Craniums

Craniums are a race of semi sentient skeletons found in the Pelagic realm.

Craniums as an organism are the cursed remains of undead skeletons still possessing memories of their past lives. The pelagic is particular for the phenomenon that all anthropomorphs that die in it will return as feral skeletons. The skulls of these skeletons are notable in that they can be read by a craniomancer and its memories revealed.

The main threat of the pelagic realm are the craniums, the constantly reanimating skeletons appear on any uninhabited island and seem to be relics of the civilization that lived there when the realm was still on Welt.

## Cranium curse

Craniums appear from people who collect cursed treasures, which traps their anima in the skull. Sometimes benevolent Craniums will build forts to protect their cursed treasures.

## Abilities

### Connexion

Craniums are skulls with the ability to connect with skeletons and reconnect their nerve systems to it, making them effectively in control of the newly acquired body. This parasitic bond only works once all flesh has been stripped from the host body.

The Pelagic skeletons' ability to connect with bone matter and reconnect nerves in order to take control of a new body is what inspired golem technology.

### Movement

When not connected to a skeletal body, these organisms maneuver via lifting their jawbones (which collectors promptly remove, mostly to stop them talking), their light weight makes them surprisingly agile.

The inner workings of fruit consumption aren't understood, but it is theorized that the decomposition of the fruit creates gas that when released through a system of valves emulates speech and provides pressure power to the rest of the organism.

### Communication

How these skulls are capable of speech, locomotion and have the ability to generate a nervous system capable of recreating movements in bodies that have none to begin with is poorly understood. It is thought that their communication is telepathic (as they lack vocal cords and a speaking apparatus) or the result of a complex system of gaseous releases from the fruits that they consume. The head itself is a mystery, Craniums consume fruits regularly, they can move as long as they have a jawbone attached, which collectors are prompted to remove to stop it from talking, they can still communicate despite lacking a jawbone, but only in whispers. They are also literate, as most of their orders are on written notes and manifests.

### Craniomancy

Craniomancers have acquired the skills and know-how to retrieve the memories from the skulls and shape them into written knowledge hidden by craniums.

## Behavior

To conserve energy, Craniums typically bury themselves in sand, only returning to the surface when prey (ie. a suitable host) is nearby or to feed on fruit.

### Diet

They are animated by eating fruit that ferment and provide gaseous energy to the body. This process also allows their memories to be scryed through craniomancy. Colonies of craniums have been observed to collect and store fruits for further consumption.

### Reproduction

In order to create new craniums, skeletons bring the bodies of their defeated enemies to their forts (presumably their capitals) where they enact a gruesome ritual where the body is stripped of all its skin, flesh and organs and the skull is cursed to become a new cranium.

### Cranium hoarding behavior

The skeletons collect treasure from the seafloor and keep them in chests. They then bury the chests and themselves in sand to protect them, only emerging to attack any who would steal them.

### Cranium treasure maps

To free themselves of the curse, higher skeletons make maps that cryptically lead to the treasure. It has been observed that recovering the chest and defeating the skeletons does not kill them, they simply reform at a later time, so they may be bound to a specific chest and must be freed from it in order to be free to explore the ocean.

## Civilization

Obviously a curse, the roots of the cranium's existence have yet to be discovered by any of the factions, who keep exploring the various forts and previous settlements of the other race that used to live there before being extinguished and banished from the planet by the Dalmer. Despite most of their command structure working thanks to written letters, they have no historical documents to speak of. It is thought they are the result of extreme exposure to the boneshroud.

The cranium civilization isn’t united, there are innumerable factions and tribes whose relations are poorly understood. Some of these skeletons replace their parts with gold and use gems as eyes. Others only appear at night and are painted black. Some wear colored bandanas to distinguish themselves from other factions.

### Settlements

Cranium civilization is vast, they are found on all uninhabited islands of the realm (and periodically invade the inhabited ones). They operate forts and shipyards (as attested by their fleets).

When skeletons take over a town, they raise a giant red smoke cloud in the shape of a skull.

They construct ships for raiding purposes and man forts where they partake in the gruesome flesh stripping rituals. Occasionally during these rituals, the skull is "cursed" to become a new cranium.

### Relation to the other races

In order to grow their numbers and hold onto the realm, the craniums wish to collect skeletons from the other races, but can't since the Nemesis ship teleports the dead to it and brings them back as undead zombies, hence their fight with ghosts which are under its command.

### Cranium Skeleton Ships

Craniums operate a number of shipyards that are hidden around the Pelagic. Skeleton ships can be powered by the Nemesis flame, which gives them strange powers. The flame's hue is an indicator of the current spell the ship can use.

Blue: power over sharks and cephalopods

Red: explosive incendiary cannonballs

Green: Boarding cannonballs

White: Thunderstrikes

Purple: Poison cannonballs

Pink: Summon reinforcements