Post by Dizzy on Jul 14, 2020 7:57:03 GMT
Beastia
Beastia are a race of beastmen who are naturally identical in physical appearance to the animal from which they evolved from. They possess a second form which is humanoid in appearance, though features of their true animal form are always present. Said animal features may be as simple as their normal ears and tail, or as complex as a full hide of scales and a fully reptilian snout. Beastia are not capable of changing what their humanoid form looks like. When a Beastia morphs into their humanoid form for the first time, those features are what they will exhibit for life. Some Beastia who are particularly skilled in magic have been known to circumvent this, though that skill is entirely individual and has no impact on their natural capabilities. A Beastia's natural abilities are relative to whatever animal they happen to be.
Beastia in Society
As of today, society in general tends to treat Beastia with either fear, cautious respect, or outright ostracization. These are not unreasonable views, as they are an incredibly new race, and are still very much beholden to their animalistic natures. Beastia are very much capable of being just as civilized as anybody else, and those who choose to attempt to live within society do so without issue. Despite this, they are still incapable of resisting their natures, having evolved so rapidly. Howling in the night will provoke a wolf Beastia to join the symphony, aggressive and intimidating motion can cause a bull Beastia to stomp its feet for a charge, and a snake Beastia will find themselves hissing at that jerk who spilled their coffee. They usually do their best to simply fit in, but other races never know when a Beastia will be unable to control themselves and lash out.
Origin
Beastmen is a term that many in the world use interchangeably to refer to most sentient races with strong animalistic features. However, this is but a blanket term only used by those who are either ignorant or uncaring of the reality that there are various races that exhibit animal-like traits.
One such race is the newest of the natural beastmen, the Beastia. Awareness of the Beastia first occurred roughly 200 years ago, though scientific evidence has shown the origin of the race likely occurred only 50 years prior to then. During the tumultuous times preceding the Pact of Unity, a disease manifested in an area in southeast Middle Asia. This disease was not particularly harmful, existing as a symbiotic parasite within the host. This disease spread throughout animals both wild and tame. It stimulated the host’s neurological activity, gradually enhancing its host’s intelligence in an effort to prolong the body’s lifespan, and therefore, the parasite’s. Many animals during this time were observed to exhibit unusual hunting methods, and normally solitary animals began communing with others of their species, forming packs or herds. In one isolated instance, multiple prides of lions assimilated into one another.
Over time, this disease spread to even the migratory birds who carried it to many corners of the world, including the Republic of Nor. The disease would die off soon after its manifestation, as the enhanced intelligence of the animals it inhabited was such that they became sentient and learned of sanitation. The infected animal’s intelligence, however, would not wash away with the parasite which granted it to them. The now sentient animals were capable of passing off their changes to future generations. Every following generation learned more and more, rapidly developing until they matched humans in intellectual capacity.
Very early generations of Beastia discovered how to weave magic. Said early generations figured out how to alter their shapes so that they could appear humanoid. Humanoid creatures are by far dominant in the world, and it wouldn’t have taken a surge of intelligence to figure that out. Over the years, Beastia cautiously interacted with humans and other humanoids, being careful to hide those animal features of theirs that they could not change. As of today, their ability to shape-shift into humanoids has become biological and instinctual.
Despite the Beastia’s staggeringly rapid evolution, the last few generations seem to suggest the race has finally peaked. Now multiple generations in, there have been no Beastia born with any additional biological advancements. Perhaps it is because they have now caught up with the rest of the world?
One such race is the newest of the natural beastmen, the Beastia. Awareness of the Beastia first occurred roughly 200 years ago, though scientific evidence has shown the origin of the race likely occurred only 50 years prior to then. During the tumultuous times preceding the Pact of Unity, a disease manifested in an area in southeast Middle Asia. This disease was not particularly harmful, existing as a symbiotic parasite within the host. This disease spread throughout animals both wild and tame. It stimulated the host’s neurological activity, gradually enhancing its host’s intelligence in an effort to prolong the body’s lifespan, and therefore, the parasite’s. Many animals during this time were observed to exhibit unusual hunting methods, and normally solitary animals began communing with others of their species, forming packs or herds. In one isolated instance, multiple prides of lions assimilated into one another.
Over time, this disease spread to even the migratory birds who carried it to many corners of the world, including the Republic of Nor. The disease would die off soon after its manifestation, as the enhanced intelligence of the animals it inhabited was such that they became sentient and learned of sanitation. The infected animal’s intelligence, however, would not wash away with the parasite which granted it to them. The now sentient animals were capable of passing off their changes to future generations. Every following generation learned more and more, rapidly developing until they matched humans in intellectual capacity.
Very early generations of Beastia discovered how to weave magic. Said early generations figured out how to alter their shapes so that they could appear humanoid. Humanoid creatures are by far dominant in the world, and it wouldn’t have taken a surge of intelligence to figure that out. Over the years, Beastia cautiously interacted with humans and other humanoids, being careful to hide those animal features of theirs that they could not change. As of today, their ability to shape-shift into humanoids has become biological and instinctual.
Despite the Beastia’s staggeringly rapid evolution, the last few generations seem to suggest the race has finally peaked. Now multiple generations in, there have been no Beastia born with any additional biological advancements. Perhaps it is because they have now caught up with the rest of the world?