S*la'vn
humanities terrifying but ancient ally
The S*la'vn are a sentient species generally described as insectoid (though with mammalian and reptilian features) who reside in and around the Dry Mountains. They are a generally peaceful, extremely hierarchical people extremely closely allied with the united human nation of Austur, with whom they share a long border.
Though the average humans first reaction to seeing a S*la'vn is somewhere between instinctive discomfort and abject terror, the Queen Mother and her people have been an unwavering and staunch ally to humanity for almost 900 years.
Called "skla'vin" by their human friends, who generally lack the ability to fully pronounce the name correctly, the S*la'vn are an advanced race with an advanced, if simple, culture. They are extremely hierarchical and matriarchal but remarkably egalitarian and compassionate within these structures. They have three general subtypes that would equate sexes in humans: Queens, workers and warriors. Though the last type is extremely rare and not considered strictly sentient, Queens and workers tend to be patient, calm, and generally happy beings.
Apart from their somewhat disquieting (occasionally referred to as "monstrous" by some humans) appearance, the skla'vin are made more unique by their incredible reproductive control.
Queens can essentially choose how they reproduce, fertilizing their own eggs asexually, or using genetic material from others in any combination she desires. Whether due to this, or simply to some ancient quirk of their language and the translation to Austurian, the skla'vin refer to themselves as having three "castes", not sexes or genders. That being said, they appear to have no emotional attachments to the concept and seem quite content to use human sex pronouns when they speak in human languages. They refer to Queens as being female, workers as male, and warriors as almost genderless objects, typically "it".
Basic Information
Anatomy
Common
Queen
Modern worker (prince, worker, drone)
Warrior
Genetics and Reproduction
Of the many biological differences between skla'vin and Humans , perhaps the most pronounced, and most influential, is in their sexuality, and it's effect on their race, psychology, and culture. Where humans, and in fact most species on Ashvaarya, are sexually dimorphic, with that dimorphism isolated to reproductive organs and some secondary morphological differences, the skla'vin are asexual, dimorphic, even trimorphic in some cases, depending on need. Not only that, but the differences between these sexes is both dramatic, and highly plastic. This is due to the second most important aspect of their reproductive cycle: the ability for females to consciously manipulate aspects of the genetic makeup of her offspring in a huge variety of ways.
Though somewhat limited by the availability of external genetic material, a breeding Queen may choose the type of offspring she wishes to produce, and then further specialize the genetic profile of that offspring depending on need. This system is so adaptable and fast, and the history of the skla'vin so unknown, that not even R*z!'ah knows what the original morphology of the skla'vin was like. All that is known is that they have always had ten limbs, they have always been omnivorous (though primarily herbivorous), they have always had infraskeletal structure, and Queens have always been the owners of memory and leaders of their people.
Some have theorized that the massive and violent warrior caste represent the closest general appearance to ancient skla'vin since they have been the least bred and have remained almost unchanged since the skla'vin were first enslaved by the Aeruk, and that the worker caste are most likely the least like the ancestral skla'vin since they have been bipedal for centuries in an odd attempt to appear less threatening and make their Aeruk masters more comfortable with their constant presence. This is countered by some who insist that while workers and Queens did change and adapt during the years of Aeruk slavery, workers were already quite small (relatively speaking) and queens near immobile even when they first escaped the destruction on the surface of their home-world and found refuge with the Aeruk underground.
The actual reproduction of skla'vin is more akin to a customizable hybridogenesis.
Breeding a queen is an entirely asexual process that even involves the passing along of some memories and skills. There are no reported cases of Queens producing a true clone of themselves however as this is instinctively repugnant to them and it is believed that doing so will result in the new Queen going insane by the time she is of breeding age herself.
Breeding a worker is done by collecting the genetic materials of several desirable males and mixing them somewhat at random in an unfertilized but genetically "blank" egg. She can always adjust the morphology and some basic personality traits in this process but cannot implant memories or skills in the offspring, those skills and predilections instead manifesting at random. A queen can fine tune a worker's skill memory to some degree by limiting the material used to create it to only one or two males. While this has some advantages and creates what is often called a "prince" (a highly specialized, skilled and more queen like male), workers are typically valued for their adaptability and versatility. Princes are typically bred for intermediate oversight and management roles or for highly specialized or skilful creative tasks.
Breeding a warrior is done by mixing worker and queen genetic material at nearly half and half. Attempting to mix material at anything beyond about 60/40 ratio in either direction will typically produce a non-viable hatchling. More queen genetic material will produce a larger, stronger, more controllable and less intelligent warrior. More worker genetic material will produce smaller, weaker, more intelligent but more chaotically violent and less controllable warrior. Due to the mixing process, very little of their morphology can be directly controlled, and no memories or skills beyond the memory of the queen who bred them.
The generally desirable mix is 55% queen and 45% worker material.
There are three sub-types of workers: princes, workers, and drones. All three have only minimal differences in appearance, with the primary difference being cognitive. Drones are a type of near mindless worker, bred explicitly by the Queen of Trade for use in Austur, according to the agreement with the Council.
The standard worker is the most common within S*lah Dr'!esah. They are intelligent and wilful individuals, but are usually quite specialized, having been bred with knowledge, skills, and even slight physical traits intended for a specific task or role.
Finally there are the princes. They are bred to be generalists, analysts, problem solvers and leaders amongst other workers.
Growth Rate & Stages
S*la'vn Queens take in the genetic material of chosen workers and warriors, then go about combining that with her own to create a proto-foetus or zygote. This zygote does not immediately begin growth and self replication, but instead needs a final chemical trigger from the Queen. A zygote can only live as it is for about 24 hours, so the queen must choose the genetic makeup of her offspring in that time. Once the genetic profile of the zygote has been decided and the finalising chemical trigger released, the growth and development into an egg, or eggs, continues in an automatic growth cycle similar to most other animals.
The growth of the brood will continue according to the nutritive and energy resources available in the mother queens body at the time. Queens require the most resources, warriors the second most, and workers the least. An average brood will consist of either a single queen, three or four warriors, or up to a dozen workers. After approximately 4 Ashvaaryan weeks, the egg or eggs are developed enough for deposition. The queen's generally small ovipositor will have grown dramatically in this period as well, and when the eggs are ready, she will lay the large spherical eggs in a dark, preferably wet environment, often with the help of worker attendants. The eggs themselves are made of thin chitinous material, similar to a skla'vin exoskeleton, held together inside and out by a thin elastic, temperature regulating, skin. Unusually, the eggs are technically alive, and are an extension of foetus they carry. As the foetus grows within it over many days, they consume the internal nutrients and resources. As their emergence nears, the eggs will begin to dry out and de-nutrify and will eventually simply fall open as the connective tissue holding them together desiccates to feed the infant inside.
Young S*la'vn go through a very limited development, learning and growth stage. This would be considered akin to human childhood.
Since workers and Queens are born with some memories and basic skills, and warriors need almost none, this phase is short. For warriors it is only a matter of months, during which the feed almost constantly, for them to reach their full massive size. Workers typically take four or five years to grow to the necessary size, learn those skills not imparted genetically, and develop the social skills needed to be a part of the community.
Queens are the biggest exception, growing very slowly as their incredibly complex reproductive organs and brains develop. A Queen is typically about thirty years old before she can be considered full sized and fully developed. Culturally however, she is not considered an "adult" until she is able to consciously design and birth her first offspring, usually around fifty years.
Ecology and Habitats
The S*la'vn are remarkably robust and obviously adaptable. They survive in great quantities on both the arid and desert-like northern and wet almost rainforest-like southern side of the Dry Mountains, as well as in caves and tunnels beneath them.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Civilization and Culture
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
As vastly different as they are from humans, they share three crucial traits: a desire for sociability, a value for life and prosperity, and the capacity for cooperation. This last one is a particularly strong force within the skla'vin psyche, and has made their people a great ally and economic partner to Austur .
"We are as unalike in form as we are alike in heart."
- Leeza of Rothum's Bay, Maitr of the Sita Alorum (783AS)
Origin/Ancestry
unknown
Lifespan
unknown
Average Height
1.8m to 5m
Average Weight
80kg to 3000kg
Geographic Distribution
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