Kegani (Keh-gah-nee)
Physical Traits
Unlike every other major race on Venus, the kegani are primarily at home underneath the water. Height can vary wildly amongst the kegani population, with some standing barely four feet and others hovering nearly seven feet, though such extremes are not commonplace with most kegani somewhere in the middle. While they are somewhat light proportionate to their size despite their carapace, they are still strong and lean. This allows them to traverse on land with no issue, despite their aquatic nature.
Kegani colorations can range along a large spectrum, from gray and red to blue and even purple. While more muted colors are more prevalent, intense shades are common enough. Strangely, the kegani carapace colors do not appear to be hereditary, with crabs from the same clutch varying greatly. Form can also vary from a few key designs with no discernible reason, with proportions and limb configurations differing wildly from one kegani to another. Even though some may have additional legs or small, vestigial arms, they do all have the same biological systems.
Kegani are specifically adapted to living in the harsh Venusian seas. While kegani have no issue surviving on land, they are most at home in the water. Able to survive the cold depths and abyssal pressures, the kegani are able to live in places that (almost) no other race can reach. While they can live and traverse these reaches with no issue, they still can’t see in these murky depths, so lanterns and leashed angler fish are used to navigate.
Much like every other aspect of their species, life span can vary from one kegani to another. As they grow and molt, it quickly becomes apparent that some will be much shorter lived than others. Some reach full maturity in a little under two years and will perish in less than twenty. While length of prepubescence is a good indicator of life span, it's not always the case. Most kegani do end up living roughly half a century, but others do live longer, especially the Hollow King who has lived over a century.
History The Kegani claim to be the oldest race on Venus and it's very possible that they are correct. According to their history, in the primordial age of Venus, there was no land. As water stretched across the entire planet, life was just beginning. However, one creature was greater, stronger, and smarter than all of the rest. This creature, Basatan, is said to be the creator of many sea creatures including her proudest creation, the kegani. For generations Basatan watched over her children. She taught them to hunt, to gather, to become everything she knew they could be. However, for reasons the kegani do not even claim to know, one day Basatan left, or simply disappeared. Lost without their all-mother, the kegani claimed her former shell. This massive shell would be reinforced and modified until it would become Nautyl’leh, the largest city in the Aurrus Sais where the majority of the kegani live. Of course, all of this is all hearsay from the few kegani willing to share their religious beliefs. Whether this is true or even what they truly believe is up for interpretation. In more contemporary times, the kegani mostly keep to their own communities, with interactions with other races being strictly business. Even when the Atlanteans first came to Venus, they were avoided by the kegani. Most of their technology is not influenced by the Atlanteans because of this, instead being much more alien and unique to their species. Due in part to their societal isolation as well as their physical isolation, very little is known about the kegani by outsiders. In the present their isolation continues in the age of Ra. Despite Ra’s mostly successful attempt at subjugating the planet, he appears to have left the kegani by and large alone. This comes in part due to their location and low technology level, both of which make them low priority targets. However, some ships have witnessed kegani meeting on shore with priests to exchange goods, so perhaps there may be more than we know.
Culture While certainly at its strongest in Nautyl’leh, the prevailing feature of kegani culture is their religion, which also ties directly into their monarchy. The head of the kegani and their beliefs is the Hollow King, who resides in Nautyl’leh. Most of their worship is based around Basatan and awaiting her eventual return, though how exactly this will happen is never directly stated. However, the Hollow King and his followers do seem to have been escalating their efforts to bring back their progenitor, with ever escalating attempts to do so. Being able to, supposedly, trace all kegani back to a single being gives kegani a sense that they are all family. Depending on the size of the settlement, the kegani largely live in large units, with many dozens living under the same roof. Even their breeding is subject to this attitude. Eggs are laid in large, distinct areas, which are then fertilized by the male kegani. The newly spawned babies are then raised by kegani who are specifically sworn to raise and teach the young. It is never known who exactly sired who, but all kegani do not see this as an issue, instead seeing all of them as their family. Their language is difficult for any species other than kegani to speak, though with enough practice other species can learn to understand it. A combination of clicks, gurgles and vocalizations make up the complicated language that can be spoken both in and out of water with no issue. While it is completely possible for kegani to speak other languages, specifically Atlantean, a great number do have issues doing so. As a result, in the event that the kegani are dealing with outsiders, they will often keep at least one member around who can communicate with non-kegani.
History The Kegani claim to be the oldest race on Venus and it's very possible that they are correct. According to their history, in the primordial age of Venus, there was no land. As water stretched across the entire planet, life was just beginning. However, one creature was greater, stronger, and smarter than all of the rest. This creature, Basatan, is said to be the creator of many sea creatures including her proudest creation, the kegani. For generations Basatan watched over her children. She taught them to hunt, to gather, to become everything she knew they could be. However, for reasons the kegani do not even claim to know, one day Basatan left, or simply disappeared. Lost without their all-mother, the kegani claimed her former shell. This massive shell would be reinforced and modified until it would become Nautyl’leh, the largest city in the Aurrus Sais where the majority of the kegani live. Of course, all of this is all hearsay from the few kegani willing to share their religious beliefs. Whether this is true or even what they truly believe is up for interpretation. In more contemporary times, the kegani mostly keep to their own communities, with interactions with other races being strictly business. Even when the Atlanteans first came to Venus, they were avoided by the kegani. Most of their technology is not influenced by the Atlanteans because of this, instead being much more alien and unique to their species. Due in part to their societal isolation as well as their physical isolation, very little is known about the kegani by outsiders. In the present their isolation continues in the age of Ra. Despite Ra’s mostly successful attempt at subjugating the planet, he appears to have left the kegani by and large alone. This comes in part due to their location and low technology level, both of which make them low priority targets. However, some ships have witnessed kegani meeting on shore with priests to exchange goods, so perhaps there may be more than we know.
Culture While certainly at its strongest in Nautyl’leh, the prevailing feature of kegani culture is their religion, which also ties directly into their monarchy. The head of the kegani and their beliefs is the Hollow King, who resides in Nautyl’leh. Most of their worship is based around Basatan and awaiting her eventual return, though how exactly this will happen is never directly stated. However, the Hollow King and his followers do seem to have been escalating their efforts to bring back their progenitor, with ever escalating attempts to do so. Being able to, supposedly, trace all kegani back to a single being gives kegani a sense that they are all family. Depending on the size of the settlement, the kegani largely live in large units, with many dozens living under the same roof. Even their breeding is subject to this attitude. Eggs are laid in large, distinct areas, which are then fertilized by the male kegani. The newly spawned babies are then raised by kegani who are specifically sworn to raise and teach the young. It is never known who exactly sired who, but all kegani do not see this as an issue, instead seeing all of them as their family. Their language is difficult for any species other than kegani to speak, though with enough practice other species can learn to understand it. A combination of clicks, gurgles and vocalizations make up the complicated language that can be spoken both in and out of water with no issue. While it is completely possible for kegani to speak other languages, specifically Atlantean, a great number do have issues doing so. As a result, in the event that the kegani are dealing with outsiders, they will often keep at least one member around who can communicate with non-kegani.
- Starting Wound Threshold: 11 + Brawn
- Starting Strain Threshold: 10 + Willpower
- Starting Experience: 85
- Starting Skills:
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