Ambix, the Spirit Salamander

As you well know, the latest spirit to be discovered is Ambix, a Fire and Water Geomon that somehow combines these two opposing elements into the form of a salamander!

Many of you must be thinking, ‘How can there be another fire salamander? We’ve already got Mandra!” Well, it would seem that for some reason fire lizards are quite popular ideas in today’s culture, spawing enough instances that this particular meme has started to mutate into different species.

Ambix was first speculated to exist by Agent xxxBlackxxx in the Espercorp Spirit Speculation Spectacular. We originally thought ‘Siren’, as it was named, was simply a different breed of Mandra, but further investigation proved them to be a fully unique species. Here are some of the initial scans Espercorp made while researching Ambix:

Mr. McDouglas is attributing this latest discovery to an upgrade in our scanners in the latest version of the Geomon Software. In his words our scanners  ”weren’t slick enough to pick up these slippery little sprites.”  I have had only a day to observe Ambix since its discovery in the wild, but I am so excited about it that I simply had to publish my findings.

Appearance and Behavior

Ambix resemble a specific type of Salamander, notably those that have not yet undergone metamorphosis and still have gills outside of their body. One particular species, the Axolotl Salamander, never outgrows this stage and spends its entire life in the water.

No water-bound life for Ambix it seems– they move as freely through the air as they do the water. There are some limitations to their powers of levitation, because they tend to appear at low altitudes. And yes, they can go in the water. Their flames disappear beneath a gelatinous membrane when they dive, and their bodies emit a sparkling glow from the furnace burning within.

Ambix come fairly small, the smallest being about the size of my pinky finger. At this time most of the Ambix discovered are relatively young and low-level, but even high-level specimens we’ve scanned do not exceed more than two feet. That’s not to say larger ones don’t exist. More likely they are clever at hiding and we haven’t found them yet. But so far research would indicate Ambix have either a minimal diet or a very efficient metabolism.

Location

Ambix appear mostly in warm weather in places with low to high amounts of water, but so far rare specimens have been cropping up occasionally all over the world– in cold areas as well as deserts!

This kind of uniform population dispersion tends to correspond with Geomon that are closely related to human beings. After all, the places we scan are almost all places where people are, too. Winglet, for example, can be found anywhere on earth, because they feed almost exclusively on people’s wishes. I suspected that Ambix might also share a similar ecological relationship with humans.

A rough indication of where Ambix have been scanned so far, and where we expect them to be based on that data.

Compostion

The first thing we did with the scans you Agents have been collecting was get better composition statistics. Dr. Nielson and Dr. Alister, as always, helped me to compile the scans and develop a picture of the average Ambix.

It turns out that the primary sources of Fire in an Ambix are these emotions: Passion, Excitement, and Ambition.The primary sources of Water consist of Confidence, Serenity, and Persistence. Determination, which usually forms with high concentrations of both Fire and Water was also found.

There are of course trace instances of many other emotions, and other emotions could be derived from the above list. But the ‘gist’ of the Geomon, as I like to say, is plain as day. Ambix is a Spirit of Inspiration.

Hypothesis

My more reserved colleagues would say it’s too early to make such a claim, but I have a hunch. I speculate that Ambix will form whenever a particularly strong idea erupts from a person’s mind. We’ve often scanned our brain while we’ve been engaged in different aspects of our work here at EsperCorp, and the effects of a breakthrough idea are not unlike an explosion, or a lightning strike. All of a sudden a series of intense chemical reactions shake the Thymos. Ideas crystallize and shatter into beautiful, radiant forms, and with it come a cascade of emotions and thoughts that burst into flame or melt or dissipate all around.

Based on our records, a good, strong idea would generate enough energy to create up to a dozen Ambix at once.

It’s easy to forget, not being able to see visually their effects, how powerful our thoughts can be. How much Spirit Matter we can create with just one powerful, resonating idea. Thoughts are the primary forces that move and change the Thymos, and we are the dominant thinking beings on this planet.

Conclusion

What do Ambix do, once they’ve been sprung into the world? Do they go out and seek other elementals like themselves? Do they search for another head to nestle in, to grow slowly into another burst of inspiration? Mere speculation, of course. More research into the life cycle of Ambix will have to be done before we can say what their behavioral tendencies and reproduction methods are.

I hope this was inpirational to some of you! Please share your own research about Ambix in the comments below!

-Dr. Rhine

Esper Profile: Imp

Since the assignment of our Agent’s most recent mission, “Things the go Bump,” we have collected significantly more scans and samples of the “Orc” Species Class. I’ve decided to take this opportunity to state my observations of one of these in particular, the Imp. Imps seem to have birthed from the concept of the eternal underling, eager to please, useful in a wide variety of capacities, but entirely unable to think for themselves.

Discovered by Agent xcellz

Size: 0.8 m

Energy: 15eV

Strength: Shadow

Weakness: Mind

 

 

 

Appearance:

Imps are flying mammal Espers that have the appearance of a flying cat or monkey with spiked horns running down their backs. An opposable spiked tail provides balance while steering themselves in the air, and can be used for grabbing and stabbing. Their batlike wings are comically small given their heavy, rotund bodies— were this creature to appear in the terrestrial world it wouldn’t be able to get an inch off the ground. But the Imp can fly, and even hover, flapping at an alarming pace. They aren’t very agile, and they often crash as a result, but their bodies are tough and elastic, so they usually bounce back with little damage. Continue reading

Esper Profile: Gobbler

Discovered Nov. 26 2010 by Agent zippylee

Size: 0.5m

Energy: 30eV

Strength: Earth

Weakness: Fire

 

 

 

In honor of Thanksgiving, we’re going to explore an Esper that literally embodies the spirit of the season: a Turkey Esper that crops up when American’s thoughts turn towards their stomachs and roasting featherbirds stuffed with bread and raisins. I’m a vegetarian, but I wasn’t always such. I still remember the delicious meals I would enjoy every year with my family. Mashed potatoes and gravy, creamed corn and carrots, green beans and almonds, and of course the Turkey with cranberries. It’s no surprise that Gobbler have started showing up already, in anticipation of the nationwide feasting that will occur this week.

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Esper Profile: Banshee

Every so often, we get wild fluctuations in the Thymosphere. One species of Esper will run rampant, or a previously peaceful Esper will turn destructive, or some other unexpected trend will sweep through the world out of the blue. Last year, for example, the normally peaceful Lilyfly turned vicious and began swarming radars. These swarms tend to happen around holidays or times when human thought is focused on one particular subject.

Size: 2m

Energy: 30eV

Strength: Shadow

Weakness: Light

 

 

 

This year, we’ve registered record high numbers of Banshee. Since we’ve gotten so many new specimens, I’ve had more opportunities to study these unique Shadow Espers. They’re frail ghost-types that look a bit like human females, clothed only in a thin white cloth that billows around them as they float. Their translucent hair trails behind their heads like a delicate cloud.

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Esper Profile: Black Shuck

As EsperCorp’s Head of Field Operations, it’s my duty to research dangerous and unusual Espers, in order to make sure we aren’t exposing our Agents to more than they can handle. One of my most memorable discoveries had been Black Shuck. We’ve scanned numerous instances of Black Shuck for a few months now, but since Autumn we’ve seen a spike in their population-– most likely due to the onset of Autumn (the beginning of seasonal death) and Halloween, a holiday which turns the minds of many towards death and horror. Given that context, I thought it appropriate to use this week’s Esper Profile entry to explore the finer details of this demon hellspawn dog, and maybe get past a few misconceptions about it.

 

Size: 1.09 Meters

Energy: 20eV

Strength: Shadow

Weakness: Water

 

 

Black Shuck is a frightening face to look at, and one of the more stomach churning examples of how Spirit Animals can take forms utterly impossible in the biological world. Its dry, grinning skull of a head is connected to the rest of the body by nothing but spinal column and tongue muscle. From each vertebrae down its back erupts a spear of white bone which take on the shape of grim headstones through the perceptual haze of the Esper screen. Its body is taut, rippling muscle, skinless and black.

Here we have as realistic a depiction of Black Shuck as could be made. As you can see there is no muscle at all on the skull except for the tongue and eyeball.

 Based on all that you’d probably think Black Shuck to be a fearsome, ruthless killer. And indeed that is a persona that they project. As a Shadow-Type Esper they feed upon whatever Fear and Uncertainty they can shake from the Earth, and there is a lot to go around. Upon further familiarity, however, it’s clear that the threatening attitude comes from a fierce sense of confidence and pride. Once comfortably bonded with a trainer they will become fiercely loyal companions. Their powers over Shadow and Electricity are impressive, and they will enthusiastic strike out at any unknown Espers that approach their master unless explicitly ordered not to. Continue reading

Esper Profile: Anura

Anura is the water Esper most widely distributed on land. They can be found near most bodies of fresh water, and almost every time it rains. While small and not the most powerful Esper around, there is strength in their numbers, which grow more and more numerous with the amount of moisture in the air. While not particularly intelligent, they are capable Espers and an important part of the Thymosphere’s ecosystem.

 

Size 0.4m

Energy: 50 eV

Strength: Water

Weakness: Wind

 

Appearance:

Anura are small frog Espers that appear to be made entirely of water. Their bodies are highly translucent, and within them can be seen a sphere of condensed energy near where the brain would be located in a biological organism. Aurora tells me that because of the highly reflective nature of Anura’s body, they appear startlingly beautiful through the Esper screen, like jeweled sapphires floating on the water. How anyone is able to justify making such aesthetic statements in a scientific setting is beyond me, but I include this because she suggested that such a metaphor would help Agents visualize the spirit.

Behavior:

Like many water Espers, Anura is highly elastic. It can stretch its body to quite extreme proportions, and fill itself with air to further alter its shape or to let out a croak of bubbles. Continue reading

Esper Profile: Malila

So far studies are inconclusive as to whether Espers experience “gravity” the way we do, but one thing is clear: Malila is one of the sturdiest Espers we have ever encountered in the field. If one doesn’t want to move, there’s not much in the thymosphere that can dislodge it. Malila caught in a storm reportedly dig in their legs, sit there and wait for the water and wind passing above them to subside.

 

Size: 3.7m

Energy: 75 eV

Strength: Earth

Weakness: Wind

 

 

Appearance:

Malila is a tortoise Esper that carries a plant habitat on its back. The composition of its skin and shell ranges in texture from solid stone to petrified wood. The greenery on its shell can be grown or retracted at will, and the types of plants that grow change according to the Malila’s mood. A happy Malila might grow a meadow of flowers, while one that feels threatened would present a briar patch of thorns.

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Esper Profile: Lilyfly

Lilyfly are very common in areas with heavy vegetation, and as such were an early discovery for Espercorp. Flitting from flower to flower, Lilyfly fly about breezily, spreading growth wherever they go. Lilyfly awake with the rising sun and collect its energy with their petal-like wings.

 

Length: 2-6 in.

Volume: 5-10 cc.

Strength: Plant

Weakness: Fire

 

 

Appearance:

Lilyfly are one of the most hybridized Espers we’ve found, its Energy signatures made up evenly between plant and insect. At first glance, they look similar to a normal butterfly, but on further inspection it’s clear that their structure is more like that of a flower. Their wings are shaped like petals (or are petals?), and they seem to gain energy from the sun in much the same way plants do. A tiny golden crown of stamen atop its head serves as antenna. We named them after the Lilyflower, which is what they most commonly resemble, but they actually come in many, many variations, imitating whatever flowers can be found in their area.

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Esper Profile: Iris

 

 

 

Length: 2m
Energy (by volume): 65 eV
Strength: Light
Weakness: Dark

 

 

It’s impossible to look at Iris and feel sad or angry. I mean, it’s a rainbow unicorn, for goodness’ sake! Ladies and gents, adorable creatures like this are why I love this job.

Appearance:

Iris are beautiful, pure white horses with silver hooves. A single horn protrudes from its forehead. Iris’ horn acts like a prism, refracting sunlight into rainbows on surfaces all around it. We believe that Iris are summoned by thoughts of hope, the same way that the sight of a rainbow summons hope after a storm. This may explain Iris’ sparkling rainbow mane and tail. Iris seems to leave ribbons of rainbow-hued light when it moves – where Iris’ hooves go, colors follow.

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Esper Profile: Skywhal


Length: 15 – 110 ft.
Energy (by Volume) :  300 – 2000 eV
Strength: Wind
Weakness: Lightning

Discovering Skywhal was a challenge in the early days of Espercorp. The only evidence we ever saw of them were odd ambient signals because they spend most of their time migrating from storm front to storm front, far above where our early radar detection would reach. However, once we extrapolated that Espers could exist well above ground level, discovering Skywhal was as easy as visiting the nearest rainstorm. Of course, that didn’t turn out to be easy at all, but that’s a report for another day.

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