Undyre
The Undyre are a unique population of curios, having developed their own unique traits and culture after splitting from the mainland population of Scatterstar long ago. Their lives have depended heavily on the sea from their first arrival; as such, the natural curio adaptability kicked in, and they quickly found themselves equipped to swim among the cays of Tonpelli and build prosperous lives for themselves in this new territory. Nowadays, you can easily recognize any Undyre in a crowd!
Undyre follow the same anatomical rules as all other curios, although their average heights fall between 2'5"-5', making them shorter than mainland curios. However, every Undyre has a few extra traits that make them uniquely adapted to their homeland:
Bead implants are an Undyre specialty, made possible by their mastery of Ancient medical technology. There is no naturally occurring aunmar on Tonpelli, and the crystal brought by the original voyagers was not enough to last for the coming generations; now, a high-tech procedure allows a much smaller amount of aunmar to be implanted in the forehead, where it can more efficiently absorb auric excess. These implants can be any shape and colour, but must be on or next to the forehead mark.
Webbed paws aid the Undyre in swimming; some Undyre have larger webbing than others.
Tail beads are still worn by Undyre out of a sense of tradition, but they are not made of aunmar crystal. Generally an Undyre's bead will be made from wood, metal, porous stone, glass, ceramic, or a combination! Balancing a bead so that it doesn't float inconveniently or sink too fast while swimming is important; a truly well-crafted bead will have the perfect buoyancy for swimming.
Most Undyre beads will take some sort of streamlined shape. Additionally, these beads serve a unique role in Tonpelli--most are etched with a personal seal, sometimes a variant on a family crest, which is stamped onto official documents and letters as a signature. Be sure to clean your bead after stamping or it'll get gross in there.
Dense fur coats help to keep water away from the skin, and keeps the Undyre warm as they dive. Much like their mainland cousins, Undyre fur can be any colour of the rainbow and have any patterns.
Bead implants are an Undyre specialty, made possible by their mastery of Ancient medical technology. There is no naturally occurring aunmar on Tonpelli, and the crystal brought by the original voyagers was not enough to last for the coming generations; now, a high-tech procedure allows a much smaller amount of aunmar to be implanted in the forehead, where it can more efficiently absorb auric excess. These implants can be any shape and colour, but must be on or next to the forehead mark.
Webbed paws aid the Undyre in swimming; some Undyre have larger webbing than others.
Tail beads are still worn by Undyre out of a sense of tradition, but they are not made of aunmar crystal. Generally an Undyre's bead will be made from wood, metal, porous stone, glass, ceramic, or a combination! Balancing a bead so that it doesn't float inconveniently or sink too fast while swimming is important; a truly well-crafted bead will have the perfect buoyancy for swimming.
Most Undyre beads will take some sort of streamlined shape. Additionally, these beads serve a unique role in Tonpelli--most are etched with a personal seal, sometimes a variant on a family crest, which is stamped onto official documents and letters as a signature. Be sure to clean your bead after stamping or it'll get gross in there.
Dense fur coats help to keep water away from the skin, and keeps the Undyre warm as they dive. Much like their mainland cousins, Undyre fur can be any colour of the rainbow and have any patterns.
The arm fins are important to an Undyre's ability to swim efficiently. Since they have to rely on holding their breath while free-diving, using one's air wisely is very important! Undyre of all classes are taught to swim and dive well at an early age, and broad, fleshy fins on the forearms help them to propel smoothly through the water. The hock ridges are an extension of this trait, although they are significantly smaller and thought only to help with frog-kicking.
The arm fins and hock ridges can come in many shapes and sizes, and have a somewhat thinner coat of fur compared to the rest of the body. Generally, Undyre describe their fins as not being all that sensitive to touch.
Sealing membranes are, as one might expect, a very thin membrane that can be consciously or subconsciously pulled shut over the ear canal, protecting it from water. They can also be as expressive as the ears, lifting or twitching along with the Undyre's emotions. These can come in several shapes, and longer ears often means longer membranes.
There is one curio trait that Undyre tend to lack--the original group that sailed from the mainland seemed to not have many horn genes between them, because the current residents of Tonpelli rarely have any sort of horns today. For Undyre, this moves horn rarity one trait up. When applying them to an Undyre, small horns are rare; medium horns are super rare; and long horns haven't been seen in many, many years ....
Some bead-related traits can also manifest differently on Undyre implants. The Etched Bead (UC), Glowing Bead Markings (R), Cracked Bead (SR), and Glowing Bead (M) traits can be applied to the implant, tail, or both on an Undyre. While auric phenomena can find their way to an Undyre's non-crystal tail bead, some choose to equip their tails with decorative gadgets to artificially achieve glow or other pretty effects. To see more about bead traits and how to get them for your curio, check out the Tail Beads trait page.
Undyre mutations
Due to their unique environment and lifestyle, the Undyre have some consistently aquatic traits--but they're just as susceptible to sudden mutation as their mainland brethren, and are subject to the normal range of mutations as well as a few unique ones found only in Tonpelli.
Wingfins are an unusual but stable growth, allowing the individual to 'flap' a set of large back fins underwater and swim in that way. They are attached closely along the spine and part of the tail, ending just under the shoulders. The thin 'arms' of the wings can lift above the shoulders to completely extend the fins, but usually droop low in casual settings. Some Undyre with this trait complain of back pain from the extra weight.
The ends of these fins can be somewhat shaped, and the fins can be opaque or translucent. They can be smaller or larger than shown. |