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Revision as of 03:58, 8 November 2021
Of the many races in the galactic community, none are more immediately recognisable than the Unathi, a reptilian-humanoid species hailing from the planet Moghes. Members of this species are typically tall, adorned with colourful scales from head to toe, and often an intimidating sight to behold. As members of the interstellar community, they have their own ships, their own states, and their own internal politics. While they have become a quick ally to Humanity, the more isolated Unathi are still wary of the relatively younger race. With traditions and customs dating back thousands of years, they are a proud and capable species, though often find themselves split along historic political, cultural, and religious lines.
Biology
Anatomy & Morphology
The average Unathi often dwarf their human counterparts on average by a whole head; they are wry faced, if not malicious looking, and are covered almost entirely in scales of varying complexion. The eyes, also of various vivid colors, are withheld behind a short, protruding snout; a phylogenetic evidence of a predatory past long since behind them. In many ways however, the Unathi are a varied species and typically they come in numerous shapes and sizes, as they may be shorter by one or two feet, or significantly less aggressive in appearance.
The Unathi develops musculature in all ways similar to humans, compounded upon a skeletal structure that mimics that of humanity except for the addition of intervertebral discs at their cervical structure that supports their elongated heads, and another disc that comprise their caudal vertebrae that allow a full range of motion for their tails.
The most common phenotypes of the Unathi are often related to their eyes, scales, skin, and to a lesser extent their skeletal structure and height. The most common color for their scales is olive, as for their skin the average can vary greatly, as Moghes is a rather large planet. While the Unathi are largely identical in terms of internal biology, various sub-types of Unathi have begun to develop, creating distinct differences in their complexions and body morphology, and resulting in a wide amount of extremely varied Unathi. Some Unathi, like the Sinta'Unathi, dwarf their human counterparts, while the Ahat'Unathi find themselves dwarfed in turn by average humans.
In regards to the sexual dimorphism of the species the female also follows the general evolutionary trend of the hominid genus; a waist to height ratio of 0.4 (can change for cm difference to males), a shoulder to waist ratio of 1.4 and a waist to hip ratio of less than 0.8. On average, males are typically the larger of the species, though in the case of the Hrad'Unathi, it is the females who are typically the largest of the two.
Intelligence
Typically speaking, the average Unathi isn’t biologically or socially more inclined to be more or less intelligent than the average human. As they tend to live longer lives than Humans, this allows for the greater accumulation of knowledge, though the eldest of Unathi tend to suffer from mental degradation as they reach old age.
Unathi develop higher mental capacity from a young age, between six to sixteen months from birth, and reach full maturity around twenty years of age.
Facial Features, Horns, and Body Markings
The most defining facial feature of most Unathi are undoubtedly the horns, coming in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, Unathi without horns are still easily identifiable due to a variety of other facial features. Their eyes, scales, skin, and even their claws (and their horns, should they have any) come in all sorts of natural and ‘earthy’ colors.
As for bodily markings, the natural variety are typically unimpressive, being either patches or stripes along the back, either covering or dotting the scales. The unnatural variety however, typically applied via paint or “tattoos” are more stylish and less practical, keeping fashion in mind more so than anything else.
Perception & Sensory Capabilities
- Unathi have evolved to have a similar eyesight to humans, though with a clear reptilian ancestry.
- The Yeosa'Unathi have evolved a thin film to give them better vision underwater than the rest of the Unathi.
- The Unathi have generally worse hearing than humans in high frequencies, but are capable of hearing and producing sounds much lower than humans, including guttural rumblings that are used in some forms of communication.
- The Unathi are largely resistant to spices and minor toxins, and have weaknesses to sugar. As a result, their ability to taste is largely skewed in favour of spiced meat, able to distinguish tastes that humans are incapable of. Likewise, humans are able to appreciate sweet foods more.
- The Unathi have adapted capable smell receptors, much like their taste buds. They have adapted towards being better able to detect changes in meat, though are less able to distinguish sugary and plant smells, with the exception of extremely strong smelling flora.
- The Unathi are very similar to humans in that they are able to feel things through touch, and also feel pain in largely the same way, having developed a roughly similar nervous system.
- The Unathi are capable of detecting changes in air pressure through the use of their tongue, which is largely considered their sixth sense.
Genetics & Reproduction
The Unathi reproduce sexually, requiring a need for a male and a female partner to reproduce. In the modern age however, ‘test tube babies’ and designer children are eliminating the need for ‘physical communion’, although many Unathi still prefer the intimacy of a partner who loves them.
Every type of Unathi is an egglayer, some sub-types of Unathi will hold onto these eggs for longer than others but typically the eggs are laid at one point, and hatch a few months after being laid, typically they are fertilized before they are laid though.
Dietary Needs & Allergies
Unathi are carnivorous, and though they can eat certain plants, they are typically not able to digest them, and thus are mostly used as garnish, spices, or dressings. The Unathi are incapable of consuming sugars, which can cause confusion and hallucinations.
Unathi Ethnic Groups
Sinta'Unathi (Generic Unathi)
| Male | Female | |
|---|---|---|
| Lifespan | Around 200 years | |
| Height | 1.82m (6'0) to 2.56m (8'5) | |
| Weight | 66kg (145lbs) - 181kg (400lbs) | 60kg (134lbs) - 200kg (440lbs) |
The Sinta make up the majority of most Unathi on Moghes, being the most diverse and spread out, having many settlements of their own but also living in the cities of many other types of Unathi, as their biology is the most ‘baseline’ of their species. They are localized around the humid jungles and the warm deserts of Moghes typically. As they are prevalent across all of Moghes, the Sinta are a much less united people than say the Hrad or Tzeg. They have many nations, clans, and colonies, and can be found pretty much anywhere the Unathi have a presence. The largest of the Sinta nations is the Szikan Hegemony, which controls a wide part of the northern continent of Sarrahat.
Hrad'Unathi (Swamp Unathi)
| Male | Female | |
|---|---|---|
| Lifespan | Around 230 years | |
| Height | ?.??m (?'?) to ?.??m (?'?) | |
| Weight | ??kg (???lbs) to ???kg (???lbs) | ??kg (???lbs) to ???kg (???lbs) |
The Hrad’Unathi are the largest and most intimidating looking Unathi. They are on average taller and heavier built than the rest of their species, sharing many similarities to the earthly Crocodilia family, with long and flat snouts, with their natural domain being the swamplands and bayous of the Ssarina. Despite their impressive and intimidating stature, the Hrad were historically ambush predators, preferring to settle on the riverbanks of their homeland. The modern Hrad maintain a widespread belief in the Gozi, a quasi-religious way of life that promotes tolerance and friendliness to all. Some, like the Szikan Hegemony, have mistaken this for weakness, and were forced to endure a violent and passionate resistance when they occupied the Ssarina, which has since united into the Hekhun’Hrad, a nation-state for the Hrad’Unathi. This occurred almost five hundred years ago now, and the Hrad are members of the semi-united Vasakkad, with small colonial holdings across the Esa System.
Ahat'Unathi (Kobold Unathi)
| Male | Female | |
|---|---|---|
| Lifespan | Around 150 years | |
| Height | ?.??m (?'?) to ?.??m (?'?) | |
| Weight | ??kg (???lbs) to ???kg (???lbs) | ??kg (???lbs) to ???kg (???lbs) |
The Ahat are small Unathi residing in the northern hemisphere. Historically, they have been isolated to the small island of Ahat’Rashan, where they developed a unique biology that has made them more ‘energy efficient’ than other Unathi. They are typically small, both in height and in build, and prioritise using their limited energy efficiently. This means they are hardwired to ‘take shortcuts’. Where many see them as lazy, they are the epitome of ‘working smarter, not harder’, and tend to enjoy long periods of napping in the afternoon, or just about any free time they have. The Ahat’Unathi mostly keep to Ahat’Rashan, having little reason to travel to other places outside of Moghes, beyond tourism or education. Due to the Ahat’s much smaller stature, most cities outside of their island are simply not designed to accommodate them. This has forced the Ahat to focus more on both internal expansion, and interplanetary expansion, where they have taken full advantage of their size and abilities.
Lessik'Unathi (Desert Unathi)
| Male | Female | |
|---|---|---|
| Lifespan | Around 200 years | |
| Height | ?.??m (?'?) to ?.??m (?'?) | |
| Weight | ??kg (???lbs) to ???kg (???lbs) | ??kg (???lbs) to ???kg (???lbs) |
The Lessik’Unathi are adapted to the conditions of the arid and semi-arid regions of the Ktash. They are roughly the same size as other Unathi, but are covered in spines from the back of their head, down to their tail. This serves as a sort of defensive armour, allowing the largely passive Lessik to curl themselves into a spiny ball, which is near impenetrable to most land-dwelling animals. Following the advent of firearms, this became less practical to use in daily life, though still sees the rare use in high stress situations, mostly involuntary. The Lessik originate from the Lansa’Gatak a region of the Ktash comprising oasis cities, clans, and polities. The Lessik’arrat is considered an economic confederation binding the Lessik together, and has allowed for the rapid industrialisation of the Lansassh. The Lansa’Gatak has been the crossroads of northern and southern Moghes for much of history.
Sundar'Unathi (Jungle Unathi)
| Male | Female | |
|---|---|---|
| Lifespan | Around 190 years | |
| Height | ?.??m (?'?) to ?.??m (?'?) | |
| Weight | ??kg (???lbs) to ???kg (???lbs) | ??kg (???lbs) to ???kg (???lbs) |
Sundar are typically lithe and appear far more athletic than most other Unathi, although actual athleticism may vary. They were typically ambush predators inhabiting the expansive jungles of Southern Moghes, something their light form factor helps with quite a lot. Even in the modern day they still prefer to take up an occupation in hunting. They have adapted venom-tipped claws, which historically were used in hunting. While Sundar are immune to each other's venom, other Unathi are more susceptible, though it is not lethal, and instead produced a mild euphoric high. As such, there is a strange and lucrative market for Sundar'Sint, refined Sundar venom. Sundar Venom is typically harmless to humans, but refined Sundar'Sint can cause highs and trips. Excessive consumption of Sint is presumably fatal, as no human has yet tried to find out.
Tzeg'Unathi (Snow/Mountain Unathi)
| Male | Female | |
|---|---|---|
| Lifespan | Around 180 years | |
| Height | ?.??m (?'?) to ?.??m (?'?) | |
| Weight | ??kg (???lbs) to ???kg (???lbs) | ??kg (???lbs) to ???kg (???lbs) |
The Tzeg’Unathi are the most divergent from baseline Unathi, having come to inhabit the mountainous lands of the Tzegi, comparable to Earth’s Tibetan Plateau and Tarim Basin. Despite being woefully unsuited for these climates, Tzeg biology refused to submit, and they have adapted to these conditions by becoming less cold-blooded, and growing feathers on their ankles, wrists, and across their shoulders, neck, the back of their head, and down their tail. These feathers are typically gray or white, but this has not stopped the Tzeg from colouring these feathers themselves, adorned with fancy patterns and features. Their scales come in a variety of tones, typically darker shades.
The largest Tzeg nation is the Tzeg’Katal, a united federation that seeks to bring prosperity to the region. The harsh conditions of the Tzegi have forced them into close relations and reliances, but modernisation has led to many of the decentralised and isolated states seeking to express its own identity.
Yeosa'Unathi (Island/Water Unathi)
| Male | Female | |
|---|---|---|
| Lifespan | Around 200 years | |
| Height | ?.??m (?'?) to ?.??m (?'?) | |
| Weight | ??kg (???lbs) to ???kg (???lbs) | ??kg (???lbs) to ???kg (???lbs) |
Yeosa'Unathi are adapted to the shallow seas of the Yeosa'rashan. They have a thinner, muscular build, and are typically thin and lanky, usually just slightly shorter than Sinta’Unathi. Yeosa have backwards fangs, with four maxillaries capable of injecting venom into their prey. They are adapted to swimming underwater for either bursts of speed, such as when hunting prey;, or slower long-distance swims, such as traversing the shallow seas between the islands. In terms of skin colour, Yeosa tend to possess darker colour scales.
Fishing was their primary source of food and as such they evolved to be great swimmers, as before tool use came into play, they had to catch their fish by hand.
Society
Unathi society is as diverse as it is historic, with traditions and cultures that can trace their roots back thousands of years. Unlike humanity, in which agriculture and farming took widespread hold, the Unathi, carnivorous and incapable of consuming plants, have a history rooted in nomadic pastoralism and hunter-gatherers. Writing developed as a means of tracking herds, which soon gave ways to complex systems of trade, long before the first cities were ever founded.
When the first cities were developed, they were situated in vital trading locations, often on the borders of many regional tribal powers, serving as places for goods to be exchanged, and ideas of society to develop. This is something that has continued for over a thousand years, shaping Unathi culture as a whole, leading to a cultural divide between urban and rural Unathi.
Unathi society is based on trade as its lifeblood, other jobs on the planet are just as plentiful but arguably none are more important than the humble trader, the economy on Moghes is thriving thanks to trading both foreign and domestic. The deserts of Moghes for example might lack trees for lumber and abundant water, while the jungle might lack salt or the exotic meats from the desert wildlife. As for foreign trade, the overabundance of fruits--of which the carnivorous Unathi cannot eat--are prime for trading. The plants that they don’t sell are strictly reserved for the production of biofuels and vitamin-rich slurries, which make up for the bulk of their exports.
Spiritualism is important to the Unathi race, with many celebrations and ceremonies involving a remembrance of one’s ancestors. Typically these are reserved to private in-house ceremonies, however national or planet-wide heroes of significant renown get their own holidays that are publicly recognized as a day of remembrance
Family
Unathi family system is tight knit, parents and grandparents often live in the same house and the children are raised by both mother, father, and grandparents.
The kids leave home and get a place of their own when they are of legal age to do so.
Legal age for home ownership varies from location to location but typically starts at 17-18 or earlier with parental consent and financial backing.
History
Naming Traditions
Ideals & Customs
Religions
Old Hrek'ann & New Hrek'ann
Hrek'ann is an ancient, traditional Unathi faith that has grown to become the dominant faith amongst practicing Unathi. It is divided into Old and New Hrek'ann, as the faith underwent a divisive reformation, from which the faith has yet to recover fully.
Hrek'ann is the belief in the Fan'ann, a pantheonic group of deities that represent the spirits of both concepts and everyday objects. They believe they the Unathi were born from the union of several of these spirits: Ha'ahsa, the spirit of life; Mog'han, the spirit of the earth; V'anii, the spirit of fire; and Ca'tal, the spirit of knowledge. Together, they created the Unathi, and gave them Moghes.
Old Hrek'anns believe that the Fan'ann are infinite, and that certain Unathi, either through great spiritual acts, or legendary deed, ascended to become spirit-gods, deserving of the same honour as the others. Though the Fan'ann share many aspects, they are all spirits in their own rights.
New Hrek'anns on the other hand, believe that the Fan'ann is not a collection of spirits, but rather, the representation of a greater being, the Fan'jaer, which created the universe and presents itself in the form of spirits, acting autonomously but all in service to the greater divine purpose. The Fan'ann may be appeased through prayer and worship for specific things, but it is through the Fan'jaer that all things happen.
The split between the New and Old faiths began almost one thousand years ago, with the Haja-Hrek'ann, a religious war between various Unathi states that declared themselves the representative nation of a powerful spirit. In religious mythos, this was seen as a war in heaven between the spirits, leading to the death of V'anii, with the sun itself dimming, and a year of intense cold, famine, and devastation until her miraculous rebirth, and the returning of the sun. This event is celebrated by both New and Old Hrek'ann followers with a three day festival.
The Old Hrek'anns celebrate this as the Rebirth of V'anii, however this event is interpreted by New Hrek'anns as the Return of Fan'jaer, the divine being, who had disappeared to mourn the mass slaughter that had occurred over the prior decades, in misguided belief. Led by G'issek, the prophet-king of the G'issekans, their followers. Though G'issek was able to conquer much of Southern Moghes, their successors were unable to hold onto such a large and diverse territory, quickly breaking into numerous successor states. Though the G'issek Hegemony lasted only 50 years, it's faith, New Hrek'ann, remains deeply rooted across much of Kssinder.
Gozi
The Gozi faith, originating in the harsh heat of the Ktash region of Moghes, is based on the fundamental belief that existence is merely a test for those souls to enter J'rana, a paradise beyond the ether. Only those capable of overcoming the harshness of living, and thus worthy of ascending, will enter J'rana. Those that fail are doomed to repeat the cycle until they learn the truth. Gozi holds that acts of kindness, perseverance, and tolerance are the measures by which a being is weighed, and only though all may learn of the Gozi, only those who have lived a life of active kindness and selflessness will be permitted to enter.
Some preachers of the Gozi, known as the Abnegate, are those who have dedicated themselves to spreading the word of the Gozi, deliberately choosing to remain bound to existence in order to spread the message across time and space.
Although Gozi originated in the deserts of the Ktash, it was embraced by the northern Hrad following the arrival of the first abnegate to the Ssarina, who allegedly taught the Hrad the knowledge of writing, and the knowledge of the great test, before deliberately casting herself to the void to spread the word anew. This sacrifice has long been part of Gozi discussions, art, and debates. Is choosing to remain to spread the knowledge of salvation enough of a selfless action to warrant entering J'rana? Are the Abnegate actually truly blessed?
Culture
Unathi culture is too expansive to cover briefly, the bullet points would be that outside of trade, their culture holds artisans of almost any kind in high regard, from performing arts to gastronomy, from architecture to painting, these would be the professions that the average Unathi would revere in their culture. Generally speaking, in Unathi culture there is no one commonly accepted religion, generally speaking if a Unathi believes in a higher power, they will seek it out in an attempt to learn more about it. Using observations of the order of things around them such as physical laws or social constructs, they’ll seek to rationalize why these things are as they are and form a system of belief around it. If it cannot be explained by modern science, there is probably a cult about it. Somewhere.
A curiosity of Unathi society is their reliance on renewable or green energies. This came after several notable changes in the ecosystem brought about by greenhouse gases, carbon footprints, etc. In a meeting encompassing all of the Unathi’s largest nations, it was decided that they would slow the rampant expansion on their planet, gearing more towards colonization and habitation of other more “expendable” worlds.
Writing & Art
Music & Film
Clothes & Fashion
Sports & Sports Organizations
Historical Figures & Events
Holidays & Festivals
Unathi religion is dynamic and typically based around personal experiences, and as such there are few holidays focused around religion or belief with only few notable exceptions. There are still holidays that are celebrated almost globally however. The abundance of personal holidays divides this into two sections…
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Stilaunika | The Unathi (almost) universally attend large conventions and gatherings on the anniversary date of entering their space age. Customs and traditions of this celebration may vary slightly from region to region, but the general themes of heavy revelry remain. Typically one would host house parties if extroverted, or travel to an observatory if introverted. |
| Most Unathi hold those that came before them in high regard, seeing their ancestors, grandparents, and parents as having laid the foundation for the future generations to make steady progress towards something greater. This holiday is one of festivals and parades, rowdy parties might also be hosted, but it’s a far more “thoughtful” holiday than Stilaunika, gifts are typically given from the young to the elderly, and re-enactments of historic or significant events are held by professional actors. Time off work to be with family is almost universally accepted for this holiday on Moghes. |
The smaller and often less organized/congregated religions that form on Moghes also have their own holidays, although they are often not officially recognized by governments. Most of the time, cults or founders of larger religions will decree holidays. These holidays, what they represent, and the rituals or customs surrounding them can vary wildly, it’s likely that a holiday can exist for anything due to the sheer number of cults and religions on Moghes.
Military
Before contact with humanity, Unathi had a plethora of locally produced weapons, vehicles, and naval ships dedicated to the defense of their planet. This included mostly small arms, as the jungles of Moghes often proved impractical to traverse without already existing roads. More open areas such as the deserts tended to be occupied with tracked transports, or fast and mobile vehicles with small, rapid fire ballistic machine guns. Weapons such as the railgun, primarily equipped onto heavier armed vehicles, were a rarity.
Upon contact with the SCG, trade was broadened to include SCG made weapons and vehicles. Armored vehicles included IFVs such as the A56 Goliath and the lightly armed and armored A157 Artemis scout tank. These vehicles paved the way for locally produced copies, integrated with high impact shields, larger hulls for better ergonomics, and replacement of tracks/wheels with anti-grav systems. Often, this resulted in many similar AFVs to the SCGs own, though these vehicles are more fitting for the larger size of your average Unathi. Most notable of these changes is the armor, which has been reduced significantly to place less strain on the anti-grav components of these vehicles. The result is very fast, maneuverable vehicles with significant armaments, but little in the way of protection outside of the shield systems.
Land, Sea, & Air Operations
| Ships | |
| Aircraft | |
| Ground Vehicles | |
| Infantry |
Unathi Military & Space Operations
| Ships | Sstrak-Yuk’har-V’vrenskan SYV (Joint Interstellar Navy Command) |
| Space Stations/Orbital Facilities | The Sstrak-Yuk’har-V’vrenskan has constructed several outposts and space stations in orbit above Moghes that serve a variety of purposes. These facilities are all fitted with hangars, barracks, and a various assortment of other military installations, the primary design of these stations is to assist the atmospheric patrols that guard the planet’s launch/landing sites from the stars by relaying flight information and schedules/expected traffic. Its secondary purpose is to launch fighters and interceptor vessels to defend stations, travelling ships, or go on the offensive against larger vessels attempting planetfall/intending to transport infantry for a ground offensive. |
| Atmospheric Patrols | |
| Spacemen |
Historic Events & Major Wars
Haja-Batek
The Haja-Batek was a major conflict between most of the Unathi powers on Moghes. It is recognised as a collection of wars, in the pursuit of resources following the devastation brought on the land following climate changes.