Nathair

Basic Information

Anatomy

From the waist up, the Nathair most closely resemble the Tuatha de Danaan, possessing similar morphology and proportions, including long pointed ears that protrude horizontally from their heads. A few traits separate the races, including slitted pupils and horns, a common but not universal trait, ranging from small pointed tips to larger curving horns resembling those of a ram. All Nathair are biologically female, possessing secondary sexual characteristics typical to Bediz and Eladan females.
Their most definitive trait is an elongated tail, resembling that of a serpent, starting at the waist, taking the place of legs. Scales start in patches on the waist, quickly becoming thicker as they descend the length of the tail. The front of the body is protected by scutes.

Genetics and Reproduction

A mono-sexual race, Nathair must rely on the genetic material of other species for procreation, typically the Eladan or Bediz, obtained sexually or via artificial insemination, the latter a result of sophisticated alchemical process known only to the Nathair. Male offspring a biologically similar to the Tuatha de Danaan, but may possess minor characteristics from their Nathair parent, including pointed ears (often shorter and less maneuverable than their nathair parent's), slitted-pupils and patches of scales. Female offspring are full Nathair, biologically similar to their mother. Father may pass on traits such as skin, hair and eye colour.

Ecology and Habitats

Nathair live in small, tight-knit communities, called clutches, either in independent settlements or among other species, most commonly the Bediz or Eladan. Clutches are organized along geographic, rather that familial lines. Nathair from external clutches are typically welcomed in as if they were distant relations and are gradually integrated into the fabric of a given settlement.
Nathair communities are typically compact, built around a single structure or several smaller connected structures, connected with underground and enclosed aboveground tunnels, allowing travel within the community during colder times. Nathair architecture is often circular, or at least circle-like, built to accommodate their long tails. As a result of their morphology, Nathair typically require larger spaces than their eladan cousins, but are capable of coiling themselves into more compact spaces. Stairs, shelves and pegs allow for a direct use of vertical space along the walls.
The central aspect of these structures, both individual and communal in a large circular room, heated by hot coals or other techniques, creating a dry sauna-like atmosphere where the snakefolk can keep themselves warm. These serve as community gathering points and are central to Nathair social life. Similar rooms full of hot, moist steam are also common. Hollow channels, full of hot air or water, circulate throughout these complexes, providing warmth to the inhabitants. Many Nathair structures are low-lying structures, with underground sections to conserve heat. Other species have copied Nathair engineering to create bathhouses modeled on these, and their heating/cooling systems are used throughout Alvez.

Dietary Needs and Habits

The Nathair are capable of consuming both physical sustenance and Foyson, allowing them to dine comfortably in a variety of circumstances and cultures without much issue. It is theorized that the the Nathair possess an internal organ that converts physical sustenance into magical foyson. While capable of eating most of what the Bediz consume, and often conforming to regional custom, staples of the Nathair diet traditionally consist of rabbits and poultry. They are especially fond of eggs. Nathair are largely carnivorous and while capable of digesting some starches and vegetables, few will choose to do so unless they are left with no options. Nathair eating a largely vegetarian diet will show signs of a condition similar to anemia.
Nathair hunt in rural areas using a combination of spears and snares, typically hunting small game or fish.

Biological Cycle

The snake-halves of the Nathair continue to grow throughout their lives, up to a centimeter each year and they typically shed their skin once a rule.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Groups of Nathair are called clutches, typically associated with the nearest lake, although at times inland seas and even large rivers may suffice. For example, the Nathair of Naoned in Letha are known as the Clutch de Grand-Lieu, a large lake located in the Viscounty of Retz.
A single-sex race, the Nathair divide themselves into two genders, based on the possession of the Imbas Forosnai. The individuals, the Itron al Lenn, operate as a priestess class, taking on roles of civic and religious authority. They often live alone or with others like them apart from but close by their clutch. If possible, Itron al Lenn will live directly on the banks of the nearest lake.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Nathair skin, naturally shed, is often popular in textiles for its soft texture, beautiful patterns and tensile strength. Nathair will often sell their shed skin at the Goblin Market or directly, with many alchemists strengthening and dyeing this material to enhance colours, patterns and other factors.
Sadly, throughout history, unscrupulous killers have not always waited for the skin to be shed naturally, taking the scales from dead (or more troublingly, alive) Nathair to sell as armor or textiles. These scales are typically tougher, equivalent to strong leather, but lighter in weight and with greater flexibility. There is still a sizable black market for this material, largely taken from a series of pogroms throughout Tolosa during the Heresy of Albi, where the Nathair of Arles were slaughtered.

Facial characteristics

The faces of the Nathair largely resemble those of the Eladan, with dagger-like ears jutting out horizontally from their heads and tapered to a point. Like the Eladan, these can move slightly reacting to the emotions and mental state of their owners, and are unique in their ability to be pressed almost flat to the head.
Nathair also often possess horns, which can range from small pointed tips to more elaborate rams-horns. These horns are often associated with age and wisdom, but this is not always the case.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

The Nathair are found across Alvez, found from the Fortunate Isles to the Caliphate of Ubar, with larger numbers found in warmer, southern climates. Nathair can be found in colder regions, such as The Royal Magocracy of Fjallkonan (V) or the Lost Peninsula, but these communities are small and few. Nathair are most common in Tolosa, Southern Akitainia and Navarre, as well as all of Alkebulan. The City-State of Pharos and the Caliphate of Ubar are the largest population centers following the massacre at Arles.
Nathair often settle in along the banks of lakes or oasis, assigning special cultural significance to these inland bodies of water. Nathair also gravitate towards Bediz and Eladan settlements that can support their lifestyle and provide warmth during colder periods.

Average Intelligence

Nathair are well regarded for their cunning and intelligence, giving them a reputation as manipulators, seers and scholars. Nathair advisors are common among Faerie peoples and Bediz regions with heavy Fae influence, and they are a common fixture, where allowed, in universities and libraries.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

The Nathair possess 5 primary senses found in Bediz, along with a 6th sense tied to prophecy, although the ranges and sensitivity are often different, as described below:
Hearing - Unlike serpents, the Nathair possess external ears, similar to those of the Tuatha de Danaan, and capable of healing a similar range to their cousins. Sight - Nathair sight is typically more limited than that of the Tuatha de Danaan. This is as a result of their sixth sense, Nathair can have trouble reacting to present visual stimuli. Smell/Taste - The Nathair possess a sophisticated sense of smell, and are able to perceive odors in a fashion similar to the Tuatha de Danaan and Bediz. This is supplemented by a secondary organ linked with a bifid tongue, which can detect subtle changes to the environment undetectable to those species. This subtle trait allows the Nathair to act as exceptional alchemists.

Touch

- Despite public belief, the sense of touch is actually quite developed in Nathair, with tactile sensors throughout their long tail to detect subtle changes in the environment. The upper-half of the Nathair seems to have a nervous system similar to that of the Tuatha de Danaan. Imbas Forosnai - The most unique extrasensory capability of the Nathair, possessed exclusively by the Itron al Lenn, is the Imbas Forosnai, long described as a divination ritual, but now thought to be a biological part of the Nathair morphology. This system allows a Nathair to experience audial and visual hallucinations, differing in severity and length. These visions and sounds are thought to be a result of imbalances between Chronos and Kairos, allowing Nathair to experience events or feelings "out of order", with these experiences often being linked to events past, present and even future events, often without direct personal experience. The exact nature of this is unknown, but certain alchemical mixtures and rituals can strengthen these experiences to garner additional information.

Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms

As a result of their single-sex species, the Nathair must rely on genetic material from a non-nathair partner, accomplished via sexual intercourse or complex alchemical process that can result in parthenogensis. However, the nathair have been unable to reproduce these effects among themselves, resulting in a reliance on outside species.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Of the Nathair, only the priestess class, the Itron al Lenn carry surnames, names drawn from bodies of water, typically lakes, over which they are the appointed guardians.

Beauty Ideals

The nathair prize elaborate, colourful patterns on their scales, and will often accentuate their natural colouring with alchemy and glamour, resulting in dramatic geometric designs and striking contrasts.

Gender Ideals

The Nathair are a single-sex society, comprised entirely of females. However, the Nathair possess two distinct genders. The Itron al Lenn, a priestess class, are typically described differently, possess surnames and may hold special roles within Nathair society, operating as seers, advisors and civic leaders. The Itron al Lenn are distinguished in their possession of an accute 6th sense, the Imbas Forosnai that allows them to experience time in different ways, granting them a form of precognition and clairvoyance.

Courtship Ideals

Nathair are an open and expressive people, rarely hiding their feelings for others, including potential romantic partners. pursuing them publicly and directly. A common show of affection used widely among the serpent-women, is to wrap themselves around a potential partner and squeeze tightly, maintaining this for an extended time.

Average Technological Level

The Nathair have developed 2 notable technological areas: Alchemy and heating. Their natural senses of smell have allowed the Nathair to create alchemical creations with pinpoint accuracy at a level of sophistication unmatched by other peoples. Nathair alchemists and alchemical solutions are especially prized.
Nathair clutches place maintaining temperature on a integral level. Built around large heated rooms, the Nathair have created a number of technologies to assist in this. Nathair pools will often be built over hollow hypocausts. Air is heated, then pumped into a room supported by clay tiles called caliducts. Heat and rises through flues in the caliducts, heating the space above. Pipes and tunnels are found throughout the hollow floors and walls of the clutch, allowing other areas to be heated or cooled from central furnaces. Nathair architecture also feature wind-catchers, tall towers with large open windows. These windows, designed to catch the prevailing wind, funnel into chimneys, which in turn travel throughout the clutch, cooling and ventilating the space within. This technology allows the Nathair to cool water, ventilate kitchens and create ice.
These technologies, developed by the Nathair, have become widely used by other peoples

Common Dress Code

Nathair often wear long-dresslike clothing which serve a twofold purpose in covering their snake-like tails. The first is cultural, a result of the long history of fear and hatred directed towards them, as these outfits allow them to pass to the casual observer as an Eladan. The layers of cloth, often warmed alchemically, also allow the Nathair to operate for longer in the colder climates of the North. However, beneath these heavier top clothing, Nathair often wear much more revealing outfits of translucent fabric or with ample bare skin, allowing them to take in the warming rays of the sun on their skin and scales. These outfits are worn more openly in the summer and in Nathair settlements, especially in Southern regions throughout Alkebulan
Unsurprisingly, these outfits often earn the condemnation of conservative voices within the Faith, additional fuel for the fire of labeling the Nathair as seductive temptresses.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

The Nathair pride themselves as a wise and prudent people, often serving as advisors, seers and diplomats, mastering a number of disciplines related to their chosen field. As a result, Nathair prize education that allows them to better fulfill their role, whether advising peasant farmers on planting techniques and poultrices or noble warriors on battle strategy and politics. It is common for Nathair to apprentice under other species to learn skill sets to better serve their communities, assisting the non-nathair populations during these periods.
Nathair art is heavily focused on dance and accompanying music, using their long, flexible bodies to perform complex compositions. Expressive dance is a cultural touchstone among the Nathair, and has been greatly developed, adopting regional styles and themes into their art. Nathair dance is characterized with dramatic swaying and controlled shaking, using both their humanoid and serpent qualities to accentuate their movement. To further this, Nathair also strive to learn and develop new instruments to further this art, with instrumental music being developed as a secondary art form.

History

It is thought that the Nathair divided from the Eladan at some point prior to The Tear, existing as an extant race by the dawn of the Secundum Imperium. Unlike the Eladan, who arrived on the continent under the cover of stormclouds from the Fortunate Isles, or the Alfr, who emerged from the snowy forests to the East, the Nathair did not originate in a particular region, but rather first appeared in conjuction with Tomhaidhm Bleed, associating themselves with these magical areas quickly, appearing as far south as Pharos in the first century SI.
The Nathair established small tribal communities, establishing themselves in the social fabric of the Kingdom of Ys and the Imperial remnants in Tolosa and along Slaver's Coast. The Nathair, naturally immune to the Yellow Plague, treated many of the sick across the continent, but were often blamed for the disease itself, most commonly by the Southern Church. Many clutches were destroyed and their inhabitants scattered, but local populations often harbored the healers and mystics of the Nathair due to the care they had received. Similar events continued to surround the Nathair, frequent scapegoats of Staunchist precursors. The most atrocious of these came during the Heresy of Albi, where the Nathair population of Arles, the largest on Kornôgel, was massacred by the forces of Arnaud Amalric.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Sidhe

Lifespan

Ageless

Conservation Status

The Nathair have experienced a long history as the subjects of prejudice and persecution in Bediz society. This is, in part, a direct result of physical similarities drawn between them and religious iconography associated with Azhi Dahāka, the representative of evil in the Dogma of the Southern Church. As a result of this association, regional populations are often under greater threat than other Faerie peoples, and several Nathair settlements have been destroyed. However, at other times, regions and sovereignties in Bedouar and Faerie have granted refugees safe passage or haven within their borders, allowing the Nathair to remain an active force even in times of trouble. These populations were largely at the mercy of non-Nathair peoples, and their situation could change suddenly and dramatically.

Average Height

1.6 - 1.8 meters (Upright)

Average Length

~ 6 meters (Tip of Tail to Head)

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Nathair skin tones closely resembles that of the Eladan, while possessing some influence from the local Bediz population. Their snaketails are often elaborately patterned, reflecting those found in snakes, and range from muted earth-tones to vibrant shades.

Geographic Distribution

• Alvez