Slick
Species >
Slicks are one of the most terrifying and infamous inhabitants of The Depths beneath Deep City on Mallikai III. These towering, mutated remnants of the low-caste Sluggo laborers now stand 10–12 feet tall, their bodies twisted by uncontrolled Omega Radiation leaking from reactor cores. Slicks are blind, grotesquely muscular, and possess enormous toad-like maws capable of swallowing a Human whole.
Their name comes from the thick mucus trails they leave behind, which coat machinery, tunnels, and the edges of subterranean reservoirs.
Origins
Slicks were once Sluggo of the lowest caste, forced into the Depths as expendable maintenance workers and reactor laborers. When Omega Radiation spills occurred, many workers were quickly evacuated—but some could not be retrieved.
Those left behind:
- mutated rapidly
- lost their eyesight
- grew massively in size
- developed extreme aggression
- began hunting anything that moved
Within weeks, the first Slick attacks were recorded.
Biology
Slicks are biological catastrophes—unstable but powerful.
Physical Traits
- 10–12 feet tall, sometimes more when fully extended
- Massive barrel-shaped bodies filled with mutated muscle tissue
- Enormous circular maw lined with jagged, irregular teeth
- No eyes—they navigate using sound, vibration, and chemical detection
- Long, powerful forelimbs used to grab prey
- Constant secretion of thick, slick mucus
- Elastic stomach walls that expand to hold large prey
The mucus is:
- acidic
- antimicrobial
- extremely slippery
- able to dissolve certain metals
This makes Slick trails hazardous and often corrosive.
Sensory Adaptation
Slicks are blind but track prey through:
- echolocation-like throat pulses
- vibration sensitivity
- heat gradients
- chemical scent tracking
Their ability to detect living creatures is extraordinarily sharp—even silent intruders rarely escape notice.
Regeneration
Omega Radiation left Slicks with extreme regenerative capabilities, allowing them to:
- heal deep cuts within hours
- recover from burns
- regenerate lost tissue
- survive severe trauma
This makes killing a Slick extremely difficult.
Behavior
Slick behavior is driven by primal hunger and territorial dominance.
Aggression
They aggressively attack anything:
- warm
- moving
- alive
Slicks prefer:
- Humans
- Sluggo
- Troll young (rare but recorded)
- Smaller Depths fauna
They avoid:
- bright light
- sustained high heat
- powerful reactor sound-cycling
Though they fear light less than Trolls, intense illumination disorients them.
Movement
Slicks move with surprising speed, sliding on mucus layers or lumbering in heavy quadrupedal bursts. Their footsteps produce a recognizable thudding “wet impact” that echoes through tunnels.
Communal Behavior
Though not social, Slicks sometimes inhabit overlapping territories near:
- water reservoirs
- steam vents
- flooded machinery rooms
Their proximity suggests opportunistic coexistence rather than cooperation.
Habitat
Slicks prefer areas with:
- abundant water access
- warm temperatures
- minimal light
- decaying machinery
- reactor runoff
Common locations include:
- reservoir edges
- flooded reactor chambers
- collapsed coolant caverns
- abandoned Sluggo work camps
The combination of moisture and warmth allows their mucus to spread and renew easily.
Interaction With Other Depths Species
With Trolls
Slicks and Trolls avoid each other when possible. Conflicts occur when:
- food is scarce
- territorial overlap happens
- Slicks encroach on Troll camps
Trolls can injure Slicks, but rarely kill them.
With Kantikor
Slicks often kill and consume Kantikor, though Kantikor occasionally fight back successfully. Kantikor territory usually shifts away from large Slick nesting regions.
With Surface-Dwellers
Deep City residents fear Slick incursions above all else. Recorded behaviors include:
- attacking unlit scavengers
- entering Grottos during power outages
- dragging victims into flooded tunnels
Bright light or heavy machinery noise typically forces retreat.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Virtually nothing is known. No Slick corpses have been recovered, nor have eggs or offspring.
Theories include:
- Slicks are sterile and immortal mutations
- They regenerate continuously instead of reproducing
- They reproduce in water using unseen larval stages
- Reactor furnaces have destroyed biological evidence
Until a dead Slick is recovered, their life cycle remains a mystery.
Cultural Impact
Slicks are the boogeymen of Mallikai III, used in:
- cautionary tales
- Deep City warnings
- industrial hazard signage
- Sluggo folklore
Many Sluggo consider Slicks “cursed ancestors,” a grim reminder of their caste’s exploitation.