FASA 365 Day 241, Spina Plectra Cyclops, (Quill Spine Cyclops) 10ft Tall, 15 ft length.
Cursed being. Deep dungeon dweller. Carnivore. Solitary.
Keeps pets… big ugly spiders.
Grips its prey in its legs. and then feeds from the head down.
“Spillage” feeds the pets.
FASA Day 240, Shi’Tsing Hapiv (Ice Fisher) for 1879
A rare sight in the Gruv, at least among most of the cultures there, as they are native to cold regions (which are few and far between on such a warm world), and are generally only seen by Kistalmi high enough in the mountains to be above the frost level.
These are very large birds, with a wingspan that generally ranges between six and eight feet, with thick white plumage and long and very tough beaks that taper into a sharp point. They have long muscular necks which they use to drive their beaks down through the ice of frozen lakes and ponds to snatch up fish caught underneath.
Their large wing span allows them to create a lot of lift given the lack of thermal updrafts in their environment, and they can stay airborne even through snow and hail. After storms, they can be seen with a trail of snow and ice behind them as it falls off their wings. Since getting word of their existence, some explorers from Earth have mounted expeditions to hunt them for their plumage as luxurious down filling for clothes and bedding.
Artists Note: Once again, written by one of our 1879 writers. And it was really all laid out for me.
I found reference for a Pelican, King Fisher, and Parrot, combining them into a a snowy white, large arctic bird. Sometimes its just that easy.
FASA 365 Day 239, Calculus Minutum, (Coal Mite).
Small insect (1/8″) normally found in trees in the Gruv.
Normal diet is bark and other high carbon material, however they prefer coal and coal dust, and will actively seek out and infest coal stores.
They are surprisingly resilient. Able to resist high temperatures, including camp fires, and beyond. Ssuch sources as active as steam engine fireboxes.
Excretes a sticky, flammable, tar like residue which will rapidly wreck engines and has caused explosions.
Reproduces rapidly when there is a sufficient source of food.
Artists Note: Again, this was written by one of our 1879 Writers.
I personally couldn’t resist camouflaging the insect with an exoskeleton similar to the bark that it eats.
FASA 365 Day 238, Meus Diabolus,
“Tommyknocker”, “Knockermen” “Mine Devil”
An 1879 Creature.
Fae that lives underground. Spirits of averice and trickery. Tricks miners and makes bargains with those trapped. If the miner accepts they become a wendigo, a corrupted being that hungers for flesh
in their normal shape they appear like small wizened dwarves in mining gear, however they generally use illusions to make them selves look and act like other members of a mining team, sometimes killing and replacing one to spread mischief, doubt and to lead miner into cave-ins
Artists Note: This was written by one of our 1879 Writers and handed off to me to visualize.
Well, you know me… I can’t resist a chance to draw a dwarf.
FASA 365 Day 237, Latum Os Tunde Cauda, (Wide mouth Slap tail) 15-20 ft.
3 sets of eyes, does not improve its vision. Rumor has it that one set is for seeing heat, Another for movement, and the last set for distance. Sounds confusing, yes?
The tail is spiked and flattened. it cuts like a saw blade, flattens or smacks for distance.
Lives in barren dusty terrain. Again, the tail, slaps the ground creating dust clouds the creature uses to hide from predators and blind its prey.