For everyone that's been "blocked" by discord or that have issues getting on the server, we've added a thread in the TH world forums. 

This is the thread

For now, we're kind of weathering the storm on the server, but if you have any issues or you've been locked out of your own account, you can signal it there. 

Intro

Devomas are humanoid alien creatures that eat energy such as heat, electricity and light to survive. Being capable of travelling through space with no need for a spaceship or a suit, Devomas has spread through the galaxy of Erra despite the opposition and the protests of other developed races that also rely on energy for their technology to work. They tend to be isolationist that live in packs, although it is not uncommon for Devomas to break of and stray on their own, if they are careful not to fall victim to the many dangers a big wide galaxy might through at an isolated individual.

They can live in the depth of space, in a field of meteorite, on a ship, in the wilderness or even in the middle of a flourishing, futuristic city. They are also quite diverse in appearance, as they have the ability to change their appearance over time using what is colloquially known as "mutations." As Devomas are extremely hardy creatures, capable of enduring the harshest of temperatures, radiation and environments with no atmosphere, those mutations mostly serve as a way to express their identity and to tailor their appearance to their liking. 

Anatomy 

All Devomas follow certain guidelines, as detailed below: 

Nose and Ears

The cat-like nose tip changes from the colour of the skin around it similarly to
how lips change in colours.

Demovian ears can be very varied when it comes to length. They seem to be able
to stretch up to the height of the head; anything beyond that becomes unpractical
but can be seen. It's up to the designer's wishes! They can  also move those ears
around to express their mood (a bit like the ones  of a cat.)

Tail and Spine

The tail's minimum length is around the length of the Devoma's thigh, while the
longest is the length of twice the Devoma's entire legs. It cannot be wider than the
Devoma's hips.

The tail is rather flexible. The length, chubbiness, size, etc. of a tail is entirely
customizable. Just bear in mind that the size of a tail will impact your Devoma's
eating habits and that their life becomes difficult if it becomes too small.  The
reason why is that the tail and spine of a Devoma is central to their health and energy
 consumption. A Devoma's spinal ridge acts as a  "lightning rod" when draining
energy while the tail serves as a battery.

A  Devoma lacking either of those dies of starvation under a week's time.  It is possible
for one to survive with a partial tail, but not for them to survive without a spinal ridge.
As such, mutations that split or otherwise divide the spine are now allowed in designs,
as it is a sensitive organ.

Feet and Hooves

Devoma feet have two toes that end in sharp, crescent-shaped hooves, and a  thumb
on the side of their ankle. All three toes on the Devoma foot can more independently
from one another. The thumb is the most flexible,  allowing them to hold small objects
like a pen, and has a small sharp claw.

Vatiations

Devoma can change their body over long periods of time; their outer appearance is
often a reflection of their tastes. Sometimes, a Devoma can take the decision to "add" to their
appearance. Those additions are irreversible, can change their appearance drastically and
are commonly referred to as mutations.  Just like a tattoo, a mutation tends to express
something about the  individual's personality, ranging from "I think that this is cool"
to  "this is who I truly am inside and I feel brave enough to show it to the  world."

Full Mutation List

Certain mutations, such as "runner feet" and "animal ears" can change their base
anatomy as state above, but those tend to be rare.

Biology 

Devoma's biology is quite simple, at least in appearance: they are pseudo-mammalian creatures that need energy. This section explores the ramifications of such functioning and answers some commonly asked questions.

Feeding

In order to absorb energy, Devomas need to be near the energy current. In the case of light, for example, they "simply" need to be standing in it. (Do not forget that the light spectrum is a lot wider than just visible light, meaning that they can feed on radiation as well. As such, light that they would get in open space, from a sun, is a lot more nourishing than the light they would get from behind an atmospheric ozone screen that absorbs radiation.) 

There is an upper limit to how much energy a Devoma can absorb at the time, although where is that upper limit depends on the owner of the Devoma themselves. It is generally considered that a single Devoma absorbing a lightning strike is too much and might even be dangerous - however, a pack, when working together, could achieve such a feat. Likewise, Devoma do not plunge in suns in order to get heat, they are fine admiring the giant ball of fusions from afar. 

The way a Devoma absorbs the energy that they are targeting can vary from individual to individual, but it must pass through the spine, which acts as a rod.

Devomas can extract some energy from food (and also enjoy the food) as they can shape their innards to absorb it. However, they might not digest them in the same way as we do, as they would be more interested in "burning" the food to get chemically produced heat or electricity (whereas we break them down in components that we then use in other chemical reactions across our body.) 

Reproduction

Devomas carry their young in their stomach. As they can shape their innards as they please, it is impossible to tell if a Devoma can carry young by basing oneself on their outer appearance. But it does take two to tango among Devomas, as they cannot fertilise themselves. 

For those that want to get really technical, Devoma actually has two sets of DNA: one for their tail and spine and one for the rest of their body, with tissues with both DNA mixing in their brain, meaning that they are technically two beings with one consciousness. This is visible during fertilisation and in the early stages of the Devoma embryo... because there are both two fertilisations and two embryos that will fuze during growth.

Devomas do not have a vaginal birth. Rather, the skin of their belly will become transparent in the later stages of the pregnancy, when the child is almost fully formed. When the time comes, the skin, that has thinned and lost all nerve endings, cracks and peels away as the baby emerges. 

The baby can absorb energy from birth but is fragile and does not need large doses. Generally, the parent(s) give the energy to the child themselves, a little like breastfeeding. 

Mutations and Shapeshifting

Finally, mutations. They tend to occur over long periods of time, while the Devoma is well fed. They work on them a little bit every time they think of it, by meditating and visualising the way they want the specific part of their body to change. Devomas have a perception of their own body that is quite accurate, similar to the one a dancer or someone that knows anatomy might have. 

Devomas can live a rough life and it not uncommon for them to carry scars. They can, in theory, regenerate any wound they receive given enough time, granted that it does not kill them, just like they can change their appearance as they please. One might think that this means that there is no such thing as a Devoma with a handicap such as a  missing limb or eye, but that could not be further from the truth.

Because their mental state and identity are so intrinsically linked with their body, a particularly traumatic event might stunt their regenerative abilities. For example, if a Devoma lost their arm during a violent  Wurthan attack, they might be unable to regrow it until they have worked through that trauma, like some physical manifestation of PTSD.

Going even further than that, some Devoma that went through purely psychological trauma (such as, for example, the loss of a close family member or a friend, an assault, childhood abuse, etc.) might see it manifested as mutations on their body. It doesn't always happen, but it is a reality for some Devomas.

Powers

Devomas have three "base powers" that they can use, two of which come to them very naturally - a Devoma without one of those two powers is somehow incapacitated.

Vunn - Devomas can ignore the effects of gravity, meaning that they can fly without the need for wings. It comes to them as naturally as walking during their early teens. (Toddlers, thankfully, can still be contained  in play parks and young kids don't randomly fly out of windows.)

Sklam - As a self-defence mechanism, Devomas can discharge concentrated energy  (manifested as electricity most of the time) in the space surrounding them. Other Devomas had a natural resistance to it. This is meant to be used as a tactic to help a Devoma run away from a predator or a hunter and is seldom used as a means of attack unless it is refined through training.

Akunra - That is the power to create wormholes through hyperspace, allowing them to bypass great distances. It is a powerful ability that takes time and energy to perform. Generally, only one or two Devomas per pack can perform such a feat, that requires extensive training to master. This Devoma, generally referred to as the navigator, is often in the position of leader or second in command.

Each power can be refined through training and combined with one another, which have birthed various schools of power across the galaxy (a school of power being an ensemble of techniques based on certain principles, a little bit like how there are many different martial arts.)

Setting

Devomas live, as mentioned, in the galaxy of Erra. It is a fairly standard galaxy, with four "arms" with a higher concentration of stars alongside (which does not mean that there are no stars between those branches. Those four branches are very simply called the North, East, West and South branch, even if that does not make a lot of sense considering that they are in space. 

Devoma share that galaxy with other species of aliens, all of which have different cultures and views on Devomas as a species. Some are rather friendly to them, some don't really care if they are a Devoma, while others are under the orders to kill or at least capture them on sight. In general, Devomas have to face a lot of prejudice due to their strange and inconsistent appearance and the way they feed.

Despite the fact that many institutions, nations and even creatures are quite old, a lot of the galaxy of Erra remains to be explored. Devomas stive in those zones of shadows, as they are literally better than anyone else at surviving. There are spaces, in the galaxy of Erra, that knows no master, just like they are different fractions struggling for control over the known resources. Conflict and adventure is commonly found for those that are looking for it.