Aguàlan (Ah-gwah-lin)
Born from the Sky, Bound to the Sea
Description
Calling the stormy coasts of The Borrascèl Archipelago home, The Aguàlans are a fairly statuesque avian race usually standing in at around 6½ to 7 feet tall with some giants even reaching up to 7½ feet. A fact which they are quite often reminded of when attempting to weave through the various low-hanging decks of a ship. However, despite their height they are lighter than most races of a comparable size would be due to their hollow bones, averaging around 150 to 250lbs. As a result they are able to endure a fall from a height they otherwise shouldn't. This doesn't necessarily mean that they'll come out unscathed it just won't be fatal for the Aguàlan, particularly coming in handy when scaling the sheer karstic cliffs of the archipelago or the towering masts and rigging of a vessel.
Constituting the majority demographic of The Escàrpês Maritime Republics, numerous elements of Escarpish culture have been derived from the various quirks and mannerisms of The Aguàlans themselves:
Cliff-Dwelling Kleptomaniacs
The Aguàlans Midasian lust for wealth and gold rivals that of no other; traveling to every corner of the known world and then some in order to find that next hand to shake, that next bargain to find. Indeed, one would be hard-pressed to find a port city within the waters of Terra Speculae that doesn't have at least a couple cargo vessels helmed by them at their docks. Not all Aguàlans are so keen on making a living off such. . . "bureaucratic" methods, however, and would rather pursue a more piratical, libertarian means of making a living; sailing the high seas wherever the wind takes them in search of hidden treasures to uncover and piles of booty to plunder. It is not uncommon for an Aguàlan to slather themselves with the various fineries they've accumulated over their adventures, a social signal to others regarding just exactly where they stand in the pecking order. Some will even go so far as to get artisanal beak-caps made, often at great personal expense, decorated with a whole manner of engravings, inlays, and insets.
Silver-Tongued Seafarers
Possessing incredible verbal intelligence and an exquisitely coloured oral history, Aguàlans can trap even the most canny of listeners into an agreement they didn't even know they made in the first place. It seems as though Aguàlans have a shanty or story for every occasion, their bards and minstrels being renowned the world over for their musical talents. Yet the last words anybody wants to hear come out of one of their mouths are "This reminds me of the time when. . . " for if it's not nipped in the bud at that exact moment then a meandering, excruciatingly long monologue of no particular point or importance is sure to commence. Able to fluff the feathers of even the most cynical of souls, they know precisely which buttons to push when it comes to sweetening the pot for a future trade deal or diffusing a tense political situation; a skill in which they are not above using for their own personal benefit. One must tread carefully when speaking with them, for their true intentions are hidden behind the smoke and mirrors of false-compliments, half-truths, and outright fabrication.
Masters of the Bluff
Lacking the facial muscles normally found amongst the other races, Aguàlans have a reputation for being stone-faced and hard-to-read. This often leads to frustration when trying to express themselves with others during the rare occasion when they want to do so honestly. Although they have a tendency to take advantage of the situation under most circumstances and as an added bonus they often clear house in games where stoicism is paramount.
Appearances Matter
Subsequently even other Aguàlans can have difficulty in discerning eachothers actual feelings during any particular point in a conversation, especially with ideas that mere tone alone cannot express. In order to combat this they have developed a complicated system of assorted subtle postures, gestures, and stance changes intended to relay the relevant emotional information. These meanings can range all the way from "I am listening attentively" to "Your mother was the town wharf" and can be as slight as a couple degrees variance in head tilt. This level of gestural sophistication is a natural development from their early days in the archipelago, where the absolute hyper-awareness of one's body was a requirement for simply surviving in the harsh unforgiving evironment of their homeland, where one single misstep could mean the difference between life and death.
Heart of an Eagle
In contrast to the cold and calculative exterior, deep within the heart of almost every single Aguàlan lies the spirit of an indominatable raptor; an inquenchable desire for adventure and freedom and all the fiery passion that comes along with it. It's this very passion that exposed them to the wider world, nestlings as they were, and to it's wider oppurtunity of not just peoples, but profits as well. In part it's what keeps them spurring on ever forward, ever in pursuit of what lies beyond whether that be through ship or sale. At the same time it's also what's holding them back, as their natural distrust of authority alongside the fractured nature of The Borrascél Archipelago has never led them to unifying to the same extent as other noteworthy civilizations have.
Birds of a Feather
Nevertheless if they didn't have a common thread to tie them together they would have disappeared long ago. For The Aguàlans that thread is family, and it's in their family where the entirety of their loyalty lies. Monogamous to a fault, once Aguàlans pair up they don't pair down and their love for eachother never ceases until the day they die. From that point on their actions are meant to improve the unit as a totality rather than themselves as individuals; with one going out risking life and limb in order to provide for their loved ones while the other stays back ensuring that their offspring grow up to be loved and well-adjusted, dealing with the feeling of claustrophobia that naturally comes along with being so innately tethered. Both make unbelievably important and necessary sacrifices in order for them to prosper as a group in a world that can be otherwise harmful to the completely atomised individual.
Civilization and Culture
Major Organizations
Navians
Lifespan
~70 years
Average Height
6½ - 7 feet
Average Weight
150lbs - 250lbs
Mother Tongue
Escarpish
Primary Organization
The Escàrpês Maritime Republics
Common Male Names:
Quillermo, Aguido, Pájarico, Cuernan
Common Female Names:
Periquina, Alondra, Lora, Palomina, Gallinda
by Midjourney
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