Welcome to Gaia! ::

Special Announcement Wrote:


Please help Loreli_Silentsong on her quest to get an Oculai. I will be creating a very modest gift to all donators...a pet pebble. Yes, yes..it's unimaginative...but that's all I can manage right now. lol. Just donate and bump her thread with the words "Animal Spirits sent me, or "it's Chae's fault" and I will create one for you. Even a donation of 10 G is something! Help a nice gal out!


Introduction Wrote:
What are Animal Spirits?

The knowledge of the universe comes to us in many forms. For some it is in the very nature around us. Animal spirits are guides summoned into our lives to show us the path through and to certain points. They are our support and our incentive in many things. Most of all, they are our friends.


About our name Wrote:
So why call our shop "Animal Spirits?"

The name is actually a conlomeration of two things. Originally I wanted to name it directly after the Ted Andrews book "Animal Talkers" but when SiyannaTwilight had talked about her idea of dealing with the spirit of the totem prior to the actual totem itself, the name sort of stuck. Animal Spirit Talkers seemed a bit longish...so I shortened it to Animal Spirits.


Table of Contents Wrote:
1. Intro/TOC/Staff/News/Hiring/Availability
2. News and events
3. Rules/FAQ
4. Staff/Thank You(s)/Blacklist/Whitelist/Donations
5. Mailing list
6. Stages
7. Custom items
8. Reproduction (?)
9. Pickup
10. Owner's List
11. Affiliates
12.
13.
14.Chaeval's corner
15. Ivynian's corner



Staff Wrote:
Chaeval: Administrator.
Ivynian: Artist/Colorer/All around goddess of the brush
SiyannaTwilight:Advisory
EverDark: Official "Defender of the Thread"

Rules Wrote:
1. No art theft. Also, no altering.
2. Be considerate in the thread. Take it to the PM's
3. If you have a question, ask it in the thread. If it is a question asked often enough, it will make it to the FAQ section.
4. Read the front page. We put it here for a reason.
5. No PM's please. If you have read the page, asked in the thread and still have not received a good or satisfactory answer, THEN PM me.
6. No begging.
7. No PM'ing owners.
8. Patience.




FAQ Wrote:
Q. How do I get an Animal Spirit?
A. There will be various ways, including the standard way of auctioning. Some of the ideas that I am currently playing with are a writing/drawing/poem/silly story contest in lieu of a flatsale. The person whose entry is chosen from the contest will then have the option to "purchase" the medicine bag.

Q. Whhhaaat? No flatsales?
A. Not in the sense most know of them, no. I firmly believe that a quick modem and a trigger finger does NOT entitle one person to get a pet over someone who wants one just as bad, but has a dial-up. I know not everyone will always get a pet, but I will not participate in flatsales for that reason.

Q. How much does one cost?
A. Sale price is 4000K This is because of the time and heavy work involved in personalizing your spirit.

Q. Do you use lineart?
A. If you mean lineart as in standard poses and what not. The answer is no, not at this time.

Q. Why not? You could make more pets that way! More pets=more $$$$!
A. The answer is basically a simple one, Ivynian and I wanted to make a "small" shop that we can work at our own pace in. The hectic pace of other lineart shops does not appeal to us. While money=good...neither of us are much for the lineart madness.

Q. That the only reason?
A. No, not the only one. But one of them. The others include just how we both felt at the time. We wanted something a bit more personal than a standard line art. That is why each A.S. is different.

Q. How often do they come out?
A. As often as we have time to devote to them. Both Ivynian and I have full time real life things to do.

Q. Do you accept pet trades?
A. That's a hard one to answer. If anyone would ever be interested in that option, it would have to be something Ivynian and I desperately wanted...and it would have to either allow a co-own, or offer one to each of us.

Q. Who are Zydeco, SiyannaTwilight, Neonclover and EverDark?
Zydeco and SiyannaTwilight helped found the concepts for this shop. While Zydeco had other ideas for a shop of her own, Siyanna stepped aside to let Ivy do the art. (she may come back and do some at a later date though!)
Neonclover is a friend and close affiliate.
EverDark is the "defender of the thread" and also a good friend and awesome person all around. They all deserved spots on the front page to use as they see fit.

Q. Are you an expert on Animal Totems?
A. No. This is an entertainment pet. I make NO claims that I can divine the truth of your inner totems through an online medium such as Gaia. I do claim to do the best that I can to fit your totem to what I learn of you through your testing, however.

Q. Do you allow your totems to be "pets" of other Gaia pets?
A. Within reason, probably. So long as you don't want a totem for your pet Rabite....


RP Section Wrote:
General Questions and explanations
What is it?
An animal spirit is a guide summoned by you to be your companion in this lifewalk.

What use is it?
Ultimately you must make that decision. The guide is here to assist and teach you the lessons that you need and require in this world.

Why you must, to some extent, RP.
The Guide is based upon your need and your personality to some extent. The only way that we may see these, is through RP and interaction.

What must I do?
Your spirit comes to you in the form of a Quartz Crystal. Once you receive this crystal, you must be "tested". This test can come in any form, including an RP that you must respond to. Depending on your answers, your spirit will be summoned.

I took the test you posted, now what?
You wait. In a few days, you will notice that the crystal has changed into a specific stone with a sort of emblem on it. This emblem and stone are both hints to your totem. Eventually you will see an image of the totem in your stone, and soon after the animal will be summoned in a flesh and blood form.

I want *this* animal totem.
The results of which totem you get are based on your testing. There is no way to "determine" your spirit.

How do I RP?
This is where things get a little different. You are *welcome* to RP in the thread, spending time with your totem or even pondering the significance of the fetish that appears. But we did not want to relegate this to "just another RP pet". You can spend time with your spirit in other ways, either through art that you draw, or even creating a journal in which you may choose to talk about the things in your life that this animal spirit represents.

I have a (insert name here) Journal already!
That's fine. Perhaps you may dedicate a line or two every so often to the issues that your spirit represents to you. Remember, they are here to help you...but the actions are yours.

Are you an expert on totems?
Not in the least I do the best that I can in given circumstances. I do not claim to know you in real life, and the way you act online may be different.



RP and your Guide Wrote:
Effects of RP on your Animal Spirit

Your spirit comes to you in the form of a Quartz Crystal. Once you receive this crystal, you must be "tested". This test can come in any form, including an RP that you must respond to. Depending on your answers, your spirit will be summoned.

Through care, it will grow with you to become a reliable companion in this walk of life. But as powerful as this guide may be, the power to make your way through life will always come from you

You can spend time with your totem through RP, Art, or even a journal. Your Spirit will never evolve if left to rot on your sig or webpage.


RP Setting Wrote:
The here and now.

Mailing List Wrote:
Hey mikey....they like us!
Kendarie
purrasha
Teigra
ysabol
Yeu
Yuineko
Kachie Katti
Sabin Duvert
SerasVictoria
White Neko Chan
_Azalie_
Draconayzia
Loreli_Silentsong
nekoama
lilwerewolfgirl
Vashtya

Customs Wrote:
Every once in a while (a loooong while) Ivy gets an itch she cannot scratch. That being chaeval, usually

That is when she creates custom images for particularly loved and appreciated owners.

Yote with baseball cap
Badger: Keeper of stories for the 20th century

Pick up Wrote:

::cackles::

11.15