| Mooncalf | |
|---|---|
 "Though dist prevent me, I had peopled else this isle with Calibans..." --William Shakespeare's The Tempest (Act I:II) | |
| Information | |
| Alternate Names/Spellings | Calvaluna, (pl) Calvalunae, Mond-Kalb, Moon-Calf, Moon Calf, (pl) Moon-Calves, (pl) Moon Calves, (pl) Mooncalves |
| Origins | Medieval Fiction |
| Alignment | Lawful Neutral, Chaotic Neutral, Chaotic Evil |
| Element | Darkness/Shadow, Earth, Gravity/Space/Void, Light, Life/Death/Blood, Mind/Spirit/Psychic |
| Species | Humanoid |
| Appearance | Humanoid affected by the moon's influence... |
Origins[]
The Mooncalf is a creature with origins as far back as at least 1610 in Europe, particularly in William Shakespeare's famous fantasy play The Tempest. In that play, the witch Sycorax is said to have a deformed and hideous Mooncalf son, named Caliban.
Though, while she is said (by Prospero) to have borne Caliban with a devil, it is unknown if a Mooncalf must be born to one demon parent and one mortal parent. It is also unknown if either parent must be a witch, wizard, warlock, some other kind of mage, or even just a psychic.
What is known, however, is an especially powerful influence by the moon, on the mother's pregnancy. Most unborn babies affected in such a way end up being overwhelmed and miscarried, not even surviving into the last trimester.
Those babies who do survive the moon's influence will go on to be born (perhaps a short time ahead of or a short time behind their due birth date) as mooncalves.
Appearance[]
A Mooncalf is nearly always much lighter than a typical member of its birth race (Human, Elf, Dwarf, etc). Likewise, the hair of a Mooncalf may be any color common to the creature's birth race, though perhaps lighter.
Eye color may be any color in the spectrum, regardless of eye colors natural to the Mooncalf's birth race. And perhaps the eyes are bigger or smaller than is normal for their race.
Aside from this, there is an informal distinction among the Mooncalf's aesthetic quality. Some are 'beauteous', with the moon's influence having been a blessing to their external appearance, while others are 'hideous' or 'monstrous', having been horribly deformed by the moon's effects.
Caliban, the first known, was hideous, having been covered in excessive body hair, with a homely face, flawed skin, and deformed teeth and nails.
Behavior[]
As Mooncalves have a dichotomy of appearances, they also have a dichotomy of mannerisms. To be frank, they tend toward the extremes of emotion and personality. While some are cheerfully friendly, others are painfully shy, or remarkably hostile.
Though they are capable of developing emotions and personalities beyond those of extreme stark contrast, this is not often the case. This is due to a common trait of subhuman intellect among Mooncalves.
Mooncalves may possess a deep inner wisdom, but may find themselves at a loss for words as to how to express themselves. Their minds tend to process information in simple terms. Yet if they possess average human intellect (or in the rare case, above-average or even prodigious intelligence) it is often articulated through their actions, not their words.
Abilities[]
Weaknesses[]
