Information
Anatomy
Geodes
Lifestyles
Information
What's a Vespire?
Vespires are a social, sophisticated species that dwell within the Ebony Wreath. Their society is just as complex as that of pouflons, though their population is much more compact and generally lives in cities carved into the walls of mountains- or inside the mountains themselves, within caverns naturally occurring or created for their purpose.
Though vespires coexist peacefully with most other species, they've had a rivalrous relationship with pouflons for centuries. Their breath and claws can match the magic & swords of most pouflons- but clashes between them are rare, as pouflons are taught to avoid them, and vespires tend to keep to themselves. |
Magic The magical talents of vespires are not as diverse as that of pouflons- instead, vespires focus on magic in the form of breath, or pneumir, which can be used for offensive, defensive, or aesthetic purposes. They are able to breathe smoke for different effect – such as irritant gas, thick, impenetrable fog, or simply to express their mood or impress another vespire. Any smoke they breathe will be their runic color.
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Diet
Vespires can eat almost any kind of solid earth material – rocks, minerals, gems, and jewels all sustain their diet, which they mine deep into the Ebony Wreath mountains to obtain. However, they can only absorb magic from gems and jewels.
A vespire's stomach works like a furnace; rocks and minerals that have a lower melting point are easier and faster to digest, while gems and jewels with higher melting points take longer to digest, and their magic is absorbed slowly.
A vespire's stomach works like a furnace; rocks and minerals that have a lower melting point are easier and faster to digest, while gems and jewels with higher melting points take longer to digest, and their magic is absorbed slowly.
GrowthWhen a Vespire is born they are small and almost defenseless, requiring constant supervision and protection if they’re to survive to adulthood. They cannot speak or fly until several months after their hatching. While they can access their magic, they cannot use it properly without being taught or diligent practice.
Adult Vespires are fully self sufficient and while they can survive the perils of Bellacoste on their own, most decide to ally themselves with a Strata. Vespires continue to grow as they age, their size only limited by their environment and time. Truly massive Vespires are known as Ancients and are incredibly rare. Most Vespires do not have the resources to become Ancients-- or they die before they reach those heights. |
Anatomy
Body Types
Vespire have three different body types: Spry, Svelte, and Stocky.
Spry types are long and thin making it easier to slide through tight tunnels while mining for precious stones.
Svelte types are what one would call the average vespire; they are agile and excel in speed and climbing.
Stocky types are built with strength in mind; large barrel chests, large foreheads, and even larger claws. They excel in strength, digging, and excavating.
Spry types are long and thin making it easier to slide through tight tunnels while mining for precious stones.
Svelte types are what one would call the average vespire; they are agile and excel in speed and climbing.
Stocky types are built with strength in mind; large barrel chests, large foreheads, and even larger claws. They excel in strength, digging, and excavating.
Anatomy
Vespire anatomy is tailored to their mountainous lifestyle- they are agile climbers with large lungs accustomed to breathing thin air.
Their mouths are similar to a serrated beak, strong enough to crush and chew gems and minerals. Their claws are hard enough to break through rock, and are used for offense and for mining. Vespire have a pair of large leather wings that can retract the same way as a pouflon's. Spurs can appear on their rear heels, but are completely optional. |
Runic Color
A vespire's runic color always shows up on their irises, filigree, and the inside of their mouths (tongue and inner mouth).
Optional runic color points are the tail tip, claws, and wing tips. The runic color isn't required in these spots, but show up often!
Optional runic color points are the tail tip, claws, and wing tips. The runic color isn't required in these spots, but show up often!
Extra Traits
- Whiskers: can be rare to enchanted, depending on length and amount!
- Scales: common trait for vespires that can be anywhere on the body.
- Spines: an uncommon trait that allows spines or spikes to travel down a vespire's spine and/or tail
Geodes
Geodes are baby vespires! They are named as such due to hatching from rocks, leaving a beautiful crystal in the shells that match their runics. One of these crystals is carefully extracted by the Strata of Ebenshir and painstakingly added to the harmony of the Lucid Altar. Each vespire’s crystal remains as part of the Altar until their death.
When a Geode is ready to hatch, it will begin to chirp! Vespires charged with maintaining the altar notify the parents of their geode’s impending arrival. Parents know which geode is theirs through a strong magical pull that no one else can feel. If no one arrives in time for the hatching, the geode will either emerge on its own, or with the help of the Strata of Ebenshir or other geodes. A particularly stubborn geode will slowly chew its way out of its shell from the inside. |
Geodes are unable to speak when they are young, instead, they utter small crocodilian chirps. When they are scared and want to call their parents, they puff up as big as they possibly can and let out these little calls. Additionally, their ears are generally floppy upon hatching. They start to stand up fully after about a month.
Unclaimed Geodes remain at the Altar in Banelaire until they are either retrieved or come of age. At this point they are given a choice-- remain as part of the Strata of Ebenshir, or venture out into the world. Some remain, and some take their chances beyond the city walls.
Looking to grow up your geode? Take a look here!
Unclaimed Geodes remain at the Altar in Banelaire until they are either retrieved or come of age. At this point they are given a choice-- remain as part of the Strata of Ebenshir, or venture out into the world. Some remain, and some take their chances beyond the city walls.
Looking to grow up your geode? Take a look here!
Lifestyles
Families
A group of Vespires is known as a Strata. While larger, more established Stratas are household names, a group of even two Vespires may call themselves a Strata. Family and camaraderie are deeply important to Vespires-- though their Strata may not be made up of blood relatives. Their definition of family is loose-- anyone a Vespire feels kinsmanship with may be included in their Strata, including hybrids, pouflons, and ursuki.
Each Strata has its own mark-- a trinket or tattoo that the members bear proudly. A mark can be worn on any part of the body, as long as it’s displayed. A Strata is meant to be for life, though this isn’t always the case. Some struggle to find a bond that’s unbreakable. Some Vespires drift for most of their life, seeking but not finding. Vespires without a Strata are not uncommon, but are often pitied by others.
Each Strata has its own mark-- a trinket or tattoo that the members bear proudly. A mark can be worn on any part of the body, as long as it’s displayed. A Strata is meant to be for life, though this isn’t always the case. Some struggle to find a bond that’s unbreakable. Some Vespires drift for most of their life, seeking but not finding. Vespires without a Strata are not uncommon, but are often pitied by others.
Government
There is no ruling Strata for Vespires. The Strata of Ebenshir is, however, of deep cultural importance. The leader of the Strata of Ebenshir is Azariah the Arbiter. Her main duty is maintaining the Lucid Altar and the city of Banelaire. The Strata of Ebenshir is one of the most ancient and respected of Strata.
When governing decisions of great importance must be made, a call is put out to all Vespires. A Rally convenes in Banelaire, headed by Azariah. Each Strata can choose to send a representative who will stand for their interests. When a Rally convenes, the topic will be discussed amongst all of the representatives before being put to a vote. The Arbiter presides over it all, ensuring that nothing gets out of hand.
All Strata may send a representative to any Rally, no matter how big or small. This is sometimes contentious for larger Strata, who may believe that a larger group means a larger sway. This is true outside of Rallies, but the Arbiter holds firm.
Banelaire Rallies are not always harmonious, but the Strata of Ebenshir does everything it can to maintain the peace until the issue is resolved and the Rally ends.
When governing decisions of great importance must be made, a call is put out to all Vespires. A Rally convenes in Banelaire, headed by Azariah. Each Strata can choose to send a representative who will stand for their interests. When a Rally convenes, the topic will be discussed amongst all of the representatives before being put to a vote. The Arbiter presides over it all, ensuring that nothing gets out of hand.
All Strata may send a representative to any Rally, no matter how big or small. This is sometimes contentious for larger Strata, who may believe that a larger group means a larger sway. This is true outside of Rallies, but the Arbiter holds firm.
Banelaire Rallies are not always harmonious, but the Strata of Ebenshir does everything it can to maintain the peace until the issue is resolved and the Rally ends.
Song
Vespires love to sing, most often communally, deep beneath the earth. Their voices fill their tunnels and caves, reverberate throughout their cities, and bring their Strata together. Deep baritones and soaring sopranos weave together, resonating in the stone and crystals that make up their home. The very earth thrums around a group of singing Vespires, bringing them peace and forging deeper bonds within their community.
When a Vespire’s crystal crumbles to ash, their Strata gathers to sing their story. This practice is called the Lifesong. Together, a Strata draws from their communal memory, singing the life of their fallen comrade and paving the way for their next journey. This retelling of a Vespire’s life is so important that Vespires will often gather even for the Strata-less, singing what tales they know or can make up about the fallen.
If a hybrid, pouflon or ursuki belong to a Strata, the Vespires will often gather to perform their Lifesong as well. It is not seen as culturally important to some, but others feel very strongly about the non-vespire members of their family. It’s a final show of love and respect.
When a Vespire’s crystal crumbles to ash, their Strata gathers to sing their story. This practice is called the Lifesong. Together, a Strata draws from their communal memory, singing the life of their fallen comrade and paving the way for their next journey. This retelling of a Vespire’s life is so important that Vespires will often gather even for the Strata-less, singing what tales they know or can make up about the fallen.
If a hybrid, pouflon or ursuki belong to a Strata, the Vespires will often gather to perform their Lifesong as well. It is not seen as culturally important to some, but others feel very strongly about the non-vespire members of their family. It’s a final show of love and respect.
Hybrids
Vespires harbor no strong ill will towards hybrid species, prefering to judge a character by their merit over their genetics. Hybrid pouflons often find themselves drawn towards the Ebony Wreath, welcomed heartily in Fluorspar and even as deep in Vespire territory as Banelaire.
Viewed as outcasts in pouflon society, hybrids find a home beneath the earth. Some may find them strange, but they are as likely to be welcomed into a Strata as any Vespire, including the Strata of Ebenshir. |
Hybrids are most often already near adulthood by the time they reach the Ebony Wreath. Vespires are not welcome in the Dawn Garden, so parents are often barred from collecting their child. Most do not even attempt it, knowing that doing so may mean their death.
Very rarely, a hybrid will be born at the Lucid Altar. Pouflon parents are not discouraged from collecting their child, though it’s preferred if the Vespire parent is present.
Very rarely, a hybrid will be born at the Lucid Altar. Pouflon parents are not discouraged from collecting their child, though it’s preferred if the Vespire parent is present.