Physical Traits
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The heart of the Elysian is what runs the entire being. Rather than a physical heart, an Elysian possesses an enchanted structure surrounded a core of aetheric plasma. This provides both the heat and energy that runs the entire Elysian’s body, allowing for movement and sensations. Tampering with the Elysian’s heart in any way beyond it’s
intended purposes can and will disrupt its natural functions and may lead to temporary or permanent shut down, however any magical being can use the Elysian’s heart to provide a pure magical source to either boost their own abilities, improve the quality of enchantments, or provide sustenance if that is something the being requires. Due to it’s purpose the heart is constantly refueled by ambient aetheric energies, but can also be more quickly fueled by consumption of high energy foods converted into energy.
Part of the heart’s function includes adapting natural substances to replace damage done to the body, allowing normal easily obtainable items to eventually become what the body requires to repair itself, although times of healing vary depending upon how charged the heart is.
Moreover, the hearts act as batteries for the Elysian body, ambiently fueling the clay which gives them the ability to move. At rest, nearly not aetheric energy is used, however when in motion it immediately begins to be used up at a slow rate. While this energy usage is somewhat refueled with ambient aetheric energy they leech as they move, the more vigorous the activity, the more energy is drained. This includes energy provided for use by mages (or used in repairs by servitors), self-repair, and physical activity.
Therefore some models possess more hearts than others based on their intended purpose. Corporeates, who possess generally large, heavier, and reinforced bodies usually possess more hearts because they need a broad pool of aetheric energy in reserve for combat and self-repairing. Servitors must have a large well-fount of energy to service and repair other Elysians, from minor injuries to replacing entire limbs. Escorts, who are more intended to be companions and eye candy do not need nearly as many hearts.
Within their torsos resides a basic stomach to use food or waste as fuel if necessary, with taste buds upon tongue allocating which sources of nutrients provide the most energy their bodies need to maintain heart function. They emit a saliva to help food be fed into the stomach, and like the rest of their bodily fluids this has a mild flavor to it that can be customized by an owner.
Within the Elysian’s skull is a soft almost berry-like fluid core rather than a brain even if it does roughly act like one, with each lobe of it storing different aspects of functionality in the form of aetheric-based memories that act similar to neurons.The Elysian brain is designed to allow for easy categorization of subjects for the purposes of learning new skills, with each small lobe dedicated to store different categories. If the Elysian runs out of ‘space’ for storing
(ie: the lobe becoming swollen or crowded with energy), the brain will naturally expand or create new lobes to accommodate the excess information. Everything a Elysian absorbs during a single day is stored within the core of the brain, and processed during a four-hour rest period to allow proper categorization. As a result of how the brain is structured, Elysian possess both perfect eiditic and episodic memory.
Brain damage can seriously upset the functionality of the Elysian, for while lobes will regrow and repair overtime, the aetheric memories stored within them cannot be recovered and will likely require relearning. The lower central area of the skull near the neck is the most important place a Elysian is compelled to protect, as that is the location of their largest lobes: personality and physical skills. Damage to these are the most difficult to allow for further function and can pose a threat to the owner. Those with this damage must seek repair immediately as safety of the owner can no longer be guaranteed.
Although they do not need to breathe, each Elysian comes with a set of rudimentary lungs to mimic the natural behavior of flesh and blood beings, however they do need water to keep their clay moist. These lungs can be used to do so if necessary on long journeys without wasting potable drinking water.
Elysian construction begins with a solid steel skeletal core with ball-and hinge attachments at joints and through their spine, allowing for increased flexibility and in-human ranges of motion in both body and wing attachments. Damage to the steel structure must be accordingly repaired by a Servitor. The nature of their base construction makes every part of their body incredibly flexible, allowing them to (if need be) contort themselves into positions no mortal being could to near horrifying levels.
In place of a muscular structure the body is padded with a magically infused clay-based substance which maintains form with adherence to a fine wire structure that is settled about two inches beneath the integumentary system. In case of damage, the Elysian can integrate natural earth clay to replace that which is lost. An extreme loss of clay can result in a loss of movement in the area or an overall weakening of the body. The strength of the muscles depends solely on the amount of energy contained within their heart, however, typical movement and exercise will not put much strain on this supply.
The integumentary system most often is comprised of fur or flesh depending on the Elysian model’s customizations, featuring a warming vascular and nerve system pumped with an oil-based fluid that provides both body heat and sensations similar to natural beings. The oil is safe to consume and ranges in natural flavors, however does not provide any nourishment to most normal beings. Damage to the integumentary system will require a type of oil to replace what has been lost, however skin and flesh itself will use the heart’s aetheric energy to gradually replace it. Like flesh and blood beings, bandages are recommended to keep injuries clean and undisturbed during the process and an extreme loss of fluids can result in weakness and impaired movement. If fresh skin from a donor can be provided, this will greatly speed up the healing process.
Elysian wings are intended primarily for aesthetic purposes only, their bodies being too heavy to do more than glide, however they are given a double layered skeletal structure, making the wings incredibly durable and somewhat heavy. Therefore wings are most often used as both an active part of an Elysian’s defense and offense. For this purpose an Elysian’s wings contain less blood, nerves, and clay to make repairing them easier on their aetheric energy balance. Their feathery (or furred/scaled) nature hides most of this gauntness as well as the bulk of the skeletal structure, likely leading an opponent to underestimate both their durability and strength. Made of the same ball-and-hinge joints as the rest of their bodies (usually with three pivot points), the wings can bend in incredibly unnatural directions, making them easier to move in and out of tight spaces without risk of damage. Wings are an optional addition and are easily removed or added.
Elysians have a variety of horn styles from draconic to ram-like to deer-like and many things in between. While the core of them is connected to the skull and made from steel like the rest of their skeleton, the outside of them is coated in a crystalline structure that if damaged will gradually regrow over a matter of days. These are mostly for aesthetic purposes and have no real use, however Elysians are known to be quite fond of decorating their horns.
Tails are made to be incredibly long, providing excellent counterbalances due to the end of them being somewhat weighted and club-like with a fluffy and thick appearance to cover up this feature. Made up of numerous joints, the tails are flexible and prehensile.
Hands and feet come standard with one to two and a half inch claws. These claws are made with a metallic core wrapped in the same crystalline structure as the Elysian’s horns. They are easily retractable into the recesses of the fingers and toes when they are not needed. Most Elysians have furless pads on the ends of their fingers and toes that have a faintly worn leather feel to them to prevent damage to the skin during acts of manual labor/walking on rough terrain.
Every Elysian is included with aesthetically pleasing sexual organs that function as normal, however customization has been introduced on some models. Much like their blood, the fluids produced are a consumable lubricant ranging in natural flavors, however reproduction with an Elysian or between other Elysians is at this time impossible as they possess no real testes or ovaries with which to produce.
Elysian sensory receptors are incredibly well-honed. They possess one set of eyes that allow for normal vision, which is slightly beyond that of a normal person’s. The second set allow for optional sights such as heat and aetheric detection although these are the only two that come standard. Elysian that have been taught to hunt for their own food independent of their Masters can use these alternate sights to track down prey as well as locations with an abundance of ambient aetheric energy. Both sets of eyes work independently of one another.
Elysians have excellent hearing, possessing large and sensitive ears to do so that are faintly conical in shape allowing for a sort of funneling of sounds by direction. Their ears are incredibly expressive and flexible, and are capable of an incredibly wide range of motion.
The Elysian sense of smell is akin to a common canine, better than a human’s but not as good as a bloodhound’s.
Elysians can taste food, and even grow fond of consumption of it, however they are naturally inclined to food that provides high amounts of energy that are easier to break down such as simple carbohydrates (ie: fruits, milk, sugar). They’re sweets fiends. Some do prefer protein for the long-term benefits of breaking them down, but any Elysian that needs a quick fix will go for sugars. They do not have the ability to taste whatever flavor their saliva is. Their teeth are most often constructed to be omnivorous with enlarged canines and are made of steel that has been made to appear white, though still upon closer inspection can be identified as metallic in nature.
An Elysian’s sense of touch is excellent, their nerve network being much more consistently woven through their integumentary system than normal, making them generally more aware of it than most both when it comes to sensations, pain, and pleasure.
Along with the standard five senses, like many animals all Elysians possess whiskers. These thick tactile hairs jut out in three clusters from their cheek as well as a pair covered by the furred tufts on their elbows and several in the bush of their tail and come in a variety of shapes from feathery to multiple whiskers sprouting from each cluster, the feathery being the most sensitive to the standard singular whiskers being the least. These sensory organs allow for a sixth sense of sorts, enabling them to detect what might be missed by other senses through a combination of changes in air pressure, spacial awareness, and the low-level electrical fields emitted by most creatures. All for the purpose of detecting a threat long before it actually occurs, Elysians make for the best sort of guard dogs, able to sense both ambushes and traps from predators or people alike. Alternatively, the whiskers are relatively prehensile and can be made to curl, angle, and even faintly vibrate as means to express emotion.
