Asphodel – The Garden Planet
Asphodel is a wet tropical planet, orbiting at a comfortable distance from a sun slightly dimmer than ours. The atmosphere is similar to Earth, but slightly richer in oxygen, and the gravity is lower by a fair margin. There are large, relatively shallow oceans, and the land’s surface is low and slightly hilly in most places, with only a couple of small mountain ranges.
Most of the land, except the somewhat drier and more temperate polar regions, is covered in a dense, low kind of garden-like jungle. Flora here comes in 2 main varieties, which diverged hundreds of millions of years ago.
First are the pseudo-lichens, branching shelf-like stacks and fractal-shaped mounds of yellowish brown or dull green, varying in size from as small as clover to as large as a blackberry hedge. They consist of a symbiosis between native, algae-like simple plants and a kind of fungus-like growth, much like the lichens of Earth.
Second, are the true plants which in some way resemble primitive plants from Earth. These form glistening plush carpets of dark emerald, or weedy tangles of bright chartreuse filaments. Of course, these plants photosynthesise in a fashion similar to familiar earthling plants.
Large animals here are not really analogous to earthly vertebrates at all. Though they have limbs, necks, heads and tails, they are derived from mollusc-like creatures. These animals have no proper skeleton; their bodies are mainly formed of dense muscle supported by a flexible column of cartilage, anchored to the shell on their backs. A breathing orifice near the base of the shell leads to a single large, folded lung. What look like legs are actually arrays of thick muscle rings, attaching to the shell-like scales which run down the front edge. Thus these large scales act almost as an exterior skeleton. Most of these slug-beasts reproduce by laying large clutches of rubbery, gelatinous eggs. There is no parental care; most often eggs are imbued with defensive toxins to deter egg eaters. Bodily biochemistry is in some ways familiar, they breathe oxygen, and their copper-based blood is much like the hemolymph of earthling insects. Shells and scales are composed of calcium carbonate. On this planet, no large animal utters a sound, and hearing is limited to sensing vibrations in the ground. Vision is fairly weak in most species, simply able to detect shape, light and movement. Most of these creatures locate their food by scenting the air with the sensory tentacles adorning their faces. The jaws are muscular lobes studded with calcified “teeth”, which chew food to a pulp before swallowing. Life here seems to move almost in slow motion, because these large ruling animals have quite low metabolisms, and no solid bones to anchor the muscles necessary for quick-powerful strides. Even the predators move at a speed lower than a human might briskly walk. Long muscular tentacles sprouting from the base of the neck serve to aid in feeding, hunting and sometimes defence.
Invertebrates here are mostly primitive forms related to the larger ruling animals of the planet. There are smallish, snail and slug-like “molluscs” on land which crawl on a muscular “foot”; many are covered by calcareous scales or a cap-like shell. In the sea there are tentacled creatures that resemble nautilus or ammonites, buoyed up by chambered spiralling shells, though they cannot move by jet propulsion and instead are propelled by flipper-shaped arms. Relatives of these shelled swimmers are the hand-sized “squid slugs”, shell-less creatures which swim quickly with 2 pairs of large fins, often forming huge shoals. Both underground and underwater, primitive worm-like creatures with simple digestive systems act to decompose carrion and waste, enriching the soil much as earthworms do here. “Worm” is perhaps too generous a word, as these basic creatures are mere narrow tubes of muscle covered in chemoreceptors, only able to respire passively.
The first human explorers to visit this planet remarked that in some ways, it resembled a quiet patch of garden complete with trundling snails, but on a gigantic scale. It must certainly appear so, with its dense tangles of growth and gargantuan shelled inhabitants.
Asphodel is a wet tropical planet, orbiting at a comfortable distance from a sun slightly dimmer than ours. The atmosphere is similar to Earth, but slightly richer in oxygen, and the gravity is lower by a fair margin. There are large, relatively shallow oceans, and the land’s surface is low and slightly hilly in most places, with only a couple of small mountain ranges.
Most of the land, except the somewhat drier and more temperate polar regions, is covered in a dense, low kind of garden-like jungle. Flora here comes in 2 main varieties, which diverged hundreds of millions of years ago.
First are the pseudo-lichens, branching shelf-like stacks and fractal-shaped mounds of yellowish brown or dull green, varying in size from as small as clover to as large as a blackberry hedge. They consist of a symbiosis between native, algae-like simple plants and a kind of fungus-like growth, much like the lichens of Earth.
Second, are the true plants which in some way resemble primitive plants from Earth. These form glistening plush carpets of dark emerald, or weedy tangles of bright chartreuse filaments. Of course, these plants photosynthesise in a fashion similar to familiar earthling plants.
Large animals here are not really analogous to earthly vertebrates at all. Though they have limbs, necks, heads and tails, they are derived from mollusc-like creatures. These animals have no proper skeleton; their bodies are mainly formed of dense muscle supported by a flexible column of cartilage, anchored to the shell on their backs. A breathing orifice near the base of the shell leads to a single large, folded lung. What look like legs are actually arrays of thick muscle rings, attaching to the shell-like scales which run down the front edge. Thus these large scales act almost as an exterior skeleton. Most of these slug-beasts reproduce by laying large clutches of rubbery, gelatinous eggs. There is no parental care; most often eggs are imbued with defensive toxins to deter egg eaters. Bodily biochemistry is in some ways familiar, they breathe oxygen, and their copper-based blood is much like the hemolymph of earthling insects. Shells and scales are composed of calcium carbonate. On this planet, no large animal utters a sound, and hearing is limited to sensing vibrations in the ground. Vision is fairly weak in most species, simply able to detect shape, light and movement. Most of these creatures locate their food by scenting the air with the sensory tentacles adorning their faces. The jaws are muscular lobes studded with calcified “teeth”, which chew food to a pulp before swallowing. Life here seems to move almost in slow motion, because these large ruling animals have quite low metabolisms, and no solid bones to anchor the muscles necessary for quick-powerful strides. Even the predators move at a speed lower than a human might briskly walk. Long muscular tentacles sprouting from the base of the neck serve to aid in feeding, hunting and sometimes defence.
Invertebrates here are mostly primitive forms related to the larger ruling animals of the planet. There are smallish, snail and slug-like “molluscs” on land which crawl on a muscular “foot”; many are covered by calcareous scales or a cap-like shell. In the sea there are tentacled creatures that resemble nautilus or ammonites, buoyed up by chambered spiralling shells, though they cannot move by jet propulsion and instead are propelled by flipper-shaped arms. Relatives of these shelled swimmers are the hand-sized “squid slugs”, shell-less creatures which swim quickly with 2 pairs of large fins, often forming huge shoals. Both underground and underwater, primitive worm-like creatures with simple digestive systems act to decompose carrion and waste, enriching the soil much as earthworms do here. “Worm” is perhaps too generous a word, as these basic creatures are mere narrow tubes of muscle covered in chemoreceptors, only able to respire passively.
The first human explorers to visit this planet remarked that in some ways, it resembled a quiet patch of garden complete with trundling snails, but on a gigantic scale. It must certainly appear so, with its dense tangles of growth and gargantuan shelled inhabitants.
Faunal Examples -
Great Thago-beast (Limacobehemoth stegosauroides)
Great thago-beasts are the largest animals on Asphodel, massive herbivores that are well defended. Measuring 4 meters tall and 6 meters long, they lumber slowly through the more productive patches of plant and pseudo-lichen growth, eating as they go. It has large muscular tentacles which end in an array of calcareous spikes, these serve much the same purpose as the thagomizers of some dinosaurs, being swung violently in defence against predators.
Great thago-beasts are the largest animals on Asphodel, massive herbivores that are well defended. Measuring 4 meters tall and 6 meters long, they lumber slowly through the more productive patches of plant and pseudo-lichen growth, eating as they go. It has large muscular tentacles which end in an array of calcareous spikes, these serve much the same purpose as the thagomizers of some dinosaurs, being swung violently in defence against predators.
Elasmosauroid (Limacopterygius longicollis)
Recalling a strange hybrid of elasmosaur and ammonite, these marine beasts are commonly found in surface waters around the equator. Buoyancy is maintained and altered using gas-filled chambers in the shell on their back. Paddling through the water with their strong fore fins, they chase the ubiquitous shoals of flippered “squid slugs”, herding them with long flattened tentacles. The head is mounted on a long “neck”, which lashes out to snatch prey with the pointed front teeth. Elasmosauroids reach a maximum length of 4 metres.
Recalling a strange hybrid of elasmosaur and ammonite, these marine beasts are commonly found in surface waters around the equator. Buoyancy is maintained and altered using gas-filled chambers in the shell on their back. Paddling through the water with their strong fore fins, they chase the ubiquitous shoals of flippered “squid slugs”, herding them with long flattened tentacles. The head is mounted on a long “neck”, which lashes out to snatch prey with the pointed front teeth. Elasmosauroids reach a maximum length of 4 metres.
Lichen-lurker (Lichenoderma anuralimax)
These well-camouflaged predators lay concealed among the pseudo-lichen, ambushing small creatures which pass within striking distance. Their relatively large eyes are well attuned to movement, and prey is often evaluated by smell. Prey is captured with lightning fast strikes of the coiled tentacles, each of which ends in a suction cup. Lichen-lurkers average about 30 centimetres long.
These well-camouflaged predators lay concealed among the pseudo-lichen, ambushing small creatures which pass within striking distance. Their relatively large eyes are well attuned to movement, and prey is often evaluated by smell. Prey is captured with lightning fast strikes of the coiled tentacles, each of which ends in a suction cup. Lichen-lurkers average about 30 centimetres long.
Snailbear (Hoplocochlea panphagus)
Reaching up to 1.5 meters long, these fast-breeding snail-beasts are one of the most common animals found on Asphodel. They feed on a wide variety of foods, from young plant shoots, seeds and lichen spores, to slow-moving invertebrates and carrion. Having a large durable shell, as well as many calcareous scales and spines covering a thick hide, they are generally ignored by all but the most persistent predators.
Reaching up to 1.5 meters long, these fast-breeding snail-beasts are one of the most common animals found on Asphodel. They feed on a wide variety of foods, from young plant shoots, seeds and lichen spores, to slow-moving invertebrates and carrion. Having a large durable shell, as well as many calcareous scales and spines covering a thick hide, they are generally ignored by all but the most persistent predators.
Death-slug (Limacoraptor diabolus)
This apex predator is a formidably armed creature, reaching a total length of 3.5 meters. Its lobed mouth bristles with long wicked teeth, and the fore-tentacles bear long hooked claws. Death-slugs are able to attack and kill all but the largest and most poisonous prey; even half-grown thago-beasts can succumb to this dangerous predator. To a human, though imposing in appearance Death-slugs pose little threat, as with all Asphodelian slug-beasts, they move quite slowly.
This apex predator is a formidably armed creature, reaching a total length of 3.5 meters. Its lobed mouth bristles with long wicked teeth, and the fore-tentacles bear long hooked claws. Death-slugs are able to attack and kill all but the largest and most poisonous prey; even half-grown thago-beasts can succumb to this dangerous predator. To a human, though imposing in appearance Death-slugs pose little threat, as with all Asphodelian slug-beasts, they move quite slowly.