DevLog #11: Dova

Alike to Yamervas, Dova are based on another unreleased OC: Dullahan Moose-Minotaur. OC herself became an Aspect, while her original personality and physique bestowed upon this tribe. Though, at the moment of sketching I already gave Moose Horns to Zemali, thus Dova were hornless for some time. I don't remember why I decided to make them aquatic, but later I used some facial features of water race from my first OC world for Dova futales.

Dova final sketch:

Nevertheless, making Dova into an aquatic-base specie was a good development point. Being so benevolent and kind towards little tribes to the point where these would not just look past Dova aquatic biology, but also seek protecting and help from them (except for those who met Dova female at a wrong season of course).

Considering they are sea-dependent, muscular and caring for other people, Dova have reasons to be the second major tribe inside Abs Faction: first is the Sea of Birth, which is holy, is a home-waters for Dova with adjoining Seas, second - there are a lot of people to help and protect (not like anyone there in danger anyway), and of course not least important - muscular Abs...

It is natural for species of Dova measurements to have smaller population than other, but bravery and kindness leads to sacrifices, and such is the result in dwindling population. They are the All Might on Meorenell after all - never afraid to fight, to protect, to help, to be challenged... to flex their girthy oily giant muscles...

As you notice, Dova do have horns now, compared to a final sketch, because I was just thinking that I already have common twin-horn tribes in plenty (Ardem, Mawls, Zemali), but what about unicorns? Thus, after designing it a little bit more, Dova not only got their horns back, but now they are somewhat functional during swimming. As well you can notice Dova are not hairy as on a sketch. And that's because later I was thinking from biological perspective: these hair would constantly get inside gills and stuck there, they would be too heavy for swimming, and mold would start growing inside such huge mane from so much moist. Thus I redesigned hair into frills - from head to tails. Except frills you can see dropping down from arms were originally intended for Shunai (including for legs)... Combined with a colorful contrast between limbs and body it makes Dova look like old comic superheroes, which befits their personality.

Then, these frills influenced clothing design for Dova: it would be very uncomfortable to wear most of common "human" designs, maybe even painful, especially upper body. Too, primary choice for an aquatic tribe would be something light and minimum, to not slow swimming nor mold from continuous wetness. So, after some consideration, shawls-only upper body became cultural norm for Dova (and loincloth or loose panties for lower body). Not only they conceal enough intimate parts, but also protect frill from dirt during swimming, store some moisture on land for a short time, and easy in design to mass-produce and replace when it starts getting dirty and colorless.

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Ah, yes: Dova feet are hippo feet.