Aveed (Ah-Veed)

Aveed are a large aquatic sentient species native to the planet Avrasi.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Aveed are large Aquatic sentient species. Their biology is mainly designed for underwater life with gills both in their necks and ribs, 3 eyes specialized for heightened sight underwater, frill like ears that help detect far off sounds and even movement near them and large swim bladders in their thighs. However these adaptations don't inhibit them to have a comfortable life above water. The gills themselves close up, sealing their body tightly and letting their internal respiratory system work with air normally. Their eyes, while not as keen above water, still are very sharp. Their ears, while not being able to pick up slight shifts in the water like normal, can pick up differences in air currents and alert them to their surroundings.
One of their most interesting features however lies in their legs. The legs of the Aveed are pretty long compared to their body and are very strong, which works well for swimming fast across their ocean. Their feet are thin and somewhat fin or rudder shaped, making it easy for them to pull of sharp maneuvers underwater. The most interesting thing about their legs however can be found in their huge thighs. Aside from being very well muscled, their swim bladder is found here; kind of wrapping around the femur, nerves and some layers of muscle inside their legs. The swim bladders are gas filled organs that normally help fish float with ease underwater, however the Aveed's bladders have a unique variation of a helium based compound that can keep them floating even above water.
This special ability makes them seem regal and supernatural when above water. However this cant be maintained for high altitudes and normally an Aveed can float no more than 10-15 feet when above ground. While aveed can control the direction they float, they don't really walk, mainly because their feet aren't made for that and they don't hold the necessary structure to support their weight. Males also have very thick thighs because of the swim bladders, but they tend to not be as thick as the females. The thickness in a female Aaveed's hips and thighs is also important when it comes to their stressful birthing cycle.
Aveed hands are also designed for underwater life, with webbing between each finger and sharp claws to better catch fish with. Females also have soft tentacle like antenna on their heads, but this is mainly for display. Males on the other hand have coral like horns instead of antenna.
The species also lacks hair, with their lashes and eyebrows being a thin and flexible fin-like appendages. Instead of hair, from the back of their head grows a head-tail or tentacle, very similar to that of Nirien . This head tail can be split in multiple ends, it can also be thinner and more frill-like towards the end, and it can also behave like the body of a sea slug.

Biological Traits

Patterns and colors in the Aveed can vary greatly, from dull to vibrant, from dark to light, but always being organic looking. Their patterns most commonly share similarities with other fish or ocean fairing fauna; mainly tropical fish and sea slugs. 
Some deep sea living Aveed have also developed bioluminescence, and this is typically seen with darker overall body colors and then bright lines detailing their bodies that glow in the dark.

Their eyes are also very colorful, with unique and organic shaped pupils that vary depending on the individual. The pupils can also have a completely different color than the iris or have an "outline" to them. While their colors vary greatly, all Aveed share one coloration, black sclera.

Genetics and Reproduction

To understand Aveed genetics and reproduction its important to know a few facts about them. Firstly Aveed are relatively short lived compared to other species in the galaxy, only living up to 70 years at most. Aside from this males only have a 10-20% chance of being born. Yet another fact is that infants have a high mortality rate, with them reaching 5 years old being a threshold that often guarantees their growth to adulthood.
This has impacted their society greatly, making it really important for them to have a legacy and to continue their bloodline. Aside from the social aspect, the species has also developed some adaptations to help in their difficult reproduction. For example the female hips are notably wide aside from their thick thigs; this helps when giving birth since they can have 2-3 offspring normally. However more than 3 children in one pregnancy is extremely rare, this is a good thing since their birthing periods can be rather rough.
Aside from this males have a slightly higher than normal sex drive, naturally have a lot of stamina and have 2 penises, making it possible to mate with 2 females at once.  However unlike fish, females give birth to live young and breast feed them for the first few months of their life.
Males also form what they call "Nests" where one male may have a group of females that bare his children and he in turn takes care of them both. Not all children born from the male are recognized or "claimed" by him, only those born from the females in his Nest.

Growth Rate & Stages

Another adaptation is just how quickly Aveed reach full maturity, with males maturing even faster in only 8 Years, while females fully mature at 13 years of age. Females also have a gestation period of only 6 months instead of 9. When in adulthood Aveed will also remain in their prime for far longer, while experiencing rapid aging in the last 5 years of their lives.

Ecology and Habitats

Aveed are a mainly aquatic species, therefore living underwater is by far their preferred habitat. Their homeworld Avrasi however also plays host to a number of archipelago, where Aveed colonies and a few cities are able to flourish.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Aveed are an omnivore species with a mainly pescatarian diet. Above water however they love to eat certain fruits or vegetables found in their planet.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Their society is a capitalist one, revolving around goods and trade, with Males being one of the most profitable goods.
When it comes to the ruling and government of Avrasi, the world is lead by a council of powerful women called the "High Matrons" these women have been raised to rule and their education has been funded by powerful corporations. They have been shaped to serve a certain aspect of Aveed society, whether it be commerce, security, galactic relations and the like. The corporations also sponsor them to the public, making sure their image is maintained and that they operate as per company policy. In return the High Matrons make sure the corporations keep doing well financially while also keeping them centered in the people's eye. While at first this may seem as a corrupt and deceiving form of government, when it comes to the wellbeing of the planet they all seem to be pretty much in the same page and this system has seen Avrasi through many a crisis.
These Corporations are some of, if not THE most important force in Aveed society, especially and almost exclusively those taking part in the Nesting Industry.
The Nesting Industry is the name given to the large number of Corporations that host and champion males to breed with females. Since Aveed have such difficulty reproducing, with males only being born a 10% of the time and them being relatively short lived, these corporations offer a "solution" to the problem. They have sites or centers where women can come, have a fun time with various forms or entertainment and refreshments and can also interact sexually with the males hosted there. The Nesting Corps are a way for women to procreate as much as they want for a price, which varies depending on the popularity of the male.
How it works is that males in Aveed society are treated mainly as mating instruments in reality, being "sponsored" by these Corps and presented as celebrities with all the benefits. Males are treated as good as possible, with them being given a residence, monetary compensation, healthcare, as much food as they can eat and the ability to pick a few females to be part of their personal Nest. They are basically pampered and treated like royalty to the outside viewer, while in reality they are monitored, managed and treated like cattle. many have no problem with this "relaxed" way of life, and depending on the Corp they belong to they might quite literally have the best life of anyone in the planet; however some do feel like they get all of it by trading their independence and freedom.
The role of the females in this industries is basically a paying customer and consumer. Females will pay sometimes exuberant amounts of money to have a chance to mate with one of the more popular males. If they are constant customers, and get the male's attention they might get picked into his nest. In this case they could live with him in his private property and enjoy all his benefits while at the same time he would "Claim" the child who would then be born into the wealth of the male.
Children born of non nested women like this are generally taken care by the mother or a relative, while males have a chance to be claimed by the father regardless of the mother's status. In this case they could be raised by the father or the Corp and when the child is fully matured he may be sold to another Corp. When a child is born of a nested female the father will always claim them, be it male or female and will be raised not only by them but by the whole nest and will enjoy a privileged life. A male born of this union might instead be given a choice of which Corp to go to.
The birth of a male, no matter where it happens, is worthy of conversation and either by being reported, gossip or simple rumors, the Corps of the Nesting industry always seem to know where one was born. When the male reaches maturity, scouting agents from various Corps go see how profitable he might be and will offer them their best benefits and services to entice him if he seems worth it. Lesser impressive individuals will just be picked up by smaller Corps and sent to their locations to begin work. Because of this, it is extremely rare to find males outside of cities or populated towns, places where corporation sites tend to be.
There also exists the possibility for a male to raise the standards of a Corp if they become exceedingly popular. Much as any other celebrity would, their popularity would boost the Corp pretty much in every way, and a male that reaches fame this way might even be transferred over to higher standing cities with better benefits for him while sponsored by their original Corp. Sometimes however bigger Corporations might buy over the possible male for a large price, keeping them and eliminating competition.
There are a variety of Nesting Corporations in the planet, each very different and with different cost ranges. Some tailor only to the strong leading women of the Aveed while some tend to the lower income working class; with there even begin some criteria to be viable to mate with certain high standing males.
Wealthy corps will also sometimes have a cast of 3-6 males that they rotate around, giving time for the extra males to rest in their private residences. Speaking of which, some have private residences right there on sight, some in the corporation's main site while other have distant private lands where large mansions and great vistas serve as the homes of these celebrity males.
While the Nesting industry is one of if not the most important for the planet, many other highly profitable industries exist in Avrasi. From architecture, agriculture, fishing, research and development, art among others. Many female Aveed might find personal fulfillment more in excelling at any of these rather than becoming a Nest bride, or even some brides might find their calling in any of these industries. While males are expected to remain in their properties; nested brides are free to come and go at their leisure, thereby being able to have individual goals and lives outside the Nest.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Aveed can be found pretty much everywhere in their home planet and also in great numbers in their planet's moons. Off world Aveed can be a rare sight to see, but not as much as Kanoran would be.
The moons of Avrasi are 3 large ones and 2 smaller non inhabited ones. The largest of them being Belsana, the main center of interspecies relations in the Avrasi system.
The second largest is Cinda, military center and manufactory core of the system. Cinda has some of the greatest crafters from across the nearby systems making useful and luxury items for trade; as well as serving as the center of operations and training for the Aveed Militia.
The smallest populated moon is Deoria, a residential and entertainment center, with large islands serving as private residence for those more well off financially, or those who have won favor with the powerful. Access to this moon is monitored and protected, seeing as some very wealthy Aveed males might choose to retire here for the last years of their lives with their nests. This is the only exception where males are allowed on the moon, and its still in a very rare case. In a way this would be the easiest way for someone from outside the species to have contact with a male Aveed.
The two smallest moons have barren atmospheres and while being very beautiful, they will only ever be visited for study and sightseeing. These moons have towering mountains, large clouds and a variety of minerals covering the land in swaths of bright warm or cool colors; and while some instances of life have been found here they are still incredibly underdeveloped, not being bigger than 2 feet.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

the 3 eyes of the Aveed are made for incredibly sharp and clear sight underwater, able to see far distances even in darker waters, and able to pick up the most minute of movements. Above water, the eyes still see very far and are sensitive, but don't capture the same clarity as they do underwater. Some kinds of deep sea Aveed have even developed eyes that can see incredibly well in near full darkness.
Their ears can easily detect incredibly distant sounds and are able to identify what originated it. They are also very sensitive to movement, keeping them fully alert underwater. Above water they still maintain sharp hearing, but its more limited than underwater.
However their smell above water is somewhat heightened relative to underwater, and they have stronger reactions depending on the smell.

Civilization and Culture

Major Organizations

The largest organization in the planet Avrasi itself is without a doubt the Nesting Industry where males are treating like famous mates in order to procreate with females and maintain the population number. 
The largest organizations in the moons of the system are interspecies trade and relations industries, with a booming luxury items market.

Beauty Ideals

What it means to be beautiful in Aveed society depends on where you were born. 
Planetary Aveed themselves have various opinions on what makes an attractive individual. For example deep sea Aveed will probably find other darker skinned, deep sea Aveed to be more attractive than the vibrant colored shallow water Aveed or the duller oceanic Aveed. Same goes for tropical ones loving the exotic and vibrant colors over duller or darker tones. 
However, well taken care of, clean of scars or blemishes to their patterns and physically adequate for mating seems to be an overall standard of beauty. Not that someone having a scar would be a deal breaker but they would certainly be less popular than unscarred Aveed.

Gender Ideals

For the most part females are in control, they know how the world works and know how to manage it. While at the same time being customers and consumers of the goods produced. They do their best to keep themselves in the best condition as possible and are proud of their looks and achievements. 
Males on the other hand are often viewed as mating instruments, only there for the continuation of the species. Some females however might idolize them as celebrities or even as life givers, with a few groups of females being religiously reverent to them. In some instances however the opposite is true. Due to some myths and religions blaming the decline of their population to the warmongering past of the male population, they blame their state of having to rely on trade with foreign planets on them.

Courtship Ideals

As mentioned in the Nesting Industries section, courtship is mainly done through Nesting Corps where females pay to be with the males, be it sexually or not. So courtship mainly is done inside these establishments and is more a transaction and trading of goods than a detailed ritual. After a woman has been paying for the services of one of the males for a time, the males will have leave to choose if they want them to be a part of their Nest, and then they will become part of a family unit. 
While females are paying customers, a male's opinion of a female is taken seriously by the Corps, and if a male decides to not mate with a particular female, even if it's a high paying one, the Corp will often respect this and deny the female access to that male. Corps know the value of the goods they hold and keeping them happy and comfortable is considerably more profitable than having them defensive and unhappy.

Relationship Ideals

Relationships in Avrasi can start very superficially and viewed mainly as a means to an end, but this does not mean they are without mutual respect and loving interactions. Aveed are a very tactile species, with physical contact being important in their relationships, and with Nesting Corps sites being a good place to explore this, often loving connections and caring relationships bloom here. 
Either in simple routine mating for payment or in full Nests, love, care, and consent are often the main important things to maintain. Happiness and satisfaction will often lead to more offspring and its better for the overall quality of life in Avrasi. 
While males are limited in what they can or cannot do in society, females complete them, share time with them and may even teach them skills or trades they wouldn't normally have access to. While in Nests, these groups behave as families, with care and respect spread across every member of a nest, and its common to see females engage in romantic relationships with each other. Aveed are mainly polyamorous and jealousy doesn't form part of a typical relationship dynamic in Avrasi. 
While homosexual relationships are very common in Aveed society for the females, it is discouraged for the males. Even if some Corps may tend to these concerns by merging 2 or more Nests for males to interact with each other, it's often required for them to continue breeding with females even if there is no sexual desire there. Males that reject this entirely and will not cooperate no matter what are often ostracized from society.

Average Technological Level

Aveed much like many galactic civilizations have developed space travel along with various technologies to assist it, but their main focus remains on their planet; creating large cities, a strong infrastructure and focusing more on themselves than the outside. The moon is also incredibly developed and lunar Aveed tech does tend to lean more into ships, trades and even some military facilities.

Common Etiquette Rules

When it comes to greetings Aveed are very physical, with big hugs and kisses in the cheeks being the most accepted form of a warm welcome. Members of the same Nest have a more intimate greeting, with them pressing their foreheads together with their eyes closed for a few seconds.
This also carries over to Lunar Aveed, while they can also shift this to better fit the etiquette of the visiting species.

Common Dress Code

Mostly Aveed have a very particular way of dressing, wearing clothing that serves both shows off their colors and patterns and it being mainly made from a water repellant and glossy material that wont slow them down either above or below the waves. The colors in their outfits are also somewhat muted and subdued, letting the colors of their skin be the main focus of their looks. To this end the outfits also tend to be very revealing, both for males and females.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Planetary Aveed

Planetary Aveed are a very secluded and internalized people, with their focus mainly remaining on the planet itself and the defense of it's species. Because of their delicate existence a notable exterior event could harm their population significantly, because of this only Aveed are allowed to enter Avrasi. In order to stop any outsiders, Avrasi hosts a large defense system along the entire planet; a huge shield matrix and monitoring stations called "Sky towers" bar entry unless the ship in question has clearance to enter the world.
Because of this, the mere interaction with other alien species is somewhat of a taboo with them, especially being romantic towards one. The common mentality is that the greater galaxy has pretty much nothing to do with them and interactions between them is pointless. Younger Aveed however do have a curiosity towards the outside, and some may even enter exchange programs to live a few years in the moons of Avrasi to experience the diversity the galaxy has to offer. However they might receive some backlash from purists that know of their lunar adventure. 
This view is mainly for the common Aveed, the High Matrons in power do know of the importance of trade, intergalactic agreements and relations. Some High matrons have even come to agreements with external governments in person, in order to lay grounds for mutual exchange.
Planetary Aveed put a lot of importance on legacy and Nest families, with getting to a nest and bearing claimed children being an important goals most females have. Offspring not claimed by a male however are taken care of and are loved, but the relationship between parents and their children is more relaxed than other species, with the children being able to leave the care of their mother as soon as they mature.

Lunar Aveed

If planetary Aveed are the shield, Lunar Aveed are the sword. Lunar Aveed are far more inclusive, with the moons of Avrasi being more of a hub for interaction between the species. Most of the time they are after trade agreements sponsored by the general government of Avrasi, cementing relations and overall having a cultural exchange with the people of the galaxy. However with settings like these sometimes tensions will rise, therefore Lunar Aveed have somewhat of a military presence in the moons, mainly consisting on smaller elite groups of Aveed fallowed by private military groups under contract to boost their numbers. Less than a force for outer offensive, they remain as a show of force to deter any incoming violence.
Unlike their planetary counterparts, interspecies romantic relations are commonplace in the moons, with Aveed females even being married to other species and some going off to live with in other worlds. Because of this however and the importance of males, there are almost no male Aveed in the moons. None are sent there and none born in the moons remain there for long in most cases; often being sent back to the planet to serve the Nesting Industry. Even male Aveed that have been banished tend to not turn up in the moons because they might be shipped back to try to include them again in the industry.
Unlike Lunar Kanoran there are no real physical differences between Lunar and Planetary Aveed aside from social and cultural. This may be because the ecosystem has been terraformed to match the planet more, and the aquatic moons serve as a mirror image of Avrasi, though with more zones for interspecies interaction. Some of these zones might be underwater domed cities or surface level floating islands. The Moons however do have a higher density of exposed land than the planet, with popular cities and towns spreading through them.
In fact many outer species like to live on these moons for their whole lives, given to the tropical and welcoming nature of the moons.

Common Taboos

Among the taboos of the Aveed is the killing of male children. This offense is often punished by execution, since killing an unmatured male child can potentially cause a significant decrease in their population's stability and growth. Getting married to foreign species is also seen as taboo in the planet itself, seeing as this makes it harder for Aveed children, and mainly males to be born. Marriage in itself actually is also not seen well, limiting yourself to just one mate cuts down the number of offspring you could bring significantly, at least in the Aveed's eyes. This taboo of marriage and interspecies relations however isn't really found in the lunar Aveed populations.
A male who refuses to do their duty and serve to increase the species' population is also seen as something bad. If a male refuses, a company can reach an agreement with them depending on why they disagree, however if an agreement can't be reached males are ostracized and left abandoned in the farthest reaches of society, being deemed unworthy and soiled. Some of these do find themselves off world, but without the means, some of them remain in exile until death.
While being raised in a nest, male Aveed will sometimes live together with the young brides of their father's nest who can be very close to their age. In some cases this might be problematic, but it is extremely taboo for a male to mate with one of his father's brides as this is seen as invasion of the male's territory. This is also bad for the Nesting Corp since that female would have a higher chance to bare a male child without having paid for the benefit.

Common Myths and Legends

While it hasn't been confirmed by Aveed scholars and historians, ancient myths tell that once the Aveed were a warring people, lead by the violent males they battled and conquered, becoming a great force in the galaxy, however they were struck down by a mysterious invading force that was sent by the very gods. The strike wounded the males so deeply that now male children are afraid to even be born, thus their dwindling numbers. This curse was brought by violence and male pride, and thus is was shunned and avoided, while males are monitored and cared for, so this does not happen again. 
Some have chosen to interpret this myth to say that males deserve their captivity behind golden bars as punishment for what they brought, while others say its not captivity but conservation of a species in risk. Many and more are ever curious of the threat that struck down the mighty Aveed empire of old but all records of that time are nothing but ash and riddles.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Aveed tend to be a very secluded species, but this doesnt mean they would miss out on an opportunity to enrich themselves by trading with the rest of the galaxy. To that end they have established colonies and even cities in the moons of Avrasi in order to interact with other species, while keeping the main planet itself cut off from foreigners.
When it comes to dealings with other species, Aveed tend to lean into trade rather than conflict or more political subjects, adding to their economy and staying away from potentially unpleasant business. However military presence is there in the moons in the form of elite female warriors and contracted private groups. They serve more for defense rather than offense however.

Lifespan

60-70 years

Average Height

Their average height is 7-8 ft tall, with the tallest reaching 8' 5"

Average Physique

fit to curvy bodies with notably big thighs both for males and females

Typical Aveed females

Typical Aveed males