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Serra
findSerra
Serra are lanky bipedal creatures that have been living in the Kala Ree Basin for countless generations. They are largely humanoid, though they have long prehensile tails and large, pointed ears that stick out almost as far as they point back. Both ears and tail are tufted at the tips. Serra also have small claws at the end of each long finger. Their feet (also clawed) are oversized, and they switch easily between digitigrade and plantigrade. Their faces have a feline touch to them, with slightly elongated canine teeth and slightly feline noses. They have wide, round eyes, often dark in shade.
Terminology:- Name: Serra (SEH-ruh)
- Plural: Serra
- Demonym: Serran (SEH-run)
Physical:- Height: 5'8" to 6'3" (average)
- Weight: 130 lbs to 180 lbs. (average)
- Build: Fairly lanky and thin-shouldered
- Sexual Dimorphism: Females are a little taller, though males are a little broader in the shoulders and weigh more.
Colors:- Hair: Any shade of brown, from tan to very dark auburn. May also be various ginger shades: red, orange, auburn, etc. Blondes are rare, but possible. Pure black (with a slightly blue tinge) or charcoal grey are also possible. The tail and ear tufts match their hair color. Hair (including tufts) is frequently curly or wavy and is worn in a variety of styles.
- Skin: The palest they can be is a shade of tan a little darker than an average Caucasian. This can range down to a very dark ebony brown, almost black, and may be tinted with grey, red, or yellow. Any color skin can be paired with any color hair. Serra can also have a skin pattern similar to freckles, where the skin is darker in spots across the shoulders, back, and hips. The spots can be small flecks or larger, like coins. Occasionally the two sizes can be mingled together. Serra who have this also have darker-colored skin on their ears and tails. The darker areas can be anything from just a few shades darker to nearly black.
- Eyes: Generally dark in shade, often green, brown, or hazel. They can also be a reddish chestnut brown, almost crimson. Rarely they can be dark blue.
Senses:- Eyesight: Quite good--a little superior to a human's. They also have better night vision.
- Smell: Quite good--not good enough to determine other Serra by scent, however.
- Hearing: Far superior to a human's--about on par with a cat's.
Lifespan: Serra have similar aging processes as humans. They live to about the same age (80 to 90 years) and grow up in a similar fashion. They generally have children between age 20 and 35.
Diet: Omnivorous. Serra do a lot of hunting and gathering, though they also cultivate nuts, fruit, seeds, and berries. Small animals, eggs, and fish also make up a large part of their diet along with milk, cheese, and butter. They don't eat a lot of leafy greens, since there aren't many of these in Kala Ree.
More information about Serran customs and culture on the Setting page. -
Kyrka
(Sarasha, the Alpha Kyrka)
findKyrka
Kyrka are huge beasts that resemble griffons of yore. They bear avian heads, forearms, and wings, with a mammalian body and back legs. Their long tail has a feathered crest as the tip as well as an avian tailfan at the base. At the corner joint of each wing sits a pair of thumblike claws. Their ears are dominated by feathers running up them and forming tall tufts. A crest of feathers like an osprey's (but longer) sticks from the back of their head, flattening or splaying according to the Kyrka's mood. Their forelegs are avian with massive hooked claws, deeply feathered from the elbow up. Their large paws have a sharp thumbclaw for gripping. One of their more exotic features are the spikes that stick from their hips, shoulders, and cheeks, which are often sanded down a little for the comfort of their Serran riders. The most mysterious aspect of the Kyrka is the large, smooth, oval-shaped jewel that sits nestled in the center of their forehead. In bonded Kyrka, this jewel is like a brilliant, ever-shifting opal, but in unbonded Kyrka, it seems lifeless.
Terminology:- Name: Kyrka (KEER-kuh)
- Plural: Kyrka
- Demonym: Kyrkan (KEER-kun)
Physical:- Height: 5-6 feet at the shoulder. Wild Kyrka are smaller at 4.5-5 feet.
- Weight: 600-800 lbs
- Sexual Dimorphism: Females are considerably larger, broader, and heavier. Males have cooler-colored eyes like green or yellow-green. Females have warmer-colored eyes like red or orange.
Colors:- Skin: This is seen on the avian forelegs and cere. Usually it's greyscale, anywhere from white to black, but can be tinted with blue, purple, or brown. Occasionally it can be a shade of orange or orange-brown.
- Claws: The claws match the beak and spikes, and is usually grey or black, but may be white, brown, or bluish.
- Jewel: These forehead jewels can be any color imaginable. An unbonded Kyrka's jewel will just be flat in appearance, but a bonded Kyrka's jewel has several layers of color, like labradorite. The flashes of color in the stone correspond to the Kyrka's mood in the following ways:
- White/silver: normal, calm, peaceful--often a greeting
- Red: irritated, upset, angry
- Yellow: sick, afraid, guilty
- Green: befuddled, curious
- Tan/brown: sad, melancholic
- Blue: loving, admiring
- Purple: joyful, excited
- Eyes: Vivid shades of teal, green, yellow, gold, orange, red, or brown. Occasionally they can be silvery, or are so light they appear almost whitish.
- Feathers: These feathers can be found as ear tufts, head crest, wings, upper forearms, and tail fan. Each Kyrka has one color feathers. In increasing rarity: silver-grey, gold, teal, scarlet, navy blue, black, or white. Each color can vary considerably in shade, and sometimes it can be difficult to tell grey from white or black or navy from teal. Most have black bars on them, though on white feathers the barring is grey, and black feathers do not have barring at all. In very rare cases, black feathers may have a shimmering blue-purple-teal sheen, like grackles.
- Fur: Kyrka are mostly covered in fur. It ranges from short and silky to long and shaggy, depending on the individual Kyrka. The fur can be all shades of brown, red, orange, grey, black, and white. Often the fur is lighter (or cream or white) along the belly, throat, and the insides of the legs. They may also have other markings and patterns such as spots, stripes, or rosettes.
Senses:- Eyesight: Superior. Kyrka have eagle eyes, able to spot prey from far away. They have keen motion detection as well.
- Smell: Average to poor. Their sense of smell is as good as a human's.
- Hearing: Keen, though not as keen as their eyes. Far better than a human's.
Lifespan: Kyrka hatch from dark grey eggs with silvery spots that keep them hidden on the rocky slopes. They have several distinct phases of life:- Hatchling (hatching to 6 months): Newly hatched Kyrka are called hatchlings or chicks. At this point they are fully dependent on their parents (if wild) or Serra (if bonded). Though born with the ability to speak telepathically to other bonded Kyrka and their Serra, they can barely walk, and their wings are all but useless. Chicks start off the size of mid-sized dogs and weigh in at about 30 pounds, but grow rapidly if provided with good nutrition.
- Kyrlet (6 months to 2 years): The Kyrlet is the pre-teen stage of the Kyrka chick. At this point they're capable of learning to hunt for themselves and, at around 1 year and 6 months, fly without a rider. They grow to their full size by the end of this stage.
- Young adult (2 years to 5 years): At this point Kyrka have fully grown into their wings. This is how they'll look until age starts to claim them. Young adults are more impulsive and a little bit stupider than their adult selves. They can learn to carry a rider, engage in aerial combat, and generally fulfill their jobs as Kyriders. Young adults are never permitted to breed.
- Full adult (5 years to 45 years, est.): Kyrka remain full adults for most of their lives. They begin to age only when their Serra does. As full adults, Kyrka can breed and produce clutches of This only applies to bonded Kyrka; wild Kyrka are full adults until about age 25.
- Elder (45 years, est. to death): Wild Kyrka die at around age 30-35. Bonded Kyrka begin to age alongside their Serra. Their strength fades and their fur becomes tinted with grey, especially around the face. Their beaks, claws, and spikes all turn white at the base. A bonded Kyrka will die on the same day their Serra does, usually within the hour.
Reproduction: A bonded female Kyrka can initiate her own estrus cycle. Her bond with her Serra weakens and cuts out as she and her chosen suitors disappear into the mountains for a few days. They cannot speak telepathically for the duration of this procedure. Wild Kyrka go into estrus every two years in the autumn. Males compete in aerial stunts and dances, and whoever impresses the female the most is chosen as her mate. Once they have bred, that's the extent of their bond--Kyrka do not mate for life. As Kyrka are highly genetically diverse, it is commonplace for them to breed with half-siblings and cousins. Kyrka lay between 3 and 7 eggs per clutch.
Diet: Kyrka are obligate carnivorous. They hunt by swooping down on their prey from mountain cliffs, though when in the trees they generally hunt by ambush. They eat all manners of land mammals.
Language: Though they don't have a spoken language, bonded Kyrka can communicate telepathically with their bonded Serra and with other bonded Kyrka. Unbonded Kyrka do not have this telepathic ability. All Kyrka also have a wide range of avian vocalization such as chirping, screeching, and warbling. -
Basin Beasts
Kala Ree is home to a variety of non-sapient creatures found nowhere else.
findNuru
Nuru are stout ungulate beasts with plush coats of hair. A popular animal to domesticate, herds large and small can be seen dotting the forests and fields of Kala Ree.- Description: Nuru have low-slung heads with high, humped shoulders. Males have two pairs of tall, spiralling horns, one larger than the other. The woolly fur that hangs from them is very long and will brush the ground if not trimmed. It may be curly or straight, and is much shorter on their faces and legs. In colder weather, they grow a second coat of fur, shorter and thicker than the main one. They have cloven hooves at the end of each stubby leg. A mohawk-styled mane of hair runs down their spine, sometimes cropped short and sometimes allowed to grow and flop down their bodies. This ends in a long equine tail. They give live single birth, though sometimes can have twins.
Size: 2-2.5 feet at the shoulder, around 100-200 lbs. Males are on the larger end.
Diet: Nuru are strictly herbivorous. They graze on grass, shrubbery, berries, and occasionally tree bark. So they are a pain to keep in wooded areas, since they can damage the trees.
Coloration: There are many different colors a Nuru can be, and they often vary regionally. Their fur is usually cream at the base with pale brown tips, and their manes generally match. But they have been known to be all shades of brown, black, white, grey, blonde, and even olive green. Their fur can be speckled, spotted, patchy, or tipped. Their eyes are dark brown.
Lifespan: 15-20 years, average. Females go into season only in the spring and bear live young, usually just a single calf, but sometimes twins.
findAlkawAlkaws are hardy beasts originally bred from the mountainous Darayn. Though sometimes difficult to handle, they are fiercely protective of their trainers and make good guard animals.
- Description: Alkaws are tall at the withers, but their legs are rather short and thick. Their forelegs are longer than the back ones, and they have elephantine feet. Their heads are set quite low and appear like a mix of a rhinoceros and a wolf, including the nose spikes (which are often sharpened by their owners). They have long, thick, slow-tapering dinosaurian tails that end in two pairs of spikes. Their bodies are covered in thick leathery skin and short knobs of bone, mostly on their backs. The older an Alkaw gets, the more of these knobs can be found on them.
- Size: 3-4 feet at the shoulder, 150-250 lbs.
- Coloration: Alkaws are mostly shades of grey, heralding back to their Darayn heritage. The bony knobs and spikes are pale shades of white or misty grey, sometimes tan. Their skin is medium grey to black, though can be tinged in blue or purple. Sometimes they have paler grey backs or spots, and their eyes are generally some shade of red, though golden-eyed individuals are starting to be seen.
- Diet: Primarily carnivorous, though in captivity their diet is often supplemented with grains and fruits.
- Lifespan: 10-15 years, average. Females can breed at any time of the year and bear live young, usually just a single pup, but sometimes twins.
findTenkiTenkis (TEN-kees) are brightly-colored little creatures that look like a cross between an insect and a lizard. These spritely little animals are often kept as beloved pets and messengers.
- Description: Tenkis are long, slender lizards with muscular back legs and small front arms connected to their wings. They have very long, deft fingers and toes, each with a small claw. Their tails are long as well, as long as entire Tenki is, and prehensile. A bioluminescent bulb sits at the tip of it, flaring up brighter for mating displays or when agitated. Their heads are snub-nosed and rounded, with two tall, curled antennae sticking out the top, each with another bioluminescent bulb at the tip. Its of iridescent, diaphenous wings can usually be seen buzzing madly. Tenkis are covered in fine, tiny scales and they have long tongues.
- Size: 12-18 inches at the head when sitting upright.
- Coloration: Tenkis are vividly colored and glitter like jewels in the light. They can be almost any color imaginable, though are rarely grey, brown, white, or black. Their wings are clear and iridescent, shining with hundreds of opalescent colors. Sometimes their scales are pearly and glimmering as well, and can be covered in speckles, stripes, or both. Their bioluminescent glow is bright blue.
- Diet: Omnivorous. They eat nuts, berries, insects, and small mammals or lizards. They can also sometimes be seen using their tails to fish for minnows. They like sweet fruits and sugarcane too, but dislike leafy greens.
- Lifespan: 4-7 years, average. Females can breed at any time of year and lay clutches of 6-12 eggs at a time.
- Sexual Dimorphism: Males have a frill on the underside of their chin with several small luminescent bulbs. This frill puffs out and brightens during mating displays.
findSillari
Sillaris are probably a distant cousin of the Tenkis. They are far larger and, due to their sturdiness and swiftness, are often used as land mounts.- Description: Sillaris are far larger than Tenkis, and their wings have turned into four small, elegant fins on their necks. They are still bipedal lizard-like creatures, with muscular back legs and stout dinosaurian claws. Their tails have stiffened and shortened, and now are used as a counterbalance for the weight of their bodies. They have two tall ridges that run down their heads and the backs of their necks in place of the antennae. They no longer have the bioluminescent tail bulbs, and instead have two sideways growths that resemble stout fins.
- Size: 4-5 feet at the shoulder
- Coloration: Sillaris are considerably duller than their Tenki cousins, though they are still rarely brown or grey. They are generally dark and desaturated shades of blue, purple, pink, or green, though they can have brilliant spots and stripes in a myriad of rainbow colors. A Sillari's spots may slowly fade from one color to another across the body.
- Diet: Omnivorous. They hunt all animals smaller than rabbits as well as forage on nuts, seeds, berries, and fruit.
- Lifespan: 25-30 years, average. Females go into season in the spring and lay eggs, usually 2 or 3 at a time.
findSiccuta
Siccuta are colossal avians like the rocs of folklore, living in mated pairs and terrorizing Serran society.- Description: Siccuta are large feathery creatures with broad slotted wings. They are avian overall, with wickedly hooked beaks and talons. They have a fan of feathers at the base of their tail, which is otherwise reptilian and prehensile with a knot of venomous spikes at the tip. The tail is thin and wiry and seems downright scrawny compared to the Siccuta, but the animal is so huge that this is misleading. Their avian legs are covered in feathers all the way down to the foot like a snowy owl. Like Kyrka, they have two thumbclaws at the joint of their feathered wings.
- Size: 50 foot wingspan.
- Coloration: WIP
- Diet: Purely carnivorous--they'll eat anything that moves, and are especially fond of both Nuru and their Serran herdsman. There are many tales of the Siccuta's frightening shadow descending from the clouds and devouring an entire flock in one go.
- Lifespan: 50 to 60 years. They live and hunt in mated pairs and lay two eggs every season in the late winter.
findUwamuUwamu are burly creatures from Kala Ree's southern savanna, domesticated for hauling and transportation of passengers.
- Description: Uwamu are elephantine in build with a head rather like a cross between a lion and a bear. Their ears are short and rounded, and they have a thick leonine mane. Four prehensile whiskers grow from their muzzles, two from the corner of the upper lip and two shorter ones from the chin. Their feet are like a cross between elephantine and porcine, and their short, whiplike tails have a tiny tuft on the end. A crown of rounded, slightly curved horns grows from their head, always an odd number--calves only have a nub of a horn on the middle of the forehead, which grows during their life. Around age two they develop two more to either side of the central one. Males will grow two more horns when they reach sexual maturity. Their tongues are prehensile and can stretch up to three feet long.
- Size: Between 8 and 11 feet at the shoulder. Males are significantly larger.
- Coloration: Their main fur color is golden to brown, ranging from pale flaxen all the way down to dark bronze. Their mane is either the same color or, more frequently, darker--it can even be black. Their eyes and horns are brownish black. Some rare Uwamu are leucistic--white with blue eyes.
- Diet: Uwamu are browsing herbivores. Due to their overdeveloped shoulders and relatively short necks, it's difficult for them to graze or forage for food on the ground, but not impossible. A frequent grazing strategy for the Uwamu is to rear up on its hind legs and loosely grasp a tree, using this additional height to grasp at low-hanging fruit, berries, and leaves.
- Lifespan: 40-45 years. Females go into estrus in the middle of summer, and gestation lasts about two years. Normally they will have a single calf, but occasionally may have a pair of slightly smaller twins. Males periodically enter a state similar to musth in the beginning of summer, wherein their testosterone increases fifty-fold, and they become aggressive and difficult to handle. For this reason, primarily female Uwamu are domesticated.
otherBasin
These species can also be found in the basin:- red deer
- songbirds--mostly various brown warbler-type birds
- hawks, eagles, falcons, and vultures
- trout and salmon
- black bears
- small wolves
- hares
- badgers
- rodents--mice and rats
- non-poisonous snakes
- box turtles
- Description: Nuru have low-slung heads with high, humped shoulders. Males have two pairs of tall, spiralling horns, one larger than the other. The woolly fur that hangs from them is very long and will brush the ground if not trimmed. It may be curly or straight, and is much shorter on their faces and legs. In colder weather, they grow a second coat of fur, shorter and thicker than the main one. They have cloven hooves at the end of each stubby leg. A mohawk-styled mane of hair runs down their spine, sometimes cropped short and sometimes allowed to grow and flop down their bodies. This ends in a long equine tail. They give live single birth, though sometimes can have twins.