Nagas
Nagas are snake people - from waist down Nagas possess serpentine tails, and their heads have hoods like cobras. These tails, and far up their backs, connecting to and including their hoods, are covered in scales, while the rest of their body is regular skin. Due to their hoods, they do hot have hair on their heads, with even facial hair being impossible for them. Otherwise, Nagas have largely humanoid facial features, although they have some sort of hypnotic gaze as well as fangs and a forked tongue. Their tail, the most defining feature, is a useful appendage which allows them to climb, swim, and strike swiftly, but at the cost of being slower on land. Since tail propulsion is slower on land, they prefer semi-aquatic environments for the most part, which has influenced their culture quite a bit. Most Naga cities are built around shallow canals instead of streets, allowing them to move quickly but also keep part of their body out of the water. Boat-based infrastructure is also very common since it allows circumvention of their dissdvantages, though naturally the poor tend to have shoddy boats. Though Nagas are similar in form to snakes, they are warm blooded, which allows them to regulate their body temperature and gives them an advantage in the mornings over races such as the Varaiden.
Due to the strangeness of the Naga anatomy, their clothing is rather interesting. They have trouble pulling regular shirts over their head due to the wideness of their hoods, which has led to them preferring clothing clasped via buttons or otherwise tied off in some way. However, Nagas must also use special materials for clothing because being in an semi-aquatic lifestyle their clothes get wet very often, which would lead to chafing with normal materials. Thus, they prefer wool and oilskin for clothing, with a high amount of materials such as bone for more structure. Since both of these types of clothing require large amounts of upkeep, the poor often wear simpler garments. Wealthy Nagas who can afford sealskin typically wear that as it has become a status symbol. Metal armor is worn, but can be unwieldy since wearing in on the tail is difficult. Chainmail is usually preferred for this reason, as it's easier to secure anyways. While Nagas as a whole don't really have societal pressure towards garments and wouldn't bat an eye at nudity, clothes which aren't water-resistant have become a status symbol because they indicate the wealth of the Naga who can afford upkeep (especially with multiple garments). Those who can afford multiple clothes for each location and who swap between them when travelling in water are usually limited to the higher class. Though the southern tribes are more loose about this, clothing as a status symbol has entered their sphere in recent years. It should be noted that although nudity is not really a concern socially, and not necessary due to the humid climate, Nagas almost always bind their genitals for sanitation reasons (since much of their domain doesn't have super clear water).
Nagas also participate heavily in tattooing, especially in the south, where Tribal tattoos are common. In the northern and central regions it's limited to the priestly class (and occasionally other wealthy classes and houses in a more subdued way) as a way of showcasing their devotion to their religious figure, the snake queen. Tribal tattoos are seen as barbaric and lesser, and they believe tattoos should be limited to showcasing the snake queen's glory. Common tattoos in the north include snake bands around the arms, motifs of the snake queen herself, sacrificial memorials, and depictions of purported omens. Nagas who don't follow the snake queen do not use tattoos.
With all this in mind, one can easily tell what a Naga's social class is and even what region they are from. Excessive clothing that can't take much moisture but creates a particular affect almost certainly belies the leader of a major house, one who can spend a fortune on aesthetic clothing for multiple locations. Special robes and extensive tattoos denote the priests, who usually stay inside and therefore don't have to worry as much about water damage. Sealskin and similar clothing implies a more prosperous commoner, one who can afford comfort and style but not the expense of a ton of unique clothes. Simple wool or oilskin clothing is common for most regular people, while untreated woolen clothes incicate those who can no longer afford clothing. Total nudity with no tattoos is essentially reserved for the totally destitute and slaves. Total nudity with tattoos is common for the southern Nagas, who don't really have the wealthy peasantry.
Naga society has long been secret from the civilized world, as all explorers were treated with hostility. However, in the last 100 years, as colonization of Ifyrial accelerated, the Naga way of life has began to be revealed to the wider world, in part due to armed conflicts with them. Naga society is extremely matriarchal, far more than other matriarchies, with the most powerful of men are considered lesser than the lowest ranked female in their society. Each Naga country is essentially one noble house, which lends its name to the nation itself. All within a nation are considered as servants to the ruler and there is absolutely no popular expression. A powerful Naga house will usually retain several lesser houses as subjects, buffers, and as leverage during wars. Many lesser houses have voluntarily surrendered themselves to the more powerful houses which are far enough away that they are not giving up all sovereignty. This arrangement proves mutually beneficial when considering the alternatives. Naga houses are considered stronger or weaker based on their Ārṭaßß, essentially a ranking that is based on a combination of prestige, devoutness, and military strength. This ranking determines a house's place in society, and governs a number of other matters, detailed below. Nagas are highly hostile to outsiders and participate in perhaps the most violent religion of all races. Strange rituals, violent goblin hunts, and erecting monuments for their gods are all common daily events, which all seem to follow some sort of calendar. They are known to use Goblins as food slaves- though there are recorded incidents of them attempting to (and often succeeding) in eating other races as well.
Nagas believe that there can be only one Ālnnuṭra, and that the Ālnnuṭra will be revealed in the future, once one house assumes dominant control over all others. The Nagas believe that their goddess wish for them to eventually consolidate the entire Naga population into one Ālnnuṭra, with or without subjugated houses. Until this day, however, no house will be allowed to proclaim themselves as the Ālnnuṭra.
The house title of Āluṭra is rare among the Naga, being reserved for the five most powerful Naga houses at any given time. These five houses function as brokers of disputes between houses; though much of the work is delegated to lesser house members the five heads of houses convene at least once each year, barring extreme circumstances. Because the Naga power structure is built on authority, offending an Āluṭra is asking for trouble. However, ignoring their rulings (when one can get away with it) is common, since there is no real legal basis for their decisions, especially when the members tend to shuffle or change every few years. The five current Āluṭra, ranked from 1 to 5, are Āluṭra Mißßaßßtimā, Āluṭra Natarißßu, Āluṭra Āṉßßāḷar, Āluṭra Peßßaiki, and Āluṭra Ṭelrāßßāni.
Āluṭ is the generic term for house, and refers to a regular house that is not a subject to another and is not on the Āluṭra council. In the past, there were many more Āluṭ, but as power gets consolidated there are less and less. Many Āluṭ have surrendered themselves as vassals to the more powerful Āluṭra and Āluṭ in the past few years for political reasons, increasing the speed of consolidation. However, new Āluṭra are still being founded as the Nagas expand their territory, mainly at the expense of goblins.
The lowest rank of house, Porluṭ, are subject houses. Most Porluṭ are former enemies that were defeated and subsumed, or former allies that fell on hard times and needed formal protection. However, a number of other types of Porluṭ exist. Some Naga house heads have taken to giving ambitious heirs their own Porluṭ in order to prevent... accidents. Others have taken advantage of other houses and formed agreements with Āluṭ which are under threat of destruction from rivals, establishing very autonomous Porluṭ in order to block rivals from gaining the land. This strategy is known as House-hopping.
The actual ranking of houses is based on that house's Ārṭaßß, which can vary wildly. The Ārṭaßß as a ranking system is based more on how powerful other houses think a house is than how powerful they actually are, so name recognition and glory can bolster a house that may be weaker than in the past. When a house is first founded, it starts as the lowest ranked house in Naga society. To rise, it must challenge other houses for their spots, which depending on the house may lead to them surrendering the spot or fighting for it. Houses with powerful allies can usually prevent themselves from being passed up during normal times. However, every year, during the yearly Āluṭra council, the five Āluṭra rank each house. Any new houses wishing to form will be ranked at this time as well. Sometimes, one of the Āluṭra will be demoted following the council, as a new house is too powerful to ignore. This duty is one of the only things that is performed in an unbiased manner, as it is considered a great sin to misrank houses purposefully (especially one's own house). Should two houses disagree with their ranking, they are permitted to fight it out and determine who the stronger one is, something that usually leads to the destruction of the weaker house.
Porluṭ complicate this mechanism immensely. Because Porluṭ are considered both separately for their own ranking, and as a part of their leading house for that house's ranking, a house could theoretically "vassalize" many Porluṭ and take a seat on the Āluṭra council with nothing but soft power. This is why there is a rule in place that no house can be ranked with Porluṭ more than twice as powerful what it would be ranked without Porluṭ.
There are also a number of inconsistencies, which is why the Āluṭra council has to meet each year and determine the placement.
Due to the strangeness of the Naga anatomy, their clothing is rather interesting. They have trouble pulling regular shirts over their head due to the wideness of their hoods, which has led to them preferring clothing clasped via buttons or otherwise tied off in some way. However, Nagas must also use special materials for clothing because being in an semi-aquatic lifestyle their clothes get wet very often, which would lead to chafing with normal materials. Thus, they prefer wool and oilskin for clothing, with a high amount of materials such as bone for more structure. Since both of these types of clothing require large amounts of upkeep, the poor often wear simpler garments. Wealthy Nagas who can afford sealskin typically wear that as it has become a status symbol. Metal armor is worn, but can be unwieldy since wearing in on the tail is difficult. Chainmail is usually preferred for this reason, as it's easier to secure anyways. While Nagas as a whole don't really have societal pressure towards garments and wouldn't bat an eye at nudity, clothes which aren't water-resistant have become a status symbol because they indicate the wealth of the Naga who can afford upkeep (especially with multiple garments). Those who can afford multiple clothes for each location and who swap between them when travelling in water are usually limited to the higher class. Though the southern tribes are more loose about this, clothing as a status symbol has entered their sphere in recent years. It should be noted that although nudity is not really a concern socially, and not necessary due to the humid climate, Nagas almost always bind their genitals for sanitation reasons (since much of their domain doesn't have super clear water).
Nagas also participate heavily in tattooing, especially in the south, where Tribal tattoos are common. In the northern and central regions it's limited to the priestly class (and occasionally other wealthy classes and houses in a more subdued way) as a way of showcasing their devotion to their religious figure, the snake queen. Tribal tattoos are seen as barbaric and lesser, and they believe tattoos should be limited to showcasing the snake queen's glory. Common tattoos in the north include snake bands around the arms, motifs of the snake queen herself, sacrificial memorials, and depictions of purported omens. Nagas who don't follow the snake queen do not use tattoos.
With all this in mind, one can easily tell what a Naga's social class is and even what region they are from. Excessive clothing that can't take much moisture but creates a particular affect almost certainly belies the leader of a major house, one who can spend a fortune on aesthetic clothing for multiple locations. Special robes and extensive tattoos denote the priests, who usually stay inside and therefore don't have to worry as much about water damage. Sealskin and similar clothing implies a more prosperous commoner, one who can afford comfort and style but not the expense of a ton of unique clothes. Simple wool or oilskin clothing is common for most regular people, while untreated woolen clothes incicate those who can no longer afford clothing. Total nudity with no tattoos is essentially reserved for the totally destitute and slaves. Total nudity with tattoos is common for the southern Nagas, who don't really have the wealthy peasantry.
Naga society has long been secret from the civilized world, as all explorers were treated with hostility. However, in the last 100 years, as colonization of Ifyrial accelerated, the Naga way of life has began to be revealed to the wider world, in part due to armed conflicts with them. Naga society is extremely matriarchal, far more than other matriarchies, with the most powerful of men are considered lesser than the lowest ranked female in their society. Each Naga country is essentially one noble house, which lends its name to the nation itself. All within a nation are considered as servants to the ruler and there is absolutely no popular expression. A powerful Naga house will usually retain several lesser houses as subjects, buffers, and as leverage during wars. Many lesser houses have voluntarily surrendered themselves to the more powerful houses which are far enough away that they are not giving up all sovereignty. This arrangement proves mutually beneficial when considering the alternatives. Naga houses are considered stronger or weaker based on their Ārṭaßß, essentially a ranking that is based on a combination of prestige, devoutness, and military strength. This ranking determines a house's place in society, and governs a number of other matters, detailed below. Nagas are highly hostile to outsiders and participate in perhaps the most violent religion of all races. Strange rituals, violent goblin hunts, and erecting monuments for their gods are all common daily events, which all seem to follow some sort of calendar. They are known to use Goblins as food slaves- though there are recorded incidents of them attempting to (and often succeeding) in eating other races as well.
The Ārṭaßß
The Ārṭaßß is the ranking of houses, of which there are four (technically five) distinct types. In order of highest to lowest rank, these are Ālnnuṭra, Āluṭra, Āluṭ, and Porluṭ. These roughly correspond to "House Above All", "Great House", "House", and "Subhouse", respectively. The fifth type of house is the Porluṭra, which is a rare title that occurs when an Āluṭra is subject to another Āluṭra (or, in the future, a subject of the Ālnnuṭra)Nagas believe that there can be only one Ālnnuṭra, and that the Ālnnuṭra will be revealed in the future, once one house assumes dominant control over all others. The Nagas believe that their goddess wish for them to eventually consolidate the entire Naga population into one Ālnnuṭra, with or without subjugated houses. Until this day, however, no house will be allowed to proclaim themselves as the Ālnnuṭra.
The house title of Āluṭra is rare among the Naga, being reserved for the five most powerful Naga houses at any given time. These five houses function as brokers of disputes between houses; though much of the work is delegated to lesser house members the five heads of houses convene at least once each year, barring extreme circumstances. Because the Naga power structure is built on authority, offending an Āluṭra is asking for trouble. However, ignoring their rulings (when one can get away with it) is common, since there is no real legal basis for their decisions, especially when the members tend to shuffle or change every few years. The five current Āluṭra, ranked from 1 to 5, are Āluṭra Mißßaßßtimā, Āluṭra Natarißßu, Āluṭra Āṉßßāḷar, Āluṭra Peßßaiki, and Āluṭra Ṭelrāßßāni.
Āluṭ is the generic term for house, and refers to a regular house that is not a subject to another and is not on the Āluṭra council. In the past, there were many more Āluṭ, but as power gets consolidated there are less and less. Many Āluṭ have surrendered themselves as vassals to the more powerful Āluṭra and Āluṭ in the past few years for political reasons, increasing the speed of consolidation. However, new Āluṭra are still being founded as the Nagas expand their territory, mainly at the expense of goblins.
The lowest rank of house, Porluṭ, are subject houses. Most Porluṭ are former enemies that were defeated and subsumed, or former allies that fell on hard times and needed formal protection. However, a number of other types of Porluṭ exist. Some Naga house heads have taken to giving ambitious heirs their own Porluṭ in order to prevent... accidents. Others have taken advantage of other houses and formed agreements with Āluṭ which are under threat of destruction from rivals, establishing very autonomous Porluṭ in order to block rivals from gaining the land. This strategy is known as House-hopping.
The actual ranking of houses is based on that house's Ārṭaßß, which can vary wildly. The Ārṭaßß as a ranking system is based more on how powerful other houses think a house is than how powerful they actually are, so name recognition and glory can bolster a house that may be weaker than in the past. When a house is first founded, it starts as the lowest ranked house in Naga society. To rise, it must challenge other houses for their spots, which depending on the house may lead to them surrendering the spot or fighting for it. Houses with powerful allies can usually prevent themselves from being passed up during normal times. However, every year, during the yearly Āluṭra council, the five Āluṭra rank each house. Any new houses wishing to form will be ranked at this time as well. Sometimes, one of the Āluṭra will be demoted following the council, as a new house is too powerful to ignore. This duty is one of the only things that is performed in an unbiased manner, as it is considered a great sin to misrank houses purposefully (especially one's own house). Should two houses disagree with their ranking, they are permitted to fight it out and determine who the stronger one is, something that usually leads to the destruction of the weaker house.
Porluṭ complicate this mechanism immensely. Because Porluṭ are considered both separately for their own ranking, and as a part of their leading house for that house's ranking, a house could theoretically "vassalize" many Porluṭ and take a seat on the Āluṭra council with nothing but soft power. This is why there is a rule in place that no house can be ranked with Porluṭ more than twice as powerful what it would be ranked without Porluṭ.
There are also a number of inconsistencies, which is why the Āluṭra council has to meet each year and determine the placement.
Lifespan
70 years
Average Height
6'5
Average Length
9'5
Average
Physical Strength
Above Average
Societal Organization
Average
Birth Rate
Average
Lifespan Classification
Average
Technological Progress
Low
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