Anemone Hills: Beauty among the Infection

Added: 2026-06-08

[00:00:00]The discovery of the Protea virus and the effects it can have on wildlife helps explain some of the anomalies we've been seeing within the DNA of these creatures. Maze field syndrome seems to only affect humans at this stage, but for the sake of simplicity, I will be referring to Protea virus alpha as Maze field for the rest of these logs.

[00:00:20]To the northeast is a bright colorful forest of Necrolite. The Necrolite aren't plants at all, however, and are large groups of biologically identical jellies. These jellies stay rooted to the ground rather than floating around in open water like most jelly species.

[00:00:35]They siphon their food from the sea water, which consists of mostly dead matter. The pure size of them indicates there is a significant amount of death and decay occurring somewhere on the planet's surface. As an adaptation to the low oxygenated sea water, it ferments its food inside its central basket stomach, causing a high amount of acid byproduct. This byproduct is used as a protective layer around the Necrolite's eggs.

[00:01:01]The eggs of the Necrolite jelly seem to have a relationship with the silt orbs they grow on top of. Whether the silt orbs are a stand-alone plant, have something to do with the Necrolite jelly, or some weird Maze field concoction between the two is unknown.

[00:01:17]But, if the cyst is harvested from the surface, its acid is able to be extracted and it is ideal for extremely strong acid production.

[00:01:26]The Necrolite themselves seem unable to grow up on sand and must grow on layers of pebbled sproll. Sproll being a portmanteau of both coral and sponge, named after their genetic makeup. These thick blankets of sponges have been grown over by coral polyps, creating a hard casing. This is the same type of coral polyp found atop the growing coral domes.

[00:01:50]However, despite the sponge and polyp being two separate organisms, they carry the full genome of both organisms. This is almost definitely Mayfields doing, but its purpose for this is unknown.

[00:02:03]This is a lamp for reformations in locations they wouldn't usually be supported, perhaps adding to the ecological strain already present in the coral gardens. Among the waxy anemones of the seafloor is a group of blue periscopic clown crabs who have managed to change their colors to match the purple theme of the biome.

[00:02:25]Moonfish are abundant here with the odd four eyes using the cover of the necrolyte as natural protection.

[00:02:32]Additionally, the gas-filled hyacinth can be seen occasionally trolling its arms through the waters of the surface.

[00:02:41]They will drag their arms through the open water until they catch a school of fish.

[00:02:46]Once catching a fish within the school, they will hold it up above the water until it dries out enough to be consumed.

[00:02:53]These predators are full of hydrogen, allowing it to fly above the water's surface.

[00:02:58]It does this with bacterial symbionts converting ammonia into carbon nitride.

[00:03:04]When exposed to direct sunlight, the carbon nitride splits the H2O molecules storing the hydrogen for flight. This hydrogen makes them extremely flammable and they will shelter underwater at any signs of lightning. Their large rear fins assist with steering in high wind conditions. The only other new species here is the heketin tunic.

[00:03:26]Each structure is made up of hundreds of tiny tunicates with each pore housing a mouth. This colony starts as a single stem of identical tunicate where the more successful will grow and become the primary reproducers, where the weaker ones will shrink and be pushed out towards the arms where they become weak and begin to glow.

[00:03:47]These tunicates are heavily infected by Mayfield and could be the reason they're able to reproduce despite lacking the organs for fertilization. Further study required.

[00:03:58]After some extended research, we've been able to name some of the school fish that we were previously unable to.

[00:04:04]Around the Anemone Hills, schools hundreds of flutter tails. The shallows and plateaus also have schools of mirror half moons.

[00:04:12]Not much is known about these species, but at least we can name them now. The Anemone Hills and the plateaus have a distinct drop-off to the north, and metaphorically speaking, I've hit a wall. There's something large out there prowling in the deep, and I'm not so invested in my work I care to find out right now.

[00:04:30]I will head south again and log some of the border regions, see what I can find.

[00:04:34]I recommend for your sake you do the same.