canid
Canids are a boisterously friendly people recognized by their furry bodies, long snouts, and tough, expressive tails. They have exceptional hearing and an unparalleled sense of smell, allowing them to track creatures and even identify the moods of others by scent. They possess an average attunement to magic, greater than a human's but well below a fae's.
They are playful and social creatures by nature, forming an unofficial pack of friendships, many of which will last their entire lives. Loyal to a fault, canids generally make treasured friends and fierce adversaries.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Canids possess two arms and two legs, plus a powerful tail which some have learned to use as a club. They have five fingers on each hand and five toes on each foot, each tipped with a stiff, thick claw. Those who are expected to wear enclosed footwear on a regular bases tend to trim their toe claws; others prefer to grow them out and even sharpen them regularly. Canids have notably expressive body language, particularly with their tails and ears.
Genetics and Reproduction
Canids are also compatible with katanoji, producing genetically viable offspring which take on the species of one parent but the fur patterns of either. They cannot reproduce with humans or Dracoling, although there has been some research with Gene Therapy and other technologies in an effort to change this for couples with the means and inclination to do so.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Canids are omnivorous, with a diet rich in both meats and vegetables. While most prefer their food cooked, canids are well adapted to eating raw meats with minimal ill effects provided they are fresh or well-preserved. They can taste the same basic sweet, salty, sour, and bitter flavors as humans and Dracoling, although not to the same extent. They also possess special taste buds for water, allowing them to better enjoy the drink, particularly after eating sweet or salty foods.
A canid's personal preference for flavors revolves more around their sense of smell rather than taste, although most canids do hold an aversion to salty foods.
Additional Information
Facial characteristics
Canid noses are the longest of all sophont species', with their mouths extended the full length of their snout. Unlike katanoji they possess a large assortment of teeth, ranging from canines (for tearing and ripping food), to incisors (which support the lips, allow for enunciation when speaking, and help bite food into smaller chunks), and molars and premolars (to help with shearing, ripping, and chewing), well adapted for their omnivorous diet. Some canids also use their teeth in combat or for self-defense. While a katanoj bite punctures deep and increases the risk of infection, a canid bite rips and tears through clothing, muscle, and even bone.
Canids' ears vary across individuals and bloodlines, with most possessing a stiff, upright triangular shape, although some canids are born instead with long, floppy ears.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Canids possess exceptional hearing, and can perk and rotate their ears to better pinpoint the origin of sounds. Their sense of hearing is greater than a human's but not as effective as a katanoj's. Their range of motion is also less than that of katanoji ears, although still allowing for expressive ear-based body language.
Their sense of taste is more developed than katanoji due to the canids' omnivorous diet, although not as developed as a human's or Dracoling's. Their sense of smell is the most advanced and highly tuned of all the sophont species, compensating for their fewer taste buds and allowing them to serve as effective trackers or even healers.
Civilization and Culture
Courtship Ideals
Canid courtship is playful, revolving around communal games and hunts. The closer a couple becomes the more they withdraw from the rest of the group during these events in favor of spending more time privately together. The more time individuals spend together, the more they also acquire smells from their partner, signaling to other canids nearby the strength of their bonds toward each other.
Common Etiquette Rules
Within their own familial and friendship groups, canids have little need for or interest in personal boundaries. Boundaries and territories are things reserved for rivals and threats. Exceptions are made, of course, for those in distress whether through illness or mood, and they adapt well to following the boundaries set by others.
When introduced to an unfamiliar canid it is advised to allow them to make the first move to greet after introductions are concluded. Their highly tuned sense of smell allows them to pick up on pheromones from all species, which they have learned to use quite skillfully in setting an appropriate level of familiarity for all parties involved.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Canids are social by nature, with many collecting unofficial packs of close friends around themselves. They are generally welcoming to all peoples and groups unless threatened. They are quick to defend friends and family from those deemed unsafe or threatening. Canids generally prove to be loyal and supportive friends, with a genuine interest in the well-being of those they consider part of their pack, even when separated for extended periods of time.
Max Coilin by InsaneNicky
Scientific Name
Animalius canidae
Lifespan
130 years
Average Height
5 to 8 ft
Average Physique
Most Canids are fairly muscular, although their various body types mean these muscles are not always visible. Their bones are less dense than katanoji bones, although more dense than humans or dracoling bones.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Canids are found in multiple colorations including shades of tan, brown, black, white, gray, and silver. A canid's coat could be entirely one color or a collection of different shades or colors in various patterns. Their fur also ranges from short or long hair, and can be straight or curly, with some individuals possessing fur patterns which include multiple lengths or styles.
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