Best New Critters

[psychotick]

Hi,

Yes of course. I created this thread really as a showcase for fantasy authors to brag a little bit about their creations.

Cheers, Greg.

 

[ArenRax]

The av'e are a race of pale white, white haired, elf looking race that are are highly powerful, practically Immortal, and are some of the most adept at magic. They are also one of the most smartest race ever.
Grrr, there were other races but i cant remember them of the top of my head but I never have tried thinking of a hostile or passive creature before.

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

White elves? The only thing that occurs to me is that I look at their name and I don't know how to pronounce it. That's going to be an issue for readers. I think you need to flesh this out a bit more. Tell me what makes them so powerful. Their magic and their knowledge? Or something else. Also something about their culture would be good. This is one of the differences between critters and races. A critter you just assume is going to be mean or nice because that's what it is. People need to be explained.

One of the things I have always liked about Trek is the way the racial identities are nailed down to archetypes. Some say it's shallow and unrealistic and that not all Klingons would be warriors etc, not all Ferengi would be greedy. And of course they're right. But still when you look at a klingon on the screen unless you've been living in a cave for the last thirty years, you instantly have an understanding of the sort of person he is.

Cheers, Greg.

 

[Manalodia]

Madalox

The Madalox are one of the many races of Nis, though one of the most elusive besides the Gitanon. Besides their semblance to ferline (which they resent), they have a curious nature that imparts the same quotes to the slinky house-pets. When not wandering to and fro in whatever new fancy catches their eye, they tend to stay within Gardens, communities deep within forests and mountains that are shared by other Nisrian or Nuhuema races.

Over time their relationship with the neighbors has backslidden because of their choice of modernizing themselves with abodes similar to huema and other nuhuema that befriended those that took their lands. They believe learning their strengths while maintaining their bond to nature and All Spirit will allow them to prosper over them in time.

Interesting Facts:

The Madalox and Moon Clan used to be of the same tribe long ago.

Marriage to Madalox is called "unity". It is a large aspect of their social lives, as the betrothed are inseparable from that day forward, even following their partner to death in the extremist cases. They choose a mating site, mark it and before they die, return there. This means Madalox have no sense of burial rites except that if any come across a site, they leave a gift of some kind.

Despite being a peaceful people, Madalox train in the ways of war, something that is new to the Nuhuema but necessary to defend themselves and territory from further Huema expansion. Sharing the same hand-to-hand combat techniques as the Moon Clan, Madalox have furthered into weapon crafting; at this point it is limited to woodwork and iron crafting observed in the Huema provinces.

One reason they are elusive around Huema and even Ariem is that once they were hunted for their fur, which is likened to silk. The act of barbarism has left a mark on them, so they never linger long outside the Gardens and near considered espers with how quickly they appear and disappear.

The Laust

So interwoven with the essence of nature, the Laust are considered by modern historians as nature's response to mankind's presence, learning and responding to the races. This is based on the theory that nature is a living sentient of itself, the Laust acting as ambassadors to the will of the world. However, with the recorded appearance of the Everlaust, the theory has lost ground.

The Laust live within the thickest depths of the forests, swamps, any habitation where flora is present. Their coexistence with nature is more symbiotic than being of the same origin,as the Laust feed off of the vegetation around them; this can be through oral consumption or through the pores of their "skin". Humanoid in appearance, their bodies are either comprised of what could be described as an exoskeleton. Though mimicking the plant life around them, their vine-like muscle structure, leaf and petal extremities can harden as a defensive reaction.

Their bodies are not static however and are able to change shape; when in the Gardens, the Laust meld into the environment around them as if they were part of the earth and trees. This is not only how they sleep, but heal themselves from physical wounds and illness. At one point in time they were called "fyries" and worshiped by some groups; this still occurs.
A relatively new development the Laust have taken on is they transition between a male and female form. The reason is unknown since they are asexual creatures reproducing through their ovacore. It may simply be a accommodation to better communicate with the sexes.

Just like plantae however, the Laust possess cryptochromes that detect magnetic fields; this serves them to avoid areas where there is a high concentration of abyss or magik. They can sense chemical reactions in plant life, alerting them to unseen danger or even contamination. Not just this, but can produce their own as an alternative to"network signaling" (sangwela to them) communication. Sangwela takes place when bonded with nature, their collected stimuli and memory somehow being transferred between them in sleep or idleness. This is not the same thing as a hive-mind, but does allow them to pass information to one another over vast distances. They possess an electrophysiology that extends beyond that of plantae, granting them immunity response to electricity-based magik.

Proof of not being a hive community, the Laust recognize individuality among them through their display of floral decor, which can identify their age depending on the pattern of colours and display. They have their own language, called "earth speech" by the other Nisrian community, but really is a communication of tones to reflect emotion and severity of what they seek to rely; sangwela is there preferred mode of relation between one another.

Interestingly, Laust are considered lazy, even among themselves. Because they have very little need to move beyond their habitations where all is provided, the only time they do is when Huema or other Nuhuema/Nisrian race's development pushes them out. Preferring to blend into their surroundings and ambush threats, some have taken to the arte of war they learn from the Moon Clan and Madalox. This is somewhat unnecessary considering they are able to manipulate plantae to protect and dismay threats.

The Everlaust or "Aruna" are a new or small group of Laust signified by their red and brownish bodies covered with thorns. Because they were first seen in the service of Pankaja, a mystical hermit that attempted to gain the powers of the Phantom Sorcerer Orion, it is believed they are Laust twisted by intense exposure to the abyss. Unlike the Laust, they can produce toxins within their body, acidic enough to melt steel or cause instant death to those it touches.
Feb Laust and Naira of Wendigo-Phinx defeated those that appeared, Feb Laust losing its life in the process.

Beyond them, the Laust do speak of more of their kind living in the sea, yet not even the Aqualyte can confirm this.

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*I'll write more later that are actually creatures of the world rather than races.

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

Wow, you've put a lot of work into your races. My only thought would be that it's too complex to absorb simply as a blurb like that. They really need to be fleshed out in a story format, but what you've got down would make good plot points for a novel.

Cheers, Greg.

 

[K.S. Crooks]

I created a species called the Melus Iridis. These beings have the power of musical illustration. What this means is when they play music anybody actually watching them perform will see a series of illusions floating through the air. The visions seen depend on the song and parts of the image can be changed by them playing the same song in different ways.

Another is called an Obsidian. It has two heads, each with four eyes, multiple rows of large sharp teeth and bone protrusions lining its noses and brows. Each head is attached by a short neck to a massive body. It has thick dark green scales, ridges along its back and a tail with a bone club at the end. It is related to dragons, though differs in that it lives primarily underground, it cannot fly, and instead of fire it spits out molten rocks.

 

[Manalodia]

Thank you very much, psychotick! Unfortunately, I don't have any story material introducing them as of yet, but eventually A lot of that is taken from a collection of notes, so it is a condensed bit of info.

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K.S. Cooks- I have a question about the Melus Iridis. If your world so happens to have magic, are there enchantments and spells that deal with illusions? The reason I ask this is per chance you run into keeping an attribute of this race unique. What I mean is how can you tell someone using a spell causing others to see imagery while a bard plays music from a Melus Iridis innate ability? In my story, the mother is singing to her daughter while creating images of pyreflies (little fairy-like creatures) dancing about as part of a lullaby.
Perhaps what makes it unique is the imagery induced is based on the individual, the Melus Iridis able to draw this out. Maybe the imagery is from the race themselves and how they chronicle their history, tales?

And rock spitters! Do they do what alligators do and eat stones? Rather than sit in their belly and grind rotting meat, they turn it into fiery projectiles; or even they eat molten rock?

 

[psychotick]

Hi KS,

That musical illustration power is way cool. It reminds me a little of the holophone player from Futurama.

Cheers, Greg.

 

[ArenRax]

eh, sorry, and your right I'm still working on the race.

 

[Manalodia]

eh, sorry, and your right I'm still working on the race.

I think you have a pretty good idea of what you want, it is just the details needing filled in. If it is more a concept your working with than one in your story, then just interweave how they interact, live and add to their world. You already know they are advanced above the other races.

 

[ArenRax]

correct they're like a precursor. Just like the Ur'then are sort of a Dwarvish precursor race. If might say if the names I use actually mean something in real life, please could someone inform me. I wouldnt want to accidently say something bad or rude in another language.

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

I wouldn't worry too much about other languages. A long time ago I knew a girl who always used to redden every time someone said they were going to a tut (tutorial). Turns out she was Danish and tut in Danish refers to a man's dick. She adapted.

Cheers, Greg.

 

[K.S. Crooks]

The Melus Iridis ability is something inherent to their species. They create the same illusion for everyone listening to them perform, but the illusion changes if they play the song differently. Same as having a different conductor for a symphony even though all the songs are the same. To humans it is a special power, but to them it is natural. They are minor characters in my novel, which I created because I wanted something interesting to happen in a village one o the main characters was passing through. However I liked them so much they appear again later in the story.
In my world magic exists, however it is not seen often. I'm generally not a fan of characters who can make or find a spell for any and all situations. I tend to have the special abilities of my characters be something within them and they have to learn to use it and make to grow.
The obsidian lives under ground and will eat stone to for the minerals and as a result of digging tunnels or holes. They are related to dragons. their fire is combined with the rocks to create the molten projectile.

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

It could still be a useful ability as well as an artistic endeavour. Consider that one of them could carry images of a battlefield and enemy positions / troop deployments and numbers to a general on the other side - much more than just a "they're over there?" Also they might make great eye witnesses in a court.

Cheers, Greg.

 

[Shreddies]

Hmm.. Well I have a few new plants and animals, but most of them aren't really fleshed out very well. Here's a few.

Great Northern Indolent Pines:
A family of trees that are so incredibly lazy that they don't even fall down when cut. They have to be pulled down instead. Their resin is used for a variety of things, such as sleep inducing incense and Lazy Amber.

In order to harvest the resin, which normally only flows just enough to cover the damaged area, you have to tell them exciting stories or play thrilling music (or spooky stories) 'to get their blood pumping'. (This is technically not true, but many farmers still do it anyway, believing it will increase production.)

Lazy Amber is used to slow down light and turn it into a gaseous liquid, which is then bottled and used for flashlights, night lights, miners' headlamps, various arcane things, and so on.
The thicker the amber, the slower the light.

Restless Pines:
A relative of Indolent Pines. They tend to move about at night if they haven't been moved recently, and are attracted to upbeat or rousing music but keep their distance from campfires. They are constantly shedding pine needles that enrich the soil beneath them, but the needles make the soil very acidic, so it is not suitable for all crops.

Pine Wranglers (or Pineherds) play music at night around a campfire to draw Restless Pines to them and, by doing so, move them from place to place to fertilize different areas. The fire keeps them far enough away that they don't crowd the wranglers out, and the music has to be upbeat enough to draw the pine's interest.

Copses of Restless Pines are left in place for a year, then moved so the crops can be planted in the newly enriched soil.

Unnamed Thing #12: Any suggestions for a name?
It is a creature that takes your breath away, literally. If you realize one is looking at you and you talk, it will steal your breath, suffocating you. And the closer the victim is to death, the more the creature looks like them. Once the victim dies the creature assumes his identity. Two ways to save the victim is either kill the creature quickly (which restores the victim's condition immediately, with a little struggling to breath again), or put enough distance between the creature and the victim (at which time the victim recovers slowly).

They're drawn to voices and unusual sounds, so if you place a radio (or something similar) nearby with people talking on it, the creatures will be fascinated by it (since it's a voice without breath/life). They do eventually lose interest, but by then you'd be long gone.

 

[skrite]

Unnamed Thing #12: Any suggestions for a name?
It is a creature that takes your breath away, literally. If you realize one is looking at you and you talk, it will steal your breath, suffocating you. And the closer the victim is to death, the more the creature looks like them. Once the victim dies the creature assumes his identity. Two ways to save the victim is either kill the creature quickly (which restores the victim's condition immediately, with a little struggling to breath again), or put enough distance between the creature and the victim (at which time the victim recovers slowly).

They're drawn to voices and unusual sounds, so if you place a radio (or something similar) nearby with people talking on it, the creatures will be fascinated by it (since it's a voice without breath/life). They do eventually lose interest, but by then you'd be long gone.

A name for this thing escapes me too, but it's a very intriguing creature you've come up with here. Cool.

 

[psychotick]

Hi,

Love the indolent pines though the description - too lazy to even fall down - sort of reminds me of Pratchett. As for the amber, I probably wouldn't call it lazy - more likely slow amber.

Your unamed critter I think might be a wraith of a sort.

Cheers, Greg.

 

[Shreddies]

Love the indolent pines though the description - too lazy to even fall down - sort of reminds me of Pratchett. As for the amber, I probably wouldn't call it lazy - more likely slow amber.

Thanks, I was kind of going for a Pratchettian feel to it.

If Lazy Amber doesn't roll off the tongue well enough I could try switching it to Idle Amber, or Dilatory, or Tardy, or . . . I'll have to think about it some more.

 

[Lunaairis]

Thanks, I was kind of going for a Pratchettian feel to it.

If Lazy Amber doesn't roll off the tongue well enough I could try switching it to Idle Amber, or Dilatory, or Tardy, or . . . I'll have to think about it some more.

Idle amber and tardy are great names!

 

[X Equestris]

Today I added a new animal/monster to my list of creatures, the strix. They're based upon the creature of the same name in Greco-Roman mythology, with some major differences.

The strix resemble gigantic owls, averaging something close to the height of a ten-year-old child. Their wingspan is quite substantial, though I haven't nailed down a specific size. Strix prey on a number of animals, but their favorite targets are humans. It's quite possible for one to pick up a small child and carry him or her off.

What sets the strix apart from large birds of prey, aside from their targeting humans, is that they have a limited innate ability to use magic, something few animals can do. Their shriek is a blood magic spell, which renders their target's mind unable to tell its body to run. This lets the strix tear their prey apart with relative ease. Only members of the Order of the Watchers, who are immune to blood magic suggestion, are able to effectively combat them. The strix are also able to cast a simple lightning spell, though they rarely use it unless their shriek fails.

Human blood is able to serve as a conduit for considerable magic energy, which can be used for sustenance. Many scholars believe this is why strix tend to target humans. In this way, they sort of resemble vampires, though the strix are purely animals, whereas my vampires are normal, non-mage humans possessed by a demon.