Bissem

## Description

The Bissem are a species of flightless, aquatic birds with round and tapered bodies conducive to swimming. Rather than wings, they have flippers which have evolved to have graspers on the end; unlike most avians, they have solid bones rather than hollow ones. Their orange feet are webbed structures with claws, evolved to help ensnare fish before the development of lures. Arctic lines waddle on ice to avoid slipping; this walking motion is also helpful for swimming and conserving energy. They can walk long distances, due to their ancestors’ migration to breeding grounds.

A Bissem’s coloration consists of white patches on their plump bellies, while their faces and backs are a dingy tan. This helps blend in with the discolored orange oceans that are often polluted by native algae. Plant life on Ivrana is yellow-orange, due to natural carotenoids offering sunlight-protection. The Bissems have a gland in their tail that naturally produces a waterproof oil, in order to survive frigid arctic waters and prevent water from building up in feathers; it’s spread during preening. This oil also serves as a natural source of fuel for their machinery.

Bissems evolved with a brood pouch to stand on eggs and keep them incubated in subzero temperatures, though this is no longer necessary with modern technology. Some traditionalists, who refuse the advance of technology and forsake comforts, still hatch their eggs this way.

## Habitat

Bissems can withstand a vast array of habitats, ranging from arctic to sweltering tropica; temperatures; however, they have evolved into multiple different subspecies to accommodate these differences. Most of the derogatory racial terms are climate-based or attacking various physical features. The equatorial species (the Vritala) have evolved to have a smaller size than other Bissems, in order to lose heat more quickly; they also are most active during the nighttime, and have less blubber. By comparison, the arctic species (the Selmer) have more blubber. The temperate species (the Tseia) are more nomadic, and are in the middle feature-wise.

The Selmer see the Vritala as antisocial and unfriendly due to The Selmer's more social behavior. The ancient Selmer had to huddle together to conserve warmth, and sleep in huddles; their behavior is much more group-oriented. However, both parties look down on the migratory Tseia as uncivilized and shifty; it doesn’t help that the Tseia are the most aggressive, and are blamed for starting the Global War.

The Vritala originally survived in volcanic caves and rock crevasses, while the Tseia used to build nests and burrows on sandy beaches and dunes. Selmer, meanwhile lived on unforgiving ice shelves.

One of the quirks about Bissems are the varying and unique ways they sleep. Some like to sleep in floatbeds, just like how their ancestors snoozed atop the waves (Doctors advocate for this to mitigate spinal compression). Some sleep in tightboxes, which are small, almost coffin-line chambers where they can sleep standing up—while secure and supported. Others sleep lying down belly-first on more familiar “softbeds” (similar to humans), or “smoothbeds” which are designed to replicate the feel of lying on ice or rocks.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/NatureofPredators/comments/18k4iyn/bissems\_new\_birds\_on\_the\_block/