#tsuchil

Nightlight: Nightlight Tsuchil are a deeper water tribe that inhabits deep trenches and sea-caves. They are identified by their large, crescent-shaped flukes and bio-luminescent markings, which give them their name and vary between individuals. They use these flashing markings to communicate emotion and intention over long distances in the darkness of their homes, and while not particularly aggressive towards intruders, they wouldn’t be considered friendly either. Their tribe has recently had good seasons of food and thus there has been a boom of pups being born, which leaves them pushing on the territories of the Coraluses to the south. They are also most capable of emitting sonic vocalizations to hunt, and are able to communicate with other “Non-handed” sea creatures. (Shadow is turned into a Nightlight)

Paddletail: Paddletail Tsuchil are an adaptable tribe of tsuchil, their territories branching out from the tropical waters around the equator to the cooler waters of the north and south oceans. They are known by their large, whale-like flukes, and for being exceptional healers, maintaining relatively good relations between the other tribes by providing their medicinal studies and elixirs as trade. Many Paddletail are a part of a group called The Separate, whose job is to act as healers for other tribes, but are restricted from engaging in those tribe’s culture and are sworn to a vow of chastity.

Estuary: The Estuary Tribe is unique from the others, in that the majority of them do not resemble hedgehogs at all. It is said that while the other tribes were made up by hedgehog ancestors, the Estuaries were made up of... everyone else. This being said, the Estuaries do not have designated territories, instead migrating about the seas in groups of their own, but rarely going far out to see. Their name comes from the fact that they typically take spouses from the land, like an Estuary is a place where fresh and saltwater meet. Such unions between land and sea rarely stay together, and most Estuary mothers make up colonies where all of them care for each others’ pups, while the males are relatively solitary in the oceans. They, like the Nightlights, have sonic vocalizations, but use it more for communication than for hunting.

Northern Speckled: Northern Speckled Tsuchil thrive in the cold oceans around the north pole, their territory covering most of those oceans. They are known for being scholars and teachers, the Northern Collective being the largest collection of Tsuchil literature and history stored in the oceans. They are one of the most friendly tribes, allowing just about anyone into their territory as long as they’re not there to cause trouble. They make their homes in sea caves and ice tunnels all throughout the area, and struggle to survive long out of their icy domain. They can be differentiated from Southern Speckled Tsuchil by their spots being lighter than the rest of their coat, while the Southern Speckleds’ spots are darker. They are occasionally mistaken for seals whenever they surface along the ice, though they are in close trading with the seals of the area.