Squid Girls/Cecaelias

I made some suggestions to Karbo via the notes system on Deviantart.com the other day, and was hoping that they could be taken into consideration.

"In terms of physical appearance, its upper body resembles that of a human (complete with a pair of arms that end in five-fingered hands), while its lower body consists of six octopus-like tentacles, whose underside is lined with suckers, that are primarily used for mobility, which surround two more tentacles which are skinnier and end in wide "pads" (the two "hand pads" that a squid uses for catching prey). The suckers are powerful enough to anchor the Cecaelia in place if need be, even in surprisingly strong currents. The six mobility tentacles can be used as extra "hands" if need be, but are clumsier and less coordinated than the specialized pair. the Cecaelia also has a pair of large fin-like protrusions on the sides of its head, located just behind it's ears (like the ones on the tip of a squid's mantle), which flex, fan out, and retract, depending on the Cecaelia's mood. They also help steer while swimming. They also have long "hair"; actually another set of specialized tentacles, each about as thick as a hair follicle, which are extremely sensitive to changes in pressure, temperature, etc, but are completely immotile. Cecaelias can survive on land for short periods but cannot stray too far from a body of water, lest they dehydrate. Due to their invertibrate forms, they are quite flexible, able to bend at seemingly impossible angles and withstand most physical blows. Unfortunately, their flesh is very prone when faced with anything sharp, like claws and teeth. Their "human" half doesn't usually grow larger than that of an average human, but their tentacles can be upwards of twenty feet long. They are considered a delicacy by many other species, and must constantly be on the lookout for predators. as such, they are mostly solitary, not in any territorial way, but mostly out of fear that the next large creature they meet will be the last thing they ever see. They are usually a light pink in color, sometimes with blue speckles, but can change the color and texture of their skin to blend with their surroundings if need be. Their skill at hiding is so great that many believe their numbers to be dangerously low, when they are actually quite plentiful. If startled, which is easier than blinking, a Cecaelia will let loose a cloud of black ink from the area surrounded by their tentacles; an ability that they have little control over and of which they are extremely self-conscious. Unlike most species, Cecaelias do not mate, but simply lay dozens of translucent olive-sized eggs when they reach a certain age; this happens at random, often at the least opportune time for the poor Caecelia. Until the eggs hatch, they remain rooted to the spot, they don't eat or sleep, until the eggs hatch a week later. Cecaelia wouldn't think of abandoning their eggs, even if their survival depended on it, and more often than not it does. However, unbeknownst to those that would eat them, Cecaelias can unwittingly bring good luck to those that would protect them; unfortunately, this trait has never been witnessed, as few creatures would even consider the notion. They are quite passive in nature, as they have no natural defensive weaponry...they are predatory to a degree; like real octopi, they feed on seaweeds and shellfish, mainly crabs and scallops and the like, and their teeth can temporarily fuse into a beak that can crunch through the shell. They theoretically could use it as a natural defense, but are usually so concerned with getting away that the notion doesn't even occur to them."

My only real concern is that they'll be written as another species of generic maneaters, think about it, a frail species without a single aggressive cell in its body, and it still manages to survive in a world of dangerous predators that would gulp them in a heartbeat; and this is without any natural defensive weaponry or magical powers of any kind.

This could be interesting. I mean, there ain't many harmless species on Felarya

They could be a good add to give Felarya a more realistic look.

I like it - it's god a ring to it...

Xeno-the-Hedgehog wrote:

I made some suggestions to Karbo via the notes system on Deviantart.com the other day, and was hoping that they could be taken into consideration.

Well like I told you in these notes I think this is a very nice descriptions, but this isn't really how I was seeing Cecaelias... Since you want your idea to remain as it is and true to what you imagined in the first place - which I understand -, I can't take it, sorry ^^;

Them's the breaks.

Hmmm... an interesting creature, if I do say so myself. They seem like Ursula from the little mermaid, only completely different.

I would like the chance to defend one of them during a period of vulnerability. I'd be a good chance to prove whether said "charm" is fact or unfounded fiction.

We'd see wouldn't we?

Karbo wrote:

Xeno-the-Hedgehog wrote:

I made some suggestions to Karbo via the notes system on Deviantart.com the other day, and was hoping that they could be taken into consideration.

Well like I told you in these notes I think this is a very nice descriptions, but this isn't really how I was seeing Cecaelias... Since you want your idea to remain as it is and true to what you imagined in the first place - which I understand -, I can't take it, sorry ^^;

I'm willing to sacrifice a few minor details here and there, but I disagree with the decision to make them another maneating predator. I realize that vore is Felarya's main theme, but does that necessarily mean that every species has to be a dangerous predator that gets off on swallowing its prey alive? Surely you can make an exception.

Or perhaps we could compromise; suppose we use both ideas, but use them as two subgroups of the same species. Suppose a group of them had somehow been cut off from the others for an extended period of time; naturally, they would adapt to their new environment, and eventually form a separate species.

Xeno-the-Hedgehog wrote:

Or perhaps we could compromise; suppose we use both ideas, but use them as two subgroups of the same species. Suppose a group of them had somehow been cut off from the others for an extended period of time; naturally, they would adapt to their new environment, and eventually form a separate species.

Uh... while I'm not opposed to new creatures and new ideas, I have to agree with Karbo. If it's blended with a carnivorous creature it should be a carnivore. Now don't get me wrong, I find the idea of docility a good plus, it just doesn't fit the motif that is being set in Felarya. The strong survive and the small are always on the menu.

Well I've got my two cents worth in, sorry.

Everything eats something in Felarya.

Xeno-the-Hedgehog wrote:

they are predatory to a degree; like real octopi, they feed on seaweeds and shellfish, mainly crabs and scallops and the like, and their teeth can temporarily fuse into a beak that can crunch through the shell.

Besides, with all the different varieties of Harpies, Dryads, etc. I don't see any harm in making more than one type for this species.

Yeah but even humans eat them

Rythmear wrote:

Yeah but even humans eat them

Not necessarily. While I did say that many predators consider them a delicacy, that doesn't necessarily mean that all other species are their enemy.

plus, if indeed they were listed as two separate varieties, we could even use "Squid girl" to refer to one and "Cecaelia" to refer to the other. One could be predatory, and the other could be the more docile creature that I had in mind.

Or perhaps they could originate from a separate world, like many other inhabitants of Felarya; a world where vore is almost unheard of, and then when they're introduced to, and stranded in, Felarya one group could stick to their natural ways, while the other evolves into the predatory species that Karbo had in mind.

We'll see I guess it would depend really.

Well, if Karbo wants to do something different with the squids, but we all like this idea too, logically speaking, there's a very easy compromise.
One species of massive, anthropovorous cephalopod-folk, and these critters here. I mean, when you think about it, normal squid come in all sizes, from microscopic to nigh kaiju-sized. Why not use these in conjunction with various other cephalopod-human species?
I think it would be an interesting change of pace, since so far, I've yet to see any Felaryan predator with a docile dwarf relative.

GREGOLE wrote:

Well, if Karbo wants to do something different with the squids, but we all like this idea too, logically speaking, there's a very easy compromise.
One species of massive, anthropovorous cephalopod-folk, and these critters here. I mean, when you think about it, normal squid come in all sizes, from microscopic to nigh kaiju-sized. Why not use these in conjunction with various other cephalopod-human species?
I think it would be an interesting change of pace, since so far, I've yet to see any Felaryan predator with a docile dwarf relative.

Are you suggesting that these creatures would range from the size of a chicken to the size of a human, or maybe even larger (despite age)?

Yeah, I could imagine that.

actually, that's almost exactly what we're implying. But I was thinking more along the lines of "about the size of an olive at birth, human sized as an adult, can be much larger depending on the species"

Xeno-the-Hedgehog wrote:

actually, that's almost exactly what we're implying. But I was thinking more along the lines of "about the size of an olive at birth, human sized as an adult, can be much larger depending on the species"

The size of an olive? Whoa. Talk about micro.

Yes, that sounds like a brilliant idea, since that's what occurs in real life.

I'm glad; that's exactly what I was going for.

Quote :

Are you suggesting that these creatures would range from the size of a chicken to the size of a human, or maybe even larger (despite age)?

Yeah, I could imagine that.

Actually, I was just referring to making two different species of squidgirl. One can be the opalescent or the humble, the other can be the giant or the colossal squid.

Xeno-the-Hedgehog wrote:

Or perhaps we could compromise; suppose we use both ideas, but use them as two subgroups of the same species. Suppose a group of them had somehow been cut off from the others for an extended period of time; naturally, they would adapt to their new environment, and eventually form a separate species.

Well that can be a nice idea yes ^^ I'll see that later when I add them.

cool. I'm glad we could come to an agreement.

Compromises are a hard thing to come by these days unfortunately. I'm glad this idea wasn't scrapped

I like the idea, and I'm surprised that there isn't something like this already. A creature like this seems inevitable.

Like the kraken.