Choriontic

Choriontics (pronounced /ˌkɔəriˈɒntɪk/)—the word is both a noun and an adjective—are certain organisms transformed by the red constellation Chorione the Lizard. Choriontics only develop from organisms born under the center of Chorione, and only when the constellation is relatively low in the sky. Accordingly, they are relatively rare, though not so rare as to not be known of and recognized by most people of Vlastach. Furthermore, all known choriontics have been vertebrates; while it's not certain that it's impossible for an invertebrate to become a choriontic, there has been no recorded case of this happening. (And most magobiologists consider a choriontic plant or fungus to be an absurdity.) Snakes and lizards rarely become choriontics, perhaps because Chorione considers that it would be redundant, but other choriontic reptiles and amphibians—especially crocodilians—are not unknown.

Development

Although it's commonly believed that a choriontic is gradually changed in the womb over the slow course of its fetal development, in fact, since it is its birthplace (and not the place of conception) that determines whether or not an organism will become a choriontic, the entire transformation takes place in the course of a few minutes just before birth. This means that, firmly averred methods of folk medicine notwithstanding, there is no way to tell months in advance whether or not a particular baby or young animal will become a chorontic, unless one can predict the future and tell in advance exactly where and when the birth will occur. This also means that a mother can avoid giving birth to a choriontic by just ensuring that she is not beneath the constellation Chorione when the birth takes place. Conversely, should a mother want a choriontic child, she can tip the odds in her favor merely by traveling to Chorione before she gives birth. Thus, while the majority of choriontics are unintelligent beasts, unable to track the stars to avoid Chorione's influence and probably uninterested in doing so even if they could, there are still plenty of choriontic children born to ellogous parents as well: either because for whatever reason the parents wanted to raise a choriontic, or, more likely, because they didn't realize that the child's birthplace was the determining factor, or perhaps because they were inattentive and were unaware of Chorione's position.

Unwanted choriontic children, if not slain immediately, are often abandoned or sent to orphanages. Since it often happens that several choriontics are born to a community within a short time when the constellation happens to be overhead, orphanages may get at those times sudden influxes of new choriontic wards, a circumstance most orphanages dread since these choriontics are hard to place with adopted families. Bestial choriontics have less of a problem, especially if they are of r-strategist species and thus have no parental involvement to lose. The young choriontic's tough, scaly skin and acute scent may actually give it a survival advantage relative to its siblings.

Description

In overall form, choriontics resemble the animals they would have become had Chorione not intervened. The most obvious alteration is that the skin of a choriontic is covered with pebbly scales. (If the choriontic is of a species that would have scales anyway—though this is uncommon—then the scales become larger and thicker.) In some cases the scales don't coat their entire bodies, but at the very least they will cover large areas. A choriontic's scales are usually green, though they may vary from a light lime green to a darker, almost black moss green. Some choriontics have blue or blue-green scales instead, and about seven percent are red, though again the exact shade varies, from a bright cherry red to a dark rosewood color. Other colors occur, but more rarely; black, white, yellow, and brown choriontics have been seen. Some choriontics have speckles or stripes, though most have scales of a solid color. There seems to be little or no correlation between the coloration of a choriontic and the skin, hair, feathers, or fur color normal to its parents' species. Despite the scales, mammalian choriontics are not necessarily entirely hairless, nor are avian choriontics featherless. While the scales replace the fur or feathers over most of the choriontics' body, hair or feathers may still remain where they are particularly large, long, or prominent. A choriontic peacock, for example, retains its showy tail feathers and its feathery crest; a choriontic human retains the hair on its head.

The scales are not the only change a choriontic features. Choriontics also have slit-pupiled eyes, with nictitating membranes if the species does not usually possess them. Their tongues become forked, like a snake's. Their teeth also become sharp and triangular, suitable for a carnivorous lifestyle, or enlarge if they were already in this shape. Some but not all choriontics also grow claws on their feet (and hands, if applicable); also, some but not all choriontics grow lacertine tails if they did not already possess them. Often there are other, subtler modifications in the body, head, and limb shapes to make them more resemble squamate reptiles, but these are not consistent. Frequently the torso narrows, lengthens, and becomes more flexible and serpentine.

One notable characteristic common to almost all choriontics is that, like Chorione, they have six limbs. (The principle exceptions are choriontics whose parent species have more than six legs already; choriontics may have extra limbs to make up the quota, but do not generally lose limbs.) Oddly, wings are not counted in the total; choriontic birds and bats have six legs in addition to their wings. The extra limbs are frequently stunted and rudimentary, but in some cases are equal in size, strength, and dexterity to the choriontic's other limbs.

Abilities

A few choriontics are granted some magical abilities. Telepathy is common, though not universal; less common are thelxis and the power to become invisible. While most choriontics may not possess these powers, however, all do have some nonmagical abilities and enhancements. Choriontics have much more acute senses of vision and smell than their parent species. They have distendable jaws and guts that allow them to swallow significantly larger morsels of food than their parent species can, and their slow metabolisms allow them to go long periods without eating.

Slightly more than half of all choriontics are venomous, with toxins they can inject in victims with their bite. The compositions and effects of the toxins vary; many choriontics have venom which paralyzes victims but does little direct damage, while the venom of others causes heart stoppage or other fatal conditions within minutes. There is no obvious relation between the parent species and the venom carried by the choriontics, though it does seem that green choriontics are significantly less likely to have venom than those of other colors.

Reproduction

Choriontics reproduce similarly to their parent species, and can procreate either with their parent species or with fellow choriontics. In the former case, however, regardless of whether the choriontic parent is the mother or the father, the offspring will not be choriontic but a normal member of the parent species—unless, of course, it too is born beneath the center of Chorione when the constellation is near the ground. The issue of two choriontic parents, however, will be a choriontic, and, while alogous choriontics seldom show any preference for mating with their own kind, there are colonies of choriontic humans and other ellogous choriontics who do just that, forming their own insular communities, breeding amongst themselves, and giving rise to multiple generations of choriontics.