The
Zugisians
| Mechanics | Native to Zevhiir | Agile | Intellectual |
Artwork by Xelo
Rundown
The Zugisians are most known famously for their various striped patterns, long ears and thin structure. They are also the second smallest race of kilds in Anista, ranging between 5 to 6 ft. Though small, their highest attribute is in intellect, and flexibility. The Zugisians are artisans of mechanics, they love to make functional works that better their living and ease working. Though some can be selfish with their technology and would rather not share it with others. Zugisian culture is oriental inspired with a slight "wizard" aesthetic. It is common for ladies and gentlemen to have long hair, and to practice their religions carefully. Their beliefs are to carry on life with an even path. Believing there is always a mixture of good and bad in the world,, and to accept things as it comes.
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Special Biology
Zugisian's often grow lean and thin structures. Their muscles have a special "weaved" structure to them , thus allowing their bodies to remain thin and agile while they strengthen. In nature, a Zugisian would be required to be this way in order to successfully escape from predators and slip quickly into their burrows. In the empire, however, many have grown to a more relaxing life style and may find themselves getting a little plump as their bodies do not need to be as agile anymore. This mostly just effects the non-working class. Nobles and lords that work solely as diplomats or organizing. The most of the working class of Zugisians will end up thin-muscular. Depending on what type of work they should get into. For example, A knight / warrior might be very muscular, well trained and worked. While someone who does work on the farm or is a servant and cleans, might look on the thin side.
Just keep in mind, since Zugisian's muscle structure weaves, Thin does not mean weak. Zugisian muscles will weave tightly together, making them harder to the touch. So their strength can be felt rather than seen at times.
Talons: Zugisians by nature are prey. Their talons are quite uniquely adapted for their spot on the food chain: rather than being made strong and sterdy like most kild's talons, their talons are long, sharp and thin. They are used in defense against attacking predators. They can slash and stab into the attacker, digging deep into the flesh and even running into the bone. Then the claw breaks off and remains in it's attacker. The claw has a sort of jagged backwards scale layer that would only be visible through a microscope, but this texture allows for their claws to get stuck in attackers. This is a good trait to have to either keep predators away from your kind, or to get away hastily by slowing them down or even killing them if the claw hits a vital organ.
The talon can grow back in a matter of a month, and typically need trimmed down in modern day.
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Culture & Lifestyle
The Zugisians prefer a quiet lifestyle and can be a bit picky on their living conditions.
They don't typically like a messy habitat and prefer a well mannered and orderly fashioned movement of things. This doesn't account to everyone, especially in an individuals work space, but as a typical cultural view on things it's what's preferred and expected.
The Zugisians culture is inspired based on Oriental life styles such as that of the Chinese and Japanese, Check out this pinterest board for inspiration: https://www.pinterest.com/JazziCrystol/zevhiiran-inspiration/
(see image below this for examples of clothes)
They pay their respects appropriately to the great gods such as Eliistia and Haarus, along with their offspring. Alike most though, they look to the god's protectors for help, since they can be looked to for advice and information, where as the true gods would not be able to be spoken to. Fidia, the great sephidian goddess, often taking form of a large black and gold serpent and can be a direct link to the greater gods. Fidia can only be spoken to by the great Zugis family themselves. however the offspring of Fidia, Sephiri and Dia, are connected to Fidia, and they can be semi spoken to by dream monks and high priests. Sephiri and Dia do not have voices nor mouths, however. So their means of speaking is something to be carefully practiced and taught.
Having dream oriented deities results in many of the Zugisians having common practices such as dream journals and careful meditation.
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Defining Abilities
Ears
The Zugisian is of one of the greatest listeners, Their ears can pick up sounds from several miles away, a well adapted trait they earned for being so small and silent to best listen to their surroundings for any predators or to communicate quietly among themselves. This is also part of the reason they prefer their lifestyle so quiet. Other races speaking in a normal tone can sound like they're screaming at them and the Zugisian can often sound like they're whispering to others and may be daunted to " speak up " which can result in a rather angry sounding Zugisian for having to do so.
Scales
Zugisian scales are small, smooth, and shiny. This slick coat to their scales allows them to get away from the grasp of predators, and to squeeze into tight places like in their burrows back in their primal days. Having this coating does force them to require moisture, not being suited for surviving in hot or dry places. As a bonus with this coating however, it does allow their scales to be slightly fire proof. They can still be burned and scarred from fire, but for brief and swift movements, they're able to touch fire without harm.
Intellect & Speed
Zugisians might not be the strongest of kilds, but what they lack in muscle and mass, they pick up in intellect and speed. Often times craftsman ship is their biggest passion. Their love for building mechanics is their biggest saving feature. Their speed is also important for them as many Zugisian warriors practice the art of swift strikes and agility. To better get around their enemy to find their weaknesses and exploit them in a quick manor.
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Technology
The Zugisians have invented and produced several ingenious inventions that have saved them from disasters. Along with helping general living. Many of the Zugisian's mechanical improvements have been towards living, such as lamps to keep the streets lit, stoves to cook their food, better insulated freezer boxes to keep food frozen and preserved, rail carts for town transportation, cart hydraulics for improved travel, and many more helpful living inventions. Things have changed from the old empire to the new empire after Emerik's reign, but more about that will be explored at another date.
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Nesting
The Zugisians are rather relaxed but protective parents.
Many Zugisian females prefer to stay with their young until their between the age of 7 and 10 when they are more capable of keeping an eye out for danger, feeding and dressing themselves, etc. though they don't usually let them out onto the streets or get a job on their own until they are at least 15 when they're considered a young adult and able to work fully on their own and "leave the nest"
in the kild ancestry they used to be burrowers, and so their eggs have evolved to best camouflage in their environment... The Zevhiiran land is full of Zagnetite, and it was very common for them to nest in it, they would gather up the Zagentite into a bowl like shape and sometimes a cocoon or vase like shape and set their eggs in them. This way the eggs were protected and disguised in case of any wild animals getting into their burrows.
In current times they no longer burrow and there is no need for zagnetite nesting, but some may have the preference to keep tradition and make more carefully sculpted zagnetite nests or simply set zagnetite around their unhatched youth symbolically or with belief it may help growth.
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Zagnetite
Zagnetite is a native mineral to Zevhiira (land of the Zugis Empire) and is an important part of most Zugisians' lives. Zagnetite Is a magnetic mineral that will easily pull others of it's kind to itself. When this mineral is combined with Zevhite, a burnable mineral, it creates an electrical current of energy between them that causes sparks of electricity. This can be used to power many things such as the Zugisian's rail cart, lamps, and even their stoves.
Zagnitite has many uses, and can be quite a popular rock. the Zugisians find it and use or trade it, many use it for things like running certain machines and technology, lights, and if your an original Zugisian, you may find beauty in this sparkly blue rock and use it as jewelry, or in a traditional way and decorate your home or nest with it.
Zagnetite's effect on the soul gem is non-lethal. It gives a light buzz and feels more acquainted to a comforting hug. Thus it is popular for Zagnetite to be correlated with love and life, thus acquainting it with kilden hatching and even into medications.
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Zugisian Writing
Heavily Inspired by Chinese writing, the Zugisians write in a similar way, however, the letters are much simpler and singular than Chinese.
Keep in note that the letter "Y" does not exist in the kild world, and instead should be replaced with one or two I's or a "J" depending on pronounciation. For example, we would spell Avidecii as Avidecy. but since the Y does not exist, it is replaced with two I's pronounced the same way.
Zugisian writing is to be read and written, top to bottom, right to left. Capitalized letters are expressed with a dash above them, and the end of a sentence is expressed with a prominent period, or filled in circle just below the final letter.
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Zugisian Meals
Zugisians often find their biggest courses of food in fruits and insects. Since it is difficult for them to hunt creatures in their land without risk, they resorted to much easier means of food. Fruits and plants can be farmed and stored for a long time, and so can insects. Many Zugisians will catch and farm insects and plants in large green houses on the farm lands. They will keep the plants and insects warm during winter as well in these houses in order to keep them from dying off. Thus, keeping the food plentiful. Many of the insects on Anista are large with soupy but meaty insides. They can be cooked and boiled, then split open and pulled apart for all kinds of interesting and flavorful meals. Farms in the Zugis empire also hold Kahliijak and other producing animals to get eggs and milk from. It is rare of them to slaughter their farmed animals, however. Often they will trade them off instead.
There is a doc part of the empire where fishermen bring in their catch of fish to sell as well.
For those in the higher district that require more exquisite dishes, they might hire or pay for trained groups of hunters to get them more interesting and expensive dishes. Some expensive delicacies include: Beon meat, Hivirus meat from zevhiira, and many other meats from other lands that are tougher to catch.
In tough times, when there is food shortages, Zugisians may turn to slaughter a few of their farmed animals if it is truely necesarry, and may even result to picking stray roxics off the street for food even if it is so terribly scarce.