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Description
To any who have read my entries on ocean based species, you should know by now that I have difficulty studying them. If you are new to this concept, I can bring you up to speed quite quickly: Land Plant + Ocean Water = Bad. Nothing makes research harder than trying to traverse a sea that is filled with the equivalent of acid. I do my best at times, but I am pretty much forced to rely on dead specimens, word of mouth and research done by fellow colleagues. With this, I am quite lacking in the sea department, which is quite disheartening since it is filled with such amazing things! It is a seemingly bottomless ecosystem that houses so much exotic life and strange species! What I wouldn't give for a chance to fully explore it! Thankfully, the sea is still an imposing obstacle to many, so other researchers have an equally hard time as well. Keeps me from feeling like I am the only one left out. With the problems like lack of air, pressure and oceanic predators, the sea still holds many mysteries for the natural historian. One such mystery is the Morkoth.

While other species like the Scylla, Charybdis, and Sea Monk have decent amounts of research done on them, the knowledge on Morkoths remains quite thin. Word tells that they live in the deepest parts of the ocean, where little light enters. Very rarely are they sighted near the surface, which is only when one is sick or dying. Most of their body functions are quite unknown, since the only specimens that are studied have been dead for quite some time. For diet, our best guess is that they feed on small fish and crustaceans, which was found within their stomachs. Other unidentifiable substances were found in their guts, which make many wonder. Many sapient species that live in ocean insist that they are voraciously carnivorous, but these tales have no confirmation and seem to be built around fear. They appear to be slow swimmers, as they rely solely on their head fins for swimming. Their eyes are small and poorly developed, which is probably caused by the minimal amount of light that reaches their realm. Their size makes them larger than a full grown human, but this is because of their long tails and large head fins. The last thing known about them on an organic level is the fact that they have two large brains within their body. One is within their oddly shaped skulls, and the other is seen in a translucent sac embedded in their lower bodies. These two brains would hint at intelligence, which other species confirm. They are probably also used for more insidious purposes.

Of all the things we learned from other species down below, the most common thing talked about is the Morkoth's incredible psionic abilities. Many terrified tales speak of this mental prowess and many denizens of the sea fear ever meeting such a creature. Morkoth's are extremely skilled in hypnotism, and are able to put other creatures in a trance with hardly any effort. Their dual brains make it easy for them to dominate minds and turn even the most vicious predators into obedient minions. Apparently, they can use this power to emanate a field around them as they travel. While a Morkoth is swimming through the depths, no creature will bring them harm. That is because the moment they enter this field, the Morkoth's hypnotic power will pacify them and keep them frozen in place until the Morkoth leaves the vicinity. When not creating a field of influence, they can direct their mental powers at an individual to put them into a trance. The range of this power is not known, as many are not willing to test it. What they use these hypnotic powers for is not fully known, as no real evidence has been presented. The best I got was from talking with Kelp Dryads, all of whom were clearly afraid of these creatures. Their stories varied in details, but the most I could understand was that Morkoths used this power to either lure in prey for eating or enslavement. They said that hungry Morkoths hardly had to hunt for prey, all they needed to do was hypnotize a tasty morsel and the victim would happily present itself as a meal. Morkoths could even use this power to store prey for later consumption, supposedly having chambers filled with entranced prey waiting for their turn to be dinner. If not for food, the victim would be used as a servant for the Morkoths. Since the Morkoths don't appear to eat plants, the Kelp Dryads believe that their kind is specifically kept as slaves. They told stories of sisters who were lost to the Morkoths' will, those who swam too close to their territory and never returned. No doubt the Morkoths hypnotized them and turned them into obedient servants. Those who swam that far below rarely returned, and those that did would come back different. Some claimed that Morkoths would release victims that were deemed unfit for servitude, wiping their memories and spitting them back up to surface waters. Others believed these dazed survivors were still under the Morkoths' control, mindless drones sent above to gather knowledge and new victims. The claim is that these drones would act normal until they gathered what resources their masters demanded of them. Then some mental signal would summon them back down below, where they would return without hesitation.

With talks of servants and such, one would wonder why Morkoths would need such a work force. The reason for this, supposedly, is that Morkoths actually construct underwater structures deep down below. Stories tell of cities buried deep in the abyss, built within the very rock itself. Great tunnels that bore through the silt and stone, arranging in massive spiraling patterns. Smoking, coiling towers that stand as sentinels in the darkness. All of this built by the Morkoths and their entranced workers, or so they say. There is some debate to these tales, as some hardly believe that such cities could exist. Those in the seas claim it is all true, but parts of their stories make it kind of hard to believe. The thing that births such doubt is the idea that these constructions apparently exude the same hypnotic power that the Morkoths wield. To gaze at one of these towers, or into one of these spiraling tunnels would put the viewer into a trance. Those who have dared to glimpse such cities are said to be enthralled by its beauty and are unknowingly pulled in. This would bring the Morkoths a good work force or food source with little effort, as entranced prey would literally swim up to their doorstep. To think, an entire civilization built as a mental trap to those who live above. To even sneak a peek of such a sight would threaten the loss of your free will, which brings to question, how the heck does anyone know these exist!? If you can't look at them, how do you know they are there? The Kelp Dryads I talked to said that they know because there are those who have seen it, but just a few minutes ago, they talked about how all of those who gazed at the structures are drawn into the cities and are lost. So which is true? They say that there are survivors who have returned, but all the tales say that they have no memories of their time below. If all the survivors have their minds wiped, than how do they know about the cities? It doesn't make a whole lot of sense. The other question is, if these Morkoth can indeed create hypnotic cities, then what do they use them for? They say it is to capture food and servants, but the Morkoth apparently already have an easy enough time doing that. All one has to do is swim up a little, hypnotize a few creatures and then swim back down with your prizes. Seems pretty simple, and the stories claim that they do just that. So what is the point of the city? Why spend so much time and resources to build something to do the thing you already do quite well? If the Morkoth go above to capture servants for construction, than why do they put the slaves to work building a structure that just catches more slaves? What's the end goal? "We have servants to build our towers! What for? To capture more servants! What will we do with those? Make more towers! What for? To capture more servants!" etc. It's a puzzlement.

So until we terrestrials can construct a way to study the deep ocean, I guess it is safe to say the Morkoth will remain a mystery for quite some time. Even if we did find a way, we would have to concoct a way to immunize ourselves to their psionic powers. Which brings to mind one last bit of info I would like to share about the Morkoth. Since these creatures dwell far down below, almost everyone in their life will never ever get even close to one. If you don't live near the ocean, then you will never see one. Those who do live on the coast, you will probably never see one. That is not to say it is impossible, because dead Morkoth will very rarely wash up to the shores. If you stumble across one, find your nearest natural historian and bring them to it. DO NOT APPROACH IT! Do not go to pick it up, don't even try poking it with a stick. Fetch a professional and bring them to the scene. You want them to confirm that the creature is dead before you dare approach it. Morkoths that wash up onto the shore are usually dead, most of the time. Some times, though, they are still alive, barely clinging to life. Their dying bodies trapped on the hot sand, their mouths desperately seeking the life giving waters. These few will not last long in this alien environment, but until they perish, they are quite dangerous. Those from the sea do not lie about their psionic powers, and there is no telling what they will do as they desperately try to survive. A dying mind, flailing about for any form of help, any form of aid. Those who get too close will become hosts to these lasts ditch efforts, and this may not bode well for them.

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Got to throw in a good ol' DnD monster, now don't I?

Description
To any who have read my entries on ocean based species, you should know by now that I have difficulty studying them. If you are new to this concept, I can bring you up to speed quite quickly: Land Plant + Ocean Water = Bad. Nothing makes research harder than trying to traverse a sea that is filled with the equivalent of acid. I do my best at times, but I am pretty much forced to rely on dead specimens, word of mouth and research done by fellow colleagues. With this, I am quite lacking in the sea department, which is quite disheartening since it is filled with such amazing things! It is a seemingly bottomless ecosystem that houses so much exotic life and strange species! What I wouldn't give for a chance to fully explore it! Thankfully, the sea is still an imposing obstacle to many, so other researchers have an equally hard time as well. Keeps me from feeling like I am the only one left out. With the problems like lack of air, pressure and oceanic predators, the sea still holds many mysteries for the natural historian. One such mystery is the Morkoth.

While other species like the Scylla, Charybdis, and Sea Monk have decent amounts of research done on them, the knowledge on Morkoths remains quite thin. Word tells that they live in the deepest parts of the ocean, where little light enters. Very rarely are they sighted near the surface, which is only when one is sick or dying. Most of their body functions are quite unknown, since the only specimens that are studied have been dead for quite some time. For diet, our best guess is that they feed on small fish and crustaceans, which was found within their stomachs. Other unidentifiable substances were found in their guts, which make many wonder. Many sapient species that live in ocean insist that they are voraciously carnivorous, but these tales have no confirmation and seem to be built around fear. They appear to be slow swimmers, as they rely solely on their head fins for swimming. Their eyes are small and poorly developed, which is probably caused by the minimal amount of light that reaches their realm. Their size makes them larger than a full grown human, but this is because of their long tails and large head fins. The last thing known about them on an organic level is the fact that they have two large brains within their body. One is within their oddly shaped skulls, and the other is seen in a translucent sac embedded in their lower bodies. These two brains would hint at intelligence, which other species confirm. They are probably also used for more insidious purposes.

Of all the things we learned from other species down below, the most common thing talked about is the Morkoth's incredible psionic abilities. Many terrified tales speak of this mental prowess and many denizens of the sea fear ever meeting such a creature. Morkoth's are extremely skilled in hypnotism, and are able to put other creatures in a trance with hardly any effort. Their dual brains make it easy for them to dominate minds and turn even the most vicious predators into obedient minions. Apparently, they can use this power to emanate a field around them as they travel. While a Morkoth is swimming through the depths, no creature will bring them harm. That is because the moment they enter this field, the Morkoth's hypnotic power will pacify them and keep them frozen in place until the Morkoth leaves the vicinity. When not creating a field of influence, they can direct their mental powers at an individual to put them into a trance. The range of this power is not known, as many are not willing to test it. What they use these hypnotic powers for is not fully known, as no real evidence has been presented. The best I got was from talking with Kelp Dryads, all of whom were clearly afraid of these creatures. Their stories varied in details, but the most I could understand was that Morkoths used this power to either lure in prey for eating or enslavement. They said that hungry Morkoths hardly had to hunt for prey, all they needed to do was hypnotize a tasty morsel and the victim would happily present itself as a meal. Morkoths could even use this power to store prey for later consumption, supposedly having chambers filled with entranced prey waiting for their turn to be dinner. If not for food, the victim would be used as a servant for the Morkoths. Since the Morkoths don't appear to eat plants, the Kelp Dryads believe that their kind is specifically kept as slaves. They told stories of sisters who were lost to the Morkoths' will, those who swam too close to their territory and never returned. No doubt the Morkoths hypnotized them and turned them into obedient servants. Those who swam that far below rarely returned, and those that did would come back different. Some claimed that Morkoths would release victims that were deemed unfit for servitude, wiping their memories and spitting them back up to surface waters. Others believed these dazed survivors were still under the Morkoths' control, mindless drones sent above to gather knowledge and new victims. The claim is that these drones would act normal until they gathered what resources their masters demanded of them. Then some mental signal would summon them back down below, where they would return without hesitation.

With talks of servants and such, one would wonder why Morkoths would need such a work force. The reason for this, supposedly, is that Morkoths actually construct underwater structures deep down below. Stories tell of cities buried deep in the abyss, built within the very rock itself. Great tunnels that bore through the silt and stone, arranging in massive spiraling patterns. Smoking, coiling towers that stand as sentinels in the darkness. All of this built by the Morkoths and their entranced workers, or so they say. There is some debate to these tales, as some hardly believe that such cities could exist. Those in the seas claim it is all true, but parts of their stories make it kind of hard to believe. The thing that births such doubt is the idea that these constructions apparently exude the same hypnotic power that the Morkoths wield. To gaze at one of these towers, or into one of these spiraling tunnels would put the viewer into a trance. Those who have dared to glimpse such cities are said to be enthralled by its beauty and are unknowingly pulled in. This would bring the Morkoths a good work force or food source with little effort, as entranced prey would literally swim up to their doorstep. To think, an entire civilization built as a mental trap to those who live above. To even sneak a peek of such a sight would threaten the loss of your free will, which brings to question, how the heck does anyone know these exist!? If you can't look at them, how do you know they are there? The Kelp Dryads I talked to said that they know because there are those who have seen it, but just a few minutes ago, they talked about how all of those who gazed at the structures are drawn into the cities and are lost. So which is true? They say that there are survivors who have returned, but all the tales say that they have no memories of their time below. If all the survivors have their minds wiped, than how do they know about the cities? It doesn't make a whole lot of sense. The other question is, if these Morkoth can indeed create hypnotic cities, then what do they use them for? They say it is to capture food and servants, but the Morkoth apparently already have an easy enough time doing that. All one has to do is swim up a little, hypnotize a few creatures and then swim back down with your prizes. Seems pretty simple, and the stories claim that they do just that. So what is the point of the city? Why spend so much time and resources to build something to do the thing you already do quite well? If the Morkoth go above to capture servants for construction, than why do they put the slaves to work building a structure that just catches more slaves? What's the end goal? "We have servants to build our towers! What for? To capture more servants! What will we do with those? Make more towers! What for? To capture more servants!" etc. It's a puzzlement.

So until we terrestrials can construct a way to study the deep ocean, I guess it is safe to say the Morkoth will remain a mystery for quite some time. Even if we did find a way, we would have to concoct a way to immunize ourselves to their psionic powers. Which brings to mind one last bit of info I would like to share about the Morkoth. Since these creatures dwell far down below, almost everyone in their life will never ever get even close to one. If you don't live near the ocean, then you will never see one. Those who do live on the coast, you will probably never see one. That is not to say it is impossible, because dead Morkoth will very rarely wash up to the shores. If you stumble across one, find your nearest natural historian and bring them to it. DO NOT APPROACH IT! Do not go to pick it up, don't even try poking it with a stick. Fetch a professional and bring them to the scene. You want them to confirm that the creature is dead before you dare approach it. Morkoths that wash up onto the shore are usually dead, most of the time. Some times, though, they are still alive, barely clinging to life. Their dying bodies trapped on the hot sand, their mouths desperately seeking the life giving waters. These few will not last long in this alien environment, but until they perish, they are quite dangerous. Those from the sea do not lie about their psionic powers, and there is no telling what they will do as they desperately try to survive. A dying mind, flailing about for any form of help, any form of aid. Those who get too close will become hosts to these lasts ditch efforts, and this may not bode well for them.

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Got to throw in a good ol' DnD monster, now don't I?