Empty
This article is an entry to World Anvil Summer Camp 2022.
It answered the prompt: "Α species that survives in an unlikely place."
It answered the prompt: "Α species that survives in an unlikely place."
The Empty are a species of interdimensional eldritch beings who, presumably, exist to destroy. Every planet the Empty have been seen on has died in one way or another. Be it imploded, devoured, or disintegrated, each and every world the Empty have inhabited has been completely and utterly destroyed. The earliest recorded sighting of the Empty was on the now-uninhabitable Earth. The initial sighting had people believing that the Empty were a form of interplanetary megafauna, but they have since been revealed to be sapient.I heard a Beretingal was spotted on Xihiri. The big ones, you know.
Well, there goes our minin' rights. No use goin' back to Xihiri. It's bound to be deader than the rock those Beretingal munch on soon enough.
Sub-Types
Empty appear as one of five sub-types, which range from unformed to animalistic to humanoid in appearance. These sub-types are as follows:
Silerba
(sill-er-buh)
Silerba Empty are the smallest and fastest of the five sub-types. They are bipedal and only vaguely formed. While Beretingal Empty are the most destructive, Silerba Empty are responsible for far more sapient deaths. The Silerba have been observed hunting specific prey, and appear to celebrate when they kill their quarry. Silerba rarely eat their kills in their entirety, usually leaving the head of the corpse after finishing their meal.
Beretingal
(BEAR-uh-TING-ull)
Beretingal Empty are the largest and slowest sub-type. They are quadrupedal and appear almost bovine in features. These Empty are usually seen alone. Beretingal Empty are the cause of most Empty-related destruction, and they have been observed eating buildings. These Empty are the only sub-type with blunted teeth. They also have proportionally smaller eyes than most other sighted Empty, which gives rise to the belief that the creatures cannot see anything that doesn't move. This belief has been proven false on numerous occasions.
Chrisena
(krih-SEN-uh)
Chrisena Empty are the most common sub-type. They are quadrupedal and appear feline or canine or perhaps even both. These Empty are noted to be the only sub-type with external ears. Chrisena, despite being largely herbivorous, have razor-sharp teeth which are usually bared in a grin-like fashion.
Trancelaton
(tran-SELL-uh-tun)
Trancelaton Empty are vaguely humanoid, and are bipedal. These Empties have no discernible features, and it is theorized that they rely heavily on their senses of hearing and touch. Despite walking as a biped, the Trancelaton crouches so its four-fingered "hands" touch the ground when not moving. Trancelaton Empty are the only form which have no clear food source.
Trancelaton Prima
(tran-SELL-uh-tun-PREE-muh)
Trancelaton Prima are the rarest sub-type. They appear humanoid much like the Trancelaton, but they have visible eyes and mouths. These Empty have been known to make sounds reminiscent of music at seemingly random times. It is believed that the melancholy keening of a Trancelaton Prima can be heard for kilometers, and is a sign of death.
Diet
Why do those bastards always leave the head? It's even recognizable this time!
Empty have been observed consuming everything from stone to flesh to water, and the extent of their appetites seem to be infinite. Beretingal Empty in particular can devour entire buildings without slowing. Many Empty appear to be picky eaters. For example, Beretingal rarely eat organic material, reserving their appetites for rock or metal. Silerba, on the other hand, almost exclusively eat fresh meat, and even then they leave the heads behind.
Reproduction
The reproduction patterns of the Empty are currently lacking in recorded data. As the Empty typically appear in pairs of the same sub-type, they are presumed to be monogamous. According to anecdotal evidence, the Empty are viviparous and only bear one offspring at a time. Empty births have not been substantially studied.
It is believed that Empty guard their young closely until they are fully grown, as no sightings have been reported of immature Empty. Researchers have noted that immature Empty may have been sighted but mistaken for adults, as no one knows what an immature Empty looks like.
Genetic Descendants
Lifespan
Unknown, presumed biologically immortal
Average Height
15 to 30 m
Average Weight
Unsubstantial
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
All Empty are shadowy, dark figures who look much like a cloudy night come to life.
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