Zetas

Note on terminology as it is inconsistent; "zeta/zetas" follows the same rules as fish/fishes. "Zeta" is singular and plural when discussing a single biotype, "zetas" refers to both land and the rare aquatic zeta types.

1. Terrestrial Zeta

Figure 1 description: Front and side views of a zeta's face with the skull and external anatomy overlaid and separate. The skull is similar to a baboon's with massive broad fangs and a huge saggital crest on top for muscle attachment. Figure 2 description: a bar of colours ranging from dark brown, to reddish, to pale cream, to violet, to blue, to dark blue. Beneath it are several blue markings resembling a stylised 'A' or an arrow. Figure 3 description: a pair of zeta standing together. They are blue, brown, and cream in colour and wearing fancy black collars with dark tassels, and knuckle-guards to protect their feet. They have stocky muscular bodies and ape-like heads. One is propped up on their elbows over the back of the other, looking in a different direction.

 

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1.1. Terrestrial Zeta of Siren: Overview

Zeta are large quadrupedal mammals primarily found in the Eastern continent, the only area of significant continuous land. They are specialists at hunting and killing the local wildlife, most of which have strong chitinous shells and can be thought of as similar to millipedes or isopods. Zeta maxillary canines (1c) are the largest on Siren, laterally flattened and lacking sharp points, instead used to crush and split open the shells of their main prey, and they have huge saggital crests to support their jaw muscles. Zeta were formerly aquatic and still retain tail flukes and dense bones from that evolutionary era (3). They have a plantigrade, knuckle-walking locomotion and lack tongues. Zeta are marsupial and unisex.

Fig. 2 shows the coat colour variation. It is divided into red phase and blue phase shades. While most individuals have both phases, some are solely red or solely blue. Zeta are the only people on Siren who have naturally occurring blue pigments in their skin and hair, and blue eyes. The settlers who genetically engineered zeta also programmed in the logo of their megacorporation, which was a stylised blue letter 'A', which would appear like a tattoo from birth on the skin of zeta, formed of their own pigments. Over subsequent milennia, the logo has become indistinct and abstract, and the blue pigment is no longer limited to this particular marking, but found all over.

1.2. Kattakati

During the development of zeta, the genetic engineers wanted to produce a creature which would never have solidarity with a member of its own kind. They tampered with the brains of their creations, thinking that they had produced a creature with no sense of community, empathy, solidarity, or sympathy. In the intervening years zeta have developed a novel way to regain those traits, for their own survival. Early aquatic and terrestrial zeta developed a form of eusociality, viewing members of their pack as themselves, as limbs of one being, and over time this developed into the Dry Bowl practice of kattakati pairing. This consists of a pair of zeta who have entered a binding agreement to consider one another a single being (3).

Legally, socially, and culturally, a kattakati is one person. It has a single name and will not allow others to distinguish between its component bodies in any meaningful way, as they are supposed to be taken as a complete whole, together. It is frowned upon to consider the pair anything other than one guy. The two halves of a kattakati do not necessarily agree on all things, but this is not a contradiction; a person often thinks contradicting thoughts, and feels contradicting things. The nature of the bond is not platonic, romantic, or sexual, and a kattakati might make friends and date other people (you can't date just one half - you need to date the whole guy). End image text]

1.3. Coat types

The colour saturation of their markings depends on the length of their fur, which can be very variable. generally, the longer the fur, the less intense the colours. bare skin is usually the most intensely coloured in the aquatic biotype (see below) as it contributes to underwater camouflage, with patterns similar to pelagic phocids. under the water, bright red and blue are rendered almost black and white, which is how some phocids end up mistaking aquatic zeta for phocids. ‘pelagic’ cannot be used to describe aquatic zeta as they must go to land to give birth.

 

Illustration of three zetas, two terrestrial and one aquatic, with blue and red toned fur.

Land zeta can be broken into two broad biotypes, robust (short) and gracile (tall). every zeta has the blue pigment gene, which replaces black in unaltered human genetics, but the extent of its expression is very variable. Nearly all blue markings are dilute or “roaned” in some way, with solid blue in large/continuous patches being the rarest land zeta colour.

Unlike selkies and phocids, but in common with sirenian harpies, zetas’ foramen magnum is at the base of the skull, not the caudal side. So they have a different range of motion which allows humanlike nodding of the head. They can also wear hats designed for bipeds. Good for them!

2. Aquatic Zeta

Line drawing of a long, streamlined creature with the text "sea zeta"

Aquatic zeta are still extant though vanishingly rare due to their deeply independent nature and seeming total lack of community. They cannot tolerate social interaction outside of sex and will not willingly enter society. They are considered by many people to be more akin to animals than people, though it is important to note that we have no proof either way. They have a place in phocid mythologies occupying a 'changeling' or 'doppelganger' type role, often symbolic of the fear of the unknown. 

 

3. Gallery

 

A landstrider harpy and robust type zeta running together.

A young landstrider harpy and zeta hunting partnership in Dry Bowl. Although the zeta is faster in short bursts, they struggle to keep up with a landstrider after the first ten minutes. 

Unfinished drawing of a young zeta with a shortwing harpy on their back

A teenage zeta from the dry breaks region playing kattakati with an unenthusiastic shortwing partner.

Young zeta in this region often romanticise the idea of forming a kattakati and take on random friends as body partners for a short time. They think it makes them look cool and grown-up. Zetas do not easily form bonds with others so even this playing is a way for them to strengthen a relationship even if the game is temporary.

Line drawing of two zeta, one short and one tall, walking together.

A kattakati consisting of robust (left) and gracile (right) types. Body type and fur texture are highly variable.