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Summary
It is said the realm of Gaguro would not be the land it is without the help of its guardians: the Levii. As a tiny, fairy-like Lythian, their main job is to act as pollinators, aiding the glowshrooms and crystals of their homeland by spreading them across the realm. Their thick arms serve as baskets, being a quick and easy way to transfer pollen, spores, or newly-formed crystals from one place to another, especially if an area is particularly struggling with growth. Since the earliest records of Gaguron society, the Levii have divided this work based on variants. Arthrofauna — the more fragile but nimble of the two — are tasked with protecting the realm's flora, while Avifauna — the sturdier but less dexterous variants — deal with protecting Gaguro’s crystals.
✦ Body
Levii have a bottom-heavy build that, according to all known laws of aviation, should render them unable to fly. Usually, their bodies are covered in feathers, but some have fluff covering their bodies or even both.
✦ Antennae
A Levii’s antennae are sensors that aid all their senses — especially those of smell, taste, and hearing. All individuals are born with them, and they come in a large variety of styles and lengths. If they’re damaged or cut, they cannot grow back, which essentially blinds an individual for life. Because of this, antennae care is one of the most important facets of Levii culture, which has allowed the creation of a wide variety of potions and spells to make their antennae stronger or look different. With the help of other Lythians, there are also magical and technological advancements that would aid in the event of injury.
✦ Eyes
Arthrofauna have compound eyes featuring a dark sclera and lighter-colored irises. On the other hand, Avifauna have a lighter sclera and darker-colored irises. Avifauna have binocular vision that is much stronger than that of an Arthrofauna, but both rely mostly on their antennae for critical navigation data and communication.
✦ Mouth
Levii have a small, toothless snout that contains a long proboscis. Although omnivorous, they are incapable of eating solid foods due to a lack of teeth. Instead, their elongated, tubular mouth parts allow them to drink fluids such as water, nectar, sap, and more.
✦ Wings
The wings of a Levii vary greatly in appearance from individual to individual, but their style depends on their variant. Avifauna have bird-like, feathered wings, while Arthrofauna have insect-like wings that may mirror moths, wasps, butterflies, beetles, or any other variety of winged insect.
✦ Limbs
The forearm of a Levii are thicker than their upper arm, and end in small fingers or claws. This enlarged section, also known as a "basket," is particularly porous, allowing pollen, spores, and crystals to attach to it with ease. Their hind legs resemble that of a Kiklet, thin, stick-like, and end in talons.
✦ Abdomen
Levii abdomens closely resemble tails, and serve the same purpose as one, for keeping balance and steering during flight.
Variants
✦ Arthrofauna
Arthrofauna Levii are much more attuned to the flora of the realm, and as such are especially skilled in pollination, having multiple arms primed with pollen baskets they use to transport spores and pollen. They are capable of handling newly-formed crystals in small amounts, but cannot carry as many due to their smaller arm pores.
✦ Avifauna
Avifauna Levii lack the additional arms of Arthrofauna Levii, but are more attuned to the crystals that grow throughout Gaguro. Their pollen baskets are built with larger pores to handle these crystalline growths. However, this results in them not being able to handle pollen or spores very well, due to how easy it is for a simple breeze to blow them off of their forearms.
✦ Aranefauna
As a neutral party, uninvolved with either glowshrooms or crystals, Aranefauna completely lack pollen baskets. As such, they aren’t capable of spreading any substances, but are instead renowned for their durable, multipurpose silk they produce from their enlarged abdomens. They have an innate knowledge of architecture, and aid in building and providing homes for the residents of Gaguro.
✦ Monster
This is a temporary condition that overrides a Levii's normal variant. This means that a Levii can simultaneously be both an Arthrofauna and a Monster by transforming between the two. As a result of this transformation, a Levii's strength increases by quite a bit! In this state, a Levii regains their endless hunger that hearkens back to their larval form, but instead of fresh nectar, they crave the life force of other Lythians. Thankfully, due to their small size, Monster Levii bites are hardly an issue… for most.
✦ Atarsalia
Thought only to have existed in legend, Atarsalia are a mythical variant that very few have laid eyes on. Typically ethereal in appearance, they are said to be the protectors of Gaguro — free spirits who travel across the realm in search of areas of decay. Locations blessed by the presence of an Atarsalia Levii are reported to experience tremendous growth, as they leave a trail of crystals or flora in their wake. Unlike Avifauna and Arthrofauna, the pollen baskets of Atarsalia are located on their elongated abdomens, where it seems an unlimited supply of spores, pollen, or crystals are stored. Also, different from other Levii variants is their distinct lack of mouths, which seem to disappear upon ascension. Communication with Atarsalia is done telepathically, and their energy is gained from the growth of the surrounding environment. While Avifauna, Arthrofauna, and even monstrous Atarsalia have been seen, Aranefauna seem to be unable to ascend.
Core Features
- Levii possess one pair of antennae, which can be any style but cannot be bigger than their body.
- Levii have rounded snouts, and a soft crest that protrudes from the backs of their heads.
- Their hindlegs are thin and tipped with talons of any size or style.
- Their tail-like abdomens come in many styles, but must have a top and bottom segment.
- There are no "standard" Levii; please choose a variant below when creating one.
✧ Extra Suggestions
- matte, feathered, furred bodies
- may have external ears
- iris and sclera determined by variant
- thinner biceps and enlarged forearms
✦ Arthrofauna
- Arthrofauna have two pairs of arms, so four arms total.
- Their wings are split into two hindwings and two forewings.
- Arthrofauna wings may be any shape, but must resemble insect wings.
✧ Extra Suggestions
- furred bodies
- dark scleras with lighter-colored irises
✦ Avifauna
- Avifauna Levii have beaks or beak-like coverings on their snouts, which may cover their bottom jaw.
- Avifauna have one pair of arms, so two arms total.
- Their abdomen always has a row of feathers dividing the top half from the bottom half.
- They have one or two pairs of wings that resemble bird wings.
✧ Extra Suggestions
- feathered bodies
- light scleras with darker-colored irises
✦ Aranefauna
- Aranefauna have at least four eyes, typically arranged symmetrically on their face.
- They have mandibles, which protrude from the inside or corners of their mouth like fangs or tusks.
- Aranefauna have three pairs of arms, so six arms total, but no wings.
- Instead of antennae, their sensors are located on their hands and appear as palm pads.
- Aranefauna have a visibly larger abdomen, about half their body size, that end in spinnerets.
✧ Extra Suggestions
- no discernible pupils or scleras
✦ Monster
- Monster Levii have at least one pair of horns.
- A set of heat pits can be found where their noses would be.
- Their main mouths are full of razor-like teeth meant for piercing tough materials.
- Monster Levii have a prehensile, leech-like proboscis with a secondary mouth at the end.
- For variants with wings, they temporarily become webbed and bat-like.
✧ Extra Suggestions
- elongated bodies
- no scleras
- half-transparent abdomens filled with liquid
✦ Atarsalia
- Their soft head crests gain a wispy appearance, while their mouths completely disappear.
- At least one set of antennae are longer than their body, and may be positioned anywhere on the head.
- Their wings are fused with their arms, starting from their wrists and ending at their shoulders.
- Atarsalia abdomens must be at least the same size as their body, and full of pollen, spores, or crystals.
✧ Extra Suggestions
- double the average size
- no pupils or scleras
- trail of pollen, spores, or crystals
Baby Information
Colloquially known as "levlets," baby Levii are squishy and rather fragile, resulting in most caretakers having to hover around to ensure their safety. During this time, they are rather ravenous, and need to eat a lot to keep up with their constantly-growing bodies. Unlike the toothless beaks of the adults, babies have mandibles hidden inside their mouths, allowing them to chew through practically anything they want. This can often lead to bitten fingers if one is not careful. At a certain age, they will enter a short pupation stage that lasts about a week before entering a juvenile state, in which their alignment is revealed.
✦ Baby Features
- All alignments of Levii babies look alike, lacking their defining features until after pupation.
- Their eyes are beady and round, and can be any solid or gradient of colors.
- Their limbs and talons are nubby and rounded, lacking digits or claws.
- They haven’t grown in their wings yet.
- The abdomen is spherical, and cannot be larger than their head.
✧ Extra Suggestions
- fuzzy or hairless bodies
- hidden mandibles in mouth
Origin Story & Quest
Kryshaii
In the beginning, the crystals and the mushrooms harbored a burning hatred for one another. They believed the realm was only big enough for one of them, and constantly fought each other to grow bigger and faster. The two factions split a rift amongst the Levii tribes, as Avifauna took the side of the crystals, and Arthrofauna took the side of the mushrooms. Homes lived in by those not involved with this petty fight would be quickly overtaken, leaving Gaguro’s creatures without shelter. Both sides were angry with one another, telling each other that they were better, without realizing the hurt they were causing to others.
Finally, a single figure stood up above the rest, reaching out to the crystals and the mushrooms, disciplining them for their selfish desires; instead of attempting to overtake one another, why not work together? They reached out, taking the spores from the mushrooms and shards from the crystals, combining them together to make the first glowshroom. The two sides were shocked, and then felt guilty. How could they not see that all this time, they could have helped one another? They apologized profusely, both to themselves and the rest of the folk who had lost their homes. The figure would go on to teach the Levii to spread the glowshrooms across the rest of the realm, their arms carrying the dust of the future.
At a certain age, usually before their week-long pupation stage (although late bloomers are possible) a Levlet begins to grow bigger pores in their arms. Around this time their parents will guide them out to a field, teaching them how to use these developing baskets to carry pollen, spores, or small crystals.
How does your Levii take to pollinating? Do they have an easy time gathering their chosen material, or is it difficult for them? Please portray your Levii using their baby design or an adolescent design that’s not quite their adult form yet.
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