Kavrillian (Kav-RILL-ee-un)
The sentient residents of Kavrillia are humanoid, but definitely not human.
by Katie Sullivan
Basic Information
Anatomy
Kavrillian skin ranges from grass green to deep aqua and every shade in between.
They have the basic humanoid arrangement of two eyes, a mouth, two legs and two arms, and they do possess opposable thumbs, but in the place of fingers they have a flexible pad capable of precise manipulation.
The structure of their heads is somewhat similar to a salamander’s, with a round snout and slits for nostrils.
Kavrillians only grow hair on their heads and pubic regions. They cannot grow facial hair.
Genetics and Reproduction
The Kavrillian gestation period lasts around eleven months, usually producing a single offspring. Twins or triplets are not unheard of, but quite rare, occurring in only one out of four hundred births.
A small percentage of the population has Kretavin's Syndrome, which makes conception difficult at best and often impossible.
Growth Rate & Stages
Although cultural differences exist, a Kavrillian is generally considered an adult around age 18.
Ecology and Habitats
Kavrillians' evolutionary ancestors were amphibious, and they still feel a special connection to the water. They tend to settle near water and rarely have large cities that aren't touched by a lake, river, inlet, bay, sea, or ocean. Swimming is an almost universally popular leisure activity and a common form of exercise. Both Lanarians and Vincarans incorporate water in their religious practices.
Additional Information
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Kavrillians have settled the entire planet except for the polar regions. They tolerate high heat more easily than bitter cold.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
They have reasonably sharp hearing despite the lack of external ears.
Two delicate antennae reminiscent of a butterfly’s sprout from the top of their heads to aid in spatial awareness and sensing the presence of others. Kavrillians can use their antennae to know who has entered a room without looking, and to find their family members in crowds. These appendages are stronger than they look and will even grow back if an accident occurs.
Antennae movement is also an important part of Kavrillian body language. They may droop in sadness or disappointment, raise slightly when smug, raise higher in alarm, or grow stiff with anger. These movements are largely involuntary, especially for children, although adults can usually gain limited control to make deception easier.
In rare cases a child can develop a nervous twitch in one or both antennae, which fades as they physically mature. (See Prince Xeebec for an example.)
Civilization and Culture
Major Organizations
Average Technological Level
See the Technology of Kavrillia.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
All Kavrillian languages make frequent use of K, V, and Z sounds reminiscent of the sharp clicking and buzzing noises their evolutionary ancestors made both above and below water.
The Melzeen language was spoken by Lanarian nobility from ancient times up until the invention of sonar and the age of exploraiton made commoners more influential. It slowly fell out of fashion, and in modern times mainly survives in classical texts. Most nobles still learn it in school, but few retain it.
The Lanarish language began as a dialect of Melzeen spoken by the common people. Today it is spoken by all Lanarians, but regional accents are very much present. The languages spoken by the colonies before Melsar's conquest are all but extinct, surviving only in academic settings.
The Vancor language spoken by Vincarans today is a conglomeration of several original dialects. As Lanarian disease greatly reduced Vincaran population and Lanarian rulers discouraged the use of other languages, the survivors began to rely on a pidgin tongue that was understandable to all. Even today, many Vincarans speak Lanarish in their day-to-day lives and only use Vancor for religious and ceremonial purposes.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
The Lanarian Empire encompasses a variety of ethnicities, but in the millennia since Melsar the Conqueror united them under his banner these divisions have become less pronounced. Citizens are Lanarian first and foremost, and Surelian, Narentian, etc. second. The only exception is the people of Aurillia and Alnashia, who, as the last to join the Empire, stubbornly cling to a distinct sense of identity. Regardless of geographic origin, the unifying feature of all Lanarians is their brown hair. Shades and textures may vary, but brown hair is universal.
The Vancorran (now Vincaran) people, on the other hand, all have black hair, visually setting them apart from their neighbors. Their eyes are very dark brown or black, and are slightly larger--not a significant amount numerically, but just enough to seem "off" to Lanarians.
Before conquest, the Vancorran people were just as varied as Lanarians, with different cultural groups in the north-eastern jungles, the south-eastern riverlands, the various islands, and the south and south-eastern mountains. These distinctions were all but lost with the fall of their civilization; modern Vincarans rarely consider--or are even aware of--which area their ancestors hailed from.
History
Millions of years ago, when sea level was lower and the equatorial islands were surrounded by vast swamps instead of oceans, an amphibious creature began on an evolutionary path that eventually led to modern Kavrillians.
These proto-Kavrillians were omnivores, subsisting primarily on fruit and fish, but also dining on whatever they happened across: eggs, carrion, leafy greens, insects, rodents, etc.
They lived in the shallow fens, where they could remain safely submerged and raise their antennae out of the water to sense for predators.
Over the eons, these creatures evolved to be larger, bipedal, have opposable thumbs, and gain sentience.
Lower sea levels in ancient times meant that the earliest traces of Kavrillian civilization are lost beneath the waves. It is believed the area that is now the Wythora Sea was once a vast network of fens, swamps and lowlands inhabited by hunter-gatherers. As sea level rose, some migrated north into Lanaria and some headed south into Vancorra. Over the thousands of years since, the two continents were completely separated, and the groups evolved into Lanarians and Vancorrans, respectively. Occasionally the remnants of a building or ship will be uncovered in lands bordering the Wythora Sea that dates back to this limnal time, but the first true civilizations arose much later.
by Katie Sullivan
Lifespan
90
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Lanarians have a variety of skin colors, from light yellowish-green to dark turquoise. Vincarans are more homogeneous, usually displaying shades of grass green to jade.
Related Organizations
Related Myths
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