Biology
Anatomy and Physiology
Vedalkens share many traits with the other common species on Ravnica. They are bipedal consisting of two legs, torso, two arms, neck, and head. Vedalkens lack any external ears and have flatter, broader noses compared to other species. They are completely hairless and appear in varying shades of blue, teal, and purple skin colors. The sides of their chest contain gills which allow them to breath underwater, but over time these gills have become underdeveloped and only allow them to breath underwater for a short period of time, usually about for about an hour. They can also absorb water through their skin and can go many days without actually drinking fluids.
Vedalkens are typically taller but have less muscle mass than other speices. It is rare to see a vedalken in any position with physical demands, and even rarer to encounter one who fights using conventional weapons instead of magic or technology.
Life Cycle and Sexuality
Vedalken have fully functioning sexual organs until about the age of 200. Vedalken pregnancy lasts much longer than any other species, a female will typically carry a child for nearly 2 years until she goes into labor. This longer pregnancy means that vedalken children are more developed than other species and require less attention. A vedalken child is fully capable of caring for itself two years after birth and is far more capable of advanced learning than other children of similar species. Vedalkens go through puberty much later at about the age of 20 and the only consider themelves to be full adults at the age of 25.
Vedalkens have a very long lifespan with the average life excepectancy to reach nearly 350 years of age. However, due to longer pregnancies and delayed puberty, vedalkens have a smaller population compared to the other races.
Diet
Vedalken are ominvored, but will naturally enjoy a seafood diet when given the choice. They can consume much more salt than other species and have a higher tolerance to raw foods.
History
Vedalken's have a more shrouded history than others. At some point in time they lived near or in the oceans and had very little if any contact with the other emerging races. Because of this any artifacts or recorded history is virtually impossible to find from their cultures until they began to integrate into other societies. Many human and dwarf histories depict them as valuable assets to their empires. Brilliant inventors and tactitians, though very rarely ever put into positions of greater power.
Modern vedalken are a regular occurance in Ravnica and as history suggested they are mostly seen as inventors and engineers, administrators and bookkeepers.
Society and Culture
Vedalkens have a much more muted sense of empathy and emotion. They are naturally more intelligent than other species and gravitate towards the sciences in the cultures they are a part of. Vedalken culture is centered around learning and advancing the boundries of knowledge. While they may not have strong emotions, they do have a deep passion for their work. Due to their cold nature, vedalken tend to keep to themselves, but it's not impossible for them to form bonds with other species.
Because of their logical nature, Vedalken almost exclusivly follow the tenets of Blue Mana. The
Simic Combine are where the majority of vedalken are seen, with many others joining the
Izzet League and the
Azorius Senate.
Simic Vedalken
Vedalken who are a part of the Simic Combine enjoy experimenting and advancing biological sciences. It's not unusual to see a Simic vedalken have fully developed gills or an extra pair of arms. They continuously push the boundries of science, though this does come with its drawbacks. Their underdeveloped emotions can see them conduct experiments on unwilling participants, or to cunduct very uneithical experiments with the willing. Many different experiments and inventions have resulted in deaths and destruction, which has caused the Azorius to attempt to regulate the guild to rather ineffective results. While many cures and experiments have led to great outcomes, an almost equal amount of invented viruses and monsters have caused terrible consequences.
Izzet Vedalken
Vedalken that join the Izzet are almost exclusivly inventors and scientists. Most technological advancments in Ravnica can be traced back to a vedalken who created it. Like the Simic however, many vedalken have created very dangerous and outright irrisponsible things over the years. Weapons and bombs have been the result of a vedalken who otherwise may have not created had they had a better empathetic capacity. The Azorius too have attempted to push regulations on the Izzet to varying degrees of success, though underground work would continue regardless.
Azorius Vedalken
The Azorius have seen a fair share of vedalken members. Vedalkens who join this guild are mostly seen in administration, beurocracy and lawmaking. These vedalken are capable of much less mayhem than their Izzet and Simic peers, but lawmakers can push legislation that may be seen as helpful or a hinderence to the population, despite how logical it may seem.
Language
Vedalken is the language spoken by the these people. It is one of the most efficient languages spoken in Ravnica, though many consider it to be the most boring. It carries almost no accent and most words is short and consise. Some call it the language of mathmatics.
Religions
Although gods in Ravnica are objectivly real and present, there are few vedalken who see the point in worship. Most of these people are non-religious, not atheistic. Those who do seek to worship a god find themselves in the dominion of
Thassa, God of the Sea or
Kruphix, God of Horizons.
Inter-species relations
Vedalken are mostlly recluse and keep to their studies and work. Making friends with a vedalken is definitely possible, but they view friendship as more of logical benefit than an emotional one. If you don't really have much to mutually offer then they likely won't see you as a friend. Because of this and their initial cold-like presentation, many other races don't tend to find themselves in the company of a vedalken, or even choose to seek it. Vedalken don't tend to mind this and they certainly don't mean to cause any offense or ill-till towards anyone. Even with muted emotions, vedalken are still entirely capable of forming a deep bond with someone, and these bonds are typically the strongest.
Comments