Encyclopedia Zyterrium

Although all the fauna on Zyterra is compelling in their own way, anim stand out due to their unique circumstances. In addition to being the predominant sapient race on the planet, these creatures uniquely possess a physical manifestation of their being, a small animated force referred to as a soul. This small ball of light which can be found nestled deep in an anim's chest is said to be a gift from their benevolent creator, Solem. (Given that most anim consider themselves agnostic, this explanation is often regarded as a simple fairytale to be shared with children.)Much like the existential question of how we were formed, the existence of a soul is just an unexplainable reality that most accept and try not to think too deeply about.

Anim species are exclusively caniforms and feliforms, but their distribution can differ depending on a location and its terrain. For example, bears are prevalent in towns near mountainous regions, badgers like to hang around forest areas, and seal anim will not settle anywhere unless there is water nearby.

In a world like Zyterra, tooth and claw can only get you so far, but anim have made it along just fine due to their ability to find refuge in each other. Safety in numbers is a long-echoed ideal among members of their kind, a result of deep-rooted herding instincts igniting the desire to cooperate and find meaning as a unified whole, and truly together they prosper.

"A solitary anim is as good as dead".

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...things were not always this way, however. At one time, before anim realized the safety that is inherent in numbers, everything was scattered and divided. Distrust was at an all-time high and most anim provided only for their own while scorning their peers. Eventually, a lack of resources and exhaustion spurred the creation of uneasy alliances between families, and when this yielded instantaneous benefits, the idea of community gained popularity among the masses which brings us to the creation of Cinderhallow.

Cinderhallow

"the city of sacred flame"

Cinderhallow was the first official community of anim on Zyterra and now in the present day, it is the largest. Over time it has morphed into a theocratic entity, where Solem is regarded as the supreme leader and a collective of 7 high priests referred to as "The Shepherds", translate the god's desires and communicate them to the populace while also sponsoring the creation of towns in the Good Ram's name.The worship of Solem is known as Illuminism.So powerful is Cinderhallow that an "unofficial" social hierarchy has been established by an anim's proximity to it.

LONERS/NOMADS

Loners traverse Zyterra alone. They don't stay in one area for long and communities tend to be wary of them due to their disinterest in forming connections with others long term. Despite being some of society's most vulnerable, it's common for loners to have a laid-back demeanor and an enviable amount of confidence when navigating new and strange terrain.

Unresgistered

An unregistered anim is one that resides in a community outside the jurisdiction of Cinderhallow. While being in the city's blind spots grants them perks (not having to pay the religious tide put on goods for example), they do not get to enjoy the resources and protections that those in a registered town would.

Registered

A registered anim lives on territory within Cinderhallow's jurisdiction. Most assume their lives harbor minimal stress as they have the might of the holy city on their side, but the leadership is unusually...absent unless it concerns monetary matters. Despite the estrangement, they gain access to many resources and opportunities that those on the outside do not!

Grand denizen

A grand denizen is an anim that lives within Cinderhallow. The city shields them from most hardships experienced by those outside its walls and as a result, they tend to be idealistic about the state of the world and its ability to be improved without major reform. At best they are well-meaning but (painfully) naive, at worst they are calculated and avaricious.

Anim's opinions on umbrum are quite mixed but tend to border on negative due to Illuminism's strong influence on the land. Illuminism pushes an explicit distrust of umbrum and tends to paint them all as unpredictable beasts.

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The setting of the Zytteraen sun brings with it the thick blanket of night and this haunting hour is when all manner of oddities feel most at home. Umbrum are Zyterra's more supernatural residents, said to be created in the dark ram Edax's image in opposition to their sibling's creation.Unlike anim, umbra species do not intermingle and instead prefer to stay amongst those of their own ilk, for no other reason than it is most comfortable for them to do so. The only unifying factor between them is a shared language, Umbral Common (UC) which possesses a verbal and nonverbal component for species that do not possess the capacity to speak.Umbra culture, moral systems, and opinions on anim vary down to the individual making it a race that is just as complex as their counterparts; As implied previously, many species do not even fit the standard definition of sapience, possessing an intelligence that mirrors that of livestock or denmates.For ease of identification, umbrum are typically split into 3 categories based on very generalized understandings of the species' comfort levels towards anim.

CLASS C - SKITTISH

Class C umbrum exhibit a level of intelligence similar to livestock and only perform actions based on instinct and survival. These species tend to be the most skittish around anim and will only interact with them in times of desperation.

Entry #1 - Muskrooms ("Cervicota")

A muskroom's body structure is similar to that of the common deer. Large sporangia line their backs that eventually fall off during the reproductive period and grow an identical organism inside.Despite their imposing appearance, they appear to be quite benign; opting to consume nutrients from plants, decaying matter, and insects that get caught in their large open "mouths".

⚠️ ALWAYS A WIP. WILL ADD MORE SPECIES OVER TIME ⚠️

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Type B - Brave

Class B umbrum have a level of intelligence that mirrors that of a young child. While a lot of their actions are motivated by survival similar to Class C, they are not afraid to settle near anim and infiltrate underpopulated areas to steal the occasional livestock or cause mischief. There are isolated cases of anim being seriously injured or killed from Class B attacks, as these umbrum can be compelled to roughly handle their victims when threatened or curious as any wild animal might.

Entry #1 - Screechers ("Hemoglossals")

- Bearing a striking resemblance to vampire bats and ticks, hemoglossals feed by restraining prey and shooting out their long barbed tongue to pierce into a victim's flesh and draw out copious amounts of blood.

The tongue has three protrusions at the end. One is a tube-like organ that functions as a straw, while the other two are pointed at the tip and keep the flesh pulled apart while they feed.There is a naturally occurring peptide in their salivary glands (Hirudin) that ensures blood keeps flowing after they've pierced their prey. Common entry points are the throat and abdomen.

When full, they take on a rounder appearance and their meal can be seen through their translucent stomach (The belly is covered with a very thin layer of fur, similar feel to a peach). Being well-fed tends to immobilize them, making them a vulnerable target, so when they are full they like to hide away and sleep off their meal.

A fast metabolism causes them to digest food quickly so going without a meal for around 3 days can prove fatal. When a screecher is close to starving they look thin, dull-colored, and their eyes become sunken. Starved screechers are prone to fits of hysteria where they will attack and consume any creature in sight, even other Screechers!

Just as their name suggests, these creatures utilize a unique screeching vocalization to taunt and confuse prey. Their official method of communication among kin is a complex percussive language achieved by tapping on objects with their long bony fingers.

⚠️ ALWAYS A WIP. WILL ADD MORE SPECIES OVER TIME ⚠️

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CLass A - Comfortable

Class A contains umbrum's sapient species which possess complex cultures and moral systems. They regularly interact with anim for a variety of reasons and their feelings about their neighbors are just as varied as they are. Interestingly enough, some individuals seem to crave deep relations with anim, much to the discomfort of their peers. Perhaps they are drawn to the light of a soul like a moth to flame. Who's to say?In general, it is highly frowned upon by this class to kill anim, but outliers exist. Yes, while it is true that Class A umbrum have the capacity to be cruel or downright evil, anim regularly exhibit these same traits.

Entry #1 - Mimics ("Pseudomorphs")

Mimics have the ability to change aspects of their physical appearance to blend in among anim, taking advantage of the perks that come with living in a community that has a steady supply of livestock to feed on. Low metabolisms and endless patience allow them to relentlessly study the community they wish to infiltrate from afar for weeks to pick up on the mannerisms of the residents in the area before they actually make a move.These disguises they employ are EXACT copies, meaning texture, and even nonorganic material like fabric can be copied. This is achievable because mimics are both solid and liquid. When a change is made, their form physically stretches apart and molds itself like clay to take on a new form. This process combined with the thousands of chromatophores on their body ensures they can copy just about anything they see.Mimics can change their form using two methods:

Because communities are in an indefinite supply, mimics are EXTREMELY territorial about quarries and will defend their finds from other mimics quite viciously. Even when they aren't "hunting" relations with peers are tense and often negative.

🛈 When a mimic is first born, it will remain undisguised until it's old enough to generate a look that combines the parent's features; this is their first means of self-expression, the mimic equivalent of uttering a first word. If one parent is deceased or absent, the surviving parent may use corpses to induce imprinting. This "look" is what a mimic nymph will use into adulthood to blend in. From there, they have the ability to build upon their imprint even further or steal the identity of a new anim altogether.

If a community member is suspected of being a mimic, there are a few ways to tell them apart:

- Mimics possess unnaturally colored blood.- Applying a shock to them will overload their senses for a few seconds and make their disguise temporarily "glitch".- Mimic blood contains advanced stem cells that allow quick regeneration of wounds. If one is harmed, the cut will heal almost instantaneously. If the wounds are severe enough, they will become unresponsive while their bodies fix the issue. This is comparable to a computer in that if there is an overload of sensory information, they need to reboot the systems.

If a mimic is discovered and it is the desire of the community to dispatch it, the body MUST be burned. If this step is skipped they will not remain dead.As fire is the only way to permanently kill them, most mimics are deathly afraid of it.

Subservience

Although mimics can live happy and healthy lives consuming only flesh, there will always exist a deep-rooted longing for their true preferred meal, Souls.Souls are only obtainable upon an anim's death by natural causes or unavoidable accident, and the owner has to consent to it being taken beforehand. Most mimics accept that they won't taste a soul in their lifetime, but rarely, a situation will present itself where they can proffer their services to an anim for the promise of their favorite treat. This unique bond between mimic and anim sire has historically been referred to as Subservience.When mimics become subservient to an anim, they respond to that anim's whims until their death, where the soul is then free to consume as stated by their contract.Subservience is more than just a spoken agreement, it is an arcane bond that has existed for centuries.❗ Subservience is a contentious topic among mimics. Those that attempt it are often mocked by their peers for being nothing more than "pets to anim".

Entry #2 - Parasites

⚠️ CONTENT WARNING: WORMS, BODY HORRORParasites inhabit the body of an organism and feed on host tissue and/or partially digested food to survive. Many parasites put in extra effort to develop positive relationships with their hosts while others see hosts only as a food source and have no desire to explore deeper relations.

There are two subsets of parasite:

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Endoparasites

Endoparasites or “helminths” are worm-like creatures that will enter an organism through an open orifice and carry out its life cycle from within its host. Common places to settle are the brain, liver, and intestine.Once inside, the parasite will feed on partially digested food and nutrients carried through the bloodstream, being careful not to overindulge to keep the body functional. By controlling the release of dopamine to the brain, the helminth can manipulate its host's cognitive and behavioral patterns to perform actions that will directly benefit it and its survival. The extent of this control varies from worm to worm.When the time comes to bear young, the eggs will usually be laid inside a vital organ that can serve as an incubation chamber. Once hatched, the larvae will burst free and work to find their own host to inhabit. Symptoms of an internal parasite include aversion to light, frequent violent intrusive thoughts, and an unwavering hunger.In rare cases, it is possible for the host and worm to come to a sort of equilibrium, both on the same wavelength. In these cases, the worm can start to alter the body in more creative ways as trust between the two is at its peak.

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Ectoparasites

Ectoparasites are fungal in nature and are named for the fruiting bodies they periodically produce outside their host to spread spores.Hosting an ectoparasite uploads your conscious “profile” into a slurry of all the other creatures that share the same strain, effectively creating a hivemind-like structure. In these collectives, all memories and thoughts are public access, and everyone works independently to achieve a common goal, to have others partake in them. (Quite literally, as the common method of spreading spores is to have other organisms consume the fruiting bodies which grow from their flesh.)Because of the tightly woven nature of these hivemind communities, most individuals within them speak in pluralis majestatis by habit unless they are in hiding or someone explicitly states that they wish to address that specific individual to which they will typically switch to first person.

⚠️ ALWAYS A WIP. WILL ADD MORE SPECIES OVER TIME ⚠️

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Glossary of common terms

Click the images to navigate!

Bloodhaven is an "anthro-logy" that centers around the residents of a small port town within Zyterra!

Sketch comics about the various settings within the world. It's recommended to at least read what's available of Bloodhaven before viewing.