Telestroudian

The Telestroudians are a group of humans from the village of Telestroud on planet Arcadia in the CrossGen Comics.

Biology
The Telestroudians are humans, with an exceedingly interesting mutation. They possess a peculiar and rather severe photosynthetic dermal condition. According to Simon Archard it's possible that the Telestroudians' condition was some sort of spontaneous mutation, given the village's remote location, a century of inbreeding could easily drive this recessive gene to full dominance.

All humans are sensitive to sunlight. It reacts chemically with skin, even through light clothing. In ordinary people such sensitivity causes sunburn and the sloughing of dead epidermal cells, with the Telestroudians, it releases something more from the skin, microscopic particles known as electrons. The sun rays create around the Telestroudians clouds of free electrons--clouds which, science says absorb all light--making Telestroudians, in effect invisible and helpless. With so little light reaching their eyes, their sight is badly, though not impossibly limited.

Culture
A somewhat isolationist people for good reason. The neighboring areas view the town of Telestroud to be haunted due to virtually no signs of habitation during the daytime. The Telestroudians retreat during the day to the underground to avoid the harsh sunlight.

Appearances

 * Ruse Issue 007 (2002)
 * Ruse Issue 008 (2002)