Ame'lisk

Warning this page is made for the contest about creatures that's going on as of before the 14th of august, right now it is a WIP and will soon have more information.

The ame'lisk is a species of crocodilian found mainly in or near amethyst geodes. It can also be found near amethyst in general or live in any form of cold cavernous system.

Unlike other crocodilians ame'lisks are very aggressive and territorial and should not be tempered with. They attack anything that makes noise near them and doesn't have the same frequency as their growls.

Adults can on average reach between 2 and 5m (6'5" to 16'4"). With the males being smaller averaging between 2 and 4m (6'5" to 13'1"). Females however are larger averaging between 3 and 5m (9'8" and 16'4"), with some reaching over 5m (16'4"). Legends say some are even larger reaching up to 8 or even 10m long. Ame'lisks are heavy, averaging around a ton and a half (3000lbs). This is mainly due to their stone shell. Their weight makes them unable to swim.

Evolution
Not much is known about the origins of this lizard. But most believe that a salt water crocodilian ancestor somehow found its way in an aquifer. By doing this it doomed itself to a life underground. Most think that these ancestors adapted to life underground and became tougher and tougher while keeping some of their basic evolutionary traits.

Characteristics
Ame'lisks are blind but make up for it with their advanced nose and sound perception. They use their sophisticated nose, situated at the front of their skull to sniff out preys. The crystal growth on their head is composed of hollow crystals that resonate with nearby sounds. The crystals being directly grown on the skull of the creature the resonance makes them aware that something is near. Unless the frequency ressembles another Ame'lisk's vocalization the creature will attack in random directions before sniffing potential threats or preys.

Their strong jaws can reach a pression of 8000 newtons (almost as much as an hippopotamus). They also have big serated teeth that they use for eating meat or softer bodies. Underneath their jaws ame'lisks' have a pouch that sometimes emits a little light, this is an air pouch that they use to create deep growls and other vocalizations.

Ame'lisks are quadrupeds, walking on 4 muscular legs that they use to walk faster than their body would allow with less musculuar mass. Their body is covered in purplish scales made of an obsidian like material. They also posess a resistant calcite shell to resist most attacks and to blend in their environment.

Legends
Some legends talk of bigger ame'lisk with a cluster of dark crystals. These ame'lisks are thought to reach between 8 and 10 m (26'2" and 32'8") long. Though these legends are mainly beliefs and are unverified and possibly dubious.

Biology and behaviour
Ame'lisks like cold environment as they are cold-blooded creatures, this is why when they go out they stay in humid places. They also like staying in the shade or under big rocks to hide from the sun. When they are in caves they don't go too deep, as it gets hotter the deeper they go.

Diet
Ame'lisk are geovorous and carnivorous, they use their strong jaws to break up rocks and consume them. Once in a while ame'lisk come up to the surface to hunt medium and small game to reestablish their muscular mass. They often leap towards their prey to surprise them. An ame'lisk leaves almost nothing behind as the bones of its foes also have a nutritional value for them. As such ame'lisk can entirely eat its preys.

Ame'lisks don't seem to have favourite foods. However they seem to prefer softer rocks and bigger game like deers.

To drink ame'lisk find underground sources, rivers, lakes or use aquifers. This can sometime result in the death of the creature through drowning if it gets into a deep body of water.

Dens
When an ame'lisk is born it remembers in which geode it was born and lives there until it either gets hungry or thirsty. Ame'lisks also sometimes decorate their lair using different ores or gems. Some even use skulls from other deceased ame'lisks as decoration. The origins of this behaviour are unkown. Most ame'lisks live in their geode until the day where they are laid to rest. Some dens stay empty for years if the ame'lisk didn't find a partner during its lifetime. When mating ame'lisks will put the eggs in another geode, would it be an old den or an empty geode. When no nests or geode are empty, the current den is used as the birthing place for the new ame'lisks.

Life cycle
Ame'lisks are oviparous with layings reaching up to 4 eggs. The eggs are large and made of a pale purple mineral instead of the usual calcium. The young develop quickly, able to hunt at the age of 3 weeks. They can live up to 40 years.

Discovery scenarios
If Ame'lisks are discovered 3 scenarios could happen.


 * 1) People get scared of this creature and as such don't get too close to it and stop trying to use the dens in which they reside to make things.
 * 2) People get interested in the prospect of hunting this creature for what it may give once dead. As a plus it would be interesting to kill this creature to access it's den in the geodes and use amethyst to make different things.
 * 3) People just destroy ame'lisk dens discretely and use what comes from it. Doing this would throw ame'lisks in a ferocious rage which may lead them outside to hunt more often.