kemononono

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I haven't got a proper name for these guys yet, still thinking about it...it'd be nice to have a punny/self-explanatory Japanese name that sounds nice in English

I'll design them based on a word/concept prompt (no combining multiple prompts at the moment)...yeah that's basically it...same goes for customs I suppose. Semi-customs = prompt only, customs = more specific (probably rare because I don't really wanna do things to great specification)

If they get popular enough I'd love to introduce breeding like Gaia b/c, with a cooldown/minimum ownership period to prevent spamming. This will allow more unusual combinations of traits + more easy prompts for semi-customs...

stats

~*~*~ Closed species ~*~*~

They're kemono-style furries basically...I'm aiming for a very generic animal look that isn't any particular creature, but also allows for some variation if I want (e.g. a more foxy one can have a pointy nose and large pointed ears...). For most of the population, faces are close to flat but they still do have snouts...they most definitely don't look human at least.

They can also walk bipedal or quadrupedal, though most prefer to walk bipedal because of body balance. They're digitigrade with tiny hands and feet. Full pawpads on their feet, hands have a large pad but not ones on the fingers; individuals that are more predisposed to walk quadrupedal might have finger pads or calluses that resemble pads.

Fur distribution over the body is uneven but generally very thick and soft. It's longest on/at the back of their heads and doesn't stop growing in those places. They may or may not leave a fringe over their faces, it's not particularly weird either way. The part at the back of the head is considered the mane, which may extend down their backs (but usually not past the shoulders). Tail hair can possibly be grown long depending on the individual.
The rest of their fur is very plush and generally stays the same length. Most have thick fur over the legs that flare out mid-calf and very short fur over the rest of the leg/foot. Palms have similarly short fur.
Colouration is highly variable (i.e. anything goes), markings-wise uneven spots and stripes are the norm. Highly regular shapes don't happen naturally (uneven identifiable shapes can happen) and are either dyed or have some magical origin.

They're roughly divided into 4 elemental categories - earth air fire water, but most are a blend of two categories (rarely 3 and never 4) under a theme. They don't have command over the elements; it's more like an affinity for them. The same theme can appear on more than one individual, but as a different blend. Specific details on the percentages later. Some rare ones are single element and are allowed specific features that only the pure element ones can have...specifics later

They like wearing clothes, and have a specific template for clothes...it tries to cover enough to be fashionable but also not hinder bipedal/quadrupedal movement. By this traditional template they don't wear full shorts or skirts, or anything that droops too far down the belly because it'll drag on the ground when they're on all fours. They also don't wear saddle-style decorations because it'll slide off their backs when they stand up and/or it just looks really silly. Those that have a really heavy (like nearly exclusive) preference for either bipedal/quadrupedal movement may wear any of these though!
Body-hugging clothes/too much coverage also isn't popular because well...it covers up too much of the fluff and it's uncomfortable...
Nudity isn't an issue to them; gender distinction is pretty much only expressed in the way they dress and there is little to no sexual dimorphism. BUT going naked to a formal event is bad for etiquette reasons it's like going to a posh party in ah pek singlet and shorts...

Little side talk: the traditional wedding outfit is made from the fur of their partner. Months before the wedding they get their fur shaved off and spun into thread several times, then it gets made into fabric...so their wedding costumes are each others' colours.

percentages

Each creature has a max of 100% in combined traits from at most 2 elements if custom/purchased.
If bred, the combined trait percentage can exceed 100%, but only rarely.
Also, 3 elements can be reached, but even more rarely.

Each element has a couple of extremely rare variations (can be custom/purchased/bred; may increase based on whether I can think of new ones) but they're almost never available. Percentages for these need to be at least 100% and pure element; any percentage feature can be compounded on the mutation. Combining of rare traits...may or may not ever happen. They can be passed down, but the percentage rule is strict.
In-universe these live among the rest of the community and find their own niches; public opinion's divided but they're generally a very tolerant species and don't mind physical variations much. It's said that these have their own individual colonies somewhere, though.

Earth

Earths are the most common, so much of city culture and measures of attractiveness revolve around them. They're extremely varied in appearance, which can mask features of hybrids' secondary type features.
Their element gives them longer arms which makes it easier for them to run on all fours, thick fur for protection when running through thick brush, and a heightened innate sensitivity to their environment.

10%:
20%: full mane
30%:
40%: multiple tails
50%:
60%: antlers as a horn variant
70%:
80%: build variations (from v small to bara dragons)
90%:
100%: small plants growing in fur/large gemstones

RARE: beast
A full feral form. Powerful land dragon. They're just like any other of their species mentally, but cannot walk on their hind legs, tend to be quite large, and are much more dragonlike in appearance. They start off looking like commons but never become bipedal. Their hands have full finger pads and aren't as dexterous, but have power and are generally hired as long-distance runners/diggers.

RARE: dryad?
Actual leaves/petals growing off them? Commensalism to the point where they can photosynthesize lol

Air

Even though they're air element, they don't actually fly. The ones who do have air as a base are able to glide, but only the rare winged form has powered flight. They're good climbers, however, and are generally involved in construction. They're sensitive to the weather as well and enjoy heights.

10%: short decorative feathers
20%:
30%:
40%:
50%:
60%: skin flaps OR arm feathers usable for gliding
70%:
80%:
90%:
100%:

RARE: true wings
Any form of wings that allow for powered flight, whether an extension of their arms or a separate set of limbs. They're valuable for high-rise work and work that requires navigating a very crowded/narrow city, but not every city has these.

RARE: ? clouds? idk?

Fire

10%: smoky hair (wispy hair with smoke from internal heat)
20%:
30%:
40%:
50%:
60%: dull internal glow in hair
70%: plates
80%:
90%:
100%:

RARE: actual fire
They're completely immune to fire, to the point where their hair burns forever. The fire can spread, but isn't as contagious as a normal open fire. Still, in consideration of this tendency to accidentally burn things, they usually live in the places they work, which tend to require a lot of heat.

RARE: lavasurfer
Their body shape is more similar to waters with large forearms and less leg fluff, but still retains the neck ruff. Noticeably, their skin glows, which is most easily seen in their pawpads, eyes, and mouth; the general explanation for this is that lava flows in their veins instead of normal blood (separate from bioluminescence). They're fireproof but unlike the other rare variant, they can never catch fire (although their body temperature is much higher than normal). They generally settle near volcanoes and swim in the magma to find rare ores.

Water

Waters are kind of oddballs in that they tend to have a bunch of features that're usually considered less/not attractive (less/shorter fur, spines) but it's also balanced out by the fact that they tend to have more elegant shapes. In other words they're seen as being somewhat exotic.

10%: scales
20%: fin-shaped fur growth
30%: spines
40%:
50%:
60%:
70%:
80%:
90%:
100%: bioluminescence (only some parts of the body excluding eyes/mouth/pads glow; these can be triggered at will)

RARE: mermaid tail
The lower half of the body is replaced with a fish tail. They also have true fins. They're able to breathe both above and in water (may have visible gills), so they're valuable for underwater work. However since they're bad at walking for obvious reasons they need to live in a place that has at least a large canal system.

RARE: snowshoe
Large feet and small ears. Their thick fur sometimes looks as if it's shimmering from the small ice crystals that form on the hairs. They're sensitive to heat, but are completely immune to cold, and have the fires' neck ruff as well. Most commons will get sluggish during winter months, but snowshoes stay active during this time and are valuable for maintaining cities when it's cold.

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