Nuwaigans
Semiaquatic pacifists of Mauwairi’s oceans and coasts
Overview
Nuwaigans are one of the two sapient species native to Mauwairi. They're renowned in their area of the galaxy for being the most advanced bioengineers around, although they’ve flown under the radar for a surprisingly long time. This is because they don’t have a high energy output that’d show up on a scanner due to their lack of mechanical tech. Nuwaigans are quite sensitive to imbalances in their environment, which led them to pursue bioengineering instead of more traditional technology, as mining and processing metal is quite damaging to the environment and difficult to pull off for a mainly water-based species. Interplanetary relations with them have actually only been established quite recently, within the last 50 years or so. Working Nuwaigan translators are a new invention, having only been invented in the last decade. Earlier communication wasn’t smooth, but they were able to overcome the language barriers by utilizing SoulSong (which is discussed later in this article).Basic Information (Biology)
Anatomy
Nuwaigans are extremely variable between Lineages, but generally speaking, they have a long, sleek body (most of which is tail) two arms with four fingers that are often folded against their chest, and a pair of large limbs growing from their backs that usually resemble wings or fins, but can also look more like an extra pair of arms. They lack back legs, instead using their finwings to walk. They also have a multitude of thin, retractable tendrils that sprout from their sides and shoulders, and spiracles on their necks. Said spiracles can be used to breathe both air and water. Their faces are relatively flat, with four big eyes and split jaws that house a long, feathery tongue. They also possess a bulbous crest on their forehead that functions as their means of speaking. It’s a complex structure of hollow chambers and air sacs, somewhat comparable to cetaceans and some dinosaurs.Senses and Laut’himau
Nuwaigans have a total of six senses. The five we are familiar with (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch) are mostly comparable to humans, with the exception of sight, which is more like a cat’s. They can see very well in the dark, and have very clear long distance and short distance vision. Their sixth sense comes in the form of their tendrils, which function primarily as feelers and can detect things such as vibrations, air/water pressure differences, and subtle electric charges, similar to the lateral lines of earth fish. However, unlike most lateral lines, these tendrils can also deliver small electric pulses. It’s not terribly strong, at about the same intensity as a static shock at its strongest, and on the same level as the electric signals between neurons on the weaker end. With training, this can be honed to be incredibly precise, giving the individual the ability to induce emotions or even thoughts in others by touching them with their tendrils. This makes them able to ground or calm those who are agitated or upset, and communicate with a limited form of telepathy with just about any living creature (also works with plants and fungi since they also use bioelectricity, but as they don't exactly have a nervous system, its a bit trickier). The ability is treated as another language, referred to as Laut’himau. (i will make another article that goes into more detail on this)Lineages (subspecies)
Nuwaigans, like many other sentient species, have a variety of different subtypes and cultures depending on where they live. Specifically, Nuwaigans have 8 distinct lineages, with their own values and traits. Hybrids are also not uncommon. (i will link them here once they get their own articles)Additional Information (Biology)
Diet
Nuwaigans are omnivores, and primarily eat fruits, nectars, and fish. Due to the structure of their mouths, they have difficulty with properly chewing, so their cusine is based mostly on soft foods, liquids, small pieces that can be swallowed whole, and foods that can be easily crushed with their tongue against the roof of their mouth. Some lineages, such as FastFins, have sharp serrations on the edge of their mouthplates that can be used like rudimentary teeth for tearing things like meat, but even they would prefer to cut their fish into very small pieces, or cook them until they're tender enough to melt in the mouth. These unique limitations come from their ancestry, as they're evolved from polinators of aquatic plants.Reproduction and Genetics
Nuwaigans are hermaphrodites, able to reproduce without a partner and with little to no concept of gender or sex. (NOTE, I am not completely set on the following information and it is extremely subject to change) They lay large, translucent eggs with extremely elastic shells that take about a month to develop inside their body, and another month for the embryo to grow and hatch once the egg is fertilized. The individual who laid the egg can either fertilize it themselves, or in instances where they have a partner (or partners), their partner(s) can fertilize the egg. This is how most hybrid Nuwaigans come into existence. In ancient times, Nuwaigans would automatically lay eggs at a specific time of the year if food was plentiful. However, as they became more advanced, this became more of a nuisance than anything else, as creating an egg is a huge expenditure of energy and can often have unpleasant side effects, even if it is never fertilized, so they use genetic engineering to change the glands that produce the hormones responsible. Now, instead of being triggered by an internal calendar, it remains inactive until the Nuwaigan in question consumes a specific chemical compound, found only in a few specific herbs engineered for this purpose. If a Nuwaigan decides they want a child, they’ll eat the herb.Life Stages
After hatching, newborn Nuwaigans lack arms, have very skinny tails, and still have their yolk attached to their chests. For most of their first year, their yolk will slowly diminish as it's used up in growing the arms, which develop under the skin until they're revealed when the youngling turns a year old and has their first shed. Where the yolk was/where the srms were growing will leave a permanent divot in their chest, right under their collarbone, where their arms happen to fit perfectly if they fold them against their chest. They often take advantage of this when they're swimming, as it helps make them more hydrodynamic. Many Nuwaigans will also retain a slightly bent arm position while on land simply out of habit. After the first shed, younglings gradually grow in size and build muscle mass (especially in their tails and finwings). Development shows to a halt at about age 20 (~24 in earth years). They live for about 80 Mauwairian years (~103 earth years)
Shedding
They shed their skin once a year on the anniversary of their hatching, This continues throughout their whole lives. The sheds are not quite in one piece like snakes, but are more comparable to how whales shed. Nuwaigans tend to spend more time than usual underwater and around sources of heat around their sheds, as it helps to loosen the dead layer of skin. Their colors will also be at their dullest right before a shed, and at their brightest directly after. Most Nuwaigans have rough posts (usually made of living wood with the bark still on, coral, or rock) in their homes to help with the process.
Lifespan
80 Mauwairian years (103 human years)
Average Height
Varies by Lineage
Average Weight
Varies by Lineage
Average Length
Varies by Lineage (more specific figures coming eventually)
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