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Kanaloa; We've got Mud n' Eels...
Topic Started: Oct 7 2008, 11:53 AM (7,537 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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lamna
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Yeah, I think they would have a hard time grasping the concept.
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agatharights
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HAY GUYS LOOK WHAT I DID

So, I think I'm getting a slow but certain grasp on how classification on Kanaloa works. Mostly just by lumping sketches into crude groupings. More on that later when I'm not crazy.

"Sluggles" are squooshy, big-eyed, passive, and brightly colored.
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Bottom-feeders that move by wriggling about, they've found themselves into many aquariums as pets. They're surprisingly emotional, and enjoy being fed small bits of food. They also, unfortunately, are considered a great delicacy, although their poisonous organs makes it risky to eat them without knowing what you're doing. They come in a variety of sizes (from slug-sized to watermelon-sized) and colors.
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This is an anemone-like creature that, although it rarely moves, can bend it's long neck and body to grasp prey in it's tentacles. Some have poisonous bites. Although most are relatively small, some in deeper water have been seen big as trees and ones near volcanic vents seem to thrive in the boiling, sulfuric waters.
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AND DIG THIS THING
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This is what's called an "Advanced" Kanaloan lifeform, meaning a creature that, although it doesn't have a cartilaginous skeleton, possesses a sort of notochord, exhibits clear bilateral symmetry, and a large, advanced brain and very sophisticated organ system. This one is a fast, smart predator that uses it's wicked beak to slice open both predators and prey. Unfortunately, the beak grows their entire lives, and eventually becomes large and heavy enough to become a burden to the creature, making it easy pickings. Mermatees have been observed using leftover beaks from dead examples of this creature to defend themselves from predators, but rarely keep the weapons for longer than the fight.
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Sliver Slave
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I'm going back to basics.

I'm digging that last one. Kanaloa is turning into an interesting place.
Something is upsetting the ostriches.

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agatharights
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I call it the "Ripper" :D Because they rip chunks off people.
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Vultur-10


The sluggle looks sort of like a cross between a sea slug and a parrotfish (cool!). It also looks something like a beanie-baby. :) Is the beak used to rasp hard food (coral? bits of detritus from hard rock?) like a parrotfish's? It looks quite sturdy.

The eel-shark critter is pretty scary... it really looks like something that could be a real (and very fierce) animal. Awesome!

Do you have a scale in mind for those things? That scary predator -- is it big enough to eat people/mermatees? Small boats? Ships?
EDIT: For some reason I'm imagining it as about ten or twelve feet long, and the other animals as little.
Edited by Vultur-10, Oct 22 2008, 09:41 PM.
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agatharights
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That's generally how I picture it, about three meters long or so. Other creatures are generally a lot smaller, yeah. I don't know if they'd hunt mermatees, but it one came across a mermatee it'd probably attack either way.
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lamna
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Nice drawings and concepts are usual.
The ripper is very interesting, as is the beak constantly growing part. I expect those that feed on cruncher prey live longer, but big beaks probably have to do with attracting a mate so they might not have has many offspring.
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OH MAN YOU GUYS EXPEDITION CAME IN THE MAIL TODAY I'M GONNA BE BUSY READING THIS WITH GLEE KAY

I was considering that maybe Rippers sharpen their beaks on hard or rough objects, occasionally, but I wasn't sure what.
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lamna
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I don't know if that would work, but I don't want them rubbing their beaks on the foundations.
Enjoy you book. By the who, do you happen to know if the Honor Harrington series is good? I just started reading it.
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Vultur-10


Would Rippers learn to sharpen their beaks on any metal or hard plastic boats brought to Kanaloa? Could one bite through metal while trying?
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lamna
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We are gonna need a bigger ekranoplan.
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agatharights
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I dunno...depends on the size and strength of the Ripper, and whether or not you're in a lil' dinghy or a reasonabley safe boat. I don't see them attacking boats or the like, but if they do sharpen beaks, I wouldn't put it past them to accidentally wear holes in things.
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lamna
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I don't expect they would be too dangerous. Probably more like foxes or badgers than really large predators.
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I think they'd be dangerous in the way that termites would be, if termites were aquatic. except, I do imagine that at least a few unwary and stupid tourists would get some chunks taken outta them every so often.

"Look, we told you. If it's beak is bigger than your head, don't go wtihin' a few meters of it."

"But I wanted a good picture!"
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Ànraich
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I like the way your drawings are simplistic yet informative. I'll have to try that style myself.

EDIT: Well?

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t138/parasky_2/me-1.jpg
Edited by Ànraich, Oct 23 2008, 06:49 PM.
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"The Lord Universe said: 'The same fate I have given to all things from stones to stars, that one day they shall become naught but memories aloft upon the winds of time. From dust all was born, and to dust all shall return.' He then looked upon His greatest creation, life, and pitied them, for unlike stars and stones they would soon learn of this fate and despair in the futility of their own existence. And so the Lord Universe decided to give life two gifts to save them from this despair. The first of these gifts was the soul, that life might more readily accept their fate, and the second was fear, that they might in time learn to avoid it altogether." - Excerpt from a Chanagwan creation myth, Legends and Folklore of the Planet Ghar, collected and published by Yieju Bai'an, explorer from the Celestial Commonwealth of Qonming

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