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species:gunja

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Gunja

The cave-dwellers of Sirris VI, Gunja are a low-tech race of hardened survivors. That have been pushed into the massive cave systems of their planet due to the strong presence of large and extremely dangerous predators. Though, these caves had only some fungi to offer up for food. And thus, the Gunja struck out to hunt and kill these predators for food. The entire culture began to revolve around hunting and soon, the entire economy revolved around it as well. Featuring the prominent rise of hunters, legends and heroes.

Though, their culture also breeds brigands, marauders and cut-throats. Bandit overlords that pillage and loot, making the systems extremely dangerous to navigate for the inexperienced travelers.

History

Originally a small-time primate, the Gunja originally roamed the wastes of Sirris VI, thriving from the temperate forests, the fruits and meats they were able to forage and hunt. Fire, an increase in protein intake, brains growing larger. Soon, the Gunja were a primal and tribal species. However, due to their evoution and their reliance on tools caused their physiology to develop a bit less. A lot of Gunja began dying due to the dangerous flora and fauna present, so they fled into their massive cave system.

In these caves, without the aforementioned circumstances, the Gunja were able to develop more fully. Their physiology changed, evolving into a lot of loose joints and cartilage. Growth in size, though having a very slender average shape. In these caves, their technological advancements were slow, but present. First, there was metal, then gunpowder. Several sources of primitive fuels that they soon were able to refine. Leading to the creation of vehicles the average Gunja labels as gravecrawlers. Currently, there are countless Gunja villages in the caves, as well as a proportionate number of bandit camps.

Physiology

Gunja physiology is traditionally human, though their blood is black as tar, extremely thick. Their bleeding clots fast compared to traditional humans, though their veins are also way wider. Wich is more than often visible across their body during exertion. With their extremely pale, ashy skin, their black blood makes their veins even more noticable. Gunja have outward horns, most traditionally growing in a fashion akin to a ram. Though these don't grow large. Their width is smaller than their elf-like ears.

A Gunja is physically brittle. With the amounts of cartilage in their bodies. Breaking or shattering bones is very common. Due to the aforementioned cartilage as well as a very low calcium diet. Gunja eyes are traditionally red and much like a cats, they reflect light extremely well. A trait they share with the feline is their extremely good darkvision. In low-light, as well as complete darkness, Gunja see - and hear, extremely well. Their ears are more akin to an elf's ear, rather than a human. Their concha is extremely sensitive and can even sense vibrations, rather than just the eardrum. Gunja ears are a dead giveaway of how a Gunja feels. Mostly, these elongated tips are tilted downwards, though they can be raised up to rest against the side of their head. Often used to listen out any foreign sound in the caves.

Diet

Gunja diet has gone through a process much akin to the Gunja themselves did when they fled the surface world and opted to live in the massive cave system on Sirris VI. Where they originally had meat from the smaller predators they could hunt with primitive means, once they moved to the caves, the Gunja began feeding themselves with the fungi and reptillian critters they could find. Leading to the change in their overall physique. Forming the slender, over-abundant cartilage possessing Gunja.

Now, with primitive fuels and blackpowder, the Gunja are able to take the fight to the larger predators of Sirris VI, their diet consists of more meat, while they still rely on fungi for both protein and carbohydrates. Grains and such are a rarity and considered a luxury food among the Gunja.

Environment

See: Sirris VI.

The cave systems consist of extremely large passages where even tanks could roll through, though these often break off in a myriad of smaller passages of varied sizes, or lead to one of the larger settlements in a massive clearing. Explosions are often audible, these are a telltale sign of a settlement expanding. Gunshots also echo throughout, though are extremely difficult to pinpoint by anyone that aren't experienced trackers.

Life Cycle

Gunja life cycle is short, extremely so. Most Gunja die of old age around their fifties to sixties, and is considered extremely old. Though the Gunja both breed like rabbits and die like lemmings. Be it through the danger of the caves or the criminals that reside within, or the high morality rate of both experienced and aspiring hunters. A Gunja is considered an adult at the human age of sixteen and are often cast out of their parental home at that age. Infancy lasts for two to three years after a pregnancy of 7 months. At this age, the toddler is able to walk and has already learned some words. Gunja children stay small up until they have a growth spurt. Most toddlers are around 80 centimeters. At the age of twelve to fourteen they break into their spurt, which allows them to grow to a maximum of 300 centimeters, average height is around 250 centimeters. A Gunja stops growing around the age of sixteen.

Culture

Gunja economy and culture revolves around the hunt, art, songs of legend, books regaling the heroisms of various hunter-knights. The entire society is concerned with the hunt and romanticises the hunters that partake. There are competitions between various hunters, which only adds to the idolization of the aforementioned.

Gunja culture is medieval at best, while they have primitive fuel, printing presses and blackpowder, they are not all too advanced and sometimes even considered primal and tribal in their sculptures. Some settlements moreso than the others. The Gunja are very aggressive to outsiders.

Clothing

Minimalistic, with minute details and finetuned decorations to make plain clothes look more appealing. Gunja clothing used to be made from a cave fungus that produced a stretchy, cloth-like fabric. Though now with their advancements, they have ability to get to the surface and survive there for quite some time. Which allowed them to cultivate and farm crops. Their clothing has begun featuring more traditional materials that resemble fur, wool and silk closely. Traditionally, Gunja wear darker colours such as brown or even gray and black. A deep, bloody red, a dark purple. Gunja don't know bright colours , but their colours are directly correlated to their origin. If it lies with a kingdom or a collection of hunters.

Food

Gunja's cuisine originated from cultivating mushrooms and fungi solely. Rich in proteins, the Gunja evolved to solely thrive off of these cave fungi. Though when their technology advanced, so did the Gunja kitchen. Meat became more widely available, crops that allowed grain and thus bread were cultivated and harvested, leading to grain-based products such as bread. Which is still a luxury among the Gunja today.

Language

Gunja language is a sharp, complicated tongue. Extremely fast with similair tones yet possibly entirely different meanings. The Gunja alphabet is best described as runic etchings, with new variations on their letters and symbols being made each day. Though not every Gunja can read, let alone write. It's bussiness only scholars and scientists are concerned with.

Naming

Gunja naming is an anomaly. It depends from city to city, stronghold to stronghold. Some parents name their children with deep meaning, others make it as easy as calling them the first, the second, the third, etc. Several common Gunja names are; Marrekesh, Bannaat, Barresh, Yukrosh, Fannesh, Sjarm.

Gunja don't really make a difference between male and female names. Any name is viable for any gender.

Politics

Gunja politics are purely regulated by city, stronghold or clan. They decide how their governing works, be it dictatorship, a democracy, an imperial totaliarism, communism. The Gunja vary heavily in their political views. They try to change and even conquer those that disagree. But there have been little to no major powershifts in the caves thus far.

Technology

The Gunja are a low-tech race. Not even capable of regular flight, they have the means to produce low-grade fuel, vehicles that operate on it, blackpowder and weaponry involved with that. Though their firearms lack capability and are rather used as hunting tools than used for Gunja on Gunja violence. It would leave little to nothing of the other party. Gunja gunpowder weaponry is colossal, often with just one projectile inside. The most common is the sharpened tusk of the large predators they hunt. These weapons habe no kind of range and are only effective point blank. While it's great at piercing tough hides, the limited capacity makes it unusable for warfare.

Thus, the Gunja prefer crossbows, bows and throwing spears.

Cave-crawlers

Basically what the Gunja name their vehicles, cave crawlers are surprisingly well engineered to be adaptable to the cave systems. Most featuring a steam-pressured anchoring system that allows a Gunja to pin the vehicle to any surface at any angle. The most common models feature two wheels, though four wheeled buggies are not too uncommon either.

Economy

Gunja economy revolves around the trade of wares and bartering. Reputation and fame as a hunt grants gifts and help, though any cave-dweller sells what they loot from the caves, mushroom pickers trade a part of their harvest for meat or clothing. The only thing that resembles a central currency is either blackpowder or fuel, though for normal farmers and citizens, fuel and blackpowder are virtually useless. It is not to hunters and cave-dwellers, though, which is why the trade with the aforementioned shifted to selling their meat, skins or loot for fuel and blackpowder.


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species/gunja.1536746049.txt.gz ยท Last modified: 2023/12/20 16:41 (external edit)