Beast/Gijinka Information -updated-

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Beast/Gijinka Information



Detailed descriptions on both the beasts and the Gijinka races. Please note that these are just examples to get your ideas going, it is in no way a rule book. Be creative with your character designs.

Also, please remember that the Gijinka are all MORTAL. They are just like humans, but slightly different in that they have beast features and can use limited magic. They do not have super strength, or live on the moon, or shapeshift, for example. Also, please remember that using more than just the occasional small spell could severely damage your character. Make sure to read the Magic info journal if you're confused about this.

The beasts, while rare, also live on Voleros. They are mostly hard to find, but live in the forests, ocean or mountains around Voleros. This does not mean that the Gijinka are related to them in anyway, just that the Gijinka are more a part of nature than humans are. (And no, humans do not exist on Voleros.)

Your character MUST be a part of one of the species on this list.

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:new: Nāga :new:

About the Beast: More commonly spelled as Nāga. It is the Sanskrit and Pali word for a deity or class of entity or being, taking the form of a very great snake - specifically the King Cobra - found in Hinduism or Buddhism. The use of the term nāga is often ambiguous, as the word may also refer, in similar contexts, to one of several human tribes known as or nicknamed “Nāgas.” A female nāga is a nāgī or nāginī.

About the Gijinka: Nāga are warrior gijinka native to the Ophir Desert in Alora, living happily in small clusters of segregated tribes. Tribes are distinguished by hair and skin color, a sign that a warrior in said tribe is of pure breed and untainted. Each tribe has a Clan Leader, usually the strongest Nāga, and a prince, a son of the same bloodline, for whom will take the Clan Leader’s place upon death. Named prince can change depending on if the Clan Leader is challenged, defeated, and has an heir. Due to being reptiles they don’t do well in cooler climates, and traveling to Lumeria can be fatal if unprepared. They thrive under strong sunlight and natural heat, which is why they flourish in the country of summer, Alora.

Possible Gijinka Traits: Legs are replaced with a snake tail, venom fangs, possible scales around their upper half.

Country found: Alora (Summer)

Gijinka Example: i3.photobucket.com/albums/y66/…

:new: Gargoyle :new:

About the Beast: In architecture, a gargoyle is a carved stone grotesque, usually made of granite, with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building thereby preventing rainwater from running down masonry walls and eroding the mortar between. Architects often used multiple gargoyles on buildings to divide the flow of rainwater off the roof to minimize the potential damage from a rainstorm. Gargoyles are usually an elongated fantastic animal because the length of the gargoyle determines how far water is thrown from the wall. In mythology Gargoyles have often been seen animated as monsters, and can carry beast-like forms.

About the Gijinka: Gargoyle gijinka’s are powerful warriors who specialize in the art of war. They have very little magical abilities, but excel in hand to hand combat and flight due to their tough skin and hardy bodies. They have been well used in wars in the past, and work best as power-houses on the front lines. Because of this their race has become small over the years, but they have remained proud of their heritage and are extremely loyal to whichever country they live in. While only some parts of their body are made out of stone, their skin and innards are not. Their flesh, however, is tougher than most other Gijinkas... but it isn’t in anyway indestructible, and can still be pierced by most weapons.

Gijinka Traits: Grey, white, or black skin, stone wings, stone tail, stone horns.

Country found: All.

Beast Example: images.wikia.com/monster/image…

:new: Qilin :new:

About the Beast: The Qilin is a mythical hoofed Chinese chimerical creature known throughout various East Asian cultures, and is said to appear with the imminent arrival or passing of a wise sage or an illustrious ruler. It is often depicted with what looks like fire all over its body. It is sometimes misleadingly called the "Chinese unicorn" due to conflation with the unicorn by Westerners.

About the Gijinka: Qilin are one of the wiser of races, always seeking others who need or ask for guidance. Some, of course, have also used this wisdom to charm and befuddle an unsuspecting soul. All in all, Qilin use magic very sparingly, being somewhat vain and wary of what the effects can do to them. Always seeking an answer to ever-lasting life, you might find quite a few dabble in the arts of alchemy. Being exclusive to Lumeria, their adaptations to the cold show through that of very thick hair and durable, hardy skin that glisten somewhat like dragon scales.

Gijinka Traits: Dragon like scales around cheekbones and other extremities, wooden horns, long ears, Qilin tail.

Country found: Lumeria (Winter)

Beast Example: fav.me/d2tsqqg

:new: Merfolk :new:

About the Beast: A mermaid is a mythological aquatic creature with a female human head, arms, and torso and the tail of a fish. A male version of a mermaid is known as a "merman" and in general both males and females are known as "merfolk". Mermaids are represented in the folklore, literature and popular culture of many countries worldwide.

About the Gijinka: Merfolk are beautiful gijinka who mainly live in the ocean or rivers. They spend most of their time under the water, but can come to the surface for a limited time each day. When no more water is in in contact with their bodies, their tail transforms into human legs. However with each transformation a little magic is used, so they must avoid doing this often or risk premature death. They also can’t stay out of the water for very long before they suffocate due to their gills, and are only able to remain above the surface for a maximum of 10 hours at a time. They prefer warmer waters, but they can survive in cooler temperatures... though somewhat uncomfortably. Due to this, most Merfolk prefer to live in warmer countries like Alora and Elavernis. They have great cities made out of coral in the deep Ocean, which are also shared by Leviathan and Hippocampus Gijinka.

Gijinka Traits: Lower half fish tail, gills on their neck, chest, or sides, webbed hands, finned ears.

Country found: All (More common in Alora and Elavernis)

Gijinka Example: genzoman.deviantart.com/art/At…

:new: Seasonal Sprites :new:

About the Beast: The term sprite is a broad term referring to a number of preternatural legendary creatures. The term is generally used in reference to elf-like creatures, including fairies. In Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl books, sprites are a race of fairies with green skin and wings. In The Spiderwick Chronicles, sprites are creatures that resemble insects or flowers.

About the Gijinka: Sprites in Voleros are based on the seasons like their Gods. They are human sized, if not slightly shorter, and have insect wings that allow them to fly. Their colours (such as hair, eyes, and skin) match whichever seasonal country they live in, and they have also been known to have hair made out of plants and flowers. They aren’t usually fighters, and are more skilled in the area of magic - though they still suffer from magic drain like other Gijinka races. If they do fight without magic, then they have been known to use bow and arrows to attack from a distance. Their magical skills are mostly nature based, and they can help speed up plant growth with the cost of magical drain. They are more closely tied in with nature in comparison to other races, and can sense the health of any natural area around them... though sadly they are able to do little to improve any type of decline like their Gods can.

Gijinka Traits: Insect wings, often short in size, hair can be made out of leaves, reeds, and other such material. Stay true to the season they reflect! Can have coloured skin to match their season.

Country found: All

Gijinka Example: www.howarddavidjohnson.com/The…

Nekomata

About the Beast: "A nekomata will haunt any household it is kept in, creating ghostly fireballs, menacing sleepers, walking on its hind legs, changing its shape into that of a human, and even devouring its own mistress in order to shapeshift and take her place. When it is finally killed, its body may be as much as five feet in length. It also poses a danger if allowed into a room with a fresh corpse; a cat is believed to be capable of reanimating a body by jumping over it."

About the Gijinka: The Nekomata Gijinka race are swift and cunning. Living in any country, they have been known to have the more devious jobs, such as Assasination or Theivery, however this does not account to all of them, as many have been known to be well respected and kind citizens. They are often intelligent and are able to adapt well with new situations.

Possible Gijinka Traits: cat ears, two cat tails.

Country found: Any

Beast Example: 1.bp.blogspot.com/_EwVRuFo5Eyc…

Hellhound

About the Beast: "A hellhound is a supernatural dog, found in mythology, folklore and fiction. A wide variety of ominous or hellish supernatural dogs occur in mythologies around the world, similar to the ubiquitous dragon. Features that have been attributed to hellhounds include black fur, glowing red or sometimes glowing yellow eyes, super strength or speed, ghostly or phantom characteristics, foul odor, and sometimes even the ability to talk. Legend says that if someone is to stare into its eyes 3 times or more, the person will definitely die. In cultures that associate the afterlife with fire, hellhounds may have fire-based abilities and appearance. They are often assigned to guard the entrances to the world of the dead, such as graveyards and burial grounds, or undertake other duties related to the afterlife or the supernatural, such as hunting down lost souls or guarding a supernatural treasure. In European legends, seeing a hellhound or hearing it howl may be either an omen or a cause of imminent death."

About the Gijinka: The Hellhound Gijinka are a fierce and sometimes agressive race. Known to live in any country, they make very good Warriors or Workers, though they have been known to accel in other job types too. While not the most intelligent race, they make up for it with brute strength and speed and are well respected for thier battle techniques.

Possible Gijinka Traits: dog ears, dog tail, horns.

Country found: Any

Beast Example: fc09.deviantart.net/fs27/f/200…

Hippocampus

About the Beast: "Often called a sea-horse in English is a mythological creature shared by Phoenician and Greek mythology, though the name by which it is recognised is purely Greek; it became part of Etruscan mythology. It has typically been depicted as a horse in its forepart with a coiling, scaly, fishlike hindquarter. Homer describes Poseidon, who was god of horses (Poseidon Hippios) as well as of the sea, drawn by "brazen-hoofed" horses over the sea's surface, and Apollonius of Rhodes, being consciously archaic in Argonautica, describes the horse of Poseidon emerging from the sea and galloping away across the Libyan sands. In Hellenistic and Roman imagery, however, Poseidon (or Roman Neptune) often drives a sea-chariot drawn by hippocampi. Thus hippocamps sport with this god in both ancient depictions and much more modern ones, such as in the waters of the eighteenth-century Trevi Fountain in Rome surveyed by Neptune from his niche above."

About the Gijinka: The Hippocampus Gijinka are known as a peaceful race who love the occasional competition. They are often playful and kind, graceful when in the water.... but they can be slightly clumsy when on land. They are skilled fisherman and have been known to use their swimming skills during war, but they are normally very gentle and often oppose to the idea of war itself.

Possible Gijinka Traits: horse ears (mandatory), fish tail or dolphin tail

Country found: Any

Beast Example: images.elfwood.com/art/n/i/nic…

Chimera

About the Beast: "Typically female monster of Greek myth, with the head of a lioness, a head of a goat that was placed at the central point of her spine and a tail that typically ends in a snake’s head. The name derives from the word “Khimaros”, which translates to “she-goat”. In the Illiad, Homer references the Chimera’s ability to breathe fire (“[…]Chimaera who breathed raging fire, a creature fearful, great, swift-footed and strong, who had three heads, one of a grim-eyed lion; in her hinderpart, a dragon; and in her middle, a goat, breathing forth a fearful blast of blazing fire. Her did Pegasus and noble Bellerophon slay.”). Her geographical origins center somewhere around the area of Lycia. She was said to be a bringer of storms, shipwrecks and natural disasters—especially volcanos."

About the Gijinka: These Gijinka are well respected for their skills with Fire magic, however even they do not escape the exhaustion that using their magic brings. Able to use this talent during battle for short amounts of time, they are valuable to their countries, however they are also talented Scientists and Scholars. They aren't known as the fastest Gijinka, though they do rank up there with the best.

Possible Gijinka Traits: lion ears, snake tail, goat horns, leathery wings

Country found: Any

Beast Example: www.joshuabuchanan.com/dragonp…

Unicorn

About the Beast: "The traditional unicorn has a goat’s beard, a lion’s tail and cloven hooves—in addition to the horn that distinguishes it. Usually represented as male, he is said to be drawn to maidens and to those pure of heart; historically, the unicorn is said to be one of the only creatures not created out of the fear of man. He can only be captured by ‘unfair means’ and his horn is said to neutralize any poison. Interestingly enough, the unicorn does NOT appear in any mythology—but in greek accounts of natural history. It is also said that it’s impossible to capture a unicorn alive—if one corners him, he’ll fling himself from a cliff or other high place, and twist while falling so that it takes the brunt of the impact on its horn, and escapes."

About the Gijinka: The Unicorn Gijinka are a well respected race, for their speed and intelligence. This makes them excellent Scholars, but they have been known to do well with other job types. They have been known to dable slightly in white (curative) magic, and are often used as valuable medics during war time. Though they do have slightly higher magic endurance than most, even they do not escape the drain magic brings on their bodies.

Possible Gijinka Traits: Horse ears, horse tail, horn

Country found: Lumeria (Winter)

Beast Example: www.supertommy.com/blog/wp-con…

Kitsune

About the Beast: "Foxes are a common subject of Japanese folklore and are akin to European faeries; in English, kitsune refers to them in this context. Stories depict them as intelligent beings and as possessing magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom. Foremost among these is the ability to assume human form. While some folktales speak of kitsune employing this ability to trick others—as foxes in folklore often do—other stories portray them as faithful guardians, friends, lovers, and wives."

About the Gijinka: The Kitsune Gijinkas are known for their intelligence and spiritual lifestyle. They often live around shrines and large red trees, seen only in Risholi, and are very loyal to their country and the Voleros Gods that they worhip at their shrines. They are fast and agile, but can be phsyically weak compared to some of the other races.

Possible Gijinka Traits: fox ears, fox tail (limited to three)

Country found: Risohli (Autumn)

Beast Example: 4.bp.blogspot.com/_IKebmJZCuW8…

Leviathan

About the Beast: "According to some Jewish traditions, Leviathan is the great dragon of the sea, the counterpart of Behemoth on land and Ziz in the air. It is a creature of vast power and incomprehensibly massive size. In some accounts when the Leviathan hungers it sends forth from its mouth enough heat to make all the waters of the deep boil, and it is also said that its entire bodies (and especially its eyes) possess a great luminance.

About the Gijinka: The Leviathan Gijinka race are well respected for their skills both in water and on land. They are powerful warriors who can use both their bodies and water magics to attack, and are valuable allies during war time. However they can only be on land for a few days before needing to go back to the water to replenish their strength.

Possible Gijinka Traits: webbed ears, fins, serpentine eyes, webbed hands/feet, long tail

Country found: Any

Beast Example: th08.deviantart.net/fs26/300W/…

Griffin

About the Beast: "A hybrid creature usually depicted with the head, wings and talons of an eagle on its front half and the body, legs, and tail of a lion on the back. Known for guarding treasure, the griffin has appeared in the folklore and legends of many different cultures. In medieval times they were frequently used in heraldry to denote strength and courage, and it was believed that its claws had medicinal properties, and in some accounts, that its feathers could restore sight to the blind. Griffins were known to mate for life, and to carry on alone if their partner died."

About the Gijinka: The Griffin Gijinka are well known for both their strength and intelligence. They are powerful flyers and can deal destructive attacks from both the air and the land. They are extremely loyal to their country Alora, and hold their land in high respect. Their large wings and often tall height can make them seem intimidating, but in truth they are a kind and proud race.

Possible Gijinka Traits: bird wings, big cat tail

Country found: Alora (Summer)

Beast Example: 3.bp.blogspot.com/_xWFKiPJDO_I…

Moon Rabbit

About the Beast: "The Moon rabbit, also called the Jade Rabbit, is a rabbit that lives on the moon in folklore, based on pareidolia that identifies the markings of the moon as a rabbit. The story exists in many cultures, particularly in East Asian folklore, where it is seen pounding in a mortar and pestle. In Chinese folklore, it is often portrayed as a companion of the moon goddess Chang'e, constantly pounding the elixir of life for her; but in Japanese and Korean versions it is just pounding the ingredients for rice cake."

About the Gijinka: One of the more common races in Voleros, the Moon Rabbit Gijinka are known for their small stature and pale hair. They have always lived on Voleros, but are intune with the moon. Their small magic capacity is enchanced slightly during a full moon which makes it more powerful, however this also drains their soul faster. They are normally phsyically weak, but can be fast and cunning.

Possible Gijinka Traits: small wings, rabbit ears, rabbit tail

Country found: Any

Beast Example: fc08.deviantart.net/fs50/f/200…

Pegasus

About the Beast: "He is a winged divine horse, usually white in color. He was sired by Poseidon, in his role as horse-god, and foaled by the Gorgon Medusa. He was the brother of Chrysaor, born at a single birthing when his mother was decapitated by Perseus. Greco-Roman poets write about his ascent to heaven after his birth and his obeisance to Zeus, king of the gods, who instructed him to bring lightning and thunder from Olympus. Friend of the Muses, Pegasus is the creator of Hippocrene, the fountain on Mt. Helicon. He was captured by the Greek hero Bellerophon near the fountain Peirene with the help of Athena and Poseidon. Pegasus allows the hero to ride him to defeat a monster, the Chimera, before realizing many other exploits. His rider, however, falls off his back trying to reach Mount Olympus. Zeus transformed him into the constellation Pegasus and placed him in the sky."

About the Gijinka: In some ways related to the Unicorn race, The Pegasus Gijinka are amazing flyers. While not as phsyically strong as the Griffin, they are still well known for their air borne attacks and magic. They are beautiful and graceful, and are often kind and gentle to others.

Possible traits: wings, horse tail, horse ears

Country found: Any

Beast Example: www.lookpictures.net/photos/re…

Dragons

About the Beast: "Dragons are legendary creatures, typically with serpentine or otherwise reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern mythologies, and the Chinese dragon, with counterparts in Japan, Korea and other Asian countries. The two traditions may have evolved separately, but have influenced each to a certain extent, particularly with the cross-cultural contact of recent centuries."

About the Gijinka: Dragon Gijinka are not only poweful, but they are fast in the air and make for amazing Warriors. They are slow while on the ground, but make up for it with their dark magic attacks. While their magic is strong, it seems to drain them faster than normal magic, and has even been known to cause them death if used incorrectly. Even so they are well respected for their talents, and are very useful during war time.

Possible Gijinka Traits: leathery wings, reptilian tails, horns

Country found: Elavernis (Spring)

Beast Example: www.sff.net/people/laresnick/C…

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Strawberrii-Kiiss's avatar
Do unicorns have to be male?