Wyrdkin (Weird-kin)

Ideas Manifest

When it comes to the idea of otherworldly, the creatures known as Wyrdkin can be considered to be strange in spades. Creatures that are born from the actions and thoughts of other sentient species, the Wyrdkin are creatures that are closer to the conceptual ideals than most. As such, they can possess a great range of different subspecies that are each capable of causing waves within the communities and regions that they form within.
Constructed by concepts and ideas, the Wyrdkin possess an unusual sense of logic in how they interact with themselves and the world around them. While this can certainly make them dangerous and seemingly unpredictable, it can also be their greatest weakness once their rules are determined.

Basic Information

Anatomy

While the anatomy of a Wyrdkin can differ as much as the concepts and ideas they are pulled from, a few common traits have been noticed throughout the different subtypes. This includes many having a propensity for being small to average in size, with anything larger generally considered to be especially powerful forms of Wyrdkin. They also can possess unusual proportions or features such as large noses or long slender fingers and are frequently made of nonorganic material. While these characteristics are not true of all Wyrdkin, they can be considered a good rule of thumb when encountering unknown creatures in Refuge, especially those with a propensity for mischievous behavior, have strong and dramatic emotional reactions, or who appear to be bound by unknown rules.

Genetics and Reproduction

Wyrdkin do not experience birth in the same manner as other creatures. Instead, they experience what is known as a "manifestation event." This event can occur in many different ways, including being formed by nearby materials such as earth or shadows or seemingly coming to life by 'possessing' a beloved toy or machine. Whatever the case may be, their manifestation is rarely considered natural and their presence will always give an air of otherworldliness as a result.
When it comes to reproduction, Wyrdkin also cannot experience the natural passing of genetic information that is familiar to other species to create more of their own kind. Instead, Wyrdkin can pass along a sliver of their power to individuals from other races that they treasure or have formed a mutual agreement with. This can cause those within those lines to possess an unnatural taint that will follow them for the rest of their lives.

Growth Rate & Stages

Due to the Wyrdkin's unique manner of possibly manifesting within a region, they do not have any natural stages of growth as they, by all accounts, are 'born' fully grown. While this does not mean that a Wyrdkin cannot change or evolve over time, this should not be considered the same as natural growth, such as that of a child becoming an adult.

Ecology and Habitats

Wherever there are concepts and ideas to be experienced, there is a chance that a Wyrdkin can be there. This is because it is the experience of sentient species that allows for a Wyrdkin to become manifest. In other words, the thoughts of those experiencing a concept help to give fuel for a manifestation event to occur. As such, Wyrdkin will be formed in or near communities where other creatures are and will never manifest in a place devoid of sentient life. This does not mean that a Wyrdkin has to stay near other creatures, however, and they are free to roam where they wish after manifestation.
Should they stay, however, a Wyrdkin's presence can always be felt within a community as their actions are rarely able to be ignored for long. Whether this is caused by mischeviousness, maliciousness, or helpfulness, is generally based on the kind of Wyrdkin that has manifested.

Dietary Needs and Habits

For many Wyrdkin capable of the act, they find the routine of consuming food to be a pleasurable experience but not a necessary one to sustain their life. Subsisting on the ideas and concepts that they are drawn from, Wyrdkin instead orient themselves towards the actions that drive their conceptual nature as a means to fulfill an almost instinctual necessity. While this may not necessarily be what allows them to survive, many seem driven as if it was.

Biological Cycle

Due to their nature, Wyrdkin do not experience natural biological cycles like other creatures. Instead, they remain seemingly ageless until they are killed or destroyed in some manner. That said, Wyrdkin have rarely been noted to experience sudden changes into taller and more powerful Wyrdkin. While the process for this is unknown, it is assumed to be some combination of time and effort on their part.

Behaviour

Because of their relatively simplistic nature as concepts manifested, Wyrdkin tend to be direct and wear their emotions on their sleeves when interacting with others. While this by itself may not be enough to help determine a Wyrdkin, the fact that each one is bound by rules asserted at the moment of its manifestation remains a solid indicator. While these rules are rarely so complex as to be unable to be discerned by the reasonably intelligent, Wyrdkin will not willingly give their secrets away to others. As such, it will often take a measure of observation, interaction, and experience to determine how to effectively deal with a manifested Wyrdkin.

Additional Information

Social Structure

While Wyrdkin are generally encountered alone, this does not mean that they cannot form complex social hierarchies with other Wyrdkin. This can include Wyrdkin of similar or complementing species forming packs or lesser Wyrdkin falling under the control of more powerful greater Wyrdkin. What determines the construction and relationships within these hierarchies, however, is often as unknowable as the Wyrdkin themselves.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Wyrdkin can be found throughout Refuge in varying degrees with the most concentrated populations being in areas that are considered closer to the realm of the Conceptual Ideals.

Average Intelligence

Intelligence among Wyrdkin can vary wildly with most possessing below-average, average, and above-average intelligence. However, every Wyrdkin instinctually understands the rules that bind their own individual species and as such can seem almost supernatural in their ability to work within these rules.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

The average Wyrdkin does not have unusual perceptions or senses compared to the average being within Refuge. That said, there are two notable acknowledgments to consider. The first is that all Wyrdkin appear to be able to manifest reasonable sensory capabilities despite lacking any discernable sensory organs designed for such things such as sight or hearing as well as other senses. This can be seen in Wyrdkin who have taken on the form of nonliving materials or which appear so strange that any obvious sensory capabilities are in question.
However, there is an exception to these rules. Should a Wyrdkin be based on an idea that would enhance a sensory capability, they will possess a significant amount of ability in that perception. For example, a Wyrdkin based off of the concept of an echo might have a strong sense of hearing compared to other Wyrdkin. This can work in reverse, however. Should a Wyrdkin be based off of an idea that would reasonably remove or restrict one of their senses, such as the concept of blindness, then they will be as well.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

There are no noted naming traditions among the Wyrdkin species, however, it is not uncommon for Wyrdkin to name themselves with a range of silly names. Including after common objects or with names that bear many complex syllables.

Major Organizations

While Wyrdkin do not go out of their way to form organizations of any size within their own communities or species, there have been examples of especially powerful greater Wyrdkin taking control of regions as their own personal realms with which to spread their influence. Due to the often complex and unfathomable hierarchies within these realms, these 'kingdoms' have often been compared to theaters or courts in nature.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Due to their otherworldly nature, Wyrdkin are able to speak nearly every language that they come across. However, they seem only able to read the languages of the societies that they manifested near.

Common Etiquette Rules

While etiquette can greatly range between the various Wyrdkin species, a common tradition for travelers who encounter one is to mirror the Wyrdkin's own actions in turn as to reduce the possibility that they may accidentally insult the creature until they better know what rules bind it.

Lifespan

Unknown

Conservation Status

Wyrdkin can be encountered in many regions within Refuge to varying degrees, with shards considered to be more 'touched' by the Conceptual Ideals to be more likely to manifest them. This includes lands of unusual temperament or manifestation, such as shards created from unusual substances and/or designs or which have odd weather patterns or creatures. While being more 'normal' does not stop a manifestation from occurring, it can be centuries before a Wyrdkin spawns in such territories, thus causing confusion as to what they actually are among the local populace.

Average Height

Around 3 to 4 feet with more powerful examples having been known to grow to 8 to 10 feet.

Average Weight

Many Wyrdkin are light with even the largest lacking the density that their size would assume.

Average Physique

Stronger and/or more flexible than they appear, Wyrdkin have been underestimated in many physical situations, often to their opponent's humiliating detriment.

Geographic Distribution

• Refuge