The Ander (Fictional Thylacine/Marsupial Species Adopts)

 The Ander are a long and slender marsupial similar in physiology to the now-extinct Thylacine. An Ander stands just over 2ft tall and weigh approximately 60-70 lbs. Differences between males and females is nearly non-existent, however, this is more likely due to a genetic bottleneck than sexual dimorphism. Females and males do not mature until four years of age, putting them at a significant disadvantage when compared to species of similar size. A group of Ander is known as an enterprise and sizes of groups vary wildly.

Ander also does not possess a normal “dewclaw.” It has instead been modified into a working thumb and as such, this permits the Ander to be avid crafters. They are particularly skilled at swimming, building tools, and will live in lodges not too much unlike those belonging to beavers.

The Ander also has a functional nictitating membrane (third eyelid) that allows them to see underwater. It also functions as a protective measure to the individual as a whole, permitting them to sleep with their eyes “open” when necessary.

Rules/Cost:

Reproduction:

Like with most marsupials, gestation is short, lasting 30 days at most. Females can only reproduce once every ten years and with their own lifespans reaching eighty, their opportunities to reproduce are limited. (It is thought if they were to escape Aiswen, their life spans would scale to become SIGNIFICANTLY longer)

The number of teats limits the number of surviving offspring. This means that while a female may give birth to over a dozen joeys, a maximum of six will make it to the pouch. During this time, a female may “sort” her pouch, favoring others while forcibly removing those deemed genetically or physically unfit. This is a completely private matter and deemed a necessary evil for the sake of the species. As such, this is why tailless individuals are particularly rare, usually already having been identified as lacking the tail “bud” at birth and removed. Both those who fall off and are discarded are subsequently suffocated, named, and buried. This is viewed as a mercy considering the alternative is burning up in the sun, starving to death, or being picked off by other animals.

Ander were first created by an entity known as Zoren in a world known as Aiswen. They were his pride and joy, a strange and wily creature with a penchant for magic just like himself. However, his sister Zyra was entirely grounded in reality. While Zoren openly embraced spontaneity, randomness,, and ‘tasteful’ disorder, Zyra valued justice, order, chance, and self-sustainment. She argued that Zoren’s ways were much too chaotic to make a cohesive world and that a world that requires “interference” by gods wasn’t a world worth creating.

With Zyra wiping out most of Zoren’s other beasts, the world was left to develop in a manner very similar to the way in which we know it. Except, there’s just one catch. Zyra destroyed Zoren and so with him went most of the magic. Day by day Aiswen slowly drains of its magic, further subjecting it to obey Zyra’s dry laws that govern the universe even more closely than before.

Animals are no longer sentient and any testimony of such is a distant memory, often reserved for ancient biblical accounts and not much else. Humans are generally running the planet successfully, but live unfulfilling lives. The creatures here are subjected to luck and chance *far* more harsh than the real world. Got a family member from way back with a chronic disease? Congratulations. You probably have cancer. Why? Well, ‘why not?’ would say Zyra. For while she boasts having a world built upon a ‘chance’ many of these ‘chances’ are of her own doing. She determines who lives, who dies, and their quality of life. Such empowerment has left her satisfied with how Aiswen currently operates. As a result, she’s taken a step back from actively trying to wipe out the Ander, the last race made by her brother. Their longevity compared to most creatures in the “animal” kingdom annoy her, however, they’ve generally stayed out of her way. However, should they cross paths with a human, she will disguise the Ander to the viewer then quickly seek to dispose of the individual and the viewer for disrupting her “ideal image.” As such, the few who have managed to witness an Ander and survived cite the creature as mythical and with infamy.

Diet:

Ander generally stick to a limited diet of fish and rodents for they fear disrupting more “noticeable” populations may bring on the goddess Zyra’s wrath.

In the present Day…:

As of now, most Ander have one or more of a few common goals: Resurrect Zoren, Destroy Zyra, or find a portal out of Aiswen. Portals do still exist, however, they’re considered “undesirable” by Zyra. Day by day as the world drains of magic, they become increasingly infrequent and unstable. Zyra herself hopes to permanently have them closed one day, but until Zoren’s magic is 100% eradicated, there’s always a chance.

Currently owned Ander:

#004 Spectre, Albino Braid

#019 Thyra, Red River Hog/Baby Tapir Tailless

#21 Maned Wolf, Ismena(One of my personal Ander characters )

#023 Maned Wolf/Agouti Cross Unnamed