[hider=Naga] [B]Name:[/B] Naga [B]Average lifespan:[/B] 2000 is oldest recorded but a rarity. [B]Brief description:[/B] Naga look as if someone had taken two creatures, a human and a giant snake, then combined them. Features vary between each individual Naga resulting in a variety of looks, a thing similar to humans. The upper torso is human from head to the pelvis where the flesh gives away to the snake tail. When at ease, they stand around 5’7” to 6’2” with about 9 foot of tail that travels in the wake. Often their bodies have crisscross of scars from their childhood, lasting only 120 years, and can live up to 2000 years in age. Important links: [B]Location:[/B] There are tribes and clans scattered though out Tiien, all in isolated areas from civilization. The most well-known and most used one is Mesa Gaan, the very birth place of Mar. [B]Mage blood rate:[/B] Currently there’s only one known Naga with this trait, but in time, that might change. Status- Player created- Fallenreaper.[/hider] 3 cities within Yarsomere- Mesa Gaan The largest Naga city on recorder, at least in the Desert variety, and is really nothing more than a massive, complex maze of carved out tunnels. It seems more like a hive, with areas made for commune sleeping as well as individual space for the cold desert night to an underground water supply. However they spend much of their day between the underground and surface, the latter better suited to their tastes, as they exist with the natural world around them. Adapting it only when needed as is expected of all Naga. Territory range- Several hundred miles over seemingly vast desert, something like Death Valley, and less inhabitable for humanoids these serve as both home and birthing ground for Naga. This area takes about the top fourth of Matash, from the border to the coast and several miles from any city. Population- About 2,600-4,500 Hassam The second largest, Hassam is located in Baldum from the border to the river and settled between the two cities, Thead and Fiel. About half the size of Mesa Gaan, these Naga live in an oasis type environment filled with lush greenery and limited water which makes their scales green instead of the desert brown from those of Mesa Gaan. The city itself isn’t a winding series of tunnel and the only Naga City not located near a Ravine entrance within Yarsomere. Territory range- Lust, green oasis caused by the river’s rich soil and slightly akin to a jungle. Unlike the other Naga cities, they are only a week’s journey but due to the harsh desert wildlife that seemed to cluster about the Naga, few have dared ventured there. Population- About 950-2,800 Beenas The smallest city, it’s more of a tribe then an actually city made from several tribes that cover the area in the middle of Ranad’Ko, Shala’pha, and Taw’si Isth. They are most focus near the river, their homes tunneling out and all connect at one large area where the Ravine entrance exists. Territory range-Shh’ Fet Population- About 700-1,500 Basic life of a Desert Naga (These are estimation to give an idea of when it’s supposed to happen as well as appearance.): ~ (Unless a Naga male knows a female carries offspring conceived by both, he doesn’t influence the child’s early life from any possible breeding partner and even then it’s not heavily.) After carrying her offspring within her for 4-6 months depending on number, she will move off into the desert wilderness to seek out a burrow. Usually it is the same one she herself was born from, laying soft shell eggs between 2-9 once the burrow has been cleaned or situated enough for rising young. In a few months, a Naga is born from their egg and they are more developed then most children of other races. Babies have their eyes open immediately bonding with the first thing they set sights upon as their vision comes into focus after a few hours. The pupils dilated making the eyes completely black and a thin film over. They are rather active, compatible of movements like a few month year old, but unable to make the soft cries until 2 weeks to a month after birth. The mother ends up watching her offspring emerge from the egg shells that when the child is old enough, has grown weaker due to the nutrients being absorbed from it, easily punctured by small tail spike at each newborn’s end. This ‘spike’ falls off shortly after the infant is born, still covered by the wet egg fluids and clinging bits from the burrow. In a few hours they are up and slithering around and when 20 years hit, they are slowly start wandering towards the burrow’s entrance which will at some point end up exiting to explore the world around them with the Mother lingering close by. ~60 years (appearance: 6 years old), a Naga child is about to hold a weapon. This is when the mother teaches her children to craft a weapon from animal carcasses brought back to the burrow, learning to fight and defend them, building up muscles, as well as slowly hunt food shepherded towards them. Usually small and only mildly dangerous creatures that make easy kills are chosen, slowly becoming more dangerous as their age/skill advances. ~130 years (Appearance: 13 years), the Naga independence kicks in, weakening the dependence upon the mother. Now the mother freely wanders, only so often wandering back to the burrow and reconnecting to her children though brief, small moments as well as keeping tabs on their development. Now the children are fully able to survive alone without aid or need, their link now only one made from desire to be close to another of their kin rather than a needed measure to live. ~140 years (appearance: 14 years) Now accepted as an adult, the Naga children are introduced to the place of resident for his/her race and the true challenge begins. Since Naga are both Surface and Subterranean creatures, their vast tribes are created under Tiien’s surface filled with new dangers then birth. This where the social development occurs in a Naga’s lifetime and thus, this time has the greatest determining factor to their state of mind drawn from their surroundings. On arriving, they are sorted either in the Crafter or Hunter caste depending on their skills, weapon crafted and any information discussed in private between the mother and 3 Matriarchs. There are 3 castes where they would spend the rest of their lives in, though only the third is accessible later in life and to selective female Naga changing their role. When a Naga child is introduced to the Matriarchs, they are placed into one of two castes: Hunter or Crafter. A third caste, the Matriarchs are the highest cast and always female, taking one or more promising Huntresses under their care to later chose one to become the new Matriarch when her last breath escapes. Though there are genders within the Hunter and Crafter caste, the females hold the leadership roles and blunt of the responsibility. *Hunter Caste: Warriors, hunters, and law keepers, these Naga are defenders of their race and their city. Equal parts of males and females are found within this caste and both rather serious about their duties. They spend much of their time topside filling out their duties but hunker down beneath the ground for rest, food, retrieving the Matriarch Caste orders or during their inactive moments. ~They often are posted in stations, temporarily tribes about 20 or more, that exist to ensure no one accidently wanders into their home. It is there, they live and watch and taking shifts as Naga rotate from here to Mesa Gaan. This migration happens, like an inner clock, every fall equinox day (Sept. 23) and ends usually sometime in late October to mid-August when the last of the shift happens. A group never leaves until another arrives to take their place, traveling over miles of hot desert. *Crafter Caste: Builders, architects and physical labors of the Naga race, it is their responsibly to enable the tribe is taken care of. This caste is made of mostly females and some males that show talent in their crafting skills and creative thinking, including the crippled or recovering Naga as well. Unlike their sisters and brothers within the Hunter caste, they tend to shift frequently, and by choice, from the surface to underground since their tasks are mostly made from physical labor. This caste requires consistent team work throughout the rest of their lives and thus the most sociable and diverse while retaining the calm and controlling nature. *Matriarch Caste: Not assigned when coming of age, these Naga are the only strictly female caste. It also the smallest and most important one because this is where their decisions, orders and determined leadership comes from and filters out into the others. Built from Naga from both Hunter and Crafter castes, there are 3 matriarchs (spend all their time underground and use heated rocks to keep their temperature) that united decide the fate of their tribe while the rest are Naga ranging from a variety of ages which are learning under them. This caste consists of only 6-12 at most under the three, replacing their rank only when there’s a death among of the Matriarch’s chosen, dubbed Tyros. They learn the role of the Matriarch from the decision, tasks, and experience each caste by assisting in their tasks daily while also tending to their teachers well-being. ~the only caste that regularly requires and practices reading, this skill isn’t widely practiced among Naga since it serves little purpose other than distraction. Not to say the Tyro hasn’t passed on the learning and enable others from other castes to read, etc. Only those chosen to decent into Matriarch are shown the history of the Naga race written deep within Mesa Gaan itself. ~Joining age is 190-260 (19-26) but there are expectations since it’s the Matriarch’s individual choice when to select her Tyro. In time, those that are chosen spend more and more time underground. As a side effect, their scales lost coloring and become albino in appearance as well their eyes become blind because they begin to rely more on hearing and smell. Important abilities of a Naga: Heat sensory- ability to sense heat from surroundings as far as the eyes could see. The organ is small but powerful, plumping constant information that is stored within the Naga brain and accessible any time. Tongue sensory- ability to scent smells within the air, from recent to a few days old unless affected by water, enable them to track prey. Strong odors can overwhelm this sensory and ruin, for a short time, this highly sensitive sense. The Malice- this is a state when a Naga’s body is damaged, not aged, to the point it can’t contain the soul any longer. Once the soul is released, the still living body goes into a sort of berserker rage and mindless rampage that results in attack upon both enemies as well as allies. This can last anywhere from several hours to days depending on the adrenaline amount pumping through the Naga’s body. However quick and simple ways to kill them is by damaging the brain, the safest method with the fastest result, or the heart in which the body will simply die. ~Low body temperature then humans. Not low enough to allow them to freeze but Naga can’t tolerate very low temps without slowing down and drifting into a hibernate state, bit by bit shutting off their bodily functions until they warm up. To most this seems as if they are dead and a state that can only last for few hours until it starts to kill off the Naga’s tissues and brain functions, killing them instantly. Extreme heat on the other hand, doesn’t affect them, enabled to live in long spells without passing out or needed to sweat. ~Their scale areas are tough and durable like leather armor. The scales themselves unable to feel pain, yet if something managed to get past it then it would struck the nerve endings making the Naga notice.