Phase 2:Rhousk Kin'toni Clan

History

Psychology

Biology

The Rhousk are adapted to the hot, low light and geologically active features of the Jakyla Lava Tubes. They are short and wide of build, with dense muscles and broad shoulders. Their legs are thick and bowed. This gives them the stability to navigate the shifting piles of scree and the near-vertical ascents. The downside of this, is that being short and compact, they have a limited maximum running speed and and a lack of leaping skills. The skin is a thick, obsidian-black thing, with an layer of thick scales that are adapted as a thermal barrier to allow them to tolerate the heat of the lava tubes.

This thick layer is also heavy and slow to heal. The hair has been replaced with short, keratinous nubs on the scalp and joints. This helps keep them cool. The eyes are black in color, with an heat-absorbing layer that minimizes glare from molten rock. They also have a layer that allows them to perceive infrared radiation. This allows them to navigate in total darkness and pinpoint active lava flow. This sense can be overwhelmed near lava or other heat sources. The ears are just small ridges around the ear canal, to lower heat transfer and stop volcanic ash and debris from entering.

The nose is flatted, with slit like nostrils that are angled downwards. These have an system to filter out superheated ash and noxious gases. They are also able to detect subtle shifts in mineral vapor and internal heat plumes. The teeth are short, wide and with flat crushing surfaces made of a densely packed, iron-rich enamel. These teeth are for crushing prey bones for mineral intake. These teeth are also bad at cutting though thick hide for blood drinking. The claws are short, thick, and non-retractable with a spade-like tip.

These claws are adapted to chipping away rock for digging lairs or for climbing. These claws being dull, are bad for combat (as they lack cutting power). Their feet have retractable fibrous barbs on the soles in order to grip the rocky or even near vertical surfaces. These barbs are also prone to damage, forcing energy use to regenerate them. The internal circulatory system has a large amount of redundant, shielded arterial routes. This allows them to major blood vessels from surface-level heat trauma. The spinal structure is segmented and heavily reinforced using thick bones.

This allows them to absorb the constant the effects of seismic activity and rockslides within the unstable tubes. The downside of this is a lack of flexibility. This makes tight spaces hard for them to enter. The chest cavity has an thick, protective fatty sheath that acts as an insulation layer against heat around their internal organs. This fatty layer is prone to being lost in starvation conditions and leads to added sensitivity to heat. Under the skin, they have sacs that allow them to store water for leaner times. These sacs are prone to damage if struck hard.

They have an glandular organ that recycles water from their breath and skin secretions as to lower the need for water in such a hot environment. They also have blood that is altered to have high concentrations of oxygen-releasing compounds. This allows them to withstand areas with sulfur rich air or depleted oxygen levels.

Culture

Government

Military

Religion

Miscellany

Template:NearbyGroups