Of all the strange and dreadful beasts and abominations gracing the Avantsphere, none perhaps is more bizarre then the massive, lumbering, clueless creature known as Chromodoris.
The constant gaze to the distance is made only more puzzling by the listless way it traverses the land, moving hastily but with no obvious intended location as its goal. It is included in the ranks of The Unkillables as no passing damage will have an effect and it moves too quickly to stage a full-scale attack. It is made only more unkillable by documented evidence that Chromodoris possesses regenerative properties that heal and regrow an injury incurred by its rampage.
Although it has the potential to cause expansive destruction with its reckless meandering, Chromodoris appears to avoid most populated areas. For some reason, it has garnered favor as a well-liked creature on the sphere, most likely due to being on of the more docile of the sphere's largest monsters. It's well known by its shortened name, Chromo, often because of the association with the Cult of Chromo.
"What is that thing?" "I don't know, but let's follow it until we die or it stops in paradise!" -recruiters for the Cult of Chromo
Origin[]
Chromodoris is assumed to have popped onto the surface of the sphere when a geyser crack opened between plates in the southern tectonics, spewing out a few new lakes and one whacky beastie. Boys and girls were enthralled with what had been hiding beneath the surface.
Physiology[]
Its physical form hasn't changed since that first sighting a long while back. Its disproportionate body is massive as a mountain, yellow covered with black-over-white stripes and wing-fin like attachments to its arms and head that release a kind of sticky gas as it walks. The gas is supposedly generated form a photosythesizing chamber on its back that has the appearance of over-sized cyan mushrumps.
As guesses by the best naturalist have put it, Chromodoris has the ability to harvest chemicals and toxins present in the air in bright blue stools on its back, and turn it into a defensive mechanism to ward off predation, though that would hardly seem to be a threat for a creature of its size. The released spores of chemicals from its frawns have strange psychological effects similar to what is commonly associated with symptoms of a mild neurotoxin. This is credited as one of the main motivations people join and continue to travel with the Cult of Chromo.
Large pulsating sacks of red fluids are supposedly what preserve its life force, and could be another harvesting method similar to chlorophyll storage in flora life. Thin tendrils drift half-taught from each pod, constantly burning a small flame, which is concluded to be an exhaled product of its bio-energy use; similar to the exhaust of a jettercycle.
Its eyes are wide and seem to be constantly scanning the horizon with a look of trepidation, but for what remains unconfirmed. Numerous (unfounded) hypotheses exist though none has been evidenced enough for proof, and most is hearsay spread by the cult.
One other important physiological detail of Chromodoris is its remarkable ability to regenerate tissue damage or limb loss. It stampedes rather blindly and sometimes, embarrassingly, falls into holes or trips over small mountains, though in a single moon's cycle this damage will be repaired.
It neither eats no sleeps. Chromodoris does occasionally slow down from a frantic run to a trudging trot. Despite its size--or perhaps because of it--even its full sprint is actually quite slow, due most likely to it legs being dwarfed by the rest of its heavy body.
Behavior[]
With its massive size and impressive regenerating ability, Chromodoris could be a monumental threat to any popularized region. However, it avoids any settled areas, either sensing or seeing civilization before its feet find it and veering clear of the path, even if it means doubling back over terrain it has just traversed. Bandit kennels as small as a dozen or so dudes have been observed to cause a change of track in its movement.
Chromodoris exhibits no signs of aggression against the living or otherwise, and any damage caused by it is usually an unforeseen byproduct of caterwauling along its chosen path. For this reason, it is looked at more favorably than other abominations. Because of its funny face and bright colors, Chromodoris is also popular with children.
Cult of Chromo[]
Obvious long time members of the cult.
The miscreants, varmints, and souls lost to purpose in the wake of the waste may very well find themselves among the throngs following the blazed path of Chromodoris. 'Blazed' may be a very appropriate term considering one of the appeals comes from walking behind Chromo is the cloud of semi-toxic spores released in a gas cloud that have narcotic, mildly psychedelic affects on those who breathe them in. Longtime followers may find it difficult to discern between reality and their own bleary fantasies. Also, their skin turns purple as a result of prolonged exposure. For this reason, it's easy to see who has spent some time in the cult.
Members are known as "Chromies"
The followers of the Cult of Chromo believe as a whole that it is leading them somewhere, a promised land where they may settle and return to an old way of life--one that no one knows a thing about.
Chromodoris, mute as ever, makes no comment on the subject of belief.
"Chromo" is a shorthand and nickname used to refer to the Chromodoris, because "long words are a drag, dude." For this reason, the cult has developed a jargon all its own largely considered unintelligible by outsiders.
A number of the names found on the List of Homeless, if still alive, may be willingly among the ranks of the cult. It is difficult for Tester L. Tay, the scribe composing the list, to tell if they are homeless, or part of a religious nomadic movement, or too silly to fret much over in the first place.
Because of the spore-induced nature caused by the toxic cloud, the wake of Chromo is peaceful, with fights breaking out into laughter for one reason or another soon after they're started. From all walks of life dudes flock to Chromo when they hear of a near sighting if they've had enough strife in the waste, or seek refuge from former lives of banditry. Many bigger brigands have an understanding with members that seek out the Cult of Chromo, and won't seek to punish them for leaving under the religious circumstances.
Even without the presence of enforced law or rules in place, the masses govern themselves in lieu of any direction, somehow producing one of the better functioning societies on the sphere.
Some folks follow only for a time, others are lifers. Young dudes and dudettes of the sphere may desire to perform a pilgrimage in the ranks of the cult, hoping to find something about themselves, or at least have a rad time.
As a leader, Chromo appears to be completely unaware he has a following, and continues to blunder forward over the sphere as they come and go.
Some of the most purple members of the cult claim to have spoken with Chromo in their dreams, stating that he is a presence left over from another world, "that he's like a spirit voyager, man, just riding the wave of poison instead of drowning in it like all you rubes, and he's going to the land foretold by proclamations old, a promised land of peace and equality. And a whole lotta butter."
There are those that theorize Chromodoris is actually terrified of the people following it and that is part of the reason it never stops moving in a viscious cycle of leaders and followers.