Cute character idea: A multibodied dragon, each body theriomorphic and the size of a medium-large dog, one of whose bodies always stays 'awake' when they're 'asleep'. They can't engage in anything that involves too much active thought in this state without waking up, but they are conscious and able to hold a simple conversation. Each body has some measure of personality of its own, but they think of themself as one being.
They own a store that buys and sells magical artifacts.
@Felthry Ooooh!
Reminds me of the Tines in Fire Upon The Deep, but slightly more sentience in individual units. :-)
@emanate I can't help but think they sound really hot, personally >.>
@Felthry I recommend the book too! The author gets really clever with them. Once it's figured out they're ultrasonic, there's a point where someone rigs up walkie talkies to let members of the tine be physically separate by quite a ways.