My diggers were surprised by a particularly determined gang of Fishmen today. Their leader wore a magnificent seaweed-tangled brass diving helmet. Glorious! Ladies. Critically, this raises a number of questions: Do Fishmen understand how diving helmets work? And on a related note, is this helmet functional? Perhaps he needs water like we need air. Is he simply wearing the Diving Helmet as adornment? Perhaps this gang of Fishmen have only a cargo-cult understanding of land-dweller society. In context, the act of digging clay seemed to cause them some confusion. And perhaps the most sinister question: Is this a former Royal Marine, perhaps, still wearing the vestiges of his diving equipment? Was he drawn drawn back to shore by the vestigial memories of his old life?
An example of headgear based on the shell of the sea snail: Magnificent! You've got something on your face. We can perhaps speculate that the Fishmen are ready scavengers of materials intended for use in weaponry and personal adornment. Though we cannot readily determine if their settlements are sedentary or nomadic, we can at least assume they have ready access to the ocean floor, given the presence of bone knives, sea shells, and other detritus that would be deposited there. The decorative markings on the face mask are particularly intriguing.
Corporal Gearsirons, burn all copies of this book. Especially any containing photographs of Fishmen dressed as soldiers or labourers. We'll track down this Alephred character down before he spreads any more of his maddening ideas under the guise of 'research'.
I do love those little hats. I wish some of my 'strange' colonists could pick them up and wear them, at least in private.
Another charming example of native headgear, made from fish. A cursory examination will identify the likely source as the Puffer Fish, or its close relative the Porcupine fish, both of the Order Tetraodontiformes. Striking! The common puffer fish thrives in tropical waters, and is not to be found in cold waters. It is a poor swimmer and tends to stay close to the ocean floor. Consequently, the prevalence of this apparel suggests the Fishmen themselves either settle or at least inhabit the tropical ocean floor. We might even speculate that the scaly homunculi practice a limited form of domestication. An understated elegance. A worrisome thought occurs, however. Both the Puffer Fish and the Porcupine Fish possess notoriously virulent poisons, employed in self-defense. Surely the primitive Fishpeoples must possess a latent immunity to such poisons, because the unthinkable alternative is to suggest that they are proficient in the nature and effect of such deadly toxins.
I think I'm going to upload this stuff as a Guide for the Steam Guide page; I'm amused at the thought that there are no strategy guides or walkthroughs yet, but the first Guide will be a catalogue of hats. The Steam Guide version is here: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=463693640 With a new introduction from the author (that's me, of course).
