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Published: 2017-12-28 23:22:59 +0000 UTC; Views: 3809; Favourites: 112; Downloads: 24
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Description
Out of the known imp species, the masked imps have the strangest appearance. Being the only species adapted to a life in open space rather than forest, they are more adapted to running rather than climbing, reflected by their long hind limbs, straight claws and reduced gliding membranes. Since the long legs make a quadrupedal gait pretty ungainly, masked imps are nearly exclusively bipedal, moving on all fours only if they need to keep their heads close to the ground for one or another reason or when a leg injury forces them to do so.They are an exclusively Kungaran species, living in variable habitats. Accordingly, they have a high cultural diversity, but seem to lack distinct races, with differences between populations being more gradual. Desert dwellers tend to be smaller and lighter coloured, woodland dwellers are the darkest of middle size and savannah dwellers are the largest.
The main part of their diets are large insects and tubers, other important food sources are grass roots, grains, seeds and herbs. A significant part of their tools are fashioned from grass fibers, with wood or bone being used for more solid objects. Due to the nature of their environment, most cultures belong to the vagrant or nomad type, with resident cultures forming in environments with enough resources to support such a lifestyle. Civilized cultures aren't common and usually found close to rivers, while assimilated individuals are rare and usually found among centaurs; most masked imps are very distrustful towards humans. However, they do often form bonds with elephant herds, travelling together, feeding on the insects the elephants flush out of the grass while helping them with their better vision in return, especially at night. Cooperation with other large herbivores, corvids, hyenas or baboons is way less common and not nearly as intense as among the elephant herder cultures.
The natural set of vocalisations consists of chirping sounds that are rather low in volume. Nonverbal communication is mostly visual, with the erectible back mane and patterned tail fan being its most important elements.
The closest relatives of the masked imps are the sigil imps, which are also exclusively found in Kungara. The two species share white facial markings, diagonal patterns on their backs, comparably long beaks and longer hind limbs (albeit, the legs of sigil imps aren't significantly longer than the arms).
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Comments: 12
PeteriDish [2018-02-09 18:07:56 +0000 UTC]
In general, what are imps, really? bird dogs? Either way, they look incredibly cool.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Ramul In reply to PeteriDish [2018-02-09 21:02:47 +0000 UTC]
Design-wise they are mostly based on monkeys/lemurs and birds, phylogenetically they fit into basal avemetatarsalians.
👍: 0 ⏩: 2
PeteriDish In reply to Ramul [2018-02-09 22:06:15 +0000 UTC]
Interesting. I guess now that you mention it, I really do start seeing a lot more of the lemur anatomy in them.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Ramul In reply to PeteriDish [2018-02-09 23:08:11 +0000 UTC]
Might be because unlike lemurs they are digitigrade and most people tend to think of dogs when seeing creatures of such a build.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1