The Vaali

Basic Information

Anatomy

The Vaali are a curious race. Though they're humanoid in shape, their bodies possess a second pair of arms. The lower set of arms leads towards five-fingered hands with opposable thumbs. The first set of arms includes an opposable thumbs, but only sports three fingers, each tipped with sharp claws capable of piercing through rock. 
Vaali have a pair of horns perched upon the tops of their heads, with no actual ears. This is because the 'horns' are actually sensory organs that are capable of detecting vibrations in their surroundings. Vaali eyes are compounded. They're completely colourblind and cannot see objects very distinctly, but make up for it for the widened area. Finally; they have a pair of large, beating wings capable of flight.
Soft, furry plumage covers the arms and legs of the Vaali, enough so that only the hands and feet are left bare.
Vaali are generally very pale in colour, lacking any pigment. Curiously, their blood is a glowing blue, rather than red.

Genetics and Reproduction

The Vaali generally only have one mate in their entire lifetime; wherein should either pass, the other often becomes a permanent widow. Vaali seldom settle down even after they've found a lover, if only because the dangers of their home leaves them on the move, only ever opting to have children after they've managed to settle and find themselves in a safe place surrounded by comrades.
Vaali gestation is fast; children are born within two weeks. During this period of time, the Vaali fiercely prepare a nest to protect themselves from any would-be predators. A child's development is still stunted at birth; their full development finishes after they've undergone their molting phase.

Growth Rate & Stages

Vaali children are slightly undeveloped; for one, they're not born with the extra set of claw-like arms until they pass through a stage of life that the Vaali call 'Molting'. Secondly, their horns and eyes have yet to develop; Vaali are notoriously vulnerable and require parental guidance to survive, for their hearing is near deaf, and their eyes are hardly capable of functionally perceiving anything nearby. 
During their Molting phase, the child begins to lose the plumage around their arms and legs. Their skin then secretes a thick slime that hardens in time. Consciousness becomes difficult for the young Vaali; and they're soon guided to a safe, secluded spot before the slime hardens into a full chrysalis.
During this period of hibernation, the Vaali develops their second pair of claw-like arms in their sleep. The sleep can range from one week, to a full month, but once the arms have fully grown, the newly matured Vaali rakes through the chrysalis with their newly acquired claws. This period of hibernation develops the rest of the Vaali's body, and is when they're truly considered to be 'adults' among Vaali society.

Ecology and Habitats

The Drillers' Hive

Perhaps one of the more infamous layers of the Pit, the Vaali reside within a deep hole in the ground called 'Drillers' Hive'. It is located deep within the Petrified Forest; a layer within the Pit known for the enormous, stone trees that span off to form a canopy of solid rock. The Vaali have yet to interact with humans, but Lagari explorers speak happily of the friendly bug-like creatures that are more than happy to trade with those willing to befriend them. The 'Hive' itself is an enormous tunnel that falls vertically down into a seemingly bottomless Abyss. Vaali merchants sometimes gather upon the very edge of this bizarre sinkhole, hoping to meet with one of the many Lagari Khans. Alas, the Vaali seldom get along with each other. This leads to sightings among the surface rather rare due to their infighting, but many Vaali have come upon an agreement to remain rational enough to keep things civil upon the surface of their home.

Drillers' Hive is an enormous tunnel; vast, and seemingly endless. Many Vaali claim that there is a bottom that leads towards an endless forest of mushrooms deep below, but none but the Vaali themselves have had the opportunity to safely descend that far. This is because the Hive is infested with all manner of predators. The Vaali are unfortunately, woefully far from being at the top of the food chain, and are frequently preyed upon by a species of aberrant insects known as the Aavesh; in their tongue, they are the eponymous 'Drillers' that dwell within the hive. The Aavesh are monstrous creatures, overgrown insects reaching the size of a small horse, with multiple stingers that grant them their horrendous name. Unfortunately for the Vaali, the Aavesh also happen to consider them their favored prey.

Flanked upon the sides of the tunnel are countless holes and tunnels, some winding to join together, and others spiraling endlessly to seemingly nowhere. It is these tunnels that the Vaali typically find their home in; they seldom leave the safety of these tunnels, and prefer to keep close enough to the walls so that they may flee from any would-be predator.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Vaali are mostly herbivorous; though they are capable of digesting and consuming meat, most Vaali prefer fruits or vegetables.
Common foods include:
Sanka: Sanka; also known as 'Scale Fruit', is a peculiar fruit found growing in clusters alongside thick, vine-like bushes adapted to grow and hang along the sides of the wall. Scale fruit is exceptionally strange in the fact that it explodes upon reaching a certain ripeness, which further propagates its growth along the steep cliff side. When plucked, it does not explode.
Sanka fruit is very thick and sticky; but it is an important staple among the Vaali. Food is often frequently processed with Sanka; from Sankii; (Gel-like bites of hardened Sanka juice and meat), to Meetha; a sweet juice made from whisking the fluid hard enough to make it more pleasant to drink.
Chuhe: (Pronounced chew-hay the Chuhe is a very common rodent found frequenting the hives. They make their homes in one of the many tunnels found lining the sides of the pit. They are among the few meats that the Vaali will frequently eat. Chuhe are generally captured rather than killed, kept in pens to raise and provide steady food.
Chuhe are lithe rodents with sharp claws that they use to rush along the sides of the walls. They're sandy furred, and have long, flattened tails. Their ears are rather wide and pronounced, and capable of twitching or displaying emotion.
Aavesh: Aavesh, though widely considered dangerous, are also hunted in turn by Vaali hunting parties. These hunting parties are typically large enough and rely on numbers to overwhelm the larger creatures. Eating an Aavesh is considered a great privilege; they're seldom hunted due to the danger they present.
Bugs: The Vaali diet relies a lot on the numerous scuttling ants and insects found throughout the tunnels. Small, burrowing ants can be found dwelling in many different places within the hives; Vaali actually frequently seek out these nests and use their long, sticky tongues to devour clusters of ants, much like an actual anteater would.

Additional Information

Social Structure

The Vaali are greatly separated, stuck in a feudal state. They form small 'clans' or families referred to as a 'Vansh'. These different clans are all governed under the common interest of striving to survive and providing protection to their family and friends, but they often find themselves at odds with the many other clans found throughout Drillers' Hive. Partly due to the fact that the hive isn't able to be inhabited by all the Vaali at once, and also due to their so-called 'politics'.
Each Vaali clan is lead by a Sabasi; generally the eldest Vaali found among their clan. Although the tunnel they dwell in is vast, the Vaali find themselves frequently at war with each other for different favorable territories found within the hives. Some tunnels may prove less appealing to predators, untainted by the Aavesh, while others may prove fruitful and full of natural resources. Whatever the case, Vaali clans do one of two things upon meeting in these locales: Either they fight for the right to own it, or they converge -- usually resulting in a fight to rule between the two leading Sabasi.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Vaali horns are what allow them to effectively pinpoint the location of anything they desire. Though they have poor direct eyesight, Vaali make up for it in their ability to perceive the exact location of whatever they hear. Their eyes allow them to see in a wider, obtuse area around them, with the only blindspot being directly behind. 
While this sacrifices the ability to see efficiently, true vision matters very little to the Vaali due to living in the underground. This allows them to detect potential predators more safely. Furthermore, they also have long, prehensile tongues that are capable of acting as another sensory organ; their tongues can flicker out to 'taste' the air much like a snake would.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Females: Misha, Shila, Minali, Lavenya, Samira, Andhara
Males: Shakti, Ramesh, Krishna, Vimal, Kartik
Surname: Surnames are shared by members of the same clan; though they may not be relatives, to join a Vansh is to take on the mantle of a new last name.
Khilan, Akate, Sura

Lifespan

The Vaali are biologically immortal. However, they seldom live past fifty.

Average Height

6'5~7 Feet (200cm~213cm)