Difference between revisions of "Wyrmhandler Guide"

This guide is meant to offer lots of information about Wyrms for prospective an current Wyrmhandlers. Wyrms are adorably cute, fuzzy creatures that come in a variety of species (sizes) as well as breeds. The best thing about them, though, is that these are not just online virtual pets. When you adopt, you get an actual Wyrm sent to you with their data-card and egg. Smaller Wyrms can be pinned onto your backpack or clothes and taken with you on your travels, while larger ones prefer to curl around your neck or guard your most treasured possessions. They come in a fantastic array of colors with lots of variations between them. In addition, at certain times of the year, your Wyrms can be bred with those of others to create brand new Wyrms!

This guide covers four topics:

• Section 1: Wyrm Species
• Section 2: Adoption
• Section 3: Registration
• Section 4: Games and Achievements
• Section 5: Terminology

For more information on breeding and breeding seasons, please see: Breeding Guide
For more information on specific breeds of wyrms, please see: Breed Information

Wyrms currently come in four Species:

• Tea-cup Wyrms - The tiniest Wyrms, on average 6-8 long. Previously called Pocket Wyrms, these tiny fuzz-balls have a pin on their belly to enable them to ride their handler's shirt, hat, or whatever else they decide to crawl onto. They are cute, fluffy, and pint-sized. Their bodies are soft, have no internal wire structure, and they are sculpted in polymer clay.
• Standard Wyrms - Previously called Adults, these Wyrms average 2' long and are more detailed than the smaller sizes. They are intended to wrap around their handler's neck like a fluffy, cuddly, scarf. They also have the upgraded feature of hand painted glass taxidermy eyes, a padded plush body as well as the upgraded acrylic armature for a durable, poseable, body. Sculpted in polymer clay and epoxy.
• Great Wyrms - XL and XXL Wyrms, averaging 3-4' long, with glass eyes, larger heads, more ornate tails, and often more complicated fur patterns/materials. Comes standard with upgraded acrylic armature for a durable, poseable, plush body. Sculpted in polymer clay and epoxy.
• Leviathan Wyrms - Currently the largest Wyrm Species offered, Leviathan Wyrms (or Levi's for short) average 5-6' long, have large, detailed heads, lush feathery tails, and are the most ornate of all the Wyrms. Their sheer size and design makes them an impressive sight wrapped around the body of their handlers, or curled around your favorite treasures guarding them. At this size, glass taxidermy eyes and fully plush body are standard, although an acrylic armature can be added, along with features such as LED lights or sound effects. Sculpted in polymer clay and epoxy. These creatures are truly one of a kind works of art, and are the creme de la creme of all Wyrm handler's stables.

Discontinued Wyrm Species (no longer available):

• Mini Wyrms - These Wyrms were previously called Adolescents. They average about 12" long, and prefer wrapping around their handler's wrists to travel. They contain a wire core to enable them to be posed, have semi precious stone eyes, and are sculpted in polymer clay and epoxy. Mini-Wyrms were discontinued as of June 3rd 2012. No more of this size will be created, but the previous Wyrms remain in the registry and can be bread up or down to Tea-Cup Wyrms or Standard-Wyrms. There are also a limited quantity of 'Mutt' Mini Wyrms, which are of no specific breed and thus when they are bred, their genetics and features will be somewhat random. These are leftovers from earlier batches of Wyrms before the 'game' aspect was started, and thus they don't fit into any categories.

Wyrms can be adopted a variety of ways. Tea-cup Wyrms are sold at conventions (see our Deviantart Page for upcoming conventions) and online in batches that are first-come, first-serve. For these small Wyrms, you pick out their egg, purchase it, and we hatch it for you into a brand new Wyrm. There is a bit of a gamble involved, because you never know exactly what you'll get with a Tea-Cup Wyrm, but we promise that they are all adorable! Larger Wyrms are sold at conventions and online, but you do get to see these guys first, since there is a larger investment a handler makes into adopt these Wyrms.

Wyrms can also be adopted by breeding two Wyrms during the breeding seasons. For more information on breeding Wyrms, please see the Breeding Guide. Also, those who are part of our Deviantart Group can participate in special events which may earn them extra Wyrms or other goodies. Section 4: Games and Achievements for more information.

Once you've adopted a Wyrm, the next thing to do is make sure they are registered. Registering allows you to show off your Wyrm collection, as well as to have all of their data collected so they are eligible to participate in the Breeding Season. You'll need to register with a Furaffinity or Deviantart account (Deviantart is preferred, so you have a chance to participate in CruinndracFarms events.) When you register, you can choose if you want to be a public breeder (if you want to be contacted by others during the breeding season), but keep in mind that the more Wyrms there are in the breedable population, the more fun the game is for everyone.

To register your Wyrm, have a link to their posted picture (with datacard) from our Deviantart, or have an image of your Wyrm uploaded so we can create a datacard for you. Click here and fill out the form: Registration Link
A list of registered wyrms can be found: Registry Link

Those Wyrmhandlers who choose to register and join our Deviantart Group will be able to participate in special events hosted by HopefulMonsterStudios. There might be special contests where you post pictures of your Wyrms in various themes, or you write stories about your Wyrms. There are also chances to participate in games and other neat events where you can earn some really neat prizes. You might earn extra breedings for your Wyrm, tokens which let you breed your wyrm up to a larger species, or even free Wyrms to add to your growing collection. We hope you'll join us by registering and joining the Deviantart Group.

The following is a list of some common terms relating to Wyrms and Wyrmhandling:

• Clutch - A group of wyrms that is hatched together. An entire nest of eggs for adoption at conventions, or a group of eggs posted online, or the babies from a single breeding season, are all considered member of the same clutch.
• Clutchmates - Wyrms that are hatched in the same group/at the same time. Can also refer to siblings bred from the same parents.
• Species - Refers to the size of a given Wyrm. The current Species are, in order of size; Teacup, Mini (discontinued, but some still exist in the population), Standard, Great Wyrm, and Leviathan.
• Type - General catagory of Wyrm
• Breed - Specific catagory of Wyrm, this classification denotes what the rarity of the Wyrm is
• BroodWyrm/StudWyrm - Female or Male Wyrm that is part of the breeding population
• Squirm - A group of Wyrms that may or may not be related/clutchmates. This can refer to a handler's group of Wyrms, a number of Wyrms gathered with their handlers at a convention or event, or a group of Wyrms "in the wild."
• Squiggle - The motion by which most Wyrms move, which has been described by some as a combination of inchworm, snake, and ferret. Rapid squiggling often involves a sort of hopping, bouncing motion.
• Preening - Also known as grooming, this is often what a Wyrm will do to a prospective mate to gauge their interest. Extra long furred Wyrms spend quite a bit of time preening their fur, to prevent matting and knots and to keep themselves looking their best to impress potential mates.
• Floofing - The act of fluffing up ones fur to the maximum amount of poofiness, to make the Wyrm look larger. Typically an aggression or defensive behavior, males are often seen Floofing at each other when competing for the attention of a single female. Wyrms also Floof when startled or nervous.
• Meep/Merp - The word used to describe the most common Wyrm vocalization, which sounds like a bit like a chirp, followed by a purring noise. Other sounds include chittering, peeping, or growling.
• Whuffle - Considered an extreme act of trust/bonding with their handler, this is when a Wyrm goes nose to snout with their human handler and exchanges breath with them. Similar to cats snuffling and breathing at each other in close contact, it signifies a Wyrm's trust in their handler, and a feeling of safety and contentment, and affection.
• Heartmates - Two Wyrms that are "soulbonded" to one another. This is a VERY rare occurrence, and is noted on a Wyrm's info card by a half heart icon on the back of the card with a word inside. This word is a combination of the two Wyrm's soul-names, typically with the female's name first, followed by the male's. Once a Wyrm finds their Heartmate, any breedings with that mate will result in some special, random characteristics. It is worth noting that the Heartmate characteristic is NOT hereditary, nor is it a genetic trait that may be passed on. It is a very rare, totally random trait assigned to two Wyrms during their creation. These mates may be from the same clutch, or they may be from separate clutches. There is NO way of knowing ahead of time, and NO way of predicting which Wyrms will carry the trait. (IE, don't request, beg, complain, or whine that your Wyrm doesn't have this trait. Don't ask when your Wyrm's Heartmate will show up. Dont suggest what type/breed/color you'd like the Heartmate to be. This is a random assignment of a trait by HopefulMonsterStudios, and can NOT be forced/changed/influenced)