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Description

There are just some species out there that seem to have been put on this planet for the main reason of making it more wondrous. Like they are the extra touches from a painter to really make the scene bloom and come to life. Obviously, yes, they actually do play a role in the ecosystem and food web, but I am talking more on whimsy here! Creatures and plants that you just look at and feel like you are witnessing a piece of living art. When you see great flocks of colorful birds take to the skies, or rivers packed with migrating fish as they leap and dance! I can certainly look at all these things and explain their purpose and what they are actually doing, but it does always force me to take a second and really drink in the sight. It always makes me happy when I experience things like this, because some days I feel like I have seen it all, or that I have grown numb to the wonders of nature. When I witness such incredible things, I am reminded that there is still so much to see. And perhaps I am not immune to the beauty and charm, no matter how many times I feel it. In fact, I think I grow more and more susceptible to it, as I always find new ways to fall in love with nature. This entry is on one of those species that really gave me one of those moments. When I stepped into the bustling streets of a local festival, enjoying all the lights, decorations and excited people. Seeing the parades and costumes go by, and then looking up from it all to see several Nectengshe floating through the sky, the stars of this wondrous festival. I would say words can't explain it, but I feel that I could given enough time and ink! What I should say is Eucella won't let me use the incredible amount of words I would need to explain it, so we will just say it was a breathtaking sight. I will always hold this species in a special place in my heart, from that first sight and the extraordinary festivities I got to partake in!

The Nectengshe are often jokingly referred to as "tourist dragons" by the locals, but not meaning that this species is not from around here. What they mean is that outsiders and visitors who aren't familiar with this species will show up, look to the sky and scream "LOOK! DRAGONS!" or "BY THE GODS! DRAGONS!," to which all the locals laugh. Indeed, they find it funny because the Nectengshe are not dragons, not in the slightest. They aren't reptiles, in fact they don't even have bones! They are actually a colonial organism, similar to the Ikuchi, that grows and sticks together to create a serpentine shape. The whole "creature" is just a massive collection of specialized, sacs, tendrils and polyps that work together to act as a single being. By producing a special gas in combination to their incredibly light weight, they can easily float through the air, building and releasing this gas to let them rise and fall as needed. Though this brings to mind the idea of flight, they don't actually do any real flying or soaring. Rather, they prefer to let the wind take them, only using minor movements of their own to keep them upright and in one piece. When you see them live and in the wild, they make you think more of a decoration than a creature, like someone's puppet blew away and is now hanging above your head forever. I will admit, the dangling tentacles do bring to mind streamers, and that many decorations during the festival looked almost exactly like this species.

For what they do, the answer is: not much. They just float through the air and live as long as fate lets them. For food, they use their tangling tentacles to pick up small bits from the air, like pollen, spores, tiny aerial creatures and such. They are adhesive and also have painful stingers for larger prey that gets tangled up. They sometimes eat the clumsy birds and bats that run into them, never picky as long as it doesn't break free from their grip. When a tendril has a hold of a good chunk of food, it retracts upward into the colony body and deposits it. The food will be digested and distributed, while the limb drops back down for more. It gets all it needs from the air around, be it prey or water. Their very slow and carefree looking lifestyle means they don't need a whole lot to get by, so a few days of slim pickings is no big deal for them. Also, the stinging tendrils they have help protect them from aerial predators, that is if something actually decides to attack them. As you can see, the Nectengshe bears a very strong resemblance to the dragons that can be found in this part of the world. Obviously, very few things really tangle with such powerful beasts, and it seems these colonies are trying to get in on that intimidation. Often a single glimpse of a dragon soaring through the sky is enough to make most creatures turn and run, so if the Nectengshe looks enough like it, many predators won't stick around for closer inspection. It is a pretty good trick, and one that has some unforeseen benefits!

Since this species doesn't actually do a whole lot, just float and eat whatever runs into them, it makes sense that people that live around them don't mind them. The worst a Nectengshe can do is accidentally get blown onto their roofs or get tangled in some flags. If one dies and drops upon their heads, it is a problem, but more so for clean up and whatever stings you may get. However, it isn't that people don't pay attention to them, as folks actually do love this species a whole lot! It should be obvious with the festival I was at, which was celebrating the annual bloom of Nectengshe, when this species is most prevalent in their skies! The species is looked upon fondly, as others find them quite beautiful and serene to watch! The other thing to point out is that in this part of the world, most folk actually like and even revere dragons! They see them more as symbols of wisdom, strength and ascension rather than as giant destructive monsters. Yes, they do have their fair share of dragons that do cause death and damage, but it doesn't seem to dampen their overall views. And since the Nectengshe bear a resemblance to these beloved serpents, the species gets to enjoy some of that appreciation too! Like I said, a pretty neat trick! Just float around and do nothing, and still have crowds of adoring fans! Kind of makes me envious some days!

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian

--------------------------------------

So continues the endless journey of posting Not Dragons during Dragon Month. I swear I make real ones! I do! They are just....well.....uh.....hmmmm...

Description

There are just some species out there that seem to have been put on this planet for the main reason of making it more wondrous. Like they are the extra touches from a painter to really make the scene bloom and come to life. Obviously, yes, they actually do play a role in the ecosystem and food web, but I am talking more on whimsy here! Creatures and plants that you just look at and feel like you are witnessing a piece of living art. When you see great flocks of colorful birds take to the skies, or rivers packed with migrating fish as they leap and dance! I can certainly look at all these things and explain their purpose and what they are actually doing, but it does always force me to take a second and really drink in the sight. It always makes me happy when I experience things like this, because some days I feel like I have seen it all, or that I have grown numb to the wonders of nature. When I witness such incredible things, I am reminded that there is still so much to see. And perhaps I am not immune to the beauty and charm, no matter how many times I feel it. In fact, I think I grow more and more susceptible to it, as I always find new ways to fall in love with nature. This entry is on one of those species that really gave me one of those moments. When I stepped into the bustling streets of a local festival, enjoying all the lights, decorations and excited people. Seeing the parades and costumes go by, and then looking up from it all to see several Nectengshe floating through the sky, the stars of this wondrous festival. I would say words can't explain it, but I feel that I could given enough time and ink! What I should say is Eucella won't let me use the incredible amount of words I would need to explain it, so we will just say it was a breathtaking sight. I will always hold this species in a special place in my heart, from that first sight and the extraordinary festivities I got to partake in!

The Nectengshe are often jokingly referred to as "tourist dragons" by the locals, but not meaning that this species is not from around here. What they mean is that outsiders and visitors who aren't familiar with this species will show up, look to the sky and scream "LOOK! DRAGONS!" or "BY THE GODS! DRAGONS!," to which all the locals laugh. Indeed, they find it funny because the Nectengshe are not dragons, not in the slightest. They aren't reptiles, in fact they don't even have bones! They are actually a colonial organism, similar to the Ikuchi, that grows and sticks together to create a serpentine shape. The whole "creature" is just a massive collection of specialized, sacs, tendrils and polyps that work together to act as a single being. By producing a special gas in combination to their incredibly light weight, they can easily float through the air, building and releasing this gas to let them rise and fall as needed. Though this brings to mind the idea of flight, they don't actually do any real flying or soaring. Rather, they prefer to let the wind take them, only using minor movements of their own to keep them upright and in one piece. When you see them live and in the wild, they make you think more of a decoration than a creature, like someone's puppet blew away and is now hanging above your head forever. I will admit, the dangling tentacles do bring to mind streamers, and that many decorations during the festival looked almost exactly like this species.

For what they do, the answer is: not much. They just float through the air and live as long as fate lets them. For food, they use their tangling tentacles to pick up small bits from the air, like pollen, spores, tiny aerial creatures and such. They are adhesive and also have painful stingers for larger prey that gets tangled up. They sometimes eat the clumsy birds and bats that run into them, never picky as long as it doesn't break free from their grip. When a tendril has a hold of a good chunk of food, it retracts upward into the colony body and deposits it. The food will be digested and distributed, while the limb drops back down for more. It gets all it needs from the air around, be it prey or water. Their very slow and carefree looking lifestyle means they don't need a whole lot to get by, so a few days of slim pickings is no big deal for them. Also, the stinging tendrils they have help protect them from aerial predators, that is if something actually decides to attack them. As you can see, the Nectengshe bears a very strong resemblance to the dragons that can be found in this part of the world. Obviously, very few things really tangle with such powerful beasts, and it seems these colonies are trying to get in on that intimidation. Often a single glimpse of a dragon soaring through the sky is enough to make most creatures turn and run, so if the Nectengshe looks enough like it, many predators won't stick around for closer inspection. It is a pretty good trick, and one that has some unforeseen benefits!

Since this species doesn't actually do a whole lot, just float and eat whatever runs into them, it makes sense that people that live around them don't mind them. The worst a Nectengshe can do is accidentally get blown onto their roofs or get tangled in some flags. If one dies and drops upon their heads, it is a problem, but more so for clean up and whatever stings you may get. However, it isn't that people don't pay attention to them, as folks actually do love this species a whole lot! It should be obvious with the festival I was at, which was celebrating the annual bloom of Nectengshe, when this species is most prevalent in their skies! The species is looked upon fondly, as others find them quite beautiful and serene to watch! The other thing to point out is that in this part of the world, most folk actually like and even revere dragons! They see them more as symbols of wisdom, strength and ascension rather than as giant destructive monsters. Yes, they do have their fair share of dragons that do cause death and damage, but it doesn't seem to dampen their overall views. And since the Nectengshe bear a resemblance to these beloved serpents, the species gets to enjoy some of that appreciation too! Like I said, a pretty neat trick! Just float around and do nothing, and still have crowds of adoring fans! Kind of makes me envious some days!

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian

--------------------------------------

So continues the endless journey of posting Not Dragons during Dragon Month. I swear I make real ones! I do! They are just....well.....uh.....hmmmm...