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Pockitts

Name: Pockitt
Creator: Velvet
Home Zone: Whimsy
Project Appearances: Pretty Much Everything, Ashtray (Bazil), Maybequest (Dwane)
Species Development Thread: Species Development: Pockitts


Warning! This article contains very simple/brief mentions of reproduction (literally just a mention cmon now it's a SFW thread) along with cult/ritual mentions and child abuse mentions. Proceed with caution.

Pockitts are a marsupial-like bipedal species native to Taverne. Pockitts no longer occupy their origin zone of Whimsy following the death of their creator, Velvet, at the hands of Spit, and have since immigrated beyond.

Origin

Pockitts once originated in Whimsy where they resided in greatest number along with their god, Velvet. However, following her death, pockitt populations were scattered across Taverne and now the densest populations have settled in Hearth and Precipice.

Culture

Pockitts form very close-knit communities with small families, both chosen and blood-related, within that greater community. The family is the center of pockitt life; communities support families in need and raising children is a burden shared by the whole community.

Abuse is abhorred by pockitt culture and is considered a criminal act, especially abuse against children. These acts are severely punished, often resulting in exile.

Religion is a touchy subject for many pockitts in the modern era, the loss of Velvet impacted the moral of pockitt society greatly, but those who still have faith in the gods worship Wax or still worship Velvet, despite her absence. Often constructing altars and offering food or stories in her memory. Pockitts worship the remaining gods of Taverne in lesser numbers, all save for Spit.

Cult Mention

Pockitt homes are cramped, draped with fabric, and exceedingly comfortable. Other species often find pockitt spaces to be very small but the density is often more comfortable to a pockitt family, they even tend to sleep in piles. Pockitts live a semi-vertical lifestyle, with many sleeping and lounging accommodations taking the form of hammocks or hanging seats which simulate the pouch sensation. Some wicker or otherwise basket-like chairs in a rounded shape are used to elicit the same level of comfort while not elevated.

Pockitt clothing nearly always allows access to the pouch, with comfortable clothing most common. A pouch liner is often included in pockitt ensembles, the fabric used to protect the delicate skin of the pouch from damage from items stored in it.

A pockitt's pouch, or pocket, is a very private portion of their body. To invade someone else's pouch is exceedingly rude and invasive but on the contrary, for a pockitt to expose their pouch willingly, communicates a great deal of trust in the company the pockitt is among.

Stories are exceedingly culturally significant to the pockitts, mostly due to Velvet's influence but the appreciation persists long after her death. Books are highly valued and appreciated, though many still have a soft spot for adventure and fantasy novels, as Velvet has a particular fondness for them. More modern storytelling mediums have been embraced as they've been developed; theatre, cinema, and television all appreciated as methods to tell a story.

Many of the items which have cultural significance to pockitt communities are in some way related to stories as well. Toys and keepsakes are both valued because of the journey they undergo with their owners, and often items will be kept long after their use has passed due to the emotional value that the item holds for its owner. Sometimes you'll find exceedingly well-loved toys sealed in airtight boxes that preserve the item, preventing it from further damage.

These cultural values extend to physical appearance as well; scars, birthmarks, and amputations are considered to be a part of your story and many pockitts find these physical alterations to be additive as opposed to detractive. The acceptance of change and realizing that physical changes are additive as opposed to subtractive ties into the value of one's story.

Pockitts, while less intimidating compared to other morbitians, are still rather ferocious fighters, utilizing their teeth, claws, tails, and fists to pummel enemies. They are capable of holding their own in a fight and Pockitt communities are even more fortified, in that drawing the ire of one Pockitt in an altercation could have a number of that individual's relatives or neighbors joining in on the fight to protect their loved one.

Appearance

Pockitts are covered in smooth, short fur which is marked with geometric bands or patterns if any are present.

Pockitts have blocky snouts and rounded ears. Their manes and hair are blocky or geometric in appearance, falling in thick, angular clumps. Manes typically grow around the neck and shoulders, depending on the morph of the pockitt.

Pockitts have stout but strong arms and digitigrade ending in sharp claws and lack paw pads.

Their tails vary based on morph but are thick and muscular, often tapered to a point.

Half of all pockitts possess a pouch.

Pockitt voices are composed of melodic squeaks, hisses, and soft growls.

Pockitt fur is often a neutral color with some accents.

Biology

Pockitts have skeletons, muscles, nerves, organs, and blood.

Pockitts have sharp, uniformly shaped/sized teeth (aside from the “quoll” morph, which has tusks).

Pockitt lack breast tissue.

Pockitts express with exaggerated head movements when looking around (on an artistic/design level, this is to make up for lack of pupils), ears, facial expressions, and tails.

Ear shape varies based on pockitt morph, but upright ears are most common, they have excellent hearing.

Pockitt's possess pupil-less eyes and their vision can often be poor, leading to many pockitts needing glasses/contacts.

Pockitts are a moderately active species, using their omnivorous diet to fuel their sometimes lax lifestyle. They do have a fondness for meat.

They tend towards extremely defensive behaviors in dangerous situations, leaning more towards flight over fight.

Pockitts range from 3'6-5'6 at a “normal” adult height.

The Pockitt lifespan is 80 years, reaches maturity at 18-20.

Life Cycle/Family Structure

Pockitts reproduce sexually and have dimorphism, the biggest change being half of the population having pouches.

Pockitts give live birth and have 1-3 children per litter, referred to as kits.

Kits are quieter than most other species' children and tend to cluster together or remain near their parents/guardian figures.

A kit raised without guidance often struggles more than other species, making proper child-rearing crucial (by blood or otherwise).

Family structure varies hugely based on location and culture, but most rely on an overarching community vs just immediate blood relationships. As such, “family” can be applied to a very large group, whole communities may participate in child-rearing.

Both casual and committed relationships are valued, though pockitts are often more prone towards the latter.

Pockitts typically only leave their communities if they have a good reason to, and generally only in adulthood.

Genetics

Pockitts are inspired by lagomorphs, rodents, and marsupials.

Mixed morph children often have a visible mix of traits, such as large ears and tusks on a “mouse”/“quoll” morph individual.

Hybrid children are prone to inheriting the pocket (if applicable) gene, fur/hair shapes, and their tendency towards pupil-less eyes.

“Roos” were the first morph created by Velvet.

Their animal basis is very flexible, anything that would fit the general feel of them goes.

Common mutations include the development of pupils, extra eyes, tusks/tusk growth, extra fur growth, tail growth, claw growth, size increase, hunger increase, emotional instability, paranoia, isolating tendencies, and territorial urges.

Morphs

Roo

The roo morph is based on kangaroos, they typically have a fur ruff or mane around their neck. They have stout, stocky builds, thick, medium-length tails, and average size ears. They are most closely tied to Velvet and her region Whimsy.

Mouse

The mouse morph is based on mice, they typically have a small fur ruff or mane around their neck. They have thin, lean builds, thin, long tails with a tuft of fur on the end, and large round ears. They are most closely tied to the region of Wonder.

Variants

Possum

The possum morph is based on possums, they typically have a fur ruff or mane that covers the shoulders or back. Their longer tapered snouts and larger claws are notable characteristics. They have builds comparable to that of the roo morph, thick, ribbed tails with a ruff of fur around its base, and small rounded ears. They are most closely tied to the region of Hoopla.

Quoll

The quoll morph is based on quolls, they typically have a spikey fur ruff or mane around their neck. Their long snouts and tusks are notable characteristics. They have thinner builds, somewhere between a roo and a mouse morph, and thick tails that lack a tuft of fur at the base. They are most closely tied to the region of Consumption.

Rabbit

The Rabbit morph is based on rabbits, they typically have small, neat fur ruffs around their neck. Their lean athletic builds are accented by their thin limbs and long talon-like claws. They have long, pointed ears and small bobtails, simply a tuft of fur. They are most closely associated with Solitude.

"Normal" Pockitts

Mutated/Modified Pockitts

None yet!

Pockitt Hybrids