Dragonlands: Naming Conventions And Ferians, Questions for Talzhemir Options

[Kamose]

I have some questions about two unrelated topics.

Naming Conventions
Many fictional worlds have rules that govern character names. For example, in Middle Earth, many proper names are derived from Elven languages, and most names that end in "a" are masculine. Are there any naming conventions for characters based on the Dragonlands (other than longnames)? Do different races and cultures have separate naming conventions?

Ferians
As I understand, Ferians have always been a part of the Dragonlands, having originated as a form of Lycanthian. What's the official version of the origin and nature of Ferians? Are Ferians born that way, or did they begin life as regular furres? What kind of cultures do Ferians have? Do their cultures vary according to their species?

In Night Music, one of the Ferians can assume a furre form at will. What are the limitations on this power?

"Night Music" is about Wolven Ferians. Are there any stories about Tygard Ferians, Leonen Ferians, or Foxen Ferians?

What is the relationship between Foxen Ferians and Floxes? (In other words, how did the flower get on the Flox?) Do Floxes have any special abilities?

What is the canon's take on Kiwis, Bats, Penguins, and Chinchillas? Where do they come from? Are they sentient?

[Kain Ragnorok]

No answers? I'm also wondering about all of these--about the naming conventions and the stuff about floxes especially.

[Scrap]

I'm currently designing a Wolven Ferian character so I'd love to learn more about Ferian culture and powers.

But I can help with kiwis:

The Kiwi

There are many, many varieties of Kiwi. Most are wild. They range from baseball to large turkey size. The Furcadian Kiwi tends to have a tuft of tail feathers of several different colors. Kiwis are often kept for their eggs, which Furres find very tasty. Over the rest of their round wingless bodies they have shaggy strands resembling the fibers that make up a pea######'s tailfeather.

Woolbird Kiwis are a domestic variety grow plenty of curly fibers, which are twisted with very fine plant fibers to make a downy yarn.


The black-feathered Yawk is a cave-dwelling Kiwi. Its big feet are sensitive to vibrations in the ground, and it cannot see much beyond blurs of light and dark. Yawks eat padaak-fungus, and are, themselves, a food source for Watchwyrms.

* Taken from the "Birds of Furcadia" article/link (http://www.thegenieslamp.com/fun/birds.htm)

[Talzhemir]

Naming Conventions
Many fictional worlds have rules that govern character names. For example, in Middle Earth, many proper names are derived from Elven languages, and most names that end in "a" are masculine. Are there any naming conventions for characters based on the Dragonlands (other than longnames)?

In Drakoria, names are generally formed of open syllables (start with a consonant and end with a vowel). So "Ravena" is fine but they'd think "Obama" is weird because it starts with a vowel. They sound "primitive".

Wyrmme names are hissy and snarly and get longer with status; see their city names.

In Kasuria, names are similar to medieval European names but tend to end in a consonent. R, T, N, TH, and S are typical. Carsir, Raven, Lumareth, and Vernos would fit. Commoners don't have last names; they don't own real estate so there's no "family land" to pass on. Wealthy people often do, because there's something to inherit. Kasurian nobles do- they must belong to the canon Houses, and must be ti'This and ti'That.

Names from the Olde World such as Ana, Jean, Fyodor, and Pieter may also appear.

Do different races and cultures have separate naming conventions?

Furres did long ago but don't anymore. Some of their names date back to the long-ago Taigorean Empire or the Kingdom of Tellish.

They've been a cross-species melting pot for a long time.
http://www.furcadia.com/roleplay/charsht3.txt

There are three Kasurian martial arts traditions: Tonboka, Kiraal, and Pakchay. They're kept hush-hush, sort of ninja-style. Tonboka includes a lot of biting; it's canine in origin. Kiraal includes the use of the tail as a weapon and is preserved by marsupials. Pakchay involves kicking, and comes from rodents with powerful feet.

The Faerie-furres have their own culture; they can speak their own language, Glimmerish.

Mages are into a kind of magic-bloodline-promoting eugenics and consider themselves a separate race. They have a kind of subculture, with its own esoteric and private writing system called Magian.

Wyrmmes, Bugges, and the Mythicals do have names reflecting different cultures. The Phoenixes still have a homeland, with a loose ruling council, but the other Mythicals don't.

Ferians
As I understand, Ferians have always been a part of the Dragonlands, having originated as a form of Lycanthian. What's the official version of the origin and nature of Ferians? Are Ferians born that way, or did they begin life as regular furres?

It's always a curse. Ferians are always born as furres. There are a number of ways that someone can become a Ferian but not many ways to undo it. The vast majority of Ferians die Ferians. They also usually go crazy. Sometimes the madness is, they forget they were ever furres.

What kind of cultures do Ferians have? Do their cultures vary according to their species?

Most of the Ferians don't. They're normally far too rare to form anything of this sort. The Wolven Ferians are the exception. Night Music pretty much exemplifies what little culture they have.

In Night Music, one of the Ferians can assume a furre form at will. What are the limitations on this power?

This question will have to wait until I've written up powers and their limitations in "Furre!". Whatever control there is... it's never good enough for being a Ferian to stop being a major curse! They can't trust themselves around "normal" people.

"Night Music" is about Wolven Ferians. Are there any stories about Tygard Ferians, Leonen Ferians, or Foxen Ferians?

Not yet, but there are Ferians in unexpected places. The ill-tempered creature that King Callistin rides is actually a Ferian.

What is the relationship between Foxen Ferians and Floxes? (In other words, how did the flower get on the Flox?) Do Floxes have any special abilities?

There's no relationship at all (except they are both adorable!) Floxes are not canon; they don't appear at all in the Dragonlands.

What is the canon's take on Kiwis, Bats, Penguins, and Chinchillas? Where do they come from? Are they sentient?

Those are more "seasonal" avatars, put in for fun.

Kiwis, however, are canon and appear fairly often. They're a common bird in Kasuria.

If you see a kiwi in-canon, it won't be sentient... unless it's a Ferian.

[Kain Ragnorok]

Thanks!