Table of Contents
- A Note on Rules
- Official Bases
- Rolled Fawns
- Scars & Disabilities
- Bepotelkh & Sonoelkh Design Guide
- Hair Dye Guide
- Hair Styles, Carving, and Paint
- Mysterious Carving Guide
- Aitielkh Design Guide
A note on rules & restrictionsPart of the challenge of our game is working within the provided parameters. We don't want to dampen creativity, but please keep in mind that in the end, the character needs to resemble the species of Bepotelkh and follow the trait guidelines. Pushing the limits on things is not meant to be a part of the game and causes undue stress on the team when we have to ask for corrections or argue about rules in order to maintain the integrity of the traits system. Please try to follow the guidelines without attempting to break the game/push the limits and please be cooperative if you are asked to change things. If you are really not into marking/color restrictions, aitielkh might be a good alternative for you! |
Official Bases
These bases were made by Herboreal and are free to use for the creation of Make-Your-Own (MYO) Bepotelkh characters only; you must have a valid MYO slot to use these bases. Do not use these to make adoptables or for any other purpose than for submitting a MYO to this site. You may edit these bases to customize them with the trait(s) you need for your MYO Bepotelkh character.
PLEASE NOTE: if you use Herboreal's base to make a MYO which was free or earned via group currency, you will be unable to resell the MYO as the bases are not to be used for profit. If you purchased the MYO slot with USD it will retain that value only.
Bepotelkh & Sonoelkh
- Adult Bases
Aitielkh
- Aitielkh & Sonoaitielkh Adult Bases (coming soon)
- Aitielkh Fawn Base
- Sono Aitielkh Fawn Base
A Note on Rolled Fawns
Please see the breeding guide for more information on fawns. Designing a rolled fawn has a lot of limitations compared with a MYO slot.
Fawns
- Elkh fawns share the same general bodyshape as adult elkh but in fawn proportions (bigger head/eyes). They will not have full antlers, but rather will have small single nubs (should not be forked or otherwise shaped).
- Fawns do not have fully grown manes and braids should be minimal.
- Rolled fawns share the parents colors and cannot have additional colors added unless a Glowing Stone item is used. You may mix coat colors to an extent, but not to create unnatural colors such as pink. Colors need to remain within the color guide rules above.
- When mixing colors, they should come from the FUR if you are picking colors for the FUR. The eye colors only apply to the eyes. Hooves and antlers for the hooves and antlers, etc.
- Dye is not heritable, so dye colors may not be used on fawns unless a dye is purchased in the shop.
- While you can use most trait potions to either add or change traits on rolled fawns, rolled fawns cannot use trait swap or redesign potions until they are already designed and grown. (MORE INFO HERE)
On TRANSLATING EXISTING CHARACTERS TO ELKH
Going forward, we're moving away from allowing "fan characters". You can make/commission characters loosely inspired by copyrighted characters, but please make sure they're not recognizable as such, and the ultimate call on what's acceptable is up to Timbre & Nopal.
You may translate other adoptable designs into elkh at any time as long as the original designer is okay with it; you must keep the characters connected. Notifying us with a link to the original character is preferred so we can put that link on the masterlist so we know the characters cannot be separated.
Canon, Culture & Stereotype
Designs should be canonically appropriate for Silkkassa/Miatias and the roughly early 1900's time period in which the game is set, but there is some flexibility! Please do be mindful not to play into cultural stereotypes or appropriate other cultures of which you are not a part. The final call is up to Timbre & Nopal, but designs may be rejected if they do not conform to canon or display traits that are appropriative or stereotypical of a certain race or culture. While we would not deny anyone representing their own culture, for anyone else we would ask you steer clear of commonly appropriated themes such as Orientalism and Native use of feathers. These themes would also fall under non-canonical.
Scars & Disabilities
Scars and disabilities are not traits and have no rarity; any Bepotelkh character may have scars or disabilities. However, designs including scars and disability must be tasteful and avoid inspiration porn, offensive tropes, body horror, and gore.
If you are unsure about any of these topics with relation to your design, please ask staff for guidance.
You may design mobility aids for your elkh such as prosthetic limbs, wheel carts, etc. as long as they are canon-compliant (example: a wooden "peg leg" would be fine, but a robotic leg would not).
Bepotelkh & Sonoelkh Design Guide
Anatomy
See this page for more anatomy details!
Beps are an amalgamation of camelids and cervids. They have an alpaca-like neck and nose, with some elk-like traits as well. They have large feet meant for standing on top of snow or grit (respectively for beps/sonos). They are rather stocky compared with deer, and their tails are typically larger. Their standard ears are fairly thin. Like cervids, they have a hard upper palette but only lower incisors. Their eyes are side-facing.
Notable differences are seen in villa and mountain bepotelkh. Villa/Casas and Mountains have shorter necks than other subspecies, and villas & casas have much shorter legs. Mountain bepotelkh also have a slightly different headshape with a more rounded/downturned nose, and their mane grows in a bit over their shoulders.
Eyes
By default, beps have "cervine" pupil type (which need not be listed in the traits). There are a few other Rare options, however! The sclera should always be a light white of some variety.
Subspecies
General Bep/Sono MYO tickets may be made into any subspecies other than Aiti. Aitielkh require an Aitielkh MYO ticket. You may also make any kind of hybrid (again: excluding aiti).
Traits
See the VISUAL TRAIT INDEX for the list of traits! Be mindful of what belongs to Beps vs Sonos vs Aitielkh.
Markings
Elkh have a variety of markings, but most of them are based on real-world cervine markings. Markings can be added or changed with Common, Uncommon, or Rare Trait Potions available in the Elkh Shop.
Gilde Markings are available by using a Gilde Trait Potion or a Gilde Trait Potion (Small).
Be sure that the markings you want to use are applicable to the subtype of your Elkh character! While there are many markings that overlap, some markings are unique to bepotelkh or unique to sonoelkh.
- All Bepotelkh & Sonoelkh Markings
- All Bepotelkh & Sonoelkh Facial Markings
- Sonoelkh Markings
- Sonoelkh Facial Markings
Some restricted markings are available only by using Trait Potions! Restricted traits on Bepotelkh and Sonoelkh tend to be enchantments placed on them by magickers, leading to unnatural effects. Restricted traits are not heritable (but you can have a chance at your fawn getting them if you use a Heldigs Charm when you send in your breeding claim!)
Be sure to choose a PRIMARY MARKING before adding additional markings. The encyclopedia indicates which markings are primary in the trait descriptions.
When designing, note that markings do not always have to exactly resemble the examples on the trait index! For example, secondary markings Spot and Stripe can be lighter or darker than the color beneath them, and can take slightly different shape! Reading the description on each trait in the encylopedia will be your best bet for understanding how the markings work.
Spot can take several different forms.
Stripe can take several different forms but must be horizontal.
Piebald must cover all other markings, must always be white/off-white, and in organic shapes.
Colors
Coat colors can vary quite a bit, but remain within natural ranges. Browns can be as saturated as any fur color found naturally on a mammal. Grays can be warmer or cooler, but should not look too blue.
Examples of possible coat colors.
Eye color can be more variable and saturated than coat colors. The sclera must be white or off white. Teeth must be white or off-white.
Hooves and antlers should also be natural colors found on real animals. These are not an exhaustive list of colors, but examples. Anything unnatural would be considered Paint.
If you would like unnatural or saturated colors for your bepotelkh or sonoelkh, you will need to purchase one or more Hair Dyes from the Elkh Shop! but they do have limitations (see below).
Accessories
You can freely make canon-compliant accessories for your characters! Accessory gilde bonuses only apply to Official Accessories, and Job Class gear is also regulated.
Job Class Gear must be applied to a domestic elkh before they may earn bonus gildes when depicted in art or writing.
Official Accessories may be purchased in the Shops, earned through Prompts, or obtained from certain Events. They grant bonus gildes when depicted in art or writing.
Canon Applications:
Elkh may choose to live among humans in villages as domestic elkh, or in nature with or without other elkh as wild elkh. Both domestic and wild elkh may wear accessories, but they are more commonly found on domestic elkh, as elkh are not capable of crafting and putting on most accessories without help. Domestic elkh living among humans may choose to take up a profession and work for a living. Most domestic elkh typically wear a collar, with or without bells, but may also wear Job Class Gear that helps them in their work. Wild elkh do not hold regular jobs, and instead will barter for goods they may need that cannot be found in nature.
Redesigns & Trait swaps
Redesign potion and trait swap potion information is in the encylcopedia, but as a rule, redesign and trait swap potions are only to be used on designs which have already been drawn and approved, and can only be used on rolled fawns once they are already grown and approved/on the masterlist. These potions generally allow for horizontal trait swapping, i.e. you can substitute one rare trait for another rare trait. For changing rarities, whether to a lower or higher rarity, you'll still need the associated trait potions (common, uncommon, rare).
Be sure to read the encylcopedia information thoroughly before using!
Hair Dye Guide
Bleach
Using bleach will lighten the colors of your Elkh character.
Dye
Using dyes will add unnatural or more saturated colors to your Elkh character. Note that dyed colors will not be full saturation and brightness.
Hair dye is split into BASE, MANE and TAIL.
The bep's BASE (any part of their body with short fur including face) may only be dyed with ONE COLOR. Markings will show up as corresponding shades of the color picked. Dye cannot be used to make patterns or shapes.
The bep's MANE, as long as it has a mane with fur longer than the body, may be dyed up to SIX COLORS. The player must buy a hair dye bottle for each color in the mane. Ombre effects are acceptable and can be used with any number of colors. Dye may be used on streaks in the mane ONLY if the bep has the Streak Mane trait.
The bep's TAIL may only be one color, UNLESS it has the Long tail trait. ONLY in that case the tail may be dyed up to six colors. IF THE USER IS MAKING THE TAIL MATCH THE MANE, the user does not need to buy duplicate dye bottles. If the bep has the Unicorn tail trait they may dye only the end tuft, or dye both the long skinny part and the end tuft.
Hair styles, Carving, and Paint
Elkh can have a variety of mane and tail styles and cuts (Please keep in mind that in canon, only domestic elkh would have these styles as they are provided by humans). Braids are canonically considered uncommon/rare as an elkh would only allow their mane/tail to be braided by someone they really trust (in-game they are not a trait and do not have rarity). Beyond that, please have fun thinking of different styles and cuts to apply to your elkh.
The "carved" trait can be added to any type of antlers by picking up a carving kit at the salon and attaching it to your MYO or design update.
Canonically, similar rules apply to carving as to braids.
The "paint" trait can be added to an elkh by picking up a paint kit at the salon and attaching it to your MYO or design update.
Canonically, similar rules apply to paint as to carving and braids.
Mysterious Carving Guide
Mysterious Carvings can be used when submitting a breeding or when applying additional traits to an existing Elkh character or MYO design.
- You can combine two traits per Mysterious Carving. If you wish to make multiple combinations, you will need a Mysterious Carving for each combination!
- Combined traits rarity is Rare
- You will need to purchase or otherwise obtain and apply any traits that do not already exist on your Elkh character/rolled fawn. If the design is a MYO that hasn't been submitted yet, you'll need trait potions for anything that isn't a common trait.
- Combined traits ARE heritable during breedings. However, you cannot split the traits. Example: both parents have unicorn x long tail, so the fawn will get that trait as well. However, you cannot choose to keep either unicorn or long tail individually as one of your two kept traits, because the combined trait cannot be split.
- Combined traits cannot be combined again. Only two traits are allowed per combination.
- Bep & Sono Rare traits are common on Aitielkh, so combination traits may be used on them freely without trait potions (unless you're combining aiti rare traits or restricted traits which would require aiti rare trait potions or restricted trait potions).
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Customs purchased from Herboreal or Official Guest Artists do not require a Mysterious Carving to combine traits, but you must still purchase or otherwise obtain and apply any traits that do not already apply to your custom.
A few combination trait examples.
Aitielkh Design Guide
Traits
Most aitielkh have similar appearances, with tall legs, long necks, a long, fluffy tail, glowing eyes, a repeating pattern, and a magical flower crown.
- Aitielkh may also have any bepotelkh traits normally obtained through Common, Uncommon, or Rare Trait Potions without needing a potion.
- Sono aitielkh may have any sonoelkh traits normally obtained through Common, Uncommon, or Rare Trait Potions without needing a potion.
- Aitielkh must use a Gilde Trait Potion or Mysterious Carving if they want gilde traits or combinded traits.
- Aitielkh may not have sonoelkh traits, and sono aitielkh may not have bepotelkh traits, unless they are a hybrid.
- Aitielkh may have the body shape of a bep or sono subspecies such as polar or casa sono etc.
Aitielkh who were born as non-aitielkh fawns will reflect their original appearance even after transformation.
Aitielkh may have pupil shapes that are unique to aitielkh:
Aitielkh also have a number of Aitielkh Rare Traits available by using an Aiti Rare Trait Potion or an Aiti Rare Trait Potion (Small).
Required Traits
Repeating Patterns
The repeating pattern in its most traditional form is a line of identical symbols along the side of the aitielkh. The repeating pattern typically indicates some element(s) of the aitielkh's personality or life, and can be hidden at will with magic. Repeating patterns are not required to be placed along the side of the aitielkh, nor do they require identical, but distinct, symbols. They may take the form of "bracelets" or other tattoo-like markings that are clearly related and distinct from the aitielkh's markings. These markings should avoid resembling manmade objects or concepts as much as possible. Aitielkh are nature-born and largely only experience nature, thus do not have human-made objects as part of their identity.
Sono Aitielkh Constellations
Sono aitielkh have a constellation rather than a repeating pattern. Constellations may depict real-life constellations or be created by the designer specifically for use as a sono aitielkh constellation. They may appear anywhere visible on the body, and can be hidden at will with magic.
Patterns & Constellations are required for masterlist art, but in canon, can be dismissed at will, and therefore don't need to be drawn in prompts etc.
Flower crowns
Flower crowns should have one to two types of flower, plant, or branch and one gemstone. All elements used for flower crowns must be found in the real world and have a scientific or colloquial name. Elements of flower crowns are considered part of an aitielkh's personality, and influence or reflect aspects of their personality or story. There are three types of flowercrowns your aiti may have: Standard, Corsage, and Floating (rare).
Flowercrowns are required for masterlist art, but in canon, can be dismissed at will, and therefore don't need to be drawn in prompts etc.
Markings
Aitielkh do not have the marking restrictions/rarities that beps/sonos have and do not have to use marking potions. The one exception is for star markings, players must use the Stars of Aiti potion to have stars on their aiti. Additionally markings may not resemble manmade items or concepts. Markings can be abstract or reflective of things found in nature. The markings do not need to be bepotelkh or sonoelkh markings; you can use anything as long as it doesn't resemble stars of aiti. However, you can use bep/sono markings if you wish!
Colors
Aitielkh do not have color restrictions. Most aitielkh will be bright or saturated, but their dream may influence their colors, pattern, and flower crown; dark dream aitielkh are typically dark and less saturated.
Accessories
Aitielkh typically do not wear accessories made by humans, as most aitielkh do not have a relationship with humans. Accessories are typically made by shroomkin (which would be made from rough natural materials and dyes) or by aitielkh with Thaumaturgy Mastery. Accessories made by Thaumaturgy magic are created by transforming natural material found in the forest (tree bark, moss, mushrooms etc.) into tangible items. These items revert back into the orginal material when given to another creature or when the aiti wishes for the enchantment to end.
Aitielkh-specific Official Accessories may rarely be purchased in the Shops, earned through Prompts, or obtained from certain Events. They grant bonus gildes when depicted in art or writing. Accessories created by thaumaturgy do not count for bonus gilde rewards.
Fawns
Aitielkh fawns share the same general bodyshape as adult aitielkh, but will not have their pattern, flower crown, or glowing eyes. They will not have full antlers, but rather will have small antler nubs.