Planet Zar: Nexus

General

Once known as Legacy Creations, the Abyss Born are constructs created by a group of powerful murdon. Abyss Born are entirely organic and biological, but they were created by altering atoms and thus do not have an evolutionary origin. There are various sub-species of Abyss Born with different magical abilities and affinities.

Abyss Born are sentient and highly intelligent creatures, with magical abilities that followed them out of the void. Abyss-born can resemble any vertebrate species on Earth, and many develop hybridized traits of two (or more) animal species. Some also possess physical mutations related to their magical spheres of influence.

Regardless of the animal species they resemble, all Abyss Born are generally between 2-5 feet at the shoulder. Bipeds may be slightly taller. Mouse abyss-born are huge compared to their animal counterparts, and elephants are smaller than expected. All abyss-born are omnivorous, but some may choose to live life as an herbivore or carnivore. They do not require actual food nutrients in order to survive, so any eating at all is only for pleasure.

Affinities

Affinities equate to an Abyss Born's magical talent and dictates their appearance, abilities, and some aspects of their personality.

Each sub-species has their own varied list of affinities, with new ones cropping up all the time through breeding.

Abyss Born can have up to three affinities, but their magic will be diluted the less "pure" they are.

Abilities

Abyss Born have various magical abilities depending on their sub-species and affinity, but all Abyss Born are capable of a few things;

Verbal Speech
Shapeshifting (feral form to anthromorphic form)
Shapeshifting (feral form to human form) occurs in roughly 40% of the population, which is controlled by an allele called the 'marionette gene.'

Reproduction & Development

Abyss Born are capable of reproducing between any genders. Magical influence and the instability of their creation has allowed for leeway in this regard and all Abyss Born are technically intersex to some degree. Gestation periods are short, typically 6 months, and litter sizes vary between 1-4 offspring unless fertility magic is applied.

Abyss Born are an incredibly long-lived species who usually reach 800 years without issue. They reach sexual maturity around age 20.

While hybridization between subspecies is possible, social pressure and cultural stigmas make hybrids uncommon.

Abyss Born young are called "bebes."

Affinity Inheritance

(same) pure x (same) pure = 100% pure
(different) pure x (different) pure = 80% pure, 15% dual mix, 5% new type
pure x dual = 60% pure, 30% dual mix, 5% triple mix, 5% new type
pure x triple = 50% pure, 35% dual mix, 10% triple mix, 5% new type
dual x dual = 50% pure, 30% dual mix, 15% triple mix, 5% new type
dual x triple = 40% pure, 40% dual mix, 15% triple mix, 5% new type
triple x triple = 30% pure, 45% dual mix, 20% triple mix, 5% new type

If the parents share an affinity-type, this further changes the odds of pures and mixes.
A torture Euclides is bred to a torture/reaper mix Euclides.
A bebe is rolled to be a dual mix.
The possible options are torture(mum)/reaper, torture(dad)/reaper, and torture(mum)/torture(dad). So the bebe has a 33% chance of rolling for pure-type, even though it was originally rolled as a dual mix.

Animal Inheritance

"Animal" is the colloquial term for the corporeal form which an Abyss Born resembles.

Mammals are predominant, and quadrupeds more-so than bipeds.
Birds, reptiles, and amphibians occur less frequently.

Abyss-born sporting traits of more than one animal species are called "Patchworks." They are somewhat uncommon, but their appearance doesn't dictate any aspect of their power, rank, or personality.

Offspring can inherit either parent's species, with a 25% chance of being a patchwork of both species.
Offspring of a patchwork x non-patchwork pairing have a 40% chance of being patchwork.
Offspring of two patchwork parents have a 70% chance of being patchwork.

While species is almost always directly inherited from the parents, there is a 10% chance of a bebe resembling an animal from the same family as the parent's species.
(Eg. A wolf-resembling abyss-born has a 10% chance of creating a fox-resembling bebe.)

Rank Inheritance

Rank inheritance is determined by the current rank of each parent, not their rank at birth.
Omega x Omega = 80% omega, 20% gamma
Omega x Gamma = 40% omega, 60% gamma
Omega x Beta = 20% omega, 70% gamma, 10% beta
Omega x Alpha = 10% omega, 70% gamma, 15% beta, 5% alpha
Omega x Deity = 5% omega, 60% gamma, 25% beta, 10% alpha

Gamma x Gamma = 20% omega, 75% gamma, 5% beta
Gamma x Beta = 10% omega, 75% gamma, 15% beta
Gamma x Alpha = 70% gamma, 25% beta, 5% alpha
Gamma x Deity = 50% gamma, 40% beta, 10% alpha

Beta x Beta = 60% gamma, 35% beta, 5% alpha
Beta x Alpha = 50% gamma, 40% beta, 10% alpha
Beta x Deity = 40% gamma, 45% beta, 15% alpha

Alpha x Alpha = 35% gamma, 50% beta, 15% alpha
Alpha x Deity = 25% gamma, 55% beta, 20% alpha

Deity x Deity = 15% gamma, 60% beta, 25% alpha