History: Garmr

Realm: Midgard
Typical Height Range: 5'2" to 6'0"
Typical Weight Range: 140 to 200
Center of population: Interior southern Sweden, Hammerfest
Estimated population: 60,000 native / 235,000 former human

Physiology

Garmr are canid humanoids. They stand upright, within normal human ranges of height, and resemble anthro hounds. Within this parameter, they are pretty much as you'd expect: They have a human-like torso, furred skin, a furred tail, an externally canid head, and hybridized hands and legs. Nearly all have fur that is white, brown, grey, black, or some combination of the above.

Their muzzles are generally long and faces sleek, in comparison to hemt or skoll. Their eyes are large-pupiled and reflective, their ears often (but not always) flopped, depending on their 'breed' (they do not perfectly resemble specific breeds of dog, but it is very easy to draw comparisons between features as such that garmr can fall into various categories of resemblance to dog breeds. As a general rule, they really hate this.

Their tails are 6" to 40" long, and like their fur, are of varying 'puff'; they can be sleek or large. Their legs and feet are such that they have a dual stance. They're generally most comfortable perched lightly on the paws of their feet, particularly when running, but they do have a rudimentary heel so that they can stand flat or kick when so desired. Wearing human shoes remains uncomfortable for them, however.

Their hands and feet are both pawlike, with pads and claws, but have a digit length comparable to humans, with four fingers plus a thumb. Their claws tend to be blunt and dark, and generally short.

The garmr diet has the same range as canids, which is to say that they can handle most anything a human can, but will generally eschew leafy greens. They are susceptible to most canine toxins, but in practice, this does not prevent most of them from enjoying coffee and chocolate, since harmful quantities are beyond casual consumption anyways.

Their senses are what you would expect. They have dichromatic vision (inferior colour perception), with good low-light vision, and average about 15/20 by human measure. Their senses of hearing and scent are both acute with broad ranges. Tactile and gustatory are normal. They are light sleepers, and generally sleep about 5 to 6 hours per night (or day).

Their genitalia are canid in build while females have two breasts, and successful breeding results in an 8-month pregnancy. Single births are most common, while twins occur at approximately 1 in 4 pregnancies. Triplets occur in approximately 1 in 300 pregnancies. They have proven biologically compatible with skoll, and successful unassisted hybrids of the two do exist. Garmr pups average about 5 pounds, and gain eyesight about a month after birth.

Natural Magics

-Garmr have a natural sense for the approximate location of those to whom they are loyal or responsible. In practice, this usually means a few family members and their closest friends. This ability requires that both the garmr and their target be inrealm, and is presented to the garmr by scent. It gets less precise with distance. Within the same city, they might say "My son is in that direction, about a mile and a half. So he's probably at the agora." Whereas a thousand miles off, they might say "My best friend is that way, hundreds of miles, the map says that might put him somewhere around Malmo... Maybe?"

Culture

Garmr are more emotional than their other canid cousins, and as such can be interpreted as moody or bipolar. This is because their emotional state is very reactive. A song, a scent, a friend arriving, losing a lucky hat; it all has immediate emotional impact. They are therefore easy to depress, but similarly easy to cheer up. As a result, Garmr culture is largely built around satisfying activity, and they value positive attitudes in friends, since they're highly susceptible to group emotions. Garmr are happiest when they've gathered with friends (especially other garmr and/or humans) and taken on some task or activity that lets loose their natural energy, be it for work or play.

Garmr culture is not heavily restricted by taboo when amongst one another, though they do rein themselves in when amongst other races, since it's well understood that not everyone is as hands-on or in-the-moment as they are, nor do many other races seem to take as much pleasure in scenting. In fact, those prudish other species seem to look upon smelling some things at length with suspicion or disdain. Garmr are, by and large, keenly aware that giving in to too many of their baser desires makes them appear 'animalistic', an impression that they fight against fervently in an attempt to be taken more seriously than they generally are.

Curiously, well-travelled garmr end up very comfortable around sensi, with whom they relate well because the two races face similar challenges and enjoy some similar pleasures. Conversely, their relations with anubi, despite superficial physiological similarities, are generally more strained by fundamental differences in priorities and emotional needs.

Roleplay Notes

Forcemark garmr often report difficulty adjusting to a strong emotional set, and reconciling themselves with the guilty pleasures of their animalistic urges. They often lose former friends who describe them as clingy and impulsive (they prefer the terms 'loyal' and 'unashamed').

Both native and forcemark garmr tend to be physical in their affections and conflicts. They tend to live for the moment, which enables them to carpe some serious diem but leads many outsiders to believe that they shirk. They're certainly not lazy, tending to be energetic and apply this significant energy with great focus to whatever it is they're doing.

In the long-term, many successful forcemark garmr are the ones who balance their zest for life with practical application of their natural ability to immerse themselves in the tasks of the moment. It's not uncommon for humans of the "lucrative drugework" class (for examle a former accountant) once forcemarked, to take up an interest in a hands-on trade such as carpentry, or a more dynamic and emotionally invested one such as day-trading. It is healthy for the forcemark garmr to allow their circle of friends to change as it needs to, and to embrace their new fixation on friends. Allowing themselves to properly feel the joys of the presence of friends, of giving and receiving true loyalty, of unashamed physical contact, these are simply healthy to begin with but are magnified and essential in the long-term mental health and positive lifestyle of a garmr.

http://kazashino.deviantart.com/art/the-dog-of-wisdom-204191947
http://screwbald.deviantart.com/art/Prospector-Dog-125796537
http://screwbald.deviantart.com/art/True-Blue-112391629
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/5185054/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/1642350/ (nsfw, but good anatomical)