====== Heraldics ======

Heraldics were originally created in the form of various heraldic beasts and are basically living pokemon. As a result, they have a similarly wide variety of appearances and powers via advanced genetic augmentations (bionanites). Much like pokemon, when initially created they would compete in various competitions. Legitimate competitions were like Olympic competitions, but there were illegal ones where severe injuries or death occurred. 

Despite looking like several different species they are, for breeding purposes, one species (think of dog breeds like the great dane and chihuahua). Usually they only take after the appearance of their mothers but can inherit traits from their fathers. If any have wings on their back (such as griffins) those wings are outgrowths of cyberflesh and do not interfere much with shoulder movements or similar (though they make laying on their backs awkward). 

At some point around the Collapse they were used as bioweapons and revolted against this use. In the fight that ensued they were considered to have been completely wiped out. This was due to trickery, though, and they laid low for a number of centuries.

At the time of [[stories:year_one:ambara_blues]], many of them love to tell humans what they are since someone claiming to see a living Heraldic is treated like a modern person claiming to have seen a unicorn, bigfoot, or alien. Anyone they do tell it to, even after exhibiting their abilities, would simply assume they're augmented zoomorphs and they are claiming to be a Heraldic as a joke. Most humans simply aren't going to mention it to anyone else for fear of ridicule.

Augmentations can be anything fairly reasonable, including flight. Wingless flight is mythic even among them since the bionanites responsible for antigravity almost never develop if there aren't wings. Using powers tends to take a lot of energy and thus a lot of food is needed afterwards.