Every Telos enemy is a religious artifact. They do not look evil. They look beautiful in the way of cathedral stained glass — warm colors, ornate geometry, liturgical proportions. The visual tension of the game comes from their beauty colliding with their danger.
Every enemy follows three visual rules:
#000000 outline on all visible edges#ff9eb5 on top-left edge, 1px shadow #a03060 on bottom-right edge#e8b84b / #a03060 horizontal pixel rows along hull edges (simulates liturgical text)Primary fills:
#d4548a Telos Magenta — Grunts, Kamikazes, Bombers, Elites
#e8b84b Telos Gold — Snipers, Elite trim, Boss fills
#c47040 Telos Warm — Mid-tier Grunts, Bombers
Shading:
#ff9eb5 Highlight — 1px top-left edge on all enemies
#a03060 Shadow — 1px bottom-right edge on all enemies
#7a1a40 Deep shadow — used on recessed areas, weapon bays
Markings:
#ffffff Prayer detail — 1px alternating pixels in script bands
#000000 Outline — 1px hard edge on all spritesss_enemies_grunts.png)Canvas: 320 × 64 px — 5 columns × 1 row — Cell: 64 × 64 px
Grunts are the basic mass-produced Telos assault ship. They look like products of a liturgical assembly line — rounded rectangles, not threatening individually, dangerous in numbers. Each tier is progressively larger and more detailed.
Sprite size: 16 × 14 px, centered in 64×64 cell
Shape: Rounded rectangle — corner pixels cut (2×2 corner cuts)
Pixel map (16 wide × 14 tall, . = transparent, M = magenta, h = highlight, s = shadow):
. . h h h h h h h h h h h h . .
. h M M M M M M M M M M M M h .
h M M M M M M M M M M M M M M h
h M M M M M M M M M M M M M M h
h M M M M M M M M M M M M M M h
h M M M M M M M M M M M M M M h
h M M M M M M M M M M M M M M h
h M M M M M M M M M M M M M M h
h M M M M M M M M M M M M M M h
h M M M M M M M M M M M M M M h
h M M M M M M M M M M M M M M h
h M M M M M M M M M M M M M M h
. h s s s s s s s s s s s s h .
. . s s s s s s s s s s s s . .
Fill: #d4548a
Highlight: #ff9eb5 (top and left edge, 1px)
Shadow: #a03060 (bottom and right edge, 1px)
Outline: #000000 (outermost edge)No extra details on G1 — it is the simplest enemy in the game.
Sprite size: 20 × 16 px
Base: Same rounded rectangle as G1 but 20×16 px
Addition: Two 2×3 px wing nubs, one on each side
Left nub: x=0-1, y=6-8 (sticking out 2px left of main body)
Right nub: x=18-19, y=6-8 (sticking out 2px right)
Color: Wing nubs same magenta fill, matching shadingSprite size: 24 × 18 px
Color shifts to #c47040 (warm orange — heavier, older design)
Shape: Same rounded rectangle, wider
Addition: 1px panel lines — two horizontal 1px #7a2820 lines across hull
Line 1 at y=6 (from edge to edge)
Line 2 at y=12
These panel lines suggest layered armor plating.Sprite size: 28 × 20 px
Color: #c47040 primary with #e8b84b trim on pods
Main body: 24×18 px core (same as G3 plus 2px extra each direction)
Side pods: 3×6 px rectangular pods attached to each side
Left pod: x=0-2, y=7-12
Right pod: x=25-27, y=7-12
Pod fill: #e8b84b (gold trim)
Pod detail: 1px #a03060 vertical line down center of each pod
Prayer script: 1px band along top of main hull — alternating #e8b84b / #a03060 pixelsSprite size: 32 × 22 px
Color: #e8b84b (gold dominant — highest tier grunt)
Shape: Wide rectangle, more ship-like
Addition: Front cannon protrusion at bottom-center
Cannon: 4×6 px extension below the main body
Cannon x: centered (x=14-17)
Cannon y: extends 6px below body bottom
Cannon color: #a03060 (darker) with 2px dark barrel opening at tip
Prayer script: Full band along top AND bottom edge — alternating pixels
This enemy reads as a miniature boss-class shipss_enemies_strafers_bombers.png)Canvas: 448 × 64 px — 7 columns × 1 row — Cell: 64 × 64 px
Sprite size: 28 × 12 px
Shape: WIDE AND FLAT — horizontal orientation
The key thing: this ship is wider than it is tall. It moves side to side.
Wedge: pointed on both left and right ends (like a horizontal diamond flattened)
Left point: (0, 6) — 1px
Body: full 28px width, 12px height, widest at center y=6
Right point: (27, 6) — 1px
Color: #d4548a
Detail: 2×2 px cockpit bubble at center (x=13-14, y=5-6) — darker #a03060Sprite size: 32 × 14 px
Same horizontal wedge but wider, with two visible engine pods on trailing edge
Engine pods: Two 3×4 px rectangles at top-center (y=0-3)
Left engine: x=10-12
Right engine: x=19-21
Engines fill: #a03060 with 1px #ff9eb5 highlight on top
Main body: same wedge shape, #d4548aSprite size: 20 × 22 px
Shape: Oval/egg — rounded rectangle with more curved corners
This is the roundest enemy shape in the game.
Width at widest: 20px at y=10-12
Taper to 14px at top and bottom
Color: #c47040 (warm orange — distinct from grunt magenta)
Detail: Small 4×3 px darker oval at lower center — payload bay
Bay color: #7a2820 (dark, suggests loaded weapon)Sprite size: 22 × 26 px
Base: Same egg as B1, slightly larger
Addition: Visible payload bay underneath — a rectangular protrusion
Bay: 10×4 px rectangle extending from bottom of main oval
Bay x: centered (x=6-15)
Bay color: #7a2820 with 2×2 px bomb indicator dot at center (#e8b84b)Sprite size: 26 × 24 px
Thicker hull — more circular, less egg-like
Two payload hardpoints on sides:
Left point: 3×3 px at (0-2, 12-14)
Right point: 3×3 px at (23-25, 12-14)
Hardpoint color: #e8b84b (gold — armed and ready)
Prayer script band along topSprite size: 32 × 26 px
Main oval: 22×22 px center
Side wings: 6×4 px swept-back wings extending from each side at mid-height
Left wing: x=0-5, y=10-13
Right wing: x=26-31, y=10-13
Wing-mounted bomb racks: 2×4 px attachment under each wing
Color: #a03060 (dark, heavy weapon)Sprite size: 36 × 28 px
The biggest non-elite enemy. Imposing presence.
Main body: 26×22 px oval
Extended wings: 8×6 px swept wings
Bomb racks: 3×5 px under each wing
Multiple hardpoints visible: 3 per side
Full prayer script bands top AND bottom
Cockpit: 4×3 px darker area at top-centerSprite size: 10 × 24 px
Shape: TALL AND THIN — the tallest enemy relative to width
A narrow isoceles triangle pointing downward (nose = bottom)
Top edge: full 10px width (x=0-9, y=0)
Narrows to point at (5, 23)
Color: #e8b84b (gold — precision, deliberate)
No wing nubs — pure needle shape
Highlight: 1px #FFD600 down the center spineSprite size: 12 × 28 px
Base triangle same as Sn1 but 2px wider
Addition: Front scope/barrel protrusion at bottom tip
Scope: 2×5 px extending below the triangle point
Scope centered: x=5-6, y=24-28
Scope color: #a03060 with 1px barrel opening at tip
The scope makes the shape read immediately as "precision"Sprite size: 14 × 32 px
Widest sniper — two parallel scope barrels
Base: same triangle, 14px wide
Dual scopes: two 1×6 px barrel extensions
Left barrel: x=4-4, y=27-32
Right barrel: x=9-9, y=27-32
Both barrels: #a03060 with 1px dark tip
Prayer script band along shoulder (top 3px)
This is the most threatening-looking sniperSprite size: 12 × 16 px
Shape: Teardrop/raindrop — round at top, pointed at bottom
The bottom POINT is the nose (kamikazes dive nose-first into the player)
Top: 10px wide rounded top (y=0-8)
Narrows to 1px point at bottom (y=15)
Color: #d4548a bright — brighter/more vivid than standard magenta (#e8629a suggested)
Highlight: #ff9eb5 more prominent on top half (curved surface catching light)
The brightness signals aggression — these move fastSprite size: 14 × 20 px
Base: Same teardrop, slightly larger
Addition: Forward spike extending 4px below the teardrop point
Spike: 1×4 px at x=6-6 (centered), y=16-19
Spike color: #FFD600 (gold — the spike is a weapon tip)
The spike makes the collision aesthetic more explicitSprite size: 16 × 22 px
Two forward spikes instead of one:
Left spike: 1×4 px at x=6, y=18-21
Right spike: 1×4 px at x=9, y=18-21
Spikes slightly angled outward (left spike 1px left of center, right 1px right)
The dual spikes look like horns — menacingSprite size: 18 × 24 px
Largest kamikaze — same teardrop but thick-hulled
Single forward spike: 2px wide (not 1px) × 5px tall
Spike: x=8-9, y=19-23
Spike color: #FFD600
Prayer script band: 1px band around equator of teardrop
Side stabilizer fins: 2×3 px small fins at teardrop mid-width
Left fin: x=0-1, y=8-10
Right fin: x=16-17, y=8-10
This is the tank-kamikaze — slow but devastating on impactss_enemies_elites.png)Canvas: 512 × 128 px — 4 columns × 2 rows — Cell: 128 × 128 px
Elites are 2× the canvas size (128×128 cells). Sprite sizes are 40–52 px. Two rows: Row 0 = Idle, Row 1 = Alert (weapon mounts activated).
Prayer-script texture is mandatory on all elites: 2–3 horizontal bands of alternating #e8b84b / #a03060 pixels along hull edges, simulating liturgical text inscribed on the hull.
Cell: [0,0] Idle / [0,1] Alert Sprite size: 42 × 48 px
Character: The named elite. The Choir of Names gave this ship a liturgical name.
Hand-selected. Beautiful and dangerous.
Shape: Symmetrical cross-like geometry — suggests liturgical significance
Central body: 18×32 px vertical rectangle (core hull)
Horizontal arms: 12×8 px horizontal wing arms at mid-hull
Left arm: extends 12px left from body at y=20-27
Right arm: extends 12px right from body at y=20-27
Total with arms: 42px wide at the arm level, 48px tall
Colors:
Body: #d4548a (telos magenta)
Arms: #e8b84b (gold) — the arms are a different color, sacred trim
Body highlight: #ff9eb5 (top of central body)
Body shadow: #a03060
Prayer script: 2 bands
Band 1: 1px horizontal row at y=16 — alternating #e8b84b / #a03060
Band 2: 1px horizontal row at y=32 — same pattern
These bands divide the hull into three liturgical sections
Cross geometry detail:
At center of hull (x=20-21, y=22-25): 3×3 px darker cross shape (#7a1a40)
This is the liturgical cross mark — unique to Choral Knights
ALERT state (Row 1):
All weapon mounts (arm tips) shift to bright gold #FFD600
Center cross mark becomes #ff9eb5 (illuminated)Cell: [1,0] Idle / [1,1] Alert Sprite size: 38 × 44 px
Character: Anti-apostate specialist. Cold. Clinical. Surgical.
NOT warm colors — this elite uses cold blue-white.
It hunts the Veiled and does so with precision.
Color: #90CAF9 (shield blue / cold blue-white) — UNIQUE among enemies
All other enemies are warm. This one is cold. Immediately threatening.
Hull shadow: #1565C0 (deep blue)
Outline: #000000
Shape: Narrow, elongated. No ornate wings. Pure function.
Main body: 14×36 px narrow rectangle
Pointed nose (bottom): narrows to 4px at y=43
Shoulder flares: 3×4 px flare-outs at (0-2, 12-15) and (35-37, 12-15)
These are NOT decorative — they're sensor/weapon housings
Targeting reticle detail:
At nose: 2×2 px crosshair pixel pattern (#FFD600 pixels)
Specifically: two 1px lines forming + shape at (18-19, 40-41)
ALERT state (Row 1):
Targeting reticle shifts from gold to #F44336 (red) — target acquired
Hull gains very slight red tint (add 1px #F44336 pixels at shoulder tips)
No prayer script — Inquisitors are not liturgical, they are operationalCell: [2,0] Idle / [2,1] Alert Sprite size: 44 × 44 px
Character: The mathematical-theological elite. Fights using
geometrically perfect bullet patterns — theorems in plasma.
Color: #e8b84b gold (dominant) — the most gold-heavy enemy in the game
Shadow: #a03060
Hull highlight: #FFD600 (brighter gold highlight)
Shape: PENTAGONAL — five-sided. No other enemy in the game is pentagonal.
Outer hull: regular pentagon
Top: (22, 2) to (22, 2) ← single-pixel apex
Upper shoulders: widens to 34px by y=14
Mid: 44px wide at y=22
Lower: narrows to 28px at y=36
Bottom: 18px at y=43
Roughly: (22,2) (44,14) (38,43) (6,43) (0,14)
Pentagon/hexagon internal geometry:
Visible geometric line pattern inside hull — NOT prayer script but mathematical
3 internal 1px lines forming inscribed triangle:
Line from (22, 6) to (40, 36)
Line from (40, 36) to (4, 36)
Line from (4, 36) to (22, 6)
Color of internal lines: #a03060 (slightly darker than hull)
This is a Telos mathematical proof inscribed on the hull
ALERT state (Row 1):
Internal geometry lines shift to #FFD600 (golden — activated/solving)
Pentagon edges gain 1px #FFD600 outer accent on all 5 sidesCell: [3,0] Idle / [3,1] Alert Sprite size: 46 × 52 px
Character: Adaptive AI. Does not repeat patterns. The only enemy that learns.
Visual identity: MIXED and SHIFTING. Uses all Telos colors simultaneously.
Its irregular silhouette signals that it cannot be categorized.
Color: No single dominant color — all three Telos colors present
Primary sections: #d4548a (magenta)
Secondary sections: #e8b84b (gold)
Tertiary sections: #c47040 (warm orange)
Shape: IRREGULAR — asymmetric on purpose. The right side does not mirror the left.
This is the only enemy where asymmetry is intentional and dominant.
Approximate silhouette:
- Left side: rounder, more bomber-like (heavier)
- Right side: more angular, more weapon-mount-heavy
- Multiple protrusions of irregular sizes
Rough outline:
(23,2)(38,8)(46,18)(42,34)(46,48)(30,52)(20,52)(4,44)(0,28)(8,12)(23,2)
The protrusion at right (x=46, y=18) is a weapon mount that has no equivalent on left
Section coloring (which areas get which colors):
Upper-left quadrant: #d4548a
Upper-right quadrant: #e8b84b
Lower-left: #c47040
Lower-right: #d4548a
(Colors divide roughly at center lines, creating a non-uniform pattern)
Prayer script: 3 bands — more than any other elite
This signals its theological importance (it guards the Apparatus itself)
ALERT state (Row 1):
Color sections shift — what was gold becomes magenta, what was magenta becomes orange
This visual color-shift represents the adaptive AI reconfiguring
It literally looks different in alert state — unsettlingBoss sprites are in separate files (ss_boss_[name].png), 512×512 px, 128×128 px cells.
Reverent Maelin: Enhanced G5/ace-tier ship. Magenta dominant, prayer script bands, psalm lines readable as pixel art text rows. Scale: 56×64 px. The most human-feeling boss — an ace pilot, not a god.
Final Chorus: 4 identical 18×22 px sub-ships arranged in a cross/diamond formation within the 128×128 cell. Formation matters more than individual ship design. Each sub-ship is a small rounded magenta vessel.
Inquisitor Cohort: 54×68 px. Cold blue-white #90CAF9 (same as E2 Inquisitor Hunter but much larger). Surgical, no warmth. Phase 3 adds targeting reticles on hull.
Mathematician-Saint Voren: 72×80 px. Perfect pentagon silhouette (see E3 for reference, greatly enlarged). #e8b84b gold dominant. Phase 1: symmetric. Phase 3: 3px missing from each corner — mathematical perfection failing.
Architect-Saint Halen:
#e8b84b, almost gentle-looking. Still recognizable as a ship.#c47040 angular additions appear at 6–8 key points around the hull perimeter.Ghost frame (ss_boss_halen_ghost.png): 128×128 px, 1 frame only. A simple humanoid silhouette (not a ship) in #e8eaf0 at 30% opacity (achieved via dithering — every other pixel transparent). This represents Halen's human form, visible for 0.5s during Phase 2→3 transition.
For higher-tier enemies (G4, G5, all Elites, all Bosses):
Prayer script band = 1px horizontal row of alternating pixels
Pattern: #e8b84b , #a03060 , #e8b84b , #a03060 ... (repeating)
Position: Along top edge of hull (just inside the 1px black outline)
Width: Full hull width at that y-position
Higher tiers get more bands (G4=1 band, G5=2 bands, Elites=2-3 bands)This pixel-level pattern simulates Telos liturgical text without needing actual characters. Readable at game scale as "writing."
ALL ENEMIES: nose/prow at BOTTOM of sprite cell
ALL PLAYER SHIPS: nose/prow at TOP of sprite cell
Kamikazes: teardrop point at BOTTOM (attack vector)
Snipers: triangle point at BOTTOM
Grunts: wider body at TOP, narrower base at BOTTOM
Strafers: horizontal — pointed ends on LEFT and RIGHT, no clear top/bottom emphasis
Bombers: rounded body, payload bay on BOTTOM
Elites: varies by type but all face with weapon mounts toward BOTTOMSS-05 Grunts:
#d4548a, G3-G4: warm orange #c47040, G5: gold #e8b84bSS-06 Strafers/Bombers:
SS-07 Snipers/Kamikazes:
#e8b84b, get taller not widerSS-08 Elites: