Displacons

[TLDunn213]

This strange race appeared around the same time as the Scorpanocks, but it is less clear who made them, or why. The best guess is that they were intended as scout/sniper support for the Gith rebellion. But the ZarAk make no claim of being the creators. Which leaves the Aqualith as the most likely, but so far this is unconfirmed.

 

It is quite hard to study this race as no live members, as yet, have volunteered. And dead ones are of little use as their internal organs begin breaking down into goo almost imeadeatly after death. While most believe this to be a way by which the Aqualith protect the secrets of their BioMancy; I suspect that it may be a regeneration and/or reproductive mechanism. With one, or more, Displacons rising from the remains.

But no one has been able to prove this as any anti-magic warding strong enough to keep them from using their displacement ability prevents the resurrection process and seems to be fatal to any live specimens trapped in this manner after just a few hours.

And so far there are no good theories as to why.

 

But enough complaining and on to the information we do have...

Starting at the feet we have two clawed toes well suited to grasping stonewalls and the like. Then comes the long foot and backwards knee set up common to the back legs of cats and dogs; but these have several retractable curved spines useful for scaling walls backwards. Which they have been observed to do.

From the backwards knee/ankle the legs continue upwards into a "normal" lower leg knee upper leg arrangement as might be found in regular humaniods. The notable diferances being the fin like structures on the upper thighs and of course the exoskeleton which covers the entire creature.

The pelvis is quite narrow with the ball and socket of the hip being clearly visible. Barely enough room for waste elimination here giving some creidability to the reserection reproduction theory.

The torso is basically humanoid in shape, with six tentacles sprouting from the back and a gill frill structure rising from just above the shoulder blades to about half the hight of the head when deployed and laying almost flat when not in use.

The arms, like the legs are long, thin, and boney looking, as are the hands. Which end in long, sharp nail/claws.

The tentacles are tiped with a nail/claw structure much like a broad head arrow or spear point. Useful for both combat and climbing. Although the suckers on the tentacles underside are more geared to that purpose.

And finialy we come to the head.

Flat and elongated with a lower jaw that seperates in the middle like a pair of mandabels. The creature has four optic membrane type eyes, much like those of a Morlock. Then there is the gem like structure in the middle of the broad forehead whose purpose is totally unknown at this point. Best guess is that it is related to their displacement ability which is like that of a Slider Beast as far as can be determined.

Edited June 22, 2020 by TLDunn213

[TLDunn213]

When one avenue of enquiry fails, others must be tried.

And so I can now record the missing details of the Displacons.

 

Let's start at the top this time. That gem like thing on the forehead is a chloroplast, or rather a collection of several thousand of them. To feed the Displacon places a ball of damp soil in its mouth and sits in the sunlight for a few hours. Maybe with a water bag dripping on its gill frill if it's going to be working in a dry environment.

Except for some nerve fibers leading from the "eyes" the skull is mostly empty space where extra glucose is stored. With tubes leading down to the brains, hearts, and lungs. The creature could be decapitated and survive assuming it could get enough sugar water to eat until the head grew back. A process that could take several weeks. So it would more likely spawn five or six young, which would only take three or four days.

This being due in part to already being almost a hive having five or six brains, hearts, livers, and, lung clusters scattered around in its torso.

So no single vital spot there either. There is a central corodanating brain, but the others can get along without it. Just as losing the head doesn't totally blind it, as it has secondary " eyes" on the end of its tentacles. Not as good as the main eyes, but good enough.

 

The Displacon also has a rather unusual manner of breathing. Air for the torso is taken in through slits along the sides of the torso which can be closed when operating underwater. The intake is effected by a muscular sack around each lung cluster serving as a lesser diafram with a greater diafram near the top of the neck which both serves to aid in bringing air into the torso and to bring air into the skull for use by the chloroplasts there. If need be the creature can close its nose and side slits and even colaps its gill frill and rely on a gas exchange between the torso and the skull. While able to survive in such a state its ability to take action is greatly reduced.

 

As to why they die and spawn when captured, this is related to their Displacement ability. An adult can displace itself about 30 feet even through solid rock. Assuming no magical barrier and a clear space for the second self to appeare. New spawned Displacons are only about half a foot tall and can only displace about 10 feet, alone. But they can work together to chain slide each one projecting the next 10 feet further on. So working as team they can pass through up to 60 feet of solid rock if need be.

It is unclear if adult Displacons can chain slide or not. It is also unclear as to why they  work alone unless their prime is killed.

 

As to DNA mixing and reproduction the notes I have are incomplete.

While there is reference to such a process there are no details as to how it is accomplished.

(Finally found out how to include the image that inspired this.)

Edited October 30, 2023 by TLDunn213