(08-06-2014, 04:54 PM)Enteris Wrote: Well, they're human-like to a degree... so humans with tails. We have a tail bone and there are humans out there that have tails (think stubs, not actually full-length miqo'te type tails). Some of them are able to wag it a bit, but that's really about it. Others don't have control at all. So, from the human example we know we can possibly wag a tail if we had it.
Humm, I think this might just be a divide of opinion. To me, miqo'te are neither humans-with-tails nor cats-with-people-biology. They're an intertwined mix of both in a way that are neither cat nor human. I agree that they take traits from both -- you'd rightly think me stupid if I tried to argue against that -- but to simply think them humans with cat ears and tails takes away from the blurbs you can read in character creation. Their biology has to be different from human biology, otherwise they wouldn't have superb olfactory senses or strong leg musculature.
But then again, as you said in your first post, we're both having to interpret from a rather vague snippet of information. I guess it isn't so surprising we both think the other is wrong. ehehehe
(08-06-2014, 04:54 PM)Enteris Wrote: Then we look to cats, the other "half" of the miqo'te. And, as I stated above, the results of studies have been fairly inconclusive. We do know that cats use it to express emotion (think body language)... again upright and tall when happy, wagging/twitching when pissed, etc. Beyond that, we've yet to see cats do much else with their tails, other than chase it (Yes, owning seven cats myself... I have seen them chase it. And, on that note, a couple of our cats do intentionally hit us with their tail... haven't seen them point yet, though. ) So, even from the cats all we know for sure and have seen is that mirroring of emotions type deal.
I am ignorant enough about cat biology that I will actually need to get off my ass and look up some studies. I said earlier that I was floofing on the biology, but I'll admit it -- you've intrigued me enough to want to go digging through studies! Soooo. . .I'll get back to you on that when I'm a smidgeon more educated then my current status as ignoramus.
(08-06-2014, 04:54 PM)Enteris Wrote: I think this plays into your question about being able to suppress it. That entirely depends on the unknown amount of control that the miqo'te actually has... how much that "hyur side" of their brain controls it versus the "cat side." In that regard, I would like to think that they are able to consciously control the muscle at the base of their tail to the point of making it stop and put on a "poker face". That being said, I personally feel that would be the extent of their "hyur control" of their tail... being able to wag it and being able to stop the wag.Â
Otherwise, I think every single sentient creature in Eorzea would love to play poker with miqo'te. You'd never lose against a miqo'te with their tail being giant, obvious tells.
To me, the ability to suppress would also mean some ability to control, but then again I'll have to defer to my previous statement. YOU WIN. . .for now.
(08-06-2014, 05:00 PM)Fates Skein Wrote: Re: tails
I actually wonder- cats and dogs have a big bundle of nerves that connect to the base of their tail. Â If the tail is pulled hard enough, it can damage that bundle of nerves and actually cause paralysis to the legs/lower part of the spine. Â It would be an interesting weakness to have to protect against, considering armor doesn't really protect against pulling/ grabbing and all their armor has a tail slot for it to wag around instead of actually protecting the tail (which is prone to all sorts of injuries- degloving, breaking, being caught in doorways...)
I imagine that miqo'te that fight very rarely have full-length tails in actuality and that most of them have sustained some sort of injury to their tail...
You know, that is a really interesting point. I'd not really thought about it before, though you're right that it makes sense they'd go to some small effort to protect such a vulnerability.
(08-06-2014, 08:15 PM)Knight Kat Wrote: I'm glad people are having fun with this thread instead of turning it into a huge flamey rage-fest.
Ahhh, it makes me really, really sad that arguments get such a bad rap! I love arguing with people (even the friends who lay the verbal/written smack down on me nine times out of ten) -- it's really a fun thing for me. Usually I come out of arguments knowing something I didn't know before, with a heightened understanding of the different ways other people think. . .which I can then build into characters.
(even if sometimes I wind up looking like an idiot. worth.)
And, too, I really do think passion gets mistaken for emotional response, sometimes, and people react to that. It's normal -- but should never ever ever be taken personally. Don't fear the arguments! Embraaaaaacceeee. (unless it's just legit not fun, I know not everyone is into that -- just like silly things aren't really my thing, most of the time. To each their own.
)
