Tanglings
Tanglings are a humanoid species native to Zanskar alongside Humans. While primarily human in body and shape, they sport animalistic ears, digitigrade legs, short tufted tails, and body armor scales situated along the spine. Despite the thick scaling, Tanglings remain quite flexible and can curl up into a defensive ball. Due to this, they are often called Armadillofolk.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Bipedal humanoids with digitigrade legs, short tails, and animalistic ears. Their ears remain soft and floppy in childhood until the cartilage grows strong enough to stand up straight. Without proper nutrition or allowed to straighten properly the ears will remain flopped down. Some tanglings are born with 'drooped' ears which hang down and do not develop cartilage. There are no negative health implications to drooping or flopped ears, however an adult tangling can be seen as childish if their ears do not perk.
Tanglings possess thick armor plating that runs along their backs from their necks to the upper part of their tails. This plating extends onto their shoulders and outer thighs.
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I really do enjoy this art style of yours. I do find the inclusion of natural armor pretty fascinating. Were they originally combative before they ascended to where they are now? Keep up the good work!
Thanks for the comment! I'd like to think they were derived from a more skiddish ancestor that used the plates defensively. Their hands were likely far more blunt-tipped for digging in a similar style as their feet, though having dexterous hands won the evolutionary race in the end.