wild souls: perissodactyla.

PERISSODACTYLA 🦏
CNIDARIA 🪸

PERISSODACTYLA

Perissodactyla, or odd-toed ungulates includes all equines, rhinoceroses, and tapirs.

Drawn to making pacts with those they favor, in order to tie their beloveds with them forever, Perissodactyla-types have a powerful sense of honor, and are attracted to those who share in it. They also are possessed of a dangerous scorn for anyone who fails to live up to their high standards, and will inflict a righteous vengeance upon them.

Physical Changes & Powers

Mutated feet, and a likely reduction in the amount of toes a character possesses, to the point of developing outright hooves, in the case of equines.
- Any Perissodactyla may grow whole additional legs and become a proper centaur. While this is more likely to occur as part of a Shift, characters can also take this as a permanent corruption.
Dietary changes to reflect a preference for vegetation, and a greater ability to digest it. With this, comes a change in the position and amount of teeth they possess.
Size changes. Perissodactyla-types tend to be large, relatively speaking. Characters may find themselves growing taller, and frequently more muscular as a result.
Some sort of development with hair, or growth of fur. Perissodactyla-types tend to have short, dense coats, with equines in particular growing some sort of mane and tail. However, those characters with a rhinoceros-esque soul might find themselves carrying almost no hair at all, in favor of developing thickened, armor-like skin.
Poor at temperature regulation. Perissodactyla-types will need to carefully mind what they're doing to not risk either overheating or freezing themselves.
Powers of purification. Any Perissodactyla (horned or otherwise) can touch something polluted or poisoned and make it clean. While Perissodactyla-types in themselves are not inherently resistant nor immune to poison, if they're quick about it they can fix themselves up before they succumb.

Unlike Reptilia-types (who are largely immune to poisons and can be excellent at curing them), the Perissodactyla-type's aversion to filth also allows them to purify substances that aren't strictly poisonous. A moldy, or stale environment will feel fresh as soon as they enter it.
- This means that Fungi-types will have a significantly harder time maintaining any kind of hold on Perissodactylas. Terras, given that their parasitism isn't of any inherently corruptive origin, may continue to blossom at will upon the bodies of any unlucky(?) Perissodactyla.
- And while Perissodactyla-types can be very efficient when it comes to purifying what's around them, they do very poorly when put in a situation so foul and wretched that it overwhelms their capabilities.
- They cannot purify arcane radiation poisoning, and are down there with Terra-types when it comes to being weak to it. Should they attempt to 'purify' Katalyth, they will only cause it to mutate faster, to grow larger.
Pact-making. Perissodactyla-types are drawn to forming pacts with those they respect. In return for performing of some manner of service, the Perissodactyla will gain considerable power and energy. If its terms are successfully fulfilled, the pact will dissipate naturally.
- An unfulfilled pact can only be dissolved bilaterally, so a Perissodactyla should be careful who they make one with. They are not expunged upon death.
Utter dominion over the unconscious world. While Spectral-types may enter dreams, influence them, and even feed on them, Perissodactyla-types can do all of that and more. Their specialty is to not only manipulate a lone dreamer, but to manifest their dream for others. They can unite several people into a shared 'dream world' this way. This is a prime source of nutrition for Perissodactyla-types, who then feast on the dreams of anyone caught within. A Perissodactyla choosing to feed this way may be able to forego any material diet.

This feeding can be done either maliciously or kindly, depending on the whims of the Perissodactyla behind it. Just as the dream itself can be manipulated into an experience sweet or nightmarish, they can choose what to devour of their dreamers. They may consume what haunts them, what would disturb their rest—or may swallow only their hopes instead. A person roused from a Perissodactyla-impacted dream could find themselves energized and optimistic—or struggling to find a reason to get up at all.

However, keeping someone within these dream fields for too long can be dangerous to their health, so Perissodactyla-types should be mindful of their eating habits.
- For the Perissodactyla, there is no nutritional difference between eating only good or bad dreams. Nor do they suffer any ill effects from consuming either.

Shapeshifting. Not as talented as Ruminantia- or Glire-types. Think of the Perissodactyla-type toolkit as being the sort of shapeshifting intended to lure victims to drop their defenses to enthrall them, put them to sleep, and feast upon their dreams. These shapeshifts are a bit more like a Spectral-types glamours... but they are tangible, in a way. Touching a "shapeshifted" Perissodactyla-type always feels cold. They're definitely a cryptid of some sort.

A special facet of their shapeshifting prowess, however, is that they are capable of shapeshifting into something they have no understanding or knowledge of, as though reflecting the subconscious desires of those who they're trying to fool. If their victim would be caught off-guard by the sight of their mother, Perissodactyla-types have the potential to shapeshift into her without even knowing what she looks like! A sort of mind-reading is at play, though it toys with the subconscious.

Mental Changes

An intolerance for filth and decay, which can extend to a discomfort around clutter. Even if those messy bookshelves aren't harboring any kind of rot, they don't like being around even the potential! Put a Perissodactyla in an untidy kitchen and they'll either be drawn to cleaning it up themselves, or demanding that someone else get to it.
- This is not quite the same as being orderly, though many Perissodactyla-types are. Their particular type of order might not make sense to anyone but themselves, but so long as things are arranged in a way that feels comfortable to them, they'll be satisfied.
Proud to the point of ruthlessness, Perissodactyla-types can be a difficult type to truly befriend. With it, they have an overly-developed concept of honor, and will scorn anyone or anything that fails to live up to their standards. The wicked will be crushed underfoot, will be drawn into an endless nightmare and see their hopes devoured.
- While their views of right and wrong aren't as absolute as a Reptilia-type's, they feel very strongly about them. A Perissodactyla will refuse to deal with someone they decide is unworthy, and any act against them will be considered justified. It is impossible to be cruel to a monster.
If you do earn their respect, Perissodactyla-types are particularly devoted sorts, and will go to the ends of the world to see your dreams fulfilled.
- That said, their interpretation of what their beloved wants may not be necessarily accurate, as it's filtered through their particular worldview.
Perissodactyla-types are inclined to treat others as they've been treated. A kindness enacted towards a Perissodactyla-type is a kindness earned from one. You scratch their back, they'll scratch yours.

Other Changes

✦NSFW✦ — as is true for all soul types, you may choose to develop your character's sex characteristics based on their soul type of choice.

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