Aboshan

"Guard the Abyss; Serve the Sky" - Aboshan Proverb

Written by: jester2b

Cover art by: Rafael Sewa

Those of the Waves

The Aboshan, an amphibious race, lives in the northeastern archipelago of Shi-Enma in The Rift. They claim the islands as part of their home, but the vast bounty of their domain lies beneath the waves of the Wayfarer Ocean. For in the deep lies the most ancient of secrets and the memories within.

Appearance

Aboshan are a bipedal species with chitin covering much of their bodies and a hard shell covering their back and much of their torso. Their two main arms have hands with two clawed fingers and a thumb, and they have six smaller limbs on their chests with small pincers at the end. Most individuals have a long, thin tail protected in hard, segmented chitin. Their heads have two large, sharp eyes and two mandibles used for griping and ripping apart food.

Telepathic Abilities

The Aboshan possess unique skills with the mind that would take other races years of practice to even grasp. They are naturally able to communicate telepathically and can communicate with each other over long distances with individuals they know. Those who've spent years mastering this ability are able to link their minds with large groups of Aboshan to create a highly coordinated group mentally linked together. While Aboshan can still mentally commune with other races, it has proven to be far less effective than it is with other Aboshan.
Memory is a sacred aspect of Aboshan society, for it is how the tales of the ancestors are passed on to the next generation. The most precious of memories are preserved within Memory Coral so that they may be passed down to the next generation.

History

Origins

With much of their society living under the sea and the few land-dwelling Aboshan weary of outsiders, recounting the history of their species has proven difficult. Communication with this race has also proven to be a challenge of its own, as the language most Aboshan speak, Vel-Qual, is difficult to translate to other commonly spoken languages on Nostrina. Even harder still is gaining their trust to be taught the language as an outsider. What has been gathered is incomplete and mired in myth. A complete history of the Aboshan will take many more years to be created.
Aboshan legend states that it all began when Zi-Yut, a massive object of unknown origin, crashed into the ocean off the coast of the Shi-Enma Archipelago. Those legends state that Zi-Yut was a tool of creation of the Sky God Xi-Nirl, who sent it down to create life in the silent depths of the ocean. From Zi-Yut did the fish, the crustaceans, the coral, and the most blessed of them all, the Aboshan, the chosen caretakers of the seas. The newly born Aboshan would come together to form many kingdoms beneath the waves and on the nearby islands.
Determining a point within Nostrina's history, Zi-Yut crashed into the ocean, and the Aboshan emerged has proven nearly impossible. The timekeeping methods of the Aboshan don't line up with the Luetic or other commonly used calendars of Nostrina. Furthermore, the Aboshan are a fairly isolated race, living in a distant corner of the Rift, a continent that has yet to be fully explored, or underneath the waves. The first instances of contact with the Aboshan didn't occur until around 1562 1E.

The Abyss Watchers

Another commonly mentioned facet of Aboshan history are the stories of Ab-Shiil, the Abyss, and Bezereth, the Leviathan that dwells within it. According to legend, Bezereth was nothing more than an insect from when Xi-Nirl blessed the land with life. This small insect, a greedy, hungry creature, stole power from the Sky God's tool to become a monster of unimaginable power. She fed on thought and the mind, leaving behind husks that unquestioningly served her will. Her unquenchable hunger destroyed the land, leaving them barren and lifeless.
Xi-Nirl would confront the monster and seal her within Ab-Shiil, the deepest trench in the world. To prevent her from escaping and wreaking havoc upon the world, Xi-Nirl tasked Aboshan, whose will surpassed all others, to guard Ab-Shiil. Warriors of the greatest strength and zeal still guard Ab-Shiil, keeping the monstrous Bezereth from escaping or her call from reaching the ears of an unknowing victim.

Culture

Society

While the Aboshan claim the Zi-Enma Archipelago as their own, the vast majority of their race live beneath the waves. The depths of the ocean belong to the Aboshan alone, for Xi-Nirl had tasked them with being caretakers of the depths. Supposedly, the Aboshan control the Wayfarer Ocean and most of the seas within the Rift. The Aboshan are ruled by an emperor chosen by the highest priests, who rules their underwater empire until their death.
Due to their isolation from the rest of the inhabitants of Nostrina for much of their history, the Aboshan are somewhat weary of outsiders. The greatest extent of their outreach to the other races is a small coastal trading post in Zi-Enma, the only place in their empire where outsiders not given the right to speak Vel-Qual are allowed to travel.

Language

The majority of Aboshan speak Vel-Qual, a dialect with no discernible connection to other languages found on Nostrina. This tongue is considered sacred among the Aboshan, for only their kind and their most trusted allies may speak it. To be given the right to learn the language as an outsider is considered a great honor in the eyes of the Aboshan.

Art and Architecture

The Aboshan are quite a resourceful and adaptable race, a trait that can be seen in their architecture. From their underwater temples and towns built within carved-out coral and stone, to their wooden homes on the islands, the Aboshan have become quite adept at becoming attuned to wherever they find themselves.

Religion

Faith is one of the most important aspects of an Aboshan's life. Xi-Nirl gave their kind life with a purpose; it would be a great dishonor to neglect it. Warriors train and hone their skills in the hopes of being chosen to guard Ab-Shiil as their creator wishes. Priests hone their telepathic skills to be guides to young Aboshan and work diligently to preserve the memories of their ancestors.

Scientific Name

Vircancorum Aboshanus

Lifespan

50 years

Average Height

1.8m (6ft)