Earlier this year in January, I shared a topic titled “Mimetophobia - Analog Horror Idea” and conducted a poll to gauge interest in a follow-up. As a result, I’m now creating this post to delve into the concept of the Mimics, exploring how they function and addressing some of the questions you may have about them.
LORE
“How Did CopyCats Show Up On Earth?”
This remains intentionally unanswered and ambiguous, as these entities are meant to be a mysterious force beyond our comprehension due to their bizarre nature and their contradiction to human understanding.
They could be of alien origin, or perhaps a strange evolutionary anomaly—it’s uncertain. This uncertainty is central to the horror they evoke. Science cannot explain their existence. However, they are indeed biological, organic beings.
“How Did Humans Respond To The Sudden Appearance Of Copycats?”
Humans initially sought to capture CopyCats for study, but they soon realized that these ancient creatures possess the remarkable ability to replicate anything they consume as they grow, inheriting traits from their food sources, including humans themselves.
As the population of CopyCats surged, the human population began to decline. The CopyCats discovered that humans, being the most abundant creatures on Earth, could provide sustenance for an extended period. Consequently, they began to target humans preferentially, capitalizing on the tendency of people to group together and confine themselves, which made them easy prey.
In response to this dire situation, governments worldwide established quarantines to keep most creatures outside of urban areas and formed specialized units tasked with driving off CopyCats. Major cities and national capitals are fortified with the highest levels of protection.
One particularly notable research lab came across a Junior CopyCat (further details to be provided later) and decided to attempt domesticating it. They named the captive CopyCat Mimi and have utilized her for research purposes, feeding her a balanced diet of various animal types to determine if a new kind of Evolved CopyCat (more information to follow) can emerge from this approach.
CHARACTERISTICS
What type of Traits do CopyCats Replicate?
They can assimilate various traits, both behavioral and genetic.
By consuming a diverse array or multitude of birds, they may acquire genetic characteristics such as wings or feathers. Eating reptilian creatures allows them to gain traits like scales or other features distinctive to those animals. Consumption of crustaceans like crabs or lobsters provides them with a shell, while mammals impart traits such as fur, hooves, antlers, tusks, and more.
Additionally, they can adopt behavioral patterns such as swarming, herding, and schooling. This ability extends to inheriting the intelligence of the animals they consume, including humans.
“What Is The Life Cycle of CopyCats?”
There are multiple phases a CopyCat takes in their life. Instead of explaining every step, I’ll just use this chart:
You may notice extra things after the Mature phase. If you’re wondering what those are, they’re the result of mature copycats eating other mature copycats.
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Aces expertly manage their aerial prey. Planes and helicopters often fall victim to their prowess. Their spines are replaced with casque-like structures, while their beaks are strong and thick enough to pierce steel and shatter glass. Additionally, their claws are capable of swiftly tearing through metal.
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Froggers are the smallest type of Mature copycat, equipped with a potent toxin that can incapacitate elephants within thirty minutes. Despite being the least aggressive species, they pose a serious risk if physical contact occurs due to their lethal poison.
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Scouts are the most prevalent type; they possess a humanoid appearance. Although they don’t have an abundance of horns or spines, the few they do have are big and tough, like the antlers of animals like moose. Their large teeth enable them to effortlessly tear apart prey, and their hands are equipped with large, razor-sharp claws.
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Strykers are agile and fast creatures equipped with spines that secrete a potent venom, which can be lethal within hours. They also have sharp teeth that release venom, enhancing their ability to subdue prey and defend against threats. These features highlight their adaptations for survival.
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Hardhats offer strong physical protection with durable shells that can withstand impacts and are virtually bulletproof. Their shells are adorned with spine-like structures that enhance stability and inflict injury if they detach. Being safe and cautious is essential for
effectiveness against them. -
Hunters operate in packs, often leading the charge to capture prey with their sharp teeth, similar to those of tigers or wolves. Before the attack, scouts survey the surroundings to assess risks and inform the hunters. This division of roles highlights the teamwork essential for their hunting success.
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Overlords have consumed multiple mature copycats of each variety and copied their traits; avoid these at all costs.
Even if some of these traits aren’t in the prey consumed, they will be developed due to evolutionary genetic linkage.
“What Are The CopyCats Weak To?”
The creatures are primarily made of cartilage, which means that when they sustain injuries, it takes time for them to recover. Sudden environmental changes, such as volcanic eruptions that quickly heat the surroundings or blanket the sky with ash, or earthquakes that fracture the land, can leave CopyCats exposed to additional threats. Although they possess remarkable durability, they can still be harmed if subjected to sufficient force.
Answering Your Questions
For one example, the amount of killing they do has opened up a good amount of land to return to nature, and in turn lowered the amount of CO2 in the environment, cooling the atmosphere down a little.
This is left undisclosed intentionally, if we knew where they were from, it’d make the CopyCat s less mysterious.
Surviving is their main goal. They’re wild animals, they’re smart, but at the end of the day, they’re not trying to achieve some bigger goal; they just want to eat and survive.
No, nothing has ever tried to actively prey upon them. The only threats these things had were nature itself and other copycats, as demonstrated with the Overlord and evolved copycats, and explained earlier. Any animal that had tried was never faced by one. They were facing a pack, and sometimes an entire colony.
Alright, that concludes this follow-up topic. This’ll probably be the last Mimetophobia topic created for a while, but there might be something planned for this analog horror later.
