Onpa (On-pah)

Summary

Veltrona's many mountains range from the quaint to the supermassive, stretching high enough to pierce even into the Heavens above. It is the latter of these so-called 'divine mountains' all over Veltrona that the wind-aspected onpa live upon, from Sa-kemet to Nerzin. Physically powerful giants, the onpa tamed the wildly treacherous and exotic terrain, fashioning great cities upon cliffs, plateaus, secret valleys, and even into the veltron itself. The richness of the lands ever provided for them and others, thanks to the ridiculous abundance of mana in the divine mountains.
In fact, that same abundance is why many dragon lineages, and those deeply interested in magic like the baarham, often lived within or upon a divine mountain themselves. The reclusive onpa, who never had much reason to leave, invariably collided with these other peoples. Among them most of all were the dragons, who normally found anyone else on 'their' lands to be intrusive. The dragons and onpa, however, soon discovered outright conflict would be too destructive.
Both sides eventually agreed to disagree, and largely sequestered away from each other. The onpa's willingness to mine and lumber, however, made them appealing trade partners for dragons–who saw such work as too menial to do themselves. In the end, they formed a functional if extremely cordial balance of trade that neither side ever wanted to disrupt.
Though their mountains provided much, the onpa are crafty folk, wishing to reshape the world around them. They studied the lands as they were, then changed them into astonishingly expansive gardens and natural parks. Or, so they called them; for many others, despite how beautiful such landscapes were, they remained filled with danger. The onpa weren't particular about removing deadly beasts, poisonous plants, or worse, for such things also had a place in their designs.
That the onpa themselves are generally powerful enough to not regard such things as a problem may or may not play a part in that world view.
Not possessing wings nor an easy form of travel has ever been an isolating force for the onpa. Combined with their high dietary needs, particularly the sheer amount of rich food they must consume, means they cannot survive in less-rich environments for long. Small groups of onpa are often the only ones to make the trek from their mountain homes, becoming both explorers and traders. The unexpected appearance of such powerful giant people often startled other species, and inspired no end of curiosity.
Gigantism itself is an interesting and complex topic, one that has appeared throughout nature in varying degrees. For many cultures, animals of tremendous size have naturally great power, and often connotations of divinity in some form. The idea of giant people inherited much of these pre-existing superstitions, even if they rarely–if ever–appeared in their own species. Some even took toward magical means to make themselves gigantic, a very ancient tradition that largely faded in time.
The sudden discovery of the onpa proved irresistably curious for these same cultures. Even if the onpa themselves are not inherently divine, they were often believed to be descended from divinity. That itself became a contentious matter, as some faiths believed a given mountain to be the land of the dead, or an afterlife of some kind. It helped that the onpa themselves never ascribed themselves as divine, or goddess-like for the most part. However, given the onpa's general seclusion at large and rare appearances, any time they did appear it always became a notable event.
No end of powerful people were interested in the onpa, either for their crafts or bloodlines. For the onpa at large, this meant a lot of privileged trading status and enjoyment of luxury goods offered up to earn their favor. In return, the onpa often traded away their exotic mountain wealth, be it in raw materials or finished goods. The former of which usually had the highest demand, as the onpa made onpa-sized things, after all. Those who tried attacking the onpa in turn discovered how insanely powerful, and vengeful in their destruction, they could be.
For many historians, the onpa are a curious thread in a large tapestry that usually ignores them. The likes of the Imperium and the Dominion both came and went without much involvement on the onpa's behalf. They weathered through the Great Darkness with remarkable ease, save those who died in the immediate vicinity of the World Gate explosion.
Their mythological airs, combined with their general seclusion, made onpa who did appear much more notable. Among them, one who etched a place in history throughout Aerthen, Lophern, and western Nerzin was Marrallaya the Savior. A particularly studious magical healer, Marrallaya had been born shortly before the end of the Great Darkness. Having learned to tend the many animals, plants, and even people of his land, he journeyed abroad when the skies cleared.
Marrallaya's knowledge and skills were passed on to many different people as he ventured across the lands. For those who'd lost their own methods in the great calamity, Marrallaya's gifts proved vital in saving countless lives. He himself aided even more, and so many descendants of his arts or those helped by him immortalized his insignia. It became a ubiquitous symbol for healing arts, and those who would give aide under selfless pretenses.
Many similar tales surround the onpa, both benign and not, all of them coming to color their relations with Veltrona's other denizens. It can make separating truth from fiction a troublesome thing, as such individualized accounts easily distort over the centuries.
Some people are even confused for being onpa outright, or at least associated with them because of unrelated gigantism. Still, the onpa have ever had a steady presence where they've been. History may not turn much of an eye upon them, but that suits them just fine. The building of a better world and an easy, prosperous life suits them well enough.

Basic Information

Anatomy

A bipedal humanoid species, with a head, torso, two arms, hips, and two legs. Their heads have two eyes, a nose, a mouth, two ears, and expansive hair in length and volume. The onpa are a gigantic species, nominally averaging around 20 feet (609cm) in height. Their average banding and sexual morphism, at most, may add or remove around 5 feet (152cm) as is typical of environmental variance.
Notably, onpa hybrids and anaxials grow to generally match the average size of their mother's species, with an emphasis toward 'larger'.
The onpa occupy an interesting niche in that they have traits of trees and rocks intermingled together. Their forearms and lower legs toughen into a bark-like skin, but not as completely or totally as the lauraume. The softer, fleshy/fatty portions of their body (e.g, the belly) tend to be glossy and smooth, resembling polished stone similar to the petrakin, but lack any blemishes or imperfections typical of rock.
The proportion of bark-like or polished-rock skin varies for each and every onpa, even within the same family or bloodline. The bark-like skin may extend up further on the limbs, or recede to a point of near invisibility, leaving only polished-rock skin. Different onpa cultures carry different notions of beauty and superstition about these proportions.
The onpa face is very human-like in shape and figure, though usually defined by strong and distinctive features. Their ears are also similar, though the tops are pointed and swept backward somewhat. The hair itself is much more varied and unusual in how it works. Hair fibers grow from the scalp very normally, until a certain length is achieved. Some of the hair then binds together, creating 'branches'. These branches then interweave with their other hair in sort of duality of both.
Depending on how the onpa style their hair, they can essentially create complex canopies, cascading waterfalls, and other elaborate forms of hair style. The branches actually grow leaves, flowers, and other plants off them, creating a micro-ecosystem. It is this hair of theirs that made many wonder if the onpa were directly related to the lauraume, but that has never been definitively proven.
The hair has some sensation, though not pain or pleasure as others understand. Like the whiskers on some beasts, or the air-sensing antenna of others, the onpa can sense the vibes of the wind passing through their hair. That said, they can cut, trim, and break their hair as they desire, though it can impair this sense to some degree. Some onpa who rely upon the information it provides grow and maintain their hair carefully as a result.
One notable side effect from having grown long, 'flowering' hair is that their bark skin tends to start flowering as well. If it does so, the different onpa cultures can regard it as having different meanings. Some attribute fertility and youthful vigor, others a supportive and endearing nature, and more still regard it like the seasons, and ritually cut off their hair when winter arrives.
Overall, the onpa otherwise embody human-like characteristics, such as five-fingered hands, five-toed feet, no tail/wings/etc. They are sexually dimorphic, with the females being fundamentally larger (in either height and/or physique). Females also have enlarged breasts and wider hips. Both, however, are usually quite muscular, with fattiness kept to a generally cut-and-trim standard.
Onpa skin colors range from the ashen grays/whites of mountain stone, to the rich browns of woodland forests. Their bark and polished skin are often two separate colors that contrast, though they can become the same tone in a form of albinism. Onpa often take on characteristics of their ancestral environment, so some bloodlines diverge by taking on unusual colors, like green, red, and gold. Their hair has the greatest potential variety, following along natural colors of Veltrona's many different wildernesses.
Those with metallic hair, in either color and/or texture, are generally seen as more special (or, in some cases, ostracized). Metal hair is considered a divine attribute in many onpa cultures, and so those who possess it are given special regard. It happens seemingly at complete random, so its emergence is itself a notable event.
Their eye colors occur in jewel-tones, and possess mild reflective properties in low-light conditions like any cut gem would. The sclera is traditionally white, though hybrids may exhibit different colors from their non-onpa parent. The iris' colors and patterns themselves are a form of central heterochromia, with darker colors next to the round pupil, and brighter ones on the outer rim. Both tend to be complimentary colors, though in uncommon cases they may be opposing. The two colors may coexist seamlessly, form interlocking waves/spikes, or even segment and layer like brickwork.

Biological Traits

Gigantic – Onpa are simply larger than most other sapient species, posing unique logistical challenges and livelihood concerns.
Wind-Aspected – Onpa are naturally aspected toward wind mana. In addition to allowing their gigantism to work reliably, it enables them to be speedier than their overall mass would normally allow. Ergo, just because they are giants does not mean they are slow.
High-Maintenance Physiology – The onpa require more food, rest, and self-care for their powerful bodies to function properly.
Super Strength – Onpa are naturally physically strong, able to achieve feats that are remarkable even with their relative gigantism taken into account.

Civilization and Culture

Relationship Ideals

Whether because of, or in spite of, their individualistic cultures, the onpa are strong romantics at heart. They particularly desire a lot of attention and care, not only as ones who can 'give' attention/care to a partner, but also as ones who can graciously 'receive' such things. While on the surface this makes some degree of sense, there's an inherent competitiveness to how the onpa do it. By going further in what they provide, an onpa elevates their own perceived value and social clout. It is a strange mixture of endearment, grand-standing, and self-serving interest that mixes together.
In some regards the courtship process can last decades, especially when more important or familial interests are involved. Since onpa usually have complex professional/working lives, slotting in partners into that equation can be troublesome to do. In some cases, marriages are needed to maintain the family or personal business, or even expand it. Failing to do so, or snubbing another onpa, can have dramatic collateral damage.
The seriousness involved with such a prospect is what helped engender more casual, or unattached, romantic encounters. Onpa would much more curiously entertain one another without the expectations of proper courtship. It became a form of recreation in itself, and the 'romantic service industry' as a whole is an enormous part of most onpa civilizations. It is something that makes them seem easily flirtatious, but also capricious and stingy to other species/cultures.
Their sentiments get along best with the likes of dragons and jiuweihu, despite the immense physical size differences. Many other species can find it hard to understand, or see the onpa behave in unflattering ways. Still, their willingness to do much for their partners, or to entertain their lovelies, is quite profound, and innumerable stories surround doing so. The onpa sense of loyalty and integrity is a profound thing, with some even willing to brave death on principle alone.
Onpa are generally monogamous, or at least establish a solidified marriage, with other partners kept 'out' of the contractual agreements. It allows for relatively clean and sane lines of succession, property inheritance, and the maintenance of the family lineage. Illegitimate children technically falls to that specific parent's responsibilities, but it isn't uncommon for married spouses to raise them together. In some cases, such children are actually quite desirable as they avoid a lot of legal inheritance problems associated with onpa families.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Owing to how long the onpa have lived alongside dragonkind, the two share quite a number of similarities. Prideful and individualistic, the onpa believe in the sanctity of themselves and each other. Given how low their population numbers tend to be, each onpa is of great import to their civilizations, and this invariably built an interesting foundation. Whereas dragons are free to fly wherever they wish, and can adapt to a number of environments, its much harder for the onpa to do so. While they're not 'locked in a box', the impetus to leave for other lands takes great pressure to realize.
What resulted from this often became highly ritualized cultures, emphasizing mechanisms of social responsibility and conflict resolution. In doing so, individual onpa had the means to assert their own independence and authority, while also working alongside greater concerns. In a very broad sense, their internal politics can resemble a loose form of ideological tribalism. It can appear like a democracy or republic, but without the complex nuance more numerous or shorter lived species require.
In fact, their models for doing so were something that interested a lot of dragons in the olden times. Scholars haven't discerned which of the two really built the first democratic forum, but such a model of government became a regular fixture for both. The likes of a 'queen' or 'king', if it did emerge, was more a result of immense societal respect and influential strength. A rigid monarchy, or divine right, as others saw such a role under never arose within the onpa.
Most onpa families, owing to their long lives, specialized in given fields over time. They established themselves as the owners or caretakers of certain ideas, and so built their names upon them. One common example is that of mining families, who have strong vertical integration: they mine the ores, process the materials, and sometimes do first stage production, like prepared alloys or semi-finished sheet metal. A good number of artisans even do the entire chain themselves, hand mining choice selections for the best possible results.
Their resulting businesses command extreme quality and a personalized touch, something that money can't always buy. Thusly, it becomes important to understand what each onpa wants and cares for, as useful goods are always ideal for trading. Political favors, or wordy contractual agreements, form the murky and opaque world of onpa politics. Given that the ones enacting policy are a stone's throw away from their constituents, the political pipeline is blissfully short.
But, all the same, very particular in how it works.
With this perception in mind, the onpa's complex arts, crafts, recreation, and notions of honor can start to make sense. Every participant carries a proud legacy, and even greater pride in their own capabilities. Appeasing their interests, currying favor, and building a productively useful relationship is critical to onpa society. In times of disagreement or conflict, if words cannot resolve the problem, then fighting will suffice.
Duels are a frequent fixture of onpa cultures, but they're rarely martial in nature. Firstly, conditions are agreed upon for the winner and/or loser, then a means of competition is established. Neutral arbiters oversee the procedure of the duel and ensure the duelists involved follow the rules. This ensures the results of the duel are followed meaningfully, and no one backs down from the conditions. Of course, this may not always solve the underlying problem, and multi-century grudges have been born from more than one kind of duel.
Of the many ways to duel, wrestling is by far the most favored of the onpa. It is a solemn display of skill and showwomanship that altogether creates an entire form of entertainment on its own. It reaches even outside of ritualistic dueling, blending in ideas like 'face/heel' into broader culture. Combined with their general love of sporting activities, and even one onpa civilization can have many, many subdivisions within it. Competition with each other, and a performance in doing so, is a staple passtime.
The onpa, as a people, are deeply invested into agriculture, animal husbandry, and various forms of 'mana farming' in order to feed their incredible dietary needs. A few onpa families might subsist and survive in the lands of other species, but a city's worth could potentially do massive ecological damage. While Veltrona might recover over time, if such non-mountain dwelling onpa didn't move frequently, they would starve to death in quick order. Some lands are especially rich, though, such as those in Nerzin, and can actually sustain onpa populations without issue.
The advancement of technology, and improvements to farming, have helped the onpa tremendously in settling more unforgiving foreign environments. This is what underlies their great environmentalist ideas and concerns, as the onpa are very sensitive to their lands' conditions.

Inspiration

Greek/Roman Giants (gigantes), Tuatha Dé Danann, Ancient Celtic paganism

Lifespan

~1,000 years

Average Height

20ft / 609cm

Average Weight

900-1,200lb / 408-544kg