Daulka

Daulka are the dominant species on the continent of Navruka, divided into four distinct breeds: Gar, Sif, Kel and Tuk.

Biology

General Description

Daulka are humanoids whom stand, on average, between 3' - 4' tall. They have two arms, two legs and a tail, but all members can 'summon' an additional set of limbs, called kosec, each breed having their own unique type. These come from a pair of special patches referred to as akesa. Most individuals have scales to some degree, particularly on the top of their hands and feet. Both males and females have marsupial pouches. Aside from genitalia, males and females generally do not have a strong visual indicator of their sex, aside form females generally being taller.

Anatomy Details

Head

Rounded head shape, with a short snout. Snouts can be either square or trapizoid when looking from a vertical direction, depending on the breed. Brow and nostral shape is similar to baboons.

Ears

Tiangular and conial shaped, similar to domestic cats, but located more along the side of the head, rather than the top.

Eyes

Human-like shape, with round pupiles, white scalera with a colored iris. Eye color
Prior to adolescence all Daulka have green eyes. When puberty hits, the immediate area around the pupil begins to change into a color that reflects their personal element. How close this color gets to the outer edge of the iris, along with how bright it is, is an indication on how strong their element is.

Mouth

Human-like, omnivorous teeth, though the canines are larger.

Torso

Mostly human-like, with a few exceptions. First is the presense of semi-transucent patch(es) on their mid-back, just below the shoulder blades: these are their Daulka's Akesa.
On their abdomen is a pouch used for incubating and nursing their young. Unlike earth marsupials, their pouches have two openings: one at each side of the pouch, near the top. Male pouches are smaller than females, thus can only hold one child at a time, compared to females whom can hold two.
Last, while the sex organs themselves are located in the same location as humans, the males penis is concealed in a sheath.

Limbs

Arms and Hands

Arms are human-like, with the hands having three fingers and a thumb, each tipped with a short claw.

Legs and Feet

Legs are digitigrade with four full toes and a functional drey. The claws on these toes have the same basic shape, but sharpness varies by breed.

Tail

Tail length runs between 2 - 6 feet long, the length and shape determined by breed. The skeletal structure of the tail is only comprised of bone for the first foot and a half from the hip: the rest of the length is supported by cartilage. A feature called the 'rectal pouch' (also called the 'waste pouch') is located along the underside of the bony length of the tail and at the end lays the anus. The tail tip may or may not have feathers or quills, again, depending on the breed.

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Courtship/Relationships

Due to their reproductive cycle, Daulka tend to be more instinctive when it comes to finding mates. Courtship displays are common across the breeds, hopeful members showing off their skill and fitness. Due to sex being determined by temperature, different regions may have an imbalance of one sex (e.g. desert region would have more males). This results in polygamy being a fairly common practice in said regions.

Reproduction and Child Rearing

Have a set mating season in the 'fall'. Daulka are oviparous marsupials: they lay eggs, then incubate and nurse their young in pouches. Eggs gestate within the hen for two months before being laid. Two eggs are laid per clutch on average, though a clutch can have up to three. Eggs are initially are a light grey in color immediately after laying, but over the first 'hour' the viable eggs change color, revealing the primary and secondary coloration of the offspring (it will not, however, show recessive color traits like piebald).
Incubation is done by both parents, though male pouches are only large enough to hold one egg safely. Therefore, how the incubation duty is shared is influenced by how large the clutch is. Another factor is whether or not the parents are aiming for specific sexes of their offspring, as the sex is determined by temperature similarly to earthen reptiles like crocodiles. If the parents are successful, the eggs will hatch after a three month period.
Newborn Daulka, called newts, start out looking rather slender, almost snake-like, with only their heads and arms fully developed. They spend the first few 'months' of their lives in their parent's pouch until the rest of their limbs are fully developed: both sexes lactate, allowing for both parents to share in the feeding duties during this time. Newts know instinctively not to relieve themselves in their 'bed', thus will stick their tails out of the pouch to do so: during this stage of their lives, the rectum is actually a lot closer to the tip of the tail. Once weaned from the pouch (at roughly four months?), they are referred to as younglings.
Younglings will spend the first three years with their parents, after which, they are taken to the area's 'Grand', where their future education is handled by the Elders of the community. There, they also figure out what trade or occupation they wish to focus on. Puberty hits around eight years ago and it is here they are able to summon their kosec for the first time. After a couple more years, they have a choice to make: to stay in their current community, or to travel to a new one.

Crossbreeding

All breeds can successfully crossbreed with each other and produce viable offspring (though it is generally frowned upon by many, especially members of the Order. Offspring of such pairings will have the breed traits from both parents, though theirkosec strictly match that of only one parent. There is one exception to this...the child is a Blessed or Chosen: these individuals can summon either type of kosec or it will become a blend of both.

Diet

Generally Omnivorous, but different diet can lean more toward either carnivorous or herbivore, depending on the region and race.

Lifespan

Average is around 50 years.

Elemental Alignment and Magic

All Daulka have a spiritual 'lean' toward a certain element. While the different breeds each have an element they trend toward (Gar = Fire, Sif = Air, Kel = Water, Tuk = Earth), it is not a hard rule, though the appearence of 'uncommon' elements within a certain community is usually attributed to crossbreeding. A individual's 'element' is discovered upon puberty, when their eye color starts to change and they can start summoning their kosec. How strongly connected an individual is to their element can be seen in both their eyes and, to a limited extent, the appearence of their kosec: this connection also determines any special capabilities related to said element.

Mundane

Eye color change only extends from the pupil to the center of the iris and the color is fairly dull. The kosec have no additional special attributes in both appearence or ability.

Touched

Eye color change only extends from the pupil to the center of the iris and the color is visiably brighter compared to a Mundane. The kosec, while not appearing any different appearance wise, are able to be used for longer periods. In addition, the individual may have greater resistances to harm from their element (e.g. a fire touched can't be hurt by flame) or an equivlent benefit.
These individuals can be either pure or hybreds.

Blessed

Eye color change reaches 3/4s of the way to the outer edge of the iris and is significately brighter. Kosec may have glowing parts in a color attributed to the element when in active use. Along with the benefits a Touched may have, the Blessed are cabable of element manipulation.
These individuals can only be hybreds and as such, they can summon the kosec of either parent, or it may be a blend of the two.

Chosen

They are easily recongized due to their element color completley over taking their iris. Both their Kosec and other parts of their body may glow when actively using their element. Along with a more powerful form of elemental manipulation, they are also are capable of self resurration and after each 'death' their element becomes stronger. Due to the latter ability, Chosens are extremely rare and are said to be a omen of great change.
These individuals can only be hybreds and as such, they can summon the kosec of either parent, or it may be a blend of the two.

Basic Cultural Information

Naming Tradition

As a general rule, names for Bucks have two syllables (e.g. Fal-tin), while female names have three (e.g. Fa-lo-ka).
Note to self: if using a language mixer for names, use harsh setting for Tuk, melodic for Kel, nothing specific for Gar or Sif.

Technological Level

Roughly the equivalent of the Middle Ages, due to a slightly advanced knowledge of metalsmithing and stone carving. Glass making, however, is still in the beginning stages.

Economical Level

Daulka primarily use the barter system, though proper 'currency' use is starting to take hold, especially in larger Grands.