Griavin (Vjin: gríav̀in; /gríāɸ͎̀īn/) are a tall species known as mediators and peacekeepers. They originate on a small moon with very low gravity, and therefore require powered exoskeletons in medium and high gravity environments.
Basic Information
Anatomy
The Griavin are one of several examples of the bipedal "humanoid" body plan. They are adapted to very low gravity environments due to their place of origin, which shows in several uncommon biological traits. They are very tall and on average, with a skeletal structure too weak to support their weight in higher gravity environments. Commonly, Griavin use specialized powered exoskeletons to aid them overcome these difficulties.
They have thin scales on their arms, legs, and heads, as well as a skin membrane that can be stretched between their arms, and torso, with a specialized outermost finger which is used to stretch and shape the membrane, that allows them to fly short distances in their native environments. Even with an exoskeleton, this does not transfer to higher gravity environments due to the amount of lift produced being simply too little.
The head of the Griavin is long and narrow, ending in a pointed nose, with a long neck supporting it and allowing a wide range of motion. Their eyes sit very far back near the connection between the head and the neck, shortening the distance to the Griavin brain which sits in the upper torso.
Genetics and Reproduction
Griavin are sexually trimorphic; besides the more common male and female, there is a third sex called jrańì (/ʑrān̄ì/), roughly translated as "bearer". Whereas males and females provide the gametes, only the jrani are capable of carrying a developing fetus. Jrani make up only roughly 10% of the population, and are afforded special status. A portion of jrani professionally bear children for others, which is considered one of the most valuable professions in griavin society, while others enter small-group relationships.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Evolving from swarm animals, Griavin developed an unusual amorphous social structure sometimes referred to as "pseudo-eusocial" that functioned with very little large-scale hierarchy for a long time. In modern times, their social structure is more regulated but still bears elements of the swarm structure. Children are raised not by parents, but by the community as a whole. Education focuses on training on the job from an early age in many cases, and the education and career paths of youth are selected in part by the entire community.
The Griavin, in part due to this social structure, highly value peace and cooperation and are known as strong diplomats and mediators, as well as the key founding member of the Unified Deep Space Administration.
Civilization and Culture
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Griavin are unable to produce many of the sounds typically used in other languages, and correspondingly their languages are fairly limited in terms of basic consonant and vowel inventory. In compensation, they make use of additional pitched whistling sounds produced in the Griavin breathing organs, and often also add pitch and length distinction to vowels. The whistling components of the Griavin languages are believed to have originated from a separate set of calls used over large distances and in flight, which was later integrated into language.
Common Dress Code
In formal settings, it is common for griavin to conceal their faces, often using elaborate masks, called rìrxan. It is common for a social group to match colors and style of these masks to some degree, while still keeping them distinct enough to easily tell people apart. References to these masks are common in sayings and euphemisms in Griavin languages, for example the term rìrxannàà díanta (people of the masks) referring to high society, or rìrxanar tiaixír (to disagree through masks) referring to formal debate.
Griavin clothing is disinguished by its avoidance of covering the arms and the sides of the torso, such as to allow the flight membrane to be stretched without removing clothing. Their clothing also tends to be fairly light, in line with the warm climate of their homeworld and their preference to avoid unnecessary weight for flight.
History
Due to their innate flight abilities and their homeworlds low gravity and planetary neighborhood, the Griavin developed significant aerospace technology at a very early stage in their development, and conducted extensive colonization efforts of the neighboring moons. A demand for shorter travel times inside the colonized system drove a large concerted research program into FTL technology, which resulted in the Griavin becoming the first FTL-capable species in a large radius.
They continued to develop their FTL technology and assist species who recently developed FTL in furthering theirs, leading to a loose network of alliances that eventually became the Unified Deep Space Administration.
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