Alembic--- Alembics are styles which have been refined for use as tools by the general public.
They are the best representation of animal "technology" as created through Art.
They are used for engineering, construction, and other utility purposes and
are not able to be used to harm others. (In theory, at least.) Alembics are divided
into Base and Arch types. Base alembics make use of nature as it is apparent. Arch alembics
make use of unapparent or inconscpicuous aspects of nature. For example, a style utilizing an
aspect of fire would be a base alembic. A "grain style" is an arch alembic. Arch alembics are
poorly understood and are only developed through a legacy of intense research.
College, the--- A term used to refer to any of the organized institutions
that forward the development and integration of animal arts. Each individual college
is based off of the original, the "Woodland College for the Integration and Advancement
of Animal Arts" founded by the man-ape Genesis.
Common--- The animal world's lingua franca. A spoken language, as
opposed to one of the animal dialects particular to each species, or a semaphoric
language, such as a body language or tail language.
Days--- The animal week is divided into four circadian periods, with the fourth day
being a day of rest and reflection. However, a waking "day" is different from our day. Animals
will often divide the entire 24-hour day into four naps instead of one long period of sleep.
Denial--- Psychology that avoids acceptance. It is unknown how denial works,
but it is as easy to use as cynicism. All forms of animal art and extension entering a
system in denial will be nullified or dampened. It is a crucial defense mechanism in the
discourse of style exchange. Denial does not work on purely physical exchange.
Facture--- A form occurring within a style. The highest form within a style is called the
"supreme facture". "Facture" is the application of art, evident in our word "manufacture", which
itself means "hand-make".
Grey--- Canines and a host of other animals cannot see colors beyond a small span
of blue, greenish yellow, and grey. Blood and flora look as if they are the same color. This
has heavily contributed to the collective subconscious consensus that animals are a part of nature;
nature runs through the animals. There are grey rooms (hospices) and grey fights (long, bloody fights
to submission), grey fruit (poisonous fruit) and simply, "grey" (could relate to a bloody haze or
sensation, especially in natural predators. This could even be an adjective for "natural"). Since
canines played an important role in the founding of civilized society, many animals use canine
expressions even though some, as rodents, may have better color vision.
Halo Brain--- The animals' second brain beyond the physical brain.
Named for its shape and location about the head, as circular irridescent fields
around the moon or sun through cloud cover in certain conditions. The halo brain
is non-corporeal and is only perceptible using a style that is able to parse light
or energy beyond a visible wavelength. This bizarre discovery has only just started
to make waves throughout animal society.
HIOT--- An acronym for the Halo Integration and Organization Trust,
a prestigious and arcane appendage of modern animal society devoted to unraveling
the mysteries of the halo brain.
"Mark"--- Traditionally, "mark" may be used as an interjective suffix
for initiating style application. The origin of the term is unknown. Some animals
think it relates back to prehistoric days, the days of the base animal, when territory
was denoted by scent marking.
Markscraft--- An animal versed in the art of writing,
oftentimes assigned to other animals who cannot write easily; a scribe. This trade has
been dominated by animals with hand-like paws, including many rodents. While
larger animals may endeavor to use their cumbersome mouths or paws or etcetera to
write, and even succeed in doing so, few become markscrafts.
Metanoia--- Figuratively speaking, this is the concept of enforcing
change in another animal's mind. Technically, however, metanoesis is the style-apprehension
function in Nature of Nature's Art. While metanoesis is an overarching term for the influence of
Art as conducted through styles, the term "metanoia" in speech is usually reserved for thetic
styles orchestrated by a student in his or her final attending seasons, based off of a an animal's
magnum opus.
Name--- The highest honor in the animal world is to take property of a name.
Names are earned, not given. A trial is involved, chosen by the animal to be named and
then reviewed by a committee. If the trial is completed successfully, the animal chooses
a name for him or herself. Alternatives to earned names are scent codes--"shared names",
which are inherent from birth (often abbreviated to the two last letters between friends)
and place of origin (used in official documents and settings as a formal name for unnamed animals).
In addition, animals may have any number of nicknames between each other.
Phrenologist--- Phrenology in our history involved the dubious practice of
determining a man's intent by feeling the physical topography of his skull. The animal
world's phrenology is only slightly better: they are primitive psychologists, using their
own intuition and interpersonal acuity in order to determine the intent of those they are
conversing with. For example, those versed in animal phrenology would intuit that a person
stuttering during a sentence might be lying. This is, of course, not true in every case, but
these intrepid individuals have made themselves quite popular in this world of steadily advancing
social science.
Rationale, the--- The term given to animal society's policing force.
Rationale are usually high-ranking martial arts users who have a strong sense
of morality and duty. Their mission is to protect those who cannot defend themselves,
and to attend to any duties that might be linked to their society's advancement.
Oftentimes they are used as guards for important officials.
Telenoia--- A metanoetic phenomenon where effects of a metanoia may reach non-animal
space. Its mechanics are not understood by the animal population, and the power of a telenoia
is something both feared and coveted. It is thought that metanoeses that are too innovative and
ambitious become "naturally impure" and begin to alter nature itself through their very existence.
Under normal circumstances, telenoeses are undeniable, as they have become a part of reality.
Vacuous--- Technically vapid. The term "vacuous" is used to refer to animals that do not
have a halo brain--utterly base animals. These animals seem to no longer exist in nature, and the
concept of a "vacuous animal" is somewhat of a myth.
Weight Buffer--- Potential weight garnered by a style user, usually based off of an
aspect of nature, as a plant, animal, or mineral. It is the most basic style lease. Weight must
be experienced before it can be harnessed.
Wild--- Voluntarily eschewing society. Animals born into the wild caste follow
"Nature's Law", living as animals once did. They are heavily avoidant of all social cultures
and inventions beyond their nature. This could be considered a slur when used between civilized animals.
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