Dila'Mori

Written by Heart

Though the fruit is sweet,
beware the hunters of the deep,
not fast, nor strong,
but patient and calm.

— A Fae Rhyme taught to Children regarding the Dila'Mori and the Gleam-Fruit Tree.

Anatomy

The Dila'Mori are incredibly similar to normal shrimp, however, their mandibles and pincers are increased in size and sharpness. Similarly, their other limbs end in deadly, blade-like points clearly designed to shred through tissue into workable chunks. They tend to hold a semi-transparent coloration with pink and purple undertones, making them incredibly well camouflaged with the sparkling waters of Faedra that they call home.

Abilities

The species has few abnormal abilities, however, what they do have is a form of swarm mentality. They have evolved feeding on the fruits, and vegetables within the mystical lands and therefore have a very low-level empathic field of magic that allows them a limited form of communication. Beyond this, they are incredibly dangerous foes for creatures their size with powerful pincers and mandibles, but to larger creatures, they are of no threat, especially since they make their home in shallow water making swarming prey effectively almost impossible.

Habitat

The species calls the Faedra and it's surrounding islands their home, however, the species will only ever be found in the water from which a Gleam-Fruit Tree is growing. They take up residence in the sand, stone, and bones that the tree grows from turning it into a hive from which their females will spawn their eggs and the shrimp will act as a sort of underwater hive of ants, chewing through the materials to form underwater tunnels and spaces for them to hold separate "rooms" deep under the water in the trees root systems.

Behavior

The shrimp when interacting with one another act as one cohesive organism in many ways. Communicating through a low-level empathic magical field, as well as programmed biology to mimic the movements of their fellows, the species acts as an underwater swarm. This behavior is due to the creatures having specifically co-evolved with the Gleam-Fruit tree, not only making the underwater root system and stones their home but also purposely providing nutrients to the tree. When individuals come forward and walk through the shallow, crystal clear water along the stones underfoot and eat the fruit from the tree, they tend to immediately peel the disgusting skin if they are not aware of it's uses.
From this, the shrimp gain their first form of nutrition in the form of the bitter peels full of anti-narcotics, antidotes, vitamins, and nutrients. However, they do not act immediately. Instead, the species waits, and when the individuals finish their snack the fruit's effects immediately begin. Causing them to become drowsy, and then, eventually, causing them to completely collapse. Unconscious and suffering from a paralyzing toxin, the shrimp burst into action. Due to the shallow water, they would normally have no chance in an attack, but with their targets unconscious they are able to swarm the unfortunate victim.
They will then drown the creature as it slumbers, dragging it into the deeper areas of the stones before ripping them to bits and dragging the chunks into their hive to be used as food. The blood, leftovers, and bones along with the peels from the fruit are then turned into food for the shrimp, and fertilizer for the tree, allowing it to flourish and continue the cycle. Of course, the natives have long since learned of this method, but even when they come and pick the fruit, they know of the uses and tend to dump their own leftovers into the water as an offering to both the tree and the shrimp in thanks for the treats.

General Information

Origin
Evolved from Anomalocaridids
Type(s)
Ambush Predator, Omnivorous, Monsterous Species
Lifespan
10 Years
Average Height
1" (2.5 cm)
Average Length
4" (10 cm)
Average Weight
0.3 oz (9 g)
Genetic Decendants

• None