PmWiki | EnemyUnsure / Chryssalisk

Chryssalisk

Observations by Kiri, Ardi, Naeko, Near following live capture and autopsy

This is the largest Enemy creature we've seen, apart from the Silver One herself of course. It's also the most complex; whether the Enemy used some of Near's essence to make it is entirely possible.

The top half is humanoid, a little smaller than average, which points towards Near having been used as a template. The lower half seems to be that of a very bloated lamia; two wings come from the hip, roughly where the legs should be, and the tail is filled with what seems to be lifting gas of a purity greater than that which we can obtain.

The chryssalisk spawnned from a chrysalis, four each. This requires a lot of heat, and some manner of ritual which can be obviated with a sacrifice or requires a sacrifice -- the first overt use of magic.

The large airbag also seems to serve as an incubation chamber for torchworms, the chryssalisk is born pregnant with them and probably can deploy and control them shortly afterward.

Having a living specimen has let us observe that chryssalisks are articulate and can think for themselves -- whether they are in psychic contact with the Enemy or not is unknown; the one we've talked to had pre-birth memories of Enemy commands, much like the protobold captive did. This leads to the possibility that this creature is intended to be some sort of field commander.

Draconic elements include a five-chambered heart, and the ability to breathe fire -- this is not quite true dragonfire, but burns well. The substance is also secreted and burned within the gasbag/womb as a means of lift.

Due to the positioning of the buoyant element, it seems that a chryssalisk would essentially fly with her rear end in the air. This, while undignified, would give her good vertical maneuverability and make it easy for her to observe a battlefield.

Interestingly, these creatures have to incubate on the ground, or at least in a warm environment; we don't know if the Enemy was going to surgically mark their brains.

Near's Thoughts
Upon closer inspection of the notes taken, this "Chryssalisk" seems to draw a lot more from me than first thought. For clarification: I mean the other me, the original, as much as this me here. I suppose I was sloppy in creating this body. Back on subject, the chryssalisk seems to be using me as a base, and adding upon it data from the Zealotish, or Mastermind, and the Lonaglin (or possibly the ill-used Ribclacker). The fertility of it, where it can birth the torchworms, reminds me several ideas I played with for similar weapons.

She's stealing my ideas and claiming them as her own. Or they're just not that uncommon a thought.

Regardless, if the chryssalisk is indeed using the zealotish's "horns", then she may be getting desperate; zealotish are controllers, they aren't ones to be controlled. This is also worrying for us, because they could use mental attacks against our troops, though how influential they can actually be, I'm uncertain. On that note, it's highly unlikely the chryssalisk come pre-indoctrinated to her, so we could turn them, should they not be already in Enemy hands.