Contest Entry - Telial species (read desc.)

An entry for RiverSpirit456 's contest (good Lord I hope this still counts)

_{... I was supposed to be studying for exams.}

Extra info:

Basic Information:
Teliai are a sentient species, and are one of the dominant races of their planet. They’re omnivores, and they hunt a wide range of animals, from fish to mammals to birds. They usually hunt larger prey in order to feed the whole tribe by working together. Whatever nutrients they can’t get from meat they get from various fruits and berries, usually gathered by gathering parties during their travels.

This species travels around in tribes, ranging anywhere between 20 - 50 members, with a designated leader, second-in-command and a healer. The second-in-command of a pack is usually chosen by the leader, and succeeds them when they die or retire. Healers are exactly what they sound like; they have special knowledge of herbs, and a unique ability with their magic that gives them limited healing powers and the ability to lull patients to sleep. Leaders, second-in-commands, and healers all have unique tattoos made of crushed berries somewhere on them, usually either on the upper arms, cheeks, or foreheads. Colors and designs vary across the tribes.

They have a small, lithe and athletic frame. This comes from the fact that tribes are never in one spot for too long. They are always on the move, and never settle in one territory. This way of life also eliminates clashes with other tribes over territory; however it's not to say that they do get into skirmishes over prey. Otherwise, they are usually quite courteous and respectful.

Leaving one's tribe is something that isn't unheard of, however it is quite uncommon among the Telial species. When it does happen, it is usually of younger, healthier Teliai. A lone Telial can survive on its own, but it is quite a bit harder to do so than when living with their tribes. When alone, they survive off of small mammals, birds and reptiles, but this is hardly enough to sustain the amount of energy they regularly burn from their traveling. They are also much more vulnerable when alone; Teliai rely on night shifts to keep the tribe safe. Without another watching over them, it is very easy to sneak up on a Telial while they are sleeping. This causes rogue Teliai to be hyper aware of their surroundings, and sometimes even drives them to madness.

Teliai are an egg-laying species, and mate for life. Incubation usually lasts around 40 days, so whenever an egg is laid the tribe stops moving until the egg is hatched. Their young, when born, already has teeth and downy feathers. The young are fed chewed up meat, fruits and berries. Their flight feathers start coming in at around 3 weeks of age, and can fly with the rest of the pack at around 6 weeks (again, the pack never stays in one area for too long. So if their young is still unable to fly, they travel on the backs of their parents). However, they do not reach full size until they are around 2 years old.

Once fledgelings learn how to fly, it is the responsibility of the entire tribe to teach them how to hunt and fight. 

Their gems are very hard to fracture, but it is possible for this to happen. A Telial with a cracked gem will often retire early. However, if their gem is completely broken, they are usually unable to keep up with the tribe, and are left behind to fend for themselves. They do not survive very long. (All reasons are listed in the reference; see 'Gems')

Home Planet:
Teliai are native to the tropical planet of Therasi. Spring, Fall, Winter and Summer still exist, but the changes in temperature isn't as drastic as it is here on Earth. Say, spring is the season when new flowers bloom, and the leaves all grow back. During the fall, leaves change color and fall from the trees, and the air is mildly chilly. During the winter, the trees are bare, but snow does not exist. The temperature is just chilly, and very windy. Summer is the hottest season, but even then it's only warm at most. The land of this planet consists mostly of jungles and forestation, but beaches and stretches of grassland do exist. The water is very warm, and teems with marine life. Many animals live on this planet, including Teliai.


Genders: Males and females

Life span: 50-70 years

Weaknesses: Because their native planet sees very little change in climate, when exposed to extreme temperature Teliai are more than likely to die in a short time span. They are also fairly small for a dominant race, and so find it very hard to hunt larger prey when on their own. They are very dependent on their tribes.

Strengths: They are extremely intelligent. Cunning and swift, you could easily compare them to how foxes are depicted in fables. They are very agile fliers, and can swim well, holding their breathes for up to 20 minutes underwater. Teliai are also excellent tree climbers.


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More info may be added later. This was a bit rushed, hehe.

The female character in the ref. sheet is actually a personal character I made of this species. Her name is Electra.

Species belong to me.