Basic Info
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Name
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Taaffeite (tah-fite)
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Pronouns
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she/her
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Species
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Lamp Rat
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Size
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4' (nose to tail), 1' at shoulder
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Biological Features
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Bioluminescence from antennae and stripes; taaffeite gems growing from head and haunches
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Personality
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Curious, skittish, picky; has a disdain for cats, and a deep knowing look that makes you wonder whether she is more intelligent than she appears.
Profile
Taaffeite is a creature called a Lamp Rat - a small, cat or rodent-like animal that is capable of producing luminescence from its golden antennae, and the dark brown or sometimes black stripes on its back. Although it resembles many small mammals, it belongs to its own family and is not related to rats despite its name. They typically live a solitary lifestyle.
Male lamp rats present a thick fuzz on their antennae and darker stripes along their bodies, while females have slick antennae and lighter colored stripes.
They are capable of short flight and hovering with their insect-like wings, but cannot travel far in flight. However, they are very capable runners and climbers and can venture far beyond their dens on foot. They are nocturnal and are rarely seen during the day.
They are omnivorous, preferring to prey on small mammals, insects, and birds, but will sometimes browse on plant matter especially during spring. The light that they emit from their antennae is thought to be used to lure in prey and ward off predators, in addition to being used for communication.
These animals will often ingest rare minerals for an as-of-yet unknown reason. The body is able to metabolize these minerals and convert them to gem-like structures that erupt from the animal's head at maturity. Rarely these structures can appear on other parts of the body. It is hypothesized that, similar to chitons, these structures are functional as ocelli or simple eyes whose primary purpose is to detect light, perhaps the very light emitted from other lamp rats. The crystals that form an ocellus may act as a a highly complex 'lens', helping to produce extraordinarily clear images from even the most distant light sources. Therefore, they are able to locate each other across great distances without making a single sound.
Taaffeite is a lamp rat that has been kept as a pet for her whole life. She has lived with a pirate crew as their companion, but has a particular bond with their captain. Their ever-lasting search for treasure has brought them to a mysterious island, one that the lamp rats call home. It's filled with mysteries, monsters, magic, and a deep, confusing secret. The beautiful gem on Taaffeite's forehead may be the secret to unlocking the island's mysteries!!
