Nuhara (nu-har-ah)

A type of jointed humanoid species, nuhara have a humanoid upper body, and a lower body resembling that of a snake's. They have a head, four arms, four hands with five fingers, a thick torso, wide hips, and their lower body becomes long and snake-like, adorned with smooth, overlapping scales. Unlike dragonkind, nuhara scales are generally individually smaller and more flexible rather than a plate-like thickness and protection.   Nuhara heads have two eyes with scaly brows, a nose, and modest lips. While their bone structure is somewhat sharp/angular, their facial features mold it into a comfortable, snake-like roundness. Some ethnicities emphasize this roundness more, while others may grow very small, threatening spikes. They've been described as surprisingly cute and terrifyingly dangerous in the same breath more than once.   A particular line denotes the division between where the jaw connects to the skull. The nuhara have the ability to distend their jaw, usually opening their mouth by twice the normal size. Their canines are actually long, flexible fangs that fold backward into the roof of their mouth, or extend outward when they strike. While the fangs are dangerous, their flat teeth and surprisingly strong jaw strength makes even just biting in general a very dangerous attack they can do. Some nuhara variants cannot fold their fangs back, and so they always poke out from between their lips.   A type of skinned hood begins at the nuhara's temples, where the eyebrows end, and extends backwards. It curves smoothly up and over where their ears are, proceeds to the back of their head, then goes down their necks. It terminates into their shoulders, and this 'snake hood' can be flexed open, shut, and moved somewhat. The overall size of the hood can vary, but it is generally prominent and distinct when fully opened. It's capable of easily folding shut in a fairly compact manner. There is no head hair on the 'interior' of the hood; all hair grows on the scalp outside.   Their hair is curiously fine and somewhat durable, often easily growing to the middle of their backs. Nuhara cultural customs dictate braiding and binding the hair, in order to protect it in both combat and general movement. Since rolling, slithering, and other high-speed movements against the ground aren't uncommon for them, free-flowing hair is a risky proposition outside of social events.   Nuhara ears are long, pointed, and possessed of a hardy, protected structure by their scales. Their overall shape is very human evocative, with the topside flairing off to a pointed tip, and the bottom side rounded to meet that. Mertakan commonly call them 'triangle ears' as a result. While the ear itself is a fairly rigid structure, the tips can slightly curve, as well as the ear itself flexibly angle in different directions. This plays an important part in nuhara social expressions. The curving tip also stops them from jamming their ears inside their hoods.   Nuhara have a long, forked prehensile tongue that doubles as a scent-based sensory organ. Their human-like nose does the bulk of the work, while the tongue is usually reserved for sifting out fine, particulate scents.   The humanoid upper torso of the nuhara structurally resembles a human one, with one pair of arms at the shoulders, and the second pair of arms underneath those. Both arms are relatively identical, and possess impressive flexibility to work in tandem. Snake scales, as is typical of similar species, cover the harder/outer portions of the body, but are less present on the softer/inner portions. For example, the topside of the hand is covered in scales, but the palm is not; the belly and front chest are skin-like, while the back has scales. The exact arrangement for this varies among bloodlines.   Like other jointed humanoids, the genitals and buttocks is found at the humanoid pelvic region which acts as the joint between the upper and lower halves of the body. Due to particular evolutionary concerns, the sensitive areas of the nipples and genitals can 'recede' into the body, giving them better protection.   The nuhara lower body is snake-like, and has a length generally 3-4 times that of their upper body. Larger, flatter dorsal scales protect the underside, while the topside has the same small, interlacing scales as what covers the rest of the nuhara's body. The lower body's generally protected nature makes it less sensitive overall, though the tip of the tail is analogous to a foot in its sensitivity.   Nuhara are sexually dimorphic, with females being larger and having enlarged breasts. There is a mild difference in scales, in that females pattern with a slightly sharper edge to theirs, and males are smoother looking. However, this distinction is not a solid one, and can vary.   Traditional desert nuhara colors are very veltrony in nature, favoring sand yellows, dune reds, veltron browns, sunset oranges, and so on. Interbreeding has introduced much more varied colors in their scales, with more artful colors like strong reds, sky blues, and eye-catching patterns being established. Tropical nuhara are extraordinarily vibrant, and possess fantastical color combinations from glistening gem stones to iridescent rainbows.   Their eyes have vertical slit pupils, and the sclera is usually black or gray, though some may have white as well. Their irises are somewhat similar to cut gemstone, having strong visual clarity and distinctive, bold colors that make them enticing to look at.

Sensory Adaptation: Vibration Sense – Nuhara have a strong sensitivity to vibrations, and can feel them through the air and ground, providing incredible 3D information around them.   Manaburn Venom – Nuhara venom wreaks havoc on creatures or beings with high amounts of mana. It actively rends them from the inside-out, while creatures with lesser or minimal amounts of mana instead suffer from bodily paralysis. The lethality of the venom varies depending on the recipient's overall constitution.   Magical Resilience – This species is unusually resistant against the effects of magic, withstanding far more harm than others might be able.   Enhanced Olfactory Senses – Nuhara have a sophisticated sense of smell, split between two complex organs: their nose, and their tongue.

The nuhara value integrity above every other consideration imaginable. This often has overlaps with cultural ideas like honor, but not always. Rather than aim for social expectations and receive esteem for adhering to them, they value internal, ideological consistency. In other words, people who maintain their sense of selves, identity, and values in the face of adversity and prosperity.   That steadfast sense of integrity in the sifting sands of Sa-kemet, and the unknown dangers that ever happen, has been vital for the nuhara's continued survival. Relationships, too, become an important component to that sense of integrity. The establishment of friends, family, or otherwise creates a solid foundation, and a rock-solid world through which the nuhara navigate through. Even if the physical distances are far, or the locale in chaos, nuhara can rely on what they know almost without fault.   So it is their concept of a social world is unyielding, and grows to encompass all of their needs in one form or another. To earn the trust of nuhara is a mark of great respect in itself, but also a burden of even greater responsibility. Theirs is not some expectation of service, but an understanding of 'this is what you are, and can do, and I will trust relying upon such'. In turn, the nuhara on the other side do much the same.   Romantic relationships often grow most organically from prior, intersecting relationships. Since reliability is usually established by that point, nuhara feel much safer in trying to branch out and build more from there. This can result in a lot of varied romantic entanglements, even ones other species may not necessarily consider such.   'Casual flings/encounters', for example, can be fairly regular among the nuhara who are not sharing further, compounding responsibilities. Established partners may be separated by weeks or months at a time due to circumstances, but they're on the same wavelength all the same when they meet once more. Many such relationships have no real trouble with such complications, but that is not to say the nuhara are cold or unfeeling. They perhaps feel a little bit too much when given the chance, but it is their sense of integrity that lets them endure times of famine and feasting.   Hence, from the outside the nuhara can appear overtly serious in how they handle such affairs. It'd be more accurate to say their fundamental views on how things work are just very different from other cultures.

The harmonic underpinnings of nuhara cultures can be somewhat difficult to discern, but its impact can be felt everywhere. While it's usually spoken of as some kind of 'fundamental good' or 'innate righteousness' by other peoples, those definitions change entirely depending on who the observer is. Among the nuhara, they seek an understanding of the natural world, and balance their living against its self-correcting mechanisms. It's a type of thought that, surprisingly, is much closer to the ways of Nerzin than Sa-kemet, traditionally.   But, chief among those ideas is their willingness to confront wrong doing, evil, or impediments to the people's sake. It's often drawn in contrast against Kalarahdar's rampant destruction, serving as a moral guide post in their decision making. However, many other practical examples were added in over time: tyrannical rulers, greedy merchants, bloody warladies, and so on. The nuhara willingness to confront such things makes them no end of enemies, but even more allies and supporters who are grateful for their help.   They achieve these feats through the rigorous and strict upbringings the various nuhr live under. Traditional nuhara thought believes a strong body begets a strong mind, and so an even stronger will can manifest. Training, meditation, education, self-reflection and contemplation, and more are the norm for them. In seeking lesser evils to overcome, they prepare for greater ones to throw down later.   A warrior cult is often the result, and it is the most common example of their various cultures. Mystics, engineers, mages, and more came over time as the nuhara learned the ways of others. Although the 'strong body and strong mind' philosophy tends to guide the strongest, concessions were made to alternative but still useful ways.   That said, they are not without artists, creative minds, entertainers, or other pursuits. A rich and fulfilling life sharpens a strong mind, and so wisdom can be nurtured like Poleva's great oases. For as many warriors as there are among the nuhara, many pursue creative outlets that they share with others, hone their own experiences upon, and more. The two go hand in hand so much, it often puzzles the nuhara when they encounter people who practice a singular profession, and so lack flexibility.