Duufles

Artwork by CWiet Duufle Area: Forests and other places with heavy vegetation. Diet: Herbivore Size: Exact size depends upon the variety but all are relatively small to medium sized canines on stubby legs. Temperament: Friendly to anyone who doesn't seem like a threat. Tameable?: Easily Domesticated Note: Players can tame this creature as a pet on the server, although it is not common to see them.

Travelers walking among the dense vegetation of a forest have much to be wary of, dangers may lurk in any shadow or perch among the branches above. Luckily there is one forest dweller that poses no danger to the Descendants and will even happily go home with someone that shows it kindness: the duufle.

At first glance a duufle may look like someone's lost dog though instead of barking they happily 'bork' to communicate. The main difference however, lies upon their back as they've developed plates of dermal bone. These plates are on par with the iron armor that Descendants wear and serve to keep the duufle alive in their natural habitat, the canine curling into a ball at any sign of danger and relying upon their plates to divert claw or fang.

Origin

Their underbelly is defenseless and fluffy.

The duufle is an interesting tale of evolution. Canines that found themselves living in forested areas were easy prey for the predators that have better learned to use tree and foliage to their advantage. Thus, over time, the duufle grew their signature plates of bone. While the plates do indeed allow them to survive the attacks of a hunting predator it hinders their movement greatly, making it near impossible for the slow duufle to hunt down fleeing prey of their own. So the duufle happily evolved further, their sharp fangs turning into the flat molars of herbivores as the rest of their digestive system followed suite. Now these canines munch on the plentiful, and immobile, flora of their habitat.

Behavior

A duufle slowly uncurls, pausing to ensure the danger has passed.

One of the first things that might be noticed about a duufle is they utterly lack any form of hostile thoughts or behaviours. Truly they are the honest cowards of the canine world, curling into their armored balls at any sign of real danger. This means that despite their appearance the duufle is useless for guarding or coming to their master's aid in combat.

Sadly this also serves as their greatest weakness considering a curled duufle cannot see nor dodge and sufficient blunt force, such as from a mace, can easily slay the adorable creature.

Duufles do still enjoy a good bone to gnaw at and offering one might help get the cautious creature relax around you. So long as a duufle doesn't suspect a threat they're very friendly towards anyone or anything. This makes domestication quite simple as you just need to let a duufle feel safe and loved to get them to stay by your side. Any attempt at abuse however will cause these creatures to try and escape at every available opportunity.

Types

• Corgi Variety - The most common of the duufles with a medium-small size, short to medium length thick fur, pointed ears, and long tails that curl slightly sometimes. Their colorings are: red, sable, brindle, black with or without tan or brindle points, or blue merle.

• Dachshund Variety - Small sized, short or long fur, flopped ears, and long tails. Their colorings are: solid red, black and tan, chocolate, or wild boar dappled with brindle.

• Hound Variety - Medium sized, short (with wrinkly skin) or long fur, very long floppy ears, and long tails. This variety has a deeper bork than their cousins. Their colorings are: tri-color, red & white, honey/lemon & white, blue/grey, black & tan, or white with colored accents.

• Spaniel Variety - Medium sized, long fur in waves, floppy ears with wavy hair causing them to appear longer, and long tails. This variety only comes in one color: rich golden-liver.

• Terrier Variety - Small sized, straight long or curly short fur, pointed or flopped ears, and shorter tails. This variety tends to have the higher pitched bork. Their colorings are: black, blue, dark or light grey, silver platinum, fawn, cream, pepper, mustard, brindle, or wheaten.

Redlines

• A duufle does not bark, they bork.
• While the duufle's plates can withstand things such as a knife's slash it shatters under a substantial amount of blunt force applied to one area. This does kill the creature.
• Duufle's are herbivores thus cannot consume any form of meat.
• Due to their plates the most a duufle can manage is a slow paced walk.
• They will curl up at first sign of danger.

Full Lore

Habitats: Forests and other places with heavy vegetation. Description: A variety of canine that has developed plates of dermal bone along its back. These plates hinder the animal’s movement though, causing them to walk at a slow pace. In order to survive, these creatures are able to curl up into a ball and rely on their plates to protect them. These plates are on par with iron (not steel) and will react as any kind of plate armor when hit with a substantial amount of blunt force trauma (e.g. against a mace it gets wrecked). Unlike most (if not all?) canines, these creatures are herbivores, possibly having evolved into this state due to their inability to give their past prey chase. These creatures are not hostile and will curl into a ball at any sign of real danger, making them useless as guards or any sort of creature of battle. While cautious, these creatures will be friendly towards anyone they suspect not to be a threat, making them easy for domestication. If an owner is abusive, they will try and escape at every able moment. For some strange reason, these creatures do not bark as a normal dog, but will instead bork. LM approval needed: No.

Links

Original Submission, Forum Page

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Reviewed by LM: FlamboyantRage