♦ Differences between Corleos and Lions . Both lions and Regular Corleos have the male mane and the tuft-tipped tail. But don't go thinking the Regulars as "magical talking lions." Even without the psionics, the intellectual difference and the core, the two species are quite different. It's almost like comparing chimpanzees and gorillas.
Think of the male lion as a 5' 11" man, reasonably fit and muscular, about 190lbs in weight. Compared to that, a liger would be a basketball player: a 6' 10" man, also reasonably muscular, about 250lbs in weight. Then you have the male Regular Corleo, who would be a 6' 2" man weighing around 240lbs, almost as much as the 6' 10" guy! He's not overweight; he just has bigger bones (literally) and a lot more muscle.
Then you have the female Regular, whose build is somewhere between a male tiger and a lioness. In addition, in both sexes, the Regular's ears have semi-pointed tips, while lions have very round ears.
And let's not forget the subspecies breeds such as the Cormini!
♦ Diet Corleos can eat anything humans can eat. Remember, they're omnivores with a preference for meat; they're not obligate carnivores. You may even encounter some vegetarian/vegan Corleos, although they are very rare.
♦ Size Varies from breed to breed. Regular Corleos, which are most common and the largest known breed, weigh about 900 pounds (average male)/ 500 pounds (average female). Sizes are described in detail in breed specific sections, which can be found a few posts down.
♦ Growth and life-span IC-ly speaking, a Corleo grows at the same rate as a human during the first 16-18 years of its life. But we are going to officially ignore this. After all, who wants to wait 17 years for their newborn to reach the adult stage? Roleplayers are allowed to pretend they grow at an accelerated pace, even in IC roleplays. For instance, we're not going to forbid a Corleo from interacting with its nineth-great grandchildren, even though realistically it would not be possible.
Once a Corleo becomes an adult, it remains young and fit for much longer than a human does. A Corleo's biological prime extends to its 50's; after that, it begins to slowly age and weaken. Elderly Corleos who are taken care of usually live to celebrate their 120th birthday. Exceptionally long-lived individuals reach 160, which is equivalent to 105 in humans. Those who have to hunt and gather their own food would be lucky to make it to their 100th, however.
♦ Tasting Sweet Most felids are incapable of tasting sweetness, but Corleos are an exception. They can taste every kind of taste that humans can taste.
♦ Boobies? A female Corleo has two sets of breasts, i.e. four of them. When she assumes her human form, it looks like she only has two breasts because only the chest-breasts become full; the lower breasts (located just below the chest) are completely flat, with inconspicuous nipples. If she is lactating, though, all four breasts become full.
♦ Cross-breeding Corleos cannot cross-breed with humans or wild big cats. They can only produce offsprings with each other. It should be noted that having sex with any big cat that isn't a Corleo is considered a particularly abhorrent form of bestiality. The very idea grosses most Corleos out.
Posted: Sat Sep 28, 2013 3:00 pm
Human Transformation ♦ ♦ ♦ ────────────────────────────────────────────────
♦ Basics . Corleos do not consider themselves as "were-lions." They're more like "were-humans" since their humanoid form is their secondary form. The human form serves various functions, such as crawling into narrow gaps, using opposable thumbs, chewing plant based food when prey is scarce, etc.
Speech is NOT a function exclusive to the human form. Corleos can talk in both feline and human forms.
♦ Appearance All colorations and notable traits carry over. A blue Corleo with a white dot on its forehead will still be blue with a white dot on its forehead after transforming. They retain their tail, and their ears remain large and fuzzy even though positioned on the side like human ears. Their feet grow tough, leathery soles like the feet of great apes, so they do not need to wear any shoes.
Most male Corleos *cannot* grow beards. They typically have extra fuzz (like stubble, but softer) in the beard area, but it isn't noticeable because the fuzz is usually the same color as the rest of their face. There are exceptions, though. If you see a male Corleo with a beard in his human form, chances are he also has a beard in his feline form.
♦ Strength, Speed and Senses A human form Corleo isn't necessarily stronger or faster than a human. They tend to be more athletic, but mostly because they lead an active lifestyle. Their night vision, hearing and sense of smell are slightly superior, although not as good as in their feline form. They do have very good sense of balance, though.
♦ Injuries It is incredibly risky to attempt transformation when you are seriously injured. It may fail, and even if it succeeds, it has a high chance of making the injuries worse.
If your CORE is injured (e.g. cracked), then you cannot transform at all until the core regenerates.
♦ Pregnancy Pregnancy kind of forces you to stay in the feline form. Difficulty to transform is in fact one of the first signs of pregnancy. You may be able to do it during the first week or two, but you will feel something is off.
If you were already in human form when you became pregnant, and don't choose to revert, in a few days your body will auto-revert into the feline form.
♦ First Transformation Typically, a Corleo undergoes its first human transformation some time during puberty. It usually happens when you try to use some entirely unrelated psionic skill, but instead of what you were trying to do, transformation happens.
The consumption of Dhot berries (a type of berry native to Sildat) is said to induce first transformation, and there seems to be some truth in it. Young Corleos trying to achieve their first transformation often gorge on Dhot berries and spam every psionic skill in their repertoire. Success is not guaranteed, however, and Dhot berries leave the most stubborn, vivid purple stains...
Many first time shifters have a hard time figuring out how to change *back* into their feline form. Most figure it out after fumbling psionically for a few minutes. But some unfortunate individuals struggle for hours, or even days.
♦ "Spider-Paw" This is a slang for the human form. It refers to how the long fingers look like spider legs. It is pronounced Yanambar in Fiyuri.
Yanambar is shortened to form yabar or "spaw," which has become a strongly offensive racial slur. The long version yanambar is not considered offensive, just a little crass. Of course, this may not matter if the human in question doesn't understand Fiyuri...
♦ Core and Psionics . A Corleo's core is slightly more durable than its skull. Despite its high durability, the core can still be damaged. When damaged, it will interfere with their psionic abilities, depending on the severity of the damage. A tiny chip fracture won't cause any noticeable difference. A shallow crack will probably reduce your power and/or mess up your aim a bit. A more serious damage may completely prevent you from using psionics.
♦ Regeneration A damaged core regenerates over time, like broken bones. Even if the entire jewel-like shell gets shattered to pieces, it will grow back as long as the "root" of the core has survived. Such extensive damage would take months to heal, though, even with the help of a healer.
♦ The Root of the Core The root is a neuron cluster about the size of a chicken egg, hidden inside the jewel-like shell. A Corleo will die instantly when its core root is "killed."
If enough of the outer shell is removed or destroyed, leaving the root exposed but alive, the Corleo won't die from it... It will just be extremely vulnerable until enough of the core regenerates to cover the root. The naked root is super-sensitive and highly susceptible to damage, even from everyday activities such as laying down on the ground.
♦ Core Guarding Instinct Every Corleo has a hard-wired instinct to guard its core. A threat to the core will instill more fear than a threat to anywhere else. Only the most battle-hardened warriors and the like will be able to overcome this instinct.
This is somewhat illogical, given how tough the core is. But hey, Mother Nature isn't always logical. Male nipples on human, anyone?
If you make a Corleo watch another Corleo being mutilated in the core, it will elicit a strong "AUUUUUGH DO NOT WANT" response, similar to a human being forced to watch another human being mutilated in the eye or the genitals. Though just like with human, there are desensitized individuals who don't react as strongly, and even sickos who might enjoy watching such sights...
♦ Clothing . While nudity is not a taboo in Corleo society, they usually wear some primitive clothing (think caveman style) to protect the skin when taking the human form for a prolonged period of time.
Corleos have noticed that nudity tends to make humans feel uncomfortable. Some of the more considerate individuals will make sure to cover themselves around humans, when taking the human form.
♦ Mating and Courtship This varies widely. Some are strictly monogamous and will remain a widow/ widower for life if they lose their mate. Others might be semi-monogamous, or even polyamorous.
♦ Sexual Orientation Corleos usually assume you're heterosexual, but once informed otherwise, they won't make a big deal out of it. Their attitude can be summed up as "whatever floats your boat." They find it strange how humans seem so obssessed about sexual orientation.
♦ Grooming and Territory-Marking Most Corleos do not mark their territories with urine. They take pride in being an intelligent species, and such animalistic behavior considered childish at best, crazy or offensive at worst. They use designated pit toilets for defecating; for urinating, many of them just go behind the bushes. (Speaking of 'going,' they prefer to poo in their feline form because they don't have to wipe themselves afterward that way.)
As for feline-style grooming, it's kind of like nose-picking: everybody does it, but only when they think no one is looking. They prefer to groom themselves in their human form (you know, with fingers and maybe a comb) if they want to make sure they look a certain way.
♦ Funeral Rites They usually make graves under trees. It's common for a single large tree to "host" the gravesite of an entire family. They do not make tombstones. They dig very shallow as to avoid damaging the tree roots (it's considered a bad omen if the grave-tree dies). To completely cover the body, they pile dirt on it, so the graves look like mounds.
Leaving fresh flowers by a grave is an insult against the dead.Flowers are ephemeral, the exact opposite of what loving memory should be. Leaving a fresh flower by someone's grave is basically saying "you should be forgotten." Instead, they leave a pebble. Multiple pebbles are arranged either in a cairn, or in a circle surrounding the mound.
Dead heat psions are often cremated by fellow heat psions who knew him/her. The ashes are typically scattered.
♦ Notable Taboos . Attacking another Corleo in the core is an extreme taboo. Even just touching it with an exposed claw is a major violation (remember, claws are retractible).
Openly showing support for necromancy/ necromancers is akin to waving a big neon sign that says "hello, I want to be ostracized." The majority of Corleos regard necromancers as enemies to all that is natural. In extreme cases, you might even get exiled for supporting necromancers.
Some Corleos consider purring a private thing, and think it's indecent to purr in public.
Drinking water source contamination is a huge taboo in many regions. Peeing into a well, for example, would get you in big, big trouble. But peeing into the ocean? Nobody cares because nobody drinks sea water.
♦ Necromancy Simply being a necromancer is a crime punishable by exile. In the eyes of a typical Corleo, necromancy is a crime against nature, desecration of the departed, and the source of dark, dangerous powers that destroyed the civilization of their ancestors.
The fear is that necromancers could band together and cause a second Tainting. For this reason, many would rather execute necromancers on sight instead of sending them off to the desert, but the Harbinger's stance on this issue is quite adamant: within the Dar-vatta megapride, no necromancer may be put to death for simply being a necromancer.
There is one logical aspect to this anti-necromancy-ism. Corpses that were used by a necromancer become toxic. When they rot, they poison the earth instead of nourishing it. Some plants may still grow, but if they do, they will be poisonous and inedible. One could argue that necromancers can do little harm out in the desert, since the desert doesn't have much plant life in the first place.
♦ Court The closest thing Corleos have to a formal court is the Harbinger's judgment. When smaller groups cannot reach an agreement as to who committed the crime, or what the punishment should be, they can ask the Harbinger to be the arbitrator. He will consult with the local leaders as well as his most trusted advisors before making his decision. Sometimes he will have them all vote; other times, he may veto their decision, or announce his own personal decision after considering their views.
More commonly, however, clans/ prides pass judgment and mete out punishments on their own. The method will differ from group to group. In one group, the alpha may be the sole arbitrator, while in another, everyone may vote, listen to the elders, let the victim decide, etc.
The Harbinger can also become involved when someone violates the Harbinger's rules -- for example, harming the humans without just cause.
♦ Punishments Criminals are branded with a big, upside down V before being dropped off at the desert. That way, if they try to sneak back into the eastern side, they can be easily identified and dealt with.
Death sentence is not completely unheard of among the Corleos. It is not allowed on necromancers under the Harbinger's strict orders, but for other kinds of serious crimes, the perpetrator may be put to death.
Lesser crimes have less severe consequences, ranging from public humiliation to community service to repaying the victim in whatever ways deemed appropriate.
♦ Legal Vengeance When it comes to violent crimes perpetrated with malicious intent (e.g. first degree murder), most Corleos agree that families of the victim should be allowed to carry out revenge. Drawn out torture is off limits, but non-torturous execution is seen as an acceptable form of revenge.
Things get complicated, though, because how do you know if the perpetrator really meant to do what they did? How do you prove guilt? Different groups have different ways of dealing with such issues. Some individuals or groups may be opposed to legal revenge altogether.
Posted: Sat Sep 28, 2013 3:10 pm
Culture Cont'd - Beliefs and Myths ♦ ♦ ♦ ────────────────────────────────────────────────
♦ S'hem, the Eastern Earth God . S'hem is Fiyuri for "spirit." This is the deity people refer to when they say 'the Spirit.' Details vary, but the single most common belief has it that the poison mist surrounding the Lotus was actually a gift from the Spirit. It wasn't toxic back then; it would instead heal anyone who breathes it. When the mortals desecrated the land during the Tainting, the Spirit became angry, turned the mist into poison and gathered it around the Lotus. The Lotus was a temple for the Spirit, the last remaining place of holiness, and the Spirit did not want the mortals to come and defile it just like they did with the rest of the land.
The Harbinger's immunity to the poison mist is one of the reasons why he is so revered. Many believe he must be the Spirit's favorite child.
Depending on who you ask, this Spirit may be an upset but otherwise benevolent god, a wicked demon, the soul of the earth, or the collective consciousness of all Corleo ancestors. Many pray to the Spirit and/or partake in worship-like ceremonies for it at the Lotus Overlook, while some believe invoking the Spirit in any way brings bad luck. Still others believe the Spirit is either dormant, or has decided not to bother with the mortals anymore.
Regardless of what they believe about the Spirit's personality, they all agree that it is his presence that nourishes the earth and plant life. The way they see it, the reason the western Desert is so barren is because the Spirit lives on the eastern side.
♦ Bhedrizidya, Western Mirage Child Bhedrizidya supposedly resides in the Desert and takes the form of a male cub when he appears before the mortals. The Karlaf worship him as their guardian deity (see the Major Prides section on page 3). Unlike the Spirit whose character is rather controversial, Bhedrizidya is universally portrayed as reclusive but gentle and peace-loving. He abhors violence and controls mirages, visions and dreams.
♦ Segrendi, Northern Wind Goddess Segren means north; di means wind. She is the mother of all birds. According to the legend, when necromancers desecrated Sildat during the Tainting, she became disgusted with the mortals and left Sildat to reside in the northern seas. A part of her presence still lingers, however. The northern wind is her breath, and the northern light her mane.
♦ Inura, Southern Sea Goddess Her name means 'abyss' or 'depths.' Although considered to be predominantly female, she has the ability to become male at will, as some fish do. Her wife is the moon, and the waves are their children. When there is a waterspout in the seas, that means Inura is ascending to the sky as a male to mate with the moon. (Some stories explain that the waterspout is Inura's p***s...)
♦ Choqlehut, the God of Weakness Choqlehut means 'one who inflicts weakness.' According to Corleo beliefs, this deity will make you weak if you anger him. But should you find favor in his eyes, he will inflict weakness upon your prey, aiding you in your hunts. He has the power to weaken all life. His presence is at its peak during winter, which is why the earth weakens during the cold months.
The Midnight Forest is his home. The forest exhibits two peculiar phenomena that Corleos attribute to the presence of Choqlehut: the Richendu trees in the forest are highly resistant to necromancy land poisoning. Choqlehut protects them because they are the pillars of his house. On the other hand, no other plants grow there because the soil in the forest is permanently being weakened.
♦ Creation Myth
In the beginning, the world was devoid of life. The five gods sought to change this, and worked together to create a spark of life. Then they argued over as to who would get to turn that spark into actual living beings.
The gentle Bhedrizidya bowed out first. He would take the intangible domain that no one else wanted, the domain of dreams and visions.
Inura of the salty depths was the next. She already had children of her own, the waves that she cradled.
The crafty Choqlehut watched as Segrendi fought against S'hem with all her strength, windy claws scratching at the earth. She had already fallen in love with her children, the children she would create out of the spark. She loved them as if they had already been born; her fury was that of a mother protecting her cubs. The might of S'hem could not be overcome, however.
Victorious, S'hem took the spark into the soil, and life sprung forth -- first from the earth under the water, then plants and animals that breathed air, culminating in an ultimate masterpiece, the Children of Rekkadar. Segrendi took what little remained of the spark afterward and created the winged children of the sky.
As for Choqlehut -- he would claim all life, children of both S'hem and Segrendi. Oh, he was to return them to their parents eventually, but he had plans. In time, even the gods themselves would become his. In time...
♦ Afterlife -to be filled later-
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Posted: Sat Sep 28, 2013 3:11 pm
Inventions and Knowledge ♦ ♦ ♦ ────────────────────────────────────────────────
♦ Writing System . They no longer have this. All information is passed down orally. Ancient writing is found everywhere in Rekkadar, but no one knows what the symbols mean.
The only symbols currently in use are the upside down V (criminal brand) and the five shanak symbols.
♦ General Knowledge Almost all of advanced scientific knowledge has been lost. However, there are a few things that have been passed down. It is widely understood that:
Stars are not tiny dots in the sky, and the sun and the moon aren't just small shining orbs. They are "like earth," just really far away.
The earth is round. It's just REALLY HUGE and Sildat is "sitting on top of it," which is why nobody falls off the planet!
Celestial bodies do not revolve around the earth. The earth revolves and rotates. (A lot of current generation Corleos have doubts about this one)
All organisms come from a previous generation. Even the tiniest bugs don't just randomly appear.
The moon is the "mother" of ocean waves.
There are many, many tiny "bugs" (i.e. microorganisms) all around the world, so small that eyes can't see them. They "spread" illnesses, "just like mice do."
♦ Metalworking No one mines for ores anymore. But they know that certain metals can be smelted and worked with, and that different metals have different properties. Raw material is gathered from the ruins rather than mined out of the ground, which limits their metals to gold and certain oxidation-resistant alloys that did not rust away over the years. Heat is provided by heat psions.
Overall, their metallurgy is very rudimentary. Most consider metalworking as a geek hobby that's useful for jewelry-making, but not much else.
♦ Textile While leather is widely used, true textiles are very rare. There is one known pride that makes wool textiles, but because Corleos don't really need cloths, textile usage is almost exclusively for decorative purposes.
♦ Common Tools
Combs
Animal/ fish traps
Simple bags and baskets
Bedding - Corleos who sleep out in the open don't use it, obviously. But those who sleep in shelters (natural or otherwise) may have some form of bedding, typically animal fur laid over soft dry plant material such as hay.
Ropes/ Cords - made out of animal sinew.
Pottery - They are able to make various pottery vessels, mostly tableware so they don't have to put the food on the ground. Yes, they have glazes. Pottery is considered a luxury.
Water containers - animal stomach water bags, glazed bamboo cups, etc.
Knives - These are skinning tools rather than weapons. Stone, obsidian, fire-hardened wood/ bamboo, and even scrap metal sticks (salvaged from ruins) are used.
Posted: Sat Sep 28, 2013 3:12 pm
History ♦ ♦ ♦ ────────────────────────────────────────────────
♦ The Golden Days . Refers to the time before the Tainting, back when they had all sorts of amazing inventions and knowledge. In spite of the lack of information about this era (or perhaps because of the lack of information), it is widely romanticized. Corleos imagine that everyone pretty much lived in paradise back in the Golden Days. They say a healing mist used to cover the land back then.
♦ The Rise of Necromancy and the Tainting No one knows the truth anymore, but there are two legends... or theories as some call them. They contradict each other, so they cannot be both true.
1) Necromancy has always existed along with the other shanak.Back in the Golden Days, they had a way of reversing the healer-necro change. Every healer that turned was required to revert, for necromancy was a sin against nature. But those who took pride in being the masters of corpses resented this, which is why they revolted.
2) Necromancy was born at the time of the Tainting.It happened upon healers like a sudden wave of plague. It not only changed their psionics, but their mind as well. They sought to spread this poison onto the rest of the population. When they found that not everyone could be corrupted, they decided to kill the incorruptible and taint the land instead.
What if they're both wrong? It's possible. There are alternate theories, certainly, though none of them have gained a whole lot of support.
♦ The Wandering Era and the Present The Wandering Era refers to the several hundred years after the Tainting. It is coming to an end now, as Corleos are gathering in Rekkadar once again. But there are still many Children who have not come home yet, and maybe some of them never will.
Early on during this period, Corleos scattered far and wide to all corners of the continent. They say some even crossed the desert. Over time, small regional groups formed, and they developed their own traditions, dialects and such. Some of these groups can be pretty bizarre!
((Roleplayers are encouraged to take advantage of this. For example, if you want to RP a Corleo that came from a very matriarchic regional group, or some hardcore brawlin' warrior clan that looks down upon psionics, feel toootally free.))
Regional differences sometimes make it difficult for the Children to unite. The Harbinger tries to be regionally non-discriminating, but it is never possible to make everyone happy. Speaking of whom, no one knows where he came from prior to his arrival at Rekkadar. He has a mild accent that isn't like any known regional accent out there.
♦ At a Glance . Large, powerful and numerous, the Regular Corleos rule the continent of Sildat. They arecommon.
♦ Size For full grown males, the average weight is around 900 pounds (400kg). A male Corleo is bulkier and beefier than a lion or a tiger; he is built like a "half Kodiak bear, half big cat." This makes them great at brawling, decent at jumping, and poor at running except in very short bursts. He is markedly broader than ordinary big cats are.
A point of comparison: Hercules the liger (the largest feline in the world IRL) weighs approximately 920 pounds. An average male Corleo weighs about that much. They're built very differently, though. A liger is like a 7-foot-tall man with a normalish build; he weighs around 240-250 pounds because he's so tall. On the other hand, a male Corleo is like a very muscular 6' 2" guy with the same body weight. He's not as tall, and he's not chubby; he weighs that much because all the BEEF. He also has a stockier frame under the meat.
Full grown females have the size and build of *male* Siberian tigers (average 500 pounds/ 225kg). They tend to be weaker but much faster compared to male Corleos.
♦ Shanak Corleos have access to all five known shanak: heat, water, electro, sacred and dark.
♦ At a Glance A Cormini may seem like a cuddly stuffed kitten from distance, but they're not that tiny... okay, they are, but not like a housecat! They are compact and robust. They have distinctive antennae at the tip of their ears and a short, tufty tail. The mane of a Cormini is nowhere near as full as a male Regular's, and many of them have no mane at all.
Though outnumbered by the Regulars, the Cormini arecommon.
♦ Size Adults typically weigh between 110-150 pounds (50-68kg). Males are slightly larger and more muscular than females, but not significantly so. In their human form, they weigh the same, more or less; males stand about 5' 4" (163cm) and females at about 5' (152cm).
Small size means less brute force. A Cormini's paw swipe is no match for a Regular's. However, they can deliver a powerful bite that can crush bones (think of them as very small jaguars -- small jaguars do weigh roughly the same as Cormini). This makes the Cormini a unique fighter among all breeds. They do not fall into any of the three melee classes; the Cormini is its own class.
♦ Shanak They can use the three elemental shanak: heat, water and electro. For whatever reason,no Cormini is ever born a healer.This means a Cormini can never become a necromancer.
♦ Social Standing and Stereotypes Because the Cormini can never become necromancers, they are called "incorruptible" or even "innocent." Some Regulars see the entire Cormini breed as their little brother/sister, despite the fact that adult Cormini can be just as mature as adult Regulars. Some of the more manipulative Cormini might even take advantage of this, quite deliberately. They may try to pull a "but I'm just an innocent, harmless Cormini" act to get away with something bad they did, for example.
The Cormini can be found living among the Regulars, although some may form their own Cormini-exclusive prides.
♦ Could it be true? Supposedly there were winged Cormini back in the Golden Days. As far as anyone can tell, however, the winged Cormini have all died out. No winged Cormini has ever been sighted among the currently surviving generations.
♦ At a Glance . Many Corleos have heard of their existence, but they are so rare that virtually no one has actually seen them! Or are they just super-reclusive? Most don't even know what they are exactly. The only clue they have is the name of the breed. Korplura is a compound word: kor meaning "personhood," and plura meaning "possessed." Put together, it can be translated as the Possessed Ones, or more accurately, "one who personifies the state of being possessed (by a demon/ spirit/ etc)." What could that possibly mean?
