🌱 Snakekeys have named their planet 'Susie'. Her assigned birthday is the 2nd of February
🌱 The planet is generally hot and arid, even in more lush and forested areas. Cold is rare (and often thought of as scary)
🌱 Snakekeys live in much hotter temperatures than creatures of Earth do. 120 degrees Fahrenheit is considered decent weather! All things on Susie are simply made to endure such heat and do not burn or melt as easily
🌱 Most other planets in the system can easily sustain life. Snakekeys just haven't quite figured out how to...get up there
🌱 Thanks to their clear atmosphere, Snakekeys have an excellent view of the the space around them. They can see tons of stars, surrounding planets and even distant galaxies without any aid
🌱 (Linked image above contains more information regarding space)
Snakekey🌿 Anatomy 🌿
🌱 Head: Snakekeys have rounded, sloping heads that abruptly form a muzzle at the end. They have simple, circular eyes positioned between being on the side of the head and the front. On their cheeks, there is a pouch that can either appear slightly raised or flat. They have mid-length, fluffy ears and a frizzy mane running from the base of their skull to between their shoulder blades. They are not born with nostrils, but can scent the air with their forked tongues. Mouths are seamless and typically appear very small because of it. When opened wider, fangs and a large maw are revealed.
🌱 Body: Roughly being 5-3 feet tall, Snakekeys are small, humanoid creatures. Sometimes, they're covered in tiny, soft scales, other times it's just skin. Their arms form tiny paws that have three "fingers" with very little range of movement. Each paw had four pads on it, one per finger and one in the center. From the waist down, a Snakekey's anatomy is essentially just a really big snake. There is no specific length of their naga part, however they are not born with tails wildly longer or shorter than average. Starting at the chest and running all the way down the body is a line of belly scales. These face downward and allow the creature to slither over any surface they please...even water...!
🌿 Basics 🌿
🌱 Snakekeys have a nickname: keke!
🌱 Pronounced [snake e] and [kee kee]
🌱 They do not have a biological sex, but they can easily assign themselves one set of pronouns or another
🌱 Nature is important to them. Harming anything in that category due to malicious intent can be considered a serious crime!
🌱 Although they are against killing things, they're not against using the maximum amount of resources from a creature that met its end by different hands. Because of this, keke often scavenge predatory creatures' dens or nearby land. This allows them to use bones, meat, leather, and the like
🌱 They do not have access to advanced technology. Most things must be done by hand and take longer
🌱 Metals, plastics, and other such materials are difficult for Snakekeys to locate/create and use. If the do manage to obtain some, it's likely to be stretched out into smaller things like accessories, nails, hinges, eating utensils, etc. They've learned to use other resources to build what they need, such as wood, clay, fauna, leather, stone, paper, fabric, and so on.
🌱 Keke are very commonly artists in one variety or another. This is woven into their community and shows at pretty much every turn
🌱 Much of a keke's mannerisms will be similar to a human's, but there are a few quirks
🌱 Snakekeys can eat almost as much as a human day-to-day, but they can also survive off very little food for a long time. A large meal can stretch out as much as a week before they need to eat again!
🌱 While a keke's belly scales allow them to slither over any surface, they can choose to negate this effect when they wish. This allows them to swim instead of being permanently stuck on top of water and such
🌱 Clothes and accessories can be crafted and worn, but a keke isn't considered indecent for not wearing anything at all
🌱 A Snakekey's vision is just slightly sharper than a human's. They can see better than humans can at night, but only a bit
🌱 As the vast majority are born without noses, a keke can smell with their mouth thanks to a helpful organ located before their throat. However, this thing is pretty sensitive and can cause the keke to "sneeze" if it catches something that irritates it!
🌱 A keke sheds their scales once a year and fur twice a year. They'll get both a summer and a winter coat of fur while scales tend to molt during autumn or spring. While shedding, the belly scales may be slightly more difficult to use, but it'll all be worth it once they're free of the old layer and look good as new!
🌱 Cold-blooded Snakekeys can't make their own body heat, so they're commonly trying to leach some from the sun, animals, or even other keke that will allow it. Similarly, they can get quite hot during warmer months and may refuse to leave the safety of the shade or pools of water
🌱 Belly scales are useful for their odd powers that allow them to gain upgrades, spawn children, and the like, but they're also a very tough armor. It's difficult to chip or scratch them, keeping a Snakekey's soft underbelly safe. They can be used as a shield in dire situations to gain their owner some time to escape
🌱 While they may look like skin, a keke's attached teeth quickly taper to shape bone. The teeth mimic the surrounding face in coloration in order to allow the mouth to appear seamless
🌱 Keke are highly prone to develop subspecies. Commonly, a Snakekey will grow to have a set of upgrades and then their offspring will show consistent repeating patterns that they also pass on, granting them the label. While most subspecies have been around for ages, new ones always seem to pop up. This isn't strange to keke - people are always changing all the time!
🌱 Although a keke's mouth is quite large, it does not connect to the cheek pouches. Beneath the pouch, there's a noticeable pocket of empty space, maybe for something else...?
🌱 Despite being soft skin, a Snakekey's paw pads are the most heat-resistant part of their body (minus the belly scales - those are keratin). This allows them to move around normally on very hot ground
🌱 A keke's hand can easily curl inwards towards the lower palm in order to grip items. This helps accommodate for their lack of mobile fingers and gives them a better grip
🌱 Without upgrades, a Snakekey's fingers only have one movable joint rather than three
🌱 Keke live in small villages. Homes and buildings are made from clay, sod, or some such, but natural places like caves or burrows are open game as well. Open markets are commonplace and they are typically eager for a friendly trade with another village or a wanderer.
🌱 Instead of beds, keke use baskets. Like a really big pet bed filled with a blanket/pillow nest
🌱 Doors in Snakekey homes and buildings often have a notch out of the lower corner beneath the handle. This allows for the door to be closed without risking slamming the naga tail in it
🌱 Due to the large variation in Snakekey size, it can be difficult to build structures compatible for all. As a general rule, places are built taller than a joey needs, but not higher than a reach. Reaches are typically expected to lower themselves slightly to duck beneath doorways and the like. More important areas with higher traffic tend to keep their buildings large, providing far more space than a reach would ever need
🌱 Small utensils such as forks or paintbrushes are commonly made with thicker handles, helpful notches, or an alternate handle to grab. Not all keke have fingers, so things have to be made for less dexterous hands!
Fakekey🌿 Anatomy 🌿
🌱 Huh? This is not a Snakekey. However, most find such a statement difficult to spit out. Deep down, the majority of Snakekeys know there's something up with Fakekeys, but most likely won't be able to put their finger on what that is. This is due to the fact that Fakekeys are mimics and they're good at what they do. Every single one has an internal emitter which puts off an aura of confusion. This affects Snakekeys by default, but, with some behavioral study, can also alter thoughts of other creatures. The aura causes the affected creature to believe the Fake is a member of their species. Most commonly, they use this to get what they want be it currency, items, shelter, or more innocent things such as friends or affection. Thankfully, these creates are a rare sight, tending to enjoy slinking through nature rather than civilization. While they can eat regular food, their preferred diet consists of shiny rocks, gems, crystals, and precious metals
🌱 Appearance: Fakes look similar to Snakekeys, but are easily distinguishable from them (when not under the influence of their aura). While still long and serpentine, Fakekeys have legs and walk quadrupedal. Fingers and toes are longer and barbed. Rather than having paw pads, they have soft patches on their feet and hands. Their ears and manes are larger and accompanied by feathering on the limbs and a small, fluffy head crest. Belly scales are absent and replaced with a marking made to imitate them. The teeth attached to their mouths are less dramatic and are absent in newborns. Two large fangs poke out of their mouths from the upper jaw and they have shark-like inner teeth. Fakes do not have cheek pouches. Instead, they have 3, bulky scales per side of their face that cover the same area. These scales amplify the affect of their auras. They're born with simple, round pupils and newborns are known to have jagged, pronged tail fins
🌿 Basics 🌿
🌱 The word 'Fakekey' is pronounced [fake-E]
🌱 Like keke, Fakes lack biological sexes and may use whatever pronouns they like
🌱 Fakes speak the same language kekes do. Their vocal cords are built in a manner that allows them to have very keke-like voices
🌱 Fakes don't care about nature nearly as much as Snakekeys do. Granted, they probably won't kill for sport or just attack trees, but they're not gonna be nice to rocks, sorry
🌱 Fakes rarely invent things or build much on their own. Instead, they let kekes do that lame stuff. Fakes could do it, they just don't want to! Imagine a cat, but it sleeps less and can trick you
🌱 Thanks to their auras of confusion, Fakes can trick essentially any species into believing the Fake is one of them. However, this power only works on kekes by default. If a Fake wants to trick another species, it'll need to study closely how said species moves, acts, looks, etc... If you don't pay attention, you're not going to look like a convincing copy!
🌱 Although their aura is incredibly difficult to see through, it can be temporarily broken by doing things completely out of the ordinary. For Snakekeys, this may be attacking and/or eating an animal. Other species will be effected by different actions
🌱 A Fake can only mimic one species at a time, during which time only the species it is mimicking will think the Fake is one of them. So, if a Fake is pretending to be a Frogdog and it's hanging out by a Wistul, the Wistul will see the Fake for what it really is. The only exception to this is that Snakekeys, for some reason, will still be majorly affected by the Fake's confusion aura even if it's mimicking a non-keke. This has varying results, which may include the keke seeing a horrible keke/other species amalgamation. It's advised to just hang around groups of one species at a time...
🌱 Fakes and Gribbons have a history of not getting along. They often argue over who is the better illusionist or outright avoid each other
🌱 If other species can see Fakes, how come keke think of them as a myth or cryptid? Previously, Gribbons were capable of tattling on them, but would not, as there could be no dispute on who was the better illusion maker if there just wasn't another illusionary species. As Wistuls started to join in on keke society, hiding became more difficult for Fakes, but tales of Fakes were still generally seen as spooky stories and not believed overall. With the introduction of more species living alongside Snakekeys and keke's rediscovered ability to telepathically speak with animals, Fakes are in a bit of hot water... Stories are gaining traction and getting hard to deny. How long will this illusion hold?
🌱 A Fakekey's face scales aid in their illusion magic, but do not fully control it. A loss of scales is not enough to destroy their abilities. The addition of many scales may amp up their powers, though
🌱 If not infiltrating keke society, Fakes usually take up residence in caves or just...out in the wild. Most don't mind sleeping without a roof over their heads (though it is nice)
🌱 Most Fakes will not build their own villages, though doing so it's totally unheard of. More commonly, Fakekeys are solitary wanderers or move in small familial packs
Gribbon🌿 Anatomy 🌿
🌱 Overview: Gribbons are another type of Snakekey mimic and they like to consider themselves better at it than Fakekeys. However, due to taking quite some time for their illusionary magic to develop, keke are fully aware that Gribbons exist (though adults can be difficult to track down). Using the magic energy contained within their horns, tail bulb, blood, and markings, a fully developed Gribbon can convince Snakekeys that they're the same species. Gribbons can turn this effect on and off as they please and it only works on keke, not other species. They can upgrade, but depend on slowly leeching belly scale power off of passers by to do it. The lights on their tails are generally alluring to most species and can also flash brightly as a distraction. They're more common to encounter than Fakekeys, though not super abundant
🌱 Appearance: Gribbons don't...really look like Snakekeys much, thus they depend on their magic to cover their appearance. Their faces are a keke-like mask that conceals a large mouth beneath. The mask's eyes and pouches aren't really real, so they don't actually effect the Gribbon. While technically blind, they can use their magic to form sort of detailed mental map that can stretch several hundred feet if pushed. They can "see" color, though something usually isn't quite right about it. It varies on the individual, but some may be colorbind, or everything looks blue, or they just can't see black, etc, etc. They have two horns, long necks, bodies, and tails, bendy hind legs with long grabby toes, and a line of sturdy feathers along their back legs that allows them to glide. Mature Gribbons have a feathery tail at the base of their much longer tail, which is tipped with a bulb.
🌿 Basics 🌿
🌱 Gribbons have an attack reflex if their toes are stepped on. They can stop themselves from actually snapping at someone, but their mouth usually pops open first. This uh...totally makes them look like a step-opened trash can
Crested Wistul
🌿 Anatomy 🌿
🌱 Crested Wistuls are a relative of Wistuls, having experienced some evolutionary advances. Crestuls have lost all trace of biological sexes, are slightly more intelligent, and sleep a less during the day (only like 60% instead of 80%). As they've lost their sexual dimorphism, they have somewhere in between the amount of nubs a female and a male Wistul would have. These little guys are believed to be distant relatives of Snakekeys. Though the two have major differences between them, they usually get along quite well! Crestuls are long, serpentine creatures with tiny legs. They have belly scales like keke do along with simple eyes and manes. Well, sort of. Crestul manes are really made up of nubs like their ears, tail tips, and the bits on their backs and hips. They're slimy little guys, as their skin secrets a mucus to keep them nice and soggy. They lack teeth, so they have to swallow food whole, though they'll usually tear it into smaller pieces with their hands first. They're known to be quite the friendly little creatures!
🌿 Basics 🌿
🌱 Additional info goes here
Quillrend🌿 Anatomy 🌿
🌱 (Not written yet)
🌿 Basics 🌿
🌱 Additional info goes here
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Glowis Maxima🌿 Anatomy 🌿
🌱 (Not written yet)
🌿 Basics 🌿
🌱 Additional info goes here
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🌱 The Shive live on a planet called 'That He Made For Us'. It's considered very disrespectful to simplify the title, but referring to it as things like planet, world, and home are okay
🌱 The sky in their world is a bright (but not fluorescent) orange. This is a reflection of the space around them, which shares the orange hue and is luminous. It's common to see stars even at daytime
🌱 Space outside That He Made For Us is quite hot and not a vacuum. Temperatures reach around 90F without the assistance of a star!
🌱 The planet doesn't burn up in these conditions due to a magical aura surrounding it, protecting it from the extreme heat and friction. This aura also keeps the planet itself cooler, usually lingering around 60-80F
🌱 That He Made For Us doesn't orbit a star. Instead, it seems to be floating loosely in space. Similarly, it doesn't have a moon nor anything orbiting it
🌱 Every night (28-hour cycle) clouds form in the atmosphere that block out the sky to keep the planet from being under a constant glow. This happens uniformly over the whole planet, so there are not time zones. The clouds stay for 6-12 hours before clearing and becoming 'daytime' again
🌱 That He Made For Us lacks seasons. The planet's permanently in a spring or summer-like state. Things like plants and animals have no system to go dormant, so cold spikes can be very dangerous to them
🌱 Without a moon, the planet's oceans are mostly placid. They still have tides, waves, and things like that, but they're extremely mild. If you weren't paying attention, you probably wouldn't see the tides move!
🌱 Natural disasters such as hurricanes and tsunamis are nigh impossible (and almost unheard of). You'd do better to worry about getting eaten by a sea serpent
🌿 Interaction with Susie 🌿
🌱 The rift leading the That He Made For Us and Susie was discovered by The Awoken Providence after defeating an evil wizard named Words that Bite. What caused the rift is unclear, but it's probably that wizard's fault
🌱 The Awoken Providence currently claims ownership over the rift, as it is in it's territory. Other providences may or may not be allowed access depending on what the royals have to say
🌱 Snakekeys and creatures from Susie can enter the rift to explore That He Made For Us. However, the Valley Effect seems to extend within this new world. Once a keke reaches the boundary of the Valley Effect, they will start to slither in place and be unable to continue forward. The Shive aren't able to pull the keke through this invisible wall
🌱 Creatures not affected by the Valley Effect can continue past its influence in That He Made For Us. This applies to Sheeps, but thankfully Sheeps cannot enter the rift, as it's much too small
🌱 The Valley Effect inside the rift is called the Valley Ring by Snakekeys and The Ring of Serpents by the Shive
🌱 The Awoken Providence is being very respectful of Susie's space and they way things work there. The Shive can explore within the valley, but are doing their best to be mannerly in the process
🌱 Shive, like Snakekeys, cannot leave the valley. If they try to do so, they will experience the Valley Effect. This is the only time the effect applies to them and doesn't limit their movement in their own world
🌱 Snakekeys have set up trade routes with The Awoken Providence. This is mostly used to trade their medical services for the Shive's metals and minerals, expanding what keke can do with them
🌱 Snakekey researchers and Shive reasoners from the providence are in collaboration to document each other's worlds. So far, neither can figure out where Susie is in relation to That He Made For Us
Children of Shivelight
🌿 Anatomy 🌿
🌱 Head: The Shivelight are tall, lithe creatures usually standing about 6 to 7 feet tall (not counting the ears). They're very light. Adults may not weigh more than 90 pounds in most cases. They have very narrow heads with a slit, rabbit-like nose. Eyes are usually long almond shapes with simple, round pupils. They have two pairs of medium-length, rounded ears with ribbed insides. By default, they grow longer fur on their heads and the top section of their necks, giving them the look of having hair. Mouths are smooth with split lip and seamless, being invisible unless the Shive wishes to show it. Teeth are small, but sharp, meant for an omnivorous diet. When open, the mouth has a black lip akin to a dog's. Shive of royal decent may grow one or more horns on their forehead area
🌱 Apperance: Long necks connect to slender shoulders. A Shive's chest notably lacks a collarbone, with two downward swooping lines instead showing their different muscle structure. Elbows may extend slightly past the ribcage, making their arms look quite lanky. Hands have four fingers and a thumb, which are more slender than a human's. All Shive have six teats on their lower stomach area regardless of sex which are used to nurse young. These lie flat unless a Shive is actually nursing. There's a thin indent running down the front of the torso, due to the way it can be bent slightly. Some Shive have navels, others completely lack them. They have small hips and long, digitigrade legs that end in tiny, three-toed paws. Paws have a small pad on each toe and one in the center of the foot. All leg bones are very lengthy, making them one of the most common bones to break. A Shive's tail extends from their lower spine and is typically about as long as they are tall. It's coated in long, silky hair that hangs downwards (kind of like a borzoi). It's tipped with a somewhat knobby hand that has three fingers and a thumb. This hand is tipped with claw-like protrusions and usually has a faded padding on the inside of the palm. The third hand has a lessened range of movement, but is still useful
🌿 Basics 🌿
🌱 The word 'Shive' rhymes with 'hive'
🌱 Shive have four biological sexes: shiny, matte, gleam, and gloss. What this means, uh...Snakekeys can't tell. The Shive are far too proper to say!
🌱 Sexes seem to be visible by looking at how a Shive's eyes reflect light. This appears to just be surface-level and not actually have to anything to do with breeding. Shiny is your typical eye. Matte reflects little or no light. Gleam bounces back light in the darkness like a cat's eye. Gloss is so shimmery, it looks like the eyes are welled up with tears!
🌱 Etiquette for Shive comes in an incredibly long list, but most of them will follow this to the letter. They're known to be cleanly, orderly, and mannerly
🌱 Generally, Shive do not enjoy conflict, but will not sit idly by and take fire. They can be a formidable force if provoked
🌱 Much of what the Shive know is common knowledge, as they teach most of it in schools and make the rest available in vast public libraries
🌱 Many Shivelight ride beasts all over the place. The skill of riding creatures is taught to kits, often as soon as possible!
🌱 Shive have an aura they output, referred to as "will". This is applicable to most beasts, but creatures with higher intelligence, such as other Shive, Snakekeys, Girbbons, etc... will not feel the effect. Will makes most creatures feel at ease around the Shive. This allows them to ride animals around without actually taming them. Caution is advised, through. If a beast is angry or determined enough, it may be able to break will
🌱 The Shive have strict rules about using will since they can influence living creatures with it. For example, beasts should not be used as meat shields or be told to willingly walk into slaughter. Don't be evil!
🌱 Will can be dimmed by the Shive outputting it, though it's difficult for them to shut it totally "off". The effect is generally close enough, though. Dimming will requires extra focus
🌱 The Shive's tail is their strongest limb and is often used as a weapon in a pinch. It's very unlikely to break and can fling attackers away easily
🌱 Shive often bow or curtsy in greeting or as a sign of respect. There doesn't seem to be anything defining what sex of Shive bows or curtsies
🌱 The Shivelight talk noticeably differently. Their language is more like old English, with 'thee's, 'thou's, 'ye's and a smattering of fancy wording
🌱 It is considered highly indecent for a Shive to go shirtless regardless of sex. Pants, however, seem to be optional. Nursing Shive may do so in public, but should keep others from seeing their torso by using a cloth
🌱 The Shive seem to have an 'inventory' system, which is visible only to them when 'pulled up'. They can deposit items of any size within this inventory, but the whole thing usually can't carry more than 100 pounds. Inventory weight can be increased if a Shive is more physically fit, but never to the level where they could like...steal a house
🌱 Despite their personal inventories, Shive and their mounts are often seen adorned with bags. This is because bags are totally in style. They're usually stuffed with leaves or foam to give them a full look. Bags have to look important, after all!
🌱 Shive are not medically adept. They practice incorrect medical procedures such as trepanation and bloodletting. This decreases their lifespan to an average of 50 years when they have the potential to live longer
🌱 Shivelight infants are commonly called 'kits'. Kits are born with a coat of black baby fur, which they'll later shed for their adult coat
🌱 Magic exists in the world of the Shive, though seems to be different from the type Snakekeys have. Shive magic can be more powerful with less effort expended and covers more elements
🌱 The Shive tend to name things in a drawn-out, title style. This includes the names they give their children
🌱 A Shive's title should not be shortened to a nickname, as this can be considered a terrible insult! Only a partner the Shive holds near and dear (generally the spouse) is allowed to use a nickname out of tenderness, but this generally is to be done in private. One should not use nicknames around other parties - you're exposing something very private to them! This is both embarrassing and insulting
🌱 Technology for Shive is very medieval-like. Things are somewhat refined, but notably not 'modern'. Unlike Snakekeys, though, the Shive do quite a bit of mining for metals and minerals
🌱 Providences are usually run by either a royal family or a royal council. Civilians have no method of electing these rulers, but aren't strangers to hauling out the ol' guillotine if things get nasty
🌱 Unlike Susish keke who have the Year Stone as a reference for time, Xavierians... never got anything like that. They have the same amnesia-like effect as Snakekeys from the valley and only had literature made by residents before this failure to remember certain things took effect. However, they couldn't be sure that these weren't fantasy numbers, so they just... started over. To Xavierians, the year is 1774 (as of 2021). Interestingly, there's a 39 year gap between this estimated number and the amount of time keke have been living in the valley past the arrival of the Year Stone
🌱 Keke and Xilgenauts have been sending out Vendari Spacers with a message in attempts to reconnect with Susish keke from what is assumed shortly after their arrival on Xavier. There's been radio silence on the line until 2722 (Susie year) when a Spacer successfully returned with Susish inhabitants
🌱 Things from before arriving on Xavier are simply not in public memory. A handful of things were written down or drawn, but these abruptly stop once residents started noticing the amnesia effect set in. It's unclear what part of these old things is fantasy and what is reality. One of the few accepted truths is that occupants originated from Susie and contact had been broken with somebody left down there (this is bad, but they can't...remember why)
🌱 There is no Valley Effect on Xavier. Keke have access to the entire planet. However, they started from scratch since arriving, so they've had to carve out their place in the world
🌱 There are no behemoths on Xavier that did not come from Susie. They also seem to be lacking subspecies from a certain, undetermined year. PCs such as Fakekeys and Gribbons are absent as well
🌱 Keke on Xavier have had technological advancements at a rate slightly higher than humans, resulting in eco-friendly skyscraper cities and heat-based communication technology. Xavierians are... shocked and horrified that Susish keke seem to still be living in the medieval era
🌱 While Susish keke have thus far been unable to properly see outside the valley due to the landscape shifting constantly in appearance, Xavierians have suffered no such thing. They can see the land masses of Susie just fine. The only place that seems to be changing nonstop is this tiny point in seemingly the middle of nowhere that they refer to as the Landwhirl. It's been determined with Susie-ke's help that this place is the valley