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Description
Zesh

The zesh, or Martian swamp-ape, as it is sometimes called by Earth explorers, is an extremely powerful and intelligent amphibious anthropoid. While the small, quiet venath is the closest relative of the gold-skinned Khedephi, the towering zesh is most closely related to the Nelophi people. Anatomical similarities include the iridescent, pupil-less eyes as well as the collection of breathing stalks that take the place of nostrils. The zesh is markedly different in that it possesses a scaly, armored hide and is capable of absorbing oxygen from water for a limited time through the moist inner sinuses of its breathing stalks. Many Nelophi find the idea of a relationship between themselves and the zesh to be distasteful, if not outright offensive, as the creatures are highly aggressive and feared predators. Standing over 9 feet tall on dry land, the zesh is shockingly strong and capable of inflicting savage injuries. They often hunt from ambush, resting in the still waters of the various swamps, marshes, and lagoons that can be found bordering Mars’s lesser canals. Though they can only go for about fifteen minutes without direct access to air, the zesh can lie in wait for hours on end by exposing only the tips of its uppermost breathing-stalks, which resemble certain species of Martian reeds or river-weeds. When prey approaches, the zesh waits for it to turn it’s back or lean in close for a drink. Then the zesh explodes from the water with a tremendous leap, lashing wildly with its huge talons and rending flesh with its powerful fangs. Few who are attacked by zesh live to regret it for longer than a couple of seconds. Those who do put up a strong resistance are quickly pulled back into the water, where the zesh crushes them with its massive arms, squeezing the air from their lungs and hastening their death by drowning. Despite it’s ferocity, the zesh is highly intelligent, capable of being trained for complex tasks and even learning the meanings of basic words, though they are utterly incapable of speech. Among their own kind, they are extremely loyal, forming intense family bonds and defending their young until death. Injured zesh are protected and nurtured by their kin, and they tend to mate for life. This loyalty and powerful bonding instinct makes zesh extremely devoted to their Martian keepers in those rare instances when they are successfully trained and raised in captivity. Though biologists cite these traits as proof of the zesh’s noble nature, their hunting prowess is such that they are greatly feared by the general populace, and are often villainized and reviled in Martian culture and legend.

The origins of my idea for the zesh can be blamed on two factors: First of all, no matter how sweet gorillas are in the real world, you just can’t have a proper “planetary romance” setting without a savage, ape-like species to menace the lovely native girls. Secondly, while trying to come up with a properly “alien” ape, I just happened to be watching that timeless classic, “The Creature from the Black Lagoon.” The results are rather painfully obvious, but hopefully fun for any Arcane Mars fans out there.

Description
Zesh

The zesh, or Martian swamp-ape, as it is sometimes called by Earth explorers, is an extremely powerful and intelligent amphibious anthropoid. While the small, quiet venath is the closest relative of the gold-skinned Khedephi, the towering zesh is most closely related to the Nelophi people. Anatomical similarities include the iridescent, pupil-less eyes as well as the collection of breathing stalks that take the place of nostrils. The zesh is markedly different in that it possesses a scaly, armored hide and is capable of absorbing oxygen from water for a limited time through the moist inner sinuses of its breathing stalks. Many Nelophi find the idea of a relationship between themselves and the zesh to be distasteful, if not outright offensive, as the creatures are highly aggressive and feared predators. Standing over 9 feet tall on dry land, the zesh is shockingly strong and capable of inflicting savage injuries. They often hunt from ambush, resting in the still waters of the various swamps, marshes, and lagoons that can be found bordering Mars’s lesser canals. Though they can only go for about fifteen minutes without direct access to air, the zesh can lie in wait for hours on end by exposing only the tips of its uppermost breathing-stalks, which resemble certain species of Martian reeds or river-weeds. When prey approaches, the zesh waits for it to turn it’s back or lean in close for a drink. Then the zesh explodes from the water with a tremendous leap, lashing wildly with its huge talons and rending flesh with its powerful fangs. Few who are attacked by zesh live to regret it for longer than a couple of seconds. Those who do put up a strong resistance are quickly pulled back into the water, where the zesh crushes them with its massive arms, squeezing the air from their lungs and hastening their death by drowning. Despite it’s ferocity, the zesh is highly intelligent, capable of being trained for complex tasks and even learning the meanings of basic words, though they are utterly incapable of speech. Among their own kind, they are extremely loyal, forming intense family bonds and defending their young until death. Injured zesh are protected and nurtured by their kin, and they tend to mate for life. This loyalty and powerful bonding instinct makes zesh extremely devoted to their Martian keepers in those rare instances when they are successfully trained and raised in captivity. Though biologists cite these traits as proof of the zesh’s noble nature, their hunting prowess is such that they are greatly feared by the general populace, and are often villainized and reviled in Martian culture and legend.

The origins of my idea for the zesh can be blamed on two factors: First of all, no matter how sweet gorillas are in the real world, you just can’t have a proper “planetary romance” setting without a savage, ape-like species to menace the lovely native girls. Secondly, while trying to come up with a properly “alien” ape, I just happened to be watching that timeless classic, “The Creature from the Black Lagoon.” The results are rather painfully obvious, but hopefully fun for any Arcane Mars fans out there.