Yohipharian Reference Sheet

(I finally finished this.)

About Yohipharians
> They originate from swamp biomes on the planet Zona.
> They are amphibious.
> They eat fungi that grows in shallow water on their homeworld.
> They lay eggs in water and their young stay in the water until they reach a certain stage in development.
> They are highly social, form strong bonds, and are extremely attentive to their offspring.
> Their individual coloration is mostly dependent upon chemical factors in the water during their incubation and is highly variable (though it will tend one way or another depending on phenotype).
> Only yon are capable of producing and laying eggs. Yan, yen and yun are all capable of fertilizing eggs.
> Eggs can have multiple patronages.
> The yun phenotype is considered to be an evolutionary artifact.

Anatomical Characteristics
> Their tail is continuous with their torso.
> They have four digits on both hands and feet.
> Yon, yen and yan have large "pads" on the ends of their fingers.
> The webbing between their digits is partially translucent.
> Their genitals are internal.
> Their tails have a very limited range of motion (yun have a wider range, though).
> Patterned marks on their skin like stripes are genetic and can be attributed to specific races.
> Though their coloration is variable, they generally have the same distribution of color variations (color shifts at the belly, forearms and shins, hands and feet, the tips of their digits, and frills).
> The sclera of their eyes is colored and their pupils are slits.
> Their jaws are serrated and they do not otherwise have teeth.
> They have long tongues and it is common for their tongues to stick out of their mouths.
> Their frills share visual aspects with fungi on Zona.

Social Characteristics
> They are technologically advanced and capable of space travel.
> They didn't develop all their technology on their own, they learned it from other aliens that visited them.
> Because of this there is a strong division on their homeworld between technologically developed territories and territories that remain tribal.

> They form romantic triads containing a yan, a yen and a yon.
> Attraction to the two opposing genders is seen as normative. Interest in only one phenotype or to their own phenotype is seen as aberrant. Never is a yun an ideal partner.
> A couple (only two of the three) is considered to be incomplete and should be in search of their third.

> Yohi genders do not equate to human genders. (Pronoun use in non-native languages is mostly based on personal preference.)
> In a traditional tribe, yan are the protectors, both of territory and particularly of eggs, while both yon and yen are responsible for farming, child-rearing, and management of the tribe itself.
> Yan are thought to be stronger, still associated with being protectors. The style of being protective tends to be very maternal and doting, though.
> Yon are often the social, moral and spiritual leaders. Commonly thought to be patient and wise.
> Yen are planners, problem-solvers, and just downright sexy (they are heavily objectified in their native culture). Commonly thought to be clever.
> Yun are treated as though they are a freak amalgamation of the yen and yan genders. They experience a great deal of prejudice. They are often thought to be inherently unstable and troubled.

> Zona is also home to another developed life form called the Ipher. Ipher and yohi live apart in wild areas, but their populations are mixed in the cities.
> Yohi eggs have long been a part of ipher diets. Trade or sale of yohi eggs is illegal and is a prominent feature of Zona-related black markets.
> Because they evolved alongside a predator, yohi lay a large quantity of eggs at a time. In civilized areas where this is not a current threat, breeding is carefully controlled and clutch size is artificially restricted.

More information / drawings can be found at: illustriousdryad.tumblr.com/ta…