Thjan (Th-zhan)
Basic Information
Anatomy
Short, stout with tough skin and long hair, the Thjan often resemble short humans, though this is often considered an insult in Thjan cultures. Of especial note is the beards of Thjan, long braided affairs kept cleaner than their hair, as beards are often a symbol of pride for Thjan, though some Klarth Thjan on Western Orhindur disagree.
Biological Traits
Within the Thjan, there are three sub groups, the Brair, the Klarth and the Dehural, or the Bronze, Steel and Deep Thjan, respectively. While the differences between the Brair and Klarth might be mostly around hair colouration and subtle differences in shape, the Dehural are very different from their cousins on the surface. These Thjan dove down deep after the discovery of Bronze working, seeking what their scholars called the 'star metal', what they called Adamant, a metal to surpass all others. Down in their deep caverns the Dehural found their Adamant, though it had been so long since they had been to the surface that returning did not appeal to them.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Stone Eyes
Thjan often consider themselves to be blessed with what they call Stone Eyes, the ability to see in the dark near perfectly. This was thought to be some sort of supernatural ability, until further inspection revealed that Thjan have multiple layers of iris, allowing for highly specialized sight in the dark.Civilization and Culture
History
With a history dating back to the early Pre-History Era, the Thjan are actually divided into multiple 'races' which, while starting to genetically diverge, nothing significant enough has occurred for them to be considered different. These groups, the Brair (Bronze) and Klarth (Steel), have so little differences that many outsiders have driven a Thjan to rage due to mistaking one for the other. Most notably, however, is the hair colour, as Brair tend to grow red or 'bronze' hair while Klarth grow a steely black/grey, though exceptions to this have been found.
Apart from this divergence, the history of the Thjan is mostly told as before, during and after the Coalition of Bronze, a massive state on Western Orhindur formed to fight the threat of raiding Kalurai. Before this time the continents were dominated by warring city-states, during this time great progress was made and grand infrastructure was built, and after this time saw the near end of the Brair Thjan, as in 1295 BE all cities on Western Orhindur were scoured by a threat now lost to time. Modern scholars believe that this collapse was caused by agents of the Bound God, though without enough evidence this is just speculation.
Apart from this divergence, the history of the Thjan is mostly told as before, during and after the Coalition of Bronze, a massive state on Western Orhindur formed to fight the threat of raiding Kalurai. Before this time the continents were dominated by warring city-states, during this time great progress was made and grand infrastructure was built, and after this time saw the near end of the Brair Thjan, as in 1295 BE all cities on Western Orhindur were scoured by a threat now lost to time. Modern scholars believe that this collapse was caused by agents of the Bound God, though without enough evidence this is just speculation.
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