Episode 21--The Destroyer Ants

This episode adds yet another species to Amzot's growing list of fauna. We already had one type of giant ant on the list--the pony-sized creatures used as mounts by the Spider Men. The ants here, though, are elephant-sized and mindlessly destructive--reminiscent of the ants that sometimes swarm in South America--eating everything in front of them. On Amzot, this is particularly dangerous, since they apparently threaten to destroy all life on the surface.

That would make them a failed species, since they themselves would starve afterwards. That makes me think they are not quite a naturally occurring species. Here's my theory.

We know the Mole Men live underground in a technologically advanced civilization. We know they are an expansive culture who would conquer the surface world if not for the Herculoids (and the objections of a more pacifistic faction in their culture). What if, sometime in the past, Mole Men scientists captured some of the Spider Men's ants and used genetic tampering to create a larger, more aggressive species as a Weapon of Mass Destruction.

When the Herculoids first arrived on the planet to bring peace, these ants would have been one of the many threats they had to deal with. But Zandor didn't know there was still a large batch of eggs hidden in a large cave. Energized by a random lightening strike, these eggs hatched and let loose a swarm.

When this swarm is dealt with, the immediate threat is over. Whether there are any other hidden egg clutches still around is unknown.

Because of this theory, I'm placing the Bottomless Cliffs mentioned in this episode near the domain of the Mole Men. Also, we see a couple of Earth-like colorful birds that are apparently native to that area.

AMZOT--GENERAL INFORMATION: Amzot is in the same solar system as the planet Zodan, both of which have breathable atmospheres and Earth-like gravity.

Amzot is tidally locked, with one hemisphere always facing the sun. But the solar system is near a nebula, which causes large clouds of cosmic dust to drift through the system. This dust occasionally eclipses the sun, causing "night" on Amzot's daylight side.

AMZOT—DAY SIDE

A--Desert (mesas, cliffs, occasional tar pits, occasional flora including Iron Trees) The home of the fortunately rare Giant Vultures. The north end of the desert area contains the White Cliffs.

B-Jungle (various flora, including Rubber Vines & Kona-nuts. Also, Lizard-Birds, ants, grubs & snails)

C-Canopy Trees

E—Endless Caves: On the surface, the terrain is very much like the desert area near the Herculoids' home. Underneath this is the domain of the Spider Men. These are four-foot tall insect-like humanoids. They are sentient, have a language, and have the technology to produce “web guns,” which fire blobs of sticky and very strong webs. They train large ants the size of small ponies to use as mounts. The Spider Men are a nomadic society, though their domain is largely underground in the huge and labyrinthian Endless Caves. They conduct raids on the Mole Men (traveling to the Mole Men domain via secret tunnels) and occasional raid the surface for slaves and/or resources. Because they are tribal, they have never banded together strongly enough to be the threat that the Mole Men and Parrot People are, but they are still dangerous.

U-Underground domain of the Mole Men. The Mole Men are small but resilient humanoid creatures with a monarchical government. They have a technological society, with the skill to produce energy weapons and advanced vehicles such as hovercraft. They were once very aggressive, conquering vast portions of the surface world. Only internal dissension among them (some factions of the Mole Men society were more pacifistic) prevented them from gaining supremacy over the technologically backwards Parrot People. They are now largely contained in their underground domain by the Herculoids.

At least one cave above the Mole Men domain contains a huge clutch of Destroyer Ant eggs.

Also on the ground above the Mole Men is the Bottomless Cliffs, which descend deep down into the core of Amzot. This area is also home to a colorful species of Earth-like birds. 

BP—The Black Pool. A large lake of water that is laced with a chemical compound unique to Amzot. When struck with energy (such as Zok’s laser beams), the water is transformed into a thick, viscous solution in which creatures and vehicles are trapped and rapidly disintegrate. The lake will slowly revert back to water at a rate that depends on how much energy was added. The area north of the lake are home to giant snakes (about 30 feet long) and rhinoids—large dinosaur-like quadrupeds about the size of Earth elephants.

M—A small mountain range. The Kyanite gladiatorial arena is located atop one of these mountains, though the Kyanites themselves live on another planet and only occasionally visit Amzot.

N--(off map to the north)--The Northern Sea, surrounded by woods and enormous caves. The caves include some gold deposits and volcanic fissures. A medieval-level civilization of humans (displaced from Earth) live in villages along the northern end of the sea, using gold mined from the caves as a medium of exchange. The Raider Apes, who usually hunt and farm, have villages near the southern end of the sea and occasionally launch raids on the humans to steal gold. The Raider Apes are reminiscent of Earth's Vikings, with similar armor and using long-ships propelled by oars. Their primary weapon is a powerful crossbow. Since the arrival of the Herculoids, their raids on the human villages have been severely curtailed. 

W--(off map to the west): The Western Sea—a large sea located some distance to the west of the Herculoids’ home ground.

T--(off map to the northwest)--The Temple of Trax. This is a jungle area surrounded by mountains. The Traxians built a city here thousands of years ago, with a clock-work idol they worshiped as a god being the centerpiece of the city. The city is built atop fast, underground caverns, many of which contain rivers or lakes infested with Gater-oids.

With human high priests (displaced from Earth), the Traxians used to capture and sacrifice other sentient creatures to appease their god. They once had a fairly sophisticated civilization, producing an immortality serum as well as clock-work mechanisms. But they went into decline until the few remaining Traxians placed themselves into hibernation, watched over by the remaining human priest. 

The Traxians are about 8 feet tall, very strong, with tough armor like skin and a single horn protruding from their forehead.

1. The Dark River--flows south from jungle, with a 300-foot high waterfall known as The Bottomless Waterfall located not far out of the jungle.

2. Monkey-People--strong but shy & unaggressive flying monkeys. They are semi-sentient, with a very primitive language and loose tribal structure. They eat plants, insects and small mollusks.

3. Hill area that is home to the Parrot People. They are avian humanoids with a warlike, aggressive culture that once enslaved the Monkey People. They are omnivorous & have a sophisticated language and some technology, allowing them to make clothes and fashion wooden clubs. They are largely contained to the hill area due to their fear of the Herculoids.

Iron Trees--Large (50 foot or higher) trees that sparsely populate the desert area. These trees have very deep roots to access underground water sources. Their name derives from their extremely tough outer bark, which can withstand violent impacts without showing any damage. Zandor's shield is made from Iron Tree bark.

Rubber Vines--Thick, pliable vines that grow down from the limbs of certain tall trees. They anchor themselves in the ground to search for additional water. Zandor has learned to use the vines as personal catapults to vacillitate rapid travel through the jungle.

Canopy Trees—Large trees whose thick, tough foliage form a sort-of ledge half-way up the trunk, with more foliage forming a roof. Zandor and his family make a home in one of these trees.

Kona Nuts--a tasty fruit found in the jungles of Amzot. In size, shape and taste, it is nearly identical to Earth's coconut.

Lizard-Birds—A bird/reptile hybrid about the size of Earth’s condor.

Giant Vultures—These very large predatory bird/reptile hybrids are more reminiscent of pterodactyls than Earth’s vultures. They like to carry captured prey back to their nests while the prey is still living, then consume it there. Giant vultures are solitary, living alone when not in heat.

Giant Ants—Subterranean ants the size of small ponies that live in the Endless Caves. They  have the intelligence and capacity to be trained similar to ponies as well, being used as mounts by the Spider Men. They can run at very fast speeds for short distances.

Destroyer Ants--Elephant-sized sub-species of the Giant Ants, bred to extreme destructiveness by Mole Men scientists as a living Weapon of War.

Gater-oids--Amphibious carnivores about the size of an Earth horse. They are vicious four-legged creatures with an armored carapace and a vaguely shark-like head. They are able to rend and digest nearly anything organic, no matter how tough (including Igoo!)

AMZOT—Night side.

One of Amzot’s hemispheres is in perpetual darkness.

1: The Stone Forest—an area in which many stone towers give the impression of having grown there like trees. Some of the small rocks are “flare rocks,” which generate bursts of light upon impact. This area also contains many cliffs and chasms. The following fauna lives here:

The Dorgytes—A sentient species of pygmy-sized humanoids with large eyes designed to allow them to see in the dark. In fact, Dorgytes can’t survive for lengthy periods of time in direct sunlight. They build huts in the “branches” of the towers in the Stone Forest and have limited technology.

Night Scarabs—Semi-sentient species of insect-people. The Scarabs are carnivores and lurk in the shadows in packs, leaping out at helpless and unsuspecting prey but running when danger seems to threaten.

Hooded Caterpillar—This creature is about 20 feet long. Able to fire the spikes that grow out of its body, it is carnivorous and very aggressive.

Armored Killer—About the size of an Earth pony, this four-legged carnivore is also aggressive. It is protected by a thick, spiked carapace.

Electro-Beetles—5-foot long insects able to fire energy blasts from their antenna. They are carnivorous and travel in packs, working together via instinct.