Lochnee

Overview

• Came about over the years from Voeelk living in flooded lands. Over time they grew more adapted for the waters that would constantly cover their lands until they had fully adapted for marine life.

Biology

• Lochnee void nuggets have a strange appearance when compared to that of standards. The nugget is 85% void and 15% solid. The void on the outside has a more solid appearance however. This gives it a gooey, frog-like appearance. This gooey shell keeps the nugget moist if it were to unfortunately be caught out of the water.

• Due to natural selection, it became more advantageous for the Lochnee to become more adapted for water. Their skin is sleek to be water-dynamic, large flaps grew from their arms to better propel themselves like fins. Their tail naturally has a fin for better swimming. Their back legs gradually shrunk to nonexistent as the Lochnee needed to be on land less and less. 

• They can still take in oxygen, allowing them to still communicate and exist on land. However, their vents have gained a second purpose to assist in breathing underwater. The vents take over the job of the lungs, allowing Lochnee to live completely underwater without the need of surface air. These vents wrap all the way around the back of the neck.

• The Lochnee language is created using an array of high pitched squeaks and signals from their ear fins. The squeaking roughly translates to the words, while the different positions in ear fins translates to tone. 

• Lochnee who speak in the common language have a naturally higher pitch. Native Lochnee tend to be monotone, since they express emotion with their earflaps, making it hard for standards to understand their intent. Vice versa, it is equally difficult for native Lochnee to understand the intent of other subspecies, since they lack ear-tone communication the same way the Lochnee do.

• The unique eye shape of the Lochnee is due to the varying amount of light they receive in the ocean. It was originally an attribute to deeper dwelling Lochnee, but due to interbreeding between all Lochnee, it has become a distinct part of their species. 

Inherent Magic

• Water magic

• Water magic is so ingrained into the subspecies that every Lochnee baby is born with a water quirk.

• This innate ability also allows for Lochnee to learn water magic faster than all other species, taking half the amount of artwork.

Diet

• Most Lochnee lack the digestive enzymes for milk and land animals/red meats. Due to their prolonged evolution for the water, they have no need for these traits. Unless exposed to such items as a child, consuming these food items will tend to get a Lochnee sick.

• While many can still consume fruit, Lochnee tend to find it too sweet, overwhelming their taste buds.

• Commonly, a Lochnee diet consists of fish/saltwater creatures, insects, and greens. It is a common crop for Lochnee to grow sandbeds of kelp or raise schools of fish.

Lifestyle

• Many Lochnee live far off the coast, existing in a large city few other subspecies have been able to see. Due to their isolation, many Lochnee have no interest in interacting with other species. However, there are many Lochnee living on coasts and lagoons, allowing for easier interactions with other subspecies.

• Lochnee homes and cities are often lit using bioluminescent anemones/stationary creatures. Much of the technology used by the Lochnee has been bred over the course of time. They have domesticated the creatures around them to fulfill their needs. Few, rare items are made using the heat from hydrothermal vents to forge tools of metal.

• Many Lochnee homes are built out of sand concrete, making them solid and rock-like shelves covered in corals and other domesticated creatures to fulfill their needs.

• Many Lonchee love to build homes out of relics of the forgotten past. Repurposing old planes and abandoned ships into happy homes.

• Out towards the coast are more farmlands. Where light still trickles down and the sand produces the best kelp crops, you will find the farming Lochnee. They grow tall stalks of kelp and other produce for the deep dark cities.

Towns

• LakeSide Town:
  where most subspecies interact with the Lochnee species. These members are far more friendly than their deep sea counterparts. Many hybrids exist here with their purebred counterparts. Much trading occurs here between the water subspecies and the other species. You would be surprised as to what the Lochnee have to offer. Make sure to try out their local sea-side delicacies! 

• River Town:
  Further out from the coast is this reef town. Here lie most of the Lochnee farms and fish ranches. This town is responsible for the majority of food consumed in the capital.

• Deep Sea Capital:
  The reclusive and less noticed members of the Lochnee species. It contains the largest population of the Lochnee towns.