Cephalofolk

Hit the size limit on the message, decided to break it up some. Here's the continuation:

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Artisan Creations, Part II

Lantea Metamorphosis

Rather than being a symbiotic creation, the so-called “Lantea Metamorphosis” is a process that results in a thorough biological transformation; it is specifically human-oriented, although the Artisan’s Guild is said to be developing similar methods for other species. Apparently, it was developed by a very skilled Artisan who (forcibly) used it on a human visitor to Ryzelm’oire, who had attempted to describe various myths of the lost city of Atlantis to the Chlaena. After that, it caught on, and has often been used on human explorers and captives, with or without their consent.

However, it is time-consuming and difficult, so it typically isn’t done on a whim except by inexperienced Artisans who are trying to learn the art. No one is quite sure what is involved in this process; it is only performed within the security of the Artisan’s Guild- subjects who undergo the process are typically unconscious during their entire stay, so they have little to tell about what happened inside the structure. What is known is that it takes approximately eight to ten months to complete; and that subjects who retain the vaguest memories of moments of wakefulness recall seeing parts of their body being continually unmade and reconstructed, their muscles and tendons being unraveled like spools of thread while bones were reshaped, before being put back together again.

Once the process is finished and the recovery period has passed, the subject is able to take their first breath… of water, with their new gills. The Lantea Metamorphosis permanently alters a human’s physiology so that they are capable of breathing underwater and surviving crushing pressures. Extended webs between the fingers and toes make swimming easier, while fin-like projections from the elbows and calves provide additional steering vanes, allowing for much greater agility underwater. From that moment on, the human is only capable of breathing water; his or her lungs simply can no longer process oxygen in air, and they will begin to suffocate if out of the water for too long. Although still possessed of normal human sight, the altered human is capable of utilizing acoustic echolocation, much like dolphins and whales… however, this takes quite a bit of practice to develop and learn to use skillfully. Eventually, however, the altered human is capable of navigating even lightless areas of the ocean.

In addition, there are several metabolic changes involved, and even the implantation of organs whose purposes are still not known to humans who have undergone the process; the Artisans do not like to reveal their secrets, after all. It is known that humans who have survived the process have a much higher tolerance for temperature changes, and can manage to stay relatively warm in even freezing waters. In addition, the effect of the toxic gasses that give the Poison Sea its name seems to be much less severe; while exposure to the toxins will eventually have a severely debilitating effect on the subject, their physiology has been altered enough that the effects of the gasses are not as lethal as they were previously.

Being so resource intensive when it comes to time and effort, the Lantea Metamorphosis is typically used only for the sake of the Artisan’s Guild, the Great Houses, and the occasional wealthy and influential visitor who is willing to put his or her entire fate in the tentacles of the Artisans. The success rate for the process is entirely unknown; the Artisans simply don’t discuss matters such as failures, but make no guarantees as to whether or not someone will survive the metamorphosis. Most who eventually do choose to have it done, or wind up having it done to them are those who have decided to stay in Ryzelm’oire long term, and typically have aligned themselves with either the Artisan’s Guild or one of the Great Houses as a guard or servant.

There are rumors, however, of a small settlement of altered human refugees and/or rejects who managed to survive the process and escape, forming their own village somewhere to the north of Ryzelm’oire, near the middle of the Topazial Sea. So far, no one has confirmed the rumors of these “Lanteans”, but the Shapers seem to find the idea intensely amusing for some reason…

Compass

A round, spherical creature about the size of a baseball, a Compass is not used to find your direction in the perilous waters of the Topazial Sea. Instead, one uses it to find danger, and hopefully avoid it. A Compass must be handled delicately, as it has a gelatinous consistency; if you grip it too tightly, your fingers will sink into the creature’s body and kill it. It is not known what a Compass requires to survive; only the Artisan’s Guild seems to be able to keep them healthy. For this reason, they are extremely rare, and a Compass that manages to find its way onto the Bazaar typically only lives for a week and a half outside of the care of the Artisans, two weeks at most.

The reason anyone would bother with such a fussy creature is because a Compass has a rather unique ability; it can somehow detect creatures using the “Predator Sense” so common amongst Felarya’s fauna and sentient predators. The nucleus of the creature will shift within its body, pointing in the direction of the nearest predator and beginning to glow with bioluminescence… the brighter the glow, the closer the creature is getting. In theory, one can use a Compass to avoid predators while making your way through the ocean… however, in practice it does not always work out that way.

The main flaws of the Compass are that it can only detect and track one creature at a time, which will always be the nearest predator using its “Predator Sense”, regardless of location. If you are standing right next to a Mermaid you have befriended, it will detect her instead of the Sharkmaiden heading your way with the intention of eating you. In addition, it will always glow in proportion to the proximity of a predator; this can make it rather difficult to hide from one who is nearby, if you’re holding a bright light that is pointing in their direction. Most people use a kelp sack or some kind of cloth to cover the Compass when not in use.

The other weakness is that a Compass can not detect predators who lack the “Predator Sense” altogether, or are not actively using it (should they be able to control it to that degree). A Cecaelia could very well sneak up right behind you, while the Compass is pointing to a far off Sea Slug-Girl at the very edge of its range of detection. While a Compass can be useful, one should not mistake the warning it provides for a measure of absolute security, as this could be fatal.

Reef Spear

Reef Spears come in a variety of sizes, ranging from human-sized all the way up to those meant for use by Merfolk and Chlaenas. Reef Spears, like their name suggests, are spear weapons formed from the various types of coral that comprise the Reef of Ryzelm. However, this coral is still alive, and is capable of not only repairing minor damage to the weapon but keeping it always sharpened to a keen point. When the edge of the weapon begins to dull, the coral starts to flake away, revealing a new razor-sharp edge which it begins to rebuild upon to increase the strength of the blade.

As long as most of the haft of the weapon remains, a Reef Spear will fully regenerate over the course of a week, even if the tip of the spear has been completely shattered. Due to their durability and relative popularity, Reef Spears can be found at the Bazaar at virtually any time for a decent Value; along with smaller variants of the weapon, shaped like knives, swords, and punch-daggers.

Ancient Bone Blade

Named more for the age of the technique rather than the age of the weapon itself, the Ancient Bone Blade is yet another living weapon, that becomes part of the host’s body. The process for having one implanted is fairly gruesome and not for the faint of heart, however; it involves the removal of the bones in the forearm (if there are any)… typically without the use of anesthetic (Artisans are not doctors, after all!).

The removed forearm bones are set aside in a special vat, typically becoming part of the “price” of the weapon (and often used in other ‘art’), and a semi-rigid cartilaginous ‘sheath’ is implanted into the forearm, anchored to the elbow and wrist joints. This serves to provide a rigid structure within the arm to serve in place of the bones that were removed; while there is typically some loss of flexibility in the arm, a person can do most things they could before.

Inside of the sheath is a network of nerves, tendons, blood vessels, and muscles… some of which connect to a short sword that fits perfectly within the sheath. This sword is one solid piece, made of dense bone that is still alive and maintained by the constant flow of blood and nutrients into it. By muscular contraction, the sword can be ejected through a narrow slit in the palm of the hand, allowing the host to wield it as a weapon. It remains connected directly to the host, by tendons, encased nerve bundles, and small veins, leading from the grip of the weapon, through the hole in the palm, and linked into the sheath.

Thanks to the nerve endings, it is possible to wield the weapon with a great deal of precision, as the host actually receives tactile feedback through the sword. However, even though the bone is very dense and durable, chipping or breaking it can be extremely painful; it is part of your body, after all. Should the blade be snapped, in the worst case it will mend itself within two to three weeks; however, it must be kept sheathed inside the arm the entire time to allow it to repair. Withdrawing it and attempting to use it during this period will lead to a permanent defect in the blade; from that point on, it will snap much easier, and repair much more slowly. It is possible that an Artisan might be able to repair it, but upon seeing you how you ruined a work of art through neglect, they are unlikely to offer to assist you… at least, not cheaply.

The bone has a tensile strength slightly greater than that of steel, thanks to the biomanipulations of the Artisans, and the edge is sharp enough to allow it to pierce even very thick hide. Better yet, the bone seems to have some magical properties, so it is capable of harming creatures that are vulnerable only to magical weapons. However, it can only cut a material target, so it is useless against spirits and other insubstantial beings. While Ancient Bone Blades are popular among the higher ranking House Guards, they tend to be used more by humans and other non-Chlaena races. Chlaenas do not have joints to anchor the sheath to, and even if they did, it would cause too great a loss in flexibility for it to be worth having for a Chlaena. Typically, it is something far more useful among the hired help; an excellent holdout weapon for those peaceful meetings that somehow go disastrously wrong.

Here you go, the Chlaena profile. I'll do the Cecaelia one in the morning, tiiiiiiired.

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Chlaena

Habitat: The ocean depths of Felarya, particularly the Abyssopelagic region and Abyssal Plain of the Topazial Sea; however, roaming Chlaenas have been known to go closer to the surface and even onto land.
Threat Level: High to Very High

Chlaenas are a chimeric race that resembles a tauric cross between a human and an octopus. Above the waist, like so many of Felarya’s giant predators, they resemble scaled-up humans. Below the waist, their lower body resembles the entire body of a cephalopod, minus the eyes and the beak.

A Chlaena’s body is made up entirely of muscle and soft tissue; they have nearly no bones or other rigid internal structure, which means that they have unparalleled flexibility and contortion abilities. A Chlaena is capable of greatly compressing herself into tight spaces, or expanding her body to swallow a creature nearly her own size. While this helps a lot when it comes to large prey, a Chlaena’s compressibility can also work against her; relatively smaller predators might be able to stuff a Chlaena down their throat and swallow her.

While Chlaena must stay wet to survive, as long as they have ready access to water, they are able to traverse land much more ably than one might expect; Mermaids who climb up onto shore for safety from aquatic predators are often rudely surprised when a Chlaena merely follows them, dragging herself onto land with her tentacles.

Terrestrial beings often find Chlaena disturbing, for reasons they just can’t put their finger on. Maybe it’s the eight tentacles extending from their octopus-like lower body, or their eyes, which are unusually large and have horizontal slits running through them. Or maybe it’s the fact that they seem to be unnaturally cheerful, all the time… of course, the fact that their skin changes color to blend in with their background and reflect their mood might make them seem a bit eerie, too. And the boneless, ‘unnatural’ way that they move (particularly on land) tends to make intelligent vertebrates shudder. A Chlaena is capable of turning her head nearly 360 degrees around, so if she wants to look at you, she typically will not turn fully around to do so… which can be somewhat unnerving.

Some of the other races believe that Chlaenas are all female, but this is not true; the ratio of males to females within the Chlaena population is nearly even. What makes misunderstandings like this common is the fact that many people actually have met a male Chlaena, but simply didn’t realize it at the time. There isn’t much differentiation between the genders; when immature, male and female Chlaenas are nearly identical, and even when fully grown, it is still extremely difficult for the non-Cephaloid races to distinguish between the genders without a physical examination… or simply asking the Chlaena himself or herself.

Chlaena, like the other Cephaloid races, have odd mindsets; they simply do not think the way the “normal” races do. Their logic is pretty much the only kind they are really capable of following, and their behavior can often be frustrating or frightening to those incapable of understanding their motivations. However, one thing you can rely on is for a Chlaena to be cheerful and honest, even when obviously inappropriate; of course, their honesty is by their standards- just because a Chlaena tells you that she is not going to eat you does not mean she is never going to eat you. “Of course I’m not going to eat you!” in a Chlaena’s mind means, “No, I’m not going to eat you right now. Maybe later, ‘kay? ‘Kay! ”

Powers and abilities

Chlaenas have strength roughly on par with that of an equivalently-sized Naga; while the Naga’s musculature and spine provide it with a great deal more constricting power, the Chlaena’s ten arms (two human arms and eight octopus arms) typically even things out.

A Chlaena is also capable of squeezing into very tight spaces, by compressing her flexible body and shifting her organs around inside her body. This allows a Chlaena to squeeze through an opening only 10-15% the size of her entire body.

Most Chlaenas possess a mild paralytic venom, which can help take some of the fight out of large prey; however, in all but a few subspecies, this venom is not lethal- it affects only the voluntary muscles.

All Chlaenas have the ability to change color to match their surroundings, which is also used for communication and to display their mood. This is due to millions of specialized cells in their skin called chromatophores, which allow them to rapidly change the color of their entire body, or select parts of it.

Nearly all Chlaenas have ink glands located somewhere in their bodies, which they can use to squirt a pressurized spray of ink into the water, quickly creating an underwater ‘smokescreen’ to cover their escape or give them the advantage in an attack. Some Chlaenas can even mix their venom into the ink, creating a cloud that dulls the senses of predator or prey.

Just about all Chlaenas lack the “Predator Sense” so common among the other Giant Predator races of Felarya (some subspecies are an exception, but they are very rare).

Most Chlaenas are capable of seeing in conditions with low levels of ambient light, and some are even capable of seeing into the infrared spectrum. The average Chlaena also possesses a very keen sense of touch, making some able to sense small vibrations and water currents.

Chlaenas also tend to have a fair degree of magical potential, which many of them use in pursuit of the unusual forms of magic practiced by their species. Most Chlaenas eventually learn the pressure-based Deep Magic common among the Abyssal dwellers of the Topazial Sea; this allows them to ascend and descend quickly without severe injury or death, by carefully regulating the pressure in and around their bodies.

WOW ! just wow

I already said it but I say it again : you have an incredible imagination ! I don't know what is your job but you could easily be a writer or a game/universe designer I think

I totally loved these artefacts created by the shapers ! Very original and coherent ideas here, they make the imagination work just by reading them ! bravo

Karbo wrote:

WOW ! just wow

Glad you liked them.

Karbo wrote:

I already said it but I say it again : you have an incredible imagination !

Thank you! ^^

Karbo wrote:

I don't know what is your job but you could easily be a writer or a game/universe designer I think

Network Systems Infrastructure, Security, and Administration. It's more something that I just happen to be good at, than something I really enjoy doing for a living.

Thanks for saying so, but I think I'd be a terrible writer if I had to do it for a living; my editors would be breathing down my neck all the time, since I like to work at my own pace when I'm creating something!

I would love to design games/universes for a living, with either a video game company or traditional RPG company, but it's just not a really an option at this point in my life. Ah, well, I can use that imagination for other things, like... well, you know.

Karbo wrote:

I totally loved these artefacts created by the shapers !

I'm glad you enjoyed them; I tried to come up with a few things just to provide an example of the sort of things they do. People are free to come up with their own, and I'll definitely be posting more of those creations later!

Karbo wrote:

Very original and coherent ideas here, they make the imagination work just by reading them ! bravo

Well, then, I guess my work here is done...

... Just kidding! But I am really glad this is getting such a positive response, and my thanks go out to Zoekin, /Fish/, and gwadahunter2222, who came up with some great ideas and feedback, much of which were used in what you see here.

Continuing the exploration of subzones in the Reef of Ryzelm, here's a favorite recreational spot for races living at the bottom of the ocean. It is based on the brine pools that occur in real life, which are basically considered lakes under the ocean.

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Brine Lake lies to the northeast of Ryzelm’oire, and as its name suggests, is a lake at the bottom of the ocean. Yes, such things are possible. It sits in a huge rocky depression, around which various kelp-like plants and small crustaceans (small enough to pose no significant threat to humans) flourish. A great deal of mineral salts accumulate in the lake, meaning that the water has an extremely high salt content; it is several times greater than that of the surrounding water, which keeps the water of the lake from mixing with the ocean waters around it.

The water inside the depression behaves exactly like the water of a surface lake; dropping something into it will make the water move up and down, and ripple… but mostly stay together. As one might expect, Brine Lake is a fairly popular recreational spot among the beings living at the bottom of the Ryzelm Reef, and is particularly favored by Sea Slug-Girls, who are not only unbothered by the extremely high salt content, but greatly enjoy it.

Brine Lake makes for a fairly diverse sight; predators one would not expect to see sharing the same space outside of the safety of the city can often be found relaxing and playing relatively peacefully. However, it should be noted that Brine Lake is far outside of the safe zone of Ryzelm’oire, and there is no guarantee of protection for anyone who travels there, whether predator or prey. It is definitely unsafe for humans to go there, with the concentrations of giant predators that may typically be found there at any time.

However, there is an unofficial neutrality policy of sorts that covers the area in and around the lake, based on mutual agreement to emulate Ryzelm’oire’s rules. While there is nothing preventing predators from preying on each other at the Lake, most people are smart enough to bring friends along, or at least hang out there only when there is a large crowd. If a fight breaks out or someone tries to eat someone else, most of the predators present will dogpile on the aggressor and beat them up severely; although it relies on cooperation, this method has proven to be fairly effective in most cases.

However, predators only watch one another’s back in this manner; prey who are dumb enough to travel to the Lake are considered fair game, which often leads to a massive scramble among those interested to be the first to snag the morsel. This can lead to some fairly impressive free-for-all brawls, but there usually aren’t any fatalities or critical injuries that result. Some predators actually treat it as a sort of game; the first one to get the prey into their mouth ‘wins’, and sometimes those content to merely observe even wager on the outcome!

The danger level of Brine Lake may be considered “Very High” to “Legendary”; unless you are the luckiest person in all of Felarya, practically any time you might go there, there is guaranteed to be no shortage of creatures that want to eat you. It takes keen wits, a clever mind, and epic luck to make it there and back to Ryzelm’oire alive.

Another very dangerous place at the bottom of the ocean, that is well outside the relative 'safety' of Ryzelm'oire. Yes, there are a lot of subzones rated at a "Legendary" danger level... it's the bottom of the ocean, which is an exceptionally deadly place on our world, let alone on Felarya!

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Located within a massive trench to the immediate south of Ryzelm’oire, Dark Claw Reef is located in a deep trench, several thousand meters below the city. Even for those native to the ocean depths, descending to depth of the trench is extremely difficult without magic or other types of protection; the pressures here are incredible, and capable of those unskilled at Deep Magic in an instant.

Dark Claw Reef is named because it resembles a giant hand jutting out of the bottom of the trench, with jagged, pointy fingers reaching towards the surface. It exists in absolute darkness; not even the faintest glimmer of light reaches this far down; thus, most creatures who live here have completely adapted to life in perpetual darkness. Dark Claw Reef is a dangerous place, even for aquatic giant predator races; when descending into the trench, it is possible to be attacked and swallowed before you even realize what happened! Only the most fearless Cecaelia, Mermaid, or Sea Slug-Girl would even attempt to reach the bottom of the trench and hope to make it back up alive; however, the destination of most people who travel to the Reef is not that far down… fortunately.

The danger level for Dark Claw Reef escalates dramatically the further down one gets; the very bottom of the trench is considered “Legendary”… for giant predators. To actually make it all the way to the bottom and return is practically a legendary feat; most Chlaena and Cecaelia who foolishly attempt to do so on a dare are simply never heard from again. There are tremendous creatures living in the trench that have evolved specifically to hunt prey in the dark, and blend into the abyss so perfectly they might as well be invisible. Many of them are great enough in size to swallow an entire submarine in a single gulp, let alone an errant Cecaelia who has the misfortune to cross their path!

And here come the Cecaelias... this came out a bit longer than I'd planned, but you can always clip parts out for the wiki if it needs to be condensed further.

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Cecaelia

Habitat: The oceans of Felarya, particularly Topazial Sea; however Cecaelias are drifters and wanders, and have been known to roam far and wide- one might pop up in the places you’d least expect to see one.
Threat Level: Very High

A tauric cross between a human and a a squid, Cecaelias another chimerical Cephaloid race that typically measures 80’-90’ from head to base (the length of their tentacles is excluded from this measurement; some species of Cecaelia have tentacles twice as long as their body!). Their bodies are almost perfectly human above the waist; however below the wast their lower body looks exactly like the body of a squid, aside from a lack of eyes and a beak.

Unlike Chlaenas, Cecaelias have a semi-rigid internal shell and more bone-like structures (although not nearly as widespread as in vertebrates); this makes them significantly less flexible than their cousins, but also much sturdier. Cecaelia are still capable of fitting into tight spaces like Chlaenas are, but not nearly to the same degree; typically, a Cecaelia is capable of compressing himself up to 40%-50% the size of his entire body.

Cecaelias also have ten tentacles instead of eight; their primary pair are much longer and stronger than the others, which are roughly equivalent in strength to those of a Chlaena, perhaps slightly weaker. A blow from one of a Cecaelia’s main tentacles can strike with devastating force; they are capable of cracking it like a whip and dealing a strike three times as powerful as that from a Giant Naga’s tail. Unlike a Chlaena’s tentacles, the tentacles of a Cecaelia usually only have suckers at their tips; however, the tentacles of Cecaelias often have barbs and hooks made of the same horn-like material as their teeth and fingernails.

Although very similar in behavior to their cousins in some ways, Cecaelias are much more active and aggressive, cruising the oceans to wander and hunt prey in a shark-like manner; practically anything that catches a Cecaelia’s interest winds up in his or her mouth at some point. This, along with their wide roaming, often causes problems with other aquatic species when the Cecaelia wanders into ‘their’ territory. Being more or less non-territorial, Cecaelia have difficulty understanding such concepts, and often inadvertently start conflicts when all they wanted to do was investigate something interesting.

Cecaelias are excellent and speedy swimmers, able to cut through the water with seeming ease due to their jet propulsion ability and streamlined bodies; in the open water, they are much faster than Chlaenas, and many of the smaller species are capable of keeping up with or even outrunning Mermaids (who are among their favorite prey). All Cecaelias are also capable of changing their color to reflect their mood, although the ability to fully blend into their backgrounds is not nearly as common among them as it is among their smaller cousins. Venom is not nearly as common among Cecaelias as it is amongst Chlaenas, either; and those species that do have a paralytic venom typically have a very mild, non-lethal one.

Cecaelias have excellent senses and are able to hunt efficiently in conditions where all but the faintest glimmers of light are scarce; their tentacles help them sense nearby vibrations and water currents, and their eyes are capable of perceiving even the tiniest amounts of light against the pitch-black background of the Abyssal Zone. Like Chlaenas, most Cecaelias lack the Felaryan “Predator Sense” entirely; those few species that do have it tend to have extremely rudimentary forms of it.

Although as in Chlaenas, immature Cecaelias of both genders are nearly indistinguishable, it is a different matter for adults; although there is still a slight resemblance between the genders, mainly because all Cecaelias are more ruggedly built than Chlaenas are, the species is not androgynous. Male Cecaelias do look fairly masculine, and female Cecaelias do appear feminine at a glance… even if they behave oddly regardless of their gender.

And Cecaelias do behave oddly; not even Chlaenas understand them completely. They often act in a manner similar enough to how a Chlaena would behave for Chlaenas to be comfortable dealing with them, but there are times when a Cecaelia just does or says something that leaves the Chlaenas around her completely baffled. Needless to say, this means that it can be rather difficult for a human to comprehend their motives and thinking patterns as well; but those who manage to do so actually seem to enjoy the company of Cecaelias greatly… although as with Chlaenas, being a Cecaelia’s “Friend” doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re completely safe from him or her!

Powers and abilities

Cecaelias have strength that is roughly on par with that of an equivalently-sized Naga, and sometimes a little greater; their internal shell means that they’re able to exert quite a bit more force than Chlaenas can when it comes to hitting or squeezing something. Cecaelias tend to be quite a bit tougher and more physical than the average Chlaena. In addition, they have ten squid tentacles, and two human arms to make use of, which makes close combat with them a dangerous affair.

An adult Cecaelia is capable of shattering stone with one of his primary tentacles, with the same amount of effort one would use to lightly smack a friend upside the head. The muscular strength of these two tentacles is immense, and a matter of great pride among Cecaelias; seriously damaging or severing one of these two tentacles will always anger a Cecaelia, and may make you a dangerous enemy.

A Cecaelia is capable of reaching into and fitting into very small spaces, allowing him to squeeze through openings that are only 40-50% the size of his body. They are also capable of distending their mouths and stomachs to allow them to swallow very large prey, although they are much more limited on how far they can stretch than Chlaenas are. Like Chlaenas, this flexibility also works against them; they can be eaten by predators slightly more than half their size, should the smaller predator be strong enough to shove them down its gullet!

Very few species of Cecaelia possess a very weak paralytic venom; the average Cecaelia does not. Even for those that do, the venom is so mild it takes quite a bit of time or several bites to have a discernable effect; it is usually used to slow prey or a predator down, rather than paralyzing them outright.

All Cecaelias are capable of changing their color to reflect their mood; some species of Cecaelia are also able to camouflage themselves the same way a Chlaena can. However, Cecaelias typically do not have the mastery of this concealment ability that Chlaena possess.

Nearly all Cecaelias do possess ink glands somewhere in their body, which allows them to create a ‘smokescreen’ of sorts underwater, to confuse or hinder an opponent or pursuer. Some Cecaelias, rather than spraying a cloud of ink, are capable of firing a high-pressure stream directly at an opponent’s eyes and face to blind them.

Like Chlaenas, many Cecaelias practice unusual styles of magic. One is what is known as “Deep Magic” among the denizens of the oceans; it is based on precisely controlling internal and external pressures, and can be used offensively or for utility, allowing a Cecaelia to quickly ascend and descend to extreme depths without harming himself or herself. Deep Magic is fairly common among all the races living at the bottom of the Topazial Sea, rather than being strictly a form of magic practiced by the Cephaloid races; however, Chlaenas and Cecaelias seem particularly adept at it.

I really loved these new zones ! I feel I will need a whole page for it, there is almost no part that I think I will leave aside XD

Just a remark on chlaenas : I prefer to not have the two sex being similar in appearance.. This would mean they are both flat-chested and in a drawing this can create many problems ^^; Is that ok with you ?
If yes, I begin immediatly ^^

Karbo wrote:

I really loved these new zones ! I feel I will need a whole page for it, there is almost no part that I think I will leave aside XD

^^ Feel free to make changes to shorten it where you need to; I think I only have one or two more subzones left to flesh out, and then the 'city' is pretty much done.

Karbo wrote:

Just a remark on chlaenas : I prefer to not have the two sex being similar in appearance.. This would mean they are both flat-chested and in a drawing this can create many problems ^^; Is that ok with you ?

Yeah, that's okay; when I said similar in appearance, I meant "aside from the fact that the females have breasts"- that was in the much longer write-up, but I accidentally left it out of the shorter one. Basically, the guys don't walk around with "their junk hanging out"; externally, their genitals look very similar... so a Chlaena without breasts is either <i>probably</i> a male, or just a <i>really</i> flat-chested female, which might get you in trouble if you make the mistake aloud.

Karbo wrote:

If yes, I begin immediatly ^^

That's a yes; fire away, Captain!

Final sub-zone of Ryzelm'oire (I believe), the token creepy cult inhabiting an ancient temple at the bottom of the ocean... with something of a twist. Enjoy.

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Located squarely in the ‘palm’ of Dark Claw Reef, the Temple of Dreams is the destination of most travelers who venture out to the reef. The Temple is an unusual building that was obviously not built by Chlaena tentacles; it is constructed out of stone rather than coral and appears to be ancient, with parts of it lying in ruins. Broken chunks of stone pillar litter the reef, upon which faded engravings can be barely made out; the language they are written in is unknown, even to the Chlaenas who currently keep the Temple.

The Temple ruins stand out among the gloomy background of Dark Claw Reef, and seem to radiate a sense of foreboding; the darkness of the reef often seems to shudder and flow around the Temple as though it were as fluid as the waters of the ocean surrounding it. Most creatures only travel to the Temple if they are in dire need, and otherwise avoid it completely; it is not considered part of Ryzelm’oire despite its proximity to the city, and the cult-like group of Chlaenas who maintain the Temple are regarded with great suspicion by other denizens of the depths.

Most members of the Cephaloid races are incapable of dreaming; when they sleep, they sleep without being disturbed by nightly visions and terrors. Typically, to have a dream or nightmare is seen as an ominous portent among Chlaenas and their relatives, and they have a great deal of superstition regarding such things; at most, the average Cephaloid will only dream once or twice in his or her entire life.

The sole exception to this rule seems to be the Dreamers; Chlaenas, Cecaelias, and other Cephaloids who are blessed… or cursed, depending on who you ask, with frequent dreams and unusual abilities. They seem to worship a being they identify only as the Queen of Darkness, who they say reigned over all the lightless ocean depths of Felarya long before the first Cecaelias and Chlaenas were born. The Dreamers are uncertain as to the fate of their Queen; they claim that she is not dead, but left her kingdom long ago and never returned. They also say that the Temple of Dreams is one of the last remnants of her ancient kingdom, and have pledged to keep it secure until her return… however long that may be.

All Dreamers are considered insane by Chlaena standards; being constantly afflicted by dreams and nightmares just can not be good for the mind, and it definitely shows with the Dreamers! Dreamers tend to be somewhat spacey and absent-minded, as if they were permanently halfway asleep or just not there mentally. Despite this, they often display very keen insight into the thoughts and problems of other beings; more evidence pointing towards their insanity, from the perspective of the typical Chlaena. They are Chlaenas who don’t think like Chlaenas, which makes them very suspicious; the average citizen of Ryzelm’oire trusts Dreamers even less than they trust the Artisan’s Guild, and some of the rumors about what they really do at the Temple include things like living sacrifices… for starters.

The Dreamers are also mistrusted for their strange abilities; most of them do not use Deep Magic heavily, but have some other strange power involving dreams. A Dreamer can be considered a type of Priestess or Oracle (male Dreamers are just as common as females), who use their great understanding of dreams to help those who travel to the Temple for guidance by interpreting their dreams and pointing them in a certain direction. However, it is also said that Dreamers are able to glimpse visions of the future in their own dreams, project their spirits while they sleep into the dreams of other beings, communicate with others over long distances, and even trap others in a deep sleep from which they can not awake on their own.

Like other Chlaenas, Dreamers rarely seem to be outright malicious; but it is clear that they have their own goals and motivations, which are just as incomprehensible to the average Chlaena as their own behavior is to humans. Upon joining the Temple, most Dreamers find themselves severed from contact with their former House (of course, unless the House winds up reluctantly having to go to them for assistance), but most of them seem not to be bothered by that at all. Out of all Chlaenas and Cecaelias, Dreamers are most likely to travel afar, even onto land, in pursuit of their mysterious goals; if you encounter a Chlaena on the mainland, chances are good that he or she is a member of the Dreamer cult.

Interestingly, a clever human who recently visited Ryzelm’oire is said to have begun a popular trend among the Chlaena, selling protective charms called “Dreamcatchers” to protect them from dreams and Dreamers entering their sleep. He quickly made quite a bit of wealth at the Bazaar doing so, and many other traders, both foreign and native, started selling the items as well; it is rumored that there is a lucrative business to be had in supplying such trinkets to the Chlaena Houses that focus on trade... but getting shipments down to the city intact is neither safe nor easy.

Here's another Cecaelia subspecies, that lives even farther down in the oceans than most Cecaelia or Chlaena travel! These people are based off the Glass Squid, and are just as unusual as their other relatives.

***********

Glass Caelia

Habitat: The deepest parts of the Topazial Sea, almost never encountered at less than 6,000m down.
Threat Level: Low (While dangerous predators, humans rarely travel to the depths at which they live… and those that do are often eaten by other creatures before a Glass Caelia manages to get them).

Glass Caelias are a subspecies of Cecaelia that are named for their transparent bodies; when one looks at a Glass Caelia, it is possible to see through them, and their internal organs are visible. Glass Caelia are a medium-sized Cecaelia subspecies, usually growing only to the 40-50 foot range, which means that they are often preyed upon by dangerous creatures in their environment… including some of the creatures that Glass Caelias eat themselves!

Glass Caelias have developed an unusual defense against this; while their skin is completely transparent and lacks the chromatophores other Cephaloid races have, their internal organs do possess these color-changing cells. In addition, they have bioluminescent glands located in several places inside their body, that they can control at will. This allows a Glass Caelia to float motionlessly in the abyssal depths, using its chromatophores to make its organs blend into the background, leading to the Caelia becoming nearly invisible. At the same time, he can make the bioluminescent glands in a portion of his body glow (such as at the tip of a tentacle), and slowly wave it back and forth.

When a creature comes to investigate, possibly in hopes of finding prey; the Glass Caelia will spring into action, often swallowing them in an instant before their prey even has a chance to realize what happened. Although they lack the “Predator Sense”, Glass Caelia also seem to be ‘invisible’ to this very sense, making it a bit easier for them to conceal themselves from their predators… which is a necessity, since they are much weaker and more fragile than other species of Cecaelia. Glass Caelias rely entirely on concealment, ambush, and the element of surprise to survive in their deadly environment. In addition, they tend to have excellent awareness of their surroundings, as their own body does not block their line of sight; a Glass Caelia can look through herself and see what is behind or underneath her, should she need to.

Not much is known about Glass Caelias; they are shy and reclusive beings, and notoriously unsociable. They seem much less curious about things outside of their experience than other species of Caelia, and rarely ever leave the ‘security’ of the dark world they inhabit. It is said that the last time a Glass Caelia visited Ryzelm’oire was over 500 years ago, and the previous visit was nearly a millennia before then!

WOW!! You are inspiered

I like the idea of Temple of Dreams

Another subspecies, this time for the Chlaena.

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Nihlmarreth

Habitat: The reefs of the Topazial Sea, typically those closer to the surface. Often found living in lagoons and large tidal pools or just offshore of islands.
Threat Level: Low

Nihlmarreths (what they call themselves) are also commonly known as Blue-Ringed Chlaenas, and are one of the smallest of all Chlaena subspecies. On average, they measure about a foot from base to the top of their head; the largest individuals of their species grow about to the size of a large housecat.

While Nihlmarreths are just as voracious as other Chlaenas, their small size means that they pose very little threat to human-sized creatures as predators; their typical prey are crustaceans, fish, shellfish, and other creatures that can be found near the shores and reefs of the Topazial Sea.

Despite their small size, Nihlmarreths are more than capable of defending themselves from most predators; the small creatures possess an absolutely devastating neurotoxic venom, which is capable of paralyzing a 60 foot mermaid in just under two minutes. Multiple bites from a single Nihlmarreth or a small group of Nihlmarreths are lethal to even the largest oceanic predators; this means that most predators who know about the small Chlaenas tend to leave them alone.

Fortunately, Nihlmarreths are a friendly, if somewhat odd, species; their behavior is similar to that of many Pacific Island cultures, and they are cheerfully welcoming to most beings they encounter. As long as they aren’t threatened or seriously angered (which is a bit easier to do than with the average Chlaena), they are very sociable and laid-back creatures.

It is easy to tell when a Nihlmarreth is angered or feels threatened enough to defend herself; their skin changes color from its usual pattern to a bright yellow color, with glowing blue rings and slash-like marks standing out sharply against the yellow background. If you see this display, consider it your final warning, and stop doing whatever it was you were doing!

While Nihlmarreths tend to have little to fear from the average predator, some mid-sized predators have become extremely adept at feeding on the little Chlaenas; particularly some species of smaller Crab-Girls and Sea Slug-Girls that live around the reefs. Nihlmarreths are often unable to bite through a Crab-Girl’s hardened armor-like carapace, and some Sea Slug-Girls have developed a very high resistance (and even immunity, in some cases) to Nihlmarreth venom, making these predators the biggest threat Nihlmarreths face.

I have begun to integrate it into the wiki. For now I have finished Cecaelias, chlaenas, and Shapers creations. Please tell me what you think ^_^

must...put...Cephalofolk...into...story...owo

*Casts an immensely powerful necromancy spell*

TheQuantumMechanic wrote:

Final sub-zone of Ryzelm'oire (I believe), the token creepy cult inhabiting an ancient temple at the bottom of the ocean... with something of a twist. Enjoy.

*****************

Located squarely in the ‘palm’ of Dark Claw Reef, the Temple of Dreams is the destination of most travelers who venture out to the reef. The Temple is an unusual building that was obviously not built by Chlaena tentacles; it is constructed out of stone rather than coral and appears to be ancient, with parts of it lying in ruins. Broken chunks of stone pillar litter the reef, upon which faded engravings can be barely made out; the language they are written in is unknown, even to the Chlaenas who currently keep the Temple.

The Temple ruins stand out among the gloomy background of Dark Claw Reef, and seem to radiate a sense of foreboding; the darkness of the reef often seems to shudder and flow around the Temple as though it were as fluid as the waters of the ocean surrounding it. Most creatures only travel to the Temple if they are in dire need, and otherwise avoid it completely; it is not considered part of Ryzelm’oire despite its proximity to the city, and the cult-like group of Chlaenas who maintain the Temple are regarded with great suspicion by other denizens of the depths.

Most members of the Cephaloid races are incapable of dreaming; when they sleep, they sleep without being disturbed by nightly visions and terrors. Typically, to have a dream or nightmare is seen as an ominous portent among Chlaenas and their relatives, and they have a great deal of superstition regarding such things; at most, the average Cephaloid will only dream once or twice in his or her entire life.

The sole exception to this rule seems to be the Dreamers; Chlaenas, Cecaelias, and other Cephaloids who are blessed… or cursed, depending on who you ask, with frequent dreams and unusual abilities. They seem to worship a being they identify only as the Queen of Darkness, who they say reigned over all the lightless ocean depths of Felarya long before the first Cecaelias and Chlaenas were born. The Dreamers are uncertain as to the fate of their Queen; they claim that she is not dead, but left her kingdom long ago and never returned. They also say that the Temple of Dreams is one of the last remnants of her ancient kingdom, and have pledged to keep it secure until her return… however long that may be.

All Dreamers are considered insane by Chlaena standards; being constantly afflicted by dreams and nightmares just can not be good for the mind, and it definitely shows with the Dreamers! Dreamers tend to be somewhat spacey and absent-minded, as if they were permanently halfway asleep or just not there mentally. Despite this, they often display very keen insight into the thoughts and problems of other beings; more evidence pointing towards their insanity, from the perspective of the typical Chlaena. They are Chlaenas who don’t think like Chlaenas, which makes them very suspicious; the average citizen of Ryzelm’oire trusts Dreamers even less than they trust the Artisan’s Guild, and some of the rumors about what they really do at the Temple include things like living sacrifices… for starters.

The Dreamers are also mistrusted for their strange abilities; most of them do not use Deep Magic heavily, but have some other strange power involving dreams. A Dreamer can be considered a type of Priestess or Oracle (male Dreamers are just as common as females), who use their great understanding of dreams to help those who travel to the Temple for guidance by interpreting their dreams and pointing them in a certain direction. However, it is also said that Dreamers are able to glimpse visions of the future in their own dreams, project their spirits while they sleep into the dreams of other beings, communicate with others over long distances, and even trap others in a deep sleep from which they can not awake on their own.

Like other Chlaenas, Dreamers rarely seem to be outright malicious; but it is clear that they have their own goals and motivations, which are just as incomprehensible to the average Chlaena as their own behavior is to humans. Upon joining the Temple, most Dreamers find themselves severed from contact with their former House (of course, unless the House winds up reluctantly having to go to them for assistance), but most of them seem not to be bothered by that at all. Out of all Chlaenas and Cecaelias, Dreamers are most likely to travel afar, even onto land, in pursuit of their mysterious goals; if you encounter a Chlaena on the mainland, chances are good that he or she is a member of the Dreamer cult.

Interestingly, a clever human who recently visited Ryzelm’oire is said to have begun a popular trend among the Chlaena, selling protective charms called “Dreamcatchers” to protect them from dreams and Dreamers entering their sleep. He quickly made quite a bit of wealth at the Bazaar doing so, and many other traders, both foreign and native, started selling the items as well; it is rumored that there is a lucrative business to be had in supplying such trinkets to the Chlaena Houses that focus on trade... but getting shipments down to the city intact is neither safe nor easy.

So this would be one of my favorite chlaena things and I began to do some things with it that I have not since built on. Since it seems that it wasn't incorporated into the wiki, could perhaps something be altered about it to make it suitable?

/Fish/ wrote:

*Casts an immensely powerful necromancy spell*

Wow, your thread necromancy skills approach mine!

/Fish/ wrote:

TheQuantumMechanic wrote:

text snipped

So this would be one of my favorite chlaena things and I began to do some things with it that I have not since built on. Since it seems that it wasn't incorporated into the wiki, could perhaps something be altered about it to make it suitable?

Agreed, this is certainly a good idea, I'm surprised it wasn't incorporated at the start.

ah sorry on that. It's a thing I wanted to add anyway but somehow forgot to do so in route ^^;