Meet Itual...

This will likely never be a finished picture, just drawing out the main characters in the following story... no guarantees to that, either.

(Just realized I didn't sign this... darn)

(Also, this is a quick and pretty poorly written synopsis "to date" of their story because it is 1 in the morning and I can barely see. Oh, and names of the other creatures not used for a reason :] )

Anyways, meet Itual! (or most of her as I basically wasn't able to see anymore so decided to put her wing/fin membranes and markings off til another time.)

Who is Itual?
Itual is a female Morryd who started off a character of mine in a roleplay, basically taking her (and her counterpart) to the next level... a story I've had in mind for quite some time now.

Morryd, one of my creatures, so... Mien, right?
Wrong, actually. Itual's story takes place on another planet... a planet mostly snowy, although around the equator exist forested areas and mild wetlands, although nothing near as warm as our own equator. A few tribes in a couple of species from Mien had recently, within three generations, migrated to this new planet; namely the Morryds and Eos among a few other minor species. Of particular interest is, of course, the rivalry between these two tribes stemmed from hundreds of years of hatred back on the home planet. Interesting to note how the two species adapted on this new planet as the Morrydas have actually thrived off the cooler, moister climate. Their skin dries out more slowly, and they've learned to roll around in the snow to effectively absorb moisture should their skin become too dry. They no longer participate in finding members of other species to give them jewelry or tattoos since this planets inhabitants have been proven to be a bit more... unfriendly. Perhaps the biggest change from their Mien counterparts rests in their dwindling dependency on water. They haven't lost their skills in swimming by any means, but they have been able to adapt to the land much more and have even developed more defined leg muscles. Still not faster than most land creatures, but they can run and hunt effectively enough, relying more on sheer force and cunning.

So... what about Itual?
Itual, you see... was raised by a young male Eo. As a matter of fact, she was originally snagged by that male to be a kill in the name of a rite to acceptance (of a group of young ruffians, not the tribe as both species still hold sacred the idea of not taking a life of another intelligent species unless absolutely necessary). As a result for his actions, the male was banished, but the pride of the Morrydas would not accept this defiled cub, thus resulting in the male being charged with letting no harm come to the youngling in his banishment: effectively charged to raise her.

Itual was initially a burden to the Eo, but he saw great use for her when one day she had been given a maimed rabbit to play with and, albeit accidentally, pricked it with one of her quills which resulted in the animal's immediate and violent death. Shortly thereafter, the Eo began to raise her more intently... although he raised her as his own kind. She learned the calls and customs and culture of his tribe, but as she never knew what her own was, it inadvertently became her own.

Once she reached adolescence, it was natural for the two to travel together. She had the tendency to fawn over the male in an abstract view of admiration and fatherhood, although he returned no such favor. He worked cooperatively with her, and they never parted, but he would often scowl at her, barking insults and offering little comfort. She would remain silent, as he had taught her, when he would fly off into his rants about how detestable and ugly and awkward her kind was, but she naturally had little inkling as to just what her kind was indeed.

It wasn't until she was, perhaps eleven years or so, when she met her first Morryd. He was traveling alone, headed off to an inner tribe of Morrydas, one living off a large lake in the mountains. She was intrigued, but as her counterpart reprimanded her for such distractions, she quickly dropped the issue.

A few years later, they met the creature who would soon become the third to their duo. He was a creature native to this world, somewhat like a cat. Longer legs, and well defined fingers on his heavily feathered forelegs. Most notably were the large wings he toted. The creature's eyes were quite almond shaped, almost slivers, and quite forward siting on the face. The creature also sported a long beard and whiskers, leaving the impression of wisdom. He was white and charcoal grey for the most part, speckled like a snowy owl might be.

The creature obviously carried some burden in his heart, but as the three cooperated, it soon became obvious there would be nothing better than to travel together.

The three shared religion, language and culture, and soon seemed to meld into their own tribe. The creature adopted their religion, taught them his language and the bonds between the three ran deep. The Eo still secretly despised Itual in his heart for what she was, although he began to learn to appreciate her as time went on. She was powerful, she was instinctive... she knew she had at last become an indispensable asset to him, and she took comfort in that.

Shortly thereafter, the group was presented with an opportunity to extend charity to a small group of creatures, different than their own, but still native to the planet. After this, it seemed like an unspoken pact that they would do what they must to fight for those too weak or unable to do so themselves. As time unraveled... Itual and Eo began to learn more about their third's mystifying and horrific past... of all things, the creature was four-hundred years old (whereas his kind would generally only live 60 years or so) and was said to be immortal. This, they kept secret from outsiders.

Yet a few years later, they were headed to the northern wastelands, where their third said his tribe once was, when they came across a band of human-like beings raiding a small den of the creatures like their third. Two in all escaped, and the trio was able to catch up with them.

As it turns out, the two were siblings - brother and sister - both wingless variants of their kind, and they were the offspring of the Chief and Priestess of their tribe. The man-like creatures astride their terrible beasts had been hunting their kind to extinction over the past few years, and their tribe had dwindled down to less than two dozen. Naturally, the trio committed themselves to assistance, despite the doubts and objections from the siblings. They had a plan to end this, but the chief refused to hear them out, and they were driven out of the tribe's ground. Even their short relations with the siblings were on rocky ground.

But the fate of that tribe is for discussion another day...