TEEN: Temtemology

[Nitro Indigo]

The Sillaro River is the pride and joy of Deniz. The largest body of clean water in the Archipelago, it is constantly sweeping up volcanic minerals from the Aguamarina Caves and whisking them down the current. The salt deposits in the south form the backbone of the island’s economy, but this torrent of nutrients also allows a garden of algae and seaweed to flourish on the riverbed. It is no wonder that the Denizans once believed the beautiful Sillaro to be the domain of a Sea Queen.

It is here that shoals of Umishi make their home. In the myth of the Sea Queen, they were in charge of tending this vast forest of kelp. In reality, they feast on the all-you-can-eat banquet it provides. Some take only small nibbles, while others swallow entire stalks whole, but they all remain alert. Where there are herbivores, there are carnivores — and one such carnivore lurks in the undergrowth.

Kalazu are very intelligent Temtem, and this intelligence is thought to have arisen from the sheer amount of neurons they need to coordinate their eight limbs. This one knows that an Umishi’s greatest defence is its ability to swim at speeds no other aquatic Temtem could hope to achieve, so it has figured out that the most practical way to catch its preferred prey is to ambush them in their feeding grounds. Any slight movement will scare away the Umishi, so it lays perfectly still on the riverbed with its limbs spread out in different directions.

The Umishi have finished their feeding frenzy and swim away in a hurry, but one leaves a mere second later than the rest. Seizing this opportunity, the Kalazu lunges its nearest arm towards the straggler and wraps it around its tail. The Umishi thrashes its tail in a desperate attempt to slip free as the Kalazu pulls it backwards, but its attempts are futile. The grip is simply too tight. It has no choice but to meet its fate in the Kalazu's sharp, tooth-like beak.

When witnessing events such as this, it is all too easy to assume that nature is cruel and uncaring, but predators play an important role in every ecosystem. The Sillaro's Kalazu are vital for keeping the Umishi population in check, for without them, they would become overpopulated and devour all of the kelp until the riverbed was nothing but a barren, underwater desert. While this Umishi may have met its untimely end, many more will live on and continue the species for many generations to come.

 

[Nitro Indigo]

The rice fields of Cipanku, once a tranquil escape from the bustling city of Neoedo next door, have been touched by the ever-persistent creep of modernisation in recent years. Escaped Digital Temtem from Nanto Labs have made their homes here, and are out-competing the native, organic species.

Among such invasive species, Halzhi is one of the most successful. The population in the rice fields has established several colonies, each led by a Molgu matriarch. A colony is divided into groups that take turns defending their brethren and foraging for the freshest rice plants, much to the ire of the local farmers. Digital Temtem may be artificial, but they have many of the same needs as organic ones; what is computer code, if not a synthetic genome with only two bases?

SPLASH!

A Nessla leaps out of the water and lunges towards an unexpecting Halzhi, spearing it with its electrified horn. The rice paddies are far less rich in minerals than the Sillaro River, so these Nessla are much smaller than their Denizan cousins. The sudden abundance of potential prey made almost entirely of minerals has allowed them to supplement their diets, and they are thriving now more than ever.

As the Nessla attempts to swallow its prey, an army of Halzhi rush towards the water’s edge, commanded by their matriarch. The front row overwhelms the assailant with a flurry of scratches, but it remains undeterred and stuns them with a bolt of electricity. Now that the Nessla is distracted, the Molgu matriarch seizes the opportunity to strike the back of its neck with a quick swipe of her forearm. The Nessla reflexively spits out the Halzhi, and realising it is outmatched, retreats and swims away to eat another day.

The rest of the colony drags the wounded warriors back into the grass, laying them on their backs so the sun will dry out any droplets of water that could damage their already-weakened circuitry. Halzhi were designed to be intelligent, but this level of social organisation and adaptability exceeded Nanto Labs’ expectations. Perhaps this is the strongest proof that Digital Temtem are just as alive as any other: no matter what circumstances they end up in, they always find a way to survive.

 

[Nitro Indigo]

Tucma is an island of two worlds. The surface is inhospitable to all but the hardiest of Toxic Temtem, with an atmosphere polluted by volcanic fumes and water that runs red with acid. But beneath the ground lies a sprawling network of crystal caverns, where water as blue as the Siliaro flows. The link between these disparate ecosystems is the Kakama Cenote, and if you are very fortunate, you may catch a glimpse of Shuine here.

The Kakama Cenote has been a sacred site to the Tucmani since ancient times. The layers of volcanic crystals filter out most of the impurities in the acidic water as it seeps into the ground, but they cannot complete this crucial job without the help of a biotic factor. Shuine swim around in the groundwater, absorbing nutrients from the acidic components until it is pristine and safe for human — and Temtem — consumption. They can tolerate these conditions because their crystalline scales are resistant to erosion, and whenever they surface for air, these scales reflect the pansunlight in a stunning display of natural beauty. It is no wonder that the ancient Tucmani revered Shuine as a god incarnate.

It is believed that Shuine shares a common ancestor with Zizare, dating back to when all the islands were one. These primordial wyrms slithered through muddy riverbanks and floodplains where MegaTem once roamed. When the Paninsula broke apart in the six islands we know today, the ones on Kisiwa adapted to the dry conditions of the desert, gracefully slithering through the fine sand as if it were water and ambushing their prey at oasis. The ones stranded on Tucma burrowed deep underground to escape the volcanic fumes, and were resilient enough to find nourishment in the stagnant waters. It is believed that the caves in Tucma today were carved out by ancient Shuine.

Today, Tucma is the largest natural Temtem reserve. Shuine is emblematic of the island as a whole: even in the harshest conditions, life will always find a way.