Ravenous Torton: Proposed color submission
Posted: Sun Nov 14, 2004 8:09 am
Resembling a cross between a snapping turtle and a fambaa, Ravenous Tortons are the alpha carnivores of Rori, the swampy moon of Naboo.
Despite appearances, tortons are encased in a thick wooly hide. This has led to some speculation that they may be a precursor breed to mammals, and is giving rise to a small degree of academic interest. At any rate, they share mammals' warm-blooded metabolism, which requires vast food intake. As a result, ravenous tortons are quick to attack anything edible that approaches their lair, and will attempt to knock down and subdue their prey with earth-shaking stomps of their huge legs.
Like other varieties of torton, ravenous tortons are quite stupid, and are highly resistant to stun weapons. Their impressive shells, while not a true armor, also give them effective resistances to electricity and acid, and offer some protection against physical blows and energy weapons. Commandos report the shell also seems to offer the creature some protection against explosives. However, the density of the shell is insufficient to serve as a useful raw material for any manufactured armors. Still, their wooly hides can be a valuable resource, and has led to increased hunting pressure against the population of a beast that is already only infrequently seen in the wild. Fortunately, tortons are known to be enthusiastic breeders, so it is hoped that they will prove themselves capable of sustaining their numbers in the wild. It would be a sad development indeed, were Rori to lose substantial numbers of the chief balancing agents in the ecosystem.
Despite appearances, tortons are encased in a thick wooly hide. This has led to some speculation that they may be a precursor breed to mammals, and is giving rise to a small degree of academic interest. At any rate, they share mammals' warm-blooded metabolism, which requires vast food intake. As a result, ravenous tortons are quick to attack anything edible that approaches their lair, and will attempt to knock down and subdue their prey with earth-shaking stomps of their huge legs.
Like other varieties of torton, ravenous tortons are quite stupid, and are highly resistant to stun weapons. Their impressive shells, while not a true armor, also give them effective resistances to electricity and acid, and offer some protection against physical blows and energy weapons. Commandos report the shell also seems to offer the creature some protection against explosives. However, the density of the shell is insufficient to serve as a useful raw material for any manufactured armors. Still, their wooly hides can be a valuable resource, and has led to increased hunting pressure against the population of a beast that is already only infrequently seen in the wild. Fortunately, tortons are known to be enthusiastic breeders, so it is hoped that they will prove themselves capable of sustaining their numbers in the wild. It would be a sad development indeed, were Rori to lose substantial numbers of the chief balancing agents in the ecosystem.