Bidibi Mm - Blog Posts
Drew this with the eight true gods of Myrialore (the area which MM/Mostly Mollusk takes place in, encompassing Taranoake, Citadell, Kelsik, Renin and Anemone Reef among others) to figure out their personalities and relationships a bit more
(It is Very Messy but I don't care :D)
Interestingly, the new flower god (Solif) is the only one not native to Myrialore and was instead created through the collective belief mostly of bees, wasps, beetles and assorted colonies further inland.
~Mostly Mollusk~
Part 4 - Part 5 Here - Part 6
Characters. (Mortals anyway.)
-Known Characters
A list of notable travelling parties, vendors, and fighters.
Travellers move between settlements, Path-dwellers are constantly travelling but don't actually enter towns, as opposed to Outsiders who take up residence in a specific place outside of settlements instead of travelling, and Explorers travel often and sometimes enter towns but are mostly focused on finding new places. a
---Kritto
She/her
Coenagrion puella (color/gender difference intentional)
Citadell Citizen/Explorer, Aerial/Terrestrial
A blue dragonfly cartographer who enjoys mapping the world around her free of cost, her excellent vision adding an eye for detail and near-perfect recreations of the surrounding views.
Service: Map (Kritto's Stall, Citadell)
---Lidii, Gorge, and Rantan
She/her, he/him but it's whatever really, he/they
Myrmecocystus mexicanus, ??????, Strategus aloeus
Traveller(s), Terrestrial
An explorer trio, the ox beetle Rantan carries Gorge, the clam archivist, to see the sights (or not--Gorge doesn't have eyes) while upbeat ant fighter Lidii wanders ahead. Lidii enjoys beating Gorge at Rainbow Shell while the latter wonders why she always wins, and Rantan exasperatedly goes along with their antics.
Lidii- *trying to get Rantan's attention* Rantan- "What were you saying? I'm busy trying to pretend I'm literally anywhere else."
Lidii has definitely attempted to name the group. The others haven’t actually accepted this moniker, but whenever needed she uses “Team Taranoake”.
She has also made the trio friendship bracelets out of bits of shell.
Service: None? Introductions? Travel?
---Bidibi
They/them
Mortal form is a horned Dynastes tityus
Path-Dweller, Terrestrial
A large rhinoceros beetle who carries a pack of supplies twice their size on their back to trade while on the road (that, somehow, doesn't seem to burden them at all), appearing wherever needed. Secretly the god of the Path, though their reverence is much more informal than that of a patron god like Ven, for their truth as a God is little-known. Their large backpack contains the anchors of several other gods and they function as a sort of bridge between the mortal realm and more fantastical beings.
Service: ???
---Pard
They/them
Polydrusus impressifrons
Outsider, Terrestrial
An arrogant, self-proclaimed noble, who only survived for the fact they were a grub when the rest were exiled and killed. Oof.
Service: Lore
---Arbiter Len
All pronouns
Homarus americanus
Taranoake Citizen, Aquatic/Terrestrial
The figurehead of Taranoake, friendly and well-known among its citizens. See "Current Leaders''.
Service: (Facilitating discussions and resolving disputes between residents, a figurehead of the town. Unknown what their service to the player would be.)
---Drop
They/them
Pleurobrachia pileus
Taranoake Citizen, Aquatic
A sea gooseberry who frequents the Bay. Take care when around them, especially if you're any sort of tiny, delicious crustacean. (Laws don't apply to them obviously.)
Service: None
---Cranton
He/they
Heterocarpus ensifer
Outsider, Aquatic
Not confined to a town, Cranton is a shrimp and excellent chef living close to the shore.
Service: Food (Cranton's Shed)
---Ceras
They/them
Babakina festiva
Explorer/Traveller (former Outsider), Aquatic/Terrestrial
An aeolid nudibranch with an older sibling Fess, who became stranded away from them after being caught in a rip current and washing up on Taranoake's shore. Unlike other sea slugs, they have the ability to survive on land, for unknown and currently-being-explored reasons
Service: They don't have a service they're the player character
---Tan
They/it
Cordyceps militaris (hosted by Felis catus, a vertebrate)
Outsider, Aquatic/Terrestrial
A strange, almost cheerful fungus inhabiting the body of the only intact towering, black-furred, long-dead organism they could find.
Service: Lore?, Mycelium translator (if they can get over their mutual hatred for the rest of their literal kingdom)
---Claws
She/her
Coccinella septempunctata
Taranoake Citizen, Terrestrial
A retired fighter ladybug who sells weapons at the Agora, some much larger than she is. If you start up a conversation with her, just be ready to stay and listen until dusk sets. Oh, and you ARE going home with a lighter glass-pouch…
Service: Weapons (The Agora, Taranoake)
---Azent, Monti, and Kee
He/him, she/her, ???
Sphecius convallis, Parides montezuma, Sphecius convallis
Taranoake Citizens, Aerial/Terrestrial
Azent the wasp, his child Kee, and butterfly partner Monti. Monti's brood didn't live long enough to truly see the world, so she raises Kee as her own (alongside the larva's actual father). Azent is missing an antenna, which does provide benefit in tolerating the oversaturated salt-smell of the sea.
Service: None (?)
---Machula
She/her
Vespula maculifrons
Taranoake Citizen/Traveller, Aerial/Terrestrial
An exile from her hive for attempting to overthrow her mother, who's taken up residence in Taranoake due to the fact that they were the only city who'd have her. Has a sort of rivalry with Azent.
Service: None
---Ghost
They/them (plural)
Danaus plexippus
Taranoake Citizen, Aerial/Terrestrial
A pale and rather antisocial monarch who speaks rarely, but always using plural pronouns for themselves.
Service: None
---Nell
She/her
Acheta domesticus
Taranoake Citizen, Terrestrial
A cricket nymph, who may not be well-known among most of the adult citizens, but is renowned by her fellow children in being the only to reach the Acorn (the only wingless, that is).
Service: None
---Quinn
He/they
Smerinthus cerisyi
Taranoake Citizen, Terrestrial
An older moth missing an eye. While he was once a traveller, now he's settled in Taranoake as a storyteller.
Service: Lore
---Carmine and Kalanchoe
She/her, she/they
Tachypompilus ferrugineus, Cotinis mutabilis
Taranoake Citizens, Aerial/Terrestrial
A bright spider wasp with a love for cooking (and her partner Kalanchoe), and the latter coleopteran target of affection. Both insects have a color mutation to their wings, in which Carmine's are a more fiery blue and Kalanchoe's hindwings are pink.
Service: Food (The Agora, Taranoake)
---Blue-Gills
They/he
Porcellio hoffmannseggi
Citadell Citizen, Terrestrial
A sowbug cuisineur.
Service: Food (Noctiluca Cafe, Citadell)
---Tawny-Buzzard
She/her
Apis mellifera
Citadell Citizen, Terrestrial
A honeybee scientist appreciating the more experimental side of her city's God. Wingless for, ahem, completely unrelated reasons and is on thin ice to be banished.
Service: ???? (H.C. Labs, Citadell)
---Dune
He/they
Centruroides vittatus
Taranoake Citizen, Terrestrial
A scorpion diligently guarding Taranoake from any perceived threats, despite not being asked to. They almost always let others go, though.
Service: None?
---Allibel
They/she
Magicicada septendecim
Taranoake Citizen/Traveller, Terrestrial
A travelling musician who wields a free-reed instrument made from a full, delicate pill-millipede corpse. It's unknown how exactly she acquired it.
She's actually a 17-year nymph, who emerged with a mutation that either delayed her maturity or stopped it entirely, and found a love of music--and a way to make the most of her time without wings.
Service: The Vibes™ (Anywhere)
---Tenaram, Amarmallus, and Magtauran
He/him, they/he, they/them
Menippe mercenaria, Sphodromantis viridis, Scolopendra cingulata
Taranoake Citizens, Aquatic/Terrestrial, Terrestrial x2
Champions of the Colosseum! An imposing stone crab, who's actually pretty boastful, loud and charismatic, much to the annoyance of everyone else in the Barracks. A quiet and cold mantis who is quick to anger and avoids any non-fight interaction with anyone. An almost downright terrifying centipede that doesn't really seem to care much about anything.
Service: Entertainment (Colosseum of Ven, Taranoake)
---Flicken
They/she
Phausis reticulata
Taranoake Citizen, Aerial/Terrestrial
A small, energetic and stealthy firefly with a tendency to appear out of shadows at random times and startle those around them. Friend to many of the ghost crabs but best friend to Bem.
Service: ...Jump scares
---Grek
He/him
Breviceps macrops
Renin Citizen, Terrestrial
An old, grouchy desert rain frog with a missing eye and a tendency to scream at the top of his lungs at the slightest inconvenience. The sole survivor of whatever wiped out all the frogs. He has been living in solitude for 10 years waiting for rain to tell him it's time to leave.
Service: Lore (...?)
---Bem
They/them
Ocypode quadrata
Taranoake Citizen, Aquatic/Terrestrial
A joyful ghost crab child with a dream to fight in the Colosseum. They were born with two missing legs and use prosthetics fashioned from driftwood and seaweed, which help them walk but aren’t very fast or mobile, so they settled on helping Claws make and sell weapons. Best friends with Flicken.
Service: Quest (to get a Citadell scientist for better prosthetics)
---Cren and Terret
She/her x2
Camponotus pennsylvanicus, Reticulitermes flavipes
Citadell Citizens, Terrestrial and Aerial/Terrestrial
A carpenter ant and termite alate (and of course, their 27 aphids, per Cren’s obsession). While the former is something of an artist, and very much a carpenter as her species dictates, Terret is a wood-eating scientist who keeps completely to herself, besides living with her partner.
Service: ? (Woodworker’s Association, Citadell) (possibly fulfilling Copi's and/or Bem's quest, as well as one of their own) (I no longer remember what those last seven words meant)
---Sepinti
She/her
Magicicada septendecim
Traveller, Aerial/Terrestrial
A cicada singer, Allibel's sister--though she's not any older, makes fun of her for her immaturity mutation, while keeping herself in the spotlight. Only competitive, though, not a complete jerk.
Service: The Vibes™ (in set areas)
---Lumi
They/them
Goniobranchus kuniei
Kelsik Citizen, Aquatic
The sea slug merchant of Kelsik, a bit mischievously enthusiastic about their goods.
Service: ...Sells Things? Food maybe?
---Copi
She/they
Xylocopa virginica
Explorer, Aerial/Terrestrial
A young carpenter bee who lost her nest and is yearning for any feeling of community. (Has already been kicked out of several Andrena and Colletes burrows, for lack of knowing they're actually solitary.)
Service: Quest (read above. may become adopted by Cren)
---Eken
He/she
???
Outsider, Aquatic
An extremely confused vendor eel who only works in trades, he’s well known for his vast array of strange items and for having no idea how to price anything. Her main logic is “if it looks cool it's probably a fair trade” and especially favors shiny things.
Service: Strange things and stranger prices.
---Genni
???
Chroicocephalus philadelphia
???, Aerial/Terrestrial
A strange sky-creature. It shows no sign of intelligence, and speaks in loud squawks, though Ceras has chosen to imprint on and name it.
Service: Quest (A Meal Of Great Elegance)
---Beowi
They/them
Dytiscidae species
Explorer, Terrestrial (technically not aquatic as they only skim the surface)
A “ship” captain and self proclaimed pirate, this diving beetle has a fierce love of the water and an even fiercer hate of actually being in it, so they constructed a floatation device of sorts cobbled out of driftwood, seaweed, and countless strange buoyant objects.
Service: Quest (Track Down the Beast)
~Mostly Mollusk~
Part 3 - Part 4 Here - Part 5
Daily Life (and Language, as it’s not officially included) and Veneration.
-Daily Life
The daily life of bugs in and out of Taranoake and Citadell.
---Diet
In seaside settlements, varies based on species, individual and city but tends to consist of other bugs, and plants, including species of seaweed and algae. Frequent travellers like wasps or ants often bring back food from other places as a semi-permanent source. The former will occasionally bring a chunk of stolen honeycomb from a far-off honeybee hive, or a cap of sugar-water (alternately, a cap of dried sugar to mix with strained seawater, though this is not preferred as many non-marine creatures tend to hate the taste of salt.) Larvae and aphids are sometimes used as sweet "kegs" for adult wasps.
An experimental substance has been produced in Citadell for use mostly in battle, made up of digestive enzymes to greatly reduce time spent digesting food, and antibiotics to quicken the rate of wounds closing, to use as a sort of literal "quick-heal".
---Housing
Taranoake
Most terrestrial bugs in the city live in the Fort but some prefer to live elsewhere, such as the ants who have forged small hills of sand nearby the outskirts. Aquatic species make homes in the sand of the bay, or simply lay or float around in the general area without protection.
While there are no rules in the Outpost, Fort Taranoake is generally diurnal. Those citizens who are most active during the night actually sometimes take up residence in the former. As most of the city is asleep at night, the ones who aren't are meant to either be quiet or congregate in areas away from the Fort and Outpost.
Citadell
Unlike in Taranoake, residential areas are scattered throughout the town in rooms along the basins, though certain types of buildings such as these are often localized to one area. The city is noticeably less welcoming to outsiders, having no free place to stay (unless of course you want to camp on the floors of the craters, in which case be ready to wake up early or be washed out to sea by morning). The homes of aquatic citizens are located on the lowest levels, along the permanently-flooded alleyways connecting each basin. The city is naturally dark and peaceful (excluding the scientists, of course), with the dim bioluminescent algae used for food and lighting lining the waterways, so the times most sleep isn’t an issue.
Nocturnal and diurnal residents still get much interaction, as most bugs sleep for only a third to a quarter of the day.
---Games
Bored children and even adults must have something to do, especially those who don't appreciate the violence of Taranoake’s Colosseum, so many games have been developed. The list goes roughly in order of more simple games, often played by children or travellers, to the more advanced.
Tick Tacks
Both bugs get a type of shell and a 3 by 3 grid, with the first to put three in a line being a winner. Normally, different colors of shell will be collected for the two players, however some will simply be marked with notches or paints.
Stick Kick
As the name implies this is simply a game of kicking a piece of driftwood. No objective, only kick
Clammy
A rather idiotic pastime typically engaged in by children who have nothing better to do and no sense of self preservation. This game involves sticking one hand into the mouth of a clam and seeing who can remove their hand before the clam removes it first. A slightly less dangerous alternative is who can annoy a clam the most without getting bitten. Sometimes this is done with horrendous puns, including the common phrases “don’t clam up!” or “don't be so shellfish!” Clams, of course, do not appreciate this game at all.
Victims of this game will often say they lost the limb in a battle of some sort to hide their idiotic childhood. However, due to the fact that many arthropods regenerate parts of their limbs after each molt, it can be obvious just exactly how long ago the injury was sustained...
(One attempt to play tag was made, before it was concluded the game gave an unfair advantage to creatures not bound to land or sea.)
Rainbow Shell
A simple game, yet almost always played by explorer parties. The first person to find a complete rainbow in order of shell colors wins. The same shell can not be used by multiple players. This game may be more difficult for those of us with fewer cones.
Driftshell
A board game played with bits of shell and driftwood dice. An attack or defense would be labeled on the dice, and these would be used to take down an opponent's health (around ten pieces of shimmering shell) or defend against their attacks. Last one to lose all ten health tokens wins. Alternative, more complex versions can be played but this is most agreed upon.
---Economy
Sea glass is used as currency in marine/coastal settlements with differing colors being worth different amounts based on rarity.
In order of worth:
Clear/white - 2
Brown - 3
Green - 4
Amber - 7
Blue - 8
Purple - 10
Black/gray - 12
Yellow/orange - 15
Red - 17
Mixes in between are simply rated based on their alikeness to each color--for example, even on the official color chart as shown here, amber is rated midway between brown and orange. Occasional barters modifying the exact worth based on the color of seaglass, and the value of the goods they’re paying for, do occur relatively often.
---Causes of Death
It wouldn't be a Life section without death! This world can be treacherous, most especially out of the law-bound Cities, so there are a wide variety of ways to die. However, some of the most common are listed below.
Taranoake
-Colosseum
-Dehydration
-Sickness
Citadell
-Old age
Outside the Cities
-Being eaten
-Ironically, starvation
--Government
Laws, leaders, and enforcement in the Cities.
---Laws
-Those alive will not be considered as a food source until they have died of their own accord.
-Resources should not be removed from the care of the owner unless permission is given.
-(Taranoake Exclusive) Children are not allowed to participate in the Colosseum.
--Taranoake Leaders
(Citadell has not had any leaders, in its present or past.)
Current
Arbiter Len
Facilitates discussions and resolves conflicts between groups or individuals in the city. Not an official leader exactly, more of an ambassador.
Past
The Nobles
A family of tyrants and fake rulers who dubbed themselves royal, living in the Fort once a grand castle and leaving all its other citizens to rest in crudely made sand-huts, tunnels and Outpost rooms. All were exiled after this true glory was discovered, and were told they would not be harmed within Taranoake--but the moment they left the city limits, they were killed by mobs of angry citizens, as laws don't apply outside the bounds. >:)
One exile did survive however, see “Pard”.
-Language
Most bugs use three languages, though some only have the first two: audible language (spoken through mandibles, wing buzzing, and sometimes tymbals, covering of the spiracles, etc.), written language (carved into things, much more complex than the audible language and resembling hieroglyphics) and species language (spoken through pheromones, and is mostly only understood by those of the same species or sometimes related ones).
Additionally, some terrestrial bugs have learned to understand the language of fungi.
A subgrouping of the words in the audible and written languages are universal “basic phrases”: while in audible speech most words or phrases are spoken using one “letter” at a time and may include more complex actions, these are simpler and designed to be recognisable with the most basic information (e.g. holding sounds for longer by putting more space in between each one).
-zt zt zzt (pronounced “ze-ta ze-ta! zehhta”) “Come” or “Come here”. Zs are long while Ts are short.
-tttt tKtt (pronounced “tetetete teKEtete”) “Hello”, can be shortened to “tKtt” for an informal “hi”. Ts are short while the K is long and/or loud.
-t trr rr (pronounced “te te-rrr rrr?”) “Eat”, such as “Where’s food/when we eating?” Rrs are usually vibrations, the longer sound, while Ts are short clicks.
-ktktkk (pronounced “ketekete krr krr”) “Danger” or “Stay back”, such as “danger up ahead” or “I’m dangerous, stay back”. The first two Ks and both Ts are alternating short taps/clicks while the latter Ks are long.
-ttkttt (pronounced “tete-kr-tetete”) “Travel”, “Go” or “Traveller”. The Ts are short but the K might be a bit longer and/or a different sound (such as scraping).
-ztzz (pronounced “ze-te-zehh”) “Yes”. The Zs may be longer than the short T (especially the latter Zs).
-tK (pronounced “te-KA”) “No.” T is short while K is longer and/or louder.
Basic phrases can also be easily converted to written, with each noise having a respective counterpart:
-“Z” is made up of a vertical line, with two dots vertically positioned on the right.
-“T” is made up of a horizontal line with one smaller vertical line positioned beneath each third of the large line.
-”K” is made up of a vertical line with a short horizontal line/dot positioned to the left of its top half.
-”R” is made up of two parallel horizontal lines, the top having a short vertical line connecting to the top side of the right edge.
One dot will be shown above the letter for each time it’s repeated.
--Telecommunication
Just found a cool looking rock and need to tell your friend immediately? Why not ask your local mushroom to send the message for you! Almost every grounded mushroom around you is connected to the mycelium network running through town and beyond, so all you have to do is tell them the message and where to send it (oh, and also learn an entire language). Just make sure you can trust your messenger--mushrooms can be quite the pranksters, and I’m sure you don’t want your message being sent to the wrong person or “accidentally”, ahem, “mistranslated” to tell the recipient how much you hate them.
--Actual Communication (With Bugs)
Without speaking or writing, there are still a myriad of ways invertebrates communicate.
In insects and many other arthropods, antennae make up a large part of body language. Held straight up in the air the bug could be considered surprised or alert, and one holding them straight frontally usually conveys anger, frustration or boredom (depending how far above the eyes they’re held, and the position of the mandibles). More relaxed positions (of varying degrees) like the resting arch of ant antennae signify positive and neutral emotions, like calmness or enthusiasm.
-Veneration
Traditions and lore regarding the Gods.
---Ven
Associated with the dead and living, Ven is a god of verdant groves and seeping blood, the patron god of Taranoake. While they don't inherently demand death as a part of their worship, they consider the Colosseum enough sacrifice.
They are said to look plant-like while still retaining arthropod aspects, having six legs like an insect but with four claws on each end. This may or may not be an accurate depiction as only those close to death through battle have claimed to see them--those and, interestingly enough, travellers who have not learned of Ven’s nature and have seen them as a distant mirage near the settlement’s gates.
Only those on the brink of death, who cannot return, have seen them under their mask, and even bugs who have seen Ven before are unable to dream of the god unless they are visited intentionally.
Those who are not from the City still pay respects to the deity, as is custom.
---The Kindle of Souls
A celebration of life and death, of those who made it and those lost along the way, The Kindle of Souls is this town's way of honoring the dead and their god Ven, encouraging them to guide the souls of the dead to whatever lies in wait.
The festival is an ancient and time honored tradition, and has many accompanying customs including the hanging of green banners painted with yellow through blue all throughout town, the displaying of lights on the tree that has come to be known as The Guardian of the Dead, the traditional food of the red lantern jellyfish that tend to wash ashore around the time of the festival, and the painting of stripes on one’s face to resemble the aspen-God Pando. Overall, the celebration is not as gloomy as one might expect a festival of death to be, but instead more a time for stories and rememberance of those passed.
---Pando
This twisted -- and rather creepy-looking -- tree-god is actually quite benevolent despite their appearance, and is known as the Deputy or Second-Hand of Ven. As the entity formed from such fierce belief in the tree known as The Guardian of The Dead, Pando guides and cares for the spirits of the deceased and has also taken on this epithet. Don’t forget to thank your local tree, because the message will surely travel back to Pando, through the complex system of roots and mycelium this wisdom god uses to spread and obtain knowledge.
---Beforgers
Those who were claimed to have built Taranoake and Citadell long before any inhabited them. Also called The Ones Cloaked In Shadow, rumored by old clams to be dark titans with their heads scraping the clouds. The mite-crabs were some of the only to witness them, though it's said the mole crabs know more and refuse to share.
---God of the Path
See “Bidibi”.
---Hearth
A welcoming god to all wanderers, floating freely amongst the other jellyfish.
---Tydin
Ever noticed how the ocean is at different places at different times? Well, you can thank this giant sea god for that! Rumor has it that Tydin has been stuck in an eternal state of sleep since… well, only Gods know for sure. Most assume since the beginning of time, but none can back this claim up. Tydin’s breaths and snores create the changes in the tide named after them. No one has actually laid eyes on this ocean god and therefore their appearance remains mystery (though they're depicted as a sea slug), but their existence is generally agreed upon, as no one has a better answer.
---Ne'Mon
Ne'Mon is the god of knowledge and archivists, the patron god of the quiet Citadell. The lower half of their true form resembles that of a jellyfish, with uncountable tendrils used as arms for unending research. However, while Ven more or less follows mortal anatomy Ne'Mon is largely cryptid, with floating appendages and a face resembling a golden bell.
---The Blighted One
Referred to by those of Taranoake only in epithet for fear of invoking their wrath, the deity called Truth of Pestilence or Dreaded God, among other names, is the god of illness and therefore considered by mortals to be the sacred enemy of Ven. Feared more than death itself, for what good are you if you will only spread your darkness?
(Their true name is Ganellak, though only the other Gods are confident and powerful enough to use it lightly.)
---Lemar
The creator and inventor of the Anchors carried by Bidibi, this god was born as a mortal mite crab. But instead of opting for a life of violence in the Colosseum, they dedicated their life to anchoring the gods to this mortal plane, in a time when everyone was just becoming aware of The Drift. Ven granted them godship immediately after all the gods were successfully pulled back to the world.
---The Drift
A period of time in history when the gods began to involuntarily drift away from the mortal plane, causing strange events such as a still, waveless ocean, travelers mysteriously disappearing, and even a pause to death.
Some believe a second wave of The Drift may be coming in the near future, or is perhaps upon us now.