Post by The X-Ray Dog on May 13, 2011 22:27:47 GMT 8
The Tien Kou, also known as Tian Gou or Tengu Dog, are a large canine species of Mystic resembling some type of generally hairless dog. Though it is unclear of when or how they came into being, it is certain that they are an ancient race, with evidence of their highly intellectual culture going back as far as time itself. The are highly advanced builders, helped by their elemental powers over earth/stone, metal and, as their name suggests, fire. The majority of Tien Kou reside in the basin of a massive crater, in which it is said the species was "born" from the collision of a massive meteorite. Whether or not this is true is up to speculation, but the species has set up a large capital "city" of sorts in this area. Almost all Tien Kou are born in this captial Yuurik, wandering away only once they are old enough to explore and only if they so choose to.
APPEARANCE
Tien Kou are large canid looking animals. They move about on all fours, with a gait and generalized anatomy very similar to some sort of domestic canine. Their bodies are dominated by a massively deep chest, which holds the majority of their vital organs. Their liver, for example, is located at the top of their ribcage, just beneath the spinal cord, in front of which is their large heart. They have a jutting collar bone at this point, which marks the top of a sort of "protective container" of cartilage and small bones that house the heart and protect it from harm. Because if its sheer size and the large spaces between the ribs, the chest and ribcage of the tien kou are the species' most vulnerable area. Partially due to its sheer importance.
With large lungs, a large heart, and a large active liver, the tien kou is a species built for speed and endurance rather than sheer strength. They are a fantastic example of all around physical performance, and are not weak by any definition of the word. However, their endurance, agility, and overall maneuverability are their greatest attributes. Rather than rely on physical strength, Tien Kou use a variety of magical attributes to fight and defend themselves. They can breathe or spit fire, for example, and are notoriously known to be able to control said fire with their well developed minds.
Though they largely rely on magical means of attack, they are equipped with your standard physical items of weaponry- long, sharp pointed teeth lining their long, slender jaws. Their skulls are generally between 25% and 50% longer than the skull of a wolf or dog, so their are gifted with a far greater number of teeth. However, unlike wolves or dogs, Tien Kou do not have molars- only rows of pointed incisors and three sets of enlarged canines at the front on the top jaw (no canines on the bottom jaw). Their teeth are designed for piercing flesh and bone like a well sharpened lance, the long canines up front typically used in the gruesome act of piercing the skull of victims, straight into the brain, killing them instantly. However, though effective, the teeth are long and fragile, easily broken if the prey is not properly restrained first. Once in adulthood, broken teeth do not grow back, unfortunately. Tien Kou also have claws on their paws, but they are not at all dissimilar to normal canine claws- somewhat longer, slightly curved, but otherwise relatively dull from walking on them constantly. They are used to grab, hold and generally restrain prey before biting them.
Another weapon at a Tien Kou's disposal is the sheer size of the animal. Generally, the average Tien Kou will stand taller than the average wolf- usually between 3 and 4 feet at the shoulder. However, this is largely due to the Tien Kou's naturally long legs and somewhat lanky, wiry, flexible build. In terms of actual weight and mass, they are about the same as wolves- ranging between 90 and 150 pounds, depending on the exact body type. Some Tien Kou are more muscular than others, others are more slender. It varies with them, just as it varies in humans.
Their bodies are completely hairless, except for a mane of coarse, wiry hair that encircles their neck like a lion's mane. The mane is not terribly thick- just long, laying flat and almost sagging to the Tien Kou's sides and down below his body, giving the creature a slightly thicker look than what is accurate. The mane is designed to protect the throat and, most notably, the front of the chest- the most vulnerable part of the Tien Kou's body. But it is not thick enough to act as a shield like a lion's mane. Instead, it is designed to obscure the vision of the attacker, its long and flowing nature making it somewhat difficult for an assailant to see what and where exactly they are biting or scratching. This hair is also fire retardant and protects the body of the Tien Kou from its own elemental attacks. Finally, the mane acts as a great insulator, retaining heat at the Tien Kou's core, where its elemental fire is generated in the liver. The thicker the Tien Kou's mane, the faster and easier it will be to generator fire.
Manes come in a large variety of styles and colors. Tien Kou are intelligent enough to occasionally style their manes with beads, braids, cuts and trinkets, so no two manes ever seem to be identical. However, the mane always encircles the neck (on both males and females), often traveling down the back at least passed the shoulders, and always traveling the entire length of the bottom of the ribcage. The mane is thickest around the ribcage, which is what it is designed to protect. Male Tien Kou also have a patch of hair over their sheath and around their flanks, simply to protect it from attack as females of this species can be ruthless and violent. The mane hair also appears on the underside of the Tien Kou's whip-like curled tail. This hair functions as display only- the tail being raised when the Tien Kou is being aggressive or threatening, when he is fearful and trying to scare away an opponent, when he is being dominant or assertive, or when he is trying to flag down a mate. The mane of the Tien Kou will always be brighter than the usually dark skin- with white manes being the most preferable, as they are the brightest and easiest to see. However, bright unnatural colors- such as bright red or bright orange, are also highly revered. Some Tien Kou even have manes that are multiple colors. Dark tips on the mane, for example, are very common.
By comparison, the skin of Tien Kou is generally darkly colored. Though they have no fur beyond their manes, their skin is often discolored in various ways to give something of an impression of markings. These markings can be anything from spots to patches to stripes to... nothing at all. Many Tien Kou have no real obvious markings. The markings tend to be very subtle and overall, the skin appears dark- dark grays, dark browns, even some with a greenish or reddish hue to them. Bright or obvious white markings on the skin are a random and relatively rare mutation. Though they are considered a sign of good fortune or luck, many Tien Kou with white markings are shunned for looking "weird".
The exception to this are Albino or Leucistic Tien Kou. Because white markings of any sort are considered a sign of good fortune, entirely white Tien Kou (which only occur in the case of Albinism or extreme Leucism) are cherished as treasures in most families, rather than being considered freaks. The majority of Tien Kou leaders were albino individuals and many families deliberately set up breedings in an attempt to propagate the albinism gene. So there is a relatively large population of albino Tien Kou. Albino individuals are identified by their pure white or slightly off-white skin coloration and their similarly white or cream-colored manes. Unlike normal Tien Kou, whose manes are lighter than their skin, Albino Tien Kou tend to have manes that are slightly (almost unnoticeable) darker than their excessively light skin. Their eyes are either red or extremely pale blue, and in almost all cases, albino individuals are born blind. The lack of pigmentation in their eyes gives them extremely sensitive eyesight, so almost all albino individuals lose their sight at a very very very early age.
Leucistic Tien Kou are similar to albino ones, only less severe. Their skin is usually some form of slight gray, with some as dark as graphite and others as light as snow. It varies from individual to individual. Their skin often takes on a sort of blue-ish or slightly reddish hue, depending on what colors their markings were originally supposed to be and, unlike albinos, their markings will usually still be visible- just extremely light and very subtle. Their manes also retain a lot of color and, like Albinos, are typically darker than their skin rather than lighter. Their eyes are always pale, but can be almost any color- from light blue to hazel to silver to beige.
AGING/LIFESPAN
Tien Kou age very slowly compared to the average canine. They can live to be anywhere from 100 to 150 years old, but mature very slowly. They sexually mature at approximately 8 years old, but are not considered true adults until they are 18. Many do not physically mature until some time in their late teens, between 15 and 20 years old. Their manes grow throughout their lives and, often times, the length of a Tien Kou's mane will denote some information regarding his or her age, but not always. As mentioned above, many Tien Kou do cut and purposefully style their manes with mud and tree sap and things.
Male and Female Tien Kou age at about the same rate as the genders are almost completely equal in all aspects of life. They are the same size, have the same authority and the same potential to be strong or powerful. The only difference between the two genders are that males tend to have little hairy goatees on their chins and hair over their groin area to protect their penis. Females do not have these things. Males also tend to be slightly brighter in color with more contrast, as brighter males have an easier time attracting mates. However, males always prefer brighter females over duller colored ones, so bright females do exist and are actually considered to be quite beautiful.
REPRODUCTION
Though, due to their high intelligence, Tien Kou have a higher chance of mating for life than most other animals, in general they are not considered to be terribly loyal to a single mate, particularly when young. During the first twenty or thirty years of life, most Tien Kou, flooded with hormones, mate with many different individuals many different times. Then, as they age and their energy levels decrease, the act of sex loses a lot of its appeal and they will often switch gears to searching for a life long companion rather than a one night stand. However this always varies from individual to individual.
They do having a mating season, usually during the late spring and early summer months. Though they will occasionally mate outside of these months, they can only conceive offspring during the months with warmer climates. Everything works better for them when it is warm.
The gestation of a Tien Kou is just about 11 months, so pups are usually born in early spring, just before mating season begins again. Litters are generally small, as Tien Kou pups are born rather large, restricted to only one or two pups at a time. Occasionally there will be three, and four is considered a ridiculously large litter, five is almost unheard of and would almost certainly kill the mother from sheer physical strain. Though the pups age rapidly, they change very little in size until they reach about 5 years old, at which point they hit a growth spurt that takes them to their adult height between 15 and 20 years of age. Before then, they require very little food and very little attention, surprisingly, being born strong and very hardy. A few feedings daily is just about all they need besides a nice warm climate and a place to hide from predators. They are usually born with the ability to stand up and move around, but it takes a few years for their brains to develop the balance and dexterity needed for easy and efficient locomotion. Also, like normal canines, they are born with their eyes and ears closed. Their ears will usually open up and straighten up (if they are erect ears- Tien Kou can be born with either erect or floppy ears) within days of their birth, but their eyes won't open until they reach about a year old. They won't start actively communicating until 2 years, usually being able to talk and move efficiently by 3.
By age 8, they are technically sexually mature and able to reproduce, but they don't normally grow into the mindset of reproducing until they reach their teenage years- between 12 and 15.
MAGIC AND ABILITIES
Tien Kou can most basically be described as fire dogs, with elemental expertise in the art of generating, bending and using fire to their advantage. However, technically, there are three types of Tien Kou, each with different elemental abilities. The majority of Tien Kou are experts with fire, but some are experts with earth and rock instead, able to move soil and generate rock faces beneath their paws or at the sound of their howl. Others still are experts with metal and metallic substances, able to turn rock into metal and then morph that metal into various shapes, often generating armor or metal weapons at their will. A very elite few of Tien Kou have mastery over all three elements, and all Tien Kou have the capability to wield any number of the three. It simply takes many many years of hard practice, concentration and discipline.
Other than the power to control one or more of the three listed elements (fire, earth/rock, or metal), Tien Kou have no particular powers. Though they are remarkably intelligent, and therefore use their powers in the most creative ways, it does always come back to the elemental basis.
All Tien Kou (even if they have a preference for earth or metal) can breath fire. Their liver generates a lot of heat and their respiration releases a lot of oxygen upon exhale. When combined, this becomes a very powerful flame, which is then expelled through the Tien Kou's mouth or nose. Their flesh is highly resistant to flame, their bodies having a very high core temperature. So they are not immune but extremely resistant to fire damage, particularly in the throat and neck region where their mane provides extra protection.
They have an extremely keen sense of smell. Their nostrils are situated sideways to assist in the intake of air while protecting against the potential danger of inhaling flame. Though their skin and mane are fire retardant, their insides are not, and inhaling fire can do devastating amounts of damage to their lungs. But this is not usually a problem, unless trapped inside some sort of inferno. Usually, the worst that happens is to inhale too soon after breathing fire. The fire will "go down the wrong tube", so to speak, which causes a lot of coughing, excessive salivating, watering of the eyes, general discomfort, and often times a bad smell to come from the mouth. But is otherwise not dangerous unless it happens too many times consistently. As long as there is no fire in their nose, Tien Kou have an extremely keen sense of smell.
Their other senses are not so impressive. Hearing is pretty good, but nothing impressive. Probably average for a canid. While their eyesight is usually below average during the daytime, but surprisingly keen at night, if slightly near-sighted. They have sharp night vision, able to see anything within a few yards distance relatively clearly no matter how dark a night it is, making nighttime hunting very easy. However, during the daytime, the sun is almost blinding and they have notoriously poor vision during the day or at anytime if the object in question is very far away. Their sight is very limited to short ranges.
Tien Kou make up for their bad eyesight by having heat sensing pits on their face and muzzle. All Tien Kou, no matter what color or variation, have a stripe of black running from their eyes to the end of their muzzle, with only slight variations in shape and size. They also have black patches above each eye. These patches absorb heat into their hidden heat sensors, allowing them to view the heat signature of the world around them as sort of a sixth sense, on top of their normal sight, hearing, smell and so on. Heat sensing is directional, a lot like hearing and their sense of smell, but the range of their heat sensing pits is much greater than their other senses, save smell which is still their primary method of understanding the world. Thermal sensing comes second though. With all other senses blocked, a Tien Kou can identify the direction and general location of anything generating more than 15 degrees of heat differential from more than 1000 meters away, even with obstacles. It, like the sense of smell, is not a terribly specific sense, that can be obscured by: heat in the environment, obstacles blocking the signal, the overall size and shape of the target, and so on. But it is an exceptionally useful method of tracking other Tien Kou, whom have very obvious and powerful heat signatures due to their high core body temperature. Every living thing has a different type of heat signature, so Tien Kou can often identify individuals without actually having to see, hear or smell them.
LIFE STYLE
The Tien Kou are average, if highly intelligent, canids. Like most canids, they tend to live in large groups- hunting together, eating together, and defending their territories together. However, they prefer to call their groups "tribes", with the term "pack" being reserved for small bands of usually males who like to hang out together more frequently than other tribe members. Occasionally, packs will break off from the main tribe, and the males will wander off in search of their own territory or to start their own tribe, but these quests are usually unsuccessful, and the small pack is either killed somehow or returns to their home tribe in defeat.
Being intellectuals by nature, Tien Kou are practical and pragmatic when it comes to accepting outsiders into the tribe. They like to keep to themselves, a relatively new and mysterious species with many secrets to hide. Therefore, they can be extremely skeptical of new comers and tend to ask a lot of brain-numbing questions in a passive attempt to drive the outsider off. Determined or otherwise well-meaning outsiders may be allowed to stay, however. Tien Kou have much respect for other species and their abilities, and do enjoy having other creatures as company, often employing them as teachers for their offspring so they may learn about the world outside of the tribe. This is to discourage wandering, while still continuing to expand the knowledge that Tien kou pride themselves in.
Currently, there is only one tribe of Tien Kou living in a massive crater-made valley. The active volcano beneath them makes the crater very warm and humid, which the meteor dogs seem to enjoy, and there are plenty of rock, mineral and metal deposits for the dogs to exploit with their elemental abilities. The very east and very west of the crater, right up and into the crater's high walls, are crammed with dens, dug deep into the earth and shaped cleverly with their powers. Though the outside of these dens looks like a simple mound of dirt, crawling inside will reveal a mass network of rooms and areas dedicated to specific activities. The average den has one room for each member of the family (as Tien Kou are always keen on keeping family ties, just as human do), organized around a central living room where stories are told, fires are sometimes lit for warmth, and dinner is served and eaten. There are often two small notches for storage somewhere, and one small room used as the toilet. Excrement are collected in a metal-lined container at the bottom of a deep shaft, and then burned after every use.
All of these dens are built around two "schools", set up at the center of each neighborhood. The schools are simply larger versions of the previously mentions dens. A large open area of packed dirt, often marked off by a fence made of bones and rock, serves as a training area for physical pursuits in fighting and magic. Down below is the actual school house- a network of tunnels and classrooms, each with its own purpose. Tien Kou have their own unique alphabet and, though it is not customary for pups to learn to write, they always teach their pups how to read and speak their unique language, as well as the more general speech of animals on this planet. Language is the biggest part of their schooling, with bonus classes in elvish, human languages like english and spanish, and even other extraterrestrial languages from other planets. They also, obviously, take classes in element control and bending, which means most Tien Kou easily master at least one element due to the extremely structured manner in which it is taught to them. Classes in construction are also taught- how to build dens, how to construct armor and weapons, and so on. Basically everything that needs be known, will be taught to a pup in school.
Once they reach adulthood, pups apply for positions in the tribe each spring. The tribe is run by a council of 5: 3 males, 1 female, and the tribe's chieftan. Though the chieftan is technically the final and ruling power of the tribe, he almost always seeks information and opinions from his council when making decisions and the council members enjoy a ridiculously high rank. The council hears every pup's application and chooses ranks for them based on information provided. Unlike normal simple animal packs, Tien Kou tribes have a greater number of ranks. They of course have the leader and subordinate high advisory positions, just as a wolf pack has alphas and betas, and they still have a collection of generals to control the tribal army/guard. Scouts are considered part of this guard. They have hunters as well, whom venture out from the tribe to kill and collect food. But, unlike wolf packs, Tien Kou have other less important ranks. Miners are rock bending Tien Kou whom spend their time in deep mines around the village, digging out rocks, ore and raw materials to be used in construction. Builders are rock and metal benders whom do the actual constructing of dens, schools, and sick houses. Patrol Officers are like Tien Kou police units, whom prowl around the lands and make sure no one is breaking any rules or doing anything unsavory. Merchants use their powers to make small items and trinkets to be sold to other Tien Kou for currency.
They use small bones and metal beads as currency.
CULTURE AND BELIEFS
The wide-spread belief, spread mostly by the Tien Kou themselves, is that the species originated from a far away planet. Capable of space travel, they were zipping along on their highly advanced craft when it hit an asteroid belt, was thrown off course, and eventually crash landed on earth. The crash destroyed the ship and many Tien Kou on board were killed instantly or died sometime later. However, the remaining population did its best to survive and adapt to the world they were now trapped upon.
Supposedly this occurred hundreds of thousands of years ago. Since then, breeding with local canines has warped the appearance of the Tien Kou, making them more dog-like than they originally were. Ancient drawings of them and their oldest records have them looking more feline than anything, standing partially upright with long, saurian heads and tails.
Many of the older Tien Kou still believe this form of their history to be true, and will spend much of their time praising "homeland" and calling to "Mother Kova" (their home planet is supposedly called Kovanu) for guidance and strength. It is believed by them that, when a Tien Kou brother dies, the Goddess Kova swoops down as a bright white falling star and takes the spirit of the fallen Tien Kou back home to Kovanu where he lives again in a sort of "after life".
But, most Tien Kou have begun to consider this rubbish. Studies have shown them that the crater is older than they are and it is more likely that radiation from the underlying volcano mutated them into what they are today.
But the jury is still out on which one is exactly true.
CAPITAL CITY
Yuurik is the name of the "city" in which the only earthling tribe of Tien Kou resides- in a large crater very far to the east. The majority of Tien Kou are born here and most of them choose never to leave. But Tien Kou know, understand and respect the youthful desire and need to explore the world, so many young Tien Kou wander off from the city. Many return once they have seen enough of the rest of the world, others never return. Even fewer return with mates and families belonging to a different race, which is allowed but often greeted with some skepticism.
However, most creatures will find that Yuurik is an open and welcoming place, especially to Tien Kou, whether they were born there or not. It is the central hub of the species culture so, by that logic, anyone of the species is accepted within its walls.
