SHINI TRIBOLOVON
Intro
Description
Shini Tribolovon are believed to be the natural colorations of the Tribolovon race. Their scales come in varying types of cream, green, red, black and browns. The amount of each colour, its saturation and brightness vary greatly among the individuals. The dragon stands at roughly 6-7 feet in height. They are most recognized by the large mushroom caps on their head, this cap is part of their skeletal structure and cannot be removed without killing the dragon.
Range
The Shini Tribolovon are found roaming the dense forests of the Scarlet forest. They have a camp hidden from outsiders, and often venture around the sector in search of resources. This dynasty rarely if ever goes beyond the red borders for the sake of safety, those who do venture beyond rarely return.
Variations
In the Tribolovon family there are 3 documented variations. The Shini is believed to be the official wild coloration of the dragon, while the other two, Grace and Secre, are the melanistic and Albino/leucistic dominant variations.
Sightings of a fourth have been claimed, but remain unconfirmed.
Diseases
Tribolovon, due to their reptile-like nature, have similar diseases and issues found within the reptile and amphibian group. Due to their lack of medical advancement, a lot of these are untreatable and are left up to fate.
Behavior info
Violence
Shini are not known to be overly aggressive, though they are known to be hesitant on the dark and light Tribos. The darker ones are more accepted than the white ones, for the white Tribos can pose a threat to their dynasty if found. They don't normally resort to killing, but abandonment is often the consequence.
Offensive
Shini are quick to adapt to any situation, usually having training in reflexes. They are fast, quick with running away from or engaging enemies.
Defensive
Shini are highly defensive of their dynasty and young, and are willing to risk a lot for them. They however will abandon a child who is ill beyond help, and or when the child poses a threat to the dynasty.
Travel
Shini are always moving in groups through the forest in search of food, water and other resources. They have a hidden base located where they live, though no one except them knows where it is.
Social
Shini are highly social creatures, living all together in a dynasty set-up. They always have bonding time where they share stories and meals.
Affection
Despite their social behavior, Shini are not known for displaying direct loving affection unless mated for that time.
Relationships
Shini are polyamorous, the males often mating with multiple females and not raising their young. The females are in charge of caring for the children they hatch.
Hunting/gathering
Shini often go out in groups to hunt or gather food, they rarely if ever are found alone. These parties are often rotated around based on who was the last to do it.
Diet
Shini are omnivorous, eating both plant based and meat based goods. They don’t really have farms however, as they prefer gathering.
Common foods
Common foods that shini’s gather/hunt are:
- deer
- boar
- wolf
- bear
- birds
- fish
- berries
- fruits
- any edible greens
Biorhythm
Shini’s are diurnal, being most active during the day, with most sleeping at night, aside from a few individuals set out to guard the dynasty.
Language
Shini speak a language made primarily of clicks and words, the clicks mixing in with their words make it so they can talk without alerting their prey. To humanoids, their speech sounds and looks like snarls, growls, and clicks, with body language being the only indicator of what the conversation is about.
LIFE CYCLE INFO
Lifespan
Shini’s are able to live to 100 years, only a few have been documented to live longer.
Courting
When a male Shini takes interest in a female, he will usually start gifting the female items like food, flowers and anything pretty he can find. Once he catches the female's attention he will start showing off his colors and strength to show that he is fit for survival. If the female approves she will stick close to the male until they mate, which afterwards the male goes onto the next female and the now-mother will raise the young. Many young don’t know who their father is.
Surprisingly, lesbian relationships can still reproduce. This is very rare, and is essentially one of the mothers cloning her DNA, and creating an egg from it.
Incubation period
The eggs will usually gestate for about 3-4 months, in which the egg is safely placed in a nest by the nursing area where the mom stays to guard over the egg.
Egg appearance
Once the egg is laid it always feels rock-solid, the shell of the egg is a pearl white, to soft yellow coloration. As the egg incubates, it grows in size and starts softening as the baby absorbs the calcium of the shell.
Baby Stage
Babies are very small, roughly the size of the talons of the mother. Once the child has hatched, the mother will immediately start encouraging the child to walk, the child is almost completely developed aside from muscle development and knowledge of the world. The child is usually able to see, hear, and walk, very soon after birth, their sail and whiskers are often very small, almost unnoticeable at birth.
Teen Stage
Once reaching their teen stage, they become more independent, seeking to explore the world and help the dynasty to thrive. The parent is often accepting of this, and will rarely still lay claim to them. The sail and whiskers by now are fully grown, and allow them to swim quickly.
Adult Stage
When they reach adulthood, they often mind their own business or task. The parent will no longer continue caring for them, but remain close as a family. The adult would often have by this point, picked up a job to contribute to the dynasty with.
Elder Stage
When they reach an elderly stage, they are often given more free time, and are cared for by the whole dynasty. They can contribute to the dynasty if they can/want, since they have the free time to do as they wish.
Death ritual
Once a Shini passes away, their bodies are taken away (after a mourning) and buried in the sacred grounds, where they will place a stone, with a carving in honor of them.
SKILLS INFO
Agility
Shini Tribolovon, while not the most agile, are still quite quick when it comes to traversing the land they live on, and avoid many attacks thrown their way. Their bodies are generally more stiff due to their sail and skeletal structure.
Camouflage
Shini are extremely well camouflaged for the biome they live in. Their scale colors match the forest they live in, however if they move to a different biome, they would stand out like a sore thumb due to their vibrant colorations.
Climbing
Shini are not the most skilled at climbing, though are still able to if needed. Their base is made in such a way that climbing is rarely needed, their claws are not designed for it, so they rely on strength and skill to climb.
Defense
The Shini have very dense and thick scales, allowing for a very effective shield against blows and their mushroom cap is also quite tough, the cap has a dense internal structure which lets them block blows without damaging their head or neck.
Evasion
Shini are not as skilled in evasion as other races due to their more stiff bodies, they mainly rely on their thick scales to block attacks and to dodge any slower attacks.
Flexibility
Shini Tribolovon are very stiff as mentioned, so they are far from flexible in terms of turning around. Though they still have their own perks like being able to stretch very well to reach somewhat far/high places.
Hearing
Tribolovon have very sharp hearing due to their heightened senses. While their ‘hearing’ itself is normal, their whiskers, as well as their feet can sense a lot of noise. This gives them the illusion of supernatural hearing.
Hunting
Tribolovon are skilled hunters by nature, using their scales to blend in, and their strength to take down larger prey. They often hunt in numbers of 2+ which gives them a higher success rate as well.
Intelligence
Tribolovon are a highly intelligent species, their intelligence laying on the same page as the Dryada, even if the Dryada refuse to acknowledge it. The Tribolovon refuse to advance in inventions however, preferring their traditions over more advanced ways.
Jumping
Tribolovon are decent jumpers, being able to jump up to their body height, and further with training. Most however can jump roughly 3/4 of their body height.
Offense
Tribolovon are quick thinkers, being able to quickly adjust to new situations and handle them almost just as fast.
Scent
Tribolovon have a decent sense of smell, although it’s not as effective as their hearing. The vents/gills on their chest allow a lot of air to be taken in, but it takes a while to register as it’s further from the brain.
Sight
Tribolovon have extremely good eyesight, being able to see at day and night. They primarily react to movement, but their vision is still sharp.
Speed
Tribolovon are pretty fast due to their size, being able to cover a lot of ground quickly. Their muscles are also built to run for long periods of time without stopping, though at a more moderate speed.
Stealth
Tribolovon are very stealthy, their claws landing in such a way that it’s almost completely silent. Their camouflage on their scales also help with stealth.
Stamina
Tribolovon have a shocking amount of stamina, being able to do almost anything for a whole day without breaks. This is still unhealthy and rarely done however.
Strength
Tribolovon have strong muscles, able to carry, drag and push things that are a lot heavier than they are.
Swimming
Swimming is one of the Tribolovons primary skills, they are semi-aquatic, and often live near pools of water. They also require water to rehydrate their scales and skin, as without it, their skin dries out and tears a lot easier.
CULTURE INFO
Camp/village
The Shini camp is located deep within the territory, located in a large ditch covered by low hanging trees and large bushes, inside the ditch, are varying sizes of caves, with woven platforms and accessories to make it more cozy. The caves are lined with varying tapestries telling stories. Each cave is often assigned for a specific group of dragons, depending on occupation and rank, with the leader and their offspring being located in a separate cave, with all kinds of things telling history, rules and morals.
Landmarks
The rivers within the territory are great landmarks, as the flow of the streams and their sizes are a good tell for where they are in the forest, and where they must go to reach their destination. There are 2 massive twin trees located in the sector, these trees are 3x the size of the other trees, and there is a special clearing in the sector which is often used by the Shini.
Notable locations
Camp - the camp is where everyone stays to rest, and generally live when they don’t have duties to fulfill.
Passing Twin Trees - the PTT is a sacred place within the dynasty, the area has 2 massive trees, with a dryadian built structure in the middle, often associated with the portal to the afterlife by the dynasty. There, all bodies are buried with memorial stones and carvings.
Training Clearing - the training clearing is an open spot in the dense forest at the edge of a mountain. There the trainees are training to protect the dynasty, and learning how to do their tasks. The clearing has a lot of lush flowers and plants at the edges of it, filling the air with a pleasant smell.
Sacred Valley Of Frozen Guardians - This area is strictly forbidden to outsiders, and most of the dynasty. This area can only be visited by the lead lineage, the shaman, and anyone invited to join. This valley, located at the bottom of a mountain, is littered with whole, and broken statues of Tribolovon-looking creatures, as well as dryadian machinery. No one knows what they were aside from a few theories. Shamans especially feel a strong connection to the place and often go there to seek answers or to meditate, the leaders also often head there to think about big decisions, as this area has a strong aura.
Lake Cave - Lake cave is a cavern located on the biggest lake by the scarlet forest, it can be found in the middle of the lake. Shaman apprentices go there to make a connection to their deities to get approved, or denied to be an official shaman of the dynasty. The shaman mark is always located by the eyes in the form of a single white dot by each eye's end, like a tear.
The Border - The border is the area where the 3 sectors meet, no one is allowed to cross the border for their own safety's sake. Those banished/exiled are chased over the border to fend for themselves.
Communication
Shini do not make contact with the other dynasties, keeping to themselves. Their population is small enough to the point where communication is best done by just talking to the individual.
Transportation
For transporting goods, eggs and other items, they rely on crafted baskets and bags, these baskets are woven from a common, but special fiber that is both waterproof, and warm. The baskets are often found in the storage cavern where most non-edible goods are stored, and shared by the dynasty.
Accessories
Tribolovon rarely wear major accessories, mainly setting on necklaces, bracelets and other non-hindering accessories. Shawls, and covering accessories are more often seen during special occasions.
Common hobbies
Basket weaving is a very common hobby many take on when they have free time, they also spend time carving stories and drawing memorable moments on special papers as Tribolovon love to keep valuable memories intact for as long as possible, regardless of whether they are good or bad memories.
Common sports/activities
Since most of the dynasty have work to do, not many partake in fun sports. Though they do regularly take time for a monthly event where each month, a story is told via a cosplaying Triblovon dancing to tell the tales of the past.
Entertainment
As mentioned, the monthly dance is often a way to entertain the dynasty when no work is needed. Besides that, they love crafting, and other creative activities.
Common pets
While not having normal pets, many Tribolovon are known to have a Fuga imprint on them, and will stay with them until either they or the Fuga dies, these Fuga are extremely loyal to the Tribolovon and will rarely abandon the dragon.
Common names
Tribolovon have a tribal-like naming system, usually being named in the form of a short sentence. An example being: ‘Hawk That Soars at Light’, most commonly called ‘Hawk’ when called. The name can be of a plant, animal, element or really anything natural!
RELIGION INFO
EDUCATION INFO
When a Tribolovon reaches the proper age, they will be assigned various tasks in different groups to find the one they enjoy most/are most skilled at. Once done with their ‘trial period’ they must choose, once they have chosen, they will then be assigned a teacher that will explain the more advanced details of the job. Afterwards they will be seen as fully grown Tribolovon who are expected to perform their job correctly. All Tribolovon are given basic combat, navigation, hunting and healing training.
GOVERNMENT INFO
Form of government
Tribolovon live in a Dynasty like living style. The lineage decides on who the leader will be, with an advisor at his/her side who gets picked based on experience, not lineage.
Ruled by
The Tribolovon are ruled by a specific lineage line or the closest to that lineage. If the leader is sick or away an advisor takes over temporarily.
Leader lineage hierarchy
Leader > First Born > Advisor > Other
Laws
While they don’t have many set laws in their dynasty, there are a few unspoken rules that everyone abides to;
- One may never kill without good cause.
- White and black dragonets must be killed or abandoned to keep the dynasty safe.
- Shamans may not display any favoritism to an individual during healing.
- The leader's word is law, but may always be questioned within reason.
- Never cross the border of the dynasty.
- All dragons have the right to hear the stories of the dynasty.
Punishments
When a dragon beaks these ‘laws’ they can face the following (depending on severity)
- Exile
- Execution (rare)
- Losing or rank/title
- Punishment chores
WARFARE INFO
Battle techniques
Tribolovon often rely on their claws and teeth to subdue enemies. Though sometimes they use weaponry like claw extensions and armor as extra protection. They always attack in a group of 3 or more, as to overwhelm any attackers with their combined strength.
Common weapons
Claw extensions - As mentioned above, claw extensions are the most common weapon. The extensions can be made from bone, and rarely metal.
Tail tips - The tail of Tribolovon is thin and flexible, able to be used like a whip. Realizing the potential of their whip-like tails, they have started attaching spears or sharp covers at the tip of their tails to deal extra damage.
Fake horns - Some Tribolovon, usually the strongest, will be given fake horns to help pierce through enemies. This is seen as a highly honorable weapon type.
Common armor
While rare, some tribolovon put on extra armor plates by their belly, shoulders and sides. This is to protect vital organs.
Military hierarchy
While there is no direct military hierarchy, the leader or leader’s heritage is what commands an attack or defense party. The advisor is second in command.
HISTORY INFO
Heritage
Moon That Shines Brightly (Moon) was the very first to start the dynasty from what they could trace back from history. Moon was said to be a kind and just ruler, caring for all individuals and putting the needs of the dynasty first.
The heritage was switched one time when one of the leaders was unable to produce offspring before death.
Myths, legends, parables
The Dynasty often tells the story of ‘Moon That Shines Brightly’, showing why they made the current hierarchy and ruling system.
Of course tales of the deities are told as well, which can vary a lot from generation to generation.
Current wars
As of this moment Shini is not at war with any of the creatures.
Past wars
In the past Shini was at war with both Grace and the Secre. This war was due to inner conflict about colorations, which divided the group into 3 documented dynasties.
They also were at war with the Dryada before they left, leaving their machinery behind.
Past leaders
Moon That Shines Brightly (Moon) - Was the first recorded leader of their dynasty.
Moss That Climbs high (Moss) - Was the firstborn of Moon.
Wolf That Stalks Prey (Wolf) - Was the first born of Moss.
Vulture of the North (Vulture) - Was the first recorded change in lineage as Wolf passed away before they could get dragonets.
Rain That Falls Gently (Rain) - Was the first born of Vulture.
Red Of Morning Dawn (Red) - Was the first born of Rain.
Robin of Gentle Flight (Robin) - Was the first born of Red.
Painted Walls of History (Paint) - Was the first born of Robin and is the current leader of the Shini dynasty.
COMMON OCCUPATIONS
Leader
Leaders are responsible for caring for the whole dynasty, making sure everyone is safe and healthy as well as doing their jobs. They often must make tough decisions.
Leaders First Born
The child of the leader is often trained how to be a leader pretty quickly at a young age. They learn all the responsibilities of a leader.
Advisor
Advisors are chosen by leaders to aid them in making decisions. This can be tough alone, so an advisor is almost always present.
Shaman
Shamans are responsible for healing injured or sick dragons, while also interpreting signs of the deities to see what needs to be done.
Shaman apprentice
A shaman’s apprentice is almost always with a shaman, learning all they need to know on how to heal, interpret signs from deities, or find healing goods.
Hunter
Hunters are tasked with hunting food for the dynasty, so that they can eat from it during the gathering of feasts.
Gatherer
Similar to hunters, gatherers are tasked with finding plant-based foods for the dynasty to eat.
Chefs
Chefs are responsible for preparing meals for the dynasty to eat, once the time comes. They are experienced in using fire, as well as preparing potentially dangerous goods.
Scouts
Scouts are tasked with regularly going through the sector and checking for unwanted guests or new sources of food, water, resources, etc!
Historian
Historians are tasked with documenting, and preserving any important history of the dynasties that they may need for the future.
Artists/Writer
Similar to historians, artists and writers help the historian draw and write the history for others to interpret in the future. As well as making more casual works for others to enjoy.
Builder/Weaver
Builders are tasked with building and repairing the homes the dynasty lives in. They also build tools like baskets, bags, accessories, etc!
Combat Teacher
Combat teachers are Tribolovon who are particularly skilled in combat, tasked with teaching the newer generations on how to fight and defend themselves in various situations.
Apprentice
Apprentices are young Tribolovon still learning how to help the dynasty thrive. They are either given many mini-tasks, or are already assigned to a set teacher/worker.
TRIVIA
- Baby Tribolovon can do almost anything right after hatching.
- Tribolovon don’t have nasal holes, they instead have 3 pairs of ‘gills’ on each side of their chest, for breathing and smelling.
- Tribolovon are polyamorous by nature, though same-sex couples are more monogamous.
- All 4 Tribolovon types are the same species, just with different mutations and morals.
Deities
Ruined Claws of Night (Ruins/Ruin) - the deity of death, life, afterlife and limbo, often portrayed as an almost solid black Tribolovon with sharp crescent claws and a flowing shawl with ripped ends. Their eyes are often icy blue-white with black sclera.
Teller of Times Turning (Teller) - the deity of the past, present, future, and knowledge. Often described as a Tribolovon with silver white scales and black eyes/sclera. The inside of the eyes are often drawn with stars glittering in them.
Trail of Shining Stars at Night (Trail) - the deity of constellations and navigation, often seen as a black Tribolovon with swirls of pinks and reds on their sides, with white speckles like stars. The speckles are said to glow at night or when the deity is dealing with strong emotions.
Bright Blood on Stones (Bright) - the deity of war and peace. Often seen as a normal colored Shini with varying weaponry sticking out of their back, from all the wars they were a part of.
Eclipse of Day and Night (Eclipse) - Deity of light and darkness, often believed to be responsible for the day/night cycle. They are portrayed as a Tribolovon that is half black and half white in a chimera like pattern.
Scriptures
While Shini have many scriptures, many of them prefer their stories to be told through the dancing traditions of their dynasty. That way many children also understood their history.
Symbols
1 white dot by each eye - Shaman who was approved by the deities
Core beliefs
Shini believe that they must move with nature's will, not against it. So whenever there is a natural disaster or natural occurrences, they believe they must adapt to the new situation and work with what they’ve been given.
Superstitions
They believe that Tribos of white or black coloration are a bad omen and must be killed or abandoned, most choose abandonment at the border.
Afterlife
Shini believe that the afterlife is full of food, water and anything needed for survival. And those who have committed any wrongs, will be sent to an eternal drought with little to no food and water.
Holy locations
Lake Cave - Lake cave is a cavern located on the biggest lake by the scarlet forest, it can be found in the middle of the lake. Shaman apprentices go there to make a connection to their deities to get approved, or denied to be an official shaman of the dynasty. The shaman mark is always located by the eyes in the form of a single white dot by each eye's end, like a tear.
Traditions
The shamans mark - When a shaman apprentice is deemed ready, they will be taken to the Lake Cave, where they will be accepted or denied by the deities
The leader's trial - When the old leader dies, their first born child will be put on a trial, this trial has a series of challenges that must be completed, these challenges will show the skill of the successor and whether they’ll be a fit leader. If they fail, the next closest blood relative will have their turn at the trial.