Laidian

The Laidians are a race of short, kind-hearted, and huggable purple people. They are very kind and welcoming, though wary of non-Laidians due to their past. Due to their flighty, worried nature, Laidians can easily be mistaken for defenseless idiots.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Short (generally between the 4'5" - 5'0" range), heavy-set, stocky. Minimal sexual dimorphism.
Can have anywhere from two to six eyes. Sharp canines in front of mouth, molars in back.

Biological Traits

Karedian: tend to be taller (by 2-3 inches), lighter, and have tall-height mutations
(?): shorter, heavier, have odd-numbered eye mutations (specifically: 5, 7 eyes)

Genetics and Reproduction

Reproduces sexually. Gestation period: 6-7 months

Growth Rate & Stages

Growth rate similar to humans, with stages of life being generally at the same time, with some exception to teen and young adult years.
Baby: 0-3 Toddler: 4-5 Child: 6-9 Teen: 10-14 Young Adult: 16-20 Adult: 20-34 Elderly: 35+

Ecology and Habitats

Optimal environment: cold weather areas, high altitudes Can live in any environment except deserts and other extremely hot areas.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Omnivorous.
Need/Can eat: Fish, meat, milk (goat), eggs, soft fruit, potatoes Can not eat: Citrus, poisonous tubers/plants, any berries (exception: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and similar)
Largely foragers, as they do not have much room to farm. Raise livestock (mountain goats, sheep, llamas, chickens), fish, and cultivate small, communal plots of potatoes.

Additional Information

Facial characteristics

Two to six eyes, equally spaced (often in triangular/rectangular organization if above two). Hair is blue, most commonly in shades of navy, tardis, or imperial.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Only found in Sila.

Average Intelligence

80-90 IQ

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Very good hearing, sight, and touch. However, their taste and smell are terrible due to the aforementioned physical abnormalities.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Names often in two to three parts, forming a word or phrase in their language unique to the individual Laidian. No distinctly male/female names.
ex. Oja, Mada, Rena, Rujo, Objia, Jiax, Saijia
Laidians are not given names until they accomplish something or find something that defines them. For example, a Laidian who finds they are very passionate about preserving family will likely be named something along the lines of 'Rena' (meaning 'protector'), 'Tati' (meaning 'tradition' or 'traditional'), or 'Bapi' (meaning 'parent' or 'reletive'). Laidians are named by the community, who choose names offered up by the Laidia or the Laidian's family.

Beauty Ideals

Laidians with pinkish skin are considered very beautiful, as are ones with gradient eyes. This is not relegated to only male or female Laidians, as there is little sexual dimorphism in the species, in addition to the fact their typical dress reveals very little (and thus, at a glance, one can not tell if a Laidian is a male or female).

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Due to small population, Laidians all generally live within the same area. This leads to there being only two distinct dialects of Laidian language: one spoken between natural-born Laidians, and one spoken between Laidian and other species (ex. Vastaya, Ionian, etc).
With the latter dialect, the responsibility of learning the language is on the other species, and not on the Laidians to teach them. This does not mean Laidians are unwilling to help, but they expect other species to come to them and ask for help, rather than seeking them out and forcing their language upon them/teaching them their language.
With the former, all natural-born Laidians learn it in childhood.

Common Etiquette Rules

Greetings: Between Laidians, there is little to no formality. Greetings are usually casual, energetic, and generally involve hugging. From other species to Laidians, greetings are expected to be respectful, and on some occasions extremely formal. From Laidians to a memeber of another species, greetings are always respectful, but it is not expected of the Laidian to be formal*.

Conversation: Laidians are very touchy. They often hold hands, hug, cuddle, or huddle together when speaking to one another**. While this is an expectation, Laidians will understand if a conversation partner does not want to be touched, and will respect that throuout the conversation. When speaking directly so someone, it's expected to look them in the eye when you begin, however eye contact is not required throughout the interaction. This is just to make sure who, exactly, you are talking to - as according to Laidian grammar you never start a sentence with someone's name, it must be either at the end or right after the first or second word in your sentence***.

*This does not mean Laidians do not give formal greetings. Some do, some don't. It's up to the Laidian to decide. **See 'taboos' section for exemptions. ***This rule isn't followed when speaking about general designations (ex. 'rabbits', 'ghosts') or designations of inanimate things (ex. 'chairs', 'tables'), only specific designations meant to refer to someone.

Common Dress Code

Practical dress depending on the weather and your profession, however every outfit must utilize a traditional Laidian two-layered cloak called a 'enae'.
Enae are used to keep the wearer warm and/or protect them against wind. There are three styles of enae. Winter style (inside is completely covered by goat/sheep's wool, outside has a layer of hide/cloth), Spring style (same as winter style, minus the goat/sheep's wool, hide/cloth is treated by either magical or natural means and do not soak up water), and Battle style (a combination of both, made to be light and flexible).

Common Taboos

One must never touch, pull, cut, or style a Laidian's hair without explicit permission to do so.

Historical Figures

First Laidia, Obji, Obijiax Oke Laia, Rena Oke

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Laidians are very weary of any non-Laidian. They are especially distrusting to Ionians, and are scared of/intimidated by the Vastaya.
Laidians think Ionians are fools and hypocrites.

Lifespan

38 years

Average Height

4'11 (~1.5 meters)

Average Weight

150-200 pounds (~68-91 kilograms)

Average Physique

Fit, appears chubby

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Soft, purple skin, slightly mottled. Will occasionally have birthmarks.

Related Ethnicities

• Jekedians
• Karedian

Related Myths

• Sel's Fall