General Lore
A Keyper's main purpose is to lock and protect objects that are important to their owners. Diaries, journals, doors, jewelry boxes, safes, suitcases, etc. Their tails hold a magic spell that allows them to lock anything that requires a key or combination, which then makes that Keyper the only way to unlock that object again. Originally, Keypers could only lock and unlock physical objects, but their magic spells have since been updated to allow them to be used with digital devices and certain apps. Keypers can also make great caretakers and companions.
The process of a Keyper registering an object or device to be unlocked by their tails is called "attuning". Once attuned, the only way to open that object or device is for that Keyper to use their tail. One Keyper can be attuned to many objects, but it isn't recommended for really important things -- the more times a Keyper is attuned, the weaker their locking magic becomes and the easier it gets to pick those locks without the Keyper. For this reason, it isn't uncommon to see people with multiple Keypers! Additionally, active lock spells cannot be re-attuned to another Keyper without the originally-attuned Keyper also being present.
Keypers don't die, but their magic spell is required to be recharged every 10 years. If they run out of magical power, the Keyper will stop moving and anything attuned to them will not be able to be unlocked by anything else for a year and a day, after which time that Keyper will crumble into dust. During this time, it is possible to completely recharge the Keyper to avoid it crumbling into dust, but the Keyper may grow to distrust you. So it's always best to keep on top of your Keyper maintenance by recharging them at least every 7 years! Recharging every 7 years ensures your Keyper continues to function as expected. Additionally, active lock spells cannot be re-attuned to another Keyper without the originally-attuned Keyper also being present.
Size-wise, Keypers can either be the same height as an average human, or stand only a couple inches tall in their convenient pocket mode! (all feral forms are always pocket mode-sized) pocket mode doesn't require nearly as much magical energy as their standard size does, so a Keyper that spends most of their time in pocket mode can go up to 13 years without needing to be recharged.
Language-wise, Keypers can learn and speak any language, as long as that language is built into their magic spell upon creation or recharging. This also allows Keypers to become excellent translators. It's preferred to have the language built into them upon creation, as Keypers that learn new languages via magic recharge may not become fully fluent.
creation of a keyper
To create a Keyper, three things are needed: specially-designated clay imbued with magical properties; a certain type of magic crystal called "key gems"; and a spell circle, carefully composed and transcribed with very specific instructions for how the Keyper is to look and operate.
The clay is sculpted into a generic bean-shaped torso form, roughly the size of an average human's palm, and a key gem is inserted into the back. The clay form is then placed into the middle of the magic circle, and the spell is cast. The clay form will begin to glow and change into the design written in the spell circle's instructions. Once finished, a cloth tail with a key is then attached as the final act of the spell, sealing in the magic, and a Keyper is born.
common uses
Many Keypers are reserved for private, personal use, for everything from unlocking houses and apartments, to logging in to banking apps and keeping secret diaries away from prying eyes. Many Keypers in the private sector become good friends with their owners, as they're very excellent listeners! And because of a Keyper's tendency to collect and protect secrets, there's no chance a Keyper would ever repeat something told to them in confidance. Some Keypers can even be stay-at-home-caregivers -- their standard human size allows them to cook and clean, and medicines and cleaning supplies can be safely locked away from small children.
Keypers can also be found in the commercial sector as well. Many large banks will assign specially-enchanted Keypers for access to ATMs, mobile banking accounts, or safety deposit boxes. These Keypers will only ever stay in their pocket-sized forms (though may be either feral or humanoid), and cannot be attuned to anything else to prevent accidental misuse. Some schools may also assign Keypers for school lockers, and it's also not uncommon to see a Keyper working as a receptionist for a company building.
physical traits & appearances
Keypers can switch between a humanoid form and an animal form, with rabbit-like ears and feet. In their humanoid form, only their legs and feet are covered in a soft, velvety fur that slowly fades into humanoid skin. Their skin can be any natural human skin-tone, and they also have a variety of body shapes, much like regular humans. Their animal forms are also based off their humanoid shapes, so a chubby Keyper would continue to be chubby in their animal form.
Keypers' fur can show any sort of decorative patterning, in any range of colors, and Keypers can wear any style of clothing. For body modifications, Keypers can have piercings, gauges, and their skin can have tattoos that may or may not show on their animal forms. Some Keypers can even have prosthetics. Loss of limb can happen for a few reasons. It’s not uncommon for Keypers that were allowed to run out of magical charge to have a leg or arm crumble in the period where they were inactive. And sometimes during a Keyper’s creation, not enough magic clay is used in the process, which can leave a Keyper missing a limb or two. Keypers with missing limbs have the ability to have them restored when their magic gems are recharged, but this decision is always left up to the Keyper, as it is a risky endeavor and may backfire.
Their tails are made of cloth or chain, and it is important to note that there is no underlying bone structure. Their tails simply float behind them due to their magic, and an easy way to check if it's time to recharge your Keyper is by seeing if their tails begin to droop towards the ground -- this shows their magic is starting to run out, as a fully-charged Keyper tail will float out at about hip-height, parallel to the ground. Cloth tails can be any type of fabric (rich velvet, sheer chiffon, lace, leather, etc) and also be patterned. Their key will also always be made of metal, but can be any style (modern vs antique skeleton keys) and any color. While most Keypers will only have rabbit ears and feet, a subtype of Keypers known as 'artisan Keypers' can have other animal traits instead. Popular artisan Keyper traits are modeled after bears, cats, foxes, dogs, deer...any type of mammal, really! More information on artisan Keypers is available in the "subtypes" section.
Other special visual traits can be purchased and added to a Keyper either during creation, or added when it's time to recharge the Keyper's magic gem. These traits include horns and antlers (1-2), and up to three sets of wings. These trait add-ons are purchased as small scrolls called "inscriptions", and are appended onto the spell circle to be added to the Keyper.
Subtypes
Artisan
Artisan Keypers are a specially-created form of a basic Keyper. While most Keypers are created at an almost-mass produced scale, artisan Keypers are handcrafted one at a time by very skilled mages. These mages have a very robust knowledge of the magic circles used in the creation of a Keyper, and know exactly how to change them to influence the physical form a Keyper takes. So this allows for Keypers with other animal traits to be created!
Other than being created with different animal ear/leg traits, an artisan Keyper is otherwise exactly the same as a standard Keyper when it comes to function. They still require recharging every 10 years at most, can be used for the same purposes, and have optional pocket-mode and feral forms. Artisan Keypers are typically more expensive than a standard Keyper, which is due to the expertise (and sometimes more materials) required to create an artisan Keyper.
Masterclass
Masterclass Keypers are an incredibly powerful form of Keyper. They are the only types that can successfully attune to multiple locks without their spells weakening, but because of the incredible amount of magic energy this takes, they must be recharged every year, or constantly be tethered to the magic crystals that provide Keypers life. It's not uncommon for large banks and companies to have a masterclass Keyper, but it's incredibly rare for a masterclass Keyper to be used on a personal scale. While most Keypers are affordable and easy to maintain, masterclass Keypers are exceptionally expensive and require a lot more upkeep.
Due to the required magic energy necessary for a masterclass Keyper, they do not have pocket-sized forms as they'd warp and break too easily from the huge amount of magic energy. They can still hold a feral form, but most prefer their humanoid forms for ease of movement. Masterclass Keypers are also the only form of Keyper with multiple tails -- they usually have two chain tails and one cloth tail intertwined, but still only have one key at the end. These keys are usually much larger and either more ornate or more of an abstract key shape than a standard Keyper.