Created By Eye14
Humans, Homo sapiens specifically, are a common species and are generally considered Earth's dominant sophont race. Various entities, whether originating from the stars of the heavens, have also existed on Earth at different times. Many of these entities were one-of-a-kind rather than belonging to a certain species, making their traits and attributes unique on the planet.
One such entity has historically been known as the Saurian Prince, or the great lizard king1. This entity was at least supra-sapient, and at most was a weak(er) multupotent entity. It is said that after the battle which birthed mankind2, the Saurian Prince suffered a great loss in power3. His offspring, taking the form of monstrous, dinosaur-like beasts, were allotted a period of time to roam the Earth as bringers of terror. It was after this time ended that the tribes and kingdoms of humankind began their war on monsters4.
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| Derived gorgon forms, listed in a counterclockwise fashion: Original gorgon, mermaid, siren, ningen, sheshark, sea serpent, subterranean hydra, cave hag. |
Regardless of how the Saurian Prince was lowered to its current status, it is undeniable that the entity contributed genetic material to certain populations of humans5. These splinter clades fall under the paranatural genus Homosauria, meaning "human lizards". If is, however, undeniable that these species are much more snake-like than lizard-like. The reason for this is unknown, but it is possible that this trait could reveal more information regarding the Saurian Prince's progenitors.
Homosaurians are thought to have been created in what is now Hellenoturkic (Greek and Turkish) territory. It is thought that the clade (which will now be described using the common name "gorgons") originally diverged from baseline humanity around 50,000 years ago. The very first gorgons were considered demigods by the nearby cultures, that is, anomalous individuals with a supposed semi-divine origin. While the true nature of the Saurian Prince remains disputed among scholars, it is widely accepted that the gorgons were viewed as non-human by the baseline civilizations of the time.
Gorgons are primarily female, with males making up only around 27% of the population. The reason for this is that all known species are capable of parthenogenesis, or asexual reproduction via cloning. The original individuals produced by the Saurian Prince possessed very potent psychokinesis. Evidence uncovered from archeological digs indicates that the first few generations may have possessed psychic gleaning.
A gorgon possesses on its head, instead of hair, a series of prehensile appendages which are referred to as cranial cirri. Each cirrus is capable of movement, and these typically convey emotions in a manner similar to facial expressions, altering their position to coincide with different moods. Note that in some species, these may be altered or repurposed.
- Original/Generic Gorgons - These organisms are largely humanoid in psychological function, but physically resemble a human with their pelvic region and below replaced by a serpentine form. This means that such creatures must consume around 3 to 5 times the amount of food a baseline human would consume. Specimens typically resemble normal human ethnicities but may possess green skin or otherwise non-baseline features. Generic gorgons are capable of producing offspring with baseline humans. These "gorgonites" possess the cranial cirri, but are humanoid in shape, having 2 legs and no tail. These hybrids are infertile, but are endowed with above-average strength and the ability to "shift" or "morph" their hands to have claws.
- Mermaids - Still social creatures, mermaids are capable of going years without interaction (with other sophonts) and retaining their sanity. These are highly similar to generic gorgons, but are primarily aquatic. Some anomalous ancient civilizations6 built canals within their cities to accommodate this variant.
- Sirens - Sirens are considered more malicious in their behavior, mainly because they live in more extreme oceanic environments. It is known that sirens were despised by seafaring cultures because of their tendency to cannibalize other sophonts.
- Ningen - The Ningen is a more animalistic gorgon, having devolved to the point that their intelligence is below that of the baseline human. They typically inhabit Antarctic waters. They measure around 50' to 100', it is thought that the species grew larger to survive the cold. Their fins are also much more pronounced, and their arms are used primarily for harvesting plants and catching animals like whales or penguins.
- Sheshark - A combination of the words "she" and "shark", shesharks are similar to the ningen, with both having animalistic intelligence. However, shesharks are much more aggressive, being strict carnivores. Their arms have lost most of their dexterity and mostly act like a mouth, helping the streamlined organism to grab prey items using sharp piercing claws.
- Sea Serpent - These creatures maintain an IQ much higher than that of any baseline human, but also a predatory psychology. The hands have been completely absorbed into the head, with the claws acting like mandibles. Sea serpents are capable of psychic gleaning and the ability to mentally "explore" their immediate mental surroundings. They possess a frill that allows them to position their forebody on a ship, consuming unlucky sailors. Sea serpents are around 70' to 130' long. They seem to be ambivalent to the plights of sophonts, hostility varies from individual to individual.
- Subterranean Hydra - These are a group of animalistic gorgons that live a subterranean lifestyle. Their cranial appendages are strong and used to move boulders, as well as navigate underground caves.
- Cave Hag - These organisms, while not possessing true sophonce, are capable of near-baseline emotions and speech. They are, however, limited in their ability to use tools.
