[SPECIES DEVELOPMENT] SNUGLINS

[skinstealer]

SNUGLIN

 

[CW: very simple/brief mentions of reproduction (literally just a mention cmon now it's a SFW thread), corporate fuckery + violations of sapience rights]

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ORIGIN

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• Originated in Hearth
  
• Created by the Snuglin Corporation in 258 RE
  
• First morph: Teddy
  
• ????
  

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CULTURE

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• Found primarily in Hearth, though some have begun to spread across the Taverne region
  
• Very scarcely found outside of Taverne, with them decreasing in numbers the further you go
  
• Due to being born and raised in a corporate factory, family structure is atypical and is more akin to "it takes a village to raise a child", except the village is the corporation
  
• Leaving the corporation is possible, but requires a ridiculous amount of paperwork and navigating through red tape, something that most snuglins are ill equipped for and not trained in figuring out
  
• There are parental figures in the corporation itself, but they're either high up workers or promoted snuglins that worked to get to this point
  
• No religious ties
  
• Worship numbers vary due to their not being a creator god for this species, though many worship Wax and Velvet
  
• High rate of disability and illness, snuglins that leave the corporation often find themselves either seeking outside specialists or returning to the corp for specialized treatments (that typically require them to stay, or at the very least return on a frequent basis)
  
• Goods made for snuglins by the corporation are often soft and friendly in their appeal, focused on comfort and appearing inviting
  
• It is not uncommon for a snuglin's room in the corporation to be filled with tiny knick knacks and toys, prizes won through good behavior and accomplishing jobs around the facilities
  
• Snuglins that leave the facility for jobs or manage to escape its grip either order supplies and goods from the corporation itself or through indie vendors specializing in making their own snuglin-focused wares, typically in an effort to combat the corporation's monopoly
  
• Indie vendors and activists are frowned upon heavily by the corporation, but have a growing movement in Hearth and other Taverne zones
  
• Snuglins tend to sleep in beds and/or pillow piles/forts, with fairly luxurious and comfortable accommodations (primarily meant to encourage them to stay with the corporation)
  
• Rewards given by the corporation for good behavior/performance include toys, clothing, and entertainment (though all books and movies are screened for content)
  
• Snuglins outside the corporation tend to value things that help give them more autonomy, especially with replacements for goods/services the corporation is able to provide in order to keep them tied to it
  
• Body mod culture is extremely popular with snuglins outside the corporation, as it helps give them more autonomy and control over their bodies/how they present
  
• Education is primarily handled within the corporation itself, with information being heavily controlled and monitored
  
• Once education is completed, snuglins are permitted to seek jobs screened by the corporation, typically in caregiving/caretaking, child education, and other fields that require a "gentle and friendly" disposition/appearance
  
• Housing is provided within the corporation's facilities, with immense amounts of red tape in the way of seeking outside housing
  
• Housing in the facilities is very comfortable and well provided in order to encourage snuglins to stay with the corporation
  
• Snuglins are encouraged to appear soft, friendly, and family-friendly
  
• Many snuglin activists actively reject this expected image, going as far as making themselves censor-worthy in the corporation's eyes
  
• Snuglins are actively created to be terrible at combat, with no natural defenses (including a lack of teeth)
  
• One common body mod for snuglins is the addition of claws/teeth in order to help them defend themselves
  
• The snuglin corporation has branches to create media both for mass consumption and for the snuglins themselves, all of which controlled to be sanitized and inoffensive as possible
  
• ????
  

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APPEARANCE

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• Snuglins have round, soft shapes, typically with circles and ruffles prominent
  
• Markings are usually simple and stitched on, though snuglins outside of the corporation may dye their cloth skin in patterns 
  
• All snuglins have a plastic heart piece fused to their neck fluff that is immensely hard to remove, rooted deep enough to dig into their actual flesh and not just the plush layer
  
• Plastic hearts are simple and uniform in color, but are often dyed/painted/modified by those outside of the corporation
  
• Voices are composed of squeaks and sometimes honks, much like a toy squeaker
  
• Paw pads are present
  
• Most snuglins have tails, with the plush layer typically made out of a particularly fluffy material
  
• Hair is very uncommon on snuglins outside of modded ones, but has been put on several models as a "limited edition feature"
  
• Range from [4'6]-[6'6] for "normal" adult height range.
  
• Standard arms, soft paw hands
  
• Digitigrade legs
  
• ????
  

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BIOLOGY

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• Snuglins have skeletons, muscles, nerves, organs, and blood underneath skin covered by a layer of plush.
  
• No teeth
  
• Snuglins require a primarily liquid/easy to swallow diet, making finding food they can eat outside of the corporation a real challenge
  
• Energy levels vary hugely based on model and how a snuglin is raised, with some having very low, sluggish levels and others being far more energized and enthusiastic
  
• Very expressive body language, primarily with hand gestures and full body emoting
  
• Large, fluffy ears on most morphs
  
• Button-like eyes or organic eyes meant to resemble buttons with their custom pupils
  
• No natural defenses
  
• Plush layer cannot heal on its own, requiring patching and specialized repair work
  
• No specific animal behaviors, though many grow nervous and on edge from low socialization
  
• Bonus "features" such as music boxes may be added to a snuglin's body, often leading to new health concerns
  
• Cuts need to reach deep to actually hit the flesh underneath the plush layer, leading to things like papercuts requiring only a few surface stitches
  
• Lifespan of 60 years, reach maturity at 18-20
  
• ????
  

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LIFE CYCLE/FAMILY STRUCTURE

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• Completely prevented from reproducing on their own, no organs capable of it outside of extensive body modding
  
• Family is entirely chosen due to most/practically all snuglins being first generation
  
• Snuglins fall into parental roles easily due to being raised/groomed for said positions, and many end up as caretakers for members of other species
  
• ????
  

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GENETICS

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• Morphs are based on plush toys of various animals, typically with a vintage feel
  
• Due to their inability to reproduce, snuglin hybrids/mixed morph children are exceedingly rare and have to be created in lab conditions
  
• If hybrids/mixed morph children are created artificially, they tend to pass down any organic traits, and not the plush layer added on top in snuglin production
  
• Common mutations include those affecting the organic body underneath the plush layer, leading to rips and tears in the plush once size growth, claw development, and other mutations occur. Teeth growth is also common, leading to some snuglins to mutate themselves on purpose in order to gain that advantage (and ability to chew things). Hunger increases, emotional instability, extra eyes, and extra tails are also common
  
• Extra eyes burst through the plush layer in ways that no one is sure how they work
  
• Extra tails are organic, and do not have a plush layer
  
• ????
  

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MORPHS

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Teddy

"????”

????

• Based on teddy bears
  
• Button-style pupils
  
• Neck fluff
  
• Long, fluffy tails
  
• Round ears
  
• Big noses
  

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Meowser

"????”

????

• Based on vintage cat puppets/plushes
  
• Bead/button style eyes, plastic-like in material (but still fully capable of sight)
  
• Neck ruffles
  
• Long, fluffy tails
  
• Pointed ears, only points on design
  
• Defined muzzles
  

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Pupper

"????”

????

• Based on vintage dog plushes
  
• Button-style pupils
  
• Neck fluff and collar (cannot be removed without surgery)
  
• Short, fluffy tails
  
• Tongue prone to hanging out of mouth (cannot be fixed without surgery)
  
• Long, fluffy ears
  

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Squeakie

"????”

????

• Based on vintage mice/koala plushes
  
• Button-style pupils
  
• Neck fluff
  
• Two hearts present on design, one at base of tail
  
• Large ears
  
• Louder squeaks than most other species, especially when squeezed
  

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Snugglesaurus

"????”

????

• Based on dinosaur toys
  
• Bead style eyes, plastic-like in material but still capable of sight
  
• Spiky neck fluff versus fluffy (still plush/soft)
  
• Thick, "spined" tail
  
• No ears, has head spines instead
  
• Eyelashes often present
  
• Spines are made of felt/similar fabric, leading to a different texture
  
• Newer model, hence different visual direction
  

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RULES

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This is a species development thread! Here you can have discussion on the species presented, and offer suggestions/ideas for developing them- thus directly contributing to the species! Anything is fair game so long as it follows the restrictions (if any are listed). This main post will be updated as we go, allowing for people to always have an up to date resource on the species. 

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Restrictions/No-go's

• Keep it SFW!!!!
  

[AceOfNothing]

I have three questions.

Would it be possible for a music box to be added to a snuglin? Like a wind up music box with a little key to turn and such

Is the heart always the same, or could you have one with a design on it or a pattern or something?

If a snuglin got something like a papercut let's say, do they just have to worry about plush or would blood also be an issue. (Basically is that an immediate issue or do you need to cut deep)

[skinstealer]

yes, absolutely re: music box!

the heart is typically solid colored and simple, but snuglins outside of the corporation have gotten modifications on theirs before

you'd need to cut pretty deep to get through the plush layer, so it'd mostly be an issue of stitching up the fabric again

adding to main post!

[Pichi2214]

this is probably a very morbid question, but... how does a snuglin look beneath the plush layer?
and if it mutates to have more tails, does it just have organic tails next to the one original plush tail? Same for the eyes, do they just grow beneath the plush layer if additional ones grow?

[skinstealer]

snuglins look pretty fleshy underneath the plush layer, typically with pale, featureless skin
eyes will burst through the flesh layer (though no one is sure how), and extra tails will be organic

[AceOfNothing]

So what exactly does the corporation make? Is it only things for Snuglin, or do they make thinks in a more general sense too? I kind of headcanon that they make Plushie's based off Snuglin living inside Corporation, but if that's like... completely wrong I'd love to know.

[Pichi2214]

what happens to snuglins that are heavily mutated on accident or otherwise? I'd assume they no longer fit what the corporation wants from them so where do they go? do they just stay with the company, are they rejected, something else?

[AceOfNothing]

Does age effect Snuglin's? Like would one that's like... 40-60 start to crease and wear out? Is there increased health risks, is it harder to get repairs? And while I know its "it takes a factory to raise a Snuglin" would it be completely wrong to have them have pseudo-families? Like say a young Snuglin really attached to an older one, could they call them like Grandpa or something?

[AceOfNothing]

Would a Snuglin have to be created with the ability to see scraps or could that just happen on accident?