[✗] [CA Race] - The Wonks

[Nozgoth 2897]

Spoiler

 

 

THE WONKS

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A frog-wonk and a toad-wonk

 

ORIGINS

 

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In ages long past, when the wonks still roamed their woods, still mingled with the orcs, and still partook of their tribal nature (though it is claimed that many wonks of the tribes still live), there had come a divide betwixt the race- where some wonks remained primitive and worshipped ancestral spirits, and others split off to explore the growing societies of Arcas. But this history is known. What was yet told is that for some strange reason the wonks began to dwindle, no new offspring was had. And this of course was terribly bad, and for some long years it was thought that the wonks had become extinct, except for the few who still lived and surely were growing older by the moment.

 

This dwindling persisted until an event as strange as the infertility-plague itself had come to pass. It is largely disputed how or why, but the few remaining wonks began fostering eggs once more. Some of the wonks of forlorn tribes now emerged from whence they went and began to mix in with society, just as they did all those years ago. One tale among the wonks is that the first wonk of the new age was found as a golden egg in a cave that wasn’t named. The egg then hatched, and universally granted prosperity and fertility back to the race in some symbolic fashion - though it bore no physical tadpole.

 

Thus came The Time of the Low Toad, as the wonks called it, a time in which there was no cheer, and simply they wandered in lines across the swamps with all their hearts filled up with drear. There was no direction in which to steer, and despite their new-found fertility there still seemed to be no end to the longing near. It was a time when they recollected their old ways,  remembered their lost friends, and ultimately a time when a new culture arose from the ashes of the old one. It lasted for many years, and was said to be full of melancholy and sorrow. But there was a day when The Time of The Low Toad came to an end. They recalled The Ways of the High Toad, and decided to embark on a new venture - a venture into the euphoria of the ‘now’.

 

As well, one thing of note during the Time of the Low Toad is that the wonks developed further into three different lines; the frog-wonks, toad-wonks, and sala-wonks. The first two of course already existed, though in their days wandering it is assumed that they intermingled and evolved beyond their old selves. There was now much greater diversity, and from the two subspecies there became a third: the sala-wonks, which will be elaborated on later.

 

The heightened end to the gloomy age gave way to the current prosperity of the wonks. They were enriched as a species, developing new features, customs, cultures, and beliefs. It would now be the Age of the Wonk. And all of them would hope it would be just that forever-longer, but only time will tell if it will.
 

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Wonks wandering the swamps

 

PHYSIOLOGY

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There are three specific subtypes of wonks; the frog-wonks, the toad-wonks, and the sala-wonks, all who have their own unique traits and properties. Although they all descended from ‘separate’ lines, they hardly view a divide between themselves, and instead believe all wonks to be wonks. Since their days lost (wandering), the boundaries of potentiality were skewed, giving birth to a plethora of possibilities for wonks to exist. It should be of note that all variations of wonks have 4 fingers, three of which are regular fingers, and one is an opposable thumb. That being said, they all have five toes. It is also possible for build to vary even within subtype - for example, some frog-wonks might look akin to a tree frog, while others could be closer to a common frog. These leniencies of course must be within reason. Another curious topic is that there is no biological distinction between male and female. Some wonks may sway towards one ‘gender’ or another in regards to personality and social role, but there would be no physical difference.

 

It is a general rule that each of the wonk lines have similar physical aptitude - not far from that of a dwarf’s, though there are a few distinguishing features that are important to note. In terms of strength, the toad-wonks are universally the strongest of the bunch, able to compete with that of a typical dwarf’s strength but never exceeding it. Sala-wonks and frog-wonks somewhat equal each other in strength, both being slightly less built and burly as opposed to the toads. Frog-wonks are nimble and have the most mobility, shortly followed by sala-wonks who are less quick, but more shifty and able to slink and creep (a shady bunch, they are). The toads are the least mobile of the group, but that is not to say they can’t escape in a pinch. And of course, being shorter and overall lesser than that of most descendents, it is unlikely they could beat a human in endurance, and rather would rely on other tactics in such a scenario. With regard to combat, a wonk is not defenceless by any means, but due to their unorthodox nature they would usually have the lower-hand in a one-on-one against something bigger than them.

 

Wonks are curious creatures, toting heads that are seemingly unproportional to the rest of them and a neck nearly nonexistent. Their hands and feet are bulbous and strangely coloured, and all their bodies carry an unsettling stickiness upon their skin. This stickiness of course feels dry to the touch and is not strong enough to properly uplift anything save for grains of dirt and tiny pebbles. They also have a tongue extending up to 30 centimetres in length (about 4x that of a human’s) which they use to eat and (sometimes) for utility. It has but the strength of a mere finger which renders it ineffective for anything beyond that, if not the weak and fragile tissue it is made up of. The wonks also speak with an odd, garbled, nasally voice.

 

Spoiler

- Wonks are an OPEN CA RACE.

- Wonks may be played by ET for events. The dichotomy of the tribal wonk vs reformed wonk has been blurred, so the narrative of the wonks in an event would be up to ET discretion and planning.

- Wonks are descendant-like in terms of their legs and torso, the rest of their body being frog-like.

    - Wonks cannot hop like a frog, their legs are only as powerful as a Descendant’s and function like a Descendant’s also.

    - Torso is descendant-like, meaning their posture is straight and allows them to stand upright with their head facing forwards.

   -  Hands and feet are identical to ones seen on a normal frog, albeit larger and with a faint stickiness about it.

- Wonks heads are identical to a normal frog head in all regards except that they possess the ability to form speech.

- Wonk tongue can only extend out to the Wonk’s arm length and possess a strength similar to one of their fingers.

- Wonks, being essentially big frogs, do not possess a visible pair of teeth. If a Wonk were to bite down upon something it would instead crush instead of cut should enough force be applied.

- Wonk skin, despite its slightly slimy texture, exhibits no special properties or poisons, period.

 

Frog-Wonks

The frog wonks typically range from about 4’6 to 5’ tall, and never exceed that. They appear to have the attributes of a regular frog, except in a humanoid context. In comparison to the toad wonks, they are slimmer, lankier, and typically smoother (though this varies). They can take on the traits of most native frogs, with base-colours always falling on the duller side (light greys, greens, beige, etc.), though it is not uncommon for them to have accents and features highlighted with bright colours. As well, they have black pupils with irises being any colour. Frog-wonks have vibrant pads on their fingers and toes.

 

Spoiler

Height cannot exceed the limits which are: at least 4’6” tall but no longer than 5’ tall.

Base skin tone cannot be vibrant, crazy, or neon, but they can have bright colours that come in splashes on accents and features.

Hands and feet can be a different, vibrant, colour of the players choosing. 

If in doubt with colouring, just use the average colour schemes on an average frog. Do NOT use neon colours.

Skin is smooth on a Frog Wonk, being slightly more slimy than their Toad counterpart

Wonks exhibit no special abilities aside from those mentioned which are purely flavourful. No poison frogs or anything of that sort.

 

Toad-Wonks

The toad wonks are shorter than their frog counterparts, growing up to 4’7” at most, and never being shorter than 4’1”. As a consequence to their shorter stature, toad wonks are rounder, rougher, and have bumps along their skin. Their skin is still slimy, but to a lesser degree in comparison to frog-wonks. They can take on the traits of most native toads, with base-colours always falling on the duller side (light greys, greens, beige, etc.), though it is not uncommon for them to have accents and features of lighter colours - but still not to the vibrancy of a frog wonk. A toad wonk can have splotches of lighter colours and even a lighter colour on their underside as well. Typically, toad wonks have greener skin than frog wonks but it can vary all-the-same. As well, they have black pupils with irises being any colour. Whereas frog-wonks and sala-wonks have vibrant pads on their fingers and toes, the toad-wonks have slightly duller ones.

 

Spoiler

Height cannot exceed the limits which are: at least 4’1” tall but no longer than 4’7” tall.

Base skin tone cannot be vibrant, crazy, or neon, but they can have lighter colours that come in splashes on accents and features, as well as their underside. They cannot have neon colours at all, and come off as duller than the frog-wonks.

Hands and feet can be a different colour of the players choosing (not neon). 

If in doubt with colouring, just use the average colour schemes on an average frog. Do NOT use neon colours.

Skin is bumpy and dried looking on a Toad Wonk, being slightly more rough than their Frog counterparts.

Wonks exhibit no special abilities aside from those mentioned which are purely flavourful. No poison frogs or anything of that sort.

 

Sala-Wonks

The sala-wonks are modelled after salamanders, hence their estranged, thicker builds. They are bent upright in humanoid stature, but lack the tail of their primitive ancestors (actual salamanders). Where the long tail should be, there is instead a slight incline that ends in a bump. They have short and thick legs that stretch down somewhat akin to a toad-wonk’s, and their height is ascribed to their unusual body type. Salawonk heights range from 4’2” to 5’4”. Salawonks as well usually have a much broader range of colours but still most of their skin is considered somewhat dull, albeit they are the most vibrant of the wonks. Their main bodies are usually dull oranges, greens, browns, or blues, with different areas being coloured differently and with more vibrant accents. They have wider eyes with black pupils and irises of any colour. Sala-wonks also have larger pads on their fingers and toes.

 

Spoiler

Height cannot exceed the limits which are: at least 4’2” tall but no more than 5’4” tall.

Base skin tone cannot be vibrant, crazy, or neon, but they can have bright colours that come in splashes on accents and features.

Hands and feet can be a different, vibrant to neon, colour of the players choosing. 

If in doubt with colouring, just use the average colour schemes on an average frog.

Skin is smooth on a Salawonk, and slimier than both of its counterparts.

Wonks exhibit no special abilities aside from those mentioned which are purely flavourful. No poison frogs or anything of that sort.

 

On Offspring

Many times in their life, a wonk is called to the swamplands of their youths to find the pools that are tended to by the wilds or their kin. They lay a dozen eggs in the water, of which scant few survive to adulthood, and they quickly develop from small golf ball sized translucent objects to the size of a fist containing a fully formed wonk tadpole, dark and simple like all the others, but is now ready to hatch. The wonk’s first meal is its egg, then any nearby food it can find in its pond. Usually provided with the necessary bugs and insects to develop the wonk into a fine coloration and prepare it for the intensive rituals of their development. It should be of note that the eggs must be laid in freshwater in order for the offspring to survive.

 

Because of their nature, wonks develop in the lands (more accurate: ponds) of their youth, where, as tadpoles, the wonks consume different varieties of potent insects, and due to the psychoactive core of their diet, wonks develop colorations and body shapes of all manners.

 

The eggs themselves are produced not through typical means, but rather they spontaneously develop when a wonk is in a safe and stress-free environment for an extended period of time. This is due to the wonks having no biological distinction between male and female. The tiny eggs will form on ridges on their back, which will be laid by flexing and stretching out the back to make them fall off when they are ready. This can only be done once the eggs grow mature enough, and this typically takes one year (1 IRL week). After the eggs are laid, marks and imprints will be left upon the back which heal over time.

 

Spoiler

An adult Wonk can start growing eggs whenever they wish OOCly, though ICly it’s random and they can only do so once.

There is no male or female Wonk, simply Wonks.

Wonks cannot FTB, either together or with other races.

Wonks can assign ‘genders’ of a sort to themselves, similar to other constructs that might.

Wonk eggs are carried on the back of the parent, from the lower back to the shoulders.

Said eggs start as the size of marbles, but grow to around the size of a tennis ball.

This process from creation to full size takes around 5-7 days.

The Wonk’s back will slowly return to pre-carrying state over several years, the specific time is up to the player to decide.

Eggs must be ‘laid’ in freshwater, otherwise they will die.

It’s possible that several of the eggs may die or be eaten, depending on where one lays them.

One day after being ‘laid’, the eggs will hatch and become rather large tadpoles of around 1 foot in length, from head to tail.

Over the course of 3 in-game years, or weeks in real time, a Wonk will grow from a tadpole to a fully grown adult Wonk.

A Wonk will always take the subtype of their parent. IE, a Frog Wonk’s parent would have had to have been a Frog Wonk.

 

On Lifespan

Wonks do not gain proper cognitive ability until they reach the age of 5, at which point they are fully physically mature. From that point on, their moisture only recedes and their skin grows pale and wrinkly. As they get older, they will find their bodies beckoning for retreat to the waters more often to remedy the leathery feeling and the cracks-abundant (which begin to appear upon the skin around the age of 50). At the ripe age of 75, their skin would be in a constant state of cracking and flaking. By 100, a wonk would have trouble retaining any semblance of moisture in its skin, forcing it to spend most of its time submerged in water. The maximum age for a wonk is 120 years, and should they reach that milestone they would typically return to the pond from which they spawned to slowly wither away and become one with the cycle of nature.

 

Spoiler

- Wonks are playable at 5 years, they will be a fully grown Wonk in a ‘young adult’ state.

- Wonks continually dry out and will need to bathe in a damp place for a short time every x amount of years in order to stay alive. This x value changes with age and will be summarised below. Keep in mind these values are just a general guideline and do not need to be RPed to the exact value.

    - 5 - 49 YEARS: Every 5 years.

    - 50 - 74 YEARS: Every 3 years.

    - 75 - 99 YEARS: Every 2 years.

    - 100 - 119 YEARS: Every year.

    - 120+ YEARS: By now, a Wonk is too aged to survive outside of a submerged, wet environment and will die very quickly unless kept in water. This becomes the effective death of the Wonk. If one remained permanently  submerged they could in theory persist for a while beyond this point, but would be incredibly feeble.

A Wonk ages visibly also, for the sake of simplicity the stages will be listed below.

    - 5 - 49 YEARS: Skin is perfectly normal with no signs of cracking, wrinkles or dryness (unless Toad, in which case they’re always slightly dryer appearing than a Frog)

    - 50 - 74 YEARS: Skin is slightly leathery and dry with slight cracks upon their skin to form.

    - 75 - 100 YEARS: Skin would be cracked, wrinkled and flaked at all times.

    - 100 - 119 YEARS: The Wonk becomes wrinkled, and placed in a weakened state alongside constant cracked and flaked skin even when submerged.

    - 120+ YEARS: Same as 100 - 119 except they will wilt and dry up if outside the water for even brief periods.

 

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A sala-wonk partaking of an old ceremony

 

STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, ABILITIES

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Wonks possess lesser souls; meaning they cannot learn any soul-dependent magic. On the other hand, they can in fact learn magics of different nature that do not require a greater soul. The true origin of wonks is vastly disputed, but ultimately unknown - though it has been ruled out that they are not creatures of the fae. A druid connecting to a wonk would yield the same results as connecting to a descendent. Wonks have certain psychedelic properties which have yet to be mentioned, and will be elaborated upon later. One example of this is the potent psychedelic effect that takes effect upon consumption of their blood. A curious detail is that wonks are semi-warm blooded. This allows them to warm themselves should they need it, but it is common for wonks to stray from cold areas because it is ever-uncomfortable. As aforementioned, a wonk’s tongue may extend up to the length of its arm, but with the measly strength of a finger. This means it would be rendered ineffective for any combat situation. One final point on the topic of wonks, is that their skin, if left out of water for extended periods of time, will develop an aversion to salt as well as becoming slightly flammable (about the flammability of a corpse). If a wonk were to make contact with salt while in a dry state, they would feel burning as if lemon juice was squirted into an open cut. This is because the salt promotes further drying.

 

Spoiler

- Wonks possess lesser souls, resulting in the inability to learn soul-based magics that require the Greater Soul of a Descendant. For instance, voidal magics, things that require aenguldaemonic connections, etc.)

    - Wonks are not Fae creatures, and not of Aspectual origin. As such, they cannot use Nature’s Communion and Druids cannot commune with them.

    - They WOULD be able to learn, however, anything that doesn’t require a Greater Soul.

- Wonks are partially warm-blooded. This means that, while they prefer the warmth of their homes and any rather warm and humid place, they won’t die from visiting a cold location for fun reasons. They do, however, feel the cold much more keenly than other races, giving them the tendency to avoid it if they can, or at least bundle up, drink warm fluids, or keep their visits short.

- Wonks exhibit a tongue that functions similarly to that of their frog counterparts. Extends roughly, at maximum length, the distance of one block. However, once they extend it beyond halfway, their control of it lessens.

    - Their tongues maintain the strength of a finger, and until extended fully can be manipulated rather well. This doesn’t apply well to combat situations, however, given how soft and malleable the tongue tissue is.

- Wonks are required to actively bathe or visit the water. If a Wonk hasn’t visited a body of water in at least a week, they are noticeably more flammable. Not to any substantial extent, but enough to make them as flammable as an old corpse. As well, skin contact with salt will begin to burn them until they bathe again.

 

Tongue Manipulation [Non-Combative]

A wonk may extend its tongue from various utility purposes.

 

Spoiler

Wonk tongues can extend about the length of their arm, and can be moved easily enough by a Wonk, but are only as strong as a Wonk’s finger at best. The further a Wonk extends their tongue, with a maximum of one block out, the more difficult it is for them to move and control it well. About half a block out is where their control starts to degrade, making it difficult and dangerous to use it beyond that, particularly in a combat situation, with the weak and vulnerable tongue tissue.

 

The tongue is only about the length of a wonk arm, and IRP can only extend up to a block in front of them.

The tongue is useless in combat due to soft tissue and weak strength/maneuverability.

 

Aquatic Aptitude [Combative/Non-Combative]

A wonk possesses the ability to see and breathe underwater.

 

Spoiler

Wonks are incapable of drowning from air deprivation, being able to absorb air through their skin via the water around them. This allows them to remain submerged for lengthy periods of time, coupled with their ability to see underwater. They aren’t able to speak underwater, however, having to keep their mouths closed or risk drowning. Wonks have two sets of eyelids, the innermost being transparent. This gives the impression a Wonk may not blink, but they do, simply with the transparent eyelids. This also allows them to keep their vision clear underwater, with their transparent eyelids closed but the outermost ones not. A Wonk can close their outer eyelids, but there is simply no need to do so.

 

This is a passive ability, but may be harnessed in a combat scenario.

Wonks cannot drown by typical means.

Wonks can see clearly underwater.

 

Kro’akan Spirit [Non-Combative]

Wonk blood is potent with psychedelic and psychoactive effects, but on top of this, there lies another lost tradition; the kro’akan sap that comes from bulbous nodes in the backs of certain elder wonks.

 

Spoiler

On wonks over the age of 75, bulbous nodes might begin to appear on their backs. They secrete a potent psychoactive juice, which can be collected and drunk for an intense experience that scars the minds of some for years on end. Harvesting the juice does not require harm done to the wonk, and can be collected simply by squeezing the nodes and collecting the juice that secretes.

 

Wonk blood exhibits its special properties depending on the temperature of the Wonk’s location, their blood will alter in colour. In warmer, more comfortable climates, Wonk blood will be a bright, cherry red. In colder climates, Wonk blood will quickly become a deep blue. Consumption of Wonk blood, to any non-Wonk, will result in a light high if the blood is red. If the Wonk is cold, however, and the blood is blue, then it will only cause a feeling of being ill and an intense dizziness.

 

Wonk juice effects last anywhere between [1] emote to [12] emotes, depending on dosage and potency of specific wonk. In other words, it is up to player discretion.

The illness of consuming cold wonk blood is strong enough to inhibit one in combat should they still be under its effects. The effects last for [3] emotes after consuming, whether it is warm or cold.

 

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A depiction of the visuals during a wonk-juice trip

 

MENTALITY AND CULTURE

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As was always established, long ago, the wonks who are now of the modern age, split off from their tribal predecessors. In the current day, not a lot has changed in what some call the “reformed wonks”, for they still act curiously, explore other civilizations, traditions, and cultures - but this is not to say that they do not have a culture of their own. Much of their habits, style, and clothing is influenced by the neighbouring societies that they spend time exploring.

 

Wonks prefer to stay in closely woven groups and covens, where they explore and actively shape their own revived tribalistic culture. The wonks are a simple race. They do not seek war or conflict, and seldomly have human desires, such as those for wealth, royalty, or ones that ultimately lead to bloodshed. There have historically been some instances of this though, such as the esteemed brotherhood of wonks who occupied the sewers of Helena in Arcas.

 

In short, reformed wonks can range from independent wonks who follow the habits of descendants, to village wonks who focus primarily on living in and protecting their land. Despite this, it’s not uncommon for village wonks to wander, particularly in groups. Village wonks are, additionally, not prone to aggression unless goaded. Individual wonks may be, of course, aggressive, but the general attitude and vibe of a reformed wonk village will be much more relaxed, if guarded towards nosy outsiders. A surefire way to cause the otherwise placid wonks to grow aggressive, though, is to interfere with the area they call home, as well as whatever meagre possessions they may cherish.

 

The wonks have an innate fascination with their own mind and soul, perhaps this is because they are of the lesser variety, and as such, are not desensitised to being separated from mere creatures and animals. This leads some of them down a highly spiritual path, causing them to form tribes and cults surrounding their many beliefs and theories, which is where one flaw erected within the culture of wonks; zealotry. A common practice among wonk villages and societies is to nominate a solemn “Priest-King”, who would be the leader. Hierarchy is usually decided by the potency of one’s blood and wonk-juice, with the most potent being highly respected as teachers and elders. These elders will then go on to teach the younger generations, and ‘enlighten’ them by use of these substances.

 

Spoiler

This section aims to be a foundation of the culture for the players to then expand on with their own elements and creativity. Clarifying too much and writing too much about the specific culture risks boxing the wonks in, and not writing enough risks having meme-rp, general surface level rp, and boredom, causing them to die out.

 

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Purpose

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Ultimately, the purpose of this lorepiece was to breathe new life into the concept of wonks because it has so much potential to be something great. They missed their mark in the past, and were wrongfully shelved because the true potential was not yet realised. I believe that this lore piece accomplishes what they were always meant to be. A fun CA race with a culture and room for events.

 

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Citations

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Nozoa - Writer

Archipelego - Writer of previous wonk lore

Zarsies - Writer of original wonk lore

Edited April 16, 2022 by Nozoa

[Jentos 6848]

Despite the claims of the ‘Descendents’ - the histories of the four main races descended from the brothers are ultimately racist. They categorize a limited number of peoples, bloodlines, and races while quite clearly failing to include other intelligent species by claiming that they are gifted a “greater”, or superior soul. Before such claims, the Wonks stand as proof of other intelligent, soul-bearing species claiming to being God’s chosen race. As the scriptures of the Wonks retells, the great Wonkish aspect-kings were overthrown by a cabal of evil, demonic figures masquerading as gods, and leading the four descendent races against them in a bloody war. At the forefront of the dread-idolistic demons was Jagael, a hideous, pale, thinly demon that could only be manifested from the physical spite of men. Whispering in the ears of the descendents, the Wonks would be overthrown by a four-way alliance, and driven out from what had been their promised land - the First Temple, where the Wonks were said to have been given conception by the God-of-Gods, broken. This was the first Wonkish diaspora.

[ScreamingDingo 16990]

[squakhawk 7872]

This lore has been denied.