<?xml version="1.0"?>
<feed xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xml:lang="en">
	<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/api.php?action=feedcontributions&amp;feedformat=atom&amp;user=Evandorf</id>
	<title>Aurora Information Uplink - User contributions [en]</title>
	<link rel="self" type="application/atom+xml" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/api.php?action=feedcontributions&amp;feedformat=atom&amp;user=Evandorf"/>
	<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php/Special:Contributions/Evandorf"/>
	<updated>2026-06-15T10:01:34Z</updated>
	<subtitle>User contributions</subtitle>
	<generator>MediaWiki 1.45.3</generator>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Unathi&amp;diff=39065</id>
		<title>Unathi</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Unathi&amp;diff=39065"/>
		<updated>2026-04-18T21:41:43Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Infobox Species&lt;br /&gt;
 |Species = Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Scientific = U. sapiens / Sinta&#039;Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Image = Unathi410x320.png&lt;br /&gt;
 |System = [[Uueoa-Esa]]&lt;br /&gt;
 |World = [[Moghes]]&lt;br /&gt;
 |Language = Sinta&#039;Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Politic = [[Karsekani Moghes]]&lt;br /&gt;
 }}&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Unathi&#039;&#039;&#039; (direct plural: Unathi – You-NAWH-thee both singular and multiple) (adjective: Unathite - You-NAWH-thit) are a race of tall humanoid reptiles standing from six to seven feet tall on average, with females slightly smaller in stature. They possess a mixture of snake-like and crocodile-like features, resulting in hard and plate-like scales. Unathi live in their home system of Uueoa-Esa with their homeworld being [[Moghes]]. The planet&#039;s history can be summarized as being divided up between various Hegemonies, now called Karszekani or High Kingdom, names they give the most powerful Clans on Moghes throughout time. The Clan system is deeply entrenched in Unathi society with everything else revolving around it. It forms a major part of their code of honor, which stresses the importance of martial abilities and loyalty to the Clan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Unathivillage.png|thumb|alt=Unathi.|Life outside the Untouched Lands remains harsh, with limited or nonexistent Hephaestus presence.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Religion and spirituality play a major role in a Unathi society, and religious differences are the main dividing factor. Conflict between the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and the various [[Th&#039;akh]] faiths of Moghes, as well as the various [[Aut&#039;akh|communes]] and [[Si&#039;akh|cults]], have caused conflict and wars between the Karszekani and the kingdoms that eventually comprised the Traditionalist Coalition. This conflict hit a peak when they entered the intergalactic stage, which is now known as the [[Contact War]]. After this conflict, some Unathi fled the planet through Hephaestus or NanoTrasen shuttle ports. Unathi fleeing to megacorporations like NanoTrasen find themselves working in security and engineering roles, but recently many have been proving themselves as competent surgeons and brilliant scientists, earning opportunities that Moghes would deny them because of its strict feudal hierarchy. However, others are slipping through the cracks and becoming slavers, raiders, or pirates. As the ability for spaceship construction increases, and the phoron scarcity prevents the Karszekani from using its fleets to their fullest, in the Unathi home system, so too does space piracy and smuggling.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Moghes has two different biomes after the Contact War. The fertile Untouched Lands with its great jungles, vast swamps, and lush forests; all of which are protected by massive terraforming equipment kept secure by the Karszekani&#039;s wealth and power. Contrast to that are the bombarded Wasteland kingdoms in the ashes of plains and forests, burnt into a massive planet-spanning desert rampant with [[The_Wasteland#Clan_.22Gawgaryn.22_-_The_Punished_Clans|punished kingdoms raiding to survive]] and [[The_Wasteland#The_Reclaimers|part scavengers living in cities on treads]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To apply to be Unathi, apply [http://aurorastation.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=28 here].&lt;br /&gt;
{{TOC Hidden}}&lt;br /&gt;
== Heads of Staff ==&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi can be the following Heads of Staff:&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Executive Officer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Head of Security]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Chief Medical Officer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Research Director]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Chief Engineer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Operations Manager]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Corporate Liaison|Consular Officer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Corporate Liaison]] - [[NanoTrasen]], [[Hephaestus Industries]], [[Zavodskoi Interstellar]] ([[Unathi in Dominia|Dominian Unathi]] only), [[Private Military Contracting Group]] (Dagamuir Freewater Private Forces only), [[Orion Express]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The following groups &#039;&#039;&#039;cannot&#039;&#039;&#039; be Heads of Staff: [[Aut&#039;akh]], Guwan, and Gawgaryn of [[The Wasteland]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Due to their criminal backgrounds, the following groups &#039;&#039;&#039;cannot&#039;&#039;&#039; be played in the Security department: Guwan and Gawgaryn of [[The Wasteland]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Outside of consular officers, command characters should not be of the same clan as any notable lords of the Karszekani. The most prominent clans, such as those of Overlords and the Karszekan himself, are off-limits for command.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Megacorporate Relations===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to 2465, Moghean Unathi that were not members of trade guilds were almost exclusively employed with [[Hephaestus Industries]]. Unathi with guild memberships would primarily take contracts with [[NanoTrasen]] or [[Orion Express]], depending on their career choice. [[Unathi in Dominia|Unathi living in Dominia]], like most of their countrymen, seek employment with [[Zavodskoi Interstellar]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
After the Merchant&#039;s Guild declared bankruptcy, Hephaestus Industries bailed out all Moghesian guilds and reorganised them under the banner of the company. Since then, nearly all residents of Moghes are employed by Hephaestus in some way.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Mechanics ==&lt;br /&gt;
Mechanical differences from humans and unique emotes listed below:&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Passive&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi are coldblooded which allows slightly improved heat resistance, but increased sensitivity to cold.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi have claws, which slash and improve unarmed melee attacks.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi are incapable of easily digesting alcohol, and ethanol is considered toxic to them.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can only drink alcohol from drinks with butanol instead of ethanol. Butanol gets them drunk similar to ethanol but has no effect on other species.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi get no nutrients from eating fruits and vegetables. They need meat to fill their hunger.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can safely eat carp and consume carpotoxin.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi have the fastest sprint available to any species, but they have low stamina, meaning they can only sprint in short bursts. They also are slower than most other species.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Active Abilities&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can devour monkeys, rats, greimorians, carp, and other small mobs by clicking and dragging from the mob to themselves. The animal must hold still for it to work.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi hiss when speaking Tau Ceti Basic. You achieve this by typing multiple s&#039;s during speech. This can also be pronounced through x&#039;s if their accent is thick. &amp;quot;Thisss issss an ekssample.&amp;quot;  You can also &#039;&#039;&#039;Toggle-Auto-Hiss&#039;&#039;&#039; to do this for you.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can sample the air with their tongue.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unique audible emotes: *hiss, *hiss2, *bellow.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Biology ==&lt;br /&gt;
Their average life expectancy is around sixty years for most Unathi. However, they tend to live for well past sixty years when given advanced medical care available to the other space-faring species. As a cold-blooded species, they suffer fatigue and even short comas when exposed to extremely low temperatures.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Humans and Unathi share a lot of similar internal biology with some notable exceptions. Since they are a carnivorous species, their diet mostly consists of meat and animal products, though they do have a tolerance to some plants and fruits. While Unathi do receive minor benefits for eating certain fruits, they do not get any nutrition from plants. Due to their carnivorous nature, they also have an increased stomach capacity to help eat larger meals at a time. The typical Unathi usually only eats one meal a day, and for the poorer sinta, perhaps once every two days. They tend towards lethargic and sluggish movements more often than not because of their evolutionary history, so they move slower than most organic species. However, the cyclical period of work for Unathi compared to other species is much faster. Unathi are polyphasic sleepers: creatures that sleep in shorter naps rather than at one time during the night. While they tend towards sluggishness, sinta are often capable of incredible bursts of energy and speed, and their ability to work in three or four hour periods of time compensates for their more sporadic schedules.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The reproductive system of a Sinta&#039;Unathi is very similar to that of Earth reptiles. Females lay eggs, with the average clutch being somewhere between one and three. They have a six-month gestation period, after which they are laid in a humid, warm area. After two months, the fetus is fully developed and hatches from the egg. Unathi are born with their claws and the ability to walk within hours of hatching. A Sinta&#039;Unathi is considered an adult when they are 16 years old.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Physical Appearance ===&lt;br /&gt;
The Unathi as a species show a great deal of variation within body types as well as clusters of smaller physical traits passed down through clans. Facial and body features range in size and shape with some having raptor-like aesthetics, serpentine looks, or a more draconic body. Tail length is often genetic; conversely, tail girth is defined by a Unathi&#039;s diet as it stores most of the body&#039;s fat— nobles grow some of the largest tails.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi scales are somewhat tougher than human skin, though they shed off sporadically rather than all at once. More vulnerable and hidden spots, such as the stomach and waist, the backs of joints, and inner thighs are all leathery skin and aren&#039;t covered in scales.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The typical healthy adult male Unathi weighs roughly 280 pounds. Female sinta differ from males as they generally have a shorter and more rounded snout. The typical healthy Unathi female weighs roughly 250 pounds. Female Unathi grow to about 5&#039;9&amp;quot; to 6&#039;8, while male Unathi grow to about 6&#039;0&amp;quot; to 7&#039;0&amp;quot;. Unusual heights tend to be smaller in scale, as the taller a Unathi is, the more likely it will be marred with health problems and not live as long as others.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Both sexes stand on digitigrade legs, with three toes on each foot and a hooked dewclaw, and have clawed feet and hands. They also have very long tongues, typically black or extremely dark red in color, which may stretch up to a foot and a half long and are forked just like a serpent&#039;s. In much the same manner as snakes, Unathi can sample the air around them using their tongue. They blink and have tear ducts similar to humans.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi horns do not naturally regrow, and serious damage tends to remain permanent. Ancient recipes using native herbs known as &amp;quot;horn paste&amp;quot; are commonly made and sold by herbalists and can counter cosmetic scratches or minor chipping. More modern synthetic Horn Gel (based on Bone Gel), developed largely by [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]], can regenerate an entire lost horn, but it tends to be stratified to the upper classes and noblemen due to cost.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Lizards.png|thumb|Body dimorphism in Unathi.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Colouration ====&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi are also often born into one of four major scale colour categories: red, black, orange-brown and &amp;quot;sand-colored&amp;quot;, and green. Alternative colours are rare, with dark blue and even albino Unathi being reported in very small numbers. Albinos are sometimes slightly tinted in colour while remaining predominantly white. Traditionally these off-coloured Unathi are met with prejudice, though some clans outside the Izweski may feel different.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It has been noticed that scale colourations were more represented in some areas than other, and thus, many shades of these colours were, in Unathi culture, named after the places they tend to be seen in more often, in many cases.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*Modern red-coloured Unathi are thought to originate from a large nomadic clan that settled South of the Moghresian Sea around modern Skalamar. Nowadays, red-scaled Sinta tend to be seen on the entire Southern coast of the Moghresian Sea and the mountain ranges near it.&lt;br /&gt;
*Today’s green-coloured Unathi hail from the Southern side of the Moghresian sea, and they are seen more often throughout this side of the coast and down to the colder lands even further South. Surprisingly, there is also a large batch of green-coloured Unathi located around Sahl lake, indicating that an old nomadic clan of mostly green Sinta settled there centuries ago.&lt;br /&gt;
*Orange-brown and sand-yellow Unathi comprises a wide range of colours. They are a more common colour to be seen in a large area, and it is believed that their origins come from displacement in ancient conflicts that forced them to migrate and find new homelands. More precisely, Unathi harbouring such colours tend to be more represented in a large area defined between Darakath, Bahard, Mudki, and Yu’kal.&lt;br /&gt;
*Black or “dark-scaled’ Unathi do not seem to originate from any precise area, and instead, tend to be more often seen around colder areas of Moghes, both North and South. A popular theory is that black scales are actually a consequence of exposure to the cold for generations— something that has yet to be proven.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
All colours, barring albino, do not mix; if a brown Unathi and a light red Unathi have a child, the red scales the child has might be a little darker, but the colours do not blend to make something new.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Colour ranges&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Due to the modernization of Moghes as well as the emigration and population displacement from the Contact War, Unathi of any colour can be found nearly anywhere on Moghes. Of course, they are more common in some areas rather than others.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Below are some examples of Unathi scale colour ranges. These cover a majority of the colors; while some deviances from these are normal, there are no neon or pink colors among Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{| align:Center&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
!Usual Unathi colour ranges:&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Green.png|200px|thumb|left|Green colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Brown.png|200px|thumb|left|Brown-orange / sand-yellow colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Red.png|200px|thumb|left|Red colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Black.png|200px|thumb|left|Black colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
{| align:Center&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
!Unusual Unathi colour ranges:&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_white.png|200px|thumb|left|Albino colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Blue.png|200px|thumb|left|Blue colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Green:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Razir Moss:&#039;&#039; RGB 27, 50, 27 / Hex #1B321B&lt;br /&gt;
*An unusually dark shade of green, but certainly not the only one, Unathi from Razir and its surrounding areas tend to have this scale colouration more often than not. As the name suggests, it is quite comparable in colour to the unique moss that tends to grow on rocks and buildings on the Southern coast of the Moghresian sea. The moss was heavily used by healers in the past, as its spongy nature allows to quickly stop bleeding, and its composition can also help in dealing with infection, or at least, limit their spread, until proper medicine can be found, properties that are quite appreciated in a time like the post-Contact-War era, where shortages, of medicine among other things, aren’t so rare depending on the location. Due to its ties with healing, some of the more traditional Unathi tend to see Unathi with such a scale colouration as more feminine.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Sen Emerald:&#039;&#039; RGB 31, 95, 31 / Hex #1F5F1F&lt;br /&gt;
*Considering the name, and the overall concentration of Unathi in the region, it is assumed that those bearing such colouration came from the now-broken city of Sen. Records of where the name comes from exactly has been lost after the Contact War, but theories still exist with recent finds. The reclaimer clan Kikata, operating a landcrawler by the torn cities, on the western coast of the Moghresian sea, noticed several collapsed mines next to what they assumed used to be villages, and in them, among many other minerals, unique green gems. As word has started to spread, many Sinta are now assuming that Sen Emerald refers to these gems.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Teht Mint:&#039;&#039; RGB 85, 149, 85 / Hex #559555&lt;br /&gt;
*Teht Mint is one of the many crops that (nearly) disappeared after the Contact War and its nuclear fallout. As Teht mostly made its fortune from fishing, nearby villages housed the few clans in all of Moghes talented enough to properly harvest the plant, and who kept such a knowledge secret to all of their own. Used as expensive seasoning by only the wealthiest Nobles in the region, these clans, and their village, quickly made a fortune, then came the Contact war. While the city of Teth was spared by the bombing, the many villages around it that didn’t get outright razed by the nukes were abandonned, as their main source of income, the harvesting of the mint, was soon enough gone and made life there unsustainable, leaving only handful of seeds, currently preserved in Teth’s palace in hopes that they may be planted into proper soil another day. In any case, the name “Teht Mint” persist as a way to call the Sintas bearing a light green scale colour that tends to be seen in the area.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Sahl Green:&#039;&#039; RGB 56, 126, 86 / Hex #387E56&lt;br /&gt;
*Lake Sahl, among many other things, was renowned for the unique algae that used to grow in within it, giving it, when the floor was shallow enough, a green-ish tint, something that many local fishers used to call “Sahl’s green halo”. Like many things, these algae died after the Contact War, and the poisoning of the lake due to the ensuing nuclear fallout. Many of the older locals that still remember their time spent fishing in the lake, however, have been continuing to call Unathi living around the lake, bearing a unique shade of green, “Sahl Green”.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Orange-Brown / Sand Coloured:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Mudki Stone:&#039;&#039; RGB 98, 84, 65 / Hex #625441&lt;br /&gt;
*The mountainous city of Mudki has been build with the rocks of the very mountains it stands on and between. These rocks exhibit a strange propriety due to their unique composition, something only found in the area, as, when wet, the usually light-grey, or tan stone, turns to a pale-brown. While a small-scaled group of geologists was dispatched to explain the phenomenon, the researches were cut short by the outbreak of the Contact War, and by now, most Sinta simply have their own explanation, from more science-based ones, to some more related to faith. In any case, people have taken to naming the many Sinta bearing light brown scale colouration, around the area, “Mudki Stone”, and some older, more superstitious inhabitants of Mudki and its surroundings claim that these Unathi can, like the stone, change colour…&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Yu&#039;kal Soil:&#039;&#039; RGB 92, 66, 32 / Hex #5C4220&lt;br /&gt;
*Yu’kal, while far from any of the main lakes or seas of Moghes, was a city that known for its people’s work in aquaculture in smaller bodies of water, natural or, later on, artificial, something that nearby smaller settlements also picked up. While the Contact War and its consequences put an end to such a business, many in the Queendom still remember this time, and how the soil turned damp and darkened from the how humid it could get in some places… Something that led to the naming of the colouration that many of the local Unathi bear, similar shades of brown, “Yu’kal Soil”.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Darakath Brown:&#039;&#039; RGB 158, 116, 60 / Hex #9E743C&lt;br /&gt;
*Darakath Brown, also called “Darakath Copper” by the inhabitants of the once proud capital of the Azarak Kingdom, is ,as the name suggests, a scale colouration mostly seen in Darakath and its surroundings. To the more staunch supporters of the Karszekani Moghes, Sintas with this colours are seen as Traditionalists, and by extent, defeated foes… To others, Unathi with such colouration are treated with kindness, if not (legitimate or not) pity, after the sacking of the city by the end of the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Bahard Cream:&#039;&#039; RGB 233, 178, 104 / Hex #E9B268&lt;br /&gt;
*Bahard, before the nuclear exchange, was one of the largest trading hub on Moghes thanks to its central position, making a fortune through trading. Beside this, however, Bahard was also known for the culinary expertise of its people, access to food from all around Moghes being one of the reason behind such a thing. Bahard Cream, originally referred to the a seasoning whose recipe was lost by the end of the Contact War, generally offered to passing traders. It was its unique colour and popularity that led to the locals, and soon enough, the rest of Moghes, to referring to the scale colouration seen so often around the area in such a way.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Red:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Tak Red:&#039;&#039; RGB 128, 62, 62 / Hex #803E3E&lt;br /&gt;
*Tak used to be a city of relatively modest size, before the nuclear exchange utterly ruined it. Few know why Sinta of this certain shade are thus called “Tak Red”, although researches in Skalamar have led to a theory: fish exports. Most inhabitants made a living through fishing, just like most cities on the coast of the Moghresian sea, although surviving trading records show a higher than average amount of exports from the city. Additionally, texts, and common memory, point that some of the fish unique to Tak’s coast had unique red scales… Although said fishes are extinct by now, everything seems to indicate that this is where the name for this colouration came from.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Skalamar Red:&#039;&#039; 160, 44, 44 / Hex #A02C2C&lt;br /&gt;
*Skalamar Red, also called “Blood Red” by traditionalist and other foes of the Karszekani Moghes, is, as the name suggest, more often seen in Skalamar and its neighboring territories. Origins on the name of this colouration were blurry, even before the Contact War, with stories speaking of such colourations having divine origins, from other speaking of a curse, depending on who you ask. In any case, such a colouration is a sign of greatness and valor to some, and of shame and cruelty to some others… Generally depending on who they would have sided with during the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;S&#039;th Berry:&#039;&#039; RGB 125, 6, 6 / Hex #980606&lt;br /&gt;
*S’th Berries are one of the few species of flora that survived the nuclear fallout of the Contact War… Although, not without consequences. While they were once deep red, the berries lost their colour and appear grey-ish; and their sugary taste as been lost, some saying that they now taste like paste instead. Nevertheless, the name given to the colour that many Unathi in the area arbor, remained: Unathi of red scales, red like S’th’s Berries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Black:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Derhai Shadow:&#039;&#039; RGB 17, 22, 16 / Hex #111610&lt;br /&gt;
*Although such a tone can be found a bit everywhere since Derhai’s depopulation, most people can pinpoint that it used to be most often seen in and around great city that stood there, before being abandoned. Due to the highly religious nature that Derhai had, many have been tying (sometimes wrongly) such a scale colouration to Th&#039;akhists.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Janvir Black:&#039;&#039; RGB 28, 28, 28 / Hex #1C1C1C&lt;br /&gt;
*Perhaps a testament to how fast Unathi can evolve and change over generation, Janvir Black is a scale colouration that only appeared around a century after the foundation of the cold metropolis, merely six centuries ago… That is, according to the limited records currently available in the post-Contact War era.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Guzari Night:&#039;&#039; RGB 61, 47, 47 / Hex #3D2F2F&lt;br /&gt;
*There were, allegedly, several small settlements by the coast of the Guzari Sea, despite the freezing temperatures (on Unathi standards, that is), thanks to the unique bounties of the cold Northern Sea. Records seem to indicate, however, that said settlements were abandoned even before the Contact War, something that historians, even to this day, cannot explain, mostly due to the severe loss of historical documents during the conflict. Many Unathi, today, then, see other Sinta with the strange scale colouration known as Guzari Night as quite elusive…&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Albino:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Albino White:&#039;&#039; RGB 178, 178, 178 / Hex #B2B2B2&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Bleached Bone:&#039;&#039; RGB 183, 169, 169 / Hex #3D2F2F&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Blue:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Indigo Blue:&#039;&#039; RGB 35, 55, 189 / Hex #2337BD&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Azure:&#039;&#039; RGB 1, 102, 255 / Hex #0066FF&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Albino and Azure (or Blue) Unathi scale colouration are not tied to any area of Moghes, and instead, generally the result of genetic lottery. How such colourations are perceived varies widely. These Unathi would generally face prejudice in the Karszekani, although some other Sinta from different horizons can exhibit interest for them instead, or simply indifference. &lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Genetic Variety ====&lt;br /&gt;
Besides scale colouration, many other physical aspects of Unathi bodies can vary widely. From horns and frills, to even extra scale crests and different structures in a Unathi’s very skeleton (namely, the skull). While anatomical differences within a species are natural, Unathi are noteworthy for how wide these differences can get and how fast they come to be. The exact science behind this has been lost after the Contact War, and most of the research behind such a phenomena is idly handled by Nanotrasen and Zeng-Hu specialists. However it is assumed that Sinta simply evolve and adapt to their surroundings much faster than most of the other sentient species of the Spur, leading to such large physical discrepancies between Unathi alone.&lt;br /&gt;
From this, it is also assumed that, with Unathi populations moving between planets, and Moghes on its way to changing considerably (may the consequences of the of the Contact War be the of the Sinta homeworld, or may terraforming efforts save it), said biological differences between different groups will only get larger and more exotic in the next few centuries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Genetic Variety&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Unathifaces.png|180px|thumb|right|Zotzo’s Treaty of Biology is one of the first Unathi works dedicated to the study of Sinta biology, and in which the terminology for Unathi facial structure was first established. This is one of the few pages left of the book, found in the ruins of Oket&#039;s Great Library.]] &lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Horns&#039;&#039;&#039; are not tied to specific places, or at least, not directly. There seems to be a hereditary side to it, however, as Unathi more often than not seem to bear the horns of one of their parents (on VERY rare instances carrying the horns of both). Horns, however, do not “mix” and make new shapes, the same way that Unathi scale colourations don’t mix. Horns are arbored by both male and female Sintas, and can be of various tones, from dark gray, near black, to Ivory or even pristine white, and even in some cases, pale brown-ish tones. Contrary to some belief, Unathi horns are bone, and not made of Ivory or any other precious material. Horn size, just like tail size, also depends on a Unathi’s diet. However, while everyone has the potential to grow an enlarged tail, if given enough fat, horn size highly depends on how well-fed a Unathi is during their childhood as they grow. Coupled with one’s horn’s hereditary nature, it is commonly assumed that A Sinta of noble blood will generally have larger horns… A noble who happens to have shorter horns is generally called a New-Noble, as if they were the first of their clan to ascend to noblehood, and by extent the quality diet that tends to come with it.&lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Frills&#039;&#039;&#039;, while hereditary in exactly the same way as horns, tend to be most often seen in Unathi populations living on coasts, or in general humid areas. Frills can be of various colours, so long as they remain in natural Unathi colour ranges. They are constituted of either a bony “support”, or in some rare cases, a cartilaginous one, with skin or scales between and on said “supports”. Since frills are articulated, to some minor degree, Unathi bearing frills tend to be seen as more expressive, as they tend to “open” or “close” their frills, accentuating body language. Frills have generally been associated with Unathi of low-to-middle class, or at least, that have ancestry from such classes, as fishermen and such Unathu are generally depicted with large frills. The validity of such a concept is discussed nowadays. &lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Crests&#039;&#039;&#039; are rather similar to frills in their constitution, although they differ in the sense that, instead of having a thin layer of scaly hide being stretched between its bony or cartilaginous supports, crests are entirely covered in proper hide. One popular example is the infamous “Cobra Hood” (Which is a domination established by the people of the Spur as a whole, and not by Sinta, as Cobras are obviously not native to Moghes). Like frills, Crests can be articulated, although in a much more limited way. Crests are not limited to any place, and just like horns, are instead fully hereditary. Crests were rather rare prior to the Contact War, as it was more common among Unathi population living in rather arid areas, earning the rather poetic name of the “Frills of the dry seas”. After the Nuclear exchange, however, new generations born in a changed Moghes start to come with more and more crests already.&lt;br /&gt;
*Finally, while minor differences in sizes and shapes can be observed in different Unathi populations, one aspect in particular tends to change drastically: &#039;&#039;&#039;skull shapes&#039;&#039;&#039;. The shape of a Unathi’s head seems to vary widely, with some adopting a more draconic appearance, some being closer to smaller lizards, Iguanas, snakes, crocodiles, etc. The way Unathi see their fellow Sinta with this or that facial appearance varies widely depending on their culture. Once again, both due to migration, populations blending with each other and the loss of records due to the Contact War, locating the origins in Unathi faces has proved to be quite the hard endeavor, but some clues, mostly based on interviews of older, surviving Sintas, have been found, and a proper classification is being reestablished:&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Arakhania (“Draconic”)&#039;&#039;: Arakhanian facial structure, also called “Draconic” in Basic, is perhaps the most well known Unathi skull shape in the entire Spur. Perhaps one of the most well spread facial structures nowadays, it is also known as the “head of the nobles”, due to its prevalence among noble populations, with many notable Unathi bearing such a profile (namely the Karszekan himself). Arakhanians tend to have a pointy snout with smooth shapes, and a frontal bone of varying height and steepness.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Thodokhania (“Crocodilian”)&#039;&#039;: Thodokhanian faces come with a larger, longer snouts and more flat heads, comparable to Earth’s crocodiles or alligators (hence the name given to such a profile in Basic: “Crocodilian”.) Unathi with the Thodokianian facial structure have turned rarer and rarer since the Contact War, which led to the belief that the nuclear exchange must’ve erased population centers featuring the bulk of their population.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Imekhania (“Common Lizard-like”)&#039;&#039;: The Imekhanian facial class is as broad as the population it encompasses, being the most represented profile among Sinta. Unathi with the Imekhanian profile come with generally smoother snout shapes and round tips. earning the name “lizard-like” in Basic. According to ancient records and texts, it seems like the Imekhanian profile could be seen everywhere on Moghes, even before the first large population movements.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Senkhania (“Snake-like”)&#039;&#039;: With their flat heads and short snouts, Senkhanians faces are, as their name in Basic suggests, comparable to Earth’s Snakes. While a small part of the population, Unathi with the Senkhanian facial profile are still considered a category of their own, due to their presence in mostly rural areas (something that has yet to be explained), zones that would not tend to be the direct targets of nuclear bombardment during the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Lokhenian (“Others”)&#039;&#039;: Lokhenian facial profile, or “The faces of the Lost” is an all-new, post-Contact War classification, used to designate any facial structure that does not fit in the other aforementioned categories, and are not large enough to warrant a category of their own. Such facial structures are extremely various but also tend to be extremely rare, and it is assumed, that those were already quite rare even before the nuclear exchange, as they were rarely ever recorded in pre-contact war media.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Afflictions and Disabilities ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi, like all species, are prone to conditions that are uncommon among the population. How each Unathi views or handles these is varied due to the traditional cultures of Moghes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Lsh&#039;islasulu, sometimes shortened to &amp;quot;Lsh disorder,&amp;quot; is a rare scale disability affecting very few Unathi. The disorder is poorly studied because of its lacking negative affects and extreme rarity. When suffering from Lsh disorder, Unathi will lose their dead scale cells through a painful peeling process, rather than sporadically. A Unathi suffering from the disorder will need to painfully peel or scrub off their dead scales off once or twice a month in droves. The affliction is caused by increased cell death, and scale cells will die rapidly for no apparent reason. Luckily, this process only causes pain and increased susceptibility to the cold, not causing any damage or making the scales much weaker in terms of durability. Further information is lacking due to little research preformed.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kaasilik is a famously known yet equally rare disorder inflicting unique symptoms. Those suffering from Kaasilik lack any growth of frills, hoods, horns or any other structure on the head or face. While labeled as a disorder, those affected by it suffer no physical drawbacks and are believed to be the result of a genetic lottery in which generations of couples between Unathi with certain horn or frill growth reproduce. While undamaging to the Unathi physically, it can make identifying them from another suffering Unathi difficult at times. Children of these Unathi will likely have very small or limited frill and horn growth.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Albinosm, or Zis&#039;lak, caused by a general lack of pigment in the scales, makes the scales appear totally white, sometimes with a minor tint of green, red or sand/orange, caused by a total lack of pigment. Albinism in Unathi can also cause a unique shift in eye colour; while typical for Unathi to have colours like orange, red or green, albinism can shift the eye colour to an unusual violet. This is due to a lack of eye pigment combined with the light refraction off of the blood vessels within the eye. Unathi that suffer from albinism usually remain away from sunlight as their sensitive scales provide little to no UV protection and put them at risk of burns. Albino Unathi are also often seen as a bad omen at birth, and as such, those within the Karszekani&#039;s lower populated areas are often banished from their clan or in extreme circumstances, even banished from some clans to become Guwan. It should be noted that azure coloured Unathi cannot be albino.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Illiz is a disorder appearing in two states with a wide variety of recorded variation. The disability details highly irregular tail size, this can include tails the size of a finger or tails so long they become a tripping hazard. The former being nicknamed, &amp;quot;Hasik.&amp;quot; Unathi affected by Hasik typically suffer when sprinting, their short tails also prevent fat storage, which results in the fat being stored elsewhere like the arms, thighs, and lower body. The latter mentioned state of Illiz, nicknamed &amp;quot;Hasil,&amp;quot; is the complete opposite. Those affected by Hasil find their tails reaching lengths of up to four feet long. Hasil includes similar issues as Hasik, the most notable of which is it also negatively affects balance. Those with longer tails struggle to sprint, carrying the weight of such a large tail. Culturally, those suffering Hasik are viewed as pathetic and as cowards, while those with longer tails are presumed to be a noble. It should be noted that very few nobles have been documented suffering Hasik, while some, using plastic surgery, increase the size of their tails to mimic Hasil.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Unathi History]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The history of the Unathi is predominately a history of each &#039;&#039;&#039;Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039; that has existed throughout their history. There have only been three clans that have managed to create an empire worthy of the title &#039;Hegemon,&#039; called Karszekan, nowadays.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Kres’ha’nor Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039; lasted from roughly 920 CE - 1500 CE. It is most famous for being the first empire to dominate Moghes and creating what was then a modern feudal state. Their empire saw rise of walled cities, steel weapons, centralized taxation, and other innovations. It ended in a brutal succession war, with Moghes once again being shattered into hundreds of individual Kingdoms with no true global power.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the &#039;&#039;&#039;16th century&#039;&#039;&#039; the power of &#039;&#039;&#039;[[Unathi Guilds|Guilds]]&#039;&#039;&#039; began to grow, forming an early form of mercantilism. Guilds formed for bakers, butchers, grocers, millers, smiths, carpenters, weavers, mason, shoemakers, in fact, nearly every trade had its own guild. Standards such as just weights and measures evolved from the guilds, and guild inspectors would inspect shops to ensure rules were being followed. Guilds would help members that were sick, or in trouble, and would sometimes take care of families after the member died. This time also saw Guilds building the first major universities. While incredibly exclusive, these universities began to create a new era of specialized labor and intellectuals.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;19th century&#039;&#039;&#039; saw rise of the &#039;&#039;&#039;Second Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;, ruled by the &#039;&#039;&#039;Sarakus Clan&#039;&#039;&#039;. Their clan ruled harshly, and forced technological advances into the cities and towns. In the 1930&#039;s they ruthlessly modernized their empire in The Great Endeavor, spreading electricity, radio, paved roads, modern plumbing, and other modern innovations.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In &#039;&#039;&#039;1994&#039;&#039;&#039; the &#039;&#039;&#039;Izweski Clan&#039;&#039;&#039; violently deposed the Sarakus and slaughtered the entire surviving dynasty, declaring the &#039;&#039;&#039;Third Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;. After they won an incredibly destructive global war to defend their claim, the Izweski have ruled Moghes until modern times.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In &#039;&#039;&#039;2403&#039;&#039;&#039;, a human exploration team discovered Moghes. Shortly after, first contact with the Izweski Hegemony was made. Sol Alliance merchants and scientists flocked to Moghes, living under very careful observation and guard in Izweski cities. Skalamar, the second largest city in Izweski, became the first Unathite city to have a shuttle port constructed. Owned by NanoTrasen, it served to transport people to and from the planet’s surface. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[Contact War|The Contact War, which has more information here,]] was a cataclysmic global war that lasted from &#039;&#039;&#039;2438 to 2449&#039;&#039;&#039;. The fighting was between two global powers, the &#039;&#039;&#039;Izweski Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;, and the &#039;&#039;&#039;Traditionalist Coalition&#039;&#039;&#039;. The war was fought over the very future of the Unathi and their relationship with the rest of the galaxy. The Izweski demanded Moghes submit to a one-world government ran by themselves and embrace the influence of humanity. The Traditionalist Coalition rejected this. &#039;&#039;&#039;The war went nuclear on September 5th, 2439&#039;&#039;&#039;, causing immense suffering across Moghes and directly leading to the creation of The Wasteland, which is set to engulf Moghes within a hundred years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On February 1st 2468, Hegemon Not’zar Izweski announced his cultural resurgence project in an effort to better unify Moghes. With the term “Hegemony” being a rough Human translation, the Hegemony becomes the Kerszekani Moghes, or High Kingdom of Moghes; and the Hegemon, the Karszekan, or High King.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Unathi Culture==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Diet and Cuisine ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathite dishes are mostly comprised of meat, eggs, and fish. It may be cooked or even still raw and bleeding. Vegetables in meals are often just for decoration or flavor, but by no means ever make up the majority of the dish. Unathi do not take any nutritional value from plant matter, only from meat. Desert flowers may also be placed on the plate to make it seem well-presented and are also edible. The tools Unathi use to eat are very unorthodox to humans, usually resembling chopsticks banded together near the top. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi generally eat only one large meal a day. The nobility often eat twice a day, while poorer Unathi or those in [[The Wasteland|the Wasteland]] will eat bi-daily: every two days.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To support their civilization, fishing has developed on a scale similar to human agriculture. Since the Contact War, fishing yields have fallen, and hunger has become a fact of life for many Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Language ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi, being deeply traditional, tend to inject their own sayings, proverbs, and similar speech into other languages not native to them. Some concepts of their languages also spill over into tongues foreign to Unathi. For example, Unathi genders follow personal behaviors and societal roles rather than biological sex. While “man”, “male”, and other similar words might serve as a rough translation, “warrior” or the Sinta-Unathi word “Saa” would be more correct and often finds its way into conversation between Unathi and other races. The same is true for “healer” or “Taa”, being somewhat equivalent to “woman”, or “female”, while “fisher” or “Kaa” is the Unathi term for someone whose duties revolve around production, commodities, or economic development. Objects also have assigned genders to them, so it is not uncommon for Sinta to refer to objects and inanimate things with genders. Unathi also have a lot of assorted figures of speech that, instead of being based on direction (up and down), are affiliated with time and its speed. A faster rate of time is seen as bad while a slower rate is seen as good in a majority of cases. Good things are categorized by saying something is punctual, progressing on time, is speeding up in time, or has a lot of time while saying the opposite for bad things. Rather than saying &amp;quot;I’m going to bed for the night,&amp;quot; a Unathi might offer &amp;quot;I’m slowing down for the night&amp;quot;; similarly, instead of being &amp;quot;down to hang out,&amp;quot; one would instead say they &amp;quot;want to slow down&amp;quot; with someone else. Examples include, but aren’t limited to: &amp;quot;today’s harvests were timely,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;the day has been slow,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;my body is slowing,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;their sleep is running late,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;I’m accelerating through my studies.&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi names are extraordinarily diverse, ranging from those that string together a bunch of consonants to sounds with many vowels in a row. There are not many commonalities between them besides harder sounds like &#039;ck,&#039; &#039;zh,&#039; &#039;s,&#039; &#039;d,&#039; and &#039;t.&#039; &#039;&#039;&#039;However, names cannot have more than two of the same letter in a row, such as Myo&#039;sssak.&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Many species have developed the joking term &amp;quot;unathisms&amp;quot; for all the various cultural holdovers that get put into other languages they speak.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot; style=&amp;quot;width:99%; overflow:auto;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi Metaphors, Sayings, and Slang&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Sinta— &#039;&#039;meaning Unathi. If the word Unathi can be compared to &amp;quot;Human&amp;quot;, then sinta can be compared to &amp;quot;man&amp;quot;, the latter usually kept out of more serious, official or scientific discussion and instead used in discussions with a more common if not familiar tone. Sinta does not get an S on plural and does not start with a capital letter.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Claws, talons— &#039;&#039;fingers, nails, respectively; however, sometimes satire or exaggeration make use of them interchangeably.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hatchling, egg— &#039;&#039;a child or baby, sometimes also as an insult.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Azure, albino— &#039;&#039;exotic, or unusual; alternatively (and rarely), an archaic and outdated way of calling something awful: &amp;quot;Their tastes are absolutely albino.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hide, scales— &#039;&#039;skin.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Rattle, rattled— &#039;&#039;scared.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Scratch, scratched— &#039;&#039;to write/written.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Tailwag— &#039;&#039;generic insult lacking true meaning and has a weird versatility to it, like referring to someone as a &#039;fuck&#039; or similar.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Blood on my teeth— &#039;&#039;eating, sometimes a gruesome (seen as barbaric) way of describing fighting and other activities.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Lay down my tail/bare my neck— &#039;&#039;let someone walk over you.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Molting— &#039;&#039;getting angry enough over something that it damages your physical health. Used almost explicitly for exaggeration.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Fat-tail— &#039;&#039;an insult usually aimed at nobles.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Quote a limerick— &#039;&#039;to be sassy, snarky, witty.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Grinding my horns— &#039;&#039;getting on their nerves.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Strum— &#039;&#039;gather.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Stomp, stomping— &#039;&#039;a get together (as a noun) or referring to someone being happy (as a verb).&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Echoed song— &#039;&#039;oral tradition.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ghazkus, ghazkii— &#039;&#039;skrell, coming from the word &amp;quot;amphibious&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;ghazii&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kzlth, kzlthii— &#039;&#039;humans, coming from the word &amp;quot;scaleless&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;kazulth&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Imiekran, imiekranes— &#039;&#039;the typical term for dionae meaning &amp;quot;twisted plant&amp;quot; in Sinta’Azaziba, usually a term of endearment; alternatively called aggregates when referring to different forms.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Xsain— &#039;&#039;vaurca, coming from the word &amp;quot;incomprehensible&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;xsa&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
(Note: most of the time this is seen as being a nickname when used outside of Sinta’Unathi or Sinta’Azaziba. If you are particularly friendly with someone that either you don’t know the name of or are referring to someone otherwise, this may be appropriate outside of saying the species’ name.)&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Zo’zyola— &#039;&#039;the equivalent of an angel or a demon. Depending on the context, this is either a compliment or a severe insult.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Dishonored their clan— &#039;&#039;do something to ostracize themselves from society or a group of people.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A tale longer than my own— &#039;&#039;a play on words gaining traction among Sinta who speak Basic. Basically a way of saying &amp;quot;it&#039;s a long story&amp;quot; with similar connotations, but this phrase can also be used to hype up an event. &amp;quot;What did you do during the Solarian Invasion?&amp;quot; &amp;quot;It&#039;s a tale longer than my own— let&#039;s meet up to discuss it.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Heating up— &#039;&#039;a way of setting your guard is going down or that you are even getting bored or tired. &amp;quot;This shift has been uneventful, I can feel it heating up.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Sk&#039;akh&#039;s scales— &#039;&#039;a way of saying &amp;quot;holy shit&amp;quot; or similar swears.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Have an honorable duel for the sake of the game— &#039;&#039;in Sinta&#039;Azaziba and Sinta&#039;Unathi, duel and game are the same word, just with different meanings. This is a play on words in the original tongue and is meant to talk about something that has to be done yet trying to make fun out of it anyway.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
More unclean/unkempt than a Guwan&#039;s feet— &#039;&#039;referring to something being worse than the dirtiest part of a class of undesirables. Phrases like these are more common in the Karsekani and are one of the many methods used to degrade Guwan.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When an arbek eats its tail— &#039;&#039;&amp;quot;when pigs fly.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Preparing the maxtlatl— &#039;&#039;referring to the shaman&#039;s garb. Preparing the maxtlatl is something a shaman does when they feel they are near death; in preparing it, they are readying the skull in the headgear to be replaced by their own. In a sense, if someone is preparing the maxtlatl, they are spelling their own doom or see their demise coming.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the Fourth Nation— &#039;&#039;somewhat of a joke about cycles, playing fun at the fact that the Izweski Hegemony/Karsekani Moghes has been a constant throughout history. Traditionalists use this phrase more bitterly and sardonically, however.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By mine and your spirits— &#039;&#039;a way of solemnly swearing; alternatively, asking for guidance if you worship Th’akh.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Three Heads bless me— &#039;&#039;the alternative to &amp;quot;by mine and your spirits&amp;quot; for those that worship Sk’akh.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Bet the Hegemon’s/Karsekan&#039;s head— &#039;&#039;many people want to kill the Hegemon/Karsekan, so this refers to such a bounty. Usually used as a joke or a dare.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Individual languages are described by the prefix &#039;Sinta&#039; followed by the identity of its native speakers. Speaking mannerisms remain the same when speaking Sinta or another language. For stylistic choices, there are some options. For those raised in or by the Karsekani, avoid contractions like &#039;&#039;it&#039;s&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;they&#039;re&#039;&#039;, which would be &#039;&#039;it is&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;they are&#039;&#039;. Formal Sinta&#039;Unathi lacks this concept of contracting words, and thus it is a difficult concept to understand for these speakers. Those that speak Sinta&#039;Azaziba will talk in other languages in short bursts, similar to how Azaziba has shorter sentences due to gesticulating and speaking at the same time. Accents are wide and diverse; replacing &#039;s&#039; sounds with &#039;th&#039; in a &#039;forced lisp&#039; or even just omitting the sound is a commonality for Unathi that struggle with certain words in other languages (like &#039;suspicious&#039;). This way of speaking is also common when singing in different languages, a trend picking up within the Karsekani Moghes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sinta&#039;Unathi ====&lt;br /&gt;
While Pre-Contact Moghes had hundreds of unique languages and their own histories, Sinta&#039;Unathi has been and remains the primary language spoken by most Unathi. It is an evolution of an older Moghean trade language, Sinta&#039;Izwe.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The written language has 30 letters, with 5 of them being vowels. The language is written left to right, though this was an attempt to emulate humanity, as informal Sinta&#039;Unathi still write top to bottom.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sinta&#039;Azaziba ====&lt;br /&gt;
Sinta&#039;Azaziba is a language of Moghes consisting of a combination of spoken word and gesticulation. While waning since Moghes entered the galactic stage, it enjoys popular use by Unathi that never fell to the Karsekani&#039;s cultural dominance. Sinta&#039;Azaziba writing has 27 letters, 4 of which being vowels. The language is written from top to bottom.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Unathi Fashion and Make-up ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Fashion on the scale of an entire species is incredibly diverse, much like with other species. There are some common sights seen across most Unathi peoples.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Fashion ====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Clothing is generally something to balance for Unathi, according to one’s need with warmth. Generally, Unathi can dress themselves from head to toe, with shawls and hoods not being an uncommon sight, even if temperatures aren’t outright cold, just to retain warmth for as long as possible. In particularly hot climates, however, or on specific occasions like while sunbathing, Unathi may choose to wear minimal clothing to get as little obstacle as possible between them and the sun, or any other heat source they may be enjoying.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Colors are an essential part of any Unathi outfit. Being particularly fond of vibrant colors, sights of bright reds, oranges, yellows, greens and blues are common, and white and black, though rare for fashion’s sake, are generally used to accentuate colors even more. These colors are often selected to go along with their scale colors, eyes, and so on, the natural colors of a Unathi playing a large part in their fashion choices. Nobility and other wealthy individuals will often show off their status through the use of jewelry, both gemstone and rare, expensive metals like gold and silver. Though the typical bracelets and necklaces can be found, Unathi also use some pieces of jewelry unique to their species, such as horn rings (meant to be worn around one’s horn) or frill-rings (going through the frill, much like with earrings.) Capes and cloaks are also a traditional display of status and function, with for instance the many capes worn by Guild members.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Make-up ====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While most Human cultures see most forms of make-up as feminine, Unathi are different. It’s common for Unathi of all genders to apply make-up. Once again, there are countless forms of make-up and ways to apply them seen across the entire species.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot; style=&amp;quot;width:99%; overflow:auto;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi make-up&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
===== Cosmetics =====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Some of the most popular forms of Unathi make-up include things such as claw-painting, quite comparable to painting nails. This is generally done with bright colors, to accentuate them over the scale colors of the Unathi in question. There are traces of claw-painting being done in pre-Hegemonic times, mainly by warriors, to show off their claws and intimidate their foes, and though this tradition is still practiced by some, claw painting is now also done for the mere sake of fashion. Horns can also be painted, as well as frills for similar effects if the individual in question sports them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===== Scalepaint =====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Scalepaint is a uniquely Unathi form of make-up, and the most popular in the species as well. Due to their need to shed, Unathi cannot sport tattoos normally, but scalepaint constitutes an equivalent. As the name implies, it is a form of paint applied directed on one’s scaly hide. scalepaint can be inconspicuous and small, or extravagant and cover the majority of one’s hide. In any case, however, it is done to go along with, and complement one’s natural hide colors, and completely covering oneself in scalepaint is seen as particularly awkward and a display of shame in oneself.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The practice of using scalepaint dates back to prehistoric times, with hunters covering themselves in a mixture of herbs, dust, and a few pigments to better hide in the foliage to ambush prey; though it quickly-enough became a form of aesthetic as well. The practice to apply scalepaint hasn’t changed much since then; it is a mix of pigments, herbs, and a clay-like substance to be applied directly on one’s scales.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Perhaps what makes Scalepaint so interesting is the sheer amount of work needed to apply and maintain it. First, it must be applied in correct doses. Too much, and the texture will be too thick and completely cover the scaly texture of one’s hide (an easy excuse to be mocked by your fellow sinta), too little, and the color won’t be visible-enough, and completely disappear at the first shed. With the correct amount of paint applied, it should be visible enough without hiding one’s scales, and when the time to shed comes, some remnants of paint should still be visible, acting as a guide for the next layer to be put on this layer of skin as well. This brings us to the second part, the need to maintain scalepaint. A proper scalepaint requires regular maintenance, to be generally re-applied after every shed. This workload makes the most extravagant and encompassing forms of scalepaint a show of both artistry, but also the result of regularly applied, expert artistry.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Because of its need to be re-applied constantly, scalepaint is generally applied and maintained by oneself, and thus, only to places they can reach. As such, only nobles and other wealthy sinta are ever seen sporting scalepaint on their backs, as it requires maintenance from others, generally talented servants.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Zandiziite Games ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Zandiziite Games]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
An ancient sport that got its start on Moghes, this sport is best described as a mixture of Olympic- and MMA-style games. Competitors within the Zandiziite Games are called Zandiziites, or colloquially an individual wrestler is called a Zandi. Clans send eligible men (and only men) to their Lord in the hopes that they are chosen to represent their city or community in the Zandiziite Games.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Unathi Sociality and Society ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Behaviour and Mannerisms ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi generally stare at what they are interested in, so their intense gaze moves with a conversation to whoever is talking. Additionally, pointing can be seen as extremely rude in circumstances. If more than just a passing gesture towards someone, prolonged pointing can be a grave insult to one&#039;s honor and, in some cases, be the reason for crude fighting or even initiate a duel.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi should always be addressed by their last name in most situations. It is offensive to use a Unathi&#039;s first name unless you are family or have a close relationship with them (like family, a lover, or close friend). Some are more permissive than others regarding this. In a situation where there are multiple Unathi with the same last name, it&#039;s generally accepted to just get more and more specific in your address to make it clear who you are speaking to.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi to other species would typically appear sluggish in their movements, though there are some exceptions to this. When working or even when feeling threatened, they typically move short distances with their arms and legs at speeds much faster than normal for other species. This is because they conserve their energy by going slightly slower until they need it for a given task.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Another outstanding behavior that other species would note is an intense gaze. Unathi typically find staring at whoever is speaking to be respectful; however, this intense staring, paired with not blinking often and stooping to look at someone at eye level, is how other species are typically made uncomfortable when engaging with Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For most Unathi being seen speaking to Guwans is embarrassing. A woman associating with a Guwan is extremely improper and indecent, and they can lose social standing by doing so.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Violence can have its place in regular daily life, with playful fighting being commonplace with the peasantry and in the Wasteland. Joking punches and wistful tail flicks that would be normal for Unathi playing around may end up hurting a human, which has led to many jokes about humanity’s weak stature. Shoulder checks and headbutts have their place in more aggressive friendships and is a sign of showing brotherly love.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Emotional Displays ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi exhibit a great variety of emotional body language in ways different from other species. While it is not uncommon for Unathi to attempt to mimic human displays (sometimes with frightening results, for example showing off their large, numerous sharp teeth in a &amp;quot;smile&amp;quot;), they have their own natural, basic emotions that come from biological expression akin to reptiles. It can be very difficult for this species to control their emotionally linked body language as it is engrained in Unathite culture, but exercising restraint is often seen as a sign of nobility or simply an individual who is attempting to better blend in with other species. Over time, these displays can also change to adapt to a different environment, though this process typically takes many years to come to fruition.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For example, baring the entire throat is the single most meaningful expression that can be displayed to another, often used to show trust or vulnerability to someone a Unathi cares about. However, it is not unusual to do this to also surrender to another (such as in a fight), admit shame, or display extreme compassion (when exposed to twine necks with another). Conversely, tilting the snout far down to protect the throat and better display one’s horns is a fight response or to show distrust in another.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When it comes to intimate gestures between Unathi, they usually twine necks or tails, and touch foreheads and snouts together with the same intent that humans kiss. Such displays are usually only reserved for those that are married or to be wed, but with other cultures such as Ouerea, the smaller colonies, or the Empire of Dominia, this tends to be much more relaxed. Hugging is usually considered to be something done by children and avoided by adults.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi often fixate on their surroundings when interested or excited by someone or something. If there is a conversation of multiple people, they often change their gaze to look at whoever is speaking, or at the person speaking they are most interested in. It is considered rude by Unathi to avert your gaze, for that shows that someone can be aloof, distant, or not paying attention fully. Even if afraid and cowering, they tend to look directly at the source of their fear. For other species, when especially happy or interested, they can even stoop down to look at them directly at eye level, or try to raise themselves as much as possible to look other creatures in the eye.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Other physical displays include the ‘tail stomp,’ a phenomenon common during heightened signals of emotion. Typically, these are done when a Sinta is filled with joy or extremely agitated, but can be rarely used when a Unathi is grieving. Other more minor displays are, but aren’t limited to: bristling scales, in response to a cold environment or a ‘chill going down their spine;’ becoming slow and sluggish if extremely comfortable, such as reacting to warmth; swaying, sampling the air, and hissing all are common when in a new environment, with strangers, or even just in certain situations, which shows curiosity, discomfort, or unease.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Verbally, Unathi have some onomatopoeias that they draw on for different emotions. Chuffing, forcefully exhaling air from the throat, can be used to mark mild annoyance in reply to something, or can be used to show amusement. If it comes at the end of a sentence or statement, it can imply that they are being sarcastic or are saying something in good humor. Unathi don’t quite have a laugh; instead, they bark in typically short bursts, in which the sound is often deep, loud, and raucous. Finally, rattling the throat is a fairly common gesture that replaces or accompanies a tail stomp. Sometimes when enraged, throat rattling is accompanied by frills or scales flaring up as well.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As a result of the divide between groups of sinta, some mannerisms are unique to different social groups. For example, nobles tend to tail stomp in response to seeing something that ‘disgusts’ them, whether it be the sight of a heretic or Guwan, something that disgusts olfactory senses, or something else. Peasants on Moghes and most Unathi on Ouerea tend to be ‘overly emotional’ in that they often tilt their snout up somewhat when showing general content or happiness, or down slightly when afraid or unhappy. Dominians often keep their chin tilted up constantly as a sign of pride and even cockiness, showing they aren’t afraid when vulnerable parts are exposed. Of course, this all barely scratches the surface, and there are many gestures unique to cultures and regions that are not enumerated.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Gender Roles ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div style=&amp;quot;font-size:105%; border:2px solid white; margin:0; background:white; padding:.1em; color:black;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi society is highly gender-stratified, with very specific gendered divisions of work and societal role. The Unathi understanding of gender has become tied deeply into these roles, which leads to a structure that humans may find unusual. In Unathi society, gender has little to do with assigned sex, instead being almost entirely dependent on the societal role an individual finds themselves in. The Sinta’Unathi word for warrior,  ‘Saa’, can be roughly translated to ‘male’, but this is not because one is required to be male to be a warrior. Rather, to Unathi sensibilities, human masculinity generally emulates Saa behavior and so ‘male’ is a useful, though somewhat inaccurate, term to facilitate communication. To Unathi, gender is not something that one is, but something that one does. An Unathi who sought to live as a professional warrior would be considered Saa by society at large, regardless of their sex at hatching - and regardless of their own thoughts on the matter.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Where this system originates is largely unknown, having existed in some form for most of Unathi recorded history. The earliest known example comes from archaeological discoveries in the [[Tza Prairie]], indicating that ancient Unathi cultures held the Fisher as the feminine role, rather than the Healer - which was reserved for a long-extinct caste of shaman-rulers. The gender division in its modern form was likely codified by the early Sk’akh Church or predecessor faiths, though with so much of Moghes’ history now lost to the Wasteland scholars doubt if the origins of such a fundamental part of society will ever be discovered.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The divisions of labor in Unathi society are based on this structure of gender, and it is expressed prominently in religion - the Three Aspects of Sk’akh being the most prevalent examples. The Warrior, Healer, and Fisher are the primary categories into which almost every aspect of Unathi life has been divided for centuries - though as with many Unathi traditions, it is being increasingly challenged in the modern era.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Saa - Warrior&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Saa is the gender of warriors, under which roles to do with martial affairs tend to fall. Most military positions are Saa, with some rare exceptions being made for medical and support personnel. Sinta-Unathi pronouns for the three genders are generally a simplified version of the original word; for warriors it would be sa. Outside of direct combat matters, positions in law enforcement and colonial expansion are also widely considered warriors, as are many roles to do with the direct enforcement of a ruler’s will such as governorship, tax collection and announcement of decrees. Unathi identifying as Saa are expected to act with honor in accordance with the [[Unathi Honor|Warriors&#039; Code]]. Vaurca Warriors outside of those in medical or scientific fields generally fall within this designation as a result.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Taa - Healer&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa is the name for the healers’ gender, which is broader than its name might indicate.. Positions in the medical field are obviously considered healers, but the category also covers most scholarship and keeping of knowledge in general. The Simiite Reliquary in To’ha’dat is staffed exclusively by Priestesses of the Healer, and holds the complete historical record of the Sk’akh Church. While scholarship in general has never been as gendered as some other categories, the vast majority of Unathi scientists, archivists and researchers would be considered Taa. The sphere of knowledge and learning also covers the business of spycraft, investigation and diplomacy, with the positions of Spymaster and High Speaker being traditionally female ones. Unathi identifying as healers have less of a concrete code of honor, though in recent years the invention of the [[Unathi Honor|Matriarch&#039;s Code]] has gained some popularity. While Vaurca in medical or scientific fields may be addressed as Taa, the designation is generally reserved for Gynes to avoid confusion.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Kaa - Fisher&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kaa is the third Unathi gender, without a direct translation in Tau Ceti Basic. Its sphere covers productive work such as fishing, construction and engineering. Many among the Unathi working class are considered to be fishers, and the title of Master of Rivers is one that traditionally is held by a Kaa. In Tau Ceti Basic, gender-neutral pronouns are often used to describe fishers, though the Sinta-Unathi pronoun ka is more correct. The sphere of the fisher encompasses many positions to do with economic development, ranging from humble miners, ranchers and fishers all the way to colonial administrators. There is no strict code of honor for Taa similar to that of warriors and healers, though the idea of developing one has been attempted a few times. Vaurca Workers outside of medical or scientific fields are generally gendered as fishers by Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Non-Gendered Roles&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The gender stratification of Unathi society is nearly all-encompassing, though there are some rare positions that can be considered as more than one gender. Rulership is the most notable of these, with the gender of a ruler being considered emblematic of their style of rule - Saa rulers are considered a good omen for military victory, whereas Taa rulers are considered a blessing for periods of peace and wisdom and Kaa rulers are considered to bring periods of great productivity to their demesne. The title of Karsekan is something of an exception, having always had a connotation of military conquest to it. As such, Hegemons, Karsekans, throughout the ages have been recognized as warriors and succession follows to the eldest Saa. It is not uncommon, however, for their expressed gender to contrast what is officially recorded by the church; for example, Hegemon Ayzi Sarakus was unofficially seen as a fisher to their confidants and trusted allies. Using various methods, they and others like them have held the throne throughout the Karsekani Moghes’ history - though greatly outnumbered by the warriors.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One role which falls outside any of the three genders is that of the Guwandi. The reason for this is simple. A Guwandi sheds their gender as they shed their name, and for the same reason - it is a sign of the person they once were, before facing such shame that it was left behind. A Guwandi is only referred to as their prior gender when they are confirmed to have died with honour, and the stain of their disgrace can be erased from their history.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In addition, the introduction of Unathi to the interstellar stage has led to a vast array of new roles, which have yet to be neatly assigned to a gender. While some were able to fit into pre-existing categories, other roles such as interstellar piloting, civilian spaceship command and various roles to do with colonial oversight have yet to be fit into one of Unathi society’s well-defined boxes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Changing Gender&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Most Unathi will live in the gender of their work for their entire lives. However, the nature of Unathi gender roles mean that changing one’s gender is fairly common in Unathi society, especially among nobles who may find themselves in a wide number of roles during their lives. It is not uncommon for rulers identifying as a healer to present as Saa during wartime, for instance, or for rulers identifying as a warrior to present as a fisher when investing heavily in developing their lands.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the modern age this has become more common among non-nobles, as common Unathi find themselves with a greater degree of social mobility. Many who would have lived and died as fishers find themselves seeking out battle and becoming warriors, or enrolling at institutions such as the [[Unathi_Educational_Institutions#Skalamar_University_of_Medicine|Skalamar University of Medicine]] and identifying themselves as Taa. The act of changing one’s gender is, in most Unathi societies, a religious one. In the [[Izweski Heartland]] and other majority Sk’akh regions, these affairs are handled by the Church, while other faiths have their own approaches to it. For Unathi outside the Karsekani, such as those in Biesel or Dominia, less of a spiritual significance tends to be placed on the transition, being treated as more of a personal and private affair.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Traditional Greetings&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A custom often misunderstood by foreigners, traditional greetings are both a way for Unathi to politely greet each other, but also to begin introductions without even saying a word. This tradition dates back to some time in the late first Hegemony, though the greetings themselves had much different forms and uses back then.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In essence, these greetings are done by wordlessly bowing before another, doing so in a specific manner, depending on the Unathi in question&#039;s gender. Doing so is not only polite, if not a show of respect, but also a way for a sinta to present their gender, and by extent the kind of path they have taken in their life.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;The Warrior&#039;s Greeting&#039;&#039; is done by bowing until one would look straight to the floor, while putting a fist on their heart. The legs must remain straight and back curve as little as possible during the entire greeting, lest the Unathi in question be mocked for going a &amp;quot;wounded Warrior&#039;s greeting&amp;quot;, a situation many have faced on their first Warrior&#039;s Greeting. Signifying trust and respect, it is generally considered an honor to be greeted in such way by prestigious warriors, Kataphracts and veterans.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;The Healer&#039;s Greeting&#039;&#039; would have one bow by bending the knees, hunching forward a little with open arms until their claws and horns (frills, crest, or the top of their skull in the case of absence of such) are at roughly the same height. Some can take the greeting a little further, by crossing their legs slightly, bowing deeper, though such a move is generally kept to greet those worthy of great respect. It signifies openness, warmth and vulnerability.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Finally, through &#039;&#039;the Fishers Greeting&#039;&#039;, one would bow by crossing their arms behind their back, bowing with their back, while keeping their gaze at the other person. Signifies listening and understanding, and though seen by many as the easiest of the greetings to achieve, it is not considered lesser than the other two, but rather, a show of the beauty and value of simplicity.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Traditional greetings are not always done with non-Unathi, generally because of their lack of understanding, some sinta choosing to not bother at all. One can also find slight variations to these traditional greetings abroad, in Dominia for instance, where the [[Unathi_in_Dominia|Kazhkz-Han&#039;san]] can be found calling these greetings the &amp;quot;Soldier&#039;s&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;Scholar&#039;s&amp;quot;, and &amp;quot;Artisan&#039;s Greeting&amp;quot; instead, in a mix of Moghesian and Morozian culture.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Outside the Gender Trinary&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In every society, there are those who do not conform to expectations, and the same is true among Unathi. Following the Contact War, many Unathi have challenged the ancient structures of gender that bind their species, seeking to separate their work from their own identification. The first Taa Kataphract, the Lady H’zala was appointed in 2459, one of the first public examples of a non-warrior permitted in such a strongly gendered role. In the Queendom of Szek-Hakh, the ordinary structures of gender are largely reversed; where governing officials, soldiers and those who keep the peace are referred to as Taa. Originally done out of practicality, with most of the realm’s warriors having perished in the Contact War, the practice has continued as a demonstration of open defiance against tradition. A clear expression of dissatisfaction with the culture that brought the planet to its knees. Even those that present stereotypical warrior behavior will identify themselves as healers, defying social norms that your gender is assigned to you by others and not something you choose for yourself.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Abroad, some Unathi have found themselves adopting more human conceptions of gender as something that a person is, rather than something that they do, and choose to present as a gender that does not match their occupation - whether one which matches their sex, or simply based on personal preference. Many have decried this as alien confusion and an erosion of Sinta tradition, while others welcome or simply do not pay mind to it. Gender is a spiritual matter, after all, and the priests and shamans have yet to come to a definite conclusion about these changing matters. How this will impact Unathi society, built around the strict gender trinary for centuries, remains to be seen.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Gender and Aliens&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To many Unathi, human conceptions of gender are confusing, seemingly arbitrary and without reason. While decades of contact between the two species has helped for better understanding of this, both tend to view the other society’s ideas of gender as strange. Unathi, particularly those less-accustomed to working with aliens, will often gender non-Unathi based on their profession rather than any outward signs, and will find being corrected on this matter particularly confusing. For aliens which lack a concept of gender altogether such as [[Skrell]], [[Vaurca|Vaurcae]] or [[Dionae]], this is generally less of an issue.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On [[Ouerea]], a general understanding has been reached as to human concepts of gender, with the Unathi population coming to understand their alien neighbors’ views. Some of these views have been adopted among the Unathi population, with Archpriest Azente of the Sk’akh Church holding in the belief that an Unathi can do the work of one gender while identifying as another, which has caused him to be labelled as a radical among his fellows. Generally speaking, Skrell on Ouerea do not seem to have any particular trouble assimilating to Unathi notions of gender, though the reasoning behind it can often be confusing to them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Some Diona gestalts which have primarily learned from Unathi - such as those living in the Karsekani Moghes, or among the pirates of the Tarwa Conglomerate - have adopted their own interpretation of Unathi gender. Some more organized gestalts tend to gender their individual nymphs based on the role they play in the whole, while others have developed their own codes of behavior similar to those practiced in Unathi society. More information about them can be found [[Moghresian Dionae|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Most [[Unathi in Dominia|Dominian Unathi]] have, at least in practice, adopted the human model. Though most were born and raised on Moghes and held (perhaps still hold) traditional views, most Unathi choose to adapt to the local Imperial culture for similar reasons as converting to the [[Moroz Holy Tribunal|Holy Tribunal]] - that not respecting the customs and culture of their new home would be dishonorable to those who had welcomed them. Some, particularly among the Han’san and the older Unathi population, do not forget about traditional understandings of gender, still living much as they would on Moghes. To the humans of Dominia, this is largely written off as another alien curiosity of the Unathi, though those who spend more time with them may come to a better understanding of their ways. The newer generations of Unathi born on Imperial soil, however, are generally much more familiar with human ideas of gender than Unathi ones.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Corruption within the Gender Culture ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div style=&amp;quot;font-size:105%; border:2px solid white; margin:0; background:white; padding:.1em; color:black;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While seen from the outside as a relatively progressive development, the fluidity of Unathi gender roles combined with the rigid feudal hierarchy of noble lords and clan leadership presents a wide variety of opportunities for exploitation and abuse. These vary in measure, legally and morally, and if pressed those within positions of power will publicly denounce such practices as dishonorable. However, it’s an open secret that a significant number of the ruling class use these tactics to a greater or lesser degree to ensure their dynasties and interests are protected. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Heirs and Succession&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Arguably one of the most crucial considerations of any noble lord or clan leader, the designation of an heir demands intervention when the current candidate is unwanted or unfavorable. The means by which this is accomplished vary from region to region, but leverage of gender is a widely adopted tactic.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In areas under Izweski rule, succession is patriarchal and the eldest warrior child is traditionally designated heir apparent. Should the natural choice be undesirable it is a common though unspoken practice to cultivate a preferred alternative. If the distinction is made early enough in life, clan heads will attempt to remove older children from succession by enrolling them in education and apprenticeships for healers and fishers. Betrothal contracts can also be drafted which misgender, or pre-gender, a child. Often in negotiation of these matches, care is taken to ensure the other clan’s name is taken and rights of inheritance are explicitly waived. Objection by the child or refusal to uphold the betrothal can be punishable by exile, leaving them few options.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
:If the desired heir does not show sufficient martial prowess, clan leaders can hire combat mentors and may stage public duels where the outcome is predetermined. The opponents in these matches are skilled actors as much as they are combatants, and will shout, bluster, and make oaths to the Warrior and their ancestors before the fight begins to enhance the drama and importance of the duel. They can then expertly claim a believable defeat from even the most inept novice. The most talented of these actors, unofficially referred to as &#039;&#039;hoax-hides&#039;&#039;, are well known in certain noble circles and are paid handsomely for their craft and discretion, and will avoid working in one location for too long to prevent being exposed.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In predominantly Sk’akh regions, legal authority over one’s recognized gender is regulated by the Church. Less scrupulous priests can be bought or persuaded to induce or prevent a change of gender. Some exceptionally lazy or cruel clan leaders will simply fabricate a reason to mark a child as guwandi, stripping them of their clan and gender, and sentence them to exile. This can have unintended consequences however, as the action can be contested within the jurisdiction of the Clan&#039;s local Lord and harsh penalties are imposed for cases in which it can be proven the exile was baseless.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In rural or Th’akhish regions like Tza’an, where the realities of clan survival often take precedence over custom, succession is tied less to gender and more with ensuring healthy children and a robust, able-bodied family. Yet even though harsher, rural life creates greater consequences for meddling in succession, there are still those who will risk much to improve their standing. Leadership typically passes to elder warriors unless they are deemed unfit. If a proposed heir’s existing or planed union would be unlikely to produce offspring then they will often be passed over for a more favorable candidate. A common tactic is to raise concerns regarding an heir’s ability to protect their clan or cast doubt on their health or virility. More recently, there have been recorded examples of unwelcome heirs being assigned to patrols in the wastes in hopes that exposure and radiation will lead to clear signs of weakness and that they might be removed from possible consideration. These schemes are not only dishonorable but also detrimental to the health of the clan and are punished harshly if discovered.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A number of Unathi communities that are technically no longer part of the Karsekani still cling to a hierarchical clan structure and the succession of leadership will sometimes be decided by traditional methods. Some details may differ, but it is not uncommon to see similar tactics as those in the Karsekani used to influence succession and other clan decisions. &lt;br /&gt;
*In the Queendom of Sez-Hakh, for example, succession is matriarchal and falls to the eldest healer child. Due to the necessities of survival after the Contact War the lines separating genders have blurred significantly but abuse of gender culture still occurs. Though aging, Queen Lazak still rules with considerable power and her wishes are reflected in the attitudes of the ruling ladies. Stigma against warrior rule continues to linger and advocates of greater warrior influence are quietly stifled.&lt;br /&gt;
*Communities that have more exposure to human influence tend to allow for all three genders in the rules of succession and gaming the system in these instances requires more finesse. For instance, it&#039;s generally accepted that a warrior is the preferred clan leader during wartime. If a clan leader wished for their warrior child to succeed them, they may initiate a clan war or blood feud prior to stepping down and allowing their warrior children to ascend. The reverse can also be true, and a clan leader might reach out to rivals to begin talks of reconciliation before stepping aside for healer or fisher claimants.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Contracts and Customary Law&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The deep ties gender has within Unathite culture can also be exploited when resolving contracts and disputes. Often this can take the form of discrediting someone’s suitability for a job, an inferred inability to complete work, and breaches of contract where gender is pertinent. Contract manipulation is common and Mazjivsa scribes are customarily retained to ensure proper resolution where possible. They are familiar with popular ploys to either nullify contracts or collect compensation for failure to fulfill obligations and other violations.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One particularly infamous case is widely taught to new scribes during apprenticeship; a contract was created to provide a lord with twenty skilled fishers (engineers) for the construction of new perimeter walls around his compound. Once the crucial process of sinking the foundations and construction of the lower levels was done, progress on the project began to slow and then cease as the fishers were constantly arguing, accusing one another of sabotaging their work, insulting their clan, and myriad other minor slights which climaxed in a spontaneous battle; one worker dead, and two with serious injuries. The lord claimed “they were clearly better suited to spears than tools,” and demanded that the contract be nullified and that half of what he paid be returned in addition to punitive payments stipulated in the contract for the breach. Initially the restitutions were made and the construction of the walls was finished by the lord’s own specialists. It wasn’t until later when a [[Unathi_Crime_And_Enforcement#The_Taakul_(Spies)|taakul]] investigated the incident that the funds were returned and the Lord’s involvement was made known. Under contract from the construction guild, the [[Unathi_Crime_And_Enforcement#The_Taakul_(Spies)|taakul]] uncovered the reason for the change in the fishers’ attitude; an agent, part of the twenty fishers from the guild, had been paid to bring the workers under scrutiny. Once work on the base of the walls was complete, the rest was markedly simpler and cheaper. The lord would have paid less than half the agreed upon amount in the end. Diligent scribes will formalize contract specific processes to resolve potential gender related breaches but this relies on the skill of the scribe hired and is by no means a complete solution.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Other examples of contract manipulation include marriage and betrothal contracts. These contracts often stipulate the genders of the couple and allowances made for surrogates of children, the “Marriage Price”, and additional considerations. If the gender of one party shifts, either naturally or by design, the contract can be nullified and recompense paid.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Mazjivsa Manipulation&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
These scribes, predominantly fishers, are trained to provide counsel in matters of contract negotiation and resolution. Since the collapse of the Mazjivsa guild and the removal of its oversight, some unathi declare themselves Mazjivsa without the proper training and are exiled if discovered. This precarious position can be exploited, and some scribes will find their gender scrutinized if someone stands to gain from the lack of their guidance and expertise.&lt;br /&gt;
A well-known example of this occurred in Skalamar, 2466; a Mazjivsa of clan T’szel was contracted to review agreements made between a local lord and his client. He would not be bought and so the lord began claiming T’szel was an illegitimate scribe and fraud. Enraged, the Mazjivsa demanded a duel so that he might defend his honor. Surprisingly, he was able to draw first blood against one of the lord’s sons, but his victory was used as proof that he was more warrior than fisher. The lord succeeded in having him removed from the contract negotiation, although he was spared exile.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Marriage and Relationships ===&lt;br /&gt;
Relationships for Unathi hinge on responsibility for both involved as most marriages before the Contact War relied on clan leaders arranging marriages to secure alliances. &#039;Dating&#039; has only recently been available to young Unathi and is a foreign concept to most above their late-20&#039;s in age. A Unathi trying to ignore the ritual of arranged marriage is a great insult to both clans involved, which at worst could lead to a blood feud or war. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Clan alliances are formed when two clan leaders mutually decide upon two Unathi to marry and, depending on who is chosen, certain gifts are expected to be bestowed on the allied clans. When the marriage is proposed, a discussion about which Clan Name will be taken arises. This is done through a form of &#039;bidding war&#039;, where one clan must &amp;quot;buy&amp;quot; the right to keeping the name over the other by giving money or resources to the other clan. Marriages may sometimes end up canceled due to both sides refusing to give up their clan name, and in the worst cases, it has led to duels or even wars fought over who has the right to keep the titles.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Surrogates can be called upon for a marriage that cannot fulfill their duty to have children; however, they must be from a member of one of the Clans. Upon the hatching of a hatchling, the expectation most often is that husbands will raise the boys, and wives will raise the girls. If there is only a husband or wife, more traditional Sk&#039;akh families will choose to have another Clan member raise the hatchling up through their expected path.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Same-gender relationships and marriages are largely accepted, with little cultural or religious stigma against them. In more isolated rural clans or among Wastelanders, however, unions that cannot produce hatchlings are often strongly discouraged, particularly under the doctrine of the Si&#039;akh faith. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion and Spirituality ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While various faiths exist on Moghes, many of which are as old as any other, there are two major religions of the Unathi that pervade nearly every aspect of their lives. Th&#039;akh and Sk&#039;akh, both of which predominately focus on ancestor worship and connections with the spirit world.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Th&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
The most pervasive and common religion amongst Unathi. It dates back even before the First Hegemony and, as a byproduct of Unathi stubbornness, has remained central to Unathi spiritualism. The basic concept of Th&#039;akh is that all the spirits of past Unathi now reside in the spirit world that exists in tandem with the material world. These spirits exist in objects and nature - bringing either good luck or sorrow. Particularly nasty natural disasters were often attributed to particularly strong groups of spiteful spirits influencing events in the material world. Th&#039;akh, due to its widespread pervasiveness, has a multitude of forms: ancestor veneration, polytheism (worshipping groups of specific and powerful spirits), and almost witch-like spiritualism are just some of the denominations found among this religion. However, Th&#039;akh almost always has the same group of tenets, which can be found [[Th&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sk&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
The second most common religion, which is followed mostly by Unathi from the Izweski Nation, and enjoys a status as its unofficial state religion. It still follows the ancestor worship of Th&#039;akh, but with a major notable difference: the spirits of all Unathi who die become part of Sk&#039;akh, the Great Spirit. Sk&#039;akh is a gender-neutral God, being called &#039;he&#039; or &#039;she&#039; interchangeably to represent that Ska&#039;kh is a collection of all Unathi. She is often called Three of One because the spirits combine into three minor aspects that are all part of Ska&#039;kh: the Warrior, the Healer, the Fisherman. These three spirits are personifications of the most important aspects of Unathi society. It is said that all three are equally important and that disasters are caused by an imbalance in the Great Three. Priests often stress the importance of balance, both in matters of the spirit as well as in society and personal life. Sk&#039;akh&#039;s dogmatic doctrine can be found [[Sk&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Aut&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
Emerging from the hatred of former warriors, the Aut&#039;akh are a cultish offshoot of Th&#039;akh, comprised of cybernetic-augmented Unathi. They argue the flesh is weak, and something new must be sculpted in its place to strengthen the mind. In the relative safety of their communes scattered across various towns, planets, and systems, they know a rough life, but one easier and more spiritual than those of the cities, they believe. The Aut&#039;akh have yet to truly attain their perfect leaderless society, as their own supposedly-defeated prejudice still runs in quiet circles within communes; meanwhile, society often rebukes and ridicules these fanatical trans-speciests. Their lives are gently guided by the shamans or &amp;quot;paradigms,&amp;quot; which act as the religious advisors and sometimes too the biomechanical engineers of these communes. Aut&#039;akh preach the Contact War was the result of sinta being so consumed by the demons within them that they brought the world to ruin, and all powers, whether that of a government, major religion, or corporation, are inherently corrupt due to the influence of evil spirits. The heathen&#039;s lifestyle and struggles can be found [[Aut&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Aut&#039;akh, due to their radical views on unathi society and society as a whole, are often associated with anyone who breaks tradition. In light of this, Unathi started to develop behaviors and society learned to hate communes and their denizens.&#039;&#039;&#039; Anyone caught being unfaithful to their spouse, in a non-monogamous relationship, rebuking their clan, having a prosthetic, or even talking about their discontent with the Karsekani or other rulers was accused of being an Aut&#039;akh. The term to most became synonymous with anyone who was a perceived troublemaker or heretic, more so than even Si&#039;akh.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Si&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
Born from the fires of the Contact War, Si&#039;akh is a radical Sk&#039;akh heresy that has rapidly spread across the Wasteland. It is lead by charismatic former Sk&#039;akh priest Juzida Si&#039;akh, who claims to be the Messiah for all Unathi. The doctrine claims the Contact War to have been the Final Judgement for the Unathi species caused by their innate wickedness. He claims that all Unathi that died in the &#039;cleansing fire&#039; of the atomic weapons were given salvation, and all Unathi that survived are damned to remain trapped on the Hell of Moghes unless the species and Moghes are rapidly purified. The movement has come into immediate conflict with the orthodox Sk&#039;akh church due to Si&#039;akh claiming it to be completely illegitimate. Its followers are ruthlessly hunted down by the Maraziite Order and many of its followers are fleeing into human space as they try to find personal salvation. Their doomsday cult has [[Si&#039;akh|strict and ascetic principles]] to help Unathi obtain a chance at salvation.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Moghean Society ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Moghes]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:PostCitiesNamed.png|thumb|A map of Moghes with the cities and seas labelled.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Moghean Unathi are traditional Unathi with the planet being their homeworld. Historically culture varies across clans that exist on the planet, but some customs and norms can be found nearly universally in Unathi society.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It is a social faux pas to use a Unathi&#039;s first name if not family or extremely close to the Unathi in question. Generally, a Unathi will tell someone when they feel comfortable with the person using their first name. It is also distressing to touch their tail or at all before introductions are undertaken. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi place great emphasis on oral traditions. Honor and combat are seen as a man&#039;s realm, and women are not held to the same standards of honor. Women are instead expected to be elegant, learned and regal; while fishers are expected to be industrious, faithful and dedicated.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Outside the formal schools of the Untouched Lands, village and town shamans or priests often remain the only source of education for rural young Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Ouerean Society ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Ouerea]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While the Izweski Unathi of Ouerea follow most of the same social beliefs as their Moghean counterparts, they tend to be less volatile towards outsiders who are ignorant of their customs, especially since their world was formerly ruled by the Skrell and Humans. Their cultures have managed to influence Ouerean Unathi, embedding different cultural norms that are not found elsewhere. There is a focus on individualism and younger Unathi shy away from the usual responsibilities held to Unathi toward their clans. There is still a struggle with a highly stratified society, but things are moderately progressive compared to Moghes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Oureaea Ciites.png|thumb|A map of Ouerea, with cities and major locations labelled.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The original colonists started as patriots to the Karsekani Moghes, but many soon found themselves disillusioned with the distant homeworld tearing itself apart in war. Unathi on Ouerea became enamored with the broad ideals of democracy and finding themselves resentful of their old lives on Moghes. Reintegration into the Karsekani proved difficult as both planets had to reconcile these cultural differences. It still remains a minor division among these Unathi to this day.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ouerean art, in contrast to Moghean pottery and dyed fabrics, has taken on inspiration from Human and Skrell art. Many Ouerean Unathi have become renowned glassmakers and craftsmen. The greater access to Human and Skrell universities, many of which still operate on the planet, also give Ouerean Unathi greater chances to work in Human and Skrell systems. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Non-Izweski Unathi ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi of the Karsekani’s territories — the Karsekani Moghes itself, Ouerea, or any of its many colonies — require consent from their clan Lord to make their way out into the greater galaxy, as listed [[Guide to Citizenship#Izweski_Hegemony|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Those that come from outside of the Karsekani and Dominia usually have no official means of recognized citizenship. Wastelanders, privateers, Guwan, and other Unathi must apply for a work visa where they are traveling in order to reside there. This of course carries risks with it: if a Unathi is seen as being problematic, whether committing crimes and misdemeanors or just not living up to the job they’re working, they may have their visa stripped and end up deported to the Karsekani. The Karsekani Moghes does not explicitly ask for these Unathi, especially seeing how they are usually &#039;undesirable&#039;. As there are no officially recognized governments on Moghes besides the Izweski, however, deported persons get sent there. Guwan and Gawgaryn that manage to make their way out of the system to places such as Biesel will face harsh punishment if this happens, so they are the most incentivized to put on their best outward face.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Unathi Physiognomy ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Khaniazwazi, also known as Unathi Physiognomy to outsiders, is a science dedicated to the study of Unathi physical profiles and the deduction of their character from such things. While certainly not new in Unathi history, it has been going through a rebirth in popularity as more resources have been dedicated to the study of Unathi biology and its appearance, to make up for what was lost with the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The validity of such a science is discussed, even among strictly professional fields, and it is no surprise that many individuals and groups have been using this field as a pretext to discriminate against other Sinta, or as a way to make a quick buck from more naive Unathi. Putting these aside however, there are still many variants of Khaniazwazi being practiced, depending on the area, with different interpretations of physical attributes. Generally, however, Khaniazwazi takes into account scale colouration, horns, frills, crests and facial structure; and in some rarer cases, smaller details such as wrinkles, scars, etcetera.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Politics and Factions ==&lt;br /&gt;
Moghes is divided between the Karsekani Moghes and the hundreds of other Clans and nations who claim their own land across the planet&#039;s surface. The only real difference in their political systems is the scale. Many of these other clans are modern nations or pre-industrial, ruled by various kings or leaders. However, with the expansion of the uninhabitable Wasteland and the brutal decimation Izweski forces committed on foreign leadership, many institutions of non-Karsekani government across Moghes are rare or extremely fragile.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Moghes_porposal.png|thumb|The flag of the Karsekani Moghes. It is said the flag symbolizes the wildfires that frequented Moghes.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Karsekani Moghes ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Karsekani Moghes]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&#039;&#039;&amp;quot;Honour, fire, burn thy fear.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039; - The ancestral motto of Clan Izweski, circa early 20th century&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Izweski Clan is led by Clan Leader [[Notable_Unathi#Not.27zar_Izweski|&#039;&#039;&#039;Not&#039;zar Izweski&#039;&#039;&#039;]], a Unathi who has ruled the Karsekani since his father S&#039;kresti Izweski, the previous Karsekan, or Hegemon at the time, was assassinated by his son and Not&#039;zar&#039;s brother. He lives in the Izweski Citadel in Skalamar, and under him are the Lords who rule their own subjugated clans. They live in a feudal system, with the Lords usually being clan leaders or important clan members themselves who pledge themselves to Izweski in exchange for land and protection.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Karsekan is best thought of being the High King, and under him are the Overlords, who are the Kings. Under the Overlords are the Lords, who are then broken up between the Clan Lords, and then the Clan Leaders. Clan Leaders are a mostly ceremonial title and make up (usually) the eldest male ruler of a specific family clan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Not&#039;zar&#039;s father, S&#039;kresti Izweski, was originally a strong leader of the Izweski clan. Then, after the death of his eldest son in a shuttle crash, the old ruler fell into a deep depression, to the point of becoming comatose in the Izweski citadel. After a succession crisis, Not&#039;zar took his place as the Regent and heir for three years, over that time developing the Karsekani into a stable empire. &lt;br /&gt;
[[Image:Minimap hegemony.png|thumb|A closer image focusing on the factions surrounding the Karsekani Moghes&#039; territory.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Three years later, the S&#039;kresti awoke and took back to the throne, however on his tour to get reacquainted with everything, he was spurred into madness and cursed by &#039;&#039;&#039;Juzida Si&#039;akh&#039;&#039;&#039; which resulted in a civil war to dispute his claim to the throne. In an attempt to destroy his enemies, the old Hegemon attempted to orbitally bombard an enemy city. To stop this dishonorable act, his third son Z&#039;krazi Izweski the Kinslayer assassinated the Hegemon, and after Not&#039;zar&#039;s victory in the Battle of Three Hills the civil war ended.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Now, Not&#039;zar is the Clan Leader, Overlord of Moghes, and Karsekan of the Karsekani Moghes. Despite his severe physical handicap forcing him to walk with a cane, many noblemen have made him an ally, especially including the Guilds who enjoy his globalist attitude.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Overlords rule an entire planet in the name of the Karsekan. Under them are Lords, who can rule huge tracts of land and multiple cities, or just a single city; there is no distinction between a Count and Duke level of Lordship like in most human feudalism.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
There are two different kinds of major lifestyles in the Karsekani Moghes. There is the city, which is ran by a Lord and a small council of lesser clans. City life is less harsh than life in the country, especially with opportunities provided with shuttle services to the rest of the galaxy. Life in the rural areas is harsher, with cities being rare and life mostly determined by the size of a Clan&#039;s village and how well they can hunt, fish, or in desperate times, raid their neighbors. It&#039;s the traditional Unathi life, made harsher by the growing Wasteland encroaching on once-fertile lands.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Queendom of Szek’Hakh ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&#039;&#039;&amp;quot;Refuse to break.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039; - Pre-Contact War Szek&#039;Hakh clan motto.&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A matriarchal region of roughly twenty thousand set in the Wasteland, led by the elderly &#039;&#039;&#039;Queen Lazak Szek&#039;Hakh&#039;&#039;&#039; and her daughters. In her settlement and a large portion of the region surrounding it, her clan has become the protector of her region known as the &#039;Queendom&#039;. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For those living in the Queendom, the gender roles of Unathi are inverted, and many of its people thusly struggle to find opportunities on Moghes and seek employment in Tau Ceti - with the Queen even making connections with pirates, Dominians, and Tajaran smugglers to get her people safely out of the dangerous Wasteland. The Queen is kind under her witty and straightforward attitude, and despite stereotypes, does not actually hate men.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Szek&#039;Hakh clan&#039;s settlement of &#039;&#039;&#039;Yu&#039;kal&#039;&#039;&#039;, originally headed by the Queen&#039;s husband, was built around a cluster of small lakes and focused on aquaculture. When the Contact War&#039;s nukes wiped out the vast majority of men, they adapted to using women as protectors, while using men to keep house. The widowed Lazak Szek’Hakh convinced the shell-shocked and wounded survivors of her clan that she was the only one capable of ruling during this terrifying time, and had taken control of a sizable region of the Wasteland east of Mudki around Yu&#039;kal. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Szek&#039;Hakh Clan became the leading power in their region following the Contact War. Eventually, Szek’Hakh consolidated control of her clan and the settlement, taking matters of survival into her own hands. As the Wasteland engulfed Yu&#039;kal&#039;s lakes, she coordinated a renovation of aquaculture farms and lead expeditions to bring their highly valuable fish products to the distant surviving city of Mudki. Women took prominent roles in all of these, with the necessities of survival in the harsh wasteland fraying Unathite gender roles. A neighboring nobleman, fearing this rise of powerful women, orchestrated to have her assassinated. In a dramatic confrontation, the assassin was foiled and publicly exiled as a Guwandi, and a mob of angry women stormed the nobleman&#039;s estate to &#039;duel him for his dishonor&#039;. This act put the matriarch in the spotlight, sparking Szek’Hakh’s rapid rise of being named Queen by her people.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Queen Szek’Hakh now leads a struggling wasteland settlement in a precarious situation. The traditional Izweski-leaning Unathi find her position an affront to customs, and she struggles to find allies. She tries to walk a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk’akh Church]], the Izweski, and the Wastelander factions - however she is often too straightforward to get far. Her settlement is primarily Th’akh, and she herself follows the faith. She complies (though unwillingly) with the demands of Izweski representatives to expel the prophet [[Notable Unathi|Si&#039;akh]] from her realm when he enters her settlement in his travels, though she quietly allows members of his traveling flock to rest in secret when they pass through her settlement. For the same, she does not tolerate the cult of the [[Aut&#039;akh]], and her people ruthlessly hunt down their unaugmented proselytizers.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Surviving Kingdoms on Moghes ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Despite the destruction of most of the known world from the [[Contact War]], some desperate survivors managed to weather the storm and remain nominally free of Izweski dominance - either from the Izweski&#039;s weariness for war on Moghes, or arrogant indifference.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While the Izweski are reclaiming the Wasteland, they are ruthlessly uprooting and displacing local cultures in the remaining habitable lands. The Outposts were small, fertile enclaves that survived the Contact War surrounded by the Wasteland. Starting in 2461, Not&#039;zar pushed forward terraforming efforts to expand these green yet hostile oases. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Template:UnathiCustomaryLaw}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Notable Information ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Guwandi ===&lt;br /&gt;
In the event that a Unathi becomes terminally ill, or finds themselves lacking the pride or honor to continue to live, or simply become tired of their existence undergo a ritualistic suicide and take the title of &#039;Guwandi&#039; (which is translated to Gladiator/Galdium). They will give up their possessions to their clan leader and make their journey into the Moghes desert. The only things they keep are their weapons which they use to fight animals or other Unathi so that they may die in honorable combat. In the event that two of these Guwandi meet, they will first draw their weapons and adopt a passive stance, which is followed by them telling each other their stories in turn, as well as the reasons behind their choice of adopting the mantle of &#039;Guwandi&#039; and how they wish their remains to be dealt with. When both sides understand the other, combat will begin with a mutual wish of luck that the more worthy of death lose with pride. The winner of the battle is responsible for taking care of the corpse in the way they were instructed to. Renouncing the deathseeking life of Guwandi isn&#039;t easy. Some may wish to return after having been granted a second outlook, or hope, after they had spent time wandering and risking their life. Their clan may see their decision as cowardly and refuse to accept them, or be overjoyed they had learned a lesson in their time.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Guwandi are not an option on the Horizon,&#039;&#039;&#039; yet may be a way in which a character becomes retired, barring [[Traitor|extreme circumstances]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Guwan ===&lt;br /&gt;
In some cases when a Unathi is exiled from their clan, they do not take up the formal title of Guwandi. This can be through fear of death, unwillingness, or simple stubbornness. In this case, they are marked as &#039;Guwan&#039; by their clan leader, and must take this as their last name. It is a variation on Guwandi, which is translated directly as &#039;exile&#039;. Guwans are clanless Unathi, and form an underclass. Guwans find it difficult if not impossible to advance socially or politically, and in many cases are oppressed or mistreated by other Unathi who view them as troublemakers or criminals. The only way of returning to a clan after banishment as a Guwan is to be adopted back into the Clan, which happens very rarely. &#039;&#039;&#039;To no longer be a Guwan, a Unathi must have an upstanding citizen decide to represent them, and then they must both go to court to explain how the Guwan can return into society under a new clan name, be adopted into another clan, or return to their original clan (at Clan Leader&#039;s acceptance.)&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On August 29th, 2459, the Lord-Regent Not&#039;zar Izweski passed an edict that required clans to send a petition to an imperial court when they want to banish a clan member as a Guwan. The court must side with the petitioning Clan Leader or the Unathi in question is not marked as a Guwan. This has caused backlash as the courts have gained a reputation for being incredibly arbitrary in their decisions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the past, all orphans were automatically Guwan unless they are adopted into a Clan. This changed with yet another edict by Not&#039;zar Izweski in December of 2459, which required all orphans, including adults still connected to their orphanage guild via debts or otherwise without parents, to take on the surname of that orphanage.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
Some Guwans have been forced off of Moghes by their clans with the growing ease of space travel, and NanoTrasen has a long history of exploiting this subgroup of Unathi, coercing them into employment contracts.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Guwans are not permitted to petition local Lords to express any grievances, and are not permitted to social services provided by private enterprise or state entities. Guwan are not full citizens of the Karsekani but are considered residents, which additionally bars them from many services.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Upon being declared Guwan, a Unathi is legally stripped of their gender and is not permitted to work in traditional warrior, healer or fisher fields. On documentation coming from Moghes, the &amp;quot;gender&amp;quot; section is generally left blank to reflect this, though in alien spaces the gender is listed as &amp;quot;Neuter&amp;quot; or filled in with an X. Guwan pronouns are strictly listed in neuter terms, and Guwan are legally only permitted to use it/its pronouns. Those that are hiding their status as Guwan are not required to conform to this standard and will often overcompensate their gender presentation in order to continue hiding their identities hidden. &#039;&#039;&#039;Both the limitation on gendered work fields and the usage of pronouns are enforceable by moderation.&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Notably, Guwans are the only social class of Unathi allowed to serve in the personal guard of the Karsekan and his family. The strategy relies on the fact the Guwan Guard are despised and envied by decorated officers that would otherwise serve in traditional guard duties. They are socially isolated and unable to advance politically, which means that its survival depends on the safety of the Karsekan and his family, which means that it wouldn&#039;t try to launch a coup or replace the Karsekan without itself being slaughtered. Similar to an old-Terran Janissary, it&#039;s a slave soldier, and unable to have children or hold any sort of political or military position.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
If a Unathi is the last of their clan, or is otherwise estranged with no one to declare them Guwan, then they may still find themselves challenged by other rival clans who lay claim to this Unathi&#039;s land, titles, inheritance, or name. If they are unable or unwilling to defend their claims (which would involve lengthy court trials on Moghes) then they would be stripped of them and declared Guwan. This means that a Unathi hiding in human space can still be named Guwan if their past, or rivals, catch up with them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Guwans are exclusively a criminal or otherwise dishonorable untouchable class, and it takes a lot to be labelled as one. Because playing a Guwan means you are opting in to being discriminated against by others, a Guwan filing an incident report for anything less than physical assault is a whitelist issue.&#039;&#039;&#039; When in doubt, speak to the Maintainer first.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Orphans and Orphanage Guilds ===&lt;br /&gt;
Orphans in the Karsekani in the past were all labelled as Guwans, but an edict by Not&#039;zar Izweski in December of 2459 changed all that. Hatchlings, child, and teenage Unathi without parents are put in the care of one of the many orphanage guilds on Moghes. These are private run guilds with little to no government oversight. While they fulfill a necessary social service in caring for Unathi that would otherwise be on the streets, orphanage guilds in the Karsekani are incredibly exploitative. Unknown to the children the guilds track all the expenses and charge their wards throughout their life until they turn 17, when they are presented with the bill and are forced to work to repay the crippling debt, and many can be trapped by the fact that their debt would fall on any prospective parents.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Two of these guilds have expanded into large corporations that have found a lucrative method of gaining money from their wards. The &#039;&#039;&#039;Gukuzan&#039;&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;&#039;Kuhwinla&#039;&#039;&#039; Guilds coerce or persuade their wards to accepts contracts for megacorporations, particularly [[Hephaestus Industries]], if they reach adulthood without being adopted. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Gukuzan&#039;&#039;&#039; clan is lead by a Priest Kiazoi, and he ensures that those that enter the care of his guild are given a proper religious education and instilled with the values of the church. Children raised by the Gukuzan are also taught valuable lessons in obedience and the importance of duty and respect to their betters. Its wards are moderately well-off and treated well, but the comforts of a happy childhood in the orphanage is rather soured by the fact everything from bedding, food, and even air conditioning are things each child has added to their growing debt. Gukuzan orphanages are scattered across Moghes and there are three on [[Ouerea]]. They are all exclusively managed by a priest on the payroll of the Gukuzan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Kuhwinla&#039;&#039;&#039; clan is lead by Guildmaster Ioaza Kuhwinla, an infamously frugal woman. She refuses to spend any more than she has to on her wards, meaning that those under her care are given the most basic of education. Children raised by her Guild are taught valuable lessons in thrift, obedience, and how to stretch meals to the absolute limit. Its wards are generally barely better than they would be on the street, but they live with a roof over their heads, semi-reliable food, a basic education, and their debt at the end of their life under the Kuhwinla is generally lower than it would be in other orphanages. Kuhwinla orphanages are in nearly every major Unathite city, and they are unique in that they are managed by matriarchs that answer to Ioaza.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;These two surnames are the only ones you may take if you play an orphaned Izweski on the SCCV Horizon!&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Species]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Pages]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Unathi]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Unathi_Crime_And_Enforcement&amp;diff=39064</id>
		<title>Unathi Crime And Enforcement</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Unathi_Crime_And_Enforcement&amp;diff=39064"/>
		<updated>2026-04-18T21:23:58Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Outdated (Phoron Scarcity)}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Unathi_Culture}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox_Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox_Unathi_Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{toc_right}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=Law Enforcement=&lt;br /&gt;
Under the normal traditions of [[Unathi]] feudalism, the laws are decided by the reigning monarch or Hegemon and their council - but the duty of enforcing said laws falls to local nobility. Over the centuries, this has developed into a robust system of law enforcement, though one that often varies in standard, training and skill across [[Moghes]] - particularly in regions that were not part of the Hegemony prior to the [[Contact War]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== The City Watch ==&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&#039;&#039;“The soldiers march to war, the nobles command them - but it is your duty to protect your home and your clan. The army may be the Hegemon’s sword, but we are his shield.”&#039;&#039;&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;-Skalamar City Watch training video, dated 2442&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The tradition of a City Watch dates back millennia, to nearly the earliest beginnings of Unathi permanent settlement. In any city or town of significance, the ruler’s Lord’s Claws will be responsible for the training, recruitment and upkeep of a watch - to ensure that the law of both the ruler and their liege is obeyed. Traditionally, the watch of a city is recruited from among commoners, with noble officers commanding them - a posting that often finds itself filled by the sons of prominent military clans, to gain experience as commanders in peacetime. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A watchman’s equipment varies greatly from city to city, though throughout history they have generally carried clubs, shields and other simple weapons, as well as crossbows - and later firearms - for cases where ranged combat or lethal force was required. Prior to the Contact War, the standard equipment of a watchman in the Hegemony consisted of a lightweight steel baton, a collapsible plastic shield and an armoured vest - with heavier armour and firearms being available in case of serious issues. During the Contact War, many Hegemonic watchmen were exempt from being called to service, though they were required to be constantly ready for the defence of their city. Many lords disliked having watchmen constantly armed - after all, a militia of commoners at a time when all the lord’s personal forces are away is just asking for trouble.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the modern age, a watchman’s equipment in the Hegemony has changed significantly. Though some smaller and more rural areas may use more outdated equipment, the Hegemony has adapted well to alien technology, at first purchasing and later manufacturing many stunbatons, energy weapons and other tools used by human law enforcement. Today, the average watchman would be equipped with a stunbaton as well as a non-lethal energy weapon - tasers and disruptors being the most common. A lightweight armour vest allows the watchman to move freely, and a telescopic shield can provide protection against most opponents. In an emergency, watchmen tend to be equipped with laser rifles of Hegemony make, now that they are common enough to be affordable.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Typically, watch houses will be set up throughout a city, with some of the larger settlements having dozens. Each watch house is commanded by a watch-captain, who reports to the city’s Commander of the Watch - a position overseen by the Lord’s Claws. Generally, these watch-captains are drawn from nobility, though a few commoners have distinguished themselves and risen to the position.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Watchmen are not soldiers, and provide an essential service to a settlement’s infrastructure - as such, they cannot be called to military service as part of a levy, although they are required to fight in their city’s defence should it fall under attack. To this end, many hoped to become watchmen during the Contact War, in order to avoid being sent to the front lines. However, a watchman’s life is not necessarily something to envy - aside from clashes with criminals, the pay is far from exceptional, especially given that watchmen are forbidden by Hegemonic law from joining a guild or forming one of their own - as it would potentially provide a conflict of loyalty. Many former watchmen have since joined the mercenaries of the Fighters’ Guild or the Dagamuir Freewater Private Forces, in the hopes of seeking better pay than a watchman’s meagre keep among the stars.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The primary duty of a watchman is to keep order - when crimes are committed, the watch will usually call on their own investigators if they have them - though smaller watches may simply lock up whoever looks guilty, and let the matter resolve itself at a trial. The watch of [[Izweski Heartland|S’th]] in particular is known for its laziness, often arresting passers-by in the hopes of shaking them down for a few credits. Generally speaking, city watches will largely police commoners - to arrest a noble requires authorisation from the Lord’s Claws, and it is something most watchmen will not risk unless the evidence against them is truly damning. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Many watches are known to hire spies, when running horns-first into a dead-end case. These spies act as consultants, putting their skills to use to aid the watch - and though there is some judgement and distaste between the two professions, both begrudgingly recognise the other’s use.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== The Taakul (Spies) ==&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&#039;&#039;“Though some call it a profession based on lies, I could not disagree more - the heart of any spy’s work is the pursuit of the truth, in all its purity.”&#039;&#039;&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;-[[Notable_Unathi#Hizoni_Izweski,_Izweski_Spymaster|Hizoni Izweski]], Hegemonic Spymaster&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The title of “spy” conjures many images to the human mind, not many of them associated with law enforcement. For the Unathi, however, the title carries a different meaning - an ancient profession, codified by Not’zar Izweski. A traditionally feminine pursuit, spies act as investigators, private detectives and actual spies, seeking the truth of a situation in exchange for payment, and bringing secrets to light - or ensuring they stay buried.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Most spies work independently, uncovering secrets and solving mysteries in exchange for payment, though some are organised under spymasters - powerful women, usually of nobility, who run networks of spies, and rent their services to prospective clients. Working under a spymaster has its advantages, as work is generally more stable, but some professional spies would find the loss of independence distasteful. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Some professional spies are hired permanently by city watches or ruling nobility to investigate crimes committed under their aegis, though most tend to take work independently and on a case-by-case basis. A good spy, however, knows that a working relationship with the local watch is often the key to running a profitable business. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
There is no formal guild of spies, with apprenticeships generally being a personal and individual matter - a spy will teach a young woman the tricks of the trade, in exchange for a cut of her earnings for some years afterward. Though many are eager to learn the trade, it is a difficult one to master - and a spy who cannot pick up on the dangers of a life trading in secrets is one whose life will often be cut short.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Not all spies are so clearly aligned with the law, however - criminal guilds will often hire spies to investigate their rivals, bury secrets or evidence of their deeds, or frame another for a crime the guild committed. Opinions on these illicit spies vary among their more legitimate sisters - some view the criminal guilds as simply another client, while others believe that working for such an organisation runs antithetical to the heart of the profession.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The life of a spy is often romanticised in Unathi fiction, and is a frequent aspiration for young Sinta women. Novels such as ‘Silent Streets of S’th’ and television series such as the long-running and wildly popular &#039;&#039;‘[[Izweski_Heartland#Entertainment|Venom Hearts]]’&#039;&#039; have led to a cultural touchstone of the spy as a hardened and independent seeker of the truth - though the reality is far less glamorous than portrayed in such media.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Many nobles will also hire or appoint their own private spymasters, who will bring on spies who are, in theory, loyal solely to their liege - though as with all things involving the Taakul, nothing is quite so simple. The most prominent of these spymasters in the modern day is unquestionably Hizoni Izweski - the spymaster of the Izweski Hegemony, and viewed by many as the ideal of one in her profession.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Bounty Hunting ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When a criminal flees beyond the reach of the watch, some lords may hire mercenaries to track them down in the case of particularly egregious crimes. Most of these bounty hunters are licensed under the [[Unathi_Guilds#The_Fighter&#039;s_Lodge|Fighters’ Lodge]], though the [[Private_Military_Contracting_Group#Dagamuir_Freewater_Private_Forces|Dagamuir Freewater Private Forces]] have expanded aggressively into the business, particularly for those rare criminals who manage to flee offworld.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
These hunters will roam across the Hegemony beyond in search of their quarry - and are one of the rare groups of non-military personnel allowed to bear weapons, so long as they carry with them a writ of identification authorised by a noble of the Hegemony. Since the end of the Contact War, many criminals seek to escape into the [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]] - and hunters are sent to track them through the radioactive sands. For an Unathi warrior seeking to earn good money, the commander of [[The_Wasteland#Camp_Integrity|Camp Integrity]] is always willing to pay for the hunting of particularly dangerous Gawgaryn, criminals who have fled into the sands, or Traditionalist holdouts. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Though most of these hunters are Unathi, not all are. [[Vaurca|K’laxan Warriors]], Ouerean humans and [[Skrell]], and even the rare [[Dionae|Diona]] gestalt can be seen working in the profession - after all, there may be many differences between the species, but the language of credits is a famously universal one.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Law and Trials ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When a criminal is captured, they are placed on trial before the local ruling noble, or one of their representatives. In smaller villages, this will often be a council of local clans’ leaders, whereas in larger cities the nobility will tend to have one or several “justicars” to act as their representatives, as a single person judging every trial in a city the size of Skalamar or Jaz’zirt would rapidly become unmanageable.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Though it is a common assumption that a noble has sole jurisdiction over sentencing, this is not the case - the Izweski Code of Law has contained mandated minimum and maximum sentences for a crime for centuries, and though some nobles in particularly isolated regions may ignore this, to flout it carries great risk - as a noble found to act against the will of the Hegemon may be severely punished, up to and including the loss of their titles, being made Guwan or even executed.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Within these restrictions, however, a noble may judge entirely as they see fit. Theoretically, any noble of the Hegemony may judge trials, though in practice it is reserved for the ruling noble of a region or a representative they explicitly appoint. There is no jury system in the Hegemony outside of Ouerea, or standards of legal representation - a Sinta is permitted to speak on their own behalf, and to call witnesses to their character or innocence, but they must do so themselves - and whether a witness is entertained is entirely up to the presiding noble. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When a noble is judged, their liege is required by law to oversee the trial, and Overlords will generally handle cases regarding their vassal nobility. In the extremely rare event where an Overlord is tried, the Hegemon himself is the judge - and his sentence is absolute. Twice in Unathi recent history has an Overlord been brought on trial - Overlord Yiztek of [[Ouerea]], and Overlord Yizarus of [[Gakal&#039;zaal|Gakal’zaal]]. Both were found guilty, though Yizarus never returned to Moghes to face his sentence, dying at the hands of the Gakal’zaal Liberation Army.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Izweski Code of Law is an enormous text, and scholars of the Hegemony pore over it tirelessly, but some of the more common crimes and their sentences are listed below. It is worth noting that prisons are uncommon in the Hegemony, being viewed as a waste of resources - though criminals are often sentenced to a period of hard labour, those deemed a significant enough threat to society to be given life imprisonment in other nations are usually executed. Of note, where ‘execution’ is mentioned as a sentence, the option to become Guwandi is provided to Sinta instead - viewed as a more honourable and delayed form of execution. In addition, some may choose to become Guwandi when faced with being named Guwan, in the hope of regaining their lost honour in death.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Crime and Punishment ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
{| class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible mw-uncollapsed wikitable&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;
|+ Crime and Punishment&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
! &#039;&#039;&#039;Crime&#039;&#039;&#039; !! Minimum Sentence !! Maximum sentence&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| &#039;&#039;&#039;Theft&#039;&#039;&#039; || Hard labour or payment equal to the stolen item’s cost. || The loss of a hand and/or being named Guwan.&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| &#039;&#039;&#039;Dishonourable Behaviour&#039;&#039;&#039; ||  A public confession of dishonour and apology towards the victim. || Being named Guwan.&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| &#039;&#039;&#039;Disturbance of Public Order&#039;&#039;&#039; ||  A week’s hard labour and an apology to the noble in question. ||  Six months’ hard labour and an apology to the noble in question. &lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| &#039;&#039;&#039;Assault&#039;&#039;&#039; || One month’s hard labour, and payment to the victim. || Loss of the offending hand and/or being named Guwan.&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| &#039;&#039;&#039;Possession of Unlawful Materials&#039;&#039;&#039; || One week’s hard labour, and surrender of any contraband. || Three months’ hard labour, and surrender of any contraband. &lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| &#039;&#039;&#039;Sedition&#039;&#039;&#039; || Six months’ hard labour. ||  Loss of the tongue and/or being named Guwan &lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| &#039;&#039;&#039;Piracy&#039;&#039;&#039; ||  Being named Guwan &amp;amp; one year’s hard labour. || Execution &lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| &#039;&#039;&#039;Murder&#039;&#039;&#039; || Being named Guwan and/or the loss of the offending hand. || Execution. &lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| &#039;&#039;&#039;Rebellion&#039;&#039;&#039; || Execution || Being named Guwan, followed by execution&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Ouerean Law ===&lt;br /&gt;
The law of [[Ouerea]] is very different from that of the wider Hegemony - though it does nominally fall under the Izweski Code of Law, Ouerea is largely permitted to govern itself for the most part. Several crimes and punishments are radically different there, with the punishment of being named Guwan being removed entirely, and a prison system having been established during the [[Sol Alliance|Sol]]-[[Nralakk Federation|Nralakk]] joint governance. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Ouerean legal system is much more inspired by human ones - any Sinta is allowed the right to representation in a court of law, and they are judged by a jury of their peers rather than a reigning noble.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
= Criminal Guilds =&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Criminal guilds are illicit underground guilds run by secretive clans of Unathi - similar to human or Tajaran mafias, these criminals have come together to operate outside the law.&lt;br /&gt;
Notably, it’s known that these criminal guilds tend to recruit from the undesirable Guwan, using them as the major workforce of their organisations.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In these underbelly Guilds, Guwandi are seen as a weapon of ritualistic - and honourable - assassination. When a member of the Guild goes against the Guild’s wishes, they are assumed to have taken the mantle of Guwandi, making them a target for other Guwandi that wish to restore their honour and ‘return to the guild’. This method has helped keep snitching on the Guilds to a minimum.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Shortclaw Clan ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
An ancient organisation, the Shortclaw Clan or Shortclaw Guild is one of the largest criminal guilds in Unathi history. Dating back to the days of the [[Unathi_History#The_Second_Hegemony|Sarakus Hegemony]], the Shortclaws are an organisation consisting primarily of thieves, fences and smugglers - spanning nearly the entirety of the Hegemony, from the packed streets of Skalamar to the distant settlements of far-flung colonies.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In 2459, the Shortclaws gained infamy from carrying out one of the largest heists in Unathi history - known by its members as the Day of Gold a mass theft spanning from Moghes to Ouerea and even beyond the Hegemony, with heists being reported in [[Tau Ceti]]. Primarily nobles were targeted, as well as the coffers of powerful or wealthy [[Unathi Guilds|guilds]], with untold thousands of credits’ worth stolen. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== History &amp;amp; Culture ===&lt;br /&gt;
The Shortclaws date back to the Sarakus Hegemony, formed from a small group of Guwan pickpockets in S’th. Over time, they expanded operations, recruiting more and more thieves into their number. Though individual ‘chapters’ of the Shortclaws are greatly divergent, they are all still part of a larger organisation, and owe tribute to their guildmaster - whoever it may be.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Though the Shortclaw guildmaster’s identity is unknown, their title is one that echoes in the underbelly of Unathi society - the self-proclaimed “Hegemon of Thieves”. It is said that this guildmaster has an elaborate and ornamental crown, and that whoever manages to steal it from them through their cunning or guile can take control of the entire syndicate. Whether this is truth or legend is uncertain, as like with most things about the internal hierarchy of criminal guilds those who know are bound by a code of silence.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Though the nature of the Shortclaws’ work requires secrecy, they often can be identified by their fellow members with one of a few signals - a wooden ring on the little finger or short-clipped claws being the most common. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Operations ===&lt;br /&gt;
Theft is the primary trade of the Shortclaws, dating back to their origins - but as the organisation expanded, so too did its needs to both sell those stolen goods, and to work with other criminal organisations. To this end, the Shortclaws also work extensively as fences, offloading their ill-gotten goods to other gangs and criminal guilds on the black market, as well as smuggling illicit goods throughout the Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
Following first contact, the Shortclaws seized on the opportunity presented by interstellar travel, expanding their operations into trading with offworld smugglers. As time went on, this led to the guild acquiring some ships of their own, which frequently travel across the Spur carrying various ill-gotten gains. Following the rise of the Silver Scales, however, this operation has largely been cut back, as the other guild has a massive advantage due to its origins in the [[Unathi_Guilds#Merchants_Guild|Merchants’ Guild.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Pirate fleets are frequent customers of the Shortclaws, selling their loot to the criminal guild, who can offload it onto customers elsewhere. While this relationship is an old one, and well-established, the Shortclaws are not pirates, and not considered as such - no Shortclaw has ever been permitted to visit Ha’zana. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Outside of the Hegemony proper, the Shortclaws have a presence on Gakal’zaal, though a small one - often trading or exchanging information with the [[Tajara|Tajaran]] smugglers who dock at the Free Gakal’zaal Station. Despite the conflict between the two species, the Shortclaws maintain ties with their Tajaran counterparts, and often act as fences for Tajaran smuggled goods in the sector. Shortclaw thieves can also be found further afield, primarily in the [[Republic of Biesel]] and the [[Coalition of Colonies]] - though their operations remain centred on Uueoa-Esa. They will occasionally trade with the Unathi underground in Tau Ceti or [[Mictlan]], and have been known to steal from the megacorporations in both Biesel proper and the [[Corporate Reconstruction Zone]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Shortclaws are known to have ties to some of the Hegemony’s nobility - most notably Lord Karkatus of S’th, known for his corruption and ties to criminal syndicates. Given the organisation’s deep roots in the city, some have suspected Karkatus of being a member himself, or even the guildmaster - though these accusations are likely unfounded.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Membership ===&lt;br /&gt;
To join the Shortclaws, one must first be recruited - an existing member of the guild has to take notice, and vouch for the recruit to the local chapter master. The prospective recruit will then be assigned a series of jobs to test both their skill as a thief, and to scout them for any signs of ties to local law enforcement. Though the Shortclaws are thieves rather than murderers, those among them found to be undercover operatives or spies can expect no mercy, and the waters of the Moghresian Sea are littered with those unfortunate enough to be found out.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Should these tests be passed, one is named an apprentice of the guild, working under a full-fledged member who takes a majority of the profits from their apprentice’s thefts - an incurred debt of sorts for their membership and education. When this is paid, another test is arranged, usually involving a high-risk heist of some variety. Traditionally, this heist is rigged if possible, with local guards on the guild’s payroll informed if possible - or guild members disguised as guards acting, if not. This test is designed to tell if the apprentice will break under pressure and turn on their fellow guildsmen - and those who do are cast out, if they are lucky. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Journeymen of the guild keep the majority of their personal take, save for a cut for the chapter master - who in turn, sends a cut of their chapter’s profits to the guildmaster. Succession of chapter leadership is a simple matter, with representatives of the “Hegemon of Thieves” deciding which of the chapter’s journeymen is worthy. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Exile from the Shortclaw Guild is reserved as a dire punishment - for those who steal from their fellow guildsmen, those who inform on the guild, or those who fail to perform the requisite services to the organisation. In some chapters, this exile is marked by severing the little finger of the former member’s main hand - so they may never again impersonate a thief of the guild. Exiles are monitored closely, and should they seek to inform on their former guild they are swiftly dealt with.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== The Shadow Service ==&lt;br /&gt;
The Shadow Service is one of the larger underbelly guilds that does not use Guwan - instead, using hidden members of society or Guwandi who wish to regain their honour in a noble assassination duel. Utilising a form of Unathi Breacher Suit, they are rumoured to be capable of using active camouflage to be completely invisible. It is frowned upon by the Shadow Service to use this stealth capability for battle, and the enemy should always know they are being hunted by a member of the Shadow Service, and for what reason.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== History &amp;amp; Culture ===&lt;br /&gt;
Little is known about the inner workings of the Shadow Service - though the earliest rumours of the guild date back thousands of years, to the days of the First Hegemony. Whether this is the same guild, having carried out its services all this time - or simply a chain of them trading on the fame of their predecessors - the Shadow Service have done their work for nearly as long as Unathi civilisation has existed, and have grown into a legendary status for it.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The organisation is one shrouded in absolute secrecy, with little known to outsiders - those few assassins who have ever faced captivity have remained absolutely silent, even in the face of execution. From this, it can be inferred that the Shadow Service has an extremely strict code of the ‘Assassin’s Honour’, and that to breach it is considered a fate worse than death. This is further supported by their means of killing.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
What little is known is that the assassins of the Service are highly trained and highly dedicated, as well as having access to various advanced and alien technology. Whether this was purchased from other criminal guilds, or taken as payment from the nobles who hired them, none are certain. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hiring the Shadow Service is a difficult procedure, which is largely done through word of mouth - someone will let slip that they seek an assassin, whether personally or through a retainer for wealthier nobles - and the Shadow Service may well answer. Usually, they work through intermediary fixers - rare and trusted individuals who know how to contact the Service, and can pass along the details of a client following an investigation to discern if they are trustworthy.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Operations ===&lt;br /&gt;
The Shadow Service is one of the most gender-inclusive Guilds in Unathi society, with a perfect 50/50 split in men and women. As men harming women is seen as disrespectful, dishonourable, and downright terrible, the Shadow Service contracts women to kill women, and men to kill men. Depending on the situation required, the Shadow Service is said to send in a &#039;noble Assassin&#039; to complete the task. If the target is believed to be honourable, the assassin must act honourably - however if they have shown any signs of dishonourable act, they are open grounds for all out hunting. Acting honourably does not mean giving a fair fight, however - and many of these duels have been known to end in a single blow from the assassin.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Publicly, &#039;assassins&#039; are known to exist - and tales of the Shadow Service circulate similar to the human &#039;Illuminati&#039; or the Skrell &#039;Secret Council&#039;. Peasants would have nothing to fear - with some even idolising the stories of &#039;honourable assassins&#039; that enact righteous justice through heavy-handed, forced duelling. Richer noble clans would have a different view - one of fear, dangerous enough to warn their children about. It is said when a nobleman expects a visit from the Shadow, they will receive warning beforehand to allow the target to prepare to join the ancestors. When a woman is targeted by the Shadow Service, a female assassin will be sent instead. With killing women, they are held to a higher standard, and their body should be left &#039;presentable&#039; enough for a proper traditional Th&#039;akh funeral.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When an assassin of the Shadow Service makes a kill, the Guild’s sigil is left upon their body or at the scene of the crime - a stylised Sinta eye, pupil-less. What this sigil means has been the subject of countless theories and speculations, though none but the assassins know for certain. One thing that is known, however, is that the Service does not tolerate imitators - to use their sigil for your own killings is to invite immediate and brutal retribution. The last known response to this was in 2382, when a Guwan in Skalamar drew their symbol upon a wall in a rival’s blood, seeking to intimidate his rivals in the underground. Within a week, his body was left in the streets of the city, with the symbol of the Shadow Service drawn on a piece of paper and nailed to his chest.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Recently, the Service has expanded its operations offworld, with several assassinations having been carried out on Ouerea and in further-flung colonies - though it is believed that outside of the larger colonies, assassins will largely travel to fulfil a contract themselves rather than remaining there permanently. The Shadow Service has been reported to operate as far afield as Tau Ceti, though the vast majority of their operations remain concentrated on Moghes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Membership ===&lt;br /&gt;
How does the Service recruit? None know for certain. It is believed that they train their operatives from youth, and tend to recruit from the orphanage guilds - training them until adulthood in every form of killing known to Unathi. No member of the Guild has ever spoken on this matter, though those captured have often been unidentifiable by law enforcement, with no records save for paper-thin false identities. Some stories say that the Guild operates its deadly ‘schools’ in the mountains to the north of the Heartland, training orphaned and forgotten Unathi into hardened instruments of death - though none have ever uncovered any evidence of this.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
There is no exile from the Shadow Service. To betray the Guild is met with death, without exception. Once you are a member, you are a member for life, or so the legend goes. If assassins grow old enough to retire, some say they are simply killed - while others say that the Guild provides them with money and land on which to settle down, and live out their last days in peace. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The identity of the Shadow Service’s guildmaster, if there even is one, is entirely unknown. No information has ever been uncovered on the guild’s leadership, structure or means of succession - and if those among the Hegemony’s mightiest know who may lead the guild, they have as much motivation to keep silent as anyone else. After all, an assassin is just one of many tools to maintain power in the games of the nobility, and losing such a valuable thing would benefit no one. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== The Silver Scales ==&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
When the [[Unathi_Guilds#Merchants_Guild|Merchants’ Guild]] went bankrupt, the economy of the Hegemony very nearly collapsed entirely - with only the intervention of [[Hephaestus Industries]] saving it. However, though the Guild itself was defunct, its members were still around - many of them now finding Guild assets that were essentially up for grabs. Rather than wait for the Guild to sell them off to the highest bidder - likely Hephaestus - many of these Merchants chose to act, stealing Guild property and assets and absconding, forming a network of smugglers and brokers to rival the Shortclaw Clan themselves. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Though a recent arrival, the Silver Scales’ operations stretch across the Hegemony, taking advantage of the Merchants’ Guild’s former contacts and trade routes through the Orion Spur. In a short amount of time, these former merchants have re-established a fraction of the power they once held, acting as interstellar smugglers and information brokers. The Hegemony has declared them as thieves and outlaws, and Hephaestus seeks to crush the last remnant of a potential rival - but the Scales persist, working to restore the financial dominance they once held. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== History &amp;amp; Culture ===&lt;br /&gt;
The history of the Silver Scales is a short one, with the organisation having formally formed in late 2465. It is believed many of its members already held criminal ties during their time as guildsment of the Merchants’ Guild, however - engaging in illicit trade with pirates, alien smugglers, and criminal guilds to sidestep the Hegemony’s strict trade regulations. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The organisation largely operates as smugglers, taking advantage of the Merchants’ Guild’s trading fleet to smuggle across the Orion Spur - from the wreckage of the former [[Human Wildlands]] to Gakal’zaal to Tau Ceti. Though still far diminished from the heights of the Merchants’ Guild, the Scales have surged to wealth and prominence since their inception, and already have become a fixture of the Hegemony’s underground.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Scales are known to favour silver rings and jewellery as a form of identification, though the nature of their work means that many of them prefer to remain inconspicuous when trading in the Hegemony. Some of them are even rumoured to have coated their horns in silver, though this is viewed as extreme even among the Guild.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Operations ===&lt;br /&gt;
The Silver Scales’ operations range across the Orion Spur - the Merchants’ Guild had contacts and trade routes nearly everywhere, and their criminal remnants have made excellent use of that. Aside from the Hegemony’s criminal guilds, they frequently trade with pirate fleets - many of whom their members already had relations with, having paid them to ignore their own vessels or attack their rivals’. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Vessels of the Scales also range further afield - trading with Tajaran smugglers and criminals on Gakal’zaal, human pirates in the Badlands and remnants of the Wildlands, and insurgents in the Corporate Reconstruction Zone. Their vessels are known to dock on [[Valkyrie]], and they will frequently trade with both Unathi and alien criminal organisations there. In the Coalition of Colonies, they have been known to deal with various criminal syndicates on [[Assunzione]] and [[Xanu Prime]], and there are rumours of their vessels doing business in the [[Empire of Dominia]] as well. In the brief time since they came to exist, they have carved themselves a niche in the interstellar black market, and this shows no signs of slowing down. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
They have competed with various other criminal guilds, though mostly preferring to make friends rather than enemies - after all, why fight someone when you can simply pay them off? They have something of a rivalry with the Shortclaws, who operate in a similar market - though this is not an outright feud, and the two groups are known to trade and occasionally cooperate.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Membership ===&lt;br /&gt;
The Silver Scales primarily consist of former guildsmen of the Merchants’ Guild, and this is where the bulk of their upper ranks are drawn from. They are also known to recruit lower-ranking members from Wastelanders, Guwan, and former guildsmen of other guilds, in order to provide the needed skills and services to operate an interstellar smuggling ring.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While none of these newer recruits have risen to higher positions in the guild hierarchy, in theory there is nothing preventing it - though individual captains and chapter masters prefer to choose and train a successor early, ideally one with enough scruples to not decide advancement at the point of a knife is a good idea. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unlike most criminal guilds, the guildmaster of the Silver Scales is widely known - a Sinta by the name of Akhna Razi, a relative of the former guildmaster of the Merchants. Razi is a young woman, but a highly capable one, who was able to band the remnants of the Merchants together and persist through the near-total collapse of their guild. Despite her relation to Hizoni Izweski, the two are not close and, as far as Hizoni has publicly stated, have never spoken beyond cursory introductions. Whether or not the Silver Scales hold deeper ties to the Izweski Spymaster is a matter of some speculation, though, as with most questions relating to Hizoni Izweski, few concrete answers have ever been found.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== The Jhakal Syndicate ==&lt;br /&gt;
Many Unathi have left the Hegemony, whether in flight from the Wasteland or in pursuit of a better life among the stars. The Jhakal are an example of the former, having once ruled over the Jhakal Kingdom, a member-state of the Traditionalist Coalition. When the Kingdom fell to Izweski forces, the remnants of the Jhakal clan were forced to flee, eventually finding passage offworld with the assistance of human smugglers and setting course for the Republic of Biesel.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Over the years, the Jhakal have expanded operations across the docks of [[Valkyrie]] - gaining control and influence over the illicit trade running through the moon through a mixture of cunning, bribery and occasional spots of violence. For those smugglers and criminals seeking to do business in Tau Ceti, especially on Valkyrie, the Jhakal have become a fact of life - and one that is far better to have as a friend than an enemy. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== History &amp;amp; Culture ===&lt;br /&gt;
The Jhakal Kingdom was never one of great importance or power, but managed to maintain its independence both from the Izweski and rival kingdoms. When it was captured by the Izweski, some of the ruling clan fled, including the ruling king. They were able to escape via human smugglers, fleeing for the Republic of Biesel - though King Jhakal would not survive the journey, having grown ill over the clan’s desperate flight offworld. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Arriving on the docks of Valkyrie with but a few loyal retainers, the remaining Jhakal might have quickly fallen to infighting, if not for the leadership of Lady Islek Jhakal, sister to the late king. She quickly took control of the remnants, bringing those who would bend the knee under her and disposing of the rest, before setting her sights on Valkyrie. The reputation of the Unathi as violent brutes worked in their favour, as she began renting the services of her clan’s warriors out to the gangs and syndicates of Valkyrie, beginning to accumulate credits - all the while plotting her ascent to power. Over the years, more and more of the rival smuggler syndicates fell, brought down from without or within, and as more Unathi came to Valkyrie, more of them found that the Jhakal offered good payment for only moderately dishonourable work. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Though they remain exclusively Unathi, the Jhakal have expanded far beyond their original clan, and are informally known as the Jhakal Syndicate - or sometimes the Jhakal Queendom, depending on who you ask. In the modern day, the Jhakal keep a tight grip on the docks of Valkyrie, and a vast majority of illicit trade that flows through the moon is under their supervision. Though they have achieved wealth and power in human space, this is in no small part due to the cunning leadership of Lady Islek - and when she dies, many of the organisation’s members fear all they have worked for could be undone.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Operations ===&lt;br /&gt;
The Jhakal primarily operate through their control of the docks - taking cuts from smugglers, paying off guards and inspectors, and ensuring that illegal trade can flow smoothly through Valkyrie. Outside of that, they deal in the sale of those smuggled goods both on Valkyrie and Biesel proper, dealing in drugs, weapons and smuggled luxuries from far-off worlds. They have good relations with those pirate fleets that operate in the Republic of Biesel, and are an often source for fencing of ill-gotten goods. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Outside of that, they frequently run protection rackets on Valkyrie - taking fees from local businesses to ensure that both their own people and other criminal organisations leave them alone. These fees are carefully calculated - enough to be profitable, but always just under the line of outright extortionate - the exact point where they are preferable from the alternative. If one doesn’t have the money to pay the Jhakal, they always accept debts and favours, with Lady Islek having built an elaborate web of debtors across the moon’s surface. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Expanding on this, many gambling dens and bars are also run by the Jhakal - capitalising on addiction or runs of bad luck to bring more and more into the clan’s debt. They have extensive influence among many of the Hephaestus workers and managers on Valkyrie, and this fact is a large contributor to their avoidance of the law. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Membership ===&lt;br /&gt;
Aside from those members of the clan who originally fled from Moghes, any Sinta may earn membership in the Jhakal through dedication and service. A large number of Unathi and, more rarely, aliens, work under the syndicate without bearing the Jhakal surname - though they are employees, they are not afforded the protection that being a member of the Jhakal proper imparts, and many will often take on dangerous jobs in the hope of earning a place within the ruling clan. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Marriage is also a traditional approach to joining the clan, though this method is less common and does not confer as much authority as rising through the ranks would, unless the clan member’s spouse is capable of earning that authority themselves. To date, the only Sinta known to have married into the syndicate is Lady Islek’s late husband Bezhak Rizek, a high-ranking Hephaestus dock manager who perished during the [[KING OF THE WORLD|Solarian invasion of 2462]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Islek herself remains the uncontested leader of the clan, suffering no rivals even as she enters her twilight years. In public, she presents herself as a kindly and almost grandmotherly individual, a prominent citizen of the Valkyrian Unathi community known for her generous charitable donations and commitment to improving the lives of the working Sinta of Valkyrie. Behind this mask, however, she is a woman known for her cunning, willpower and absolute ruthlessness - respected and feared by rivals and underlings alike. She has ruled with an iron claw for nearly twenty years, and though in her advanced age the prospect of succession is increasingly discussed none would dare to suggest she step down. Though she claims no noble title beyond the traditional “Lady”, there is another title which has been bestowed in whispers upon her nevertheless - the “Queen of Valkyrie”. A dramatic name, but one not so far from the truth. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Currently, her son, Khariz Jhakal seems the most likely choice to inherit leadership of the organisation - though he is inexperienced, and often allows his temper to get the better of him. This has led to several arrests on both Valkyrie and Biesel, as he has been involved in several brawls and minor crimes, all of which his mother and her lawyers have managed to keep his name clean of. Whether he is worthy of following in his mother’s footsteps, or whether her rivals will see his ascent as a chance to strike - only time will tell.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== The Hammertail Smiths ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While black markets may be common, the concept of a “black factory” is much rarer, the idea of an entire industry producing and selling in illegality, generally to other criminal elements. The Hammertail Smiths are just that, an organization of engineers, scientists, machinists, and industrial workers whose ingenuity, and occasionally deranged inspiration, is fueled and funded by eager clients, from pirate fleets and other Unathi criminal organizations to individual actors, may they be in the Hegemony, or on the other side of the spur.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Hammertail Smiths, both due to their talent and to their business being very powerful on the black market, got to expand rapidly since their creation in 2433, to the point where they own several sites and stations across the Spur to do their research and production. Over the years, they became a well-known group all over the Spur, producing some popular pieces of equipment such as the infamous Crimson Voidsuits and Hardsuits series.&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Gorlexlogo.png|200px|thumb|right|The symbol of the Hammertail Smiths adorns all of their creations, making it a common sight in countless black markets.]]&lt;br /&gt;
=== History &amp;amp; Culture ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Hammertail Smiths group was formed around 2433 as Hephaestus Industries, and to a lesser extent Zavodskoi Interstellar, started to win over a part of the population. From the get-go, the motivations behind the group’s members were diverse, but they all united under the same goal, providing Unathi-made alternatives to the advanced alien gear and equipment the corporations would provide Moghes with and prevent the creation of an alien monopoly. Doing so meant reverse-engineering this equipment of course, and this meant acts of theft, espionage, and other criminal acts, which led the Smiths to illegality very early. Between their small numbers, the need to avoid authorities, and the difficulties and dangers of acquiring corporate technologies, the first years of the Hammertail Smiths were generally unproductive, though their many experiments in these years would prove formative. With the Contact War approaching, members of the Traditionalist Coalition managed to come in contact with the Smiths and hire them to create advanced weaponry that could rival the Hegemony’s. Though they managed to do so, the Smiths lacked the means to produce them in high quantities, and barely dozens of beam rifles, along with armor prototypes, were produced before the Nuclear Exchange. Still, this would also prove formative and would lead to the Hammertail Smiths finding their specialty in weapon and armorsmithing.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
After the Nuclear Exchange, the Hammertail Smiths, those that survived at least, seemed to have found a way out of Moghes as they were then found in Ouerea’s criminal underbelly, among the burgeoning pirate fleets of the time, who became their main clients. It’s during these years that the Hammertail Smiths began to truly grow and master their art. With more members, their ability to produce more increased, which in turn led to more attention and even more recruits. When Ha’zana was discovered, they were invited to move there, and so they built one of their largest facilities near Iz’iz, manned by thousands of workers. Their greatest installation, however, is rumored to be a massive, hollowed-out asteroid somewhere in the Badlands going by the name of Site 90-12, whose location is kept secret to all, even their client. By 2460, the Hammertail Smiths also had installations outside of the Badlands and were recruiting more than just Unathi (though they still remain overwhelmingly Sinta.)&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By now, arms and armor by the Hammertail Smiths can be found in the hand of any criminal, wherever they are, so long as they can afford them, or get their hands on it in another way. Most nations consider them criminals, and the SCC treats the initial members of the Hammertails as corporate spies as best, and their members are arrested on sight for association with a criminal organization at the very least. Despite it all, they continue to grow, produce, and sell all over the Spur.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Operations ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Hammertail Smiths delve into various types of activity to fuel their business. These activities can be split into four branches: development, production, trade, and operations.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Development refers to researchers and testers, those who work on creating new technologies to produce and sell. Hammertail Smiths researchers, even today, can hardly rival today’s main powers when it comes to making the most advanced pieces of technology, but they don’t have to. Instead, they enhance already existing technology, try to make it cheaper to produce, easier to use, more reliable, and so on. These only work in the few main facilities of the Hammertail Smiths, such as on-site 90-12, in their facility on Ha’zana, and other large installations hidden across the Badlands.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Production is the backbone of the Hammertail Smiths. Though their ability to create advanced gear is what made their initial success, what allowed them to grow so much to this day is their ability to answer to the demand for their creations, and then some more. Factories belonging to the Hammertail Smiths can be spotted across the Spur, though the further they are from the Badlands, the less likely they are to actually be Unathi-made and are instead generally just reclaimed installations. The Smiths are mostly known for their weapons and armor, but they can also provide other types of goods to their closest allies. The wealthier Unathi Pirate Fleets, for instance, can afford to occasionally ask for Hammertail-made modifications for their ships, and even occasionally entirely new spacecrafts made for specific missions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Trade isn’t just about Hammertail merchants selling their wares on the black market, but also the many smugglers of the Hammertail Smiths, as an organization of their size requires an important logistics network, one that very often has to remain concealed from authorities.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Finally, Operations would be the smallest branch, it would also be the most varied. From the few corporate spies they could send out to gain knowledge of the Spur’s main powers’ gear, to their very own security forces when they cannot hire local thugs or pirates for this work.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Notable Creations&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
* The &#039;&#039;&#039;HSHS-37&#039;&#039;&#039;, or &#039;&#039;&#039;Crimson Hardsuit&#039;&#039;&#039;. Strangely, the crimson hardsuit borrows next to nothing from its industrial or military counterparts, such as the Vampire and Breacher hardsuits from the Sol Alliance and Izweski Hegemony respectively, instead housing a purely homebrew circuit board and miniaturized shielding system. What makes the HSHS-37 appealing is no doubt the flexibility and universal usefulness to any race, doubly so the integrated shields charged by way of well-positioned capacitors that rapidly turn on and off when physical trauma is detected. Among other things, it supports practically any hardsuit module, with backwards compatibility for older prototypes and by default harboring combat leg actuators and a chemical dispenser. The naming convention of Hammertail armors follows the highest recorded number of rounds that could be shot center of mass without fully puncturing the suit.&lt;br /&gt;
* The &#039;&#039;&#039;HSVS-19&#039;&#039;&#039;, or &#039;&#039;&#039;Crimson Voidsuit&#039;&#039;&#039;. The HSVS-19 aims to be the best of both worlds when it comes to armor and pressure-proof apparatuses, and while it lacks the modular design of the HSHS-37, it sports armor as fair as a plate carrier with little to no speed reduction, making use of similar shield-capacitor technology mentioned in the HSHS-37. It was manufactured by human members of the Hammertail Smiths from one of their installations in Valley Hale, and thus was built around the Human body first, but has seen refitting in recent years.&lt;br /&gt;
* The &#039;&#039;&#039;HSS-02&#039;&#039;&#039;, or &#039;&#039;&#039;Double-Bladed Energy Sword&#039;&#039;&#039;, is a prototype within the Hammertail Smiths. It has seen little use in combat because of the extremely high skill floor required to use it effectively. Masters of bladed quarterstaffs or spears have found themselves dead or permanently maimed, with limbs dangling uselessly or severed entirely with one wrong turn or twist. The double-bladed energy sword, when used correctly, can deflect or absorb lasers, sear ballistic rounds and cause them to splinter or shatter before hitting the user, thus lessening their effectiveness, and generally be used as a whirlpool-blender to turn whoever opposes the user off. Its downside stems from the nigh-impossible techniques to replicate and follow in order to use it safely, and its tendency to explode when exposed to electromagnetic pulses (EMPs). It was named not after the number of blades it has, but instead the amount of high-capacity power cells required for it to function.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Membership ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Due to their wide range of activities and sheer size, the Hammertail Smiths hire from a wide range of people. Members of all species, origins, cultures, and religions are welcome, as long as they respect rules, for both safety and secrecy’s sake, and that they actually work enough.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Low-ranking members are generally not allowed to know much about other sites, creations, and blueprints aside from those they work on; this is both to counter spies and to ensure recruits they might need to fire will not be able to tell much about the Smiths if they ever dared to do so. Higher ranking members get to know more, but this comes with more responsibilities, and these very often stay here for their whole lives; as they cannot be allowed to be fired and risk telling about various Hammertail installations to authorities (or even just be caught and interrogated), the Smiths taking much inspiration from the pirate “dead men tell no tale” threat. Aside from that, punishment within the organization works much like typical Unathi punishments; hard labour, loss of a hand in the case of some thieves or aggressors, and so on.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Those that work enough, and are loyal to the Hammertail Smiths are paid surprisingly well enough, salaries being comparable to most corporate workers of the same level of responsibilities, though that can differ the further away the workers are from the Badlands and from Hammertail leadership.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== The Champions of Moghes ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Though many groups throughout the Izweski Hegemony were opposed to the presence of Hephaestus in the economy even prior to their mass acquisition of guilds, the events of 2465 changed that significantly. Though many among the Izweski nobility were opposed to Hephaestus - as were the workers of the Hearts of Industry and the cultists of the Aut’akh - this opposition rarely escalated into what one might call open warfare. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Champions of Moghes are a new organisation - one who claims to be dedicated to keeping the destiny of the Sinta people in Sinta hands, by any means necessary. Though little is known about their membership or hierarchy, their membership is believed to come from many places - former guildsmen of Hephaestus’s new acquisitions, members of the Hearts of Industry, Wastelanders, lingering Traditionalist supporters and even the occasional Aut’akh or Si’akh cultist. They are a group with many ideologies and beliefs, united solely in their hatred of Hephaestus and Hegemon Not’zar for allowing them to grow as they have.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Champions came to prominence in October 2465, after a prolonged campaign of sabotage against Hephaestus cost the megacorporation hundreds of millions of credits, culminating in an assassination attempt on Titanius Aeson which came dangerously close to success. They were uncovered by a Hephaestus investigation, and promptly released a video claiming responsibility for the attacks and stating their goals for a Hegemony free of the influence of Hephaestus.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Despite their membership often being conflicted, and the wide range of individual cells, the Champions are well-equipped and well-trained, capable of an extensive campaign against Hephaestus which has already cost the corporation enormous amounts of money. This has led to speculation about their funding and equipment running rampant - with some believing that nobles opposed to Hephaestus are supplying the terrorists, though no proof of this allegation has ever been found.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Others look further afield, believing that Hephaestus’s rival corporations are using the Champions as a means by which to break the company’s stranglehold on the Izweski economy. Zavodskoi Interstellar and NanoTrasen are the two names usually mentioned here - and while no explicit proof of this has ever been uncovered, it would be nothing out of the ordinary for the power struggles between corporations.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Structure and Strategy ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Champions of Moghes operate in cells. These can range in size from a few to dozens, scattered throughout the major population centres of the Hegemony. Though specific details about the organisational structure are scarce, it is known that cell leaders report to someone above them, though their superiors’ identities are usually unknown. Secrecy is their greatest weapon against Hephaestus and the Hegemony, and they wield it well. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Generally, the Champions recruit from those already opposed to Hephaestus - the refugee settlements in the Untouched Lands are often prime targets for embittered Wastelanders and former Traditionalists, as are the cities of Ouerea. While one would think that the Guwan might make for prime recruitment candidates, the opposition of most other Sinta to working with them plus the fact that many Guwan are able to seek more opportunities with Hephaestus than elsewhere means that there are few Guwan among their number. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
They tend to focus swiftness and surprise in their attacks - favouring bombings, assassinations, hijackings and other acts that are widely considered dishonourable. Their tactics are reminiscent of those the Tajaran resistance on Gakal’zaal used, which has led to some speculation by Izweski law enforcement that veterans of that campaign are highly positioned within the Champions. They are equipped with an odd mix of Unathi-made and alien weapons, with one raid on a Champion cell in S’th finding several human-produced laser rifles and Tajaran surplus ballistic weapons. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Despite their motley assortment of equipment, however, the Champions operate with surgical precision when they do strike, a highly coordinated and efficient insurgency. This further supports the theory that former military personnel make up some of the organisation’s leadership, as well as that they have some form of hidden training camps to drill their members in these tactics - though none of these have been uncovered thus far.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
They are known to have some form of space capability, as several Hephaestus vessels disappeared during their campaign of sabotage - though whether this was internal theft by agents within the company, an attack by a Champion-equipped vessel, or a deal with one of the more anti-Izweski pirate fleets, no one is sure. Regardless, though they are concentrated on Moghes, attacks from the Champions have been reported across Hegemony space.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Relationships With Other Groups ===&lt;br /&gt;
Aside from their opposition to Hephaestus, the Champions do not have firm stances on most groups within the Hegemony - every principle is flexible in pursuit of their ultimate goal. However, some interactions have been recorded, and captured members of the Champions have been able to provide some intelligence on how their organisation interacts with others.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Izweski Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
The Hegemony and Hephaestus are closely tied, and naturally this makes the nation an enemy of the Champions of Moghes, with their official proclamation having declared Not’zar Izweski an unworthy Hegemon. However, some within the Izweski nobility are opposed to Hephaestus, and many of these nobles have been suspected of aiding or abetting the Champions’ actions in some way. Overlord Hutay’zai has frequently spoken out against Hephaestus, and though he officially disavows the Champions many among them think well of him, and would be satisfied to see his clan take the leadership of the Fourth Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;K’lax Hive&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
The K’lax are closely tied to both the Hegemony and Hephaestus, and as such are enemies of the Champions. Though some among the Hive dislike the level of power the corporation now wields within the Hegemony, the K’lax Queens are united in their disavowal of the Champions, and their Warriors have frequently been on the front lines fighting against the terrorist group. To most of the Champions, the K’lax are alien invaders, the same as Hephaestus - and though they do not carry the same level of hatred, there is little love lost towards the Hive from their membership.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Ouerean Confederation&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
The Ouerean Confederation has officially denounced the Champions, and many of their membership would find the idea of Ouerean multi-species democracy laughable - but many Ouereans hold a deep distaste for Hephaestus, and the Champions have recruited extensively from the planet. It is suspected that some more radical members of factions such as the Warriors of Liberty have provided funding or information to the Champions - after all, the fall of the Hegemony is their desired outcome. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Aut’akh Communes&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
The Aut’akh of the Hegemony are opposed to Hephaestus, and some of their number can be found among the Champions. While many of the Champions’ members would have strong distaste for the cybernetically-enhanced cultists, they do share a common foe, and some of the undercity communes have been known to provide information or aid to the Champions at times. They are not allies, and many other communes on Moghes and Ouerea have disavowed the Champions’ tactics for the innocent lives lost in their attacks - but they share a common enemy, and if nothing else, that means the two groups can come to be loosely aligned at times.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Si’akh&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
The Prophet Si’akh has not spoken on the matter of the Champions, though some of his followers can be found among their number, seeking to tear down the corruption of the Izweski Hegemony. Though Si’akh is not explicitly opposed to Hephaestus, the faith’s radical stance on the Hegemony and its nobility mean that they are prime targets of recruitment - though rarely trusted with information, as it is known that should the Prophet take a stance against the Champions, his followers will turn on them too. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Pirate Fleets&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
No official relationship has been recorded between any of the known pirate fleets and the Champions of Moghes, though some speculate that the Champions made some deal to leverage pirates into attacking Hephaestus&#039;s assets. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Other Criminal Guilds&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
The Champions of Moghes are known to work on occasion with both the Silver Scales and the Shortclaw Clan, purchasing weapons, equipment and information. Beyond that, however, the relationship is minimal - an association of pragmatism, rather than one of ideology. The Champions have no recorded interaction with the Shadow Service, preferring to carry out their assassinations themselves when necessary.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== The Gawgaryn ==&lt;br /&gt;
Though many Wastelanders have turned to raiding and banditry to survive, none are more infamous or more feared than the Clan Gawgaryn - the Punished of the Wasteland. Across the radioactive desert, the Gawgaryn will kill, rob and maim to survive another day in the ruins of Moghes, and their name is cursed by many of those who would seek to travel through those harsh lands. More information on the Gawgaryn can be found [[The_Wasteland#Clan_&amp;quot;Gawgaryn&amp;quot;_-_The_Punished_Clans|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== The Aut’akh ==&lt;br /&gt;
While not a criminal guild, many of the Aut’akh communes of Moghes work closely with organisations such as the Shortclaw Clan - and are hunted by the law for their deeds. As such, they are worthy of a mention here - with many of the Undercity Communes operating similarly to other criminal guilds, stealing from their rivals and enemies to sustain themselves and their people. More information on the Aut’akh, and the criminal communes in the underbelly of Moghes, can be found [[Aut&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== The Hearts of Industry ==&lt;br /&gt;
While a legitimate guild, the expansion of Hephaestus saw the Hearts of Industry’s power broken, with many of its members hanging up their mantles in favour of the benefits provided by the megacorporation. Those who remained were found without legitimate work, and have frequently turned to, if not crime for its own sake, agitation against the megacorporation. Their acts often toe the line of sabotage, public disorder and other minor crimes, as Hephaestus pressures the Izweski to crack down harder on the Hearts - perhaps in time they will become a criminal guild in their own right. Many guildsmen angry at Hephaestus’s ownership of their former guilds have since joined, and the Hearts maintain a small presence in both the Southlands and Ouerea. More information on the Hearts of Industry can be found [[Unathi_Guilds#Hearts_of_Industry|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Pirate Fleets ==&lt;br /&gt;
Though space piracy is a new phenomenon for the Unathi species, it is one that has rapidly spread in the past few decades, with fleets of Unathi pirates roaming across nearly the entire Spur. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Though Piracy is punished harshly; the nebulous nature of Unathi piracy, the fleets that make up this field, and their politics makes it more complicated than one would assume. The Unathi that engage in piracy directly against the Hegemony and its people, as well as its allies such as Hephaestus are punished harshly - but those that do not generally stay out of trouble, or at least are not punished for piracy. They may be punished for any other crimes such as smuggling, theft, or murder, however.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Additionally, Unathi pirates, may they be alone, part of an independent crew, or used to be in a fleet, can return to the Hegemony and swear fealty to the Hegemon. There, their crimes are forgiven, assuming they were not too egregious, and they are allowed to keep their ships so long as they used their assets, skills and experience in the service of the Hegemony, bolstering its fleet as privateers. These pirates are often treated poorly and paid very little, but to some, it is a better option than risking getting caught, or spending one&#039;s life among pirates. Naturally, these pirates are not allowed to swear fealty as they are caught and/or judged, they have to do so on their own volition.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Alternatively, some other fleets can work with Hegemonic clans and colonies in need without swearing fealty directly to the Hegemon. These fleets and pirates tend to already be in relatively decent terms with the Hegemony and its people in the first place, of course, and this allows them stay on the Hegemon&#039;s better side while still retaining some degree of independence.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
More information on Unathi pirate fleets, their customs, and their way of life can be found [[Unathi Piracy|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox_Unathi_Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Unathi]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=The_Queendom_of_Sezk-Hakh&amp;diff=38860</id>
		<title>The Queendom of Sezk-Hakh</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=The_Queendom_of_Sezk-Hakh&amp;diff=38860"/>
		<updated>2026-03-27T01:19:48Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{toc_right}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:QueendomFlag.png|thumb|The Queendom&#039;s Flag. ]]&lt;br /&gt;
Situated across [[Moghes]]’ eastern hemisphere, within the Guzan region amid the Tzuszah Wastes, the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh has managed to survive and develop in spite of the instability caused by the consequences of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Isolated from its enemies thanks to the extensive, growing [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]], it is led by the elderly Lazak Szek-Hakh alongside her daughters, Zasza and Tzansa. Though the encroachment of the wastes has made resources within the previously lush province somewhat scarce, the region manages to teeter between thriving and languishing thanks to the extensive aquaculture industry that exists within the capital of Yu’kal – expanded upon by Szekzir Lazak following the death of her husband during the war. Unfortunately due to the continued growth of the wastes, distrust from more conservative Unathi, and the isolationist stance of the Szek-Hakh leadership, the future of the area is uncertain.&lt;br /&gt;
 A note on Etymology:&lt;br /&gt;
 The term Queendom was originally something of a misnomer borne from human mistranslation, but it was quickly adopted by enemies of Clan Szek-Hakh as well as those who see the region’s cultural shift as dangerous or degenerate. Originally intended to be an insult related to what its detractors considered insufficient strength of rulership in the region, Lazak Szek-Hakh instead embraced the human-centric term as her own. By 2468 the name was in widespread colloquial use when it was officially changed in collaboration with the structuring of the Karszekani. The area is now officially known as the Szekziran. Literally translated as “Domain of the Ruler of Rivers”, the name was chosen to highlight the region’s continued distance and contrast from the more common Szekanan or “Domain of the Ruler of the Land”. Given the changes in gender identity described below, the association to rivers was applicable as rivers are more closely associated with [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Taa]] (Healers) due to their adaptable nature, whereas the firm and solid land is more closely related to [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Saa]] (Warriors). Going forward the colloquial term and the official name will be used interchangeably.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
== Culture &amp;amp; History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Yu’kal was a centre of the eastern hemisphere’s aquaculture industry, with the city nestled among the coasts. It was only after the death of Lord Jzsan Szeh-Hakn, Lazak’s spouse, that the realm’s reality shifted, and they were confronted with circumstances that most thought would result in the region’s collapse. However, Lady Lazak took critical steps to maintain the realm – in particular instituting widespread and extensive reformation of the aquacultural industry, mandating larger quotas, the creation of emergency provision stockpiles, and a focus on longevity. Increased enlistment and training in the city guard or militia was also instituted, irrespective of previous roles or abilities. Her quick thinking allowed many of the local cities to survive those first years, and they were even able to assist more distant neighbors, such as [[Zazalai_Mountains#Mudki|Mudki]]. These first crucial steps by Lazak allowed Yu’kal to weather the storm and serve as a beacon for clans fleeing their homes as a result of the roiling uncertainty of war. Quickly, the foundations of the Queendom began to form.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the end of the Contact War, the Szekziran was a well-established political entity within the Wasteland, with Lazak claiming her late husband’s title sometime during the climax of the nuclear cataclysm. When the dust had settled, the domain was intact but the toll of the war would yet be felt. Between the dead, chronically wounded, and others who fled or were lost, the saa population of the region was reduced by sixty eight percent. Less conservative estimates put the number closer to eighty. Changes to the aquaculture infrastructure proved key to the Queendom’s survival, but the work would grind on as the truth of the wastes became apparent. With the staggering loss of warriors in battle and the constant need for fishers to keep mouths fed and industry running, more and more healers found themselves pressed into positions outside their experience. [[The_Wasteland#Factions_of_the_Wasteland|Raiders]] from the wastes, lawlessness, and a number of robberies from food stockpiles necessitated the creation of an effective security force. The initial edict which allowed for anyone to work in the city guard or military became a requirement. Mandatory service was expected of all citizens, but in reality, most fishers were fully tasked and given an exception.The result was a peacekeeping force composed primarily of taa that were hastily trained and had not been steeped in [[Unathi_Honor#Honor_for_the_Warrior|warrior]] philosophy as many saa had been. Healers also found themselves thrust into positions of vacated leadership. Lazak had no hesitation in taking the reins of the realm and proved to be extremely competent, but change would not come as easily to the myriad lesser offices. Many were still held by old and conventional unathi, and not all of the healers available to take on the responsibility were as willing to upend [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|warrior dominated tradition]]. In the end, however, necessity won out in most cases and in others Lazak was able to find taa of like-mindedness and appoint them to most crucial positions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa soon found themselves in roles previously associated with saa across the Szekziran. Eventually the boundaries between the genders began to erode, and healers in martial roles began to be referred to as Taa’an; healer as of the land. Their unique background and lack of a traditional warrior mindset led to unconventional tactics and strategies in combat. Advanced anatomical and medical knowledge coupled with the willingness to fight in “less than honorable” ways resulted in a glut of early victories, boosting confidence in Lazak’s methods and ejecting a number of raiding bands that had been encroaching on her lands during the initial chaos. A semblance of order returned to the Queendom and many held the Taa’an in high esteem while the doubters were robbed of their footing. These successes led to permanent changes in training and enlistment which, over time, caused the fusion of healer and warrior to be entrenched in local culture as a healer-protector.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A number of those outside the Queendom’s influence saw the intertwining of warrior and healer as abominable, and Lazak’s continuing success as [[Sk&#039;akh#Sk&#039;akh_and_Gender|heretical]]. Several attempts to silence Lazak have been made since the end of the war, with the most notable culminating with the capture and [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exile]] of a would-be assassin. The Lord responsible was openly challenged by a Taa’an champion. Underestimating his challenger he sent his Saa firstborn to answer in a [[Unathi_Honor#Dueling|duel]] to first blood. Both the lord and his champion were humbled when the strike to draw first blood was so deft and exact that it took the hand off at the wrist before the first drops hit the ground. Though already accepted by thousands within her realm, this brought publicity to the Queen, allowing her to rise as a public and notable figure in Moghes and the greater Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Szekzir Lazak now leads the Szekziran in a precarious situation, with those aligning themselves to the Karszekani’s warrior-dominated customs calling for her exile due to her heretical twisting of Saa and Taa, making it harder for the aging ruler to find allies. Walking a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and other political rivals as part of the Karszekani, only with the coming of the future will the legend of the Queendom see itself either rise or fall.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Taa’an - Cutting out the Rot ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa’an as a term has been used to describe the new gender paradigm in the Szekziran since its inception but the ethos of its members has been refined over time. The mixing of a warrior’s insight with a healer’s precision has led to a guiding belief that destruction is necessary to the process of healing, and by contrast an avoidance of injury can cause greater harm. For example, killing a dangerous criminal can save lives tomorrow. By attempting to heal a plague ridden patient, you risk infection to others. A common axiom took root; you must cut out the rot of disease to save the body. To many, the methods of Taa’an seem bloodthirsty and show a sickness of soul that comes from the confusion of roles in the Queendom. Outsiders sometimes report ruthless measures taken by Taa’an in the execution of their duties and, as they were in the past, healer-protectors are not hesitant to use what some consider to be “honorless” tactics to achieve victory. Often this takes the form of ambush and guerilla warfare, but there are also rumors that they coat their reserve melee weapons in sedatives or poison to level the playing field; substances many are familiar with from the training they receive as healers. Veteran Taa’an who have proven their aptitude and dedication are known as Exemplars. They are often found in positions of leadership, directing their troops or officers with meticulous precision.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unfortunately, shouldering the burden of both warrior and healer can become overwhelming. In the field, Taa’an often experience a doubling of expectations; for example, they may be expected to charge the enemy one minute and then triage the wounded the next with no rest until duty is done. The continued exposure to adrenaline, trauma, and suffering in the majority of aspects of their role leads to a condition similar to what humans call “compassion fatigue”. As time goes by Taa’an become unwilling or unable to connect empathically with others. They become irritable and isolate socially as much as they are able and their duty allows. This can sometimes lead to a mental break or crisis, but over time the culturally accepted answer has become silent endurance. Known in the Queendom as “Honed Soul”, this isolating coping strategy is seen as strength of character and actively encouraged. So long as they don’t suffer a nervous breakdown, the longer one serves as Taa’an the more normalized this state of mind becomes. Exemplars often exhibit this as extreme vigilance and a cool detachment from their subordinates. They are “always on”, ready to move to action, either to attack or administer aid, but unable to express negative emotions or find regular catharsis. As elected positions are often chosen from veteran Taa’an ranks this affect can impact their relations with visitors and dignitaries. The result is a perception of the Queendom in general, and Taa’an specifically, of cold, calculating, and ruthless enigmas who stand outside of normal [[Unathi#Unathi_Culture|unathi culture]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As the war passes into history and the planet tries to heal, some have endeavored to revert the Szekziran back to more traditional practices and un-entangle the warrior and healer from one another. These attempts have largely met with abject failure due to Lazak’s influence and the rigorous adherence to the new paradigm by Taa’an of every rank. Very few traditionally recognized saa exist as the ones who survived the war pass and the young are folded into Taa’an training and development. The success of the Szekziran and the prowess of its healer-protectors is lauded as proof of the failings of Saa and the dominance of Taa’an. Opposition to the Queen or her policies is somewhat tolerated but significant agitators often find themselves seen as the rot needing to be cut and the majority are [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exiled]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The majority of the Queendom subscribes to [[Th&#039;akh|Th&#039;akh]], with Yu’kal containing within it a massive temple – easily compared to a cathedral – expressly giving homage to the realm’s alignment to the religion, constructed by Szekzir Lazak following the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Despite the realm’s majority-Th’akh following populace, Lazak has granted asylum to many journeying across the Wasteland regardless of which faith they subscribe to, and until recently even allowed [[Si&#039;akh|Si&#039;akh]] within her realm. After swearing fealty to the Izweski and joining the Karszekani, Lazak agreed to publicly denounce the religion. Those who choose to follow it are officially barred from her realm, yet an open secret of the Queen’s court is that she allows its adherents travelling through the Wasteland to reside within her borders – to varying degrees of permanence. While Si’akh is officially suppressed, it has nonetheless found fertile soil for its beliefs in the Szekziran. A significant number of Taa’an equate the cleansing and purification of Si’akh with their own beliefs of healing primarily through excision and debridement, and the Queen’s official denouncement, while arguably necessary, has become a catalyst for discontent and disagreement in an otherwise unified community.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Though the Szekziran’s tolerance for other religions is great, [[Aut&#039;akh|Aut&#039;akh]] is fiercely denounced and even despised. It is not unheard of for those within the confines of her realm that follow the heresy to find their prosthetic augments looted, or proselytisers lynched in the streets.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Major Cities ==&lt;br /&gt;
===Yu’kal===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The capital of the Queendom, Yu’kal has been reigned over for centuries by Clan Szek-Hakh. It had long been established, even prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], as a major population centre of great importance; mostly owing to trading structured around aquaculture. Though the nuclear cataclysm into which [[Moghes]] was plunged almost destroyed the city, Szekzir Lazak reigns diligently to ensure that her people and her husband’s lineage survive the perilous circumstances with which they’ve been confronted. Though initially aligning with the [[Izweski Hegemony]] during the outbreak of the Contract War, Yu’kal eventually saw itself shifting to becoming neutral to the conflict as it developed into the foundation of the Queendom. Recently however, it has pledged fealty to the Karszekani and its borders and provisional duties have been expanded to all Guzan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Gzusz===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One of the newer cities to join the Queendom, Gzusz has become a refugee haven. On the outskirts of the realm’s eastern border, many displaced unathi fleeing west arrive greeted by the rapidly growing city, which only decades before had a population of less than two-hundred. Though the Contact War has made it difficult to expand fast enough to accommodate those fleeing the Wasteland, Gzusz still maintains great importance to the Szekziran, acting as a “buffer” between the Gawgaryn and Reclaimers and the interior of the Queendom. The majority of the newly arrived are inducted into the city’s guards, fighting off those that wish to question the Queendom’s ability to protect itself and its people. The influx of refugees means that Gzusz is rarely without round-the-clock protection. It is officially split between Sk’akh and Th’akh, though a growing undercurrent of Si’akh is evident. It is ruled by Lady Zasza Szek-Hakh, Szekzir Lazak’s daughter.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Arch’ozal ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Named after the [[Th&#039;akh|Th’akh Spirit-God Archozmi]], Arch’ozal prides itself as being keeper and distributor of knowledge. Having sided with the Queendom since its inception, it has become a place of great academic advancements – at least in terms of the Wasteland. Prior to the Contact War, Arch’ozal was the centre of academia within Moghes’ eastern hemisphere; with Clan Ghzakal reigning over it. The destruction brought on by the nuclear war, and the lack of means to sustain itself, Clan Ghzakal fled from the city – leaving it and its populace having to fend for themselves. It was only after the radioactive ashes began to set that Lazak sent emissaries towards the city, eventually persuading them to follow her custom doctrines. She appointed her daughter, Tzansa Szek-Hakh, as Lady-Regent until another with a rightful claim to Arch’ozal returned. It is majority Sk’akh, however, the population of Th’akh has slowly been growing over the years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=The_Queendom_of_Sezk-Hakh&amp;diff=38859</id>
		<title>The Queendom of Sezk-Hakh</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=The_Queendom_of_Sezk-Hakh&amp;diff=38859"/>
		<updated>2026-03-27T00:59:29Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{toc_right}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:QueendomFlag.png|thumb|The Queendom&#039;s Flag. ]]&lt;br /&gt;
Situated across [[Moghes]]’ eastern hemisphere, within the Guzan region amid the Tzuszah Wastes, the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh has managed to survive and develop in spite of the instability caused by the consequences of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Isolated from its enemies thanks to the extensive, growing [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]], it is led by the elderly Lazak Szek-Hakh alongside her daughters, Zasza and Tzansa. Though the encroachment of the wastes has made resources within the previously lush province somewhat scarce, the region manages to teeter between thriving and languishing thanks to the extensive aquaculture industry that exists within the capital of Yu’kal – expanded upon by Szekzir Lazak following the death of her husband during the war. Unfortunately due to the continued growth of the wastes, distrust from more conservative Unathi, and the isolationist stance of the Szek-Hakh leadership, the future of the area is uncertain.&lt;br /&gt;
 A note on Etymology:&lt;br /&gt;
 The term Queendom was originally something of a misnomer borne from human mistranslation, but it was quickly adopted by enemies of Clan Szek-Hakh as well as those who see the region’s cultural shift as dangerous or degenerate. Originally intended to be an insult related to what its detractors considered insufficient strength of rulership in the region, Lazak Szek-Hakh instead embraced the human-centric term as her own. By 2468 the name was in widespread colloquial use when it was officially changed in collaboration with the structuring of the Karszekani. The area is now officially known as the Szekziran. Literally translated as “Domain of the Ruler of Rivers”, the name was chosen to highlight the region’s continued distance and contrast from the more common Szekanan or “Domain of the Ruler of the Land”. Given the changes in gender identity described below, the association to rivers was applicable as rivers are more closely associated with [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Taa]] (Healers) due to their adaptable nature, whereas the firm and solid land is more closely related to [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Saa]] (Warriors). Going forward the colloquial term and the official name will be used interchangeably.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
== Culture &amp;amp; History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Yu’kal was a centre of the eastern hemisphere’s aquaculture industry, with the city nestled among the coasts. It was only after the death of Lord Jzsan Szeh-Hakn, Lazak’s spouse, that the realm’s reality shifted, and they were confronted with circumstances that most thought would result in the region’s collapse. However, Lady Lazak took critical steps to maintain the realm – in particular instituting widespread and extensive reformation of the aquacultural industry, mandating larger quotas, the creation of emergency provision stockpiles, and a focus on longevity. Increased enlistment and training in the city guard or militia was also instituted, irrespective of previous roles or abilities. Her quick thinking allowed many of the local cities to survive those first years, and they were even able to assist more distant neighbors, such as [[Zazalai_Mountains#Mudki|Mudki]]. These first crucial steps by Lazak allowed Yu’kal to weather the storm and serve as a beacon for clans fleeing their homes as a result of the roiling uncertainty of war. Quickly, the foundations of the Queendom began to form.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the end of the Contact War, the Szekziran was a well-established political entity within the Wasteland, with Lazak claiming her late husband’s title sometime during the climax of the nuclear cataclysm. When the dust had settled, the domain was intact but the toll of the war would yet be felt. Between the dead, chronically wounded, and others who fled or were lost, the saa population of the region was reduced by sixty eight percent. Less conservative estimates put the number closer to eighty. Changes to the aquaculture infrastructure proved key to the Queendom’s survival, but the work would grind on as the truth of the wastes became apparent. With the staggering loss of warriors in battle and the constant need for fishers to keep mouths fed and industry running, more and more healers found themselves pressed into positions outside their experience. [[The_Wasteland#Factions_of_the_Wasteland|Raiders]] from the wastes, lawlessness, and a number of robberies from food stockpiles necessitated the creation of an effective security force. The initial edict which allowed for anyone to work in the city guard or military became a requirement. Mandatory service was expected of all citizens, but in reality, most fishers were fully tasked and given an exception.The result was a peacekeeping force composed primarily of taa that were hastily trained and had not been steeped in [[Unathi_Honor#Honor_for_the_Warrior|warrior]] philosophy as many saa had been. Healers also found themselves thrust into positions of vacated leadership. Lazak had no hesitation in taking the reins of the realm and proved to be extremely competent, but change would not come as easily to the myriad lesser offices. Many were still held by old and conventional unathi, and not all of the healers available to take on the responsibility were as willing to upend [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|warrior dominated tradition]]. In the end, however, necessity won out in most cases and in others Lazak was able to find taa of like-mindedness and appoint them to most crucial positions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa soon found themselves in roles previously associated with saa across the Szekziran. Eventually the boundaries between the genders began to erode, and healers in martial roles began to be referred to as Taa’an; healer as of the land. Their unique background and lack of a traditional warrior mindset led to unconventional tactics and strategies in combat. Advanced anatomical and medical knowledge coupled with the willingness to fight in “less than honorable” ways resulted in a glut of early victories, boosting confidence in Lazak’s methods and ejecting a number of raiding bands that had been encroaching on her lands during the initial chaos. A semblance of order returned to the Queendom and many held the Taa’an in high esteem while the doubters were robbed of their footing. These successes led to permanent changes in training and enlistment which, over time, caused the fusion of healer and warrior to be entrenched in local culture as a healer-protector.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A number of those outside the Queendom’s influence saw the intertwining of warrior and healer as abominable, and Lazak’s continuing success as [[Sk&#039;akh#Sk&#039;akh_and_Gender|heretical]]. Several attempts to silence Lazak have been made since the end of the war, with the most notable culminating with the capture and [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exile]] of a would-be assassin. The Lord responsible was openly challenged by a Taa’an champion. Underestimating his challenger he sent his Saa firstborn to answer in a [[Unathi_Honor#Dueling|duel]] to first blood. Both the lord and his champion were humbled when the strike to draw first blood was so deft and exact that it took the hand off at the wrist before the first drops hit the ground. Though already accepted by thousands within her realm, this brought publicity to the Queen, allowing her to rise as a public and notable figure in Moghes and the greater Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Szekzir Lazak now leads the Szekziran in a precarious situation, with those aligning themselves to the Karszekani’s warrior-dominated customs calling for her exile due to her heretical twisting of Saa and Taa, making it harder for the aging ruler to find allies. Walking a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and other political rivals as part of the Karszekani, only with the coming of the future will the legend of the Queendom see itself either rise or fall.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Taa’an - Cutting out the Rot ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa’an as a term has been used to describe the new gender paradigm in the Szekziran since its inception but the ethos of its members has been refined over time. The mixing of a warrior’s insight with a healer’s precision has led to a guiding belief that destruction is necessary to the process of healing, and by contrast an avoidance of injury can cause greater harm. For example, killing a dangerous criminal can save lives tomorrow. By attempting to heal a plague ridden patient, you risk infection to others. A common axiom took root; you must cut out the rot of disease to save the body. To many, the methods of Taa’an seem bloodthirsty and show a sickness of soul that comes from the confusion of roles in the Queendom. Outsiders sometimes report ruthless measures taken by Taa’an in the execution of their duties and, as they were in the past, healer-protectors are not hesitant to use what some consider to be “honorless” tactics to achieve victory. Often this takes the form of ambush and guerilla warfare, but there are also rumors that they coat their reserve melee weapons in sedatives or poison to level the playing field; substances many are familiar with from the training they receive as healers. Veteran Taa’an who have proven their aptitude and dedication are known as Exemplars. They are often found in positions of leadership, directing their troops or officers with meticulous precision.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unfortunately, shouldering the burden of both warrior and healer can become overwhelming. In the field, Taa’an often experience a doubling of expectations; for example, they may be expected to charge the enemy one minute and then triage the wounded the next with no rest until duty is done. The continued exposure to adrenaline, trauma, and suffering in the majority of aspects of their role leads to a condition similar to what humans call “compassion fatigue”. As time goes by Taa’an become unwilling or unable to connect empathically with others. They become irritable and isolate socially as much as they are able and their duty allows. This can sometimes lead to a mental break or crisis, but over time the culturally accepted answer has become silent endurance. Known in the Queendom as “Honed Soul”, this isolating coping strategy is seen as strength of character and actively encouraged. So long as they don’t suffer a nervous breakdown, the longer one serves as Taa’an the more normalized this state of mind becomes. Exemplars often exhibit this as extreme vigilance and a cool detachment from their subordinates. They are “always on”, ready to move to action, either to attack or administer aid, but unable to express negative emotions or find regular catharsis. As elected positions are often chosen from veteran Taa’an ranks this affect can impact their relations with visitors and dignitaries. The result is a perception of the Queendom in general, and Taa’an specifically, of cold, calculating, and ruthless enigmas who stand outside of normal [[Unathi#Unathi_Culture|unathi culture]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As the war passes into history and the planet tries to heal, some have endeavored to revert the Szekziran back to more traditional practices and un-entangle the warrior and healer from one another. These attempts have largely met with abject failure due to Lazak’s influence and the rigorous adherence to the new paradigm by Taa’an of every rank. Very few traditionally recognized saa exist as the ones who survived the war pass and the young are folded into Taa’an training and development. The success of the Szekziran and the prowess of its healer-protectors is lauded as proof of the failings of Saa and the dominance of Taa’an. Opposition to the Queen or her policies is somewhat tolerated but significant agitators often find themselves seen as the rot needing to be cut and the majority are [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exiled]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion ===&lt;br /&gt;
The majority of the Queendom subscribes to [[Th&#039;akh|Th&#039;akh]], with Yu’kal containing within it a massive temple – easily compared to a cathedral – expressly giving homage to the realm’s alignment to the religion, constructed by Szekzir Lazak following the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Despite the realm’s majority-Th’akh following populace, Lazak has granted asylum to many journeying across the Wasteland regardless of which faith they subscribe to, and until recently even allowed [[Si&#039;akh|Si&#039;akh]] within her realm. After swearing fealty to the Izweski and joining the Karszekani, Lazak agreed to publicly denounce the religion. Those who choose to follow it are officially barred from her realm, yet an open secret of the Queen’s court is that she allows its adherents travelling through the Wasteland to reside within her borders – to varying degrees of permanence. While Si’akh is officially suppressed, it has nonetheless found fertile soil for its beliefs in the Szekziran. A significant number of Taa’an equate the cleansing and purification of Si’akh with their own beliefs of healing primarily through excision and debridement, and the Queen’s official denouncement, while arguably necessary, has become a catalyst for discontent and disagreement in an otherwise unified community.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Though the Szekziran’s tolerance for other religions is great, [[Aut&#039;akh|Aut&#039;akh]] is fiercely denounced and even despised. It is not unheard of for those within the confines of her realm that follow the heresy to find their prosthetic augments looted, or proselytisers lynched in the streets.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Major Cities ==&lt;br /&gt;
===Yu’kal===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The capital of the Queendom, Yu’kal has been reigned over for centuries by Clan Szek-Hakh. It had long been established, even prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], as a major population centre of great importance; mostly owing to trading structured around aquaculture. Though the nuclear cataclysm into which [[Moghes]] was plunged almost destroyed the city, Szekzir Lazak reigns diligently to ensure that her people and her husband’s lineage survive the perilous circumstances with which they’ve been confronted. Though initially aligning with the [[Izweski Hegemony]] during the outbreak of the Contract War, Yu’kal eventually saw itself shifting to becoming neutral to the conflict as it developed into the foundation of the Queendom. Recently however, it has pledged fealty to the Karszekani and its borders and provisional duties have been expanded to all Guzan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Gzusz===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One of the newer cities to join the Queendom, Gzusz has become a refugee haven. On the outskirts of the realm’s eastern border, many displaced unathi fleeing west arrive greeted by the rapidly growing city, which only decades before had a population of less than two-hundred. Though the Contact War has made it difficult to expand fast enough to accommodate those fleeing the Wasteland, Gzusz still maintains great importance to the Szekziran, acting as a “buffer” between the Gawgaryn and Reclaimers and the interior of the Queendom. The majority of the newly arrived are inducted into the city’s guards, fighting off those that wish to question the Queendom’s ability to protect itself and its people. The influx of refugees means that Gzusz is rarely without round-the-clock protection. It is officially split between Sk’akh and Th’akh, though a growing undercurrent of Si’akh is evident. It is ruled by Lady Zasza Szek-Hakh, Szekzir Lazak’s daughter.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Arch’ozal ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Named after the [[Th&#039;akh|Th’akh Spirit-God Archozmi]], Arch’ozal prides itself as being keeper and distributor of knowledge. Having sided with the Queendom since its inception, it has become a place of great academic advancements – at least in terms of the Wasteland. Prior to the Contact War, Arch’ozal was the centre of academia within Moghes’ eastern hemisphere; with Clan Ghzakal reigning over it. The destruction brought on by the nuclear war, and the lack of means to sustain itself, Clan Ghzakal fled from the city – leaving it and its populace having to fend for themselves. It was only after the radioactive ashes began to set that Lazak sent emissaries towards the city, eventually persuading them to follow her custom doctrines. She appointed her daughter, Tzansa Szek-Hakh, as Lady-Regent until another with a rightful claim to Arch’ozal returned. It is majority Sk’akh, however, the population of Th’akh has slowly been growing over the years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38858</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38858"/>
		<updated>2026-03-27T00:59:02Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{toc_right}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:QueendomFlag.png|thumb|The Queendom&#039;s Flag. ]]&lt;br /&gt;
Situated across [[Moghes]]’ eastern hemisphere, within the Guzan region amid the Tzuszah Wastes, the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh has managed to survive and develop in spite of the instability caused by the consequences of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Isolated from its enemies thanks to the extensive, growing [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]], it is led by the elderly Lazak Szek-Hakh alongside her daughters, Zasza and Tzansa. Though the encroachment of the wastes has made resources within the previously lush province somewhat scarce, the region manages to teeter between thriving and languishing thanks to the extensive aquaculture industry that exists within the capital of Yu’kal – expanded upon by Szekzir Lazak following the death of her husband during the war. Unfortunately due to the continued growth of the wastes, distrust from more conservative Unathi, and the isolationist stance of the Szek-Hakh leadership, the future of the area is uncertain.&lt;br /&gt;
 A note on Etymology:&lt;br /&gt;
 The term Queendom was originally something of a misnomer borne from human mistranslation, but it was quickly adopted by enemies of Clan Szek-Hakh as well as those who see the region’s cultural shift as dangerous or degenerate. Originally intended to be an insult related to what its detractors considered insufficient strength of rulership in the region, Lazak Szek-Hakh instead embraced the human-centric term as her own. By 2468 the name was in widespread colloquial use when it was officially changed in collaboration with the structuring of the Karszekani. The area is now officially known as the Szekziran. Literally translated as “Domain of the Ruler of Rivers”, the name was chosen to highlight the region’s continued distance and contrast from the more common Szekanan or “Domain of the Ruler of the Land”. Given the changes in gender identity described below, the association to rivers was applicable as rivers are more closely associated with [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Taa]] (Healers) due to their adaptable nature, whereas the firm and solid land is more closely related to [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Saa]] (Warriors). Going forward the colloquial term and the official name will be used interchangeably.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
== Culture &amp;amp; History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Yu’kal was a centre of the eastern hemisphere’s aquaculture industry, with the city nestled among the coasts. It was only after the death of Lord Jzsan Szeh-Hakn, Lazak’s spouse, that the realm’s reality shifted, and they were confronted with circumstances that most thought would result in the region’s collapse. However, Lady Lazak took critical steps to maintain the realm – in particular instituting widespread and extensive reformation of the aquacultural industry, mandating larger quotas, the creation of emergency provision stockpiles, and a focus on longevity. Increased enlistment and training in the city guard or militia was also instituted, irrespective of previous roles or abilities. Her quick thinking allowed many of the local cities to survive those first years, and they were even able to assist more distant neighbors, such as [[Zazalai_Mountains#Mudki|Mudki]]. These first crucial steps by Lazak allowed Yu’kal to weather the storm and serve as a beacon for clans fleeing their homes as a result of the roiling uncertainty of war. Quickly, the foundations of the Queendom began to form.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the end of the Contact War, the Szekziran was a well-established political entity within the Wasteland, with Lazak claiming her late husband’s title sometime during the climax of the nuclear cataclysm. When the dust had settled, the domain was intact but the toll of the war would yet be felt. Between the dead, chronically wounded, and others who fled or were lost, the saa population of the region was reduced by sixty eight percent. Less conservative estimates put the number closer to eighty. Changes to the aquaculture infrastructure proved key to the Queendom’s survival, but the work would grind on as the truth of the wastes became apparent. With the staggering loss of warriors in battle and the constant need for fishers to keep mouths fed and industry running, more and more healers found themselves pressed into positions outside their experience. [[The_Wasteland#Factions_of_the_Wasteland|Raiders]] from the wastes, lawlessness, and a number of robberies from food stockpiles necessitated the creation of an effective security force. The initial edict which allowed for anyone to work in the city guard or military became a requirement. Mandatory service was expected of all citizens, but in reality, most fishers were fully tasked and given an exception.The result was a peacekeeping force composed primarily of taa that were hastily trained and had not been steeped in [[Unathi_Honor#Honor_for_the_Warrior|warrior]] philosophy as many saa had been. Healers also found themselves thrust into positions of vacated leadership. Lazak had no hesitation in taking the reins of the realm and proved to be extremely competent, but change would not come as easily to the myriad lesser offices. Many were still held by old and conventional unathi, and not all of the healers available to take on the responsibility were as willing to upend [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|warrior dominated tradition]]. In the end, however, necessity won out in most cases and in others Lazak was able to find taa of like-mindedness and appoint them to most crucial positions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa soon found themselves in roles previously associated with saa across the Szekziran. Eventually the boundaries between the genders began to erode, and healers in martial roles began to be referred to as Taa’an; healer as of the land. Their unique background and lack of a traditional warrior mindset led to unconventional tactics and strategies in combat. Advanced anatomical and medical knowledge coupled with the willingness to fight in “less than honorable” ways resulted in a glut of early victories, boosting confidence in Lazak’s methods and ejecting a number of raiding bands that had been encroaching on her lands during the initial chaos. A semblance of order returned to the Queendom and many held the Taa’an in high esteem while the doubters were robbed of their footing. These successes led to permanent changes in training and enlistment which, over time, caused the fusion of healer and warrior to be entrenched in local culture as a healer-protector.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A number of those outside the Queendom’s influence saw the intertwining of warrior and healer as abominable, and Lazak’s continuing success as [[Sk&#039;akh#Sk&#039;akh_and_Gender|heretical]]. Several attempts to silence Lazak have been made since the end of the war, with the most notable culminating with the capture and [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exile]] of a would-be assassin. The Lord responsible was openly challenged by a Taa’an champion. Underestimating his challenger he sent his Saa firstborn to answer in a [[Unathi_Honor#Dueling|duel]] to first blood. Both the lord and his champion were humbled when the strike to draw first blood was so deft and exact that it took the hand off at the wrist before the first drops hit the ground. Though already accepted by thousands within her realm, this brought publicity to the Queen, allowing her to rise as a public and notable figure in Moghes and the greater Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Szekzir Lazak now leads the Szekziran in a precarious situation, with those aligning themselves to the Karszekani’s warrior-dominated customs calling for her exile due to her heretical twisting of Saa and Taa, making it harder for the aging ruler to find allies. Walking a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and other political rivals as part of the Karszekani, only with the coming of the future will the legend of the Queendom see itself either rise or fall.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Taa’an - Cutting out the Rot ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa’an as a term has been used to describe the new gender paradigm in the Szekziran since its inception but the ethos of its members has been refined over time. The mixing of a warrior’s insight with a healer’s precision has led to a guiding belief that destruction is necessary to the process of healing, and by contrast an avoidance of injury can cause greater harm. For example, killing a dangerous criminal can save lives tomorrow. By attempting to heal a plague ridden patient, you risk infection to others. A common axiom took root; you must cut out the rot of disease to save the body. To many, the methods of Taa’an seem bloodthirsty and show a sickness of soul that comes from the confusion of roles in the Queendom. Outsiders sometimes report ruthless measures taken by Taa’an in the execution of their duties and, as they were in the past, healer-protectors are not hesitant to use what some consider to be “honorless” tactics to achieve victory. Often this takes the form of ambush and guerilla warfare, but there are also rumors that they coat their reserve melee weapons in sedatives or poison to level the playing field; substances many are familiar with from the training they receive as healers. Veteran Taa’an who have proven their aptitude and dedication are known as Exemplars. They are often found in positions of leadership, directing their troops or officers with meticulous precision.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unfortunately, shouldering the burden of both warrior and healer can become overwhelming. In the field, Taa’an often experience a doubling of expectations; for example, they may be expected to charge the enemy one minute and then triage the wounded the next with no rest until duty is done. The continued exposure to adrenaline, trauma, and suffering in the majority of aspects of their role leads to a condition similar to what humans call “compassion fatigue”. As time goes by Taa’an become unwilling or unable to connect empathically with others. They become irritable and isolate socially as much as they are able and their duty allows. This can sometimes lead to a mental break or crisis, but over time the culturally accepted answer has become silent endurance. Known in the Queendom as “Honed Soul”, this isolating coping strategy is seen as strength of character and actively encouraged. So long as they don’t suffer a nervous breakdown, the longer one serves as Taa’an the more normalized this state of mind becomes. Exemplars often exhibit this as extreme vigilance and a cool detachment from their subordinates. They are “always on”, ready to move to action, either to attack or administer aid, but unable to express negative emotions or find regular catharsis. As elected positions are often chosen from veteran Taa’an ranks this affect can impact their relations with visitors and dignitaries. The result is a perception of the Queendom in general, and Taa’an specifically, of cold, calculating, and ruthless enigmas who stand outside of normal [[Unathi#Unathi_Culture|unathi culture]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As the war passes into history and the planet tries to heal, some have endeavored to revert the Szekziran back to more traditional practices and un-entangle the warrior and healer from one another. These attempts have largely met with abject failure due to Lazak’s influence and the rigorous adherence to the new paradigm by Taa’an of every rank. Very few traditionally recognized saa exist as the ones who survived the war pass and the young are folded into Taa’an training and development. The success of the Szekziran and the prowess of its healer-protectors is lauded as proof of the failings of Saa and the dominance of Taa’an. Opposition to the Queen or her policies is somewhat tolerated but significant agitators often find themselves seen as the rot needing to be cut and the majority are [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exiled]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion ===&lt;br /&gt;
The majority of the Queendom subscribes to [[Th&#039;akh|Th&#039;akh]], with Yu’kal containing within it a massive temple – easily compared to a cathedral – expressly giving homage to the realm’s alignment to the religion, constructed by Szekzir Lazak following the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Despite the realm’s majority-Th’akh following populace, Lazak has granted asylum to many journeying across the Wasteland regardless of which faith they subscribe to, and until recently even allowed [[Si&#039;akh|Si&#039;akh]] within her realm. After swearing fealty to the Izweski and joining the Karszekani, Lazak agreed to publicly denounce the religion. Those who choose to follow it are officially barred from her realm, yet an open secret of the Queen’s court is that she allows its adherents travelling through the Wasteland to reside within her borders – to varying degrees of permanence. While Si’akh is officially suppressed, it has nonetheless found fertile soil for its beliefs in the Szekziran. A significant number of Taa’an equate the cleansing and purification of Si’akh with their own beliefs of healing primarily through excision and debridement, and the Queen’s official denouncement, while arguably necessary, has become a catalyst for discontent and disagreement in an otherwise unified community.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Though the Szekziran’s tolerance for other religions is great, [[Aut&#039;akh|Aut&#039;akh]] is fiercely denounced and even despised. It is not unheard of for those within the confines of her realm that follow the heresy to find their prosthetic augments looted, or proselytisers lynched in the streets.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Major Cities ==&lt;br /&gt;
===Yu’kal===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The capital of the Queendom, Yu’kal has been reigned over for centuries by Clan Szek-Hakh. It had long been established, even prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], as a major population centre of great importance; mostly owing to trading structured around aquaculture. Though the nuclear cataclysm into which [[Moghes]] was plunged almost destroyed the city, Szekzir Lazak reigns diligently to ensure that her people and her husband’s lineage survive the perilous circumstances with which they’ve been confronted. Though initially aligning with the [[Izweski Hegemony]] during the outbreak of the Contract War, Yu’kal eventually saw itself shifting to becoming neutral to the conflict as it developed into the foundation of the Queendom. Recently however, it has pledged fealty to the Karszekani and its borders and provisional duties have been expanded to all Guzan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Gzusz===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One of the newer cities to join the Queendom, Gzusz has become a refugee haven. On the outskirts of the realm’s eastern border, many displaced unathi fleeing west arrive greeted by the rapidly growing city, which only decades before had a population of less than two-hundred. Though the Contact War has made it difficult to expand fast enough to accommodate those fleeing the Wasteland, Gzusz still maintains great importance to the Szekziran, acting as a “buffer” between the Gawgaryn and Reclaimers and the interior of the Queendom. The majority of the newly arrived are inducted into the city’s guards, fighting off those that wish to question the Queendom’s ability to protect itself and its people. The influx of refugees means that Gzusz is rarely without round-the-clock protection. It is officially split between Sk’akh and Th’akh, though a growing undercurrent of Si’akh is evident. It is ruled by Lady Zasza Szek-Hakh, Szekzir Lazak’s daughter.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Arch’ozal ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Named after the [[Th&#039;akh|Th’akh Spirit-God Archozmi]], Arch’ozal prides itself as being keeper and distributor of knowledge. Having sided with the Queendom since its inception, it has become a place of great academic advancements – at least in terms of the Wasteland. Prior to the Contact War, Arch’ozal was the centre of academia within Moghes’ eastern hemisphere; with Clan Ghzakal reigning over it. The destruction brought on by the nuclear war, and the lack of means to sustain itself, Clan Ghzakal fled from the city – leaving it and its populace having to fend for themselves. It was only after the radioactive ashes began to set that Lazak sent emissaries towards the city, eventually persuading them to follow her custom doctrines. She appointed her daughter, Tzansa Szek-Hakh, as Lady-Regent until another with a rightful claim to Arch’ozal returned. It is majority Sk’akh, however, the population of Th’akh has slowly been growing over the years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38857</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38857"/>
		<updated>2026-03-27T00:48:26Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: /* Arch’ozal */&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Unathi_Culture}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{toc_right}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:QueendomFlag.png|thumb|The Queendom&#039;s Flag. ]]&lt;br /&gt;
Situated across [[Moghes]]’ eastern hemisphere, within the Guzan region amid the Tzuszah Wastes, the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh has managed to survive and develop in spite of the instability caused by the consequences of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Isolated from its enemies thanks to the extensive, growing [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]], it is led by the elderly Lazak Szek-Hakh alongside her daughters, Zasza and Tzansa. Though the encroachment of the wastes has made resources within the previously lush province somewhat scarce, the region manages to teeter between thriving and languishing thanks to the extensive aquaculture industry that exists within the capital of Yu’kal – expanded upon by Szekzir Lazak following the death of her husband during the war. Unfortunately due to the continued growth of the wastes, distrust from more conservative Unathi, and the isolationist stance of the Szek-Hakh leadership, the future of the area is uncertain.&lt;br /&gt;
 A note on Etymology:&lt;br /&gt;
 The term Queendom was originally something of a misnomer borne from human mistranslation, but it was quickly adopted by enemies of Clan Szek-Hakh as well as those who see the region’s cultural shift as dangerous or degenerate. Originally intended to be an insult related to what its detractors considered insufficient strength of rulership in the region, Lazak Szek-Hakh instead embraced the human-centric term as her own. By 2468 the name was in widespread colloquial use when it was officially changed in collaboration with the structuring of the Karszekani. The area is now officially known as the Szekziran. Literally translated as “Domain of the Ruler of Rivers”, the name was chosen to highlight the region’s continued distance and contrast from the more common Szekanan or “Domain of the Ruler of the Land”. Given the changes in gender identity described below, the association to rivers was applicable as rivers are more closely associated with [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Taa]] (Healers) due to their adaptable nature, whereas the firm and solid land is more closely related to [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Saa]] (Warriors). Going forward the colloquial term and the official name will be used interchangeably.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
== Culture &amp;amp; History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Yu’kal was a centre of the eastern hemisphere’s aquaculture industry, with the city nestled among the coasts. It was only after the death of Lord Jzsan Szeh-Hakn, Lazak’s spouse, that the realm’s reality shifted, and they were confronted with circumstances that most thought would result in the region’s collapse. However, Lady Lazak took critical steps to maintain the realm – in particular instituting widespread and extensive reformation of the aquacultural industry, mandating larger quotas, the creation of emergency provision stockpiles, and a focus on longevity. Increased enlistment and training in the city guard or militia was also instituted, irrespective of previous roles or abilities. Her quick thinking allowed many of the local cities to survive those first years, and they were even able to assist more distant neighbors, such as [[Zazalai_Mountains#Mudki|Mudki]]. These first crucial steps by Lazak allowed Yu’kal to weather the storm and serve as a beacon for clans fleeing their homes as a result of the roiling uncertainty of war. Quickly, the foundations of the Queendom began to form.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the end of the Contact War, the Szekziran was a well-established political entity within the Wasteland, with Lazak claiming her late husband’s title sometime during the climax of the nuclear cataclysm. When the dust had settled, the domain was intact but the toll of the war would yet be felt. Between the dead, chronically wounded, and others who fled or were lost, the saa population of the region was reduced by sixty eight percent. Less conservative estimates put the number closer to eighty. Changes to the aquaculture infrastructure proved key to the Queendom’s survival, but the work would grind on as the truth of the wastes became apparent. With the staggering loss of warriors in battle and the constant need for fishers to keep mouths fed and industry running, more and more healers found themselves pressed into positions outside their experience. [[The_Wasteland#Factions_of_the_Wasteland|Raiders]] from the wastes, lawlessness, and a number of robberies from food stockpiles necessitated the creation of an effective security force. The initial edict which allowed for anyone to work in the city guard or military became a requirement. Mandatory service was expected of all citizens, but in reality, most fishers were fully tasked and given an exception.The result was a peacekeeping force composed primarily of taa that were hastily trained and had not been steeped in [[Unathi_Honor#Honor_for_the_Warrior|warrior]] philosophy as many saa had been. Healers also found themselves thrust into positions of vacated leadership. Lazak had no hesitation in taking the reins of the realm and proved to be extremely competent, but change would not come as easily to the myriad lesser offices. Many were still held by old and conventional unathi, and not all of the healers available to take on the responsibility were as willing to upend [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|warrior dominated tradition]]. In the end, however, necessity won out in most cases and in others Lazak was able to find taa of like-mindedness and appoint them to most crucial positions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa soon found themselves in roles previously associated with saa across the Szekziran. Eventually the boundaries between the genders began to erode, and healers in martial roles began to be referred to as Taa’an; healer as of the land. Their unique background and lack of a traditional warrior mindset led to unconventional tactics and strategies in combat. Advanced anatomical and medical knowledge coupled with the willingness to fight in “less than honorable” ways resulted in a glut of early victories, boosting confidence in Lazak’s methods and ejecting a number of raiding bands that had been encroaching on her lands during the initial chaos. A semblance of order returned to the Queendom and many held the Taa’an in high esteem while the doubters were robbed of their footing. These successes led to permanent changes in training and enlistment which, over time, caused the fusion of healer and warrior to be entrenched in local culture as a healer-protector.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A number of those outside the Queendom’s influence saw the intertwining of warrior and healer as abominable, and Lazak’s continuing success as [[Sk&#039;akh#Sk&#039;akh_and_Gender|heretical]]. Several attempts to silence Lazak have been made since the end of the war, with the most notable culminating with the capture and [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exile]] of a would-be assassin. The Lord responsible was openly challenged by a Taa’an champion. Underestimating his challenger he sent his Saa firstborn to answer in a [[Unathi_Honor#Dueling|duel]] to first blood. Both the lord and his champion were humbled when the strike to draw first blood was so deft and exact that it took the hand off at the wrist before the first drops hit the ground. Though already accepted by thousands within her realm, this brought publicity to the Queen, allowing her to rise as a public and notable figure in Moghes and the greater Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Szekzir Lazak now leads the Szekziran in a precarious situation, with those aligning themselves to the Karszekani’s warrior-dominated customs calling for her exile due to her heretical twisting of Saa and Taa, making it harder for the aging ruler to find allies. Walking a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and other political rivals as part of the Karszekani, only with the coming of the future will the legend of the Queendom see itself either rise or fall.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Taa’an - Cutting out the Rot ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa’an as a term has been used to describe the new gender paradigm in the Szekziran since its inception but the ethos of its members has been refined over time. The mixing of a warrior’s insight with a healer’s precision has led to a guiding belief that destruction is necessary to the process of healing, and by contrast an avoidance of injury can cause greater harm. For example, killing a dangerous criminal can save lives tomorrow. By attempting to heal a plague ridden patient, you risk infection to others. A common axiom took root; you must cut out the rot of disease to save the body. To many, the methods of Taa’an seem bloodthirsty and show a sickness of soul that comes from the confusion of roles in the Queendom. Outsiders sometimes report ruthless measures taken by Taa’an in the execution of their duties and, as they were in the past, healer-protectors are not hesitant to use what some consider to be “honorless” tactics to achieve victory. Often this takes the form of ambush and guerilla warfare, but there are also rumors that they coat their reserve melee weapons in sedatives or poison to level the playing field; substances many are familiar with from the training they receive as healers. Veteran Taa’an who have proven their aptitude and dedication are known as Exemplars. They are often found in positions of leadership, directing their troops or officers with meticulous precision.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unfortunately, shouldering the burden of both warrior and healer can become overwhelming. In the field, Taa’an often experience a doubling of expectations; for example, they may be expected to charge the enemy one minute and then triage the wounded the next with no rest until duty is done. The continued exposure to adrenaline, trauma, and suffering in the majority of aspects of their role leads to a condition similar to what humans call “compassion fatigue”. As time goes by Taa’an become unwilling or unable to connect empathically with others. They become irritable and isolate socially as much as they are able and their duty allows. This can sometimes lead to a mental break or crisis, but over time the culturally accepted answer has become silent endurance. Known in the Queendom as “Honed Soul”, this isolating coping strategy is seen as strength of character and actively encouraged. So long as they don’t suffer a nervous breakdown, the longer one serves as Taa’an the more normalized this state of mind becomes. Exemplars often exhibit this as extreme vigilance and a cool detachment from their subordinates. They are “always on”, ready to move to action, either to attack or administer aid, but unable to express negative emotions or find regular catharsis. As elected positions are often chosen from veteran Taa’an ranks this affect can impact their relations with visitors and dignitaries. The result is a perception of the Queendom in general, and Taa’an specifically, of cold, calculating, and ruthless enigmas who stand outside of normal [[Unathi#Unathi_Culture|unathi culture]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As the war passes into history and the planet tries to heal, some have endeavored to revert the Szekziran back to more traditional practices and un-entangle the warrior and healer from one another. These attempts have largely met with abject failure due to Lazak’s influence and the rigorous adherence to the new paradigm by Taa’an of every rank. Very few traditionally recognized saa exist as the ones who survived the war pass and the young are folded into Taa’an training and development. The success of the Szekziran and the prowess of its healer-protectors is lauded as proof of the failings of Saa and the dominance of Taa’an. Opposition to the Queen or her policies is somewhat tolerated but significant agitators often find themselves seen as the rot needing to be cut and the majority are [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exiled]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion ===&lt;br /&gt;
The majority of the Queendom subscribes to [[Th&#039;akh|Th&#039;akh]], with Yu’kal containing within it a massive temple – easily compared to a cathedral – expressly giving homage to the realm’s alignment to the religion, constructed by Szekzir Lazak following the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Despite the realm’s majority-Th’akh following populace, Lazak has granted asylum to many journeying across the Wasteland regardless of which faith they subscribe to, and until recently even allowed [[Si&#039;akh|Si&#039;akh]] within her realm. After swearing fealty to the Izweski and joining the Karszekani, Lazak agreed to publicly denounce the religion. Those who choose to follow it are officially barred from her realm, yet an open secret of the Queen’s court is that she allows its adherents travelling through the Wasteland to reside within her borders – to varying degrees of permanence. While Si’akh is officially suppressed, it has nonetheless found fertile soil for its beliefs in the Szekziran. A significant number of Taa’an equate the cleansing and purification of Si’akh with their own beliefs of healing primarily through excision and debridement, and the Queen’s official denouncement, while arguably necessary, has become a catalyst for discontent and disagreement in an otherwise unified community.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Though the Szekziran’s tolerance for other religions is great, [[Aut&#039;akh|Aut&#039;akh]] is fiercely denounced and even despised. It is not unheard of for those within the confines of her realm that follow the heresy to find their prosthetic augments looted, or proselytisers lynched in the streets.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Major Cities ==&lt;br /&gt;
===Yu’kal===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The capital of the Queendom, Yu’kal has been reigned over for centuries by Clan Szek-Hakh. It had long been established, even prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], as a major population centre of great importance; mostly owing to trading structured around aquaculture. Though the nuclear cataclysm into which [[Moghes]] was plunged almost destroyed the city, Szekzir Lazak reigns diligently to ensure that her people and her husband’s lineage survive the perilous circumstances with which they’ve been confronted. Though initially aligning with the [[Izweski Hegemony]] during the outbreak of the Contract War, Yu’kal eventually saw itself shifting to becoming neutral to the conflict as it developed into the foundation of the Queendom. Recently however, it has pledged fealty to the Karszekani and its borders and provisional duties have been expanded to all Guzan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Gzusz===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One of the newer cities to join the Queendom, Gzusz has become a refugee haven. On the outskirts of the realm’s eastern border, many displaced unathi fleeing west arrive greeted by the rapidly growing city, which only decades before had a population of less than two-hundred. Though the Contact War has made it difficult to expand fast enough to accommodate those fleeing the Wasteland, Gzusz still maintains great importance to the Szekziran, acting as a “buffer” between the Gawgaryn and Reclaimers and the interior of the Queendom. The majority of the newly arrived are inducted into the city’s guards, fighting off those that wish to question the Queendom’s ability to protect itself and its people. The influx of refugees means that Gzusz is rarely without round-the-clock protection. It is officially split between Sk’akh and Th’akh, though a growing undercurrent of Si’akh is evident. It is ruled by Lady Zasza Szek-Hakh, Szekzir Lazak’s daughter.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Arch’ozal ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Named after the [[Th&#039;akh|Th’akh Spirit-God Archozmi]], Arch’ozal prides itself as being keeper and distributor of knowledge. Having sided with the Queendom since its inception, it has become a place of great academic advancements – at least in terms of the Wasteland. Prior to the Contact War, Arch’ozal was the centre of academia within Moghes’ eastern hemisphere; with Clan Ghzakal reigning over it. The destruction brought on by the nuclear war, and the lack of means to sustain itself, Clan Ghzakal fled from the city – leaving it and its populace having to fend for themselves. It was only after the radioactive ashes began to set that Lazak sent emissaries towards the city, eventually persuading them to follow her custom doctrines. She appointed her daughter, Tzansa Szek-Hakh, as Lady-Regent until another with a rightful claim to Arch’ozal returned. It is majority Sk’akh, however, the population of Th’akh has slowly been growing over the years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38856</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38856"/>
		<updated>2026-03-27T00:47:45Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: /* Arch’ozal */&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Unathi_Culture}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{toc_right}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:QueendomFlag.png|thumb|The Queendom&#039;s Flag. ]]&lt;br /&gt;
Situated across [[Moghes]]’ eastern hemisphere, within the Guzan region amid the Tzuszah Wastes, the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh has managed to survive and develop in spite of the instability caused by the consequences of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Isolated from its enemies thanks to the extensive, growing [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]], it is led by the elderly Lazak Szek-Hakh alongside her daughters, Zasza and Tzansa. Though the encroachment of the wastes has made resources within the previously lush province somewhat scarce, the region manages to teeter between thriving and languishing thanks to the extensive aquaculture industry that exists within the capital of Yu’kal – expanded upon by Szekzir Lazak following the death of her husband during the war. Unfortunately due to the continued growth of the wastes, distrust from more conservative Unathi, and the isolationist stance of the Szek-Hakh leadership, the future of the area is uncertain.&lt;br /&gt;
 A note on Etymology:&lt;br /&gt;
 The term Queendom was originally something of a misnomer borne from human mistranslation, but it was quickly adopted by enemies of Clan Szek-Hakh as well as those who see the region’s cultural shift as dangerous or degenerate. Originally intended to be an insult related to what its detractors considered insufficient strength of rulership in the region, Lazak Szek-Hakh instead embraced the human-centric term as her own. By 2468 the name was in widespread colloquial use when it was officially changed in collaboration with the structuring of the Karszekani. The area is now officially known as the Szekziran. Literally translated as “Domain of the Ruler of Rivers”, the name was chosen to highlight the region’s continued distance and contrast from the more common Szekanan or “Domain of the Ruler of the Land”. Given the changes in gender identity described below, the association to rivers was applicable as rivers are more closely associated with [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Taa]] (Healers) due to their adaptable nature, whereas the firm and solid land is more closely related to [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Saa]] (Warriors). Going forward the colloquial term and the official name will be used interchangeably.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
== Culture &amp;amp; History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Yu’kal was a centre of the eastern hemisphere’s aquaculture industry, with the city nestled among the coasts. It was only after the death of Lord Jzsan Szeh-Hakn, Lazak’s spouse, that the realm’s reality shifted, and they were confronted with circumstances that most thought would result in the region’s collapse. However, Lady Lazak took critical steps to maintain the realm – in particular instituting widespread and extensive reformation of the aquacultural industry, mandating larger quotas, the creation of emergency provision stockpiles, and a focus on longevity. Increased enlistment and training in the city guard or militia was also instituted, irrespective of previous roles or abilities. Her quick thinking allowed many of the local cities to survive those first years, and they were even able to assist more distant neighbors, such as [[Zazalai_Mountains#Mudki|Mudki]]. These first crucial steps by Lazak allowed Yu’kal to weather the storm and serve as a beacon for clans fleeing their homes as a result of the roiling uncertainty of war. Quickly, the foundations of the Queendom began to form.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the end of the Contact War, the Szekziran was a well-established political entity within the Wasteland, with Lazak claiming her late husband’s title sometime during the climax of the nuclear cataclysm. When the dust had settled, the domain was intact but the toll of the war would yet be felt. Between the dead, chronically wounded, and others who fled or were lost, the saa population of the region was reduced by sixty eight percent. Less conservative estimates put the number closer to eighty. Changes to the aquaculture infrastructure proved key to the Queendom’s survival, but the work would grind on as the truth of the wastes became apparent. With the staggering loss of warriors in battle and the constant need for fishers to keep mouths fed and industry running, more and more healers found themselves pressed into positions outside their experience. [[The_Wasteland#Factions_of_the_Wasteland|Raiders]] from the wastes, lawlessness, and a number of robberies from food stockpiles necessitated the creation of an effective security force. The initial edict which allowed for anyone to work in the city guard or military became a requirement. Mandatory service was expected of all citizens, but in reality, most fishers were fully tasked and given an exception.The result was a peacekeeping force composed primarily of taa that were hastily trained and had not been steeped in [[Unathi_Honor#Honor_for_the_Warrior|warrior]] philosophy as many saa had been. Healers also found themselves thrust into positions of vacated leadership. Lazak had no hesitation in taking the reins of the realm and proved to be extremely competent, but change would not come as easily to the myriad lesser offices. Many were still held by old and conventional unathi, and not all of the healers available to take on the responsibility were as willing to upend [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|warrior dominated tradition]]. In the end, however, necessity won out in most cases and in others Lazak was able to find taa of like-mindedness and appoint them to most crucial positions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa soon found themselves in roles previously associated with saa across the Szekziran. Eventually the boundaries between the genders began to erode, and healers in martial roles began to be referred to as Taa’an; healer as of the land. Their unique background and lack of a traditional warrior mindset led to unconventional tactics and strategies in combat. Advanced anatomical and medical knowledge coupled with the willingness to fight in “less than honorable” ways resulted in a glut of early victories, boosting confidence in Lazak’s methods and ejecting a number of raiding bands that had been encroaching on her lands during the initial chaos. A semblance of order returned to the Queendom and many held the Taa’an in high esteem while the doubters were robbed of their footing. These successes led to permanent changes in training and enlistment which, over time, caused the fusion of healer and warrior to be entrenched in local culture as a healer-protector.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A number of those outside the Queendom’s influence saw the intertwining of warrior and healer as abominable, and Lazak’s continuing success as [[Sk&#039;akh#Sk&#039;akh_and_Gender|heretical]]. Several attempts to silence Lazak have been made since the end of the war, with the most notable culminating with the capture and [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exile]] of a would-be assassin. The Lord responsible was openly challenged by a Taa’an champion. Underestimating his challenger he sent his Saa firstborn to answer in a [[Unathi_Honor#Dueling|duel]] to first blood. Both the lord and his champion were humbled when the strike to draw first blood was so deft and exact that it took the hand off at the wrist before the first drops hit the ground. Though already accepted by thousands within her realm, this brought publicity to the Queen, allowing her to rise as a public and notable figure in Moghes and the greater Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Szekzir Lazak now leads the Szekziran in a precarious situation, with those aligning themselves to the Karszekani’s warrior-dominated customs calling for her exile due to her heretical twisting of Saa and Taa, making it harder for the aging ruler to find allies. Walking a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and other political rivals as part of the Karszekani, only with the coming of the future will the legend of the Queendom see itself either rise or fall.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Taa’an - Cutting out the Rot ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa’an as a term has been used to describe the new gender paradigm in the Szekziran since its inception but the ethos of its members has been refined over time. The mixing of a warrior’s insight with a healer’s precision has led to a guiding belief that destruction is necessary to the process of healing, and by contrast an avoidance of injury can cause greater harm. For example, killing a dangerous criminal can save lives tomorrow. By attempting to heal a plague ridden patient, you risk infection to others. A common axiom took root; you must cut out the rot of disease to save the body. To many, the methods of Taa’an seem bloodthirsty and show a sickness of soul that comes from the confusion of roles in the Queendom. Outsiders sometimes report ruthless measures taken by Taa’an in the execution of their duties and, as they were in the past, healer-protectors are not hesitant to use what some consider to be “honorless” tactics to achieve victory. Often this takes the form of ambush and guerilla warfare, but there are also rumors that they coat their reserve melee weapons in sedatives or poison to level the playing field; substances many are familiar with from the training they receive as healers. Veteran Taa’an who have proven their aptitude and dedication are known as Exemplars. They are often found in positions of leadership, directing their troops or officers with meticulous precision.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unfortunately, shouldering the burden of both warrior and healer can become overwhelming. In the field, Taa’an often experience a doubling of expectations; for example, they may be expected to charge the enemy one minute and then triage the wounded the next with no rest until duty is done. The continued exposure to adrenaline, trauma, and suffering in the majority of aspects of their role leads to a condition similar to what humans call “compassion fatigue”. As time goes by Taa’an become unwilling or unable to connect empathically with others. They become irritable and isolate socially as much as they are able and their duty allows. This can sometimes lead to a mental break or crisis, but over time the culturally accepted answer has become silent endurance. Known in the Queendom as “Honed Soul”, this isolating coping strategy is seen as strength of character and actively encouraged. So long as they don’t suffer a nervous breakdown, the longer one serves as Taa’an the more normalized this state of mind becomes. Exemplars often exhibit this as extreme vigilance and a cool detachment from their subordinates. They are “always on”, ready to move to action, either to attack or administer aid, but unable to express negative emotions or find regular catharsis. As elected positions are often chosen from veteran Taa’an ranks this affect can impact their relations with visitors and dignitaries. The result is a perception of the Queendom in general, and Taa’an specifically, of cold, calculating, and ruthless enigmas who stand outside of normal [[Unathi#Unathi_Culture|unathi culture]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As the war passes into history and the planet tries to heal, some have endeavored to revert the Szekziran back to more traditional practices and un-entangle the warrior and healer from one another. These attempts have largely met with abject failure due to Lazak’s influence and the rigorous adherence to the new paradigm by Taa’an of every rank. Very few traditionally recognized saa exist as the ones who survived the war pass and the young are folded into Taa’an training and development. The success of the Szekziran and the prowess of its healer-protectors is lauded as proof of the failings of Saa and the dominance of Taa’an. Opposition to the Queen or her policies is somewhat tolerated but significant agitators often find themselves seen as the rot needing to be cut and the majority are [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exiled]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion ===&lt;br /&gt;
The majority of the Queendom subscribes to [[Th&#039;akh|Th&#039;akh]], with Yu’kal containing within it a massive temple – easily compared to a cathedral – expressly giving homage to the realm’s alignment to the religion, constructed by Szekzir Lazak following the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Despite the realm’s majority-Th’akh following populace, Lazak has granted asylum to many journeying across the Wasteland regardless of which faith they subscribe to, and until recently even allowed [[Si&#039;akh|Si&#039;akh]] within her realm. After swearing fealty to the Izweski and joining the Karszekani, Lazak agreed to publicly denounce the religion. Those who choose to follow it are officially barred from her realm, yet an open secret of the Queen’s court is that she allows its adherents travelling through the Wasteland to reside within her borders – to varying degrees of permanence. While Si’akh is officially suppressed, it has nonetheless found fertile soil for its beliefs in the Szekziran. A significant number of Taa’an equate the cleansing and purification of Si’akh with their own beliefs of healing primarily through excision and debridement, and the Queen’s official denouncement, while arguably necessary, has become a catalyst for discontent and disagreement in an otherwise unified community.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Though the Szekziran’s tolerance for other religions is great, [[Aut&#039;akh|Aut&#039;akh]] is fiercely denounced and even despised. It is not unheard of for those within the confines of her realm that follow the heresy to find their prosthetic augments looted, or proselytisers lynched in the streets.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Major Cities ==&lt;br /&gt;
===Yu’kal===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The capital of the Queendom, Yu’kal has been reigned over for centuries by Clan Szek-Hakh. It had long been established, even prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], as a major population centre of great importance; mostly owing to trading structured around aquaculture. Though the nuclear cataclysm into which [[Moghes]] was plunged almost destroyed the city, Szekzir Lazak reigns diligently to ensure that her people and her husband’s lineage survive the perilous circumstances with which they’ve been confronted. Though initially aligning with the [[Izweski Hegemony]] during the outbreak of the Contract War, Yu’kal eventually saw itself shifting to becoming neutral to the conflict as it developed into the foundation of the Queendom. Recently however, it has pledged fealty to the Karszekani and its borders and provisional duties have been expanded to all Guzan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Gzusz===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One of the newer cities to join the Queendom, Gzusz has become a refugee haven. On the outskirts of the realm’s eastern border, many displaced unathi fleeing west arrive greeted by the rapidly growing city, which only decades before had a population of less than two-hundred. Though the Contact War has made it difficult to expand fast enough to accommodate those fleeing the Wasteland, Gzusz still maintains great importance to the Szekziran, acting as a “buffer” between the Gawgaryn and Reclaimers and the interior of the Queendom. The majority of the newly arrived are inducted into the city’s guards, fighting off those that wish to question the Queendom’s ability to protect itself and its people. The influx of refugees means that Gzusz is rarely without round-the-clock protection. It is officially split between Sk’akh and Th’akh, though a growing undercurrent of Si’akh is evident. It is ruled by Lady Zasza Szek-Hakh, Szekzir Lazak’s daughter.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Arch’ozal ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Named after the [[Th’akh|Th’akh Spirit-God Archozmi]], Arch’ozal prides itself as being keeper and distributor of knowledge. Having sided with the Queendom since its inception, it has become a place of great academic advancements – at least in terms of the Wasteland. Prior to the Contact War, Arch’ozal was the centre of academia within Moghes’ eastern hemisphere; with Clan Ghzakal reigning over it. The destruction brought on by the nuclear war, and the lack of means to sustain itself, Clan Ghzakal fled from the city – leaving it and its populace having to fend for themselves. It was only after the radioactive ashes began to set that Lazak sent emissaries towards the city, eventually persuading them to follow her custom doctrines. She appointed her daughter, Tzansa Szek-Hakh, as Lady-Regent until another with a rightful claim to Arch’ozal returned. It is majority Sk’akh, however, the population of Th’akh has slowly been growing over the years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38855</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38855"/>
		<updated>2026-03-27T00:47:27Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: /* Gzusz */&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Unathi_Culture}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{toc_right}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:QueendomFlag.png|thumb|The Queendom&#039;s Flag. ]]&lt;br /&gt;
Situated across [[Moghes]]’ eastern hemisphere, within the Guzan region amid the Tzuszah Wastes, the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh has managed to survive and develop in spite of the instability caused by the consequences of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Isolated from its enemies thanks to the extensive, growing [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]], it is led by the elderly Lazak Szek-Hakh alongside her daughters, Zasza and Tzansa. Though the encroachment of the wastes has made resources within the previously lush province somewhat scarce, the region manages to teeter between thriving and languishing thanks to the extensive aquaculture industry that exists within the capital of Yu’kal – expanded upon by Szekzir Lazak following the death of her husband during the war. Unfortunately due to the continued growth of the wastes, distrust from more conservative Unathi, and the isolationist stance of the Szek-Hakh leadership, the future of the area is uncertain.&lt;br /&gt;
 A note on Etymology:&lt;br /&gt;
 The term Queendom was originally something of a misnomer borne from human mistranslation, but it was quickly adopted by enemies of Clan Szek-Hakh as well as those who see the region’s cultural shift as dangerous or degenerate. Originally intended to be an insult related to what its detractors considered insufficient strength of rulership in the region, Lazak Szek-Hakh instead embraced the human-centric term as her own. By 2468 the name was in widespread colloquial use when it was officially changed in collaboration with the structuring of the Karszekani. The area is now officially known as the Szekziran. Literally translated as “Domain of the Ruler of Rivers”, the name was chosen to highlight the region’s continued distance and contrast from the more common Szekanan or “Domain of the Ruler of the Land”. Given the changes in gender identity described below, the association to rivers was applicable as rivers are more closely associated with [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Taa]] (Healers) due to their adaptable nature, whereas the firm and solid land is more closely related to [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Saa]] (Warriors). Going forward the colloquial term and the official name will be used interchangeably.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
== Culture &amp;amp; History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Yu’kal was a centre of the eastern hemisphere’s aquaculture industry, with the city nestled among the coasts. It was only after the death of Lord Jzsan Szeh-Hakn, Lazak’s spouse, that the realm’s reality shifted, and they were confronted with circumstances that most thought would result in the region’s collapse. However, Lady Lazak took critical steps to maintain the realm – in particular instituting widespread and extensive reformation of the aquacultural industry, mandating larger quotas, the creation of emergency provision stockpiles, and a focus on longevity. Increased enlistment and training in the city guard or militia was also instituted, irrespective of previous roles or abilities. Her quick thinking allowed many of the local cities to survive those first years, and they were even able to assist more distant neighbors, such as [[Zazalai_Mountains#Mudki|Mudki]]. These first crucial steps by Lazak allowed Yu’kal to weather the storm and serve as a beacon for clans fleeing their homes as a result of the roiling uncertainty of war. Quickly, the foundations of the Queendom began to form.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the end of the Contact War, the Szekziran was a well-established political entity within the Wasteland, with Lazak claiming her late husband’s title sometime during the climax of the nuclear cataclysm. When the dust had settled, the domain was intact but the toll of the war would yet be felt. Between the dead, chronically wounded, and others who fled or were lost, the saa population of the region was reduced by sixty eight percent. Less conservative estimates put the number closer to eighty. Changes to the aquaculture infrastructure proved key to the Queendom’s survival, but the work would grind on as the truth of the wastes became apparent. With the staggering loss of warriors in battle and the constant need for fishers to keep mouths fed and industry running, more and more healers found themselves pressed into positions outside their experience. [[The_Wasteland#Factions_of_the_Wasteland|Raiders]] from the wastes, lawlessness, and a number of robberies from food stockpiles necessitated the creation of an effective security force. The initial edict which allowed for anyone to work in the city guard or military became a requirement. Mandatory service was expected of all citizens, but in reality, most fishers were fully tasked and given an exception.The result was a peacekeeping force composed primarily of taa that were hastily trained and had not been steeped in [[Unathi_Honor#Honor_for_the_Warrior|warrior]] philosophy as many saa had been. Healers also found themselves thrust into positions of vacated leadership. Lazak had no hesitation in taking the reins of the realm and proved to be extremely competent, but change would not come as easily to the myriad lesser offices. Many were still held by old and conventional unathi, and not all of the healers available to take on the responsibility were as willing to upend [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|warrior dominated tradition]]. In the end, however, necessity won out in most cases and in others Lazak was able to find taa of like-mindedness and appoint them to most crucial positions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa soon found themselves in roles previously associated with saa across the Szekziran. Eventually the boundaries between the genders began to erode, and healers in martial roles began to be referred to as Taa’an; healer as of the land. Their unique background and lack of a traditional warrior mindset led to unconventional tactics and strategies in combat. Advanced anatomical and medical knowledge coupled with the willingness to fight in “less than honorable” ways resulted in a glut of early victories, boosting confidence in Lazak’s methods and ejecting a number of raiding bands that had been encroaching on her lands during the initial chaos. A semblance of order returned to the Queendom and many held the Taa’an in high esteem while the doubters were robbed of their footing. These successes led to permanent changes in training and enlistment which, over time, caused the fusion of healer and warrior to be entrenched in local culture as a healer-protector.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A number of those outside the Queendom’s influence saw the intertwining of warrior and healer as abominable, and Lazak’s continuing success as [[Sk&#039;akh#Sk&#039;akh_and_Gender|heretical]]. Several attempts to silence Lazak have been made since the end of the war, with the most notable culminating with the capture and [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exile]] of a would-be assassin. The Lord responsible was openly challenged by a Taa’an champion. Underestimating his challenger he sent his Saa firstborn to answer in a [[Unathi_Honor#Dueling|duel]] to first blood. Both the lord and his champion were humbled when the strike to draw first blood was so deft and exact that it took the hand off at the wrist before the first drops hit the ground. Though already accepted by thousands within her realm, this brought publicity to the Queen, allowing her to rise as a public and notable figure in Moghes and the greater Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Szekzir Lazak now leads the Szekziran in a precarious situation, with those aligning themselves to the Karszekani’s warrior-dominated customs calling for her exile due to her heretical twisting of Saa and Taa, making it harder for the aging ruler to find allies. Walking a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and other political rivals as part of the Karszekani, only with the coming of the future will the legend of the Queendom see itself either rise or fall.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Taa’an - Cutting out the Rot ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa’an as a term has been used to describe the new gender paradigm in the Szekziran since its inception but the ethos of its members has been refined over time. The mixing of a warrior’s insight with a healer’s precision has led to a guiding belief that destruction is necessary to the process of healing, and by contrast an avoidance of injury can cause greater harm. For example, killing a dangerous criminal can save lives tomorrow. By attempting to heal a plague ridden patient, you risk infection to others. A common axiom took root; you must cut out the rot of disease to save the body. To many, the methods of Taa’an seem bloodthirsty and show a sickness of soul that comes from the confusion of roles in the Queendom. Outsiders sometimes report ruthless measures taken by Taa’an in the execution of their duties and, as they were in the past, healer-protectors are not hesitant to use what some consider to be “honorless” tactics to achieve victory. Often this takes the form of ambush and guerilla warfare, but there are also rumors that they coat their reserve melee weapons in sedatives or poison to level the playing field; substances many are familiar with from the training they receive as healers. Veteran Taa’an who have proven their aptitude and dedication are known as Exemplars. They are often found in positions of leadership, directing their troops or officers with meticulous precision.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unfortunately, shouldering the burden of both warrior and healer can become overwhelming. In the field, Taa’an often experience a doubling of expectations; for example, they may be expected to charge the enemy one minute and then triage the wounded the next with no rest until duty is done. The continued exposure to adrenaline, trauma, and suffering in the majority of aspects of their role leads to a condition similar to what humans call “compassion fatigue”. As time goes by Taa’an become unwilling or unable to connect empathically with others. They become irritable and isolate socially as much as they are able and their duty allows. This can sometimes lead to a mental break or crisis, but over time the culturally accepted answer has become silent endurance. Known in the Queendom as “Honed Soul”, this isolating coping strategy is seen as strength of character and actively encouraged. So long as they don’t suffer a nervous breakdown, the longer one serves as Taa’an the more normalized this state of mind becomes. Exemplars often exhibit this as extreme vigilance and a cool detachment from their subordinates. They are “always on”, ready to move to action, either to attack or administer aid, but unable to express negative emotions or find regular catharsis. As elected positions are often chosen from veteran Taa’an ranks this affect can impact their relations with visitors and dignitaries. The result is a perception of the Queendom in general, and Taa’an specifically, of cold, calculating, and ruthless enigmas who stand outside of normal [[Unathi#Unathi_Culture|unathi culture]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As the war passes into history and the planet tries to heal, some have endeavored to revert the Szekziran back to more traditional practices and un-entangle the warrior and healer from one another. These attempts have largely met with abject failure due to Lazak’s influence and the rigorous adherence to the new paradigm by Taa’an of every rank. Very few traditionally recognized saa exist as the ones who survived the war pass and the young are folded into Taa’an training and development. The success of the Szekziran and the prowess of its healer-protectors is lauded as proof of the failings of Saa and the dominance of Taa’an. Opposition to the Queen or her policies is somewhat tolerated but significant agitators often find themselves seen as the rot needing to be cut and the majority are [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exiled]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion ===&lt;br /&gt;
The majority of the Queendom subscribes to [[Th&#039;akh|Th&#039;akh]], with Yu’kal containing within it a massive temple – easily compared to a cathedral – expressly giving homage to the realm’s alignment to the religion, constructed by Szekzir Lazak following the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Despite the realm’s majority-Th’akh following populace, Lazak has granted asylum to many journeying across the Wasteland regardless of which faith they subscribe to, and until recently even allowed [[Si&#039;akh|Si&#039;akh]] within her realm. After swearing fealty to the Izweski and joining the Karszekani, Lazak agreed to publicly denounce the religion. Those who choose to follow it are officially barred from her realm, yet an open secret of the Queen’s court is that she allows its adherents travelling through the Wasteland to reside within her borders – to varying degrees of permanence. While Si’akh is officially suppressed, it has nonetheless found fertile soil for its beliefs in the Szekziran. A significant number of Taa’an equate the cleansing and purification of Si’akh with their own beliefs of healing primarily through excision and debridement, and the Queen’s official denouncement, while arguably necessary, has become a catalyst for discontent and disagreement in an otherwise unified community.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Though the Szekziran’s tolerance for other religions is great, [[Aut&#039;akh|Aut&#039;akh]] is fiercely denounced and even despised. It is not unheard of for those within the confines of her realm that follow the heresy to find their prosthetic augments looted, or proselytisers lynched in the streets.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Major Cities ==&lt;br /&gt;
===Yu’kal===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The capital of the Queendom, Yu’kal has been reigned over for centuries by Clan Szek-Hakh. It had long been established, even prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], as a major population centre of great importance; mostly owing to trading structured around aquaculture. Though the nuclear cataclysm into which [[Moghes]] was plunged almost destroyed the city, Szekzir Lazak reigns diligently to ensure that her people and her husband’s lineage survive the perilous circumstances with which they’ve been confronted. Though initially aligning with the [[Izweski Hegemony]] during the outbreak of the Contract War, Yu’kal eventually saw itself shifting to becoming neutral to the conflict as it developed into the foundation of the Queendom. Recently however, it has pledged fealty to the Karszekani and its borders and provisional duties have been expanded to all Guzan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Gzusz===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One of the newer cities to join the Queendom, Gzusz has become a refugee haven. On the outskirts of the realm’s eastern border, many displaced unathi fleeing west arrive greeted by the rapidly growing city, which only decades before had a population of less than two-hundred. Though the Contact War has made it difficult to expand fast enough to accommodate those fleeing the Wasteland, Gzusz still maintains great importance to the Szekziran, acting as a “buffer” between the Gawgaryn and Reclaimers and the interior of the Queendom. The majority of the newly arrived are inducted into the city’s guards, fighting off those that wish to question the Queendom’s ability to protect itself and its people. The influx of refugees means that Gzusz is rarely without round-the-clock protection. It is officially split between Sk’akh and Th’akh, though a growing undercurrent of Si’akh is evident. It is ruled by Lady Zasza Szek-Hakh, Szekzir Lazak’s daughter.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Arch’ozal ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Named after the [[Th&#039;akh|Th’akh Spirit-God Archozmi]], Arch’ozal prides itself as being keeper and distributor of knowledge. Having sided with the Queendom since its inception, it has become a place of great academic advancements – at least in terms of the Wasteland. Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Arch’ozal was the centre of academia within Moghes’ eastern hemisphere; with Clan Ghzakal reigning over it. The destruction brought on by the nuclear war, and the lack of means to sustain itself, Clan Ghzakal fled from the city – leaving it and its populace having to fend for themselves. It was only after the radioactive ashes began to set that Queen Lazak sent emissaries towards the city, eventually persuading them to follow her custom doctrines. She appointed her daughter, Tzansa Szek-Hakh, as Lady-Regent until another woman with a rightful claim to Arch’ozal returned. It is majority Sk’akh, however, the population of Th’akh has slowly been growing over the years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38854</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38854"/>
		<updated>2026-03-27T00:46:52Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: /* Yu’kal */&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Unathi_Culture}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{toc_right}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:QueendomFlag.png|thumb|The Queendom&#039;s Flag. ]]&lt;br /&gt;
Situated across [[Moghes]]’ eastern hemisphere, within the Guzan region amid the Tzuszah Wastes, the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh has managed to survive and develop in spite of the instability caused by the consequences of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Isolated from its enemies thanks to the extensive, growing [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]], it is led by the elderly Lazak Szek-Hakh alongside her daughters, Zasza and Tzansa. Though the encroachment of the wastes has made resources within the previously lush province somewhat scarce, the region manages to teeter between thriving and languishing thanks to the extensive aquaculture industry that exists within the capital of Yu’kal – expanded upon by Szekzir Lazak following the death of her husband during the war. Unfortunately due to the continued growth of the wastes, distrust from more conservative Unathi, and the isolationist stance of the Szek-Hakh leadership, the future of the area is uncertain.&lt;br /&gt;
 A note on Etymology:&lt;br /&gt;
 The term Queendom was originally something of a misnomer borne from human mistranslation, but it was quickly adopted by enemies of Clan Szek-Hakh as well as those who see the region’s cultural shift as dangerous or degenerate. Originally intended to be an insult related to what its detractors considered insufficient strength of rulership in the region, Lazak Szek-Hakh instead embraced the human-centric term as her own. By 2468 the name was in widespread colloquial use when it was officially changed in collaboration with the structuring of the Karszekani. The area is now officially known as the Szekziran. Literally translated as “Domain of the Ruler of Rivers”, the name was chosen to highlight the region’s continued distance and contrast from the more common Szekanan or “Domain of the Ruler of the Land”. Given the changes in gender identity described below, the association to rivers was applicable as rivers are more closely associated with [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Taa]] (Healers) due to their adaptable nature, whereas the firm and solid land is more closely related to [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Saa]] (Warriors). Going forward the colloquial term and the official name will be used interchangeably.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
== Culture &amp;amp; History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Yu’kal was a centre of the eastern hemisphere’s aquaculture industry, with the city nestled among the coasts. It was only after the death of Lord Jzsan Szeh-Hakn, Lazak’s spouse, that the realm’s reality shifted, and they were confronted with circumstances that most thought would result in the region’s collapse. However, Lady Lazak took critical steps to maintain the realm – in particular instituting widespread and extensive reformation of the aquacultural industry, mandating larger quotas, the creation of emergency provision stockpiles, and a focus on longevity. Increased enlistment and training in the city guard or militia was also instituted, irrespective of previous roles or abilities. Her quick thinking allowed many of the local cities to survive those first years, and they were even able to assist more distant neighbors, such as [[Zazalai_Mountains#Mudki|Mudki]]. These first crucial steps by Lazak allowed Yu’kal to weather the storm and serve as a beacon for clans fleeing their homes as a result of the roiling uncertainty of war. Quickly, the foundations of the Queendom began to form.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the end of the Contact War, the Szekziran was a well-established political entity within the Wasteland, with Lazak claiming her late husband’s title sometime during the climax of the nuclear cataclysm. When the dust had settled, the domain was intact but the toll of the war would yet be felt. Between the dead, chronically wounded, and others who fled or were lost, the saa population of the region was reduced by sixty eight percent. Less conservative estimates put the number closer to eighty. Changes to the aquaculture infrastructure proved key to the Queendom’s survival, but the work would grind on as the truth of the wastes became apparent. With the staggering loss of warriors in battle and the constant need for fishers to keep mouths fed and industry running, more and more healers found themselves pressed into positions outside their experience. [[The_Wasteland#Factions_of_the_Wasteland|Raiders]] from the wastes, lawlessness, and a number of robberies from food stockpiles necessitated the creation of an effective security force. The initial edict which allowed for anyone to work in the city guard or military became a requirement. Mandatory service was expected of all citizens, but in reality, most fishers were fully tasked and given an exception.The result was a peacekeeping force composed primarily of taa that were hastily trained and had not been steeped in [[Unathi_Honor#Honor_for_the_Warrior|warrior]] philosophy as many saa had been. Healers also found themselves thrust into positions of vacated leadership. Lazak had no hesitation in taking the reins of the realm and proved to be extremely competent, but change would not come as easily to the myriad lesser offices. Many were still held by old and conventional unathi, and not all of the healers available to take on the responsibility were as willing to upend [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|warrior dominated tradition]]. In the end, however, necessity won out in most cases and in others Lazak was able to find taa of like-mindedness and appoint them to most crucial positions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa soon found themselves in roles previously associated with saa across the Szekziran. Eventually the boundaries between the genders began to erode, and healers in martial roles began to be referred to as Taa’an; healer as of the land. Their unique background and lack of a traditional warrior mindset led to unconventional tactics and strategies in combat. Advanced anatomical and medical knowledge coupled with the willingness to fight in “less than honorable” ways resulted in a glut of early victories, boosting confidence in Lazak’s methods and ejecting a number of raiding bands that had been encroaching on her lands during the initial chaos. A semblance of order returned to the Queendom and many held the Taa’an in high esteem while the doubters were robbed of their footing. These successes led to permanent changes in training and enlistment which, over time, caused the fusion of healer and warrior to be entrenched in local culture as a healer-protector.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A number of those outside the Queendom’s influence saw the intertwining of warrior and healer as abominable, and Lazak’s continuing success as [[Sk&#039;akh#Sk&#039;akh_and_Gender|heretical]]. Several attempts to silence Lazak have been made since the end of the war, with the most notable culminating with the capture and [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exile]] of a would-be assassin. The Lord responsible was openly challenged by a Taa’an champion. Underestimating his challenger he sent his Saa firstborn to answer in a [[Unathi_Honor#Dueling|duel]] to first blood. Both the lord and his champion were humbled when the strike to draw first blood was so deft and exact that it took the hand off at the wrist before the first drops hit the ground. Though already accepted by thousands within her realm, this brought publicity to the Queen, allowing her to rise as a public and notable figure in Moghes and the greater Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Szekzir Lazak now leads the Szekziran in a precarious situation, with those aligning themselves to the Karszekani’s warrior-dominated customs calling for her exile due to her heretical twisting of Saa and Taa, making it harder for the aging ruler to find allies. Walking a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and other political rivals as part of the Karszekani, only with the coming of the future will the legend of the Queendom see itself either rise or fall.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Taa’an - Cutting out the Rot ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa’an as a term has been used to describe the new gender paradigm in the Szekziran since its inception but the ethos of its members has been refined over time. The mixing of a warrior’s insight with a healer’s precision has led to a guiding belief that destruction is necessary to the process of healing, and by contrast an avoidance of injury can cause greater harm. For example, killing a dangerous criminal can save lives tomorrow. By attempting to heal a plague ridden patient, you risk infection to others. A common axiom took root; you must cut out the rot of disease to save the body. To many, the methods of Taa’an seem bloodthirsty and show a sickness of soul that comes from the confusion of roles in the Queendom. Outsiders sometimes report ruthless measures taken by Taa’an in the execution of their duties and, as they were in the past, healer-protectors are not hesitant to use what some consider to be “honorless” tactics to achieve victory. Often this takes the form of ambush and guerilla warfare, but there are also rumors that they coat their reserve melee weapons in sedatives or poison to level the playing field; substances many are familiar with from the training they receive as healers. Veteran Taa’an who have proven their aptitude and dedication are known as Exemplars. They are often found in positions of leadership, directing their troops or officers with meticulous precision.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unfortunately, shouldering the burden of both warrior and healer can become overwhelming. In the field, Taa’an often experience a doubling of expectations; for example, they may be expected to charge the enemy one minute and then triage the wounded the next with no rest until duty is done. The continued exposure to adrenaline, trauma, and suffering in the majority of aspects of their role leads to a condition similar to what humans call “compassion fatigue”. As time goes by Taa’an become unwilling or unable to connect empathically with others. They become irritable and isolate socially as much as they are able and their duty allows. This can sometimes lead to a mental break or crisis, but over time the culturally accepted answer has become silent endurance. Known in the Queendom as “Honed Soul”, this isolating coping strategy is seen as strength of character and actively encouraged. So long as they don’t suffer a nervous breakdown, the longer one serves as Taa’an the more normalized this state of mind becomes. Exemplars often exhibit this as extreme vigilance and a cool detachment from their subordinates. They are “always on”, ready to move to action, either to attack or administer aid, but unable to express negative emotions or find regular catharsis. As elected positions are often chosen from veteran Taa’an ranks this affect can impact their relations with visitors and dignitaries. The result is a perception of the Queendom in general, and Taa’an specifically, of cold, calculating, and ruthless enigmas who stand outside of normal [[Unathi#Unathi_Culture|unathi culture]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As the war passes into history and the planet tries to heal, some have endeavored to revert the Szekziran back to more traditional practices and un-entangle the warrior and healer from one another. These attempts have largely met with abject failure due to Lazak’s influence and the rigorous adherence to the new paradigm by Taa’an of every rank. Very few traditionally recognized saa exist as the ones who survived the war pass and the young are folded into Taa’an training and development. The success of the Szekziran and the prowess of its healer-protectors is lauded as proof of the failings of Saa and the dominance of Taa’an. Opposition to the Queen or her policies is somewhat tolerated but significant agitators often find themselves seen as the rot needing to be cut and the majority are [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exiled]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion ===&lt;br /&gt;
The majority of the Queendom subscribes to [[Th&#039;akh|Th&#039;akh]], with Yu’kal containing within it a massive temple – easily compared to a cathedral – expressly giving homage to the realm’s alignment to the religion, constructed by Szekzir Lazak following the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Despite the realm’s majority-Th’akh following populace, Lazak has granted asylum to many journeying across the Wasteland regardless of which faith they subscribe to, and until recently even allowed [[Si&#039;akh|Si&#039;akh]] within her realm. After swearing fealty to the Izweski and joining the Karszekani, Lazak agreed to publicly denounce the religion. Those who choose to follow it are officially barred from her realm, yet an open secret of the Queen’s court is that she allows its adherents travelling through the Wasteland to reside within her borders – to varying degrees of permanence. While Si’akh is officially suppressed, it has nonetheless found fertile soil for its beliefs in the Szekziran. A significant number of Taa’an equate the cleansing and purification of Si’akh with their own beliefs of healing primarily through excision and debridement, and the Queen’s official denouncement, while arguably necessary, has become a catalyst for discontent and disagreement in an otherwise unified community.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Though the Szekziran’s tolerance for other religions is great, [[Aut&#039;akh|Aut&#039;akh]] is fiercely denounced and even despised. It is not unheard of for those within the confines of her realm that follow the heresy to find their prosthetic augments looted, or proselytisers lynched in the streets.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Major Cities ==&lt;br /&gt;
===Yu’kal===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The capital of the Queendom, Yu’kal has been reigned over for centuries by Clan Szek-Hakh. It had long been established, even prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], as a major population centre of great importance; mostly owing to trading structured around aquaculture. Though the nuclear cataclysm into which [[Moghes]] was plunged almost destroyed the city, Szekzir Lazak reigns diligently to ensure that her people and her husband’s lineage survive the perilous circumstances with which they’ve been confronted. Though initially aligning with the [[Izweski Hegemony]] during the outbreak of the Contract War, Yu’kal eventually saw itself shifting to becoming neutral to the conflict as it developed into the foundation of the Queendom. Recently however, it has pledged fealty to the Karszekani and its borders and provisional duties have been expanded to all Guzan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Gzusz===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One of the newer cities to join the Queendom, Gzusz has become a refugee haven. On the outskirts of the realm’s eastern border, many from those travelling west initially arrive within the city – greeted by a growing city, which only decades before had a population of less than two-hundred. Though the [[Unathi History|Contact War]] has made it difficult to expand fast enough to accommodate those fleeing the Wasteland, Gzusz still maintains great importance to the Queendom, acting as a “buffer” between the Gawgaryn and Reclaimers against the Queendom. The majority of the newly arrived, in particular women, are inducted into the city’s guards, fighting off those that wish to question the Queendom’s ability to protect iself and its people. The influx of refugees means that Gzusz is rarely without round-the-clock protection. It is split between Sk’akh and Th’akh. It is ruled by Lady Zasza Szek-Hakh, Queen Lazak’s daughter. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Arch’ozal ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Named after the [[Th&#039;akh|Th’akh Spirit-God Archozmi]], Arch’ozal prides itself as being keeper and distributor of knowledge. Having sided with the Queendom since its inception, it has become a place of great academic advancements – at least in terms of the Wasteland. Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Arch’ozal was the centre of academia within Moghes’ eastern hemisphere; with Clan Ghzakal reigning over it. The destruction brought on by the nuclear war, and the lack of means to sustain itself, Clan Ghzakal fled from the city – leaving it and its populace having to fend for themselves. It was only after the radioactive ashes began to set that Queen Lazak sent emissaries towards the city, eventually persuading them to follow her custom doctrines. She appointed her daughter, Tzansa Szek-Hakh, as Lady-Regent until another woman with a rightful claim to Arch’ozal returned. It is majority Sk’akh, however, the population of Th’akh has slowly been growing over the years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38853</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38853"/>
		<updated>2026-03-27T00:46:20Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: /* Yu’kal */&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Unathi_Culture}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{toc_right}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:QueendomFlag.png|thumb|The Queendom&#039;s Flag. ]]&lt;br /&gt;
Situated across [[Moghes]]’ eastern hemisphere, within the Guzan region amid the Tzuszah Wastes, the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh has managed to survive and develop in spite of the instability caused by the consequences of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Isolated from its enemies thanks to the extensive, growing [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]], it is led by the elderly Lazak Szek-Hakh alongside her daughters, Zasza and Tzansa. Though the encroachment of the wastes has made resources within the previously lush province somewhat scarce, the region manages to teeter between thriving and languishing thanks to the extensive aquaculture industry that exists within the capital of Yu’kal – expanded upon by Szekzir Lazak following the death of her husband during the war. Unfortunately due to the continued growth of the wastes, distrust from more conservative Unathi, and the isolationist stance of the Szek-Hakh leadership, the future of the area is uncertain.&lt;br /&gt;
 A note on Etymology:&lt;br /&gt;
 The term Queendom was originally something of a misnomer borne from human mistranslation, but it was quickly adopted by enemies of Clan Szek-Hakh as well as those who see the region’s cultural shift as dangerous or degenerate. Originally intended to be an insult related to what its detractors considered insufficient strength of rulership in the region, Lazak Szek-Hakh instead embraced the human-centric term as her own. By 2468 the name was in widespread colloquial use when it was officially changed in collaboration with the structuring of the Karszekani. The area is now officially known as the Szekziran. Literally translated as “Domain of the Ruler of Rivers”, the name was chosen to highlight the region’s continued distance and contrast from the more common Szekanan or “Domain of the Ruler of the Land”. Given the changes in gender identity described below, the association to rivers was applicable as rivers are more closely associated with [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Taa]] (Healers) due to their adaptable nature, whereas the firm and solid land is more closely related to [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Saa]] (Warriors). Going forward the colloquial term and the official name will be used interchangeably.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
== Culture &amp;amp; History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Yu’kal was a centre of the eastern hemisphere’s aquaculture industry, with the city nestled among the coasts. It was only after the death of Lord Jzsan Szeh-Hakn, Lazak’s spouse, that the realm’s reality shifted, and they were confronted with circumstances that most thought would result in the region’s collapse. However, Lady Lazak took critical steps to maintain the realm – in particular instituting widespread and extensive reformation of the aquacultural industry, mandating larger quotas, the creation of emergency provision stockpiles, and a focus on longevity. Increased enlistment and training in the city guard or militia was also instituted, irrespective of previous roles or abilities. Her quick thinking allowed many of the local cities to survive those first years, and they were even able to assist more distant neighbors, such as [[Zazalai_Mountains#Mudki|Mudki]]. These first crucial steps by Lazak allowed Yu’kal to weather the storm and serve as a beacon for clans fleeing their homes as a result of the roiling uncertainty of war. Quickly, the foundations of the Queendom began to form.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the end of the Contact War, the Szekziran was a well-established political entity within the Wasteland, with Lazak claiming her late husband’s title sometime during the climax of the nuclear cataclysm. When the dust had settled, the domain was intact but the toll of the war would yet be felt. Between the dead, chronically wounded, and others who fled or were lost, the saa population of the region was reduced by sixty eight percent. Less conservative estimates put the number closer to eighty. Changes to the aquaculture infrastructure proved key to the Queendom’s survival, but the work would grind on as the truth of the wastes became apparent. With the staggering loss of warriors in battle and the constant need for fishers to keep mouths fed and industry running, more and more healers found themselves pressed into positions outside their experience. [[The_Wasteland#Factions_of_the_Wasteland|Raiders]] from the wastes, lawlessness, and a number of robberies from food stockpiles necessitated the creation of an effective security force. The initial edict which allowed for anyone to work in the city guard or military became a requirement. Mandatory service was expected of all citizens, but in reality, most fishers were fully tasked and given an exception.The result was a peacekeeping force composed primarily of taa that were hastily trained and had not been steeped in [[Unathi_Honor#Honor_for_the_Warrior|warrior]] philosophy as many saa had been. Healers also found themselves thrust into positions of vacated leadership. Lazak had no hesitation in taking the reins of the realm and proved to be extremely competent, but change would not come as easily to the myriad lesser offices. Many were still held by old and conventional unathi, and not all of the healers available to take on the responsibility were as willing to upend [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|warrior dominated tradition]]. In the end, however, necessity won out in most cases and in others Lazak was able to find taa of like-mindedness and appoint them to most crucial positions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa soon found themselves in roles previously associated with saa across the Szekziran. Eventually the boundaries between the genders began to erode, and healers in martial roles began to be referred to as Taa’an; healer as of the land. Their unique background and lack of a traditional warrior mindset led to unconventional tactics and strategies in combat. Advanced anatomical and medical knowledge coupled with the willingness to fight in “less than honorable” ways resulted in a glut of early victories, boosting confidence in Lazak’s methods and ejecting a number of raiding bands that had been encroaching on her lands during the initial chaos. A semblance of order returned to the Queendom and many held the Taa’an in high esteem while the doubters were robbed of their footing. These successes led to permanent changes in training and enlistment which, over time, caused the fusion of healer and warrior to be entrenched in local culture as a healer-protector.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A number of those outside the Queendom’s influence saw the intertwining of warrior and healer as abominable, and Lazak’s continuing success as [[Sk&#039;akh#Sk&#039;akh_and_Gender|heretical]]. Several attempts to silence Lazak have been made since the end of the war, with the most notable culminating with the capture and [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exile]] of a would-be assassin. The Lord responsible was openly challenged by a Taa’an champion. Underestimating his challenger he sent his Saa firstborn to answer in a [[Unathi_Honor#Dueling|duel]] to first blood. Both the lord and his champion were humbled when the strike to draw first blood was so deft and exact that it took the hand off at the wrist before the first drops hit the ground. Though already accepted by thousands within her realm, this brought publicity to the Queen, allowing her to rise as a public and notable figure in Moghes and the greater Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Szekzir Lazak now leads the Szekziran in a precarious situation, with those aligning themselves to the Karszekani’s warrior-dominated customs calling for her exile due to her heretical twisting of Saa and Taa, making it harder for the aging ruler to find allies. Walking a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and other political rivals as part of the Karszekani, only with the coming of the future will the legend of the Queendom see itself either rise or fall.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Taa’an - Cutting out the Rot ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa’an as a term has been used to describe the new gender paradigm in the Szekziran since its inception but the ethos of its members has been refined over time. The mixing of a warrior’s insight with a healer’s precision has led to a guiding belief that destruction is necessary to the process of healing, and by contrast an avoidance of injury can cause greater harm. For example, killing a dangerous criminal can save lives tomorrow. By attempting to heal a plague ridden patient, you risk infection to others. A common axiom took root; you must cut out the rot of disease to save the body. To many, the methods of Taa’an seem bloodthirsty and show a sickness of soul that comes from the confusion of roles in the Queendom. Outsiders sometimes report ruthless measures taken by Taa’an in the execution of their duties and, as they were in the past, healer-protectors are not hesitant to use what some consider to be “honorless” tactics to achieve victory. Often this takes the form of ambush and guerilla warfare, but there are also rumors that they coat their reserve melee weapons in sedatives or poison to level the playing field; substances many are familiar with from the training they receive as healers. Veteran Taa’an who have proven their aptitude and dedication are known as Exemplars. They are often found in positions of leadership, directing their troops or officers with meticulous precision.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unfortunately, shouldering the burden of both warrior and healer can become overwhelming. In the field, Taa’an often experience a doubling of expectations; for example, they may be expected to charge the enemy one minute and then triage the wounded the next with no rest until duty is done. The continued exposure to adrenaline, trauma, and suffering in the majority of aspects of their role leads to a condition similar to what humans call “compassion fatigue”. As time goes by Taa’an become unwilling or unable to connect empathically with others. They become irritable and isolate socially as much as they are able and their duty allows. This can sometimes lead to a mental break or crisis, but over time the culturally accepted answer has become silent endurance. Known in the Queendom as “Honed Soul”, this isolating coping strategy is seen as strength of character and actively encouraged. So long as they don’t suffer a nervous breakdown, the longer one serves as Taa’an the more normalized this state of mind becomes. Exemplars often exhibit this as extreme vigilance and a cool detachment from their subordinates. They are “always on”, ready to move to action, either to attack or administer aid, but unable to express negative emotions or find regular catharsis. As elected positions are often chosen from veteran Taa’an ranks this affect can impact their relations with visitors and dignitaries. The result is a perception of the Queendom in general, and Taa’an specifically, of cold, calculating, and ruthless enigmas who stand outside of normal [[Unathi#Unathi_Culture|unathi culture]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As the war passes into history and the planet tries to heal, some have endeavored to revert the Szekziran back to more traditional practices and un-entangle the warrior and healer from one another. These attempts have largely met with abject failure due to Lazak’s influence and the rigorous adherence to the new paradigm by Taa’an of every rank. Very few traditionally recognized saa exist as the ones who survived the war pass and the young are folded into Taa’an training and development. The success of the Szekziran and the prowess of its healer-protectors is lauded as proof of the failings of Saa and the dominance of Taa’an. Opposition to the Queen or her policies is somewhat tolerated but significant agitators often find themselves seen as the rot needing to be cut and the majority are [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exiled]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion ===&lt;br /&gt;
The majority of the Queendom subscribes to [[Th&#039;akh|Th&#039;akh]], with Yu’kal containing within it a massive temple – easily compared to a cathedral – expressly giving homage to the realm’s alignment to the religion, constructed by Szekzir Lazak following the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Despite the realm’s majority-Th’akh following populace, Lazak has granted asylum to many journeying across the Wasteland regardless of which faith they subscribe to, and until recently even allowed [[Si&#039;akh|Si&#039;akh]] within her realm. After swearing fealty to the Izweski and joining the Karszekani, Lazak agreed to publicly denounce the religion. Those who choose to follow it are officially barred from her realm, yet an open secret of the Queen’s court is that she allows its adherents travelling through the Wasteland to reside within her borders – to varying degrees of permanence. While Si’akh is officially suppressed, it has nonetheless found fertile soil for its beliefs in the Szekziran. A significant number of Taa’an equate the cleansing and purification of Si’akh with their own beliefs of healing primarily through excision and debridement, and the Queen’s official denouncement, while arguably necessary, has become a catalyst for discontent and disagreement in an otherwise unified community.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Though the Szekziran’s tolerance for other religions is great, [[Aut&#039;akh|Aut&#039;akh]] is fiercely denounced and even despised. It is not unheard of for those within the confines of her realm that follow the heresy to find their prosthetic augments looted, or proselytisers lynched in the streets.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Major Cities ==&lt;br /&gt;
===Yu’kal===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The capital of the Queendom, Yu’kal has been reigned over for centuries by Clan Szek-Hakh. It had long been established, even prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], as a major population centre of great importance; mostly owing to trading structured around aquaculture. Though the nuclear cataclysm into which [[Moghes]] was plunged almost destroyed the city, Szekzir Lazak reigns diligently to ensure that her people and her husband’s lineage, survive the perilous circumstances with which they’ve been confronted. Though initially aligning with the [[Izweski Hegemony]] during the outbreak of the Contract War, Yu’kal eventually saw itself shifting to becoming neutral to the conflict as it developed into the foundation of the Queendom. Recently however, it has pledged fealty to the Karszekani and its borders and provisional duties have been expanded to all Guzan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Gzusz===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One of the newer cities to join the Queendom, Gzusz has become a refugee haven. On the outskirts of the realm’s eastern border, many from those travelling west initially arrive within the city – greeted by a growing city, which only decades before had a population of less than two-hundred. Though the [[Unathi History|Contact War]] has made it difficult to expand fast enough to accommodate those fleeing the Wasteland, Gzusz still maintains great importance to the Queendom, acting as a “buffer” between the Gawgaryn and Reclaimers against the Queendom. The majority of the newly arrived, in particular women, are inducted into the city’s guards, fighting off those that wish to question the Queendom’s ability to protect iself and its people. The influx of refugees means that Gzusz is rarely without round-the-clock protection. It is split between Sk’akh and Th’akh. It is ruled by Lady Zasza Szek-Hakh, Queen Lazak’s daughter. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Arch’ozal ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Named after the [[Th&#039;akh|Th’akh Spirit-God Archozmi]], Arch’ozal prides itself as being keeper and distributor of knowledge. Having sided with the Queendom since its inception, it has become a place of great academic advancements – at least in terms of the Wasteland. Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Arch’ozal was the centre of academia within Moghes’ eastern hemisphere; with Clan Ghzakal reigning over it. The destruction brought on by the nuclear war, and the lack of means to sustain itself, Clan Ghzakal fled from the city – leaving it and its populace having to fend for themselves. It was only after the radioactive ashes began to set that Queen Lazak sent emissaries towards the city, eventually persuading them to follow her custom doctrines. She appointed her daughter, Tzansa Szek-Hakh, as Lady-Regent until another woman with a rightful claim to Arch’ozal returned. It is majority Sk’akh, however, the population of Th’akh has slowly been growing over the years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38852</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38852"/>
		<updated>2026-03-27T00:46:10Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: /* Yu’kal */&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Unathi_Culture}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{toc_right}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:QueendomFlag.png|thumb|The Queendom&#039;s Flag. ]]&lt;br /&gt;
Situated across [[Moghes]]’ eastern hemisphere, within the Guzan region amid the Tzuszah Wastes, the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh has managed to survive and develop in spite of the instability caused by the consequences of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Isolated from its enemies thanks to the extensive, growing [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]], it is led by the elderly Lazak Szek-Hakh alongside her daughters, Zasza and Tzansa. Though the encroachment of the wastes has made resources within the previously lush province somewhat scarce, the region manages to teeter between thriving and languishing thanks to the extensive aquaculture industry that exists within the capital of Yu’kal – expanded upon by Szekzir Lazak following the death of her husband during the war. Unfortunately due to the continued growth of the wastes, distrust from more conservative Unathi, and the isolationist stance of the Szek-Hakh leadership, the future of the area is uncertain.&lt;br /&gt;
 A note on Etymology:&lt;br /&gt;
 The term Queendom was originally something of a misnomer borne from human mistranslation, but it was quickly adopted by enemies of Clan Szek-Hakh as well as those who see the region’s cultural shift as dangerous or degenerate. Originally intended to be an insult related to what its detractors considered insufficient strength of rulership in the region, Lazak Szek-Hakh instead embraced the human-centric term as her own. By 2468 the name was in widespread colloquial use when it was officially changed in collaboration with the structuring of the Karszekani. The area is now officially known as the Szekziran. Literally translated as “Domain of the Ruler of Rivers”, the name was chosen to highlight the region’s continued distance and contrast from the more common Szekanan or “Domain of the Ruler of the Land”. Given the changes in gender identity described below, the association to rivers was applicable as rivers are more closely associated with [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Taa]] (Healers) due to their adaptable nature, whereas the firm and solid land is more closely related to [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Saa]] (Warriors). Going forward the colloquial term and the official name will be used interchangeably.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
== Culture &amp;amp; History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Yu’kal was a centre of the eastern hemisphere’s aquaculture industry, with the city nestled among the coasts. It was only after the death of Lord Jzsan Szeh-Hakn, Lazak’s spouse, that the realm’s reality shifted, and they were confronted with circumstances that most thought would result in the region’s collapse. However, Lady Lazak took critical steps to maintain the realm – in particular instituting widespread and extensive reformation of the aquacultural industry, mandating larger quotas, the creation of emergency provision stockpiles, and a focus on longevity. Increased enlistment and training in the city guard or militia was also instituted, irrespective of previous roles or abilities. Her quick thinking allowed many of the local cities to survive those first years, and they were even able to assist more distant neighbors, such as [[Zazalai_Mountains#Mudki|Mudki]]. These first crucial steps by Lazak allowed Yu’kal to weather the storm and serve as a beacon for clans fleeing their homes as a result of the roiling uncertainty of war. Quickly, the foundations of the Queendom began to form.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the end of the Contact War, the Szekziran was a well-established political entity within the Wasteland, with Lazak claiming her late husband’s title sometime during the climax of the nuclear cataclysm. When the dust had settled, the domain was intact but the toll of the war would yet be felt. Between the dead, chronically wounded, and others who fled or were lost, the saa population of the region was reduced by sixty eight percent. Less conservative estimates put the number closer to eighty. Changes to the aquaculture infrastructure proved key to the Queendom’s survival, but the work would grind on as the truth of the wastes became apparent. With the staggering loss of warriors in battle and the constant need for fishers to keep mouths fed and industry running, more and more healers found themselves pressed into positions outside their experience. [[The_Wasteland#Factions_of_the_Wasteland|Raiders]] from the wastes, lawlessness, and a number of robberies from food stockpiles necessitated the creation of an effective security force. The initial edict which allowed for anyone to work in the city guard or military became a requirement. Mandatory service was expected of all citizens, but in reality, most fishers were fully tasked and given an exception.The result was a peacekeeping force composed primarily of taa that were hastily trained and had not been steeped in [[Unathi_Honor#Honor_for_the_Warrior|warrior]] philosophy as many saa had been. Healers also found themselves thrust into positions of vacated leadership. Lazak had no hesitation in taking the reins of the realm and proved to be extremely competent, but change would not come as easily to the myriad lesser offices. Many were still held by old and conventional unathi, and not all of the healers available to take on the responsibility were as willing to upend [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|warrior dominated tradition]]. In the end, however, necessity won out in most cases and in others Lazak was able to find taa of like-mindedness and appoint them to most crucial positions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa soon found themselves in roles previously associated with saa across the Szekziran. Eventually the boundaries between the genders began to erode, and healers in martial roles began to be referred to as Taa’an; healer as of the land. Their unique background and lack of a traditional warrior mindset led to unconventional tactics and strategies in combat. Advanced anatomical and medical knowledge coupled with the willingness to fight in “less than honorable” ways resulted in a glut of early victories, boosting confidence in Lazak’s methods and ejecting a number of raiding bands that had been encroaching on her lands during the initial chaos. A semblance of order returned to the Queendom and many held the Taa’an in high esteem while the doubters were robbed of their footing. These successes led to permanent changes in training and enlistment which, over time, caused the fusion of healer and warrior to be entrenched in local culture as a healer-protector.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A number of those outside the Queendom’s influence saw the intertwining of warrior and healer as abominable, and Lazak’s continuing success as [[Sk&#039;akh#Sk&#039;akh_and_Gender|heretical]]. Several attempts to silence Lazak have been made since the end of the war, with the most notable culminating with the capture and [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exile]] of a would-be assassin. The Lord responsible was openly challenged by a Taa’an champion. Underestimating his challenger he sent his Saa firstborn to answer in a [[Unathi_Honor#Dueling|duel]] to first blood. Both the lord and his champion were humbled when the strike to draw first blood was so deft and exact that it took the hand off at the wrist before the first drops hit the ground. Though already accepted by thousands within her realm, this brought publicity to the Queen, allowing her to rise as a public and notable figure in Moghes and the greater Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Szekzir Lazak now leads the Szekziran in a precarious situation, with those aligning themselves to the Karszekani’s warrior-dominated customs calling for her exile due to her heretical twisting of Saa and Taa, making it harder for the aging ruler to find allies. Walking a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and other political rivals as part of the Karszekani, only with the coming of the future will the legend of the Queendom see itself either rise or fall.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Taa’an - Cutting out the Rot ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa’an as a term has been used to describe the new gender paradigm in the Szekziran since its inception but the ethos of its members has been refined over time. The mixing of a warrior’s insight with a healer’s precision has led to a guiding belief that destruction is necessary to the process of healing, and by contrast an avoidance of injury can cause greater harm. For example, killing a dangerous criminal can save lives tomorrow. By attempting to heal a plague ridden patient, you risk infection to others. A common axiom took root; you must cut out the rot of disease to save the body. To many, the methods of Taa’an seem bloodthirsty and show a sickness of soul that comes from the confusion of roles in the Queendom. Outsiders sometimes report ruthless measures taken by Taa’an in the execution of their duties and, as they were in the past, healer-protectors are not hesitant to use what some consider to be “honorless” tactics to achieve victory. Often this takes the form of ambush and guerilla warfare, but there are also rumors that they coat their reserve melee weapons in sedatives or poison to level the playing field; substances many are familiar with from the training they receive as healers. Veteran Taa’an who have proven their aptitude and dedication are known as Exemplars. They are often found in positions of leadership, directing their troops or officers with meticulous precision.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unfortunately, shouldering the burden of both warrior and healer can become overwhelming. In the field, Taa’an often experience a doubling of expectations; for example, they may be expected to charge the enemy one minute and then triage the wounded the next with no rest until duty is done. The continued exposure to adrenaline, trauma, and suffering in the majority of aspects of their role leads to a condition similar to what humans call “compassion fatigue”. As time goes by Taa’an become unwilling or unable to connect empathically with others. They become irritable and isolate socially as much as they are able and their duty allows. This can sometimes lead to a mental break or crisis, but over time the culturally accepted answer has become silent endurance. Known in the Queendom as “Honed Soul”, this isolating coping strategy is seen as strength of character and actively encouraged. So long as they don’t suffer a nervous breakdown, the longer one serves as Taa’an the more normalized this state of mind becomes. Exemplars often exhibit this as extreme vigilance and a cool detachment from their subordinates. They are “always on”, ready to move to action, either to attack or administer aid, but unable to express negative emotions or find regular catharsis. As elected positions are often chosen from veteran Taa’an ranks this affect can impact their relations with visitors and dignitaries. The result is a perception of the Queendom in general, and Taa’an specifically, of cold, calculating, and ruthless enigmas who stand outside of normal [[Unathi#Unathi_Culture|unathi culture]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As the war passes into history and the planet tries to heal, some have endeavored to revert the Szekziran back to more traditional practices and un-entangle the warrior and healer from one another. These attempts have largely met with abject failure due to Lazak’s influence and the rigorous adherence to the new paradigm by Taa’an of every rank. Very few traditionally recognized saa exist as the ones who survived the war pass and the young are folded into Taa’an training and development. The success of the Szekziran and the prowess of its healer-protectors is lauded as proof of the failings of Saa and the dominance of Taa’an. Opposition to the Queen or her policies is somewhat tolerated but significant agitators often find themselves seen as the rot needing to be cut and the majority are [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exiled]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion ===&lt;br /&gt;
The majority of the Queendom subscribes to [[Th&#039;akh|Th&#039;akh]], with Yu’kal containing within it a massive temple – easily compared to a cathedral – expressly giving homage to the realm’s alignment to the religion, constructed by Szekzir Lazak following the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Despite the realm’s majority-Th’akh following populace, Lazak has granted asylum to many journeying across the Wasteland regardless of which faith they subscribe to, and until recently even allowed [[Si&#039;akh|Si&#039;akh]] within her realm. After swearing fealty to the Izweski and joining the Karszekani, Lazak agreed to publicly denounce the religion. Those who choose to follow it are officially barred from her realm, yet an open secret of the Queen’s court is that she allows its adherents travelling through the Wasteland to reside within her borders – to varying degrees of permanence. While Si’akh is officially suppressed, it has nonetheless found fertile soil for its beliefs in the Szekziran. A significant number of Taa’an equate the cleansing and purification of Si’akh with their own beliefs of healing primarily through excision and debridement, and the Queen’s official denouncement, while arguably necessary, has become a catalyst for discontent and disagreement in an otherwise unified community.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Though the Szekziran’s tolerance for other religions is great, [[Aut&#039;akh|Aut&#039;akh]] is fiercely denounced and even despised. It is not unheard of for those within the confines of her realm that follow the heresy to find their prosthetic augments looted, or proselytisers lynched in the streets.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Major Cities ==&lt;br /&gt;
===Yu’kal===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The capital of the Queendom, Yu’kal has been reigned over for centuries by Clan Szek-Hakh. It had long been established, even prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], as a major population centre of great importance; mostly owing to trading structured around aquaculture. Though the nuclear cataclysm into which [[Moghes]] was plunged almost destroyed the city, Szekzir Lazak reigns diligently to ensure that her people and her husband’s lineage, survive the perilous circumstances with which they’ve been confronted. Though initially aligning with the [[Izweski_Hegemony]] during the outbreak of the Contract War, Yu’kal eventually saw itself shifting to becoming neutral to the conflict as it developed into the foundation of the Queendom. Recently however, it has pledged fealty to the Karszekani and its borders and provisional duties have been expanded to all Guzan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Gzusz===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One of the newer cities to join the Queendom, Gzusz has become a refugee haven. On the outskirts of the realm’s eastern border, many from those travelling west initially arrive within the city – greeted by a growing city, which only decades before had a population of less than two-hundred. Though the [[Unathi History|Contact War]] has made it difficult to expand fast enough to accommodate those fleeing the Wasteland, Gzusz still maintains great importance to the Queendom, acting as a “buffer” between the Gawgaryn and Reclaimers against the Queendom. The majority of the newly arrived, in particular women, are inducted into the city’s guards, fighting off those that wish to question the Queendom’s ability to protect iself and its people. The influx of refugees means that Gzusz is rarely without round-the-clock protection. It is split between Sk’akh and Th’akh. It is ruled by Lady Zasza Szek-Hakh, Queen Lazak’s daughter. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Arch’ozal ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Named after the [[Th&#039;akh|Th’akh Spirit-God Archozmi]], Arch’ozal prides itself as being keeper and distributor of knowledge. Having sided with the Queendom since its inception, it has become a place of great academic advancements – at least in terms of the Wasteland. Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Arch’ozal was the centre of academia within Moghes’ eastern hemisphere; with Clan Ghzakal reigning over it. The destruction brought on by the nuclear war, and the lack of means to sustain itself, Clan Ghzakal fled from the city – leaving it and its populace having to fend for themselves. It was only after the radioactive ashes began to set that Queen Lazak sent emissaries towards the city, eventually persuading them to follow her custom doctrines. She appointed her daughter, Tzansa Szek-Hakh, as Lady-Regent until another woman with a rightful claim to Arch’ozal returned. It is majority Sk’akh, however, the population of Th’akh has slowly been growing over the years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38851</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38851"/>
		<updated>2026-03-27T00:45:09Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: /* Religion */&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Unathi_Culture}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{toc_right}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:QueendomFlag.png|thumb|The Queendom&#039;s Flag. ]]&lt;br /&gt;
Situated across [[Moghes]]’ eastern hemisphere, within the Guzan region amid the Tzuszah Wastes, the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh has managed to survive and develop in spite of the instability caused by the consequences of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Isolated from its enemies thanks to the extensive, growing [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]], it is led by the elderly Lazak Szek-Hakh alongside her daughters, Zasza and Tzansa. Though the encroachment of the wastes has made resources within the previously lush province somewhat scarce, the region manages to teeter between thriving and languishing thanks to the extensive aquaculture industry that exists within the capital of Yu’kal – expanded upon by Szekzir Lazak following the death of her husband during the war. Unfortunately due to the continued growth of the wastes, distrust from more conservative Unathi, and the isolationist stance of the Szek-Hakh leadership, the future of the area is uncertain.&lt;br /&gt;
 A note on Etymology:&lt;br /&gt;
 The term Queendom was originally something of a misnomer borne from human mistranslation, but it was quickly adopted by enemies of Clan Szek-Hakh as well as those who see the region’s cultural shift as dangerous or degenerate. Originally intended to be an insult related to what its detractors considered insufficient strength of rulership in the region, Lazak Szek-Hakh instead embraced the human-centric term as her own. By 2468 the name was in widespread colloquial use when it was officially changed in collaboration with the structuring of the Karszekani. The area is now officially known as the Szekziran. Literally translated as “Domain of the Ruler of Rivers”, the name was chosen to highlight the region’s continued distance and contrast from the more common Szekanan or “Domain of the Ruler of the Land”. Given the changes in gender identity described below, the association to rivers was applicable as rivers are more closely associated with [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Taa]] (Healers) due to their adaptable nature, whereas the firm and solid land is more closely related to [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Saa]] (Warriors). Going forward the colloquial term and the official name will be used interchangeably.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
== Culture &amp;amp; History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Yu’kal was a centre of the eastern hemisphere’s aquaculture industry, with the city nestled among the coasts. It was only after the death of Lord Jzsan Szeh-Hakn, Lazak’s spouse, that the realm’s reality shifted, and they were confronted with circumstances that most thought would result in the region’s collapse. However, Lady Lazak took critical steps to maintain the realm – in particular instituting widespread and extensive reformation of the aquacultural industry, mandating larger quotas, the creation of emergency provision stockpiles, and a focus on longevity. Increased enlistment and training in the city guard or militia was also instituted, irrespective of previous roles or abilities. Her quick thinking allowed many of the local cities to survive those first years, and they were even able to assist more distant neighbors, such as [[Zazalai_Mountains#Mudki|Mudki]]. These first crucial steps by Lazak allowed Yu’kal to weather the storm and serve as a beacon for clans fleeing their homes as a result of the roiling uncertainty of war. Quickly, the foundations of the Queendom began to form.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the end of the Contact War, the Szekziran was a well-established political entity within the Wasteland, with Lazak claiming her late husband’s title sometime during the climax of the nuclear cataclysm. When the dust had settled, the domain was intact but the toll of the war would yet be felt. Between the dead, chronically wounded, and others who fled or were lost, the saa population of the region was reduced by sixty eight percent. Less conservative estimates put the number closer to eighty. Changes to the aquaculture infrastructure proved key to the Queendom’s survival, but the work would grind on as the truth of the wastes became apparent. With the staggering loss of warriors in battle and the constant need for fishers to keep mouths fed and industry running, more and more healers found themselves pressed into positions outside their experience. [[The_Wasteland#Factions_of_the_Wasteland|Raiders]] from the wastes, lawlessness, and a number of robberies from food stockpiles necessitated the creation of an effective security force. The initial edict which allowed for anyone to work in the city guard or military became a requirement. Mandatory service was expected of all citizens, but in reality, most fishers were fully tasked and given an exception.The result was a peacekeeping force composed primarily of taa that were hastily trained and had not been steeped in [[Unathi_Honor#Honor_for_the_Warrior|warrior]] philosophy as many saa had been. Healers also found themselves thrust into positions of vacated leadership. Lazak had no hesitation in taking the reins of the realm and proved to be extremely competent, but change would not come as easily to the myriad lesser offices. Many were still held by old and conventional unathi, and not all of the healers available to take on the responsibility were as willing to upend [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|warrior dominated tradition]]. In the end, however, necessity won out in most cases and in others Lazak was able to find taa of like-mindedness and appoint them to most crucial positions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa soon found themselves in roles previously associated with saa across the Szekziran. Eventually the boundaries between the genders began to erode, and healers in martial roles began to be referred to as Taa’an; healer as of the land. Their unique background and lack of a traditional warrior mindset led to unconventional tactics and strategies in combat. Advanced anatomical and medical knowledge coupled with the willingness to fight in “less than honorable” ways resulted in a glut of early victories, boosting confidence in Lazak’s methods and ejecting a number of raiding bands that had been encroaching on her lands during the initial chaos. A semblance of order returned to the Queendom and many held the Taa’an in high esteem while the doubters were robbed of their footing. These successes led to permanent changes in training and enlistment which, over time, caused the fusion of healer and warrior to be entrenched in local culture as a healer-protector.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A number of those outside the Queendom’s influence saw the intertwining of warrior and healer as abominable, and Lazak’s continuing success as [[Sk&#039;akh#Sk&#039;akh_and_Gender|heretical]]. Several attempts to silence Lazak have been made since the end of the war, with the most notable culminating with the capture and [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exile]] of a would-be assassin. The Lord responsible was openly challenged by a Taa’an champion. Underestimating his challenger he sent his Saa firstborn to answer in a [[Unathi_Honor#Dueling|duel]] to first blood. Both the lord and his champion were humbled when the strike to draw first blood was so deft and exact that it took the hand off at the wrist before the first drops hit the ground. Though already accepted by thousands within her realm, this brought publicity to the Queen, allowing her to rise as a public and notable figure in Moghes and the greater Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Szekzir Lazak now leads the Szekziran in a precarious situation, with those aligning themselves to the Karszekani’s warrior-dominated customs calling for her exile due to her heretical twisting of Saa and Taa, making it harder for the aging ruler to find allies. Walking a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and other political rivals as part of the Karszekani, only with the coming of the future will the legend of the Queendom see itself either rise or fall.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Taa’an - Cutting out the Rot ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa’an as a term has been used to describe the new gender paradigm in the Szekziran since its inception but the ethos of its members has been refined over time. The mixing of a warrior’s insight with a healer’s precision has led to a guiding belief that destruction is necessary to the process of healing, and by contrast an avoidance of injury can cause greater harm. For example, killing a dangerous criminal can save lives tomorrow. By attempting to heal a plague ridden patient, you risk infection to others. A common axiom took root; you must cut out the rot of disease to save the body. To many, the methods of Taa’an seem bloodthirsty and show a sickness of soul that comes from the confusion of roles in the Queendom. Outsiders sometimes report ruthless measures taken by Taa’an in the execution of their duties and, as they were in the past, healer-protectors are not hesitant to use what some consider to be “honorless” tactics to achieve victory. Often this takes the form of ambush and guerilla warfare, but there are also rumors that they coat their reserve melee weapons in sedatives or poison to level the playing field; substances many are familiar with from the training they receive as healers. Veteran Taa’an who have proven their aptitude and dedication are known as Exemplars. They are often found in positions of leadership, directing their troops or officers with meticulous precision.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unfortunately, shouldering the burden of both warrior and healer can become overwhelming. In the field, Taa’an often experience a doubling of expectations; for example, they may be expected to charge the enemy one minute and then triage the wounded the next with no rest until duty is done. The continued exposure to adrenaline, trauma, and suffering in the majority of aspects of their role leads to a condition similar to what humans call “compassion fatigue”. As time goes by Taa’an become unwilling or unable to connect empathically with others. They become irritable and isolate socially as much as they are able and their duty allows. This can sometimes lead to a mental break or crisis, but over time the culturally accepted answer has become silent endurance. Known in the Queendom as “Honed Soul”, this isolating coping strategy is seen as strength of character and actively encouraged. So long as they don’t suffer a nervous breakdown, the longer one serves as Taa’an the more normalized this state of mind becomes. Exemplars often exhibit this as extreme vigilance and a cool detachment from their subordinates. They are “always on”, ready to move to action, either to attack or administer aid, but unable to express negative emotions or find regular catharsis. As elected positions are often chosen from veteran Taa’an ranks this affect can impact their relations with visitors and dignitaries. The result is a perception of the Queendom in general, and Taa’an specifically, of cold, calculating, and ruthless enigmas who stand outside of normal [[Unathi#Unathi_Culture|unathi culture]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As the war passes into history and the planet tries to heal, some have endeavored to revert the Szekziran back to more traditional practices and un-entangle the warrior and healer from one another. These attempts have largely met with abject failure due to Lazak’s influence and the rigorous adherence to the new paradigm by Taa’an of every rank. Very few traditionally recognized saa exist as the ones who survived the war pass and the young are folded into Taa’an training and development. The success of the Szekziran and the prowess of its healer-protectors is lauded as proof of the failings of Saa and the dominance of Taa’an. Opposition to the Queen or her policies is somewhat tolerated but significant agitators often find themselves seen as the rot needing to be cut and the majority are [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exiled]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion ===&lt;br /&gt;
The majority of the Queendom subscribes to [[Th&#039;akh|Th&#039;akh]], with Yu’kal containing within it a massive temple – easily compared to a cathedral – expressly giving homage to the realm’s alignment to the religion, constructed by Szekzir Lazak following the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Despite the realm’s majority-Th’akh following populace, Lazak has granted asylum to many journeying across the Wasteland regardless of which faith they subscribe to, and until recently even allowed [[Si&#039;akh|Si&#039;akh]] within her realm. After swearing fealty to the Izweski and joining the Karszekani, Lazak agreed to publicly denounce the religion. Those who choose to follow it are officially barred from her realm, yet an open secret of the Queen’s court is that she allows its adherents travelling through the Wasteland to reside within her borders – to varying degrees of permanence. While Si’akh is officially suppressed, it has nonetheless found fertile soil for its beliefs in the Szekziran. A significant number of Taa’an equate the cleansing and purification of Si’akh with their own beliefs of healing primarily through excision and debridement, and the Queen’s official denouncement, while arguably necessary, has become a catalyst for discontent and disagreement in an otherwise unified community.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Though the Szekziran’s tolerance for other religions is great, [[Aut&#039;akh|Aut&#039;akh]] is fiercely denounced and even despised. It is not unheard of for those within the confines of her realm that follow the heresy to find their prosthetic augments looted, or proselytisers lynched in the streets.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Major Cities ==&lt;br /&gt;
===Yu’kal===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The capital of the Queendom, Yu’kal has been reigned over for centuries by Clan Szek-Hakh. It had long been established, even prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], as a major population centre of great importance; mostly owing to trading structured around aquaculture. Though the nuclear cataclysm which [[Moghes]] was plunged into almost destroyed the city, Queen Lazak reigns benevolently to ensure that her people and her husband’s lineage, survive the perilous circumstances they’ve been confronted with. Though initially aligning with the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] during the outbreak of the Contract War, Yu’kal eventually saw itself shifting to becoming neutral to the conflict as it developed into the foundation of the Queendom. Now, it owes allegiance only to the Queen, and Clan Sezk-Hakh. Its architecture is similar to the other realms that pledged themselves to the [[Unathi History|Traditionalist Coalition]], with the main contrast being the Th’akh Cathedral replacing the town square. It is majority Th’akh. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Gzusz===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One of the newer cities to join the Queendom, Gzusz has become a refugee haven. On the outskirts of the realm’s eastern border, many from those travelling west initially arrive within the city – greeted by a growing city, which only decades before had a population of less than two-hundred. Though the [[Unathi History|Contact War]] has made it difficult to expand fast enough to accommodate those fleeing the Wasteland, Gzusz still maintains great importance to the Queendom, acting as a “buffer” between the Gawgaryn and Reclaimers against the Queendom. The majority of the newly arrived, in particular women, are inducted into the city’s guards, fighting off those that wish to question the Queendom’s ability to protect iself and its people. The influx of refugees means that Gzusz is rarely without round-the-clock protection. It is split between Sk’akh and Th’akh. It is ruled by Lady Zasza Szek-Hakh, Queen Lazak’s daughter. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Arch’ozal ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Named after the [[Th&#039;akh|Th’akh Spirit-God Archozmi]], Arch’ozal prides itself as being keeper and distributor of knowledge. Having sided with the Queendom since its inception, it has become a place of great academic advancements – at least in terms of the Wasteland. Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Arch’ozal was the centre of academia within Moghes’ eastern hemisphere; with Clan Ghzakal reigning over it. The destruction brought on by the nuclear war, and the lack of means to sustain itself, Clan Ghzakal fled from the city – leaving it and its populace having to fend for themselves. It was only after the radioactive ashes began to set that Queen Lazak sent emissaries towards the city, eventually persuading them to follow her custom doctrines. She appointed her daughter, Tzansa Szek-Hakh, as Lady-Regent until another woman with a rightful claim to Arch’ozal returned. It is majority Sk’akh, however, the population of Th’akh has slowly been growing over the years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38850</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38850"/>
		<updated>2026-03-27T00:44:43Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: /* Religion */&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Unathi_Culture}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{toc_right}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:QueendomFlag.png|thumb|The Queendom&#039;s Flag. ]]&lt;br /&gt;
Situated across [[Moghes]]’ eastern hemisphere, within the Guzan region amid the Tzuszah Wastes, the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh has managed to survive and develop in spite of the instability caused by the consequences of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Isolated from its enemies thanks to the extensive, growing [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]], it is led by the elderly Lazak Szek-Hakh alongside her daughters, Zasza and Tzansa. Though the encroachment of the wastes has made resources within the previously lush province somewhat scarce, the region manages to teeter between thriving and languishing thanks to the extensive aquaculture industry that exists within the capital of Yu’kal – expanded upon by Szekzir Lazak following the death of her husband during the war. Unfortunately due to the continued growth of the wastes, distrust from more conservative Unathi, and the isolationist stance of the Szek-Hakh leadership, the future of the area is uncertain.&lt;br /&gt;
 A note on Etymology:&lt;br /&gt;
 The term Queendom was originally something of a misnomer borne from human mistranslation, but it was quickly adopted by enemies of Clan Szek-Hakh as well as those who see the region’s cultural shift as dangerous or degenerate. Originally intended to be an insult related to what its detractors considered insufficient strength of rulership in the region, Lazak Szek-Hakh instead embraced the human-centric term as her own. By 2468 the name was in widespread colloquial use when it was officially changed in collaboration with the structuring of the Karszekani. The area is now officially known as the Szekziran. Literally translated as “Domain of the Ruler of Rivers”, the name was chosen to highlight the region’s continued distance and contrast from the more common Szekanan or “Domain of the Ruler of the Land”. Given the changes in gender identity described below, the association to rivers was applicable as rivers are more closely associated with [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Taa]] (Healers) due to their adaptable nature, whereas the firm and solid land is more closely related to [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Saa]] (Warriors). Going forward the colloquial term and the official name will be used interchangeably.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
== Culture &amp;amp; History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Yu’kal was a centre of the eastern hemisphere’s aquaculture industry, with the city nestled among the coasts. It was only after the death of Lord Jzsan Szeh-Hakn, Lazak’s spouse, that the realm’s reality shifted, and they were confronted with circumstances that most thought would result in the region’s collapse. However, Lady Lazak took critical steps to maintain the realm – in particular instituting widespread and extensive reformation of the aquacultural industry, mandating larger quotas, the creation of emergency provision stockpiles, and a focus on longevity. Increased enlistment and training in the city guard or militia was also instituted, irrespective of previous roles or abilities. Her quick thinking allowed many of the local cities to survive those first years, and they were even able to assist more distant neighbors, such as [[Zazalai_Mountains#Mudki|Mudki]]. These first crucial steps by Lazak allowed Yu’kal to weather the storm and serve as a beacon for clans fleeing their homes as a result of the roiling uncertainty of war. Quickly, the foundations of the Queendom began to form.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the end of the Contact War, the Szekziran was a well-established political entity within the Wasteland, with Lazak claiming her late husband’s title sometime during the climax of the nuclear cataclysm. When the dust had settled, the domain was intact but the toll of the war would yet be felt. Between the dead, chronically wounded, and others who fled or were lost, the saa population of the region was reduced by sixty eight percent. Less conservative estimates put the number closer to eighty. Changes to the aquaculture infrastructure proved key to the Queendom’s survival, but the work would grind on as the truth of the wastes became apparent. With the staggering loss of warriors in battle and the constant need for fishers to keep mouths fed and industry running, more and more healers found themselves pressed into positions outside their experience. [[The_Wasteland#Factions_of_the_Wasteland|Raiders]] from the wastes, lawlessness, and a number of robberies from food stockpiles necessitated the creation of an effective security force. The initial edict which allowed for anyone to work in the city guard or military became a requirement. Mandatory service was expected of all citizens, but in reality, most fishers were fully tasked and given an exception.The result was a peacekeeping force composed primarily of taa that were hastily trained and had not been steeped in [[Unathi_Honor#Honor_for_the_Warrior|warrior]] philosophy as many saa had been. Healers also found themselves thrust into positions of vacated leadership. Lazak had no hesitation in taking the reins of the realm and proved to be extremely competent, but change would not come as easily to the myriad lesser offices. Many were still held by old and conventional unathi, and not all of the healers available to take on the responsibility were as willing to upend [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|warrior dominated tradition]]. In the end, however, necessity won out in most cases and in others Lazak was able to find taa of like-mindedness and appoint them to most crucial positions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa soon found themselves in roles previously associated with saa across the Szekziran. Eventually the boundaries between the genders began to erode, and healers in martial roles began to be referred to as Taa’an; healer as of the land. Their unique background and lack of a traditional warrior mindset led to unconventional tactics and strategies in combat. Advanced anatomical and medical knowledge coupled with the willingness to fight in “less than honorable” ways resulted in a glut of early victories, boosting confidence in Lazak’s methods and ejecting a number of raiding bands that had been encroaching on her lands during the initial chaos. A semblance of order returned to the Queendom and many held the Taa’an in high esteem while the doubters were robbed of their footing. These successes led to permanent changes in training and enlistment which, over time, caused the fusion of healer and warrior to be entrenched in local culture as a healer-protector.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A number of those outside the Queendom’s influence saw the intertwining of warrior and healer as abominable, and Lazak’s continuing success as [[Sk&#039;akh#Sk&#039;akh_and_Gender|heretical]]. Several attempts to silence Lazak have been made since the end of the war, with the most notable culminating with the capture and [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exile]] of a would-be assassin. The Lord responsible was openly challenged by a Taa’an champion. Underestimating his challenger he sent his Saa firstborn to answer in a [[Unathi_Honor#Dueling|duel]] to first blood. Both the lord and his champion were humbled when the strike to draw first blood was so deft and exact that it took the hand off at the wrist before the first drops hit the ground. Though already accepted by thousands within her realm, this brought publicity to the Queen, allowing her to rise as a public and notable figure in Moghes and the greater Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Szekzir Lazak now leads the Szekziran in a precarious situation, with those aligning themselves to the Karszekani’s warrior-dominated customs calling for her exile due to her heretical twisting of Saa and Taa, making it harder for the aging ruler to find allies. Walking a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and other political rivals as part of the Karszekani, only with the coming of the future will the legend of the Queendom see itself either rise or fall.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Taa’an - Cutting out the Rot ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa’an as a term has been used to describe the new gender paradigm in the Szekziran since its inception but the ethos of its members has been refined over time. The mixing of a warrior’s insight with a healer’s precision has led to a guiding belief that destruction is necessary to the process of healing, and by contrast an avoidance of injury can cause greater harm. For example, killing a dangerous criminal can save lives tomorrow. By attempting to heal a plague ridden patient, you risk infection to others. A common axiom took root; you must cut out the rot of disease to save the body. To many, the methods of Taa’an seem bloodthirsty and show a sickness of soul that comes from the confusion of roles in the Queendom. Outsiders sometimes report ruthless measures taken by Taa’an in the execution of their duties and, as they were in the past, healer-protectors are not hesitant to use what some consider to be “honorless” tactics to achieve victory. Often this takes the form of ambush and guerilla warfare, but there are also rumors that they coat their reserve melee weapons in sedatives or poison to level the playing field; substances many are familiar with from the training they receive as healers. Veteran Taa’an who have proven their aptitude and dedication are known as Exemplars. They are often found in positions of leadership, directing their troops or officers with meticulous precision.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unfortunately, shouldering the burden of both warrior and healer can become overwhelming. In the field, Taa’an often experience a doubling of expectations; for example, they may be expected to charge the enemy one minute and then triage the wounded the next with no rest until duty is done. The continued exposure to adrenaline, trauma, and suffering in the majority of aspects of their role leads to a condition similar to what humans call “compassion fatigue”. As time goes by Taa’an become unwilling or unable to connect empathically with others. They become irritable and isolate socially as much as they are able and their duty allows. This can sometimes lead to a mental break or crisis, but over time the culturally accepted answer has become silent endurance. Known in the Queendom as “Honed Soul”, this isolating coping strategy is seen as strength of character and actively encouraged. So long as they don’t suffer a nervous breakdown, the longer one serves as Taa’an the more normalized this state of mind becomes. Exemplars often exhibit this as extreme vigilance and a cool detachment from their subordinates. They are “always on”, ready to move to action, either to attack or administer aid, but unable to express negative emotions or find regular catharsis. As elected positions are often chosen from veteran Taa’an ranks this affect can impact their relations with visitors and dignitaries. The result is a perception of the Queendom in general, and Taa’an specifically, of cold, calculating, and ruthless enigmas who stand outside of normal [[Unathi#Unathi_Culture|unathi culture]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As the war passes into history and the planet tries to heal, some have endeavored to revert the Szekziran back to more traditional practices and un-entangle the warrior and healer from one another. These attempts have largely met with abject failure due to Lazak’s influence and the rigorous adherence to the new paradigm by Taa’an of every rank. Very few traditionally recognized saa exist as the ones who survived the war pass and the young are folded into Taa’an training and development. The success of the Szekziran and the prowess of its healer-protectors is lauded as proof of the failings of Saa and the dominance of Taa’an. Opposition to the Queen or her policies is somewhat tolerated but significant agitators often find themselves seen as the rot needing to be cut and the majority are [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exiled]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion ===&lt;br /&gt;
The majority of the Queendom subscribes to [[Th&#039;akh|Th&#039;akh]], with Yu’kal containing within it a massive temple – easily compared to a cathedral – expressly giving homage to the realm’s alignment to the religion, constructed by Szekzir Lazak following the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Despite the realm’s majority-Th’akh following populace, Lazak has granted asylum to many journeying across the Wasteland regardless of which faith they subscribe to, and until recently even allowed [[Si&#039;akh|Si&#039;akh]] within her realm. After swearing fealty to the Izweski and joining the Karszekani, Lazak agreed to publicly denounce the religion. Those who choose to follow it are officially barred from her realm, yet an open secret of the Queen’s court is that she allows its adherents travelling through the Wasteland to reside within her borders – to varying degrees of permanence. While Si’akh is officially suppressed, it has nonetheless found fertile soil for its beliefs in the Szekziran. A significant number of Taa’an equate the cleansing and purification of Si’akh with their own beliefs of healing primarily through excision and debridement, and the Queen’s official denouncement, while arguably necessary, has become a catalyst for discontent and disagreement in an otherwise unified community. &lt;br /&gt;
Though the Szekziran’s tolerance for other religions is great, [[Aut&#039;akh|Aut&#039;akh]] is fiercely denounced and even despised. It is not unheard of for those within the confines of her realm that follow the heresy to find their prosthetic augments looted, or proselytisers lynched in the streets.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Major Cities ==&lt;br /&gt;
===Yu’kal===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The capital of the Queendom, Yu’kal has been reigned over for centuries by Clan Szek-Hakh. It had long been established, even prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], as a major population centre of great importance; mostly owing to trading structured around aquaculture. Though the nuclear cataclysm which [[Moghes]] was plunged into almost destroyed the city, Queen Lazak reigns benevolently to ensure that her people and her husband’s lineage, survive the perilous circumstances they’ve been confronted with. Though initially aligning with the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] during the outbreak of the Contract War, Yu’kal eventually saw itself shifting to becoming neutral to the conflict as it developed into the foundation of the Queendom. Now, it owes allegiance only to the Queen, and Clan Sezk-Hakh. Its architecture is similar to the other realms that pledged themselves to the [[Unathi History|Traditionalist Coalition]], with the main contrast being the Th’akh Cathedral replacing the town square. It is majority Th’akh. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Gzusz===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One of the newer cities to join the Queendom, Gzusz has become a refugee haven. On the outskirts of the realm’s eastern border, many from those travelling west initially arrive within the city – greeted by a growing city, which only decades before had a population of less than two-hundred. Though the [[Unathi History|Contact War]] has made it difficult to expand fast enough to accommodate those fleeing the Wasteland, Gzusz still maintains great importance to the Queendom, acting as a “buffer” between the Gawgaryn and Reclaimers against the Queendom. The majority of the newly arrived, in particular women, are inducted into the city’s guards, fighting off those that wish to question the Queendom’s ability to protect iself and its people. The influx of refugees means that Gzusz is rarely without round-the-clock protection. It is split between Sk’akh and Th’akh. It is ruled by Lady Zasza Szek-Hakh, Queen Lazak’s daughter. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Arch’ozal ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Named after the [[Th&#039;akh|Th’akh Spirit-God Archozmi]], Arch’ozal prides itself as being keeper and distributor of knowledge. Having sided with the Queendom since its inception, it has become a place of great academic advancements – at least in terms of the Wasteland. Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Arch’ozal was the centre of academia within Moghes’ eastern hemisphere; with Clan Ghzakal reigning over it. The destruction brought on by the nuclear war, and the lack of means to sustain itself, Clan Ghzakal fled from the city – leaving it and its populace having to fend for themselves. It was only after the radioactive ashes began to set that Queen Lazak sent emissaries towards the city, eventually persuading them to follow her custom doctrines. She appointed her daughter, Tzansa Szek-Hakh, as Lady-Regent until another woman with a rightful claim to Arch’ozal returned. It is majority Sk’akh, however, the population of Th’akh has slowly been growing over the years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38849</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38849"/>
		<updated>2026-03-27T00:39:47Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: /* Taa’an - Cutting out the Rot */&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Unathi_Culture}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{toc_right}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:QueendomFlag.png|thumb|The Queendom&#039;s Flag. ]]&lt;br /&gt;
Situated across [[Moghes]]’ eastern hemisphere, within the Guzan region amid the Tzuszah Wastes, the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh has managed to survive and develop in spite of the instability caused by the consequences of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Isolated from its enemies thanks to the extensive, growing [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]], it is led by the elderly Lazak Szek-Hakh alongside her daughters, Zasza and Tzansa. Though the encroachment of the wastes has made resources within the previously lush province somewhat scarce, the region manages to teeter between thriving and languishing thanks to the extensive aquaculture industry that exists within the capital of Yu’kal – expanded upon by Szekzir Lazak following the death of her husband during the war. Unfortunately due to the continued growth of the wastes, distrust from more conservative Unathi, and the isolationist stance of the Szek-Hakh leadership, the future of the area is uncertain.&lt;br /&gt;
 A note on Etymology:&lt;br /&gt;
 The term Queendom was originally something of a misnomer borne from human mistranslation, but it was quickly adopted by enemies of Clan Szek-Hakh as well as those who see the region’s cultural shift as dangerous or degenerate. Originally intended to be an insult related to what its detractors considered insufficient strength of rulership in the region, Lazak Szek-Hakh instead embraced the human-centric term as her own. By 2468 the name was in widespread colloquial use when it was officially changed in collaboration with the structuring of the Karszekani. The area is now officially known as the Szekziran. Literally translated as “Domain of the Ruler of Rivers”, the name was chosen to highlight the region’s continued distance and contrast from the more common Szekanan or “Domain of the Ruler of the Land”. Given the changes in gender identity described below, the association to rivers was applicable as rivers are more closely associated with [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Taa]] (Healers) due to their adaptable nature, whereas the firm and solid land is more closely related to [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Saa]] (Warriors). Going forward the colloquial term and the official name will be used interchangeably.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
== Culture &amp;amp; History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Yu’kal was a centre of the eastern hemisphere’s aquaculture industry, with the city nestled among the coasts. It was only after the death of Lord Jzsan Szeh-Hakn, Lazak’s spouse, that the realm’s reality shifted, and they were confronted with circumstances that most thought would result in the region’s collapse. However, Lady Lazak took critical steps to maintain the realm – in particular instituting widespread and extensive reformation of the aquacultural industry, mandating larger quotas, the creation of emergency provision stockpiles, and a focus on longevity. Increased enlistment and training in the city guard or militia was also instituted, irrespective of previous roles or abilities. Her quick thinking allowed many of the local cities to survive those first years, and they were even able to assist more distant neighbors, such as [[Zazalai_Mountains#Mudki|Mudki]]. These first crucial steps by Lazak allowed Yu’kal to weather the storm and serve as a beacon for clans fleeing their homes as a result of the roiling uncertainty of war. Quickly, the foundations of the Queendom began to form.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the end of the Contact War, the Szekziran was a well-established political entity within the Wasteland, with Lazak claiming her late husband’s title sometime during the climax of the nuclear cataclysm. When the dust had settled, the domain was intact but the toll of the war would yet be felt. Between the dead, chronically wounded, and others who fled or were lost, the saa population of the region was reduced by sixty eight percent. Less conservative estimates put the number closer to eighty. Changes to the aquaculture infrastructure proved key to the Queendom’s survival, but the work would grind on as the truth of the wastes became apparent. With the staggering loss of warriors in battle and the constant need for fishers to keep mouths fed and industry running, more and more healers found themselves pressed into positions outside their experience. [[The_Wasteland#Factions_of_the_Wasteland|Raiders]] from the wastes, lawlessness, and a number of robberies from food stockpiles necessitated the creation of an effective security force. The initial edict which allowed for anyone to work in the city guard or military became a requirement. Mandatory service was expected of all citizens, but in reality, most fishers were fully tasked and given an exception.The result was a peacekeeping force composed primarily of taa that were hastily trained and had not been steeped in [[Unathi_Honor#Honor_for_the_Warrior|warrior]] philosophy as many saa had been. Healers also found themselves thrust into positions of vacated leadership. Lazak had no hesitation in taking the reins of the realm and proved to be extremely competent, but change would not come as easily to the myriad lesser offices. Many were still held by old and conventional unathi, and not all of the healers available to take on the responsibility were as willing to upend [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|warrior dominated tradition]]. In the end, however, necessity won out in most cases and in others Lazak was able to find taa of like-mindedness and appoint them to most crucial positions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa soon found themselves in roles previously associated with saa across the Szekziran. Eventually the boundaries between the genders began to erode, and healers in martial roles began to be referred to as Taa’an; healer as of the land. Their unique background and lack of a traditional warrior mindset led to unconventional tactics and strategies in combat. Advanced anatomical and medical knowledge coupled with the willingness to fight in “less than honorable” ways resulted in a glut of early victories, boosting confidence in Lazak’s methods and ejecting a number of raiding bands that had been encroaching on her lands during the initial chaos. A semblance of order returned to the Queendom and many held the Taa’an in high esteem while the doubters were robbed of their footing. These successes led to permanent changes in training and enlistment which, over time, caused the fusion of healer and warrior to be entrenched in local culture as a healer-protector.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A number of those outside the Queendom’s influence saw the intertwining of warrior and healer as abominable, and Lazak’s continuing success as [[Sk&#039;akh#Sk&#039;akh_and_Gender|heretical]]. Several attempts to silence Lazak have been made since the end of the war, with the most notable culminating with the capture and [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exile]] of a would-be assassin. The Lord responsible was openly challenged by a Taa’an champion. Underestimating his challenger he sent his Saa firstborn to answer in a [[Unathi_Honor#Dueling|duel]] to first blood. Both the lord and his champion were humbled when the strike to draw first blood was so deft and exact that it took the hand off at the wrist before the first drops hit the ground. Though already accepted by thousands within her realm, this brought publicity to the Queen, allowing her to rise as a public and notable figure in Moghes and the greater Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Szekzir Lazak now leads the Szekziran in a precarious situation, with those aligning themselves to the Karszekani’s warrior-dominated customs calling for her exile due to her heretical twisting of Saa and Taa, making it harder for the aging ruler to find allies. Walking a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and other political rivals as part of the Karszekani, only with the coming of the future will the legend of the Queendom see itself either rise or fall.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Taa’an - Cutting out the Rot ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa’an as a term has been used to describe the new gender paradigm in the Szekziran since its inception but the ethos of its members has been refined over time. The mixing of a warrior’s insight with a healer’s precision has led to a guiding belief that destruction is necessary to the process of healing, and by contrast an avoidance of injury can cause greater harm. For example, killing a dangerous criminal can save lives tomorrow. By attempting to heal a plague ridden patient, you risk infection to others. A common axiom took root; you must cut out the rot of disease to save the body. To many, the methods of Taa’an seem bloodthirsty and show a sickness of soul that comes from the confusion of roles in the Queendom. Outsiders sometimes report ruthless measures taken by Taa’an in the execution of their duties and, as they were in the past, healer-protectors are not hesitant to use what some consider to be “honorless” tactics to achieve victory. Often this takes the form of ambush and guerilla warfare, but there are also rumors that they coat their reserve melee weapons in sedatives or poison to level the playing field; substances many are familiar with from the training they receive as healers. Veteran Taa’an who have proven their aptitude and dedication are known as Exemplars. They are often found in positions of leadership, directing their troops or officers with meticulous precision.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unfortunately, shouldering the burden of both warrior and healer can become overwhelming. In the field, Taa’an often experience a doubling of expectations; for example, they may be expected to charge the enemy one minute and then triage the wounded the next with no rest until duty is done. The continued exposure to adrenaline, trauma, and suffering in the majority of aspects of their role leads to a condition similar to what humans call “compassion fatigue”. As time goes by Taa’an become unwilling or unable to connect empathically with others. They become irritable and isolate socially as much as they are able and their duty allows. This can sometimes lead to a mental break or crisis, but over time the culturally accepted answer has become silent endurance. Known in the Queendom as “Honed Soul”, this isolating coping strategy is seen as strength of character and actively encouraged. So long as they don’t suffer a nervous breakdown, the longer one serves as Taa’an the more normalized this state of mind becomes. Exemplars often exhibit this as extreme vigilance and a cool detachment from their subordinates. They are “always on”, ready to move to action, either to attack or administer aid, but unable to express negative emotions or find regular catharsis. As elected positions are often chosen from veteran Taa’an ranks this affect can impact their relations with visitors and dignitaries. The result is a perception of the Queendom in general, and Taa’an specifically, of cold, calculating, and ruthless enigmas who stand outside of normal [[Unathi#Unathi_Culture|unathi culture]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As the war passes into history and the planet tries to heal, some have endeavored to revert the Szekziran back to more traditional practices and un-entangle the warrior and healer from one another. These attempts have largely met with abject failure due to Lazak’s influence and the rigorous adherence to the new paradigm by Taa’an of every rank. Very few traditionally recognized saa exist as the ones who survived the war pass and the young are folded into Taa’an training and development. The success of the Szekziran and the prowess of its healer-protectors is lauded as proof of the failings of Saa and the dominance of Taa’an. Opposition to the Queen or her policies is somewhat tolerated but significant agitators often find themselves seen as the rot needing to be cut and the majority are [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exiled]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion ===&lt;br /&gt;
The majority of the Queendom subscribes to [[Th&#039;akh]], with Yu’kal containing within it a massive temple – easily compared to a cathedral – expressly giving homage to the realm’s alignment to the religion, constructed by Queen Lazak following the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Despite the realm’s majority-Th’akh following populace, Queen Lazak has granted asylum to many journeying across the Wasteland regardless of which faith they subscribe to, and until recently even allowed [[Si&#039;akh]] within her realm. However, by attempting to appease the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] to allow her more time to seek allies, Queen Lazak agreed to the demands of representatives of the Hegemony to publicly denounce the religion and those who choose to follow the religion are disallowed from her realm; however, an open secret of the Queen’s court is that she allows members travelling through the Wasteland to reside within its borders – temporarily. Though the Queendom’s tolerance for other religions is great, [[Aut&#039;akh]] is fiercely denounced and even despised, even by the compassionate Queen. It is not unheard of for those within the confines of her realm that follow the heresy to find their prosthetic augments looted, or proselytisers lynched in the streets. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Major Cities ==&lt;br /&gt;
===Yu’kal===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The capital of the Queendom, Yu’kal has been reigned over for centuries by Clan Szek-Hakh. It had long been established, even prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], as a major population centre of great importance; mostly owing to trading structured around aquaculture. Though the nuclear cataclysm which [[Moghes]] was plunged into almost destroyed the city, Queen Lazak reigns benevolently to ensure that her people and her husband’s lineage, survive the perilous circumstances they’ve been confronted with. Though initially aligning with the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] during the outbreak of the Contract War, Yu’kal eventually saw itself shifting to becoming neutral to the conflict as it developed into the foundation of the Queendom. Now, it owes allegiance only to the Queen, and Clan Sezk-Hakh. Its architecture is similar to the other realms that pledged themselves to the [[Unathi History|Traditionalist Coalition]], with the main contrast being the Th’akh Cathedral replacing the town square. It is majority Th’akh. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Gzusz===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One of the newer cities to join the Queendom, Gzusz has become a refugee haven. On the outskirts of the realm’s eastern border, many from those travelling west initially arrive within the city – greeted by a growing city, which only decades before had a population of less than two-hundred. Though the [[Unathi History|Contact War]] has made it difficult to expand fast enough to accommodate those fleeing the Wasteland, Gzusz still maintains great importance to the Queendom, acting as a “buffer” between the Gawgaryn and Reclaimers against the Queendom. The majority of the newly arrived, in particular women, are inducted into the city’s guards, fighting off those that wish to question the Queendom’s ability to protect iself and its people. The influx of refugees means that Gzusz is rarely without round-the-clock protection. It is split between Sk’akh and Th’akh. It is ruled by Lady Zasza Szek-Hakh, Queen Lazak’s daughter. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Arch’ozal ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Named after the [[Th&#039;akh|Th’akh Spirit-God Archozmi]], Arch’ozal prides itself as being keeper and distributor of knowledge. Having sided with the Queendom since its inception, it has become a place of great academic advancements – at least in terms of the Wasteland. Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Arch’ozal was the centre of academia within Moghes’ eastern hemisphere; with Clan Ghzakal reigning over it. The destruction brought on by the nuclear war, and the lack of means to sustain itself, Clan Ghzakal fled from the city – leaving it and its populace having to fend for themselves. It was only after the radioactive ashes began to set that Queen Lazak sent emissaries towards the city, eventually persuading them to follow her custom doctrines. She appointed her daughter, Tzansa Szek-Hakh, as Lady-Regent until another woman with a rightful claim to Arch’ozal returned. It is majority Sk’akh, however, the population of Th’akh has slowly been growing over the years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38848</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38848"/>
		<updated>2026-03-27T00:39:12Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: /* Taa’an - Cutting out the Rot */&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Unathi_Culture}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{toc_right}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:QueendomFlag.png|thumb|The Queendom&#039;s Flag. ]]&lt;br /&gt;
Situated across [[Moghes]]’ eastern hemisphere, within the Guzan region amid the Tzuszah Wastes, the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh has managed to survive and develop in spite of the instability caused by the consequences of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Isolated from its enemies thanks to the extensive, growing [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]], it is led by the elderly Lazak Szek-Hakh alongside her daughters, Zasza and Tzansa. Though the encroachment of the wastes has made resources within the previously lush province somewhat scarce, the region manages to teeter between thriving and languishing thanks to the extensive aquaculture industry that exists within the capital of Yu’kal – expanded upon by Szekzir Lazak following the death of her husband during the war. Unfortunately due to the continued growth of the wastes, distrust from more conservative Unathi, and the isolationist stance of the Szek-Hakh leadership, the future of the area is uncertain.&lt;br /&gt;
 A note on Etymology:&lt;br /&gt;
 The term Queendom was originally something of a misnomer borne from human mistranslation, but it was quickly adopted by enemies of Clan Szek-Hakh as well as those who see the region’s cultural shift as dangerous or degenerate. Originally intended to be an insult related to what its detractors considered insufficient strength of rulership in the region, Lazak Szek-Hakh instead embraced the human-centric term as her own. By 2468 the name was in widespread colloquial use when it was officially changed in collaboration with the structuring of the Karszekani. The area is now officially known as the Szekziran. Literally translated as “Domain of the Ruler of Rivers”, the name was chosen to highlight the region’s continued distance and contrast from the more common Szekanan or “Domain of the Ruler of the Land”. Given the changes in gender identity described below, the association to rivers was applicable as rivers are more closely associated with [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Taa]] (Healers) due to their adaptable nature, whereas the firm and solid land is more closely related to [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Saa]] (Warriors). Going forward the colloquial term and the official name will be used interchangeably.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
== Culture &amp;amp; History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Yu’kal was a centre of the eastern hemisphere’s aquaculture industry, with the city nestled among the coasts. It was only after the death of Lord Jzsan Szeh-Hakn, Lazak’s spouse, that the realm’s reality shifted, and they were confronted with circumstances that most thought would result in the region’s collapse. However, Lady Lazak took critical steps to maintain the realm – in particular instituting widespread and extensive reformation of the aquacultural industry, mandating larger quotas, the creation of emergency provision stockpiles, and a focus on longevity. Increased enlistment and training in the city guard or militia was also instituted, irrespective of previous roles or abilities. Her quick thinking allowed many of the local cities to survive those first years, and they were even able to assist more distant neighbors, such as [[Zazalai_Mountains#Mudki|Mudki]]. These first crucial steps by Lazak allowed Yu’kal to weather the storm and serve as a beacon for clans fleeing their homes as a result of the roiling uncertainty of war. Quickly, the foundations of the Queendom began to form.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the end of the Contact War, the Szekziran was a well-established political entity within the Wasteland, with Lazak claiming her late husband’s title sometime during the climax of the nuclear cataclysm. When the dust had settled, the domain was intact but the toll of the war would yet be felt. Between the dead, chronically wounded, and others who fled or were lost, the saa population of the region was reduced by sixty eight percent. Less conservative estimates put the number closer to eighty. Changes to the aquaculture infrastructure proved key to the Queendom’s survival, but the work would grind on as the truth of the wastes became apparent. With the staggering loss of warriors in battle and the constant need for fishers to keep mouths fed and industry running, more and more healers found themselves pressed into positions outside their experience. [[The_Wasteland#Factions_of_the_Wasteland|Raiders]] from the wastes, lawlessness, and a number of robberies from food stockpiles necessitated the creation of an effective security force. The initial edict which allowed for anyone to work in the city guard or military became a requirement. Mandatory service was expected of all citizens, but in reality, most fishers were fully tasked and given an exception.The result was a peacekeeping force composed primarily of taa that were hastily trained and had not been steeped in [[Unathi_Honor#Honor_for_the_Warrior|warrior]] philosophy as many saa had been. Healers also found themselves thrust into positions of vacated leadership. Lazak had no hesitation in taking the reins of the realm and proved to be extremely competent, but change would not come as easily to the myriad lesser offices. Many were still held by old and conventional unathi, and not all of the healers available to take on the responsibility were as willing to upend [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|warrior dominated tradition]]. In the end, however, necessity won out in most cases and in others Lazak was able to find taa of like-mindedness and appoint them to most crucial positions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa soon found themselves in roles previously associated with saa across the Szekziran. Eventually the boundaries between the genders began to erode, and healers in martial roles began to be referred to as Taa’an; healer as of the land. Their unique background and lack of a traditional warrior mindset led to unconventional tactics and strategies in combat. Advanced anatomical and medical knowledge coupled with the willingness to fight in “less than honorable” ways resulted in a glut of early victories, boosting confidence in Lazak’s methods and ejecting a number of raiding bands that had been encroaching on her lands during the initial chaos. A semblance of order returned to the Queendom and many held the Taa’an in high esteem while the doubters were robbed of their footing. These successes led to permanent changes in training and enlistment which, over time, caused the fusion of healer and warrior to be entrenched in local culture as a healer-protector.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A number of those outside the Queendom’s influence saw the intertwining of warrior and healer as abominable, and Lazak’s continuing success as [[Sk&#039;akh#Sk&#039;akh_and_Gender|heretical]]. Several attempts to silence Lazak have been made since the end of the war, with the most notable culminating with the capture and [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exile]] of a would-be assassin. The Lord responsible was openly challenged by a Taa’an champion. Underestimating his challenger he sent his Saa firstborn to answer in a [[Unathi_Honor#Dueling|duel]] to first blood. Both the lord and his champion were humbled when the strike to draw first blood was so deft and exact that it took the hand off at the wrist before the first drops hit the ground. Though already accepted by thousands within her realm, this brought publicity to the Queen, allowing her to rise as a public and notable figure in Moghes and the greater Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Szekzir Lazak now leads the Szekziran in a precarious situation, with those aligning themselves to the Karszekani’s warrior-dominated customs calling for her exile due to her heretical twisting of Saa and Taa, making it harder for the aging ruler to find allies. Walking a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and other political rivals as part of the Karszekani, only with the coming of the future will the legend of the Queendom see itself either rise or fall.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Taa’an - Cutting out the Rot ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa’an as a term has been used to describe the new gender paradigm in the Szekziran since its inception but the ethos of its members has been refined over time. The mixing of a warrior’s insight with a healer’s precision has led to a guiding belief that destruction is necessary to the process of healing, and by contrast an avoidance of injury can cause greater harm. For example, killing a dangerous criminal can save lives tomorrow. By attempting to heal a plague ridden patient, you risk infection to others. A common axiom took root; you must cut out the rot of disease to save the body. To many, the methods of Taa’an seem bloodthirsty and show a sickness of soul that comes from the confusion of roles in the Queendom. Outsiders sometimes report ruthless measures taken by Taa’an in the execution of their duties and, as they were in the past, healer-protectors are not hesitant to use what some consider to be “honorless” tactics to achieve victory. Often this takes the form of ambush and guerilla warfare, but there are also rumors that they coat their reserve melee weapons in sedatives or poison to level the playing field; substances many are familiar with from the training they receive as healers. Veteran Taa’an who have proven their aptitude and dedication are known as Exemplars. They are often found in positions of leadership, directing their troops or officers with meticulous precision.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unfortunately, shouldering the burden of both warrior and healer can become overwhelming. In the field, Taa’an often experience a doubling of expectations; for example, they may be expected to charge the enemy one minute and then triage the wounded the next with no rest until duty is done. The continued exposure to adrenaline, trauma, and suffering in the majority of aspects of their role leads to a condition similar to what humans call “compassion fatigue”. As time goes by Taa’an become unwilling or unable to connect empathically with others. They become irritable and isolate socially as much as they are able and their duty allows. This can sometimes lead to a mental break or crisis, but over time the culturally accepted answer has become silent endurance. Known in the Queendom as “Honed Soul”, this isolating coping strategy is seen as strength of character and actively encouraged. So long as they don’t suffer a nervous breakdown, the longer one serves as Taa’an the more normalized this state of mind becomes. Exemplars often exhibit this as extreme vigilance and a cool detachment from their subordinates. They are “always on”, ready to move to action, either to attack or administer aid, but unable to express negative emotions or find regular catharsis. As elected positions are often chosen from veteran Taa’an ranks this affect can impact their relations with visitors and dignitaries. The result is a perception of the Queendom in general, and Taa’an specifically, of cold, calculating, and ruthless enigmas who stand outside of normal [[Unathi#Unathi_Culture|unathi culture]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As the war passes into history and the planet tries to heal, some have endeavored to revert the Szekziran back to more traditional practices and unentangle the warrior and healer from one another. These attempts have largely met with abject failure due to Lazak’s influence and the rigorous adherence to the new paradigm by Taa’an of every rank. Very few traditionally recognized saa exist as the ones who survived the war pass and the young are folded into Taa’an training and development. The success of the Szekziran and the prowess of its healer-protectors is lauded as proof of the failings of Saa and the dominance of Taa’an. Opposition to the Queen or her policies is somewhat tolerated but significant agitators often find themselves seen as the rot needing to be cut and the majority are [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exiled]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion ===&lt;br /&gt;
The majority of the Queendom subscribes to [[Th&#039;akh]], with Yu’kal containing within it a massive temple – easily compared to a cathedral – expressly giving homage to the realm’s alignment to the religion, constructed by Queen Lazak following the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Despite the realm’s majority-Th’akh following populace, Queen Lazak has granted asylum to many journeying across the Wasteland regardless of which faith they subscribe to, and until recently even allowed [[Si&#039;akh]] within her realm. However, by attempting to appease the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] to allow her more time to seek allies, Queen Lazak agreed to the demands of representatives of the Hegemony to publicly denounce the religion and those who choose to follow the religion are disallowed from her realm; however, an open secret of the Queen’s court is that she allows members travelling through the Wasteland to reside within its borders – temporarily. Though the Queendom’s tolerance for other religions is great, [[Aut&#039;akh]] is fiercely denounced and even despised, even by the compassionate Queen. It is not unheard of for those within the confines of her realm that follow the heresy to find their prosthetic augments looted, or proselytisers lynched in the streets. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Major Cities ==&lt;br /&gt;
===Yu’kal===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The capital of the Queendom, Yu’kal has been reigned over for centuries by Clan Szek-Hakh. It had long been established, even prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], as a major population centre of great importance; mostly owing to trading structured around aquaculture. Though the nuclear cataclysm which [[Moghes]] was plunged into almost destroyed the city, Queen Lazak reigns benevolently to ensure that her people and her husband’s lineage, survive the perilous circumstances they’ve been confronted with. Though initially aligning with the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] during the outbreak of the Contract War, Yu’kal eventually saw itself shifting to becoming neutral to the conflict as it developed into the foundation of the Queendom. Now, it owes allegiance only to the Queen, and Clan Sezk-Hakh. Its architecture is similar to the other realms that pledged themselves to the [[Unathi History|Traditionalist Coalition]], with the main contrast being the Th’akh Cathedral replacing the town square. It is majority Th’akh. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Gzusz===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One of the newer cities to join the Queendom, Gzusz has become a refugee haven. On the outskirts of the realm’s eastern border, many from those travelling west initially arrive within the city – greeted by a growing city, which only decades before had a population of less than two-hundred. Though the [[Unathi History|Contact War]] has made it difficult to expand fast enough to accommodate those fleeing the Wasteland, Gzusz still maintains great importance to the Queendom, acting as a “buffer” between the Gawgaryn and Reclaimers against the Queendom. The majority of the newly arrived, in particular women, are inducted into the city’s guards, fighting off those that wish to question the Queendom’s ability to protect iself and its people. The influx of refugees means that Gzusz is rarely without round-the-clock protection. It is split between Sk’akh and Th’akh. It is ruled by Lady Zasza Szek-Hakh, Queen Lazak’s daughter. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Arch’ozal ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Named after the [[Th&#039;akh|Th’akh Spirit-God Archozmi]], Arch’ozal prides itself as being keeper and distributor of knowledge. Having sided with the Queendom since its inception, it has become a place of great academic advancements – at least in terms of the Wasteland. Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Arch’ozal was the centre of academia within Moghes’ eastern hemisphere; with Clan Ghzakal reigning over it. The destruction brought on by the nuclear war, and the lack of means to sustain itself, Clan Ghzakal fled from the city – leaving it and its populace having to fend for themselves. It was only after the radioactive ashes began to set that Queen Lazak sent emissaries towards the city, eventually persuading them to follow her custom doctrines. She appointed her daughter, Tzansa Szek-Hakh, as Lady-Regent until another woman with a rightful claim to Arch’ozal returned. It is majority Sk’akh, however, the population of Th’akh has slowly been growing over the years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38847</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38847"/>
		<updated>2026-03-27T00:38:28Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: /* Taa’an - Cutting out the Rot */&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Unathi_Culture}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{toc_right}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:QueendomFlag.png|thumb|The Queendom&#039;s Flag. ]]&lt;br /&gt;
Situated across [[Moghes]]’ eastern hemisphere, within the Guzan region amid the Tzuszah Wastes, the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh has managed to survive and develop in spite of the instability caused by the consequences of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Isolated from its enemies thanks to the extensive, growing [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]], it is led by the elderly Lazak Szek-Hakh alongside her daughters, Zasza and Tzansa. Though the encroachment of the wastes has made resources within the previously lush province somewhat scarce, the region manages to teeter between thriving and languishing thanks to the extensive aquaculture industry that exists within the capital of Yu’kal – expanded upon by Szekzir Lazak following the death of her husband during the war. Unfortunately due to the continued growth of the wastes, distrust from more conservative Unathi, and the isolationist stance of the Szek-Hakh leadership, the future of the area is uncertain.&lt;br /&gt;
 A note on Etymology:&lt;br /&gt;
 The term Queendom was originally something of a misnomer borne from human mistranslation, but it was quickly adopted by enemies of Clan Szek-Hakh as well as those who see the region’s cultural shift as dangerous or degenerate. Originally intended to be an insult related to what its detractors considered insufficient strength of rulership in the region, Lazak Szek-Hakh instead embraced the human-centric term as her own. By 2468 the name was in widespread colloquial use when it was officially changed in collaboration with the structuring of the Karszekani. The area is now officially known as the Szekziran. Literally translated as “Domain of the Ruler of Rivers”, the name was chosen to highlight the region’s continued distance and contrast from the more common Szekanan or “Domain of the Ruler of the Land”. Given the changes in gender identity described below, the association to rivers was applicable as rivers are more closely associated with [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Taa]] (Healers) due to their adaptable nature, whereas the firm and solid land is more closely related to [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Saa]] (Warriors). Going forward the colloquial term and the official name will be used interchangeably.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
== Culture &amp;amp; History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Yu’kal was a centre of the eastern hemisphere’s aquaculture industry, with the city nestled among the coasts. It was only after the death of Lord Jzsan Szeh-Hakn, Lazak’s spouse, that the realm’s reality shifted, and they were confronted with circumstances that most thought would result in the region’s collapse. However, Lady Lazak took critical steps to maintain the realm – in particular instituting widespread and extensive reformation of the aquacultural industry, mandating larger quotas, the creation of emergency provision stockpiles, and a focus on longevity. Increased enlistment and training in the city guard or militia was also instituted, irrespective of previous roles or abilities. Her quick thinking allowed many of the local cities to survive those first years, and they were even able to assist more distant neighbors, such as [[Zazalai_Mountains#Mudki|Mudki]]. These first crucial steps by Lazak allowed Yu’kal to weather the storm and serve as a beacon for clans fleeing their homes as a result of the roiling uncertainty of war. Quickly, the foundations of the Queendom began to form.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the end of the Contact War, the Szekziran was a well-established political entity within the Wasteland, with Lazak claiming her late husband’s title sometime during the climax of the nuclear cataclysm. When the dust had settled, the domain was intact but the toll of the war would yet be felt. Between the dead, chronically wounded, and others who fled or were lost, the saa population of the region was reduced by sixty eight percent. Less conservative estimates put the number closer to eighty. Changes to the aquaculture infrastructure proved key to the Queendom’s survival, but the work would grind on as the truth of the wastes became apparent. With the staggering loss of warriors in battle and the constant need for fishers to keep mouths fed and industry running, more and more healers found themselves pressed into positions outside their experience. [[The_Wasteland#Factions_of_the_Wasteland|Raiders]] from the wastes, lawlessness, and a number of robberies from food stockpiles necessitated the creation of an effective security force. The initial edict which allowed for anyone to work in the city guard or military became a requirement. Mandatory service was expected of all citizens, but in reality, most fishers were fully tasked and given an exception.The result was a peacekeeping force composed primarily of taa that were hastily trained and had not been steeped in [[Unathi_Honor#Honor_for_the_Warrior|warrior]] philosophy as many saa had been. Healers also found themselves thrust into positions of vacated leadership. Lazak had no hesitation in taking the reins of the realm and proved to be extremely competent, but change would not come as easily to the myriad lesser offices. Many were still held by old and conventional unathi, and not all of the healers available to take on the responsibility were as willing to upend [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|warrior dominated tradition]]. In the end, however, necessity won out in most cases and in others Lazak was able to find taa of like-mindedness and appoint them to most crucial positions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa soon found themselves in roles previously associated with saa across the Szekziran. Eventually the boundaries between the genders began to erode, and healers in martial roles began to be referred to as Taa’an; healer as of the land. Their unique background and lack of a traditional warrior mindset led to unconventional tactics and strategies in combat. Advanced anatomical and medical knowledge coupled with the willingness to fight in “less than honorable” ways resulted in a glut of early victories, boosting confidence in Lazak’s methods and ejecting a number of raiding bands that had been encroaching on her lands during the initial chaos. A semblance of order returned to the Queendom and many held the Taa’an in high esteem while the doubters were robbed of their footing. These successes led to permanent changes in training and enlistment which, over time, caused the fusion of healer and warrior to be entrenched in local culture as a healer-protector.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A number of those outside the Queendom’s influence saw the intertwining of warrior and healer as abominable, and Lazak’s continuing success as [[Sk&#039;akh#Sk&#039;akh_and_Gender|heretical]]. Several attempts to silence Lazak have been made since the end of the war, with the most notable culminating with the capture and [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exile]] of a would-be assassin. The Lord responsible was openly challenged by a Taa’an champion. Underestimating his challenger he sent his Saa firstborn to answer in a [[Unathi_Honor#Dueling|duel]] to first blood. Both the lord and his champion were humbled when the strike to draw first blood was so deft and exact that it took the hand off at the wrist before the first drops hit the ground. Though already accepted by thousands within her realm, this brought publicity to the Queen, allowing her to rise as a public and notable figure in Moghes and the greater Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Szekzir Lazak now leads the Szekziran in a precarious situation, with those aligning themselves to the Karszekani’s warrior-dominated customs calling for her exile due to her heretical twisting of Saa and Taa, making it harder for the aging ruler to find allies. Walking a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and other political rivals as part of the Karszekani, only with the coming of the future will the legend of the Queendom see itself either rise or fall.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Taa’an - Cutting out the Rot ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa’an as a term has been used to describe the new gender paradigm in the Szekziran since its inception but the ethos of its members has been refined over time. The mixing of a warrior’s precision with a healer’s insight has led to a guiding belief that destruction is necessary to the process of healing, and by contrast an avoidance of injury can cause greater harm. For example, killing a dangerous criminal can save lives tomorrow. By attempting to heal a plague ridden patient, you risk infection to others. A common axiom took root; you must cut out the rot of disease to save the body. To many, the methods of Taa’an seem bloodthirsty and show a sickness of soul that comes from the confusion of roles in the Queendom. Outsiders sometimes report ruthless measures taken by Taa’an in the execution of their duties and, as they were in the past, healer-protectors are not hesitant to use what some consider to be “honorless” tactics to achieve victory. Often this takes the form of ambush and guerilla warfare, but there are also rumors that they coat their reserve melee weapons in sedatives or poison to level the playing field; substances many are familiar with from the training they receive as healers. Veteran Taa’an who have proven their aptitude and dedication are known as Exemplars. They are often found in positions of leadership, directing their troops or officers with meticulous precision.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unfortunately, shouldering the burden of both warrior and healer can become overwhelming. In the field, Taa’an often experience a doubling of expectations; for example, they may be expected to charge the enemy one minute and then triage the wounded the next with no rest until duty is done. The continued exposure to adrenaline, trauma, and suffering in the majority of aspects of their role leads to a condition similar to what humans call “compassion fatigue”. As time goes by Taa’an become unwilling or unable to connect empathically with others. They become irritable and isolate socially as much as they are able and their duty allows. This can sometimes lead to a mental break or crisis, but over time the culturally accepted answer has become silent endurance. Known in the Queendom as “Honed Soul”, this isolating coping strategy is seen as strength of character and actively encouraged. So long as they don’t suffer a nervous breakdown, the longer one serves as Taa’an the more normalized this state of mind becomes. Exemplars often exhibit this as extreme vigilance and a cool detachment from their subordinates. They are “always on”, ready to move to action, either to attack or administer aid, but unable to express negative emotions or find regular catharsis. As elected positions are often chosen from veteran Taa’an ranks this affect can impact their relations with visitors and dignitaries. The result is a perception of the Queendom in general, and Taa’an specifically, of cold, calculating, and ruthless enigmas who stand outside of normal [[Unathi#Unathi_Culture|unathi culture]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As the war passes into history and the planet tries to heal, some have endeavored to revert the Szekziran back to more traditional practices and unentangle the warrior and healer from one another. These attempts have largely met with abject failure due to Lazak’s influence and the rigorous adherence to the new paradigm by Taa’an of every rank. Very few traditionally recognized saa exist as the ones who survived the war pass and the young are folded into Taa’an training and development. The success of the Szekziran and the prowess of its healer-protectors is lauded as proof of the failings of Saa and the dominance of Taa’an. Opposition to the Queen or her policies is somewhat tolerated but significant agitators often find themselves seen as the rot needing to be cut and the majority are [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exiled]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion ===&lt;br /&gt;
The majority of the Queendom subscribes to [[Th&#039;akh]], with Yu’kal containing within it a massive temple – easily compared to a cathedral – expressly giving homage to the realm’s alignment to the religion, constructed by Queen Lazak following the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Despite the realm’s majority-Th’akh following populace, Queen Lazak has granted asylum to many journeying across the Wasteland regardless of which faith they subscribe to, and until recently even allowed [[Si&#039;akh]] within her realm. However, by attempting to appease the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] to allow her more time to seek allies, Queen Lazak agreed to the demands of representatives of the Hegemony to publicly denounce the religion and those who choose to follow the religion are disallowed from her realm; however, an open secret of the Queen’s court is that she allows members travelling through the Wasteland to reside within its borders – temporarily. Though the Queendom’s tolerance for other religions is great, [[Aut&#039;akh]] is fiercely denounced and even despised, even by the compassionate Queen. It is not unheard of for those within the confines of her realm that follow the heresy to find their prosthetic augments looted, or proselytisers lynched in the streets. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Major Cities ==&lt;br /&gt;
===Yu’kal===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The capital of the Queendom, Yu’kal has been reigned over for centuries by Clan Szek-Hakh. It had long been established, even prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], as a major population centre of great importance; mostly owing to trading structured around aquaculture. Though the nuclear cataclysm which [[Moghes]] was plunged into almost destroyed the city, Queen Lazak reigns benevolently to ensure that her people and her husband’s lineage, survive the perilous circumstances they’ve been confronted with. Though initially aligning with the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] during the outbreak of the Contract War, Yu’kal eventually saw itself shifting to becoming neutral to the conflict as it developed into the foundation of the Queendom. Now, it owes allegiance only to the Queen, and Clan Sezk-Hakh. Its architecture is similar to the other realms that pledged themselves to the [[Unathi History|Traditionalist Coalition]], with the main contrast being the Th’akh Cathedral replacing the town square. It is majority Th’akh. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Gzusz===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One of the newer cities to join the Queendom, Gzusz has become a refugee haven. On the outskirts of the realm’s eastern border, many from those travelling west initially arrive within the city – greeted by a growing city, which only decades before had a population of less than two-hundred. Though the [[Unathi History|Contact War]] has made it difficult to expand fast enough to accommodate those fleeing the Wasteland, Gzusz still maintains great importance to the Queendom, acting as a “buffer” between the Gawgaryn and Reclaimers against the Queendom. The majority of the newly arrived, in particular women, are inducted into the city’s guards, fighting off those that wish to question the Queendom’s ability to protect iself and its people. The influx of refugees means that Gzusz is rarely without round-the-clock protection. It is split between Sk’akh and Th’akh. It is ruled by Lady Zasza Szek-Hakh, Queen Lazak’s daughter. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Arch’ozal ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Named after the [[Th&#039;akh|Th’akh Spirit-God Archozmi]], Arch’ozal prides itself as being keeper and distributor of knowledge. Having sided with the Queendom since its inception, it has become a place of great academic advancements – at least in terms of the Wasteland. Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Arch’ozal was the centre of academia within Moghes’ eastern hemisphere; with Clan Ghzakal reigning over it. The destruction brought on by the nuclear war, and the lack of means to sustain itself, Clan Ghzakal fled from the city – leaving it and its populace having to fend for themselves. It was only after the radioactive ashes began to set that Queen Lazak sent emissaries towards the city, eventually persuading them to follow her custom doctrines. She appointed her daughter, Tzansa Szek-Hakh, as Lady-Regent until another woman with a rightful claim to Arch’ozal returned. It is majority Sk’akh, however, the population of Th’akh has slowly been growing over the years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38846</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38846"/>
		<updated>2026-03-27T00:37:31Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Unathi_Culture}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{toc_right}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:QueendomFlag.png|thumb|The Queendom&#039;s Flag. ]]&lt;br /&gt;
Situated across [[Moghes]]’ eastern hemisphere, within the Guzan region amid the Tzuszah Wastes, the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh has managed to survive and develop in spite of the instability caused by the consequences of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Isolated from its enemies thanks to the extensive, growing [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]], it is led by the elderly Lazak Szek-Hakh alongside her daughters, Zasza and Tzansa. Though the encroachment of the wastes has made resources within the previously lush province somewhat scarce, the region manages to teeter between thriving and languishing thanks to the extensive aquaculture industry that exists within the capital of Yu’kal – expanded upon by Szekzir Lazak following the death of her husband during the war. Unfortunately due to the continued growth of the wastes, distrust from more conservative Unathi, and the isolationist stance of the Szek-Hakh leadership, the future of the area is uncertain.&lt;br /&gt;
 A note on Etymology:&lt;br /&gt;
 The term Queendom was originally something of a misnomer borne from human mistranslation, but it was quickly adopted by enemies of Clan Szek-Hakh as well as those who see the region’s cultural shift as dangerous or degenerate. Originally intended to be an insult related to what its detractors considered insufficient strength of rulership in the region, Lazak Szek-Hakh instead embraced the human-centric term as her own. By 2468 the name was in widespread colloquial use when it was officially changed in collaboration with the structuring of the Karszekani. The area is now officially known as the Szekziran. Literally translated as “Domain of the Ruler of Rivers”, the name was chosen to highlight the region’s continued distance and contrast from the more common Szekanan or “Domain of the Ruler of the Land”. Given the changes in gender identity described below, the association to rivers was applicable as rivers are more closely associated with [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Taa]] (Healers) due to their adaptable nature, whereas the firm and solid land is more closely related to [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Saa]] (Warriors). Going forward the colloquial term and the official name will be used interchangeably.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
== Culture &amp;amp; History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Yu’kal was a centre of the eastern hemisphere’s aquaculture industry, with the city nestled among the coasts. It was only after the death of Lord Jzsan Szeh-Hakn, Lazak’s spouse, that the realm’s reality shifted, and they were confronted with circumstances that most thought would result in the region’s collapse. However, Lady Lazak took critical steps to maintain the realm – in particular instituting widespread and extensive reformation of the aquacultural industry, mandating larger quotas, the creation of emergency provision stockpiles, and a focus on longevity. Increased enlistment and training in the city guard or militia was also instituted, irrespective of previous roles or abilities. Her quick thinking allowed many of the local cities to survive those first years, and they were even able to assist more distant neighbors, such as [[Zazalai_Mountains#Mudki|Mudki]]. These first crucial steps by Lazak allowed Yu’kal to weather the storm and serve as a beacon for clans fleeing their homes as a result of the roiling uncertainty of war. Quickly, the foundations of the Queendom began to form.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the end of the Contact War, the Szekziran was a well-established political entity within the Wasteland, with Lazak claiming her late husband’s title sometime during the climax of the nuclear cataclysm. When the dust had settled, the domain was intact but the toll of the war would yet be felt. Between the dead, chronically wounded, and others who fled or were lost, the saa population of the region was reduced by sixty eight percent. Less conservative estimates put the number closer to eighty. Changes to the aquaculture infrastructure proved key to the Queendom’s survival, but the work would grind on as the truth of the wastes became apparent. With the staggering loss of warriors in battle and the constant need for fishers to keep mouths fed and industry running, more and more healers found themselves pressed into positions outside their experience. [[The_Wasteland#Factions_of_the_Wasteland|Raiders]] from the wastes, lawlessness, and a number of robberies from food stockpiles necessitated the creation of an effective security force. The initial edict which allowed for anyone to work in the city guard or military became a requirement. Mandatory service was expected of all citizens, but in reality, most fishers were fully tasked and given an exception.The result was a peacekeeping force composed primarily of taa that were hastily trained and had not been steeped in [[Unathi_Honor#Honor_for_the_Warrior|warrior]] philosophy as many saa had been. Healers also found themselves thrust into positions of vacated leadership. Lazak had no hesitation in taking the reins of the realm and proved to be extremely competent, but change would not come as easily to the myriad lesser offices. Many were still held by old and conventional unathi, and not all of the healers available to take on the responsibility were as willing to upend [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|warrior dominated tradition]]. In the end, however, necessity won out in most cases and in others Lazak was able to find taa of like-mindedness and appoint them to most crucial positions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa soon found themselves in roles previously associated with saa across the Szekziran. Eventually the boundaries between the genders began to erode, and healers in martial roles began to be referred to as Taa’an; healer as of the land. Their unique background and lack of a traditional warrior mindset led to unconventional tactics and strategies in combat. Advanced anatomical and medical knowledge coupled with the willingness to fight in “less than honorable” ways resulted in a glut of early victories, boosting confidence in Lazak’s methods and ejecting a number of raiding bands that had been encroaching on her lands during the initial chaos. A semblance of order returned to the Queendom and many held the Taa’an in high esteem while the doubters were robbed of their footing. These successes led to permanent changes in training and enlistment which, over time, caused the fusion of healer and warrior to be entrenched in local culture as a healer-protector.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A number of those outside the Queendom’s influence saw the intertwining of warrior and healer as abominable, and Lazak’s continuing success as [[Sk&#039;akh#Sk&#039;akh_and_Gender|heretical]]. Several attempts to silence Lazak have been made since the end of the war, with the most notable culminating with the capture and [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exile]] of a would-be assassin. The Lord responsible was openly challenged by a Taa’an champion. Underestimating his challenger he sent his Saa firstborn to answer in a [[Unathi_Honor#Dueling|duel]] to first blood. Both the lord and his champion were humbled when the strike to draw first blood was so deft and exact that it took the hand off at the wrist before the first drops hit the ground. Though already accepted by thousands within her realm, this brought publicity to the Queen, allowing her to rise as a public and notable figure in Moghes and the greater Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Szekzir Lazak now leads the Szekziran in a precarious situation, with those aligning themselves to the Karszekani’s warrior-dominated customs calling for her exile due to her heretical twisting of Saa and Taa, making it harder for the aging ruler to find allies. Walking a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and other political rivals as part of the Karszekani, only with the coming of the future will the legend of the Queendom see itself either rise or fall.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Taa’an - Cutting out the Rot ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa’an as a term has been used to describe the new gender paradigm in the Szekziran since its inception but the ethos of its members has been refined over time. The mixing of a warrior’s insight with a healer’s precision has led to a guiding belief that destruction is necessary to the process of healing, and by contrast an avoidance of injury can cause greater harm. For example, killing a dangerous criminal can save lives tomorrow. By attempting to heal a plague ridden patient, you risk infection to others. A common axiom took root; you must cut out the rot of disease to save the body. To many, the methods of Taa’an seem bloodthirsty and show a sickness of soul that comes from the confusion of roles in the Queendom. Outsiders sometimes report ruthless measures taken by Taa’an in the execution of their duties and, as they were in the past, healer-protectors are not hesitant to use what some consider to be “honorless” tactics to achieve victory. Often this takes the form of ambush and guerilla warfare, but there are also rumors that they coat their reserve melee weapons in sedatives or poison to level the playing field; substances many are familiar with from the training they receive as healers. Veteran Taa’an who have proven their aptitude and dedication are known as Exemplars. They are often found in positions of leadership, directing their troops or officers with meticulous precision.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unfortunately, shouldering the burden of both warrior and healer can become overwhelming. In the field, Taa’an often experience a doubling of expectations; for example, they may be expected to charge the enemy one minute and then triage the wounded the next with no rest until duty is done. The continued exposure to adrenaline, trauma, and suffering in the majority of aspects of their role leads to a condition similar to what humans call “compassion fatigue”. As time goes by Taa’an become unwilling or unable to connect empathically with others. They become irritable and isolate socially as much as they are able and their duty allows. This can sometimes lead to a mental break or crisis, but over time the culturally accepted answer has become silent endurance. Known in the Queendom as “Honed Soul”, this isolating coping strategy is seen as strength of character and actively encouraged. So long as they don’t suffer a nervous breakdown, the longer one serves as Taa’an the more normalized this state of mind becomes. Exemplars often exhibit this as extreme vigilance and a cool detachment from their subordinates. They are “always on”, ready to move to action, either to attack or administer aid, but unable to express negative emotions or find regular catharsis. As elected positions are often chosen from veteran Taa’an ranks this affect can impact their relations with visitors and dignitaries. The result is a perception of the Queendom in general, and Taa’an specifically, of cold, calculating, and ruthless enigmas who stand outside of normal [[Unathi#Unathi_Culture|unathi culture]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As the war passes into history and the planet tries to heal, some have endeavored to revert the Szekziran back to more traditional practices and unentangle the warrior and healer from one another. These attempts have largely met with abject failure due to Lazak’s influence and the rigorous adherence to the new paradigm by Taa’an of every rank. Very few traditionally recognized saa exist as the ones who survived the war pass and the young are folded into Taa’an training and development. The success of the Szekziran and the prowess of its healer-protectors is lauded as proof of the failings of Saa and the dominance of Taa’an. Opposition to the Queen or her policies is somewhat tolerated but significant agitators often find themselves seen as the rot needing to be cut and the majority are [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exiled]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion ===&lt;br /&gt;
The majority of the Queendom subscribes to [[Th&#039;akh]], with Yu’kal containing within it a massive temple – easily compared to a cathedral – expressly giving homage to the realm’s alignment to the religion, constructed by Queen Lazak following the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Despite the realm’s majority-Th’akh following populace, Queen Lazak has granted asylum to many journeying across the Wasteland regardless of which faith they subscribe to, and until recently even allowed [[Si&#039;akh]] within her realm. However, by attempting to appease the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] to allow her more time to seek allies, Queen Lazak agreed to the demands of representatives of the Hegemony to publicly denounce the religion and those who choose to follow the religion are disallowed from her realm; however, an open secret of the Queen’s court is that she allows members travelling through the Wasteland to reside within its borders – temporarily. Though the Queendom’s tolerance for other religions is great, [[Aut&#039;akh]] is fiercely denounced and even despised, even by the compassionate Queen. It is not unheard of for those within the confines of her realm that follow the heresy to find their prosthetic augments looted, or proselytisers lynched in the streets. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Major Cities ==&lt;br /&gt;
===Yu’kal===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The capital of the Queendom, Yu’kal has been reigned over for centuries by Clan Szek-Hakh. It had long been established, even prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], as a major population centre of great importance; mostly owing to trading structured around aquaculture. Though the nuclear cataclysm which [[Moghes]] was plunged into almost destroyed the city, Queen Lazak reigns benevolently to ensure that her people and her husband’s lineage, survive the perilous circumstances they’ve been confronted with. Though initially aligning with the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] during the outbreak of the Contract War, Yu’kal eventually saw itself shifting to becoming neutral to the conflict as it developed into the foundation of the Queendom. Now, it owes allegiance only to the Queen, and Clan Sezk-Hakh. Its architecture is similar to the other realms that pledged themselves to the [[Unathi History|Traditionalist Coalition]], with the main contrast being the Th’akh Cathedral replacing the town square. It is majority Th’akh. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Gzusz===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One of the newer cities to join the Queendom, Gzusz has become a refugee haven. On the outskirts of the realm’s eastern border, many from those travelling west initially arrive within the city – greeted by a growing city, which only decades before had a population of less than two-hundred. Though the [[Unathi History|Contact War]] has made it difficult to expand fast enough to accommodate those fleeing the Wasteland, Gzusz still maintains great importance to the Queendom, acting as a “buffer” between the Gawgaryn and Reclaimers against the Queendom. The majority of the newly arrived, in particular women, are inducted into the city’s guards, fighting off those that wish to question the Queendom’s ability to protect iself and its people. The influx of refugees means that Gzusz is rarely without round-the-clock protection. It is split between Sk’akh and Th’akh. It is ruled by Lady Zasza Szek-Hakh, Queen Lazak’s daughter. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Arch’ozal ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Named after the [[Th&#039;akh|Th’akh Spirit-God Archozmi]], Arch’ozal prides itself as being keeper and distributor of knowledge. Having sided with the Queendom since its inception, it has become a place of great academic advancements – at least in terms of the Wasteland. Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Arch’ozal was the centre of academia within Moghes’ eastern hemisphere; with Clan Ghzakal reigning over it. The destruction brought on by the nuclear war, and the lack of means to sustain itself, Clan Ghzakal fled from the city – leaving it and its populace having to fend for themselves. It was only after the radioactive ashes began to set that Queen Lazak sent emissaries towards the city, eventually persuading them to follow her custom doctrines. She appointed her daughter, Tzansa Szek-Hakh, as Lady-Regent until another woman with a rightful claim to Arch’ozal returned. It is majority Sk’akh, however, the population of Th’akh has slowly been growing over the years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38845</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38845"/>
		<updated>2026-03-27T00:32:54Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Unathi_Culture}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{toc_right}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:QueendomFlag.png|thumb|The Queendom&#039;s Flag. ]]&lt;br /&gt;
Situated across [[Moghes]]’ eastern hemisphere, within the Guzan region amid the Tzuszah Wastes, the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh has managed to survive and develop in spite of the instability caused by the consequences of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Isolated from its enemies thanks to the extensive, growing [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]], it is led by the elderly Lazak Szek-Hakh alongside her daughters, Zasza and Tzansa. Though the encroachment of the wastes has made resources within the previously lush province somewhat scarce, the region manages to teeter between thriving and languishing thanks to the extensive aquaculture industry that exists within the capital of Yu’kal – expanded upon by Szekzir Lazak following the death of her husband during the war. Unfortunately due to the continued growth of the wastes, distrust from more conservative Unathi, and the isolationist stance of the Szek-Hakh leadership, the future of the area is uncertain.&lt;br /&gt;
 A note on Etymology:&lt;br /&gt;
 The term Queendom was originally something of a misnomer borne from human mistranslation, but it was quickly adopted by enemies of Clan Szek-Hakh as well as those who see the region’s cultural shift as dangerous or degenerate. Originally intended to be an insult related to what its detractors considered insufficient strength of rulership in the region, Lazak Szek-Hakh instead embraced the human-centric term as her own. By 2468 the name was in widespread colloquial use when it was officially changed in collaboration with the structuring of the Karszekani. The area is now officially known as the Szekziran. Literally translated as “Domain of the Ruler of Rivers”, the name was chosen to highlight the region’s continued distance and contrast from the more common Szekanan or “Domain of the Ruler of the Land”. Given the changes in gender identity described below, the association to rivers was applicable as rivers are more closely associated with [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Taa]] (Healers) due to their adaptable nature, whereas the firm and solid land is more closely related to [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Saa]] (Warriors). Going forward the colloquial term and the official name will be used interchangeably.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
== Culture &amp;amp; History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Yu’kal was a centre of the eastern hemisphere’s aquaculture industry, with the city nestled among the coasts. It was only after the death of Lord Jzsan Szeh-Hakn, Lazak’s spouse, that the realm’s reality shifted, and they were confronted with circumstances that most thought would result in the region’s collapse. However, Lady Lazak took critical steps to maintain the realm – in particular instituting widespread and extensive reformation of the aquacultural industry, mandating larger quotas, the creation of emergency provision stockpiles, and a focus on longevity. Increased enlistment and training in the city guard or militia was also instituted, irrespective of previous roles or abilities. Her quick thinking allowed many of the local cities to survive those first years, and they were even able to assist more distant neighbors, such as [[Zazalai_Mountains#Mudki|Mudki]]. These first crucial steps by Lazak allowed Yu’kal to weather the storm and serve as a beacon for clans fleeing their homes as a result of the roiling uncertainty of war. Quickly, the foundations of the Queendom began to form.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the end of the Contact War, the Szekziran was a well-established political entity within the Wasteland, with Lazak claiming her late husband’s title sometime during the climax of the nuclear cataclysm. When the dust had settled, the domain was intact but the toll of the war would yet be felt. Between the dead, chronically wounded, and others who fled or were lost, the saa population of the region was reduced by sixty eight percent. Less conservative estimates put the number closer to eighty. Changes to the aquaculture infrastructure proved key to the Queendom’s survival, but the work would grind on as the truth of the wastes became apparent. With the staggering loss of warriors in battle and the constant need for fishers to keep mouths fed and industry running, more and more healers found themselves pressed into positions outside their experience. [[The_Wasteland#Factions_of_the_Wasteland|Raiders]] from the wastes, lawlessness, and a number of robberies from food stockpiles necessitated the creation of an effective security force. The initial edict which allowed for anyone to work in the city guard or military became a requirement. Mandatory service was expected of all citizens, but in reality, most fishers were fully tasked and given an exception.The result was a peacekeeping force composed primarily of taa that were hastily trained and had not been steeped in [[Unathi_Honor#Honor_for_the_Warrior|warrior]] philosophy as many saa had been. Healers also found themselves thrust into positions of vacated leadership. Lazak had no hesitation in taking the reins of the realm and proved to be extremely competent, but change would not come as easily to the myriad lesser offices. Many were still held by old and conventional unathi, and not all of the healers available to take on the responsibility were as willing to upend [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|warrior dominated tradition]]. In the end, however, necessity won out in most cases and in others Lazak was able to find taa of like-mindedness and appoint them to most crucial positions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa soon found themselves in roles previously associated with saa across the Szekziran. Eventually the boundaries between the genders began to erode, and healers in martial roles began to be referred to as Taa’an; healer as of the land. Their unique background and lack of a traditional warrior mindset led to unconventional tactics and strategies in combat. Advanced anatomical and medical knowledge coupled with the willingness to fight in “less than honorable” ways resulted in a glut of early victories, boosting confidence in Lazak’s methods and ejecting a number of raiding bands that had been encroaching on her lands during the initial chaos. A semblance of order returned to the Queendom and many held the Taa’an in high esteem while the doubters were robbed of their footing. These successes led to permanent changes in training and enlistment which, over time, caused the fusion of healer and warrior to be entrenched in local culture as a healer-protector.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A number of those outside the Queendom’s influence saw the intertwining of warrior and healer as abominable, and Lazak’s continuing success as [[Sk&#039;akh#Sk&#039;akh_and_Gender|heretical]]. Several attempts to silence Lazak have been made since the end of the war, with the most notable culminating with the capture and [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exile]] of a would-be assassin. The Lord responsible was openly challenged by a Taa’an champion. Underestimating his challenger he sent his Saa firstborn to answer in a [[Unathi_Honor#Dueling|duel]] to first blood. Both the lord and his champion were humbled when the strike to draw first blood was so deft and exact that it took the hand off at the wrist before the first drops hit the ground. Though already accepted by thousands within her realm, this brought publicity to the Queen, allowing her to rise as a public and notable figure in Moghes and the greater Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Szekzir Lazak now leads the Szekziran in a precarious situation, with those aligning themselves to the Karszekani’s warrior-dominated customs calling for her exile due to her heretical twisting of Saa and Taa, making it harder for the aging ruler to find allies. Walking a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and other political rivals as part of the Karszekani, only with the coming of the future will the legend of the Queendom see itself either rise or fall.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion ===&lt;br /&gt;
The majority of the Queendom subscribes to [[Th&#039;akh]], with Yu’kal containing within it a massive temple – easily compared to a cathedral – expressly giving homage to the realm’s alignment to the religion, constructed by Queen Lazak following the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Despite the realm’s majority-Th’akh following populace, Queen Lazak has granted asylum to many journeying across the Wasteland regardless of which faith they subscribe to, and until recently even allowed [[Si&#039;akh]] within her realm. However, by attempting to appease the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] to allow her more time to seek allies, Queen Lazak agreed to the demands of representatives of the Hegemony to publicly denounce the religion and those who choose to follow the religion are disallowed from her realm; however, an open secret of the Queen’s court is that she allows members travelling through the Wasteland to reside within its borders – temporarily. Though the Queendom’s tolerance for other religions is great, [[Aut&#039;akh]] is fiercely denounced and even despised, even by the compassionate Queen. It is not unheard of for those within the confines of her realm that follow the heresy to find their prosthetic augments looted, or proselytisers lynched in the streets. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Major Cities ==&lt;br /&gt;
===Yu’kal===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The capital of the Queendom, Yu’kal has been reigned over for centuries by Clan Szek-Hakh. It had long been established, even prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], as a major population centre of great importance; mostly owing to trading structured around aquaculture. Though the nuclear cataclysm which [[Moghes]] was plunged into almost destroyed the city, Queen Lazak reigns benevolently to ensure that her people and her husband’s lineage, survive the perilous circumstances they’ve been confronted with. Though initially aligning with the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] during the outbreak of the Contract War, Yu’kal eventually saw itself shifting to becoming neutral to the conflict as it developed into the foundation of the Queendom. Now, it owes allegiance only to the Queen, and Clan Sezk-Hakh. Its architecture is similar to the other realms that pledged themselves to the [[Unathi History|Traditionalist Coalition]], with the main contrast being the Th’akh Cathedral replacing the town square. It is majority Th’akh. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Gzusz===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One of the newer cities to join the Queendom, Gzusz has become a refugee haven. On the outskirts of the realm’s eastern border, many from those travelling west initially arrive within the city – greeted by a growing city, which only decades before had a population of less than two-hundred. Though the [[Unathi History|Contact War]] has made it difficult to expand fast enough to accommodate those fleeing the Wasteland, Gzusz still maintains great importance to the Queendom, acting as a “buffer” between the Gawgaryn and Reclaimers against the Queendom. The majority of the newly arrived, in particular women, are inducted into the city’s guards, fighting off those that wish to question the Queendom’s ability to protect iself and its people. The influx of refugees means that Gzusz is rarely without round-the-clock protection. It is split between Sk’akh and Th’akh. It is ruled by Lady Zasza Szek-Hakh, Queen Lazak’s daughter. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Arch’ozal ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Named after the [[Th&#039;akh|Th’akh Spirit-God Archozmi]], Arch’ozal prides itself as being keeper and distributor of knowledge. Having sided with the Queendom since its inception, it has become a place of great academic advancements – at least in terms of the Wasteland. Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Arch’ozal was the centre of academia within Moghes’ eastern hemisphere; with Clan Ghzakal reigning over it. The destruction brought on by the nuclear war, and the lack of means to sustain itself, Clan Ghzakal fled from the city – leaving it and its populace having to fend for themselves. It was only after the radioactive ashes began to set that Queen Lazak sent emissaries towards the city, eventually persuading them to follow her custom doctrines. She appointed her daughter, Tzansa Szek-Hakh, as Lady-Regent until another woman with a rightful claim to Arch’ozal returned. It is majority Sk’akh, however, the population of Th’akh has slowly been growing over the years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38844</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38844"/>
		<updated>2026-03-27T00:32:17Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Unathi_Culture}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{toc_right}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:QueendomFlag.png|thumb|The Queendom&#039;s Flag. ]]&lt;br /&gt;
Situated across [[Moghes]]’ eastern hemisphere, within the Guzan region amid the Tzuszah Wastes, the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh has managed to survive and develop in spite of the instability caused by the consequences of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Isolated from its enemies thanks to the extensive, growing [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]], it is led by the elderly Lazak Szek-Hakh alongside her daughters, Zasza and Tzansa. Though the encroachment of the wastes has made resources within the previously lush province somewhat scarce, the region manages to teeter between thriving and languishing thanks to the extensive aquaculture industry that exists within the capital of Yu’kal – expanded upon by Szekzir Lazak following the death of her husband during the war. Unfortunately due to the continued growth of the wastes, distrust from more conservative Unathi, and the isolationist stance of the Szek-Hakh leadership, the future of the area is uncertain.&lt;br /&gt;
 A note on Etymology:&lt;br /&gt;
 The term Queendom was originally something of a misnomer borne from human mistranslation, but it was quickly adopted by enemies of Clan Szek-Hakh as well as those who see the region’s cultural shift as dangerous or degenerate. Originally intended to be an insult related to what its detractors considered insufficient strength of rulership in the region, Lazak Szek-Hakh instead embraced the human-centric term as her own. By 2468 the name was in widespread colloquial use when it was officially changed in collaboration with the structuring of the Karszekani. The area is now officially known as the Szekziran. Literally translated as “Domain of the Ruler of Rivers”, the name was chosen to highlight the region’s continued distance and contrast from the more common Szekanan or “Domain of the Ruler of the Land”. Given the changes in gender identity described below, the association to rivers was applicable as rivers are more closely associated with [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Taa]] (Healers) due to their adaptable nature, whereas the firm and solid land is more closely related to [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Saa]] (Warriors). Going forward the colloquial term and the official name will be used interchangeably.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
== Culture &amp;amp; History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Yu’kal was a centre of the eastern hemisphere’s aquaculture industry, with the city nestled among the coasts. It was only after the death of Lord Jzsan Szeh-Hakn, Lazak’s spouse, that the realm’s reality shifted, and they were confronted with circumstances that most thought would result in the region’s collapse. However, Lady Lazak took critical steps to maintain the realm – in particular instituting widespread and extensive reformation of the aquacultural industry, mandating larger quotas, the creation of emergency provision stockpiles, and a focus on longevity. Increased enlistment and training in the city guard or militia was also instituted, irrespective of previous roles or abilities. Her quick thinking allowed many of the local cities to survive those first years, and they were even able to assist more distant neighbors, such as [[Zazalai_Mountains#Mudki|Mudki]]. These first crucial steps by Lazak allowed Yu’kal to weather the storm and serve as a beacon for clans fleeing their homes as a result of the roiling uncertainty of war. Quickly, the foundations of the Queendom began to form.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the end of the Contact War, the Szekziran was a well-established political entity within the Wasteland, with Lazak claiming her late husband’s title sometime during the climax of the nuclear cataclysm. When the dust had settled, the domain was intact but the toll of the war would yet be felt. Between the dead, chronically wounded, and others who fled or were lost, the saa population of the region was reduced by sixty eight percent. Less conservative estimates put the number closer to eighty. Changes to the aquaculture infrastructure proved key to the Queendom’s survival, but the work would grind on as the truth of the wastes became apparent. With the staggering loss of warriors in battle and the constant need for fishers to keep mouths fed and industry running, more and more healers found themselves pressed into positions outside their experience. [[The_Wasteland#Factions_of_the_Wasteland|Raiders]] from the wastes, lawlessness, and a number of robberies from food stockpiles necessitated the creation of an effective security force. The initial edict which allowed for anyone to work in the city guard or military became a requirement. Mandatory service was expected of all citizens, but in reality, most fishers were fully tasked and given an exception.The result was a peacekeeping force composed primarily of taa that were hastily trained and had not been steeped in [[Unathi_Honor#Honor_for_the_Warrior|warrior]] philosophy as many saa had been. Healers also found themselves thrust into positions of vacated leadership. Lazak had no hesitation in taking the reins of the realm and proved to be extremely competent, but change would not come as easily to the myriad lesser offices. Many were still held by old and conventional unathi, and not all of the healers available to take on the responsibility were as willing to upend [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|warrior dominated tradition]]. In the end, however, necessity won out in most cases and in others Lazak was able to find taa of like-mindedness and appoint them to most crucial positions.&lt;br /&gt;
Taa soon found themselves in roles previously associated with saa across the Szekziran. Eventually the boundaries between the genders began to erode, and healers in martial roles began to be referred to as Taa’an; healer as of the land. Their unique background and lack of a traditional warrior mindset led to unconventional tactics and strategies in combat. Advanced anatomical and medical knowledge coupled with the willingness to fight in “less than honorable” ways resulted in a glut of early victories, boosting confidence in Lazak’s methods and ejecting a number of raiding bands that had been encroaching on her lands during the initial chaos. A semblance of order returned to the Queendom and many held the Taa’an in high esteem while the doubters were robbed of their footing. These successes led to permanent changes in training and enlistment which, over time, caused the fusion of healer and warrior to be entrenched in local culture as a healer-protector.&lt;br /&gt;
A number of those outside the Queendom’s influence saw the intertwining of warrior and healer as abominable, and Lazak’s continuing success as [[Sk&#039;akh#Sk&#039;akh_and_Gender|heretical]]. Several attempts to silence Lazak have been made since the end of the war, with the most notable culminating with the capture and [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exile]] of a would-be assassin. The Lord responsible was openly challenged by a Taa’an champion. Underestimating his challenger he sent his Saa firstborn to answer in a [[Unathi_Honor#Dueling|duel]] to first blood. Both the lord and his champion were humbled when the strike to draw first blood was so deft and exact that it took the hand off at the wrist before the first drops hit the ground. Though already accepted by thousands within her realm, this brought publicity to the Queen, allowing her to rise as a public and notable figure in Moghes and the greater Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
Szekzir Lazak now leads the Szekziran in a precarious situation, with those aligning themselves to the Karszekani’s warrior-dominated customs calling for her exile due to her heretical twisting of Saa and Taa, making it harder for the aging ruler to find allies. Walking a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and other political rivals as part of the Karszekani, only with the coming of the future will the legend of the Queendom see itself either rise or fall.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion ===&lt;br /&gt;
The majority of the Queendom subscribes to [[Th&#039;akh]], with Yu’kal containing within it a massive temple – easily compared to a cathedral – expressly giving homage to the realm’s alignment to the religion, constructed by Queen Lazak following the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Despite the realm’s majority-Th’akh following populace, Queen Lazak has granted asylum to many journeying across the Wasteland regardless of which faith they subscribe to, and until recently even allowed [[Si&#039;akh]] within her realm. However, by attempting to appease the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] to allow her more time to seek allies, Queen Lazak agreed to the demands of representatives of the Hegemony to publicly denounce the religion and those who choose to follow the religion are disallowed from her realm; however, an open secret of the Queen’s court is that she allows members travelling through the Wasteland to reside within its borders – temporarily. Though the Queendom’s tolerance for other religions is great, [[Aut&#039;akh]] is fiercely denounced and even despised, even by the compassionate Queen. It is not unheard of for those within the confines of her realm that follow the heresy to find their prosthetic augments looted, or proselytisers lynched in the streets. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Major Cities ==&lt;br /&gt;
===Yu’kal===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The capital of the Queendom, Yu’kal has been reigned over for centuries by Clan Szek-Hakh. It had long been established, even prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], as a major population centre of great importance; mostly owing to trading structured around aquaculture. Though the nuclear cataclysm which [[Moghes]] was plunged into almost destroyed the city, Queen Lazak reigns benevolently to ensure that her people and her husband’s lineage, survive the perilous circumstances they’ve been confronted with. Though initially aligning with the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] during the outbreak of the Contract War, Yu’kal eventually saw itself shifting to becoming neutral to the conflict as it developed into the foundation of the Queendom. Now, it owes allegiance only to the Queen, and Clan Sezk-Hakh. Its architecture is similar to the other realms that pledged themselves to the [[Unathi History|Traditionalist Coalition]], with the main contrast being the Th’akh Cathedral replacing the town square. It is majority Th’akh. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Gzusz===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One of the newer cities to join the Queendom, Gzusz has become a refugee haven. On the outskirts of the realm’s eastern border, many from those travelling west initially arrive within the city – greeted by a growing city, which only decades before had a population of less than two-hundred. Though the [[Unathi History|Contact War]] has made it difficult to expand fast enough to accommodate those fleeing the Wasteland, Gzusz still maintains great importance to the Queendom, acting as a “buffer” between the Gawgaryn and Reclaimers against the Queendom. The majority of the newly arrived, in particular women, are inducted into the city’s guards, fighting off those that wish to question the Queendom’s ability to protect iself and its people. The influx of refugees means that Gzusz is rarely without round-the-clock protection. It is split between Sk’akh and Th’akh. It is ruled by Lady Zasza Szek-Hakh, Queen Lazak’s daughter. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Arch’ozal ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Named after the [[Th&#039;akh|Th’akh Spirit-God Archozmi]], Arch’ozal prides itself as being keeper and distributor of knowledge. Having sided with the Queendom since its inception, it has become a place of great academic advancements – at least in terms of the Wasteland. Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Arch’ozal was the centre of academia within Moghes’ eastern hemisphere; with Clan Ghzakal reigning over it. The destruction brought on by the nuclear war, and the lack of means to sustain itself, Clan Ghzakal fled from the city – leaving it and its populace having to fend for themselves. It was only after the radioactive ashes began to set that Queen Lazak sent emissaries towards the city, eventually persuading them to follow her custom doctrines. She appointed her daughter, Tzansa Szek-Hakh, as Lady-Regent until another woman with a rightful claim to Arch’ozal returned. It is majority Sk’akh, however, the population of Th’akh has slowly been growing over the years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38843</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38843"/>
		<updated>2026-03-27T00:30:52Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Unathi_Culture}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{toc_right}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:QueendomFlag.png|thumb|The Queendom&#039;s Flag. ]]&lt;br /&gt;
Situated across [[Moghes]]’ eastern hemisphere, within the Guzan region amid the Tzuszah Wastes, the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh has managed to survive and develop in spite of the instability caused by the consequences of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Isolated from its enemies thanks to the extensive, growing [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]], it is led by the elderly Lazak Szek-Hakh alongside her daughters, Zasza and Tzansa. Though the encroachment of the wastes has made resources within the previously lush province somewhat scarce, the region manages to teeter between thriving and languishing thanks to the extensive aquaculture industry that exists within the capital of Yu’kal – expanded upon by Szekzir Lazak following the death of her husband during the war. Unfortunately due to the continued growth of the wastes, distrust from more conservative Unathi, and the isolationist stance of the Szek-Hakh leadership, the future of the area is uncertain.&lt;br /&gt;
 A note on Etymology:&lt;br /&gt;
 The term Queendom was originally something of a misnomer borne from human mistranslation, but it was quickly adopted by enemies of Clan Szek-Hakh as well as those who see the region’s cultural shift as dangerous or degenerate. Originally intended to be an insult related to what its detractors considered insufficient strength of rulership in the region, Lazak Szek-Hakh instead embraced the human-centric term as her own. By 2468 the name was in widespread colloquial use when it was officially changed in collaboration with the structuring of the Karszekani. The area is now officially known as the Szekziran. Literally translated as “Domain of the Ruler of Rivers”, the name was chosen to highlight the region’s continued distance and contrast from the more common Szekanan or “Domain of the Ruler of the Land”. Given the changes in gender identity described below, the association to rivers was applicable as rivers are more closely associated with [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Taa]] (Healers) due to their adaptable nature, whereas the firm and solid land is more closely related to [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Saa]] (Warriors). Going forward the colloquial term and the official name will be used interchangeably.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
== Culture &amp;amp; History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Yu’kal was a centre of the eastern hemisphere’s aquaculture industry, with the city nestled among the coasts. It was only after the death of Lord Jzsan Szeh-Hakn, Lazak’s spouse, that the realm’s reality shifted, and they were confronted with circumstances that most thought would result in the region’s collapse. However, Lady Lazak took critical steps to maintain the realm – in particular instituting widespread and extensive reformation of the aquacultural industry, mandating larger quotas, the creation of emergency provision stockpiles, and a focus on longevity. Increased enlistment and training in the city guard or militia was also instituted, irrespective of previous roles or abilities. Her quick thinking allowed many of the local cities to survive those first years, and they were even able to assist more distant neighbors, such as [[Zazalai_Mountains#Mudki|Mudki]]. These first crucial steps by Lazak allowed Yu’kal to weather the storm and serve as a beacon for clans fleeing their homes as a result of the roiling uncertainty of war. Quickly, the foundations of the Queendom began to form.&lt;br /&gt;
By the end of the Contact War, the Szekziran was a well-established political entity within the Wasteland, with Lazak claiming her late husband’s title sometime during the climax of the nuclear cataclysm. When the dust had settled, the domain was intact but the toll of the war would yet be felt. Between the dead, chronically wounded, and others who fled or were lost, the saa population of the region was reduced by sixty eight percent. Less conservative estimates put the number closer to eighty. Changes to the aquaculture infrastructure proved key to the Queendom’s survival, but the work would grind on as the truth of the wastes became apparent. With the staggering loss of warriors in battle and the constant need for fishers to keep mouths fed and industry running, more and more healers found themselves pressed into positions outside their experience. [[The_Wasteland#Factions_of_the_Wasteland|Raiders]] from the wastes, lawlessness, and a number of robberies from food stockpiles necessitated the creation of an effective security force. The initial edict which allowed for anyone to work in the city guard or military became a requirement. Mandatory service was expected of all citizens, but in reality, most fishers were fully tasked and given an exception.The result was a peacekeeping force composed primarily of taa that were hastily trained and had not been steeped in [[Unathi_Honor#Honor_for_the_Warrior|warrior]] philosophy as many saa had been. Healers also found themselves thrust into positions of vacated leadership. Lazak had no hesitation in taking the reins of the realm and proved to be extremely competent, but change would not come as easily to the myriad lesser offices. Many were still held by old and conventional unathi, and not all of the healers available to take on the responsibility were as willing to upend [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|warrior dominated tradition]]. In the end, however, necessity won out in most cases and in others Lazak was able to find taa of like-mindedness and appoint them to most crucial positions.&lt;br /&gt;
Taa soon found themselves in roles previously associated with saa across the Szekziran. Eventually the boundaries between the genders began to erode, and healers in martial roles began to be referred to as Taa’an; healer as of the land. Their unique background and lack of a traditional warrior mindset led to unconventional tactics and strategies in combat. Advanced anatomical and medical knowledge coupled with the willingness to fight in “less than honorable” ways resulted in a glut of early victories, boosting confidence in Lazak’s methods and ejecting a number of raiding bands that had been encroaching on her lands during the initial chaos. A semblance of order returned to the Queendom and many held the Taa’an in high esteem while the doubters were robbed of their footing. These successes led to permanent changes in training and enlistment which, over time, caused the fusion of healer and warrior to be entrenched in local culture as a healer-protector.&lt;br /&gt;
A number of those outside the Queendom’s influence saw the intertwining of warrior and healer as abominable, and Lazak’s continuing success as [[Sk&#039;akh#Sk&#039;akh_and_Gender|heretical]]. Several attempts to silence Lazak have been made since the end of the war, with the most notable culminating with the capture and [[Unathi#The_Guwan|exile]] of a would-be assassin. The Lord responsible was openly challenged by a Taa’an champion. Underestimating his challenger he sent his Saa firstborn to answer in a [[Unathi_Honor#Dueling|duel]] to first blood. Both the lord and his champion were humbled when the strike to draw first blood was so deft and exact that it took the hand off at the wrist before the first drops hit the ground. Though already accepted by thousands within her realm, this brought publicity to the Queen, allowing her to rise as a public and notable figure in Moghes and the greater Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
Szekzir Lazak now leads the Szekziran in a precarious situation, with those aligning themselves to the Karszekani’s warrior-dominated customs calling for her exile due to her heretical twisting of Saa and Taa, making it harder for the aging ruler to find allies. Walking a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and other political rivals as part of the Karszekani, only with the coming of the future will the legend of the Queendom see itself either rise or fall.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion ===&lt;br /&gt;
The majority of the Queendom subscribes to [[Th&#039;akh]], with Yu’kal containing within it a massive temple – easily compared to a cathedral – expressly giving homage to the realm’s alignment to the religion, constructed by Queen Lazak following the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Despite the realm’s majority-Th’akh following populace, Queen Lazak has granted asylum to many journeying across the Wasteland regardless of which faith they subscribe to, and until recently even allowed [[Si&#039;akh]] within her realm. However, by attempting to appease the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] to allow her more time to seek allies, Queen Lazak agreed to the demands of representatives of the Hegemony to publicly denounce the religion and those who choose to follow the religion are disallowed from her realm; however, an open secret of the Queen’s court is that she allows members travelling through the Wasteland to reside within its borders – temporarily. Though the Queendom’s tolerance for other religions is great, [[Aut&#039;akh]] is fiercely denounced and even despised, even by the compassionate Queen. It is not unheard of for those within the confines of her realm that follow the heresy to find their prosthetic augments looted, or proselytisers lynched in the streets. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Major Cities ==&lt;br /&gt;
===Yu’kal===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The capital of the Queendom, Yu’kal has been reigned over for centuries by Clan Szek-Hakh. It had long been established, even prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], as a major population centre of great importance; mostly owing to trading structured around aquaculture. Though the nuclear cataclysm which [[Moghes]] was plunged into almost destroyed the city, Queen Lazak reigns benevolently to ensure that her people and her husband’s lineage, survive the perilous circumstances they’ve been confronted with. Though initially aligning with the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] during the outbreak of the Contract War, Yu’kal eventually saw itself shifting to becoming neutral to the conflict as it developed into the foundation of the Queendom. Now, it owes allegiance only to the Queen, and Clan Sezk-Hakh. Its architecture is similar to the other realms that pledged themselves to the [[Unathi History|Traditionalist Coalition]], with the main contrast being the Th’akh Cathedral replacing the town square. It is majority Th’akh. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Gzusz===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One of the newer cities to join the Queendom, Gzusz has become a refugee haven. On the outskirts of the realm’s eastern border, many from those travelling west initially arrive within the city – greeted by a growing city, which only decades before had a population of less than two-hundred. Though the [[Unathi History|Contact War]] has made it difficult to expand fast enough to accommodate those fleeing the Wasteland, Gzusz still maintains great importance to the Queendom, acting as a “buffer” between the Gawgaryn and Reclaimers against the Queendom. The majority of the newly arrived, in particular women, are inducted into the city’s guards, fighting off those that wish to question the Queendom’s ability to protect iself and its people. The influx of refugees means that Gzusz is rarely without round-the-clock protection. It is split between Sk’akh and Th’akh. It is ruled by Lady Zasza Szek-Hakh, Queen Lazak’s daughter. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Arch’ozal ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Named after the [[Th&#039;akh|Th’akh Spirit-God Archozmi]], Arch’ozal prides itself as being keeper and distributor of knowledge. Having sided with the Queendom since its inception, it has become a place of great academic advancements – at least in terms of the Wasteland. Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Arch’ozal was the centre of academia within Moghes’ eastern hemisphere; with Clan Ghzakal reigning over it. The destruction brought on by the nuclear war, and the lack of means to sustain itself, Clan Ghzakal fled from the city – leaving it and its populace having to fend for themselves. It was only after the radioactive ashes began to set that Queen Lazak sent emissaries towards the city, eventually persuading them to follow her custom doctrines. She appointed her daughter, Tzansa Szek-Hakh, as Lady-Regent until another woman with a rightful claim to Arch’ozal returned. It is majority Sk’akh, however, the population of Th’akh has slowly been growing over the years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38842</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38842"/>
		<updated>2026-03-27T00:17:24Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Unathi_Culture}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{toc_right}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:QueendomFlag.png|thumb|The Queendom&#039;s Flag. ]]&lt;br /&gt;
Situated across [[Moghes]]’ eastern hemisphere, within the Guzan region amid the Tzuszah Wastes, the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh has managed to survive and develop in spite of the instability caused by the consequences of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Isolated from its enemies thanks to the extensive, growing [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]], it is led by the elderly Lazak Szek-Hakh alongside her daughters, Zasza and Tzansa. Though the encroachment of the wastes has made resources within the previously lush province somewhat scarce, the region manages to teeter between thriving and languishing thanks to the extensive aquaculture industry that exists within the capital of Yu’kal – expanded upon by Szekzir Lazak following the death of her husband during the war. Unfortunately due to the continued growth of the wastes, distrust from more conservative Unathi, and the isolationist stance of the Szek-Hakh leadership, the future of the area is uncertain.&lt;br /&gt;
 A note on Etymology:&lt;br /&gt;
 The term Queendom was originally something of a misnomer borne from human mistranslation, but it was quickly adopted by enemies of Clan Szek-Hakh as well as those who see the region’s cultural shift as dangerous or degenerate. Originally intended to be an insult related to what its detractors considered insufficient strength of rulership in the region, Lazak Szek-Hakh instead embraced the human-centric term as her own. By 2468 the name was in widespread colloquial use when it was officially changed in collaboration with the structuring of the Karszekani. The area is now officially known as the Szekziran. Literally translated as “Domain of the Ruler of Rivers”, the name was chosen to highlight the region’s continued distance and contrast from the more common Szekanan or “Domain of the Ruler of the Land”. Given the changes in gender identity described below, the association to rivers was applicable as rivers are more closely associated with [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Taa]] (Healers) due to their adaptable nature, whereas the firm and solid land is more closely related to [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Saa]] (Warriors). Going forward the colloquial term and the official name will be used interchangeably.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
== Culture &amp;amp; History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Those that reside within the Queendom’s influence find themselves having to come to terms with the inverted gender roles – where the patriarchal system of the species has instead been replaced almost entirely by a matriarchal one. However, the result has caused some strife among contemporary Unathi surrounding the region, claiming the Queendom’s existence is an affront to tradition and honour; in particular the [[Unathi Honor|Matriarch’s Code]]. With a majority of both Yu’kal and the surrounding cities having seen more than half of their male population perish as a result of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Queen Lazak sought a way to ensure both her and her Clan’s survival. First, by claiming her husband’s title, and secondly by instituting women as protectors of the realm – not merely as warriors, but as those overseeing the survival of the region through advocating for surrounding cities and villages to do the same – citing her own realm’s success as a reasonable method of surviving the all-encompassing Wasteland. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Yu’kal was a centre of the eastern hemisphere’s aquaculture industry, with the city nestled along the coasts of clustered lakes. It was only after the death of Lord Jzsan Szeh’Hakn, Queen Lazak’s husband, that the realm’s reality shifted, and they were confronted with circumstances that most thought would result in the region’s collapse. However, Queen Lazak took critical steps to maintain her husband’s realm – in particular instituting widespread and extensive reformation of the aquacultural industry, allowing women to be employed as a result of the scarcity of male labourers. Her quick thinking allowed many of the surviving cities to survive those first years, even supplying the distant realm of Mudki. These first crucial steps by Queen Lazak allowed the survival of Yu’kal, and served as a beacon for Clans fleeing their homes as a result of the nuclear cataclysm. Quickly, the foundations of the Queendom began to form. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the end of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], the Queendom was a well-established political entity within the Wasteland, with Queen Lazak claiming her husband’s title sometime during the climax of the nuclear cataclysm.  Women soon found themselves in prominent roles across the Queendom, where eventually the gender roles eroded, replaced instead by a system dominated by women – men instead taking the roles thought meant only to be held by women in traditional Unathi custom. Those outside the Queendom’s influence took offence to her success, even sending an assassin after her to ensure her vile customs would fall; which then failed and led to the capture of the assassin and their subsequent exile as a Guwandi. With the attempt foiled, dozens of women stormed the orchestrating noble’s manor, going to far as to challenge the Lord to a duel for honour. Though already accepted by thousands within her realm, this brought publicity to the Queen, allowing her to rise as a public and notable figure in Moghes and the greater Izweski Hegemony. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Queen Lazak now leads the Queendom in a precarious situation, with those aligning themselves to the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski’s]] patriarchal customs calling for her exile due to her vile methods of inverting the traditions of the species, making it harder for the ageing Queen to find allies. Walking a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk’akh Church]], the [[Izweski Nation|Izweksi Hegemony]], and the other Wasteland factions seeking to make the Queen bow to their authority, only with the coming of the future will the legend of the Queendom see itself either rise or fall.  &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion ===&lt;br /&gt;
The majority of the Queendom subscribes to [[Th&#039;akh]], with Yu’kal containing within it a massive temple – easily compared to a cathedral – expressly giving homage to the realm’s alignment to the religion, constructed by Queen Lazak following the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Despite the realm’s majority-Th’akh following populace, Queen Lazak has granted asylum to many journeying across the Wasteland regardless of which faith they subscribe to, and until recently even allowed [[Si&#039;akh]] within her realm. However, by attempting to appease the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] to allow her more time to seek allies, Queen Lazak agreed to the demands of representatives of the Hegemony to publicly denounce the religion and those who choose to follow the religion are disallowed from her realm; however, an open secret of the Queen’s court is that she allows members travelling through the Wasteland to reside within its borders – temporarily. Though the Queendom’s tolerance for other religions is great, [[Aut&#039;akh]] is fiercely denounced and even despised, even by the compassionate Queen. It is not unheard of for those within the confines of her realm that follow the heresy to find their prosthetic augments looted, or proselytisers lynched in the streets. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Major Cities ==&lt;br /&gt;
===Yu’kal===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The capital of the Queendom, Yu’kal has been reigned over for centuries by Clan Szek-Hakh. It had long been established, even prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], as a major population centre of great importance; mostly owing to trading structured around aquaculture. Though the nuclear cataclysm which [[Moghes]] was plunged into almost destroyed the city, Queen Lazak reigns benevolently to ensure that her people and her husband’s lineage, survive the perilous circumstances they’ve been confronted with. Though initially aligning with the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] during the outbreak of the Contract War, Yu’kal eventually saw itself shifting to becoming neutral to the conflict as it developed into the foundation of the Queendom. Now, it owes allegiance only to the Queen, and Clan Sezk-Hakh. Its architecture is similar to the other realms that pledged themselves to the [[Unathi History|Traditionalist Coalition]], with the main contrast being the Th’akh Cathedral replacing the town square. It is majority Th’akh. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Gzusz===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One of the newer cities to join the Queendom, Gzusz has become a refugee haven. On the outskirts of the realm’s eastern border, many from those travelling west initially arrive within the city – greeted by a growing city, which only decades before had a population of less than two-hundred. Though the [[Unathi History|Contact War]] has made it difficult to expand fast enough to accommodate those fleeing the Wasteland, Gzusz still maintains great importance to the Queendom, acting as a “buffer” between the Gawgaryn and Reclaimers against the Queendom. The majority of the newly arrived, in particular women, are inducted into the city’s guards, fighting off those that wish to question the Queendom’s ability to protect iself and its people. The influx of refugees means that Gzusz is rarely without round-the-clock protection. It is split between Sk’akh and Th’akh. It is ruled by Lady Zasza Szek-Hakh, Queen Lazak’s daughter. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Arch’ozal ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Named after the [[Th&#039;akh|Th’akh Spirit-God Archozmi]], Arch’ozal prides itself as being keeper and distributor of knowledge. Having sided with the Queendom since its inception, it has become a place of great academic advancements – at least in terms of the Wasteland. Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Arch’ozal was the centre of academia within Moghes’ eastern hemisphere; with Clan Ghzakal reigning over it. The destruction brought on by the nuclear war, and the lack of means to sustain itself, Clan Ghzakal fled from the city – leaving it and its populace having to fend for themselves. It was only after the radioactive ashes began to set that Queen Lazak sent emissaries towards the city, eventually persuading them to follow her custom doctrines. She appointed her daughter, Tzansa Szek-Hakh, as Lady-Regent until another woman with a rightful claim to Arch’ozal returned. It is majority Sk’akh, however, the population of Th’akh has slowly been growing over the years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38841</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38841"/>
		<updated>2026-03-27T00:16:56Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Unathi_Culture}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{toc_right}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:QueendomFlag.png|thumb|The Queendom&#039;s Flag. ]]&lt;br /&gt;
Situated across [[Moghes]]’ eastern hemisphere, within the Guzan region amid the Tzuszah Wastes, the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh has managed to survive and develop in spite of the instability caused by the consequences of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Isolated from its enemies thanks to the extensive, growing [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]], it is led by the elderly Lazak Szek-Hakh alongside her daughters, Zasza and Tzansa. Though the encroachment of the wastes has made resources within the previously lush province somewhat scarce, the region manages to teeter between thriving and languishing thanks to the extensive aquaculture industry that exists within the capital of Yu’kal – expanded upon by Szekzir Lazak following the death of her husband during the war. Unfortunately due to the continued growth of the wastes, distrust from more conservative Unathi, and the isolationist stance of the Szek-Hakh leadership, the future of the area is uncertain.&lt;br /&gt;
 A note on Etymology:&lt;br /&gt;
 The term Queendom was originally something of a misnomer borne from human mistranslation, but it was quickly adopted by enemies of Clan Szek-Hakh as well as those who see the region’s cultural shift as dangerous or degenerate. Originally intended to be an insult related to what its detractors considered insufficient rulership in the region, Lazak Szek-Hakh instead embraced the human-centric term as her own. By 2468 the name was in widespread colloquial use when it was officially changed in collaboration with the structuring of the Karszekani. The area is now officially known as the Szekziran. Literally translated as “Domain of the Ruler of Rivers”, the name was chosen to highlight the region’s continued distance and contrast from the more common Szekanan or “Domain of the Ruler of the Land”. Given the changes in gender identity described below, the association to rivers was applicable as rivers are more closely associated with [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Taa]] (Healers) due to their adaptable nature, whereas the firm and solid land is more closely related to [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Saa]] (Warriors). Going forward the colloquial term and the official name will be used interchangeably.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
== Culture &amp;amp; History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Those that reside within the Queendom’s influence find themselves having to come to terms with the inverted gender roles – where the patriarchal system of the species has instead been replaced almost entirely by a matriarchal one. However, the result has caused some strife among contemporary Unathi surrounding the region, claiming the Queendom’s existence is an affront to tradition and honour; in particular the [[Unathi Honor|Matriarch’s Code]]. With a majority of both Yu’kal and the surrounding cities having seen more than half of their male population perish as a result of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Queen Lazak sought a way to ensure both her and her Clan’s survival. First, by claiming her husband’s title, and secondly by instituting women as protectors of the realm – not merely as warriors, but as those overseeing the survival of the region through advocating for surrounding cities and villages to do the same – citing her own realm’s success as a reasonable method of surviving the all-encompassing Wasteland. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Yu’kal was a centre of the eastern hemisphere’s aquaculture industry, with the city nestled along the coasts of clustered lakes. It was only after the death of Lord Jzsan Szeh’Hakn, Queen Lazak’s husband, that the realm’s reality shifted, and they were confronted with circumstances that most thought would result in the region’s collapse. However, Queen Lazak took critical steps to maintain her husband’s realm – in particular instituting widespread and extensive reformation of the aquacultural industry, allowing women to be employed as a result of the scarcity of male labourers. Her quick thinking allowed many of the surviving cities to survive those first years, even supplying the distant realm of Mudki. These first crucial steps by Queen Lazak allowed the survival of Yu’kal, and served as a beacon for Clans fleeing their homes as a result of the nuclear cataclysm. Quickly, the foundations of the Queendom began to form. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the end of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], the Queendom was a well-established political entity within the Wasteland, with Queen Lazak claiming her husband’s title sometime during the climax of the nuclear cataclysm.  Women soon found themselves in prominent roles across the Queendom, where eventually the gender roles eroded, replaced instead by a system dominated by women – men instead taking the roles thought meant only to be held by women in traditional Unathi custom. Those outside the Queendom’s influence took offence to her success, even sending an assassin after her to ensure her vile customs would fall; which then failed and led to the capture of the assassin and their subsequent exile as a Guwandi. With the attempt foiled, dozens of women stormed the orchestrating noble’s manor, going to far as to challenge the Lord to a duel for honour. Though already accepted by thousands within her realm, this brought publicity to the Queen, allowing her to rise as a public and notable figure in Moghes and the greater Izweski Hegemony. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Queen Lazak now leads the Queendom in a precarious situation, with those aligning themselves to the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski’s]] patriarchal customs calling for her exile due to her vile methods of inverting the traditions of the species, making it harder for the ageing Queen to find allies. Walking a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk’akh Church]], the [[Izweski Nation|Izweksi Hegemony]], and the other Wasteland factions seeking to make the Queen bow to their authority, only with the coming of the future will the legend of the Queendom see itself either rise or fall.  &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion ===&lt;br /&gt;
The majority of the Queendom subscribes to [[Th&#039;akh]], with Yu’kal containing within it a massive temple – easily compared to a cathedral – expressly giving homage to the realm’s alignment to the religion, constructed by Queen Lazak following the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Despite the realm’s majority-Th’akh following populace, Queen Lazak has granted asylum to many journeying across the Wasteland regardless of which faith they subscribe to, and until recently even allowed [[Si&#039;akh]] within her realm. However, by attempting to appease the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] to allow her more time to seek allies, Queen Lazak agreed to the demands of representatives of the Hegemony to publicly denounce the religion and those who choose to follow the religion are disallowed from her realm; however, an open secret of the Queen’s court is that she allows members travelling through the Wasteland to reside within its borders – temporarily. Though the Queendom’s tolerance for other religions is great, [[Aut&#039;akh]] is fiercely denounced and even despised, even by the compassionate Queen. It is not unheard of for those within the confines of her realm that follow the heresy to find their prosthetic augments looted, or proselytisers lynched in the streets. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Major Cities ==&lt;br /&gt;
===Yu’kal===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The capital of the Queendom, Yu’kal has been reigned over for centuries by Clan Szek-Hakh. It had long been established, even prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], as a major population centre of great importance; mostly owing to trading structured around aquaculture. Though the nuclear cataclysm which [[Moghes]] was plunged into almost destroyed the city, Queen Lazak reigns benevolently to ensure that her people and her husband’s lineage, survive the perilous circumstances they’ve been confronted with. Though initially aligning with the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] during the outbreak of the Contract War, Yu’kal eventually saw itself shifting to becoming neutral to the conflict as it developed into the foundation of the Queendom. Now, it owes allegiance only to the Queen, and Clan Sezk-Hakh. Its architecture is similar to the other realms that pledged themselves to the [[Unathi History|Traditionalist Coalition]], with the main contrast being the Th’akh Cathedral replacing the town square. It is majority Th’akh. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Gzusz===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One of the newer cities to join the Queendom, Gzusz has become a refugee haven. On the outskirts of the realm’s eastern border, many from those travelling west initially arrive within the city – greeted by a growing city, which only decades before had a population of less than two-hundred. Though the [[Unathi History|Contact War]] has made it difficult to expand fast enough to accommodate those fleeing the Wasteland, Gzusz still maintains great importance to the Queendom, acting as a “buffer” between the Gawgaryn and Reclaimers against the Queendom. The majority of the newly arrived, in particular women, are inducted into the city’s guards, fighting off those that wish to question the Queendom’s ability to protect iself and its people. The influx of refugees means that Gzusz is rarely without round-the-clock protection. It is split between Sk’akh and Th’akh. It is ruled by Lady Zasza Szek-Hakh, Queen Lazak’s daughter. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Arch’ozal ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Named after the [[Th&#039;akh|Th’akh Spirit-God Archozmi]], Arch’ozal prides itself as being keeper and distributor of knowledge. Having sided with the Queendom since its inception, it has become a place of great academic advancements – at least in terms of the Wasteland. Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Arch’ozal was the centre of academia within Moghes’ eastern hemisphere; with Clan Ghzakal reigning over it. The destruction brought on by the nuclear war, and the lack of means to sustain itself, Clan Ghzakal fled from the city – leaving it and its populace having to fend for themselves. It was only after the radioactive ashes began to set that Queen Lazak sent emissaries towards the city, eventually persuading them to follow her custom doctrines. She appointed her daughter, Tzansa Szek-Hakh, as Lady-Regent until another woman with a rightful claim to Arch’ozal returned. It is majority Sk’akh, however, the population of Th’akh has slowly been growing over the years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38840</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38840"/>
		<updated>2026-03-27T00:15:56Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Unathi_Culture}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{toc_right}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:QueendomFlag.png|thumb|The Queendom&#039;s Flag. ]]&lt;br /&gt;
Situated across [[Moghes]]’ eastern hemisphere, within the Guzan region amid the Tzuszah Wastes, the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh has managed to survive and develop in spite of the instability caused by the consequences of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Isolated from its enemies thanks to the extensive, growing [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]], it is led by the elderly Lazak Szek-Hakh alongside her daughters, Zasza and Tzansa. Though the encroachment of the wastes has made resources within the previously lush province somewhat scarce, the region manages to teeter between thriving and languishing thanks to the extensive aquaculture industry that exists within the capital of Yu’kal – expanded upon by Szekzir Lazak following the death of her husband during the war. Unfortunately due to the continued growth of the wastes, distrust from more conservative Unathi, and the isolationist stance of the Szek-Hakh leadership, the future of the area is uncertain.&lt;br /&gt;
 A note on Etymology:&lt;br /&gt;
 The term Queendom was originally something of a misnomer borne from human mistranslation, but it was quickly adopted by enemies of Clan Szek-Hakh as well as those who see the region’s cultural shift as dangerous or degenerate. Originally intended to be an insult related to what its detractors considered insufficient rulership in the region, Lazak Szek-Hakh instead embraced the human centric term as her own. By 2468 the name was in widespread colloquial use when it was officially changed in collaboration with the structuring of the Karszekani. The area is now officially known as the Szekziran. Literally translated as “Domain of the Ruler of Rivers”, the name was chosen to highlight the region’s continued distance and contrast from the more common Szekanan or “Domain of the Ruler of the Land”. Given the changes in gender identity described below, the association to rivers was applicable as rivers are more closely associated with [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Taa]] (Healers) due to their adaptable nature, whereas the firm and solid land is more closely related to [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Saa]] (Warriors). Going forward the colloquial term and the official name will be used interchangeably.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
== Culture &amp;amp; History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Those that reside within the Queendom’s influence find themselves having to come to terms with the inverted gender roles – where the patriarchal system of the species has instead been replaced almost entirely by a matriarchal one. However, the result has caused some strife among contemporary Unathi surrounding the region, claiming the Queendom’s existence is an affront to tradition and honour; in particular the [[Unathi Honor|Matriarch’s Code]]. With a majority of both Yu’kal and the surrounding cities having seen more than half of their male population perish as a result of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Queen Lazak sought a way to ensure both her and her Clan’s survival. First, by claiming her husband’s title, and secondly by instituting women as protectors of the realm – not merely as warriors, but as those overseeing the survival of the region through advocating for surrounding cities and villages to do the same – citing her own realm’s success as a reasonable method of surviving the all-encompassing Wasteland. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Yu’kal was a centre of the eastern hemisphere’s aquaculture industry, with the city nestled along the coasts of clustered lakes. It was only after the death of Lord Jzsan Szeh’Hakn, Queen Lazak’s husband, that the realm’s reality shifted, and they were confronted with circumstances that most thought would result in the region’s collapse. However, Queen Lazak took critical steps to maintain her husband’s realm – in particular instituting widespread and extensive reformation of the aquacultural industry, allowing women to be employed as a result of the scarcity of male labourers. Her quick thinking allowed many of the surviving cities to survive those first years, even supplying the distant realm of Mudki. These first crucial steps by Queen Lazak allowed the survival of Yu’kal, and served as a beacon for Clans fleeing their homes as a result of the nuclear cataclysm. Quickly, the foundations of the Queendom began to form. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the end of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], the Queendom was a well-established political entity within the Wasteland, with Queen Lazak claiming her husband’s title sometime during the climax of the nuclear cataclysm.  Women soon found themselves in prominent roles across the Queendom, where eventually the gender roles eroded, replaced instead by a system dominated by women – men instead taking the roles thought meant only to be held by women in traditional Unathi custom. Those outside the Queendom’s influence took offence to her success, even sending an assassin after her to ensure her vile customs would fall; which then failed and led to the capture of the assassin and their subsequent exile as a Guwandi. With the attempt foiled, dozens of women stormed the orchestrating noble’s manor, going to far as to challenge the Lord to a duel for honour. Though already accepted by thousands within her realm, this brought publicity to the Queen, allowing her to rise as a public and notable figure in Moghes and the greater Izweski Hegemony. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Queen Lazak now leads the Queendom in a precarious situation, with those aligning themselves to the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski’s]] patriarchal customs calling for her exile due to her vile methods of inverting the traditions of the species, making it harder for the ageing Queen to find allies. Walking a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk’akh Church]], the [[Izweski Nation|Izweksi Hegemony]], and the other Wasteland factions seeking to make the Queen bow to their authority, only with the coming of the future will the legend of the Queendom see itself either rise or fall.  &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion ===&lt;br /&gt;
The majority of the Queendom subscribes to [[Th&#039;akh]], with Yu’kal containing within it a massive temple – easily compared to a cathedral – expressly giving homage to the realm’s alignment to the religion, constructed by Queen Lazak following the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Despite the realm’s majority-Th’akh following populace, Queen Lazak has granted asylum to many journeying across the Wasteland regardless of which faith they subscribe to, and until recently even allowed [[Si&#039;akh]] within her realm. However, by attempting to appease the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] to allow her more time to seek allies, Queen Lazak agreed to the demands of representatives of the Hegemony to publicly denounce the religion and those who choose to follow the religion are disallowed from her realm; however, an open secret of the Queen’s court is that she allows members travelling through the Wasteland to reside within its borders – temporarily. Though the Queendom’s tolerance for other religions is great, [[Aut&#039;akh]] is fiercely denounced and even despised, even by the compassionate Queen. It is not unheard of for those within the confines of her realm that follow the heresy to find their prosthetic augments looted, or proselytisers lynched in the streets. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Major Cities ==&lt;br /&gt;
===Yu’kal===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The capital of the Queendom, Yu’kal has been reigned over for centuries by Clan Szek-Hakh. It had long been established, even prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], as a major population centre of great importance; mostly owing to trading structured around aquaculture. Though the nuclear cataclysm which [[Moghes]] was plunged into almost destroyed the city, Queen Lazak reigns benevolently to ensure that her people and her husband’s lineage, survive the perilous circumstances they’ve been confronted with. Though initially aligning with the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] during the outbreak of the Contract War, Yu’kal eventually saw itself shifting to becoming neutral to the conflict as it developed into the foundation of the Queendom. Now, it owes allegiance only to the Queen, and Clan Sezk-Hakh. Its architecture is similar to the other realms that pledged themselves to the [[Unathi History|Traditionalist Coalition]], with the main contrast being the Th’akh Cathedral replacing the town square. It is majority Th’akh. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Gzusz===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One of the newer cities to join the Queendom, Gzusz has become a refugee haven. On the outskirts of the realm’s eastern border, many from those travelling west initially arrive within the city – greeted by a growing city, which only decades before had a population of less than two-hundred. Though the [[Unathi History|Contact War]] has made it difficult to expand fast enough to accommodate those fleeing the Wasteland, Gzusz still maintains great importance to the Queendom, acting as a “buffer” between the Gawgaryn and Reclaimers against the Queendom. The majority of the newly arrived, in particular women, are inducted into the city’s guards, fighting off those that wish to question the Queendom’s ability to protect iself and its people. The influx of refugees means that Gzusz is rarely without round-the-clock protection. It is split between Sk’akh and Th’akh. It is ruled by Lady Zasza Szek-Hakh, Queen Lazak’s daughter. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Arch’ozal ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Named after the [[Th&#039;akh|Th’akh Spirit-God Archozmi]], Arch’ozal prides itself as being keeper and distributor of knowledge. Having sided with the Queendom since its inception, it has become a place of great academic advancements – at least in terms of the Wasteland. Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Arch’ozal was the centre of academia within Moghes’ eastern hemisphere; with Clan Ghzakal reigning over it. The destruction brought on by the nuclear war, and the lack of means to sustain itself, Clan Ghzakal fled from the city – leaving it and its populace having to fend for themselves. It was only after the radioactive ashes began to set that Queen Lazak sent emissaries towards the city, eventually persuading them to follow her custom doctrines. She appointed her daughter, Tzansa Szek-Hakh, as Lady-Regent until another woman with a rightful claim to Arch’ozal returned. It is majority Sk’akh, however, the population of Th’akh has slowly been growing over the years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38839</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38839"/>
		<updated>2026-03-27T00:15:05Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Unathi_Culture}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{toc_right}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:QueendomFlag.png|thumb|The Queendom&#039;s Flag. ]]&lt;br /&gt;
Situated across [[Moghes]]’ eastern hemisphere, within the Guzan region amid the Tzuszah Wastes, the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh has managed to survive and develop in spite of the instability caused by the consequences of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Isolated from its enemies thanks to the extensive, growing [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]], it is led by the elderly Lazak Szek-Hakh alongside her daughters, Zasza and Tzansa. Though the encroachment of the wastes has made resources within the previously lush province somewhat scarce, the region manages to teeter between thriving and languishing thanks to the extensive aquaculture industry that exists within the capital of Yu’kal – expanded upon by Szekzir Lazak following the death of her husband during the war. Unfortunately due to the continued growth of the wastes, distrust from more conservative Unathi, and the isolationist stance of the Szek-Hakh leadership, the future of the area is uncertain.&lt;br /&gt;
 A note on Etymology:&lt;br /&gt;
 The term Queendom was originally something of a misnomer borne from human mistranslation, but it was quickly adopted by enemies of Clan Szek-Hakh as well as those who see the region’s cultural shift as dangerous or degenerate. Originally intended to be a slight against what its detractors considered insufficient rulership, Lazak Szek-Hakh instead embraced the human centric term as her own. By 2468 the name was in widespread colloquial use when it was officially changed in collaboration with the structuring of the Karszekani. The area is now officially known as the Szekziran. Literally translated as “Domain of the Ruler of Rivers”, the name was chosen to highlight the region’s continued distance and contrast from the more common Szekanan or “Domain of the Ruler of the Land”. Given the changes in gender identity described below, the association to rivers was applicable as rivers are more closely associated with [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Taa]] (Healers) due to their adaptable nature, whereas the firm and solid land is more closely related to [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Saa]] (Warriors). Going forward the colloquial term and the official name will be used interchangeably.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
== Culture &amp;amp; History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Those that reside within the Queendom’s influence find themselves having to come to terms with the inverted gender roles – where the patriarchal system of the species has instead been replaced almost entirely by a matriarchal one. However, the result has caused some strife among contemporary Unathi surrounding the region, claiming the Queendom’s existence is an affront to tradition and honour; in particular the [[Unathi Honor|Matriarch’s Code]]. With a majority of both Yu’kal and the surrounding cities having seen more than half of their male population perish as a result of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Queen Lazak sought a way to ensure both her and her Clan’s survival. First, by claiming her husband’s title, and secondly by instituting women as protectors of the realm – not merely as warriors, but as those overseeing the survival of the region through advocating for surrounding cities and villages to do the same – citing her own realm’s success as a reasonable method of surviving the all-encompassing Wasteland. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Yu’kal was a centre of the eastern hemisphere’s aquaculture industry, with the city nestled along the coasts of clustered lakes. It was only after the death of Lord Jzsan Szeh’Hakn, Queen Lazak’s husband, that the realm’s reality shifted, and they were confronted with circumstances that most thought would result in the region’s collapse. However, Queen Lazak took critical steps to maintain her husband’s realm – in particular instituting widespread and extensive reformation of the aquacultural industry, allowing women to be employed as a result of the scarcity of male labourers. Her quick thinking allowed many of the surviving cities to survive those first years, even supplying the distant realm of Mudki. These first crucial steps by Queen Lazak allowed the survival of Yu’kal, and served as a beacon for Clans fleeing their homes as a result of the nuclear cataclysm. Quickly, the foundations of the Queendom began to form. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the end of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], the Queendom was a well-established political entity within the Wasteland, with Queen Lazak claiming her husband’s title sometime during the climax of the nuclear cataclysm.  Women soon found themselves in prominent roles across the Queendom, where eventually the gender roles eroded, replaced instead by a system dominated by women – men instead taking the roles thought meant only to be held by women in traditional Unathi custom. Those outside the Queendom’s influence took offence to her success, even sending an assassin after her to ensure her vile customs would fall; which then failed and led to the capture of the assassin and their subsequent exile as a Guwandi. With the attempt foiled, dozens of women stormed the orchestrating noble’s manor, going to far as to challenge the Lord to a duel for honour. Though already accepted by thousands within her realm, this brought publicity to the Queen, allowing her to rise as a public and notable figure in Moghes and the greater Izweski Hegemony. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Queen Lazak now leads the Queendom in a precarious situation, with those aligning themselves to the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski’s]] patriarchal customs calling for her exile due to her vile methods of inverting the traditions of the species, making it harder for the ageing Queen to find allies. Walking a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk’akh Church]], the [[Izweski Nation|Izweksi Hegemony]], and the other Wasteland factions seeking to make the Queen bow to their authority, only with the coming of the future will the legend of the Queendom see itself either rise or fall.  &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion ===&lt;br /&gt;
The majority of the Queendom subscribes to [[Th&#039;akh]], with Yu’kal containing within it a massive temple – easily compared to a cathedral – expressly giving homage to the realm’s alignment to the religion, constructed by Queen Lazak following the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Despite the realm’s majority-Th’akh following populace, Queen Lazak has granted asylum to many journeying across the Wasteland regardless of which faith they subscribe to, and until recently even allowed [[Si&#039;akh]] within her realm. However, by attempting to appease the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] to allow her more time to seek allies, Queen Lazak agreed to the demands of representatives of the Hegemony to publicly denounce the religion and those who choose to follow the religion are disallowed from her realm; however, an open secret of the Queen’s court is that she allows members travelling through the Wasteland to reside within its borders – temporarily. Though the Queendom’s tolerance for other religions is great, [[Aut&#039;akh]] is fiercely denounced and even despised, even by the compassionate Queen. It is not unheard of for those within the confines of her realm that follow the heresy to find their prosthetic augments looted, or proselytisers lynched in the streets. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Major Cities ==&lt;br /&gt;
===Yu’kal===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The capital of the Queendom, Yu’kal has been reigned over for centuries by Clan Szek-Hakh. It had long been established, even prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], as a major population centre of great importance; mostly owing to trading structured around aquaculture. Though the nuclear cataclysm which [[Moghes]] was plunged into almost destroyed the city, Queen Lazak reigns benevolently to ensure that her people and her husband’s lineage, survive the perilous circumstances they’ve been confronted with. Though initially aligning with the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] during the outbreak of the Contract War, Yu’kal eventually saw itself shifting to becoming neutral to the conflict as it developed into the foundation of the Queendom. Now, it owes allegiance only to the Queen, and Clan Sezk-Hakh. Its architecture is similar to the other realms that pledged themselves to the [[Unathi History|Traditionalist Coalition]], with the main contrast being the Th’akh Cathedral replacing the town square. It is majority Th’akh. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Gzusz===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One of the newer cities to join the Queendom, Gzusz has become a refugee haven. On the outskirts of the realm’s eastern border, many from those travelling west initially arrive within the city – greeted by a growing city, which only decades before had a population of less than two-hundred. Though the [[Unathi History|Contact War]] has made it difficult to expand fast enough to accommodate those fleeing the Wasteland, Gzusz still maintains great importance to the Queendom, acting as a “buffer” between the Gawgaryn and Reclaimers against the Queendom. The majority of the newly arrived, in particular women, are inducted into the city’s guards, fighting off those that wish to question the Queendom’s ability to protect iself and its people. The influx of refugees means that Gzusz is rarely without round-the-clock protection. It is split between Sk’akh and Th’akh. It is ruled by Lady Zasza Szek-Hakh, Queen Lazak’s daughter. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Arch’ozal ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Named after the [[Th&#039;akh|Th’akh Spirit-God Archozmi]], Arch’ozal prides itself as being keeper and distributor of knowledge. Having sided with the Queendom since its inception, it has become a place of great academic advancements – at least in terms of the Wasteland. Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Arch’ozal was the centre of academia within Moghes’ eastern hemisphere; with Clan Ghzakal reigning over it. The destruction brought on by the nuclear war, and the lack of means to sustain itself, Clan Ghzakal fled from the city – leaving it and its populace having to fend for themselves. It was only after the radioactive ashes began to set that Queen Lazak sent emissaries towards the city, eventually persuading them to follow her custom doctrines. She appointed her daughter, Tzansa Szek-Hakh, as Lady-Regent until another woman with a rightful claim to Arch’ozal returned. It is majority Sk’akh, however, the population of Th’akh has slowly been growing over the years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38838</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38838"/>
		<updated>2026-03-27T00:12:45Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Unathi_Culture}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{toc_right}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:QueendomFlag.png|thumb|The Queendom&#039;s Flag. ]]&lt;br /&gt;
Situated across [[Moghes]]’ eastern hemisphere, within the Guzan region amid the Tzuszah Wastes, the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh has managed to survive and develop in spite of the instability caused by the consequences of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Isolated from its enemies thanks to the extensive, growing [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]], it is led by the elderly Lazak Szek-Hakh alongside her daughters, Zasza and Tzansa. Though the encroachment of the wastes has made resources within the previously lush province somewhat scarce, the region manages to teeter between thriving and languishing thanks to the extensive aquaculture industry that exists within the capital of Yu’kal – expanded upon by Szekzir Lazak following the death of her husband during the war. Unfortunately due to the continued growth of the wastes, distrust from more conservative Unathi, and the isolationist stance of the Szek-Hakh leadership, the future of the area is uncertain.&lt;br /&gt;
 A note on Etymology:&lt;br /&gt;
 The term Queendom was originally something of a misnomer borne from human mistranslation, but it was quickly adopted by enemies of Clan Szek-Hakh as well as those who see the region’s cultural shift as dangerous or degenerate. By 2468 the name was in widespread colloquial use when it was officially changed in collaboration with the structuring of the Karszekani. The area is now officially known as the Szekziran. Literally translated as “Domain of the Ruler of Rivers”, the name was chosen to highlight the region’s continued distance and contrast from the more common Szekanan or “Domain of the Ruler of the Land”. Given the changes in gender identity described below, the association to rivers was applicable as rivers are more closely associated with [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Taa]] (Healers) due to their adaptable nature, whereas the firm and solid land is more closely related to [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Saa]] (Warriors). Going forward the colloquial term and the official name will be used interchangeably.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
== Culture &amp;amp; History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Those that reside within the Queendom’s influence find themselves having to come to terms with the inverted gender roles – where the patriarchal system of the species has instead been replaced almost entirely by a matriarchal one. However, the result has caused some strife among contemporary Unathi surrounding the region, claiming the Queendom’s existence is an affront to tradition and honour; in particular the [[Unathi Honor|Matriarch’s Code]]. With a majority of both Yu’kal and the surrounding cities having seen more than half of their male population perish as a result of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Queen Lazak sought a way to ensure both her and her Clan’s survival. First, by claiming her husband’s title, and secondly by instituting women as protectors of the realm – not merely as warriors, but as those overseeing the survival of the region through advocating for surrounding cities and villages to do the same – citing her own realm’s success as a reasonable method of surviving the all-encompassing Wasteland. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Yu’kal was a centre of the eastern hemisphere’s aquaculture industry, with the city nestled along the coasts of clustered lakes. It was only after the death of Lord Jzsan Szeh’Hakn, Queen Lazak’s husband, that the realm’s reality shifted, and they were confronted with circumstances that most thought would result in the region’s collapse. However, Queen Lazak took critical steps to maintain her husband’s realm – in particular instituting widespread and extensive reformation of the aquacultural industry, allowing women to be employed as a result of the scarcity of male labourers. Her quick thinking allowed many of the surviving cities to survive those first years, even supplying the distant realm of Mudki. These first crucial steps by Queen Lazak allowed the survival of Yu’kal, and served as a beacon for Clans fleeing their homes as a result of the nuclear cataclysm. Quickly, the foundations of the Queendom began to form. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the end of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], the Queendom was a well-established political entity within the Wasteland, with Queen Lazak claiming her husband’s title sometime during the climax of the nuclear cataclysm.  Women soon found themselves in prominent roles across the Queendom, where eventually the gender roles eroded, replaced instead by a system dominated by women – men instead taking the roles thought meant only to be held by women in traditional Unathi custom. Those outside the Queendom’s influence took offence to her success, even sending an assassin after her to ensure her vile customs would fall; which then failed and led to the capture of the assassin and their subsequent exile as a Guwandi. With the attempt foiled, dozens of women stormed the orchestrating noble’s manor, going to far as to challenge the Lord to a duel for honour. Though already accepted by thousands within her realm, this brought publicity to the Queen, allowing her to rise as a public and notable figure in Moghes and the greater Izweski Hegemony. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Queen Lazak now leads the Queendom in a precarious situation, with those aligning themselves to the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski’s]] patriarchal customs calling for her exile due to her vile methods of inverting the traditions of the species, making it harder for the ageing Queen to find allies. Walking a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk’akh Church]], the [[Izweski Nation|Izweksi Hegemony]], and the other Wasteland factions seeking to make the Queen bow to their authority, only with the coming of the future will the legend of the Queendom see itself either rise or fall.  &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion ===&lt;br /&gt;
The majority of the Queendom subscribes to [[Th&#039;akh]], with Yu’kal containing within it a massive temple – easily compared to a cathedral – expressly giving homage to the realm’s alignment to the religion, constructed by Queen Lazak following the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Despite the realm’s majority-Th’akh following populace, Queen Lazak has granted asylum to many journeying across the Wasteland regardless of which faith they subscribe to, and until recently even allowed [[Si&#039;akh]] within her realm. However, by attempting to appease the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] to allow her more time to seek allies, Queen Lazak agreed to the demands of representatives of the Hegemony to publicly denounce the religion and those who choose to follow the religion are disallowed from her realm; however, an open secret of the Queen’s court is that she allows members travelling through the Wasteland to reside within its borders – temporarily. Though the Queendom’s tolerance for other religions is great, [[Aut&#039;akh]] is fiercely denounced and even despised, even by the compassionate Queen. It is not unheard of for those within the confines of her realm that follow the heresy to find their prosthetic augments looted, or proselytisers lynched in the streets. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Major Cities ==&lt;br /&gt;
===Yu’kal===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The capital of the Queendom, Yu’kal has been reigned over for centuries by Clan Szek-Hakh. It had long been established, even prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], as a major population centre of great importance; mostly owing to trading structured around aquaculture. Though the nuclear cataclysm which [[Moghes]] was plunged into almost destroyed the city, Queen Lazak reigns benevolently to ensure that her people and her husband’s lineage, survive the perilous circumstances they’ve been confronted with. Though initially aligning with the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] during the outbreak of the Contract War, Yu’kal eventually saw itself shifting to becoming neutral to the conflict as it developed into the foundation of the Queendom. Now, it owes allegiance only to the Queen, and Clan Sezk-Hakh. Its architecture is similar to the other realms that pledged themselves to the [[Unathi History|Traditionalist Coalition]], with the main contrast being the Th’akh Cathedral replacing the town square. It is majority Th’akh. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Gzusz===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One of the newer cities to join the Queendom, Gzusz has become a refugee haven. On the outskirts of the realm’s eastern border, many from those travelling west initially arrive within the city – greeted by a growing city, which only decades before had a population of less than two-hundred. Though the [[Unathi History|Contact War]] has made it difficult to expand fast enough to accommodate those fleeing the Wasteland, Gzusz still maintains great importance to the Queendom, acting as a “buffer” between the Gawgaryn and Reclaimers against the Queendom. The majority of the newly arrived, in particular women, are inducted into the city’s guards, fighting off those that wish to question the Queendom’s ability to protect iself and its people. The influx of refugees means that Gzusz is rarely without round-the-clock protection. It is split between Sk’akh and Th’akh. It is ruled by Lady Zasza Szek-Hakh, Queen Lazak’s daughter. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Arch’ozal ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Named after the [[Th&#039;akh|Th’akh Spirit-God Archozmi]], Arch’ozal prides itself as being keeper and distributor of knowledge. Having sided with the Queendom since its inception, it has become a place of great academic advancements – at least in terms of the Wasteland. Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Arch’ozal was the centre of academia within Moghes’ eastern hemisphere; with Clan Ghzakal reigning over it. The destruction brought on by the nuclear war, and the lack of means to sustain itself, Clan Ghzakal fled from the city – leaving it and its populace having to fend for themselves. It was only after the radioactive ashes began to set that Queen Lazak sent emissaries towards the city, eventually persuading them to follow her custom doctrines. She appointed her daughter, Tzansa Szek-Hakh, as Lady-Regent until another woman with a rightful claim to Arch’ozal returned. It is majority Sk’akh, however, the population of Th’akh has slowly been growing over the years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38837</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38837"/>
		<updated>2026-03-27T00:10:03Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Unathi_Culture}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{toc_right}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:QueendomFlag.png|thumb|The Queendom&#039;s Flag. ]]&lt;br /&gt;
Situated across [[Moghes]]’ eastern hemisphere, within the Guzan region amid the Tzuszah Wastes, the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh has managed to survive and develop in spite of the instability caused by the consequences of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Isolated from its enemies thanks to the extensive, growing [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]], it is led by the elderly Lazak Szek-Hakh alongside her daughters, Zasza and Tzansa. Though the encroachment of the wastes has made resources within the previously lush province somewhat scarce, the region manages to teeter between thriving and languishing thanks to the extensive aquaculture industry that exists within the capital of Yu’kal – expanded upon by Szekzir Lazak following the death of her husband during the war. Unfortunately due to the continued growth of the wastes, distrust from more conservative Unathi, and the isolationist stance of the Szek-Hakh leadership, the future of the area is uncertain.&lt;br /&gt;
A note on Etymology:&lt;br /&gt;
The term Queendom was originally something of a misnomer borne from human mistranslation, but it was quickly adopted by enemies of Clan Szek-Hakh as well as those who see the region’s cultural shift as dangerous or degenerate. By 2468 the name was in widespread colloquial use when it was officially changed in collaboration with the structuring of the Karszekani. The area is now officially known as the Szekziran. Literally translated as “Domain of the Ruler of Rivers”, the name was chosen to highlight the region’s continued distance and contrast from the more common Szekanan or “Domain of the Ruler of the Land”. Given the changes in gender identity described below, the association to rivers was applicable as rivers are more closely associated with [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Taa]] (Healers) due to their adaptable nature, whereas the firm and solid land is more closely related to [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Saa]] (Warriors). Going forward the colloquial term and the official name will be used interchangeably.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
== Culture &amp;amp; History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Those that reside within the Queendom’s influence find themselves having to come to terms with the inverted gender roles – where the patriarchal system of the species has instead been replaced almost entirely by a matriarchal one. However, the result has caused some strife among contemporary Unathi surrounding the region, claiming the Queendom’s existence is an affront to tradition and honour; in particular the [[Unathi Honor|Matriarch’s Code]]. With a majority of both Yu’kal and the surrounding cities having seen more than half of their male population perish as a result of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Queen Lazak sought a way to ensure both her and her Clan’s survival. First, by claiming her husband’s title, and secondly by instituting women as protectors of the realm – not merely as warriors, but as those overseeing the survival of the region through advocating for surrounding cities and villages to do the same – citing her own realm’s success as a reasonable method of surviving the all-encompassing Wasteland. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Yu’kal was a centre of the eastern hemisphere’s aquaculture industry, with the city nestled along the coasts of clustered lakes. It was only after the death of Lord Jzsan Szeh’Hakn, Queen Lazak’s husband, that the realm’s reality shifted, and they were confronted with circumstances that most thought would result in the region’s collapse. However, Queen Lazak took critical steps to maintain her husband’s realm – in particular instituting widespread and extensive reformation of the aquacultural industry, allowing women to be employed as a result of the scarcity of male labourers. Her quick thinking allowed many of the surviving cities to survive those first years, even supplying the distant realm of Mudki. These first crucial steps by Queen Lazak allowed the survival of Yu’kal, and served as a beacon for Clans fleeing their homes as a result of the nuclear cataclysm. Quickly, the foundations of the Queendom began to form. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the end of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], the Queendom was a well-established political entity within the Wasteland, with Queen Lazak claiming her husband’s title sometime during the climax of the nuclear cataclysm.  Women soon found themselves in prominent roles across the Queendom, where eventually the gender roles eroded, replaced instead by a system dominated by women – men instead taking the roles thought meant only to be held by women in traditional Unathi custom. Those outside the Queendom’s influence took offence to her success, even sending an assassin after her to ensure her vile customs would fall; which then failed and led to the capture of the assassin and their subsequent exile as a Guwandi. With the attempt foiled, dozens of women stormed the orchestrating noble’s manor, going to far as to challenge the Lord to a duel for honour. Though already accepted by thousands within her realm, this brought publicity to the Queen, allowing her to rise as a public and notable figure in Moghes and the greater Izweski Hegemony. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Queen Lazak now leads the Queendom in a precarious situation, with those aligning themselves to the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski’s]] patriarchal customs calling for her exile due to her vile methods of inverting the traditions of the species, making it harder for the ageing Queen to find allies. Walking a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk’akh Church]], the [[Izweski Nation|Izweksi Hegemony]], and the other Wasteland factions seeking to make the Queen bow to their authority, only with the coming of the future will the legend of the Queendom see itself either rise or fall.  &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion ===&lt;br /&gt;
The majority of the Queendom subscribes to [[Th&#039;akh]], with Yu’kal containing within it a massive temple – easily compared to a cathedral – expressly giving homage to the realm’s alignment to the religion, constructed by Queen Lazak following the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Despite the realm’s majority-Th’akh following populace, Queen Lazak has granted asylum to many journeying across the Wasteland regardless of which faith they subscribe to, and until recently even allowed [[Si&#039;akh]] within her realm. However, by attempting to appease the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] to allow her more time to seek allies, Queen Lazak agreed to the demands of representatives of the Hegemony to publicly denounce the religion and those who choose to follow the religion are disallowed from her realm; however, an open secret of the Queen’s court is that she allows members travelling through the Wasteland to reside within its borders – temporarily. Though the Queendom’s tolerance for other religions is great, [[Aut&#039;akh]] is fiercely denounced and even despised, even by the compassionate Queen. It is not unheard of for those within the confines of her realm that follow the heresy to find their prosthetic augments looted, or proselytisers lynched in the streets. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Major Cities ==&lt;br /&gt;
===Yu’kal===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The capital of the Queendom, Yu’kal has been reigned over for centuries by Clan Szek-Hakh. It had long been established, even prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], as a major population centre of great importance; mostly owing to trading structured around aquaculture. Though the nuclear cataclysm which [[Moghes]] was plunged into almost destroyed the city, Queen Lazak reigns benevolently to ensure that her people and her husband’s lineage, survive the perilous circumstances they’ve been confronted with. Though initially aligning with the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] during the outbreak of the Contract War, Yu’kal eventually saw itself shifting to becoming neutral to the conflict as it developed into the foundation of the Queendom. Now, it owes allegiance only to the Queen, and Clan Sezk-Hakh. Its architecture is similar to the other realms that pledged themselves to the [[Unathi History|Traditionalist Coalition]], with the main contrast being the Th’akh Cathedral replacing the town square. It is majority Th’akh. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Gzusz===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One of the newer cities to join the Queendom, Gzusz has become a refugee haven. On the outskirts of the realm’s eastern border, many from those travelling west initially arrive within the city – greeted by a growing city, which only decades before had a population of less than two-hundred. Though the [[Unathi History|Contact War]] has made it difficult to expand fast enough to accommodate those fleeing the Wasteland, Gzusz still maintains great importance to the Queendom, acting as a “buffer” between the Gawgaryn and Reclaimers against the Queendom. The majority of the newly arrived, in particular women, are inducted into the city’s guards, fighting off those that wish to question the Queendom’s ability to protect iself and its people. The influx of refugees means that Gzusz is rarely without round-the-clock protection. It is split between Sk’akh and Th’akh. It is ruled by Lady Zasza Szek-Hakh, Queen Lazak’s daughter. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Arch’ozal ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Named after the [[Th&#039;akh|Th’akh Spirit-God Archozmi]], Arch’ozal prides itself as being keeper and distributor of knowledge. Having sided with the Queendom since its inception, it has become a place of great academic advancements – at least in terms of the Wasteland. Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Arch’ozal was the centre of academia within Moghes’ eastern hemisphere; with Clan Ghzakal reigning over it. The destruction brought on by the nuclear war, and the lack of means to sustain itself, Clan Ghzakal fled from the city – leaving it and its populace having to fend for themselves. It was only after the radioactive ashes began to set that Queen Lazak sent emissaries towards the city, eventually persuading them to follow her custom doctrines. She appointed her daughter, Tzansa Szek-Hakh, as Lady-Regent until another woman with a rightful claim to Arch’ozal returned. It is majority Sk’akh, however, the population of Th’akh has slowly been growing over the years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38836</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38836"/>
		<updated>2026-03-27T00:09:40Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Unathi_Culture}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{toc_right}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:QueendomFlag.png|thumb|The Queendom&#039;s Flag. ]]&lt;br /&gt;
Situated across [[Moghes]]’ eastern hemisphere, within the Guzan region amid the Tzuszah Wastes, the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh has managed to survive and develop in spite of the instability caused by the consequences of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Isolated from its enemies thanks to the extensive, growing [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]], it is led by the elderly Lazak Szek-Hakh alongside her daughters, Zasza and Tzansa. Though the encroachment of the wastes has made resources within the previously lush province somewhat scarce, the region manages to teeter between thriving and languishing thanks to the extensive aquaculture industry that exists within the capital of Yu’kal – expanded upon by Szekzir Lazak following the death of her husband during the war. Unfortunately due to the continued growth of the wastes, distrust from more conservative Unathi, and the isolationist stance of the Szek-Hakh leadership, the future of the area is uncertain.&lt;br /&gt;
A note on Etymology:&lt;br /&gt;
 The term Queendom was originally something of a misnomer borne from human mistranslation, but it was quickly adopted by enemies of Clan Szek-Hakh as well as those who see the region’s cultural shift as dangerous or degenerate. By 2468 the name was in widespread colloquial use when it was officially changed in collaboration with the structuring of the Karszekani. The area is now officially known as the Szekziran. Literally translated as “Domain of the Ruler of Rivers”, the name was chosen to highlight the region’s continued distance and contrast from the more common Szekanan or “Domain of the Ruler of the Land”. Given the changes in gender identity described below, the association to rivers was applicable as rivers are more closely associated with [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Taa]] (Healers) due to their adaptable nature, whereas the firm and solid land is more closely related to [[Unathi#Gender_Roles|Saa]] (Warriors). Going forward the colloquial term and the official name will be used interchangeably.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
== Culture &amp;amp; History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Those that reside within the Queendom’s influence find themselves having to come to terms with the inverted gender roles – where the patriarchal system of the species has instead been replaced almost entirely by a matriarchal one. However, the result has caused some strife among contemporary Unathi surrounding the region, claiming the Queendom’s existence is an affront to tradition and honour; in particular the [[Unathi Honor|Matriarch’s Code]]. With a majority of both Yu’kal and the surrounding cities having seen more than half of their male population perish as a result of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Queen Lazak sought a way to ensure both her and her Clan’s survival. First, by claiming her husband’s title, and secondly by instituting women as protectors of the realm – not merely as warriors, but as those overseeing the survival of the region through advocating for surrounding cities and villages to do the same – citing her own realm’s success as a reasonable method of surviving the all-encompassing Wasteland. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Yu’kal was a centre of the eastern hemisphere’s aquaculture industry, with the city nestled along the coasts of clustered lakes. It was only after the death of Lord Jzsan Szeh’Hakn, Queen Lazak’s husband, that the realm’s reality shifted, and they were confronted with circumstances that most thought would result in the region’s collapse. However, Queen Lazak took critical steps to maintain her husband’s realm – in particular instituting widespread and extensive reformation of the aquacultural industry, allowing women to be employed as a result of the scarcity of male labourers. Her quick thinking allowed many of the surviving cities to survive those first years, even supplying the distant realm of Mudki. These first crucial steps by Queen Lazak allowed the survival of Yu’kal, and served as a beacon for Clans fleeing their homes as a result of the nuclear cataclysm. Quickly, the foundations of the Queendom began to form. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the end of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], the Queendom was a well-established political entity within the Wasteland, with Queen Lazak claiming her husband’s title sometime during the climax of the nuclear cataclysm.  Women soon found themselves in prominent roles across the Queendom, where eventually the gender roles eroded, replaced instead by a system dominated by women – men instead taking the roles thought meant only to be held by women in traditional Unathi custom. Those outside the Queendom’s influence took offence to her success, even sending an assassin after her to ensure her vile customs would fall; which then failed and led to the capture of the assassin and their subsequent exile as a Guwandi. With the attempt foiled, dozens of women stormed the orchestrating noble’s manor, going to far as to challenge the Lord to a duel for honour. Though already accepted by thousands within her realm, this brought publicity to the Queen, allowing her to rise as a public and notable figure in Moghes and the greater Izweski Hegemony. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Queen Lazak now leads the Queendom in a precarious situation, with those aligning themselves to the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski’s]] patriarchal customs calling for her exile due to her vile methods of inverting the traditions of the species, making it harder for the ageing Queen to find allies. Walking a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk’akh Church]], the [[Izweski Nation|Izweksi Hegemony]], and the other Wasteland factions seeking to make the Queen bow to their authority, only with the coming of the future will the legend of the Queendom see itself either rise or fall.  &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion ===&lt;br /&gt;
The majority of the Queendom subscribes to [[Th&#039;akh]], with Yu’kal containing within it a massive temple – easily compared to a cathedral – expressly giving homage to the realm’s alignment to the religion, constructed by Queen Lazak following the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Despite the realm’s majority-Th’akh following populace, Queen Lazak has granted asylum to many journeying across the Wasteland regardless of which faith they subscribe to, and until recently even allowed [[Si&#039;akh]] within her realm. However, by attempting to appease the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] to allow her more time to seek allies, Queen Lazak agreed to the demands of representatives of the Hegemony to publicly denounce the religion and those who choose to follow the religion are disallowed from her realm; however, an open secret of the Queen’s court is that she allows members travelling through the Wasteland to reside within its borders – temporarily. Though the Queendom’s tolerance for other religions is great, [[Aut&#039;akh]] is fiercely denounced and even despised, even by the compassionate Queen. It is not unheard of for those within the confines of her realm that follow the heresy to find their prosthetic augments looted, or proselytisers lynched in the streets. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Major Cities ==&lt;br /&gt;
===Yu’kal===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The capital of the Queendom, Yu’kal has been reigned over for centuries by Clan Szek-Hakh. It had long been established, even prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], as a major population centre of great importance; mostly owing to trading structured around aquaculture. Though the nuclear cataclysm which [[Moghes]] was plunged into almost destroyed the city, Queen Lazak reigns benevolently to ensure that her people and her husband’s lineage, survive the perilous circumstances they’ve been confronted with. Though initially aligning with the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] during the outbreak of the Contract War, Yu’kal eventually saw itself shifting to becoming neutral to the conflict as it developed into the foundation of the Queendom. Now, it owes allegiance only to the Queen, and Clan Sezk-Hakh. Its architecture is similar to the other realms that pledged themselves to the [[Unathi History|Traditionalist Coalition]], with the main contrast being the Th’akh Cathedral replacing the town square. It is majority Th’akh. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Gzusz===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One of the newer cities to join the Queendom, Gzusz has become a refugee haven. On the outskirts of the realm’s eastern border, many from those travelling west initially arrive within the city – greeted by a growing city, which only decades before had a population of less than two-hundred. Though the [[Unathi History|Contact War]] has made it difficult to expand fast enough to accommodate those fleeing the Wasteland, Gzusz still maintains great importance to the Queendom, acting as a “buffer” between the Gawgaryn and Reclaimers against the Queendom. The majority of the newly arrived, in particular women, are inducted into the city’s guards, fighting off those that wish to question the Queendom’s ability to protect iself and its people. The influx of refugees means that Gzusz is rarely without round-the-clock protection. It is split between Sk’akh and Th’akh. It is ruled by Lady Zasza Szek-Hakh, Queen Lazak’s daughter. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Arch’ozal ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Named after the [[Th&#039;akh|Th’akh Spirit-God Archozmi]], Arch’ozal prides itself as being keeper and distributor of knowledge. Having sided with the Queendom since its inception, it has become a place of great academic advancements – at least in terms of the Wasteland. Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Arch’ozal was the centre of academia within Moghes’ eastern hemisphere; with Clan Ghzakal reigning over it. The destruction brought on by the nuclear war, and the lack of means to sustain itself, Clan Ghzakal fled from the city – leaving it and its populace having to fend for themselves. It was only after the radioactive ashes began to set that Queen Lazak sent emissaries towards the city, eventually persuading them to follow her custom doctrines. She appointed her daughter, Tzansa Szek-Hakh, as Lady-Regent until another woman with a rightful claim to Arch’ozal returned. It is majority Sk’akh, however, the population of Th’akh has slowly been growing over the years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38835</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38835"/>
		<updated>2026-03-26T23:59:01Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: Replaced content with &amp;quot;{{Unathi_Culture}} {{Navbox Lore}} {{Navbox Unathi Lore}} {{toc_right}} The Queendom&amp;#039;s Flag.  Situated across Moghes’ eastern hemisphere, within the Tzuszah Wastes, the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh has managed to thrive somewhat, isolated from the ires of the Izweski Hegemony thanks to the extensive, growing Wasteland. Led by the elderly Queen Lazak Szek’Hakh alongside her daughters, Zasza and Tzansa. Though the Th...&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Unathi_Culture}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{toc_right}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:QueendomFlag.png|thumb|The Queendom&#039;s Flag. ]]&lt;br /&gt;
Situated across [[Moghes]]’ eastern hemisphere, within the Tzuszah Wastes, the Queendom of Sezk-Hakh has managed to thrive somewhat, isolated from the ires of the Izweski Hegemony thanks to the extensive, growing [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]]. Led by the elderly Queen Lazak Szek’Hakh alongside her daughters, Zasza and Tzansa. Though the [[The Wasteland|Wasteland]] has made resources within the previously lush region somewhat scarce, the Queendom manages to teeter between thriving and surviving thanks to the extensive aquaculture industry that exists within the capital of Yu’kal – expanded upon by Queen Lazak following the death of her husband during the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], a nuclear cataclysm that engulfed [[Moghes]] as a result of tension between the Traditionalist Coalition, an alliance between city-states that managed to avoid the influence of the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] throughout history, and the self-proclaimed Hegemons of [[Moghes]], the Izweski Clan.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
== Culture &amp;amp; History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Those that reside within the Queendom’s influence find themselves having to come to terms with the inverted gender roles – where the patriarchal system of the species has instead been replaced almost entirely by a matriarchal one. However, the result has caused some strife among contemporary Unathi surrounding the region, claiming the Queendom’s existence is an affront to tradition and honour; in particular the [[Unathi Honor|Matriarch’s Code]]. With a majority of both Yu’kal and the surrounding cities having seen more than half of their male population perish as a result of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Queen Lazak sought a way to ensure both her and her Clan’s survival. First, by claiming her husband’s title, and secondly by instituting women as protectors of the realm – not merely as warriors, but as those overseeing the survival of the region through advocating for surrounding cities and villages to do the same – citing her own realm’s success as a reasonable method of surviving the all-encompassing Wasteland. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Yu’kal was a centre of the eastern hemisphere’s aquaculture industry, with the city nestled along the coasts of clustered lakes. It was only after the death of Lord Jzsan Szeh’Hakn, Queen Lazak’s husband, that the realm’s reality shifted, and they were confronted with circumstances that most thought would result in the region’s collapse. However, Queen Lazak took critical steps to maintain her husband’s realm – in particular instituting widespread and extensive reformation of the aquacultural industry, allowing women to be employed as a result of the scarcity of male labourers. Her quick thinking allowed many of the surviving cities to survive those first years, even supplying the distant realm of Mudki. These first crucial steps by Queen Lazak allowed the survival of Yu’kal, and served as a beacon for Clans fleeing their homes as a result of the nuclear cataclysm. Quickly, the foundations of the Queendom began to form. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the end of the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], the Queendom was a well-established political entity within the Wasteland, with Queen Lazak claiming her husband’s title sometime during the climax of the nuclear cataclysm.  Women soon found themselves in prominent roles across the Queendom, where eventually the gender roles eroded, replaced instead by a system dominated by women – men instead taking the roles thought meant only to be held by women in traditional Unathi custom. Those outside the Queendom’s influence took offence to her success, even sending an assassin after her to ensure her vile customs would fall; which then failed and led to the capture of the assassin and their subsequent exile as a Guwandi. With the attempt foiled, dozens of women stormed the orchestrating noble’s manor, going to far as to challenge the Lord to a duel for honour. Though already accepted by thousands within her realm, this brought publicity to the Queen, allowing her to rise as a public and notable figure in Moghes and the greater Izweski Hegemony. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Queen Lazak now leads the Queendom in a precarious situation, with those aligning themselves to the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski’s]] patriarchal customs calling for her exile due to her vile methods of inverting the traditions of the species, making it harder for the ageing Queen to find allies. Walking a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk’akh Church]], the [[Izweski Nation|Izweksi Hegemony]], and the other Wasteland factions seeking to make the Queen bow to their authority, only with the coming of the future will the legend of the Queendom see itself either rise or fall.  &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion ===&lt;br /&gt;
The majority of the Queendom subscribes to [[Th&#039;akh]], with Yu’kal containing within it a massive temple – easily compared to a cathedral – expressly giving homage to the realm’s alignment to the religion, constructed by Queen Lazak following the [[Unathi History|Contact War]]. Despite the realm’s majority-Th’akh following populace, Queen Lazak has granted asylum to many journeying across the Wasteland regardless of which faith they subscribe to, and until recently even allowed [[Si&#039;akh]] within her realm. However, by attempting to appease the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] to allow her more time to seek allies, Queen Lazak agreed to the demands of representatives of the Hegemony to publicly denounce the religion and those who choose to follow the religion are disallowed from her realm; however, an open secret of the Queen’s court is that she allows members travelling through the Wasteland to reside within its borders – temporarily. Though the Queendom’s tolerance for other religions is great, [[Aut&#039;akh]] is fiercely denounced and even despised, even by the compassionate Queen. It is not unheard of for those within the confines of her realm that follow the heresy to find their prosthetic augments looted, or proselytisers lynched in the streets. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Major Cities ==&lt;br /&gt;
===Yu’kal===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The capital of the Queendom, Yu’kal has been reigned over for centuries by Clan Szek-Hakh. It had long been established, even prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], as a major population centre of great importance; mostly owing to trading structured around aquaculture. Though the nuclear cataclysm which [[Moghes]] was plunged into almost destroyed the city, Queen Lazak reigns benevolently to ensure that her people and her husband’s lineage, survive the perilous circumstances they’ve been confronted with. Though initially aligning with the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]] during the outbreak of the Contract War, Yu’kal eventually saw itself shifting to becoming neutral to the conflict as it developed into the foundation of the Queendom. Now, it owes allegiance only to the Queen, and Clan Sezk-Hakh. Its architecture is similar to the other realms that pledged themselves to the [[Unathi History|Traditionalist Coalition]], with the main contrast being the Th’akh Cathedral replacing the town square. It is majority Th’akh. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Gzusz===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One of the newer cities to join the Queendom, Gzusz has become a refugee haven. On the outskirts of the realm’s eastern border, many from those travelling west initially arrive within the city – greeted by a growing city, which only decades before had a population of less than two-hundred. Though the [[Unathi History|Contact War]] has made it difficult to expand fast enough to accommodate those fleeing the Wasteland, Gzusz still maintains great importance to the Queendom, acting as a “buffer” between the Gawgaryn and Reclaimers against the Queendom. The majority of the newly arrived, in particular women, are inducted into the city’s guards, fighting off those that wish to question the Queendom’s ability to protect iself and its people. The influx of refugees means that Gzusz is rarely without round-the-clock protection. It is split between Sk’akh and Th’akh. It is ruled by Lady Zasza Szek-Hakh, Queen Lazak’s daughter. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Arch’ozal ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Named after the [[Th&#039;akh|Th’akh Spirit-God Archozmi]], Arch’ozal prides itself as being keeper and distributor of knowledge. Having sided with the Queendom since its inception, it has become a place of great academic advancements – at least in terms of the Wasteland. Prior to the [[Unathi History|Contact War]], Arch’ozal was the centre of academia within Moghes’ eastern hemisphere; with Clan Ghzakal reigning over it. The destruction brought on by the nuclear war, and the lack of means to sustain itself, Clan Ghzakal fled from the city – leaving it and its populace having to fend for themselves. It was only after the radioactive ashes began to set that Queen Lazak sent emissaries towards the city, eventually persuading them to follow her custom doctrines. She appointed her daughter, Tzansa Szek-Hakh, as Lady-Regent until another woman with a rightful claim to Arch’ozal returned. It is majority Sk’akh, however, the population of Th’akh has slowly been growing over the years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Unathi&amp;diff=38525</id>
		<title>Unathi</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Unathi&amp;diff=38525"/>
		<updated>2026-02-13T00:40:27Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Outdated (Phoron Scarcity)}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Infobox Species&lt;br /&gt;
 |Species = Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Scientific = U. sapiens / Sinta&#039;Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Image = Unathi410x320.png&lt;br /&gt;
 |System = [[Uueoa-Esa]]&lt;br /&gt;
 |World = [[Moghes]]&lt;br /&gt;
 |Language = Sinta&#039;Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Politic = [[Izweski Hegemony]]&lt;br /&gt;
 }}&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Unathi&#039;&#039;&#039; (direct plural: Unathi – You-NAWH-thee both singular and multiple) (adjective: Unathite - You-NAWH-thit) are a race of tall humanoid reptiles standing from six to seven feet tall on average, with females slightly smaller in stature. They possess a mixture of snake-like and crocodile-like features, resulting in hard and plate-like scales. Unathi live in their home system of Uueoa-Esa with their homeworld being [[Moghes]]. The planet&#039;s history can be summarized as being divided up between various Hegemonies, names they give the most powerful Clans on Moghes throughout time. The Clan system is deeply entrenched in Unathi society with everything else revolving around it. It forms a major part of their code of honor, which stresses the importance of martial abilities and loyalty to the Clan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Unathivillage.png|thumb|alt=Unathi.|Life outside the Untouched Lands remains harsh, with limited or nonexistent Hephaestus presence.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Religion and spirituality play a major role in a Unathi society, and religious differences are the main dividing factor. Conflict between the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and the various [[Th&#039;akh]] faiths of Moghes, as well as the various [[Aut&#039;akh|communes]] and [[Si&#039;akh|cults]], have caused conflict and wars between the Izweski Hegemony and the kingdoms that eventually comprised the Traditionalist Coalition. This conflict hit a peak when they entered the intergalactic stage, which is now known as the [[Contact War]]. After this conflict, some Unathi fled the planet through Hephaestus or NanoTrasen shuttle ports. Unathi fleeing to megacorporations like NanoTrasen find themselves working in security and engineering roles, but recently many have been proving themselves as competent surgeons and brilliant scientists, earning opportunities that Moghes would deny them because of its strict feudal hierarchy. However, others are slipping through the cracks and becoming slavers, raiders, or pirates. As the ability for spaceship construction increases in the Unathi home system, so too does space piracy and smuggling.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Moghes has two different biomes after the Contact War. The fertile Untouched Lands with its great jungles, vast swamps, and lush forests; all of which are protected by massive terraforming equipment kept secure by the Hegemony&#039;s wealth and power. Contrast to that are the bombarded Wasteland kingdoms in the ashes of plains and forests, burnt into a massive planet-spanning desert rampant with [[The_Wasteland#Clan_.22Gawgaryn.22_-_The_Punished_Clans|punished kingdoms raiding to survive]] and [[The_Wasteland#The_Reclaimers|part scavengers living in cities on treads]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To apply to be Unathi, apply [http://aurorastation.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=28 here].&lt;br /&gt;
{{TOC Hidden}}&lt;br /&gt;
== Heads of Staff ==&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi can be the following Heads of Staff:&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Head of Security]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Chief Medical Officer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Research Director]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Chief Engineer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Operations Manager]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Corporate Liaison|Consular Officer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Corporate Liaison]] - [[NanoTrasen]], [[Hephaestus Industries]], [[Zavodskoi Interstellar]] ([[Unathi in Dominia|Dominian Unathi]] only), [[Private Military Contracting Group]] (Dagamuir Freewater Private Forces only), [[Orion Express]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The following groups &#039;&#039;&#039;cannot&#039;&#039;&#039; be Heads of Staff: [[Aut&#039;akh]], Guwan, and Gawgaryn of [[The Wasteland]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Due to their criminal backgrounds, the following groups &#039;&#039;&#039;cannot&#039;&#039;&#039; be played in the Security department: Guwan and Gawgaryn of [[The Wasteland]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Outside of consular officers, command characters should not be of the same clan as any notable lords of the Hegemony. The most prominent clans, such as those of Overlords and the Hegemon himself, are off-limits for command.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Megacorporate Relations===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to 2465, Moghean Unathi that were not members of trade guilds were almost exclusively employed with [[Hephaestus Industries]]. Unathi with guild memberships would primarily take contracts with [[NanoTrasen]] or [[Orion Express]], depending on their career choice. [[Unathi in Dominia|Unathi living in Dominia]], like most of their countrymen, seek employment with [[Zavodskoi Interstellar]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
After the Merchant&#039;s Guild declared bankruptcy, Hephaestus Industries bailed out all Hegemonic guilds and reorganised them under the banner of the company. Since then, nearly all residents of Moghes are employed by Hephaestus in some way. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Mechanics ==&lt;br /&gt;
Mechanical differences from humans and unique emotes listed below:&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Passive&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi are coldblooded which allows slightly improved heat resistance, but increased sensitivity to cold.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi have claws, which slash and improve unarmed melee attacks.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi are incapable of easily digesting alcohol, and ethanol is considered toxic to them.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can only drink alcohol from drinks with butanol instead of ethanol. Butanol gets them drunk similar to ethanol but has no effect on other species.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi get no nutrients from eating fruits and vegetables. They need meat to fill their hunger.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can safely eat carp and consume carpotoxin.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi have the fastest sprint available to any species, but they have low stamina, meaning they can only sprint in short bursts. They also are slower than most other species.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Active Abilities&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can devour monkeys, rats, spiders, carp, and other small mobs by clicking and dragging from the mob to themselves. The animal must hold still for it to work.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi hiss when speaking Tau Ceti Basic. You achieve this by typing multiple s&#039;s during speech. This can also be pronounced through x&#039;s if their accent is thick. &amp;quot;Thisss issss an ekssample.&amp;quot;  You can also &#039;&#039;&#039;Toggle-Auto-Hiss&#039;&#039;&#039; to do this for you.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can sample the air with their tongue.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unique audible emotes: *hiss, *hiss2, *bellow.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Biology ==&lt;br /&gt;
Their average life expectancy is around sixty years for most Unathi. However, they tend to live for well past sixty years when given advanced medical care available to the other space-faring species. As a cold-blooded species, they suffer fatigue and even short comas when exposed to extremely low temperatures.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Humans and Unathi share a lot of similar internal biology with some notable exceptions. Since they are a carnivorous species, their diet mostly consists of meat and animal products, though they do have a tolerance to some plants and fruits. While Unathi do receive minor benefits for eating certain fruits, they do not get any nutrition from plants. Due to their carnivorous nature, they also have an increased stomach capacity to help eat larger meals at a time. The typical Unathi usually only eats one meal a day, and for the poorer sinta, perhaps once every two days. They tend towards lethargic and sluggish movements more often than not because of their evolutionary history, so they move slower than most organic species. However, the cyclical period of work for Unathi compared to other species is much faster. Unathi are polyphasic sleepers: creatures that sleep in shorter naps rather than at one time during the night. While they tend towards sluggishness, sinta are often capable of incredible bursts of energy and speed, and their ability to work in three or four hour periods of time compensates for their more sporadic schedules.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The reproductive system of a Sinta&#039;Unathi is very similar to that of Earth reptiles. Females lay eggs, with the average clutch being somewhere between one and three. They have a six-month gestation period, after which they are laid in a humid, warm area. After two months, the fetus is fully developed and hatches from the egg. Unathi are born with their claws and the ability to walk within hours of hatching. A Sinta&#039;Unathi is considered an adult when they are 16 years old.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Physical Appearance ===&lt;br /&gt;
The Unathi as a species show a great deal of variation within body types as well as clusters of smaller physical traits passed down through clans. Facial and body features range in size and shape with some having raptor-like aesthetics, serpentine looks, or a more draconic body. Tail length is often genetic; conversely, tail girth is defined by a Unathi&#039;s diet as it stores most of the body&#039;s fat— nobles grow some of the largest tails.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi scales are somewhat tougher than human skin, though they shed off sporadically rather than all at once. More vulnerable and hidden spots, such as the stomach and waist, the backs of joints, and inner thighs are all leathery skin and aren&#039;t covered in scales.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The typical healthy adult male Unathi weighs roughly 280 pounds. Female sinta differ from males as they generally have a shorter and more rounded snout. The typical healthy Unathi female weighs roughly 250 pounds. Female Unathi grow to about 5&#039;9&amp;quot; to 6&#039;8, while male Unathi grow to about 6&#039;0&amp;quot; to 7&#039;0&amp;quot;. Unusual heights tend to be smaller in scale, as the taller a Unathi is, the more likely it will be marred with health problems and not live as long as others.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Both sexes stand on digitigrade legs, with three toes on each foot and a hooked dewclaw, and have clawed feet and hands. They also have very long tongues, typically black or extremely dark red in color, which may stretch up to a foot and a half long and are forked just like a serpent&#039;s. In much the same manner as snakes, Unathi can sample the air around them using their tongue. They blink and have tear ducts similar to humans.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi horns do not naturally regrow, and serious damage tends to remain permanent. Ancient recipes using native herbs known as &amp;quot;horn paste&amp;quot; are commonly made and sold by herbalists and can counter cosmetic scratches or minor chipping. More modern synthetic Horn Gel (based on Bone Gel), developed largely by [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]], can regenerate an entire lost horn, but it tends to be stratified to the upper classes and noblemen due to cost.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Lizards.png|thumb|Body dimorphism in Unathi.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Colouration ====&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi are also often born into one of four major scale colour categories: red, black, orange-brown and &amp;quot;sand-colored&amp;quot;, and green. Alternative colours are rare, with dark blue and even albino Unathi being reported in very small numbers. Albinos are sometimes slightly tinted in colour while remaining predominantly white. Traditionally these off-coloured Unathi are met with prejudice, though some clans outside the Izweski may feel different.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It has been noticed that scale colourations were more represented in some areas than other, and thus, many shades of these colours were, in Unathi culture, named after the places they tend to be seen in more often, in many cases.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*Modern red-coloured Unathi are thought to originate from a large nomadic clan that settled South of the Moghresian Sea around modern Skalamar. Nowadays, red-scaled Sinta tend to be seen on the entire Southern coast of the Moghresian Sea and the mountain ranges near it.&lt;br /&gt;
*Today’s green-coloured Unathi hail from the Southern side of the Moghresian sea, and they are seen more often throughout this side of the coast and down to the colder lands even further South. Surprisingly, there is also a large batch of green-coloured Unathi located around Sahl lake, indicating that an old nomadic clan of mostly green Sinta settled there centuries ago.&lt;br /&gt;
*Orange-brown and sand-yellow Unathi comprises a wide range of colours. They are a more common colour to be seen in a large area, and it is believed that their origins come from displacement in ancient conflicts that forced them to migrate and find new homelands. More precisely, Unathi harbouring such colours tend to be more represented in a large area defined between Darakath, Bahard, Mudki, and Yu’kal.&lt;br /&gt;
*Black or “dark-scaled’ Unathi do not seem to originate from any precise area, and instead, tend to be more often seen around colder areas of Moghes, both North and South. A popular theory is that black scales are actually a consequence of exposure to the cold for generations— something that has yet to be proven.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
All colours, barring albino, do not mix; if a brown Unathi and a light red Unathi have a child, the red scales the child has might be a little darker, but the colours do not blend to make something new.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Colour ranges&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Due to the modernization of Moghes as well as the emigration and population displacement from the Contact War, Unathi of any colour can be found nearly anywhere on Moghes. Of course, they are more common in some areas rather than others.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Below are some examples of Unathi scale colour ranges. These cover a majority of the colors; while some deviances from these are normal, there are no neon or pink colors among Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{| align:Center&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
!Usual Unathi colour ranges:&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Green.png|200px|thumb|left|Green colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Brown.png|200px|thumb|left|Brown-orange / sand-yellow colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Red.png|200px|thumb|left|Red colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Black.png|200px|thumb|left|Black colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
{| align:Center&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
!Unusual Unathi colour ranges:&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_white.png|200px|thumb|left|Albino colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Blue.png|200px|thumb|left|Blue colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Green:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Razir Moss:&#039;&#039; RGB 27, 50, 27 / Hex #1B321B&lt;br /&gt;
*An unusually dark shade of green, but certainly not the only one, Unathi from Razir and its surrounding areas tend to have this scale colouration more often than not. As the name suggests, it is quite comparable in colour to the unique moss that tends to grow on rocks and buildings on the Southern coast of the Moghresian sea. The moss was heavily used by healers in the past, as its spongy nature allows to quickly stop bleeding, and its composition can also help in dealing with infection, or at least, limit their spread, until proper medicine can be found, properties that are quite appreciated in a time like the post-Contact-War era, where shortages, of medicine among other things, aren’t so rare depending on the location. Due to its ties with healing, some of the more traditional Unathi tend to see Unathi with such a scale colouration as more feminine.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Sen Emerald:&#039;&#039; RGB 31, 95, 31 / Hex #1F5F1F&lt;br /&gt;
*Considering the name, and the overall concentration of Unathi in the region, it is assumed that those bearing such colouration came from the now-broken city of Sen. Records of where the name comes from exactly has been lost after the Contact War, but theories still exist with recent finds. The reclaimer clan Kikata, operating a landcrawler by the torn cities, on the western coast of the Moghresian sea, noticed several collapsed mines next to what they assumed used to be villages, and in them, among many other minerals, unique green gems. As word has started to spread, many Sinta are now assuming that Sen Emerald refers to these gems.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Teht Mint:&#039;&#039; RGB 85, 149, 85 / Hex #559555&lt;br /&gt;
*Teht Mint is one of the many crops that (nearly) disappeared after the Contact War and its nuclear fallout. As Teht mostly made its fortune from fishing, nearby villages housed the few clans in all of Moghes talented enough to properly harvest the plant, and who kept such a knowledge secret to all of their own. Used as expensive seasoning by only the wealthiest Nobles in the region, these clans, and their village, quickly made a fortune, then came the Contact war. While the city of Teth was spared by the bombing, the many villages around it that didn’t get outright razed by the nukes were abandonned, as their main source of income, the harvesting of the mint, was soon enough gone and made life there unsustainable, leaving only handful of seeds, currently preserved in Teth’s palace in hopes that they may be planted into proper soil another day. In any case, the name “Teht Mint” persist as a way to call the Sintas bearing a light green scale colour that tends to be seen in the area.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Sahl Green:&#039;&#039; RGB 56, 126, 86 / Hex #387E56&lt;br /&gt;
*Lake Sahl, among many other things, was renowned for the unique algae that used to grow in within it, giving it, when the floor was shallow enough, a green-ish tint, something that many local fishers used to call “Sahl’s green halo”. Like many things, these algae died after the Contact War, and the poisoning of the lake due to the ensuing nuclear fallout. Many of the older locals that still remember their time spent fishing in the lake, however, have been continuing to call Unathi living around the lake, bearing a unique shade of green, “Sahl Green”.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Orange-Brown / Sand Coloured:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Mudki Stone:&#039;&#039; RGB 98, 84, 65 / Hex #625441&lt;br /&gt;
*The mountainous city of Mudki has been build with the rocks of the very mountains it stands on and between. These rocks exhibit a strange propriety due to their unique composition, something only found in the area, as, when wet, the usually light-grey, or tan stone, turns to a pale-brown. While a small-scaled group of geologists was dispatched to explain the phenomenon, the researches were cut short by the outbreak of the Contact War, and by now, most Sinta simply have their own explanation, from more science-based ones, to some more related to faith. In any case, people have taken to naming the many Sinta bearing light brown scale colouration, around the area, “Mudki Stone”, and some older, more superstitious inhabitants of Mudki and its surroundings claim that these Unathi can, like the stone, change colour…&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Yu&#039;kal Soil:&#039;&#039; RGB 92, 66, 32 / Hex #5C4220&lt;br /&gt;
*Yu’kal, while far from any of the main lakes or seas of Moghes, was a city that known for its people’s work in aquaculture in smaller bodies of water, natural or, later on, artificial, something that nearby smaller settlements also picked up. While the Contact War and its consequences put an end to such a business, many in the Queendom still remember this time, and how the soil turned damp and darkened from the how humid it could get in some places… Something that led to the naming of the colouration that many of the local Unathi bear, similar shades of brown, “Yu’kal Soil”.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Darakath Brown:&#039;&#039; RGB 158, 116, 60 / Hex #9E743C&lt;br /&gt;
*Darakath Brown, also called “Darakath Copper” by the inhabitants of the once proud capital of the Azarak Kingdom, is ,as the name suggests, a scale colouration mostly seen in Darakath and its surroundings. To the more staunch supporters of the Izweski Hegemony, Sintas with this colours are seen as Traditionalists, and by extent, defeated foes… To others, Unathi with such colouration are treated with kindness, if not (legitimate or not) pity, after the sacking of the city by the end of the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Bahard Cream:&#039;&#039; RGB 233, 178, 104 / Hex #E9B268&lt;br /&gt;
*Bahard, before the nuclear exchange, was one of the largest trading hub on Moghes thanks to its central position, making a fortune through trading. Beside this, however, Bahard was also known for the culinary expertise of its people, access to food from all around Moghes being one of the reason behind such a thing. Bahard Cream, originally referred to the a seasoning whose recipe was lost by the end of the Contact War, generally offered to passing traders. It was its unique colour and popularity that led to the locals, and soon enough, the rest of Moghes, to referring to the scale colouration seen so often around the area in such a way.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Red:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Tak Red:&#039;&#039; RGB 128, 62, 62 / Hex #803E3E&lt;br /&gt;
*Tak used to be a city of relatively modest size, before the nuclear exchange utterly ruined it. Few know why Sinta of this certain shade are thus called “Tak Red”, although researches in Skalamar have led to a theory: fish exports. Most inhabitants made a living through fishing, just like most cities on the coast of the Moghresian sea, although surviving trading records show a higher than average amount of exports from the city. Additionally, texts, and common memory, point that some of the fish unique to Tak’s coast had unique red scales… Although said fishes are extinct by now, everything seems to indicate that this is where the name for this colouration came from.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Skalamar Red:&#039;&#039; 160, 44, 44 / Hex #A02C2C&lt;br /&gt;
*Skalamar Red, also called “Blood Red” by traditionalist and other foes of the Hegemony, is, as the name suggest, more often seen in Skalamar and its neighboring territories. Origins on the name of this colouration were blurry, even before the Contact War, with stories speaking of such colourations having divine origins, from other speaking of a curse, depending on who you ask. In any case, such a colouration is a sign of greatness and valor to some, and of shame and cruelty to some others… Generally depending on who they would have sided with during the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;S&#039;th Berry:&#039;&#039; RGB 125, 6, 6 / Hex #980606&lt;br /&gt;
*S’th Berries are one of the few species of flora that survived the nuclear fallout of the Contact War… Although, not without consequences. While they were once deep red, the berries lost their colour and appear grey-ish; and their sugary taste as been lost, some saying that they now taste like paste instead. Nevertheless, the name given to the colour that many Unathi in the area arbor, remained: Unathi of red scales, red like S’th’s Berries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Black:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Derhai Shadow:&#039;&#039; RGB 17, 22, 16 / Hex #111610&lt;br /&gt;
*Although such a tone can be found a bit everywhere since Derhai’s depopulation, most people can pinpoint that it used to be most often seen in and around great city that stood there, before being abandoned. Due to the highly religious nature that Derhai had, many have been tying (sometimes wrongly) such a scale colouration to Th&#039;akhists.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Janvir Black:&#039;&#039; RGB 28, 28, 28 / Hex #1C1C1C&lt;br /&gt;
*Perhaps a testament to how fast Unathi can evolve and change over generation, Janvir Black is a scale colouration that only appeared around a century after the foundation of the cold metropolis, merely six centuries ago… That is, according to the limited records currently available in the post-Contact War era.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Guzari Night:&#039;&#039; RGB 61, 47, 47 / Hex #3D2F2F&lt;br /&gt;
*There were, allegedly, several small settlements by the coast of the Guzari Sea, despite the freezing temperatures (on Unathi standards, that is), thanks to the unique bounties of the cold Northern Sea. Records seem to indicate, however, that said settlements were abandoned even before the Contact War, something that historians, even to this day, cannot explain, mostly due to the severe loss of historical documents during the conflict. Many Unathi, today, then, see other Sinta with the strange scale colouration known as Guzari Night as quite elusive…&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Albino:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Albino White:&#039;&#039; RGB 178, 178, 178 / Hex #B2B2B2&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Bleached Bone:&#039;&#039; RGB 183, 169, 169 / Hex #3D2F2F&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Blue:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Indigo Blue:&#039;&#039; RGB 35, 55, 189 / Hex #2337BD&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Azure:&#039;&#039; RGB 1, 102, 255 / Hex #0066FF&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Albino and Azure (or Blue) Unathi scale colouration are not tied to any area of Moghes, and instead, generally the result of genetic lottery. How such colourations are perceived varies widely. These Unathi would generally face prejudice in the Hegemony, although some other Sinta from different horizons can exhibit interest for them instead, or simply indifference. &lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Genetic Variety ====&lt;br /&gt;
Besides scale colouration, many other physical aspects of Unathi bodies can vary widely. From horns and frills, to even extra scale crests and different structures in a Unathi’s very skeleton (namely, the skull). While anatomical differences within a species are natural, Unathi are noteworthy for how wide these differences can get and how fast they come to be. The exact science behind this has been lost after the Contact War, and most of the research behind such a phenomena is idly handled by Nanotrasen and Zeng-Hu specialists. However it is assumed that Sinta simply evolve and adapt to their surroundings much faster than most of the other sentient species of the Spur, leading to such large physical discrepancies between Unathi alone.&lt;br /&gt;
From this, it is also assumed that, with Unathi populations moving between planets, and Moghes on its way to changing considerably (may the consequences of the of the Contact War be the of the Sinta homeworld, or may terraforming efforts save it), said biological differences between different groups will only get larger and more exotic in the next few centuries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Genetic Variety&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Unathifaces.png|180px|thumb|right|Zotzo’s Treaty of Biology is one of the first Unathi works dedicated to the study of Sinta biology, and in which the terminology for Unathi facial structure was first established. This is one of the few pages left of the book, found in the ruins of Oket&#039;s Great Library.]] &lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Horns&#039;&#039;&#039; are not tied to specific places, or at least, not directly. There seems to be a hereditary side to it, however, as Unathi more often than not seem to bear the horns of one of their parents (on VERY rare instances carrying the horns of both). Horns, however, do not “mix” and make new shapes, the same way that Unathi scale colourations don’t mix. Horns are arbored by both male and female Sintas, and can be of various tones, from dark gray, near black, to Ivory or even pristine white, and even in some cases, pale brown-ish tones. Contrary to some belief, Unathi horns are bone, and not made of Ivory or any other precious material. Horn size, just like tail size, also depends on a Unathi’s diet. However, while everyone has the potential to grow an enlarged tail, if given enough fat, horn size highly depends on how well-fed a Unathi is during their childhood as they grow. Coupled with one’s horn’s hereditary nature, it is commonly assumed that A Sinta of noble blood will generally have larger horns… A noble who happens to have shorter horns is generally called a New-Noble, as if they were the first of their clan to ascend to noblehood, and by extent the quality diet that tends to come with it.&lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Frills&#039;&#039;&#039;, while hereditary in exactly the same way as horns, tend to be most often seen in Unathi populations living on coasts, or in general humid areas. Frills can be of various colours, so long as they remain in natural Unathi colour ranges. They are constituted of either a bony “support”, or in some rare cases, a cartilaginous one, with skin or scales between and on said “supports”. Since frills are articulated, to some minor degree, Unathi bearing frills tend to be seen as more expressive, as they tend to “open” or “close” their frills, accentuating body language. Frills have generally been associated with Unathi of low-to-middle class, or at least, that have ancestry from such classes, as fishermen and such Unathu are generally depicted with large frills. The validity of such a concept is discussed nowadays. &lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Crests&#039;&#039;&#039; are rather similar to frills in their constitution, although they differ in the sense that, instead of having a thin layer of scaly hide being stretched between its bony or cartilaginous supports, crests are entirely covered in proper hide. One popular example is the infamous “Cobra Hood” (Which is a domination established by the people of the Spur as a whole, and not by Sinta, as Cobras are obviously not native to Moghes). Like frills, Crests can be articulated, although in a much more limited way. Crests are not limited to any place, and just like horns, are instead fully hereditary. Crests were rather rare prior to the Contact War, as it was more common among Unathi population living in rather arid areas, earning the rather poetic name of the “Frills of the dry seas”. After the Nuclear exchange, however, new generations born in a changed Moghes start to come with more and more crests already.&lt;br /&gt;
*Finally, while minor differences in sizes and shapes can be observed in different Unathi populations, one aspect in particular tends to change drastically: &#039;&#039;&#039;skull shapes&#039;&#039;&#039;. The shape of a Unathi’s head seems to vary widely, with some adopting a more draconic appearance, some being closer to smaller lizards, Iguanas, snakes, crocodiles, etc. The way Unathi see their fellow Sinta with this or that facial appearance varies widely depending on their culture. Once again, both due to migration, populations blending with each other and the loss of records due to the Contact War, locating the origins in Unathi faces has proved to be quite the hard endeavor, but some clues, mostly based on interviews of older, surviving Sintas, have been found, and a proper classification is being reestablished:&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Arakhania (“Draconic”)&#039;&#039;: Arakhanian facial structure, also called “Draconic” in Basic, is perhaps the most well known Unathi skull shape in the entire Spur. Perhaps one of the most well spread facial structures nowadays, it is also known as the “head of the nobles”, due to its prevalence among noble populations, with many notable Unathi bearing such a profile (namely the Hegemon himself). Arakhanians tend to have a pointy snout with smooth shapes, and a frontal bone of varying height and steepness.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Thodokhania (“Crocodilian”)&#039;&#039;: Thodokhanian faces come with a larger, longer snouts and more flat heads, comparable to Earth’s crocodiles or alligators (hence the name given to such a profile in Basic: “Crocodilian”.) Unathi with the Thodokianian facial structure have turned rarer and rarer since the Contact War, which led to the belief that the nuclear exchange must’ve erased population centers featuring the bulk of their population.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Imekhania (“Common Lizard-like”)&#039;&#039;: The Imekhanian facial class is as broad as the population it encompasses, being the most represented profile among Sinta. Unathi with the Imekhanian profile come with generally smoother snout shapes and round tips. earning the name “lizard-like” in Basic. According to ancient records and texts, it seems like the Imekhanian profile could be seen everywhere on Moghes, even before the first large population movements.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Senkhania (“Snake-like”)&#039;&#039;: With their flat heads and short snouts, Senkhanians faces are, as their name in Basic suggests, comparable to Earth’s Snakes. While a small part of the population, Unathi with the Senkhanian facial profile are still considered a category of their own, due to their presence in mostly rural areas (something that has yet to be explained), zones that would not tend to be the direct targets of nuclear bombardment during the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Lokhenian (“Others”)&#039;&#039;: Lokhenian facial profile, or “The faces of the Lost” is an all-new, post-Contact War classification, used to designate any facial structure that does not fit in the other aforementioned categories, and are not large enough to warrant a category of their own. Such facial structures are extremely various but also tend to be extremely rare, and it is assumed, that those were already quite rare even before the nuclear exchange, as they were rarely ever recorded in pre-contact war media.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Afflictions and Disabilities ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi, like all species, are prone to conditions that are uncommon among the population. How each Unathi views or handles these is varied due to the traditional cultures of Moghes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Lsh&#039;islasulu, sometimes shortened to &amp;quot;Lsh disorder,&amp;quot; is a rare scale disability affecting very few Unathi. The disorder is poorly studied because of its lacking negative affects and extreme rarity. When suffering from Lsh disorder, Unathi will lose their dead scale cells through a painful peeling process, rather than sporadically. A Unathi suffering from the disorder will need to painfully peel or scrub off their dead scales off once or twice a month in droves. The affliction is caused by increased cell death, and scale cells will die rapidly for no apparent reason. Luckily, this process only causes pain and increased susceptibility to the cold, not causing any damage or making the scales much weaker in terms of durability. Further information is lacking due to little research preformed.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kaasilik is a famously known yet equally rare disorder inflicting unique symptoms. Those suffering from Kaasilik lack any growth of frills, hoods, horns or any other structure on the head or face. While labeled as a disorder, those affected by it suffer no physical drawbacks and are believed to be the result of a genetic lottery in which generations of couples between Unathi with certain horn or frill growth reproduce. While undamaging to the Unathi physically, it can make identifying them from another suffering Unathi difficult at times. Children of these Unathi will likely have very small or limited frill and horn growth.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Albinosm, or Zis&#039;lak, caused by a general lack of pigment in the scales, makes the scales appear totally white, sometimes with a minor tint of green, red or sand/orange, caused by a total lack of pigment. Albinism in Unathi can also cause a unique shift in eye colour; while typical for Unathi to have colours like orange, red or green, albinism can shift the eye colour to an unusual violet. This is due to a lack of eye pigment combined with the light refraction off of the blood vessels within the eye. Unathi that suffer from albinism usually remain away from sunlight as their sensitive scales provide little to no UV protection and put them at risk of burns. Albino Unathi are also often seen as a bad omen at birth, and as such, those within the Hegemony&#039;s lower populated areas are often banished from their clan or in extreme circumstances, even banished from some clans to become Guwan. It should be noted that azure coloured Unathi cannot be albino.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Illiz is a disorder appearing in two states with a wide variety of recorded variation. The disability details highly irregular tail size, this can include tails the size of a finger or tails so long they become a tripping hazard. The former being nicknamed, &amp;quot;Hasik.&amp;quot; Unathi affected by Hasik typically suffer when sprinting, their short tails also prevent fat storage, which results in the fat being stored elsewhere like the arms, thighs, and lower body. The latter mentioned state of Illiz, nicknamed &amp;quot;Hasil,&amp;quot; is the complete opposite. Those affected by Hasil find their tails reaching lengths of up to four feet long. Hasil includes similar issues as Hasik, the most notable of which is it also negatively affects balance. Those with longer tails struggle to sprint, carrying the weight of such a large tail. Culturally, those suffering Hasik are viewed as pathetic and as cowards, while those with longer tails are presumed to be a noble. It should be noted that very few nobles have been documented suffering Hasik, while some, using plastic surgery, increase the size of their tails to mimic Hasil.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Unathi History]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The history of the Unathi is predominately a history of each &#039;&#039;&#039;Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039; that has existed throughout their history. There have only been three clans that have managed to create an empire worthy of the title &#039;Hegemon.&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Kres’ha’nor Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039; lasted from roughly 920 CE - 1500 CE. It is most famous for being the first empire to dominate Moghes and creating what was then a modern feudal state. Their empire saw rise of walled cities, steel weapons, centralized taxation, and other innovations. It ended in a brutal succession war, with Moghes once again being shattered into hundreds of individual Kingdoms with no true global power.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the &#039;&#039;&#039;16th century&#039;&#039;&#039; the power of &#039;&#039;&#039;[[Unathi Guilds|Guilds]]&#039;&#039;&#039; began to grow, forming an early form of mercantilism. Guilds formed for bakers, butchers, grocers, millers, smiths, carpenters, weavers, mason, shoemakers, in fact, nearly every trade had its own guild. Standards such as just weights and measures evolved from the guilds, and guild inspectors would inspect shops to ensure rules were being followed. Guilds would help members that were sick, or in trouble, and would sometimes take care of families after the member died. This time also saw Guilds building the first major universities. While incredibly exclusive, these universities began to create a new era of specialized labor and intellectuals.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;19th century&#039;&#039;&#039; saw rise of the &#039;&#039;&#039;Second Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;, ruled by the &#039;&#039;&#039;Sarakus Clan&#039;&#039;&#039;. Their clan ruled harshly, and forced technological advances into the cities and towns. In the 1930&#039;s they ruthlessly modernized their empire in The Great Endeavor, spreading electricity, radio, paved roads, modern plumbing, and other modern innovations.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In &#039;&#039;&#039;1994&#039;&#039;&#039; the &#039;&#039;&#039;Izweski Clan&#039;&#039;&#039; violently deposed the Sarakus and slaughtered the entire surviving dynasty, declaring the &#039;&#039;&#039;Third Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;. After they won an incredibly destructive global war to defend their claim, the Izweski have ruled Moghes until modern times.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In &#039;&#039;&#039;2403&#039;&#039;&#039;, a human exploration team discovered Moghes. Shortly after, first contact with the Izweski Hegemony was made. Sol Alliance merchants and scientists flocked to Moghes, living under very careful observation and guard in Izweski cities. Skalamar, the second largest city in Izweski, became the first Unathite city to have a shuttle port constructed. Owned by NanoTrasen, it served to transport people to and from the planet’s surface. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[Contact War|The Contact War, which has more information here,]] was a cataclysmic global war that lasted from &#039;&#039;&#039;2438 to 2449&#039;&#039;&#039;. The fighting was between two global powers, the &#039;&#039;&#039;Izweski Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;, and the &#039;&#039;&#039;Traditionalist Coalition&#039;&#039;&#039;. The war was fought over the very future of the Unathi and their relationship with the rest of the galaxy. The Izweski demanded Moghes submit to a one-world government ran by themselves and embrace the influence of humanity. The Traditionalist Coalition rejected this. &#039;&#039;&#039;The war went nuclear on September 5th, 2439&#039;&#039;&#039;, causing immense suffering across Moghes and directly leading to the creation of The Wasteland, which is set to engulf Moghes within a hundred years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Unathi Culture==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Diet and Cuisine ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathite dishes are mostly comprised of meat, eggs, and fish. It may be cooked or even still raw and bleeding. Vegetables in meals are often just for decoration or flavor, but by no means ever make up the majority of the dish. Unathi do not take any nutritional value from plant matter, only from meat. Desert flowers may also be placed on the plate to make it seem well-presented and are also edible. The tools Unathi use to eat are very unorthodox to humans, usually resembling chopsticks banded together near the top. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi generally eat only one large meal a day. The nobility often eat twice a day, while poorer Unathi or those in [[The Wasteland|the Wasteland]] will eat bi-daily: every two days.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To support their civilization, fishing has developed on a scale similar to human agriculture. Since the Contact War, fishing yields have fallen, and hunger has become a fact of life for many Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Language ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi, being deeply traditional, tend to inject their own sayings, proverbs, and similar speech into other languages not native to them. Some concepts of their languages also spill over into tongues foreign to Unathi. For example, Unathi genders follow personal behaviors and societal roles rather than biological sex. While “man”, “male”, and other similar words might serve as a rough translation, “warrior” or the Sinta-Unathi word “Saa” would be more correct and often finds its way into conversation between Unathi and other races. The same is true for “healer” or “Taa”, being somewhat equivalent to “woman”, or “female”, while “fisher” or “Kaa” is the Unathi term for someone whose duties revolve around production, commodities, or economic development. Objects also have assigned genders to them, so it is not uncommon for Sinta to refer to objects and inanimate things with genders. Unathi also have a lot of assorted figures of speech that, instead of being based on direction (up and down), are affiliated with time and its speed. A faster rate of time is seen as bad while a slower rate is seen as good in a majority of cases. Good things are categorized by saying something is punctual, progressing on time, is speeding up in time, or has a lot of time while saying the opposite for bad things. Rather than saying &amp;quot;I’m going to bed for the night,&amp;quot; a Unathi might offer &amp;quot;I’m slowing down for the night&amp;quot;; similarly, instead of being &amp;quot;down to hang out,&amp;quot; one would instead say they &amp;quot;want to slow down&amp;quot; with someone else. Examples include, but aren’t limited to: &amp;quot;today’s harvests were timely,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;the day has been slow,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;my body is slowing,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;their sleep is running late,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;I’m accelerating through my studies.&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi names are extraordinarily diverse, ranging from those that string together a bunch of consonants to sounds with many vowels in a row. There are not many commonalities between them besides harder sounds like &#039;ck,&#039; &#039;zh,&#039; &#039;s,&#039; &#039;d,&#039; and &#039;t.&#039; &#039;&#039;&#039;However, names cannot have more than two of the same letter in a row, such as Myo&#039;sssak.&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Many species have developed the joking term &amp;quot;unathisms&amp;quot; for all the various cultural holdovers that get put into other languages they speak.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot; style=&amp;quot;width:99%; overflow:auto;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi Metaphors, Sayings, and Slang&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Sinta— &#039;&#039;meaning Unathi. If the word Unathi can be compared to &amp;quot;Human&amp;quot;, then sinta can be compared to &amp;quot;man&amp;quot;, the latter usually kept out of more serious, official or scientific discussion and instead used in discussions with a more common if not familiar tone. Sinta does not get an S on plural and does not start with a capital letter.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Claws, talons— &#039;&#039;fingers, nails, respectively; however, sometimes satire or exaggeration make use of them interchangeably.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hatchling, egg— &#039;&#039;a child or baby, sometimes also as an insult.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Azure, albino— &#039;&#039;exotic, or unusual; alternatively (and rarely), an archaic and outdated way of calling something awful: &amp;quot;Their tastes are absolutely albino.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hide, scales— &#039;&#039;skin.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Rattle, rattled— &#039;&#039;scared.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Scratch, scratched— &#039;&#039;to write/written.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Tailwag— &#039;&#039;generic insult lacking true meaning and has a weird versatility to it, like referring to someone as a &#039;fuck&#039; or similar.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Blood on my teeth— &#039;&#039;eating, sometimes a gruesome (seen as barbaric) way of describing fighting and other activities.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Lay down my tail/bare my neck— &#039;&#039;let someone walk over you.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Molting— &#039;&#039;getting angry enough over something that it damages your physical health. Used almost explicitly for exaggeration.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Fat-tail— &#039;&#039;an insult usually aimed at nobles.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Quote a limerick— &#039;&#039;to be sassy, snarky, witty.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Grinding my horns— &#039;&#039;getting on their nerves.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Strum— &#039;&#039;gather.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Stomp, stomping— &#039;&#039;a get together (as a noun) or referring to someone being happy (as a verb).&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Echoed song— &#039;&#039;oral tradition.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ghazkus, ghazkii— &#039;&#039;skrell, coming from the word &amp;quot;amphibious&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;ghazii&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kzlth, kzlthii— &#039;&#039;humans, coming from the word &amp;quot;scaleless&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;kazulth&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Imiekran, imiekranes— &#039;&#039;the typical term for dionae meaning &amp;quot;twisted plant&amp;quot; in Sinta’Azaziba, usually a term of endearment; alternatively called aggregates when referring to different forms.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Xsain— &#039;&#039;vaurca, coming from the word &amp;quot;incomprehensible&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;xsa&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
(Note: most of the time this is seen as being a nickname when used outside of Sinta’Unathi or Sinta’Azaziba. If you are particularly friendly with someone that either you don’t know the name of or are referring to someone otherwise, this may be appropriate outside of saying the species’ name.)&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Zo’zyola— &#039;&#039;the equivalent of an angel or a demon. Depending on the context, this is either a compliment or a severe insult.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Dishonored their clan— &#039;&#039;do something to ostracize themselves from society or a group of people.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A tale longer than my own— &#039;&#039;a play on words gaining traction among Sinta who speak Basic. Basically a way of saying &amp;quot;it&#039;s a long story&amp;quot; with similar connotations, but this phrase can also be used to hype up an event. &amp;quot;What did you do during the Solarian Invasion?&amp;quot; &amp;quot;It&#039;s a tale longer than my own— let&#039;s meet up to discuss it.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Heating up— &#039;&#039;a way of setting your guard is going down or that you are even getting bored or tired. &amp;quot;This shift has been uneventful, I can feel it heating up.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Sk&#039;akh&#039;s scales— &#039;&#039;a way of saying &amp;quot;holy shit&amp;quot; or similar swears.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Have an honorable duel for the sake of the game— &#039;&#039;in Sinta&#039;Azaziba and Sinta&#039;Unathi, duel and game are the same word, just with different meanings. This is a play on words in the original tongue and is meant to talk about something that has to be done yet trying to make fun out of it anyway.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
More unclean/unkempt than a Guwan&#039;s feet— &#039;&#039;referring to something being worse than the dirtiest part of a class of undesirables. Phrases like these are more common in the Hegemony and are one of the many methods used to degrade Guwan.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When an arbek eats its tail— &#039;&#039;&amp;quot;when pigs fly.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Preparing the maxtlatl— &#039;&#039;referring to the shaman&#039;s garb. Preparing the maxtlatl is something a shaman does when they feel they are near death; in preparing it, they are readying the skull in the headgear to be replaced by their own. In a sense, if someone is preparing the maxtlatl, they are spelling their own doom or see their demise coming.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the Fourth Nation— &#039;&#039;somewhat of a joke about cycles, playing fun at the fact that the Izweski Hegemony has been a constant throughout history. Traditionalists use this phrase more bitterly and sardonically, however.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By mine and your spirits— &#039;&#039;a way of solemnly swearing; alternatively, asking for guidance if you worship Th’akh.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Three Heads bless me— &#039;&#039;the alternative to &amp;quot;by mine and your spirits&amp;quot; for those that worship Sk’akh.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Bet the Hegemon’s head— &#039;&#039;many people want to kill the Hegemon, so this refers to such a bounty. Usually used as a joke or a dare.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Individual languages are described by the prefix &#039;Sinta&#039; followed by the identity of its native speakers. Speaking mannerisms remain the same when speaking Sinta or another language. For stylistic choices, there are some options. For those raised in or by the Hegemony, avoid contractions like &#039;&#039;it&#039;s&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;they&#039;re&#039;&#039;, which would be &#039;&#039;it is&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;they are&#039;&#039;. Formal Sinta&#039;Unathi lacks this concept of contracting words, and thus it is a difficult concept to understand for these speakers. Those that speak Sinta&#039;Azaziba will talk in other languages in short bursts, similar to how Azaziba has shorter sentences due to gesticulating and speaking at the same time. Accents are wide and diverse; replacing &#039;s&#039; sounds with &#039;th&#039; in a &#039;forced lisp&#039; or even just omitting the sound is a commonality for Unathi that struggle with certain words in other languages (like &#039;suspicious&#039;). This way of speaking is also common when singing in different languages, a trend picking up within the Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sinta&#039;Unathi ====&lt;br /&gt;
While Pre-Contact Moghes had hundreds of unique languages and their own histories, Sinta&#039;Unathi has been and remains the primary language spoken by most Unathi. It is an evolution of an older Moghean trade language, Sinta&#039;Izwe.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The written language has 30 letters, with 5 of them being vowels. The language is written left to right, though this was an attempt to emulate humanity, as informal Sinta&#039;Unathi still write top to bottom.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sinta&#039;Azaziba ====&lt;br /&gt;
Sinta&#039;Azaziba is a language of Moghes consisting of a combination of spoken word and gesticulation. While waning since Moghes entered the galactic stage, it enjoys popular use by Unathi that never fell to the Hegemony&#039;s cultural dominance. Sinta&#039;Azaziba writing has 27 letters, 4 of which being vowels. The language is written from top to bottom.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Unathi Fashion and Make-up ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Fashion on the scale of an entire species is incredibly diverse, much like with other species. There are some common sights seen across most Unathi peoples.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Fashion ====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Clothing is generally something to balance for Unathi, according to one’s need with warmth. Generally, Unathi can dress themselves from head to toe, with shawls and hoods not being an uncommon sight, even if temperatures aren’t outright cold, just to retain warmth for as long as possible. In particularly hot climates, however, or on specific occasions like while sunbathing, Unathi may choose to wear minimal clothing to get as little obstacle as possible between them and the sun, or any other heat source they may be enjoying.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Colors are an essential part of any Unathi outfit. Being particularly fond of vibrant colors, sights of bright reds, oranges, yellows, greens and blues are common, and white and black, though rare for fashion’s sake, are generally used to accentuate colors even more. These colors are often selected to go along with their scale colors, eyes, and so on, the natural colors of a Unathi playing a large part in their fashion choices. Nobility and other wealthy individuals will often show off their status through the use of jewelry, both gemstone and rare, expensive metals like gold and silver. Though the typical bracelets and necklaces can be found, Unathi also use some pieces of jewelry unique to their species, such as horn rings (meant to be worn around one’s horn) or frill-rings (going through the frill, much like with earrings.) Capes and cloaks are also a traditional display of status and function, with for instance the many capes worn by Guild members.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Make-up ====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While most Human cultures see most forms of make-up as feminine, Unathi are different. It’s common for Unathi of all genders to apply make-up. Once again, there are countless forms of make-up and ways to apply them seen across the entire species.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot; style=&amp;quot;width:99%; overflow:auto;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi make-up&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
===== Cosmetics =====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Some of the most popular forms of Unathi make-up include things such as claw-painting, quite comparable to painting nails. This is generally done with bright colors, to accentuate them over the scale colors of the Unathi in question. There are traces of claw-painting being done in pre-Hegemonic times, mainly by warriors, to show off their claws and intimidate their foes, and though this tradition is still practiced by some, claw painting is now also done for the mere sake of fashion. Horns can also be painted, as well as frills for similar effects if the individual in question sports them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===== Scalepaint =====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Scalepaint is a uniquely Unathi form of make-up, and the most popular in the species as well. Due to their need to shed, Unathi cannot sport tattoos normally, but scalepaint constitutes an equivalent. As the name implies, it is a form of paint applied directed on one’s scaly hide. scalepaint can be inconspicuous and small, or extravagant and cover the majority of one’s hide. In any case, however, it is done to go along with, and complement one’s natural hide colors, and completely covering oneself in scalepaint is seen as particularly awkward and a display of shame in oneself.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The practice of using scalepaint dates back to prehistoric times, with hunters covering themselves in a mixture of herbs, dust, and a few pigments to better hide in the foliage to ambush prey; though it quickly-enough became a form of aesthetic as well. The practice to apply scalepaint hasn’t changed much since then; it is a mix of pigments, herbs, and a clay-like substance to be applied directly on one’s scales.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Perhaps what makes Scalepaint so interesting is the sheer amount of work needed to apply and maintain it. First, it must be applied in correct doses. Too much, and the texture will be too thick and completely cover the scaly texture of one’s hide (an easy excuse to be mocked by your fellow sinta), too little, and the color won’t be visible-enough, and completely disappear at the first shed. With the correct amount of paint applied, it should be visible enough without hiding one’s scales, and when the time to shed comes, some remnants of paint should still be visible, acting as a guide for the next layer to be put on this layer of skin as well. This brings us to the second part, the need to maintain scalepaint. A proper scalepaint requires regular maintenance, to be generally re-applied after every shed. This workload makes the most extravagant and encompassing forms of scalepaint a show of both artistry, but also the result of regularly applied, expert artistry.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Because of its need to be re-applied constantly, scalepaint is generally applied and maintained by oneself, and thus, only to places they can reach. As such, only nobles and other wealthy sinta are ever seen sporting scalepaint on their backs, as it requires maintenance from others, generally talented servants.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Zandiziite Games ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Zandiziite Games]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
An ancient sport that got its start on Moghes, this sport is best described as a mixture of Olympic- and MMA-style games. Competitors within the Zandiziite Games are called Zandiziites, or colloquially an individual wrestler is called a Zandi. Clans send eligible men (and only men) to their Lord in the hopes that they are chosen to represent their city or community in the Zandiziite Games.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Unathi Sociality and Society ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Behaviour and Mannerisms ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi generally stare at what they are interested in, so their intense gaze moves with a conversation to whoever is talking. Additionally, pointing can be seen as extremely rude in circumstances. If more than just a passing gesture towards someone, prolonged pointing can be a grave insult to one&#039;s honor and, in some cases, be the reason for crude fighting or even initiate a duel.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi should always be addressed by their last name in most situations. It is offensive to use a Unathi&#039;s first name unless you are family or have a close relationship with them (like family, a lover, or close friend). Some are more permissive than others regarding this. In a situation where there are multiple Unathi with the same last name, it&#039;s generally accepted to just get more and more specific in your address to make it clear who you are speaking to.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi to other species would typically appear sluggish in their movements, though there are some exceptions to this. When working or even when feeling threatened, they typically move short distances with their arms and legs at speeds much faster than normal for other species. This is because they conserve their energy by going slightly slower until they need it for a given task.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Another outstanding behavior that other species would note is an intense gaze. Unathi typically find staring at whoever is speaking to be respectful; however, this intense staring, paired with not blinking often and stooping to look at someone at eye level, is how other species are typically made uncomfortable when engaging with Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For most Unathi being seen speaking to Guwans is embarrassing. A woman associating with a Guwan is extremely improper and indecent, and they can lose social standing by doing so.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Violence can have its place in regular daily life, with playful fighting being commonplace with the peasantry and in the Wasteland. Joking punches and wistful tail flicks that would be normal for Unathi playing around may end up hurting a human, which has led to many jokes about humanity’s weak stature. Shoulder checks and headbutts have their place in more aggressive friendships and is a sign of showing brotherly love.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Emotional Displays ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi exhibit a great variety of emotional body language in ways different from other species. While it is not uncommon for Unathi to attempt to mimic human displays (sometimes with frightening results, for example showing off their large, numerous sharp teeth in a &amp;quot;smile&amp;quot;), they have their own natural, basic emotions that come from biological expression akin to reptiles. It can be very difficult for this species to control their emotionally linked body language as it is engrained in Unathite culture, but exercising restraint is often seen as a sign of nobility or simply an individual who is attempting to better blend in with other species. Over time, these displays can also change to adapt to a different environment, though this process typically takes many years to come to fruition.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For example, baring the entire throat is the single most meaningful expression that can be displayed to another, often used to show trust or vulnerability to someone a Unathi cares about. However, it is not unusual to do this to also surrender to another (such as in a fight), admit shame, or display extreme compassion (when exposed to twine necks with another). Conversely, tilting the snout far down to protect the throat and better display one’s horns is a fight response or to show distrust in another.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When it comes to intimate gestures between Unathi, they usually twine necks or tails, and touch foreheads and snouts together with the same intent that humans kiss. Such displays are usually only reserved for those that are married or to be wed, but with other cultures such as Ouerea, the smaller colonies, or the Empire of Dominia, this tends to be much more relaxed. Hugging is usually considered to be something done by children and avoided by adults.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi often fixate on their surroundings when interested or excited by someone or something. If there is a conversation of multiple people, they often change their gaze to look at whoever is speaking, or at the person speaking they are most interested in. It is considered rude by Unathi to avert your gaze, for that shows that someone can be aloof, distant, or not paying attention fully. Even if afraid and cowering, they tend to look directly at the source of their fear. For other species, when especially happy or interested, they can even stoop down to look at them directly at eye level, or try to raise themselves as much as possible to look other creatures in the eye.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Other physical displays include the ‘tail stomp,’ a phenomenon common during heightened signals of emotion. Typically, these are done when a Sinta is filled with joy or extremely agitated, but can be rarely used when a Unathi is grieving. Other more minor displays are, but aren’t limited to: bristling scales, in response to a cold environment or a ‘chill going down their spine;’ becoming slow and sluggish if extremely comfortable, such as reacting to warmth; swaying, sampling the air, and hissing all are common when in a new environment, with strangers, or even just in certain situations, which shows curiosity, discomfort, or unease.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Verbally, Unathi have some onomatopoeias that they draw on for different emotions. Chuffing, forcefully exhaling air from the throat, can be used to mark mild annoyance in reply to something, or can be used to show amusement. If it comes at the end of a sentence or statement, it can imply that they are being sarcastic or are saying something in good humor. Unathi don’t quite have a laugh; instead, they bark in typically short bursts, in which the sound is often deep, loud, and raucous. Finally, rattling the throat is a fairly common gesture that replaces or accompanies a tail stomp. Sometimes when enraged, throat rattling is accompanied by frills or scales flaring up as well.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As a result of the divide between groups of sinta, some mannerisms are unique to different social groups. For example, nobles tend to tail stomp in response to seeing something that ‘disgusts’ them, whether it be the sight of a heretic or Guwan, something that disgusts olfactory senses, or something else. Peasants on Moghes and most Unathi on Ouerea tend to be ‘overly emotional’ in that they often tilt their snout up somewhat when showing general content or happiness, or down slightly when afraid or unhappy. Dominians often keep their chin tilted up constantly as a sign of pride and even cockiness, showing they aren’t afraid when vulnerable parts are exposed. Of course, this all barely scratches the surface, and there are many gestures unique to cultures and regions that are not enumerated.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Gender Roles ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div style=&amp;quot;font-size:105%; border:2px solid white; margin:0; background:white; padding:.1em; color:black;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi society is highly gender-stratified, with very specific gendered divisions of work and societal role. The Unathi understanding of gender has become tied deeply into these roles, which leads to a structure that humans may find unusual. In Unathi society, gender has little to do with assigned sex, instead being almost entirely dependent on the societal role an individual finds themselves in. The Sinta’Unathi word for warrior,  ‘Saa’, can be roughly translated to ‘male’, but this is not because one is required to be male to be a warrior. Rather, to Unathi sensibilities, human masculinity generally emulates Saa behavior and so ‘male’ is a useful, though somewhat inaccurate, term to facilitate communication. To Unathi, gender is not something that one is, but something that one does. An Unathi who sought to live as a professional warrior would be considered Saa by society at large, regardless of their sex at hatching - and regardless of their own thoughts on the matter.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Where this system originates is largely unknown, having existed in some form for most of Unathi recorded history. The earliest known example comes from archaeological discoveries in the [[Tza Prairie]], indicating that ancient Unathi cultures held the Fisher as the feminine role, rather than the Healer - which was reserved for a long-extinct caste of shaman-rulers. The gender division in its modern form was likely codified by the early Sk’akh Church or predecessor faiths, though with so much of Moghes’ history now lost to the Wasteland scholars doubt if the origins of such a fundamental part of society will ever be discovered.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The divisions of labor in Unathi society are based on this structure of gender, and it is expressed prominently in religion - the Three Aspects of Sk’akh being the most prevalent examples. The Warrior, Healer, and Fisher are the primary categories into which almost every aspect of Unathi life has been divided for centuries - though as with many Unathi traditions, it is being increasingly challenged in the modern era.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Saa - Warrior&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Saa is the gender of warriors, under which roles to do with martial affairs tend to fall. Most military positions are Saa, with some rare exceptions being made for medical and support personnel. Sinta-Unathi pronouns for the three genders are generally a simplified version of the original word; for warriors it would be sa. Outside of direct combat matters, positions in law enforcement and colonial expansion are also widely considered warriors, as are many roles to do with the direct enforcement of a ruler’s will such as governorship, tax collection and announcement of decrees. Unathi identifying as Saa are expected to act with honor in accordance with the [[Unathi Honor|Warriors&#039; Code]]. Vaurca Warriors outside of those in medical or scientific fields generally fall within this designation as a result.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Taa - Healer&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa is the name for the healers’ gender, which is broader than its name might indicate.. Positions in the medical field are obviously considered healers, but the category also covers most scholarship and keeping of knowledge in general. The Simiite Reliquary in To’ha’dat is staffed exclusively by Priestesses of the Healer, and holds the complete historical record of the Sk’akh Church. While scholarship in general has never been as gendered as some other categories, the vast majority of Unathi scientists, archivists and researchers would be considered Taa. The sphere of knowledge and learning also covers the business of spycraft, investigation and diplomacy, with the positions of Spymaster and High Speaker being traditionally female ones. Unathi identifying as healers have less of a concrete code of honor, though in recent years the invention of the [[Unathi Honor|Matriarch&#039;s Code]] has gained some popularity. While Vaurca in medical or scientific fields may be addressed as Taa, the designation is generally reserved for Gynes to avoid confusion.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Kaa - Fisher&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kaa is the third Unathi gender, without a direct translation in Tau Ceti Basic. Its sphere covers productive work such as fishing, construction and engineering. Many among the Unathi working class are considered to be fishers, and the title of Master of Rivers is one that traditionally is held by a Kaa. In Tau Ceti Basic, gender-neutral pronouns are often used to describe fishers, though the Sinta-Unathi pronoun ka is more correct. The sphere of the fisher encompasses many positions to do with economic development, ranging from humble miners, ranchers and fishers all the way to colonial administrators. There is no strict code of honor for Taa similar to that of warriors and healers, though the idea of developing one has been attempted a few times. Vaurca Workers outside of medical or scientific fields are generally gendered as fishers by Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Non-Gendered Roles&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The gender stratification of Unathi society is nearly all-encompassing, though there are some rare positions that can be considered as more than one gender. Rulership is the most notable of these, with the gender of a ruler being considered emblematic of their style of rule - Saa rulers are considered a good omen for military victory, whereas Taa rulers are considered a blessing for periods of peace and wisdom and Kaa rulers are considered to bring periods of great productivity to their demesne. The title of Hegemon is something of an exception, having always had a connotation of military conquest to it. As such, Hegemons throughout the ages have been recognized as warriors and succession follows to the eldest Saa. It is not uncommon, however, for their expressed gender to contrast what is officially recorded by the church; for example, Hegemon Ayzi Sarakus was unofficially seen as a fisher to their confidants and trusted allies. Using various methods, they and others like them have held the throne throughout the Izweski Hegemony’s history - though greatly outnumbered by the warriors.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One role which falls outside any of the three genders is that of the Guwandi. The reason for this is simple. A Guwandi sheds their gender as they shed their name, and for the same reason - it is a sign of the person they once were, before facing such shame that it was left behind. A Guwandi is only referred to as their prior gender when they are confirmed to have died with honour, and the stain of their disgrace can be erased from their history.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In addition, the introduction of Unathi to the interstellar stage has led to a vast array of new roles, which have yet to be neatly assigned to a gender. While some were able to fit into pre-existing categories, other roles such as interstellar piloting, civilian spaceship command and various roles to do with colonial oversight have yet to be fit into one of Unathi society’s well-defined boxes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Changing Gender&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Most Unathi will live in the gender of their work for their entire lives. However, the nature of Unathi gender roles mean that changing one’s gender is fairly common in Unathi society, especially among nobles who may find themselves in a wide number of roles during their lives. It is not uncommon for rulers identifying as a healer to present as Saa during wartime, for instance, or for rulers identifying as a warrior to present as a fisher when investing heavily in developing their lands.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the modern age this has become more common among non-nobles, as common Unathi find themselves with a greater degree of social mobility. Many who would have lived and died as fishers find themselves seeking out battle and becoming warriors, or enrolling at institutions such as the [[Unathi_Educational_Institutions#Skalamar_University_of_Medicine|Skalamar University of Medicine]] and identifying themselves as Taa. The act of changing one’s gender is, in most Unathi societies, a religious one. In the [[Izweski Heartland]] and other majority Sk’akh regions, these affairs are handled by the Church, while other faiths have their own approaches to it. For Unathi outside the Hegemony, such as those in Biesel or Dominia, less of a spiritual significance tends to be placed on the transition, being treated as more of a personal and private affair.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Traditional Greetings&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A custom often misunderstood by foreigners, traditional greetings are both a way for Unathi to politely greet each other, but also to begin introductions without even saying a word. This tradition dates back to some time in the late first Hegemony, though the greetings themselves had much different forms and uses back then.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In essence, these greetings are done by wordlessly bowing before another, doing so in a specific manner, depending on the Unathi in question&#039;s gender. Doing so is not only polite, if not a show of respect, but also a way for a sinta to present their gender, and by extent the kind of path they have taken in their life.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;The Warrior&#039;s Greeting&#039;&#039; is done by bowing until one would look straight to the floor, while putting a fist on their heart. The legs must remain straight and back curve as little as possible during the entire greeting, lest the Unathi in question be mocked for going a &amp;quot;wounded Warrior&#039;s greeting&amp;quot;, a situation many have faced on their first Warrior&#039;s Greeting. Signifying trust and respect, it is generally considered an honor to be greeted in such way by prestigious warriors, Kataphracts and veterans.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;The Healer&#039;s Greeting&#039;&#039; would have one bow by bending the knees, hunching forward a little with open arms until their claws and horns (frills, crest, or the top of their skull in the case of absence of such) are at roughly the same height. Some can take the greeting a little further, by crossing their legs slightly, bowing deeper, though such a move is generally kept to greet those worthy of great respect. It signifies openness, warmth and vulnerability.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Finally, through &#039;&#039;the Fishers Greeting&#039;&#039;, one would bow by crossing their arms behind their back, bowing with their back, while keeping their gaze at the other person. Signifies listening and understanding, and though seen by many as the easiest of the greetings to achieve, it is not considered lesser than the other two, but rather, a show of the beauty and value of simplicity.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Traditional greetings are not always done with non-Unathi, generally because of their lack of understanding, some sinta choosing to not bother at all. One can also find slight variations to these traditional greetings abroad, in Dominia for instance, where the [[Unathi_in_Dominia|Kazhkz-Han&#039;san]] can be found calling these greetings the &amp;quot;Soldier&#039;s&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;Scholar&#039;s&amp;quot;, and &amp;quot;Artisan&#039;s Greeting&amp;quot; instead, in a mix of Moghesian and Morozian culture.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Outside the Gender Trinary&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In every society, there are those who do not conform to expectations, and the same is true among Unathi. Following the Contact War, many Unathi have challenged the ancient structures of gender that bind their species, seeking to separate their work from their own identification. The first Taa Kataphract, the Lady H’zala was appointed in 2459, one of the first public examples of a non-warrior permitted in such a strongly gendered role. In the Queendom of Szek-Hakh, the ordinary structures of gender are largely reversed; where governing officials, soldiers and those who keep the peace are referred to as Taa. Originally done out of practicality, with most of the realm’s warriors having perished in the Contact War, the practice has continued as a demonstration of open defiance against tradition. A clear expression of dissatisfaction with the culture that brought the planet to its knees. Even those that present stereotypical warrior behavior will identify themselves as healers, defying social norms that your gender is assigned to you by others and not something you choose for yourself.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Abroad, some Unathi have found themselves adopting more human conceptions of gender as something that a person is, rather than something that they do, and choose to present as a gender that does not match their occupation - whether one which matches their sex, or simply based on personal preference. Many have decried this as alien confusion and an erosion of Sinta tradition, while others welcome or simply do not pay mind to it. Gender is a spiritual matter, after all, and the priests and shamans have yet to come to a definite conclusion about these changing matters. How this will impact Unathi society, built around the strict gender trinary for centuries, remains to be seen.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Gender and Aliens&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To many Unathi, human conceptions of gender are confusing, seemingly arbitrary and without reason. While decades of contact between the two species has helped for better understanding of this, both tend to view the other society’s ideas of gender as strange. Unathi, particularly those less-accustomed to working with aliens, will often gender non-Unathi based on their profession rather than any outward signs, and will find being corrected on this matter particularly confusing. For aliens which lack a concept of gender altogether such as [[Skrell]], [[Vaurca|Vaurcae]] or [[Dionae]], this is generally less of an issue.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On [[Ouerea]], a general understanding has been reached as to human concepts of gender, with the Unathi population coming to understand their alien neighbors’ views. Some of these views have been adopted among the Unathi population, with Archpriest Azente of the Sk’akh Church holding in the belief that an Unathi can do the work of one gender while identifying as another, which has caused him to be labelled as a radical among his fellows. Generally speaking, Skrell on Ouerea do not seem to have any particular trouble assimilating to Unathi notions of gender, though the reasoning behind it can often be confusing to them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Some Diona gestalts which have primarily learned from Unathi - such as those living in the Izweski Hegemony, or among the pirates of the Tarwa Conglomerate - have adopted their own interpretation of Unathi gender. Some more organized gestalts tend to gender their individual nymphs based on the role they play in the whole, while others have developed their own codes of behavior similar to those practiced in Unathi society. More information about them can be found [[Moghresian Dionae|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Most [[Unathi in Dominia|Dominian Unathi]] have, at least in practice, adopted the human model. Though most were born and raised on Moghes and held (perhaps still hold) traditional views, most Unathi choose to adapt to the local Imperial culture for similar reasons as converting to the [[Moroz Holy Tribunal|Holy Tribunal]] - that not respecting the customs and culture of their new home would be dishonorable to those who had welcomed them. Some, particularly among the Han’san and the older Unathi population, do not forget about traditional understandings of gender, still living much as they would on Moghes. To the humans of Dominia, this is largely written off as another alien curiosity of the Unathi, though those who spend more time with them may come to a better understanding of their ways. The newer generations of Unathi born on Imperial soil, however, are generally much more familiar with human ideas of gender than Unathi ones.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Corruption within the Gender Culture ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div style=&amp;quot;font-size:105%; border:2px solid white; margin:0; background:white; padding:.1em; color:black;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While seen from the outside as a relatively progressive development, the fluidity of Unathi gender roles combined with the rigid feudal hierarchy of noble lords and clan leadership presents a wide variety of opportunities for exploitation and abuse. These vary in measure, legally and morally, and if pressed those within positions of power will publicly denounce such practices as dishonorable. However, it’s an open secret that a significant number of the ruling class use these tactics to a greater or lesser degree to ensure their dynasties and interests are protected. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Heirs and Succession&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Arguably one of the most crucial considerations of any noble lord or clan leader, the designation of an heir demands intervention when the current candidate is unwanted or unfavorable. The means by which this is accomplished vary from region to region, but leverage of gender is a widely adopted tactic.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In areas under Izweski rule, succession is patriarchal and the eldest warrior child is traditionally designated heir apparent. Should the natural choice be undesirable it is a common though unspoken practice to cultivate a preferred alternative. If the distinction is made early enough in life, clan heads will attempt to remove older children from succession by enrolling them in education and apprenticeships for healers and fishers. Betrothal contracts can also be drafted which misgender, or pre-gender, a child. Often in negotiation of these matches, care is taken to ensure the other clan’s name is taken and rights of inheritance are explicitly waived. Objection by the child or refusal to uphold the betrothal can be punishable by exile, leaving them few options.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
:If the desired heir does not show sufficient martial prowess, clan leaders can hire combat mentors and may stage public duels where the outcome is predetermined. The opponents in these matches are skilled actors as much as they are combatants, and will shout, bluster, and make oaths to the Warrior and their ancestors before the fight begins to enhance the drama and importance of the duel. They can then expertly claim a believable defeat from even the most inept novice. The most talented of these actors, unofficially referred to as &#039;&#039;hoax-hides&#039;&#039;, are well known in certain noble circles and are paid handsomely for their craft and discretion, and will avoid working in one location for too long to prevent being exposed.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In predominantly Sk’akh regions, legal authority over one’s recognized gender is regulated by the Church. Less scrupulous priests can be bought or persuaded to induce or prevent a change of gender. Some exceptionally lazy or cruel clan leaders will simply fabricate a reason to mark a child as guwandi, stripping them of their clan and gender, and sentence them to exile. This can have unintended consequences however, as the action can be contested within the jurisdiction of the Clan&#039;s local Lord and harsh penalties are imposed for cases in which it can be proven the exile was baseless.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In rural or Th’akhish regions like Tza’an, where the realities of clan survival often take precedence over custom, succession is tied less to gender and more with ensuring healthy children and a robust, able-bodied family. Yet even though harsher, rural life creates greater consequences for meddling in succession, there are still those who will risk much to improve their standing. Leadership typically passes to elder warriors unless they are deemed unfit. If a proposed heir’s existing or planed union would be unlikely to produce offspring then they will often be passed over for a more favorable candidate. A common tactic is to raise concerns regarding an heir’s ability to protect their clan or cast doubt on their health or virility. More recently, there have been recorded examples of unwelcome heirs being assigned to patrols in the wastes in hopes that exposure and radiation will lead to clear signs of weakness and that they might be removed from possible consideration. These schemes are not only dishonorable but also detrimental to the health of the clan and are punished harshly if discovered.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A number of Unathi communities that are technically no longer part of the Hegemony still cling to a hierarchical clan structure and the succession of leadership will sometimes be decided by traditional methods. Some details may differ, but it is not uncommon to see similar tactics as those in the Hegemony used to influence succession and other clan decisions. &lt;br /&gt;
*In the Queendom of Sez-Hakh, for example, succession is matriarchal and falls to the eldest healer child. Due to the necessities of survival after the Contact War the lines separating genders have blurred significantly but abuse of gender culture still occurs. Though aging, Queen Lazak still rules with considerable power and her wishes are reflected in the attitudes of the ruling ladies. Stigma against warrior rule continues to linger and advocates of greater warrior influence are quietly stifled.&lt;br /&gt;
*Communities that have more exposure to human influence tend to allow for all three genders in the rules of succession and gaming the system in these instances requires more finesse. For instance, it&#039;s generally accepted that a warrior is the preferred clan leader during wartime. If a clan leader wished for their warrior child to succeed them, they may initiate a clan war or blood feud prior to stepping down and allowing their warrior children to ascend. The reverse can also be true, and a clan leader might reach out to rivals to begin talks of reconciliation before stepping aside for healer or fisher claimants.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Contracts and Customary Law&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The deep ties gender has within Unathite culture can also be exploited when resolving contracts and disputes. Often this can take the form of discrediting someone’s suitability for a job, an inferred inability to complete work, and breaches of contract where gender is pertinent. Contract manipulation is common and Mazjivsa scribes are customarily retained to ensure proper resolution where possible. They are familiar with popular ploys to either nullify contracts or collect compensation for failure to fulfill obligations and other violations.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One particularly infamous case is widely taught to new scribes during apprenticeship; a contract was created to provide a lord with twenty skilled fishers (engineers) for the construction of new perimeter walls around his compound. Once the crucial process of sinking the foundations and construction of the lower levels was done, progress on the project began to slow and then cease as the fishers were constantly arguing, accusing one another of sabotaging their work, insulting their clan, and myriad other minor slights which climaxed in a spontaneous battle; one worker dead, and two with serious injuries. The lord claimed “they were clearly better suited to spears than tools,” and demanded that the contract be nullified and that half of what he paid be returned in addition to punitive payments stipulated in the contract for the breach. Initially the restitutions were made and the construction of the walls was finished by the lord’s own specialists. It wasn’t until later when a Zo’kaa investigated the incident that the funds were returned and the Lord’s involvement was made known. Under contract from the construction guild, the Zo’kaa uncovered the reason for the change in the fishers’ attitude; an agent, part of the twenty fishers from the guild, had been paid to bring the workers under scrutiny. Once work on the base of the walls was complete, the rest was markedly simpler and cheaper. The lord would have paid less than half the agreed upon amount in the end. Diligent scribes will formalize contract specific processes to resolve potential gender related breaches but this relies on the skill of the scribe hired and is by no means a complete solution.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Other examples of contract manipulation include marriage and betrothal contracts. These contracts often stipulate the genders of the couple and allowances made for surrogates of children, the “Marriage Price”, and additional considerations. If the gender of one party shifts, either naturally or by design, the contract can be nullified and recompense paid.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Mazjivsa Manipulation&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
These scribes, predominantly fishers, are trained to provide counsel in matters of contract negotiation and resolution. Since the collapse of the Mazjivsa guild and the removal of its oversight, some unathi declare themselves Mazjivsa without the proper training and are exiled if discovered. This precarious position can be exploited, and some scribes will find their gender scrutinized if someone stands to gain from the lack of their guidance and expertise.&lt;br /&gt;
A well-known example of this occurred in Skalamar, 2466; a Mazjivsa of clan T’szel was contracted to review agreements made between a local lord and his client. He would not be bought and so the lord began claiming T’szel was an illegitimate scribe and fraud. Enraged, the Mazjivsa demanded a duel so that he might defend his honor. Surprisingly, he was able to draw first blood against one of the lord’s sons, but his victory was used as proof that he was more warrior than fisher. The lord succeeded in having him removed from the contract negotiation, although he was spared exile.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Marriage and Relationships ===&lt;br /&gt;
Relationships for Unathi hinge on responsibility for both involved as most marriages before the Contact War relied on clan leaders arranging marriages to secure alliances. &#039;Dating&#039; has only recently been available to young Unathi and is a foreign concept to most above their late-20&#039;s in age. A Unathi trying to ignore the ritual of arranged marriage is a great insult to both clans involved, which at worst could lead to a blood feud or war. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Clan alliances are formed when two clan leaders mutually decide upon two Unathi to marry and, depending on who is chosen, certain gifts are expected to be bestowed on the allied clans. When the marriage is proposed, a discussion about which Clan Name will be taken arises. This is done through a form of &#039;bidding war&#039;, where one clan must &amp;quot;buy&amp;quot; the right to keeping the name over the other by giving money or resources to the other clan. Marriages may sometimes end up canceled due to both sides refusing to give up their clan name, and in the worst cases, it has led to duels or even wars fought over who has the right to keep the titles.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Surrogates can be called upon for a marriage that cannot fulfill their duty to have children; however, they must be from a member of one of the Clans. Upon the hatching of a hatchling, the expectation most often is that husbands will raise the boys, and wives will raise the girls. If there is only a husband or wife, more traditional Sk&#039;akh families will choose to have another Clan member raise the hatchling up through their expected path.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Same-gender relationships and marriages are largely accepted, with little cultural or religious stigma against them. In more isolated rural clans or among Wastelanders, however, unions that cannot produce hatchlings are often strongly discouraged, particularly under the doctrine of the Si&#039;akh faith. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion and Spirituality ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While various faiths exist on Moghes, many of which are as old as any other, there are two major religions of the Unathi that pervade nearly every aspect of their lives. Th&#039;akh and Sk&#039;akh, both of which predominately focus on ancestor worship and connections with the spirit world.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Th&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
The most pervasive and common religion amongst Unathi. It dates back even before the First Hegemony and, as a byproduct of Unathi stubbornness, has remained central to Unathi spiritualism. The basic concept of Th&#039;akh is that all the spirits of past Unathi now reside in the spirit world that exists in tandem with the material world. These spirits exist in objects and nature - bringing either good luck or sorrow. Particularly nasty natural disasters were often attributed to particularly strong groups of spiteful spirits influencing events in the material world. Th&#039;akh, due to its widespread pervasiveness, has a multitude of forms: ancestor veneration, polytheism (worshipping groups of specific and powerful spirits), and almost witch-like spiritualism are just some of the denominations found among this religion. However, Th&#039;akh almost always has the same group of tenets, which can be found [[Th&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sk&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
The second most common religion, which is followed mostly by Unathi from the Izweski Nation, and enjoys a status as its unofficial state religion. It still follows the ancestor worship of Th&#039;akh, but with a major notable difference: the spirits of all Unathi who die become part of Sk&#039;akh, the Great Spirit. Sk&#039;akh is a gender-neutral God, being called &#039;he&#039; or &#039;she&#039; interchangeably to represent that Ska&#039;kh is a collection of all Unathi. She is often called Three of One because the spirits combine into three minor aspects that are all part of Ska&#039;kh: the Warrior, the Healer, the Fisherman. These three spirits are personifications of the most important aspects of Unathi society. It is said that all three are equally important and that disasters are caused by an imbalance in the Great Three. Priests often stress the importance of balance, both in matters of the spirit as well as in society and personal life. Sk&#039;akh&#039;s dogmatic doctrine can be found [[Sk&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Aut&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
Emerging from the hatred of former warriors, the Aut&#039;akh are a cultish offshoot of Th&#039;akh, comprised of cybernetic-augmented Unathi. They argue the flesh is weak, and something new must be sculpted in its place to strengthen the mind. In the relative safety of their communes scattered across various towns, planets, and systems, they know a rough life, but one easier and more spiritual than those of the cities, they believe. The Aut&#039;akh have yet to truly attain their perfect leaderless society, as their own supposedly-defeated prejudice still runs in quiet circles within communes; meanwhile, society often rebukes and ridicules these fanatical trans-speciests. Their lives are gently guided by the shamans or &amp;quot;paradigms,&amp;quot; which act as the religious advisors and sometimes too the biomechanical engineers of these communes. Aut&#039;akh preach the Contact War was the result of sinta being so consumed by the demons within them that they brought the world to ruin, and all powers, whether that of a government, major religion, or corporation, are inherently corrupt due to the influence of evil spirits. The heathen&#039;s lifestyle and struggles can be found [[Aut&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Aut&#039;akh, due to their radical views on unathi society and society as a whole, are often associated with anyone who breaks tradition. In light of this, Unathi started to develop behaviors and society learned to hate communes and their denizens.&#039;&#039;&#039; Anyone caught being unfaithful to their spouse, in a non-monogamous relationship, rebuking their clan, having a prosthetic, or even talking about their discontent with the Hegemony or other rulers was accused of being an Aut&#039;akh. The term to most became synonymous with anyone who was a perceived troublemaker or heretic, more so than even Si&#039;akh.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Si&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
Born from the fires of the Contact War, Si&#039;akh is a radical Sk&#039;akh heresy that has rapidly spread across the Wasteland. It is lead by charismatic former Sk&#039;akh priest Juzida Si&#039;akh, who claims to be the Messiah for all Unathi. The doctrine claims the Contact War to have been the Final Judgement for the Unathi species caused by their innate wickedness. He claims that all Unathi that died in the &#039;cleansing fire&#039; of the atomic weapons were given salvation, and all Unathi that survived are damned to remain trapped on the Hell of Moghes unless the species and Moghes are rapidly purified. The movement has come into immediate conflict with the orthodox Sk&#039;akh church due to Si&#039;akh claiming it to be completely illegitimate. Its followers are ruthlessly hunted down by the Maraziite Order and many of its followers are fleeing into human space as they try to find personal salvation. Their doomsday cult has [[Si&#039;akh|strict and ascetic principles]] to help Unathi obtain a chance at salvation.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Moghean Society ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Moghes]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:PostCitiesNamed.png|thumb|A map of Moghes with the cities and seas labelled.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Moghean Unathi are traditional Unathi with the planet being their homeworld. Historically culture varies across clans that exist on the planet, but some customs and norms can be found nearly universally in Unathi society.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It is a social faux pas to use a Unathi&#039;s first name if not family or extremely close to the Unathi in question. Generally, a Unathi will tell someone when they feel comfortable with the person using their first name. It is also distressing to touch their tail or at all before introductions are undertaken. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi place great emphasis on oral traditions. Honor and combat are seen as a man&#039;s realm, and women are not held to the same standards of honor. Women are instead expected to be elegant, learned and regal; while fishers are expected to be industrious, faithful and dedicated.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Outside the formal schools of the Untouched Lands, village and town shamans or priests often remain the only source of education for rural young Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Ouerean Society ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Ouerea]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While the Izweski Unathi of Ouerea follow most of the same social beliefs as their Moghean counterparts, they tend to be less volatile towards outsiders who are ignorant of their customs, especially since their world was formerly ruled by the Skrell and Humans. Their cultures have managed to influence Ouerean Unathi, embedding different cultural norms that are not found elsewhere. There is a focus on individualism and younger Unathi shy away from the usual responsibilities held to Unathi toward their clans. There is still a struggle with a highly stratified society, but things are moderately progressive compared to Moghes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Oureaea Ciites.png|thumb|A map of Ouerea, with cities and major locations labelled.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The original colonists started as patriots to the Izweski Hegemony, but many soon found themselves disillusioned with the distant homeworld tearing itself apart in war. Unathi on Ouerea became enamored with the broad ideals of democracy and finding themselves resentful of their old lives on Moghes. Reintegration into the Hegemony proved difficult as both planets had to reconcile these cultural differences. It still remains a minor division among these Unathi to this day.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ouerean art, in contrast to Moghean pottery and dyed fabrics, has taken on inspiration from Human and Skrell art. Many Ouerean Unathi have become renowned glassmakers and craftsmen. The greater access to Human and Skrell universities, many of which still operate on the planet, also give Ouerean Unathi greater chances to work in Human and Skrell systems. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Non-Izweski Unathi ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi of the Hegemony’s territories — the Izweski Hegemony itself, Ouerea, or any of its many colonies — require consent from their clan Lord to make their way out into the greater galaxy, as listed [[Guide to Citizenship#Izweski_Hegemony|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Those that come from outside of the Hegemony and Dominia usually have no official means of recognized citizenship. Wastelanders, privateers, Guwan, and other Unathi must apply for a work visa where they are traveling in order to reside there. This of course carries risks with it: if a Unathi is seen as being problematic, whether committing crimes and misdemeanors or just not living up to the job they’re working, they may have their visa stripped and end up deported to the Hegemony. The Izweski Hegemony does not explicitly ask for these Unathi, especially seeing how they are usually &#039;undesirable&#039;. As there are no officially recognized governments on Moghes besides the Izweski, however, deported persons get sent there. Guwan and Gawgaryn that manage to make their way out of the system to places such as Biesel will face harsh punishment if this happens, so they are the most incentivized to put on their best outward face.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Unathi Physiognomy ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Khaniazwazi, also known as Unathi Physiognomy to outsiders, is a science dedicated to the study of Unathi physical profiles and the deduction of their character from such things. While certainly not new in Unathi history, it has been going through a rebirth in popularity as more resources have been dedicated to the study of Unathi biology and its appearance, to make up for what was lost with the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The validity of such a science is discussed, even among strictly professional fields, and it is no surprise that many individuals and groups have been using this field as a pretext to discriminate against other Sinta, or as a way to make a quick buck from more naive Unathi. Putting these aside however, there are still many variants of Khaniazwazi being practiced, depending on the area, with different interpretations of physical attributes. Generally, however, Khaniazwazi takes into account scale colouration, horns, frills, crests and facial structure; and in some rarer cases, smaller details such as wrinkles, scars, etcetera.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Politics and Factions ==&lt;br /&gt;
Moghes is divided between the Izweski Hegemony and the hundreds of other Clans and nations who claim their own land across the planet&#039;s surface. The only real difference in their political systems is the scale. Many of these other clans are modern nations or pre-industrial, ruled by various kings or leaders. However, with the expansion of the uninhabitable Wasteland and the brutal decimation Izweski forces committed on foreign leadership, many institutions of non-Hegemonic government across Moghes are rare or extremely fragile.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Moghes_porposal.png|thumb|The flag of the Izweski Hegemony. It is said the flag symbolizes the wildfires that frequented Moghes.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Izweski Hegemony ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Izweski Hegemony]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&#039;&#039;&amp;quot;Honour, fire, burn thy fear.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039; - The ancestral motto of Clan Izweski, circa early 20th century&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Izweski Clan is led by Clan Leader [[Notable_Unathi#Not.27zar_Izweski|&#039;&#039;&#039;Not&#039;zar Izweski&#039;&#039;&#039;]], a Unathi who has ruled the Hegemony since his father S&#039;kresti Izweski, the previous Hegemon, was assassinated by his son and Not&#039;zar&#039;s brother. He lives in the Izweski Citadel in Skalamar, and under him are the Lords who rule their own subjugated clans. They live in a feudal system, with the Lords usually being clan leaders or important clan members themselves who pledge themselves to Izweski in exchange for land and protection.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Hegemon is best thought of being the Emperor, and under him are the Overlords, who are the Kings. Under the Overlords are the Lords, who are then broken up between the Clan Lords, and then the Clan Leaders. Clan Leaders are a mostly ceremonial title and make up (usually) the eldest male ruler of a specific family clan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Not&#039;zar&#039;s father, Hegemon S&#039;kresti Izweski, was originally a strong leader of the Izweski clan. Then, after the death of his eldest son in a shuttle crash, the old Hegemon fell into a deep depression, to the point of becoming comatose in the Izweski citadel. After a succession crisis, Not&#039;zar took his place as the Regent and heir for three years, over that time developing the Hegemony into a stable empire. &lt;br /&gt;
[[Image:Minimap hegemony.png|thumb|A closer image focusing on the factions surrounding the Izweski Hegemony&#039;s territory.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Three years later, the Hegemon awoke and took back to the throne, however on his tour to get reacquainted with everything, he was spurred into madness and cursed by &#039;&#039;&#039;Juzida Si&#039;akh&#039;&#039;&#039; which resulted in a civil war to dispute his claim to the throne. In an attempt to destroy his enemies, the old Hegemon attempted to orbitally bombard an enemy city. To stop this dishonorable act, his third son Z&#039;krazi Izweski the Kinslayer assassinated the Hegemon, and after Not&#039;zar&#039;s victory in the Battle of Three Hills the civil war ended.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Now, Not&#039;zar is the Clan Leader, Overlord of Moghes, and Hegemon of the Izweski Hegemony. Despite his severe physical handicap forcing him to walk with a cane, many noblemen have made him an ally, especially including the Guilds who enjoy his globalist attitude.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Overlords rule an entire planet in the name of the Hegemon. Under them are Lords, who can rule huge tracts of land and multiple cities, or just a single city; there is no distinction between a Count and Duke level of Lordship like in most human feudalism.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
There are two different kinds of major lifestyles in the Izweski Hegemony. There is the city, which is ran by a Lord and a small council of lesser clans. City life is less harsh than life in the country, especially with opportunities provided with shuttle services to the rest of the galaxy. Life in the rural areas is harsher, with cities being rare and life mostly determined by the size of a Clan&#039;s village and how well they can hunt, fish, or in desperate times, raid their neighbors. It&#039;s the traditional Unathi life, made harsher by the growing Wasteland encroaching on once-fertile lands.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Queendom of Szek’Hakh ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&#039;&#039;&amp;quot;Refuse to break.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039; - Pre-Contact War Szek&#039;Hakh clan motto.&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A matriarchal region of roughly twenty thousand set in the Wasteland, led by the elderly &#039;&#039;&#039;Queen Lazak Szek&#039;Hakh&#039;&#039;&#039; and her daughters. In her settlement and a large portion of the region surrounding it, her clan has become the protector of her region known as the &#039;Queendom&#039;. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For those living in the Queendom, the gender roles of Unathi are inverted, and many of its people thusly struggle to find opportunities on Moghes and seek employment in Tau Ceti - with the Queen even making connections with pirates, Dominians, and Tajaran smugglers to get her people safely out of the dangerous Wasteland. The Queen is kind under her witty and straightforward attitude, and despite stereotypes, does not actually hate men.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Szek&#039;Hakh clan&#039;s settlement of &#039;&#039;&#039;Yu&#039;kal&#039;&#039;&#039;, originally headed by the Queen&#039;s husband, was built around a cluster of small lakes and focused on aquaculture. When the Contact War&#039;s nukes wiped out the vast majority of men, they adapted to using women as protectors, while using men to keep house. The widowed Lazak Szek’Hakh convinced the shell-shocked and wounded survivors of her clan that she was the only one capable of ruling during this terrifying time, and had taken control of a sizable region of the Wasteland east of Mudki around Yu&#039;kal. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Szek&#039;Hakh Clan became the leading power in their region following the Contact War. Eventually, Szek’Hakh consolidated control of her clan and the settlement, taking matters of survival into her own hands. As the Wasteland engulfed Yu&#039;kal&#039;s lakes, she coordinated a renovation of aquaculture farms and lead expeditions to bring their highly valuable fish products to the distant surviving city of Mudki. Women took prominent roles in all of these, with the necessities of survival in the harsh wasteland fraying Unathite gender roles. A neighboring nobleman, fearing this rise of powerful women, orchestrated to have her assassinated. In a dramatic confrontation, the assassin was foiled and publicly exiled as a Guwandi, and a mob of angry women stormed the nobleman&#039;s estate to &#039;duel him for his dishonor&#039;. This act put the matriarch in the spotlight, sparking Szek’Hakh’s rapid rise of being named Queen by her people.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Queen Szek’Hakh now leads a struggling wasteland settlement in a precarious situation. The traditional Izweski-leaning Unathi find her position an affront to customs, and she struggles to find allies. She tries to walk a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk’akh Church]], the Izweski, and the Wastelander factions - however she is often too straightforward to get far. Her settlement is primarily Th’akh, and she herself follows the faith. She complies (though unwillingly) with the demands of Izweski representatives to expel the prophet [[Notable Unathi|Si&#039;akh]] from her realm when he enters her settlement in his travels, though she quietly allows members of his traveling flock to rest in secret when they pass through her settlement. For the same, she does not tolerate the cult of the [[Aut&#039;akh]], and her people ruthlessly hunt down their unaugmented proselytizers.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Surviving Kingdoms on Moghes ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Despite the destruction of most of the known world from the [[Contact War]], some desperate survivors managed to weather the storm and remain nominally free of Izweski dominance - either from the Izweski&#039;s weariness for war on Moghes, or arrogant indifference.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While the Izweski are reclaiming the Wasteland, they are ruthlessly uprooting and displacing local cultures in the remaining habitable lands. The Outposts were small, fertile enclaves that survived the Contact War surrounded by the Wasteland. Starting in 2461, Not&#039;zar pushed forward terraforming efforts to expand these green yet hostile oases. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Template:UnathiCustomaryLaw}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Notable Information ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Guwandi ===&lt;br /&gt;
In the event that a Unathi becomes terminally ill, or finds themselves lacking the pride or honor to continue to live, or simply become tired of their existence undergo a ritualistic suicide and take the title of &#039;Guwandi&#039; (which is translated to Gladiator/Galdium). They will give up their possessions to their clan leader and make their journey into the Moghes desert. The only things they keep are their weapons which they use to fight animals or other Unathi so that they may die in honorable combat. In the event that two of these Guwandi meet, they will first draw their weapons and adopt a passive stance, which is followed by them telling each other their stories in turn, as well as the reasons behind their choice of adopting the mantle of &#039;Guwandi&#039; and how they wish their remains to be dealt with. When both sides understand the other, combat will begin with a mutual wish of luck that the more worthy of death lose with pride. The winner of the battle is responsible for taking care of the corpse in the way they were instructed to. Renouncing the deathseeking life of Guwandi isn&#039;t easy. Some may wish to return after having been granted a second outlook, or hope, after they had spent time wandering and risking their life. Their clan may see their decision as cowardly and refuse to accept them, or be overjoyed they had learned a lesson in their time.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Guwandi are not an option on the Horizon,&#039;&#039;&#039; yet may be a way in which a character becomes retired, barring [[Traitor|extreme circumstances]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Guwan ===&lt;br /&gt;
In some cases when a Unathi is exiled from their clan, they do not take up the formal title of Guwandi. This can be through fear of death, unwillingness, or simple stubbornness. In this case, they are marked as &#039;Guwan&#039; by their clan leader, and must take this as their last name. It is a variation on Guwandi, which is translated directly as &#039;exile&#039;. Guwans are clanless Unathi, and form an underclass. Guwans find it difficult if not impossible to advance socially or politically, and in many cases are oppressed or mistreated by other Unathi who view them as troublemakers or criminals. The only way of returning to a clan after banishment as a Guwan is to be adopted back into the Clan, which happens very rarely. &#039;&#039;&#039;To no longer be a Guwan, a Unathi must have an upstanding citizen decide to represent them, and then they must both go to court to explain how the Guwan can return into society under a new clan name, be adopted into another clan, or return to their original clan (at Clan Leader&#039;s acceptance.)&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On August 29th, 2459, the Lord-Regent Not&#039;zar Izweski passed an edict that required clans to send a petition to an imperial court when they want to banish a clan member as a Guwan. The court must side with the petitioning Clan Leader or the Unathi in question is not marked as a Guwan. This has caused backlash as the courts have gained a reputation for being incredibly arbitrary in their decisions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the past, all orphans were automatically Guwan unless they are adopted into a Clan. This changed with yet another edict by Not&#039;zar Izweski in December of 2459, which required all orphans, including adults still connected to their orphanage guild via debts or otherwise without parents, to take on the surname of that orphanage.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
Some Guwans have been forced off of Moghes by their clans with the growing ease of space travel, and NanoTrasen has a long history of exploiting this subgroup of Unathi, coercing them into employment contracts.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Guwans are not permitted to petition local Lords to express any grievances, and are not permitted to social services provided by private enterprise or state entities. Guwan are not full citizens of the Hegemony but are considered residents, which additionally bars them from many services.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Upon being declared Guwan, a Unathi is legally stripped of their gender and is not permitted to work in traditional warrior, healer or fisher fields. On documentation coming from Moghes, the &amp;quot;gender&amp;quot; section is generally left blank to reflect this, though in alien spaces the gender is listed as &amp;quot;Neuter&amp;quot; or filled in with an X. Guwan pronouns are strictly listed in neuter terms, and Guwan are legally only permitted to use it/its pronouns. Those that are hiding their status as Guwan are not required to conform to this standard and will often overcompensate their gender presentation in order to continue hiding their identities hidden. &#039;&#039;&#039;Both the limitation on gendered work fields and the usage of pronouns are enforceable by moderation.&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Notably, Guwans are the only social class of Unathi allowed to serve in the personal guard of the Hegemon and his family. The strategy relies on the fact the Guwan Guard are despised and envied by decorated officers that would otherwise serve in traditional guard duties. They are socially isolated and unable to advance politically, which means that its survival depends on the safety of the Hegemon and his family, which means that it wouldn&#039;t try to launch a coup or replace the Hegemon without itself being slaughtered. Similar to an old-Terran Janissary, it&#039;s a slave soldier, and unable to have children or hold any sort of political or military position.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
If a Unathi is the last of their clan, or is otherwise estranged with no one to declare them Guwan, then they may still find themselves challenged by other rival clans who lay claim to this Unathi&#039;s land, titles, inheritance, or name. If they are unable or unwilling to defend their claims (which would involve lengthy court trials on Moghes) then they would be stripped of them and declared Guwan. This means that a Unathi hiding in human space can still be named Guwan if their past, or rivals, catch up with them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Guwans are exclusively a criminal or otherwise dishonorable untouchable class, and it takes a lot to be labelled as one. Because playing a Guwan means you are opting in to being discriminated against by others, a Guwan filing an incident report for anything less than physical assault is a whitelist issue.&#039;&#039;&#039; When in doubt, speak to the Maintainer first.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Orphans and Orphanage Guilds ===&lt;br /&gt;
Orphans in the Hegemony in the past were all labelled as Guwans, but an edict by Not&#039;zar Izweski in December of 2459 changed all that. Hatchlings, child, and teenage Unathi without parents are put in the care of one of the many orphanage guilds on Moghes. These are private run guilds with little to no government oversight. While they fulfill a necessary social service in caring for Unathi that would otherwise be on the streets, orphanage guilds in the Hegemony are incredibly exploitative. Unknown to the children the guilds track all the expenses and charge their wards throughout their life until they turn 17, when they are presented with the bill and are forced to work to repay the crippling debt, and many can be trapped by the fact that their debt would fall on any prospective parents.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Two of these guilds have expanded into large corporations that have found a lucrative method of gaining money from their wards. The &#039;&#039;&#039;Gukuzan&#039;&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;&#039;Kuhwinla&#039;&#039;&#039; Guilds coerce or persuade their wards to accepts contracts for megacorporations, particularly [[Hephaestus Industries]], if they reach adulthood without being adopted. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Gukuzan&#039;&#039;&#039; clan is lead by a Priest Kiazoi, and he ensures that those that enter the care of his guild are given a proper religious education and instilled with the values of the church. Children raised by the Gukuzan are also taught valuable lessons in obedience and the importance of duty and respect to their betters. Its wards are moderately well-off and treated well, but the comforts of a happy childhood in the orphanage is rather soured by the fact everything from bedding, food, and even air conditioning are things each child has added to their growing debt. Gukuzan orphanages are scattered across Moghes and there are three on [[Ouerea]]. They are all exclusively managed by a priest on the payroll of the Gukuzan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Kuhwinla&#039;&#039;&#039; clan is lead by Guildmaster Ioaza Kuhwinla, an infamously frugal woman. She refuses to spend any more than she has to on her wards, meaning that those under her care are given the most basic of education. Children raised by her Guild are taught valuable lessons in thrift, obedience, and how to stretch meals to the absolute limit. Its wards are generally barely better than they would be on the street, but they live with a roof over their heads, semi-reliable food, a basic education, and their debt at the end of their life under the Kuhwinla is generally lower than it would be in other orphanages. Kuhwinla orphanages are in nearly every major Unathite city, and they are unique in that they are managed by matriarchs that answer to Ioaza.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;These two surnames are the only ones you may take if you play an orphaned Izweski on the SCCV Horizon!&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Species]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Pages]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Unathi]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Unathi&amp;diff=38524</id>
		<title>Unathi</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Unathi&amp;diff=38524"/>
		<updated>2026-02-13T00:11:10Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Outdated (Phoron Scarcity)}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Infobox Species&lt;br /&gt;
 |Species = Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Scientific = U. sapiens / Sinta&#039;Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Image = Unathi410x320.png&lt;br /&gt;
 |System = [[Uueoa-Esa]]&lt;br /&gt;
 |World = [[Moghes]]&lt;br /&gt;
 |Language = Sinta&#039;Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Politic = [[Izweski Hegemony]]&lt;br /&gt;
 }}&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Unathi&#039;&#039;&#039; (direct plural: Unathi – You-NAWH-thee both singular and multiple) (adjective: Unathite - You-NAWH-thit) are a race of tall humanoid reptiles standing from six to seven feet tall on average, with females slightly smaller in stature. They possess a mixture of snake-like and crocodile-like features, resulting in hard and plate-like scales. Unathi live in their home system of Uueoa-Esa with their homeworld being [[Moghes]]. The planet&#039;s history can be summarized as being divided up between various Hegemonies, names they give the most powerful Clans on Moghes throughout time. The Clan system is deeply entrenched in Unathi society with everything else revolving around it. It forms a major part of their code of honor, which stresses the importance of martial abilities and loyalty to the Clan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Unathivillage.png|thumb|alt=Unathi.|Life outside the Untouched Lands remains harsh, with limited or nonexistent Hephaestus presence.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Religion and spirituality play a major role in a Unathi society, and religious differences are the main dividing factor. Conflict between the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and the various [[Th&#039;akh]] faiths of Moghes, as well as the various [[Aut&#039;akh|communes]] and [[Si&#039;akh|cults]], have caused conflict and wars between the Izweski Hegemony and the kingdoms that eventually comprised the Traditionalist Coalition. This conflict hit a peak when they entered the intergalactic stage, which is now known as the [[Contact War]]. After this conflict, some Unathi fled the planet through Hephaestus or NanoTrasen shuttle ports. Unathi fleeing to megacorporations like NanoTrasen find themselves working in security and engineering roles, but recently many have been proving themselves as competent surgeons and brilliant scientists, earning opportunities that Moghes would deny them because of its strict feudal hierarchy. However, others are slipping through the cracks and becoming slavers, raiders, or pirates. As the ability for spaceship construction increases in the Unathi home system, so too does space piracy and smuggling.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Moghes has two different biomes after the Contact War. The fertile Untouched Lands with its great jungles, vast swamps, and lush forests; all of which are protected by massive terraforming equipment kept secure by the Hegemony&#039;s wealth and power. Contrast to that are the bombarded Wasteland kingdoms in the ashes of plains and forests, burnt into a massive planet-spanning desert rampant with [[The_Wasteland#Clan_.22Gawgaryn.22_-_The_Punished_Clans|punished kingdoms raiding to survive]] and [[The_Wasteland#The_Reclaimers|part scavengers living in cities on treads]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To apply to be Unathi, apply [http://aurorastation.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=28 here].&lt;br /&gt;
{{TOC Hidden}}&lt;br /&gt;
== Heads of Staff ==&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi can be the following Heads of Staff:&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Head of Security]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Chief Medical Officer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Research Director]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Chief Engineer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Operations Manager]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Corporate Liaison|Consular Officer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Corporate Liaison]] - [[NanoTrasen]], [[Hephaestus Industries]], [[Zavodskoi Interstellar]] ([[Unathi in Dominia|Dominian Unathi]] only), [[Private Military Contracting Group]] (Dagamuir Freewater Private Forces only), [[Orion Express]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The following groups &#039;&#039;&#039;cannot&#039;&#039;&#039; be Heads of Staff: [[Aut&#039;akh]], Guwan, and Gawgaryn of [[The Wasteland]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Due to their criminal backgrounds, the following groups &#039;&#039;&#039;cannot&#039;&#039;&#039; be played in the Security department: Guwan and Gawgaryn of [[The Wasteland]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Outside of consular officers, command characters should not be of the same clan as any notable lords of the Hegemony. The most prominent clans, such as those of Overlords and the Hegemon himself, are off-limits for command.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Megacorporate Relations===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to 2465, Moghean Unathi that were not members of trade guilds were almost exclusively employed with [[Hephaestus Industries]]. Unathi with guild memberships would primarily take contracts with [[NanoTrasen]] or [[Orion Express]], depending on their career choice. [[Unathi in Dominia|Unathi living in Dominia]], like most of their countrymen, seek employment with [[Zavodskoi Interstellar]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
After the Merchant&#039;s Guild declared bankruptcy, Hephaestus Industries bailed out all Hegemonic guilds and reorganised them under the banner of the company. Since then, nearly all residents of Moghes are employed by Hephaestus in some way. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Mechanics ==&lt;br /&gt;
Mechanical differences from humans and unique emotes listed below:&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Passive&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi are coldblooded which allows slightly improved heat resistance, but increased sensitivity to cold.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi have claws, which slash and improve unarmed melee attacks.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi are incapable of easily digesting alcohol, and ethanol is considered toxic to them.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can only drink alcohol from drinks with butanol instead of ethanol. Butanol gets them drunk similar to ethanol but has no effect on other species.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi get no nutrients from eating fruits and vegetables. They need meat to fill their hunger.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can safely eat carp and consume carpotoxin.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi have the fastest sprint available to any species, but they have low stamina, meaning they can only sprint in short bursts. They also are slower than most other species.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Active Abilities&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can devour monkeys, rats, spiders, carp, and other small mobs by clicking and dragging from the mob to themselves. The animal must hold still for it to work.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi hiss when speaking Tau Ceti Basic. You achieve this by typing multiple s&#039;s during speech. This can also be pronounced through x&#039;s if their accent is thick. &amp;quot;Thisss issss an ekssample.&amp;quot;  You can also &#039;&#039;&#039;Toggle-Auto-Hiss&#039;&#039;&#039; to do this for you.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can sample the air with their tongue.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unique audible emotes: *hiss, *hiss2, *bellow.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Biology ==&lt;br /&gt;
Their average life expectancy is around sixty years for most Unathi. However, they tend to live for well past sixty years when given advanced medical care available to the other space-faring species. As a cold-blooded species, they suffer fatigue and even short comas when exposed to extremely low temperatures.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Humans and Unathi share a lot of similar internal biology with some notable exceptions. Since they are a carnivorous species, their diet mostly consists of meat and animal products, though they do have a tolerance to some plants and fruits. While Unathi do receive minor benefits for eating certain fruits, they do not get any nutrition from plants. Due to their carnivorous nature, they also have an increased stomach capacity to help eat larger meals at a time. The typical Unathi usually only eats one meal a day, and for the poorer sinta, perhaps once every two days. They tend towards lethargic and sluggish movements more often than not because of their evolutionary history, so they move slower than most organic species. However, the cyclical period of work for Unathi compared to other species is much faster. Unathi are polyphasic sleepers: creatures that sleep in shorter naps rather than at one time during the night. While they tend towards sluggishness, sinta are often capable of incredible bursts of energy and speed, and their ability to work in three or four hour periods of time compensates for their more sporadic schedules.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The reproductive system of a Sinta&#039;Unathi is very similar to that of Earth reptiles. Females lay eggs, with the average clutch being somewhere between one and three. They have a six-month gestation period, after which they are laid in a humid, warm area. After two months, the fetus is fully developed and hatches from the egg. Unathi are born with their claws and the ability to walk within hours of hatching. A Sinta&#039;Unathi is considered an adult when they are 16 years old.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Physical Appearance ===&lt;br /&gt;
The Unathi as a species show a great deal of variation within body types as well as clusters of smaller physical traits passed down through clans. Facial and body features range in size and shape with some having raptor-like aesthetics, serpentine looks, or a more draconic body. Tail length is often genetic; conversely, tail girth is defined by a Unathi&#039;s diet as it stores most of the body&#039;s fat— nobles grow some of the largest tails.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi scales are somewhat tougher than human skin, though they shed off sporadically rather than all at once. More vulnerable and hidden spots, such as the stomach and waist, the backs of joints, and inner thighs are all leathery skin and aren&#039;t covered in scales.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The typical healthy adult male Unathi weighs roughly 280 pounds. Female sinta differ from males as they generally have a shorter and more rounded snout. The typical healthy Unathi female weighs roughly 250 pounds. Female Unathi grow to about 5&#039;9&amp;quot; to 6&#039;8, while male Unathi grow to about 6&#039;0&amp;quot; to 7&#039;0&amp;quot;. Unusual heights tend to be smaller in scale, as the taller a Unathi is, the more likely it will be marred with health problems and not live as long as others.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Both sexes stand on digitigrade legs, with three toes on each foot and a hooked dewclaw, and have clawed feet and hands. They also have very long tongues, typically black or extremely dark red in color, which may stretch up to a foot and a half long and are forked just like a serpent&#039;s. In much the same manner as snakes, Unathi can sample the air around them using their tongue. They blink and have tear ducts similar to humans.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi horns do not naturally regrow, and serious damage tends to remain permanent. Ancient recipes using native herbs known as &amp;quot;horn paste&amp;quot; are commonly made and sold by herbalists and can counter cosmetic scratches or minor chipping. More modern synthetic Horn Gel (based on Bone Gel), developed largely by [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]], can regenerate an entire lost horn, but it tends to be stratified to the upper classes and noblemen due to cost.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Lizards.png|thumb|Body dimorphism in Unathi.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Colouration ====&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi are also often born into one of four major scale colour categories: red, black, orange-brown and &amp;quot;sand-colored&amp;quot;, and green. Alternative colours are rare, with dark blue and even albino Unathi being reported in very small numbers. Albinos are sometimes slightly tinted in colour while remaining predominantly white. Traditionally these off-coloured Unathi are met with prejudice, though some clans outside the Izweski may feel different.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It has been noticed that scale colourations were more represented in some areas than other, and thus, many shades of these colours were, in Unathi culture, named after the places they tend to be seen in more often, in many cases.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*Modern red-coloured Unathi are thought to originate from a large nomadic clan that settled South of the Moghresian Sea around modern Skalamar. Nowadays, red-scaled Sinta tend to be seen on the entire Southern coast of the Moghresian Sea and the mountain ranges near it.&lt;br /&gt;
*Today’s green-coloured Unathi hail from the Southern side of the Moghresian sea, and they are seen more often throughout this side of the coast and down to the colder lands even further South. Surprisingly, there is also a large batch of green-coloured Unathi located around Sahl lake, indicating that an old nomadic clan of mostly green Sinta settled there centuries ago.&lt;br /&gt;
*Orange-brown and sand-yellow Unathi comprises a wide range of colours. They are a more common colour to be seen in a large area, and it is believed that their origins come from displacement in ancient conflicts that forced them to migrate and find new homelands. More precisely, Unathi harbouring such colours tend to be more represented in a large area defined between Darakath, Bahard, Mudki, and Yu’kal.&lt;br /&gt;
*Black or “dark-scaled’ Unathi do not seem to originate from any precise area, and instead, tend to be more often seen around colder areas of Moghes, both North and South. A popular theory is that black scales are actually a consequence of exposure to the cold for generations— something that has yet to be proven.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
All colours, barring albino, do not mix; if a brown Unathi and a light red Unathi have a child, the red scales the child has might be a little darker, but the colours do not blend to make something new.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Colour ranges&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Due to the modernization of Moghes as well as the emigration and population displacement from the Contact War, Unathi of any colour can be found nearly anywhere on Moghes. Of course, they are more common in some areas rather than others.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Below are some examples of Unathi scale colour ranges. These cover a majority of the colors; while some deviances from these are normal, there are no neon or pink colors among Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{| align:Center&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
!Usual Unathi colour ranges:&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Green.png|200px|thumb|left|Green colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Brown.png|200px|thumb|left|Brown-orange / sand-yellow colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Red.png|200px|thumb|left|Red colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Black.png|200px|thumb|left|Black colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
{| align:Center&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
!Unusual Unathi colour ranges:&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_white.png|200px|thumb|left|Albino colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Blue.png|200px|thumb|left|Blue colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Green:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Razir Moss:&#039;&#039; RGB 27, 50, 27 / Hex #1B321B&lt;br /&gt;
*An unusually dark shade of green, but certainly not the only one, Unathi from Razir and its surrounding areas tend to have this scale colouration more often than not. As the name suggests, it is quite comparable in colour to the unique moss that tends to grow on rocks and buildings on the Southern coast of the Moghresian sea. The moss was heavily used by healers in the past, as its spongy nature allows to quickly stop bleeding, and its composition can also help in dealing with infection, or at least, limit their spread, until proper medicine can be found, properties that are quite appreciated in a time like the post-Contact-War era, where shortages, of medicine among other things, aren’t so rare depending on the location. Due to its ties with healing, some of the more traditional Unathi tend to see Unathi with such a scale colouration as more feminine.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Sen Emerald:&#039;&#039; RGB 31, 95, 31 / Hex #1F5F1F&lt;br /&gt;
*Considering the name, and the overall concentration of Unathi in the region, it is assumed that those bearing such colouration came from the now-broken city of Sen. Records of where the name comes from exactly has been lost after the Contact War, but theories still exist with recent finds. The reclaimer clan Kikata, operating a landcrawler by the torn cities, on the western coast of the Moghresian sea, noticed several collapsed mines next to what they assumed used to be villages, and in them, among many other minerals, unique green gems. As word has started to spread, many Sinta are now assuming that Sen Emerald refers to these gems.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Teht Mint:&#039;&#039; RGB 85, 149, 85 / Hex #559555&lt;br /&gt;
*Teht Mint is one of the many crops that (nearly) disappeared after the Contact War and its nuclear fallout. As Teht mostly made its fortune from fishing, nearby villages housed the few clans in all of Moghes talented enough to properly harvest the plant, and who kept such a knowledge secret to all of their own. Used as expensive seasoning by only the wealthiest Nobles in the region, these clans, and their village, quickly made a fortune, then came the Contact war. While the city of Teth was spared by the bombing, the many villages around it that didn’t get outright razed by the nukes were abandonned, as their main source of income, the harvesting of the mint, was soon enough gone and made life there unsustainable, leaving only handful of seeds, currently preserved in Teth’s palace in hopes that they may be planted into proper soil another day. In any case, the name “Teht Mint” persist as a way to call the Sintas bearing a light green scale colour that tends to be seen in the area.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Sahl Green:&#039;&#039; RGB 56, 126, 86 / Hex #387E56&lt;br /&gt;
*Lake Sahl, among many other things, was renowned for the unique algae that used to grow in within it, giving it, when the floor was shallow enough, a green-ish tint, something that many local fishers used to call “Sahl’s green halo”. Like many things, these algae died after the Contact War, and the poisoning of the lake due to the ensuing nuclear fallout. Many of the older locals that still remember their time spent fishing in the lake, however, have been continuing to call Unathi living around the lake, bearing a unique shade of green, “Sahl Green”.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Orange-Brown / Sand Coloured:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Mudki Stone:&#039;&#039; RGB 98, 84, 65 / Hex #625441&lt;br /&gt;
*The mountainous city of Mudki has been build with the rocks of the very mountains it stands on and between. These rocks exhibit a strange propriety due to their unique composition, something only found in the area, as, when wet, the usually light-grey, or tan stone, turns to a pale-brown. While a small-scaled group of geologists was dispatched to explain the phenomenon, the researches were cut short by the outbreak of the Contact War, and by now, most Sinta simply have their own explanation, from more science-based ones, to some more related to faith. In any case, people have taken to naming the many Sinta bearing light brown scale colouration, around the area, “Mudki Stone”, and some older, more superstitious inhabitants of Mudki and its surroundings claim that these Unathi can, like the stone, change colour…&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Yu&#039;kal Soil:&#039;&#039; RGB 92, 66, 32 / Hex #5C4220&lt;br /&gt;
*Yu’kal, while far from any of the main lakes or seas of Moghes, was a city that known for its people’s work in aquaculture in smaller bodies of water, natural or, later on, artificial, something that nearby smaller settlements also picked up. While the Contact War and its consequences put an end to such a business, many in the Queendom still remember this time, and how the soil turned damp and darkened from the how humid it could get in some places… Something that led to the naming of the colouration that many of the local Unathi bear, similar shades of brown, “Yu’kal Soil”.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Darakath Brown:&#039;&#039; RGB 158, 116, 60 / Hex #9E743C&lt;br /&gt;
*Darakath Brown, also called “Darakath Copper” by the inhabitants of the once proud capital of the Azarak Kingdom, is ,as the name suggests, a scale colouration mostly seen in Darakath and its surroundings. To the more staunch supporters of the Izweski Hegemony, Sintas with this colours are seen as Traditionalists, and by extent, defeated foes… To others, Unathi with such colouration are treated with kindness, if not (legitimate or not) pity, after the sacking of the city by the end of the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Bahard Cream:&#039;&#039; RGB 233, 178, 104 / Hex #E9B268&lt;br /&gt;
*Bahard, before the nuclear exchange, was one of the largest trading hub on Moghes thanks to its central position, making a fortune through trading. Beside this, however, Bahard was also known for the culinary expertise of its people, access to food from all around Moghes being one of the reason behind such a thing. Bahard Cream, originally referred to the a seasoning whose recipe was lost by the end of the Contact War, generally offered to passing traders. It was its unique colour and popularity that led to the locals, and soon enough, the rest of Moghes, to referring to the scale colouration seen so often around the area in such a way.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Red:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Tak Red:&#039;&#039; RGB 128, 62, 62 / Hex #803E3E&lt;br /&gt;
*Tak used to be a city of relatively modest size, before the nuclear exchange utterly ruined it. Few know why Sinta of this certain shade are thus called “Tak Red”, although researches in Skalamar have led to a theory: fish exports. Most inhabitants made a living through fishing, just like most cities on the coast of the Moghresian sea, although surviving trading records show a higher than average amount of exports from the city. Additionally, texts, and common memory, point that some of the fish unique to Tak’s coast had unique red scales… Although said fishes are extinct by now, everything seems to indicate that this is where the name for this colouration came from.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Skalamar Red:&#039;&#039; 160, 44, 44 / Hex #A02C2C&lt;br /&gt;
*Skalamar Red, also called “Blood Red” by traditionalist and other foes of the Hegemony, is, as the name suggest, more often seen in Skalamar and its neighboring territories. Origins on the name of this colouration were blurry, even before the Contact War, with stories speaking of such colourations having divine origins, from other speaking of a curse, depending on who you ask. In any case, such a colouration is a sign of greatness and valor to some, and of shame and cruelty to some others… Generally depending on who they would have sided with during the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;S&#039;th Berry:&#039;&#039; RGB 125, 6, 6 / Hex #980606&lt;br /&gt;
*S’th Berries are one of the few species of flora that survived the nuclear fallout of the Contact War… Although, not without consequences. While they were once deep red, the berries lost their colour and appear grey-ish; and their sugary taste as been lost, some saying that they now taste like paste instead. Nevertheless, the name given to the colour that many Unathi in the area arbor, remained: Unathi of red scales, red like S’th’s Berries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Black:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Derhai Shadow:&#039;&#039; RGB 17, 22, 16 / Hex #111610&lt;br /&gt;
*Although such a tone can be found a bit everywhere since Derhai’s depopulation, most people can pinpoint that it used to be most often seen in and around great city that stood there, before being abandoned. Due to the highly religious nature that Derhai had, many have been tying (sometimes wrongly) such a scale colouration to Th&#039;akhists.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Janvir Black:&#039;&#039; RGB 28, 28, 28 / Hex #1C1C1C&lt;br /&gt;
*Perhaps a testament to how fast Unathi can evolve and change over generation, Janvir Black is a scale colouration that only appeared around a century after the foundation of the cold metropolis, merely six centuries ago… That is, according to the limited records currently available in the post-Contact War era.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Guzari Night:&#039;&#039; RGB 61, 47, 47 / Hex #3D2F2F&lt;br /&gt;
*There were, allegedly, several small settlements by the coast of the Guzari Sea, despite the freezing temperatures (on Unathi standards, that is), thanks to the unique bounties of the cold Northern Sea. Records seem to indicate, however, that said settlements were abandoned even before the Contact War, something that historians, even to this day, cannot explain, mostly due to the severe loss of historical documents during the conflict. Many Unathi, today, then, see other Sinta with the strange scale colouration known as Guzari Night as quite elusive…&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Albino:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Albino White:&#039;&#039; RGB 178, 178, 178 / Hex #B2B2B2&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Bleached Bone:&#039;&#039; RGB 183, 169, 169 / Hex #3D2F2F&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Blue:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Indigo Blue:&#039;&#039; RGB 35, 55, 189 / Hex #2337BD&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Azure:&#039;&#039; RGB 1, 102, 255 / Hex #0066FF&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Albino and Azure (or Blue) Unathi scale colouration are not tied to any area of Moghes, and instead, generally the result of genetic lottery. How such colourations are perceived varies widely. These Unathi would generally face prejudice in the Hegemony, although some other Sinta from different horizons can exhibit interest for them instead, or simply indifference. &lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Genetic Variety ====&lt;br /&gt;
Besides scale colouration, many other physical aspects of Unathi bodies can vary widely. From horns and frills, to even extra scale crests and different structures in a Unathi’s very skeleton (namely, the skull). While anatomical differences within a species are natural, Unathi are noteworthy for how wide these differences can get and how fast they come to be. The exact science behind this has been lost after the Contact War, and most of the research behind such a phenomena is idly handled by Nanotrasen and Zeng-Hu specialists. However it is assumed that Sinta simply evolve and adapt to their surroundings much faster than most of the other sentient species of the Spur, leading to such large physical discrepancies between Unathi alone.&lt;br /&gt;
From this, it is also assumed that, with Unathi populations moving between planets, and Moghes on its way to changing considerably (may the consequences of the of the Contact War be the of the Sinta homeworld, or may terraforming efforts save it), said biological differences between different groups will only get larger and more exotic in the next few centuries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Genetic Variety&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Unathifaces.png|180px|thumb|right|Zotzo’s Treaty of Biology is one of the first Unathi works dedicated to the study of Sinta biology, and in which the terminology for Unathi facial structure was first established. This is one of the few pages left of the book, found in the ruins of Oket&#039;s Great Library.]] &lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Horns&#039;&#039;&#039; are not tied to specific places, or at least, not directly. There seems to be a hereditary side to it, however, as Unathi more often than not seem to bear the horns of one of their parents (on VERY rare instances carrying the horns of both). Horns, however, do not “mix” and make new shapes, the same way that Unathi scale colourations don’t mix. Horns are arbored by both male and female Sintas, and can be of various tones, from dark gray, near black, to Ivory or even pristine white, and even in some cases, pale brown-ish tones. Contrary to some belief, Unathi horns are bone, and not made of Ivory or any other precious material. Horn size, just like tail size, also depends on a Unathi’s diet. However, while everyone has the potential to grow an enlarged tail, if given enough fat, horn size highly depends on how well-fed a Unathi is during their childhood as they grow. Coupled with one’s horn’s hereditary nature, it is commonly assumed that A Sinta of noble blood will generally have larger horns… A noble who happens to have shorter horns is generally called a New-Noble, as if they were the first of their clan to ascend to noblehood, and by extent the quality diet that tends to come with it.&lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Frills&#039;&#039;&#039;, while hereditary in exactly the same way as horns, tend to be most often seen in Unathi populations living on coasts, or in general humid areas. Frills can be of various colours, so long as they remain in natural Unathi colour ranges. They are constituted of either a bony “support”, or in some rare cases, a cartilaginous one, with skin or scales between and on said “supports”. Since frills are articulated, to some minor degree, Unathi bearing frills tend to be seen as more expressive, as they tend to “open” or “close” their frills, accentuating body language. Frills have generally been associated with Unathi of low-to-middle class, or at least, that have ancestry from such classes, as fishermen and such Unathu are generally depicted with large frills. The validity of such a concept is discussed nowadays. &lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Crests&#039;&#039;&#039; are rather similar to frills in their constitution, although they differ in the sense that, instead of having a thin layer of scaly hide being stretched between its bony or cartilaginous supports, crests are entirely covered in proper hide. One popular example is the infamous “Cobra Hood” (Which is a domination established by the people of the Spur as a whole, and not by Sinta, as Cobras are obviously not native to Moghes). Like frills, Crests can be articulated, although in a much more limited way. Crests are not limited to any place, and just like horns, are instead fully hereditary. Crests were rather rare prior to the Contact War, as it was more common among Unathi population living in rather arid areas, earning the rather poetic name of the “Frills of the dry seas”. After the Nuclear exchange, however, new generations born in a changed Moghes start to come with more and more crests already.&lt;br /&gt;
*Finally, while minor differences in sizes and shapes can be observed in different Unathi populations, one aspect in particular tends to change drastically: &#039;&#039;&#039;skull shapes&#039;&#039;&#039;. The shape of a Unathi’s head seems to vary widely, with some adopting a more draconic appearance, some being closer to smaller lizards, Iguanas, snakes, crocodiles, etc. The way Unathi see their fellow Sinta with this or that facial appearance varies widely depending on their culture. Once again, both due to migration, populations blending with each other and the loss of records due to the Contact War, locating the origins in Unathi faces has proved to be quite the hard endeavor, but some clues, mostly based on interviews of older, surviving Sintas, have been found, and a proper classification is being reestablished:&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Arakhania (“Draconic”)&#039;&#039;: Arakhanian facial structure, also called “Draconic” in Basic, is perhaps the most well known Unathi skull shape in the entire Spur. Perhaps one of the most well spread facial structures nowadays, it is also known as the “head of the nobles”, due to its prevalence among noble populations, with many notable Unathi bearing such a profile (namely the Hegemon himself). Arakhanians tend to have a pointy snout with smooth shapes, and a frontal bone of varying height and steepness.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Thodokhania (“Crocodilian”)&#039;&#039;: Thodokhanian faces come with a larger, longer snouts and more flat heads, comparable to Earth’s crocodiles or alligators (hence the name given to such a profile in Basic: “Crocodilian”.) Unathi with the Thodokianian facial structure have turned rarer and rarer since the Contact War, which led to the belief that the nuclear exchange must’ve erased population centers featuring the bulk of their population.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Imekhania (“Common Lizard-like”)&#039;&#039;: The Imekhanian facial class is as broad as the population it encompasses, being the most represented profile among Sinta. Unathi with the Imekhanian profile come with generally smoother snout shapes and round tips. earning the name “lizard-like” in Basic. According to ancient records and texts, it seems like the Imekhanian profile could be seen everywhere on Moghes, even before the first large population movements.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Senkhania (“Snake-like”)&#039;&#039;: With their flat heads and short snouts, Senkhanians faces are, as their name in Basic suggests, comparable to Earth’s Snakes. While a small part of the population, Unathi with the Senkhanian facial profile are still considered a category of their own, due to their presence in mostly rural areas (something that has yet to be explained), zones that would not tend to be the direct targets of nuclear bombardment during the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Lokhenian (“Others”)&#039;&#039;: Lokhenian facial profile, or “The faces of the Lost” is an all-new, post-Contact War classification, used to designate any facial structure that does not fit in the other aforementioned categories, and are not large enough to warrant a category of their own. Such facial structures are extremely various but also tend to be extremely rare, and it is assumed, that those were already quite rare even before the nuclear exchange, as they were rarely ever recorded in pre-contact war media.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Afflictions and Disabilities ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi, like all species, are prone to conditions that are uncommon among the population. How each Unathi views or handles these is varied due to the traditional cultures of Moghes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Lsh&#039;islasulu, sometimes shortened to &amp;quot;Lsh disorder,&amp;quot; is a rare scale disability affecting very few Unathi. The disorder is poorly studied because of its lacking negative affects and extreme rarity. When suffering from Lsh disorder, Unathi will lose their dead scale cells through a painful peeling process, rather than sporadically. A Unathi suffering from the disorder will need to painfully peel or scrub off their dead scales off once or twice a month in droves. The affliction is caused by increased cell death, and scale cells will die rapidly for no apparent reason. Luckily, this process only causes pain and increased susceptibility to the cold, not causing any damage or making the scales much weaker in terms of durability. Further information is lacking due to little research preformed.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kaasilik is a famously known yet equally rare disorder inflicting unique symptoms. Those suffering from Kaasilik lack any growth of frills, hoods, horns or any other structure on the head or face. While labeled as a disorder, those affected by it suffer no physical drawbacks and are believed to be the result of a genetic lottery in which generations of couples between Unathi with certain horn or frill growth reproduce. While undamaging to the Unathi physically, it can make identifying them from another suffering Unathi difficult at times. Children of these Unathi will likely have very small or limited frill and horn growth.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Albinosm, or Zis&#039;lak, caused by a general lack of pigment in the scales, makes the scales appear totally white, sometimes with a minor tint of green, red or sand/orange, caused by a total lack of pigment. Albinism in Unathi can also cause a unique shift in eye colour; while typical for Unathi to have colours like orange, red or green, albinism can shift the eye colour to an unusual violet. This is due to a lack of eye pigment combined with the light refraction off of the blood vessels within the eye. Unathi that suffer from albinism usually remain away from sunlight as their sensitive scales provide little to no UV protection and put them at risk of burns. Albino Unathi are also often seen as a bad omen at birth, and as such, those within the Hegemony&#039;s lower populated areas are often banished from their clan or in extreme circumstances, even banished from some clans to become Guwan. It should be noted that azure coloured Unathi cannot be albino.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Illiz is a disorder appearing in two states with a wide variety of recorded variation. The disability details highly irregular tail size, this can include tails the size of a finger or tails so long they become a tripping hazard. The former being nicknamed, &amp;quot;Hasik.&amp;quot; Unathi affected by Hasik typically suffer when sprinting, their short tails also prevent fat storage, which results in the fat being stored elsewhere like the arms, thighs, and lower body. The latter mentioned state of Illiz, nicknamed &amp;quot;Hasil,&amp;quot; is the complete opposite. Those affected by Hasil find their tails reaching lengths of up to four feet long. Hasil includes similar issues as Hasik, the most notable of which is it also negatively affects balance. Those with longer tails struggle to sprint, carrying the weight of such a large tail. Culturally, those suffering Hasik are viewed as pathetic and as cowards, while those with longer tails are presumed to be a noble. It should be noted that very few nobles have been documented suffering Hasik, while some, using plastic surgery, increase the size of their tails to mimic Hasil.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Unathi History]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The history of the Unathi is predominately a history of each &#039;&#039;&#039;Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039; that has existed throughout their history. There have only been three clans that have managed to create an empire worthy of the title &#039;Hegemon.&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Kres’ha’nor Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039; lasted from roughly 920 CE - 1500 CE. It is most famous for being the first empire to dominate Moghes and creating what was then a modern feudal state. Their empire saw rise of walled cities, steel weapons, centralized taxation, and other innovations. It ended in a brutal succession war, with Moghes once again being shattered into hundreds of individual Kingdoms with no true global power.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the &#039;&#039;&#039;16th century&#039;&#039;&#039; the power of &#039;&#039;&#039;[[Unathi Guilds|Guilds]]&#039;&#039;&#039; began to grow, forming an early form of mercantilism. Guilds formed for bakers, butchers, grocers, millers, smiths, carpenters, weavers, mason, shoemakers, in fact, nearly every trade had its own guild. Standards such as just weights and measures evolved from the guilds, and guild inspectors would inspect shops to ensure rules were being followed. Guilds would help members that were sick, or in trouble, and would sometimes take care of families after the member died. This time also saw Guilds building the first major universities. While incredibly exclusive, these universities began to create a new era of specialized labor and intellectuals.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;19th century&#039;&#039;&#039; saw rise of the &#039;&#039;&#039;Second Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;, ruled by the &#039;&#039;&#039;Sarakus Clan&#039;&#039;&#039;. Their clan ruled harshly, and forced technological advances into the cities and towns. In the 1930&#039;s they ruthlessly modernized their empire in The Great Endeavor, spreading electricity, radio, paved roads, modern plumbing, and other modern innovations.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In &#039;&#039;&#039;1994&#039;&#039;&#039; the &#039;&#039;&#039;Izweski Clan&#039;&#039;&#039; violently deposed the Sarakus and slaughtered the entire surviving dynasty, declaring the &#039;&#039;&#039;Third Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;. After they won an incredibly destructive global war to defend their claim, the Izweski have ruled Moghes until modern times.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In &#039;&#039;&#039;2403&#039;&#039;&#039;, a human exploration team discovered Moghes. Shortly after, first contact with the Izweski Hegemony was made. Sol Alliance merchants and scientists flocked to Moghes, living under very careful observation and guard in Izweski cities. Skalamar, the second largest city in Izweski, became the first Unathite city to have a shuttle port constructed. Owned by NanoTrasen, it served to transport people to and from the planet’s surface. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[Contact War|The Contact War, which has more information here,]] was a cataclysmic global war that lasted from &#039;&#039;&#039;2438 to 2449&#039;&#039;&#039;. The fighting was between two global powers, the &#039;&#039;&#039;Izweski Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;, and the &#039;&#039;&#039;Traditionalist Coalition&#039;&#039;&#039;. The war was fought over the very future of the Unathi and their relationship with the rest of the galaxy. The Izweski demanded Moghes submit to a one-world government ran by themselves and embrace the influence of humanity. The Traditionalist Coalition rejected this. &#039;&#039;&#039;The war went nuclear on September 5th, 2439&#039;&#039;&#039;, causing immense suffering across Moghes and directly leading to the creation of The Wasteland, which is set to engulf Moghes within a hundred years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Unathi Culture==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Diet and Cuisine ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathite dishes are mostly comprised of meat, eggs, and fish. It may be cooked or even still raw and bleeding. Vegetables in meals are often just for decoration or flavor, but by no means ever make up the majority of the dish. Unathi do not take any nutritional value from plant matter, only from meat. Desert flowers may also be placed on the plate to make it seem well-presented and are also edible. The tools Unathi use to eat are very unorthodox to humans, usually resembling chopsticks banded together near the top. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi generally eat only one large meal a day. The nobility often eat twice a day, while poorer Unathi or those in [[The Wasteland|the Wasteland]] will eat bi-daily: every two days.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To support their civilization, fishing has developed on a scale similar to human agriculture. Since the Contact War, fishing yields have fallen, and hunger has become a fact of life for many Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Language ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi, being deeply traditional, tend to inject their own sayings, proverbs, and similar speech into other languages not native to them. Some concepts of their languages also spill over into tongues foreign to Unathi. For example, Unathi genders follow personal behaviors and societal roles rather than biological sex. While “man”, “male”, and other similar words might serve as a rough translation, “warrior” or the Sinta-Unathi word “Saa” would be more correct and often finds its way into conversation between Unathi and other races. The same is true for “healer” or “Taa”, being somewhat equivalent “woman”, or “female”, while “fisher” or “Kaa” is the Unathi term for someone whose duties revolve around production, commodities, or economic development. Objects also have assigned genders to them, so it is not uncommon for Sinta to refer to objects and inanimate things with genders. Unathi also have a lot of assorted figures of speech that, instead of being based on direction (up and down), are affiliated with time and its speed. A faster rate of time is seen as bad while a slower rate is seen as good in a majority of cases. Good things are categorized by saying something is punctual, progressing on time, is speeding up in time, or has a lot of time while saying the opposite for bad things. Rather than saying &amp;quot;I’m going to bed for the night,&amp;quot; a Unathi might offer &amp;quot;I’m slowing down for the night&amp;quot;; similarly, instead of being &amp;quot;down to hang out,&amp;quot; one would instead say they &amp;quot;want to slow down&amp;quot; with someone else. Examples include, but aren’t limited to: &amp;quot;today’s harvests were timely,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;the day has been slow,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;my body is slowing,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;their sleep is running late,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;I’m accelerating through my studies.&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi names are extraordinarily diverse, ranging from those that string together a bunch of consonants to sounds with many vowels in a row. There are not many commonalities between them besides harder sounds like &#039;ck,&#039; &#039;zh,&#039; &#039;s,&#039; &#039;d,&#039; and &#039;t.&#039; &#039;&#039;&#039;However, names cannot have more than two of the same letter in a row, such as Myo&#039;sssak.&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Many species have developed the joking term &amp;quot;unathisms&amp;quot; for all the various cultural holdovers that get put into other languages they speak.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot; style=&amp;quot;width:99%; overflow:auto;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi Metaphors, Sayings, and Slang&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Sinta— &#039;&#039;meaning Unathi. If the word Unathi can be compared to &amp;quot;Human&amp;quot;, then sinta can be compared to &amp;quot;man&amp;quot;, the latter usually kept out of more serious, official or scientific discussion and instead used in discussions with a more common if not familiar tone. Sinta does not get an S on plural and does not start with a capital letter.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Claws, talons— &#039;&#039;fingers, nails, respectively; however, sometimes satire or exaggeration make use of them interchangeably.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hatchling, egg— &#039;&#039;a child or baby, sometimes also as an insult.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Azure, albino— &#039;&#039;exotic, or unusual; alternatively (and rarely), an archaic and outdated way of calling something awful: &amp;quot;Their tastes are absolutely albino.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hide, scales— &#039;&#039;skin.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Rattle, rattled— &#039;&#039;scared.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Scratch, scratched— &#039;&#039;to write/written.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Tailwag— &#039;&#039;generic insult lacking true meaning and has a weird versatility to it, like referring to someone as a &#039;fuck&#039; or similar.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Blood on my teeth— &#039;&#039;eating, sometimes a gruesome (seen as barbaric) way of describing fighting and other activities.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Lay down my tail/bare my neck— &#039;&#039;let someone walk over you.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Molting— &#039;&#039;getting angry enough over something that it damages your physical health. Used almost explicitly for exaggeration.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Fat-tail— &#039;&#039;an insult usually aimed at nobles.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Quote a limerick— &#039;&#039;to be sassy, snarky, witty.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Grinding my horns— &#039;&#039;getting on their nerves.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Strum— &#039;&#039;gather.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Stomp, stomping— &#039;&#039;a get together (as a noun) or referring to someone being happy (as a verb).&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Echoed song— &#039;&#039;oral tradition.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ghazkus, ghazkii— &#039;&#039;skrell, coming from the word &amp;quot;amphibious&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;ghazii&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kzlth, kzlthii— &#039;&#039;humans, coming from the word &amp;quot;scaleless&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;kazulth&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Imiekran, imiekranes— &#039;&#039;the typical term for dionae meaning &amp;quot;twisted plant&amp;quot; in Sinta’Azaziba, usually a term of endearment; alternatively called aggregates when referring to different forms.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Xsain— &#039;&#039;vaurca, coming from the word &amp;quot;incomprehensible&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;xsa&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
(Note: most of the time this is seen as being a nickname when used outside of Sinta’Unathi or Sinta’Azaziba. If you are particularly friendly with someone that either you don’t know the name of or are referring to someone otherwise, this may be appropriate outside of saying the species’ name.)&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Zo’zyola— &#039;&#039;the equivalent of an angel or a demon. Depending on the context, this is either a compliment or a severe insult.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Dishonored their clan— &#039;&#039;do something to ostracize themselves from society or a group of people.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A tale longer than my own— &#039;&#039;a play on words gaining traction among Sinta who speak Basic. Basically a way of saying &amp;quot;it&#039;s a long story&amp;quot; with similar connotations, but this phrase can also be used to hype up an event. &amp;quot;What did you do during the Solarian Invasion?&amp;quot; &amp;quot;It&#039;s a tale longer than my own— let&#039;s meet up to discuss it.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Heating up— &#039;&#039;a way of setting your guard is going down or that you are even getting bored or tired. &amp;quot;This shift has been uneventful, I can feel it heating up.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Sk&#039;akh&#039;s scales— &#039;&#039;a way of saying &amp;quot;holy shit&amp;quot; or similar swears.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Have an honorable duel for the sake of the game— &#039;&#039;in Sinta&#039;Azaziba and Sinta&#039;Unathi, duel and game are the same word, just with different meanings. This is a play on words in the original tongue and is meant to talk about something that has to be done yet trying to make fun out of it anyway.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
More unclean/unkempt than a Guwan&#039;s feet— &#039;&#039;referring to something being worse than the dirtiest part of a class of undesirables. Phrases like these are more common in the Hegemony and are one of the many methods used to degrade Guwan.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When an arbek eats its tail— &#039;&#039;&amp;quot;when pigs fly.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Preparing the maxtlatl— &#039;&#039;referring to the shaman&#039;s garb. Preparing the maxtlatl is something a shaman does when they feel they are near death; in preparing it, they are readying the skull in the headgear to be replaced by their own. In a sense, if someone is preparing the maxtlatl, they are spelling their own doom or see their demise coming.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the Fourth Nation— &#039;&#039;somewhat of a joke about cycles, playing fun at the fact that the Izweski Hegemony has been a constant throughout history. Traditionalists use this phrase more bitterly and sardonically, however.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By mine and your spirits— &#039;&#039;a way of solemnly swearing; alternatively, asking for guidance if you worship Th’akh.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Three Heads bless me— &#039;&#039;the alternative to &amp;quot;by mine and your spirits&amp;quot; for those that worship Sk’akh.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Bet the Hegemon’s head— &#039;&#039;many people want to kill the Hegemon, so this refers to such a bounty. Usually used as a joke or a dare.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Individual languages are described by the prefix &#039;Sinta&#039; followed by the identity of its native speakers. Speaking mannerisms remain the same when speaking Sinta or another language. For stylistic choices, there are some options. For those raised in or by the Hegemony, avoid contractions like &#039;&#039;it&#039;s&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;they&#039;re&#039;&#039;, which would be &#039;&#039;it is&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;they are&#039;&#039;. Formal Sinta&#039;Unathi lacks this concept of contracting words, and thus it is a difficult concept to understand for these speakers. Those that speak Sinta&#039;Azaziba will talk in other languages in short bursts, similar to how Azaziba has shorter sentences due to gesticulating and speaking at the same time. Accents are wide and diverse; replacing &#039;s&#039; sounds with &#039;th&#039; in a &#039;forced lisp&#039; or even just omitting the sound is a commonality for Unathi that struggle with certain words in other languages (like &#039;suspicious&#039;). This way of speaking is also common when singing in different languages, a trend picking up within the Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sinta&#039;Unathi ====&lt;br /&gt;
While Pre-Contact Moghes had hundreds of unique languages and their own histories, Sinta&#039;Unathi has been and remains the primary language spoken by most Unathi. It is an evolution of an older Moghean trade language, Sinta&#039;Izwe.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The written language has 30 letters, with 5 of them being vowels. The language is written left to right, though this was an attempt to emulate humanity, as informal Sinta&#039;Unathi still write top to bottom.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sinta&#039;Azaziba ====&lt;br /&gt;
Sinta&#039;Azaziba is a language of Moghes consisting of a combination of spoken word and gesticulation. While waning since Moghes entered the galactic stage, it enjoys popular use by Unathi that never fell to the Hegemony&#039;s cultural dominance. Sinta&#039;Azaziba writing has 27 letters, 4 of which being vowels. The language is written from top to bottom.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Unathi Fashion and Make-up ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Fashion on the scale of an entire species is incredibly diverse, much like with other species. There are some common sights seen across most Unathi peoples.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Fashion ====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Clothing is generally something to balance for Unathi, according to one’s need with warmth. Generally, Unathi can dress themselves from head to toe, with shawls and hoods not being an uncommon sight, even if temperatures aren’t outright cold, just to retain warmth for as long as possible. In particularly hot climates, however, or on specific occasions like while sunbathing, Unathi may choose to wear minimal clothing to get as little obstacle as possible between them and the sun, or any other heat source they may be enjoying.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Colors are an essential part of any Unathi outfit. Being particularly fond of vibrant colors, sights of bright reds, oranges, yellows, greens and blues are common, and white and black, though rare for fashion’s sake, are generally used to accentuate colors even more. These colors are often selected to go along with their scale colors, eyes, and so on, the natural colors of a Unathi playing a large part in their fashion choices. Nobility and other wealthy individuals will often show off their status through the use of jewelry, both gemstone and rare, expensive metals like gold and silver. Though the typical bracelets and necklaces can be found, Unathi also use some pieces of jewelry unique to their species, such as horn rings (meant to be worn around one’s horn) or frill-rings (going through the frill, much like with earrings.) Capes and cloaks are also a traditional display of status and function, with for instance the many capes worn by Guild members.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Make-up ====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While most Human cultures see most forms of make-up as feminine, Unathi are different. It’s common for Unathi of all genders to apply make-up. Once again, there are countless forms of make-up and ways to apply them seen across the entire species.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot; style=&amp;quot;width:99%; overflow:auto;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi make-up&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
===== Cosmetics =====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Some of the most popular forms of Unathi make-up include things such as claw-painting, quite comparable to painting nails. This is generally done with bright colors, to accentuate them over the scale colors of the Unathi in question. There are traces of claw-painting being done in pre-Hegemonic times, mainly by warriors, to show off their claws and intimidate their foes, and though this tradition is still practiced by some, claw painting is now also done for the mere sake of fashion. Horns can also be painted, as well as frills for similar effects if the individual in question sports them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===== Scalepaint =====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Scalepaint is a uniquely Unathi form of make-up, and the most popular in the species as well. Due to their need to shed, Unathi cannot sport tattoos normally, but scalepaint constitutes an equivalent. As the name implies, it is a form of paint applied directed on one’s scaly hide. scalepaint can be inconspicuous and small, or extravagant and cover the majority of one’s hide. In any case, however, it is done to go along with, and complement one’s natural hide colors, and completely covering oneself in scalepaint is seen as particularly awkward and a display of shame in oneself.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The practice of using scalepaint dates back to prehistoric times, with hunters covering themselves in a mixture of herbs, dust, and a few pigments to better hide in the foliage to ambush prey; though it quickly-enough became a form of aesthetic as well. The practice to apply scalepaint hasn’t changed much since then; it is a mix of pigments, herbs, and a clay-like substance to be applied directly on one’s scales.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Perhaps what makes Scalepaint so interesting is the sheer amount of work needed to apply and maintain it. First, it must be applied in correct doses. Too much, and the texture will be too thick and completely cover the scaly texture of one’s hide (an easy excuse to be mocked by your fellow sinta), too little, and the color won’t be visible-enough, and completely disappear at the first shed. With the correct amount of paint applied, it should be visible enough without hiding one’s scales, and when the time to shed comes, some remnants of paint should still be visible, acting as a guide for the next layer to be put on this layer of skin as well. This brings us to the second part, the need to maintain scalepaint. A proper scalepaint requires regular maintenance, to be generally re-applied after every shed. This workload makes the most extravagant and encompassing forms of scalepaint a show of both artistry, but also the result of regularly applied, expert artistry.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Because of its need to be re-applied constantly, scalepaint is generally applied and maintained by oneself, and thus, only to places they can reach. As such, only nobles and other wealthy sinta are ever seen sporting scalepaint on their backs, as it requires maintenance from others, generally talented servants.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Zandiziite Games ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Zandiziite Games]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
An ancient sport that got its start on Moghes, this sport is best described as a mixture of Olympic- and MMA-style games. Competitors within the Zandiziite Games are called Zandiziites, or colloquially an individual wrestler is called a Zandi. Clans send eligible men (and only men) to their Lord in the hopes that they are chosen to represent their city or community in the Zandiziite Games.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Unathi Sociality and Society ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Behaviour and Mannerisms ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi generally stare at what they are interested in, so their intense gaze moves with a conversation to whoever is talking. Additionally, pointing can be seen as extremely rude in circumstances. If more than just a passing gesture towards someone, prolonged pointing can be a grave insult to one&#039;s honor and, in some cases, be the reason for crude fighting or even initiate a duel.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi should always be addressed by their last name in most situations. It is offensive to use a Unathi&#039;s first name unless you are family or have a close relationship with them (like family, a lover, or close friend). Some are more permissive than others regarding this. In a situation where there are multiple Unathi with the same last name, it&#039;s generally accepted to just get more and more specific in your address to make it clear who you are speaking to.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi to other species would typically appear sluggish in their movements, though there are some exceptions to this. When working or even when feeling threatened, they typically move short distances with their arms and legs at speeds much faster than normal for other species. This is because they conserve their energy by going slightly slower until they need it for a given task.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Another outstanding behavior that other species would note is an intense gaze. Unathi typically find staring at whoever is speaking to be respectful; however, this intense staring, paired with not blinking often and stooping to look at someone at eye level, is how other species are typically made uncomfortable when engaging with Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For most Unathi being seen speaking to Guwans is embarrassing. A woman associating with a Guwan is extremely improper and indecent, and they can lose social standing by doing so.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Violence can have its place in regular daily life, with playful fighting being commonplace with the peasantry and in the Wasteland. Joking punches and wistful tail flicks that would be normal for Unathi playing around may end up hurting a human, which has led to many jokes about humanity’s weak stature. Shoulder checks and headbutts have their place in more aggressive friendships and is a sign of showing brotherly love.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Emotional Displays ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi exhibit a great variety of emotional body language in ways different from other species. While it is not uncommon for Unathi to attempt to mimic human displays (sometimes with frightening results, for example showing off their large, numerous sharp teeth in a &amp;quot;smile&amp;quot;), they have their own natural, basic emotions that come from biological expression akin to reptiles. It can be very difficult for this species to control their emotionally linked body language as it is engrained in Unathite culture, but exercising restraint is often seen as a sign of nobility or simply an individual who is attempting to better blend in with other species. Over time, these displays can also change to adapt to a different environment, though this process typically takes many years to come to fruition.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For example, baring the entire throat is the single most meaningful expression that can be displayed to another, often used to show trust or vulnerability to someone a Unathi cares about. However, it is not unusual to do this to also surrender to another (such as in a fight), admit shame, or display extreme compassion (when exposed to twine necks with another). Conversely, tilting the snout far down to protect the throat and better display one’s horns is a fight response or to show distrust in another.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When it comes to intimate gestures between Unathi, they usually twine necks or tails, and touch foreheads and snouts together with the same intent that humans kiss. Such displays are usually only reserved for those that are married or to be wed, but with other cultures such as Ouerea, the smaller colonies, or the Empire of Dominia, this tends to be much more relaxed. Hugging is usually considered to be something done by children and avoided by adults.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi often fixate on their surroundings when interested or excited by someone or something. If there is a conversation of multiple people, they often change their gaze to look at whoever is speaking, or at the person speaking they are most interested in. It is considered rude by Unathi to avert your gaze, for that shows that someone can be aloof, distant, or not paying attention fully. Even if afraid and cowering, they tend to look directly at the source of their fear. For other species, when especially happy or interested, they can even stoop down to look at them directly at eye level, or try to raise themselves as much as possible to look other creatures in the eye.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Other physical displays include the ‘tail stomp,’ a phenomenon common during heightened signals of emotion. Typically, these are done when a Sinta is filled with joy or extremely agitated, but can be rarely used when a Unathi is grieving. Other more minor displays are, but aren’t limited to: bristling scales, in response to a cold environment or a ‘chill going down their spine;’ becoming slow and sluggish if extremely comfortable, such as reacting to warmth; swaying, sampling the air, and hissing all are common when in a new environment, with strangers, or even just in certain situations, which shows curiosity, discomfort, or unease.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Verbally, Unathi have some onomatopoeias that they draw on for different emotions. Chuffing, forcefully exhaling air from the throat, can be used to mark mild annoyance in reply to something, or can be used to show amusement. If it comes at the end of a sentence or statement, it can imply that they are being sarcastic or are saying something in good humor. Unathi don’t quite have a laugh; instead, they bark in typically short bursts, in which the sound is often deep, loud, and raucous. Finally, rattling the throat is a fairly common gesture that replaces or accompanies a tail stomp. Sometimes when enraged, throat rattling is accompanied by frills or scales flaring up as well.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As a result of the divide between groups of sinta, some mannerisms are unique to different social groups. For example, nobles tend to tail stomp in response to seeing something that ‘disgusts’ them, whether it be the sight of a heretic or Guwan, something that disgusts olfactory senses, or something else. Peasants on Moghes and most Unathi on Ouerea tend to be ‘overly emotional’ in that they often tilt their snout up somewhat when showing general content or happiness, or down slightly when afraid or unhappy. Dominians often keep their chin tilted up constantly as a sign of pride and even cockiness, showing they aren’t afraid when vulnerable parts are exposed. Of course, this all barely scratches the surface, and there are many gestures unique to cultures and regions that are not enumerated.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Gender Roles ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div style=&amp;quot;font-size:105%; border:2px solid white; margin:0; background:white; padding:.1em; color:black;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi society is highly gender-stratified, with very specific gendered divisions of work and societal role. The Unathi understanding of gender has become tied deeply into these roles, which leads to a structure that humans may find unusual. In Unathi society, gender has little to do with assigned sex, instead being almost entirely dependent on the societal role an individual finds themselves in. The Sinta’Unathi word for warrior,  ‘Saa’, can be roughly translated to ‘male’, but this is not because one is required to be male to be a warrior. Rather, to Unathi sensibilities, human masculinity generally emulates Saa behavior and so ‘male’ is a useful, though somewhat inaccurate, term to facilitate communication. To Unathi, gender is not something that one is, but something that one does. An Unathi who sought to live as a professional warrior would be considered Saa by society at large, regardless of their sex at hatching - and regardless of their own thoughts on the matter.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Where this system originates is largely unknown, having existed in some form for most of Unathi recorded history. The earliest known example comes from archaeological discoveries in the [[Tza Prairie]], indicating that ancient Unathi cultures held the Fisher as the feminine role, rather than the Healer - which was reserved for a long-extinct caste of shaman-rulers. The gender division in its modern form was likely codified by the early Sk’akh Church or predecessor faiths, though with so much of Moghes’ history now lost to the Wasteland scholars doubt if the origins of such a fundamental part of society will ever be discovered.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The divisions of labor in Unathi society are based on this structure of gender, and it is expressed prominently in religion - the Three Aspects of Sk’akh being the most prevalent examples. The Warrior, Healer, and Fisher are the primary categories into which almost every aspect of Unathi life has been divided for centuries - though as with many Unathi traditions, it is being increasingly challenged in the modern era.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Saa - Warrior&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Saa is the gender of warriors, under which roles to do with martial affairs tend to fall. Most military positions are Saa, with some rare exceptions being made for medical and support personnel. Sinta-Unathi pronouns for the three genders are generally a simplified version of the original word; for warriors it would be sa. Outside of direct combat matters, positions in law enforcement and colonial expansion are also widely considered warriors, as are many roles to do with the direct enforcement of a ruler’s will such as governorship, tax collection and announcement of decrees. Unathi identifying as Saa are expected to act with honor in accordance with the [[Unathi Honor|Warriors&#039; Code]]. Vaurca Warriors outside of those in medical or scientific fields generally fall within this designation as a result.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Taa - Healer&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa is the name for the healers’ gender, which is broader than its name might indicate.. Positions in the medical field are obviously considered healers, but the category also covers most scholarship and keeping of knowledge in general. The Simiite Reliquary in To’ha’dat is staffed exclusively by Priestesses of the Healer, and holds the complete historical record of the Sk’akh Church. While scholarship in general has never been as gendered as some other categories, the vast majority of Unathi scientists, archivists and researchers would be considered Taa. The sphere of knowledge and learning also covers the business of spycraft, investigation and diplomacy, with the positions of Spymaster and High Speaker being traditionally female ones. Unathi identifying as healers have less of a concrete code of honor, though in recent years the invention of the [[Unathi Honor|Matriarch&#039;s Code]] has gained some popularity. While Vaurca in medical or scientific fields may be addressed as Taa, the designation is generally reserved for Gynes to avoid confusion.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Kaa - Fisher&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kaa is the third Unathi gender, without a direct translation in Tau Ceti Basic. Its sphere covers productive work such as fishing, construction and engineering. Many among the Unathi working class are considered to be fishers, and the title of Master of Rivers is one that traditionally is held by a Kaa. In Tau Ceti Basic, gender-neutral pronouns are often used to describe fishers, though the Sinta-Unathi pronoun ka is more correct. The sphere of the fisher encompasses many positions to do with economic development, ranging from humble miners, ranchers and fishers all the way to colonial administrators. There is no strict code of honor for Taa similar to that of warriors and healers, though the idea of developing one has been attempted a few times. Vaurca Workers outside of medical or scientific fields are generally gendered as fishers by Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Non-Gendered Roles&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The gender stratification of Unathi society is nearly all-encompassing, though there are some rare positions that can be considered as more than one gender. Rulership is the most notable of these, with the gender of a ruler being considered emblematic of their style of rule - Saa rulers are considered a good omen for military victory, whereas Taa rulers are considered a blessing for periods of peace and wisdom and Kaa rulers are considered to bring periods of great productivity to their demesne. The title of Hegemon is something of an exception, having always had a connotation of military conquest to it. As such, Hegemons throughout the ages have been recognized as warriors and succession follows to the eldest Saa. It is not uncommon, however, for their expressed gender to contrast what is officially recorded by the church; for example, Hegemon Ayzi Sarakus was unofficially seen as a fisher to their confidants and trusted allies. Using various methods, they and others like them have held the throne throughout the Izweski Hegemony’s history - though greatly outnumbered by the warriors.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One role which falls outside any of the three genders is that of the Guwandi. The reason for this is simple. A Guwandi sheds their gender as they shed their name, and for the same reason - it is a sign of the person they once were, before facing such shame that it was left behind. A Guwandi is only referred to as their prior gender when they are confirmed to have died with honour, and the stain of their disgrace can be erased from their history.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In addition, the introduction of Unathi to the interstellar stage has led to a vast array of new roles, which have yet to be neatly assigned to a gender. While some were able to fit into pre-existing categories, other roles such as interstellar piloting, civilian spaceship command and various roles to do with colonial oversight have yet to be fit into one of Unathi society’s well-defined boxes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Changing Gender&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Most Unathi will live in the gender of their work for their entire lives. However, the nature of Unathi gender roles mean that changing one’s gender is fairly common in Unathi society, especially among nobles who may find themselves in a wide number of roles during their lives. It is not uncommon for rulers identifying as a healer to present as Saa during wartime, for instance, or for rulers identifying as a warrior to present as a fisher when investing heavily in developing their lands.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the modern age this has become more common among non-nobles, as common Unathi find themselves with a greater degree of social mobility. Many who would have lived and died as fishers find themselves seeking out battle and becoming warriors, or enrolling at institutions such as the [[Unathi_Educational_Institutions#Skalamar_University_of_Medicine|Skalamar University of Medicine]] and identifying themselves as Taa. The act of changing one’s gender is, in most Unathi societies, a religious one. In the [[Izweski Heartland]] and other majority Sk’akh regions, these affairs are handled by the Church, while other faiths have their own approaches to it. For Unathi outside the Hegemony, such as those in Biesel or Dominia, less of a spiritual significance tends to be placed on the transition, being treated as more of a personal and private affair.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Traditional Greetings&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A custom often misunderstood by foreigners, traditional greetings are both a way for Unathi to politely greet each other, but also to begin introductions without even saying a word. This tradition dates back to some time in the late first Hegemony, though the greetings themselves had much different forms and uses back then.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In essence, these greetings are done by wordlessly bowing before another, doing so in a specific manner, depending on the Unathi in question&#039;s gender. Doing so is not only polite, if not a show of respect, but also a way for a sinta to present their gender, and by extent the kind of path they have taken in their life.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;The Warrior&#039;s Greeting&#039;&#039; is done by bowing until one would look straight to the floor, while putting a fist on their heart. The legs must remain straight and back curve as little as possible during the entire greeting, lest the Unathi in question be mocked for going a &amp;quot;wounded Warrior&#039;s greeting&amp;quot;, a situation many have faced on their first Warrior&#039;s Greeting. Signifying trust and respect, it is generally considered an honor to be greeted in such way by prestigious warriors, Kataphracts and veterans.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;The Healer&#039;s Greeting&#039;&#039; would have one bow by bending the knees, hunching forward a little with open arms until their claws and horns (frills, crest, or the top of their skull in the case of absence of such) are at roughly the same height. Some can take the greeting a little further, by crossing their legs slightly, bowing deeper, though such a move is generally kept to greet those worthy of great respect. It signifies openness, warmth and vulnerability.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Finally, through &#039;&#039;the Fishers Greeting&#039;&#039;, one would bow by crossing their arms behind their back, bowing with their back, while keeping their gaze at the other person. Signifies listening and understanding, and though seen by many as the easiest of the greetings to achieve, it is not considered lesser than the other two, but rather, a show of the beauty and value of simplicity.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Traditional greetings are not always done with non-Unathi, generally because of their lack of understanding, some sinta choosing to not bother at all. One can also find slight variations to these traditional greetings abroad, in Dominia for instance, where the [[Unathi_in_Dominia|Kazhkz-Han&#039;san]] can be found calling these greetings the &amp;quot;Soldier&#039;s&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;Scholar&#039;s&amp;quot;, and &amp;quot;Artisan&#039;s Greeting&amp;quot; instead, in a mix of Moghesian and Morozian culture.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Outside the Gender Trinary&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In every society, there are those who do not conform to expectations, and the same is true among Unathi. Following the Contact War, many Unathi have challenged the ancient structures of gender that bind their species, seeking to separate their work from their own identification. The first Taa Kataphract, the Lady H’zala was appointed in 2459, one of the first public examples of a non-warrior permitted in such a strongly gendered role. In the Queendom of Szek-Hakh, the ordinary structures of gender are largely reversed; where governing officials, soldiers and those who keep the peace are referred to as Taa. Originally done out of practicality, with most of the realm’s warriors having perished in the Contact War, the practice has continued as a demonstration of open defiance against tradition. A clear expression of dissatisfaction with the culture that brought the planet to its knees. Even those that present stereotypical warrior behavior will identify themselves as healers, defying social norms that your gender is assigned to you by others and not something you choose for yourself.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Abroad, some Unathi have found themselves adopting more human conceptions of gender as something that a person is, rather than something that they do, and choose to present as a gender that does not match their occupation - whether one which matches their sex, or simply based on personal preference. Many have decried this as alien confusion and an erosion of Sinta tradition, while others welcome or simply do not pay mind to it. Gender is a spiritual matter, after all, and the priests and shamans have yet to come to a definite conclusion about these changing matters. How this will impact Unathi society, built around the strict gender trinary for centuries, remains to be seen.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Gender and Aliens&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To many Unathi, human conceptions of gender are confusing, seemingly arbitrary and without reason. While decades of contact between the two species has helped for better understanding of this, both tend to view the other society’s ideas of gender as strange. Unathi, particularly those less-accustomed to working with aliens, will often gender non-Unathi based on their profession rather than any outward signs, and will find being corrected on this matter particularly confusing. For aliens which lack a concept of gender altogether such as [[Skrell]], [[Vaurca|Vaurcae]] or [[Dionae]], this is generally less of an issue.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On [[Ouerea]], a general understanding has been reached as to human concepts of gender, with the Unathi population coming to understand their alien neighbors’ views. Some of these views have been adopted among the Unathi population, with Archpriest Azente of the Sk’akh Church holding in the belief that an Unathi can do the work of one gender while identifying as another, which has caused him to be labelled as a radical among his fellows. Generally speaking, Skrell on Ouerea do not seem to have any particular trouble assimilating to Unathi notions of gender, though the reasoning behind it can often be confusing to them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Some Diona gestalts which have primarily learned from Unathi - such as those living in the Izweski Hegemony, or among the pirates of the Tarwa Conglomerate - have adopted their own interpretation of Unathi gender. Some more organized gestalts tend to gender their individual nymphs based on the role they play in the whole, while others have developed their own codes of behavior similar to those practiced in Unathi society. More information about them can be found [[Moghresian Dionae|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Most [[Unathi in Dominia|Dominian Unathi]] have, at least in practice, adopted the human model. Though most were born and raised on Moghes and held (perhaps still hold) traditional views, most Unathi choose to adapt to the local Imperial culture for similar reasons as converting to the [[Moroz Holy Tribunal|Holy Tribunal]] - that not respecting the customs and culture of their new home would be dishonorable to those who had welcomed them. Some, particularly among the Han’san and the older Unathi population, do not forget about traditional understandings of gender, still living much as they would on Moghes. To the humans of Dominia, this is largely written off as another alien curiosity of the Unathi, though those who spend more time with them may come to a better understanding of their ways. The newer generations of Unathi born on Imperial soil, however, are generally much more familiar with human ideas of gender than Unathi ones.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Corruption within the Gender Culture ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div style=&amp;quot;font-size:105%; border:2px solid white; margin:0; background:white; padding:.1em; color:black;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While seen from the outside as a relatively progressive development, the fluidity of Unathi gender roles combined with the rigid feudal hierarchy of noble lords and clan leadership presents a wide variety of opportunities for exploitation and abuse. These vary in measure, legally and morally, and if pressed those within positions of power will publicly denounce such practices as dishonorable. However, it’s an open secret that a significant number of the ruling class use these tactics to a greater or lesser degree to ensure their dynasties and interests are protected. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Heirs and Succession&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Arguably one of the most crucial considerations of any noble lord or clan leader, the designation of an heir demands intervention when the current candidate is unwanted or unfavorable. The means by which this is accomplished vary from region to region, but leverage of gender is a widely adopted tactic.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In areas under Izweski rule, succession is patriarchal and the eldest warrior child is traditionally designated heir apparent. Should the natural choice be undesirable it is a common though unspoken practice to cultivate a preferred alternative. If the distinction is made early enough in life, clan heads will attempt to remove older children from succession by enrolling them in education and apprenticeships for healers and fishers. Betrothal contracts can also be drafted which misgender, or pre-gender, a child. Often in negotiation of these matches, care is taken to ensure the other clan’s name is taken and rights of inheritance are explicitly waived. Objection by the child or refusal to uphold the betrothal can be punishable by exile, leaving them few options.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
:If the desired heir does not show sufficient martial prowess, clan leaders can hire combat mentors and may stage public duels where the outcome is predetermined. The opponents in these matches are skilled actors as much as they are combatants, and will shout, bluster, and make oaths to the Warrior and their ancestors before the fight begins to enhance the drama and importance of the duel. They can then expertly claim a believable defeat from even the most inept novice. The most talented of these actors, unofficially referred to as &#039;&#039;hoax-hides&#039;&#039;, are well known in certain noble circles and are paid handsomely for their craft and discretion, and will avoid working in one location for too long to prevent being exposed.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In predominantly Sk’akh regions, legal authority over one’s recognized gender is regulated by the Church. Less scrupulous priests can be bought or persuaded to induce or prevent a change of gender. Some exceptionally lazy or cruel clan leaders will simply fabricate a reason to mark a child as guwandi, stripping them of their clan and gender, and sentence them to exile. This can have unintended consequences however, as the action can be contested within the jurisdiction of the Clan&#039;s local Lord and harsh penalties are imposed for cases in which it can be proven the exile was baseless.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In rural or Th’akhish regions like Tza’an, where the realities of clan survival often take precedence over custom, succession is tied less to gender and more with ensuring healthy children and a robust, able-bodied family. Yet even though harsher, rural life creates greater consequences for meddling in succession, there are still those who will risk much to improve their standing. Leadership typically passes to elder warriors unless they are deemed unfit. If a proposed heir’s existing or planed union would be unlikely to produce offspring then they will often be passed over for a more favorable candidate. A common tactic is to raise concerns regarding an heir’s ability to protect their clan or cast doubt on their health or virility. More recently, there have been recorded examples of unwelcome heirs being assigned to patrols in the wastes in hopes that exposure and radiation will lead to clear signs of weakness and that they might be removed from possible consideration. These schemes are not only dishonorable but also detrimental to the health of the clan and are punished harshly if discovered.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A number of Unathi communities that are technically no longer part of the Hegemony still cling to a hierarchical clan structure and the succession of leadership will sometimes be decided by traditional methods. Some details may differ, but it is not uncommon to see similar tactics as those in the Hegemony used to influence succession and other clan decisions. &lt;br /&gt;
*In the Queendom of Sez-Hakh, for example, succession is matriarchal and falls to the eldest healer child. Due to the necessities of survival after the Contact War the lines separating genders have blurred significantly but abuse of gender culture still occurs. Though aging, Queen Lazak still rules with considerable power and her wishes are reflected in the attitudes of the ruling ladies. Stigma against warrior rule continues to linger and advocates of greater warrior influence are quietly stifled.&lt;br /&gt;
*Communities that have more exposure to human influence tend to allow for all three genders in the rules of succession and gaming the system in these instances requires more finesse. For instance, it&#039;s generally accepted that a warrior is the preferred clan leader during wartime. If a clan leader wished for their warrior child to succeed them, they may initiate a clan war or blood feud prior to stepping down and allowing their warrior children to ascend. The reverse can also be true, and a clan leader might reach out to rivals to begin talks of reconciliation before stepping aside for healer or fisher claimants.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Contracts and Customary Law&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The deep ties gender has within Unathite culture can also be exploited when resolving contracts and disputes. Often this can take the form of discrediting someone’s suitability for a job, an inferred inability to complete work, and breaches of contract where gender is pertinent. Contract manipulation is common and Mazjivsa scribes are customarily retained to ensure proper resolution where possible. They are familiar with popular ploys to either nullify contracts or collect compensation for failure to fulfill obligations and other violations.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One particularly infamous case is widely taught to new scribes during apprenticeship; a contract was created to provide a lord with twenty skilled fishers (engineers) for the construction of new perimeter walls around his compound. Once the crucial process of sinking the foundations and construction of the lower levels was done, progress on the project began to slow and then cease as the fishers were constantly arguing, accusing one another of sabotaging their work, insulting their clan, and myriad other minor slights which climaxed in a spontaneous battle; one worker dead, and two with serious injuries. The lord claimed “they were clearly better suited to spears than tools,” and demanded that the contract be nullified and that half of what he paid be returned in addition to punitive payments stipulated in the contract for the breach. Initially the restitutions were made and the construction of the walls was finished by the lord’s own specialists. It wasn’t until later when a Zo’kaa investigated the incident that the funds were returned and the Lord’s involvement was made known. Under contract from the construction guild, the Zo’kaa uncovered the reason for the change in the fishers’ attitude; an agent, part of the twenty fishers from the guild, had been paid to bring the workers under scrutiny. Once work on the base of the walls was complete, the rest was markedly simpler and cheaper. The lord would have paid less than half the agreed upon amount in the end. Diligent scribes will formalize contract specific processes to resolve potential gender related breaches but this relies on the skill of the scribe hired and is by no means a complete solution.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Other examples of contract manipulation include marriage and betrothal contracts. These contracts often stipulate the genders of the couple and allowances made for surrogates of children, the “Marriage Price”, and additional considerations. If the gender of one party shifts, either naturally or by design, the contract can be nullified and recompense paid.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Mazjivsa Manipulation&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
These scribes, predominantly fishers, are trained to provide counsel in matters of contract negotiation and resolution. Since the collapse of the Mazjivsa guild and the removal of its oversight, some unathi declare themselves Mazjivsa without the proper training and are exiled if discovered. This precarious position can be exploited, and some scribes will find their gender scrutinized if someone stands to gain from the lack of their guidance and expertise.&lt;br /&gt;
A well-known example of this occurred in Skalamar, 2466; a Mazjivsa of clan T’szel was contracted to review agreements made between a local lord and his client. He would not be bought and so the lord began claiming T’szel was an illegitimate scribe and fraud. Enraged, the Mazjivsa demanded a duel so that he might defend his honor. Surprisingly, he was able to draw first blood against one of the lord’s sons, but his victory was used as proof that he was more warrior than fisher. The lord succeeded in having him removed from the contract negotiation, although he was spared exile.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Marriage and Relationships ===&lt;br /&gt;
Relationships for Unathi hinge on responsibility for both involved as most marriages before the Contact War relied on clan leaders arranging marriages to secure alliances. &#039;Dating&#039; has only recently been available to young Unathi and is a foreign concept to most above their late-20&#039;s in age. A Unathi trying to ignore the ritual of arranged marriage is a great insult to both clans involved, which at worst could lead to a blood feud or war. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Clan alliances are formed when two clan leaders mutually decide upon two Unathi to marry and, depending on who is chosen, certain gifts are expected to be bestowed on the allied clans. When the marriage is proposed, a discussion about which Clan Name will be taken arises. This is done through a form of &#039;bidding war&#039;, where one clan must &amp;quot;buy&amp;quot; the right to keeping the name over the other by giving money or resources to the other clan. Marriages may sometimes end up canceled due to both sides refusing to give up their clan name, and in the worst cases, it has led to duels or even wars fought over who has the right to keep the titles.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Surrogates can be called upon for a marriage that cannot fulfill their duty to have children; however, they must be from a member of one of the Clans. Upon the hatching of a hatchling, the expectation most often is that husbands will raise the boys, and wives will raise the girls. If there is only a husband or wife, more traditional Sk&#039;akh families will choose to have another Clan member raise the hatchling up through their expected path.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Same-gender relationships and marriages are largely accepted, with little cultural or religious stigma against them. In more isolated rural clans or among Wastelanders, however, unions that cannot produce hatchlings are often strongly discouraged, particularly under the doctrine of the Si&#039;akh faith. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion and Spirituality ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While various faiths exist on Moghes, many of which are as old as any other, there are two major religions of the Unathi that pervade nearly every aspect of their lives. Th&#039;akh and Sk&#039;akh, both of which predominately focus on ancestor worship and connections with the spirit world.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Th&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
The most pervasive and common religion amongst Unathi. It dates back even before the First Hegemony and, as a byproduct of Unathi stubbornness, has remained central to Unathi spiritualism. The basic concept of Th&#039;akh is that all the spirits of past Unathi now reside in the spirit world that exists in tandem with the material world. These spirits exist in objects and nature - bringing either good luck or sorrow. Particularly nasty natural disasters were often attributed to particularly strong groups of spiteful spirits influencing events in the material world. Th&#039;akh, due to its widespread pervasiveness, has a multitude of forms: ancestor veneration, polytheism (worshipping groups of specific and powerful spirits), and almost witch-like spiritualism are just some of the denominations found among this religion. However, Th&#039;akh almost always has the same group of tenets, which can be found [[Th&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sk&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
The second most common religion, which is followed mostly by Unathi from the Izweski Nation, and enjoys a status as its unofficial state religion. It still follows the ancestor worship of Th&#039;akh, but with a major notable difference: the spirits of all Unathi who die become part of Sk&#039;akh, the Great Spirit. Sk&#039;akh is a gender-neutral God, being called &#039;he&#039; or &#039;she&#039; interchangeably to represent that Ska&#039;kh is a collection of all Unathi. She is often called Three of One because the spirits combine into three minor aspects that are all part of Ska&#039;kh: the Warrior, the Healer, the Fisherman. These three spirits are personifications of the most important aspects of Unathi society. It is said that all three are equally important and that disasters are caused by an imbalance in the Great Three. Priests often stress the importance of balance, both in matters of the spirit as well as in society and personal life. Sk&#039;akh&#039;s dogmatic doctrine can be found [[Sk&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Aut&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
Emerging from the hatred of former warriors, the Aut&#039;akh are a cultish offshoot of Th&#039;akh, comprised of cybernetic-augmented Unathi. They argue the flesh is weak, and something new must be sculpted in its place to strengthen the mind. In the relative safety of their communes scattered across various towns, planets, and systems, they know a rough life, but one easier and more spiritual than those of the cities, they believe. The Aut&#039;akh have yet to truly attain their perfect leaderless society, as their own supposedly-defeated prejudice still runs in quiet circles within communes; meanwhile, society often rebukes and ridicules these fanatical trans-speciests. Their lives are gently guided by the shamans or &amp;quot;paradigms,&amp;quot; which act as the religious advisors and sometimes too the biomechanical engineers of these communes. Aut&#039;akh preach the Contact War was the result of sinta being so consumed by the demons within them that they brought the world to ruin, and all powers, whether that of a government, major religion, or corporation, are inherently corrupt due to the influence of evil spirits. The heathen&#039;s lifestyle and struggles can be found [[Aut&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Aut&#039;akh, due to their radical views on unathi society and society as a whole, are often associated with anyone who breaks tradition. In light of this, Unathi started to develop behaviors and society learned to hate communes and their denizens.&#039;&#039;&#039; Anyone caught being unfaithful to their spouse, in a non-monogamous relationship, rebuking their clan, having a prosthetic, or even talking about their discontent with the Hegemony or other rulers was accused of being an Aut&#039;akh. The term to most became synonymous with anyone who was a perceived troublemaker or heretic, more so than even Si&#039;akh.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Si&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
Born from the fires of the Contact War, Si&#039;akh is a radical Sk&#039;akh heresy that has rapidly spread across the Wasteland. It is lead by charismatic former Sk&#039;akh priest Juzida Si&#039;akh, who claims to be the Messiah for all Unathi. The doctrine claims the Contact War to have been the Final Judgement for the Unathi species caused by their innate wickedness. He claims that all Unathi that died in the &#039;cleansing fire&#039; of the atomic weapons were given salvation, and all Unathi that survived are damned to remain trapped on the Hell of Moghes unless the species and Moghes are rapidly purified. The movement has come into immediate conflict with the orthodox Sk&#039;akh church due to Si&#039;akh claiming it to be completely illegitimate. Its followers are ruthlessly hunted down by the Maraziite Order and many of its followers are fleeing into human space as they try to find personal salvation. Their doomsday cult has [[Si&#039;akh|strict and ascetic principles]] to help Unathi obtain a chance at salvation.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Moghean Society ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Moghes]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:PostCitiesNamed.png|thumb|A map of Moghes with the cities and seas labelled.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Moghean Unathi are traditional Unathi with the planet being their homeworld. Historically culture varies across clans that exist on the planet, but some customs and norms can be found nearly universally in Unathi society.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It is a social faux pas to use a Unathi&#039;s first name if not family or extremely close to the Unathi in question. Generally, a Unathi will tell someone when they feel comfortable with the person using their first name. It is also distressing to touch their tail or at all before introductions are undertaken. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi place great emphasis on oral traditions. Honor and combat are seen as a man&#039;s realm, and women are not held to the same standards of honor. Women are instead expected to be elegant, learned and regal; while fishers are expected to be industrious, faithful and dedicated.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Outside the formal schools of the Untouched Lands, village and town shamans or priests often remain the only source of education for rural young Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Ouerean Society ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Ouerea]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While the Izweski Unathi of Ouerea follow most of the same social beliefs as their Moghean counterparts, they tend to be less volatile towards outsiders who are ignorant of their customs, especially since their world was formerly ruled by the Skrell and Humans. Their cultures have managed to influence Ouerean Unathi, embedding different cultural norms that are not found elsewhere. There is a focus on individualism and younger Unathi shy away from the usual responsibilities held to Unathi toward their clans. There is still a struggle with a highly stratified society, but things are moderately progressive compared to Moghes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Oureaea Ciites.png|thumb|A map of Ouerea, with cities and major locations labelled.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The original colonists started as patriots to the Izweski Hegemony, but many soon found themselves disillusioned with the distant homeworld tearing itself apart in war. Unathi on Ouerea became enamored with the broad ideals of democracy and finding themselves resentful of their old lives on Moghes. Reintegration into the Hegemony proved difficult as both planets had to reconcile these cultural differences. It still remains a minor division among these Unathi to this day.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ouerean art, in contrast to Moghean pottery and dyed fabrics, has taken on inspiration from Human and Skrell art. Many Ouerean Unathi have become renowned glassmakers and craftsmen. The greater access to Human and Skrell universities, many of which still operate on the planet, also give Ouerean Unathi greater chances to work in Human and Skrell systems. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Non-Izweski Unathi ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi of the Hegemony’s territories — the Izweski Hegemony itself, Ouerea, or any of its many colonies — require consent from their clan Lord to make their way out into the greater galaxy, as listed [[Guide to Citizenship#Izweski_Hegemony|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Those that come from outside of the Hegemony and Dominia usually have no official means of recognized citizenship. Wastelanders, privateers, Guwan, and other Unathi must apply for a work visa where they are traveling in order to reside there. This of course carries risks with it: if a Unathi is seen as being problematic, whether committing crimes and misdemeanors or just not living up to the job they’re working, they may have their visa stripped and end up deported to the Hegemony. The Izweski Hegemony does not explicitly ask for these Unathi, especially seeing how they are usually &#039;undesirable&#039;. As there are no officially recognized governments on Moghes besides the Izweski, however, deported persons get sent there. Guwan and Gawgaryn that manage to make their way out of the system to places such as Biesel will face harsh punishment if this happens, so they are the most incentivized to put on their best outward face.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Unathi Physiognomy ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Khaniazwazi, also known as Unathi Physiognomy to outsiders, is a science dedicated to the study of Unathi physical profiles and the deduction of their character from such things. While certainly not new in Unathi history, it has been going through a rebirth in popularity as more resources have been dedicated to the study of Unathi biology and its appearance, to make up for what was lost with the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The validity of such a science is discussed, even among strictly professional fields, and it is no surprise that many individuals and groups have been using this field as a pretext to discriminate against other Sinta, or as a way to make a quick buck from more naive Unathi. Putting these aside however, there are still many variants of Khaniazwazi being practiced, depending on the area, with different interpretations of physical attributes. Generally, however, Khaniazwazi takes into account scale colouration, horns, frills, crests and facial structure; and in some rarer cases, smaller details such as wrinkles, scars, etcetera.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Politics and Factions ==&lt;br /&gt;
Moghes is divided between the Izweski Hegemony and the hundreds of other Clans and nations who claim their own land across the planet&#039;s surface. The only real difference in their political systems is the scale. Many of these other clans are modern nations or pre-industrial, ruled by various kings or leaders. However, with the expansion of the uninhabitable Wasteland and the brutal decimation Izweski forces committed on foreign leadership, many institutions of non-Hegemonic government across Moghes are rare or extremely fragile.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Moghes_porposal.png|thumb|The flag of the Izweski Hegemony. It is said the flag symbolizes the wildfires that frequented Moghes.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Izweski Hegemony ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Izweski Hegemony]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&#039;&#039;&amp;quot;Honour, fire, burn thy fear.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039; - The ancestral motto of Clan Izweski, circa early 20th century&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Izweski Clan is led by Clan Leader [[Notable_Unathi#Not.27zar_Izweski|&#039;&#039;&#039;Not&#039;zar Izweski&#039;&#039;&#039;]], a Unathi who has ruled the Hegemony since his father S&#039;kresti Izweski, the previous Hegemon, was assassinated by his son and Not&#039;zar&#039;s brother. He lives in the Izweski Citadel in Skalamar, and under him are the Lords who rule their own subjugated clans. They live in a feudal system, with the Lords usually being clan leaders or important clan members themselves who pledge themselves to Izweski in exchange for land and protection.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Hegemon is best thought of being the Emperor, and under him are the Overlords, who are the Kings. Under the Overlords are the Lords, who are then broken up between the Clan Lords, and then the Clan Leaders. Clan Leaders are a mostly ceremonial title and make up (usually) the eldest male ruler of a specific family clan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Not&#039;zar&#039;s father, Hegemon S&#039;kresti Izweski, was originally a strong leader of the Izweski clan. Then, after the death of his eldest son in a shuttle crash, the old Hegemon fell into a deep depression, to the point of becoming comatose in the Izweski citadel. After a succession crisis, Not&#039;zar took his place as the Regent and heir for three years, over that time developing the Hegemony into a stable empire. &lt;br /&gt;
[[Image:Minimap hegemony.png|thumb|A closer image focusing on the factions surrounding the Izweski Hegemony&#039;s territory.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Three years later, the Hegemon awoke and took back to the throne, however on his tour to get reacquainted with everything, he was spurred into madness and cursed by &#039;&#039;&#039;Juzida Si&#039;akh&#039;&#039;&#039; which resulted in a civil war to dispute his claim to the throne. In an attempt to destroy his enemies, the old Hegemon attempted to orbitally bombard an enemy city. To stop this dishonorable act, his third son Z&#039;krazi Izweski the Kinslayer assassinated the Hegemon, and after Not&#039;zar&#039;s victory in the Battle of Three Hills the civil war ended.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Now, Not&#039;zar is the Clan Leader, Overlord of Moghes, and Hegemon of the Izweski Hegemony. Despite his severe physical handicap forcing him to walk with a cane, many noblemen have made him an ally, especially including the Guilds who enjoy his globalist attitude.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Overlords rule an entire planet in the name of the Hegemon. Under them are Lords, who can rule huge tracts of land and multiple cities, or just a single city; there is no distinction between a Count and Duke level of Lordship like in most human feudalism.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
There are two different kinds of major lifestyles in the Izweski Hegemony. There is the city, which is ran by a Lord and a small council of lesser clans. City life is less harsh than life in the country, especially with opportunities provided with shuttle services to the rest of the galaxy. Life in the rural areas is harsher, with cities being rare and life mostly determined by the size of a Clan&#039;s village and how well they can hunt, fish, or in desperate times, raid their neighbors. It&#039;s the traditional Unathi life, made harsher by the growing Wasteland encroaching on once-fertile lands.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Queendom of Szek’Hakh ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&#039;&#039;&amp;quot;Refuse to break.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039; - Pre-Contact War Szek&#039;Hakh clan motto.&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A matriarchal region of roughly twenty thousand set in the Wasteland, led by the elderly &#039;&#039;&#039;Queen Lazak Szek&#039;Hakh&#039;&#039;&#039; and her daughters. In her settlement and a large portion of the region surrounding it, her clan has become the protector of her region known as the &#039;Queendom&#039;. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For those living in the Queendom, the gender roles of Unathi are inverted, and many of its people thusly struggle to find opportunities on Moghes and seek employment in Tau Ceti - with the Queen even making connections with pirates, Dominians, and Tajaran smugglers to get her people safely out of the dangerous Wasteland. The Queen is kind under her witty and straightforward attitude, and despite stereotypes, does not actually hate men.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Szek&#039;Hakh clan&#039;s settlement of &#039;&#039;&#039;Yu&#039;kal&#039;&#039;&#039;, originally headed by the Queen&#039;s husband, was built around a cluster of small lakes and focused on aquaculture. When the Contact War&#039;s nukes wiped out the vast majority of men, they adapted to using women as protectors, while using men to keep house. The widowed Lazak Szek’Hakh convinced the shell-shocked and wounded survivors of her clan that she was the only one capable of ruling during this terrifying time, and had taken control of a sizable region of the Wasteland east of Mudki around Yu&#039;kal. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Szek&#039;Hakh Clan became the leading power in their region following the Contact War. Eventually, Szek’Hakh consolidated control of her clan and the settlement, taking matters of survival into her own hands. As the Wasteland engulfed Yu&#039;kal&#039;s lakes, she coordinated a renovation of aquaculture farms and lead expeditions to bring their highly valuable fish products to the distant surviving city of Mudki. Women took prominent roles in all of these, with the necessities of survival in the harsh wasteland fraying Unathite gender roles. A neighboring nobleman, fearing this rise of powerful women, orchestrated to have her assassinated. In a dramatic confrontation, the assassin was foiled and publicly exiled as a Guwandi, and a mob of angry women stormed the nobleman&#039;s estate to &#039;duel him for his dishonor&#039;. This act put the matriarch in the spotlight, sparking Szek’Hakh’s rapid rise of being named Queen by her people.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Queen Szek’Hakh now leads a struggling wasteland settlement in a precarious situation. The traditional Izweski-leaning Unathi find her position an affront to customs, and she struggles to find allies. She tries to walk a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk’akh Church]], the Izweski, and the Wastelander factions - however she is often too straightforward to get far. Her settlement is primarily Th’akh, and she herself follows the faith. She complies (though unwillingly) with the demands of Izweski representatives to expel the prophet [[Notable Unathi|Si&#039;akh]] from her realm when he enters her settlement in his travels, though she quietly allows members of his traveling flock to rest in secret when they pass through her settlement. For the same, she does not tolerate the cult of the [[Aut&#039;akh]], and her people ruthlessly hunt down their unaugmented proselytizers.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Surviving Kingdoms on Moghes ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Despite the destruction of most of the known world from the [[Contact War]], some desperate survivors managed to weather the storm and remain nominally free of Izweski dominance - either from the Izweski&#039;s weariness for war on Moghes, or arrogant indifference.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While the Izweski are reclaiming the Wasteland, they are ruthlessly uprooting and displacing local cultures in the remaining habitable lands. The Outposts were small, fertile enclaves that survived the Contact War surrounded by the Wasteland. Starting in 2461, Not&#039;zar pushed forward terraforming efforts to expand these green yet hostile oases. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Template:UnathiCustomaryLaw}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Notable Information ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Guwandi ===&lt;br /&gt;
In the event that a Unathi becomes terminally ill, or finds themselves lacking the pride or honor to continue to live, or simply become tired of their existence undergo a ritualistic suicide and take the title of &#039;Guwandi&#039; (which is translated to Gladiator/Galdium). They will give up their possessions to their clan leader and make their journey into the Moghes desert. The only things they keep are their weapons which they use to fight animals or other Unathi so that they may die in honorable combat. In the event that two of these Guwandi meet, they will first draw their weapons and adopt a passive stance, which is followed by them telling each other their stories in turn, as well as the reasons behind their choice of adopting the mantle of &#039;Guwandi&#039; and how they wish their remains to be dealt with. When both sides understand the other, combat will begin with a mutual wish of luck that the more worthy of death lose with pride. The winner of the battle is responsible for taking care of the corpse in the way they were instructed to. Renouncing the deathseeking life of Guwandi isn&#039;t easy. Some may wish to return after having been granted a second outlook, or hope, after they had spent time wandering and risking their life. Their clan may see their decision as cowardly and refuse to accept them, or be overjoyed they had learned a lesson in their time.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Guwandi are not an option on the Horizon,&#039;&#039;&#039; yet may be a way in which a character becomes retired, barring [[Traitor|extreme circumstances]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Guwan ===&lt;br /&gt;
In some cases when a Unathi is exiled from their clan, they do not take up the formal title of Guwandi. This can be through fear of death, unwillingness, or simple stubbornness. In this case, they are marked as &#039;Guwan&#039; by their clan leader, and must take this as their last name. It is a variation on Guwandi, which is translated directly as &#039;exile&#039;. Guwans are clanless Unathi, and form an underclass. Guwans find it difficult if not impossible to advance socially or politically, and in many cases are oppressed or mistreated by other Unathi who view them as troublemakers or criminals. The only way of returning to a clan after banishment as a Guwan is to be adopted back into the Clan, which happens very rarely. &#039;&#039;&#039;To no longer be a Guwan, a Unathi must have an upstanding citizen decide to represent them, and then they must both go to court to explain how the Guwan can return into society under a new clan name, be adopted into another clan, or return to their original clan (at Clan Leader&#039;s acceptance.)&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On August 29th, 2459, the Lord-Regent Not&#039;zar Izweski passed an edict that required clans to send a petition to an imperial court when they want to banish a clan member as a Guwan. The court must side with the petitioning Clan Leader or the Unathi in question is not marked as a Guwan. This has caused backlash as the courts have gained a reputation for being incredibly arbitrary in their decisions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the past, all orphans were automatically Guwan unless they are adopted into a Clan. This changed with yet another edict by Not&#039;zar Izweski in December of 2459, which required all orphans, including adults still connected to their orphanage guild via debts or otherwise without parents, to take on the surname of that orphanage.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
Some Guwans have been forced off of Moghes by their clans with the growing ease of space travel, and NanoTrasen has a long history of exploiting this subgroup of Unathi, coercing them into employment contracts.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Guwans are not permitted to petition local Lords to express any grievances, and are not permitted to social services provided by private enterprise or state entities. Guwan are not full citizens of the Hegemony but are considered residents, which additionally bars them from many services.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Upon being declared Guwan, a Unathi is legally stripped of their gender and is not permitted to work in traditional warrior, healer or fisher fields. On documentation coming from Moghes, the &amp;quot;gender&amp;quot; section is generally left blank to reflect this, though in alien spaces the gender is listed as &amp;quot;Neuter&amp;quot; or filled in with an X. Guwan pronouns are strictly listed in neuter terms, and Guwan are legally only permitted to use it/its pronouns. Those that are hiding their status as Guwan are not required to conform to this standard and will often overcompensate their gender presentation in order to continue hiding their identities hidden. &#039;&#039;&#039;Both the limitation on gendered work fields and the usage of pronouns are enforceable by moderation.&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Notably, Guwans are the only social class of Unathi allowed to serve in the personal guard of the Hegemon and his family. The strategy relies on the fact the Guwan Guard are despised and envied by decorated officers that would otherwise serve in traditional guard duties. They are socially isolated and unable to advance politically, which means that its survival depends on the safety of the Hegemon and his family, which means that it wouldn&#039;t try to launch a coup or replace the Hegemon without itself being slaughtered. Similar to an old-Terran Janissary, it&#039;s a slave soldier, and unable to have children or hold any sort of political or military position.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
If a Unathi is the last of their clan, or is otherwise estranged with no one to declare them Guwan, then they may still find themselves challenged by other rival clans who lay claim to this Unathi&#039;s land, titles, inheritance, or name. If they are unable or unwilling to defend their claims (which would involve lengthy court trials on Moghes) then they would be stripped of them and declared Guwan. This means that a Unathi hiding in human space can still be named Guwan if their past, or rivals, catch up with them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Guwans are exclusively a criminal or otherwise dishonorable untouchable class, and it takes a lot to be labelled as one. Because playing a Guwan means you are opting in to being discriminated against by others, a Guwan filing an incident report for anything less than physical assault is a whitelist issue.&#039;&#039;&#039; When in doubt, speak to the Maintainer first.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Orphans and Orphanage Guilds ===&lt;br /&gt;
Orphans in the Hegemony in the past were all labelled as Guwans, but an edict by Not&#039;zar Izweski in December of 2459 changed all that. Hatchlings, child, and teenage Unathi without parents are put in the care of one of the many orphanage guilds on Moghes. These are private run guilds with little to no government oversight. While they fulfill a necessary social service in caring for Unathi that would otherwise be on the streets, orphanage guilds in the Hegemony are incredibly exploitative. Unknown to the children the guilds track all the expenses and charge their wards throughout their life until they turn 17, when they are presented with the bill and are forced to work to repay the crippling debt, and many can be trapped by the fact that their debt would fall on any prospective parents.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Two of these guilds have expanded into large corporations that have found a lucrative method of gaining money from their wards. The &#039;&#039;&#039;Gukuzan&#039;&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;&#039;Kuhwinla&#039;&#039;&#039; Guilds coerce or persuade their wards to accepts contracts for megacorporations, particularly [[Hephaestus Industries]], if they reach adulthood without being adopted. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Gukuzan&#039;&#039;&#039; clan is lead by a Priest Kiazoi, and he ensures that those that enter the care of his guild are given a proper religious education and instilled with the values of the church. Children raised by the Gukuzan are also taught valuable lessons in obedience and the importance of duty and respect to their betters. Its wards are moderately well-off and treated well, but the comforts of a happy childhood in the orphanage is rather soured by the fact everything from bedding, food, and even air conditioning are things each child has added to their growing debt. Gukuzan orphanages are scattered across Moghes and there are three on [[Ouerea]]. They are all exclusively managed by a priest on the payroll of the Gukuzan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Kuhwinla&#039;&#039;&#039; clan is lead by Guildmaster Ioaza Kuhwinla, an infamously frugal woman. She refuses to spend any more than she has to on her wards, meaning that those under her care are given the most basic of education. Children raised by her Guild are taught valuable lessons in thrift, obedience, and how to stretch meals to the absolute limit. Its wards are generally barely better than they would be on the street, but they live with a roof over their heads, semi-reliable food, a basic education, and their debt at the end of their life under the Kuhwinla is generally lower than it would be in other orphanages. Kuhwinla orphanages are in nearly every major Unathite city, and they are unique in that they are managed by matriarchs that answer to Ioaza.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;These two surnames are the only ones you may take if you play an orphaned Izweski on the SCCV Horizon!&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Species]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Pages]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Unathi]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38523</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38523"/>
		<updated>2026-02-12T23:49:26Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Outdated (Phoron Scarcity)}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Infobox Species&lt;br /&gt;
 |Species = Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Scientific = U. sapiens / Sinta&#039;Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Image = Unathi410x320.png&lt;br /&gt;
 |System = [[Uueoa-Esa]]&lt;br /&gt;
 |World = [[Moghes]]&lt;br /&gt;
 |Language = Sinta&#039;Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Politic = [[Izweski Hegemony]]&lt;br /&gt;
 }}&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Unathi&#039;&#039;&#039; (direct plural: Unathi – You-NAWH-thee both singular and multiple) (adjective: Unathite - You-NAWH-thit) are a race of tall humanoid reptiles standing from six to seven feet tall on average, with females slightly smaller in stature. They possess a mixture of snake-like and crocodile-like features, resulting in hard and plate-like scales. Unathi live in their home system of Uueoa-Esa with their homeworld being [[Moghes]]. The planet&#039;s history can be summarized as being divided up between various Hegemonies, names they give the most powerful Clans on Moghes throughout time. The Clan system is deeply entrenched in Unathi society with everything else revolving around it. It forms a major part of their code of honor, which stresses the importance of martial abilities and loyalty to the Clan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Unathivillage.png|thumb|alt=Unathi.|Life outside the Untouched Lands remains harsh, with limited or nonexistent Hephaestus presence.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Religion and spirituality play a major role in a Unathi society, and religious differences are the main dividing factor. Conflict between the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and the various [[Th&#039;akh]] faiths of Moghes, as well as the various [[Aut&#039;akh|communes]] and [[Si&#039;akh|cults]], have caused conflict and wars between the Izweski Hegemony and the kingdoms that eventually comprised the Traditionalist Coalition. This conflict hit a peak when they entered the intergalactic stage, which is now known as the [[Contact War]]. After this conflict, some Unathi fled the planet through Hephaestus or NanoTrasen shuttle ports. Unathi fleeing to megacorporations like NanoTrasen find themselves working in security and engineering roles, but recently many have been proving themselves as competent surgeons and brilliant scientists, earning opportunities that Moghes would deny them because of its strict feudal hierarchy. However, others are slipping through the cracks and becoming slavers, raiders, or pirates. As the ability for spaceship construction increases in the Unathi home system, so too does space piracy and smuggling.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Moghes has two different biomes after the Contact War. The fertile Untouched Lands with its great jungles, vast swamps, and lush forests; all of which are protected by massive terraforming equipment kept secure by the Hegemony&#039;s wealth and power. Contrast to that are the bombarded Wasteland kingdoms in the ashes of plains and forests, burnt into a massive planet-spanning desert rampant with [[The_Wasteland#Clan_.22Gawgaryn.22_-_The_Punished_Clans|punished kingdoms raiding to survive]] and [[The_Wasteland#The_Reclaimers|part scavengers living in cities on treads]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To apply to be Unathi, apply [http://aurorastation.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=28 here].&lt;br /&gt;
{{TOC Hidden}}&lt;br /&gt;
== Heads of Staff ==&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi can be the following Heads of Staff:&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Head of Security]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Chief Medical Officer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Research Director]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Chief Engineer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Operations Manager]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Corporate Liaison|Consular Officer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Corporate Liaison]] - [[NanoTrasen]], [[Hephaestus Industries]], [[Zavodskoi Interstellar]] ([[Unathi in Dominia|Dominian Unathi]] only), [[Private Military Contracting Group]] (Dagamuir Freewater Private Forces only), [[Orion Express]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The following groups &#039;&#039;&#039;cannot&#039;&#039;&#039; be Heads of Staff: [[Aut&#039;akh]], Guwan, and Gawgaryn of [[The Wasteland]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Due to their criminal backgrounds, the following groups &#039;&#039;&#039;cannot&#039;&#039;&#039; be played in the Security department: Guwan and Gawgaryn of [[The Wasteland]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Outside of consular officers, command characters should not be of the same clan as any notable lords of the Hegemony. The most prominent clans, such as those of Overlords and the Hegemon himself, are off-limits for command.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Megacorporate Relations===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to 2465, Moghean Unathi that were not members of trade guilds were almost exclusively employed with [[Hephaestus Industries]]. Unathi with guild memberships would primarily take contracts with [[NanoTrasen]] or [[Orion Express]], depending on their career choice. [[Unathi in Dominia|Unathi living in Dominia]], like most of their countrymen, seek employment with [[Zavodskoi Interstellar]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
After the Merchant&#039;s Guild declared bankruptcy, Hephaestus Industries bailed out all Hegemonic guilds and reorganised them under the banner of the company. Since then, nearly all residents of Moghes are employed by Hephaestus in some way. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Mechanics ==&lt;br /&gt;
Mechanical differences from humans and unique emotes listed below:&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Passive&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi are coldblooded which allows slightly improved heat resistance, but increased sensitivity to cold.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi have claws, which slash and improve unarmed melee attacks.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi are incapable of easily digesting alcohol, and ethanol is considered toxic to them.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can only drink alcohol from drinks with butanol instead of ethanol. Butanol gets them drunk similar to ethanol but has no effect on other species.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi get no nutrients from eating fruits and vegetables. They need meat to fill their hunger.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can safely eat carp and consume carpotoxin.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi have the fastest sprint available to any species, but they have low stamina, meaning they can only sprint in short bursts. They also are slower than most other species.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Active Abilities&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can devour monkeys, rats, spiders, carp, and other small mobs by clicking and dragging from the mob to themselves. The animal must hold still for it to work.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi hiss when speaking Tau Ceti Basic. You achieve this by typing multiple s&#039;s during speech. This can also be pronounced through x&#039;s if their accent is thick. &amp;quot;Thisss issss an ekssample.&amp;quot;  You can also &#039;&#039;&#039;Toggle-Auto-Hiss&#039;&#039;&#039; to do this for you.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can sample the air with their tongue.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unique audible emotes: *hiss, *hiss2, *bellow.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Biology ==&lt;br /&gt;
Their average life expectancy is around sixty years for most Unathi. However, they tend to live for well past sixty years when given advanced medical care available to the other space-faring species. As a cold-blooded species, they suffer fatigue and even short comas when exposed to extremely low temperatures.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Humans and Unathi share a lot of similar internal biology with some notable exceptions. Since they are a carnivorous species, their diet mostly consists of meat and animal products, though they do have a tolerance to some plants and fruits. While Unathi do receive minor benefits for eating certain fruits, they do not get any nutrition from plants. Due to their carnivorous nature, they also have an increased stomach capacity to help eat larger meals at a time. The typical Unathi usually only eats one meal a day, and for the poorer sinta, perhaps once every two days. They tend towards lethargic and sluggish movements more often than not because of their evolutionary history, so they move slower than most organic species. However, the cyclical period of work for Unathi compared to other species is much faster. Unathi are polyphasic sleepers: creatures that sleep in shorter naps rather than at one time during the night. While they tend towards sluggishness, sinta are often capable of incredible bursts of energy and speed, and their ability to work in three or four hour periods of time compensates for their more sporadic schedules.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The reproductive system of a Sinta&#039;Unathi is very similar to that of Earth reptiles. Females lay eggs, with the average clutch being somewhere between one and three. They have a six-month gestation period, after which they are laid in a humid, warm area. After two months, the fetus is fully developed and hatches from the egg. Unathi are born with their claws and the ability to walk within hours of hatching. A Sinta&#039;Unathi is considered an adult when they are 16 years old.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Physical Appearance ===&lt;br /&gt;
The Unathi as a species show a great deal of variation within body types as well as clusters of smaller physical traits passed down through clans. Facial and body features range in size and shape with some having raptor-like aesthetics, serpentine looks, or a more draconic body. Tail length is often genetic; conversely, tail girth is defined by a Unathi&#039;s diet as it stores most of the body&#039;s fat— nobles grow some of the largest tails.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi scales are somewhat tougher than human skin, though they shed off sporadically rather than all at once. More vulnerable and hidden spots, such as the stomach and waist, the backs of joints, and inner thighs are all leathery skin and aren&#039;t covered in scales.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The typical healthy adult male Unathi weighs roughly 280 pounds. Female sinta differ from males as they generally have a shorter and more rounded snout. The typical healthy Unathi female weighs roughly 250 pounds. Female Unathi grow to about 5&#039;9&amp;quot; to 6&#039;8, while male Unathi grow to about 6&#039;0&amp;quot; to 7&#039;0&amp;quot;. Unusual heights tend to be smaller in scale, as the taller a Unathi is, the more likely it will be marred with health problems and not live as long as others.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Both sexes stand on digitigrade legs, with three toes on each foot and a hooked dewclaw, and have clawed feet and hands. They also have very long tongues, typically black or extremely dark red in color, which may stretch up to a foot and a half long and are forked just like a serpent&#039;s. In much the same manner as snakes, Unathi can sample the air around them using their tongue. They blink and have tear ducts similar to humans.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi horns do not naturally regrow, and serious damage tends to remain permanent. Ancient recipes using native herbs known as &amp;quot;horn paste&amp;quot; are commonly made and sold by herbalists and can counter cosmetic scratches or minor chipping. More modern synthetic Horn Gel (based on Bone Gel), developed largely by [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]], can regenerate an entire lost horn, but it tends to be stratified to the upper classes and noblemen due to cost.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Lizards.png|thumb|Body dimorphism in Unathi.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Colouration ====&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi are also often born into one of four major scale colour categories: red, black, orange-brown and &amp;quot;sand-colored&amp;quot;, and green. Alternative colours are rare, with dark blue and even albino Unathi being reported in very small numbers. Albinos are sometimes slightly tinted in colour while remaining predominantly white. Traditionally these off-coloured Unathi are met with prejudice, though some clans outside the Izweski may feel different.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It has been noticed that scale colourations were more represented in some areas than other, and thus, many shades of these colours were, in Unathi culture, named after the places they tend to be seen in more often, in many cases.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*Modern red-coloured Unathi are thought to originate from a large nomadic clan that settled South of the Moghresian Sea around modern Skalamar. Nowadays, red-scaled Sinta tend to be seen on the entire Southern coast of the Moghresian Sea and the mountain ranges near it.&lt;br /&gt;
*Today’s green-coloured Unathi hail from the Southern side of the Moghresian sea, and they are seen more often throughout this side of the coast and down to the colder lands even further South. Surprisingly, there is also a large batch of green-coloured Unathi located around Sahl lake, indicating that an old nomadic clan of mostly green Sinta settled there centuries ago.&lt;br /&gt;
*Orange-brown and sand-yellow Unathi comprises a wide range of colours. They are a more common colour to be seen in a large area, and it is believed that their origins come from displacement in ancient conflicts that forced them to migrate and find new homelands. More precisely, Unathi harbouring such colours tend to be more represented in a large area defined between Darakath, Bahard, Mudki, and Yu’kal.&lt;br /&gt;
*Black or “dark-scaled’ Unathi do not seem to originate from any precise area, and instead, tend to be more often seen around colder areas of Moghes, both North and South. A popular theory is that black scales are actually a consequence of exposure to the cold for generations— something that has yet to be proven.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
All colours, barring albino, do not mix; if a brown Unathi and a light red Unathi have a child, the red scales the child has might be a little darker, but the colours do not blend to make something new.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Colour ranges&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Due to the modernization of Moghes as well as the emigration and population displacement from the Contact War, Unathi of any colour can be found nearly anywhere on Moghes. Of course, they are more common in some areas rather than others.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Below are some examples of Unathi scale colour ranges. These cover a majority of the colors; while some deviances from these are normal, there are no neon or pink colors among Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{| align:Center&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
!Usual Unathi colour ranges:&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Green.png|200px|thumb|left|Green colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Brown.png|200px|thumb|left|Brown-orange / sand-yellow colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Red.png|200px|thumb|left|Red colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Black.png|200px|thumb|left|Black colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
{| align:Center&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
!Unusual Unathi colour ranges:&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_white.png|200px|thumb|left|Albino colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Blue.png|200px|thumb|left|Blue colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Green:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Razir Moss:&#039;&#039; RGB 27, 50, 27 / Hex #1B321B&lt;br /&gt;
*An unusually dark shade of green, but certainly not the only one, Unathi from Razir and its surrounding areas tend to have this scale colouration more often than not. As the name suggests, it is quite comparable in colour to the unique moss that tends to grow on rocks and buildings on the Southern coast of the Moghresian sea. The moss was heavily used by healers in the past, as its spongy nature allows to quickly stop bleeding, and its composition can also help in dealing with infection, or at least, limit their spread, until proper medicine can be found, properties that are quite appreciated in a time like the post-Contact-War era, where shortages, of medicine among other things, aren’t so rare depending on the location. Due to its ties with healing, some of the more traditional Unathi tend to see Unathi with such a scale colouration as more feminine.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Sen Emerald:&#039;&#039; RGB 31, 95, 31 / Hex #1F5F1F&lt;br /&gt;
*Considering the name, and the overall concentration of Unathi in the region, it is assumed that those bearing such colouration came from the now-broken city of Sen. Records of where the name comes from exactly has been lost after the Contact War, but theories still exist with recent finds. The reclaimer clan Kikata, operating a landcrawler by the torn cities, on the western coast of the Moghresian sea, noticed several collapsed mines next to what they assumed used to be villages, and in them, among many other minerals, unique green gems. As word has started to spread, many Sinta are now assuming that Sen Emerald refers to these gems.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Teht Mint:&#039;&#039; RGB 85, 149, 85 / Hex #559555&lt;br /&gt;
*Teht Mint is one of the many crops that (nearly) disappeared after the Contact War and its nuclear fallout. As Teht mostly made its fortune from fishing, nearby villages housed the few clans in all of Moghes talented enough to properly harvest the plant, and who kept such a knowledge secret to all of their own. Used as expensive seasoning by only the wealthiest Nobles in the region, these clans, and their village, quickly made a fortune, then came the Contact war. While the city of Teth was spared by the bombing, the many villages around it that didn’t get outright razed by the nukes were abandonned, as their main source of income, the harvesting of the mint, was soon enough gone and made life there unsustainable, leaving only handful of seeds, currently preserved in Teth’s palace in hopes that they may be planted into proper soil another day. In any case, the name “Teht Mint” persist as a way to call the Sintas bearing a light green scale colour that tends to be seen in the area.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Sahl Green:&#039;&#039; RGB 56, 126, 86 / Hex #387E56&lt;br /&gt;
*Lake Sahl, among many other things, was renowned for the unique algae that used to grow in within it, giving it, when the floor was shallow enough, a green-ish tint, something that many local fishers used to call “Sahl’s green halo”. Like many things, these algae died after the Contact War, and the poisoning of the lake due to the ensuing nuclear fallout. Many of the older locals that still remember their time spent fishing in the lake, however, have been continuing to call Unathi living around the lake, bearing a unique shade of green, “Sahl Green”.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Orange-Brown / Sand Coloured:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Mudki Stone:&#039;&#039; RGB 98, 84, 65 / Hex #625441&lt;br /&gt;
*The mountainous city of Mudki has been build with the rocks of the very mountains it stands on and between. These rocks exhibit a strange propriety due to their unique composition, something only found in the area, as, when wet, the usually light-grey, or tan stone, turns to a pale-brown. While a small-scaled group of geologists was dispatched to explain the phenomenon, the researches were cut short by the outbreak of the Contact War, and by now, most Sinta simply have their own explanation, from more science-based ones, to some more related to faith. In any case, people have taken to naming the many Sinta bearing light brown scale colouration, around the area, “Mudki Stone”, and some older, more superstitious inhabitants of Mudki and its surroundings claim that these Unathi can, like the stone, change colour…&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Yu&#039;kal Soil:&#039;&#039; RGB 92, 66, 32 / Hex #5C4220&lt;br /&gt;
*Yu’kal, while far from any of the main lakes or seas of Moghes, was a city that known for its people’s work in aquaculture in smaller bodies of water, natural or, later on, artificial, something that nearby smaller settlements also picked up. While the Contact War and its consequences put an end to such a business, many in the Queendom still remember this time, and how the soil turned damp and darkened from the how humid it could get in some places… Something that led to the naming of the colouration that many of the local Unathi bear, similar shades of brown, “Yu’kal Soil”.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Darakath Brown:&#039;&#039; RGB 158, 116, 60 / Hex #9E743C&lt;br /&gt;
*Darakath Brown, also called “Darakath Copper” by the inhabitants of the once proud capital of the Azarak Kingdom, is ,as the name suggests, a scale colouration mostly seen in Darakath and its surroundings. To the more staunch supporters of the Izweski Hegemony, Sintas with this colours are seen as Traditionalists, and by extent, defeated foes… To others, Unathi with such colouration are treated with kindness, if not (legitimate or not) pity, after the sacking of the city by the end of the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Bahard Cream:&#039;&#039; RGB 233, 178, 104 / Hex #E9B268&lt;br /&gt;
*Bahard, before the nuclear exchange, was one of the largest trading hub on Moghes thanks to its central position, making a fortune through trading. Beside this, however, Bahard was also known for the culinary expertise of its people, access to food from all around Moghes being one of the reason behind such a thing. Bahard Cream, originally referred to the a seasoning whose recipe was lost by the end of the Contact War, generally offered to passing traders. It was its unique colour and popularity that led to the locals, and soon enough, the rest of Moghes, to referring to the scale colouration seen so often around the area in such a way.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Red:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Tak Red:&#039;&#039; RGB 128, 62, 62 / Hex #803E3E&lt;br /&gt;
*Tak used to be a city of relatively modest size, before the nuclear exchange utterly ruined it. Few know why Sinta of this certain shade are thus called “Tak Red”, although researches in Skalamar have led to a theory: fish exports. Most inhabitants made a living through fishing, just like most cities on the coast of the Moghresian sea, although surviving trading records show a higher than average amount of exports from the city. Additionally, texts, and common memory, point that some of the fish unique to Tak’s coast had unique red scales… Although said fishes are extinct by now, everything seems to indicate that this is where the name for this colouration came from.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Skalamar Red:&#039;&#039; 160, 44, 44 / Hex #A02C2C&lt;br /&gt;
*Skalamar Red, also called “Blood Red” by traditionalist and other foes of the Hegemony, is, as the name suggest, more often seen in Skalamar and its neighboring territories. Origins on the name of this colouration were blurry, even before the Contact War, with stories speaking of such colourations having divine origins, from other speaking of a curse, depending on who you ask. In any case, such a colouration is a sign of greatness and valor to some, and of shame and cruelty to some others… Generally depending on who they would have sided with during the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;S&#039;th Berry:&#039;&#039; RGB 125, 6, 6 / Hex #980606&lt;br /&gt;
*S’th Berries are one of the few species of flora that survived the nuclear fallout of the Contact War… Although, not without consequences. While they were once deep red, the berries lost their colour and appear grey-ish; and their sugary taste as been lost, some saying that they now taste like paste instead. Nevertheless, the name given to the colour that many Unathi in the area arbor, remained: Unathi of red scales, red like S’th’s Berries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Black:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Derhai Shadow:&#039;&#039; RGB 17, 22, 16 / Hex #111610&lt;br /&gt;
*Although such a tone can be found a bit everywhere since Derhai’s depopulation, most people can pinpoint that it used to be most often seen in and around great city that stood there, before being abandoned. Due to the highly religious nature that Derhai had, many have been tying (sometimes wrongly) such a scale colouration to Th&#039;akhists.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Janvir Black:&#039;&#039; RGB 28, 28, 28 / Hex #1C1C1C&lt;br /&gt;
*Perhaps a testament to how fast Unathi can evolve and change over generation, Janvir Black is a scale colouration that only appeared around a century after the foundation of the cold metropolis, merely six centuries ago… That is, according to the limited records currently available in the post-Contact War era.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Guzari Night:&#039;&#039; RGB 61, 47, 47 / Hex #3D2F2F&lt;br /&gt;
*There were, allegedly, several small settlements by the coast of the Guzari Sea, despite the freezing temperatures (on Unathi standards, that is), thanks to the unique bounties of the cold Northern Sea. Records seem to indicate, however, that said settlements were abandoned even before the Contact War, something that historians, even to this day, cannot explain, mostly due to the severe loss of historical documents during the conflict. Many Unathi, today, then, see other Sinta with the strange scale colouration known as Guzari Night as quite elusive…&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Albino:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Albino White:&#039;&#039; RGB 178, 178, 178 / Hex #B2B2B2&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Bleached Bone:&#039;&#039; RGB 183, 169, 169 / Hex #3D2F2F&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Blue:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Indigo Blue:&#039;&#039; RGB 35, 55, 189 / Hex #2337BD&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Azure:&#039;&#039; RGB 1, 102, 255 / Hex #0066FF&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Albino and Azure (or Blue) Unathi scale colouration are not tied to any area of Moghes, and instead, generally the result of genetic lottery. How such colourations are perceived varies widely. These Unathi would generally face prejudice in the Hegemony, although some other Sinta from different horizons can exhibit interest for them instead, or simply indifference. &lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Genetic Variety ====&lt;br /&gt;
Besides scale colouration, many other physical aspects of Unathi bodies can vary widely. From horns and frills, to even extra scale crests and different structures in a Unathi’s very skeleton (namely, the skull). While anatomical differences within a species are natural, Unathi are noteworthy for how wide these differences can get and how fast they come to be. The exact science behind this has been lost after the Contact War, and most of the research behind such a phenomena is idly handled by Nanotrasen and Zeng-Hu specialists. However it is assumed that Sinta simply evolve and adapt to their surroundings much faster than most of the other sentient species of the Spur, leading to such large physical discrepancies between Unathi alone.&lt;br /&gt;
From this, it is also assumed that, with Unathi populations moving between planets, and Moghes on its way to changing considerably (may the consequences of the of the Contact War be the of the Sinta homeworld, or may terraforming efforts save it), said biological differences between different groups will only get larger and more exotic in the next few centuries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Genetic Variety&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Unathifaces.png|180px|thumb|right|Zotzo’s Treaty of Biology is one of the first Unathi works dedicated to the study of Sinta biology, and in which the terminology for Unathi facial structure was first established. This is one of the few pages left of the book, found in the ruins of Oket&#039;s Great Library.]] &lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Horns&#039;&#039;&#039; are not tied to specific places, or at least, not directly. There seems to be a hereditary side to it, however, as Unathi more often than not seem to bear the horns of one of their parents (on VERY rare instances carrying the horns of both). Horns, however, do not “mix” and make new shapes, the same way that Unathi scale colourations don’t mix. Horns are arbored by both male and female Sintas, and can be of various tones, from dark gray, near black, to Ivory or even pristine white, and even in some cases, pale brown-ish tones. Contrary to some belief, Unathi horns are bone, and not made of Ivory or any other precious material. Horn size, just like tail size, also depends on a Unathi’s diet. However, while everyone has the potential to grow an enlarged tail, if given enough fat, horn size highly depends on how well-fed a Unathi is during their childhood as they grow. Coupled with one’s horn’s hereditary nature, it is commonly assumed that A Sinta of noble blood will generally have larger horns… A noble who happens to have shorter horns is generally called a New-Noble, as if they were the first of their clan to ascend to noblehood, and by extent the quality diet that tends to come with it.&lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Frills&#039;&#039;&#039;, while hereditary in exactly the same way as horns, tend to be most often seen in Unathi populations living on coasts, or in general humid areas. Frills can be of various colours, so long as they remain in natural Unathi colour ranges. They are constituted of either a bony “support”, or in some rare cases, a cartilaginous one, with skin or scales between and on said “supports”. Since frills are articulated, to some minor degree, Unathi bearing frills tend to be seen as more expressive, as they tend to “open” or “close” their frills, accentuating body language. Frills have generally been associated with Unathi of low-to-middle class, or at least, that have ancestry from such classes, as fishermen and such Unathu are generally depicted with large frills. The validity of such a concept is discussed nowadays. &lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Crests&#039;&#039;&#039; are rather similar to frills in their constitution, although they differ in the sense that, instead of having a thin layer of scaly hide being stretched between its bony or cartilaginous supports, crests are entirely covered in proper hide. One popular example is the infamous “Cobra Hood” (Which is a domination established by the people of the Spur as a whole, and not by Sinta, as Cobras are obviously not native to Moghes). Like frills, Crests can be articulated, although in a much more limited way. Crests are not limited to any place, and just like horns, are instead fully hereditary. Crests were rather rare prior to the Contact War, as it was more common among Unathi population living in rather arid areas, earning the rather poetic name of the “Frills of the dry seas”. After the Nuclear exchange, however, new generations born in a changed Moghes start to come with more and more crests already.&lt;br /&gt;
*Finally, while minor differences in sizes and shapes can be observed in different Unathi populations, one aspect in particular tends to change drastically: &#039;&#039;&#039;skull shapes&#039;&#039;&#039;. The shape of a Unathi’s head seems to vary widely, with some adopting a more draconic appearance, some being closer to smaller lizards, Iguanas, snakes, crocodiles, etc. The way Unathi see their fellow Sinta with this or that facial appearance varies widely depending on their culture. Once again, both due to migration, populations blending with each other and the loss of records due to the Contact War, locating the origins in Unathi faces has proved to be quite the hard endeavor, but some clues, mostly based on interviews of older, surviving Sintas, have been found, and a proper classification is being reestablished:&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Arakhania (“Draconic”)&#039;&#039;: Arakhanian facial structure, also called “Draconic” in Basic, is perhaps the most well known Unathi skull shape in the entire Spur. Perhaps one of the most well spread facial structures nowadays, it is also known as the “head of the nobles”, due to its prevalence among noble populations, with many notable Unathi bearing such a profile (namely the Hegemon himself). Arakhanians tend to have a pointy snout with smooth shapes, and a frontal bone of varying height and steepness.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Thodokhania (“Crocodilian”)&#039;&#039;: Thodokhanian faces come with a larger, longer snouts and more flat heads, comparable to Earth’s crocodiles or alligators (hence the name given to such a profile in Basic: “Crocodilian”.) Unathi with the Thodokianian facial structure have turned rarer and rarer since the Contact War, which led to the belief that the nuclear exchange must’ve erased population centers featuring the bulk of their population.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Imekhania (“Common Lizard-like”)&#039;&#039;: The Imekhanian facial class is as broad as the population it encompasses, being the most represented profile among Sinta. Unathi with the Imekhanian profile come with generally smoother snout shapes and round tips. earning the name “lizard-like” in Basic. According to ancient records and texts, it seems like the Imekhanian profile could be seen everywhere on Moghes, even before the first large population movements.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Senkhania (“Snake-like”)&#039;&#039;: With their flat heads and short snouts, Senkhanians faces are, as their name in Basic suggests, comparable to Earth’s Snakes. While a small part of the population, Unathi with the Senkhanian facial profile are still considered a category of their own, due to their presence in mostly rural areas (something that has yet to be explained), zones that would not tend to be the direct targets of nuclear bombardment during the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Lokhenian (“Others”)&#039;&#039;: Lokhenian facial profile, or “The faces of the Lost” is an all-new, post-Contact War classification, used to designate any facial structure that does not fit in the other aforementioned categories, and are not large enough to warrant a category of their own. Such facial structures are extremely various but also tend to be extremely rare, and it is assumed, that those were already quite rare even before the nuclear exchange, as they were rarely ever recorded in pre-contact war media.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Afflictions and Disabilities ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi, like all species, are prone to conditions that are uncommon among the population. How each Unathi views or handles these is varied due to the traditional cultures of Moghes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Lsh&#039;islasulu, sometimes shortened to &amp;quot;Lsh disorder,&amp;quot; is a rare scale disability affecting very few Unathi. The disorder is poorly studied because of its lacking negative affects and extreme rarity. When suffering from Lsh disorder, Unathi will lose their dead scale cells through a painful peeling process, rather than sporadically. A Unathi suffering from the disorder will need to painfully peel or scrub off their dead scales off once or twice a month in droves. The affliction is caused by increased cell death, and scale cells will die rapidly for no apparent reason. Luckily, this process only causes pain and increased susceptibility to the cold, not causing any damage or making the scales much weaker in terms of durability. Further information is lacking due to little research preformed.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kaasilik is a famously known yet equally rare disorder inflicting unique symptoms. Those suffering from Kaasilik lack any growth of frills, hoods, horns or any other structure on the head or face. While labeled as a disorder, those affected by it suffer no physical drawbacks and are believed to be the result of a genetic lottery in which generations of couples between Unathi with certain horn or frill growth reproduce. While undamaging to the Unathi physically, it can make identifying them from another suffering Unathi difficult at times. Children of these Unathi will likely have very small or limited frill and horn growth.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Albinosm, or Zis&#039;lak, caused by a general lack of pigment in the scales, makes the scales appear totally white, sometimes with a minor tint of green, red or sand/orange, caused by a total lack of pigment. Albinism in Unathi can also cause a unique shift in eye colour; while typical for Unathi to have colours like orange, red or green, albinism can shift the eye colour to an unusual violet. This is due to a lack of eye pigment combined with the light refraction off of the blood vessels within the eye. Unathi that suffer from albinism usually remain away from sunlight as their sensitive scales provide little to no UV protection and put them at risk of burns. Albino Unathi are also often seen as a bad omen at birth, and as such, those within the Hegemony&#039;s lower populated areas are often banished from their clan or in extreme circumstances, even banished from some clans to become Guwan. It should be noted that azure coloured Unathi cannot be albino.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Illiz is a disorder appearing in two states with a wide variety of recorded variation. The disability details highly irregular tail size, this can include tails the size of a finger or tails so long they become a tripping hazard. The former being nicknamed, &amp;quot;Hasik.&amp;quot; Unathi affected by Hasik typically suffer when sprinting, their short tails also prevent fat storage, which results in the fat being stored elsewhere like the arms, thighs, and lower body. The latter mentioned state of Illiz, nicknamed &amp;quot;Hasil,&amp;quot; is the complete opposite. Those affected by Hasil find their tails reaching lengths of up to four feet long. Hasil includes similar issues as Hasik, the most notable of which is it also negatively affects balance. Those with longer tails struggle to sprint, carrying the weight of such a large tail. Culturally, those suffering Hasik are viewed as pathetic and as cowards, while those with longer tails are presumed to be a noble. It should be noted that very few nobles have been documented suffering Hasik, while some, using plastic surgery, increase the size of their tails to mimic Hasil.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Unathi History]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The history of the Unathi is predominately a history of each &#039;&#039;&#039;Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039; that has existed throughout their history. There have only been three clans that have managed to create an empire worthy of the title &#039;Hegemon.&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Kres’ha’nor Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039; lasted from roughly 920 CE - 1500 CE. It is most famous for being the first empire to dominate Moghes and creating what was then a modern feudal state. Their empire saw rise of walled cities, steel weapons, centralized taxation, and other innovations. It ended in a brutal succession war, with Moghes once again being shattered into hundreds of individual Kingdoms with no true global power.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the &#039;&#039;&#039;16th century&#039;&#039;&#039; the power of &#039;&#039;&#039;[[Unathi Guilds|Guilds]]&#039;&#039;&#039; began to grow, forming an early form of mercantilism. Guilds formed for bakers, butchers, grocers, millers, smiths, carpenters, weavers, mason, shoemakers, in fact, nearly every trade had its own guild. Standards such as just weights and measures evolved from the guilds, and guild inspectors would inspect shops to ensure rules were being followed. Guilds would help members that were sick, or in trouble, and would sometimes take care of families after the member died. This time also saw Guilds building the first major universities. While incredibly exclusive, these universities began to create a new era of specialized labor and intellectuals.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;19th century&#039;&#039;&#039; saw rise of the &#039;&#039;&#039;Second Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;, ruled by the &#039;&#039;&#039;Sarakus Clan&#039;&#039;&#039;. Their clan ruled harshly, and forced technological advances into the cities and towns. In the 1930&#039;s they ruthlessly modernized their empire in The Great Endeavor, spreading electricity, radio, paved roads, modern plumbing, and other modern innovations.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In &#039;&#039;&#039;1994&#039;&#039;&#039; the &#039;&#039;&#039;Izweski Clan&#039;&#039;&#039; violently deposed the Sarakus and slaughtered the entire surviving dynasty, declaring the &#039;&#039;&#039;Third Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;. After they won an incredibly destructive global war to defend their claim, the Izweski have ruled Moghes until modern times.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In &#039;&#039;&#039;2403&#039;&#039;&#039;, a human exploration team discovered Moghes. Shortly after, first contact with the Izweski Hegemony was made. Sol Alliance merchants and scientists flocked to Moghes, living under very careful observation and guard in Izweski cities. Skalamar, the second largest city in Izweski, became the first Unathite city to have a shuttle port constructed. Owned by NanoTrasen, it served to transport people to and from the planet’s surface. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[Contact War|The Contact War, which has more information here,]] was a cataclysmic global war that lasted from &#039;&#039;&#039;2438 to 2449&#039;&#039;&#039;. The fighting was between two global powers, the &#039;&#039;&#039;Izweski Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;, and the &#039;&#039;&#039;Traditionalist Coalition&#039;&#039;&#039;. The war was fought over the very future of the Unathi and their relationship with the rest of the galaxy. The Izweski demanded Moghes submit to a one-world government ran by themselves and embrace the influence of humanity. The Traditionalist Coalition rejected this. &#039;&#039;&#039;The war went nuclear on September 5th, 2439&#039;&#039;&#039;, causing immense suffering across Moghes and directly leading to the creation of The Wasteland, which is set to engulf Moghes within a hundred years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Unathi Culture==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Diet and Cuisine ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathite dishes are mostly comprised of meat, eggs, and fish. It may be cooked or even still raw and bleeding. Vegetables in meals are often just for decoration or flavor, but by no means ever make up the majority of the dish. Unathi do not take any nutritional value from plant matter, only from meat. Desert flowers may also be placed on the plate to make it seem well-presented and are also edible. The tools Unathi use to eat are very unorthodox to humans, usually resembling chopsticks banded together near the top. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi generally eat only one large meal a day. The nobility often eat twice a day, while poorer Unathi or those in [[The Wasteland|the Wasteland]] will eat bi-daily: every two days.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To support their civilization, fishing has developed on a scale similar to human agriculture. Since the Contact War, fishing yields have fallen, and hunger has become a fact of life for many Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Language ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi, being deeply traditional, tend to inject their own sayings, proverbs, and similar speech into other languages not native to them. Some concepts of their languages also spill over into tongues foreign to Unathi. For example, Unathi genders follow personal behaviors and societal roles rather than biological sex. While “man”, “male”, and other similar words might serve as a rough translation, “warrior” or the Sinta-Unathi word “Saa” would be more correct and often finds its way into conversation between Unathi and other races. The same is true for “healer” or “Taa”, being somewhat equivalent “woman”, or “female”, while “fisher” or “Kaa” is the Unathi term for someone whose duties revolve around production, commodities, or economic development. Objects also have assigned genders to them, so it is not uncommon for Sinta to refer to objects and inanimate things with genders. Unathi also have a lot of assorted figures of speech that, instead of being based on direction (up and down), are affiliated with time and its speed. A faster rate of time is seen as bad while a slower rate is seen as good in a majority of cases. Good things are categorized by saying something is punctual, progressing on time, is speeding up in time, or has a lot of time while saying the opposite for bad things. Rather than saying &amp;quot;I’m going to bed for the night,&amp;quot; a Unathi might offer &amp;quot;I’m slowing down for the night&amp;quot;; similarly, instead of being &amp;quot;down to hang out,&amp;quot; one would instead say they &amp;quot;want to slow down&amp;quot; with someone else. Examples include, but aren’t limited to: &amp;quot;today’s harvests were timely,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;the day has been slow,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;my body is slowing,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;their sleep is running late,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;I’m accelerating through my studies.&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi names are extraordinarily diverse, ranging from those that string together a bunch of consonants to sounds with many vowels in a row. There are not many commonalities between them besides harder sounds like &#039;ck,&#039; &#039;zh,&#039; &#039;s,&#039; &#039;d,&#039; and &#039;t.&#039; &#039;&#039;&#039;However, names cannot have more than two of the same letter in a row, such as Myo&#039;sssak.&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Many species have developed the joking term &amp;quot;unathisms&amp;quot; for all the various cultural holdovers that get put into other languages they speak.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot; style=&amp;quot;width:99%; overflow:auto;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi Metaphors, Sayings, and Slang&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Sinta— &#039;&#039;meaning Unathi. If the word Unathi can be compared to &amp;quot;Human&amp;quot;, then sinta can be compared to &amp;quot;man&amp;quot;, the latter usually kept out of more serious, official or scientific discussion and instead used in discussions with a more common if not familiar tone. Sinta does not get an S on plural and does not start with a capital letter.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Claws, talons— &#039;&#039;fingers, nails, respectively; however, sometimes satire or exaggeration make use of them interchangeably.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hatchling, egg— &#039;&#039;a child or baby, sometimes also as an insult.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Azure, albino— &#039;&#039;exotic, or unusual; alternatively (and rarely), an archaic and outdated way of calling something awful: &amp;quot;Their tastes are absolutely albino.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hide, scales— &#039;&#039;skin.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Rattle, rattled— &#039;&#039;scared.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Scratch, scratched— &#039;&#039;to write/written.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Tailwag— &#039;&#039;generic insult lacking true meaning and has a weird versatility to it, like referring to someone as a &#039;fuck&#039; or similar.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Blood on my teeth— &#039;&#039;eating, sometimes a gruesome (seen as barbaric) way of describing fighting and other activities.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Lay down my tail/bare my neck— &#039;&#039;let someone walk over you.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Molting— &#039;&#039;getting angry enough over something that it damages your physical health. Used almost explicitly for exaggeration.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Fat-tail— &#039;&#039;an insult usually aimed at nobles.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Quote a limerick— &#039;&#039;to be sassy, snarky, witty.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Grinding my horns— &#039;&#039;getting on their nerves.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Strum— &#039;&#039;gather.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Stomp, stomping— &#039;&#039;a get together (as a noun) or referring to someone being happy (as a verb).&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Echoed song— &#039;&#039;oral tradition.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ghazkus, ghazkii— &#039;&#039;skrell, coming from the word &amp;quot;amphibious&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;ghazii&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kzlth, kzlthii— &#039;&#039;humans, coming from the word &amp;quot;scaleless&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;kazulth&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Imiekran, imiekranes— &#039;&#039;the typical term for dionae meaning &amp;quot;twisted plant&amp;quot; in Sinta’Azaziba, usually a term of endearment; alternatively called aggregates when referring to different forms.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Xsain— &#039;&#039;vaurca, coming from the word &amp;quot;incomprehensible&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;xsa&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
(Note: most of the time this is seen as being a nickname when used outside of Sinta’Unathi or Sinta’Azaziba. If you are particularly friendly with someone that either you don’t know the name of or are referring to someone otherwise, this may be appropriate outside of saying the species’ name.)&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Zo’zyola— &#039;&#039;the equivalent of an angel or a demon. Depending on the context, this is either a compliment or a severe insult.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Dishonored their clan— &#039;&#039;do something to ostracize themselves from society or a group of people.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A tale longer than my own— &#039;&#039;a play on words gaining traction among Sinta who speak Basic. Basically a way of saying &amp;quot;it&#039;s a long story&amp;quot; with similar connotations, but this phrase can also be used to hype up an event. &amp;quot;What did you do during the Solarian Invasion?&amp;quot; &amp;quot;It&#039;s a tale longer than my own— let&#039;s meet up to discuss it.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Heating up— &#039;&#039;a way of setting your guard is going down or that you are even getting bored or tired. &amp;quot;This shift has been uneventful, I can feel it heating up.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Sk&#039;akh&#039;s scales— &#039;&#039;a way of saying &amp;quot;holy shit&amp;quot; or similar swears.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Have an honorable duel for the sake of the game— &#039;&#039;in Sinta&#039;Azaziba and Sinta&#039;Unathi, duel and game are the same word, just with different meanings. This is a play on words in the original tongue and is meant to talk about something that has to be done yet trying to make fun out of it anyway.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
More unclean/unkempt than a Guwan&#039;s feet— &#039;&#039;referring to something being worse than the dirtiest part of a class of undesirables. Phrases like these are more common in the Hegemony and are one of the many methods used to degrade Guwan.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When an arbek eats its tail— &#039;&#039;&amp;quot;when pigs fly.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Preparing the maxtlatl— &#039;&#039;referring to the shaman&#039;s garb. Preparing the maxtlatl is something a shaman does when they feel they are near death; in preparing it, they are readying the skull in the headgear to be replaced by their own. In a sense, if someone is preparing the maxtlatl, they are spelling their own doom or see their demise coming.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the Fourth Nation— &#039;&#039;somewhat of a joke about cycles, playing fun at the fact that the Izweski Hegemony has been a constant throughout history. Traditionalists use this phrase more bitterly and sardonically, however.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By mine and your spirits— &#039;&#039;a way of solemnly swearing; alternatively, asking for guidance if you worship Th’akh.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Three Heads bless me— &#039;&#039;the alternative to &amp;quot;by mine and your spirits&amp;quot; for those that worship Sk’akh.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Bet the Hegemon’s head— &#039;&#039;many people want to kill the Hegemon, so this refers to such a bounty. Usually used as a joke or a dare.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Individual languages are described by the prefix &#039;Sinta&#039; followed by the identity of its native speakers. Speaking mannerisms remain the same when speaking Sinta or another language. For stylistic choices, there are some options. For those raised in or by the Hegemony, avoid contractions like &#039;&#039;it&#039;s&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;they&#039;re&#039;&#039;, which would be &#039;&#039;it is&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;they are&#039;&#039;. Formal Sinta&#039;Unathi lacks this concept of contracting words, and thus it is a difficult concept to understand for these speakers. Those that speak Sinta&#039;Azaziba will talk in other languages in short bursts, similar to how Azaziba has shorter sentences due to gesticulating and speaking at the same time. Accents are wide and diverse; replacing &#039;s&#039; sounds with &#039;th&#039; in a &#039;forced lisp&#039; or even just omitting the sound is a commonality for Unathi that struggle with certain words in other languages (like &#039;suspicious&#039;). This way of speaking is also common when singing in different languages, a trend picking up within the Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sinta&#039;Unathi ====&lt;br /&gt;
While Pre-Contact Moghes had hundreds of unique languages and their own histories, Sinta&#039;Unathi has been and remains the primary language spoken by most Unathi. It is an evolution of an older Moghean trade language, Sinta&#039;Izwe.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The written language has 30 letters, with 5 of them being vowels. The language is written left to right, though this was an attempt to emulate humanity, as informal Sinta&#039;Unathi still write top to bottom.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sinta&#039;Azaziba ====&lt;br /&gt;
Sinta&#039;Azaziba is a language of Moghes consisting of a combination of spoken word and gesticulation. While waning since Moghes entered the galactic stage, it enjoys popular use by Unathi that never fell to the Hegemony&#039;s cultural dominance. Sinta&#039;Azaziba writing has 27 letters, 4 of which being vowels. The language is written from top to bottom.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Unathi Fashion and Make-up ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Fashion on the scale of an entire species is incredibly diverse, much like with other species. There are some common sights seen across most Unathi peoples.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Fashion ====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Clothing is generally something to balance for Unathi, according to one’s need with warmth. Generally, Unathi can dress themselves from head to toe, with shawls and hoods not being an uncommon sight, even if temperatures aren’t outright cold, just to retain warmth for as long as possible. In particularly hot climates, however, or on specific occasions like while sunbathing, Unathi may choose to wear minimal clothing to get as little obstacle as possible between them and the sun, or any other heat source they may be enjoying.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Colors are an essential part of any Unathi outfit. Being particularly fond of vibrant colors, sights of bright reds, oranges, yellows, greens and blues are common, and white and black, though rare for fashion’s sake, are generally used to accentuate colors even more. These colors are often selected to go along with their scale colors, eyes, and so on, the natural colors of a Unathi playing a large part in their fashion choices. Nobility and other wealthy individuals will often show off their status through the use of jewelry, both gemstone and rare, expensive metals like gold and silver. Though the typical bracelets and necklaces can be found, Unathi also use some pieces of jewelry unique to their species, such as horn rings (meant to be worn around one’s horn) or frill-rings (going through the frill, much like with earrings.) Capes and cloaks are also a traditional display of status and function, with for instance the many capes worn by Guild members.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Make-up ====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While most Human cultures see most forms of make-up as feminine, Unathi are different. It’s common for Unathi of all genders to apply make-up. Once again, there are countless forms of make-up and ways to apply them seen across the entire species.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot; style=&amp;quot;width:99%; overflow:auto;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi make-up&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
===== Cosmetics =====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Some of the most popular forms of Unathi make-up include things such as claw-painting, quite comparable to painting nails. This is generally done with bright colors, to accentuate them over the scale colors of the Unathi in question. There are traces of claw-painting being done in pre-Hegemonic times, mainly by warriors, to show off their claws and intimidate their foes, and though this tradition is still practiced by some, claw painting is now also done for the mere sake of fashion. Horns can also be painted, as well as frills for similar effects if the individual in question sports them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===== Scalepaint =====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Scalepaint is a uniquely Unathi form of make-up, and the most popular in the species as well. Due to their need to shed, Unathi cannot sport tattoos normally, but scalepaint constitutes an equivalent. As the name implies, it is a form of paint applied directed on one’s scaly hide. scalepaint can be inconspicuous and small, or extravagant and cover the majority of one’s hide. In any case, however, it is done to go along with, and complement one’s natural hide colors, and completely covering oneself in scalepaint is seen as particularly awkward and a display of shame in oneself.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The practice of using scalepaint dates back to prehistoric times, with hunters covering themselves in a mixture of herbs, dust, and a few pigments to better hide in the foliage to ambush prey; though it quickly-enough became a form of aesthetic as well. The practice to apply scalepaint hasn’t changed much since then; it is a mix of pigments, herbs, and a clay-like substance to be applied directly on one’s scales.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Perhaps what makes Scalepaint so interesting is the sheer amount of work needed to apply and maintain it. First, it must be applied in correct doses. Too much, and the texture will be too thick and completely cover the scaly texture of one’s hide (an easy excuse to be mocked by your fellow sinta), too little, and the color won’t be visible-enough, and completely disappear at the first shed. With the correct amount of paint applied, it should be visible enough without hiding one’s scales, and when the time to shed comes, some remnants of paint should still be visible, acting as a guide for the next layer to be put on this layer of skin as well. This brings us to the second part, the need to maintain scalepaint. A proper scalepaint requires regular maintenance, to be generally re-applied after every shed. This workload makes the most extravagant and encompassing forms of scalepaint a show of both artistry, but also the result of regularly applied, expert artistry.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Because of its need to be re-applied constantly, scalepaint is generally applied and maintained by oneself, and thus, only to places they can reach. As such, only nobles and other wealthy sinta are ever seen sporting scalepaint on their backs, as it requires maintenance from others, generally talented servants.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Zandiziite Games ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Zandiziite Games]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
An ancient sport that got its start on Moghes, this sport is best described as a mixture of Olympic- and MMA-style games. Competitors within the Zandiziite Games are called Zandiziites, or colloquially an individual wrestler is called a Zandi. Clans send eligible men (and only men) to their Lord in the hopes that they are chosen to represent their city or community in the Zandiziite Games.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Unathi Sociality and Society ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Behaviour and Mannerisms ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi generally stare at what they are interested in, so their intense gaze moves with a conversation to whoever is talking. Additionally, pointing can be seen as extremely rude in circumstances. If more than just a passing gesture towards someone, prolonged pointing can be a grave insult to one&#039;s honor and, in some cases, be the reason for crude fighting or even initiate a duel.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi should always be addressed by their last name in most situations. It is offensive to use a Unathi&#039;s first name unless you are family or have a close relationship with them (like family, a lover, or close friend). Some are more permissive than others regarding this. In a situation where there are multiple Unathi with the same last name, it&#039;s generally accepted to just get more and more specific in your address to make it clear who you are speaking to.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi to other species would typically appear sluggish in their movements, though there are some exceptions to this. When working or even when feeling threatened, they typically move short distances with their arms and legs at speeds much faster than normal for other species. This is because they conserve their energy by going slightly slower until they need it for a given task.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Another outstanding behavior that other species would note is an intense gaze. Unathi typically find staring at whoever is speaking to be respectful; however, this intense staring, paired with not blinking often and stooping to look at someone at eye level, is how other species are typically made uncomfortable when engaging with Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For most Unathi being seen speaking to Guwans is embarrassing. A woman associating with a Guwan is extremely improper and indecent, and they can lose social standing by doing so.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Violence can have its place in regular daily life, with playful fighting being commonplace with the peasantry and in the Wasteland. Joking punches and wistful tail flicks that would be normal for Unathi playing around may end up hurting a human, which has led to many jokes about humanity’s weak stature. Shoulder checks and headbutts have their place in more aggressive friendships and is a sign of showing brotherly love.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Emotional Displays ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi exhibit a great variety of emotional body language in ways different from other species. While it is not uncommon for Unathi to attempt to mimic human displays (sometimes with frightening results, for example showing off their large, numerous sharp teeth in a &amp;quot;smile&amp;quot;), they have their own natural, basic emotions that come from biological expression akin to reptiles. It can be very difficult for this species to control their emotionally linked body language as it is engrained in Unathite culture, but exercising restraint is often seen as a sign of nobility or simply an individual who is attempting to better blend in with other species. Over time, these displays can also change to adapt to a different environment, though this process typically takes many years to come to fruition.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For example, baring the entire throat is the single most meaningful expression that can be displayed to another, often used to show trust or vulnerability to someone a Unathi cares about. However, it is not unusual to do this to also surrender to another (such as in a fight), admit shame, or display extreme compassion (when exposed to twine necks with another). Conversely, tilting the snout far down to protect the throat and better display one’s horns is a fight response or to show distrust in another.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When it comes to intimate gestures between Unathi, they usually twine necks or tails, and touch foreheads and snouts together with the same intent that humans kiss. Such displays are usually only reserved for those that are married or to be wed, but with other cultures such as Ouerea, the smaller colonies, or the Empire of Dominia, this tends to be much more relaxed. Hugging is usually considered to be something done by children and avoided by adults.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi often fixate on their surroundings when interested or excited by someone or something. If there is a conversation of multiple people, they often change their gaze to look at whoever is speaking, or at the person speaking they are most interested in. It is considered rude by Unathi to avert your gaze, for that shows that someone can be aloof, distant, or not paying attention fully. Even if afraid and cowering, they tend to look directly at the source of their fear. For other species, when especially happy or interested, they can even stoop down to look at them directly at eye level, or try to raise themselves as much as possible to look other creatures in the eye.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Other physical displays include the ‘tail stomp,’ a phenomenon common during heightened signals of emotion. Typically, these are done when a Sinta is filled with joy or extremely agitated, but can be rarely used when a Unathi is grieving. Other more minor displays are, but aren’t limited to: bristling scales, in response to a cold environment or a ‘chill going down their spine;’ becoming slow and sluggish if extremely comfortable, such as reacting to warmth; swaying, sampling the air, and hissing all are common when in a new environment, with strangers, or even just in certain situations, which shows curiosity, discomfort, or unease.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Verbally, Unathi have some onomatopoeias that they draw on for different emotions. Chuffing, forcefully exhaling air from the throat, can be used to mark mild annoyance in reply to something, or can be used to show amusement. If it comes at the end of a sentence or statement, it can imply that they are being sarcastic or are saying something in good humor. Unathi don’t quite have a laugh; instead, they bark in typically short bursts, in which the sound is often deep, loud, and raucous. Finally, rattling the throat is a fairly common gesture that replaces or accompanies a tail stomp. Sometimes when enraged, throat rattling is accompanied by frills or scales flaring up as well.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As a result of the divide between groups of sinta, some mannerisms are unique to different social groups. For example, nobles tend to tail stomp in response to seeing something that ‘disgusts’ them, whether it be the sight of a heretic or Guwan, something that disgusts olfactory senses, or something else. Peasants on Moghes and most Unathi on Ouerea tend to be ‘overly emotional’ in that they often tilt their snout up somewhat when showing general content or happiness, or down slightly when afraid or unhappy. Dominians often keep their chin tilted up constantly as a sign of pride and even cockiness, showing they aren’t afraid when vulnerable parts are exposed. Of course, this all barely scratches the surface, and there are many gestures unique to cultures and regions that are not enumerated.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Gender Roles ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div style=&amp;quot;font-size:105%; border:2px solid white; margin:0; background:white; padding:.1em; color:black;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi society is highly gender-stratified, with very specific gendered divisions of work and societal role. The Unathi understanding of gender has become tied deeply into these roles, which leads to a structure that humans may find unusual. In Unathi society, gender has little to do with assigned sex, instead being almost entirely dependent on the societal role an individual finds themselves in. The Sinta’Unathi word for warrior,  ‘Saa’, can be roughly translated to ‘male’, but this is not because one is required to be male to be a warrior. Rather, to Unathi sensibilities, human masculinity generally emulates Saa behavior and so ‘male’ is a useful, though somewhat inaccurate, term to facilitate communication. To Unathi, gender is not something that one is, but something that one does. An Unathi who sought to live as a professional warrior would be considered Saa by society at large, regardless of their sex at hatching - and regardless of their own thoughts on the matter.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Where this system originates is largely unknown, having existed in some form for most of Unathi recorded history. The earliest known example comes from archaeological discoveries in the [[Tza Prairie]], indicating that ancient Unathi cultures held the Fisher as the feminine role, rather than the Healer - which was reserved for a long-extinct caste of shaman-rulers. The gender division in its modern form was likely codified by the early Sk’akh Church or predecessor faiths, though with so much of Moghes’ history now lost to the Wasteland scholars doubt if the origins of such a fundamental part of society will ever be discovered.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The divisions of labor in Unathi society are based on this structure of gender, and it is expressed prominently in religion - the Three Aspects of Sk’akh being the most prevalent examples. The Warrior, Healer, and Fisher are the primary categories into which almost every aspect of Unathi life has been divided for centuries - though as with many Unathi traditions, it is being increasingly challenged in the modern era.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Saa - Warrior&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Saa is the gender of warriors, under which roles to do with martial affairs tend to fall. Most military positions are Saa, with some rare exceptions being made for medical and support personnel. Sinta-Unathi pronouns for the three genders are generally a simplified version of the original word; for warriors it would be sa. Outside of direct combat matters, positions in law enforcement and colonial expansion are also widely considered warriors, as are many roles to do with the direct enforcement of a ruler’s will such as governorship, tax collection and announcement of decrees. Unathi identifying as Saa are expected to act with honor in accordance with the [[Unathi Honor|Warriors&#039; Code]]. Vaurca Warriors outside of those in medical or scientific fields generally fall within this designation as a result.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Taa - Healer&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Taa is the name for the healers’ gender, which is broader than its name might indicate.. Positions in the medical field are obviously considered healers, but the category also covers most scholarship and keeping of knowledge in general. The Simiite Reliquary in To’ha’dat is staffed exclusively by Priestesses of the Healer, and holds the complete historical record of the Sk’akh Church. While scholarship in general has never been as gendered as some other categories, the vast majority of Unathi scientists, archivists and researchers would be considered Taa. The sphere of knowledge and learning also covers the business of spycraft, investigation and diplomacy, with the positions of Spymaster and High Speaker being traditionally female ones. Unathi identifying as healers have less of a concrete code of honor, though in recent years the invention of the [[Unathi Honor|Matriarch&#039;s Code]] has gained some popularity. While Vaurca in medical or scientific fields may be addressed as Taa, the designation is generally reserved for Gynes to avoid confusion.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Kaa - Fisher&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kaa is the third Unathi gender, without a direct translation in Tau Ceti Basic. Its sphere covers productive work such as fishing, construction and engineering. Many among the Unathi working class are considered to be fishers, and the title of Master of Rivers is one that traditionally is held by a Kaa. In Tau Ceti Basic, gender-neutral pronouns are often used to describe fishers, though the Sinta-Unathi pronoun ka is more correct. The sphere of the fisher encompasses many positions to do with economic development, ranging from humble miners, ranchers and fishers all the way to colonial administrators. There is no strict code of honor for Taa similar to that of warriors and healers, though the idea of developing one has been attempted a few times. Vaurca Workers outside of medical or scientific fields are generally gendered as fishers by Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Non-Gendered Roles&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The gender stratification of Unathi society is nearly all-encompassing, though there are some rare positions that can be considered as more than one gender. Rulership is the most notable of these, with the gender of a ruler being considered emblematic of their style of rule - Saa rulers are considered a good omen for military victory, whereas Taa rulers are considered a blessing for periods of peace and wisdom and Kaa rulers are considered to bring periods of great productivity to their demesne. The title of Hegemon is something of an exception, having always had a connotation of military conquest to it. As such, Hegemons throughout the ages have been recognized as warriors and succession follows to the eldest Saa. It is not uncommon, however, for their expressed gender to contrast what is officially recorded by the church; for example, Hegemon Ayzi Sarakus was unofficially seen as a fisher to their confidants and trusted allies. Using various methods, they and others like them have held the throne throughout the Izweski Hegemony’s history - though greatly outnumbered by the warriors.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One role which falls outside any of the three genders is that of the Guwandi. The reason for this is simple. A Guwandi sheds their gender as they shed their name, and for the same reason - it is a sign of the person they once were, before facing such shame that it was left behind. A Guwandi is only referred to as their prior gender when they are confirmed to have died with honour, and the stain of their disgrace can be erased from their history.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In addition, the introduction of Unathi to the interstellar stage has led to a vast array of new roles, which have yet to be neatly assigned to a gender. While some were able to fit into pre-existing categories, other roles such as interstellar piloting, civilian spaceship command and various roles to do with colonial oversight have yet to be fit into one of Unathi society’s well-defined boxes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Changing Gender&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Most Unathi will live in the gender of their work for their entire lives. However, the nature of Unathi gender roles mean that changing one’s gender is fairly common in Unathi society, especially among nobles who may find themselves in a wide number of roles during their lives. It is not uncommon for rulers identifying as a healer to present as Saa during wartime, for instance, or for rulers identifying as a warrior to present as a fisher when investing heavily in developing their lands.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the modern age this has become more common among non-nobles, as common Unathi find themselves with a greater degree of social mobility. Many who would have lived and died as fishers find themselves seeking out battle and becoming warriors, or enrolling at institutions such as the [[Unathi_Educational_Institutions#Skalamar_University_of_Medicine|Skalamar University of Medicine]] and identifying themselves as Taa. The act of changing one’s gender is, in most Unathi societies, a religious one. In the [[Izweski Heartland]] and other majority Sk’akh regions, these affairs are handled by the Church, while other faiths have their own approaches to it. For Unathi outside the Hegemony, such as those in Biesel or Dominia, less of a spiritual significance tends to be placed on the transition, being treated as more of a personal and private affair.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Traditional Greetings&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A custom often misunderstood by foreigners, traditional greetings are both a way for Unathi to politely greet each other, but also to begin introductions without even saying a word. This tradition dates back to some time in the late first Hegemony, though the greetings themselves had much different forms and uses back then.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In essence, these greetings are done by wordlessly bowing before another, doing so in a specific manner, depending on the Unathi in question&#039;s gender. Doing so is not only polite, if not a show of respect, but also a way for a sinta to present their gender, and by extent the kind of path they have taken in their life.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;The Warrior&#039;s Greeting&#039;&#039; is done by bowing until one would look straight to the floor, while putting a fist on their heart. The legs must remain straight and back curve as little as possible during the entire greeting, lest the Unathi in question be mocked for going a &amp;quot;wounded Warrior&#039;s greeting&amp;quot;, a situation many have faced on their first Warrior&#039;s Greeting. Signifying trust and respect, it is generally considered an honor to be greeted in such way by prestigious warriors, Kataphracts and veterans.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;The Healer&#039;s Greeting&#039;&#039; would have one bow by bending the knees, hunching forward a little with open arms until their claws and horns (frills, crest, or the top of their skull in the case of absence of such) are at roughly the same height. Some can take the greeting a little further, by crossing their legs slightly, bowing deeper, though such a move is generally kept to greet those worthy of great respect. It signifies openness, warmth and vulnerability.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Finally, through &#039;&#039;the Fishers Greeting&#039;&#039;, one would bow by crossing their arms behind their back, bowing with their back, while keeping their gaze at the other person. Signifies listening and understanding, and though seen by many as the easiest of the greetings to achieve, it is not considered lesser than the other two, but rather, a show of the beauty and value of simplicity.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Traditional greetings are not always done with non-Unathi, generally because of their lack of understanding, some sinta choosing to not bother at all. One can also find slight variations to these traditional greetings abroad, in Dominia for instance, where the [[Unathi_in_Dominia|Kazhkz-Han&#039;san]] can be found calling these greetings the &amp;quot;Soldier&#039;s&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;Scholar&#039;s&amp;quot;, and &amp;quot;Artisan&#039;s Greeting&amp;quot; instead, in a mix of Moghesian and Morozian culture.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Outside the Gender Trinary&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In every society, there are those who do not conform to expectations, and the same is true among Unathi. Following the Contact War, many Unathi have challenged the ancient structures of gender that bind their species, seeking to separate their work from their own identification. The first Taa Kataphract, the Lady H’zala was appointed in 2459, one of the first public examples of a non-warrior permitted in such a strongly gendered role. In the Queendom of Szek-Hakh, the ordinary structures of gender are largely reversed; where governing officials, soldiers and those who keep the peace are referred to as Taa. Originally done out of practicality, with most of the realm’s warriors having perished in the Contact War, the practice has continued as a demonstration of open defiance against tradition. A clear expression of dissatisfaction with the culture that brought the planet to its knees. Even those that present stereotypical warrior behavior will identify themselves as healers, defying social norms that your gender is assigned to you by others and not something you choose for yourself.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Abroad, some Unathi have found themselves adopting more human conceptions of gender as something that a person is, rather than something that they do, and choose to present as a gender that does not match their occupation - whether one which matches their sex, or simply based on personal preference. Many have decried this as alien confusion and an erosion of Sinta tradition, while others welcome or simply do not pay mind to it. Gender is a spiritual matter, after all, and the priests and shamans have yet to come to a definite conclusion about these changing matters. How this will impact Unathi society, built around the strict gender trinary for centuries, remains to be seen.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Gender and Aliens&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To many Unathi, human conceptions of gender are confusing, seemingly arbitrary and without reason. While decades of contact between the two species has helped for better understanding of this, both tend to view the other society’s ideas of gender as strange. Unathi, particularly those less-accustomed to working with aliens, will often gender non-Unathi based on their profession rather than any outward signs, and will find being corrected on this matter particularly confusing. For aliens which lack a concept of gender altogether such as [[Skrell]], [[Vaurca|Vaurcae]] or [[Dionae]], this is generally less of an issue.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On [[Ouerea]], a general understanding has been reached as to human concepts of gender, with the Unathi population coming to understand their alien neighbors’ views. Some of these views have been adopted among the Unathi population, with Archpriest Azente of the Sk’akh Church holding in the belief that an Unathi can do the work of one gender while identifying as another, which has caused him to be labelled as a radical among his fellows. Generally speaking, Skrell on Ouerea do not seem to have any particular trouble assimilating to Unathi notions of gender, though the reasoning behind it can often be confusing to them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Some Diona gestalts which have primarily learned from Unathi - such as those living in the Izweski Hegemony, or among the pirates of the Tarwa Conglomerate - have adopted their own interpretation of Unathi gender. Some more organized gestalts tend to gender their individual nymphs based on the role they play in the whole, while others have developed their own codes of behavior similar to those practiced in Unathi society. More information about them can be found [[Moghresian Dionae|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Most [[Unathi in Dominia|Dominian Unathi]] have, at least in practice, adopted the human model. Though most were born and raised on Moghes and held (perhaps still hold) traditional views, most Unathi choose to adapt to the local Imperial culture for similar reasons as converting to the [[Moroz Holy Tribunal|Holy Tribunal]] - that not respecting the customs and culture of their new home would be dishonorable to those who had welcomed them. Some, particularly among the Han’san and the older Unathi population, do not forget about traditional understandings of gender, still living much as they would on Moghes. To the humans of Dominia, this is largely written off as another alien curiosity of the Unathi, though those who spend more time with them may come to a better understanding of their ways. The newer generations of Unathi born on Imperial soil, however, are generally much more familiar with human ideas of gender than Unathi ones.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Corruption within the Gender Culture ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div style=&amp;quot;font-size:105%; border:2px solid white; margin:0; background:white; padding:.1em; color:black;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While seen from the outside as a relatively progressive development, the fluidity of Unathi gender roles combined with the rigid feudal hierarchy of noble lords and clan leadership presents a wide variety of opportunities for exploitation and abuse. These vary in measure, legally and morally, and if pressed those within positions of power will publicly denounce such practices as dishonorable. However, it’s an open secret that a significant number of the ruling class use these tactics to a greater or lesser degree to ensure their dynasties and interests are protected. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Heirs and Succession&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Arguably one of the most crucial considerations of any noble lord or clan leader, the designation of an heir demands intervention when the current candidate is unwanted or unfavorable. The means by which this is accomplished vary from region to region, but leverage of gender is a widely adopted tactic.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In areas under Izweski rule, succession is patriarchal and the eldest warrior child is traditionally designated heir apparent. Should the natural choice be undesirable it is a common though unspoken practice to cultivate a preferred alternative. If the distinction is made early enough in life, clan heads will attempt to remove older children from succession by enrolling them in education and apprenticeships for healers and fishers. Betrothal contracts can also be drafted which misgender, or pre-gender, a child. Often in negotiation of these matches, care is taken to ensure the other clan’s name is taken and rights of inheritance are explicitly waived. Objection by the child or refusal to uphold the betrothal can be punishable by exile, leaving them few options.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
:If the desired heir does not show sufficient martial prowess, clan leaders can hire combat mentors and may stage public duels where the outcome is predetermined. The opponents in these matches are skilled actors as much as they are combatants, and will shout, bluster, and make oaths to the Warrior and their ancestors before the fight begins to enhance the drama and importance of the duel. They can then expertly claim a believable defeat from even the most inept novice. The most talented of these actors, unofficially referred to as &#039;&#039;hoax-hides&#039;&#039;, are well known in certain noble circles and are paid handsomely for their craft and discretion, and will avoid working in one location for too long to prevent being exposed.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In predominantly Sk’akh regions, legal authority over one’s recognized gender is regulated by the Church. Less scrupulous priests can be bought or persuaded to induce or prevent a change of gender. Some exceptionally lazy or cruel clan leaders will simply fabricate a reason to mark a child as guwandi, stripping them of their clan and gender, and sentence them to exile. This can have unintended consequences however, as the action can be contested within the jurisdiction of the Clan&#039;s local Lord and harsh penalties are imposed for cases in which it can be proven the exile was baseless.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In rural or Th’akhish regions like Tza’an, where the realities of clan survival often take precedence over custom, succession is tied less to gender and more with ensuring healthy children and a robust, able-bodied family. Yet even though harsher, rural life creates greater consequences for meddling in succession, there are still those who will risk much to improve their standing. Leadership typically passes to elder warriors unless they are deemed unfit. If a proposed heir’s existing or planed union would be unlikely to produce offspring then they will often be passed over for a more favorable candidate. A common tactic is to raise concerns regarding an heir’s ability to protect their clan or cast doubt on their health or virility. More recently, there have been recorded examples of unwelcome heirs being assigned to patrols in the wastes in hopes that exposure and radiation will lead to clear signs of weakness and that they might be removed from possible consideration. These schemes are not only dishonorable but also detrimental to the health of the clan and are punished harshly if discovered.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A number of Unathi communities that are technically no longer part of the Hegemony still cling to a hierarchical clan structure and the succession of leadership will sometimes be decided by traditional methods. Some details may differ, but it is not uncommon to see similar tactics as those in the Hegemony used to influence succession and other clan decisions. &lt;br /&gt;
*In the Queendom of Sez-Hakh, for example, succession is matriarchal and falls to the eldest healer child. Due to the necessities of survival after the Contact War the lines separating genders have blurred significantly but abuse of gender culture still occurs. Though aging, Queen Lazak still rules with considerable power and her wishes are reflected in the attitudes of the ruling ladies. Stigma against warrior rule continues to linger and advocates of greater warrior influence are quietly stifled.&lt;br /&gt;
*Communities that have more exposure to human influence tend to allow for all three genders in the rules of succession and gaming the system in these instances requires more finesse. For instance, it&#039;s generally accepted that a warrior is the preferred clan leader during wartime. If a clan leader wished for their warrior child to succeed them, they may initiate a clan war or blood feud prior to stepping down and allowing their warrior children to ascend. The reverse can also be true, and a clan leader might reach out to rivals to begin talks of reconciliation before stepping aside for healer or fisher claimants.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Contracts and Customary Law&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The deep ties gender has within Unathite culture can also be exploited when resolving contracts and disputes. Often this can take the form of discrediting someone’s suitability for a job, an inferred inability to complete work, and breaches of contract where gender is pertinent. Contract manipulation is common and Mazjivsa scribes are customarily retained to ensure proper resolution where possible. They are familiar with popular ploys to either nullify contracts or collect compensation for failure to fulfill obligations and other violations.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One particularly infamous case is widely taught to new scribes during apprenticeship; a contract was created to provide a lord with twenty skilled fishers (engineers) for the construction of new perimeter walls around his compound. Once the crucial process of sinking the foundations and construction of the lower levels was done, progress on the project began to slow and then cease as the fishers were constantly arguing, accusing one another of sabotaging their work, insulting their clan, and myriad other minor slights which climaxed in a spontaneous battle; one worker dead, and two with serious injuries. The lord claimed “they were clearly better suited to spears than tools,” and demanded that the contract be nullified and that half of what he paid be returned in addition to punitive payments stipulated in the contract for the breach. Initially the restitutions were made and the construction of the walls was finished by the lord’s own specialists. It wasn’t until later when a Zo’kaa investigated the incident that the funds were returned and the Lord’s involvement was made known. Under contract from the construction guild, the Zo’kaa uncovered the reason for the change in the fishers’ attitude; an agent, part of the twenty fishers from the guild, had been paid to bring the workers under scrutiny. Once work on the base of the walls was complete, the rest was markedly simpler and cheaper. The lord would have paid less than half the agreed upon amount in the end. Diligent scribes will formalize contract specific processes to resolve potential gender related breaches but this relies on the skill of the scribe hired and is by no means a complete solution.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Other examples of contract manipulation include marriage and betrothal contracts. These contracts often stipulate the genders of the couple and allowances made for surrogates of children, the “Marriage Price”, and additional considerations. If the gender of one party shifts, either naturally or by design, the contract can be nullified and recompense paid.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Mazjivsa Manipulation&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
These scribes, predominantly fishers, are trained to provide counsel in matters of contract negotiation and resolution. Since the collapse of the Mazjivsa guild and the removal of its oversight, some unathi declare themselves Mazjivsa without the proper training and are exiled if discovered. This precarious position can be exploited, and some scribes will find their gender scrutinized if someone stands to gain from the lack of their guidance and expertise.&lt;br /&gt;
A well-known example of this occurred in Skalamar, 2466; a Mazjivsa of clan T’szel was contracted to review agreements made between a local lord and his client. He would not be bought and so the lord began claiming T’szel was an illegitimate scribe and fraud. Enraged, the Mazjivsa demanded a duel so that he might defend his honor. Surprisingly, he was able to draw first blood against one of the lord’s sons, but his victory was used as proof that he was more warrior than fisher. The lord succeeded in having him removed from the contract negotiation, although he was spared exile.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Marriage and Relationships ===&lt;br /&gt;
Relationships for Unathi hinge on responsibility for both involved as most marriages before the Contact War relied on clan leaders arranging marriages to secure alliances. &#039;Dating&#039; has only recently been available to young Unathi and is a foreign concept to most above their late-20&#039;s in age. A Unathi trying to ignore the ritual of arranged marriage is a great insult to both clans involved, which at worst could lead to a blood feud or war. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Clan alliances are formed when two clan leaders mutually decide upon two Unathi to marry and, depending on who is chosen, certain gifts are expected to be bestowed on the allied clans. When the marriage is proposed, a discussion about which Clan Name will be taken arises. This is done through a form of &#039;bidding war&#039;, where one clan must &amp;quot;buy&amp;quot; the right to keeping the name over the other by giving money or resources to the other clan. Marriages may sometimes end up canceled due to both sides refusing to give up their clan name, and in the worst cases, it has led to duels or even wars fought over who has the right to keep the titles.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Surrogates can be called upon for a marriage that cannot fulfill their duty to have children; however, they must be from a member of one of the Clans. Upon the hatching of a hatchling, the expectation most often is that husbands will raise the boys, and wives will raise the girls. If there is only a husband or wife, more traditional Sk&#039;akh families will choose to have another Clan member raise the hatchling up through their expected path.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Same-gender relationships and marriages are largely accepted, with little cultural or religious stigma against them. In more isolated rural clans or among Wastelanders, however, unions that cannot produce hatchlings are often strongly discouraged, particularly under the doctrine of the Si&#039;akh faith. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion and Spirituality ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While various faiths exist on Moghes, many of which are as old as any other, there are two major religions of the Unathi that pervade nearly every aspect of their lives. Th&#039;akh and Sk&#039;akh, both of which predominately focus on ancestor worship and connections with the spirit world.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Th&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
The most pervasive and common religion amongst Unathi. It dates back even before the First Hegemony and, as a byproduct of Unathi stubbornness, has remained central to Unathi spiritualism. The basic concept of Th&#039;akh is that all the spirits of past Unathi now reside in the spirit world that exists in tandem with the material world. These spirits exist in objects and nature - bringing either good luck or sorrow. Particularly nasty natural disasters were often attributed to particularly strong groups of spiteful spirits influencing events in the material world. Th&#039;akh, due to its widespread pervasiveness, has a multitude of forms: ancestor veneration, polytheism (worshipping groups of specific and powerful spirits), and almost witch-like spiritualism are just some of the denominations found among this religion. However, Th&#039;akh almost always has the same group of tenets, which can be found [[Th&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sk&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
The second most common religion, which is followed mostly by Unathi from the Izweski Nation, and enjoys a status as its unofficial state religion. It still follows the ancestor worship of Th&#039;akh, but with a major notable difference: the spirits of all Unathi who die become part of Sk&#039;akh, the Great Spirit. Sk&#039;akh is a gender-neutral God, being called &#039;he&#039; or &#039;she&#039; interchangeably to represent that Ska&#039;kh is a collection of all Unathi. She is often called Three of One because the spirits combine into three minor aspects that are all part of Ska&#039;kh: the Warrior, the Healer, the Fisherman. These three spirits are personifications of the most important aspects of Unathi society. It is said that all three are equally important and that disasters are caused by an imbalance in the Great Three. Priests often stress the importance of balance, both in matters of the spirit as well as in society and personal life. Sk&#039;akh&#039;s dogmatic doctrine can be found [[Sk&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Aut&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
Emerging from the hatred of former warriors, the Aut&#039;akh are a cultish offshoot of Th&#039;akh, comprised of cybernetic-augmented Unathi. They argue the flesh is weak, and something new must be sculpted in its place to strengthen the mind. In the relative safety of their communes scattered across various towns, planets, and systems, they know a rough life, but one easier and more spiritual than those of the cities, they believe. The Aut&#039;akh have yet to truly attain their perfect leaderless society, as their own supposedly-defeated prejudice still runs in quiet circles within communes; meanwhile, society often rebukes and ridicules these fanatical trans-speciests. Their lives are gently guided by the shamans or &amp;quot;paradigms,&amp;quot; which act as the religious advisors and sometimes too the biomechanical engineers of these communes. Aut&#039;akh preach the Contact War was the result of sinta being so consumed by the demons within them that they brought the world to ruin, and all powers, whether that of a government, major religion, or corporation, are inherently corrupt due to the influence of evil spirits. The heathen&#039;s lifestyle and struggles can be found [[Aut&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Aut&#039;akh, due to their radical views on unathi society and society as a whole, are often associated with anyone who breaks tradition. In light of this, Unathi started to develop behaviors and society learned to hate communes and their denizens.&#039;&#039;&#039; Anyone caught being unfaithful to their spouse, in a non-monogamous relationship, rebuking their clan, having a prosthetic, or even talking about their discontent with the Hegemony or other rulers was accused of being an Aut&#039;akh. The term to most became synonymous with anyone who was a perceived troublemaker or heretic, more so than even Si&#039;akh.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Si&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
Born from the fires of the Contact War, Si&#039;akh is a radical Sk&#039;akh heresy that has rapidly spread across the Wasteland. It is lead by charismatic former Sk&#039;akh priest Juzida Si&#039;akh, who claims to be the Messiah for all Unathi. The doctrine claims the Contact War to have been the Final Judgement for the Unathi species caused by their innate wickedness. He claims that all Unathi that died in the &#039;cleansing fire&#039; of the atomic weapons were given salvation, and all Unathi that survived are damned to remain trapped on the Hell of Moghes unless the species and Moghes are rapidly purified. The movement has come into immediate conflict with the orthodox Sk&#039;akh church due to Si&#039;akh claiming it to be completely illegitimate. Its followers are ruthlessly hunted down by the Maraziite Order and many of its followers are fleeing into human space as they try to find personal salvation. Their doomsday cult has [[Si&#039;akh|strict and ascetic principles]] to help Unathi obtain a chance at salvation.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Moghean Society ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Moghes]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:PostCitiesNamed.png|thumb|A map of Moghes with the cities and seas labelled.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Moghean Unathi are traditional Unathi with the planet being their homeworld. Historically culture varies across clans that exist on the planet, but some customs and norms can be found nearly universally in Unathi society.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It is a social faux pas to use a Unathi&#039;s first name if not family or extremely close to the Unathi in question. Generally, a Unathi will tell someone when they feel comfortable with the person using their first name. It is also distressing to touch their tail or at all before introductions are undertaken. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi place great emphasis on oral traditions. Honor and combat are seen as a man&#039;s realm, and women are not held to the same standards of honor. Women are instead expected to be elegant, learned and regal; while fishers are expected to be industrious, faithful and dedicated.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Outside the formal schools of the Untouched Lands, village and town shamans or priests often remain the only source of education for rural young Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Ouerean Society ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Ouerea]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While the Izweski Unathi of Ouerea follow most of the same social beliefs as their Moghean counterparts, they tend to be less volatile towards outsiders who are ignorant of their customs, especially since their world was formerly ruled by the Skrell and Humans. Their cultures have managed to influence Ouerean Unathi, embedding different cultural norms that are not found elsewhere. There is a focus on individualism and younger Unathi shy away from the usual responsibilities held to Unathi toward their clans. There is still a struggle with a highly stratified society, but things are moderately progressive compared to Moghes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Oureaea Ciites.png|thumb|A map of Ouerea, with cities and major locations labelled.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The original colonists started as patriots to the Izweski Hegemony, but many soon found themselves disillusioned with the distant homeworld tearing itself apart in war. Unathi on Ouerea became enamored with the broad ideals of democracy and finding themselves resentful of their old lives on Moghes. Reintegration into the Hegemony proved difficult as both planets had to reconcile these cultural differences. It still remains a minor division among these Unathi to this day.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ouerean art, in contrast to Moghean pottery and dyed fabrics, has taken on inspiration from Human and Skrell art. Many Ouerean Unathi have become renowned glassmakers and craftsmen. The greater access to Human and Skrell universities, many of which still operate on the planet, also give Ouerean Unathi greater chances to work in Human and Skrell systems. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Non-Izweski Unathi ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi of the Hegemony’s territories — the Izweski Hegemony itself, Ouerea, or any of its many colonies — require consent from their clan Lord to make their way out into the greater galaxy, as listed [[Guide to Citizenship#Izweski_Hegemony|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Those that come from outside of the Hegemony and Dominia usually have no official means of recognized citizenship. Wastelanders, privateers, Guwan, and other Unathi must apply for a work visa where they are traveling in order to reside there. This of course carries risks with it: if a Unathi is seen as being problematic, whether committing crimes and misdemeanors or just not living up to the job they’re working, they may have their visa stripped and end up deported to the Hegemony. The Izweski Hegemony does not explicitly ask for these Unathi, especially seeing how they are usually &#039;undesirable&#039;. As there are no officially recognized governments on Moghes besides the Izweski, however, deported persons get sent there. Guwan and Gawgaryn that manage to make their way out of the system to places such as Biesel will face harsh punishment if this happens, so they are the most incentivized to put on their best outward face.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Unathi Physiognomy ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Khaniazwazi, also known as Unathi Physiognomy to outsiders, is a science dedicated to the study of Unathi physical profiles and the deduction of their character from such things. While certainly not new in Unathi history, it has been going through a rebirth in popularity as more resources have been dedicated to the study of Unathi biology and its appearance, to make up for what was lost with the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The validity of such a science is discussed, even among strictly professional fields, and it is no surprise that many individuals and groups have been using this field as a pretext to discriminate against other Sinta, or as a way to make a quick buck from more naive Unathi. Putting these aside however, there are still many variants of Khaniazwazi being practiced, depending on the area, with different interpretations of physical attributes. Generally, however, Khaniazwazi takes into account scale colouration, horns, frills, crests and facial structure; and in some rarer cases, smaller details such as wrinkles, scars, etcetera.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Politics and Factions ==&lt;br /&gt;
Moghes is divided between the Izweski Hegemony and the hundreds of other Clans and nations who claim their own land across the planet&#039;s surface. The only real difference in their political systems is the scale. Many of these other clans are modern nations or pre-industrial, ruled by various kings or leaders. However, with the expansion of the uninhabitable Wasteland and the brutal decimation Izweski forces committed on foreign leadership, many institutions of non-Hegemonic government across Moghes are rare or extremely fragile.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Moghes_porposal.png|thumb|The flag of the Izweski Hegemony. It is said the flag symbolizes the wildfires that frequented Moghes.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Izweski Hegemony ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Izweski Hegemony]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&#039;&#039;&amp;quot;Honour, fire, burn thy fear.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039; - The ancestral motto of Clan Izweski, circa early 20th century&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Izweski Clan is led by Clan Leader [[Notable_Unathi#Not.27zar_Izweski|&#039;&#039;&#039;Not&#039;zar Izweski&#039;&#039;&#039;]], a Unathi who has ruled the Hegemony since his father S&#039;kresti Izweski, the previous Hegemon, was assassinated by his son and Not&#039;zar&#039;s brother. He lives in the Izweski Citadel in Skalamar, and under him are the Lords who rule their own subjugated clans. They live in a feudal system, with the Lords usually being clan leaders or important clan members themselves who pledge themselves to Izweski in exchange for land and protection.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Hegemon is best thought of being the Emperor, and under him are the Overlords, who are the Kings. Under the Overlords are the Lords, who are then broken up between the Clan Lords, and then the Clan Leaders. Clan Leaders are a mostly ceremonial title and make up (usually) the eldest male ruler of a specific family clan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Not&#039;zar&#039;s father, Hegemon S&#039;kresti Izweski, was originally a strong leader of the Izweski clan. Then, after the death of his eldest son in a shuttle crash, the old Hegemon fell into a deep depression, to the point of becoming comatose in the Izweski citadel. After a succession crisis, Not&#039;zar took his place as the Regent and heir for three years, over that time developing the Hegemony into a stable empire. &lt;br /&gt;
[[Image:Minimap hegemony.png|thumb|A closer image focusing on the factions surrounding the Izweski Hegemony&#039;s territory.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Three years later, the Hegemon awoke and took back to the throne, however on his tour to get reacquainted with everything, he was spurred into madness and cursed by &#039;&#039;&#039;Juzida Si&#039;akh&#039;&#039;&#039; which resulted in a civil war to dispute his claim to the throne. In an attempt to destroy his enemies, the old Hegemon attempted to orbitally bombard an enemy city. To stop this dishonorable act, his third son Z&#039;krazi Izweski the Kinslayer assassinated the Hegemon, and after Not&#039;zar&#039;s victory in the Battle of Three Hills the civil war ended.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Now, Not&#039;zar is the Clan Leader, Overlord of Moghes, and Hegemon of the Izweski Hegemony. Despite his severe physical handicap forcing him to walk with a cane, many noblemen have made him an ally, especially including the Guilds who enjoy his globalist attitude.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Overlords rule an entire planet in the name of the Hegemon. Under them are Lords, who can rule huge tracts of land and multiple cities, or just a single city; there is no distinction between a Count and Duke level of Lordship like in most human feudalism.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
There are two different kinds of major lifestyles in the Izweski Hegemony. There is the city, which is ran by a Lord and a small council of lesser clans. City life is less harsh than life in the country, especially with opportunities provided with shuttle services to the rest of the galaxy. Life in the rural areas is harsher, with cities being rare and life mostly determined by the size of a Clan&#039;s village and how well they can hunt, fish, or in desperate times, raid their neighbors. It&#039;s the traditional Unathi life, made harsher by the growing Wasteland encroaching on once-fertile lands.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Queendom of Szek’Hakh ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&#039;&#039;&amp;quot;Refuse to break.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039; - Pre-Contact War Szek&#039;Hakh clan motto.&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A matriarchal region of roughly twenty thousand set in the Wasteland, led by the elderly &#039;&#039;&#039;Queen Lazak Szek&#039;Hakh&#039;&#039;&#039; and her daughters. In her settlement and a large portion of the region surrounding it, her clan has become the protector of her region known as the &#039;Queendom&#039;. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For those living in the Queendom, the gender roles of Unathi are inverted, and many of its people thusly struggle to find opportunities on Moghes and seek employment in Tau Ceti - with the Queen even making connections with pirates, Dominians, and Tajaran smugglers to get her people safely out of the dangerous Wasteland. The Queen is kind under her witty and straightforward attitude, and despite stereotypes, does not actually hate men.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Szek&#039;Hakh clan&#039;s settlement of &#039;&#039;&#039;Yu&#039;kal&#039;&#039;&#039;, originally headed by the Queen&#039;s husband, was built around a cluster of small lakes and focused on aquaculture. When the Contact War&#039;s nukes wiped out the vast majority of men, they adapted to using women as protectors, while using men to keep house. The widowed Lazak Szek’Hakh convinced the shell-shocked and wounded survivors of her clan that she was the only one capable of ruling during this terrifying time, and had taken control of a sizable region of the Wasteland east of Mudki around Yu&#039;kal. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Szek&#039;Hakh Clan became the leading power in their region following the Contact War. Eventually, Szek’Hakh consolidated control of her clan and the settlement, taking matters of survival into her own hands. As the Wasteland engulfed Yu&#039;kal&#039;s lakes, she coordinated a renovation of aquaculture farms and lead expeditions to bring their highly valuable fish products to the distant surviving city of Mudki. Women took prominent roles in all of these, with the necessities of survival in the harsh wasteland fraying Unathite gender roles. A neighboring nobleman, fearing this rise of powerful women, orchestrated to have her assassinated. In a dramatic confrontation, the assassin was foiled and publicly exiled as a Guwandi, and a mob of angry women stormed the nobleman&#039;s estate to &#039;duel him for his dishonor&#039;. This act put the matriarch in the spotlight, sparking Szek’Hakh’s rapid rise of being named Queen by her people.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Queen Szek’Hakh now leads a struggling wasteland settlement in a precarious situation. The traditional Izweski-leaning Unathi find her position an affront to customs, and she struggles to find allies. She tries to walk a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk’akh Church]], the Izweski, and the Wastelander factions - however she is often too straightforward to get far. Her settlement is primarily Th’akh, and she herself follows the faith. She complies (though unwillingly) with the demands of Izweski representatives to expel the prophet [[Notable Unathi|Si&#039;akh]] from her realm when he enters her settlement in his travels, though she quietly allows members of his traveling flock to rest in secret when they pass through her settlement. For the same, she does not tolerate the cult of the [[Aut&#039;akh]], and her people ruthlessly hunt down their unaugmented proselytizers.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Surviving Kingdoms on Moghes ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Despite the destruction of most of the known world from the [[Contact War]], some desperate survivors managed to weather the storm and remain nominally free of Izweski dominance - either from the Izweski&#039;s weariness for war on Moghes, or arrogant indifference.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While the Izweski are reclaiming the Wasteland, they are ruthlessly uprooting and displacing local cultures in the remaining habitable lands. The Outposts were small, fertile enclaves that survived the Contact War surrounded by the Wasteland. Starting in 2461, Not&#039;zar pushed forward terraforming efforts to expand these green yet hostile oases. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Template:UnathiCustomaryLaw}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Notable Information ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Guwandi ===&lt;br /&gt;
In the event that a Unathi becomes terminally ill, or finds themselves lacking the pride or honor to continue to live, or simply become tired of their existence undergo a ritualistic suicide and take the title of &#039;Guwandi&#039; (which is translated to Gladiator/Galdium). They will give up their possessions to their clan leader and make their journey into the Moghes desert. The only things they keep are their weapons which they use to fight animals or other Unathi so that they may die in honorable combat. In the event that two of these Guwandi meet, they will first draw their weapons and adopt a passive stance, which is followed by them telling each other their stories in turn, as well as the reasons behind their choice of adopting the mantle of &#039;Guwandi&#039; and how they wish their remains to be dealt with. When both sides understand the other, combat will begin with a mutual wish of luck that the more worthy of death lose with pride. The winner of the battle is responsible for taking care of the corpse in the way they were instructed to. Renouncing the deathseeking life of Guwandi isn&#039;t easy. Some may wish to return after having been granted a second outlook, or hope, after they had spent time wandering and risking their life. Their clan may see their decision as cowardly and refuse to accept them, or be overjoyed they had learned a lesson in their time.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Guwandi are not an option on the Horizon,&#039;&#039;&#039; yet may be a way in which a character becomes retired, barring [[Traitor|extreme circumstances]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Guwan ===&lt;br /&gt;
In some cases when a Unathi is exiled from their clan, they do not take up the formal title of Guwandi. This can be through fear of death, unwillingness, or simple stubbornness. In this case, they are marked as &#039;Guwan&#039; by their clan leader, and must take this as their last name. It is a variation on Guwandi, which is translated directly as &#039;exile&#039;. Guwans are clanless Unathi, and form an underclass. Guwans find it difficult if not impossible to advance socially or politically, and in many cases are oppressed or mistreated by other Unathi who view them as troublemakers or criminals. The only way of returning to a clan after banishment as a Guwan is to be adopted back into the Clan, which happens very rarely. &#039;&#039;&#039;To no longer be a Guwan, a Unathi must have an upstanding citizen decide to represent them, and then they must both go to court to explain how the Guwan can return into society under a new clan name, be adopted into another clan, or return to their original clan (at Clan Leader&#039;s acceptance.)&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On August 29th, 2459, the Lord-Regent Not&#039;zar Izweski passed an edict that required clans to send a petition to an imperial court when they want to banish a clan member as a Guwan. The court must side with the petitioning Clan Leader or the Unathi in question is not marked as a Guwan. This has caused backlash as the courts have gained a reputation for being incredibly arbitrary in their decisions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the past, all orphans were automatically Guwan unless they are adopted into a Clan. This changed with yet another edict by Not&#039;zar Izweski in December of 2459, which required all orphans, including adults still connected to their orphanage guild via debts or otherwise without parents, to take on the surname of that orphanage.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
Some Guwans have been forced off of Moghes by their clans with the growing ease of space travel, and NanoTrasen has a long history of exploiting this subgroup of Unathi, coercing them into employment contracts.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Guwans are not permitted to petition local Lords to express any grievances, and are not permitted to social services provided by private enterprise or state entities. Guwan are not full citizens of the Hegemony but are considered residents, which additionally bars them from many services.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Upon being declared Guwan, a Unathi is legally stripped of their gender and is not permitted to work in traditional warrior, healer or fisher fields. On documentation coming from Moghes, the &amp;quot;gender&amp;quot; section is generally left blank to reflect this, though in alien spaces the gender is listed as &amp;quot;Neuter&amp;quot; or filled in with an X. Guwan pronouns are strictly listed in neuter terms, and Guwan are legally only permitted to use it/its pronouns. Those that are hiding their status as Guwan are not required to conform to this standard and will often overcompensate their gender presentation in order to continue hiding their identities hidden. &#039;&#039;&#039;Both the limitation on gendered work fields and the usage of pronouns are enforceable by moderation.&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Notably, Guwans are the only social class of Unathi allowed to serve in the personal guard of the Hegemon and his family. The strategy relies on the fact the Guwan Guard are despised and envied by decorated officers that would otherwise serve in traditional guard duties. They are socially isolated and unable to advance politically, which means that its survival depends on the safety of the Hegemon and his family, which means that it wouldn&#039;t try to launch a coup or replace the Hegemon without itself being slaughtered. Similar to an old-Terran Janissary, it&#039;s a slave soldier, and unable to have children or hold any sort of political or military position.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
If a Unathi is the last of their clan, or is otherwise estranged with no one to declare them Guwan, then they may still find themselves challenged by other rival clans who lay claim to this Unathi&#039;s land, titles, inheritance, or name. If they are unable or unwilling to defend their claims (which would involve lengthy court trials on Moghes) then they would be stripped of them and declared Guwan. This means that a Unathi hiding in human space can still be named Guwan if their past, or rivals, catch up with them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Guwans are exclusively a criminal or otherwise dishonorable untouchable class, and it takes a lot to be labelled as one. Because playing a Guwan means you are opting in to being discriminated against by others, a Guwan filing an incident report for anything less than physical assault is a whitelist issue.&#039;&#039;&#039; When in doubt, speak to the Maintainer first.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Orphans and Orphanage Guilds ===&lt;br /&gt;
Orphans in the Hegemony in the past were all labelled as Guwans, but an edict by Not&#039;zar Izweski in December of 2459 changed all that. Hatchlings, child, and teenage Unathi without parents are put in the care of one of the many orphanage guilds on Moghes. These are private run guilds with little to no government oversight. While they fulfill a necessary social service in caring for Unathi that would otherwise be on the streets, orphanage guilds in the Hegemony are incredibly exploitative. Unknown to the children the guilds track all the expenses and charge their wards throughout their life until they turn 17, when they are presented with the bill and are forced to work to repay the crippling debt, and many can be trapped by the fact that their debt would fall on any prospective parents.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Two of these guilds have expanded into large corporations that have found a lucrative method of gaining money from their wards. The &#039;&#039;&#039;Gukuzan&#039;&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;&#039;Kuhwinla&#039;&#039;&#039; Guilds coerce or persuade their wards to accepts contracts for megacorporations, particularly [[Hephaestus Industries]], if they reach adulthood without being adopted. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Gukuzan&#039;&#039;&#039; clan is lead by a Priest Kiazoi, and he ensures that those that enter the care of his guild are given a proper religious education and instilled with the values of the church. Children raised by the Gukuzan are also taught valuable lessons in obedience and the importance of duty and respect to their betters. Its wards are moderately well-off and treated well, but the comforts of a happy childhood in the orphanage is rather soured by the fact everything from bedding, food, and even air conditioning are things each child has added to their growing debt. Gukuzan orphanages are scattered across Moghes and there are three on [[Ouerea]]. They are all exclusively managed by a priest on the payroll of the Gukuzan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Kuhwinla&#039;&#039;&#039; clan is lead by Guildmaster Ioaza Kuhwinla, an infamously frugal woman. She refuses to spend any more than she has to on her wards, meaning that those under her care are given the most basic of education. Children raised by her Guild are taught valuable lessons in thrift, obedience, and how to stretch meals to the absolute limit. Its wards are generally barely better than they would be on the street, but they live with a roof over their heads, semi-reliable food, a basic education, and their debt at the end of their life under the Kuhwinla is generally lower than it would be in other orphanages. Kuhwinla orphanages are in nearly every major Unathite city, and they are unique in that they are managed by matriarchs that answer to Ioaza.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;These two surnames are the only ones you may take if you play an orphaned Izweski on the SCCV Horizon!&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Species]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Pages]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Unathi]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38522</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38522"/>
		<updated>2026-02-12T18:17:21Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Outdated (Phoron Scarcity)}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Infobox Species&lt;br /&gt;
 |Species = Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Scientific = U. sapiens / Sinta&#039;Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Image = Unathi410x320.png&lt;br /&gt;
 |System = [[Uueoa-Esa]]&lt;br /&gt;
 |World = [[Moghes]]&lt;br /&gt;
 |Language = Sinta&#039;Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Politic = [[Izweski Hegemony]]&lt;br /&gt;
 }}&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Unathi&#039;&#039;&#039; (direct plural: Unathi – You-NAWH-thee both singular and multiple) (adjective: Unathite - You-NAWH-thit) are a race of tall humanoid reptiles standing from six to seven feet tall on average, with females slightly smaller in stature. They possess a mixture of snake-like and crocodile-like features, resulting in hard and plate-like scales. Unathi live in their home system of Uueoa-Esa with their homeworld being [[Moghes]]. The planet&#039;s history can be summarized as being divided up between various Hegemonies, names they give the most powerful Clans on Moghes throughout time. The Clan system is deeply entrenched in Unathi society with everything else revolving around it. It forms a major part of their code of honor, which stresses the importance of martial abilities and loyalty to the Clan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Unathivillage.png|thumb|alt=Unathi.|Life outside the Untouched Lands remains harsh, with limited or nonexistent Hephaestus presence.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Religion and spirituality play a major role in a Unathi society, and religious differences are the main dividing factor. Conflict between the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and the various [[Th&#039;akh]] faiths of Moghes, as well as the various [[Aut&#039;akh|communes]] and [[Si&#039;akh|cults]], have caused conflict and wars between the Izweski Hegemony and the kingdoms that eventually comprised the Traditionalist Coalition. This conflict hit a peak when they entered the intergalactic stage, which is now known as the [[Contact War]]. After this conflict, some Unathi fled the planet through Hephaestus or NanoTrasen shuttle ports. Unathi fleeing to megacorporations like NanoTrasen find themselves working in security and engineering roles, but recently many have been proving themselves as competent surgeons and brilliant scientists, earning opportunities that Moghes would deny them because of its strict feudal hierarchy. However, others are slipping through the cracks and becoming slavers, raiders, or pirates. As the ability for spaceship construction increases in the Unathi home system, so too does space piracy and smuggling.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Moghes has two different biomes after the Contact War. The fertile Untouched Lands with its great jungles, vast swamps, and lush forests; all of which are protected by massive terraforming equipment kept secure by the Hegemony&#039;s wealth and power. Contrast to that are the bombarded Wasteland kingdoms in the ashes of plains and forests, burnt into a massive planet-spanning desert rampant with [[The_Wasteland#Clan_.22Gawgaryn.22_-_The_Punished_Clans|punished kingdoms raiding to survive]] and [[The_Wasteland#The_Reclaimers|part scavengers living in cities on treads]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To apply to be Unathi, apply [http://aurorastation.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=28 here].&lt;br /&gt;
{{TOC Hidden}}&lt;br /&gt;
== Heads of Staff ==&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi can be the following Heads of Staff:&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Head of Security]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Chief Medical Officer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Research Director]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Chief Engineer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Operations Manager]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Corporate Liaison|Consular Officer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Corporate Liaison]] - [[NanoTrasen]], [[Hephaestus Industries]], [[Zavodskoi Interstellar]] ([[Unathi in Dominia|Dominian Unathi]] only), [[Private Military Contracting Group]] (Dagamuir Freewater Private Forces only), [[Orion Express]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The following groups &#039;&#039;&#039;cannot&#039;&#039;&#039; be Heads of Staff: [[Aut&#039;akh]], Guwan, and Gawgaryn of [[The Wasteland]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Due to their criminal backgrounds, the following groups &#039;&#039;&#039;cannot&#039;&#039;&#039; be played in the Security department: Guwan and Gawgaryn of [[The Wasteland]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Outside of consular officers, command characters should not be of the same clan as any notable lords of the Hegemony. The most prominent clans, such as those of Overlords and the Hegemon himself, are off-limits for command.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Megacorporate Relations===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to 2465, Moghean Unathi that were not members of trade guilds were almost exclusively employed with [[Hephaestus Industries]]. Unathi with guild memberships would primarily take contracts with [[NanoTrasen]] or [[Orion Express]], depending on their career choice. [[Unathi in Dominia|Unathi living in Dominia]], like most of their countrymen, seek employment with [[Zavodskoi Interstellar]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
After the Merchant&#039;s Guild declared bankruptcy, Hephaestus Industries bailed out all Hegemonic guilds and reorganised them under the banner of the company. Since then, nearly all residents of Moghes are employed by Hephaestus in some way. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Mechanics ==&lt;br /&gt;
Mechanical differences from humans and unique emotes listed below:&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Passive&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi are coldblooded which allows slightly improved heat resistance, but increased sensitivity to cold.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi have claws, which slash and improve unarmed melee attacks.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi are incapable of easily digesting alcohol, and ethanol is considered toxic to them.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can only drink alcohol from drinks with butanol instead of ethanol. Butanol gets them drunk similar to ethanol but has no effect on other species.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi get no nutrients from eating fruits and vegetables. They need meat to fill their hunger.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can safely eat carp and consume carpotoxin.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi have the fastest sprint available to any species, but they have low stamina, meaning they can only sprint in short bursts. They also are slower than most other species.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Active Abilities&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can devour monkeys, rats, spiders, carp, and other small mobs by clicking and dragging from the mob to themselves. The animal must hold still for it to work.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi hiss when speaking Tau Ceti Basic. You achieve this by typing multiple s&#039;s during speech. This can also be pronounced through x&#039;s if their accent is thick. &amp;quot;Thisss issss an ekssample.&amp;quot;  You can also &#039;&#039;&#039;Toggle-Auto-Hiss&#039;&#039;&#039; to do this for you.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can sample the air with their tongue.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unique audible emotes: *hiss, *hiss2, *bellow.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Biology ==&lt;br /&gt;
Their average life expectancy is around sixty years for most Unathi. However, they tend to live for well past sixty years when given advanced medical care available to the other space-faring species. As a cold-blooded species, they suffer fatigue and even short comas when exposed to extremely low temperatures.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Humans and Unathi share a lot of similar internal biology with some notable exceptions. Since they are a carnivorous species, their diet mostly consists of meat and animal products, though they do have a tolerance to some plants and fruits. While Unathi do receive minor benefits for eating certain fruits, they do not get any nutrition from plants. Due to their carnivorous nature, they also have an increased stomach capacity to help eat larger meals at a time. The typical Unathi usually only eats one meal a day, and for the poorer sinta, perhaps once every two days. They tend towards lethargic and sluggish movements more often than not because of their evolutionary history, so they move slower than most organic species. However, the cyclical period of work for Unathi compared to other species is much faster. Unathi are polyphasic sleepers: creatures that sleep in shorter naps rather than at one time during the night. While they tend towards sluggishness, sinta are often capable of incredible bursts of energy and speed, and their ability to work in three or four hour periods of time compensates for their more sporadic schedules.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The reproductive system of a Sinta&#039;Unathi is very similar to that of Earth reptiles. Females lay eggs, with the average clutch being somewhere between one and three. They have a six-month gestation period, after which they are laid in a humid, warm area. After two months, the fetus is fully developed and hatches from the egg. Unathi are born with their claws and the ability to walk within hours of hatching. A Sinta&#039;Unathi is considered an adult when they are 16 years old.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Physical Appearance ===&lt;br /&gt;
The Unathi as a species show a great deal of variation within body types as well as clusters of smaller physical traits passed down through clans. Facial and body features range in size and shape with some having raptor-like aesthetics, serpentine looks, or a more draconic body. Tail length is often genetic; conversely, tail girth is defined by a Unathi&#039;s diet as it stores most of the body&#039;s fat— nobles grow some of the largest tails.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi scales are somewhat tougher than human skin, though they shed off sporadically rather than all at once. More vulnerable and hidden spots, such as the stomach and waist, the backs of joints, and inner thighs are all leathery skin and aren&#039;t covered in scales.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The typical healthy adult male Unathi weighs roughly 280 pounds. Female sinta differ from males as they generally have a shorter and more rounded snout. The typical healthy Unathi female weighs roughly 250 pounds. Female Unathi grow to about 5&#039;9&amp;quot; to 6&#039;8, while male Unathi grow to about 6&#039;0&amp;quot; to 7&#039;0&amp;quot;. Unusual heights tend to be smaller in scale, as the taller a Unathi is, the more likely it will be marred with health problems and not live as long as others.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Both sexes stand on digitigrade legs, with three toes on each foot and a hooked dewclaw, and have clawed feet and hands. They also have very long tongues, typically black or extremely dark red in color, which may stretch up to a foot and a half long and are forked just like a serpent&#039;s. In much the same manner as snakes, Unathi can sample the air around them using their tongue. They blink and have tear ducts similar to humans.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi horns do not naturally regrow, and serious damage tends to remain permanent. Ancient recipes using native herbs known as &amp;quot;horn paste&amp;quot; are commonly made and sold by herbalists and can counter cosmetic scratches or minor chipping. More modern synthetic Horn Gel (based on Bone Gel), developed largely by [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]], can regenerate an entire lost horn, but it tends to be stratified to the upper classes and noblemen due to cost.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Lizards.png|thumb|Body dimorphism in Unathi.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Colouration ====&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi are also often born into one of four major scale colour categories: red, black, orange-brown and &amp;quot;sand-colored&amp;quot;, and green. Alternative colours are rare, with dark blue and even albino Unathi being reported in very small numbers. Albinos are sometimes slightly tinted in colour while remaining predominantly white. Traditionally these off-coloured Unathi are met with prejudice, though some clans outside the Izweski may feel different.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It has been noticed that scale colourations were more represented in some areas than other, and thus, many shades of these colours were, in Unathi culture, named after the places they tend to be seen in more often, in many cases.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*Modern red-coloured Unathi are thought to originate from a large nomadic clan that settled South of the Moghresian Sea around modern Skalamar. Nowadays, red-scaled Sinta tend to be seen on the entire Southern coast of the Moghresian Sea and the mountain ranges near it.&lt;br /&gt;
*Today’s green-coloured Unathi hail from the Southern side of the Moghresian sea, and they are seen more often throughout this side of the coast and down to the colder lands even further South. Surprisingly, there is also a large batch of green-coloured Unathi located around Sahl lake, indicating that an old nomadic clan of mostly green Sinta settled there centuries ago.&lt;br /&gt;
*Orange-brown and sand-yellow Unathi comprises a wide range of colours. They are a more common colour to be seen in a large area, and it is believed that their origins come from displacement in ancient conflicts that forced them to migrate and find new homelands. More precisely, Unathi harbouring such colours tend to be more represented in a large area defined between Darakath, Bahard, Mudki, and Yu’kal.&lt;br /&gt;
*Black or “dark-scaled’ Unathi do not seem to originate from any precise area, and instead, tend to be more often seen around colder areas of Moghes, both North and South. A popular theory is that black scales are actually a consequence of exposure to the cold for generations— something that has yet to be proven.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
All colours, barring albino, do not mix; if a brown Unathi and a light red Unathi have a child, the red scales the child has might be a little darker, but the colours do not blend to make something new.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Colour ranges&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Due to the modernization of Moghes as well as the emigration and population displacement from the Contact War, Unathi of any colour can be found nearly anywhere on Moghes. Of course, they are more common in some areas rather than others.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Below are some examples of Unathi scale colour ranges. These cover a majority of the colors; while some deviances from these are normal, there are no neon or pink colors among Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{| align:Center&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
!Usual Unathi colour ranges:&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Green.png|200px|thumb|left|Green colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Brown.png|200px|thumb|left|Brown-orange / sand-yellow colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Red.png|200px|thumb|left|Red colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Black.png|200px|thumb|left|Black colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
{| align:Center&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
!Unusual Unathi colour ranges:&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_white.png|200px|thumb|left|Albino colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Blue.png|200px|thumb|left|Blue colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Green:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Razir Moss:&#039;&#039; RGB 27, 50, 27 / Hex #1B321B&lt;br /&gt;
*An unusually dark shade of green, but certainly not the only one, Unathi from Razir and its surrounding areas tend to have this scale colouration more often than not. As the name suggests, it is quite comparable in colour to the unique moss that tends to grow on rocks and buildings on the Southern coast of the Moghresian sea. The moss was heavily used by healers in the past, as its spongy nature allows to quickly stop bleeding, and its composition can also help in dealing with infection, or at least, limit their spread, until proper medicine can be found, properties that are quite appreciated in a time like the post-Contact-War era, where shortages, of medicine among other things, aren’t so rare depending on the location. Due to its ties with healing, some of the more traditional Unathi tend to see Unathi with such a scale colouration as more feminine.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Sen Emerald:&#039;&#039; RGB 31, 95, 31 / Hex #1F5F1F&lt;br /&gt;
*Considering the name, and the overall concentration of Unathi in the region, it is assumed that those bearing such colouration came from the now-broken city of Sen. Records of where the name comes from exactly has been lost after the Contact War, but theories still exist with recent finds. The reclaimer clan Kikata, operating a landcrawler by the torn cities, on the western coast of the Moghresian sea, noticed several collapsed mines next to what they assumed used to be villages, and in them, among many other minerals, unique green gems. As word has started to spread, many Sinta are now assuming that Sen Emerald refers to these gems.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Teht Mint:&#039;&#039; RGB 85, 149, 85 / Hex #559555&lt;br /&gt;
*Teht Mint is one of the many crops that (nearly) disappeared after the Contact War and its nuclear fallout. As Teht mostly made its fortune from fishing, nearby villages housed the few clans in all of Moghes talented enough to properly harvest the plant, and who kept such a knowledge secret to all of their own. Used as expensive seasoning by only the wealthiest Nobles in the region, these clans, and their village, quickly made a fortune, then came the Contact war. While the city of Teth was spared by the bombing, the many villages around it that didn’t get outright razed by the nukes were abandonned, as their main source of income, the harvesting of the mint, was soon enough gone and made life there unsustainable, leaving only handful of seeds, currently preserved in Teth’s palace in hopes that they may be planted into proper soil another day. In any case, the name “Teht Mint” persist as a way to call the Sintas bearing a light green scale colour that tends to be seen in the area.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Sahl Green:&#039;&#039; RGB 56, 126, 86 / Hex #387E56&lt;br /&gt;
*Lake Sahl, among many other things, was renowned for the unique algae that used to grow in within it, giving it, when the floor was shallow enough, a green-ish tint, something that many local fishers used to call “Sahl’s green halo”. Like many things, these algae died after the Contact War, and the poisoning of the lake due to the ensuing nuclear fallout. Many of the older locals that still remember their time spent fishing in the lake, however, have been continuing to call Unathi living around the lake, bearing a unique shade of green, “Sahl Green”.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Orange-Brown / Sand Coloured:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Mudki Stone:&#039;&#039; RGB 98, 84, 65 / Hex #625441&lt;br /&gt;
*The mountainous city of Mudki has been build with the rocks of the very mountains it stands on and between. These rocks exhibit a strange propriety due to their unique composition, something only found in the area, as, when wet, the usually light-grey, or tan stone, turns to a pale-brown. While a small-scaled group of geologists was dispatched to explain the phenomenon, the researches were cut short by the outbreak of the Contact War, and by now, most Sinta simply have their own explanation, from more science-based ones, to some more related to faith. In any case, people have taken to naming the many Sinta bearing light brown scale colouration, around the area, “Mudki Stone”, and some older, more superstitious inhabitants of Mudki and its surroundings claim that these Unathi can, like the stone, change colour…&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Yu&#039;kal Soil:&#039;&#039; RGB 92, 66, 32 / Hex #5C4220&lt;br /&gt;
*Yu’kal, while far from any of the main lakes or seas of Moghes, was a city that known for its people’s work in aquaculture in smaller bodies of water, natural or, later on, artificial, something that nearby smaller settlements also picked up. While the Contact War and its consequences put an end to such a business, many in the Queendom still remember this time, and how the soil turned damp and darkened from the how humid it could get in some places… Something that led to the naming of the colouration that many of the local Unathi bear, similar shades of brown, “Yu’kal Soil”.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Darakath Brown:&#039;&#039; RGB 158, 116, 60 / Hex #9E743C&lt;br /&gt;
*Darakath Brown, also called “Darakath Copper” by the inhabitants of the once proud capital of the Azarak Kingdom, is ,as the name suggests, a scale colouration mostly seen in Darakath and its surroundings. To the more staunch supporters of the Izweski Hegemony, Sintas with this colours are seen as Traditionalists, and by extent, defeated foes… To others, Unathi with such colouration are treated with kindness, if not (legitimate or not) pity, after the sacking of the city by the end of the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Bahard Cream:&#039;&#039; RGB 233, 178, 104 / Hex #E9B268&lt;br /&gt;
*Bahard, before the nuclear exchange, was one of the largest trading hub on Moghes thanks to its central position, making a fortune through trading. Beside this, however, Bahard was also known for the culinary expertise of its people, access to food from all around Moghes being one of the reason behind such a thing. Bahard Cream, originally referred to the a seasoning whose recipe was lost by the end of the Contact War, generally offered to passing traders. It was its unique colour and popularity that led to the locals, and soon enough, the rest of Moghes, to referring to the scale colouration seen so often around the area in such a way.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Red:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Tak Red:&#039;&#039; RGB 128, 62, 62 / Hex #803E3E&lt;br /&gt;
*Tak used to be a city of relatively modest size, before the nuclear exchange utterly ruined it. Few know why Sinta of this certain shade are thus called “Tak Red”, although researches in Skalamar have led to a theory: fish exports. Most inhabitants made a living through fishing, just like most cities on the coast of the Moghresian sea, although surviving trading records show a higher than average amount of exports from the city. Additionally, texts, and common memory, point that some of the fish unique to Tak’s coast had unique red scales… Although said fishes are extinct by now, everything seems to indicate that this is where the name for this colouration came from.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Skalamar Red:&#039;&#039; 160, 44, 44 / Hex #A02C2C&lt;br /&gt;
*Skalamar Red, also called “Blood Red” by traditionalist and other foes of the Hegemony, is, as the name suggest, more often seen in Skalamar and its neighboring territories. Origins on the name of this colouration were blurry, even before the Contact War, with stories speaking of such colourations having divine origins, from other speaking of a curse, depending on who you ask. In any case, such a colouration is a sign of greatness and valor to some, and of shame and cruelty to some others… Generally depending on who they would have sided with during the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;S&#039;th Berry:&#039;&#039; RGB 125, 6, 6 / Hex #980606&lt;br /&gt;
*S’th Berries are one of the few species of flora that survived the nuclear fallout of the Contact War… Although, not without consequences. While they were once deep red, the berries lost their colour and appear grey-ish; and their sugary taste as been lost, some saying that they now taste like paste instead. Nevertheless, the name given to the colour that many Unathi in the area arbor, remained: Unathi of red scales, red like S’th’s Berries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Black:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Derhai Shadow:&#039;&#039; RGB 17, 22, 16 / Hex #111610&lt;br /&gt;
*Although such a tone can be found a bit everywhere since Derhai’s depopulation, most people can pinpoint that it used to be most often seen in and around great city that stood there, before being abandoned. Due to the highly religious nature that Derhai had, many have been tying (sometimes wrongly) such a scale colouration to Th&#039;akhists.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Janvir Black:&#039;&#039; RGB 28, 28, 28 / Hex #1C1C1C&lt;br /&gt;
*Perhaps a testament to how fast Unathi can evolve and change over generation, Janvir Black is a scale colouration that only appeared around a century after the foundation of the cold metropolis, merely six centuries ago… That is, according to the limited records currently available in the post-Contact War era.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Guzari Night:&#039;&#039; RGB 61, 47, 47 / Hex #3D2F2F&lt;br /&gt;
*There were, allegedly, several small settlements by the coast of the Guzari Sea, despite the freezing temperatures (on Unathi standards, that is), thanks to the unique bounties of the cold Northern Sea. Records seem to indicate, however, that said settlements were abandoned even before the Contact War, something that historians, even to this day, cannot explain, mostly due to the severe loss of historical documents during the conflict. Many Unathi, today, then, see other Sinta with the strange scale colouration known as Guzari Night as quite elusive…&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Albino:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Albino White:&#039;&#039; RGB 178, 178, 178 / Hex #B2B2B2&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Bleached Bone:&#039;&#039; RGB 183, 169, 169 / Hex #3D2F2F&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Blue:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Indigo Blue:&#039;&#039; RGB 35, 55, 189 / Hex #2337BD&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Azure:&#039;&#039; RGB 1, 102, 255 / Hex #0066FF&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Albino and Azure (or Blue) Unathi scale colouration are not tied to any area of Moghes, and instead, generally the result of genetic lottery. How such colourations are perceived varies widely. These Unathi would generally face prejudice in the Hegemony, although some other Sinta from different horizons can exhibit interest for them instead, or simply indifference. &lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Genetic Variety ====&lt;br /&gt;
Besides scale colouration, many other physical aspects of Unathi bodies can vary widely. From horns and frills, to even extra scale crests and different structures in a Unathi’s very skeleton (namely, the skull). While anatomical differences within a species are natural, Unathi are noteworthy for how wide these differences can get and how fast they come to be. The exact science behind this has been lost after the Contact War, and most of the research behind such a phenomena is idly handled by Nanotrasen and Zeng-Hu specialists. However it is assumed that Sinta simply evolve and adapt to their surroundings much faster than most of the other sentient species of the Spur, leading to such large physical discrepancies between Unathi alone.&lt;br /&gt;
From this, it is also assumed that, with Unathi populations moving between planets, and Moghes on its way to changing considerably (may the consequences of the of the Contact War be the of the Sinta homeworld, or may terraforming efforts save it), said biological differences between different groups will only get larger and more exotic in the next few centuries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Genetic Variety&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Unathifaces.png|180px|thumb|right|Zotzo’s Treaty of Biology is one of the first Unathi works dedicated to the study of Sinta biology, and in which the terminology for Unathi facial structure was first established. This is one of the few pages left of the book, found in the ruins of Oket&#039;s Great Library.]] &lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Horns&#039;&#039;&#039; are not tied to specific places, or at least, not directly. There seems to be a hereditary side to it, however, as Unathi more often than not seem to bear the horns of one of their parents (on VERY rare instances carrying the horns of both). Horns, however, do not “mix” and make new shapes, the same way that Unathi scale colourations don’t mix. Horns are arbored by both male and female Sintas, and can be of various tones, from dark gray, near black, to Ivory or even pristine white, and even in some cases, pale brown-ish tones. Contrary to some belief, Unathi horns are bone, and not made of Ivory or any other precious material. Horn size, just like tail size, also depends on a Unathi’s diet. However, while everyone has the potential to grow an enlarged tail, if given enough fat, horn size highly depends on how well-fed a Unathi is during their childhood as they grow. Coupled with one’s horn’s hereditary nature, it is commonly assumed that A Sinta of noble blood will generally have larger horns… A noble who happens to have shorter horns is generally called a New-Noble, as if they were the first of their clan to ascend to noblehood, and by extent the quality diet that tends to come with it.&lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Frills&#039;&#039;&#039;, while hereditary in exactly the same way as horns, tend to be most often seen in Unathi populations living on coasts, or in general humid areas. Frills can be of various colours, so long as they remain in natural Unathi colour ranges. They are constituted of either a bony “support”, or in some rare cases, a cartilaginous one, with skin or scales between and on said “supports”. Since frills are articulated, to some minor degree, Unathi bearing frills tend to be seen as more expressive, as they tend to “open” or “close” their frills, accentuating body language. Frills have generally been associated with Unathi of low-to-middle class, or at least, that have ancestry from such classes, as fishermen and such Unathu are generally depicted with large frills. The validity of such a concept is discussed nowadays. &lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Crests&#039;&#039;&#039; are rather similar to frills in their constitution, although they differ in the sense that, instead of having a thin layer of scaly hide being stretched between its bony or cartilaginous supports, crests are entirely covered in proper hide. One popular example is the infamous “Cobra Hood” (Which is a domination established by the people of the Spur as a whole, and not by Sinta, as Cobras are obviously not native to Moghes). Like frills, Crests can be articulated, although in a much more limited way. Crests are not limited to any place, and just like horns, are instead fully hereditary. Crests were rather rare prior to the Contact War, as it was more common among Unathi population living in rather arid areas, earning the rather poetic name of the “Frills of the dry seas”. After the Nuclear exchange, however, new generations born in a changed Moghes start to come with more and more crests already.&lt;br /&gt;
*Finally, while minor differences in sizes and shapes can be observed in different Unathi populations, one aspect in particular tends to change drastically: &#039;&#039;&#039;skull shapes&#039;&#039;&#039;. The shape of a Unathi’s head seems to vary widely, with some adopting a more draconic appearance, some being closer to smaller lizards, Iguanas, snakes, crocodiles, etc. The way Unathi see their fellow Sinta with this or that facial appearance varies widely depending on their culture. Once again, both due to migration, populations blending with each other and the loss of records due to the Contact War, locating the origins in Unathi faces has proved to be quite the hard endeavor, but some clues, mostly based on interviews of older, surviving Sintas, have been found, and a proper classification is being reestablished:&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Arakhania (“Draconic”)&#039;&#039;: Arakhanian facial structure, also called “Draconic” in Basic, is perhaps the most well known Unathi skull shape in the entire Spur. Perhaps one of the most well spread facial structures nowadays, it is also known as the “head of the nobles”, due to its prevalence among noble populations, with many notable Unathi bearing such a profile (namely the Hegemon himself). Arakhanians tend to have a pointy snout with smooth shapes, and a frontal bone of varying height and steepness.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Thodokhania (“Crocodilian”)&#039;&#039;: Thodokhanian faces come with a larger, longer snouts and more flat heads, comparable to Earth’s crocodiles or alligators (hence the name given to such a profile in Basic: “Crocodilian”.) Unathi with the Thodokianian facial structure have turned rarer and rarer since the Contact War, which led to the belief that the nuclear exchange must’ve erased population centers featuring the bulk of their population.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Imekhania (“Common Lizard-like”)&#039;&#039;: The Imekhanian facial class is as broad as the population it encompasses, being the most represented profile among Sinta. Unathi with the Imekhanian profile come with generally smoother snout shapes and round tips. earning the name “lizard-like” in Basic. According to ancient records and texts, it seems like the Imekhanian profile could be seen everywhere on Moghes, even before the first large population movements.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Senkhania (“Snake-like”)&#039;&#039;: With their flat heads and short snouts, Senkhanians faces are, as their name in Basic suggests, comparable to Earth’s Snakes. While a small part of the population, Unathi with the Senkhanian facial profile are still considered a category of their own, due to their presence in mostly rural areas (something that has yet to be explained), zones that would not tend to be the direct targets of nuclear bombardment during the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Lokhenian (“Others”)&#039;&#039;: Lokhenian facial profile, or “The faces of the Lost” is an all-new, post-Contact War classification, used to designate any facial structure that does not fit in the other aforementioned categories, and are not large enough to warrant a category of their own. Such facial structures are extremely various but also tend to be extremely rare, and it is assumed, that those were already quite rare even before the nuclear exchange, as they were rarely ever recorded in pre-contact war media.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Afflictions and Disabilities ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi, like all species, are prone to conditions that are uncommon among the population. How each Unathi views or handles these is varied due to the traditional cultures of Moghes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Lsh&#039;islasulu, sometimes shortened to &amp;quot;Lsh disorder,&amp;quot; is a rare scale disability affecting very few Unathi. The disorder is poorly studied because of its lacking negative affects and extreme rarity. When suffering from Lsh disorder, Unathi will lose their dead scale cells through a painful peeling process, rather than sporadically. A Unathi suffering from the disorder will need to painfully peel or scrub off their dead scales off once or twice a month in droves. The affliction is caused by increased cell death, and scale cells will die rapidly for no apparent reason. Luckily, this process only causes pain and increased susceptibility to the cold, not causing any damage or making the scales much weaker in terms of durability. Further information is lacking due to little research preformed.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kaasilik is a famously known yet equally rare disorder inflicting unique symptoms. Those suffering from Kaasilik lack any growth of frills, hoods, horns or any other structure on the head or face. While labeled as a disorder, those affected by it suffer no physical drawbacks and are believed to be the result of a genetic lottery in which generations of couples between Unathi with certain horn or frill growth reproduce. While undamaging to the Unathi physically, it can make identifying them from another suffering Unathi difficult at times. Children of these Unathi will likely have very small or limited frill and horn growth.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Albinosm, or Zis&#039;lak, caused by a general lack of pigment in the scales, makes the scales appear totally white, sometimes with a minor tint of green, red or sand/orange, caused by a total lack of pigment. Albinism in Unathi can also cause a unique shift in eye colour; while typical for Unathi to have colours like orange, red or green, albinism can shift the eye colour to an unusual violet. This is due to a lack of eye pigment combined with the light refraction off of the blood vessels within the eye. Unathi that suffer from albinism usually remain away from sunlight as their sensitive scales provide little to no UV protection and put them at risk of burns. Albino Unathi are also often seen as a bad omen at birth, and as such, those within the Hegemony&#039;s lower populated areas are often banished from their clan or in extreme circumstances, even banished from some clans to become Guwan. It should be noted that azure coloured Unathi cannot be albino.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Illiz is a disorder appearing in two states with a wide variety of recorded variation. The disability details highly irregular tail size, this can include tails the size of a finger or tails so long they become a tripping hazard. The former being nicknamed, &amp;quot;Hasik.&amp;quot; Unathi affected by Hasik typically suffer when sprinting, their short tails also prevent fat storage, which results in the fat being stored elsewhere like the arms, thighs, and lower body. The latter mentioned state of Illiz, nicknamed &amp;quot;Hasil,&amp;quot; is the complete opposite. Those affected by Hasil find their tails reaching lengths of up to four feet long. Hasil includes similar issues as Hasik, the most notable of which is it also negatively affects balance. Those with longer tails struggle to sprint, carrying the weight of such a large tail. Culturally, those suffering Hasik are viewed as pathetic and as cowards, while those with longer tails are presumed to be a noble. It should be noted that very few nobles have been documented suffering Hasik, while some, using plastic surgery, increase the size of their tails to mimic Hasil.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Unathi History]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The history of the Unathi is predominately a history of each &#039;&#039;&#039;Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039; that has existed throughout their history. There have only been three clans that have managed to create an empire worthy of the title &#039;Hegemon.&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Kres’ha’nor Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039; lasted from roughly 920 CE - 1500 CE. It is most famous for being the first empire to dominate Moghes and creating what was then a modern feudal state. Their empire saw rise of walled cities, steel weapons, centralized taxation, and other innovations. It ended in a brutal succession war, with Moghes once again being shattered into hundreds of individual Kingdoms with no true global power.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the &#039;&#039;&#039;16th century&#039;&#039;&#039; the power of &#039;&#039;&#039;[[Unathi Guilds|Guilds]]&#039;&#039;&#039; began to grow, forming an early form of mercantilism. Guilds formed for bakers, butchers, grocers, millers, smiths, carpenters, weavers, mason, shoemakers, in fact, nearly every trade had its own guild. Standards such as just weights and measures evolved from the guilds, and guild inspectors would inspect shops to ensure rules were being followed. Guilds would help members that were sick, or in trouble, and would sometimes take care of families after the member died. This time also saw Guilds building the first major universities. While incredibly exclusive, these universities began to create a new era of specialized labor and intellectuals.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;19th century&#039;&#039;&#039; saw rise of the &#039;&#039;&#039;Second Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;, ruled by the &#039;&#039;&#039;Sarakus Clan&#039;&#039;&#039;. Their clan ruled harshly, and forced technological advances into the cities and towns. In the 1930&#039;s they ruthlessly modernized their empire in The Great Endeavor, spreading electricity, radio, paved roads, modern plumbing, and other modern innovations.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In &#039;&#039;&#039;1994&#039;&#039;&#039; the &#039;&#039;&#039;Izweski Clan&#039;&#039;&#039; violently deposed the Sarakus and slaughtered the entire surviving dynasty, declaring the &#039;&#039;&#039;Third Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;. After they won an incredibly destructive global war to defend their claim, the Izweski have ruled Moghes until modern times.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In &#039;&#039;&#039;2403&#039;&#039;&#039;, a human exploration team discovered Moghes. Shortly after, first contact with the Izweski Hegemony was made. Sol Alliance merchants and scientists flocked to Moghes, living under very careful observation and guard in Izweski cities. Skalamar, the second largest city in Izweski, became the first Unathite city to have a shuttle port constructed. Owned by NanoTrasen, it served to transport people to and from the planet’s surface. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[Contact War|The Contact War, which has more information here,]] was a cataclysmic global war that lasted from &#039;&#039;&#039;2438 to 2449&#039;&#039;&#039;. The fighting was between two global powers, the &#039;&#039;&#039;Izweski Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;, and the &#039;&#039;&#039;Traditionalist Coalition&#039;&#039;&#039;. The war was fought over the very future of the Unathi and their relationship with the rest of the galaxy. The Izweski demanded Moghes submit to a one-world government ran by themselves and embrace the influence of humanity. The Traditionalist Coalition rejected this. &#039;&#039;&#039;The war went nuclear on September 5th, 2439&#039;&#039;&#039;, causing immense suffering across Moghes and directly leading to the creation of The Wasteland, which is set to engulf Moghes within a hundred years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Unathi Culture==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Diet and Cuisine ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathite dishes are mostly comprised of meat, eggs, and fish. It may be cooked or even still raw and bleeding. Vegetables in meals are often just for decoration or flavor, but by no means ever make up the majority of the dish. Unathi do not take any nutritional value from plant matter, only from meat. Desert flowers may also be placed on the plate to make it seem well-presented and are also edible. The tools Unathi use to eat are very unorthodox to humans, usually resembling chopsticks banded together near the top. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi generally eat only one large meal a day. The nobility often eat twice a day, while poorer Unathi or those in [[The Wasteland|the Wasteland]] will eat bi-daily: every two days.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To support their civilization, fishing has developed on a scale similar to human agriculture. Since the Contact War, fishing yields have fallen, and hunger has become a fact of life for many Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Language ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi, being deeply traditional, tend to inject their own sayings, proverbs, and similar speech into other languages not native to them. Some concepts of their languages also spill over into tongues foreign to Unathi. For example, Unathi genders follow personal behaviors and societal roles rather than biological sex. While “man”, “male”, and other similar words might serve as a rough translation, “warrior” or the Sinta-Unathi word “Saa” would be more correct and often finds its way into conversation between Unathi and other races. The same is true for “healer” or “Taa”, being somewhat equivalent “woman”, or “female”, while “fisher” or “Kaa” is the Unathi term for someone whose duties revolve around production, commodities, or economic development. Objects also have assigned genders to them, so it is not uncommon for Sinta to refer to objects and inanimate things with genders. Unathi also have a lot of assorted figures of speech that, instead of being based on direction (up and down), are affiliated with time and its speed. A faster rate of time is seen as bad while a slower rate is seen as good in a majority of cases. Good things are categorized by saying something is punctual, progressing on time, is speeding up in time, or has a lot of time while saying the opposite for bad things. Rather than saying &amp;quot;I’m going to bed for the night,&amp;quot; a Unathi might offer &amp;quot;I’m slowing down for the night&amp;quot;; similarly, instead of being &amp;quot;down to hang out,&amp;quot; one would instead say they &amp;quot;want to slow down&amp;quot; with someone else. Examples include, but aren’t limited to: &amp;quot;today’s harvests were timely,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;the day has been slow,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;my body is slowing,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;their sleep is running late,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;I’m accelerating through my studies.&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi names are extraordinarily diverse, ranging from those that string together a bunch of consonants to sounds with many vowels in a row. There are not many commonalities between them besides harder sounds like &#039;ck,&#039; &#039;zh,&#039; &#039;s,&#039; &#039;d,&#039; and &#039;t.&#039; &#039;&#039;&#039;However, names cannot have more than two of the same letter in a row, such as Myo&#039;sssak.&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Many species have developed the joking term &amp;quot;unathisms&amp;quot; for all the various cultural holdovers that get put into other languages they speak.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot; style=&amp;quot;width:99%; overflow:auto;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi Metaphors, Sayings, and Slang&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Sinta— &#039;&#039;meaning Unathi. If the word Unathi can be compared to &amp;quot;Human&amp;quot;, then sinta can be compared to &amp;quot;man&amp;quot;, the latter usually kept out of more serious, official or scientific discussion and instead used in discussions with a more common if not familiar tone. Sinta does not get an S on plural and does not start with a capital letter.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Claws, talons— &#039;&#039;fingers, nails, respectively; however, sometimes satire or exaggeration make use of them interchangeably.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hatchling, egg— &#039;&#039;a child or baby, sometimes also as an insult.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Azure, albino— &#039;&#039;exotic, or unusual; alternatively (and rarely), an archaic and outdated way of calling something awful: &amp;quot;Their tastes are absolutely albino.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hide, scales— &#039;&#039;skin.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Rattle, rattled— &#039;&#039;scared.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Scratch, scratched— &#039;&#039;to write/written.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Tailwag— &#039;&#039;generic insult lacking true meaning and has a weird versatility to it, like referring to someone as a &#039;fuck&#039; or similar.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Blood on my teeth— &#039;&#039;eating, sometimes a gruesome (seen as barbaric) way of describing fighting and other activities.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Lay down my tail/bare my neck— &#039;&#039;let someone walk over you.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Molting— &#039;&#039;getting angry enough over something that it damages your physical health. Used almost explicitly for exaggeration.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Fat-tail— &#039;&#039;an insult usually aimed at nobles.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Quote a limerick— &#039;&#039;to be sassy, snarky, witty.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Grinding my horns— &#039;&#039;getting on their nerves.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Strum— &#039;&#039;gather.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Stomp, stomping— &#039;&#039;a get together (as a noun) or referring to someone being happy (as a verb).&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Echoed song— &#039;&#039;oral tradition.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ghazkus, ghazkii— &#039;&#039;skrell, coming from the word &amp;quot;amphibious&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;ghazii&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kzlth, kzlthii— &#039;&#039;humans, coming from the word &amp;quot;scaleless&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;kazulth&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Imiekran, imiekranes— &#039;&#039;the typical term for dionae meaning &amp;quot;twisted plant&amp;quot; in Sinta’Azaziba, usually a term of endearment; alternatively called aggregates when referring to different forms.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Xsain— &#039;&#039;vaurca, coming from the word &amp;quot;incomprehensible&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;xsa&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
(Note: most of the time this is seen as being a nickname when used outside of Sinta’Unathi or Sinta’Azaziba. If you are particularly friendly with someone that either you don’t know the name of or are referring to someone otherwise, this may be appropriate outside of saying the species’ name.)&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Zo’zyola— &#039;&#039;the equivalent of an angel or a demon. Depending on the context, this is either a compliment or a severe insult.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Dishonored their clan— &#039;&#039;do something to ostracize themselves from society or a group of people.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A tale longer than my own— &#039;&#039;a play on words gaining traction among Sinta who speak Basic. Basically a way of saying &amp;quot;it&#039;s a long story&amp;quot; with similar connotations, but this phrase can also be used to hype up an event. &amp;quot;What did you do during the Solarian Invasion?&amp;quot; &amp;quot;It&#039;s a tale longer than my own— let&#039;s meet up to discuss it.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Heating up— &#039;&#039;a way of setting your guard is going down or that you are even getting bored or tired. &amp;quot;This shift has been uneventful, I can feel it heating up.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Sk&#039;akh&#039;s scales— &#039;&#039;a way of saying &amp;quot;holy shit&amp;quot; or similar swears.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Have an honorable duel for the sake of the game— &#039;&#039;in Sinta&#039;Azaziba and Sinta&#039;Unathi, duel and game are the same word, just with different meanings. This is a play on words in the original tongue and is meant to talk about something that has to be done yet trying to make fun out of it anyway.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
More unclean/unkempt than a Guwan&#039;s feet— &#039;&#039;referring to something being worse than the dirtiest part of a class of undesirables. Phrases like these are more common in the Hegemony and are one of the many methods used to degrade Guwan.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When an arbek eats its tail— &#039;&#039;&amp;quot;when pigs fly.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Preparing the maxtlatl— &#039;&#039;referring to the shaman&#039;s garb. Preparing the maxtlatl is something a shaman does when they feel they are near death; in preparing it, they are readying the skull in the headgear to be replaced by their own. In a sense, if someone is preparing the maxtlatl, they are spelling their own doom or see their demise coming.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the Fourth Nation— &#039;&#039;somewhat of a joke about cycles, playing fun at the fact that the Izweski Hegemony has been a constant throughout history. Traditionalists use this phrase more bitterly and sardonically, however.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By mine and your spirits— &#039;&#039;a way of solemnly swearing; alternatively, asking for guidance if you worship Th’akh.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Three Heads bless me— &#039;&#039;the alternative to &amp;quot;by mine and your spirits&amp;quot; for those that worship Sk’akh.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Bet the Hegemon’s head— &#039;&#039;many people want to kill the Hegemon, so this refers to such a bounty. Usually used as a joke or a dare.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Individual languages are described by the prefix &#039;Sinta&#039; followed by the identity of its native speakers. Speaking mannerisms remain the same when speaking Sinta or another language. For stylistic choices, there are some options. For those raised in or by the Hegemony, avoid contractions like &#039;&#039;it&#039;s&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;they&#039;re&#039;&#039;, which would be &#039;&#039;it is&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;they are&#039;&#039;. Formal Sinta&#039;Unathi lacks this concept of contracting words, and thus it is a difficult concept to understand for these speakers. Those that speak Sinta&#039;Azaziba will talk in other languages in short bursts, similar to how Azaziba has shorter sentences due to gesticulating and speaking at the same time. Accents are wide and diverse; replacing &#039;s&#039; sounds with &#039;th&#039; in a &#039;forced lisp&#039; or even just omitting the sound is a commonality for Unathi that struggle with certain words in other languages (like &#039;suspicious&#039;). This way of speaking is also common when singing in different languages, a trend picking up within the Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sinta&#039;Unathi ====&lt;br /&gt;
While Pre-Contact Moghes had hundreds of unique languages and their own histories, Sinta&#039;Unathi has been and remains the primary language spoken by most Unathi. It is an evolution of an older Moghean trade language, Sinta&#039;Izwe.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The written language has 30 letters, with 5 of them being vowels. The language is written left to right, though this was an attempt to emulate humanity, as informal Sinta&#039;Unathi still write top to bottom.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sinta&#039;Azaziba ====&lt;br /&gt;
Sinta&#039;Azaziba is a language of Moghes consisting of a combination of spoken word and gesticulation. While waning since Moghes entered the galactic stage, it enjoys popular use by Unathi that never fell to the Hegemony&#039;s cultural dominance. Sinta&#039;Azaziba writing has 27 letters, 4 of which being vowels. The language is written from top to bottom.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Unathi Fashion and Make-up ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Fashion on the scale of an entire species is incredibly diverse, much like with other species. There are some common sights seen across most Unathi peoples.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Fashion ====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Clothing is generally something to balance for Unathi, according to one’s need with warmth. Generally, Unathi can dress themselves from head to toe, with shawls and hoods not being an uncommon sight, even if temperatures aren’t outright cold, just to retain warmth for as long as possible. In particularly hot climates, however, or on specific occasions like while sunbathing, Unathi may choose to wear minimal clothing to get as little obstacle as possible between them and the sun, or any other heat source they may be enjoying.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Colors are an essential part of any Unathi outfit. Being particularly fond of vibrant colors, sights of bright reds, oranges, yellows, greens and blues are common, and white and black, though rare for fashion’s sake, are generally used to accentuate colors even more. These colors are often selected to go along with their scale colors, eyes, and so on, the natural colors of a Unathi playing a large part in their fashion choices. Nobility and other wealthy individuals will often show off their status through the use of jewelry, both gemstone and rare, expensive metals like gold and silver. Though the typical bracelets and necklaces can be found, Unathi also use some pieces of jewelry unique to their species, such as horn rings (meant to be worn around one’s horn) or frill-rings (going through the frill, much like with earrings.) Capes and cloaks are also a traditional display of status and function, with for instance the many capes worn by Guild members.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Make-up ====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While most Human cultures see most forms of make-up as feminine, Unathi are different. It’s common for Unathi of all genders to apply make-up. Once again, there are countless forms of make-up and ways to apply them seen across the entire species.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot; style=&amp;quot;width:99%; overflow:auto;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi make-up&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
===== Cosmetics =====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Some of the most popular forms of Unathi make-up include things such as claw-painting, quite comparable to painting nails. This is generally done with bright colors, to accentuate them over the scale colors of the Unathi in question. There are traces of claw-painting being done in pre-Hegemonic times, mainly by warriors, to show off their claws and intimidate their foes, and though this tradition is still practiced by some, claw painting is now also done for the mere sake of fashion. Horns can also be painted, as well as frills for similar effects if the individual in question sports them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===== Scalepaint =====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Scalepaint is a uniquely Unathi form of make-up, and the most popular in the species as well. Due to their need to shed, Unathi cannot sport tattoos normally, but scalepaint constitutes an equivalent. As the name implies, it is a form of paint applied directed on one’s scaly hide. scalepaint can be inconspicuous and small, or extravagant and cover the majority of one’s hide. In any case, however, it is done to go along with, and complement one’s natural hide colors, and completely covering oneself in scalepaint is seen as particularly awkward and a display of shame in oneself.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The practice of using scalepaint dates back to prehistoric times, with hunters covering themselves in a mixture of herbs, dust, and a few pigments to better hide in the foliage to ambush prey; though it quickly-enough became a form of aesthetic as well. The practice to apply scalepaint hasn’t changed much since then; it is a mix of pigments, herbs, and a clay-like substance to be applied directly on one’s scales.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Perhaps what makes Scalepaint so interesting is the sheer amount of work needed to apply and maintain it. First, it must be applied in correct doses. Too much, and the texture will be too thick and completely cover the scaly texture of one’s hide (an easy excuse to be mocked by your fellow sinta), too little, and the color won’t be visible-enough, and completely disappear at the first shed. With the correct amount of paint applied, it should be visible enough without hiding one’s scales, and when the time to shed comes, some remnants of paint should still be visible, acting as a guide for the next layer to be put on this layer of skin as well. This brings us to the second part, the need to maintain scalepaint. A proper scalepaint requires regular maintenance, to be generally re-applied after every shed. This workload makes the most extravagant and encompassing forms of scalepaint a show of both artistry, but also the result of regularly applied, expert artistry.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Because of its need to be re-applied constantly, scalepaint is generally applied and maintained by oneself, and thus, only to places they can reach. As such, only nobles and other wealthy sinta are ever seen sporting scalepaint on their backs, as it requires maintenance from others, generally talented servants.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Zandiziite Games ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Zandiziite Games]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
An ancient sport that got its start on Moghes, this sport is best described as a mixture of Olympic- and MMA-style games. Competitors within the Zandiziite Games are called Zandiziites, or colloquially an individual wrestler is called a Zandi. Clans send eligible men (and only men) to their Lord in the hopes that they are chosen to represent their city or community in the Zandiziite Games.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Unathi Sociality and Society ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Behaviour and Mannerisms ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi generally stare at what they are interested in, so their intense gaze moves with a conversation to whoever is talking. Additionally, pointing can be seen as extremely rude in circumstances. If more than just a passing gesture towards someone, prolonged pointing can be a grave insult to one&#039;s honor and, in some cases, be the reason for crude fighting or even initiate a duel.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi should always be addressed by their last name in most situations. It is offensive to use a Unathi&#039;s first name unless you are family or have a close relationship with them (like family, a lover, or close friend). Some are more permissive than others regarding this. In a situation where there are multiple Unathi with the same last name, it&#039;s generally accepted to just get more and more specific in your address to make it clear who you are speaking to.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi to other species would typically appear sluggish in their movements, though there are some exceptions to this. When working or even when feeling threatened, they typically move short distances with their arms and legs at speeds much faster than normal for other species. This is because they conserve their energy by going slightly slower until they need it for a given task.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Another outstanding behavior that other species would note is an intense gaze. Unathi typically find staring at whoever is speaking to be respectful; however, this intense staring, paired with not blinking often and stooping to look at someone at eye level, is how other species are typically made uncomfortable when engaging with Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For most Unathi being seen speaking to Guwans is embarrassing. A woman associating with a Guwan is extremely improper and indecent, and they can lose social standing by doing so.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Violence can have its place in regular daily life, with playful fighting being commonplace with the peasantry and in the Wasteland. Joking punches and wistful tail flicks that would be normal for Unathi playing around may end up hurting a human, which has led to many jokes about humanity’s weak stature. Shoulder checks and headbutts have their place in more aggressive friendships and is a sign of showing brotherly love.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Emotional Displays ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi exhibit a great variety of emotional body language in ways different from other species. While it is not uncommon for Unathi to attempt to mimic human displays (sometimes with frightening results, for example showing off their large, numerous sharp teeth in a &amp;quot;smile&amp;quot;), they have their own natural, basic emotions that come from biological expression akin to reptiles. It can be very difficult for this species to control their emotionally linked body language as it is engrained in Unathite culture, but exercising restraint is often seen as a sign of nobility or simply an individual who is attempting to better blend in with other species. Over time, these displays can also change to adapt to a different environment, though this process typically takes many years to come to fruition.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For example, baring the entire throat is the single most meaningful expression that can be displayed to another, often used to show trust or vulnerability to someone a Unathi cares about. However, it is not unusual to do this to also surrender to another (such as in a fight), admit shame, or display extreme compassion (when exposed to twine necks with another). Conversely, tilting the snout far down to protect the throat and better display one’s horns is a fight response or to show distrust in another.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When it comes to intimate gestures between Unathi, they usually twine necks or tails, and touch foreheads and snouts together with the same intent that humans kiss. Such displays are usually only reserved for those that are married or to be wed, but with other cultures such as Ouerea, the smaller colonies, or the Empire of Dominia, this tends to be much more relaxed. Hugging is usually considered to be something done by children and avoided by adults.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi often fixate on their surroundings when interested or excited by someone or something. If there is a conversation of multiple people, they often change their gaze to look at whoever is speaking, or at the person speaking they are most interested in. It is considered rude by Unathi to avert your gaze, for that shows that someone can be aloof, distant, or not paying attention fully. Even if afraid and cowering, they tend to look directly at the source of their fear. For other species, when especially happy or interested, they can even stoop down to look at them directly at eye level, or try to raise themselves as much as possible to look other creatures in the eye.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Other physical displays include the ‘tail stomp,’ a phenomenon common during heightened signals of emotion. Typically, these are done when a Sinta is filled with joy or extremely agitated, but can be rarely used when a Unathi is grieving. Other more minor displays are, but aren’t limited to: bristling scales, in response to a cold environment or a ‘chill going down their spine;’ becoming slow and sluggish if extremely comfortable, such as reacting to warmth; swaying, sampling the air, and hissing all are common when in a new environment, with strangers, or even just in certain situations, which shows curiosity, discomfort, or unease.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Verbally, Unathi have some onomatopoeias that they draw on for different emotions. Chuffing, forcefully exhaling air from the throat, can be used to mark mild annoyance in reply to something, or can be used to show amusement. If it comes at the end of a sentence or statement, it can imply that they are being sarcastic or are saying something in good humor. Unathi don’t quite have a laugh; instead, they bark in typically short bursts, in which the sound is often deep, loud, and raucous. Finally, rattling the throat is a fairly common gesture that replaces or accompanies a tail stomp. Sometimes when enraged, throat rattling is accompanied by frills or scales flaring up as well.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As a result of the divide between groups of sinta, some mannerisms are unique to different social groups. For example, nobles tend to tail stomp in response to seeing something that ‘disgusts’ them, whether it be the sight of a heretic or Guwan, something that disgusts olfactory senses, or something else. Peasants on Moghes and most Unathi on Ouerea tend to be ‘overly emotional’ in that they often tilt their snout up somewhat when showing general content or happiness, or down slightly when afraid or unhappy. Dominians often keep their chin tilted up constantly as a sign of pride and even cockiness, showing they aren’t afraid when vulnerable parts are exposed. Of course, this all barely scratches the surface, and there are many gestures unique to cultures and regions that are not enumerated.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Gender Roles ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div style=&amp;quot;font-size:105%; border:2px solid white; margin:0; background:white; padding:.1em; color:black;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi society is highly gender-stratified, with very specific gendered divisions of work and societal role. The Unathi understanding of gender has become tied deeply into these roles, which leads to a structure that humans may find unusual. In Unathi society, gender has little to do with assigned sex, rather being almost entirely dependent on the societal role an individual finds themselves in. The Sinta’Unathi words for ‘warrior’ and ‘male’ are the same, but this is not because one is required to be male to be a warrior - rather, the act of being a warrior is what makes one considered male. To Unathi, gender is not something that one &#039;&#039;is&#039;&#039;, but something that one &#039;&#039;does&#039;&#039;. An Unathi who sought to live as a professional warrior would be considered male by society at large, regardless of their sex at hatching - and regardless of their own thoughts on the matter.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Where this system originates is largely unknown, having existed in some form for most of Unathi recorded history. The earliest known example comes from archaeological discoveries in the [[Tza Prairie]], indicating that ancient Unathi cultures held the Fisher as the feminine role, rather than the Healer - which was reserved for a long-extinct caste of shaman-kings. The gender division in its modern form was likely codified by the early Sk’akh Church or predecessor faiths, though with so much of Moghes’ history now lost to the Wasteland scholars doubt if the origins of such a fundamental part of society will ever be discovered.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The divisions of labor in Unathi society are based on this structure of gender, and it is expressed prominently in religion - the Three Aspects of Sk’akh being the most prevalent examples. The Warrior, Healer, and Fisher are the primary categories into which almost every aspect of Unathi life has been divided for centuries - though as with many Unathi traditions, it is being increasingly challenged in the modern era.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Warrior&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Warrior is the masculine category, under which roles to do with martial affairs tend to fall. Most military positions are considered male due to this, with some rare exceptions being made for medical and support personnel. Outside of direct combat matters, positions in law enforcement and colonial expansion are also widely considered warriors, as are many roles to do with the direct enforcement of a ruler’s will such as governorship, tax collection and announcement of decrees. Unathi identifying as warriors are expected to act with honor in accordance with the [[Unathi Honor|Warriors&#039; Code]]. Vaurca Warriors outside of those in medical or scientific fields are generally gendered as male by Unathi as a result of this.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Healer&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Healer is the feminine category, which is broader than its name might indicate. Positions in the medical field are obviously considered healers, but the category also covers most scholarship and keeping of knowledge in general. The Simiite Reliquary in To’ha’dat is staffed exclusively by Priestesses of the Healer, and holds the complete historical record of the Sk’akh Church. While scholarship in general has never been as gendered as some other categories, the vast majority of Unathi scientists, archivists and researchers would be considered female. The sphere of knowledge and learning also covers the business of spycraft, investigation and diplomacy, with the positions of Spymaster and High Speaker being traditionally female ones. Unathi identifying as healers have less of a concrete code of honor, though in recent years the invention of the [[Unathi Honor|Matriarch&#039;s Code]] has gained some popularity. Vaurca Gynes, as well as Workers and Warriors in medical or scientific fields, are generally gendered as female by Unathi as a result of this.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Fisher&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Fisher is the third Unathi gender, without a direct translation in Tau Ceti Basic. Its sphere covers productive work such as fishing, construction and engineering. Many among the Unathi working class are considered to be fishers, and the title of Master of Rivers is one that traditionally is held by a fisher. In Tau Ceti Basic, gender-neutral pronouns are often used to describe fishers, though due to linguistic differences a fisher may often be gendered as male or female by humans. The sphere of the fisher encompasses many positions to do with economic development, ranging from humble miners, ranchers and fishers all the way to colonial administrators. There is no strict code of honor for fishers similar to that of warriors and healers, though the idea of developing one has been attempted a few times. Vaurca Workers outside of medical or scientific fields are generally gendered as fishers by Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Non-Gendered Roles&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The gender stratification of Unathi society is nearly all-encompassing, though there are some rare positions that can be considered as more than one gender. Rulership is the most notable of these, with the gender of a ruler being considered emblematic of their style of rule - male rulers are considered a good omen for military victory, whereas female rulers are considered a blessing for periods of peace and wisdom and fisher rulers are considered to bring periods of great productivity to their demesne. The title of Hegemon is something of an exception, having always had a connotation of military conquest to it. As such, Hegemons throughout the ages have been recognized as warriors and succession is patriarchal. It is not uncommon, however, for their expressed gender to contrast what is officially recorded by the church; for example, Hegemon Ayzi Sarakus was unofficially seen as a fisher to their confidants and trusted allies. Using various methods, they and others like them have held the throne throughout the Izweski Hegemony’s history - though greatly outnumbered by the warriors.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One role which falls outside any of the three genders is that of the Guwandi. The reason for this is simple. A Guwandi sheds their gender as they shed their name, and for the same reason - it is a sign of the person they once were, before facing such shame that it was left behind. A Guwandi is only referred to as their prior gender when they are confirmed to have died with honour, and the stain of their disgrace can be erased from their history.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In addition, the introduction of Unathi to the interstellar stage has led to a vast array of new roles, which have yet to be neatly assigned to a gender. While some were able to fit into pre-existing categories, other roles such as interstellar piloting, civilian spaceship command and various roles to do with colonial oversight have yet to be fit into one of Unathi society’s well-defined boxes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Changing Gender&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Most Unathi will live in the gender of their work for their entire lives. However, the nature of Unathi gender roles mean that changing one’s gender is fairly common in Unathi society, especially among nobles who may find themselves in a wide number of roles during their lives. It is not uncommon for rulers identifying as female to present as male during wartime, for instance, or for rulers identifying as male to present as a fisher when investing heavily in developing their lands.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the modern age this has become more common among non-nobles, as common Unathi find themselves with a greater degree of social mobility. Many who would have lived and died as fishers find themselves seeking out battle and becoming warriors, or enrolling at institutions such as the [[Unathi_Educational_Institutions#Skalamar_University_of_Medicine|Skalamar University of Medicine]] and identifying themselves as healers. The act of changing one’s gender is, in most Unathi societies, a religious one. In the [[Izweski Heartland]] and other majority Sk’akh regions, these affairs are handled by the Church, while other faiths have their own approaches to it. For Unathi outside the Hegemony, such as those in Biesel or Dominia, less of a spiritual significance tends to be placed on the transition, being treated as more of a personal and private affair.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Traditional Greetings&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A custom often misunderstood by foreigners, traditional greetings are both a way for Unathi to politely greet each other, but also to begin introductions without even saying a word. This tradition dates back to some time in the late first Hegemony, though the greetings themselves had much different forms and uses back then.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In essence, these greetings are done by wordlessly bowing before another, doing so in a specific manner, depending on the Unathi in question&#039;s gender. Doing so is not only polite, if not a show of respect, but also a way for a sinta to present their gender, and by extent the kind of path they have taken in their life.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;The Warrior&#039;s Greeting&#039;&#039; is done by bowing until one would look straight to the floor, while putting a fist on their heart. The legs must remain straight and back curve as little as possible during the entire greeting, lest the Unathi in question be mocked for going a &amp;quot;wounded Warrior&#039;s greeting&amp;quot;, a situation many have faced on their first Warrior&#039;s Greeting. Signifying trust and respect, it is generally considered an honor to be greeted in such way by prestigious warriors, Kataphracts and veterans.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;The Healer&#039;s Greeting&#039;&#039; would have one bow by bending the knees, hunching forward a little with open arms until their claws and horns (frills, crest, or the top of their skull in the case of absence of such) are at roughly the same height. Some can take the greeting a little further, by crossing their legs slightly, bowing deeper, though such a move is generally kept to greet those worthy of great respect. It signifies openness, warmth and vulnerability.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Finally, through &#039;&#039;the Fishers Greeting&#039;&#039;, one would bow by crossing their arms behind their back, bowing with their back, while keeping their gaze at the other person. Signifies listening and understanding, and though seen by many as the easiest of the greetings to achieve, it is not considered lesser than the other two, but rather, a show of the beauty and value of simplicity.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Traditional greetings are not always done with non-Unathi, generally because of their lack of understanding, some sinta choosing to not bother at all. One can also find slight variations to these traditional greetings abroad, in Dominia for instance, where the [[Unathi_in_Dominia|Kazhkz-Han&#039;san]] can be found calling these greetings the &amp;quot;Soldier&#039;s&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;Scholar&#039;s&amp;quot;, and &amp;quot;Artisan&#039;s Greeting&amp;quot; instead, in a mix of Moghesian and Morozian culture.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Outside the Gender Trinary&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In every society, there are those who do not conform to expectations, and the same is true among Unathi. Following the Contact War, many Unathi have challenged the ancient structures of gender that bind their species, seeking to separate their work from their own identification. The first female Kataphract, the Lady H’zala was appointed in 2459, one of the first public examples of a non-warrior permitted in such a strongly gendered role. In the Queendom of Szek-Hakh, the ordinary structures of gender are largely reversed as most of the fighting is done by women - while some present as warriors to the world, most continue to identify themselves as healers. While this is done out of practicality, with most of the realm’s men having perished in the Contact War, it is still viewed as a dramatic aberration from the norm. Abroad, some Unathi have found themselves adopting more human conceptions of gender as something that a person is, rather than something that they do, and choose to present as a gender that does not match their occupation - whether one which matches their sex, or simply based on personal preference.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Many have decried this as alien confusion and an erosion of Sinta tradition, while others welcome or simply do not pay mind to it. Gender is a spiritual matter, after all, and the priests and shamans have yet to come to a definite conclusion about these changing matters. How this will impact Unathi society, built around the strict gender trinary for centuries, remains to be seen.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Gender and Aliens&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To many Unathi, human conceptions of gender are confusing, seemingly arbitrary and without reason. While decades of contact between the two species has helped for better understanding of this, both tend to view the other society’s ideas of gender as strange. Unathi, particularly those less-accustomed to working with aliens, will often gender non-Unathi based on their profession rather than any outward signs, and will find being corrected on this matter particularly confusing. For aliens which lack a concept of gender altogether such as [[Skrell]], [[Vaurca|Vaurcae]] or [[Dionae]], this is generally less of an issue.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On [[Ouerea]], a general understanding has been reached as to human concepts of gender, with the Unathi population coming to understand their alien neighbors’ views. Some of these views have been adopted among the Unathi population, with Archpriest Azente of the Sk’akh Church holding in the belief that an Unathi can do the work of one gender while identifying as another, which has caused him to be labelled as a radical among his fellows. Generally speaking, Skrell on Ouerea do not seem to have any particular trouble assimilating to Unathi notions of gender, though the reasoning behind it can often be confusing to them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Some Diona gestalts which have primarily learned from Unathi - such as those living in the Izweski Hegemony, or among the pirates of the Tarwa Conglomerate - have adopted their own interpretation of Unathi gender. Some more organized gestalts tend to gender their individual nymphs based on the role they play in the whole, while others have developed their own codes of behavior similar to those practiced in Unathi society. More information about them can be found [[Moghresian Dionae|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Most [[Unathi in Dominia|Dominian Unathi]] have, at least in practice, adopted the human model. Though most were born and raised on Moghes and held (perhaps still hold) traditional views, most Unathi choose to adapt to the local Imperial culture for similar reasons as converting to the [[Moroz Holy Tribunal|Holy Tribunal]] - that not respecting the customs and culture of their new home would be dishonorable to those who had welcomed them. Some, particularly among the Han’san and the older Unathi population, do not forget about traditional understandings of gender, still living much as they would on Moghes. To the humans of Dominia, this is largely written off as another alien curiosity of the Unathi, though those who spend more time with them may come to a better understanding of their ways. The newer generations of Unathi born on Imperial soil, however, are generally much more familiar with human ideas of gender than Unathi ones.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Corruption within the Gender Culture ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div style=&amp;quot;font-size:105%; border:2px solid white; margin:0; background:white; padding:.1em; color:black;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While seen from the outside as a relatively progressive development, the fluidity of Unathi gender roles combined with the rigid feudal hierarchy of noble lords and clan leadership presents a wide variety of opportunities for exploitation and abuse. These vary in measure, legally and morally, and if pressed those within positions of power will publicly denounce such practices as dishonorable. However, it’s an open secret that a significant number of the ruling class use these tactics to a greater or lesser degree to ensure their dynasties and interests are protected. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Heirs and Succession&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Arguably one of the most crucial considerations of any noble lord or clan leader, the designation of an heir demands intervention when the current candidate is unwanted or unfavorable. The means by which this is accomplished vary from region to region, but leverage of gender is a widely adopted tactic.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In areas under Izweski rule, succession is patriarchal and the eldest warrior child is traditionally designated heir apparent. Should the natural choice be undesirable it is a common though unspoken practice to cultivate a preferred alternative. If the distinction is made early enough in life, clan heads will attempt to remove older children from succession by enrolling them in education and apprenticeships for healers and fishers. Betrothal contracts can also be drafted which misgender, or pre-gender, a child. Often in negotiation of these matches, care is taken to ensure the other clan’s name is taken and rights of inheritance are explicitly waived. Objection by the child or refusal to uphold the betrothal can be punishable by exile, leaving them few options.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
:If the desired heir does not show sufficient martial prowess, clan leaders can hire combat mentors and may stage public duels where the outcome is predetermined. The opponents in these matches are skilled actors as much as they are combatants, and will shout, bluster, and make oaths to the Warrior and their ancestors before the fight begins to enhance the drama and importance of the duel. They can then expertly claim a believable defeat from even the most inept novice. The most talented of these actors, unofficially referred to as &#039;&#039;hoax-hides&#039;&#039;, are well known in certain noble circles and are paid handsomely for their craft and discretion, and will avoid working in one location for too long to prevent being exposed.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In predominantly Sk’akh regions, legal authority over one’s recognized gender is regulated by the Church. Less scrupulous priests can be bought or persuaded to induce or prevent a change of gender. Some exceptionally lazy or cruel clan leaders will simply fabricate a reason to mark a child as guwandi, stripping them of their clan and gender, and sentence them to exile. This can have unintended consequences however, as the action can be contested within the jurisdiction of the Clan&#039;s local Lord and harsh penalties are imposed for cases in which it can be proven the exile was baseless.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In rural or Th’akhish regions like Tza’an, where the realities of clan survival often take precedence over custom, succession is tied less to gender and more with ensuring healthy children and a robust, able-bodied family. Yet even though harsher, rural life creates greater consequences for meddling in succession, there are still those who will risk much to improve their standing. Leadership typically passes to elder warriors unless they are deemed unfit. If a proposed heir’s existing or planed union would be unlikely to produce offspring then they will often be passed over for a more favorable candidate. A common tactic is to raise concerns regarding an heir’s ability to protect their clan or cast doubt on their health or virility. More recently, there have been recorded examples of unwelcome heirs being assigned to patrols in the wastes in hopes that exposure and radiation will lead to clear signs of weakness and that they might be removed from possible consideration. These schemes are not only dishonorable but also detrimental to the health of the clan and are punished harshly if discovered.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A number of Unathi communities that are technically no longer part of the Hegemony still cling to a hierarchical clan structure and the succession of leadership will sometimes be decided by traditional methods. Some details may differ, but it is not uncommon to see similar tactics as those in the Hegemony used to influence succession and other clan decisions. &lt;br /&gt;
*In the Queendom of Sez-Hakh, for example, succession is matriarchal and falls to the eldest healer child. Due to the necessities of survival after the Contact War the lines separating genders have blurred significantly but abuse of gender culture still occurs. Though aging, Queen Lazak still rules with considerable power and her wishes are reflected in the attitudes of the ruling ladies. Stigma against warrior rule continues to linger and advocates of greater warrior influence are quietly stifled.&lt;br /&gt;
*Communities that have more exposure to human influence tend to allow for all three genders in the rules of succession and gaming the system in these instances requires more finesse. For instance, it&#039;s generally accepted that a warrior is the preferred clan leader during wartime. If a clan leader wished for their warrior child to succeed them, they may initiate a clan war or blood feud prior to stepping down and allowing their warrior children to ascend. The reverse can also be true, and a clan leader might reach out to rivals to begin talks of reconciliation before stepping aside for healer or fisher claimants.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Contracts and Customary Law&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The deep ties gender has within Unathite culture can also be exploited when resolving contracts and disputes. Often this can take the form of discrediting someone’s suitability for a job, an inferred inability to complete work, and breaches of contract where gender is pertinent. Contract manipulation is common and Mazjivsa scribes are customarily retained to ensure proper resolution where possible. They are familiar with popular ploys to either nullify contracts or collect compensation for failure to fulfill obligations and other violations.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One particularly infamous case is widely taught to new scribes during apprenticeship; a contract was created to provide a lord with twenty skilled fishers (engineers) for the construction of new perimeter walls around his compound. Once the crucial process of sinking the foundations and construction of the lower levels was done, progress on the project began to slow and then cease as the fishers were constantly arguing, accusing one another of sabotaging their work, insulting their clan, and myriad other minor slights which climaxed in a spontaneous battle; one worker dead, and two with serious injuries. The lord claimed “they were clearly better suited to spears than tools,” and demanded that the contract be nullified and that half of what he paid be returned in addition to punitive payments stipulated in the contract for the breach. Initially the restitutions were made and the construction of the walls was finished by the lord’s own specialists. It wasn’t until later when a Zo’kaa investigated the incident that the funds were returned and the Lord’s involvement was made known. Under contract from the construction guild, the Zo’kaa uncovered the reason for the change in the fishers’ attitude; an agent, part of the twenty fishers from the guild, had been paid to bring the workers under scrutiny. Once work on the base of the walls was complete, the rest was markedly simpler and cheaper. The lord would have paid less than half the agreed upon amount in the end. Diligent scribes will formalize contract specific processes to resolve potential gender related breaches but this relies on the skill of the scribe hired and is by no means a complete solution.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Other examples of contract manipulation include marriage and betrothal contracts. These contracts often stipulate the genders of the couple and allowances made for surrogates of children, the “Marriage Price”, and additional considerations. If the gender of one party shifts, either naturally or by design, the contract can be nullified and recompense paid.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Mazjivsa Manipulation&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
These scribes, predominantly fishers, are trained to provide counsel in matters of contract negotiation and resolution. Since the collapse of the Mazjivsa guild and the removal of its oversight, some unathi declare themselves Mazjivsa without the proper training and are exiled if discovered. This precarious position can be exploited, and some scribes will find their gender scrutinized if someone stands to gain from the lack of their guidance and expertise.&lt;br /&gt;
A well-known example of this occurred in Skalamar, 2466; a Mazjivsa of clan T’szel was contracted to review agreements made between a local lord and his client. He would not be bought and so the lord began claiming T’szel was an illegitimate scribe and fraud. Enraged, the Mazjivsa demanded a duel so that he might defend his honor. Surprisingly, he was able to draw first blood against one of the lord’s sons, but his victory was used as proof that he was more warrior than fisher. The lord succeeded in having him removed from the contract negotiation, although he was spared exile.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Marriage and Relationships ===&lt;br /&gt;
Relationships for Unathi hinge on responsibility for both involved as most marriages before the Contact War relied on clan leaders arranging marriages to secure alliances. &#039;Dating&#039; has only recently been available to young Unathi and is a foreign concept to most above their late-20&#039;s in age. A Unathi trying to ignore the ritual of arranged marriage is a great insult to both clans involved, which at worst could lead to a blood feud or war. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Clan alliances are formed when two clan leaders mutually decide upon two Unathi to marry and, depending on who is chosen, certain gifts are expected to be bestowed on the allied clans. When the marriage is proposed, a discussion about which Clan Name will be taken arises. This is done through a form of &#039;bidding war&#039;, where one clan must &amp;quot;buy&amp;quot; the right to keeping the name over the other by giving money or resources to the other clan. Marriages may sometimes end up canceled due to both sides refusing to give up their clan name, and in the worst cases, it has led to duels or even wars fought over who has the right to keep the titles.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Surrogates can be called upon for a marriage that cannot fulfill their duty to have children; however, they must be from a member of one of the Clans. Upon the hatching of a hatchling, the expectation most often is that husbands will raise the boys, and wives will raise the girls. If there is only a husband or wife, more traditional Sk&#039;akh families will choose to have another Clan member raise the hatchling up through their expected path.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Same-gender relationships and marriages are largely accepted, with little cultural or religious stigma against them. In more isolated rural clans or among Wastelanders, however, unions that cannot produce hatchlings are often strongly discouraged, particularly under the doctrine of the Si&#039;akh faith. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion and Spirituality ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While various faiths exist on Moghes, many of which are as old as any other, there are two major religions of the Unathi that pervade nearly every aspect of their lives. Th&#039;akh and Sk&#039;akh, both of which predominately focus on ancestor worship and connections with the spirit world.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Th&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
The most pervasive and common religion amongst Unathi. It dates back even before the First Hegemony and, as a byproduct of Unathi stubbornness, has remained central to Unathi spiritualism. The basic concept of Th&#039;akh is that all the spirits of past Unathi now reside in the spirit world that exists in tandem with the material world. These spirits exist in objects and nature - bringing either good luck or sorrow. Particularly nasty natural disasters were often attributed to particularly strong groups of spiteful spirits influencing events in the material world. Th&#039;akh, due to its widespread pervasiveness, has a multitude of forms: ancestor veneration, polytheism (worshipping groups of specific and powerful spirits), and almost witch-like spiritualism are just some of the denominations found among this religion. However, Th&#039;akh almost always has the same group of tenets, which can be found [[Th&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sk&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
The second most common religion, which is followed mostly by Unathi from the Izweski Nation, and enjoys a status as its unofficial state religion. It still follows the ancestor worship of Th&#039;akh, but with a major notable difference: the spirits of all Unathi who die become part of Sk&#039;akh, the Great Spirit. Sk&#039;akh is a gender-neutral God, being called &#039;he&#039; or &#039;she&#039; interchangeably to represent that Ska&#039;kh is a collection of all Unathi. She is often called Three of One because the spirits combine into three minor aspects that are all part of Ska&#039;kh: the Warrior, the Healer, the Fisherman. These three spirits are personifications of the most important aspects of Unathi society. It is said that all three are equally important and that disasters are caused by an imbalance in the Great Three. Priests often stress the importance of balance, both in matters of the spirit as well as in society and personal life. Sk&#039;akh&#039;s dogmatic doctrine can be found [[Sk&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Aut&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
Emerging from the hatred of former warriors, the Aut&#039;akh are a cultish offshoot of Th&#039;akh, comprised of cybernetic-augmented Unathi. They argue the flesh is weak, and something new must be sculpted in its place to strengthen the mind. In the relative safety of their communes scattered across various towns, planets, and systems, they know a rough life, but one easier and more spiritual than those of the cities, they believe. The Aut&#039;akh have yet to truly attain their perfect leaderless society, as their own supposedly-defeated prejudice still runs in quiet circles within communes; meanwhile, society often rebukes and ridicules these fanatical trans-speciests. Their lives are gently guided by the shamans or &amp;quot;paradigms,&amp;quot; which act as the religious advisors and sometimes too the biomechanical engineers of these communes. Aut&#039;akh preach the Contact War was the result of sinta being so consumed by the demons within them that they brought the world to ruin, and all powers, whether that of a government, major religion, or corporation, are inherently corrupt due to the influence of evil spirits. The heathen&#039;s lifestyle and struggles can be found [[Aut&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Aut&#039;akh, due to their radical views on unathi society and society as a whole, are often associated with anyone who breaks tradition. In light of this, Unathi started to develop behaviors and society learned to hate communes and their denizens.&#039;&#039;&#039; Anyone caught being unfaithful to their spouse, in a non-monogamous relationship, rebuking their clan, having a prosthetic, or even talking about their discontent with the Hegemony or other rulers was accused of being an Aut&#039;akh. The term to most became synonymous with anyone who was a perceived troublemaker or heretic, more so than even Si&#039;akh.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Si&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
Born from the fires of the Contact War, Si&#039;akh is a radical Sk&#039;akh heresy that has rapidly spread across the Wasteland. It is lead by charismatic former Sk&#039;akh priest Juzida Si&#039;akh, who claims to be the Messiah for all Unathi. The doctrine claims the Contact War to have been the Final Judgement for the Unathi species caused by their innate wickedness. He claims that all Unathi that died in the &#039;cleansing fire&#039; of the atomic weapons were given salvation, and all Unathi that survived are damned to remain trapped on the Hell of Moghes unless the species and Moghes are rapidly purified. The movement has come into immediate conflict with the orthodox Sk&#039;akh church due to Si&#039;akh claiming it to be completely illegitimate. Its followers are ruthlessly hunted down by the Maraziite Order and many of its followers are fleeing into human space as they try to find personal salvation. Their doomsday cult has [[Si&#039;akh|strict and ascetic principles]] to help Unathi obtain a chance at salvation.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Moghean Society ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Moghes]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:PostCitiesNamed.png|thumb|A map of Moghes with the cities and seas labelled.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Moghean Unathi are traditional Unathi with the planet being their homeworld. Historically culture varies across clans that exist on the planet, but some customs and norms can be found nearly universally in Unathi society.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It is a social faux pas to use a Unathi&#039;s first name if not family or extremely close to the Unathi in question. Generally, a Unathi will tell someone when they feel comfortable with the person using their first name. It is also distressing to touch their tail or at all before introductions are undertaken. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi place great emphasis on oral traditions. Honor and combat are seen as a man&#039;s realm, and women are not held to the same standards of honor. Women are instead expected to be elegant, learned and regal; while fishers are expected to be industrious, faithful and dedicated.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Outside the formal schools of the Untouched Lands, village and town shamans or priests often remain the only source of education for rural young Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Ouerean Society ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Ouerea]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While the Izweski Unathi of Ouerea follow most of the same social beliefs as their Moghean counterparts, they tend to be less volatile towards outsiders who are ignorant of their customs, especially since their world was formerly ruled by the Skrell and Humans. Their cultures have managed to influence Ouerean Unathi, embedding different cultural norms that are not found elsewhere. There is a focus on individualism and younger Unathi shy away from the usual responsibilities held to Unathi toward their clans. There is still a struggle with a highly stratified society, but things are moderately progressive compared to Moghes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Oureaea Ciites.png|thumb|A map of Ouerea, with cities and major locations labelled.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The original colonists started as patriots to the Izweski Hegemony, but many soon found themselves disillusioned with the distant homeworld tearing itself apart in war. Unathi on Ouerea became enamored with the broad ideals of democracy and finding themselves resentful of their old lives on Moghes. Reintegration into the Hegemony proved difficult as both planets had to reconcile these cultural differences. It still remains a minor division among these Unathi to this day.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ouerean art, in contrast to Moghean pottery and dyed fabrics, has taken on inspiration from Human and Skrell art. Many Ouerean Unathi have become renowned glassmakers and craftsmen. The greater access to Human and Skrell universities, many of which still operate on the planet, also give Ouerean Unathi greater chances to work in Human and Skrell systems. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Non-Izweski Unathi ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi of the Hegemony’s territories — the Izweski Hegemony itself, Ouerea, or any of its many colonies — require consent from their clan Lord to make their way out into the greater galaxy, as listed [[Guide to Citizenship#Izweski_Hegemony|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Those that come from outside of the Hegemony and Dominia usually have no official means of recognized citizenship. Wastelanders, privateers, Guwan, and other Unathi must apply for a work visa where they are traveling in order to reside there. This of course carries risks with it: if a Unathi is seen as being problematic, whether committing crimes and misdemeanors or just not living up to the job they’re working, they may have their visa stripped and end up deported to the Hegemony. The Izweski Hegemony does not explicitly ask for these Unathi, especially seeing how they are usually &#039;undesirable&#039;. As there are no officially recognized governments on Moghes besides the Izweski, however, deported persons get sent there. Guwan and Gawgaryn that manage to make their way out of the system to places such as Biesel will face harsh punishment if this happens, so they are the most incentivized to put on their best outward face.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Unathi Physiognomy ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Khaniazwazi, also known as Unathi Physiognomy to outsiders, is a science dedicated to the study of Unathi physical profiles and the deduction of their character from such things. While certainly not new in Unathi history, it has been going through a rebirth in popularity as more resources have been dedicated to the study of Unathi biology and its appearance, to make up for what was lost with the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The validity of such a science is discussed, even among strictly professional fields, and it is no surprise that many individuals and groups have been using this field as a pretext to discriminate against other Sinta, or as a way to make a quick buck from more naive Unathi. Putting these aside however, there are still many variants of Khaniazwazi being practiced, depending on the area, with different interpretations of physical attributes. Generally, however, Khaniazwazi takes into account scale colouration, horns, frills, crests and facial structure; and in some rarer cases, smaller details such as wrinkles, scars, etcetera.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Politics and Factions ==&lt;br /&gt;
Moghes is divided between the Izweski Hegemony and the hundreds of other Clans and nations who claim their own land across the planet&#039;s surface. The only real difference in their political systems is the scale. Many of these other clans are modern nations or pre-industrial, ruled by various kings or leaders. However, with the expansion of the uninhabitable Wasteland and the brutal decimation Izweski forces committed on foreign leadership, many institutions of non-Hegemonic government across Moghes are rare or extremely fragile.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Moghes_porposal.png|thumb|The flag of the Izweski Hegemony. It is said the flag symbolizes the wildfires that frequented Moghes.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Izweski Hegemony ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Izweski Hegemony]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&#039;&#039;&amp;quot;Honour, fire, burn thy fear.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039; - The ancestral motto of Clan Izweski, circa early 20th century&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Izweski Clan is led by Clan Leader [[Notable_Unathi#Not.27zar_Izweski|&#039;&#039;&#039;Not&#039;zar Izweski&#039;&#039;&#039;]], a Unathi who has ruled the Hegemony since his father S&#039;kresti Izweski, the previous Hegemon, was assassinated by his son and Not&#039;zar&#039;s brother. He lives in the Izweski Citadel in Skalamar, and under him are the Lords who rule their own subjugated clans. They live in a feudal system, with the Lords usually being clan leaders or important clan members themselves who pledge themselves to Izweski in exchange for land and protection.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Hegemon is best thought of being the Emperor, and under him are the Overlords, who are the Kings. Under the Overlords are the Lords, who are then broken up between the Clan Lords, and then the Clan Leaders. Clan Leaders are a mostly ceremonial title and make up (usually) the eldest male ruler of a specific family clan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Not&#039;zar&#039;s father, Hegemon S&#039;kresti Izweski, was originally a strong leader of the Izweski clan. Then, after the death of his eldest son in a shuttle crash, the old Hegemon fell into a deep depression, to the point of becoming comatose in the Izweski citadel. After a succession crisis, Not&#039;zar took his place as the Regent and heir for three years, over that time developing the Hegemony into a stable empire. &lt;br /&gt;
[[Image:Minimap hegemony.png|thumb|A closer image focusing on the factions surrounding the Izweski Hegemony&#039;s territory.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Three years later, the Hegemon awoke and took back to the throne, however on his tour to get reacquainted with everything, he was spurred into madness and cursed by &#039;&#039;&#039;Juzida Si&#039;akh&#039;&#039;&#039; which resulted in a civil war to dispute his claim to the throne. In an attempt to destroy his enemies, the old Hegemon attempted to orbitally bombard an enemy city. To stop this dishonorable act, his third son Z&#039;krazi Izweski the Kinslayer assassinated the Hegemon, and after Not&#039;zar&#039;s victory in the Battle of Three Hills the civil war ended.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Now, Not&#039;zar is the Clan Leader, Overlord of Moghes, and Hegemon of the Izweski Hegemony. Despite his severe physical handicap forcing him to walk with a cane, many noblemen have made him an ally, especially including the Guilds who enjoy his globalist attitude.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Overlords rule an entire planet in the name of the Hegemon. Under them are Lords, who can rule huge tracts of land and multiple cities, or just a single city; there is no distinction between a Count and Duke level of Lordship like in most human feudalism.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
There are two different kinds of major lifestyles in the Izweski Hegemony. There is the city, which is ran by a Lord and a small council of lesser clans. City life is less harsh than life in the country, especially with opportunities provided with shuttle services to the rest of the galaxy. Life in the rural areas is harsher, with cities being rare and life mostly determined by the size of a Clan&#039;s village and how well they can hunt, fish, or in desperate times, raid their neighbors. It&#039;s the traditional Unathi life, made harsher by the growing Wasteland encroaching on once-fertile lands.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Queendom of Szek’Hakh ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&#039;&#039;&amp;quot;Refuse to break.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039; - Pre-Contact War Szek&#039;Hakh clan motto.&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A matriarchal region of roughly twenty thousand set in the Wasteland, led by the elderly &#039;&#039;&#039;Queen Lazak Szek&#039;Hakh&#039;&#039;&#039; and her daughters. In her settlement and a large portion of the region surrounding it, her clan has become the protector of her region known as the &#039;Queendom&#039;. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For those living in the Queendom, the gender roles of Unathi are inverted, and many of its people thusly struggle to find opportunities on Moghes and seek employment in Tau Ceti - with the Queen even making connections with pirates, Dominians, and Tajaran smugglers to get her people safely out of the dangerous Wasteland. The Queen is kind under her witty and straightforward attitude, and despite stereotypes, does not actually hate men.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Szek&#039;Hakh clan&#039;s settlement of &#039;&#039;&#039;Yu&#039;kal&#039;&#039;&#039;, originally headed by the Queen&#039;s husband, was built around a cluster of small lakes and focused on aquaculture. When the Contact War&#039;s nukes wiped out the vast majority of men, they adapted to using women as protectors, while using men to keep house. The widowed Lazak Szek’Hakh convinced the shell-shocked and wounded survivors of her clan that she was the only one capable of ruling during this terrifying time, and had taken control of a sizable region of the Wasteland east of Mudki around Yu&#039;kal. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Szek&#039;Hakh Clan became the leading power in their region following the Contact War. Eventually, Szek’Hakh consolidated control of her clan and the settlement, taking matters of survival into her own hands. As the Wasteland engulfed Yu&#039;kal&#039;s lakes, she coordinated a renovation of aquaculture farms and lead expeditions to bring their highly valuable fish products to the distant surviving city of Mudki. Women took prominent roles in all of these, with the necessities of survival in the harsh wasteland fraying Unathite gender roles. A neighboring nobleman, fearing this rise of powerful women, orchestrated to have her assassinated. In a dramatic confrontation, the assassin was foiled and publicly exiled as a Guwandi, and a mob of angry women stormed the nobleman&#039;s estate to &#039;duel him for his dishonor&#039;. This act put the matriarch in the spotlight, sparking Szek’Hakh’s rapid rise of being named Queen by her people.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Queen Szek’Hakh now leads a struggling wasteland settlement in a precarious situation. The traditional Izweski-leaning Unathi find her position an affront to customs, and she struggles to find allies. She tries to walk a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk’akh Church]], the Izweski, and the Wastelander factions - however she is often too straightforward to get far. Her settlement is primarily Th’akh, and she herself follows the faith. She complies (though unwillingly) with the demands of Izweski representatives to expel the prophet [[Notable Unathi|Si&#039;akh]] from her realm when he enters her settlement in his travels, though she quietly allows members of his traveling flock to rest in secret when they pass through her settlement. For the same, she does not tolerate the cult of the [[Aut&#039;akh]], and her people ruthlessly hunt down their unaugmented proselytizers.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Surviving Kingdoms on Moghes ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Despite the destruction of most of the known world from the [[Contact War]], some desperate survivors managed to weather the storm and remain nominally free of Izweski dominance - either from the Izweski&#039;s weariness for war on Moghes, or arrogant indifference.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While the Izweski are reclaiming the Wasteland, they are ruthlessly uprooting and displacing local cultures in the remaining habitable lands. The Outposts were small, fertile enclaves that survived the Contact War surrounded by the Wasteland. Starting in 2461, Not&#039;zar pushed forward terraforming efforts to expand these green yet hostile oases. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Template:UnathiCustomaryLaw}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Notable Information ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Guwandi ===&lt;br /&gt;
In the event that a Unathi becomes terminally ill, or finds themselves lacking the pride or honor to continue to live, or simply become tired of their existence undergo a ritualistic suicide and take the title of &#039;Guwandi&#039; (which is translated to Gladiator/Galdium). They will give up their possessions to their clan leader and make their journey into the Moghes desert. The only things they keep are their weapons which they use to fight animals or other Unathi so that they may die in honorable combat. In the event that two of these Guwandi meet, they will first draw their weapons and adopt a passive stance, which is followed by them telling each other their stories in turn, as well as the reasons behind their choice of adopting the mantle of &#039;Guwandi&#039; and how they wish their remains to be dealt with. When both sides understand the other, combat will begin with a mutual wish of luck that the more worthy of death lose with pride. The winner of the battle is responsible for taking care of the corpse in the way they were instructed to. Renouncing the deathseeking life of Guwandi isn&#039;t easy. Some may wish to return after having been granted a second outlook, or hope, after they had spent time wandering and risking their life. Their clan may see their decision as cowardly and refuse to accept them, or be overjoyed they had learned a lesson in their time.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Guwandi are not an option on the Horizon,&#039;&#039;&#039; yet may be a way in which a character becomes retired, barring [[Traitor|extreme circumstances]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Guwan ===&lt;br /&gt;
In some cases when a Unathi is exiled from their clan, they do not take up the formal title of Guwandi. This can be through fear of death, unwillingness, or simple stubbornness. In this case, they are marked as &#039;Guwan&#039; by their clan leader, and must take this as their last name. It is a variation on Guwandi, which is translated directly as &#039;exile&#039;. Guwans are clanless Unathi, and form an underclass. Guwans find it difficult if not impossible to advance socially or politically, and in many cases are oppressed or mistreated by other Unathi who view them as troublemakers or criminals. The only way of returning to a clan after banishment as a Guwan is to be adopted back into the Clan, which happens very rarely. &#039;&#039;&#039;To no longer be a Guwan, a Unathi must have an upstanding citizen decide to represent them, and then they must both go to court to explain how the Guwan can return into society under a new clan name, be adopted into another clan, or return to their original clan (at Clan Leader&#039;s acceptance.)&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On August 29th, 2459, the Lord-Regent Not&#039;zar Izweski passed an edict that required clans to send a petition to an imperial court when they want to banish a clan member as a Guwan. The court must side with the petitioning Clan Leader or the Unathi in question is not marked as a Guwan. This has caused backlash as the courts have gained a reputation for being incredibly arbitrary in their decisions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the past, all orphans were automatically Guwan unless they are adopted into a Clan. This changed with yet another edict by Not&#039;zar Izweski in December of 2459, which required all orphans, including adults still connected to their orphanage guild via debts or otherwise without parents, to take on the surname of that orphanage.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
Some Guwans have been forced off of Moghes by their clans with the growing ease of space travel, and NanoTrasen has a long history of exploiting this subgroup of Unathi, coercing them into employment contracts.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Guwans are not permitted to petition local Lords to express any grievances, and are not permitted to social services provided by private enterprise or state entities. Guwan are not full citizens of the Hegemony but are considered residents, which additionally bars them from many services.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Upon being declared Guwan, a Unathi is legally stripped of their gender and is not permitted to work in traditional warrior, healer or fisher fields. On documentation coming from Moghes, the &amp;quot;gender&amp;quot; section is generally left blank to reflect this, though in alien spaces the gender is listed as &amp;quot;Neuter&amp;quot; or filled in with an X. Guwan pronouns are strictly listed in neuter terms, and Guwan are legally only permitted to use it/its pronouns. Those that are hiding their status as Guwan are not required to conform to this standard and will often overcompensate their gender presentation in order to continue hiding their identities hidden. &#039;&#039;&#039;Both the limitation on gendered work fields and the usage of pronouns are enforceable by moderation.&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Notably, Guwans are the only social class of Unathi allowed to serve in the personal guard of the Hegemon and his family. The strategy relies on the fact the Guwan Guard are despised and envied by decorated officers that would otherwise serve in traditional guard duties. They are socially isolated and unable to advance politically, which means that its survival depends on the safety of the Hegemon and his family, which means that it wouldn&#039;t try to launch a coup or replace the Hegemon without itself being slaughtered. Similar to an old-Terran Janissary, it&#039;s a slave soldier, and unable to have children or hold any sort of political or military position.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
If a Unathi is the last of their clan, or is otherwise estranged with no one to declare them Guwan, then they may still find themselves challenged by other rival clans who lay claim to this Unathi&#039;s land, titles, inheritance, or name. If they are unable or unwilling to defend their claims (which would involve lengthy court trials on Moghes) then they would be stripped of them and declared Guwan. This means that a Unathi hiding in human space can still be named Guwan if their past, or rivals, catch up with them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Guwans are exclusively a criminal or otherwise dishonorable untouchable class, and it takes a lot to be labelled as one. Because playing a Guwan means you are opting in to being discriminated against by others, a Guwan filing an incident report for anything less than physical assault is a whitelist issue.&#039;&#039;&#039; When in doubt, speak to the Maintainer first.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Orphans and Orphanage Guilds ===&lt;br /&gt;
Orphans in the Hegemony in the past were all labelled as Guwans, but an edict by Not&#039;zar Izweski in December of 2459 changed all that. Hatchlings, child, and teenage Unathi without parents are put in the care of one of the many orphanage guilds on Moghes. These are private run guilds with little to no government oversight. While they fulfill a necessary social service in caring for Unathi that would otherwise be on the streets, orphanage guilds in the Hegemony are incredibly exploitative. Unknown to the children the guilds track all the expenses and charge their wards throughout their life until they turn 17, when they are presented with the bill and are forced to work to repay the crippling debt, and many can be trapped by the fact that their debt would fall on any prospective parents.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Two of these guilds have expanded into large corporations that have found a lucrative method of gaining money from their wards. The &#039;&#039;&#039;Gukuzan&#039;&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;&#039;Kuhwinla&#039;&#039;&#039; Guilds coerce or persuade their wards to accepts contracts for megacorporations, particularly [[Hephaestus Industries]], if they reach adulthood without being adopted. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Gukuzan&#039;&#039;&#039; clan is lead by a Priest Kiazoi, and he ensures that those that enter the care of his guild are given a proper religious education and instilled with the values of the church. Children raised by the Gukuzan are also taught valuable lessons in obedience and the importance of duty and respect to their betters. Its wards are moderately well-off and treated well, but the comforts of a happy childhood in the orphanage is rather soured by the fact everything from bedding, food, and even air conditioning are things each child has added to their growing debt. Gukuzan orphanages are scattered across Moghes and there are three on [[Ouerea]]. They are all exclusively managed by a priest on the payroll of the Gukuzan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Kuhwinla&#039;&#039;&#039; clan is lead by Guildmaster Ioaza Kuhwinla, an infamously frugal woman. She refuses to spend any more than she has to on her wards, meaning that those under her care are given the most basic of education. Children raised by her Guild are taught valuable lessons in thrift, obedience, and how to stretch meals to the absolute limit. Its wards are generally barely better than they would be on the street, but they live with a roof over their heads, semi-reliable food, a basic education, and their debt at the end of their life under the Kuhwinla is generally lower than it would be in other orphanages. Kuhwinla orphanages are in nearly every major Unathite city, and they are unique in that they are managed by matriarchs that answer to Ioaza.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;These two surnames are the only ones you may take if you play an orphaned Izweski on the SCCV Horizon!&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Species]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Pages]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Unathi]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38521</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38521"/>
		<updated>2026-02-12T18:12:55Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Outdated (Phoron Scarcity)}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Infobox Species&lt;br /&gt;
 |Species = Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Scientific = U. sapiens / Sinta&#039;Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Image = Unathi410x320.png&lt;br /&gt;
 |System = [[Uueoa-Esa]]&lt;br /&gt;
 |World = [[Moghes]]&lt;br /&gt;
 |Language = Sinta&#039;Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Politic = [[Izweski Hegemony]]&lt;br /&gt;
 }}&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Unathi&#039;&#039;&#039; (direct plural: Unathi – You-NAWH-thee both singular and multiple) (adjective: Unathite - You-NAWH-thit) are a race of tall humanoid reptiles standing from six to seven feet tall on average, with females slightly smaller in stature. They possess a mixture of snake-like and crocodile-like features, resulting in hard and plate-like scales. Unathi live in their home system of Uueoa-Esa with their homeworld being [[Moghes]]. The planet&#039;s history can be summarized as being divided up between various Hegemonies, names they give the most powerful Clans on Moghes throughout time. The Clan system is deeply entrenched in Unathi society with everything else revolving around it. It forms a major part of their code of honor, which stresses the importance of martial abilities and loyalty to the Clan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Unathivillage.png|thumb|alt=Unathi.|Life outside the Untouched Lands remains harsh, with limited or nonexistent Hephaestus presence.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Religion and spirituality play a major role in a Unathi society, and religious differences are the main dividing factor. Conflict between the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and the various [[Th&#039;akh]] faiths of Moghes, as well as the various [[Aut&#039;akh|communes]] and [[Si&#039;akh|cults]], have caused conflict and wars between the Izweski Hegemony and the kingdoms that eventually comprised the Traditionalist Coalition. This conflict hit a peak when they entered the intergalactic stage, which is now known as the [[Contact War]]. After this conflict, some Unathi fled the planet through Hephaestus or NanoTrasen shuttle ports. Unathi fleeing to megacorporations like NanoTrasen find themselves working in security and engineering roles, but recently many have been proving themselves as competent surgeons and brilliant scientists, earning opportunities that Moghes would deny them because of its strict feudal hierarchy. However, others are slipping through the cracks and becoming slavers, raiders, or pirates. As the ability for spaceship construction increases in the Unathi home system, so too does space piracy and smuggling.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Moghes has two different biomes after the Contact War. The fertile Untouched Lands with its great jungles, vast swamps, and lush forests; all of which are protected by massive terraforming equipment kept secure by the Hegemony&#039;s wealth and power. Contrast to that are the bombarded Wasteland kingdoms in the ashes of plains and forests, burnt into a massive planet-spanning desert rampant with [[The_Wasteland#Clan_.22Gawgaryn.22_-_The_Punished_Clans|punished kingdoms raiding to survive]] and [[The_Wasteland#The_Reclaimers|part scavengers living in cities on treads]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To apply to be Unathi, apply [http://aurorastation.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=28 here].&lt;br /&gt;
{{TOC Hidden}}&lt;br /&gt;
== Heads of Staff ==&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi can be the following Heads of Staff:&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Head of Security]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Chief Medical Officer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Research Director]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Chief Engineer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Operations Manager]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Corporate Liaison|Consular Officer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Corporate Liaison]] - [[NanoTrasen]], [[Hephaestus Industries]], [[Zavodskoi Interstellar]] ([[Unathi in Dominia|Dominian Unathi]] only), [[Private Military Contracting Group]] (Dagamuir Freewater Private Forces only), [[Orion Express]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The following groups &#039;&#039;&#039;cannot&#039;&#039;&#039; be Heads of Staff: [[Aut&#039;akh]], Guwan, and Gawgaryn of [[The Wasteland]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Due to their criminal backgrounds, the following groups &#039;&#039;&#039;cannot&#039;&#039;&#039; be played in the Security department: Guwan and Gawgaryn of [[The Wasteland]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Outside of consular officers, command characters should not be of the same clan as any notable lords of the Hegemony. The most prominent clans, such as those of Overlords and the Hegemon himself, are off-limits for command.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Megacorporate Relations===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to 2465, Moghean Unathi that were not members of trade guilds were almost exclusively employed with [[Hephaestus Industries]]. Unathi with guild memberships would primarily take contracts with [[NanoTrasen]] or [[Orion Express]], depending on their career choice. [[Unathi in Dominia|Unathi living in Dominia]], like most of their countrymen, seek employment with [[Zavodskoi Interstellar]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
After the Merchant&#039;s Guild declared bankruptcy, Hephaestus Industries bailed out all Hegemonic guilds and reorganised them under the banner of the company. Since then, nearly all residents of Moghes are employed by Hephaestus in some way. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Mechanics ==&lt;br /&gt;
Mechanical differences from humans and unique emotes listed below:&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Passive&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi are coldblooded which allows slightly improved heat resistance, but increased sensitivity to cold.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi have claws, which slash and improve unarmed melee attacks.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi are incapable of easily digesting alcohol, and ethanol is considered toxic to them.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can only drink alcohol from drinks with butanol instead of ethanol. Butanol gets them drunk similar to ethanol but has no effect on other species.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi get no nutrients from eating fruits and vegetables. They need meat to fill their hunger.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can safely eat carp and consume carpotoxin.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi have the fastest sprint available to any species, but they have low stamina, meaning they can only sprint in short bursts. They also are slower than most other species.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Active Abilities&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can devour monkeys, rats, spiders, carp, and other small mobs by clicking and dragging from the mob to themselves. The animal must hold still for it to work.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi hiss when speaking Tau Ceti Basic. You achieve this by typing multiple s&#039;s during speech. This can also be pronounced through x&#039;s if their accent is thick. &amp;quot;Thisss issss an ekssample.&amp;quot;  You can also &#039;&#039;&#039;Toggle-Auto-Hiss&#039;&#039;&#039; to do this for you.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can sample the air with their tongue.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unique audible emotes: *hiss, *hiss2, *bellow.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Biology ==&lt;br /&gt;
Their average life expectancy is around sixty years for most Unathi. However, they tend to live for well past sixty years when given advanced medical care available to the other space-faring species. As a cold-blooded species, they suffer fatigue and even short comas when exposed to extremely low temperatures.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Humans and Unathi share a lot of similar internal biology with some notable exceptions. Since they are a carnivorous species, their diet mostly consists of meat and animal products, though they do have a tolerance to some plants and fruits. While Unathi do receive minor benefits for eating certain fruits, they do not get any nutrition from plants. Due to their carnivorous nature, they also have an increased stomach capacity to help eat larger meals at a time. The typical Unathi usually only eats one meal a day, and for the poorer sinta, perhaps once every two days. They tend towards lethargic and sluggish movements more often than not because of their evolutionary history, so they move slower than most organic species. However, the cyclical period of work for Unathi compared to other species is much faster. Unathi are polyphasic sleepers: creatures that sleep in shorter naps rather than at one time during the night. While they tend towards sluggishness, sinta are often capable of incredible bursts of energy and speed, and their ability to work in three or four hour periods of time compensates for their more sporadic schedules.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The reproductive system of a Sinta&#039;Unathi is very similar to that of Earth reptiles. Females lay eggs, with the average clutch being somewhere between one and three. They have a six-month gestation period, after which they are laid in a humid, warm area. After two months, the fetus is fully developed and hatches from the egg. Unathi are born with their claws and the ability to walk within hours of hatching. A Sinta&#039;Unathi is considered an adult when they are 16 years old.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Physical Appearance ===&lt;br /&gt;
The Unathi as a species show a great deal of variation within body types as well as clusters of smaller physical traits passed down through clans. Facial and body features range in size and shape with some having raptor-like aesthetics, serpentine looks, or a more draconic body. Tail length is often genetic; conversely, tail girth is defined by a Unathi&#039;s diet as it stores most of the body&#039;s fat— nobles grow some of the largest tails.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi scales are somewhat tougher than human skin, though they shed off sporadically rather than all at once. More vulnerable and hidden spots, such as the stomach and waist, the backs of joints, and inner thighs are all leathery skin and aren&#039;t covered in scales.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The typical healthy adult male Unathi weighs roughly 280 pounds. Female sinta differ from males as they generally have a shorter and more rounded snout. The typical healthy Unathi female weighs roughly 250 pounds. Female Unathi grow to about 5&#039;9&amp;quot; to 6&#039;8, while male Unathi grow to about 6&#039;0&amp;quot; to 7&#039;0&amp;quot;. Unusual heights tend to be smaller in scale, as the taller a Unathi is, the more likely it will be marred with health problems and not live as long as others.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Both sexes stand on digitigrade legs, with three toes on each foot and a hooked dewclaw, and have clawed feet and hands. They also have very long tongues, typically black or extremely dark red in color, which may stretch up to a foot and a half long and are forked just like a serpent&#039;s. In much the same manner as snakes, Unathi can sample the air around them using their tongue. They blink and have tear ducts similar to humans.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi horns do not naturally regrow, and serious damage tends to remain permanent. Ancient recipes using native herbs known as &amp;quot;horn paste&amp;quot; are commonly made and sold by herbalists and can counter cosmetic scratches or minor chipping. More modern synthetic Horn Gel (based on Bone Gel), developed largely by [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]], can regenerate an entire lost horn, but it tends to be stratified to the upper classes and noblemen due to cost.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Lizards.png|thumb|Body dimorphism in Unathi.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Colouration ====&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi are also often born into one of four major scale colour categories: red, black, orange-brown and &amp;quot;sand-colored&amp;quot;, and green. Alternative colours are rare, with dark blue and even albino Unathi being reported in very small numbers. Albinos are sometimes slightly tinted in colour while remaining predominantly white. Traditionally these off-coloured Unathi are met with prejudice, though some clans outside the Izweski may feel different.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It has been noticed that scale colourations were more represented in some areas than other, and thus, many shades of these colours were, in Unathi culture, named after the places they tend to be seen in more often, in many cases.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*Modern red-coloured Unathi are thought to originate from a large nomadic clan that settled South of the Moghresian Sea around modern Skalamar. Nowadays, red-scaled Sinta tend to be seen on the entire Southern coast of the Moghresian Sea and the mountain ranges near it.&lt;br /&gt;
*Today’s green-coloured Unathi hail from the Southern side of the Moghresian sea, and they are seen more often throughout this side of the coast and down to the colder lands even further South. Surprisingly, there is also a large batch of green-coloured Unathi located around Sahl lake, indicating that an old nomadic clan of mostly green Sinta settled there centuries ago.&lt;br /&gt;
*Orange-brown and sand-yellow Unathi comprises a wide range of colours. They are a more common colour to be seen in a large area, and it is believed that their origins come from displacement in ancient conflicts that forced them to migrate and find new homelands. More precisely, Unathi harbouring such colours tend to be more represented in a large area defined between Darakath, Bahard, Mudki, and Yu’kal.&lt;br /&gt;
*Black or “dark-scaled’ Unathi do not seem to originate from any precise area, and instead, tend to be more often seen around colder areas of Moghes, both North and South. A popular theory is that black scales are actually a consequence of exposure to the cold for generations— something that has yet to be proven.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
All colours, barring albino, do not mix; if a brown Unathi and a light red Unathi have a child, the red scales the child has might be a little darker, but the colours do not blend to make something new.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Colour ranges&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Due to the modernization of Moghes as well as the emigration and population displacement from the Contact War, Unathi of any colour can be found nearly anywhere on Moghes. Of course, they are more common in some areas rather than others.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Below are some examples of Unathi scale colour ranges. These cover a majority of the colors; while some deviances from these are normal, there are no neon or pink colors among Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{| align:Center&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
!Usual Unathi colour ranges:&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Green.png|200px|thumb|left|Green colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Brown.png|200px|thumb|left|Brown-orange / sand-yellow colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Red.png|200px|thumb|left|Red colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Black.png|200px|thumb|left|Black colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
{| align:Center&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
!Unusual Unathi colour ranges:&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_white.png|200px|thumb|left|Albino colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Blue.png|200px|thumb|left|Blue colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Green:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Razir Moss:&#039;&#039; RGB 27, 50, 27 / Hex #1B321B&lt;br /&gt;
*An unusually dark shade of green, but certainly not the only one, Unathi from Razir and its surrounding areas tend to have this scale colouration more often than not. As the name suggests, it is quite comparable in colour to the unique moss that tends to grow on rocks and buildings on the Southern coast of the Moghresian sea. The moss was heavily used by healers in the past, as its spongy nature allows to quickly stop bleeding, and its composition can also help in dealing with infection, or at least, limit their spread, until proper medicine can be found, properties that are quite appreciated in a time like the post-Contact-War era, where shortages, of medicine among other things, aren’t so rare depending on the location. Due to its ties with healing, some of the more traditional Unathi tend to see Unathi with such a scale colouration as more feminine.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Sen Emerald:&#039;&#039; RGB 31, 95, 31 / Hex #1F5F1F&lt;br /&gt;
*Considering the name, and the overall concentration of Unathi in the region, it is assumed that those bearing such colouration came from the now-broken city of Sen. Records of where the name comes from exactly has been lost after the Contact War, but theories still exist with recent finds. The reclaimer clan Kikata, operating a landcrawler by the torn cities, on the western coast of the Moghresian sea, noticed several collapsed mines next to what they assumed used to be villages, and in them, among many other minerals, unique green gems. As word has started to spread, many Sinta are now assuming that Sen Emerald refers to these gems.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Teht Mint:&#039;&#039; RGB 85, 149, 85 / Hex #559555&lt;br /&gt;
*Teht Mint is one of the many crops that (nearly) disappeared after the Contact War and its nuclear fallout. As Teht mostly made its fortune from fishing, nearby villages housed the few clans in all of Moghes talented enough to properly harvest the plant, and who kept such a knowledge secret to all of their own. Used as expensive seasoning by only the wealthiest Nobles in the region, these clans, and their village, quickly made a fortune, then came the Contact war. While the city of Teth was spared by the bombing, the many villages around it that didn’t get outright razed by the nukes were abandonned, as their main source of income, the harvesting of the mint, was soon enough gone and made life there unsustainable, leaving only handful of seeds, currently preserved in Teth’s palace in hopes that they may be planted into proper soil another day. In any case, the name “Teht Mint” persist as a way to call the Sintas bearing a light green scale colour that tends to be seen in the area.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Sahl Green:&#039;&#039; RGB 56, 126, 86 / Hex #387E56&lt;br /&gt;
*Lake Sahl, among many other things, was renowned for the unique algae that used to grow in within it, giving it, when the floor was shallow enough, a green-ish tint, something that many local fishers used to call “Sahl’s green halo”. Like many things, these algae died after the Contact War, and the poisoning of the lake due to the ensuing nuclear fallout. Many of the older locals that still remember their time spent fishing in the lake, however, have been continuing to call Unathi living around the lake, bearing a unique shade of green, “Sahl Green”.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Orange-Brown / Sand Coloured:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Mudki Stone:&#039;&#039; RGB 98, 84, 65 / Hex #625441&lt;br /&gt;
*The mountainous city of Mudki has been build with the rocks of the very mountains it stands on and between. These rocks exhibit a strange propriety due to their unique composition, something only found in the area, as, when wet, the usually light-grey, or tan stone, turns to a pale-brown. While a small-scaled group of geologists was dispatched to explain the phenomenon, the researches were cut short by the outbreak of the Contact War, and by now, most Sinta simply have their own explanation, from more science-based ones, to some more related to faith. In any case, people have taken to naming the many Sinta bearing light brown scale colouration, around the area, “Mudki Stone”, and some older, more superstitious inhabitants of Mudki and its surroundings claim that these Unathi can, like the stone, change colour…&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Yu&#039;kal Soil:&#039;&#039; RGB 92, 66, 32 / Hex #5C4220&lt;br /&gt;
*Yu’kal, while far from any of the main lakes or seas of Moghes, was a city that known for its people’s work in aquaculture in smaller bodies of water, natural or, later on, artificial, something that nearby smaller settlements also picked up. While the Contact War and its consequences put an end to such a business, many in the Queendom still remember this time, and how the soil turned damp and darkened from the how humid it could get in some places… Something that led to the naming of the colouration that many of the local Unathi bear, similar shades of brown, “Yu’kal Soil”.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Darakath Brown:&#039;&#039; RGB 158, 116, 60 / Hex #9E743C&lt;br /&gt;
*Darakath Brown, also called “Darakath Copper” by the inhabitants of the once proud capital of the Azarak Kingdom, is ,as the name suggests, a scale colouration mostly seen in Darakath and its surroundings. To the more staunch supporters of the Izweski Hegemony, Sintas with this colours are seen as Traditionalists, and by extent, defeated foes… To others, Unathi with such colouration are treated with kindness, if not (legitimate or not) pity, after the sacking of the city by the end of the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Bahard Cream:&#039;&#039; RGB 233, 178, 104 / Hex #E9B268&lt;br /&gt;
*Bahard, before the nuclear exchange, was one of the largest trading hub on Moghes thanks to its central position, making a fortune through trading. Beside this, however, Bahard was also known for the culinary expertise of its people, access to food from all around Moghes being one of the reason behind such a thing. Bahard Cream, originally referred to the a seasoning whose recipe was lost by the end of the Contact War, generally offered to passing traders. It was its unique colour and popularity that led to the locals, and soon enough, the rest of Moghes, to referring to the scale colouration seen so often around the area in such a way.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Red:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Tak Red:&#039;&#039; RGB 128, 62, 62 / Hex #803E3E&lt;br /&gt;
*Tak used to be a city of relatively modest size, before the nuclear exchange utterly ruined it. Few know why Sinta of this certain shade are thus called “Tak Red”, although researches in Skalamar have led to a theory: fish exports. Most inhabitants made a living through fishing, just like most cities on the coast of the Moghresian sea, although surviving trading records show a higher than average amount of exports from the city. Additionally, texts, and common memory, point that some of the fish unique to Tak’s coast had unique red scales… Although said fishes are extinct by now, everything seems to indicate that this is where the name for this colouration came from.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Skalamar Red:&#039;&#039; 160, 44, 44 / Hex #A02C2C&lt;br /&gt;
*Skalamar Red, also called “Blood Red” by traditionalist and other foes of the Hegemony, is, as the name suggest, more often seen in Skalamar and its neighboring territories. Origins on the name of this colouration were blurry, even before the Contact War, with stories speaking of such colourations having divine origins, from other speaking of a curse, depending on who you ask. In any case, such a colouration is a sign of greatness and valor to some, and of shame and cruelty to some others… Generally depending on who they would have sided with during the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;S&#039;th Berry:&#039;&#039; RGB 125, 6, 6 / Hex #980606&lt;br /&gt;
*S’th Berries are one of the few species of flora that survived the nuclear fallout of the Contact War… Although, not without consequences. While they were once deep red, the berries lost their colour and appear grey-ish; and their sugary taste as been lost, some saying that they now taste like paste instead. Nevertheless, the name given to the colour that many Unathi in the area arbor, remained: Unathi of red scales, red like S’th’s Berries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Black:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Derhai Shadow:&#039;&#039; RGB 17, 22, 16 / Hex #111610&lt;br /&gt;
*Although such a tone can be found a bit everywhere since Derhai’s depopulation, most people can pinpoint that it used to be most often seen in and around great city that stood there, before being abandoned. Due to the highly religious nature that Derhai had, many have been tying (sometimes wrongly) such a scale colouration to Th&#039;akhists.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Janvir Black:&#039;&#039; RGB 28, 28, 28 / Hex #1C1C1C&lt;br /&gt;
*Perhaps a testament to how fast Unathi can evolve and change over generation, Janvir Black is a scale colouration that only appeared around a century after the foundation of the cold metropolis, merely six centuries ago… That is, according to the limited records currently available in the post-Contact War era.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Guzari Night:&#039;&#039; RGB 61, 47, 47 / Hex #3D2F2F&lt;br /&gt;
*There were, allegedly, several small settlements by the coast of the Guzari Sea, despite the freezing temperatures (on Unathi standards, that is), thanks to the unique bounties of the cold Northern Sea. Records seem to indicate, however, that said settlements were abandoned even before the Contact War, something that historians, even to this day, cannot explain, mostly due to the severe loss of historical documents during the conflict. Many Unathi, today, then, see other Sinta with the strange scale colouration known as Guzari Night as quite elusive…&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Albino:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Albino White:&#039;&#039; RGB 178, 178, 178 / Hex #B2B2B2&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Bleached Bone:&#039;&#039; RGB 183, 169, 169 / Hex #3D2F2F&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Blue:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Indigo Blue:&#039;&#039; RGB 35, 55, 189 / Hex #2337BD&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Azure:&#039;&#039; RGB 1, 102, 255 / Hex #0066FF&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Albino and Azure (or Blue) Unathi scale colouration are not tied to any area of Moghes, and instead, generally the result of genetic lottery. How such colourations are perceived varies widely. These Unathi would generally face prejudice in the Hegemony, although some other Sinta from different horizons can exhibit interest for them instead, or simply indifference. &lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Genetic Variety ====&lt;br /&gt;
Besides scale colouration, many other physical aspects of Unathi bodies can vary widely. From horns and frills, to even extra scale crests and different structures in a Unathi’s very skeleton (namely, the skull). While anatomical differences within a species are natural, Unathi are noteworthy for how wide these differences can get and how fast they come to be. The exact science behind this has been lost after the Contact War, and most of the research behind such a phenomena is idly handled by Nanotrasen and Zeng-Hu specialists. However it is assumed that Sinta simply evolve and adapt to their surroundings much faster than most of the other sentient species of the Spur, leading to such large physical discrepancies between Unathi alone.&lt;br /&gt;
From this, it is also assumed that, with Unathi populations moving between planets, and Moghes on its way to changing considerably (may the consequences of the of the Contact War be the of the Sinta homeworld, or may terraforming efforts save it), said biological differences between different groups will only get larger and more exotic in the next few centuries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Genetic Variety&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Unathifaces.png|180px|thumb|right|Zotzo’s Treaty of Biology is one of the first Unathi works dedicated to the study of Sinta biology, and in which the terminology for Unathi facial structure was first established. This is one of the few pages left of the book, found in the ruins of Oket&#039;s Great Library.]] &lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Horns&#039;&#039;&#039; are not tied to specific places, or at least, not directly. There seems to be a hereditary side to it, however, as Unathi more often than not seem to bear the horns of one of their parents (on VERY rare instances carrying the horns of both). Horns, however, do not “mix” and make new shapes, the same way that Unathi scale colourations don’t mix. Horns are arbored by both male and female Sintas, and can be of various tones, from dark gray, near black, to Ivory or even pristine white, and even in some cases, pale brown-ish tones. Contrary to some belief, Unathi horns are bone, and not made of Ivory or any other precious material. Horn size, just like tail size, also depends on a Unathi’s diet. However, while everyone has the potential to grow an enlarged tail, if given enough fat, horn size highly depends on how well-fed a Unathi is during their childhood as they grow. Coupled with one’s horn’s hereditary nature, it is commonly assumed that A Sinta of noble blood will generally have larger horns… A noble who happens to have shorter horns is generally called a New-Noble, as if they were the first of their clan to ascend to noblehood, and by extent the quality diet that tends to come with it.&lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Frills&#039;&#039;&#039;, while hereditary in exactly the same way as horns, tend to be most often seen in Unathi populations living on coasts, or in general humid areas. Frills can be of various colours, so long as they remain in natural Unathi colour ranges. They are constituted of either a bony “support”, or in some rare cases, a cartilaginous one, with skin or scales between and on said “supports”. Since frills are articulated, to some minor degree, Unathi bearing frills tend to be seen as more expressive, as they tend to “open” or “close” their frills, accentuating body language. Frills have generally been associated with Unathi of low-to-middle class, or at least, that have ancestry from such classes, as fishermen and such Unathu are generally depicted with large frills. The validity of such a concept is discussed nowadays. &lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Crests&#039;&#039;&#039; are rather similar to frills in their constitution, although they differ in the sense that, instead of having a thin layer of scaly hide being stretched between its bony or cartilaginous supports, crests are entirely covered in proper hide. One popular example is the infamous “Cobra Hood” (Which is a domination established by the people of the Spur as a whole, and not by Sinta, as Cobras are obviously not native to Moghes). Like frills, Crests can be articulated, although in a much more limited way. Crests are not limited to any place, and just like horns, are instead fully hereditary. Crests were rather rare prior to the Contact War, as it was more common among Unathi population living in rather arid areas, earning the rather poetic name of the “Frills of the dry seas”. After the Nuclear exchange, however, new generations born in a changed Moghes start to come with more and more crests already.&lt;br /&gt;
*Finally, while minor differences in sizes and shapes can be observed in different Unathi populations, one aspect in particular tends to change drastically: &#039;&#039;&#039;skull shapes&#039;&#039;&#039;. The shape of a Unathi’s head seems to vary widely, with some adopting a more draconic appearance, some being closer to smaller lizards, Iguanas, snakes, crocodiles, etc. The way Unathi see their fellow Sinta with this or that facial appearance varies widely depending on their culture. Once again, both due to migration, populations blending with each other and the loss of records due to the Contact War, locating the origins in Unathi faces has proved to be quite the hard endeavor, but some clues, mostly based on interviews of older, surviving Sintas, have been found, and a proper classification is being reestablished:&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Arakhania (“Draconic”)&#039;&#039;: Arakhanian facial structure, also called “Draconic” in Basic, is perhaps the most well known Unathi skull shape in the entire Spur. Perhaps one of the most well spread facial structures nowadays, it is also known as the “head of the nobles”, due to its prevalence among noble populations, with many notable Unathi bearing such a profile (namely the Hegemon himself). Arakhanians tend to have a pointy snout with smooth shapes, and a frontal bone of varying height and steepness.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Thodokhania (“Crocodilian”)&#039;&#039;: Thodokhanian faces come with a larger, longer snouts and more flat heads, comparable to Earth’s crocodiles or alligators (hence the name given to such a profile in Basic: “Crocodilian”.) Unathi with the Thodokianian facial structure have turned rarer and rarer since the Contact War, which led to the belief that the nuclear exchange must’ve erased population centers featuring the bulk of their population.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Imekhania (“Common Lizard-like”)&#039;&#039;: The Imekhanian facial class is as broad as the population it encompasses, being the most represented profile among Sinta. Unathi with the Imekhanian profile come with generally smoother snout shapes and round tips. earning the name “lizard-like” in Basic. According to ancient records and texts, it seems like the Imekhanian profile could be seen everywhere on Moghes, even before the first large population movements.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Senkhania (“Snake-like”)&#039;&#039;: With their flat heads and short snouts, Senkhanians faces are, as their name in Basic suggests, comparable to Earth’s Snakes. While a small part of the population, Unathi with the Senkhanian facial profile are still considered a category of their own, due to their presence in mostly rural areas (something that has yet to be explained), zones that would not tend to be the direct targets of nuclear bombardment during the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Lokhenian (“Others”)&#039;&#039;: Lokhenian facial profile, or “The faces of the Lost” is an all-new, post-Contact War classification, used to designate any facial structure that does not fit in the other aforementioned categories, and are not large enough to warrant a category of their own. Such facial structures are extremely various but also tend to be extremely rare, and it is assumed, that those were already quite rare even before the nuclear exchange, as they were rarely ever recorded in pre-contact war media.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Afflictions and Disabilities ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi, like all species, are prone to conditions that are uncommon among the population. How each Unathi views or handles these is varied due to the traditional cultures of Moghes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Lsh&#039;islasulu, sometimes shortened to &amp;quot;Lsh disorder,&amp;quot; is a rare scale disability affecting very few Unathi. The disorder is poorly studied because of its lacking negative affects and extreme rarity. When suffering from Lsh disorder, Unathi will lose their dead scale cells through a painful peeling process, rather than sporadically. A Unathi suffering from the disorder will need to painfully peel or scrub off their dead scales off once or twice a month in droves. The affliction is caused by increased cell death, and scale cells will die rapidly for no apparent reason. Luckily, this process only causes pain and increased susceptibility to the cold, not causing any damage or making the scales much weaker in terms of durability. Further information is lacking due to little research preformed.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kaasilik is a famously known yet equally rare disorder inflicting unique symptoms. Those suffering from Kaasilik lack any growth of frills, hoods, horns or any other structure on the head or face. While labeled as a disorder, those affected by it suffer no physical drawbacks and are believed to be the result of a genetic lottery in which generations of couples between Unathi with certain horn or frill growth reproduce. While undamaging to the Unathi physically, it can make identifying them from another suffering Unathi difficult at times. Children of these Unathi will likely have very small or limited frill and horn growth.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Albinosm, or Zis&#039;lak, caused by a general lack of pigment in the scales, makes the scales appear totally white, sometimes with a minor tint of green, red or sand/orange, caused by a total lack of pigment. Albinism in Unathi can also cause a unique shift in eye colour; while typical for Unathi to have colours like orange, red or green, albinism can shift the eye colour to an unusual violet. This is due to a lack of eye pigment combined with the light refraction off of the blood vessels within the eye. Unathi that suffer from albinism usually remain away from sunlight as their sensitive scales provide little to no UV protection and put them at risk of burns. Albino Unathi are also often seen as a bad omen at birth, and as such, those within the Hegemony&#039;s lower populated areas are often banished from their clan or in extreme circumstances, even banished from some clans to become Guwan. It should be noted that azure coloured Unathi cannot be albino.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Illiz is a disorder appearing in two states with a wide variety of recorded variation. The disability details highly irregular tail size, this can include tails the size of a finger or tails so long they become a tripping hazard. The former being nicknamed, &amp;quot;Hasik.&amp;quot; Unathi affected by Hasik typically suffer when sprinting, their short tails also prevent fat storage, which results in the fat being stored elsewhere like the arms, thighs, and lower body. The latter mentioned state of Illiz, nicknamed &amp;quot;Hasil,&amp;quot; is the complete opposite. Those affected by Hasil find their tails reaching lengths of up to four feet long. Hasil includes similar issues as Hasik, the most notable of which is it also negatively affects balance. Those with longer tails struggle to sprint, carrying the weight of such a large tail. Culturally, those suffering Hasik are viewed as pathetic and as cowards, while those with longer tails are presumed to be a noble. It should be noted that very few nobles have been documented suffering Hasik, while some, using plastic surgery, increase the size of their tails to mimic Hasil.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Unathi History]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The history of the Unathi is predominately a history of each &#039;&#039;&#039;Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039; that has existed throughout their history. There have only been three clans that have managed to create an empire worthy of the title &#039;Hegemon.&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Kres’ha’nor Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039; lasted from roughly 920 CE - 1500 CE. It is most famous for being the first empire to dominate Moghes and creating what was then a modern feudal state. Their empire saw rise of walled cities, steel weapons, centralized taxation, and other innovations. It ended in a brutal succession war, with Moghes once again being shattered into hundreds of individual Kingdoms with no true global power.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the &#039;&#039;&#039;16th century&#039;&#039;&#039; the power of &#039;&#039;&#039;[[Unathi Guilds|Guilds]]&#039;&#039;&#039; began to grow, forming an early form of mercantilism. Guilds formed for bakers, butchers, grocers, millers, smiths, carpenters, weavers, mason, shoemakers, in fact, nearly every trade had its own guild. Standards such as just weights and measures evolved from the guilds, and guild inspectors would inspect shops to ensure rules were being followed. Guilds would help members that were sick, or in trouble, and would sometimes take care of families after the member died. This time also saw Guilds building the first major universities. While incredibly exclusive, these universities began to create a new era of specialized labor and intellectuals.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;19th century&#039;&#039;&#039; saw rise of the &#039;&#039;&#039;Second Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;, ruled by the &#039;&#039;&#039;Sarakus Clan&#039;&#039;&#039;. Their clan ruled harshly, and forced technological advances into the cities and towns. In the 1930&#039;s they ruthlessly modernized their empire in The Great Endeavor, spreading electricity, radio, paved roads, modern plumbing, and other modern innovations.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In &#039;&#039;&#039;1994&#039;&#039;&#039; the &#039;&#039;&#039;Izweski Clan&#039;&#039;&#039; violently deposed the Sarakus and slaughtered the entire surviving dynasty, declaring the &#039;&#039;&#039;Third Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;. After they won an incredibly destructive global war to defend their claim, the Izweski have ruled Moghes until modern times.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In &#039;&#039;&#039;2403&#039;&#039;&#039;, a human exploration team discovered Moghes. Shortly after, first contact with the Izweski Hegemony was made. Sol Alliance merchants and scientists flocked to Moghes, living under very careful observation and guard in Izweski cities. Skalamar, the second largest city in Izweski, became the first Unathite city to have a shuttle port constructed. Owned by NanoTrasen, it served to transport people to and from the planet’s surface. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[Contact War|The Contact War, which has more information here,]] was a cataclysmic global war that lasted from &#039;&#039;&#039;2438 to 2449&#039;&#039;&#039;. The fighting was between two global powers, the &#039;&#039;&#039;Izweski Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;, and the &#039;&#039;&#039;Traditionalist Coalition&#039;&#039;&#039;. The war was fought over the very future of the Unathi and their relationship with the rest of the galaxy. The Izweski demanded Moghes submit to a one-world government ran by themselves and embrace the influence of humanity. The Traditionalist Coalition rejected this. &#039;&#039;&#039;The war went nuclear on September 5th, 2439&#039;&#039;&#039;, causing immense suffering across Moghes and directly leading to the creation of The Wasteland, which is set to engulf Moghes within a hundred years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Unathi Culture==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Diet and Cuisine ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathite dishes are mostly comprised of meat, eggs, and fish. It may be cooked or even still raw and bleeding. Vegetables in meals are often just for decoration or flavor, but by no means ever make up the majority of the dish. Unathi do not take any nutritional value from plant matter, only from meat. Desert flowers may also be placed on the plate to make it seem well-presented and are also edible. The tools Unathi use to eat are very unorthodox to humans, usually resembling chopsticks banded together near the top. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi generally eat only one large meal a day. The nobility often eat twice a day, while poorer Unathi or those in [[The Wasteland|the Wasteland]] will eat bi-daily: every two days.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To support their civilization, fishing has developed on a scale similar to human agriculture. Since the Contact War, fishing yields have fallen, and hunger has become a fact of life for many Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Language ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi, being deeply traditional, tend to inject their own sayings, proverbs, and similar speech into other languages not native to them. Some concepts of their languages also spill over into tongues foreign to Unathi. For example, Unathi genders follow personal behaviors and societal roles rather than biological sex. While “man”, “male”, and other similar words might serve as a rough translation, “warrior” or the Sinta-Unathi word “Saa” would be more correct and often finds its way into conversation between Unathi and other races. The same is true for “healer” or “Taa”, being considered equivalent to “woman”, or “female”, while “fisher” or “Kaa” is the Unathi term for someone whose duties revolve around production, commodities, or economic development. Objects also have assigned genders to them, so it is not uncommon for Sinta to refer to objects and inanimate things with genders. Unathi also have a lot of assorted figures of speech that, instead of being based on direction (up and down), are affiliated with time and its speed. A faster rate of time is seen as bad while a slower rate is seen as good in a majority of cases. Good things are categorized by saying something is punctual, progressing on time, is speeding up in time, or has a lot of time while saying the opposite for bad things. Rather than saying &amp;quot;I’m going to bed for the night,&amp;quot; a Unathi might offer &amp;quot;I’m slowing down for the night&amp;quot;; similarly, instead of being &amp;quot;down to hang out,&amp;quot; one would instead say they &amp;quot;want to slow down&amp;quot; with someone else. Examples include, but aren’t limited to: &amp;quot;today’s harvests were timely,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;the day has been slow,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;my body is slowing,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;their sleep is running late,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;I’m accelerating through my studies.&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi names are extraordinarily diverse, ranging from those that string together a bunch of consonants to sounds with many vowels in a row. There are not many commonalities between them besides harder sounds like &#039;ck,&#039; &#039;zh,&#039; &#039;s,&#039; &#039;d,&#039; and &#039;t.&#039; &#039;&#039;&#039;However, names cannot have more than two of the same letter in a row, such as Myo&#039;sssak.&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Many species have developed the joking term &amp;quot;unathisms&amp;quot; for all the various cultural holdovers that get put into other languages they speak.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot; style=&amp;quot;width:99%; overflow:auto;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi Metaphors, Sayings, and Slang&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Sinta— &#039;&#039;meaning Unathi. If the word Unathi can be compared to &amp;quot;Human&amp;quot;, then sinta can be compared to &amp;quot;man&amp;quot;, the latter usually kept out of more serious, official or scientific discussion and instead used in discussions with a more common if not familiar tone. Sinta does not get an S on plural and does not start with a capital letter.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Claws, talons— &#039;&#039;fingers, nails, respectively; however, sometimes satire or exaggeration make use of them interchangeably.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hatchling, egg— &#039;&#039;a child or baby, sometimes also as an insult.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Azure, albino— &#039;&#039;exotic, or unusual; alternatively (and rarely), an archaic and outdated way of calling something awful: &amp;quot;Their tastes are absolutely albino.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hide, scales— &#039;&#039;skin.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Rattle, rattled— &#039;&#039;scared.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Scratch, scratched— &#039;&#039;to write/written.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Tailwag— &#039;&#039;generic insult lacking true meaning and has a weird versatility to it, like referring to someone as a &#039;fuck&#039; or similar.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Blood on my teeth— &#039;&#039;eating, sometimes a gruesome (seen as barbaric) way of describing fighting and other activities.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Lay down my tail/bare my neck— &#039;&#039;let someone walk over you.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Molting— &#039;&#039;getting angry enough over something that it damages your physical health. Used almost explicitly for exaggeration.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Fat-tail— &#039;&#039;an insult usually aimed at nobles.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Quote a limerick— &#039;&#039;to be sassy, snarky, witty.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Grinding my horns— &#039;&#039;getting on their nerves.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Strum— &#039;&#039;gather.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Stomp, stomping— &#039;&#039;a get together (as a noun) or referring to someone being happy (as a verb).&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Echoed song— &#039;&#039;oral tradition.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ghazkus, ghazkii— &#039;&#039;skrell, coming from the word &amp;quot;amphibious&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;ghazii&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kzlth, kzlthii— &#039;&#039;humans, coming from the word &amp;quot;scaleless&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;kazulth&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Imiekran, imiekranes— &#039;&#039;the typical term for dionae meaning &amp;quot;twisted plant&amp;quot; in Sinta’Azaziba, usually a term of endearment; alternatively called aggregates when referring to different forms.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Xsain— &#039;&#039;vaurca, coming from the word &amp;quot;incomprehensible&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;xsa&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
(Note: most of the time this is seen as being a nickname when used outside of Sinta’Unathi or Sinta’Azaziba. If you are particularly friendly with someone that either you don’t know the name of or are referring to someone otherwise, this may be appropriate outside of saying the species’ name.)&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Zo’zyola— &#039;&#039;the equivalent of an angel or a demon. Depending on the context, this is either a compliment or a severe insult.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Dishonored their clan— &#039;&#039;do something to ostracize themselves from society or a group of people.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A tale longer than my own— &#039;&#039;a play on words gaining traction among Sinta who speak Basic. Basically a way of saying &amp;quot;it&#039;s a long story&amp;quot; with similar connotations, but this phrase can also be used to hype up an event. &amp;quot;What did you do during the Solarian Invasion?&amp;quot; &amp;quot;It&#039;s a tale longer than my own— let&#039;s meet up to discuss it.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Heating up— &#039;&#039;a way of setting your guard is going down or that you are even getting bored or tired. &amp;quot;This shift has been uneventful, I can feel it heating up.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Sk&#039;akh&#039;s scales— &#039;&#039;a way of saying &amp;quot;holy shit&amp;quot; or similar swears.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Have an honorable duel for the sake of the game— &#039;&#039;in Sinta&#039;Azaziba and Sinta&#039;Unathi, duel and game are the same word, just with different meanings. This is a play on words in the original tongue and is meant to talk about something that has to be done yet trying to make fun out of it anyway.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
More unclean/unkempt than a Guwan&#039;s feet— &#039;&#039;referring to something being worse than the dirtiest part of a class of undesirables. Phrases like these are more common in the Hegemony and are one of the many methods used to degrade Guwan.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When an arbek eats its tail— &#039;&#039;&amp;quot;when pigs fly.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Preparing the maxtlatl— &#039;&#039;referring to the shaman&#039;s garb. Preparing the maxtlatl is something a shaman does when they feel they are near death; in preparing it, they are readying the skull in the headgear to be replaced by their own. In a sense, if someone is preparing the maxtlatl, they are spelling their own doom or see their demise coming.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the Fourth Nation— &#039;&#039;somewhat of a joke about cycles, playing fun at the fact that the Izweski Hegemony has been a constant throughout history. Traditionalists use this phrase more bitterly and sardonically, however.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By mine and your spirits— &#039;&#039;a way of solemnly swearing; alternatively, asking for guidance if you worship Th’akh.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Three Heads bless me— &#039;&#039;the alternative to &amp;quot;by mine and your spirits&amp;quot; for those that worship Sk’akh.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Bet the Hegemon’s head— &#039;&#039;many people want to kill the Hegemon, so this refers to such a bounty. Usually used as a joke or a dare.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Individual languages are described by the prefix &#039;Sinta&#039; followed by the identity of its native speakers. Speaking mannerisms remain the same when speaking Sinta or another language. For stylistic choices, there are some options. For those raised in or by the Hegemony, avoid contractions like &#039;&#039;it&#039;s&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;they&#039;re&#039;&#039;, which would be &#039;&#039;it is&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;they are&#039;&#039;. Formal Sinta&#039;Unathi lacks this concept of contracting words, and thus it is a difficult concept to understand for these speakers. Those that speak Sinta&#039;Azaziba will talk in other languages in short bursts, similar to how Azaziba has shorter sentences due to gesticulating and speaking at the same time. Accents are wide and diverse; replacing &#039;s&#039; sounds with &#039;th&#039; in a &#039;forced lisp&#039; or even just omitting the sound is a commonality for Unathi that struggle with certain words in other languages (like &#039;suspicious&#039;). This way of speaking is also common when singing in different languages, a trend picking up within the Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sinta&#039;Unathi ====&lt;br /&gt;
While Pre-Contact Moghes had hundreds of unique languages and their own histories, Sinta&#039;Unathi has been and remains the primary language spoken by most Unathi. It is an evolution of an older Moghean trade language, Sinta&#039;Izwe.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The written language has 30 letters, with 5 of them being vowels. The language is written left to right, though this was an attempt to emulate humanity, as informal Sinta&#039;Unathi still write top to bottom.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sinta&#039;Azaziba ====&lt;br /&gt;
Sinta&#039;Azaziba is a language of Moghes consisting of a combination of spoken word and gesticulation. While waning since Moghes entered the galactic stage, it enjoys popular use by Unathi that never fell to the Hegemony&#039;s cultural dominance. Sinta&#039;Azaziba writing has 27 letters, 4 of which being vowels. The language is written from top to bottom.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Unathi Fashion and Make-up ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Fashion on the scale of an entire species is incredibly diverse, much like with other species. There are some common sights seen across most Unathi peoples.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Fashion ====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Clothing is generally something to balance for Unathi, according to one’s need with warmth. Generally, Unathi can dress themselves from head to toe, with shawls and hoods not being an uncommon sight, even if temperatures aren’t outright cold, just to retain warmth for as long as possible. In particularly hot climates, however, or on specific occasions like while sunbathing, Unathi may choose to wear minimal clothing to get as little obstacle as possible between them and the sun, or any other heat source they may be enjoying.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Colors are an essential part of any Unathi outfit. Being particularly fond of vibrant colors, sights of bright reds, oranges, yellows, greens and blues are common, and white and black, though rare for fashion’s sake, are generally used to accentuate colors even more. These colors are often selected to go along with their scale colors, eyes, and so on, the natural colors of a Unathi playing a large part in their fashion choices. Nobility and other wealthy individuals will often show off their status through the use of jewelry, both gemstone and rare, expensive metals like gold and silver. Though the typical bracelets and necklaces can be found, Unathi also use some pieces of jewelry unique to their species, such as horn rings (meant to be worn around one’s horn) or frill-rings (going through the frill, much like with earrings.) Capes and cloaks are also a traditional display of status and function, with for instance the many capes worn by Guild members.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Make-up ====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While most Human cultures see most forms of make-up as feminine, Unathi are different. It’s common for Unathi of all genders to apply make-up. Once again, there are countless forms of make-up and ways to apply them seen across the entire species.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot; style=&amp;quot;width:99%; overflow:auto;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi make-up&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
===== Cosmetics =====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Some of the most popular forms of Unathi make-up include things such as claw-painting, quite comparable to painting nails. This is generally done with bright colors, to accentuate them over the scale colors of the Unathi in question. There are traces of claw-painting being done in pre-Hegemonic times, mainly by warriors, to show off their claws and intimidate their foes, and though this tradition is still practiced by some, claw painting is now also done for the mere sake of fashion. Horns can also be painted, as well as frills for similar effects if the individual in question sports them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===== Scalepaint =====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Scalepaint is a uniquely Unathi form of make-up, and the most popular in the species as well. Due to their need to shed, Unathi cannot sport tattoos normally, but scalepaint constitutes an equivalent. As the name implies, it is a form of paint applied directed on one’s scaly hide. scalepaint can be inconspicuous and small, or extravagant and cover the majority of one’s hide. In any case, however, it is done to go along with, and complement one’s natural hide colors, and completely covering oneself in scalepaint is seen as particularly awkward and a display of shame in oneself.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The practice of using scalepaint dates back to prehistoric times, with hunters covering themselves in a mixture of herbs, dust, and a few pigments to better hide in the foliage to ambush prey; though it quickly-enough became a form of aesthetic as well. The practice to apply scalepaint hasn’t changed much since then; it is a mix of pigments, herbs, and a clay-like substance to be applied directly on one’s scales.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Perhaps what makes Scalepaint so interesting is the sheer amount of work needed to apply and maintain it. First, it must be applied in correct doses. Too much, and the texture will be too thick and completely cover the scaly texture of one’s hide (an easy excuse to be mocked by your fellow sinta), too little, and the color won’t be visible-enough, and completely disappear at the first shed. With the correct amount of paint applied, it should be visible enough without hiding one’s scales, and when the time to shed comes, some remnants of paint should still be visible, acting as a guide for the next layer to be put on this layer of skin as well. This brings us to the second part, the need to maintain scalepaint. A proper scalepaint requires regular maintenance, to be generally re-applied after every shed. This workload makes the most extravagant and encompassing forms of scalepaint a show of both artistry, but also the result of regularly applied, expert artistry.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Because of its need to be re-applied constantly, scalepaint is generally applied and maintained by oneself, and thus, only to places they can reach. As such, only nobles and other wealthy sinta are ever seen sporting scalepaint on their backs, as it requires maintenance from others, generally talented servants.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Zandiziite Games ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Zandiziite Games]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
An ancient sport that got its start on Moghes, this sport is best described as a mixture of Olympic- and MMA-style games. Competitors within the Zandiziite Games are called Zandiziites, or colloquially an individual wrestler is called a Zandi. Clans send eligible men (and only men) to their Lord in the hopes that they are chosen to represent their city or community in the Zandiziite Games.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Unathi Sociality and Society ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Behaviour and Mannerisms ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi generally stare at what they are interested in, so their intense gaze moves with a conversation to whoever is talking. Additionally, pointing can be seen as extremely rude in circumstances. If more than just a passing gesture towards someone, prolonged pointing can be a grave insult to one&#039;s honor and, in some cases, be the reason for crude fighting or even initiate a duel.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi should always be addressed by their last name in most situations. It is offensive to use a Unathi&#039;s first name unless you are family or have a close relationship with them (like family, a lover, or close friend). Some are more permissive than others regarding this. In a situation where there are multiple Unathi with the same last name, it&#039;s generally accepted to just get more and more specific in your address to make it clear who you are speaking to.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi to other species would typically appear sluggish in their movements, though there are some exceptions to this. When working or even when feeling threatened, they typically move short distances with their arms and legs at speeds much faster than normal for other species. This is because they conserve their energy by going slightly slower until they need it for a given task.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Another outstanding behavior that other species would note is an intense gaze. Unathi typically find staring at whoever is speaking to be respectful; however, this intense staring, paired with not blinking often and stooping to look at someone at eye level, is how other species are typically made uncomfortable when engaging with Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For most Unathi being seen speaking to Guwans is embarrassing. A woman associating with a Guwan is extremely improper and indecent, and they can lose social standing by doing so.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Violence can have its place in regular daily life, with playful fighting being commonplace with the peasantry and in the Wasteland. Joking punches and wistful tail flicks that would be normal for Unathi playing around may end up hurting a human, which has led to many jokes about humanity’s weak stature. Shoulder checks and headbutts have their place in more aggressive friendships and is a sign of showing brotherly love.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Emotional Displays ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi exhibit a great variety of emotional body language in ways different from other species. While it is not uncommon for Unathi to attempt to mimic human displays (sometimes with frightening results, for example showing off their large, numerous sharp teeth in a &amp;quot;smile&amp;quot;), they have their own natural, basic emotions that come from biological expression akin to reptiles. It can be very difficult for this species to control their emotionally linked body language as it is engrained in Unathite culture, but exercising restraint is often seen as a sign of nobility or simply an individual who is attempting to better blend in with other species. Over time, these displays can also change to adapt to a different environment, though this process typically takes many years to come to fruition.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For example, baring the entire throat is the single most meaningful expression that can be displayed to another, often used to show trust or vulnerability to someone a Unathi cares about. However, it is not unusual to do this to also surrender to another (such as in a fight), admit shame, or display extreme compassion (when exposed to twine necks with another). Conversely, tilting the snout far down to protect the throat and better display one’s horns is a fight response or to show distrust in another.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When it comes to intimate gestures between Unathi, they usually twine necks or tails, and touch foreheads and snouts together with the same intent that humans kiss. Such displays are usually only reserved for those that are married or to be wed, but with other cultures such as Ouerea, the smaller colonies, or the Empire of Dominia, this tends to be much more relaxed. Hugging is usually considered to be something done by children and avoided by adults.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi often fixate on their surroundings when interested or excited by someone or something. If there is a conversation of multiple people, they often change their gaze to look at whoever is speaking, or at the person speaking they are most interested in. It is considered rude by Unathi to avert your gaze, for that shows that someone can be aloof, distant, or not paying attention fully. Even if afraid and cowering, they tend to look directly at the source of their fear. For other species, when especially happy or interested, they can even stoop down to look at them directly at eye level, or try to raise themselves as much as possible to look other creatures in the eye.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Other physical displays include the ‘tail stomp,’ a phenomenon common during heightened signals of emotion. Typically, these are done when a Sinta is filled with joy or extremely agitated, but can be rarely used when a Unathi is grieving. Other more minor displays are, but aren’t limited to: bristling scales, in response to a cold environment or a ‘chill going down their spine;’ becoming slow and sluggish if extremely comfortable, such as reacting to warmth; swaying, sampling the air, and hissing all are common when in a new environment, with strangers, or even just in certain situations, which shows curiosity, discomfort, or unease.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Verbally, Unathi have some onomatopoeias that they draw on for different emotions. Chuffing, forcefully exhaling air from the throat, can be used to mark mild annoyance in reply to something, or can be used to show amusement. If it comes at the end of a sentence or statement, it can imply that they are being sarcastic or are saying something in good humor. Unathi don’t quite have a laugh; instead, they bark in typically short bursts, in which the sound is often deep, loud, and raucous. Finally, rattling the throat is a fairly common gesture that replaces or accompanies a tail stomp. Sometimes when enraged, throat rattling is accompanied by frills or scales flaring up as well.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As a result of the divide between groups of sinta, some mannerisms are unique to different social groups. For example, nobles tend to tail stomp in response to seeing something that ‘disgusts’ them, whether it be the sight of a heretic or Guwan, something that disgusts olfactory senses, or something else. Peasants on Moghes and most Unathi on Ouerea tend to be ‘overly emotional’ in that they often tilt their snout up somewhat when showing general content or happiness, or down slightly when afraid or unhappy. Dominians often keep their chin tilted up constantly as a sign of pride and even cockiness, showing they aren’t afraid when vulnerable parts are exposed. Of course, this all barely scratches the surface, and there are many gestures unique to cultures and regions that are not enumerated.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Gender Roles ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div style=&amp;quot;font-size:105%; border:2px solid white; margin:0; background:white; padding:.1em; color:black;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi society is highly gender-stratified, with very specific gendered divisions of work and societal role. The Unathi understanding of gender has become tied deeply into these roles, which leads to a structure that humans may find unusual. In Unathi society, gender has little to do with assigned sex, rather being almost entirely dependent on the societal role an individual finds themselves in. The Sinta’Unathi words for ‘warrior’ and ‘male’ are the same, but this is not because one is required to be male to be a warrior - rather, the act of being a warrior is what makes one considered male. To Unathi, gender is not something that one &#039;&#039;is&#039;&#039;, but something that one &#039;&#039;does&#039;&#039;. An Unathi who sought to live as a professional warrior would be considered male by society at large, regardless of their sex at hatching - and regardless of their own thoughts on the matter.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Where this system originates is largely unknown, having existed in some form for most of Unathi recorded history. The earliest known example comes from archaeological discoveries in the [[Tza Prairie]], indicating that ancient Unathi cultures held the Fisher as the feminine role, rather than the Healer - which was reserved for a long-extinct caste of shaman-kings. The gender division in its modern form was likely codified by the early Sk’akh Church or predecessor faiths, though with so much of Moghes’ history now lost to the Wasteland scholars doubt if the origins of such a fundamental part of society will ever be discovered.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The divisions of labor in Unathi society are based on this structure of gender, and it is expressed prominently in religion - the Three Aspects of Sk’akh being the most prevalent examples. The Warrior, Healer, and Fisher are the primary categories into which almost every aspect of Unathi life has been divided for centuries - though as with many Unathi traditions, it is being increasingly challenged in the modern era.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Warrior&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Warrior is the masculine category, under which roles to do with martial affairs tend to fall. Most military positions are considered male due to this, with some rare exceptions being made for medical and support personnel. Outside of direct combat matters, positions in law enforcement and colonial expansion are also widely considered warriors, as are many roles to do with the direct enforcement of a ruler’s will such as governorship, tax collection and announcement of decrees. Unathi identifying as warriors are expected to act with honor in accordance with the [[Unathi Honor|Warriors&#039; Code]]. Vaurca Warriors outside of those in medical or scientific fields are generally gendered as male by Unathi as a result of this.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Healer&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Healer is the feminine category, which is broader than its name might indicate. Positions in the medical field are obviously considered healers, but the category also covers most scholarship and keeping of knowledge in general. The Simiite Reliquary in To’ha’dat is staffed exclusively by Priestesses of the Healer, and holds the complete historical record of the Sk’akh Church. While scholarship in general has never been as gendered as some other categories, the vast majority of Unathi scientists, archivists and researchers would be considered female. The sphere of knowledge and learning also covers the business of spycraft, investigation and diplomacy, with the positions of Spymaster and High Speaker being traditionally female ones. Unathi identifying as healers have less of a concrete code of honor, though in recent years the invention of the [[Unathi Honor|Matriarch&#039;s Code]] has gained some popularity. Vaurca Gynes, as well as Workers and Warriors in medical or scientific fields, are generally gendered as female by Unathi as a result of this.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Fisher&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Fisher is the third Unathi gender, without a direct translation in Tau Ceti Basic. Its sphere covers productive work such as fishing, construction and engineering. Many among the Unathi working class are considered to be fishers, and the title of Master of Rivers is one that traditionally is held by a fisher. In Tau Ceti Basic, gender-neutral pronouns are often used to describe fishers, though due to linguistic differences a fisher may often be gendered as male or female by humans. The sphere of the fisher encompasses many positions to do with economic development, ranging from humble miners, ranchers and fishers all the way to colonial administrators. There is no strict code of honor for fishers similar to that of warriors and healers, though the idea of developing one has been attempted a few times. Vaurca Workers outside of medical or scientific fields are generally gendered as fishers by Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Non-Gendered Roles&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The gender stratification of Unathi society is nearly all-encompassing, though there are some rare positions that can be considered as more than one gender. Rulership is the most notable of these, with the gender of a ruler being considered emblematic of their style of rule - male rulers are considered a good omen for military victory, whereas female rulers are considered a blessing for periods of peace and wisdom and fisher rulers are considered to bring periods of great productivity to their demesne. The title of Hegemon is something of an exception, having always had a connotation of military conquest to it. As such, Hegemons throughout the ages have been recognized as warriors and succession is patriarchal. It is not uncommon, however, for their expressed gender to contrast what is officially recorded by the church; for example, Hegemon Ayzi Sarakus was unofficially seen as a fisher to their confidants and trusted allies. Using various methods, they and others like them have held the throne throughout the Izweski Hegemony’s history - though greatly outnumbered by the warriors.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One role which falls outside any of the three genders is that of the Guwandi. The reason for this is simple. A Guwandi sheds their gender as they shed their name, and for the same reason - it is a sign of the person they once were, before facing such shame that it was left behind. A Guwandi is only referred to as their prior gender when they are confirmed to have died with honour, and the stain of their disgrace can be erased from their history.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In addition, the introduction of Unathi to the interstellar stage has led to a vast array of new roles, which have yet to be neatly assigned to a gender. While some were able to fit into pre-existing categories, other roles such as interstellar piloting, civilian spaceship command and various roles to do with colonial oversight have yet to be fit into one of Unathi society’s well-defined boxes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Changing Gender&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Most Unathi will live in the gender of their work for their entire lives. However, the nature of Unathi gender roles mean that changing one’s gender is fairly common in Unathi society, especially among nobles who may find themselves in a wide number of roles during their lives. It is not uncommon for rulers identifying as female to present as male during wartime, for instance, or for rulers identifying as male to present as a fisher when investing heavily in developing their lands.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the modern age this has become more common among non-nobles, as common Unathi find themselves with a greater degree of social mobility. Many who would have lived and died as fishers find themselves seeking out battle and becoming warriors, or enrolling at institutions such as the [[Unathi_Educational_Institutions#Skalamar_University_of_Medicine|Skalamar University of Medicine]] and identifying themselves as healers. The act of changing one’s gender is, in most Unathi societies, a religious one. In the [[Izweski Heartland]] and other majority Sk’akh regions, these affairs are handled by the Church, while other faiths have their own approaches to it. For Unathi outside the Hegemony, such as those in Biesel or Dominia, less of a spiritual significance tends to be placed on the transition, being treated as more of a personal and private affair.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Traditional Greetings&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A custom often misunderstood by foreigners, traditional greetings are both a way for Unathi to politely greet each other, but also to begin introductions without even saying a word. This tradition dates back to some time in the late first Hegemony, though the greetings themselves had much different forms and uses back then.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In essence, these greetings are done by wordlessly bowing before another, doing so in a specific manner, depending on the Unathi in question&#039;s gender. Doing so is not only polite, if not a show of respect, but also a way for a sinta to present their gender, and by extent the kind of path they have taken in their life.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;The Warrior&#039;s Greeting&#039;&#039; is done by bowing until one would look straight to the floor, while putting a fist on their heart. The legs must remain straight and back curve as little as possible during the entire greeting, lest the Unathi in question be mocked for going a &amp;quot;wounded Warrior&#039;s greeting&amp;quot;, a situation many have faced on their first Warrior&#039;s Greeting. Signifying trust and respect, it is generally considered an honor to be greeted in such way by prestigious warriors, Kataphracts and veterans.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;The Healer&#039;s Greeting&#039;&#039; would have one bow by bending the knees, hunching forward a little with open arms until their claws and horns (frills, crest, or the top of their skull in the case of absence of such) are at roughly the same height. Some can take the greeting a little further, by crossing their legs slightly, bowing deeper, though such a move is generally kept to greet those worthy of great respect. It signifies openness, warmth and vulnerability.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Finally, through &#039;&#039;the Fishers Greeting&#039;&#039;, one would bow by crossing their arms behind their back, bowing with their back, while keeping their gaze at the other person. Signifies listening and understanding, and though seen by many as the easiest of the greetings to achieve, it is not considered lesser than the other two, but rather, a show of the beauty and value of simplicity.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Traditional greetings are not always done with non-Unathi, generally because of their lack of understanding, some sinta choosing to not bother at all. One can also find slight variations to these traditional greetings abroad, in Dominia for instance, where the [[Unathi_in_Dominia|Kazhkz-Han&#039;san]] can be found calling these greetings the &amp;quot;Soldier&#039;s&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;Scholar&#039;s&amp;quot;, and &amp;quot;Artisan&#039;s Greeting&amp;quot; instead, in a mix of Moghesian and Morozian culture.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Outside the Gender Trinary&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In every society, there are those who do not conform to expectations, and the same is true among Unathi. Following the Contact War, many Unathi have challenged the ancient structures of gender that bind their species, seeking to separate their work from their own identification. The first female Kataphract, the Lady H’zala was appointed in 2459, one of the first public examples of a non-warrior permitted in such a strongly gendered role. In the Queendom of Szek-Hakh, the ordinary structures of gender are largely reversed as most of the fighting is done by women - while some present as warriors to the world, most continue to identify themselves as healers. While this is done out of practicality, with most of the realm’s men having perished in the Contact War, it is still viewed as a dramatic aberration from the norm. Abroad, some Unathi have found themselves adopting more human conceptions of gender as something that a person is, rather than something that they do, and choose to present as a gender that does not match their occupation - whether one which matches their sex, or simply based on personal preference.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Many have decried this as alien confusion and an erosion of Sinta tradition, while others welcome or simply do not pay mind to it. Gender is a spiritual matter, after all, and the priests and shamans have yet to come to a definite conclusion about these changing matters. How this will impact Unathi society, built around the strict gender trinary for centuries, remains to be seen.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Gender and Aliens&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To many Unathi, human conceptions of gender are confusing, seemingly arbitrary and without reason. While decades of contact between the two species has helped for better understanding of this, both tend to view the other society’s ideas of gender as strange. Unathi, particularly those less-accustomed to working with aliens, will often gender non-Unathi based on their profession rather than any outward signs, and will find being corrected on this matter particularly confusing. For aliens which lack a concept of gender altogether such as [[Skrell]], [[Vaurca|Vaurcae]] or [[Dionae]], this is generally less of an issue.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On [[Ouerea]], a general understanding has been reached as to human concepts of gender, with the Unathi population coming to understand their alien neighbors’ views. Some of these views have been adopted among the Unathi population, with Archpriest Azente of the Sk’akh Church holding in the belief that an Unathi can do the work of one gender while identifying as another, which has caused him to be labelled as a radical among his fellows. Generally speaking, Skrell on Ouerea do not seem to have any particular trouble assimilating to Unathi notions of gender, though the reasoning behind it can often be confusing to them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Some Diona gestalts which have primarily learned from Unathi - such as those living in the Izweski Hegemony, or among the pirates of the Tarwa Conglomerate - have adopted their own interpretation of Unathi gender. Some more organized gestalts tend to gender their individual nymphs based on the role they play in the whole, while others have developed their own codes of behavior similar to those practiced in Unathi society. More information about them can be found [[Moghresian Dionae|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Most [[Unathi in Dominia|Dominian Unathi]] have, at least in practice, adopted the human model. Though most were born and raised on Moghes and held (perhaps still hold) traditional views, most Unathi choose to adapt to the local Imperial culture for similar reasons as converting to the [[Moroz Holy Tribunal|Holy Tribunal]] - that not respecting the customs and culture of their new home would be dishonorable to those who had welcomed them. Some, particularly among the Han’san and the older Unathi population, do not forget about traditional understandings of gender, still living much as they would on Moghes. To the humans of Dominia, this is largely written off as another alien curiosity of the Unathi, though those who spend more time with them may come to a better understanding of their ways. The newer generations of Unathi born on Imperial soil, however, are generally much more familiar with human ideas of gender than Unathi ones.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Corruption within the Gender Culture ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div style=&amp;quot;font-size:105%; border:2px solid white; margin:0; background:white; padding:.1em; color:black;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While seen from the outside as a relatively progressive development, the fluidity of Unathi gender roles combined with the rigid feudal hierarchy of noble lords and clan leadership presents a wide variety of opportunities for exploitation and abuse. These vary in measure, legally and morally, and if pressed those within positions of power will publicly denounce such practices as dishonorable. However, it’s an open secret that a significant number of the ruling class use these tactics to a greater or lesser degree to ensure their dynasties and interests are protected. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Heirs and Succession&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Arguably one of the most crucial considerations of any noble lord or clan leader, the designation of an heir demands intervention when the current candidate is unwanted or unfavorable. The means by which this is accomplished vary from region to region, but leverage of gender is a widely adopted tactic.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In areas under Izweski rule, succession is patriarchal and the eldest warrior child is traditionally designated heir apparent. Should the natural choice be undesirable it is a common though unspoken practice to cultivate a preferred alternative. If the distinction is made early enough in life, clan heads will attempt to remove older children from succession by enrolling them in education and apprenticeships for healers and fishers. Betrothal contracts can also be drafted which misgender, or pre-gender, a child. Often in negotiation of these matches, care is taken to ensure the other clan’s name is taken and rights of inheritance are explicitly waived. Objection by the child or refusal to uphold the betrothal can be punishable by exile, leaving them few options.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
:If the desired heir does not show sufficient martial prowess, clan leaders can hire combat mentors and may stage public duels where the outcome is predetermined. The opponents in these matches are skilled actors as much as they are combatants, and will shout, bluster, and make oaths to the Warrior and their ancestors before the fight begins to enhance the drama and importance of the duel. They can then expertly claim a believable defeat from even the most inept novice. The most talented of these actors, unofficially referred to as &#039;&#039;hoax-hides&#039;&#039;, are well known in certain noble circles and are paid handsomely for their craft and discretion, and will avoid working in one location for too long to prevent being exposed.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In predominantly Sk’akh regions, legal authority over one’s recognized gender is regulated by the Church. Less scrupulous priests can be bought or persuaded to induce or prevent a change of gender. Some exceptionally lazy or cruel clan leaders will simply fabricate a reason to mark a child as guwandi, stripping them of their clan and gender, and sentence them to exile. This can have unintended consequences however, as the action can be contested within the jurisdiction of the Clan&#039;s local Lord and harsh penalties are imposed for cases in which it can be proven the exile was baseless.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In rural or Th’akhish regions like Tza’an, where the realities of clan survival often take precedence over custom, succession is tied less to gender and more with ensuring healthy children and a robust, able-bodied family. Yet even though harsher, rural life creates greater consequences for meddling in succession, there are still those who will risk much to improve their standing. Leadership typically passes to elder warriors unless they are deemed unfit. If a proposed heir’s existing or planed union would be unlikely to produce offspring then they will often be passed over for a more favorable candidate. A common tactic is to raise concerns regarding an heir’s ability to protect their clan or cast doubt on their health or virility. More recently, there have been recorded examples of unwelcome heirs being assigned to patrols in the wastes in hopes that exposure and radiation will lead to clear signs of weakness and that they might be removed from possible consideration. These schemes are not only dishonorable but also detrimental to the health of the clan and are punished harshly if discovered.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A number of Unathi communities that are technically no longer part of the Hegemony still cling to a hierarchical clan structure and the succession of leadership will sometimes be decided by traditional methods. Some details may differ, but it is not uncommon to see similar tactics as those in the Hegemony used to influence succession and other clan decisions. &lt;br /&gt;
*In the Queendom of Sez-Hakh, for example, succession is matriarchal and falls to the eldest healer child. Due to the necessities of survival after the Contact War the lines separating genders have blurred significantly but abuse of gender culture still occurs. Though aging, Queen Lazak still rules with considerable power and her wishes are reflected in the attitudes of the ruling ladies. Stigma against warrior rule continues to linger and advocates of greater warrior influence are quietly stifled.&lt;br /&gt;
*Communities that have more exposure to human influence tend to allow for all three genders in the rules of succession and gaming the system in these instances requires more finesse. For instance, it&#039;s generally accepted that a warrior is the preferred clan leader during wartime. If a clan leader wished for their warrior child to succeed them, they may initiate a clan war or blood feud prior to stepping down and allowing their warrior children to ascend. The reverse can also be true, and a clan leader might reach out to rivals to begin talks of reconciliation before stepping aside for healer or fisher claimants.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Contracts and Customary Law&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The deep ties gender has within Unathite culture can also be exploited when resolving contracts and disputes. Often this can take the form of discrediting someone’s suitability for a job, an inferred inability to complete work, and breaches of contract where gender is pertinent. Contract manipulation is common and Mazjivsa scribes are customarily retained to ensure proper resolution where possible. They are familiar with popular ploys to either nullify contracts or collect compensation for failure to fulfill obligations and other violations.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One particularly infamous case is widely taught to new scribes during apprenticeship; a contract was created to provide a lord with twenty skilled fishers (engineers) for the construction of new perimeter walls around his compound. Once the crucial process of sinking the foundations and construction of the lower levels was done, progress on the project began to slow and then cease as the fishers were constantly arguing, accusing one another of sabotaging their work, insulting their clan, and myriad other minor slights which climaxed in a spontaneous battle; one worker dead, and two with serious injuries. The lord claimed “they were clearly better suited to spears than tools,” and demanded that the contract be nullified and that half of what he paid be returned in addition to punitive payments stipulated in the contract for the breach. Initially the restitutions were made and the construction of the walls was finished by the lord’s own specialists. It wasn’t until later when a Zo’kaa investigated the incident that the funds were returned and the Lord’s involvement was made known. Under contract from the construction guild, the Zo’kaa uncovered the reason for the change in the fishers’ attitude; an agent, part of the twenty fishers from the guild, had been paid to bring the workers under scrutiny. Once work on the base of the walls was complete, the rest was markedly simpler and cheaper. The lord would have paid less than half the agreed upon amount in the end. Diligent scribes will formalize contract specific processes to resolve potential gender related breaches but this relies on the skill of the scribe hired and is by no means a complete solution.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Other examples of contract manipulation include marriage and betrothal contracts. These contracts often stipulate the genders of the couple and allowances made for surrogates of children, the “Marriage Price”, and additional considerations. If the gender of one party shifts, either naturally or by design, the contract can be nullified and recompense paid.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Mazjivsa Manipulation&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
These scribes, predominantly fishers, are trained to provide counsel in matters of contract negotiation and resolution. Since the collapse of the Mazjivsa guild and the removal of its oversight, some unathi declare themselves Mazjivsa without the proper training and are exiled if discovered. This precarious position can be exploited, and some scribes will find their gender scrutinized if someone stands to gain from the lack of their guidance and expertise.&lt;br /&gt;
A well-known example of this occurred in Skalamar, 2466; a Mazjivsa of clan T’szel was contracted to review agreements made between a local lord and his client. He would not be bought and so the lord began claiming T’szel was an illegitimate scribe and fraud. Enraged, the Mazjivsa demanded a duel so that he might defend his honor. Surprisingly, he was able to draw first blood against one of the lord’s sons, but his victory was used as proof that he was more warrior than fisher. The lord succeeded in having him removed from the contract negotiation, although he was spared exile.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Marriage and Relationships ===&lt;br /&gt;
Relationships for Unathi hinge on responsibility for both involved as most marriages before the Contact War relied on clan leaders arranging marriages to secure alliances. &#039;Dating&#039; has only recently been available to young Unathi and is a foreign concept to most above their late-20&#039;s in age. A Unathi trying to ignore the ritual of arranged marriage is a great insult to both clans involved, which at worst could lead to a blood feud or war. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Clan alliances are formed when two clan leaders mutually decide upon two Unathi to marry and, depending on who is chosen, certain gifts are expected to be bestowed on the allied clans. When the marriage is proposed, a discussion about which Clan Name will be taken arises. This is done through a form of &#039;bidding war&#039;, where one clan must &amp;quot;buy&amp;quot; the right to keeping the name over the other by giving money or resources to the other clan. Marriages may sometimes end up canceled due to both sides refusing to give up their clan name, and in the worst cases, it has led to duels or even wars fought over who has the right to keep the titles.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Surrogates can be called upon for a marriage that cannot fulfill their duty to have children; however, they must be from a member of one of the Clans. Upon the hatching of a hatchling, the expectation most often is that husbands will raise the boys, and wives will raise the girls. If there is only a husband or wife, more traditional Sk&#039;akh families will choose to have another Clan member raise the hatchling up through their expected path.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Same-gender relationships and marriages are largely accepted, with little cultural or religious stigma against them. In more isolated rural clans or among Wastelanders, however, unions that cannot produce hatchlings are often strongly discouraged, particularly under the doctrine of the Si&#039;akh faith. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion and Spirituality ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While various faiths exist on Moghes, many of which are as old as any other, there are two major religions of the Unathi that pervade nearly every aspect of their lives. Th&#039;akh and Sk&#039;akh, both of which predominately focus on ancestor worship and connections with the spirit world.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Th&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
The most pervasive and common religion amongst Unathi. It dates back even before the First Hegemony and, as a byproduct of Unathi stubbornness, has remained central to Unathi spiritualism. The basic concept of Th&#039;akh is that all the spirits of past Unathi now reside in the spirit world that exists in tandem with the material world. These spirits exist in objects and nature - bringing either good luck or sorrow. Particularly nasty natural disasters were often attributed to particularly strong groups of spiteful spirits influencing events in the material world. Th&#039;akh, due to its widespread pervasiveness, has a multitude of forms: ancestor veneration, polytheism (worshipping groups of specific and powerful spirits), and almost witch-like spiritualism are just some of the denominations found among this religion. However, Th&#039;akh almost always has the same group of tenets, which can be found [[Th&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sk&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
The second most common religion, which is followed mostly by Unathi from the Izweski Nation, and enjoys a status as its unofficial state religion. It still follows the ancestor worship of Th&#039;akh, but with a major notable difference: the spirits of all Unathi who die become part of Sk&#039;akh, the Great Spirit. Sk&#039;akh is a gender-neutral God, being called &#039;he&#039; or &#039;she&#039; interchangeably to represent that Ska&#039;kh is a collection of all Unathi. She is often called Three of One because the spirits combine into three minor aspects that are all part of Ska&#039;kh: the Warrior, the Healer, the Fisherman. These three spirits are personifications of the most important aspects of Unathi society. It is said that all three are equally important and that disasters are caused by an imbalance in the Great Three. Priests often stress the importance of balance, both in matters of the spirit as well as in society and personal life. Sk&#039;akh&#039;s dogmatic doctrine can be found [[Sk&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Aut&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
Emerging from the hatred of former warriors, the Aut&#039;akh are a cultish offshoot of Th&#039;akh, comprised of cybernetic-augmented Unathi. They argue the flesh is weak, and something new must be sculpted in its place to strengthen the mind. In the relative safety of their communes scattered across various towns, planets, and systems, they know a rough life, but one easier and more spiritual than those of the cities, they believe. The Aut&#039;akh have yet to truly attain their perfect leaderless society, as their own supposedly-defeated prejudice still runs in quiet circles within communes; meanwhile, society often rebukes and ridicules these fanatical trans-speciests. Their lives are gently guided by the shamans or &amp;quot;paradigms,&amp;quot; which act as the religious advisors and sometimes too the biomechanical engineers of these communes. Aut&#039;akh preach the Contact War was the result of sinta being so consumed by the demons within them that they brought the world to ruin, and all powers, whether that of a government, major religion, or corporation, are inherently corrupt due to the influence of evil spirits. The heathen&#039;s lifestyle and struggles can be found [[Aut&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Aut&#039;akh, due to their radical views on unathi society and society as a whole, are often associated with anyone who breaks tradition. In light of this, Unathi started to develop behaviors and society learned to hate communes and their denizens.&#039;&#039;&#039; Anyone caught being unfaithful to their spouse, in a non-monogamous relationship, rebuking their clan, having a prosthetic, or even talking about their discontent with the Hegemony or other rulers was accused of being an Aut&#039;akh. The term to most became synonymous with anyone who was a perceived troublemaker or heretic, more so than even Si&#039;akh.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Si&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
Born from the fires of the Contact War, Si&#039;akh is a radical Sk&#039;akh heresy that has rapidly spread across the Wasteland. It is lead by charismatic former Sk&#039;akh priest Juzida Si&#039;akh, who claims to be the Messiah for all Unathi. The doctrine claims the Contact War to have been the Final Judgement for the Unathi species caused by their innate wickedness. He claims that all Unathi that died in the &#039;cleansing fire&#039; of the atomic weapons were given salvation, and all Unathi that survived are damned to remain trapped on the Hell of Moghes unless the species and Moghes are rapidly purified. The movement has come into immediate conflict with the orthodox Sk&#039;akh church due to Si&#039;akh claiming it to be completely illegitimate. Its followers are ruthlessly hunted down by the Maraziite Order and many of its followers are fleeing into human space as they try to find personal salvation. Their doomsday cult has [[Si&#039;akh|strict and ascetic principles]] to help Unathi obtain a chance at salvation.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Moghean Society ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Moghes]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:PostCitiesNamed.png|thumb|A map of Moghes with the cities and seas labelled.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Moghean Unathi are traditional Unathi with the planet being their homeworld. Historically culture varies across clans that exist on the planet, but some customs and norms can be found nearly universally in Unathi society.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It is a social faux pas to use a Unathi&#039;s first name if not family or extremely close to the Unathi in question. Generally, a Unathi will tell someone when they feel comfortable with the person using their first name. It is also distressing to touch their tail or at all before introductions are undertaken. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi place great emphasis on oral traditions. Honor and combat are seen as a man&#039;s realm, and women are not held to the same standards of honor. Women are instead expected to be elegant, learned and regal; while fishers are expected to be industrious, faithful and dedicated.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Outside the formal schools of the Untouched Lands, village and town shamans or priests often remain the only source of education for rural young Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Ouerean Society ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Ouerea]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While the Izweski Unathi of Ouerea follow most of the same social beliefs as their Moghean counterparts, they tend to be less volatile towards outsiders who are ignorant of their customs, especially since their world was formerly ruled by the Skrell and Humans. Their cultures have managed to influence Ouerean Unathi, embedding different cultural norms that are not found elsewhere. There is a focus on individualism and younger Unathi shy away from the usual responsibilities held to Unathi toward their clans. There is still a struggle with a highly stratified society, but things are moderately progressive compared to Moghes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Oureaea Ciites.png|thumb|A map of Ouerea, with cities and major locations labelled.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The original colonists started as patriots to the Izweski Hegemony, but many soon found themselves disillusioned with the distant homeworld tearing itself apart in war. Unathi on Ouerea became enamored with the broad ideals of democracy and finding themselves resentful of their old lives on Moghes. Reintegration into the Hegemony proved difficult as both planets had to reconcile these cultural differences. It still remains a minor division among these Unathi to this day.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ouerean art, in contrast to Moghean pottery and dyed fabrics, has taken on inspiration from Human and Skrell art. Many Ouerean Unathi have become renowned glassmakers and craftsmen. The greater access to Human and Skrell universities, many of which still operate on the planet, also give Ouerean Unathi greater chances to work in Human and Skrell systems. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Non-Izweski Unathi ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi of the Hegemony’s territories — the Izweski Hegemony itself, Ouerea, or any of its many colonies — require consent from their clan Lord to make their way out into the greater galaxy, as listed [[Guide to Citizenship#Izweski_Hegemony|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Those that come from outside of the Hegemony and Dominia usually have no official means of recognized citizenship. Wastelanders, privateers, Guwan, and other Unathi must apply for a work visa where they are traveling in order to reside there. This of course carries risks with it: if a Unathi is seen as being problematic, whether committing crimes and misdemeanors or just not living up to the job they’re working, they may have their visa stripped and end up deported to the Hegemony. The Izweski Hegemony does not explicitly ask for these Unathi, especially seeing how they are usually &#039;undesirable&#039;. As there are no officially recognized governments on Moghes besides the Izweski, however, deported persons get sent there. Guwan and Gawgaryn that manage to make their way out of the system to places such as Biesel will face harsh punishment if this happens, so they are the most incentivized to put on their best outward face.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Unathi Physiognomy ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Khaniazwazi, also known as Unathi Physiognomy to outsiders, is a science dedicated to the study of Unathi physical profiles and the deduction of their character from such things. While certainly not new in Unathi history, it has been going through a rebirth in popularity as more resources have been dedicated to the study of Unathi biology and its appearance, to make up for what was lost with the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The validity of such a science is discussed, even among strictly professional fields, and it is no surprise that many individuals and groups have been using this field as a pretext to discriminate against other Sinta, or as a way to make a quick buck from more naive Unathi. Putting these aside however, there are still many variants of Khaniazwazi being practiced, depending on the area, with different interpretations of physical attributes. Generally, however, Khaniazwazi takes into account scale colouration, horns, frills, crests and facial structure; and in some rarer cases, smaller details such as wrinkles, scars, etcetera.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Politics and Factions ==&lt;br /&gt;
Moghes is divided between the Izweski Hegemony and the hundreds of other Clans and nations who claim their own land across the planet&#039;s surface. The only real difference in their political systems is the scale. Many of these other clans are modern nations or pre-industrial, ruled by various kings or leaders. However, with the expansion of the uninhabitable Wasteland and the brutal decimation Izweski forces committed on foreign leadership, many institutions of non-Hegemonic government across Moghes are rare or extremely fragile.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Moghes_porposal.png|thumb|The flag of the Izweski Hegemony. It is said the flag symbolizes the wildfires that frequented Moghes.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Izweski Hegemony ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Izweski Hegemony]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&#039;&#039;&amp;quot;Honour, fire, burn thy fear.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039; - The ancestral motto of Clan Izweski, circa early 20th century&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Izweski Clan is led by Clan Leader [[Notable_Unathi#Not.27zar_Izweski|&#039;&#039;&#039;Not&#039;zar Izweski&#039;&#039;&#039;]], a Unathi who has ruled the Hegemony since his father S&#039;kresti Izweski, the previous Hegemon, was assassinated by his son and Not&#039;zar&#039;s brother. He lives in the Izweski Citadel in Skalamar, and under him are the Lords who rule their own subjugated clans. They live in a feudal system, with the Lords usually being clan leaders or important clan members themselves who pledge themselves to Izweski in exchange for land and protection.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Hegemon is best thought of being the Emperor, and under him are the Overlords, who are the Kings. Under the Overlords are the Lords, who are then broken up between the Clan Lords, and then the Clan Leaders. Clan Leaders are a mostly ceremonial title and make up (usually) the eldest male ruler of a specific family clan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Not&#039;zar&#039;s father, Hegemon S&#039;kresti Izweski, was originally a strong leader of the Izweski clan. Then, after the death of his eldest son in a shuttle crash, the old Hegemon fell into a deep depression, to the point of becoming comatose in the Izweski citadel. After a succession crisis, Not&#039;zar took his place as the Regent and heir for three years, over that time developing the Hegemony into a stable empire. &lt;br /&gt;
[[Image:Minimap hegemony.png|thumb|A closer image focusing on the factions surrounding the Izweski Hegemony&#039;s territory.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Three years later, the Hegemon awoke and took back to the throne, however on his tour to get reacquainted with everything, he was spurred into madness and cursed by &#039;&#039;&#039;Juzida Si&#039;akh&#039;&#039;&#039; which resulted in a civil war to dispute his claim to the throne. In an attempt to destroy his enemies, the old Hegemon attempted to orbitally bombard an enemy city. To stop this dishonorable act, his third son Z&#039;krazi Izweski the Kinslayer assassinated the Hegemon, and after Not&#039;zar&#039;s victory in the Battle of Three Hills the civil war ended.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Now, Not&#039;zar is the Clan Leader, Overlord of Moghes, and Hegemon of the Izweski Hegemony. Despite his severe physical handicap forcing him to walk with a cane, many noblemen have made him an ally, especially including the Guilds who enjoy his globalist attitude.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Overlords rule an entire planet in the name of the Hegemon. Under them are Lords, who can rule huge tracts of land and multiple cities, or just a single city; there is no distinction between a Count and Duke level of Lordship like in most human feudalism.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
There are two different kinds of major lifestyles in the Izweski Hegemony. There is the city, which is ran by a Lord and a small council of lesser clans. City life is less harsh than life in the country, especially with opportunities provided with shuttle services to the rest of the galaxy. Life in the rural areas is harsher, with cities being rare and life mostly determined by the size of a Clan&#039;s village and how well they can hunt, fish, or in desperate times, raid their neighbors. It&#039;s the traditional Unathi life, made harsher by the growing Wasteland encroaching on once-fertile lands.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Queendom of Szek’Hakh ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&#039;&#039;&amp;quot;Refuse to break.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039; - Pre-Contact War Szek&#039;Hakh clan motto.&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A matriarchal region of roughly twenty thousand set in the Wasteland, led by the elderly &#039;&#039;&#039;Queen Lazak Szek&#039;Hakh&#039;&#039;&#039; and her daughters. In her settlement and a large portion of the region surrounding it, her clan has become the protector of her region known as the &#039;Queendom&#039;. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For those living in the Queendom, the gender roles of Unathi are inverted, and many of its people thusly struggle to find opportunities on Moghes and seek employment in Tau Ceti - with the Queen even making connections with pirates, Dominians, and Tajaran smugglers to get her people safely out of the dangerous Wasteland. The Queen is kind under her witty and straightforward attitude, and despite stereotypes, does not actually hate men.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Szek&#039;Hakh clan&#039;s settlement of &#039;&#039;&#039;Yu&#039;kal&#039;&#039;&#039;, originally headed by the Queen&#039;s husband, was built around a cluster of small lakes and focused on aquaculture. When the Contact War&#039;s nukes wiped out the vast majority of men, they adapted to using women as protectors, while using men to keep house. The widowed Lazak Szek’Hakh convinced the shell-shocked and wounded survivors of her clan that she was the only one capable of ruling during this terrifying time, and had taken control of a sizable region of the Wasteland east of Mudki around Yu&#039;kal. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Szek&#039;Hakh Clan became the leading power in their region following the Contact War. Eventually, Szek’Hakh consolidated control of her clan and the settlement, taking matters of survival into her own hands. As the Wasteland engulfed Yu&#039;kal&#039;s lakes, she coordinated a renovation of aquaculture farms and lead expeditions to bring their highly valuable fish products to the distant surviving city of Mudki. Women took prominent roles in all of these, with the necessities of survival in the harsh wasteland fraying Unathite gender roles. A neighboring nobleman, fearing this rise of powerful women, orchestrated to have her assassinated. In a dramatic confrontation, the assassin was foiled and publicly exiled as a Guwandi, and a mob of angry women stormed the nobleman&#039;s estate to &#039;duel him for his dishonor&#039;. This act put the matriarch in the spotlight, sparking Szek’Hakh’s rapid rise of being named Queen by her people.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Queen Szek’Hakh now leads a struggling wasteland settlement in a precarious situation. The traditional Izweski-leaning Unathi find her position an affront to customs, and she struggles to find allies. She tries to walk a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk’akh Church]], the Izweski, and the Wastelander factions - however she is often too straightforward to get far. Her settlement is primarily Th’akh, and she herself follows the faith. She complies (though unwillingly) with the demands of Izweski representatives to expel the prophet [[Notable Unathi|Si&#039;akh]] from her realm when he enters her settlement in his travels, though she quietly allows members of his traveling flock to rest in secret when they pass through her settlement. For the same, she does not tolerate the cult of the [[Aut&#039;akh]], and her people ruthlessly hunt down their unaugmented proselytizers.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Surviving Kingdoms on Moghes ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Despite the destruction of most of the known world from the [[Contact War]], some desperate survivors managed to weather the storm and remain nominally free of Izweski dominance - either from the Izweski&#039;s weariness for war on Moghes, or arrogant indifference.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While the Izweski are reclaiming the Wasteland, they are ruthlessly uprooting and displacing local cultures in the remaining habitable lands. The Outposts were small, fertile enclaves that survived the Contact War surrounded by the Wasteland. Starting in 2461, Not&#039;zar pushed forward terraforming efforts to expand these green yet hostile oases. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Template:UnathiCustomaryLaw}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Notable Information ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Guwandi ===&lt;br /&gt;
In the event that a Unathi becomes terminally ill, or finds themselves lacking the pride or honor to continue to live, or simply become tired of their existence undergo a ritualistic suicide and take the title of &#039;Guwandi&#039; (which is translated to Gladiator/Galdium). They will give up their possessions to their clan leader and make their journey into the Moghes desert. The only things they keep are their weapons which they use to fight animals or other Unathi so that they may die in honorable combat. In the event that two of these Guwandi meet, they will first draw their weapons and adopt a passive stance, which is followed by them telling each other their stories in turn, as well as the reasons behind their choice of adopting the mantle of &#039;Guwandi&#039; and how they wish their remains to be dealt with. When both sides understand the other, combat will begin with a mutual wish of luck that the more worthy of death lose with pride. The winner of the battle is responsible for taking care of the corpse in the way they were instructed to. Renouncing the deathseeking life of Guwandi isn&#039;t easy. Some may wish to return after having been granted a second outlook, or hope, after they had spent time wandering and risking their life. Their clan may see their decision as cowardly and refuse to accept them, or be overjoyed they had learned a lesson in their time.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Guwandi are not an option on the Horizon,&#039;&#039;&#039; yet may be a way in which a character becomes retired, barring [[Traitor|extreme circumstances]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Guwan ===&lt;br /&gt;
In some cases when a Unathi is exiled from their clan, they do not take up the formal title of Guwandi. This can be through fear of death, unwillingness, or simple stubbornness. In this case, they are marked as &#039;Guwan&#039; by their clan leader, and must take this as their last name. It is a variation on Guwandi, which is translated directly as &#039;exile&#039;. Guwans are clanless Unathi, and form an underclass. Guwans find it difficult if not impossible to advance socially or politically, and in many cases are oppressed or mistreated by other Unathi who view them as troublemakers or criminals. The only way of returning to a clan after banishment as a Guwan is to be adopted back into the Clan, which happens very rarely. &#039;&#039;&#039;To no longer be a Guwan, a Unathi must have an upstanding citizen decide to represent them, and then they must both go to court to explain how the Guwan can return into society under a new clan name, be adopted into another clan, or return to their original clan (at Clan Leader&#039;s acceptance.)&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On August 29th, 2459, the Lord-Regent Not&#039;zar Izweski passed an edict that required clans to send a petition to an imperial court when they want to banish a clan member as a Guwan. The court must side with the petitioning Clan Leader or the Unathi in question is not marked as a Guwan. This has caused backlash as the courts have gained a reputation for being incredibly arbitrary in their decisions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the past, all orphans were automatically Guwan unless they are adopted into a Clan. This changed with yet another edict by Not&#039;zar Izweski in December of 2459, which required all orphans, including adults still connected to their orphanage guild via debts or otherwise without parents, to take on the surname of that orphanage.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
Some Guwans have been forced off of Moghes by their clans with the growing ease of space travel, and NanoTrasen has a long history of exploiting this subgroup of Unathi, coercing them into employment contracts.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Guwans are not permitted to petition local Lords to express any grievances, and are not permitted to social services provided by private enterprise or state entities. Guwan are not full citizens of the Hegemony but are considered residents, which additionally bars them from many services.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Upon being declared Guwan, a Unathi is legally stripped of their gender and is not permitted to work in traditional warrior, healer or fisher fields. On documentation coming from Moghes, the &amp;quot;gender&amp;quot; section is generally left blank to reflect this, though in alien spaces the gender is listed as &amp;quot;Neuter&amp;quot; or filled in with an X. Guwan pronouns are strictly listed in neuter terms, and Guwan are legally only permitted to use it/its pronouns. Those that are hiding their status as Guwan are not required to conform to this standard and will often overcompensate their gender presentation in order to continue hiding their identities hidden. &#039;&#039;&#039;Both the limitation on gendered work fields and the usage of pronouns are enforceable by moderation.&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Notably, Guwans are the only social class of Unathi allowed to serve in the personal guard of the Hegemon and his family. The strategy relies on the fact the Guwan Guard are despised and envied by decorated officers that would otherwise serve in traditional guard duties. They are socially isolated and unable to advance politically, which means that its survival depends on the safety of the Hegemon and his family, which means that it wouldn&#039;t try to launch a coup or replace the Hegemon without itself being slaughtered. Similar to an old-Terran Janissary, it&#039;s a slave soldier, and unable to have children or hold any sort of political or military position.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
If a Unathi is the last of their clan, or is otherwise estranged with no one to declare them Guwan, then they may still find themselves challenged by other rival clans who lay claim to this Unathi&#039;s land, titles, inheritance, or name. If they are unable or unwilling to defend their claims (which would involve lengthy court trials on Moghes) then they would be stripped of them and declared Guwan. This means that a Unathi hiding in human space can still be named Guwan if their past, or rivals, catch up with them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Guwans are exclusively a criminal or otherwise dishonorable untouchable class, and it takes a lot to be labelled as one. Because playing a Guwan means you are opting in to being discriminated against by others, a Guwan filing an incident report for anything less than physical assault is a whitelist issue.&#039;&#039;&#039; When in doubt, speak to the Maintainer first.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Orphans and Orphanage Guilds ===&lt;br /&gt;
Orphans in the Hegemony in the past were all labelled as Guwans, but an edict by Not&#039;zar Izweski in December of 2459 changed all that. Hatchlings, child, and teenage Unathi without parents are put in the care of one of the many orphanage guilds on Moghes. These are private run guilds with little to no government oversight. While they fulfill a necessary social service in caring for Unathi that would otherwise be on the streets, orphanage guilds in the Hegemony are incredibly exploitative. Unknown to the children the guilds track all the expenses and charge their wards throughout their life until they turn 17, when they are presented with the bill and are forced to work to repay the crippling debt, and many can be trapped by the fact that their debt would fall on any prospective parents.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Two of these guilds have expanded into large corporations that have found a lucrative method of gaining money from their wards. The &#039;&#039;&#039;Gukuzan&#039;&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;&#039;Kuhwinla&#039;&#039;&#039; Guilds coerce or persuade their wards to accepts contracts for megacorporations, particularly [[Hephaestus Industries]], if they reach adulthood without being adopted. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Gukuzan&#039;&#039;&#039; clan is lead by a Priest Kiazoi, and he ensures that those that enter the care of his guild are given a proper religious education and instilled with the values of the church. Children raised by the Gukuzan are also taught valuable lessons in obedience and the importance of duty and respect to their betters. Its wards are moderately well-off and treated well, but the comforts of a happy childhood in the orphanage is rather soured by the fact everything from bedding, food, and even air conditioning are things each child has added to their growing debt. Gukuzan orphanages are scattered across Moghes and there are three on [[Ouerea]]. They are all exclusively managed by a priest on the payroll of the Gukuzan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Kuhwinla&#039;&#039;&#039; clan is lead by Guildmaster Ioaza Kuhwinla, an infamously frugal woman. She refuses to spend any more than she has to on her wards, meaning that those under her care are given the most basic of education. Children raised by her Guild are taught valuable lessons in thrift, obedience, and how to stretch meals to the absolute limit. Its wards are generally barely better than they would be on the street, but they live with a roof over their heads, semi-reliable food, a basic education, and their debt at the end of their life under the Kuhwinla is generally lower than it would be in other orphanages. Kuhwinla orphanages are in nearly every major Unathite city, and they are unique in that they are managed by matriarchs that answer to Ioaza.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;These two surnames are the only ones you may take if you play an orphaned Izweski on the SCCV Horizon!&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Species]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Pages]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Unathi]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38520</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=38520"/>
		<updated>2026-02-12T18:09:20Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Outdated (Phoron Scarcity)}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Infobox Species&lt;br /&gt;
 |Species = Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Scientific = U. sapiens / Sinta&#039;Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Image = Unathi410x320.png&lt;br /&gt;
 |System = [[Uueoa-Esa]]&lt;br /&gt;
 |World = [[Moghes]]&lt;br /&gt;
 |Language = Sinta&#039;Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Politic = [[Izweski Hegemony]]&lt;br /&gt;
 }}&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Unathi&#039;&#039;&#039; (direct plural: Unathi – You-NAWH-thee both singular and multiple) (adjective: Unathite - You-NAWH-thit) are a race of tall humanoid reptiles standing from six to seven feet tall on average, with females slightly smaller in stature. They possess a mixture of snake-like and crocodile-like features, resulting in hard and plate-like scales. Unathi live in their home system of Uueoa-Esa with their homeworld being [[Moghes]]. The planet&#039;s history can be summarized as being divided up between various Hegemonies, names they give the most powerful Clans on Moghes throughout time. The Clan system is deeply entrenched in Unathi society with everything else revolving around it. It forms a major part of their code of honor, which stresses the importance of martial abilities and loyalty to the Clan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Unathivillage.png|thumb|alt=Unathi.|Life outside the Untouched Lands remains harsh, with limited or nonexistent Hephaestus presence.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Religion and spirituality play a major role in a Unathi society, and religious differences are the main dividing factor. Conflict between the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and the various [[Th&#039;akh]] faiths of Moghes, as well as the various [[Aut&#039;akh|communes]] and [[Si&#039;akh|cults]], have caused conflict and wars between the Izweski Hegemony and the kingdoms that eventually comprised the Traditionalist Coalition. This conflict hit a peak when they entered the intergalactic stage, which is now known as the [[Contact War]]. After this conflict, some Unathi fled the planet through Hephaestus or NanoTrasen shuttle ports. Unathi fleeing to megacorporations like NanoTrasen find themselves working in security and engineering roles, but recently many have been proving themselves as competent surgeons and brilliant scientists, earning opportunities that Moghes would deny them because of its strict feudal hierarchy. However, others are slipping through the cracks and becoming slavers, raiders, or pirates. As the ability for spaceship construction increases in the Unathi home system, so too does space piracy and smuggling.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Moghes has two different biomes after the Contact War. The fertile Untouched Lands with its great jungles, vast swamps, and lush forests; all of which are protected by massive terraforming equipment kept secure by the Hegemony&#039;s wealth and power. Contrast to that are the bombarded Wasteland kingdoms in the ashes of plains and forests, burnt into a massive planet-spanning desert rampant with [[The_Wasteland#Clan_.22Gawgaryn.22_-_The_Punished_Clans|punished kingdoms raiding to survive]] and [[The_Wasteland#The_Reclaimers|part scavengers living in cities on treads]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To apply to be Unathi, apply [http://aurorastation.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=28 here].&lt;br /&gt;
{{TOC Hidden}}&lt;br /&gt;
== Heads of Staff ==&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi can be the following Heads of Staff:&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Head of Security]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Chief Medical Officer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Research Director]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Chief Engineer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Operations Manager]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Corporate Liaison|Consular Officer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Corporate Liaison]] - [[NanoTrasen]], [[Hephaestus Industries]], [[Zavodskoi Interstellar]] ([[Unathi in Dominia|Dominian Unathi]] only), [[Private Military Contracting Group]] (Dagamuir Freewater Private Forces only), [[Orion Express]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The following groups &#039;&#039;&#039;cannot&#039;&#039;&#039; be Heads of Staff: [[Aut&#039;akh]], Guwan, and Gawgaryn of [[The Wasteland]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Due to their criminal backgrounds, the following groups &#039;&#039;&#039;cannot&#039;&#039;&#039; be played in the Security department: Guwan and Gawgaryn of [[The Wasteland]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Outside of consular officers, command characters should not be of the same clan as any notable lords of the Hegemony. The most prominent clans, such as those of Overlords and the Hegemon himself, are off-limits for command.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Megacorporate Relations===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to 2465, Moghean Unathi that were not members of trade guilds were almost exclusively employed with [[Hephaestus Industries]]. Unathi with guild memberships would primarily take contracts with [[NanoTrasen]] or [[Orion Express]], depending on their career choice. [[Unathi in Dominia|Unathi living in Dominia]], like most of their countrymen, seek employment with [[Zavodskoi Interstellar]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
After the Merchant&#039;s Guild declared bankruptcy, Hephaestus Industries bailed out all Hegemonic guilds and reorganised them under the banner of the company. Since then, nearly all residents of Moghes are employed by Hephaestus in some way. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Mechanics ==&lt;br /&gt;
Mechanical differences from humans and unique emotes listed below:&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Passive&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi are coldblooded which allows slightly improved heat resistance, but increased sensitivity to cold.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi have claws, which slash and improve unarmed melee attacks.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi are incapable of easily digesting alcohol, and ethanol is considered toxic to them.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can only drink alcohol from drinks with butanol instead of ethanol. Butanol gets them drunk similar to ethanol but has no effect on other species.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi get no nutrients from eating fruits and vegetables. They need meat to fill their hunger.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can safely eat carp and consume carpotoxin.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi have the fastest sprint available to any species, but they have low stamina, meaning they can only sprint in short bursts. They also are slower than most other species.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Active Abilities&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can devour monkeys, rats, spiders, carp, and other small mobs by clicking and dragging from the mob to themselves. The animal must hold still for it to work.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi hiss when speaking Tau Ceti Basic. You achieve this by typing multiple s&#039;s during speech. This can also be pronounced through x&#039;s if their accent is thick. &amp;quot;Thisss issss an ekssample.&amp;quot;  You can also &#039;&#039;&#039;Toggle-Auto-Hiss&#039;&#039;&#039; to do this for you.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can sample the air with their tongue.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unique audible emotes: *hiss, *hiss2, *bellow.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Biology ==&lt;br /&gt;
Their average life expectancy is around sixty years for most Unathi. However, they tend to live for well past sixty years when given advanced medical care available to the other space-faring species. As a cold-blooded species, they suffer fatigue and even short comas when exposed to extremely low temperatures.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Humans and Unathi share a lot of similar internal biology with some notable exceptions. Since they are a carnivorous species, their diet mostly consists of meat and animal products, though they do have a tolerance to some plants and fruits. While Unathi do receive minor benefits for eating certain fruits, they do not get any nutrition from plants. Due to their carnivorous nature, they also have an increased stomach capacity to help eat larger meals at a time. The typical Unathi usually only eats one meal a day, and for the poorer sinta, perhaps once every two days. They tend towards lethargic and sluggish movements more often than not because of their evolutionary history, so they move slower than most organic species. However, the cyclical period of work for Unathi compared to other species is much faster. Unathi are polyphasic sleepers: creatures that sleep in shorter naps rather than at one time during the night. While they tend towards sluggishness, sinta are often capable of incredible bursts of energy and speed, and their ability to work in three or four hour periods of time compensates for their more sporadic schedules.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The reproductive system of a Sinta&#039;Unathi is very similar to that of Earth reptiles. Females lay eggs, with the average clutch being somewhere between one and three. They have a six-month gestation period, after which they are laid in a humid, warm area. After two months, the fetus is fully developed and hatches from the egg. Unathi are born with their claws and the ability to walk within hours of hatching. A Sinta&#039;Unathi is considered an adult when they are 16 years old.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Physical Appearance ===&lt;br /&gt;
The Unathi as a species show a great deal of variation within body types as well as clusters of smaller physical traits passed down through clans. Facial and body features range in size and shape with some having raptor-like aesthetics, serpentine looks, or a more draconic body. Tail length is often genetic; conversely, tail girth is defined by a Unathi&#039;s diet as it stores most of the body&#039;s fat— nobles grow some of the largest tails.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi scales are somewhat tougher than human skin, though they shed off sporadically rather than all at once. More vulnerable and hidden spots, such as the stomach and waist, the backs of joints, and inner thighs are all leathery skin and aren&#039;t covered in scales.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The typical healthy adult male Unathi weighs roughly 280 pounds. Female sinta differ from males as they generally have a shorter and more rounded snout. The typical healthy Unathi female weighs roughly 250 pounds. Female Unathi grow to about 5&#039;9&amp;quot; to 6&#039;8, while male Unathi grow to about 6&#039;0&amp;quot; to 7&#039;0&amp;quot;. Unusual heights tend to be smaller in scale, as the taller a Unathi is, the more likely it will be marred with health problems and not live as long as others.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Both sexes stand on digitigrade legs, with three toes on each foot and a hooked dewclaw, and have clawed feet and hands. They also have very long tongues, typically black or extremely dark red in color, which may stretch up to a foot and a half long and are forked just like a serpent&#039;s. In much the same manner as snakes, Unathi can sample the air around them using their tongue. They blink and have tear ducts similar to humans.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi horns do not naturally regrow, and serious damage tends to remain permanent. Ancient recipes using native herbs known as &amp;quot;horn paste&amp;quot; are commonly made and sold by herbalists and can counter cosmetic scratches or minor chipping. More modern synthetic Horn Gel (based on Bone Gel), developed largely by [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]], can regenerate an entire lost horn, but it tends to be stratified to the upper classes and noblemen due to cost.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Lizards.png|thumb|Body dimorphism in Unathi.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Colouration ====&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi are also often born into one of four major scale colour categories: red, black, orange-brown and &amp;quot;sand-colored&amp;quot;, and green. Alternative colours are rare, with dark blue and even albino Unathi being reported in very small numbers. Albinos are sometimes slightly tinted in colour while remaining predominantly white. Traditionally these off-coloured Unathi are met with prejudice, though some clans outside the Izweski may feel different.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It has been noticed that scale colourations were more represented in some areas than other, and thus, many shades of these colours were, in Unathi culture, named after the places they tend to be seen in more often, in many cases.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*Modern red-coloured Unathi are thought to originate from a large nomadic clan that settled South of the Moghresian Sea around modern Skalamar. Nowadays, red-scaled Sinta tend to be seen on the entire Southern coast of the Moghresian Sea and the mountain ranges near it.&lt;br /&gt;
*Today’s green-coloured Unathi hail from the Southern side of the Moghresian sea, and they are seen more often throughout this side of the coast and down to the colder lands even further South. Surprisingly, there is also a large batch of green-coloured Unathi located around Sahl lake, indicating that an old nomadic clan of mostly green Sinta settled there centuries ago.&lt;br /&gt;
*Orange-brown and sand-yellow Unathi comprises a wide range of colours. They are a more common colour to be seen in a large area, and it is believed that their origins come from displacement in ancient conflicts that forced them to migrate and find new homelands. More precisely, Unathi harbouring such colours tend to be more represented in a large area defined between Darakath, Bahard, Mudki, and Yu’kal.&lt;br /&gt;
*Black or “dark-scaled’ Unathi do not seem to originate from any precise area, and instead, tend to be more often seen around colder areas of Moghes, both North and South. A popular theory is that black scales are actually a consequence of exposure to the cold for generations— something that has yet to be proven.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
All colours, barring albino, do not mix; if a brown Unathi and a light red Unathi have a child, the red scales the child has might be a little darker, but the colours do not blend to make something new.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Colour ranges&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Due to the modernization of Moghes as well as the emigration and population displacement from the Contact War, Unathi of any colour can be found nearly anywhere on Moghes. Of course, they are more common in some areas rather than others.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Below are some examples of Unathi scale colour ranges. These cover a majority of the colors; while some deviances from these are normal, there are no neon or pink colors among Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{| align:Center&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
!Usual Unathi colour ranges:&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Green.png|200px|thumb|left|Green colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Brown.png|200px|thumb|left|Brown-orange / sand-yellow colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Red.png|200px|thumb|left|Red colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Black.png|200px|thumb|left|Black colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
{| align:Center&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
!Unusual Unathi colour ranges:&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_white.png|200px|thumb|left|Albino colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Blue.png|200px|thumb|left|Blue colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Green:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Razir Moss:&#039;&#039; RGB 27, 50, 27 / Hex #1B321B&lt;br /&gt;
*An unusually dark shade of green, but certainly not the only one, Unathi from Razir and its surrounding areas tend to have this scale colouration more often than not. As the name suggests, it is quite comparable in colour to the unique moss that tends to grow on rocks and buildings on the Southern coast of the Moghresian sea. The moss was heavily used by healers in the past, as its spongy nature allows to quickly stop bleeding, and its composition can also help in dealing with infection, or at least, limit their spread, until proper medicine can be found, properties that are quite appreciated in a time like the post-Contact-War era, where shortages, of medicine among other things, aren’t so rare depending on the location. Due to its ties with healing, some of the more traditional Unathi tend to see Unathi with such a scale colouration as more feminine.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Sen Emerald:&#039;&#039; RGB 31, 95, 31 / Hex #1F5F1F&lt;br /&gt;
*Considering the name, and the overall concentration of Unathi in the region, it is assumed that those bearing such colouration came from the now-broken city of Sen. Records of where the name comes from exactly has been lost after the Contact War, but theories still exist with recent finds. The reclaimer clan Kikata, operating a landcrawler by the torn cities, on the western coast of the Moghresian sea, noticed several collapsed mines next to what they assumed used to be villages, and in them, among many other minerals, unique green gems. As word has started to spread, many Sinta are now assuming that Sen Emerald refers to these gems.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Teht Mint:&#039;&#039; RGB 85, 149, 85 / Hex #559555&lt;br /&gt;
*Teht Mint is one of the many crops that (nearly) disappeared after the Contact War and its nuclear fallout. As Teht mostly made its fortune from fishing, nearby villages housed the few clans in all of Moghes talented enough to properly harvest the plant, and who kept such a knowledge secret to all of their own. Used as expensive seasoning by only the wealthiest Nobles in the region, these clans, and their village, quickly made a fortune, then came the Contact war. While the city of Teth was spared by the bombing, the many villages around it that didn’t get outright razed by the nukes were abandonned, as their main source of income, the harvesting of the mint, was soon enough gone and made life there unsustainable, leaving only handful of seeds, currently preserved in Teth’s palace in hopes that they may be planted into proper soil another day. In any case, the name “Teht Mint” persist as a way to call the Sintas bearing a light green scale colour that tends to be seen in the area.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Sahl Green:&#039;&#039; RGB 56, 126, 86 / Hex #387E56&lt;br /&gt;
*Lake Sahl, among many other things, was renowned for the unique algae that used to grow in within it, giving it, when the floor was shallow enough, a green-ish tint, something that many local fishers used to call “Sahl’s green halo”. Like many things, these algae died after the Contact War, and the poisoning of the lake due to the ensuing nuclear fallout. Many of the older locals that still remember their time spent fishing in the lake, however, have been continuing to call Unathi living around the lake, bearing a unique shade of green, “Sahl Green”.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Orange-Brown / Sand Coloured:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Mudki Stone:&#039;&#039; RGB 98, 84, 65 / Hex #625441&lt;br /&gt;
*The mountainous city of Mudki has been build with the rocks of the very mountains it stands on and between. These rocks exhibit a strange propriety due to their unique composition, something only found in the area, as, when wet, the usually light-grey, or tan stone, turns to a pale-brown. While a small-scaled group of geologists was dispatched to explain the phenomenon, the researches were cut short by the outbreak of the Contact War, and by now, most Sinta simply have their own explanation, from more science-based ones, to some more related to faith. In any case, people have taken to naming the many Sinta bearing light brown scale colouration, around the area, “Mudki Stone”, and some older, more superstitious inhabitants of Mudki and its surroundings claim that these Unathi can, like the stone, change colour…&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Yu&#039;kal Soil:&#039;&#039; RGB 92, 66, 32 / Hex #5C4220&lt;br /&gt;
*Yu’kal, while far from any of the main lakes or seas of Moghes, was a city that known for its people’s work in aquaculture in smaller bodies of water, natural or, later on, artificial, something that nearby smaller settlements also picked up. While the Contact War and its consequences put an end to such a business, many in the Queendom still remember this time, and how the soil turned damp and darkened from the how humid it could get in some places… Something that led to the naming of the colouration that many of the local Unathi bear, similar shades of brown, “Yu’kal Soil”.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Darakath Brown:&#039;&#039; RGB 158, 116, 60 / Hex #9E743C&lt;br /&gt;
*Darakath Brown, also called “Darakath Copper” by the inhabitants of the once proud capital of the Azarak Kingdom, is ,as the name suggests, a scale colouration mostly seen in Darakath and its surroundings. To the more staunch supporters of the Izweski Hegemony, Sintas with this colours are seen as Traditionalists, and by extent, defeated foes… To others, Unathi with such colouration are treated with kindness, if not (legitimate or not) pity, after the sacking of the city by the end of the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Bahard Cream:&#039;&#039; RGB 233, 178, 104 / Hex #E9B268&lt;br /&gt;
*Bahard, before the nuclear exchange, was one of the largest trading hub on Moghes thanks to its central position, making a fortune through trading. Beside this, however, Bahard was also known for the culinary expertise of its people, access to food from all around Moghes being one of the reason behind such a thing. Bahard Cream, originally referred to the a seasoning whose recipe was lost by the end of the Contact War, generally offered to passing traders. It was its unique colour and popularity that led to the locals, and soon enough, the rest of Moghes, to referring to the scale colouration seen so often around the area in such a way.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Red:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Tak Red:&#039;&#039; RGB 128, 62, 62 / Hex #803E3E&lt;br /&gt;
*Tak used to be a city of relatively modest size, before the nuclear exchange utterly ruined it. Few know why Sinta of this certain shade are thus called “Tak Red”, although researches in Skalamar have led to a theory: fish exports. Most inhabitants made a living through fishing, just like most cities on the coast of the Moghresian sea, although surviving trading records show a higher than average amount of exports from the city. Additionally, texts, and common memory, point that some of the fish unique to Tak’s coast had unique red scales… Although said fishes are extinct by now, everything seems to indicate that this is where the name for this colouration came from.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Skalamar Red:&#039;&#039; 160, 44, 44 / Hex #A02C2C&lt;br /&gt;
*Skalamar Red, also called “Blood Red” by traditionalist and other foes of the Hegemony, is, as the name suggest, more often seen in Skalamar and its neighboring territories. Origins on the name of this colouration were blurry, even before the Contact War, with stories speaking of such colourations having divine origins, from other speaking of a curse, depending on who you ask. In any case, such a colouration is a sign of greatness and valor to some, and of shame and cruelty to some others… Generally depending on who they would have sided with during the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;S&#039;th Berry:&#039;&#039; RGB 125, 6, 6 / Hex #980606&lt;br /&gt;
*S’th Berries are one of the few species of flora that survived the nuclear fallout of the Contact War… Although, not without consequences. While they were once deep red, the berries lost their colour and appear grey-ish; and their sugary taste as been lost, some saying that they now taste like paste instead. Nevertheless, the name given to the colour that many Unathi in the area arbor, remained: Unathi of red scales, red like S’th’s Berries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Black:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Derhai Shadow:&#039;&#039; RGB 17, 22, 16 / Hex #111610&lt;br /&gt;
*Although such a tone can be found a bit everywhere since Derhai’s depopulation, most people can pinpoint that it used to be most often seen in and around great city that stood there, before being abandoned. Due to the highly religious nature that Derhai had, many have been tying (sometimes wrongly) such a scale colouration to Th&#039;akhists.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Janvir Black:&#039;&#039; RGB 28, 28, 28 / Hex #1C1C1C&lt;br /&gt;
*Perhaps a testament to how fast Unathi can evolve and change over generation, Janvir Black is a scale colouration that only appeared around a century after the foundation of the cold metropolis, merely six centuries ago… That is, according to the limited records currently available in the post-Contact War era.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Guzari Night:&#039;&#039; RGB 61, 47, 47 / Hex #3D2F2F&lt;br /&gt;
*There were, allegedly, several small settlements by the coast of the Guzari Sea, despite the freezing temperatures (on Unathi standards, that is), thanks to the unique bounties of the cold Northern Sea. Records seem to indicate, however, that said settlements were abandoned even before the Contact War, something that historians, even to this day, cannot explain, mostly due to the severe loss of historical documents during the conflict. Many Unathi, today, then, see other Sinta with the strange scale colouration known as Guzari Night as quite elusive…&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Albino:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Albino White:&#039;&#039; RGB 178, 178, 178 / Hex #B2B2B2&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Bleached Bone:&#039;&#039; RGB 183, 169, 169 / Hex #3D2F2F&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Blue:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Indigo Blue:&#039;&#039; RGB 35, 55, 189 / Hex #2337BD&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Azure:&#039;&#039; RGB 1, 102, 255 / Hex #0066FF&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Albino and Azure (or Blue) Unathi scale colouration are not tied to any area of Moghes, and instead, generally the result of genetic lottery. How such colourations are perceived varies widely. These Unathi would generally face prejudice in the Hegemony, although some other Sinta from different horizons can exhibit interest for them instead, or simply indifference. &lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Genetic Variety ====&lt;br /&gt;
Besides scale colouration, many other physical aspects of Unathi bodies can vary widely. From horns and frills, to even extra scale crests and different structures in a Unathi’s very skeleton (namely, the skull). While anatomical differences within a species are natural, Unathi are noteworthy for how wide these differences can get and how fast they come to be. The exact science behind this has been lost after the Contact War, and most of the research behind such a phenomena is idly handled by Nanotrasen and Zeng-Hu specialists. However it is assumed that Sinta simply evolve and adapt to their surroundings much faster than most of the other sentient species of the Spur, leading to such large physical discrepancies between Unathi alone.&lt;br /&gt;
From this, it is also assumed that, with Unathi populations moving between planets, and Moghes on its way to changing considerably (may the consequences of the of the Contact War be the of the Sinta homeworld, or may terraforming efforts save it), said biological differences between different groups will only get larger and more exotic in the next few centuries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Genetic Variety&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Unathifaces.png|180px|thumb|right|Zotzo’s Treaty of Biology is one of the first Unathi works dedicated to the study of Sinta biology, and in which the terminology for Unathi facial structure was first established. This is one of the few pages left of the book, found in the ruins of Oket&#039;s Great Library.]] &lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Horns&#039;&#039;&#039; are not tied to specific places, or at least, not directly. There seems to be a hereditary side to it, however, as Unathi more often than not seem to bear the horns of one of their parents (on VERY rare instances carrying the horns of both). Horns, however, do not “mix” and make new shapes, the same way that Unathi scale colourations don’t mix. Horns are arbored by both male and female Sintas, and can be of various tones, from dark gray, near black, to Ivory or even pristine white, and even in some cases, pale brown-ish tones. Contrary to some belief, Unathi horns are bone, and not made of Ivory or any other precious material. Horn size, just like tail size, also depends on a Unathi’s diet. However, while everyone has the potential to grow an enlarged tail, if given enough fat, horn size highly depends on how well-fed a Unathi is during their childhood as they grow. Coupled with one’s horn’s hereditary nature, it is commonly assumed that A Sinta of noble blood will generally have larger horns… A noble who happens to have shorter horns is generally called a New-Noble, as if they were the first of their clan to ascend to noblehood, and by extent the quality diet that tends to come with it.&lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Frills&#039;&#039;&#039;, while hereditary in exactly the same way as horns, tend to be most often seen in Unathi populations living on coasts, or in general humid areas. Frills can be of various colours, so long as they remain in natural Unathi colour ranges. They are constituted of either a bony “support”, or in some rare cases, a cartilaginous one, with skin or scales between and on said “supports”. Since frills are articulated, to some minor degree, Unathi bearing frills tend to be seen as more expressive, as they tend to “open” or “close” their frills, accentuating body language. Frills have generally been associated with Unathi of low-to-middle class, or at least, that have ancestry from such classes, as fishermen and such Unathu are generally depicted with large frills. The validity of such a concept is discussed nowadays. &lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Crests&#039;&#039;&#039; are rather similar to frills in their constitution, although they differ in the sense that, instead of having a thin layer of scaly hide being stretched between its bony or cartilaginous supports, crests are entirely covered in proper hide. One popular example is the infamous “Cobra Hood” (Which is a domination established by the people of the Spur as a whole, and not by Sinta, as Cobras are obviously not native to Moghes). Like frills, Crests can be articulated, although in a much more limited way. Crests are not limited to any place, and just like horns, are instead fully hereditary. Crests were rather rare prior to the Contact War, as it was more common among Unathi population living in rather arid areas, earning the rather poetic name of the “Frills of the dry seas”. After the Nuclear exchange, however, new generations born in a changed Moghes start to come with more and more crests already.&lt;br /&gt;
*Finally, while minor differences in sizes and shapes can be observed in different Unathi populations, one aspect in particular tends to change drastically: &#039;&#039;&#039;skull shapes&#039;&#039;&#039;. The shape of a Unathi’s head seems to vary widely, with some adopting a more draconic appearance, some being closer to smaller lizards, Iguanas, snakes, crocodiles, etc. The way Unathi see their fellow Sinta with this or that facial appearance varies widely depending on their culture. Once again, both due to migration, populations blending with each other and the loss of records due to the Contact War, locating the origins in Unathi faces has proved to be quite the hard endeavor, but some clues, mostly based on interviews of older, surviving Sintas, have been found, and a proper classification is being reestablished:&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Arakhania (“Draconic”)&#039;&#039;: Arakhanian facial structure, also called “Draconic” in Basic, is perhaps the most well known Unathi skull shape in the entire Spur. Perhaps one of the most well spread facial structures nowadays, it is also known as the “head of the nobles”, due to its prevalence among noble populations, with many notable Unathi bearing such a profile (namely the Hegemon himself). Arakhanians tend to have a pointy snout with smooth shapes, and a frontal bone of varying height and steepness.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Thodokhania (“Crocodilian”)&#039;&#039;: Thodokhanian faces come with a larger, longer snouts and more flat heads, comparable to Earth’s crocodiles or alligators (hence the name given to such a profile in Basic: “Crocodilian”.) Unathi with the Thodokianian facial structure have turned rarer and rarer since the Contact War, which led to the belief that the nuclear exchange must’ve erased population centers featuring the bulk of their population.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Imekhania (“Common Lizard-like”)&#039;&#039;: The Imekhanian facial class is as broad as the population it encompasses, being the most represented profile among Sinta. Unathi with the Imekhanian profile come with generally smoother snout shapes and round tips. earning the name “lizard-like” in Basic. According to ancient records and texts, it seems like the Imekhanian profile could be seen everywhere on Moghes, even before the first large population movements.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Senkhania (“Snake-like”)&#039;&#039;: With their flat heads and short snouts, Senkhanians faces are, as their name in Basic suggests, comparable to Earth’s Snakes. While a small part of the population, Unathi with the Senkhanian facial profile are still considered a category of their own, due to their presence in mostly rural areas (something that has yet to be explained), zones that would not tend to be the direct targets of nuclear bombardment during the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Lokhenian (“Others”)&#039;&#039;: Lokhenian facial profile, or “The faces of the Lost” is an all-new, post-Contact War classification, used to designate any facial structure that does not fit in the other aforementioned categories, and are not large enough to warrant a category of their own. Such facial structures are extremely various but also tend to be extremely rare, and it is assumed, that those were already quite rare even before the nuclear exchange, as they were rarely ever recorded in pre-contact war media.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Afflictions and Disabilities ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi, like all species, are prone to conditions that are uncommon among the population. How each Unathi views or handles these is varied due to the traditional cultures of Moghes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Lsh&#039;islasulu, sometimes shortened to &amp;quot;Lsh disorder,&amp;quot; is a rare scale disability affecting very few Unathi. The disorder is poorly studied because of its lacking negative affects and extreme rarity. When suffering from Lsh disorder, Unathi will lose their dead scale cells through a painful peeling process, rather than sporadically. A Unathi suffering from the disorder will need to painfully peel or scrub off their dead scales off once or twice a month in droves. The affliction is caused by increased cell death, and scale cells will die rapidly for no apparent reason. Luckily, this process only causes pain and increased susceptibility to the cold, not causing any damage or making the scales much weaker in terms of durability. Further information is lacking due to little research preformed.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kaasilik is a famously known yet equally rare disorder inflicting unique symptoms. Those suffering from Kaasilik lack any growth of frills, hoods, horns or any other structure on the head or face. While labeled as a disorder, those affected by it suffer no physical drawbacks and are believed to be the result of a genetic lottery in which generations of couples between Unathi with certain horn or frill growth reproduce. While undamaging to the Unathi physically, it can make identifying them from another suffering Unathi difficult at times. Children of these Unathi will likely have very small or limited frill and horn growth.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Albinosm, or Zis&#039;lak, caused by a general lack of pigment in the scales, makes the scales appear totally white, sometimes with a minor tint of green, red or sand/orange, caused by a total lack of pigment. Albinism in Unathi can also cause a unique shift in eye colour; while typical for Unathi to have colours like orange, red or green, albinism can shift the eye colour to an unusual violet. This is due to a lack of eye pigment combined with the light refraction off of the blood vessels within the eye. Unathi that suffer from albinism usually remain away from sunlight as their sensitive scales provide little to no UV protection and put them at risk of burns. Albino Unathi are also often seen as a bad omen at birth, and as such, those within the Hegemony&#039;s lower populated areas are often banished from their clan or in extreme circumstances, even banished from some clans to become Guwan. It should be noted that azure coloured Unathi cannot be albino.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Illiz is a disorder appearing in two states with a wide variety of recorded variation. The disability details highly irregular tail size, this can include tails the size of a finger or tails so long they become a tripping hazard. The former being nicknamed, &amp;quot;Hasik.&amp;quot; Unathi affected by Hasik typically suffer when sprinting, their short tails also prevent fat storage, which results in the fat being stored elsewhere like the arms, thighs, and lower body. The latter mentioned state of Illiz, nicknamed &amp;quot;Hasil,&amp;quot; is the complete opposite. Those affected by Hasil find their tails reaching lengths of up to four feet long. Hasil includes similar issues as Hasik, the most notable of which is it also negatively affects balance. Those with longer tails struggle to sprint, carrying the weight of such a large tail. Culturally, those suffering Hasik are viewed as pathetic and as cowards, while those with longer tails are presumed to be a noble. It should be noted that very few nobles have been documented suffering Hasik, while some, using plastic surgery, increase the size of their tails to mimic Hasil.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Unathi History]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The history of the Unathi is predominately a history of each &#039;&#039;&#039;Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039; that has existed throughout their history. There have only been three clans that have managed to create an empire worthy of the title &#039;Hegemon.&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Kres’ha’nor Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039; lasted from roughly 920 CE - 1500 CE. It is most famous for being the first empire to dominate Moghes and creating what was then a modern feudal state. Their empire saw rise of walled cities, steel weapons, centralized taxation, and other innovations. It ended in a brutal succession war, with Moghes once again being shattered into hundreds of individual Kingdoms with no true global power.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the &#039;&#039;&#039;16th century&#039;&#039;&#039; the power of &#039;&#039;&#039;[[Unathi Guilds|Guilds]]&#039;&#039;&#039; began to grow, forming an early form of mercantilism. Guilds formed for bakers, butchers, grocers, millers, smiths, carpenters, weavers, mason, shoemakers, in fact, nearly every trade had its own guild. Standards such as just weights and measures evolved from the guilds, and guild inspectors would inspect shops to ensure rules were being followed. Guilds would help members that were sick, or in trouble, and would sometimes take care of families after the member died. This time also saw Guilds building the first major universities. While incredibly exclusive, these universities began to create a new era of specialized labor and intellectuals.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;19th century&#039;&#039;&#039; saw rise of the &#039;&#039;&#039;Second Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;, ruled by the &#039;&#039;&#039;Sarakus Clan&#039;&#039;&#039;. Their clan ruled harshly, and forced technological advances into the cities and towns. In the 1930&#039;s they ruthlessly modernized their empire in The Great Endeavor, spreading electricity, radio, paved roads, modern plumbing, and other modern innovations.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In &#039;&#039;&#039;1994&#039;&#039;&#039; the &#039;&#039;&#039;Izweski Clan&#039;&#039;&#039; violently deposed the Sarakus and slaughtered the entire surviving dynasty, declaring the &#039;&#039;&#039;Third Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;. After they won an incredibly destructive global war to defend their claim, the Izweski have ruled Moghes until modern times.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In &#039;&#039;&#039;2403&#039;&#039;&#039;, a human exploration team discovered Moghes. Shortly after, first contact with the Izweski Hegemony was made. Sol Alliance merchants and scientists flocked to Moghes, living under very careful observation and guard in Izweski cities. Skalamar, the second largest city in Izweski, became the first Unathite city to have a shuttle port constructed. Owned by NanoTrasen, it served to transport people to and from the planet’s surface. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[Contact War|The Contact War, which has more information here,]] was a cataclysmic global war that lasted from &#039;&#039;&#039;2438 to 2449&#039;&#039;&#039;. The fighting was between two global powers, the &#039;&#039;&#039;Izweski Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;, and the &#039;&#039;&#039;Traditionalist Coalition&#039;&#039;&#039;. The war was fought over the very future of the Unathi and their relationship with the rest of the galaxy. The Izweski demanded Moghes submit to a one-world government ran by themselves and embrace the influence of humanity. The Traditionalist Coalition rejected this. &#039;&#039;&#039;The war went nuclear on September 5th, 2439&#039;&#039;&#039;, causing immense suffering across Moghes and directly leading to the creation of The Wasteland, which is set to engulf Moghes within a hundred years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Unathi Culture==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Diet and Cuisine ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathite dishes are mostly comprised of meat, eggs, and fish. It may be cooked or even still raw and bleeding. Vegetables in meals are often just for decoration or flavor, but by no means ever make up the majority of the dish. Unathi do not take any nutritional value from plant matter, only from meat. Desert flowers may also be placed on the plate to make it seem well-presented and are also edible. The tools Unathi use to eat are very unorthodox to humans, usually resembling chopsticks banded together near the top. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi generally eat only one large meal a day. The nobility often eat twice a day, while poorer Unathi or those in [[The Wasteland|the Wasteland]] will eat bi-daily: every two days.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To support their civilization, fishing has developed on a scale similar to human agriculture. Since the Contact War, fishing yields have fallen, and hunger has become a fact of life for many Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Language ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi, being deeply traditional, tend to use their own sayings, proverbs, and similar speech in other languages not native to them. Some concepts of their languages also spill over into tongues foreign to Unathi. For example, the sexes are so closely tied to their roles in society that words for &amp;quot;man,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;male,&amp;quot; and other parrot words are practically synonymous with &amp;quot;warrior.&amp;quot; The same is said for words like &amp;quot;woman&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;female&amp;quot; with &amp;quot;healer.&amp;quot; Objects also have assigned genders to them, so it is not uncommon for Sinta to refer to objects and inanimate things with genders. Unathi also have a lot of assorted figures of speech that, instead of being based on direction (up and down), are affiliated with time and its speed. A faster rate of time is seen as bad while a slower rate is seen as good in a majority of cases. Good things are categorized by saying something is punctual, progressing on time, is speeding up in time, or has a lot of time while saying the opposite for bad things. Rather than saying &amp;quot;I’m going to bed for the night,&amp;quot; a Unathi might offer &amp;quot;I’m slowing down for the night&amp;quot;; similarly, instead of being &amp;quot;down to hang out,&amp;quot; one would instead say they &amp;quot;want to slow down&amp;quot; with someone else. Examples include, but aren’t limited to: &amp;quot;today’s harvests were timely,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;the day has been slow,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;my body is slowing,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;their sleep is running late,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;I’m accelerating through my studies.&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi names are extraordinarily diverse, ranging from those that string together a bunch of consonants to sounds with many vowels in a row. There are not many commonalities between them besides harder sounds like &#039;ck,&#039; &#039;zh,&#039; &#039;s,&#039; &#039;d,&#039; and &#039;t.&#039; &#039;&#039;&#039;However, names cannot have more than two of the same letter in a row, such as Myo&#039;sssak.&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Many species have developed the joking term &amp;quot;unathisms&amp;quot; for all the various cultural holdovers that get put into other languages they speak.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot; style=&amp;quot;width:99%; overflow:auto;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi Metaphors, Sayings, and Slang&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Sinta— &#039;&#039;meaning Unathi. If the word Unathi can be compared to &amp;quot;Human&amp;quot;, then sinta can be compared to &amp;quot;man&amp;quot;, the latter usually kept out of more serious, official or scientific discussion and instead used in discussions with a more common if not familiar tone. Sinta does not get an S on plural and does not start with a capital letter.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Claws, talons— &#039;&#039;fingers, nails, respectively; however, sometimes satire or exaggeration make use of them interchangeably.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hatchling, egg— &#039;&#039;a child or baby, sometimes also as an insult.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Azure, albino— &#039;&#039;exotic, or unusual; alternatively (and rarely), an archaic and outdated way of calling something awful: &amp;quot;Their tastes are absolutely albino.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hide, scales— &#039;&#039;skin.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Rattle, rattled— &#039;&#039;scared.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Scratch, scratched— &#039;&#039;to write/written.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Tailwag— &#039;&#039;generic insult lacking true meaning and has a weird versatility to it, like referring to someone as a &#039;fuck&#039; or similar.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Blood on my teeth— &#039;&#039;eating, sometimes a gruesome (seen as barbaric) way of describing fighting and other activities.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Lay down my tail/bare my neck— &#039;&#039;let someone walk over you.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Molting— &#039;&#039;getting angry enough over something that it damages your physical health. Used almost explicitly for exaggeration.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Fat-tail— &#039;&#039;an insult usually aimed at nobles.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Quote a limerick— &#039;&#039;to be sassy, snarky, witty.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Grinding my horns— &#039;&#039;getting on their nerves.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Strum— &#039;&#039;gather.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Stomp, stomping— &#039;&#039;a get together (as a noun) or referring to someone being happy (as a verb).&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Echoed song— &#039;&#039;oral tradition.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ghazkus, ghazkii— &#039;&#039;skrell, coming from the word &amp;quot;amphibious&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;ghazii&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kzlth, kzlthii— &#039;&#039;humans, coming from the word &amp;quot;scaleless&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;kazulth&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Imiekran, imiekranes— &#039;&#039;the typical term for dionae meaning &amp;quot;twisted plant&amp;quot; in Sinta’Azaziba, usually a term of endearment; alternatively called aggregates when referring to different forms.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Xsain— &#039;&#039;vaurca, coming from the word &amp;quot;incomprehensible&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;xsa&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
(Note: most of the time this is seen as being a nickname when used outside of Sinta’Unathi or Sinta’Azaziba. If you are particularly friendly with someone that either you don’t know the name of or are referring to someone otherwise, this may be appropriate outside of saying the species’ name.)&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Zo’zyola— &#039;&#039;the equivalent of an angel or a demon. Depending on the context, this is either a compliment or a severe insult.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Dishonored their clan— &#039;&#039;do something to ostracize themselves from society or a group of people.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A tale longer than my own— &#039;&#039;a play on words gaining traction among Sinta who speak Basic. Basically a way of saying &amp;quot;it&#039;s a long story&amp;quot; with similar connotations, but this phrase can also be used to hype up an event. &amp;quot;What did you do during the Solarian Invasion?&amp;quot; &amp;quot;It&#039;s a tale longer than my own— let&#039;s meet up to discuss it.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Heating up— &#039;&#039;a way of setting your guard is going down or that you are even getting bored or tired. &amp;quot;This shift has been uneventful, I can feel it heating up.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Sk&#039;akh&#039;s scales— &#039;&#039;a way of saying &amp;quot;holy shit&amp;quot; or similar swears.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Have an honorable duel for the sake of the game— &#039;&#039;in Sinta&#039;Azaziba and Sinta&#039;Unathi, duel and game are the same word, just with different meanings. This is a play on words in the original tongue and is meant to talk about something that has to be done yet trying to make fun out of it anyway.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
More unclean/unkempt than a Guwan&#039;s feet— &#039;&#039;referring to something being worse than the dirtiest part of a class of undesirables. Phrases like these are more common in the Hegemony and are one of the many methods used to degrade Guwan.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When an arbek eats its tail— &#039;&#039;&amp;quot;when pigs fly.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Preparing the maxtlatl— &#039;&#039;referring to the shaman&#039;s garb. Preparing the maxtlatl is something a shaman does when they feel they are near death; in preparing it, they are readying the skull in the headgear to be replaced by their own. In a sense, if someone is preparing the maxtlatl, they are spelling their own doom or see their demise coming.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the Fourth Nation— &#039;&#039;somewhat of a joke about cycles, playing fun at the fact that the Izweski Hegemony has been a constant throughout history. Traditionalists use this phrase more bitterly and sardonically, however.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By mine and your spirits— &#039;&#039;a way of solemnly swearing; alternatively, asking for guidance if you worship Th’akh.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Three Heads bless me— &#039;&#039;the alternative to &amp;quot;by mine and your spirits&amp;quot; for those that worship Sk’akh.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Bet the Hegemon’s head— &#039;&#039;many people want to kill the Hegemon, so this refers to such a bounty. Usually used as a joke or a dare.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Individual languages are described by the prefix &#039;Sinta&#039; followed by the identity of its native speakers. Speaking mannerisms remain the same when speaking Sinta or another language. For stylistic choices, there are some options. For those raised in or by the Hegemony, avoid contractions like &#039;&#039;it&#039;s&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;they&#039;re&#039;&#039;, which would be &#039;&#039;it is&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;they are&#039;&#039;. Formal Sinta&#039;Unathi lacks this concept of contracting words, and thus it is a difficult concept to understand for these speakers. Those that speak Sinta&#039;Azaziba will talk in other languages in short bursts, similar to how Azaziba has shorter sentences due to gesticulating and speaking at the same time. Accents are wide and diverse; replacing &#039;s&#039; sounds with &#039;th&#039; in a &#039;forced lisp&#039; or even just omitting the sound is a commonality for Unathi that struggle with certain words in other languages (like &#039;suspicious&#039;). This way of speaking is also common when singing in different languages, a trend picking up within the Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sinta&#039;Unathi ====&lt;br /&gt;
While Pre-Contact Moghes had hundreds of unique languages and their own histories, Sinta&#039;Unathi has been and remains the primary language spoken by most Unathi. It is an evolution of an older Moghean trade language, Sinta&#039;Izwe.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The written language has 30 letters, with 5 of them being vowels. The language is written left to right, though this was an attempt to emulate humanity, as informal Sinta&#039;Unathi still write top to bottom.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sinta&#039;Azaziba ====&lt;br /&gt;
Sinta&#039;Azaziba is a language of Moghes consisting of a combination of spoken word and gesticulation. While waning since Moghes entered the galactic stage, it enjoys popular use by Unathi that never fell to the Hegemony&#039;s cultural dominance. Sinta&#039;Azaziba writing has 27 letters, 4 of which being vowels. The language is written from top to bottom.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Unathi Fashion and Make-up ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Fashion on the scale of an entire species is incredibly diverse, much like with other species. There are some common sights seen across most Unathi peoples.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Fashion ====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Clothing is generally something to balance for Unathi, according to one’s need with warmth. Generally, Unathi can dress themselves from head to toe, with shawls and hoods not being an uncommon sight, even if temperatures aren’t outright cold, just to retain warmth for as long as possible. In particularly hot climates, however, or on specific occasions like while sunbathing, Unathi may choose to wear minimal clothing to get as little obstacle as possible between them and the sun, or any other heat source they may be enjoying.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Colors are an essential part of any Unathi outfit. Being particularly fond of vibrant colors, sights of bright reds, oranges, yellows, greens and blues are common, and white and black, though rare for fashion’s sake, are generally used to accentuate colors even more. These colors are often selected to go along with their scale colors, eyes, and so on, the natural colors of a Unathi playing a large part in their fashion choices. Nobility and other wealthy individuals will often show off their status through the use of jewelry, both gemstone and rare, expensive metals like gold and silver. Though the typical bracelets and necklaces can be found, Unathi also use some pieces of jewelry unique to their species, such as horn rings (meant to be worn around one’s horn) or frill-rings (going through the frill, much like with earrings.) Capes and cloaks are also a traditional display of status and function, with for instance the many capes worn by Guild members.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Make-up ====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While most Human cultures see most forms of make-up as feminine, Unathi are different. It’s common for Unathi of all genders to apply make-up. Once again, there are countless forms of make-up and ways to apply them seen across the entire species.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot; style=&amp;quot;width:99%; overflow:auto;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi make-up&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
===== Cosmetics =====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Some of the most popular forms of Unathi make-up include things such as claw-painting, quite comparable to painting nails. This is generally done with bright colors, to accentuate them over the scale colors of the Unathi in question. There are traces of claw-painting being done in pre-Hegemonic times, mainly by warriors, to show off their claws and intimidate their foes, and though this tradition is still practiced by some, claw painting is now also done for the mere sake of fashion. Horns can also be painted, as well as frills for similar effects if the individual in question sports them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===== Scalepaint =====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Scalepaint is a uniquely Unathi form of make-up, and the most popular in the species as well. Due to their need to shed, Unathi cannot sport tattoos normally, but scalepaint constitutes an equivalent. As the name implies, it is a form of paint applied directed on one’s scaly hide. scalepaint can be inconspicuous and small, or extravagant and cover the majority of one’s hide. In any case, however, it is done to go along with, and complement one’s natural hide colors, and completely covering oneself in scalepaint is seen as particularly awkward and a display of shame in oneself.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The practice of using scalepaint dates back to prehistoric times, with hunters covering themselves in a mixture of herbs, dust, and a few pigments to better hide in the foliage to ambush prey; though it quickly-enough became a form of aesthetic as well. The practice to apply scalepaint hasn’t changed much since then; it is a mix of pigments, herbs, and a clay-like substance to be applied directly on one’s scales.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Perhaps what makes Scalepaint so interesting is the sheer amount of work needed to apply and maintain it. First, it must be applied in correct doses. Too much, and the texture will be too thick and completely cover the scaly texture of one’s hide (an easy excuse to be mocked by your fellow sinta), too little, and the color won’t be visible-enough, and completely disappear at the first shed. With the correct amount of paint applied, it should be visible enough without hiding one’s scales, and when the time to shed comes, some remnants of paint should still be visible, acting as a guide for the next layer to be put on this layer of skin as well. This brings us to the second part, the need to maintain scalepaint. A proper scalepaint requires regular maintenance, to be generally re-applied after every shed. This workload makes the most extravagant and encompassing forms of scalepaint a show of both artistry, but also the result of regularly applied, expert artistry.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Because of its need to be re-applied constantly, scalepaint is generally applied and maintained by oneself, and thus, only to places they can reach. As such, only nobles and other wealthy sinta are ever seen sporting scalepaint on their backs, as it requires maintenance from others, generally talented servants.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Zandiziite Games ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Zandiziite Games]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
An ancient sport that got its start on Moghes, this sport is best described as a mixture of Olympic- and MMA-style games. Competitors within the Zandiziite Games are called Zandiziites, or colloquially an individual wrestler is called a Zandi. Clans send eligible men (and only men) to their Lord in the hopes that they are chosen to represent their city or community in the Zandiziite Games.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Unathi Sociality and Society ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Behaviour and Mannerisms ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi generally stare at what they are interested in, so their intense gaze moves with a conversation to whoever is talking. Additionally, pointing can be seen as extremely rude in circumstances. If more than just a passing gesture towards someone, prolonged pointing can be a grave insult to one&#039;s honor and, in some cases, be the reason for crude fighting or even initiate a duel.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi should always be addressed by their last name in most situations. It is offensive to use a Unathi&#039;s first name unless you are family or have a close relationship with them (like family, a lover, or close friend). Some are more permissive than others regarding this. In a situation where there are multiple Unathi with the same last name, it&#039;s generally accepted to just get more and more specific in your address to make it clear who you are speaking to.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi to other species would typically appear sluggish in their movements, though there are some exceptions to this. When working or even when feeling threatened, they typically move short distances with their arms and legs at speeds much faster than normal for other species. This is because they conserve their energy by going slightly slower until they need it for a given task.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Another outstanding behavior that other species would note is an intense gaze. Unathi typically find staring at whoever is speaking to be respectful; however, this intense staring, paired with not blinking often and stooping to look at someone at eye level, is how other species are typically made uncomfortable when engaging with Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For most Unathi being seen speaking to Guwans is embarrassing. A woman associating with a Guwan is extremely improper and indecent, and they can lose social standing by doing so.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Violence can have its place in regular daily life, with playful fighting being commonplace with the peasantry and in the Wasteland. Joking punches and wistful tail flicks that would be normal for Unathi playing around may end up hurting a human, which has led to many jokes about humanity’s weak stature. Shoulder checks and headbutts have their place in more aggressive friendships and is a sign of showing brotherly love.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Emotional Displays ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi exhibit a great variety of emotional body language in ways different from other species. While it is not uncommon for Unathi to attempt to mimic human displays (sometimes with frightening results, for example showing off their large, numerous sharp teeth in a &amp;quot;smile&amp;quot;), they have their own natural, basic emotions that come from biological expression akin to reptiles. It can be very difficult for this species to control their emotionally linked body language as it is engrained in Unathite culture, but exercising restraint is often seen as a sign of nobility or simply an individual who is attempting to better blend in with other species. Over time, these displays can also change to adapt to a different environment, though this process typically takes many years to come to fruition.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For example, baring the entire throat is the single most meaningful expression that can be displayed to another, often used to show trust or vulnerability to someone a Unathi cares about. However, it is not unusual to do this to also surrender to another (such as in a fight), admit shame, or display extreme compassion (when exposed to twine necks with another). Conversely, tilting the snout far down to protect the throat and better display one’s horns is a fight response or to show distrust in another.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When it comes to intimate gestures between Unathi, they usually twine necks or tails, and touch foreheads and snouts together with the same intent that humans kiss. Such displays are usually only reserved for those that are married or to be wed, but with other cultures such as Ouerea, the smaller colonies, or the Empire of Dominia, this tends to be much more relaxed. Hugging is usually considered to be something done by children and avoided by adults.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi often fixate on their surroundings when interested or excited by someone or something. If there is a conversation of multiple people, they often change their gaze to look at whoever is speaking, or at the person speaking they are most interested in. It is considered rude by Unathi to avert your gaze, for that shows that someone can be aloof, distant, or not paying attention fully. Even if afraid and cowering, they tend to look directly at the source of their fear. For other species, when especially happy or interested, they can even stoop down to look at them directly at eye level, or try to raise themselves as much as possible to look other creatures in the eye.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Other physical displays include the ‘tail stomp,’ a phenomenon common during heightened signals of emotion. Typically, these are done when a Sinta is filled with joy or extremely agitated, but can be rarely used when a Unathi is grieving. Other more minor displays are, but aren’t limited to: bristling scales, in response to a cold environment or a ‘chill going down their spine;’ becoming slow and sluggish if extremely comfortable, such as reacting to warmth; swaying, sampling the air, and hissing all are common when in a new environment, with strangers, or even just in certain situations, which shows curiosity, discomfort, or unease.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Verbally, Unathi have some onomatopoeias that they draw on for different emotions. Chuffing, forcefully exhaling air from the throat, can be used to mark mild annoyance in reply to something, or can be used to show amusement. If it comes at the end of a sentence or statement, it can imply that they are being sarcastic or are saying something in good humor. Unathi don’t quite have a laugh; instead, they bark in typically short bursts, in which the sound is often deep, loud, and raucous. Finally, rattling the throat is a fairly common gesture that replaces or accompanies a tail stomp. Sometimes when enraged, throat rattling is accompanied by frills or scales flaring up as well.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As a result of the divide between groups of sinta, some mannerisms are unique to different social groups. For example, nobles tend to tail stomp in response to seeing something that ‘disgusts’ them, whether it be the sight of a heretic or Guwan, something that disgusts olfactory senses, or something else. Peasants on Moghes and most Unathi on Ouerea tend to be ‘overly emotional’ in that they often tilt their snout up somewhat when showing general content or happiness, or down slightly when afraid or unhappy. Dominians often keep their chin tilted up constantly as a sign of pride and even cockiness, showing they aren’t afraid when vulnerable parts are exposed. Of course, this all barely scratches the surface, and there are many gestures unique to cultures and regions that are not enumerated.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Gender Roles ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div style=&amp;quot;font-size:105%; border:2px solid white; margin:0; background:white; padding:.1em; color:black;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi society is highly gender-stratified, with very specific gendered divisions of work and societal role. The Unathi understanding of gender has become tied deeply into these roles, which leads to a structure that humans may find unusual. In Unathi society, gender has little to do with assigned sex, rather being almost entirely dependent on the societal role an individual finds themselves in. The Sinta’Unathi words for ‘warrior’ and ‘male’ are the same, but this is not because one is required to be male to be a warrior - rather, the act of being a warrior is what makes one considered male. To Unathi, gender is not something that one &#039;&#039;is&#039;&#039;, but something that one &#039;&#039;does&#039;&#039;. An Unathi who sought to live as a professional warrior would be considered male by society at large, regardless of their sex at hatching - and regardless of their own thoughts on the matter.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Where this system originates is largely unknown, having existed in some form for most of Unathi recorded history. The earliest known example comes from archaeological discoveries in the [[Tza Prairie]], indicating that ancient Unathi cultures held the Fisher as the feminine role, rather than the Healer - which was reserved for a long-extinct caste of shaman-kings. The gender division in its modern form was likely codified by the early Sk’akh Church or predecessor faiths, though with so much of Moghes’ history now lost to the Wasteland scholars doubt if the origins of such a fundamental part of society will ever be discovered.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The divisions of labor in Unathi society are based on this structure of gender, and it is expressed prominently in religion - the Three Aspects of Sk’akh being the most prevalent examples. The Warrior, Healer, and Fisher are the primary categories into which almost every aspect of Unathi life has been divided for centuries - though as with many Unathi traditions, it is being increasingly challenged in the modern era.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Warrior&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Warrior is the masculine category, under which roles to do with martial affairs tend to fall. Most military positions are considered male due to this, with some rare exceptions being made for medical and support personnel. Outside of direct combat matters, positions in law enforcement and colonial expansion are also widely considered warriors, as are many roles to do with the direct enforcement of a ruler’s will such as governorship, tax collection and announcement of decrees. Unathi identifying as warriors are expected to act with honor in accordance with the [[Unathi Honor|Warriors&#039; Code]]. Vaurca Warriors outside of those in medical or scientific fields are generally gendered as male by Unathi as a result of this.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Healer&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Healer is the feminine category, which is broader than its name might indicate. Positions in the medical field are obviously considered healers, but the category also covers most scholarship and keeping of knowledge in general. The Simiite Reliquary in To’ha’dat is staffed exclusively by Priestesses of the Healer, and holds the complete historical record of the Sk’akh Church. While scholarship in general has never been as gendered as some other categories, the vast majority of Unathi scientists, archivists and researchers would be considered female. The sphere of knowledge and learning also covers the business of spycraft, investigation and diplomacy, with the positions of Spymaster and High Speaker being traditionally female ones. Unathi identifying as healers have less of a concrete code of honor, though in recent years the invention of the [[Unathi Honor|Matriarch&#039;s Code]] has gained some popularity. Vaurca Gynes, as well as Workers and Warriors in medical or scientific fields, are generally gendered as female by Unathi as a result of this.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Fisher&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Fisher is the third Unathi gender, without a direct translation in Tau Ceti Basic. Its sphere covers productive work such as fishing, construction and engineering. Many among the Unathi working class are considered to be fishers, and the title of Master of Rivers is one that traditionally is held by a fisher. In Tau Ceti Basic, gender-neutral pronouns are often used to describe fishers, though due to linguistic differences a fisher may often be gendered as male or female by humans. The sphere of the fisher encompasses many positions to do with economic development, ranging from humble miners, ranchers and fishers all the way to colonial administrators. There is no strict code of honor for fishers similar to that of warriors and healers, though the idea of developing one has been attempted a few times. Vaurca Workers outside of medical or scientific fields are generally gendered as fishers by Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Non-Gendered Roles&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The gender stratification of Unathi society is nearly all-encompassing, though there are some rare positions that can be considered as more than one gender. Rulership is the most notable of these, with the gender of a ruler being considered emblematic of their style of rule - male rulers are considered a good omen for military victory, whereas female rulers are considered a blessing for periods of peace and wisdom and fisher rulers are considered to bring periods of great productivity to their demesne. The title of Hegemon is something of an exception, having always had a connotation of military conquest to it. As such, Hegemons throughout the ages have been recognized as warriors and succession is patriarchal. It is not uncommon, however, for their expressed gender to contrast what is officially recorded by the church; for example, Hegemon Ayzi Sarakus was unofficially seen as a fisher to their confidants and trusted allies. Using various methods, they and others like them have held the throne throughout the Izweski Hegemony’s history - though greatly outnumbered by the warriors.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One role which falls outside any of the three genders is that of the Guwandi. The reason for this is simple. A Guwandi sheds their gender as they shed their name, and for the same reason - it is a sign of the person they once were, before facing such shame that it was left behind. A Guwandi is only referred to as their prior gender when they are confirmed to have died with honour, and the stain of their disgrace can be erased from their history.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In addition, the introduction of Unathi to the interstellar stage has led to a vast array of new roles, which have yet to be neatly assigned to a gender. While some were able to fit into pre-existing categories, other roles such as interstellar piloting, civilian spaceship command and various roles to do with colonial oversight have yet to be fit into one of Unathi society’s well-defined boxes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Changing Gender&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Most Unathi will live in the gender of their work for their entire lives. However, the nature of Unathi gender roles mean that changing one’s gender is fairly common in Unathi society, especially among nobles who may find themselves in a wide number of roles during their lives. It is not uncommon for rulers identifying as female to present as male during wartime, for instance, or for rulers identifying as male to present as a fisher when investing heavily in developing their lands.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the modern age this has become more common among non-nobles, as common Unathi find themselves with a greater degree of social mobility. Many who would have lived and died as fishers find themselves seeking out battle and becoming warriors, or enrolling at institutions such as the [[Unathi_Educational_Institutions#Skalamar_University_of_Medicine|Skalamar University of Medicine]] and identifying themselves as healers. The act of changing one’s gender is, in most Unathi societies, a religious one. In the [[Izweski Heartland]] and other majority Sk’akh regions, these affairs are handled by the Church, while other faiths have their own approaches to it. For Unathi outside the Hegemony, such as those in Biesel or Dominia, less of a spiritual significance tends to be placed on the transition, being treated as more of a personal and private affair.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Traditional Greetings&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A custom often misunderstood by foreigners, traditional greetings are both a way for Unathi to politely greet each other, but also to begin introductions without even saying a word. This tradition dates back to some time in the late first Hegemony, though the greetings themselves had much different forms and uses back then.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In essence, these greetings are done by wordlessly bowing before another, doing so in a specific manner, depending on the Unathi in question&#039;s gender. Doing so is not only polite, if not a show of respect, but also a way for a sinta to present their gender, and by extent the kind of path they have taken in their life.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;The Warrior&#039;s Greeting&#039;&#039; is done by bowing until one would look straight to the floor, while putting a fist on their heart. The legs must remain straight and back curve as little as possible during the entire greeting, lest the Unathi in question be mocked for going a &amp;quot;wounded Warrior&#039;s greeting&amp;quot;, a situation many have faced on their first Warrior&#039;s Greeting. Signifying trust and respect, it is generally considered an honor to be greeted in such way by prestigious warriors, Kataphracts and veterans.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;The Healer&#039;s Greeting&#039;&#039; would have one bow by bending the knees, hunching forward a little with open arms until their claws and horns (frills, crest, or the top of their skull in the case of absence of such) are at roughly the same height. Some can take the greeting a little further, by crossing their legs slightly, bowing deeper, though such a move is generally kept to greet those worthy of great respect. It signifies openness, warmth and vulnerability.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Finally, through &#039;&#039;the Fishers Greeting&#039;&#039;, one would bow by crossing their arms behind their back, bowing with their back, while keeping their gaze at the other person. Signifies listening and understanding, and though seen by many as the easiest of the greetings to achieve, it is not considered lesser than the other two, but rather, a show of the beauty and value of simplicity.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Traditional greetings are not always done with non-Unathi, generally because of their lack of understanding, some sinta choosing to not bother at all. One can also find slight variations to these traditional greetings abroad, in Dominia for instance, where the [[Unathi_in_Dominia|Kazhkz-Han&#039;san]] can be found calling these greetings the &amp;quot;Soldier&#039;s&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;Scholar&#039;s&amp;quot;, and &amp;quot;Artisan&#039;s Greeting&amp;quot; instead, in a mix of Moghesian and Morozian culture.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Outside the Gender Trinary&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In every society, there are those who do not conform to expectations, and the same is true among Unathi. Following the Contact War, many Unathi have challenged the ancient structures of gender that bind their species, seeking to separate their work from their own identification. The first female Kataphract, the Lady H’zala was appointed in 2459, one of the first public examples of a non-warrior permitted in such a strongly gendered role. In the Queendom of Szek-Hakh, the ordinary structures of gender are largely reversed as most of the fighting is done by women - while some present as warriors to the world, most continue to identify themselves as healers. While this is done out of practicality, with most of the realm’s men having perished in the Contact War, it is still viewed as a dramatic aberration from the norm. Abroad, some Unathi have found themselves adopting more human conceptions of gender as something that a person is, rather than something that they do, and choose to present as a gender that does not match their occupation - whether one which matches their sex, or simply based on personal preference.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Many have decried this as alien confusion and an erosion of Sinta tradition, while others welcome or simply do not pay mind to it. Gender is a spiritual matter, after all, and the priests and shamans have yet to come to a definite conclusion about these changing matters. How this will impact Unathi society, built around the strict gender trinary for centuries, remains to be seen.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Gender and Aliens&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To many Unathi, human conceptions of gender are confusing, seemingly arbitrary and without reason. While decades of contact between the two species has helped for better understanding of this, both tend to view the other society’s ideas of gender as strange. Unathi, particularly those less-accustomed to working with aliens, will often gender non-Unathi based on their profession rather than any outward signs, and will find being corrected on this matter particularly confusing. For aliens which lack a concept of gender altogether such as [[Skrell]], [[Vaurca|Vaurcae]] or [[Dionae]], this is generally less of an issue.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On [[Ouerea]], a general understanding has been reached as to human concepts of gender, with the Unathi population coming to understand their alien neighbors’ views. Some of these views have been adopted among the Unathi population, with Archpriest Azente of the Sk’akh Church holding in the belief that an Unathi can do the work of one gender while identifying as another, which has caused him to be labelled as a radical among his fellows. Generally speaking, Skrell on Ouerea do not seem to have any particular trouble assimilating to Unathi notions of gender, though the reasoning behind it can often be confusing to them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Some Diona gestalts which have primarily learned from Unathi - such as those living in the Izweski Hegemony, or among the pirates of the Tarwa Conglomerate - have adopted their own interpretation of Unathi gender. Some more organized gestalts tend to gender their individual nymphs based on the role they play in the whole, while others have developed their own codes of behavior similar to those practiced in Unathi society. More information about them can be found [[Moghresian Dionae|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Most [[Unathi in Dominia|Dominian Unathi]] have, at least in practice, adopted the human model. Though most were born and raised on Moghes and held (perhaps still hold) traditional views, most Unathi choose to adapt to the local Imperial culture for similar reasons as converting to the [[Moroz Holy Tribunal|Holy Tribunal]] - that not respecting the customs and culture of their new home would be dishonorable to those who had welcomed them. Some, particularly among the Han’san and the older Unathi population, do not forget about traditional understandings of gender, still living much as they would on Moghes. To the humans of Dominia, this is largely written off as another alien curiosity of the Unathi, though those who spend more time with them may come to a better understanding of their ways. The newer generations of Unathi born on Imperial soil, however, are generally much more familiar with human ideas of gender than Unathi ones.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Corruption within the Gender Culture ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div style=&amp;quot;font-size:105%; border:2px solid white; margin:0; background:white; padding:.1em; color:black;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While seen from the outside as a relatively progressive development, the fluidity of Unathi gender roles combined with the rigid feudal hierarchy of noble lords and clan leadership presents a wide variety of opportunities for exploitation and abuse. These vary in measure, legally and morally, and if pressed those within positions of power will publicly denounce such practices as dishonorable. However, it’s an open secret that a significant number of the ruling class use these tactics to a greater or lesser degree to ensure their dynasties and interests are protected. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Heirs and Succession&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Arguably one of the most crucial considerations of any noble lord or clan leader, the designation of an heir demands intervention when the current candidate is unwanted or unfavorable. The means by which this is accomplished vary from region to region, but leverage of gender is a widely adopted tactic.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In areas under Izweski rule, succession is patriarchal and the eldest warrior child is traditionally designated heir apparent. Should the natural choice be undesirable it is a common though unspoken practice to cultivate a preferred alternative. If the distinction is made early enough in life, clan heads will attempt to remove older children from succession by enrolling them in education and apprenticeships for healers and fishers. Betrothal contracts can also be drafted which misgender, or pre-gender, a child. Often in negotiation of these matches, care is taken to ensure the other clan’s name is taken and rights of inheritance are explicitly waived. Objection by the child or refusal to uphold the betrothal can be punishable by exile, leaving them few options.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
:If the desired heir does not show sufficient martial prowess, clan leaders can hire combat mentors and may stage public duels where the outcome is predetermined. The opponents in these matches are skilled actors as much as they are combatants, and will shout, bluster, and make oaths to the Warrior and their ancestors before the fight begins to enhance the drama and importance of the duel. They can then expertly claim a believable defeat from even the most inept novice. The most talented of these actors, unofficially referred to as &#039;&#039;hoax-hides&#039;&#039;, are well known in certain noble circles and are paid handsomely for their craft and discretion, and will avoid working in one location for too long to prevent being exposed.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In predominantly Sk’akh regions, legal authority over one’s recognized gender is regulated by the Church. Less scrupulous priests can be bought or persuaded to induce or prevent a change of gender. Some exceptionally lazy or cruel clan leaders will simply fabricate a reason to mark a child as guwandi, stripping them of their clan and gender, and sentence them to exile. This can have unintended consequences however, as the action can be contested within the jurisdiction of the Clan&#039;s local Lord and harsh penalties are imposed for cases in which it can be proven the exile was baseless.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In rural or Th’akhish regions like Tza’an, where the realities of clan survival often take precedence over custom, succession is tied less to gender and more with ensuring healthy children and a robust, able-bodied family. Yet even though harsher, rural life creates greater consequences for meddling in succession, there are still those who will risk much to improve their standing. Leadership typically passes to elder warriors unless they are deemed unfit. If a proposed heir’s existing or planed union would be unlikely to produce offspring then they will often be passed over for a more favorable candidate. A common tactic is to raise concerns regarding an heir’s ability to protect their clan or cast doubt on their health or virility. More recently, there have been recorded examples of unwelcome heirs being assigned to patrols in the wastes in hopes that exposure and radiation will lead to clear signs of weakness and that they might be removed from possible consideration. These schemes are not only dishonorable but also detrimental to the health of the clan and are punished harshly if discovered.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A number of Unathi communities that are technically no longer part of the Hegemony still cling to a hierarchical clan structure and the succession of leadership will sometimes be decided by traditional methods. Some details may differ, but it is not uncommon to see similar tactics as those in the Hegemony used to influence succession and other clan decisions. &lt;br /&gt;
*In the Queendom of Sez-Hakh, for example, succession is matriarchal and falls to the eldest healer child. Due to the necessities of survival after the Contact War the lines separating genders have blurred significantly but abuse of gender culture still occurs. Though aging, Queen Lazak still rules with considerable power and her wishes are reflected in the attitudes of the ruling ladies. Stigma against warrior rule continues to linger and advocates of greater warrior influence are quietly stifled.&lt;br /&gt;
*Communities that have more exposure to human influence tend to allow for all three genders in the rules of succession and gaming the system in these instances requires more finesse. For instance, it&#039;s generally accepted that a warrior is the preferred clan leader during wartime. If a clan leader wished for their warrior child to succeed them, they may initiate a clan war or blood feud prior to stepping down and allowing their warrior children to ascend. The reverse can also be true, and a clan leader might reach out to rivals to begin talks of reconciliation before stepping aside for healer or fisher claimants.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Contracts and Customary Law&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The deep ties gender has within Unathite culture can also be exploited when resolving contracts and disputes. Often this can take the form of discrediting someone’s suitability for a job, an inferred inability to complete work, and breaches of contract where gender is pertinent. Contract manipulation is common and Mazjivsa scribes are customarily retained to ensure proper resolution where possible. They are familiar with popular ploys to either nullify contracts or collect compensation for failure to fulfill obligations and other violations.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One particularly infamous case is widely taught to new scribes during apprenticeship; a contract was created to provide a lord with twenty skilled fishers (engineers) for the construction of new perimeter walls around his compound. Once the crucial process of sinking the foundations and construction of the lower levels was done, progress on the project began to slow and then cease as the fishers were constantly arguing, accusing one another of sabotaging their work, insulting their clan, and myriad other minor slights which climaxed in a spontaneous battle; one worker dead, and two with serious injuries. The lord claimed “they were clearly better suited to spears than tools,” and demanded that the contract be nullified and that half of what he paid be returned in addition to punitive payments stipulated in the contract for the breach. Initially the restitutions were made and the construction of the walls was finished by the lord’s own specialists. It wasn’t until later when a Zo’kaa investigated the incident that the funds were returned and the Lord’s involvement was made known. Under contract from the construction guild, the Zo’kaa uncovered the reason for the change in the fishers’ attitude; an agent, part of the twenty fishers from the guild, had been paid to bring the workers under scrutiny. Once work on the base of the walls was complete, the rest was markedly simpler and cheaper. The lord would have paid less than half the agreed upon amount in the end. Diligent scribes will formalize contract specific processes to resolve potential gender related breaches but this relies on the skill of the scribe hired and is by no means a complete solution.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Other examples of contract manipulation include marriage and betrothal contracts. These contracts often stipulate the genders of the couple and allowances made for surrogates of children, the “Marriage Price”, and additional considerations. If the gender of one party shifts, either naturally or by design, the contract can be nullified and recompense paid.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Mazjivsa Manipulation&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
These scribes, predominantly fishers, are trained to provide counsel in matters of contract negotiation and resolution. Since the collapse of the Mazjivsa guild and the removal of its oversight, some unathi declare themselves Mazjivsa without the proper training and are exiled if discovered. This precarious position can be exploited, and some scribes will find their gender scrutinized if someone stands to gain from the lack of their guidance and expertise.&lt;br /&gt;
A well-known example of this occurred in Skalamar, 2466; a Mazjivsa of clan T’szel was contracted to review agreements made between a local lord and his client. He would not be bought and so the lord began claiming T’szel was an illegitimate scribe and fraud. Enraged, the Mazjivsa demanded a duel so that he might defend his honor. Surprisingly, he was able to draw first blood against one of the lord’s sons, but his victory was used as proof that he was more warrior than fisher. The lord succeeded in having him removed from the contract negotiation, although he was spared exile.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Marriage and Relationships ===&lt;br /&gt;
Relationships for Unathi hinge on responsibility for both involved as most marriages before the Contact War relied on clan leaders arranging marriages to secure alliances. &#039;Dating&#039; has only recently been available to young Unathi and is a foreign concept to most above their late-20&#039;s in age. A Unathi trying to ignore the ritual of arranged marriage is a great insult to both clans involved, which at worst could lead to a blood feud or war. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Clan alliances are formed when two clan leaders mutually decide upon two Unathi to marry and, depending on who is chosen, certain gifts are expected to be bestowed on the allied clans. When the marriage is proposed, a discussion about which Clan Name will be taken arises. This is done through a form of &#039;bidding war&#039;, where one clan must &amp;quot;buy&amp;quot; the right to keeping the name over the other by giving money or resources to the other clan. Marriages may sometimes end up canceled due to both sides refusing to give up their clan name, and in the worst cases, it has led to duels or even wars fought over who has the right to keep the titles.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Surrogates can be called upon for a marriage that cannot fulfill their duty to have children; however, they must be from a member of one of the Clans. Upon the hatching of a hatchling, the expectation most often is that husbands will raise the boys, and wives will raise the girls. If there is only a husband or wife, more traditional Sk&#039;akh families will choose to have another Clan member raise the hatchling up through their expected path.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Same-gender relationships and marriages are largely accepted, with little cultural or religious stigma against them. In more isolated rural clans or among Wastelanders, however, unions that cannot produce hatchlings are often strongly discouraged, particularly under the doctrine of the Si&#039;akh faith. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion and Spirituality ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While various faiths exist on Moghes, many of which are as old as any other, there are two major religions of the Unathi that pervade nearly every aspect of their lives. Th&#039;akh and Sk&#039;akh, both of which predominately focus on ancestor worship and connections with the spirit world.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Th&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
The most pervasive and common religion amongst Unathi. It dates back even before the First Hegemony and, as a byproduct of Unathi stubbornness, has remained central to Unathi spiritualism. The basic concept of Th&#039;akh is that all the spirits of past Unathi now reside in the spirit world that exists in tandem with the material world. These spirits exist in objects and nature - bringing either good luck or sorrow. Particularly nasty natural disasters were often attributed to particularly strong groups of spiteful spirits influencing events in the material world. Th&#039;akh, due to its widespread pervasiveness, has a multitude of forms: ancestor veneration, polytheism (worshipping groups of specific and powerful spirits), and almost witch-like spiritualism are just some of the denominations found among this religion. However, Th&#039;akh almost always has the same group of tenets, which can be found [[Th&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sk&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
The second most common religion, which is followed mostly by Unathi from the Izweski Nation, and enjoys a status as its unofficial state religion. It still follows the ancestor worship of Th&#039;akh, but with a major notable difference: the spirits of all Unathi who die become part of Sk&#039;akh, the Great Spirit. Sk&#039;akh is a gender-neutral God, being called &#039;he&#039; or &#039;she&#039; interchangeably to represent that Ska&#039;kh is a collection of all Unathi. She is often called Three of One because the spirits combine into three minor aspects that are all part of Ska&#039;kh: the Warrior, the Healer, the Fisherman. These three spirits are personifications of the most important aspects of Unathi society. It is said that all three are equally important and that disasters are caused by an imbalance in the Great Three. Priests often stress the importance of balance, both in matters of the spirit as well as in society and personal life. Sk&#039;akh&#039;s dogmatic doctrine can be found [[Sk&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Aut&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
Emerging from the hatred of former warriors, the Aut&#039;akh are a cultish offshoot of Th&#039;akh, comprised of cybernetic-augmented Unathi. They argue the flesh is weak, and something new must be sculpted in its place to strengthen the mind. In the relative safety of their communes scattered across various towns, planets, and systems, they know a rough life, but one easier and more spiritual than those of the cities, they believe. The Aut&#039;akh have yet to truly attain their perfect leaderless society, as their own supposedly-defeated prejudice still runs in quiet circles within communes; meanwhile, society often rebukes and ridicules these fanatical trans-speciests. Their lives are gently guided by the shamans or &amp;quot;paradigms,&amp;quot; which act as the religious advisors and sometimes too the biomechanical engineers of these communes. Aut&#039;akh preach the Contact War was the result of sinta being so consumed by the demons within them that they brought the world to ruin, and all powers, whether that of a government, major religion, or corporation, are inherently corrupt due to the influence of evil spirits. The heathen&#039;s lifestyle and struggles can be found [[Aut&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Aut&#039;akh, due to their radical views on unathi society and society as a whole, are often associated with anyone who breaks tradition. In light of this, Unathi started to develop behaviors and society learned to hate communes and their denizens.&#039;&#039;&#039; Anyone caught being unfaithful to their spouse, in a non-monogamous relationship, rebuking their clan, having a prosthetic, or even talking about their discontent with the Hegemony or other rulers was accused of being an Aut&#039;akh. The term to most became synonymous with anyone who was a perceived troublemaker or heretic, more so than even Si&#039;akh.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Si&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
Born from the fires of the Contact War, Si&#039;akh is a radical Sk&#039;akh heresy that has rapidly spread across the Wasteland. It is lead by charismatic former Sk&#039;akh priest Juzida Si&#039;akh, who claims to be the Messiah for all Unathi. The doctrine claims the Contact War to have been the Final Judgement for the Unathi species caused by their innate wickedness. He claims that all Unathi that died in the &#039;cleansing fire&#039; of the atomic weapons were given salvation, and all Unathi that survived are damned to remain trapped on the Hell of Moghes unless the species and Moghes are rapidly purified. The movement has come into immediate conflict with the orthodox Sk&#039;akh church due to Si&#039;akh claiming it to be completely illegitimate. Its followers are ruthlessly hunted down by the Maraziite Order and many of its followers are fleeing into human space as they try to find personal salvation. Their doomsday cult has [[Si&#039;akh|strict and ascetic principles]] to help Unathi obtain a chance at salvation.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Moghean Society ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Moghes]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:PostCitiesNamed.png|thumb|A map of Moghes with the cities and seas labelled.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Moghean Unathi are traditional Unathi with the planet being their homeworld. Historically culture varies across clans that exist on the planet, but some customs and norms can be found nearly universally in Unathi society.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It is a social faux pas to use a Unathi&#039;s first name if not family or extremely close to the Unathi in question. Generally, a Unathi will tell someone when they feel comfortable with the person using their first name. It is also distressing to touch their tail or at all before introductions are undertaken. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi place great emphasis on oral traditions. Honor and combat are seen as a man&#039;s realm, and women are not held to the same standards of honor. Women are instead expected to be elegant, learned and regal; while fishers are expected to be industrious, faithful and dedicated.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Outside the formal schools of the Untouched Lands, village and town shamans or priests often remain the only source of education for rural young Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Ouerean Society ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Ouerea]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While the Izweski Unathi of Ouerea follow most of the same social beliefs as their Moghean counterparts, they tend to be less volatile towards outsiders who are ignorant of their customs, especially since their world was formerly ruled by the Skrell and Humans. Their cultures have managed to influence Ouerean Unathi, embedding different cultural norms that are not found elsewhere. There is a focus on individualism and younger Unathi shy away from the usual responsibilities held to Unathi toward their clans. There is still a struggle with a highly stratified society, but things are moderately progressive compared to Moghes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Oureaea Ciites.png|thumb|A map of Ouerea, with cities and major locations labelled.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The original colonists started as patriots to the Izweski Hegemony, but many soon found themselves disillusioned with the distant homeworld tearing itself apart in war. Unathi on Ouerea became enamored with the broad ideals of democracy and finding themselves resentful of their old lives on Moghes. Reintegration into the Hegemony proved difficult as both planets had to reconcile these cultural differences. It still remains a minor division among these Unathi to this day.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ouerean art, in contrast to Moghean pottery and dyed fabrics, has taken on inspiration from Human and Skrell art. Many Ouerean Unathi have become renowned glassmakers and craftsmen. The greater access to Human and Skrell universities, many of which still operate on the planet, also give Ouerean Unathi greater chances to work in Human and Skrell systems. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Non-Izweski Unathi ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi of the Hegemony’s territories — the Izweski Hegemony itself, Ouerea, or any of its many colonies — require consent from their clan Lord to make their way out into the greater galaxy, as listed [[Guide to Citizenship#Izweski_Hegemony|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Those that come from outside of the Hegemony and Dominia usually have no official means of recognized citizenship. Wastelanders, privateers, Guwan, and other Unathi must apply for a work visa where they are traveling in order to reside there. This of course carries risks with it: if a Unathi is seen as being problematic, whether committing crimes and misdemeanors or just not living up to the job they’re working, they may have their visa stripped and end up deported to the Hegemony. The Izweski Hegemony does not explicitly ask for these Unathi, especially seeing how they are usually &#039;undesirable&#039;. As there are no officially recognized governments on Moghes besides the Izweski, however, deported persons get sent there. Guwan and Gawgaryn that manage to make their way out of the system to places such as Biesel will face harsh punishment if this happens, so they are the most incentivized to put on their best outward face.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Unathi Physiognomy ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Khaniazwazi, also known as Unathi Physiognomy to outsiders, is a science dedicated to the study of Unathi physical profiles and the deduction of their character from such things. While certainly not new in Unathi history, it has been going through a rebirth in popularity as more resources have been dedicated to the study of Unathi biology and its appearance, to make up for what was lost with the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The validity of such a science is discussed, even among strictly professional fields, and it is no surprise that many individuals and groups have been using this field as a pretext to discriminate against other Sinta, or as a way to make a quick buck from more naive Unathi. Putting these aside however, there are still many variants of Khaniazwazi being practiced, depending on the area, with different interpretations of physical attributes. Generally, however, Khaniazwazi takes into account scale colouration, horns, frills, crests and facial structure; and in some rarer cases, smaller details such as wrinkles, scars, etcetera.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Politics and Factions ==&lt;br /&gt;
Moghes is divided between the Izweski Hegemony and the hundreds of other Clans and nations who claim their own land across the planet&#039;s surface. The only real difference in their political systems is the scale. Many of these other clans are modern nations or pre-industrial, ruled by various kings or leaders. However, with the expansion of the uninhabitable Wasteland and the brutal decimation Izweski forces committed on foreign leadership, many institutions of non-Hegemonic government across Moghes are rare or extremely fragile.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Moghes_porposal.png|thumb|The flag of the Izweski Hegemony. It is said the flag symbolizes the wildfires that frequented Moghes.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Izweski Hegemony ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Izweski Hegemony]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&#039;&#039;&amp;quot;Honour, fire, burn thy fear.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039; - The ancestral motto of Clan Izweski, circa early 20th century&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Izweski Clan is led by Clan Leader [[Notable_Unathi#Not.27zar_Izweski|&#039;&#039;&#039;Not&#039;zar Izweski&#039;&#039;&#039;]], a Unathi who has ruled the Hegemony since his father S&#039;kresti Izweski, the previous Hegemon, was assassinated by his son and Not&#039;zar&#039;s brother. He lives in the Izweski Citadel in Skalamar, and under him are the Lords who rule their own subjugated clans. They live in a feudal system, with the Lords usually being clan leaders or important clan members themselves who pledge themselves to Izweski in exchange for land and protection.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Hegemon is best thought of being the Emperor, and under him are the Overlords, who are the Kings. Under the Overlords are the Lords, who are then broken up between the Clan Lords, and then the Clan Leaders. Clan Leaders are a mostly ceremonial title and make up (usually) the eldest male ruler of a specific family clan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Not&#039;zar&#039;s father, Hegemon S&#039;kresti Izweski, was originally a strong leader of the Izweski clan. Then, after the death of his eldest son in a shuttle crash, the old Hegemon fell into a deep depression, to the point of becoming comatose in the Izweski citadel. After a succession crisis, Not&#039;zar took his place as the Regent and heir for three years, over that time developing the Hegemony into a stable empire. &lt;br /&gt;
[[Image:Minimap hegemony.png|thumb|A closer image focusing on the factions surrounding the Izweski Hegemony&#039;s territory.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Three years later, the Hegemon awoke and took back to the throne, however on his tour to get reacquainted with everything, he was spurred into madness and cursed by &#039;&#039;&#039;Juzida Si&#039;akh&#039;&#039;&#039; which resulted in a civil war to dispute his claim to the throne. In an attempt to destroy his enemies, the old Hegemon attempted to orbitally bombard an enemy city. To stop this dishonorable act, his third son Z&#039;krazi Izweski the Kinslayer assassinated the Hegemon, and after Not&#039;zar&#039;s victory in the Battle of Three Hills the civil war ended.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Now, Not&#039;zar is the Clan Leader, Overlord of Moghes, and Hegemon of the Izweski Hegemony. Despite his severe physical handicap forcing him to walk with a cane, many noblemen have made him an ally, especially including the Guilds who enjoy his globalist attitude.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Overlords rule an entire planet in the name of the Hegemon. Under them are Lords, who can rule huge tracts of land and multiple cities, or just a single city; there is no distinction between a Count and Duke level of Lordship like in most human feudalism.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
There are two different kinds of major lifestyles in the Izweski Hegemony. There is the city, which is ran by a Lord and a small council of lesser clans. City life is less harsh than life in the country, especially with opportunities provided with shuttle services to the rest of the galaxy. Life in the rural areas is harsher, with cities being rare and life mostly determined by the size of a Clan&#039;s village and how well they can hunt, fish, or in desperate times, raid their neighbors. It&#039;s the traditional Unathi life, made harsher by the growing Wasteland encroaching on once-fertile lands.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Queendom of Szek’Hakh ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&#039;&#039;&amp;quot;Refuse to break.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039; - Pre-Contact War Szek&#039;Hakh clan motto.&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A matriarchal region of roughly twenty thousand set in the Wasteland, led by the elderly &#039;&#039;&#039;Queen Lazak Szek&#039;Hakh&#039;&#039;&#039; and her daughters. In her settlement and a large portion of the region surrounding it, her clan has become the protector of her region known as the &#039;Queendom&#039;. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For those living in the Queendom, the gender roles of Unathi are inverted, and many of its people thusly struggle to find opportunities on Moghes and seek employment in Tau Ceti - with the Queen even making connections with pirates, Dominians, and Tajaran smugglers to get her people safely out of the dangerous Wasteland. The Queen is kind under her witty and straightforward attitude, and despite stereotypes, does not actually hate men.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Szek&#039;Hakh clan&#039;s settlement of &#039;&#039;&#039;Yu&#039;kal&#039;&#039;&#039;, originally headed by the Queen&#039;s husband, was built around a cluster of small lakes and focused on aquaculture. When the Contact War&#039;s nukes wiped out the vast majority of men, they adapted to using women as protectors, while using men to keep house. The widowed Lazak Szek’Hakh convinced the shell-shocked and wounded survivors of her clan that she was the only one capable of ruling during this terrifying time, and had taken control of a sizable region of the Wasteland east of Mudki around Yu&#039;kal. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Szek&#039;Hakh Clan became the leading power in their region following the Contact War. Eventually, Szek’Hakh consolidated control of her clan and the settlement, taking matters of survival into her own hands. As the Wasteland engulfed Yu&#039;kal&#039;s lakes, she coordinated a renovation of aquaculture farms and lead expeditions to bring their highly valuable fish products to the distant surviving city of Mudki. Women took prominent roles in all of these, with the necessities of survival in the harsh wasteland fraying Unathite gender roles. A neighboring nobleman, fearing this rise of powerful women, orchestrated to have her assassinated. In a dramatic confrontation, the assassin was foiled and publicly exiled as a Guwandi, and a mob of angry women stormed the nobleman&#039;s estate to &#039;duel him for his dishonor&#039;. This act put the matriarch in the spotlight, sparking Szek’Hakh’s rapid rise of being named Queen by her people.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Queen Szek’Hakh now leads a struggling wasteland settlement in a precarious situation. The traditional Izweski-leaning Unathi find her position an affront to customs, and she struggles to find allies. She tries to walk a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk’akh Church]], the Izweski, and the Wastelander factions - however she is often too straightforward to get far. Her settlement is primarily Th’akh, and she herself follows the faith. She complies (though unwillingly) with the demands of Izweski representatives to expel the prophet [[Notable Unathi|Si&#039;akh]] from her realm when he enters her settlement in his travels, though she quietly allows members of his traveling flock to rest in secret when they pass through her settlement. For the same, she does not tolerate the cult of the [[Aut&#039;akh]], and her people ruthlessly hunt down their unaugmented proselytizers.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Surviving Kingdoms on Moghes ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Despite the destruction of most of the known world from the [[Contact War]], some desperate survivors managed to weather the storm and remain nominally free of Izweski dominance - either from the Izweski&#039;s weariness for war on Moghes, or arrogant indifference.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While the Izweski are reclaiming the Wasteland, they are ruthlessly uprooting and displacing local cultures in the remaining habitable lands. The Outposts were small, fertile enclaves that survived the Contact War surrounded by the Wasteland. Starting in 2461, Not&#039;zar pushed forward terraforming efforts to expand these green yet hostile oases. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Template:UnathiCustomaryLaw}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Notable Information ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Guwandi ===&lt;br /&gt;
In the event that a Unathi becomes terminally ill, or finds themselves lacking the pride or honor to continue to live, or simply become tired of their existence undergo a ritualistic suicide and take the title of &#039;Guwandi&#039; (which is translated to Gladiator/Galdium). They will give up their possessions to their clan leader and make their journey into the Moghes desert. The only things they keep are their weapons which they use to fight animals or other Unathi so that they may die in honorable combat. In the event that two of these Guwandi meet, they will first draw their weapons and adopt a passive stance, which is followed by them telling each other their stories in turn, as well as the reasons behind their choice of adopting the mantle of &#039;Guwandi&#039; and how they wish their remains to be dealt with. When both sides understand the other, combat will begin with a mutual wish of luck that the more worthy of death lose with pride. The winner of the battle is responsible for taking care of the corpse in the way they were instructed to. Renouncing the deathseeking life of Guwandi isn&#039;t easy. Some may wish to return after having been granted a second outlook, or hope, after they had spent time wandering and risking their life. Their clan may see their decision as cowardly and refuse to accept them, or be overjoyed they had learned a lesson in their time.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Guwandi are not an option on the Horizon,&#039;&#039;&#039; yet may be a way in which a character becomes retired, barring [[Traitor|extreme circumstances]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Guwan ===&lt;br /&gt;
In some cases when a Unathi is exiled from their clan, they do not take up the formal title of Guwandi. This can be through fear of death, unwillingness, or simple stubbornness. In this case, they are marked as &#039;Guwan&#039; by their clan leader, and must take this as their last name. It is a variation on Guwandi, which is translated directly as &#039;exile&#039;. Guwans are clanless Unathi, and form an underclass. Guwans find it difficult if not impossible to advance socially or politically, and in many cases are oppressed or mistreated by other Unathi who view them as troublemakers or criminals. The only way of returning to a clan after banishment as a Guwan is to be adopted back into the Clan, which happens very rarely. &#039;&#039;&#039;To no longer be a Guwan, a Unathi must have an upstanding citizen decide to represent them, and then they must both go to court to explain how the Guwan can return into society under a new clan name, be adopted into another clan, or return to their original clan (at Clan Leader&#039;s acceptance.)&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On August 29th, 2459, the Lord-Regent Not&#039;zar Izweski passed an edict that required clans to send a petition to an imperial court when they want to banish a clan member as a Guwan. The court must side with the petitioning Clan Leader or the Unathi in question is not marked as a Guwan. This has caused backlash as the courts have gained a reputation for being incredibly arbitrary in their decisions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the past, all orphans were automatically Guwan unless they are adopted into a Clan. This changed with yet another edict by Not&#039;zar Izweski in December of 2459, which required all orphans, including adults still connected to their orphanage guild via debts or otherwise without parents, to take on the surname of that orphanage.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
Some Guwans have been forced off of Moghes by their clans with the growing ease of space travel, and NanoTrasen has a long history of exploiting this subgroup of Unathi, coercing them into employment contracts.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Guwans are not permitted to petition local Lords to express any grievances, and are not permitted to social services provided by private enterprise or state entities. Guwan are not full citizens of the Hegemony but are considered residents, which additionally bars them from many services.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Upon being declared Guwan, a Unathi is legally stripped of their gender and is not permitted to work in traditional warrior, healer or fisher fields. On documentation coming from Moghes, the &amp;quot;gender&amp;quot; section is generally left blank to reflect this, though in alien spaces the gender is listed as &amp;quot;Neuter&amp;quot; or filled in with an X. Guwan pronouns are strictly listed in neuter terms, and Guwan are legally only permitted to use it/its pronouns. Those that are hiding their status as Guwan are not required to conform to this standard and will often overcompensate their gender presentation in order to continue hiding their identities hidden. &#039;&#039;&#039;Both the limitation on gendered work fields and the usage of pronouns are enforceable by moderation.&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Notably, Guwans are the only social class of Unathi allowed to serve in the personal guard of the Hegemon and his family. The strategy relies on the fact the Guwan Guard are despised and envied by decorated officers that would otherwise serve in traditional guard duties. They are socially isolated and unable to advance politically, which means that its survival depends on the safety of the Hegemon and his family, which means that it wouldn&#039;t try to launch a coup or replace the Hegemon without itself being slaughtered. Similar to an old-Terran Janissary, it&#039;s a slave soldier, and unable to have children or hold any sort of political or military position.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
If a Unathi is the last of their clan, or is otherwise estranged with no one to declare them Guwan, then they may still find themselves challenged by other rival clans who lay claim to this Unathi&#039;s land, titles, inheritance, or name. If they are unable or unwilling to defend their claims (which would involve lengthy court trials on Moghes) then they would be stripped of them and declared Guwan. This means that a Unathi hiding in human space can still be named Guwan if their past, or rivals, catch up with them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Guwans are exclusively a criminal or otherwise dishonorable untouchable class, and it takes a lot to be labelled as one. Because playing a Guwan means you are opting in to being discriminated against by others, a Guwan filing an incident report for anything less than physical assault is a whitelist issue.&#039;&#039;&#039; When in doubt, speak to the Maintainer first.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Orphans and Orphanage Guilds ===&lt;br /&gt;
Orphans in the Hegemony in the past were all labelled as Guwans, but an edict by Not&#039;zar Izweski in December of 2459 changed all that. Hatchlings, child, and teenage Unathi without parents are put in the care of one of the many orphanage guilds on Moghes. These are private run guilds with little to no government oversight. While they fulfill a necessary social service in caring for Unathi that would otherwise be on the streets, orphanage guilds in the Hegemony are incredibly exploitative. Unknown to the children the guilds track all the expenses and charge their wards throughout their life until they turn 17, when they are presented with the bill and are forced to work to repay the crippling debt, and many can be trapped by the fact that their debt would fall on any prospective parents.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Two of these guilds have expanded into large corporations that have found a lucrative method of gaining money from their wards. The &#039;&#039;&#039;Gukuzan&#039;&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;&#039;Kuhwinla&#039;&#039;&#039; Guilds coerce or persuade their wards to accepts contracts for megacorporations, particularly [[Hephaestus Industries]], if they reach adulthood without being adopted. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Gukuzan&#039;&#039;&#039; clan is lead by a Priest Kiazoi, and he ensures that those that enter the care of his guild are given a proper religious education and instilled with the values of the church. Children raised by the Gukuzan are also taught valuable lessons in obedience and the importance of duty and respect to their betters. Its wards are moderately well-off and treated well, but the comforts of a happy childhood in the orphanage is rather soured by the fact everything from bedding, food, and even air conditioning are things each child has added to their growing debt. Gukuzan orphanages are scattered across Moghes and there are three on [[Ouerea]]. They are all exclusively managed by a priest on the payroll of the Gukuzan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Kuhwinla&#039;&#039;&#039; clan is lead by Guildmaster Ioaza Kuhwinla, an infamously frugal woman. She refuses to spend any more than she has to on her wards, meaning that those under her care are given the most basic of education. Children raised by her Guild are taught valuable lessons in thrift, obedience, and how to stretch meals to the absolute limit. Its wards are generally barely better than they would be on the street, but they live with a roof over their heads, semi-reliable food, a basic education, and their debt at the end of their life under the Kuhwinla is generally lower than it would be in other orphanages. Kuhwinla orphanages are in nearly every major Unathite city, and they are unique in that they are managed by matriarchs that answer to Ioaza.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;These two surnames are the only ones you may take if you play an orphaned Izweski on the SCCV Horizon!&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Species]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Pages]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Unathi]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Unathi&amp;diff=37213</id>
		<title>Unathi</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Unathi&amp;diff=37213"/>
		<updated>2025-08-24T17:16:19Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: Adds Section - Corruption within the Gender Culture&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Outdated (Phoron Scarcity)}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Infobox Species&lt;br /&gt;
 |Species = Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Scientific = U. Sapiens / Sinta&#039;Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Image = Unathi410x320.png&lt;br /&gt;
 |System = [[Uueoa-Esa]]&lt;br /&gt;
 |World = [[Moghes]]&lt;br /&gt;
 |Language = Sinta&#039;Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Politic = [[Izweski Hegemony]]&lt;br /&gt;
 }}&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Unathi&#039;&#039;&#039; (direct plural: Unathi – You-NAWH-thee both singular and multiple) (adjective: Unathite - You-NAWH-thit) are a race of tall humanoid reptiles standing from six to seven feet tall on average, with females slightly smaller in stature. They possess a mixture of snake-like and crocodile-like features, resulting in hard and plate-like scales. Unathi live in their home system of Uueoa-Esa with their homeworld being [[Moghes]]. The planet&#039;s history can be summarized as being divided up between various Hegemonies, names they give the most powerful Clans on Moghes throughout time. The Clan system is deeply entrenched in Unathi society with everything else revolving around it. It forms a major part of their code of honor, which stresses the importance of martial abilities and loyalty to the Clan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Unathivillage.png|thumb|alt=Unathi.|Life outside the Untouched Lands remains harsh, with limited or nonexistent Hephaestus presence.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Religion and spirituality play a major role in a Unathi society, and religious differences are the main dividing factor. Conflict between the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and the various [[Th&#039;akh]] faiths of Moghes, as well as the various [[Aut&#039;akh|communes]] and [[Si&#039;akh|cults]], have caused conflict and wars between the Izweski Hegemony and the kingdoms that eventually comprised the Traditionalist Coalition. This conflict hit a peak when they entered the intergalactic stage, which is now known as the [[Contact War]]. After this conflict, some Unathi fled the planet through Hephaestus or NanoTrasen shuttle ports. Unathi fleeing to megacorporations like NanoTrasen find themselves working in security and engineering roles, but recently many have been proving themselves as competent surgeons and brilliant scientists, earning opportunities that Moghes would deny them because of its strict feudal hierarchy. However, others are slipping through the cracks and becoming slavers, raiders, or pirates. As the ability for spaceship construction increases in the Unathi home system, so too does space piracy and smuggling.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Moghes has two different biomes after the Contact War. The fertile Untouched Lands with its great jungles, vast swamps, and lush forests; all of which are protected by massive terraforming equipment kept secure by the Hegemony&#039;s wealth and power. Contrast to that are the bombarded Wasteland kingdoms in the ashes of plains and forests, burnt into a massive planet-spanning desert rampant with [[The_Wasteland#Clan_.22Gawgaryn.22_-_The_Punished_Clans|punished kingdoms raiding to survive]] and [[The_Wasteland#The_Reclaimers|part scavengers living in cities on treads]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To apply to be Unathi, apply [http://aurorastation.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=28 here].&lt;br /&gt;
{{TOC Hidden}}&lt;br /&gt;
== Heads of Staff ==&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi can be the following Heads of Staff:&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Head of Security]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Chief Medical Officer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Research Director]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Chief Engineer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Operations Manager]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Corporate Liaison|Consular Officer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Corporate Liaison]] - [[NanoTrasen]], [[Hephaestus Industries]], [[Zavodskoi Interstellar]] ([[Unathi in Dominia|Dominian Unathi]] only), [[Private Military Contracting Group]] (Dagamuir Freewater Private Forces only), [[Orion Express]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The following groups &#039;&#039;&#039;cannot&#039;&#039;&#039; be Heads of Staff: [[Aut&#039;akh]], Guwan, and Gawgaryn of [[The Wasteland]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Due to their criminal backgrounds, the following groups &#039;&#039;&#039;cannot&#039;&#039;&#039; be played in the Security department: Guwan and Gawgaryn of [[The Wasteland]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Outside of consular officers, command characters should not be of the same clan as any notable lords of the Hegemony. The most prominent clans, such as those of Overlords and the Hegemon himself, are off-limits for command.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Megacorporate Relations===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to 2465, Moghean Unathi that were not members of trade guilds were almost exclusively employed with [[Hephaestus Industries]]. Unathi with guild memberships would primarily take contracts with [[NanoTrasen]] or [[Orion Express]], depending on their career choice. [[Unathi in Dominia|Unathi living in Dominia]], like most of their countrymen, seek employment with [[Zavodskoi Interstellar]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
After the Merchant&#039;s Guild declared bankruptcy, Hephaestus Industries bailed out all Hegemonic guilds and reorganised them under the banner of the company. Since then, nearly all residents of Moghes are employed by Hephaestus in some way. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Mechanics ==&lt;br /&gt;
Mechanical differences from humans and unique emotes listed below:&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Passive&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi are coldblooded which allows slightly improved heat resistance, but increased sensitivity to cold.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi have claws, which slash and improve unarmed melee attacks.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi are incapable of easily digesting alcohol, and ethanol is considered toxic to them.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can only drink alcohol from drinks with butanol instead of ethanol. Butanol gets them drunk similar to ethanol but has no effect on other species.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi get no nutrients from eating fruits and vegetables. They need meat to fill their hunger.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can safely eat carp and consume carpotoxin.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi have the fastest sprint available to any species, but they have low stamina, meaning they can only sprint in short bursts. They also are slower than most other species.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Active Abilities&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can devour monkeys, rats, spiders, carp, and other small mobs by clicking and dragging from the mob to themselves. The animal must hold still for it to work.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi hiss when speaking Tau Ceti Basic. You achieve this by typing multiple s&#039;s during speech. This can also be pronounced through x&#039;s if their accent is thick. &amp;quot;Thisss issss an ekssample.&amp;quot;  You can also &#039;&#039;&#039;Toggle-Auto-Hiss&#039;&#039;&#039; to do this for you.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can sample the air with their tongue.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unique audible emotes: *hiss, *hiss2, *bellow.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Biology ==&lt;br /&gt;
Their average life expectancy is around sixty years for most Unathi. However, they tend to live for well past sixty years when given advanced medical care available to the other space-faring species. As a cold-blooded species, they suffer fatigue and even short comas when exposed to extremely low temperatures.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Humans and Unathi share a lot of similar internal biology with some notable exceptions. Since they are a carnivorous species, their diet mostly consists of meat and animal products, though they do have a tolerance to some plants and fruits. While Unathi do receive minor benefits for eating certain fruits, they do not get any nutrition from plants. Due to their carnivorous nature, they also have an increased stomach capacity to help eat larger meals at a time. The typical Unathi usually only eats one meal a day, and for the poorer sinta, perhaps once every two days. They tend towards lethargic and sluggish movements more often than not because of their evolutionary history, so they move slower than most organic species. However, the cyclical period of work for Unathi compared to other species is much faster. Unathi are polyphasic sleepers: creatures that sleep in shorter naps rather than at one time during the night. While they tend towards sluggishness, sinta are often capable of incredible bursts of energy and speed, and their ability to work in three or four hour periods of time compensates for their more sporadic schedules.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The reproductive system of a Sinta&#039;Unathi is very similar to that of Earth reptiles. Females lay eggs, with the average clutch being somewhere between one and three. They have a six-month gestation period, after which they are laid in a humid, warm area. After two months, the fetus is fully developed and hatches from the egg. Unathi are born with their claws and the ability to walk within hours of hatching. A Sinta&#039;Unathi is considered an adult when they are 16 years old.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Physical Appearance ===&lt;br /&gt;
The Unathi as a species show a great deal of variation within body types as well as clusters of smaller physical traits passed down through clans. Facial and body features range in size and shape with some having raptor-like aesthetics, serpentine looks, or a more draconic body. Tail length is often genetic; conversely, tail girth is defined by a Unathi&#039;s diet as it stores most of the body&#039;s fat— nobles grow some of the largest tails.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi scales are somewhat tougher than human skin, though they shed off sporadically rather than all at once. More vulnerable and hidden spots, such as the stomach and waist, the backs of joints, and inner thighs are all leathery skin and aren&#039;t covered in scales.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The typical healthy adult male Unathi weighs roughly 280 pounds. Female sinta differ from males as they generally have a shorter and more rounded snout. The typical healthy Unathi female weighs roughly 250 pounds. Female Unathi grow to about 5&#039;9&amp;quot; to 6&#039;8, while male Unathi grow to about 6&#039;0&amp;quot; to 7&#039;0&amp;quot;. Unusual heights tend to be smaller in scale, as the taller a Unathi is, the more likely it will be marred with health problems and not live as long as others.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Both sexes stand on digitigrade legs, with three toes on each foot and a hooked dewclaw, and have clawed feet and hands. They also have very long tongues, typically black or extremely dark red in color, which may stretch up to a foot and a half long and are forked just like a serpent&#039;s. In much the same manner as snakes, Unathi can sample the air around them using their tongue. They blink and have tear ducts similar to humans.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi horns do not naturally regrow, and serious damage tends to remain permanent. Ancient recipes using native herbs known as &amp;quot;horn paste&amp;quot; are commonly made and sold by herbalists and can counter cosmetic scratches or minor chipping. More modern synthetic Horn Gel (based on Bone Gel), developed largely by [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]], can regenerate an entire lost horn, but it tends to be stratified to the upper classes and noblemen due to cost.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Lizards.png|thumb|Body dimorphism in Unathi.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Colouration ====&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi are also often born into one of four major scale colour categories: red, black, orange-brown and &amp;quot;sand-colored&amp;quot;, and green. Alternative colours are rare, with dark blue and even albino Unathi being reported in very small numbers. Albinos are sometimes slightly tinted in colour while remaining predominantly white. Traditionally these off-coloured Unathi are met with prejudice, though some clans outside the Izweski may feel different.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It has been noticed that scale colourations were more represented in some areas than other, and thus, many shades of these colours were, in Unathi culture, named after the places they tend to be seen in more often, in many cases.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*Modern red-coloured Unathi are thought to originate from a large nomadic clan that settled South of the Moghresian Sea around modern Skalamar. Nowadays, red-scaled Sinta tend to be seen on the entire Southern coast of the Moghresian Sea and the mountain ranges near it.&lt;br /&gt;
*Today’s green-coloured Unathi hail from the Southern side of the Moghresian sea, and they are seen more often throughout this side of the coast and down to the colder lands even further South. Surprisingly, there is also a large batch of green-coloured Unathi located around Sahl lake, indicating that an old nomadic clan of mostly green Sinta settled there centuries ago.&lt;br /&gt;
*Orange-brown and sand-yellow Unathi comprises a wide range of colours. They are a more common colour to be seen in a large area, and it is believed that their origins come from displacement in ancient conflicts that forced them to migrate and find new homelands. More precisely, Unathi harbouring such colours tend to be more represented in a large area defined between Darakath, Bahard, Mudki, and Yu’kal.&lt;br /&gt;
*Black or “dark-scaled’ Unathi do not seem to originate from any precise area, and instead, tend to be more often seen around colder areas of Moghes, both North and South. A popular theory is that black scales are actually a consequence of exposure to the cold for generations— something that has yet to be proven.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
All colours, barring albino, do not mix; if a brown Unathi and a light red Unathi have a child, the red scales the child has might be a little darker, but the colours do not blend to make something new.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Colour ranges&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Due to the modernization of Moghes as well as the emigration and population displacement from the Contact War, Unathi of any colour can be found nearly anywhere on Moghes. Of course, they are more common in some areas rather than others.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Below are some examples of Unathi scale colour ranges. These cover a majority of the colors; while some deviances from these are normal, there are no neon or pink colors among Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{| align:Center&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
!Usual Unathi colour ranges:&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Green.png|200px|thumb|left|Green colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Brown.png|200px|thumb|left|Brown-orange / sand-yellow colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Red.png|200px|thumb|left|Red colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Black.png|200px|thumb|left|Black colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
{| align:Center&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
!Unusual Unathi colour ranges:&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_white.png|200px|thumb|left|Albino colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Blue.png|200px|thumb|left|Blue colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Green:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Razir Moss:&#039;&#039; RGB 27, 50, 27 / Hex #1B321B&lt;br /&gt;
*An unusually dark shade of green, but certainly not the only one, Unathi from Razir and its surrounding areas tend to have this scale colouration more often than not. As the name suggests, it is quite comparable in colour to the unique moss that tends to grow on rocks and buildings on the Southern coast of the Moghresian sea. The moss was heavily used by healers in the past, as its spongy nature allows to quickly stop bleeding, and its composition can also help in dealing with infection, or at least, limit their spread, until proper medicine can be found, properties that are quite appreciated in a time like the post-Contact-War era, where shortages, of medicine among other things, aren’t so rare depending on the location. Due to its ties with healing, some of the more traditional Unathi tend to see Unathi with such a scale colouration as more feminine.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Sen Emerald:&#039;&#039; RGB 31, 95, 31 / Hex #1F5F1F&lt;br /&gt;
*Considering the name, and the overall concentration of Unathi in the region, it is assumed that those bearing such colouration came from the now-broken city of Sen. Records of where the name comes from exactly has been lost after the Contact War, but theories still exist with recent finds. The reclaimer clan Kikata, operating a landcrawler by the torn cities, on the western coast of the Moghresian sea, noticed several collapsed mines next to what they assumed used to be villages, and in them, among many other minerals, unique green gems. As word has started to spread, many Sinta are now assuming that Sen Emerald refers to these gems.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Teht Mint:&#039;&#039; RGB 85, 149, 85 / Hex #559555&lt;br /&gt;
*Teht Mint is one of the many crops that (nearly) disappeared after the Contact War and its nuclear fallout. As Teht mostly made its fortune from fishing, nearby villages housed the few clans in all of Moghes talented enough to properly harvest the plant, and who kept such a knowledge secret to all of their own. Used as expensive seasoning by only the wealthiest Nobles in the region, these clans, and their village, quickly made a fortune, then came the Contact war. While the city of Teth was spared by the bombing, the many villages around it that didn’t get outright razed by the nukes were abandonned, as their main source of income, the harvesting of the mint, was soon enough gone and made life there unsustainable, leaving only handful of seeds, currently preserved in Teth’s palace in hopes that they may be planted into proper soil another day. In any case, the name “Teht Mint” persist as a way to call the Sintas bearing a light green scale colour that tends to be seen in the area.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Sahl Green:&#039;&#039; RGB 56, 126, 86 / Hex #387E56&lt;br /&gt;
*Lake Sahl, among many other things, was renowned for the unique algae that used to grow in within it, giving it, when the floor was shallow enough, a green-ish tint, something that many local fishers used to call “Sahl’s green halo”. Like many things, these algae died after the Contact War, and the poisoning of the lake due to the ensuing nuclear fallout. Many of the older locals that still remember their time spent fishing in the lake, however, have been continuing to call Unathi living around the lake, bearing a unique shade of green, “Sahl Green”.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Orange-Brown / Sand Coloured:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Mudki Stone:&#039;&#039; RGB 98, 84, 65 / Hex #625441&lt;br /&gt;
*The mountainous city of Mudki has been build with the rocks of the very mountains it stands on and between. These rocks exhibit a strange propriety due to their unique composition, something only found in the area, as, when wet, the usually light-grey, or tan stone, turns to a pale-brown. While a small-scaled group of geologists was dispatched to explain the phenomenon, the researches were cut short by the outbreak of the Contact War, and by now, most Sinta simply have their own explanation, from more science-based ones, to some more related to faith. In any case, people have taken to naming the many Sinta bearing light brown scale colouration, around the area, “Mudki Stone”, and some older, more superstitious inhabitants of Mudki and its surroundings claim that these Unathi can, like the stone, change colour…&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Yu&#039;kal Soil:&#039;&#039; RGB 92, 66, 32 / Hex #5C4220&lt;br /&gt;
*Yu’kal, while far from any of the main lakes or seas of Moghes, was a city that known for its people’s work in aquaculture in smaller bodies of water, natural or, later on, artificial, something that nearby smaller settlements also picked up. While the Contact War and its consequences put an end to such a business, many in the Queendom still remember this time, and how the soil turned damp and darkened from the how humid it could get in some places… Something that led to the naming of the colouration that many of the local Unathi bear, similar shades of brown, “Yu’kal Soil”.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Darakath Brown:&#039;&#039; RGB 158, 116, 60 / Hex #9E743C&lt;br /&gt;
*Darakath Brown, also called “Darakath Copper” by the inhabitants of the once proud capital of the Azarak Kingdom, is ,as the name suggests, a scale colouration mostly seen in Darakath and its surroundings. To the more staunch supporters of the Izweski Hegemony, Sintas with this colours are seen as Traditionalists, and by extent, defeated foes… To others, Unathi with such colouration are treated with kindness, if not (legitimate or not) pity, after the sacking of the city by the end of the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Bahard Cream:&#039;&#039; RGB 233, 178, 104 / Hex #E9B268&lt;br /&gt;
*Bahard, before the nuclear exchange, was one of the largest trading hub on Moghes thanks to its central position, making a fortune through trading. Beside this, however, Bahard was also known for the culinary expertise of its people, access to food from all around Moghes being one of the reason behind such a thing. Bahard Cream, originally referred to the a seasoning whose recipe was lost by the end of the Contact War, generally offered to passing traders. It was its unique colour and popularity that led to the locals, and soon enough, the rest of Moghes, to referring to the scale colouration seen so often around the area in such a way.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Red:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Tak Red:&#039;&#039; RGB 128, 62, 62 / Hex #803E3E&lt;br /&gt;
*Tak used to be a city of relatively modest size, before the nuclear exchange utterly ruined it. Few know why Sinta of this certain shade are thus called “Tak Red”, although researches in Skalamar have led to a theory: fish exports. Most inhabitants made a living through fishing, just like most cities on the coast of the Moghresian sea, although surviving trading records show a higher than average amount of exports from the city. Additionally, texts, and common memory, point that some of the fish unique to Tak’s coast had unique red scales… Although said fishes are extinct by now, everything seems to indicate that this is where the name for this colouration came from.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Skalamar Red:&#039;&#039; 160, 44, 44 / Hex #A02C2C&lt;br /&gt;
*Skalamar Red, also called “Blood Red” by traditionalist and other foes of the Hegemony, is, as the name suggest, more often seen in Skalamar and its neighboring territories. Origins on the name of this colouration were blurry, even before the Contact War, with stories speaking of such colourations having divine origins, from other speaking of a curse, depending on who you ask. In any case, such a colouration is a sign of greatness and valor to some, and of shame and cruelty to some others… Generally depending on who they would have sided with during the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;S&#039;th Berry:&#039;&#039; RGB 125, 6, 6 / Hex #980606&lt;br /&gt;
*S’th Berries are one of the few species of flora that survived the nuclear fallout of the Contact War… Although, not without consequences. While they were once deep red, the berries lost their colour and appear grey-ish; and their sugary taste as been lost, some saying that they now taste like paste instead. Nevertheless, the name given to the colour that many Unathi in the area arbor, remained: Unathi of red scales, red like S’th’s Berries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Black:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Derhai Shadow:&#039;&#039; RGB 17, 22, 16 / Hex #111610&lt;br /&gt;
*Although such a tone can be found a bit everywhere since Derhai’s depopulation, most people can pinpoint that it used to be most often seen in and around great city that stood there, before being abandoned. Due to the highly religious nature that Derhai had, many have been tying (sometimes wrongly) such a scale colouration to Th&#039;akhists.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Janvir Black:&#039;&#039; RGB 28, 28, 28 / Hex #1C1C1C&lt;br /&gt;
*Perhaps a testament to how fast Unathi can evolve and change over generation, Janvir Black is a scale colouration that only appeared around a century after the foundation of the cold metropolis, merely six centuries ago… That is, according to the limited records currently available in the post-Contact War era.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Guzari Night:&#039;&#039; RGB 61, 47, 47 / Hex #3D2F2F&lt;br /&gt;
*There were, allegedly, several small settlements by the coast of the Guzari Sea, despite the freezing temperatures (on Unathi standards, that is), thanks to the unique bounties of the cold Northern Sea. Records seem to indicate, however, that said settlements were abandoned even before the Contact War, something that historians, even to this day, cannot explain, mostly due to the severe loss of historical documents during the conflict. Many Unathi, today, then, see other Sinta with the strange scale colouration known as Guzari Night as quite elusive…&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Albino:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Albino White:&#039;&#039; RGB 178, 178, 178 / Hex #B2B2B2&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Bleached Bone:&#039;&#039; RGB 183, 169, 169 / Hex #3D2F2F&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Blue:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Indigo Blue:&#039;&#039; RGB 35, 55, 189 / Hex #2337BD&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Azure:&#039;&#039; RGB 1, 102, 255 / Hex #0066FF&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Albino and Azure (or Blue) Unathi scale colouration are not tied to any area of Moghes, and instead, generally the result of genetic lottery. How such colourations are perceived varies widely. These Unathi would generally face prejudice in the Hegemony, although some other Sinta from different horizons can exhibit interest for them instead, or simply indifference. &lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Genetic Variety ====&lt;br /&gt;
Besides scale colouration, many other physical aspects of Unathi bodies can vary widely. From horns and frills, to even extra scale crests and different structures in a Unathi’s very skeleton (namely, the skull). While anatomical differences within a species are natural, Unathi are noteworthy for how wide these differences can get and how fast they come to be. The exact science behind this has been lost after the Contact War, and most of the research behind such a phenomena is idly handled by Nanotrasen and Zeng-Hu specialists. However it is assumed that Sinta simply evolve and adapt to their surroundings much faster than most of the other sentient species of the Spur, leading to such large physical discrepancies between Unathi alone.&lt;br /&gt;
From this, it is also assumed that, with Unathi populations moving between planets, and Moghes on its way to changing considerably (may the consequences of the of the Contact War be the of the Sinta homeworld, or may terraforming efforts save it), said biological differences between different groups will only get larger and more exotic in the next few centuries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Genetic Variety&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Unathifaces.png|180px|thumb|right|Zotzo’s Treaty of Biology is one of the first Unathi works dedicated to the study of Sinta biology, and in which the terminology for Unathi facial structure was first established. This is one of the few pages left of the book, found in the ruins of Oket&#039;s Great Library.]] &lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Horns&#039;&#039;&#039; are not tied to specific places, or at least, not directly. There seems to be a hereditary side to it, however, as Unathi more often than not seem to bear the horns of one of their parents (on VERY rare instances carrying the horns of both). Horns, however, do not “mix” and make new shapes, the same way that Unathi scale colourations don’t mix. Horns are arbored by both male and female Sintas, and can be of various tones, from dark gray, near black, to Ivory or even pristine white, and even in some cases, pale brown-ish tones. Contrary to some belief, Unathi horns are bone, and not made of Ivory or any other precious material. Horn size, just like tail size, also depends on a Unathi’s diet. However, while everyone has the potential to grow an enlarged tail, if given enough fat, horn size highly depends on how well-fed a Unathi is during their childhood as they grow. Coupled with one’s horn’s hereditary nature, it is commonly assumed that A Sinta of noble blood will generally have larger horns… A noble who happens to have shorter horns is generally called a New-Noble, as if they were the first of their clan to ascend to noblehood, and by extent the quality diet that tends to come with it.&lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Frills&#039;&#039;&#039;, while hereditary in exactly the same way as horns, tend to be most often seen in Unathi populations living on coasts, or in general humid areas. Frills can be of various colours, so long as they remain in natural Unathi colour ranges. They are constituted of either a bony “support”, or in some rare cases, a cartilaginous one, with skin or scales between and on said “supports”. Since frills are articulated, to some minor degree, Unathi bearing frills tend to be seen as more expressive, as they tend to “open” or “close” their frills, accentuating body language. Frills have generally been associated with Unathi of low-to-middle class, or at least, that have ancestry from such classes, as fishermen and such Unathu are generally depicted with large frills. The validity of such a concept is discussed nowadays. &lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Crests&#039;&#039;&#039; are rather similar to frills in their constitution, although they differ in the sense that, instead of having a thin layer of scaly hide being stretched between its bony or cartilaginous supports, crests are entirely covered in proper hide. One popular example is the infamous “Cobra Hood” (Which is a domination established by the people of the Spur as a whole, and not by Sinta, as Cobras are obviously not native to Moghes). Like frills, Crests can be articulated, although in a much more limited way. Crests are not limited to any place, and just like horns, are instead fully hereditary. Crests were rather rare prior to the Contact War, as it was more common among Unathi population living in rather arid areas, earning the rather poetic name of the “Frills of the dry seas”. After the Nuclear exchange, however, new generations born in a changed Moghes start to come with more and more crests already.&lt;br /&gt;
*Finally, while minor differences in sizes and shapes can be observed in different Unathi populations, one aspect in particular tends to change drastically: &#039;&#039;&#039;skull shapes&#039;&#039;&#039;. The shape of a Unathi’s head seems to vary widely, with some adopting a more draconic appearance, some being closer to smaller lizards, Iguanas, snakes, crocodiles, etc. The way Unathi see their fellow Sinta with this or that facial appearance varies widely depending on their culture. Once again, both due to migration, populations blending with each other and the loss of records due to the Contact War, locating the origins in Unathi faces has proved to be quite the hard endeavor, but some clues, mostly based on interviews of older, surviving Sintas, have been found, and a proper classification is being reestablished:&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Arakhania (“Draconic”)&#039;&#039;: Arakhanian facial structure, also called “Draconic” in Basic, is perhaps the most well known Unathi skull shape in the entire Spur. Perhaps one of the most well spread facial structures nowadays, it is also known as the “head of the nobles”, due to its prevalence among noble populations, with many notable Unathi bearing such a profile (namely the Hegemon himself). Arakhanians tend to have a pointy snout with smooth shapes, and a frontal bone of varying height and steepness.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Thodokhania (“Crocodilian”)&#039;&#039;: Thodokhanian faces come with a larger, longer snouts and more flat heads, comparable to Earth’s crocodiles or alligators (hence the name given to such a profile in Basic: “Crocodilian”.) Unathi with the Thodokianian facial structure have turned rarer and rarer since the Contact War, which led to the belief that the nuclear exchange must’ve erased population centers featuring the bulk of their population.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Imekhania (“Common Lizard-like”)&#039;&#039;: The Imekhanian facial class is as broad as the population it encompasses, being the most represented profile among Sinta. Unathi with the Imekhanian profile come with generally smoother snout shapes and round tips. earning the name “lizard-like” in Basic. According to ancient records and texts, it seems like the Imekhanian profile could be seen everywhere on Moghes, even before the first large population movements.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Senkhania (“Snake-like”)&#039;&#039;: With their flat heads and short snouts, Senkhanians faces are, as their name in Basic suggests, comparable to Earth’s Snakes. While a small part of the population, Unathi with the Senkhanian facial profile are still considered a category of their own, due to their presence in mostly rural areas (something that has yet to be explained), zones that would not tend to be the direct targets of nuclear bombardment during the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Lokhenian (“Others”)&#039;&#039;: Lokhenian facial profile, or “The faces of the Lost” is an all-new, post-Contact War classification, used to designate any facial structure that does not fit in the other aforementioned categories, and are not large enough to warrant a category of their own. Such facial structures are extremely various but also tend to be extremely rare, and it is assumed, that those were already quite rare even before the nuclear exchange, as they were rarely ever recorded in pre-contact war media.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Afflictions and Disabilities ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi, like all species, are prone to conditions that are uncommon among the population. How each Unathi views or handles these is varied due to the traditional cultures of Moghes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Lsh&#039;islasulu, sometimes shortened to &amp;quot;Lsh disorder,&amp;quot; is a rare scale disability affecting very few Unathi. The disorder is poorly studied because of its lacking negative affects and extreme rarity. When suffering from Lsh disorder, Unathi will lose their dead scale cells through a painful peeling process, rather than sporadically. A Unathi suffering from the disorder will need to painfully peel or scrub off their dead scales off once or twice a month in droves. The affliction is caused by increased cell death, and scale cells will die rapidly for no apparent reason. Luckily, this process only causes pain and increased susceptibility to the cold, not causing any damage or making the scales much weaker in terms of durability. Further information is lacking due to little research preformed.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kaasilik is a famously known yet equally rare disorder inflicting unique symptoms. Those suffering from Kaasilik lack any growth of frills, hoods, horns or any other structure on the head or face. While labeled as a disorder, those affected by it suffer no physical drawbacks and are believed to be the result of a genetic lottery in which generations of couples between Unathi with certain horn or frill growth reproduce. While undamaging to the Unathi physically, it can make identifying them from another suffering Unathi difficult at times. Children of these Unathi will likely have very small or limited frill and horn growth.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Albinosm, or Zis&#039;lak, caused by a general lack of pigment in the scales, makes the scales appear totally white, sometimes with a minor tint of green, red or sand/orange, caused by a total lack of pigment. Albinism in Unathi can also cause a unique shift in eye colour; while typical for Unathi to have colours like orange, red or green, albinism can shift the eye colour to an unusual violet. This is due to a lack of eye pigment combined with the light refraction off of the blood vessels within the eye. Unathi that suffer from albinism usually remain away from sunlight as their sensitive scales provide little to no UV protection and put them at risk of burns. Albino Unathi are also often seen as a bad omen at birth, and as such, those within the Hegemony&#039;s lower populated areas are often banished from their clan or in extreme circumstances, even banished from some clans to become Guwan. It should be noted that azure coloured Unathi cannot be albino.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Illiz is a disorder appearing in two states with a wide variety of recorded variation. The disability details highly irregular tail size, this can include tails the size of a finger or tails so long they become a tripping hazard. The former being nicknamed, &amp;quot;Hasik.&amp;quot; Unathi affected by Hasik typically suffer when sprinting, their short tails also prevent fat storage, which results in the fat being stored elsewhere like the arms, thighs, and lower body. The latter mentioned state of Illiz, nicknamed &amp;quot;Hasil,&amp;quot; is the complete opposite. Those affected by Hasil find their tails reaching lengths of up to four feet long. Hasil includes similar issues as Hasik, the most notable of which is it also negatively affects balance. Those with longer tails struggle to sprint, carrying the weight of such a large tail. Culturally, those suffering Hasik are viewed as pathetic and as cowards, while those with longer tails are presumed to be a noble. It should be noted that very few nobles have been documented suffering Hasik, while some, using plastic surgery, increase the size of their tails to mimic Hasil.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Unathi History]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The history of the Unathi is predominately a history of each &#039;&#039;&#039;Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039; that has existed throughout their history. There have only been three clans that have managed to create an empire worthy of the title &#039;Hegemon.&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Kres’ha’nor Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039; lasted from roughly 920 CE - 1500 CE. It is most famous for being the first empire to dominate Moghes and creating what was then a modern feudal state. Their empire saw rise of walled cities, steel weapons, centralized taxation, and other innovations. It ended in a brutal succession war, with Moghes once again being shattered into hundreds of individual Kingdoms with no true global power.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the &#039;&#039;&#039;16th century&#039;&#039;&#039; the power of &#039;&#039;&#039;[[Unathi Guilds|Guilds]]&#039;&#039;&#039; began to grow, forming an early form of mercantilism. Guilds formed for bakers, butchers, grocers, millers, smiths, carpenters, weavers, mason, shoemakers, in fact, nearly every trade had its own guild. Standards such as just weights and measures evolved from the guilds, and guild inspectors would inspect shops to ensure rules were being followed. Guilds would help members that were sick, or in trouble, and would sometimes take care of families after the member died. This time also saw Guilds building the first major universities. While incredibly exclusive, these universities began to create a new era of specialized labor and intellectuals.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;19th century&#039;&#039;&#039; saw rise of the &#039;&#039;&#039;Second Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;, ruled by the &#039;&#039;&#039;Sarakus Clan&#039;&#039;&#039;. Their clan ruled harshly, and forced technological advances into the cities and towns. In the 1930&#039;s they ruthlessly modernized their empire in The Great Endeavor, spreading electricity, radio, paved roads, modern plumbing, and other modern innovations.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In &#039;&#039;&#039;1994&#039;&#039;&#039; the &#039;&#039;&#039;Izweski Clan&#039;&#039;&#039; violently deposed the Sarakus and slaughtered the entire surviving dynasty, declaring the &#039;&#039;&#039;Third Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;. After they won an incredibly destructive global war to defend their claim, the Izweski have ruled Moghes until modern times.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In &#039;&#039;&#039;2403&#039;&#039;&#039;, a human exploration team discovered Moghes. Shortly after, first contact with the Izweski Hegemony was made. Sol Alliance merchants and scientists flocked to Moghes, living under very careful observation and guard in Izweski cities. Skalamar, the second largest city in Izweski, became the first Unathite city to have a shuttle port constructed. Owned by NanoTrasen, it served to transport people to and from the planet’s surface. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[Contact War|The Contact War, which has more information here,]] was a cataclysmic global war that lasted from &#039;&#039;&#039;2438 to 2449&#039;&#039;&#039;. The fighting was between two global powers, the &#039;&#039;&#039;Izweski Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;, and the &#039;&#039;&#039;Traditionalist Coalition&#039;&#039;&#039;. The war was fought over the very future of the Unathi and their relationship with the rest of the galaxy. The Izweski demanded Moghes submit to a one-world government ran by themselves and embrace the influence of humanity. The Traditionalist Coalition rejected this. &#039;&#039;&#039;The war went nuclear on September 5th, 2439&#039;&#039;&#039;, causing immense suffering across Moghes and directly leading to the creation of The Wasteland, which is set to engulf Moghes within a hundred years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Unathi Culture==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Diet and Cuisine ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathite dishes are mostly comprised of meat, eggs, and fish. It may be cooked or even still raw and bleeding. Vegetables in meals are often just for decoration or flavor, but by no means ever make up the majority of the dish. Unathi do not take any nutritional value from plant matter, only from meat. Desert flowers may also be placed on the plate to make it seem well-presented and are also edible. The tools Unathi use to eat are very unorthodox to humans, usually resembling chopsticks banded together near the top. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi generally eat only one large meal a day. The nobility often eat twice a day, while poorer Unathi or those in [[The Wasteland|the Wasteland]] will eat bi-daily: every two days.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To support their civilization, fishing has developed on a scale similar to human agriculture. Since the Contact War, fishing yields have fallen, and hunger has become a fact of life for many Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Language ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi, being deeply traditional, tend to use their own sayings, proverbs, and similar speech in other languages not native to them. Some concepts of their languages also spill over into tongues foreign to Unathi. For example, the sexes are so closely tied to their roles in society that words for &amp;quot;man,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;male,&amp;quot; and other parrot words are practically synonymous with &amp;quot;warrior.&amp;quot; The same is said for words like &amp;quot;woman&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;female&amp;quot; with &amp;quot;healer.&amp;quot; Objects also have assigned genders to them, so it is not uncommon for Sinta to refer to objects and inanimate things with genders. Unathi also have a lot of assorted figures of speech that, instead of being based on direction (up and down), are affiliated with time and its speed. A faster rate of time is seen as bad while a slower rate is seen as good in a majority of cases. Good things are categorized by saying something is punctual, progressing on time, is speeding up in time, or has a lot of time while saying the opposite for bad things. Rather than saying &amp;quot;I’m going to bed for the night,&amp;quot; a Unathi might offer &amp;quot;I’m slowing down for the night&amp;quot;; similarly, instead of being &amp;quot;down to hang out,&amp;quot; one would instead say they &amp;quot;want to slow down&amp;quot; with someone else. Examples include, but aren’t limited to: &amp;quot;today’s harvests were timely,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;the day has been slow,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;my body is slowing,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;their sleep is running late,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;I’m accelerating through my studies.&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi names are extraordinarily diverse, ranging from those that string together a bunch of consonants to sounds with many vowels in a row. There are not many commonalities between them besides harder sounds like &#039;ck,&#039; &#039;zh,&#039; &#039;s,&#039; &#039;d,&#039; and &#039;t.&#039; &#039;&#039;&#039;However, names cannot have more than two of the same letter in a row, such as Myo&#039;sssak.&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Many species have developed the joking term &amp;quot;unathisms&amp;quot; for all the various cultural holdovers that get put into other languages they speak.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot; style=&amp;quot;width:99%; overflow:auto;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi Metaphors, Sayings, and Slang&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Sinta— &#039;&#039;meaning Unathi. If the word Unathi can be compared to &amp;quot;Human&amp;quot;, then sinta can be compared to &amp;quot;man&amp;quot;, the latter usually kept out of more serious, official or scientific discussion and instead used in discussions with a more common if not familiar tone. Sinta does not get an S on plural and does not start with a capital letter.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Claws, talons— &#039;&#039;fingers, nails, respectively; however, sometimes satire or exaggeration make use of them interchangeably.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hatchling, egg— &#039;&#039;a child or baby, sometimes also as an insult.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Azure, albino— &#039;&#039;exotic, or unusual; alternatively (and rarely), an archaic and outdated way of calling something awful: &amp;quot;Their tastes are absolutely albino.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hide, scales— &#039;&#039;skin.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Rattle, rattled— &#039;&#039;scared.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Scratch, scratched— &#039;&#039;to write/written.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Tailwag— &#039;&#039;generic insult lacking true meaning and has a weird versatility to it, like referring to someone as a &#039;fuck&#039; or similar.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Blood on my teeth— &#039;&#039;eating, sometimes a gruesome (seen as barbaric) way of describing fighting and other activities.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Lay down my tail/bare my neck— &#039;&#039;let someone walk over you.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Molting— &#039;&#039;getting angry enough over something that it damages your physical health. Used almost explicitly for exaggeration.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Fat-tail— &#039;&#039;an insult usually aimed at nobles.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Quote a limerick— &#039;&#039;to be sassy, snarky, witty.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Grinding my horns— &#039;&#039;getting on their nerves.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Strum— &#039;&#039;gather.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Stomp, stomping— &#039;&#039;a get together (as a noun) or referring to someone being happy (as a verb).&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Echoed song— &#039;&#039;oral tradition.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ghazkus, ghazkii— &#039;&#039;skrell, coming from the word &amp;quot;amphibious&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;ghazii&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kzlth, kzlthii— &#039;&#039;humans, coming from the word &amp;quot;scaleless&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;kazulth&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Imiekran, imiekranes— &#039;&#039;the typical term for dionae meaning &amp;quot;twisted plant&amp;quot; in Sinta’Azaziba, usually a term of endearment; alternatively called aggregates when referring to different forms.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Xsain— &#039;&#039;vaurca, coming from the word &amp;quot;incomprehensible&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;xsa&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
(Note: most of the time this is seen as being a nickname when used outside of Sinta’Unathi or Sinta’Azaziba. If you are particularly friendly with someone that either you don’t know the name of or are referring to someone otherwise, this may be appropriate outside of saying the species’ name.)&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Zo’zyola— &#039;&#039;the equivalent of an angel or a demon. Depending on the context, this is either a compliment or a severe insult.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Dishonored their clan— &#039;&#039;do something to ostracize themselves from society or a group of people.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A tale longer than my own— &#039;&#039;a play on words gaining traction among Sinta who speak Basic. Basically a way of saying &amp;quot;it&#039;s a long story&amp;quot; with similar connotations, but this phrase can also be used to hype up an event. &amp;quot;What did you do during the Solarian Invasion?&amp;quot; &amp;quot;It&#039;s a tale longer than my own— let&#039;s meet up to discuss it.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Heating up— &#039;&#039;a way of setting your guard is going down or that you are even getting bored or tired. &amp;quot;This shift has been uneventful, I can feel it heating up.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Sk&#039;akh&#039;s scales— &#039;&#039;a way of saying &amp;quot;holy shit&amp;quot; or similar swears.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Have an honorable duel for the sake of the game— &#039;&#039;in Sinta&#039;Azaziba and Sinta&#039;Unathi, duel and game are the same word, just with different meanings. This is a play on words in the original tongue and is meant to talk about something that has to be done yet trying to make fun out of it anyway.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
More unclean/unkempt than a Guwan&#039;s feet— &#039;&#039;referring to something being worse than the dirtiest part of a class of undesirables. Phrases like these are more common in the Hegemony and are one of the many methods used to degrade Guwan.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When an arbek eats its tail— &#039;&#039;&amp;quot;when pigs fly.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Preparing the maxtlatl— &#039;&#039;referring to the shaman&#039;s garb. Preparing the maxtlatl is something a shaman does when they feel they are near death; in preparing it, they are readying the skull in the headgear to be replaced by their own. In a sense, if someone is preparing the maxtlatl, they are spelling their own doom or see their demise coming.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the Fourth Nation— &#039;&#039;somewhat of a joke about cycles, playing fun at the fact that the Izweski Hegemony has been a constant throughout history. Traditionalists use this phrase more bitterly and sardonically, however.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By mine and your spirits— &#039;&#039;a way of solemnly swearing; alternatively, asking for guidance if you worship Th’akh.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Three Heads bless me— &#039;&#039;the alternative to &amp;quot;by mine and your spirits&amp;quot; for those that worship Sk’akh.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Bet the Hegemon’s head— &#039;&#039;many people want to kill the Hegemon, so this refers to such a bounty. Usually used as a joke or a dare.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Individual languages are described by the prefix &#039;Sinta&#039; followed by the identity of its native speakers. Speaking mannerisms remain the same when speaking Sinta or another language. For stylistic choices, there are some options. For those raised in or by the Hegemony, avoid contractions like &#039;&#039;it&#039;s&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;they&#039;re&#039;&#039;, which would be &#039;&#039;it is&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;they are&#039;&#039;. Formal Sinta&#039;Unathi lacks this concept of contracting words, and thus it is a difficult concept to understand for these speakers. Those that speak Sinta&#039;Azaziba will talk in other languages in short bursts, similar to how Azaziba has shorter sentences due to gesticulating and speaking at the same time. Accents are wide and diverse; replacing &#039;s&#039; sounds with &#039;th&#039; in a &#039;forced lisp&#039; or even just omitting the sound is a commonality for Unathi that struggle with certain words in other languages (like &#039;suspicious&#039;). This way of speaking is also common when singing in different languages, a trend picking up within the Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sinta&#039;Unathi ====&lt;br /&gt;
While Pre-Contact Moghes had hundreds of unique languages and their own histories, Sinta&#039;Unathi has been and remains the primary language spoken by most Unathi. It is an evolution of an older Moghean trade language, Sinta&#039;Izwe.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The written language has 30 letters, with 5 of them being vowels. The language is written left to right, though this was an attempt to emulate humanity, as informal Sinta&#039;Unathi still write top to bottom.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sinta&#039;Azaziba ====&lt;br /&gt;
Sinta&#039;Azaziba is a language of Moghes consisting of a combination of spoken word and gesticulation. While waning since Moghes entered the galactic stage, it enjoys popular use by Unathi that never fell to the Hegemony&#039;s cultural dominance. Sinta&#039;Azaziba writing has 27 letters, 4 of which being vowels. The language is written from top to bottom.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Unathi Fashion and Make-up ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Fashion on the scale of an entire species is incredibly diverse, much like with other species. There are some common sights seen across most Unathi peoples.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Fashion ====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Clothing is generally something to balance for Unathi, according to one’s need with warmth. Generally, Unathi can dress themselves from head to toe, with shawls and hoods not being an uncommon sight, even if temperatures aren’t outright cold, just to retain warmth for as long as possible. In particularly hot climates, however, or on specific occasions like while sunbathing, Unathi may choose to wear minimal clothing to get as little obstacle as possible between them and the sun, or any other heat source they may be enjoying.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Colors are an essential part of any Unathi outfit. Being particularly fond of vibrant colors, sights of bright reds, oranges, yellows, greens and blues are common, and white and black, though rare for fashion’s sake, are generally used to accentuate colors even more. These colors are often selected to go along with their scale colors, eyes, and so on, the natural colors of a Unathi playing a large part in their fashion choices. Nobility and other wealthy individuals will often show off their status through the use of jewelry, both gemstone and rare, expensive metals like gold and silver. Though the typical bracelets and necklaces can be found, Unathi also use some pieces of jewelry unique to their species, such as horn rings (meant to be worn around one’s horn) or frill-rings (going through the frill, much like with earrings.) Capes and cloaks are also a traditional display of status and function, with for instance the many capes worn by Guild members.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Make-up ====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While most Human cultures see most forms of make-up as feminine, Unathi are different. It’s common for Unathi of all genders to apply make-up. Once again, there are countless forms of make-up and ways to apply them seen across the entire species.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot; style=&amp;quot;width:99%; overflow:auto;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi make-up&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
===== Cosmetics =====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Some of the most popular forms of Unathi make-up include things such as claw-painting, quite comparable to painting nails. This is generally done with bright colors, to accentuate them over the scale colors of the Unathi in question. There are traces of claw-painting being done in pre-Hegemonic times, mainly by warriors, to show off their claws and intimidate their foes, and though this tradition is still practiced by some, claw painting is now also done for the mere sake of fashion. Horns can also be painted, as well as frills for similar effects if the individual in question sports them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===== Scalepaint =====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Scalepaint is a uniquely Unathi form of make-up, and the most popular in the species as well. Due to their need to shed, Unathi cannot sport tattoos normally, but scalepaint constitutes an equivalent. As the name implies, it is a form of paint applied directed on one’s scaly hide. scalepaint can be inconspicuous and small, or extravagant and cover the majority of one’s hide. In any case, however, it is done to go along with, and complement one’s natural hide colors, and completely covering oneself in scalepaint is seen as particularly awkward and a display of shame in oneself.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The practice of using scalepaint dates back to prehistoric times, with hunters covering themselves in a mixture of herbs, dust, and a few pigments to better hide in the foliage to ambush prey; though it quickly-enough became a form of aesthetic as well. The practice to apply scalepaint hasn’t changed much since then; it is a mix of pigments, herbs, and a clay-like substance to be applied directly on one’s scales.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Perhaps what makes Scalepaint so interesting is the sheer amount of work needed to apply and maintain it. First, it must be applied in correct doses. Too much, and the texture will be too thick and completely cover the scaly texture of one’s hide (an easy excuse to be mocked by your fellow sinta), too little, and the color won’t be visible-enough, and completely disappear at the first shed. With the correct amount of paint applied, it should be visible enough without hiding one’s scales, and when the time to shed comes, some remnants of paint should still be visible, acting as a guide for the next layer to be put on this layer of skin as well. This brings us to the second part, the need to maintain scalepaint. A proper scalepaint requires regular maintenance, to be generally re-applied after every shed. This workload makes the most extravagant and encompassing forms of scalepaint a show of both artistry, but also the result of regularly applied, expert artistry.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Because of its need to be re-applied constantly, scalepaint is generally applied and maintained by oneself, and thus, only to places they can reach. As such, only nobles and other wealthy sinta are ever seen sporting scalepaint on their backs, as it requires maintenance from others, generally talented servants.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Zandiziite Games ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Zandiziite Games]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
An ancient sport that got its start on Moghes, this sport is best described as a mixture of Olympic- and MMA-style games. Competitors within the Zandiziite Games are called Zandiziites, or colloquially an individual wrestler is called a Zandi. Clans send eligible men (and only men) to their Lord in the hopes that they are chosen to represent their city or community in the Zandiziite Games.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Unathi Sociality and Society ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Behaviour and Mannerisms ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi generally stare at what they are interested in, so their intense gaze moves with a conversation to whoever is talking. Additionally, pointing can be seen as extremely rude in circumstances. If more than just a passing gesture towards someone, prolonged pointing can be a grave insult to one&#039;s honor and, in some cases, be the reason for crude fighting or even initiate a duel.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi should always be addressed by their last name in most situations. It is offensive to use a Unathi&#039;s first name unless you are family or have a close relationship with them (like family, a lover, or close friend). Some are more permissive than others regarding this. In a situation where there are multiple Unathi with the same last name, it&#039;s generally accepted to just get more and more specific in your address to make it clear who you are speaking to.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi to other species would typically appear sluggish in their movements, though there are some exceptions to this. When working or even when feeling threatened, they typically move short distances with their arms and legs at speeds much faster than normal for other species. This is because they conserve their energy by going slightly slower until they need it for a given task.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Another outstanding behavior that other species would note is an intense gaze. Unathi typically find staring at whoever is speaking to be respectful; however, this intense staring, paired with not blinking often and stooping to look at someone at eye level, is how other species are typically made uncomfortable when engaging with Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For most Unathi being seen speaking to Guwans is embarrassing. A woman associating with a Guwan is extremely improper and indecent, and they can lose social standing by doing so.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Violence can have its place in regular daily life, with playful fighting being commonplace with the peasantry and in the Wasteland. Joking punches and wistful tail flicks that would be normal for Unathi playing around may end up hurting a human, which has led to many jokes about humanity’s weak stature. Shoulder checks and headbutts have their place in more aggressive friendships and is a sign of showing brotherly love.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Emotional Displays ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi exhibit a great variety of emotional body language in ways different from other species. While it is not uncommon for Unathi to attempt to mimic human displays (sometimes with frightening results, for example showing off their large, numerous sharp teeth in a &amp;quot;smile&amp;quot;), they have their own natural, basic emotions that come from biological expression akin to reptiles. It can be very difficult for this species to control their emotionally linked body language as it is engrained in Unathite culture, but exercising restraint is often seen as a sign of nobility or simply an individual who is attempting to better blend in with other species. Over time, these displays can also change to adapt to a different environment, though this process typically takes many years to come to fruition.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For example, baring the entire throat is the single most meaningful expression that can be displayed to another, often used to show trust or vulnerability to someone a Unathi cares about. However, it is not unusual to do this to also surrender to another (such as in a fight), admit shame, or display extreme compassion (when exposed to twine necks with another). Conversely, tilting the snout far down to protect the throat and better display one’s horns is a fight response or to show distrust in another.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When it comes to intimate gestures between Unathi, they usually twine necks or tails, and touch foreheads and snouts together with the same intent that humans kiss. Such displays are usually only reserved for those that are married or to be wed, but with other cultures such as Ouerea, the smaller colonies, or the Empire of Dominia, this tends to be much more relaxed. Hugging is usually considered to be something done by children and avoided by adults.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi often fixate on their surroundings when interested or excited by someone or something. If there is a conversation of multiple people, they often change their gaze to look at whoever is speaking, or at the person speaking they are most interested in. It is considered rude by Unathi to avert your gaze, for that shows that someone can be aloof, distant, or not paying attention fully. Even if afraid and cowering, they tend to look directly at the source of their fear. For other species, when especially happy or interested, they can even stoop down to look at them directly at eye level, or try to raise themselves as much as possible to look other creatures in the eye.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Other physical displays include the ‘tail stomp,’ a phenomenon common during heightened signals of emotion. Typically, these are done when a Sinta is filled with joy or extremely agitated, but can be rarely used when a Unathi is grieving. Other more minor displays are, but aren’t limited to: bristling scales, in response to a cold environment or a ‘chill going down their spine;’ becoming slow and sluggish if extremely comfortable, such as reacting to warmth; swaying, sampling the air, and hissing all are common when in a new environment, with strangers, or even just in certain situations, which shows curiosity, discomfort, or unease.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Verbally, Unathi have some onomatopoeias that they draw on for different emotions. Chuffing, forcefully exhaling air from the throat, can be used to mark mild annoyance in reply to something, or can be used to show amusement. If it comes at the end of a sentence or statement, it can imply that they are being sarcastic or are saying something in good humor. Unathi don’t quite have a laugh; instead, they bark in typically short bursts, in which the sound is often deep, loud, and raucous. Finally, rattling the throat is a fairly common gesture that replaces or accompanies a tail stomp. Sometimes when enraged, throat rattling is accompanied by frills or scales flaring up as well.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As a result of the divide between groups of sinta, some mannerisms are unique to different social groups. For example, nobles tend to tail stomp in response to seeing something that ‘disgusts’ them, whether it be the sight of a heretic or Guwan, something that disgusts olfactory senses, or something else. Peasants on Moghes and most Unathi on Ouerea tend to be ‘overly emotional’ in that they often tilt their snout up somewhat when showing general content or happiness, or down slightly when afraid or unhappy. Dominians often keep their chin tilted up constantly as a sign of pride and even cockiness, showing they aren’t afraid when vulnerable parts are exposed. Of course, this all barely scratches the surface, and there are many gestures unique to cultures and regions that are not enumerated.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Gender Roles ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div style=&amp;quot;font-size:105%; border:2px solid white; margin:0; background:white; padding:.1em; color:black;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi society is highly gender-stratified, with very specific gendered divisions of work and societal role. The Unathi understanding of gender has become tied deeply into these roles, which leads to a structure that humans may find unusual. In Unathi society, gender has little to do with assigned sex, rather being almost entirely dependent on the societal role an individual finds themselves in. The Sinta’Unathi words for ‘warrior’ and ‘male’ are the same, but this is not because one is required to be male to be a warrior - rather, the act of being a warrior is what makes one considered male. To Unathi, gender is not something that one &#039;&#039;is&#039;&#039;, but something that one &#039;&#039;does&#039;&#039;. An Unathi who sought to live as a professional warrior would be considered male by society at large, regardless of their sex at hatching - and regardless of their own thoughts on the matter.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Where this system originates is largely unknown, having existed in some form for most of Unathi recorded history. The earliest known example comes from archaeological discoveries in the [[Tza Prairie]], indicating that ancient Unathi cultures held the Fisher as the feminine role, rather than the Healer - which was reserved for a long-extinct caste of shaman-kings. The gender division in its modern form was likely codified by the early Sk’akh Church or predecessor faiths, though with so much of Moghes’ history now lost to the Wasteland scholars doubt if the origins of such a fundamental part of society will ever be discovered.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The divisions of labor in Unathi society are based on this structure of gender, and it is expressed prominently in religion - the Three Aspects of Sk’akh being the most prevalent examples. The Warrior, Healer, and Fisher are the primary categories into which almost every aspect of Unathi life has been divided for centuries - though as with many Unathi traditions, it is being increasingly challenged in the modern era.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Warrior&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Warrior is the masculine category, under which roles to do with martial affairs tend to fall. Most military positions are considered male due to this, with some rare exceptions being made for medical and support personnel. Outside of direct combat matters, positions in law enforcement and colonial expansion are also widely considered warriors, as are many roles to do with the direct enforcement of a ruler’s will such as governorship, tax collection and announcement of decrees. Unathi identifying as warriors are expected to act with honor in accordance with the [[Unathi Honor|Warriors&#039; Code]]. Vaurca Warriors outside of those in medical or scientific fields are generally gendered as male by Unathi as a result of this.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Healer&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Healer is the feminine category, which is broader than its name might indicate. Positions in the medical field are obviously considered healers, but the category also covers most scholarship and keeping of knowledge in general. The Simiite Reliquary in To’ha’dat is staffed exclusively by Priestesses of the Healer, and holds the complete historical record of the Sk’akh Church. While scholarship in general has never been as gendered as some other categories, the vast majority of Unathi scientists, archivists and researchers would be considered female. The sphere of knowledge and learning also covers the business of spycraft, investigation and diplomacy, with the positions of Spymaster and High Speaker being traditionally female ones. Unathi identifying as healers have less of a concrete code of honor, though in recent years the invention of the [[Unathi Honor|Matriarch&#039;s Code]] has gained some popularity. Vaurca Gynes, as well as Workers and Warriors in medical or scientific fields, are generally gendered as female by Unathi as a result of this.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Fisher&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Fisher is the third Unathi gender, without a direct translation in Tau Ceti Basic. Its sphere covers productive work such as fishing, construction and engineering. Many among the Unathi working class are considered to be fishers, and the title of Master of Rivers is one that traditionally is held by a fisher. In Tau Ceti Basic, gender-neutral pronouns are often used to describe fishers, though due to linguistic differences a fisher may often be gendered as male or female by humans. The sphere of the fisher encompasses many positions to do with economic development, ranging from humble miners, ranchers and fishers all the way to colonial administrators. There is no strict code of honor for fishers similar to that of warriors and healers, though the idea of developing one has been attempted a few times. Vaurca Workers outside of medical or scientific fields are generally gendered as fishers by Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Non-Gendered Roles&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The gender stratification of Unathi society is nearly all-encompassing, though there are some rare positions that can be considered as more than one gender. Rulership is the most notable of these, with the gender of a ruler being considered emblematic of their style of rule - male rulers are considered a good omen for military victory, whereas female rulers are considered a blessing for periods of peace and wisdom and fisher rulers are considered to bring periods of great productivity to their demesne. The title of Hegemon is something of an exception, having always had a connotation of military conquest to it. As such, Hegemons throughout the ages have been recognized as warriors and succession is patriarchal. It is not uncommon, however, for their expressed gender to contrast what is officially recorded by the church; for example, Hegemon Ayzi Sarakus was unofficially seen as a fisher to their confidants and trusted allies. Using various methods, they and others like them have held the throne throughout the Izweski Hegemony’s history - though greatly outnumbered by the warriors.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One role which falls outside any of the three genders is that of the Guwandi. The reason for this is simple. A Guwandi sheds their gender as they shed their name, and for the same reason - it is a sign of the person they once were, before facing such shame that it was left behind. A Guwandi is only referred to as their prior gender when they are confirmed to have died with honour, and the stain of their disgrace can be erased from their history.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In addition, the introduction of Unathi to the interstellar stage has led to a vast array of new roles, which have yet to be neatly assigned to a gender. While some were able to fit into pre-existing categories, other roles such as interstellar piloting, civilian spaceship command and various roles to do with colonial oversight have yet to be fit into one of Unathi society’s well-defined boxes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Changing Gender&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Most Unathi will live in the gender of their work for their entire lives. However, the nature of Unathi gender roles mean that changing one’s gender is fairly common in Unathi society, especially among nobles who may find themselves in a wide number of roles during their lives. It is not uncommon for rulers identifying as female to present as male during wartime, for instance, or for rulers identifying as male to present as a fisher when investing heavily in developing their lands.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the modern age this has become more common among non-nobles, as common Unathi find themselves with a greater degree of social mobility. Many who would have lived and died as fishers find themselves seeking out battle and becoming warriors, or enrolling at institutions such as the [[Unathi_Educational_Institutions#Skalamar_University_of_Medicine|Skalamar University of Medicine]] and identifying themselves as healers. The act of changing one’s gender is, in most Unathi societies, a religious one. In the [[Izweski Heartland]] and other majority Sk’akh regions, these affairs are handled by the Church, while other faiths have their own approaches to it. For Unathi outside the Hegemony, such as those in Biesel or Dominia, less of a spiritual significance tends to be placed on the transition, being treated as more of a personal and private affair.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Traditional Greetings&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A custom often misunderstood by foreigners, traditional greetings are both a way for Unathi to politely greet each other, but also to begin introductions without even saying a word. This tradition dates back to some time in the late first Hegemony, though the greetings themselves had much different forms and uses back then.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In essence, these greetings are done by wordlessly bowing before another, doing so in a specific manner, depending on the Unathi in question&#039;s gender. Doing so is not only polite, if not a show of respect, but also a way for a sinta to present their gender, and by extent the kind of path they have taken in their life.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;The Warrior&#039;s Greeting&#039;&#039; is done by bowing until one would look straight to the floor, while putting a fist on their heart. The legs must remain straight and back curve as little as possible during the entire greeting, lest the Unathi in question be mocked for going a &amp;quot;wounded Warrior&#039;s greeting&amp;quot;, a situation many have faced on their first Warrior&#039;s Greeting. Signifying trust and respect, it is generally considered an honor to be greeted in such way by prestigious warriors, Kataphracts and veterans.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;The Healer&#039;s Greeting&#039;&#039; would have one bow by bending the knees, hunching forward a little with open arms until their claws and horns (frills, crest, or the top of their skull in the case of absence of such) are at roughly the same height. Some can take the greeting a little further, by crossing their legs slightly, bowing deeper, though such a move is generally kept to greet those worthy of great respect. It signifies openness, warmth and vulnerability.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Finally, through &#039;&#039;the Fishers Greeting&#039;&#039;, one would bow by crossing their arms behind their back, bowing with their back, while keeping their gaze at the other person. Signifies listening and understanding, and though seen by many as the easiest of the greetings to achieve, it is not considered lesser than the other two, but rather, a show of the beauty and value of simplicity.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Traditional greetings are not always done with non-Unathi, generally because of their lack of understanding, some sinta choosing to not bother at all. One can also find slight variations to these traditional greetings abroad, in Dominia for instance, where the [[Unathi_in_Dominia|Kazhkz-Han&#039;san]] can be found calling these greetings the &amp;quot;Soldier&#039;s&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;Scholar&#039;s&amp;quot;, and &amp;quot;Artisan&#039;s Greeting&amp;quot; instead, in a mix of Moghesian and Morozian culture.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Outside the Gender Trinary&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In every society, there are those who do not conform to expectations, and the same is true among Unathi. Following the Contact War, many Unathi have challenged the ancient structures of gender that bind their species, seeking to separate their work from their own identification. The first female Kataphract, the Lady H’zala was appointed in 2459, one of the first public examples of a non-warrior permitted in such a strongly gendered role. In the Queendom of Szek-Hakh, the ordinary structures of gender are largely reversed as most of the fighting is done by women - while some present as warriors to the world, most continue to identify themselves as healers. While this is done out of practicality, with most of the realm’s men having perished in the Contact War, it is still viewed as a dramatic aberration from the norm. Abroad, some Unathi have found themselves adopting more human conceptions of gender as something that a person is, rather than something that they do, and choose to present as a gender that does not match their occupation - whether one which matches their sex, or simply based on personal preference.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Many have decried this as alien confusion and an erosion of Sinta tradition, while others welcome or simply do not pay mind to it. Gender is a spiritual matter, after all, and the priests and shamans have yet to come to a definite conclusion about these changing matters. How this will impact Unathi society, built around the strict gender trinary for centuries, remains to be seen.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Gender and Aliens&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To many Unathi, human conceptions of gender are confusing, seemingly arbitrary and without reason. While decades of contact between the two species has helped for better understanding of this, both tend to view the other society’s ideas of gender as strange. Unathi, particularly those less-accustomed to working with aliens, will often gender non-Unathi based on their profession rather than any outward signs, and will find being corrected on this matter particularly confusing. For aliens which lack a concept of gender altogether such as [[Skrell]], [[Vaurca|Vaurcae]] or [[Dionae]], this is generally less of an issue.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On [[Ouerea]], a general understanding has been reached as to human concepts of gender, with the Unathi population coming to understand their alien neighbors’ views. Some of these views have been adopted among the Unathi population, with Archpriest Azente of the Sk’akh Church holding in the belief that an Unathi can do the work of one gender while identifying as another, which has caused him to be labelled as a radical among his fellows. Generally speaking, Skrell on Ouerea do not seem to have any particular trouble assimilating to Unathi notions of gender, though the reasoning behind it can often be confusing to them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Some Diona gestalts which have primarily learned from Unathi - such as those living in the Izweski Hegemony, or among the pirates of the Tarwa Conglomerate - have adopted their own interpretation of Unathi gender. Some more organized gestalts tend to gender their individual nymphs based on the role they play in the whole, while others have developed their own codes of behavior similar to those practiced in Unathi society. More information about them can be found [[Moghresian Dionae|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Most [[Unathi in Dominia|Dominian Unathi]] have, at least in practice, adopted the human model. Though most were born and raised on Moghes and held (perhaps still hold) traditional views, most Unathi choose to adapt to the local Imperial culture for similar reasons as converting to the [[Moroz Holy Tribunal|Holy Tribunal]] - that not respecting the customs and culture of their new home would be dishonorable to those who had welcomed them. Some, particularly among the Han’san and the older Unathi population, do not forget about traditional understandings of gender, still living much as they would on Moghes. To the humans of Dominia, this is largely written off as another alien curiosity of the Unathi, though those who spend more time with them may come to a better understanding of their ways. The newer generations of Unathi born on Imperial soil, however, are generally much more familiar with human ideas of gender than Unathi ones.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Corruption within the Gender Culture ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div style=&amp;quot;font-size:105%; border:2px solid white; margin:0; background:white; padding:.1em; color:black;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While seen from the outside as a relatively progressive development, the fluidity of Unathi gender roles combined with the rigid feudal hierarchy of noble lords and clan leadership presents a wide variety of opportunities for exploitation and abuse. These vary in measure, legally and morally, and if pressed those within positions of power will publicly denounce such practices as dishonorable. However, it’s an open secret that a significant number of the ruling class use these tactics to a greater or lesser degree to ensure their dynasties and interests are protected. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Heirs and Succession&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Arguably one of the most crucial considerations of any noble lord or clan leader, the designation of an heir demands intervention when the current candidate is unwanted or unfavorable. The means by which this is accomplished vary from region to region, but leverage of gender is a widely adopted tactic.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In areas under Izweski rule, succession is patriarchal and the eldest warrior child is traditionally designated heir apparent. Should the natural choice be undesirable it is a common though unspoken practice to cultivate a preferred alternative. If the distinction is made early enough in life, clan heads will attempt to remove older children from succession by enrolling them in education and apprenticeships for healers and fishers. Betrothal contracts can also be drafted which misgender, or pre-gender, a child. Often in negotiation of these matches, care is taken to ensure the other clan’s name is taken and rights of inheritance are explicitly waived. Objection by the child or refusal to uphold the betrothal can be punishable by exile, leaving them few options.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
:If the desired heir does not show sufficient martial prowess, clan leaders can hire combat mentors and may stage public duels where the outcome is predetermined. The opponents in these matches are skilled actors as much as they are combatants, and will shout, bluster, and make oaths to the Warrior and their ancestors before the fight begins to enhance the drama and importance of the duel. They can then expertly claim a believable defeat from even the most inept novice. The most talented of these actors, unofficially referred to as &#039;&#039;hoax-hides&#039;&#039;, are well known in certain noble circles and are paid handsomely for their craft and discretion, and will avoid working in one location for too long to prevent being exposed.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In predominantly Sk’akh regions, legal authority over one’s recognized gender is regulated by the Church. Less scrupulous priests can be bought or persuaded to induce or prevent a change of gender. Some exceptionally lazy or cruel clan leaders will simply fabricate a reason to mark a child as guwandi, stripping them of their clan and gender, and sentence them to exile. This can have unintended consequences however, as the action can be contested within the jurisdiction of the Clan&#039;s local Lord and harsh penalties are imposed for cases in which it can be proven the exile was baseless.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In rural or Th’akhish regions like Tza’an, where the realities of clan survival often take precedence over custom, succession is tied less to gender and more with ensuring healthy children and a robust, able-bodied family. Yet even though harsher, rural life creates greater consequences for meddling in succession, there are still those who will risk much to improve their standing. Leadership typically passes to elder warriors unless they are deemed unfit. If a proposed heir’s existing or planed union would be unlikely to produce offspring then they will often be passed over for a more favorable candidate. A common tactic is to raise concerns regarding an heir’s ability to protect their clan or cast doubt on their health or virility. More recently, there have been recorded examples of unwelcome heirs being assigned to patrols in the wastes in hopes that exposure and radiation will lead to clear signs of weakness and that they might be removed from possible consideration. These schemes are not only dishonorable but also detrimental to the health of the clan and are punished harshly if discovered.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A number of Unathi communities that are technically no longer part of the Hegemony still cling to a hierarchical clan structure and the succession of leadership will sometimes be decided by traditional methods. Some details may differ, but it is not uncommon to see similar tactics as those in the Hegemony used to influence succession and other clan decisions. &lt;br /&gt;
*In the Queendom of Sez-Hakh, for example, succession is matriarchal and falls to the eldest healer child. Due to the necessities of survival after the Contact War the lines separating genders have blurred significantly but abuse of gender culture still occurs. Though aging, Queen Lazak still rules with considerable power and her wishes are reflected in the attitudes of the ruling ladies. Stigma against warrior rule continues to linger and advocates of greater warrior influence are quietly stifled.&lt;br /&gt;
*Communities that have more exposure to human influence tend to allow for all three genders in the rules of succession and gaming the system in these instances requires more finesse. For instance, it&#039;s generally accepted that a warrior is the preferred clan leader during wartime. If a clan leader wished for their warrior child to succeed them, they may initiate a clan war or blood feud prior to stepping down and allowing their warrior children to ascend. The reverse can also be true, and a clan leader might reach out to rivals to begin talks of reconciliation before stepping aside for healer or fisher claimants.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Contracts and Customary Law&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The deep ties gender has within Unathite culture can also be exploited when resolving contracts and disputes. Often this can take the form of discrediting someone’s suitability for a job, an inferred inability to complete work, and breaches of contract where gender is pertinent. Contract manipulation is common and Mazjivsa scribes are customarily retained to ensure proper resolution where possible. They are familiar with popular ploys to either nullify contracts or collect compensation for failure to fulfill obligations and other violations.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One particularly infamous case is widely taught to new scribes during apprenticeship; a contract was created to provide a lord with twenty skilled fishers (engineers) for the construction of new perimeter walls around his compound. Once the crucial process of sinking the foundations and construction of the lower levels was done, progress on the project began to slow and then cease as the fishers were constantly arguing, accusing one another of sabotaging their work, insulting their clan, and myriad other minor slights which climaxed in a spontaneous battle; one worker dead, and two with serious injuries. The lord claimed “they were clearly better suited to spears than tools,” and demanded that the contract be nullified and that half of what he paid be returned in addition to punitive payments stipulated in the contract for the breach. Initially the restitutions were made and the construction of the walls was finished by the lord’s own specialists. It wasn’t until later when a Zo’kaa investigated the incident that the funds were returned and the Lord’s involvement was made known. Under contract from the construction guild, the Zo’kaa uncovered the reason for the change in the fishers’ attitude; an agent, part of the twenty fishers from the guild, had been paid to bring the workers under scrutiny. Once work on the base of the walls was complete, the rest was markedly simpler and cheaper. The lord would have paid less than half the agreed upon amount in the end. Diligent scribes will formalize contract specific processes to resolve potential gender related breaches but this relies on the skill of the scribe hired and is by no means a complete solution.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Other examples of contract manipulation include marriage and betrothal contracts. These contracts often stipulate the genders of the couple and allowances made for surrogates of children, the “Marriage Price”, and additional considerations. If the gender of one party shifts, either naturally or by design, the contract can be nullified and recompense paid.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Mazjivsa Manipulation&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
These scribes, predominantly fishers, are trained to provide counsel in matters of contract negotiation and resolution. Since the collapse of the Mazjivsa guild and the removal of its oversight, some unathi declare themselves Mazjivsa without the proper training and are exiled if discovered. This precarious position can be exploited, and some scribes will find their gender scrutinized if someone stands to gain from the lack of their guidance and expertise.&lt;br /&gt;
A well-known example of this occurred in Skalamar, 2466; a Mazjivsa of clan T’szel was contracted to review agreements made between a local lord and his client. He would not be bought and so the lord began claiming T’szel was an illegitimate scribe and fraud. Enraged, the Mazjivsa demanded a duel so that he might defend his honor. Surprisingly, he was able to draw first blood against one of the lord’s sons, but his victory was used as proof that he was more warrior than fisher. The lord succeeded in having him removed from the contract negotiation, although he was spared exile.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Marriage and Relationships ===&lt;br /&gt;
Relationships for Unathi hinge on responsibility for both involved as most marriages before the Contact War relied on clan leaders arranging marriages to secure alliances. &#039;Dating&#039; has only recently been available to young Unathi and is a foreign concept to most above their late-20&#039;s in age. A Unathi trying to ignore the ritual of arranged marriage is a great insult to both clans involved, which at worst could lead to a blood feud or war. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Clan alliances are formed when two clan leaders mutually decide upon two Unathi to marry and, depending on who is chosen, certain gifts are expected to be bestowed on the allied clans. When the marriage is proposed, a discussion about which Clan Name will be taken arises. This is done through a form of &#039;bidding war&#039;, where one clan must &amp;quot;buy&amp;quot; the right to keeping the name over the other by giving money or resources to the other clan. Marriages may sometimes end up canceled due to both sides refusing to give up their clan name, and in the worst cases, it has led to duels or even wars fought over who has the right to keep the titles.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Surrogates can be called upon for a marriage that cannot fulfill their duty to have children; however, they must be from a member of one of the Clans. Upon the hatching of a hatchling, the expectation most often is that husbands will raise the boys, and wives will raise the girls. If there is only a husband or wife, more traditional Sk&#039;akh families will choose to have another Clan member raise the hatchling up through their expected path.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Same-gender relationships and marriages are largely accepted, with little cultural or religious stigma against them. In more isolated rural clans or among Wastelanders, however, unions that cannot produce hatchlings are often strongly discouraged, particularly under the doctrine of the Si&#039;akh faith. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion and Spirituality ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While various faiths exist on Moghes, many of which are as old as any other, there are two major religions of the Unathi that pervade nearly every aspect of their lives. Th&#039;akh and Sk&#039;akh, both of which predominately focus on ancestor worship and connections with the spirit world.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Th&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
The most pervasive and common religion amongst Unathi. It dates back even before the First Hegemony and, as a byproduct of Unathi stubbornness, has remained central to Unathi spiritualism. The basic concept of Th&#039;akh is that all the spirits of past Unathi now reside in the spirit world that exists in tandem with the material world. These spirits exist in objects and nature - bringing either good luck or sorrow. Particularly nasty natural disasters were often attributed to particularly strong groups of spiteful spirits influencing events in the material world. Th&#039;akh, due to its widespread pervasiveness, has a multitude of forms: ancestor veneration, polytheism (worshipping groups of specific and powerful spirits), and almost witch-like spiritualism are just some of the denominations found among this religion. However, Th&#039;akh almost always has the same group of tenets, which can be found [[Th&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sk&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
The second most common religion, which is followed mostly by Unathi from the Izweski Nation, and enjoys a status as its unofficial state religion. It still follows the ancestor worship of Th&#039;akh, but with a major notable difference: the spirits of all Unathi who die become part of Sk&#039;akh, the Great Spirit. Sk&#039;akh is a gender-neutral God, being called &#039;he&#039; or &#039;she&#039; interchangeably to represent that Ska&#039;kh is a collection of all Unathi. She is often called Three of One because the spirits combine into three minor aspects that are all part of Ska&#039;kh: the Warrior, the Healer, the Fisherman. These three spirits are personifications of the most important aspects of Unathi society. It is said that all three are equally important and that disasters are caused by an imbalance in the Great Three. Priests often stress the importance of balance, both in matters of the spirit as well as in society and personal life. Sk&#039;akh&#039;s dogmatic doctrine can be found [[Sk&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Aut&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
Emerging from the hatred of former warriors, the Aut&#039;akh are a cultish offshoot of Th&#039;akh, comprised of cybernetic-augmented Unathi. They argue the flesh is weak, and something new must be sculpted in its place to strengthen the mind. In the relative safety of their communes scattered across various towns, planets, and systems, they know a rough life, but one easier and more spiritual than those of the cities, they believe. The Aut&#039;akh have yet to truly attain their perfect leaderless society, as their own supposedly-defeated prejudice still runs in quiet circles within communes; meanwhile, society often rebukes and ridicules these fanatical trans-speciests. Their lives are gently guided by the shamans or &amp;quot;paradigms,&amp;quot; which act as the religious advisors and sometimes too the biomechanical engineers of these communes. Aut&#039;akh preach the Contact War was the result of sinta being so consumed by the demons within them that they brought the world to ruin, and all powers, whether that of a government, major religion, or corporation, are inherently corrupt due to the influence of evil spirits. The heathen&#039;s lifestyle and struggles can be found [[Aut&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Aut&#039;akh, due to their radical views on unathi society and society as a whole, are often associated with anyone who breaks tradition. In light of this, Unathi started to develop behaviors and society learned to hate communes and their denizens.&#039;&#039;&#039; Anyone caught being unfaithful to their spouse, in a non-monogamous relationship, rebuking their clan, having a prosthetic, or even talking about their discontent with the Hegemony or other rulers was accused of being an Aut&#039;akh. The term to most became synonymous with anyone who was a perceived troublemaker or heretic, more so than even Si&#039;akh.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Si&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
Born from the fires of the Contact War, Si&#039;akh is a radical Sk&#039;akh heresy that has rapidly spread across the Wasteland. It is lead by charismatic former Sk&#039;akh priest Juzida Si&#039;akh, who claims to be the Messiah for all Unathi. The doctrine claims the Contact War to have been the Final Judgement for the Unathi species caused by their innate wickedness. He claims that all Unathi that died in the &#039;cleansing fire&#039; of the atomic weapons were given salvation, and all Unathi that survived are damned to remain trapped on the Hell of Moghes unless the species and Moghes are rapidly purified. The movement has come into immediate conflict with the orthodox Sk&#039;akh church due to Si&#039;akh claiming it to be completely illegitimate. Its followers are ruthlessly hunted down by the Maraziite Order and many of its followers are fleeing into human space as they try to find personal salvation. Their doomsday cult has [[Si&#039;akh|strict and ascetic principles]] to help Unathi obtain a chance at salvation.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Moghean Society ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Moghes]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:PostCitiesNamed.png|thumb|A map of Moghes with the cities and seas labelled.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Moghean Unathi are traditional Unathi with the planet being their homeworld. Historically culture varies across clans that exist on the planet, but some customs and norms can be found nearly universally in Unathi society.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It is a social faux pas to use a Unathi&#039;s first name if not family or extremely close to the Unathi in question. Generally, a Unathi will tell someone when they feel comfortable with the person using their first name. It is also distressing to touch their tail or at all before introductions are undertaken. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi place great emphasis on oral traditions. Honor and combat are seen as a man&#039;s realm, and women are not held to the same standards of honor. Women are instead expected to be elegant, learned and regal; while fishers are expected to be industrious, faithful and dedicated.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Outside the formal schools of the Untouched Lands, village and town shamans or priests often remain the only source of education for rural young Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Ouerean Society ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Ouerea]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While the Izweski Unathi of Ouerea follow most of the same social beliefs as their Moghean counterparts, they tend to be less volatile towards outsiders who are ignorant of their customs, especially since their world was formerly ruled by the Skrell and Humans. Their cultures have managed to influence Ouerean Unathi, embedding different cultural norms that are not found elsewhere. There is a focus on individualism and younger Unathi shy away from the usual responsibilities held to Unathi toward their clans. There is still a struggle with a highly stratified society, but things are moderately progressive compared to Moghes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Oureaea Ciites.png|thumb|A map of Ouerea, with cities and major locations labelled.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The original colonists started as patriots to the Izweski Hegemony, but many soon found themselves disillusioned with the distant homeworld tearing itself apart in war. Unathi on Ouerea became enamored with the broad ideals of democracy and finding themselves resentful of their old lives on Moghes. Reintegration into the Hegemony proved difficult as both planets had to reconcile these cultural differences. It still remains a minor division among these Unathi to this day.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ouerean art, in contrast to Moghean pottery and dyed fabrics, has taken on inspiration from Human and Skrell art. Many Ouerean Unathi have become renowned glassmakers and craftsmen. The greater access to Human and Skrell universities, many of which still operate on the planet, also give Ouerean Unathi greater chances to work in Human and Skrell systems. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Non-Izweski Unathi ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi of the Hegemony’s territories — the Izweski Hegemony itself, Ouerea, or any of its many colonies — require consent from their clan Lord to make their way out into the greater galaxy, as listed [[Guide to Citizenship#Izweski_Hegemony|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Those that come from outside of the Hegemony and Dominia usually have no official means of recognized citizenship. Wastelanders, privateers, Guwan, and other Unathi must apply for a work visa where they are traveling in order to reside there. This of course carries risks with it: if a Unathi is seen as being problematic, whether committing crimes and misdemeanors or just not living up to the job they’re working, they may have their visa stripped and end up deported to the Hegemony. The Izweski Hegemony does not explicitly ask for these Unathi, especially seeing how they are usually &#039;undesirable&#039;. As there are no officially recognized governments on Moghes besides the Izweski, however, deported persons get sent there. Guwan and Gawgaryn that manage to make their way out of the system to places such as Biesel will face harsh punishment if this happens, so they are the most incentivized to put on their best outward face.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Unathi Physiognomy ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Khaniazwazi, also known as Unathi Physiognomy to outsiders, is a science dedicated to the study of Unathi physical profiles and the deduction of their character from such things. While certainly not new in Unathi history, it has been going through a rebirth in popularity as more resources have been dedicated to the study of Unathi biology and its appearance, to make up for what was lost with the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The validity of such a science is discussed, even among strictly professional fields, and it is no surprise that many individuals and groups have been using this field as a pretext to discriminate against other Sinta, or as a way to make a quick buck from more naive Unathi. Putting these aside however, there are still many variants of Khaniazwazi being practiced, depending on the area, with different interpretations of physical attributes. Generally, however, Khaniazwazi takes into account scale colouration, horns, frills, crests and facial structure; and in some rarer cases, smaller details such as wrinkles, scars, etcetera.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Politics and Factions ==&lt;br /&gt;
Moghes is divided between the Izweski Hegemony and the hundreds of other Clans and nations who claim their own land across the planet&#039;s surface. The only real difference in their political systems is the scale. Many of these other clans are modern nations or pre-industrial, ruled by various kings or leaders. However, with the expansion of the uninhabitable Wasteland and the brutal decimation Izweski forces committed on foreign leadership, many institutions of non-Hegemonic government across Moghes are rare or extremely fragile.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Moghes_porposal.png|thumb|The flag of the Izweski Hegemony. It is said the flag symbolizes the wildfires that frequented Moghes.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Izweski Hegemony ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Izweski Hegemony]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&#039;&#039;&amp;quot;Honour, fire, burn thy fear.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039; - The ancestral motto of Clan Izweski, circa early 20th century&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Izweski Clan is led by Clan Leader [[Notable_Unathi#Not.27zar_Izweski|&#039;&#039;&#039;Not&#039;zar Izweski&#039;&#039;&#039;]], a Unathi who has ruled the Hegemony since his father S&#039;kresti Izweski, the previous Hegemon, was assassinated by his son and Not&#039;zar&#039;s brother. He lives in the Izweski Citadel in Skalamar, and under him are the Lords who rule their own subjugated clans. They live in a feudal system, with the Lords usually being clan leaders or important clan members themselves who pledge themselves to Izweski in exchange for land and protection.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Hegemon is best thought of being the Emperor, and under him are the Overlords, who are the Kings. Under the Overlords are the Lords, who are then broken up between the Clan Lords, and then the Clan Leaders. Clan Leaders are a mostly ceremonial title and make up (usually) the eldest male ruler of a specific family clan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Not&#039;zar&#039;s father, Hegemon S&#039;kresti Izweski, was originally a strong leader of the Izweski clan. Then, after the death of his eldest son in a shuttle crash, the old Hegemon fell into a deep depression, to the point of becoming comatose in the Izweski citadel. After a succession crisis, Not&#039;zar took his place as the Regent and heir for three years, over that time developing the Hegemony into a stable empire. &lt;br /&gt;
[[Image:Minimap hegemony.png|thumb|A closer image focusing on the factions surrounding the Izweski Hegemony&#039;s territory.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Three years later, the Hegemon awoke and took back to the throne, however on his tour to get reacquainted with everything, he was spurred into madness and cursed by &#039;&#039;&#039;Juzida Si&#039;akh&#039;&#039;&#039; which resulted in a civil war to dispute his claim to the throne. In an attempt to destroy his enemies, the old Hegemon attempted to orbitally bombard an enemy city. To stop this dishonorable act, his third son Z&#039;krazi Izweski the Kinslayer assassinated the Hegemon, and after Not&#039;zar&#039;s victory in the Battle of Three Hills the civil war ended.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Now, Not&#039;zar is the Clan Leader, Overlord of Moghes, and Hegemon of the Izweski Hegemony. Despite his severe physical handicap forcing him to walk with a cane, many noblemen have made him an ally, especially including the Guilds who enjoy his globalist attitude.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Overlords rule an entire planet in the name of the Hegemon. Under them are Lords, who can rule huge tracts of land and multiple cities, or just a single city; there is no distinction between a Count and Duke level of Lordship like in most human feudalism.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
There are two different kinds of major lifestyles in the Izweski Hegemony. There is the city, which is ran by a Lord and a small council of lesser clans. City life is less harsh than life in the country, especially with opportunities provided with shuttle services to the rest of the galaxy. Life in the rural areas is harsher, with cities being rare and life mostly determined by the size of a Clan&#039;s village and how well they can hunt, fish, or in desperate times, raid their neighbors. It&#039;s the traditional Unathi life, made harsher by the growing Wasteland encroaching on once-fertile lands.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Queendom of Szek’Hakh ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&#039;&#039;&amp;quot;Refuse to break.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039; - Pre-Contact War Szek&#039;Hakh clan motto.&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A matriarchal region of roughly twenty thousand set in the Wasteland, led by the elderly &#039;&#039;&#039;Queen Lazak Szek&#039;Hakh&#039;&#039;&#039; and her daughters. In her settlement and a large portion of the region surrounding it, her clan has become the protector of her region known as the &#039;Queendom&#039;. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For those living in the Queendom, the gender roles of Unathi are inverted, and many of its people thusly struggle to find opportunities on Moghes and seek employment in Tau Ceti - with the Queen even making connections with pirates, Dominians, and Tajaran smugglers to get her people safely out of the dangerous Wasteland. The Queen is kind under her witty and straightforward attitude, and despite stereotypes, does not actually hate men.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Szek&#039;Hakh clan&#039;s settlement of &#039;&#039;&#039;Yu&#039;kal&#039;&#039;&#039;, originally headed by the Queen&#039;s husband, was built around a cluster of small lakes and focused on aquaculture. When the Contact War&#039;s nukes wiped out the vast majority of men, they adapted to using women as protectors, while using men to keep house. The widowed Lazak Szek’Hakh convinced the shell-shocked and wounded survivors of her clan that she was the only one capable of ruling during this terrifying time, and had taken control of a sizable region of the Wasteland east of Mudki around Yu&#039;kal. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Szek&#039;Hakh Clan became the leading power in their region following the Contact War. Eventually, Szek’Hakh consolidated control of her clan and the settlement, taking matters of survival into her own hands. As the Wasteland engulfed Yu&#039;kal&#039;s lakes, she coordinated a renovation of aquaculture farms and lead expeditions to bring their highly valuable fish products to the distant surviving city of Mudki. Women took prominent roles in all of these, with the necessities of survival in the harsh wasteland fraying Unathite gender roles. A neighboring nobleman, fearing this rise of powerful women, orchestrated to have her assassinated. In a dramatic confrontation, the assassin was foiled and publicly exiled as a Guwandi, and a mob of angry women stormed the nobleman&#039;s estate to &#039;duel him for his dishonor&#039;. This act put the matriarch in the spotlight, sparking Szek’Hakh’s rapid rise of being named Queen by her people.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Queen Szek’Hakh now leads a struggling wasteland settlement in a precarious situation. The traditional Izweski-leaning Unathi find her position an affront to customs, and she struggles to find allies. She tries to walk a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk’akh Church]], the Izweski, and the Wastelander factions - however she is often too straightforward to get far. Her settlement is primarily Th’akh, and she herself follows the faith. She complies (though unwillingly) with the demands of Izweski representatives to expel the prophet [[Notable Unathi|Si&#039;akh]] from her realm when he enters her settlement in his travels, though she quietly allows members of his traveling flock to rest in secret when they pass through her settlement. For the same, she does not tolerate the cult of the [[Aut&#039;akh]], and her people ruthlessly hunt down their unaugmented proselytizers.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Surviving Kingdoms on Moghes ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Despite the destruction of most of the known world from the [[Contact War]], some desperate survivors managed to weather the storm and remain nominally free of Izweski dominance - either from the Izweski&#039;s weariness for war on Moghes, or arrogant indifference.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While the Izweski are reclaiming the Wasteland, they are ruthlessly uprooting and displacing local cultures in the remaining habitable lands. The Outposts were small, fertile enclaves that survived the Contact War surrounded by the Wasteland. Starting in 2461, Not&#039;zar pushed forward terraforming efforts to expand these green yet hostile oases. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Template:UnathiCustomaryLaw}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Notable Information ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Guwandi ===&lt;br /&gt;
In the event that a Unathi becomes terminally ill, or finds themselves lacking the pride or honor to continue to live, or simply become tired of their existence undergo a ritualistic suicide and take the title of &#039;Guwandi&#039; (which is translated to Gladiator/Galdium). They will give up their possessions to their clan leader and make their journey into the Moghes desert. The only things they keep are their weapons which they use to fight animals or other Unathi so that they may die in honorable combat. In the event that two of these Guwandi meet, they will first draw their weapons and adopt a passive stance, which is followed by them telling each other their stories in turn, as well as the reasons behind their choice of adopting the mantle of &#039;Guwandi&#039; and how they wish their remains to be dealt with. When both sides understand the other, combat will begin with a mutual wish of luck that the more worthy of death lose with pride. The winner of the battle is responsible for taking care of the corpse in the way they were instructed to. Renouncing the deathseeking life of Guwandi isn&#039;t easy. Some may wish to return after having been granted a second outlook, or hope, after they had spent time wandering and risking their life. Their clan may see their decision as cowardly and refuse to accept them, or be overjoyed they had learned a lesson in their time.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Guwandi are not an option on the Horizon,&#039;&#039;&#039; yet may be a way in which a character becomes retired, barring [[Traitor|extreme circumstances]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Guwan ===&lt;br /&gt;
In some cases when a Unathi is exiled from their clan, they do not take up the formal title of Guwandi. This can be through fear of death, unwillingness, or simple stubbornness. In this case, they are marked as &#039;Guwan&#039; by their clan leader, and must take this as their last name. It is a variation on Guwandi, which is translated directly as &#039;exile&#039;. Guwans are clanless Unathi, and form an underclass. Guwans find it difficult if not impossible to advance socially or politically, and in many cases are oppressed or mistreated by other Unathi who view them as troublemakers or criminals. The only way of returning to a clan after banishment as a Guwan is to be adopted back into the Clan, which happens very rarely. &#039;&#039;&#039;To no longer be a Guwan, a Unathi must have an upstanding citizen decide to represent them, and then they must both go to court to explain how the Guwan can return into society under a new clan name, be adopted into another clan, or return to their original clan (at Clan Leader&#039;s acceptance.)&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On August 29th, 2459, the Lord-Regent Not&#039;zar Izweski passed an edict that required clans to send a petition to an imperial court when they want to banish a clan member as a Guwan. The court must side with the petitioning Clan Leader or the Unathi in question is not marked as a Guwan. This has caused backlash as the courts have gained a reputation for being incredibly arbitrary in their decisions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the past, all orphans were automatically Guwan unless they are adopted into a Clan. This changed with yet another edict by Not&#039;zar Izweski in December of 2459, which required all orphans, including adults still connected to their orphanage guild via debts or otherwise without parents, to take on the surname of that orphanage.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
Some Guwans have been forced off of Moghes by their clans with the growing ease of space travel, and NanoTrasen has a long history of exploiting this subgroup of Unathi, coercing them into employment contracts.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Guwans are not permitted to petition their local Lords to express any grievances, and are not permitted to social services provided by private enterprise or state entities. They are not full citizens of the Hegemony but are considered residents, which additionally bares them from many services.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Notably, Guwans are the only social class of Unathi allowed to serve in the personal guard of the Hegemon and his family. The strategy relies on the fact the Guwan Guard are despised and envied by decorated officers that would otherwise serve in traditional guard duties. They are socially isolated and unable to advance politically, which means that their survival depends on the safety of the Hegemon and his family, which means that they wouldn&#039;t try to launch a coup or replace the Hegemon without themselves being slaughtered. Similar to an old-Terran Janissary, they&#039;re a slave soldier, and unable to have children or hold any sort of political or military position.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
If a Unathi is the last of their clan, or is otherwise estranged with no one to declare them Guwan, then they may still find themselves challenged by other rival clans who lay claim to this Unathi&#039;s land, titles, inheritance, or name. If they are unable or unwilling to defend their claims (which would involve lengthy court trials on Moghes) then they would be stripped of them and declared Guwan. This means that a Unathi hiding in human space can still be named Guwan if their past, or rivals, catch up with them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Guwans are exclusively a criminal or otherwise dishonorable untouchable class, and it takes a lot to be labelled as one. Because playing a Guwan means you are opting in to being discriminated against by others, a Guwan filing an incident report for anything less than physical assault is a whitelist issue.&#039;&#039;&#039; When in doubt, speak to the Maintainer first.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Orphans and Orphanage Guilds ===&lt;br /&gt;
Orphans in the Hegemony in the past were all labelled as Guwans, but an edict by Not&#039;zar Izweski in December of 2459 changed all that. Hatchlings, child, and teenage Unathi without parents are put in the care of one of the many orphanage guilds on Moghes. These are private run guilds with little to no government oversight. While they fulfill a necessary social service in caring for Unathi that would otherwise be on the streets, orphanage guilds in the Hegemony are incredibly exploitative. Unknown to the children the guilds track all the expenses and charge their wards throughout their life until they turn 17, when they are presented with the bill and are forced to work to repay the crippling debt, and many can be trapped by the fact that their debt would fall on any prospective parents.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Two of these guilds have expanded into large corporations that have found a lucrative method of gaining money from their wards. The &#039;&#039;&#039;Gukuzan&#039;&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;&#039;Kuhwinla&#039;&#039;&#039; Guilds coerce or persuade their wards to accepts contracts for megacorporations, particularly [[Hephaestus Industries]], if they reach adulthood without being adopted. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Gukuzan&#039;&#039;&#039; clan is lead by a Priest Kiazoi, and he ensures that those that enter the care of his guild are given a proper religious education and instilled with the values of the church. Children raised by the Gukuzan are also taught valuable lessons in obedience and the importance of duty and respect to their betters. Its wards are moderately well-off and treated well, but the comforts of a happy childhood in the orphanage is rather soured by the fact everything from bedding, food, and even air conditioning are things each child has added to their growing debt. Gukuzan orphanages are scattered across Moghes and there are three on [[Ouerea]]. They are all exclusively managed by a priest on the payroll of the Gukuzan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Kuhwinla&#039;&#039;&#039; clan is lead by Guildmaster Ioaza Kuhwinla, an infamously frugal woman. She refuses to spend any more than she has to on her wards, meaning that those under her care are given the most basic of education. Children raised by her Guild are taught valuable lessons in thrift, obedience, and how to stretch meals to the absolute limit. Its wards are generally barely better than they would be on the street, but they live with a roof over their heads, semi-reliable food, a basic education, and their debt at the end of their life under the Kuhwinla is generally lower than it would be in other orphanages. Kuhwinla orphanages are in nearly every major Unathite city, and they are unique in that they are managed by matriarchs that answer to Ioaza.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;These two surnames are the only ones you may take if you play an orphaned Izweski on the SCCV Horizon!&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Species]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Pages]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Unathi]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=37191</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=37191"/>
		<updated>2025-08-22T16:37:36Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Outdated (Phoron Scarcity)}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Infobox Species&lt;br /&gt;
 |Species = Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Scientific = U. Sapiens / Sinta&#039;Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Image = Unathi410x320.png&lt;br /&gt;
 |System = [[Uueoa-Esa]]&lt;br /&gt;
 |World = [[Moghes]]&lt;br /&gt;
 |Language = Sinta&#039;Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Politic = [[Izweski Hegemony]]&lt;br /&gt;
 }}&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Unathi&#039;&#039;&#039; (direct plural: Unathi – You-NAWH-thee both singular and multiple) (adjective: Unathite - You-NAWH-thit) are a race of tall humanoid reptiles standing from six to seven feet tall on average, with females slightly smaller in stature. They possess a mixture of snake-like and crocodile-like features, resulting in hard and plate-like scales. Unathi live in their home system of Uueoa-Esa with their homeworld being [[Moghes]]. The planet&#039;s history can be summarized as being divided up between various Hegemonies, names they give the most powerful Clans on Moghes throughout time. The Clan system is deeply entrenched in Unathi society with everything else revolving around it. It forms a major part of their code of honor, which stresses the importance of martial abilities and loyalty to the Clan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Unathivillage.png|thumb|alt=Unathi.|Life outside the Untouched Lands remains harsh, with limited or nonexistent Hephaestus presence.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Religion and spirituality play a major role in a Unathi society, and religious differences are the main dividing factor. Conflict between the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and the various [[Th&#039;akh]] faiths of Moghes, as well as the various [[Aut&#039;akh|communes]] and [[Si&#039;akh|cults]], have caused conflict and wars between the Izweski Hegemony and the kingdoms that eventually comprised the Traditionalist Coalition. This conflict hit a peak when they entered the intergalactic stage, which is now known as the [[Contact War]]. After this conflict, some Unathi fled the planet through Hephaestus or NanoTrasen shuttle ports. Unathi fleeing to megacorporations like NanoTrasen find themselves working in security and engineering roles, but recently many have been proving themselves as competent surgeons and brilliant scientists, earning opportunities that Moghes would deny them because of its strict feudal hierarchy. However, others are slipping through the cracks and becoming slavers, raiders, or pirates. As the ability for spaceship construction increases in the Unathi home system, so too does space piracy and smuggling.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Moghes has two different biomes after the Contact War. The fertile Untouched Lands with its great jungles, vast swamps, and lush forests; all of which are protected by massive terraforming equipment kept secure by the Hegemony&#039;s wealth and power. Contrast to that are the bombarded Wasteland kingdoms in the ashes of plains and forests, burnt into a massive planet-spanning desert rampant with [[The_Wasteland#Clan_.22Gawgaryn.22_-_The_Punished_Clans|punished kingdoms raiding to survive]] and [[The_Wasteland#The_Reclaimers|part scavengers living in cities on treads]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To apply to be Unathi, apply [http://aurorastation.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=28 here].&lt;br /&gt;
{{TOC Hidden}}&lt;br /&gt;
== Heads of Staff ==&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi can be the following Heads of Staff:&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Head of Security]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Chief Medical Officer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Research Director]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Chief Engineer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Operations Manager]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Corporate Liaison|Consular Officer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Corporate Liaison]] - [[NanoTrasen]], [[Hephaestus Industries]], [[Zavodskoi Interstellar]] ([[Unathi in Dominia|Dominian Unathi]] only), [[Private Military Contracting Group]] (Dagamuir Freewater Private Forces only), [[Orion Express]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The following groups &#039;&#039;&#039;cannot&#039;&#039;&#039; be Heads of Staff: [[Aut&#039;akh]], Guwan, and Gawgaryn of [[The Wasteland]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Due to their criminal backgrounds, the following groups &#039;&#039;&#039;cannot&#039;&#039;&#039; be played in the Security department: Guwan and Gawgaryn of [[The Wasteland]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Outside of consular officers, command characters should not be of the same clan as any notable lords of the Hegemony. The most prominent clans, such as those of Overlords and the Hegemon himself, are off-limits for command.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Megacorporate Relations===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to 2465, Moghean Unathi that were not members of trade guilds were almost exclusively employed with [[Hephaestus Industries]]. Unathi with guild memberships would primarily take contracts with [[NanoTrasen]] or [[Orion Express]], depending on their career choice. [[Unathi in Dominia|Unathi living in Dominia]], like most of their countrymen, seek employment with [[Zavodskoi Interstellar]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
After the Merchant&#039;s Guild declared bankruptcy, Hephaestus Industries bailed out all Hegemonic guilds and reorganised them under the banner of the company. Since then, nearly all residents of Moghes are employed by Hephaestus in some way. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Mechanics ==&lt;br /&gt;
Mechanical differences from humans and unique emotes listed below:&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Passive&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi are coldblooded which allows slightly improved heat resistance, but increased sensitivity to cold.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi have claws, which slash and improve unarmed melee attacks.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi are incapable of easily digesting alcohol, and ethanol is considered toxic to them.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can only drink alcohol from drinks with butanol instead of ethanol. Butanol gets them drunk similar to ethanol but has no effect on other species.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi get no nutrients from eating fruits and vegetables. They need meat to fill their hunger.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can safely eat carp and consume carpotoxin.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi have the fastest sprint available to any species, but they have low stamina, meaning they can only sprint in short bursts. They also are slower than most other species.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Active Abilities&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can devour monkeys, rats, spiders, carp, and other small mobs by clicking and dragging from the mob to themselves. The animal must hold still for it to work.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi hiss when speaking Tau Ceti Basic. You achieve this by typing multiple s&#039;s during speech. This can also be pronounced through x&#039;s if their accent is thick. &amp;quot;Thisss issss an ekssample.&amp;quot;  You can also &#039;&#039;&#039;Toggle-Auto-Hiss&#039;&#039;&#039; to do this for you.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can sample the air with their tongue.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unique audible emotes: *hiss, *hiss2, *bellow.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Biology ==&lt;br /&gt;
Their average life expectancy is around sixty years for most Unathi. However, they tend to live for well past sixty years when given advanced medical care available to the other space-faring species. As a cold-blooded species, they suffer fatigue and even short comas when exposed to extremely low temperatures.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Humans and Unathi share a lot of similar internal biology with some notable exceptions. Since they are a carnivorous species, their diet mostly consists of meat and animal products, though they do have a tolerance to some plants and fruits. While Unathi do receive minor benefits for eating certain fruits, they do not get any nutrition from plants. Due to their carnivorous nature, they also have an increased stomach capacity to help eat larger meals at a time. The typical Unathi usually only eats one meal a day, and for the poorer sinta, perhaps once every two days. They tend towards lethargic and sluggish movements more often than not because of their evolutionary history, so they move slower than most organic species. However, the cyclical period of work for Unathi compared to other species is much faster. Unathi are polyphasic sleepers: creatures that sleep in shorter naps rather than at one time during the night. While they tend towards sluggishness, sinta are often capable of incredible bursts of energy and speed, and their ability to work in three or four hour periods of time compensates for their more sporadic schedules.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The reproductive system of a Sinta&#039;Unathi is very similar to that of Earth reptiles. Females lay eggs, with the average clutch being somewhere between one and three. They have a six-month gestation period, after which they are laid in a humid, warm area. After two months, the fetus is fully developed and hatches from the egg. Unathi are born with their claws and the ability to walk within hours of hatching. A Sinta&#039;Unathi is considered an adult when they are 16 years old.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Physical Appearance ===&lt;br /&gt;
The Unathi as a species show a great deal of variation within body types as well as clusters of smaller physical traits passed down through clans. Facial and body features range in size and shape with some having raptor-like aesthetics, serpentine looks, or a more draconic body. Tail length is often genetic; conversely, tail girth is defined by a Unathi&#039;s diet as it stores most of the body&#039;s fat— nobles grow some of the largest tails.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi scales are somewhat tougher than human skin, though they shed off sporadically rather than all at once. More vulnerable and hidden spots, such as the stomach and waist, the backs of joints, and inner thighs are all leathery skin and aren&#039;t covered in scales.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The typical healthy adult male Unathi weighs roughly 280 pounds. Female sinta differ from males as they generally have a shorter and more rounded snout. The typical healthy Unathi female weighs roughly 250 pounds. Female Unathi grow to about 5&#039;9&amp;quot; to 6&#039;8, while male Unathi grow to about 6&#039;0&amp;quot; to 7&#039;0&amp;quot;. Unusual heights tend to be smaller in scale, as the taller a Unathi is, the more likely it will be marred with health problems and not live as long as others.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Both sexes stand on digitigrade legs, with three toes on each foot and a hooked dewclaw, and have clawed feet and hands. They also have very long tongues, typically black or extremely dark red in color, which may stretch up to a foot and a half long and are forked just like a serpent&#039;s. In much the same manner as snakes, Unathi can sample the air around them using their tongue. They blink and have tear ducts similar to humans.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi horns do not naturally regrow, and serious damage tends to remain permanent. Ancient recipes using native herbs known as &amp;quot;horn paste&amp;quot; are commonly made and sold by herbalists and can counter cosmetic scratches or minor chipping. More modern synthetic Horn Gel (based on Bone Gel), developed largely by [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]], can regenerate an entire lost horn, but it tends to be stratified to the upper classes and noblemen due to cost.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Lizards.png|thumb|Body dimorphism in Unathi.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Colouration ====&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi are also often born into one of four major scale colour categories: red, black, orange-brown and &amp;quot;sand-colored&amp;quot;, and green. Alternative colours are rare, with dark blue and even albino Unathi being reported in very small numbers. Albinos are sometimes slightly tinted in colour while remaining predominantly white. Traditionally these off-coloured Unathi are met with prejudice, though some clans outside the Izweski may feel different.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It has been noticed that scale colourations were more represented in some areas than other, and thus, many shades of these colours were, in Unathi culture, named after the places they tend to be seen in more often, in many cases.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*Modern red-coloured Unathi are thought to originate from a large nomadic clan that settled South of the Moghresian Sea around modern Skalamar. Nowadays, red-scaled Sinta tend to be seen on the entire Southern coast of the Moghresian Sea and the mountain ranges near it.&lt;br /&gt;
*Today’s green-coloured Unathi hail from the Southern side of the Moghresian sea, and they are seen more often throughout this side of the coast and down to the colder lands even further South. Surprisingly, there is also a large batch of green-coloured Unathi located around Sahl lake, indicating that an old nomadic clan of mostly green Sinta settled there centuries ago.&lt;br /&gt;
*Orange-brown and sand-yellow Unathi comprises a wide range of colours. They are a more common colour to be seen in a large area, and it is believed that their origins come from displacement in ancient conflicts that forced them to migrate and find new homelands. More precisely, Unathi harbouring such colours tend to be more represented in a large area defined between Darakath, Bahard, Mudki, and Yu’kal.&lt;br /&gt;
*Black or “dark-scaled’ Unathi do not seem to originate from any precise area, and instead, tend to be more often seen around colder areas of Moghes, both North and South. A popular theory is that black scales are actually a consequence of exposure to the cold for generations— something that has yet to be proven.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
All colours, barring albino, do not mix; if a brown Unathi and a light red Unathi have a child, the red scales the child has might be a little darker, but the colours do not blend to make something new.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Colour ranges&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Due to the modernization of Moghes as well as the emigration and population displacement from the Contact War, Unathi of any colour can be found nearly anywhere on Moghes. Of course, they are more common in some areas rather than others.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Below are some examples of Unathi scale colour ranges. These cover a majority of the colors; while some deviances from these are normal, there are no neon or pink colors among Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{| align:Center&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
!Usual Unathi colour ranges:&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Green.png|200px|thumb|left|Green colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Brown.png|200px|thumb|left|Brown-orange / sand-yellow colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Red.png|200px|thumb|left|Red colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Black.png|200px|thumb|left|Black colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
{| align:Center&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
!Unusual Unathi colour ranges:&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_white.png|200px|thumb|left|Albino colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Blue.png|200px|thumb|left|Blue colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Green:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Razir Moss:&#039;&#039; RGB 27, 50, 27 / Hex #1B321B&lt;br /&gt;
*An unusually dark shade of green, but certainly not the only one, Unathi from Razir and its surrounding areas tend to have this scale colouration more often than not. As the name suggests, it is quite comparable in colour to the unique moss that tends to grow on rocks and buildings on the Southern coast of the Moghresian sea. The moss was heavily used by healers in the past, as its spongy nature allows to quickly stop bleeding, and its composition can also help in dealing with infection, or at least, limit their spread, until proper medicine can be found, properties that are quite appreciated in a time like the post-Contact-War era, where shortages, of medicine among other things, aren’t so rare depending on the location. Due to its ties with healing, some of the more traditional Unathi tend to see Unathi with such a scale colouration as more feminine.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Sen Emerald:&#039;&#039; RGB 31, 95, 31 / Hex #1F5F1F&lt;br /&gt;
*Considering the name, and the overall concentration of Unathi in the region, it is assumed that those bearing such colouration came from the now-broken city of Sen. Records of where the name comes from exactly has been lost after the Contact War, but theories still exist with recent finds. The reclaimer clan Kikata, operating a landcrawler by the torn cities, on the western coast of the Moghresian sea, noticed several collapsed mines next to what they assumed used to be villages, and in them, among many other minerals, unique green gems. As word has started to spread, many Sinta are now assuming that Sen Emerald refers to these gems.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Teht Mint:&#039;&#039; RGB 85, 149, 85 / Hex #559555&lt;br /&gt;
*Teht Mint is one of the many crops that (nearly) disappeared after the Contact War and its nuclear fallout. As Teht mostly made its fortune from fishing, nearby villages housed the few clans in all of Moghes talented enough to properly harvest the plant, and who kept such a knowledge secret to all of their own. Used as expensive seasoning by only the wealthiest Nobles in the region, these clans, and their village, quickly made a fortune, then came the Contact war. While the city of Teth was spared by the bombing, the many villages around it that didn’t get outright razed by the nukes were abandonned, as their main source of income, the harvesting of the mint, was soon enough gone and made life there unsustainable, leaving only handful of seeds, currently preserved in Teth’s palace in hopes that they may be planted into proper soil another day. In any case, the name “Teht Mint” persist as a way to call the Sintas bearing a light green scale colour that tends to be seen in the area.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Sahl Green:&#039;&#039; RGB 56, 126, 86 / Hex #387E56&lt;br /&gt;
*Lake Sahl, among many other things, was renowned for the unique algae that used to grow in within it, giving it, when the floor was shallow enough, a green-ish tint, something that many local fishers used to call “Sahl’s green halo”. Like many things, these algae died after the Contact War, and the poisoning of the lake due to the ensuing nuclear fallout. Many of the older locals that still remember their time spent fishing in the lake, however, have been continuing to call Unathi living around the lake, bearing a unique shade of green, “Sahl Green”.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Orange-Brown / Sand Coloured:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Mudki Stone:&#039;&#039; RGB 98, 84, 65 / Hex #625441&lt;br /&gt;
*The mountainous city of Mudki has been build with the rocks of the very mountains it stands on and between. These rocks exhibit a strange propriety due to their unique composition, something only found in the area, as, when wet, the usually light-grey, or tan stone, turns to a pale-brown. While a small-scaled group of geologists was dispatched to explain the phenomenon, the researches were cut short by the outbreak of the Contact War, and by now, most Sinta simply have their own explanation, from more science-based ones, to some more related to faith. In any case, people have taken to naming the many Sinta bearing light brown scale colouration, around the area, “Mudki Stone”, and some older, more superstitious inhabitants of Mudki and its surroundings claim that these Unathi can, like the stone, change colour…&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Yu&#039;kal Soil:&#039;&#039; RGB 92, 66, 32 / Hex #5C4220&lt;br /&gt;
*Yu’kal, while far from any of the main lakes or seas of Moghes, was a city that known for its people’s work in aquaculture in smaller bodies of water, natural or, later on, artificial, something that nearby smaller settlements also picked up. While the Contact War and its consequences put an end to such a business, many in the Queendom still remember this time, and how the soil turned damp and darkened from the how humid it could get in some places… Something that led to the naming of the colouration that many of the local Unathi bear, similar shades of brown, “Yu’kal Soil”.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Darakath Brown:&#039;&#039; RGB 158, 116, 60 / Hex #9E743C&lt;br /&gt;
*Darakath Brown, also called “Darakath Copper” by the inhabitants of the once proud capital of the Azarak Kingdom, is ,as the name suggests, a scale colouration mostly seen in Darakath and its surroundings. To the more staunch supporters of the Izweski Hegemony, Sintas with this colours are seen as Traditionalists, and by extent, defeated foes… To others, Unathi with such colouration are treated with kindness, if not (legitimate or not) pity, after the sacking of the city by the end of the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Bahard Cream:&#039;&#039; RGB 233, 178, 104 / Hex #E9B268&lt;br /&gt;
*Bahard, before the nuclear exchange, was one of the largest trading hub on Moghes thanks to its central position, making a fortune through trading. Beside this, however, Bahard was also known for the culinary expertise of its people, access to food from all around Moghes being one of the reason behind such a thing. Bahard Cream, originally referred to the a seasoning whose recipe was lost by the end of the Contact War, generally offered to passing traders. It was its unique colour and popularity that led to the locals, and soon enough, the rest of Moghes, to referring to the scale colouration seen so often around the area in such a way.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Red:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Tak Red:&#039;&#039; RGB 128, 62, 62 / Hex #803E3E&lt;br /&gt;
*Tak used to be a city of relatively modest size, before the nuclear exchange utterly ruined it. Few know why Sinta of this certain shade are thus called “Tak Red”, although researches in Skalamar have led to a theory: fish exports. Most inhabitants made a living through fishing, just like most cities on the coast of the Moghresian sea, although surviving trading records show a higher than average amount of exports from the city. Additionally, texts, and common memory, point that some of the fish unique to Tak’s coast had unique red scales… Although said fishes are extinct by now, everything seems to indicate that this is where the name for this colouration came from.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Skalamar Red:&#039;&#039; 160, 44, 44 / Hex #A02C2C&lt;br /&gt;
*Skalamar Red, also called “Blood Red” by traditionalist and other foes of the Hegemony, is, as the name suggest, more often seen in Skalamar and its neighboring territories. Origins on the name of this colouration were blurry, even before the Contact War, with stories speaking of such colourations having divine origins, from other speaking of a curse, depending on who you ask. In any case, such a colouration is a sign of greatness and valor to some, and of shame and cruelty to some others… Generally depending on who they would have sided with during the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;S&#039;th Berry:&#039;&#039; RGB 125, 6, 6 / Hex #980606&lt;br /&gt;
*S’th Berries are one of the few species of flora that survived the nuclear fallout of the Contact War… Although, not without consequences. While they were once deep red, the berries lost their colour and appear grey-ish; and their sugary taste as been lost, some saying that they now taste like paste instead. Nevertheless, the name given to the colour that many Unathi in the area arbor, remained: Unathi of red scales, red like S’th’s Berries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Black:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Derhai Shadow:&#039;&#039; RGB 17, 22, 16 / Hex #111610&lt;br /&gt;
*Although such a tone can be found a bit everywhere since Derhai’s depopulation, most people can pinpoint that it used to be most often seen in and around great city that stood there, before being abandoned. Due to the highly religious nature that Derhai had, many have been tying (sometimes wrongly) such a scale colouration to Th&#039;akhists.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Janvir Black:&#039;&#039; RGB 28, 28, 28 / Hex #1C1C1C&lt;br /&gt;
*Perhaps a testament to how fast Unathi can evolve and change over generation, Janvir Black is a scale colouration that only appeared around a century after the foundation of the cold metropolis, merely six centuries ago… That is, according to the limited records currently available in the post-Contact War era.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Guzari Night:&#039;&#039; RGB 61, 47, 47 / Hex #3D2F2F&lt;br /&gt;
*There were, allegedly, several small settlements by the coast of the Guzari Sea, despite the freezing temperatures (on Unathi standards, that is), thanks to the unique bounties of the cold Northern Sea. Records seem to indicate, however, that said settlements were abandoned even before the Contact War, something that historians, even to this day, cannot explain, mostly due to the severe loss of historical documents during the conflict. Many Unathi, today, then, see other Sinta with the strange scale colouration known as Guzari Night as quite elusive…&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Albino:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Albino White:&#039;&#039; RGB 178, 178, 178 / Hex #B2B2B2&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Bleached Bone:&#039;&#039; RGB 183, 169, 169 / Hex #3D2F2F&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Blue:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Indigo Blue:&#039;&#039; RGB 35, 55, 189 / Hex #2337BD&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Azure:&#039;&#039; RGB 1, 102, 255 / Hex #0066FF&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Albino and Azure (or Blue) Unathi scale colouration are not tied to any area of Moghes, and instead, generally the result of genetic lottery. How such colourations are perceived varies widely. These Unathi would generally face prejudice in the Hegemony, although some other Sinta from different horizons can exhibit interest for them instead, or simply indifference. &lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Genetic Variety ====&lt;br /&gt;
Besides scale colouration, many other physical aspects of Unathi bodies can vary widely. From horns and frills, to even extra scale crests and different structures in a Unathi’s very skeleton (namely, the skull). While anatomical differences within a species are natural, Unathi are noteworthy for how wide these differences can get and how fast they come to be. The exact science behind this has been lost after the Contact War, and most of the research behind such a phenomena is idly handled by Nanotrasen and Zeng-Hu specialists. However it is assumed that Sinta simply evolve and adapt to their surroundings much faster than most of the other sentient species of the Spur, leading to such large physical discrepancies between Unathi alone.&lt;br /&gt;
From this, it is also assumed that, with Unathi populations moving between planets, and Moghes on its way to changing considerably (may the consequences of the of the Contact War be the of the Sinta homeworld, or may terraforming efforts save it), said biological differences between different groups will only get larger and more exotic in the next few centuries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Genetic Variety&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Unathifaces.png|180px|thumb|right|Zotzo’s Treaty of Biology is one of the first Unathi works dedicated to the study of Sinta biology, and in which the terminology for Unathi facial structure was first established. This is one of the few pages left of the book, found in the ruins of Oket&#039;s Great Library.]] &lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Horns&#039;&#039;&#039; are not tied to specific places, or at least, not directly. There seems to be a hereditary side to it, however, as Unathi more often than not seem to bear the horns of one of their parents (on VERY rare instances carrying the horns of both). Horns, however, do not “mix” and make new shapes, the same way that Unathi scale colourations don’t mix. Horns are arbored by both male and female Sintas, and can be of various tones, from dark gray, near black, to Ivory or even pristine white, and even in some cases, pale brown-ish tones. Contrary to some belief, Unathi horns are bone, and not made of Ivory or any other precious material. Horn size, just like tail size, also depends on a Unathi’s diet. However, while everyone has the potential to grow an enlarged tail, if given enough fat, horn size highly depends on how well-fed a Unathi is during their childhood as they grow. Coupled with one’s horn’s hereditary nature, it is commonly assumed that A Sinta of noble blood will generally have larger horns… A noble who happens to have shorter horns is generally called a New-Noble, as if they were the first of their clan to ascend to noblehood, and by extent the quality diet that tends to come with it.&lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Frills&#039;&#039;&#039;, while hereditary in exactly the same way as horns, tend to be most often seen in Unathi populations living on coasts, or in general humid areas. Frills can be of various colours, so long as they remain in natural Unathi colour ranges. They are constituted of either a bony “support”, or in some rare cases, a cartilaginous one, with skin or scales between and on said “supports”. Since frills are articulated, to some minor degree, Unathi bearing frills tend to be seen as more expressive, as they tend to “open” or “close” their frills, accentuating body language. Frills have generally been associated with Unathi of low-to-middle class, or at least, that have ancestry from such classes, as fishermen and such Unathu are generally depicted with large frills. The validity of such a concept is discussed nowadays. &lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Crests&#039;&#039;&#039; are rather similar to frills in their constitution, although they differ in the sense that, instead of having a thin layer of scaly hide being stretched between its bony or cartilaginous supports, crests are entirely covered in proper hide. One popular example is the infamous “Cobra Hood” (Which is a domination established by the people of the Spur as a whole, and not by Sinta, as Cobras are obviously not native to Moghes). Like frills, Crests can be articulated, although in a much more limited way. Crests are not limited to any place, and just like horns, are instead fully hereditary. Crests were rather rare prior to the Contact War, as it was more common among Unathi population living in rather arid areas, earning the rather poetic name of the “Frills of the dry seas”. After the Nuclear exchange, however, new generations born in a changed Moghes start to come with more and more crests already.&lt;br /&gt;
*Finally, while minor differences in sizes and shapes can be observed in different Unathi populations, one aspect in particular tends to change drastically: &#039;&#039;&#039;skull shapes&#039;&#039;&#039;. The shape of a Unathi’s head seems to vary widely, with some adopting a more draconic appearance, some being closer to smaller lizards, Iguanas, snakes, crocodiles, etc. The way Unathi see their fellow Sinta with this or that facial appearance varies widely depending on their culture. Once again, both due to migration, populations blending with each other and the loss of records due to the Contact War, locating the origins in Unathi faces has proved to be quite the hard endeavor, but some clues, mostly based on interviews of older, surviving Sintas, have been found, and a proper classification is being reestablished:&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Arakhania (“Draconic”)&#039;&#039;: Arakhanian facial structure, also called “Draconic” in Basic, is perhaps the most well known Unathi skull shape in the entire Spur. Perhaps one of the most well spread facial structures nowadays, it is also known as the “head of the nobles”, due to its prevalence among noble populations, with many notable Unathi bearing such a profile (namely the Hegemon himself). Arakhanians tend to have a pointy snout with smooth shapes, and a frontal bone of varying height and steepness.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Thodokhania (“Crocodilian”)&#039;&#039;: Thodokhanian faces come with a larger, longer snouts and more flat heads, comparable to Earth’s crocodiles or alligators (hence the name given to such a profile in Basic: “Crocodilian”.) Unathi with the Thodokianian facial structure have turned rarer and rarer since the Contact War, which led to the belief that the nuclear exchange must’ve erased population centers featuring the bulk of their population.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Imekhania (“Common Lizard-like”)&#039;&#039;: The Imekhanian facial class is as broad as the population it encompasses, being the most represented profile among Sinta. Unathi with the Imekhanian profile come with generally smoother snout shapes and round tips. earning the name “lizard-like” in Basic. According to ancient records and texts, it seems like the Imekhanian profile could be seen everywhere on Moghes, even before the first large population movements.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Senkhania (“Snake-like”)&#039;&#039;: With their flat heads and short snouts, Senkhanians faces are, as their name in Basic suggests, comparable to Earth’s Snakes. While a small part of the population, Unathi with the Senkhanian facial profile are still considered a category of their own, due to their presence in mostly rural areas (something that has yet to be explained), zones that would not tend to be the direct targets of nuclear bombardment during the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Lokhenian (“Others”)&#039;&#039;: Lokhenian facial profile, or “The faces of the Lost” is an all-new, post-Contact War classification, used to designate any facial structure that does not fit in the other aforementioned categories, and are not large enough to warrant a category of their own. Such facial structures are extremely various but also tend to be extremely rare, and it is assumed, that those were already quite rare even before the nuclear exchange, as they were rarely ever recorded in pre-contact war media.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Afflictions and Disabilities ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi, like all species, are prone to conditions that are uncommon among the population. How each Unathi views or handles these is varied due to the traditional cultures of Moghes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Lsh&#039;islasulu, sometimes shortened to &amp;quot;Lsh disorder,&amp;quot; is a rare scale disability affecting very few Unathi. The disorder is poorly studied because of its lacking negative affects and extreme rarity. When suffering from Lsh disorder, Unathi will lose their dead scale cells through a painful peeling process, rather than sporadically. A Unathi suffering from the disorder will need to painfully peel or scrub off their dead scales off once or twice a month in droves. The affliction is caused by increased cell death, and scale cells will die rapidly for no apparent reason. Luckily, this process only causes pain and increased susceptibility to the cold, not causing any damage or making the scales much weaker in terms of durability. Further information is lacking due to little research preformed.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kaasilik is a famously known yet equally rare disorder inflicting unique symptoms. Those suffering from Kaasilik lack any growth of frills, hoods, horns or any other structure on the head or face. While labeled as a disorder, those affected by it suffer no physical drawbacks and are believed to be the result of a genetic lottery in which generations of couples between Unathi with certain horn or frill growth reproduce. While undamaging to the Unathi physically, it can make identifying them from another suffering Unathi difficult at times. Children of these Unathi will likely have very small or limited frill and horn growth.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Albinosm, or Zis&#039;lak, caused by a general lack of pigment in the scales, makes the scales appear totally white, sometimes with a minor tint of green, red or sand/orange, caused by a total lack of pigment. Albinism in Unathi can also cause a unique shift in eye colour; while typical for Unathi to have colours like orange, red or green, albinism can shift the eye colour to an unusual violet. This is due to a lack of eye pigment combined with the light refraction off of the blood vessels within the eye. Unathi that suffer from albinism usually remain away from sunlight as their sensitive scales provide little to no UV protection and put them at risk of burns. Albino Unathi are also often seen as a bad omen at birth, and as such, those within the Hegemony&#039;s lower populated areas are often banished from their clan or in extreme circumstances, even banished from some clans to become Guwan. It should be noted that azure coloured Unathi cannot be albino.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Illiz is a disorder appearing in two states with a wide variety of recorded variation. The disability details highly irregular tail size, this can include tails the size of a finger or tails so long they become a tripping hazard. The former being nicknamed, &amp;quot;Hasik.&amp;quot; Unathi affected by Hasik typically suffer when sprinting, their short tails also prevent fat storage, which results in the fat being stored elsewhere like the arms, thighs, and lower body. The latter mentioned state of Illiz, nicknamed &amp;quot;Hasil,&amp;quot; is the complete opposite. Those affected by Hasil find their tails reaching lengths of up to four feet long. Hasil includes similar issues as Hasik, the most notable of which is it also negatively affects balance. Those with longer tails struggle to sprint, carrying the weight of such a large tail. Culturally, those suffering Hasik are viewed as pathetic and as cowards, while those with longer tails are presumed to be a noble. It should be noted that very few nobles have been documented suffering Hasik, while some, using plastic surgery, increase the size of their tails to mimic Hasil.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Unathi History]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The history of the Unathi is predominately a history of each &#039;&#039;&#039;Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039; that has existed throughout their history. There have only been three clans that have managed to create an empire worthy of the title &#039;Hegemon.&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Kres’ha’nor Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039; lasted from roughly 920 CE - 1500 CE. It is most famous for being the first empire to dominate Moghes and creating what was then a modern feudal state. Their empire saw rise of walled cities, steel weapons, centralized taxation, and other innovations. It ended in a brutal succession war, with Moghes once again being shattered into hundreds of individual Kingdoms with no true global power.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the &#039;&#039;&#039;16th century&#039;&#039;&#039; the power of &#039;&#039;&#039;[[Unathi Guilds|Guilds]]&#039;&#039;&#039; began to grow, forming an early form of mercantilism. Guilds formed for bakers, butchers, grocers, millers, smiths, carpenters, weavers, mason, shoemakers, in fact, nearly every trade had its own guild. Standards such as just weights and measures evolved from the guilds, and guild inspectors would inspect shops to ensure rules were being followed. Guilds would help members that were sick, or in trouble, and would sometimes take care of families after the member died. This time also saw Guilds building the first major universities. While incredibly exclusive, these universities began to create a new era of specialized labor and intellectuals.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;19th century&#039;&#039;&#039; saw rise of the &#039;&#039;&#039;Second Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;, ruled by the &#039;&#039;&#039;Sarakus Clan&#039;&#039;&#039;. Their clan ruled harshly, and forced technological advances into the cities and towns. In the 1930&#039;s they ruthlessly modernized their empire in The Great Endeavor, spreading electricity, radio, paved roads, modern plumbing, and other modern innovations.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In &#039;&#039;&#039;1994&#039;&#039;&#039; the &#039;&#039;&#039;Izweski Clan&#039;&#039;&#039; violently deposed the Sarakus and slaughtered the entire surviving dynasty, declaring the &#039;&#039;&#039;Third Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;. After they won an incredibly destructive global war to defend their claim, the Izweski have ruled Moghes until modern times.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In &#039;&#039;&#039;2403&#039;&#039;&#039;, a human exploration team discovered Moghes. Shortly after, first contact with the Izweski Hegemony was made. Sol Alliance merchants and scientists flocked to Moghes, living under very careful observation and guard in Izweski cities. Skalamar, the second largest city in Izweski, became the first Unathite city to have a shuttle port constructed. Owned by NanoTrasen, it served to transport people to and from the planet’s surface. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[Contact War|The Contact War, which has more information here,]] was a cataclysmic global war that lasted from &#039;&#039;&#039;2438 to 2449&#039;&#039;&#039;. The fighting was between two global powers, the &#039;&#039;&#039;Izweski Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;, and the &#039;&#039;&#039;Traditionalist Coalition&#039;&#039;&#039;. The war was fought over the very future of the Unathi and their relationship with the rest of the galaxy. The Izweski demanded Moghes submit to a one-world government ran by themselves and embrace the influence of humanity. The Traditionalist Coalition rejected this. &#039;&#039;&#039;The war went nuclear on September 5th, 2439&#039;&#039;&#039;, causing immense suffering across Moghes and directly leading to the creation of The Wasteland, which is set to engulf Moghes within a hundred years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Unathi Culture==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Diet and Cuisine ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathite dishes are mostly comprised of meat, eggs, and fish. It may be cooked or even still raw and bleeding. Vegetables in meals are often just for decoration or flavor, but by no means ever make up the majority of the dish. Unathi do not take any nutritional value from plant matter, only from meat. Desert flowers may also be placed on the plate to make it seem well-presented and are also edible. The tools Unathi use to eat are very unorthodox to humans, usually resembling chopsticks banded together near the top. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi generally eat only one large meal a day. The nobility often eat twice a day, while poorer Unathi or those in [[The Wasteland|the Wasteland]] will eat bi-daily: every two days.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To support their civilization, fishing has developed on a scale similar to human agriculture. Since the Contact War, fishing yields have fallen, and hunger has become a fact of life for many Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Language ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi, being deeply traditional, tend to use their own sayings, proverbs, and similar speech in other languages not native to them. Some concepts of their languages also spill over into tongues foreign to Unathi. For example, the sexes are so closely tied to their roles in society that words for &amp;quot;man,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;male,&amp;quot; and other parrot words are practically synonymous with &amp;quot;warrior.&amp;quot; The same is said for words like &amp;quot;woman&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;female&amp;quot; with &amp;quot;healer.&amp;quot; Objects also have assigned genders to them, so it is not uncommon for Sinta to refer to objects and inanimate things with genders. Unathi also have a lot of assorted figures of speech that, instead of being based on direction (up and down), are affiliated with time and its speed. A faster rate of time is seen as bad while a slower rate is seen as good in a majority of cases. Good things are categorized by saying something is punctual, progressing on time, is speeding up in time, or has a lot of time while saying the opposite for bad things. Rather than saying &amp;quot;I’m going to bed for the night,&amp;quot; a Unathi might offer &amp;quot;I’m slowing down for the night&amp;quot;; similarly, instead of being &amp;quot;down to hang out,&amp;quot; one would instead say they &amp;quot;want to slow down&amp;quot; with someone else. Examples include, but aren’t limited to: &amp;quot;today’s harvests were timely,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;the day has been slow,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;my body is slowing,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;their sleep is running late,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;I’m accelerating through my studies.&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi names are extraordinarily diverse, ranging from those that string together a bunch of consonants to sounds with many vowels in a row. There are not many commonalities between them besides harder sounds like &#039;ck,&#039; &#039;zh,&#039; &#039;s,&#039; &#039;d,&#039; and &#039;t.&#039; &#039;&#039;&#039;However, names cannot have more than two of the same letter in a row, such as Myo&#039;sssak.&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Many species have developed the joking term &amp;quot;unathisms&amp;quot; for all the various cultural holdovers that get put into other languages they speak.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot; style=&amp;quot;width:99%; overflow:auto;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi Metaphors, Sayings, and Slang&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Sinta— &#039;&#039;meaning Unathi. If the word Unathi can be compared to &amp;quot;Human&amp;quot;, then sinta can be compared to &amp;quot;man&amp;quot;, the latter usually kept out of more serious, official or scientific discussion and instead used in discussions with a more common if not familiar tone. Sinta does not get an S on plural and does not start with a capital letter.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Claws, talons— &#039;&#039;fingers, nails, respectively; however, sometimes satire or exaggeration make use of them interchangeably.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hatchling, egg— &#039;&#039;a child or baby, sometimes also as an insult.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Azure, albino— &#039;&#039;exotic, or unusual; alternatively (and rarely), an archaic and outdated way of calling something awful: &amp;quot;Their tastes are absolutely albino.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hide, scales— &#039;&#039;skin.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Rattle, rattled— &#039;&#039;scared.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Scratch, scratched— &#039;&#039;to write/written.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Tailwag— &#039;&#039;generic insult lacking true meaning and has a weird versatility to it, like referring to someone as a &#039;fuck&#039; or similar.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Blood on my teeth— &#039;&#039;eating, sometimes a gruesome (seen as barbaric) way of describing fighting and other activities.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Lay down my tail/bare my neck— &#039;&#039;let someone walk over you.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Molting— &#039;&#039;getting angry enough over something that it damages your physical health. Used almost explicitly for exaggeration.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Fat-tail— &#039;&#039;an insult usually aimed at nobles.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Quote a limerick— &#039;&#039;to be sassy, snarky, witty.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Grinding my horns— &#039;&#039;getting on their nerves.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Strum— &#039;&#039;gather.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Stomp, stomping— &#039;&#039;a get together (as a noun) or referring to someone being happy (as a verb).&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Echoed song— &#039;&#039;oral tradition.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ghazkus, ghazkii— &#039;&#039;skrell, coming from the word &amp;quot;amphibious&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;ghazii&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kzlth, kzlthii— &#039;&#039;humans, coming from the word &amp;quot;scaleless&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;kazulth&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Imiekran, imiekranes— &#039;&#039;the typical term for dionae meaning &amp;quot;twisted plant&amp;quot; in Sinta’Azaziba, usually a term of endearment; alternatively called aggregates when referring to different forms.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Xsain— &#039;&#039;vaurca, coming from the word &amp;quot;incomprehensible&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;xsa&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
(Note: most of the time this is seen as being a nickname when used outside of Sinta’Unathi or Sinta’Azaziba. If you are particularly friendly with someone that either you don’t know the name of or are referring to someone otherwise, this may be appropriate outside of saying the species’ name.)&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Zo’zyola— &#039;&#039;the equivalent of an angel or a demon. Depending on the context, this is either a compliment or a severe insult.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Dishonored their clan— &#039;&#039;do something to ostracize themselves from society or a group of people.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A tale longer than my own— &#039;&#039;a play on words gaining traction among Sinta who speak Basic. Basically a way of saying &amp;quot;it&#039;s a long story&amp;quot; with similar connotations, but this phrase can also be used to hype up an event. &amp;quot;What did you do during the Solarian Invasion?&amp;quot; &amp;quot;It&#039;s a tale longer than my own— let&#039;s meet up to discuss it.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Heating up— &#039;&#039;a way of setting your guard is going down or that you are even getting bored or tired. &amp;quot;This shift has been uneventful, I can feel it heating up.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Sk&#039;akh&#039;s scales— &#039;&#039;a way of saying &amp;quot;holy shit&amp;quot; or similar swears.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Have an honorable duel for the sake of the game— &#039;&#039;in Sinta&#039;Azaziba and Sinta&#039;Unathi, duel and game are the same word, just with different meanings. This is a play on words in the original tongue and is meant to talk about something that has to be done yet trying to make fun out of it anyway.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
More unclean/unkempt than a Guwan&#039;s feet— &#039;&#039;referring to something being worse than the dirtiest part of a class of undesirables. Phrases like these are more common in the Hegemony and are one of the many methods used to degrade Guwan.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When an arbek eats its tail— &#039;&#039;&amp;quot;when pigs fly.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Preparing the maxtlatl— &#039;&#039;referring to the shaman&#039;s garb. Preparing the maxtlatl is something a shaman does when they feel they are near death; in preparing it, they are readying the skull in the headgear to be replaced by their own. In a sense, if someone is preparing the maxtlatl, they are spelling their own doom or see their demise coming.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the Fourth Nation— &#039;&#039;somewhat of a joke about cycles, playing fun at the fact that the Izweski Hegemony has been a constant throughout history. Traditionalists use this phrase more bitterly and sardonically, however.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By mine and your spirits— &#039;&#039;a way of solemnly swearing; alternatively, asking for guidance if you worship Th’akh.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Three Heads bless me— &#039;&#039;the alternative to &amp;quot;by mine and your spirits&amp;quot; for those that worship Sk’akh.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Bet the Hegemon’s head— &#039;&#039;many people want to kill the Hegemon, so this refers to such a bounty. Usually used as a joke or a dare.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Individual languages are described by the prefix &#039;Sinta&#039; followed by the identity of its native speakers. Speaking mannerisms remain the same when speaking Sinta or another language. For stylistic choices, there are some options. For those raised in or by the Hegemony, avoid contractions like &#039;&#039;it&#039;s&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;they&#039;re&#039;&#039;, which would be &#039;&#039;it is&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;they are&#039;&#039;. Formal Sinta&#039;Unathi lacks this concept of contracting words, and thus it is a difficult concept to understand for these speakers. Those that speak Sinta&#039;Azaziba will talk in other languages in short bursts, similar to how Azaziba has shorter sentences due to gesticulating and speaking at the same time. Accents are wide and diverse; replacing &#039;s&#039; sounds with &#039;th&#039; in a &#039;forced lisp&#039; or even just omitting the sound is a commonality for Unathi that struggle with certain words in other languages (like &#039;suspicious&#039;). This way of speaking is also common when singing in different languages, a trend picking up within the Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sinta&#039;Unathi ====&lt;br /&gt;
While Pre-Contact Moghes had hundreds of unique languages and their own histories, Sinta&#039;Unathi has been and remains the primary language spoken by most Unathi. It is an evolution of an older Moghean trade language, Sinta&#039;Izwe.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The written language has 30 letters, with 5 of them being vowels. The language is written left to right, though this was an attempt to emulate humanity, as informal Sinta&#039;Unathi still write top to bottom.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sinta&#039;Azaziba ====&lt;br /&gt;
Sinta&#039;Azaziba is a language of Moghes consisting of a combination of spoken word and gesticulation. While waning since Moghes entered the galactic stage, it enjoys popular use by Unathi that never fell to the Hegemony&#039;s cultural dominance. Sinta&#039;Azaziba writing has 27 letters, 4 of which being vowels. The language is written from top to bottom.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Unathi Fashion and Make-up ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Fashion on the scale of an entire species is incredibly diverse, much like with other species. There are some common sights seen across most Unathi peoples.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Fashion ====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Clothing is generally something to balance for Unathi, according to one’s need with warmth. Generally, Unathi can dress themselves from head to toe, with shawls and hoods not being an uncommon sight, even if temperatures aren’t outright cold, just to retain warmth for as long as possible. In particularly hot climates, however, or on specific occasions like while sunbathing, Unathi may choose to wear minimal clothing to get as little obstacle as possible between them and the sun, or any other heat source they may be enjoying.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Colors are an essential part of any Unathi outfit. Being particularly fond of vibrant colors, sights of bright reds, oranges, yellows, greens and blues are common, and white and black, though rare for fashion’s sake, are generally used to accentuate colors even more. These colors are often selected to go along with their scale colors, eyes, and so on, the natural colors of a Unathi playing a large part in their fashion choices. Nobility and other wealthy individuals will often show off their status through the use of jewelry, both gemstone and rare, expensive metals like gold and silver. Though the typical bracelets and necklaces can be found, Unathi also use some pieces of jewelry unique to their species, such as horn rings (meant to be worn around one’s horn) or frill-rings (going through the frill, much like with earrings.) Capes and cloaks are also a traditional display of status and function, with for instance the many capes worn by Guild members.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Make-up ====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While most Human cultures see most forms of make-up as feminine, Unathi are different. It’s common for Unathi of all genders to apply make-up. Once again, there are countless forms of make-up and ways to apply them seen across the entire species.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot; style=&amp;quot;width:99%; overflow:auto;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi make-up&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
===== Cosmetics =====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Some of the most popular forms of Unathi make-up include things such as claw-painting, quite comparable to painting nails. This is generally done with bright colors, to accentuate them over the scale colors of the Unathi in question. There are traces of claw-painting being done in pre-Hegemonic times, mainly by warriors, to show off their claws and intimidate their foes, and though this tradition is still practiced by some, claw painting is now also done for the mere sake of fashion. Horns can also be painted, as well as frills for similar effects if the individual in question sports them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===== Scalepaint =====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Scalepaint is a uniquely Unathi form of make-up, and the most popular in the species as well. Due to their need to shed, Unathi cannot sport tattoos normally, but scalepaint constitutes an equivalent. As the name implies, it is a form of paint applied directed on one’s scaly hide. scalepaint can be inconspicuous and small, or extravagant and cover the majority of one’s hide. In any case, however, it is done to go along with, and complement one’s natural hide colors, and completely covering oneself in scalepaint is seen as particularly awkward and a display of shame in oneself.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The practice of using scalepaint dates back to prehistoric times, with hunters covering themselves in a mixture of herbs, dust, and a few pigments to better hide in the foliage to ambush prey; though it quickly-enough became a form of aesthetic as well. The practice to apply scalepaint hasn’t changed much since then; it is a mix of pigments, herbs, and a clay-like substance to be applied directly on one’s scales.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Perhaps what makes Scalepaint so interesting is the sheer amount of work needed to apply and maintain it. First, it must be applied in correct doses. Too much, and the texture will be too thick and completely cover the scaly texture of one’s hide (an easy excuse to be mocked by your fellow sinta), too little, and the color won’t be visible-enough, and completely disappear at the first shed. With the correct amount of paint applied, it should be visible enough without hiding one’s scales, and when the time to shed comes, some remnants of paint should still be visible, acting as a guide for the next layer to be put on this layer of skin as well. This brings us to the second part, the need to maintain scalepaint. A proper scalepaint requires regular maintenance, to be generally re-applied after every shed. This workload makes the most extravagant and encompassing forms of scalepaint a show of both artistry, but also the result of regularly applied, expert artistry.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Because of its need to be re-applied constantly, scalepaint is generally applied and maintained by oneself, and thus, only to places they can reach. As such, only nobles and other wealthy sinta are ever seen sporting scalepaint on their backs, as it requires maintenance from others, generally talented servants.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Zandiziite Games ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Zandiziite Games]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
An ancient sport that got its start on Moghes, this sport is best described as a mixture of Olympic- and MMA-style games. Competitors within the Zandiziite Games are called Zandiziites, or colloquially an individual wrestler is called a Zandi. Clans send eligible men (and only men) to their Lord in the hopes that they are chosen to represent their city or community in the Zandiziite Games.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Unathi Sociality and Society ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Behaviour and Mannerisms ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi generally stare at what they are interested in, so their intense gaze moves with a conversation to whoever is talking. Additionally, pointing can be seen as extremely rude in circumstances. If more than just a passing gesture towards someone, prolonged pointing can be a grave insult to one&#039;s honor and, in some cases, be the reason for crude fighting or even initiate a duel.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi should always be addressed by their last name in most situations. It is offensive to use a Unathi&#039;s first name unless you are family or have a close relationship with them (like family, a lover, or close friend). Some are more permissive than others regarding this. In a situation where there are multiple Unathi with the same last name, it&#039;s generally accepted to just get more and more specific in your address to make it clear who you are speaking to.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi to other species would typically appear sluggish in their movements, though there are some exceptions to this. When working or even when feeling threatened, they typically move short distances with their arms and legs at speeds much faster than normal for other species. This is because they conserve their energy by going slightly slower until they need it for a given task.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Another outstanding behavior that other species would note is an intense gaze. Unathi typically find staring at whoever is speaking to be respectful; however, this intense staring, paired with not blinking often and stooping to look at someone at eye level, is how other species are typically made uncomfortable when engaging with Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For most Unathi being seen speaking to Guwans is embarrassing. A woman associating with a Guwan is extremely improper and indecent, and they can lose social standing by doing so.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Violence can have its place in regular daily life, with playful fighting being commonplace with the peasantry and in the Wasteland. Joking punches and wistful tail flicks that would be normal for Unathi playing around may end up hurting a human, which has led to many jokes about humanity’s weak stature. Shoulder checks and headbutts have their place in more aggressive friendships and is a sign of showing brotherly love.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Emotional Displays ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi exhibit a great variety of emotional body language in ways different from other species. While it is not uncommon for Unathi to attempt to mimic human displays (sometimes with frightening results, for example showing off their large, numerous sharp teeth in a &amp;quot;smile&amp;quot;), they have their own natural, basic emotions that come from biological expression akin to reptiles. It can be very difficult for this species to control their emotionally linked body language as it is engrained in Unathite culture, but exercising restraint is often seen as a sign of nobility or simply an individual who is attempting to better blend in with other species. Over time, these displays can also change to adapt to a different environment, though this process typically takes many years to come to fruition.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For example, baring the entire throat is the single most meaningful expression that can be displayed to another, often used to show trust or vulnerability to someone a Unathi cares about. However, it is not unusual to do this to also surrender to another (such as in a fight), admit shame, or display extreme compassion (when exposed to twine necks with another). Conversely, tilting the snout far down to protect the throat and better display one’s horns is a fight response or to show distrust in another.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When it comes to intimate gestures between Unathi, they usually twine necks or tails, and touch foreheads and snouts together with the same intent that humans kiss. Such displays are usually only reserved for those that are married or to be wed, but with other cultures such as Ouerea, the smaller colonies, or the Empire of Dominia, this tends to be much more relaxed. Hugging is usually considered to be something done by children and avoided by adults.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi often fixate on their surroundings when interested or excited by someone or something. If there is a conversation of multiple people, they often change their gaze to look at whoever is speaking, or at the person speaking they are most interested in. It is considered rude by Unathi to avert your gaze, for that shows that someone can be aloof, distant, or not paying attention fully. Even if afraid and cowering, they tend to look directly at the source of their fear. For other species, when especially happy or interested, they can even stoop down to look at them directly at eye level, or try to raise themselves as much as possible to look other creatures in the eye.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Other physical displays include the ‘tail stomp,’ a phenomenon common during heightened signals of emotion. Typically, these are done when a Sinta is filled with joy or extremely agitated, but can be rarely used when a Unathi is grieving. Other more minor displays are, but aren’t limited to: bristling scales, in response to a cold environment or a ‘chill going down their spine;’ becoming slow and sluggish if extremely comfortable, such as reacting to warmth; swaying, sampling the air, and hissing all are common when in a new environment, with strangers, or even just in certain situations, which shows curiosity, discomfort, or unease.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Verbally, Unathi have some onomatopoeias that they draw on for different emotions. Chuffing, forcefully exhaling air from the throat, can be used to mark mild annoyance in reply to something, or can be used to show amusement. If it comes at the end of a sentence or statement, it can imply that they are being sarcastic or are saying something in good humor. Unathi don’t quite have a laugh; instead, they bark in typically short bursts, in which the sound is often deep, loud, and raucous. Finally, rattling the throat is a fairly common gesture that replaces or accompanies a tail stomp. Sometimes when enraged, throat rattling is accompanied by frills or scales flaring up as well.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As a result of the divide between groups of sinta, some mannerisms are unique to different social groups. For example, nobles tend to tail stomp in response to seeing something that ‘disgusts’ them, whether it be the sight of a heretic or Guwan, something that disgusts olfactory senses, or something else. Peasants on Moghes and most Unathi on Ouerea tend to be ‘overly emotional’ in that they often tilt their snout up somewhat when showing general content or happiness, or down slightly when afraid or unhappy. Dominians often keep their chin tilted up constantly as a sign of pride and even cockiness, showing they aren’t afraid when vulnerable parts are exposed. Of course, this all barely scratches the surface, and there are many gestures unique to cultures and regions that are not enumerated.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Gender Roles ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div style=&amp;quot;font-size:105%; border:2px solid white; margin:0; background:white; padding:.1em; color:black;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi society is highly gender-stratified, with very specific gendered divisions of work and societal role. The Unathi understanding of gender has become tied deeply into these roles, which leads to a structure that humans may find unusual. In Unathi society, gender has little to do with assigned sex, rather being almost entirely dependent on the societal role an individual finds themselves in. The Sinta’Unathi words for ‘warrior’ and ‘male’ are the same, but this is not because one is required to be male to be a warrior - rather, the act of being a warrior is what makes one considered male. To Unathi, gender is not something that one &#039;&#039;is&#039;&#039;, but something that one &#039;&#039;does&#039;&#039;. An Unathi who sought to live as a professional warrior would be considered male by society at large, regardless of their sex at hatching - and regardless of their own thoughts on the matter.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Where this system originates is largely unknown, having existed in some form for most of Unathi recorded history. The earliest known example comes from archaeological discoveries in the [[Tza Prairie]], indicating that ancient Unathi cultures held the Fisher as the feminine role, rather than the Healer - which was reserved for a long-extinct caste of shaman-kings. The gender division in its modern form was likely codified by the early Sk’akh Church or predecessor faiths, though with so much of Moghes’ history now lost to the Wasteland scholars doubt if the origins of such a fundamental part of society will ever be discovered.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The divisions of labor in Unathi society are based on this structure of gender, and it is expressed prominently in religion - the Three Aspects of Sk’akh being the most prevalent examples. The Warrior, Healer, and Fisher are the primary categories into which almost every aspect of Unathi life has been divided for centuries - though as with many Unathi traditions, it is being increasingly challenged in the modern era.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Warrior&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Warrior is the masculine category, under which roles to do with martial affairs tend to fall. Most military positions are considered male due to this, with some rare exceptions being made for medical and support personnel. Outside of direct combat matters, positions in law enforcement and colonial expansion are also widely considered warriors, as are many roles to do with the direct enforcement of a ruler’s will such as governorship, tax collection and announcement of decrees. Unathi identifying as warriors are expected to act with honor in accordance with the [[Unathi Honor|Warriors&#039; Code]]. Vaurca Warriors outside of those in medical or scientific fields are generally gendered as male by Unathi as a result of this.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Healer&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Healer is the feminine category, which is broader than its name might indicate. Positions in the medical field are obviously considered healers, but the category also covers most scholarship and keeping of knowledge in general. The Simiite Reliquary in To’ha’dat is staffed exclusively by Priestesses of the Healer, and holds the complete historical record of the Sk’akh Church. While scholarship in general has never been as gendered as some other categories, the vast majority of Unathi scientists, archivists and researchers would be considered female. The sphere of knowledge and learning also covers the business of spycraft, investigation and diplomacy, with the positions of Spymaster and High Speaker being traditionally female ones. Unathi identifying as healers have less of a concrete code of honor, though in recent years the invention of the [[Unathi Honor|Matriarch&#039;s Code]] has gained some popularity. Vaurca Gynes, as well as Workers and Warriors in medical or scientific fields, are generally gendered as female by Unathi as a result of this.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Fisher&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Fisher is the third Unathi gender, without a direct translation in Tau Ceti Basic. Its sphere covers productive work such as fishing, construction and engineering. Many among the Unathi working class are considered to be fishers, and the title of Master of Rivers is one that traditionally is held by a fisher. In Tau Ceti Basic, gender-neutral pronouns are often used to describe fishers, though due to linguistic differences a fisher may often be gendered as male or female by humans. The sphere of the fisher encompasses many positions to do with economic development, ranging from humble miners, ranchers and fishers all the way to colonial administrators. There is no strict code of honor for fishers similar to that of warriors and healers, though the idea of developing one has been attempted a few times. Vaurca Workers outside of medical or scientific fields are generally gendered as fishers by Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Non-Gendered Roles&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The gender stratification of Unathi society is nearly all-encompassing, though there are some rare positions that can be considered as more than one gender. Rulership is the most notable of these, with the gender of a ruler being considered emblematic of their style of rule - male rulers are considered a good omen for military victory, whereas female rulers are considered a blessing for periods of peace and wisdom and fisher rulers are considered to bring periods of great productivity to their demesne. The title of Hegemon is something of an exception, having always had a connotation of military conquest to it. As such, Hegemons throughout the ages have been recognized as warriors and succession is patriarchal. It is not uncommon, however, for their expressed gender to contrast what is officially recorded by the church; for example, Hegemon Ayzi Sarakus was unofficially seen as a fisher to their confidants and trusted allies. Using various methods, they and others like them have held the throne throughout the Izweski Hegemony’s history - though greatly outnumbered by the warriors.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One role which falls outside any of the three genders is that of the Guwandi. The reason for this is simple. A Guwandi sheds their gender as they shed their name, and for the same reason - it is a sign of the person they once were, before facing such shame that it was left behind. A Guwandi is only referred to as their prior gender when they are confirmed to have died with honour, and the stain of their disgrace can be erased from their history.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In addition, the introduction of Unathi to the interstellar stage has led to a vast array of new roles, which have yet to be neatly assigned to a gender. While some were able to fit into pre-existing categories, other roles such as interstellar piloting, civilian spaceship command and various roles to do with colonial oversight have yet to be fit into one of Unathi society’s well-defined boxes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Changing Gender&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Most Unathi will live in the gender of their work for their entire lives. However, the nature of Unathi gender roles mean that changing one’s gender is fairly common in Unathi society, especially among nobles who may find themselves in a wide number of roles during their lives. It is not uncommon for rulers identifying as female to present as male during wartime, for instance, or for rulers identifying as male to present as a fisher when investing heavily in developing their lands.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the modern age this has become more common among non-nobles, as common Unathi find themselves with a greater degree of social mobility. Many who would have lived and died as fishers find themselves seeking out battle and becoming warriors, or enrolling at institutions such as the [[Unathi_Educational_Institutions#Skalamar_University_of_Medicine|Skalamar University of Medicine]] and identifying themselves as healers. The act of changing one’s gender is, in most Unathi societies, a religious one. In the [[Izweski Heartland]] and other majority Sk’akh regions, these affairs are handled by the Church, while other faiths have their own approaches to it. For Unathi outside the Hegemony, such as those in Biesel or Dominia, less of a spiritual significance tends to be placed on the transition, being treated as more of a personal and private affair.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Traditional Greetings&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A custom often misunderstood by foreigners, traditional greetings are both a way for Unathi to politely greet each other, but also to begin introductions without even saying a word. This tradition dates back to some time in the late first Hegemony, though the greetings themselves had much different forms and uses back then.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In essence, these greetings are done by wordlessly bowing before another, doing so in a specific manner, depending on the Unathi in question&#039;s gender. Doing so is not only polite, if not a show of respect, but also a way for a sinta to present their gender, and by extent the kind of path they have taken in their life.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;The Warrior&#039;s Greeting&#039;&#039; is done by bowing until one would look straight to the floor, while putting a fist on their heart. The legs must remain straight and back curve as little as possible during the entire greeting, lest the Unathi in question be mocked for going a &amp;quot;wounded Warrior&#039;s greeting&amp;quot;, a situation many have faced on their first Warrior&#039;s Greeting. Signifying trust and respect, it is generally considered an honor to be greeted in such way by prestigious warriors, Kataphracts and veterans.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;The Healer&#039;s Greeting&#039;&#039; would have one bow by bending the knees, hunching forward a little with open arms until their claws and horns (frills, crest, or the top of their skull in the case of absence of such) are at roughly the same height. Some can take the greeting a little further, by crossing their legs slightly, bowing deeper, though such a move is generally kept to greet those worthy of great respect. It signifies openness, warmth and vulnerability.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Finally, through &#039;&#039;the Fishers Greeting&#039;&#039;, one would bow by crossing their arms behind their back, bowing with their back, while keeping their gaze at the other person. Signifies listening and understanding, and though seen by many as the easiest of the greetings to achieve, it is not considered lesser than the other two, but rather, a show of the beauty and value of simplicity.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Traditional greetings are not always done with non-Unathi, generally because of their lack of understanding, some sinta choosing to not bother at all. One can also find slight variations to these traditional greetings abroad, in Dominia for instance, where the [[Unathi_in_Dominia|Kazhkz-Han&#039;san]] can be found calling these greetings the &amp;quot;Soldier&#039;s&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;Scholar&#039;s&amp;quot;, and &amp;quot;Artisan&#039;s Greeting&amp;quot; instead, in a mix of Moghesian and Morozian culture.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Outside the Gender Trinary&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In every society, there are those who do not conform to expectations, and the same is true among Unathi. Following the Contact War, many Unathi have challenged the ancient structures of gender that bind their species, seeking to separate their work from their own identification. The first female Kataphract, the Lady H’zala was appointed in 2459, one of the first public examples of a non-warrior permitted in such a strongly gendered role. In the Queendom of Szek-Hakh, the ordinary structures of gender are largely reversed as most of the fighting is done by women - while some present as warriors to the world, most continue to identify themselves as healers. While this is done out of practicality, with most of the realm’s men having perished in the Contact War, it is still viewed as a dramatic aberration from the norm. Abroad, some Unathi have found themselves adopting more human conceptions of gender as something that a person is, rather than something that they do, and choose to present as a gender that does not match their occupation - whether one which matches their sex, or simply based on personal preference.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Many have decried this as alien confusion and an erosion of Sinta tradition, while others welcome or simply do not pay mind to it. Gender is a spiritual matter, after all, and the priests and shamans have yet to come to a definite conclusion about these changing matters. How this will impact Unathi society, built around the strict gender trinary for centuries, remains to be seen.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Gender and Aliens&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To many Unathi, human conceptions of gender are confusing, seemingly arbitrary and without reason. While decades of contact between the two species has helped for better understanding of this, both tend to view the other society’s ideas of gender as strange. Unathi, particularly those less-accustomed to working with aliens, will often gender non-Unathi based on their profession rather than any outward signs, and will find being corrected on this matter particularly confusing. For aliens which lack a concept of gender altogether such as [[Skrell]], [[Vaurca|Vaurcae]] or [[Dionae]], this is generally less of an issue.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On [[Ouerea]], a general understanding has been reached as to human concepts of gender, with the Unathi population coming to understand their alien neighbors’ views. Some of these views have been adopted among the Unathi population, with Archpriest Azente of the Sk’akh Church holding in the belief that an Unathi can do the work of one gender while identifying as another, which has caused him to be labelled as a radical among his fellows. Generally speaking, Skrell on Ouerea do not seem to have any particular trouble assimilating to Unathi notions of gender, though the reasoning behind it can often be confusing to them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Some Diona gestalts which have primarily learned from Unathi - such as those living in the Izweski Hegemony, or among the pirates of the Tarwa Conglomerate - have adopted their own interpretation of Unathi gender. Some more organized gestalts tend to gender their individual nymphs based on the role they play in the whole, while others have developed their own codes of behavior similar to those practiced in Unathi society. More information about them can be found [[Moghresian Dionae|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Most [[Unathi in Dominia|Dominian Unathi]] have, at least in practice, adopted the human model. Though most were born and raised on Moghes and held (perhaps still hold) traditional views, most Unathi choose to adapt to the local Imperial culture for similar reasons as converting to the [[Moroz Holy Tribunal|Holy Tribunal]] - that not respecting the customs and culture of their new home would be dishonorable to those who had welcomed them. Some, particularly among the Han’san and the older Unathi population, do not forget about traditional understandings of gender, still living much as they would on Moghes. To the humans of Dominia, this is largely written off as another alien curiosity of the Unathi, though those who spend more time with them may come to a better understanding of their ways. The newer generations of Unathi born on Imperial soil, however, are generally much more familiar with human ideas of gender than Unathi ones.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Corruption within the Gender Culture ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div style=&amp;quot;font-size:105%; border:2px solid white; margin:0; background:white; padding:.1em; color:black;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While seen from the outside as a relatively progressive development, the fluidity of Unathi gender roles combined with the rigid feudal hierarchy of noble lords and clan leadership presents a wide variety of opportunities for exploitation and abuse. These vary in measure, legally and morally, and if pressed those within positions of power will publicly denounce such practices as dishonorable. However, it’s an open secret that a significant number of the ruling class use these tactics to a greater or lesser degree to ensure their dynasties and interests are protected. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Heirs and Succession&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Arguably one of the most crucial considerations of any noble lord or clan leader, the designation of an heir demands intervention when the current candidate is unwanted or unfavorable. The means by which this is accomplished vary from region to region, but leverage of gender is a widely adopted tactic.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In areas under Izweski rule, succession is patriarchal and the eldest warrior (male) child is traditionally designated heir apparent. Should the natural choice be undesirable it is a common though unspoken practice to cultivate a preferred alternative. If the distinction is made early enough in life, clan heads will attempt to remove older children from succession by enrolling them in education and apprenticeships for healers and fishers. Betrothal contracts can also be drafted which misgender, or pre-gender, a child. Often in negotiation of these matches, care is taken to ensure the other clan’s name is taken and rights of inheritance are explicitly waived. Objection by the child or refusal to uphold the betrothal can be punishable by exile, leaving them few options.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
:If the desired heir does not show sufficient martial prowess, clan leaders can hire combat mentors and may stage public duels where the outcome is predetermined. The opponents in these matches are skilled actors as much as they are combatants, and will shout, bluster, and make oaths to the Warrior and their ancestors before the fight begins to enhance the drama and importance of the duel. They can then expertly claim a believable defeat from even the most inept novice. The most talented of these actors, unofficially referred to as &#039;&#039;hoax-hides&#039;&#039;, are well known in certain noble circles and are paid handsomely for their craft and discretion, and will avoid working in one location for too long to prevent being exposed.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In predominantly Sk’akh regions, legal authority over one’s recognized gender is regulated by the Church. Less scrupulous priests can be bought or persuaded to induce or prevent a change of gender. Some exceptionally lazy or cruel clan leaders will simply fabricate a reason to mark a child as guwandi, stripping them of their clan and gender, and sentence them to exile. This can have unintended consequences however, as the action can be contested within the jurisdiction of the Clan&#039;s local Lord and harsh penalties are imposed for cases in which it can be proven the exile was baseless.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In rural or Th’akhish regions like Tza’ax, where the realities of clan survival often take precedence over custom, succession is tied less to gender and more with ensuring healthy children and a robust, able-bodied family. Yet even though harsher, rural life creates greater consequences for meddling in succession, there are still those who will risk much to improve their standing. Leadership typically passes to elder warriors unless they are deemed unfit. If a proposed heir’s existing or planed union would be unlikely to produce offspring then they will often be passed over for a more favorable candidate. A common tactic is to raise concerns regarding an heir’s ability to protect their clan or cast doubt on their health or virility. More recently, there have been recorded examples of unwelcome heirs being assigned to patrols in the wastes in hopes that exposure and radiation will lead to clear signs of weakness and that they might be removed from possible consideration. These schemes are not only dishonorable but also detrimental to the health of the clan and are punished harshly if discovered.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A number of Unathi communities that are technically no longer part of the Hegemony still cling to a hierarchical clan structure and the succession of leadership will sometimes be decided by traditional methods. Some details may differ, but it is not uncommon to see similar tactics as those in the Hegemony used to influence succession and other clan decisions. &lt;br /&gt;
*In the Queendom of Sez-Hakh, for example, succession is matriarchal and falls to the eldest healer (female) child. Due to the necessities of survival after the Contact War the lines separating genders have blurred significantly but abuse of gender culture still occurs. Though aging, Queen Lazak still rules with considerable power and her wishes are reflected in the attitudes of the ruling ladies. Stigma against warrior (male) rule continues to linger and advocates of greater warrior influence are quietly stifled.&lt;br /&gt;
*Communities that have more exposure to human influence tend to allow for all three genders in the rules of succession and gaming the system in these instances requires more finesse. For instance, it&#039;s generally accepted that a warrior is the preferred clan leader during wartime. If a clan leader wished for their warrior child to succeed them, they may initiate a clan war or blood feud prior to stepping down and allowing their warrior children to ascend. The reverse can also be true, and a clan leader might reach out to rivals to begin talks of reconciliation before stepping aside for healer or fisher claimants.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Contracts and Customary Law&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The deep ties gender has within Unathite culture can also be exploited when resolving contracts and disputes. Often this can take the form of discrediting someone’s suitability for a job, an inferred inability to complete work, and breaches of contract where gender is pertinent. Contract manipulation is common and Mazjivsa scribes are customarily retained to ensure proper resolution where possible. They are familiar with popular ploys to either nullify contracts or collect compensation for failure to fulfill obligations and other violations.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One particularly infamous case is widely taught to new scribes during apprenticeship; a contract was created to provide a lord with twenty skilled fishers (engineers) for the construction of new perimeter walls around his compound. Once the crucial process of sinking the foundations and construction of the lower levels was done, progress on the project began to slow and then cease as the fishers were constantly arguing, accusing one another of sabotaging their work, insulting their clan, and myriad other minor slights which climaxed in a spontaneous battle; one worker dead, and two with serious injuries. The lord claimed “they were clearly better suited to spears than tools,” and demanded that the contract be nullified and that half of what he paid be returned in addition to punitive payments stipulated in the contract for the breach. Initially the restitutions were made and the construction of the walls was finished by the lord’s own specialists. It wasn’t until later when a Zo’kaa investigated the incident that the funds were returned and the Lord’s involvement was made known. Under contract from the construction guild, the Zo’kaa uncovered the reason for the change in the fishers’ attitude; an agent, part of the twenty fishers from the guild, had been paid to bring the workers under scrutiny. Once work on the base of the walls was complete, the rest was markedly simpler and cheaper. The lord would have paid less than half the agreed upon amount in the end. Diligent scribes will formalize contract specific processes to resolve potential gender related breaches but this relies on the skill of the scribe hired and is by no means a complete solution.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Other examples of contract manipulation include marriage and betrothal contracts. These contracts often stipulate the genders of the couple and allowances made for surrogates of children, the “Marriage Price”, and additional considerations. If the gender of one party shifts, either naturally or by design, the contract can be nullified and recompense paid.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Mazjivsa Manipulation&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
These scribes, predominantly fishers, are trained to provide counsel in matters of contract negotiation and resolution. Since the collapse of the Mazjivsa guild and the removal of its oversight, some unathi declare themselves Mazjivsa without the proper training and are exiled if discovered. This precarious position can be exploited, and some scribes will find their gender scrutinized if someone stands to gain from the lack of their guidance and expertise.&lt;br /&gt;
A well-known example of this occurred in Skalamar, 2466; a Mazjivsa of clan T’szel was contracted to review agreements made between a local lord and his client. He would not be bought and so the lord began claiming T’szel was an illegitimate scribe and fraud. Enraged, the Mazjivsa demanded a duel so that he might defend his honor. Surprisingly, he was able to draw first blood against one of the lord’s sons, but his victory was used as proof that he was more warrior than fisher. The lord succeeded in having him removed from the contract negotiation, although he was spared exile.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Marriage and Relationships ===&lt;br /&gt;
Relationships for Unathi hinge on responsibility for both involved as most marriages before the Contact War relied on clan leaders arranging marriages to secure alliances. &#039;Dating&#039; has only recently been available to young Unathi and is a foreign concept to most above their late-20&#039;s in age. A Unathi trying to ignore the ritual of arranged marriage is a great insult to both clans involved, which at worst could lead to a blood feud or war. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Clan alliances are formed when two clan leaders mutually decide upon two Unathi to marry and, depending on who is chosen, certain gifts are expected to be bestowed on the allied clans. When the marriage is proposed, a discussion about which Clan Name will be taken arises. This is done through a form of &#039;bidding war&#039;, where one clan must &amp;quot;buy&amp;quot; the right to keeping the name over the other by giving money or resources to the other clan. Marriages may sometimes end up canceled due to both sides refusing to give up their clan name, and in the worst cases, it has led to duels or even wars fought over who has the right to keep the titles.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Surrogates can be called upon for a marriage that cannot fulfill their duty to have children; however, they must be from a member of one of the Clans. Upon the hatching of a hatchling, the expectation most often is that husbands will raise the boys, and wives will raise the girls. If there is only a husband or wife, more traditional Sk&#039;akh families will choose to have another Clan member raise the hatchling up through their expected path.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Same-gender relationships and marriages are largely accepted, with little cultural or religious stigma against them. In more isolated rural clans or among Wastelanders, however, unions that cannot produce hatchlings are often strongly discouraged, particularly under the doctrine of the Si&#039;akh faith. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion and Spirituality ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While various faiths exist on Moghes, many of which are as old as any other, there are two major religions of the Unathi that pervade nearly every aspect of their lives. Th&#039;akh and Sk&#039;akh, both of which predominately focus on ancestor worship and connections with the spirit world.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Th&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
The most pervasive and common religion amongst Unathi. It dates back even before the First Hegemony and, as a byproduct of Unathi stubbornness, has remained central to Unathi spiritualism. The basic concept of Th&#039;akh is that all the spirits of past Unathi now reside in the spirit world that exists in tandem with the material world. These spirits exist in objects and nature - bringing either good luck or sorrow. Particularly nasty natural disasters were often attributed to particularly strong groups of spiteful spirits influencing events in the material world. Th&#039;akh, due to its widespread pervasiveness, has a multitude of forms: ancestor veneration, polytheism (worshipping groups of specific and powerful spirits), and almost witch-like spiritualism are just some of the denominations found among this religion. However, Th&#039;akh almost always has the same group of tenets, which can be found [[Th&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sk&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
The second most common religion, which is followed mostly by Unathi from the Izweski Nation, and enjoys a status as its unofficial state religion. It still follows the ancestor worship of Th&#039;akh, but with a major notable difference: the spirits of all Unathi who die become part of Sk&#039;akh, the Great Spirit. Sk&#039;akh is a gender-neutral God, being called &#039;he&#039; or &#039;she&#039; interchangeably to represent that Ska&#039;kh is a collection of all Unathi. She is often called Three of One because the spirits combine into three minor aspects that are all part of Ska&#039;kh: the Warrior, the Healer, the Fisherman. These three spirits are personifications of the most important aspects of Unathi society. It is said that all three are equally important and that disasters are caused by an imbalance in the Great Three. Priests often stress the importance of balance, both in matters of the spirit as well as in society and personal life. Sk&#039;akh&#039;s dogmatic doctrine can be found [[Sk&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Aut&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
Emerging from the hatred of former warriors, the Aut&#039;akh are a cultish offshoot of Th&#039;akh, comprised of cybernetic-augmented Unathi. They argue the flesh is weak, and something new must be sculpted in its place to strengthen the mind. In the relative safety of their communes scattered across various towns, planets, and systems, they know a rough life, but one easier and more spiritual than those of the cities, they believe. The Aut&#039;akh have yet to truly attain their perfect leaderless society, as their own supposedly-defeated prejudice still runs in quiet circles within communes; meanwhile, society often rebukes and ridicules these fanatical trans-speciests. Their lives are gently guided by the shamans or &amp;quot;paradigms,&amp;quot; which act as the religious advisors and sometimes too the biomechanical engineers of these communes. Aut&#039;akh preach the Contact War was the result of sinta being so consumed by the demons within them that they brought the world to ruin, and all powers, whether that of a government, major religion, or corporation, are inherently corrupt due to the influence of evil spirits. The heathen&#039;s lifestyle and struggles can be found [[Aut&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Aut&#039;akh, due to their radical views on unathi society and society as a whole, are often associated with anyone who breaks tradition. In light of this, Unathi started to develop behaviors and society learned to hate communes and their denizens.&#039;&#039;&#039; Anyone caught being unfaithful to their spouse, in a non-monogamous relationship, rebuking their clan, having a prosthetic, or even talking about their discontent with the Hegemony or other rulers was accused of being an Aut&#039;akh. The term to most became synonymous with anyone who was a perceived troublemaker or heretic, more so than even Si&#039;akh.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Si&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
Born from the fires of the Contact War, Si&#039;akh is a radical Sk&#039;akh heresy that has rapidly spread across the Wasteland. It is lead by charismatic former Sk&#039;akh priest Juzida Si&#039;akh, who claims to be the Messiah for all Unathi. The doctrine claims the Contact War to have been the Final Judgement for the Unathi species caused by their innate wickedness. He claims that all Unathi that died in the &#039;cleansing fire&#039; of the atomic weapons were given salvation, and all Unathi that survived are damned to remain trapped on the Hell of Moghes unless the species and Moghes are rapidly purified. The movement has come into immediate conflict with the orthodox Sk&#039;akh church due to Si&#039;akh claiming it to be completely illegitimate. Its followers are ruthlessly hunted down by the Maraziite Order and many of its followers are fleeing into human space as they try to find personal salvation. Their doomsday cult has [[Si&#039;akh|strict and ascetic principles]] to help Unathi obtain a chance at salvation.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Moghean Society ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Moghes]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:PostCitiesNamed.png|thumb|A map of Moghes with the cities and seas labelled.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Moghean Unathi are traditional Unathi with the planet being their homeworld. Historically culture varies across clans that exist on the planet, but some customs and norms can be found nearly universally in Unathi society.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It is a social faux pas to use a Unathi&#039;s first name if not family or extremely close to the Unathi in question. Generally, a Unathi will tell someone when they feel comfortable with the person using their first name. It is also distressing to touch their tail or at all before introductions are undertaken. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi place great emphasis on oral traditions. Honor and combat are seen as a man&#039;s realm, and women are not held to the same standards of honor. Women are instead expected to be elegant, learned and regal; while fishers are expected to be industrious, faithful and dedicated.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Outside the formal schools of the Untouched Lands, village and town shamans or priests often remain the only source of education for rural young Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Ouerean Society ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Ouerea]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While the Izweski Unathi of Ouerea follow most of the same social beliefs as their Moghean counterparts, they tend to be less volatile towards outsiders who are ignorant of their customs, especially since their world was formerly ruled by the Skrell and Humans. Their cultures have managed to influence Ouerean Unathi, embedding different cultural norms that are not found elsewhere. There is a focus on individualism and younger Unathi shy away from the usual responsibilities held to Unathi toward their clans. There is still a struggle with a highly stratified society, but things are moderately progressive compared to Moghes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Oureaea Ciites.png|thumb|A map of Ouerea, with cities and major locations labelled.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The original colonists started as patriots to the Izweski Hegemony, but many soon found themselves disillusioned with the distant homeworld tearing itself apart in war. Unathi on Ouerea became enamored with the broad ideals of democracy and finding themselves resentful of their old lives on Moghes. Reintegration into the Hegemony proved difficult as both planets had to reconcile these cultural differences. It still remains a minor division among these Unathi to this day.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ouerean art, in contrast to Moghean pottery and dyed fabrics, has taken on inspiration from Human and Skrell art. Many Ouerean Unathi have become renowned glassmakers and craftsmen. The greater access to Human and Skrell universities, many of which still operate on the planet, also give Ouerean Unathi greater chances to work in Human and Skrell systems. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Non-Izweski Unathi ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi of the Hegemony’s territories — the Izweski Hegemony itself, Ouerea, or any of its many colonies — require consent from their clan Lord to make their way out into the greater galaxy, as listed [[Guide to Citizenship#Izweski_Hegemony|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Those that come from outside of the Hegemony and Dominia usually have no official means of recognized citizenship. Wastelanders, privateers, Guwan, and other Unathi must apply for a work visa where they are traveling in order to reside there. This of course carries risks with it: if a Unathi is seen as being problematic, whether committing crimes and misdemeanors or just not living up to the job they’re working, they may have their visa stripped and end up deported to the Hegemony. The Izweski Hegemony does not explicitly ask for these Unathi, especially seeing how they are usually &#039;undesirable&#039;. As there are no officially recognized governments on Moghes besides the Izweski, however, deported persons get sent there. Guwan and Gawgaryn that manage to make their way out of the system to places such as Biesel will face harsh punishment if this happens, so they are the most incentivized to put on their best outward face.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Unathi Physiognomy ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Khaniazwazi, also known as Unathi Physiognomy to outsiders, is a science dedicated to the study of Unathi physical profiles and the deduction of their character from such things. While certainly not new in Unathi history, it has been going through a rebirth in popularity as more resources have been dedicated to the study of Unathi biology and its appearance, to make up for what was lost with the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The validity of such a science is discussed, even among strictly professional fields, and it is no surprise that many individuals and groups have been using this field as a pretext to discriminate against other Sinta, or as a way to make a quick buck from more naive Unathi. Putting these aside however, there are still many variants of Khaniazwazi being practiced, depending on the area, with different interpretations of physical attributes. Generally, however, Khaniazwazi takes into account scale colouration, horns, frills, crests and facial structure; and in some rarer cases, smaller details such as wrinkles, scars, etcetera.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Politics and Factions ==&lt;br /&gt;
Moghes is divided between the Izweski Hegemony and the hundreds of other Clans and nations who claim their own land across the planet&#039;s surface. The only real difference in their political systems is the scale. Many of these other clans are modern nations or pre-industrial, ruled by various kings or leaders. However, with the expansion of the uninhabitable Wasteland and the brutal decimation Izweski forces committed on foreign leadership, many institutions of non-Hegemonic government across Moghes are rare or extremely fragile.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Moghes_porposal.png|thumb|The flag of the Izweski Hegemony. It is said the flag symbolizes the wildfires that frequented Moghes.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Izweski Hegemony ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Izweski Hegemony]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&#039;&#039;&amp;quot;Honour, fire, burn thy fear.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039; - The ancestral motto of Clan Izweski, circa early 20th century&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Izweski Clan is led by Clan Leader [[Notable_Unathi#Not.27zar_Izweski|&#039;&#039;&#039;Not&#039;zar Izweski&#039;&#039;&#039;]], a Unathi who has ruled the Hegemony since his father S&#039;kresti Izweski, the previous Hegemon, was assassinated by his son and Not&#039;zar&#039;s brother. He lives in the Izweski Citadel in Skalamar, and under him are the Lords who rule their own subjugated clans. They live in a feudal system, with the Lords usually being clan leaders or important clan members themselves who pledge themselves to Izweski in exchange for land and protection.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Hegemon is best thought of being the Emperor, and under him are the Overlords, who are the Kings. Under the Overlords are the Lords, who are then broken up between the Clan Lords, and then the Clan Leaders. Clan Leaders are a mostly ceremonial title and make up (usually) the eldest male ruler of a specific family clan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Not&#039;zar&#039;s father, Hegemon S&#039;kresti Izweski, was originally a strong leader of the Izweski clan. Then, after the death of his eldest son in a shuttle crash, the old Hegemon fell into a deep depression, to the point of becoming comatose in the Izweski citadel. After a succession crisis, Not&#039;zar took his place as the Regent and heir for three years, over that time developing the Hegemony into a stable empire. &lt;br /&gt;
[[Image:Minimap hegemony.png|thumb|A closer image focusing on the factions surrounding the Izweski Hegemony&#039;s territory.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Three years later, the Hegemon awoke and took back to the throne, however on his tour to get reacquainted with everything, he was spurred into madness and cursed by &#039;&#039;&#039;Juzida Si&#039;akh&#039;&#039;&#039; which resulted in a civil war to dispute his claim to the throne. In an attempt to destroy his enemies, the old Hegemon attempted to orbitally bombard an enemy city. To stop this dishonorable act, his third son Z&#039;krazi Izweski the Kinslayer assassinated the Hegemon, and after Not&#039;zar&#039;s victory in the Battle of Three Hills the civil war ended.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Now, Not&#039;zar is the Clan Leader, Overlord of Moghes, and Hegemon of the Izweski Hegemony. Despite his severe physical handicap forcing him to walk with a cane, many noblemen have made him an ally, especially including the Guilds who enjoy his globalist attitude.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Overlords rule an entire planet in the name of the Hegemon. Under them are Lords, who can rule huge tracts of land and multiple cities, or just a single city; there is no distinction between a Count and Duke level of Lordship like in most human feudalism.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
There are two different kinds of major lifestyles in the Izweski Hegemony. There is the city, which is ran by a Lord and a small council of lesser clans. City life is less harsh than life in the country, especially with opportunities provided with shuttle services to the rest of the galaxy. Life in the rural areas is harsher, with cities being rare and life mostly determined by the size of a Clan&#039;s village and how well they can hunt, fish, or in desperate times, raid their neighbors. It&#039;s the traditional Unathi life, made harsher by the growing Wasteland encroaching on once-fertile lands.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Queendom of Szek’Hakh ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&#039;&#039;&amp;quot;Refuse to break.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039; - Pre-Contact War Szek&#039;Hakh clan motto.&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A matriarchal region of roughly twenty thousand set in the Wasteland, led by the elderly &#039;&#039;&#039;Queen Lazak Szek&#039;Hakh&#039;&#039;&#039; and her daughters. In her settlement and a large portion of the region surrounding it, her clan has become the protector of her region known as the &#039;Queendom&#039;. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For those living in the Queendom, the gender roles of Unathi are inverted, and many of its people thusly struggle to find opportunities on Moghes and seek employment in Tau Ceti - with the Queen even making connections with pirates, Dominians, and Tajaran smugglers to get her people safely out of the dangerous Wasteland. The Queen is kind under her witty and straightforward attitude, and despite stereotypes, does not actually hate men.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Szek&#039;Hakh clan&#039;s settlement of &#039;&#039;&#039;Yu&#039;kal&#039;&#039;&#039;, originally headed by the Queen&#039;s husband, was built around a cluster of small lakes and focused on aquaculture. When the Contact War&#039;s nukes wiped out the vast majority of men, they adapted to using women as protectors, while using men to keep house. The widowed Lazak Szek’Hakh convinced the shell-shocked and wounded survivors of her clan that she was the only one capable of ruling during this terrifying time, and had taken control of a sizable region of the Wasteland east of Mudki around Yu&#039;kal. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Szek&#039;Hakh Clan became the leading power in their region following the Contact War. Eventually, Szek’Hakh consolidated control of her clan and the settlement, taking matters of survival into her own hands. As the Wasteland engulfed Yu&#039;kal&#039;s lakes, she coordinated a renovation of aquaculture farms and lead expeditions to bring their highly valuable fish products to the distant surviving city of Mudki. Women took prominent roles in all of these, with the necessities of survival in the harsh wasteland fraying Unathite gender roles. A neighboring nobleman, fearing this rise of powerful women, orchestrated to have her assassinated. In a dramatic confrontation, the assassin was foiled and publicly exiled as a Guwandi, and a mob of angry women stormed the nobleman&#039;s estate to &#039;duel him for his dishonor&#039;. This act put the matriarch in the spotlight, sparking Szek’Hakh’s rapid rise of being named Queen by her people.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Queen Szek’Hakh now leads a struggling wasteland settlement in a precarious situation. The traditional Izweski-leaning Unathi find her position an affront to customs, and she struggles to find allies. She tries to walk a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk’akh Church]], the Izweski, and the Wastelander factions - however she is often too straightforward to get far. Her settlement is primarily Th’akh, and she herself follows the faith. She complies (though unwillingly) with the demands of Izweski representatives to expel the prophet [[Notable Unathi|Si&#039;akh]] from her realm when he enters her settlement in his travels, though she quietly allows members of his traveling flock to rest in secret when they pass through her settlement. For the same, she does not tolerate the cult of the [[Aut&#039;akh]], and her people ruthlessly hunt down their unaugmented proselytizers.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Surviving Kingdoms on Moghes ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Despite the destruction of most of the known world from the [[Contact War]], some desperate survivors managed to weather the storm and remain nominally free of Izweski dominance - either from the Izweski&#039;s weariness for war on Moghes, or arrogant indifference.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While the Izweski are reclaiming the Wasteland, they are ruthlessly uprooting and displacing local cultures in the remaining habitable lands. The Outposts were small, fertile enclaves that survived the Contact War surrounded by the Wasteland. Starting in 2461, Not&#039;zar pushed forward terraforming efforts to expand these green yet hostile oases. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Template:UnathiCustomaryLaw}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Notable Information ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Guwandi ===&lt;br /&gt;
In the event that a Unathi becomes terminally ill, or finds themselves lacking the pride or honor to continue to live, or simply become tired of their existence undergo a ritualistic suicide and take the title of &#039;Guwandi&#039; (which is translated to Gladiator/Galdium). They will give up their possessions to their clan leader and make their journey into the Moghes desert. The only things they keep are their weapons which they use to fight animals or other Unathi so that they may die in honorable combat. In the event that two of these Guwandi meet, they will first draw their weapons and adopt a passive stance, which is followed by them telling each other their stories in turn, as well as the reasons behind their choice of adopting the mantle of &#039;Guwandi&#039; and how they wish their remains to be dealt with. When both sides understand the other, combat will begin with a mutual wish of luck that the more worthy of death lose with pride. The winner of the battle is responsible for taking care of the corpse in the way they were instructed to. Renouncing the deathseeking life of Guwandi isn&#039;t easy. Some may wish to return after having been granted a second outlook, or hope, after they had spent time wandering and risking their life. Their clan may see their decision as cowardly and refuse to accept them, or be overjoyed they had learned a lesson in their time.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Guwandi are not an option on the Horizon,&#039;&#039;&#039; yet may be a way in which a character becomes retired, barring [[Traitor|extreme circumstances]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Guwan ===&lt;br /&gt;
In some cases when a Unathi is exiled from their clan, they do not take up the formal title of Guwandi. This can be through fear of death, unwillingness, or simple stubbornness. In this case, they are marked as &#039;Guwan&#039; by their clan leader, and must take this as their last name. It is a variation on Guwandi, which is translated directly as &#039;exile&#039;. Guwans are clanless Unathi, and form an underclass. Guwans find it difficult if not impossible to advance socially or politically, and in many cases are oppressed or mistreated by other Unathi who view them as troublemakers or criminals. The only way of returning to a clan after banishment as a Guwan is to be adopted back into the Clan, which happens very rarely. &#039;&#039;&#039;To no longer be a Guwan, a Unathi must have an upstanding citizen decide to represent them, and then they must both go to court to explain how the Guwan can return into society under a new clan name, be adopted into another clan, or return to their original clan (at Clan Leader&#039;s acceptance.)&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On August 29th, 2459, the Lord-Regent Not&#039;zar Izweski passed an edict that required clans to send a petition to an imperial court when they want to banish a clan member as a Guwan. The court must side with the petitioning Clan Leader or the Unathi in question is not marked as a Guwan. This has caused backlash as the courts have gained a reputation for being incredibly arbitrary in their decisions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the past, all orphans were automatically Guwan unless they are adopted into a Clan. This changed with yet another edict by Not&#039;zar Izweski in December of 2459, which required all orphans, including adults still connected to their orphanage guild via debts or otherwise without parents, to take on the surname of that orphanage.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
Some Guwans have been forced off of Moghes by their clans with the growing ease of space travel, and NanoTrasen has a long history of exploiting this subgroup of Unathi, coercing them into employment contracts.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Guwans are not permitted to petition their local Lords to express any grievances, and are not permitted to social services provided by private enterprise or state entities. They are not full citizens of the Hegemony but are considered residents, which additionally bares them from many services.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Notably, Guwans are the only social class of Unathi allowed to serve in the personal guard of the Hegemon and his family. The strategy relies on the fact the Guwan Guard are despised and envied by decorated officers that would otherwise serve in traditional guard duties. They are socially isolated and unable to advance politically, which means that their survival depends on the safety of the Hegemon and his family, which means that they wouldn&#039;t try to launch a coup or replace the Hegemon without themselves being slaughtered. Similar to an old-Terran Janissary, they&#039;re a slave soldier, and unable to have children or hold any sort of political or military position.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
If a Unathi is the last of their clan, or is otherwise estranged with no one to declare them Guwan, then they may still find themselves challenged by other rival clans who lay claim to this Unathi&#039;s land, titles, inheritance, or name. If they are unable or unwilling to defend their claims (which would involve lengthy court trials on Moghes) then they would be stripped of them and declared Guwan. This means that a Unathi hiding in human space can still be named Guwan if their past, or rivals, catch up with them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Guwans are exclusively a criminal or otherwise dishonorable untouchable class, and it takes a lot to be labelled as one. Because playing a Guwan means you are opting in to being discriminated against by others, a Guwan filing an incident report for anything less than physical assault is a whitelist issue.&#039;&#039;&#039; When in doubt, speak to the Maintainer first.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Orphans and Orphanage Guilds ===&lt;br /&gt;
Orphans in the Hegemony in the past were all labelled as Guwans, but an edict by Not&#039;zar Izweski in December of 2459 changed all that. Hatchlings, child, and teenage Unathi without parents are put in the care of one of the many orphanage guilds on Moghes. These are private run guilds with little to no government oversight. While they fulfill a necessary social service in caring for Unathi that would otherwise be on the streets, orphanage guilds in the Hegemony are incredibly exploitative. Unknown to the children the guilds track all the expenses and charge their wards throughout their life until they turn 17, when they are presented with the bill and are forced to work to repay the crippling debt, and many can be trapped by the fact that their debt would fall on any prospective parents.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Two of these guilds have expanded into large corporations that have found a lucrative method of gaining money from their wards. The &#039;&#039;&#039;Gukuzan&#039;&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;&#039;Kuhwinla&#039;&#039;&#039; Guilds coerce or persuade their wards to accepts contracts for megacorporations, particularly [[Hephaestus Industries]], if they reach adulthood without being adopted. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Gukuzan&#039;&#039;&#039; clan is lead by a Priest Kiazoi, and he ensures that those that enter the care of his guild are given a proper religious education and instilled with the values of the church. Children raised by the Gukuzan are also taught valuable lessons in obedience and the importance of duty and respect to their betters. Its wards are moderately well-off and treated well, but the comforts of a happy childhood in the orphanage is rather soured by the fact everything from bedding, food, and even air conditioning are things each child has added to their growing debt. Gukuzan orphanages are scattered across Moghes and there are three on [[Ouerea]]. They are all exclusively managed by a priest on the payroll of the Gukuzan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Kuhwinla&#039;&#039;&#039; clan is lead by Guildmaster Ioaza Kuhwinla, an infamously frugal woman. She refuses to spend any more than she has to on her wards, meaning that those under her care are given the most basic of education. Children raised by her Guild are taught valuable lessons in thrift, obedience, and how to stretch meals to the absolute limit. Its wards are generally barely better than they would be on the street, but they live with a roof over their heads, semi-reliable food, a basic education, and their debt at the end of their life under the Kuhwinla is generally lower than it would be in other orphanages. Kuhwinla orphanages are in nearly every major Unathite city, and they are unique in that they are managed by matriarchs that answer to Ioaza.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;These two surnames are the only ones you may take if you play an orphaned Izweski on the SCCV Horizon!&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Species]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Pages]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Unathi]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=37190</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=37190"/>
		<updated>2025-08-22T16:36:41Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Outdated (Phoron Scarcity)}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Infobox Species&lt;br /&gt;
 |Species = Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Scientific = U. Sapiens / Sinta&#039;Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Image = Unathi410x320.png&lt;br /&gt;
 |System = [[Uueoa-Esa]]&lt;br /&gt;
 |World = [[Moghes]]&lt;br /&gt;
 |Language = Sinta&#039;Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Politic = [[Izweski Hegemony]]&lt;br /&gt;
 }}&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Unathi&#039;&#039;&#039; (direct plural: Unathi – You-NAWH-thee both singular and multiple) (adjective: Unathite - You-NAWH-thit) are a race of tall humanoid reptiles standing from six to seven feet tall on average, with females slightly smaller in stature. They possess a mixture of snake-like and crocodile-like features, resulting in hard and plate-like scales. Unathi live in their home system of Uueoa-Esa with their homeworld being [[Moghes]]. The planet&#039;s history can be summarized as being divided up between various Hegemonies, names they give the most powerful Clans on Moghes throughout time. The Clan system is deeply entrenched in Unathi society with everything else revolving around it. It forms a major part of their code of honor, which stresses the importance of martial abilities and loyalty to the Clan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Unathivillage.png|thumb|alt=Unathi.|Life outside the Untouched Lands remains harsh, with limited or nonexistent Hephaestus presence.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Religion and spirituality play a major role in a Unathi society, and religious differences are the main dividing factor. Conflict between the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and the various [[Th&#039;akh]] faiths of Moghes, as well as the various [[Aut&#039;akh|communes]] and [[Si&#039;akh|cults]], have caused conflict and wars between the Izweski Hegemony and the kingdoms that eventually comprised the Traditionalist Coalition. This conflict hit a peak when they entered the intergalactic stage, which is now known as the [[Contact War]]. After this conflict, some Unathi fled the planet through Hephaestus or NanoTrasen shuttle ports. Unathi fleeing to megacorporations like NanoTrasen find themselves working in security and engineering roles, but recently many have been proving themselves as competent surgeons and brilliant scientists, earning opportunities that Moghes would deny them because of its strict feudal hierarchy. However, others are slipping through the cracks and becoming slavers, raiders, or pirates. As the ability for spaceship construction increases in the Unathi home system, so too does space piracy and smuggling.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Moghes has two different biomes after the Contact War. The fertile Untouched Lands with its great jungles, vast swamps, and lush forests; all of which are protected by massive terraforming equipment kept secure by the Hegemony&#039;s wealth and power. Contrast to that are the bombarded Wasteland kingdoms in the ashes of plains and forests, burnt into a massive planet-spanning desert rampant with [[The_Wasteland#Clan_.22Gawgaryn.22_-_The_Punished_Clans|punished kingdoms raiding to survive]] and [[The_Wasteland#The_Reclaimers|part scavengers living in cities on treads]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To apply to be Unathi, apply [http://aurorastation.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=28 here].&lt;br /&gt;
{{TOC Hidden}}&lt;br /&gt;
== Heads of Staff ==&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi can be the following Heads of Staff:&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Head of Security]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Chief Medical Officer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Research Director]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Chief Engineer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Operations Manager]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Corporate Liaison|Consular Officer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Corporate Liaison]] - [[NanoTrasen]], [[Hephaestus Industries]], [[Zavodskoi Interstellar]] ([[Unathi in Dominia|Dominian Unathi]] only), [[Private Military Contracting Group]] (Dagamuir Freewater Private Forces only), [[Orion Express]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The following groups &#039;&#039;&#039;cannot&#039;&#039;&#039; be Heads of Staff: [[Aut&#039;akh]], Guwan, and Gawgaryn of [[The Wasteland]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Due to their criminal backgrounds, the following groups &#039;&#039;&#039;cannot&#039;&#039;&#039; be played in the Security department: Guwan and Gawgaryn of [[The Wasteland]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Outside of consular officers, command characters should not be of the same clan as any notable lords of the Hegemony. The most prominent clans, such as those of Overlords and the Hegemon himself, are off-limits for command.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Megacorporate Relations===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to 2465, Moghean Unathi that were not members of trade guilds were almost exclusively employed with [[Hephaestus Industries]]. Unathi with guild memberships would primarily take contracts with [[NanoTrasen]] or [[Orion Express]], depending on their career choice. [[Unathi in Dominia|Unathi living in Dominia]], like most of their countrymen, seek employment with [[Zavodskoi Interstellar]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
After the Merchant&#039;s Guild declared bankruptcy, Hephaestus Industries bailed out all Hegemonic guilds and reorganised them under the banner of the company. Since then, nearly all residents of Moghes are employed by Hephaestus in some way. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Mechanics ==&lt;br /&gt;
Mechanical differences from humans and unique emotes listed below:&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Passive&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi are coldblooded which allows slightly improved heat resistance, but increased sensitivity to cold.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi have claws, which slash and improve unarmed melee attacks.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi are incapable of easily digesting alcohol, and ethanol is considered toxic to them.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can only drink alcohol from drinks with butanol instead of ethanol. Butanol gets them drunk similar to ethanol but has no effect on other species.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi get no nutrients from eating fruits and vegetables. They need meat to fill their hunger.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can safely eat carp and consume carpotoxin.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi have the fastest sprint available to any species, but they have low stamina, meaning they can only sprint in short bursts. They also are slower than most other species.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Active Abilities&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can devour monkeys, rats, spiders, carp, and other small mobs by clicking and dragging from the mob to themselves. The animal must hold still for it to work.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi hiss when speaking Tau Ceti Basic. You achieve this by typing multiple s&#039;s during speech. This can also be pronounced through x&#039;s if their accent is thick. &amp;quot;Thisss issss an ekssample.&amp;quot;  You can also &#039;&#039;&#039;Toggle-Auto-Hiss&#039;&#039;&#039; to do this for you.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can sample the air with their tongue.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unique audible emotes: *hiss, *hiss2, *bellow.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Biology ==&lt;br /&gt;
Their average life expectancy is around sixty years for most Unathi. However, they tend to live for well past sixty years when given advanced medical care available to the other space-faring species. As a cold-blooded species, they suffer fatigue and even short comas when exposed to extremely low temperatures.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Humans and Unathi share a lot of similar internal biology with some notable exceptions. Since they are a carnivorous species, their diet mostly consists of meat and animal products, though they do have a tolerance to some plants and fruits. While Unathi do receive minor benefits for eating certain fruits, they do not get any nutrition from plants. Due to their carnivorous nature, they also have an increased stomach capacity to help eat larger meals at a time. The typical Unathi usually only eats one meal a day, and for the poorer sinta, perhaps once every two days. They tend towards lethargic and sluggish movements more often than not because of their evolutionary history, so they move slower than most organic species. However, the cyclical period of work for Unathi compared to other species is much faster. Unathi are polyphasic sleepers: creatures that sleep in shorter naps rather than at one time during the night. While they tend towards sluggishness, sinta are often capable of incredible bursts of energy and speed, and their ability to work in three or four hour periods of time compensates for their more sporadic schedules.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The reproductive system of a Sinta&#039;Unathi is very similar to that of Earth reptiles. Females lay eggs, with the average clutch being somewhere between one and three. They have a six-month gestation period, after which they are laid in a humid, warm area. After two months, the fetus is fully developed and hatches from the egg. Unathi are born with their claws and the ability to walk within hours of hatching. A Sinta&#039;Unathi is considered an adult when they are 16 years old.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Physical Appearance ===&lt;br /&gt;
The Unathi as a species show a great deal of variation within body types as well as clusters of smaller physical traits passed down through clans. Facial and body features range in size and shape with some having raptor-like aesthetics, serpentine looks, or a more draconic body. Tail length is often genetic; conversely, tail girth is defined by a Unathi&#039;s diet as it stores most of the body&#039;s fat— nobles grow some of the largest tails.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi scales are somewhat tougher than human skin, though they shed off sporadically rather than all at once. More vulnerable and hidden spots, such as the stomach and waist, the backs of joints, and inner thighs are all leathery skin and aren&#039;t covered in scales.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The typical healthy adult male Unathi weighs roughly 280 pounds. Female sinta differ from males as they generally have a shorter and more rounded snout. The typical healthy Unathi female weighs roughly 250 pounds. Female Unathi grow to about 5&#039;9&amp;quot; to 6&#039;8, while male Unathi grow to about 6&#039;0&amp;quot; to 7&#039;0&amp;quot;. Unusual heights tend to be smaller in scale, as the taller a Unathi is, the more likely it will be marred with health problems and not live as long as others.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Both sexes stand on digitigrade legs, with three toes on each foot and a hooked dewclaw, and have clawed feet and hands. They also have very long tongues, typically black or extremely dark red in color, which may stretch up to a foot and a half long and are forked just like a serpent&#039;s. In much the same manner as snakes, Unathi can sample the air around them using their tongue. They blink and have tear ducts similar to humans.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi horns do not naturally regrow, and serious damage tends to remain permanent. Ancient recipes using native herbs known as &amp;quot;horn paste&amp;quot; are commonly made and sold by herbalists and can counter cosmetic scratches or minor chipping. More modern synthetic Horn Gel (based on Bone Gel), developed largely by [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]], can regenerate an entire lost horn, but it tends to be stratified to the upper classes and noblemen due to cost.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Lizards.png|thumb|Body dimorphism in Unathi.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Colouration ====&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi are also often born into one of four major scale colour categories: red, black, orange-brown and &amp;quot;sand-colored&amp;quot;, and green. Alternative colours are rare, with dark blue and even albino Unathi being reported in very small numbers. Albinos are sometimes slightly tinted in colour while remaining predominantly white. Traditionally these off-coloured Unathi are met with prejudice, though some clans outside the Izweski may feel different.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It has been noticed that scale colourations were more represented in some areas than other, and thus, many shades of these colours were, in Unathi culture, named after the places they tend to be seen in more often, in many cases.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*Modern red-coloured Unathi are thought to originate from a large nomadic clan that settled South of the Moghresian Sea around modern Skalamar. Nowadays, red-scaled Sinta tend to be seen on the entire Southern coast of the Moghresian Sea and the mountain ranges near it.&lt;br /&gt;
*Today’s green-coloured Unathi hail from the Southern side of the Moghresian sea, and they are seen more often throughout this side of the coast and down to the colder lands even further South. Surprisingly, there is also a large batch of green-coloured Unathi located around Sahl lake, indicating that an old nomadic clan of mostly green Sinta settled there centuries ago.&lt;br /&gt;
*Orange-brown and sand-yellow Unathi comprises a wide range of colours. They are a more common colour to be seen in a large area, and it is believed that their origins come from displacement in ancient conflicts that forced them to migrate and find new homelands. More precisely, Unathi harbouring such colours tend to be more represented in a large area defined between Darakath, Bahard, Mudki, and Yu’kal.&lt;br /&gt;
*Black or “dark-scaled’ Unathi do not seem to originate from any precise area, and instead, tend to be more often seen around colder areas of Moghes, both North and South. A popular theory is that black scales are actually a consequence of exposure to the cold for generations— something that has yet to be proven.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
All colours, barring albino, do not mix; if a brown Unathi and a light red Unathi have a child, the red scales the child has might be a little darker, but the colours do not blend to make something new.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Colour ranges&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Due to the modernization of Moghes as well as the emigration and population displacement from the Contact War, Unathi of any colour can be found nearly anywhere on Moghes. Of course, they are more common in some areas rather than others.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Below are some examples of Unathi scale colour ranges. These cover a majority of the colors; while some deviances from these are normal, there are no neon or pink colors among Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{| align:Center&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
!Usual Unathi colour ranges:&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Green.png|200px|thumb|left|Green colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Brown.png|200px|thumb|left|Brown-orange / sand-yellow colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Red.png|200px|thumb|left|Red colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Black.png|200px|thumb|left|Black colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
{| align:Center&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
!Unusual Unathi colour ranges:&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_white.png|200px|thumb|left|Albino colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Blue.png|200px|thumb|left|Blue colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Green:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Razir Moss:&#039;&#039; RGB 27, 50, 27 / Hex #1B321B&lt;br /&gt;
*An unusually dark shade of green, but certainly not the only one, Unathi from Razir and its surrounding areas tend to have this scale colouration more often than not. As the name suggests, it is quite comparable in colour to the unique moss that tends to grow on rocks and buildings on the Southern coast of the Moghresian sea. The moss was heavily used by healers in the past, as its spongy nature allows to quickly stop bleeding, and its composition can also help in dealing with infection, or at least, limit their spread, until proper medicine can be found, properties that are quite appreciated in a time like the post-Contact-War era, where shortages, of medicine among other things, aren’t so rare depending on the location. Due to its ties with healing, some of the more traditional Unathi tend to see Unathi with such a scale colouration as more feminine.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Sen Emerald:&#039;&#039; RGB 31, 95, 31 / Hex #1F5F1F&lt;br /&gt;
*Considering the name, and the overall concentration of Unathi in the region, it is assumed that those bearing such colouration came from the now-broken city of Sen. Records of where the name comes from exactly has been lost after the Contact War, but theories still exist with recent finds. The reclaimer clan Kikata, operating a landcrawler by the torn cities, on the western coast of the Moghresian sea, noticed several collapsed mines next to what they assumed used to be villages, and in them, among many other minerals, unique green gems. As word has started to spread, many Sinta are now assuming that Sen Emerald refers to these gems.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Teht Mint:&#039;&#039; RGB 85, 149, 85 / Hex #559555&lt;br /&gt;
*Teht Mint is one of the many crops that (nearly) disappeared after the Contact War and its nuclear fallout. As Teht mostly made its fortune from fishing, nearby villages housed the few clans in all of Moghes talented enough to properly harvest the plant, and who kept such a knowledge secret to all of their own. Used as expensive seasoning by only the wealthiest Nobles in the region, these clans, and their village, quickly made a fortune, then came the Contact war. While the city of Teth was spared by the bombing, the many villages around it that didn’t get outright razed by the nukes were abandonned, as their main source of income, the harvesting of the mint, was soon enough gone and made life there unsustainable, leaving only handful of seeds, currently preserved in Teth’s palace in hopes that they may be planted into proper soil another day. In any case, the name “Teht Mint” persist as a way to call the Sintas bearing a light green scale colour that tends to be seen in the area.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Sahl Green:&#039;&#039; RGB 56, 126, 86 / Hex #387E56&lt;br /&gt;
*Lake Sahl, among many other things, was renowned for the unique algae that used to grow in within it, giving it, when the floor was shallow enough, a green-ish tint, something that many local fishers used to call “Sahl’s green halo”. Like many things, these algae died after the Contact War, and the poisoning of the lake due to the ensuing nuclear fallout. Many of the older locals that still remember their time spent fishing in the lake, however, have been continuing to call Unathi living around the lake, bearing a unique shade of green, “Sahl Green”.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Orange-Brown / Sand Coloured:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Mudki Stone:&#039;&#039; RGB 98, 84, 65 / Hex #625441&lt;br /&gt;
*The mountainous city of Mudki has been build with the rocks of the very mountains it stands on and between. These rocks exhibit a strange propriety due to their unique composition, something only found in the area, as, when wet, the usually light-grey, or tan stone, turns to a pale-brown. While a small-scaled group of geologists was dispatched to explain the phenomenon, the researches were cut short by the outbreak of the Contact War, and by now, most Sinta simply have their own explanation, from more science-based ones, to some more related to faith. In any case, people have taken to naming the many Sinta bearing light brown scale colouration, around the area, “Mudki Stone”, and some older, more superstitious inhabitants of Mudki and its surroundings claim that these Unathi can, like the stone, change colour…&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Yu&#039;kal Soil:&#039;&#039; RGB 92, 66, 32 / Hex #5C4220&lt;br /&gt;
*Yu’kal, while far from any of the main lakes or seas of Moghes, was a city that known for its people’s work in aquaculture in smaller bodies of water, natural or, later on, artificial, something that nearby smaller settlements also picked up. While the Contact War and its consequences put an end to such a business, many in the Queendom still remember this time, and how the soil turned damp and darkened from the how humid it could get in some places… Something that led to the naming of the colouration that many of the local Unathi bear, similar shades of brown, “Yu’kal Soil”.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Darakath Brown:&#039;&#039; RGB 158, 116, 60 / Hex #9E743C&lt;br /&gt;
*Darakath Brown, also called “Darakath Copper” by the inhabitants of the once proud capital of the Azarak Kingdom, is ,as the name suggests, a scale colouration mostly seen in Darakath and its surroundings. To the more staunch supporters of the Izweski Hegemony, Sintas with this colours are seen as Traditionalists, and by extent, defeated foes… To others, Unathi with such colouration are treated with kindness, if not (legitimate or not) pity, after the sacking of the city by the end of the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Bahard Cream:&#039;&#039; RGB 233, 178, 104 / Hex #E9B268&lt;br /&gt;
*Bahard, before the nuclear exchange, was one of the largest trading hub on Moghes thanks to its central position, making a fortune through trading. Beside this, however, Bahard was also known for the culinary expertise of its people, access to food from all around Moghes being one of the reason behind such a thing. Bahard Cream, originally referred to the a seasoning whose recipe was lost by the end of the Contact War, generally offered to passing traders. It was its unique colour and popularity that led to the locals, and soon enough, the rest of Moghes, to referring to the scale colouration seen so often around the area in such a way.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Red:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Tak Red:&#039;&#039; RGB 128, 62, 62 / Hex #803E3E&lt;br /&gt;
*Tak used to be a city of relatively modest size, before the nuclear exchange utterly ruined it. Few know why Sinta of this certain shade are thus called “Tak Red”, although researches in Skalamar have led to a theory: fish exports. Most inhabitants made a living through fishing, just like most cities on the coast of the Moghresian sea, although surviving trading records show a higher than average amount of exports from the city. Additionally, texts, and common memory, point that some of the fish unique to Tak’s coast had unique red scales… Although said fishes are extinct by now, everything seems to indicate that this is where the name for this colouration came from.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Skalamar Red:&#039;&#039; 160, 44, 44 / Hex #A02C2C&lt;br /&gt;
*Skalamar Red, also called “Blood Red” by traditionalist and other foes of the Hegemony, is, as the name suggest, more often seen in Skalamar and its neighboring territories. Origins on the name of this colouration were blurry, even before the Contact War, with stories speaking of such colourations having divine origins, from other speaking of a curse, depending on who you ask. In any case, such a colouration is a sign of greatness and valor to some, and of shame and cruelty to some others… Generally depending on who they would have sided with during the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;S&#039;th Berry:&#039;&#039; RGB 125, 6, 6 / Hex #980606&lt;br /&gt;
*S’th Berries are one of the few species of flora that survived the nuclear fallout of the Contact War… Although, not without consequences. While they were once deep red, the berries lost their colour and appear grey-ish; and their sugary taste as been lost, some saying that they now taste like paste instead. Nevertheless, the name given to the colour that many Unathi in the area arbor, remained: Unathi of red scales, red like S’th’s Berries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Black:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Derhai Shadow:&#039;&#039; RGB 17, 22, 16 / Hex #111610&lt;br /&gt;
*Although such a tone can be found a bit everywhere since Derhai’s depopulation, most people can pinpoint that it used to be most often seen in and around great city that stood there, before being abandoned. Due to the highly religious nature that Derhai had, many have been tying (sometimes wrongly) such a scale colouration to Th&#039;akhists.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Janvir Black:&#039;&#039; RGB 28, 28, 28 / Hex #1C1C1C&lt;br /&gt;
*Perhaps a testament to how fast Unathi can evolve and change over generation, Janvir Black is a scale colouration that only appeared around a century after the foundation of the cold metropolis, merely six centuries ago… That is, according to the limited records currently available in the post-Contact War era.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Guzari Night:&#039;&#039; RGB 61, 47, 47 / Hex #3D2F2F&lt;br /&gt;
*There were, allegedly, several small settlements by the coast of the Guzari Sea, despite the freezing temperatures (on Unathi standards, that is), thanks to the unique bounties of the cold Northern Sea. Records seem to indicate, however, that said settlements were abandoned even before the Contact War, something that historians, even to this day, cannot explain, mostly due to the severe loss of historical documents during the conflict. Many Unathi, today, then, see other Sinta with the strange scale colouration known as Guzari Night as quite elusive…&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Albino:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Albino White:&#039;&#039; RGB 178, 178, 178 / Hex #B2B2B2&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Bleached Bone:&#039;&#039; RGB 183, 169, 169 / Hex #3D2F2F&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Blue:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Indigo Blue:&#039;&#039; RGB 35, 55, 189 / Hex #2337BD&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Azure:&#039;&#039; RGB 1, 102, 255 / Hex #0066FF&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Albino and Azure (or Blue) Unathi scale colouration are not tied to any area of Moghes, and instead, generally the result of genetic lottery. How such colourations are perceived varies widely. These Unathi would generally face prejudice in the Hegemony, although some other Sinta from different horizons can exhibit interest for them instead, or simply indifference. &lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Genetic Variety ====&lt;br /&gt;
Besides scale colouration, many other physical aspects of Unathi bodies can vary widely. From horns and frills, to even extra scale crests and different structures in a Unathi’s very skeleton (namely, the skull). While anatomical differences within a species are natural, Unathi are noteworthy for how wide these differences can get and how fast they come to be. The exact science behind this has been lost after the Contact War, and most of the research behind such a phenomena is idly handled by Nanotrasen and Zeng-Hu specialists. However it is assumed that Sinta simply evolve and adapt to their surroundings much faster than most of the other sentient species of the Spur, leading to such large physical discrepancies between Unathi alone.&lt;br /&gt;
From this, it is also assumed that, with Unathi populations moving between planets, and Moghes on its way to changing considerably (may the consequences of the of the Contact War be the of the Sinta homeworld, or may terraforming efforts save it), said biological differences between different groups will only get larger and more exotic in the next few centuries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Genetic Variety&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Unathifaces.png|180px|thumb|right|Zotzo’s Treaty of Biology is one of the first Unathi works dedicated to the study of Sinta biology, and in which the terminology for Unathi facial structure was first established. This is one of the few pages left of the book, found in the ruins of Oket&#039;s Great Library.]] &lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Horns&#039;&#039;&#039; are not tied to specific places, or at least, not directly. There seems to be a hereditary side to it, however, as Unathi more often than not seem to bear the horns of one of their parents (on VERY rare instances carrying the horns of both). Horns, however, do not “mix” and make new shapes, the same way that Unathi scale colourations don’t mix. Horns are arbored by both male and female Sintas, and can be of various tones, from dark gray, near black, to Ivory or even pristine white, and even in some cases, pale brown-ish tones. Contrary to some belief, Unathi horns are bone, and not made of Ivory or any other precious material. Horn size, just like tail size, also depends on a Unathi’s diet. However, while everyone has the potential to grow an enlarged tail, if given enough fat, horn size highly depends on how well-fed a Unathi is during their childhood as they grow. Coupled with one’s horn’s hereditary nature, it is commonly assumed that A Sinta of noble blood will generally have larger horns… A noble who happens to have shorter horns is generally called a New-Noble, as if they were the first of their clan to ascend to noblehood, and by extent the quality diet that tends to come with it.&lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Frills&#039;&#039;&#039;, while hereditary in exactly the same way as horns, tend to be most often seen in Unathi populations living on coasts, or in general humid areas. Frills can be of various colours, so long as they remain in natural Unathi colour ranges. They are constituted of either a bony “support”, or in some rare cases, a cartilaginous one, with skin or scales between and on said “supports”. Since frills are articulated, to some minor degree, Unathi bearing frills tend to be seen as more expressive, as they tend to “open” or “close” their frills, accentuating body language. Frills have generally been associated with Unathi of low-to-middle class, or at least, that have ancestry from such classes, as fishermen and such Unathu are generally depicted with large frills. The validity of such a concept is discussed nowadays. &lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Crests&#039;&#039;&#039; are rather similar to frills in their constitution, although they differ in the sense that, instead of having a thin layer of scaly hide being stretched between its bony or cartilaginous supports, crests are entirely covered in proper hide. One popular example is the infamous “Cobra Hood” (Which is a domination established by the people of the Spur as a whole, and not by Sinta, as Cobras are obviously not native to Moghes). Like frills, Crests can be articulated, although in a much more limited way. Crests are not limited to any place, and just like horns, are instead fully hereditary. Crests were rather rare prior to the Contact War, as it was more common among Unathi population living in rather arid areas, earning the rather poetic name of the “Frills of the dry seas”. After the Nuclear exchange, however, new generations born in a changed Moghes start to come with more and more crests already.&lt;br /&gt;
*Finally, while minor differences in sizes and shapes can be observed in different Unathi populations, one aspect in particular tends to change drastically: &#039;&#039;&#039;skull shapes&#039;&#039;&#039;. The shape of a Unathi’s head seems to vary widely, with some adopting a more draconic appearance, some being closer to smaller lizards, Iguanas, snakes, crocodiles, etc. The way Unathi see their fellow Sinta with this or that facial appearance varies widely depending on their culture. Once again, both due to migration, populations blending with each other and the loss of records due to the Contact War, locating the origins in Unathi faces has proved to be quite the hard endeavor, but some clues, mostly based on interviews of older, surviving Sintas, have been found, and a proper classification is being reestablished:&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Arakhania (“Draconic”)&#039;&#039;: Arakhanian facial structure, also called “Draconic” in Basic, is perhaps the most well known Unathi skull shape in the entire Spur. Perhaps one of the most well spread facial structures nowadays, it is also known as the “head of the nobles”, due to its prevalence among noble populations, with many notable Unathi bearing such a profile (namely the Hegemon himself). Arakhanians tend to have a pointy snout with smooth shapes, and a frontal bone of varying height and steepness.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Thodokhania (“Crocodilian”)&#039;&#039;: Thodokhanian faces come with a larger, longer snouts and more flat heads, comparable to Earth’s crocodiles or alligators (hence the name given to such a profile in Basic: “Crocodilian”.) Unathi with the Thodokianian facial structure have turned rarer and rarer since the Contact War, which led to the belief that the nuclear exchange must’ve erased population centers featuring the bulk of their population.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Imekhania (“Common Lizard-like”)&#039;&#039;: The Imekhanian facial class is as broad as the population it encompasses, being the most represented profile among Sinta. Unathi with the Imekhanian profile come with generally smoother snout shapes and round tips. earning the name “lizard-like” in Basic. According to ancient records and texts, it seems like the Imekhanian profile could be seen everywhere on Moghes, even before the first large population movements.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Senkhania (“Snake-like”)&#039;&#039;: With their flat heads and short snouts, Senkhanians faces are, as their name in Basic suggests, comparable to Earth’s Snakes. While a small part of the population, Unathi with the Senkhanian facial profile are still considered a category of their own, due to their presence in mostly rural areas (something that has yet to be explained), zones that would not tend to be the direct targets of nuclear bombardment during the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Lokhenian (“Others”)&#039;&#039;: Lokhenian facial profile, or “The faces of the Lost” is an all-new, post-Contact War classification, used to designate any facial structure that does not fit in the other aforementioned categories, and are not large enough to warrant a category of their own. Such facial structures are extremely various but also tend to be extremely rare, and it is assumed, that those were already quite rare even before the nuclear exchange, as they were rarely ever recorded in pre-contact war media.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Afflictions and Disabilities ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi, like all species, are prone to conditions that are uncommon among the population. How each Unathi views or handles these is varied due to the traditional cultures of Moghes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Lsh&#039;islasulu, sometimes shortened to &amp;quot;Lsh disorder,&amp;quot; is a rare scale disability affecting very few Unathi. The disorder is poorly studied because of its lacking negative affects and extreme rarity. When suffering from Lsh disorder, Unathi will lose their dead scale cells through a painful peeling process, rather than sporadically. A Unathi suffering from the disorder will need to painfully peel or scrub off their dead scales off once or twice a month in droves. The affliction is caused by increased cell death, and scale cells will die rapidly for no apparent reason. Luckily, this process only causes pain and increased susceptibility to the cold, not causing any damage or making the scales much weaker in terms of durability. Further information is lacking due to little research preformed.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kaasilik is a famously known yet equally rare disorder inflicting unique symptoms. Those suffering from Kaasilik lack any growth of frills, hoods, horns or any other structure on the head or face. While labeled as a disorder, those affected by it suffer no physical drawbacks and are believed to be the result of a genetic lottery in which generations of couples between Unathi with certain horn or frill growth reproduce. While undamaging to the Unathi physically, it can make identifying them from another suffering Unathi difficult at times. Children of these Unathi will likely have very small or limited frill and horn growth.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Albinosm, or Zis&#039;lak, caused by a general lack of pigment in the scales, makes the scales appear totally white, sometimes with a minor tint of green, red or sand/orange, caused by a total lack of pigment. Albinism in Unathi can also cause a unique shift in eye colour; while typical for Unathi to have colours like orange, red or green, albinism can shift the eye colour to an unusual violet. This is due to a lack of eye pigment combined with the light refraction off of the blood vessels within the eye. Unathi that suffer from albinism usually remain away from sunlight as their sensitive scales provide little to no UV protection and put them at risk of burns. Albino Unathi are also often seen as a bad omen at birth, and as such, those within the Hegemony&#039;s lower populated areas are often banished from their clan or in extreme circumstances, even banished from some clans to become Guwan. It should be noted that azure coloured Unathi cannot be albino.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Illiz is a disorder appearing in two states with a wide variety of recorded variation. The disability details highly irregular tail size, this can include tails the size of a finger or tails so long they become a tripping hazard. The former being nicknamed, &amp;quot;Hasik.&amp;quot; Unathi affected by Hasik typically suffer when sprinting, their short tails also prevent fat storage, which results in the fat being stored elsewhere like the arms, thighs, and lower body. The latter mentioned state of Illiz, nicknamed &amp;quot;Hasil,&amp;quot; is the complete opposite. Those affected by Hasil find their tails reaching lengths of up to four feet long. Hasil includes similar issues as Hasik, the most notable of which is it also negatively affects balance. Those with longer tails struggle to sprint, carrying the weight of such a large tail. Culturally, those suffering Hasik are viewed as pathetic and as cowards, while those with longer tails are presumed to be a noble. It should be noted that very few nobles have been documented suffering Hasik, while some, using plastic surgery, increase the size of their tails to mimic Hasil.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Unathi History]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The history of the Unathi is predominately a history of each &#039;&#039;&#039;Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039; that has existed throughout their history. There have only been three clans that have managed to create an empire worthy of the title &#039;Hegemon.&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Kres’ha’nor Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039; lasted from roughly 920 CE - 1500 CE. It is most famous for being the first empire to dominate Moghes and creating what was then a modern feudal state. Their empire saw rise of walled cities, steel weapons, centralized taxation, and other innovations. It ended in a brutal succession war, with Moghes once again being shattered into hundreds of individual Kingdoms with no true global power.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the &#039;&#039;&#039;16th century&#039;&#039;&#039; the power of &#039;&#039;&#039;[[Unathi Guilds|Guilds]]&#039;&#039;&#039; began to grow, forming an early form of mercantilism. Guilds formed for bakers, butchers, grocers, millers, smiths, carpenters, weavers, mason, shoemakers, in fact, nearly every trade had its own guild. Standards such as just weights and measures evolved from the guilds, and guild inspectors would inspect shops to ensure rules were being followed. Guilds would help members that were sick, or in trouble, and would sometimes take care of families after the member died. This time also saw Guilds building the first major universities. While incredibly exclusive, these universities began to create a new era of specialized labor and intellectuals.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;19th century&#039;&#039;&#039; saw rise of the &#039;&#039;&#039;Second Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;, ruled by the &#039;&#039;&#039;Sarakus Clan&#039;&#039;&#039;. Their clan ruled harshly, and forced technological advances into the cities and towns. In the 1930&#039;s they ruthlessly modernized their empire in The Great Endeavor, spreading electricity, radio, paved roads, modern plumbing, and other modern innovations.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In &#039;&#039;&#039;1994&#039;&#039;&#039; the &#039;&#039;&#039;Izweski Clan&#039;&#039;&#039; violently deposed the Sarakus and slaughtered the entire surviving dynasty, declaring the &#039;&#039;&#039;Third Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;. After they won an incredibly destructive global war to defend their claim, the Izweski have ruled Moghes until modern times.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In &#039;&#039;&#039;2403&#039;&#039;&#039;, a human exploration team discovered Moghes. Shortly after, first contact with the Izweski Hegemony was made. Sol Alliance merchants and scientists flocked to Moghes, living under very careful observation and guard in Izweski cities. Skalamar, the second largest city in Izweski, became the first Unathite city to have a shuttle port constructed. Owned by NanoTrasen, it served to transport people to and from the planet’s surface. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[Contact War|The Contact War, which has more information here,]] was a cataclysmic global war that lasted from &#039;&#039;&#039;2438 to 2449&#039;&#039;&#039;. The fighting was between two global powers, the &#039;&#039;&#039;Izweski Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;, and the &#039;&#039;&#039;Traditionalist Coalition&#039;&#039;&#039;. The war was fought over the very future of the Unathi and their relationship with the rest of the galaxy. The Izweski demanded Moghes submit to a one-world government ran by themselves and embrace the influence of humanity. The Traditionalist Coalition rejected this. &#039;&#039;&#039;The war went nuclear on September 5th, 2439&#039;&#039;&#039;, causing immense suffering across Moghes and directly leading to the creation of The Wasteland, which is set to engulf Moghes within a hundred years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Unathi Culture==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Diet and Cuisine ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathite dishes are mostly comprised of meat, eggs, and fish. It may be cooked or even still raw and bleeding. Vegetables in meals are often just for decoration or flavor, but by no means ever make up the majority of the dish. Unathi do not take any nutritional value from plant matter, only from meat. Desert flowers may also be placed on the plate to make it seem well-presented and are also edible. The tools Unathi use to eat are very unorthodox to humans, usually resembling chopsticks banded together near the top. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi generally eat only one large meal a day. The nobility often eat twice a day, while poorer Unathi or those in [[The Wasteland|the Wasteland]] will eat bi-daily: every two days.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To support their civilization, fishing has developed on a scale similar to human agriculture. Since the Contact War, fishing yields have fallen, and hunger has become a fact of life for many Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Language ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi, being deeply traditional, tend to use their own sayings, proverbs, and similar speech in other languages not native to them. Some concepts of their languages also spill over into tongues foreign to Unathi. For example, the sexes are so closely tied to their roles in society that words for &amp;quot;man,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;male,&amp;quot; and other parrot words are practically synonymous with &amp;quot;warrior.&amp;quot; The same is said for words like &amp;quot;woman&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;female&amp;quot; with &amp;quot;healer.&amp;quot; Objects also have assigned genders to them, so it is not uncommon for Sinta to refer to objects and inanimate things with genders. Unathi also have a lot of assorted figures of speech that, instead of being based on direction (up and down), are affiliated with time and its speed. A faster rate of time is seen as bad while a slower rate is seen as good in a majority of cases. Good things are categorized by saying something is punctual, progressing on time, is speeding up in time, or has a lot of time while saying the opposite for bad things. Rather than saying &amp;quot;I’m going to bed for the night,&amp;quot; a Unathi might offer &amp;quot;I’m slowing down for the night&amp;quot;; similarly, instead of being &amp;quot;down to hang out,&amp;quot; one would instead say they &amp;quot;want to slow down&amp;quot; with someone else. Examples include, but aren’t limited to: &amp;quot;today’s harvests were timely,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;the day has been slow,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;my body is slowing,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;their sleep is running late,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;I’m accelerating through my studies.&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi names are extraordinarily diverse, ranging from those that string together a bunch of consonants to sounds with many vowels in a row. There are not many commonalities between them besides harder sounds like &#039;ck,&#039; &#039;zh,&#039; &#039;s,&#039; &#039;d,&#039; and &#039;t.&#039; &#039;&#039;&#039;However, names cannot have more than two of the same letter in a row, such as Myo&#039;sssak.&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Many species have developed the joking term &amp;quot;unathisms&amp;quot; for all the various cultural holdovers that get put into other languages they speak.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot; style=&amp;quot;width:99%; overflow:auto;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi Metaphors, Sayings, and Slang&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Sinta— &#039;&#039;meaning Unathi. If the word Unathi can be compared to &amp;quot;Human&amp;quot;, then sinta can be compared to &amp;quot;man&amp;quot;, the latter usually kept out of more serious, official or scientific discussion and instead used in discussions with a more common if not familiar tone. Sinta does not get an S on plural and does not start with a capital letter.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Claws, talons— &#039;&#039;fingers, nails, respectively; however, sometimes satire or exaggeration make use of them interchangeably.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hatchling, egg— &#039;&#039;a child or baby, sometimes also as an insult.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Azure, albino— &#039;&#039;exotic, or unusual; alternatively (and rarely), an archaic and outdated way of calling something awful: &amp;quot;Their tastes are absolutely albino.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hide, scales— &#039;&#039;skin.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Rattle, rattled— &#039;&#039;scared.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Scratch, scratched— &#039;&#039;to write/written.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Tailwag— &#039;&#039;generic insult lacking true meaning and has a weird versatility to it, like referring to someone as a &#039;fuck&#039; or similar.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Blood on my teeth— &#039;&#039;eating, sometimes a gruesome (seen as barbaric) way of describing fighting and other activities.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Lay down my tail/bare my neck— &#039;&#039;let someone walk over you.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Molting— &#039;&#039;getting angry enough over something that it damages your physical health. Used almost explicitly for exaggeration.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Fat-tail— &#039;&#039;an insult usually aimed at nobles.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Quote a limerick— &#039;&#039;to be sassy, snarky, witty.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Grinding my horns— &#039;&#039;getting on their nerves.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Strum— &#039;&#039;gather.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Stomp, stomping— &#039;&#039;a get together (as a noun) or referring to someone being happy (as a verb).&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Echoed song— &#039;&#039;oral tradition.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ghazkus, ghazkii— &#039;&#039;skrell, coming from the word &amp;quot;amphibious&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;ghazii&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kzlth, kzlthii— &#039;&#039;humans, coming from the word &amp;quot;scaleless&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;kazulth&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Imiekran, imiekranes— &#039;&#039;the typical term for dionae meaning &amp;quot;twisted plant&amp;quot; in Sinta’Azaziba, usually a term of endearment; alternatively called aggregates when referring to different forms.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Xsain— &#039;&#039;vaurca, coming from the word &amp;quot;incomprehensible&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;xsa&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
(Note: most of the time this is seen as being a nickname when used outside of Sinta’Unathi or Sinta’Azaziba. If you are particularly friendly with someone that either you don’t know the name of or are referring to someone otherwise, this may be appropriate outside of saying the species’ name.)&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Zo’zyola— &#039;&#039;the equivalent of an angel or a demon. Depending on the context, this is either a compliment or a severe insult.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Dishonored their clan— &#039;&#039;do something to ostracize themselves from society or a group of people.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A tale longer than my own— &#039;&#039;a play on words gaining traction among Sinta who speak Basic. Basically a way of saying &amp;quot;it&#039;s a long story&amp;quot; with similar connotations, but this phrase can also be used to hype up an event. &amp;quot;What did you do during the Solarian Invasion?&amp;quot; &amp;quot;It&#039;s a tale longer than my own— let&#039;s meet up to discuss it.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Heating up— &#039;&#039;a way of setting your guard is going down or that you are even getting bored or tired. &amp;quot;This shift has been uneventful, I can feel it heating up.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Sk&#039;akh&#039;s scales— &#039;&#039;a way of saying &amp;quot;holy shit&amp;quot; or similar swears.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Have an honorable duel for the sake of the game— &#039;&#039;in Sinta&#039;Azaziba and Sinta&#039;Unathi, duel and game are the same word, just with different meanings. This is a play on words in the original tongue and is meant to talk about something that has to be done yet trying to make fun out of it anyway.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
More unclean/unkempt than a Guwan&#039;s feet— &#039;&#039;referring to something being worse than the dirtiest part of a class of undesirables. Phrases like these are more common in the Hegemony and are one of the many methods used to degrade Guwan.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When an arbek eats its tail— &#039;&#039;&amp;quot;when pigs fly.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Preparing the maxtlatl— &#039;&#039;referring to the shaman&#039;s garb. Preparing the maxtlatl is something a shaman does when they feel they are near death; in preparing it, they are readying the skull in the headgear to be replaced by their own. In a sense, if someone is preparing the maxtlatl, they are spelling their own doom or see their demise coming.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the Fourth Nation— &#039;&#039;somewhat of a joke about cycles, playing fun at the fact that the Izweski Hegemony has been a constant throughout history. Traditionalists use this phrase more bitterly and sardonically, however.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By mine and your spirits— &#039;&#039;a way of solemnly swearing; alternatively, asking for guidance if you worship Th’akh.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Three Heads bless me— &#039;&#039;the alternative to &amp;quot;by mine and your spirits&amp;quot; for those that worship Sk’akh.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Bet the Hegemon’s head— &#039;&#039;many people want to kill the Hegemon, so this refers to such a bounty. Usually used as a joke or a dare.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Individual languages are described by the prefix &#039;Sinta&#039; followed by the identity of its native speakers. Speaking mannerisms remain the same when speaking Sinta or another language. For stylistic choices, there are some options. For those raised in or by the Hegemony, avoid contractions like &#039;&#039;it&#039;s&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;they&#039;re&#039;&#039;, which would be &#039;&#039;it is&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;they are&#039;&#039;. Formal Sinta&#039;Unathi lacks this concept of contracting words, and thus it is a difficult concept to understand for these speakers. Those that speak Sinta&#039;Azaziba will talk in other languages in short bursts, similar to how Azaziba has shorter sentences due to gesticulating and speaking at the same time. Accents are wide and diverse; replacing &#039;s&#039; sounds with &#039;th&#039; in a &#039;forced lisp&#039; or even just omitting the sound is a commonality for Unathi that struggle with certain words in other languages (like &#039;suspicious&#039;). This way of speaking is also common when singing in different languages, a trend picking up within the Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sinta&#039;Unathi ====&lt;br /&gt;
While Pre-Contact Moghes had hundreds of unique languages and their own histories, Sinta&#039;Unathi has been and remains the primary language spoken by most Unathi. It is an evolution of an older Moghean trade language, Sinta&#039;Izwe.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The written language has 30 letters, with 5 of them being vowels. The language is written left to right, though this was an attempt to emulate humanity, as informal Sinta&#039;Unathi still write top to bottom.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sinta&#039;Azaziba ====&lt;br /&gt;
Sinta&#039;Azaziba is a language of Moghes consisting of a combination of spoken word and gesticulation. While waning since Moghes entered the galactic stage, it enjoys popular use by Unathi that never fell to the Hegemony&#039;s cultural dominance. Sinta&#039;Azaziba writing has 27 letters, 4 of which being vowels. The language is written from top to bottom.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Unathi Fashion and Make-up ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Fashion on the scale of an entire species is incredibly diverse, much like with other species. There are some common sights seen across most Unathi peoples.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Fashion ====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Clothing is generally something to balance for Unathi, according to one’s need with warmth. Generally, Unathi can dress themselves from head to toe, with shawls and hoods not being an uncommon sight, even if temperatures aren’t outright cold, just to retain warmth for as long as possible. In particularly hot climates, however, or on specific occasions like while sunbathing, Unathi may choose to wear minimal clothing to get as little obstacle as possible between them and the sun, or any other heat source they may be enjoying.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Colors are an essential part of any Unathi outfit. Being particularly fond of vibrant colors, sights of bright reds, oranges, yellows, greens and blues are common, and white and black, though rare for fashion’s sake, are generally used to accentuate colors even more. These colors are often selected to go along with their scale colors, eyes, and so on, the natural colors of a Unathi playing a large part in their fashion choices. Nobility and other wealthy individuals will often show off their status through the use of jewelry, both gemstone and rare, expensive metals like gold and silver. Though the typical bracelets and necklaces can be found, Unathi also use some pieces of jewelry unique to their species, such as horn rings (meant to be worn around one’s horn) or frill-rings (going through the frill, much like with earrings.) Capes and cloaks are also a traditional display of status and function, with for instance the many capes worn by Guild members.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Make-up ====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While most Human cultures see most forms of make-up as feminine, Unathi are different. It’s common for Unathi of all genders to apply make-up. Once again, there are countless forms of make-up and ways to apply them seen across the entire species.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot; style=&amp;quot;width:99%; overflow:auto;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi make-up&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
===== Cosmetics =====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Some of the most popular forms of Unathi make-up include things such as claw-painting, quite comparable to painting nails. This is generally done with bright colors, to accentuate them over the scale colors of the Unathi in question. There are traces of claw-painting being done in pre-Hegemonic times, mainly by warriors, to show off their claws and intimidate their foes, and though this tradition is still practiced by some, claw painting is now also done for the mere sake of fashion. Horns can also be painted, as well as frills for similar effects if the individual in question sports them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===== Scalepaint =====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Scalepaint is a uniquely Unathi form of make-up, and the most popular in the species as well. Due to their need to shed, Unathi cannot sport tattoos normally, but scalepaint constitutes an equivalent. As the name implies, it is a form of paint applied directed on one’s scaly hide. scalepaint can be inconspicuous and small, or extravagant and cover the majority of one’s hide. In any case, however, it is done to go along with, and complement one’s natural hide colors, and completely covering oneself in scalepaint is seen as particularly awkward and a display of shame in oneself.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The practice of using scalepaint dates back to prehistoric times, with hunters covering themselves in a mixture of herbs, dust, and a few pigments to better hide in the foliage to ambush prey; though it quickly-enough became a form of aesthetic as well. The practice to apply scalepaint hasn’t changed much since then; it is a mix of pigments, herbs, and a clay-like substance to be applied directly on one’s scales.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Perhaps what makes Scalepaint so interesting is the sheer amount of work needed to apply and maintain it. First, it must be applied in correct doses. Too much, and the texture will be too thick and completely cover the scaly texture of one’s hide (an easy excuse to be mocked by your fellow sinta), too little, and the color won’t be visible-enough, and completely disappear at the first shed. With the correct amount of paint applied, it should be visible enough without hiding one’s scales, and when the time to shed comes, some remnants of paint should still be visible, acting as a guide for the next layer to be put on this layer of skin as well. This brings us to the second part, the need to maintain scalepaint. A proper scalepaint requires regular maintenance, to be generally re-applied after every shed. This workload makes the most extravagant and encompassing forms of scalepaint a show of both artistry, but also the result of regularly applied, expert artistry.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Because of its need to be re-applied constantly, scalepaint is generally applied and maintained by oneself, and thus, only to places they can reach. As such, only nobles and other wealthy sinta are ever seen sporting scalepaint on their backs, as it requires maintenance from others, generally talented servants.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Zandiziite Games ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Zandiziite Games]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
An ancient sport that got its start on Moghes, this sport is best described as a mixture of Olympic- and MMA-style games. Competitors within the Zandiziite Games are called Zandiziites, or colloquially an individual wrestler is called a Zandi. Clans send eligible men (and only men) to their Lord in the hopes that they are chosen to represent their city or community in the Zandiziite Games.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Unathi Sociality and Society ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Behaviour and Mannerisms ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi generally stare at what they are interested in, so their intense gaze moves with a conversation to whoever is talking. Additionally, pointing can be seen as extremely rude in circumstances. If more than just a passing gesture towards someone, prolonged pointing can be a grave insult to one&#039;s honor and, in some cases, be the reason for crude fighting or even initiate a duel.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi should always be addressed by their last name in most situations. It is offensive to use a Unathi&#039;s first name unless you are family or have a close relationship with them (like family, a lover, or close friend). Some are more permissive than others regarding this. In a situation where there are multiple Unathi with the same last name, it&#039;s generally accepted to just get more and more specific in your address to make it clear who you are speaking to.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi to other species would typically appear sluggish in their movements, though there are some exceptions to this. When working or even when feeling threatened, they typically move short distances with their arms and legs at speeds much faster than normal for other species. This is because they conserve their energy by going slightly slower until they need it for a given task.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Another outstanding behavior that other species would note is an intense gaze. Unathi typically find staring at whoever is speaking to be respectful; however, this intense staring, paired with not blinking often and stooping to look at someone at eye level, is how other species are typically made uncomfortable when engaging with Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For most Unathi being seen speaking to Guwans is embarrassing. A woman associating with a Guwan is extremely improper and indecent, and they can lose social standing by doing so.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Violence can have its place in regular daily life, with playful fighting being commonplace with the peasantry and in the Wasteland. Joking punches and wistful tail flicks that would be normal for Unathi playing around may end up hurting a human, which has led to many jokes about humanity’s weak stature. Shoulder checks and headbutts have their place in more aggressive friendships and is a sign of showing brotherly love.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Emotional Displays ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi exhibit a great variety of emotional body language in ways different from other species. While it is not uncommon for Unathi to attempt to mimic human displays (sometimes with frightening results, for example showing off their large, numerous sharp teeth in a &amp;quot;smile&amp;quot;), they have their own natural, basic emotions that come from biological expression akin to reptiles. It can be very difficult for this species to control their emotionally linked body language as it is engrained in Unathite culture, but exercising restraint is often seen as a sign of nobility or simply an individual who is attempting to better blend in with other species. Over time, these displays can also change to adapt to a different environment, though this process typically takes many years to come to fruition.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For example, baring the entire throat is the single most meaningful expression that can be displayed to another, often used to show trust or vulnerability to someone a Unathi cares about. However, it is not unusual to do this to also surrender to another (such as in a fight), admit shame, or display extreme compassion (when exposed to twine necks with another). Conversely, tilting the snout far down to protect the throat and better display one’s horns is a fight response or to show distrust in another.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When it comes to intimate gestures between Unathi, they usually twine necks or tails, and touch foreheads and snouts together with the same intent that humans kiss. Such displays are usually only reserved for those that are married or to be wed, but with other cultures such as Ouerea, the smaller colonies, or the Empire of Dominia, this tends to be much more relaxed. Hugging is usually considered to be something done by children and avoided by adults.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi often fixate on their surroundings when interested or excited by someone or something. If there is a conversation of multiple people, they often change their gaze to look at whoever is speaking, or at the person speaking they are most interested in. It is considered rude by Unathi to avert your gaze, for that shows that someone can be aloof, distant, or not paying attention fully. Even if afraid and cowering, they tend to look directly at the source of their fear. For other species, when especially happy or interested, they can even stoop down to look at them directly at eye level, or try to raise themselves as much as possible to look other creatures in the eye.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Other physical displays include the ‘tail stomp,’ a phenomenon common during heightened signals of emotion. Typically, these are done when a Sinta is filled with joy or extremely agitated, but can be rarely used when a Unathi is grieving. Other more minor displays are, but aren’t limited to: bristling scales, in response to a cold environment or a ‘chill going down their spine;’ becoming slow and sluggish if extremely comfortable, such as reacting to warmth; swaying, sampling the air, and hissing all are common when in a new environment, with strangers, or even just in certain situations, which shows curiosity, discomfort, or unease.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Verbally, Unathi have some onomatopoeias that they draw on for different emotions. Chuffing, forcefully exhaling air from the throat, can be used to mark mild annoyance in reply to something, or can be used to show amusement. If it comes at the end of a sentence or statement, it can imply that they are being sarcastic or are saying something in good humor. Unathi don’t quite have a laugh; instead, they bark in typically short bursts, in which the sound is often deep, loud, and raucous. Finally, rattling the throat is a fairly common gesture that replaces or accompanies a tail stomp. Sometimes when enraged, throat rattling is accompanied by frills or scales flaring up as well.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As a result of the divide between groups of sinta, some mannerisms are unique to different social groups. For example, nobles tend to tail stomp in response to seeing something that ‘disgusts’ them, whether it be the sight of a heretic or Guwan, something that disgusts olfactory senses, or something else. Peasants on Moghes and most Unathi on Ouerea tend to be ‘overly emotional’ in that they often tilt their snout up somewhat when showing general content or happiness, or down slightly when afraid or unhappy. Dominians often keep their chin tilted up constantly as a sign of pride and even cockiness, showing they aren’t afraid when vulnerable parts are exposed. Of course, this all barely scratches the surface, and there are many gestures unique to cultures and regions that are not enumerated.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Gender Roles ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div style=&amp;quot;font-size:105%; border:2px solid white; margin:0; background:white; padding:.1em; color:black;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi society is highly gender-stratified, with very specific gendered divisions of work and societal role. The Unathi understanding of gender has become tied deeply into these roles, which leads to a structure that humans may find unusual. In Unathi society, gender has little to do with assigned sex, rather being almost entirely dependent on the societal role an individual finds themselves in. The Sinta’Unathi words for ‘warrior’ and ‘male’ are the same, but this is not because one is required to be male to be a warrior - rather, the act of being a warrior is what makes one considered male. To Unathi, gender is not something that one &#039;&#039;is&#039;&#039;, but something that one &#039;&#039;does&#039;&#039;. An Unathi who sought to live as a professional warrior would be considered male by society at large, regardless of their sex at hatching - and regardless of their own thoughts on the matter.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Where this system originates is largely unknown, having existed in some form for most of Unathi recorded history. The earliest known example comes from archaeological discoveries in the [[Tza Prairie]], indicating that ancient Unathi cultures held the Fisher as the feminine role, rather than the Healer - which was reserved for a long-extinct caste of shaman-kings. The gender division in its modern form was likely codified by the early Sk’akh Church or predecessor faiths, though with so much of Moghes’ history now lost to the Wasteland scholars doubt if the origins of such a fundamental part of society will ever be discovered.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The divisions of labor in Unathi society are based on this structure of gender, and it is expressed prominently in religion - the Three Aspects of Sk’akh being the most prevalent examples. The Warrior, Healer, and Fisher are the primary categories into which almost every aspect of Unathi life has been divided for centuries - though as with many Unathi traditions, it is being increasingly challenged in the modern era.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Warrior&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Warrior is the masculine category, under which roles to do with martial affairs tend to fall. Most military positions are considered male due to this, with some rare exceptions being made for medical and support personnel. Outside of direct combat matters, positions in law enforcement and colonial expansion are also widely considered warriors, as are many roles to do with the direct enforcement of a ruler’s will such as governorship, tax collection and announcement of decrees. Unathi identifying as warriors are expected to act with honor in accordance with the [[Unathi Honor|Warriors&#039; Code]]. Vaurca Warriors outside of those in medical or scientific fields are generally gendered as male by Unathi as a result of this.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Healer&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Healer is the feminine category, which is broader than its name might indicate. Positions in the medical field are obviously considered healers, but the category also covers most scholarship and keeping of knowledge in general. The Simiite Reliquary in To’ha’dat is staffed exclusively by Priestesses of the Healer, and holds the complete historical record of the Sk’akh Church. While scholarship in general has never been as gendered as some other categories, the vast majority of Unathi scientists, archivists and researchers would be considered female. The sphere of knowledge and learning also covers the business of spycraft, investigation and diplomacy, with the positions of Spymaster and High Speaker being traditionally female ones. Unathi identifying as healers have less of a concrete code of honor, though in recent years the invention of the [[Unathi Honor|Matriarch&#039;s Code]] has gained some popularity. Vaurca Gynes, as well as Workers and Warriors in medical or scientific fields, are generally gendered as female by Unathi as a result of this.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Fisher&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Fisher is the third Unathi gender, without a direct translation in Tau Ceti Basic. Its sphere covers productive work such as fishing, construction and engineering. Many among the Unathi working class are considered to be fishers, and the title of Master of Rivers is one that traditionally is held by a fisher. In Tau Ceti Basic, gender-neutral pronouns are often used to describe fishers, though due to linguistic differences a fisher may often be gendered as male or female by humans. The sphere of the fisher encompasses many positions to do with economic development, ranging from humble miners, ranchers and fishers all the way to colonial administrators. There is no strict code of honor for fishers similar to that of warriors and healers, though the idea of developing one has been attempted a few times. Vaurca Workers outside of medical or scientific fields are generally gendered as fishers by Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Non-Gendered Roles&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The gender stratification of Unathi society is nearly all-encompassing, though there are some rare positions that can be considered as more than one gender. Rulership is the most notable of these, with the gender of a ruler being considered emblematic of their style of rule - male rulers are considered a good omen for military victory, whereas female rulers are considered a blessing for periods of peace and wisdom and fisher rulers are considered to bring periods of great productivity to their demesne. The title of Hegemon is something of an exception, having always had a connotation of military conquest to it. As such, Hegemons throughout the ages have largely been warriors, though with a few notable exceptions. Hegemon Ayzi Sarakus is historically recorded as a fisher, and there have been several recorded healers and fishers to have held the throne throughout the Izweski Hegemony’s history - though greatly outnumbered by the warriors.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One role which falls outside any of the three genders is that of the Guwandi. The reason for this is simple. A Guwandi sheds their gender as they shed their name, and for the same reason - it is a sign of the person they once were, before facing such shame that it was left behind. A Guwandi is only referred to as their prior gender when they are confirmed to have died with honour, and the stain of their disgrace can be erased from their history.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In addition, the introduction of Unathi to the interstellar stage has led to a vast array of new roles, which have yet to be neatly assigned to a gender. While some were able to fit into pre-existing categories, other roles such as interstellar piloting, civilian spaceship command and various roles to do with colonial oversight have yet to be fit into one of Unathi society’s well-defined boxes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Changing Gender&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Most Unathi will live in the gender of their work for their entire lives. However, the nature of Unathi gender roles mean that changing one’s gender is fairly common in Unathi society, especially among nobles who may find themselves in a wide number of roles during their lives. It is not uncommon for rulers identifying as female to present as male during wartime, for instance, or for rulers identifying as male to present as a fisher when investing heavily in developing their lands.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the modern age this has become more common among non-nobles, as common Unathi find themselves with a greater degree of social mobility. Many who would have lived and died as fishers find themselves seeking out battle and becoming warriors, or enrolling at institutions such as the [[Unathi_Educational_Institutions#Skalamar_University_of_Medicine|Skalamar University of Medicine]] and identifying themselves as healers. The act of changing one’s gender is, in most Unathi societies, a religious one. In the [[Izweski Heartland]] and other majority Sk’akh regions, these affairs are handled by the Church, while other faiths have their own approaches to it. For Unathi outside the Hegemony, such as those in Biesel or Dominia, less of a spiritual significance tends to be placed on the transition, being treated as more of a personal and private affair.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Traditional Greetings&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A custom often misunderstood by foreigners, traditional greetings are both a way for Unathi to politely greet each other, but also to begin introductions without even saying a word. This tradition dates back to some time in the late first Hegemony, though the greetings themselves had much different forms and uses back then.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In essence, these greetings are done by wordlessly bowing before another, doing so in a specific manner, depending on the Unathi in question&#039;s gender. Doing so is not only polite, if not a show of respect, but also a way for a sinta to present their gender, and by extent the kind of path they have taken in their life.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;The Warrior&#039;s Greeting&#039;&#039; is done by bowing until one would look straight to the floor, while putting a fist on their heart. The legs must remain straight and back curve as little as possible during the entire greeting, lest the Unathi in question be mocked for going a &amp;quot;wounded Warrior&#039;s greeting&amp;quot;, a situation many have faced on their first Warrior&#039;s Greeting. Signifying trust and respect, it is generally considered an honor to be greeted in such way by prestigious warriors, Kataphracts and veterans.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;The Healer&#039;s Greeting&#039;&#039; would have one bow by bending the knees, hunching forward a little with open arms until their claws and horns (frills, crest, or the top of their skull in the case of absence of such) are at roughly the same height. Some can take the greeting a little further, by crossing their legs slightly, bowing deeper, though such a move is generally kept to greet those worthy of great respect. It signifies openness, warmth and vulnerability.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Finally, through &#039;&#039;the Fishers Greeting&#039;&#039;, one would bow by crossing their arms behind their back, bowing with their back, while keeping their gaze at the other person. Signifies listening and understanding, and though seen by many as the easiest of the greetings to achieve, it is not considered lesser than the other two, but rather, a show of the beauty and value of simplicity.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Traditional greetings are not always done with non-Unathi, generally because of their lack of understanding, some sinta choosing to not bother at all. One can also find slight variations to these traditional greetings abroad, in Dominia for instance, where the [[Unathi_in_Dominia|Kazhkz-Han&#039;san]] can be found calling these greetings the &amp;quot;Soldier&#039;s&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;Scholar&#039;s&amp;quot;, and &amp;quot;Artisan&#039;s Greeting&amp;quot; instead, in a mix of Moghesian and Morozian culture.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Outside the Gender Trinary&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In every society, there are those who do not conform to expectations, and the same is true among Unathi. Following the Contact War, many Unathi have challenged the ancient structures of gender that bind their species, seeking to separate their work from their own identification. The first female Kataphract, the Lady H’zala was appointed in 2459, one of the first public examples of a non-warrior permitted in such a strongly gendered role. In the Queendom of Szek-Hakh, the ordinary structures of gender are largely reversed as most of the fighting is done by women - while some present as warriors to the world, most continue to identify themselves as healers. While this is done out of practicality, with most of the realm’s men having perished in the Contact War, it is still viewed as a dramatic aberration from the norm. Abroad, some Unathi have found themselves adopting more human conceptions of gender as something that a person is, rather than something that they do, and choose to present as a gender that does not match their occupation - whether one which matches their sex, or simply based on personal preference.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Many have decried this as alien confusion and an erosion of Sinta tradition, while others welcome or simply do not pay mind to it. Gender is a spiritual matter, after all, and the priests and shamans have yet to come to a definite conclusion about these changing matters. How this will impact Unathi society, built around the strict gender trinary for centuries, remains to be seen.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Gender and Aliens&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To many Unathi, human conceptions of gender are confusing, seemingly arbitrary and without reason. While decades of contact between the two species has helped for better understanding of this, both tend to view the other society’s ideas of gender as strange. Unathi, particularly those less-accustomed to working with aliens, will often gender non-Unathi based on their profession rather than any outward signs, and will find being corrected on this matter particularly confusing. For aliens which lack a concept of gender altogether such as [[Skrell]], [[Vaurca|Vaurcae]] or [[Dionae]], this is generally less of an issue.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On [[Ouerea]], a general understanding has been reached as to human concepts of gender, with the Unathi population coming to understand their alien neighbors’ views. Some of these views have been adopted among the Unathi population, with Archpriest Azente of the Sk’akh Church holding in the belief that an Unathi can do the work of one gender while identifying as another, which has caused him to be labelled as a radical among his fellows. Generally speaking, Skrell on Ouerea do not seem to have any particular trouble assimilating to Unathi notions of gender, though the reasoning behind it can often be confusing to them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Some Diona gestalts which have primarily learned from Unathi - such as those living in the Izweski Hegemony, or among the pirates of the Tarwa Conglomerate - have adopted their own interpretation of Unathi gender. Some more organized gestalts tend to gender their individual nymphs based on the role they play in the whole, while others have developed their own codes of behavior similar to those practiced in Unathi society. More information about them can be found [[Moghresian Dionae|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Most [[Unathi in Dominia|Dominian Unathi]] have, at least in practice, adopted the human model. Though most were born and raised on Moghes and held (perhaps still hold) traditional views, most Unathi choose to adapt to the local Imperial culture for similar reasons as converting to the [[Moroz Holy Tribunal|Holy Tribunal]] - that not respecting the customs and culture of their new home would be dishonorable to those who had welcomed them. Some, particularly among the Han’san and the older Unathi population, do not forget about traditional understandings of gender, still living much as they would on Moghes. To the humans of Dominia, this is largely written off as another alien curiosity of the Unathi, though those who spend more time with them may come to a better understanding of their ways. The newer generations of Unathi born on Imperial soil, however, are generally much more familiar with human ideas of gender than Unathi ones.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Corruption within the Gender Culture ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div style=&amp;quot;font-size:105%; border:2px solid white; margin:0; background:white; padding:.1em; color:black;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While seen from the outside as a relatively progressive development, the fluidity of Unathi gender roles combined with the rigid feudal hierarchy of noble lords and clan leadership presents a wide variety of opportunities for exploitation and abuse. These vary in measure, legally and morally, and if pressed those within positions of power will publicly denounce such practices as dishonorable. However, it’s an open secret that a significant number of the ruling class use these tactics to a greater or lesser degree to ensure their dynasties and interests are protected. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Heirs and Succession&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Arguably one of the most crucial considerations of any noble lord or clan leader, the designation of an heir demands intervention when the current candidate is unwanted or unfavorable. The means by which this is accomplished vary from region to region, but leverage of gender is a widely adopted tactic.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In areas under Izweski rule, succession is patriarchal and the eldest warrior (male) child is traditionally designated heir apparent. Should the natural choice be undesirable it is a common though unspoken practice to cultivate a preferred alternative. If the distinction is made early enough in life, clan heads will attempt to remove older children from succession by enrolling them in education and apprenticeships for healers and fishers. Betrothal contracts can also be drafted which misgender, or pre-gender, a child. Often in negotiation of these matches, care is taken to ensure the other clan’s name is taken and rights of inheritance are explicitly waived. Objection by the child or refusal to uphold the betrothal can be punishable by exile, leaving them few options.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
:If the desired heir does not show sufficient martial prowess, clan leaders can hire combat mentors and may stage public duels where the outcome is predetermined. The opponents in these matches are skilled actors as much as they are combatants, and will shout, bluster, and make oaths to the Warrior and their ancestors before the fight begins to enhance the drama and importance of the duel. They can then expertly claim a believable defeat from even the most inept novice. The most talented of these actors, unofficially referred to as &#039;&#039;hoax-hides&#039;&#039;, are well known in certain noble circles and are paid handsomely for their craft and discretion, and will avoid working in one location for too long to prevent being exposed.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In predominantly Sk’akh regions, legal authority over one’s recognized gender is regulated by the Church. Less scrupulous priests can be bought or persuaded to induce or prevent a change of gender. Some exceptionally lazy or cruel clan leaders will simply fabricate a reason to mark a child as guwandi, stripping them of their clan and gender, and sentence them to exile. This can have unintended consequences however, as the action can be contested within the jurisdiction of the Clan&#039;s local Lord and harsh penalties are imposed for cases in which it can be proven the exile was baseless.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In rural or Th’akhish regions like Tza’ax, where the realities of clan survival often take precedence over custom, succession is tied less to gender and more with ensuring healthy children and a robust, able-bodied family. Yet even though harsher, rural life creates greater consequences for meddling in succession, there are still those who will risk much to improve their standing. Leadership typically passes to elder warriors unless they are deemed unfit. If a proposed heir’s existing or planed union would be unlikely to produce offspring then they will often be passed over for a more favorable candidate. A common tactic is to raise concerns regarding an heir’s ability to protect their clan or cast doubt on their health or virility. More recently, there have been recorded examples of unwelcome heirs being assigned to patrols in the wastes in hopes that exposure and radiation will lead to clear signs of weakness and that they might be removed from possible consideration. These schemes are not only dishonorable but also detrimental to the health of the clan and are punished harshly if discovered.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A number of Unathi communities that are technically no longer part of the Hegemony still cling to a hierarchical clan structure and the succession of leadership will sometimes be decided by traditional methods. Some details may differ, but it is not uncommon to see similar tactics as those in the Hegemony used to influence succession and other clan decisions. &lt;br /&gt;
*In the Queendom of Sez-Hakh, for example, succession is matriarchal and falls to the eldest healer (female) child. Due to the necessities of survival after the Contact War the lines separating genders have blurred significantly but abuse of gender culture still occurs. Though aging, Queen Lazak still rules with considerable power and her wishes are reflected in the attitudes of the ruling ladies. Stigma against warrior (male) rule continues to linger and advocates of greater warrior influence are quietly stifled.&lt;br /&gt;
*Communities that have more exposure to human influence tend to allow for all three genders in the rules of succession and gaming the system in these instances requires more finesse. For instance, it&#039;s generally accepted that a warrior is the preferred clan leader during wartime. If a clan leader wished for their warrior child to succeed them, they may initiate a clan war or blood feud prior to stepping down and allowing their warrior children to ascend. The reverse can also be true, and a clan leader might reach out to rivals to begin talks of reconciliation before stepping aside for healer or fisher claimants.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Contracts and Customary Law&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The deep ties gender has within Unathite culture can also be exploited when resolving contracts and disputes. Often this can take the form of discrediting someone’s suitability for a job, an inferred inability to complete work, and breaches of contract where gender is pertinent. Contract manipulation is common and Mazjivsa scribes are customarily retained to ensure proper resolution where possible. They are familiar with popular ploys to either nullify contracts or collect compensation for failure to fulfill obligations and other violations.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One particularly infamous case is widely taught to new scribes during apprenticeship; a contract was created to provide a lord with twenty skilled fishers (engineers) for the construction of new perimeter walls around his compound. Once the crucial process of sinking the foundations and construction of the lower levels was done, progress on the project began to slow and then cease as the fishers were constantly arguing, accusing one another of sabotaging their work, insulting their clan, and myriad other minor slights which climaxed in a spontaneous battle; one worker dead, and two with serious injuries. The lord claimed “they were clearly better suited to spears than tools,” and demanded that the contract be nullified and that half of what he paid be returned in addition to punitive payments stipulated in the contract for the breach. Initially the restitutions were made and the construction of the walls was finished by the lord’s own specialists. It wasn’t until later when a Zo’kaa investigated the incident that the funds were returned and the Lord’s involvement was made known. Under contract from the construction guild, the Zo’kaa uncovered the reason for the change in the fishers’ attitude; an agent, part of the twenty fishers from the guild, had been paid to bring the workers under scrutiny. Once work on the base of the walls was complete, the rest was markedly simpler and cheaper. The lord would have paid less than half the agreed upon amount in the end. Diligent scribes will formalize contract specific processes to resolve potential gender related breaches but this relies on the skill of the scribe hired and is by no means a complete solution.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Other examples of contract manipulation include marriage and betrothal contracts. These contracts often stipulate the genders of the couple and allowances made for surrogates of children, the “Marriage Price”, and additional considerations. If the gender of one party shifts, either naturally or by design, the contract can be nullified and recompense paid.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Mazjivsa Manipulation&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
These scribes, predominantly fishers, are trained to provide counsel in matters of contract negotiation and resolution. Since the collapse of the Mazjivsa guild and the removal of its oversight, some unathi declare themselves Mazjivsa without the proper training and are exiled if discovered. This precarious position can be exploited, and some scribes will find their gender scrutinized if someone stands to gain from the lack of their guidance and expertise.&lt;br /&gt;
A well-known example of this occurred in Skalamar, 2466; a Mazjivsa of clan T’szel was contracted to review agreements made between a local lord and his client. He would not be bought and so the lord began claiming T’szel was an illegitimate scribe and fraud. Enraged, the Mazjivsa demanded a duel so that he might defend his honor. Surprisingly, he was able to draw first blood against one of the lord’s sons, but his victory was used as proof that he was more warrior than fisher. The lord succeeded in having him removed from the contract negotiation, although he was spared exile.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Marriage and Relationships ===&lt;br /&gt;
Relationships for Unathi hinge on responsibility for both involved as most marriages before the Contact War relied on clan leaders arranging marriages to secure alliances. &#039;Dating&#039; has only recently been available to young Unathi and is a foreign concept to most above their late-20&#039;s in age. A Unathi trying to ignore the ritual of arranged marriage is a great insult to both clans involved, which at worst could lead to a blood feud or war. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Clan alliances are formed when two clan leaders mutually decide upon two Unathi to marry and, depending on who is chosen, certain gifts are expected to be bestowed on the allied clans. When the marriage is proposed, a discussion about which Clan Name will be taken arises. This is done through a form of &#039;bidding war&#039;, where one clan must &amp;quot;buy&amp;quot; the right to keeping the name over the other by giving money or resources to the other clan. Marriages may sometimes end up canceled due to both sides refusing to give up their clan name, and in the worst cases, it has led to duels or even wars fought over who has the right to keep the titles.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Surrogates can be called upon for a marriage that cannot fulfill their duty to have children; however, they must be from a member of one of the Clans. Upon the hatching of a hatchling, the expectation most often is that husbands will raise the boys, and wives will raise the girls. If there is only a husband or wife, more traditional Sk&#039;akh families will choose to have another Clan member raise the hatchling up through their expected path.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Same-gender relationships and marriages are largely accepted, with little cultural or religious stigma against them. In more isolated rural clans or among Wastelanders, however, unions that cannot produce hatchlings are often strongly discouraged, particularly under the doctrine of the Si&#039;akh faith. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion and Spirituality ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While various faiths exist on Moghes, many of which are as old as any other, there are two major religions of the Unathi that pervade nearly every aspect of their lives. Th&#039;akh and Sk&#039;akh, both of which predominately focus on ancestor worship and connections with the spirit world.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Th&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
The most pervasive and common religion amongst Unathi. It dates back even before the First Hegemony and, as a byproduct of Unathi stubbornness, has remained central to Unathi spiritualism. The basic concept of Th&#039;akh is that all the spirits of past Unathi now reside in the spirit world that exists in tandem with the material world. These spirits exist in objects and nature - bringing either good luck or sorrow. Particularly nasty natural disasters were often attributed to particularly strong groups of spiteful spirits influencing events in the material world. Th&#039;akh, due to its widespread pervasiveness, has a multitude of forms: ancestor veneration, polytheism (worshipping groups of specific and powerful spirits), and almost witch-like spiritualism are just some of the denominations found among this religion. However, Th&#039;akh almost always has the same group of tenets, which can be found [[Th&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sk&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
The second most common religion, which is followed mostly by Unathi from the Izweski Nation, and enjoys a status as its unofficial state religion. It still follows the ancestor worship of Th&#039;akh, but with a major notable difference: the spirits of all Unathi who die become part of Sk&#039;akh, the Great Spirit. Sk&#039;akh is a gender-neutral God, being called &#039;he&#039; or &#039;she&#039; interchangeably to represent that Ska&#039;kh is a collection of all Unathi. She is often called Three of One because the spirits combine into three minor aspects that are all part of Ska&#039;kh: the Warrior, the Healer, the Fisherman. These three spirits are personifications of the most important aspects of Unathi society. It is said that all three are equally important and that disasters are caused by an imbalance in the Great Three. Priests often stress the importance of balance, both in matters of the spirit as well as in society and personal life. Sk&#039;akh&#039;s dogmatic doctrine can be found [[Sk&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Aut&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
Emerging from the hatred of former warriors, the Aut&#039;akh are a cultish offshoot of Th&#039;akh, comprised of cybernetic-augmented Unathi. They argue the flesh is weak, and something new must be sculpted in its place to strengthen the mind. In the relative safety of their communes scattered across various towns, planets, and systems, they know a rough life, but one easier and more spiritual than those of the cities, they believe. The Aut&#039;akh have yet to truly attain their perfect leaderless society, as their own supposedly-defeated prejudice still runs in quiet circles within communes; meanwhile, society often rebukes and ridicules these fanatical trans-speciests. Their lives are gently guided by the shamans or &amp;quot;paradigms,&amp;quot; which act as the religious advisors and sometimes too the biomechanical engineers of these communes. Aut&#039;akh preach the Contact War was the result of sinta being so consumed by the demons within them that they brought the world to ruin, and all powers, whether that of a government, major religion, or corporation, are inherently corrupt due to the influence of evil spirits. The heathen&#039;s lifestyle and struggles can be found [[Aut&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Aut&#039;akh, due to their radical views on unathi society and society as a whole, are often associated with anyone who breaks tradition. In light of this, Unathi started to develop behaviors and society learned to hate communes and their denizens.&#039;&#039;&#039; Anyone caught being unfaithful to their spouse, in a non-monogamous relationship, rebuking their clan, having a prosthetic, or even talking about their discontent with the Hegemony or other rulers was accused of being an Aut&#039;akh. The term to most became synonymous with anyone who was a perceived troublemaker or heretic, more so than even Si&#039;akh.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Si&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
Born from the fires of the Contact War, Si&#039;akh is a radical Sk&#039;akh heresy that has rapidly spread across the Wasteland. It is lead by charismatic former Sk&#039;akh priest Juzida Si&#039;akh, who claims to be the Messiah for all Unathi. The doctrine claims the Contact War to have been the Final Judgement for the Unathi species caused by their innate wickedness. He claims that all Unathi that died in the &#039;cleansing fire&#039; of the atomic weapons were given salvation, and all Unathi that survived are damned to remain trapped on the Hell of Moghes unless the species and Moghes are rapidly purified. The movement has come into immediate conflict with the orthodox Sk&#039;akh church due to Si&#039;akh claiming it to be completely illegitimate. Its followers are ruthlessly hunted down by the Maraziite Order and many of its followers are fleeing into human space as they try to find personal salvation. Their doomsday cult has [[Si&#039;akh|strict and ascetic principles]] to help Unathi obtain a chance at salvation.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Moghean Society ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Moghes]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:PostCitiesNamed.png|thumb|A map of Moghes with the cities and seas labelled.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Moghean Unathi are traditional Unathi with the planet being their homeworld. Historically culture varies across clans that exist on the planet, but some customs and norms can be found nearly universally in Unathi society.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It is a social faux pas to use a Unathi&#039;s first name if not family or extremely close to the Unathi in question. Generally, a Unathi will tell someone when they feel comfortable with the person using their first name. It is also distressing to touch their tail or at all before introductions are undertaken. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi place great emphasis on oral traditions. Honor and combat are seen as a man&#039;s realm, and women are not held to the same standards of honor. Women are instead expected to be elegant, learned and regal; while fishers are expected to be industrious, faithful and dedicated.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Outside the formal schools of the Untouched Lands, village and town shamans or priests often remain the only source of education for rural young Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Ouerean Society ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Ouerea]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While the Izweski Unathi of Ouerea follow most of the same social beliefs as their Moghean counterparts, they tend to be less volatile towards outsiders who are ignorant of their customs, especially since their world was formerly ruled by the Skrell and Humans. Their cultures have managed to influence Ouerean Unathi, embedding different cultural norms that are not found elsewhere. There is a focus on individualism and younger Unathi shy away from the usual responsibilities held to Unathi toward their clans. There is still a struggle with a highly stratified society, but things are moderately progressive compared to Moghes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Oureaea Ciites.png|thumb|A map of Ouerea, with cities and major locations labelled.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The original colonists started as patriots to the Izweski Hegemony, but many soon found themselves disillusioned with the distant homeworld tearing itself apart in war. Unathi on Ouerea became enamored with the broad ideals of democracy and finding themselves resentful of their old lives on Moghes. Reintegration into the Hegemony proved difficult as both planets had to reconcile these cultural differences. It still remains a minor division among these Unathi to this day.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ouerean art, in contrast to Moghean pottery and dyed fabrics, has taken on inspiration from Human and Skrell art. Many Ouerean Unathi have become renowned glassmakers and craftsmen. The greater access to Human and Skrell universities, many of which still operate on the planet, also give Ouerean Unathi greater chances to work in Human and Skrell systems. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Non-Izweski Unathi ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi of the Hegemony’s territories — the Izweski Hegemony itself, Ouerea, or any of its many colonies — require consent from their clan Lord to make their way out into the greater galaxy, as listed [[Guide to Citizenship#Izweski_Hegemony|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Those that come from outside of the Hegemony and Dominia usually have no official means of recognized citizenship. Wastelanders, privateers, Guwan, and other Unathi must apply for a work visa where they are traveling in order to reside there. This of course carries risks with it: if a Unathi is seen as being problematic, whether committing crimes and misdemeanors or just not living up to the job they’re working, they may have their visa stripped and end up deported to the Hegemony. The Izweski Hegemony does not explicitly ask for these Unathi, especially seeing how they are usually &#039;undesirable&#039;. As there are no officially recognized governments on Moghes besides the Izweski, however, deported persons get sent there. Guwan and Gawgaryn that manage to make their way out of the system to places such as Biesel will face harsh punishment if this happens, so they are the most incentivized to put on their best outward face.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Unathi Physiognomy ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Khaniazwazi, also known as Unathi Physiognomy to outsiders, is a science dedicated to the study of Unathi physical profiles and the deduction of their character from such things. While certainly not new in Unathi history, it has been going through a rebirth in popularity as more resources have been dedicated to the study of Unathi biology and its appearance, to make up for what was lost with the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The validity of such a science is discussed, even among strictly professional fields, and it is no surprise that many individuals and groups have been using this field as a pretext to discriminate against other Sinta, or as a way to make a quick buck from more naive Unathi. Putting these aside however, there are still many variants of Khaniazwazi being practiced, depending on the area, with different interpretations of physical attributes. Generally, however, Khaniazwazi takes into account scale colouration, horns, frills, crests and facial structure; and in some rarer cases, smaller details such as wrinkles, scars, etcetera.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Politics and Factions ==&lt;br /&gt;
Moghes is divided between the Izweski Hegemony and the hundreds of other Clans and nations who claim their own land across the planet&#039;s surface. The only real difference in their political systems is the scale. Many of these other clans are modern nations or pre-industrial, ruled by various kings or leaders. However, with the expansion of the uninhabitable Wasteland and the brutal decimation Izweski forces committed on foreign leadership, many institutions of non-Hegemonic government across Moghes are rare or extremely fragile.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Moghes_porposal.png|thumb|The flag of the Izweski Hegemony. It is said the flag symbolizes the wildfires that frequented Moghes.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Izweski Hegemony ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Izweski Hegemony]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&#039;&#039;&amp;quot;Honour, fire, burn thy fear.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039; - The ancestral motto of Clan Izweski, circa early 20th century&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Izweski Clan is led by Clan Leader [[Notable_Unathi#Not.27zar_Izweski|&#039;&#039;&#039;Not&#039;zar Izweski&#039;&#039;&#039;]], a Unathi who has ruled the Hegemony since his father S&#039;kresti Izweski, the previous Hegemon, was assassinated by his son and Not&#039;zar&#039;s brother. He lives in the Izweski Citadel in Skalamar, and under him are the Lords who rule their own subjugated clans. They live in a feudal system, with the Lords usually being clan leaders or important clan members themselves who pledge themselves to Izweski in exchange for land and protection.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Hegemon is best thought of being the Emperor, and under him are the Overlords, who are the Kings. Under the Overlords are the Lords, who are then broken up between the Clan Lords, and then the Clan Leaders. Clan Leaders are a mostly ceremonial title and make up (usually) the eldest male ruler of a specific family clan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Not&#039;zar&#039;s father, Hegemon S&#039;kresti Izweski, was originally a strong leader of the Izweski clan. Then, after the death of his eldest son in a shuttle crash, the old Hegemon fell into a deep depression, to the point of becoming comatose in the Izweski citadel. After a succession crisis, Not&#039;zar took his place as the Regent and heir for three years, over that time developing the Hegemony into a stable empire. &lt;br /&gt;
[[Image:Minimap hegemony.png|thumb|A closer image focusing on the factions surrounding the Izweski Hegemony&#039;s territory.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Three years later, the Hegemon awoke and took back to the throne, however on his tour to get reacquainted with everything, he was spurred into madness and cursed by &#039;&#039;&#039;Juzida Si&#039;akh&#039;&#039;&#039; which resulted in a civil war to dispute his claim to the throne. In an attempt to destroy his enemies, the old Hegemon attempted to orbitally bombard an enemy city. To stop this dishonorable act, his third son Z&#039;krazi Izweski the Kinslayer assassinated the Hegemon, and after Not&#039;zar&#039;s victory in the Battle of Three Hills the civil war ended.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Now, Not&#039;zar is the Clan Leader, Overlord of Moghes, and Hegemon of the Izweski Hegemony. Despite his severe physical handicap forcing him to walk with a cane, many noblemen have made him an ally, especially including the Guilds who enjoy his globalist attitude.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Overlords rule an entire planet in the name of the Hegemon. Under them are Lords, who can rule huge tracts of land and multiple cities, or just a single city; there is no distinction between a Count and Duke level of Lordship like in most human feudalism.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
There are two different kinds of major lifestyles in the Izweski Hegemony. There is the city, which is ran by a Lord and a small council of lesser clans. City life is less harsh than life in the country, especially with opportunities provided with shuttle services to the rest of the galaxy. Life in the rural areas is harsher, with cities being rare and life mostly determined by the size of a Clan&#039;s village and how well they can hunt, fish, or in desperate times, raid their neighbors. It&#039;s the traditional Unathi life, made harsher by the growing Wasteland encroaching on once-fertile lands.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Queendom of Szek’Hakh ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&#039;&#039;&amp;quot;Refuse to break.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039; - Pre-Contact War Szek&#039;Hakh clan motto.&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A matriarchal region of roughly twenty thousand set in the Wasteland, led by the elderly &#039;&#039;&#039;Queen Lazak Szek&#039;Hakh&#039;&#039;&#039; and her daughters. In her settlement and a large portion of the region surrounding it, her clan has become the protector of her region known as the &#039;Queendom&#039;. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For those living in the Queendom, the gender roles of Unathi are inverted, and many of its people thusly struggle to find opportunities on Moghes and seek employment in Tau Ceti - with the Queen even making connections with pirates, Dominians, and Tajaran smugglers to get her people safely out of the dangerous Wasteland. The Queen is kind under her witty and straightforward attitude, and despite stereotypes, does not actually hate men.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Szek&#039;Hakh clan&#039;s settlement of &#039;&#039;&#039;Yu&#039;kal&#039;&#039;&#039;, originally headed by the Queen&#039;s husband, was built around a cluster of small lakes and focused on aquaculture. When the Contact War&#039;s nukes wiped out the vast majority of men, they adapted to using women as protectors, while using men to keep house. The widowed Lazak Szek’Hakh convinced the shell-shocked and wounded survivors of her clan that she was the only one capable of ruling during this terrifying time, and had taken control of a sizable region of the Wasteland east of Mudki around Yu&#039;kal. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Szek&#039;Hakh Clan became the leading power in their region following the Contact War. Eventually, Szek’Hakh consolidated control of her clan and the settlement, taking matters of survival into her own hands. As the Wasteland engulfed Yu&#039;kal&#039;s lakes, she coordinated a renovation of aquaculture farms and lead expeditions to bring their highly valuable fish products to the distant surviving city of Mudki. Women took prominent roles in all of these, with the necessities of survival in the harsh wasteland fraying Unathite gender roles. A neighboring nobleman, fearing this rise of powerful women, orchestrated to have her assassinated. In a dramatic confrontation, the assassin was foiled and publicly exiled as a Guwandi, and a mob of angry women stormed the nobleman&#039;s estate to &#039;duel him for his dishonor&#039;. This act put the matriarch in the spotlight, sparking Szek’Hakh’s rapid rise of being named Queen by her people.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Queen Szek’Hakh now leads a struggling wasteland settlement in a precarious situation. The traditional Izweski-leaning Unathi find her position an affront to customs, and she struggles to find allies. She tries to walk a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk’akh Church]], the Izweski, and the Wastelander factions - however she is often too straightforward to get far. Her settlement is primarily Th’akh, and she herself follows the faith. She complies (though unwillingly) with the demands of Izweski representatives to expel the prophet [[Notable Unathi|Si&#039;akh]] from her realm when he enters her settlement in his travels, though she quietly allows members of his traveling flock to rest in secret when they pass through her settlement. For the same, she does not tolerate the cult of the [[Aut&#039;akh]], and her people ruthlessly hunt down their unaugmented proselytizers.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Surviving Kingdoms on Moghes ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Despite the destruction of most of the known world from the [[Contact War]], some desperate survivors managed to weather the storm and remain nominally free of Izweski dominance - either from the Izweski&#039;s weariness for war on Moghes, or arrogant indifference.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While the Izweski are reclaiming the Wasteland, they are ruthlessly uprooting and displacing local cultures in the remaining habitable lands. The Outposts were small, fertile enclaves that survived the Contact War surrounded by the Wasteland. Starting in 2461, Not&#039;zar pushed forward terraforming efforts to expand these green yet hostile oases. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Template:UnathiCustomaryLaw}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Notable Information ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Guwandi ===&lt;br /&gt;
In the event that a Unathi becomes terminally ill, or finds themselves lacking the pride or honor to continue to live, or simply become tired of their existence undergo a ritualistic suicide and take the title of &#039;Guwandi&#039; (which is translated to Gladiator/Galdium). They will give up their possessions to their clan leader and make their journey into the Moghes desert. The only things they keep are their weapons which they use to fight animals or other Unathi so that they may die in honorable combat. In the event that two of these Guwandi meet, they will first draw their weapons and adopt a passive stance, which is followed by them telling each other their stories in turn, as well as the reasons behind their choice of adopting the mantle of &#039;Guwandi&#039; and how they wish their remains to be dealt with. When both sides understand the other, combat will begin with a mutual wish of luck that the more worthy of death lose with pride. The winner of the battle is responsible for taking care of the corpse in the way they were instructed to. Renouncing the deathseeking life of Guwandi isn&#039;t easy. Some may wish to return after having been granted a second outlook, or hope, after they had spent time wandering and risking their life. Their clan may see their decision as cowardly and refuse to accept them, or be overjoyed they had learned a lesson in their time.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Guwandi are not an option on the Horizon,&#039;&#039;&#039; yet may be a way in which a character becomes retired, barring [[Traitor|extreme circumstances]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Guwan ===&lt;br /&gt;
In some cases when a Unathi is exiled from their clan, they do not take up the formal title of Guwandi. This can be through fear of death, unwillingness, or simple stubbornness. In this case, they are marked as &#039;Guwan&#039; by their clan leader, and must take this as their last name. It is a variation on Guwandi, which is translated directly as &#039;exile&#039;. Guwans are clanless Unathi, and form an underclass. Guwans find it difficult if not impossible to advance socially or politically, and in many cases are oppressed or mistreated by other Unathi who view them as troublemakers or criminals. The only way of returning to a clan after banishment as a Guwan is to be adopted back into the Clan, which happens very rarely. &#039;&#039;&#039;To no longer be a Guwan, a Unathi must have an upstanding citizen decide to represent them, and then they must both go to court to explain how the Guwan can return into society under a new clan name, be adopted into another clan, or return to their original clan (at Clan Leader&#039;s acceptance.)&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On August 29th, 2459, the Lord-Regent Not&#039;zar Izweski passed an edict that required clans to send a petition to an imperial court when they want to banish a clan member as a Guwan. The court must side with the petitioning Clan Leader or the Unathi in question is not marked as a Guwan. This has caused backlash as the courts have gained a reputation for being incredibly arbitrary in their decisions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the past, all orphans were automatically Guwan unless they are adopted into a Clan. This changed with yet another edict by Not&#039;zar Izweski in December of 2459, which required all orphans, including adults still connected to their orphanage guild via debts or otherwise without parents, to take on the surname of that orphanage.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
Some Guwans have been forced off of Moghes by their clans with the growing ease of space travel, and NanoTrasen has a long history of exploiting this subgroup of Unathi, coercing them into employment contracts.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Guwans are not permitted to petition their local Lords to express any grievances, and are not permitted to social services provided by private enterprise or state entities. They are not full citizens of the Hegemony but are considered residents, which additionally bares them from many services.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Notably, Guwans are the only social class of Unathi allowed to serve in the personal guard of the Hegemon and his family. The strategy relies on the fact the Guwan Guard are despised and envied by decorated officers that would otherwise serve in traditional guard duties. They are socially isolated and unable to advance politically, which means that their survival depends on the safety of the Hegemon and his family, which means that they wouldn&#039;t try to launch a coup or replace the Hegemon without themselves being slaughtered. Similar to an old-Terran Janissary, they&#039;re a slave soldier, and unable to have children or hold any sort of political or military position.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
If a Unathi is the last of their clan, or is otherwise estranged with no one to declare them Guwan, then they may still find themselves challenged by other rival clans who lay claim to this Unathi&#039;s land, titles, inheritance, or name. If they are unable or unwilling to defend their claims (which would involve lengthy court trials on Moghes) then they would be stripped of them and declared Guwan. This means that a Unathi hiding in human space can still be named Guwan if their past, or rivals, catch up with them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Guwans are exclusively a criminal or otherwise dishonorable untouchable class, and it takes a lot to be labelled as one. Because playing a Guwan means you are opting in to being discriminated against by others, a Guwan filing an incident report for anything less than physical assault is a whitelist issue.&#039;&#039;&#039; When in doubt, speak to the Maintainer first.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Orphans and Orphanage Guilds ===&lt;br /&gt;
Orphans in the Hegemony in the past were all labelled as Guwans, but an edict by Not&#039;zar Izweski in December of 2459 changed all that. Hatchlings, child, and teenage Unathi without parents are put in the care of one of the many orphanage guilds on Moghes. These are private run guilds with little to no government oversight. While they fulfill a necessary social service in caring for Unathi that would otherwise be on the streets, orphanage guilds in the Hegemony are incredibly exploitative. Unknown to the children the guilds track all the expenses and charge their wards throughout their life until they turn 17, when they are presented with the bill and are forced to work to repay the crippling debt, and many can be trapped by the fact that their debt would fall on any prospective parents.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Two of these guilds have expanded into large corporations that have found a lucrative method of gaining money from their wards. The &#039;&#039;&#039;Gukuzan&#039;&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;&#039;Kuhwinla&#039;&#039;&#039; Guilds coerce or persuade their wards to accepts contracts for megacorporations, particularly [[Hephaestus Industries]], if they reach adulthood without being adopted. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Gukuzan&#039;&#039;&#039; clan is lead by a Priest Kiazoi, and he ensures that those that enter the care of his guild are given a proper religious education and instilled with the values of the church. Children raised by the Gukuzan are also taught valuable lessons in obedience and the importance of duty and respect to their betters. Its wards are moderately well-off and treated well, but the comforts of a happy childhood in the orphanage is rather soured by the fact everything from bedding, food, and even air conditioning are things each child has added to their growing debt. Gukuzan orphanages are scattered across Moghes and there are three on [[Ouerea]]. They are all exclusively managed by a priest on the payroll of the Gukuzan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Kuhwinla&#039;&#039;&#039; clan is lead by Guildmaster Ioaza Kuhwinla, an infamously frugal woman. She refuses to spend any more than she has to on her wards, meaning that those under her care are given the most basic of education. Children raised by her Guild are taught valuable lessons in thrift, obedience, and how to stretch meals to the absolute limit. Its wards are generally barely better than they would be on the street, but they live with a roof over their heads, semi-reliable food, a basic education, and their debt at the end of their life under the Kuhwinla is generally lower than it would be in other orphanages. Kuhwinla orphanages are in nearly every major Unathite city, and they are unique in that they are managed by matriarchs that answer to Ioaza.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;These two surnames are the only ones you may take if you play an orphaned Izweski on the SCCV Horizon!&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Species]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Pages]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Unathi]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=37189</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=37189"/>
		<updated>2025-08-22T16:34:15Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Outdated (Phoron Scarcity)}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Infobox Species&lt;br /&gt;
 |Species = Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Scientific = U. Sapiens / Sinta&#039;Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Image = Unathi410x320.png&lt;br /&gt;
 |System = [[Uueoa-Esa]]&lt;br /&gt;
 |World = [[Moghes]]&lt;br /&gt;
 |Language = Sinta&#039;Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Politic = [[Izweski Hegemony]]&lt;br /&gt;
 }}&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Unathi&#039;&#039;&#039; (direct plural: Unathi – You-NAWH-thee both singular and multiple) (adjective: Unathite - You-NAWH-thit) are a race of tall humanoid reptiles standing from six to seven feet tall on average, with females slightly smaller in stature. They possess a mixture of snake-like and crocodile-like features, resulting in hard and plate-like scales. Unathi live in their home system of Uueoa-Esa with their homeworld being [[Moghes]]. The planet&#039;s history can be summarized as being divided up between various Hegemonies, names they give the most powerful Clans on Moghes throughout time. The Clan system is deeply entrenched in Unathi society with everything else revolving around it. It forms a major part of their code of honor, which stresses the importance of martial abilities and loyalty to the Clan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Unathivillage.png|thumb|alt=Unathi.|Life outside the Untouched Lands remains harsh, with limited or nonexistent Hephaestus presence.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Religion and spirituality play a major role in a Unathi society, and religious differences are the main dividing factor. Conflict between the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and the various [[Th&#039;akh]] faiths of Moghes, as well as the various [[Aut&#039;akh|communes]] and [[Si&#039;akh|cults]], have caused conflict and wars between the Izweski Hegemony and the kingdoms that eventually comprised the Traditionalist Coalition. This conflict hit a peak when they entered the intergalactic stage, which is now known as the [[Contact War]]. After this conflict, some Unathi fled the planet through Hephaestus or NanoTrasen shuttle ports. Unathi fleeing to megacorporations like NanoTrasen find themselves working in security and engineering roles, but recently many have been proving themselves as competent surgeons and brilliant scientists, earning opportunities that Moghes would deny them because of its strict feudal hierarchy. However, others are slipping through the cracks and becoming slavers, raiders, or pirates. As the ability for spaceship construction increases in the Unathi home system, so too does space piracy and smuggling.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Moghes has two different biomes after the Contact War. The fertile Untouched Lands with its great jungles, vast swamps, and lush forests; all of which are protected by massive terraforming equipment kept secure by the Hegemony&#039;s wealth and power. Contrast to that are the bombarded Wasteland kingdoms in the ashes of plains and forests, burnt into a massive planet-spanning desert rampant with [[The_Wasteland#Clan_.22Gawgaryn.22_-_The_Punished_Clans|punished kingdoms raiding to survive]] and [[The_Wasteland#The_Reclaimers|part scavengers living in cities on treads]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To apply to be Unathi, apply [http://aurorastation.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=28 here].&lt;br /&gt;
{{TOC Hidden}}&lt;br /&gt;
== Heads of Staff ==&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi can be the following Heads of Staff:&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Head of Security]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Chief Medical Officer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Research Director]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Chief Engineer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Operations Manager]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Corporate Liaison|Consular Officer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Corporate Liaison]] - [[NanoTrasen]], [[Hephaestus Industries]], [[Zavodskoi Interstellar]] ([[Unathi in Dominia|Dominian Unathi]] only), [[Private Military Contracting Group]] (Dagamuir Freewater Private Forces only), [[Orion Express]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The following groups &#039;&#039;&#039;cannot&#039;&#039;&#039; be Heads of Staff: [[Aut&#039;akh]], Guwan, and Gawgaryn of [[The Wasteland]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Due to their criminal backgrounds, the following groups &#039;&#039;&#039;cannot&#039;&#039;&#039; be played in the Security department: Guwan and Gawgaryn of [[The Wasteland]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Outside of consular officers, command characters should not be of the same clan as any notable lords of the Hegemony. The most prominent clans, such as those of Overlords and the Hegemon himself, are off-limits for command.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Megacorporate Relations===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to 2465, Moghean Unathi that were not members of trade guilds were almost exclusively employed with [[Hephaestus Industries]]. Unathi with guild memberships would primarily take contracts with [[NanoTrasen]] or [[Orion Express]], depending on their career choice. [[Unathi in Dominia|Unathi living in Dominia]], like most of their countrymen, seek employment with [[Zavodskoi Interstellar]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
After the Merchant&#039;s Guild declared bankruptcy, Hephaestus Industries bailed out all Hegemonic guilds and reorganised them under the banner of the company. Since then, nearly all residents of Moghes are employed by Hephaestus in some way. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Mechanics ==&lt;br /&gt;
Mechanical differences from humans and unique emotes listed below:&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Passive&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi are coldblooded which allows slightly improved heat resistance, but increased sensitivity to cold.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi have claws, which slash and improve unarmed melee attacks.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi are incapable of easily digesting alcohol, and ethanol is considered toxic to them.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can only drink alcohol from drinks with butanol instead of ethanol. Butanol gets them drunk similar to ethanol but has no effect on other species.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi get no nutrients from eating fruits and vegetables. They need meat to fill their hunger.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can safely eat carp and consume carpotoxin.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi have the fastest sprint available to any species, but they have low stamina, meaning they can only sprint in short bursts. They also are slower than most other species.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Active Abilities&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can devour monkeys, rats, spiders, carp, and other small mobs by clicking and dragging from the mob to themselves. The animal must hold still for it to work.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi hiss when speaking Tau Ceti Basic. You achieve this by typing multiple s&#039;s during speech. This can also be pronounced through x&#039;s if their accent is thick. &amp;quot;Thisss issss an ekssample.&amp;quot;  You can also &#039;&#039;&#039;Toggle-Auto-Hiss&#039;&#039;&#039; to do this for you.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can sample the air with their tongue.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unique audible emotes: *hiss, *hiss2, *bellow.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Biology ==&lt;br /&gt;
Their average life expectancy is around sixty years for most Unathi. However, they tend to live for well past sixty years when given advanced medical care available to the other space-faring species. As a cold-blooded species, they suffer fatigue and even short comas when exposed to extremely low temperatures.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Humans and Unathi share a lot of similar internal biology with some notable exceptions. Since they are a carnivorous species, their diet mostly consists of meat and animal products, though they do have a tolerance to some plants and fruits. While Unathi do receive minor benefits for eating certain fruits, they do not get any nutrition from plants. Due to their carnivorous nature, they also have an increased stomach capacity to help eat larger meals at a time. The typical Unathi usually only eats one meal a day, and for the poorer sinta, perhaps once every two days. They tend towards lethargic and sluggish movements more often than not because of their evolutionary history, so they move slower than most organic species. However, the cyclical period of work for Unathi compared to other species is much faster. Unathi are polyphasic sleepers: creatures that sleep in shorter naps rather than at one time during the night. While they tend towards sluggishness, sinta are often capable of incredible bursts of energy and speed, and their ability to work in three or four hour periods of time compensates for their more sporadic schedules.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The reproductive system of a Sinta&#039;Unathi is very similar to that of Earth reptiles. Females lay eggs, with the average clutch being somewhere between one and three. They have a six-month gestation period, after which they are laid in a humid, warm area. After two months, the fetus is fully developed and hatches from the egg. Unathi are born with their claws and the ability to walk within hours of hatching. A Sinta&#039;Unathi is considered an adult when they are 16 years old.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Physical Appearance ===&lt;br /&gt;
The Unathi as a species show a great deal of variation within body types as well as clusters of smaller physical traits passed down through clans. Facial and body features range in size and shape with some having raptor-like aesthetics, serpentine looks, or a more draconic body. Tail length is often genetic; conversely, tail girth is defined by a Unathi&#039;s diet as it stores most of the body&#039;s fat— nobles grow some of the largest tails.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi scales are somewhat tougher than human skin, though they shed off sporadically rather than all at once. More vulnerable and hidden spots, such as the stomach and waist, the backs of joints, and inner thighs are all leathery skin and aren&#039;t covered in scales.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The typical healthy adult male Unathi weighs roughly 280 pounds. Female sinta differ from males as they generally have a shorter and more rounded snout. The typical healthy Unathi female weighs roughly 250 pounds. Female Unathi grow to about 5&#039;9&amp;quot; to 6&#039;8, while male Unathi grow to about 6&#039;0&amp;quot; to 7&#039;0&amp;quot;. Unusual heights tend to be smaller in scale, as the taller a Unathi is, the more likely it will be marred with health problems and not live as long as others.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Both sexes stand on digitigrade legs, with three toes on each foot and a hooked dewclaw, and have clawed feet and hands. They also have very long tongues, typically black or extremely dark red in color, which may stretch up to a foot and a half long and are forked just like a serpent&#039;s. In much the same manner as snakes, Unathi can sample the air around them using their tongue. They blink and have tear ducts similar to humans.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi horns do not naturally regrow, and serious damage tends to remain permanent. Ancient recipes using native herbs known as &amp;quot;horn paste&amp;quot; are commonly made and sold by herbalists and can counter cosmetic scratches or minor chipping. More modern synthetic Horn Gel (based on Bone Gel), developed largely by [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]], can regenerate an entire lost horn, but it tends to be stratified to the upper classes and noblemen due to cost.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Lizards.png|thumb|Body dimorphism in Unathi.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Colouration ====&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi are also often born into one of four major scale colour categories: red, black, orange-brown and &amp;quot;sand-colored&amp;quot;, and green. Alternative colours are rare, with dark blue and even albino Unathi being reported in very small numbers. Albinos are sometimes slightly tinted in colour while remaining predominantly white. Traditionally these off-coloured Unathi are met with prejudice, though some clans outside the Izweski may feel different.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It has been noticed that scale colourations were more represented in some areas than other, and thus, many shades of these colours were, in Unathi culture, named after the places they tend to be seen in more often, in many cases.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*Modern red-coloured Unathi are thought to originate from a large nomadic clan that settled South of the Moghresian Sea around modern Skalamar. Nowadays, red-scaled Sinta tend to be seen on the entire Southern coast of the Moghresian Sea and the mountain ranges near it.&lt;br /&gt;
*Today’s green-coloured Unathi hail from the Southern side of the Moghresian sea, and they are seen more often throughout this side of the coast and down to the colder lands even further South. Surprisingly, there is also a large batch of green-coloured Unathi located around Sahl lake, indicating that an old nomadic clan of mostly green Sinta settled there centuries ago.&lt;br /&gt;
*Orange-brown and sand-yellow Unathi comprises a wide range of colours. They are a more common colour to be seen in a large area, and it is believed that their origins come from displacement in ancient conflicts that forced them to migrate and find new homelands. More precisely, Unathi harbouring such colours tend to be more represented in a large area defined between Darakath, Bahard, Mudki, and Yu’kal.&lt;br /&gt;
*Black or “dark-scaled’ Unathi do not seem to originate from any precise area, and instead, tend to be more often seen around colder areas of Moghes, both North and South. A popular theory is that black scales are actually a consequence of exposure to the cold for generations— something that has yet to be proven.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
All colours, barring albino, do not mix; if a brown Unathi and a light red Unathi have a child, the red scales the child has might be a little darker, but the colours do not blend to make something new.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Colour ranges&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Due to the modernization of Moghes as well as the emigration and population displacement from the Contact War, Unathi of any colour can be found nearly anywhere on Moghes. Of course, they are more common in some areas rather than others.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Below are some examples of Unathi scale colour ranges. These cover a majority of the colors; while some deviances from these are normal, there are no neon or pink colors among Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{| align:Center&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
!Usual Unathi colour ranges:&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Green.png|200px|thumb|left|Green colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Brown.png|200px|thumb|left|Brown-orange / sand-yellow colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Red.png|200px|thumb|left|Red colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Black.png|200px|thumb|left|Black colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
{| align:Center&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
!Unusual Unathi colour ranges:&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_white.png|200px|thumb|left|Albino colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Blue.png|200px|thumb|left|Blue colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Green:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Razir Moss:&#039;&#039; RGB 27, 50, 27 / Hex #1B321B&lt;br /&gt;
*An unusually dark shade of green, but certainly not the only one, Unathi from Razir and its surrounding areas tend to have this scale colouration more often than not. As the name suggests, it is quite comparable in colour to the unique moss that tends to grow on rocks and buildings on the Southern coast of the Moghresian sea. The moss was heavily used by healers in the past, as its spongy nature allows to quickly stop bleeding, and its composition can also help in dealing with infection, or at least, limit their spread, until proper medicine can be found, properties that are quite appreciated in a time like the post-Contact-War era, where shortages, of medicine among other things, aren’t so rare depending on the location. Due to its ties with healing, some of the more traditional Unathi tend to see Unathi with such a scale colouration as more feminine.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Sen Emerald:&#039;&#039; RGB 31, 95, 31 / Hex #1F5F1F&lt;br /&gt;
*Considering the name, and the overall concentration of Unathi in the region, it is assumed that those bearing such colouration came from the now-broken city of Sen. Records of where the name comes from exactly has been lost after the Contact War, but theories still exist with recent finds. The reclaimer clan Kikata, operating a landcrawler by the torn cities, on the western coast of the Moghresian sea, noticed several collapsed mines next to what they assumed used to be villages, and in them, among many other minerals, unique green gems. As word has started to spread, many Sinta are now assuming that Sen Emerald refers to these gems.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Teht Mint:&#039;&#039; RGB 85, 149, 85 / Hex #559555&lt;br /&gt;
*Teht Mint is one of the many crops that (nearly) disappeared after the Contact War and its nuclear fallout. As Teht mostly made its fortune from fishing, nearby villages housed the few clans in all of Moghes talented enough to properly harvest the plant, and who kept such a knowledge secret to all of their own. Used as expensive seasoning by only the wealthiest Nobles in the region, these clans, and their village, quickly made a fortune, then came the Contact war. While the city of Teth was spared by the bombing, the many villages around it that didn’t get outright razed by the nukes were abandonned, as their main source of income, the harvesting of the mint, was soon enough gone and made life there unsustainable, leaving only handful of seeds, currently preserved in Teth’s palace in hopes that they may be planted into proper soil another day. In any case, the name “Teht Mint” persist as a way to call the Sintas bearing a light green scale colour that tends to be seen in the area.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Sahl Green:&#039;&#039; RGB 56, 126, 86 / Hex #387E56&lt;br /&gt;
*Lake Sahl, among many other things, was renowned for the unique algae that used to grow in within it, giving it, when the floor was shallow enough, a green-ish tint, something that many local fishers used to call “Sahl’s green halo”. Like many things, these algae died after the Contact War, and the poisoning of the lake due to the ensuing nuclear fallout. Many of the older locals that still remember their time spent fishing in the lake, however, have been continuing to call Unathi living around the lake, bearing a unique shade of green, “Sahl Green”.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Orange-Brown / Sand Coloured:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Mudki Stone:&#039;&#039; RGB 98, 84, 65 / Hex #625441&lt;br /&gt;
*The mountainous city of Mudki has been build with the rocks of the very mountains it stands on and between. These rocks exhibit a strange propriety due to their unique composition, something only found in the area, as, when wet, the usually light-grey, or tan stone, turns to a pale-brown. While a small-scaled group of geologists was dispatched to explain the phenomenon, the researches were cut short by the outbreak of the Contact War, and by now, most Sinta simply have their own explanation, from more science-based ones, to some more related to faith. In any case, people have taken to naming the many Sinta bearing light brown scale colouration, around the area, “Mudki Stone”, and some older, more superstitious inhabitants of Mudki and its surroundings claim that these Unathi can, like the stone, change colour…&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Yu&#039;kal Soil:&#039;&#039; RGB 92, 66, 32 / Hex #5C4220&lt;br /&gt;
*Yu’kal, while far from any of the main lakes or seas of Moghes, was a city that known for its people’s work in aquaculture in smaller bodies of water, natural or, later on, artificial, something that nearby smaller settlements also picked up. While the Contact War and its consequences put an end to such a business, many in the Queendom still remember this time, and how the soil turned damp and darkened from the how humid it could get in some places… Something that led to the naming of the colouration that many of the local Unathi bear, similar shades of brown, “Yu’kal Soil”.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Darakath Brown:&#039;&#039; RGB 158, 116, 60 / Hex #9E743C&lt;br /&gt;
*Darakath Brown, also called “Darakath Copper” by the inhabitants of the once proud capital of the Azarak Kingdom, is ,as the name suggests, a scale colouration mostly seen in Darakath and its surroundings. To the more staunch supporters of the Izweski Hegemony, Sintas with this colours are seen as Traditionalists, and by extent, defeated foes… To others, Unathi with such colouration are treated with kindness, if not (legitimate or not) pity, after the sacking of the city by the end of the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Bahard Cream:&#039;&#039; RGB 233, 178, 104 / Hex #E9B268&lt;br /&gt;
*Bahard, before the nuclear exchange, was one of the largest trading hub on Moghes thanks to its central position, making a fortune through trading. Beside this, however, Bahard was also known for the culinary expertise of its people, access to food from all around Moghes being one of the reason behind such a thing. Bahard Cream, originally referred to the a seasoning whose recipe was lost by the end of the Contact War, generally offered to passing traders. It was its unique colour and popularity that led to the locals, and soon enough, the rest of Moghes, to referring to the scale colouration seen so often around the area in such a way.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Red:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Tak Red:&#039;&#039; RGB 128, 62, 62 / Hex #803E3E&lt;br /&gt;
*Tak used to be a city of relatively modest size, before the nuclear exchange utterly ruined it. Few know why Sinta of this certain shade are thus called “Tak Red”, although researches in Skalamar have led to a theory: fish exports. Most inhabitants made a living through fishing, just like most cities on the coast of the Moghresian sea, although surviving trading records show a higher than average amount of exports from the city. Additionally, texts, and common memory, point that some of the fish unique to Tak’s coast had unique red scales… Although said fishes are extinct by now, everything seems to indicate that this is where the name for this colouration came from.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Skalamar Red:&#039;&#039; 160, 44, 44 / Hex #A02C2C&lt;br /&gt;
*Skalamar Red, also called “Blood Red” by traditionalist and other foes of the Hegemony, is, as the name suggest, more often seen in Skalamar and its neighboring territories. Origins on the name of this colouration were blurry, even before the Contact War, with stories speaking of such colourations having divine origins, from other speaking of a curse, depending on who you ask. In any case, such a colouration is a sign of greatness and valor to some, and of shame and cruelty to some others… Generally depending on who they would have sided with during the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;S&#039;th Berry:&#039;&#039; RGB 125, 6, 6 / Hex #980606&lt;br /&gt;
*S’th Berries are one of the few species of flora that survived the nuclear fallout of the Contact War… Although, not without consequences. While they were once deep red, the berries lost their colour and appear grey-ish; and their sugary taste as been lost, some saying that they now taste like paste instead. Nevertheless, the name given to the colour that many Unathi in the area arbor, remained: Unathi of red scales, red like S’th’s Berries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Black:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Derhai Shadow:&#039;&#039; RGB 17, 22, 16 / Hex #111610&lt;br /&gt;
*Although such a tone can be found a bit everywhere since Derhai’s depopulation, most people can pinpoint that it used to be most often seen in and around great city that stood there, before being abandoned. Due to the highly religious nature that Derhai had, many have been tying (sometimes wrongly) such a scale colouration to Th&#039;akhists.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Janvir Black:&#039;&#039; RGB 28, 28, 28 / Hex #1C1C1C&lt;br /&gt;
*Perhaps a testament to how fast Unathi can evolve and change over generation, Janvir Black is a scale colouration that only appeared around a century after the foundation of the cold metropolis, merely six centuries ago… That is, according to the limited records currently available in the post-Contact War era.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Guzari Night:&#039;&#039; RGB 61, 47, 47 / Hex #3D2F2F&lt;br /&gt;
*There were, allegedly, several small settlements by the coast of the Guzari Sea, despite the freezing temperatures (on Unathi standards, that is), thanks to the unique bounties of the cold Northern Sea. Records seem to indicate, however, that said settlements were abandoned even before the Contact War, something that historians, even to this day, cannot explain, mostly due to the severe loss of historical documents during the conflict. Many Unathi, today, then, see other Sinta with the strange scale colouration known as Guzari Night as quite elusive…&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Albino:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Albino White:&#039;&#039; RGB 178, 178, 178 / Hex #B2B2B2&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Bleached Bone:&#039;&#039; RGB 183, 169, 169 / Hex #3D2F2F&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Blue:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Indigo Blue:&#039;&#039; RGB 35, 55, 189 / Hex #2337BD&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Azure:&#039;&#039; RGB 1, 102, 255 / Hex #0066FF&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Albino and Azure (or Blue) Unathi scale colouration are not tied to any area of Moghes, and instead, generally the result of genetic lottery. How such colourations are perceived varies widely. These Unathi would generally face prejudice in the Hegemony, although some other Sinta from different horizons can exhibit interest for them instead, or simply indifference. &lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Genetic Variety ====&lt;br /&gt;
Besides scale colouration, many other physical aspects of Unathi bodies can vary widely. From horns and frills, to even extra scale crests and different structures in a Unathi’s very skeleton (namely, the skull). While anatomical differences within a species are natural, Unathi are noteworthy for how wide these differences can get and how fast they come to be. The exact science behind this has been lost after the Contact War, and most of the research behind such a phenomena is idly handled by Nanotrasen and Zeng-Hu specialists. However it is assumed that Sinta simply evolve and adapt to their surroundings much faster than most of the other sentient species of the Spur, leading to such large physical discrepancies between Unathi alone.&lt;br /&gt;
From this, it is also assumed that, with Unathi populations moving between planets, and Moghes on its way to changing considerably (may the consequences of the of the Contact War be the of the Sinta homeworld, or may terraforming efforts save it), said biological differences between different groups will only get larger and more exotic in the next few centuries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Genetic Variety&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Unathifaces.png|180px|thumb|right|Zotzo’s Treaty of Biology is one of the first Unathi works dedicated to the study of Sinta biology, and in which the terminology for Unathi facial structure was first established. This is one of the few pages left of the book, found in the ruins of Oket&#039;s Great Library.]] &lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Horns&#039;&#039;&#039; are not tied to specific places, or at least, not directly. There seems to be a hereditary side to it, however, as Unathi more often than not seem to bear the horns of one of their parents (on VERY rare instances carrying the horns of both). Horns, however, do not “mix” and make new shapes, the same way that Unathi scale colourations don’t mix. Horns are arbored by both male and female Sintas, and can be of various tones, from dark gray, near black, to Ivory or even pristine white, and even in some cases, pale brown-ish tones. Contrary to some belief, Unathi horns are bone, and not made of Ivory or any other precious material. Horn size, just like tail size, also depends on a Unathi’s diet. However, while everyone has the potential to grow an enlarged tail, if given enough fat, horn size highly depends on how well-fed a Unathi is during their childhood as they grow. Coupled with one’s horn’s hereditary nature, it is commonly assumed that A Sinta of noble blood will generally have larger horns… A noble who happens to have shorter horns is generally called a New-Noble, as if they were the first of their clan to ascend to noblehood, and by extent the quality diet that tends to come with it.&lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Frills&#039;&#039;&#039;, while hereditary in exactly the same way as horns, tend to be most often seen in Unathi populations living on coasts, or in general humid areas. Frills can be of various colours, so long as they remain in natural Unathi colour ranges. They are constituted of either a bony “support”, or in some rare cases, a cartilaginous one, with skin or scales between and on said “supports”. Since frills are articulated, to some minor degree, Unathi bearing frills tend to be seen as more expressive, as they tend to “open” or “close” their frills, accentuating body language. Frills have generally been associated with Unathi of low-to-middle class, or at least, that have ancestry from such classes, as fishermen and such Unathu are generally depicted with large frills. The validity of such a concept is discussed nowadays. &lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Crests&#039;&#039;&#039; are rather similar to frills in their constitution, although they differ in the sense that, instead of having a thin layer of scaly hide being stretched between its bony or cartilaginous supports, crests are entirely covered in proper hide. One popular example is the infamous “Cobra Hood” (Which is a domination established by the people of the Spur as a whole, and not by Sinta, as Cobras are obviously not native to Moghes). Like frills, Crests can be articulated, although in a much more limited way. Crests are not limited to any place, and just like horns, are instead fully hereditary. Crests were rather rare prior to the Contact War, as it was more common among Unathi population living in rather arid areas, earning the rather poetic name of the “Frills of the dry seas”. After the Nuclear exchange, however, new generations born in a changed Moghes start to come with more and more crests already.&lt;br /&gt;
*Finally, while minor differences in sizes and shapes can be observed in different Unathi populations, one aspect in particular tends to change drastically: &#039;&#039;&#039;skull shapes&#039;&#039;&#039;. The shape of a Unathi’s head seems to vary widely, with some adopting a more draconic appearance, some being closer to smaller lizards, Iguanas, snakes, crocodiles, etc. The way Unathi see their fellow Sinta with this or that facial appearance varies widely depending on their culture. Once again, both due to migration, populations blending with each other and the loss of records due to the Contact War, locating the origins in Unathi faces has proved to be quite the hard endeavor, but some clues, mostly based on interviews of older, surviving Sintas, have been found, and a proper classification is being reestablished:&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Arakhania (“Draconic”)&#039;&#039;: Arakhanian facial structure, also called “Draconic” in Basic, is perhaps the most well known Unathi skull shape in the entire Spur. Perhaps one of the most well spread facial structures nowadays, it is also known as the “head of the nobles”, due to its prevalence among noble populations, with many notable Unathi bearing such a profile (namely the Hegemon himself). Arakhanians tend to have a pointy snout with smooth shapes, and a frontal bone of varying height and steepness.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Thodokhania (“Crocodilian”)&#039;&#039;: Thodokhanian faces come with a larger, longer snouts and more flat heads, comparable to Earth’s crocodiles or alligators (hence the name given to such a profile in Basic: “Crocodilian”.) Unathi with the Thodokianian facial structure have turned rarer and rarer since the Contact War, which led to the belief that the nuclear exchange must’ve erased population centers featuring the bulk of their population.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Imekhania (“Common Lizard-like”)&#039;&#039;: The Imekhanian facial class is as broad as the population it encompasses, being the most represented profile among Sinta. Unathi with the Imekhanian profile come with generally smoother snout shapes and round tips. earning the name “lizard-like” in Basic. According to ancient records and texts, it seems like the Imekhanian profile could be seen everywhere on Moghes, even before the first large population movements.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Senkhania (“Snake-like”)&#039;&#039;: With their flat heads and short snouts, Senkhanians faces are, as their name in Basic suggests, comparable to Earth’s Snakes. While a small part of the population, Unathi with the Senkhanian facial profile are still considered a category of their own, due to their presence in mostly rural areas (something that has yet to be explained), zones that would not tend to be the direct targets of nuclear bombardment during the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Lokhenian (“Others”)&#039;&#039;: Lokhenian facial profile, or “The faces of the Lost” is an all-new, post-Contact War classification, used to designate any facial structure that does not fit in the other aforementioned categories, and are not large enough to warrant a category of their own. Such facial structures are extremely various but also tend to be extremely rare, and it is assumed, that those were already quite rare even before the nuclear exchange, as they were rarely ever recorded in pre-contact war media.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Afflictions and Disabilities ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi, like all species, are prone to conditions that are uncommon among the population. How each Unathi views or handles these is varied due to the traditional cultures of Moghes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Lsh&#039;islasulu, sometimes shortened to &amp;quot;Lsh disorder,&amp;quot; is a rare scale disability affecting very few Unathi. The disorder is poorly studied because of its lacking negative affects and extreme rarity. When suffering from Lsh disorder, Unathi will lose their dead scale cells through a painful peeling process, rather than sporadically. A Unathi suffering from the disorder will need to painfully peel or scrub off their dead scales off once or twice a month in droves. The affliction is caused by increased cell death, and scale cells will die rapidly for no apparent reason. Luckily, this process only causes pain and increased susceptibility to the cold, not causing any damage or making the scales much weaker in terms of durability. Further information is lacking due to little research preformed.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kaasilik is a famously known yet equally rare disorder inflicting unique symptoms. Those suffering from Kaasilik lack any growth of frills, hoods, horns or any other structure on the head or face. While labeled as a disorder, those affected by it suffer no physical drawbacks and are believed to be the result of a genetic lottery in which generations of couples between Unathi with certain horn or frill growth reproduce. While undamaging to the Unathi physically, it can make identifying them from another suffering Unathi difficult at times. Children of these Unathi will likely have very small or limited frill and horn growth.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Albinosm, or Zis&#039;lak, caused by a general lack of pigment in the scales, makes the scales appear totally white, sometimes with a minor tint of green, red or sand/orange, caused by a total lack of pigment. Albinism in Unathi can also cause a unique shift in eye colour; while typical for Unathi to have colours like orange, red or green, albinism can shift the eye colour to an unusual violet. This is due to a lack of eye pigment combined with the light refraction off of the blood vessels within the eye. Unathi that suffer from albinism usually remain away from sunlight as their sensitive scales provide little to no UV protection and put them at risk of burns. Albino Unathi are also often seen as a bad omen at birth, and as such, those within the Hegemony&#039;s lower populated areas are often banished from their clan or in extreme circumstances, even banished from some clans to become Guwan. It should be noted that azure coloured Unathi cannot be albino.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Illiz is a disorder appearing in two states with a wide variety of recorded variation. The disability details highly irregular tail size, this can include tails the size of a finger or tails so long they become a tripping hazard. The former being nicknamed, &amp;quot;Hasik.&amp;quot; Unathi affected by Hasik typically suffer when sprinting, their short tails also prevent fat storage, which results in the fat being stored elsewhere like the arms, thighs, and lower body. The latter mentioned state of Illiz, nicknamed &amp;quot;Hasil,&amp;quot; is the complete opposite. Those affected by Hasil find their tails reaching lengths of up to four feet long. Hasil includes similar issues as Hasik, the most notable of which is it also negatively affects balance. Those with longer tails struggle to sprint, carrying the weight of such a large tail. Culturally, those suffering Hasik are viewed as pathetic and as cowards, while those with longer tails are presumed to be a noble. It should be noted that very few nobles have been documented suffering Hasik, while some, using plastic surgery, increase the size of their tails to mimic Hasil.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Unathi History]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The history of the Unathi is predominately a history of each &#039;&#039;&#039;Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039; that has existed throughout their history. There have only been three clans that have managed to create an empire worthy of the title &#039;Hegemon.&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Kres’ha’nor Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039; lasted from roughly 920 CE - 1500 CE. It is most famous for being the first empire to dominate Moghes and creating what was then a modern feudal state. Their empire saw rise of walled cities, steel weapons, centralized taxation, and other innovations. It ended in a brutal succession war, with Moghes once again being shattered into hundreds of individual Kingdoms with no true global power.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the &#039;&#039;&#039;16th century&#039;&#039;&#039; the power of &#039;&#039;&#039;[[Unathi Guilds|Guilds]]&#039;&#039;&#039; began to grow, forming an early form of mercantilism. Guilds formed for bakers, butchers, grocers, millers, smiths, carpenters, weavers, mason, shoemakers, in fact, nearly every trade had its own guild. Standards such as just weights and measures evolved from the guilds, and guild inspectors would inspect shops to ensure rules were being followed. Guilds would help members that were sick, or in trouble, and would sometimes take care of families after the member died. This time also saw Guilds building the first major universities. While incredibly exclusive, these universities began to create a new era of specialized labor and intellectuals.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;19th century&#039;&#039;&#039; saw rise of the &#039;&#039;&#039;Second Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;, ruled by the &#039;&#039;&#039;Sarakus Clan&#039;&#039;&#039;. Their clan ruled harshly, and forced technological advances into the cities and towns. In the 1930&#039;s they ruthlessly modernized their empire in The Great Endeavor, spreading electricity, radio, paved roads, modern plumbing, and other modern innovations.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In &#039;&#039;&#039;1994&#039;&#039;&#039; the &#039;&#039;&#039;Izweski Clan&#039;&#039;&#039; violently deposed the Sarakus and slaughtered the entire surviving dynasty, declaring the &#039;&#039;&#039;Third Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;. After they won an incredibly destructive global war to defend their claim, the Izweski have ruled Moghes until modern times.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In &#039;&#039;&#039;2403&#039;&#039;&#039;, a human exploration team discovered Moghes. Shortly after, first contact with the Izweski Hegemony was made. Sol Alliance merchants and scientists flocked to Moghes, living under very careful observation and guard in Izweski cities. Skalamar, the second largest city in Izweski, became the first Unathite city to have a shuttle port constructed. Owned by NanoTrasen, it served to transport people to and from the planet’s surface. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[Contact War|The Contact War, which has more information here,]] was a cataclysmic global war that lasted from &#039;&#039;&#039;2438 to 2449&#039;&#039;&#039;. The fighting was between two global powers, the &#039;&#039;&#039;Izweski Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;, and the &#039;&#039;&#039;Traditionalist Coalition&#039;&#039;&#039;. The war was fought over the very future of the Unathi and their relationship with the rest of the galaxy. The Izweski demanded Moghes submit to a one-world government ran by themselves and embrace the influence of humanity. The Traditionalist Coalition rejected this. &#039;&#039;&#039;The war went nuclear on September 5th, 2439&#039;&#039;&#039;, causing immense suffering across Moghes and directly leading to the creation of The Wasteland, which is set to engulf Moghes within a hundred years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Unathi Culture==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Diet and Cuisine ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathite dishes are mostly comprised of meat, eggs, and fish. It may be cooked or even still raw and bleeding. Vegetables in meals are often just for decoration or flavor, but by no means ever make up the majority of the dish. Unathi do not take any nutritional value from plant matter, only from meat. Desert flowers may also be placed on the plate to make it seem well-presented and are also edible. The tools Unathi use to eat are very unorthodox to humans, usually resembling chopsticks banded together near the top. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi generally eat only one large meal a day. The nobility often eat twice a day, while poorer Unathi or those in [[The Wasteland|the Wasteland]] will eat bi-daily: every two days.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To support their civilization, fishing has developed on a scale similar to human agriculture. Since the Contact War, fishing yields have fallen, and hunger has become a fact of life for many Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Language ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi, being deeply traditional, tend to use their own sayings, proverbs, and similar speech in other languages not native to them. Some concepts of their languages also spill over into tongues foreign to Unathi. For example, the sexes are so closely tied to their roles in society that words for &amp;quot;man,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;male,&amp;quot; and other parrot words are practically synonymous with &amp;quot;warrior.&amp;quot; The same is said for words like &amp;quot;woman&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;female&amp;quot; with &amp;quot;healer.&amp;quot; Objects also have assigned genders to them, so it is not uncommon for Sinta to refer to objects and inanimate things with genders. Unathi also have a lot of assorted figures of speech that, instead of being based on direction (up and down), are affiliated with time and its speed. A faster rate of time is seen as bad while a slower rate is seen as good in a majority of cases. Good things are categorized by saying something is punctual, progressing on time, is speeding up in time, or has a lot of time while saying the opposite for bad things. Rather than saying &amp;quot;I’m going to bed for the night,&amp;quot; a Unathi might offer &amp;quot;I’m slowing down for the night&amp;quot;; similarly, instead of being &amp;quot;down to hang out,&amp;quot; one would instead say they &amp;quot;want to slow down&amp;quot; with someone else. Examples include, but aren’t limited to: &amp;quot;today’s harvests were timely,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;the day has been slow,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;my body is slowing,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;their sleep is running late,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;I’m accelerating through my studies.&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi names are extraordinarily diverse, ranging from those that string together a bunch of consonants to sounds with many vowels in a row. There are not many commonalities between them besides harder sounds like &#039;ck,&#039; &#039;zh,&#039; &#039;s,&#039; &#039;d,&#039; and &#039;t.&#039; &#039;&#039;&#039;However, names cannot have more than two of the same letter in a row, such as Myo&#039;sssak.&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Many species have developed the joking term &amp;quot;unathisms&amp;quot; for all the various cultural holdovers that get put into other languages they speak.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot; style=&amp;quot;width:99%; overflow:auto;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi Metaphors, Sayings, and Slang&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Sinta— &#039;&#039;meaning Unathi. If the word Unathi can be compared to &amp;quot;Human&amp;quot;, then sinta can be compared to &amp;quot;man&amp;quot;, the latter usually kept out of more serious, official or scientific discussion and instead used in discussions with a more common if not familiar tone. Sinta does not get an S on plural and does not start with a capital letter.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Claws, talons— &#039;&#039;fingers, nails, respectively; however, sometimes satire or exaggeration make use of them interchangeably.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hatchling, egg— &#039;&#039;a child or baby, sometimes also as an insult.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Azure, albino— &#039;&#039;exotic, or unusual; alternatively (and rarely), an archaic and outdated way of calling something awful: &amp;quot;Their tastes are absolutely albino.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hide, scales— &#039;&#039;skin.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Rattle, rattled— &#039;&#039;scared.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Scratch, scratched— &#039;&#039;to write/written.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Tailwag— &#039;&#039;generic insult lacking true meaning and has a weird versatility to it, like referring to someone as a &#039;fuck&#039; or similar.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Blood on my teeth— &#039;&#039;eating, sometimes a gruesome (seen as barbaric) way of describing fighting and other activities.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Lay down my tail/bare my neck— &#039;&#039;let someone walk over you.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Molting— &#039;&#039;getting angry enough over something that it damages your physical health. Used almost explicitly for exaggeration.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Fat-tail— &#039;&#039;an insult usually aimed at nobles.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Quote a limerick— &#039;&#039;to be sassy, snarky, witty.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Grinding my horns— &#039;&#039;getting on their nerves.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Strum— &#039;&#039;gather.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Stomp, stomping— &#039;&#039;a get together (as a noun) or referring to someone being happy (as a verb).&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Echoed song— &#039;&#039;oral tradition.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ghazkus, ghazkii— &#039;&#039;skrell, coming from the word &amp;quot;amphibious&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;ghazii&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kzlth, kzlthii— &#039;&#039;humans, coming from the word &amp;quot;scaleless&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;kazulth&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Imiekran, imiekranes— &#039;&#039;the typical term for dionae meaning &amp;quot;twisted plant&amp;quot; in Sinta’Azaziba, usually a term of endearment; alternatively called aggregates when referring to different forms.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Xsain— &#039;&#039;vaurca, coming from the word &amp;quot;incomprehensible&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;xsa&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
(Note: most of the time this is seen as being a nickname when used outside of Sinta’Unathi or Sinta’Azaziba. If you are particularly friendly with someone that either you don’t know the name of or are referring to someone otherwise, this may be appropriate outside of saying the species’ name.)&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Zo’zyola— &#039;&#039;the equivalent of an angel or a demon. Depending on the context, this is either a compliment or a severe insult.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Dishonored their clan— &#039;&#039;do something to ostracize themselves from society or a group of people.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A tale longer than my own— &#039;&#039;a play on words gaining traction among Sinta who speak Basic. Basically a way of saying &amp;quot;it&#039;s a long story&amp;quot; with similar connotations, but this phrase can also be used to hype up an event. &amp;quot;What did you do during the Solarian Invasion?&amp;quot; &amp;quot;It&#039;s a tale longer than my own— let&#039;s meet up to discuss it.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Heating up— &#039;&#039;a way of setting your guard is going down or that you are even getting bored or tired. &amp;quot;This shift has been uneventful, I can feel it heating up.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Sk&#039;akh&#039;s scales— &#039;&#039;a way of saying &amp;quot;holy shit&amp;quot; or similar swears.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Have an honorable duel for the sake of the game— &#039;&#039;in Sinta&#039;Azaziba and Sinta&#039;Unathi, duel and game are the same word, just with different meanings. This is a play on words in the original tongue and is meant to talk about something that has to be done yet trying to make fun out of it anyway.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
More unclean/unkempt than a Guwan&#039;s feet— &#039;&#039;referring to something being worse than the dirtiest part of a class of undesirables. Phrases like these are more common in the Hegemony and are one of the many methods used to degrade Guwan.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When an arbek eats its tail— &#039;&#039;&amp;quot;when pigs fly.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Preparing the maxtlatl— &#039;&#039;referring to the shaman&#039;s garb. Preparing the maxtlatl is something a shaman does when they feel they are near death; in preparing it, they are readying the skull in the headgear to be replaced by their own. In a sense, if someone is preparing the maxtlatl, they are spelling their own doom or see their demise coming.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the Fourth Nation— &#039;&#039;somewhat of a joke about cycles, playing fun at the fact that the Izweski Hegemony has been a constant throughout history. Traditionalists use this phrase more bitterly and sardonically, however.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By mine and your spirits— &#039;&#039;a way of solemnly swearing; alternatively, asking for guidance if you worship Th’akh.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Three Heads bless me— &#039;&#039;the alternative to &amp;quot;by mine and your spirits&amp;quot; for those that worship Sk’akh.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Bet the Hegemon’s head— &#039;&#039;many people want to kill the Hegemon, so this refers to such a bounty. Usually used as a joke or a dare.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Individual languages are described by the prefix &#039;Sinta&#039; followed by the identity of its native speakers. Speaking mannerisms remain the same when speaking Sinta or another language. For stylistic choices, there are some options. For those raised in or by the Hegemony, avoid contractions like &#039;&#039;it&#039;s&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;they&#039;re&#039;&#039;, which would be &#039;&#039;it is&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;they are&#039;&#039;. Formal Sinta&#039;Unathi lacks this concept of contracting words, and thus it is a difficult concept to understand for these speakers. Those that speak Sinta&#039;Azaziba will talk in other languages in short bursts, similar to how Azaziba has shorter sentences due to gesticulating and speaking at the same time. Accents are wide and diverse; replacing &#039;s&#039; sounds with &#039;th&#039; in a &#039;forced lisp&#039; or even just omitting the sound is a commonality for Unathi that struggle with certain words in other languages (like &#039;suspicious&#039;). This way of speaking is also common when singing in different languages, a trend picking up within the Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sinta&#039;Unathi ====&lt;br /&gt;
While Pre-Contact Moghes had hundreds of unique languages and their own histories, Sinta&#039;Unathi has been and remains the primary language spoken by most Unathi. It is an evolution of an older Moghean trade language, Sinta&#039;Izwe.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The written language has 30 letters, with 5 of them being vowels. The language is written left to right, though this was an attempt to emulate humanity, as informal Sinta&#039;Unathi still write top to bottom.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sinta&#039;Azaziba ====&lt;br /&gt;
Sinta&#039;Azaziba is a language of Moghes consisting of a combination of spoken word and gesticulation. While waning since Moghes entered the galactic stage, it enjoys popular use by Unathi that never fell to the Hegemony&#039;s cultural dominance. Sinta&#039;Azaziba writing has 27 letters, 4 of which being vowels. The language is written from top to bottom.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Unathi Fashion and Make-up ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Fashion on the scale of an entire species is incredibly diverse, much like with other species. There are some common sights seen across most Unathi peoples.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Fashion ====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Clothing is generally something to balance for Unathi, according to one’s need with warmth. Generally, Unathi can dress themselves from head to toe, with shawls and hoods not being an uncommon sight, even if temperatures aren’t outright cold, just to retain warmth for as long as possible. In particularly hot climates, however, or on specific occasions like while sunbathing, Unathi may choose to wear minimal clothing to get as little obstacle as possible between them and the sun, or any other heat source they may be enjoying.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Colors are an essential part of any Unathi outfit. Being particularly fond of vibrant colors, sights of bright reds, oranges, yellows, greens and blues are common, and white and black, though rare for fashion’s sake, are generally used to accentuate colors even more. These colors are often selected to go along with their scale colors, eyes, and so on, the natural colors of a Unathi playing a large part in their fashion choices. Nobility and other wealthy individuals will often show off their status through the use of jewelry, both gemstone and rare, expensive metals like gold and silver. Though the typical bracelets and necklaces can be found, Unathi also use some pieces of jewelry unique to their species, such as horn rings (meant to be worn around one’s horn) or frill-rings (going through the frill, much like with earrings.) Capes and cloaks are also a traditional display of status and function, with for instance the many capes worn by Guild members.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Make-up ====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While most Human cultures see most forms of make-up as feminine, Unathi are different. It’s common for Unathi of all genders to apply make-up. Once again, there are countless forms of make-up and ways to apply them seen across the entire species.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot; style=&amp;quot;width:99%; overflow:auto;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi make-up&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
===== Cosmetics =====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Some of the most popular forms of Unathi make-up include things such as claw-painting, quite comparable to painting nails. This is generally done with bright colors, to accentuate them over the scale colors of the Unathi in question. There are traces of claw-painting being done in pre-Hegemonic times, mainly by warriors, to show off their claws and intimidate their foes, and though this tradition is still practiced by some, claw painting is now also done for the mere sake of fashion. Horns can also be painted, as well as frills for similar effects if the individual in question sports them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===== Scalepaint =====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Scalepaint is a uniquely Unathi form of make-up, and the most popular in the species as well. Due to their need to shed, Unathi cannot sport tattoos normally, but scalepaint constitutes an equivalent. As the name implies, it is a form of paint applied directed on one’s scaly hide. scalepaint can be inconspicuous and small, or extravagant and cover the majority of one’s hide. In any case, however, it is done to go along with, and complement one’s natural hide colors, and completely covering oneself in scalepaint is seen as particularly awkward and a display of shame in oneself.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The practice of using scalepaint dates back to prehistoric times, with hunters covering themselves in a mixture of herbs, dust, and a few pigments to better hide in the foliage to ambush prey; though it quickly-enough became a form of aesthetic as well. The practice to apply scalepaint hasn’t changed much since then; it is a mix of pigments, herbs, and a clay-like substance to be applied directly on one’s scales.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Perhaps what makes Scalepaint so interesting is the sheer amount of work needed to apply and maintain it. First, it must be applied in correct doses. Too much, and the texture will be too thick and completely cover the scaly texture of one’s hide (an easy excuse to be mocked by your fellow sinta), too little, and the color won’t be visible-enough, and completely disappear at the first shed. With the correct amount of paint applied, it should be visible enough without hiding one’s scales, and when the time to shed comes, some remnants of paint should still be visible, acting as a guide for the next layer to be put on this layer of skin as well. This brings us to the second part, the need to maintain scalepaint. A proper scalepaint requires regular maintenance, to be generally re-applied after every shed. This workload makes the most extravagant and encompassing forms of scalepaint a show of both artistry, but also the result of regularly applied, expert artistry.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Because of its need to be re-applied constantly, scalepaint is generally applied and maintained by oneself, and thus, only to places they can reach. As such, only nobles and other wealthy sinta are ever seen sporting scalepaint on their backs, as it requires maintenance from others, generally talented servants.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Zandiziite Games ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Zandiziite Games]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
An ancient sport that got its start on Moghes, this sport is best described as a mixture of Olympic- and MMA-style games. Competitors within the Zandiziite Games are called Zandiziites, or colloquially an individual wrestler is called a Zandi. Clans send eligible men (and only men) to their Lord in the hopes that they are chosen to represent their city or community in the Zandiziite Games.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Unathi Sociality and Society ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Behaviour and Mannerisms ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi generally stare at what they are interested in, so their intense gaze moves with a conversation to whoever is talking. Additionally, pointing can be seen as extremely rude in circumstances. If more than just a passing gesture towards someone, prolonged pointing can be a grave insult to one&#039;s honor and, in some cases, be the reason for crude fighting or even initiate a duel.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi should always be addressed by their last name in most situations. It is offensive to use a Unathi&#039;s first name unless you are family or have a close relationship with them (like family, a lover, or close friend). Some are more permissive than others regarding this. In a situation where there are multiple Unathi with the same last name, it&#039;s generally accepted to just get more and more specific in your address to make it clear who you are speaking to.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi to other species would typically appear sluggish in their movements, though there are some exceptions to this. When working or even when feeling threatened, they typically move short distances with their arms and legs at speeds much faster than normal for other species. This is because they conserve their energy by going slightly slower until they need it for a given task.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Another outstanding behavior that other species would note is an intense gaze. Unathi typically find staring at whoever is speaking to be respectful; however, this intense staring, paired with not blinking often and stooping to look at someone at eye level, is how other species are typically made uncomfortable when engaging with Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For most Unathi being seen speaking to Guwans is embarrassing. A woman associating with a Guwan is extremely improper and indecent, and they can lose social standing by doing so.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Violence can have its place in regular daily life, with playful fighting being commonplace with the peasantry and in the Wasteland. Joking punches and wistful tail flicks that would be normal for Unathi playing around may end up hurting a human, which has led to many jokes about humanity’s weak stature. Shoulder checks and headbutts have their place in more aggressive friendships and is a sign of showing brotherly love.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Emotional Displays ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi exhibit a great variety of emotional body language in ways different from other species. While it is not uncommon for Unathi to attempt to mimic human displays (sometimes with frightening results, for example showing off their large, numerous sharp teeth in a &amp;quot;smile&amp;quot;), they have their own natural, basic emotions that come from biological expression akin to reptiles. It can be very difficult for this species to control their emotionally linked body language as it is engrained in Unathite culture, but exercising restraint is often seen as a sign of nobility or simply an individual who is attempting to better blend in with other species. Over time, these displays can also change to adapt to a different environment, though this process typically takes many years to come to fruition.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For example, baring the entire throat is the single most meaningful expression that can be displayed to another, often used to show trust or vulnerability to someone a Unathi cares about. However, it is not unusual to do this to also surrender to another (such as in a fight), admit shame, or display extreme compassion (when exposed to twine necks with another). Conversely, tilting the snout far down to protect the throat and better display one’s horns is a fight response or to show distrust in another.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When it comes to intimate gestures between Unathi, they usually twine necks or tails, and touch foreheads and snouts together with the same intent that humans kiss. Such displays are usually only reserved for those that are married or to be wed, but with other cultures such as Ouerea, the smaller colonies, or the Empire of Dominia, this tends to be much more relaxed. Hugging is usually considered to be something done by children and avoided by adults.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi often fixate on their surroundings when interested or excited by someone or something. If there is a conversation of multiple people, they often change their gaze to look at whoever is speaking, or at the person speaking they are most interested in. It is considered rude by Unathi to avert your gaze, for that shows that someone can be aloof, distant, or not paying attention fully. Even if afraid and cowering, they tend to look directly at the source of their fear. For other species, when especially happy or interested, they can even stoop down to look at them directly at eye level, or try to raise themselves as much as possible to look other creatures in the eye.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Other physical displays include the ‘tail stomp,’ a phenomenon common during heightened signals of emotion. Typically, these are done when a Sinta is filled with joy or extremely agitated, but can be rarely used when a Unathi is grieving. Other more minor displays are, but aren’t limited to: bristling scales, in response to a cold environment or a ‘chill going down their spine;’ becoming slow and sluggish if extremely comfortable, such as reacting to warmth; swaying, sampling the air, and hissing all are common when in a new environment, with strangers, or even just in certain situations, which shows curiosity, discomfort, or unease.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Verbally, Unathi have some onomatopoeias that they draw on for different emotions. Chuffing, forcefully exhaling air from the throat, can be used to mark mild annoyance in reply to something, or can be used to show amusement. If it comes at the end of a sentence or statement, it can imply that they are being sarcastic or are saying something in good humor. Unathi don’t quite have a laugh; instead, they bark in typically short bursts, in which the sound is often deep, loud, and raucous. Finally, rattling the throat is a fairly common gesture that replaces or accompanies a tail stomp. Sometimes when enraged, throat rattling is accompanied by frills or scales flaring up as well.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As a result of the divide between groups of sinta, some mannerisms are unique to different social groups. For example, nobles tend to tail stomp in response to seeing something that ‘disgusts’ them, whether it be the sight of a heretic or Guwan, something that disgusts olfactory senses, or something else. Peasants on Moghes and most Unathi on Ouerea tend to be ‘overly emotional’ in that they often tilt their snout up somewhat when showing general content or happiness, or down slightly when afraid or unhappy. Dominians often keep their chin tilted up constantly as a sign of pride and even cockiness, showing they aren’t afraid when vulnerable parts are exposed. Of course, this all barely scratches the surface, and there are many gestures unique to cultures and regions that are not enumerated.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Gender Roles ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div style=&amp;quot;font-size:105%; border:2px solid white; margin:0; background:white; padding:.1em; color:black;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi society is highly gender-stratified, with very specific gendered divisions of work and societal role. The Unathi understanding of gender has become tied deeply into these roles, which leads to a structure that humans may find unusual. In Unathi society, gender has little to do with assigned sex, rather being almost entirely dependent on the societal role an individual finds themselves in. The Sinta’Unathi words for ‘warrior’ and ‘male’ are the same, but this is not because one is required to be male to be a warrior - rather, the act of being a warrior is what makes one considered male. To Unathi, gender is not something that one &#039;&#039;is&#039;&#039;, but something that one &#039;&#039;does&#039;&#039;. An Unathi who sought to live as a professional warrior would be considered male by society at large, regardless of their sex at hatching - and regardless of their own thoughts on the matter.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Where this system originates is largely unknown, having existed in some form for most of Unathi recorded history. The earliest known example comes from archaeological discoveries in the [[Tza Prairie]], indicating that ancient Unathi cultures held the Fisher as the feminine role, rather than the Healer - which was reserved for a long-extinct caste of shaman-kings. The gender division in its modern form was likely codified by the early Sk’akh Church or predecessor faiths, though with so much of Moghes’ history now lost to the Wasteland scholars doubt if the origins of such a fundamental part of society will ever be discovered.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The divisions of labor in Unathi society are based on this structure of gender, and it is expressed prominently in religion - the Three Aspects of Sk’akh being the most prevalent examples. The Warrior, Healer, and Fisher are the primary categories into which almost every aspect of Unathi life has been divided for centuries - though as with many Unathi traditions, it is being increasingly challenged in the modern era.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Warrior&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Warrior is the masculine category, under which roles to do with martial affairs tend to fall. Most military positions are considered male due to this, with some rare exceptions being made for medical and support personnel. Outside of direct combat matters, positions in law enforcement and colonial expansion are also widely considered warriors, as are many roles to do with the direct enforcement of a ruler’s will such as governorship, tax collection and announcement of decrees. Unathi identifying as warriors are expected to act with honor in accordance with the [[Unathi Honor|Warriors&#039; Code]]. Vaurca Warriors outside of those in medical or scientific fields are generally gendered as male by Unathi as a result of this.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Healer&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Healer is the feminine category, which is broader than its name might indicate. Positions in the medical field are obviously considered healers, but the category also covers most scholarship and keeping of knowledge in general. The Simiite Reliquary in To’ha’dat is staffed exclusively by Priestesses of the Healer, and holds the complete historical record of the Sk’akh Church. While scholarship in general has never been as gendered as some other categories, the vast majority of Unathi scientists, archivists and researchers would be considered female. The sphere of knowledge and learning also covers the business of spycraft, investigation and diplomacy, with the positions of Spymaster and High Speaker being traditionally female ones. Unathi identifying as healers have less of a concrete code of honor, though in recent years the invention of the [[Unathi Honor|Matriarch&#039;s Code]] has gained some popularity. Vaurca Gynes, as well as Workers and Warriors in medical or scientific fields, are generally gendered as female by Unathi as a result of this.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Fisher&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Fisher is the third Unathi gender, without a direct translation in Tau Ceti Basic. Its sphere covers productive work such as fishing, construction and engineering. Many among the Unathi working class are considered to be fishers, and the title of Master of Rivers is one that traditionally is held by a fisher. In Tau Ceti Basic, gender-neutral pronouns are often used to describe fishers, though due to linguistic differences a fisher may often be gendered as male or female by humans. The sphere of the fisher encompasses many positions to do with economic development, ranging from humble miners, ranchers and fishers all the way to colonial administrators. There is no strict code of honor for fishers similar to that of warriors and healers, though the idea of developing one has been attempted a few times. Vaurca Workers outside of medical or scientific fields are generally gendered as fishers by Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Non-Gendered Roles&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The gender stratification of Unathi society is nearly all-encompassing, though there are some rare positions that can be considered as more than one gender. Rulership is the most notable of these, with the gender of a ruler being considered emblematic of their style of rule - male rulers are considered a good omen for military victory, whereas female rulers are considered a blessing for periods of peace and wisdom and fisher rulers are considered to bring periods of great productivity to their demesne. The title of Hegemon is something of an exception, having always had a connotation of military conquest to it. As such, Hegemons throughout the ages have largely been warriors, though with a few notable exceptions. Hegemon Ayzi Sarakus is historically recorded as a fisher, and there have been several recorded healers and fishers to have held the throne throughout the Izweski Hegemony’s history - though greatly outnumbered by the warriors.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One role which falls outside any of the three genders is that of the Guwandi. The reason for this is simple. A Guwandi sheds their gender as they shed their name, and for the same reason - it is a sign of the person they once were, before facing such shame that it was left behind. A Guwandi is only referred to as their prior gender when they are confirmed to have died with honour, and the stain of their disgrace can be erased from their history.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In addition, the introduction of Unathi to the interstellar stage has led to a vast array of new roles, which have yet to be neatly assigned to a gender. While some were able to fit into pre-existing categories, other roles such as interstellar piloting, civilian spaceship command and various roles to do with colonial oversight have yet to be fit into one of Unathi society’s well-defined boxes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Changing Gender&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Most Unathi will live in the gender of their work for their entire lives. However, the nature of Unathi gender roles mean that changing one’s gender is fairly common in Unathi society, especially among nobles who may find themselves in a wide number of roles during their lives. It is not uncommon for rulers identifying as female to present as male during wartime, for instance, or for rulers identifying as male to present as a fisher when investing heavily in developing their lands.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the modern age this has become more common among non-nobles, as common Unathi find themselves with a greater degree of social mobility. Many who would have lived and died as fishers find themselves seeking out battle and becoming warriors, or enrolling at institutions such as the [[Unathi_Educational_Institutions#Skalamar_University_of_Medicine|Skalamar University of Medicine]] and identifying themselves as healers. The act of changing one’s gender is, in most Unathi societies, a religious one. In the [[Izweski Heartland]] and other majority Sk’akh regions, these affairs are handled by the Church, while other faiths have their own approaches to it. For Unathi outside the Hegemony, such as those in Biesel or Dominia, less of a spiritual significance tends to be placed on the transition, being treated as more of a personal and private affair.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Traditional Greetings&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A custom often misunderstood by foreigners, traditional greetings are both a way for Unathi to politely greet each other, but also to begin introductions without even saying a word. This tradition dates back to some time in the late first Hegemony, though the greetings themselves had much different forms and uses back then.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In essence, these greetings are done by wordlessly bowing before another, doing so in a specific manner, depending on the Unathi in question&#039;s gender. Doing so is not only polite, if not a show of respect, but also a way for a sinta to present their gender, and by extent the kind of path they have taken in their life.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;The Warrior&#039;s Greeting&#039;&#039; is done by bowing until one would look straight to the floor, while putting a fist on their heart. The legs must remain straight and back curve as little as possible during the entire greeting, lest the Unathi in question be mocked for going a &amp;quot;wounded Warrior&#039;s greeting&amp;quot;, a situation many have faced on their first Warrior&#039;s Greeting. Signifying trust and respect, it is generally considered an honor to be greeted in such way by prestigious warriors, Kataphracts and veterans.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;The Healer&#039;s Greeting&#039;&#039; would have one bow by bending the knees, hunching forward a little with open arms until their claws and horns (frills, crest, or the top of their skull in the case of absence of such) are at roughly the same height. Some can take the greeting a little further, by crossing their legs slightly, bowing deeper, though such a move is generally kept to greet those worthy of great respect. It signifies openness, warmth and vulnerability.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Finally, through &#039;&#039;the Fishers Greeting&#039;&#039;, one would bow by crossing their arms behind their back, bowing with their back, while keeping their gaze at the other person. Signifies listening and understanding, and though seen by many as the easiest of the greetings to achieve, it is not considered lesser than the other two, but rather, a show of the beauty and value of simplicity.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Traditional greetings are not always done with non-Unathi, generally because of their lack of understanding, some sinta choosing to not bother at all. One can also find slight variations to these traditional greetings abroad, in Dominia for instance, where the [[Unathi_in_Dominia|Kazhkz-Han&#039;san]] can be found calling these greetings the &amp;quot;Soldier&#039;s&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;Scholar&#039;s&amp;quot;, and &amp;quot;Artisan&#039;s Greeting&amp;quot; instead, in a mix of Moghesian and Morozian culture.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Outside the Gender Trinary&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In every society, there are those who do not conform to expectations, and the same is true among Unathi. Following the Contact War, many Unathi have challenged the ancient structures of gender that bind their species, seeking to separate their work from their own identification. The first female Kataphract, the Lady H’zala was appointed in 2459, one of the first public examples of a non-warrior permitted in such a strongly gendered role. In the Queendom of Szek-Hakh, the ordinary structures of gender are largely reversed as most of the fighting is done by women - while some present as warriors to the world, most continue to identify themselves as healers. While this is done out of practicality, with most of the realm’s men having perished in the Contact War, it is still viewed as a dramatic aberration from the norm. Abroad, some Unathi have found themselves adopting more human conceptions of gender as something that a person is, rather than something that they do, and choose to present as a gender that does not match their occupation - whether one which matches their sex, or simply based on personal preference.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Many have decried this as alien confusion and an erosion of Sinta tradition, while others welcome or simply do not pay mind to it. Gender is a spiritual matter, after all, and the priests and shamans have yet to come to a definite conclusion about these changing matters. How this will impact Unathi society, built around the strict gender trinary for centuries, remains to be seen.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Gender and Aliens&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To many Unathi, human conceptions of gender are confusing, seemingly arbitrary and without reason. While decades of contact between the two species has helped for better understanding of this, both tend to view the other society’s ideas of gender as strange. Unathi, particularly those less-accustomed to working with aliens, will often gender non-Unathi based on their profession rather than any outward signs, and will find being corrected on this matter particularly confusing. For aliens which lack a concept of gender altogether such as [[Skrell]], [[Vaurca|Vaurcae]] or [[Dionae]], this is generally less of an issue.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On [[Ouerea]], a general understanding has been reached as to human concepts of gender, with the Unathi population coming to understand their alien neighbors’ views. Some of these views have been adopted among the Unathi population, with Archpriest Azente of the Sk’akh Church holding in the belief that an Unathi can do the work of one gender while identifying as another, which has caused him to be labelled as a radical among his fellows. Generally speaking, Skrell on Ouerea do not seem to have any particular trouble assimilating to Unathi notions of gender, though the reasoning behind it can often be confusing to them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Some Diona gestalts which have primarily learned from Unathi - such as those living in the Izweski Hegemony, or among the pirates of the Tarwa Conglomerate - have adopted their own interpretation of Unathi gender. Some more organized gestalts tend to gender their individual nymphs based on the role they play in the whole, while others have developed their own codes of behavior similar to those practiced in Unathi society. More information about them can be found [[Moghresian Dionae|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Most [[Unathi in Dominia|Dominian Unathi]] have, at least in practice, adopted the human model. Though most were born and raised on Moghes and held (perhaps still hold) traditional views, most Unathi choose to adapt to the local Imperial culture for similar reasons as converting to the [[Moroz Holy Tribunal|Holy Tribunal]] - that not respecting the customs and culture of their new home would be dishonorable to those who had welcomed them. Some, particularly among the Han’san and the older Unathi population, do not forget about traditional understandings of gender, still living much as they would on Moghes. To the humans of Dominia, this is largely written off as another alien curiosity of the Unathi, though those who spend more time with them may come to a better understanding of their ways. The newer generations of Unathi born on Imperial soil, however, are generally much more familiar with human ideas of gender than Unathi ones.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Corruption within the Gender Culture ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div style=&amp;quot;font-size:105%; border:2px solid white; margin:0; background:white; padding:.1em; color:black;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While seen from the outside as a relatively progressive development, the fluidity of Unathi gender roles combined with the rigid feudal hierarchy of noble lords and clan leadership presents a wide variety of opportunities for exploitation and abuse. These vary in measure, legally and morally, and if pressed those within positions of power will publicly denounce such practices as dishonorable. However, it’s an open secret that a significant number of the ruling class use these tactics to a greater or lesser degree to ensure their dynasties and interests are protected. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Heirs and Succession&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Arguably one of the most crucial considerations of any noble lord or clan leader, the designation of an heir demands intervention when the current candidate is unwanted or unfavorable. The means by which this is accomplished vary from region to region, but leverage of gender is a widely adopted tactic.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In areas under Izweski rule, succession is patriarchal and the eldest warrior (male) child is traditionally designated heir apparent. Should the natural choice be undesirable it is a common though unspoken practice to cultivate a preferred alternative. If the distinction is made early enough in life, clan heads will attempt to remove older children from succession by enrolling them in education and apprenticeships for healers and fishers. Betrothal contracts can also be drafted which misgender, or pre-gender, a child. Often in negotiation of these matches, care is taken to ensure the other clan’s name is taken and rights of inheritance are explicitly waived. Objection by the child or refusal to uphold the betrothal can be punishable by exile, leaving them few options.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
:If the desired heir does not show sufficient martial prowess, clan leaders can hire combat mentors and may stage public duels where the outcome is predetermined. The opponents in these matches are skilled actors as much as they are combatants, and will shout, bluster, and make oaths to the Warrior and their ancestors before the fight begins to enhance the drama and importance of the duel. They can then expertly claim a believable defeat from even the most inept novice. The most talented of these actors, unofficially referred to as &#039;&#039;hoax-hides&#039;&#039;, are well known in certain noble circles and are paid handsomely for their craft and discretion, and will avoid working in one location for too long to prevent being exposed.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In predominantly Sk’akh regions, legal authority over one’s recognized gender is regulated by the Church. Less scrupulous priests can be bought or persuaded to induce or prevent a change of gender. Some exceptionally lazy or cruel clan leaders will simply fabricate a reason to mark a child as guwandi, stripping them of their clan and gender, and sentence them to exile. This can have unintended consequences however, as the action can be contested within the jurisdiction of the Clan&#039;s local Lord and harsh penalties are imposed for cases in which it can be proven the exile was baseless.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In rural or Th’akhish regions like Tza’ax, where the realities of clan survival often take precedence over custom, succession is tied less to gender and more with ensuring healthy children and a robust, able-bodied family. Yet even though harsher, rural life creates greater consequences for meddling in succession, there are still those who will risk much to improve their standing. Leadership typically passes to elder warriors unless they are deemed unfit. If a proposed heir’s existing or planed union would be unlikely to produce offspring then they will often be passed over for a more favorable candidate. A common tactic is to raise concerns regarding an heir’s ability to protect their clan or cast doubt on their health or virility. More recently, there have been recorded examples of unwelcome heirs being assigned to patrols in the wastes in hopes that exposure and radiation will lead to clear signs of weakness and that they might be removed from possible consideration. These schemes are not only dishonorable but also detrimental to the health of the clan and are punished harshly if discovered.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A number of Unathi communities that are technically no longer part of the Hegemony still cling to a hierarchical clan structure and the succession of leadership will sometimes be decided by traditional methods. Some details may differ, but it is not uncommon to see similar tactics as those in the Hegemony used to influence succession and other clan decisions. &lt;br /&gt;
*In the Queendom of Sez-Hakh, for example, succession is matriarchal and falls to the eldest healer (female) child. Due to the necessities of survival after the Contact War the lines separating genders have blurred significantly but abuse of gender culture still occurs. Though aging, Queen Lazak still rules with considerable power and her wishes are reflected in the attitudes of the ruling ladies. Stigma against warrior (male) rule continues to linger and advocates of greater warrior influence are quietly stifled.&lt;br /&gt;
*Communities that have more exposure to human influence tend to allow for all three genders in the rules of succession and gaming the system in these instances requires more finesse. For instance, it&#039;s generally accepted that a warrior is the preferred clan leader during wartime. If a clan leader wished for their warrior child to succeed them, they may initiate a clan war or blood feud prior to stepping down and allowing their warrior children to ascend. The reverse can also be true, and a clan leader might reach out to rivals to begin talks of reconciliation before stepping aside for healer or fisher claimants.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Contracts and Customary Law&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The deep ties gender has within Unathite culture can also be exploited when resolving contracts and disputes. Often this can take the form of discrediting someone’s suitability for a job, an inferred inability to complete work, and breaches of contract where gender is pertinent. Contract manipulation is common and Mazjivsa scribes are customarily retained to ensure proper resolution where possible. They are familiar with popular ploys to either nullify contracts or collect compensation for failure to fulfill obligations and other violations.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
 One particularly infamous case is widely taught to new scribes during apprenticeship; a contract was created to provide a lord with twenty skilled fishers (engineers) for the construction of new perimeter walls around his compound. Once the crucial process of sinking the foundations and construction of the lower levels was done, progress on the project began to slow and then cease as the fishers were constantly arguing, accusing one another of sabotaging their work, insulting their clan, and myriad other minor slights which climaxed in a spontaneous battle; one worker dead, and two with serious injuries. The lord claimed “they were clearly better suited to spears than tools,” and demanded that the contract be nullified and that half of what he paid be returned in addition to punitive payments stipulated in the contract for the breach. Initially the restitutions were made and the construction of the walls was finished by the lord’s own specialists. It wasn’t until later when a Zo’kaa investigated the incident that the funds were returned and the Lord’s involvement was made known. Under contract from the construction guild, the Zo’kaa uncovered the reason for the change in the fishers’ attitude; an agent, part of the twenty fishers from the guild, had been paid to bring the workers under scrutiny. Once work on the base of the walls was complete, the rest was markedly simpler and cheaper. The lord would have paid less than half the agreed upon amount in the end. Diligent scribes will formalize contract specific processes to resolve potential gender related breaches but this relies on the skill of the scribe hired and is by no means a complete solution.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Other examples of contract manipulation include marriage and betrothal contracts. These contracts often stipulate the genders of the couple and allowances made for surrogates of children, the “Marriage Price”, and additional considerations. If the gender of one party shifts, either naturally or by design, the contract can be nullified and recompense paid.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Mazjivsa Manipulation&lt;br /&gt;
These scribes, predominantly fishers, are trained to provide counsel in matters of contract negotiation and resolution. Since the collapse of the Mazjivsa guild and the removal of its oversight, some unathi declare themselves Mazjivsa without the proper training and are exiled if discovered. This precarious position can be exploited, and some scribes will find their gender scrutinized if someone stands to gain from the lack of their guidance and expertise.&lt;br /&gt;
A well-known example of this occurred in Skalamar, 2466; a Mazjivsa of clan T’szel was contracted to review agreements made between a local lord and his client. He would not be bought and so the lord began claiming T’szel was an illegitimate scribe and fraud. Enraged, the Mazjivsa demanded a duel so that he might defend his honor. Surprisingly, he was able to draw first blood against one of the lord’s sons, but his victory was used as proof that he was more warrior than fisher. The lord succeeded in having him removed from the contract negotiation, although he was spared exile.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Marriage and Relationships ===&lt;br /&gt;
Relationships for Unathi hinge on responsibility for both involved as most marriages before the Contact War relied on clan leaders arranging marriages to secure alliances. &#039;Dating&#039; has only recently been available to young Unathi and is a foreign concept to most above their late-20&#039;s in age. A Unathi trying to ignore the ritual of arranged marriage is a great insult to both clans involved, which at worst could lead to a blood feud or war. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Clan alliances are formed when two clan leaders mutually decide upon two Unathi to marry and, depending on who is chosen, certain gifts are expected to be bestowed on the allied clans. When the marriage is proposed, a discussion about which Clan Name will be taken arises. This is done through a form of &#039;bidding war&#039;, where one clan must &amp;quot;buy&amp;quot; the right to keeping the name over the other by giving money or resources to the other clan. Marriages may sometimes end up canceled due to both sides refusing to give up their clan name, and in the worst cases, it has led to duels or even wars fought over who has the right to keep the titles.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Surrogates can be called upon for a marriage that cannot fulfill their duty to have children; however, they must be from a member of one of the Clans. Upon the hatching of a hatchling, the expectation most often is that husbands will raise the boys, and wives will raise the girls. If there is only a husband or wife, more traditional Sk&#039;akh families will choose to have another Clan member raise the hatchling up through their expected path.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Same-gender relationships and marriages are largely accepted, with little cultural or religious stigma against them. In more isolated rural clans or among Wastelanders, however, unions that cannot produce hatchlings are often strongly discouraged, particularly under the doctrine of the Si&#039;akh faith. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion and Spirituality ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While various faiths exist on Moghes, many of which are as old as any other, there are two major religions of the Unathi that pervade nearly every aspect of their lives. Th&#039;akh and Sk&#039;akh, both of which predominately focus on ancestor worship and connections with the spirit world.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Th&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
The most pervasive and common religion amongst Unathi. It dates back even before the First Hegemony and, as a byproduct of Unathi stubbornness, has remained central to Unathi spiritualism. The basic concept of Th&#039;akh is that all the spirits of past Unathi now reside in the spirit world that exists in tandem with the material world. These spirits exist in objects and nature - bringing either good luck or sorrow. Particularly nasty natural disasters were often attributed to particularly strong groups of spiteful spirits influencing events in the material world. Th&#039;akh, due to its widespread pervasiveness, has a multitude of forms: ancestor veneration, polytheism (worshipping groups of specific and powerful spirits), and almost witch-like spiritualism are just some of the denominations found among this religion. However, Th&#039;akh almost always has the same group of tenets, which can be found [[Th&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sk&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
The second most common religion, which is followed mostly by Unathi from the Izweski Nation, and enjoys a status as its unofficial state religion. It still follows the ancestor worship of Th&#039;akh, but with a major notable difference: the spirits of all Unathi who die become part of Sk&#039;akh, the Great Spirit. Sk&#039;akh is a gender-neutral God, being called &#039;he&#039; or &#039;she&#039; interchangeably to represent that Ska&#039;kh is a collection of all Unathi. She is often called Three of One because the spirits combine into three minor aspects that are all part of Ska&#039;kh: the Warrior, the Healer, the Fisherman. These three spirits are personifications of the most important aspects of Unathi society. It is said that all three are equally important and that disasters are caused by an imbalance in the Great Three. Priests often stress the importance of balance, both in matters of the spirit as well as in society and personal life. Sk&#039;akh&#039;s dogmatic doctrine can be found [[Sk&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Aut&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
Emerging from the hatred of former warriors, the Aut&#039;akh are a cultish offshoot of Th&#039;akh, comprised of cybernetic-augmented Unathi. They argue the flesh is weak, and something new must be sculpted in its place to strengthen the mind. In the relative safety of their communes scattered across various towns, planets, and systems, they know a rough life, but one easier and more spiritual than those of the cities, they believe. The Aut&#039;akh have yet to truly attain their perfect leaderless society, as their own supposedly-defeated prejudice still runs in quiet circles within communes; meanwhile, society often rebukes and ridicules these fanatical trans-speciests. Their lives are gently guided by the shamans or &amp;quot;paradigms,&amp;quot; which act as the religious advisors and sometimes too the biomechanical engineers of these communes. Aut&#039;akh preach the Contact War was the result of sinta being so consumed by the demons within them that they brought the world to ruin, and all powers, whether that of a government, major religion, or corporation, are inherently corrupt due to the influence of evil spirits. The heathen&#039;s lifestyle and struggles can be found [[Aut&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Aut&#039;akh, due to their radical views on unathi society and society as a whole, are often associated with anyone who breaks tradition. In light of this, Unathi started to develop behaviors and society learned to hate communes and their denizens.&#039;&#039;&#039; Anyone caught being unfaithful to their spouse, in a non-monogamous relationship, rebuking their clan, having a prosthetic, or even talking about their discontent with the Hegemony or other rulers was accused of being an Aut&#039;akh. The term to most became synonymous with anyone who was a perceived troublemaker or heretic, more so than even Si&#039;akh.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Si&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
Born from the fires of the Contact War, Si&#039;akh is a radical Sk&#039;akh heresy that has rapidly spread across the Wasteland. It is lead by charismatic former Sk&#039;akh priest Juzida Si&#039;akh, who claims to be the Messiah for all Unathi. The doctrine claims the Contact War to have been the Final Judgement for the Unathi species caused by their innate wickedness. He claims that all Unathi that died in the &#039;cleansing fire&#039; of the atomic weapons were given salvation, and all Unathi that survived are damned to remain trapped on the Hell of Moghes unless the species and Moghes are rapidly purified. The movement has come into immediate conflict with the orthodox Sk&#039;akh church due to Si&#039;akh claiming it to be completely illegitimate. Its followers are ruthlessly hunted down by the Maraziite Order and many of its followers are fleeing into human space as they try to find personal salvation. Their doomsday cult has [[Si&#039;akh|strict and ascetic principles]] to help Unathi obtain a chance at salvation.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Moghean Society ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Moghes]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:PostCitiesNamed.png|thumb|A map of Moghes with the cities and seas labelled.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Moghean Unathi are traditional Unathi with the planet being their homeworld. Historically culture varies across clans that exist on the planet, but some customs and norms can be found nearly universally in Unathi society.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It is a social faux pas to use a Unathi&#039;s first name if not family or extremely close to the Unathi in question. Generally, a Unathi will tell someone when they feel comfortable with the person using their first name. It is also distressing to touch their tail or at all before introductions are undertaken. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi place great emphasis on oral traditions. Honor and combat are seen as a man&#039;s realm, and women are not held to the same standards of honor. Women are instead expected to be elegant, learned and regal; while fishers are expected to be industrious, faithful and dedicated.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Outside the formal schools of the Untouched Lands, village and town shamans or priests often remain the only source of education for rural young Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Ouerean Society ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Ouerea]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While the Izweski Unathi of Ouerea follow most of the same social beliefs as their Moghean counterparts, they tend to be less volatile towards outsiders who are ignorant of their customs, especially since their world was formerly ruled by the Skrell and Humans. Their cultures have managed to influence Ouerean Unathi, embedding different cultural norms that are not found elsewhere. There is a focus on individualism and younger Unathi shy away from the usual responsibilities held to Unathi toward their clans. There is still a struggle with a highly stratified society, but things are moderately progressive compared to Moghes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Oureaea Ciites.png|thumb|A map of Ouerea, with cities and major locations labelled.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The original colonists started as patriots to the Izweski Hegemony, but many soon found themselves disillusioned with the distant homeworld tearing itself apart in war. Unathi on Ouerea became enamored with the broad ideals of democracy and finding themselves resentful of their old lives on Moghes. Reintegration into the Hegemony proved difficult as both planets had to reconcile these cultural differences. It still remains a minor division among these Unathi to this day.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ouerean art, in contrast to Moghean pottery and dyed fabrics, has taken on inspiration from Human and Skrell art. Many Ouerean Unathi have become renowned glassmakers and craftsmen. The greater access to Human and Skrell universities, many of which still operate on the planet, also give Ouerean Unathi greater chances to work in Human and Skrell systems. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Non-Izweski Unathi ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi of the Hegemony’s territories — the Izweski Hegemony itself, Ouerea, or any of its many colonies — require consent from their clan Lord to make their way out into the greater galaxy, as listed [[Guide to Citizenship#Izweski_Hegemony|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Those that come from outside of the Hegemony and Dominia usually have no official means of recognized citizenship. Wastelanders, privateers, Guwan, and other Unathi must apply for a work visa where they are traveling in order to reside there. This of course carries risks with it: if a Unathi is seen as being problematic, whether committing crimes and misdemeanors or just not living up to the job they’re working, they may have their visa stripped and end up deported to the Hegemony. The Izweski Hegemony does not explicitly ask for these Unathi, especially seeing how they are usually &#039;undesirable&#039;. As there are no officially recognized governments on Moghes besides the Izweski, however, deported persons get sent there. Guwan and Gawgaryn that manage to make their way out of the system to places such as Biesel will face harsh punishment if this happens, so they are the most incentivized to put on their best outward face.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Unathi Physiognomy ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Khaniazwazi, also known as Unathi Physiognomy to outsiders, is a science dedicated to the study of Unathi physical profiles and the deduction of their character from such things. While certainly not new in Unathi history, it has been going through a rebirth in popularity as more resources have been dedicated to the study of Unathi biology and its appearance, to make up for what was lost with the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The validity of such a science is discussed, even among strictly professional fields, and it is no surprise that many individuals and groups have been using this field as a pretext to discriminate against other Sinta, or as a way to make a quick buck from more naive Unathi. Putting these aside however, there are still many variants of Khaniazwazi being practiced, depending on the area, with different interpretations of physical attributes. Generally, however, Khaniazwazi takes into account scale colouration, horns, frills, crests and facial structure; and in some rarer cases, smaller details such as wrinkles, scars, etcetera.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Politics and Factions ==&lt;br /&gt;
Moghes is divided between the Izweski Hegemony and the hundreds of other Clans and nations who claim their own land across the planet&#039;s surface. The only real difference in their political systems is the scale. Many of these other clans are modern nations or pre-industrial, ruled by various kings or leaders. However, with the expansion of the uninhabitable Wasteland and the brutal decimation Izweski forces committed on foreign leadership, many institutions of non-Hegemonic government across Moghes are rare or extremely fragile.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Moghes_porposal.png|thumb|The flag of the Izweski Hegemony. It is said the flag symbolizes the wildfires that frequented Moghes.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Izweski Hegemony ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Izweski Hegemony]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&#039;&#039;&amp;quot;Honour, fire, burn thy fear.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039; - The ancestral motto of Clan Izweski, circa early 20th century&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Izweski Clan is led by Clan Leader [[Notable_Unathi#Not.27zar_Izweski|&#039;&#039;&#039;Not&#039;zar Izweski&#039;&#039;&#039;]], a Unathi who has ruled the Hegemony since his father S&#039;kresti Izweski, the previous Hegemon, was assassinated by his son and Not&#039;zar&#039;s brother. He lives in the Izweski Citadel in Skalamar, and under him are the Lords who rule their own subjugated clans. They live in a feudal system, with the Lords usually being clan leaders or important clan members themselves who pledge themselves to Izweski in exchange for land and protection.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Hegemon is best thought of being the Emperor, and under him are the Overlords, who are the Kings. Under the Overlords are the Lords, who are then broken up between the Clan Lords, and then the Clan Leaders. Clan Leaders are a mostly ceremonial title and make up (usually) the eldest male ruler of a specific family clan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Not&#039;zar&#039;s father, Hegemon S&#039;kresti Izweski, was originally a strong leader of the Izweski clan. Then, after the death of his eldest son in a shuttle crash, the old Hegemon fell into a deep depression, to the point of becoming comatose in the Izweski citadel. After a succession crisis, Not&#039;zar took his place as the Regent and heir for three years, over that time developing the Hegemony into a stable empire. &lt;br /&gt;
[[Image:Minimap hegemony.png|thumb|A closer image focusing on the factions surrounding the Izweski Hegemony&#039;s territory.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Three years later, the Hegemon awoke and took back to the throne, however on his tour to get reacquainted with everything, he was spurred into madness and cursed by &#039;&#039;&#039;Juzida Si&#039;akh&#039;&#039;&#039; which resulted in a civil war to dispute his claim to the throne. In an attempt to destroy his enemies, the old Hegemon attempted to orbitally bombard an enemy city. To stop this dishonorable act, his third son Z&#039;krazi Izweski the Kinslayer assassinated the Hegemon, and after Not&#039;zar&#039;s victory in the Battle of Three Hills the civil war ended.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Now, Not&#039;zar is the Clan Leader, Overlord of Moghes, and Hegemon of the Izweski Hegemony. Despite his severe physical handicap forcing him to walk with a cane, many noblemen have made him an ally, especially including the Guilds who enjoy his globalist attitude.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Overlords rule an entire planet in the name of the Hegemon. Under them are Lords, who can rule huge tracts of land and multiple cities, or just a single city; there is no distinction between a Count and Duke level of Lordship like in most human feudalism.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
There are two different kinds of major lifestyles in the Izweski Hegemony. There is the city, which is ran by a Lord and a small council of lesser clans. City life is less harsh than life in the country, especially with opportunities provided with shuttle services to the rest of the galaxy. Life in the rural areas is harsher, with cities being rare and life mostly determined by the size of a Clan&#039;s village and how well they can hunt, fish, or in desperate times, raid their neighbors. It&#039;s the traditional Unathi life, made harsher by the growing Wasteland encroaching on once-fertile lands.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Queendom of Szek’Hakh ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&#039;&#039;&amp;quot;Refuse to break.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039; - Pre-Contact War Szek&#039;Hakh clan motto.&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A matriarchal region of roughly twenty thousand set in the Wasteland, led by the elderly &#039;&#039;&#039;Queen Lazak Szek&#039;Hakh&#039;&#039;&#039; and her daughters. In her settlement and a large portion of the region surrounding it, her clan has become the protector of her region known as the &#039;Queendom&#039;. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For those living in the Queendom, the gender roles of Unathi are inverted, and many of its people thusly struggle to find opportunities on Moghes and seek employment in Tau Ceti - with the Queen even making connections with pirates, Dominians, and Tajaran smugglers to get her people safely out of the dangerous Wasteland. The Queen is kind under her witty and straightforward attitude, and despite stereotypes, does not actually hate men.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Szek&#039;Hakh clan&#039;s settlement of &#039;&#039;&#039;Yu&#039;kal&#039;&#039;&#039;, originally headed by the Queen&#039;s husband, was built around a cluster of small lakes and focused on aquaculture. When the Contact War&#039;s nukes wiped out the vast majority of men, they adapted to using women as protectors, while using men to keep house. The widowed Lazak Szek’Hakh convinced the shell-shocked and wounded survivors of her clan that she was the only one capable of ruling during this terrifying time, and had taken control of a sizable region of the Wasteland east of Mudki around Yu&#039;kal. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Szek&#039;Hakh Clan became the leading power in their region following the Contact War. Eventually, Szek’Hakh consolidated control of her clan and the settlement, taking matters of survival into her own hands. As the Wasteland engulfed Yu&#039;kal&#039;s lakes, she coordinated a renovation of aquaculture farms and lead expeditions to bring their highly valuable fish products to the distant surviving city of Mudki. Women took prominent roles in all of these, with the necessities of survival in the harsh wasteland fraying Unathite gender roles. A neighboring nobleman, fearing this rise of powerful women, orchestrated to have her assassinated. In a dramatic confrontation, the assassin was foiled and publicly exiled as a Guwandi, and a mob of angry women stormed the nobleman&#039;s estate to &#039;duel him for his dishonor&#039;. This act put the matriarch in the spotlight, sparking Szek’Hakh’s rapid rise of being named Queen by her people.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Queen Szek’Hakh now leads a struggling wasteland settlement in a precarious situation. The traditional Izweski-leaning Unathi find her position an affront to customs, and she struggles to find allies. She tries to walk a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk’akh Church]], the Izweski, and the Wastelander factions - however she is often too straightforward to get far. Her settlement is primarily Th’akh, and she herself follows the faith. She complies (though unwillingly) with the demands of Izweski representatives to expel the prophet [[Notable Unathi|Si&#039;akh]] from her realm when he enters her settlement in his travels, though she quietly allows members of his traveling flock to rest in secret when they pass through her settlement. For the same, she does not tolerate the cult of the [[Aut&#039;akh]], and her people ruthlessly hunt down their unaugmented proselytizers.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Surviving Kingdoms on Moghes ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Despite the destruction of most of the known world from the [[Contact War]], some desperate survivors managed to weather the storm and remain nominally free of Izweski dominance - either from the Izweski&#039;s weariness for war on Moghes, or arrogant indifference.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While the Izweski are reclaiming the Wasteland, they are ruthlessly uprooting and displacing local cultures in the remaining habitable lands. The Outposts were small, fertile enclaves that survived the Contact War surrounded by the Wasteland. Starting in 2461, Not&#039;zar pushed forward terraforming efforts to expand these green yet hostile oases. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Template:UnathiCustomaryLaw}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Notable Information ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Guwandi ===&lt;br /&gt;
In the event that a Unathi becomes terminally ill, or finds themselves lacking the pride or honor to continue to live, or simply become tired of their existence undergo a ritualistic suicide and take the title of &#039;Guwandi&#039; (which is translated to Gladiator/Galdium). They will give up their possessions to their clan leader and make their journey into the Moghes desert. The only things they keep are their weapons which they use to fight animals or other Unathi so that they may die in honorable combat. In the event that two of these Guwandi meet, they will first draw their weapons and adopt a passive stance, which is followed by them telling each other their stories in turn, as well as the reasons behind their choice of adopting the mantle of &#039;Guwandi&#039; and how they wish their remains to be dealt with. When both sides understand the other, combat will begin with a mutual wish of luck that the more worthy of death lose with pride. The winner of the battle is responsible for taking care of the corpse in the way they were instructed to. Renouncing the deathseeking life of Guwandi isn&#039;t easy. Some may wish to return after having been granted a second outlook, or hope, after they had spent time wandering and risking their life. Their clan may see their decision as cowardly and refuse to accept them, or be overjoyed they had learned a lesson in their time.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Guwandi are not an option on the Horizon,&#039;&#039;&#039; yet may be a way in which a character becomes retired, barring [[Traitor|extreme circumstances]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Guwan ===&lt;br /&gt;
In some cases when a Unathi is exiled from their clan, they do not take up the formal title of Guwandi. This can be through fear of death, unwillingness, or simple stubbornness. In this case, they are marked as &#039;Guwan&#039; by their clan leader, and must take this as their last name. It is a variation on Guwandi, which is translated directly as &#039;exile&#039;. Guwans are clanless Unathi, and form an underclass. Guwans find it difficult if not impossible to advance socially or politically, and in many cases are oppressed or mistreated by other Unathi who view them as troublemakers or criminals. The only way of returning to a clan after banishment as a Guwan is to be adopted back into the Clan, which happens very rarely. &#039;&#039;&#039;To no longer be a Guwan, a Unathi must have an upstanding citizen decide to represent them, and then they must both go to court to explain how the Guwan can return into society under a new clan name, be adopted into another clan, or return to their original clan (at Clan Leader&#039;s acceptance.)&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On August 29th, 2459, the Lord-Regent Not&#039;zar Izweski passed an edict that required clans to send a petition to an imperial court when they want to banish a clan member as a Guwan. The court must side with the petitioning Clan Leader or the Unathi in question is not marked as a Guwan. This has caused backlash as the courts have gained a reputation for being incredibly arbitrary in their decisions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the past, all orphans were automatically Guwan unless they are adopted into a Clan. This changed with yet another edict by Not&#039;zar Izweski in December of 2459, which required all orphans, including adults still connected to their orphanage guild via debts or otherwise without parents, to take on the surname of that orphanage.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
Some Guwans have been forced off of Moghes by their clans with the growing ease of space travel, and NanoTrasen has a long history of exploiting this subgroup of Unathi, coercing them into employment contracts.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Guwans are not permitted to petition their local Lords to express any grievances, and are not permitted to social services provided by private enterprise or state entities. They are not full citizens of the Hegemony but are considered residents, which additionally bares them from many services.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Notably, Guwans are the only social class of Unathi allowed to serve in the personal guard of the Hegemon and his family. The strategy relies on the fact the Guwan Guard are despised and envied by decorated officers that would otherwise serve in traditional guard duties. They are socially isolated and unable to advance politically, which means that their survival depends on the safety of the Hegemon and his family, which means that they wouldn&#039;t try to launch a coup or replace the Hegemon without themselves being slaughtered. Similar to an old-Terran Janissary, they&#039;re a slave soldier, and unable to have children or hold any sort of political or military position.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
If a Unathi is the last of their clan, or is otherwise estranged with no one to declare them Guwan, then they may still find themselves challenged by other rival clans who lay claim to this Unathi&#039;s land, titles, inheritance, or name. If they are unable or unwilling to defend their claims (which would involve lengthy court trials on Moghes) then they would be stripped of them and declared Guwan. This means that a Unathi hiding in human space can still be named Guwan if their past, or rivals, catch up with them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Guwans are exclusively a criminal or otherwise dishonorable untouchable class, and it takes a lot to be labelled as one. Because playing a Guwan means you are opting in to being discriminated against by others, a Guwan filing an incident report for anything less than physical assault is a whitelist issue.&#039;&#039;&#039; When in doubt, speak to the Maintainer first.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Orphans and Orphanage Guilds ===&lt;br /&gt;
Orphans in the Hegemony in the past were all labelled as Guwans, but an edict by Not&#039;zar Izweski in December of 2459 changed all that. Hatchlings, child, and teenage Unathi without parents are put in the care of one of the many orphanage guilds on Moghes. These are private run guilds with little to no government oversight. While they fulfill a necessary social service in caring for Unathi that would otherwise be on the streets, orphanage guilds in the Hegemony are incredibly exploitative. Unknown to the children the guilds track all the expenses and charge their wards throughout their life until they turn 17, when they are presented with the bill and are forced to work to repay the crippling debt, and many can be trapped by the fact that their debt would fall on any prospective parents.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Two of these guilds have expanded into large corporations that have found a lucrative method of gaining money from their wards. The &#039;&#039;&#039;Gukuzan&#039;&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;&#039;Kuhwinla&#039;&#039;&#039; Guilds coerce or persuade their wards to accepts contracts for megacorporations, particularly [[Hephaestus Industries]], if they reach adulthood without being adopted. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Gukuzan&#039;&#039;&#039; clan is lead by a Priest Kiazoi, and he ensures that those that enter the care of his guild are given a proper religious education and instilled with the values of the church. Children raised by the Gukuzan are also taught valuable lessons in obedience and the importance of duty and respect to their betters. Its wards are moderately well-off and treated well, but the comforts of a happy childhood in the orphanage is rather soured by the fact everything from bedding, food, and even air conditioning are things each child has added to their growing debt. Gukuzan orphanages are scattered across Moghes and there are three on [[Ouerea]]. They are all exclusively managed by a priest on the payroll of the Gukuzan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Kuhwinla&#039;&#039;&#039; clan is lead by Guildmaster Ioaza Kuhwinla, an infamously frugal woman. She refuses to spend any more than she has to on her wards, meaning that those under her care are given the most basic of education. Children raised by her Guild are taught valuable lessons in thrift, obedience, and how to stretch meals to the absolute limit. Its wards are generally barely better than they would be on the street, but they live with a roof over their heads, semi-reliable food, a basic education, and their debt at the end of their life under the Kuhwinla is generally lower than it would be in other orphanages. Kuhwinla orphanages are in nearly every major Unathite city, and they are unique in that they are managed by matriarchs that answer to Ioaza.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;These two surnames are the only ones you may take if you play an orphaned Izweski on the SCCV Horizon!&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Species]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Pages]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Unathi]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=37188</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=37188"/>
		<updated>2025-08-22T16:28:08Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Outdated (Phoron Scarcity)}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Infobox Species&lt;br /&gt;
 |Species = Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Scientific = U. Sapiens / Sinta&#039;Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Image = Unathi410x320.png&lt;br /&gt;
 |System = [[Uueoa-Esa]]&lt;br /&gt;
 |World = [[Moghes]]&lt;br /&gt;
 |Language = Sinta&#039;Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Politic = [[Izweski Hegemony]]&lt;br /&gt;
 }}&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Unathi&#039;&#039;&#039; (direct plural: Unathi – You-NAWH-thee both singular and multiple) (adjective: Unathite - You-NAWH-thit) are a race of tall humanoid reptiles standing from six to seven feet tall on average, with females slightly smaller in stature. They possess a mixture of snake-like and crocodile-like features, resulting in hard and plate-like scales. Unathi live in their home system of Uueoa-Esa with their homeworld being [[Moghes]]. The planet&#039;s history can be summarized as being divided up between various Hegemonies, names they give the most powerful Clans on Moghes throughout time. The Clan system is deeply entrenched in Unathi society with everything else revolving around it. It forms a major part of their code of honor, which stresses the importance of martial abilities and loyalty to the Clan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Unathivillage.png|thumb|alt=Unathi.|Life outside the Untouched Lands remains harsh, with limited or nonexistent Hephaestus presence.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Religion and spirituality play a major role in a Unathi society, and religious differences are the main dividing factor. Conflict between the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and the various [[Th&#039;akh]] faiths of Moghes, as well as the various [[Aut&#039;akh|communes]] and [[Si&#039;akh|cults]], have caused conflict and wars between the Izweski Hegemony and the kingdoms that eventually comprised the Traditionalist Coalition. This conflict hit a peak when they entered the intergalactic stage, which is now known as the [[Contact War]]. After this conflict, some Unathi fled the planet through Hephaestus or NanoTrasen shuttle ports. Unathi fleeing to megacorporations like NanoTrasen find themselves working in security and engineering roles, but recently many have been proving themselves as competent surgeons and brilliant scientists, earning opportunities that Moghes would deny them because of its strict feudal hierarchy. However, others are slipping through the cracks and becoming slavers, raiders, or pirates. As the ability for spaceship construction increases in the Unathi home system, so too does space piracy and smuggling.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Moghes has two different biomes after the Contact War. The fertile Untouched Lands with its great jungles, vast swamps, and lush forests; all of which are protected by massive terraforming equipment kept secure by the Hegemony&#039;s wealth and power. Contrast to that are the bombarded Wasteland kingdoms in the ashes of plains and forests, burnt into a massive planet-spanning desert rampant with [[The_Wasteland#Clan_.22Gawgaryn.22_-_The_Punished_Clans|punished kingdoms raiding to survive]] and [[The_Wasteland#The_Reclaimers|part scavengers living in cities on treads]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To apply to be Unathi, apply [http://aurorastation.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=28 here].&lt;br /&gt;
{{TOC Hidden}}&lt;br /&gt;
== Heads of Staff ==&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi can be the following Heads of Staff:&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Head of Security]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Chief Medical Officer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Research Director]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Chief Engineer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Operations Manager]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Corporate Liaison|Consular Officer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Corporate Liaison]] - [[NanoTrasen]], [[Hephaestus Industries]], [[Zavodskoi Interstellar]] ([[Unathi in Dominia|Dominian Unathi]] only), [[Private Military Contracting Group]] (Dagamuir Freewater Private Forces only), [[Orion Express]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The following groups &#039;&#039;&#039;cannot&#039;&#039;&#039; be Heads of Staff: [[Aut&#039;akh]], Guwan, and Gawgaryn of [[The Wasteland]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Due to their criminal backgrounds, the following groups &#039;&#039;&#039;cannot&#039;&#039;&#039; be played in the Security department: Guwan and Gawgaryn of [[The Wasteland]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Outside of consular officers, command characters should not be of the same clan as any notable lords of the Hegemony. The most prominent clans, such as those of Overlords and the Hegemon himself, are off-limits for command.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Megacorporate Relations===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to 2465, Moghean Unathi that were not members of trade guilds were almost exclusively employed with [[Hephaestus Industries]]. Unathi with guild memberships would primarily take contracts with [[NanoTrasen]] or [[Orion Express]], depending on their career choice. [[Unathi in Dominia|Unathi living in Dominia]], like most of their countrymen, seek employment with [[Zavodskoi Interstellar]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
After the Merchant&#039;s Guild declared bankruptcy, Hephaestus Industries bailed out all Hegemonic guilds and reorganised them under the banner of the company. Since then, nearly all residents of Moghes are employed by Hephaestus in some way. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Mechanics ==&lt;br /&gt;
Mechanical differences from humans and unique emotes listed below:&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Passive&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi are coldblooded which allows slightly improved heat resistance, but increased sensitivity to cold.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi have claws, which slash and improve unarmed melee attacks.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi are incapable of easily digesting alcohol, and ethanol is considered toxic to them.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can only drink alcohol from drinks with butanol instead of ethanol. Butanol gets them drunk similar to ethanol but has no effect on other species.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi get no nutrients from eating fruits and vegetables. They need meat to fill their hunger.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can safely eat carp and consume carpotoxin.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi have the fastest sprint available to any species, but they have low stamina, meaning they can only sprint in short bursts. They also are slower than most other species.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Active Abilities&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can devour monkeys, rats, spiders, carp, and other small mobs by clicking and dragging from the mob to themselves. The animal must hold still for it to work.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi hiss when speaking Tau Ceti Basic. You achieve this by typing multiple s&#039;s during speech. This can also be pronounced through x&#039;s if their accent is thick. &amp;quot;Thisss issss an ekssample.&amp;quot;  You can also &#039;&#039;&#039;Toggle-Auto-Hiss&#039;&#039;&#039; to do this for you.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can sample the air with their tongue.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unique audible emotes: *hiss, *hiss2, *bellow.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Biology ==&lt;br /&gt;
Their average life expectancy is around sixty years for most Unathi. However, they tend to live for well past sixty years when given advanced medical care available to the other space-faring species. As a cold-blooded species, they suffer fatigue and even short comas when exposed to extremely low temperatures.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Humans and Unathi share a lot of similar internal biology with some notable exceptions. Since they are a carnivorous species, their diet mostly consists of meat and animal products, though they do have a tolerance to some plants and fruits. While Unathi do receive minor benefits for eating certain fruits, they do not get any nutrition from plants. Due to their carnivorous nature, they also have an increased stomach capacity to help eat larger meals at a time. The typical Unathi usually only eats one meal a day, and for the poorer sinta, perhaps once every two days. They tend towards lethargic and sluggish movements more often than not because of their evolutionary history, so they move slower than most organic species. However, the cyclical period of work for Unathi compared to other species is much faster. Unathi are polyphasic sleepers: creatures that sleep in shorter naps rather than at one time during the night. While they tend towards sluggishness, sinta are often capable of incredible bursts of energy and speed, and their ability to work in three or four hour periods of time compensates for their more sporadic schedules.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The reproductive system of a Sinta&#039;Unathi is very similar to that of Earth reptiles. Females lay eggs, with the average clutch being somewhere between one and three. They have a six-month gestation period, after which they are laid in a humid, warm area. After two months, the fetus is fully developed and hatches from the egg. Unathi are born with their claws and the ability to walk within hours of hatching. A Sinta&#039;Unathi is considered an adult when they are 16 years old.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Physical Appearance ===&lt;br /&gt;
The Unathi as a species show a great deal of variation within body types as well as clusters of smaller physical traits passed down through clans. Facial and body features range in size and shape with some having raptor-like aesthetics, serpentine looks, or a more draconic body. Tail length is often genetic; conversely, tail girth is defined by a Unathi&#039;s diet as it stores most of the body&#039;s fat— nobles grow some of the largest tails.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi scales are somewhat tougher than human skin, though they shed off sporadically rather than all at once. More vulnerable and hidden spots, such as the stomach and waist, the backs of joints, and inner thighs are all leathery skin and aren&#039;t covered in scales.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The typical healthy adult male Unathi weighs roughly 280 pounds. Female sinta differ from males as they generally have a shorter and more rounded snout. The typical healthy Unathi female weighs roughly 250 pounds. Female Unathi grow to about 5&#039;9&amp;quot; to 6&#039;8, while male Unathi grow to about 6&#039;0&amp;quot; to 7&#039;0&amp;quot;. Unusual heights tend to be smaller in scale, as the taller a Unathi is, the more likely it will be marred with health problems and not live as long as others.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Both sexes stand on digitigrade legs, with three toes on each foot and a hooked dewclaw, and have clawed feet and hands. They also have very long tongues, typically black or extremely dark red in color, which may stretch up to a foot and a half long and are forked just like a serpent&#039;s. In much the same manner as snakes, Unathi can sample the air around them using their tongue. They blink and have tear ducts similar to humans.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi horns do not naturally regrow, and serious damage tends to remain permanent. Ancient recipes using native herbs known as &amp;quot;horn paste&amp;quot; are commonly made and sold by herbalists and can counter cosmetic scratches or minor chipping. More modern synthetic Horn Gel (based on Bone Gel), developed largely by [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]], can regenerate an entire lost horn, but it tends to be stratified to the upper classes and noblemen due to cost.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Lizards.png|thumb|Body dimorphism in Unathi.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Colouration ====&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi are also often born into one of four major scale colour categories: red, black, orange-brown and &amp;quot;sand-colored&amp;quot;, and green. Alternative colours are rare, with dark blue and even albino Unathi being reported in very small numbers. Albinos are sometimes slightly tinted in colour while remaining predominantly white. Traditionally these off-coloured Unathi are met with prejudice, though some clans outside the Izweski may feel different.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It has been noticed that scale colourations were more represented in some areas than other, and thus, many shades of these colours were, in Unathi culture, named after the places they tend to be seen in more often, in many cases.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*Modern red-coloured Unathi are thought to originate from a large nomadic clan that settled South of the Moghresian Sea around modern Skalamar. Nowadays, red-scaled Sinta tend to be seen on the entire Southern coast of the Moghresian Sea and the mountain ranges near it.&lt;br /&gt;
*Today’s green-coloured Unathi hail from the Southern side of the Moghresian sea, and they are seen more often throughout this side of the coast and down to the colder lands even further South. Surprisingly, there is also a large batch of green-coloured Unathi located around Sahl lake, indicating that an old nomadic clan of mostly green Sinta settled there centuries ago.&lt;br /&gt;
*Orange-brown and sand-yellow Unathi comprises a wide range of colours. They are a more common colour to be seen in a large area, and it is believed that their origins come from displacement in ancient conflicts that forced them to migrate and find new homelands. More precisely, Unathi harbouring such colours tend to be more represented in a large area defined between Darakath, Bahard, Mudki, and Yu’kal.&lt;br /&gt;
*Black or “dark-scaled’ Unathi do not seem to originate from any precise area, and instead, tend to be more often seen around colder areas of Moghes, both North and South. A popular theory is that black scales are actually a consequence of exposure to the cold for generations— something that has yet to be proven.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
All colours, barring albino, do not mix; if a brown Unathi and a light red Unathi have a child, the red scales the child has might be a little darker, but the colours do not blend to make something new.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Colour ranges&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Due to the modernization of Moghes as well as the emigration and population displacement from the Contact War, Unathi of any colour can be found nearly anywhere on Moghes. Of course, they are more common in some areas rather than others.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Below are some examples of Unathi scale colour ranges. These cover a majority of the colors; while some deviances from these are normal, there are no neon or pink colors among Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{| align:Center&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
!Usual Unathi colour ranges:&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Green.png|200px|thumb|left|Green colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Brown.png|200px|thumb|left|Brown-orange / sand-yellow colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Red.png|200px|thumb|left|Red colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Black.png|200px|thumb|left|Black colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
{| align:Center&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
!Unusual Unathi colour ranges:&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_white.png|200px|thumb|left|Albino colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Blue.png|200px|thumb|left|Blue colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Green:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Razir Moss:&#039;&#039; RGB 27, 50, 27 / Hex #1B321B&lt;br /&gt;
*An unusually dark shade of green, but certainly not the only one, Unathi from Razir and its surrounding areas tend to have this scale colouration more often than not. As the name suggests, it is quite comparable in colour to the unique moss that tends to grow on rocks and buildings on the Southern coast of the Moghresian sea. The moss was heavily used by healers in the past, as its spongy nature allows to quickly stop bleeding, and its composition can also help in dealing with infection, or at least, limit their spread, until proper medicine can be found, properties that are quite appreciated in a time like the post-Contact-War era, where shortages, of medicine among other things, aren’t so rare depending on the location. Due to its ties with healing, some of the more traditional Unathi tend to see Unathi with such a scale colouration as more feminine.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Sen Emerald:&#039;&#039; RGB 31, 95, 31 / Hex #1F5F1F&lt;br /&gt;
*Considering the name, and the overall concentration of Unathi in the region, it is assumed that those bearing such colouration came from the now-broken city of Sen. Records of where the name comes from exactly has been lost after the Contact War, but theories still exist with recent finds. The reclaimer clan Kikata, operating a landcrawler by the torn cities, on the western coast of the Moghresian sea, noticed several collapsed mines next to what they assumed used to be villages, and in them, among many other minerals, unique green gems. As word has started to spread, many Sinta are now assuming that Sen Emerald refers to these gems.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Teht Mint:&#039;&#039; RGB 85, 149, 85 / Hex #559555&lt;br /&gt;
*Teht Mint is one of the many crops that (nearly) disappeared after the Contact War and its nuclear fallout. As Teht mostly made its fortune from fishing, nearby villages housed the few clans in all of Moghes talented enough to properly harvest the plant, and who kept such a knowledge secret to all of their own. Used as expensive seasoning by only the wealthiest Nobles in the region, these clans, and their village, quickly made a fortune, then came the Contact war. While the city of Teth was spared by the bombing, the many villages around it that didn’t get outright razed by the nukes were abandonned, as their main source of income, the harvesting of the mint, was soon enough gone and made life there unsustainable, leaving only handful of seeds, currently preserved in Teth’s palace in hopes that they may be planted into proper soil another day. In any case, the name “Teht Mint” persist as a way to call the Sintas bearing a light green scale colour that tends to be seen in the area.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Sahl Green:&#039;&#039; RGB 56, 126, 86 / Hex #387E56&lt;br /&gt;
*Lake Sahl, among many other things, was renowned for the unique algae that used to grow in within it, giving it, when the floor was shallow enough, a green-ish tint, something that many local fishers used to call “Sahl’s green halo”. Like many things, these algae died after the Contact War, and the poisoning of the lake due to the ensuing nuclear fallout. Many of the older locals that still remember their time spent fishing in the lake, however, have been continuing to call Unathi living around the lake, bearing a unique shade of green, “Sahl Green”.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Orange-Brown / Sand Coloured:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Mudki Stone:&#039;&#039; RGB 98, 84, 65 / Hex #625441&lt;br /&gt;
*The mountainous city of Mudki has been build with the rocks of the very mountains it stands on and between. These rocks exhibit a strange propriety due to their unique composition, something only found in the area, as, when wet, the usually light-grey, or tan stone, turns to a pale-brown. While a small-scaled group of geologists was dispatched to explain the phenomenon, the researches were cut short by the outbreak of the Contact War, and by now, most Sinta simply have their own explanation, from more science-based ones, to some more related to faith. In any case, people have taken to naming the many Sinta bearing light brown scale colouration, around the area, “Mudki Stone”, and some older, more superstitious inhabitants of Mudki and its surroundings claim that these Unathi can, like the stone, change colour…&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Yu&#039;kal Soil:&#039;&#039; RGB 92, 66, 32 / Hex #5C4220&lt;br /&gt;
*Yu’kal, while far from any of the main lakes or seas of Moghes, was a city that known for its people’s work in aquaculture in smaller bodies of water, natural or, later on, artificial, something that nearby smaller settlements also picked up. While the Contact War and its consequences put an end to such a business, many in the Queendom still remember this time, and how the soil turned damp and darkened from the how humid it could get in some places… Something that led to the naming of the colouration that many of the local Unathi bear, similar shades of brown, “Yu’kal Soil”.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Darakath Brown:&#039;&#039; RGB 158, 116, 60 / Hex #9E743C&lt;br /&gt;
*Darakath Brown, also called “Darakath Copper” by the inhabitants of the once proud capital of the Azarak Kingdom, is ,as the name suggests, a scale colouration mostly seen in Darakath and its surroundings. To the more staunch supporters of the Izweski Hegemony, Sintas with this colours are seen as Traditionalists, and by extent, defeated foes… To others, Unathi with such colouration are treated with kindness, if not (legitimate or not) pity, after the sacking of the city by the end of the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Bahard Cream:&#039;&#039; RGB 233, 178, 104 / Hex #E9B268&lt;br /&gt;
*Bahard, before the nuclear exchange, was one of the largest trading hub on Moghes thanks to its central position, making a fortune through trading. Beside this, however, Bahard was also known for the culinary expertise of its people, access to food from all around Moghes being one of the reason behind such a thing. Bahard Cream, originally referred to the a seasoning whose recipe was lost by the end of the Contact War, generally offered to passing traders. It was its unique colour and popularity that led to the locals, and soon enough, the rest of Moghes, to referring to the scale colouration seen so often around the area in such a way.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Red:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Tak Red:&#039;&#039; RGB 128, 62, 62 / Hex #803E3E&lt;br /&gt;
*Tak used to be a city of relatively modest size, before the nuclear exchange utterly ruined it. Few know why Sinta of this certain shade are thus called “Tak Red”, although researches in Skalamar have led to a theory: fish exports. Most inhabitants made a living through fishing, just like most cities on the coast of the Moghresian sea, although surviving trading records show a higher than average amount of exports from the city. Additionally, texts, and common memory, point that some of the fish unique to Tak’s coast had unique red scales… Although said fishes are extinct by now, everything seems to indicate that this is where the name for this colouration came from.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Skalamar Red:&#039;&#039; 160, 44, 44 / Hex #A02C2C&lt;br /&gt;
*Skalamar Red, also called “Blood Red” by traditionalist and other foes of the Hegemony, is, as the name suggest, more often seen in Skalamar and its neighboring territories. Origins on the name of this colouration were blurry, even before the Contact War, with stories speaking of such colourations having divine origins, from other speaking of a curse, depending on who you ask. In any case, such a colouration is a sign of greatness and valor to some, and of shame and cruelty to some others… Generally depending on who they would have sided with during the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;S&#039;th Berry:&#039;&#039; RGB 125, 6, 6 / Hex #980606&lt;br /&gt;
*S’th Berries are one of the few species of flora that survived the nuclear fallout of the Contact War… Although, not without consequences. While they were once deep red, the berries lost their colour and appear grey-ish; and their sugary taste as been lost, some saying that they now taste like paste instead. Nevertheless, the name given to the colour that many Unathi in the area arbor, remained: Unathi of red scales, red like S’th’s Berries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Black:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Derhai Shadow:&#039;&#039; RGB 17, 22, 16 / Hex #111610&lt;br /&gt;
*Although such a tone can be found a bit everywhere since Derhai’s depopulation, most people can pinpoint that it used to be most often seen in and around great city that stood there, before being abandoned. Due to the highly religious nature that Derhai had, many have been tying (sometimes wrongly) such a scale colouration to Th&#039;akhists.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Janvir Black:&#039;&#039; RGB 28, 28, 28 / Hex #1C1C1C&lt;br /&gt;
*Perhaps a testament to how fast Unathi can evolve and change over generation, Janvir Black is a scale colouration that only appeared around a century after the foundation of the cold metropolis, merely six centuries ago… That is, according to the limited records currently available in the post-Contact War era.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Guzari Night:&#039;&#039; RGB 61, 47, 47 / Hex #3D2F2F&lt;br /&gt;
*There were, allegedly, several small settlements by the coast of the Guzari Sea, despite the freezing temperatures (on Unathi standards, that is), thanks to the unique bounties of the cold Northern Sea. Records seem to indicate, however, that said settlements were abandoned even before the Contact War, something that historians, even to this day, cannot explain, mostly due to the severe loss of historical documents during the conflict. Many Unathi, today, then, see other Sinta with the strange scale colouration known as Guzari Night as quite elusive…&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Albino:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Albino White:&#039;&#039; RGB 178, 178, 178 / Hex #B2B2B2&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Bleached Bone:&#039;&#039; RGB 183, 169, 169 / Hex #3D2F2F&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Blue:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Indigo Blue:&#039;&#039; RGB 35, 55, 189 / Hex #2337BD&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Azure:&#039;&#039; RGB 1, 102, 255 / Hex #0066FF&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Albino and Azure (or Blue) Unathi scale colouration are not tied to any area of Moghes, and instead, generally the result of genetic lottery. How such colourations are perceived varies widely. These Unathi would generally face prejudice in the Hegemony, although some other Sinta from different horizons can exhibit interest for them instead, or simply indifference. &lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Genetic Variety ====&lt;br /&gt;
Besides scale colouration, many other physical aspects of Unathi bodies can vary widely. From horns and frills, to even extra scale crests and different structures in a Unathi’s very skeleton (namely, the skull). While anatomical differences within a species are natural, Unathi are noteworthy for how wide these differences can get and how fast they come to be. The exact science behind this has been lost after the Contact War, and most of the research behind such a phenomena is idly handled by Nanotrasen and Zeng-Hu specialists. However it is assumed that Sinta simply evolve and adapt to their surroundings much faster than most of the other sentient species of the Spur, leading to such large physical discrepancies between Unathi alone.&lt;br /&gt;
From this, it is also assumed that, with Unathi populations moving between planets, and Moghes on its way to changing considerably (may the consequences of the of the Contact War be the of the Sinta homeworld, or may terraforming efforts save it), said biological differences between different groups will only get larger and more exotic in the next few centuries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Genetic Variety&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Unathifaces.png|180px|thumb|right|Zotzo’s Treaty of Biology is one of the first Unathi works dedicated to the study of Sinta biology, and in which the terminology for Unathi facial structure was first established. This is one of the few pages left of the book, found in the ruins of Oket&#039;s Great Library.]] &lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Horns&#039;&#039;&#039; are not tied to specific places, or at least, not directly. There seems to be a hereditary side to it, however, as Unathi more often than not seem to bear the horns of one of their parents (on VERY rare instances carrying the horns of both). Horns, however, do not “mix” and make new shapes, the same way that Unathi scale colourations don’t mix. Horns are arbored by both male and female Sintas, and can be of various tones, from dark gray, near black, to Ivory or even pristine white, and even in some cases, pale brown-ish tones. Contrary to some belief, Unathi horns are bone, and not made of Ivory or any other precious material. Horn size, just like tail size, also depends on a Unathi’s diet. However, while everyone has the potential to grow an enlarged tail, if given enough fat, horn size highly depends on how well-fed a Unathi is during their childhood as they grow. Coupled with one’s horn’s hereditary nature, it is commonly assumed that A Sinta of noble blood will generally have larger horns… A noble who happens to have shorter horns is generally called a New-Noble, as if they were the first of their clan to ascend to noblehood, and by extent the quality diet that tends to come with it.&lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Frills&#039;&#039;&#039;, while hereditary in exactly the same way as horns, tend to be most often seen in Unathi populations living on coasts, or in general humid areas. Frills can be of various colours, so long as they remain in natural Unathi colour ranges. They are constituted of either a bony “support”, or in some rare cases, a cartilaginous one, with skin or scales between and on said “supports”. Since frills are articulated, to some minor degree, Unathi bearing frills tend to be seen as more expressive, as they tend to “open” or “close” their frills, accentuating body language. Frills have generally been associated with Unathi of low-to-middle class, or at least, that have ancestry from such classes, as fishermen and such Unathu are generally depicted with large frills. The validity of such a concept is discussed nowadays. &lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Crests&#039;&#039;&#039; are rather similar to frills in their constitution, although they differ in the sense that, instead of having a thin layer of scaly hide being stretched between its bony or cartilaginous supports, crests are entirely covered in proper hide. One popular example is the infamous “Cobra Hood” (Which is a domination established by the people of the Spur as a whole, and not by Sinta, as Cobras are obviously not native to Moghes). Like frills, Crests can be articulated, although in a much more limited way. Crests are not limited to any place, and just like horns, are instead fully hereditary. Crests were rather rare prior to the Contact War, as it was more common among Unathi population living in rather arid areas, earning the rather poetic name of the “Frills of the dry seas”. After the Nuclear exchange, however, new generations born in a changed Moghes start to come with more and more crests already.&lt;br /&gt;
*Finally, while minor differences in sizes and shapes can be observed in different Unathi populations, one aspect in particular tends to change drastically: &#039;&#039;&#039;skull shapes&#039;&#039;&#039;. The shape of a Unathi’s head seems to vary widely, with some adopting a more draconic appearance, some being closer to smaller lizards, Iguanas, snakes, crocodiles, etc. The way Unathi see their fellow Sinta with this or that facial appearance varies widely depending on their culture. Once again, both due to migration, populations blending with each other and the loss of records due to the Contact War, locating the origins in Unathi faces has proved to be quite the hard endeavor, but some clues, mostly based on interviews of older, surviving Sintas, have been found, and a proper classification is being reestablished:&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Arakhania (“Draconic”)&#039;&#039;: Arakhanian facial structure, also called “Draconic” in Basic, is perhaps the most well known Unathi skull shape in the entire Spur. Perhaps one of the most well spread facial structures nowadays, it is also known as the “head of the nobles”, due to its prevalence among noble populations, with many notable Unathi bearing such a profile (namely the Hegemon himself). Arakhanians tend to have a pointy snout with smooth shapes, and a frontal bone of varying height and steepness.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Thodokhania (“Crocodilian”)&#039;&#039;: Thodokhanian faces come with a larger, longer snouts and more flat heads, comparable to Earth’s crocodiles or alligators (hence the name given to such a profile in Basic: “Crocodilian”.) Unathi with the Thodokianian facial structure have turned rarer and rarer since the Contact War, which led to the belief that the nuclear exchange must’ve erased population centers featuring the bulk of their population.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Imekhania (“Common Lizard-like”)&#039;&#039;: The Imekhanian facial class is as broad as the population it encompasses, being the most represented profile among Sinta. Unathi with the Imekhanian profile come with generally smoother snout shapes and round tips. earning the name “lizard-like” in Basic. According to ancient records and texts, it seems like the Imekhanian profile could be seen everywhere on Moghes, even before the first large population movements.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Senkhania (“Snake-like”)&#039;&#039;: With their flat heads and short snouts, Senkhanians faces are, as their name in Basic suggests, comparable to Earth’s Snakes. While a small part of the population, Unathi with the Senkhanian facial profile are still considered a category of their own, due to their presence in mostly rural areas (something that has yet to be explained), zones that would not tend to be the direct targets of nuclear bombardment during the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Lokhenian (“Others”)&#039;&#039;: Lokhenian facial profile, or “The faces of the Lost” is an all-new, post-Contact War classification, used to designate any facial structure that does not fit in the other aforementioned categories, and are not large enough to warrant a category of their own. Such facial structures are extremely various but also tend to be extremely rare, and it is assumed, that those were already quite rare even before the nuclear exchange, as they were rarely ever recorded in pre-contact war media.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Afflictions and Disabilities ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi, like all species, are prone to conditions that are uncommon among the population. How each Unathi views or handles these is varied due to the traditional cultures of Moghes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Lsh&#039;islasulu, sometimes shortened to &amp;quot;Lsh disorder,&amp;quot; is a rare scale disability affecting very few Unathi. The disorder is poorly studied because of its lacking negative affects and extreme rarity. When suffering from Lsh disorder, Unathi will lose their dead scale cells through a painful peeling process, rather than sporadically. A Unathi suffering from the disorder will need to painfully peel or scrub off their dead scales off once or twice a month in droves. The affliction is caused by increased cell death, and scale cells will die rapidly for no apparent reason. Luckily, this process only causes pain and increased susceptibility to the cold, not causing any damage or making the scales much weaker in terms of durability. Further information is lacking due to little research preformed.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kaasilik is a famously known yet equally rare disorder inflicting unique symptoms. Those suffering from Kaasilik lack any growth of frills, hoods, horns or any other structure on the head or face. While labeled as a disorder, those affected by it suffer no physical drawbacks and are believed to be the result of a genetic lottery in which generations of couples between Unathi with certain horn or frill growth reproduce. While undamaging to the Unathi physically, it can make identifying them from another suffering Unathi difficult at times. Children of these Unathi will likely have very small or limited frill and horn growth.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Albinosm, or Zis&#039;lak, caused by a general lack of pigment in the scales, makes the scales appear totally white, sometimes with a minor tint of green, red or sand/orange, caused by a total lack of pigment. Albinism in Unathi can also cause a unique shift in eye colour; while typical for Unathi to have colours like orange, red or green, albinism can shift the eye colour to an unusual violet. This is due to a lack of eye pigment combined with the light refraction off of the blood vessels within the eye. Unathi that suffer from albinism usually remain away from sunlight as their sensitive scales provide little to no UV protection and put them at risk of burns. Albino Unathi are also often seen as a bad omen at birth, and as such, those within the Hegemony&#039;s lower populated areas are often banished from their clan or in extreme circumstances, even banished from some clans to become Guwan. It should be noted that azure coloured Unathi cannot be albino.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Illiz is a disorder appearing in two states with a wide variety of recorded variation. The disability details highly irregular tail size, this can include tails the size of a finger or tails so long they become a tripping hazard. The former being nicknamed, &amp;quot;Hasik.&amp;quot; Unathi affected by Hasik typically suffer when sprinting, their short tails also prevent fat storage, which results in the fat being stored elsewhere like the arms, thighs, and lower body. The latter mentioned state of Illiz, nicknamed &amp;quot;Hasil,&amp;quot; is the complete opposite. Those affected by Hasil find their tails reaching lengths of up to four feet long. Hasil includes similar issues as Hasik, the most notable of which is it also negatively affects balance. Those with longer tails struggle to sprint, carrying the weight of such a large tail. Culturally, those suffering Hasik are viewed as pathetic and as cowards, while those with longer tails are presumed to be a noble. It should be noted that very few nobles have been documented suffering Hasik, while some, using plastic surgery, increase the size of their tails to mimic Hasil.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Unathi History]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The history of the Unathi is predominately a history of each &#039;&#039;&#039;Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039; that has existed throughout their history. There have only been three clans that have managed to create an empire worthy of the title &#039;Hegemon.&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Kres’ha’nor Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039; lasted from roughly 920 CE - 1500 CE. It is most famous for being the first empire to dominate Moghes and creating what was then a modern feudal state. Their empire saw rise of walled cities, steel weapons, centralized taxation, and other innovations. It ended in a brutal succession war, with Moghes once again being shattered into hundreds of individual Kingdoms with no true global power.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the &#039;&#039;&#039;16th century&#039;&#039;&#039; the power of &#039;&#039;&#039;[[Unathi Guilds|Guilds]]&#039;&#039;&#039; began to grow, forming an early form of mercantilism. Guilds formed for bakers, butchers, grocers, millers, smiths, carpenters, weavers, mason, shoemakers, in fact, nearly every trade had its own guild. Standards such as just weights and measures evolved from the guilds, and guild inspectors would inspect shops to ensure rules were being followed. Guilds would help members that were sick, or in trouble, and would sometimes take care of families after the member died. This time also saw Guilds building the first major universities. While incredibly exclusive, these universities began to create a new era of specialized labor and intellectuals.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;19th century&#039;&#039;&#039; saw rise of the &#039;&#039;&#039;Second Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;, ruled by the &#039;&#039;&#039;Sarakus Clan&#039;&#039;&#039;. Their clan ruled harshly, and forced technological advances into the cities and towns. In the 1930&#039;s they ruthlessly modernized their empire in The Great Endeavor, spreading electricity, radio, paved roads, modern plumbing, and other modern innovations.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In &#039;&#039;&#039;1994&#039;&#039;&#039; the &#039;&#039;&#039;Izweski Clan&#039;&#039;&#039; violently deposed the Sarakus and slaughtered the entire surviving dynasty, declaring the &#039;&#039;&#039;Third Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;. After they won an incredibly destructive global war to defend their claim, the Izweski have ruled Moghes until modern times.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In &#039;&#039;&#039;2403&#039;&#039;&#039;, a human exploration team discovered Moghes. Shortly after, first contact with the Izweski Hegemony was made. Sol Alliance merchants and scientists flocked to Moghes, living under very careful observation and guard in Izweski cities. Skalamar, the second largest city in Izweski, became the first Unathite city to have a shuttle port constructed. Owned by NanoTrasen, it served to transport people to and from the planet’s surface. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[Contact War|The Contact War, which has more information here,]] was a cataclysmic global war that lasted from &#039;&#039;&#039;2438 to 2449&#039;&#039;&#039;. The fighting was between two global powers, the &#039;&#039;&#039;Izweski Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;, and the &#039;&#039;&#039;Traditionalist Coalition&#039;&#039;&#039;. The war was fought over the very future of the Unathi and their relationship with the rest of the galaxy. The Izweski demanded Moghes submit to a one-world government ran by themselves and embrace the influence of humanity. The Traditionalist Coalition rejected this. &#039;&#039;&#039;The war went nuclear on September 5th, 2439&#039;&#039;&#039;, causing immense suffering across Moghes and directly leading to the creation of The Wasteland, which is set to engulf Moghes within a hundred years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Unathi Culture==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Diet and Cuisine ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathite dishes are mostly comprised of meat, eggs, and fish. It may be cooked or even still raw and bleeding. Vegetables in meals are often just for decoration or flavor, but by no means ever make up the majority of the dish. Unathi do not take any nutritional value from plant matter, only from meat. Desert flowers may also be placed on the plate to make it seem well-presented and are also edible. The tools Unathi use to eat are very unorthodox to humans, usually resembling chopsticks banded together near the top. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi generally eat only one large meal a day. The nobility often eat twice a day, while poorer Unathi or those in [[The Wasteland|the Wasteland]] will eat bi-daily: every two days.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To support their civilization, fishing has developed on a scale similar to human agriculture. Since the Contact War, fishing yields have fallen, and hunger has become a fact of life for many Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Language ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi, being deeply traditional, tend to use their own sayings, proverbs, and similar speech in other languages not native to them. Some concepts of their languages also spill over into tongues foreign to Unathi. For example, the sexes are so closely tied to their roles in society that words for &amp;quot;man,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;male,&amp;quot; and other parrot words are practically synonymous with &amp;quot;warrior.&amp;quot; The same is said for words like &amp;quot;woman&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;female&amp;quot; with &amp;quot;healer.&amp;quot; Objects also have assigned genders to them, so it is not uncommon for Sinta to refer to objects and inanimate things with genders. Unathi also have a lot of assorted figures of speech that, instead of being based on direction (up and down), are affiliated with time and its speed. A faster rate of time is seen as bad while a slower rate is seen as good in a majority of cases. Good things are categorized by saying something is punctual, progressing on time, is speeding up in time, or has a lot of time while saying the opposite for bad things. Rather than saying &amp;quot;I’m going to bed for the night,&amp;quot; a Unathi might offer &amp;quot;I’m slowing down for the night&amp;quot;; similarly, instead of being &amp;quot;down to hang out,&amp;quot; one would instead say they &amp;quot;want to slow down&amp;quot; with someone else. Examples include, but aren’t limited to: &amp;quot;today’s harvests were timely,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;the day has been slow,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;my body is slowing,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;their sleep is running late,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;I’m accelerating through my studies.&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi names are extraordinarily diverse, ranging from those that string together a bunch of consonants to sounds with many vowels in a row. There are not many commonalities between them besides harder sounds like &#039;ck,&#039; &#039;zh,&#039; &#039;s,&#039; &#039;d,&#039; and &#039;t.&#039; &#039;&#039;&#039;However, names cannot have more than two of the same letter in a row, such as Myo&#039;sssak.&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Many species have developed the joking term &amp;quot;unathisms&amp;quot; for all the various cultural holdovers that get put into other languages they speak.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot; style=&amp;quot;width:99%; overflow:auto;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi Metaphors, Sayings, and Slang&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Sinta— &#039;&#039;meaning Unathi. If the word Unathi can be compared to &amp;quot;Human&amp;quot;, then sinta can be compared to &amp;quot;man&amp;quot;, the latter usually kept out of more serious, official or scientific discussion and instead used in discussions with a more common if not familiar tone. Sinta does not get an S on plural and does not start with a capital letter.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Claws, talons— &#039;&#039;fingers, nails, respectively; however, sometimes satire or exaggeration make use of them interchangeably.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hatchling, egg— &#039;&#039;a child or baby, sometimes also as an insult.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Azure, albino— &#039;&#039;exotic, or unusual; alternatively (and rarely), an archaic and outdated way of calling something awful: &amp;quot;Their tastes are absolutely albino.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hide, scales— &#039;&#039;skin.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Rattle, rattled— &#039;&#039;scared.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Scratch, scratched— &#039;&#039;to write/written.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Tailwag— &#039;&#039;generic insult lacking true meaning and has a weird versatility to it, like referring to someone as a &#039;fuck&#039; or similar.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Blood on my teeth— &#039;&#039;eating, sometimes a gruesome (seen as barbaric) way of describing fighting and other activities.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Lay down my tail/bare my neck— &#039;&#039;let someone walk over you.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Molting— &#039;&#039;getting angry enough over something that it damages your physical health. Used almost explicitly for exaggeration.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Fat-tail— &#039;&#039;an insult usually aimed at nobles.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Quote a limerick— &#039;&#039;to be sassy, snarky, witty.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Grinding my horns— &#039;&#039;getting on their nerves.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Strum— &#039;&#039;gather.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Stomp, stomping— &#039;&#039;a get together (as a noun) or referring to someone being happy (as a verb).&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Echoed song— &#039;&#039;oral tradition.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ghazkus, ghazkii— &#039;&#039;skrell, coming from the word &amp;quot;amphibious&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;ghazii&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kzlth, kzlthii— &#039;&#039;humans, coming from the word &amp;quot;scaleless&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;kazulth&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Imiekran, imiekranes— &#039;&#039;the typical term for dionae meaning &amp;quot;twisted plant&amp;quot; in Sinta’Azaziba, usually a term of endearment; alternatively called aggregates when referring to different forms.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Xsain— &#039;&#039;vaurca, coming from the word &amp;quot;incomprehensible&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;xsa&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
(Note: most of the time this is seen as being a nickname when used outside of Sinta’Unathi or Sinta’Azaziba. If you are particularly friendly with someone that either you don’t know the name of or are referring to someone otherwise, this may be appropriate outside of saying the species’ name.)&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Zo’zyola— &#039;&#039;the equivalent of an angel or a demon. Depending on the context, this is either a compliment or a severe insult.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Dishonored their clan— &#039;&#039;do something to ostracize themselves from society or a group of people.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A tale longer than my own— &#039;&#039;a play on words gaining traction among Sinta who speak Basic. Basically a way of saying &amp;quot;it&#039;s a long story&amp;quot; with similar connotations, but this phrase can also be used to hype up an event. &amp;quot;What did you do during the Solarian Invasion?&amp;quot; &amp;quot;It&#039;s a tale longer than my own— let&#039;s meet up to discuss it.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Heating up— &#039;&#039;a way of setting your guard is going down or that you are even getting bored or tired. &amp;quot;This shift has been uneventful, I can feel it heating up.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Sk&#039;akh&#039;s scales— &#039;&#039;a way of saying &amp;quot;holy shit&amp;quot; or similar swears.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Have an honorable duel for the sake of the game— &#039;&#039;in Sinta&#039;Azaziba and Sinta&#039;Unathi, duel and game are the same word, just with different meanings. This is a play on words in the original tongue and is meant to talk about something that has to be done yet trying to make fun out of it anyway.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
More unclean/unkempt than a Guwan&#039;s feet— &#039;&#039;referring to something being worse than the dirtiest part of a class of undesirables. Phrases like these are more common in the Hegemony and are one of the many methods used to degrade Guwan.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When an arbek eats its tail— &#039;&#039;&amp;quot;when pigs fly.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Preparing the maxtlatl— &#039;&#039;referring to the shaman&#039;s garb. Preparing the maxtlatl is something a shaman does when they feel they are near death; in preparing it, they are readying the skull in the headgear to be replaced by their own. In a sense, if someone is preparing the maxtlatl, they are spelling their own doom or see their demise coming.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the Fourth Nation— &#039;&#039;somewhat of a joke about cycles, playing fun at the fact that the Izweski Hegemony has been a constant throughout history. Traditionalists use this phrase more bitterly and sardonically, however.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By mine and your spirits— &#039;&#039;a way of solemnly swearing; alternatively, asking for guidance if you worship Th’akh.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Three Heads bless me— &#039;&#039;the alternative to &amp;quot;by mine and your spirits&amp;quot; for those that worship Sk’akh.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Bet the Hegemon’s head— &#039;&#039;many people want to kill the Hegemon, so this refers to such a bounty. Usually used as a joke or a dare.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Individual languages are described by the prefix &#039;Sinta&#039; followed by the identity of its native speakers. Speaking mannerisms remain the same when speaking Sinta or another language. For stylistic choices, there are some options. For those raised in or by the Hegemony, avoid contractions like &#039;&#039;it&#039;s&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;they&#039;re&#039;&#039;, which would be &#039;&#039;it is&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;they are&#039;&#039;. Formal Sinta&#039;Unathi lacks this concept of contracting words, and thus it is a difficult concept to understand for these speakers. Those that speak Sinta&#039;Azaziba will talk in other languages in short bursts, similar to how Azaziba has shorter sentences due to gesticulating and speaking at the same time. Accents are wide and diverse; replacing &#039;s&#039; sounds with &#039;th&#039; in a &#039;forced lisp&#039; or even just omitting the sound is a commonality for Unathi that struggle with certain words in other languages (like &#039;suspicious&#039;). This way of speaking is also common when singing in different languages, a trend picking up within the Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sinta&#039;Unathi ====&lt;br /&gt;
While Pre-Contact Moghes had hundreds of unique languages and their own histories, Sinta&#039;Unathi has been and remains the primary language spoken by most Unathi. It is an evolution of an older Moghean trade language, Sinta&#039;Izwe.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The written language has 30 letters, with 5 of them being vowels. The language is written left to right, though this was an attempt to emulate humanity, as informal Sinta&#039;Unathi still write top to bottom.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sinta&#039;Azaziba ====&lt;br /&gt;
Sinta&#039;Azaziba is a language of Moghes consisting of a combination of spoken word and gesticulation. While waning since Moghes entered the galactic stage, it enjoys popular use by Unathi that never fell to the Hegemony&#039;s cultural dominance. Sinta&#039;Azaziba writing has 27 letters, 4 of which being vowels. The language is written from top to bottom.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Unathi Fashion and Make-up ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Fashion on the scale of an entire species is incredibly diverse, much like with other species. There are some common sights seen across most Unathi peoples.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Fashion ====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Clothing is generally something to balance for Unathi, according to one’s need with warmth. Generally, Unathi can dress themselves from head to toe, with shawls and hoods not being an uncommon sight, even if temperatures aren’t outright cold, just to retain warmth for as long as possible. In particularly hot climates, however, or on specific occasions like while sunbathing, Unathi may choose to wear minimal clothing to get as little obstacle as possible between them and the sun, or any other heat source they may be enjoying.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Colors are an essential part of any Unathi outfit. Being particularly fond of vibrant colors, sights of bright reds, oranges, yellows, greens and blues are common, and white and black, though rare for fashion’s sake, are generally used to accentuate colors even more. These colors are often selected to go along with their scale colors, eyes, and so on, the natural colors of a Unathi playing a large part in their fashion choices. Nobility and other wealthy individuals will often show off their status through the use of jewelry, both gemstone and rare, expensive metals like gold and silver. Though the typical bracelets and necklaces can be found, Unathi also use some pieces of jewelry unique to their species, such as horn rings (meant to be worn around one’s horn) or frill-rings (going through the frill, much like with earrings.) Capes and cloaks are also a traditional display of status and function, with for instance the many capes worn by Guild members.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Make-up ====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While most Human cultures see most forms of make-up as feminine, Unathi are different. It’s common for Unathi of all genders to apply make-up. Once again, there are countless forms of make-up and ways to apply them seen across the entire species.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot; style=&amp;quot;width:99%; overflow:auto;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi make-up&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
===== Cosmetics =====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Some of the most popular forms of Unathi make-up include things such as claw-painting, quite comparable to painting nails. This is generally done with bright colors, to accentuate them over the scale colors of the Unathi in question. There are traces of claw-painting being done in pre-Hegemonic times, mainly by warriors, to show off their claws and intimidate their foes, and though this tradition is still practiced by some, claw painting is now also done for the mere sake of fashion. Horns can also be painted, as well as frills for similar effects if the individual in question sports them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===== Scalepaint =====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Scalepaint is a uniquely Unathi form of make-up, and the most popular in the species as well. Due to their need to shed, Unathi cannot sport tattoos normally, but scalepaint constitutes an equivalent. As the name implies, it is a form of paint applied directed on one’s scaly hide. scalepaint can be inconspicuous and small, or extravagant and cover the majority of one’s hide. In any case, however, it is done to go along with, and complement one’s natural hide colors, and completely covering oneself in scalepaint is seen as particularly awkward and a display of shame in oneself.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The practice of using scalepaint dates back to prehistoric times, with hunters covering themselves in a mixture of herbs, dust, and a few pigments to better hide in the foliage to ambush prey; though it quickly-enough became a form of aesthetic as well. The practice to apply scalepaint hasn’t changed much since then; it is a mix of pigments, herbs, and a clay-like substance to be applied directly on one’s scales.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Perhaps what makes Scalepaint so interesting is the sheer amount of work needed to apply and maintain it. First, it must be applied in correct doses. Too much, and the texture will be too thick and completely cover the scaly texture of one’s hide (an easy excuse to be mocked by your fellow sinta), too little, and the color won’t be visible-enough, and completely disappear at the first shed. With the correct amount of paint applied, it should be visible enough without hiding one’s scales, and when the time to shed comes, some remnants of paint should still be visible, acting as a guide for the next layer to be put on this layer of skin as well. This brings us to the second part, the need to maintain scalepaint. A proper scalepaint requires regular maintenance, to be generally re-applied after every shed. This workload makes the most extravagant and encompassing forms of scalepaint a show of both artistry, but also the result of regularly applied, expert artistry.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Because of its need to be re-applied constantly, scalepaint is generally applied and maintained by oneself, and thus, only to places they can reach. As such, only nobles and other wealthy sinta are ever seen sporting scalepaint on their backs, as it requires maintenance from others, generally talented servants.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Zandiziite Games ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Zandiziite Games]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
An ancient sport that got its start on Moghes, this sport is best described as a mixture of Olympic- and MMA-style games. Competitors within the Zandiziite Games are called Zandiziites, or colloquially an individual wrestler is called a Zandi. Clans send eligible men (and only men) to their Lord in the hopes that they are chosen to represent their city or community in the Zandiziite Games.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Unathi Sociality and Society ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Behaviour and Mannerisms ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi generally stare at what they are interested in, so their intense gaze moves with a conversation to whoever is talking. Additionally, pointing can be seen as extremely rude in circumstances. If more than just a passing gesture towards someone, prolonged pointing can be a grave insult to one&#039;s honor and, in some cases, be the reason for crude fighting or even initiate a duel.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi should always be addressed by their last name in most situations. It is offensive to use a Unathi&#039;s first name unless you are family or have a close relationship with them (like family, a lover, or close friend). Some are more permissive than others regarding this. In a situation where there are multiple Unathi with the same last name, it&#039;s generally accepted to just get more and more specific in your address to make it clear who you are speaking to.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi to other species would typically appear sluggish in their movements, though there are some exceptions to this. When working or even when feeling threatened, they typically move short distances with their arms and legs at speeds much faster than normal for other species. This is because they conserve their energy by going slightly slower until they need it for a given task.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Another outstanding behavior that other species would note is an intense gaze. Unathi typically find staring at whoever is speaking to be respectful; however, this intense staring, paired with not blinking often and stooping to look at someone at eye level, is how other species are typically made uncomfortable when engaging with Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For most Unathi being seen speaking to Guwans is embarrassing. A woman associating with a Guwan is extremely improper and indecent, and they can lose social standing by doing so.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Violence can have its place in regular daily life, with playful fighting being commonplace with the peasantry and in the Wasteland. Joking punches and wistful tail flicks that would be normal for Unathi playing around may end up hurting a human, which has led to many jokes about humanity’s weak stature. Shoulder checks and headbutts have their place in more aggressive friendships and is a sign of showing brotherly love.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Emotional Displays ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi exhibit a great variety of emotional body language in ways different from other species. While it is not uncommon for Unathi to attempt to mimic human displays (sometimes with frightening results, for example showing off their large, numerous sharp teeth in a &amp;quot;smile&amp;quot;), they have their own natural, basic emotions that come from biological expression akin to reptiles. It can be very difficult for this species to control their emotionally linked body language as it is engrained in Unathite culture, but exercising restraint is often seen as a sign of nobility or simply an individual who is attempting to better blend in with other species. Over time, these displays can also change to adapt to a different environment, though this process typically takes many years to come to fruition.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For example, baring the entire throat is the single most meaningful expression that can be displayed to another, often used to show trust or vulnerability to someone a Unathi cares about. However, it is not unusual to do this to also surrender to another (such as in a fight), admit shame, or display extreme compassion (when exposed to twine necks with another). Conversely, tilting the snout far down to protect the throat and better display one’s horns is a fight response or to show distrust in another.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When it comes to intimate gestures between Unathi, they usually twine necks or tails, and touch foreheads and snouts together with the same intent that humans kiss. Such displays are usually only reserved for those that are married or to be wed, but with other cultures such as Ouerea, the smaller colonies, or the Empire of Dominia, this tends to be much more relaxed. Hugging is usually considered to be something done by children and avoided by adults.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi often fixate on their surroundings when interested or excited by someone or something. If there is a conversation of multiple people, they often change their gaze to look at whoever is speaking, or at the person speaking they are most interested in. It is considered rude by Unathi to avert your gaze, for that shows that someone can be aloof, distant, or not paying attention fully. Even if afraid and cowering, they tend to look directly at the source of their fear. For other species, when especially happy or interested, they can even stoop down to look at them directly at eye level, or try to raise themselves as much as possible to look other creatures in the eye.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Other physical displays include the ‘tail stomp,’ a phenomenon common during heightened signals of emotion. Typically, these are done when a Sinta is filled with joy or extremely agitated, but can be rarely used when a Unathi is grieving. Other more minor displays are, but aren’t limited to: bristling scales, in response to a cold environment or a ‘chill going down their spine;’ becoming slow and sluggish if extremely comfortable, such as reacting to warmth; swaying, sampling the air, and hissing all are common when in a new environment, with strangers, or even just in certain situations, which shows curiosity, discomfort, or unease.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Verbally, Unathi have some onomatopoeias that they draw on for different emotions. Chuffing, forcefully exhaling air from the throat, can be used to mark mild annoyance in reply to something, or can be used to show amusement. If it comes at the end of a sentence or statement, it can imply that they are being sarcastic or are saying something in good humor. Unathi don’t quite have a laugh; instead, they bark in typically short bursts, in which the sound is often deep, loud, and raucous. Finally, rattling the throat is a fairly common gesture that replaces or accompanies a tail stomp. Sometimes when enraged, throat rattling is accompanied by frills or scales flaring up as well.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As a result of the divide between groups of sinta, some mannerisms are unique to different social groups. For example, nobles tend to tail stomp in response to seeing something that ‘disgusts’ them, whether it be the sight of a heretic or Guwan, something that disgusts olfactory senses, or something else. Peasants on Moghes and most Unathi on Ouerea tend to be ‘overly emotional’ in that they often tilt their snout up somewhat when showing general content or happiness, or down slightly when afraid or unhappy. Dominians often keep their chin tilted up constantly as a sign of pride and even cockiness, showing they aren’t afraid when vulnerable parts are exposed. Of course, this all barely scratches the surface, and there are many gestures unique to cultures and regions that are not enumerated.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Gender Roles ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div style=&amp;quot;font-size:105%; border:2px solid white; margin:0; background:white; padding:.1em; color:black;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi society is highly gender-stratified, with very specific gendered divisions of work and societal role. The Unathi understanding of gender has become tied deeply into these roles, which leads to a structure that humans may find unusual. In Unathi society, gender has little to do with assigned sex, rather being almost entirely dependent on the societal role an individual finds themselves in. The Sinta’Unathi words for ‘warrior’ and ‘male’ are the same, but this is not because one is required to be male to be a warrior - rather, the act of being a warrior is what makes one considered male. To Unathi, gender is not something that one &#039;&#039;is&#039;&#039;, but something that one &#039;&#039;does&#039;&#039;. An Unathi who sought to live as a professional warrior would be considered male by society at large, regardless of their sex at hatching - and regardless of their own thoughts on the matter.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Where this system originates is largely unknown, having existed in some form for most of Unathi recorded history. The earliest known example comes from archaeological discoveries in the [[Tza Prairie]], indicating that ancient Unathi cultures held the Fisher as the feminine role, rather than the Healer - which was reserved for a long-extinct caste of shaman-kings. The gender division in its modern form was likely codified by the early Sk’akh Church or predecessor faiths, though with so much of Moghes’ history now lost to the Wasteland scholars doubt if the origins of such a fundamental part of society will ever be discovered.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The divisions of labor in Unathi society are based on this structure of gender, and it is expressed prominently in religion - the Three Aspects of Sk’akh being the most prevalent examples. The Warrior, Healer, and Fisher are the primary categories into which almost every aspect of Unathi life has been divided for centuries - though as with many Unathi traditions, it is being increasingly challenged in the modern era.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Warrior&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Warrior is the masculine category, under which roles to do with martial affairs tend to fall. Most military positions are considered male due to this, with some rare exceptions being made for medical and support personnel. Outside of direct combat matters, positions in law enforcement and colonial expansion are also widely considered warriors, as are many roles to do with the direct enforcement of a ruler’s will such as governorship, tax collection and announcement of decrees. Unathi identifying as warriors are expected to act with honor in accordance with the [[Unathi Honor|Warriors&#039; Code]]. Vaurca Warriors outside of those in medical or scientific fields are generally gendered as male by Unathi as a result of this.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Healer&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Healer is the feminine category, which is broader than its name might indicate. Positions in the medical field are obviously considered healers, but the category also covers most scholarship and keeping of knowledge in general. The Simiite Reliquary in To’ha’dat is staffed exclusively by Priestesses of the Healer, and holds the complete historical record of the Sk’akh Church. While scholarship in general has never been as gendered as some other categories, the vast majority of Unathi scientists, archivists and researchers would be considered female. The sphere of knowledge and learning also covers the business of spycraft, investigation and diplomacy, with the positions of Spymaster and High Speaker being traditionally female ones. Unathi identifying as healers have less of a concrete code of honor, though in recent years the invention of the [[Unathi Honor|Matriarch&#039;s Code]] has gained some popularity. Vaurca Gynes, as well as Workers and Warriors in medical or scientific fields, are generally gendered as female by Unathi as a result of this.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Fisher&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Fisher is the third Unathi gender, without a direct translation in Tau Ceti Basic. Its sphere covers productive work such as fishing, construction and engineering. Many among the Unathi working class are considered to be fishers, and the title of Master of Rivers is one that traditionally is held by a fisher. In Tau Ceti Basic, gender-neutral pronouns are often used to describe fishers, though due to linguistic differences a fisher may often be gendered as male or female by humans. The sphere of the fisher encompasses many positions to do with economic development, ranging from humble miners, ranchers and fishers all the way to colonial administrators. There is no strict code of honor for fishers similar to that of warriors and healers, though the idea of developing one has been attempted a few times. Vaurca Workers outside of medical or scientific fields are generally gendered as fishers by Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Non-Gendered Roles&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The gender stratification of Unathi society is nearly all-encompassing, though there are some rare positions that can be considered as more than one gender. Rulership is the most notable of these, with the gender of a ruler being considered emblematic of their style of rule - male rulers are considered a good omen for military victory, whereas female rulers are considered a blessing for periods of peace and wisdom and fisher rulers are considered to bring periods of great productivity to their demesne. The title of Hegemon is something of an exception, having always had a connotation of military conquest to it. As such, Hegemons throughout the ages have largely been warriors, though with a few notable exceptions. Hegemon Ayzi Sarakus is historically recorded as a fisher, and there have been several recorded healers and fishers to have held the throne throughout the Izweski Hegemony’s history - though greatly outnumbered by the warriors.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One role which falls outside any of the three genders is that of the Guwandi. The reason for this is simple. A Guwandi sheds their gender as they shed their name, and for the same reason - it is a sign of the person they once were, before facing such shame that it was left behind. A Guwandi is only referred to as their prior gender when they are confirmed to have died with honour, and the stain of their disgrace can be erased from their history.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In addition, the introduction of Unathi to the interstellar stage has led to a vast array of new roles, which have yet to be neatly assigned to a gender. While some were able to fit into pre-existing categories, other roles such as interstellar piloting, civilian spaceship command and various roles to do with colonial oversight have yet to be fit into one of Unathi society’s well-defined boxes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Changing Gender&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Most Unathi will live in the gender of their work for their entire lives. However, the nature of Unathi gender roles mean that changing one’s gender is fairly common in Unathi society, especially among nobles who may find themselves in a wide number of roles during their lives. It is not uncommon for rulers identifying as female to present as male during wartime, for instance, or for rulers identifying as male to present as a fisher when investing heavily in developing their lands.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the modern age this has become more common among non-nobles, as common Unathi find themselves with a greater degree of social mobility. Many who would have lived and died as fishers find themselves seeking out battle and becoming warriors, or enrolling at institutions such as the [[Unathi_Educational_Institutions#Skalamar_University_of_Medicine|Skalamar University of Medicine]] and identifying themselves as healers. The act of changing one’s gender is, in most Unathi societies, a religious one. In the [[Izweski Heartland]] and other majority Sk’akh regions, these affairs are handled by the Church, while other faiths have their own approaches to it. For Unathi outside the Hegemony, such as those in Biesel or Dominia, less of a spiritual significance tends to be placed on the transition, being treated as more of a personal and private affair.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Traditional Greetings&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A custom often misunderstood by foreigners, traditional greetings are both a way for Unathi to politely greet each other, but also to begin introductions without even saying a word. This tradition dates back to some time in the late first Hegemony, though the greetings themselves had much different forms and uses back then.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In essence, these greetings are done by wordlessly bowing before another, doing so in a specific manner, depending on the Unathi in question&#039;s gender. Doing so is not only polite, if not a show of respect, but also a way for a sinta to present their gender, and by extent the kind of path they have taken in their life.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;The Warrior&#039;s Greeting&#039;&#039; is done by bowing until one would look straight to the floor, while putting a fist on their heart. The legs must remain straight and back curve as little as possible during the entire greeting, lest the Unathi in question be mocked for going a &amp;quot;wounded Warrior&#039;s greeting&amp;quot;, a situation many have faced on their first Warrior&#039;s Greeting. Signifying trust and respect, it is generally considered an honor to be greeted in such way by prestigious warriors, Kataphracts and veterans.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;The Healer&#039;s Greeting&#039;&#039; would have one bow by bending the knees, hunching forward a little with open arms until their claws and horns (frills, crest, or the top of their skull in the case of absence of such) are at roughly the same height. Some can take the greeting a little further, by crossing their legs slightly, bowing deeper, though such a move is generally kept to greet those worthy of great respect. It signifies openness, warmth and vulnerability.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Finally, through &#039;&#039;the Fishers Greeting&#039;&#039;, one would bow by crossing their arms behind their back, bowing with their back, while keeping their gaze at the other person. Signifies listening and understanding, and though seen by many as the easiest of the greetings to achieve, it is not considered lesser than the other two, but rather, a show of the beauty and value of simplicity.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Traditional greetings are not always done with non-Unathi, generally because of their lack of understanding, some sinta choosing to not bother at all. One can also find slight variations to these traditional greetings abroad, in Dominia for instance, where the [[Unathi_in_Dominia|Kazhkz-Han&#039;san]] can be found calling these greetings the &amp;quot;Soldier&#039;s&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;Scholar&#039;s&amp;quot;, and &amp;quot;Artisan&#039;s Greeting&amp;quot; instead, in a mix of Moghesian and Morozian culture.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Outside the Gender Trinary&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In every society, there are those who do not conform to expectations, and the same is true among Unathi. Following the Contact War, many Unathi have challenged the ancient structures of gender that bind their species, seeking to separate their work from their own identification. The first female Kataphract, the Lady H’zala was appointed in 2459, one of the first public examples of a non-warrior permitted in such a strongly gendered role. In the Queendom of Szek-Hakh, the ordinary structures of gender are largely reversed as most of the fighting is done by women - while some present as warriors to the world, most continue to identify themselves as healers. While this is done out of practicality, with most of the realm’s men having perished in the Contact War, it is still viewed as a dramatic aberration from the norm. Abroad, some Unathi have found themselves adopting more human conceptions of gender as something that a person is, rather than something that they do, and choose to present as a gender that does not match their occupation - whether one which matches their sex, or simply based on personal preference.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Many have decried this as alien confusion and an erosion of Sinta tradition, while others welcome or simply do not pay mind to it. Gender is a spiritual matter, after all, and the priests and shamans have yet to come to a definite conclusion about these changing matters. How this will impact Unathi society, built around the strict gender trinary for centuries, remains to be seen.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Gender and Aliens&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To many Unathi, human conceptions of gender are confusing, seemingly arbitrary and without reason. While decades of contact between the two species has helped for better understanding of this, both tend to view the other society’s ideas of gender as strange. Unathi, particularly those less-accustomed to working with aliens, will often gender non-Unathi based on their profession rather than any outward signs, and will find being corrected on this matter particularly confusing. For aliens which lack a concept of gender altogether such as [[Skrell]], [[Vaurca|Vaurcae]] or [[Dionae]], this is generally less of an issue.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On [[Ouerea]], a general understanding has been reached as to human concepts of gender, with the Unathi population coming to understand their alien neighbors’ views. Some of these views have been adopted among the Unathi population, with Archpriest Azente of the Sk’akh Church holding in the belief that an Unathi can do the work of one gender while identifying as another, which has caused him to be labelled as a radical among his fellows. Generally speaking, Skrell on Ouerea do not seem to have any particular trouble assimilating to Unathi notions of gender, though the reasoning behind it can often be confusing to them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Some Diona gestalts which have primarily learned from Unathi - such as those living in the Izweski Hegemony, or among the pirates of the Tarwa Conglomerate - have adopted their own interpretation of Unathi gender. Some more organized gestalts tend to gender their individual nymphs based on the role they play in the whole, while others have developed their own codes of behavior similar to those practiced in Unathi society. More information about them can be found [[Moghresian Dionae|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Most [[Unathi in Dominia|Dominian Unathi]] have, at least in practice, adopted the human model. Though most were born and raised on Moghes and held (perhaps still hold) traditional views, most Unathi choose to adapt to the local Imperial culture for similar reasons as converting to the [[Moroz Holy Tribunal|Holy Tribunal]] - that not respecting the customs and culture of their new home would be dishonorable to those who had welcomed them. Some, particularly among the Han’san and the older Unathi population, do not forget about traditional understandings of gender, still living much as they would on Moghes. To the humans of Dominia, this is largely written off as another alien curiosity of the Unathi, though those who spend more time with them may come to a better understanding of their ways. The newer generations of Unathi born on Imperial soil, however, are generally much more familiar with human ideas of gender than Unathi ones.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Corruption and Abuse within Gender Culture ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div style=&amp;quot;font-size:105%; border:2px solid white; margin:0; background:white; padding:.1em; color:black;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While seen from the outside as a relatively progressive development, the fluidity of Unathi gender roles combined with the rigid feudal hierarchy of noble lords and clan leadership presents a wide variety of opportunities for exploitation and abuse. These vary in measure, legally and morally, and if pressed those within positions of power will publicly denounce such practices as dishonorable. However, it’s an open secret that a significant number of the ruling class use these tactics to a greater or lesser degree to ensure their dynasties and interests are protected. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Heirs and Succession&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Arguably one of the most crucial considerations of any noble lord or clan leader, the designation of an heir demands intervention when the current candidate is unwanted or unfavorable. The means by which this is accomplished vary from region to region, but leverage of gender is a widely adopted tactic.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In areas under Izweski rule, succession is patriarchal and the eldest warrior (male) child is traditionally designated heir apparent. Should the natural choice be undesirable it is a common though unspoken practice to cultivate a preferred alternative. If the distinction is made early enough in life, clan heads will attempt to remove older children from succession by enrolling them in education and apprenticeships for healers and fishers. Betrothal contracts can also be drafted which misgender, or pre-gender, a child. Often in negotiation of these matches, care is taken to ensure the other clan’s name is taken and rights of inheritance are explicitly waived. Objection by the child or refusal to uphold the betrothal can be punishable by exile, leaving them few options.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
:If the desired heir does not show sufficient martial prowess, clan leaders can hire combat mentors and may stage public duels where the outcome is predetermined. The opponents in these matches are skilled actors as much as they are combatants, and will shout, bluster, and make oaths to the Warrior and their ancestors before the fight begins to enhance the drama and importance of the duel. They can then expertly claim a believable defeat from even the most inept novice. The most talented of these actors, unofficially referred to as &#039;&#039;hoax-hides&#039;&#039;, are well known in certain noble circles and are paid handsomely for their craft and discretion, and will avoid working in one location for too long to prevent being exposed.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In predominantly Sk’akh regions, legal authority over one’s recognized gender is regulated by the Church. Less scrupulous priests can be bought or persuaded to induce or prevent a change of gender. Some exceptionally lazy or cruel clan leaders will simply fabricate a reason to mark a child as guwandi, stripping them of their clan and gender, and sentence them to exile. This can have unintended consequences however, as the action can be contested within the jurisdiction of the Clan&#039;s local Lord and harsh penalties are imposed for cases in which it can be proven the exile was baseless.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*In rural or Th’akhish regions like Tza’ax, where the realities of clan survival often take precedence over custom, succession is tied less to gender and more with ensuring healthy children and a robust, able-bodied family. Yet even though harsher, rural life creates greater consequences for meddling in succession, there are still those who will risk much to improve their standing. Leadership typically passes to elder warriors unless they are deemed unfit. If a proposed heir’s existing or planed union would be unlikely to produce offspring then they will often be passed over for a more favorable candidate. A common tactic is to raise concerns regarding an heir’s ability to protect their clan or cast doubt on their health or virility. More recently, there have been recorded examples of unwelcome heirs being assigned to patrols in the wastes in hopes that exposure and radiation will lead to clear signs of weakness and that they might be removed from possible consideration. These schemes are not only dishonorable but also detrimental to the health of the clan and are punished harshly if discovered.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A number of Unathi communities that are technically no longer part of the Hegemony still cling to a hierarchical clan structure and the succession of leadership will sometimes be decided by traditional methods. Some details may differ, but it is not uncommon to see similar tactics as those in the Hegemony used to influence succession and other clan decisions. In the Queendom of Sez-Hakh, for example, succession is matriarchal and falls to the eldest healer (female) child. Due to the necessities of survival after the Contact War the lines separating genders have blurred significantly but abuse of gender culture still occurs. Though aging, Queen Lazak still rules with considerable power and her wishes are reflected in the attitudes of the ruling ladies. Stigma against warrior (male) rule continues to linger and advocates of greater warrior influence are quietly stifled.&lt;br /&gt;
Communities that have more exposure to human influence tend to allow for all three genders in the rules of succession and gaming the system in these instances requires more finesse. For instance, it&#039;s generally accepted that a warrior is the preferred clan leader during wartime. If a clan leader wished for their warrior child to succeed them, they may initiate a clan war or blood feud prior to stepping down and allowing their warrior children to ascend. The reverse can also be true, and a clan leader might reach out to rivals to begin talks of reconciliation before stepping aside for healer or fisher claimants.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
Contracts and Customary Law &lt;br /&gt;
The deep ties gender has within Unathite culture can also be exploited when resolving contracts and disputes. Often this can take the form of discrediting someone’s suitability for a job, an inferred inability to complete work, and breaches of contract where gender is pertinent. Contract manipulation is common and Mazjivsa scribes are customarily retained to ensure proper resolution where possible. They are familiar with popular ploys to either nullify contracts or collect compensation for failure to fulfill obligations and other violations.&lt;br /&gt;
One particularly infamous case is widely taught to new scribes during apprenticeship; a contract was created to provide a lord with twenty skilled fishers (engineers) for the construction of new perimeter walls around his compound. Once the crucial process of sinking the foundations and construction of the lower levels was done, progress on the project began to slow and then cease as the fishers were constantly arguing, accusing one another of sabotaging their work, insulting their clan, and myriad other minor slights which climaxed in a spontaneous battle; one worker dead, and two with serious injuries. The lord claimed “they were clearly better suited to spears than tools,” and demanded that the contract be nullified and that half of what he paid be returned in addition to punitive payments stipulated in the contract for the breach. Initially the restitutions were made and the construction of the walls was finished by the lord’s own specialists. It wasn’t until later when a Zo’kaa investigated the incident that the funds were returned and the Lord’s involvement was made known. Under contract from the construction guild, the Zo’kaa uncovered the reason for the change in the fishers’ attitude; an agent, part of the twenty fishers from the guild, had been paid to bring the workers under scrutiny. Once work on the base of the walls was complete, the rest was markedly simpler and cheaper. The lord would have paid less than half the agreed upon amount in the end. Diligent scribes will formalize contract specific processes to resolve potential gender related breaches but this relies on the skill of the scribe hired and is by no means a complete solution.&lt;br /&gt;
Other examples of contract manipulation include marriage and betrothal contracts. These contracts often stipulate the genders of the couple and allowances made for surrogates of children, the “Marriage Price”, and additional considerations. If the gender of one party shifts, either naturally or by design, the contract can be nullified and recompense paid.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Mazjivsa Manipulation&lt;br /&gt;
These scribes, predominantly fishers, are trained to provide counsel in matters of contract negotiation and resolution. Since the collapse of the Mazjivsa guild and the removal of its oversight, some unathi declare themselves Mazjivsa without the proper training and are exiled if discovered. This precarious position can be exploited, and some scribes will find their gender scrutinized if someone stands to gain from the lack of their guidance and expertise.&lt;br /&gt;
A well-known example of this occurred in Skalamar, 2466; a Mazjivsa of clan T’szel was contracted to review agreements made between a local lord and his client. He would not be bought and so the lord began claiming T’szel was an illegitimate scribe and fraud. Enraged, the Mazjivsa demanded a duel so that he might defend his honor. Surprisingly, he was able to draw first blood against one of the lord’s sons, but his victory was used as proof that he was more warrior than fisher. The lord succeeded in having him removed from the contract negotiation, although he was spared exile.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Marriage and Relationships ===&lt;br /&gt;
Relationships for Unathi hinge on responsibility for both involved as most marriages before the Contact War relied on clan leaders arranging marriages to secure alliances. &#039;Dating&#039; has only recently been available to young Unathi and is a foreign concept to most above their late-20&#039;s in age. A Unathi trying to ignore the ritual of arranged marriage is a great insult to both clans involved, which at worst could lead to a blood feud or war. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Clan alliances are formed when two clan leaders mutually decide upon two Unathi to marry and, depending on who is chosen, certain gifts are expected to be bestowed on the allied clans. When the marriage is proposed, a discussion about which Clan Name will be taken arises. This is done through a form of &#039;bidding war&#039;, where one clan must &amp;quot;buy&amp;quot; the right to keeping the name over the other by giving money or resources to the other clan. Marriages may sometimes end up canceled due to both sides refusing to give up their clan name, and in the worst cases, it has led to duels or even wars fought over who has the right to keep the titles.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Surrogates can be called upon for a marriage that cannot fulfill their duty to have children; however, they must be from a member of one of the Clans. Upon the hatching of a hatchling, the expectation most often is that husbands will raise the boys, and wives will raise the girls. If there is only a husband or wife, more traditional Sk&#039;akh families will choose to have another Clan member raise the hatchling up through their expected path.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Same-gender relationships and marriages are largely accepted, with little cultural or religious stigma against them. In more isolated rural clans or among Wastelanders, however, unions that cannot produce hatchlings are often strongly discouraged, particularly under the doctrine of the Si&#039;akh faith. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion and Spirituality ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While various faiths exist on Moghes, many of which are as old as any other, there are two major religions of the Unathi that pervade nearly every aspect of their lives. Th&#039;akh and Sk&#039;akh, both of which predominately focus on ancestor worship and connections with the spirit world.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Th&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
The most pervasive and common religion amongst Unathi. It dates back even before the First Hegemony and, as a byproduct of Unathi stubbornness, has remained central to Unathi spiritualism. The basic concept of Th&#039;akh is that all the spirits of past Unathi now reside in the spirit world that exists in tandem with the material world. These spirits exist in objects and nature - bringing either good luck or sorrow. Particularly nasty natural disasters were often attributed to particularly strong groups of spiteful spirits influencing events in the material world. Th&#039;akh, due to its widespread pervasiveness, has a multitude of forms: ancestor veneration, polytheism (worshipping groups of specific and powerful spirits), and almost witch-like spiritualism are just some of the denominations found among this religion. However, Th&#039;akh almost always has the same group of tenets, which can be found [[Th&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sk&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
The second most common religion, which is followed mostly by Unathi from the Izweski Nation, and enjoys a status as its unofficial state religion. It still follows the ancestor worship of Th&#039;akh, but with a major notable difference: the spirits of all Unathi who die become part of Sk&#039;akh, the Great Spirit. Sk&#039;akh is a gender-neutral God, being called &#039;he&#039; or &#039;she&#039; interchangeably to represent that Ska&#039;kh is a collection of all Unathi. She is often called Three of One because the spirits combine into three minor aspects that are all part of Ska&#039;kh: the Warrior, the Healer, the Fisherman. These three spirits are personifications of the most important aspects of Unathi society. It is said that all three are equally important and that disasters are caused by an imbalance in the Great Three. Priests often stress the importance of balance, both in matters of the spirit as well as in society and personal life. Sk&#039;akh&#039;s dogmatic doctrine can be found [[Sk&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Aut&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
Emerging from the hatred of former warriors, the Aut&#039;akh are a cultish offshoot of Th&#039;akh, comprised of cybernetic-augmented Unathi. They argue the flesh is weak, and something new must be sculpted in its place to strengthen the mind. In the relative safety of their communes scattered across various towns, planets, and systems, they know a rough life, but one easier and more spiritual than those of the cities, they believe. The Aut&#039;akh have yet to truly attain their perfect leaderless society, as their own supposedly-defeated prejudice still runs in quiet circles within communes; meanwhile, society often rebukes and ridicules these fanatical trans-speciests. Their lives are gently guided by the shamans or &amp;quot;paradigms,&amp;quot; which act as the religious advisors and sometimes too the biomechanical engineers of these communes. Aut&#039;akh preach the Contact War was the result of sinta being so consumed by the demons within them that they brought the world to ruin, and all powers, whether that of a government, major religion, or corporation, are inherently corrupt due to the influence of evil spirits. The heathen&#039;s lifestyle and struggles can be found [[Aut&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Aut&#039;akh, due to their radical views on unathi society and society as a whole, are often associated with anyone who breaks tradition. In light of this, Unathi started to develop behaviors and society learned to hate communes and their denizens.&#039;&#039;&#039; Anyone caught being unfaithful to their spouse, in a non-monogamous relationship, rebuking their clan, having a prosthetic, or even talking about their discontent with the Hegemony or other rulers was accused of being an Aut&#039;akh. The term to most became synonymous with anyone who was a perceived troublemaker or heretic, more so than even Si&#039;akh.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Si&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
Born from the fires of the Contact War, Si&#039;akh is a radical Sk&#039;akh heresy that has rapidly spread across the Wasteland. It is lead by charismatic former Sk&#039;akh priest Juzida Si&#039;akh, who claims to be the Messiah for all Unathi. The doctrine claims the Contact War to have been the Final Judgement for the Unathi species caused by their innate wickedness. He claims that all Unathi that died in the &#039;cleansing fire&#039; of the atomic weapons were given salvation, and all Unathi that survived are damned to remain trapped on the Hell of Moghes unless the species and Moghes are rapidly purified. The movement has come into immediate conflict with the orthodox Sk&#039;akh church due to Si&#039;akh claiming it to be completely illegitimate. Its followers are ruthlessly hunted down by the Maraziite Order and many of its followers are fleeing into human space as they try to find personal salvation. Their doomsday cult has [[Si&#039;akh|strict and ascetic principles]] to help Unathi obtain a chance at salvation.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Moghean Society ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Moghes]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:PostCitiesNamed.png|thumb|A map of Moghes with the cities and seas labelled.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Moghean Unathi are traditional Unathi with the planet being their homeworld. Historically culture varies across clans that exist on the planet, but some customs and norms can be found nearly universally in Unathi society.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It is a social faux pas to use a Unathi&#039;s first name if not family or extremely close to the Unathi in question. Generally, a Unathi will tell someone when they feel comfortable with the person using their first name. It is also distressing to touch their tail or at all before introductions are undertaken. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi place great emphasis on oral traditions. Honor and combat are seen as a man&#039;s realm, and women are not held to the same standards of honor. Women are instead expected to be elegant, learned and regal; while fishers are expected to be industrious, faithful and dedicated.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Outside the formal schools of the Untouched Lands, village and town shamans or priests often remain the only source of education for rural young Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Ouerean Society ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Ouerea]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While the Izweski Unathi of Ouerea follow most of the same social beliefs as their Moghean counterparts, they tend to be less volatile towards outsiders who are ignorant of their customs, especially since their world was formerly ruled by the Skrell and Humans. Their cultures have managed to influence Ouerean Unathi, embedding different cultural norms that are not found elsewhere. There is a focus on individualism and younger Unathi shy away from the usual responsibilities held to Unathi toward their clans. There is still a struggle with a highly stratified society, but things are moderately progressive compared to Moghes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Oureaea Ciites.png|thumb|A map of Ouerea, with cities and major locations labelled.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The original colonists started as patriots to the Izweski Hegemony, but many soon found themselves disillusioned with the distant homeworld tearing itself apart in war. Unathi on Ouerea became enamored with the broad ideals of democracy and finding themselves resentful of their old lives on Moghes. Reintegration into the Hegemony proved difficult as both planets had to reconcile these cultural differences. It still remains a minor division among these Unathi to this day.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ouerean art, in contrast to Moghean pottery and dyed fabrics, has taken on inspiration from Human and Skrell art. Many Ouerean Unathi have become renowned glassmakers and craftsmen. The greater access to Human and Skrell universities, many of which still operate on the planet, also give Ouerean Unathi greater chances to work in Human and Skrell systems. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Non-Izweski Unathi ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi of the Hegemony’s territories — the Izweski Hegemony itself, Ouerea, or any of its many colonies — require consent from their clan Lord to make their way out into the greater galaxy, as listed [[Guide to Citizenship#Izweski_Hegemony|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Those that come from outside of the Hegemony and Dominia usually have no official means of recognized citizenship. Wastelanders, privateers, Guwan, and other Unathi must apply for a work visa where they are traveling in order to reside there. This of course carries risks with it: if a Unathi is seen as being problematic, whether committing crimes and misdemeanors or just not living up to the job they’re working, they may have their visa stripped and end up deported to the Hegemony. The Izweski Hegemony does not explicitly ask for these Unathi, especially seeing how they are usually &#039;undesirable&#039;. As there are no officially recognized governments on Moghes besides the Izweski, however, deported persons get sent there. Guwan and Gawgaryn that manage to make their way out of the system to places such as Biesel will face harsh punishment if this happens, so they are the most incentivized to put on their best outward face.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Unathi Physiognomy ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Khaniazwazi, also known as Unathi Physiognomy to outsiders, is a science dedicated to the study of Unathi physical profiles and the deduction of their character from such things. While certainly not new in Unathi history, it has been going through a rebirth in popularity as more resources have been dedicated to the study of Unathi biology and its appearance, to make up for what was lost with the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The validity of such a science is discussed, even among strictly professional fields, and it is no surprise that many individuals and groups have been using this field as a pretext to discriminate against other Sinta, or as a way to make a quick buck from more naive Unathi. Putting these aside however, there are still many variants of Khaniazwazi being practiced, depending on the area, with different interpretations of physical attributes. Generally, however, Khaniazwazi takes into account scale colouration, horns, frills, crests and facial structure; and in some rarer cases, smaller details such as wrinkles, scars, etcetera.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Politics and Factions ==&lt;br /&gt;
Moghes is divided between the Izweski Hegemony and the hundreds of other Clans and nations who claim their own land across the planet&#039;s surface. The only real difference in their political systems is the scale. Many of these other clans are modern nations or pre-industrial, ruled by various kings or leaders. However, with the expansion of the uninhabitable Wasteland and the brutal decimation Izweski forces committed on foreign leadership, many institutions of non-Hegemonic government across Moghes are rare or extremely fragile.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Moghes_porposal.png|thumb|The flag of the Izweski Hegemony. It is said the flag symbolizes the wildfires that frequented Moghes.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Izweski Hegemony ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Izweski Hegemony]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&#039;&#039;&amp;quot;Honour, fire, burn thy fear.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039; - The ancestral motto of Clan Izweski, circa early 20th century&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Izweski Clan is led by Clan Leader [[Notable_Unathi#Not.27zar_Izweski|&#039;&#039;&#039;Not&#039;zar Izweski&#039;&#039;&#039;]], a Unathi who has ruled the Hegemony since his father S&#039;kresti Izweski, the previous Hegemon, was assassinated by his son and Not&#039;zar&#039;s brother. He lives in the Izweski Citadel in Skalamar, and under him are the Lords who rule their own subjugated clans. They live in a feudal system, with the Lords usually being clan leaders or important clan members themselves who pledge themselves to Izweski in exchange for land and protection.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Hegemon is best thought of being the Emperor, and under him are the Overlords, who are the Kings. Under the Overlords are the Lords, who are then broken up between the Clan Lords, and then the Clan Leaders. Clan Leaders are a mostly ceremonial title and make up (usually) the eldest male ruler of a specific family clan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Not&#039;zar&#039;s father, Hegemon S&#039;kresti Izweski, was originally a strong leader of the Izweski clan. Then, after the death of his eldest son in a shuttle crash, the old Hegemon fell into a deep depression, to the point of becoming comatose in the Izweski citadel. After a succession crisis, Not&#039;zar took his place as the Regent and heir for three years, over that time developing the Hegemony into a stable empire. &lt;br /&gt;
[[Image:Minimap hegemony.png|thumb|A closer image focusing on the factions surrounding the Izweski Hegemony&#039;s territory.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Three years later, the Hegemon awoke and took back to the throne, however on his tour to get reacquainted with everything, he was spurred into madness and cursed by &#039;&#039;&#039;Juzida Si&#039;akh&#039;&#039;&#039; which resulted in a civil war to dispute his claim to the throne. In an attempt to destroy his enemies, the old Hegemon attempted to orbitally bombard an enemy city. To stop this dishonorable act, his third son Z&#039;krazi Izweski the Kinslayer assassinated the Hegemon, and after Not&#039;zar&#039;s victory in the Battle of Three Hills the civil war ended.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Now, Not&#039;zar is the Clan Leader, Overlord of Moghes, and Hegemon of the Izweski Hegemony. Despite his severe physical handicap forcing him to walk with a cane, many noblemen have made him an ally, especially including the Guilds who enjoy his globalist attitude.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Overlords rule an entire planet in the name of the Hegemon. Under them are Lords, who can rule huge tracts of land and multiple cities, or just a single city; there is no distinction between a Count and Duke level of Lordship like in most human feudalism.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
There are two different kinds of major lifestyles in the Izweski Hegemony. There is the city, which is ran by a Lord and a small council of lesser clans. City life is less harsh than life in the country, especially with opportunities provided with shuttle services to the rest of the galaxy. Life in the rural areas is harsher, with cities being rare and life mostly determined by the size of a Clan&#039;s village and how well they can hunt, fish, or in desperate times, raid their neighbors. It&#039;s the traditional Unathi life, made harsher by the growing Wasteland encroaching on once-fertile lands.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Queendom of Szek’Hakh ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&#039;&#039;&amp;quot;Refuse to break.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039; - Pre-Contact War Szek&#039;Hakh clan motto.&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A matriarchal region of roughly twenty thousand set in the Wasteland, led by the elderly &#039;&#039;&#039;Queen Lazak Szek&#039;Hakh&#039;&#039;&#039; and her daughters. In her settlement and a large portion of the region surrounding it, her clan has become the protector of her region known as the &#039;Queendom&#039;. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For those living in the Queendom, the gender roles of Unathi are inverted, and many of its people thusly struggle to find opportunities on Moghes and seek employment in Tau Ceti - with the Queen even making connections with pirates, Dominians, and Tajaran smugglers to get her people safely out of the dangerous Wasteland. The Queen is kind under her witty and straightforward attitude, and despite stereotypes, does not actually hate men.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Szek&#039;Hakh clan&#039;s settlement of &#039;&#039;&#039;Yu&#039;kal&#039;&#039;&#039;, originally headed by the Queen&#039;s husband, was built around a cluster of small lakes and focused on aquaculture. When the Contact War&#039;s nukes wiped out the vast majority of men, they adapted to using women as protectors, while using men to keep house. The widowed Lazak Szek’Hakh convinced the shell-shocked and wounded survivors of her clan that she was the only one capable of ruling during this terrifying time, and had taken control of a sizable region of the Wasteland east of Mudki around Yu&#039;kal. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Szek&#039;Hakh Clan became the leading power in their region following the Contact War. Eventually, Szek’Hakh consolidated control of her clan and the settlement, taking matters of survival into her own hands. As the Wasteland engulfed Yu&#039;kal&#039;s lakes, she coordinated a renovation of aquaculture farms and lead expeditions to bring their highly valuable fish products to the distant surviving city of Mudki. Women took prominent roles in all of these, with the necessities of survival in the harsh wasteland fraying Unathite gender roles. A neighboring nobleman, fearing this rise of powerful women, orchestrated to have her assassinated. In a dramatic confrontation, the assassin was foiled and publicly exiled as a Guwandi, and a mob of angry women stormed the nobleman&#039;s estate to &#039;duel him for his dishonor&#039;. This act put the matriarch in the spotlight, sparking Szek’Hakh’s rapid rise of being named Queen by her people.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Queen Szek’Hakh now leads a struggling wasteland settlement in a precarious situation. The traditional Izweski-leaning Unathi find her position an affront to customs, and she struggles to find allies. She tries to walk a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk’akh Church]], the Izweski, and the Wastelander factions - however she is often too straightforward to get far. Her settlement is primarily Th’akh, and she herself follows the faith. She complies (though unwillingly) with the demands of Izweski representatives to expel the prophet [[Notable Unathi|Si&#039;akh]] from her realm when he enters her settlement in his travels, though she quietly allows members of his traveling flock to rest in secret when they pass through her settlement. For the same, she does not tolerate the cult of the [[Aut&#039;akh]], and her people ruthlessly hunt down their unaugmented proselytizers.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Surviving Kingdoms on Moghes ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Despite the destruction of most of the known world from the [[Contact War]], some desperate survivors managed to weather the storm and remain nominally free of Izweski dominance - either from the Izweski&#039;s weariness for war on Moghes, or arrogant indifference.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While the Izweski are reclaiming the Wasteland, they are ruthlessly uprooting and displacing local cultures in the remaining habitable lands. The Outposts were small, fertile enclaves that survived the Contact War surrounded by the Wasteland. Starting in 2461, Not&#039;zar pushed forward terraforming efforts to expand these green yet hostile oases. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Template:UnathiCustomaryLaw}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Notable Information ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Guwandi ===&lt;br /&gt;
In the event that a Unathi becomes terminally ill, or finds themselves lacking the pride or honor to continue to live, or simply become tired of their existence undergo a ritualistic suicide and take the title of &#039;Guwandi&#039; (which is translated to Gladiator/Galdium). They will give up their possessions to their clan leader and make their journey into the Moghes desert. The only things they keep are their weapons which they use to fight animals or other Unathi so that they may die in honorable combat. In the event that two of these Guwandi meet, they will first draw their weapons and adopt a passive stance, which is followed by them telling each other their stories in turn, as well as the reasons behind their choice of adopting the mantle of &#039;Guwandi&#039; and how they wish their remains to be dealt with. When both sides understand the other, combat will begin with a mutual wish of luck that the more worthy of death lose with pride. The winner of the battle is responsible for taking care of the corpse in the way they were instructed to. Renouncing the deathseeking life of Guwandi isn&#039;t easy. Some may wish to return after having been granted a second outlook, or hope, after they had spent time wandering and risking their life. Their clan may see their decision as cowardly and refuse to accept them, or be overjoyed they had learned a lesson in their time.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Guwandi are not an option on the Horizon,&#039;&#039;&#039; yet may be a way in which a character becomes retired, barring [[Traitor|extreme circumstances]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Guwan ===&lt;br /&gt;
In some cases when a Unathi is exiled from their clan, they do not take up the formal title of Guwandi. This can be through fear of death, unwillingness, or simple stubbornness. In this case, they are marked as &#039;Guwan&#039; by their clan leader, and must take this as their last name. It is a variation on Guwandi, which is translated directly as &#039;exile&#039;. Guwans are clanless Unathi, and form an underclass. Guwans find it difficult if not impossible to advance socially or politically, and in many cases are oppressed or mistreated by other Unathi who view them as troublemakers or criminals. The only way of returning to a clan after banishment as a Guwan is to be adopted back into the Clan, which happens very rarely. &#039;&#039;&#039;To no longer be a Guwan, a Unathi must have an upstanding citizen decide to represent them, and then they must both go to court to explain how the Guwan can return into society under a new clan name, be adopted into another clan, or return to their original clan (at Clan Leader&#039;s acceptance.)&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On August 29th, 2459, the Lord-Regent Not&#039;zar Izweski passed an edict that required clans to send a petition to an imperial court when they want to banish a clan member as a Guwan. The court must side with the petitioning Clan Leader or the Unathi in question is not marked as a Guwan. This has caused backlash as the courts have gained a reputation for being incredibly arbitrary in their decisions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the past, all orphans were automatically Guwan unless they are adopted into a Clan. This changed with yet another edict by Not&#039;zar Izweski in December of 2459, which required all orphans, including adults still connected to their orphanage guild via debts or otherwise without parents, to take on the surname of that orphanage.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
Some Guwans have been forced off of Moghes by their clans with the growing ease of space travel, and NanoTrasen has a long history of exploiting this subgroup of Unathi, coercing them into employment contracts.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Guwans are not permitted to petition their local Lords to express any grievances, and are not permitted to social services provided by private enterprise or state entities. They are not full citizens of the Hegemony but are considered residents, which additionally bares them from many services.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Notably, Guwans are the only social class of Unathi allowed to serve in the personal guard of the Hegemon and his family. The strategy relies on the fact the Guwan Guard are despised and envied by decorated officers that would otherwise serve in traditional guard duties. They are socially isolated and unable to advance politically, which means that their survival depends on the safety of the Hegemon and his family, which means that they wouldn&#039;t try to launch a coup or replace the Hegemon without themselves being slaughtered. Similar to an old-Terran Janissary, they&#039;re a slave soldier, and unable to have children or hold any sort of political or military position.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
If a Unathi is the last of their clan, or is otherwise estranged with no one to declare them Guwan, then they may still find themselves challenged by other rival clans who lay claim to this Unathi&#039;s land, titles, inheritance, or name. If they are unable or unwilling to defend their claims (which would involve lengthy court trials on Moghes) then they would be stripped of them and declared Guwan. This means that a Unathi hiding in human space can still be named Guwan if their past, or rivals, catch up with them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Guwans are exclusively a criminal or otherwise dishonorable untouchable class, and it takes a lot to be labelled as one. Because playing a Guwan means you are opting in to being discriminated against by others, a Guwan filing an incident report for anything less than physical assault is a whitelist issue.&#039;&#039;&#039; When in doubt, speak to the Maintainer first.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Orphans and Orphanage Guilds ===&lt;br /&gt;
Orphans in the Hegemony in the past were all labelled as Guwans, but an edict by Not&#039;zar Izweski in December of 2459 changed all that. Hatchlings, child, and teenage Unathi without parents are put in the care of one of the many orphanage guilds on Moghes. These are private run guilds with little to no government oversight. While they fulfill a necessary social service in caring for Unathi that would otherwise be on the streets, orphanage guilds in the Hegemony are incredibly exploitative. Unknown to the children the guilds track all the expenses and charge their wards throughout their life until they turn 17, when they are presented with the bill and are forced to work to repay the crippling debt, and many can be trapped by the fact that their debt would fall on any prospective parents.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Two of these guilds have expanded into large corporations that have found a lucrative method of gaining money from their wards. The &#039;&#039;&#039;Gukuzan&#039;&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;&#039;Kuhwinla&#039;&#039;&#039; Guilds coerce or persuade their wards to accepts contracts for megacorporations, particularly [[Hephaestus Industries]], if they reach adulthood without being adopted. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Gukuzan&#039;&#039;&#039; clan is lead by a Priest Kiazoi, and he ensures that those that enter the care of his guild are given a proper religious education and instilled with the values of the church. Children raised by the Gukuzan are also taught valuable lessons in obedience and the importance of duty and respect to their betters. Its wards are moderately well-off and treated well, but the comforts of a happy childhood in the orphanage is rather soured by the fact everything from bedding, food, and even air conditioning are things each child has added to their growing debt. Gukuzan orphanages are scattered across Moghes and there are three on [[Ouerea]]. They are all exclusively managed by a priest on the payroll of the Gukuzan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Kuhwinla&#039;&#039;&#039; clan is lead by Guildmaster Ioaza Kuhwinla, an infamously frugal woman. She refuses to spend any more than she has to on her wards, meaning that those under her care are given the most basic of education. Children raised by her Guild are taught valuable lessons in thrift, obedience, and how to stretch meals to the absolute limit. Its wards are generally barely better than they would be on the street, but they live with a roof over their heads, semi-reliable food, a basic education, and their debt at the end of their life under the Kuhwinla is generally lower than it would be in other orphanages. Kuhwinla orphanages are in nearly every major Unathite city, and they are unique in that they are managed by matriarchs that answer to Ioaza.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;These two surnames are the only ones you may take if you play an orphaned Izweski on the SCCV Horizon!&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Species]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Pages]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Unathi]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=37187</id>
		<title>Sandbox: Evandorf</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Sandbox:_Evandorf&amp;diff=37187"/>
		<updated>2025-08-22T15:45:45Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Evandorf: Created page with &amp;quot;{{Outdated (Phoron Scarcity)}} {{Navbox Lore}}  {{Navbox Unathi Lore}}  {{Infobox Species  |Species = Unathi  |Scientific = U. Sapiens / Sinta&amp;#039;Unathi  |Image = Unathi410x320.png  |System = Uueoa-Esa  |World = Moghes  |Language = Sinta&amp;#039;Unathi  |Politic = Izweski Hegemony  }}   The &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;Unathi&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039; (direct plural: Unathi – You-NAWH-thee both singular and multiple) (adjective: Unathite - You-NAWH-thit) are a race of tall humanoid reptiles standing from six to seve...&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{Outdated (Phoron Scarcity)}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Infobox Species&lt;br /&gt;
 |Species = Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Scientific = U. Sapiens / Sinta&#039;Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Image = Unathi410x320.png&lt;br /&gt;
 |System = [[Uueoa-Esa]]&lt;br /&gt;
 |World = [[Moghes]]&lt;br /&gt;
 |Language = Sinta&#039;Unathi&lt;br /&gt;
 |Politic = [[Izweski Hegemony]]&lt;br /&gt;
 }}&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Unathi&#039;&#039;&#039; (direct plural: Unathi – You-NAWH-thee both singular and multiple) (adjective: Unathite - You-NAWH-thit) are a race of tall humanoid reptiles standing from six to seven feet tall on average, with females slightly smaller in stature. They possess a mixture of snake-like and crocodile-like features, resulting in hard and plate-like scales. Unathi live in their home system of Uueoa-Esa with their homeworld being [[Moghes]]. The planet&#039;s history can be summarized as being divided up between various Hegemonies, names they give the most powerful Clans on Moghes throughout time. The Clan system is deeply entrenched in Unathi society with everything else revolving around it. It forms a major part of their code of honor, which stresses the importance of martial abilities and loyalty to the Clan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Unathivillage.png|thumb|alt=Unathi.|Life outside the Untouched Lands remains harsh, with limited or nonexistent Hephaestus presence.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Religion and spirituality play a major role in a Unathi society, and religious differences are the main dividing factor. Conflict between the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk&#039;akh Church]] and the various [[Th&#039;akh]] faiths of Moghes, as well as the various [[Aut&#039;akh|communes]] and [[Si&#039;akh|cults]], have caused conflict and wars between the Izweski Hegemony and the kingdoms that eventually comprised the Traditionalist Coalition. This conflict hit a peak when they entered the intergalactic stage, which is now known as the [[Contact War]]. After this conflict, some Unathi fled the planet through Hephaestus or NanoTrasen shuttle ports. Unathi fleeing to megacorporations like NanoTrasen find themselves working in security and engineering roles, but recently many have been proving themselves as competent surgeons and brilliant scientists, earning opportunities that Moghes would deny them because of its strict feudal hierarchy. However, others are slipping through the cracks and becoming slavers, raiders, or pirates. As the ability for spaceship construction increases in the Unathi home system, so too does space piracy and smuggling.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Moghes has two different biomes after the Contact War. The fertile Untouched Lands with its great jungles, vast swamps, and lush forests; all of which are protected by massive terraforming equipment kept secure by the Hegemony&#039;s wealth and power. Contrast to that are the bombarded Wasteland kingdoms in the ashes of plains and forests, burnt into a massive planet-spanning desert rampant with [[The_Wasteland#Clan_.22Gawgaryn.22_-_The_Punished_Clans|punished kingdoms raiding to survive]] and [[The_Wasteland#The_Reclaimers|part scavengers living in cities on treads]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To apply to be Unathi, apply [http://aurorastation.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=28 here].&lt;br /&gt;
{{TOC Hidden}}&lt;br /&gt;
== Heads of Staff ==&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi can be the following Heads of Staff:&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Head of Security]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Chief Medical Officer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Research Director]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Chief Engineer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Operations Manager]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Corporate Liaison|Consular Officer]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Corporate Liaison]] - [[NanoTrasen]], [[Hephaestus Industries]], [[Zavodskoi Interstellar]] ([[Unathi in Dominia|Dominian Unathi]] only), [[Private Military Contracting Group]] (Dagamuir Freewater Private Forces only), [[Orion Express]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The following groups &#039;&#039;&#039;cannot&#039;&#039;&#039; be Heads of Staff: [[Aut&#039;akh]], Guwan, and Gawgaryn of [[The Wasteland]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Due to their criminal backgrounds, the following groups &#039;&#039;&#039;cannot&#039;&#039;&#039; be played in the Security department: Guwan and Gawgaryn of [[The Wasteland]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Outside of consular officers, command characters should not be of the same clan as any notable lords of the Hegemony. The most prominent clans, such as those of Overlords and the Hegemon himself, are off-limits for command.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Megacorporate Relations===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Prior to 2465, Moghean Unathi that were not members of trade guilds were almost exclusively employed with [[Hephaestus Industries]]. Unathi with guild memberships would primarily take contracts with [[NanoTrasen]] or [[Orion Express]], depending on their career choice. [[Unathi in Dominia|Unathi living in Dominia]], like most of their countrymen, seek employment with [[Zavodskoi Interstellar]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
After the Merchant&#039;s Guild declared bankruptcy, Hephaestus Industries bailed out all Hegemonic guilds and reorganised them under the banner of the company. Since then, nearly all residents of Moghes are employed by Hephaestus in some way. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Mechanics ==&lt;br /&gt;
Mechanical differences from humans and unique emotes listed below:&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Passive&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi are coldblooded which allows slightly improved heat resistance, but increased sensitivity to cold.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi have claws, which slash and improve unarmed melee attacks.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi are incapable of easily digesting alcohol, and ethanol is considered toxic to them.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can only drink alcohol from drinks with butanol instead of ethanol. Butanol gets them drunk similar to ethanol but has no effect on other species.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi get no nutrients from eating fruits and vegetables. They need meat to fill their hunger.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can safely eat carp and consume carpotoxin.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi have the fastest sprint available to any species, but they have low stamina, meaning they can only sprint in short bursts. They also are slower than most other species.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Active Abilities&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can devour monkeys, rats, spiders, carp, and other small mobs by clicking and dragging from the mob to themselves. The animal must hold still for it to work.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi hiss when speaking Tau Ceti Basic. You achieve this by typing multiple s&#039;s during speech. This can also be pronounced through x&#039;s if their accent is thick. &amp;quot;Thisss issss an ekssample.&amp;quot;  You can also &#039;&#039;&#039;Toggle-Auto-Hiss&#039;&#039;&#039; to do this for you.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unathi can sample the air with their tongue.&lt;br /&gt;
*Unique audible emotes: *hiss, *hiss2, *bellow.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Biology ==&lt;br /&gt;
Their average life expectancy is around sixty years for most Unathi. However, they tend to live for well past sixty years when given advanced medical care available to the other space-faring species. As a cold-blooded species, they suffer fatigue and even short comas when exposed to extremely low temperatures.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Humans and Unathi share a lot of similar internal biology with some notable exceptions. Since they are a carnivorous species, their diet mostly consists of meat and animal products, though they do have a tolerance to some plants and fruits. While Unathi do receive minor benefits for eating certain fruits, they do not get any nutrition from plants. Due to their carnivorous nature, they also have an increased stomach capacity to help eat larger meals at a time. The typical Unathi usually only eats one meal a day, and for the poorer sinta, perhaps once every two days. They tend towards lethargic and sluggish movements more often than not because of their evolutionary history, so they move slower than most organic species. However, the cyclical period of work for Unathi compared to other species is much faster. Unathi are polyphasic sleepers: creatures that sleep in shorter naps rather than at one time during the night. While they tend towards sluggishness, sinta are often capable of incredible bursts of energy and speed, and their ability to work in three or four hour periods of time compensates for their more sporadic schedules.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The reproductive system of a Sinta&#039;Unathi is very similar to that of Earth reptiles. Females lay eggs, with the average clutch being somewhere between one and three. They have a six-month gestation period, after which they are laid in a humid, warm area. After two months, the fetus is fully developed and hatches from the egg. Unathi are born with their claws and the ability to walk within hours of hatching. A Sinta&#039;Unathi is considered an adult when they are 16 years old.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Physical Appearance ===&lt;br /&gt;
The Unathi as a species show a great deal of variation within body types as well as clusters of smaller physical traits passed down through clans. Facial and body features range in size and shape with some having raptor-like aesthetics, serpentine looks, or a more draconic body. Tail length is often genetic; conversely, tail girth is defined by a Unathi&#039;s diet as it stores most of the body&#039;s fat— nobles grow some of the largest tails.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi scales are somewhat tougher than human skin, though they shed off sporadically rather than all at once. More vulnerable and hidden spots, such as the stomach and waist, the backs of joints, and inner thighs are all leathery skin and aren&#039;t covered in scales.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The typical healthy adult male Unathi weighs roughly 280 pounds. Female sinta differ from males as they generally have a shorter and more rounded snout. The typical healthy Unathi female weighs roughly 250 pounds. Female Unathi grow to about 5&#039;9&amp;quot; to 6&#039;8, while male Unathi grow to about 6&#039;0&amp;quot; to 7&#039;0&amp;quot;. Unusual heights tend to be smaller in scale, as the taller a Unathi is, the more likely it will be marred with health problems and not live as long as others.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Both sexes stand on digitigrade legs, with three toes on each foot and a hooked dewclaw, and have clawed feet and hands. They also have very long tongues, typically black or extremely dark red in color, which may stretch up to a foot and a half long and are forked just like a serpent&#039;s. In much the same manner as snakes, Unathi can sample the air around them using their tongue. They blink and have tear ducts similar to humans.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi horns do not naturally regrow, and serious damage tends to remain permanent. Ancient recipes using native herbs known as &amp;quot;horn paste&amp;quot; are commonly made and sold by herbalists and can counter cosmetic scratches or minor chipping. More modern synthetic Horn Gel (based on Bone Gel), developed largely by [[Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals]], can regenerate an entire lost horn, but it tends to be stratified to the upper classes and noblemen due to cost.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Lizards.png|thumb|Body dimorphism in Unathi.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Colouration ====&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi are also often born into one of four major scale colour categories: red, black, orange-brown and &amp;quot;sand-colored&amp;quot;, and green. Alternative colours are rare, with dark blue and even albino Unathi being reported in very small numbers. Albinos are sometimes slightly tinted in colour while remaining predominantly white. Traditionally these off-coloured Unathi are met with prejudice, though some clans outside the Izweski may feel different.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It has been noticed that scale colourations were more represented in some areas than other, and thus, many shades of these colours were, in Unathi culture, named after the places they tend to be seen in more often, in many cases.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
*Modern red-coloured Unathi are thought to originate from a large nomadic clan that settled South of the Moghresian Sea around modern Skalamar. Nowadays, red-scaled Sinta tend to be seen on the entire Southern coast of the Moghresian Sea and the mountain ranges near it.&lt;br /&gt;
*Today’s green-coloured Unathi hail from the Southern side of the Moghresian sea, and they are seen more often throughout this side of the coast and down to the colder lands even further South. Surprisingly, there is also a large batch of green-coloured Unathi located around Sahl lake, indicating that an old nomadic clan of mostly green Sinta settled there centuries ago.&lt;br /&gt;
*Orange-brown and sand-yellow Unathi comprises a wide range of colours. They are a more common colour to be seen in a large area, and it is believed that their origins come from displacement in ancient conflicts that forced them to migrate and find new homelands. More precisely, Unathi harbouring such colours tend to be more represented in a large area defined between Darakath, Bahard, Mudki, and Yu’kal.&lt;br /&gt;
*Black or “dark-scaled’ Unathi do not seem to originate from any precise area, and instead, tend to be more often seen around colder areas of Moghes, both North and South. A popular theory is that black scales are actually a consequence of exposure to the cold for generations— something that has yet to be proven.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
All colours, barring albino, do not mix; if a brown Unathi and a light red Unathi have a child, the red scales the child has might be a little darker, but the colours do not blend to make something new.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Colour ranges&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Due to the modernization of Moghes as well as the emigration and population displacement from the Contact War, Unathi of any colour can be found nearly anywhere on Moghes. Of course, they are more common in some areas rather than others.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Below are some examples of Unathi scale colour ranges. These cover a majority of the colors; while some deviances from these are normal, there are no neon or pink colors among Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{| align:Center&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
!Usual Unathi colour ranges:&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Green.png|200px|thumb|left|Green colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Brown.png|200px|thumb|left|Brown-orange / sand-yellow colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Red.png|200px|thumb|left|Red colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Black.png|200px|thumb|left|Black colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
{| align:Center&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
!Unusual Unathi colour ranges:&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_white.png|200px|thumb|left|Albino colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|[[File:Lizardcolors_Blue.png|200px|thumb|left|Blue colouration range]]&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Green:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Razir Moss:&#039;&#039; RGB 27, 50, 27 / Hex #1B321B&lt;br /&gt;
*An unusually dark shade of green, but certainly not the only one, Unathi from Razir and its surrounding areas tend to have this scale colouration more often than not. As the name suggests, it is quite comparable in colour to the unique moss that tends to grow on rocks and buildings on the Southern coast of the Moghresian sea. The moss was heavily used by healers in the past, as its spongy nature allows to quickly stop bleeding, and its composition can also help in dealing with infection, or at least, limit their spread, until proper medicine can be found, properties that are quite appreciated in a time like the post-Contact-War era, where shortages, of medicine among other things, aren’t so rare depending on the location. Due to its ties with healing, some of the more traditional Unathi tend to see Unathi with such a scale colouration as more feminine.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Sen Emerald:&#039;&#039; RGB 31, 95, 31 / Hex #1F5F1F&lt;br /&gt;
*Considering the name, and the overall concentration of Unathi in the region, it is assumed that those bearing such colouration came from the now-broken city of Sen. Records of where the name comes from exactly has been lost after the Contact War, but theories still exist with recent finds. The reclaimer clan Kikata, operating a landcrawler by the torn cities, on the western coast of the Moghresian sea, noticed several collapsed mines next to what they assumed used to be villages, and in them, among many other minerals, unique green gems. As word has started to spread, many Sinta are now assuming that Sen Emerald refers to these gems.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Teht Mint:&#039;&#039; RGB 85, 149, 85 / Hex #559555&lt;br /&gt;
*Teht Mint is one of the many crops that (nearly) disappeared after the Contact War and its nuclear fallout. As Teht mostly made its fortune from fishing, nearby villages housed the few clans in all of Moghes talented enough to properly harvest the plant, and who kept such a knowledge secret to all of their own. Used as expensive seasoning by only the wealthiest Nobles in the region, these clans, and their village, quickly made a fortune, then came the Contact war. While the city of Teth was spared by the bombing, the many villages around it that didn’t get outright razed by the nukes were abandonned, as their main source of income, the harvesting of the mint, was soon enough gone and made life there unsustainable, leaving only handful of seeds, currently preserved in Teth’s palace in hopes that they may be planted into proper soil another day. In any case, the name “Teht Mint” persist as a way to call the Sintas bearing a light green scale colour that tends to be seen in the area.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Sahl Green:&#039;&#039; RGB 56, 126, 86 / Hex #387E56&lt;br /&gt;
*Lake Sahl, among many other things, was renowned for the unique algae that used to grow in within it, giving it, when the floor was shallow enough, a green-ish tint, something that many local fishers used to call “Sahl’s green halo”. Like many things, these algae died after the Contact War, and the poisoning of the lake due to the ensuing nuclear fallout. Many of the older locals that still remember their time spent fishing in the lake, however, have been continuing to call Unathi living around the lake, bearing a unique shade of green, “Sahl Green”.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Orange-Brown / Sand Coloured:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Mudki Stone:&#039;&#039; RGB 98, 84, 65 / Hex #625441&lt;br /&gt;
*The mountainous city of Mudki has been build with the rocks of the very mountains it stands on and between. These rocks exhibit a strange propriety due to their unique composition, something only found in the area, as, when wet, the usually light-grey, or tan stone, turns to a pale-brown. While a small-scaled group of geologists was dispatched to explain the phenomenon, the researches were cut short by the outbreak of the Contact War, and by now, most Sinta simply have their own explanation, from more science-based ones, to some more related to faith. In any case, people have taken to naming the many Sinta bearing light brown scale colouration, around the area, “Mudki Stone”, and some older, more superstitious inhabitants of Mudki and its surroundings claim that these Unathi can, like the stone, change colour…&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Yu&#039;kal Soil:&#039;&#039; RGB 92, 66, 32 / Hex #5C4220&lt;br /&gt;
*Yu’kal, while far from any of the main lakes or seas of Moghes, was a city that known for its people’s work in aquaculture in smaller bodies of water, natural or, later on, artificial, something that nearby smaller settlements also picked up. While the Contact War and its consequences put an end to such a business, many in the Queendom still remember this time, and how the soil turned damp and darkened from the how humid it could get in some places… Something that led to the naming of the colouration that many of the local Unathi bear, similar shades of brown, “Yu’kal Soil”.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Darakath Brown:&#039;&#039; RGB 158, 116, 60 / Hex #9E743C&lt;br /&gt;
*Darakath Brown, also called “Darakath Copper” by the inhabitants of the once proud capital of the Azarak Kingdom, is ,as the name suggests, a scale colouration mostly seen in Darakath and its surroundings. To the more staunch supporters of the Izweski Hegemony, Sintas with this colours are seen as Traditionalists, and by extent, defeated foes… To others, Unathi with such colouration are treated with kindness, if not (legitimate or not) pity, after the sacking of the city by the end of the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Bahard Cream:&#039;&#039; RGB 233, 178, 104 / Hex #E9B268&lt;br /&gt;
*Bahard, before the nuclear exchange, was one of the largest trading hub on Moghes thanks to its central position, making a fortune through trading. Beside this, however, Bahard was also known for the culinary expertise of its people, access to food from all around Moghes being one of the reason behind such a thing. Bahard Cream, originally referred to the a seasoning whose recipe was lost by the end of the Contact War, generally offered to passing traders. It was its unique colour and popularity that led to the locals, and soon enough, the rest of Moghes, to referring to the scale colouration seen so often around the area in such a way.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Red:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Tak Red:&#039;&#039; RGB 128, 62, 62 / Hex #803E3E&lt;br /&gt;
*Tak used to be a city of relatively modest size, before the nuclear exchange utterly ruined it. Few know why Sinta of this certain shade are thus called “Tak Red”, although researches in Skalamar have led to a theory: fish exports. Most inhabitants made a living through fishing, just like most cities on the coast of the Moghresian sea, although surviving trading records show a higher than average amount of exports from the city. Additionally, texts, and common memory, point that some of the fish unique to Tak’s coast had unique red scales… Although said fishes are extinct by now, everything seems to indicate that this is where the name for this colouration came from.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Skalamar Red:&#039;&#039; 160, 44, 44 / Hex #A02C2C&lt;br /&gt;
*Skalamar Red, also called “Blood Red” by traditionalist and other foes of the Hegemony, is, as the name suggest, more often seen in Skalamar and its neighboring territories. Origins on the name of this colouration were blurry, even before the Contact War, with stories speaking of such colourations having divine origins, from other speaking of a curse, depending on who you ask. In any case, such a colouration is a sign of greatness and valor to some, and of shame and cruelty to some others… Generally depending on who they would have sided with during the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;S&#039;th Berry:&#039;&#039; RGB 125, 6, 6 / Hex #980606&lt;br /&gt;
*S’th Berries are one of the few species of flora that survived the nuclear fallout of the Contact War… Although, not without consequences. While they were once deep red, the berries lost their colour and appear grey-ish; and their sugary taste as been lost, some saying that they now taste like paste instead. Nevertheless, the name given to the colour that many Unathi in the area arbor, remained: Unathi of red scales, red like S’th’s Berries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Black:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Derhai Shadow:&#039;&#039; RGB 17, 22, 16 / Hex #111610&lt;br /&gt;
*Although such a tone can be found a bit everywhere since Derhai’s depopulation, most people can pinpoint that it used to be most often seen in and around great city that stood there, before being abandoned. Due to the highly religious nature that Derhai had, many have been tying (sometimes wrongly) such a scale colouration to Th&#039;akhists.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Janvir Black:&#039;&#039; RGB 28, 28, 28 / Hex #1C1C1C&lt;br /&gt;
*Perhaps a testament to how fast Unathi can evolve and change over generation, Janvir Black is a scale colouration that only appeared around a century after the foundation of the cold metropolis, merely six centuries ago… That is, according to the limited records currently available in the post-Contact War era.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Guzari Night:&#039;&#039; RGB 61, 47, 47 / Hex #3D2F2F&lt;br /&gt;
*There were, allegedly, several small settlements by the coast of the Guzari Sea, despite the freezing temperatures (on Unathi standards, that is), thanks to the unique bounties of the cold Northern Sea. Records seem to indicate, however, that said settlements were abandoned even before the Contact War, something that historians, even to this day, cannot explain, mostly due to the severe loss of historical documents during the conflict. Many Unathi, today, then, see other Sinta with the strange scale colouration known as Guzari Night as quite elusive…&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Albino:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Albino White:&#039;&#039; RGB 178, 178, 178 / Hex #B2B2B2&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Bleached Bone:&#039;&#039; RGB 183, 169, 169 / Hex #3D2F2F&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Blue:&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Indigo Blue:&#039;&#039; RGB 35, 55, 189 / Hex #2337BD&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;Azure:&#039;&#039; RGB 1, 102, 255 / Hex #0066FF&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Albino and Azure (or Blue) Unathi scale colouration are not tied to any area of Moghes, and instead, generally the result of genetic lottery. How such colourations are perceived varies widely. These Unathi would generally face prejudice in the Hegemony, although some other Sinta from different horizons can exhibit interest for them instead, or simply indifference. &lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Genetic Variety ====&lt;br /&gt;
Besides scale colouration, many other physical aspects of Unathi bodies can vary widely. From horns and frills, to even extra scale crests and different structures in a Unathi’s very skeleton (namely, the skull). While anatomical differences within a species are natural, Unathi are noteworthy for how wide these differences can get and how fast they come to be. The exact science behind this has been lost after the Contact War, and most of the research behind such a phenomena is idly handled by Nanotrasen and Zeng-Hu specialists. However it is assumed that Sinta simply evolve and adapt to their surroundings much faster than most of the other sentient species of the Spur, leading to such large physical discrepancies between Unathi alone.&lt;br /&gt;
From this, it is also assumed that, with Unathi populations moving between planets, and Moghes on its way to changing considerably (may the consequences of the of the Contact War be the of the Sinta homeworld, or may terraforming efforts save it), said biological differences between different groups will only get larger and more exotic in the next few centuries.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Genetic Variety&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Unathifaces.png|180px|thumb|right|Zotzo’s Treaty of Biology is one of the first Unathi works dedicated to the study of Sinta biology, and in which the terminology for Unathi facial structure was first established. This is one of the few pages left of the book, found in the ruins of Oket&#039;s Great Library.]] &lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Horns&#039;&#039;&#039; are not tied to specific places, or at least, not directly. There seems to be a hereditary side to it, however, as Unathi more often than not seem to bear the horns of one of their parents (on VERY rare instances carrying the horns of both). Horns, however, do not “mix” and make new shapes, the same way that Unathi scale colourations don’t mix. Horns are arbored by both male and female Sintas, and can be of various tones, from dark gray, near black, to Ivory or even pristine white, and even in some cases, pale brown-ish tones. Contrary to some belief, Unathi horns are bone, and not made of Ivory or any other precious material. Horn size, just like tail size, also depends on a Unathi’s diet. However, while everyone has the potential to grow an enlarged tail, if given enough fat, horn size highly depends on how well-fed a Unathi is during their childhood as they grow. Coupled with one’s horn’s hereditary nature, it is commonly assumed that A Sinta of noble blood will generally have larger horns… A noble who happens to have shorter horns is generally called a New-Noble, as if they were the first of their clan to ascend to noblehood, and by extent the quality diet that tends to come with it.&lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Frills&#039;&#039;&#039;, while hereditary in exactly the same way as horns, tend to be most often seen in Unathi populations living on coasts, or in general humid areas. Frills can be of various colours, so long as they remain in natural Unathi colour ranges. They are constituted of either a bony “support”, or in some rare cases, a cartilaginous one, with skin or scales between and on said “supports”. Since frills are articulated, to some minor degree, Unathi bearing frills tend to be seen as more expressive, as they tend to “open” or “close” their frills, accentuating body language. Frills have generally been associated with Unathi of low-to-middle class, or at least, that have ancestry from such classes, as fishermen and such Unathu are generally depicted with large frills. The validity of such a concept is discussed nowadays. &lt;br /&gt;
*&#039;&#039;&#039;Crests&#039;&#039;&#039; are rather similar to frills in their constitution, although they differ in the sense that, instead of having a thin layer of scaly hide being stretched between its bony or cartilaginous supports, crests are entirely covered in proper hide. One popular example is the infamous “Cobra Hood” (Which is a domination established by the people of the Spur as a whole, and not by Sinta, as Cobras are obviously not native to Moghes). Like frills, Crests can be articulated, although in a much more limited way. Crests are not limited to any place, and just like horns, are instead fully hereditary. Crests were rather rare prior to the Contact War, as it was more common among Unathi population living in rather arid areas, earning the rather poetic name of the “Frills of the dry seas”. After the Nuclear exchange, however, new generations born in a changed Moghes start to come with more and more crests already.&lt;br /&gt;
*Finally, while minor differences in sizes and shapes can be observed in different Unathi populations, one aspect in particular tends to change drastically: &#039;&#039;&#039;skull shapes&#039;&#039;&#039;. The shape of a Unathi’s head seems to vary widely, with some adopting a more draconic appearance, some being closer to smaller lizards, Iguanas, snakes, crocodiles, etc. The way Unathi see their fellow Sinta with this or that facial appearance varies widely depending on their culture. Once again, both due to migration, populations blending with each other and the loss of records due to the Contact War, locating the origins in Unathi faces has proved to be quite the hard endeavor, but some clues, mostly based on interviews of older, surviving Sintas, have been found, and a proper classification is being reestablished:&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Arakhania (“Draconic”)&#039;&#039;: Arakhanian facial structure, also called “Draconic” in Basic, is perhaps the most well known Unathi skull shape in the entire Spur. Perhaps one of the most well spread facial structures nowadays, it is also known as the “head of the nobles”, due to its prevalence among noble populations, with many notable Unathi bearing such a profile (namely the Hegemon himself). Arakhanians tend to have a pointy snout with smooth shapes, and a frontal bone of varying height and steepness.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Thodokhania (“Crocodilian”)&#039;&#039;: Thodokhanian faces come with a larger, longer snouts and more flat heads, comparable to Earth’s crocodiles or alligators (hence the name given to such a profile in Basic: “Crocodilian”.) Unathi with the Thodokianian facial structure have turned rarer and rarer since the Contact War, which led to the belief that the nuclear exchange must’ve erased population centers featuring the bulk of their population.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Imekhania (“Common Lizard-like”)&#039;&#039;: The Imekhanian facial class is as broad as the population it encompasses, being the most represented profile among Sinta. Unathi with the Imekhanian profile come with generally smoother snout shapes and round tips. earning the name “lizard-like” in Basic. According to ancient records and texts, it seems like the Imekhanian profile could be seen everywhere on Moghes, even before the first large population movements.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Senkhania (“Snake-like”)&#039;&#039;: With their flat heads and short snouts, Senkhanians faces are, as their name in Basic suggests, comparable to Earth’s Snakes. While a small part of the population, Unathi with the Senkhanian facial profile are still considered a category of their own, due to their presence in mostly rural areas (something that has yet to be explained), zones that would not tend to be the direct targets of nuclear bombardment during the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
- &#039;&#039;Lokhenian (“Others”)&#039;&#039;: Lokhenian facial profile, or “The faces of the Lost” is an all-new, post-Contact War classification, used to designate any facial structure that does not fit in the other aforementioned categories, and are not large enough to warrant a category of their own. Such facial structures are extremely various but also tend to be extremely rare, and it is assumed, that those were already quite rare even before the nuclear exchange, as they were rarely ever recorded in pre-contact war media.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Afflictions and Disabilities ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi, like all species, are prone to conditions that are uncommon among the population. How each Unathi views or handles these is varied due to the traditional cultures of Moghes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Lsh&#039;islasulu, sometimes shortened to &amp;quot;Lsh disorder,&amp;quot; is a rare scale disability affecting very few Unathi. The disorder is poorly studied because of its lacking negative affects and extreme rarity. When suffering from Lsh disorder, Unathi will lose their dead scale cells through a painful peeling process, rather than sporadically. A Unathi suffering from the disorder will need to painfully peel or scrub off their dead scales off once or twice a month in droves. The affliction is caused by increased cell death, and scale cells will die rapidly for no apparent reason. Luckily, this process only causes pain and increased susceptibility to the cold, not causing any damage or making the scales much weaker in terms of durability. Further information is lacking due to little research preformed.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kaasilik is a famously known yet equally rare disorder inflicting unique symptoms. Those suffering from Kaasilik lack any growth of frills, hoods, horns or any other structure on the head or face. While labeled as a disorder, those affected by it suffer no physical drawbacks and are believed to be the result of a genetic lottery in which generations of couples between Unathi with certain horn or frill growth reproduce. While undamaging to the Unathi physically, it can make identifying them from another suffering Unathi difficult at times. Children of these Unathi will likely have very small or limited frill and horn growth.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Albinosm, or Zis&#039;lak, caused by a general lack of pigment in the scales, makes the scales appear totally white, sometimes with a minor tint of green, red or sand/orange, caused by a total lack of pigment. Albinism in Unathi can also cause a unique shift in eye colour; while typical for Unathi to have colours like orange, red or green, albinism can shift the eye colour to an unusual violet. This is due to a lack of eye pigment combined with the light refraction off of the blood vessels within the eye. Unathi that suffer from albinism usually remain away from sunlight as their sensitive scales provide little to no UV protection and put them at risk of burns. Albino Unathi are also often seen as a bad omen at birth, and as such, those within the Hegemony&#039;s lower populated areas are often banished from their clan or in extreme circumstances, even banished from some clans to become Guwan. It should be noted that azure coloured Unathi cannot be albino.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Illiz is a disorder appearing in two states with a wide variety of recorded variation. The disability details highly irregular tail size, this can include tails the size of a finger or tails so long they become a tripping hazard. The former being nicknamed, &amp;quot;Hasik.&amp;quot; Unathi affected by Hasik typically suffer when sprinting, their short tails also prevent fat storage, which results in the fat being stored elsewhere like the arms, thighs, and lower body. The latter mentioned state of Illiz, nicknamed &amp;quot;Hasil,&amp;quot; is the complete opposite. Those affected by Hasil find their tails reaching lengths of up to four feet long. Hasil includes similar issues as Hasik, the most notable of which is it also negatively affects balance. Those with longer tails struggle to sprint, carrying the weight of such a large tail. Culturally, those suffering Hasik are viewed as pathetic and as cowards, while those with longer tails are presumed to be a noble. It should be noted that very few nobles have been documented suffering Hasik, while some, using plastic surgery, increase the size of their tails to mimic Hasil.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== History ==&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Unathi History]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The history of the Unathi is predominately a history of each &#039;&#039;&#039;Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039; that has existed throughout their history. There have only been three clans that have managed to create an empire worthy of the title &#039;Hegemon.&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Kres’ha’nor Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039; lasted from roughly 920 CE - 1500 CE. It is most famous for being the first empire to dominate Moghes and creating what was then a modern feudal state. Their empire saw rise of walled cities, steel weapons, centralized taxation, and other innovations. It ended in a brutal succession war, with Moghes once again being shattered into hundreds of individual Kingdoms with no true global power.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the &#039;&#039;&#039;16th century&#039;&#039;&#039; the power of &#039;&#039;&#039;[[Unathi Guilds|Guilds]]&#039;&#039;&#039; began to grow, forming an early form of mercantilism. Guilds formed for bakers, butchers, grocers, millers, smiths, carpenters, weavers, mason, shoemakers, in fact, nearly every trade had its own guild. Standards such as just weights and measures evolved from the guilds, and guild inspectors would inspect shops to ensure rules were being followed. Guilds would help members that were sick, or in trouble, and would sometimes take care of families after the member died. This time also saw Guilds building the first major universities. While incredibly exclusive, these universities began to create a new era of specialized labor and intellectuals.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;19th century&#039;&#039;&#039; saw rise of the &#039;&#039;&#039;Second Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;, ruled by the &#039;&#039;&#039;Sarakus Clan&#039;&#039;&#039;. Their clan ruled harshly, and forced technological advances into the cities and towns. In the 1930&#039;s they ruthlessly modernized their empire in The Great Endeavor, spreading electricity, radio, paved roads, modern plumbing, and other modern innovations.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In &#039;&#039;&#039;1994&#039;&#039;&#039; the &#039;&#039;&#039;Izweski Clan&#039;&#039;&#039; violently deposed the Sarakus and slaughtered the entire surviving dynasty, declaring the &#039;&#039;&#039;Third Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;. After they won an incredibly destructive global war to defend their claim, the Izweski have ruled Moghes until modern times.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In &#039;&#039;&#039;2403&#039;&#039;&#039;, a human exploration team discovered Moghes. Shortly after, first contact with the Izweski Hegemony was made. Sol Alliance merchants and scientists flocked to Moghes, living under very careful observation and guard in Izweski cities. Skalamar, the second largest city in Izweski, became the first Unathite city to have a shuttle port constructed. Owned by NanoTrasen, it served to transport people to and from the planet’s surface. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[Contact War|The Contact War, which has more information here,]] was a cataclysmic global war that lasted from &#039;&#039;&#039;2438 to 2449&#039;&#039;&#039;. The fighting was between two global powers, the &#039;&#039;&#039;Izweski Hegemony&#039;&#039;&#039;, and the &#039;&#039;&#039;Traditionalist Coalition&#039;&#039;&#039;. The war was fought over the very future of the Unathi and their relationship with the rest of the galaxy. The Izweski demanded Moghes submit to a one-world government ran by themselves and embrace the influence of humanity. The Traditionalist Coalition rejected this. &#039;&#039;&#039;The war went nuclear on September 5th, 2439&#039;&#039;&#039;, causing immense suffering across Moghes and directly leading to the creation of The Wasteland, which is set to engulf Moghes within a hundred years.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Unathi Culture==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Diet and Cuisine ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathite dishes are mostly comprised of meat, eggs, and fish. It may be cooked or even still raw and bleeding. Vegetables in meals are often just for decoration or flavor, but by no means ever make up the majority of the dish. Unathi do not take any nutritional value from plant matter, only from meat. Desert flowers may also be placed on the plate to make it seem well-presented and are also edible. The tools Unathi use to eat are very unorthodox to humans, usually resembling chopsticks banded together near the top. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi generally eat only one large meal a day. The nobility often eat twice a day, while poorer Unathi or those in [[The Wasteland|the Wasteland]] will eat bi-daily: every two days.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To support their civilization, fishing has developed on a scale similar to human agriculture. Since the Contact War, fishing yields have fallen, and hunger has become a fact of life for many Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Language ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi, being deeply traditional, tend to use their own sayings, proverbs, and similar speech in other languages not native to them. Some concepts of their languages also spill over into tongues foreign to Unathi. For example, the sexes are so closely tied to their roles in society that words for &amp;quot;man,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;male,&amp;quot; and other parrot words are practically synonymous with &amp;quot;warrior.&amp;quot; The same is said for words like &amp;quot;woman&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;female&amp;quot; with &amp;quot;healer.&amp;quot; Objects also have assigned genders to them, so it is not uncommon for Sinta to refer to objects and inanimate things with genders. Unathi also have a lot of assorted figures of speech that, instead of being based on direction (up and down), are affiliated with time and its speed. A faster rate of time is seen as bad while a slower rate is seen as good in a majority of cases. Good things are categorized by saying something is punctual, progressing on time, is speeding up in time, or has a lot of time while saying the opposite for bad things. Rather than saying &amp;quot;I’m going to bed for the night,&amp;quot; a Unathi might offer &amp;quot;I’m slowing down for the night&amp;quot;; similarly, instead of being &amp;quot;down to hang out,&amp;quot; one would instead say they &amp;quot;want to slow down&amp;quot; with someone else. Examples include, but aren’t limited to: &amp;quot;today’s harvests were timely,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;the day has been slow,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;my body is slowing,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;their sleep is running late,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;I’m accelerating through my studies.&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi names are extraordinarily diverse, ranging from those that string together a bunch of consonants to sounds with many vowels in a row. There are not many commonalities between them besides harder sounds like &#039;ck,&#039; &#039;zh,&#039; &#039;s,&#039; &#039;d,&#039; and &#039;t.&#039; &#039;&#039;&#039;However, names cannot have more than two of the same letter in a row, such as Myo&#039;sssak.&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Many species have developed the joking term &amp;quot;unathisms&amp;quot; for all the various cultural holdovers that get put into other languages they speak.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot; style=&amp;quot;width:99%; overflow:auto;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi Metaphors, Sayings, and Slang&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Sinta— &#039;&#039;meaning Unathi. If the word Unathi can be compared to &amp;quot;Human&amp;quot;, then sinta can be compared to &amp;quot;man&amp;quot;, the latter usually kept out of more serious, official or scientific discussion and instead used in discussions with a more common if not familiar tone. Sinta does not get an S on plural and does not start with a capital letter.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Claws, talons— &#039;&#039;fingers, nails, respectively; however, sometimes satire or exaggeration make use of them interchangeably.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hatchling, egg— &#039;&#039;a child or baby, sometimes also as an insult.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Azure, albino— &#039;&#039;exotic, or unusual; alternatively (and rarely), an archaic and outdated way of calling something awful: &amp;quot;Their tastes are absolutely albino.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hide, scales— &#039;&#039;skin.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Rattle, rattled— &#039;&#039;scared.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Scratch, scratched— &#039;&#039;to write/written.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Tailwag— &#039;&#039;generic insult lacking true meaning and has a weird versatility to it, like referring to someone as a &#039;fuck&#039; or similar.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Blood on my teeth— &#039;&#039;eating, sometimes a gruesome (seen as barbaric) way of describing fighting and other activities.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Lay down my tail/bare my neck— &#039;&#039;let someone walk over you.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Molting— &#039;&#039;getting angry enough over something that it damages your physical health. Used almost explicitly for exaggeration.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Fat-tail— &#039;&#039;an insult usually aimed at nobles.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Quote a limerick— &#039;&#039;to be sassy, snarky, witty.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Grinding my horns— &#039;&#039;getting on their nerves.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Strum— &#039;&#039;gather.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Stomp, stomping— &#039;&#039;a get together (as a noun) or referring to someone being happy (as a verb).&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Echoed song— &#039;&#039;oral tradition.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ghazkus, ghazkii— &#039;&#039;skrell, coming from the word &amp;quot;amphibious&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;ghazii&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Kzlth, kzlthii— &#039;&#039;humans, coming from the word &amp;quot;scaleless&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;kazulth&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Imiekran, imiekranes— &#039;&#039;the typical term for dionae meaning &amp;quot;twisted plant&amp;quot; in Sinta’Azaziba, usually a term of endearment; alternatively called aggregates when referring to different forms.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Xsain— &#039;&#039;vaurca, coming from the word &amp;quot;incomprehensible&amp;quot; in Sinta’Unathi: &#039;&#039;&#039;xsa&#039;&#039;&#039;.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
(Note: most of the time this is seen as being a nickname when used outside of Sinta’Unathi or Sinta’Azaziba. If you are particularly friendly with someone that either you don’t know the name of or are referring to someone otherwise, this may be appropriate outside of saying the species’ name.)&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Zo’zyola— &#039;&#039;the equivalent of an angel or a demon. Depending on the context, this is either a compliment or a severe insult.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Dishonored their clan— &#039;&#039;do something to ostracize themselves from society or a group of people.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A tale longer than my own— &#039;&#039;a play on words gaining traction among Sinta who speak Basic. Basically a way of saying &amp;quot;it&#039;s a long story&amp;quot; with similar connotations, but this phrase can also be used to hype up an event. &amp;quot;What did you do during the Solarian Invasion?&amp;quot; &amp;quot;It&#039;s a tale longer than my own— let&#039;s meet up to discuss it.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Heating up— &#039;&#039;a way of setting your guard is going down or that you are even getting bored or tired. &amp;quot;This shift has been uneventful, I can feel it heating up.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Sk&#039;akh&#039;s scales— &#039;&#039;a way of saying &amp;quot;holy shit&amp;quot; or similar swears.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Have an honorable duel for the sake of the game— &#039;&#039;in Sinta&#039;Azaziba and Sinta&#039;Unathi, duel and game are the same word, just with different meanings. This is a play on words in the original tongue and is meant to talk about something that has to be done yet trying to make fun out of it anyway.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
More unclean/unkempt than a Guwan&#039;s feet— &#039;&#039;referring to something being worse than the dirtiest part of a class of undesirables. Phrases like these are more common in the Hegemony and are one of the many methods used to degrade Guwan.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When an arbek eats its tail— &#039;&#039;&amp;quot;when pigs fly.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Preparing the maxtlatl— &#039;&#039;referring to the shaman&#039;s garb. Preparing the maxtlatl is something a shaman does when they feel they are near death; in preparing it, they are readying the skull in the headgear to be replaced by their own. In a sense, if someone is preparing the maxtlatl, they are spelling their own doom or see their demise coming.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By the Fourth Nation— &#039;&#039;somewhat of a joke about cycles, playing fun at the fact that the Izweski Hegemony has been a constant throughout history. Traditionalists use this phrase more bitterly and sardonically, however.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
By mine and your spirits— &#039;&#039;a way of solemnly swearing; alternatively, asking for guidance if you worship Th’akh.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Three Heads bless me— &#039;&#039;the alternative to &amp;quot;by mine and your spirits&amp;quot; for those that worship Sk’akh.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Bet the Hegemon’s head— &#039;&#039;many people want to kill the Hegemon, so this refers to such a bounty. Usually used as a joke or a dare.&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Individual languages are described by the prefix &#039;Sinta&#039; followed by the identity of its native speakers. Speaking mannerisms remain the same when speaking Sinta or another language. For stylistic choices, there are some options. For those raised in or by the Hegemony, avoid contractions like &#039;&#039;it&#039;s&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;they&#039;re&#039;&#039;, which would be &#039;&#039;it is&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;they are&#039;&#039;. Formal Sinta&#039;Unathi lacks this concept of contracting words, and thus it is a difficult concept to understand for these speakers. Those that speak Sinta&#039;Azaziba will talk in other languages in short bursts, similar to how Azaziba has shorter sentences due to gesticulating and speaking at the same time. Accents are wide and diverse; replacing &#039;s&#039; sounds with &#039;th&#039; in a &#039;forced lisp&#039; or even just omitting the sound is a commonality for Unathi that struggle with certain words in other languages (like &#039;suspicious&#039;). This way of speaking is also common when singing in different languages, a trend picking up within the Izweski Hegemony.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sinta&#039;Unathi ====&lt;br /&gt;
While Pre-Contact Moghes had hundreds of unique languages and their own histories, Sinta&#039;Unathi has been and remains the primary language spoken by most Unathi. It is an evolution of an older Moghean trade language, Sinta&#039;Izwe.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The written language has 30 letters, with 5 of them being vowels. The language is written left to right, though this was an attempt to emulate humanity, as informal Sinta&#039;Unathi still write top to bottom.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sinta&#039;Azaziba ====&lt;br /&gt;
Sinta&#039;Azaziba is a language of Moghes consisting of a combination of spoken word and gesticulation. While waning since Moghes entered the galactic stage, it enjoys popular use by Unathi that never fell to the Hegemony&#039;s cultural dominance. Sinta&#039;Azaziba writing has 27 letters, 4 of which being vowels. The language is written from top to bottom.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Unathi Fashion and Make-up ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Fashion on the scale of an entire species is incredibly diverse, much like with other species. There are some common sights seen across most Unathi peoples.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Unathi Fashion ====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Clothing is generally something to balance for Unathi, according to one’s need with warmth. Generally, Unathi can dress themselves from head to toe, with shawls and hoods not being an uncommon sight, even if temperatures aren’t outright cold, just to retain warmth for as long as possible. In particularly hot climates, however, or on specific occasions like while sunbathing, Unathi may choose to wear minimal clothing to get as little obstacle as possible between them and the sun, or any other heat source they may be enjoying.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Colors are an essential part of any Unathi outfit. Being particularly fond of vibrant colors, sights of bright reds, oranges, yellows, greens and blues are common, and white and black, though rare for fashion’s sake, are generally used to accentuate colors even more. These colors are often selected to go along with their scale colors, eyes, and so on, the natural colors of a Unathi playing a large part in their fashion choices. Nobility and other wealthy individuals will often show off their status through the use of jewelry, both gemstone and rare, expensive metals like gold and silver. Though the typical bracelets and necklaces can be found, Unathi also use some pieces of jewelry unique to their species, such as horn rings (meant to be worn around one’s horn) or frill-rings (going through the frill, much like with earrings.) Capes and cloaks are also a traditional display of status and function, with for instance the many capes worn by Guild members.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Make-up ====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While most Human cultures see most forms of make-up as feminine, Unathi are different. It’s common for Unathi of all genders to apply make-up. Once again, there are countless forms of make-up and ways to apply them seen across the entire species.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot; style=&amp;quot;width:99%; overflow:auto;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi make-up&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
===== Cosmetics =====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Some of the most popular forms of Unathi make-up include things such as claw-painting, quite comparable to painting nails. This is generally done with bright colors, to accentuate them over the scale colors of the Unathi in question. There are traces of claw-painting being done in pre-Hegemonic times, mainly by warriors, to show off their claws and intimidate their foes, and though this tradition is still practiced by some, claw painting is now also done for the mere sake of fashion. Horns can also be painted, as well as frills for similar effects if the individual in question sports them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===== Scalepaint =====&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Scalepaint is a uniquely Unathi form of make-up, and the most popular in the species as well. Due to their need to shed, Unathi cannot sport tattoos normally, but scalepaint constitutes an equivalent. As the name implies, it is a form of paint applied directed on one’s scaly hide. scalepaint can be inconspicuous and small, or extravagant and cover the majority of one’s hide. In any case, however, it is done to go along with, and complement one’s natural hide colors, and completely covering oneself in scalepaint is seen as particularly awkward and a display of shame in oneself.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The practice of using scalepaint dates back to prehistoric times, with hunters covering themselves in a mixture of herbs, dust, and a few pigments to better hide in the foliage to ambush prey; though it quickly-enough became a form of aesthetic as well. The practice to apply scalepaint hasn’t changed much since then; it is a mix of pigments, herbs, and a clay-like substance to be applied directly on one’s scales.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Perhaps what makes Scalepaint so interesting is the sheer amount of work needed to apply and maintain it. First, it must be applied in correct doses. Too much, and the texture will be too thick and completely cover the scaly texture of one’s hide (an easy excuse to be mocked by your fellow sinta), too little, and the color won’t be visible-enough, and completely disappear at the first shed. With the correct amount of paint applied, it should be visible enough without hiding one’s scales, and when the time to shed comes, some remnants of paint should still be visible, acting as a guide for the next layer to be put on this layer of skin as well. This brings us to the second part, the need to maintain scalepaint. A proper scalepaint requires regular maintenance, to be generally re-applied after every shed. This workload makes the most extravagant and encompassing forms of scalepaint a show of both artistry, but also the result of regularly applied, expert artistry.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Because of its need to be re-applied constantly, scalepaint is generally applied and maintained by oneself, and thus, only to places they can reach. As such, only nobles and other wealthy sinta are ever seen sporting scalepaint on their backs, as it requires maintenance from others, generally talented servants.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Zandiziite Games ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Zandiziite Games]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
An ancient sport that got its start on Moghes, this sport is best described as a mixture of Olympic- and MMA-style games. Competitors within the Zandiziite Games are called Zandiziites, or colloquially an individual wrestler is called a Zandi. Clans send eligible men (and only men) to their Lord in the hopes that they are chosen to represent their city or community in the Zandiziite Games.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Unathi Sociality and Society ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Behaviour and Mannerisms ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi generally stare at what they are interested in, so their intense gaze moves with a conversation to whoever is talking. Additionally, pointing can be seen as extremely rude in circumstances. If more than just a passing gesture towards someone, prolonged pointing can be a grave insult to one&#039;s honor and, in some cases, be the reason for crude fighting or even initiate a duel.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi should always be addressed by their last name in most situations. It is offensive to use a Unathi&#039;s first name unless you are family or have a close relationship with them (like family, a lover, or close friend). Some are more permissive than others regarding this. In a situation where there are multiple Unathi with the same last name, it&#039;s generally accepted to just get more and more specific in your address to make it clear who you are speaking to.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi to other species would typically appear sluggish in their movements, though there are some exceptions to this. When working or even when feeling threatened, they typically move short distances with their arms and legs at speeds much faster than normal for other species. This is because they conserve their energy by going slightly slower until they need it for a given task.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Another outstanding behavior that other species would note is an intense gaze. Unathi typically find staring at whoever is speaking to be respectful; however, this intense staring, paired with not blinking often and stooping to look at someone at eye level, is how other species are typically made uncomfortable when engaging with Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For most Unathi being seen speaking to Guwans is embarrassing. A woman associating with a Guwan is extremely improper and indecent, and they can lose social standing by doing so.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Violence can have its place in regular daily life, with playful fighting being commonplace with the peasantry and in the Wasteland. Joking punches and wistful tail flicks that would be normal for Unathi playing around may end up hurting a human, which has led to many jokes about humanity’s weak stature. Shoulder checks and headbutts have their place in more aggressive friendships and is a sign of showing brotherly love.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Emotional Displays ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi exhibit a great variety of emotional body language in ways different from other species. While it is not uncommon for Unathi to attempt to mimic human displays (sometimes with frightening results, for example showing off their large, numerous sharp teeth in a &amp;quot;smile&amp;quot;), they have their own natural, basic emotions that come from biological expression akin to reptiles. It can be very difficult for this species to control their emotionally linked body language as it is engrained in Unathite culture, but exercising restraint is often seen as a sign of nobility or simply an individual who is attempting to better blend in with other species. Over time, these displays can also change to adapt to a different environment, though this process typically takes many years to come to fruition.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For example, baring the entire throat is the single most meaningful expression that can be displayed to another, often used to show trust or vulnerability to someone a Unathi cares about. However, it is not unusual to do this to also surrender to another (such as in a fight), admit shame, or display extreme compassion (when exposed to twine necks with another). Conversely, tilting the snout far down to protect the throat and better display one’s horns is a fight response or to show distrust in another.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When it comes to intimate gestures between Unathi, they usually twine necks or tails, and touch foreheads and snouts together with the same intent that humans kiss. Such displays are usually only reserved for those that are married or to be wed, but with other cultures such as Ouerea, the smaller colonies, or the Empire of Dominia, this tends to be much more relaxed. Hugging is usually considered to be something done by children and avoided by adults.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi often fixate on their surroundings when interested or excited by someone or something. If there is a conversation of multiple people, they often change their gaze to look at whoever is speaking, or at the person speaking they are most interested in. It is considered rude by Unathi to avert your gaze, for that shows that someone can be aloof, distant, or not paying attention fully. Even if afraid and cowering, they tend to look directly at the source of their fear. For other species, when especially happy or interested, they can even stoop down to look at them directly at eye level, or try to raise themselves as much as possible to look other creatures in the eye.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Other physical displays include the ‘tail stomp,’ a phenomenon common during heightened signals of emotion. Typically, these are done when a Sinta is filled with joy or extremely agitated, but can be rarely used when a Unathi is grieving. Other more minor displays are, but aren’t limited to: bristling scales, in response to a cold environment or a ‘chill going down their spine;’ becoming slow and sluggish if extremely comfortable, such as reacting to warmth; swaying, sampling the air, and hissing all are common when in a new environment, with strangers, or even just in certain situations, which shows curiosity, discomfort, or unease.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Verbally, Unathi have some onomatopoeias that they draw on for different emotions. Chuffing, forcefully exhaling air from the throat, can be used to mark mild annoyance in reply to something, or can be used to show amusement. If it comes at the end of a sentence or statement, it can imply that they are being sarcastic or are saying something in good humor. Unathi don’t quite have a laugh; instead, they bark in typically short bursts, in which the sound is often deep, loud, and raucous. Finally, rattling the throat is a fairly common gesture that replaces or accompanies a tail stomp. Sometimes when enraged, throat rattling is accompanied by frills or scales flaring up as well.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
As a result of the divide between groups of sinta, some mannerisms are unique to different social groups. For example, nobles tend to tail stomp in response to seeing something that ‘disgusts’ them, whether it be the sight of a heretic or Guwan, something that disgusts olfactory senses, or something else. Peasants on Moghes and most Unathi on Ouerea tend to be ‘overly emotional’ in that they often tilt their snout up somewhat when showing general content or happiness, or down slightly when afraid or unhappy. Dominians often keep their chin tilted up constantly as a sign of pride and even cockiness, showing they aren’t afraid when vulnerable parts are exposed. Of course, this all barely scratches the surface, and there are many gestures unique to cultures and regions that are not enumerated.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Gender Roles ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div style=&amp;quot;font-size:105%; border:2px solid white; margin:0; background:white; padding:.1em; color:black;&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi society is highly gender-stratified, with very specific gendered divisions of work and societal role. The Unathi understanding of gender has become tied deeply into these roles, which leads to a structure that humans may find unusual. In Unathi society, gender has little to do with assigned sex, rather being almost entirely dependent on the societal role an individual finds themselves in. The Sinta’Unathi words for ‘warrior’ and ‘male’ are the same, but this is not because one is required to be male to be a warrior - rather, the act of being a warrior is what makes one considered male. To Unathi, gender is not something that one &#039;&#039;is&#039;&#039;, but something that one &#039;&#039;does&#039;&#039;. An Unathi who sought to live as a professional warrior would be considered male by society at large, regardless of their sex at hatching - and regardless of their own thoughts on the matter.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Where this system originates is largely unknown, having existed in some form for most of Unathi recorded history. The earliest known example comes from archaeological discoveries in the [[Tza Prairie]], indicating that ancient Unathi cultures held the Fisher as the feminine role, rather than the Healer - which was reserved for a long-extinct caste of shaman-kings. The gender division in its modern form was likely codified by the early Sk’akh Church or predecessor faiths, though with so much of Moghes’ history now lost to the Wasteland scholars doubt if the origins of such a fundamental part of society will ever be discovered.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The divisions of labor in Unathi society are based on this structure of gender, and it is expressed prominently in religion - the Three Aspects of Sk’akh being the most prevalent examples. The Warrior, Healer, and Fisher are the primary categories into which almost every aspect of Unathi life has been divided for centuries - though as with many Unathi traditions, it is being increasingly challenged in the modern era.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;div class=&amp;quot;mw-collapsible-content&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Warrior&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Warrior is the masculine category, under which roles to do with martial affairs tend to fall. Most military positions are considered male due to this, with some rare exceptions being made for medical and support personnel. Outside of direct combat matters, positions in law enforcement and colonial expansion are also widely considered warriors, as are many roles to do with the direct enforcement of a ruler’s will such as governorship, tax collection and announcement of decrees. Unathi identifying as warriors are expected to act with honor in accordance with the [[Unathi Honor|Warriors&#039; Code]]. Vaurca Warriors outside of those in medical or scientific fields are generally gendered as male by Unathi as a result of this.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Healer&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Healer is the feminine category, which is broader than its name might indicate. Positions in the medical field are obviously considered healers, but the category also covers most scholarship and keeping of knowledge in general. The Simiite Reliquary in To’ha’dat is staffed exclusively by Priestesses of the Healer, and holds the complete historical record of the Sk’akh Church. While scholarship in general has never been as gendered as some other categories, the vast majority of Unathi scientists, archivists and researchers would be considered female. The sphere of knowledge and learning also covers the business of spycraft, investigation and diplomacy, with the positions of Spymaster and High Speaker being traditionally female ones. Unathi identifying as healers have less of a concrete code of honor, though in recent years the invention of the [[Unathi Honor|Matriarch&#039;s Code]] has gained some popularity. Vaurca Gynes, as well as Workers and Warriors in medical or scientific fields, are generally gendered as female by Unathi as a result of this.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;The Fisher&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Fisher is the third Unathi gender, without a direct translation in Tau Ceti Basic. Its sphere covers productive work such as fishing, construction and engineering. Many among the Unathi working class are considered to be fishers, and the title of Master of Rivers is one that traditionally is held by a fisher. In Tau Ceti Basic, gender-neutral pronouns are often used to describe fishers, though due to linguistic differences a fisher may often be gendered as male or female by humans. The sphere of the fisher encompasses many positions to do with economic development, ranging from humble miners, ranchers and fishers all the way to colonial administrators. There is no strict code of honor for fishers similar to that of warriors and healers, though the idea of developing one has been attempted a few times. Vaurca Workers outside of medical or scientific fields are generally gendered as fishers by Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Non-Gendered Roles&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The gender stratification of Unathi society is nearly all-encompassing, though there are some rare positions that can be considered as more than one gender. Rulership is the most notable of these, with the gender of a ruler being considered emblematic of their style of rule - male rulers are considered a good omen for military victory, whereas female rulers are considered a blessing for periods of peace and wisdom and fisher rulers are considered to bring periods of great productivity to their demesne. The title of Hegemon is something of an exception, having always had a connotation of military conquest to it. As such, Hegemons throughout the ages have largely been warriors, though with a few notable exceptions. Hegemon Ayzi Sarakus is historically recorded as a fisher, and there have been several recorded healers and fishers to have held the throne throughout the Izweski Hegemony’s history - though greatly outnumbered by the warriors.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
One role which falls outside any of the three genders is that of the Guwandi. The reason for this is simple. A Guwandi sheds their gender as they shed their name, and for the same reason - it is a sign of the person they once were, before facing such shame that it was left behind. A Guwandi is only referred to as their prior gender when they are confirmed to have died with honour, and the stain of their disgrace can be erased from their history.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In addition, the introduction of Unathi to the interstellar stage has led to a vast array of new roles, which have yet to be neatly assigned to a gender. While some were able to fit into pre-existing categories, other roles such as interstellar piloting, civilian spaceship command and various roles to do with colonial oversight have yet to be fit into one of Unathi society’s well-defined boxes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Changing Gender&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Most Unathi will live in the gender of their work for their entire lives. However, the nature of Unathi gender roles mean that changing one’s gender is fairly common in Unathi society, especially among nobles who may find themselves in a wide number of roles during their lives. It is not uncommon for rulers identifying as female to present as male during wartime, for instance, or for rulers identifying as male to present as a fisher when investing heavily in developing their lands.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the modern age this has become more common among non-nobles, as common Unathi find themselves with a greater degree of social mobility. Many who would have lived and died as fishers find themselves seeking out battle and becoming warriors, or enrolling at institutions such as the [[Unathi_Educational_Institutions#Skalamar_University_of_Medicine|Skalamar University of Medicine]] and identifying themselves as healers. The act of changing one’s gender is, in most Unathi societies, a religious one. In the [[Izweski Heartland]] and other majority Sk’akh regions, these affairs are handled by the Church, while other faiths have their own approaches to it. For Unathi outside the Hegemony, such as those in Biesel or Dominia, less of a spiritual significance tends to be placed on the transition, being treated as more of a personal and private affair.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Traditional Greetings&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A custom often misunderstood by foreigners, traditional greetings are both a way for Unathi to politely greet each other, but also to begin introductions without even saying a word. This tradition dates back to some time in the late first Hegemony, though the greetings themselves had much different forms and uses back then.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In essence, these greetings are done by wordlessly bowing before another, doing so in a specific manner, depending on the Unathi in question&#039;s gender. Doing so is not only polite, if not a show of respect, but also a way for a sinta to present their gender, and by extent the kind of path they have taken in their life.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;The Warrior&#039;s Greeting&#039;&#039; is done by bowing until one would look straight to the floor, while putting a fist on their heart. The legs must remain straight and back curve as little as possible during the entire greeting, lest the Unathi in question be mocked for going a &amp;quot;wounded Warrior&#039;s greeting&amp;quot;, a situation many have faced on their first Warrior&#039;s Greeting. Signifying trust and respect, it is generally considered an honor to be greeted in such way by prestigious warriors, Kataphracts and veterans.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;The Healer&#039;s Greeting&#039;&#039; would have one bow by bending the knees, hunching forward a little with open arms until their claws and horns (frills, crest, or the top of their skull in the case of absence of such) are at roughly the same height. Some can take the greeting a little further, by crossing their legs slightly, bowing deeper, though such a move is generally kept to greet those worthy of great respect. It signifies openness, warmth and vulnerability.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Finally, through &#039;&#039;the Fishers Greeting&#039;&#039;, one would bow by crossing their arms behind their back, bowing with their back, while keeping their gaze at the other person. Signifies listening and understanding, and though seen by many as the easiest of the greetings to achieve, it is not considered lesser than the other two, but rather, a show of the beauty and value of simplicity.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Traditional greetings are not always done with non-Unathi, generally because of their lack of understanding, some sinta choosing to not bother at all. One can also find slight variations to these traditional greetings abroad, in Dominia for instance, where the [[Unathi_in_Dominia|Kazhkz-Han&#039;san]] can be found calling these greetings the &amp;quot;Soldier&#039;s&amp;quot;, &amp;quot;Scholar&#039;s&amp;quot;, and &amp;quot;Artisan&#039;s Greeting&amp;quot; instead, in a mix of Moghesian and Morozian culture.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Outside the Gender Trinary&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In every society, there are those who do not conform to expectations, and the same is true among Unathi. Following the Contact War, many Unathi have challenged the ancient structures of gender that bind their species, seeking to separate their work from their own identification. The first female Kataphract, the Lady H’zala was appointed in 2459, one of the first public examples of a non-warrior permitted in such a strongly gendered role. In the Queendom of Szek-Hakh, the ordinary structures of gender are largely reversed as most of the fighting is done by women - while some present as warriors to the world, most continue to identify themselves as healers. While this is done out of practicality, with most of the realm’s men having perished in the Contact War, it is still viewed as a dramatic aberration from the norm. Abroad, some Unathi have found themselves adopting more human conceptions of gender as something that a person is, rather than something that they do, and choose to present as a gender that does not match their occupation - whether one which matches their sex, or simply based on personal preference.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Many have decried this as alien confusion and an erosion of Sinta tradition, while others welcome or simply do not pay mind to it. Gender is a spiritual matter, after all, and the priests and shamans have yet to come to a definite conclusion about these changing matters. How this will impact Unathi society, built around the strict gender trinary for centuries, remains to be seen.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Gender and Aliens&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
To many Unathi, human conceptions of gender are confusing, seemingly arbitrary and without reason. While decades of contact between the two species has helped for better understanding of this, both tend to view the other society’s ideas of gender as strange. Unathi, particularly those less-accustomed to working with aliens, will often gender non-Unathi based on their profession rather than any outward signs, and will find being corrected on this matter particularly confusing. For aliens which lack a concept of gender altogether such as [[Skrell]], [[Vaurca|Vaurcae]] or [[Dionae]], this is generally less of an issue.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On [[Ouerea]], a general understanding has been reached as to human concepts of gender, with the Unathi population coming to understand their alien neighbors’ views. Some of these views have been adopted among the Unathi population, with Archpriest Azente of the Sk’akh Church holding in the belief that an Unathi can do the work of one gender while identifying as another, which has caused him to be labelled as a radical among his fellows. Generally speaking, Skrell on Ouerea do not seem to have any particular trouble assimilating to Unathi notions of gender, though the reasoning behind it can often be confusing to them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Some Diona gestalts which have primarily learned from Unathi - such as those living in the Izweski Hegemony, or among the pirates of the Tarwa Conglomerate - have adopted their own interpretation of Unathi gender. Some more organized gestalts tend to gender their individual nymphs based on the role they play in the whole, while others have developed their own codes of behavior similar to those practiced in Unathi society. More information about them can be found [[Moghresian Dionae|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Most [[Unathi in Dominia|Dominian Unathi]] have, at least in practice, adopted the human model. Though most were born and raised on Moghes and held (perhaps still hold) traditional views, most Unathi choose to adapt to the local Imperial culture for similar reasons as converting to the [[Moroz Holy Tribunal|Holy Tribunal]] - that not respecting the customs and culture of their new home would be dishonorable to those who had welcomed them. Some, particularly among the Han’san and the older Unathi population, do not forget about traditional understandings of gender, still living much as they would on Moghes. To the humans of Dominia, this is largely written off as another alien curiosity of the Unathi, though those who spend more time with them may come to a better understanding of their ways. The newer generations of Unathi born on Imperial soil, however, are generally much more familiar with human ideas of gender than Unathi ones.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/div&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Marriage and Relationships ===&lt;br /&gt;
Relationships for Unathi hinge on responsibility for both involved as most marriages before the Contact War relied on clan leaders arranging marriages to secure alliances. &#039;Dating&#039; has only recently been available to young Unathi and is a foreign concept to most above their late-20&#039;s in age. A Unathi trying to ignore the ritual of arranged marriage is a great insult to both clans involved, which at worst could lead to a blood feud or war. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Clan alliances are formed when two clan leaders mutually decide upon two Unathi to marry and, depending on who is chosen, certain gifts are expected to be bestowed on the allied clans. When the marriage is proposed, a discussion about which Clan Name will be taken arises. This is done through a form of &#039;bidding war&#039;, where one clan must &amp;quot;buy&amp;quot; the right to keeping the name over the other by giving money or resources to the other clan. Marriages may sometimes end up canceled due to both sides refusing to give up their clan name, and in the worst cases, it has led to duels or even wars fought over who has the right to keep the titles.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Surrogates can be called upon for a marriage that cannot fulfill their duty to have children; however, they must be from a member of one of the Clans. Upon the hatching of a hatchling, the expectation most often is that husbands will raise the boys, and wives will raise the girls. If there is only a husband or wife, more traditional Sk&#039;akh families will choose to have another Clan member raise the hatchling up through their expected path.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Same-gender relationships and marriages are largely accepted, with little cultural or religious stigma against them. In more isolated rural clans or among Wastelanders, however, unions that cannot produce hatchlings are often strongly discouraged, particularly under the doctrine of the Si&#039;akh faith. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Religion and Spirituality ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While various faiths exist on Moghes, many of which are as old as any other, there are two major religions of the Unathi that pervade nearly every aspect of their lives. Th&#039;akh and Sk&#039;akh, both of which predominately focus on ancestor worship and connections with the spirit world.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Th&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
The most pervasive and common religion amongst Unathi. It dates back even before the First Hegemony and, as a byproduct of Unathi stubbornness, has remained central to Unathi spiritualism. The basic concept of Th&#039;akh is that all the spirits of past Unathi now reside in the spirit world that exists in tandem with the material world. These spirits exist in objects and nature - bringing either good luck or sorrow. Particularly nasty natural disasters were often attributed to particularly strong groups of spiteful spirits influencing events in the material world. Th&#039;akh, due to its widespread pervasiveness, has a multitude of forms: ancestor veneration, polytheism (worshipping groups of specific and powerful spirits), and almost witch-like spiritualism are just some of the denominations found among this religion. However, Th&#039;akh almost always has the same group of tenets, which can be found [[Th&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Sk&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
The second most common religion, which is followed mostly by Unathi from the Izweski Nation, and enjoys a status as its unofficial state religion. It still follows the ancestor worship of Th&#039;akh, but with a major notable difference: the spirits of all Unathi who die become part of Sk&#039;akh, the Great Spirit. Sk&#039;akh is a gender-neutral God, being called &#039;he&#039; or &#039;she&#039; interchangeably to represent that Ska&#039;kh is a collection of all Unathi. She is often called Three of One because the spirits combine into three minor aspects that are all part of Ska&#039;kh: the Warrior, the Healer, the Fisherman. These three spirits are personifications of the most important aspects of Unathi society. It is said that all three are equally important and that disasters are caused by an imbalance in the Great Three. Priests often stress the importance of balance, both in matters of the spirit as well as in society and personal life. Sk&#039;akh&#039;s dogmatic doctrine can be found [[Sk&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Aut&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
Emerging from the hatred of former warriors, the Aut&#039;akh are a cultish offshoot of Th&#039;akh, comprised of cybernetic-augmented Unathi. They argue the flesh is weak, and something new must be sculpted in its place to strengthen the mind. In the relative safety of their communes scattered across various towns, planets, and systems, they know a rough life, but one easier and more spiritual than those of the cities, they believe. The Aut&#039;akh have yet to truly attain their perfect leaderless society, as their own supposedly-defeated prejudice still runs in quiet circles within communes; meanwhile, society often rebukes and ridicules these fanatical trans-speciests. Their lives are gently guided by the shamans or &amp;quot;paradigms,&amp;quot; which act as the religious advisors and sometimes too the biomechanical engineers of these communes. Aut&#039;akh preach the Contact War was the result of sinta being so consumed by the demons within them that they brought the world to ruin, and all powers, whether that of a government, major religion, or corporation, are inherently corrupt due to the influence of evil spirits. The heathen&#039;s lifestyle and struggles can be found [[Aut&#039;akh|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Aut&#039;akh, due to their radical views on unathi society and society as a whole, are often associated with anyone who breaks tradition. In light of this, Unathi started to develop behaviors and society learned to hate communes and their denizens.&#039;&#039;&#039; Anyone caught being unfaithful to their spouse, in a non-monogamous relationship, rebuking their clan, having a prosthetic, or even talking about their discontent with the Hegemony or other rulers was accused of being an Aut&#039;akh. The term to most became synonymous with anyone who was a perceived troublemaker or heretic, more so than even Si&#039;akh.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==== Si&#039;akh ====&lt;br /&gt;
Born from the fires of the Contact War, Si&#039;akh is a radical Sk&#039;akh heresy that has rapidly spread across the Wasteland. It is lead by charismatic former Sk&#039;akh priest Juzida Si&#039;akh, who claims to be the Messiah for all Unathi. The doctrine claims the Contact War to have been the Final Judgement for the Unathi species caused by their innate wickedness. He claims that all Unathi that died in the &#039;cleansing fire&#039; of the atomic weapons were given salvation, and all Unathi that survived are damned to remain trapped on the Hell of Moghes unless the species and Moghes are rapidly purified. The movement has come into immediate conflict with the orthodox Sk&#039;akh church due to Si&#039;akh claiming it to be completely illegitimate. Its followers are ruthlessly hunted down by the Maraziite Order and many of its followers are fleeing into human space as they try to find personal salvation. Their doomsday cult has [[Si&#039;akh|strict and ascetic principles]] to help Unathi obtain a chance at salvation.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Moghean Society ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Moghes]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:PostCitiesNamed.png|thumb|A map of Moghes with the cities and seas labelled.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Moghean Unathi are traditional Unathi with the planet being their homeworld. Historically culture varies across clans that exist on the planet, but some customs and norms can be found nearly universally in Unathi society.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
It is a social faux pas to use a Unathi&#039;s first name if not family or extremely close to the Unathi in question. Generally, a Unathi will tell someone when they feel comfortable with the person using their first name. It is also distressing to touch their tail or at all before introductions are undertaken. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi place great emphasis on oral traditions. Honor and combat are seen as a man&#039;s realm, and women are not held to the same standards of honor. Women are instead expected to be elegant, learned and regal; while fishers are expected to be industrious, faithful and dedicated.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Outside the formal schools of the Untouched Lands, village and town shamans or priests often remain the only source of education for rural young Unathi.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Ouerean Society ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Ouerea]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While the Izweski Unathi of Ouerea follow most of the same social beliefs as their Moghean counterparts, they tend to be less volatile towards outsiders who are ignorant of their customs, especially since their world was formerly ruled by the Skrell and Humans. Their cultures have managed to influence Ouerean Unathi, embedding different cultural norms that are not found elsewhere. There is a focus on individualism and younger Unathi shy away from the usual responsibilities held to Unathi toward their clans. There is still a struggle with a highly stratified society, but things are moderately progressive compared to Moghes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Oureaea Ciites.png|thumb|A map of Ouerea, with cities and major locations labelled.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The original colonists started as patriots to the Izweski Hegemony, but many soon found themselves disillusioned with the distant homeworld tearing itself apart in war. Unathi on Ouerea became enamored with the broad ideals of democracy and finding themselves resentful of their old lives on Moghes. Reintegration into the Hegemony proved difficult as both planets had to reconcile these cultural differences. It still remains a minor division among these Unathi to this day.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Ouerean art, in contrast to Moghean pottery and dyed fabrics, has taken on inspiration from Human and Skrell art. Many Ouerean Unathi have become renowned glassmakers and craftsmen. The greater access to Human and Skrell universities, many of which still operate on the planet, also give Ouerean Unathi greater chances to work in Human and Skrell systems. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Non-Izweski Unathi ===&lt;br /&gt;
Unathi of the Hegemony’s territories — the Izweski Hegemony itself, Ouerea, or any of its many colonies — require consent from their clan Lord to make their way out into the greater galaxy, as listed [[Guide to Citizenship#Izweski_Hegemony|here]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Those that come from outside of the Hegemony and Dominia usually have no official means of recognized citizenship. Wastelanders, privateers, Guwan, and other Unathi must apply for a work visa where they are traveling in order to reside there. This of course carries risks with it: if a Unathi is seen as being problematic, whether committing crimes and misdemeanors or just not living up to the job they’re working, they may have their visa stripped and end up deported to the Hegemony. The Izweski Hegemony does not explicitly ask for these Unathi, especially seeing how they are usually &#039;undesirable&#039;. As there are no officially recognized governments on Moghes besides the Izweski, however, deported persons get sent there. Guwan and Gawgaryn that manage to make their way out of the system to places such as Biesel will face harsh punishment if this happens, so they are the most incentivized to put on their best outward face.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Unathi Physiognomy ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Khaniazwazi, also known as Unathi Physiognomy to outsiders, is a science dedicated to the study of Unathi physical profiles and the deduction of their character from such things. While certainly not new in Unathi history, it has been going through a rebirth in popularity as more resources have been dedicated to the study of Unathi biology and its appearance, to make up for what was lost with the Contact War.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The validity of such a science is discussed, even among strictly professional fields, and it is no surprise that many individuals and groups have been using this field as a pretext to discriminate against other Sinta, or as a way to make a quick buck from more naive Unathi. Putting these aside however, there are still many variants of Khaniazwazi being practiced, depending on the area, with different interpretations of physical attributes. Generally, however, Khaniazwazi takes into account scale colouration, horns, frills, crests and facial structure; and in some rarer cases, smaller details such as wrinkles, scars, etcetera.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Politics and Factions ==&lt;br /&gt;
Moghes is divided between the Izweski Hegemony and the hundreds of other Clans and nations who claim their own land across the planet&#039;s surface. The only real difference in their political systems is the scale. Many of these other clans are modern nations or pre-industrial, ruled by various kings or leaders. However, with the expansion of the uninhabitable Wasteland and the brutal decimation Izweski forces committed on foreign leadership, many institutions of non-Hegemonic government across Moghes are rare or extremely fragile.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[File:Moghes_porposal.png|thumb|The flag of the Izweski Hegemony. It is said the flag symbolizes the wildfires that frequented Moghes.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Izweski Hegemony ===&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;See also: [[Izweski Hegemony]]&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&#039;&#039;&amp;quot;Honour, fire, burn thy fear.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039; - The ancestral motto of Clan Izweski, circa early 20th century&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Izweski Clan is led by Clan Leader [[Notable_Unathi#Not.27zar_Izweski|&#039;&#039;&#039;Not&#039;zar Izweski&#039;&#039;&#039;]], a Unathi who has ruled the Hegemony since his father S&#039;kresti Izweski, the previous Hegemon, was assassinated by his son and Not&#039;zar&#039;s brother. He lives in the Izweski Citadel in Skalamar, and under him are the Lords who rule their own subjugated clans. They live in a feudal system, with the Lords usually being clan leaders or important clan members themselves who pledge themselves to Izweski in exchange for land and protection.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Hegemon is best thought of being the Emperor, and under him are the Overlords, who are the Kings. Under the Overlords are the Lords, who are then broken up between the Clan Lords, and then the Clan Leaders. Clan Leaders are a mostly ceremonial title and make up (usually) the eldest male ruler of a specific family clan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Not&#039;zar&#039;s father, Hegemon S&#039;kresti Izweski, was originally a strong leader of the Izweski clan. Then, after the death of his eldest son in a shuttle crash, the old Hegemon fell into a deep depression, to the point of becoming comatose in the Izweski citadel. After a succession crisis, Not&#039;zar took his place as the Regent and heir for three years, over that time developing the Hegemony into a stable empire. &lt;br /&gt;
[[Image:Minimap hegemony.png|thumb|A closer image focusing on the factions surrounding the Izweski Hegemony&#039;s territory.]]&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Three years later, the Hegemon awoke and took back to the throne, however on his tour to get reacquainted with everything, he was spurred into madness and cursed by &#039;&#039;&#039;Juzida Si&#039;akh&#039;&#039;&#039; which resulted in a civil war to dispute his claim to the throne. In an attempt to destroy his enemies, the old Hegemon attempted to orbitally bombard an enemy city. To stop this dishonorable act, his third son Z&#039;krazi Izweski the Kinslayer assassinated the Hegemon, and after Not&#039;zar&#039;s victory in the Battle of Three Hills the civil war ended.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Now, Not&#039;zar is the Clan Leader, Overlord of Moghes, and Hegemon of the Izweski Hegemony. Despite his severe physical handicap forcing him to walk with a cane, many noblemen have made him an ally, especially including the Guilds who enjoy his globalist attitude.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Overlords rule an entire planet in the name of the Hegemon. Under them are Lords, who can rule huge tracts of land and multiple cities, or just a single city; there is no distinction between a Count and Duke level of Lordship like in most human feudalism.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
There are two different kinds of major lifestyles in the Izweski Hegemony. There is the city, which is ran by a Lord and a small council of lesser clans. City life is less harsh than life in the country, especially with opportunities provided with shuttle services to the rest of the galaxy. Life in the rural areas is harsher, with cities being rare and life mostly determined by the size of a Clan&#039;s village and how well they can hunt, fish, or in desperate times, raid their neighbors. It&#039;s the traditional Unathi life, made harsher by the growing Wasteland encroaching on once-fertile lands.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Queendom of Szek’Hakh ===&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;center&amp;gt;&#039;&#039;&amp;quot;Refuse to break.&amp;quot;&#039;&#039; - Pre-Contact War Szek&#039;Hakh clan motto.&amp;lt;/center&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
A matriarchal region of roughly twenty thousand set in the Wasteland, led by the elderly &#039;&#039;&#039;Queen Lazak Szek&#039;Hakh&#039;&#039;&#039; and her daughters. In her settlement and a large portion of the region surrounding it, her clan has become the protector of her region known as the &#039;Queendom&#039;. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
For those living in the Queendom, the gender roles of Unathi are inverted, and many of its people thusly struggle to find opportunities on Moghes and seek employment in Tau Ceti - with the Queen even making connections with pirates, Dominians, and Tajaran smugglers to get her people safely out of the dangerous Wasteland. The Queen is kind under her witty and straightforward attitude, and despite stereotypes, does not actually hate men.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Szek&#039;Hakh clan&#039;s settlement of &#039;&#039;&#039;Yu&#039;kal&#039;&#039;&#039;, originally headed by the Queen&#039;s husband, was built around a cluster of small lakes and focused on aquaculture. When the Contact War&#039;s nukes wiped out the vast majority of men, they adapted to using women as protectors, while using men to keep house. The widowed Lazak Szek’Hakh convinced the shell-shocked and wounded survivors of her clan that she was the only one capable of ruling during this terrifying time, and had taken control of a sizable region of the Wasteland east of Mudki around Yu&#039;kal. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The Szek&#039;Hakh Clan became the leading power in their region following the Contact War. Eventually, Szek’Hakh consolidated control of her clan and the settlement, taking matters of survival into her own hands. As the Wasteland engulfed Yu&#039;kal&#039;s lakes, she coordinated a renovation of aquaculture farms and lead expeditions to bring their highly valuable fish products to the distant surviving city of Mudki. Women took prominent roles in all of these, with the necessities of survival in the harsh wasteland fraying Unathite gender roles. A neighboring nobleman, fearing this rise of powerful women, orchestrated to have her assassinated. In a dramatic confrontation, the assassin was foiled and publicly exiled as a Guwandi, and a mob of angry women stormed the nobleman&#039;s estate to &#039;duel him for his dishonor&#039;. This act put the matriarch in the spotlight, sparking Szek’Hakh’s rapid rise of being named Queen by her people.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Queen Szek’Hakh now leads a struggling wasteland settlement in a precarious situation. The traditional Izweski-leaning Unathi find her position an affront to customs, and she struggles to find allies. She tries to walk a delicate tightrope balancing the relations of the [[Sk&#039;akh|Sk’akh Church]], the Izweski, and the Wastelander factions - however she is often too straightforward to get far. Her settlement is primarily Th’akh, and she herself follows the faith. She complies (though unwillingly) with the demands of Izweski representatives to expel the prophet [[Notable Unathi|Si&#039;akh]] from her realm when he enters her settlement in his travels, though she quietly allows members of his traveling flock to rest in secret when they pass through her settlement. For the same, she does not tolerate the cult of the [[Aut&#039;akh]], and her people ruthlessly hunt down their unaugmented proselytizers.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Surviving Kingdoms on Moghes ===&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Despite the destruction of most of the known world from the [[Contact War]], some desperate survivors managed to weather the storm and remain nominally free of Izweski dominance - either from the Izweski&#039;s weariness for war on Moghes, or arrogant indifference.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
While the Izweski are reclaiming the Wasteland, they are ruthlessly uprooting and displacing local cultures in the remaining habitable lands. The Outposts were small, fertile enclaves that survived the Contact War surrounded by the Wasteland. Starting in 2461, Not&#039;zar pushed forward terraforming efforts to expand these green yet hostile oases. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Template:UnathiCustomaryLaw}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Notable Information ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Guwandi ===&lt;br /&gt;
In the event that a Unathi becomes terminally ill, or finds themselves lacking the pride or honor to continue to live, or simply become tired of their existence undergo a ritualistic suicide and take the title of &#039;Guwandi&#039; (which is translated to Gladiator/Galdium). They will give up their possessions to their clan leader and make their journey into the Moghes desert. The only things they keep are their weapons which they use to fight animals or other Unathi so that they may die in honorable combat. In the event that two of these Guwandi meet, they will first draw their weapons and adopt a passive stance, which is followed by them telling each other their stories in turn, as well as the reasons behind their choice of adopting the mantle of &#039;Guwandi&#039; and how they wish their remains to be dealt with. When both sides understand the other, combat will begin with a mutual wish of luck that the more worthy of death lose with pride. The winner of the battle is responsible for taking care of the corpse in the way they were instructed to. Renouncing the deathseeking life of Guwandi isn&#039;t easy. Some may wish to return after having been granted a second outlook, or hope, after they had spent time wandering and risking their life. Their clan may see their decision as cowardly and refuse to accept them, or be overjoyed they had learned a lesson in their time.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Guwandi are not an option on the Horizon,&#039;&#039;&#039; yet may be a way in which a character becomes retired, barring [[Traitor|extreme circumstances]].&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== The Guwan ===&lt;br /&gt;
In some cases when a Unathi is exiled from their clan, they do not take up the formal title of Guwandi. This can be through fear of death, unwillingness, or simple stubbornness. In this case, they are marked as &#039;Guwan&#039; by their clan leader, and must take this as their last name. It is a variation on Guwandi, which is translated directly as &#039;exile&#039;. Guwans are clanless Unathi, and form an underclass. Guwans find it difficult if not impossible to advance socially or politically, and in many cases are oppressed or mistreated by other Unathi who view them as troublemakers or criminals. The only way of returning to a clan after banishment as a Guwan is to be adopted back into the Clan, which happens very rarely. &#039;&#039;&#039;To no longer be a Guwan, a Unathi must have an upstanding citizen decide to represent them, and then they must both go to court to explain how the Guwan can return into society under a new clan name, be adopted into another clan, or return to their original clan (at Clan Leader&#039;s acceptance.)&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
On August 29th, 2459, the Lord-Regent Not&#039;zar Izweski passed an edict that required clans to send a petition to an imperial court when they want to banish a clan member as a Guwan. The court must side with the petitioning Clan Leader or the Unathi in question is not marked as a Guwan. This has caused backlash as the courts have gained a reputation for being incredibly arbitrary in their decisions.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In the past, all orphans were automatically Guwan unless they are adopted into a Clan. This changed with yet another edict by Not&#039;zar Izweski in December of 2459, which required all orphans, including adults still connected to their orphanage guild via debts or otherwise without parents, to take on the surname of that orphanage.&lt;br /&gt;
 &lt;br /&gt;
Some Guwans have been forced off of Moghes by their clans with the growing ease of space travel, and NanoTrasen has a long history of exploiting this subgroup of Unathi, coercing them into employment contracts.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Guwans are not permitted to petition their local Lords to express any grievances, and are not permitted to social services provided by private enterprise or state entities. They are not full citizens of the Hegemony but are considered residents, which additionally bares them from many services.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Notably, Guwans are the only social class of Unathi allowed to serve in the personal guard of the Hegemon and his family. The strategy relies on the fact the Guwan Guard are despised and envied by decorated officers that would otherwise serve in traditional guard duties. They are socially isolated and unable to advance politically, which means that their survival depends on the safety of the Hegemon and his family, which means that they wouldn&#039;t try to launch a coup or replace the Hegemon without themselves being slaughtered. Similar to an old-Terran Janissary, they&#039;re a slave soldier, and unable to have children or hold any sort of political or military position.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
If a Unathi is the last of their clan, or is otherwise estranged with no one to declare them Guwan, then they may still find themselves challenged by other rival clans who lay claim to this Unathi&#039;s land, titles, inheritance, or name. If they are unable or unwilling to defend their claims (which would involve lengthy court trials on Moghes) then they would be stripped of them and declared Guwan. This means that a Unathi hiding in human space can still be named Guwan if their past, or rivals, catch up with them.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;Guwans are exclusively a criminal or otherwise dishonorable untouchable class, and it takes a lot to be labelled as one. Because playing a Guwan means you are opting in to being discriminated against by others, a Guwan filing an incident report for anything less than physical assault is a whitelist issue.&#039;&#039;&#039; When in doubt, speak to the Maintainer first.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Orphans and Orphanage Guilds ===&lt;br /&gt;
Orphans in the Hegemony in the past were all labelled as Guwans, but an edict by Not&#039;zar Izweski in December of 2459 changed all that. Hatchlings, child, and teenage Unathi without parents are put in the care of one of the many orphanage guilds on Moghes. These are private run guilds with little to no government oversight. While they fulfill a necessary social service in caring for Unathi that would otherwise be on the streets, orphanage guilds in the Hegemony are incredibly exploitative. Unknown to the children the guilds track all the expenses and charge their wards throughout their life until they turn 17, when they are presented with the bill and are forced to work to repay the crippling debt, and many can be trapped by the fact that their debt would fall on any prospective parents.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Two of these guilds have expanded into large corporations that have found a lucrative method of gaining money from their wards. The &#039;&#039;&#039;Gukuzan&#039;&#039;&#039; and &#039;&#039;&#039;Kuhwinla&#039;&#039;&#039; Guilds coerce or persuade their wards to accepts contracts for megacorporations, particularly [[Hephaestus Industries]], if they reach adulthood without being adopted. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Gukuzan&#039;&#039;&#039; clan is lead by a Priest Kiazoi, and he ensures that those that enter the care of his guild are given a proper religious education and instilled with the values of the church. Children raised by the Gukuzan are also taught valuable lessons in obedience and the importance of duty and respect to their betters. Its wards are moderately well-off and treated well, but the comforts of a happy childhood in the orphanage is rather soured by the fact everything from bedding, food, and even air conditioning are things each child has added to their growing debt. Gukuzan orphanages are scattered across Moghes and there are three on [[Ouerea]]. They are all exclusively managed by a priest on the payroll of the Gukuzan.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The &#039;&#039;&#039;Kuhwinla&#039;&#039;&#039; clan is lead by Guildmaster Ioaza Kuhwinla, an infamously frugal woman. She refuses to spend any more than she has to on her wards, meaning that those under her care are given the most basic of education. Children raised by her Guild are taught valuable lessons in thrift, obedience, and how to stretch meals to the absolute limit. Its wards are generally barely better than they would be on the street, but they live with a roof over their heads, semi-reliable food, a basic education, and their debt at the end of their life under the Kuhwinla is generally lower than it would be in other orphanages. Kuhwinla orphanages are in nearly every major Unathite city, and they are unique in that they are managed by matriarchs that answer to Ioaza.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&#039;&#039;&#039;These two surnames are the only ones you may take if you play an orphaned Izweski on the SCCV Horizon!&#039;&#039;&#039;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Navbox Lore}}&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Species]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Pages]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Unathi]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Evandorf</name></author>
	</entry>
</feed>