Shellshroud
More actions
"Don’t get me wrong, putting it on for the first time was one of the grossest experiences of my life. But believe me when I say that it’s saved my hide more times than I can count. It, uh, does tend to get a bit clingy though..."—Anonymous warrior
The Shellshroud, also called the Living Armor and the Warrior’s Best Friend, is a strange, soft-bodied invertebrate that lives in dank caverns all over Haven. Known for its ability to envelop other creatures and turn itself into a living suit of armor, the Shellshroud is one of the most notable examples of symbiosis known to exist. Shellshrouds are also a popular choice for many warriors on Haven, having acquired trained ones bred from wild stock.
Characteristics
Appearance
In its natural state, the Shellshroud is a puny, amorphous creature with pale skin and two beady black eyes. Though far from the fastest or strongest, it has the ability to slip through almost any crack or crevice it comes across, letting it easily hide from predators. This is useful as the Shellshroud has no defenses to speak of. It possesses no claws, no fangs, no venomous stingers or other methods of protecting itself. Hiding away is its only chance of survival until it manages to find a suitable host.
In its hardened state, the Shellshroud takes the form of whatever host it manages to merge with. In this new state, its soft body is replaced by overlapping chitin plates that protect both the host and the Shellshroud’s fleshy interior. While it appears stiff, these plates are surprisingly flexible, allowing for a much greater range of movement than most forms of standard armor. The Shellshroud’s eyes also change position to where the host’s forehead would be, though they sometimes accidentally cover their host’s eyes by mistake.
Biology
When the Shellshroud hardens its body, a series of chitin plates around its outer layer that keep both the host and the Shellshroud’s soft interior safe from attack. The protection offered by a Shellshroud is roughly equal to that of a standard suit of plate armor, though it comes with the benefit of being far lighter and easier to move in. However, the Shellshroud is unable to repair any serious damage to its plates, with only minor scratches being healed. Additionally, the Shellshroud is unable to unharden itself from its host, meaning that one will have to forcibly tear the Shellshroud off their bodies if they wish to remove it. This results in the Shellshroud’s death.
As detritivores, Shellshrouds feed on any organic waste matter they come across. Their diet typically consists of fungus, cave roots, along with any carcasses they happen to stumble into. They feed by absorbing the material into themselves, slowly digesting it until they become hungry again. In its hardened state, the Shellshroud feeds primarily on waste excreted by the host, though they do tend to develop a habit for fresher foods. In this case, it opens up a small cavity where the host’s chest is and digests the food in its fleshy interior, splitting the nutrients it absorbs between it and its host.
Shellshrouds can only reproduce in their soft states, as they lose this ability once hardened. They reproduce by dividing once they have managed to reach a certain size, splitting into two smaller versions of themselves. These new Shellshrouds quickly scramble for whatever cover they can find, as predators love feasting on the soft, succulent flesh of an unhardened Shellshroud. In fact, some groups on Haven used to hunt and cook them, though the practice gradually declined after the Shellshround’s symbiotic properties were discovered.
Behavior
In its natural state, the Shellshroud is one of the most cowardly creatures on Haven. Just about anything scares it, from loud noises to falling rocks to the scuttling of other creatures. They’ll even run away from larger members of their own kind, though the bigger one is equally likely to flee. The only time a Shellshroud will approach another creature is when they are seeking a host, and even then they must be careful to only approach sleeping targets. Should they accidentally wake a potential host, chances are they will be devoured.
Once hardened, however, the Shellshroud becomes much bolder, taking on a protective nature that strives to keep their hosts safe at all costs. They gain the ability to warn their hosts of incoming dangers, sending a mild bio-electric pulse to the host whenever something particularly threatening draws near. Additionally, the Shellshroud often adopts the mannerisms of its host, learning how to better help its host survive and thrive. In time the host might even learn to adopt the Shellshroud as a part of themselves rather than a separate organism.
Shellshrouds & Warriors
When the Shellshroud was first discovered by the intelligent races of Haven, they were quick to catch onto the fact that bonding with one meant getting a free suit of armor. However, most were put off by the fact that removing one meant the creature’s death and their lack of effective repair methods, meaning that few actually used them. However, some enterprising armorers saw the potential in Shellshrouds and created a breeding program, using natural and magical methods that resulted in the creation of new, improved versions of Shellshrouds with enhanced capabilities.
These capabilities included the ability to self-repair, the ability to be removed without dying, and coming in specialized forms suited for certain tasks. For instance, some Shellshrouds have thicker, stronger plates and the ability to produce arm-mounted blades for frontline combat. Others come with lighter plates and sticky pads on their hands and feet, making them perfect for scouts and assassins needing to scale walls or buildings. A few even possess the ability to channel magical energy through themselves, giving combat-oriented mages an edge in battle. Regardless of one’s fighting style, there’s a Shellshroud for every scenario.
Notable Individuals
TBA