Jhulnyor (Amphibious Demon)

Imagine an octopus. 8 limbs, amazing camoflauge, and intelligent... let's see if we can't make it nastier, can we?

Appearance
The Jhulnyor, or Grasp Demon, first strikes the viewer as a catastrophic misuse of life. Then it actually strikes, and the viewer doesn't have time to care. With its eight all-muscular, three ped-long limbs tipped in razor sharp blades, its crushing belly-jaw, and the absolutely bizzare head-structure, it is terrifying to behold. But that is only if it is possible to behold... see below.

Special Abilities
Thanks to its complete lack of bones, remorse, or anything approaching sane limits, the Jhulnyor has several abilities not usually found on any animal, vegetable, or demon. Not only can it camouflauge itself to match its environs by changing color, texture, and even shape at will, it can also use this same texture changing ability to cover itself in a mirror-like sheen before it attacks, blinding those who look at it. It can fit through the smallest holes, move with blinding speed, regenerate hacked-off limbs... practically the only things the beast can't do are fly and cast magic.

Territory
The Jhulnyor's only true weakness lies in its territory. A Jhulnyor, of course, can only be summoned from the seas of the Netherworld, but it also can only remain if it stays in seawater for an hour, once per day. The Jhulnyor do not seem to be particularly willing to remain in the seas of Baveras, but in some places they have established small colonies.

Diet
The Jhulnyor seems to prefer eating fish or spiderturtles to other things, but they will usually eat anything their masters command them to. And there is a bit of similarity between the shelled spittle and the armored knight...

Habits/Behavior
Jhulnyor are fiercely territorial beasts, tolerating only a demon of the opposite sex in their presence. As such, two Jhulnyor might take control of a square (long unit) of sea space, hunting and killing anything that intrudes on them, up to and including their children. As such, it is a wonder any of the demons remain in Sorren for more than a year.
It is advised most heavily to any warrior or mage stuck fighting the hellish beasts to NOT engage it anywhere near water; if they seem nimble on land, they are hell incarnate beneath the waves. Their tentacles can regenerate, their reach is longer, and they become nearly invincible.
There is a reason this warning is included here. These are the only two behaviors known to exist; the witnessess of any others have long since been digested.

Mating
Jhulnyor reproduce as many fish do. The male will "spray" the female, and if the female is fertile, she will lay up to fifty handspan-sized eggs some time later. These will hatch into fore-long young some months later, which will eat both each other and anything they can find in the immediate vicinity. What few that survive will eventually try to challenge their parents for control over their territory, and so the circle of life continues.

Origin
The Jhulnyor is such a bizzare creature, it is widely theorized that its creator (the one-time Archmage of Summons, Jhulbak Blacksea) merely invented it while under the influence of Ethelian weed. However, he was known for using his considerable Water Magic to meditate beneath the waves, and so it is remotely possible the inspiration for the Jhulnyor was an actual sea creature, no matter how improbable that may seem. However, what is known is that the first demon was made from the stripped flesh of many creatures, tied together with the skins of Dolpholk, given its considerable camoflauge with his magic, and then he summoned the spirit of a demon to reside within it; after which the spirits of such type took on the forms naturally, given a dolpholk skin and some flesh to work with. However, there is still a great deal of doubt as to the true origin of the beast, and it is very possible none shall ever know, as in the demon's first combat testing, it not only demolished the beasts it was sent against, but the triumphant Jhulbak as well, leaving only his documentation for summoning it behind.

*Note: The first Jhulnyor, called the Jhulnyár (First Jhulny) is rumored to have grown to a titanic size over the years, and reputedly roams the seas, searching for the legendary Silffin, to battle and thus decide for all time who shall rule the waves: Baveras' loyal war-dog or Coor's blasphemous creation.

Xarl Bluestride, Archmage of the White Tower, Master of the Magic Forum, Teacher of RP Sorcery and generally cool guy. All requests are to be written on the back of a ten-dollar bill (or equivelant thereof) placed on a dead ferret, and tossed in the sewer system.
Xarl Bluestride
Owner of the longest pure text sig in Santharia
And it's still growing....
For the non-ferreted... - Master of All Things Magical
The Santharian Dream - Where fantasy dreams come true... particularly mine!

Edited by: Xarl at: 4/19/02 3:52:35 am