CLOWN FROM SPACE

The Deathly Cuteness (Cutius Mortem) is the largest terrestrial predatory mammal on Palubolígo. This Pseudomarsupial keeps thhe ancestral octapodal condition, which which the vast majority of Palubolígolian mammals lost in favour of a more compact tetrapodal condition.

The Deathly Cuteness stands right on the line between being an animal and being a person. Their inteligence is higher than that of Earth’s Cetaceans, with some tool use and even deep understanding of written language. Because of this the Deathly Cuteness is considered a Near Sophont and may in the future join the unity of Palubolígolian sophonts after its species becomes enlightened.

The females can reach up to 35 meters in lenght and are considered the largest arboreal animal of Hech. They are solitary apex predators and usually hunt during the day. The smaller males are usually nocturnal. They are social with other males and usually only the most fit males can survive the brutal mating ceremony, after which the Cuteness enters life long monogamous relationship.

They take care of their offspring for around 15 years, this is not true for the Luca’s morph (Cutius Mortem Furiosa). This subspecies lacks sexual dimorphism and matures at the age of five. Luca’s Cuteness is an odd version of a domesticated animal, these Cutenesses are nearly Thralls by Furiosa standards and there are very few of them. While more intelligent than their wild ancestors these domesticated individuals lack certain individuality.

This animal doesn’t attack humans, as they usually feed on seasonal fruit, the largest of Palutheropods, Therosuchids and surprisingly even fish. They are also known for playing with vehicles, if they can move them, entering human settlements and causing great damage while playing.

This is the first digital drawing, one day I might post the traditional drawings of this creature. The Deathly Cuteness was actually a lego creation of mine, which I made as a child playing with the co-creator of Palubolígo, with whom I have deliberately lost contact due to his transphobic and racist views.

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In our fantasy setting Wyrms and Lordes are distantly related! Species of men actually domesticated them long ago and started the process of making them unrecognizable with selective breeding.

This is Bedazzle, he is a Glittermask Wyrm that belongs to @princeslimey OC Evra. As you can see by his disgustingly squashed snout and snaggleteeth they do come with health problems.

Bodyhaunting

Being Bodyhaunted is a condition in which a Tortog's Assumptive Neurology misfires or goes haywire. It may be temporary or chronic, depending on the trigger. Because Tortogs are both Bipedal, and can regenerate limbs, their nervous system has evolved the natural ability to adjust to having missing parts and still keep balance. However, infection, stress, chemical stimulants, or a genetic predisposition may cause problems in this neurology, making the Tortog experience hallucinatory bodyparts/sensations, obstacles/objects, or presences, as well as proprioceptive hallucinations that make them feel as though their body is in a different location or position than reality. Most cases are mild, recognizable, temporary, and go away with a good rest. However, severe cases may result in "Flying Attacks" during which the Tortog experiences a disabling feeling that their body is spinning and/or flying around uncontrollably. A Bodyhaunted Tortog may alternatively feel like a body part is the wrong shape (Pseudomalgeneration) or not their own (Ghost Hand Syndrome), potentially leading to unnecessary self-mutilation. Historically this condition was blamed on ghosts pestering the victim and trying to pull out their spirit so that they could be possessed. Mild Bodyhauntings were treated with protective charms. This was partially/indirectly effective because the jangly charms would bounce around the affected limb and provide "realer" feelings about position and location, which would override the phantom sensations within the nervous system. Flying Attacks were especially blamed on the ghost known as "Swamptog", a flying trickster ghost. To keep him away from his "victim", the Tortog would be kept indoors and weighed down with layers of blankets and logs, and fed heavy foods until the attacks stopped happening. The modern treatment for Bodyhaunting is rest and healthy eating, and depressant medicines for severe cases.

Dendrosis

Togtor Castle Trees grow fast, and will try to grow anywhere. A Tortog's immune system is usually able to keep Castle Tree spores out and destroy any that get in, but when it struggles or fails, that is called Dendrosis. Usually Dendrosis only occurs as an itchy, temporary rash that subsides as the immune system destroys it, though it can last longer and be more of a problem if it gets into a wound where it might trigger a Malgeneration. Bad cases can trigger Fibulism before subsiding, but in the absolute worst scenarios it results in full Immunodeficient Dendrosis, or Tree Possession. Tree Possession happened more often in the distant past, though even then it wasn't common, just conspicuous when it did happen. When it happens in the modern day, it's in rural, underserved areas with very poor medical infrastructure. When the Tortog body completely fails to fight back against Castle Tree spores, the spores germinate into trees and bore roots throughout the body and sprout flowering branches. This puts significant stress on all of the Tortog's bodily systems, predisposing the Tortog to things like Bodyhauntings, Malgeneration, and Fibulism. Tree Possessed Tortogs are constantly exhausted and spend much of their time asleep, however, the stress leaves them constantly on edge and prone to hallucinations and psychosis, and are easily startled into explosions of paranoid aggression. Tree Possessed Tortogs were historically believed to be dead bodies possessed by Tree affiliated Ghosts. The trees don't actually control the Tortog in any way, but cultural expectations predispose Tree Possessed Tortogs' psychosis to match the mythology. It was/is rare for Dendrosis to reach this level of infestation in a Tortog who lives in a healthy community with attentive neighbors and access to basic medicine, so it usually only happened to hermits or bandits. Therefore, Tree Possessed Tortogs were usually killed for being dangerous undead and no cure or treatment was found until much later in Tortog history. Modern medicine can reverse Tree Possession with forced hospitalization and several weeks or months of treatment with steroids and antidendrotics. Dendrosis is a very easy affliction to prevent with basic hygiene and health practices, but very difficult to undo if left completely unchecked to its final stages. It's debated whether or not this situation really earns Castle Trees the label of "Parasitic Plant" because it only happens in severely immunocompromised Ursoonoids. It doesn't have any unique adaptations for parasitizing Ursoonoids. Castle Trees just try to grow anywhere, and Ursoonoids just happen to be tough enough to not die with trees growing in them.

Skeetbobs

I decided not to illustrate this one. Skeetbobs are technically a species of Togtor Gnat, though they barely look it. Their bodies are reduced in an extreme manner akin to Earth's barnacles. Despite being closely related to the anatomically complex Skeeto gnats, the Skeetbob has a flat disc for a body with a barbed proboscis in the middle, a small hole on top, and no other outside features. Under a microscope, it is roughly the shape of a thumbtack. These parasites float aimlessly through the water until they are eventually swallowed by a Rodedo or any other species of swamp worm, where they pin their proboscis into the lining of the intestine and start draining blood and converting it into eggs, which are expelled with the swamp worm's excrement. This barely affects the worm, because the Skeetbob is so small. The problem is much worse for Ursoons, Goons, and Tortogs because of the hypernutrious blood serum that enables Ursoonoid's fast healing. If an Ursoon, Goon, or Tortog's digestive system fails to break down ingested Skeetbobs, the nutrients and energy in the Ursoonoid blood serum allows the Skeetbob to produce significantly more eggs than normal, and the labyrinthine Ursoonoid digestive tract leaves enough time for the eggs to hatch and implant like their mother. This leads to painful bloating, gas, explosive diarrhea, malnutrition, and bloodloss. Skeetbobs can be treated with acid strengthening medicines if caught early, but if that doesn't work it may require a colonectomy. A milder condition may occur if a Tortog gets Skeetbobs in a wound, in which case it may cause the wound to weep puss and likely Malgenerate. This is still gross, but is easier to treat than intestinal Skeetbobs, only requiring the afflicted flesh to be carved off. Skeetbobs are usually found in stagnant freshwater without nearby Castle Trees (Castle Trees secrete allelopathic enzymes that destroy competitor plants, but also kill Skeetbobs), especially where there is sewage and/or swamp worm/Ursoonoid corpses. Cooking or pickling meat destroys any Skeetbobs that might be in it.

Potter's Disease

Fibulism, despite being called "Potter's Disease" is a symptom rather than a disease of its own. It can result from environmental and/or genetic conditions, and causes the scutes and teeth to either fall off or never develop. This impacts life significantly because it makes the Tortog more vulnerable, and because of the structure of the Tortog mouth, means they lose the function of their lower jaw.

Fibulism may result from: Genetic defect, malnutrition, severe allergic reaction, prolonged stress, radiation poisoning, heavy metal poisoning, inbreeding, or severe viral, fungal, or bacterial infection.

Potters have to grind their food by hand with a mortar and pestle, or food processor. They also have to wear protective gear for their head and torso, and boots and gloves for their lack of claws.

Fibulism got its name from the historical "Potter Towns", which adopted and housed Tortogs with the condition. They typically focused on harvesting and spinning clay because that was easier for them than farming, mining, or lumber. Modern Tortogs with Fibulism stay with their original communities, though there are specialist schools and organizations for helping them navigate the unique struggles they face.

The condition is often curable in the modern day, but some Tortogs have more complicated causes of their Fibulism and instead use prosthetics. Usually these are designed to be indistinguishable from natural scutes, but some Fibulist Tortogs opt for pretty colors, being unashamed of their condition.

Malgeneration

Tortogs can heal exceptionally quickly, and regrow lost limbs in weeks or days. However, this doesn't always work perfectly. Injured Tortogs, especially if malnourished, suffering from an infection, or if the injury resulted from fire, acid, or radiation, are at risk of Malgeneration.

Hand-Foot Malgeneration: When a foot incorrectly regenerates as a hand, or vice versa.

Hypergeneration: The body regenerates more of a body part than what was actually missing. Such as an entire hand growing out of the stub of a severed finger, or a second eye growing in an occupied socket.

Fractal Malgeneration: When a body part repeatedly starts regrowing before it completes, causing a curling branch to form.

Macrogeneration: When a missing body part grows back far larger than it is supposed to be.

Heterotax Malgeneration: When a missing body part regrows in the wrong location.

Fused Malgeneration: When digits grow back stuck together.

Microgeneration: When a missing body part grows back much smaller than it is supposed to be, or stops regenerating prematurely.

Knot Malgeneration: When a body part regenerates in such a way that the bones push through the flesh around them, creating new injuries that also try to regenerate.

Despite how it looks to other species, Malgeneration is usually more inconvenient than painful. Because of their healing ability, Tortogs experience pain differently from other species. Mechanical damage to the skin and limbs is more of an "awareness". Only damage from chemicals or fire, and damage to the vital organs cause Tortogs to feel serious pain.

Most Malgeneration can be resolved with a clean amputation higher/deeper than the misbehaving wound.

Historically/spiritually, Malgeneration has been blamed on infestation/possession by ghosts, particularly by "Beast Ghosts" associated with plants (Beast Ghosts are ghosts that refuse to return their essence to the universe because of their antisociality and materialism. They didn't act like People in life, so in death they become Un-People-like and gain attributes of plants or animals.) This was treated with "Physical Exorcism", which conveniently included the effective treatment: amputation.

Close up Oooo. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁ Scale texture.

The Rishin are perhaps the most enigmatic sophont race in the Orion Sector. Nearly all of them reside in a massive, mobile space station known simply as the Void Pilgrim, where they maintain what is perhaps the galaxy's largest library, and act as information brokers for those seeking to deal in secrets.

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Bliil

A common jungle treat that was once simple meal filler, turned to a luxury delight, due to the need of imported sauces. During the rising tensions of Iot pressuring their neighbors to adopt their culture and technical advancements gifted by the Students, a not so reasonable voice demanded they go for the very vein connecting them all. Trade routes. Hindering the prices and policing what they allowed to sell between nations, this would cause a bitter view not upon Iot, but the region that refused their generosity. Parts of jungle territories were losing income being unable to sell their goods further out and make profit. The trade wars would be called off after a deal was made, another ally gained, and the flood of cheap goods and fine cuts flowed to the public and common folk once more.

The crew of the Artox-Trahelis (uncolored for now) 💙

Arboreal Allosaur (Pallusaurus Ferox) is a species of Palubolígolian Allosaur found in the southern Ranei mountains of Hech. This animal is highly intelligent and while not gregarious it is highly social if two individuals meet. These animals are not territorial between members of the species and if they meet they are known to play, sing and even mate. Like other species of Pallusaurus even the Arboreal Allosaur is known to display same sex mating behaviour.

As the name suggests the Arboreal Allosaur is a great climber of both trees and cliffs with its long arms it can actually crawl quadrupedally and jump from tree to tree.

These predators favour hunting birds, dragons and perhaps surprisingly bears. Eating bears is so common in fact that the ancestral species of the extanct Pallusaurus Ferox arborealis is called the A. F. ursovenator, literally the Ferocious Bear Hunter. The fossils of this species have been found with many bear bones inside the stomach.

Perhaps surprisingly this animal has quite favourable relations with the two species of sophont it shares habitat with - the Chakatee, gigantic crows, will sometimes practice “reverse falconry” where they raise abandoned chicks into formidable war animals. The other sophont - Banshee Folk treat these animals similarly to how the Korvid Folk treat the various species of Zrai, they raise these animals near their villages, protect them and help the feed their chicks in exchange for their own protection.

These artworks were made by my friend @twiglypile when we started talking.

2/4 of my senior thesis