Planet Information and Fellow Inhabitants
Table of Contents
Psionomum
Known to the Psions simply as "Homeworld", Psionomum (pronounced sai-on-oh-mum) is a planet whose size is comparable to Earth. It is the 4th planet from the sun in a 5-planet solar system. Most of its surface is covered in water, which, combined with the planet's warmer overall temperature, makes it ideal for tropical ocean life forms.
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Fauna
Domesticated Species ▲ Back to Top
Concept art of a shovelhead.
Shovelhead ▲ Back to Top
Shovelheads are an intelligent species of fish named for their titular shovel-shaped head. They are carnivorous, mainly feeding on creatures in the soil (as well as treats given out by Psions) which they dig up by rapidly whipping around their head. Shovelheads come in various sizes depending on their breed, but are on average 3 feet (around 91 cm) long.
Shovelheads have 2 major breeds:
Companion Breed: Companion breed shovelheads are on the smaller and slimmer side, and their shovel is less pronounced. They still have a propensity for digging, but less so than their working cousins. They have a friendly disposition and like to hitch rides on the backs or shoulders of their Psion caretakers.
Working Breed: The appearance and behavior of working breed shovel heads depends on the job they are meant to perform.
Hunting: Shovelheads bred for hunting have the most pronounced shovel and have bulky, armored bodies. The increased size of their shovel allows them to more easily displace packed dirt or large rocks. Having a greater amount of sensory nerves along their head also allows them to locate other creatures more efficiently. Their main uses are for locating colonies of tasty creatures beneath the soil, or disrupting the burrows used by snarefish.
Farming: Shovelheads bred for farming have a more pronounced shovel, but are similar in size to companion breeds. Farming shovelheads are kept on aquatic and certain flooded terrestrial farms to manage pests floating in the water. Farming shovelheads are also used to till the soil. This variety of shovelhead only starts digging when they sense the presence of certain chemicals, which Psion farmers exploit to control when they should start tilling.
Scalefish ▲ Back to Top
Scalefish are a smaller cousin of the much more dangerous Snarefish. They occur in the wild, though the more desirable varieties are only encountered on Psion farms. In terms of their utility, they are like sheep, but in terms of temperament, they are like bees. They swim in schools of 10 fish, and are known to attack when agitated or when they spot an easy meal. Proper husbandry or at least some protective armor is needed to avoid getting a bite (or several bites) taken out of someone.
Scalefish were domesticated by Psions for their titular scales. Their scales are mildly tough and can be sown into garments. Psions also selectively bred scalefish so that their scales could take on additional properties, like certain shapes, sheens, and toughness. Scalefish do not shed their scales, so killing them is a necessary step in harvesting them. Because of this fact, scalefish meat is cheap in Psion markets.
Morde ▲ Back to Top
Mordes are a distant relative of the greater morde, though they still are visually alike apart from size. They pose little to no threat to Psions, and their fatty meat makes them a popular food item. They are solitary and will fight each other when the area is crowded, so they must be raised in small numbers in captivity.
Usually their skin is too soft to be useful as anything other than food, but if their skin is exposed to high heat during a short period of time it slightly shrivels up, making it tougher while still retaining some squish. Repeating this process multiple times yields a material strong enough to be used in clothing.
Wild Species ▲ Back to Top
Snarefish ▲ Back to Top
Snarefish are the more dangerous cousin of the scalefish. They are a predatory species that hide out in rocky outcrops, using their whiskers to smell when prey comes along. Once it senses something it can eat, no matter the size, it bites down with bone-crushing force. Once it has successfully bitten a chunk off its prey, the snarefish recedes back into its hidey hole.
Snarefish pose a moderate threat to Psions. While a snarefish attack likely wouldn't kill a Psion, it can still leave a Psion walking away (or swimming away) with 1 less hand. A few methods exist for hunting snarefish. Snarefish have heavily armored faces, so they must be drawn out of their hiding place in order to be efficiently killed. The most common hunting method involves drawing out the snarefish using a bait stick, then attacking its exposed lower body with a spear or firearm.
Amphavian ▲ Back to Top
Amphavians are flighted, amphibious creatures which have a wide presence along Psionomum's coasts. They are omnivorous, though they have a preference for meat and will more often eat flora in a pinch. To Psions, they are mostly a nuisance as they're known to steal food that has been left on the surface of the water to cook. Some of their body parts are desirable for Psion clothes, mostly as decoration, however.
They are quite intelligent and can be trained to inconvenience other people.
Greater Morde ▲ Back to Top
The greater morde is a predatory fish that is usually 1.5 times the size of a Psion. While their bite strength isn't that impressive compared to its body, its durability and hunting style makes it a threat to small groups of Psions. They are persistent hunters, willing to follow prey over long distances and killing them by slowly picking them off. Greater mordes don't pose a threat to Psion settlements, but as mentioned before they can and do target small, unprotected groups of traveling Psions. When given proper watch their attacks can be telegraphed and dodged, but without deterring the greater morde or hiding somewhere, rest is not an option for travelers.
Like their smaller relatives, greater mordes are solitary and hunt alone.
Tenacerum ▲ Back to Top
Tenacerum are large predatory fish similar in size to orcas. Though they eat meat, they take no interest in Psions, as they are more suited to eating smaller species. They travel in pods of 4 to 6 members. When having to traverse the open ocean, Psions find it preferable to hitch rides on the backs on tenacerum, as their size deters other predators and thus allows safe passage. Psions, during their travels, maintain the health of their guardians by removing parasites and treating wounds. In this way, the two species have a symbiotic relationship.
Flora ▲ Back to Top
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