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A big commission from 
Yivah that I have been majorly excited for! I've been dying to get a visualization of one of an Arhulian's most important abilities. And an assistant in this depiction is 
Dogburger's Alex! Not pictured: It's more than bones, At close range (>30 meters) an Arhulian can resolve a being's veins, nerves, organs, and nerve activity. Certainly a critter that's hard to keep secrets around... for better and worse.
Ever since That Day, there's very little that could ever get through Alex's stone tough exterior. What cracks there were happened to be more temporary affairs. But that changed when she met Niadris, the "Arhulian". Never before has she met a 'monster' that could think, let alone talk. The Arhulian seemed earnest in their desire to help, but one thing Alex couldn't shake was the very asset that made them invaluable help.
Niadris' "aura sense" was an extraordinary ability that allowed them to sense other living beings. The sense was omnidirectional, worked through solid materials, and had a purported range of hundreds of meters. Initially, it was likened to one's sense of hearing, as it too had all those qualities. Then Niadris dispelled any illusions about their sense - for better and worse. They knew when they were asleep, where they were looking, whether or not their armed from body language. Up close, Niadris could even see a person down to their nerves and veins. Hell, the only reason they probably can't lip read is that they are less socially experienced than Theo.
Niadris forced Alex to confront a question she'd never even considered; what if a 'monster' was intelligent? The sole equalizer against hulking supernatural oddities was their simple minded desire for consumption made them predictable. No matter the strength gap, predictable can be strategized around. Not with them. They can think. They know what guns are. Although they never expressed any desire for hostility, Niadris pretty much has given away that they could have killed them all in their sleep. Even recognizing Alex herself as the most combat capable one of the group - the first to be taken out.
Alex tried not to think too hard about it. That near-omniscience would be an indispensable asset on fighting the shadow, and even keeping tabs on those two mages... but still. As a soldier, hunter, and even beast slayer, she was intimately aware of the kind of damage a being with such a "toolkit" could wreak. They could pick off an entire platoon if they played their cards right... and not even leave witnesses. A kind of havoc that she would have no immediate counter for - if she's being honest with herself. Not at least without hundred pounds of dynamite, the spite, and the abandon to strike a match once they got close enough in a small room.
Weighing in at two tons and with the curiosity of a child, there was no getting rid of them. She might as well accept the help make sure they don't fall for any bullshit from those two along the way.
I've been hitting a slump with my writing, so I think my AU story is Niadris meeting the Amaranthine crew is on hiatus, at least in writing terms. But I still want to depict micro scenes of the major story beats I have plotted out in my head.
And to think, in Arhulian terms, Niadris is but a young adult. Alex can only pray fully realized Arhulians are just as polite as Niadris, should they ever meet one.
"Hey uh, if Niadris can see our skin, veins, and organs 'n stuff... doesn't that mean they are staring at us naked all the time?"
Across the room, Theo loudly gurgled and choked on the tea he was sipping, splattering it all over his chest and face.
"Not remotely on my list of concerns right now, Ridge." Alex sighed, grasping her forehead. For however little it was worth, there could be worse people with that power.
Yivah that I have been majorly excited for! I've been dying to get a visualization of one of an Arhulian's most important abilities. And an assistant in this depiction is 
Dogburger's Alex! Not pictured: It's more than bones, At close range (>30 meters) an Arhulian can resolve a being's veins, nerves, organs, and nerve activity. Certainly a critter that's hard to keep secrets around... for better and worse.Ever since That Day, there's very little that could ever get through Alex's stone tough exterior. What cracks there were happened to be more temporary affairs. But that changed when she met Niadris, the "Arhulian". Never before has she met a 'monster' that could think, let alone talk. The Arhulian seemed earnest in their desire to help, but one thing Alex couldn't shake was the very asset that made them invaluable help.
Niadris' "aura sense" was an extraordinary ability that allowed them to sense other living beings. The sense was omnidirectional, worked through solid materials, and had a purported range of hundreds of meters. Initially, it was likened to one's sense of hearing, as it too had all those qualities. Then Niadris dispelled any illusions about their sense - for better and worse. They knew when they were asleep, where they were looking, whether or not their armed from body language. Up close, Niadris could even see a person down to their nerves and veins. Hell, the only reason they probably can't lip read is that they are less socially experienced than Theo.
Niadris forced Alex to confront a question she'd never even considered; what if a 'monster' was intelligent? The sole equalizer against hulking supernatural oddities was their simple minded desire for consumption made them predictable. No matter the strength gap, predictable can be strategized around. Not with them. They can think. They know what guns are. Although they never expressed any desire for hostility, Niadris pretty much has given away that they could have killed them all in their sleep. Even recognizing Alex herself as the most combat capable one of the group - the first to be taken out.
Alex tried not to think too hard about it. That near-omniscience would be an indispensable asset on fighting the shadow, and even keeping tabs on those two mages... but still. As a soldier, hunter, and even beast slayer, she was intimately aware of the kind of damage a being with such a "toolkit" could wreak. They could pick off an entire platoon if they played their cards right... and not even leave witnesses. A kind of havoc that she would have no immediate counter for - if she's being honest with herself. Not at least without hundred pounds of dynamite, the spite, and the abandon to strike a match once they got close enough in a small room.
Weighing in at two tons and with the curiosity of a child, there was no getting rid of them. She might as well accept the help make sure they don't fall for any bullshit from those two along the way.
I've been hitting a slump with my writing, so I think my AU story is Niadris meeting the Amaranthine crew is on hiatus, at least in writing terms. But I still want to depict micro scenes of the major story beats I have plotted out in my head.
And to think, in Arhulian terms, Niadris is but a young adult. Alex can only pray fully realized Arhulians are just as polite as Niadris, should they ever meet one.
"Hey uh, if Niadris can see our skin, veins, and organs 'n stuff... doesn't that mean they are staring at us naked all the time?"
Across the room, Theo loudly gurgled and choked on the tea he was sipping, splattering it all over his chest and face.
"Not remotely on my list of concerns right now, Ridge." Alex sighed, grasping her forehead. For however little it was worth, there could be worse people with that power.
Category Artwork (Digital) / Comics
Species Original Species
Size 2555 x 1442px
File Size 3.53 MB
Listed in Folders
Oh hey, I know that bat! :D
Fun to see an illustrated piece of the story and how Niadris' abilities work! The story at the bottom presents an interesting dynamic, with Alex confronting both the benefits and potential threat of this new kind of being... that Niadris is young and naive is interesting too, they're larger and more powerful than the rest of the cast by virtue of their size and abilities, but their naivety may make them vulnerable.
And yes, Theo would not care for the fact that such a creature might be able to see beyond his clothes. :P
Fun to see an illustrated piece of the story and how Niadris' abilities work! The story at the bottom presents an interesting dynamic, with Alex confronting both the benefits and potential threat of this new kind of being... that Niadris is young and naive is interesting too, they're larger and more powerful than the rest of the cast by virtue of their size and abilities, but their naivety may make them vulnerable.
And yes, Theo would not care for the fact that such a creature might be able to see beyond his clothes. :P
Yeah! I was majorly excited for this comm as a tribute, and as a world building piece.
While Arhulians are pretty strong and tanky for sure, their greatest asset is their high level of metaphysical/spiritual awareness. Having both wallhacks and truesight allows an Arhulian to pretty much see their battles coming and choose them wisely. A dangerously strong supernatural can be out-muscled with planning and coordination. A dangerous mage can be taken out with strategy and ambush. While not as individually powerful as the former things, the Arhulians true strength lies in having no such Achilles' heel. In essence, their strength is not just about winning fights, but avoiding losing ones.
On that note, I hope I did Alex justice. While I don't think she'd ever be overtly scared of anything or anybody, I think she would be... bothered by a monster that both can't be avoided, and has no solid game plan to counter.
And poor Theo, while his sense of decency is trodden upon in the immediate moment, the bigger concern once he has time to think about it is Niadris seeing things they shouldn't and being a potential information leak. Would be a kinda funny dynamic if both Theo and Alex ended up schmoozing Niadris for their own reasons.
And gosh, At some point I need to figure out Hyden's reaction. Either really intrigued at seeing such a "refined" "monster"; or super pissed that their awareness would pose a genuine threat to his scheming. On the flip side, should his meeting with Ambroysmetastasize it's inevitable crashout be unproductive, Niadris would be a pretty good insurance policy. After all, everyone wants to stop the shadow, right? If he can convince Niadris that Ambroys' "stubbornness" is being an obstacle to the mission... maybe he can get the celestial's "cooperation" after all... whatever that entails.
While Arhulians are pretty strong and tanky for sure, their greatest asset is their high level of metaphysical/spiritual awareness. Having both wallhacks and truesight allows an Arhulian to pretty much see their battles coming and choose them wisely. A dangerously strong supernatural can be out-muscled with planning and coordination. A dangerous mage can be taken out with strategy and ambush. While not as individually powerful as the former things, the Arhulians true strength lies in having no such Achilles' heel. In essence, their strength is not just about winning fights, but avoiding losing ones.
On that note, I hope I did Alex justice. While I don't think she'd ever be overtly scared of anything or anybody, I think she would be... bothered by a monster that both can't be avoided, and has no solid game plan to counter.
And poor Theo, while his sense of decency is trodden upon in the immediate moment, the bigger concern once he has time to think about it is Niadris seeing things they shouldn't and being a potential information leak. Would be a kinda funny dynamic if both Theo and Alex ended up schmoozing Niadris for their own reasons.
And gosh, At some point I need to figure out Hyden's reaction. Either really intrigued at seeing such a "refined" "monster"; or super pissed that their awareness would pose a genuine threat to his scheming. On the flip side, should his meeting with Ambroys
Quite late on responding to this one (gestures at life in general being a complete shitshow lately, ughhh) but! thanks for commissioning something with my character in it, and for the accompanying writing, too! You're right that Alex would be quite creeped out by something with such invasive powers. Regardless of whether they seem like a friend right now or not, it's a deeply uncomfortable thing, being observed on such an intimate and personal level. (that's one thing she and Hyden have in common.)
I do think Alex would have some particular discomfort with the idea of something that seemed like a "beast" being so intelligent... hunting beasts is one of the main things she does, so it would be a bit uncomfortable to wonder if maybe some of the critters she had slain had been more intelligent than they'd let on. Niadris is definitely a unique creature even among Amaranthine's monstrous fauna, though.
I do think Alex would have some particular discomfort with the idea of something that seemed like a "beast" being so intelligent... hunting beasts is one of the main things she does, so it would be a bit uncomfortable to wonder if maybe some of the critters she had slain had been more intelligent than they'd let on. Niadris is definitely a unique creature even among Amaranthine's monstrous fauna, though.
Thank you for your insight! I've been dying to know what Alex would think of such a creature. Now here's something. With the way I've worldbuilt my Arhulians, their origin is not the same as the "regular" monsters that plague Amaranthine.
Though the idea that Arhulians are something other entirely may not exactly make her feel any better. Would almost certainly raise more questions for everyone at Theo's house!
Though the idea that Arhulians are something other entirely may not exactly make her feel any better. Would almost certainly raise more questions for everyone at Theo's house!
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