Ushad

The Ushad are usually described as a very pragmatic society. Ushad are genetically engineered humanoids, using their ingenious abilities in technology and science to propel them far ahead other societies that inhabit Nithira. Their success comes primarily from the simple fact that they have been around much longer, the organic elements that make up who they are originated from humans. Ushad are the leftovers of the past, they chose not to look back but to leap forward.

Culture

Culture and cultural heritage

One facet of Ushad culture is the fascination with small and cute animals. This may have been an old custom dating to ancient times when humans still walked the planet.  Ushad people tend to grow their own critters (name used to describe these animals), resulting in the appearance being very different and varied. One thing the Ushad are good at, is their ability to use imagination and their skills of invention. Many people from neighbouring lands find these critters irresistible, resulting in a high demand for Ushad critters to be grown and sold across seas.

Funerary and Memorial customs

When an Ushads organic casing is dying, they have the option to upload their mind to a large server that runs from an underground bunker called the Techropolis. This huge underground cemetery houses millions of terabytes worth of data containing the minds of long gone Ushad. A virtual world where they can essentially exist forever, providing that the Techropolis is running. This service comes with a cost, and there are unfortunately some that cannot afford it. There are traditional cemeteries dotted around the communities of Ushad land. No matter how technologically advanced the Ushad may be, immortality is something they have still not been able to solve.

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

As the advancement of their genetic engineering took off, Ushad beauty ideals grew more and more obscure. Many of them choose to install various forms of technology into their casing (a slang term used for the Ushad body) including microchips that monitor health, ID chips, GPS eye implants, chemical release controls, prosthetic limbs, and many more. Some of the more cosmetic enhancements that became very popular are elongated ears, LED lighting laced through the skin that changes colour, changeable eye colour, and hologram hair.

Gender Ideals

'Gender' among Ushad is a long-forgotten concept. Although they still possess reproductive organs, due to the common practice of genetic engineering, they can freely change their genitals at will with no societal implications. Those who choose to lean more into masculinity or femininity have no need to explain or defend themselves, Ushad see themselves as 'above it all' when they interact with other species who question them.

Relationship Ideals

"Knowledge is what makes an Ushad, independence is what makes you powerful" - This was a quote from an Ushad leader hundreds of years ago, a core belief that hundreds still stick to. The concept of monogamy is an outdated trend to lots of Ushad people, although there are still some that find love and end up in relationships too.