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A lush alien jungle, with curious fauna living beneath the roots.
- Ardamir -
Also known as 'Planet Scritch' by one of the few locals we've gotten in contact with
PREDOMINANT SPECIES: Species (percentage), Species (percentage)
TIME ERA: Time period/aesthetic/theme
STATUS: Beacon and/or Union affiliation and activity
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A planet teaming with unique life, and even more unique biomes throughout it. It contains very little surface water, but is covered in lush jungle, all fed by underground ravines. Beneath the surface houses even more colourful life, with bioluminescent flora and fauna accustomed to life in the dark. There are several 'zones' that decend deeper and deeper into the planet's layers, and at its center it's remoured to contain a hollow core with some unknown titanous creature holding everything together. But that's just hearsay from the sentient species that we've managed to connect with, as their efforts to traverse so deep are quite challenging.
World Created by: Nomminus | Related PCs: List of player characters from this world | Related NPCs: Scritch
Character making permissions (ask the creator)
MAP TO GO HERE
MAP TO GO HERE
The Surface and its Creatures
The Surface and its Creatures
Is covered in dense humid jungle, with sparse mountain ranges cutting through the vast greenery.
In terms of ground water there are no oceans to be found, but lakes and rivers can be found scattered about the planet's surface. Though most of its water is in large caverns underground.
Male Leapers displayed above, Female Leapers displayed below
Leapers
Leapers
The top predator of the planet’s surface! These feline-like creatures are named “Leapers” by the scritches. So named because they live in the massive trees that cover most of the planet’s landscape, and wait for the chance to pounce down from them onto unsuspecting prey. They’re considered extremely dangerous by the scritches, their ferocity and cunning is what originally lead the scritches to flee underground to escape them. While they no longer pose a constant threat, any journeys to the surface are taken with great caution to avoid these beasts. They’re large enough for a fully grown person to ride, and have paws that end with special gecko-like toes that give them the ability to climb vertical surfaces with ease.
They have a mouth full of sharp teeth that can rip flesh clean off of bones, and a very loud roar. They can also chirp, and purr! They live in small packs usually of four to six members, the hierarchy consists of a lead male, and multiple females. Females mainly do the hunting, while the males defend their territories and females from other males. There’s not a lot of sexual dimorphism, other than the colour of their luminescent spots. Males boast a vibrant and striking blue neck and eye spots that they use for attracting mates. A brighter colour and glow indicates a healthier male. While the females display a green that’s not too dissimilar than that of the scritches. Which at one point, were their main food source, and their spots were used as a means to lure scritches towards them.
Ground Stompers
Ground Stompers
A previously domesticated species that the scritches used for getting around the surface, the Ground Stompers are medium-sized sauropod-like creatures who are capable of travelling very far distances while carrying large loads. They were the main form of transportation for the scritches, but unfortunately did not do well in subterranean conditions. The scritches ultimately had to decide on how to move forward, either have ground stompers live shorter, less healthy lives underground with them, or release them on the surface and let them live longer healthier lives there. They could find a new way to transport themselves and their goods with time, and the well being of these creatures was deemed far more important. With that, the herds of ground stompers under the care of the scritches were all set loose. And abandoned on the surface along with their old cities.
Being one of the larger species on the planet, they have very little to fear in terms of predation. Leapers have been known to try and pick off offspring, or group together in an attempt to take down an adult. But most attempts are far from successful. Ground stompers are highly protective of their hatchlings, and those in their herds. Defending themselves from attacks by safety in numbers, often forming protective circles around the young and the weak, bellowing loudly and lashing out with whip-like tails to keep Leapers away from them. They rely on staying strong in a group to keep predators away. A lone ground stomper is surely going to end up being a dead one.
Displayed above is the Red Shifter's usual appearance, and below is its aggitated and 'provoked' form.
Red Shifter
Red Shifter
A creature that when relaxed and in a neutral state, appears as a small, fuzzy, wide-eyed critter. But when provoked to attack or in intense situations can morph into a far larger and more intimidating appearance to defend itself or scare off potential threats.
Rogtar, The Guardian
Rogtar, The Guardian
The scritches have given him the moniker of 'Guardian' that makes home in the mountains of the lush surface world. He oversees all from his cliffside view, and will intervene where he needs to, usually with extreme force.
The Underground Cities and its Inhabitants
The Underground Cities and its Inhabitants
Are wonders to behold!
After the most prominent species, the scritches, took their leave from the surface world, they began to construct cities that were designed with safety in mind. Within a humongous open cavern, the ceiling of which is held up by massive natural stone pillars, is where the scritches make their homes. Each pillar has a city built around it, with several different levels of walkways and buildings.
The Scritches
The Scritches
Likely the most sentient and advanced species on the planet, the scritches live mostly underground, and are well equipped to do so! Claws for digging through tough sediments and roots quickly, large eyes that can see very well in the dark, and a bioluminescence that they use for multiple purposes such as signalling and communication, as well as fending off light sensitive creatures that share in their underground lifestyle.
Their skin is tough and leathery, similar to that of an elephant. Colouration ranges between blacks and dark browns, greys and tans. Male scritches typically have bulkier builds, and display darker coloured hides, while females typically appear sleeker in build, and lighter in colour. But overlapping of these traits between the sexes is also not uncommon. Mutations such as albinism, melanism, and leucism can occasionally happen as well.
The scritches are very small creatures, capable of both bipedal and quadrupedal motion, but tend to lean more towards the latter. Not counting their tails, they can reach lengths of about 1.2 metres. Their tails vary in size depending on health, lineage, and age. But usually are around the same length as their bodies.
Their glowing spots and eyes always remain green, but when colour mutations of their skin are present, it can have a slight effect on the values of green. An albino scritch’s green is very pale, leucistic ones sport a green slightly lighter than the usual green, and melanistic scritches have darker green.
Their diets are about 99% vegetarian! Their main food sources are certain species of glowing fungi, root vegetables, and a few other plants that grow underground. There are also fruits that are gathered and brought down from the surface, these are considered rare delicacies and scritches go crazy over them. In exceptionally rare circumstances, they’ll eat species of small grubs, larvae, and worms. But that’s only when other options are scarce.
They’ve developed their own languages, the main of which could be compared to morse-code. They can flash their green spots in various patterns and brightness levels to convey messages to each other. They are capable of vocalizing however, and can make many sounds such as screams, laughter, or even mimicking some other species. They have the capacity to develop or learn a spoken language if they want to, but currently see no need. (Our Scritch is currently the only one who uses spoken language!)
Their second language is purely written, and while all are taught this language at a young age, it is used mainly by researchers, historians, and scientists to document all their findings. Most scritches prefer to just stick to their flash language.
They thrive and flourish with the help of their relationship with the green crystals they wear around their necks, and use in their daily lives. These crystals help power their cities, and protect their people. Giving them abilities to aid in their survival, in return that when they die, the crystals consume the bodies they leave behind to grow new clusters of crystals and keep the cycle going.
Families of scritches tend to keep clusters grown from their ancestors that have passed away, and break off crystals from those clusters to give to their children, as a way to honour their loved ones, and keep everyone connected.
The crystals even play a role in bonding rituals! Whether they’re best friends, or loved ones, it’s a grand gesture for scritches to trade crystals with each other! This exchange is a very sentimental one, and declares that they accept one another as family, and someone they put their trust into.
Their level of technology is roughly on par with that of what we have on earth currently. The main difference however, is that with their all-natural power source, everything is sustainable, and far cleaner and has very minimal impact on the world they live in.
With all their advancements however, they’re still very close to the bottom of the food chain. They still remain prey-animals like their more primitive ancestors that made the move to live underground to escape the surface predators. Only to end up prey to far different creatures that lurked below it. Their acute stress response still heavily skews towards flee and occasionally freeze, but very rarely do they react with a fight response. (Our Scritch is one of the very few with any kind of fight response!)
Glow Worms
Glow Worms
The scritches call these cute and colourful little guys, the glow worms! In comparison to earth species however, they’d be more similar to slugs.
These small creatures are very popular pets among young and old scritches alike! Captive and selective breeding has produced glow worms in a very large multitude of colours and patterns. Similar to the morphs in reptiles that are bred and sold as pets! They get their glow from the food they eat, which is bioluminescent algae and fungi.
They were originally collected and bred as a food source, back when scritches were more omnivorous. But as the species shifted to a more vegetarian diet, those in the glow worm farming business adapted as well, and began marketing the creatures as companions instead!
Sail Backs
Sail Backs
Sail Backs get their names from the very obvious sail along their backs! Interestingly the males tend to have brighter sails than females (Male pictured)
Which is used to attract females during the mating season. Brighter colours means a healthier, more suitable male.
These creatures are domesticated by the scritches to help around their fungal farms and other work, as well as a means of transportation between cities. They’re native to the cave systems and thrive well both under the care of the scritches, and in the wild. These creatures stand about 6’0 tall at the shoulders, and are often seen wearing curious saddles with two seats on either side. Scritches tend to work in pairs to steer these creatures, because they are far larger and too much for one small scritch to handle.
The sails on their backs are flexible, and can flatten down at will. They work as temperature regulators and contain many, many blood vessels, and injuries to these sails can be very costly to the creature. Especially males! Losing or severely hindering both the ability to regulate themselves, and to impress potential mates, as females tend to reject males with damaged or misshaped sails.
The Lake Chambers and its Little Lights in the Dark
The Lake Chambers and its Little Lights in the Dark
The lake chambers are large gaping caverns that dot the underground and are incredibly important to the planet. Life giving water is scarce on the surface, but underneath it collects in abundance. Long and ancient roots cover the floors of these large lakes, submerged and soaking up valuable nutrients to bring up to where it needs to go. The water itself is home to a species of bioluminescent algae that collects in very large quantities and because of them, the lakes glow a vibrant light blue! Easily one of the brightest light sources you’ll find below the surface.
It is also home to a vast array of creatures, the most prolific are what the scritches refer to as “Light Chompers” glowing, brightly coloured crocodilian-like critters that will prey on just about anything that gets too close to the edge of the water, including scritches!
Light Chompers
Light Chompers
Crocodilian-like creatures that dwell in the lake chambers! Though their bright colouring would certainly set them apart from any crocodile on earth, they are perfectly adapted to life in the underground lakes they call home. The striking bright colouration allows them to blend in to the water that’s teaming with bioluminescent algae. On top of this, they even boast a power to glow too, like most of the wildlife that inhabit the planet. The light patterning on their backs glows and shimmers to mimic water refractions.
Much like their earth counterparts however, they’re ambush predators and typically spend their time floating at the surface of the water. Waiting for unsuspecting prey to come close enough to the edge, so they can spring out and grab onto them with strong, powerful jaws, and drag their catch into the water to drown and eat them. They’ll eat just about anything they can catch, and have been responsible for the demise of many scritches.
Lake Singers
Lake Singers
Like sirens, they call out to potential prey with hypnotic and melodic vocalizations that could be considered something similar to singing. The sound is amplified by the crest along the back of the head, working similar in function to that of parasaurolophus. They live around the lake chambers, and enjoy frolicking in the shallows and along the rocky shores of the water. They’re very playful creatures, but this seems to be an addition to their hunting tactics. If the songs don’t work, perhaps frilly and fun behaviour will lure prey closer!
They are small, roughly around the same size as the scritches, and there is very little sexual dimorphism between males and females. Their striking pink colour helps them stand out from their blue-washed surroundings, to further grab the attention of potential prey. But this vibrant contrast, along with the vocals, comes at the large risk of attracting larger predators like the Light Chompers to them instead. They’ve developed very acute senses in order to keep an eye out for both food, and danger, and as such, are very hard to startle or sneak up on.
The Danger Zone
The Danger Zone
Past the deepest parts of the mines, lies the barely explored labyrinth of caves and tunnels that the scritches currently refer to as “The Danger Zone” for the simple reason that it is terrifying and scary. Very little has been documented of it due to the predatory creatures, and the strange unstable crystals.
Bushes of large black skewers with red glowing stripes are the only plant life down here. The spikes are sharp, but brittle, with a soft internal core. The softer flesh of this plant can be eaten safely, but can be tricky to get to.
Dark red webs with bioluminescent speckles cover the walls and ceilings of the winding caverns. Helping cast an eerie atmosphere as one of the main light sources. They’re as enticing as they are sticky, getting tangled in these is sure to end up in death.
The creatures that make these death traps are constantly lurking, waiting for opportunities to feed on prey that have gotten stuck. Their most common prey is a species of bat-like creatures that are attracted to the glowing red spots. But they’ll feast on anything that gets caught.
One of the most striking features of the ‘Danger Zone’ might be the cyan-coloured crystals. Very little has been studied about them, the scritches speculate that they hold a symbiotic relationship between a single species, much like them and their green crystals.
The glow of the crystals gets brighter as they build up energy, but don’t seem to have a max capacity like the green ones do. Instead they keep collecting until the crystals explode from too much buildup!
The serpentine-like creatures that have a relationship with these crystals will routinely come by and suck the energy from them until they’ve reached a very dim glow. Allowing the crystals to refill overtime once again.
Interestingly, the crystals seem to know the difference between that species, and others, and rejects the touch and tampering of other species quite extremely. Creatures that would touch them, either on purpose, or by accident suddenly popped away in a bright flash! After one of the researchers dared to touch it himself, only to wind up on the surface of their planet, it was discovered that these crystals teleported whatever touched them! Although it was quickly discovered that it didn’t teleport to the surface every time...one researcher ended up a few feet away from the crystal she touched, and the other one has yet to be found.
The scritches have yet to properly document the entire zone, and are hesitant to after an expedition team of twelve, returned as a sole survivor, the information she brought back was valuable though. They've discovered another area that these nightmarish tunnels seem to lead into. But exploring that will be for another time.
Syphon Serpents
Syphon Serpents
Large long snake-like creatures that live in what the scritches refer to as the ‘Danger Zone’.
They slither around on the cave floor, and get their name from how they feed off the dangerous blue crystals. They open their mouths wide, revealing glowing blue flesh, and a strange tube-like organ in place of a tongue, this tube extends and latches on to the blue crystals, sucking up the energy from them to feed.
Their bioluminescent colour is fueled by the energy they consume, and mark their relationship with the crystals, much like the scritches and their green ones. The Syphon-Serpents also boast a large set of fangs and tusks that protrude from the upper and lower jaws. They use these to latch onto attackers, while they coil their bodies around their enemies, strangling and constricting them much like boas on earth. Only these guys are much larger than their earth counterparts.
The largest recorded so far by the scritches, has been approximately 24 metres(78’7 ”ft) long, and they’re roughly 2 meters(6’5” ft) wide.
Contact between them and the scritches has yet to properly be made.
Wall Crawlers
Wall Crawlers
Like giant skittering spiders, these wall crawlers craft sticky webs to trap their prey.
They’re independent creatures, only seeking others of their species for mating. Appearance wise, there’s very little to no sexual dimorphism between males and females. With females tending to be just slightly larger than the males.
Wall Crawlers are one of the largest species living on the planet. They remain mostly undisturbed deep within the twisted, ghastly looking caverns of what the Scritches call the ‘Danger Zone.’
Wall Crawlers
Wall Crawlers
These bat-like, almost wyvern-looking creatures are the most common species found in the ‘danger zone’ and the prey of choice for the very dangerous Wall Crawlers. They get their name because of the very loud sounds they make. Scritches theorize the loud screeches are both a form of communication amongst others of their species, as well as a form of echo-location for getting around in the dark twisted caverns.
They’re mainly scavengers, and also cannibalistic, often eating whatever’s left of the carcasses of catches from the webs of Wall Crawlers, as well as Wall Crawlers or Syphon Serpents that have passed away for one reason or another. They’re very much the ‘garbage disposal’ creatures of the danger zone! They’re always looking for the next scraps of food, and it is recommended NOT to feed one!! They won’t leave you alone if you offer food, and there’s a high chance others will catch on to there being an easy source, and WILL swarm you. Perhaps one on their own could potentially be just a very food-motivated pet or cave guide of sorts, as they do seem to have a certain intelligence about them. But so far, the few attempts have left this much easier said than done.
The Unknown
The Unknown
The hellish hues of the danger zone fade to black, and the tranquil blue of the lake chambers is but a distant memory down here. This, is currently known to the scritches as: The Unknown.
What little information they have about this mysterious place, was brought back from a lone survivor from an expedition team. A single, large chamber had been discovered, deep within the innermost reaches of the planet. Strange glowing orbs that had something inside of them, twitching with life, provide the only light down here. Something else stirs in the deep, something big. But the explorer wasn’t about to risk her life to find out what exactly it was. It is her best assumption, that the glowing forms on the wall might potentially be eggs containing developing offspring. The scritches are looking for ways of getting an exploration team down their safely in hopes of learning more, but currently lack the resources to do it. Perhaps in time they’ll be able to learn more!
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