This page will explain everything you need to know about Mooshis as a species.
This includes how they came to be, their life cycle, and other little tidbits you may want to know.

The Mooshi

Mooshis are bipedal mycelium creatures that resemble anthropomorphic cows with mushrooms on their heads and tails. Mooshi are covered in short, velvety soft fur. They have a complex skeleton, organs, and even tissue that can regenerate. Their ‘blood’ is actually a sap-like substance though it looks, feels, and behaves similar to normal blood.
When a Mooshi is harmed, they bleed and bruise, but with proper aid they will regenerate over time. If enough damage is done, they will not fully heal and a scar may cover the wound. In extreme cases, a Mooshi can lose a limb or even their life.
Mooshis stand between [on average] 2.5 ft to 4 ft tall. Their weight and body types are just as varied.

Mooshi Anatomy

Mooshis normally do not get taller than 4ft. they are identified by the mushroom caps atop their heads and at the ends of their tails. Mooshis are anthropomorphic, meaning they walk on two legs and have human-like emotions and behaviors. Their legs are semi ungulate by default, meaning they have a similar structure to a llama. Their toe bones are supported by thick, fibrous, shock-absorbing heel pads. A Mooshis forearms are slightly thicker than what would be normal. Their hands are simple and plain, they lack any sort of raised pad or nail and only have three fingers and one thumb.
Every Mooshi is born with an Affinity Gem somewhere on their body, when born, these gems are small and very dull in their color and they stay that way until a Mooshi unlocks magic.

Caps

Mooshis are required to have at least one cap. The type can be altered by mutations and one can be taken away with a trait, but as this is their defining feature, they need something to show what they are! By default, a Mooshis head and tail cap will match in color, shape, and patterns. A basic plate shaped mushroom cap is still common, even if the pattern and color isn't natural. A Mooshi can remove their head cap with ease and it will reattach if replaced within 24 hours. If lost, the old will wither and a new one will grow back. It is a painless process!
Unlike head caps, a Mooshis tail is more sensitive. The bones only go about a 1/4th of the way up the tail leaving the rest to be very flexible. Removing a tail cap is a tad more painful but this is how Mooshis create a Mooshling.

Life Cycle

➜ ➜ ➜ ↩
Every Mooshi starts life as an egg. Even the first Mooshis came from a nature born egg which was a gift from nature itself. When two Mooshis love each other very much, they will remove their tail caps, place them together in the garden and with time and a little magic, the bonded egg will hatch a baby Mooshi we call a Mooshling.
These babies are born without their caps and few to no mutations. For the first year, a Mooshling is completely reliant on their parents, during this year they are still growing and getting used to the world. Some mutations might start to grow in. They can't speak yet and often babble or cry.
From two to three years, a Mooshling is getting their footing, literally! They'll start to walk but might need support from a hand or object. This stage of their life is where they undergo immense cognitive, emotional and social development. Mutations are still growing with them as are their caps.
From three to nine years is when they are really taking in the world, learning how to be independent but still keeping close to their parents. They are quite social and are very curious about new experiences.
An adolescent Mooshi is when they start to gain their own sense of self. They are less reliant on their parents but not quite enough to start on their own lives, after all, a Mooshi lives for a long time. They might appear fully grown at this point but their caps, mutations, and height might not line up with those that are fully mature.
Depending on a Mooshi, some will claim independence in their twenties and likely go through the Coming of Age Trial where they explore themselves before moving into adulthood. A Mooshi isn't really considered an 'Adult' until they are around thirty-five years old while maturity is about fourty! By this age, they are done growing and developing mutations.

Gender & Relationships

Because of a Mooshis anatomy, one might notice they lack any genitalia (or sex characteristics), this means all Mooshi by default are genderless. A gender might manifest in appearance as they age but Mooshis have a comfortable relationship with 'gender', any can dress or act whatever they feel aligns with them. Some might dress more 'girly' or 'boyish' to show they identify as such. They use pronouns as they feel describes them or how they wish to be referred. No one really questions what one might choose to identify as.
Due to their humanoid personality and lifestyle, Mooshis can have complex relationships with each other. Mooshis are known to take romantic partners, have best friends or even mortal enemies.
Because Mooshis use their tail caps to reproduce, the offspring shares DNA from both parents which does create a family tree. How a Mooshi refers to its parents is up to the individual. They tend to use the common "mom", "dad", and "sibling" labels.

Culture

Habitat- Mooshis like warmth and humidity. They thrive in forests and warm caves. Their overall aesthetic can be described as ‘Cottagecore’. They like their homes to feel lived in, welcoming, and cozy. Homes depend on the personality or family traditions, they make homes in hills, tree trunks, or stand alone houses that tend to look like mushrooms.

Technology- Due to the Mooshis environment, they have access to a lot of human relics, including what we know as transmission towers, telephone poles, power plants, and more. Think of magitech mixed with solarpunk and an overall cottagecore vibe. They don't know what these relics were for but with their magic they have made it work again and call it something new. They are incredibly inventive and intelligent, there are many explosions and no safety laws.

Spirituality- Mooshis believe all life is borrowed. When they die, they are giving back to the cycle of life and decay. This is shown in how they respect life around them, from the wild creatures to the smallest sprout. This is also shown in how they use the Veil. Borrowing its energy and power to keep the cycle going. They believe that these principles and methods bring them closer to their Goddess, Elowen and reinforce their role in the world.