When You Are Infected (ID: xccbrQ)

Grouping: Mammalian, Arthropod

Tyilings are beautiful, rare creatures that lay dormant most of the year and only seem to emerge with the blooming of flowers in the spring, when they then become plentiful. They are incredibly lightweight, able to fly unladen for moderate distances via their large, butterfly-like wings. Close relatives to Qidrik, these deer are fairly calm and docile even when wild, showing little to no fear of predators while they peacefully eat fresh grasses and flower buds. Though their antlers are long, sturdy, and sharp, a Tyiling does not use them for defense-- rather, the antlers connect to the creature's long, drooping antennae, raising them so that the wind will blow them and spread the dust that falls from the long feelers.

This dust is a Tyiling's primary method of defense. Sweet-smelling and loaded with allomones, this dust renders the receiver passive and non-aggressive, making it not a threat to the Tyiling. Both wild, predatory animals and researchers alike have been known to fall into a mild trance in the presence of a Tyiling, wishing to stay near the deer and protecting it from predators that might not be affected by the chemicals. Though the dust can be refined into a spray that will subdue aggressive creatures, prolonged and repeated exposure can result in progressive paralysis, hallucinations, and cognitive impairment.

Artwork: Keileon