Eljinn
The Eljinn are our biological cousins. They, like we humans, descended from the first Blessed people created by the Shoda to populate the world of Tsadun. They call themselves "Eljinn", in their tongue, while to us they are known as the Salzhin, the Blessed People of the Water. For it is the water that defines them. The water has always been sacred to the Eljinn. Their bodies are built for swimming much more than our human bodies are. They walk on webbed toes, not their heels, and their swiftness in water and land is greater for it. There is so much unfortunate misunderstanding behind the differences our two peoples hold, yet so much beauty in the diversity of their design. Although many still do worship the religion of Hazmozat, and believe they descended from Elhaz, the Sacred Leviathan, we know the truth of the Shoda and Sim Ur gives us the insight to recognize them as Blessed as well. I am writing this treatise to describe the Eljinn, their religion, their history. The Tsojanan War is over, and the Eljinn are under the rulership of our Saldorian Empire. They are our cousins and neighbors, and enough blood has been shed between us. It is time to set forth on a path of mutual respect and understanding, and will attempt to write the prelude to our future relationship.-Brother Darzhin, from The Eljinn: Their Past, Present, and Future from a Saldorian Perspective
Basic Information
Anatomy
- Cousin race to humans - hybrids through species interbreeding is possible, but hybrid's have reduced fertility
- Long muscular tail plays role in balance and locomotion, propulsion while swimming
- Generally angular facial structure
- Relatively long pointed ears that are movable, and exhibit the most phenotypical variaiton amongst individuals of the species, including shape and color pattern
- Digitigrade leg structure, weight rests on padded toes and ball of foot, toes are webbed
Genetics and Reproduction
Ecology and Habitats
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Civilization and Culture
History
The Eljinn people haven't a long, storied history as the the fickle cousins of humans: sometimes friends, often enemies. Competition for water sources is had historically been the main driving force of conflict since prehistoric times, however their ability to coexist through the trade of resources, such as materials, food, technology, and even Shaping talents had ensured the mutual perseverance of humans and Eljinn.
Ancient Eljinn are theorized to have sailed to Tsojana, where the competed with humans who lived along the coastline, driving them inland to higher elevations. From there, they traveled along the coastlines, populating river mouths, bays, and the islands of Tsojana. At some point, a group split off and moved Westwards, into the deserts created by Tsojana's main mountain range. It's there that they established a subpopulation that settled a fertile river valley.
In recent history, Eljinn have come into continent wide conflict with human civilization over a resource known as Xertou - Leviathan's Blood. Xertou is derived from the blood of the Zhalxer, the apex leviathans of Tsojana's seas. The oil, derived from the liquefied fat of these pelagic leviathans, has a unique property that - in combination with an Eljinn-specific Shaping ritual - allows the oil to harden into an incredibly strong and durable lacquer that is used to create weapons, armor, tools, and building materials from otherwise fragile organic substances such as bone and plant-matter. Xertou has been a critical in the development of the Eljinn civilization; and the Eljinn ability to convert the unrefined oil into Xertou with their magic has given the Eljinn people leverage in trade and international politics. The neighboring human Saldorian peoples, prior to the Tsojanan War, leaned heavily on the Eljinn for Xertou, and the demand eventually necessitated that the Eljinn breach the limits imposed by the religion of Hazmozat on the number of leviathans the Eljijnn are allowed to harvest in a year. The Elijnn refusal to break religious tradition sparked the Tsojanan War. /p]
After many grueling years of war, the Eljinn eventually succumbed to the Saldorian nation, and the Saldorian Empire was born, with the Eljinn brought in as subjugates of the Empire. Currently the Eljinn are being assimilated into the human Saldorian culture and their religion of Shodasa.
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