Lads, I gotta get this out, I'm at work and I still have a load of tickets to write:

The Atkor

Were-octopuses created by Qyrl, and named after the Ainu word that resulted in the Akkorokamui, the Atkor generally get attacked on-sight by the Rokea, making them a rarer sight in the waters of the world. Their short lifespan of ~30 years is makes even the landwalking-happy Atkor inexperienced across the board, but their cunning and flexibility allows even the freshest of Qyrlspawn to collect stories of greatness.

Culture

Due to their tragically short lifespan, the Atkor don't have Elders in the usual sense. To compensate, their oral tradition is a rapidly shifting, meme-filled cacophony of ideas with no regard for seniority or sense. Bad stories are culled quickly in Atkor cities like Octopolis, but a true artist will inevitably have their 15 minutes of fame.

Breeds

Like the Rokea (and other Fera), Atkor breeds are dependent on the conditions they were born in. Unlike the Rokea, Atkor are quite happy to visit both the land and the deep sea, and don't even shun the predator-infested shallow waters.

As such, the breeds of the Atkor are determined not by the time of their birth, but by its location:

• Stiffs (~Homid) are born on land, far from the one kind of predatory fish, trading them in for loan sharks and other predators of the city. Stiffs born in the countryside are rare, with city Stiffs making up roughly 40% of the Atkor population.

• Softs (~Lupine) are born in the shallows, generally in the busy coral reefs where expecting Atkor hope for sustenance and plentiful hiding-crevices. Softs are getting increasingly rare as reefs are dying out.

• Snaps (~Metis) come from the Benthic zone, deep in the ocean. Born to desperate parents trying to escape the dangers of the surface, the Snaps are the strange, beloved servants of Qyrl, warped by her proximity in the depths. Unable to jet like softs or walk like stiffs, Snaps use their muscled hybrid arms to pull themselves along the sea floor, popping and snapping their many joints as they move (hence the name). While they were not involved in the genocide of humans, their form still provokes Delirium.

Atkor Lineages

• Blue-Ring - Venom-dominant; socially dominant; notoriously short. Their Stiff form tends to have unusually colored eyes and hair, but their skin is not ringed.

• Giant Pacific - Large. Strong. Have beef with the Corax for some reason. The Giant Pacific Atkor could make for powerful warriors, but as a rule, they value peaceful living.

• Mimic - Rumored to all be engaged in identity theft without exception. That may be hurtful, but it's nearly true. Mimic Atkor were supposedly created as spies for Qyrl, and though their great empathy makes them pleasant companions, they are naturals at Shapeshifting Gifts.

• Glass - Possess some great libraries, some of which don't even contain much black magic! Glass Atkor are most commonly born Snaps, but culturally prize maintaining different forms, and often visit the surface. Their Stiff form is notably usually albinistic.

Honorable mentions:

• "Vampire Squid" - variously either the Atkor equivalent of an Abomination, or a rare lineage of Atkor from the depths.

• Were-cuttlefish - sometimes associated with Kun, being generally creative and having a bone

• Were-ammonites - extinct. Screw you, Rokea.

• Were-squid - May exist, but let it be known that I hate squid.