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Post by Atrox on Oct 15, 2015 13:28:09 GMT
'Tis the Halloween season and I thought it'd be fun to start a discussion with you guys to brainstorm some Halloween themed organisms.
The purpose of this thread is to take common Halloween icons (vampires, zombies, werewolves, etc) and attempt to figure out how they would work in the real world.
Organisms discussed: - Vampire - Jack O' Lantern - Headless Horseman (not sure if finished) - Werewolf (not sure if finished) - Zombie - Spiders (ongoing) - Ghost (ironing out the final design/details) - DodoRex (ongoing) -Witches (almost done)
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The_Wayward_Admiral
Spacefaring
The_Real_Slim_Shady
Atrox drew this awesome image of the Keldori!
Posts: 1,011
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Post by The_Wayward_Admiral on Oct 15, 2015 14:33:02 GMT
You mean like envisioning how such a thing could operate?
Because if so, you have my bow.
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Post by Rowdy on Oct 15, 2015 15:07:04 GMT
Ghouls and zombies and werewolves! Oh my!
...needless to say, I'm in.
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Post by Aquos on Oct 15, 2015 15:47:56 GMT
hm let me think to gods also count
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Post by Atrox on Oct 15, 2015 20:36:26 GMT
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The_Wayward_Admiral
Spacefaring
The_Real_Slim_Shady
Atrox drew this awesome image of the Keldori!
Posts: 1,011
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Post by The_Wayward_Admiral on Oct 15, 2015 20:40:47 GMT
Vampires: They burn in the sun because they lack melanin of any kind (that's why they're ashen) They are immortal because they have somehow managed to produce telomeres that are't shortened during replication (hypothesised as the reason for aging) They drink blood because it has lots-o-nutrients (I will get back in a little bit after researching just how nutritious) I have no idea how they turn into smoke or bats though. Or how they achieve their super strength or speed. Also I guess they would need super combustable oils in order to just kinda catch flame in addition to the lack of melanin.
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Post by Atrox on Oct 15, 2015 20:48:50 GMT
I read a while ago that a vampire would need to drink I believe 5 or so liters of blood daily to survive. Something along those lines
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The_Wayward_Admiral
Spacefaring
The_Real_Slim_Shady
Atrox drew this awesome image of the Keldori!
Posts: 1,011
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Post by The_Wayward_Admiral on Oct 15, 2015 20:49:36 GMT
So now that I'm on an FBI watch-list for googling "nutrient content of blood" someone pointed out something that blows my idea of nutrition out of the water. Blood is mostly water, and the only things that end up in blood are excess nutrients, so vampires would need to drink lots of blood from overly-nourished people. Vampire bats need to drink a lot every night to survive. According to wikipedia, they drink half their body weight in twenty minutes. Vampires would need to feed on a metric ton of people every single night, so their population would need to be low in number.
Edit: I number crunched and your estimate agrees with the calculations
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Post by Atrox on Oct 15, 2015 21:02:41 GMT
But this is only with exceptionally healthy prey correct?
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The_Wayward_Admiral
Spacefaring
The_Real_Slim_Shady
Atrox drew this awesome image of the Keldori!
Posts: 1,011
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Post by The_Wayward_Admiral on Oct 15, 2015 21:04:23 GMT
Well I would say prey with high amounts lipid and protein in their blood, so healthy might not be the most accurate description, you'd be looking at prey with genetic disorders in uptake proteins and hormonal imbalances or prey with overeating habits.
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Post by Atrox on Oct 15, 2015 21:05:56 GMT
Hmm...
What it it sucked out more than just its blood?
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The_Wayward_Admiral
Spacefaring
The_Real_Slim_Shady
Atrox drew this awesome image of the Keldori!
Posts: 1,011
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Post by The_Wayward_Admiral on Oct 15, 2015 21:07:40 GMT
That's true, it could consume localized fat storage, and supplement the diet in any number of ways (maybe the blood itself is a supplement).
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Post by Atrox on Oct 15, 2015 21:11:47 GMT
I was thinking it could liquify its prey's insides maybe? Suck all that out. Leave behind a desiccated, hollow corpse.
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The_Wayward_Admiral
Spacefaring
The_Real_Slim_Shady
Atrox drew this awesome image of the Keldori!
Posts: 1,011
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Post by The_Wayward_Admiral on Oct 15, 2015 21:15:10 GMT
Simple matter of releasing hydrochloric acid or lipases. An elegant solution Atrox.
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Post by Atrox on Oct 15, 2015 21:24:06 GMT
Thanks!
Do you think there is any way for it to transform into a bat? It seems rather unfeasible.
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The_Wayward_Admiral
Spacefaring
The_Real_Slim_Shady
Atrox drew this awesome image of the Keldori!
Posts: 1,011
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Post by The_Wayward_Admiral on Oct 15, 2015 21:30:01 GMT
It could have a way to release psychoactive chemicals and then use the power of suggestion to give that impression.
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Post by Atrox on Oct 15, 2015 22:13:37 GMT
Drug induced bat transformations. Interesting.
I know there are toads that secrete psychoactive substances. Though it takes these toads about a month to replenish their supply. I'm assuming it'd take longer with a much larger vampire...
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The_Wayward_Admiral
Spacefaring
The_Real_Slim_Shady
Atrox drew this awesome image of the Keldori!
Posts: 1,011
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Post by The_Wayward_Admiral on Oct 16, 2015 2:46:26 GMT
Sorry for my delay, internet is on what I like to call "the fritz". It probably wouldn't take too much to accomplish the necessary effect, and a human sized being can store a lot of schmutz. So while the regen time would probably be similar, the vampire could have several doses in holding.
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Post by Atrox on Oct 16, 2015 3:19:58 GMT
This is a good point!
Do you think it should be human looking or something of a hybrid between a human and a bat? What about just an evolved bat? I'm leaning towards evolved bat..
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The_Wayward_Admiral
Spacefaring
The_Real_Slim_Shady
Atrox drew this awesome image of the Keldori!
Posts: 1,011
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Post by The_Wayward_Admiral on Oct 16, 2015 3:23:11 GMT
I have no strong preference, so as this is your party, I will vote bat (perhaps in the vein of Primeval's advanced bat predator thing, but slightly less random in its unmitigated terror).
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