
Tsabhua
All Colonists

Tsabhua
The species commonly known as "Tsabhua" was the first sentient species encountered by exploring emissary [REDACTED]. These initial interactions served in DPIP's favour and several tribes were open to negotiation and trade agreements, particularly the donation of some of their young to become colonists.
Tsabhua are a very large species, in comparison to humans and many species on Sol Earth. Before DPIP's purchase of the planet, they lived a fairly nomadic lifestyle.
Biology
The tsabhua is a large hexapodic (six limbs) species with a completely separated respiratory-gastrointestinal system. This separation allows them to freely breathe, even as they eat and drink. They have pharyngeal jaws in the place of tongues that are normally tucked away at the back of their throat. These jaws attach onto and maul prey when grasped by the larger jaws, making the species well-equipped predators.
This separation also means that they speak, sing, and make other vocalizations through their large nasal passages. Their native languages are therefore similar to Tellurian dolphins' vocalizations - often squeaks and whistles. They are unable to physically speak in the languages that Tellurian and most DPIP operatives use, so they rely on DPIP-patented translation devices.
Unlike many Tellurian species, the tsabhua does not have visible sexual dimorphism. Their genitals are housed entirely inside cloaca, making clear sexing from a distance nigh impossible.
Every year in Kerah, tsabhua shed their horns. These horns are usually kept in order to use for rituals, art, or for teething for the next season's whelps. It takes about half a season for the horn to grow back
Behaviour
Tsabhua generally live in small migratory tribes, spread out across the land. The adults freely roam while there are usually a select few of each tribe that remain with their young, which are communally raised. When the young, called whelps, grow to maturity at about three years of age, they often separate from their home tribes and seek out new homes among other unrelated tribes. Oftentimes, young bulls (males) will separate at a younger age than their doe (female) counterparts and will band together with other young bulls.
Newborns are born with a soft layer of fuzz across their whole bodies, which grows as they age. Within a week of birth, their nape, shoulders, and back are covered in a layer of long, fluffy fur. This fur layer, called a "mantle," is shed by the time the tsabhua are a year old.
Tsabhua tribes often take offenses very seriously and a common punishment is the removal of a tsabhua's horn, called "Dehorning." They take great pride in their horns, so when they are removed before the shedding season, they are often ridiculed and put to great shame. It is not a painless procedure, but usually it does not leave permanent scarring of any sort. The horns do not grow back until Shemesh.
Design Rules
Like most other playable species, tsabhua have their own colour patterns that are unique to their species. They also have unique markings: impala and truespot.
The entirity of their manes, from the top of the head to the shoulders, as well as all long belly fluff and the tail tip, should be significantly darker than the base coat.
Base Coat Colours
Monochrome
Black

Anything with KK · CCMMYYKk · CCMMYYkk

Black + Cream

Black + Charred
Silver

CcMmYyKk · CcMmYykk

Silver + Cream

Silver + Charred
White

ccmmyykk

White + Cream

White + Charred
Strong
Slate

CcmmyyKk · Ccmmyykk · CCmmyykk · CCmmyyKk

Slate + Cream

Slate + Charred

Slate Tinted Silver
CCMmYyKk · CCMmYykk
Rust

ccMmyyKk · ccMmyykk · ccMMyykk · ccMMyyKk

Rust + Cream

Rust + Charred

Rust Tinted Silver
CcMMYyKk · CcMMYykk
Oat

ccmmYyKk · ccmmYykk · ccmmYYKk · ccmmYYkk

Oat + Cream

Oat + Charred

Oat Tinted Silver
CcMmYYKk · CcMmYYkk
Softmix
Leaf

CcmmYykk · CcmmYYkk · CCmmYykk · CCmmYYkk

Leaf + Cream

Leaf + Charred

Leaf Tinted Silver
CCMmYYKk · CCMmYYkk
Salmon

ccMmYykk · ccMmYYkk · ccMMYykk · ccMMYYkk

Salmon + Cream

Salmon + Charred

Salmon Tinted Silver
CcMMYYKk · CcMMYYkk
Lavender

CcMmyykk · CcMMyykk · CCMmyykk · CCMMyykk

Lavender + Cream

Lavender + Charred

Lavender Tinted Silver
CCMMYyKk · CCMMYykk
Hardmix
Navy

CcMmyyKk · CcMMyyKk · CCMmyyKk · CCMMyyKk

Navy + Cream

Navy + Charred
Twig

CcmmYyKk · CcmmYYKk · CCmmYyKk · CCmmYYKk

Twig + Cream

Twig + Charred
Brick

ccMmYyKk · ccMmYYKk · ccMMYyKk · ccMMYYKk

Brick + Cream

Brick + Charred