Psaah

The Psaah (plural Psaah'ur, Suran: Rannis) are an amphibious quadruped species native to the tropical equator of Macalgra. Psaah have been domesticated and are popular household pets among Aeondra and some human communities, especially mages. They have been prized for thousands of years; variously worshiped, hunted or detested by various communities. The earliest archeological record of sapients and Psaah coexistence are from Refhen, where the bones of Psaah have been found entombed in status equal to clan leaders.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Psaah possess a thin, moist skin that covers their body. They can undertake Cutaneous respiration through their skin but also have fully developed lungs and oral airways. Glands in their skin secrete mucus to protect their skin from drying out, but even with this mechanism their vulnerability to dry climates leaves them constrained to humid tropics.
Juvenile Psaah are similar to tadpoles. They are small, limbless and possess gills, being totally water bound. They develop lungs in adolescence.
Adult Psaah are quadruped plantigrades, walking with the metatarsal and toes (of which they have three) flat to the ground. They have an oval skull, with small sheering teeth in the forefront of their mouth and a larger number of crushing molars adapted to feeding on vegetable matter.
Psaah possess extremely muscular prehensile tails, flattening to a small heart shaped flap. Extensions of their vertebrate present as back sail connected by a blood filled membrane, which is brightly pigmented. This sail allows temperature regulation.

Biological Traits

Psaah are not sexually dimorphic. A number of colour variations are found, as well as variations in the size of their back sails. Average individuals live to at least 600 years old.
Two subspecies of Psaah exist; Meos Psaah and Pascenti Psaah. Meos Psaah measure 60-70cm in height at shoulder, and 75-85cm long from shoulder to hip, having undergone the beginnings of island dwarfism. The Pascent Psaah are larger, standing from 70cm to 80cm, with a slightly longer body than their Meoscosuins, 85-95cm from hips to shoulders.

Genetics and Reproduction

Male Psaah deposit a Spermatophore into water, which the female then picks up. Females may store this for several months until hormone production is stimulated, usually by the wet season. The female will lay several large eggs in an area of protected water, usually within reeds, and guard them until they hatch a month later.

Growth Rate & Stages

Psaah hatch as a tadpole, limbless and possessed of gills. They are entirely waterbound as they grow, feeding on small insects and algae, under the guard of their mother. They progressively develop limbs, lungs and other adult organs over six months, until they are around half the size of an adult, with small, stubby limbs that are best suited to swimming and limited mobility, and more cartilage than bones. A Psaah can continue to live in this state for years, and if terrestrial conditions are too dry will continue do so until a drought breaks. Upon correct conditions, hormone production rises, beginning their metamorphism into adults. Over two months, bones calcify and their limbs, including tail, extend. They gain their back sails and most other adult features, until they are fully capable of terrestrial life.

Ecology and Habitats

The native habitat of Psaah closely mirrors their food source, the Sfir and Wkir plants. They are most commonly found close to marshes, shallow estuaries, and riverbanks. They require both a plentiful supply of Sfir or Wkir plants, a humid climate that prevents their skin drying too quickly, and plentiful supplies of water. Psaah naturally build dens in reeds, the roots of waterside trees, or they may also dig tunnels in riverbanks.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Psaah primarily eat the Sfir plant, which grows along waterways in most of Pascent, and the distantly related Wkir plant in Sura. Both plants are small, leafy semi-aquatics that grow in shallow waters and at the edge of rivers. Psaah graze on their fibrous leaves and nutritious flowers. Sfir and Wkir are naturally highly toxic, collecting Aether, the high concentrations of which are highly toxic to mostanimals. The Psaah have evolved the ability to metabolise Aether, giving Psaah unusually high concentrations of Aether.

Biological Cycle

Psaah's diet leads to their unusually large Animus; the plants they consume collect Aether that turns them toxic to most animals, but Psaah metabolise Aether and progressively absorb it into their Animus. Upon death, most Psaah reincarnate as mortals with fully awakened Souls. Psaah can live up to six hundred years, and in domestic situations are generally venerated family patrons.

Additional Information

Domestication

by AetherSomerset

Psaah are widely domesticated, having been first domesticated by the Aeondra perhaps more than ten thousand years ago. They serve as companion animals and may have originally been used for hunting of aquatic mammals or fish, trained to herd them into the nets of Aeondran hunters.

Their long timespans has given them a position of reverence in Aeondran society, and in the Second Millennium the discovery of their usual reincarnation into mortals further cemented the sacred position they hold. Aeondran largely believe they were all once Psaah, and magical scholars theorise that a certain level of truth may be found in this.

A Psaah is usually a familial instead of individual pet. They are handed down in a family, with their care usually given to the family priest. Psaah are believed to protect a family from evil spirits, and guard the dreams of children, so they traditionally sleep in Aeodran nurseries. The traditional Aeondran punishment for purposefully harming a Psaah is death.
Outside of Meos Soaer, they are popular pets among the mages of Juventius and other Pascenti kingdoms. Their unusual diet initially led to much academic curiosity, and during this study Juventian mages discovered their suitability as pets. Most notable mage families in Pascent own a Psaah.
Domestic Psaah may be larger than wild Psaah, and come in a greater range of colour variations. Outside Aeondra they remain the pet of the wealthy, for the facilities needed to accommodate their semi-aquatic nature are expensive and sizeable.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Psaah have historically been butchered for their high magic content and used in traditional medicines in Liang. They however are extremely toxic to humans, with the the toxins building up in the body of the consumer over years, leading to an eventual wasting death. The discovery of this has discouraged their hunting since.
The Ysefin have taken to the habit of killing Psaah in the past hundred years, believing them corrupted by magic - part of their wider superstitions against magic.

Facial characteristics

Psaah have lipless mouths, and webbed flaps to cover their small internal ears, which can be pulled back to seal their ears against water when swimming. Their head is largely oval, with a curved forehead, and long neck. Their back sails finish midway down their forehead. Psaah eyes are large and have no discernible pupil or iris, being entirely black, dark green or dark blue or brown.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Psaah are native to the equator of Macalgra, primarily Pascent and the island of Meos Soaer off its coast. They have been introduced to Sura, Victellus and Lissimo as domestic animals.

Average Intelligence

Psaah are relatively intelligent, though they are often anthromorphised by humans for their apparent empathy, and attributed higher intelligence than is truly innate. However, they display problem solving abilities, long term memory and have a proven ability to recognise humans and other Psaah.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Psaah have excellent vision, with the ability to perceive colour at far lower light levels than most species, due to green rods in the eye, and extending into the ultra-violent range. They have limited sense of smell, though are capable of a level of scent detection. A muscle that runs from the ear cavity to the pectoral is held tense when Psaah are alert, detecting vibrations carried up the forelimbs and passing them to the ear to detect approaching predators.
Psaah have limited vocalisation capabilities, though it is capable of a high squeak caused by contracting throat muscles suddenly.

by XanthussMarduk

Scientific Name

Avelian Psaah

Lifespan

600 years

Average Height

60-80cm

Average Weight

30-45kg

Average Length

75-95cm

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Psaah colourations can vary widely. They are most commonly pale green, with a yellow back sail, and blue chest and rump markings. However they vary in shade from nearly white to a dark moss green, and can also be found in shades of brown as well as a black mutant variation.