#project gaia

[jacscorner]

Oh boy! Planet Gaia DLC!

The planet was once dominated by the Stormpack. Coming to power after the age of giant reptiles, the Stormpack ruled the surface almost entirely. These canine-like creatures rose to power with their natural ability to generate and control electricity, enabling them to enslave other creatures of Gaia, as well as fight off most of their oppositions. They gave up the surface, however, when their best and brightest foresaw Gaia's sun, a red giant, was going to go out in a massive explosion, bathing Gaia in fire before going out. The Final Day was what it was caused.

To escape this fate, the Stormpack created underground sanctuaries and abandoned the surface, leaving behind their massive empire for giant cities run by their electricity powers. Of course, we know that the surface is not dead and their prediction was wrong - but only slightly. 1000 years since their departure and Gaia is covered in life. The Stormpack is forgotten, believed to be a mere myth by some. Others refer to them as 'The Hunters'.

The Stormpack mostly eat meat, but they are omnivores. They favor meat, but they can sustain themselves on other foods. Aside from their powers over electricity, their hips also have natural folds, or 'pouches', which they use to hold objects. A part of their culture is learning to harness their powers and creating fashionable trinkets out of iron sand. The most common is in the forms of cuffs or rings around their wrists and/or arms.

Example Names: Lunik, Coslop, Siro, Naro, Cheri

[jacscorner]

The last member of the Gaia-fication project of Team RWBY; Weiss as a Stonesage. In hindsight, Weiss being part of the race that puts magic above all else - I think it fits her pretty well.

And if not? Then, well, I think basing one of these off of Weiss' colors was fun.

Some might think there's too much red she's wearing. And, honestly? I think that's pretty true. But red is such an important color to Weiss' OG character design that I guess I put it secondary to white for her.

With how Stonesage names work, I think 'Weiss Schnee' becomes 'Weisheshe'. Which I guess means 'Wei' is her given name and 'Sheshe' is the Schnee family name. Which might make thinks awkward if I ever have to put down designs for the others.

But that's Future!Jac's problem, lol.

Thank you @redheartedtramp for enabling me~

[jacscorner]

Time for another member RWBY if she woke up on Gaia. Brought to you by @redheartedtramp

This time, Blake as a Rainwalker.

Her 'hair' is actually feathers - female Rainwalkers can grow feathers on their head. And I kinda regret not making them little singular feathers instead of the bobcut, lol. But hey, maybe it's a wig or made up of several feathers.

I also expanded a little bit on the concept of Rainwalkers using their shed skin for clothes and dying it to whatever colors they want. So used that purple color that RWBY really likes to use as a highlight for Blake - but it usually ends up becoming a more predominant color than black.

Finding a rough-sounding name for her was hard, but I think 'Blanx' - pronounced "Blanks" - could work. Not a lot of "hard-sounding" letters in her name, but I think she'd fit into the setting. I think the only thing that wouldn't fit is how Rainwalkers usually prefer fruit and not fish (or the fish equivalent) on Gaia, but I'm sure Blanx would go out of her way to go fishing even if her fellow Rainwalkers wouldn't.

[jacscorner]

The first of hopefully many commissions for @redheartedtramp - of the RWBY girls in my silly 'Project Gaia' setting. Specifically, the Horned Rabbit/Wolf hybrids that are the Hopkin.

Ruby Rose becomes...Rubyrose. Cause ironically, her full name fits perfectly as a Hopkin name. And she is RED~

I kinda regret not trying to use more diverse shades of red, but this chick is just red. All of her reds are usually the same bright, firetruck red. Speaking of, black is another dominant color for RWBY - she really just got the Shadow The Hedgehog treatment for her Hopkin.

Yang has a similar problem with yellow, but at least I can use different shades to break it up. But I think she turned out okay. I think her name would be Burnstorm - I wanted to make sure her Semblance was a part of her name and I like to think the 'Storm' part comes from her mother. Whatever Raven is in this setting, lol.

[jacscorner]

Planet Gaia.

In the heart of the Volute Galaxy, far from our own Milky Way, the Planet of Gaia exists. It's similar in size and make-up to Earth, but orbits around a red star. Its sun, named Sol by its inhabitants, is seen as a the God of this world. Civilizations have risen and fallen in the name of the angry, red God.

Gaia has three satellites circling its orbit; a ring and two moons. There was once three moons, with records stating this as fact. Now, it only has two, which the inhabitants view as the twin sisters Luna - the silver moon - and Selene - the yellow moon. They are the children of Sol.

Gaia's ring is composed of ice - the remains of the now missing 3rd moon. The ring is constantly forming new ice which rains down onto Gaia's surface. This is the planet's only natural source of fresh water, as the oceans of Gaia are incredibly acidic. Naturally forming pools of spring water are isolated to underground springs, ponds, and lakes. Some of these are natural, others made from ice that rains down from the ring above. The ring is often worshipped as Rime, Goddess of Ice and wife of Sol.

The only known creatures to survive the oceans are the Megabeasts known as Wyrms, giant fish-like creatures with scales that have adapted to to withstand the acidity. Creatures capturing and eating Wyrm must use extreme caution.

The technology levels of Gaia was formerly space age, if not further along than what we on Earth have. But now, the majority of the planet is mostly medieval with small pockets exceeding that. The Windfolk are capable of grand flying machines, but otherwise, the closest thing to scientific advancement is through a fungal network that is able to store large quantities of data, with mushrooms acting like Earth's computers.

Gaia has a 36 hour days, but the days are much longer with shorter nights. With most creatures spending the first hour or two after sunrise hiding from intense light and heat. The day period of the planet lasts up to 30 hours, with nights lasting 6, with extended dawn & dusk periods. The planet's years are in 100 days, with seasons only lasting a few weeks.

Gaia is a harsh and hot world with short reprieves from the light & heat. The creatures that have survived are either tough enough to endure or wise enough to adapt.

[jacscorner]

Making their homes in the mountains of Gaia, the Stonesages dig deep within the stone and soil. They feel a strong bond and connection with the ground and see it as their right to dig and dig and deep. There is no depth too deep for them. The Stonesages are incredibly friendly with outsiders, but not so naive that they are easy to manipulate. In fact, the Stonesages are naturally cunning and quick-witted. To the point where the lot of them are tricksters. It's actually a sign of affection for them to pull pranks on their friends & family - and if you get one up on your elder, someone who should've 'seen every trick in the book', then that is worthy of respect. They take pranks and tricks in stride - but if you cheat them out of money, expect to be stonned.

The Stonesage's hooves are hardened from constantly walking through their mountain-home. And their horns, from hitting the rock, are hard enough to break through. Stonesages are proud of their horns - to the point where shaping and filing them is what they do for fashion. In contrast, the wool that their body grows is quite soft.

Male & Female Stonesages have similar bodytypes, both having rather slender builds. Males, however, have more pronounced whiskers. Like the other races, they are omnivores. They have a preference for meat, but will otherwise eat anything that is available. Stonesages are more known for their alcoholic beverages, being able to stomach more than most races. To the point they have a strong resistance to toxins. And from their time underground, their eyes are well adept to the darkness.

While all races have some potential for magic, almost every Stonesage is capable of magic. To the point where almost every Stonesage is a Magician. The rare 1% born without magic, however, are often banished from the mountain and left to survive on their own.

Example Names: Kemeimei, Arikaka, Zimama, Kutete, Rululu.

Stonesage names are very simple. They're one syllable sounds followed by another syllable that's repeated. Families will share the repeating syllable. So a mother named 'Rululu' could have children named 'Molulu' or 'Nolulu'.

[jacscorner]

Across the skies of Gaia are unnatural floating cities that were built and occupied by the Skyfolk. Originally a race of ground dwellers that were enslaved by the now extinct 'Hunters', the first Skyfolk lead the way for his people by using the leathery membrane of her wings to fly. Ever since then, the Skyfolk have taken to the skies above.

Long after that event, the Skyfolk build flying cities high in the sky that drift on the winds of Gaia. Their leather membrane have since grown much longer, enabling them to maintain longer flights. They've also adapted not only a powerful echolocation, but also a great sense of direction due to a developed sensitivity to the planet's magnetic forces. This makes them expert navigators, always able to find the quickest path to their home city.

Skyfolk culture greatly revolves around food. Their massive cities are often built entirely around making one specific kind of food. Because of this, they often trade their foods with other cities as signs of friendship. Speaking of, the the Skyfolk are big eaters and are omnivores. The Males tend to have more predominant tufts of fur around their neck. Magicians among the Skyfolk are common - not as common as among Hopkin, but not rare either.

Example Names: Moslin, Loron, Yofo, Solli, Noza.

Skyfolk names should sound melodic in how they hit the ear. If a name sounds rough or hard, then it might not fit.

[jacscorner]

Thousands of years ago, the planet of Gaia was once dominated by giants covered in scales. They ruled like kings over the lesser creatures. Their fall was lost to time and their last known descendants are the Rainwalkers. Unlike their predecessor species, they're significantly smaller, no longer giants. They also prefer to live in smaller, tightly knit communities. Villages and hamlets in hidden grottoes rather than living out in the open.

These reptile-like creatures live primarily in the forests of Gaia. Their hook-like claws enable them to claw trees and stone with relative ease. Their prehensile tongues tails make for effectively a third hand - some even prefer using it over their natural claws. Males & females look identical, but females are able to grow feathers on their heads. They all have blue sclera eyes. Rainwalkers are ominvores, with a diet consisting of fruit and Insects.

But the reason they're called 'Rainwalkers' is because they have no qualms walking in the rain. Because their choice of clothing is their own previous skin that they've shed. Some Rainwalkers take pride in their shed skin, others sell them. Some have them dyed for fashion or even made into leather. Some Rainwalkers even trade their skin with others - in fact, it's common to do this between spouses.

Rainwalkers also have the ability to become completely invisible to the naked eye. Because of this, most species assumed the Rainwalkers were a myth until the most recent 100 years or so.

Rainwalkers are a closed off people, preferring their secrecy and quiet. Not 'shy', just cautious. Reptiles are not too welcomed in most communities on Gaia, so Rainwalkers are very slow to trust. Making a friend with one is making a friend for life - and usually comes with everyone in their small community accepting you.

Example Names: Pugdirg, Nug, Jit, Gunrag, Burzug.

Rainwalker names are guttural in nature. Females might have softer sounds, but they otherwise? They don't really have 'masculine & feminine' names. While not impossible, Rainwalker Magicians are incredibly rare and are highly valued. 1 in every 100 Rainwalkers are Magicians and are propped up by their community.