Nathaione
If one were to wander the thickest jungles on the southern reaches of Gavis-Lune or mainland Wyriel, losing one's self amongst the ever thickening wilderness, there is an ever present but rare danger, a species of Bestial rarely seen, but much cautioned about and feared. The Nathaione, evil, disturbing, cold blooded snake-human hybrids. They move through these regions, or others like the most distant reaches of the Great Bala, in small silent groups. Some venomous, some constrictors, these small groups, known as 'slithers' are, as all bestials, ever ravenous, ever starving, and all consuming. They are tainted by the Void, and hunt only sapient beings and creatures, unlike many other bestials, never consuming animals or simple beasts. They will hunt fellow Void touched such as other Bestials, Faellen Kindred, and other such entities. However their favorite prey are humans and tantur. They can move silently with ease, their serpentine bodies allowing them to swim and climb with relative ease, if not swiftly, still silently. They are cold-blooded, truly reptilian.
The only warning, warnings, what warnings. The first He'varis knew of his plight was the first poisoned arrow striking his shoulder. He felt his muscles locking up, struggling, his body on fire. Another arrow slammed into his left side, he could hear the slight rustling, the hissing of the creatures, communicating, stalking and hunting him, keeping out of sight. He'varis knew he was horribly in trouble, the elf knew on some level, he was going to die, though he would not accept it. He stumbled, even as more venom was rushing through his bloodstream. He was crawling now, trying to find somewhere to hide, though deep down he knew he had no chance of survival. He didn't want to believe it, did not wish to believe what he'd crossed paths with on his rebellious little adventure down from his people's village, against his parent's orders and the elder councils advice. They had been warned signs of Nathaoine in the area of around their village down in the Veil, the jungles of the valley. Yet he had snuck out to go fishing and trapping at a stream a few miles from his home village, down amongst the Veil.
Now in his last moments, a third and fourth arrow having slammed into his back and side, he rolled over, his muscles failing him, able to drag him no further, the venom doing its deadly work. Blood began to bubble up from his lungs, his heart rate was all over the place, his mind foggy, vision blurring. The pain was indescribable, as if every nerve ending was on fire. As the pain took him, like a sunburst, blinding, white light and pain, the last thing he saw was the terrifying visage of two snake fanged human-like faces, with reptilian eyes, unblinking, staring at him, as they began opening their jaws, unhinging them, intending to obviously split him down the middle and swallow him whole, as snakes were want to do. His final thoughts, as his consciousness mercifully faded from fear and pain, were of regret. He should have listened to his parents. He should have listened to his village elders."
Basic Information
Anatomy
To call the Nathaoine bipedal is a bit of a stretch, naturally, as they lack proper legs, their lower half the body of a snake. However they possess the torso, head and arms of a human, though with some notable...feature differences. The first is the flatness of the face, the nose nearly non-existent, much like a snakes, merely the two small holes under the eyes. The eyes are serpent like, unblinking, cold, empty, distinctly inhuman. The skin whilst not fully scaled like the snake body, is thicker, more solid and stiff much likes scales. The mouth lacks true lips, very much serpent like in look, thin slit hiding the fangs within, with a forked tongue that flicks in and out rapidly. Some types of Nathaoine produce venom, having their own venom glands. Others, whom are generally solitary beings, are more robust, no less stealth, with a longer serpentine body, that of some sort of constrictor. Both types can unhinge their jaws like a snake, their bodies capable of stretching in a similar way, they eat their prey more or less whole.
Genetics and Reproduction
The Nathaione are believed to reproduce like most reptiles, by laying eggs, though not much is known about how the young grow up, or what sort of coupling rituals or traditions the species might have. However much like Ungals, there is a darker truth, one that is shared by in regards to all Bestials. Though they are capable of breeding and that is now the primary way they propagate. However, their origins lie in the Scars upon Reality and World-Wounds across Valerick and the consequences to those whom live near such areas. Similar genetic mutations, terrible void twisted infants born of darkness, corruption. Similarly, there is a general theory that perhaps the first such creatures were actually infants that should have been killed, but their mothers instead took them deep into the Bala, the Veil, or other such deep jungle or desert wilderness and wastelands, and left them there, with the idea that nature would take care of the problem. However other scholars do suggest though this theory might have truth to it, for the infants to survive there woudl need to be adults willing to take care of it, and thus it is believed such mutant bestials have existed since the Sundering, in at least some small amount.
Ecology and Habitats
The Nathaione cannot handle the cold, at all, and thus they are found solely in tropical or subtropical climates, particularly jungles and deserts. They are not found on the continent of Durol at all, because that temperate and sub-arctic climate is not survivable for these creatures. However they can be found in the misty jungle valleys in Valewyr, as well as in small numbers deep in the Great Bala, and in the marshlands of Kang-Chorath. Beyond that, the continent of Wyriel, its jungles are known to be home to such monsters in the deepest and least explored corners of it as well.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Unlike Ungals and many other types of Bestial, though they are cursed children of Gulagor, Nathaione do not seem to suffer the same eternal feasting hunger that most of their fellow Bestials suffer from, and in fact do not even carry the Fevered Famine disease like most Bestials. However it seems unlike many kinds of Bestials, Nathaione can not survive without sapient flesh, they do not eat indiscriminately, targeting any living thing, for they garner no sustenance from non-sapient creatures, though it is not known why this is the case. They are not discriminate, and will hunt any sapient humanoid esque creature, even fellow bestials, but they do seem to have a preference for humans and tanturs. They are much like snakes, needing to feed surprisingly rarely given they are bestials, the tainted children of Gulagor, however such is the nature of snakes, a nature the Nathaione seem to share.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Nathaione do not have a sense of smell as we would recognize it. Their flicking tongue, much like a snake's, is part of a complex sensory system based on detecting body heat, amongst other things, and 'taste' as their sense of smell in a fashion. It is presumed these sense operate mostly similar to actual snakes, and they do seem to have similar impressive speed and sudden striking ability.
Scientific Name
Homo Sapien Serpentis
Lifespan
Unknown
Average Height
Generally keep themselves to a near human height
Average Weight
Weights can vary wildly based on the sub-species, generally anywhere between 350-800 lbs
Average Length
Length varies based upon the sub-species and the snake genetics it seems to possess.
Average Physique
Fit, lithe, but powerful, always serpentine to a degree, unavoidable given the snake half of the body. They are stealthy and deadly hunters.
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