Membra Cerbo

Membra Cerbos are Halloween 2022 Event creatures released alongside Gudra Kornaro. They are based on squids and spiders.

## Growth

### Capsule

"Short spikes flare about the edges of this elegant capsule."

### Juvenile

"Whether scuttling about on land or swimming in salty water, this precocious juvenile is quick to attack anything that resembles food or appears threatening, regardless of its relative size. Its nimble limbs, tipped with small but powerful suckers, are used to grip prey, move along the seafloor against ocean currents, and even climb trees. It grows alarmingly fast and requires ample food and living space in a laboratory environment."

### Adult

"Although Membra Cerbos never stop growing, their largest growth spurt is within the first year of their life, after which their growth drastically slows. Older Membra Cerbos as long as ten meters have been documented; since their typical lifespan remains unknown at this time, it is unclear if they can grow even larger. They are an extremely aggressive species, even when young, and few survive to adulthood. Rarely, younger individuals may appear “shy” in that they are more reactive than proactive, but they usually outgrow this behavior. Younger Membra Cerbos are also more likely to be drawn to land, though some spend their entire lives in the ocean. As they grow older, they recede to deeper ocean depths, seeming to prefer the darker, colder environment. Membra Cerbos are solitary by nature, approaching each other only during their short autumn mating season. They do not take long-term mates or form bonds between one another, and their eggs are laid and buried beneath the sand, then abandoned to survive on their own. Some Membra Cerbos, especially younger ones who are land traveling, have been observed to make and carry their own shelter out of shells, skulls, and random bones they scavenge from their prey. Tests in a laboratory environment show they will refuse to use items not obtained by themselves, even if swapped for a similar object. They tend to be quite clever, and care must be taken when housing them in a laboratory to be sure they do not escape."

## Extra Info

### Just Keep Jetting

By drawing water into a specialized cavity within their upper body and then expelling it with great force, Membra Cerbos can move much more quickly than simply swimming with their limbs. They can adjust the pressure of the jet as well as its direction, allowing for finer movement control. When traveling over land, this cavity is used to store water for slow excretion to keep their skin from drying out, and the water jet may be used as a defense of the last resort.

### Fearless Fliers

Their jet propulsion allows not only for swift underwater movement but also for temporary aerial maneuvering. Membra Cerbos can propel themselves out of the water, using their fins to adjust their gliding trajectory until they dip low enough to submerge again. When doing this, they tuck their legs together into a more aerodynamic shape. Younger Membra Cerbos are more likely to demonstrate this behavior, as they tend to be found nearer to the surface.

### Soporific Sliva

Membra Cerbo saliva contains a mild sedative. When hunting, Membra Cerbos will bite their prey multiple times in order to spread the sedative in their systems. Handling these creatures in a laboratory environment must be done with great care to avoid unfortunate accidents.

## Trivia

* During their initial release, Gudra Kornaro and Membra Cerbo did not flood properly for a few hours.
* TFO uses Esperanto as a basis for creature names (although it's not always exact—accents are ignored and spellings occasionally shift). “Membra Cerbo” means “Limbed Brain.”

## Acknowledgments

Art by: schenanigans. Descriptions by: Shark.