Legacy Colorations

The ri’perafi were originally black, grey, and white-furred. Riardi consider these colors ‘legacy’ colors; the colors of their ancestors and thus the colors of life (black like the night sky), chaos (grey like the fog of war and the haze between night and day) and death (white).

White Fur

White fur remains the brightest fur coloration, even despite when neon hues emerged in the riardi species. White-furred ri'perafi stood out against the wilderness, and needed to conceal themselves. By using mud, clays, and grasses to conceal themselves, many survived by fleeing. However, the color was nearly eradicated from their gene pool. They served as combatants and decoys when they fought monsters, as their fur color enabled them to stand out and command attention. White fur is perceived as the color representing truth, courage, and death.

Riardi understand white expresses itself through various dilution genetics at work. Some riardi are self (solidly white) and pass white on as a dominant gene to their offspring.

Grey Fur

Grey fur ranges from palest grey to deep, near-black grey. It can be warmer, cooler, or a true grey in color temperature. Ri'perafi viewed grey as the color of chaos- of stardust colliding, of war, of the transition between night and day in the liminal in-between moments when light receded. This color, though common in their species, was still common. Ri'perafi who bore grey fur moved about in crepuscular patterns across the passage of time, and protected other ri'perafi in times of strife. It was viewed as a color of chaos, transition, and honor. Most importantly, it represented connection: grey-furred ri'perafi broadly protected their kin.

In the riardi, grey fur includes soot, grey, ash, and dove colorations. The mutation called "lunar" is a purplish tint of grey. The curious color known as "steel" is also considered grey.

Black Fur

Black fur was considered the parent color among ri'perafi. They noted it had a 'warm' or 'cool' cast to it under bright daylight. Secondary colors could often be perceived. Of the ri'perafi, the black-furred individuals were the pulse of hope, resolve, and life. Of all the ri'perafi, the black-furred individuals were easiest in regards to stealth. They often reproduced whenever the opportunity to replenish their population occurred. Althogh the ri'perafi still became extinct, the color was viewed as good luck, and symbolized fertility and life.

In the riardi, black fur can yield browns or greys. Rarely, it may produce the brown-grey which riardi call driftwood.

New colorations emerged over time in the riardi. Read [New Colorations] to do so.