Otterun

They are the river born creatures that were pushed out of their homeland into the sea. Now they dominate coastal and sea trade through out the known world.

Basic Information

Anatomy

These creatures are short and agile. Their bodies are incredibly flexible and covered in sleek waterproof fur. The body stands upright with two legs and two arms.

Genetics and Reproduction

Like many mammals, they need a male and a female to reproduce. They have litters of two pups which take about 5 months of pregnancy to produce.

Growth Rate & Stages

They are three major stages of life. Stage one is when most of the growth happens in the course of one year. Fur becomes sleek instead of soft. They become more upright as they progress into adulthood. Once they are fully grown they have reached stage two of adolescence. Growth stops in this stage of size and shape, but for the next 13 years sexual dimorphism occurs with males becoming more muscular and females hips slightly growing. Many other changes also occur, but are not as noticeable. The third stage is adulthood where growth has fully stopped and are considered adults.

Ecology and Habitats

They need water to be comfortable whether its fresh water from lakes and rivers or salt water from the ocean. They are mostly found in two kinds of location either some of the large river networks in the far west or in their traveling fleets of ships in the ocean.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Sea or river food are the main foods they eat. Grain products are also eaten when fish are rare or non existent.

Additional Information

Social Structure

There is no unique social structure among them. Nothing due to your physical appearance or metal ability decides your place among thier people. It is your actions among them.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

They are located in the humid temperate climates in the world

Average Intelligence

They have about average intelligence. They seem to be about as smart as humans on the Glenhook scale of a 5/10

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Their eyes have a waterproof coat that allows them to see unhindered in fresh and saltwater.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

The names usually take words from objects or creatures such as feather, fish, wind, cold, heat, stone, house, etc. They take two words and bring them together to form their name.
The names they used are made up of two different pieces a when they were born compared to their siblings. If they are the first born, the first part is the last part of the father's name and the last part is the last of the mother's name. For example, the name WaveCrier would mean the mother's last part was Crier and the father's last part was Wave.
Here is the list for naming:
*Using Father (SunWave) and Mother (WindCrier) as an example*
1st: Last Father, Last Mother: WaveCrier
2nd: Last Mother, Last Father: CrierWave
3rd: First Father, Last Mother: SunCrier
4th: Last Father, First Mother: WaveWind

Major Organizations

The Great Fleet.

Beauty Ideals

Males like to very muscular for their race. They do this by swimming as much as they can.
Females want themselves to be flexible and sleek. Most do stretching routines daily to accomplish this.

Gender Ideals

Males and females have a strict set of ideals. You are either male or female, breaking this tradition is a taboo. Individuals that want to be something their not is something they do not share with others of their race and tend to pursue interracial relationships.

Courtship Ideals

Males tend to show off feats of swimming or strength to females. They might also display their wealth as well. Females are not allowed to court, but will chose based on their own preferences which tend to be more physical.

Relationship Ideals

Relationships are not usually long lasting. It's common to have multiple serious relationships in the same year which last for a few months before moving on to a new partner. Any children produced through these relationships stay with either the father or mother depending on the situation. Splitting of siblings is common.

Average Technological Level

They have been been an advanced race. Their sailings technology is above all others and many cultures look to them for sailing advice.

Common Etiquette Rules

Hugging is very common greeting with strange and friends alike, but only people of the same sex. Opposite sex greetings are shaking of each other's hands.

Common Dress Code

Males prefer to be shirt less if they are in some sort of water based job. otherwise they wear light shirts and shorts. Females wear long skirts and a light shirt when on land, but on a ship they would wear light leggings instead of the skirt.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Tradition and peace are staple otterun traditions. Sadly, "peace" has been a lost art for some time ever since they lost their homeland. However, tradition has stayed strong. Their culture hasn't changed in centuries which is impressive. Family for example has changed greatly. Instead of blood relatives, their family is their shipmates, the people who live with them on the same ship. Their sense of community of love has kept them together even through the toughest of times.

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

Festival of the Winds

This is considered one of the few traditions added to their original set. Ever since their expulsion to sea, they created a new festival to celebrate marine life, sailing, and family.

Trials of the Sea

A competition that tests three skills: sailing, water magic, and celestial star gazing. These three skills are test among a pool of young adults with them all trying to obtain the title of The Celestial Shark.

Flower Wreaths

When a otterun female becomes pregnant, her sisters would weave a wreath that she would where to announce her pregnancy. Typically worn about half way through the pregnancy.

Common Taboos

Breaking tradition is among the highest ways of offending and otterun.

History

The Marshland Wars

During the collapse of the old empires, the otteruns were just establishing themselves as one of the first new kingdoms out in this area of history. It is unknown how they came about, but they did have a close neighbor which suggests a connection that the Carawands spawn intelligence. Their neighbours were the Wolvan people. During the initial growth between their two species grew tense quickly. Due to their inherit cultural and physiological differences, conflict was inevitable. The marsh land was their home and they were not going to lose it, no matter the cost. They wanted nothing else but to live on their land in peace. The wolvan tribes struck first with a multiple stage raid on the otterun tribes that were settled in the marshlands. The first stage was to harass the local population until the tribes either held their ground of fled. The otterun stayed. This was their home for hundreds of years. Documents from the time of The War of Despair even suggest their people were living there. Live was hard, but no harder then the times past. Stage two was to target their agriculture. Within months their food supplies were demolished and their supplies from other tribes were destroyed. The otteruns couldn't live without food and they wanted to live in peace, they banded together in hopes to push back this new threat. Unknowingly, they fell straight into a trap. Finally, the wolvans enacted stage three, to stage a full scale attack on the preparing otterun mega tribe. The otteruns had planned out their predictable raiding periods, but the wolvan used that to their advantage. The battle known as the Battle of Hornwind. It lasted three days with the wolvans coming out victorious. With many otterun either dead or enslaved, the remaining fled south to prepare for an inevitable battle that will come to them.

The Taegalian Slaughter

The otteruns already had their government, the Taegalian Pact, a conglomerate of smaller states that pledged themselves together under oath. The state of Carae Wandla fell to the wolvans menace. The citizens were welcomed into open arms into the other states. They together knew that they could not stand for this tragedy. The capital of Starhaven began to make preparations for for a massive scale war. A war they could fight on their own terms.

by Kobb

The wolvans began using the main river that divided the march called Pellobrook. The Pellobrook river was the main way to move goods down the marsh without going through it. The otteruns knew this. The wolvans have never faced naval combat and a two pronged assault, one form land and one from sea would break their lines in an instant. With a brand new fleet at their disposal, they brought it north to contest the opening of the river and the river itself. With their smart ship design. many could navigate the river and ocean without running ashore or capsizing. The wolvans, without any preparation to fight in the sea, their supplies slowly began to be drained. The otteruns had them in their grasp, but they failed to examine wolvan strong pack tactics. The wolvansleft the cities they assaulted to head south into the heartland of the otteruns. The otteruns were ready, but not the extent that came. When the force arrived, several battles took place between their lands. Many died on both sides, but the wolvans had the skill and numbers. The otteruns plan to fight them on their terms failed. The wolvans pushed forward until only a few towns remained. Fearing total annihilation, they called back their fleets, who had taken a few wolvan cities, back home. The menace killed their entire army and any who opposed them. The remaining people fled to their capital city to wait for their fleet. However, by the time they returned the final assault had already began. Once they arrived all the civilians board the ships and sailed away just as the wolvans breached the city and proceed to burn it to the ground. Their people who never set foot on land for many years.

Isolation at Sea

The other races would have died out on those ships, but the otteruns were masters of the sea and wind. There was few things that could defeat them. That is what they believed, until half of their population died from starvation and dehydration. All the neighbouring coastal nations push them away. With not place to settle they were trapped at sea. It wouldn't be till the started to raid the passing tarde ships that they began to stabilize as the Taegalian Pact, but the Great Ocean Fleet. The unstoppable force throughout the gulf. They became, so powerful that the Imperium was the first country to begin diplomatic relations to recognize them as a nation of pirates instead of refugees. This was a lukewarm success because they wanted land not "recognition."
This new relationship allowed them to trade their newly stolen good with the Imperium for land based goods. However, the trade was typically unfair with the Imperium marking up the prices to double their actual worth. These unfair transactions would last only for a few months. The new pirate empire would just steal more goods, to "balance out the books."
A second treaty would be discussed 2698 S to prevent more of these pirates from attacking. The deal would be debated for two years before the otteruns were given what they wanted. Their naval pressure had grown to the point of that their ships number more the the next three navies combined. They were given a bounty of new years every ten years and chests of gold along with better trades. While they didn't gain the land, they did give power. Within the next hundreds years, they became the massive trade empire. An empire to begin their revenge.

The Exotic Fleet

When the Orcs had their economic and cultural revolution, it wasn't long before they approached the otteruns with a deal. Land access for sea trade. The deal known as The Geographic Trade, was accepted within a few days of debate. The two quickly began great allies. They dominated global trade, decimating all other countries economies due to their business might.
The otteruns finally had their revenge with completely bankrupting the wolvan people. In many cases, otterans would buy out their old lands, sealing the wolvan's fate. However, the Imperium force their Orc partners into a trade deal known as the Free Peoples Trade Agreement which stopped the decimation of the wolvan economy.
However, their power is already set. Goods travel all over now good through otterun eyes first.

Common Myths and Legends

The Sea Goddess

Legend states that a great serpent of the sea rose out of the ocean in their time of need and saved them from all being killed in a massive storm. It's said that someday she will return to drown the heathens on the mainland.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

They are loyal friends and companions to many of the races, but not all. The races find them likable and friendly. While they seem charismatic, it's more of a natural bond then anything.

Primiary

Human - Their arrogance thinking that "everyone should work together under the Imperium," is all blabber. All they want is power and when other have it well... they get mighty jealous.
Wolvan - Dispicable creatures. They took our home, land, family, and peace away from us. They will regret those awful years.
Narigita - Just as despicable as the humans. We're glad they were put under the thumb of the humans.

Secondary

Dwarf - We have had no disagreements with them.
Orc - They are the only people who wished to help us. If only there were more kind people out there.
Griffirca - Thier ability to sail through the air makes us jealous. We hope ot improve out relationship with them.

Tertiary

Fexian - Another race to be bully by another, at least they retained their homeland and eventually freedom.
Lormoors - Their troubles are our troubles. We hope they find a new home unlike us.
Melfloor - Rocks sinks. They should be careful, land is all they have, and many races would exploit that.

Such a sad history these people have gone through. Maybe it was for the best though..."

— Archivist Renna

Scientific Name

Homo Ictis Sapien

Lifespan

55 years

Average Height

Male: 5'3'' - 5' 8''
Female: 5'2'' - 5' 7''

Average Weight

110 lbs

Average Physique

Their physique is weaker than humans, but extremely dexterous. Under the Glenhook Scale 4/10

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Their used to be shades of brown, but lately they have been getting more shades of grey in their fur as well.