spoonfed's Bulletins
The Absolutes
- Status: Closed Species
- Availability: Not Yet Released
- [I have been fussing over this species concept for a long time, and am finally satisfied with their look and lore enough to preemptively post info]
-THE ABSOLUTES-
Said to be a gift bestowed by the gods, the Absolutes are graceful and desireable bearers of olfactory pleasures with a naturally subservient nature. They have been cherished throughout history as objects of worship, status, and personal enjoyment. The original absolutes, the Otto, have the oldest history and very little has changed about them over time. The accords slowly spread through the population by interbreeding classic Otto lineages, and the Chypre are the result of even further careful selective breeding to produce a new style of absolute. The Absolutes are characterized primarily by their heavy draped ears that are densely fringed at the tip, epaulet shoulder fringing, thick tassel tail, and sleek rabbit-like feet. The Accord subfamily has shorter ears than a pure Otto, but the Chypre have been bred entirely out of the draped ears and instead sport highly perked butterfly styled ones. Where the Otto have a dense inner ear hair that is typically styled into a simple tassel, the Chypre's ear hair is longest only at the outer last portion and commonly tied there.
Absolutes have scents that cover a wide range from florals, musks, woods, gourmands, and resins. Aroma from an absolute is achieved by through their unique body chemistry which produces uncannily accurate scents through the skin. While all Absolutes have a skin scent that is detectable, the most intense point of their aroma surprisingly originates from their inner ears - the skin of their inner ear has a waxy feel with a highly concentrated scent and the surrounding fringe and hair act to disperse it while in motion. The Otto also produce resinous eruptions on their chest from the bone with an amplified scent - a pure Otto often has 2 to 3, while an Accord only manages to produce 1. These eruptions have and may be chiselled from the absolute in order to trade or sell as ingredients for perfume and incense, but it creates a defect and takes a long time to re-form - it does not seem to harm the absolute if chipped away, but full removal of the eruption is extremely painful for an Absolute as it must be gouged out. Full removal creates a significant deformity with a sunken area and it may take years for the eruption to completely form again or simply never form again at all. Most do not participate in the trade or sale of Absolute resins, but there is a black market for it and Ottos have unfortunately been stolen and assaulted for their resin. A Chypre does not produce any sort of eruption.
-OTTO-
The Otto are the original Absolutes, and the most classicly appreciated among modern day collectors and admirers. Their aroma is only ever a pure, single note - their scent range is generally limited to natural notes, and rarely basic gourmand notes such as vanilla and cocoa. Thoroughbred Ottos have a scent dispersal that may fragrance a decently sized room such as a parlor with ease, though most are only capable of a max dispersal of 5 feet circumferential from their body. They have between two and three resinous eruptions, and their epaulet fringe tends to be longer than that of a Chypre. Their tails are usually double layered, but some have only a single layer - they naturally grow into their shape, though some chose to shape them with fancy grooming. A pure Otto's ears grow to about knee length, with the inner hair about half the length of the ear. For many years, the Otto were kept true to their scentlines to maintain purity, but eventually outsider influence intervened and the Accords were born.
-ACCORD-
The offspring of two pure Ottos with differing aromas, the Accord came into fashion as people desired more complex fragrances. An Accord's scent takes directly after their parents', though the percentage of each influence may vary. They are slightly difficult to breed however, and attempts to breed between two pure Ottos of differing scent lines generally only have a 50% chance of successful insemination among separate note families (ex. a floral note, and a musk note), and 60% chance among similar note families (ex. two differing floral notes). Breeding between two Accords is even harder, and usually only 40% successful. Accords are the first instances of a wider variety of gourmand and unique atmospheric aromas in the species, but they have been carefully created through laborious selective breeding to mimic them and as such are quite rare and sought after due to the difficulty in breeding among the subtype. There is new research being done into artificially synthesized Accord notes as a way to get around poor birth rates, but injections are rarely successful beyond effects lasting a few months. Their ears and inner hair are shorter than a pure otto's, and they only ever produce a singular eruption. their other defining trait is the presence of a short hip fringe.
-CHYPRE-
The Chypre are a relatively recent innovation in the history of absolute selective breeding, and borne originally out of the upper class' desire for small personal companions that they could easily bring with them as a soft personal fragrance. Their aromas are not as powerful as an Otto, and generally only waft closely around them - this is due both in part to a less fragranced skin, and smaller surface area of their ears. Their epaulets are short, and their tail is only ever one layer, and they are generally softer and fluffier than their larger counterparts. By some stroke of luck, chypres breed quite easily among themselves and have become favorites among city dwellers for being easy accessible companion options and offering a pleasant personal bubble of aroma in less than ideal situations. Chypres have a wide variety of scent notes thanks to their ease of breeding, making many excited at the prospect of more intense versions of interesting Chypre scents through Accords breeding. There has yet to be successful offspring in any attempt to breed a Chypre with an Otto.
-CONSTITUTION-
Absolutes are generally physically frail as a species, with easily breakable bones due to their being unusually soft (historians theorized that it was due to their bones being made of the same resin as their aromatic chest eruptions, and more modern studies have proven that the theory is not too far off - their bones do in fact share similar components, but their fragility is still not entirely understood). Body types run wide among Ottos, though they never become especially heavily muscled - and even a strongly masculine Otto is prone to the same shared frailty. Breast sizes among female Otto are usually on the small to medium side, and highly busty females are rare. Chypres do not express much difference between gender, and tend to share the same petite frame. Ottos may live for up to 150 years, though Chypres often do not survive much past 35. Absolutes remain youthful until death, often only ever showing a weakness in scent and decline in quality of skin and fur as they reach their age threshold.
Absolutes give live birth, and develop quickly. Chypres grow an a much more accelerated rate due to their smaller size, and are usually fully developed within 5 years, reaching sexual maturity around the same time. Ottos develop slightly slower, but still at a significant rate; typically they are their maximum height and build at 15 years, and reach sexual maturity a few years after.
Body temperatures among the whole species run high, as increased body heat benefits their aroma dispersal. They thrive in temperate climates, but areas that are too hot can make them sluggish and confused. This is because they have few eccrine sweat glands, and can overheat without proper temperature regulation. Absolutes seem to function relatively well in colder climates, but travellers have noted that their scent becomes less intense as a result.
Due to the thick inner ear hair of Ottos, their hearing is not the greatest and they are easily started by sudden motions coming into their peripheral vision. On the other hand, it allows them to remain calm in noisy environments, which plays into the graceful allure that attracts many to the species. Since the ears of a Chypre are uninhibited by hair, they are significantly more alert and function well in busy locales. They are known as being more vivacious and emotive than Ottos as a result. However, all Absolutes share a similar subservient nature; since they have spent their entire history being kept and adored, they are eager to please and receive praise. They are very loyal and affectionate creatures - however, an Absolute that has been scorned or kept in captivity for black market purposes can become violent and jealous, willing to vy for any attention possible.
-LIFESTYLE-
Most Absolutes are kept creatures, and it is not uncommon to see an Absolute than has lived within a family line for some generations. Pure Otto lineages usually stay within certain families, giving them status and respect - and also acting as bargaining chips for the opportunity of breeding Accords. Some Absolutes are allowed to live and work on their own, but usually only within controlled environments that are suitable for their health and care. Chypres generally do not like to live alone, and are clingy to their owners and each other.
Bred Otto Absolutes are usually auctioned or traded once fully grown, while Chypres are easily sold and adopted out at nearly any stage of life. It is hard for an Absolute that has spent most of its life to part with them and go to another family, but they can be won over with consistent affection and care.
Unfortunate Absolutes are sometimes caught up in the shady underbelly of resin and general species trade - sometimes they are kidnapped, and sometimes they are born into it and continually harvested or sold to collectors wishing to enhance their collections. Those who manage to escape this fate are either rightfully returned to their original owners, or moved into protected sanctuaries for them to heal and readjust.
For the month of thankfulness, Longthings will be the star! As thanks for all of the love they have received over the years, Longthings will be available again in batch format for the month, instead of auction format.
They will be on a base done for the event, and available for $22 each.
All designs will be available on my FA account.
There won't be ironclad days/times for release though, sorry! It comes down to what day works best for me in a given week/end. I can confirm the first group will go up this coming weekend though~
FIRST WEEK: 6 fluffy noodles
SECOND WEEK: 3 silky noodles + 2 CYOP
THIRD WEEK: 3 fluffy natural noodles + 2 CYOP
FOURTH WEEK: TH EXCLUSIVE - Raffle bulletin for a full custom Longthing!
ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ
So, technically today, but later today because I need to sleep and put final touches for the information post haha.
WIll be announced via journal & post on FA - it will run similarly to my Guardian MYO where the overall slots are only limited to a certain timeframe, but individual slots are 2 per person. The slot-entry period will last 2 weeks before closing, and completion due date will be sometime in November.
Also similar to last MYO event, I will send out notifications within the final week to people who have not sent in designs for approval. Designs that do not meet the deadline will be denied, and no refunds issued; if there is a dire emergency in the last week where a short extension is needed I am willing to compromise a little, but I don't want that taken advantage of. I set a deadline because it is easier for me to manage everything that way (my janky spreadsheet is already ready ok) lol 8(
a wee preview for an upcoming MYO! A couple of traits will be primarily MYO exclusive (aka non-batch • leaving myself wiggle room for if I'm in the mood to use those traits for a one off). Add-on charges will range $1-5 depending on intended trait rarity. I have no date decided currently, but I hope it ends up received well once it goes up ♥. My first event with the Guardians went really well and there were a lot of really beautiful designs from it, so I'm excited to see what people create again.
Guardians [CORRUPT]
- Status: Active
- Availability: Closed Species
- Auction - uncommon/rare
The Cat's Cradle, the ancient landmark of the Guardians, is an ages old mystery. Through it many new Guardians have walked, either spawned by the gate itself, or gifted in mating ritual. It bestows halos to the worthy, and accepts the tired back into uncreation. However, the archaic gates are not perfect, and have begun to show odd signs of flawed activity in the face of celestial storms. Unlike anything seen in the ages before, the Guardians have been faced with a strange new existence among them: the Corruptibles.
These bizarre, errored creatures are undesired in the Guardians' population - considered against nature, corrupt in their creation, spoken of with a mix of fear, jealousy and disgust. They wander in the home realm, trying to find purpose. They exist in a mostly disoriented state, not understanding why they were born they way they were, and unable to accomplish the things that designate the Guardians as their own kind. Some Guardians have taken pity on them and accepted them into their family units, but most end up in seclusion.
The Corrupts emerge as a rarity from the gates fully grown, with unusual additions to their anatomy: their spikes are longer and more numerous, their hips with long tufted extensions draping down. Most startling however, they emerge with halo. Or rather, a glitched halo. Their halos are partial and flickering, shattered imitations of what the Guardians work to earn, and bestowed upon them at birth with no effort. Their eyes do not function as a normal Guardian's do, having mostly calcified over into a smooth stonelike surface. Their eyes either do not see, or see too much, leaving a blurred field of no use to them. Their recording eye seems unconnected to the Cradle, receiving no communication and unable to transmit or archive data. They often have some other anomaly about them too, such as Dove's triplet intonation when speaking. Stranger yet, the Cradle appears to reject their existence entirely; the Corruptibles can not return through the gates. Without the ability to undo themselves, it seems that they are cursed to live out their confused existence for quite some time.
The Corrupt are seemingly a rejected piece of work that the Cradle spat out. An error in the system, pieces of incomplete or assorted traits and information that spawned incorrectly, the unlucky outcome of a strange and old power gone awry. They are widely considered untouchable, frightening, and confusing. Wholly broken from birth.
The Corruptibles are a rare release variant on the Guardian. They will scarcely ever be up for custom, and are most likely to show up once in a while out of chance, unannounced. It is not permissible to change non-corrupt Guardians into a Corruptible.
- Auction - uncommon/rare
(WIP)
The World Enders
- Status: Closed Species
- Availability: Active
- Batch - common
- Auction - uncommon (rare traits, to be expanded on)
- Batch - common
Lo, can you hear them! The trumpets of the heavenly hounds, the end times are nigh!
The World Enders are a frightful bunch despite their tiny stature, for nobody wishes to witness the end of things - but everything must end, be it a precious moment in our lives, a long kindled relationship that no longer serves us, or an existence simply ready to be put to rest. Nothing can last forever, and the World Enders serve to harken the end times on multiple scales in the name of keeping worldly balance. With each Ender's boisterous trumpeting, they retire the old and welcome the new. Lo, to be born again! The World Enders, Tender Death Bringers, Softeners of Spirits, bring with them a fresh chapter after their world shattering calls.
-MYTHIC LORE: ADVANCED MODE-
Though they frighten many with their duties, the World Enders are not a malicious bunch. They exist to keep the balance, and to turn over the old in preparation for the new. They will come to individuals in their lives to end an old cycle in exchange for new, announce worldly events disasters that will turn the lands over, or en masse to harken the end of all things. They have touched many people, and seen many worlds come and go. They seem to answer to no higher power, and it is said that the original World Enders were borne of a cosmic egg in order to establish balance. Each Ender is blessed with a winged banner which serves as their trumpet, and may be either worn when not in use or summoned at will. Their ability to sense events and their severity of impact on worldly balance is internalized, and they are able to sense subtle vibrations alerting them to jobs needing to be done.
-PET LORE: CASUAL MODE-
While they do not appear to work for one sole entity, the World Enders are adored by other heavenly and mythic beings for their ways and small forms, and have no qualms about being kept as companions or pets. They become very affectionate, and some have taken to audible speech in order to communicate better with their keepers. When they do speak, unfortunately, it's quite loud. While they can not entirely forsake their duties, due to their numbers those who are kept are able to live semi-retired and only go out occasionally for small callings. Large scale callings are not able to be ignored due to the Ender's internal rhythm, so they are required to leave in those circumstances in order to maintain proper worldly balance. Owners are used to this pattern of slight absences, and are usually able to recognize the signs of major impending disappearances (dilated pupils, panting, restlessness). Absences may be hours to days long, but keepers are always happy to see their companions return.
World Enders are affectionate among themselves, though they will not let others handle their banners casually. The swapping of banner horns is a sign of trust in each other, and a moment to be treasured. They communicate to each other telepathically, but some have taken to speaking (especially those who double as pets). They are also quite fond of other heavenly species, especially those larger than themselves, and love to be pampered. Most have no qualms about being taken in as pets, but there are also many who refuse to be tied down and prefer a life of working.
While they get on well with each other and higher species, the World Enders do not like being involved with humans beyond their job. They find them slightly repulsive and riddled with strange miasmas, and their bodies do not react well to extended physical contact from them.
Beneath their tightly closed headwings is a small pair of pointed ears, which they rarely reveal due to how sensitive they are. It's said that they can hear the sins of humanity, and so they will never reveal their ears to a human for fear of going deaf and mad. Their rear wings range from 4 to 6, and their tails may be either non existent, short, or long and flowing. Their tails do not grow over time, and they are devastated if their hair is cut. Some World Enders have a pair of fleshy or keratinous horns upon their heads, but it is slightly less common. The max height for Enders is about 5 feet, but very rarely taller ones have existed.
Fringe styles can be paired with any wing type, but it's generally more common to see rarer fringes with rarer wing sets. Fringe appearance is mostly cosmetic otherwise. World Enders themselves are usually not too fussed about them, but collectors and owners sometimes have a preference in appearance.
Cleric fringe is the most common, with a neck ruffle and high leg and arm stocking type appearance.
Bishop fringe is a tightly cropped appearance, with the length cutting off just above wrist and ankle lengths. The neck ruffle has a small second staggered fringe. It is more uncommon than Cleric.
Cardinal fringe is the only appearance in which a World Ender sports bare arms in favor of hip fringe. Hip fringe may be either a small panel on each flank, or a half skirt from the lumbar wing region to the front hip bone. Tips of the fringe lay closer to the body, and their neck ruffle becomes shapely. Cardinal appearance is rare.
Papal fringe is the rarest tier, and not often seen. The neck fringe becomes long and drapes over the shoulders, with two long shaped sections on both the front and back. The posterior fringe is generally longer than the front.
In cases of wing types, higher rarities are a soft indicator of pack status more than anything. IE. on a grand scale apocalypse, a World Ender with Seraph wings is more likely to head a pack/legion and sound the trumpets first. They all share equal duty load otherwise, but they do tend to garner a little more respect among their peers and admiration among collectors/owners. Fringe styles can be paired with any wing type, but it's generally more common to see rarer fringes with rarer wing sets.
Putti & Principe style wing sets both have anywhere from 4-6 small lumbar wings. Principes have the addition of one set of scapular wings.
Virtues have only 2-4 medium lumbar wings, and one set of large scapular wings.
Seraphs have between 2-6 small/medium lumbar wings, and a double set of scapular wings (large and XL).
Putti are the most common wing type, with Principe & Virtue being rare. Seraph wings are ultra rare, and will rarely be released.
Eolai
- Status: Closed Species
- Availability: Semi-Retired
- Legacy Release - Rare
- Auction or Flatsale only, occuring on celestial or auspicious event days
- Private Trade - Rare
- Custom only, limited closed species. I reserve right to deny offer if not interested.
- Legacy Release - Rare
The Eolai are seers beyond the veil, and may be sought out by those desiring their services; some remain more hidden than others, and will take a skilled practitioner to locate. They are able to see the past, present, and future and can offer answers to any queries regarding these matters and lore says they may be able to pull the threads of fate in your favor - for a price, which they may not always reveal. As payment for their services, the querant is marked until their time of death where the Eolai will come to claim their last breath. Upon this final exhalation of the soul, the querant's soul will cease to exist on any plane, a fate some say is crueler than death itself. The cost of ego and selfishness is high - is it worth the answers you seek?
The creation of the Eolai is embedded in whispers and mysteries. Some say they are built of the fabric of time itself since existence, and others insist that they are an ancient man made thoughtform that gained its own self awareness, becoming too strong to cut off. The only sure information known is that while there are many sorts of Eolai, they seem to spring from the same source, rarely able to be accessed by the feeble minded.
It is unknown if Eolai are capable of death themselves. They are made up of an eternity of souls, which are said to strengthen its skill as a Seer, but they will not reveal their reasons for such a trade to people.
Said to be among the oldest of all, and the font from which all others are created. They remain hidden from man, and will only appear to a strong practitioner that they deem worthy of service. They may see all, and are said to be the most skilled at changing the flow of events.
Their revelations are a deafening silence, a vast cosmos of nothingness where everything is born.
Said to be the messengers of gods and spirits, they are skilled in divining for man the truth of existence. Rarely these Eolai may come to a person in order to reveal a message without price.
Their revelations are thunderous bells and lightning, piercing the heart of even the most holy.
Said to be the most dangerous of the Eolai, they are often accessed by those with darker pursuits. They are most capable of harm, willing to act as a stead of fate. They can not be trusted however, capable of twisting their own words, and so should be avoided by careless and unskilled practitioners.
Their revelations are snake bellies on rich silk, a honeyed drink of bitter herbs in man's throat.
Said to be among the most earthly of the Eolai, they are easiest sought for divination. Their ease of access does not render them lesser or more benign - many say they are at once the most helpful and most deceiving of all. While found easily slinking the borders of the veils, they are not above preying on the unassuming should the mood strike.
Their revelations are a bristling cold wind, that makes man burn with anticipation.
Eolai are bipedal, but may contort themselves and crawl like a cat. They have fleshy bodies and faces, with arms and legs covered in smooth and tufted furs, along with feathering. Their legs have 4 clawed cat-like toes, and their hands 5 padded and clawed fingers. They have two thickly lashed eyes, with one non lashed eye that does not close on their forehead. Small pointed ears on top of their heads lay behind wing-like tufts that all Eolai have leading into hair. Each class has a distinctive style of antler, with a crystal floating between them (also indicative of class). Eolai have a thick muscled tail with long hair draping along the top of it.
Guardians
- Status: Closed Species
- Availability: Active
- Batch - common
- Auction - uncommon + rare (Corrupt)
- MYO - 1 complete
- Progeny - not yet offered
- Batch - common
Guardians are very social creatures among their own kind, and tend to form either small nuclear units or unrelated clans. A large portion of their culture is built around showing off and bragging rights, leading to a very superficial and competitive culture. Most of this is good-natured fun, but there are patches of lineage-long grudges held between groups as well. Involvement with outside species is not as common outside of Halo Chasing, but they will interact for periods with others out of curiosity.
Halos are of great superficial interest to Guardians, and there is a lot of fuss about the number any given Guardian has. No halo is seen as undesirable, since it takes a bare minimum of effort to achieve the first ring, and those who aren't young offspring tend to be bullied and teased. Three halos is the maximum known amount, and an enormous bragging point; the Guardians resourceful enough to reach this level are highly admired and sought after as mates, and often become popular community figures. Singular halos are a grey area since it is easy to obtain one, but because there is a large gap between it and a double halo, most of these Guardians are considered average and acceptable. Double halos are highly regarded and enviable, but nowhere near the pomp and circumstance as a triple.
Halo Chasing is the Guardians' primary sport, and the game which earns them the badge of Guardian Angel by others. Halos are obtained by accomplishing "miracles" for a person in poor circumstances, and the amount accomplished is directly related to obtaining extra halos. Since the Guardians are a tricky sort, they've taken to using dirty tricks to create these miracles, and have also become experts at hiding their tracks (they would rather bask in praise). They will rescue a person from an oncoming vehicle, but only after cutting its brakes in the first place. The drowned will surface and be found, but only after being dragged into the riptide. A contest will miraculously bring someone unknown to fame, but only after eliminating the competition. Guardians love to find ways to benefit themselves, and finding inventive new manners of miracle working is a fun game among themselves. It is said that the earliest Guardians were less selfish and performed miracles with an earnest desire to help, but ages of social evolution has turned them into what they are now.
The miracles themselves count towards halo increases both in number and in type. Class I miracles, massive life saving events and the sort, have a high point count. Class II miracles, while significant but not having much of an effect outside of a few people earn a moderate point count. Class III miracles, which are minor saves as small as passing a test are worth only a couple points but the easiest type for "level grinding".
It takes only a couple Class III miracles to obtain a first halo, which is why it is so frowned upon to have none. Two halos requires a significant step up in amount, and also requires a variety of miracles performed. Triple halos require an obscenely high point count, and as such are only seen on Guardians that have lived a very very long time.
Guardians themselves are a genderless construct by default. However, they are capable of low level body shifting. The most important reason for this is to easily hide and produce the eyes on their large hands - when not in use, they are able to sink in and close them, leaving only a fleshy slit. This is helpful for day to day activity and protecting their eyes, since they are a crucial anatomical detail. Over the ages, the Guardians have watched many species go about their lives, and as such have begun to enjoy occasional body shifting to mimic the genitals of others. Most do it purely for entertainment since their mating does not require any, and some simply enjoy the appearance. They don't always get it "right" however, and sometimes end up forming some questionable looking imitations. If they so choose on a whim, Guardians are able to pseudo-mate with unrelated species, but it is impossible for them to bear offspring.
The eyes within their hands are important factors for many parts of a Guardian's life. On a basic level, they are used for their miracle working. One eye sees opportunity, essentially acting as a spy cam, and alerts the Guardian to a situation where they can get involved. The other eye records the event into a series of archaic data, which is used either for earning new halos or mating ritual. There is no set designation of which eye does which, and is 50/50 on how it ends up. The eye which records is the most precious of the two.
An ancient landmark in the center of the Guardians' home realm, this location is where halos are awarded and their mating ritual takes place. Two alabaster spires rise high and unseen into the sky, with an ever shifting stained glass aura spanning between them. The shifting lines in this visual phenomenon have earned this holy place the nickname of Cat's Cradle, or just The Cradle. The Cradle is capable of communicating with the Guardians through poorly understood means, and nobody is quite sure how it came into being.
The mating ritual takes place in front of the gate-like window. If desiring offspring, two Guardians must approach the gate together. Each must entirely remove their recording eye from their hand and place them on a platform while reciting an ancient prayer asking for a child. The Cradle will consume the offering and consider the combined data overlaid on a complex (if fickle and unpredictable) astrological map. If it deems the couple worthy, they will be presented with a child from the gate. If they are unlucky, they receive no such blessing. In either situation, it is considered a huge sacrifice to attempt this ritual, because it involves physically erasing all of that eye's kept records permanently. This means that all progress towards another halo is lost, and must be restarted. The eye will regenerate as a blank slate after each outcome.
While halos bear no meaning beyond accomplishment, they are of such high status to the superficial Guardians that it is often deemed not worth the risk of trying until you already have 2 halos. Since it is not entirely necessary to increase population in this manner either, the act is more of a status symbol of luxury or sacrifice in the name of passion. The belief is that the higher the record count, the more likely the ritual will be a success, but in reality the Cradle is a mystery in how it calculates its decisions. Some single halo couples are able to produce offspring, while a triple halo may not be.
While the Cradle may be consulted for combined offspring, it is the less common creation method for Guardians. More commonly, the Cradle will randomly spawn a new Guardian without warning. Some generations it is very active, and others it will rarely bring forth a new one. New Guardians will often be adopted into a group to be raised. Children from a successful mating ritual are kept closely guarded by their parents and considered especially precious.
Guardians "age" very slowly, and can live for vast periods of time. A Guardian is considered to be matured once their claws and spines have fully grown in. The concept of age means relatively little to the Guardians, and nuclear units will be fiercely protective of each other despite the length of time lived. A triple halo is the closest estimate of an elder, simply due to the amount of time required to achieve one. Height is an indicator of age only roughly, since a Guardian may stop growing in height before their spines have grown in.
They do not expire in a given time frame, but they may be weakened in fights with each other. Ultimately, the choice to pass is up to the Guardian. Some prefer to live very long, while others tire of their existence earlier on. The Cradle is at least merciful in this aspect, and allows its children to decide their own fate, welcoming them back through the gate which they emerged if they so choose. Dying is not seen as shameful or sorrowful to the Guardians, and they celebrate the act of passing for their brethren with fondness for the soon to be deceased.
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CAN I MAKE MY OWN GUARDIAN?
Guardians are a closed species, so it is not permissible to freely make your own. They may be obtained only from batch releases or Cat's Cradle events primarily, or by trade/sale from owners seeking to swap or sell theirs. This is also applicable for Offspring, which may not be made without permission from a Cradle event. A record of existing Guardian numbers is kept in the Registry (please contact me through FA if you would like your username registered with the design). |
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WHAT AM I ALLOWED/NOT ALLOWED TO CHANGE ON MY GUARDIAN?
+You may make adjustments to your Guardian's markings and skintone, but please keep things recognizable. Simplifying or adding slightly more ornate marks is okay, but complete marking edits or full color swaps is frowned upon. +You may change your Guardian's hairstyle however you prefer. +You may gender your Guardian's appearance however you prefer in pictures/writing, but please keep in mind they are naturally genderless/sexless and do not normally express sexual characteristics associated with standard biological anatomy (ex. they will not get pregnant, any body fluids expressed from a gender-morph is purely aesthetic for them). +You may ascribe anatomical irregularities such as partial/amputations to your Guardian, but please keep in mind the effects that may occur from it (ex. loss of the arm containing their recording eye prevents them from ever mining points towards halo count). -You may not change their halo count. This is to prevent an over abundance of triple halos etc. -You may not change a Guardian into a Corruptible, nor the other way around. |
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ARE THEIR BODIES ACTUALLY SPLIT AT THE TORSO?
Yes! They have a split around the rib area separating their upper torso from their lower body. It is a mild float zone, but the two body sections stay within line of each other and do not pull very far apart. The inside view into either section may be rendered as either their flesh tone, or whatever predominant marking color you prefer (up to your own artistic preference). The spike at the center of their separation floats as well, but the others are flush with the body. |
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DO THEY LOSE THEIR EARNED HALOS AFTER THE MATING RITUAL? HOW DO THEY RECEIVE A NEW ONE?
When the Guardian sacrifices their eye to the Cradle for the mating ritual, they simply lose all of their accumulated records. They will not lose the halos they have already, but all progress toward another is erased forever, requiring them to start from the point count of a no halo Guardian. This is why most deem it not worth the risk unless one is already an owner of multiple halos - it's less of a set back. Once a Guardian has accumulated enough miracles on their record to be worthy of a new halo, the Cradle will summon them and bestow it upon them. It is unknown how exactly the Cradle's omniscience works, but it is seemingly capable of tapping into the Guardian's data at will. Since it casts no moral judgement on how miracles are obtained, most theorize that it still runs on an archaic rhythm dating back to the very first Guardians who served with no ulterior motives. |
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WHAT EMOTIONS DO THEY EXPERIENCE? THEY MUST LACK GUILT TO ACT SO TERRIBLY.
Within their own species, they experience a standard array of emotions! Things like jealousy are more common when compared to humans, but not considered a negative thing among themselves. They experience shame, happiness, affection, sadness, etc. However, they experience it differently sometimes because it would be related to their own cultural outlines. A parent would feel guilty if they let their child be harmed in some way, because children are difficult to have in their society. They would be less guilty about stealing a miracle from another, since their nature is competitive. They wouldn't have any guilt about interfering with other species, because they consider others like game pieces. They wouldn't understand the point in feeling guilty if they accidentally (or purposely) killed someone not of their species, because their own kind doesn't experience that sort of physical weakness - to them it's just a short straw drawn by a lesser creation, it's not the Guardian's fault that the species is "flawed". Of course, there will always be the ones who have a more radical way of thinking from the vast majority, but they're harder to find and more likely to be shunned by the others. When character building, feel free to explore how their culture and society would determine their emotional/rational thinking! |
Augurs
- Status: Closed Species
- Availability: Semi-Active
- Auction - uncommon
- Batch - uncommon (not yet introduced)
- Trade - rare
Not quite earthbound, the Augur resides in a form loosely tied to this realm. Their bodies, which range from small and childlike to that of a grown man, are tangible - their touch has weight, their mimicked breathing rhythmic - but they are not made of the same stuffs the wordly are. They may walk on ground, or hover as they see fit. They do not eat or drink except for pleasure.
Augurs are flighty and unattached for the most part, with very few owing loyalty to any person or creature. They may stay with someone for a time and leave unannounced in a breath, or only appear once in someone's lifetime to divine. While they do not often display a high understanding of sympathy or empathy, some Augurs may grow fond of others on a deeper level than pure fascination. They are also known to become territorial and will go after their own kind if they feel encroached upon, seeking to cut their tether.
The Augurs read fortunes through their own bodies' materia, their spiritual make-up so to say - each Augur's differs from the another, though they share similar "genetic families". Fortunes are told by unraveling their pseudo-physical forms, allowing them to spill forth their materia before the querant and read it. These fortunes are often spectacles to behold: sometimes frightening if an Augur reads by flight of insects, or awe inspiring should an Augur read by casting glittering gems. The materia dissipates at the end of the reading, but con artists have successfully passed off items as lucky Augur materia for good sums of money.
Over time, some capable magicians have found a way to permanently bind Augurs to themselves or objects. These imprisoned Augurs have become subject to a black market trade, passing through shady hands and forced to divine at the owner's whim. Wealthy owners have been known to host Auguries, or viewing events, as a way to show off their toys. Lucky circuses have also been able to obtain them, and they attract large crowds by such advertisement. The reading results of these shows are usually inaccurate however, leaving the owner to interpret the omens rather than the tired Augur.
Each Augur is bound across the abdomen by a thread which tethers their shell to the earthly world. While appearing physical, the thread is actually not tangible, acting as a metaphysical binder that may only be cast and cut by their own kind. The Augur simply picks free their stitches to divine for a short time, and tightens them shut at the end. Prolonged removal of this tether weakens their ability to stay in their physical form, and if they are unable to maintain it the Augur's form will simply expire until they regain the energy to birth a new shell. Each Augur has a different level of stamina, but every reading exhausts them a bit, and they require time to recover before divining again.
An Augur can not cut its own shell's tether - this caveat is understood by the Augur when they choose to assume an earthly form. Normally this does not pose an issue to these deathless spirits, but those trapped in captivity often suffer as a result of not being able to free themselves. The thread may, however, be cut by another Augur's shears and this is the most common form of territorial fighting.
Never without this item, it is a crucial aspect to an Augur's form and ability. The needle is used both to pick their threads for casting, and to pull them taught again. It is also used as a pointer and sorter during their fortunes, as the Augur will use it to trace out patterns and bring attention to important omens for the querant. It may be loosely used in self defense against other Augurs, and it may be held by others but is useless otherwise. The owners of captive Augur's forcefully keep hold of their needles, allowing them to force divination whenever they please. Each Augur has their own needle, and they are not cross compatible for tethering.
Summoned only at will, these shears are an Augur's main weapon against their own kind. In territorial fights, the Augur will use their shears in an attempt to cut the other's tether - while it does not kill the spirit, it eliminates their physical shell for a time, which usually is enough of a threat to make them move elsewhere. The shears may used as a defensive blocker in fights as well. The most common tactic used is to sever another's thread during divination when they are vulnerable, and an especially malicious Augur may also seek to knock away their opponent's needle to prevent re-tethering during the fight.
An old wives' tale says that finding a pair of Augur's shears with no Augur in sight is an omen of destruction or death, and they should immediately say a prayer, turn away, and go home by different route from which they originally came.
Properly bound Augurs in captivity will be immune to another's shears, unable to free each other if they live in groups. Augurs bound by amateurs have a chance for escape if another Augur takes pity on them, for their tether may still be snipped.
The Augur's divination is a grand spectacle regardless of type, but some are easily more favored by the public. Some displays are quite frightening, and many confusing. Each session temporarily affects the space between querant/s and Augur, turning the area into an expansive field of materia in which the Augur will point out important omens and symbols within the spread using their needle. More highly skilled Augurs will be able to create more interactive and breathtaking presentations.
Organic
Materia includes variety of natural flora, terrestrial and rarely aquatic. Flowers, leaves, vines, mushrooms, etc. Most will only have one type of materia, but especially gifted Augurs may have two types they can read with simultaneously.
Scavenger
Materia includes "spare parts" of other beasts and beings such as bones and teeth, organs, feathers, and insects of varying types. Scavenger Augur's materia is not always reflected by their outward appearance, and may distress people during unexpected displays.
Lymphatic
Materia includes liquids of all sorts, drinkable and non. Poison type Lymphatics do exist, but beyond temporary hallucinogenic effects during reading omens, their materia does not effect the querant/s.
Archaic
Materia includes strange texts, sounds, and intangible items such as star matter. These Augurs are rarely found, and are some of the most gifted, with high endurance levels for readings. They are said only to appear to kings, but records show they have also visited prophets and madmen.
Trinket
Materia includes gemstones, minerals, seashells, and a host of other delightful bits and bobbles. These Augurs are known for their showy displays, and the most common materia type for con artists to pass off as legitimate artifacts. Perigee is in this class.