The lapine Mewei are a reclusive yet inquisitive and curious people who value technological and ecological advancement above much else. Forced out of the Pyxis Globula, they found solace in the shadows of the jungle world Nufano, from which they seldom venture. For nobody should ever breach Nufano's peace - and nobody, with few exceptions, ever leaves.
Statblock
| Size |
Medium |
| Lifespan |
350-400 |
| Magic Ability |
Up to 10% of the population show an ability to perform Spellweaving, and these are taken as children to be educated by the Sisters of the Greatwood. |
| Crownworld |
Nufano |
| Major Faction |
Mewei Domain |
| Language |
Meweskijesik |
| Average height |
6′0″‒9′0″ (1.82‒2.74 m) |
| Average weight |
200‒264 lb (90‒120 kg) |
| Skin colour |
Typically ranges from pale white to dark grey, typically hairless |
| Hair colour |
Always white but often dyed |
| Eye colour |
Blue/Teal/Green |
Physical Description
Mewei are tall, bipedal humanoids with long floppy ears and thick bones. The ears give them exceptionally good hearing. Their eyes can see faintly into the ultraviolet spectrum. Despite their size, Mewei have exceptional grace and elegance. Their skin colour ranges from pale white to dark grey, and is typically hairless. Due to lower gravity on their initial homeworld, they can grow to 8 or 9 ft tall. Most Mewei live to 350 or 400 - a curse in disguise, for they do not reproduce nearly as fast as any other species, albeit they lead longer, more economically and scientifically productive lives nearly free from disease.
An interesting attribute of the Mewei is the near total lack of gender dimorphism : Mewei respond to external stimuli to fertilize their own eggs using ancient lineages of stem cells. It is unclear how genetic diversity is maintained, and the Mewei are often unwilling to communicate on this point. Many speculate that the Mewei once had a male sex, many thousands of years ago, which was weeded out as self-fertilized eggs were necessarily biologically female.
All Mewei have white hair naturally, though the vast majority choose to dye it in a variety of bright and unnatural hues. Depending on where a Mewei resides, their attire can vary widely. Most Mewei have a base outfit upon which they layer to suit the situation at hand. For instance, an Acorn Mewei, living in the comfort of a space station or lab, might wear a tighter-fitting top or jumpsuit beneath a more sleek vest and softer footwear, whereas Mewei residing on Nufano would adorn themselves in gear and boots designed to handle the more rugged environment, embellished with rings and belts upon which various bags and other functional devices would sit. The Mewei tend to favour brighter colours, especially teals, blues, and greens.
Racial Bonus
Normal Mewei : +2
INT, +2
STR
Racial Foci
Keen Senses
Mewei have amazing senses, and gain a +1 level bonus to
Notice skill checks.
Disease Resistance
Mewei immune systems are far stronger and smarter than most, and thus Mewei do not suffer much from allergies, poison, or disease. They also recover from such ailments twice as fast. This seems to apply to
Psionic Metadisease as well.
Society & Alignment
Main article :
Mewei Domain
The vast majority of Mewei belong to the Domain and follow its codes and tenets.
Homeworld
The ancestral Mewei homeworld, in the
Pyxis Globula, was destroyed in nuclear fire long before the Mewei unlocked the secret of spaceflight. From this "baptism of fire", the survivors rebuilt; much of their ecological and technological attitudes stem from the near-total collapse of their species at the hands of their own greed and industrial decay.
Nufano, on the Second Orbit, has turned out to be a perfert world for Mewei. The mangrove world harbours the most life out of any planet in the system, and its high seismic and volcanic activity makes it a perfect candidate for geothermal energy. Nonetheless, many question how Nufano has failed to become a greenhouse planet long before the arrival of the Mewei. If
Matriarch Yulia believes that an ancient race of aliens somehow tempered with the ecology of their new world, she will not let many people investigate it.
Nufano has been hallowed by the Mewei community as more than their new home - it is worshipped as a bountiful and benevolent World-Goddess, and the
Circle of the World-Goddess works with Matriarchs and Valekeepers to keep the Mewei safe and blessed. For that reason, very few outsiders are allowed on Nufano, and the Valekeepers keep a very close track, for the sake of all Mewei. Even those Mewei who left the embrace of the Domain seek to return to Nufano, for Mewei believe that their souls joins with that of the planet where they are buried, and there is no greater dishonour than to die in the cold, empty, fruitless expanse of space.
The world Nufano has been linked to pre-FTL Boshaari tales codified in the sacred texts of
New Fallanism. Whether this is mere coincidence or a clue to a secret link between the Stream and the
Boshaari is yet to be firmly established.
Communities
Domain communities are spread out across Nufano, and there are few urban centres. The capital city, the Astropolis, is hardly larger than many other towns across the jungle world, and is nested amongst giant roots and flourishing forests. It is linked by riverways, canals and monorails to other cities across the world; for instance, the lost temple at
Okdalan, close to the hallowed ground where Matriarchs train; there is also the city of
Raithwall and its vast markets full of unearthed relics, which trains True Seekers at its academy.
The Mewei have also settled much of their orbit. Of note is
Veena Station, Nufano's main orbital spaceport, or the Domain's own secret labs and mining facilities called
Acorns that dot much of the Elpis belt.
True Seekers
Some Mewei are trained from a very early age in the arts of inquisitive learning and curious discovery. Whilst all Mewei show these traits to an extent, the True Seekers possess an exceptional mind. Typically, they are encouraged by the community to learn at Raithwall Academy and become scientists, technocrats, and leaders. They are often found in Acorns - the Mewei name for lab facilities.
Matriarchs
In Mewei society, wisdom is often seen as a result of age or affinity for the magical arts. Some particularly arcane-attuned Mewei are taken in as young children by the Sisters of the Greatwood to become Matriarchs. Others, who show reliability and expertise throughout their early adult life, are later taken on and bestowed the prestigious title in a coming-of-age ceremony.
Upon becoming Matriarchs, these Mewei are often sent outside the boundaries of their deeply introspective Domain in order to research outside ways to improve Mewei society. This pilgrimage is called an Ozayn. Far from shunning ancient or foreign techniques like the rest of the people might, they embrace them, for they are wise enough to tell a potential breakthrough from unwanted or useless technology. They are also encouraged to build relationships with other races as well as authority within the Domain, which further empowers the Matriarch later on in life.
Matriarchs are trusted and highly respected, and often become community leaders back home. Matriarchs are dedicated to a different kind of learning than many Mewei scientists - they are calm, resolved, unorthodox, and unafraid to turn to their neighbours or to past discoveries for insight. Generally, Matriarchs are well-respected and go on to found new Mewei settlements, most usually as part of the Domain, but sometimes outside of its jusridiction.
Alignment
Alignment-wise, the Mewei tend towards all variants of Good, as Mewei are interdependent and hold high respect for life and others, regardless of their personal opinions on how such values should be enforced.
Playing a Mewei
Mewei likely…
- ...deeply value self-improvement and technological mastery,
- ...bond fast with people worthy of your trust,
- ...look down on other civilizations and their primitive crafts, but also respect their tenacity in surviving despite that,
- ...are aware of their appealing appearance, and play it up for other races.
Other species likely…
- ...both admire and resent your technological edge,
- ...underestimate your technological mastery, judging from your simple and frugal lifestyle,
- ...struggle to understand your culture,
- ...expect you to know everything or to give away tech for free,
- ...mistake your aloof demeanor and introversion for contempt and arrogance.
Relations
Mewei typically get along with many of the other races, so long as they keep away from their homeworld. Their likes or dislikes often fall upon a specific individual's deeds and words more than their racial heritage. Nevertheless, the Mewei both hold Hiderid at bay and revere their ability to trade and expand, and a relationship has formed between both races where financial and economic expertise is traded for technological progress.
Naming Convention
Mewei tend to sport two names : their given name, and the name of the community into which they were born. Community names are seldom used, and usually only exist to differentiate between two similarly named Mewei.
Given Names
Phel
Nenva
Ljrt
Falma
Vever
Community names
Vholvanal
Frjn
Rhazol
Fezlipher
Sare
Adventuring
There are a few reasons for Mewei to wander :
- They are a Matriarch or a True Seeker on a quest for technological or cultural enlightenment.
- They are a Valekeeper, sent by the Domain on a secret mission, or by the Coalition to protect the secret at Outpost X-5
- They are a solarian, member of the Swords of Rava, setting to right wrongs and spread their religion anew.
- They are a far trader looking for profitable trades and relics.
- They resent the inward, crystalline Domain lifestyle and want to experience something else.
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