DevLog #6: Mawls (Patreon)

Mawls were the last tribe whose visuals I was working on, but they were also the first whose lore I was writing for.

Mawl Final Sketch:

Originally they were blue-skin red-haired aliens... because I like blue-skin red-haired aliens... But then Mawls became a collection of ideas I couldn't fit to other tribe, but wanted to: one eye, tentacle hair, hooves, symmetric six fingers, regular horns. The last one is the reason why they replaced previous second head tribe of the Breast Faction (about this in much later DevLogs); considering Mawls' yellow eyes and how many round shapes they show (both main color and shape of the Breast Faction) - it fits them well even more. A little later I expanded skin coloration to purple and turquoise, while keeping horns/hooves/nails white to give them more innocent and friendly feel.

Most of all, Mawls is a good example of my lore-writing process: I started with the eye, giving it unique point about multiple optic nerves; then it gave me an idea about Mawl brains being smaller because of an eye taking more space in skull; then I wrote how least productive they are as a workforce because of lesser intelligence and attention span; but then I wrote about lesser intelligence making them more positive and friendly (which was helpful in creating history for the Realms of Bosom); after I explained their intelligence as a "smart puppy mindset" I also got an idea to add hyper-active and playful traits; so then I explained through chemistry why Mawls are hyper-active; then I got an idea to make them venomous and toxic because of same chemistry (especially considering their unnatural dangerous coloration), creating a risk of friendship; and so at last I wrote how cuddly Mawls are - idea founded on said risk. After all of that I was expanding what was already written to give more pros and cons.

When it comes to clothing design I was using virgin killer sweater as a basis, expanding it to any sweaters (especially because I already wrote how Mawls love fur and hair of other creatures), and some little hippi aesthetics as a reminder about friendly Mawl nature.