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It's been a while since the last spec-evo critter in Beast Fables ! So now, I present to you, the still-living Placoderms of Urvara from my Beast Fables setting!

In the world of Urvara, Placoderms still live... but they're a far cry from their dominance from a time that most Werefolk cannot even comprehend.

There are only three genus of Placoderm left, each one derived from a single, generalist common ancestor, and each have widely different roles in an ecosystem. This generalist ancestor might, on the outside, not look too different from teleost fishes, and was so ultra-generalist that it survived simply by being able to eat whatever was available no matter the environment, as well as a little bit of sheer, unadulterated luck, even as the world changed and other fish famililes came and went.

The Krios is the largest and most well known among the surface world, respected for its strength and tenacity as a game fish. Almost as long as an Orca, but just as heavy, its main claim to fame is its rather unique hunting style: A reinforced skull, a sleek build and powerful muscles to give it enormous bursts of speed in order to ram prey to death. It’s one of the most aggressive fish in the setting, and getting rammed by one may be fatal to even other underwater heavyweights. Even the famous Sea Shredder can fall victim to the sheer force of a Krios' ram attack.

Bull Krios compete with one another furiously, especially during mating season, where bulls try to bludgeon each other for mating rights. For Merfolk, to call one a "Ramhead" is to mean they're unshakingly stubborn and dedicated, and best to be left alone.

The Reef Grazer is a plump fellow beloved by merfolk and landlubbers alike, known for its non-confrontational demeanour. They're named so because they "graze" upon coral reefs... and anything on them. Alongside the actual coral themselves, they've been known to feed on shellfish, urchins, mussels, sea slugs, anemones, and even things like crown of thorns starfish. Jellyfish, even the likes of Box Jellies, are also fair game. A thick mucus layer protects it from most stinging threats, though its ability to ingest all manner of poisons is impressive for any creature.

The Mucksnapper is the smallest and rarest of the living Placoderms, isolated to only the marshes of northern Ulmaroa (the rough analogue to Australia). It can best be described as a fish, trying to be frog, with a bit of salamander. It typically crawls along the bottoms of rivers, looking for a good place to hide, and bury itself, only emerging to ambush unsuspecting fish.

Description
Tumblr Instagram Twitter BlueSky
Support me on Ko-Fi! and on Patreon!

It's been a while since the last spec-evo critter in Beast Fables ! So now, I present to you, the still-living Placoderms of Urvara from my Beast Fables setting!

In the world of Urvara, Placoderms still live... but they're a far cry from their dominance from a time that most Werefolk cannot even comprehend.

There are only three genus of Placoderm left, each one derived from a single, generalist common ancestor, and each have widely different roles in an ecosystem. This generalist ancestor might, on the outside, not look too different from teleost fishes, and was so ultra-generalist that it survived simply by being able to eat whatever was available no matter the environment, as well as a little bit of sheer, unadulterated luck, even as the world changed and other fish famililes came and went.

The Krios is the largest and most well known among the surface world, respected for its strength and tenacity as a game fish. Almost as long as an Orca, but just as heavy, its main claim to fame is its rather unique hunting style: A reinforced skull, a sleek build and powerful muscles to give it enormous bursts of speed in order to ram prey to death. It’s one of the most aggressive fish in the setting, and getting rammed by one may be fatal to even other underwater heavyweights. Even the famous Sea Shredder can fall victim to the sheer force of a Krios' ram attack.

Bull Krios compete with one another furiously, especially during mating season, where bulls try to bludgeon each other for mating rights. For Merfolk, to call one a "Ramhead" is to mean they're unshakingly stubborn and dedicated, and best to be left alone.

The Reef Grazer is a plump fellow beloved by merfolk and landlubbers alike, known for its non-confrontational demeanour. They're named so because they "graze" upon coral reefs... and anything on them. Alongside the actual coral themselves, they've been known to feed on shellfish, urchins, mussels, sea slugs, anemones, and even things like crown of thorns starfish. Jellyfish, even the likes of Box Jellies, are also fair game. A thick mucus layer protects it from most stinging threats, though its ability to ingest all manner of poisons is impressive for any creature.

The Mucksnapper is the smallest and rarest of the living Placoderms, isolated to only the marshes of northern Ulmaroa (the rough analogue to Australia). It can best be described as a fish, trying to be frog, with a bit of salamander. It typically crawls along the bottoms of rivers, looking for a good place to hide, and bury itself, only emerging to ambush unsuspecting fish.