Episode 24--Queen Skorra

The lava pits we see are presumably located near the home of the Herculoids, since they have an escape tunnel conveniently handy when Skorra contains them in her mega-sphere.

The Swamp Quadratt (I think I head the name right) is created out of this lava. Zandor recognizes the creature and knows its name, but doesn't know right away that Skorra is responsible for it. From this, we deduce that the Quadratts are a natural part of the lava, with anyone who knows how able to bring one to life. They are not a creation specific to Skorra.

So the Quadratts are added to Amzot's list of fauna. I'm dubbing the lava as "biological lava." Yes, it is lava, though perhaps not quite as hot as the stuff that flows out of erupting volcanoes. But it does contain biological elements, perhaps in the form of heat-resistant amoebas. Someone who knows how can play energy beams of a specific frequency over the lava and create a Quadratt, which are apparently very suggestible, with individual Qaudratts coming under the sway of its specific creator.

All this means that the planet Amzot was even MORE of a Hell Planet than we thought when Zandor and the Herculoids first arrived. Were the Mole People or the Parrot People using Quadratts in their brutal battles for control of the planet?

Now what about Skorra? Her minions are all robots--we don't see anyone else of her race. (We know the minions are robots and not soldiers in bulky armor because Zok turns one into scrap during the battle.) So Skorra seems to be the only living sentient being in her base. Is she a native of Amzot or another power hungry outsider?

How about this--she is a native. Remember the dying civilization we saw in "The Temple of Trax?" What if Skorra is a Traxian--she's what the female of the species looks like. Skorra's hunger for power offended even the cruel Traxian culture, so she was exiled. Having taken the immortality serum that the Traxians were once able to produce, she now lives in her base beneath the lava pits, tended by her robots and planning to one day make Amzot her own.

It's kind of sad, really. When the Herculoids blow up her base at the end of the episode, they might very well be destroying the last remaining Traxian female.

I've added all this new information to the June 2 post titled "New map and updated summary."

Episode 23--Mission of the Amatons

Here's yet another villain that Zandor recognizes, meaning that the Amatons have made trouble on Amzot before. Their motivation isn't necessarily Amzot's mineral resources, though, but the fact that the planet is overflowing with dangerous fauna that they want to enslave.

The Amatons are apparently a sentient robot race (though I suppose they might be cyborgs). Gee whiz, it's not wonder Zandor and family left technology behind and returned to nature. There's an awful lot of insanely violent robot species running around the galaxy!

Anyway, I've always been slightly disappointed with this episode. The fight scenes are typically fun, but how cool would it have been if the Amatons had actually succeeded in getting mind-control collars on a couple of the Herculoids. We could have had an epic Herculoid vs. Herculoid battle!

I suppose there might be some question about whether the two species of giant beasts used by the Amatons are native to Amzot. They could have been captured off-planet and brought to Amzot in the saucer. But that seems to be unnecessarily complicated when there are plenty of nasty beasties on Amzot. So we'll presume the Lash-Tail dinosaurs and the giant sort-of scorpions are native to Amzot.

We see the Lash-tails being tested in the desert. Presuming that this testing is done soon after they were enslaved, we can assume the desert is their natural habitat. Since the Giant Scorpions devour a big chunk of a huge tree during the battle, we will assume this is a part of their regular diet and place them in a jungle habitat.

I've added them both to the list in the June 2 post, rather than repeat the whole summary again so soon.

New map and updated summary.

The one failing of this blog is my inability to create a decent map of Amzot. Here's my latest attempt, along with all the information we have on Amzot after analysing the first 22 episodes. I've reformatted the information in what I hope is a more readable form and included my theories about the origin of the Herculoids and the history of Amzot.

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 rich in Energy Rocks, which are the basis for much of the technology of the galactic civilization and Magnetitron, a mineral that can absorb and dissipate radiation. Rich gold deposits are located near the Northern Sea. All this makes Amzot the target for raids or outright invasions by various alien criminals.

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.

MAP REFERENCES (Day side)

.   A. Desert –area of mesas, cliffs, occasional tar pits and sparse flora. The north edge of the desert area contains a particularly high ridge known as the White Cliffs. The east edge is the location of lava pits that contain "biological lava," which can be used to create Swamp Quadratts.

                                                              i.      Notable flora—Iron Trees; Canopy trees (the canopy trees are located along the west edge of desert—includes the home of the Herculoids. This is marked with the lower case z on the map.) 

                                                            ii.      Notable fauna—Giant Vultures, Lash-Tails, Swamp Quadratt

       B. Jungle—Located to the west and the south of the desert area.

                                                              i.      Common flora—trees and ferns

                                                            ii.      Notable flora—Rubber Vines, Kona-nuts

                                                          iii.      Common fauna—ants, grubs, snails

                                                         iv.      Notable fauna—Lizard-Birds (large subspecies), Giant Scorpions

                                                            v.  Sentient species—Monkey People (living in the southern jungle)

      C. The Dark River, flowing south out of the jungle. A 300-foot waterfall known as the Bottomless Waterfall is located not far out of the jungle. (Objects or living beings that sink at the base of the waterfall never come up again, giving it that name.

        D. Hills

                                                              i.      Sentient species—Parrot People

        E. Endless Caves—The surface area is very similar to the desert area (A). Huge caverns are located below the ground. Secret tunnels known only to the Spider People connect this area with the underground domain of the Mole Men.

                                                              i.      Notable fauna—Giant Ants

                                                            ii.      Sentient Species—Spider Men

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.

               i.        Notable fauna—Giant Snakes, Rhinoids

U. Underground domain of the Mole Men—The surface is very similar to the desert area (A). Beneath the surface are huge caverns. 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 are the Bottomless Cliffs, which descend deep down into the core of Amzot.

            i. Common fauna—colorful birds

            ii. Notable flora—Destroyer Ants

iii. Sentient Species—Mole Men

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. The Northern Sea—A large sea surrounded by woods and enormous caves. The caves include some gold deposits and volcanic fissures.

            i. Sentient Species—humans (at the north end of the lake); Raider Apes (at the south end of the lake)

S. Misty Swamps—fed by a river that runs east out of the Northern Sea. The swamp is surrounded by jungle and caves. The caves contain the mineral Magnetitron, which is able to absorb and dissipate radiation.

            i. Common flora—trees and ferns

  ii. Common fauna—monkeys

  iii. Notable fauna—The Swamp Monster; Lizard-Birds (smaller subspecies)

            iv. Sentient Species—Human tribe known as the Tree People.

T. 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.

            i. Notable fauna—Gater-oids

            ii. Sentient Species—Traxians; One surviving human

W. The Western Sea

NOTABLE FLORA:

Canopy Trees (A)-- 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.

Iron Trees (A)-- 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.

Kona-nuts (B)-- A tasty fruit found in the jungles of Amzot. In size, shape and taste, it is nearly identical to Earth's coconut.

Rubber Vines (B) --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.

NOTABLE FAUNA:

Destroyer Ants (U)— Elephant-sized sub-species of the Giant Ants, bred for size and extreme destructiveness by Mole Men scientists as  living Weapons of War.

Gateroids (T)-- Amphibious carnivores about the size of an Earth horse that inhabit underground rivers and lakes. 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!)

Giant Ants (E)— 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.

Giant Scorpions (B)--About 20 feet long, these creatures are similar (though not identical) to Earth scorpions. They feed on the trees of Amzot's jungles.

Giant Snakes (BP)—Exactly what the name says—30-foot long snakes

Giant Vultures (A)-- 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.

Lizard-Birds (B, S)-- A bird/reptile hybrid about the size of Earth’s condor. The larger subspecies lives in the jungles near the central desert area. A smaller subspecies lives in the jungles around the Misty Swamps.

Rhinoids (BP)-- Large dinosaur-like quadrupeds about the size of Earth elephants.

Swamp Monster (S)-- A giant humanoid creature lives in the swamp. It is non-aggressive and only occasionally seen. This Swamp Monster is the last of a species that is going extinct.

Swamp Quadratt (A)--A creature created when energy of a certain frequency is beamed into the biological lava of the lave pits located at the east end of the desert area near the Herculoids home. The Quadratt is a 20-foot tall humanoid that can throw balls of lava and is highly suggestible--each individual Quadratt can generally be controlled by its creator. 

SENTIENT SPECIES:

Humans (N, S, T)—Displaced Earth humans—ancestors of people who escaped from alien slavers but never made it back to Earth. Some humans became priests to the Traxians, though now only one (kept alive by an immortality serum).

Humans live in villages at the north end of the Northern Sea. They have a medieval-level civilization, using gold mined from the caves as a medium of exchange. They are occasionally raided by the Raider Apes. Several generations ago, a number of humans broke away from this group after a leadership dispute, moving to the jungles around the Misty Swamp and building houses in the trees. This tribe became known as the Tree People.

Lash-Tails (A)--Bipedal dinosaur-like creatures that stand about 20 feet tall, these creatures have spiked tails that are capable of smashing rocks.

Mole Men (U)— 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.

Monkey People (B—southern jungle)-- 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.

Parrot People (D)-- 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.

Raider Apes (N)—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.

Spider Men (E)-- 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.

Traxians (T)-- The Traxians built a city 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 Gateroids.

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 Traxian males are about 8 feet tall, very strong, with tough armor-like skin and a single horn protruding from their forehead. Females are about six-feet tall and green-skinned, with a more human body structure (though slightly insectoid in its appearance). Skorra is an exiled Traxian queen whose mad desire for power upset even the cruel Traxian culture. ("Queen Skorra")

DARK SIDE

Little is known about Amzot’s Dark Side. The Stone Forest is located near the terminator line that separates the light side from the dark side. Since this is the only feature we know about, no map is provided.

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 fauna seems to contain more predators than prey—this means the predator species feed on each other, which encourages very aggressive behavior.

NOTABLE FAUNA:

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.

SENTIENT SPECIES:

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.

THE HISTORY OF THE HERCULOIDS

Zandor was the galaxy’s foremost geneticist. A descendant of Reed Richards (founder of the 20^th Century superhero team the Fantastic Four), he was also trained in several other areas of science, including temporal physics and anthropology. His wife Tara was also a skilled scientist.

Zandor’s greatest achievement as a scientist was the creation of the Herculoids. These creatures are all sentient, able to work together closely and use improvised & sophisticated tactics in combat. Gloop and Gleep have an actual language, which Zandor, Tara and Dorno all understand. The other creatures understand both that language and human speech. All the humans and the Herculoids share a short-ranged telepathic link, which allows Tundro, Zok and Igoo to impart information despite their lack of intelligible speech.

Noteworthy abilities:

Gleep and Gloop—shape changing; the ability to divide into multiple units but still maintain sentient control over all those units. The two creatures are actually able to individually control every cell in their bodies, even when these cells are separated from one another.

Igoo—Hulk-level super-strength and invulnerability

Zok—The ability to fire lasers out of his eyes and tail; capable of surviving in space and obtaining near-light speed, while generating a life-support bubble around any passenger he is carrying.

Tundro—Extendable legs. The ability to ingest Energy Rocks and later fire them as weapons through his horn.

After creating the Herculoids, Zandor realized he must give them some purpose in life. He knew that Amzot was rich in valuable resources, especially Energy Rocks, but was cursed with chaotic violence. After scouting the planet alone, he then returned with Dorno and the Herculoids. Tara remained behind for a time to make arrangements with the galactic government, which included establishing an automated rocket base near the Herculoids’ Canopy Tree home so that criminals caught on Amzot could be sent off for trial and incarceration.

The galactic government was happy to cede responsibility for Amzot to the Herculoids, as their law enforcement organizations and the superhero Space Ghost were all busy handling constant threats elsewhere in the galaxy. The Herculoids were now responsible for keeping the resources of Amzot out of the hands of warmongers and criminals.

Zandor has adapted his personal fighting style to Amzot, using a shield made of Iron Tree bark and a sling shot that fires Energy Rocks. He has learned to use the Rubber Vines in the jungle to facilitate fast travel.

HISTORY OF AMZOT:

When the Herculoids first came to Amzot, the planet was a chaotic mess. Though the Traxians were in decline and few in number, other factions on the planet were locked in cycles of violence. The Raider Apes were oppressing the humans. The Parrot People were enslaving the Monkey People. The Mole Men and the Spider Men fought each other below the surface and warred for supremacy with the Parrot People on the surface.

Alien threats included regular visits by the Kyanites, a humanoid race with a warlike culture. The Kyanites set up gladiatorial arenas on various planets, including Amzot. When a clan visits one of these arenes, they capture native races and fauna, forcing them to fight against the best Kyanite warriors. Clans with the best win/lose records gain political ascendancy on their home planet. The Herculoids learned to be on guard for these occasional visits. (“The Gladiators of Kyanite”)

The Bubblemen were unethical scientists who set up an underwater base at the Western Sea and conducted hideous experiments on native life. The Herculoids chased them off the planet, though the Bubblemen did eventually return and repair their base. (“Prisoners of the Bubblemen”)

The Herculoids managed to largely contain the Mole Men, Spider People, Parrot People and Raider Apes to their own territories, but must be constantly on guard, since each of these races will occasionally try to regain their former power.

Perhaps the most deadly threat involving the more violent native races was the Destroyer Ants, which were created by Mole Men scientists by genetically tampering with the Giant Ants. They intended to make a living weapon of war, but the Destroyer Ants threatened to get out of control and destroy all surface life. After a long, hard battle, the Destroyer Ants were stopped, though Zandor was initially unaware that a clutch of eggs were still hidden in a large cave. (“Destroyer Ants”)

Episode 22--Swamp Monster

We learn of the existence of an area called "The Misty Swamps." A vague impression I get from the shots of the crashing meteor makes me think its to the north of the Herculoids home. We also know there is a river draining into the swamp. The swamp is also bordered by thick foliage and caves, as is the Northern Sea we visited in the episode "The Raider Apes."

So I'm placing the Misty Swamps just to the east of the Northern Sea, with a river running from the sea draining into the swamp. The Tree People, who we never see, are also humans--a tribe that set up homes in an area near the other humans but still separate from them, perhaps after a dispute over leadership a few generations ago.

The jungle around the swamp is home to a species of monkey and a species of Lizard-Birds that are a little smaller than the lizard-birds that live in the jungle to the south.

We decided a long time ago that the reason Amzot is always being invaded by aliens is because of the valuable energy rocks. Now we learn of another valuable resource. The cliffs near the swamp contain "Magnetitron"--a mineral with the ability to drain radiation.

What about the Swamp Monster. It is irradiated and driven mad by the meteor, but when Dorno sees it, he calls out "The thing from the swamp!" So the monster itself is not formed or brought to Amzot by the meteor. It's a native.

I propose that the  Thing was a semi-legendary, non-aggressive creature that is possibly the last of a species that is going extinct. It lives in the swamp and is only occasionally seen, similar to the Loch Ness Monster on Earth. 

We get more proof that the Herculoids share a telepathic link. Tundro is able to give Zandor pretty detailed information. Though I have no problem recognizing Gloop and Gleep's chatter as a spoken language, its too much of a stretch to assume Tundro's roars are a language. So he and the other creatures do indeed share a mental link with each other and with their human partners. It is now undeniable that when Zandor created the Herculoids during his career as a genetic engineer, he did indeed create fully sentient beings.

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 rich in Energy Rocks, which are the basis for much of the technology of the galactic civilization and Magnetitron, a mineral that can absorb and dissipate radiation. Rich gold deposits are located near the Northern Sea. All this makes Amzot the target for raids or outright invasions by various alien criminals.

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.

A river running east from the sea drains into the Misty Swamps, which is surrounded by jungles and a few more caves. The jungle is home to a small species of Lizard-Birds and a species of monkeys. Several generations ago, a tribe of humans broke away from the tribes that live at the Northern Sea and moved to this jungle. Living in homes built in the trees, they are known as the "Tree People." 

The caves near the swamp contain the mineral Magnetitron, which is able to absorb and dissipate radiation. 

A giant humanoid creature lives in the swamp. It is non-aggressive and only occasionally seen. This Swamp Monster is the last of a species that is going extinct.

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. A smaller species live in the northern jungle that surrounds the Misty Swamp.

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.

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.

Episode 20--Invasion of the Electrode People

Here's another episode that is really cool by itself, but doesn't give us any significant new information about Amzot. I presuming the action takes place in the desert area near the Herculoids' home, so we know now that area contains a fresh water reservoir, contained by a natural dam. Or did contain--Zok blows up the dam to quite literally flush out the villains.

I've updated the entry in the Episode 18 post to include this information. I'll wait until there is something really significant to add before reposting the entire flora/fauna list again. I also have vague hopes of eventually figuring out how to make and include a better quality map.

We do get still further conformation that the Herculoids are all extremely intelligent. They continue to use sophisticated tactics against the bad guys. Heck, Igoo uses a make-shift boomerang at one point!.

It's interesting to theorize about the Electrode People, though they aren't native to Amzot and therefore a side issue as far as this blog is concerned. I wonder if their leader Voltan is also a robot or a human wearing a metal mask?

I'm going to go with robot and give the Electrode People the following back-story: Sometime in the past, they were created as a weapon to be used in an interplanetary war. Voltan was created to be the A.I. that controlled them in battle. Their mission was to destroy enemy planets & bases, using the energy released when they disintegrated something to recharge themselves.

But Voltan went rogue and now attacks planets at random to get the energy he needs to keep his people alive and build more of them. So the Electrode People are analogous to the Doomsday Machine from Star Trek: The Original Series or Fred Saberhagen's Berserkers.

Episode 19--The Zorbots

"The Zorbots" is a great episode in terms of action and great design work of the aliens and their equipment/robots. But it is an episode that gives us no new information about Amzot itself. The map and flora/fauna list from the last entry is still up-to-date.

We do get some confirmation that the Herculoids are extremely intelligent creatures. All of them--most notably this time Igoo--use pretty sophisticated tactics against the Zorbots.

Also, Gloop at one point is hit by a sonic ray and is reduced to several dozen small balls--each of which has a pair of eyes and each of which acts in concert with the others until Gloop reforms a few moments later. We've theorized that the Herculoids share a low-level telepathic link. I think we can assume now that Gloop and Gleep can extend this link to every single cell in their protoplasmic bodies. That's a pretty cool ability.