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Samanayrs are small, intelligent equines, about a foot in height. They're herbivores, for the most part, though a definite sucker for sweets and other treats.
Samanayrs for the most part live in and around a hotspring. The spring tends to be the Song's main base, with a large area around it being the Song's territory. If a Samanayr is fostered, it cannot be put in an artifical enviroment such as a stable or enclosure. It needs to live in a place that is lightly forested, and if at all possible with a hotspring nearby. Usually a mage will be called in to make a spring, if there is not already one available or the fosterer is a make themself. Samanayrs enjoyed sculptured pools that are fed by the spring, and some fosterers make complex systems of waterfalls, tiny streams, and pools that are all hotspring-fed.
They generally live in groups called Songs, with one stallion and as many mares as he can successfully court and support - usually anywhere from two to ten. Most fostered Samanayrs have Songs consisting of up to a stallion and four mares, and rarely more.
Though their original language consisted purely of song, Samanayrs are also able to speak our language, though with a peculiar accent. They pronounce R's as if they were written as YR, so that a word like 'are' will become 'ayre.' Some find this accent difficult to understand, especially if a Samanayr is speaking with a lot of R's, but it is pretty easy to pick up.
Foals are born singly or as twins, rarely more. They are named when they undergo their Yearling Shed, a complete shedding that reveals their true coat coloration. The format of Samanayr naming is (something) of the (something) (something). For example, Dance of the Liquid Waters.
And now the species! These are the ones currently known, and more are being discovered all the time.
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Samanayrs
The basic species, and the first discovered. Samanayrs are also prone to mutations, which can be anything from albinoism (as seen in the example) to a peculiar mutation which allowed the Samanayr in question to walk only on its hind legs.
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Lamanayrs
Lamanayrs are closely related to Samanayrs, though differ on a couple very important points. Their eyes are pure black, to the Sams' colored; their tails are tufted, as opposed to fully equine; they have only a tuft of hair on their head, instead of a full mane; and most importantly of all, Lamanayrs are winged. The main wing types are feathered, faery, or draconic, though combinations and other types are not unknown.
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Mystics
These Samanayrs are denoted by the long strands of hair that grow just behind their ears. They have magical abilities, usually centered around a particular element, and the colors of their ear-strands corresponds to the type of magic they control. They are also given a name relating to their magic type, such as Mystic of the Burning Flames, or Mystic of the Raging Waters.
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Miseries
Miseries result from a sa'krien and Mystic breeding, with a mane growing down their backs that relates to the color of their magical abilities. Miseries are basically like evil Mystics, and use their powers for bad instead of good. They are also named according to their magic type - Misery of the Deepest Night, for example.
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Mystery
The result of a breeding between a Misery and a Mystic. So far only one is known to exist, fostered by Mousekinn..
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Gods
There are three types of Samanayr gods - Dualities, which are two-headed and opposites (like the god above, Sadness and Joy), Singualities, and the First. These guys are never adopted out, but make an appearance ocassionally.
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Demons
Very little is known about these Samanayr demons, since they only started appearing recently.. so far none have been adopted out, though a demon elemental has.
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Northerns
Northern Samanayrs were discovered very recently. They only speak the Samanayr language, and so require a translator in order to communicate with us.
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Elementals
These Samanayrs take on the physical aspects of a particular element, though a process that is not widely shared with non-Sams. The example is an Earth elemental, which sports a mane and tail of vines, with a gemstone embedded in the end. Elemental Samanayrs have names that consist of only one word.
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Aborials
This species was actually developed by Daisuke-kun in a contest I held a while back. Aborial Sams live entirely in the trees, and have traded their hooves and equine tails for long, grasping claws and thick, prehensile tails. These guys are still pretty rare, and so not much more is known about them.
There's also others, but I can't find any examples at this time.. I'll post them later, I guess!
