Matodea

The Matodea are a species of insect currently being developed by Ulexite Herkimer. They are not yet canon or featured in any works.

Anatomy

• Matodea are tall and lanky, largely resembling a combination of stick insects and praying mantises. On average, matodea stand just under three meters in height and weigh around 120 kilograms. Though the size of matodea depends greatly on their living conditions. Particularly healthy matodea can reach nearly four meters.
• Matodea have two sets of wings; one on the upper back near the shoulders, and one right above the hips. These wings are typically very large, with the total wingspan of either set matching the height of the matodea.
• Matodea themselves typically have green, brown, or gray exoskeletons, but their wings can sport all varieties of colors and patterns in a manner comparable to stained glass.
  • Matodea are able to dye their wings into specific patterns and colors, but this is somewhat uncommon due to societal superstitions.
• Their eyes can see anything in a 360 range around them, but their most effective field of vision is about the same as most other creatures; half as much if they are looking to their sides or behind them.
  • This generally results in the effect of matodea seeing a lot out of the corner of their eye, but only being able to fully comprehend what they’re directly viewing.
    • Some matodea are better at this than others, which can be considered a very important skill for certain lines of work.

Limited musculature

• Matodea are naturally strong, but cannot match the strength of other species their size. Typically, a matodea can lift up to their body weight and, with significant training, slightly more. This limitation typically results in a heavy reliance on machines to do hard labor.

Photosynthesis

• Unlike most species, matodea derive the majority of their energy from sunlight. This comes from a natural process in which matodea eat plants to absorb their chloroplasts. Some plants are better for this than others, but it typically results in matodea only needing to eat once a week. Matodea then typically need about two to three hours of sunlight to stay healthy, as well as eight hours of sleep. Matodea don't need to sleep while sunbathing, but it is certainly nice.
  • Matodea still need to drink water just as often as other species.
• The process of photosynthesis is performed primarily through absorbing sunlight in the wings. Some sunlight is absorbed naturally through the exoskeleton, but not enough to keep a matodea alive, much less healthy.
  • Matodea that lack wings require prosthetic membranes that act as replacements, or else they will die in much the same way another creature might starve.
• Matodea can take energy from ultra-violet lights and other forms of manufactured sunlight, but this is unhealthy for them and matodea don’t see it as proper nourishment. It’s equivalent to how other species would see fast food.
  • Matodea are also able to absorb particularly low-energy laser weapons but the ranges this can occur are extremely slim and even within that range they still pose significant danger under frequent or extended contact.

Culture

• Matodea are largely social and easygoing, often to the point of being stereotyped as lazy and naive. This is largely untrue and based primarily on the fact that matodea are legally required breaks during work to rest in the sun, which they often use to socialize, nap, or work on personal projects.
• Matodea are widely superstitious, but don't hold any belief of gods or higher powers. One example of this in their belief that the colors and shapes in one's wing can reveal details about their future, like palm reading.
• Art and self-expression is very important in larger matodea culture. Most will pick up some form of passion for the arts in one way or another.
• Nature is also held in a very high regard and most matodea will try to infringe on it as little as possible. This can often lead to issues regarding structural development but matodea are willing to bend nature around their needs in this regard.

The Krakun

• The krakun, largely, do not see matodea as worthwhile or lucrative slaves due to their limited musculature and need to spend time under sunlight, but some see them as low investment and low maintenance.
  • Some particularly cruel krakun collect and display the wings or even bodies of deceased matodea they find pretty. Even among the krakun this is seen as disturbing.
• Many of the krakun who do enslave matodea will deny them proper sunlight and instead provide faux sun rooms. As stated earlier, this can work but is very unhealthy and can stunt growth.

Internal Voice

• Matodea think differently from most other species. Not exactly in what they think about, but in how they think it. Most matodea hear their internal voice as several different, possibly conflicting voices that discuss amongst themselves.
• This can sometimes leave matodea slow to respond, especially when faced with difficult choices.