FAQ

• Do I need an MYO to make a Comfy?
   - No, you do not! Anyone is free to make one of any rarity, with any traits, and submit them to the world whenever they'd like! Hell, make some traits up! We'll still welcome them~ <3

• Do I need an MYO to submit my character to the world?
   - Nope! You're free to do so! Any Comfy not registered to the Masterlist will be in the "Community" folder!

• What are MYOs for?
   - MYOs (which is probably a bit of a misleading name, but I have decided to keep it for the sake of familiarity) are specifically used for registering a Comfy to the Official Masterlist! This allows the character to be utilized and included in ARPG prompts and events! Anybody not interested nor participating in it can disregard it entirely!

• How do I obtain an MYO?
   - Well for one, Common MYOs are and will always be free! Go ahead and register a common Comfy whenever you'd like!
   - Higher tier MYOs can be obtained in raffles, events, and giveaways! They can also be bought from Qi-qi's shop alongside other design related items with their species currency Passion Tokens!
   - MYOs may also be obtained by sending a tip! 

• For the items in the shop that function as MYO slots, the wording in Qi-qi's shop is that it "Manifests a Comfy" and the wording in Mandarin's is that it "Registers a Comfy". Are these alternate wordings just aesthetic differences, or does one item function differently from the other?
   - They're aesthetic! The two are functionally identical, simply with differing wording for flavor. Since one is "in universe" and Mandarin is considered "meta".

• How do I submit an MYO to get registered to the ML?
   - The easiest way is through channels in our Discord! However registration requests can also be directly sent to the Masterlist account! (Instructions will be written in both places)

• Do I have to edit an ML description if things about my character change?
   - Descriptions are always optional! If you do write one, you don't need to edit or add onto the masterlist description to have a character be valid and playable, they just have to be on the list!

• What determines a Comfy's rarity?
   - Rarity for Comfys are determined at creation and are subsequently never changed! When traits of higher tier are added later on, the add-ons are noted, but their rarity remains the same.

• I'm not sure if I'm allowed to do this with my design, what do I do?
   - Feel free to ask! Send in a WIP directly to the ML account or to the forums with your question~

WIP because I am considering putting Design notes elsewhere actually

• How does the ARPG work?
   - At its base, an ARPG just means you draw or write content to progress and earn rewards. Rewards are usually species currency which can be used to purchase world related things. For a lot of species it tends to look like a very simple Prompt -> Reward type system with some extra RPG elements thrown in depending on the creator. Such as crafting, items, combat,  or what not. How the ARPG will work in this species, while definitely working off that base structure, leans more towards narrative aspects, with a focus on character choice and actions. With each event having a central conflict and the prompts that spawn from it are tangible things happening within their world that everyone's characters can interact with in their own way. And each submission or "action" taken by the characters will shape the course of how certain situations will go. Basically, I'd like for the characters we make to be able to live in their world and actually have effects on it based on their actions. ^///^ There'll also be simple things people can do if they wanna do something general as well^^ Not every event will be like that, some will be more casual slice of life events within the Astral Pocket in which everyone lives their life and interacts with each other. Or other things like exploring and interacting with certain NPCs in certain ways, which can  sometimes also net interesting results & rewards.

• Would it be possible to make a celestial comfy that's got a few corrupted traits to be regarded as like, a rumour or myth or urban legend? 
   - Depends on the Celestial trait! All Celestial traits that revolve around Light will likely also include corruption warding effects (Some blessings are specifically for that effect), and essentially making corruption rather unlikely. But not all Celestial traits are Light related! (Different Celestials give different types of blessings) and while they may possess higher resistance to corruption, they are to a lesser degree, and so it may be possible. Being granted a celestial blessing (or being created with those blessings to begin with) usually indicates that the Comfy wouldn't be susceptible to corruption, and the idea of a celestial being corrupted (which is either caused by malicious creatures or personal distress) would probably be more of a bad omen more than anything  (Because that would suggest that corrupting forces are more powerful than celestials) Bottom line: Is it possible? Probably! Would it be regarded as a legend? Probably not.

• What are the qualifications of a comfy getting a celestial trait? (Lore-wise)
   - Qualifications vary! (Because celestials are...hella fickle PFFFT-) As I've written before "Sometimes, a Comfy is created with or granted additional blessings by Celestials for a variety of different reasons, be it growth, bravery, destiny, and so on." The base line is essentially going through some kind level of "prestige". This can be surpassing one's own original purpose in some significant way, achieving some kind of feat that garners a Celestials attention (This one's usually specific to the Celestial), going through an incredible level of growth that would constitute a massive increase in power in their core (Enlightenment? In a way?), or just, being chosen or created to fulfill some kind of higher purpose (Not everyone enjoys this, lmao-). Celestials are gods, basically, and they can grant their blessings & power to anyone they deem worthy, in return for a great deed, or sometimes just, if they like em, ig, pfffft-

• Are their masks something that manifests alongside them, or is it something they craft for themself after the fact?
   - Masks manifest when they're born! But it is something that can be altered and adjusted after the fact by specialized Comfys called Mask Smiths. :3c They assist in repairs as well as customizations. Comfys can use the energy from their cores to repair their own masks, but they can't really alter them. Masks are attuned to their Cores just like their forms are, so the only other circumstance that their masks could change is if something significant happens that shifts their core ideal. (Which tends to change them as a whole in some way, so it just comes with the territory o///o)b)

• Do comfys have any sense of siblings/parents/children/familial relationships and how are those relationships determined?
   - They do indeed have family units! They don't quite work exactly the same as us, but they're pretty similar. There's a bunch of different ways to go about it tho. Sometimes sparks from the Flame of Passion are born from similar or connected concepts, and the resulting individuals born are created with a natural kinship with each other. Other times a single spark splits into two! And the two might end up complimenting eachother in some way. (This is most similar to siblings/twins)  Sometimes Comfys just up and decide they're related if they decide the vibes are right tbh, pffft, but it does occur more often when Comfys happen to manifest at around the same time^^ They can have your average found family! Which is of course, up to the individual, and this one works the most similar to how we already know they do^^ (These can be Units, but don't have to be) These can be fostered at any time, and it's not uncommon for really compatible individuals to sort of naturally become something like a family without anything needing to be said. A lot of their conceptualizations of what a family is can also come from what they pick up from the Outer Worlds! So everyone can also have a slightly different perception of what a family means to them. 

   - Now, the concept of children for them is a little complicated because technically Comfys can't be born from anything that isn't the Flame of Passion. The catch to that is the fact that their cores are connected to that flame, and while rare, there have been individuals who choose to divide their own core's energy to possibly give life to another. That is exactly as difficult as it sounds, so typically it's done by more than one individual, and even then, there are risks associated with it. It requires a lot of energy, a lot of heart, and perhaps a very special wish, but it can be done, yes. (I'm gonna add that doing this likely will change the original Comfys in some way, since uh, y'know, that happens when change in a core is involved) 

   - I will say that this concept is a little rough around the edges, and that's why it isn't formally stated anywhere concretely! It's not something I think I'll specify unless I think people would wanna know the general idea? If anyone has any particular way they'd think they'd work, I wouldn't mind people just making it that way either. o///o)b

• Can comfys sense core energy? like if two Comfy's are a Unit or otherwise connected in some way, would another Comfy be able to tell from a distance due to how their core energies interact?
   - Well Comfys in a Unit will be able to sense eachother yes! (It works the same as partnering!) Otherwise connected individuals would be able to as well. (Such as Comfys on similar wavelengths being able to sense small things from eachother but in a less literal sense and more of a "feeling" or instinct type of sense) On a regular basis however, no actually! The Veil of the Cosmos is very adept at hiding the energy signatures of cores since it's pretty vital to their survival! But Comfys are more sensitive to picking up traces of core energy (also a beneficial survival skill, they're very keen on whether or not someone is risking core exposure) so they'd be able to send small signals by emitting a bit of power from their halos or in any other way they'd need to. This is how they signal for distress when someone's in trouble!

• Could they also sense the "negative" energy of monsters?
   - It depends on the creature theyre dealing with! If they're creatures made up of negative energy and feed off of said energy, yes, Comfy cores don't mesh well with that kind of thing and in turn would put most people on edge if one happened to be crawling around. A majority of monsters they deal with are of this variety and they're very creature-esk and monstrous in appearance. The more powerful/dangerous they are, the larger they tend to be, so it's not hard to miss them if they're gonna be  a big problem. 

   - There are also, however, creatures so vapid and hollow that they're very hard to detect. Colloquially, "Husks" refer to these guys whom are but empty shells searching for something fill the nothingness inside them. These kinds are what most Comfys are warned to look out for because the chances of them being able to ambush someone are a lot higher. It's hard to detect something that's barely there in the first place, after all. (While dangerous, they tend to be more frail due to the fact that they are very starved and endlessly grasping at whatever they can. Note that this also makes them rather ravenous.) They are simultaneously very drawn to and intimidated by celestial light, and are the main reason why risks are never 0% when any level of core exposure is involved.

• Would corrupted Comfys give off bad vibes?
   - Yes, corruption tends to be detectable! As a result of that actually, it also means they are less detectable by monsters of similar kind.

   - The discomfort is around the same level as just mild discomfort, and shouldn't be anything unbearable. (This is dependent on how long, how bad the corruption is, and how sensitive any given Comfy is though-) The main reason why a lot of corrupted individuals choose to be a lil more distant is usually to avoid possibly affecting others or inflicting them with similar affects. Plenty of Comfys don't believe they should be treated any different for that though, as being considered a "Corrupted Comfy" tends to suggest that their body acclimated to the corruption in some way to make it less severe for themselves at the cost of some permanent changes. (Because otherwise "Corruption" is a status effect that should be able to be recovered from with enough effort) Not that they can't go through change again, but it is assumed to be a part of them rather than something affecting them temporarily. (Like, something chronic vs getting sick, I guess?)
Corrupted Comfys might also a bit more uncomfortable with others with Celestial traits and vice versa though, for reasons that I'm sure can be inferred. 

• What's the general structure of the astral pocket. Is is a layered reality? Is it essentially the same as it would be to move on earth, static location, etc? Is the expansion occuring only on the fringes, or does land get pushed out and expanded as new locations appear just about anywhere? What's it look like on the fringes?
   - Inside the Astral Pocket is just like any regular world! Albeit a bit more fantastical. Once upon a time it was more cosmic in nature but over time it's formed into a more earthy location (likely from the increased understanding of how Outer Worlds are structured). It's said that the world will naturally grow to accommodate the population within it (though not instantaneously), but there aren't any clear cut signs to notify anybody when it does so. Which is why there always seems to be new things to discover in this little world of theirs. It doesn't just grow on the fringes either! They can in fact appear almost anywhere. Regions are formed when areas that crop up are deemed suitable for certain types of individuals and more and more people move there. (So they tend to naturally grow alongside the Comfys actively building places up, so it's sometimes not the most noticeable in the moment but it makes a big difference when you take a step back to look at it after a while) On a funny note, this does mean that certain roads at times feel longer than they used to be as stuff expands, lmao

   - On a more universal level, the easiest way to imagine the Astral Pocket as a big bubble! It's even got a barrier of sorts, pffft- It was a world personally crafted by their creator for them so it's actually quite difficult for anyone who's not a Comfy to even enter the space. Not that it...stops certain bad actors from trying.
   - On a meta level, when I say "Outer Worlds" the reason that's plural is because, while I usually just say "Our world" (as in earth) for easy analogies, what I'm trying to say is that they can exist literally anywhere you want them to, fictional or otherwise. (I am comparing people's personal universes to separate dimensions basically, if that makes sense)

• What are physical injuries like for comfys? do they bleed?
   - Depends on what they're made of! So if they're fleshy and human-esk, yes, they can bleed. If they're a robot or anything else really, they might not. They can also be human-esk and not bleed of course, but on average they're similar to living organisms since that is what their creation was inspired by  :3c

• How do Comfys find new Partners?
   - Comfys will always naturally be generally attracted to/gravitate towards those who really synergize with their particular ideal/concept/type of comfort. It's something that's very much part of their nature as a species created to do so with that main task in mind. But! Partnering is always a personal choice! As written, a partnership can only be formed when both parties are in agreement, and there will be times where a Comfy doesn't wish to be in one, which is valid! (The opinions on taking this particular action differs from Comfy to Comfy)

• Do they make a personal decision to help someone while traveling the Outer Worlds, or is it more like a "calling" they respond too?
   - When traveling the Outer Worlds, they have the freedom to choose to partner with anyone they'd like if they feel like it's right for them! Their naturally calling of sorts will guide them to people who "suit" them most, but they as individuals don't even have to agree with that feeling. Some Comfys may even partner with people who are technically incompatible with them on a conceptual or base level, but still choose to go through with the partnership whether it be due to their personal beliefs, desires, or bonds and so on.

• Must they enter a Partnership with everyone they help?
   - Comfys are not obligated to partner with people they'd like to help, and probably often don't! Though this is typically done in the short term, since partnering ensures that a Comfy can reliably travel to the person involved wherever they are. Without a partnership, trying to meet the same person again and again is rather difficult, whether it be due to the general dangers of the Outer Worlds, or the sheer vastness of its multiple worlds. But yeah! Plenty of them would help whoever they think would benefit from their assistance whether the people involved are their partners or not :3c Generally, partnering is something done with a certain degree of investment from the Comfy because it takes quite a lot of energy for them to form one. It is a solid promise to their dedication and willingness to do whatever they can for a person they likely already or will come to deeply care about. Some probably don't choose to form a solid partnership due to this exact exclusive nature.

•  How long is a typical Partnership? 
   - A partnerships most commonly last as long as they need to, which is to say, when their partner has come to terms with whatever they required assistance with to begin with and are ready to move on from it. This can be very very short term (which is common with very young partners) or last a partner's entire life time. Partnerships tend to lean long term, but this data is kind of skewed due to the fact that a lotta Comfys are born of personal wishes that make them super tailored to one individual specifically, so naturally they'd stick to them longer. Some don't break off their partnerships even after their conflicts are resolved for personal reasons (Such as wanting to maintain being their friend), some leave even if their partners wouldn't want that in the same way (Believing that what's best for their partner is to move on from them). This ultimately becomes a very personal choice. (Once something is outside the scope of their "species task", it usually goes down to personal choice)

•  Are there other material benefits to forming a partnership?
   - 1) A method of transport connected directly to their partner. 
   Why this is useful is probably self evident. Due to a partnership utilizing a core's energy to form, a Comfy becomes intrinsically linked to them! (much like how they're innately linked to the Astral Pocket) Which gives them the ability to essentially teleport to/manifest where they are when needed.    
   An interesting thing then, you might find, is that some Comfys do this out of convenience. This usually happens in more bureaucratic settings, where a specially sanctioned Comfy is asked to investigate something in a particular world, and to do so and travel efficiently, they will find a partner within that world. (This is a very hypothetical and I suppose uncommon things really, but I thought you'd like to know :3c) 

   - 2) Strengthening their own core's power when a partnership is healthy and beneficial.
   Since their wellbeing becomes linked to their Partner, alongside the risk of getting hurt when they're hurt, there's also the reward of thriving alongside eachother. A Comfy with a healthy core will have increased capabilities as well as resistance against corruption. And! If stuff goes well, they may be able to gather enough energy to sustain multiple partners! So while uncommon, the answer is yes^^ (Though it's best not to overexert by stretching oneself too thin, it will be exponentially more difficult to maintain multiple subsequent partnerships after all)    
   I will add that a Comfy's magic is also directly tied to their core, and as such, it would be very beneficial for them to have a lot of strength to wield it

• Is there a school for new/inexperienced Comfys to teach them the ropes before they leave for the Outer Worlds ?
   - There aren't exactly schools in the traditional sense (though there are  likely organizations made by individuals who are more inclined to teach) but there are plenty of people willing to teach new folk how things work! Typically everyone simply gets a run down on general safety which is pretty intuitive to pick up anyways, but if you're specifically combat oriented there are indeed training courses run by the guilds who manage outings to the Outer Worlds for the explicit purposes of dealing directly with threats. Attending those isn't particularly mandatory since nobody can really stop someone from just going out on their own, but people like to join them to spar, practice, or compete essentially. They're well known enough for someone to claim they passed top of the class and sound reasonable.

• Are there different words to distinguished a Corrupted Comfy that is unstable/in trouble of being extinguished, and one with chronic Corruption that is stable and able to live normally?
   - The term "Corrupted Comfy" is typically reserved for individuals who are chronically afflicted since they don't label someone who's just ill like that. It's more common to say that someone is dealing with corruption, damage, or distortion rather than saying they're corrupted.
   - On a more general scale Comfys in actual danger are called "Afflicted" and if it's an emergency they're called "Critical". "Corrupted" is actually specifically for Comfys who have officially adapted to those traits. o///o)b

• Could a comfy have multiples of the same mask?
   - Comfys can repair or recreate their own masks in the event they get damaged, destroyed, or lost. Creating a mask takes large amounts of energy so it's quite difficult! If any alterations were made to their mask however (by a Mask Smith or otherwise) they will not carry over to the new one, it will be in the form of the one they spawned with.
   - For the most part, if a mask has variants, it's assumed to be different versions of a single mask.

• Do creation concepts actually come in different languages? do the Comfys have their own language?
   - They can come in any language you can imagine! If someone out there in the world has conceptualized it and can understand it, it can be a creation concept^^ This does include conlangs. Comfys don’t have their own language, they’re built to be kinda universal and naturally adaptive to outer worlds to pick up things quickly!  Between eachother they have a baseline understanding of what another person is trying to communicate, so even if they don’t speak someone’s language or don’t speak at all, a lot of them can still have normal conversation without too much effort (relative to when we as people try to, anyways ) even if it might be a little vague.

• Does Capitalism Exist?
   - No.

• Does Capitalism Exist? /srs
   - The Astral Pocket does not have a capitalistic economy mostly because of 2 main reasons:
   - 1) Comfys don't have any profit motive (Unless their concept revolves around it, I suppose!)
   So they don't really actively do things to get more money, and they have no need to try and amass insane amounts of it, because it doesn't actually grant you benefits like it does in our world.
   - 2) Passion Tokens as a currency is, by necessity, regulated by the Sanctuary. 
   Because when you extract the celestial energy from them to use, they need to be recharged by the Flame of Passion again before it becomes valid currency again. :O (There's someone in charge of this with a kinda funny story but that's for another day) This is why the farther you get from the Sanctuary, the more common other types of currencies are, but since Sanctuary Square is very accessible through transport and PTs are pretty handy, they are still valid anywhere in the Astral Pocket. This is also why so many important people are sanctioned by the Sanctuary to do things. They don't manage them really, but it helps to connect with people that provide services so they can make arrangements for retrieving used tokens to recirculate again. Remember that part of the reason they have a currency system like this at all is due to Outer World influence, and a lot of it is simply emulating the feel in ways that benefit their own society rather than something that necessitates their living situation. That being said, bartering and personal exchanges for goods and services are still pretty popular on a community level,  but being individually successful is something some folks just enjoy pursuing. Something like rent can hypothetically be paid through favors if someone can't actually pay it. 

Their economy is kind of complicated now that I think about it but it's basically a mixed economy like most places irl. A lot of the societal set up I talk about tends to mostly be in context of Sanctuary Square, which, while similar elements will be common across the Astral Pocket, each region will also likely have pretty distinct differences.
The tl;dr ig is uh, No, they're not inherently capitalistic but maybe somewhere in their world there's a place that is. Who knows!

• Do comfy give gifts to each other?  And if they're physical gift that they wear like bracelets or a bow how would that work if their physical appearance changes with them? 
   -  They do give gifts and they can wear gifts and accessories without issue! Their form changing with them is more of a "default" state type of thing, anything physical they get gifted will stay^^ (They can also change stuff like clothes, they aren't stuck like that or anything o///o)b) Basically, if it was originally a part of them/something they manifested with, it's viable to change if their cores get affected. If it's an item they obtained later, was given by someone else, or just anything really, it does not get affected by things inherent to them. (Unless they choose to I suppose?)

• What are Celestials and who was the All Mother?
   - The All Mother is one of many Celestials who reside up in the celestial plane. (An entirely different plane of existence from the Outer Worlds and the Astral Pocket) They are said to be manifestations made of pure light who were born amidst the explosion that brought about new life to the chaos of the primordial cosmos. (Fancy way of saying this universe's version of the "big bang") And that event was what detailed the Birth of the Stars. Celestials in essence are tied to the stars, but they're also mystical beings in their own way whom represent different aspects and elements of everything within the universe, and are said to be the ones who created those aspects of all that exists out there today. I compared them to gods before? But they're like a step below that in terms of omniscience and power, but at a similar level of myth in that they can't really be interacted with directly.
   - The All Mother was thought to be and now known as the Celestial of Passion, and was said to have poured so much of themselves into their love of life that a fragment of their heart later became the eternally burning flame now called the Flame of Passion; the origin of all Comfys. The Comfys as a species were a product of their desires to help and protect life's fragile existence, and despite the risks and dangers that beings born from their celestial flames would face out in the cold and monster infested universe, they nonetheless went through with their plans. One can argue that despite their good intentions, they didn't really give as much thought to how Comfys would live and function beyond the task that they originally assigned to them, which is the main reason why over time Comfys simply decided to develop their own society themselves.

   - The All Mother was also the one to craft the Astral Pocket, which is the pocket dimension that houses all Comfys. It was created to be a safe space for them to retreat to if anything were to happen, and it will expel anything that isn't a Comfy or naturally formed from within it given enough time, but it's not an entirely impenetrable space as evidenced by the fact it can be invaded at all. It is for the most part though, pretty secure since it's tied directly to the Flame of Passion, as if the flame were the core of the entire space they live in.  At current, it's actually kind of a mystery whether or not the All Mother still exists. Or if they really did end up pouring all of themselves into their hopes of pushing back against the malicious forces that threaten beings of the Outer World, and the Flame of Passion is all that's left of them. There's a lot of legends about who they were and what kind of being they were that have perhaps been exaggerated, changed around, or lost during all the time since the creation of Comfys, but considering it's not like they can directly contact or interact with Celestials, it's one of those things nobody can really prove concretely. Belief in Celestials are a universal thing, they do exist and everyone knows that. But whether or not a Comfy actively worships or celebrates any is up to them. The Sanctuary which houses the Flame of Passion is known to be a very sacred place that regards the All Mother very highly, considering that it's what keeps Sanctuary Square well protected, where most Comfys are born, and where dormant individuals are kept safe. Farther away from Sanctuary Square you'll get more varied beliefs and varying sects that include other Celestials, or none at all, and so on and so forth.

I'll add on that information regarding Celestials are always kind of vague, in both in universe and meta terms, as it's not something I intend to really dig into (at least at this point in time) considering they do not directly interact or are involved in Comfys' lives (Most of the time) (edited)

• Is there a specific way this magic works? are there limitations to the types of magic/abilities a comfy can perform?
   - As of right now, there are not hard limits because I personally always found "traiting" magic as a little bit weird. But yes, there still are limits!
   - Not all Comfys can use magic, but they can all sense it in some form or fashion, since all Comfy magic stems from their cores. Some think that magic is another blessing granted by the All Mother in order to facilitate their purpose better, but it's really just, a thing they can do. Pffft
   - The only hard limit I'll add is a power cap, if something's too extreme it will be red carded. (But this is only in context of like ARPG scenarios, which I'm lenient on anyways. But y'know, classic RP rules, no godmodding/powerplaying, etc)
   - That being said, a main rule is that their magic must pertain to a form of comfort so to speak, specifically the type they embody. So someone's magic has to thematically tie into their theme, creation concept, or general vibes. Their magic must in some way benefit, assist, or support a hypothetical partner in some way. There are ways to justify a lot, like those with offense type magic possessing such abilities to defend others from danger, but theoretically no Comfy would have any abilities that would actively only cause harm, like decaying matter or inducing negative emotions. Such things are typically associated with the creatures they fight against.
   - Which brings us to the next point, and it probably makes a lotta sense when I say it, but some Corrupted Comfys do have magic of that kind as a result of said corruption affecting their cores in a way that distorts their magic. Anyone who can use this magic tends to be a little controversial because it by nature A) Makes most others uncomfortable and B) is considered a risk of spreading corruption in general even putting aside the damage. Key thing to note, actively using Corrupted Magic also lowkey risks further distortion of the self if done excessively, so it's not recommended to begin with.

   - The thing about magic is that they can either be innate, as in stemming from their cores, or they can be acquired, as in using a magic item of sorts, which gives a lil more flexibility if something is looking to be difficult to justify.

• Do comfies choose a mask for life? Or is it assigned to them or are they able to choose a different one later down the line?
   - Their masks form alongside them when they manifest and they are intrinsically tied to them and their cores! (I.E. Their innate sense of being) Which is why they're difficult to alter without undergoing some intense change that impacts their cores themselves, or the help of a mask smith (Who have specific abilities to do so) Trying to alter your mask without knowing what your doing risks damaging it, which increases risks of core exposure and would then need more energy from the core to repair it. Masks are seen as both a Comfy's face and main form of identification (aside from their cores), and they are unique to each individual. Which means even two Comfys have similar markings or the same shaped masks, it won't actually fit correctly. In fact, trying to wear someone else's mask is often kind of uncomfortable, like putting on someone else's glasses. It's ineffective at its job and would make you feel kinda weird. When a Comfy's mask changes as a result of their cores undergoing change, it tends to imply they've become a "different person" in some way. (This is of course, pretty metaphorical) A Comfys mask is actually on average something that stays pretty consistent even if they go through regenerations and evolutions and some such, but it changing isn't exactly uncommon either. It's just one of those things that make people go "Woah, you look like a whole new person!" which usually implies the change was pretty drastic. So basically: Every Comfy has a mask that belongs to them only, they can't change that, but they can change aspects of it. If it gets destroyed or lost, if their cores are strong enough they can reforge it, but it will still be the same mask because it's intrinsically tied to who they are. That type of thing o///o)b (edited)

   - I should probably explain that they can theoretically still have multiple masks if they want to (Like, they don't have to lose a mask to make a new one, it's still effort to do so, but it is a choice!), it's kind of like having spares for your glasses.

• Are Comfys who look "scary" considered scary by the general culture? Like if a comfy had body horror but wasnt corrupted in any way, thats just how they were, would others find them distressing, or not bc a comfys idea of what is scary is different than our human perception of scary?
   - Depends on the individual! :3c Kinda like how some people are entirely unfazed by gore and some people are squeamish with teeny bits of blood. Though it is true that overall Comfy society does technically have a different kind of view of what's "scary" or not than humans do (This part's a bit more complicated) but the above still generally applies. Commonly, those who are off-put or surprised by more body horror leaning Comfys are those who spend more time in the Outer Worlds than the Astral Pocket. For the rest though, that's just the way someone looks, and that's pretty normal. (Since they can sense that it's not something that occurred due to corruption.)

• Are comfys capable of getting sick in ways that arent related to corruption?
   - Yes they are! :3c They can indeed get sick, though not always in the ways humans do pffft. There are generally 2 scenarios.
   - 1) The basic gist is that their version of being sick is like a disturbance in their internal magic balance, in which their cores will have to overexert itself to fix, which causes what we would consider fever-like symptoms. Causes of such disruptions include similar things to people like stress and poor self care (basically stuff not severe enough to warrant corruption tends to just get them sick and tired instead lmao) Key note, which you can probably infer, disturbances can also stem from personal inner conflict and general emotional turmoil. Tho fun bonus fact: They can, in fact, have allergies.
   - 2) External factors like extreme/sudden changes in their environment and/or purposeful disruptions from malicious Outer World creatures are the second way this may occur. To this degree, the similarity between Comfys and humans extends to the fact that each Comfy can have different levels of tolerance and immunity in regards to this kind of thing. (Like an immune system :3) This isn’t a universal thing but if a Comfy is entering the Outer World for the first time in their existence (assuming they’ve only ever existed in the astral pocket before then) there’s a likely chance they’d get a little sick while their cores adjust. (This is considered kind of an uncommon circumstance since most Comfys visit the outer world at least once pretty early on in their life)
   TL;DR: yes they can get sick like normal people do, there’s just other stuff that can cause that to happen, pffft.

   - I’ll add that any scenario is which a core has to work “overtime” will cause fever like symptoms afterwards to recover (because haha, their cores get really hot get it-) and this can happen in a variety of ways that include the above mentioned and also stuff like needing to remake their mask from scratch, getting really physically injured and needing to reform themselves, overtransferring your own energy when helping someone else, and so on and so forth
So like, over exertion…yeah <3

• Are there cures for such conditions? Medicine they can take to speed up the illness and/or recovery process? Or is it just a waiting game for their cores to cool down?
   - There are, yeah^^ (If the issue is not related to direct internal conflict anyways, medicine doesn’t usually help with that-) There have been medicines created to basically speed up or assist in the process of recovery. There’s like a range of effectiveness for those tho lmao (and their effectiveness may depend on the circumstance). The general idea is to basically supplement someone’s core with extra energy so it reaches equilibrium faster than it would by itself, and that can be made from all sorts of things, albeit folks are always trying to find better ways to do so. (People are always finding or trying to cultivate new stuff to possibly make new stuff with so-)
   - The thing is is that everything grown on Astral Pocket soil will have trace amounts of energy in it, and so theoretically, while it isn’t classified as “medicine”, eating food can make someone feel a lil better.
   - The most expensive and most effective medicines are made by the sanctuary, as their methods can incorporate utilizing the Flame of Passion, but theyre not common because they take forever to make, and again, kinda expensive. But they are veeery effective. But for the layman, botanists and potion brewers have their own recipes for stuff like that.
   - Or you can be a stubborn bitch and not want any of that stuff when you’re sick because speeding stuff up makes you groggy/dizzy. (That’s Maddock, lmao)

• What's the societal connotation of showing someone your halo?
   - Showing your halo's glow has different connotations in different contexts but it's most common as a form of greeting or sign of respect. Kinda like when people bow or shake hands. It's not an incredibly formal thing! You may do so briefly when you thank someone to convey appreciation, when greeting someone of higher authority or status, or even when you nod to a friend who happened to be passing by but you gotta keep running somewhere. (Showing your actual core to someone is a much more reserved thing, this is in essence a lighter version of that) It's a relatively quick thing, like a lil blink!
   - For Comfys who have halos, they will briefly glow in the color of their cores, and for Comfys who don't usually, they can temporarily manifest one briefly to achieve the same effect. The point of this very brief action is mostly just to make the color visible. Some friends may even have little signals between eachother with certain meanings ascribed to blinking patterns (Like personalized handshakes or codes) Maintaining a halo's glow for an extended period of time will have different meanings. In a symbolic sense, it represents a display of vulnerability or the idea of "laying your heart bare", because doing so will begin to emit actual energy from your core, which is functionally similar to exposing it. When you make a serious promise or want to say something with conviction, some will do so while their halo is lit to show absolute sincerity.
   - That being said, it works in reverse too, some may want the other to maintain a halo's glow while trying to discern the truth. Since a core is related to a Comfy's spirit, if it wavers, the glow will too. (This isn't always accurate of course, some people are just good liars lmao, but it is a thing) This is also related to distress signals since it's the only way to emit some form of energy signal while not exposing your core directly for fellow Comfys to find you.

• What about exposing ones core? how common is that? is it pretty normal for close friends to know the shape of each others core?
   - Showing your core directly is like quite literally showing another person your soul. It’s typically considered incredibly personal (tho it can vary from Comfy to Comfy), but there are a lot of exceptions to it due to the nature of some Comfys having incomplete or transparent masks who can’t control others seeing it to begin with. A core emits very unique energy, and it essentially is able to convey the emotions and will of the individual directly, with others being able to pick up these signs when directly exposed to it. (If the core is not directly exposed and instead just visible, like the case of those with glass masks, so long as the veil of the cosmos is in tact, it will still mask the energy signal. The only danger that remains is having a fully visible glow, which will still attract malicious forces who are drawn to that) Having an always visible core is a trait associated with those who are honest or incredibly forthcoming with their inner passions, but of course it does not always have to be.
   - It’s not a common thing to show another your core less because it’s a huge secret and more because it’s physically dangerous for them to do so (core exposure and all that) and so it’s part of their species to simply be wary of it. But in essence, to know another’s core is to know everything that makes them who they are. It is a Comfy at their most vulnerable and conveys the purest essence of who they are as an individual. and so it’s often done between closer friends. It’s basically a sign of very deep trust if someone is willing to show you their core, since it’s a very purposeful action that cultivates deeper personally understanding. So, that being said,  sometimes there are just individuals who are more secretive about themselves than others, and may ascribe more significance to the gesture. Some may just think it’s too revealing of an action to take and never do so to anybody, some may just be really paranoid about core exposure, etc. .
   - If I had to make a comparison, it’s basically admitting to someone your truest self, and that’s easier for some than others. (That sounds very persona esk, oop) But yeah, very close friends having seen eachother’s cores is not considered uncommon.

• Are Comfys in Medieval time, current, or the future?
   - They can actually be in any time they want! (The universe works on a multiverse type system to let people do as they wish) but in general I will talk about it as if it is current day. If you mean like, their setting in terms of vibe within the Astral Pocket where they live, it depends on the region, but it is overall very D&D fantasy with contemporary elements and technology like radio. There are areas that are more modern and there are areas that are more primitive. There is a futuristic esk setting somewhere but that one has some unique circumstances to it so it usually stays within the medieval to current time frame.