Social (+1 TP) It's much easier for you to fit in socially and get along with others.
FLAVOR TRAITS:
Tail (0 TP) A thick tail that extends about 2ft in length and six inches in diameter at the base. Tail bones are slightly thicker and stronger, however it isn't used as a weapon but a way of communication. It isn't particularly heavy so it is not an effective counterbalance.
Scaled Hide (0 TP) Has partially scaled hide in certain places such as: the face, shoulders, tail and legs. But the scales confer little protection against attacks.
Sharp Nails (0 TP) Tiny black nails that are curved and talonlike, however they aren't effective weapons. The nails help with lacking motor skills, and assist in matters requiring a firm grip on objects held or used. Located on hands and footpads.
Sensitive Eyes (0 TP) Lidless reptilian eyes on either side of the head, that are sensitive to bright lights.
RACE PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:
Skeetari are short reptilian humanoids, reaching only about 2ft-2Ÿft tall. Their hides range from the lightest beige to the dullest brown with patches of scales on their faces, shoulders, knees and tails. They are physically weak with rather underdeveloped muscles. Their tails extend to reach about 1ft in length and contain thick bones that are strong while also durable, however because of how short their tails are the Skeetar can't use them defensively but they do use their tails to communicate. Skeetar have large lidless black eyes that are sensitive to bright lights.
POPULATION: Up to community vote.
RACE BEHAVIOR:
As a whole Skeetar are quite social creatures that have a tendency to let curiosity drive their desires to meet new people, see places they've never seen and experience sensations that they have yet to discover. This desire to discover new things is often paired with their fear of being alone which results in them forming small groups of up to ten individuals, with an equal male to female ratio all travelling in packs.
Despite their fear of being without company they are extremely adaptable and well acclimated with environments that normally would be difficult to endure. Skeetari society dictates that without each other they will surely perish and that they are strong as a pack, which drives their belief that in groups they can handle things with teamwork and strength in numbers.
Members of this species are often on the move, displaying a natural urge to get a change of scenery. While they enjoy a well of stamina far greater than their peers to keep them going, if forced to stay put for a generation or more they will begin to become increasingly anxious and even unruly. Not to be bogged down in a single location, they are constantly shifting their homes and own only items that they can carry.
Big (0):
Members of this species are naturally larger than their peers. This size is both a blessing and a curse: members of the species usually live slightly longer and are stronger, but they also move slower and tire out more easily, as well being unable to easily hide or fit onto smaller spaces.
(Functional)
Athletic (-1):
Members of this species, through evolution or adaptation, have developed a robust cardiovascular system that allows them to keep doing physically demanding tasks for much longer than others, and deal with the generated heat more efficiently.
Herculean (-2):
Members of this species could hardly be called natural, even by a stretch of the word. Their imposing frames hold an disproportional amount of muscles mass compared to the size of their bodies. They are naturally much heavier than average, and they can lift weight several times of their own body mass. Though physically demanding, their bodies needing much more nutrients to keep them running, the benefits of this Herculean strength are undeniable.
Kshatriyan Spirit (+1)
Members of this species are proud warriors by nature, bound by notions of personal honor, bravery, and excellence. They enjoy fighting and contests of physical prowess, causing them to fight with one another more than normal. Theyâre great at war, but when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. As a result of their warlike nature, they are quick to use brute force in disputes with others, and are generally disdainful and distrustful of outsiders (especially non-takhal), and suffer in diplomatic endeavors because of it.
Bright Burners (+1)
The candle that burns brighter burns out quickerâ members of this species live shortened lives as a result of otherwise favorable traits, usually living to 50-60 years (or, 70-80% of a humanâs lifespan). As a result, they reach adulthood somewhat faster, and their social hierarchies (especially when based on lineage) are more unstable than normal due to more frequent crises of succession.
RACE PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:
(Illustrations by yours truly, not very refined I know, may be tweaked later. Hooves are accurate on the bottom image. orignal charicter, no steel :))
The takhal are a physically imposing race, with males standing around 10.4 feet (3.2 meters) and females around 8.2 feet (2.5 meters). Their features can be described as broadly equineâ a covering of short, thick fur, long manes that grow along their spine and head, tails, slender ears that come to stout points, and long faces that accommodate round noses and tough jaws. Their eyes are fairly small for a creature of their size, with little or no sclera exposed, and horizontally slit pupils. They are bipedal, standing on digitigrade legs that end in hooves. Their frames are packed with an absurd amount of muscles.
Males have a stride length of around 1.3 meters, and can consistently traverse 60 miles in one day.
POPULATION:
To be decided.
RACE BEHAVIOUR:
The behavior of the takhal is dependent on their sex, age, and size, among other things. Typically, they are hardy, pragmatic creatures with conservative tendencies and a very headstrong disposition. They prefer the company of others of their kind, especially family. To smaller creatures, their size can be frightening, but unless provoked they generally refrain from violence. They are not stealthy in the least, and in combat will utilize their superior mobility to get advantage of foes. Despite their conservative nature, they live a lifestyle that encourages cleverness and ingenious frugality, there not being many resources on the steppes aside from grass.
Their sexual dimorphism and lifestyle means that they form stratified, patriarchal societies, where males are responsible for defense and the gathering of special resources, and females look after and feed the young. Industrial activities are done by both males and females (exclusively or otherwise), depending on the activity.
They are herbivores, and most of their diet consists entirely of grass and other plants. Anything else is likely to upset their digestive system.
HISTORY:
To be decided.
CULTURE:
To be decided.
TECHNOLOGIES:
To be decided.
- Primitive Technology
NO BOJACK JOKES
The Aad
The aad are large sheep-like creatures domesticated by the takhal for their skin and horns, which are used in the crafting of tools, as well as a sacrificial subject for religious rituals. They are treated with great reverence.
Like the takhal, they have long, narrow tails that end in tassle-like collections of fur. They have stouter heads and ears than the takhal, and thicker fur. Their hooves are more like sheep or goats than the hooves of the takhal. The males possess a pair of curled horns, each several feet long (between 3 and 4, or 1 to 1.2 meters), which they shed annually like antlers.
They have a wild variant, known to the takhal simply as the wild aad, who inhabit the grasslands of the island, as well as some mountainous areas. They are generally smaller than their domesticated counterparts at about 3 feet (1 meter tall), who are about 4 feet (1.2 meters) in height.
Body shape:
Horn shape:
Lözhan and the Ikt Grass
Lözhan is an alcoholic drink brewed from the grain of ikt grass (in combination with spirits of any number of local plants), a wild grain found primarily in the river basin the Nëju is a part of. The distillation process is complicated and lengthy, and certain compounds endure the process which cause light hallucinogenic affects in the takhal. There are several varieties of the drink, the one distilled for religious purposes being particularly hallucinogenic. On average, it is about 70-80% alcohol by volume.
Areas:
The Yaagkhege (Steppe/grassland) The Nuugkhan (Desert) The Daanigkhal (Mountain range) The NĂ«zhiba (Forest)
Special features:
Daalag Jöm (Mythical place, the tallest mountain in the Daanigkhal, translates to "God's House")
Rivers:
The NĂ«ju The Debaik The Rheju
They travel to where the blue arrow is pointing for the fall/winter, and to where the red arrow is pointing for spring/summer.
RACE TRAITS: Decadent - Members of The Adarnian species are lazy and do not wish to contribute to society unless it is absolutely necessary. It is hard to keep them in order as they often skip out on work, and would rather see others work instead of them. As a result they often employ animals or slaves to do their job.
Herculean - Members of The Adarnian species could hardly be called natural, even by a stretch of the word. Their imposing frames hold an disproportional amount of muscles mass compared to the size of their bodies. They are naturally much heavier than average, and they can lift weight several times of their own body mass. Though physically demanding, their bodies needing much more nutrients to keep them running, the benefits of this Herculean strength are undeniable.
Intelligent - Members of The Adarnian species show increased levels of cognitive abilities compared to their peers. They are able to learn new skills much faster and develop methods and tools based on them seemingly overnight. The mysteries of the world unravel in front of their eyes, and even the complex and chaotic nature of magic begins to form a pattern.
Flavor/Cosmetic Traits
Horns - The Adarnian species are shown to have Horns while different from other species, which would have then for defense or an attack trait the Adarnian horns are shaped in the form of a crown. In their head while seemingly innocent to the look sometimes, it can be confused or even attributed as a sign of prestige or glory.
Tail - The Adarnian species have a thin fur filled tail, while its ability to grab things are very limited to the grab of a few small things the tail itself is large albeit some may say hard to clean while fluffy to the eye it also can be used as a form of third hand, while not easy to control or hold items using the tail it is possible albeit it requires a long time of training due to their tails not having many muscles.
Fur - Adarnians have a level of fur covering their body while not being much compared to other races who have fur. The Adernians have an average quantity majorly located in needed heating areas, albeit useful for cold nights or even winters and even for petting.
RACE PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:
Adarnians are a tall and strong race of humanoids, standing roughly in between two to three meters tall on average, generally, their skin is tan and dark, being more pale depending on how much sun. They receive or darker with more sun they take. Their fur and hair are generally black but they can also range from pure silver, sky blue, gold, red, and many other colors as for their eyes generally they are categorized from being amber, gold, purple or black or their colors, meanwhile, the Adarnian horns take the shape of a crown while their size varies randomly generally the older you get the horns to start changing from a black color to a silver color and get sharper. Their bodies are also unnaturally strong even when lacking some muscles at first glance from a distace they are more muscular than normal races making one individual do the job that would generally require a group to do it.
can also be utilised this other one
POPULATION: 5000
RACE BEHAVIOUR:
The Adarnians are described at first sight as lazy, while used to conserve energy Adarnians also attempt to find ways to make a hard job easier favoring more easy jobs generally preferring having fun be it with food, parties, or fighting instead of normal jobs being more prevalent in youth taming itself down extremely slowly over time but also has a tendency to depend on life experiences. They also have a near cat-like curiosity and learning towards things, majorly into discovering things and exploring things, while this is more prevalent towards young ones it also runs quite deep in more old individuals like their laziness it seems to lower its effect over time but also depends on the experiences of individuals.
The familial system of the Adarnians is complicated, it majorly follows a rule of polygamy, where husbands and to a certain extent wives, depending on the status of then be it through, the size of a hunt or prestige within the group can accumulate more than just one bride.
In combat and hunts both males and females hunt together while males are just slightly taller than females this is considered to be a very small thing.
CULTURE:
Is yet to be made.
HISTORY:
Is yet to be written.
TECHNOLOGIES: Tech tree coming very soon. Until then, the best way to think of your people is the natives on lonely islands on the pacific. Except, they have no culture just yet~
Intelligent (-1) - Members of this species show increased levels of cognitive abilities compared to their peers. They are able to learn new skills much faster and develop methods and tools based on them seemingly overnight. The mysteries of the world unravel in front of their eyes, and even the complex and chaotic nature of magic begins to form a pattern.
Athletic (-1) - Members of this species, through evolution or adaptation, have developed a robust cardiovascular system that allows them to keep doing physically demanding tasks for much longer than others, and deal with the generated heat more efficiently.
Wasteful (+1) - Members of this species are particularly wasteful: they have little regard for both money and resources, often choosing to live for today instead of thinking for tomorrow. This results in increased upkeep for their economy, often requiring far more supplies than it would need.
((Specifically applies to them in effect IC in that they love big parties to celebrate big events, so food and alcohol and such is the general area where this is actually focused on.))
~Flavor/Cosmetic Traits~
Small (0) - free pick according to Nisâs rule change on Discord - Their height ranges from 4â6â to 4â10â as adults, these height averages being for males and females respectively, with male keeping to the lower end and females to the taller end of that spectrum rather consistently. 5â2â and above is rather abnormally tall for them as a result...and 4â3â and less being rather abnormally short by their standards.
Pointed Ears (0) - Just the free cosmetic aesthetic of their elven ears, though the shape of their ears does naturally improve their ability to be able to hear some higher and lower frequencies than other races as well as makes them noticeably quicker at locating the source of a given sound.
It is important to note that this is all due to the shape of the ears, a simple minor byproduct of their cosmetic anatomy, and isnât some form of mega-super-animal-senses on par with super predators or something ridiculous like that. They donât have the super animal hearing of a wolf or a fox at all, just better hearing than other sentient humanoid creatures like themselves that is all simply due to the shape of their ears.
Skewed Gender Ratio (0) - This particular species possesses a more skewed gender ratio than other sentient species or mammals, possessing a distinctly higher rate of female births than male births within the population. The rather rather standard ratio of females to males in the population is naturally four to five females to every one male. Because the females are taller and stronger naturally, as well as recover far more rapidly after giving birth then the females of other species, the protection and conservation of the rarer and weaker/shorter males has been biologically and societally emphasized by necessity.
However, the rate of pregnancies and births in the population and Gannorian fertility rates all ensure the stable growth and size of the Gannor population overall. The reproduction rate of the species overall does not exceed that of other species with a more balanced gender ratio.
Or to put it much more simply, the species has more females than males but doesn't have an abnormally high birth rate. In other words they are not 'Fast Breeders', but instead have a skewed gender ratio and fertility rate that ultimately fully balances out the growth of their populations.
RACE PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:
A shorter than average race of humanoid elves with pointy ears and a light tanned skintone, one which only darken or pales some depending on if they get a lot of time in the sun or not. Their hair color ranges from a pale white to a soft or stormy gray to even a bright sterling silver in color, whilst their eye colors range from ruby red, to emerald green, to sapphire blue, to amethyst purple, to even pure gold or silver color. Their shorter bodies are naturally more agile and able to easily outrun larger predators or opponents, as well as allow them to hide more efficiently from others and fit into smaller spaces than many other races. Their fingers are rather nimble when put to work making something, and likewise their bodies are naturally athletic and can handle working for longer times when doing even rather demanding tasks.
~Average Female Dark Elf Example~
POPULATION: (Up for community vote, depending on traits)
RACE BEHAVIOUR:
A humanoid race that makes up for height with a sense of zeal during the good times, throwing big parties and wasting food over celebrations without a second thought. They can celebrate and party and work for rather long periods of time even under demanding conditions, and as such when they do throw those big wasteful celebrations or feasts they end up outlasting taller and much larger races in general. They tend to see cutting back on a meal during celebratory times and big occasions as almost offensive, as to them a celebration of the good times is something to go hard with! Even taking a foreign guest into oneâs home is seen as an occasion to have a large meal at least. Indeed food-based hospitality is a norm of sorts among them...but also is something not abuse or cross in a bad fashion. Of course youth in their society are raised under and exposed to this to learn it from a very young age, but foreigners and those from unfamiliar places might naturally require an explanation of Gannorian food and feasting habits.
Generally the race is usually pleasant to be around if one finds themselves in their company on friendly terms if one reciprocates their friendliness, but likewise hostility will be met with rapid caution and potentially hostility in return if it is bad enough. What they lack in raw muscle and brawn is generally compensated for by them in their raw stamina and cognitive skills, making them a normally very adaptable and hardy group overall.
Family units are composed of four to five females to every one male. The shorter and weaker males will normally find themselves placed in charge of keeping the household in order, while the four to five females will be in charge of it as well as in charge of the gathering, hunting, protection, and preservation of the family unit from the outside. Pregnant females will be cared for at home, and the other females will pick up the slack as well during the pregnancy.
Young in each household will be generally reared by the combined efforts of their mothers and father for the first several years, and will be assisting around the home until they reach adolescence. At this point female children are trained and educated primarily by the mothers, while the fathers take over primary education of any sons. This is all to prepare members of both sexes for the future when they reach maturity and are recognized as adults. However, both the male and female roles in primitive Gannor society are emphasizes equally important to the community as a whole. Without one, the other cannot subsist alone.
This being said, females of the species being the taller, more numerous, and naturally stronger of the two sexes has meant they came to control society. They take up the mantles of leadership, fighting, hunting, gathering, defense, war, and so forth in turn. Hence, the differences between the two sexes have ultimately resulted in a very much matriarchal society among the Gannor.
HISTORY: (You will have plenty to write here once we begin!)
CULTURE: (Same as above, leave it free for now. Will fill up as we get into the game.)
RACE NAME: Sobek RACE TRAITS: Ancient (-2) - Members of this species have unnaturally long lifespans, the oldest members living as long as 200-250 years. Their bodies are also significantly more resilient as a result, able to recover from dangerous diseases and other adverse effects that might shorten their lifespan.
Nonadaptive (+1) - Members of this species don't adapt particularly well to foreign environments and struggle to survive in places that aren't similar to their birth. The extreme cold or heat strains their nervous and immune systems, making them fatigued and sickly on such places. (Cold blooded)
Big (0) - Members of this species are naturally larger than their peers. This size is both a blessing and a curse: members of the species usually live slightly longer and are stronger, but they also move slower and tire out more easily, as well as they are unable to easily hide or fit onto smaller spaces.
Flavor traits. Amphibian light (0) - The Sobek can hold their breath for extended periods of time, 2 hours is standard but they can train for up to 3 or 4 hours. They also swim really well. The downside is that they cannot live underwater per se, on the flipside they aren't as sensitive to droughts as true amphibians.
Carnivorous (0) - Members of the species are carnivores and as such cannot eat plants save for a few spices and the odd fruit. Grain and vegetables are generally poisonous to them or otherwise inedible.
Tough skin (0) - The skin of this species is rough and leathery and provides protection against many cuts and bruises. Think the rough skin of a reptile or the thick hide of a hippo.
Tail (0) - Sobek have a tail, it helps with swimming and keeping their balance. It is also strong and could be used as a weapon, even if it isn't as long as a proper crocodile's tail.
RACE PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:
The Sobek are a race of humanoid alligators, they never stop to grow their entire life, which can last up to 300 years, which results in some sobek reaching heights near 3,5 meters tall. But averaging 2,5. This together with their broad shoulders gives them a very menacing presence. Their skin is usually green, a light green which goes darker with age. But some variation exist and tones more akin to blue and yellow has been reported. A few feathers on the back of the head is also not unheard of but rare.
They are carnivores and as such have to hunt for food, therefore the species often sport lean defined musculature. Both males and females hunt. Males grow larger than the females.
POPULATION: Some
RACE BEHAVIOUR: The sobek are often described as looming. They move sort of slow to conserve energy but are fully capable of full on sprint and fighting. They are also unexpectedly sneaky despite their size and often ambush prey. They are cunning and ingenious, often using tools and tactics to achieve their goals.
The females are only fertile a dozen or so times during their lifetime, but when they are they can lay between 20 to 40 eggs, the eggs need to be kept body temperature for 10 months, usually just laid in a hidden spot in the wild, but in colder regions needs to be kept close to the female's body to keep its temperature. Temperatures during the early stage of the incubation help determine the genders of the eggs, which means that the mothers to an extent can control what their eggs will hatch as. This is not a clear science without temperature control tools however. The majority of eggs are born as male, with a ratio of roughly 60-40.
Most of the time in the wild, when not hunting, the Sobek will lay in a sunny spot and relax.
The Sobek can eat what other races would deem rotten meat, while it's not rotten per se, the Sobek can eat meat that would be considered rancid by other species, but not truly rotten meat. In fact Sobeks usually store their food for a while before eating it, preferring it more stale than other species. Often with some herbs or a light searing with fire. Sobeks love fermenting their meats and experiment constantly with new methods.
HISTORY: In the beginning, there was nothing...
CULTURE: From the swamp they roam...
TECHNOLOGIES:
- Primitive technology - Fermentation - -
Thrûl the elder. A massive dark skinned elder who garners a lot of respect in the village.
Grazh the great hunter. The biggest Sobek in the village, a gnarled and scarred hunter with great experience.
Ata the first speaker. A young Sobek and fairly small, only two meters tall. Unbeknownst to him he has set a lot of change in motion within his society.
cdnb.artstation.com/p/assets/images/i… The Sobek call them Tadpole hunters. But the wider known name for them is puddletoads. These little blighters pose no threat to Sobek, but eat unwanted vermin in the swamp. They don't fear Sobek and they don't taste that well, porous meat and mildly poisonous. So the Sobek leave them alone.
RACE PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Hereâs the wikipedia about the human body. POPULATION: [???] RACE BEHAVIOUR: I donât think I need to explain human sociology and psychology.
Achillean (-3) - Members of this species display an unnatural hardiness, a perplexing result of natural evolution or genetic tailoring. Both hard to injure and quick regenerate any wounds they receive, this species enjoys a distinct lack of natural predators who would attempt the foolish foolish endeavor of taking them down. Indeed, others will only assume these are normal creatures until they regenerate a lost arm by the end of the week.
Solitary (+1) - (Specifically in this case refers to how Thugal family units naturally desire their own home and space to rear young [born/seeded in batches] and grow them in. Whilst communal in other ways, such as having a socially acceptable and community-protected space to seed and grow young whose birth parents do not have space or cannot care for them, in this regard the Thugal have both an inherent disposition for needing the housing space and a rather practical reason for it at the same time.)
Slow Breeders (+1) - (The species has a long gestation period for young. Pregnant members can move around easily due to the growing fertilized spores being stored in their mushroom-cap 'hats'. Later, at a certain point in the growth of these, these hardy, rather survivable fertilized spores will be seeded in a spot [at home or communally] to grow the rest of the way. In compensation Thugal breed in larger batches to help grow and even recover population, but it still occurs more slowly even if in 'bursts' and is assisted by them having a higher 'drive' for mating. However, Thugal young are also born more well-developed and able to walk about and even run after their 'birth' as an advantage. Even so they are slower to breed than other species as a result, and ultimately still take longer recovering from plagues or disasters since it is much more costly for them than normal.
Before the 'seeding' point, though a Thugal can biologically go into reproductive 'stasis' as well. This in effect will block pregnancy chances entirely altogether, or can be alternately and just as naturally used to preserve fertilized spores and temporarily as well as safely halt an existing pregnancy itself. This originally evolved in their pre-sapience times so individuals could retain pregnancies, or prevent them, until they escaped danger or a dangerous area...or likewise do this to halt things until they get to an area more food-plenty and 'secure' to seed and raise young in.)
Sentient Fungi (0 / Does not cost trait pick) - Members of this species have evolved from fungi or have received some significant gene altering during their history, making them more akin to fungal species than any sort of animal. Whatever the reason is, this species requires little to no outside nutrients other than consuming organic matter to decompose and process within their bodies, though they do still possess an inherent sense of taste and flavors and such. While certainly an efficient way of generating energy, not being limited to one kind of food source as long as it is organic matter, it is much slower than a normal metabolism but faster than those of a sentient plant species. While unburdened by the sun or moisture due to a resilient fungal form and efficient internal organ system, they digest food more slowly over time (even if constantly) and yet tend to eat quite a lot with each 'meal' naturally (giving them a higher food upkeep for each meal...though said meals are spaced well and a long ways apart). Thankfully, not many fungus-eating predators are out to get them, and they are unburdened by age as individual members of the species can keep growing forever unless they are killed by other means. They are also immune to most viruses that would affect non-fungus based creatures, but they have their own scourge in the form of fungal diseases and certain types of insects (admittedly some only do this in certain stages of their lifecycle, like during the larval stage). Likewise anti-fungal compounds can be adapted to within this species' immune system, akin to how the human body irl can become more resistant to diseases and poisons and such, but even so such anti-fungal compounds naturally still hurt and even kill them unless sufficiently high resistance is built up over time or through surviving exposures or even just done purposefully.
RACE PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: A humanoid fungal species that possesses an appearance rather similar to most other humanoid species, with recognizable features such as eyes and ears and such. In that vein they are at least not a 'repugnant' species due to having a more familiar type of general humanoid appearance. However, every member of the species has a 'mushroom cap' on top of their head, which both gives them shade as well as has the same durable thickness the rest of their skin/hide does. From it are released fertilized spores some times after impregnation, which are seeded onto a particular spot to finish the rest of their long gestation and growth. Even so, as a fungal species they entirely lack the sexual dimorphism present in animal species and as such are all basically equipped with both things to reproduce with each other and rear young as a standard without any dimorphic divisions among them. This does, however, make for some rather confused initial interactions with other species, especially animal ones, as the concept of 'different sexes' in a sentient species is basically alien to them at first.
(Eye colors range from an earthy clay red to dirt brown to forest green and other natural, earthy, plant/fungi-y colors. The Mushroom-Cap of each Thugal can also range in color from red and spotted to yellow and light tan and so forth as fitting for fungi. Patterns like spots on the cap can also be hereditary at times in a family line.)
POPULATION: Up for community vote, depending on traits
RACE BEHAVIOUR: A species of fungal sentients, ones who usually take things generally relaxed and in a calm manner due to their inherent hardiness and such traits. Thugal mindsets usually mean that they take their time when performing tasks, working on them and putting emphasis on quality over speed when getting things done. That being said, this more relaxed mindset carries over into their free time, where games and relaxing and laid-back things so forth are rather common to see them doing when what needs to be done has been completed. Meals are a once-a-day matter for them biologically and societally, and are usually very large since they do not need to eat as often as others and have a unique digestive process. Still the 'daily meal' is taken as an important yet still a bit special event that demands they put their best into it for the sake of enjoyment and survival both. However, practicality is not lost on the species nor are they 'wasteful' about it unlike some others.
There is also another, ah, 'peculiar' local habit the species exhibits due to their reproductive traits. Mating is a more common casual practice among Thugal couples and friends and such, though is not done out in the middle of public in front of others. However, seeding fertilized spores from one who is not your primary 'mate' is seen as a generally negative thing. Further, whilst families can seed their fertilized spores at home to grow their young in safety after their pregnancies reach a certain point, a communal place to do so is also available for Thugal in order to ease the burden by the community. Here community-chosen guards protect and monitor the growth of young in the last half of their gestation. Ultimately these communal spaces allow for the taking in of young that are seeded there by Thugal families in the community (if unclaimed and/or unable to be housed by the original parents) or by their original parents (if claimed and the parents can care for them). Yet in these senses one also cannot deny that the Thugal are rather 'alien' in some respects.
Thugal can during the day be usually found moving about performing tasks throughout, starting earlier than others to ensure it gets done in time in some cases, being hard and hardy workers naturally. When one can survive a hell of a lot of damage, is hard to injure, is quick to regenerate, and recovers something like an entire lost limb by the end of the week with ease, it makes one's perspective on life and activities naturally differ from that of other species. One can take the time, put in the effort, and generally survive doing even dangerous things. When one's life is put in real danger they do become serious, though this threshold is rather different for them as compared to other species.
HISTORY: (You will have plenty to write here once we begin!)
CULTURE: (Same as above, leave it free for now. Will fill up as we get into the game.)
Titanic (-3):The Guarni are a titanic species with immense size, strength and toughness. They are extremely long lived and don't have any predators to threaten them. Yet for all their advantages the Guarni are failing at the classical purposes of a species. There just aren't that many of them. Guarni populations are low and the fact they have a very low birth rate does not help things.
Performance instead of Persistence (0): The Guarni are tall even for a titanic species. They have long arms, powerful legs and an overall athletic build. Guarni are surprisingly agile for their size and can have bursts of activity which no other species may match. Yet this comes at a cost. Guarni bodies can quickly overheat which significantly limit their activity. They instinctively limit their performance to avoid this on daily activity and also they prefer colder environments. The energy consumption of the Guarni are still high, though. To compensate they sleep for 12 hours at average with many preferring to rest even more than that.
Decadent (+2): Guarni are naturally lazy and difficult to get them to work. This is partially based on their physiology which encourages rest. Being born the apex predator of almost every region also kills their motivation to work. Generally the Guarni likes to coerce animals, beasts or even other sapient races to work rather than them doing it.
POPULATION: Starting Population: 47 Current Population: TBA
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
The Guarni are colossal humanoids with tall athletic builds. They are at average 9m (29' 6") tall with individuals under 7m (23" 0') considered abnormally short and Guarni above 11m (36' 1") being abnormally large. At average they weigh around 10 tons, their steps at average are almost 4 meters long (around 13 feet) and they can easily outpace horses. They can also effortlessly leap over obstacles that are 3 meters tall or jump over 12 meters of distance if they got a headstart. Their skin is thick like Rhinoceros hide and its color can range from various shades of pale, grey, black and blue. Though their overall build is humanoid the Guarni are more angular shaped, almost as if they were carved out of stone. Males tend to have broader shoulders and slightly higher upper body strength while females are more agile and enduring. Gender roles exist to a degree the Guarni view both sexes equally and female warriors are almost as common as male ones. This is partially due to the relative infertility of the Guarni which makes female members less needing of protection. That being said female pregnancies last for 3 years during which the mother would be under tight security. Given their low childbirth rate they have all reasons for such. Speaking of which infant Guarni are 2.1m (7 feet) tall at average and take 30 years to fully mature during which they are kept hidden and sheltered.
RACE BEHAVIOUR
The Guarni are an old titanic race believed to be raised alongside the mountains. They have booming voices that command respect and their rock-like expressions radiate stoicism. They are generally tight-lipped when interacting with outsiders and otherwise like to be condescending to others. As self-proclaimed descendants of gods they don't view themselves as equals to smaller races. They are prideful and don't take it well if other races don't give them respect. As such they do have a reputation for violence. They also like to take slaves or even view certain sapient species as food.
Guarni are a semi-nomadic civilization. They remain at one place for a few harvests until the earth depletes of nutrients. After that they continue their journey in search for new fields. Before they depart they always leave wood carvings and stone monuments documenting their presence. Actually, the Guarni has a fairly high preference towards the arts. They do have a writing system, albeit used sparsely. They more often rely on symbols and songs. Guarni preserve their own history through songs passed along by the elders.
A Kaano is effectively the king of all Guarni. He's a military leader with his wives often trusted with governing the civil matters. Guarni civilization values martial prowess and those in higher positions are often exhibiting great strength and fighting ability to secure it. Local chieftains are elected through combat trials and local leadership can be challenged by upstarts to gain their status. Local chieftains then can challenge their warlord for their title and only warlords can have the right to challenge the Kaano (king). Leadership titles are typically held by male warriors but there are always a few exceptions. Those in the higher positions don't do labor and live off the tributes their subordinates provide. The lowest class of Guarni does most of the menial labor. Guarni who were deeply shamed can become slaves bound to the service of others. This practice also made way for the tendency for Guarni to enslave sapient creatures they capture.
CULTURE
TBA
HISTORY
TBA
TECHNOLOGY
Neolithic primitive technology. Agriculture, herding, ropes and hides, stone tools, etc.
- Hrudd: An oversized sling made for Guarni size. It's constructed of a pouch and a string. The latter is a thick rope woven of tree barks which can withstand the Guarni strength. The pouch itself is made of various animal hides and it's sized to hold a stone bullet in the 4-6kg range. Slings are relatively cheap but work intensive to make hence they are commonly found with warriors. Compared to the usual practice of throwing rocks and other objects the Hrudd has significantly longer range and can concentrate the force better.
- Grond: A tricone wooden club commonly seen with the Guarni. While picking up trees and using them as improvised weapons is feasible these often don't last long. In order to have something sturdier the Guarni pick up a large tree, separate the hunk from the rest. After that they keep thinning the bottom of the hunk in a conical fashion so the lower portion is much thinner than the rest. This way the club can resist impact forces better and often serve the Guarni for years without breaking. Adornment of spikes or other decorations are more common for higher class members.
- Tondd: Stone battle axe made to Guarni size. Finding a good quality stone of sufficient size and shape it to a relatively narrow cutting edge is often difficult hence axes are highly valued. This natural makes them the weapon of the rich and elite. Smaller axes with less pronounced edge are still common for utility purposes.
- Bayat: Large wooden "sword" made of oak or other hardwoods and thinned out into a specific shape. They originally started as a type of club to cause more focused trauma but since then they evolved into a weapon of war. To increase their cutting power they have pieces of flint or obsidian shaped into sharp wedges placed all around the sides. Said edges are chiefly meant for draw cuts but they can also increase the impact of a swing. They are not meant to slash through objects but with the Guarni's strength they can still do that on smaller objects.
- Hutal: A type of spear made for Guarni size. Their shafts are made of young uprooted trees and the weapon has the overall length of 7.5-9 meters. for the head they fix a piece of sharpened flint, albeit triangular pieces of granite may also be used. These weapons aren't expensive but their threat meant only warriors and high class individuals are allowed to wield them.
- Turud: A type of square shield made of wooden logs cut horizontally and connected via wooden bar links and rope. They can vary greatly in size and thickness. The thinner types are not meant to fight other giants while those thick enough to stop blows from other Guarni can't be made more than 3-4m tall. Turuds are of course specifically made for warfare and as such they are chiefly seen with warriors and usually of medium size.
Athletic (-1) Members of this species, through evolution or adaptation, have developed a robust cardiovascular system that allows them to keep doing physically demanding tasks for much longer than others, and deal with the generated heat more efficiently.
Small (0) Members of this species are much smaller than other species, most likely due to some form of natural predator in their early history. A few feet tall, they possess a small stature that is easy to hide. While fast on their feet and quite nimble, they are usually not as strong due to their smaller size, and will take less punishment.
Special Diet (+1) Members of this species gain most of their nutrition from a single food source close to their home region. Their bodies have evolved to efficiently break it down to the point where they are unable to digest food that is too different from it. This can be a specific type of plant or certain animal that only dwells near their living area.
Resilient (-1) Members of this species are unnaturally hardy, able to resist otherwise deadly infections and eat a range of poisonous plants. Even open wounds will pose little risk to their life, and most of their organs are robust enough to sustain themselves for a while with damage that would be life threatening for others.
FLAVOUR TRAITS:
Playful (0 TP) They are a playful and ridiculous bunch. Where humans brawl and murder each other, the Merdhrai are rambunctious and fun loving. Like their smaller, and distant cousins, the Otter, they are always up for an impromptu race or wrestling match.
Quick Wit (0 TP) Enjoys poems, riddles, and rhyming. Many tales tell of Merdhrai who will gift you a valuable pearl if you can defeat them at their favourite past time.
Amphibian (0 TP) Though it should go without saying, the Merdhrai are excellent swimmers and thrive in water. They are capable of high speeds, can fight as well under the water as they do above it, and can hold their breath for up to ten minutes.
Fur and Fury (0 TP) Their small size belies the fearsome energy and battle prowess of the race. Sharp teeth and savage claws make even an "unarmed" Merdhrai a dangerous opponent to face.
RACE PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Merdhrai stand at about four feet tall and weigh thirty to forty pounds. They have short legs and arms, about nine inches each. All have claws, sharp teeth, webbed feet and hands, and opposable thumbs. Their body is covered in a layer of waterproof fur that ranges in colour from white to black, though the most common colours are slate grey or brown. Whiskered faces give them a kindly look and the older males grow bushy beards that are nearly always white or silver in colour. Males are, generally speaking, larger than females but exceptions are common enough to no longer be a conversation piece. Muscles ripple everywhere and only a fool follows an Merdhrai into the water.
POPULATION: 4,500 - 6,500
RACE BEHAVIOUR:
The masters of all things water, the Merdhrai believe themselves to be better than other water going creatures, for they are among the few sentient ones. Merdhrai are very arrogant and rude to strangers, but once you gain their trust they become very kind and honourable. Merdhari children are very social playful but adults are can be distrustful to those outside of their own species. The Merdhrai were created when a god gave human intelligence to a normal otter. The otter escaped into the wild and bred with a normal otter, passing its intelligence on to its offspring. Eventually their bodies evolved to suit their intelligence, and they evolved opposable thumbs and bipedal movement. Merdhrai live in large tribes, usually of several males, their mates, and their children. Raising pups, feeding the clan, and defending it, fall equally among all members.