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Kanaloa; We've got Mud n' Eels...
Topic Started: Oct 7 2008, 11:53 AM (7,538 Views)
agatharights
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Sister Topic to over here. :D

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Approx size; 20-30ft. A slow-moving deep-water predator that sneaks up on prey, grasps it with it's main tentacles, and drags it into it's beak. Nom nom nom.

Kanaloa, roughly the same size as earth orbits a similar star, and is very similar to earth in many ways- except for it's geography and life. The planet's surface is almost entirely covered in shallow, warm oceans (with deeper, cooler patches and small ice caps- it's a little warmer than earth) with very little lands, either consisting of muddy sandbars that can wash away overnight, or reeflike structures that protrude from the water's surface wherever reefs are, as well as 'land' made from large, strong floating plants and some small islands surrounding volcanic activity.

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From a foot to two meters long. The beaked reefeater is a peaceful, if dim-witted creatures that uses it's large, hard beak to defend itself as well was to crunch tough reef into dust when it eats. Cute, no?

But it's not like anything lives on what little land there is, anyways. Virtually all life on Kanaloa exists under the water. Most life in the shallow parts of the oceans is rather safe, consisting of smaller creatures, strange plant-like animals, and the few carnivores and venomous animals don't pose too worrysome of a threat to the adapted posthumans (Mermatees) that live on Kanaloa (They still pose a threat, but attacks and injury are rare or treated well).

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This creature uses it's flattened tentacles to dig up sea-cabbage and sea-lettuce creatures, and then impales them with it's skinny beak before eating. They occasionally bite or nip mermatees or the passing human tourist, but don't pose a great threat. Approx. one meter long.

Granted, in deeper waters, things are a little more dangerous.

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oh god what is it make it go away make it go away oh god

But Kanaloa is a vast place, with much life to be had. Besides rather earthlike reefs, many of the plant forms here are actually somewhere between animal and plant, octopus or eel-like creatures capable of photosynthesis, and the majority of life forms resemble mixes of some creatures from earth. Cepholpods, eels, and crustaceans namely, adapted to fill the niches empty in the ocean.

Skeletons are rare, and anything beyond a cartilaginous skeleton like that of a shark is nigh-impossible to find in the native lifeforms of Kanaloa, although hard, bony beaks and claws are common (teeth less so, but still noticeable) as well as hard shells and spines.

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An example of sea lettuce. The octopod-like body is buried in the mud, the eyes permanently closed in adulthood. As young "spores" the eyes are open as they swim to find a place to root themselves. They taste kinda like broccoli and bacon fat.

Think Lovecraft, for these animals. Horrible horrible H.P.Lovecraft full of tentacles and writhing things.

Enjoy, and do check out the threat above for the Mermatees- my wonderful posthumans. XD
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Everything is Transformers and Dungeons & Dragons and nothing hurts.
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agatharights
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Woo! *Malignant Melanoma attack!*
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lamna
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Hokkaido here I come! I love the cold anyway so the skin should not be too much of a problem.
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agatharights
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I wanna go to Hokkaido...I only got to go to Honshuu while I was there. Granted, that was still crazy fun...but Nagai-Sensei described hokkaido as "Wisconsin. Except Japan." so...it sounds interesting.
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lamna
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Sounds perfect. But I will need better Japanese than a few day to day words and naval orders.
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CarrionTrooper
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I require more vespene gas?!?
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O hai alloxite!

on an unrelated note, what if Kanaloans ever go to space? You know, some might try to go to Earth and stuff... what would their reaction be like?
Chakichikiii! 'What's this wrapping thing you put on me?'
'it's called a spacesuit...'
Chiikachack! 'I dun get it.'
*after a dizzying ride for the Kanaloan...*
Chaaackiii!! 'WTF was that pressure thing I felt?!? And the black ocean with the stars?!?'
'uh... that's space for you...'
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lamna
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Apparently most don't want to go. I suppose a few will, by the time we return to Kanaloa I expect space travel will be a lot easier. If it is profitable then a space elevator might be be put in place, and travel will just be relaxing in a tank.
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agatharights
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I think they'd be interested in at least seeing other worlds at some point. They'd just be really confused as to why there's not as much water.
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lamna
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"25% of the planet is totally inhabitable and most of the rest is barren and too deep, why would we come here?"
"This is earth"
"Its boring I wanna go home"
"Shhhh this is supposed to be a solemn moment when you look upon the world you first cam on and cry. We go live in 5 minutes!"
"I'm hungry"
*floats way*
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agatharights
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"AAAAH BONEY FISH BONEY FISH AHHHHH!"
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lamna
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I just had the cutest image in my head, a mermatee trying to eat a earth fish and hurting its mouth on the bones and a humans trying to comfort him.
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agatharights
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Awww. D: That's sad...and adorable. XD "There's not enough squishy here!"
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lamna
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Aww, poor thing with tears. "I wanna go home"
"But you are the mermatee ambassador"
"I don't like it here"
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agatharights
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"What's an ambassador? I can ambass from home, I bet."

"..."

"D:"
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lamna
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Probably could, but it would be difficult. Even harder to have a meeting with the empress.
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agatharights
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They would have no idea why she's so important...
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