Nyaha's Various Ideas and Contemplations

Yes, thank you!
I really do like the stalker-snowman Idea! And, The Shadow Sirens are a species that i'm very fond of!

I've decided to add shapeshifting abilities to shadow sirens, since, in my mind, it fits rather well, but that may change depending on the feedback I get. I hope the idea isn't too long to be good. :O

I find the Shadow Siren a rather interesting idea, though I would love more info on their mind set.

(Edited out)

(Edited out)

I have come up with an entirely new and original idea, and I am very proud of myself. I think it has come along great and I feel it could do well to contribute to the community. I would really like as much feedback as possible, so anything you have to say, be it praise, helpful criticism, and though I don't encourage it, purely negative comments, I would very much like to hear any thoughts anyone has about this.

Snow Leopard Nekos

Snow leopard nekos, or snow nekos for short, are a species of neko from another world. Sometime, a few centuries ago, a small group of their tribe was accidentally transported from the snowy regions they inhabited of their home world to Imoreith Tundra. Being built for the cold, they were able to survive and adapt to the tundra and its wacky sound physics, and have been living in Felarya for several decades. These nekos' hands are actually more like anthropomorphic paws, covered in their characteristic fur that is white with black circles dotting it. Their forelegs and forearms are also covered in this fur, and their hands conceal powerful, sharp and curved claws. As they found they could no longer trust their ears, they adapted to the tundra by developing extremely sharp eyesight, which is more than enough to see clear through snowy conditions, and spot things using the snow to camoflauge themselves. They do not have excellent dark vision, however, as their eyes are made to reduce light intake to protect against snow blindness. Their heavy clothing makes them a great deal slower than other neko species, and this plus the cold climate make them extremely vulnerable to water, as, if their clothes get wet, they will freeze quickly, assuming that there isn't any other source of heat they can use to survive until returning to their home. They are able to perform short bursts of speed when they need to, but it is used more for defensive and offensive tactics than for travel. They also don't have as sensitive ears as other neko species do, which, in the strange physics of Imoreith Tundra, helps protect them from being vulnerable to loud noise attacks.

Snow leopard nekos have made a small village of igloos and tents somewhere in Imoreith Tundra. They make their igloos by using their powerful claws, among other things, to dig out chunks of ice from the ground and carve them into cubes and other shapes necessary, and they also have tents lined with fur from various animals, even the fur of other snow leopard nekos who have passed away, as they cannot afford to leave any sources of survival untapped. They take efforts to hide their village from predators using artificial and, for the most part, permanent snow cover concocted by their mages. Because it's not a particularly large area, only one mage is needed at a time to keep up the snow cover. They keep their tents and igloos warm by burning the scarce scrubs that grow in the ice of the tundra, as well as fur of many sorts. There is a large open area in the centre of the village where snow leopard nekos fight eachother to train, or just for fun. Due to the small size and nature of their village, it is easily possible for them to transport it to another location in the tundra should the need arise, though they mostly stay within a good distance of coastal areas for access to fish and marine prey.

Snow leopard nekos are, despite being a warrior tribe, a generally laid-back type of people. When they aren't training or hunting, they enjoy indulging themselves in various recreational activities, such as dancing, reading, running races, and one particular snow neko pastime called 'ice hockey'. It is played very similarly to the way regular hockey is. The main difference is that, while it is played on ice, the puck is also made of ice, which makes it difficult to see. For snow nekos, however, keeping track of the puck is quite within their abilities, and the game is played quite often as both a way to have fun and to further train a snow neko's vision, speed, and accuracy. The most hardened and/or well-sighted players may even opt to play the game during blizzards. But don't be fooled, because despite their generally lax and fun-loving nature, they can become very fired up about the things they love, and despite living in a cold climate, each snow neko has a fire of passion burning inside them, and for many of them, this passion is for combat, which is why they train their craft so rigorously.

Every day, a group of snow leopard nekos is chosen to hunt for food, and at another point in the day, another group leaves to explore the tundra for any materials they can make use of. Both groups cannot leave the snow leopard village at the same time, as there is not enough warm clothing to go around. When hunting, snow leopard nekos generally target large game, as small prey is uncommon in the tundra, and they must be able to feed their entire tribe for at least a day. Though they have many different ways of hunting, a commonly used one goes as follows: a few nekos will prepare an ambush, using their powerful claws to dig under the ice to hide, while other from the group leaves to bait or chase a suitable target into the trap. After the trap is sprung, they use their strength, claws, and sometimes even magic to take down their prey. After killing their game, they honour its struggle and its sacrifice, well aware of what its existence means to their people. Their diet consists mainly of meat, often in the form of taranei and salamander-esque animals called gelly worms they hunt, and any excess meat is frozen by snow leopard mages to preserve it. They also hunt marine life that come to the shores of the Shimmering Sea to rest, as to avoid a dependance on one food source. Also included in their diet are certain types of vegetables that grow in small patches where the layer of ice is at it's thinnest.

Many courageous warriors are born into the tribe every generation, but due to the relatively small size of their community, they can't afford to have all of their people leaving the village. As such, there is a series of tests a snow leopard neko must take in order to be granted the right to venture out into the world on their own. By passing these tests, they not only prove their worth and ability as a warrior, but they also pledge to gain knowledge from their adventures, and to return to their people with that knowledge so that they may use it to better their people's understanding and knowledge of Felarya.

---Known Snow Leopard Nekos

Taihaku

Snow leopard nekos? Seems interestin'.

The snow leopard neko idea has been greatly extended. :3

Nyaha wrote:

I have come up with an entirely new and original idea, and I am very proud of myself. I think it has come along great and I feel it could do well to contribute to the community. I would really like as much feedback as possible, so anything you have to say, be it praise, helpful criticism, and though I don't encourage it, purely negative comments, I would very much like to hear any thoughts anyone has about this.

Okay...

Nyaha wrote:

Snow leopard nekos are a species of neko from another world. Sometime, a few centuries ago, a small group of their tribe was accidentally transported from the snowy regions they inhabited of their home world to Imoreith Tundra. Being built for the cold, they were able to survive and adapt to the tundra and its wacky sound physics. These nekos' hands are actually more like anthropomorphic paws, covered in characteristic fur that is white with black circles dotting it. Their forelegs and forearms are also covered in this fur, and their hands conceal powerful, sharp and curved claws. Using these claws, among other things, they were able to dig beneath the layer of ice in the tundra, as they did on their home world, and created tunnels underneath the layer of ice, under the ground. As they found they could no longer trust their ears, they adapted by gaining extremely sharp eyesight. Snow leopard nekos today are generally able to not only see clear through snowy conditions, but also through most illusions as well. However, their heavy clothing makes them a great deal slower than other neko species, and it also makes them very vulnerable to any type of fire attack, as if their clothes burn, they either burn with it or take it off and freeze. They are able to perform short bursts of speed when they need to, but it is used more for defensive tactics than for travel.

Nyaha, if the nekos have used cloth to adapt, you could include snow googles too. They're not hard to make- just cut a slit in a piece of bark. It'd remove the "no illusions" factor, but add a little flavor, dunno if that's the way you want to go, though.
Remember now the Stop Drop and Roll maneuver. If it's a tundra, it should work just fine, unless you're in a coal patch.

Nyaha wrote:

Snow leopard nekos are members of a very traditional warrior tribe. Every day, a group of them is chosen to hunt for food, and later in the day or at night, another group leaves to explore the tundra for any materials they can make use of. Both groups cannot leave the snow leopard caverns at the same time, as there is not enough warm clothing to go around. When hunting, snow leopard nekos generally target large game, as small prey is uncommon in the tundra, and they must be able to feed their entire tribe for at least a day. A few nekos will prepare an ambush, using their powerful claws to dig under the ice to hide, while one other from the group leaves to bait or chase a suitable target into the trap. After the trap is sprung, they use their strength, claws, and sometimes even magic to take down their prey. After killing their game, they honour its struggle and its sacrifice, well aware of what its existence means to their people.

Large game for a day?
You can expect any creature to be composed of at least 30% meat. Say it weighs 150 kg, like a big deer- that's 45 kg of meat. At 1 kg per neko per day, which would be a 4000 kcal diet... okay, a daily hunt will work for 45 people, if it's a 150 kg critter.
However, you should vary prey a little. Isn't there anything they can hunt without chasing into or baiting into an ambush?

Nyaha wrote:

Although there are numerous ambitious warriors born into the tribe every generation, their currently small numbers prevent many of them from fulfilling their dreams of adventure. Thus, every generation, a competition is held to determine which snow leopard neko will be allowed to venture into the world beyond Imoreith Tundra. The competition is a one-on-one combat bout with the winner being determined by either one of the contenders forfeiting, being knocked-out, or the chief of the tribe declaring that one of them is unable to continue, and killing your opponent will result in not only disqualification, but banishment from the tribe. Fighters are allowed to use whatever they have at their disposal, whether that be the weapons lining the wall of the arena the matches take place in, their bare hands, or magic that they know. The competition is held tournament-style, with the final victor being deemed his or her generation's most ambitious warrior, and only that person will be allowed to leave the tribe. There are a few rules that all participants must honor; one of them is not to hold anything back, but there is also a rule that disparages the attacking of an unprepared participant. There is one tradition that sets this competition apart from others; a bout cannot begin until both participants and the tribe chief are present, and if one of the three haven't arrived, the match will be postponed until they do.

As the competition approaches, the tribe's mages prepare a spell that will teleport the winner of the tournament to Negav, where they will experience new things and new people. They are usually advised to begin offering their skill as a warrior for money as a mercenary, but only take a job they feel will provide them with the best opportunity to experience the outside world.

Alright, then, only the best may leave- and we got it, no trickery and no weird business outside the battlefield. However, the portal to Negav seems sorta unnecessary. Aren't there any other ways to leave the Tundra that don't completely bypass its geographical position?
They could leave as caravan guards- those nekos look like they could really use some extra fabric material, it's a pretty cold place they live in and you stressed it hard. There ought to be something of value in the Imoreith tundra for them to trade for fabrics.

Nyaha wrote:

The subterranean caverns the snow leopard nekos inhabit are nowadays quite large, with many wings made up of numerous different rooms, including a resting wing, a dining wing, and a large arena with a spectator area around it. The caverns are flame-lit, and the entrance is concealed beneath the snow, making it hard to find to those who are not familiar with the tribe or the tundra. Those who are able to find it must ‘tap-dance’ a specific beat known only to those welcome to alert the doormen far below to open the wooden hatch.The caverns are kept warm mainly by the way they have been constructed, which greatly decreases the rate at which heat escapes them, and at nighttime, a fire is lit in the lowest point of the system, the heat from which spreads naturally throughout the caves. The caverns are supported by stone tiles and columns, brought back by numerous warriors who have left the tribe to journey outside the tundra and returned, giving the place a very rustic air. The stone not only prevents cave-ins, but also keeps the living conditions dry.

Stone tiles and columns... have you thought of brick instead? It's easier to carry as its raw materials, and you can work it into sheet-shaped bricks, which are just as good at keeping the moisture out and the heat in while having nearly no problems beyond being sheet-shaped and thus prone to mishandling. Also, animal furs work just fine to trap heat in. I can tell, though, that you're trying to keep them depending on the availability of fur, which ain't a bad idea actually.

Here's to hoping that was food for thoughts.

I appreciate your feedback, Stabs. If you don't mind, I'd like to continue discussing some of what you have said.

Stabs wrote:

Nyaha, if the nekos have used cloth to adapt, you could include snow googles too. They're not hard to make- just cut a slit in a piece of bark. It'd remove the "no illusions" factor, but add a little flavor, dunno if that's the way you want to go, though.
Remember now the Stop Drop and Roll maneuver. If it's a tundra, it should work just fine, unless you're in a coal patch.

Good point on the stop drop and roll. I wanted to give them a weakness, though. Can you help me think of something?

Stabs wrote:

Large game for a day?
You can expect any creature to be composed of at least 30% meat. Say it weighs 150 kg, like a big deer- that's 45 kg of meat. At 1 kg per neko per day, which would be a 4000 kcal diet... okay, a daily hunt will work for 45 people, if it's a 150 kg critter.
However, you should vary prey a little. Isn't there anything they can hunt without chasing into or baiting into an ambush?

Hm. Maybe I'll make it two. After all, the tribe's really small, being only about 60-75 people.

Stabs wrote:

Alright, then, only the best may leave- and we got it, no trickery and no weird business outside the battlefield. However, the portal to Negav seems sorta unnecessary. Aren't there any other ways to leave the Tundra that don't completely bypass its geographical position?
They could leave as caravan guards- those nekos look like they could really use some extra fabric material, it's a pretty cold place they live in and you stressed it hard. There ought to be something of value in the Imoreith tundra for them to trade for fabrics.

Do people even travel that much through the tundra? I read the wiki and it stated the only way to get to the tundra geographically is through Elifga Valley, an impassable gorge. I thought that being transported to Negav would provide a much more reasonable start to any adventure, rather than putting impassable obstacles in there right off the bat.

Stabs wrote:

Stone tiles and columns... have you thought of brick instead? It's easier to carry as its raw materials, and you can work it into sheet-shaped bricks, which are just as good at keeping the moisture out and the heat in while having nearly no problems beyond being sheet-shaped and thus prone to mishandling. Also, animal furs work just fine to trap heat in. I can tell, though, that you're trying to keep them depending on the availability of fur, which ain't a bad idea actually.

I imagind the caverns being stone because it's lighter, and it would carry what little light they are able to make down there farther. I don't think fur would keep the living conditions dry.

Nyaha wrote:

I appreciate your feedback, Stabs. If you don't mind, I'd like to continue discussing some of what you have said.

Fair enough...

Nyaha wrote:

Good point on the stop drop and roll. I wanted to give them a weakness, though. Can you help me think of something?

Well, if you won't substract the super-eyes, then have them vulnerable to water instead. Once you're soaked in your clothes you WILL freeze- and stop drop and roll won't help you. Nothing short of a warm bath or a towel and a change of clothes will help you.

Nyaha wrote:

Hm. Maybe I'll make it two. After all, the tribe's really small, being only about 60-75 people.

Or make it a 300 kg critter, or say their fat content is higher than 0%. At 50% fat 50% muscle, they are like half again as good. Most sea mammals are pretty fatty, you know, clubbing baby seals is a good idea, though not as good as clubbing juvvy seals. I don't know... is this tundra close to the sea?

This suddenly raises the logistic challenge of bringing 200 kg of meat home without leaving tracks- tracks are a no-no in Felarya if you wanna live anywhere during an extended period. If they hunt only while it's snowing, they could use a sled. But people need meat even when it isn't snowing- I had thought maybe the tribe had some sort of magical item, like a bag of holding to toss a carcass in on the way back, but we can't have the welfare of the tribe riding on a single magical item. If there were spells to hide a sled's tracks, that'd work too, I guess?

Nyaha wrote:

Do people even travel that much through the tundra? I read the wiki and it stated the only way to get to the tundra geographically is through Elifga Valley, an impassable gorge. I thought that being transported to Negav would provide a much more reasonable start to any adventure, rather than putting impassable obstacles in there right off the bat.

Those are the most ambitious and skilled. If a cliff is going to stop them, I think they've been overestimated. No information exists on trading routes, either; you'll have to assume any trading routes you want. And besides, how do they know of Negav in the first place? On a sidenote, though this isn't really all that important, consider that we've already got a lot of people who go to Negav. Adventuring in other places would be a nice break, or at least getting there the long way.

Nyaha wrote:

I imagind the caverns being stone because it's lighter, and it would carry what little light they are able to make down there farther. I don't think fur would keep the living conditions dry.

Stone caves aren't made: that'd be a pharaonic amount of work. It's a lot easier to find them. Have you thought of igloos? I'm sure you've already discarded them for a reason, that's why I suggested clay. As for fur, it does help keep places warm. It's good tent material.

Stabs wrote:

Well, if you won't substract the super-eyes, then have them vulnerable to water instead. Once you're soaked in your clothes you WILL freeze- and stop drop and roll won't help you. Nothing short of a warm bath or a towel and a change of clothes will help you.

That's a good idea, thank you. ^_^ I'll update this now. Also, their eyesight isn't just a strength to see through the snow, it also makes up for the fact that they can't trust their ears in Imoreith Tundra. If you read up on it here You'll see why that is.

Stabs wrote:

Or make it a 300 kg critter, or say their fat content is higher than 0%. At 50% fat 50% muscle, they are like half again as good. Most sea mammals are pretty fatty, you know, clubbing baby seals is a good idea, though not as good as clubbing juvvy seals. I don't know... is this tundra close to the sea?

The Shimmering Sea is right beside Imoreith Tundra, actually. My initial idea for their food source was from taraneis, which are quite large, though slim. If a squad of hunters were able to capture/kill 3 or 4 of them out of a pack at a time, that would likely do for one day's hunt. But adding in marine life would probably outweigh the option of depending on a single food source. I'm sorry, but I don't have any idea what you mean when you talk about the weights and the "50%" things, though. I don't know all the ins and outs of hunting.

Stabs wrote:

This suddenly raises the logistic challenge of bringing 200 kg of meat home without leaving tracks- tracks are a no-no in Felarya if you wanna live anywhere during an extended period. If they hunt only while it's snowing, they could use a sled. But people need meat even when it isn't snowing- I had thought maybe the tribe had some sort of magical item, like a bag of holding to toss a carcass in on the way back, but we can't have the welfare of the tribe riding on a single magical item. If there were spells to hide a sled's tracks, that'd work too, I guess?

One option would be to include a mage in the group who can lay down snow cover using a spell. I'm also sure that after a few generations, they've got a substantial store of helpful items like bags of holding in their possession, as I'm sure any snow leopard neko visiting home during their adventures would make sure to bring back any valuable items they can. Also, when one of them returns home, that doesn't mean their adventures are necessarily at an end. Though unlikely, it is plausible for one generation's adventurer neko to return home more than one time, and that would further increase their access to goods and knowledge from outside the tundra.

Stabs wrote:

Those are the most ambitious and skilled. If a cliff is going to stop them, I think they've been overestimated. No information exists on trading routes, either; you'll have to assume any trading routes you want. And besides, how do they know of Negav in the first place? On a sidenote, though this isn't really all that important, consider that we've already got a lot of people who go to Negav. Adventuring in other places would be a nice break, or at least getting there the long way.

Perhaps it should be left up to the one leaving the tribe? Also, the snow leopards know of places outside of the tundra, especially Negav, from stories brought back by nekos who've left the tribe in the past, so it's not all that farfetched. The only problem I found with not taking the shortcut to Negav in the beginning of the adventure is the fact that there isn't much info on areas like Elifga Valley.

Stabs wrote:

Stone caves aren't made: that'd be a pharaonic amount of work. It's a lot easier to find them. Have you thought of igloos? I'm sure you've already discarded them for a reason, that's why I suggested clay. As for fur, it does help keep places warm. It's good tent material.

I had not considered igloos acually. It would eliminate many of the factors concerning permafrost, the construction and such. I'll definitely give this some thought. Though I must admit, I'm extremely embarassed by the fact I didn't think of that first. ^^;

Nyaha wrote:

That's a good idea, thank you. ^_^ I'll update this now. Also, their eyesight isn't just a strength to see through the snow, it also makes up for the fact that they can't trust their ears in Imoreith Tundra. If you read up on it here You'll see why that is.

Ah! Right, the tundra you may as well be deaf in. Hadn't thought of that. But even the deaf can't pierce illusions with their eyes, I just don't think there's much point. It's not like there were many illusions in general.

Nyaha wrote:

The Shimmering Sea is right beside Imoreith Tundra, actually. My initial idea for their food source was from taraneis, which are quite large, though slim. If a squad of hunters were able to capture/kill 3 or 4 of them out of a pack at a time, that would likely do for one day's hunt. But adding in marine life would probably outweigh the option of depending on a single food source. I'm sorry, but I don't have any idea what you mean when you talk about the weights and the "50%" things, though. I don't know all the ins and outs of hunting.

Not of hunting, nutrition. Protein gives you 4 kcal per gram, fat 9 kcal per gram. If there are 1000 gram in a kilogram, and there's well over 5000 kcal in a diet for a very large person doing very heavy work in a very cold place, how much meat are you going to need and how fatty should it be?
Also, elk are 7 foot tall. Taraneis are 10 to 15 foot tall. Even if they're slender they're going to weigh at least 400 kg. That should be enough meat to last the tribe a day- I'd still advise to hunt many if the occassion presents itself. You can freeze the ones you don't eat for later.
Kinda concerned about the vitamins though. Those kids aren't going to get much vitamin without any fruits or veggies.

Nyaha wrote:

One option would be to include a mage in the group who can lay down snow cover using a spell. I'm also sure that after a few generations, they've got a substantial store of helpful items like bags of holding in their possession, as I'm sure any snow leopard neko visiting home during their adventures would make sure to bring back any valuable items they can. Also, when one of them returns home, that doesn't mean their adventures are necessarily at an end. Though unlikely, it is plausible for one generation's adventurer neko to return home more than one time, and that would further increase their access to goods and knowledge from outside the tundra.

Goods and knowledge from outside the tundra, maybe. But I wouldn't know about specific magical items, much less the specific one that would totally solve that particular conundrum for generations to come: it might seem too convenient. A mage who can lay down snow seems like a good idea, though. One mage to lay down snow, and ten men to pull a bobsled.

Maybe we can leave that part hazy? They transport the meat back home. Anyone who wants to know how will probably come up with their own alternative. Maybe they skin it on the spot and tear the meat into chunks afterwards to put it in bags, maybe they carry their dead carcass in a bag of holding, maybe they bobsled on an artificial ice storm.

Nyaha wrote:

Perhaps it should be left up to the one leaving the tribe? Also, the snow leopards know of places outside of the tundra, especially Negav, from stories brought back by nekos who've left the tribe in the past, so it's not all that farfetched. The only problem I found with not taking the shortcut to Negav in the beginning of the adventure is the fact that there isn't much info on areas like Elifga Valley.

If people keep teleporting to Negav, there's never going to be much info on Elifga Valley, you know.
My objection stays- if they could reach Negav by hoofing it, there shouldn't be a problem for the next generation, more prepared and more ambitious, to hoof it just as nicely to a different place, instead of defaulting to Negav. Leaving it up to the one leaving, though, I could approve of that.

It seems like we're coming close to ironing out the ideas we come up with. ^_^

Stabs wrote:

Ah! Right, the tundra you may as well be deaf in. Hadn't thought of that. But even the deaf can't pierce illusions with their eyes, I just don't think there's much point. It's not like there were many illusions in general.

Well, maybe the illusions thing is a little much. But I'm sure a snow leopard neko could train their eyesight to the level needed to pierce illusions through rigorous excercises, though. Perhaps it's a quality best left to character bios.

Stabs wrote:

Not of hunting, nutrition. Protein gives you 4 kcal per gram, fat 9 kcal per gram. If there are 1000 gram in a kilogram, and there's well over 5000 kcal in a diet for a very large person doing very heavy work in a very cold place, how much meat are you going to need and how fatty should it be?
Also, elk are 7 foot tall. Taraneis are 10 to 15 foot tall. Even if they're slender they're going to weigh at least 400 kg. That should be enough meat to last the tribe a day- I'd still advise to hunt many if the occassion presents itself. You can freeze the ones you don't eat for later.
Kinda concerned about the vitamins though. Those kids aren't going to get much vitamin without any fruits or veggies.

Well, again, I'm not really a big thinker about the specific numbers, but perhaps it would be worth mentioning something along the lines of frozen types of vegetables that grow in areas where the layer of ice is thin in the snow leopards' diet.

Stabs wrote:

Goods and knowledge from outside the tundra, maybe. But I wouldn't know about specific magical items, much less the specific one that would totally solve that particular conundrum for generations to come: it might seem too convenient. A mage who can lay down snow seems like a good idea, though. One mage to lay down snow, and ten men to pull a bobsled.

Okay. I'll mention a mage as part of the hunting squad.

Stabs wrote:

Maybe we can leave that part hazy? They transport the meat back home. Anyone who wants to know how will probably come up with their own alternative. Maybe they skin it on the spot and tear the meat into chunks afterwards to put it in bags, maybe they carry their dead carcass in a bag of holding, maybe they bobsled on an artificial ice storm.

Alright, sounds good to me. ^_^

Stabs wrote:

If people keep teleporting to Negav, there's never going to be much info on Elifga Valley, you know.
My objection stays- if they could reach Negav by hoofing it, there shouldn't be a problem for the next generation, more prepared and more ambitious, to hoof it just as nicely to a different place, instead of defaulting to Negav. Leaving it up to the one leaving, though, I could approve of that.

Alright. I think I've already made a note of that in the article.

I would like to inform you that my idea for shadow sirens have been officially renamed "Shadowgels", as per a compromise I reached with Dante8411 on DeviantArt. You can read more about it on this page: http://tanoshiiatsu.deviantart.com/#/d4bes0y

Well the idea is developing well ^^
I can see them fit in the Imoreith tundra but I think there is some points that should be changed a bit. I admit I'm not a big fan of the tournament to elect the strongest. I mean it gives the authorization to leave the tribe but for what purpose exactly ? Isn't that a sort of exile in itself ?

Also I think those nekos would have to live near coastal areas so they could add fish to their diets. Surviving only on hunting in the tundra for a whole tribe might be really quite difficult otherwise..

Okay, I see eye to eye with you about the coastal thing. But you have to keep in mind that they're very adventurous, Karbo, all of them wish to leave the tribe at some point so they can go on adventures. But because, as it says, the tribe is so small, they can't all up and leave or they'd die out. Get me?

Though you do make me think that there should be a different punishment for cheating in the tournament, otherwise they'd all cheat so they can be exhiled and go on adventures. I suppose if they're dishonerable in a tournament, they'd be considered dishonourable in other aspects of their life, too. Would that be a reason to send them to their death by exhiling them without clothes or supplies of any sort? Maybe they're fed to predators who live in the Shimmering Sea?

(Edited out)

So be avid with your fire usage? oh wait, that will draw attention from others :/ how do I protect myself against them XD

Archmage_Bael wrote:

So be avid with your fire usage? oh wait, that will draw attention from others :/ how do I protect myself against them XD

Not to mention that a smart one would simply wait for you to cast your fire magic in such a way you cast a shadow over yourself and thus leave yourself wide open for being sucked into the shadows. Now you avid fire mages better start thinking in ways other than "Flame first question later" though I'm certain your fellow mages might be able to help you should you find yourself in such a situation.

Good idea Nyaha I like their being able to change size to engulf similar or large sized prey. The idea of being pulled through shadows sounds like the stuff of nightmares, that itself would probably leave many terrified of a Shadow Gel if they weren't already. To see a large hand reach out from the shadows grab them and drag them down through whatever twisted creepy shadowy world or whatever then find themselves hanging over and open mouth would traumatize quite a few people I think.

Yes, I was going for the dark and creepy, traumatizing stuff. Nyaha can be a hard-hitter, too, y'know. ;3

Also, magic attacks work against them. So if you have fire magic, you can hit them with a fire attack, not just make light to scare them off, but just regular magic attacks work too.

New idea! ^.^ I like this one, it's nice.

Temporal Heron

Temporal herons are a species of long-legged and long-necked bird that have a decorative plume on the back of their neck, that can be found in many regions of Felarya. Their bodies, with the exception of their legs and beaks - which are black - are see-through like glass. However, that does not mean they are invisible. They are literally windows through which one can see different areas in time. A temporal heron flying during the day will darken the sky as their bodies show the image of the night to come, and those flying at night will brighten areas as they show tomorrow in the daytime. In truth, the males show times in the future, while the females show times in the past. Adults stand anywhere from 9 feet to 15 feet, and their wingspan can reach lengths of around 20 feet wide. Though none have ever been known to eat a human, they generally prey on smaller species, which does include small sentient creatures like neeras and tomthumbs. When two herons mate, they synchronize the time difference between themselves, and each one becoms one side of a window through time. Where the male flies during the day, the female will fly during the night, as they show the same place through themselves. In fact, it is entirely possible, albeit difficult, to use two mated herons to hold a conversation with another person in a different time. When they fly, they tuck in their long necks. Temporal heron feathers are widely valued for their usefulness in future-sight spells and manufacturing authentic crystal balls. They have been known to gather in areas with water, such as the Lake of Illusions and the Fairy Pond.

It is ill advised that one use mated herons to hold a conversation with themselves between two times, as the act is extremely dangerous due to the threat of creating a paradox.

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I'm still considering some ideas for this one, such as each heron having a counterpart, where one is a window into the future, and the other is subsequently the other side of that window, showing the past. As always, feedback is greatly appreciated.

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EDIT: I also updated an old idea. Maybe some of you will remember this one. ^_^


Snowmen

Snowmen are mysterious beings that have been encountered by a number of adventurers in snowy places like Frost Peak and Imoreith Tundra. They appear to be made of two or more mounds of snow, decorated with things like twigs for arms, stones for eyes, etc. They do not appear to be sentient, or even alive, but according to the accounts of the adventurers who’ve seen them and lived, they apparently show up at random, in the distance when you turn around, and any time you turn around after that, they appear closer, as if following you, but when you look at them, they don’t move at all. What’s more, they seem impossible to examine, because if you move while looking at them, they seem to move at the exact same speed and in the exact same direction you do, so it’s impossible to get close to them. Apparently, the snowman will keep moving closer and closer, until it catches you. Those who have been ‘caught’ by a snowman have never been seen or heard from again. They are said to be unkillable, and that even fire won’t hurt them, that after the snowman melts and you turn away from where it was, if you look back it will be there again. People have devised various methods for evading capture from snowmen, the most common being to keep your eyes on the being and move towards a warmer climate, if you can. The problem with this solution is that you cannot see where you are going, and if you take your eyes off the snowman, to check a map or some such thing, he will get closer to you. Another rumored method for getting rid of snowmen is to stare at them for exactly one minute. If you close your eyes and open them, even as fast as a blink, the snowman will disappear. The rumor also says that if you don’t hold your gaze long enough, you’ll have to start over, but if you stare too long, even a second past one minute, the snowman will pick up the pace and catch you as soon as you look away.

I've decided, after thinking about it more clearly, that Karbo was correct about the competition the snow leopard nekos had, and I've begun to change it. Instead of the combat tournament each generation, individual snow leopard nekos wishing to venture out into the world must take a series of tests to prove their abilities, as well as pledge that they'll return to the village with the knowledge that they've gained in their travels and share it with their people. I'm thinking I might describe the trials more specifically, but at the moment, I'm still on the fence about it. What do the rest of you think about that?

Like I said that temporal heron idea is really interesting and original ^^
I think it could fit really well in some of the stranger regions of Felarya. I'd like to ad them if you agree with the disclaimer ( I would just change some small things here and there and perhaps pick another name )

I suppose that would be okay. What's the disclaimer? Also, I'd like to help with whatever you're planning to change. :3