Category:Rusalki

2019-11-10T20:13:11Z

Boschy: /* Rusalki */

== Rusalki ==
The '''Rusalki''' are huge, sentient war machines created long ago to guard [[Sudra]] and [[the Breach]]. Each Rusalka has a unique personality and appearance. Generally though, the Rusalki are blue-grey in color, have a machine-like body, and a humanoid face. The Rusalki's appearance can be likened most to the famous art style of H.R. Giger<ref>Giger is known for a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._R._Giger#Style unique horror style] used most famously in the "Alien" movie series.</ref>.

Ophelia tells [[Trace]] that "Rusalki" is Elsenova's word for these beings, implying that there are other words used to describe them. "Kuliltu" is the [[Sudran (Language)]] word for the Rusalki, and can be found in several of the game's [[Notes]].

Throughout the game, the player will meet several Rusalki.

=== List of Rusalki ===
* [[Daraga]]
* [[Elsenova]]
* [[Ophelia]]
* [[Oracca]]
* [[Katrahaska]] (deceased)
* [[Veruska]]
The Rusalki communicate with each other in writing on [[Notes|green tablets]] in their own language called [[Vykhyan (Language)|Vykhya]].

It is noted by a Sudran high priestess that the Rusalki arrived on Sudra over 140 to 300 years prior to the writing of that Note.<ref>The Kuliltu (Note)[[The Kuliltu (Note)]]</ref> Despite the [[The Kuliltu (Note)|Note's description]] of the Rusalki's immortality, they can in fact die as can be observed in Katrahaska's remains. The power of the Rusalki seems to be much greater than any other inhabitants of Sudra, and she was likely [[Plan B (Note)|killed by a Rusalki]]. Upon death, they apparently leave behind [[Nanogates]]. Those extracted from Katrahaska's remains were used on Trace to control him and allow him to be [[Rebirth Chamber|rebirthed repeatedly]] to accomplish the Rusalki's mission.

Rusalki require maintenance to stay alive. They rely on huge rooms filled with biotechnology, some of which can be seen in [[Zi]]; The [[Power Filter]], Venous Filtration, and Arterial Shaft.

They can self-repair and interact with the environment by controlling [[Repair Drones]]. Without the Power Filter and Repair Drones they will slowly die. When first seen, Elsenova is in a dilapidated condition, with cracks and damage to her 'head' and cables; most noticeably missing her lower jaw. Once the Repair Drones are reactivated, however, she can be seen restored, with a new lower jaw and a cleaner, newer appearance.

Through most of the game, the large Rusalki are stationary, a head attached to the walls and floors by huge tube-like metal cables. There is a hangar in [[Edin]] that houses 3 bodies that the Rusalki can mount in order to move freely in different terrain. [[Elsenova]] uses the [[Repair Drones]] to attach to the serpent-like flying type body late in the game. Two other bodies are shown in the hangar. One is scorpion or lobster-like, the other is squid-like. The squid is most likely Veruska due to the reddish color of the squid and the reddish color of Veruska, while the scorpion/crab is Ophelia due to that it's of similar color and it is also facing forward like Ophelia.
[[File:Rusalki Bodies.png|center|838x838px]]

== Etymology ==

=== Pluralization ===
One Rusalka is a single entity. As a group, they are called by the plural form "Rusalki".

=== Folklore ===
The term originates in West Slavic folklore<ref>West Slavic folklore https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rusalka</ref>, where a Rusalka is a water nymph or female spirit, who gives moisture to crops in the spring. They can sometimes be malevolent spirits and can sometimes leave the water and climb trees.

Elsenova says that the term "Rusalki" is "like water machine", which may be a reference to the water nymphs of folklore.

=== Kuliltu ===
Related to ''kulullû'' ("Fish-Man" a.k.a. "Dagan"/"Dagon") from ancient Mesopotamian religion. ''Kuliltu'' is "Fish-Woman". They have the upper body of a human and the lower body and tail of a fish, much like merfolk.<ref>Taken from [https://www.reddit.com/r/axiomverge/comments/37flnm/spoilers_significance_of_names_ties_to_realworld/ this post] on Reddit.</ref>

== Citations ==
<references />
[[Category:Characters]]

Gir-Tab

2019-11-05T07:19:22Z

Boschy: /* Description */

[[File:Gir-Tab Avatar.png|right]]
== Description ==
'''Gir-Tab''' is a biomechanoid [[Variant]] of [[Athetos]] and the game's 4th sequential [[Bosses|boss]]. Its appearance is that of a large, scorpion-like creature with a flamethrower for a tail, a laser cannon replacing each claw, and a third cannon on its back.

Athetos created Gir-Tab by first cloning himself with one of [[Sudra|Sudra's]] [[Rebirth Chamber]]s, and then making biomechanoid modifications to the clone.

Gir-Tab is the most verbally capable Variant, and is notable for having helped Athetos decipher the Sudran language for use with the [[Passcode Tool]].

Gir-Tab Has 1,800 Health

== Battle ==
[[File:Gir Tab Variant Battle.jpg|thumb|285x285px|Gir-Tab as seen in his boss battle.]]
[[Trace]] confronts Gir-Tab in the middle-right portion of [[Kur]].

Gir-Tab will fire volleys of energy projectiles from its claw and back cannons. From time-to-time, it will also leap at the player, getting in range to attack with its flamethrower tail. Gir-Tab's weak underbelly should be the primary target for Trace. While his cyclops eye is also a weak-point, Gir-Tab keeps it closed and invulnerable most of the time.

After defeating Gir-Tab, the player will be able to enter the next room containing [[Katrahaska]] and will also be able to turn on the [[Repair Drones]].

== Strategies ==
Gir-Tab is perhaps the most tedious boss fight in Axiom Verge, due to the fact that you have to play defense much more than you can play offense. Learn Gir-Tab's attack patterns, and he becomes much simpler. However keep pace because he will speed up his attacks when near death.
* The most straightforward strategy to this battle is to crouch low and use either the [[Nova]] or [[Voranj]] to hit Gir-Tab's underbelly. Watch for Gir-Tab to get low to the ground and use short hops to jump over his low shots. Pay attention to the height of the oncoming fire because he will sometimes switch it up with a third shot at medium level. There's not much to say about his flamethrower attack. Keep your distance and wait it to end. Repeat, and repeat, and repeat and he will eventually go down.
* The above strategy can also be done with the [[Hypo-Atomizer]]. However, the weapon is fairly unreliable because it must align perfectly with a small part of Gir-Tab's underbelly in order to hit. A way of bypassing this problem is to start crouching far away from Gir-Tab and slowly moving toward it while crouching. The perpendicular shots will eventually start to hit the weak point, forcing the boss to fall back a little and thus keeping him aligned with the shots. That technique also gives you space to work with, which is useful when dodging series of shots.
* Another strategy is to start with the above and, if you're feeling confident, go on a suicide attack to hit Gir-Tab's underbelly with powerful blasts from the [[Kilver]]. If you have weakened him enough, you will be able to finish him off.
* Similar to the above strategy, you can start off by diving Gir-Tab with the Kilver or [[Laser Drill]]. Take off a major chunk of his HP and quickly move to the right side of the room to finish him with the "straightforward" strategy above.
* The Inertial Pulse weapon trivializes the fight as it has the ability to pierce targets. However, obtaining it before defeating Gir-Tab requires a very precise jump in [[Zi]] involving the use of knockback from an enemy to make a jump that would otherwise prevent access to [[Absu]].

== Etymology ==
''Girtab'' is the Sumerian word for "scorpion" and is the traditional name for the star constellation Kappa Scorpii.<ref>Taken from [https://www.reddit.com/r/axiomverge/comments/37flnm/spoilers_significance_of_names_ties_to_realworld/ this post] on Reddit. See also Wikipedia article for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kappa_Scorpii Kappa Scorpii].</ref>

== Additional Images ==
<gallery>
Gir-Tab.png
</gallery>
== References ==
<references />[[Category:Bosses]]

Axiom Verge Wiki - User contributions [en]

Category:Rusalki

Gir-Tab