[Octopus Eggs]: Trapper's Babies - Tank Raised Mercatoris

[Level_Head]

One of the thoughts that propelled the book, and in fact gave it the name "Age of Octans," is the notion that these beings are so intelligent and yet live for such a short time. Not just in comparison to humans, but to many other marine creatures of similar complexity.

Consider an evolved octopus with a small school of pet fish around his private chunk of reef. As unintelligent and unthinking as these "guardianfish" are, he knows that they will outlive him, and his offspring, and their offspring. It must be a sobering thought.

The same seas that hold the octopus's ephemeral existence are also home to species of clams and fish that live longer than a century.

By the way, the names would change somewhat?and I cannot guarantee their fates, as the next book is Octans War. But if you don't mind them appearing as extras (the main characters are already in place), I think I can arrange that.

Hmm. Whom would you nominate, and what aspects of their personalities would you like to see captured. Some "extra" characters, so far:
-- A foodseller, something of a restaurant entrepreneur. She's intelligent, traveled, and is one of the good guys.
-- Two law enforcement types, one male and one female--the male is rather full of himself, the female rather more interested in learning (though a bit stand-offish at first).
-- A ... well, "mortician" is the best way to put it. He (and his assistant) prepare bodies for funerals, primarily by binding them and wrapping them in kelp leaves. Rather a formal type, but not a "bad guy."
-- Brother of a Senator, very haughty and imperious, but something of a physical coward. Not so much a villian as a wimp.
-- A person who's essentially a criminal detective; she's stubborn and does not come off looking very good.
-- Various political functionaries, some good, some bad, most simply political.
-- A few brave local folks--peasants, really--who are willing to fight earlier than most see the threat.
-- A couple of guards, on camera for only short periods.
-- A few street entertainers from the poor downtown district.

If you can imagine your little ones as octans, and think of what they might be like, personality-wise, I'll be on the lookout for opportunities. And with any luck, the three more books I've plotted out will get done.

 

[DWhatley]

Three possibilities come to mind, Wiley being the best match. These guys have already met their fate, even a bit mention, will extent their time.

A foodseller, something of a restaurant entrepreneur. Trapper, She was a large wild caught (traveled and adventurous as she was found in a crab trap) female and roamed the tank until it was time to lay eggs then she settled down and tended her very small clutch of young. She lived 11 weeks beyond the hatching so was good sturdy type. Unfortunately, changing the name to something feminine would be difficult.

A few street entertainers from the poor downtown district A shoe-in for Wiley, assuming these street entertainers can appear and disappear as the local constablatory might move them along but has the wit to live a full life in impoverished conditions. I would report him assumed dead, over and over, just to catch a glimpse of him the next day. So much so that I thought about reporting him missing on a daily basis . The tank did not get fed much during parts of his absence but he survived on whatever he found in the LR. Then one day, for no obvious reason (after another assumed dead post) he came to the front of the tank and allowed himself to be caught (perhaps all the small live food was consumed). He lived out the rest of his life in a smaller tank where he could be fed daily and survived a normal life span.

Brother of a Senator Would be fitting for Dusa (originally Madusa). He matured late physically and I had high hopes he was female (as did his tankmate brother, Sisturus at one point). He would follow Sisty's lead when he noted Sisty was rewarded but never initiated activity himself. He outlived Sisturus.

Sadly my favorite merc, Sisturus has no role in this one, maybe another, particularly if you invent a Shaman or witch doctor. His name came from the scientific name for a pygmy rattlesnake. He was definitely a charmer.

 

[Level_Head]

Three possibilities come to mind, Wiley being the best match. These guys have already met their fate, even a bit mention, will extent their time.

A foodseller, something of a restaurant entrepreneur. Trapper, She was a large wild caught (traveled and adventurous as she was found in a crab trap) female and roamed the tank until it was time to lay eggs then she settled down and tended her very small clutch of young. She lived 11 weeks beyond the hatching so was good sturdy type. Unfortunately, changing the name to something feminine would be difficult.

Trapa the foodseller would disagree with you, I think.

And Sistur has found a home as something of a local shaman out at a mostly Blackstone settlement. Like Trapa, he is of the pale-gray-and-brown Edge Tribe, very different from the Blackstones. But when he gets into it, there's a whole lot of shaking going on, and they have great respect for him.

And there's one more Edge Tribe involved (short for Shelf's Edge): As I recall, you had not definitively gendered Wiley. Does "Wyli" work as a female name? She is clever and stealthy, and was a student of Jeva's for a short time.

Trapa is a venerable old female, pushing five years. Sistur is younger, and Wyli and her siblings younger yet, hatched since the Great Plague of two years before. We don't see much of Wyli ... but that's as she prefers it.

 

[DWhatley]

Wiley was definitely male and named because of his ability to avoid detection and capture (even as hatchling he would escape the breeder net regularly) but in this day in time ...

Trapa is excellent, wish I had thought of that name shortening. A Shaman roll for Sisty is perfect.