Emine

A species of frog-like, amphibious beings with four arms who prefer to live close to the water, but can be found in most parts of the world. One of the four "mundane" species, Emine are often considered the most fragile. Their unique ability to breathe through their skin means that they are immune to drowning and can survive with very little ambient oxygen, but on the other hand, are more vulnerable to toxins and poisons transmitted either through the air or skin contact.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Emine Sheet (Pencils)

by IBB

A series of pencil sketches of a typical Emine, including a couple of sketches of tadpoles.

Emine typically have four arms, two legs, and froglike features. They're bipedal for the most part, with powerful legs like a frog and webbing between their fingers and toes to help them maneuver underwater. They have large, front-facing eyes with cross-shaped pupils, and a long sticky tongue for catching prey from a distance.

Emine Color Variations

by IBB

A visual depiction of the range of colors that emine can come in.

Skin colors range from shades of green to shades of blue, with the occasional shades of purple. They typically have various patches of various shapes in patterns that are unique to the individual. These patches are lighter in color than the rest of the skin and range from pink and lavendar to orange and yellow. Eye colors range from yellow to purple, with yellow and green being the most common and purple least common.
They typically secrete a certain amount of mucus and neurotoxins, leading many other species to generally avoid physical contact with them. However, most of the time their neurotoxins aren't significantly dangerous to other sapient species unless either ingested or else exposed to a lot at once, so the occasional accidental brush with one isn't as much of a danger as most believe.

Genetics and Reproduction

Emine lay eggs in pools of water, which are fertilized externally. Spawning pools tend to be highly prized and fiercely guarded. Non-Emine are rarely allowed to intrude even outside of yearly spawning season. It takes about 15 days for the eggs to hatch into tadpoles, and it takes a year for them to grow from tadpoles into proper adults.
They typically lay about 10-20 eggs at a time, but only a fraction typically hatch, and even fewer tadpoles make it to the next phase of life. Some cultural groups of emine have taken to actively guarding their spawning areas from predators, which does slightly increase the rate at which their young survive, but not by as much as one would think. And this is primarily because the transition from tadpole to adult form is somewhat longer and more dangerous than it is for, say, a much smaller frog.
Emine typically only have one breeding season per year, and it typically lasts from spring through the summer. Some individuals may lay up to two clutches per breeding season, and traditionally there's fierce competition between males for the right to breed with any given female. Of course, different cultures have different rules and expectations for this process, ranging from a free-for-all to something a lot more organized, such as a series of competitions from which females can select preferred mates.

Growth Rate & Stages

Tadpole

The tadpole form is very different from the adult form. Some describe them as digestive systems with eyes and a tail, and that is admittedly not too far off. Tadpoles have very few organs; a brain, eyes, and digestive system, with gills to allow them to take in oxygen as they swim around. It's unclear how intelligent or aware tadpoles are of their surroundings, as emine don't seem to have much interest in studying their own young. And they aren't particularly keen on letting outsiders mess with them, either.

Metamorphosis

Wild frogs typically undergo a process of metamophosis, going from tadpole to froglet within a period of about 24 hours. However, due to the complexity and size of emine compared to frogs, their metamorphosis tends to take a significantly longer amount of time, typically three to seven days. Some individuals will attempt to consume food during this time, but most will remain still, leaving them vulnerable to predation at the very least. It is, unfortunately, not unheard of for young emine to end up starving due to the intense energy demands of the process and their unwillingness or inability to move and obtain more food. Those young emine who do survive, however, often end up needing to be fed as soon as they reach dry land.
The process typically involves losing their gills and developing a set of lungs, as well as the loss of their tail and development of limbs. Newly metamorphosed emine are often very clumsy as they come to grips with having six limbs to control instead of just a tail. Some have even described the sight of young emine taking their first steps as "comical."

Adulthood

Upon emerging from the water as proper young emine, they are typically taken into some form of communal raising system, often called a "creche." One (or more) fully grown emine will typically look after and teach these newly-grown emine, encouraging them to form bonds with their peers and passing along their culture and knowledge of the world. Blood relations are rarely important to emine, though it's still not entirely uncommon for blood siblings to be raised in the same creche anyway.
Once they reach their culture's designated age of maturity, they are considered full adults and given free reign to do as they desire. As is typically the way with raising a child to adulthood.

Ecology and Habitats

Emine vastly prefer warmer, wetter climates. While some varieties of frogs can survive in arid environments, emine lack the particular adaptations that those frogs have. As such, they are rarely found living in desert environments without significant amounts of magical and/or technological aid.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Tadpoles are almost exclusively herbivorous, typically feeding on algae until they metamorphose. Adult emine are mostly carnivorous, preferring to feed on invertebrates mostly, but also consuming small mammals, reptiles, and fish. They can consume some plant matter, mostly fruits, but they typically can't consume the staple crops that humans rely upon (ie things like wheat and rice).
They do often develop agricultural traditions, but most of the food they grow is for the sake of caring for the creatures they feed on. Or in some cases, for the sake of trading with other sapient species. For instance, some emine cultures will grow rice in their highly wet environment, which they then trade to local humans for fish.

Civilization and Culture

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Emine are remarkably gregarious and sociable, but tend to approach interpersonal relationships differently than many other social species. They often prioritize peer groups over intergenerational units; or in other words, to most emine, family comprises one's siblings but not one's parents or children.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Amphibia

Lifespan

60 years

Average Height

3 - 4 ft (0.91 - 1.22 m)

Related Organizations

• Moatā

Related Technologies

• Singing Stones

Related Historical Events

• 4220 BCE
  Fall of Sarilurusia