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❶ FIRST THINGS FIRST!
-------Just what is an illoom?
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❶ FIRST THINGS FIRST!
-------Just what is an illoom?
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- »»»Illooms were discovered on a far-away planet, one that grabbed explorers' interest due to the huge crystals covering its surface. The planet also possessed thick forests surrounding the crystals, and heavy cloud cover that blocked most of the sun's light, leaving the land in eternal twilight. The explorers went in to collect crystal samples...only to find odd creatures, roughly the size of great danes, living around the crystals. These creatures came to be called illooms.
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- »»»Illooms have several distinctive features. They have large, batlike ears to collect sound. Their four eyes are extremely sensitive to light. They also have six limbs- four for running, and two for finer operations. The forelimbs are sometimes affectionately called "gem cutters." The gem cutters have several functions. The job they were named for is cutting out a den in the crystals, as illooms make their dens in them. Those single claws on the gem cutters are very sharp, so naturally they also make good weapons for bringing down prey. And if an illooms uses them with care, gem cutters can be used to lift things. An illoom's legs are strong, built for running after prey and climbing the mountains of crystal. The back legs have extra claws for both gripping at holds and striking out at anything that would attack from behind.
But one of the most distinctive features of the illoom earned the species its name. These are its crescent markings, which can be illuminated or dimmed at will. It was found that the crescents are used to communicate in a cote of flashes. Worst case scenario, the crescents can also all flash at once to startle and temporarily blind attackers.
Illooms are social creatures, living in small packs. A single pack will make their dens around a crystal mountain, and outsiders that attempt to move in will be chased off. They are curious souls who tried to get into the explorers' stuff every chance they got! They also seem rather intelligent, responding to human speech with crescent flashes. It is unknown if they truly understand the speech, however.
And here, you can adopt your own illoom.
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