#stone chimney

[scoutingthetrooper]

[thomastimm70]

New years morning

Acrylic and fell tip pen on paper

65 x 50 cm

[the-way-we-were]

Morning run…

Photography by the-way-we-were (2026):

Close encounter…

[theobrobine]

Image shows a little, exquisite freestanding desk in an office with a brown floor and brown walls, a corner fireplace, and a stone fireplace.

Maine Horse Sitter

[zengardenphotos]

Meet the photographer

Lake Tahoe, CA

[jonkwasnyczka]

Abandoned Soviet Panzer Base, Bernau bei Berlin

[continent-of-wild-endeavor]

#aesthetic dog pics at a local historic site

[evolutionsvoid]

There have been strange stories that I have heard from time to time during my travels, and one of the bizarre ones is the mention of "living rocks." People speak of stones and boulders that move on their own, without the hand of man or beast. Entire landscapes will change overnight, and rock formations will seemingly disappear without a trace. Some say it is the act of ghosts and spirits, those who died on mountains or in canyons. Others suggest a godly force, though this omnipotent being's motive is quite unknown. Regardless of what they believe, they shall speak wonders about these supposedly "living rocks" and will puzzle over them as if they were a great mystery. Whenever I hear this, I immediately bring up the fact that there are at least a dozen species of animals that look like rocks, and another dozen or so that wear rocks like armor. That is not even mentioning golems, who are quite literally piles of stone that can walk on their own. For changing landscapes and vanishing boulders, I would direct my suspicions towards trolls. A hungry troll in search of tasty minerals can easily knock things around or just pick up a slab of rock and wander off into the night. It's just one of these bizarre moments where it seems like nobody even thinks about things for more than a second, or bother to even learn about the world around them. When it comes to mountains and canyons, there are numerous species that look to disguise themselves with the scenery, and that often means looking like a rock. It would make much more sense that a Hammerbird was nesting somewhere during the first viewing and then ran off in search of food before the second! Why must we immediately jump to the mystical and magical? It frustrates me, but that is not what I am going to be ranting about in this entry. Instead, this tantrum of mine is supposed to lead to one of the major culprits of these tales: Stone Chimneys. Funny enough, these creatures are probably going to be the closest anyone gets to a "living rock" (save for golems, but those are artificially made), as their bodies are made of collected stone chunks and are capable of slithering across the landscape. How is this possible? Why, it is because of the Slime that dwells within the core of this structure! Like any "subspecies" that involves Slimes, Stone Chimneys are not actually a unique species. Rather they are just Slimes that have taken on a certain lifestyle. If you were to peel off all the stone pieces, you would just get a plain old Slime. These variations arise mainly in rocky areas, like mountains, canyons and cliffs. They can be found in hot and cold environments, though they tend to avoid places that experience freezing temperatures at a frequent rate. The creation of a Stone Chimney begins with a Slime collecting pieces of rock in their pseudobody and using it to build a makeshift shell. Their gooey parts will help stick the chunks together and hold them in place, eventually creating a solid piece of armor. As they collect and build, their pseudobodies will be buried beneath the stony exterior. The only place you will notice their slime is near the bottom, as they create a "foot" that they use to slither and crawl on. Near this base is where tendrils can emerge, working as simple arms to grab new rock pieces or fleeing prey. The term "Stone Chimney" comes from the shape these variations often take. For whatever reason, they seem to always go for a tower-like formation, building upward into a single stony column. Other shapes have been seen, but they are quite rare. Perhaps they do this to look big and intimidating? Or maybe tower height is important when it comes to mate selection? No one is sure at the moment. I did try asking a few of them, but many don't bother with chit-chat and simple talk. The best answer I got from a non-Stone Chimney Slime was "well, it looks pretty cool." While I do agree with them, I find that answer a bit lacking. After a Stone Chimney has built up their armored tower, they shall slither across the land in the ceaseless pursuit of food. "Pursuit" may be the wrong word, as Stone Chimney's move quite slow. They are kind of like giant, rocky snails, as they seem to always be crawling at a constant, but sluggish, pace. This slow speed does not hinder them in any way, though, as Stone Chimney's often feed on immobile food sources. The main staples of their diet are lichens and moss, common things that grow on the boulders and rock that litter the landscape. As they slither along, they shall steer themselves so that their paths go over large patches of these growths. When their foot comes in contact with these foodstuffs, their slime will rip them up and scour the surface clean. They are then drawn up into the tower where they are ground up and digested. The nutrients are transferred to the heart and the Slime enjoys a nice meal! During their travels, Stone Chimneys will happily accept other sources of food, like carrion or live prey. While the mention of carnivory may cause one to worry about the safety of their own skin, you need not fret. Stone Chimneys mainly eat small critters that hide in burrows or under rocks. When they crawl over a hole in the ground, a bit of slime from the pseudobody will slither down to investigate. If there is a meaty morsel hiding within, it shall nab it and pull it up to the surface. If a marmot or skink tries to flee an approaching Stone Chimney, it shall launch out its tendrils in hopes of grabbing them in a sticky mitt. They do not seek large prey during their hunts, as they prefer the kind that are already dead. That, however, does not mean they won't eat something that died when they tried to defend themselves. 

Though slow and lazy looking, Stone Chimneys should be treated with care. Like any animal, they do not like to feel threatened and they are quite wary about predators. Their layers of rock are already a sign of their caution, as they hide their vulnerable hearts deep within this armor. When a threat is detected, the Slime will retract its foot and seal itself within the tower structure. Every crevice will be locked shut so no predators or parasites may reach their slimy parts. If the attacker is large, the Stone Chimney may chose to fight back. If one gives their chimney a close look, you may notice various openings that dot its exterior. These mouth-like holes can be opened and sealed at will, and many believe they are used as sensory organs. When under attack, though, these openings can be used as a defense. By building pressure up within their pseudobody, Stone Chimneys can launch chunks of rock from these holes with devastating force. These goo wrapped missiles can hit like they were fired from a slingshot and can easily break bone. If fired at one's head, it can knock you out cold or give you one heck of a headache! This method of defense is often aimed towards larger attackers, and is commonly used against trolls. These giant geophages tend to be curious when they notice their food moving, so they come in for a closer look. Not wanting their armor to be ripped off and eaten, the Stone Chimney will spit at them to drive them away. Though dangerous to us folk, such attacks are mere annoyances to the burly trolls. In fact, trolls are often spooked by this display and will scamper off with little more than a faint bruise. What also helps with scaring off trolls is the gooey remains that are left behind after the spitting. When the troll regains its composure, it may grow curious about the rock the...rock spat at them. Their first thought will be to taste it and it will give them a mouthful of bitter slime. The foul taste will further deter the troll from trying to eat the Stone Chimney, as it will find it to be quite gross. Due to their slow lifestyle and simple diet, Stone Chimneys are often seen as part of the landscape rather than a separate creature. People note them like you would a thorny bush or poisonous flower: an interesting sight, but one you should keep a safe distance from. That, however, has not stopped people from trying to make use of them! Apparently, there are tales of certain folk who tried to use Stone Chimney's as treasure chests. A thickly armored creature that spat rocks at foes and didn't understand the concept of money, the perfect guard (that's what they were thinking, not me. I am quite aware how dumb this idea is)! So these people would take their sacks of gold, cover it in moss pieces and plant them in the path of a crawling chimney. The treasure would be sucked up and stored inside, as the Slime would first try to eat it and then would keep it as a neat trinket. The person would then mark the chimney in some way so they could tell which one had their gold. At first this seemed like a great idea, as the Stone Chimney attacked those who tried to steal the treasure and kept it safe beneath its rocky armor. Unfortunately, as time went on, people began to realize the problem with this method. The main one was retrieving said treasure, as the Stone Chimney didn't care about who rightfully owned the gold. Any who approached got a rock to the face. In other cases, the Stone Chimney would shed or replace the piece that held the identifying mark, causing the owner to lose track of which Slime had their treasure. Lastly, and a bit more amusing, was the random chance that the Slime would use the sack of gold as a projectile when it came to self-defense. Thieves, owners or even the occasional troll could possibly get the horde of treasure spat at their face at lightening speeds! Talk about a speedy return! You better hope your money isn't launched at a troll, as then you have to try to get that sticky gob off the hide of a frightened giant! That would be a hoot to see! Outside of that poor idea, Stone Chimney's have also been the star of some interesting stories. One was the tale of a great ruler who wished to have a "walking castle." He wanted a fortress that could march across his kingdom, allowing him to survey his land and befuddle attackers. He turned to the Stone Chimneys to achieve this dream, as they were already living towers. Legends say he gather hundreds of them together and built special shells for them to wear. When combined, they would make a castle that could move on its own, or that was at least the theory. Turns out that Stone Chimneys aren't social creatures, and they don't like being packed close to one another. One can't have a mighty fortress when every piece of it is trying to go in a different direction. Depending on who you ask, the story as a different ending. In one variation, the ruler was humiliated by this attempt and fled to the unknown to hide his shame. Others say he scaled down the project and tried to build a single massive tower. These stories claim that he finished this tower and walked inside so he could ride his creation. Unfortunately he failed to realize that when you cause dozens of Slimes to link up with one another, they grow into one massive amalgamation. At that size, their stomachs tend to seek larger prey than marmots and lizards. They say the tower still roams the land to this day, devouring any who seek shelter within it. On the note of towers and building, certain cultures believe that ancient Stone Chimneys taught humanity how to build the impressive castles and walls they have today. It was through their knowledge that humanity learned the ways of architecture and engineering. While I do admit that humans build some amazing structures, I chalk that up to their ingenuity and intelligence. I am not saying Slimes are dumb, but I don't think they taught humans how to build such things. I mean honestly, why would humans need some ancient, wizened species to teach them how to stack rocks? Chlora Myron Dryad Natural Historian ----------------------------------------------------- More Slime variations! What fun!