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Description

Kong: King of Skull Island

Intro: The name of “Kong” was thought to have been a mere superstition in the early 20th century; an old myth of a forbidden land ruled by a savage native god. The discovery and coverup of a similar mythic figure, in 1954, put a new perspective to the matter. For years, the organization tasked with the study of kaiju, FATHOM, used the old tales as a guide to seek the source of the legend. Their search would ultimately lead to the discovery of Skull Island, and Kong was myth no more…

Story: Kong was officially described by science in 1973 by a FATHOM expedition, which used the Venture incident of 1933 as a major lead. The teams suffered heavy casualties, but were able to escape the island with surviving footage of the Venture expedition. These video documents, though fragmentary, combined with FATHOM field notes, helped to piece together, at least partially, the story of Kong’s species and his rise to Kinghood.

Kong’s ancestry can be traced back roughly 50 million years ago. The original basal anthropoids that landed on Skull Island began to diverge into two distinct species. One become convergently more ape-like, and adapted to living in tightly-knit family groups that roamed the island, learning to harness the natural bionucleic energy of the island. The other lineage, though, took a much different path. Instead of facing the other indigenous creatures of the island, they sought refuge below ground, where they scavenged whatever they could. This led to significant bodily modifications and, eventually, the development of hypervory. By the time they reemerged on the surface after millions of years, they had become a race of brutal, insatiable monsters: Vagnosaurs.

What followed was an all-out war between what had become the two most powerful super species on the island. For millions of years, the numbers of both sides dwindled. The conflict culminated at the birth of Kong, which may be as old as five million years ago. Kong was orphaned at a very young age. He grew to adulthood by his wits and strength, and slowly began to take back the island from the remaining clan of Vagnosaurs. The expedition of 1973 was privileged to witness the climax of this age-old struggle, as the Apex Primate finally defeated the ruthless matriarch Vagnosaurus, leaving him as King of Skull Island. His rule would begin with a brief span of relative peace… until the larger forces of the world began to wake up…

After the existence of kaiju became known to the general public, the existence and location of Skull Island was also disclosed by FATHOM. It became the center of attention when Mothra, along with her Larvae, traveled there after their initial appearance into the modern world. Her passing carved a temporary path of relative calmness through the island’s storm system. FATHOM used this as an opportunity for an updated in-depth survey with modern equipment. As a sign of good faith, several journalists and other non-FATHOM experts and officials were allowed to accompany the survey team so that a better understanding of the importance of this area may be communicated to the masses. The survey was to circled the perimeter of the island. No landing was to be attempted.

Among these passengers, however, was an anti-kaiju extremist who had devised a plan that he believed would bring about the end of the giant creatures’ budding rein. After carefully studying the recorded frequencies used to lure Godzilla to his supposed doom in 2016, he created his own device to replicate the noise. And once they were within the boundaries of the accursed island, he’d activate the device, calling in the King of all Monsters. He would slay the native King, and ecology of the kaiju’s last true refuge would collapse.

The plan went of without a hitch. Though the device’s frequency led to the survey team being brought down by winged kaiju of the island, it did its’ job. Godzilla awoke from the bottom of the Antarctic Sea, and made a beeline straight for Skull Island. The stranded survivors, with help from the natives, were able to seek Mothra for safety. But Godzilla arrived all the same, and attacked the young Larvae. This, of course, sent the mighty lepidopteran into a frenzy, during which she briefly beat back the monstrous Leviathan. Godzilla, though, was far too powerful, and mortally wounded the great moth.

That, however, was when Kong arrived. The reptilian and mammalian gods engaged in a fierce battle that shook the very island to its’ core. Gradually, though, it became apparent that Kong was losing. Just as the Leviathan’s victory seemed assured, the allies of Kong leap into the fray, driving him back, and allowing the Apex Primate to gather his second wind. Using the powers attained through millions of years of evolution and symbiosis with the island, Kong forced Godzilla back. A landslide drew them both into the sea, just as Kong’s strength began to give out. Finally spent, he was dragged down in the jaws of the god of destruction… Until an underwater landslide caught Godzilla off-guard, burying him beneath tons of stone. Kong was hauled to the surface by Mothra’s twin Larvae. Godzilla did not surface again. The stranded survivors were rescued, as the King of Skull Island looked on…

Abilities: As expected for the King of a land like Skull Island, Kong is a powerhouse. He is incredibly strong, even for his size, and has been observed lifting and throwing objects and other kaiju twice his mass. His thick hide, covered in a layer of matted, bristle-like fur, is surprisingly durable, as he is more than capable of smashing solid stone with his fists. The bite-force of his jaws are also extremely strong, and is accentuated by sharp canine teeth.

Despite his bulk, he is very nimble for a kaiju, likely due to his primate physiology. Both hands and feet are equipped with opposable digits, allowing him to leap and clamber about the mountains, cliffs, and super jungles of Skull Island. He does not require as much food as one would expect, as his fur contains algae-derived chlorophyll that draw extra energy from the sun. The most efficient solar-powered hairs are arranged across his back in a pattern that vaguely resembles a silver skull. This energy system makes Kong built for endurance at consistent levels over longer periods of time.

Though he mostly fights with brute strength, Kong is capable, when pressed, of wielding a power unlike any other. His kind evolved to draw upon the unique bioelectrical forces of Skull Island, generated by the abundance of kaiju. This energy (which some more spiritual members of FATHOM have called “Mana”) can be gathered and channeled through Kong’s body. This can range from giving an extra boost to his punches, to a massive “Mana Burst” that can be felt acres away. The limits of this power are currently under investigation.

Character: Kong is at once a product of nature and nurture. Forensic analysis of fossil members of his species, including those that may be his mother and father, suggest that his earliest days were spent in the company of a family group. But those days are a distant memory. Fending for himself since childhood, Kong was forced to learn and mature quickly. Indeed, he is now a highly experienced fighter, able to adapt and improvise as the situation calls for it, and he does not hesitate to engage would-be challengers.

But, according to the natives, it is not purely out of vengeance that he fights. As a primate, Kong is an empathetic creature, able to understand not only his lost, but the lost of others. He knows, perhaps more than any human can understand, what it’s like to truly be alone. It isn’t something he would wish on most. And so, as the King and Alpha Predator of Skull Island, he seeks out those creatures that would disrupt the balance and keeps them in check, ensuring the healthy survival of the Earth’s most incredible land.

----------
Apologies for the tardiness of this entry. Yesterday was packed.
----------

Kong is copyrighted by Legendary/Universal/Warner Brothers/whoever the hell else owns something of the IP

Description

Kong: King of Skull Island

Intro: The name of “Kong” was thought to have been a mere superstition in the early 20th century; an old myth of a forbidden land ruled by a savage native god. The discovery and coverup of a similar mythic figure, in 1954, put a new perspective to the matter. For years, the organization tasked with the study of kaiju, FATHOM, used the old tales as a guide to seek the source of the legend. Their search would ultimately lead to the discovery of Skull Island, and Kong was myth no more…

Story: Kong was officially described by science in 1973 by a FATHOM expedition, which used the Venture incident of 1933 as a major lead. The teams suffered heavy casualties, but were able to escape the island with surviving footage of the Venture expedition. These video documents, though fragmentary, combined with FATHOM field notes, helped to piece together, at least partially, the story of Kong’s species and his rise to Kinghood.

Kong’s ancestry can be traced back roughly 50 million years ago. The original basal anthropoids that landed on Skull Island began to diverge into two distinct species. One become convergently more ape-like, and adapted to living in tightly-knit family groups that roamed the island, learning to harness the natural bionucleic energy of the island. The other lineage, though, took a much different path. Instead of facing the other indigenous creatures of the island, they sought refuge below ground, where they scavenged whatever they could. This led to significant bodily modifications and, eventually, the development of hypervory. By the time they reemerged on the surface after millions of years, they had become a race of brutal, insatiable monsters: Vagnosaurs.

What followed was an all-out war between what had become the two most powerful super species on the island. For millions of years, the numbers of both sides dwindled. The conflict culminated at the birth of Kong, which may be as old as five million years ago. Kong was orphaned at a very young age. He grew to adulthood by his wits and strength, and slowly began to take back the island from the remaining clan of Vagnosaurs. The expedition of 1973 was privileged to witness the climax of this age-old struggle, as the Apex Primate finally defeated the ruthless matriarch Vagnosaurus, leaving him as King of Skull Island. His rule would begin with a brief span of relative peace… until the larger forces of the world began to wake up…

After the existence of kaiju became known to the general public, the existence and location of Skull Island was also disclosed by FATHOM. It became the center of attention when Mothra, along with her Larvae, traveled there after their initial appearance into the modern world. Her passing carved a temporary path of relative calmness through the island’s storm system. FATHOM used this as an opportunity for an updated in-depth survey with modern equipment. As a sign of good faith, several journalists and other non-FATHOM experts and officials were allowed to accompany the survey team so that a better understanding of the importance of this area may be communicated to the masses. The survey was to circled the perimeter of the island. No landing was to be attempted.

Among these passengers, however, was an anti-kaiju extremist who had devised a plan that he believed would bring about the end of the giant creatures’ budding rein. After carefully studying the recorded frequencies used to lure Godzilla to his supposed doom in 2016, he created his own device to replicate the noise. And once they were within the boundaries of the accursed island, he’d activate the device, calling in the King of all Monsters. He would slay the native King, and ecology of the kaiju’s last true refuge would collapse.

The plan went of without a hitch. Though the device’s frequency led to the survey team being brought down by winged kaiju of the island, it did its’ job. Godzilla awoke from the bottom of the Antarctic Sea, and made a beeline straight for Skull Island. The stranded survivors, with help from the natives, were able to seek Mothra for safety. But Godzilla arrived all the same, and attacked the young Larvae. This, of course, sent the mighty lepidopteran into a frenzy, during which she briefly beat back the monstrous Leviathan. Godzilla, though, was far too powerful, and mortally wounded the great moth.

That, however, was when Kong arrived. The reptilian and mammalian gods engaged in a fierce battle that shook the very island to its’ core. Gradually, though, it became apparent that Kong was losing. Just as the Leviathan’s victory seemed assured, the allies of Kong leap into the fray, driving him back, and allowing the Apex Primate to gather his second wind. Using the powers attained through millions of years of evolution and symbiosis with the island, Kong forced Godzilla back. A landslide drew them both into the sea, just as Kong’s strength began to give out. Finally spent, he was dragged down in the jaws of the god of destruction… Until an underwater landslide caught Godzilla off-guard, burying him beneath tons of stone. Kong was hauled to the surface by Mothra’s twin Larvae. Godzilla did not surface again. The stranded survivors were rescued, as the King of Skull Island looked on…

Abilities: As expected for the King of a land like Skull Island, Kong is a powerhouse. He is incredibly strong, even for his size, and has been observed lifting and throwing objects and other kaiju twice his mass. His thick hide, covered in a layer of matted, bristle-like fur, is surprisingly durable, as he is more than capable of smashing solid stone with his fists. The bite-force of his jaws are also extremely strong, and is accentuated by sharp canine teeth.

Despite his bulk, he is very nimble for a kaiju, likely due to his primate physiology. Both hands and feet are equipped with opposable digits, allowing him to leap and clamber about the mountains, cliffs, and super jungles of Skull Island. He does not require as much food as one would expect, as his fur contains algae-derived chlorophyll that draw extra energy from the sun. The most efficient solar-powered hairs are arranged across his back in a pattern that vaguely resembles a silver skull. This energy system makes Kong built for endurance at consistent levels over longer periods of time.

Though he mostly fights with brute strength, Kong is capable, when pressed, of wielding a power unlike any other. His kind evolved to draw upon the unique bioelectrical forces of Skull Island, generated by the abundance of kaiju. This energy (which some more spiritual members of FATHOM have called “Mana”) can be gathered and channeled through Kong’s body. This can range from giving an extra boost to his punches, to a massive “Mana Burst” that can be felt acres away. The limits of this power are currently under investigation.

Character: Kong is at once a product of nature and nurture. Forensic analysis of fossil members of his species, including those that may be his mother and father, suggest that his earliest days were spent in the company of a family group. But those days are a distant memory. Fending for himself since childhood, Kong was forced to learn and mature quickly. Indeed, he is now a highly experienced fighter, able to adapt and improvise as the situation calls for it, and he does not hesitate to engage would-be challengers.

But, according to the natives, it is not purely out of vengeance that he fights. As a primate, Kong is an empathetic creature, able to understand not only his lost, but the lost of others. He knows, perhaps more than any human can understand, what it’s like to truly be alone. It isn’t something he would wish on most. And so, as the King and Alpha Predator of Skull Island, he seeks out those creatures that would disrupt the balance and keeps them in check, ensuring the healthy survival of the Earth’s most incredible land.

----------
Apologies for the tardiness of this entry. Yesterday was packed.
----------

Kong is copyrighted by Legendary/Universal/Warner Brothers/whoever the hell else owns something of the IP