Species art by RayEtherna

Quick Notes For Commissioned Artists

Attention to detail gets you everywhere with me! <3

Sheet contains many different examples of Oplogikas colors, patterns, sizes, hair, and tusk styles.
Eyes have a large center pupil and several other smaller ones surrounding it
Eyes are typically very dark in color, but a rare gene does exist that gives them bright or light colors.
Tail tentacles are prehensile, though often involuntarily display emotion
They do not (typically) wear clothes on homeworld, and only for warmth or cooling offworld
For NSFW genitalia reference SEE HERE

Species Information

Homeworld

Mrrshiyaagm is a very temperate world, with mild temperatures and very slight seasonal changes. By human standards, the inhabited regions are like a constant late spring or early summer due to the minimal tilt in the orbit of the planet. This has created a lack of need for clothing to keep warm, so the Oplogikas species do not wear clothes, normally. This also affects their ability to deal with ambient temperature variations, making them susceptible to hypothermia and hyperthermia if they are not careful.

Much like earth, the surface of the planet is mostly water, but the land is all centrally located in a belt along the planet's middle with vast oceans covering the rest. Much of the land is at sea level, so there are many lakes, rivers, and wetlands that flow through it, creating many islands. Though the Oplogikas are thin and long, their webbed toes, thick tail, and dense leg, neck, and tail muscles aid them in swimming. And, though it is considered a vestigial organ by many, the Oplogikas have a buoyancy organ as well.

Once technology allowed, scientists explored the frozen regions to the north and south, discovering an ancient Oplogikas body frozen in the ice that led them to discover much about their past. This led to a boom in technological advancements, especially in bioengineering. They tried to increase the population of favored animals used for materials and meat, but ended up causing an ecological collapse when their experiments caused a vital species of insect to decline rapidly. After that event, bioengineering became heavily restricted and the planet stabilized after several decades of careful nurturing.

Biology

The Oplogikas are typically long and slender, with powerful, dense muscles. Their head+neck, torso, and tail section each comprise a third of their total length, which is between fifteen and twenty-one feet, averaging around eighteen feet, for fully matured adults. They are measured from the top of the head to the furthest point of the tail, but the two prehensile tentacles at the end of the tail are not considered in their length. They are measured at the shoulder of the forelimb for standing height.

One of their forelimbs is generally as long as their torso, very similar to a human arm in structure, and ends in a webbed, four-digited, hook-clawed hand. The heel of their hand and the end of each digit has a pad to make walking on them more manageable. The rear limbs are as long as their full length. They extend up and back to the first joint, which has a stabilizing pivot that juts further up, and then down and back to the ankle joint, ending in a webbed, four-toed, clawed foot that also points forward. The entire rear limb is designed to be as flexible as possible, allowing them to twist in ways that look awkward or uncomfortable by human (or most bony creature) standards.

They have long, wedge-shaped heads that end bluntly at the snout, with two large tusks that do not typically extend past the end of the snout. The tusks, though they are technically horns, are rooted behind the jaw to the base of the skull, just under their ears. They come in a few different varieties, though nearly all are within the four main structures.

Four main types are illustrated in the row of headshots:

The first and third (red and purple) have the most common 'claw-like' type. (40% of population)
The second (green) has the 'kudu' type. (12.3% of population)
The fourth (yellow) has what is considered the 'standard' type, despite it being less common than the claw-like. (31.4% of population)
The fifth (blue) has the 'hook' type. (16% of population)

The remaining 0.3% of the population have 'abnormal' type tusks, which are generally just mutations of the main four, but with significant enough difference to not be considered among them.

Oplogikas have a cloaca near the end of their torso at the beginning of their tail section. It is connected to their release pores (see reproduction and young) to facilitate proper cleaning and disposal.

Oplogikas have a glottis similar to a snake, visible from the mouth as a ring shaped opening, but actually phonate through a series of vocal folds in the throat, similar to humans, which allow air to pass out of the lungs, but not in. Because they have multiple vocal folds, Oplogikas are able to produce a wide variety of sounds and vibrations. Growling, purring, roaring, speaking, humming, bellowing, hissing, shrieking, and singing are among their natural capabilities. Each pair of vocal folds is able to produce sound independently, allowing them to do things such as create their own melodies or simultaneously roar and speak. This is not an inherent attribute, though, and requires practice to achieve.

The roof of their mouths has a cavity which is spacious enough to fit the bottom palate, including the glottis, which allows them to breathe directly through their nose. This design is used in their reproduction cycle, which you can read more about in the NSFW genitals reference linked above.

Senses

Their eyes are very large and their pupils have adapted to shifting light conditions on their home planet, resulting in a large opening in the center and a ring of smaller openings around the outer edges to capture and amplify incoming light, while also giving them a wider field of vision, helping them to see better in deep, dark waters or forests with minimal light filtering in from above. A secondary eyelid covers their eyes in the water, allowing them to see clearly in both atmospheres. They are crepuscular, being most active during the twilight hours of sunset and sunrise, but with modern technologies being as they are, a balance of work during night and day has become the norm. Rather than sleeping in one long session, most Oplogikas have two to four shorter sleeping sessions throughout the day and night, giving them more balanced energy during their most active hours.

Their ears are typically long and triangular, forming a semi-conical shape at the base. They are able to swivel and rotate them to assist with directionality of sound. The conical shape helps to feed vibrations along the tympanic membrane and the specialized hairs and follicles detect minute sounds, giving them exceptional hearing.

Their nose is at the end of their snout and has two wide, slit-like nostrils. Their nasal cavity is rather complex, and has separate chambers for each nostril, which gives them the ability to detect scents in stereo. They can smell things from up to ten miles away, though unless foraging for food or looking for something in particular, they filter what is translated to their brain, similar to tuning out sound. Their nostrils can seal off if they are swimming, though they can still draw water into their olfactory chambers to help locate things in the waters as well.

The Oplogikas, out of all their senses, have the weakest sense of touch. Because they walk around on their hands and travel almost all the time, even in modern times, they do not have a great sense of touch. The soft pads on their extremities keep them from becoming hard and calloused, but also dull sensations. This is redeemed somewhat in their mouth, lips, tail tentacles, nipples, tongue, head (including their face), and reproductive organs, but they would have a difficult time 'playing by feel' or working on small detailed artworks. Because of this, touching of their more sensitive parts, especially the tail tentacles and lips, is seen as intimate gestures.

Social

The Oplogikas are very social creatures. Due to their pack-forming mentality, they are often viewed as rude or brash by other sentient life, but they do not commonly share these feelings. 'Personal space' is not something they often consider, since all members of the pack normally share their feelings and express their concerns openly. This does not mean that they necessarily express everything, and some are a bit more reserved, especially when joining a new pack. They also remain very close, physically, while travelling and resting, frequently sleeping in piles, curled up with each other, and/or with their tail tentacles twisted up together.

Packs are not formed and then kept indefinitely. Packs of Oplogikas will often gather together in social areas and members will move between them as their whim calls them, meaning most packs are constantly shifting and changing composition. It is rare for a pack to refuse new members or to ask a member to stay when their whim drives them to switch up their group, but it is not so rare as to be seen as taboo. However, rejection does cause the Oplogikas to release a significant amount of neurochemicals that will lead to them becoming depressed from a few days to, in rarer cases, up to a few weeks. Should this happen, the individual may choose to isolate themselves or go to the center of a social area and lie flat against the ground as a display of solidarity. Isolated Oplogikas are highly likely to have suicidal ideations and sometimes the depression is bad enough to remove their instinct to survive, some even going to sleep and never waking. Though they will not typically join a new pack until the depression cycle ends, other packs and individuals will come up and rub their snouts and top of their heads against the rejected as a way to comfort them. This simulates a natural pack action that will help reduce or eliminate the rejection response.

Packs of Oplogikas range from as few as three to as many as ten, but very rarely more or less. In the case of a pack that numbers fewer than three, a strong instinct drives others to them, or for the two to join another, or other, pack(s). When a pack grows larger than ten, the same instinct gives them the drive to either split into smaller packs or for a few members to break off into other packs. Pack transitions are seamless, aside from the rare case of pack migration rejection. When an individual changes to a new pack or sets off on their own at any point, it is referred to as 'changing whim'. It is rare, but some Oplogikas stick with the same partner or pack for their entire lives. Usually the individuals in this kind of situation either have weakened instinctual influence, or make up for it by having others join and leave them frequently while keeping the core members.

Singing and dancing are very common when packs and individuals meet each other on social trips, and bartering or exchanging of goods is almost guaranteed. Barter and exchange are very important parts of their culture.

There are two main types of Oplogikas groups, the nomadic and the merchants. Nomads, as the name would imply, do not settle down in one place and will often transport goods from one end of the world to the other for bartering purposes. Merchants are those that stay in an area for extended periods and barter with the nomads for goods. Slavery and indentured servitude was common all the way up until Mrrshiyaagm joined the Vraubryhz Republic. It is not completely gone, but there are very heavy restrictions and several licenses and permits needed that most Oplogikas find it not worth the time and effort. It is strictly on Mrrshiyaagm and does not apply offworld, and ownership of other aliens in the Vraubryhz Republic is nearly impossible and almost always illegal.

Because of the nature of nomadic life, almost all homeworlders are excellent herbalists and can identify edible plants, insects, and other wildlife from an early age. Even the merchant groups will typically know how to identify them because of being raised within a nomad pack at some point, or gaining nomadic individuals after they grow too weak or old to continue travelling, or simply have a sudden urge to stay for a while in the same area. A well travelled nomad will usually make the best merchant later in life because of their knowledge of how rare something truly is. The merchant class is generally where their scientists and engineers are, but geologists, biologists, and other more natural fields of study are best handled by the nomadic class. For the merchant scientists, changing whims would generally hinder progress on projects and research, so they will usually have teams of several packs spread out over a few cities that they can join and share information. The merchant class tends to change whims less often due to this as well, but that instinct is too strong to ignore forever, and most will become restless or very agitated if they try.

Clothing, since it is not needed on their homeworld, is used almost exclusively for sexual appeal, and is viewed as inappropriate for public use. This view has become less common, especially offworld, in recent generations due to other sentient beings coming and going that are clothed. Before they started using packs or animals to help with transporting goods, they used their pouches as convenient and waterproof storage. When not housing young this practice continues to present day, though, like with wallets and purses, is usually reserved for more intimate trinkets and important small items.

Reproduction and Aging

There is only one biological sex for the species, which is equipped with eggs and spermatozoa and the organs to facilitate insemination. They are like Marsupialia in that they give birth to underdeveloped young and keep them in a pouch until they are more developed. The young are born directly into the pouch through a birthing pore that is next to the pouch's inner nipples. They only give birth to one pup at a time and a productive Oplogikas can maintain one pup every four years. Most Oplogikas do not desire to have children at such a rate. Birthing anything more than twins (which is rare enough) is dangerous, since they only have two inner nipples. The inner nipples are not designed to feed throughout child development, so once the young is strong enough to raise its head from the pouch, nursing from the larger teats on their birthing parent's chest begins. The mammaries of the Oplogikas will swell and their nipples will elongate once their young has attached to an inner nipple to prepare for later nursing. The pheromones released by this interaction will affect all of the Oplogikas in their pack to facilitate communal nursing.

An Oplogikas' average lifespan is 150-200 (earth) years, with the oldest known Oplogikas reaching 278 years. They nurse from the inner nipple for about six to twelve months before they are strong enough to lift their head from the pouch. Once they begin nursing from the larger teats, they remain in the birthing parent's pouch for another six to twelve months before they are allowed to be moved from pouch to pouch for communal nursing. Communal nursing will then continue until they are five to eight years, with solid foods being introduced as early as forty months. An Oplogikas is considered an adult and able to begin breeding at the age of twelve, but will continue to grow at a significantly reduced rate until well into their thirties. Assuming they remain well nourished and healthy, Oplogikas will retain a youthful appearance and be able to reproduce until they hit a 'peaking point' where they will experience a rapid decline. Once the peaking point is reached, Oplogikas will have ten to twenty years of life remaining. Sometimes less, never more.

The role of the parent in their offspring's life after they reach adulthood is negligible, so it is uncommon for parents and their children to remain in contact after they set off on their own. The average number of children for a single adult on Mrrshiyaagm over the span of their lives is three. Offworld, the average is 0.675.

Their pouch is forward facing, but has a second flap that comes down over the edge to prevent problems while swimming and prevent drowning their young. The sealing flap is lined with specialized muscles that press tightly against them as a reflex whenever their skin comes into contact with water. The pouch is self-cleaning, a natural antibiotic being released into it and then flushed from the release pores after their eggs are fertilized. This natural and automatic process is the earliest sign of a successful pregnancy and is often celebrated through dance and song if the pregnancy was planned.

When a new Oplogikas is born into the pack, feeding and caring, after the young is no longer pouch bound, is handled by all members, but typically deferred to the one who gave birth for all major or life changing decisions. If the birthing parent changes whim, the child will be returned to their care to be raised by the new pack. Packs will usually breed among themselves, so maturing children will be encouraged to change whim, even if they do not wish to. Incest is uncommon, since members that share up to a third generation of genetics will get prickly, cold vibes when attempting coitus, a natural deterrent. Sometimes this sensation is ignored or even found as pleasurable, so occasional incest does occur.

Because accidental pregnancy is highly unlikely (you can learn more about the reproductive process from the NSFW genitals reference linked above), the birthing individual may wish to leave the child in the care of the inseminating individual should they change whims. This practice is not uncommon and not considered abandoning, though rejected children are the most common way for slavery or indentured servitude to begin.

Government

Trade and commerce rule the day on Mrrshiyaagm. Most conflicts are settled through pack decision, whether the conflict is internal or with another pack, but when something serious happens or threatens a sizable population, there are governing bodies that are appointed through voting. It is mostly democratic, but there is a council of fifteen (considered a lucky number to most Oplogikas) who have a deciding voice that can overturn any local governmental ruling. The council is rarely called upon, so decisions made by them are often criticized as being out of touch, despite the council having been voted in for each area they represent.

Land is not allowed to be owned on Mrrshiyaagm, and each area designated by the council is divided out among local populations as fairly as possible. Merchant class individuals and packs are the most concerned with governmental zoning because of building placement, but since the availability of private or 'top secret' facilities is practically non-existent, it rarely causes problems worthy of note.

The easy going and relaxed government is hardly a utopia, however. The largest illegal operations involve the slave trade, generally of other sentient species in the Vraubryhz Republic. Due to the constant movement of the nomadic groups, the limited branch of enforcement has difficulties controlling and maintaining the criminally inclined. The other main illegal activity is bloodsports, arena or pit fighting. It generally involves the same groups, since slaves are often used as combatants.

Economic

The Oplogikas, and by extension Mrrshiyaagm, have the most balanced and controlled economy of all the Vraubryhz Republic. Rather than using a common currency, barter and trade of goods, services, and information is all they require. Their abundance of natural resources makes daily needs of little concern to the individual, and land is not allowed to be owned, as mentioned in the government section. As technological advancements made transporting goods easier, barter and trade became more about want than need. Information and skills are often used as the most valuable commodity, due to low demand for the more rare materials found natively.

Merchant class individuals set up at bazaars or street markets in or near social gathering areas in order to maximize trade opportunities with the nomadic class. The most common trade item the merchant class offers to nomads is services, such as therapeutic massages, platonic cuddle sessions (group or individual), repairs for various travel accessories or vehicles, sexual services, and (less popular as technology advanced) spiritual guidance or prognostication.

Offworld

Offworld imports and exports are minimal. Most imports are new technology that is considered useful for homeworlders, which is taken to be examined and reproduced. Offworld exports are similar, though they prefer to trade technology for technology, and rarely trade for goods unless it is required for some new tech.

Oplogikas that live on space stations, space cruisers or other planets are quick to adapt to their new environments. Because they cannot change whim often, or sometimes at all, outside of Mrrshiyaagm, most of the space-faring Oplogikas stay with one pack or make do with pairing off with other aliens. Platonic cuddling groups are employed at embassies of Mrrshiyaagm on other planets to help out the more desperate, and some massage parlors run by other aliens have specialists that train in techniques specifically to help alleviate the isolation stress.

Oplogikas have a strong and adaptable immune system due to their nomadic nature and coming into contact with nomads from all over. They are immune to most poisons and pestilence, and have an incredible allergy response, allowing them to exist on other planets without issue. In the unlikely event of an Oplogikas having an allergic reaction to something new, their immune system breaks down the allergen and adapts to it within just a few short hours.

Oplogikas were the subjects of disease and poison adaptation studies from the other sentient life in the Vraubryhz Republic, due to their highly adaptable immune systems, leading to cures for many troublesome diseases for the other species. Oplogikas, being culturally infused with the desire for trade, found this to be very profitable for them. Parents of children with diseases that have no known cure will often seek to employ Oplogikas, bringing rare materials or new technology to bargain with.

This is the only true way for an Oplogikas to legally own an alien sentient life form as a slave according to Vraubryhz law and, even through the proper channels, is so rarely approved that most don't even bother trying. This is where the illegal slavers profit the most. Illegal slavers prey on these desperate individuals, promising to heal their spawn in exchange for one or all of their lives. Most aliens are aware of Oplogikas allowing slavery but are not familiar with its laws and restrictions, so they get away with it more often than law enforcement is aware.

Scrapping and scavenging is one of the more profitable ventures for Oplogikas in space. Small fleets of scrappers roam into more dangerous areas to gather materials and artifacts of the dead planets for trade. The pride of Oplogikas discovery was the creature, Xigosklaswatao, who would later become Arbiter of the Vraubryhz Republic.