Hues

Hues are creatures that are native to the Hypogean. They are mostly based on liquids and several unknown chemicals that make their bodies resemble shadows. Their specific place of origin is somewhat unknown but it is known that they have a small fixation on freshwater pools and on the sea dubbed as the "toxic aquifer".

Biology
Hues are primarily made from liquids and chemical. The chemicals are a mixture of chloride, natural dyes and toluene. The liquid is made from spring water and contains certain amounts of toxicity. When it is drunk, it will often cause serious dysentery and vomiting. The chemicals also are colorful in appearance-mostly due to them mixing with natural dyes-which causes many of them to be colored differently.

Hues are short in stature and around 2 feet and 8 inches. They often way around 50 pounds and contain a density consistent to ink. They don’t have blood and instead seem to leak chemicals and natural dyes found from plants and certain small Insects. They also wear shells made from wood, steel wool, rocks and minerals and wood. Should their shells be damaged they will attempt to flee and repair the damaged area. Should their shell be completely destroyed, Hues will switch from a solid form into a liquid comprised of chemicals and attempt to kill their attacker via bludgeoning, lacerations and suffocation. Should a Hue manage your kill a creature, they will drag their kill towards a nearby group of Hues and divide the spoils between it and its other members(the one responsible for the kill gains a larger cut of the meal) and will rest while another Hue acts a watch animal.

Hues that have fallen will remain until 48 hours after death in which they will dissipate into a puddle of chemicals. The ”corpse” shows slight corrosive properties when in constant with organic substance.

Hues reproduce in the same way most animals do. Genders are less about physical qualities and is instead based on the shade of the creature. Darker colored Hues are most often female while one with more Tint are males-ones with colors that are a mix in between are gender less and don’t procreate or engage in coitus. After a Hue is impregnated-signs include: leaking chemicals from the eyes and the shell turning into a small red-pinkish tone-it will take approximately 2 months for them to give birth to a new Hue(the term for a newborn Hue is dubbed a “pastel”). During pregnancy male Hues will stay near the pregnant Hue and act as guards in order to insure the safety of the pregnant Hue-its been noted that they also never interact with the pregnant Hue besides helping them flee should a predator arrive and besides delivering food.

When a Hue is ready to give Birth, it and other Males and Female hues will find a nearby source of freshwater and will lay the impregnated Hue in the water and place various objects into the water. After several minutes, the water will turn a certain color and the pregnant Hue will dip itself in the water. Shortly afterwards, the Hue that was pregnant will emerge(and their shell will return to its original color) with a new pastel(its best described as a hue but without a shell and instead will be colored whatever color the water had been).

It takes roughly 7 months for a Hue to become an adult, at which point they will either abandon their group or stay and aid their group.

Groups of hue's are called, "Palettes." They have a diet consisting of fruit and vegetables and are slightly fixated on berries and pomegranates. They often fight with small scraps of metals, sharp or blunt pieces of rocks and with antlers that have grown on their heads(most of which come in different shapes and sizes but still maintaining the ability to gouge) and during select times of the year, they shed their shells in place for a new one.

Behavior
Hue's are generally calm but extremely territorial especially when one member of a Palette is pregnant. They barely start fights and instead are a mixture of scavengers and predators and almost always attempt to flee should a nearby predator is deemed too big a threat.

Hue's also are known to speak but in a way where it sounds like multiple voices are talking at once or they talks as if there's an echo. They've been shown to be smart akin to humans but with a more animalistic and tribal mindset. Palettes are generally small which causes many Hue's to often stay in an area where other Palettes are easily accessible should reinforcements be needed.

Hue's have been seen to preform certain activities before mating and after a new pastel has been born. When two Hue's are about to mate, they often perform a contest akin to painting but instead of putting colors on a canvas or a piece of paper, they secrete their own chemicals from their eyes and rubbing it along the other's shell(usually the head). Should the design be deemed acceptable, the female allows the male to mate.

After mating, the male Hue will be considered the "dominant" Hue and will dictate where the Palettes will move next-when their is two or more "dominant" males, they will do a similar ritual to mating, however instead of secreting chemical, its more of a scavenger hunt and they attempt to use the objects as colors and statues. Who's ever art is deemed better is the new dominant male.

When a pastel is born, the palettes will hold a small celebration in which several members(mostly female and young males) will attempt to search for objects that will made into a shell for the newborn. The winner has their shell casted onto the newborn. After this celebration, the Palettes will attempt to search for food and abandon the freshwater source where the pastel was created.

Should a new born Hue be deemed unworthy via noticeable defects or group vote, they will be left near a small source of water by several Hue's before ultimately leaving them for death. Often, predators or survivors will attempt to eat or capture the pastels as their chemicals are highly sought after, there are rare instances where the pastel actually grows despite being left behind.