The Origin Species
Commonly referred to as The Origin, this species is the last known common, humanoid ancestor of every known Mortal Race. Unfortunately, not much is known about The Origin Species. Aspects of their biology can be deduced through the few complete fossilised remains that have been found. Certain aspects of their daily life can also be theorised from these fossils, though to a lesser extent.
Basic Information
Anatomy
The Origin shares traits with each of the known Mortal Races.
They likely had a third eyelid, similar to modern Valkyrn and Goblins. This would have aided them in keeping foreign objects out of their eyes, as well as deterring predators by appearing to have their eyes open even when asleep.
They were armed with the beginnings of vicious tusks on their top jaw, smaller than modern Troll tusks, along with large knife-like canines on their bottom jaw, bigger than modern Orc fangs.
They were shorter than Trolls, but possessed their curved spines, with broad shoulders reminiscent of Orcs. It's theorised that their ears were large and pointed, like those of the squameus species, though other people believe that the pointed ears developed after The Origin.
The Origin Species had 7 limbs in total; four arms, two legs, and a long tail. This is curious, because there is no evidence of limb regression within the bones structure of some modern species, suggesting to some archaeologists that The Origin Species might not truly be the origin species.
Most experts assume they moved in a manner similar to apes, spending most of their time on all six legs, but able to stand and move on their two back legs when it was necessary. It is suggested that this bipedal movement would be much more difficult for The Origin than modern primates.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Based on the length and sharpness of fossilised teeth, it is expected that The Origin were omnivores.
From fossil evidence, archaeologists believe that The Origin Species was an opportunistic eater. It likely ate mostly vegetation, probably from treetops, but was possibly an ambush and pursuit predator, with powerful legs built for both speed and endurance, giving them the ability to chase their prey across incredibly long distances.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Judging by the common pack-like hierarchies of the Mortal Races, most archaeologists agree that The Origin must have had a similar group-orintated social structure to Humans and the like.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Fossils of this species have been found mainly in the south of Europe, the east of Africa and the islands around Australia.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Some archaeologists and historians theorise that The Origin Species had excellent eyesight, capable of seeing in complete darkness. The level of hearing which The Origin had is a topic of some debate, with certain groups citing that relation to squameus species would mean that they must have high levels of hearing.
It is unknown whether The Origin had access to or control over any kind of magic, but it is generally agreed that they must have had some kind of innate magic within them, even if they couldn't harness it.
Civilization and Culture
Major Language Groups and Dialects
The contrevertial theory of the Origin of Language suggests that there is evidence that The Origin had a basic writing language, known as the 'Proto-Proto-Indo-European' language. It is supposedly comprised of pictures, hieroglyphics and cuneiforms, though this is a highly debated topic, as most things involving The Origin Species is.
Definitions
Known Interbreeding This refers only to provable historic cases of interbreeding and does not include any interspecies relations between modern Races
EXTINCT
Genetic Descendants
Scientific Name
Mortalis primus
Lifespan
Unknown
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
This is a highly debated topic amongst archaeologists. It is generally agreed that The Origins had darkly coloured bodies, but anything beyond that varies from theory to theory.
Some experts believe that The Origins had the tough, reptilian-like skin common to the squameus family, along with the accompanying colouring and markings, whilst others believe they had the colouring and markings associated with the softer skin and thick fur of the levutis family.
Geographic Distribution
Gotta say, I really like this. I think this is a great idea for establishing the deep history of a setting, both in terms of species history and in terms of establishing your narrative voice (i.e. the viewpoint of whoever is doing the archaeology). You might consider setting up an organization chart to make this interact-able. Still, kudos!