Abyssal
In the abyssal plains and rift valleys at the bottom of the Torvalen Sea live those ulanids known as the abyssal ulan, or simply 'abyssals'. Their physical structure is similar to that of the coastal ulan, but with significant differences. They are twice the size of their shallow water cousins. They have dark grey skin with bioluminescent markings. They can control this bioluminescence much like the coastal ulan control their color patterns with their chromatophores, instead using opening and closing photophores that glow in different fluorescent colors. This bioluminescence comes in red, yellow, green, blue, pink and purple. The venom of abyssals is stronger than that of the coastal ulan, and is more varied in function.
All information regarding abyssals is that gleaned from the ulan, who have been reluctant to discuss these matters with surface races. Most ulan believe that it is a private matter and of no concern to land dwellers. Persistence as well as recent developments have yielded some knowledge of abyssal life aside from their basic physiology. The abyssals live in communities in undersea caverns and lava tubes in the volcanic rift valleys. These communities glow with a faint purple luminescence made by microscopic organisms that tend to live around abyssals. In their valleys, they subsist mainly on cultivated giant tube worms and herds of albino crabs which they raise in confined pens near hydrothermal vents, either natural or artificial. The tube worms feed on bacteria that grow around the vents and the crabs feed on other larger micro-organisms as well as detritus that comes from dead organisms sinking from the surface. Abyssals grow and maintain these farms by supplementing these natural food sources with scavenged organic matter found on scavenging missions. This task is performed by low ranking abyssals as well as by captured coastal ulan. These captured ulan are envenomated with venom that changes their physiology so that they cannot survive for long in shallow water. It also confuses and weakens their minds so that they become dependent on the abyssals and cannot plan effectively for escape. Defending communes from these raids is one of the main duties of the Deep Watchers.
The abyssals are governed by queens who control territories called demenses. Within these demenses is a system of obligation and slavery where hierarchy is determined by the number of slaves or underlords and the wealth they generate, as well as the ability to defend that wealth. Abyssals play a complex game of trade, alliances and fealty that is entirely calculated and open, with no pretense of loyalty or morality recognizable to the other peoples of Torvalen. It is a matriarchy where adult females trade males and male eggs. These fertilized eggs can be enhanced or degraded by different venoms, depending on the needs of the females to create warriors, farmers or scavengers, none of which are capable of breeding and have much reduced life spans. Unfertilized eggs, as well as elderly offspring are also consumed as delicacies. Some female eggs are allowed to grow naturally when they have been found through examination to be particularly promising. These offspring are used as managers of farms, intermediaries between other abyssals, or as raid leaders. If they survive to grow in sufficient power and resources, most eventually kill their mother and take over their power structure. Others attempt to escape with fertilized eggs to found new demesnes.
Recently, since the arrival of the Eshtem and the greatly increased intercontinental trade, there have been more shipwrecks that have come to settle near abyssal ulan communities. These are a rich source of organic material for farms, and offer unique objects to be used or traded. An appetite for this new source of wealth has led some abyssals, especially those near the continental slopes, to actively seek out and destroy vessels, usually employing nagathi raiders and pirates. The coastal ulan have reported this development through emissaries to the authorities of various nations of this development. They say that the Deep Watchers have tried to defend against these attacks, but they are few and have shared the knowledge of the abyssals and their dangers in hopes of making the surface dwellers more wary and to provide what aid they can, to keep the abyssals from growing in power and boldness.
Abyssals possess little in the way of spirituality. They believe there is nothing more important than their individual existence. However they know as well that there is a power in their world greater than themselves, and that is Shining-Black, telluric spirit of the abyss. Shining-Black is the vast ecosystem upon which the Abyssals depend for shelter and sustenance. It is shown worship by parboiling sacrifices in volcanic rifts, where slaves are weighted down with stones, painted with phosphorescent sigils and thrown in.
Abyssal queens are also religious leaders, as none would suffer others to have that honor. But religious duties are carried out by their naturally grown offspring. Shining Black’s telluric minions can be called upon by abyssal priests and some are born with the ability to commune on a deep level with it. These abyssals are highly prized. Some however, wish to have no affiliation with a demesne and leave to live alone in the vast depths to wander the black and commune with it. A few of these rogues have made contact with ulan amas and have been known to act as spies and informants for them in the depths.
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