Name: Tysopods Description: A very large marine crustacean, decorated with a protective shell from its head to its many toes. These shells are usually a shiny, deep maroon color, but can be anywhere from red to violet on the rainbow spectrum. Tysopods stand on six long, pointed legs useful for digging through sand and rocks. Two beady eyes rest on long stalks, right above its mouth. This creature's claims to fame are two pairs of large raptorial claws; one pair tipped with hammer-like bludgeons, and a second pair tipped with incredibly sharp, barbed spikes. While this isn't exactly what a Tysopod looks like, it's similar. Behavior: Despite the Tysopod's very intimidating appearance, they are rather docile and only attack when their territory is encroached. They spend most of their time hunting food, dragging their favorite catch of the day back to their ‘base'. They're incredibly fascinated by shiny objects, so caves inhabited by Tysopods will often be littered with small trinkets that caught the crustacean's eye. Tamability: While you can't really ‘tame' a Tysopod, one could earn its trust by bringing it food or particularly shiny objects. Where is it found?: Tysopods hide away in coastal caves, or underwater burrows near the drop off. Rarity: They are incredibly rare, as they usually choose caves far away from other Tysopods and only mate once in their lifespan. Diet/Method of gaining nutrients and energy: Tysopods are carnivorous. Using their clubs, they smash through the shells of Ruby Scuttler Majors and Tartarus Clams. Products?: Tasty meat and pretty shells. Occasionally, a Tysopod will drag something of value back to their cave, making them popular with looters and archeologists. Reproduction: Tysopods reproduce sexually, mating once in their lifespan. As the females reach sexual maturity, they begin to release a particular pheromone which the male Tysopods can smell. They follow this pheromone trail back to the female's caves. If multiple males travel to the same cave, they will try to impress the female with their shells. The female will (usually) pick the male with the shinier shell, escorting them to the back of the cave to mate. Size: They stand anywhere from 15 to 17 feet tall, while their thorax will be between 16 to 18 feet long. Weight: A maximum of 2,100 lbs. Lifespan: 120 years at most. Abilities: Tysopods can punch at speeds up to 75 mph with their four front arms, with a force of ~2,300 Newtons (roughly 500 pounds). They use these claws to punch clean through Scuttler and Tartarus Clam shells. Even with repeated use, their hammers rarely break thanks to the internal structure of their claws which distributes the force and prevents small cracks from turning into larger breaks. Their second pair of claws, which are tipped with sharp barbed spikes, can pierce through most soft surfaces. Tysopods have an incredible sense of smell. They can smell a female's mating pheromone from miles away. Flaws: They are incredibly slow. While their shells are pretty, they don't do much protection wise. They're mostly for insulation. It's possible to cut off their claws. This is the Ruby Scuttler Major's main defense against these fearsome crustaceans. If a Tysopod loses its claws, it'll starve. They're entirely deaf.
