Cubi Fursonas and YOUUUUUU!

[Bandersnatch]

Salutations! I recently joined the site, if that wasn't completely obvious, since I wanted to ask a few questions... that, and I got tired of lurking on the forums (a bad habit I have when it comes to webcomic forums, I admit). I wasn't entirely sure where to post this at first, but with Tapewolf's recommendation I figured I'd post in here. Anyways, instead of getting off track immediately as I tend to do, I will just jump right into the questions.

As of recent, I've been wanting to change my fursona/iconic character for awhile, and with my favorite clan leader now actually being a part of the comic and seeing her in action, it spurred me to do something I've been wanting to do into a reality. I've been reading the comic since 2001 (doesn't feel like 12 years hah!) and I've always been a huge fan of the creatures of the DMFA universe. As such, as time went on and more and more plotty watty stuff came into play, I grew attached to a certain race. If the title didn't make it obvious, I've been obsessing over Cubi, and have been wanting to make a Cubi character. Now, being paranoid as I am, I tend to do a lot of research on something before even trying to start, so I figured now would be better than never to ask some questions.

First off, do you as a fan of the DMFA universe have a Cubi sona? I'll admit, I look at a lot of your icons and I see head wings, but for all I know those could be some cheap plastic wings you got at the SAIA Gift Shop (I like to pretend they have a gift shop, school's got to make money somehow). So, do you actually have a Cubi fursona or character? If so, why? Did you like the world of DMFA, or did you just like the concept of Cubi in itself? Is it because of the Clan leaders, the Clans themselves, or a specific character that drove you to the brink of insanity- I mean, fandom?

Second, how did you go about making your Cubi? Did you have a design in your head in the very beginning, and just simply made up a clan as you go along? Can you even make up your own clan? I know Amber gave permission to use her world as a basis for things as long as you give credit where credit is due (which everyone should always be doing), but can you really just make a clan up from nothing? If you did, why did you make the clan as it is? Why did you choose that emotion affinity, and did you base it off already existing clans? Did something inspire you to make the clan that way, or was this decision just a fling and you rolled with it?

Third, if you didn't join your "own" clan, how did it work out with joining an already existing clan? Was it easy due to the clan's population, or was it a bit harder due to limited numbers and/or information regarding that clan? Does your character effect Amber's world at all, or is it a Cubi that would blend in with the world of Fae just fine? This question is a bit more narrow at who it's directed to, so I won't blabber on. I just want to ask this, as my last question is effected by this one.

Last, but not least, this is a question for Amber. Now, I had originally planned to just email this question to you (as well as asking all these questions) but then I READ THE WIKI (OH GOD) and noticed that you get a LOT of emails. Call me selfish (and paranoid... and impatient... and other bad things), but with all these questions I'm asking, the thought of having to wait a year for a good response (if a response happens at all!) would make me a Very Sad Gerbil. I understand time is of the essence, and that real life > comic > emails, but the thought of having to wait for possibly a long period of time really drove me to joining the forum in the first place. ANYWAYS, as I promised NOT to go on a tangent about my life story, I will just ask the freaking question: Would it be possible to join Clan Piflak? There are ONLY 31 members since Her Loveliness is thirty-one thousand years old, which really limits who can and can't join. However, I would love to make a Cubi under that clan, as their goal to become the best at whatever they want to do is just... amazing. I really love that world view, and I tend to be a bit of a competitive jerk myself at times. The instrument thing is a plus, because everyone should learn how to play an instrument in case you get lost in the woods and there are wild animals surrounding you and you must play a soft melody in order to soothe the beasts.

Where was I? Oh yes, making a Cubi in that clan would be lovely, but I wouldn't dare start until I got the Okay from Amber.

For those of you who don't like reading paragraphs and random tangents...

TL;DR version:

1. Do you have a Cubi 'sona and is this your "main" 'sona or a character? If it's your main one, why did you do it?

2. If you have a Cubi, did you end up making up your "own" clan, or did you join an existing one? If you joined an existing one, why? If you didn't join an existing one, how did it feel to make your "own" clan and why did you make it that way?

3. If you join an existing one, was this a clan with limited members? How did that play out in your mind and to Amber's continuity?

4. This question is directed at Amber, but if she doesn't answer here I will gladly just email her my question: Would it be alright to make a Cubi of Clan Piflak? They only have 31 members (which makes me quite sad, but hey, Piflak's got style) and I am not quite sure if she has all 31 already planned out as characters. I don't like jumping the gun, and wouldn't bother starting the Cubi at all without permission.

Thanks for reading this wall-o-text and thanks to anyone for answering the questions!

[VAE]

Hmm, I can give a brief answer here, since I feel like wasting time

1. I do have at least one sort of developed Cubi character - Kallis Ja'Krath. She was originally thought up as an NPC in a DnD setting I made, and I used a younger version of her in one of the RPs here.  ot my main character/persona though - that's the the lynx you can see as my avatar, and, funnily enough, is rather underused so calling him a persona, beyond the fact that I like lynxes, of course, might be rather excessive. Ah well.

2. I made my own clan (actually, a number of them) as sort of a natural development of making my own setting in Furrae - the Kebrean Governorate - I wanted to have a bit of a free rein with the history and such. There's still plenty of cubi from the "official" clans, though.

4. I'm not Amber, but I don't think she'd mind simply because she hasn't much reason to even recognise the character exists anywhere else outside of any continuity you estabilish. The fan characters she ended up including into canon are in general both  a) subjects of extensive literature and b) that of her close friends.

[Bandersnatch]

Thanks for taking the time to answer the questions, I do appreciate it. 

4. I'm not Amber, but I don't think she'd mind simply because she hasn't much reason to even recognise the character exists anywhere else outside of any continuity you estabilish. The fan characters she ended up including into canon are in general both  a) subjects of extensive literature and b) that of her close friends.

That's generally what I figure, but my main worry was that she might have all 31 as characters or planned in one way or another, and I would hate to step on that boundary without confirming it first. Is it likely? No. Possible? Yes, so I shall wait.

[Merlin]

... oh hey, I've got cubi characters. I pretty much created 'em because drawing ridiculously bright and colourful markings is. awesome. That's the entire reason, they've got very little characterisation because I just like drawing bright things.

Neither of 'em are my fursona because I'm not a furry! When I decide to draw myself online I draw myself. And when I want to use a character as an avatar and stuff I just do that. Mainly with one or another of my comic characters, because why not. Consistency is for jerks.

I gave my cubi characters a new clan though, because it's easier that way (...and I wanted their clan mark to be as flamboyant as they are). There's a few people who put their characters into existing clans with very limited members, and I'm OK with that too.

[Bandersnatch]

... oh hey, I've got cubi characters. I pretty much created 'em because drawing ridiculously bright and colourful markings is. awesome. That's the entire reason, they've got very little characterisation because I just like drawing bright things.

Bright things burn my eyes! In a good way, of course. I figure I'd end up making this Cubi some variant of Yellow or Orange/Red... possibly neon.  

I gave my cubi characters a new clan though, because it's easier that way (...and I wanted their clan mark to be as flamboyant as they are).

Mhm, I'd just make a random clan if things don't work out for Piflak, and I could do whatever I wanted with that clan. Also, I really hope one of your clan marks is either a rainbow or a close up of Neil Patrick Harris.

[Merlin]

Also, I really hope one of your clan marks is either a rainbow or a close up of Neil Patrick Harris.

Er, actually it's just a bright pink spiral.



Now I feel bad about the decisions I have made. Your ideas are much better.

[Bandersnatch]

Also, I really hope one of your clan marks is either a rainbow or a close up of Neil Patrick Harris.

Er, actually it's just a bright pink spiral.



Now I feel bad about the decisions I have made. Your ideas are much better.

It's okay! Now that I think of it, the Rainbow might stand out too much. However, the Neil Patrick Harris close up is probably ingenius. Think about it: could pretend they're just some crazed Human fanatic and the face is just some weird fur modifcation. The beings would never suspect a thing.

[Tapewolf]

Regarding clan placement:

As I understand it (and details like this aren't fixed until they appear in the comic) there are approximately 30'000 'Cubi in the DMFA world at this point in time.  If you total up the clan strengths in the clan leader presentation, and with a little fuzz for the ones with unknown clan strengths, I think it comes out to around 1200 'Cubi who belong to clan with a Tri-winged leader.

If we assume that there's an average of around 50 members per clan, that gives us a huge, huge pool of minor clans with no Leader.  If you're creating a character and you want to have it canon-plausible, creating your own small clan is probably the best approach, and that's what I did at first.

Attaching yourself to an existing, Tri-winged clan is a bit iffy for several reasons, but it largely depends on clan strength.  If you've got a clan with 8-30 members, chances are that Amber has already designed the entire clan and their family tree back 7 generations because she is a real sucker for backstories.
On the other hand, a clan with several hundred members like Taun, you could sneak the odd member in there and no-one would really notice.  I have added a couple of custom Taun characters myself in one of my stories (those who read Project Future may remember the Christmas Special from 2012).
So yeah, there's a big risk in trying to insert yourself in the smaller clans.  There have been folks who inserted fan characters into Cyra Clan and Siar clan - then promptly found out that there are exactly two people in Cyra Clan.  The jury's still out on whether there are any other canon Siar members kicking around thanks to Aniz (fingers crossed, Dym ), but it's kind of dodgy territory.  Shax did insert himself into Jin's clan and not long ago Amber drew him next to Jin - though that doesn't necessarily mean much unless he appears inside SAIA.

Clan Strength aside, the other issue is that there's a hell of a lot we don't know about the clans, about their likely day-to-day activities, policies and so forth.  With Taun, you've got the fact that most of them are mercs or adventurers and that gives a good starting point but even so I ended up badgering Amber a lot about clan policies, what Taun does and what she thinks about what her members get up to.

Tri-wings:

Creating a new Tri-Winged clan is one of the dodgiest things you can do.  It's extremely difficult to ascend successfully and it seems to get harder with each new ascension.  There were less than 200 of them ever, in the 100'000 year history of the race.  You can get away with it at a pinch if you set your story prior to most of them being killed.  There's a small loophole for your Leader being alive but in hiding or "inactive" to the point that everyone thinks they're dead.  That's where we hid Jyraneth in Sunblink's stories and Project Future (she went crazy after losing most of her clan and has been sitting in a bunker staring at the wall for about 6 centuries).
Ascending post-DMFA is a possibility (I did this with Daryil - I was worried at the time that the series was jumping the shark, I must admit) but you've got your own set of risks in setting a story post-DMFA in that we don't know for sure what state the world will be left in after DMFA.
There are a lot things we don't know about how Tri-winged clans work.  What I have learned since has largely gone into Project Epsilon - Daryil and Jakob occasionally mention such things, like gathering information from the clan members, the aura, the chest marking etc.  Some of these had to be retrofitted to Project Future - so far, most of them have slotted in quite nicely.  

I can probably add to this later but I have to go now, hope it helps


EDIT: To refer to some of your other questions:
1. I didn't have much of an avatar prior because it was DMFA that dragged me into this kind of thing.
2. I didn't think to ask, and the reason is that when the SAIA arc started around 2005, when I first took an interest in DMFA, there was a huge wave of 'Cubi characters.  Basically everyone else was doing it so I rode the wave too

The one thing I would change if I could was giving Jakob brighter colours.  At the time it wasn't obvious that bright colours were inherent in Creatures, something which Amber is keen to remind me at every opportunity...

[Amber Williams]

I WILL NEVER LET YOU FORGEEEEET. 

I tend to have a pretty casual policy on folks fan characters in the fanverse. If someone really wants to make a secret half uncle to Dan, then that's their perogative.  The main thing I try to stress is that while folks are free to do whatever, I'm not really in any obligation to have to acknowledge their creations as canon.  Or even if I do put a character in a cameo, it's very likely that they are simply an altered version that would fit into my world.

I find it's a hard juggle since I tend to be equally leery of cameoing folks who are obsessed with making sure their character is as canonically possible as can be since in a way it feels like me giving the cameo will be them assuming their entire character concept and everyone/thing around that character has been accepted into the DMFA continuity-sphere.    On the flipside, some folks have made characters that are so far removed from concept that it's just impossible to properly cameo.   I cannot deny the "everyone has a clan leader hiding in a bunker" scenario has happened enough times now that I think there are more hiding clan leaders than official clan leaders at this point.  But I realize that may be my own doing in that folks seem to be under the impression that for a clan to exist, it needs to have an active leader.  Or because since having an active leader is the minority, folks feel more compulsion to make one because it makes their concept seem more special.  I dunno what lurks in the hearts of men. 

[Jasae Bushae]

this is more than a little unrelated to the topic but does saia only accept cubi within clans? im kinda curious since i didnt expect such large numbers XD *is guessing only cubis within clans have the cubi cutie marks*

[Tapewolf]

this is more than a little unrelated to the topic but does saia only accept cubi within clans? im kinda curious since i didnt expect such large numbers XD *is guessing only cubis within clans have the cubi cutie marks*

I'm not sure it's possible not to be part of a clan - it's not a members-only club, it seems to be part of their genetic makeup or what have you.

[Bandersnatch]

I just want to say I appreciate the time you took in making a response, and I sort-of-maybe love it when my questions are answered with walls of info.

Also, thanks Amber for replying so fast!

Alrighty, so out of what I gather, it seems a bit hard to "justify" making a Clan Piflak Cubi, but still getting an "Okay" as far as I can tell, which makes me very very happy.  The real fear I had was not being accepted as "canon" so much as stepping on your (Amber's) toes on creating one. The thought of creating a Cubi which was "impossible" due to there already being thirty all written out kind of bugged me (can you tell I almost never write fanfiction?), but I think I could live with creating my Cubi even if he's not possible in the DMFA universe. To be completely honest, I doubt my character would even have a place in the comic, and would quite frankly be in his own little world and a bit too self absorbed to have anything to do with the plot of DMFA. Though while I want to strive to be as accurate as possible in portraying a Clan Piflak Cubi, I don't expect him to suddenly be in SAIA having lunch with Fa'lina. I appreciate that you're okay with people doing their own thing in your universe, and can barely wait to start typing out the main ideas for my character, however, deep inside I still hope I don't cross the boundaries of "completely uncanon what is this I don't even" territory. But this is largely due to my way of wanting to "stay on track" with everything I do.

As far as making my own clan go, which I don't really intend to do now that I feel more comfortable with making a Piflak Cubi, I had planned to just go with a "democracy" like clan with no real leader so much as an "elected" one since he had the best track record of not having a bunch of warrants and charges.

If someone really wants to make a secret half uncle to Dan, then that's their perogative.

BUT ANIZ ALREADY EXISTS....

I'm not sure it's possible not to be part of a clan - it's not a members-only club, it seems to be part of their genetic makeup or what have you.

Super secret cubi club, members only, no girls beings allowed.

[Mischa]

The one thing I would change if I could was giving Jakob brighter colours.  At the time it wasn't obvious that bright colours were inherent in Creatures, something which Amber is keen to remind me at every opportunity...

Non-bright colours are obviously the new black.  He's just a non-conformist!

(( Although am I really one to speak on the topic of bright/non-bright colours for characters? ))

Super secret cubi club, members only, no girls beings allowed.

I am now picturing a "Get Rid Of Slimy cubiS" club. 

[Tapewolf]

http://www.project-future.org/stuff/things/jakob_brighter.png

...every little helps, right?

[Ignuus66]

I don't trust myself with this "roleplay" thing  at all.

[Bandersnatch]

http://www.project-future.org/stuff/things/jakob_brighter.png

...every little helps, right?

Soon the blue will devour his entire head! I hope it eventually turns into a bright blue, I love sky blue!

I don't trust myself with this "roleplay" thing  at all.

What? You don't have to roleplay your characters, at least I have no real intentions to (yet). My 'sonas tend to end up as either iconic characters that I place as a representative of myself (BECAUSE I'M ACTUALLY QUITE BORING) or as a character for short stories that I tend to write at random.

[Chairtastic]

1. Do you have a Cubi 'sona and is this your "main" 'sona or a character? If it's your main one, why did you do it?

I have a few, most never seeing the light of day, but my default Cubi persona is my Dosve Donya Piflak character.  He is not at all my main persona, as I do not have one.  But he is one of my main fixtures because I have taken the time to build him, plan out differences of his construction and character, and am able to adapt him to pretty much any setting I wish.

2. If you have a Cubi, did you end up making up your "own" clan, or did you join an existing one? If you joined an existing one, why? If you didn't join an existing one, how did it feel to make your "own" clan and why did you make it that way?

I made Dosve a Piflak cubi because as I made clear upon her first appearance: I love Piflak.  Confidence, excellence, stability, and the drive to move ever onward.  At first I had a very wrong idea about her character, and I changed my perceptions as things like her letter and her appearance in the comic came around, and I find that it is so much fun to find out how wrong I was, and thus I keep Dosve in Piflak.
 
3. If you join an existing one, was this a clan with limited members? How did that play out in your mind and to Amber's continuity?


I know that Amber's continuity is there, and that this is a fan character, basically 'I wish he were real, he isn't.'  Dosve is justified as being either in the middle in terms of age, or a new acquisition to fill a vacancy in the roster.  Piflak has only thirty-one members, so I try to make Dosve excellent enough to be a part of the clan, it's basically a motivator to make him progressively more developed to match the rising standards.

[Bandersnatch]

While I shall refrain from going into a tangent about why Piflak's appearance made my heart explode in happiness in many ways, I will say that I am definitely excited to make a fan character under her clan. Glad to see another fan of the amazing talent-obsessed leader. I have a basic idea written for my character, but I will refrain from sharing it for obvious reasons. I'm a bit of a nerd when it comes to brain storming, so ignore me if I suddenly go on wild writing crusades about information nobody cares about! I can understand the wish they were real, but isn't. But as far as I'm concerned, as long as Amber gives you permission to make do with a fan universe based off of hers, it's as real as you consider it to be (just don't try to force it to be  "real" to Amber, she might feed you to the mows...  ).

[It-Or-Whatever-I-Am]

Hmm this post reminded me of something I did on a whim a little while back, I was planning on making a little fanfiction based on all of things, a very strange tangent of daydreaming. Otherwise, to actually relate on the topic, it would have been a cubi based story, and thus requiring some cubi'sona's to be made for originality purposes. But it never got finished or as I say is a "work in progress" so it's something I have not made, but most likely will be made on another whim of creativity.

[Lego3400]

I do have an Incubus charcter but he's not at all DMFA based, but modeled after the disgaea series. His mother was a succubus and his father a werewolf, so his full title is Werecubi Vandal Lillithson.  Also he's gay. Well bi, but he hates women due to trauma.

The reason I made him is actully quite personal so for the moment I'll refrain from shareing.

(For the record I don't have a sona of any kind (while i dabble at the fringes of the community I don't consider myself a fur) but I do have many RP charcters (a woman named Eitak Razal being my main rp idenity) though of my orignal charcters (of which I have at least 30) only 4 aren't human . )

[justacritic]

1. Do you have a Cubi 'sona and is this your "main" 'sona or a character? If it's your main one, why did you do it?
Yes but it's not a main sona or anything.

2. If you have a Cubi, did you end up making up your "own" clan, or did you join an existing one? If you joined an existing one, why? If you didn't join an existing one, how did it feel to make your "own" clan and why did you make it that way?

I ended up making my own clan, and how did it feel? It felt like making a new friend each and every clan member that popped into my head. I made it that way to fit the story I had.

[Anri]

I've toyed with my snowkitty character possibly being of Nact'Larn, given how much of a head turner she tends to be, but I'm also too lazy to bother.

Besides, having a kitsune is already pretty twinkish in its own right. ;3

[MT Hazard]

I designed at least one incubi character, he turned out a lot meaner than originally planed, but also far more realistic/less over powered in the process.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

1. Do you have a Cubi 'sona and is this your "main" 'sona or a character? If it's your main one, why did you do it?

Cubi 'sona?

Uh... no. No, I don't think so. I'm pretty sure the number of wings involved is less than one per 'sona, rather than the more usual four or more.

It's my main one because I mostly just lurk on here and cause trouble. Just ask Amber or Tapewolf. ;-]

[VAE]

I think the confusion arose from the fact that boxy's 'sona is cubic

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

I think the confusion arose from the fact that boxy's 'sona is cubic

... Dammit. That would have been a perfect line. :-/

[Mischa]

... Dammit. That would have been a perfect line. :-/

I was wondering why you didn't use it...

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

... Dammit. That would have been a perfect line. :-/

I was wondering why you didn't use it...

I've boxed it up for later.

[Mischa]

I've boxed it up for later.

Remind me to show you MST3K's "Future War" someday.

[mithril]

i don't have a cubi 'sona or OC.. though i've been considering 'upgrading' one of my minor characters i don't have a background for yet into one. i'm just not sure if headwings would actually be worth it with her

if i do, i'd probably go with the 'minor clan with no leader' approach, it gives the most freedom.