Difference between revisions of "Chlaenas"
(New page: Under construction Chlaenas Cecaelias === Known Cecaelias === *Credits goes to TheQuantumMechanic, Zoekin, Shaman, Xeno the hedgehog, and Fish for the design of Cecaelias [[Category...) |
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| + | Chlaenas are a giant, 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. They can be found in many seas of Felarya, especially the ocean depths and Abyssal Plain of the[[ Topazial sea]]. However, roaming Chlaenas have been known to go closer to the surface and even onto land. | ||
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| + | 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. Chlaenas are capable of greatly compressing themselves into tight spaces, or expanding their body to swallow a creature nearly their own size. While this helps a lot when it comes to large prey, a Chlaena’s compressibility can also work against them; relatively smaller predators might be able to stuff a Chlaena down their throat and swallow them. | ||
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| + | 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 themselves onto land with their tentacles. | ||
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| + | Terrestrial beings often find Chlaenas 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 large, staring eyes. 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 their head nearly 360 degrees around, so if they wants to look at you, they typically will not turn fully around to do so… which can be somewhat unnerving. | ||
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| + | 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 !" | ||
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| + | Powers and abilities | ||
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| + | 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. | ||
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| + | 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. | ||
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| + | 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. | ||
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| + | 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. | ||
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| + | 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. | ||
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| + | 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). | ||
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| + | 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. | ||
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| + | 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. | ||
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Chlaenas | Chlaenas | ||
Revision as of 11:48, 15 August 2008
Under construction
Chlaenas are a giant, 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. They can be found in many seas of Felarya, especially the ocean depths and Abyssal Plain of the Topazial sea. However, roaming Chlaenas have been known to go closer to the surface and even onto land.
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. Chlaenas are capable of greatly compressing themselves into tight spaces, or expanding their body to swallow a creature nearly their own size. While this helps a lot when it comes to large prey, a Chlaena’s compressibility can also work against them; relatively smaller predators might be able to stuff a Chlaena down their throat and swallow them.
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 themselves onto land with their tentacles.
Terrestrial beings often find Chlaenas 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 large, staring eyes. 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 their head nearly 360 degrees around, so if they wants to look at you, they typically will not turn fully around to do so… which can be somewhat unnerving.
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 !"
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.
Chlaenas
Cecaelias
Known Cecaelias
- Credits goes to TheQuantumMechanic, Zoekin, Shaman, Xeno the hedgehog, and Fish for the design of Cecaelias
