Greyhide Hydra
A couple of quirks of biology allows greyhide hydras to make a living in areas most other hydras would find to sparse in sustenance. First off, their stomachs can process rock and stone, wringing nourishment from it. In turn, this diet fuels the second advantage, their scales. Most hydras use deep water or dense vegetation to hide, but due to their rocky scales, greyhide hydras can disguise themselves as stoneformations, allowing them to ambush prey creatures that share their territory. The fact that half their diet is stone, something that does not tage the greatest of effort to procure, means that greyhide hydras tends to be less ravenous than other hydras.
That being said, they are no less ferocious in combat. If they can, they will attack from ambush and then use their heads to flank and outmaneuver enemies. Their superior regeneration and ability to accelerate their own healing means they are willing to take chances other hydras might balk at, though fire still has an intimidating effect on them.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Greyhide hydras have a stocky body with four legs, covered in grey scales that wary in size and shape. They have a long tail for balance and a number of heads on long serpentine necks. Greyhide hydras usually have about six heads on average.
They have a highly efficient metabolism and regenerative properties that allows them to recover from even grievous wounds. This property is even more effecient than with other hydras, due to the greyhide's ability to eat and digest stone. They can even force their body to accelerate their healing if needed, though only so many times before the process becomes dangerously taxing. Fire, however, has an extremely detrimental effect on them.
Their scales have a high mineral content that also protects them from other earth based dangers and helps give them a stony camouflage that enables them to hide in rocky terrain despite their great size.
Genetics and Reproduction
Hydras a perfect hermaphrodites. They are capable of self-fertilization should they be unable to find a partner. Once impregnated, a hydra will lay a leathery, large egg after about two to three seasons. This egg takes another season or two to grow, before it hatches. The eggs of greyhide hydras looksl ike boulders to enable the parent hydra to better camouflage it while they go hunting.
Additionally, should a hydra lose a head to injury, a new head will grow. However, this head will have a completely new personality. Hydras traditionally consider these heads the children of whatever head they lost.
Growth Rate & Stages
Young greyhide hydras a ravenous and consume large amount of organic matter and stone fragments to fuel their growth and metabolism. They grow rapidly with the proper food and become full-sized in eight to ten years.
Ecology and Habitats
Due to their ability to supplement their food with stone, greyhide hydras can carve out a territory in areas other types of hydras couldn't sustain themselves in. They favor rocky areas with easy access to geological deposits and beyond that functions as macropredators. Their consumption of stone often creates hollows that smaller creatures turn into nests and dens.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Greyhide are omnivoros and geovorous. For organic matter, they have a strong preference towards a carnivorous diet. They typically hunt as ambush predators, using their rocky hide to disguise themselves as a boulder, then lash out with several heads when their prey least suspects it.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Greyhide hydras are very social, though they get most of their need for socializing satisfied with each other. Their ability to communicate mentally is something they take full advantage of, often having in-depth mental discussions while lying quietly in wait to ambush prey.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Due to their geovorous diet, greyhide hydras can sustain themselves in numerous places and are thus found in many spheres.
Average Intelligence
A sapient species, greyhide hydras can pool their mental capacity to quickly analyze, calculate and make decisions. They are thus on average smarter than the average human.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
All the hydra's heads have a set of eyes, pair of ears and a nose. Since they can share sensory input, they are unlikely to miss much around them.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Greyhide retain the naming conventions of most hydras, with a name for their cluster as a whole and one for each head. They still tend towards guttural and sibilant sounds.
Scientific Name
Multi Serpentes Griseo
Origin/Ancestry
Lifespan
Does not age
Average Height
9 meters tall
Average Length
18 ton
Comments