ReluctntCrusader
Mula sa Masa, Tungo sa Masa
Fuck. I was thinking French integration was a possibility. Time to repeat Algeria then.
That Time I Became A Dictator Of A Small Asian Communist Nation
HeroCooky
Unverified Monstergirl
To be fair, for the way the choices were written, you can still change your vote if you'd like to avoid France taking a more direct hand in African Affairs. Once.
You wanna try that gamble?
ReluctntCrusader
Mula sa Masa, Tungo sa Masa
I gambled. I lost. I'm sticking with it. Keeps it interesting anyway. Just tell me what was the alternative.
HeroCooky
Unverified Monstergirl
A rift in the world between US and EU-alignments, making a more broader shift away from First World to USA and Europe alignments. Countries would basically be more closely alligned to the EU or the US, but not both in a general sense.
Aw man that would have been cool a EU and US split
chaotic-logic
possible impossibility
- Location
- unknown
*sighs*
*begins to write up another arson report*
ReluctntCrusader
Mula sa Masa, Tungo sa Masa
Oddly enough, I actually prefer what I chose. As I said, keeps things interesting and allows for more possible Vietnam situations if France hasn't learned from their past 2 colonial disasters.
HeroCooky
Unverified Monstergirl
*Looks at the two nat100's and four 87+'s on how the situation went down*
*Laughs akwardly*
NAT100 for us or France?
ReluctntCrusader
Mula sa Masa, Tungo sa Masa
Southern Africa focus it is then.
Edit: Or we can stir up the Biafrans as they're also in Cameroon. If we cause enough chaos, we can make control of French African Northern states shaky, especially if we get Libya to cooperate.
Edit 2: Or we find the remnants of the Cameroon War (if there are any left) and have them secretly agitate until conditions are right.
Edit: Or we can stir up the Biafrans as they're also in Cameroon. If we cause enough chaos, we can make control of French African Northern states shaky, especially if we get Libya to cooperate.
Edit 2: Or we find the remnants of the Cameroon War (if there are any left) and have them secretly agitate until conditions are right.
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Fur, Feather, Fin - Hellspur Carrion Beetle - [Canon]
New
- Location
- 47° 09′ S, 126° 43′ O
Hellspur Carrion Beetle
The Hellspur Carrion Beetle (Necrobelus guangchouensis) is a fearsome and highly distinctive insect endemic to the subtropical island of Guangchou, where it has evolved into a dominant scavenger in its ecological niche. Measuring between 4,1 to 5,3 centimeters in length, this beetle is significantly larger than most carrion feeders and among the most chemically defensive terrestrial arthropods known to science. Though it is rarely aggressive without reason, N. guangchouensis is an apex deterrent species: nearly all native predators avoid it instinctively, and even large animals, including humans; learn quickly not to provoke it.
The beetle is instantly recognizable by its striking coloration and pointy silhouette. The body is a vivid, glossy blood-red, patterned with black stripes and irregular spots, which occasionally feature bone-white outlines that shimmer faintly under low light. Its elytra (hardened forewings) allow it to fly at 7.5 km/h (4.7 MpH); on average, they are black, adorned with white markings forming a rough, eerie skull pattern, which has inspired its name. The "skull" design is not merely for show, studies suggest it acts as an aposematic warning, deterring predators by mimicking the face of a dead or diseased creature.
At the anterior of the body, the prothorax bears a distinctive blade-like projection, curving upwards like a jagged dorsal fin, giving the insect a "helmeted" profile. This structure nhances the insect's intimidating profile, serving as a display tool during mating rituals, a last-resort weapon during grappling defense and a threat displays.
The mandibles are long, curved, and blade-like, resembling miniature sickles. Though not typically used for hunting, they are powerful enough to tear into flesh and have caused deep, painful lacerations in human victims who ventured too close to the beetle's nest or threatened it. They are often used to slice through soft tissues of decomposing corpses, which constitute the beetle's primary food source.
However, the most notorious aspect of Necrobelus guangchouensis is its chemical defense mechanism, which is virtually unmatched among beetles. Like the smaller bombardier beetle (Brachinus spp.), the Hellspur Carrion Beetle ejects superheated caustic and toxic chemical jets from its pygidial glands, located at the end of the abdomen. This discharge, however, is not a mere deterrent but can be lethally potent, especially when a group of beetles respond in unison.
Life cycle
The life cycle of N. guangchouensis follows a complete metamorphosis, with egg, larval, pupal, and adult stages.
- Eggs are laid in concealed clusters beneath carrion, tree roots, or shallow burrows near their nesting grounds. A single female can lay up to 80 eggs during her lifespan, typically in batches of 10 to 15.
- Larvae hatch after 5 to 7 days and are white or pale pink, segmented, and slightly translucent. Their mandibles are smaller but already effective at slicing into soft tissue.
- During the larval stage, which lasts about 2 to 3 weeks, they feed on the same decomposing matter as adults. If disturbed, larvae can also release small quantities of benzoquinone-rich fluid, though not at the same intensity as adults.
- Pupation occurs in chambers dug just beneath the surface of soil or decomposing material. This stage lasts 6 to 9 days, after which the adult beetle emerges fully formed.
Habitat / Routine
N. guangchouensis is found exclusively on the island of Guangchou, particularly in the humid lowland forests, scrubland edges, and near village waste pits. The beetles prefer environments with ample organic decay, often setting up nests near fallen trees, animal dens, or abandoned human structures.
The nests themselves are not complex constructions, but rather shallow burrows or communal clusters dug into soft earth or underneath rocks and detritus. These sites are typically populated by anywhere from 100 to over 300 individuals, and though the beetles are not social in a eusocial sense, they demonstrate remarkable swarm defense behavior when their nests are disturbed.
Hellspur Carrion Beetles are crepuscular and nocturnal, becoming most active during dusk and early night, when the risk of overheating is lower and decomposition gases are thick in the air, helping them locate food. During daylight hours, they remain burrowed or inactive, though direct disturbance will still trigger a violent response.
Though their normal behavior is sedentary and even cautious, when nests are accidentally uncovered they become highly aggressive, issuing clicking warning signals via mandibular clacking before collectively spraying chemical jets at perceived threats. If a target is persistent or attacks the nest, they will go into a frenzy, continuously firing in coordinated bursts of their boiling, caustic, and toxic chemical. Once in their frenzy state if the target tries to run or if the beetle runs out of ammo (on average, a beetle has about 20 to 30 shots), they will swarm the offender, slicing it alive with thousands of cuts from their sharp mandibles while the other beetles who haven't run out of ammo keep firing.
If the target is smart enough to back up after the first warning volley of chemical assault or manage to survive the following assault, they will usually suffer from painful chemical burns, respiratory distress, and in some cases, death due to the toxic and thermal effects of the beetles' benzoquinone spray.
If a swarm is suffering from extreme starvation for too long, they will lose their usual cautious behavior and go into their frenzy state, flying around in a swarm looking for anything alive to eat, using their numbers to overcome their prey as they boil it and slice it alive. They typically target small to medium-sized animals, although they have been known to attack larger ones, and occasionally succeed.
Diet
N. guangchouensis is a scavenger, relying on carrion for nourishment. Their primary diet includes:
- Decomposing carcasses of small mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians
- Rotting fish near shores
- Butchery waste
- Compost containing high-protein organic matter
Unlike some carrion beetles, they do not actively kill prey unless provoked or desperate. Their mandibles are sharp enough to sever nerves and tendons, and occasionally cause fatalities among smaller fauna or severely weakened animals (depending the situation the animals may have been weakened from being attacked by a swarm of beetles).
If a swarm is suffering from extreme starvation for too long, they will lose their usual cautious behavior and go into their frenzy state, flying around in a swarm looking for anything alive to eat, using their numbers to overcome their prey as they boil it and slice it alive. They typically target small to medium-sized animals, although they have been known to attack larger ones, and occasionally succeed. However, this behavior is exceptional and rare. Hunger agitation is often visibly noticeable long before, with the beetles becoming restless, emitting frequent puffs of warning spray, and displaying more aggressive posturing near potential food sources. Some locals have developed the practice of tossing butcher waste or bones near their nests to prevent this hunger-agitated behavior from escalating.
Predators
There are very few natural predators of Necrobelus guangchouensis, primarily due to its vivid aposematic coloration, noxious chemical spray that is both toxic and hot, and a pungent odor that persists even after death. These formidable defenses make the beetle unappealing to most would-be predators.
Nonetheless, a few notable exceptions have been recorded. Some particularily large species of toad, for example, have evolved a thick mucous lining in their mouth and digestive tract that allows it to tolerate mild toxins. While they may occasionally consume isolated or weakened beetles, They tends to avoid healthy adults, particularly larger specimens.
Some avian scavengers, exhibit tool use to interact with the beetles, flipping or crushing them with sticks or stones to avoid direct contact with their chemical defenses. Additionally, a species of fungus gnat larva has been discovered parasitizing the beetle's pupal stage, feeding on the defenseless juvenile within its cocoon before it can emerge. Despite these few interactions, N. guangchouensis remains largely unthreatened by predation, relying instead on its chemical arsenal, aggressive social behavior, and powerful mandibles for survival.
Interesting Anecdotes
Historical texts describe the use of Hellspur Carrion Beetles in biological warfare; in many of the attempts to invade Guangchou, defenders reportedly catapulted jars full of these beetles into the invaders' camps. Having thousands of frenzy-driven beetles suddenly attack everyone around, causing panic, confusion, death, and severe injury among enemy troops.
In some cases, entire forest paths were booby-trapped with buried beetle nests, fed with small animals to keep them ready for use. Such nests were referred to as "demon urns" in local dialects.
It's not uncommon in rural Guangchou to see Hellspur nests deliberately cultivated near but not within villages. Their presence deters larger predators like wild boars, leopards, and even some human thieves. A path near such a nest is typically marked with charcoal rings and effigies warning outsiders to avoid provoking the "ashen guardians." Children are taught from a young age to recognize the skull-marked beetles and give them a wide berth.
The Hellspur canister is a weapon invented around the 11th century; these devices carried by troops consisted of hollow bamboo canisters filled with Hellspur beetles. These canisters could be cracked open and thrown into cavalry ranks, where the beetles, startled and surrounded, would begin rapid-fire pulsing chemical discharges, creating a thick, stinging cloud that disoriented horses and foot soldiers alike.
In modern Guangchou, urban planning has taken N. guangchouensis into account. Certain parks feature "beetle buffer zones", landscaped areas left undisturbed to allow beetle nests to remain intact. Locals respect these zones (out survival instinct if nothing else), especially during summer droughts, when the beetles become particularly restless due to the scarcity of carrion.
The chemical mechanism of the Hellspur Carrion Beetle is among the most sophisticated in the insect world. Its internal reaction chambers feature pressure-controlled one-way valves and enzyme-coated vestibules, which allow it to perform over 35 rapid fire ejections in less than 100 milliseconds. Researchers studying its efficiency in bio-pulse propulsion have proposed biomimetic designs for micro-nozzles and chemical pulse engines in robotics.
The beetle is featured in Guangchou folklore, symbolizing vengeance from the dead, likely due to its carrion-feeding behavior and skull-like markings. Some rural communities believe the beetles are reborn souls of those betrayed in death, and leave offerings near nests during funerals to appease them.
I would be happy to hear any constructive critisism or modification suggestion if i missed something or got it wrong.
Hope you like it.
Any thoughts ?
I couldn't find it.
ps. what does the H stand for in the title, H2?
ReluctntCrusader
Mula sa Masa, Tungo sa Masa
2nd Half. The same way Q2 means 2nd Quarter.
- Location
- Space between realms
- Pronouns
- He
I think it'll be worth it to try and get the rest of South Asia and at least establish trade ties with India (this'll force them to keep neutral).
HeroCooky
Unverified Monstergirl
ReluctntCrusader
Mula sa Masa, Tungo sa Masa
Honestly, I also have one more omake mostly written already and I'm just waiting for the H2 Update to confirm a few more details.
HeroCooky
Unverified Monstergirl
Oh, I haven't finished it yet. It's at 3.416 words right now, and only...6 months into the game's ~30 years runtime.I couldn't find it.
ps. what does the H stand for in the title, H2?
It's also in that akward section of "Want To Write" stories that all the others are.
[Frostpunk - End Of The Line] is at 9.846 words...and I need to write those 9.8k notes into the actual novella...
[The Outer Worlds - Of Settled Settlements and Settled Settlements] is at 3.586 words.
[Fallout 4 - Minutemen Of The Commonwealth] is at 1.515 words.
[World of Warcraft - An Angel Atop Azeroth/His Doveborn Gnolls] is at 2.668 words.
The muses like to hit me in the head. Repeatedly.
To be honest the three world theory in my opinion has always been insulting to the unique regional and cultural personalities. I think we should strive for making only one world: the socialist world.
Can I roll next time? My rolls have been good so far.
HeroCooky
Unverified Monstergirl
Yeah, which is why it is currently starting to break down into Power Blocs within Guangchou Timeline.
- Location
- 47° 09′ S, 126° 43′ O
[X] Unlock a Mega-Project to refurbish and expand your Road Infrastructure cheaper than with individual Actions.
Done
[X] +3 to any Sports-Related Action
Is it fixed now ?
[X]+6 to Develop and Test Novel Food Production Methods
Ffixed
Changed sacred for precious and chaplain for veteran goat herder
Removed
[X] +5 to Create A Permanent Cryptography Research Working Group
i am hesitant, what are the threeshold with actions level of succes again ?[] +2 Actions of your choice next Turn.
[] +4d6 to One Action of your choice next Turn.
You have three days. Get writing.
I don't definitively remember if I gave the Lupi tails, but I do not think I did (correct me if I am wrong). Chop-chop, off they go.
Keep in mind, Class 5B would be for ~10-11 year olds. So the Lupi would just be tall for that age-range, not adult-tall, unless you meant the adult one.
Germany doesn't do school uniforms.
You can keep the meals, I'll just handwave it as being special for that particular school for lupus-related reasons.
I don't really remember, but a 5th Year history class shouldn't be more advanced than Versailles.
I'l do my possible, it would really hel if you could give ma as much relevent details as possible, notably on the lupi homes, the caretakers thing, what does "sapien kiddos" and "Parent-Teacher conference with parent-Lupus caretaker communication continuation" i understand up to caretaker but i don't see what the communication continuation do here ?
Off they are
changed for "One was the largest, almost a head taller than Anna with his ears. One looked downright scrawny. The third walked like he was trying to be invisible."
Changed it for: "Like most other kids, they wore corduroy pants and shirts in a variety of colors, if somewhat adapted for differently-shaped legs, but otherwise ordinary."
changed it,not as satisfied with it but it will do
[X] More Survivors Will Be Brought Home
[X] +2 to One Social Action.
fixed
Are you intersted in doing that omake ?, i don't want to burden you with unwanted work
fixedYou already have a name for your rockets, it's in the Big Bird threadmark.
You don't need that, you are cribbing off of the Soviets.
Lmao, the NYT would be a bit more fearmongering in this timeline. The US is in its...fourth? Fifth? Red Scare right now.
fixed
chaned for ""Red science streaks skyward: Guangchou's rocket sparks new fears in the shadow of the Iron Curtain.""
Reloading sounds
Could you add personal bonus to the bonus list too so i don't forget them please ?
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Well fuck, that… that really fucking sucks
Not gonna lie, it doesn't feel great to me that the reward for an omake has seemingly made the situation far worse for us but I may be missing some nuance.
HeroCooky
Unverified Monstergirl
Yep.
1-4 Sub-Optimal, 5-9 Optimal, 10-12 Boosted, 13 Minor Breakthrough, etc.Carcer said:
They are extremely recently constructed Panel Homes, with their interiors very recently lived in, so they'd mostly be scarce on, but increasing with time, personalization.Carcer said:
As noted, most Lupus live in 1 Adult to ~8 Children households/social units/families, so the kids in the omake would be parented by the Lupi that walked them in. The "sapien kiddos" refers to human kids visiting the lupi kids, but as both Lupi and Sapiens are both from the Homo Genus, naming is a bit awkward.
The Parent-Teacher Conference is about the Lupi who are raising/keeping an eye on the kids interacting with the parents of the human children who deal/react to the new situation and the utter and completely (if you want to add that angle) horrific realization that the towering 2m Lupus is barely 19 years old - if even that.
Will do.Carcer said:
I don't mind. Will delay the Update, but what can you do?Carcer said:
It gave you Opportunity and Chaos. Which is a ladder yadda yadda, Chinese something something, *Jazz Hands*
Listen man it will get better as long as you roll well. You just have to believe in the roll before dropping it out.