#metrofication

The titular city is a sprawling and diverse place, home to not only regular humans, but also more monstrous beings (similar to Little Nightmares' "residents" before they were ever called that), and even mutated animals in earlier concepts. Finding a place for the non-human characters was weird bc of this dichotomy, but i ended up going with an "all lightners:human::darkners:nowhere spawn" scheme. one where lightners tend to have unique mutations and facial differences, but wear leather masks with animal motifs that mirror their original designs. (susie here has ectodermal dysplasia and ralsei has vitiligo + cutaneous horns. he might not even be human but he passes because reasons™).

Kris appears as a more "ordinary" human who was adopted into an upper class family that all shares the same mutation. Having grown up around mutants, they're very aware of the struggles they face and at some point begin using their privilege to advocate for them in the growing underground movement. However despite being able to pass as an able-bodied person, there's this whole thing where Kris has to wear an apparatus under their clothes which keeps their soul tethered to their body. more on that later maybe.