Anatomy
The small critter’s fully grown height isn’t smaller than 50cm and the biggest they can get is up to a whole meter. Averagely they are around 70cm though. Their ears are usually pretty big, as they rely on hearing a lot. Their eyes are similar to those of cats as the caves are dark, especially the tunnels. Even though the crystals light up some parts of the cave, they rely on their ability to see in the dark very often. Mantsu barely use their wings as they easily get cold. They prefer to keep their wings wrapped around their body for protection and warmth. Most of the time their wings only get to use for fast travel or when they need to flee from danger. They are very smart compared to other animals, they learn quick and easily adjust to ways of communication with other mammals. There have been reports of humans befriending Mantsu that have reached the surface.
- pure white or black, instead use offwhite/cream or lighter black/greys
- remove the crystal from the chest, also no replacing it to any other part of the body
- going against/ignoring the species overall bodyshape/form
-Mantsu can't grown natural horns so they're made of the crystal and must match their chest crystals
Subspecies
Sheep Mantsu
Sheep Mantsu are important to the species as their fur is oftentimes used for to produce the cloth Mantsu like to wear.
They are different from the average Mantsu simply because they grow longer and usually more curly fur on the backside of their wings, their back and their tail.
It takes 2 to 4 weeks for their wool to grow back.
Grows long curly wool
Wool mainly grows from their tails and back of wings.
Neck fluff is common
Cannot have feathered wings
Alpaca Mantsu
Alpaca are a Sub type to Sheep Mantsu, but the difference is their fur/wool is not curly and they grow it on their entire body, not only back, wings and tail.
Unlike Sheeps, they grow feathered wings.
It takes 2 to 3 weeks for their wool to grow back.
Grows long straight wool
Wool grows all over their body normally
Can have feathered wings
Wool can grow from the top of the wings
Aquatic Mantsu
Aquatic-Mantsu are different from the average Mantsu due to their tails. They have fish-like tails and they're great swimmers.
Their lungs are capable of saving a lot of air, means diving is not a problem for these little critters as well.
They have webbed hands (and feet if possible)
Aquatic animal tails. (Shark, fish, whales, etc!)
Can grow nudibranch
Can have soft scales
Cannot have feathered wings
Moth Mantsu
Moth Mantsu are different due to their butterfly or Moth wings. Since these Mantsu cannot wrap their wings around them like the other types, they have to wear more clothing to keep themselves warm.
Their wings are more colorful and usually have very pretty markings and they often have fluffy necks.
Moth or Butterfly like Wings
Uusally have fluffy necks
Can have antannes.
Wings cannot fold like other Mantsu
Guardians
Guardian Mantsu are a rare type of Mantsu that are bigger than average. They are viewed as sacredt and often times Mantsu wish for them to become a protector of their villages. Thus they have been named the "Guardians"
A high amount of energy which ends up for most dragons to have horns or even more crystals on their body
Longer and taller than standard Mantsu
Long fur that grows from their back to their tail
Their tail is longer than their body
Slit pupils and claws
Can have horns and more crystal growth
Can have crystal chest plating
Can have scales
Off Spring
Mantsu create offspring through their magic. At least 2 Mantsu with a strong bond and enough energy are required to create a crystal similar to an egg. Within the crystal, the Mantsu will grow, it's chest crystal being the same as the crystal they were born in, which usually is either one of the parents crystals or something similar to theirs.
Up to 5 Mantsu can create one child together and love isn't required either.
That means Mantsu with a strong bond, even if just platonically, can create a child together if desired.
That also means that Mantsu often take orphaned children under their wing and see them as their own.
Mantsu don't get orphaned often, though it does happen that both parents can die to accidents or illness and leave behind their child.
The Eternal Disease
Mantsu can catch colds, fevers and other illnesses similar to mammaals.
Mantsu have a unique illness to their species that can spread around, which is called the Eternal-disease.
A Mantsu can catch Eternal-disease through corrupted plants, or by direct contact with another diseased Mantsu.
It takes 2-6 days depending on how they became infected. It is faster and harder to detect by ingestion of corrupted plants than by touch.
It starts with crystallising veins and parts of their body such as limbs and continues to spread until it is either stopped in time by a healer or until it hits one of the vital organs such as the heart, lungs or brain, but other organs could already be fatal as well.
The Eternal-disease is very painful to Mantsu, and while they can still move crystalized limbs and body parts such as fingers with no problems, Mantsu will have health issues after they have survived the disease, which will keep the body crystallized where it originally spread.
Mantsu that had caught and survived the eternal-disease are likely to die earlier than the average Mantsu due to their body growing weak. At the moment, Mantsu can only cure those 30%-50% through the process.
After the disease is stopped, the disease is no longer contagious from the diseased Mantsu anymore. Which means it is safe for other Mantsu to have direct contact with the crystalized Mantsu.
The crystal part of the bodies always resembles their own crystal. It has a relatively smooth texture and surface.