Riardi Genetic Codex- Celestial, Polar, & Vibrant Mutations

The following section describes the celestial, polar, and vibrant mutations found in riardi. It also takes into consideration the impacts which ultra-bright and melanism have on these mutations where relevant (and in some cases, as a pre-requisite of interrelated mutations).

Lunar (L-Locus)

  • Activation: Requires Ultra-Bright + Dove (recessive) coloration.
  • Genetic Notation:
    • L: Dominant presence of Lunar mutation.
    • l: Recessive absence.
    • li: No immunity.
    • LI: Partial immunity.
    • LFI: Full immunity.
  • Genotypic Combinations & Phenotypic Outcomes:
    • L/L or L/l with li/li: The riardi exhibits the full lunar mutation, as there is no immunity present.
    • L/L or L/l with LI/LI or LI/li: The riardi has partial immunity, resulting in the lunar mutation affecting only specific areas (either main fur color or markings).
    • l/l with li/li, LI/LI, or LI/li: The riardi does not have the lunar mutation and exhibits normal coloration.
    • L/L or L/l with LFI/LFI, LFI/li, or LFI/LI: Non-viable. Full immunity prevents the expression of the lunar mutation, leading to inviability.
    • l/l with LFI/LFI, LFI/li, or LFI/LI: The riardi does not have the lunar mutation and exhibits normal coloration; full immunity has no effect in the absence of the mutation.
  • Phenotype: Purplish-silver luster at birth. As the riardi ages, hairs become transparent from mid-shaft to tip while the base color remains. In elderly years, the base color deepens to black while maintaining this translucency.
  • Variant: Dark Side of the Moon: Activated by the co-presence of Ultra-Bright, Melanism, Lunar, and Cascade. Creates deep, dusky purplish-grey hues (Astral, Belladonna, Datura, with Lunar considered a part of this color range). These variants replace standard black frost with a velvet-like ticking or shading effect.

Solar (S-Locus)

  • Activation: Requires Melanism + Carrot color.
  • Genetic Notation:
    • S: Dominant presence of Solar mutation.
    • s: Recessive absence.
    • SI: Partial immunity to the solar mutation.
    • SFI: Full immunity to the solar mutation.
    • si: No immunity to the solar mutation.
  • Genotypic Combinations & Phenotypic Outcomes:
    • S/S or S/s with si/si: The riardi exhibits the full solar mutation, as there is no immunity present.
    • S/S or S/s with SI/SI or S/S with SI/si: The riardi has partial immunity, resulting in the solar mutation affecting only specific areas (either main fur color or markings).
    • s/s with si/si, SI/SI, or SI/si: The riardi does not have the solar mutation and exhibits normal coloration.
    • S/S or S/s with SFI/SFI, SFI/si, or SFI/SI: Non-viable. Full immunity prevents the expression of the solar mutation, leading to inviability.
    • s/s with SFI/SFI, SFI/si, or SFI/SI: The riardi does not have the solar mutation and exhibits normal coloration; full immunity has no effect in the absence of the mutation.
  • Standard Life-Cycle: Youthful Carrot-orange Crimson-frosted Orange at peak Blazing Vermilion w/ dark frost Solid Black in old age. Blackened areas on face, hands, paws, tails, and/or ears fade to ashy grey in final years.
  • Ore Life-Cycle: Blue-flame in youth Blue w/ orange frost at peak Pitch-black fur with deep, vivid blue skin retreat in final stage. 50% chance for white faces, hands, paws, and tails.
  • Variant: Ashed Solar: Requires Melanism + Ultra-Bright + Polar mutation. Features a unique, non-inheritable "Hellebore" (#FFA280) hue. Pales to white with soft, orange tips before slowly gaining its black frost over time.

Stellar (Stl-Locus)

  • Definition: Sptssb gene mutation ( substitution) involving an adenine-to-thymine transversion at nucleotide 167, affecting sphingolipid biosynthesis.
  • Genetic Notation:
    • Stl: Allele indicating the presence of the Stellar mutation (H56L) in the Sptssb gene.
    • stl: Allele indicating the wild-type (normal) sequence of the Sptssb gene.
  • Genotypic Combinations & Phenotypic Outcomes:
    • stl/stl (Homozygous Wild-Type): Standard sphingolipid metabolism with no Stellar mutation effects.
    • Stl/stl (Heterozygous Mutant): Intermediate effects on sphingolipid metabolism; may exhibit some neuropathological changes due to partial elevation of 20-carbon long-chain bases (C20 LCBs). Displays minor white spots or streaks.
    • Stl/Stl (Homozygous Mutant): Pronounced elevation of C20 LCBs, leading to significant neuropathological changes in the brain and retina, including axon degeneration and accumulation of abnormal membranous structures.
  • Phenotype: Starry spots, cloud-like marbling, and white-gradient extremities (tail/paws/ears) unrelated to other dilution genes. Ore riardi display meteorite-like dappled markings and light-dependent metallic sheen shifts (Bronze Red, Copper Bluish-Green, Silver Blue, Gold Deep Brown). Grants controllable bioluminescence across all body types.
  • Health/Metabolic: Progressive neurological and retinal shifts. Mild or undetectable issues in youth slight balance or coordination issues and low-light visual disturbances in adolescence required retinal management in mid-life reduced motor coordination and significant vision loss or impaired visual processing in elderly years.

Polar (P-Locus)

  • Definition: A master-switch mutation exclusive to opal riardi. It forces the coexistence of Ultra-Bright (U/-) and Melanism (M/M, M/m, Mp/Mp, or Mp/m) which normally cancel each other out.
  • Genetic Notation:
    • P: Dominant allele indicating the presence of the polar mutation.
    • p: Recessive allele indicating the absence of the polar mutation.

Genotypic Combinations & Phenotypic Outcomes

  • Without Polar Mutation (U/-; M/-; p/p): Ultra-bright and melanism cancel each other out completely, reverting the riardi to standard coloration.
  • With Polar Mutation (U/-; M/-; P/-): Allows both ultra-bright and melanism to express simultaneously. The specific distribution of the dark base, light markings, and signature frost is directly modified by the global Melanism Immunity (I-Locus) alleles:

Global Immunity Modification (I-Locus Interactions)

  • Full Immunity (I/I or I/i): Suppresses the melanism component entirely. The polar switch yields a lightened body and lightened markings with no frosted effect, expressing only ultra-bright characteristics.
  • Partial Immunity (Ip/Ip or Ip/i): Acts as a pigment damper, reducing the density and coverage of the melanistic shading. This results in intermediate, diluted frosted configurations:
    • Lightened Body, Darkened Markings without Frost: Shading is bounded tightly to markings without expanding into a frost layer.
    • Darkened Body, Lightened Markings without Frost: Shading covers the base evenly but remains flat, preventing frost formation.
  • No Immunity (i/i): Allows melanism to express at maximum density alongside ultra-bright, producing the high-contrast signature frosted combinations:
    • Darkened Body, Lightened Markings with Frosted Effect: Base coat is fully darkened by melanism; markings are structural and lightened; a stark frosted-black texture spreads across the main body.
    • Lightened Body, Darkened Markings with Frosted Effect: Base coat is lightened by ultra-bright; markings carry heavy melanistic deposit; a frosted-black ticking over the main fur coloration.

Vibrant (V-Locus)

  • Definition: Nuria-exclusive color-wavelength shifter rooted in Nutra heritage.
  • Genetic Notation:
    • V: Dominant allele indicating the presence of the Vibrant mutation.
    • v: Recessive allele indicating the absence of the Vibrant mutation.
  • Genotypic Combinations & Phenotypic Outcomes:
    • V/V or V/v: Riardi exhibits the Vibrant mutation phenotype if prerequisite activation colors are present.
    • v/v: Riardi does not exhibit the Vibrant mutation phenotype; colors "bump" to the next-closest shade during blending.
  • Activation Rules: Changes specific base colors to corresponding neon versions (Cerulean Chrysocolla; Lilac Orchid; Mauve Berry; Jade Mint; Scarlet Rose). When paired with Ultra-Bright, it activates grey and/or ash into white.
  • Interaction Rules:
    • Melanism: Co-exists without clashing. Vibrant grips pigmentation more strongly than melanism's darkening behavior, resulting in a neon-hued base with black frost.
    • Flux: Triggers a structural flip; the base color turns dark, while the fur's mid-shaft to tips express the neon coloration. May cause the borealis color to randomly manifest.
    • Dormancy: Individuals without Nuria-based colors act as phenotypic carriers until the gene develops alongside the necessary color spectrum.