watcher in the sky

so i'm sure a lot of us might be aware of the most common courting practice in the animal kingdom, but if you aren't, let me fill you in! it's incredibly common for the male to initiate, typically doing things to catch his prospective mates eye. this can vary between species, but usually consists of fighting/competing with other males.

with ghouls, things work similarly! ..kind of!

without a similar human concept of gender, it can be hard to pinpoint some of these behaviors, but it really boils down to these 3 separate stages!! 

INITIAL ATTRACTION: these are the beginning stages of attraction. due to the dangerous and often lethal conditions of the pits, it isn't uncommon to court another ghoul simply for protection or copulation. this can get complicated, as ghouls mate for life, and spending the rest of your life with a veritable body guard/one night stand doesn't sound very nice, does it? the initial attraction stage can often fizzle out, like a human temporary crush. 

the behaviors during this stage are uneventful, mostly compared to the human ‘talking stage.’ the ghoul or ghouls in question (because multiple ghouls can court each other at once, a complicated conversation for another day) get to know each other. they become aquatinted, and the events of this stage vary from ghoul to ghoul.

GETTING SERIOUS: at this point, things are starting to get serious. and coincidentally, this is also where things start following a structure, varying on the ghouls’ subspecies. this is also where the earlier animal kingdom references come into play. fire and air ghouls, more combative than most, value displays of strength and usefulness. things like fighting with horns and claw, or bringing each other prey fall into this category, though air ghouls are also known to preen in a display of beauty, as do water ghouls. earth ghouls and quintessence ghouls both carry out nurturing acts, and can frequently be seen giving their prospective mate(s) gifts of art, jewelry, clothing, etc. 

!!! now pay attention to this part!!! at their core, regardless of subspecies or personality, all ghouls are scavengers and collectors. ghouls collect trinkets that interest them, whether or not they are conventionally valuable is up to the ghoul. the FINAL STEP of this process is a gift. the courting ghoul will gift the other(s) a trinket or object from their personal collection, usually one with heavy sentimental value. it carries the human significance of gifting your partner a grandmother or mother's ring. this is the absolute ultimate display of commitment. 

MATES 4 LYFE: and this is where things culminate. if the receiving ghoul declines the gift, though it would be very emotionally stressful on both parties, they part ways and the process ends. if they accept, then! yay!! officially becoming mates in the pits is actually quite simple. the mates give each other official mating marks, usually signified by a shared wound. this is modernly and conventionally represented by matching bites, but could and has also worked with tattoos, scars, etc. mating isn't just a symbolic thing, either!!! 

due to the magic in ghouls as a species, mating is considered a swapping of magic. an air ghoul, upon mating with a water ghoul, may find themselves with a newfound ability to manipulate water to a degree, or find a few new scales on their arms. this intrinsically links the ghouls together until death. there have been attempts to break a mating bond, but so far, all have either failed or ended in the death of one or both parties. bonded mates have the ability to feel each other's strong emotion to a certain point, and communicate basic thoughts to each other.

1 . mist!!

everyone's favorite water ghoul gal! in my silly hc world she's very serious-looking, with tight, stern features that hide the most sincere and genuine personality. they have a bit of a rbf, but she's so honestly real that it makes the other ghouls' stomach hurt/pos. they're pretty short, but make up for it with the sheer height and weight of her horns. you really can't see it because it's a head shot, but she's covered in scales, along with the gills on her ribs, obviously. they also has nictitating membranes, like an amphibian! she also has webbed hands and feet, and an extra row of backwards facing teeth. just a sharp gal who wants to spend their time solving logic puzzles and sitting in wet grass.

2 . sunshine!!

i need to kiss her oh my GOD. third tallest of the group and makes sure everyone in the group knows it. i hc her as having very soft, rounded-out features, round eyes, big irises, etc, that contrast heavily with her build. she has what the internet would call a soft sleeper build. i.e, having an insane amount of muscle under those soft features. she has a tummy and lovehandles, and she could probably take most of the bigger ghouls 1.v.1 and come out on top. i think her hair would fluctuate between deep pinky-orange and blonde, always super warm colors. she practically radiates heat. like, she's a living furnace. also covered in faint scars, mostly on her torso and back! pit life wasn't kind to her, and she came out of it, somehow, an incredibly sweet ghoulette.

3 . cirrus

okay i'll be totally honest, this is my absolute favorite design. cirrus embodies stern discipline and still manages to be the goofiest nerd out there. i almost, ALMOST gave her a pair of bayonetta glasses. almost. she's the tallest of the bunch, with this straight posture, regal horns, proud and strong features, she fucking exudes this otherworldly confidence. but she's just. she's cirrus! she's the musical theater nerd who spends her free time trying to teach dew how to play magic: the gathering and failing. she's a drama queen. she has carefree girls-only sleepovers with aurora and cumulus every saturday night. if someone were to crack a stupid pun in her direction, she would level them with an unimpressed, downright terrifying look before bursting into tittering cackles and shaking the nearest person's shoulder. she's just cirrus!!!!

4 . cumulus

oh cumulus the woman you are. she's just an absolute gem. almost everything about her is cool-toned, which funnily enough, couldn't match up with her personality if she tried. if cirrus is the level-headed nerd of the group, then cumulus is the impulsive pseudo bodyguard. she's incredibly passionate about every little thing, and has severe trouble ignoring her impulses. she was one of the last ghoulettes' to give into a more human way of living after being summoned, and even then, she still tends to prefer a feral way of life. she's snarky and quick-witted, willing to drop everything if the smallest thing catches her attention, following it and leaving nothing but the smell of ozone in her wake. her teeth almost seem sharper when she grins juuust right. cirrus might sometimes jokingly call her 'the meanest air ghoul she knows' and, yk what? she might be onto something!!

5 . aurora