Canis

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Overview:

Canis are a race of dog-like humanoids, more casually referred to as "dog-folk", or colloquially "mutts". Their traditional homeland lies somewhere within the Vale, but over time they have moved to scattered colonies across the world, variating their race and creating diversity from the traditional brown-hairs which founded their culture and society.

In the old age, canis were the second most common race found in the slave trade, prized for their long, sleek ears and voluminous tails. Sidans practiced extensive slavery using canis, but they are preferred to be used as workers, gladiators, guard-servants and warrior-slaves. In Occitan, even after the passing of the equality laws following the Fauerzeit Convention, canis controversially never gained full rights as a race. To this day they are still widely employed for minimal pay, as servants attending to the most menial of tasks. This reputation has stuck to the canis, giving them an uncultured, plebeian image in the eyes of most close to Occitan - and persisting even as far south as Sanctimonia.

Due to their extreme loyalty, canis are often trusted where many humans are not, even though many dog-folk have proven to defy their race's stereotype and find themselves quite manipulative, or crafty. This has allowed some extremely intelligent canis, greatly seperated from their traditional culture, to take the role of bankers, taxmen, and even mayors in some smaller villages. Though few are ever suited for the burdens and responsibilities of a leadership role, their ability to gain the trust and support of people allows them to act as guides or leaders.

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Appearance:

In terms of appearances, parallels are often drawn with kazuth even though the two races are, contrary to popular belief, unrelated. Where kazuth are born with feline features, canis possess features better attributed to those of a canine nature.

They are born with dog-like ears, most commonly long and slender but subject to great variation, and a tail to match. Canis tails are rarely thin, usually wide and thick plumes of hair, or fur. These two canine parts of the body are the only two covered in fur, usually, but not exclusively, matching the individual's normal hair colour. They also possess an odd teeth structure, which is mainly human but with the exception of either six or eight long, sharpened canines that are better known within the race as 'fangs'. The underside of a canis hand is usually padded with rough, leathery pads, though the shape remains predominantly human - they are still referred to sometimes as 'paws', often humorously. Their fingernails grow much thicker than humans, blackening with age and narrowing to naturally occuring points - though these are very often blunted and need to be sharpened manually to become effective clawing tools. Canis will usually always have an amber-orange eye colour, with pupils of an altered shape.

The average height of a canis ranges from 5 feet and 3 inches to a maximum of 5 feet and 9 inches, although any dog-folk that are shorter or taller then such is possible though extremely rare combinations of heritage and chance. One particularily defining characteristic of the canis is that their skull shape is slightly enlongated, giving them the slight implication of a snout, and a more sleek looking face in general. Their noses are often a little shallower, and sharper than humans.

All traits vary within the ears, tail and paws, with huge amounts of varation in fur density, colour patterns and general shapes of the canine features. The oldest of canis lineages, usually keeping to their colonies hidden away in out of the way locations, have much more fur that covers sections of the human parts of their body.

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Racial Traits:

Personality

Although slightly timid, the dog-folk are very prone to a social lifestyle, a mindset brought about by generations of living in tightly-knit canis communities. They are naturally very playful and prone to entertainment, having alarming amounts of physical energy at times. Within the colonies, canis are famed dancers, and it forms an integral part of their culture. Often percieved as hyperactivity, younger dog-folk have much less restraint on their energy, requiring older individuals to keep them relatively subdued.

They are also hard workers, with preoccupation and dedication being two of the things that will stop a canis' lively nature dead in its tracks and give way to a strong work ethic.

When a dog-folk individual finds a mate, they will usually remain, or strongly wish to remain, with them for a long period of time. Whilst incredibly social, canis are also very amorous and loyal. They depend on social interaction, like most canines that humans are accustomed to, to live a happy life. Most of this interaction comes from their friends and loved ones.

Cultural and Racial Biases

Canis see most humanoid races, with relateable features and characteristics as equal, but there exceptions, most notably and infamously with kazuth. Canis usually see Kazuth as an inferior and improper species, primarily due to their percieved opposite behavior and appearances, and it is not uncommon for a canis to show dominance over a kazuth using non-lethal means - not to say a real fight couldn't break out, but it would take serious provocation.

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Culture:

The canis of the old age stuck together in huge packs of fifty to one-hundred, eventually settling in the Vale and forming a large settlement of their own in which to thrive. In modern times, they have scattered much more widely than before, living in smaller packs within 'colonies', small self-sustaining settlements that act as a safe haven and home for any dog-folk in the area or all folk living within it.

Their culture is strongly based on primal instincts and traditions, akin to the fraternity amongst wolves in the wild. One of the most common traditions is the rite whereby an older male is assigned to a younger pack member, acting as their guardian until they become old enough to properly take care of themselves. Once this is achieved, said pack member will have the choice of ether staying within the pack or leave to find another home, an idea perhaps created by dreams of adventure. Many males will try to prove dominance over others by various means. Females within canis culture will never usually show a dominant behavior, even though in traditional relationships the females have mental and symbolic dominance over their male mate.

Canis live rugged, rural lives more often than not, sticking close to their primal nature at heart. The most passive ones act in such placid professions as shepherds and farmers, whilst more adventurous dog-folk live the lives of hunters, trackers, scouts, guards, soldiers and any other physically active (or combat related) professions.

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The Canis' Creation Story:

More than a thousand years before present day Aeria, tribes of humans walked the lands hand-in-paw with the wolf clans that lived amongst them. They lived in harmony as fellow hunter-gatherers, and some of the wolves were domesticated by the tribes to become some of the first dogs used within their early societies. Amongst one of these tribes was a clan so close to their dogs and wolf companions that they had been blessed by the guardianship of Canilus, the dog god. Canilus sent down dog-like immortals in his image, to teach the tribes how to ideally live as he wished them to.

The presence of the canine immortals had an immediate effect on the tribe's culture. Tribesmen took interest, taking quickly to worshipping the primals and adopting their ways. They crafted masks, fur cloaks, coats and fur-lined armor, even creating clawed weapons to mimic the immortals' own paws. The tribe itself was restructured to follow the model of a wolf pack, for it was found superior. The tribe had thusly adopted Canilus as their god, and strove to follow in his image.

Canilus saw their devotion, and he was overjoyed. He granted them their wish without their knowledge. Suddenly, newborn were sprouting dog-like features, subtle at first, but increasingly pronounced with each generation. In time, the entire tribe had the features of their god, and they took this as a blessing, having become the very first 'true' canis. It changed not only their image, but their nature, and their instincts. They had adopted wolf-life personalities at their core, and became xenophobic, guarding their precious culture from the outsiders that would stray into their territory.

This behavior, along with their irregular appearance, caused them to be viewed as monstrosities and pests by the majority of local humans. Whilst the new canis chose not to dwell on this, surrounding human tribes didn't take kindly to their presence, believing that they were responsible for gruesome acts that their neighbors had committed. They raided and pillaged canis villages, with varying degrees of success, out of misguided vengeance and the pursuit of an easy scapegoat. The dog-folk didn't take kindly, and responded twofold with the true ferocity of their blessings, singling out no single tribe and punishing all the surrounding humans.

After all was said and done, the canis held no further hate. Each human tribe was warned and told never to harm them again, and things went on peacefully. The fear instilled in the humans caused some to try and appease the canis, and for many years, they would offer gifts and blessings. The dog-folk were won over in the end, after long years of appeasal, and allowed the tribes to enter their lands and learn their ways. They never expected the tribes to bring their ways with them, and they certainly didn't predict how appealing it was to be.

The influence of the other tribes caught the interest of a majority of canis, and they grew more and more enticed by their new human companions and their culture. Most wished to grow closer to the past they had lost - their human heritage. Thus, more than two thirds of the canis were slowly 'domesticated' and removed from their wolf-like behavior. They slowly came to act more and more like normal humans, kindly tending to and joining the humans in their hunts and their play - creating a kind of friendship that would only grow and further root into the culture of Talibar as time passed.

The traditional dog-folk kept to their secluded and hidden villages deep in the forests of Talibar, worshiping Canilus in earnest and striving to become more like him all the time. Those that did not feel such seclusion was necessary to please their god were apt to leave and make their own place in the outside world.

A prime of example of how you can take something fucking stupid,

And make it amazing. Why don't me and Kruggly write the lore again?..

Yes. And it doesn't even conflictx with my char.

Ratchet283 wrote:

Yes. And it doesn't even conflictx with my char.

:3

I wrote it to have minimal conflicts, of course.

Rude.

Zaku wrote:

A prime of example of how you can take something fucking stupid,

And make it amazing. Why don't me and Kruggly write the lore again?..

You can. And do.

Everyone does.

My job is to make sure it all works together.

Pat wrote:

Zaku wrote:

A prime of example of how you can take something fucking stupid,

And make it amazing. Why don't me and Kruggly write the lore again?..

You can. And do.

Everyone does.

My job is to make sure it all works together.

No wonder nothing makes sense.