Miwa
Most persons are betrayed by those they trust, but only the most unfortunate ones are betrayed by those they never even considered.Serving as a loyal and submissive slave species to Ikona for thousands of years, the Miwa were generally seen more as a useful tool than an actual species. The fact that various groups of "feral" Miwa existed outside of enslavement did little to change this perception, given that it was relatively easy to "domesticate" these groups. Even the destruction of the Old Ikona Empire during the events of the Second Spring didn't end the enslavement of the Miwa, as various other species and factions stepped in to replace the Ikona as the new masters of the Miwa. Yet unlike their previous servitude beneath the Iron Lords of the Old Empire, this new period of enslavement shouldn't last for long. In a turn of events that surprised both the Miwa and their masters the Miwa suddenly rebelled against a system of enslavement and submission that had been engrained into their genetic code through of eons of servitude. This so-called "Great Uprising" plunged large parts of Cenorad into chaos as thousands bleed and died in a conflict none had even thought to be possible.
Basic Information
Anatomy
The Miwa are bipedal humanoids that possess pale skin which is covered by a rather sparse hair coat. While their appearance might resemble that of the Ikona, they possess various traits that clearly separate them from the species of their former masters.
In general, their bodies are far less streamlined and also lack the total symmetry of the Ikona. Additionally, their morphology is generally notably bulkier and less delicate than that of the Ikona.
One of the more notable differences between the Miwa and the Ikona is the fact that the Miwa lack the pointed ears of the Ikona and instead possess a far more rounded auricle. Furthermore, the Miwa also possess fully developed feet instead of the conical fused feet of the Ikona, given that they lack the Ikona's River Gliding Ability. Due to these differences the Ikona commonly referred to their Miwa slaves as either Achnoc ("Round Ear") or Sutatidep ("Club foot people").
Biological Traits
I live to serve. ~ Unnamed Ni-Medif
Veins of Glass
The veins of all Miwa possess a shimmering appearance highly reminiscent of stained glass. The exact coloration of these veins not only indicates the Strain of a Miwa but also indicates their current state of health, with weaker colorations generally hinting at a severe illness or old age. The coloration of the veins also corresponds to the colors of a Miwa's "Veingem", which is a gem-like object formed from the crystallized blood of a Miwa that can commonly be found within the skin of certain Miwa Strains.Genetic Strains
While most species view the Miwa as a uniform mass of rebellious slaves, the Miwa are in fact divided into various subspecies known as Strains or Veinlines. Xenarg-Strain Also known as the "Imperial Strain", this strain is the most common and widespread of all strains and forms the population of the Vitreous Empire. The vein-colors of this strain is highly varied and ranges from a muddy brown to a vibrant blue or purple. Out of all strains, the Xenarg-Strain possesses the most unstable genome and is therefore highly susceptible to genetic diseases and mutations. Additional the few members of the Strain that are capable of sexual reproduction possess a high chance of birthing a Muli'he. Glabahra-Strain The second most common strain, the Galbahra-Strain is notable for its eusocial lifestyle, which revolves around an offspring producing Alpha female and her small harem of fertile males, which rule over a large workforce of sterile males and females. Miwa belonging to this strain possess reddish colored veins, which together with their commonly subterranean dwellings has caused them to be nicknamed as the "Red Moles". Egica-Strain Referred to as the Ni-Medif ("Loyal Ones") by the descendants of the Ikona, the Egica-Strain was created from a small group of Miwa that somehow managed to withstand the "Flames of Rebellion" and therefore retained most of their submissive nature. Due to this, the Miwa of the Egica-Strain continues to serve the various subspecies of the Ikona as well as any other faction that managed to obtain one of the few remaining Incubators required for their creation. Kary'guya-Strain An all-female Strain, whose members are born via parthenogenesis from the normally sterile workers of the Glabahra-Strain. Out of all Miwa the few members of this Strain possess the greatest physical capabilities and are the only ones that are capable of engaging other species such as the Ikona in direct combat without technological or arcane assistance. Furthermore, they also lack the natural submissiveness of the Miwa and generally considered themselves to be their own masters, although a small number of "domesticated" Kary'guya are known to exist.Genetics and Reproduction
Miwa reproduction is rather complex and varies considerably between the different Strains of the species. Overall most Miwa are either completely sterile or highly restricted in their reproductive potential, which necessitates the utilization of various technical and arcane means in order to create a stable population.
Dietary Needs and Habits
While omnivorous in nature, most Miwa usually stick to a specific menu based on their local environment and religious beliefs.
Additional Information
Geographic Origin and Distribution
While the geographical distribution of the Miwa varies from strain to strain, they can generally found within the former territory of the Old Ikona Empire, given their historical connection to it.
With the ongoing expansion of the Vitreous Empire in recent years, Xenarg-Strain Miwa have become a common sight in many places of Cenorad.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
I see you successfully managed to tame your unruly hair, my dearest Sisiria. For when I looked through the mirror this morning, it still appeared rather rebellious. ~ Twin-Empress SisiriaWhen compared to the sensory capabilities of other species and creatures, the senses of the Miwa are of average to poor quality. Their most developed sense is their sense of sight, which therefore serves as their primary method of orientation. Out of their five senses, their sense of smell is the least developed one, but given the smell of the industrial complexes, most Miwa inhabits this lack of olfactory prowess is a more than a welcome blessing. In addition to their mundane senses, all Miwa possess an extrasensory ability, referred to as "Mirrorsight", which enables them to visually perceive their environment from the point of view of a sufficiently reflective surface -such as mirrors, unmoving bodies of water or pieces of polished metal- within a certain distance from their current position. While all Miwa are born with this ability only a few individuals are able to utilize it to its fullest extent.
Civilization and Culture
History
Slaves from Nowhere
For a species that had been an integral part of the Ikona's society for thousands of years, surprisingly little is known about their origins. While most assume that this is due to the Ikona simply not bothering to add this information to their own records, some truly ancient Ikona texts, which date back to the Satea of the Dark Forest, seem to indicate that the Ikona simply didn't know anything about the genesis of the Miwa.Eons of Servitude
Being quite literally own by the Ikona for a terrifyingly long period of time, it is no wonder that the history of the Miwa is inseparably linked to that of their masters. Be it the reign of Ore-Queen Sunacluv, the hardships of the Exodus, the horrors of the Long Winter or the genesis of the Old Ikona Empire, the Miwa witnesses them all, a fact that the few Miwa which still remain loyal to the Ikona's descendants regard with a great deal of pride.Old Labour, New Masters
Following the fall of the Old Ikona Empire during the Second Spring, the enslaved Miwa found themselves suddenly bereft of their masters, which understandably freaked them out, given that their brains simply couldn't comprehend the mere concept of freedom. While this masterless period was relatively short, many scholars speculate that the "freedom-shock" caused a crack in the Miwa's psyche which would eventually lead to the Great Uprising. Given that at the time no one was aware of these possibilities, it only took a few weeks before large parts of the Miwa populations found themselves in the possession of various other species and factions, which were more than happy to fill the void the absence of the Ikona had created. In addition to their new masters, some of the Ikona that managed to survive the Second Spring also began to recollect their lost property. Especially the newly created Agsimer subspecies of the Ikona, was more than happy to once again rule over the Miwa, given that they required a constants stream of freshly harvested organs in order to counteract their Affliction.The Great Uprising
Beginning in the harbor city of Kaf Fahra the Great Uprising was a sudden and unexpected mass rebellion of the Miwa against both their new and old master, which they by this point in time had served diligently for countless of years. While small scale uprisings of Miwa had also occurred previously, these had all been performed by the feral Glabahra- and Kary'guya-Strains and never the fully domesticated Miwa. Furthermore, the Miwa rose with such violence and furry, that none but the gravest of mistreatments could have explained their behavior, yet the Miwa turned against all of their masters regardless if they had treated them as honored servants or worthless cattle. In fact, the "Flame of Rebellion" spread with such speed and multiplicity through the Miwa population, that it had more in common with a virulent disease than a coordinated uprising. Despite the Miwa generally being weaker than other species in mind, body and the arcane, they managed to inflict crippling damage to all but the most militaristic of organizations. Besides their element of total surprise, the Miwa were also aided by the fact that many organizations failed to realize the severity of the whole situation, treating the reports of a mass uprising as either exaggerations or flat out lies. When they finally recognized the threat posed by the Miwa it was oftentimes already too late. Additionally, various groups also saw the Uprising as an ideal opportunity to set their very own plans for rebellion and expansion in motion, which forced many organizations to split their forces in order to deal with these new dangers, which indirectly thwarted any attempts at a timely containment of the Miwa rebellion. Due to this by the time a coherent resistance against the Miwa had finally been formed, the chaos had already engulfed nearly the entirety of Cenorad.Broken Chains
When the dust of the Great Uprising finally settled four years later, the political and in some cases even the geographical map of Cenorad had been completely redrawn. Dozens of Kingdoms and Empires had crumbled, hundreds of thousands had died and vast stretches of land had been quite literally reduced to dust. Besides the various old factions that had somehow managed to weather this storm, a new faction emerged from the conflict, which would soon become one of the most powerful realms in all of Cenorad. This new faction was the Vitreous Empire, which had build its new capital of An Hylaria directly on top of the ruins of Kaf Fahra.Themesong
Before the Uprising
After the Uprising
Genetic Descendants
Lifespan
30-122 years (Highly dependant on Strain and genetic stability)
Average Height
Males: 1.72 m
Females: 1.58 m
Average Weight
Males: 70-83 kg
Females: 54-64 kg
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Pale, almost translucent skin.
Related Myths
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