Physiology

P H Y S I O L O G Y
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In truth, Eternian physiology is a curious and very little understood thing. They have spent so long in seclusion that many of the nuances of the species are simply differences that are most easily seen and defined by the members of the species in general. Despite this, there are quite a few traits that have only be observed to be displayed in the Eternian species, and seem to hold true throughout the entire Pride systems.

Species

Uniquely enough, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the Eternian "species", as it were. While Eternians certainly possess a unique set of traits that are viable only to them, it appears that, for the most part, the species itself has developed in many different forms of big cats.

In general, it appears that these big cats were the natural apex predators of the Tholian Jungle before the arrival of the meteor that started such significant change. Because of this, Eternians have been witnessed possessing quite a few overarcing traits, but are quite divided when it comes to recognizable species.

Commonly, Eternians are seen as variations of tigers, lions, jaguars and leopards, and even sabertoothed cats. While this certainly isn't the limit, as some have been viewed with more traits, all Eternians are feline, and large feline, in nature. Some of the rarest displays of Eternians have been those that "cross" the species line, so to say, such as lions with tiger like patterns, or sabertoothed leopard cats.

Physique

Despite the variations in species, all Eternians carry a similar number of traits that are consistently displayed.

Anthropomorphic
All Eternians are anthropomorphized, meaning they have a variety of human and animal qualities. The most important are defined below, but all Eternians also share features such as: digitigrade paws, fur covering their bodies, muzzled faces, feline eyes and ears, and tails.

Tails
There are a variety of different tails possessed by Eternians, but for the most part their tails seem to be of some variety of feline in their ancestry. Tails can have bits of tufted fur on the end, like a lion, or can be long and elegant and primarily used for balance, like leopards. As well, there are many Eternians that lack a large tail, and instead have a smaller "nub" tail, but these do tend to be primarily among the saber clans.

Eyes
There are no unnatural shades of eye colours in the Eternian species, thanks to the various genetic mutations caused by the crystals that make up their body. In general, Eternians possess feline eyes, and the features that those include. They have incredibly powerful night vision, as well as powerful vision that allows them to see great distances and fine details within the jungle brush. All Eternians have slit pupils.

Hair
While some Eternians possess hair on their tail, all Eternians grow a secondary set of hair from their head, that oftentimes is different from their pelt. It is not uncommon for male Eternians to grow this hair out into a mane that wraps around their neck and into their chest, but this is not a standard trait. Most Eternians possess natural coloured hair, but it is not uncommon for simplistic dyes to be used in lighter hairs.

Height
Though heights can vary differently and extremely among the clans, there are general rules to follow for all Eternians.
Most Eternian females range in size from about 4 and a half feet to roughly 6 feet tall.
Most Eternian males range in size from about 5 feet to roughly 7 feet tall.

Known Mutations
There are many known mutations amongst the Eternians, and for the most part they share the same mutations as any other feline species. A few of the more common ones are:

Melanism (black fur/skin)
Albinism (white fur/skin, pink eyes and nose)
Long fur
Long ears (like a lynx)
Mixed traits (IE: a saber with a lion tail)
"Flopped" ears
Multiple tails

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Males

These are common features of the males of the Eternian species. While these features will vary from clan to clan, most, if not all, of these traits hold true.

Height
In general, male Eternians range from 5 feet tall to roughly 7 feet tall.

Weight
Males are primarily heavier built than females, and tend to show dimorphisms in the way of musculature. Because of this, male Eternians tend to weigh more than females by roughly 50 to 100 pounds.

Male weights can vary by species, but on average, Eternian males weigh roughly 150 to 300 pounds.

Horns
Male eternians tend to have large, and often times more "showy" horn and crystal formations than females. Largely this has been attributed to the mating displays in the Eternian cultural, as well as the general tendency of male Eternians to judge prowess based on horn size.

Lifespan
Male Eternians tend to have a slightly shorter life span than female Eternians. It is unknown why exactly male Eternians live slightly less than the females of their species, but in general this has been attributed to a slight variance in evolution, as elemental affinities as well as crystal affinities tend to be stronger in females than males. Therefore, it is assumed the crystals that elongate the life of an Eternian are not quite as strong in the males of the species.

Male Eternians reach sexual maturity at 20 years of age and are often regarded as adults at 30 to 50 years of age. This number is highly dependant upon the Eternian clan.

Male Eternians can generally live for between 500 to 550 years, with 400-450 years being considered "elder" status.

Sex traits
Male Eternians are generally more muscled than females. They tend to have patches of fur on their crotch area, much like humans have public hair. They have outer testicles and are sheathed, like many large cat species.

Their genitals do not resemble the species they originate from, but instead tend to have a more humanistic quality to them. They are not barbed, or anything too particularly strange.

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Females

These are common features of the females of the Eternian species. While these features will vary from clan to clan, most, if not all, of these traits hold true.

Height
In general, female Eternians range from 4 and a half feet tall to 6 feet tall.

Weight
Female Eternians tend to weigh less than males, and in general have less muscle mass. While this is not necessarily true of every female Eternian, it seems to be a general rule that they are slightly smaller and thinner in stature, with more fatty tissue than muscle tissue.

While species can vary, in general most female Eternians weigh between 100 to 250 pounds.

Horns
In general, female Eternians tend to have more delicate or elaborate crystal formations for their horn. This appears to be a genetic dimorphism caused by females using their horns more visually rather than for fighting.

This has also created a cultural bias of females being allowed to trim and shape their horns to desired shapes, while male should be regarded with natural, strong growths.

Lifespan
It has been noticed that female Eternians tend to have a slightly extended lifespan compared to their male counterparts. This is assumed to be because of the females of the species having a closer connection with the crystals that has changed their DNA. These crystals are supposed to be keeping them alive, and therefore extending the life cycle of the species.

Female Eternians reach sexual maturity at 20 years of age and are often regarded as adults at 30 to 50 years of age. This number is highly dependant upon the Eternian clan.

Female Eternians can generally live for between 600 to 650 years, with 450-500 years being considered "elder" status.

Sex traits
Females Eternians have breasts, which have milk ducts to allow for feeding. They only have one set, meaning two, of breasts, unlike many large cat varieties. Eternians give live birth, with a gestation period of 6-7 months.

Female Eternians have an internal womb and ovary structure, similar to humans. They have a vagina, often covered with slightly thicker fur, as seen in the males.

Crystals
Thanks to the mutations of the meteor, the Eternians and their environment are covered in crystals. These crystals can range in size, shape, and structure, and are entirely dependant upon each Eternian.

In general, it appears that the way that these crystals grow is a part of the Eternian's DNA in the same way that it would be for their hair, nails, and fur. It is not uncommon for unique crystal structures to be passed on in clans and family members, nor is it uncommon for unique colours and traits to pass on the same way.

In general, there are a few traits that hold true for every Eternian. Each Eternian is born with a place in their skull for "horns" to grow. These crystal horns often come from joints similar to rams or dragons, and can take any and all shapes. Most common shapes include the type of horns seen in nature, such as gazelle, ram, goat, deer and elk horns. These crystal horns usually come in a single pair, meaning there are two.

The crystals themselves have the density of incredibly strong quartz, making them a hard material that takes effort to break. With skill, however, an Eternian can trim his or her horns into shapes that they desire, and also keep the crystals from becoming too heavy. The source of their magic and bioluminescence seems to start from these crystals, and they are not limited to an Eternian's head. They can cover the body in various patterns, and it has been noted that the more crystals and Eternian possessed, the more affluent their magical skills tend to be. All
Eternians possess circular or oval crystal on the back of their hands, and this is how they connect to the various Mirrors of their homeland.

Crystals can range in any colour, and can often be multihued. They can also range in a variety of textures. While glass, or "see through" crystals are most common, many Eternians also possess smokey glass crystals, meaning they are partially opaque.

Full opaque crystals, single horns, and overgrown crystals are known mutations.

Bioluminescence

Along with their crystals, every Eternian is known to be bioluminescent.

The true history of this trait is rather unknown and under studied, but for the most part it appears that this feature is primarily a result of the forced mutation by the Mother meteor.

This bioluminescence seems to begin and end with the horn and hand crystals. It primarily tends to highlight the natural markings of an Eternian, and is most commonly a vibrant, glow in the dark variation of an Eternian's existing markings and colours. There have been no observed rules for this bioluminescence, other that it is uncontrollable, and begins with low light. In the wild, this is signalled by the last rays of sunshine, but it would not be uncommon to see an Eternian's bioluminescence begin under low candle light, or around a campfire.