These guys! I love them and their funky magical biology. They're kinda reverse mettalus--magic turned biological instead of biology turned magical.
Transcription/full image description under readmore.
Labeled Diagram:
[The diagram shows a catlike creature with short legs, tall earlike antennae, and a long tail with a bulb and fin at the end. The organ resembling a nose is labeled a "photosynthetic membrane." The organs resembling paw pads are labeled "podal suckers." The organ on its chest is labeled as its "core."]
Culture:
Each nebulis bears a (voluntarily adopted) ethnic mark on their cheek.
The fai [who wear a four-pointed star] are known for their communication skills and problem-solving. They often work as scientists and educators.
The sa [who wear an upside-down triangle] are known for their combat skills. They often work as laborers and entertainers.
The lenetae [who wear a circle] are known for their debate skills. They often work as philosophers, artists, and politicians.
Pronouns are assigned based on cultural group.
Example: they/them/their*/theirs*
Fai: fa/zaf/fir*/fiz* (alt: she/her)
Sa: sa/zas/shi*/shif* (alt: it/its)
Lenetae: ta/zat/tae*/taez* (alt: he/him)
Unaligned: ke/zae/kan*/kaz* (alt: they/them)
*Starred cases (possessive) are not used in the nebulisian language. They exist for use in other languages, such as English.
[The symbol for the nebulisian government, a nebulis with three arrows.]
In the past, the three groups lived apart. They were united under a single government within the last 3,000 years. This government is led by a council composed of one member from each group, known as the Fashi Klashae.
[The symbol for the Sa rebels, a nebulis with three scratchmarks in place of its face.]
Basic Physiology and Appearance:
[A nebulis glaring at the viewer, gel oozing from a cut on his cheek.]
Nebulisae are filled with a gooey gel rather than having a circulatory system. This gel is typically the color of their eyes.
[A melting nebulis with a tired expression on her face.]
A nebulis's outer shell will soften or melt if they are severely ill or injured, or if they are starving.
[A nebulis glares at the viewer, the core on its chest showing a large crack.]
A nebulis's core is their most vital organ. If it is damaged, their lifespan is reduced. Cores cannot be repaired. When a nebulis dies, their core vaporizes.
[Two very different looking nebulisae side by side.]
Nebulisae vary greatly in appearance! They can be any color, have any number of fins in any shape, and their cores can be any solid shape. They can alter any aspect of their appearance at will with the exception of their colors, cores, and size. They are approximately the size and height of a munchkin cat. One important thing to note is that they are not actually hairy/furry! They are merely covered in a light fuzz. Think of them like flocked figurines when designing them!
