Vathmus

Basic Information

Anatomy

The Vathmus are a race of mouse-like humanoids, standing between 120 to 155cm in height. They have several distinguishing features, most notably their long tails which measure up to 3ft in length and sometimes end in tufts of fur. Their build is much lither than that of other races, with most adults easily weighing less than 45kg. They also possess very sharp teeth with the majority of the top and bottom row containing incisor like points. Their feet are longer than most and have clawed ends, making footwear uncommon amongst them. The facial features of the Vathmus tend to be similar to humans, if a little more narrow and sharper, their ears are larger and more akin to a small rodent's, however the size of these can vary drastically from individual to individual.

Genetics and Reproduction

Vathmus males will typically take two or three partners with whom he will mate with; the physically larger males offering protection in the harsh underworld of the lower city. Families tend to be rather large, with females giving birth to as many as 6 or 7 young at a time, of which approximately 2 can be expected to reach their 5th birthday. Vathmus tend to construct nesting chambers in their homes, segregated away from the main rooms in case of a hostile incursion, this instinct extends to the preservation of their young regardless of their current location and Vathmus living nearer to the surface have often found themselves in trouble for 'nesting' habits in less suitable environments.

Growth Rate & Stages

The Vathmus reach adulthood at approximately 5 or 6 years of age and will typically live approximately 40 years. Although it takes a full 5 years on average for them to mature, they develop with rapidity, being able to walk within a few days, and run within a few weeks. They very quickly attune to their environment and begin to sense and process the world around them, Vathmus that are unable to do so very rarely survive beyond their first or second year.

Ecology and Habitats

The Vathmus primarily dwell in the upper reaches of the lower city, though many do live in the upper city, most prefer simply to make excursions up to it rather than reside there permanently. Being a distrustful people, the Vathmus's instinct is to avoid strangers and potential dangers, and the often maze like corridors, nooks and crannies of the lower city suit them in this regard. Their brilliant sense of smell helps with this, something that is sometimes hampered by the frequent dust and sandstorms that plague the upper city. The Vathmus are just as inclined to heat as humans, but typically prefer the lower city due to the propensity for shade, owing to the fact that they find it harder to regulate their body temperature.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Vathmus are omnivores and not too picky about what they eat at that. The concept of 'cuisine' is a confusing and strange idea to them as food is simply a means to survive and nothing more, that said they are certainly not ungrateful eaters and to gift or be gifted food by someone outside of the family unit is often seen as a sign of great trust or honour, those who would offer a Vathmus food too readily are viewed with suspicion. They will however, happily devour any food they are served, be it peasant's gruel or a noble's feast, it is all good to them.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

The Vathmus have an extraordinary sense of smell compared to that of other races, good enough that they can detect the presence of others in a dark room with them and even determine the race of said individuals if they have encountered them before. Their other senses are no better nor worse than what might be expected of most humanoid races in the Endless city.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

The Vathmus language relies heavily on front of mouth sounds, with names forming convoluted strings of consonants comprising of three parts, a given name, paternal name, and a settlement name.


Examples of Vathmus settlement names:

• Vessari
• Alshira
• Hariss
• Alyashimn
• Shanmiri
  
  

Examples of Male names:

• Imratoam
• Talmnus
• Ummastart
• Ahinadab
• Azmelqart

Examples of Female names:

• Sikarmaal
• Paltimaal
• Maaliaton
• Shimuhmn
• Abidmilki

Major Organizations

Each Vathmus settlement is governed by a council of the heads of the largest families in it, almost entirely male. Each settlement is strictly independent from each other with little to no influence other than those found through common social and instinctual bonds. The only pan-Vathmus organisations to exist are the Harussi, the wandering shamans that travel between settlements acting as a hybrid between medicine men/women, religious leaders, and teachers, and the Wa'Sahrenni, a loose coalition of fighters drawn from each settlement that tracks and culls infestations from The Deep as well as keeps the secret routes between the Vathmus settlements clear. This group has no military role against other Vathmusi or against those from the surface as it is too busy dealing with the constant trials and dangers posed from living in the lower city.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Musi is the language of the Vathmus, the language is often described as being soft and melodic. The language has major dialectic shifts from settlement to settlement as new words, idioms and phrases creep in to describe the localised phenomena in the lower city, which are highly variable according to location.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

The Vathmusi culture is one of survival and pragmatism, the strong survive and the weak are destined to die. Vathmusi children who show little promise of growing up strong are often abandoned in the tunnels at an extremely young age, with the belief in mind that it is better to end their lives sooner than to be cruel and prolong the inevitable before they can contribute the resources it took to raise them back into the clan. With this ethos in mind, it is easier to understand the mindset of the Vathmus and how it affects their culture. Physical ability, loyalty, and obedience are often the most valued attributes in a Vathmusi settlement, which themselves appear very spartan in appearance, simple shapes cut and worked to functionality.

They themselves wear clothing that blends with their surroundings, they eschew jewellery made of precious metals, preferring those of wood or stone that match the earthy tones of their clothing. It is common for the Vathmus to wear veils or masks that obscure their faces or features so that it is easier for them to remain hidden amongst the ruins.

Vathmus culture is very patriarchal, with the rule of 'might makes right' being the most common route to power in most Vathmus settlements. This can lead to conflicts within them that range from minor scuffles, to family feuds, more than one Vathmus settlement has fallen due to bitter infighting resulting in a predatory enemy beyond the gates seizing their moment of opportunity.
Hand in hand with this approach goes a very militaristic lifestyle, the young are taught to fight early and a sense of order is distilled into them, many males will end up as fighters in either a settlement's guard system or in one of the teams that scouts and attempts to keep sections of the lower city clear from monsters. Whilst females typically tend to the civil affairs in settlements, though they too are expected to fight tooth and nail in times of crisis.

Common Taboos

To the Vathmus, the greatest taboo is that of disobedience. Raised in a society where trust in your elders and superiors was often the deciding factor between life and death, choosing to disobey is seen as the highest taboo as it not only endangers one's own life but potentially also those around you as well.

History

The Vathmus have always had a dangerous and terrifying existence, having eeked out an existence in the lower ruins they have constantly faced the threats that come with the territory. Early Vathmus history is difficult to pin down as matters of origin and culture were less important in the old times than surviving long enough to tell them, of those fragments that are known it is unclear when and how the events transpired. The Vathmus believe that they first came to prominence through the actions of their forefathers carving out civilisation in adversity, whilst it is more likely that this is a more romanticised telling of reality.

Unfortunately, stability is hard-won and seldom long-lasting in the lower city, the Vathmus faced the death of their early civilisation many times over, constant raids from creatures below and an inability to tolerate living further up put them between a rock and a hard place. This culminated in an attempt to divert water to sustain the largest of their early settlement going disastrously wrong, leading to it flooding and washing away almost the entire population away through the ruins to drown in the depths.

The Vathmus are however a resilient people, and the survivors of their great disaster spread out across the lower ruins, settling in new homes across the region. Several centuries of what could be called stability followed, or what could be called stable for the Lower City, the occasional insurrection of creatures from below or minor settlement collapsing on the periphery of the Vathmusi's new territories. Before too long, however, the Vathmus would come into contact with the Upper City and with it the civilisations that reside there.
No one knows who fired the first shot, but someone did and a skirmish boiled over into a series of battles which turned into a war of aggression, with the Human-Unmau-Iaressi forces bearing down on the Vathmus from above, depleted from the aftermath of the Iaressi Punitive war, but able to enter into the lower city and besiege several Vathmus settlements before being repelled. The war would continue for 22 years, before coming to a close, with two hundred years of cold war following.

The cold always thaws, however, and in recent centuries diplomatic envoys between the League in the upper city and the Vathmus settlements have resulted in further treaties and opening of minor trade routes and importantly, passages through to the lower city for relic hunters.
The Vathmus still, face constant insurrection from creature attacks from the depths below, rumours of swarm activity for the first time in centuries have been circulating amongst travellers between the settlements, and some Wa'Sahrenni groups have not returned from their duties in the Lower City, recent food shortages caused by localised changes in climate and weather in the lower city have caused famines and droughts amongst some settlements, leading to a degree of dependency on the relief efforts of the Upper city in some Vathmusi settlements, further stoking the paranoia of some but relaxing it in others.

Common Myths and Legends

Perhaps the legend with the most circulation to it, at least in recent times, is that of the entity that the Vathmus refer to as As'Shuul 'The Swarm'. They tell of a great torrent of creatures that infest the deep below the lower city, a ravening horde that swarms through convoluted and compact tunnels and ruins, an omnipresent threat to those that try to delve deeper into the city's depths.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

The Vathmusi introduction to the other races was through bloodshed, followed by centuries of suspicion and distrust. Whilst that distrust lingers, diplomatic efforts have warmed the Vathmus enough to allow small trading envoys and groups to and from their settlements and those in the upper city. In the past century it has become more common to encounter Vathmus in the towns and villages further up and relations appear to be generally normalising.

Geographic Distribution

• The Lower City
• The Upper City