THE WONKS
A frog-wonk and a toad-wonk
ORIGINS
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.
Wonks wandering the swamps
PHYSIOLOGY
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
A sala-wonk partaking of an old ceremony
STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, ABILITIES
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.
Tongue Manipulation [Non-Combative]
A wonk may extend its tongue from various utility purposes.
Aquatic Aptitude [Combative/Non-Combative]
A wonk possesses the ability to see and breathe 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.
A depiction of the visuals during a wonk-juice trip
MENTALITY AND CULTURE
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.
Purpose
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.
Citations
Nozoa - Writer
Archipelego - Writer of previous wonk lore
Zarsies - Writer of original wonk lore