Aztlan – The Featherback Planet
Aztlan is an interesting planet, not for its similarities to Earth, but its differences. Its sun is slightly dimmer and closer than Earth’s, but the climate is generally warm and tropical. At the poles, it is temperate and cool, with no ice-caps. The atmosphere is fairly similar to Earth’s with the exception that oxygen levels are 25 percent higher. Gravity is only slightly lower than that of earth. There are relatively abundant lakes and rivers, and the large continents are girt by expansive, deep oceans. Terrain is mountainous in places, but life flourishes more in the lowlands.
The plants here are very interesting; most being green, with branches and leaf-like outgrowths that are configured somewhat differently than Earth’s. Though branches grow in a roughly fractal pattern, leaves emerge in clusters radiating from the joints between stems, somewhat like a horsetail plant. They are composed of a cellulose-like structure as well as high levels of siliceous fibres. In this way, they are an unusual and foreign halfway point between trees and grass. Hard structures such as bark, stems and trunks support themselves by a latticework crust of glassy fibres. Most large trees have pale opaque stems and branches, supported by a crust-like outer “bark”, whilst the leaves are flat and green. Smaller plants have the same pattern of growth, but with the stems also being green.
Large, dominant land animals here have an odd configuration of limbs. Their ancestral form was a segmented aquatic creature with nipping, pedipalp-like jaws and rayed fin-like limbs towards the front which served for both locomotion and breathing. These fins were imbued with a dense network of blood-vessels to allow for gas exchange. Fin rays in this ancestor became the framework from which proper limbs evolved. Front fin rays became multiple pairs of jointed muscular limbs, and the rear two pairs became feathery breathing organs. It is from these red, plumaceous organs that the animals gain their common name “featherbacks”. Most of these creatures have a fairly high metabolism, and are quite active. The mouthparts retain a more primitive look, being two pairs of large crab-claw like jaws. Most featherbacks have keen eyesight provided by arthropod-like eyes, and their long antennae serve to sense vibrations and scent the air. Biochemistry is mostly familiar; blood is rich in iron to carry dissolved gasses, and the internal skeleton is composed of calcified “bones” as well as collagen-rich “cartillage”. Outer coverings such as armour, horns and jaw-sheaths are composed of a tough, silica-rich cuticle that grows from special cartilage-like tissues under the skin. A good percentage of the silica needed for their hard parts come ultimately from the siliceous plants that provide the basis of the terrestrial ecology. Females lay large clutches up to 150 eggs, which hatch into small, fully independent young.
Most bodies of water here are home to primitive featherback-relatives, which fill the role of fishes. These vary from tiny sardine-like forms to some that are bigger than salmon. As with many planets, riverbeds as well as moist soil plays host to various kinds of long, segmented “worms”. In the oceans some of these have evolved into imposing ribbon-shaped predators up to 2 meters long. Arthropod-analogues are present on this planet too, flat-backed crab-like creatures varying from the size of a small lentil to the size of a tea-saucer. Some of these crab-things inhabit water as with crustaceans, but the more advanced forms are air-breathers that take the place of insects. One interesting difference to Earth arthropods is that the mouth is a muscular chewing orifice filled with chitinous teeth, instead of a pair of mandibles.
To the first explorers, the featherbacks resembled the exaggerated figures of traditional Aztec temple artwork. So this planet was named Aztlan, after the mythical homeland of the Aztecs.
Aztlan is an interesting planet, not for its similarities to Earth, but its differences. Its sun is slightly dimmer and closer than Earth’s, but the climate is generally warm and tropical. At the poles, it is temperate and cool, with no ice-caps. The atmosphere is fairly similar to Earth’s with the exception that oxygen levels are 25 percent higher. Gravity is only slightly lower than that of earth. There are relatively abundant lakes and rivers, and the large continents are girt by expansive, deep oceans. Terrain is mountainous in places, but life flourishes more in the lowlands.
The plants here are very interesting; most being green, with branches and leaf-like outgrowths that are configured somewhat differently than Earth’s. Though branches grow in a roughly fractal pattern, leaves emerge in clusters radiating from the joints between stems, somewhat like a horsetail plant. They are composed of a cellulose-like structure as well as high levels of siliceous fibres. In this way, they are an unusual and foreign halfway point between trees and grass. Hard structures such as bark, stems and trunks support themselves by a latticework crust of glassy fibres. Most large trees have pale opaque stems and branches, supported by a crust-like outer “bark”, whilst the leaves are flat and green. Smaller plants have the same pattern of growth, but with the stems also being green.
Large, dominant land animals here have an odd configuration of limbs. Their ancestral form was a segmented aquatic creature with nipping, pedipalp-like jaws and rayed fin-like limbs towards the front which served for both locomotion and breathing. These fins were imbued with a dense network of blood-vessels to allow for gas exchange. Fin rays in this ancestor became the framework from which proper limbs evolved. Front fin rays became multiple pairs of jointed muscular limbs, and the rear two pairs became feathery breathing organs. It is from these red, plumaceous organs that the animals gain their common name “featherbacks”. Most of these creatures have a fairly high metabolism, and are quite active. The mouthparts retain a more primitive look, being two pairs of large crab-claw like jaws. Most featherbacks have keen eyesight provided by arthropod-like eyes, and their long antennae serve to sense vibrations and scent the air. Biochemistry is mostly familiar; blood is rich in iron to carry dissolved gasses, and the internal skeleton is composed of calcified “bones” as well as collagen-rich “cartillage”. Outer coverings such as armour, horns and jaw-sheaths are composed of a tough, silica-rich cuticle that grows from special cartilage-like tissues under the skin. A good percentage of the silica needed for their hard parts come ultimately from the siliceous plants that provide the basis of the terrestrial ecology. Females lay large clutches up to 150 eggs, which hatch into small, fully independent young.
Most bodies of water here are home to primitive featherback-relatives, which fill the role of fishes. These vary from tiny sardine-like forms to some that are bigger than salmon. As with many planets, riverbeds as well as moist soil plays host to various kinds of long, segmented “worms”. In the oceans some of these have evolved into imposing ribbon-shaped predators up to 2 meters long. Arthropod-analogues are present on this planet too, flat-backed crab-like creatures varying from the size of a small lentil to the size of a tea-saucer. Some of these crab-things inhabit water as with crustaceans, but the more advanced forms are air-breathers that take the place of insects. One interesting difference to Earth arthropods is that the mouth is a muscular chewing orifice filled with chitinous teeth, instead of a pair of mandibles.
To the first explorers, the featherbacks resembled the exaggerated figures of traditional Aztec temple artwork. So this planet was named Aztlan, after the mythical homeland of the Aztecs.
Faunal Examples -
Bearcrab (Cancriursus tardus)
Bearcrabs are a fairly typical kind of featherback, usually about 2.5 meters long. Having 3 pairs of walking legs, as well as one pair of muscular crab-claw arms, they are a good example of how the fin rays of ancestral featherbacks became multiple pairs of muscular limbs. There is only one pair of breathing plumes. Bearcrabs are omnivores, using their large paired jaws to pulverise small animals, carrion, young plant growth, roots, seeds and fruit.
Bearcrabs are a fairly typical kind of featherback, usually about 2.5 meters long. Having 3 pairs of walking legs, as well as one pair of muscular crab-claw arms, they are a good example of how the fin rays of ancestral featherbacks became multiple pairs of muscular limbs. There is only one pair of breathing plumes. Bearcrabs are omnivores, using their large paired jaws to pulverise small animals, carrion, young plant growth, roots, seeds and fruit.
Speckled Mantisfrog (Saltomantis agilis)
Mantisfrogs are hand-sized, agile creatures commonly found in the undergrowth, where they hunt for prey such as invertebrates and the young of other featherbacks. The front pair of limbs are cruel, folded claws that can lash out to snare and impale prey, while the rear two pairs form powerful legs built for leaping. At the slightest sign of danger, a mantisfrog will quickly leap many times their body-length to escape.
Mantisfrogs are hand-sized, agile creatures commonly found in the undergrowth, where they hunt for prey such as invertebrates and the young of other featherbacks. The front pair of limbs are cruel, folded claws that can lash out to snare and impale prey, while the rear two pairs form powerful legs built for leaping. At the slightest sign of danger, a mantisfrog will quickly leap many times their body-length to escape.
Two-toed Grappler (Diablonychus ferox)
Two-toed grapplers are large, ferocious predators averaging about 3.5 meters long. They chase prey swiftly over fair distances on their long muscular hind legs, seizing and dispatching them with two pairs of front limbs, the first pair being wickedly clawed. Prey as large as a horse can be quickly chased down and killed in this way. Two robust pairs of breathing plumes adorn its back, and are covered in dense, blood-rich filaments to augment its high metabolic rate.
Two-toed grapplers are large, ferocious predators averaging about 3.5 meters long. They chase prey swiftly over fair distances on their long muscular hind legs, seizing and dispatching them with two pairs of front limbs, the first pair being wickedly clawed. Prey as large as a horse can be quickly chased down and killed in this way. Two robust pairs of breathing plumes adorn its back, and are covered in dense, blood-rich filaments to augment its high metabolic rate.
Crab-faced Plume-ox (Cancriognathus onychops)
Usually reaching 5 meters long, these large herbivores can be as heavy as 3.5 tons. Huge crab-claw mandibles adorn the front of the face, used to constantly rip and crop large amounts of plant mater at head level or closer to the ground. Plume-oxen have three pairs of large walking legs, and two pairs of tall breathing plumes stand high on the back. They most often travel in large, far-ranging herds of up to 50 individuals, and cause considerable destruction when feeding en masse.
Usually reaching 5 meters long, these large herbivores can be as heavy as 3.5 tons. Huge crab-claw mandibles adorn the front of the face, used to constantly rip and crop large amounts of plant mater at head level or closer to the ground. Plume-oxen have three pairs of large walking legs, and two pairs of tall breathing plumes stand high on the back. They most often travel in large, far-ranging herds of up to 50 individuals, and cause considerable destruction when feeding en masse.
Wondrous Shrimpfish (Xenocaris rubropinna)
Commonly found in near shore waters below the equator, wondrous shrimpfish provide a good insight into what an ancestral featherback would have looked like. They usually reach a length of about 40 centimetres. Having a single pair of rayed fore fins that are imbued with blood vessels to aid in respiration, it is from this basic configuration that the legs and breathing plumes of the terrestrial featherbacks derived. Shrimpfish travel in small shoals of up to 20, and feed on small invertebrates that they catch on the seafloor.
Commonly found in near shore waters below the equator, wondrous shrimpfish provide a good insight into what an ancestral featherback would have looked like. They usually reach a length of about 40 centimetres. Having a single pair of rayed fore fins that are imbued with blood vessels to aid in respiration, it is from this basic configuration that the legs and breathing plumes of the terrestrial featherbacks derived. Shrimpfish travel in small shoals of up to 20, and feed on small invertebrates that they catch on the seafloor.