiydragh, it is said – those who’s families have lived together un-challenged or defeated for years, end up literally fusing together – becoming a single body, and single stomach – always able to reproduce as it wills, and with five separate brains.
A Haiydragh is not difficult to defeat because it is particularly strong or agile, but is rather difficult to defeat because of how many heads there are to compete with. If you are close enough to attack the Haiydragh, then you are close enough to be attacked by all of the family’s heads at once! There are only two ways to kill the Haiydragh – you can slay each head individually, a challenge for sure… Or you could stab HER in the heart… For she is the one who moves the family with her coils – and if she is dead, then the family doesn’t move… and the males would never leave her side, not even in death. If you, ah… feel so inclined to find a female for yourself, to start your own family of Haiydragh, you’ll need to aquire a female, which is undoubtedly a daunting task! If you found an adult in the wild, you’d not likely be lucky enough to find one without any males attatched… and if you found one without males attatched, you’d never be able to tame her. Ever. Not even with an amulet, for the amulet only works for a single soul – and there are more than one on that family there, right? So… to start “taming” a Dragh, you must slay all the Haiy attatched… without killing her, of course. Only then will her confidance begin to wane, and she might be able to be frightened into being trust… after all, what choices would she have if you caught her without her precious Haiy?
And even better, when you got her to trust you enough (to at least let you safely feed her without fear of death), then perhaps you might be willing to allow your own loyal Haiy attatch himself. I would not of course, suggest allowing such a pairing before you won her trust, because she IS the one who determines where the family moves, and what the family hunts… And though your Haiy may be extremely loyal to you, the loyalty he has to his Dragh is unfathomable. I would also suggest of course, that you do allow one to pair up with her, otherwise she will never fully reach her height of power or confidance… That, and it always helps to have an “outside influence”… She IS the one in charge, and the one that thinks, but that doesn’t mean she would –entirely- dismiss the thoughts of her partners… especially if she already trusts you enough to feed her.
I was told that the Import store was going to be getting a shipment of the most benign of the Haiy, which though they aren’t as impressive as some of the more … ah… fire-breathing wild species, they’d still be a great place to start if you were thinking about eventually getting your own Haiydragh. I personally, am excited to see the new species – in both the individual form, and it’s family-group. *he gasps a little, exclaiming that he almost forgot to mention something* Ah, one last thing… apparently, Salves like to eat Haiy, and are territorially competitive with Dragh… I suppose it’s safe to say that Salaves don’t like the thought of a future Haiydragh terrorizing it’s hunting-grounds… Heck, though most people and beasts can easily enough defeat a solo Haiy, few would be foolish enough to try to contend with a Haiydragh, especially when there are more males than not.
*music begins*
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Post by Ashe on Dec 29, 2017 6:37:02 GMT -6
The “Sea Sprites” – creatures of three lives. Their name Tervita literally means “three lives” just as Amphibian means “two lives”… But most people, locals especially, call them simply Sea Sprites, even though they are not magical creatures, spirits, or even related to fae. They are however, considered ausipicous, and to see one is to bring about good luck.
These creatures are marvelous to behold, with the most striking of tropical colors. Even those not native to the Warmwater Bay have striking patterns and colors. They begin their life being layed as eggs on the high-cliff shorelines, safe from all predators who would want to eat their nutrient-rich eggs… well, most predators. Right as the eggs are preparing to hatch, the parents scoop up the eggs, and fly them out to the shallows of the coral reefs nearby. They dive into the waters, and hide the eggs in the corral there, all in a single cluster. Though they leave their newly hatching offspring to fend for themselves, the offspring stay together as their own miniature family. Though mostly it is only a single pair that hides their egg in the ocean at once, if another pair (or several) have their eggs ready to hatch at once, they will collaborate, and hide their eggs in the same cluster. The second stage of their life, primarily the first stage, really, is after they hatch – and thus their life in the water begins.
Their beginning stage of life is entirely aquatic. They have yet to develop their “arms”, but instead have fully developed “fingers”. Now, these extremities are only named so for simplicity sake, for they don’t really look like arms or fingers at all. The fingers resemble in fact a long fish’s fin, semi-transparent and glimmering. Though internally, it is interestingly attatched to a series of five bones resting along the creature’s rib-cage. The young creature is long and thin, with a thick webbed tail that it paddles up and down like a dolphin. Something like a sideways eel. It’s fingers (fins) are for balance and steering, as well as it’s arrow-shaped head.
It’s head, as mentioned just a moment ago, is arrow-shaped (going up and down). It’s mouth is a firm beak-like material, resembling very easily a puffin’s beak. It has two small white teeth in it’s mouth, which it uses to break apart corral, and eat the soft tissues inside. It also likes to eat anenomes and other coral-life. In the water, it hunts in it’s nest-mates’ flock, and uses a wolf-pack hunting style to chase down fish. As well as to crack open the hiding-holes in the coral to un-burrow the fish that hide there. They also enjoy eating crabs, clams, and other hard-shelled animals. They prefer eating this much more than fish, as fish takes great effort.
They have two “tendrils” like catfish whiskers at the top and bottom of their arrow-shaped heads. They use these to test distances, as a cat would use it’s whiskers to find it’s way in the dark. They also use this for a form of communication, but it does not use them as Chiryma use their antennae, but instead just simply use them by waving them around – showing off expressions like a dog would use it’s ears to express curiosity or anger.
As it grows and matures, they can no longer fit in their hiding holes in the coral, and instead have to escape predators by rising to the surface of the water, and above. They begin competing with each other in “teenage games” by leaping out of the water, seeing who can “glide” longest by rapidly flapping their “finger” fins. The end result of these games, and new form of predator escape, is that their “arms” (as mentioned earlier) will end up bursting out of their sides, stretching a thin membrane like a pteradactyl’s wing from their side to their arm’s tip. And with this, and a few test-flaps, they can rise higher into the sky – and achieve true flight.
After their wings are fully freed from their bodies, they only spend half of their time in the ocean – till foraging the coral reef for tasty tidbits that don’t swim away, but they also now have adapted a fun game of “dive-bombing” for fish. After they catch them however, they quickly rise back out of the water where they are safest from predators. When they sleep now, they tend to do so by floating happily at the surface of the water, with a single member of their pod still awake and alert, frequently swimming around beneth their extended family to look out for danger. If it calls out the alarm, the rest quickly awaken and take to the skies.
When “that time” comes, their retractable claws finally emerge from their front and rear “arms” - or rather, become capable of emerging. They fly away from their pod – dispersing in a brilliant explosion of noise and color, to seek out a potential (not related) mate. They find each other by sound at first, and once found – “inspect” their prospective partner by examining their colorful patterns, and performing and elaborate dance with them. Once they’ve decided to mate, it’s time to find a good nesting-ground.
This is where the third part of their life comes into play – land. A mated pair can no longer rely on the corral holes in which to safely hide. Nor can they rely on an entire pod of siblings to warn them of predators as they sleep upon the waves. Instead, they roost together on the steepest cliffs they can find, safe from all but the fewest of predators. Their retractable claws help them cling to the cliffs, and when they are flying or swimming, their retractability makes them more aero or water-dynamic. These creatures mate for life, and live in pairs – though top quality cliff-space is limited, so they usually make their more permanent homes in a massive cluster of pairs. The prime cliff-spaces are high up, shielded from the wind by rock outcroppings, and has enough of a horizontal space to keep the eggs (when they come) safe.
As adults, they return to the sea often (every day in fact) to forage or hunt for food. They live together for the remainder of their lives, and very rarely upon the death of a mate do they take up another. Even in the height of their life, they are no larger than a macaw parrot, and their colors most certainly rival them. As they live in the Warmwater Bay and it’s surrounding cliffs, the Paogon of the Isles within’ it frequently scavange for Tervita eggs. Though Tervita are not aggressive by nature, they will defend their cliff-homes when filled with eggs with sharp pecks of their beaks. Numbers is the key to their defense, for one-on-one, even a Paogon could kill an adult Tervita.
They are colorful, loud, playful. They are non-aggressive, and enjoy swimming, flying, and flitting about ships in pairs or in pods. They are looked upon as good luck, and many-a-sailor find them auspicious to have a tame “Sprite” as a pet, perched faithfully upon their shoulder. If one was to obtain a Sprite, and not provide it with a mate, the Sprite attatches itself to it’s human counter-part for life. If this happens, getting your faithful Sprite pet to produce offspring for you may be a challenge – for convincing it to take a mate may be difficult, at best. But that is such the trade-off of loyalty for such a charming, clever, and friendly creature. A creature able to fly, swim, and perch upon cliff-ledges all in a single lifetime.
*Thako chuckles lightly to himself* Did I mention the Deeble at all?
The Deeble is a simple little creature. It prefers to live in trees, and though can be seen often enough on the ground, you’re more likely to find them in the trees of the northern forests. There is another breed of Deeble that lives in the south – more commonly noted in it’s differences by it’s green fur, but the brown deeble is by far the most common. The Deeble is covered in fur, a brown to match the tree-bark and dead leaves of the undergrowth. It’s body is the size of a house-cat, but is much more lanky. When stretched out completely, it is almost three feet long from nose-tip to toe-tip. It’s nose resembles that of an elephant, and is how it interacts with the world primarily. Though it’s sense of smell isn’t that great, it can smell, and can pick things up with it’s nose. It’s eyesight is similar to a human’s, but being small, it tends to only really notice things closer to it than farther away – things farther away are not threatening to it, unless it’s in the sky (then it’s scary). They have loooong legs meant for leaping, which are usually folded up against it’s scrawny body. With a hump-back, and smooth toes with no claws, these toothless creatures seem fairly harmless. Even their little “bobble” antennae with fuzzy tips make them seem “cute”. Deeble are deaf, but that doesn’t mean they can’t “hear”. They “hear” in a different way than people do – they can sense vibrations (which is very similar to hearing – they can “sense” special sounds, and thus can learn their name, etc), but this sensing of vibrations via their antennae is different than an ear-drum, which can be damaged by loud sounds. The Deeble is immune it seems to any decibel of noise.
And that is where the Deeble’s defense comes in. A Deeble only really has two terms for defense. Number one is it’s most preferred – which is also it’s way of impressing a mate. If it sees it’s predator approaching, it will turn and face them, stand it’s ground, and puff up the brilliant-colored air-pouch on it’s nose. That’s when the “attack” comes. Loud. SO loud. This little creature trumpets a sound that carries for miles, a short blast of near-deafening noise, “Pertuuuuup!!!” Or something to that effect. I’m told that it sounds similar to an elephant, only louder. This sound doesn’t really damage the hearing of the predator (but with repeated use would damage the Deeble’s, if it wasn’t immune due to it’s antennae), but it does do a fantastic job of scaring the bajeezes out of them, usually enough to make them turn heel and bolt, or give the Deeble a chance to use it’s secondary defense, which is to leap away. They can leap great distances, but aren’t very fast or strong… and if frightening away the enemy doesn’t work – not much else will. A Deeble is a standard prey animal, and as such, I’d like to mention that their legs, when fried, are delicious.
Don’t forget, fellow listeners, that you’re always free to send me a telegram, and I’ll happily talk about whatever you wish on the next show. Until next time, Thako out.
*music begins to play*
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Post by Ashe on Dec 29, 2017 6:37:22 GMT -6
The “Sea Sprites” – creatures of three lives. Their name Tervita literally means “three lives” just as Amphibian means “two lives”… But most people, locals especially, call them simply Sea Sprites, even though they are not magical creatures, spirits, or even related to fae. They are however, considered ausipicous, and to see one is to bring about good luck.
These creatures are marvelous to behold, with the most striking of tropical colors. Even those not native to the Warmwater Bay have striking patterns and colors. They begin their life being layed as eggs on the high-cliff shorelines, safe from all predators who would want to eat their nutrient-rich eggs… well, most predators. Right as the eggs are preparing to hatch, the parents scoop up the eggs, and fly them out to the shallows of the coral reefs nearby. They dive into the waters, and hide the eggs in the corral there, all in a single cluster. Though they leave their newly hatching offspring to fend for themselves, the offspring stay together as their own miniature family. Though mostly it is only a single pair that hides their egg in the ocean at once, if another pair (or several) have their eggs ready to hatch at once, they will collaborate, and hide their eggs in the same cluster. The second stage of their life, primarily the first stage, really, is after they hatch – and thus their life in the water begins.
Their beginning stage of life is entirely aquatic. They have yet to develop their “arms”, but instead have fully developed “fingers”. Now, these extremities are only named so for simplicity sake, for they don’t really look like arms or fingers at all. The fingers resemble in fact a long fish’s fin, semi-transparent and glimmering. Though internally, it is interestingly attatched to a series of five bones resting along the creature’s rib-cage. The young creature is long and thin, with a thick webbed tail that it paddles up and down like a dolphin. Something like a sideways eel. It’s fingers (fins) are for balance and steering, as well as it’s arrow-shaped head.
It’s head, as mentioned just a moment ago, is arrow-shaped (going up and down). It’s mouth is a firm beak-like material, resembling very easily a puffin’s beak. It has two small white teeth in it’s mouth, which it uses to break apart corral, and eat the soft tissues inside. It also likes to eat anenomes and other coral-life. In the water, it hunts in it’s nest-mates’ flock, and uses a wolf-pack hunting style to chase down fish. As well as to crack open the hiding-holes in the coral to un-burrow the fish that hide there. They also enjoy eating crabs, clams, and other hard-shelled animals. They prefer eating this much more than fish, as fish takes great effort.
They have two “tendrils” like catfish whiskers at the top and bottom of their arrow-shaped heads. They use these to test distances, as a cat would use it’s whiskers to find it’s way in the dark. They also use this for a form of communication, but it does not use them as Chiryma use their antennae, but instead just simply use them by waving them around – showing off expressions like a dog would use it’s ears to express curiosity or anger.
As it grows and matures, they can no longer fit in their hiding holes in the coral, and instead have to escape predators by rising to the surface of the water, and above. They begin competing with each other in “teenage games” by leaping out of the water, seeing who can “glide” longest by rapidly flapping their “finger” fins. The end result of these games, and new form of predator escape, is that their “arms” (as mentioned earlier) will end up bursting out of their sides, stretching a thin membrane like a pteradactyl’s wing from their side to their arm’s tip. And with this, and a few test-flaps, they can rise higher into the sky – and achieve true flight.
After their wings are fully freed from their bodies, they only spend half of their time in the ocean – till foraging the coral reef for tasty tidbits that don’t swim away, but they also now have adapted a fun game of “dive-bombing” for fish. After they catch them however, they quickly rise back out of the water where they are safest from predators. When they sleep now, they tend to do so by floating happily at the surface of the water, with a single member of their pod still awake and alert, frequently swimming around beneth their extended family to look out for danger. If it calls out the alarm, the rest quickly awaken and take to the skies.
When “that time” comes, their retractable claws finally emerge from their front and rear “arms” - or rather, become capable of emerging. They fly away from their pod – dispersing in a brilliant explosion of noise and color, to seek out a potential (not related) mate. They find each other by sound at first, and once found – “inspect” their prospective partner by examining their colorful patterns, and performing and elaborate dance with them. Once they’ve decided to mate, it’s time to find a good nesting-ground.
This is where the third part of their life comes into play – land. A mated pair can no longer rely on the corral holes in which to safely hide. Nor can they rely on an entire pod of siblings to warn them of predators as they sleep upon the waves. Instead, they roost together on the steepest cliffs they can find, safe from all but the fewest of predators. Their retractable claws help them cling to the cliffs, and when they are flying or swimming, their retractability makes them more aero or water-dynamic. These creatures mate for life, and live in pairs – though top quality cliff-space is limited, so they usually make their more permanent homes in a massive cluster of pairs. The prime cliff-spaces are high up, shielded from the wind by rock outcroppings, and has enough of a horizontal space to keep the eggs (when they come) safe.
As adults, they return to the sea often (every day in fact) to forage or hunt for food. They live together for the remainder of their lives, and very rarely upon the death of a mate do they take up another. Even in the height of their life, they are no larger than a macaw parrot, and their colors most certainly rival them. As they live in the Warmwater Bay and it’s surrounding cliffs, the Paogon of the Isles within’ it frequently scavange for Tervita eggs. Though Tervita are not aggressive by nature, they will defend their cliff-homes when filled with eggs with sharp pecks of their beaks. Numbers is the key to their defense, for one-on-one, even a Paogon could kill an adult Tervita.
They are colorful, loud, playful. They are non-aggressive, and enjoy swimming, flying, and flitting about ships in pairs or in pods. They are looked upon as good luck, and many-a-sailor find them auspicious to have a tame “Sprite” as a pet, perched faithfully upon their shoulder. If one was to obtain a Sprite, and not provide it with a mate, the Sprite attatches itself to it’s human counter-part for life. If this happens, getting your faithful Sprite pet to produce offspring for you may be a challenge – for convincing it to take a mate may be difficult, at best. But that is such the trade-off of loyalty for such a charming, clever, and friendly creature. A creature able to fly, swim, and perch upon cliff-ledges all in a single lifetime.
*Thako chuckles lightly to himself* Did I mention the Deeble at all?
The Deeble is a simple little creature. It prefers to live in trees, and though can be seen often enough on the ground, you’re more likely to find them in the trees of the northern forests. There is another breed of Deeble that lives in the south – more commonly noted in it’s differences by it’s green fur, but the brown deeble is by far the most common. The Deeble is covered in fur, a brown to match the tree-bark and dead leaves of the undergrowth. It’s body is the size of a house-cat, but is much more lanky. When stretched out completely, it is almost three feet long from nose-tip to toe-tip. It’s nose resembles that of an elephant, and is how it interacts with the world primarily. Though it’s sense of smell isn’t that great, it can smell, and can pick things up with it’s nose. It’s eyesight is similar to a human’s, but being small, it tends to only really notice things closer to it than farther away – things farther away are not threatening to it, unless it’s in the sky (then it’s scary). They have loooong legs meant for leaping, which are usually folded up against it’s scrawny body. With a hump-back, and smooth toes with no claws, these toothless creatures seem fairly harmless. Even their little “bobble” antennae with fuzzy tips make them seem “cute”. Deeble are deaf, but that doesn’t mean they can’t “hear”. They “hear” in a different way than people do – they can sense vibrations (which is very similar to hearing – they can “sense” special sounds, and thus can learn their name, etc), but this sensing of vibrations via their antennae is different than an ear-drum, which can be damaged by loud sounds. The Deeble is immune it seems to any decibel of noise.
And that is where the Deeble’s defense comes in. A Deeble only really has two terms for defense. Number one is it’s most preferred – which is also it’s way of impressing a mate. If it sees it’s predator approaching, it will turn and face them, stand it’s ground, and puff up the brilliant-colored air-pouch on it’s nose. That’s when the “attack” comes. Loud. SO loud. This little creature trumpets a sound that carries for miles, a short blast of near-deafening noise, “Pertuuuuup!!!” Or something to that effect. I’m told that it sounds similar to an elephant, only louder. This sound doesn’t really damage the hearing of the predator (but with repeated use would damage the Deeble’s, if it wasn’t immune due to it’s antennae), but it does do a fantastic job of scaring the bajeezes out of them, usually enough to make them turn heel and bolt, or give the Deeble a chance to use it’s secondary defense, which is to leap away. They can leap great distances, but aren’t very fast or strong… and if frightening away the enemy doesn’t work – not much else will. A Deeble is a standard prey animal, and as such, I’d like to mention that their legs, when fried, are delicious.
Don’t forget, fellow listeners, that you’re always free to send me a telegram, and I’ll happily talk about whatever you wish on the next show. Until next time, Thako out.
*music begins to play*
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