Formerly slave-warriors under the
Ni'rral Empire, the Visnae, also known as the Visnir, have managed to throw off their shackles in the aftermath of the Veiled Scourge. Now with a lack of culture to call their own, many have taken to adopting the ways of the Idran Tribes, while others still wander among the former empire territories in search of their past identity.
Physical Characteristics
Visnae are humanoids with two arms and two digitigrade legs. They have traits that give the impression that they are similar to hyenas. These features include their fur, muzzle, tails, and ears.
The fur of a Visnae varies between shades of light grey to dark brown. While these generally remain similar throughout their lives, the patterns adapt over time to fit their positions in their hierarchy. Fur that is splotched or almost all a single color indicates someone in a low position, while spots signify higher ranks, with stripes being considered the highest ranking. The rank also affects how intense these patterns are, with more faded markings indicating a lower rank than those with more strongly pronounced ones.
Visnae leaders are also known to outsize the rest of their pack members, which is typically up to a small tribe's worth of Visnae. The cause for this is that once they assume leadership, they begin to grow over the course of months and up to a full year, depending on the difference between them and the tallest member, until they become the largest of the pack. In contrast, a Visnae that loses authority tends to experience this in reverse, losing their additional height until they revert to their original size.
Behavior and Instincts
The Visnae, forged in the crucible of their former enslavement, are naturally hierarchical creatures, with a strong instinct for pack structure and leadership. Their social instincts revolve around dominance and submission, and they form small packs or tribes with a clear leader who, by instinct and biology, is the largest among them. As mentioned in their physical description, the growth or shrinking of a Visnae leader based on their authority is not just a physical change but a reflection of their internalized role within the group. A Visnae who assumes leadership feels an instinctual need to grow in stature, both to physically dominate the pack and to enforce the hierarchy they are accustomed to. Conversely, those who lose their leadership position experience a physical regression in size, signifying the loss of their authority.
Visnae are highly attuned to pheromonal communication, using it as a means to reinforce their social structures and provide crucial information to their pack. Their pheromones carry information about their health, rank, reproductive status, and more, allowing their packs to function with an unspoken understanding. This instinctual communication has become second nature to the Visnae, even in the absence of a formalized pack structure, as many still unconsciously "broadcast" their status to other Visnae they encounter.
Despite their past as slave-warriors, Visnae are naturally inclined towards cooperation and loyalty within their packs. They are protective of those they consider part of their group, and their strength and resilience make them formidable allies. However, their history of servitude has left many Visnae with a deep-rooted suspicion of authority, especially when it comes from outside their race. While they readily follow their own leaders, they tend to be skeptical of others who try to exert control over them.
