Cailong: An Overview

Posted 6 years, 11 months ago (Edited 4 years, 7 months ago) by shagoliravioli

Cailong (彩龍) are sentient creatures who live on a planet of their artificial creation, Yomon.

Biology

[ General species reference sheet ] [ Example traits list ]

Cailong are maniraptoriforme creatures that have the basic body style of a dakotaraptor, standing about as tall as a human would, but with a few key anatomical changes. Similarly to dakotaraptor, they are covered from head to ankle in feathers, sometimes with an oval-shaped ruff of feathers (a "second tail") at the base of their (spinal) tails. Unlike dakotaraptor, however, Cailong have opposable thumbs in addition to three digits. Their wrists are flexible and can rotate because they lack a semi-lunate bone there. However, there is a semi-lunate bone present in their wings. At rest, their palms will face inwards towards each other, not unlike a person applauding. Their arms have plumage not unlike a wing would, and there are recognizable sections to a wing on their arm feathers.

They also have a single pair of large, feathered wings that span longer than they are tall. These wings are fully functional and can take a Cailong to altitudes of 7,000 meters. Cailong are, as a result, quite light and their bones can break easily if they are not careful. Their wings are typically covered in a pattern that varies widely based on heritage, but in Cailong pop culture, some patterns have been popularized similarly to how humans may start to use the makeup that a move star would.

The rest of a Cailong’s body is covered in a similar pattern to its wings. Cailong bodies are very colorful as a result of both mutation and gene manipulation. Some Cailong will go as far as putting their embryos through gene therapy to achieve color and pattern combinations that are extremely difficult to achieve through natural breeding.

Cailong also have a pair of horns that come in many colors, sizes and shapes. Some go as far as coloring or shaving their horns to make them look more desirable, but the process is painful and is highly frowned upon in some communities. These horns have important social status in some cultures.

Cailong can take quite a while to mature, though most grow their first set of feathers by one month. They typically reach maturity at fifteen Yomonian years. This is also the age of consent and self-monitored legal standing. Though Cailong usually live from one hundred to one hundred and twenty-five years, the oldest Cailong on record died at 182 Yomonian years.

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Magic/Kinesis

Cailong also have control over “magic,” which is actually manipulation of magnetic particles in various things. As such, these pseudo-magical powers only work on Yomon and its moons. Furthermore, this makes Cailong extremely sensitive to magnetism. Waving a magnet under a Cailong’s nose can incapacitate a particularly sensitive magician.

There are eleven elemental proficiencies: planetary, air, fluid, combustion, light/shadow, synthetic, grey-matter, plasma, venom, and temporal-spatial. The first four are the most common types; the next three, the few uncommon but not unusual proficiencies; and the last three, the rarest types.

It isn’t impossible to branch off into multiple types of magic, though it is highly frowned upon. Nomoy's King Circinus XVII had proficient control over eight different schools of magic, though it was used to terrorize his people. After a violent revolution, he was swiftly killed, and later generations would ban learning more than three schools at a time.

Planetary Magic

The land roars and rockslides bury. Flytraps snap and pitcher plants gurgle at your beck and call. Control of the planet is yours, in small quantities. Represented by the colors yellow-orange, forest green, and bark brown, the school of Planetary magic teaches of strength and fortitude. Students of Planetary magic should beware of the literal weight of the world, however.

Pure Planetary schools: rocks, sand, crystals, minor gravity

Planetary/Air schools: sandstorms, minor cloud formation

Planetary/Fluid schools: coral, swamplands, tides

Planetary/Combustion schools: pahoehoe lava, enhanced ability to melt or combust organic materials

Planetary/Plasma schools: glass,

Planetary/Temporal-Spatial schools: minor gravity, minor time travel, minor enhanced space travel

Air Magic

The first form of matter. Tempestuous as the world may be, it is in your hands with this school's teachings. Any gas that whips through the breeze can be used at your discretion. Spearmint green, sky blue, and pistachio green are the colors of the flexible and [adjective] school of Air magic. Practicioners should be warned of reduced hearing and death by ironic suffocation, however.

Pure Air schools: formation of wind, wind speed, enhanced flying capabilities, sound volume and speed

Planetary/Air schools: sandstorms, minor cloud formation

Air/Fluid schools: rain, snow, hail, sleet, and most other forms of weather

Air/Combustion schools: minor humidity control, enhanced (but more dangerous) control of flammable gasses

Air/Synthetic schools: minor enhanced sound volume and speed, enhanced vehicle travel speed (in gases)

Air/Plasma schools: thunder, lightning, minor enhanced sound volume and speed

Fluid Magic

The second form of matter. Fluids may be significantly more difficult to grasp than solids are, but make no mistake, it can be just as dangerous than them, if not more. Fluid magicians be warned: death by frostbite or mercury poisoning may be imminent.

Pure Fluid schools: water/ice/steam, mercury, temperature

Planetary/Fluid schools: coral, swamplands, tides

Air/Fluid schools: rain, snow, hail, sleet, and most other forms of weather

Fluid/Combustion schools: humidity control

Fluid/Light schools: rainbows, enhanced eyesight when looking through water

Fluid/Grey-Matter schools: