Terrornox

Terrornoxes are a mammalian species native to the planet Torrna.

Known and feared across their battle-scarred home, terrornoxes are distinctive for their noxious odour, as well as for the deadly array of natural, hallucinogenic gases which they produce from their prominent cheek cylinders. A cold and calculating people, terrornoxes have managed to survive long into the end days of Torrna, even when other species, many far more physically strong than them, have long-since fallen to the ravages of famine, pestilence and war.

Biology and appearance

The terrornox is a humanoid species, reminiscent of the skunks of planet Earth. Their bodies are covered in a thick, sleek fur which can range from jet black or a deep, midnight blue to snow white. Perhaps their most striking physical feature are their large, fluffy tails, but these tails aren’t just for show, as they carry the terrornox’s most ominous marking: a large, ghostly skull, warning would-be predators of their deadliness and toxicity.

Much of the terrornox’s face looks to be masked by what resembles a gas mask, giving them their mechanical and dystopian look, though these are not in fact masks at all, but a part of their biology. Cylindrical protrusions grow out of either cheek, and they are vital to the terrornox’s survival, for they contain, filter and emit the terrornox’s various hallucinogenic gases. Its long, rounded nose is another extension of this deadly biological weapon, emitting a noxious vapour that serves as one of the terrornox’s chief defence mechanisms. When threatened, terrornoxes use a combination of these natural defences to release odorous clouds of toxic gas and cause confusion, disorientation and even unconsciousness in their enemies.

Society and culture

Terrornoxes live amongst themselves in tight family units. Their society is one which is built on aggression, discipline and survival, but also unshakable family loyalty. Most terrornoxes are cold, territorial and volatile, being protective of their own, but merciless to outsiders. Fortunately for the galaxy, they rarely leave Torrna, preferring to remain in their native patches of their own war-scarred planet – typically ashen wilderness regions of decaying forests and long-forgotten battlegrounds.

When it comes to battle, terrornoxes tend not to use melee weapons, favouring firearms for long-ranged combat and the contents of their gas cylinders for close-quarters combat. They are trained to be silent and calculating, descending like phantoms on their unwitting prey, their very presence spreading dread across the battlefield before so much as a single shot is fired.

Terrornoxes are omnivores who feed primarily on raw meat, hardy berries, nuts, and whatever else they can salvage from Torrna’s scarred, scorched wilderness. Water is scarce on Torrna, the planet having been reduced largely to desert, and so is treated with near-reverence. For shelter, terrornoxes carve their homes into the rocks of their dying planet, enabling them to blend seamlessly into the hostile and barren landscape.

By their reputation, terrornoxes are widely seen as dangerous and best-avoided. Their nature is to be aggressive and unpredictable, and it can be hard to predict when they might be preparing to release their fear gas. Thanks to a combination of their noxious odours and intimidating looks, terrornoxes are very often excluded from alien societies whenever they do attempt to live a life outside of Torrna, and they often find themselves living on the edge of alien communities. It is perhaps not surprising, then, that most prefer to stay on the battlefield where their unique attributes give them an edge. Those who do travel into space often find life difficult, facing fear, rejection and loneliness.

Strengths

Like most of Torrna’s remaining surviving species, terrornoxes are born soldiers, engineered by evolution for war. Their arrival on the battlefielded is heralded by their infamously sharp, acrid stench; an ominous warning to the enemy that death is close. Whilst they are not as physically imposing as Torrna’s other species, the terrornoxes’ biological weaponry more than compensates for what they lack in brawn. Their gas – a potent hallucinogen – not only terrifies their prey but confuses and disables, making coordination very difficult for the enemy once they have suffered the misfortune of inhaling it.

The gas of the terrornox is feared all across Torrna – even amongst the most imposing and strong – for it is so putrid that it makes even rotten eggs smell fresh. Terrornoxes release this gas from their noses and cheek cylinders when threatened, and the effect it has on their victims is to induce vivid hallucinations of their worst fears, often resulting in a state of panic and paralysis.

Physically, terrornoxes are built for speed and agility. With their strong legs and light bodies, they’re always ready to pounce upon their prey after first disorienting them with their gas clouds. They possess razor-sharp claws and teeth, making them deadly in close quarters. Even when they’re unable to use their gas or weaponry, it’s still unwise to take a terrornox lightly.

Weaknesses

Relative to many of Torrna’s other native species, terrornoxes are small and light-boned. Whilst this allows them to move swiftly and quietly, it also leaves them physically vulnerable when it comes to direct conflict. Their bodies can be easily lifted, restrained or thrown. The terrornox’s natural enemy, the blitzowl, has been known to swoop from the skies to snatch them straight from the ground. Once airborne, the terrornox has almost no chance of escape.

The terrornox’s fear gas is a powerful weapon, though it is not without its limits. Once expended, it takes time and rest before the terrornox’s gas reserves are replenished, and thus it is crucial that the terrornox uses its supplies wisely and unwastefully – lest they find themselves defenceless when they need them most.

Notable individuals

Noteworthy individuals amongst the terrornox species include:

• Miedo, a former soldier turned Event Horizon cultist
• His sister Unease
• Their mother Dismay
• Their late father, Sergeant Vex
• His brother, Uncle Dread

Due to the terrornox’s territorial nature, the overwhelming majority of their populace reside on their native Torrna. It is very rare indeed to come across terrornoxes out in the wider Milky Way Galaxy.