Chuāceshāuh

Some say the Chuāceshāuh are as old as the natural world, that the blood in their veins is the same as the primordial beings that created Ngiachpaun. No one knows for sure, especially given how insular and few in number they are. The name Chuāceshāuh comes from the Ixaili words "fey" and "celestial", the name coming from their similar Fey origin as the The Isneaqian along with their relation to Qohuishán.
Long ago, when celestials and gods still walked the earth, a mortal mage fell in love with the god Nguozo. Together, they had a child, the blind demi-god Izâl, the first offspring of gods and mortals. When the pantheon discovered the existence of this child, it started a heated argument between the gods. The pantheon neglected it's duties as deities as they fought over whether or not the gods should be allowed children, if Izâl should be allowed on the pantheon, if Nguozo should be punished for lying with a mortal. The arguing quickly escalated to a war that tore the pantheon apart. Concerned for their child's safety, Nguozo sent Izâl down to the mortal plane to hide, leaving them atop a high mountain in the middle of a barren desert. While the pantheon still raged, Izâl came down from the mountain and explored the island they had been sent to. They eventually stumbled across a thick tropical forest on the southern half of the island, where he encountered the first being he had met on the mortal plane. A shapeshifting Archfey, Ápɤ, who had been exiled when the Isneaq disbanded. Though nervous at first, Ápɤ quickly grew close to Izâl and later, they fell in love. Atop the southern mountains, they had a child, Qɵpâh, first of the Chuāceshāuh.
From them, grew the Chuāceshāuh and The Ixaili Tribe, descendants of a celestial's child and an Archfey. The tribe became protectors of the natural world that Ápɤ had always strived to preserve, and peaceful diplomats like the demi-god Izâl. Even after Izâl and Ápɤ passed from the mortal plane, the Ixaili continued to thrive. Nguozo themselves abandoned the council of the pantheon to watch over his children, eventually gifting them the True Sight to help guide them through their lives. Those infected by Jotâni, or otherwise corrupted or descended from Jotâni, however, live separate from The Ixaili Tribe. These Chuāceshāuh, known as Nɤtlwán are their own separate ethnic group and nation.
Now the Chuāceshāuh mostly exist as the shapeshifting earthen mages native to the islands of Xáou lɤá.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Appereance

Humanoid in appearance. The Chuāceshāuh have medium to dark skin, with freckles and dark patches of skin in similar patterns to vitiligo. Hair texture ranges from curly to kinky, and is typically dark brown or black. They tend to be of moderate height, much like humans, though their height varies between ethnic groups. Their eyes, when juvenile, are dark brown/black with flecks and streaks of a brilliant cyan, silver, and/or gold. Adults eyes are always a milky white or pale blue with no defined pupils or irises, if eyes are still extant. Young Chuāceshāuh tend to have the most humanoid appearance, the only hint of their bloodline being their pointy ears, eye coloring, and skin patterns. Juvenile Chuāceshāuh start to grow horns or antlers, and their pupils/irises start to fade or cloud over. As adults, Chuāceshāuh grow more fully into their shapeshifting and gain the ability to fully change their appearance. How the Ixaili presents may vary, eyes may disappear completely, fingers can turn to claws, bony growths can appear on the skin, bone or limb structure can change. In their adult form, generally, their appearance can be likened to Nguozo's natural form, and/or Ápɤ's true form.

Unique Attributes

As a species, the Chuāceshāuh look fairly humanoid, though due to their environment, have adapted to thrive in harsh environments. In general, the Chuāceshāuh can endure much more heat than a human, in some cases believed to even have a resistance to fire. The different ethnic groups have evolved slightly differently, based on their environment. Such evolutions include:

• Increased water retention

• Decreased sweat glands

• Thick, sometimes scaled skin

• Gills

• Secondary eyelids

• Super hearing

Growth Rate & Stages

There are 3 main stages of Chuāceshāuh growth, which are reflected in the Ixaili Naming Tradition.

1. Young

1. Juvenile

1. Adult

Young Ixaili

Typically between 0 and 20-25

Juvenile Ixaili

Typically between 25 and 45

Adult Ixaili

Typically 45 and older

In The Ixaili Tribe there are subdivisions of age groups, as the adult age group can cover hundreds of cycles. Secondary groups include:

• Young adults: 35 - 75 cycles

• "Adult" : 75 - 150 cycles

• Middle age: 150 - 300

• Elder: 300+

Ecology and Habitats

The Ixaili live in biomes in harsh tropical and subtropical biomes- savannahs, deserts, rainforests, desert scrubs, dry forests, and wet forests. The biomes of their homeland include steam forests, furnacelands, alpine, and red deserts. They are unaccustomed and normally fail to thrive to colder biomes. However, Ixaili living in temperate to polar biomes is not unheard of, just incredibly rare.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Chuāceshāuh don't require much food to function, and as such have no need for farming and instead hunt and gather food as needed. As opposed to having multiple meals a day, the Chuāceshāuh tend to eat a large meal every few days. The dishes vary among the ethnic groups but generally involve spiced meat, fruits, and greens.

Biological Cycle

The Chuāceshāuh's native land, Yopál has little change in seasons aside from wet and dry seasons. Most seasonal changes are seen in the Northern and Southern ethnic groups of The Ixaili Tribe. During dry seasons, Northern Ixaili's scales tend to thicken, and Southern Ixaili tend to have shorter work days to allow for soaking in the rivers.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Native to Yopál

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

All adult Ixaili are blind. They are perhaps best known for their ability to sense and manipulate auras- which aids them due to their lack of vision. However, other magics they excel in include (but are not limited to):

• Earth/Plant Magics

• Divination

• Shapeshifting

• Transmutation

• Psionic abilities

• Other elemental magics

Scientific Name

Terraetherum anoculomagos

Origin/Ancestry

Fey, Celestial

Lifespan

900+

Conservation Status

Endangered

Average Height

4'8 - 6'5

Average Weight

100-200lbs

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Medium to dark skin with either dark splotches and spots or vitiligo-like splotches and spots.

Related Ethnicities

• Northern Ixaili
• Southern Ixaili
• The Ixaili Tribe