#astrodoptera

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sometimes your traumatised ocs have to be given mandatory break time to hang out in a pastel palette, I don't make the rules

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Redesigned one of Koloko and Yka's fuckass cousins!!!!!

his name was Chaos but I literally just changed his name to 'Kaos' (although technically 'ch' was a valid consonant - the point is I don't want him to have a real-life word as his name)

I fucking hate him.....he's such a little shit... but I like his design lol.... he's kind of aroace coloured lol

he is based off the butterfly Sarota acantus.... such a funny little fluffball I love it

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that moment when you beat your abusive father to a pulp and then the caterpillar containing all his magical essence crawls out and your pal who is a one thousand year old undead necromancer tells you to eat it and absorb your father's powers.

she does in fact eat it, and reap the benefits, but then she's haunted by the memories, thoughts and opinions of Kuhathkasokt so er... was it worth it? idk.

I like the implication that Yka's hood moves like a third antenna, it's very funny

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my beloved buges,,,,,

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made a picture to represent the Astrodoptera story on Unvale and Toyhou.se

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design for Rhalkxu.

Now you may notice, she is substantially lighter than all the other Astrodopterans featured so far. I think she is from a different ethnic group that is more likely to be lighter in colour than the Shadows. The first outfit is her attire as the Archbishop of the Apiary Constellation, hence the honeycomb theming. The second is after she has been excommunicated. The ocelli are actually stones embedded in her head to mimic the face of a bee. Her antennae look like that because of her original name being Batwing

Her wings are based off the Clouded Crimson (Schinia gaurae)

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baby...... idk I can't portmaneau baby with Ruthrhex

The star-shaped mark is what remains of an incision scar from during her first instar, when her mother Rhalkxu used her blood to resurrect Chekorhothk. It has faded with each moult and is not present in her imago form.

note here that her scarf is pink, not red. This is because she was raised solely by Rhalkxu without knowing who her father was. Rhalkxu also used to be an Archbishop (though now excommunicated after Kuhathkasokt slandered her) so in her mind she's powerful enough to warrant dressing her daughter in her own colours

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babyloko...... (this is, I think....fourth or fifth instar? last one before pupal stage)

erm, don't ask where the prolegs are, I think Astrodopterans evolved past the need for them (although maybe the structures still exist, they just don't break through the exoskeleton(?). caterpillar anatomy is weird)

I think since the caterpillar abdomen is not used for locomotion it is often well-decorated, especially for children raised as sons in rich families. Because being ostentatious is considered to be masculine, aristocratic parents will dress their sons* with lots of jewelry and bright colours. Also fathers will tend to dress their sons* in their own accent colours (which is why Koloko is shown here wearing red).

While we're at it, daughters* are often dressed with minimal clothing (the Astrodopterans don't really have anything against nudity). If it is present it's in very drab colours. Rich families will give their daughters* some ornamentation but it's usually nothing compared to their sons*. The colours of the clothing is usually a dark or muted version of the father's colours. The only exceptions are: 1) if they are in the Royal Family and the current monarch is a lady 2) if they are in aristocrat family and the head of the household is a lady. (the line of inheritance is based on the eldest child rather than eldest son) 3) if they are in a commoner family and the mother is a widow

if the current monarch is a lady there is usually an uptick in daughters* being dressed in their mothers' colours (sometimes sons too if they get reaally radical about it)

Caterpillars are unfortunately not afforded a lot of autonomy in the Shadow Kingdom. Because of the life cycle of insects, many denizens of the Shadow Kingdom believe that a caterpillar is still unborn, and the Astrodopteran only becomes a person when it emerges from the chrysalis. *EXTREMELY LOUD INCORRECT BUZZER*

The hexagonal symbol is meant to represent the constellation of the Apiary, which the Royal Family follows. While it is advantageous for the current monarch to not show off their constellation alignment too much (tbh I just hadn't thought of this yet when I designed Kuhathkasokt's outfit), they can dress their caterpillars however the fuck they want. I've written on Koloko's feelings on religion before :)

*children who are perceived as sons or daughters by their parents and society at large. Kuhathkasokt is a fictional character and cannot read my mind.