Syss Rembala
Devout Dog
Credit to Mymirada from DeviantArt
Name: Mahanaim
Designation: Sentient
Homeworld: Mahan
Language:
Mahanaim's mother tongue is Nuue. Although a member of other species who knew the language woud be able to communicate with them perfectly, only a Mahanaim can speak Nuue fluently because they use a series of sounds, known as clinals, that only they can listen and produce. This aspect of their language is comparable to that of the movement of the lekku in the Twi'lek species but with the difference that they are able to speak to each other only through them. This means that they actually speak two languages, Nuue and clinal language. Most of them, specially the young ones, can also speak Galactic Standard Basic.
Average height of adults:
Mahanaim tend to be slightly taller than humans. The average height for a female Mahanaim falls anywhere in between 1,70 and 1,85 and the average height of males between 1,85 and 2 meters being any value below or above this considered short or tall respectively. It is rare that females grow taller than males, same as happens in the human specie.
Skin color: Mahanaim's skin tone can range from milk white to slightly tan colors. Dark skin is only seen in non-pure-blooded Mahanaim.
Hair color: Mahanaim females may have white, any shade of blonde or any shade of brown colored hair while males might have pitch black or any shade of brown. Blonde males or black haired females are only seen in non-pure-blooded specimens. Red and blue hair is not commonly seen but an accepted color for both males and females.
Breathes: Type I
Strengths:
~ There you are: Mahanaim can make use of echolocation thanks to their hearing and their ability to produced sounds. This allows them to know where things are through registering the fluctuations of the waves of sound.
~ Stronger, Faster: Although this characteristics may vary, Mehanaim are physically superior than humans due to the adaptations they suffered in order to be able to live in their world. An average adult Mehanaim can run at 60 km/h in short periods of time (approximately during one minute and a half or 200-250 meters non-stop when in flat terrain), being able to keep up for long periods of time if not running at full speed and they can lift twice their body-weight in an untrained state.
~ I know you are there: Their hearing is the most acute of their senses but their sight and smell are also very sensitive.
~ Masters of Disorientation: The Mehanaim have learnt to use they ability to produce sound to make their foes confused, disoriented and unbalanced for very short periods of time.
~ Bring it on...: Ever since they are able to stand, the Mehanaim are put through a tedious training. They learn about their culture but this training is mainly centered around fighting and hunting. Even if they don't hunt as often as they used to back in the days, a Mehanaim that is unable to defend himself or to provide food for his family is considered an inferior.
~ Effective Multitaskers: Almost all of them are ambidextrous and it is known that they can perform different actions at the same time without major complications. They also have great hand-eye coordination.
~ All terrain: The Mahanaim can make their way effectively through almost any terrain be it swimming, climbing, running or jumping. They are prepared to navigate themselves anywhere.
~ You are afraid: Mahanaim are taught since an early age to read the physical language of most species and to tell whether others are lying or not by the tones in the voice and the beatings of the heart.
Weaknesses:
~ Stop that noise!: Having a supreme hearing not always comes in handy. If a screeching noise is strong enough they will suffer from extreme pain and if exposed for long enough they will be left with a serious headache, loss of balance, partial deafness or even complete deafness for a period of time (or for life if the organs are irreparably damaged).
~ Don't touch me: Fighting is so central in their life that if someone they do not trust puts a hand on them they will immediately go on the defensive side. They might even refuse to get medical attention just because of the discomfort of exposing their bodies to someone they don't know causes them. They can't stand it, even if they somehow know the one touching them doesn't mean harm.
~ Stay away from Zeltros: Thanks to their heightened senses, Mahanaim are even more susceptible to pheromones than other species. The sense that needs to be blamed for this is their olfactory sense. Seeing as how they have more olfactory cells, they perceive pheromones more strongly. This makes the effect of pheromones not only faster but also stronger in them.
~ Addictive: It is known that Mahanaim are more prone to addiction than other species, even if they need to consume more in order to get, for example, drunk. This is because the stimuli and "rewarded" effect affects them more strongly than others, making them become addicted to it quicker. Furthermore, their system, developed to live on very natural and unprocessed substances, receives much more damage than other species, meaning that they are not only more prone to falling into an addiction but to dying because of the consequences also.
~ Weak bones: Given their need for agility in order to survive in their environment, Mahanaim's bone structure is lighter and therefore, weaker than most. Breaking a Mahanaim's bones is easier than breaking those of a human and they tend to have specially vulnerable ribs.
~ Pain: Mahanaim have a lower than normal pain tolerance. Though, with a lot of training and practice, they can learn to tolerate it, they are still very sensitive to it and have a hard time putting up with anything that causes them physical pain.
~ Solitude: Mahanaim need company either from members of their same specie or other, even from semi-sentient beings. Feeling lonely is very dangerous for a Mahanaim, enough to drive them crazy and return them to a savage, semi-sentient state in which they are not more than animals. If a specimen completely falls into this state, there is no known way of restoring its sanity. Isolating Mahanaims is the worst of tortures to be inflicted on them. For reasons that are not completely understood, Mahanaim are unable of producing endorphines correctly and thus, enter a state of stress and depression such that it drives them to madness when deprived of contact.
~ Low-fertility: The specie has a very low fertility rate which means they exist in very low numbers. This is a weakness for the specie as a whole and it is expected for them to fade completely at some point in future generations.
Distinctions:
Mahanaim could pass as humans if not analysed with attention but there are many characteristics that make them different from the later specie. First of all, Mahanaims posses two pairs of canine teeth and this are the same size but sharper than the ones of humans, the second pair (the one that is behind the first) is only slightly shorter. This double-pair of canines is only present in the upper jaw while the lower canines are only one pair with the same characteristic, giving them a crossed bite that facilitates the consumption of meat. Furthermore, Mahanaims are easily distinguished by the triangle shaped ear lobes and the possession of a developed and under-control muscle that allows them to slightly moved their ears in order to point them at a sound in particular.
Internally, the Mahanaim possess a distinctive organ. It is an added organ to their auditory system that not only enhances their hearing for it to be much more acute than that of a human but also allows them to listen to a specific sound only produced by their specie and grants them greater balance and body position. This organ also grants them the ability to mute some sounds (not all of them) for example the murmur of a crowd and focus in one specific sound or conversation. Their hearing is so powerful that they are able to use echolocation.
Many Mahanaim tend to paint, if not tattoo, themselves with any pattern they feel identified with. Usually brothers and sisters will get the same tattoo/painting to show everyone their family bond. In some specimens, although this characteristic has been lost through the years and today is extremely rare, the Mahanaim will grow thorn-like spikes made of bone in between their knuckles, sometimes in both or only one hand. This specimens are almost always descendants of the first Mahanaims and looked upon with respect by their specie. The skull of a Mahanaim possesses a special cavity between the nostrils and the palate that is were this special "sounds", known to them as the "clinal", are produced. Although they usually communicate through verbal communication and use the clinals to make special remarks or phonetics, they are able to speak to each other only by using clinal language. Mahanaims also have stronger senses in comparison to humans and usually have sharp but attractive features.
If the specimen possess the gene, the most distinctive feature of a Mahanaim are their patterned eyes. This characteristic is more frequent in some Mahanaim tribes than in others. Another distinctive feature of the Mahanaim is their custom of covering their eyes for certain ceremonies with complicated and artistic masks made of feathers and horns, same as with the tattoos, members of the same family will usually get the same mask with varying colors. They are known throughout the Galaxy for their alluring voices, the cavity in their skull makes their voice sound more harmonious. Mahanaim siblings are very, very much alike even when having, for example, different hair or eye colors and if they possess the same, they could easily impersonate each other, even if they are not from the same gender. What they cannot impersonate, though is the clinal sound of their siblings because its tone is unique in each Mahanaim, like fingerprints in humans.
Average Lifespan: Mahanaim can live up to 120 years approximately.
Races: Each Mahanaim falls in one of three races: the Vretiel, the Tellor or the Menan. They are classified in each race depending the color of their eyes. The Vretiel have either purple, pink, white or sapphire blue eyes, the Tellor have either golden/amber eyes, wine or ruby red, orange or brown eyes and the Menan can have emerald green, light blue or black eyes. The color of the pupil is usually black but can adopt almost any color.
Estimated Population: The estimated population of the Mahanaim is around 10,000 specimens. The specie was almost extinguished by the gulag virus and given their low fertility rate they are still trying to rebuild the specie. It is on rare occasion that the Mahanaim leave their home-world for long periods of time but there are a couple of Mahanaim lurking the galaxy.
Diet: The Mahanaim are omnivorous creatures but with evident carnivore tendencies. Their diet is mainly composed of bantha meat, fish and small to medium aviary animals. Although they do grow crops and different kinds of vegetables they prefer hunting or the herbs and vegetables they find during their hunts. They have a slower metabolism than most species meaning that they can go for longer periods without eating.
Communication:
The Mahanaim will communicate through three mediums. Verbal, written or clinal communication.
Culture:
The Mahanaim are known for having a very rich culture. They divide themselves in tribes and each tribe is lead by a patriarch or matriarch chosen the members in an open vote. Nonetheless, there is one supreme leader, the Auzuhir. The Auzuhir can be male or female and of any age, he/she is known as the king or queen of Mahan. Every Mahanaim responds to the Auzuhir and to their respective patriarch or matriarch. The Mahanaim are very combat-oriented and value family and camaraderie above anything else, they form very close-knit societies. They worship two gods. Nirshir, the Mother and the godess of peace, light, all things good, beauty, music and the sky and Joarur, the Father and god of war, darkness, all things bad, revenge, blood, family and arms. They do not perceive Nirshir as good nor Joarur as evil and every tribe worships them both. Joarur is the protector of the males while Nirshir is the matron of females. Another thing that has a very strong meaning for the Mahanaim are the eyes. They believe the eyes to be the most pure representation of one and thus looking straight into the eyes of another is considered impolite. Mahanaim cover their eyes for certain occasions because since it is almost the only thing (without counting the clinal sound) that they think makes each specimen different from each other, covering them makes them feel all like one.
Technology level: The Mahanaim have lower technology level in comparison to other species but are expert weapon and armor-smiths.
General behavior:
Mahanaim may have very different personalities from each other, just like humans, but most of them follow a code and share some specific personality characteristic. The most important of them is their natural tendency to not trust strangers and to see everything as a potential source of danger until proved wrong. This means they are very cautious beings. They can be reckless, and very reckless, but only under specific circumstances.
They are fighters, lovers of combat and will want to solve things this manner if very angry before considering more diplomatic options. Most of them are proud and although this does not mean they feel superior to other species, they don't take kindly to insults. Mahanaim are distant to others but once you get to know one they prove to be calm and kind beings, extremely protective over the ones they care.
The Mahanaim are a very family-oriented specie. The bond between parents and child, brothers and sisters and lovers (to them a lover is also family) are even worshiped in their culture. Mahanaim siblings may stay with each other for life and love each other immensely. In the Mahanaim culture, fighting with a sibling/parent/lover or not protecting them is one of the ultimate acts of dishonor. They also consider very, very close friends their siblings.
Mahanaim must be approached in a very calm and submissive behavior for if made feel unsafe they will retreat into themselves and take a defensive stance. They are stubborn and don't appreciate being bossed around. Greed or thirst for power are not distinctive features of the Mahanaim, they tend to feel more comfortable with simplicity and blending in the masses. They are extremely intelligent and although they hate refusing challenges they won't accept if they know they will lose.
History:
425 ABY - The Mahanaim lived peacefully in their tribes. It was a time of prospering for the world of Mahan and its inhabitants. They heard about the spreading a plague but decided to ignore it, thinking it wouldn't get to their planet.
426 ABY - The Gulag Plague got to Mahan in the middle of the year, before the year reached its end most of the inhabitants of Mahan had perished and the survivors fled the planet, leaving Mahan inhabited.
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825 ABY - The Mahanaim start to form new tribes in other planets, word is spread through the Galaxy that a new Auzuhir has been elected and the tribes start moving into Mahan again. Any lone Mahanaim joins them in the return to their home-world.
835 ABY - The Mahanaim had returned to a wild planet, same as they had left it, after surviving viruses and wars. The temple that their ancestors had once built was now in ruins but they soon rebuilt it and inhabited their world once more.
844 ABY - Many Mahanaim have suddenly disappeared, including the Auzuhir, leaving the world Mahan unguided and desperate. The remaining patriarchs and matriarchs unite forces to keep their tribes safe from this unknown threat.
Notable Player-Characters: None at the moment.
Intent: To create a new Near-human specie of public use. Future objectives with this specie are for it and its home-world to join a Faction.
