Bookworm
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To enhance an older Sithspawn creation of the Lady of Secrets
- Image Credit: Snake Demon(reproduction) by Sugisaki-Key on DeviantArt
- Canon: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
- Links: Ravager Hssiss Storm Beast
- Name: Desolator
- Designation: Non-sentient
- Origins: Valrar
- Average Lifespan: 40 Galactic Standard Years
- Estimated Population: Scattered
- Description: Larger than the original Ravager strain, Desolators are even more of a fearsome predator than the original. The scythe-tipped limbs have evolved into full on claws, each tipped with a scythe-like talon, while the chitin-like armor that covers the body of the creature has become more streamlined, more reinforced. More spines have grown from the creature's body, especially from the tip of its tail, and the Desolators have even more abilities to use that can slaughter their prey or their masters' enemies.
- Breathes: Type I
- Average Height of Adults: 3.2 meters
- Average Length of Adults: 5.6 meters
- Skin color: Tan covered in a green chitin like armor over most of the body, while the spines have become a vibrant collage of red, orange, and yellow pigments
- Hair color: No hair
- Distinctions: The most distinctive traits of the Desolator are its more evolved limbs, its enhanced spines and tail, and a more enhanced musculature that is covered by an even tougher carapace of armor, if not more streamlined. Females are slightly smaller, and lack the facial spikes the males of the species have, but they are even more ferocious and their claws are laced with the same poison as the spines of all the species.
- Races: No other races
- Force Sensitivity: Non-Sensitive
- Like its predecessor, Desolators are covered in a tough carapace of armor that can take several blaster bolts, kinetic shots, and even glancing blows from lightsabers. The Lady of Secrets and her alchemists have further enhanced this basic protection by adding a second thinner layer of armor beneath the first that can absorb kinetic energy better.
- Desolators have evolved their front arm scythes into full formed limbs, each tipped with a clawed hand. Each claw is sharp down to atomic-diameter edge, much like that of an amphistaff, allowing the creatures to carve through heavy armor and flesh much easier. They can also now use their limbs to climb better and can use them to grab ahold of objects or prey.
- Arrayed along the back and the tip of the tail of each Desolator are a collection of 40cm long serrated spines, slightly longer than those of the Ravager. These spines, much like their predecessor, can be launched at high speeds to impale prey and each spine is coated in a hallucinogenic Sith poison. Much like the claws of the Desolators, the serrated edges of the spines have an atomic-diameter edge to pierce through armor easier. The spines rapidly regrow as the creature feeds.
- The altered adrenal and endocrine system of the Ravager has continued into the Desolators, although work has been done to improve upon it. The hormones are dispersed much more rapidly through the creature's body, allowing it to remain in a constant state of alertness, even when roused immediately from sleep as before. Combined with the enhanced musculature of the creature, brought over by introducing storm beast DNA, the creatures are constantly able to lift things several times their weight and size and can break their way through bulkheads and fortified locations.
- Another trait introduced by the addition of storm beast DNA is the ability of the creature to unleash a debilitating sonic attack that causes prey to be incapacitated by pain for a time.
- A more insidious introduction by the Lady of Secrets and her followers is hssiss DNA into the creature's genetic makeup. Because of this, Desolators have gained the terrifying ability to camouflage themselves by shifting the outer layer of their carapace to match their surroundings, giving them another method of attacking their prey.
- While the armor plating of the creature has become more streamlined and tougher, a few gaps still remain around the creature's neck that can be pierced through by an enemy attack.
- If exposed to extreme colds, such as those produced by carbonite weaponry, Desolators become lethargic and their armor plating and claws become brittle. They also cannot fire their spines while suffering the effects of extreme cold and their camouflage ability cannot be used until they warm up.
- While their claws and spines can pierce through even heavy armors now, they cannot pierce through energy fields such as those emitted by power glands or an inorganic variant of such like a particle shield.
- While the spines can rapidly regrow, even before it finishes a meal, it can still run out of them during a prolonged combat situation and they will need to feed before they can replenish their supply.
- Diet: Carnivore
- Communication: Hisses and roars to its fellow Desolators, and even to Ravagers, and can understand commands given in ur-Kittat (the Sith language).
- Technology level: No technology level
- Religion/Beliefs: No religion or belief system
- General behavior: Much like their predecessor, Desolators are sadistic and cruel predators. Desolators, although not sentient, have been seen to take great pleasure from the fear and pain they cause their prey, and have even been observed toying with their food by slowly slicing them apart while they are still alive. When they know they don't have time to play, Desolators are thorough killers, either ripping their victims to shreds if close or firing a barrage of spines to pierce multiple points on the body. Unlike Ravagers, however, Desolators are not solitary creatures and larger specimens have been observed commanding smaller Desolators and even Ravagers, much like large felines do by giving them scraps from their prey. Desolators retain the same mating habits as Ravagers, with only the strongest and cruelest of the creatures attracting the attention of mates.
Once again revisiting an older Sithspawn that had been created during her time undercover with the Jedi, Darth Arcanix and her followers decided to begin enhancing the Ravager strain in light of the continued hostilities in the galaxy and the recognition that evolution was needed. Ravagers might have been a strong predator, and continued to be effective against enemy forces, they were in for a much needed evolutionary boost to further increase their combat potential. DNA samples were taken from contained hssiss and storm beast specimens from within the Order of Shadows' collection and work began on altering a first set of specimens through genetic alterations and Sith alchemy.
The new creatures, dubbed Desolators to continue the naming scheme of other Z-strain Sithspawn, have taken on a more humanoid appearance that almost resembles a cross between a Ravager and storm beast. The scythe appendages have become full on limbs, and the musculature of the creature has become much more refined and enhanced because of the storm beast alterations and a more potent adrenal system. The claws and spines of the creatures were enhanced to have increased cutting and piercing power, becoming atomically edged like those found on a Yuuzhan Vong amphistaff, with the original poison being slightly improved. Hssiss DNA strands were added to give the creature a rudimentary form of camouflage and the armor plating of the creature was more streamlined to cut back on potential gaps and strengthened.
Bigger, stronger, and deemed more lethal than the original Ravager, the new Desolators were released into the wild jungles of Valrar to propagate. Ravager populations began to decline almost immediately, and it was observed that some even had become subservient to Desolators for the perceived promise of protection and food. Further research would be needed to determine whether it meant Desolators could possibly be uplifted to full sentience, restoring a feature lost from the original Sluissi victims from the Ravager experiments.
