Xa'Qaan (ZAH-kahn)
The Xa'Qaan are an alien race from a planet which is located about 500 light years from Tyreth. The name Xa'Qaan (ZAH-kahn), in their semi-traditional language, roughly translates to "tide walker", which is the name they chose for themselves when they broke away from their homeland.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Xa'Qaan have two arms, a tail (legs on land), a thin frame thats packed with muscle from swimming and fighting underwater, and an obvious lack of a prominent nose. Female Xa'Qaan also have very small breasts, as they hatch from eggs and do not need to breastfeed, but these small stores of fat can be useful in ways that are still unknown to Xa'Qaan themselves.
Genetics and Reproduction
Xa'Qaan are able to lay a single egg a year and if the egg hatches, the baby is usually forced to survive on its own. The male Xa'Qaan will carry the fertilized egg (like a seahorse) for 16 months (takes longer to grow something much stronger than a human) and then the baby will be released into a sandy trench full of peaceful fish and lots of plants, this is a very safe area for Xa'Qaan hatchlings to grow.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Xa'Qaan eat two things: fish and underwater plants. They live almost entirely underwater, as going on land can be taxxing on their bodies, so dry food is not something they usually get to enjoy.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Iuris have a tribe leader and no other form of government or authority. The tribe leader's firstborn son will take over the tribe after he has passed, and a long line of sons have taken over the position over the years. None have been tyrannical, because Iuris are, by nature, typically harmless. They're known for their peacefulness, despite being huge and scary.
Domestication
Iuris are a sentient and intelligent race.
Uses, Products & Exploitation
The Old Ones used to hunt Iuris for their fins and tails. Fins could be used to make soup, and their tails were prized trophies.
Facial characteristics
Xa'Qaan, being born and raised underwater, have little need for a nose. Their noses have adapted to minimal trips to the surface, and have thus flattened out, creating a little bump and two slits where a full human-like nose used to be.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Xa'Qaan live in the Bay of Xa'Qaan , where their main city is located (underwater), other than this, there is a smaller tribe off in the northeast, the Arcitc Xa'Qaan Tribe.
Average Intelligence
Xa'Qaan are born with a high level of intelligence that only grows over their long lives.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Xa'Qaan have increased vision in dark places and the best hearing on Tyreth, so that they can hear better underwater.
Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms
Xa'Qaan have befriended an odd type of sea dog that seems to be made for them. The Lemonfish, or shark dog, is a type of shark that's been in the waters of Tyreth forever. They're known for their golden lemon-like color and spots of white. They have legs and a shark-like tail so that they can better swim underwater.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Iuris are given unique names that are not traceable to any one culture, and they do not have last names.
Major Organizations
ICMP (Iuris Communications Ambassador Program), a group of Iuris who are focused on trade and economic statistics regarding other races. They're usually sent out to negotiate and talk with national leaders.
Beauty Ideals
Iuris care about their appearances but it's never about what the public wants. Iuris dress to impress themselves. Their attire is as diverse and unique as the rest of their culture.
Gender Ideals
Men and women work as one, and neither is considered lesser or greater.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
All races speak UTS (Universal Tyrethian Simplified), but Iuris have a language from beyond the stars (their homeworld). Despite the way they've forgotten their roots, they've held onto a very important piece of history: their homeworld's language. It's taught to all young Iuris.
Common Etiquette Rules
As a very chill people, there's not much that's considered "rude" or "unthoughtful". The first rule of dealing with Iuris is to not be afraid, other than that, you should not mention their homeworld.
Common Dress Code
It's normal for Iuris to wear little to nothing. Female Iuris do not have breasts or anything else to cover, and neither do the males. Tribe leaders sometimes wear intricate necklaces and decorations in their hair, which is usually short or woven into braids.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
They've completely abandoned their homeworld, meaning that they've come up with new traditions.
Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
Iuris are big fans of privacy and have a sacred breeding ground, deep underwater, far away from the city. The male (who carries the baby, like a seahorse) must spend three nights alone before the baby is born. There are special buildings for this, where they can be isolated. This time is considered bonding time and is done right before the baby is born. The males do have a cavity where the baby is, and they do feel immense pain when the baby is born because it's a lot more than just letting go of an egg or something. It is very necessary that the male is not disturbed, or the ritual must restart, and there's not always time for that.
Common Taboos
Iuris who consider going back to their homeworld are usually seen as outcasts. It's unthinkable for a respectable Iuris to not accept life on Tyreth, let alone want to abandon the other races they've worked so hard to know.
It's frowned upon to mention bringing a hatchling into the city. Hatchings are meant to grow on their own, and taking them out of the trench interferes with their growth and development. Parents are forbidden from taking their hatchlings, and it's forbidden to talk about it.
Historical Figures
Quai, the Iuris that was worshiped for killing the tyrannical leader of the Sallo during the storming of the Forgotten Keep in 3100 AG.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
They have few opinions of the outside world because they don't go on land all too much.
Lifespan
550 years
Average Height
6' 5" to 8' 0" on land, with legs.
7' 1" to 9' 0" underwater, with a tail. Can varry with tail length.
On land, Iuris tails disappear and they have legs to walk with, these legs are shorter than their tails, by about 8 inches.
Average Weight
Around 300 pounds of pure muscle.
Average Physique
Skinny appearance, but unfathomably strong. Xa'Qaan males are usually thinner than females.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Iuris are usually colored like a shark or fish, sometimes spotted or striped, depending on what subrace (fish, shark, breed of fish/shark) they are. Even those more closely related to fish do not have scales. The markings are in the skin, and they have no protective layer.
Geographic Distribution
Related Organizations
Comments