My Niche Headcanons

[mhiahia]

There were a few topics like this before, but this is just meant for me. Most of those headcanons are used in my Search For Home Playthrough - if they aren't then I'll make sure to point that out.

Things written in cursive are ideas that I am not sure about including.

Feedback is encouraged and reactions are appreciated!

[mhiahia]

Fur

- Big-bodied nichelings always have very thick and rough fur, while nichelings with lean bodies are known to have incredibly soft and shiny fur.

- Nichelings with water bodies or gills have a coat similar to seals.

- Nichelings shed or grow a thicker pelt depending on the climate of their environment. But the changes in hairlength strongly depend on the body type, with big-bodied nichelings being able to turn into mountains of fur when its cold enough.

- Toxic body does not have fur. Instead, nichelings with this gene will have frog-like skin.

- Armored body has a structure similar to armadillos.

[mhiahia]

Ageing

- Nichelings with spiky bodies are born with soft spikes, similar to hedgehogs. When they grow up they gradually harden. The spikes also grow longer during the entire life of the nicheling and it is possible to determine age via length of the spikes.

- The same thing is true for any kind of horns. Antennae are the only expection to this rule and do not grow larger when a nicheling ages.

- Manes will also get increasingly more prominent when a male ages. However, this process is not as linear as the other ones mentioned so far. A sickly or weak male will always have a small mane. Males that are severly wounded or weakened without a chance for recovery (except for healing) will instantly loose a large part of their mane.

- Nichelings fur turns white or grey when they grow old.

[mhiahia]

Tribe Life

- Nichelings have varying levels of dominance within a tribe, each bringing a different type of role. However, they can be split into three main types, with gender having no influence over a nichelings rank whatsoever:

• Alphas: Nichelings posessing this rank will have an intimidating aura surrounding them. A high-ranking or very confident alpha will often have a presence so strong that younger or weaker nichelings will instinctively submit to them. It is quite common that they are physically strong (tribes consisting of very strong nichelings are almost entirely made up of alphas) and natural leaders. While alphas can easily co-exist even in small tribes, unacquainted ones attempting to kill one another is a common phenomenon.
• Betas: Wanderers most commonly posess this rank. Betas are quite hard to recognize, as it is possible that an low-ranking alpha and a high-ranking omega can show similar character traits to them. In general, they tend to be very individualistic and quite free-spirited. Since they easily fit into tribes thanks to their versatility they often wander around and may disappear for days before they return to their tribe.
• Omegas: These nichelings are highly social, although there are exceptions. Oftentimes they belong to the more unfortunate ones gene-wise. Because they generally do not pose a threat to those ranking higher than them, they often de-escalate tense situations with their presence.