http://cheminthehead.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] cheminthehead.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] fhplotterywheel2008-08-09 01:08 pm

A Run Down on the Weekend's 'invasion' [AKA: GET IT OFF GET IT OFF!]

This weekend, Australia's critters have discovered both Fandom Island and a way to get there. Beginning from Saturday morning, if it creeps, crawls, waddles, hops, swims or slithers (and is not a Big Scary Creature), it can show up on the island. If it's just weird, it can show up, too, even if its big, as long as its not 'big and will eat you (croc, shark, arguably dingo)' or 'big and will kick you to death (emus, the larger kangaroos)'.

This is a self-modding weekend-long random event, as opposed to a full on BDE/MDE style invasion, designed more to creep/weird people out than put them in life threatening danger.

To that end, there are some limitations, and a built-in safety feature, as dying of funnel-web venom would really put a crimp in an otherwise damn fine plan.

Limitations

Smallish creatures only. No crocs, sharks, dingos, or emus. We're focussing on the bizarre and the creepy and crawly here, with a side order of 'I'm cute and can kill you with my feet!' (AKA the platypus). The weird and creepily dangerous sea critters are fair game, too, as far as seeing them, but no getting caught by them!


The Safety Feature

If a character is in serious danger of getting bitten, stung, savaged by a monotreme (and you are more than welcome to put your characters severely in harm's way, so long as they get out of it again without being poisoned or seriously injured), a wee (moddable) Australian Stockman, hero of the Australian bush and famed in song, story, and movie, will ride in, cracking his stock whip and waving his hat, and he and his trusty stockhorse will drive the dangerous critter away! Aussie Stockmen really are Australia's cultural heroes.

Some good sources for Australia's weird and creepy are here, here (spider warning - the ones that keep APPEARING IN MY HOUSE), here, here, here, and here. Also here, but I warn for BIG spider pic.

You could also look up 'bird eating spider', but I am so not liking to any sites. No one needs to see that as a surprise.

(You also get croc icon, because I am NOT making a spider one. Noooo way.)

Questions, comments, massive amounts of bug spray?

ETA: La, see my edit - it's guaranteed spider free! If your characters can heal themselves up from it, they are totally welcome to get poisoned.
solo_sword: (wtf.)

[personal profile] solo_sword 2008-08-09 03:40 am (UTC)(link)
JESUS CHRIST, HOW MANY KINDS OF SPIDERS DO YOU HAVE?????????

[identity profile] peter--parker.livejournal.com 2008-08-09 03:45 am (UTC)(link)
Too many.

[identity profile] tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com 2008-08-09 03:45 am (UTC)(link)
HOW ARE YOU ALL NOT DEAD OMG?

[identity profile] minnesota-teen.livejournal.com 2008-08-09 03:47 am (UTC)(link)
OMG SPIDERS!

Totally freak me out!!!

[identity profile] vkandis-son.livejournal.com 2008-08-09 03:47 am (UTC)(link)
I KNOW RIGHT? CAUSE A DOZEN HORRIFYING EIGHT LEGGED CREATURES ISN'T ENOUGH - YOU MUST HAVE LIKE A HUNDRED MORE!
intraspective: (spooked)

[personal profile] intraspective 2008-08-09 03:47 am (UTC)(link)
TOO MANY CREEPY-CRAWLIES ZOMG. And the spiders. ZOMG.

[identity profile] peter--parker.livejournal.com 2008-08-09 03:48 am (UTC)(link)
I call this weekend "Nick checks his flist very carefully Weekend." Because, seriously, right there with you on the spiders. Gah, no.

And, yes, I'm commenting from this journal for additional irony.

One question, though: can our characters be poisoned if they'd be able to heal themselves pretty quickly? I ask only because the thought of Jolee having to use the Force to heal himself from platypus venom won't stop amusing me.

[identity profile] vkandis-son.livejournal.com 2008-08-09 03:51 am (UTC)(link)
Oooh - good question! If they can heal themselves up without too much trouble, they can totally get poisoned.

*goes to edit post*

[identity profile] all4thewookiees.livejournal.com 2008-08-09 04:02 am (UTC)(link)
Woo! Poor Jolee. He'll never know what hit him. I mean, he could see it plain as day, but he still wouldn't know what hit him. He'd be staring at it all, "What is that thing?"

[identity profile] kawalsky.livejournal.com 2008-08-09 04:03 am (UTC)(link)
Over 2400 different species. I kid you not.
solo_sword: (omg)

[personal profile] solo_sword 2008-08-09 04:05 am (UTC)(link)
fpgfychueafgyweh;uoijfwughuojiGYIHiuuUHIEGYIHUFERUIPAHWIAFJSRAFHVIIDGIGR;VHER
WEIFYHWIRFVHWRENGVPSDFUIWRFWRGVUHRWOGIJu84prgehigfhvbzhrufgwr

DO NOT WANT.
solo_sword: (amused)

[personal profile] solo_sword 2008-08-09 04:06 am (UTC)(link)
It's fuzzy duck-billed doom, that's what!

[identity profile] all4thewookiees.livejournal.com 2008-08-09 04:10 am (UTC)(link)
I'm just saying, this guy spent 20 years in Kashyyyk's Shadowlands, the bottom of the deepest, darkest jungle in the galaxy, and he's NEVER seen something like a platypus.

That's going to be a new experience.

[identity profile] crazypilotman.livejournal.com 2008-08-09 04:14 am (UTC)(link)
And my hubby wants to move there?

...

*shudder*

[identity profile] thismaskiwear.livejournal.com 2008-08-09 04:20 am (UTC)(link)
*looks at sheer number of spider links*

*thinks of insect allergies*

*curls up and cries*

ETA: OH MY GOD WHY DID I GOOGLE THAT BIRD EATING SPIDER WHY WHY WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYY.
Edited 2008-08-09 04:34 (UTC)
multiplez: (Is that Sky and Bridge?)

[personal profile] multiplez 2008-08-09 04:23 am (UTC)(link)
I fully understand why the English thought Australia was an appropriate place to send their criminals. They figured everybody would be dead in a week!

[identity profile] ktarian-wildman.livejournal.com 2008-08-09 06:26 am (UTC)(link)
*twitches*

I hate even thinking about spiders!



[identity profile] peter--parker.livejournal.com 2008-08-09 12:34 pm (UTC)(link)
WHY WOULD YOU DO SUCH A THING? IT'S A SPIDER THAT EATS BIRDS. THAT SEARCH WAS NOT GOING TO END WELL.

[identity profile] repeterpetrelli.livejournal.com 2008-08-10 12:38 am (UTC)(link)
Per Wikipedia:

The spider was named by explorers from the Victorian era, who witnessed one eating a hummingbird and reported the sighting to the Western world.

One assumes that "Victorian era" explains why the full name isn't "HOLY SHIT THAT SPIDER IS THE SIZE OF MY FIST AND ATE A BIRD I SWEAR TO GOD WHAT THE EVER-LIVING FUCK IS WRONG WITH THIS ISLAND???"

[identity profile] vkandis-son.livejournal.com 2008-08-10 12:42 am (UTC)(link)
*is dead*

(of laff, not of spiders)

[identity profile] repeterpetrelli.livejournal.com 2008-08-10 12:43 am (UTC)(link)
I'm just saying!!

[identity profile] thismaskiwear.livejournal.com 2008-08-10 06:28 am (UTC)(link)
I love you.