Eptha
A sentient species originating from Mauray. Eptha are very small physically, growing to a mere 20 cm in height. However, they have wings and can fly. They are very well magically attuned. Due to the very small size of eptha, they can fly without exploiting Mauray's Taidakic Field, making use of their wings as their primary lift force.
They tend to live in large forests. They will defend these forests with their lives.
As Elves share this philosophy, the 2 species can coexist with each other in a single society.
They tend to live in large forests. They will defend these forests with their lives.
As Elves share this philosophy, the 2 species can coexist with each other in a single society.
Basic Information
Anatomy
The eptha resemble humans except they have large wings similar to those of some bugs that are often transparent and decorated. Their wings are used for flight but also respiration. As they fly, the wings will naturally move faster and allow more air to be captured in the many channels within the wing. In this way, an eptha's air consumption and intake become proportional in a natural way. Air taken in by an eptha is sent to a mostly static lung-like organ which oxygenates the blood. Unused air is sent out via channels located behind their wings. Oxygenated blood is sent to the 'heart' which creates a pressure difference allowing blood flow. The eptha heart relies on magic to create a pressure difference rather than muscular tension. As such, they have no heart pulses, only constant, consistent pressure. Due to their high metabolism rate, they will take in a lot of air and blood is sent around the body quickly.
In this way, when at rest, an eptha would not be able to breathe without moving their wing. While at rest, the complex muscles in the wing air ducts force air into the lung tube through peristalsis. If their wings become damaged to a massive extent, it can cause them to die of suffocation. Alternatively, some individuals have been known to survive with all of their wings being destroyed, barely able to breathe making use of the muscles inside their main body before the lung tube, but this takes particularly strong people to do. Their lung resembles a long tube, making it resemble a shorter intestine.
Genetics and Reproduction
Eptha are asexual. 2 partners reproduce by infusing the others body with a unique form of magic. After several months pass, this maginc manifests into a newborn, already fully grown Eptha. They have no reproductive organs.
Ecology and Habitats
They live mainly in suspended towns well above ground level, hanging by the trees. Their (single domestic) houses are almost always smaller than a human body because Eptha are very small. As such, even a small house can hold large populations.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Due to heavy use of magic, they need a surprisingly high food intake for their body mass. Eptha are herbivores, and grow their food within their villages. Eptha biology relies on magic to function, such as the digestive system which breaks down matter using magic rather than through acid or phyiscal methods, like most species. The eptha have no stomachs - only a single large intestine. The first few segments of this intestine is where food is fully broken down. The lack of a stomach allows other organs to be larger and perhaps more efficient. To improve their magic powers, one can eat Larjarak Crystals. The body will use these to construct small glands in various locations around the body to obtain even more mana from the Core. This can allow individuals to become very powerful as eptha physiology allows for very fine larjarek manipulation, and very large surface areas of the crystal. Most individuals do not do this as it can be deadly and always very painful - in their culture, individuals with the ultimate attunement to nature and magic will do it. They can also store a large amount of energy as fat.
Behaviour
The eptha are very well attuned with nature, making houses inside of trees and having large farms for plants. Ther herbivious diet also supports this, and they are empathetic to animals and trees, as well as sentient species, unless at war.
Rather than having a brain relying on electricity like most species, the eptha's brain relies on magic to function. This results in a person that is not fully tied to their body but also their environment. The rest of the nervous system still depends on electric signals sent by the brain, but an eptha's soul can continue to exist even after death, creating an Etherial. Etherials are unstable however, and will dissipate over time, leading to true death. Their material bodies are far more stable. An eptha brain is still located in their head. Despite having such a small body, they are still sapient so their brains are very neuron-dense. Magic is what makes this possible, but the brain uses a lot of energy.
Civilization and Culture
Beauty Ideals
The eptha will usually decorate their wings for cultural reasons. They often trim their wings with a gold-like material, though careful as to not impede one's breathing. Many materials are used, sometimes but rarely including hyperunreactive alloy. The trims come in many colours, such as many blues, reds, yellows, greens and white. Some cultures may even put multiple colours on a person. For a species that can have massively varying natural wing colours this can produce a very large number of possible combinations. Eptha hair colour will often but not always match their natural wing colour and is usually quite bright. Eptha can have human skin colours but, very rarely, also some more extreme colours such as red or blue - these people are sometimes not percieved as eptha and can be discriminated from various activities.
History
Like most Mauray species, Eptha were engineered by the world itself. They were always attuned to magic energies. They were created as more extreme Elves; they live with nature (and actively defend it, often giving their own lives for nature), are even shorter and more reliant on magic. As such, they were one of the last species to be engineered on the world. However, they originated in many places through the planet. There are forests in Fleloya, Eusari, Riazox, Euslux and the underground with significant Eptha populations.
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