Ressurection Beast

Contest entry for and the theme was a creature design based around the concept of 'resurrection' or 're-birth'.

[link]

Rather then do something tradition, I opted for my usual stab at doing something very other-worldly and tried for uniqueness.

After a few sketched ideas (which I'll upload later), I came up with this beastie. I imagined a very maggot-like creature, because usually during death, the creatures that scavenge or feat on a corpse are seen as repulsive, but I gave it some what appealing colour scheme and look because I also think that the idea of resurrection or 're-birth' is seen as a beautiful and mystical thing.

This creature design so much die and 're-live' but instead does it's own form of self-cloning in death. If this creature finds itself dying, it can send a signal to it's body that will cause the feathery egg-like growths on it's back to start hatching copies of itself. The growths have small embryo's containing clones of it's self that can only be triggered by the brain. The brain will send a package of nutrients needed for rapid growth to these appendages to get the clones to hatch and grow once the 'parent' dies.

These copies do not have just the same DNA as it's 'parent', but also have the same knowledge passed on, meaning that these 'clones' do no need a parent as they would do had they been born for reproduction. This isn't this creatures way of reproduction, but more it's way of preserving it's DNA and passing on it's life's knowledge to make a copy of itself that can already learn to live and take care of itself.

The clones then feed on it's 'parents' fallen body and start a new life almost as if they were this parents, same knowledge , instincts and even DNA. Re-birth especially.


Not all the copies survive though. If the 'parent' is killed very suddenly via the brain, the message will not be sent to initiate growth of the clones. And if the parent is poisoned or struck by disease the clones will be affected by the same poison or disease and thus die.

Some will be picked off by predators , but if the passed on knowledge and respective re-born clones are successful enough, the DNA can then last for centuries not only in reproduction, but the individuals as well.

These creatures are omnivorous, not very big (just under a metre high) and live in thick mangrove forests broken up by dry areas, which they can live in either. they can hunt, forage or scavenge and live for a good 5-8 earth years. It's camouflage mimics not just the vegetation's lattice, but also confuses it's body structure.

Original sketches can be seen here:

[link]


Creature belongs to me, do not copy, alter or redistribute.