Bogdon

These humans lost contact with the rest of society in the middle stages of the Found Age and now reside solely in The Black Marsh. Their ancestors are thought to be lost members of Novellus De'Run's famous expedition. The untold centuries these people have spent deep within the marsh has dramatically changed their culture and human anatomy.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Their outside anatomy is the exact same as a human. The only addition is that in the later generation of the Bogdon gills have begun to appear right below the jawline. The Bogdon males usually range from five to seven feet tall with the females varying from four to six feet tall. A unique difference in the Bogdon is their bones have become slightly malleable. This has allowed the Bogdon to move their limbs in ways never thought possible. Decades of living in The Black Marsh has caused the skin of the Bogdon to become a palish brown color to help them blend into the usually murky waters. The Bogdon can range from a light pale brown to a deep oak color. The paler Bogdon often times will cover themselves in mud as it is considered embarrassing to stick out when hunting.

Genetics and Reproduction

Due to the Bogdon originating from humans they have the exact same reproductive cycle. Although it has become common tradition for them to give birth into the waters of The Black Marsh.

Growth Rate & Stages

The Bogdon having descended from Humans have a very similar life cycle as Humans. They live into their early one hundreds commonly dying of old age around the age of one hundred and four. A Bogdon is seen as a child until the age of twelve, at this age Bogdon begin to see their gills form underneath the jaw line. This age they are no longer considered children and are called disciples as they learn from village mentors and the Bogdan Demi-God of the Hunt. The forming of the gills symbolizes growth and maturation. Once a Bogdon grows their gills they begin their training in hunting and water combat until the age of eighteen. Upon turning eighteen a Bogdon is considered a full adult and begins hunting for the village until the age of Eighty. Once becoming eighty a Bogdon can choose to retire from the hunt and pursue a different occupation in the village until they eventually die a peaceful death in old age.

Ecology and Habitats

The Bogdon live within Marshes, they thrive in wet environments where they can take full advantage of their adaptations and hunt easily. It is quite common for a Bogdon hunting trip to spend several hours in the water at a time, often refusing to quit hunting until catching several animals. The Bogdon do their best to blend into the environment even in the way that they live. They often construct small villages up in the trees of the swamps. This keeps them away from the more vicious predators that come out at night.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Due to the harsh conditions of the marsh berries and fruit are very hard to come by, they are considered a delicacy by the Bogdon. This means that the Bogdon are primarily carnivores, around ninety percent of their diet consists of meat. They most often consume fish and lizard meat as that is what is most accessible in the marsh. The Bogdon often hunt in the same group of four for their whole hunting careers. One hunter is considered the leader, one is usually equipped with a bow and the other two often wield combat weapons that they're most proficient in. The Bogdon are incredibly smart hunters and often hunt with the same people in order to build a bond, chemistry, and hunting strategies. Since the Bogdon go hunting close to every other day they don't often have to devise methods that require preserving food that they've caught. The village food supply is often kept in a massive rib cage of a deceased creature in order to keep it together and safe from predators looking for a free meal.

Biological Cycle

The Bogdon suffer greatly during the season of Frozenbloom. In the marsh the creatures they most commonly hunt go into hiding and hibernation during the cold cycles. Often times this means the Bogdon have to greatly expand their hunting grounds, this can lead to travelers encountering Bogdon hunting teams outside of the marsh during particularly cold years. They celebrate Newbloom as it symbolizes the coming of fresh prey and good fortunes. It is common for them to hold their festival of Gun-Olth on the 10th day of the 1st cycle of Newbloom. Gun-Olth celebrates the new hunting season as they party and trophy hunt in the name of their Demi-God of the Hunt, Bulmm-Pholm.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

The Bogdon have average sense on land. It's underwater where they thrive, decades of swimming in the murky waters of The Black Marsh has resulted in increased capabilities in the water. The Bogdon are capable of perfect vision within the water even in the brown murky depths. It also appears that the Bogdon are capable of some form of echolocation within the water. They pair this with their perfect vision and it allows them paint a 360 degree picture in their head when they're in the water. These advancements have turned the Bogdon into some of the most advanced and deadly underwater hunters in Altheria. The Bogdon also have an average body temperature of around one hundred and twenty degrees Fahrenheit. This adaptation allows them to swim to deeper parts of the marshes and survive the winters far more easily as they are capable of remaining warm in some of the harshest conditions. It is rumored that Bogdons that have contracted a fever are capable of boiling and evaporating water by contact due to their body temperature reaching extreme levels.

Scientific Name

Homo Sapiens

Origin/Ancestry

The ancestors of the Bogdon are "The Forgotten" these were a group of humans that were lost during the great exploration. The exact ancestry and ethnicities of these humans are unknown however.