|
Size: 6959
Comment:
|
Size: 7081
Comment:
|
| Deletions are marked like this. | Additions are marked like this. |
| Line 1: | Line 1: |
| = Buns = . The dominant species on the planet are a form of bipedal lapines with females tending towards being the larger and physically stronger. Roughly 10% of the species are born 'crowned' and possess a form of antler or horn, largely determined by their race, that grants them the ability to use magic. Crowned buns are hermaphroditic and are typically allowed to determine their gender and position in society for themselves. They are also typically given dominant or leadership roles within their community. |
= Cultures = . The following is divided by major cultures and their appropriate descriptors. |
| Line 4: | Line 4: |
| Races: | == Bun Cultures: == |
| Line 6: | Line 6: |
| . Buns are divided into 4 major races* which can freely interbreed producing minor variations. The major races still have noticeable population distinctions in both social and political senses. | == Vulps == === Surface Vulps, Tribal === ==== General Elements ==== . A vulp tribe is almost always a hunter-gatherer structure, though due to their oppposition to eating plants the gathering is limited to foods like shellfish or eggs and plants/substances with a non-food application. Division of this labor is wholly unconcerned with gender roles (gender being a concept completely unknown to vulps). Those assigned to hunting often range several days out from their home to build up a larger catch before returning. Vulps hunt whatever is most available in their region but also adjust hunting habits so as to not eliminate prey populations. The catches from these hunts will be either eaten immediately or dried for long term storage. Despite the opposition to smelting the vulp tribes seem perfectly willing to retain items of smelted material from any buns caught on a hunt and seem to regard them as a part of the natural spoils of the hunted creature. . Vulp clothing is primarily leathers and furs. While they are perfectly capable of weaving that pursuit seems largely limited to decorative and religious purposes. The clothing worn tends to be more functional than anything else and is usually consists only of protective elements around the trunk and extremities. Decoration is largely reserved for jewelry and worn fetishes. Vulps wear a large amount of these and they can be made of most any material but almost always include elements of a prize from a hunt (bones, teeth, scales, or even shiny objects taken off of a bun). As noted vulps do not recognize gender and as a result there is no strong difference in clothing along those lines. . Vulp culture places no heavy emphasis on any specific sexuality and are equally accepting of any relationship so long as it doesn't harm the cohesiveness of the tribe as a whole. Vulps reach adulthood in the tribe at 22 years, at which point they are allowed to begin seeking out adult relationships. Vulps also have no objection to polyamory and it is not unusual for an exceptionally skilled hunter, chieftain, or shaman to have multiple partners. The primary physical elements of attraction in vulps are tail fullness/length, ear height, coat coloration (with a preference towards darker colors), and long fangs. The primary social elements of attraction in vulps are exclusively around the vulps ability to support the tribe, whether it be in hunting, gathering, the processing of supplies or in the rearing of children. . Children in the vulp tribes are referred to as cubs and are typically born in groups of 2-3 cubs at a time. Once born cubs are considered at once both a shared resource of the tribe and a responsibility of their parents. While cubs learn from and are often given chores by all members of the tribe their behavior and discipline is primarily left to their parents. For cubs too young to engage in work the tribe typically assigns 1-3 adults who show an aptitude for childcare to tend to the cubs and keep watch over them so that their parents can continue to contribute their labor to the tribe. Cubs are usually able to graduate from the duveflack (literally puddle of fluffs) at around 7 years of age when they are old enough to take up simple chores without supervision. . Conflicts between tribal members are usually resolved through arbitration under the appropriate leader. If the leader finds that both sides have an equal claim in the issue they may be issued a requirement to engage in a form of duel to resolve the conflict. Punishments can include death but that is very rare and vulps are far more likely to banish a problematic member than they are to kill them. . Vulp tribes produce a large amount of what could be considered art, though most of it also serves a practical or religious purpose. Most common are large (.8-.9 m) painted clay vessels used to store substances for fermentation in caves. Vulps typically decorate with depictions of natural objects or depictions of tribal legends and important figures. . Voxen are viewed as a divine gift by any tribe lucky enough to have one and almost all voxen, whether of their own intent or out of pressure, will become shaman and leaders of their tribe. Their magic is somewhat warped by the cultural interpretation which holds that the magic of the body is to strengthen and heal the tribe, the magic of poisons is the amplify their hunting skills, and that the illusions are the ability to see mystical visions that are shared with all but can only be interpreted by the voxen (A belief that many have taken advantage of). ==== Religion ==== . Tribal vulps are raised under a strong religious guidance that claims the abundance of material recources in nature (minerals/metals growing from biological life, very edible creatures, and the magic to reshape parts of the body into natural weapons) indicates that their god (Xyl) intended for them to use the natural resources to their fullest without the need to destroy them in the process and therefore smelting was a horrible sin. As a result the tribal vulps ban the use of smelted metal. Accompanying beliefs of a vulpocentric nature mean that they also believe the purpose of all life on the planet is to enable vulps to thrive and as a result they tend to consider all other species to be food. . These religious views are maintained by either a voxen shaman or a tribal elder who acts as a leader in religious rites and rituals. If separate from the tribes chieftain then the religious leader acts as a co-leader, taking priority of clan dictum in all things spiritual but ceding control over matters of day-to-day management. . Rites often include the following elements; sacrifice of a living creature (Value of a sacrifice is by size, so a large cattle would be considered a better sacrifice than a bun), painting the bodies with dyes, the burning of a wide variety of herbal concoctions, and the construction of fetishes. |
| Line 8: | Line 21: |
| *Both lopism and lopes, while visibily distinct, are not considered races in their own right and instead represent moderate phenotype variations in their species similar to red hair. Diet: Buns, despite their resemblance to rabbits, are omnivorous and enjoy a complex diet including meats, vegetables, fruits, and grains. Reproduction: Buns reproduce in a largely normal manner for mammalian creatures (5-6 month gestation period, 1-2 children average) with the following exceptions: . 1: During the latter stages of pregnancy buns release a pheromone that triggers lactation buildup in affected buns, due to the long exposure required . this usually only produces a noticeable effect on their partners. Newborns also release this pheromone for the first 3 months after their birth. While typically male buns are the primary nurses and caregivers to offspring this effect does enable effective childrearing regardless of parent composition. 2: Likewise the genes that influence crown development, determination over whether or not a bun develops into a crowned varient, only activate during . the 10th-12th week of gestation and is heavily suppressed by the presence of other mature crowned individuals. Meaning that crowned buns rarely, if ever produce crowned offspring and family units rarely have more than 2 crowned members. 3: Like echidnas buns nurse via milk pads . 4: Loppism,occupies a similar cultural and genetic pattern as red hair in humans. It is recessive but not horribly uncommon and has a tendancy to viewed . as more desirable on one gender than the other. In this case Lop ears are considered pretty and manly, enough so that some lop does wear a form of brace to force their ears upright and some bucks weight their ears with heavy piercings to avoid or achieve that appearance. == Almiraj == . These buns average .8-1 m in height and 35-42 kg. They occupy two major continents with 5 major countries, roughly 50 minor countries, and numerous colonies. Crowns manifest as a single long pointed horn and grant magic that largely enables the generation and manipulation of external and elemental force (Fire, lightning, ice, etc). === Lope === . An observed variation of the Almirage Lopes occur slightly less often than the traditional Almiraj and are mainly distinguished by a more gangling build and increased height. They average .9-1.2 m in height and 36-42 kg. Crowns manifest as a rack of pronged antlers similar in nature and ability to the Skvader. == Skvader == . These buns average .75-.9 m in height and 20-25 kg (bones are significantly less dense than normal due to significantly more porous structure). All members possess a set of feathered wings and are capable of short lengths of flight (1-2 hours max). Largely developed on the same continents as the Almiraj, Skvander only have 2 major countries, but hold almost 90 minor countries due to their ability to reside in places uninhabitable to other buns, however they possess almost no colonies. Crowns manifest as a set of large antlers and enable the manipulation of healing and enhancing the body. == Dwarf == . These buns average .4-.6 m in height and 21-24 kg. Dwarf buns are almost exclusively found on islands but have formed 2 major countries by unifying tribal groups along the islands. They have maintained autonomy due to the benefits of their unusual magic despite their smaller numbers. Crowns manifest as a set of bovine horns, typically curving forward and give them access to magic centered around divination and clairvoyance. A further 1% of the crowned buns are born both blind and with immense amounts of power in their given magical field. == Rex == . These buns average around 1.2-2 m in height and 100-129 kg. Rex buns occupy 3 major countries and retained autonomy against colonial efforts by their extreme size and strength. Crowns manifest as a set of curving ovine horns and give them magic largely oriented around enchantments and manipulations of both the mind and soul (geases, illusion, and simmilar). = Vulps = . Vulps are a minor race of obligate carnivores with a vulpine appearance and long slender legs and forearms. They average around .7-.9 m in height and 23-36 kg. They have only been encountered in tribal societies and are largely considered a nuisance/threat as they are perfectly willing to view all other creatures, buns included, as a potential food source. This is however primarily the result of a large schism between the bulk of their society and the surface dwelling Vulps. The reality is that the majority of vulps live in exstesive underground cities and have reached a level of technical and magical advancement at least as far as any other race on the plane. The skewed perception came about early in their history as a religious schism occured over smelting of metals, with the minority believing that to do so was a blasphemous sin, the schism resulted in the small tribal structures observed by buns and was further skewed by the occasional exile, magically branded for their crimes, wandering the surface. == Voxen == . Considered to be either the vulp equivalent of crowned or the scion of a vulp and a demon, depending on who is asked. Voxen are abnormally large vulps with a set of curving horns and a large viper for a tail. Voxen have magical gifts like crowned buns that primarily focus around manipulation of blood, illusions and poison. = Guini = . Guini are a race of immense biped that bear slight resemblance to guinea pigs. They are almost only encountered living in solitary or small family units and seem to have a culture based solely around direct oral tradition and a form of ancestral memory. They are known to be extremely territorial even to most members of their own race. They average around 4-4.5 m in height and around 190-200 kg. All members bear a set of huge tusks that seem to act similar to the magical crowns of buns, in the case of Guini these tusks grant them magical manipulation of weather and associated environmental phenomena. Guini are almost exclusively encountered in mountains and caves.They are omnivorous but many rumors and myths hold that they eat buns when available. |
=== Underground Vulps === ==== General Elements ==== . The vulpi living underground do so in large cities in caverns. These cities are often placed near underground lakes or streams for obvious reasons. The outskirts of the city often become large fields of crops (typically fungal but with a few exceptions). The absence of large military forces underground means that very few of the cities have any form of major wall or gate. In addition to the etoilebre (large magical plants that emit light) most of these cities sport large towers with a convex polished metal disk to reflect an internal light source. These are typically absent in the fields as many of their crops are bio-luminescent. . Most of these cities are run as a form of plutocratic-aristocratic-republic where a council containing members of the most influential or powerful families are responsible for the ruling of the city. This results in both an noticeable class divide and in a large amount of political intrigue. |
Cultures
- The following is divided by major cultures and their appropriate descriptors.
Bun Cultures:
Vulps
Surface Vulps, Tribal
General Elements
- A vulp tribe is almost always a hunter-gatherer structure, though due to their oppposition to eating plants the gathering is limited to foods like shellfish or eggs and plants/substances with a non-food application. Division of this labor is wholly unconcerned with gender roles (gender being a concept completely unknown to vulps). Those assigned to hunting often range several days out from their home to build up a larger catch before returning. Vulps hunt whatever is most available in their region but also adjust hunting habits so as to not eliminate prey populations. The catches from these hunts will be either eaten immediately or dried for long term storage. Despite the opposition to smelting the vulp tribes seem perfectly willing to retain items of smelted material from any buns caught on a hunt and seem to regard them as a part of the natural spoils of the hunted creature.
- Vulp clothing is primarily leathers and furs. While they are perfectly capable of weaving that pursuit seems largely limited to decorative and religious purposes. The clothing worn tends to be more functional than anything else and is usually consists only of protective elements around the trunk and extremities. Decoration is largely reserved for jewelry and worn fetishes. Vulps wear a large amount of these and they can be made of most any material but almost always include elements of a prize from a hunt (bones, teeth, scales, or even shiny objects taken off of a bun). As noted vulps do not recognize gender and as a result there is no strong difference in clothing along those lines.
- Vulp culture places no heavy emphasis on any specific sexuality and are equally accepting of any relationship so long as it doesn't harm the cohesiveness of the tribe as a whole. Vulps reach adulthood in the tribe at 22 years, at which point they are allowed to begin seeking out adult relationships. Vulps also have no objection to polyamory and it is not unusual for an exceptionally skilled hunter, chieftain, or shaman to have multiple partners. The primary physical elements of attraction in vulps are tail fullness/length, ear height, coat coloration (with a preference towards darker colors), and long fangs. The primary social elements of attraction in vulps are exclusively around the vulps ability to support the tribe, whether it be in hunting, gathering, the processing of supplies or in the rearing of children.
- Children in the vulp tribes are referred to as cubs and are typically born in groups of 2-3 cubs at a time. Once born cubs are considered at once both a shared resource of the tribe and a responsibility of their parents. While cubs learn from and are often given chores by all members of the tribe their behavior and discipline is primarily left to their parents. For cubs too young to engage in work the tribe typically assigns 1-3 adults who show an aptitude for childcare to tend to the cubs and keep watch over them so that their parents can continue to contribute their labor to the tribe. Cubs are usually able to graduate from the duveflack (literally puddle of fluffs) at around 7 years of age when they are old enough to take up simple chores without supervision.
- Conflicts between tribal members are usually resolved through arbitration under the appropriate leader. If the leader finds that both sides have an equal claim in the issue they may be issued a requirement to engage in a form of duel to resolve the conflict. Punishments can include death but that is very rare and vulps are far more likely to banish a problematic member than they are to kill them.
- Vulp tribes produce a large amount of what could be considered art, though most of it also serves a practical or religious purpose. Most common are large (.8-.9 m) painted clay vessels used to store substances for fermentation in caves. Vulps typically decorate with depictions of natural objects or depictions of tribal legends and important figures.
- Voxen are viewed as a divine gift by any tribe lucky enough to have one and almost all voxen, whether of their own intent or out of pressure, will become shaman and leaders of their tribe. Their magic is somewhat warped by the cultural interpretation which holds that the magic of the body is to strengthen and heal the tribe, the magic of poisons is the amplify their hunting skills, and that the illusions are the ability to see mystical visions that are shared with all but can only be interpreted by the voxen (A belief that many have taken advantage of).
Religion
- Tribal vulps are raised under a strong religious guidance that claims the abundance of material recources in nature (minerals/metals growing from biological life, very edible creatures, and the magic to reshape parts of the body into natural weapons) indicates that their god (Xyl) intended for them to use the natural resources to their fullest without the need to destroy them in the process and therefore smelting was a horrible sin. As a result the tribal vulps ban the use of smelted metal. Accompanying beliefs of a vulpocentric nature mean that they also believe the purpose of all life on the planet is to enable vulps to thrive and as a result they tend to consider all other species to be food.
- These religious views are maintained by either a voxen shaman or a tribal elder who acts as a leader in religious rites and rituals. If separate from the tribes chieftain then the religious leader acts as a co-leader, taking priority of clan dictum in all things spiritual but ceding control over matters of day-to-day management.
- Rites often include the following elements; sacrifice of a living creature (Value of a sacrifice is by size, so a large cattle would be considered a better sacrifice than a bun), painting the bodies with dyes, the burning of a wide variety of herbal concoctions, and the construction of fetishes.
Underground Vulps
General Elements
- The vulpi living underground do so in large cities in caverns. These cities are often placed near underground lakes or streams for obvious reasons. The outskirts of the city often become large fields of crops (typically fungal but with a few exceptions). The absence of large military forces underground means that very few of the cities have any form of major wall or gate. In addition to the etoilebre (large magical plants that emit light) most of these cities sport large towers with a convex polished metal disk to reflect an internal light source. These are typically absent in the fields as many of their crops are bio-luminescent.
- Most of these cities are run as a form of plutocratic-aristocratic-republic where a council containing members of the most influential or powerful families are responsible for the ruling of the city. This results in both an noticeable class divide and in a large amount of political intrigue.