The Meylar
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
Contents |
About The Meylar
Home Worlds
Home Planet: Original not remembered, Slave ships for 120 yrs, Then Navvren, which is current.
Solar System: 7th sector by Galactical standards.
Axis: 25 breach Mock 2.
Terrain: Mixture of Sand and Dirt. Very little mountain range. No oceans. Large freshwater lakes.
Rainfall: Average 4 inches per year.
Sunshine: One full 24 hour period in a cycle (year).
Meylar Anatomy
Species: Humanoid, Bipedal, Winged.
Skin; Fleshy like your typical human, but rough like callouses.
Ears; Normal shaped human ears.
Eyes; Two, but the irises contain the same pigment changing cells as earthy octopods that can shift colours at will or with emotion.
Mouth; Normal open and shut motions, contains as many teeth as a normal human, slightly extended canines, but worn down molars.
Reproductive Organs and Reproduction
Most if not all Meylar have the same size reproductive organs as a typical human. However, most females only have the capacity to mate once, produce the one offspring as "the race" demands, and then never thinks to engage in sexual activity again. There is no need, and most die after the batch of offspring are born.
Gestation Period: 3 months for the "pouch" to develop, 6 months inside the pouch before breaching to breathe air.
-Meylar don't lay "eggs" per say but produce a sac of skin and fluid much like the center of a chicken egg, but without the protective shell for the offspring to grow in.-
Growth rate is rapid until survival age, which is 10 human years, at which time their aging slows if not nearly stops visibly altogether. Most Meylar only live to the age of 18 human years for males, and 15 human years for females. Mating occurs at 10 years old for females, 13 years old for males.
Other Organs
Meylars are born with two hearts. One normal four chamber heart which is located where a human heart would be. A smaller two chamber heart directly below and to the left, nestled against it's left lung. It's main function is to assist in pumping blood and oxygen when Meylar are in flight.
-Meylar lungs are comparable to an Olympic divers in oxygen capacity.
-Meylar bone structure is similar to that of earthly birds in that their bones are light and almost completely hollow.
-Meylar body types can be described as thin, wispy, willowy, and extremely agile.
The People
Culture
Meylar culture is rich in oral traditions. What is most important, what drives them more than anything is the common goal to have the race survive. Long ago, more years than even an Ancient could count, the Meylar were taken from their original home planet and brought aboard a slave ship. Who ran it, and where it was going was never found out. During their time on the ship, the race was stricken with an alien disease which attacked their DNA like a plague. Nearly all the adults, save 7, and all the children, survived. The slave ship left what was left of their "pathetic" race on the hostile planet of Navvren and continued going. Since then, the practice of mating pairs being ordained at such a young age became commonplace to ward off the plague should it return.
Society
Chieftans The Chieftans are seven men who never became part of a mated pair. They live longer than most because they are guaranteed food even when the batch of offspring is born. They are the "government" of the Meylar. Their rules. Their way. They are steeped in the ancient ways that the Meylar have practiced since coming to Navvren, although non remember the slave ship. Despite their position, the Chieftans still only manage to live to about 20 years of age. Most die from assasinations from younger males who also are not part of a mated pair.
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Saints The Saints are the "church" of the Meylar. There are 5, all around the same age as the Chieftans. They are responsible for pairing ceremonies, burials, reciting the stories of their past, and the occasional botched Kheldian / Meylar bonding. They are revered for their skins at finger painting. The ability to find roots and tubers to mix into paints or dyes to colour the walls of their "nesting" to depict murals.
Citizens Citizens include Mating pairs, Offspring, The occasional Ancient, and Solo's. There are never more than 500 members of this class at any one time.
Citizens Break Down
Mating Pairs; A male and female that have been ordained by the Saints to reproduce an offspring.
Offspring; The young or "children" of the Meylar/
Ancient; A male or female that has outlived it's mated.
Solo; A male or female that has been ordained to be a mated pair with a male or female that cannot reproduce.
A Barren; A male or female that cannot reproduce. (low sperm count/cannot carry a baby to full pouch term)
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As Mating and producing an offspring is considered the prime objective of a Meylar's life, the inability to do so brand that male or female a "barren". They are considered an outcast in Meylar society, and there is no place for them, other than the furthest fringe of the Nesting.
A Solo, the other half of a barren's mated pair usually finds another function within Meylar society. Male solo's will often jock for position in the Chieftans or Saints. A female will often become a burrow keeper, watching over those offspring who's parents have died to soon after birth to nurture them.
Education
Unlike large more civilized cultures and races across various galaxies, the Meylar teach their offspring the ways of their people, thinking that is enough. They teach them what plants and roots to eat, which are posion, and the very basics of math. Since most of the traditions are passed down through oral recitation, there is no need for the ability to read or write. They do paint however. Large murals typically done by the Saints, normally depicting large trees in full bloom, and rolling fields of grass and flowers. No such scenes exist on Navvren, so most believe it is the racial "memory" of their original home planet or something they heard while on the slave ship. They are also taught combative flight. (see enemies below).
The Nesting
Despite Navvren being a desert planet for the most part, there are lakes and smaller bodies of fresh rainwater that remain full as the Sun only makes a yearly appearance. It is near these bodies of water the the Meylar make their dwellings called "The Nesting". A system of collective tunnels underground lead to different chambers, dug into the dirt and / or sand. Most dwellings consist of two rooms per Mated Pair. A large "fire" room where the fire is made, normally with a smaller hole that leads to the surface for ventilation, where they eat, speak, keep warm, etc. The slightly smaller room behind is their sleep room. Most Meylar can sleep on the hard dirt or sand floor as is. Others if they've kept them sleep on tunka mats. These mats are made of the pulp of a tuber called the "Tunka". It is crushed and mixed with clay. This mixture is then spread out flat like a parchment. When dried it is very reed like. It is cut into strips with sharp stones and threaded together to make Offspring mats to keep them off the floor as infants and toddlers. Most mating pairs keep their own offspring mats when they establish their own dwelling.
Fighting
There are normally no reasons to fight amongst the Meylar as their society is very insect like and single minded in it's thinking. Everything is done for the good of "the race". But primitive weapons are fashioned. Spears made of gnarled tree roots and sharpened stone edges, clubs made of Bekosh tree roots, and the like. Most are only used in the defense of "The Nesting" should a Gamok or Cryte find the entrance.
Enemies
Gamok; Large reptile. Snake like in body with up to 3 years, more if older than 7 years. They are large enough to eat several mated pairs per head. Comparable to the earthen myth of the "hydra".
Cryte; Crytes are comparable to the Dire Hawks. Having sharp beaks, razor talons and excellent night vision. Their species is not native to Navvren, and most don't remember when they arrived. They are intelligent, can speak, and are "sportsman". They count their meals as trophies and love nothing more than the thrill of the chase on the wing.
Duren; The Duren are large surface dwelling humanoids, something akin to ogres. Between 6 to 8ft in height, slow moving, but purely carnivores. They would eat an entire Nesting if one was found. Search parties are often sent out during meager times to look for the smoke wisps of the "Fire rooms" vents.
Chutak; The chutak are akin to the prehistoric ants of earth. Over two inches long, a swarm could empty a nesting of everyone in it, in 4 minutes. When Chutak find a nesting, either through a wall, or one is found scouting a tunnel way, the Nesting is immediately abandoned. All the Meylar come above ground, and move the entire colony to a new location where the nesting rebuilds.
- One particular species of Chutak, the Fire Chutak, so called for their red colour, are hunters specifically of the Meylar. They search for Meylar offspring to mind erase with hormones and mind slave it. It's then taken back to the "tunnel work" where it is put to work taking care of Fire Chutak larvae, cleaning them, grooming them, feeding them, etc.
