Scaraquan cyclopes
Driven to the point of near extinction, the surviving cyclopes have been scattered apart for so long that most surviving cyclopes enclaves believes they are the last of their kind. The Scaraquan cyclopes are no exception. They are completely oblivious that there are enclaves of cyclopes living in Scarterra.
It's possible that through sheer dumb luck one of the surviving Scarterran cyclopes ethnicity might discover each other. Some of the Lunatan cyclopes have spoken with sailors from Penarchia who have probably at least heard stories about the Penarchian cyclopes.
But what even the most well traveled Scarterran cyclopes probably don't know is that Scaraqua has it's own race of cyclopes, sometimes called (at least on this article) seaclopes. Seaclopes are for their part, also unaware that they have cousins living above the surface of the sea in Scarterra.
Even though there are a lot of seaclopes swimming not far from Cyclops Island, it is extremely unlikely that any Scarterran cyclops will ever meet a seaclops.
Many Scaraquans have a limited ability to survive a several minutes or even a few days on land without magical assistance. Seaclopes do not have this ability. Without magical assistance, they will begin suffocate immediately upon leaving the water. Seaclopes are very much creatures of the sea floor and have very little interest in exploring the surface world, especially since they don't like to rely on others for vital things and the seaclopes have very of their own spell-casters capable of casting spells to allow air breathing.
Seaclopes are not a major player in Scaraquan events. There are millions of Merfolk, Karakhai, Ojiongo, and Astakalians aka Scuttlers, but there are only a few thousand Seaclopes swimming the seas.
Their most unique ability is their near total immunity to extreme heat. Seaclops are able to handle just about anything cooler than bubbling magma. They can survive literally boiling water almost indefinitely. Though boiling water tends to deplete the water of oxygen fast, so this is vaguely similar to humans breathing the thin oxygen of extreme high altitudes
Seaclopes will usually put their lairs near sites of Geothermal activity, avoiding literally boiling water but picking areas that are far too hot for other Scaraquans to survive long in. Seaclops normally only leave to hunt, forage, or barter for food elsewhere, but it means they are almost untouchable while sleeping and resting in their homes.
Life cycle and Society
Males and females are about the same size. Both tend to weigh between six and seven hundred pounds and stand around eight feet tall. In general, males are more likely to focus on developing their combat skills and females are more likely to focus on developing their crafting skills but there are exceptions on both sides. Every cyclops is expected to demonstrate at least basic ability to craft metal weapons and know how to use them. Unlike their land based cousins, seaclopes are matriarchal with women leading most clans. Monogamy is not really something Scaraquan cyclopes value, and since paternity is difficult to establish, mothers are usually the primary caregiver though it should be noted that Seaclopes are generally loyal to their race as a whole and accept that it takes a village to raise a child. Most Seaclopes live and work in clans ranging from 30 to 200 members, usually about in four of whom are children or adolescents. Mothers and fathers (and honorary aunts and uncles from the clan) all tend to be harsh parents but they believe they are harsh for their children’s own good. Cyclopes parents and mentors take pride in having lots of children and in having strong and successful children. Seaclopes will pay lip service to the Oshamni Empire or any other powerful group near them as convenient, but their true loyalty is to their own kind. Because of their patriotism for their clan, Seaclopes are less prone to fight their own kind than Scarterran Cyclopes often are. Relations between different Scaraquan cyclopes clans are usually pretty cordial. It's common for clans to meet to exchange members periodically to keep their bloodlines from getting too inbred. Different clans will usually help each other with favorable trade deals and will often come to each other's aid militarily too. .Religious Practices
Most seaclopes pay lip service to the Seeyirah, the daughters/sisters of the Sea and worship the Sons of the Sea Floor as their primary spiritual parents thanking them for their endurance and the rich resources of the Sea Floor which they claim as their primary home. Seaclopes have fairly few divine spell casters among them and even fewer arcane casters, but Seaclopes are disproportionately likely to be spirit loas. This has led to filial piety becoming an important aspect of their spiritual life. The Seaclopes do not keep detailed records or monuments to specific ancestors, so they tend to pray to the ancestors in abstract sense which fits their lifestyle because they tend to be loyal to their clan as a unit and not the individuals within their clan.Basic Information
Anatomy
Seaclopes have webbed toes and retractable webbing on their hands, and gills instead of lungs. But apart from this they are nearly physiologically indistinguishable from land cyclopes.
Growth Rate & Stages
Seaclopes have the same expected lifespan as their land based cousins. Seaclopes usually succumb to old age before sixty, though a lucky few make it to seventy. Males and females remain fertile until about fifty. Cyclopes mature quickly reaching full adulthood around age fifteen. Cyclops pregnancy lasts about nine months. Like the Scarterran Cyclopes, Seaclopes are usually born as fraternal twins.
Civilization and Culture
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Seaclopes are good at working with their hands and building things. So are Astalakians who greatly outnumber them and favor the same environments so the Seaclopes trading niche has been somewhat coopted.
What sets the Seaclopes apart from the Astalakians (and every other Scaraquan) is that the Seaclops are mostly immune to extreme heat which means they are the only Scaraquans that can work at a metal forge underwater without needing to set up a forge on land or creating a magical pocket of air.
Seaclopes trade in forged metal goods and they use this to buy influence in Scaraquan nations to control wealth and political power disproportionate to their small numbers.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Lifespan
60 years
Geographic Distribution
Related Technologies
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