Post by LeMel on Jun 24, 2020 18:56:36 GMT -5
Singular: Nombat
Plural: Nombats
Group: A Buffet of Nombats
Young: Bits
Description: At first glance, Nombats look sort of like oversized hamsters. They have chunky, round bodies and large heads with wide noses and little triangle shaped ears. Nombats vary in length from about 2.5 to 4.5 feet long. When on all fours they will be 2-3 feet at the back, but they have enough balance to function on their backlegs for some activities and may even sit back on their haunches for prolonged periods. They have stubby, hairy little tails and strong, squat legs ending in thick blunt claws. Females sport a handy little pouch for their young. They amble along slowly most of the time, but are able to tuck into ball shape and roll around for locomotion as well.
Nombat coats are short furred and rough. They come in all manner of earth tones in any pattern, though brighter yellows, reds and oranges may pop up as well. They also have a short, scrubby mane of fur that extends from their head to between their shoulder blades following a similar look. Each Nombat is ranked mainly by the distinctive scent they exude. One might recognize fragrant spices in their musk. Each rank also has a particular colored nose. As far as size and gender, no rank has any more commonly than another outside of Gingers that tend to run small. Their small, round eyes come in all manner of colors.
Nombats are social creatures, forming small Buffets of females and their mates and offspring. They thrive on communal living, so expect a shiny that will want to be involved in your life. Their most prominent attribute personality wise is that they are highly food motivated. Each Nombat seems to have a particular set of flavors they prefer, though they are omnivores and will eat a wide variety if offered. Many Nombats are opportunists when it comes to food but those with picky tastes won't hesitate to hunt down prey. Nombats also have an excellent sense of smell and navigate much of their world by scent. In combination with their food motivation and social nature they are highly trainable particularly as a scent hound of sorts. Other than these notable traits, Nombats are a very peaceful and happy creature of moderate intelligence. They are able to learn a few words in mindspeak and may even learn to speak one or two out loud, but they communicate mostly through images and a variety of weird vocalizations (think guinea pigs). They may frequently "mindspeak" in smell as well, as it is so prominent in their world, providing their bonds and others with lovely psychic wafts of whatever they are focused on.
Mating: Mating is a laid back affair. No running around or chasing or anything of that sort. When ready to mate a female will rub her haunches against natural features in her chosen landscape. Trees, rocks, whatever is around. Males will know to follow her scent trail. They must present her with their own food concoctions. Each female has her own preferences of types of food she likes to eat so it takes some guesswork. Not all will go for sweets and some love very bitter flavor profiles. She will choose whoever presents the most acceptable meal and the two will share it together before mating. Gestation time is very short, but females will carry the babies in their pouches for much longer.
Bonding: Mother Nombats will often group together to take care of their young. Either that or a single Nombat will act as a "super mom" and care for a larger number than she personally gave birth to. Don't worry, the Bits are little and her pouch is stretchy. The trickiest part of bonding is getting the female(s) to reveal the little ones. Once again it is up to the attendees to bring tasty treats and tempt her. The babies, like all Nombats, are highly food motivated as well. Being well fed is paramount to their choice, though other considerations for a proper match are taken into account.
Saffron
Saffrons are marked by a bright orangey red nose and they have a wonderful earthy yet sweet smell of saffron. Females of this rank generally give birth to 3 to 5 Bits, but 6 isn't too uncommon. They are on the higher range of intelligence but are also more independent and harder to train than other Nombats.
3psp
Cayenne
Cayenne Nombats have bright red noses and a have a punget, spicy scent clinging to them. Females may have 2 or 3 Bits but they are the most likely to give them up to another Nombat mother. As spicy as their name suggests; Cayennes are a little less peaceful than other Nombats. They are a little more opinionated and flaky and aren't afraid to be different.
2 psp
Vanilla
This rank has soft, creamy yellow noses and are scented with sweet vanilla. The most common "Supermom" of Nombats, Vanillas are kind and nurturing. They have 1 to 3 Bits, though just a pair of twins is surprisingly common for them.
2 psp
Basil
A lush green nose is the mark of a Basil. Aromatic and earthy, they smell of Basil. Basils always come in at the larger end of the spectrum. Even tempered and hard working, these are the most trainable of Nombats and love to have a job to do. Female Basil will have 1-3 bits like the other common ranks.
1 psp
Cinnamon
The nose of a Cinnamon is a deep, rusty red. They carry the sharp, warm sent of cinnamon everywhere they go. Adventurous and curious, Cinnamon are the most likely to go out and try something new. They tend not to stick to one thing for too long and thrive on new things. Expect 1-3 Bits from females in this rank.
1 psp
1 psp
Mint
Mint Nombats have a light green nose and smell of freshly crushed mint. Spunky and talkative, Mints are almost always very social. Females will have 1-3 Bits.
1 psp
1 psp
Ginger
If you see a sunny yellow nose on a Nombat you know it is a Ginger. Their scent is the pungent spicy of Ginger root. Gingers come in all sorts of personality types, but they are all on the small end of the spectrum. Because of this, they generally only have a single Bit.
1 psp
1 psp
