#stemkuma

[prof-cypress]

the 2nd and 3rd evos of the Leeno region's grass starter, nitacub!!

art done by @prof-peach

middle one is stemkuma and final evo is arktofolio

[prof-cypress]

Nitacub, stemkuma, arktofolio.

Based on American black bears.

Pure grass type starter for the first two evos, then ends up grass/steel.

For nitacub: “Nita,” Alabama/Chickasaw/Choctaw word for bear, + “cub.”

For stemkuma: “Stem” + “kuma,” Japanese word for bear.

For arktofolio: “Árktos,” Greek word for bear + “folio,” Esperanto word for leaf.

Nitacub are known as pretty timid pokémon, constantly following around anyone or anything it imprints on as a parental figure. They're also playful and love eating berries regularly. Don't let their shy and dependent demeanor fool you, though, they're eager to please their trainers.

Stemkuma like to rummage through people's trash bins for food. This is often seen as a pesty and undesirable behavior, but this pokémon's omnivorous instinct to forage is far too strong for the behavior to ever really die out.

Arktofolio are fierce protectors of anyone and anything they dearly care for. Impressive and intimidating, they're a huge and important part of native Leenoan cultural lore, revered as great defenders of family, and it's easy to see why: they would never let a loved one be hurt.

[prof-cypress]

Yotey, yipyoti, latransoul.

Based on coyotes.

Pure fire type starter for the first two evos, then ends up fire/ghost.

For yotey: The name is derived from coyote.

For yipyoti: "Yip," a word for the most common vocalization coyotes make + "yoti" derived from coyote.

For latransoul: "Latrans," part of the scientific name for coyotes + "soul."

Yotey are happy to enthusiastically sing along with any music they hear, anything from smooth classical to raucous heavy metal. If they can find a tune, they’ll howl along. Different yotey have differing musical tastes. They’re also happy to use their fire to help warm up the meats they eat, which is what all members of this line do in the wild in their packs.

Yipyoti get a very bad rep, even worse than stemkuma do. They roam semiurban areas scrounging for food scraps and sometimes threaten people’s pet pokémon, so some humans say the world is better off without them. In truth, they play an important role in the ecology of Leeno, sensing when a forest needs a wildfire so it can regrow back better and keeping down small pokémon populations, promoting biodiversity.

Latransoul have perfected all the skills of their previous evolutions, their voices lifting in harrowing and ominous songs during the nighttime, razing cramped underbrush, and stacked dead detritus. They don’t appreciate human litter in their pack territories and will haunt anyone they find leaving behind such pollution for days.