Beastfolk and You (Pawblade)

Scientific Name: Faunastalian
Common Name: Beastfolk
Worldwide Population Est. 1.2 Billion
Author: Athena Sparks

Native species. Classified as "the dominant intelligent species" of Nostal, making up a full half of the two billion lives currently on the planet.

The Beastfolk are a race of intelligent beings on par with the homostalian and demistalian—or humans and demihuman in layman's terms. Their existence and how they came to be still largely remains a mystery to this day, with only some genetic testing providing minor clues to their history.

This article is here to give a brief description of the Beastfolk and how they compare to the average human, which, if you are reading this, means you.

Editor's Note: I have instructed Ms. Sparks not to get too fiery with the reader, but it seems she didn't get that memo. My apologies.

Body Build & Measurements:
Beastfolk vary in stature and build, drawing from a wide swath across much of the animal kingdom. From the tiny star-nosed mole to the gargantuan elephant, and even some dinosaurs and monsters!

The average Beastfolk—we'll use a fox-like for example—stand around the height of an average human(ears are not counted in the measurement), between five and six feet tall. The most numerous species are in the canid and feline families, followed by avians, reptiles, rodents, etc.

Below is a list of some species' average to max height (Note: This list is not definitive nor does it cover the occasional anomaly of a rat-like growing to six feet tall)

• Canids - 5 to 8ft
• Felines - 4 to 7ft
• Rodents - 2.5 to 4ft
• Insect - 2.5 to 6ft (larger beetle species are an exception)
• Avian - 4 to 6ft
• Aquatic - 2 to 7ft
• Bovine - 6.5 to 9ft
• Dinosaur/Mystical 3 to 12ft

(Again, this list is by no means comprehensive and does not account for any anomalies born to these groupings.)

A canid, such as the fox-like (or any feline/canine) has exaggerated paw (feet) sizes, with four clawed "toes" on each paw or foot. Large, bulbous (sometimes colorful) pads on each paw lined the toe and arch as the appendage moves upwards; the thick bone beginning to thin out as it reaches the backward knee of their digitigrade legs. 
Their leg appearance gradually thins down into something more akin to a human's leg in diameter, giving the fox-like an almost cartoonish look with their enormous paws.

A canid, on average, has a muzzle half the length of their animal kingdom counterparts, with greater functionality and movement (such as retaining the ability to suck or properly "lock lips" when kissing certain non-canid species).

Whiskers are more prominent on beastfolk than they are on their animal kingdom counterparts, with strands appearing thicker than those on their animal kingdom counterparts' faces. They typically sport between two and four whiskers on either side of their muzzle.

Anatomy:

A very interesting bit of info about the Beastfolk is, regardless of what part of the animal kingdom they appear to hail from (fish, bird, insect, etc.), all beastfolk are mammal-based and can reproduce with one another. 
This has long been a point of discussion in the field of human and beastfolk study, as humans have been traced back to having evolved from the great apes, while the beastfolk, however, have no such links, yet share far more in common with humans (genetically, at least) than they do their animal kingdom counterparts.

ALL female beastfolk can reproduce, even those who have transitioned, regardless of whether it was done naturally (as certain frogs in the animal kingdom itself can do) or with the help of modern medical science to help encourage the would-be female along; eventually genetics take hold, recognize the increased presence of estrogen in the body, and begins to change to reflect that.

ALL female beastfolk, regardless of their species affiliation, develop mammary glands as they mature and can produce milk to feed their young (be it self-induced, as males can do this as well, or upon giving live birth). Like their height, the animal at an individual's core can influence the size of one's breasts, and the look and color of the nipples and areolas. Bovine, for example, are known for having some of the largest breasts in the whole beastfolk kingdom, second only to the larger dinosaur-likes and mystical/monster-likes, who are an increasingly rare people!

As previously mentioned, similar to humans, beastfolk not only possess human-like breasts but also share similar genitalia as well. The male beastfolk's penis at birth develops without the hood that humans possess; however, as a result, they lack the greater definition of the "head" of the penis, appearing more cylindrical at full mast. 

Interesting to note: The beastfolk penis is the only organ on an animal-like that is not covered in fur, scales, shell, or armor plating and is pure flesh that's colored similarly to the individual's primary color, with the tip generally being slightly darker. 
This is believed to be closely linked to the beastfolk's ability to easily transition between female and male once the proper steps have been taken, as would-be males can grow a functioning penis in the presence of increased testosterone in the body in the same way transitioning would-be females grow breasts with the greater presence of estrogen.

Reproduction:

Crossbreeding is a common occurrence on Nostal, as humans and beastfolk are fully capable of reproducing with one another, making matters only more confusing in deciphering the true origins of the beastfolk. 

When interspecies coupling occurs, a child can be produced as a result, meaning any pairing can have a family together. 

There is a catch here, however, and it is that the offspring will one-hundred percent of the time result in a baby of an identical species to the mother. While some aspects, such as eye, scale or hair color, MAY be passed down from the father, the pairing as a whole needs to be considered, and more often than not, it is only through blood tests that can prove a father's connection to the offspring, should the pairing not be between two species with interchangeable features.

Example A: 
A female blue-furred border collie-like having a child with a male, yellow-furred tiger-like will produce a green-furred border collie-like child. The father passing down only the genetics of his fur color that combined with that of the mother's, producing a green-tinted child.

Example B: 
A female tiger shark-like with deep blue eyes having a child with a male human with striking red hair and freckles, will result in what is essentially a "clone" (I use that term loosely here) of the mother.

Interesting to note: Both male and female beastfolk, unlike their human counterparts, are able to delay or even simply prevent themselves from having orgasms. This feature in their biology has resulted in a very prominent, albeit still a bit of an under-the-cover, sex scene within the beastfolk population. It is not uncommon to find humans and demihuman alike taking part in these acts, taking advantage of their sex partner's ability to prolong "the fun".

This is only a small sampling of the amazing history and anatomy of the beastfolk. If you would like to learn more, I would suggest picking up the book "Beastfolk: Fact, Fiction and Truth" by author J.M. Pierce at your local library.

My name is Athena Sparks, and I am an intern working out of the Memoria Museum of Natural Sciences and History. I moved here from the Central Continent after graduating high school, and I was commissioned to write this article by the board at the local high school as part of the coming year's learning curriculum. Brushing over key elements of the beastfolk's history and potential origins, as well as their bodies and how some things work. Similar publications about humans and demihumans are forthcoming as well.

If this article has somehow found its way into the hands of otherworldly beings, then oopsie. \^.^/

Editor's Note: My apologies, reader.

The Death of CrossActs - The What, How and WHY?!

2025~2026
Death by Corporatism

 

If you're reading this, then you had at least some interest in my CrossActs project and are curious about what's been going on. If your curiosity in CrossActs was due to be it linked to the Sonic the Hedgehog series, then you're probably not going to like some of the stuff I'm about to say.

Anywho,

 When I started CrossActs last April, it was done so out of a desire to play around in a pre-conceived universe that I didn't have to spend a lot of time building up myself, outside of the random OC-centric thingies here and there. I could reference things, places or people and not have to concern myself with further exposition. 

There were laws and logic in place that I could abide by and play around with, and while I loved that aspect in the beginning, as CrossActs went on, I slowly began to realize that I'm playing around in a corporate mascots increasingly homogenized hellscape, one that the CEOs were CONSTANTLY making it more and more difficult to want to be not only tethered to in what I could and couldn't do with the story I wanted to tell, but also something I didn't want to be associated with to any real degree.

Here I had this amazing cast of characters, whose designs I had help from the amazingly talented Specterpie in bringing them all to life, visually. That helped to form a stronger bond with these people that was something just a tiny bit more than words on the screen, and that meant something.

I think I first started noticing my mindset shifting away from "Oh, they all gotta be clearly Sonic-like!" when I designed Crowe the Raven. Void of clothing, bird-like feet when everyone else had those odd three-toed blobs Sega likes to give their characters. From my own standpoint, those restrictions that felt so relieving all those months ago now felt like they were choking me.

CrossActs was one big advertisement for a franchise that, while I cherish and love dearly, is being tarnished and smeared by corporate boots at every chance they get. And now with Sega not only openly using generative AI in the production of their games, they're partnering with vile studios like Epic Games to include Sonic's world in Fortnite. 

All of this is going on during the Sonic the Hedgehog series' big 35th anniversary, where we didn't get ANY sort of new game announcement, compilation or otherwise. All of this while Sega constantly infringes on the copyrighted use of 'Live & Learn', resulting in frequent lawsuits from the vocalist

All of this has sullied the series for me, and while I cannot outright hate it, I can choose not associate with it, and that includes my world and characters.

And so with that, yesterday, I decided to cancel CrossActs. Scrap everything I had done for it this past year and a half, and start... kinda anew? Lemme'e explain.

In 2023, I was writing a story called 'Pawblade', which was an adult-rated story set on an alternate version of our earth. I rant into issues with it because I was trying to spin a huge, complicated yarn involving evil politicians, cosmic horrors while trying to be both offensive and supportive with it at the same time.

Needless to say, I ran into a brick wall at some point with the story. I'd lost track of threads, who said and did what. The villain, an evil (as if they all aren't...) politician with the ability to alter reality just enough to get away with the most vile, heinous acts that would end the careers of others in the blink of an eye. I was tackling sensitive subject material, characters with foul mouths and edgy and/or heavily traumatic backgrounds just because.

It was, as I mentioned on Bluesky I believe, a venting piece. And that all culminated into a cancerous mass of pulsating flesh and oozing pus that I ALSO did not want to be associated with any longer.

But now, I'm returning to the world of Pawblade. Hollowing it out and rebuilding the foundation with elements from CrossActs.

l’ingrédient:

• Laik and his friends, minus Root the Cicada
• An oddly modern world where VHS tapes are still widely used and smartphones exist.
• Beastfolk, humans and demihumans (imps, kobolds, etc.) coexist in a normal(ish) society.
• Magic is as commonplace and normal as anything else in our world 
• Set on my own custom Earth-like planet called Nostal; Five major continents.
• Crossover elements exist on Nostal; Example: The magic and lifeblood of the planet itself is governed by the eight elemental sprites from the Tree of Mana series. Monsters from various RPGs roam the planet, VHS tapes based on movies from our own world exist here, while others don't. 
• Beastfolk are extremely durable and powerful
• Swearing does not exist in this world, however, once Laik comes to say, OUR Earth...
• Upbeat, optimistic and lighthearted atmosphere* 
• Slice-of-life styled storytelling that ramps up to epic fight scenes by the third act. 

So yeah, basically, I am stripping away my custom elements from CrossActs and bringing them over into the new Pawblade, which will come with its own list of ingredients, which are as followed:

• Beastfolk all have more animal-like designs, such as digitigrade legs, pronounced muzzles, paws and claws, etc. None of the Sonic the Hedgehog influence exists here, unless, say, Laik's adventures actually take him to Mobius, but that has nothing to do with Pawblade overall.
• Characters, dialogue, and humor within the narration in general are going to skew more towards adult-like theming. Perversion, innuendos, descriptions of body parts, etc. It's going to be a more lewd affair for sure, but nothing that would deem it adult-only or pornographic.
• Violence and gore will be ramped up once again. I love writing gore particularly as I am a body horror aficionado when it comes to books and movies. Tearing open monsters and humanlike in word-form tickles the electric meat in my skull.
• A dramatic, contrasting atmosphere; where the characters and world (Nostal) are upbeat and fun, perversion, extreme violence and gore, alongside horror elements, will create a tonal whiplash for the reader.

I am really excited to start writing this, getting to introduce all of my characters again, one by one in their own duo arc with Laik as they venture off to new worlds as the story gradually--and hopefully, carfeully--unfolds.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Pawblade - Starting October 3rd!

Welcome… to the planet of Nostal.
A planet full of wondrous sights, sounds, and magic! A place where monsters roam the countrysides—and sometimes city streets—and where VHS tapes and actual magic exist and are used right alongside smartphones every day.

Three races of intelligent beings call the planet Nostal home, the most prominent of which being the Beastfolk; animal people in the purest sense, the Beastfolk make up the largest population percentage and cover the entire range of the animal kingdom. These people possess amazing strength and abilities that are not found in their fellow Nostalian races.
Humans and demihumans make up the rest of the population. And while the humans, as one particular wolf has discovered, do not differ from other humans around the universe. Demihumans—imps, kobolds, and other creatures deemed 'mythical' on other planets—are unique in their existence on Nostal as they share no ancient lineage nor compatible DNA with either the humans or the beastfolk.

While there is harmony between the three races, something sinister undulates below the surface of their reality, as the lifeblood of Nostal—regulated by the eight elemental sprites—becomes erratic, thrashing the land and seas with powerful storms, dredging up powerful monsters from the depths and worst of all, causing some Beastfolk to go mad—rabid, even—and begin attacking others, spreading the madness!

Our story follows Laik, a wolf-like from the harbor town of Memoria, on the continent of Westward. Avid practitioner of the art of Wing-Chun kung-fu and fire magic, thanks to an innate connection to Salamando, the fire element.
Unbeknownst to the young Beastfolk, life as he knows it is about to get a lot bigger (and complicated) when suddenly, he finds himself whisked away to foreign planets, filled with new forms of life and technology he only ever knew of in movies or video games!

But how is this happening, and why is he being sent to these new worlds? Is it something he can learn to control? And why are these noisy humans chasing him, firing guns into the air and screaming "get the Michigan Dogman!"?


Only time will tell.


Find out on Pawblade, starting October 3rd, 2026!

CrossActs (Canceled) Glossary

 

 

 

A

Athena the Otter - A bubbly, intelligent though slightly aloof, marine biologist from Soleanna. Loves aquatic life and has an affinity for the Epee, or fencing sword.

Azure Lake Zone - One of Mobius' great lakes. The Azure Lake Zone is a small zone located somewhere in the South Islands archipelago, with only four villages at each cardinal direction to call its own. Architecture of buildings and shrines mirror real world Japanese aesthetics.

Azala (Chrono series) - A Reptite from another planet's prehistoric era. Intelligent and menacing looking as it is, the diminutive creature lacks actual combat capabilities and instead makes use of his unparalleled intelligence to outwit his foes. 

B

Balsam the Bison - A large, green-haired bison from Hill Top Zone. A gentle giant with a love of smashing. 

Brick Hedge Zone - Located to the far northeast of Central City. Brick Hedge Zone got its name for the rich, brick-colored stones that make up its cliffs. The volcano beneath long since extinct, BHZ now exists as a scenic, albeit difficult to traverse zone full of abundant flora and fauna--some of which are only able to exist in the climate the volcano created around the zone long ago. 

Bowser, King - King of the Koopas and blight on the Mushroom Kingdom. A giant dinosaur-turtle with a love for princesses and power, King Bowser will stop at nothing to defeat his nemesis, Mario, and get the girl... whether she wants it or not. 

C

Crowe the Raven - A tall, dark and slender raven from Casino Night Zone. An known womanizer and antihero who would work for the villains just as soon as he'd work for the good guys. Brilliant strategist.

Casino Night Zone - One of Mobius' many large, casino-themed cities, located on West Side Island.

Caster Wispon - A prototype weapon conceived by Laik and Miles "Tails" Prower. While still using Wisp energy as its ammunition, the Caster Wispon was designed to release seals on special ammunition made specifically for it, called "Wisp Shells". 

Canine, The - Laik's massive sword. Crafted from the same metal as Reploid armor, the blue sheen on The Canine spells out its indestructible nature and unparalleled cutting capabilities--It's also extremely light for being three-feet long! 

D

E

Eclair the Rabbit - A red-furred rabbit who is known the world over for her lifestyle vlogging and lively streams, among other things. 

F

Fractured Isle - Located to the far south of South Islands, the Fractured Isle is a dark and gloomy area that is perpetually trapped in a swirling mass of thunderstorms. Large, jagged pieces of obsidian the size of skyscrapers jut out of the ocean in a jagged mass that, should one brave the narrow reaches between them would bare witness to a maze-like nightmare. 

G

H

Human, Mobian - A subspecies of Mobian that is somewhat close to the great apes of both the animal kingdom and related Mobians. Lacks the innate speed, jump and gravitational manipulation abilities of their animal counterparts. 

Hearthside (Holiday) - Hearthside Eve and Hearthside Day occur every year on the last weekend of December, typically after the winter equinox and overlapping with New Years celebrations. Mobians hang various candies, ornaments and decorative plants in their homes and businesses, all the while preparing festive desserts, sharing feasts with family and friends and other festive, wintry delights.

I

Ivo Robotnik, Dr - Mobius' own itchy rash in a spot that no one seems able to reach. Dr. Robotnik has been a terror for the planet for as long as anyone could remember. As relentless as he is intelligent, Ivo has fought against Sonic the Hedgehog and the inhabitants of Mobius dozens of times over.

 Infinite the Jackal - Former leader of the Jackal Squad and ex-Mercanary. Took up work for Dr. Robotnik during the Egg Empire and wielded the Phantom Ruby. He was defeated by Laik and Sonic and went into hiding while he recovered. Slipping into madness, Infinite developed an infatuation with the occult, which lead him down an even deeper rabbit hole than Robotnik ever could have.

J

K

L

Laik the Wolf - A small brown timber wolf from Azure Lake Zone. Was known as 'The Rookie' during the reign of the Egg Empire.

Lanolin the Sheep - Leader of the new Diamond Cutters and pivotal member of The Restoration.  

M

Mobian (Species) - The "dominant" intelligent species of the planet Mobius. While the race is purely mammalian in the reproductive biology sense, Mobians exist that resemble avian, insect, all forms of aquatic life and even humans*, dinosaurs and mythical beasts. 

Memoria Village - Located high up in the mountains of Brick Hedge Zone, Memoria exists as a fragment out of time. When all of Mobius has moved on to incorporate rails for grinding, Memoria still uses springs and bumpers for awkward fast travel. Consisting of one central main street, random houses dotted around the mountain plain outskirts and one small farm. 

N

O

Oldhill Farm - Located to the south of Memoria Village, Oldhill is the only farm in the mountainous Brick Hedge Zone. Making use of the nutrient-rich volcanic soil that covers the plains, Oldhill is known the world over for growing crops that are typically not acclimated for the central continent.

P

Phantom Ruby - Unearthed in the distant past, the origins of the mysterious precious stone are currently unknown, with some theorizing that it was an eigth Chaos Emerald, but was discarded from Angel Island when it was found to have the ability to corrupt its wielder. Infinite the Jackal wielded the stone during the reign of the Egg Empire, helping Robotnik to carry out his nefarious plot to take over Mobius. Upon their defeat, the ruby, seemingly with a mind of its own, opened a portal and fled to another universe, never to be seen again...

Q

R

Raiza the Cat - A foreigner to the central lands, Raiza hails from the Acorn Kingdom. Though she comes off as somewhat timid and shy at times, this cat has a warm heart and often acts as the older sister-type to her friends. She loves to sing and dance and dreams of becoming an actress in a musical. 

Renfri Loveless, the Maned Wolf - A tall, beautifully dark maned wolf with charcoal and burnt sienna fur. Her piercing golden eyes are capable of putting anyone who looks her in the eye into a lovestruck trance. And if that fails, she's a powerful kickboxer who could put even the best in their place with both hands tied behind her back. 

S

Sevii the Fox - Another native of the Azure Lake Zone. A black belt practitioner in the art of Wing Chun kung fu. Sevii the Fox, like Laik, trained under Master Yip of the Lakeside Dojo.

Sigma (Mega Man X series) - A Reploid-turned-Maverick form Earth-X. Sigma is a ten-foot-tall mechanical giant and genius strategist who once fought alongside the likes of Mega Man X and Zero.

T

Tangle the Lemur - One quarter of the new Diamond Cutters arrangement. Tangle is a spunky, brave lemur with a long prehensile tail.

U

V

W

Wisp Shells (See "Caster Wispon") - Special shells developed by Tails when he reverse engineered the technology behind the Pokeball. Developed to contain densely packed Wisp energy, which is responsibly harvested and willingly given up by the Wisp itself. When fired, the shell releases the stored energy in a violent blast--sometimes even resulting in an explosion at the release-stage itself!

Whisper the Wolf - "The Guardian Angel of the Battlefield" and longtime member of The Diamond Cutters. Whisper now works with Lanolin and her partner Tangle at Restoration HQ. 

Wing Chun - An elegant but powerful style of kung fu developed somewhere along the South Islands archipelago. While no one name can be attributed to its development, several names can lay claims to fame for having popularized it. Particularly, Master Yip of the Lakeside Dojo has trained both Laik and, for a much longer time, Sevii.

X

Y

Yip, Master - Sifu of the Lakeside Dojo in Lakeside town. One of the four great practictioners of Wing Chun with schools in which to teach in. Yip had once trained Laik and Sevii in the art of Wing Chun, though neither student remembered the other.

Z