Profile
☆ General Species Information ☆
Symphonies, also known as symphs, are a small amphibian species with a resemblance to animals like frogs, newts or even tiny dragons. They are a highly social species that prefer living in groups and are very protective of each other and of their home.
They are not a violent species, rarely fighting with each other and preferring to escape from predators than confronting them. Their small size makes them an easy snack for most carnivorous creatures which is why they are equipped with a large sac filled with air that allows them to produce loud beeping noises when threatened. This sac is also what allows a symph to “sing”, even if the sound might not be the most melodious thing you’ve heard a symph’s song will be, in most cases, pleasing to hear by their fellow symphs.
A group of symphs is called a Choir while a collection of Choirs is called an Orchestra. Choirs will usually look for places where there’s both a source of clean water as well as a bit of dry land to reside. Being amphibians they can be both on land and water, being able to breathe through their skin, but should always make sure to be able to hydrate their delicate skin.
An Orchestra is usually under the protection of a Mythical symph, a symphony that morphed into the strongest form they can take. It is said that a Mythical’s song creates a protective barrier around the area where an Orchestra is settled, this allows for the water sources to remain clean and not dry as well as repelling predators from their home.
☆ Life Cycle ☆
Their life cycle is shrouded in mystery but a few things are known about it:
If two adult symphs share a bond they can sing together to produce a batch of eggs. Most of the time parents take care of the eggs until they hatch. The babies are called Notes; they are extremely small and resemble tadpoles. Notes don’t show many of the traits they inherited from their parents, they are small circles with four stubby legs, big eyes, two fake horns or nubs and a tail.
Once a note is independent enough they will find their way to a song or melody that resonates with them, this will trigger their metamorphosis into an adult. There’s no teen stage for a symph, their growth goes directly from a Note to a Symphony. Once they grow all the traits inherited from their parents will appear in their own unique way.
☆ Biology & Anatomy ☆
Symphonies appear to be squishy but they do possess bones and organs in their bodies, they are just very flexible and resistant. They are a very adaptable species, in cases where the symph has certain limitations like deafness, poor eyesight or blindness their other senses will make up for the ones they have limited.
Head A symph’s head is somewhat large and very round, they have a small rounded snout with two fang-like barbs that help them tear their food. Symphs don’t have teeth, with very few exceptions, but can have lower “fangs” as well. They don’t have nostrils on their snouts as they breathe through their skin and they possess a very long sticky tongue like the ones found on frogs and chameleons. At least one ear or head appendage is found in every symph. This is how they hear or process vibrations.
Pouch This is what makes a symphony a symphony. Either a neck or cheek sac filled with air that allows them to produce their distinctive sounds. The pouch cannot be deflated under normal circumstances and is very flexible and resistant. Should the pouch be scratched or popped in an accident the symph would be seriously wounded.
Body Their bodies resemble geckos and newts with strong back legs like frogs. There’s a variety of different characteristics that can be found in the species making each individual unique.
Tail Most symphs possess at least one tail which can have any shape.
☆ Body Types ☆
Soprano: The smallest kind. Their bodies are very small and rounded with the head being notoriously big in comparison with the body.
Alto: The most common kind. They are very similar to sopranos except their bodies are longer and the head doesn’t appear to be so big.
Tenor: This is a rarer type to find, their bodies are noodle-like. Very long and very flexible.
Bass: Another rarer to find type. These are the largest type. Their bodies are more toad-like with shorter legs and strong round bodies.
Flat: They are specialized to live near oceans or rivers with strong currents. Their bodies are similar to a tiny manta ray where their hands are connected to a mantle that helps them swim with ease. They usually have at least one antenna and cheek fins.
☆ Subspecies ☆
Naturals Natural symphs are the most common type, an orchestra is made mostly of these kind of symph. They don't possess any subspecies specific traits however they are the most adaptable type.
Sharps Sharps are the sturdier subspecies of symphs. Because of their preference to live in rocky underwater caves their bodies evolved to have a more resilient form. Their bodies are covered with hard rock, gem or metal retractable spike that look like scales, visible over their skin regardless of their texture. They developed long claws as well and took a more dragon-esque appearance, to make sure their pouch is kept intact despite of their spiky appearance it has developed a rock, gem or metallic case over it to prevent it from popping, this gives the symph a vibrating beeping voice.
Trebles
Trebles are a tiny variation of symphs, they evolved to never appear like one individual. They are incredibly small compared to the regular size of any of the body types with the smallest variation being as small as notes.
They don't appear to have any specific traits other than being split into three, with each of them being able to look somewhat different from each other. They possess a hive mind, so each part of the symph doesn't have a split personality, rather act together. Because of this if one of the parts gets separated from the rest the symph will stop whatever they were doing, entering in a "hibernation" mode until found by the other parts. This means if they all get separated there's a high risk of the symph not moving again if not assisted.
Falsettos
Falsettos usually have an ethereal look to them. They possess a calming aura and nutritious jelly to aid the choir they are protecting and can create shields, or barriers, that protect a choir's home from potential predators, with their song.
A Falsetto will sport up to three pairs of wings or one pair of very large, intricate wings, one or several halos that can be found over the head or surrounding the tail, skin decorations that serve as armor, a double-walled pouch containing a substance known as royal jelly and glowing eyes. Their song can reach an unusual high pitch meant to scare off other creatures.
The jelly in their pouch has a very sweet scent and flavor, it’s used to nourish and heal stray notes or injured symphs. The gill-like orifices on the second wall of their pouch can contract to release the jelly within.
Falsettos tend to be nurturing symphs, they are known to take care of the young when there's no family around them. Whenever a note hatches on it's own a falsetto will be around making sure the baby is safe, their song is said to help eggs hatch faster into healthy notes.
Oktavists
Oktavists usually have an intimidating look to them, they possess a piercing gaze and strong venom to aid the choir they are protecting; they have an incredible strength and defensive mechanisms to defend the choir and attack whatever is threatening it.
An Oktavist will sport up to three pairs of wings or one pair of very large, intricate wings, one or several thorned crowns above their head or surrounding their tail, a pouch filled with venom, quills filled with said venom that can be released as a defense mechanism and control over the dilation of their pupils. Their song can reach an unusual low pitch meant to scare off other creatures.
Their venom usually has a scent particular to them, it’s mostly safe for other symphs causing at most a slight rash when there’s prolonged contact. Oktavists usually spit this venom at predators’ eyes to blind them temporarily.
