Reptiles

Reptiles

**Reptiles** are exactly as they sound, being reptilian-like synths Synths created by ARCDA. There are are a number of Reptile-like critters , than there are Sapiesential-Synths.

They are actually a key base for many Preternaturals and are a genetic goldmine of new and undiscovered traits, often leading to them being used by Aura and Atlas to create new synths and medication.

## History

#### Concept and Creation

The concept initially was along the lines of "if mammals and birds evolved from reptiles, then that should be our starting point."

They along with some of the Mammalid Synths such as Canids were among the first Sapiential synths to be created. However because during their creation the scientists in charge couldn't decide on a fixed base of what they should start with, and so they made a 'melting pot' in which they mimicked the genetics of as many different clades of reptiles that they could to see what they could get out of it. This included lizards, geckos, iguanas, skinks, anole lizards, crocodilians, chameleons, tegus, snakes, legless lizards, and tuatara.

What they ended up with was nearly 430 different critters all with different traits developed and each one developed slightly differently to one another. This was a huge success and largely contributed to the production of many other synths and critters. It took a lot of refinement to bring the number of variation down, with many going towards Critters, and others being deconstructed entirely for various reasons until they had a more refined set of bases to work with for Reptiles.

## Biology

### Genetics

Reptile Synths are a goldmine of different genetic traits. They're the core base for many Preternaturals as they are so genetically flexible and varied that even when two genetically identical Reptiles can be wildly different in how they develop and grow and what traits they exhibit.

Because of this many experimental new synth types are created, a good portion of their genome comes from the Reptiles.

An example of a TlalocAn example of a Scylla
#### Physical Traits

* Scale skin. This can be both soft-scaled like lizard or gecko skin or plate-scaled like crocodiles and snakes.
* Infrared sensory pits along their jaw, usually on the underside of the chin.
* Tails are common, and are thicker, heavier, and longer than Pard tails. They are nearly always prehensile in some way.
* Claws.
* Serrated sickle shaped teeth.
* Protractible fangs (Toxicoferis only)
* Elongated tongues.
* Flexible and slender bodies.

### Internal Biology

#### Bones

Reptile bones are strangely flexible. They're not as dense or heavy as Mammalid bones, but they're not as thin and light as Avio and Chiro bones. They also repair a lot more easily and can even regrow if part of the bone fractures.

#### Blood

Reptile blood is actually a deep red almost a shade of purple.

#### Organs

Their tongues are semi-prehensile. In Aphanosauri Reptiles, their tongues are often used to taste the air as their way of smelling rather than through the nostrils like in Canids and Pards.

#### Brain

Reptiles have strange brains in that they're a lot smoother than any other synth. It's also more long than it is round, with a large portion being dedicated to processing its senses rather than critical thinking and emotional processing.

#### Growth and Regeneration

A lot of Reptiles can shed their tails and sometimes their scales if they are grabbed and the Reptile becomes stressed. In most cases the tail slowly grows back over a period of months. In some cases, a Reptile-synth may have the Axololmeh talent, allowing them to regrow their lost tail and other limbs within a few weeks to a few days, though this is very very rare.

### Physical Abilities

#### Senses

All Reptiles can sense infrared and have vomeronasal organs.

* Infrared sensory Abilities
* Heightened sense of Smell
* Temperature/Barometric pressure sense

#### Reactions

Reptile reactions are wickedly fast in the Toxicoferis. They can strike and move faster than Avios. This is a trait that was carried over to Preternaturals.

#### Strength

Reptiles aren't physically as strong as other synth types such as Canids and Pards. They are generally slender and highly flexible though they do have a powerful grip with both their arms and tails. It's so strong that they can die holding an object and the only way to prize that object from their grip would be to cut off the fingers.

#### Endurance

Tlaloc and Scylla have stunning endurance, with some sub-species of Tlaloc (Monitor lizards and iguana bases in paticular) able to sprint very fast. All Reptiles are exceptional climbers and swimmers, regardless of what they're based on and are even capable of holding their breath for up to half an hour under water.

## Psychology and Behaviour

On a scale of intelligence, Reptiles are generally closer to Critters and Ferals in their manners and behaviours as well as in general cognition. They're fully capable of understanding mathematics, language, and social interaction, however they struggle with emotional comprehension to a certain degree.

Socially, Tlaloc are the better at communication with their design being extremely close to many Preternaturals, and are capable of functioning within groups or teams. Many Tlaloc make good engineers and workers as they can get very focused on tasks. Toxicoferis Reptiles are more headstrong and feisty, needing a strong and assertive partner or team to keep them from lashing out.

Behaviours

Reptiles often give the impression of being very sedate and slow. This is more because they conserve their energy for when they need it.

They can become stressed very easily, and often use stimming as a way of releasing that stress. Stimming behaviours are common in reptiles. This includes:

* Tail curling or tapping
* Toe tapping.
* Rapid blinking or quick head movements
* Pica and chewing.
* Gurgling or growling.

## Reptile Species and Variations

There are two different types of Reptile Synth branches Aphanosauri and Sauridiae.

### Aphanosauri

The most humanoid looking Reptiles, these usually are found in Atlas and Delta. Tlaloc usually refers to non-venomous Aphanosauri Reptiles, where as *Toxicoferis* (Toxico) are venomous. They aren't too genetically dissimilar and it's only with the addition of venom that makes the difference.

Both can stand upright though their legs tend to be more digitigrade in posture than human, with a bent leg and walking on their toes rather than the entirety of their foot. Tails get used for balance and also support when standing at times.

They are useful for their ability to heal, as well as their slow metabolisms meaning that they don't need to eat as much as other Synths such as Canids and Avios. Not only that they are useful for finding new genetic traits as they are regularly turned out as experimental combinations and recombination's that include a number of different and new genetics.

#### Tlaloc

Tlaloc are considered to be '*less lethal'* Reptiles.

They usually feature soft scaled skin, more like a lizard with slight bumps and ridges but generally smooth and unbroken. Patterns and colours are hugely varied, with many different colour morphs. Hair is variable, with some having a lot and others none at all.

Camouflage skin, adhesive skin traits, regeneration, anti-aging, neural repair, all come from these reptile synths.

The most common bases for the Tlaloc are:

* Geckos
* Skinks
* Lizards
* Anoles
* Iguanas
* Goanna and Monitor Lizards
* Chameleons

#### Toxicoferis

Toxicoferis or Toxicos are what Core class as 'lethal' Reptiles, and are more often than not the ones that are used as higher end Elites due to their more aggressive and assertive natures when fighting or angered. Where as the Tlaloc are more smooth skinned, Toxico Reptiles often have rough spiked or beaded skin, and their tails aren't usually prehensile but instead used more as a melee weapon. Sometimes these tails are heavyset and used as a hammer, other times they are spiked and can be whipped around like a mace.

Risio likes the aesthetic of more 'thorned' Toxicos and has developed their own more sedate version that look almost like dragons.

Their abilities include venom, both bite and spitting, camouflage skin which is usually linked to their emotional state.

The most common bases for the Toxicoferis are:

* Venomous Snakes
* Beaded Lizards
* Gila Monster
* Horned and Thorned Lizards

#### Naga

These usually Snake and Skink based Synths are odd as they were designed by Risio early on in the first few years of ARCDA.

Naga production was halted several years after they were first introduced after the market for them dwindled and the care and upkeep for them far outstripped their usefulness as pets. However their genomes were reused in the Preternaturals as they had many highly useful qualities such as quick healing, infrared sensitivity, heightened senses of smell, and the ability of pathogenesis [asexual reproduction].

Nagas are almost non-existent in Core, with only Atlas and Aura housing the few that were ever produced. Due to their many abilities and traits, they have extensively been studied. Their pathogenesis was an important discovery and Aura was able to utilise this to create multiple batches of Preternaturals with the same genetics.

### Sauridiae

#### Scylla

These may be confused often with Critters, and walk a fine line between sapiesential and critter. They are capable of limited speech, and can comprehend things to the same ability as Tlaloc/Toxico Reptiles but they do not behave in the same way as them.

They are long bodied, completely scaled. Often these are more crocodilian or more lizard-like in appearance yet their arms appear almost human, apart from their long fingers and claws. Their skin is much tougher than Aphanosauri Reptiles, to the point that it is nearly bullet proof with only their underbellies being soft. Sometimes a short mane of bristly hair will grow down their spines.

As they look more critter like than the Tlaloc Reptiles, they are measured in length (from nose to the base of the tail) rather than height as they spend the majority of their time on all fours, however when they 'rear up' they can easily tower over every Synth. Their average length ranges from 10ft to 20ft depending on age (this can often be more when the tail is included).

Scylla abilities include: Camouflage skin, adhesive padded feet, prehensile tails and bodies, infrared sense, and toxin immunity.

## Reptile Characters

* Bubblegum Pink- Tlaloc, Gekko
* Adonis Oola - Tlaloc, Perentie

*Minor Characters*

* Unnamed Tlalocs, part of Kathy Grey's group.

## See More

* Synths
* ARCDA
* Critters

## References

 Storm Series
 Synths
 Other