Lignea would work as a hybrid!
THE LIGNEA
the tree kin
They are an ancient, mysterious race that originates from a distant place known simply as Prim'sylva, or the first garden. It is said to be the place where plant life was first brought to flourish on this globe, although it is contested whether or not the plant kind or the animal kind came first - the plants hold firm that they began the root of life here, while the animals say they were only brought to provide a means of nutrient. Whatever the case, it is true that the Lignea are a harmonic balance between the two manners of existence on this planet.
Whenever a new plant takes seed in the soil, when it's roots begin to stretch down and its leaves unfurl as a sprout, a Lignea is born. They appear as a variety of hoofed animal, commonly horse, deer or bovine. In some manner on this animal, a plant identical to the one growing in the ground, grows on the beast. The Lignea takes the basic name of the plant, and carries its weight and its health wherever it goes. The plant within the ground is referred to as the soul plant of the Lignea, or its bonded plant or just bonded. The plant growing on the Lignea's back is referred to as the body plant.
Animal and plant are bonded in this way, a method said to bring harmony amongst the fractions. If either rooted plant or its soul Lignea are harmed, the other suffers. The Lignea are always born, or sprout, in Prim'sylvia, but it is common for a Lignea to travel to wherever its soul plant may be to offer it protection. Many more Lignea find the journey too difficult and fraught with the unknown to leave the safety of Prim'sylvia, especially when so many of their fellow kin reside there, and there is no shame in this. In fact in the past several hundred years, most Lignea have remained, as they found that the warring animals were more likely to attack a Lignea, where as they would have ignored the simple soul plant. For this reason many creatures and places have forgotten that Lignea even exist. Those that do still venture out are masters of camoflauge and speed. Despite all their best efforts however, many forests have begun to vanish across this globe. With them too go the Lignea.
There is great debate still amongst the Lignea over how best to protect themselves and their plants. The elders insist on hiding, and many agree with them, still fearing and hating the animals. Yet a few have chosen to travel far beyond Prim'sylvia in the hopes to learn, understand, and teach animals. Their history calls them the harmonic peace keepers, and to this destiny some have begun to march, that or face extinction.
LIGNEA BREEDS
The Lignea are separated into different breeds according to their plant family. Different breeds of Lignea are usually unsuccessful at breeding with one another (1/6), and less so at breeding with non-Lignea (1/10), but it has happened before. Lignea are more successful at breeding with each other if they're of the same breed or two-different breeds that can naturally create a hybrid (1/3).
These are the normal physical traits for a Lignea breed, but they can vary to an extent. At times their soul plant may even serve as a horn (unicorn) or functioning wings (pegasus), though this is rarer and is often related to where their soul plant took root in the world.
Arborun - tree ones
.tall and strong of physical body (draft)
.a single tree tends to grow from their shoulder, back, or rump
Virgunus - shrub ones
.short and stout of physical body (mustang like)
.two shrubs tend to grow from their skull, either side of shoulders, or leg joints
Vitiun - vine ones
.elegant and lithe of physical body (arabian/thoroughbred like)
.vines tend to grow where hair would, either being part of the hide itself, or entwined within the mane and/or tail
Flosunus - flower ones
.short of body type (ponies)
.flowers may sprout in parts where hair would grow, either hide, mane and/or tail, they may act as a beard or as a line down the backside, or commonly as a horn
Herbanus - herb ones
.no specific physical body type
.herbs tend to grow around the face or hooves of the Lignea
Gramunus - grass ones
.no specific physical body type
.grasses tend to grow in place of hair, most commonly in the mane or tail, but also as whiskers, beards or portions of the hide and may commonly serve as wings
Siccabinus - dry ones
.no specific physical body type
.succulent type plants tend to grow along their backside, replace the mane of their nape, or exist like horns on their head.
Fungun - fungus ones
.no specific physical body type
.fungus tends to overwhelm the Lignea, often blotting out a sense or two as it will commonly grow around the face, but it also commonly hinders movement by growing close together by joints or tight spots of the body
Aquanus - water ones
.lithe and elegant body types
.freshwater plants sprout along their backside or head most commonly, permitting the aquatically designed Lignea to float just at the surface and rarely be detected.
Salnus - salt ones
.lithe and elegant body types
.saltwater plants {coral is not a plant!} sprout along their backside or head most commonly, permitting the aquatically designed Lignea to float just at the surface and rarely be detected.
Fruits and vegetables can grow in a variety of ways, most of which should already be listed.
LIGNEA SUMMARY
.Lignea are open for variety and artistic freedom, so feel free to get creative, but do try and recognize why certain breeds appear certain ways
.Most Lignea have a marking or markings unique to them, which helps identify them among similar breeds.
.Lignea are an inherently magical animal, but are not commonly born with abilities. They find wisdom in learning, and often with extended lifespans (as long as their plant counterpart) are able to unlock their mind.
.That being said, Lignea always have earth/plant related abilities.
.Lignea have a high likelihood of bonding with a companion, as they are well attuned to both plants and animals.
.The plant on the Lignea retains the natural properties of that plant, and can be useful to the Lignea, though it does provide some discomfort and even injury when parts of its own body's plant are harvested for use.
.The plant on the Lignea will shift normally with the seasons, just like the soul plant does.
.Lignea tend to have a personality similar to their soul plant and certain personalities are characteristic for the Lignea breed. i.e. tree Lignea tend to be peaceful and wise, where as flower Lignea tend to be cheerful and carefree. Compare though a marigold flower Lignea to a rose flower Lignea, and they will be very different.
.Lignea are always named after the type of plant they are bonded to. This means there are hundreds of the same type of Lignea running around with the same name, but each will look slightly different and will grow to be individuals over time and with experiences.
.Lignea are always considerate of plants and consider all plants sacred, but they will favor their own specific type and their own breed more commonly above other types.
.Lignea tend to have a mild fear of those animals or even plants that would be natural predators to their soul plant. Such caterpillars hosting on certain plants or deer eating the bark of certain trees.
.Lignea use photosynthesis and drink lots of water in order to survive. Consuming plants would be abhorrent to them, and in some cases, cannibalistic.
.Lignea tend to consider that two gods rule the planet, an Animal God {Corocottas} and a Plant God {Nepenthes}. They worship both to provide harmony, but most Lignea do not get too involved with religious beliefs, content to worry about the living plants on their hooves. Lignea's religious affiliation can vary from individuals, and being open-minded they are apt to adapt to the beliefs of cultures they live near or within.
.Lignea tend to carry the natural colors of their animal counterpart, but may also have markings or hide colors influenced by the colors of their plant counterpart, and often have interesting markings, which is important in telling two of the same type plant Lignea apart.
.Prim'sylva is where are all Lignea still sprout from, even if their soul plant sprouts somewhere else. Some Lignea will travel to find their soul plant to protect it, while many more remain forever in Prim'sylva under the protection of the first woods and with most of their brethren. There is no shame either way, and as the animals started to war more with each other, many Lignea put their soul plants more in harms way by being present for their form attracted more attention than their soul plant would have. For this reason, many creatures have forgotten about Lignea, since they hide so well in their sacred woods, and hide so well even in any woods, being masters of camoflauge.
.If two Lignea breed, or a Lignea with a non-Lignea, the mother will carry the sprout to term and birth it naturally. Depending on the parents genes, the foal may be a 'true' Lignea, in which case it's soul plant will bloom where it first touched the ground. If not a 'true' Lignea, the foal may have Lignea traits such as growing plants on body or plant coloring on their hide, but will not have a soul plant connected to them.
.If two Lignea breed, the foal will express only one plant trait, unless those two parent plants can naturally create a hybrid expression.
.If a Lignea breeds with a non-Lignea, the foal can never be a 'true' Lignea.
EXAMPLE
Willow is a tree breed of Lignea, and as such is a draft type. Her color is a normal horse color, silver dapple, with abnormal green color frosting her mane and tail. There is a mirrored green swirl markings (like vines, or long leaves of her willow tree) that encircle her eyes. She also has some willow tree leaves just naturally tangled in her mane and tail (dark green streaks). She has some moss growing along her flanks and down her tree's trunk as well.
A Lignea could be fully green in color, or even more colorful, like flowers, so long as the design correlates in a way to their plant.
the tree kin
They are an ancient, mysterious race that originates from a distant place known simply as Prim'sylva, or the first garden. It is said to be the place where plant life was first brought to flourish on this globe, although it is contested whether or not the plant kind or the animal kind came first - the plants hold firm that they began the root of life here, while the animals say they were only brought to provide a means of nutrient. Whatever the case, it is true that the Lignea are a harmonic balance between the two manners of existence on this planet.
Whenever a new plant takes seed in the soil, when it's roots begin to stretch down and its leaves unfurl as a sprout, a Lignea is born. They appear as a variety of hoofed animal, commonly horse, deer or bovine. In some manner on this animal, a plant identical to the one growing in the ground, grows on the beast. The Lignea takes the basic name of the plant, and carries its weight and its health wherever it goes. The plant within the ground is referred to as the soul plant of the Lignea, or its bonded plant or just bonded. The plant growing on the Lignea's back is referred to as the body plant.
Animal and plant are bonded in this way, a method said to bring harmony amongst the fractions. If either rooted plant or its soul Lignea are harmed, the other suffers. The Lignea are always born, or sprout, in Prim'sylvia, but it is common for a Lignea to travel to wherever its soul plant may be to offer it protection. Many more Lignea find the journey too difficult and fraught with the unknown to leave the safety of Prim'sylvia, especially when so many of their fellow kin reside there, and there is no shame in this. In fact in the past several hundred years, most Lignea have remained, as they found that the warring animals were more likely to attack a Lignea, where as they would have ignored the simple soul plant. For this reason many creatures and places have forgotten that Lignea even exist. Those that do still venture out are masters of camoflauge and speed. Despite all their best efforts however, many forests have begun to vanish across this globe. With them too go the Lignea.
There is great debate still amongst the Lignea over how best to protect themselves and their plants. The elders insist on hiding, and many agree with them, still fearing and hating the animals. Yet a few have chosen to travel far beyond Prim'sylvia in the hopes to learn, understand, and teach animals. Their history calls them the harmonic peace keepers, and to this destiny some have begun to march, that or face extinction.
The Lignea are separated into different breeds according to their plant family. Different breeds of Lignea are usually unsuccessful at breeding with one another (1/6), and less so at breeding with non-Lignea (1/10), but it has happened before. Lignea are more successful at breeding with each other if they're of the same breed or two-different breeds that can naturally create a hybrid (1/3).
These are the normal physical traits for a Lignea breed, but they can vary to an extent. At times their soul plant may even serve as a horn (unicorn) or functioning wings (pegasus), though this is rarer and is often related to where their soul plant took root in the world.
Arborun - tree ones
.tall and strong of physical body (draft)
.a single tree tends to grow from their shoulder, back, or rump
Virgunus - shrub ones
.short and stout of physical body (mustang like)
.two shrubs tend to grow from their skull, either side of shoulders, or leg joints
Vitiun - vine ones
.elegant and lithe of physical body (arabian/thoroughbred like)
.vines tend to grow where hair would, either being part of the hide itself, or entwined within the mane and/or tail
Flosunus - flower ones
.short of body type (ponies)
.flowers may sprout in parts where hair would grow, either hide, mane and/or tail, they may act as a beard or as a line down the backside, or commonly as a horn
Herbanus - herb ones
.no specific physical body type
.herbs tend to grow around the face or hooves of the Lignea
Gramunus - grass ones
.no specific physical body type
.grasses tend to grow in place of hair, most commonly in the mane or tail, but also as whiskers, beards or portions of the hide and may commonly serve as wings
Siccabinus - dry ones
.no specific physical body type
.succulent type plants tend to grow along their backside, replace the mane of their nape, or exist like horns on their head.
Fungun - fungus ones
.no specific physical body type
.fungus tends to overwhelm the Lignea, often blotting out a sense or two as it will commonly grow around the face, but it also commonly hinders movement by growing close together by joints or tight spots of the body
Aquanus - water ones
.lithe and elegant body types
.freshwater plants sprout along their backside or head most commonly, permitting the aquatically designed Lignea to float just at the surface and rarely be detected.
Salnus - salt ones
.lithe and elegant body types
.saltwater plants {coral is not a plant!} sprout along their backside or head most commonly, permitting the aquatically designed Lignea to float just at the surface and rarely be detected.
Fruits and vegetables can grow in a variety of ways, most of which should already be listed.
.Lignea are open for variety and artistic freedom, so feel free to get creative, but do try and recognize why certain breeds appear certain ways
.Most Lignea have a marking or markings unique to them, which helps identify them among similar breeds.
.Lignea are an inherently magical animal, but are not commonly born with abilities. They find wisdom in learning, and often with extended lifespans (as long as their plant counterpart) are able to unlock their mind.
.That being said, Lignea always have earth/plant related abilities.
.Lignea have a high likelihood of bonding with a companion, as they are well attuned to both plants and animals.
.The plant on the Lignea retains the natural properties of that plant, and can be useful to the Lignea, though it does provide some discomfort and even injury when parts of its own body's plant are harvested for use.
.The plant on the Lignea will shift normally with the seasons, just like the soul plant does.
.Lignea tend to have a personality similar to their soul plant and certain personalities are characteristic for the Lignea breed. i.e. tree Lignea tend to be peaceful and wise, where as flower Lignea tend to be cheerful and carefree. Compare though a marigold flower Lignea to a rose flower Lignea, and they will be very different.
.Lignea are always named after the type of plant they are bonded to. This means there are hundreds of the same type of Lignea running around with the same name, but each will look slightly different and will grow to be individuals over time and with experiences.
.Lignea are always considerate of plants and consider all plants sacred, but they will favor their own specific type and their own breed more commonly above other types.
.Lignea tend to have a mild fear of those animals or even plants that would be natural predators to their soul plant. Such caterpillars hosting on certain plants or deer eating the bark of certain trees.
.Lignea use photosynthesis and drink lots of water in order to survive. Consuming plants would be abhorrent to them, and in some cases, cannibalistic.
.Lignea tend to consider that two gods rule the planet, an Animal God {Corocottas} and a Plant God {Nepenthes}. They worship both to provide harmony, but most Lignea do not get too involved with religious beliefs, content to worry about the living plants on their hooves. Lignea's religious affiliation can vary from individuals, and being open-minded they are apt to adapt to the beliefs of cultures they live near or within.
.Lignea tend to carry the natural colors of their animal counterpart, but may also have markings or hide colors influenced by the colors of their plant counterpart, and often have interesting markings, which is important in telling two of the same type plant Lignea apart.
.Prim'sylva is where are all Lignea still sprout from, even if their soul plant sprouts somewhere else. Some Lignea will travel to find their soul plant to protect it, while many more remain forever in Prim'sylva under the protection of the first woods and with most of their brethren. There is no shame either way, and as the animals started to war more with each other, many Lignea put their soul plants more in harms way by being present for their form attracted more attention than their soul plant would have. For this reason, many creatures have forgotten about Lignea, since they hide so well in their sacred woods, and hide so well even in any woods, being masters of camoflauge.
.If two Lignea breed, or a Lignea with a non-Lignea, the mother will carry the sprout to term and birth it naturally. Depending on the parents genes, the foal may be a 'true' Lignea, in which case it's soul plant will bloom where it first touched the ground. If not a 'true' Lignea, the foal may have Lignea traits such as growing plants on body or plant coloring on their hide, but will not have a soul plant connected to them.
.If two Lignea breed, the foal will express only one plant trait, unless those two parent plants can naturally create a hybrid expression.
.If a Lignea breeds with a non-Lignea, the foal can never be a 'true' Lignea.
Willow is a tree breed of Lignea, and as such is a draft type. Her color is a normal horse color, silver dapple, with abnormal green color frosting her mane and tail. There is a mirrored green swirl markings (like vines, or long leaves of her willow tree) that encircle her eyes. She also has some willow tree leaves just naturally tangled in her mane and tail (dark green streaks). She has some moss growing along her flanks and down her tree's trunk as well.
A Lignea could be fully green in color, or even more colorful, like flowers, so long as the design correlates in a way to their plant.
