The first rule of Star Wars aliens is that every alien you see you on screen is the absolutely most representative member of their species. That spy alien is from a species that makes espionage their calling. That bounty hunter alien is from a species whose single planet-wide religion encourages the tracking of sentient beings. That dumb henchman alien is from an entire species of dumb hanchmen. That drug addict alien? Guess what, their entire species has a natural tendency to get addicted to drugs.
The vastness of the great oceans and Humor seas can be hard to comprehend. The sheer size and endless nature of them makes them feel like impossible forces. On top of that is their seemingly simple nature, just a whole bunch of fluid when you think about, which causes many minds to see the ocean as nothing more than an obstacle. A part of the environment that helps and hinders travel and trade. Folks rarely look deeper into it, either out of ignorance or fear. Perhaps it is a way to cope with its presence, to pretend there is nothing more, that it is just a big pond. Ships ride on it and fish are hauled out of it. It is easier to hold onto that illusion, because once you start diving down, both the knowledge and unknowns can be difficult to bear. What dwells beneath the waves? What sings from the dark depths? The seafolk have their superstitions and beliefs, but it is often to bury these uncomfortable concepts as they dwell upon the surface of this great void. For the Aquanauts of the Academy, they are ready to dive right into this abyss and learn the truth.
The Aquanauts of Veritas Mundus are the arm of the Academy that is focused upon the massive seas of the world. From the surface, to its deepest chasms, and everything in between. If it has anything to do with the ocean, they are interested. Some think their area of expertise is just about fish and things hiding in the abyss, but Aquanauts also look into weather patterns, tides, currents, the formation of Humor seas and much more. The ocean offers an endless amount of research material, allowing Aquanauts to study a wide variety of subjects. It may seem like an arm that only contributes to those who work upon the waves, but often their findings on the ways of the seas can offer insight to things upon the land. It may be hard to see, especially since Aquanauts spend very little time on solid ground.
There are jokes that the Aquanauts are the arm of the Academy that everyone forgets exist, even other Academy members. More like a forgotten relative that you check in on once or twice a year, maybe showing up for the occasional holiday. That is because the focus of their research can't be brought into a lab. They have to go to it. Aquanauts spend their lives on specially built research vessels or in coastal laboratories going through the finds of their latest voyage. They may sail off for months at a time, having very little contact with the rest of the Academy until they make it back to the dock. Stories speak of one research vessel that departed while things were good, only to return months later to suddenly find the world on fire and the Academy at war. Must have been quite the experience going into a dockside bar and obliviously asking the locals how things have been going. This disconnect isn't because they are uncaring of life on land, more because they are obsessed with the sea and the only way to learn more is to hop on a ship and get out there. Their ships are designed to support these long voyages and give them the facilities they need to collect, study and store anything they gather. Of course, they cannot be outfitted with all the goodies that Academy research halls have, only a simplified version. This is the point of the coastal facilities, where they can transfer their findings to better equipped labs for further processing and investigation. It is quite the far cry from the early days when Aquanauts had to sneak aboard whaling ships and fishing vessels, secretly collecting specimens as they hid amongst the crew.
The easiest way to identify an Aquanaut is to check if the ocean is anywhere nearby. Outside of that, their presence is given away by their uniform and equipment. While many arms of the Academy use basic bone in their constructions, the Aquanauts use abyssal bone and blue tinted fish bone in their designs. Obviously, when making equipment for the sea, it is best to use materials harvested from it. Byssus instead of silk, ambergris instead of corpse wax, all so that their gear can last in the wet and salty environment. Because of this, Aquanauts wear blues and grays in all of their uniforms, allowing one to identify them even if away from their beloved sea. The other giveaway is that smell, because living on the ocean, digging through its guts and wearing its chunks grants one a particular odor. Salty on a good day, rotten and fishy on a bad one. Aquanauts smell like a dock, resulting in the quip that there is a reason other Academy members aren't mad that this arm misses so many meetings.
It could be said that another reason the Aquanauts are not thought of a lot is because their progress in studies is slowed by significant hurdles. As it turns out, the ocean is a difficult subject and an even harder place to work. They can't just dig into the ground like an Antiquary and pull out specimens. The endless void and dark depths force the Aquanauts to spend a huge chunk of their time developing equipment for the research before they can do the actual research. Diving homunculi and swimming prosthetics have been great progress for their work, but there is still so much more to go. The intense environment of the abyss offers many challenges, and the Aquanauts work their fingers to the bone to reach just a little further into that darkness. Designs for diving bells, swimming constructs and submersibles are constantly drawn up, but the rigorous testing and tweaking means progress has been slow. There is no room for error in such an environment, thus many rejected ideas and failed experiments. But the dream one day is to finally be able to send an Aquanaut down into the abyss and truly see the world that hides within the dark. Man finally meeting the abyssal beings in their home, and witnessing the faith of the deep. A dream to the Aquanauts, a nightmare to the seafolk.
Due to their ties to the ocean and disconnect from the main authority, some would believe that Aquanauts and seafolk have common ground. For sure there is some respect between the two, and time has allowed past grudges and misconceptions to be cleared up, but these factions aren't exactly pals. They may work with the Aquanauts and benefit from their research, but contention still exists. Some seafolk believe having an Aquanaut onboard is bad luck, or they remain suspicious about the Academy's wants. Those of older tradition aren't fans of Aquanauts telling them what to do, scoffing at talk of "sustainable harvest" or "destructive practices." They have been living on the seas far longer than these stuffy researchers, they aren't about to change their ways. But one of the bigger points of friction come from the Aquanauts' desire to delve into the abyss and learn its mysteries while the seafolk would rather they leave it alone. The seafolk have a complicated relationship with the abyssal faith of the ocean, finding both comfort and fear in different aspects of it. There is reverence to the denizens of the deep and certain beliefs that align with them, but seafolk also have a healthy wariness on other parts. There are some things man shouldn't be sticking his nose into, yet the Aquanauts see no issue. This is all in the pursuit of knowledge and understanding, they do not have time to be bogged down by silly superstitions. They are above such impractical faith....or are they?
There is a subject in the field of the Aquanauts that is....touchy. It isn't brought up often, and the Aquanauts themselves are quick to change the conversation if it veers that way. Some say it is because they are scared, or embarrassed, or maybe it is a subject even they are uncomfortable confronting. Yet, the Mother of Snow cannot be ignored. The goddess of death that the abyssal beings pray to, the effigy that the seafolks carry with them. The Academy is well known for scoffing at faith, believing there are logical answers to everything. Gods are only beings or forces we do not yet understand, the pursuit of knowledge will dispel the veils of divinity. Yet, there is the Mother of Snow. Surely she is just another organism of this land, a being whose abilities can be properly explained with the right knowledge, but....what if they can't? For one, the abyssal beings revere her, and trying to dissect their faith is a quick way to make enemies. Not a good idea if one wishes to explore the depths. But another thing is that certain aspects of her cannot be denied. For faiths that worship invisible gods and unseen forces, it is easy to doubt when no evidence exists. But the Mother of Snow isn't just in effigies and prayer, sightings of her have been documented, and of course one cannot forget her mad husband. His rampages show clear their presence and power, so what then? Could there actually be divinity to them, a power that cannot fully be explained? What does science do with a faith whose god stands clearly before them? The answer is not clear, but the Aquanauts charge onward regardless. They will find their knowledge in the deep, and that is all that matters. Just ignore the trinkets and effigies that they carry with them or stash in their cabins. There is little room for faith within the Academy, but when upon the temperamental seas, one may feel inclined to take all the luck they can get.
X-Deds to let you know that I am not dead. Weird little critters that were once planned to be in KotWT, but now not so sure. So they just be weird little critters from a super old drawing I finally colored. Will be back to normal shortly.
It is well known that the vast seas are surrounded by superstition and mystery, just ask any fisherman or sailor to hear all about it. There are enough tales and beliefs about the ocean and its strange ways that they could easily fill such a fluid body. They cover just about everything, the weather, the beasts of the sea, the mysteries of the deep and more. The seafolk almost make a religion out of it, with all the rites, ceremony and reverent fear. For the Aquanauts of the Academy, though, they see no need for superstition. After all, it is their mission to dispel the shroud of the unknown and find answers in the abyssal depths. There is no place for supernatural fears, for they wield knowledge and curiosity as they sail forth. However, even the Aquanauts acknowledge the dangers of the ocean and its denizens, they need no ghost stories to know that. The seas can be volatile, and there is no telling what may appear during a long expedition. Though they set out on voyages of learning and exploration, they know very well to have protection alongside them.
The Aquanaut arm of the Academy has more than just researchers, for they see the need for warriors as well. Sometimes ships and scholars need defending from the very things they are studying, and sometimes unsavory folk of the sea may start eyeing up their fancy equipment. Regardless of the reason, this arm turns to the Aquaknights for protection. Of course, the Academy doesn't hire folk of just pure brawn, they seek those who have experience with both book and blade. Aquaknights have an interest in the ocean, but also have a taste for danger and adventure. The willingness to dive headfirst into the depths and take on any of the beings that dwell in its dark heart. However, there comes the fact that their field of both study and battle are on and in the open ocean. Not the typical place for a soldier, nor an easy arena to fight in. How does one serve as guardian when the danger may be on another ship, or beneath yours? The studies of the Aquanauts and the mastery of the bileforgers answered that question.
Of all the fighters of the Academy, the Aquaknights may be the most visually striking. It isn't every day you see a human warrior with the tail of a fish. Since the danger and their subjects of study are typically in fluid, it only makes sense that they equipped to work in such an environment. Obviously, dumping an armed and armored person straight into the ocean will result only in a drowned soldier. Even if they weren't dragged to the bottom, man is not that great of a swimmer in these depths. It took the creation of a prosthetic in the shape of a fish's tail for the potential of the Aquaknights to be seen. The ability to swim like a fish was necessary for exploration and combat, and this prosthetic could grant the wearer that. Dubbed the "Swimmer Tail," this creation would be built from gray "abyssal bone" and blue-tinted "fishbone." These materials are iconic to the Aquanaut arm, as it only made sense for their creations to use what was harvested from the deep. Contrary to popular belief, though, Aquaknights don't need to cut off their legs to use the Swimmer Tail. The prosthetic is hollow on the inside, and is specifically designed to fit the legs and use the muscles to augment its movements. This theory mainly came from people watching Aquaknights in action, for the trained members of this team certainly move more like fish than man.
Becoming an Aquaknight is no easy task, not just any warrior can take up that mantle. It doesn't matter how good you are with a blade, or how many victories you've racked up, because it all becomes moot when you are in the sea. The rules of battle are all different, and even moving in an underwater environment is a challenge. It is even said that the most experienced veteran warriors have the hardest time becoming an Aquaknight, as you have to unlearn so much. Those with some skill, adaptive minds and room to learn are the ones who have a better chance. The first challenge to it all is the Swimmer Tail, as it is your new legs in this underwater world. A Black Bile spine clamp lets your body and mind connect to the prosthetic, but it still takes lots of training to truly let it become a part of you. Academy members with a mean sense of humor love going to see the first training days for new Aquaknights, as they get a good laugh from those floundering about with their tails.
It takes plenty of practice, but the Swimmer Tail can eventually be mastered. They learn how to work with it and use it to maneuver underwater. But once that hurdle is over, the next is learning how to work and fight down below. Retired Aquaknights typically head these lessons, using their own experience to show them the ropes while also serving as sparring partners. These classes can be a bit much to people, as underwater combat adds a whole new dimension to the field of battle. There are many flustered souls when first undergoing this training, having a hard time keeping track of targets while minding their own place in the water column. And between these classes are trips to the ocean itself, because the Aquanauts learned very quickly that potential Aquaknights need to experience the deep before they go any further. Stories tell of warriors who excelled in the classes and were poised to be some of the best Aquaknights that up and quit the first time they were dumped into the open sea. The deep is a daunting place, very different from the training pools at the Academy. These trips to the ocean are mainly tests of the mind and mettle, to see if candidates can withstand staring into the abyss. This rigorous path to becoming an Aquaknight is a long and tough one, many drop out or are cut, but those who make it to the end join the ranks of some of the most skilled fighters around.
The duty of an Aquaknight is to defend the Aquanauts and the Academy, while also furthering the efforts of undersea exploration. The most common duty is to watch the fluids around research vessels and guard the dives of researchers and homunculi. Dangerous beasts are driven away or collected if they are seen as interesting specimens. Aquaknights use weapons made from deep sea parts, often like the tools the abyssal beings wield. Stuff forged from fishbone holds that iconic blue tint, which means it has traces of Blue Blood within. This gives their weapon an electric bite, while stronger variants can sap vitality just like the Humor can. Aquaknights typically use piercing weapons or specially designed blades, which are then augmented by other equipment like nets, explosives and injectors. Aquaknights use speed and agility to fight, taking advantage of the fluid environment to move freely about. Since they battle large targets, they are adept at dodging attacks and seeking out weak points, taking down foes with a hundred precise stabs. But not all foes are in the sea, as the Aquanauts can be the target of pirates or Church ships. The Aquaknights rush forth to take down these attacking vessels, typically breaching their hulls or jumping out of the water to toss an explosive onto the deck. In rare cases, they may even land themselves on the ship itself, ejecting their Swimmer Tail to take the fight to dry land. Aquaknights are incredibly skilled and fierce when it comes to battle, as one must remember these are the folk who take on leviathans in their own territory.
But not everything about the Aquaknight is about fighting, as a part of their job is to aid in Aquanaut research. With their Swimmer Tails, Aquaknights are able to travel through the sea and dive down into its depths. This is a boon to researchers, as they are often trapped onboard their ship, and have a harder time getting up and close with their subjects. Aquaknights are also smarter and faster than diving homunculi, which means they can complete tougher tasks. They are good at catching specimens, setting up underwater equipment and scouting deep features. They typically escort homunculi who do simpler tasks while the knight works and watches. Any sign of danger, they can fight off the attacker and call for a retreat, saving the divers and their precious cargo. There is much an Aquaknight can do, but there are limitations.
Despite what outsiders might think, Aquaknights cannot breathe in fluid. They do not have fish gills, they cannot remain under indefinitely. They get their air supply from two inflatable sacs on their chest, which are filled whenever they surface. When they dive, they pull their oxygen from these, slowly depleting the supply. Recent advancements have led to gill-like structures on these air bladders, which are able to pull some oxygen from the surrounding fluid. However, they are still crude and can only take in so much, not enough to make it unlimited. However, it helps make the air last longer, allowing them to dive for longer periods. It also helps in tight spots, where they can get a few more breaths as they book it to the surface, just enough so they don't perish in the deep. This limitation means that Aquaknights must monitor their supply and keep close to the surface. They cannot dive into the abyss just yet, especially since their armor is not suited for the pressure. Changes in pressure is another limitation of the Aquaknight armor, as they cannot just go up and down without a care in the world. This is another important thing to keep track of, as rapid ascension of panicking rookies has certainly led to some fatalities.
On the subject of air supply on Aquaknights, their location unfortunately has to be brought up. Outsiders who see the setup of these warriors are always quick to point it out, especially since the bladders inflate when they surface. The Aquanauts will argue until they're blue in the face that this location is the only practical one. You can't put them below the waist, as that part has to move. Sticking them on the head would make buoyancy weird, and equipment is often locked onto the back. So the chest, to them, is the best spot. But of course this gives the Aquaknights quite the bosom, an observation people cannot stop pointing out. The Aquaknights themselves have long accepted this, but the Aquanauts still get a bit flustered when called out on it. They swear it is the most logical spot for the air bladders. It is! The unfortunate, and embarrassing, fact that they don't want to say is that it never crossed their mind. So caught up in their research and building, that it never registered to them until it was too late.
Though it is a tough environment with its own unique problems, Aquaknights love the ocean and their jobs. The thrill of swimming free in the depths is a favorite, and they start getting quite familiar with the beings of the deep. Some whispers say they may be getting too familiar, as there are rumors of long time Aquaknights going for an unannounced dive and then never coming back. There are those who believe that some may grow so close to the abyssal beings down below that they seek to join them, despite the fact that their armor and air needs cannot handle it. Obviously they perish in this mad dive....or do they? More superstitions, more horror stories. The Academy is above such things, but if you hang with the Aquanauts and Aquaknights long enough, you will see they have made their own beliefs out there on the sea. One supported by facts and research of course! Just ignore those figures of the dear Mother they have stashed about, and their whispers upon the dark sea.
In current times, the Aquaknights have new duties atop their current ones. The big one is aiding in naval battles against the Church and other rival factions, or attacking enemy ports. Having skilled swimmers like them mean they can wreck havoc at docks and shipyards, often sabotaging ships or destroying supplies. They may also be used as spies, watching enemy movements from the deep and then rushing the info to waiting Aquanauts. Outside of the war, though, there is another upcoming avenue. With Pwdre Ser being sighted in certain regions, and the creation of rare "starfields" calling for study, the Astrologers are in need of their own warriors. The strange ways of the starfields creates environments with varying gravity, making exploration and battle difficult. But for an Aquaknight, such a place may feel more familiar to them. Is it any surprise that the first Astroknights came from their ranks?
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Oh, this is in the wrong order, but eh, gotta post somethin'
Salamanders are a group of creatures with much interest around them, and it isn't hard to see why. They are aligned to specific Humors, which isn't uncommon amongst wildlife, but their ties are incredibly potent. Their amphibian nature means they need moisture to survive, causing them to live in and around fluid bodies. With wet skin and absorbent flesh, this results in them being soaked with Humor. They become an excellent source of said Humor, and typically their bodies produce specific strains. However, this isn't the only thing they are known for. Salamanders are also admired for their regenerative capabilities, able to quickly seal wounds and even regrow entire limbs! Such healing is typically tied to Phlegm or even Ichor, yet every salamander species possesses such ability, regardless of their alignment. This is a tempting idea to many, for it is accelerated healing without any specific Humor required. Is it any surprise that salamanders are harvested for their meat and materials? Some believe consuming their flesh or using their parts in beauty products may impart this regeneration. Other parties, like the Academy, however scoff at these methods. They believe in the healing factor of the salamanders, but see these practices as crude and simple. Time to show the idiotic nobility how it is really done...
Experiments with salamander flesh have been undertaken by the Academy of Veritas Mundus, all in the hopes of unlocking their secret of regeneration. If a human could have such healing without the need of Phlegm, the power to regrow entire limbs! Or perhaps giving that ability to their soldier homunculi, so that they could last longer in the fight! The possibilities were simply too tempting to ignore, thus the Academy experimented. Such efforts, sadly, bore little fruit, or at least practical ones. Salamander skin grafts could make for faster healing skin, but it was costly and also the healing didn't go that deep. Serums and splicing was the next shot, and it seemed to show some promise. Filling a subject full of salamander essence, embedding it within their very being. It took countless recipes to find one that actually worked, but at last one had success. The test subjects were able to heal quickly from wounds, and the loss of a limb would trigger the slow growth of a new one! The Academy was certain they were on the right track when they saw the first signs of a regenerated limb. When its gooey sheath sloughed off, however, their hope quickly turned to disgust.
The regrown limbs of the test subjects were wrong, more fitting for a beast than a human. Altered bone and nails turned to claws, hair growing where it shouldn't. The animal appendages were cut off, with hopes that something better regrew, but they only returned unchanged. Further inspection of the subjects would also reveal that the healed areas where injuries had occurred had also been altered. Patches of skin and flesh were different from the human tissue around them, and they were spreading. The researchers realized the flaw in their experiment: though the healing factor was within a human, it was still tuned for an animal. The regeneration was trying to "fix" the subject, reshaping them into a form only it knew. The test subjects were kept under surveillance, to see what the end result was. Some were further injured to accelerate the transformation, while others were given treatment and other healing fluids to try and negate it. No matter what they tried though, every subject would eventually devolve into a bizarre bestial state. Some wretched hybrid of man and salamander.
The beings at the end of the transformation were dubbed the "Salamandra." A creature influenced by the body of a salamander, yet highly altered by the original mammalian flesh. They were hardly amphibians, possessing hair and dry hide more fitting for man. They turned quadrupedal, their fingers and toes becoming claws, while a long hooked tail would form. Human heads malformed into something primitive, their minds deteriorating in the process. They were terrible hissing things, and a dead end for their research. This transformation would deem the experiment a failure, yet the Salamandra would not be put down. Any abomination is always an interesting subject, so the Academy looked to salvage something from this dud. Dissection showed that the Salamandra had hybridized anatomy inside and out, all of it working in harmony. Though they looked like twisted humans, there was nothing actually malformed about them. They could live and function just fine, even more so with their regenerative abilities. The Salamandra still had the quick healing, which was seen during vivisection. Though they were not the end result the Academy wanted, they figured these beasts had some use.
Salamandra would join the experimental menagerie of the Academy, another strange beast of their creation. They serve as guards, fighters and the occasional entrant in the battle pits. Their razor sharp claws and bladed tail let them easily climb and rip through foes, while a mouth full of needle teeth eagerly seeks flesh. Sharp spines rip out of their back, injecting a Phlegm-based venom that causes agonizing pain. Though the mind of the human has been lost, it seems the Salamandra still possess some cunning and intellect. They are easily trained and can be coordinated to pull off actions that are beyond simple beasts. Deceptions, ambushes and baiting attacks, the Salamandra make encounters a bit more difficult to handle. Even if foes succeed in cutting them down, they don't stay out of the fight for long. Salamandras have incredible regeneration, sealing wounds within the minute and surviving injuries that would normally be fatal. Loss of limb is no worry, as a few days rest results in a brand new one. With this, they can serve as an unrelenting force when in a pack, constantly harassing and tearing at targets. Unless the attacker thoroughly demolishes or eviscerates the creature, it will be back at their throat in just a minute. If one wants a Salamandra dead, they need to beat it til it is a stain or fry it until only ash remains. Half measures are just asking for a surprise attack the moment you turn your back.
Outside of the Academy, Salamandra are seen with disgust, as folks are well aware of their origins. Humans turned into beasts is a horrific concept, though some in the Academy find it laughable since they have totally done things worse than that. What makes it more disturbing to people is the fact that there are absolutely more Salamandra than there were in the initial experiments. This begs the question on how the Academy made more. Did they subject more people to this doomed procedure, knowing they would become these animals? Some claim that the regeneration of the Salamandra is so good that being split in half results in two more in the world. Others have a worse theory, all based on the fact that these are healthy, functional creatures. Is it possible that the Salamandra are capable of reproduction? Has the Academy actually created a new species from their twisted experiments? There hasn't been any say, but some members of the Academy still threaten some folk with the Salamandra process, swearing they will turn them into one of these savage creatures if they step out of line one more time.
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Okay, okay, the last salamander(?) for now! But I saw the weird medieval drawing and just had to do it!
The Scorchskin is not the only salamander whose presence is noted by temperature changes. There is another, although its fluid goes the other way on the heat scale. The Chillgill is a salamander species that is known for its freezing aura and cold flesh, a trait given to it by its alignment with Tears. The icy fluid runs throughout its body, which is packed tightly with fleshy tubes. It is from these that its cold is created, radiating from its body to chill the air and fluids around it. Like many salamanders, its lifestyle is quite simple, living at the bottom of fluid bodies to either rest or hunt. The aura it creates serves as both defense and offense, slowing prey and predators alike. This gives the salamander time to either leisurely swallow food or flee from an attacker. If the threat is extreme, it will vent more Tears from its tube openings, causing the temperature to drop dramatically. Ice will quickly consume the area around it, either serving as a shield or trapping the predator in the same frozen cocoon. Obviously, the Chillgill can survive this deep freeze. Other creatures? Not so much.
Few carnivores do attack the Chillgill though, as even getting past its cold shield does not guarantee victory. Its flesh is incredibly cold, making it difficult to keep a hold on it for long. Those with claws and teeth have an ever bigger worry, as the tubes throughout its body are pressurized. Puncturing a single one will cause a spray of Tears from the wound, rapidly inflicting frostbite if it hits skin or other vulnerable parts. Any damage is met with a freezing splash of Tears, far too much of a risk for most predators. This defense also helps quickly seal wounds, as it creates an icy seal shortly after the leak is sprung. It is an impressive set of defenses, and an incredible amount of cold. So potent is its aura, the Chillgill can actually be found often in Yellow Bile pools and lakes. It can easily survive in the burning fluid, and can even snuff out yellowflame around it. Thus, it gains even more protection in these environments, as not many are prepared to dive into the boiling depths. Those that can are suited mostly for the burning bile, thus they are ill-equipped for dealing with an icy target. Is it any wonder that rich folks in hot climates keep them as pets in their homes?
The collecting of Chillgills calls for equipment that is designed for cold. Obviously, approaching this barehanded is idiotic, but even simple gloves aren't enough. Nets are turned brittle, fishing lines crystalize and snap. Heavy insulated gloves and containers are needed, but they can be cumbersome when trying to fish one out of the depths. The best method concocted to catch them is to locate their den and use a long pole to agitate them. Keep poking and prodding until they form the icy cocoon for defense, then retrieve the entire block. Funnily enough, when it is frozen solid in this sphere is when it is the easiest to handle. But what other purposes do people have for the Chillgill outside of living air conditioning?
Of course they want the Tears that run through its body, an excellent source for the chilling liquid. It can be used to preserve food, cool hot areas and quench weapons in a forge. However, the real good stuff comes from the tubing that runs through its body. It can function much like clearvein, but this is designed for extreme temperatures. It can carry Tears within it without freezing and breaking, allowing skilled craftsman to create a circulatory system of cold. The Academy has already taken full advantage of this with their Alchemists, who use this chilling tubing to cool down ingredients during their experiment process. It is also run through armor and equipment, both for super hot working conditions and for fighting against a feverish threat. The sweltering heat of the Arimakki makes raiding their nests difficult, but armor augmented with this tubing allows warriors to survive in its suffocating depths. Whats more is that this system can be used with other Humors. The salamander's alignment with Tears causes the flesh to retain a bit of that coolness, which can be imparted into the liquids running through it. The Humors don't freeze, but they do come out colder than room temperature when run through these veins. This is useful for medicine or alchemy, but of course common folk would be more familiar with its ability to serve cool drinks on a hot day. In warmer locales, the good taverns and the fancy parties love using Chillgill tubing to run their drinks through, creating refreshingly cold cocktails. It is a use that brings a different kind of "chill" to this creature and its blessings.
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And lets just toss one last fluid based salamander in there! A Tears one, why not?
It is almost a philosophy in this world, on not judging things purely by appearance. While this is often applied to social things like personality or morals, the Humors and other such fluids elevate this idea to a new level. The fluids within our bodies can do incredible things, much of it masked by our veneer of flesh. Even beyond that is stuff like the Four Constitutions and body modification through the Academy and other means. For sure, there are those who do not hide their abilities, openly boasting it for the world to see. But others choose a humbler lifestyle, or a more cunning one. There are times when showing your hand lets your opponents know they don't stand a chance, but hiding this power can also mean they bet more before they realize they are doomed. For some, it is a choice of deception, but others may simply be unaware of the beast within. When disaster or danger comes to their doors, some folk you assumed were meager and plain may suddenly turn into an incredible force you never imagined. Sometimes for good, sometimes for evil. The Scarrender is a salamander that strongly expresses this idea of never assuming by looks, and woe to those who do not learn this lesson before they encounter one.
For those who do not know the duality of this amphibian, the name "Scarrender" may seem a bit extreme for what they see resting at the bottom of a tank or fluid body. A big flabby salamander that looks like it was sculpted from pure fat, lounging about without a care in the world. These pale wrinkly things are quite large, growing to a length of fifteen feet, but they seem relatively harmless. As long as you aren't a fish, of course. Scarrenders live at the bottom of fluid bodies, rivers and swamps, anywhere they can remain submerged and hidden. They move very little, preferring to find a nice sheltered spot to sit and wait. Food coming to them is preferred, or at least it getting close enough to swallow. Scarrenders rely on sensitive nodes on their snout to detect prey, for their eyes have been covered by skin. When something tasty gets near their spot, they open their gaping mouths to create suction that causes water, and food, to rush into their maw. Then they simply snap their jaws shut and swallow their meal. Outside of eating and sleeping, there is little else. They are just content in living these simple lives in their aquatic homes. But, obviously, that cannot last forever...
Eventually, trouble arises around them and the Scarrender must contend with a terrible threat. It may be a predator or human hunter looking for easy prey, or maybe their home is in danger. Fluid bodies see plenty of people and animals pulling from its bounty of Humor, and over harvesting may start to drain away at it. Scarrenders do not like trouble, and they utterly despise being dry. If some attacker starts prodding at them, they will try to bat them with a thrashing of their head or tail, or use their suction mouth to let loose a bubble burst to blow foes away. These efforts, however, are quite slow and hardly dangerous. More akin to a sleeping fellow lazily swatting at the person trying to rouse them. Foolish predators may see this as a sign of weakness and dive in for the assault. What they don't realize, however, is that these weren't "attacks," they were warnings.
When a Scarrender is truly threatened, either by hunter or being hauled out onto dry land, something incredible and violent happens. A terrifying transformation is about to occur, and what was hiding inside will soon come clawing out. Folks do not see the giant flabby salamander as a threat, but that is because its pale flesh is hiding the fact that it is tied to Blood. The crimson Humor flows within them, and it is in these times of need that it truly awakens. When that happens, the body of the creature begins to quiver, and strange movements can be seen beneath its skin. Blood is pumping rapidly and its energeiai is activating the defenses inside. The loose flesh quickly compresses itself, growing incredibly taught over its muscles and bones. Hidden beneath that layer is a skeleton bearing folded spines and claws, weaponry that is buried in its dormant state. But now they flip open, ripping through the tightened flesh to give the beast bloody razors. Its back tears open to reveal a bladed crest, its fingers burst to unveil sharp talons. Its tail fin pulls back skin sheathes to show cruel barbs, and its own belly rips apart into even more daggers. Its neck slit flares open to spit out vein-like external gills, and sensory tendrils emerge from its nostrils. As it writhes and transforms, it claws its own body, creating weeping bloody wounds. Its mouth opens too wide, ripping its own cheeks open as its gums compress to reveal wicked fangs. Within moments, the lazy slug of an amphibian has transformed into a mutilated monstrosity, one overcharged with Blood and anger. Now is when the pain starts.
"Awakened" Scarrenders are horrific creatures to face, as they are in a constant frenzied state. The charged Blood pumping through them and the pain from their torn bodies makes them highly aggressive and incredibly fast. No longer slithering and crawling, they bound upon their bloodied limbs, rushing at any and all threats around them. Scarrenders launch themselves at targets and savage them with tooth, claw and spine. They rip and tear until there is nothing left, then they find the next thing that pisses them off. All bits of these creatures are razor sharp, easily opening skin and leaving terrible wounds. On top of that is their own Blood, which taints their weaponry. Those struck with it are inflicted with agonizing jolts of energeiai, leading to muscle spasms and hindered movement. This makes it harder to fight back as it is violently ripping you apart, the creature letting out awful sounds like that of a crying baby. Awakened Scarrenders kill and devour those that threaten them, but if they are stuck on dry land, the rampage doesn't stop there.
Scarrenders desire the comfort of their fluid home, so when they are deprived of it, they lash out in this form. The Awakened forms will not calm down until they return to the depths, and that means they won't stop attacking until then. This is fine if they are near their original fluid body, as it means a quick return. But if their home has been completely drained or destroyed, they need to find a new one. Which results in this terrible salamander tearing across the land in this frenzied state, ripping through everything until it finds a new dwelling. Once a Scarrender dives back into the fluid, they snuggle back into a comforting shelter and begin to relax. The Blood starts to calm and the bones fold back up into their peaceful state. The skin goes loose again, and the flesh quickly mends the many wounds that were inflicted. Within a day or two, the mutilated monster returns to a placid giant, with no signs of the violence upon it. All that remains to remember its attack are the scars it inflicted on others, or the mangled chewed corpses it left behind.
Due to this bloody frenzy they undergo when agitated, Scarrenders are respected and feared creatures. Many have learned well to leave them be, not wanting to risk their ire. Settlements close to where these amphibians live will often set up warning signs to alert others of their presence. Since they prefer to sit within the same aquatic shelter for most of their lives, it is easy to mark these spots and advise others to give a wide berth. But, of course, it would be too easy if everyone just left them alone. Scarrenders are powerful and violent creatures, but they do have a draw to them. Their Blood is a potent one, and its energeiai has a natural affiliation with bone. Those who use it with prosthetics and bone-biles have noted that Scarrender Blood works better at charging these creations and it also gives them that same sting. Those who take it straight gain a powerful boost of energeiai on top of a heightened resistance to pain. Fighters can receive many wounds in their violent brawls, yet appear unfeeling to these grievous injuries. The flabby flesh of the Scarrender can be eaten as food, though it isn't often consumed. However, there are other fatty looking salamander species out there that are favored as dishes, which results in some hunters getting confused. Ignorant collectors may try to harpoon what they think is a harmless pale salamander, and get shredded for their mistake.
The infamy of the Scarrender has led to them being used as symbols and kept as "pets" by more unsavory folks. Their bloody frenzies excite, leading to them being thrown into fighting pits or kept as guard beasts. However, they aren't really trainable, so it typically means dumping them out of their fluid tanks in front of people you don't like and having them transform. It has almost become a joke in home security when wealthy lords keep large tanks with a Scarrender inside, often with a nearby hammer "in case of emergencies." Just bust the glass before you dive into your safe room, and let the rampaging amphibian deal with the intruders. Some gangs, syndicates and even lords have taken the imagery of the Scarrender, valuing its vengeful nature and hidden violence. Needless to say, if you ever come across someone proudly wearing such a crest, avoid them just as much as you would avoid that very same salamander.
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Taking the "stab you with my bones" defense of amphibians to new heights! Oh hey, its that salamander I have been trying to draw for like a year now and also the entire reason I am doing all these salamanders! Look at that!
There's always room for more dinosaur marsupial things named after historical figures. This pocket monster is more active at night, though you might see an early riser out n' about during the twilit hours. Notorious for their serial jaywalking, any driver bumping into these monsters risks wrecking the front of their vehicle, while Oppoleon and its offspring walk away unscathed.
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