SPECIES INFORMATION
Artwork & Species © ForestFright / Jack B
Art may not be used without permission
• ABOUT •
WHAT IS A LYCOUROS? //
Lycouros (lie-core-ohs) are intelligent creatures created by an unknown force to gather knowledge about what it means to "exist." Their appearance, personality, and mysterious runes and halos are shaped and influenced by the environment which they are spawned in.
Their curious nature and desire to learn makes them perfect companions, though not all trust or welcome them throughout the multiverse.
The Lycouros' origins are shrouded in mystery, and not many of them are willing (or possibly allowed) to share much about their creator.
A QUICK NOTE //
A major focus of the Lycouros species is their ability to be integrated into basically any headworld in some form or fashion. Think about it: how would these strange dog things effect a universe? Would they thrive? Would a character that meets one join it on a journey for knowledge, or would they simply keep it as a pet? Are they considered deities, or just another monster in a dangerous world? The possibilities are nearly endless.
For this reason, a lot of the species' lore is kept simple, loose, and open to interpretation.
RIFTS //
Occasionally, at seemingly random points in time and space throughout the multiverse, the Courastral will pulsate and open a Rift. These Rifts often appear around points in spacetime where Lycouros already exist, but every now and then the Courostral will discover uncharted dimensions ripe for exploration. Many organizations across the multiverse are aware of the presence of Lycouros and have attempted to predict and track the formation of these Rifts, to mixed results. Since they form and vanish in an instant, the window of time for detection and study is incredibly small. The newly spawned, blank and impressionable Lycourous left in their wakes, however, are prime subjects for study. It's not uncommon for Lyrcouros to fall into the hands of influence and change the course of history, whether it be for better or worse. Among those who study the nature of Lycourous, it's widely theorized that they are strategically introduced to universes as part of a larger goal, but the true nature of that goal (and what drives it) remains unclear.
Lycouros can create Rifts of their own to move throughout spacetime, which can make it difficult to study them if they haven't been imprinted or contained in some way, and only Lycouros can pass through their Rifts; anything else risks being lost between dimensions (and not necessarily in one piece). While it's possible for Lycouros to jump great distances through both space and time- potentially even universes- it appears to consume vast amounts of their energy, forcing them to hibernate, so they don't make these kinds of jumps often.The core of a Lycouros contains a vast, inscrutable map of the multiverse throughout time, which represents all that the Courostral has discovered and cataloged. The 4th dimensional nature of this map, its sheer volume, and the paradoxical size of it compared to the infinitesimal point in which its contained, has yet to be understood by any civilization studying Lycouros. Perhaps, if it were possible for all the knowledge on Lycouros across the multiverse to come together, the map could be deciphered, but as it stands, it seems unlikely that it ever will.
INFLUENCE ON INTELLIGENT SPECIES //
Newly spawned Lycouros encountering another being for the first time are quiet and observant. Since they are highly impressionable at this time, these interactions will ultimately shape their minds and how they perceive the world from then on. A Lycouros that encounters wildlife first, for example, will likely take on a more bestial nature, and won't be much of a conversationalist. Conversely, a Lycouros that is discovered by researchers in its formative period will become accustomed to life around sentient beings and their way of life, and tend to be more talkative. A Lycouros can even be discovered by a primitive species and deemed their god, with a thousand potential possibilities going from there.Lycouros intelligence far surpasses the average sentient's and can go beyond even a supercomputer. They are highly social by nature and can form strong bonds with both their own kind and other species. They're adaptive, patient, and extremely curious of their surroundings. Though capable of speech, the majority of Lycouros choose to be silent entirely or speak only in short, clipped sentences. Some don't even go that far, instead expressing themselves via telepathic exchanges of feelings and visuals. It's believed that their intellect is so great it makes distilling their thoughts into spoken word very difficult.Lycouros can serve many purposes. To some civilizations, they are gods incarnate, offering a wealth of knowledge and energy. Some even become the catalyst that launches a species into its golden age. To others, they are demons or tricksters that must be hunted down and destroyed. Some organizations are tasked with their protection, believing they're essential to the well-being of the universe, and some are tasked with their destruction, believing them to be a blight. Whether they're worshiped as gods, killed as monsters, harvested for energy, held as equals, utilized for war, or simply kept as faithful companions, Lycouros are always searching for knowledge. Anything is possible, and if it can be imagined, a Lycouros is already fulfilling that purpose somewhere.
EFFECTS ON LYCOUROS //
Being that they are so intelligent, Lycouros can understand and experience feelings, emotions, morals, interests, hopes, and dreams, but in a more complex (even confusing) way than humans and other intelligent species. Their strong, constant craving for knowledge can conflict with their surroundings or affect them in negative ways.The Courostral has no influence over a Lycouros' choices or actions. It only observes and collects remotely.
CATACLYSM //
Lycouros were created by the Courostral with the intention of being "perfect", hardy and adaptive to most environments. They are immune to most diseases found on planets, and many hazards like radiation, electricity, fire, and even the vacuum of space appear to have no ill effect on them.Lycouros can, however, be afflicted by a unique illness, called Cataclysm. This rare illness is unique to their species and is caused by extreme, irreversible damage to their cores. It causes their energy to be corrupt and unstable, resulting in excess production of energy and heat, mutations, and distorted runes/halos. Additionally, they're highly aggressive, antisocial, and destructive.Cataclysm Lycouros do not serve the Courostral any purpose, so they are exiled or even killed if discovered by other Lycouros.Opinions on this unique illness varies by universe. In some they see it as proof of how dangerous and unpredictable Lycouros are, and others view it as a flaw or defect in an otherwise perfect being, with many still trusting the species to keep them safe from harm regardless.
• LORE •
INTRODUCTION //
Deep in the heart of an unexplored dimension lies a mysterious entity called the Courostral. One might liken it to a black hole: a vast maelstrom of nothingness that hungers for knowledge. Little is known of its true nature and purpose beyond this hunger, and it's rare for a civilization to even become aware of its existence in the first place. Some regard the Courostral and its emissaries as a threat, believing they are a force that will consume everything if not stopped. Others hold it in a more reverent light, and consider its realm a paradise- perhaps even the afterlife. Using its wealth of energy, the Courostral creates beasts to go out into the multiverse to enact its will. These are known as the Lycouros. These powerful and intelligent creatures tear rifts into space to move between worlds on their hunt for knowledge. The hunger manifests itself differently in every Lycouros, driving some to tireless, unstoppable existences tracking down every possible scrap of information, while others move at slower paces, humbly going from planet to planet to experience their cultures and environments in peace.
• ANATOMY •
OVERVIEW //
Anatomy is werewolf-like, they default to running on all-fours but are capable of standing and walking on their hind legs. Their body types can vary (some chubby, skinny, stocky, ect.) but all typically have larger forearms and smaller hind legs.
Sizes of Lycouros can greatly vary, being small as a rat or bigger than buildings.A freshly spawned Lycouros is a featureless silhouette that rapidly adsorbs nearby resources to form their body and unique runes/halos.
CORES & ENERGY //
Lycouros have an octahedron-shaped "organ" called a Core located in their chest region. This is their "heart" and contains energy from the Courostral. The core is extremely hot, with an exterior shell harder than diamond.
Cores can be considered their only "weak point", as if even cracked a little, it can easily become unstable and result in a health condition called Cataclysm.
RUNES & HALOS //
The most prominent and mysterious feature of Lycouros are their special markings comprised of concentrated energy. They can be any shape or size, symmetrical or asymmetrical, and are located on any part of their body, with most being found on the head.
The markings that are on their body are referred to as Runes, while the markings that float off of their body are referred to as Halos.
The true purpose of these markings is not fully understood, but it is believed that they assist with the sensing and scanning of their environment.
HEADS & MOUTHS //
Their heads are shark-like in shape, varying in shapes. (some more angular, round, boxy, ect)Lycouros have no eyes, ears, or nostrils, they rely solely on their strong sense of taste (somewhat similar to how a Jacobson's organ works) and "psychic" abilities to observe their surroundings.Their mouths Claws glow the same color(s) as their energy. Their teeth are large, harder than diamond, and come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and amount. (tusks, fangs, ect. are possible)
Tongues additionally come in a variety of shapes, though the most common are long/pointy, and forked.
HANDS & FEET //
Their digitigrade legs are built for walking both upright and on all fours. They have opposable thumbs on both their hands and feet that function somewhat more awkwardly than a humans (due to the size of the claws/pawpads).Claws and pawpads glow the same color(s) as their energy. Claw length and thickness can vary slightly, including longer dewclaws. (missing thumbs also are possible)
TAILS //
Their tails are the second most common place runes/haloes display on Lycouros and come in a huge variety of shapes and sizes.
FUR //
The amount, texture, and length of fur on their bodies can vary greatly, though it is always short and smooth on the face, for proper display of runes.
The material their bodies are made out of varies depending on what is available at time of spawning, resulting in various textures (fur, wooden, metallic, scales, rubber, ect.)
MISCELLANEOUS FACTS //
They can eat just about anything (though they develop preferences) and convert it into more energy if needed. They do not need to eat often unless they are exerting themselves frequently.
At first, they are not generally expressive; personalities, mannerism, and emotions do not come naturally but are instead learned through socialization, observing, and copying other species.
They can learn to read and understand languages, but rarely speak them, preferring non-language-based forms of communication. They create a wide range of vocalizations that involve clicks, growls, snarling, howling, and screeching.
Interestingly, despite their ability to communicate through a wide variety of means, they seem unable or unwilling to disclose information about the Courostral. It is generally accepted that not even the Lycouros understand it, and only serve it because of their instincts.
• OWNERSHIP •
HOW TO GET ONE //
As of Nov 2022, Lycouros are now an open species. Please be respectful.
Contact FF for any questions and inquiries.
RULES FOR OWNERSHIP //
Please credit ForestFright for the species, and optionally link back to this website.
All artwork & designs made by FF must follow their terms of service.
Lycouros are for personal use only and may not be used in commercial-works.
Designs can be traded, gifted, & resold.
Do not use the species to promote hatred or discrimination.
DESIGN NOTES & GUIDELINES FOR CREATION //
The species lore is intended to be loose and open to a lot of interpretation - Feel free to incorporate them into your headworlds/stories/AUs as you wish.
The colors of their mouth/teeth, paws, claws, runes, and halos generally match. This can be a single color or a gradient of multiple colors. These parts always glow and may give off particle effects/varying temperatures.
A key feature of the species are their haloes and runes. These can be as simple or complex as desired. Runes/haloes can be based off real symbols and shapes, like circles, hearts, ect. or be completely made up. They can be symmetrical and/or asymmetrical.
They do not have eyes, nostrils, ears, wings, or horns/spikes, but can have runes/haloes mimicking these.
Their fur varies in length, shape, and texture so there aren't limits on how this looks, but the face generally always has short fur/is furless. Bodies can be comprised of both organic and inorganic materials.
Lycouros can freely walk on hind legs or all-fours, so they can be drawn standing either way (think of werewolves) additionally, they can wear clothes and accessories.
You're welcome to use existing Lycouros designs as inspiration, but do not with the intention of directly copying existing ones. Symbols are not unique to a single Lycouros. (i.e. stars, diamonds, rings, ect. can be common)