Welcome back to camp, Vagabond!
First of all we’d like to congratulate you on a job well done. Thanks to you, we’ve now been able to send out two Cargo Wasps to pick up scrap on the island you explored. Even though the PACE field refineries seemed beyond rescue, we can still salvage some of their parts and bring them back to our headquarters. Don’t beat yourself up too hard: One thing you will learn soon enough is that even if things don’t go according to plan, which they usually don’t, the altering of plans makes way for new possibilities.
I’ve heard that the island you excavated is supposed to be the home of multiple Maratus colonies. Did you see any burrow openings while there? Hmm, what was that? What’s a Maratus?
Well… I was thinking about what we should go over during today’s training, and this gives me an idea. For your own sake, I suggest that we give you a brief on the fauna of Tycos. Many of the animals that inhabit this planet exhibits specialized behavior that can be hard to decipher without the right context. As many of these animals can be hostile and sometimes even aggressive, I’d say it’s in your best interest to learn as much as possible about the different species. Bear in mind that the species we’re about to present are animals we’ve come across this far: It’d be safe to assume that there is much more out there that we’ve yet to encounter.
Maratus
The Maratus is a territorial, land-based carnivore, native to caves and shaded landscapes here on Tycos. Having six legs and a hard, armor-like carapace, these creatures bear closest resemblance to what we traditionally classify as insects. Or, well, except for one detail: They’re the size of a typical dog on planet Earth.
Marati view us humans as prey, meaning they’ll attack you if you’re close enough. Taking out a single Maratus with your stunner tool is easy enough, however, Marati are social bastards. Usually they move in larger groups and also attacks as one as well. Having ten Marati crawling towards you, trying to launch attacks is a quite overwhelming situation, even for the most veteran Vagabond.
It can be a challenge to spot these critters before they spot you, mostly because they tend to lure in darker areas. When entering caves, it can therefore be a good idea to keep an eye out for eggs, burrow entrances or other signs that there might be Marati close by.
Bombardier
Another creature roaming the islands of Tycos is the Bombardier. Like the Maratus, the Bombardier bears a lot of resemblance to insects, or even beetles, except for its size. A fully grown Bombardier can weigh up to a ton. As opposed to Marati, Bombardiers prefer open, spacious areas with an abundance of grass and other plants.
According to our data, Bombardiers are omnivores. Even if meat is part of their diet, Bombardiers do not actively prey on humans. Bombardiers do, however, have quite the temperament. They are highly territorial and will become very aggressive if one were to come to close, especially if there are juvenile Bombardiers close by. You do not want to get in between a bombardier mother and her cubs.
Bombardiers mostly attack at a distance. You see, they have a somewhat morbid attack that includes the slime pouches on their backs. If you get close to a Bombardier and notice it tucking into its shell for a moment, the best option for you is to run in order to put as much space between you and the Bombardier as possible. When Bombardiers tuck into their shell like that, they create a form of pressure that allows them to dislodge the slime pods on their back. These pods are not only revolting to look at, they are toxic too. If you are skilled enough to stun a Bombardier properly, these pods can be harvested and used in crafting. Taking down a fully grown Bombardier is however quite the challenge. I wouldn’t push my luck if I was you.
Larker
We know very little about what is currently known as the Larker. One reason to this is that it can be very hard to spot as it prefers to keep hidden and blends into its surroundings very well. Another reason is that almost no one who’s seen a Larker has returned.
The Larker is a vicious hunter that usually seems to stalk its prey for quite a while until it strikes. It seems to prefer solitude rather than staying in flocks or even pairs. Due to the aggravating circumstances, we barely know what a Larker looks like. The three Vagabonds who’ve spotted it and survived all describe a flexible creature with an elongated, scaly body. It seems to have at least four limbs and a large horn on its forehead. Based on the bodies we’ve found, we are assuming that the Larker has big claws that it uses during its attacks. I really wish we could give you more information on this creature, but unfortunately this is all we know at the moment.
Batgull
As you’re aware of by now, a lot of the Tycan life is well adapted and sometimes even dependent on aerial life. Us humans is no exception, and so we invented the Wasps in order to survive on Tycos. Having the skills to pilot a Wasp is however not enough to guarantee your survival on this planet.
The Batgull is an extremely aggressive and persistent flying animal. Being about the size of an alligator, they can easily damage both pilots but also the Wasp itself. While they don’t actively stalk you, as the Larker for example, they will surely attack if you get too close to them. Whether they spot you in air or on ground, you can count on that they will pursue you. Once you’ve aggravated them, they can be notoriously difficult to shake. Some Vagabonds have reported traveling several kilometers in air to get rid of these flying monstrosities.
Rumor has it that they were once regular seagulls from Earth that somehow ended up on planet Tycos. The high rates of radiation that Tycos is exposed to caused them to alter into the terrifying creatures they are today. I don’t know if this is true, but it would explain their brutal attacks and relentless shrieking.
Spider Puffin
Native to the skies of Tycos, you’ll often spot Spider Puffins. After this briefing of animals that want to kill you, I’m happy to let you know that the Spider Puffin is completely harmless. They’re small and fluffy little creatures with a curiosity for the world around them. The biggest thing you’ll have to worry about when it comes to Spider Puffins is that they’ll most probably steal your food if you leave it out in the open for too long.
Apart from finding them snooping around camp, they’re often spotted around caves and cliff sides in smaller groups. Another one of my pilots in training insists that it’s good luck to spot a Spider Puffin on your first flight of the day. And me? I think we need all the luck we can get.
Plants to beware
Do you remember when I said that Tycos holds dangers at every turn? I really wasn’t joking. Apart from a range of different animals that would like to hunt and eat you, there are always plants to be aware of. A “dangerous plant” on planet Earth usually means that it is poisonous or that it maybe has thorns, meaning that they can passively harm you. Here on Tycos, dangerous plants mean that they can actively harm you: Here, the plants can attack you!
The attacks themselves seem to be more of a reflex rather than a conscious choice of the plant, meaning that they are pretty easy to avoid, as long as you stay attentive of your surroundings.
Barnacles are large creatures that attaches to the underside of the islands.They have a large claw or harpoon that they can fling out to catch passing prey. Due to the force that the Barnacles create with their attack, they are more than capable of pulling both drones and Wasps to the cliff side. Barnacles can’t digest our vehicles or machinery, but their attack causes much damage in itself. Keep an eye out when you’re exploring bottoms of islands!
Two plants so look out for when exploring Tycos on foot is the Venus Flytrap and the Flame flower. The Venus Flytrap is very similar to the plant with the same name on planet Earth. The only difference here is that while the species on Earth is a few centimeters, the Tycan version is big enough to encapsulate a human. Walk to close to one of these, and you’ll get stuck.
Flame flowers has a strange and very effective defense mechanism. If you get too close to them, they’ll emit a scorching flame for a few seconds. The force that the flames produce causes the head of the flower to sway unpredictably, making it notoriously difficult to dodge once it’s been disturbed. We believe that the flowers uses hydrogen found in the soil and air to sustain their bizarre defense.
Be cautious, but not afraid
As you are well aware of by now, living as a Vagabond means that you continuously need to be on the lookout for danger, whether it’d be PACE, malicious storms or starved animals. Keep in mind that this was a brief on the creatures we have encountered this far. It’d be wise to assume that there are more things lurking out there. Traversing Tycos thus means putting your life on the line. But don’t let it stop you: Where there’s high risk, it also comes with high reward.
Nothing can compare to heading out for open skies on a rose gold, glimmering morning. Or taking those first steps on a completely unexplored island. Even something as simple as lying on your back, watching the soaring night sky whilst listening to the crackle of your campfire, ignites that feeling of freedom and the sense of serenity that comes with it. Being a Vagabond surely means that you will face both dangers and challenges inn your life. But once again, true liberty is not for the fainthearted.
Remember to let us know if you stumble across any other species on your journeys! We'll make sure to contact you via the radio if we pick up any unknown frequencies.
