Rachtoh (rak-toh)

Known History

Beginnings

Respect comes in many forms, and for the rachtoh, fear itself is everyone's respect of them. A reclusive and isolationist species, they have long dwelled in the darkest corners of the deepest forests, crevices, and caves dotting Veltrona. Mistresses of the hunt, they are nearly unrivaled within their domains, felling beasts and foes far more grand and mighty than themselves. At the same, as descendants of spiders, the rachtoh are mistresses of silk thread and weaving techniques. Through their fibercrafts they've made incredibly elaborate arts, wares, and traps even dragons are afraid of.   There was once a time the rachtoh weren't feared. A mythical time, far in the recesses of history, and something only the oldest immortals recalled anymore. In those days, the sociable rachtoh were among the first to offer the gifts of clothing and the secrets of weaving. They were outgoing and gregarious, and from them, knowledge of effective hunting, food preservation, and herbal medicines were taught, but most civilizations would forget or erase such facts. The ancient rachtoh were good spirited in such times and well-respected, being friends to nearly everyone.   Sadly, as civilizations grew and advanced, others' eyes turned upon the rachtoh. Their naturally-made famous silk—an incredible fiber with some of the best strength, durability, and mana-sensitivity for magic in the world—commanded fierce attention for its myriad applications. Cultivators, mages, queens, and any other sort among the rich or powerful desired their silk in endless quantities. When the rachtoh could no longer meet such demand, or outright refused to, wars to obtain them and their silk would soon follow. For the losers of these conflicts, slavery became their fate as they were exploited and tortured ruthlessly for their silk. As word of such evil spread farther and farther, collective outrage erupted with thunderous force.   The rachtoh, as indisputably the most social species in the world, easily mobilized themselves and their allies to war against such atrocities. Great tribes, clans, and families who might've never bothered with each other answered the cries for liberty, and so brought terrible death and destruction upon their oppressors. Seeing the horrors of what happened to their kin, the rachtoh's hatred grew by mountainous leaps. Scorning all those responsible, they retreated to their ancestral lands. From there, generation-by-generation, as lives faded and stories became truth, the rachtoh's hatred of the outside world only grew greater. By the time of a few centuries later, the rachtoh at large had disappeared from the world stage.    

Huntresses in the Dark

While their choice of homelands were far from desolate, they were often deep in the wildernesses, far beyond what other species ever felt comfort with. Such lands, rife with strange creatures, bizarre phenomena, and the deadly Relentless, were as rich as they were lethal. To the hyperactive rachtoh, however, it provided endless opportunities to hone their crafts in every shape and form: broken walls demanded better masons, shattered armor required better smiths, and useless traps or missed shots wanted better huntresses.   For most other species, personal glory or achievement were their driving factors in such ambitions. For the rachtoh, they loved impressing each other. Aptitude, accomplishment, and the pedigree of success were the bread and butter of rachtoh social hierarchy and romantic liaisons. In the constantly churning social maelstrom of their cultures, those who carried long-lasting renown were legendary figures themselves. Everyone, however, would invariably need to gain clout eventually, in one form or another.   While some existent connections remained between the rachtoh and their neighbors, such things were both fleeting and very conditional. Immortals, most of all, maintained the most certain links, as they not only proved themselves trustworthy, but their everlasting legacy earned them some prestige among the rachtoh. It is these immortals who operated the tenuous bridges of trade that continued to inform the rachtoh of the outside world and secure exotic goods for them. Similarly, the immortals' tall tales and offerings of rachtoh silk ever inspired greater and more elaborate myths around them.   Few, however, would ever find their secret cities, and those who did often never lived to tell about it. The rachtoh's unrivaled mistressy of their homelands turned them into invisible fortresses that no one, not even dragons, willfully wished to contend with. To do so was to meet one certain fate: the sheer, unbridled fury of an entire populace who wouldn't rest until they or their enemy were dead. When one considered most rachtoh were proficient, if not experts, in at least a few martial arts and hunting forms, they became legendary in their ferocity.   Thus, willingly or not, many surrendered the deepest forests, crags, and caves as the domain of the rachtoh, and learned never to encroach upon them.    

No Nation is an Island

Over the centuries, the rachtoh civilizations grew steadily. With increasing population came greater land requirements, and so they began running into the limitations of their ancestral homes. Though long separated from the agonies of their past, the outside world had continued to be viciously unkind to them. The myths and legends of rachtoh silk made them veritable prizes that all sorts continued to harry and hound after greedily. But, they would find an unlikely ally in a boisterously loud, belligerent species: the karsoru.   These huge party-lovers had, much like the rachtoh, suffered from exploitation of their own nature. The karsoru's crysium made them intensely desirable for anyone dealing in magical arts, and like the rachtoh, their value to slavers made them ideal targets. Though wary for many reasons, the karsoru's amiable nature and social ways meshed shockingly well with the rachtoh. In many different lands, but most prominently Aerthen, Lophern, and Nerzin, it became surprisingly common for different populations of both species to converge together.   Scholars ultimately pointed to the karsoru as the core reason why the rachtoh began opening up to the outside world again. With strong and capable allies, and living proof that others could come to understand them, the rachtoh found reason enough to try once more. Their great and ancient traditions had, as well, done much to arm them for all sorts of enemies, making every rachtoh often worth ten or more warriors in battle. Their renown as mistress huntresses and nigh-unrivaled crossbow users would soon see great demand for their services as mercenaries.   A number of queendoms even often offered exorbitant pay to recruit the rachtoh into their armies, but many rachtoh refused long-term or permanent employment in such places. With little of their own kin, and the strange sentiments of such cultures overbearing on their own newfound minority status, many perceived such living as a downgrade. Most would invariably return home instead if they hadn't settled new roots of their own. The less fortunate, outcast, or opportunity-seeking folk were the ones most likely to migrate to these uncertain lands.   This standoffish affair continued for some centuries, but as rachtoh merchants became increasingly skilled in dealing with foreigners, the power dynamics began to shift dramatically. Armed with the same material they were once exploited for, the karsoru's own contributions, and many exotic wares from their own lands, rachtoh merchants established a firm and virtually unshakeable market space. Since their demands were usually that of artwork, knowledge, music, and any other form of entertainment, most weren't too bothered in trading with them; some even considered it a 'steal'.   Few, however, grasped the true extent of the massive web the rachtoh were weaving.    

The Veltrona Wide Web

While rachtoh immortals weren't common, they did and continue to exist. Some of their greatest families were headed by such beings, reclusive mistresses legendary even among their own kind. Such rachtoh often preferred simple lives with their families, but some conspired toward greater goals. Time and experience had given them a far-reaching perspective of their species' place in the world; past, present, and possible future. They worried that all it took was a powerful species or individuals, like dragons or cultivators, to eradicate them fully. Many other worries were not far behind, either, giving them constant anxiety.   Thus, to secure themselves as best they could, they began an ambitious project. One that branched out to each and every rachtoh nation they could make contact with. As the scope of their plans came into focus, the myriad governments of the rachtoh grasped not only the value, but usefulness of it. The many practical issues not withstanding, most committed to its ambitious goals of a more unified rachtoh trade union and its capabilities. From these foundations, a greater pan-continental sense of unity followed, bolstering political and cultural connections.   By utilizing vast merchant fleets, social networks could also be established in many foreign nations. Once a foothold was obtained, various forms of economic, political, and diplomatic pressures could be utilized to steer the interests of such nations. Or, failing to do so, keep an eye on them close enough to maintain a functional form of soft-control. Such ambitions weren't hard for the ruling powers of these nations to notice, but divided by their own self-interests, few effectively resisted them. The rachtoh themselves only cared about their peoples' safety, at least initially.   As their 'Veltrona Wide Web' expanded, the various rachtoh civilizations paid close attention to each other in particular. Long-time friends, allies, and rivals of varying kinds, ethnocentrism took root where they prioritized their survival above all others. Thus, their diplomatic bridges built with one another in strong and unshakeable terms, expanding their social networks into long and incredibly opaque chains. In times of war—particularly by overly-ambitious warladies from foreign lands—the rachtoh would mobilize their terrifying armies to swiftly annihilate such trespassers.   Their increasing information web soon uncovered strange, almost parallel behavior in some other species. While organizations comprised of immortals operated somewhat similarly, the petrakin in particular caught the rachtoh's notice. Their secluded communes moved in ways their otherwise diminutive nature wouldn't suggest as possible. Time and effort soon discovered the petrakin's own vast psychic network, created by their veltaks to achieve something they believed similar to the rachtoh's own. While the two didn't come to blows, the rachtoh developed a paranoia about the petrakin, and general distrust of rocks, for they believed they might be petrakin ears of some sort.    

The Silk Road

As their most powerful or influential leaders conspired the creation of the Veltrona Wide Web, a third party had a different opinion about the matter. The burgeoning trade consortium Moonsware, headed by the illustrious Elleona Moonsilk, had grown by leaps and bounds beyond any other. Elleona's simple dream of silks in every color of the rainbow saw her, one way or another, rope in many other rachtoh families and dynasties. As her guild, and later consortium, grew, her command over foreign markets became unrivaled. Frustrated by the lack of clear or cohesive trade routes, and the loss of numerous convoys, Elleona conspired one simple goal: a single road stretching from Sa-kemet to Nerzin. This road, when well-used and protected, would become a trade artery uniting entire continents. Her ambitions exceeded her lifespan, unfortunately, as Elleona only saw the beginnings of the road realized within her homeland of Aerthen.   The Moonsware Consortium, however, continued their founder's dream.   All sorts of problems stood in their way, from the typical issues nature spat out to the conniving political machinations of different nations. Yet, one by one, they built progress upon their fabled road, for the promise of untold wealth ever greased the wheels of civilization. As this road built and extended farther and farther, tales of Moonsware spread by the merchants coming to utilize it. So, in time, it came be called the Moonlit Road, a grand if simple wonder of the world that merchants began flocking to. The Moonsware Consortium itself, some two centuries after Elleona's death, fell apart due to political infighting and differing goals. While the Moonlit Road name stuck for a while, the huge amount of rachtoh silk flowing upon it soon saw another, more permanent name manifest: the Silk Road.   As the Silk Road took shape, all sorts of civilizations became increasingly, and deeply, influenced by it. Consistent trade, both in timeliness and safety, invigorated numerous economies, leading to an exponential growth for those plying their trades upon it. With such growth, the rachtoh amassed greater and greater influence, especially as their own disparate civilizations clued in on the value of the Silk Road. Goods, wealth, and most importantly of all, information, flowed in the rivers of people that ran along the trade route. The Silk Road itself would eventually become a critical component of the Veltrona Wide Web, and the rachtoh immortals made it a priority to protect and invest within.   With the dawn of the Silk Road, the rachtoh became major actors on the world stage once again. It was a significant move that confused other species, as centuries of isolation had built incredible myths around the rachtoh and their notorious protectionism. Despite the draconic heights of rachtoh infamy, the other species of Veltrona would soon learn their quaintly-sized neighbors more than lived up to their legendary reputation. While the rachtoh remained guarded and mistrustful of most other civilizations, well-founded or not, even they themselves came to the consensus their long age of isolation had come to an end.    

Age of the Imperium

For many centuries thereafter, the rachtoh engaged in the games of nations and civilizations alike. Their mercenaries and traders, especially, accrued constant fame and fortune for their skills and wares. Some rachtoh families even grew bold enough to migrate from their homelands, creating the first true migrants their kind has seen in millennia. While the world around them continued on its myriad dealings, for the rachtoh, it'd become a species-wide renaissance that saw them flourish greater than they ever had before. Yet, they, like all others, would soon come to face one of Veltrona's most terrifying calamities: Imperious.   Tyrannical dragons were nothing new to the rachtoh, and they'd long developed methods of dealing with such beings. They were even among the first peoples to fully recognize Imperious' sudden appearance on the world stage, where her rampage began in Lophern. Yet, even the rachtoh were stunned by how swiftly destructive Imperious became. The boldest of the rachtoh dragonkiller huntresses in Lophern ventured forth, foreseeing great calamity if Imperious wasn't dealt with quickly. Unfortunately, for all their legendary skill, the dragonkillers weren't prepared to deal with the insane strength and durability of Imperious herself. Most perished, and those who returned forewarned of a dragon far more powerful than any recorded in known history.   Imperious herself, as would become well-known later on, despised the rachtoh for their innate physical weakness. She saw their skills as huntresses as nothing more than inadequate compensation for what they fundamentally lacked. A fact that greatly compounded her aggravation with the rachtoh, for they employed all sorts of tactics against her, save that of a straight fight. Rather than confront Imperious' nigh-unstoppable might, they used every tactic under the sun—ambush, poison, guerilla warfare, magical bombardment, etc—to harry, wear down, and tear her apart. While such efforts ultimately failed, it speaks to their dangerous potential that Imperious never disregarded them, even if they angered her beyond almost anything else.   As the Imperium itself began, and more and more dragons flew beneath Imperious' banners, the rachtoh were at the forefront of warfare against them. Not only had open season on dragonkind begun, the rachtoh had the opportunity to truly begin testing their mettle against Veltrona's mightiest species. Fear, too, occupied their minds, but the glory of slaying dragons and proving their own might became a widespread cultural obsession. With the clear certainty of the Imperium's threat ever looming, the rachtoh's hyperactive nature blasted to greater heights than any before.   What would become known far and wide was the rachtoh's fierce and truly legendary resistance. Imperial dragons, either at Imperious' behest or their own ambitions, assailed the rachtoh homelands, seeking to conquer such proud people in their infamously cruel ways. The rachtoh, responding in kind, skewered dragons en masse, skinned them alive, and hoisted their enemies upon banners as promises to the next ones that came. This fierce and violent war carried on between them, and where many other civilizations buckled and fell to the Imperium, the rachtoh did not. While their cities often burned to the ground, or worse, its people fled through secret passages built in case of outside invasion or a Relentless doomtide. The loss of one city saw its refugees invigorate the others around them, bolstering the rachtoh armies. They, who'd long prepared for such a calamitous time, were not found lacking.   The longer the war against the Imperium waged on, the more the rachtoh nations lived and fought side-by-side with the other species. Humans, jiuweihu, helunae, the then-unnamed baarham, and many more besides, became surprising allies. Even the bieneren, a species long at odds with the predatory rachtoh, soon fought alongside them. It is a testament to not only Imperious' power, but that of dragonkind at large, that so many diverse and powerful species only blunted the Imperium's growth, never truly stopping it.   For the rachtoh, the Age of the Imperium became known as the Dragonslaying Era, and was widely regarded as a time of horrible tragedy as much as supreme triumph.    

The Great Hunt

What would be less known, and later buried entirely within history, were the rachtoh's own help in Hau-Joren's ambitious plans to destroy the hated World Gate. Long-aware of imperial dissenters within the Imperium, the rachtoh's vast information network became Hau-Joren's means through which they could coordinate. Thus, as the plans to destroy the World Gate took shape, some of the rachtoh began to wonder what might actually happen when it happened. Hau-Joren's plans to utilize the gate's energies and create a continent spanning magic wall were certainly novel at the time, if not a little ridiculous sounding. What concerned them more was what might happen if Hau-Joren's meddling in ancient technology—argued to be older than dragonkind itself—resulted in a mess she herself couldn't hope to control.   Given the sheer enormity of the World Gate, in both size and raw mana consumption, the rachtoh were among the few species who recognized the World Gate might turn into a massive bomb. When it became clear that such disaster might be a possibility, the rachtoh leadership of the surviving nations inside Imperium territory began migrating their populations far away from the vicinity of the World Gate. By necessity, such orders were kept highly secret and vaguely defined, making it difficult for them to convince others to migrate with them. They struggled to even do so themselves, as their own ranks considered it a foolish level of paranoia. Still, warnings were given and efforts made to help move people out of the core of Imperium territory.   To their great horror and disbelief, when the World Gate itself exploded, it detonated at magnitudes far beyond even their wildest imaginations. Even those who'd tried migrating away were invariably caught in the initial explosion, with many more besides in the secondary aftershocks. In an instant, their vast information network, numerous civilizations, and a huge chunk of Veltrona herself were simply annihilated from existence. Thus began the Great Darkness, a time that even pushed the legendary rachtoh to their limits.   No strangers to the dark or mysterious, the rachtoh fortress cities were more than prepared for the fading sunlight. What caught them by surprise, as it did many others, were the strange and bizarre happenings the Great Darkness engendered. New types of beasts emerged, inexplicable phenomena became the norm, and desolation ran hand-in-hand with unexpected blooms of life different from the usual verdancy. To the rachtoh, they simply replaced fighting dragons with taming the wonderful unknown eating away at their gates. In time, the Great Darkness became known as the Great Hunt, in which many generations of huntresses would prove themselves in such a profoundly strange era.   As a whole, the rachtoh, though strained by the ongoing calamity, fared far better than many other species. Their bastions of civilization became inadvertent beacons of salvation, turning into refuge against the seeming end of the world. Having grown used to fighting alongside the other species, and developing camaraderie of many kinds, many rachtoh nations welcomed these refugees within their illustrious homes of silk, stone, and wood. Thus, in doing so, secured themselves an everlasting place in many histories as gracious saviors. For all the hardships they once endured throughout their long history, the rachtoh garnered truly sublime prestige.    

Feuding Siblings

When the skies over Veltrona cleared, heralding the end of the Great Darkness, many lands were set to heal and recover. Not all who persevered through it, however, survived by a hair's breadth. The rachtoh were among those formidably well-off, and so, for once, enjoyed the luxury of not having to worry about hostile civilizations invading them. Those who dwelled in far western Aerthen, however, ran into an ascending power: the Baarham Dominion.   The once-slaves to imperial dragons, the then-unknown baarham were a small and ignoble species who garnered little attention. While they'd fought alongside many other slaves against the Imperium throughout its life, they had no homeland left to return to. In the midst of the Great Darkness, one of them garnered power to himself; power to defy any fate and destroy all he beheld. He would become their Sorcerer King, Ghown, and he declared his people baarham.   The Dominion epitomized xenophobia in governance and culture, for the baarham's deep trauma blamed all others for the immense cruelty they'd collectively suffered from. Many of the rachtoh recognized this feeling well, for even to their most current day, the threat of exploitation and slavery was never far away. Their own history detailed and storied such hatreds at great lengths, and for millennia had been their way of life. Perhaps more than any other people on Veltrona, they understood the baarham's rising culture of fear all too well.   The various rachtoh nations sent emissaries of all kinds to the Dominion, trying to negotiate alternative forms of policy, governance, or even simply worldly view. King Ghown, wise and crafty as he was, had a certain respect for the rachtoh, for he too recognized the evils they'd suffered under. At first, he offered a truce of non-aggression, but the rachtoh nations were not satisfied with such a thing. They implored upon him and his ministers the importance of responsibility with power, and the many consequences thereof over lives taken that could never be returned. They argued for some years, but King Ghown's patience eventually wore out. He would see his people supreme in the world over all others, and only those most non-threatening would be given a place beneath them.   Thus, negotiations broke down, and so war between the rachtoh and the Dominion began.   Unlike dragons, whose arrogance was easy to abuse and lead them by, the baarham were meticulously efficient. They'd studied the ways of war of all those who fought against the Imperium, the rachtoh most of all. Armed with their extensive magical arts and engineered power, the baarham met the rachtoh in skirmish warfare with frightening ease. The two fell into an arms race, either side trying to gain a decisive advantage against an equally skilled foe. Some historians would later consider this war between the two as a major reason for the Dominion's overall 'containment', as well as heavily influencing its tactics and military ambitions.   As the centuries began dragging by, entire generations born and dying in such a long war, the rachtoh progressively geared more and more towards annihilating the Dominion. The horrors of the baarham were many and growing, dashing whatever reservations the farther away, uninvolved rachtoh held. When fears over the Dominion becoming worse than the Imperium began, the first major unified military force of the rachtoh began taking shape. Yet, before it could begin to mature, the baarham of the Dominion—along with many cities and their entire population—vanished from Veltrona.   Thus, in the absence left behind, an inexplicable tension remained.    

A Healing World

There were many gearing up for grand war against the Dominion, yet suddenly found themselves without a foe to fight anymore. Ambitions, in such an environment, ran easily unchecked, and so wars flared up all throughout the lands. These relatively smaller scale confrontations fit in with the traditional scope of the powerful, greedy, and covetous. Though many aspired to the totalitarian supremacy of the Imperium (or even Dominion, arguably), none possessed the ability to match such terrible heights.   With imminent danger largely out of mind anymore, the surviving rachtoh immortals and governments sought to rebuild the Silk Road. Although virtually destroyed in most of Lophern, northern Dorvar, and severed by the Barrier Sea, the vast majority of it remained in some form or another. A dedicated rebuilding effort, as well as exercising their military might, was thought to be a good way of quelling the rampant violence breaking out. Thus, as their efforts began, the rachtoh militaries and mercenaries slammed face first into the armies of many other civilizations. Behind them followed fleets of engineers, architects, and workers to realize the monumental construction that would be needed. Merchants, too, would follow long after the fighting died down and the roadway stabilized.   It would lead to a bloody, if brief, series of confrontations as the rachtoh rebuilt their legendary renown in battle. Furthermore, their insistence on remaining 'neutral' and creating a 'trade network' saw many turn a blind eye to their efforts. In the end, even those who resisted were lured in by the promise of coin or the threat of utter annihilation. With the nascent Silk Road returning once more, goods of all kinds began flowing between the battered survivors of the Great Darkness.   The rest, as it were, was history.   For the rachtoh, their experience with the Imperium and resulting fallout thereof became transformative to them. Though they greatly prized their homelands and safety, an awareness of isolation's weaknesses grew within them. If they encountered a foe no single city, or even a group of, could handle, they would be doomed. Combined with their newfound respect among their peers, the rachtoh felt as if the world itself had changed enough for them to enter once again. In many ways, they already had, intertwining their far-reaching webs into the other species around them. For those who can brave the hyperactive and social rachtoh, they were estimable allies and mistresses of keeping boredom away.      

Biology

Anatomy and Physiology

Rachtoh are bipedal humanoids with a head, torso, four arms with five fingered hands, and two legs that end in segmented arachnid 'feet'. A cosexual species, the rachtoh have no sexual dimorphism, with all physical differences between individuals being the result of natural variations from the bloodline, ethnic group, or cultural habits. From the perspective of other species, the rachtoh are predominantly feminine with some varying amounts of masculinity, though rachtoh sentiments are so wholly unique neither idea adequately captures them. The overall physique of the rachtoh averages toward lean, wiry, and/or athletic, with a generally small stature that only has a sparing few inches of height variance, pronounced breasts, and wide, pronounced hip bones.   The rachtoh themselves are exoskeletal arthropods with chitinous bodies that have a thin layer of ‘sensory pseudo skin’, nominally chitin-skin, covering the exterior-facing areas. This lends them a very human-like appearance, albeit with physical segmentation that aligns with the chitin exoskeleton itself. It is an arrangement that leads many to consider them somewhat 'doll-like' in appearance as a result. While it is nearly all encompassing, certain locations and joints expose their underlying musculature: the eyes, recessed ears, genitalia, and butt are notable examples. By contrast, their limbs tend to be extraordinarily durable as there is no exposure except the joints themselves.   Rachtoh possess four prominent eyes, a nearly non-existent, flat nose, and a wide, w-shaped mouth that is superficially similar to the mouths of the bieneren. Rachtoh eye locations change greatly for their variants: woodland-rachtoh have two rows of mostly even and vertically aligned eyes, mountain-rachtoh are horizontally paired together, and cave-rachtoh have two larger primary eyes and two smaller ones lower into their cheekbone region. All rachtoh eyes, regardless of their arrangement, are recessed into 'pits' of defined muscles which allows them far greater and more accurate control of their vision over other species. It is to the extent that rachtoh eyes can operate in different pairing groups and look in two different directions, obtaining a lot of visual information.   Most rachtoh noses are flat, being more a slope on their face with two well-hidden nostril slits. Their mouths boast a distinctive w-shape which aligns with their head’s exoskeleton, and stretches widely across their heads into their cheeks. A small pair of limbs—known as pedipalps—are attached to the middle-corners of their mouth. A rachtoh’s pedipalps are utilized for a variety of social and consumptive functions; e.g, mood, communication, holding food, intimacy, etc. The overall size and shape of a rachtoh’s pedipalps, much like their eyes, varies depending on an individual’s ethnicity and lineage; generally speaking, the pedipalps of woodland-rachtoh are pincer-like, mountain-rachtoh are club-like, and cave-rachtoh are jaggedly knife-like. All rachtoh pedipalps are located on the exterior of the mouth itself, and usually fit into special crooks within the broader structure of the mouth.   The upper torso of most rachtoh are humanoid, save for the addition of a secondary pair of arms placed underneath the primary pair. All four arms are generally the same size and length, sharing humanoid proportions, with all four fully functional and ending in five-fingered hands. Rachtoh forearms are notable in being slightly larger than most humans, as their silk glands begin in the forearms themselves. These silk glands terminate in three spinnerets between the knuckles of the index and middle finger, the middle and ring finger, and the ring and little finger. Rachtoh hands are capable of flexing and moving in ways that human hands cannot, boasting a higher degree of general flexibility, which enables the spinnerets to emit raw silk unobstructed. Freshly-produced raw rachtoh silk mostly consists of single-strand, unspun fibers which can then be utilized however the rachtoh wishes. The norm for rachtoh is to have one hand producing silk while another hand gathers the fiber, allowing for two hands to be producing fiber and two hands to be gathering silk.   The abdomen and lower torso are comprised of segmented chitin ‘plates’, which is not truly visible due to their skin layer hiding it. This does, however, allow flexibility, organ undulation, pregnancy, etc. It’s also considered the most prominent weakness in their otherwise natural body armor of an exoskeleton, though it’s still better protected than a regular human’s, for example.   Owing to their cosexual nature, the genital region of the rachtoh is somewhat different than most other species. The exterior region is similar in sculpt and function to the average human female, minus erectile tissues. Their ovipositor organ itself is recessed internally inside a separate, conjoined cavity to the vaginal passage, which it uses to emerge out of during reproduction.   Rachtoh legs have humanoid thighs, knees, and then lower legs that terminate into an arthropod-like structure called a tarsus. In most every day usage, this tarsus structure ends as a straight, rounded 'nub' that acts as their foot; this is similar to species like the bieneren or ilansu. However, the tarsus itself is a series of seven segmented joints, which can curl into creating a hook shape. This allows the rachtoh to use their unique feet to walk, run, and hang from a variety of surfaces, like webbing, crevices, branches, etcetera. Two protruding, yet small claws at the tip of their feet aid in this process as much as act as natural weapons of a sort. They're also used in web-weaving, giving the rachtoh six functional limbs (or eight with their pedipalps) in which silk can be woven with.   As a result of their exoskeleton, the rachtoh face a unique issue in which their bodies are heavily restricted in how easily they can adapt to the rapid gaining or loss of muscle mass and fat. While their exoskeleton lends them natural durability, it's also a fixed-in-place armor that does not change or shed after maturation. As a result, extreme changes in their body size is a very particular concern for an adult rachtoh. Excessive hypertrophy, obesity, atrophy, or malnourishment can result in an adult rachtoh’s exoskeleton cracking, or worse, breaking, leading to both extreme pain and eventual death. Hence, the rachtoh as a whole do not share the same concept about exercising as other species do, having to balance both nutrition and exertion much more carefully.    

Appearance

Although considered one of the more unique monsterkind species—usually alongside the bieneren—the rachtoh have ever commanded a mystique and alien beauty in the eyes of Veltrona’s other species. The rachtoh boast exceptionally expressive faces, prominent head hair, and the swagger of an ambush predator, which makes them polarizing to behold. For some, they're fear given physical form; to others, captivating mistresses of the silken web. Once the rachtoh are adorned by their world-renowned couture clothing, however, their majesty is difficult for any to match.   The fibers of a rachtoh’s head hair are notably much finer and thinner than those of human hair, giving it an almost fluffy and fur-like characteristic. The roots of a rachtoh’s hair is generally similar to the color of their chitin-skin, but as it grows longer their hair starts to take on a color usually inherited from their lineage. For example, a blue-skinned rachtoh with fiery-orange hair color will have blue roots that then gradiates into fiery-orange ends. Because this color change is associated with the length of their hair, some rachtoh cultures, especially those with strong hunting and military traditions, will ritualistically shave and/or trim their hair in order to prevent this color expression, generally with the goal of maintaining visual homogeneity among the group. The exact mechanism that causes their head hair to change color is not very well understood, but is generally thought to be the result of the fiber changing with age.   All rachtoh eyes universally have black sclera, but their irises usually exhibit a kind of raw or uncut gemstone quality. As a result, their irises are not only quite varied in color, but visual texture as well, making them a sort of visual fingerprint that aides in identification of an individual or of their bloodline. On average, the most common iris colors of the rachtoh trend into the reds, blues, and purples, but generations of intermixing with the other species of Veltrona have resulted in practically every eye color available in some form or another.   The chitin-skin of the rachtoh varies between the three types, largely related to their ancestry: rachtoh descended from the woodlands have skin ranging from purple to black, the mountain-folk having skin in hues of chalky-gray, and the rachtoh from cave-dwelling lineages have skin in shades of dark blue. Unlike their eyes or hair, the chitin-skin of the rachtoh has largely remained consistent throughout their species' history. The coloration of a rachtoh’s chitin-skin only tends to shift as a result of individual offspring taking after their mother's particular features. However, hybridization did introduce a unique quirk to the rachtoh: body hair. In cases where rachtoh children are sired by a species with large amounts of fur or body hair, such as the jiuweihu, the resulting rachtoh hybrids will then inherit the same features, albeit in their much finer, smaller-sized strands than their parent's.    

Natural Abilities

Silk Weaving – Rachtoh naturally produce a type of high quality protein-based silk within their forearms that is emitted from spinnerets in the inter-digital space between their fingers.   Non-Adaptive Physiology – Once physical maturation completes, the rachtoh exoskeleton is fairly rigid and non-changing, limiting the rachtoh ability to develop muscles or fat, or to lose body mass. Excessive growth or loss of either leads to discomfort, severe health issues, and even death.   Predator Senses – Natural predators, the rachtoh have a keen understanding of their environment and sensory information thereof, making them seem almost supernatural in how they detect things.   Three-Dimensional Constitution – Rachtoh are well-suited to handling the intricacies of three-dimensional movement and living. This means things like hanging upside down, traversing in multiple directions, and scaling otherwise complex geometry is completely natural to them.   Cosexual – The rachtoh are described as a 'female only' species by everyone else on Veltrona, but they’re closer to being cosexual instead, where their oviposition method of reproduction allows them to act as sire or dame depending on their choices.    

Diet

Rachtoh are generally omnivorous as a species, but they prefer protein-rich foods (e.g, meats, flesh plants, beans, legumes, blood, etc) as their central dietary intake. This is then supplemented by a variety of fruits that possess high quantities of flesh for chewing and eating. They have an abhorrent aversion to nuts and most hard-shelled, solid things as the sensation of eating so is utterly unpleasant to them. As a result, most rachtoh cuisine revolves around getting food into an ideal eating texture resembling meat or fruit flesh of some variety. Their choice of vegetables tend to be high calorie additions, such as potatoes, avocado, egg plant, mushrooms, etc. In the words of one particular human connoisseur, "... if you're wishing to exercise and build your body into that of a goddess', the rachtoh diet might be worth considering."   For the rachtoh, excess protein usually ends up going into their silk glands, where it becomes silk for a variety of usages. Otherwise, their high activity lifestyles usually burn up their massive caloric intake just as much. The rachtoh are very mindful of their eating amounts and calibrating their lifestyle around it, as the fear of excessive fat gain or loss is deeply embedded into them. Thus, workers one day might eat half their weight in food, while the next becomes far less than that as they 'lounge and relax'. To those unaware of their mannerisms, it can resemble binge eating to an almost extreme degree.   Due to some quirks in their physiology, the rachtoh operate on a somewhat different chemical basis. One of the major effects of this is that fermented alcohol in all its forms is highly poisonous to the rachtoh and completely inedible. Conversely, certain stimulants—like caffeine—rather than excite the rachtoh, instead become chemical depressants, achieving an alcohol-like stupor instead. Other, far more minor, differences arise, usually producing unexpected results that are not necessarily harmful, but are typically disruptive. One such example is that traditional rachtoh medicines generally do not necessarily align with other species' health needs, and vice versa, making them ineffective or even dangerous.    

Life Cycle

Infant rachtoh are generally fragile, even among infants, having little in the way of exoskeleton strength and minimal muscle mass. For at least their first year of life, an extremely high degree of care is required to keep them happy, content, and generally safe. Traditionally, nearly every rachtoh culture prepares special swaddles from their silk—either the mother(s), close family or friends, etc—which are used to support the infant as well as make them easy to position or relocate as needed. During this time, the immature exoskeleton of the infant begins to take shape and their chitin-skin begins toughening up.   As their body begin developing muscles, infant rachtoh obtain an insatiable habit of exploring and climbing around, particularly on their mother or home. It is around this time vocal cord development begins, and so incessant chittering and other guttural noises become the norm. Infant socialization begins around this time period, with these tiny terrors making complex yet fleeting social dynamics in their playpen queendoms.   Childhood proper begins within 3-5 years, and increasing capability creates increasing demand for stimulation and entertainment. Relatively speaking, rachtoh children are both fairly capable and rather dexterous, having little issue scaling most surfaces or climbing complex topography. Their hunting instincts tend to become stronger, and so play-fighting as well as predator-prey games are the norm for them. Different forms of child social groups will manifest, usually around their day-to-day schedules or what their providers guide them toward. It is at this point that general education and training begins, depending on family heritage, social status, etc.   By ages 10-11, adolescence has begun in the rachtoh, and thus many great and profound changes. The onset of puberty triggers the awakening of their silk glands, the development of their complex sexual characteristics, and a rapid increase in caloric intake. It is at this time that children are more strictly trained and taught, capitalizing on both their insatiable desires as much as physiological potential. To the rachtoh, this time period is critical as their exoskeleton begins to take its final shape. Thus, the training, exercise, and overall physique one obtains during this period will follow them for the rest of their life. For some, this is the most intense period of their lives that'll set them up for future success or failure.   Physical maturation is usually achieved around 22-25, denoted by the exoskeleton assuming its thickest and most final form. At this point, a rachtoh is in her physical prime, well-educated/trained, and thoroughly integrated into her parent culture with full responsibilities. From there on out, it's a matter of life as she chases after it, familial duty, and all the myriad complexities thereof.   Rachtoh will maintain their physical prime for about three-fourths of their lifespan. Elderly age begins to set in when their digestive problems begin, as they can no longer maintain the high metabolic rate their active lifestyles demand. The formulation of silk becomes much more difficult as a result, demanding particular care and attention in order to occur. While their physical strength remains for the most part, the lack of available energy is usually their greatest and growing weakness at this stage. Their chitin-skin will also begin to thin out, becoming brittle, easily tearing, and generally painful when under stress. At this point, nearly all rachtoh retire and focus on family affairs, recording of knowledge, and indulging in quiet simplicity.   Final death usually occurs as a result of metabolic failure and extreme energy deprivation. The rachtoh regard this as 'the cold death', and in order to preserve the warmth of life and love, normally bundle themselves up in blankets, silk, webbing, or otherwise. Upon dying, most traditions dictate the deceased be wrapped in the silk of the family or closest friends. From there, it depends if they're cremated, buried, or even given a water voyage upon a river that goes to a sea or ocean. Regardless, the love of their closest ones will accompany them with the hope of giving them the strength they will need when facing the next life's great challenges.    

Anaxials, Hybrids, and Variants

Anaxials

Rachtoh anaxials are among the more difficult ones to identify, as they usually do not exhibit a lot of outwardly visible traits associated with the rachtoh themselves. These near-human offspring usually feature stronger bones, tougher skin, far better dexterity, and a generally superior suite of senses. In more extreme cases, they'll exhibit some rachtoh anatomical features, such as segmented feet that can 'curl', enlarged forearms and/or hands, lips in a natural w-shape, or even scale-like chitin growth as a form of natural armor. Without these visual identifiers, rachtoh anaxials are often confused for other types of anaxials, or just unusually strong humans in general.   While rachtoh anaxials can produce the famous silk, the quality, consistency, and nature thereof is highly variable. It's unclear why, but as with most things related to anaxials, they themselves are a highly variable existence. Depending on the use case, anaxial silk can even be superior to the rachtoh's, which has caused more than one family line to achieve renown with their own novel silk products. A great amount of contention actually surrounds rachtoh-human marriages as a result: both sides are keenly aware of the potential of anaxials, and are thus covetous and wary of them in equal measure.   On the one hand, such a child could be a great boon to their family line–on the other, if they are born with no ability to produce silk at all, then centuries of rachtoh weaving tradition is at risk of potentially dying out. The rachtoh, in particular, also worry about the potential for the over-exploitation of their children, and as such, relationships between the rachtoh and humanity tend to inevitably come under heavy scrutiny from both the individuals themselves, as well as their larger communities and cultures.    

Hybrids

For the rachtoh, their hybrids face an interesting future. Their sire's contributions actually has a profound effect on their internal musculature and growth potential once puberty begins. This results in cases of a rachtoh growing much taller, larger, or bulkier than their species could ever achieve otherwise. To the rachtoh, such children are full of promise and potential, and so highly sought after for all sorts of reasons. Secondary inherited effects, such as fur, scales, or even horns, are usually seen as cosmetic in nature.   In contrast to the anaxials, rachtoh hybrids do not exhibit any differing ability to produce silk, nor does the silk they produce boast any unusual characteristics. There is a general suspicion that particularly mana-rich bloodlines, such as dragons or baarham, do enhance their relationship with mana, thus magic, and thusly mana-infused silk. However, since such silk requires great training and work to be made in the first place, there is debate if it's a natural talent from being hybrids, or simply a skill being overly invested into by families that are already capable of providing such an education in the first place. Still, there is generally a sense of great prestige and allure of selling 'dragon silk', much to the second-hand embarrassment actual dragons get from hearing that.    

Variants

There is some contention among rachtoh scholars over whether or not the ‘three types’ of rachtoh count as variants or a singular species. It is a popular topic to debate, as the three types do exhibit some morphological differences, but not ones to a definitively distinguishing degree (such as the mertakan). That is, aside from their differing eye locations, chitin-skin coloration, and minor morphological exoskeleton differences, they're virtually identical otherwise. In contrast to say, dragonkind, who all exhibit profound morphological differences in all its variants, and are still considered members of the same species.   Regardless, there are three types of rachtoh of note: the woodland rachtoh, the mountainous rachtoh, and the cave-dwelling rachtoh.   The woodland (sometimes called the ‘deep forest’) rachtoh are the most common type, and generally represent the platonic ideal of what most people on Veltrona encounter when dealing with the species. The mountainous rachtoh are much more uncommon, and generally do business with the likes of the onpa, ilansu, and dragonkind in their divine mountain homelands. They're known to be veltron-aspected, and their silk is far stronger in structural applications than their other kindred. The cave rachtoh are the rarest variant, and are usually not seen on the surface world that much. They're nocturnal, which also puts them outside the typical interaction time for most species as well, but supposedly they have close ties with the vampyr, and can more readily be encountered in their settlements on the surface.   On the other hand, the mertakan are considered a proper variant of the rachtoh, one with fairly extreme morphological differences.        

Sociology

Cultural Universals

The rachtoh are a gregarious and highly social species.   In the grand scheme of Veltrona's many sapient peoples, such a statement is perhaps underwhelming at first. Arguably, for any civilization to exist, social principles must also exist to build the foundation. Unlike all other species, however, the rachtoh push this idea to its utmost limit. They're profoundly extroverted, seeking near constant companionship, friendly relations, and almost anything involving other people. They maneuver from one activity or group to the other as needed in a seamless social dance that never seems to end. They do everything with each other, and it is worth emphasizing the meaning of everything: sleeping, eating, shopping, bathing, meditation, etc. The only rachtoh by themself is one often pursuing something dangerous or venturing far from home. As a result, the rachtoh often do not share nor understand the concept of privacy as other species do.   As a result, the rachtoh concept of a social group can number in the dozens to hundreds of individuals. Relationships thereof usually exist on a contextual basis reinforced by frequency of contact. A rachtoh may know another very well when they intersect with someone in one particular area, such as shared silk weaving time, hunting, theater performance, and so on. It's common for outsiders to view this as a casual or informal acquaintanceship, but the rachtoh do not regard such relationships of proximity as something easily discarded. If it's their place to know someone more, then they will, but knowing someone 'in the moment' is no less valid to them, either. For some, the only way they can know someone is in those specific, fleeting circumstances that brought them together.   When one considers importance and relations thereof, the social webwork of the rachtoh starts to take shape. Navigating it is by no means simple, and one can often only discover what shape it takes when led by other rachtoh already involved in it. But, if one isn't prepared to deal with their colorful mannerisms, they'll be doomed to be played with like prey, for it endlessly delights the rachtoh doing so. They are, at their heart, a social and fun species, but also predators, and so enjoy games of hunting and one-upping one another, both literal or otherwise. However, they shouldn't be considered malicious in doing so, even if it can feel that way sometimes.   In many ways, they love competition, as it is a source of constant inspiration, aggravation, and purpose. The rachtoh understand who wins or loses is constantly changing, so grace and humility are both vital components to this affair. Their sense of competition isn't destructive nor obsessive, which is something other cultures can have trouble comprehending. But, for those who wrong them or theirs, the sheer hatred by which the rachtoh will endeavor to destroy their enemies is something to be feared.    

Lingual Characteristics

The rachtoh have an unusually sophisticated vocal structure that gives them a much broader range of vocalizations and methods of articulation. Most native rachtoh languages involve a high degree of trills, chirps, clicks, buzzed slurs of complex syllables, all modulated by heavy tonality. Consequently, sounds which seem identical to unfamiliar listeners could potentially mean many different things to those who understand the subtle differences in tone and articulation. Thus, in an area full of rachtoh—such as an inn—most other species cannot readily make sense of what they're saying because of this great complexity. In fact, rachtoh themselves have trouble the more esoteric parts of their own languages, or when encountering a rachtoh dialect they’re unfamiliar with, making their most educated or trained orators mysterious even to them.   Linguists believe this bizarre affair arose due to their prolonged isolation from the world and the rachtoh's own competitive natures. When the rachtoh began dealing with other civilizations on a large scale, language proved an incredible barrier for them to overcome initially. Time, effort, and sheer pressure forced them to compress their most 'effective' languages into a more translatable format, resulting in their distinctively 'curt' form of speech. In fact, to the rachtoh, efficient speech is a form of excellency in itself, so the removal of superfluous words and syllables is something they have fun with. To everyone else, though, their idea of excellence ends up making them difficult to understand again anyway.   One dragon merchant, Tudaion, famously postulated they continue to do so as a form of screwing with people from other cultures, including other rachtoh, and thus far this joke is considered the most accurate theory.    

Arts and Beauty

The rachtoh themselves are creatively minded and in many ways, it'd be just as proper to call them an artistic species, for they love to create things and experiences that capture all the wonders of life and their desires. The oldest tradition among the various cultures is that of silk weaving itself, but as their civilizations developed and grew, the rachtoh came to love theatrical performance, oral storytelling, painted artwork, and music just as much. The breadth of the arts themselves is where many rachtoh derive meaning in their lives. A capturing of one’s lived experience, the sharing thereof, and the connections a person can form with one another.   For many, the creation of new experiences, intrigue, and wonder is what drives them even further. Every rachtoh has both an opinion and some skill in an artform or two, and in many ways, it's a language of its own between them. For some, especially considering the rachtoh’s unique sensibilities, it can result in creations as familiar as they are alien in their depiction. Perhaps greatly influenced by the karsoru, or merely sharing the same sentiments, the rachtoh love to capture the essence of something, or see it exemplified by someone. The sheer effort that goes into doing so, even if it appears quite humble on the surface, is something that the majority of rachtoh are not only trained to see, but to appreciate, and interacting with such efforts tantalizes their creative minds and their yearning for labored love.   There is some contention or confusion around what rachtoh consider a ‘beauty standard’. Given the nature of the rachtoh themselves, who blend feminine and masculine together, their sentiments do not easily align with other species. Particularly well-endowed women or men, or those with excessively muscular or thick bodies, usually come off as strange, misshapen, or grotesque at worst. On the other hand, smoothness, a lean physique, and the comely musculature of an athletic fits their sentiments much, much closer. Overall, they generally prefer feminine traits similar to themselves, with most who fall outside this range being considered unconventional. For most monsterkind species, however, rachtoh feminine and monsterkind masculine overlap in many ways. Human women are usually ranked highly among ideals and are particularly preferred, and so anything similar to them tends to be preferred as well.    

Magic and Technology

The non-adaptive nature of rachtoh physiology continually placed a tremendous burden upon them. Where other species may develop their own bodies to achieve new heights, the rachtoh's limitations forced them to innovate through external methods. The first of their technologies are historically considered to be silk-derived mechanisms and traps, which they made as force multipliers for many different tasks. The more they developed and reached the limitations of their silk at the time, the more the rachtoh sought other methods to continue their improvements.   Dragonkind and humanity, if by virtue of age and nothing else, may have innovated to great heights before all others, but the rachtoh weren't slouches, either. Their competitive nature and almost instinctive desire to seek out social clout turned innovation itself into a brutal gauntlet, through which practical need and artistic form became their judges. For huntresses in particular, the necessity of their craft meant they were focused on practical innovations, so the two often crossed over.   Where technology built to great heights, magic let the rachtoh soar. Their bodies may have been limited due to biology, but through magical innovation and training, feats like supernatural strength were still in reach. Their magical arts generally centered upon physically practical applications, facilitating their most conceivable needs while more abstract ones were left by the wayside. A good example is that the rachtoh never really developed an equivalent to explosive fire magic, as the collateral damage in their homelands would've been too steep. They did innovate on ideas like kinetic acceleration via wind or veltron magics, which radically amplified the lethality of their weaponry.   Perhaps their most universally venerated form of magic is that of enchantment. By infusing mana through meticulous design into their creations, the whole creation would become far greater than the sum of its parts. This not only applied to their technologies, but to the rachtoh themselves. Special clothing and equipment could be made that amplified their strength, enhanced durability, bolstered endurance, etcetera, to magnitudes matching or exceeding their greatest rivals. The endless technical difficulties of the enchantment craft also made it an ideal battleground for the rachtoh to go insane upon as they inched and crawled every measure of innovation possible.    

Religion and Philosophy

The perception that they live in an inherently hostile world poised against their people has long been ingrained into the heart of many rachtoh cultures. For whatever lives they had before their great isolation, nearly every single rachtoh culture possesses a vivid memory of the historical horrors of slavery, exploitation, and the destruction wrought upon them by the greed of others. Were it not for the timely help of the karsoru tribes that many rachtoh nations encountered (or nearby tribes of a similar fate, like the helunae and lauraume, as the case may be), many rachtoh cultures might've sunk far deeper into fear and xenophobia, and come to hate everyone else as a result. Instead, the rachtoh found those who had suffered injustices as they once had, and from forming bonds with those who understood what they had suffered, the rachtoh were able to choose a different path.   Gradually, the rachtoh came to consider evil under the same premise as unruly predators: a rampant problem deserving of the most brutal destruction possible. Such was the only means by which nature, and all who dwell within it, could maintain the balance that life needed to flourish. Thus, most rachtoh cultures came to consider acts like slavery as manifestations of the ultimate evil, and spared no mercy to those found guilty of such things. For them, the hunt itself was an act of virtue, for ensuring the safety of one's own family and community is the highest among all concerns they have. In fact, the concept of 'huntress' is one of the few universal constants among nearly every known rachtoh culture, with only the type of prey they hunt being the main distinction among them.   It is these sentiments that intertwine with their forms of religion. Typically a kind of ancestor worship, the rachtoh see their deities as their greatest (if unfortunately forgotten) ancestors, or even immortals of their species who ascended in some form or another. Their scriptures do not try to make sense of nor justify the world as it exists, but instead focuses on their place within it. A view that is, ultimately, grounded in their very practical concerns: how to survive, kill their enemies, and prosper together.    

Science and Spirituality

The various approaches to the scientific methods, particularly empirical ones, meshed well with the rachtoh’s general sense of practicality, the two fitting together as well as a bolt and a crossbow. The only thing that stood in the way of scientific advancement and progress was the tendency for many rachtoh to fall into the practice of hoarding their knowledge, especially as particular families relied on the control of certain technologies, techniques, or information in order to get their political leg-up over their rivals. Eras of innovation sprung up frequently among different rachtoh cultures, but they just as rapidly regressed if a particular mistress or school of engineers died out suddenly, or failed to record their findings in a way that outsiders could parse.   It was only when the pressure of outside powers threatening the stability of their cities came about that such schools and guilds in most rachtoh societies began to implement broader systems of standardization practices across their various fields. Most cities eventually developed stern regulations about the preservation and sharing of knowledge, forcing reclusive families—who had long held monopolies on certain methods or technologies—to reveal their long-held secrets.   In contrast to other species, whether due to their focus on the strictly practical or otherwise stymied by a long history spent fighting for survival and independence, most rachtoh cultures were never easy with exploring the unknown. For them, whatever laid beyond the safety of their settlement walls was not worth tempting whatever evils lurked outside, waiting to bring ruin upon them and their families. If these things were not evil, then they were simply prey to be hunted, consumed, and their skulls racked on walls as trophies. As such, these common sentiments often warred with the responsibility of stewardship which the rachtoh held for their homelands. Nature, after all, could not be allowed to be unbalanced by any force, or it would cascade into the end of life as they knew it. So while rachtoh progress was stymied, eventually, in some way or another, confronting the unknown, and the even more mysterious divinities and heavenlies, became a matter of ensuring the survival of their people.   Little by little, the rachtoh made peace with such strange and unknowable existences outside of the safety of their various settlements. The more familiar they became with them, the better such beings could be put into conceptual boxes that the rachtoh could make peace with. The unknown still terrified them, but eventually these rachtoh cultures came to understand this fear and make peace with it, if only because something that was even vaguely understood would be far less worrisome to deal with. Such a sentiment was something which other peoples had trouble grasping, even more so where the undead were concerned.   The rachtoh are a social species, and not even mysteries of death could change that fact. They, moreso than many other species, have an unusually amiable relationship with their undead kin. If the rachtoh encounter any undead who still possess a consciousness, even if only in part, they will host impromptu celebrations that venerate the undead in question, and in doing so, aid them in passing on from the world. For the wilder or more destructive undead, the rachtoh give them glory in a final battle, sending them to the next world by force.   In times of great need, undead rachtoh have been known to return to the world of the living in order to fight alongside their families in their most desperate hours. Hence, for quite a long time, the rachtoh species as a whole were considered naturally proficient in necromancy, despite them not really practicing such an art at all. Rather, for the rachtoh, such bonds were proof enough that, despite all the mysteries of life or death, they would always have each other.      

Psychology

Rest and Sleep

Rest can be a challenging issue for most rachtoh, given how incredibly busy their lives are. Those of particular renown and social standing even more so, considering the much higher demand for their attention and involvement in all sorts of things. In most rachtoh cultures, an individual’s time of rest is considered a deeply ‘personal’ time, one which is about the closest to 'alone' or ‘private’ that any rachtoh can get, traditionally taking their rest with the fewest number of people around them as possible, usually a small group averaging between 3-to-7 people that they trust. For general relaxation purposes, these groups will migrate to ideal locations (bathhouses, inns, family houses, certain kinds of specialty theaters, etc) and lounge about, indulging in whatever amenities are available.   For most rachtoh, even sleep is considered a minor social event, requiring coordination, planning, and corralling of their intimate rest group towards a well-appointed place to sleep together. Rachtoh who take the lead in managing the daily chore of getting their group to bed can accrue great clout if they are credited by their group as bringing about a peaceful slumber. As such, issues like managing available bedding, sleepwear, aromatics, and other such details—which other cultures may see as frivolous—are incredibly important to these rachtoh. Much as in the rest of their lives, rachtoh sleep together, though either in the same room or same bed depending on culture, but together nonetheless.   Perhaps the most difficult thing for any rachtoh, however, is attaining peace of mind. Although the rachtoh are not naturally anxious, their constant socializing, maneuvering, and navigating the various complexities of their jobs and passions means that they're regularly existing within high-stress environments. Even if a rachtoh can admirably handle such pressures well, it is nonetheless existing under the strain of these pressures, and so stress management becomes an important issue.    

Consciousness and Thought

Scholars generally agree that determining the exact cognitive process of the rachtoh is a difficult undertaking. While the rachtoh are capable of processing more overall sensory data in greater detail than a fair number of other species, they don't necessarily have greater cognition speed than other species. Rather, it is believed that the rachtoh boast a greater ability for mental attention toward numerous simultaneous tasks (such as their constant social plate-spinning), but are generally the equivalent in areas of abstraction or linear processing (e.g, numbers).   It’s agreed that this natural ability to multitask confers great advantages to the rachtoh, particularly in real-world scenarios like hunting prey or combating multiple enemies in difficult terrain. A rachtoh’s reflexes border on the advanced, and combined with their natural comfort in navigating three-dimensional space, they can move in ways which most bipedal species consider nigh-impossible or are difficult for them to naturally anticipate. However, in most applications otherwise, a rachtoh’s mental abilities are considered fairly close to that of humankind.   The notable outlier in such a comparison is generally the rachtoh’s cognition in relation to social matters, such as recalling a variety of minute details about a person, tracking conversation threads, and maintaining an active awareness of many dozens, if not hundreds, of individuals' worth of information with ease, whereas a human would struggle to maintain close relationships with half as many individuals as the average rachtoh. Whether by nature or nurture, the rachtoh are exceptional at intuiting social cues, the complex arrangements of almost any given group, and navigating them in the most effective ways possible. It's a skill of theirs that makes the rachtoh highly desirable in the roles of diplomats, ambassadors, high-class socialites, and similar social occupations in foreign civilizations.    

Motivation and Emotion

Nearly universal to all rachtoh is a deep-seated, almost instinctual yearning to help their parents and siblings. From this filial piety, the desire to help and know others in their community, to see them smile and laugh, to know they're fed and safe, and many, many more social complexities thereof, begin formulating. The rachtoh have ever cared for each other from the bottom of their hearts, and their entire worldview is built upon that foundation of deep concern and attachment to their communities. For better or worse, this attachment has seen the many rachtoh civilizations rise to tremendous heights, and it has seen just as many fall to bitter ruin, all in the name of serving and caring for their kin.   Unsurprisingly for such an intrinsically social species, the rachtoh themselves are generally an exceptionally emotionally sensitive people. To the rachtoh, a person’s emotional honesty is reflective of the very truth of the self, and so displaying it—as much as controlling it—is incredibly important to them. Those who sacrifice such emotional honesty in the name of 'higher callings' or 'greater goods' is a swift way to earn their ire, for they find it a sophist's lie in the first place. It is a tricky concept for other species to navigate, but the general understanding is that, to the rachtoh, a sense of personal discipline is admirable, but callousness and the rejection of one’s emotions is not.   Most rachtoh believe that emotions of the heart are, themselves, reason enough and these emotional concerns and expressions are vital to nearly every rachtoh social webwork. More than one strategist or great merchant of a different species have been blindsided by a rachtoh snubbed what many would’ve considered the most 'reasonable' choice in a deal in order to pursue a path that satisfied their own emotional desires instead—such as choosing to spite someone over assuring their own personal gain.   For many of the other species on Veltrona, it remains a mystery how the rachtoh’s deep sense of practicality coincides with their deep emotionalism as easily as it does.    

Sexuality and Love

Unlike most other sapient species found in Veltrona, the rachtoh have what would be described as a 'narrow' view of sexuality. In large part due to their cosexual physiology, many of the intricacies and issues surrounding binary (tertiary, quandary, etc) sexual forms of other species simply do not apply to the rachtoh, and are thus considered unrelatable. Rather, a rachtoh seeking a romantic or sexual partner is generally far more concerned about the means of expression another rachtoh has, such as physically through their clothing, ornamentation, and bodily modifications, or how they socially present themself. In some ways, rachtoh sexuality sometimes equated by scholars as being inherently pansexual, but given that the rachtoh exist outside of the typical gender structures in which pansexuality on Veltrona usually exist within, it's not really an agreed upon view by most people on the topic, either.   There are some arguments that, since rachtoh sentiments usually align toward what most other species would classify as ‘feminine ideals’, then therefore the rachtoh should perhaps qualify more as an inherently homosexual species. Ultimately though, none of these simplistic definitions, nor broad categorizations, truly fit the fluidity and cultural frameworks in which the rachtoh’s actual romantic and sexual identities actually exist within. Scholarly study thereof that attempted to more accurately capture the rachtoh’s lived experiences therefore tends to be a rather complicated subject for most to parse.   In very broad strokes, it is generally agreed upon that in most rachtoh cultures, a rachtoh will find individuals of similar statures and physiques to their own as being 'very attractive', with the further away from this ‘ideal’ an individual gets, the stranger and more bizarre such people will appear to the rachtoh in question. Where this generalization breaks down is for rachtoh who belong to cultures which are more blended with and inclusive of other species, or are more accepting of inter-species relationships, as such rachtoh do display a much more broad or nuanced model of attraction towards those who are physically different to themselves.   Additionally, these more integrated rachtoh are better socialized in understanding the sexual mores and identities of other species, as well as their gender politics. Or, at least, such rachtoh have an increased capacity in understanding why other species may act in such ways. Perhaps the greatest problem present for other species understanding the rachtoh in intimate matters, however, beyond basic physical or sexual attraction, is learning to contend with the common rachtoh notions of love.   If familial relationships and friendships are the webwork upon which rachtoh civilizations are built, romantic love is the great game that the rachtoh play with voracious glee. To the majority of rachtoh, one's romantic love(s) are the closest of all their interpersonal relationships, second in importance only to their own parents (sometimes). Rachtoh who are involved in intimate relationships interweave close and frequent contact, building their entire lives around each other, dynamically changing all sorts of everyday and professional routines in the process. It is perhaps the greatest driving force of social fluidity within rachtoh cultures, and something the rachtoh themselves all understand very well.   To every other species, however, this high degree of affection and almost codependent integration into their partner(s)’ live(s) makes the rachtoh come off as rather obsessive by nature. These conflicted—or outright negative—sentiments towards rachtoh romantic practices are particularly apparent in other cultures that perceive privacy, or at least time with one’s intimate partners, as necessitating 'total aloneness' with the involved parties. On the other hand, in the rachtoh sense, someone’s ‘private affairs’ are naturally almost always occurring 'with a small group of trusted friends present as well'.      

Society

Social Mannerisms

If there is one consistent aspect of rachtoh sociology among their disparate cultures, it is their nearly universal concept of the importance of having 'fun' with each other. The most popular translation of this idea comes from the word kikicha—owing to a particular rachtoh city in Dorvar—roughly translating as "hunt and be hunted". Under the view of ‘predator and prey’ that the rachtoh enjoy so much, a person is usually one or the other, and the role one takes in a given encounter gives shape to their relationship. In another view, it’s comparable to sword fighting: technique, aggression, defense, maneuvering, etcetera, all embodied within a ‘game’ of social hierarchy, clout, and pursuit. The more that a ‘huntress’ rachtoh gives attention to another (their ‘prey’), the more they demonstrate the ‘importance’ of that particular relationship.   But, even the rachtoh have limits—if only because they're one body in one place—so the allocation of their time and attention, even for ‘fun’, remains precious. This is where the concept of 'bait and hook' come into play. One can put out a little trap and see who falls into it, thus signaling their willingness for kikicha. Various cultural means emerge as a way of either furthering this play, reaching a climax, or otherwise disengaging because other, more pressing, needs have come up. Many foreigners to rachtoh ways are often blindsided by this social norm and its many intricacies, as even well-developed tomes or guides do not fully capture the nuance or complexity of it. One of the greatest problems tends to be the misunderstanding of malice and how it's utilized.   The rachtoh, regardless of individual culture, generally do not care for things they hate; rather, they ignore it if possible, or, more routinely, will simply seek to just destroy it outright. Malice, in rachtoh cultures, is instead seen as the brutal stick by which someone’s incompetency, laziness, and inattentiveness is punished by. It is meant to strip out all the nuance and social ambivalence usually employed by the rachtoh, turning the exchange into something direct, actionable, and more importantly, conquerable. Huntresses in particular utilize malice to improve each other; to identify their own martial shortcomings and push their fellow huntresses into improving.   Even socialites utilize tactical acts of malice in order to establish a social pecking order based on a person’s perceived flaws, and those with fewer perceived flaws will then dominate higher in the hierarchy. In a sense, the rachtoh idea of malice can charitably be described as still arising from a place of care or concern, just divorced from social pleasantries. Those from other cultures, however, confuse or interpret this malice as simple bullying, or genuine hatred, which has led to numerous conflicts throughout time when it is inevitably directed toward non-rachtoh. Such culture clashes are a problem often exacerbated by many rachtoh civilizations boasting even more complex social rules, norms, and rituals than most outsiders are prepared for.   Given the typical competitiveness that most rachtoh employ against each other, their cultures have turned decorum into a weapon that could cut apart the Heavens if given the chance. To them, the more one not only plays by whatever rules are in place, but twists and turns them to their advantage, the greater their perceived prestige and social acumen within society becomes. Many centuries of this constant drive to learn social games and find their loopholes has refined the various rachtoh etiquettes into truly bizarre levels of complexity that are even more impenetrable than their complex native languages. The complexity of these systems usually escalate exponentially, until they finally reach the point that, after a great deal of internal frustration builds up, the rachtoh involved have a cultural revolution where they throw out the old rules, make new ones, and so the game starts again.    

Gender

Given their cosexual biology, the rachtoh's notions of gender are more concerned with matters of aesthetic, style, and patterns of behavior than fundamental biology. That is, since a rachtoh is capable of either bearing or siring children, the type of social role the rachtoh chooses to adopt dictates their 'gender identity'. While some may operate on a lifelong commitment to one or the other, for most rachtoh, there is a sense of fluidity and circumstance that affects their notion of personal identity. A very popular meme within many rachtoh cultures is that of an arrogant, powerful huntress who's always the one to sire children—until she meets a cunning, sophisticated rich lady who's charisma 'convinces her to bear the lady's child instead'. This sort of idea demonstrates how a rachtoh's attitudes may change, and their identity along with it.   This does run into a conflict with other species who's binary (or otherwise) sexes and gender identities thereof do not cleanly align with rachtoh sentimentality. The fixed, rigid nature of these others' bodies in turn affects their relationship with gender, and so they appear to be confrontational or adversarial with the way of things. As confusing as such forms of gender identity are to the rachtoh, once they processed these identities as a form of aesthetic and style similar to their own, understanding of a sort soon followed. As a result, in many ways they became a generally accepting and ambivalent people about the myriad notions of gender identity. Though, they do love figuring out who's bearing or siring children when the time comes, and the drama of that entertains them greatly.    

Kinship and Ethnicities

For rachtoh families, clans, and tribes, simple details form the complex webs of ethnic identity: specific clothing styles and ornamentation, hair styling, preferred colors for decor and fashion, regional dialect, and so on. As a species with generally less physiological variation than others, the rachtoh put that much more emphasis on their appearance, mannerisms, language, etcetera. There are over a hundred such details that can come up, and even the very fact of who prefers what, or doesn’t, is itself a meaningful distinction that can flag a rachtoh as belonging to a specific group. Among one’s own family group though, rachtoh employ simpler and more direct means of identification—usually esoteric knowledge of some manner.   Kinship is normally identified through a group of these common characteristics, such as wearing red as a main color with green ornamentation, having been born somewhere in particular, followed by clothing folds going leftways, a sash tied around the hip with two knots, and pronouncing a specific call phrase such as ‘hautoli’ in a particular tones. For the most part, the more specific details one knows/demonstrates, the ‘deeper’ into the ethnic group they are. If a main family within a city dresses in the color red, wearing red can identify you as part of their group, but only in the loosest sense possible. For some cities, specific symbols or articles of clothing suffice instead, rather than colors.   Given how intertwined most rachtoh cultures usually are, and how knowledge of each other’s customs by proxy can make one ‘a member’, rachtoh ethnicities tend to be more like sociological bands. When viewed at the civilization level, geographic regions can broadly group them together, such as the Great Houses of Rotalhm, located on the far eastern edge of modern Aerthen. Divided into seven monolithic houses, they’re closer to being micro city-states who gravitated together, then bonded into a singular political entity. For each of these Great Houses, permission to use heraldry, certain mannerisms, and choice of attire are the primary visual signifiers of one’s membership to the house, with more elaborate decorum denoting their rank or station. Outsiders—foreigners, typically—do not generally need more than that, while natives of Rotalhm mindfully obey the many ways in which flag one’s membership or allegiance to the Great Houses.   Family organization is, itself, quite variable for the rachtoh. Given their cosexual nature, there isn’t a strictly patrilineal or matrilineal delineation, but it’s common for a rachtoh’s lineage to be traced through the birthing parents of their family, and for the parent who gave birth to them to be considered the principle authority/parental figure in that child’s life. In other cases, the contributing parent is the center of the family, and perhaps has one or more spouses to which they attend. This can make concepts like succession, inheritance, or even simple property rights incredibly convoluted if a family isn’t careful about keeping things in order. Incidentally, nebusah lawyers get paid a lot for outside consultation on such matters, particularly as business deals and romance go hand-in-hand.   Marriage is an affair that is, for better or worse, one that always involves more than just the two (or more) partners coming together. It is a new bridge connecting different families together, along with all of their associated kin, businesses, and traditions—as well as the social ties they have within their communities. As any given rachtoh may carry a great deal of responsibility and familial knowledge, everyone related to them has an opinion about the topic of marriage. Most traditions usually ordain that the direct parents of those seeking to marry are to act as the figureheads of authority when it comes to determining both the terms of the marriage, as well as ultimately deciding the marriage’s validity. Before an engagement is recognized as valid, all of the betrotheds’ parents usually meet in order to introduce themselves to their potential in-laws, begin marriage negotiations, and ultimately determine the worthiness of the match overall.   Since business itself tends to be tied to marriage so much, rachtoh motivated more by love (or raw passion) may forgo such details. In such cases, the birthing parent nominally has custody and responsibility of any children, which unilaterally brings them into that parent’s associated family. But, people are not clear-cut creatures, and the rachtoh most of all. Even if such affairs start out or are tied together informally, they can quickly escalate into demands for proper marriage (or at least property agreements).      

Governments and Politics

The core essence of rachtoh governance revolves around three details: seniority, expertise, and popularity. To survive, live, and accrue age is, itself, a remarkable feat and a demonstration of one’s worthiness, but it does not mean one is necessarily wise. To obtain expertise is to show dedication and effort toward mistressy of one of life’s great challenges, but it does not mean one is worldly. To be lifted up by the many who speak on your behalf is to show your connection and importance to everyone, but it does not mean you are worthy. These concepts permeate most rachtoh cultures, oscillating yet binding to each other and creating the fundamentals of a web.   The specific type of government can vary from city-to-city, but some form of representation or democratic principles are the norm. Since governing dictates the fate of their people, rachtoh often treat it with the utmost seriousness and reverence. It is not a simple thing to be involved in, and indeed, self-sacrificing in many ways. Such people, who give up the bounties of life and the wonderful hunt, are respected for their commitment to the betterment of them all. However, practicality means that singular leaders are needed in times of great uncertainty, such as active war or disaster. These dictators arise swiftly, either voted into power or called to action by the many, and so bear the responsibility of guiding their people to safety. Given the overwhelming burden, few retain their office after the crisis is over, and fewer still survive in such a position of power.   Identity politics and factionalism are the bread and butter of the rachtoh, who hoist the banner of family or personal causes with frightening ease. Today’s contenders at the debate floor may be tomorrow’s comrades when the topic of discussion has changed. The rapid speed to which the rachtoh soar through political quagmires is quite infamous, and a headache for anyone unprepared for dealing with it. Those without the backing of the factions will not go very far except as a dog they’re tossing around for fun. Hence, connectivity, charisma, and leverage are very important, for the factions will often not do anything that doesn’t benefit themselves. In a particular rachtoh sense of irony, though, their selfish benefits end up disseminating throughout their connections, flowing like rivers to the rest of the populace.   While they may not maintain the material benefits for long, the cultural prestige is enough to make them gloat for decades.    

Trade and Economics

Rachtoh civilizations operate on a mixture of bartering and material-backed currencies, usually dictated by difficulty or esoteric purposes of goods. That is, for common and everyday wares, money suffices as the simple form of transaction. When one begins to deal in items related to magic, mana, material science, etcetera, then bartering becomes more the norm. In such cases, the powerful families who rule such domains seek favors, or equivalent materials, to which money cannot readily access. After a certain point, common goods are so readily accessible they're not even a factor in economic power in rachtoh circles.   Trading with other civilizations, however, does recontextualize that detail. Foreign goods, especially things the rachtoh themselves do not make or reproduce, are especially desirable. For many rachtoh merchants, they often begin from either positions of low wealth or having lost out in the great game in their homeland. They then seek fortune in foreign lands, marketing unique rachtoh wares, transporting goods to-and-fro, and dealing in all sorts of information. Because they're often viciously competing with the merchants of other species, they do not reserve any kindness, and treat economic warfare with the same seriousness as the hunt itself.   Of all their potential goods, however, their famous silk must always be mentioned. To the rachtoh and their internal usage, their silk is the fundamental foundation of all their civilizations. It’s utilized in clothing, magical arts, engineering, some forms of medicine, and much more. Its constant production and consumption is a driving engine to their economies, so everyone values it in some form or another. So the saying goes, a rachtoh can earn a day’s pay in a single yard of silk if needed.   Externally, however, the material’s long and storied history of both great influence and terrible tragedy is something every rachtoh learns as a child. That the outside world continues to covet it as greatly as they do only proves the merits of caution. The exact details vary, but generally every rachtoh merchant who sells to foreigners is involved in a silk trading guild that oversees and regulates how much and where any rachtoh-produced silk is allowed to go. By nature of coming together, though, these guilds tend to coordinate ideas like price fixing, resource distribution channels, and levels of information to hoard or sell. They're some of the most exclusive, secretive, and capable trader organizations on Veltrona, and everyone ends up doing business with them in some form or another.    

Interspecies Relations

Of all the peoples of the world, the rachtoh get on with the karsoru the best, and humanity closely thereafter. They also have strong, if more politically motivated relations with other species that have suffered exploitation in the past, such as the lauraume, helunae, vampyr, etc. In this way, a common ground of understanding was achieved, and most rachtoh feel some obligation to aid those they saw as allies when evil dared threaten them. Of these peoples, though, the relationship between the rachtoh and the lauraume are among the most contentious. Their relationship could be called more of a fierce rivalry, as both species greatly prize being huntresses, and come into competition over hunting grounds as much as establishing who is the superior huntress.   Conversely, and perhaps unsurprisingly, most rachtoh have a more adversarial relationship to dragonkind, the aryauk, baarham, keshlaen, etc, due to their long, often fraught histories with one another. Dragons, prideful beings as they are, tend to regard the rachtoh with some measure of fear, particularly after the Age of the Imperium. Many Aryauk cultures, like the lauraume and rachtoh themselves, place tremendous value on producing great huntresses, but the aryauk huntresses tend to possess a general ambition to climb to the top as the uncontested supreme predator in the area, which makes them dangerous to deal with, and so the rachtoh usually regard them less as rivals and more as existential threats. Keshlaen are considered by the rachtoh to be rivals due to their general trend of pushing territorial expansion into rachtoh lands, and so frequent friction arises. The baarham are often an on-off sort of complexity, particularly as the baarham themselves try to overcome their innate culture of fear. Though the rachtoh try to be understanding, both species look out for their own first, and so diplomacy can be troublesome.   To the average person in Veltrona, the rachtoh maintain an air of mystique. Despite many rachtoh populations growing in size, they're usually not seen in the limelight, nor have a lot of attention drawn directly toward them. It isn't uncommon for the average person to view the rachtoh in an almost mythical or folkloric light. Those in the realms of power, wealth, and prestige, however, inevitably become aware of how truly close the rachtoh are to them and their interests. It is this fact that gave rise to the saying, 'if one sees a spider, you're already in her web', for it is understood that the rachtoh do not choose to reveal themselves if they haven't already won in some form.   Of course, actually meeting them will either be a curt affair or an introduction to their infamous social games.      

Associated Articles

Notable Civilizations

Rotalhm

 

Notable Characters

Evaryn Crimson-Silk, Great Huntress of the Seven

Xubane, the Starkiller