General Information
Lockhearts are a race of humanoids which have evolved by magic from their original animal forms. Their magical gifts are the most powerful when they pair off and use their abilities as a team. Lockhearts are very social creatures, and although working with and living alongside humans as equals in unavoidable, they often form exclusive communities among themselves. Their soulless counterparts the Loveless are a dangerous plague immune to conventional weaponry, and humans often trade goods and services for the protection afforded by having a group of Lockhearts living nearby.
Key and Lock Markings
All Lockhearts have either a lock or key marking. Markings are generally located on the outside ear of each Lockheart, though rare exceptions do exist. Lockhearts are very proud of their markings and love to show them off. Lockhearts with the same marking often feel a bond of kinship and comeraderie, while Lockhearts with opposite markings may feel a range of emotional connection from familial to attraction.
Lockhearts with the same marking (i.e. two Lockhearts who both have key markings) are unable to form a magical bond, but this bond may occur between two oppositely marked Lockhearts regardless of gender or orientation and represents a strong emotional connection rather than one determined by physical compatibility. Lockhearts may mate outside of their bonded pairs, but even if their bonded partner is asexual or purely platonic, their bonded partner will always come first emotionally.
Lockhearts with multiple key or lock markings, or a combination of both do exist, but these are very rare and whether they are accepted into the Lockheart community or not they are still viewed as a bit of a curiosity.
Heart Meter
Every Lockheart has a Heart Meter located somewhere on their bodies. Most often they can be found on the wrist, though rarely they may occur in other locations. As the name suggests, the Heart Meter measures the physical and emotional health of the Lockheart. An empty Heart Meter can indicate extreme depression or grievous physical injury.
Lockhearts' physical health and magical power is tied closely to their emotional stability, and a Lockheart who has the love of their bonded partner and community can overcome almost any wound or illness. Conversely, a Lockheart who is deprived of the attention of their bonded partner and community will slowly waste away as evidenced by a diminishing Heart Meter.
General Information
If it weren't for their animal-based traits Lockhearts could otherwise pass for human, and indeed they often do. However, Lockhearts take great pride in the lineage that seperates them from humans, and rarely if ever hide their true nature. The key and lock markings are a special point of care and grooming for Lockhearts, as they believe it to be the physical representation of their feelings for their partner. Their bodies are sacred instruments infused with divine power for a purpose, and defiling them with piercings, tattoos or artistic scarring is seen as an intentional shunning of the Lockheart community and viewed as shameful. Some inborn abnormalities such as heterochromia are also looked upon negatively, and most Lockhearts do their best to hide them. Lockhearts' bodies are extremely resistant to scarring, and only potent magics can permanently mark them after the wound is healed.
Animal Element
The first Lockhearts were animal warriors, and although the species has since evolved to a more utilitarian humanoid form they still retain unique physical traits which tie them to their ancestors' roots. Generally these traits are manifest as an animal's ears and tail, although rarely others will appear such as talons, fangs, horns or body fur. Lockhearts always have an animal trait in place of normal ears, even if their animal doesn't have ears - for instance feathers or head wings.
Markings
The lock, key, and heart meter markings on a Lockheart's body are symbols of deepest pride. They represent the gift of magic, and the bond they share with their partner, and even the least fastidious of Lockhearts will do their best to make sure their markings stay clean and well cared-for. Each Lockheart is born with their key or lock marking, but the heart meter only becomes visible after they have made a bond with another lockheart, making their magic unusable until they've found a partner.
General Physical Appearance
With few exceptions, Lockhearts tend to be slightly more diminutve in height and build than humans. Since even brute force physical Lockhearts rely on their magical power to augment their strength, speed, and ability to absorb damage, they don't often have heavily muscular or bulky bodies.
Females do develop secondary sex characteristics like breasts and wider hips, but these tend to be less pronounced than in humans, and neither males nor females develop facial or body hair. Height and build vary from individual to individual, but males tend to be slightly taller.
Age Equivalency
Conception, Development and Aging
Lockhearts conceive in the traditional human way. However, they only gestate for about three months before they are born in a protective, malleable cocoon which hardens into an egg-like shell after birth and breaks open after another year to reveal a newborn baby. The smaller size of the child at birth reduces injury and recovery time, and allows the mother to continue fighting without worrying about her unborn child as it develops inside the egg.
During the developmental stage of their lives, Lockhearts age and mature similarly to a human. When they reach the human equivalent of age 15, Lockhearts generally begin aging much slower. However, because almost all Lockhearts are in constant battle even into old age it is extremely rare for illness or age to claim their lives.
General Information
Every Lockheart is drawn to partner up with another Lockheart. By partnering up with another Lockheart each individual Lockheart can release their inner magic and become more powerful. Lockhearts will only partner up with another Lockheart with an opposite marking; so key markings will pair up with lock markings and vice versa. The bonding ceremony is unique, and spcial to each pair of Lockhearts. A partnership for a Lockheart is for life. If a Lockheart’s partner dies, they will often pass away soon after due to stress.
Bonding
Partnership is very important to a Lockheart’s happiness and quality of life. Deepening the relationship between partners will help keep a Lockheart healthy, as well as make each partner’s magic stronger. Finding out what bonding process works best for a pair is crucial to help the couple function. Whether bonding is intensely physical or expressed purely as platonic or asexual love, the most important part is the emotional connection.
Abnormalities
Sometimes Lockhearts have more than one marking - two keys, two locks, or one of each. This rare trait enables this Lockheart to bond with more than one partner. Many choose to adopt traditional partnerships with only one other Lockheart, but it is possible to bond with two at once. Making three-way partnerships function is a lot of work. Abnormal Lockhearts must make sure that the needs of two partners are being met rather than just one, and unless both partners are also abnormal (extremely rare), issues of jealousy or posessiveness may arise and damage team synergy. Normal Lockhearts can find this arrangement uncomfortable since they will never share the same special bond with one of their partners as the other.
Lockhearts with both a key and a lock can sometimes form a bond all by themselves. These loner types are extremely narcissistic, and must go through the same bonding rituals as pairs to maintain their health and sanity. For all intents and purposes, they are their own partner.
General Information
When Lockhearts pair up they share their inner magic with each other. When they combine their magic each Lockheart transforms into a more powerful being. These powerful new looks reflect on both the Lockheart’s original look. Lockhearts’ magic is drawn from their respect and love for their partner. So the stronger the bond between partners is, the more powerful the magic they possess becomes. However, Lockhearts do not have an unlimited amount of magic. They must replenish their magic by spending time with their partner.
Roles
When partnered, Lockhearts use their magic together and each takes on a role. When their roles are decided, they cannot be changed. There are two options and both must exist in a pair to maintain balance. One Lockheart will be a melee fighter, while their partner is a ranged fighter. Together, they make the perfect team.
Melee
Melee fighters get right up in the action when in battle. They get in very close proximity to the creatures they are fighting. Melee Lockhearts can adopt primarily offensive or defensive roles, and utilize hand to hand fighting styles such as: sword and shield, two-handed sword, spear, dagger, battleaxe, or even just bare fisted martial arts.
Ranged
Ranged Lockhearts keep their distance from battle and focus supporting their front-line partner and fighting from long range. Many Ranged Lockhearts use a weapon like a knife or staff as a last resort physical defense or focal object for their magic, but all specialize in one type of magic, skill, or long-range weapon such as: Bow and Arrow, Firearms, Fire Magic, Technomancy, Healing, or Bardic Song
Abnormalities
Abnormal Lockhearts change the battle dynamic of the usual two-man team. When properly synergized, these units of three can be very powerful as a group. However, staying in sync with two partners rather than just one is taxing and these teams find their magic drains much quicker. Abnormal Lockhearts may be either Ranged or Melee so long as there is at least one of each in their group, but they must still choose a specialty.