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***skinstealer*** · (This post was last modified: 10-14-2020, 12:16 PM by skinstealer.)

TAUNTAMOUNTS
[CW: very simple/brief mentions of reproduction (literally just a mention cmon now it's a SFW thread)]

ORIGIN

Originated in ????
Created by ???? in [year]
First morph: Segmented
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CULTURE

Due to being made of inorganic materials, tauntamounts are not susceptible to typical diseases or illnesses- but they are unable to heal wounds or injuries, and must patch them up as best as they can.
Tauntamounts enjoy fishing as a way of life, and often sit on docks in groups with their tails in the water, hooks cast to the best fishing spots.
Tauntamounts tend to sleep in tight quarters together, and do not mind sharing spaces.
Different kinds of hooks are valued highly by tauntamounts, and many dedicated to the craft of fishing have extensive collections.
Tauntamounts typically teach their children directly and do not employ formal education.
Typical tauntamount housing involves adequate room to store spoils from fishing trips, and is often located within distance to some significant body of water.
Tauntamounts are both incredibly patient and incredibly fast moving when need be, and are known for being able to sit completely still and move faster than most of their prey can react to.
Tauntamounts are surprisingly effective in combat due to their strong jaw strength, durable bodies, and overall speed, and are often employed in fighting horror-related threats due to their complete immunity to radiation.
Trinkets are highly valued to tauntamounts, and many consider finding trinkets for their prospective children to be one of the most important searches should they choose to pursue parenthood.
Due to trinkets being such a large factor in the life cycle, many tauntamount parents name their children in themes related to their trinkets.
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APPEARANCE

Varying shapes based on morphs, though they’re generally pretty chunky
Markings vary hugely based on personal trinket and morph
Voices consist of clacking and gonking
No paw pads
Tails vary based on morph, but typically have a place for fishing line to come out and a place to affix a hook.
No hair
Range from 4’0-6’0 for "normal" adult height range.
Digitigrade legs, claw feet
Standard arms, claw hands
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BIOLOGY

Made of various materials, dependent on morph and in some cases, the individual
Inside cavity contains silk fishing line and a small trinket encased in a plastic capsule, selected by the tauntamount’s parent(s). This trinket helps determine what kinds of creatures are lured to the hooks attached to their lines, and does not need to be organic. The exact reasoning for why a trinket attracts certain creatures is abstract, and can be strange at times.
Fishing line regenerates over time, but slows as the tauntamount ages. A fishing line running out completely points to incoming death, albeit not an immediate one.
Jack o’ lantern teeth
Omnivorous, with a strong preference for aquatic life and worms. No one knows where food goes once swallowed, but they do require it to survive.
High energy levels but very patient when it comes to waiting for prey
Prone to wiggling in body language
Simple ears
Round eyes with equally round, black pupils
Easily startled by loud noises and rapid movements
Amphibious, but prefer land due to aquatic predators being extremely attracted to their flashy appearances
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LIFE CYCLE/FAMILY STRUCTURE

Reproduce asexually and have no sexual characteristics whatsoever
Tauntamounts create eggs via a species-specific magic, typically in clutches of 3-5, and children are referred to as guppies.
Tauntamounts are capable of fishing up “treasures”- seemingly pieces of unimportant junk that when whispered key phrases to by a tauntamount, can be turned into a cluster of eggs. Giving up these treasures to another person instead of keeping them for oneself is considered a perfectly charitable act, and is encouraged if the finder does not want children for themself.
Small trinkets are placed within these eggs before the guppies can begin to form, and help determine the appearance of the individual guppies. Guppies do not take any traits from their parent(s), and morphs are entirely random.
Families are not blood related at all, and can thus take practically any size and shape.
Tauntamounts value casual and committed relationships equally.
Leaving the family is considered a tearful affair even without direct blood relation, and if leaving on good terms, many stay in touch.
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GENETICS

Morphs are inspired by different kinds of fishing lure, along with occasional inspiration by different kinds of fish.
Hybrids and mixed morph children do not exist.
First morph: Segmented- though subsequent morphs emerged randomly, and without god intervention.
Tauntamounts are inorganic, and completely immune to horror mutation.
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MORPHS

Segmented
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Based on segmented lures
Made of plastic
Segmented body, jointed all over
Very wiggly
Hook on base of tail, right before fin
Thick bodies
Extremely varied markings, bright colors
Big eyes

Jig
"????”
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Based on jig lures
Made of shiny plastic
Hook on end of tail in lieu of fin
Slightly ribbed quality to body
Thinner bodies
Extremely varied markings, bright colors
Big eyes

Bobber
"????”
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Based on bobber lures and angler fish
Made of plastic
No hook attachment point on the end of the tail, making this morph ineffective at actually naturally fishing for anything
Head bobber can be extended like tail hooks, allowing bobber morphs to dip it into the water and lure prey
Thick bodies
Half and half segmentation/markings
Tiny eyes
Thick finned tails

RULES

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.

Restrictions/No-go's