#tortog ecosystem

[ghostopossumlives]

Tortog Ecosystem Part 16: non-native species part 4: assorted other things

Hairy Hand Gnat (S,G,C): It is still not known what planet these seven limbed creatures came from. They mate for life and ferociously protect their chosen territory. They aren't innately dangerous, but can be a threat to Tortog drivers and cyclists when they dive and mob.

Hairy Hand (S,G,C): This is a larger, flightless relative of the flying variety. They behave very similarly, and despite being larger, they are less dangerous because they can't attack drivers.

Leaping Freak (T,G,H): Leaping Freaks are a feralized morph of a decorative species of Zag kept by the Raraks. Leaping Freaks are herbivores that use their sharp teeth to shred leaves from branches. They are very light for their size, reaching about 12 feet long in their feralized morph but still able to run along thick canopies. In its domestic morph, Freaks are called Freyak and can reach 20 feet long and have a much more elegant appearance.

Triangle Weevils (S,G,C), Shiny Eyes (S,G,C): Both of these species come from the planet Hoop. Triangle Weevils dig holes in sand and dirt. Shiny Eyes prefer high trees and have chromed three-lobed compound eyes.

Goonbob (S,G,H*): Goonbobs are actually Minim morphs of Geobs, a sapient eusocial species. Amongst other cargo, crates of Geobs eggs were accidentally taken by Tortog pirates and lost in the ocean during their return to the planet. Some of these eggs hatched into Minims that collected the eggs and hid them o keep them safe. Geobs eggs can survive for centuries before being hatched. Centuries later, Tortogs and Geobs have been cooperating to find the Minims and their egg caches to return to the Geobs.

Mistle (S,M,C), Mistle Weevil (S,M,C), Mistle Freak (S,M,C): Mistle is an invasive vine deliberately spread by the Oooo. It grows quickly and can both photosynthesize or live parasitically off of other flora. It has a symbiotic relationship with Mistle Weevils and Mistle Freaks, which exist virally within each others' genomes allowing Weevils and Freaks to hatch from spontaneous galls in the Mistle, and Mistle plants to grow out of tumors that develop in the Weevils and Freaks.

Baousar Cricket (T,G,C): These are common in Baousar territory, but actually originate from the Menaciths' planet.

Ursoony Gnat (S,G,C): Ursoony Gnats come from the planet of the Leaf Weavers. They are called Ursoony Gnats because they behave similarly to Inland Ursoons, and have wings with which they can clumsily fly short distances. They compete with the large species of Gloweyes, but are pretty evenly matched.

[ghostopossumlives]

Tortog Ecosystem Part 8: Saltwater Worms

All True Worms breath air, having evolved from the Biter Tongues which live in stagnant, deoxygenated water. The superior respiration of Worms has allowed them to return to the ocean and dominate the upper levels of the water column as apex predators.

Blacktip Saltwater Worm / Salthulk: These worms are the dominant predator of the Tortogs' oceans, feeding on Tongues and Gulpers. They are able to reproduce when they are as small as 6 feet long, but continue to grow throughout their life and max out at around 90 feet long. Offspring all begin at planktonic sizes, and the larger a Worm grows, the more eggs and sperm it is able to produce. Most worms fall to predation, and often cannibalism, long before they reach great sizes. When small and similarly sized, Blacktips hunt in schools, which narrow down into pods. If they fail to catch enough food, or if the sizes of the members become too different, cannibalism is inevitable. Once rendered solitary by the elimination of their siblings, Blacktips will not form new pods with worms they didn't hatch alongside of. Despite their voracity, Blacktips rarely go after Tortogs because Tortogs are too big for the young Blacktips that come to the shallows and large Blacktips keep to the open ocean.

Squarehead: Squareheads hunt on reefs, in caves, and in brackish swamps and deltas where they compete with the mighty Delta Worms. They typically range between 6 and 10 feet long, but individuals in isolated lagoons have reached as much as 20 feet long in the absence of competition from Delta and Blacktip hulks. Unlike Delta Worms, Squareheads are much more active predators and prefer to chase down prey rather than relying on ambushes. Their long muscular bodies allow Squareheads to move outside of the water and move between pools and across reefs that breach the surface. Despite being smaller than Delta and Blacktip worms, Squareheads are very aggressive and are likely to go after Tortogs if they feel they have an opportunity. Squareheads under 10 feet usually won't succeed in a fight against a Tortog, but they can still deal significant injuries.

Whitehead: Whiteheads are the smallest of the marine worms, and are only found in the South Sea (aka Ice Sea). They have very slow metabolisms and can hold their breath for days when the surface of the sea freezes during the winter. They max out at 10 feet long, but are able to survive in waters much too cold for Blacktips and Squareheads. Attacks on Tortogs are exceedingly rare, but not unheard of, and of the few that have been recorded are rarely lethal.

Gulper: These large worms live in the open ocean and ram feed on swarms of tongues and plankton. Most Gulpers will preferentially go after swarms of juvenile Blacktips when encountered, to prevent them from growing bigger. There are many different species of Gulper, which can range from 10 to 70 feet long.

Shovel Puffer: Shovel Puffers are related to the Gulpers, but like closer to shore above weedy sand and silt. They use their downward facing mouth to eat seaweed and dig up mouthfuls of bob and grub filled sand and silt. There are many species of Shovel Puffer, and these species range from 6 to 20 feet long. Species and individuals also vary widely in temperament, with some being skittish, others aggressive and territorial, and still others docile or even playful with familiar Tortogs. Some Tortog communities even keep and train domestic Shovel Puffers in their harbors to clear weeds out and alert to disturbances such as dangerous Squareheads or thieves or saboteurs coming under the boats. Some even are trained to pull small barges.

Big Toothed Gulper: These gulpers are distinguished by their massive upper teeth, which they use to fight for territory and defend against salthulks.

[ghostopossumlives]

Tortog Ecosystem Part 9: Greater Gnats

The Great Gnats are distinguished from the Lesser Gnats and Fleas by their superior respiratory system, typically greater intelligence, and vibration sensing nasal and joint hairs.

Branch Shaker, Bush Shaker, Skededo: The Branch Shaker is the largest of the Shaker Gnats, standing up to 2 1/2 feet tall, with a 5 foot wingspan and powerful legs and claws. The Branch Shaker hunts for large gnats, and small worms and lemurs from up in the trees. Shaker Gnats get their name from the unique behavior of holding onto a branch of a tree or bush, or a reed, and bobbing their body to shake it and make noise and motion. This is used to stake out territory and show off their fitness to potential mates, predators, and competitors, but also shakes seeds, flowers, and weevils onto the ground which attracts better prey for them to hunt later. The Skededo is a small Shaker Gnat that is well liked by Tortogs for hunting annoying Skeeto Gnats. They shake reeds to stir up resting Skeetos to eat, but can be a nuisance to radio listeners when they mistake a house antenna for a shakeable reed and wiggle it.

Lake Sailor Gnat: Sailor Gnats are closely related to the Shakers, but do not engage in the shaking behavior. They have large bodies and stout wings with which they can fly, but prefer to use as sails to blow them along the surface of lakes and ponds. They bob into the water for weeds, bobs, and tongues.

Reed Stalker, Gobedo, Nutgnat, Bark Tweezer: The Reed Stalker is the largest of all the Greater Gnats, and is one of the diverse Pick Gnats, whose beak is angled sharply downward. The Reed Stalkers usually reach about 4 feet tall with a 7 foot wingspan, but there have been individuals recorded as tall as 6 feet. Reed Stalkers can fly, and their territory can often overlap with Branch Shakers. Reed Stalkers are clumsier than Branch Shakers, but larger and stronger, and Branch Shakers often attack Reed Stalkers and target their wings to cut them off. If there aren't large land predators in the area such as Ursoons, the wingless Reed Stalkers usually are still able to thrive, seamlessly shifting to their new niche as land predator. Pick Gnats fill many niches in the Tortog Ecosystem. Gobedos pull small grubs out of the soil. Nutgnats crush and eat nuts and seeds. Bark Tweezers pluck grubs out of tree bark.

Hooker: Hooker Gnats are tall thin Pick Gnats that can reach 3 feet tall and have evolved to specialize in extracting grubs from mud and rotting logs, but also have a symbiotic relationship with Delta Worms. Delta Worms will beach themselves outside of the water to allow Hooker Gnats to walk around their bodies and pull out the Delta Skeeto maggots that infest their flesh. Seeing a solitary Hooker Gnat foraging is normal, but if an area has large groupings of Hooker Gnats, or you rarely see the Hooker Gnats in an area foraging, it is a clear sign that there are Delta Worms present and you should be careful.

Night Gnat: These Pick Gnats are nocturnal and live in the cooler northern lands. They have evolved large, reflective eyes and fluffy hairs to keep themselves warm during winter.

Cold Watat: The Cold Watat is a flightless Greater Gnat that lives at high altitudes in the mountains and is covered in dense hair to stay warm. The Cold Watat is most closely related to the Night Gnats.

Hatchet Gnat: The Hatchet Gnats are Pick Gnats that have a prominent bladed nasal structure that helps them thermoregulate in the hot equatorial regions in which they live. Their nose is also used for fighting over territory and mates. They are aggressive and known to attack other species that trespass in their territory, including Tortogs. They usually range between 6 inches and 1 1/2 feet tall. They aren't a danger to Tortogs as much as a nuisance because of Tortogs' tough skin and powerful healing abilities, but could be very dangerous to less robust beings due to their aggression and sharp nose blade. Hatchet Gnats have a tendency to become lodged in tree trunks after missing the target of their attacks. Some compassionate Tortogs dislodge them and let them go, but this doesn't make the Hatchet Gnat any friendlier after being freed. Tortogs will sometimes use the word "Hatchet Gnat" to refer to a person that is hostile to receiving help, or a situation that just seems to get worse the more people try to improve it.

Hot Watat: The Hot Watat isn't very closely related to the Cold Watat despite its name, and is actually a flightless Hatchet Gnat. It is much less aggressive than other Hatchet Gnats, and is one of the few complex creatures able to survive in the hot Subtropical desert of the West Horn. It has no natural predators because it is the largest creature in its native environment despite being only 1 foot tall. It feeds on grubs and bacteria colonies it digs up from under the baked dirt.

[ghostopossumlives]

Tortog Ecosystem Part 7: Freshwater Worms

The Freshwater Worms are omnivorous creatures that evolved from the Biter Tongues. They range from fully aquatic, to semiaquatic, to mostly terrestrial, but all require damp environments to live.

Deltahulk /Delta Worm: These bulky freshwater worms brackish waters and fetid swamps and can reach 30 feet long. They have tough hides, powerful immune systems, and can shrug off terrible injuries. They are usually solitary and territorial, but mate in large gatherings that can form rather unpredictably. They are capable of hauling themselves out of the water, but are slow and clumsy when they do.

Widemouth: An omnivore like all freshwater worms, the Widemouth is probably the most carnivorous. It uses its wide flat body and oversized mouth to hunt in rivers. They typically reach 10 feet long, but don't pose much of a threat to Tortogs because they prefer prey that can be swallowed whole.

Clawsucker: Clawsuckers are small worms that live in ponds and rivers and eat detritus and algae. They get their name from their tendency to suck on fingers and toes that dangle in the water, sometimes swallowing the digits so deeply that they get stuck and have to be pulled off manually by the Tortog.

Rodedo: The Rodedo uses its long muscular body to burrow through mud, silt, and detritus both on land and underwater. It uses its sharp teeth and internal grinding plates to tear apart vegetation, especially knotted root systems. A Rodedo is about a foot wide when fully mature and doesn't get much wider, but continues to grow longer for quite a while after reaching adulthood, usually maxing out at twelve feet long.

Ankle Biter: Ankle Biters are clumsy swimmers that bumble around the water, navigating by smell, and bites into whatever ends up near its mouth until it finds something adequately edible. They prefer murky waters, and have a reputation of chomping into the feet and legs of unsuspecting Tortogs. They typically range between 2 to 4 feet long.

Damdiver: These small worms are quick and enjoy nibbling at algae and freshwater barnacles. They prefer staying near vertical walls or tree trunks, or like their name suggests: the walls of dams.

Sneek: These worms can exit the water for extended periods of time, and use their long body to clumsily climb up roots and bushes to prey on fleas, gnats, and lemur eggs.

Gutter Stink, Spiny Gutter Stink: These small worms hide in damp litter and feed on rotting vegetation. Most species produce a foul smell and taste to discourage predators. The Spiny Stinks have spines with painful neurotoxic venom similar to that of the Giant Stinging Leafties.

Giant Whitebelly Stinkump, Black Stinkump: The largest species of Stinkump is the Whitebelly at up to five feet long, and the Black Stinkump has the strongest smelling musk. Large Stinkumps eat both rotten and living vegetation, and anything that comes close enough to their mouth. They have sharp blade-like teeth, and powerful grinding plates in their guts to break down leaves, wood, sinew, and bones.

[ghostopossumlives]

Tortog Ecosystem Part 14: Non-native Species Part 2: Creatures from the TMU moons.

The Three Moons Union consists of the Chimes, Orovoro, and Skinks, who each come from one of the many moons of their shared gas supergiant, Centere. No non-native species have come from the Chimes because they were always the most cleanly with their equipment and operations, and because of their strict culture's views on nature, all of their local technology centers were built underground and unable to be found by Tortog pirates. Many of the moons have life, but only the three have intelligent life. Most are just covered in their own types of Weetches, which typically have three eyes and four body sections, though some have strayed far from that body plan. Weetches are not unique to the TMU and similar to Progenitor 35 mya, an early Weetch species spread all over the Nebula at some point ~120 mya. Wugs come from the moon Ruste which is where the TMU did much of their mineral refining and joint aerospace research. During the Golden Age Of Piracy, the Tortogs raided TMU bases on and off until the TMU (initially a science collaboration) militarized and developed and constructed orbital and system defense platforms.

Yellow Spotted Black Wub (S,M,C): Wubs are sexual sexually dimorphic Weetches native to the TMU moon of Ruste. The males are much smaller than the females and forage for food which they gift to their female in exchange for a clutch of eggs to fertilize. The females lay large numbers of eggs and control their territory against rival females. The Yellow Spotted Black Wub is the largest of the invasive Wugs with the females averaging 6 feet long and males 1 foot long. They are sluggish, unintelligent and spreading in the northern continent, though they have been kept under control near the coasts and in the southern continent by Great Southern Ursoons and Delta Worms which happily eat the queens.

Black Spotted Yellow Wub (S,M,C): Black Spotted Yellow Wubs have smaller females and larger males that the Yellow Spotted Black Wub. They have been difficult to deal with because they have an intensely sulfuric smell and flavor that discourages potential predators.

Golden Wub (S,G,C): Golden Wubs are the smallest of the Tortogs' Wugs and can be hard to keep track of because they prefer to remain in the tree tops. They have spread slowly but haven't become truly invasive because they are small, slow, and dim enough to be fought back by Tree Weevils, Bush Shakers, and Gloweyes.

Red Wub (S,M,C): Red Wubs are the most invasive of the Wugs because they form large multi-queen hives that allow them to take control of large areas of forest.

Squizz (S,G,C): These Orovoron detrivores fill the same niche as small Stinkumps. They are spreading and thriving, but don't reproduce quickly enough to outcompete the native Stinkumps. They have a soft body covered in tack-shaped scales. When threatened they roll up and contract their body to encase themselves in their spines.

Black Snapper (S,M,C): Black Snappers are a type of Orovoron predator similar to the much larger Silver Snapper, but which max out at about a foot and a half. Black Snappers are difficult to see and difficult for Tortogs to hunt, but are small enough to be hunted by Branch Shakers and Reed Stalkers.

Gnat Snapper (S,M,C): Gnat Snappers are flying Orovoron predators that pose similar problems to Silver Snappers. They have been easier to control than Silver Snappers because they can be easily spotted in the air and shot with a rifle.

Mushot (S,G,H*), Terrashot (S,G,H*): On the Skink moon, Mushots and Terrashots lay millions of eggs which remain dormant for long periods of time, waiting for the grasses and forests of the main continent to regenerate until tidal alignment triggers all the eggs of the Shot species matching that tidal alignment to hatch simultaneously and devour all of their preferred food before reaching adulthood simultaneously, mating, dispersing, and dying. These eggs ended up all over stolen uncleaned Skink cargo, and have shaken off all over the Tortog planet. Despite their devastating life cycle on their home moon, because the tidal cycles are so different on the Tortog planet the eggs remain dormant indefinitely and hatch at random resulting in lone Terrashots simply appearing randomly and completing their lifecycle without consequence.

Short Tailed Pirate Gnat (S,G,H): This Skink species is a descendant of Progenitor, but parallel evolved to be very similar to the Pirate Gnats from Spick. Despite their similarities, they are no more closely related than Spickles and Skinks and Tortogs are to one another. Short Tails live high on rocky cliffs in dry areas and are predators that hunt small ground and flying prey. On the Tortog planet they live in a few colonies each numbering in the hundreds, but have a slow reproductive cycle and have only grown so numerous because they were left to accumulate undisturbed throughout the Golden Age Of Piracy. They prefer to congregate together and are able to locate others of their species from great distances. They are unlikely to spread at a dangerous rate because modern knowledge about the creatures in Spick is that their colonies don't split until well into the tens of thousands.

Pirate Goon (T,G,H), White Pirate Goon (T,G,H): Pirate Goons are small arboreal Weetches from the Skink moon that only reach about 1 foot long. These were sold to Tortog criminals for their gardens by Skink criminals illegally. Small populations can still be found near the sites of old pirate palaces. During the Age, White Pirate Goons were especially seen as a signal that its owner was not only a pirate, but had connections to the interstellar black market and could acquire foreign items that were delicate and uncommon such as new technologies and unusual creatures.

[ghostopossumlives]

Tortog Ecosystem Part 15: Non-native Species Part 3: Creatures from Spick

These creatures come from the Spickle planet Spick, and come in two types.

Spick Weetch species descend from a four segmented, eight limbed body plan creature that spread throughout the Nebula 120 million years ago, with a folded mouth and a pair of tubular eyes. They are split into Basal Weetches, Weetchars, Cougars, Boars, and Redars.

Spick Progenitor species come from the same ancestor that came to the Tortog planet 35 million years ago that became the Tortogs, Goons, and Ursoons. They are split into Spicklids and Hodags.

Forest Boar (T,M,H), Bog Boar (T,M,C): The Boars and Redars are Weetches despite their quadrupedal body plan. Their middle four limbs are inverted and form a powerful digestive organ that crushes rocks and wood and allows them to digest almost anything they can get past their mouth. Their backs are covered in modified hairs that contain photosynthetic protists that help them convert soil and detritus into sugars. The Boars are fully omnivorous, while the Redars are herbivore-detrivores. Bog Boars have been a destructive invader because they eat up a lot of the aboveground food. They have become a popular food for Tortogs though.

Bog Redar (T,G,H): This long Redar species likes shady wetlands.

Garedar (T,G,H): This is an exceptionally large Redar species that can reach up to 15 feet tall.

Bush Redar (T,G,H): This is a very small Redar species.

Redar / Forest Redar (T,G,C): Redars are the creature that began the Tortog black market for large Spickle creatures. The Spickles use the domestic Redar as a riding animal for frontier living because of its ability to survive off of grass and dirt. Domestic Redars have a bumpy back, and lack the photosynthetic protists of other Redar species. These bumps grow into sharp spines in the feralized morph known as the Forest Redar. Tortogs are too heavy to ride Redars, but liked to import them for their gardens.

Cougar: (T,M,?) This large predatory creature reaches 6 to 8 feet long and has been spotted in many locations across the planet. Individuals were confirmed and captured in the distant past, but there has never been any evidence to suggest a large population exists or existed. Cougars being stealthy predators that patrol an extremely large personal territory is in line with Spickle information on the species, so they may just not leave much evidence of themselves. Tortog beliefs are split on whether or not a Cougar population still exists on the planet.

Sticky Fingers (S,G,C): Sticky Fingers is a Weetchar that has been spreading in the Southern continent. It is a 1 foot long arboreal creature with flexibility elongated digits on its frontmost limbs which it uses to dig bugs out of tight spaces. It competes with Hooker Gnats, but not enough to noticably impact their populations.

Screamer (T,G,C), Whistler (T,G,H), Waw (T,G,H), Memememer (T,G,H): A variety of Weetchars were introduced to the Tortog planet by both the creature trade, and aboard uncleaned cargo. They come in many shapes, and are usually distinguished by their vocalizations because they are very noisy creatures. Most are only found near former pirate palaces, but Screamers have slowly spread, occupying the same niche as Forest Goons where Goons are absent. They are unable to replace the Forest Goons because the Goons are larger, stronger, and more aggressive than they are. Screamers are a nuisance in urban areas because they will form colonies on rooftops and in rafters, and steal food and scatter garbage.

Assorted Weevil Weetches (S,G,C): Many small Weetches came to the Tortogs aboard unclean cargo.

Spickle (Persons): This Progenitor species is sapient and spacefaring. They were frequent victims of the Tortogs during the Golden Age Of Piracy. In the modern day, there is still largely species-wide resentment towards the Tortogs, but some have gotten past these feelings to do business with the Tortogs and even reside on the planet. Spickles are highly resistant to high and low temperature and rarely wear clothing. They have tough scales on their limbs and belly, coarse hairs on their back, a tusked beak, and a hard skull with sharp horns on either side.

Gutter Ursoon (S,G,C): These small Hodags max out at half a foot long and live in leaf litter and feed on small bugs. They are best known for being comically aggressive and seemingly having no idea what size they actually are. This has prevented them from becoming properly invasive because most of them get eaten after starting fights with actual Ursoons.

Pirate Durdoon (S,G,C): This 1 foot long burrowing Spicklid has spread since arriving on the planet, but are regularly eaten by the native Durdoons that already fill the niche they are trying to enter.

Spickling (S,G,H): Spicklings are a Spicklid species that is a fairly close evolutionary relative of Spickles. They are generalists that prefer dry bushy forests. They are unable to spread into areas that already have Forest Goons or Ursoons. There are several recorded incidents of Tortogs attempting to return these creatures to the Spickles under the misbelief that they were Spickle children. During these incidents, the Spickles allowed the return as an opportunity to gain information on Tortogs and their ships. It has taken some effort in the following centuries to convince Tortogs that these are not Spickle children.

Spotted Hodag (T,M,H): The Spotted Hodag is a sluggish predator that typically bullies prey away from faster hunters. They prefer dry mountains and can reach about 7 to 8 feet long.

[ghostopossumlives]

Tortog Ecosystem Part 17: Sapient Neighbors:

Summaries are brief because they should each get a big page some time in the future

Neemon: Tall hairy desert dwellers and dominant hegemon of the region. They compelled the Tortog Homeworld to launch the Second Tortog Space War to stop piracy against the Spickles.

Tortog: The Tortogs

Tyton: This small Zag species was once the 2nd most technologically advanced civilization behind the Neemons, but they managed their technological advancement disastrously and suffered widespread general knowledge corruption, severely damaging their ability to engage in international politics, culminating in the attempted invasion of the Skink independent region. They have now been at war with every other major faction in the region for the past twenty years. By "at war" I mean they are stuck on their energy-shielded home world with a bunch of enemy warships idling in their orbit waiting for their leadership to surrender. Given the origin of the problem, the majority of the planet's populace is likely unaware of the situation. The leadership is aware of the war, but believe they can reverse the direction of the war with emerging technologies. The military seems to have a mixed understanding of the war's status, with some of the stealth ships that sneak out of the shield executing their missions confidently, while others almost immediately defect or desert.

Thill: Thill are a highly derived Progenitor descendent. Their homeworld's economy and government collapsed about a century ago due to internal mismanagement and they still haven't fully recovered. Thill emmigrants are scattered all over the region, working jobs that are less massive than those of the Spickles, and more rugged and questionable than those of the Orovoro.

Skink: The Skinks are small fast Progenitor descendents that started out under the TMU before things got complicated and they split into three different countries due to external factors. They are among the few species that have the neurology to pilot Fractional Ships (ships that fly at upper-relativistic speeds, which are very useful for in-system warfare for scouting, torpedo deployment, and torpedo interception *if* you have pilots who can actually operate them) alongside the Neemons, Tytons, Oooo, Jageule, and Menacith. Their homeworld is still TMU, but their largest colony is partially Rarak-aligned and partially independent. The Skink populace and governments are still largely friendly with each other despite their separation. The Tytons attempted to invade the Skink independent region in an attempt to mimic the Neemon invasion of the Tortog homeworld. Their goal was to drive out the Rarak and keep the whole planet for their benefit as its liberators, but misjudged the situation and ended up at war with the Rarak Empire, Rarak-Skinks, Independent Skinks, Neemons, Neemon-Tortogs, Neemon-Rarak-Bildir, Rarak-Geob, TMU-Skinks, TMU-Orovoro, ExoOrovoro, and TMU-Chimes factions who had all been pursuing a relationship with the Independent region through diplomatic means.

Spickle: Hardy Progenitor descendents that run massive industrial operations throughout the region. They are historically close with the Neemons, but have politically drifted apart over the centuries, despite still being major trade partners. They have a widespread dislike of Tortogs due to being their biggest targets during the Golden Age Of Piracy. They also tend to dislike Orovoro because they see them as competitors.

Orovoro: The Orovoro are descended from Weetches and are part of the TMU, but have ignored the Chimes and developed strong economic ties with the Neemons. The Orovoro have a massive service worker export to the Neemons, and Neemons outside of the Neemon homeworld typically have Orovoro work crews in their service.

Geob: This eusocial species is closely aligned with the Raraks and have a much greater presence in the middle-west of the Nebula. Geobs are mostly in the area to recover lost Geob eggs and minims from the Tortogs' planet.

Bildir: The Bilder are closely aligned with the Raraks and have a bigger presence in the middle-south of the Nebula. They occasionally factor into Tortog politics because they border their territory, and allied with the Tortog Homeworld against the Independent Colonies during the Second Tortog Space War.

Telo: This eusocial species militarized and interstellarized after being attacked by the Harmognatt, and now have a significant presence in the east-south of the Nebula. They are not aggressive towards the Neemons and Tortogs, and are singularly concerned with keeping highly hostile factions such as the Harmognatt, Baousar, and Oooo away from their homeworld.

Modont: Modonts are descended from Weetches and don't have any major settlements in the region, but they'd long range cargo ships frequently pass through the area and they try to maintain a positive relationship with as many factions as they can.

[ghostopossumlives]

Tortog Ecosystem Part 2:

Scum Bob: Bobs are simple, eight tentacled, multicellular organisms found all over the Tortog planet. They primarily eat bacteria and plankton, though there are plenty of varieties of predatory and herbivorous bobs. Scum Bobs are often found in silt and mud, eating algae, bacteria, and unguarded eggs.

Gnat Bob: Gnat Bobs have evolved one of their mouth's tentacles into four fins that they use to flutter up and down in the water to get the most out of the rising and setting of the sun. Some are even behaviorally complex enough to evade predators.

Storm Bob: Storm Bobs are adapted to live in the open ocean and are sometimes seen on the coasts. They descend deep under the water when a hurricane is developing, and their vanishing can be used to predict bad weather in the absence of more obvious signs.

Demon Twine: Demon Twine are various Zooidal Bobs that form clusters and chains in the deep lakes and oceans.

Giant Silt Bob, Giant Bob: Giant Bobs are typically found at the bottom of deep lakes and oceans.

Reef Barnacle: Reef Barnacles are shelled Bobs that live in dense colonies and cement themselves to submerged objects as well as each other. Over time they create jagged reefs in the Tortog oceans.

Tube Barnacle: These Barnacles grow their shells in long twisting tubes. Undisturbed, they can create tough branching antlers of shell and cement. The Tortog phrase "Tube Turned" comes from these growing on the sides of boats and catching onto things and making the boat tilt unexpectedly. The phrase means being inconvenienced by a problem that could have been prevented by doing something long ago that would have been very easy, but wasn't done out of laziness, such as removing the Tube Barnacles when they were bumps instead of waiting for them to become long branches. "Stripes didn't check the brake on the trailer last night. Now it's in the river and I'm tube turned for the whole day."

Bonestar, Thorny Bonestar, Foot Sharp: In regards to behavior and abilities, there isn't much difference between these and Earth's "Sea Stars".

Paddle Star: These Bonestars have a big flat leg they can use to swim with.

Star Snail: These softbodied Stars have a round shell they can hide inside of.

Snail: In regards to behavior and abilities, there isn't much difference between Tortog Snails and Earth Snails.

Curtain Slug: These carnivorous slugs have evolved silky mucus which they use to create sticky nets to catch flying Gnats.

Glass Cave Tongue, Vanishing Tongue: These two species are closely related to the True Tongues, but are not True Tongues because they lack the rubbery hide, rib-teeth, and lungs of their tough cousins. Vanishing Tongues are a friend to Tortog Water Cabbage farmers because they hide in the leaves and eat bobs and grubs that would try to eat the crop, while being obligate carnivores themselves. They get their name from their speed, mucus coating, and bonelessness allowing them to escape predators and young Tortog hands with seemingly magical speed. Glass Cave Tongues are smaller, even more transparent, and live in underwater caves.