MUNCHKINS

Munchkins are very, very small. They’re the smallest species of Aurillion, the average adult coming to just about over half the height of the average auri with babies being not that much bigger than adults. Anatomy-wise they have short stubby legs with little wings on their elbows called Winglets and nubby feet. Their standard ears are droopy and heart-shaped, and their tails are short and stubby, like a gumdrop! Their bodies are long and naturally chubby and round, even a malnourished Munchkin will still be a bit chubby to a certain degree.

While the standard terms are perfectly acceptable to use, munchkin auri can also be referred to as "crumbs"! Cute, huh?

Munchkins are the Air-aligned subspecies native to the Euphor Sky Archipelago. They are all born with the secondary ability "Lightweight" making them super light on their stubby feet! They also have the innate ability to fly with their tiny little Winglets. It may seem impossible, but what with them being lightweight and having a strong connection to the Air element they can indeed fly! This takes a lot of energy to do though, that, and their naturally high metabolism causes them to be very hungry very often. Munchkins can virtually eat all the time and suffer no ill effects from it! Overeating's not a possibility for them. It doesn't matter what food they eat either; a Munchkin could live off of candy alone and be perfectly happy and healthy! This need to eat has naturally led to food and cooking becoming an important facet of their culture, going as far as making it common for Munchkins to be named after food, ingredients, recipes, etc.!

Their other stand-out feature is their gold. A munchkin’s gold is rarely normal yellow/orange-gold, instead, it is bright and neon in color. It's a trait called "Candy Gold" and is believed to have originated from them. Fitting, after all, their homeland is essentially a candy paradise. Non-munchkins with Candy Gold likely can find at least one munchkin ancestor to thank for their colorful gold! As for normal yellow-gold, it's not unheard of in munchkins. It's on the rare side, and they like to call this "Honey Gold"!

Personality-wise munchkins tend to be very social, extroverted, and emotional. They get moody and upset when lonely or left alone very quickly. You will very rarely see a munchkin who enjoys being left alone, isolation and social deprivation is much more likely to lead to depression and/or anxiety. That's not to say there aren't introverted munchkin or more independent ones, they're just rarer.

Munchkins view magic as a tool for fun and frivolity. Unlike subspecies like the naganids, who are expected to learn magic to use it to help their community, munchkins learn it only if they want to. It is encouraged though, if only because of the more fun aspects like being able to send 'air mail' or creating solid clouds. Others may learn magic to help with cooking, such as Fire magic, or Earth magic to help maintain their gardens. A munchkin rarely learns magic for combat/defensive purposes.

HISTORY

Throughout history, the munchkins have mostly kept to themselves although, for them, it was not about independence and pride like with say, the naganids, rather because there was no need to leave their homeland. The monsoons that drown out the archipelago were once just yearly rains that the munchkins were not only acclimated to but welcomed. They were once harnessed to power their incredible hydro-powered technology, which was all, by far, the most advanced of any of the species. The controllable rains, along with their virtual paradise of a homeland meant there was no need to venture outside of it. Not to mention, Euphor floats right above one of the most dangerous, unlivable places on Orrem, the Chorus of the Melody Forest. Even if they wanted to venture outside to the nearest 'safe zone' it'd be a long flight and given their small stature and high metabolism not many would consider it worth it. Besides, Euphor had everything they needed! Food, fun, few predators or dangers in general; what more could one ask for?

And who could they thank for their personal utopia other than the Creationist God Kleptar themself? Kleptar was well documented to be very social and interactive with their creations, but there is no doubt that they spoiled some more than others. Not only was Euphor made as an Aesthetic™ and veritable paradise on the inside, but it was also well protected against the outside world, especially against the Chorus below. The thick clouds were specially made to shelter and hide the archipelago from outside threats. They were not easy to traverse through, causing disorientation, even to other aurillion species. This was enough for most to simply ignore Euphor, not even the rumors of the fabled 'candy land' could entice one into trudging through those thick, dizzying clouds. Instead, the odd traveling munchkin would visit the mainland, usually helped by Kleptar themself, to barter, trade, and mingle with the other species.

Despite this positive relationship with the god the munchkins too were devastated by the disaster that was the Great Calamity. To see their beloved god, who had cared so deeply, for them especially, to be completely useless against this threat, and to then vanish from the face of Orrem broke the poor munchkins the most. Not only that, but right after their disappearance the protective clouds around Euphor thinned, and dispersed, opening up the archipelago to outsiders. Now, that the munchkins didn't mind, what they did mind was that without the heavy clouds the annual rains became annual monsoons, capable of completely flooding their homes. Thankfully, there were no deaths recorded from these sudden monsoons, however, injuries and property loss was rampant. With no ability to turn to Kleptar, they instead turned to their fellow auri, risking their lives, traveling outside of their homes to seek refuge in neighboring cities and towns. Of course, they were welcomed with open arms, the goodwill amongst auri-kind not broken by Kleptar's disappearance. As thanks, a new tradition was created where the munchkins would bake and then hide homemade treats for the city or town folk (mainly children) to find! This later became known as the annual Sweet Tooth Celebration and is still ongoing to this day.

CURRENT DAY

While no munchkin can say they didn't feel betrayed by Kleptar's disappearance and subsequent abandonment of Orrem as a whole, most remain neutral or even still grateful towards the god. Yes, they were hurt by their betrayal just as everyone else, but that can't erase all the good they've done in the past, especially for them. It's common for munchkins to still hold the lost god in reverence. As stated, the monsoons still rage on annually, as well as the annual Munchkin Migration and Sweet Tooth Celebration. It's a welcome tradition, places like Bellavette expanding it to a full-on food celebration, for those who aren't into sweets. A grand feast is held in the heart of the city, where anyone of any age can come together to eat and be merry.

Now that the cloud cover has thinned and opened Euphor up to the rest of the world, trade and tourism are at an all-time high. Aurilli are now able to visit this fabled paradise, once kept to fairy tales and bedtime stories. The munchkins have worked hard to accommodate these new visitors, adapting their much, much more smaller communities for their bigger friends. That being said, they can't accommodate for everyone; serpent stances and any other 'big' aurili are simply too big and certainly couldn't feasibly live there, let alone visit. For those that can, they can visit Ferble Island, the native home of the beloved pet species, as well as famous munchkin bakeries, candy stores, and of course, the capital, Honeytown. The rather recent popularity can be a bit much for them to handle, and as such rules and regulations have been set in place to protect the native animals and plants and preserve Euphor's fantastical beauty.

While open to outsiders now, Euphor is still safely floating up in the sky, and therefore has never had any issues with Wildgrowth. Locals were not even aware of its existence until they started migrating to the mainland. Due to their homeland being extremely sheltered and protected, and munchkins' more free, fun outlook on magic, seeing something as dangerous and terrifying as Wildgrowth was a very big shock to their systems, and still is! Many munchkins find it difficult to adjust and permanently settle in any outside place. Migrating annually to friendly places like Bellavette is commonplace, but you'd rarely see a munchkin living there all year round. Some may consider munchkins to be simply 'scaredy-auri', but when you think about it, Euphor was intentionally made as a protected sanctuary; a self-sustaining environment with very friendly and docile wildlife. If you lived in such a place your whole life, finding out there were animals and plants that could kill you would be an eye-opener to say the least.

Because of that, and the fact that Euphor is still livable, munchkins are still found primarily in Euphor. Some have settled in hospitable towns and cities like Bellavette, more adventurous ones even going as far into the Chromacap Grove, likely drawn to its equally fantasty-esque landscape. One thing's for sure though, where munchkins roam good food is sure to follow! Cooking, baking, any type of food-making are considered staple traditions to them. Nearly every family has their own traditions and recipes that they pass down throughout the generations. To them, cooking is the most important art, and most are happy to demonstrate their skills to curious strangers. They also seem to have impeccable palettes, being able to create fantastic and absolutely delicious recipes, even from odd combinations of ingredients they've never seen before. Many tourists to Euphor like to bring strange and exotic ingredients, plants, and animals just to see how the munchkins interpret them into food.