Profile
What's a Carbuncle??
A type of mythological creature (the same way unicorns and dragons are), though lesser known. Here and here are two very good sources of information! Folklore leaves a lot open to interpretation, but carbuncles are generally depicted as some sort of small creature with strong associations to gemstones (oftentimes growing from their own body, such as from the forehead).
You certainly aren't alone if you thought carbuncles were created by the video game series final fantasy, since it's the most prominent media franchise to feature them. Though they can be found in some western series (pathfinder) they're much more prevalent in eastern media (yu-gi-oh, puyo puyo, puzzle & dragon, granblue, and many more). You can find many different interpretations of carbuncles made by independent artists as well, with keepsake carbuncles being my latest addition to the trend!
!!! WARNING !!!
Carbuncles unfortunately share their name with a potentially graphic/triggering medical condition (a type of boil) I can only guess whoever named the boil was likening it to a large red gem, which is where carbuncles also get their name from. If you want to search for carbuncle images, make sure to be specific with your search text to help avoid seeing medical pictures. The following are what I use for my searches: carbuncle creature, carbuncle monster, carbuncle final fantasy (or replace FF with any other media), and カーバンクル
What are Keepsake Carbuncles?
They are simply an adoptable series with optional lore (because I have no self control). They aren't an original species of any kind (closed, open, or otherwise). As far as rules go, I only ask that you not sell my artwork on merch or claim it/the initial design as your own (please give proper credit). Otherwise feel free to do anything you'd like with design changes, story, etc, and don't worry about resale rules as there are none. If you need clarification on anything, feel free to reach out to me! Now, if you're wondering about that lore, read on!
Keepsake Carbuncles Lore
(optional, of course!)
Human emotion, memories, sentimentality, understood to be some of the most abundant sources of energy to exist. This concentrated energy—if directed at a small object such as a trinket, memento, or keepsake—may bring a small spirit to life, a carbuncle.
Keepsake and Lifespan
A carbuncle's object acts as it's tether to the physical realm, and if discarded too quickly, can cause a fragile infant carbuncle to perish. However the more time and energy absorbed, the stronger one becomes, with the most cherished keepsakes having spirits that persist years after the person who created it passes away. Moreover, a carbuncle is capable of attuning to a new person if the energy is similar enough (such as with a family member or friend), essentially allowing for carbuncles to persist indefinitely. Some carbuncles living today may even come close to predating written human history.
Keepsakes that feature some type of precious or pretty material such as gemstones, metals, and glass are the most common objects to form carbuncles by virtue of humans tending to be drawn to them. However the material doesn't really matter, any object can form a carbuncle if it is precious to someone. Size does matter though, larger objects need to soak in more energy, so carbuncles are most commonly formed from small things like jewelry, marbles, trinkets, etc.
Intellect and Personality
A newborn carbuncle's intelligence is comparable to a fully grown person, though one that has no memory or lived experiences. Their personalities start off as simple and two-dimensional, often a simplification of the emotions that they were birthed from—but can become more developed as time goes on. It's also fairly common for a carbuncle to be born with or develop personality traits similar to the person who created them. Since they're spirits literally born from human emotions and memories, carbuncles are just as likely to be formed from something positive as negative, and have an extremely wide variety of personalities to reflect that. However, negative carbuncles often differ so much in appearance, actions, and overall vibe that they're sometimes mistaken for different kinds of spirits, with the presence of the object tethered to them being the only sure way to tell.
Physical form and Societal impact
As a type of spirit, their bodies are often fully or partially incorporeal, which limits interaction with the physical world. In the same vein, any who lack spiritual sensitivity may be unable to see them, hear their telepathic voices, or even sense a carbuncle's presence at all. Many people write off carbuncle encounters as ghost hauntings—or rationalize them the same as any other paranormal activity—and go their entire life not knowing that they've created one or more little spirit(s). However the carbuncles are usually unperturbed, content to socialize among themselves, other spirits/creatures, or exist in peaceful solitude. As far as how they're treated by those who can see them, well, that completely depends on the world you find them in. Perhaps in a world where magic is abundant, they're a common type of familiar for a witch or wizard. Maybe in a different world, they're known by very few, and your character is flabbergasted to find their family heirloom can speak. Lots of different possibilities! And again, any and all information above is optional and can be discarded or altered to your hearts content, go wild and have fun!
Comments