The Deformity Database

[River]

Upon sifting through some of the bios we have here on the site, I noticed that a few deformities seem to be very popular amongst our hellion population. I also came to see how difficult it might be to think of different deformities for your hounds. So, I got the idea to create a sort of database of some basic plausible deformities that can besiege your hounds. This will allow newer members to pick from a wide variety of weaknesses (and strengths) to give their characters and it will allow staff to ban the usage of certain deformities (like night-vision) that grow way too common as the site grows. If you have any deformities you'd like to submit, please pm one of the staff members.

Jig's Note: Although this list has plenty of unique deformities, it is encouraged that you think of your OWN. It'll make the site a much more original place.

River's Note: You don't have to use any of the following deformities if you don't want to and you may make any changes you wish when applying them to your character should you choose to. These are only suggestions.


Yellow= This deformity is getting annoying. Though you may still use it in the creation of your characters, let's try and avoid it a bit shall we?

Red= This deformity has been banned completely by staff members and should not be created at all until we lift the ban.

Note to staff: Until further notice, Jiggums shall be the deciding factor in any and all deformity bans. She has all the power over this thread, except the addition of new deformities, which can literally be made by anyone.

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External Health Links for Real Life Diseases and Deformities:

Medicine Plus- Mostly human diseases but it's all factual with plenty of subjects and categories should you be looking for something specific.

Diseases and Defects in Dogs- This one is specifically for canines but it's more about diseases than defects. However, it does have plenty of links at the bottom of the page you may find helpful.

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Deformities found here on Hellion Reign:

Blindness- Probably the most mundane of all the deformities one can find, basic blindness is just being unable to see, the eyes simply glazed over. This happens a lot during experiments though, since many of the substances used to transform the hounds are toxic and poisonous and can do massive neurological damage. Brain damage and radiation also often cause blindness. Though it seems like a handicap, the other senses of a blind hound increase ten fold, making them quite acute hunters. However, the loss of sight makes fighting difficult and the risks of falling and injury great. Plus, if the eyes are removed entirely, there is a risk of serious brain damage through the open sockets.
Example: Eva

Night-Vision- The ability to see almost perfectly clearly in the dark, in three dimensions and in monochromatic (one) color, usually green. It is more efficient than regular sight, much clearer than any normal eyesight due to the fact that varying colors cannot confuse the viewer, and it functions in three very clear dimensions. However, during the day or in any sort of bright light, it's literally blinding. Plus, it does not function in multiple colors and, depending on how it was implanted, can have a variety of damaging effects on the face, brain and eye-sockets, including an inability to cry, pain in the brain and headaches, trouble blinking, damage from wind or rain, and so on.
Example: River(he was the first to appear on the site with night vision, though it has resulted in him being unable to cry tears and instead he cries blood, as well as causing him terrible hallucinations)

Mechanical Limbs- A very basic and very common deformity among hellhounds, used usually when a hound’s original limb needs to be replaced or reinforced. Basically, a leg or tail or even a whole major portion of the body is rebuilt with artificial materials, such as steal and aluminum, which is then literally wired to the nervous system. Though this seems like a major asset, it really isn’t. Mechanical limbs are no stronger than regular limbs and are easier to break since metal is far more brittle than flesh. Plus, water and other corrosive substances can cause rusting or malfunctions in the limb, which can then lead to internal electrocution and, ultimately, death. Some limbs are cover in artificial fur made to match the fur of the hound to hide it from view and protect it from water but that still doesn’t eliminate the risks of the limb being pulled off or of any other short-circuiting problems caused by magnetic fields or lightening strikes.
Example: Jiggsaw(the first of all hounds on this site actually X3)

Elongated Teeth/Claws- Ultimately the most common abnormality of all, it’s quite simply a lengthening or sharpening of the canine teeth and/or claws. It’s very basic and easy to do, easily achieved using artificial molds over the hound’s original teeth/claws or even by simply creating new ones and implanting them in the jaw. Though it seems like a practical benefit due to the increase in damage cause when biting or scratching, longer teeth are much easier to break and cannot withstand a long of side-ways movement or contact with hard surfaces like bone. Long claws are easily chipped and broken while the animal walks and much constantly be sharpened.
Example: Almost every hound on this site has either elongated teeth or elongated claws… do a little snooping, you will most certainly find one. >.>

Retractable Claws- A very basic and also quite common abnormality, easily achieved mechanically using small robotic pistons deep inside the toes or by mixing in the DNA of a cat with retractable claws. It’s better than having long claws since they are kept sharp and do not need to be tended to as much. However, they do not cause nearly as much damage in battle or when hunting and are curled quite a bit to fit inside the toe, which could also effect a strike and the damage caused. Do note that retractable claws cannot be elongated. The claws would not fit inside the toes and the force required to extend them would far exceed the expertise of mankind. Retractable claws are always of a normal length.
Example: River(he was also the first with retractable claws… even though cheetahs don’t have retractable claws)

Horns- Another common trait for hellhounds. However, this one is far more illogical than we the players may perceive it to be. There is almost no use for horns. When they are large enough to effectively protect the head and neck from attack, they are often too heavy to be carried or wielded and cause terrible back, neck and shoulder problems for the hound in question. Plus, since the hellhounds here are not actually hounds from hell/demon dogs, there is no reason for hounds to have them. But, he does have its advantages. Smaller horns are easy to implant, easy to find and can be effectively used in defense and sometimes attack depending on shape. However, aim of any sort is almost impossible and the attacks are easily dodged. Plus, if a target is too strong, the horns can and usually will break or snap, never to grow again. Their weight offsets the balance of the common canine and they are often caught on branches, trees and bushes and such. Basically, they’re useless…
Example: Anti(the first hound created with a picture to have horns)

Spaded Tail- Another trait seen too often in an attempt to make characters seem demonic, though this one makes absolutely no sense what so ever. Covered in flesh, the spade simply cannot be made sharp unless covered in metal or something else and cannot be used as a weapon outside of normal tail strikes. The only use found so far, is to be used in aquatic motion like the fin on a whale… but other than that, it’s purely for visual, which seems impractical from a scientific point of view. There are no living animals with spaded tails and only a skin graft or something like that could create such an effect. It holds no strengths, save for swimming, and it serves no weaknesses either. Totally useless… unless on the tail of a crazy hellhorse. (we love you Dommie! X3)
Example: Domnopalus (the first creature to have a spaded tail… of course, it serves no purpose except for underwater locomotion, even that is pretty suggestive)

Multiple Heads- This deformity is not to be used without administrative permission first! Highly functional and highly practical, multiple heads is an effective trait when creating a fighting hound… which is why you must have the staff go-ahead before you even start planning your character. We do not want any powerplaying going on here. Plus, you must consider that having two or more separate brains and only one nervous system to control would get very confusing. A hound with multiple heads would be very uncoordinated and would most definitely be plagued with any number of neurological difficulties, from epilepsy to dyslexia to paralysis. Of course, the staff will discuss all possibilities for your character via PM so I have nothing further to tell you.
Example: Cerberus

Multiple Limbs- The simple act of adding more limbs than four. This can range from basic but functioning tentacles to multiple legs or tails. It’s usually done via stem-cell implantations, which means that the limb must effectively grow to an adult functioning size over the course of a year or two, a process that can be sped up through radiation (see below). Though having two tails is completely useless, scientists commonly do it to test out advancements in stem-cell research. Multiple forelegs or hind limbs are far less common and more cumbersome than they are helpful. They get in the way, offset balance severely, resulting in poor coordination, and are often very painful to lug all over the place and such. Most often, the limbs don’t function very well and even when they do, they’re not very accurate and can usually only be used to walk on and not to attack or strike opponents. Tentacles however are a far more efficient pursuit, since they are lighter, easier to use and easily transplanted or grown… and they can be grown almost anywhere. However, almost any and all limbs grown are weak and cannot be used to lift objects or opponents. Scientists have yet to figure out how exactly they are to graft more than two extra limbs onto an existing creature, though the numbers of tentacles and tails seem to be improving.
Example: Nurumaji

Radiation- Radiation in itself is not a deformity but it can cause any number of them. It causes cancer, can cause cells to decay and die and often burns flesh for the rest of time. It’s only really dangerous in large doses, where it can create massive damage on and within the body of the creature in question, anything from stomach ulcers, hair loss and tooth decay to full-out internal bleeding, actively rotting flesh, and bone and muscle deformation. It is very easy to be killed by radiation, a sad fact considering how often it is used by the scientists. However, in small amounts, it’ll cause a rash and some glowing of the eyes or teeth at best. Plus, it can kill deadly diseases (like cancer) should the hound be sick with one. So, it can be good or it can be bad…
Example: River(radiation was used to accelerate the growth of his tail but also began to decay away the flesh on it and on his ears)

Extra Limbs- Including the addition of wings or something, these add-ons are usually simply sewn into place almost crudely and are not usually grown or formed via DNA splicing. The limbs do not function normally and are often more cumbersome than useful. They cannot be used to fly and are often weak and generally useless depending on what they are. Wings are not the only things that can be transplanted. Tails, limbs from other strange animals, artificially constructed parts and pieces and so on. But, whatever they are, they are typically vestigial, possibly able to move but not much else.
Example: Wrath

Venom- Another common one is the presence of toxins in the teeth, claws or in a stinger or other extraneous appendage. These toxins can then be projected or injected on or into and opponent or victim, a very useful tool should the humans ever need to assassinate someone or need to protect an important figure. However, should a toxin with too much power be used in the body of a creature typically free of it (like a dog or wolf), the presence of the venom would kill the subject so it's toxicity is often severely reduced. They have yet to successfully give a hound full-out killing venom, most can only irritate sensitive areas, possibly paralyze a small target and kill only the smallest of creatures. Plus, most hounds have only a limited supply of the venom, even if their DNA is spliced with a creature that typically carries the venom like a snake or scorpion. But it's a good fall-back system, nonetheless, though many scientists avoid using such a modification should the hounds turn on them...
Example: Wrath(though his venom can only be spit, not injected through a bite)

Frills/Fanned Spines- Inspired by the extinct Spinosaurus (Spinosaurus aegyptiacus), these large, sail-like spines are often sewn on, like the wings, and often pose no purpose other than decoration of the hellhounds. Like the dinosaur Galt got the idea from, these sails can be used as a heat regulator, and in some cases, cause the subject to overheat and perhaps pass out, depending on their tolerance, (For instance, a creature that has been morphed with a savanna beast might not overheat as badly as one that has not). Although these spines can cause danger, they are impressive to view and look at, usually.
Example: Smaug

Brain Damage - Something not too uncommon wit the many things the experiments are exposed to such as toxins, DNA splicing, and for the rare few, brain surgery. Brain damage's effects vary and depend solely upon the severity of the damage. On the lowest, some mechanical skills are crippled and in the highest cases (highest where the victim can still move around) there can be things such as nerve damage, memory lose, short-term memory, severely impaired motor skills, difficulties in speaking, blindness, hearing loss, seizures, etc. Brain damage tends to lead to other deformities as well and can be terribly crippling to any who suffer from it. At the same time, it can be rather beneficial in say a scuffle. Many brain damaged victims can't feel pain or feel only nullified affects and some are strangely gifted in certain areas of knowledge or activity, such as running or climbing. Still, damage is damage and, as horrific a deformity it is, it is incredibly common among hounds.
Example: Sadae

[[I’m just going to pause for the moment, but this is nowhere near finished, so don’t comment just yet]]

[Sadae]

So ANYONE can add a deformity?

[River]

Yes, anyone. ^^ Yes, pm the description to a staff member and they'll put it up. ;3

[Cerberus]

Wow! I'm famous! x3

[River]

Well, you're the only one on here with two heads so... yeah, you are. ^^

I intend to add so much more to this but my computer is being a royal butthead... but I shall whine about that on another board.

[Buzz]

Hi, I have a few questions after reading this...(sorry)

Can someone please explain how come spines/fins would make the creature overheat? Wouldn't it be like big ears (eg. on an elephant or fennec fox) and cool them down? Animals living in colder climates (like polar bears) tend to have small ears to decrease their surface area and avoid heat loss. So how would it be warmer to have fins?

Also i don't see how multiple limbs would be heavy, as they would help support the whole weight of the body. Surely the weight would be distributed over a larger area, making the animal faster?

How would the eyes or teeth grow if affected by radiation?

And also...how come night vision would make it difficult to see in the day? Snakes see infra-red and they're not blinded, and owls are very light-sensitive and see in the dark, but they're not blinded by light either (although a camera flash does temporarily blind them).

Sorry to be such an annoying pedant. It's just that..well, I am lol. I'm just confused.

BTW great site, I'm in the process of making a hound to come here.

[Sargy [Jigg]]

Can someone please explain how come spines/fins would make the creature overheat? Wouldn't it be like big ears (eg. on an elephant or fennec fox) and cool them down? Animals living in colder climates (like polar bears) tend to have small ears to decrease their surface area and avoid heat loss. So how would it be warmer to have fins?

I suggest you read about 'Spinosaurus' theres a link to it.

[River]

I have answers for all of that:

The spines would cause an animal to overheat because of how thin it is. In the ears of an animal, in which the flesh is relatively thick compared to a mere membrane, blood vessels are protected from the suns rays while still being close enough to the surface that they can release heat. In a membrane though, the sunlight travels right into the many many many blood vessels buried within it and the blood inside is immediately heated and warmed. In a cold-blooded animal, this process is used to both heat and cool the body but since warm-blooded animals can't drop their body temperature below a certain point, it only causes them to overheat.

The multiple limbs thing depends on where the limbs are, what they look like and how they function. A creature with two limbs hanging off the front of his chest (like my hellhound Wrath) would be far heavier at the front because those limbs can do nothing to support his weight. Luckily, he has a long and very heavy tail to balance out but both his tail and forelimbs get in the way. Now, it may be true that extra legs (should they function properly) would make animal far more balanced but the brain of a dog or cat is not used to controlling eight limbs all at once. The hound would be stumbling everywhere and the legs simply would not be able to function normally due to the heavier burden they have on the nervous system.

Eyes and teeth do not normally glow from radiation, I will give you that much. The teeth might because of their hard surface and construction. The radiation would be absorbed into the top most layer of enamel but no further down, so the surface would glow from it while the inner-most portion of the teeth would remain intact because of its hardness and tolerance of harsh environments (the mouth a very well protected area of the body). The eyes would not glow in real life but what fun is that? X3

Snakes do not "see" in infrared, that is a misunderstood fact. They can "sense" heat through separate pits on their faces while their eyes "see" like anyone else's. They can register heat and recognize its location and meaning but they do not see in infrared. Plus, infrared and night vision are two different things. Night vision does not register heat levels, though things that are warmer do appear brighter than everything else. But the wavelengths are different on the chemical level, which is why night vision appears green instead of red unless colored digitally. But, all that aside, Night Vision depends on darkness, that is why it's called Night Vision. It creates light in a dimly lit area in the form of a digital image using the energy emitted by objects in the area (hence why it registers heat as well, since heat is a form of energy). So, if someone were to shine some light into a Night Vision camera, the energy from the light would be registered like a constant camera flash and everything would be rendered bright white. It's hard to describe exactly but trust me, night vision cameras do not work in the day time. If you have Metal Gear Solid, play it and equip the night vision goggles while outside. You won't be able to see much... because it's not dark outside. ;3

[Buzz]

thanks! I didn't realise that by fins you meant membranes that thin.

BTW snakes don't see like everyone else, they have really bad vision lol. But I see what you mean. I was saying they see infra-red, cause it's easier to say that than explain how they "see" it. But hey, that's neither here nor there.

Lol..I didn't realise that about night vision cameras, but it figures. So hellhounds that see in the dark just see energy? What if they just have all rods (light-sensitive cells) in their retinas and no cones (colour-sensitive) - they'd be able to see only in black and white, and mainly things that move, (like cats and owls, and to a great extent dogs do normally) but they could see at night and day. Would that be alright? It's sort of what dogs are like already, but tweaked a bit to replace all the cones with rods.

((The reason I'm asking all this is to help me design my hound, I'm not just trying to be a pain lol)

[Nefarious]

You're not being a pain, don't worry. ^^

What you're suggesting sound a bit difficult. The scientists would have to go in there to either replace the cells manually, which would be rather difficult considering how small the cells are and how well they are integrated into the eye itself, or they'd have to do something chemically while your hound is developing as a fetus. If you can find a way that such a deformity would come about, then it's perfectly fine with me. ;3

[Sadae]

With multiple limbs River, can't radiation during fetal development cause extra limbs at birth? I have a hound I'm making too, but can't think of a way to explain the extra limbs thing.

[River]

Probably not radiation. It's more likely to kill a fetus than mutate it... but implanted stem cells would probably work. Perhaps after your hound is born, they could've implanted stem cells and accelerated the growth of the limbs using radiation, though they'd have to wait until the hound is strong enough. Like I said, radiation would kill a fetus or young creature before it mutated them. Or a hormonal/chemical imbalance in the mother might cause such a mutation in the fetus...

[Sadae]

K thanks! I couldn't think of a way to explain it.

[River]

Yeah, I keep meaning to add to this, but it's a little on the time consuming side. That's why I rely on people to offer up any suggestions they may have. It saves time that way.

And Sadae wasn't the first hound to be blind, Eva was. I only put one example for each and for most, it was either the first hound on the site to have the deformity or the hound that made me think to add the deformity to the list. ;3

[Sadae]

Aye Aye. >:3