Zoaen (zoh-a-en)

Known History

Dark Beginnings

To the surface world of Veltrona, there is little known about the true origins of the mysterious zoaen. A species native to the Underworld, an ill-understood and nigh-mythical realm unto itself, their appearances on the 'Overworld' have ever been fleeting, one-off encounters more legend and imagination than fact or evidence. In fact, most claims to having encountered them throughout most of history turn out to be misidentified Shadow Stalker sightings instead. It is only within the last few millennia that the zoaen species proper began migrating onto the surface, making them a very 'recent' occurrence.   These enterprising colonists and explorers first emerged during the Great Darkness, completely mystified by the strange and incredibly alien landscape they encountered. The sheer hostility of it was nothing new to them, for the Underworld was already a place of great and varied danger, and their peoples were used to such struggles. But, even by their own definitions, the weird spacetime disturbances, inexplicable flora and fauna, massive weather system they'd never imagined before, and more, proved incredibly challenging. The weather most of all, for such furious winds, tempestuous lightning, torrential rain, mana storms, etc, were both seemingly random and profound experiences themselves beyond anything they knew in the Underworld.   Throughout it all, they were soon to meet the many surface-dwelling peoples. These even stranger creatures were molded into shapes and forms the zoaen vaguely recognized, yet puzzled over how they existed. Life on the surface, after all, fundamentally evolved in the presence of sunlight, to which the zoaen hadn't even seen themselves yet. Given the troubles of the Great Darkness, however, first contact was not only difficult, but often deadly. To the surface dwellers, the zoaen appeared as horrific entities spawned from the darkness itself. The fact there was no common basis for communication in the slightest greatly complicated matters, and so the zoaen chose to shy away from those who seemed too dangerous to approach.   Timely help came in the form of the lindwurms, as not only are they a people familiar with the zoaen, they have quite a long history together. Thanks to the lindwurms who lived on the surface who acted as translators, the zoaen built lingual lexicons and established the first-ever basis for modern communication with the surface dwellers. Sadly, the efforts thereof took a good century to not only establish, but to proliferate in such a way the other zoaen peoples could be brought on board as well. In all, it wasn't until nearly two-thirds of the way through the time of the Great Darkness before actual communication efforts between the zoaen and surface cultures began properly.    

From Dark, to Light

To say the zoaen were disturbed by the first things they learned from the residents of the Overworld had would be an understatement.   Not only was the surface not naturally dark (weather and the like set aside, of course), it apparently had undergone a recent cataclysmic event. The zoaen correlated this event—the World Gate explosion—with a time their own prior generation recorded in which a tremendous veltronquake fractured a huge portion of the Underworld itself. The resulting fallout of the fracturing was, in part, what motivated the zoaen themselves to migrate 'upward' from the Underworld proper into the otherwise dangerously barren and empty 'still rock'. The Still Rock itself is merely the massive band of veltron separating the Underworld and Overworld from one another, noted for its complete emptiness of life or life-supporting material. The zoaen, who'd learned how to harness the art of mana creation, were able to use such technologies in order to support themselves on their uncertain migration.   In other words, the fabled Still Rock would become their safe refuge, far from the noses and feelers of every other entity living in the Underworld. Once they'd gone that far, they wanted to see where 'the end' of the Still Rock was, and so some groups of zoaen journeyed that much further, thus discovering the Overworld. Much to their growing fascination, they marveled at the thought of even more worlds further beyond the roiling debris clouds, where the Dark Ocean awaited, along with something called a 'sun'. For as much as they worried about what they stumbled into, the zoaen were drawn to the strange and foreign lands of the Overworld, and so the decisions to try and settle it were eventually made.   The ultimate result of which resulted in the surface-dwelling zoaen broadly separating into four distinct directions: Sa-kemet, Aerthen, Nerzin, and Zahmal. Of the four, those who went to Zahmal eventually fell out of contact, leaving their fate entirely unknown. The remaining three were soon confounded by the enormous distances between them, as well as the complicating issues of near-surface living. Once closer to the surface, geologic activity increased dramatically over the Still Rock zone, posing entirely different problems the zoaen rarely encountered before. The general instability of the Great Darkness is thought to have had an impact here, but historical analysis is rather inconclusive.   Little by little, the zoaen peoples were slowly cut off from each other as their underground tunnel networks fell into disuse, then eventual collapse. Communication mostly continued through their lindwurm allies, but the changing conditions of the surface interfered with zoaen infrastructural work significantly. By the time they approached anything resembling 'settled', the Great Darkness came to an end.    

The Light, An Awful Light

Of the many things they weren't prepared for, the zoaen had no idea what the sun was or what it truly did. As the first rays of light pierced through the debris-strewn Heavens, it blinded them and scorched their flesh with its singular, hateful eye. At first believing it to be some kind of attack, they were alarmed to discover that, for Overworlders, the sun was a blissful gift and welcoming presence. To the zoaen, such reverence seemed utterly insane, and the fact no one comprehended such a powerful being's existence further baffled them. On that pivotal day, coming to later be known as the Searing Day, the zoaen retreated entirely to their near-surface underground settlements. In the midst of confusion and terror, however, the sunlight began to fade, and so came the night.   For the first time in the history of their species, the zoaen beheld the Dark Ocean and its many glittering stars, nebulae, heavenly wonders, and worlds yet far, far away.   This momentous moment inspired the zoaen in a way their species hadn't felt for countless decades. Artists hurried to paint scenes, musicians composed songs capturing both struggle and splendor, scholars inscribed the wonders they beheld, and much more. By the eventual coming of the dawn, the zoaen grasped the idea of 'day' and 'night', and knew that daylight would forever be dangerous to them. They fled once more back underground, a new sense of curiosity and excitement about these new cosmological discoveries reverberating throughout the surface-dwelling zoaen cultures. For them all, it truly was a new world, and it waited for them to explore, understand, and tame it. Something they wouldn't be alone in, for there were other peoples—of thankfully peaceful inclinations—they might find friends with.   Still, the threat of the sun nonetheless remained as their first and greatest challenge to tackle.   The solutions they found were as simple as they were uncompromisingly demanding. Appropriate articles of clothing, when wrapped around their metamorphic bodies, could become a 'skin' layer that stopped the worst of sunlight's harm. Yet, as shapeshifters, such confinement was only bearable for so long, and quite an uncomfortable experience to the zoaen. In the same breath, it wasn't a new idea entirely, for such measures were needed when exploring the Underworld’s oceans, so co-opting those designs proved easy. Thankfully, far less equipment and work was needed, but the sun readily reminded someone of even one inch of exposed flesh. If for convenience and nothing else, the zoaen became a principally nocturnal species, for the veil of night was as welcoming to them as the Underworld had been.    

We Come In Peace

Although the end of the Great Darkness saw the immediate uprising of the Baarham Dominion, the zoaen of Aerthen were almost entirely unaffected by such an affair. In fact, recognizing the danger the Dominion posed, they went as far as offering their unique strengths to those trying to resist its evil ambitions. As a species unknown even to the baarham, the zoaen were able to exploit countless advantages against them without being caught in the process. Some scholars would even later wonder if the zoaen's 'shadow campaigns' against the baarham might've contributed far more than initially expected, but no one would ever truly know. Their help, however, would earn them prestige as much as fear from the Overworlders.   The zoaen's unique nature, technologies, and magic made them a formidable yet unknown force, something which any ruling power would come to despise. And, as they would learn, the 'light' dwelling peoples held a great fear of anything relating to, or dwelling within, darkness. Despite their peaceful overtures or good-nature aid, the zoaen were often scorned or turned away, if not killed out of fear. They were quick to withdraw from such peoples, bewildered and confused, but that had also been their first contact during the Great Darkness as well. Friends, of any kind, would be hard to gain, even with the help of the lindwurms.   Dragonkind, in a sense, became one of their first allies upon the surface. The zoaen, however, found Overworlder draconic behavior and sentiments difficult to coincide with, and far, far different from the lindwurms they were used to. Still, such powerful backing was useful, and so political ties and economic deals were made to secure something resembling diplomatic relations between the surface-dwelling zoaen and the various draconic cultures. But, it wouldn't be until they encountered two other peoples that more genuine friendship would emerge.   The urni and vampyr, as surface-living dark dwellers, were long familiar with the ways of the Overworld and its proclivities. Though wary of the zoaen at first, once peaceful overtures were made, they became entirely willing to meet and mingle. The urni, especially, understood the zoaen's hatred of the sun, for they too recognized it as some powerful entity that constantly leered down at the world. The vampyr themselves were generally quite friendly, but a long history of exploitation taught them a deep sense of fear and mistrust when dealing with other peoples.   Still, they were willing, for friends in such a world were more valuable than anything else.    

Dancing Shadows in the Dark

Biding their time, exercising patience with the strange world of the surface, and learning all that they could about their new home and neighbors became the routine of life for the zoaen. Thankfully, their largely subterranean living actually put them outside the reach or concern of most civilizations, letting them expand their settlements without issue. As they tasted the bounty of the Overworld, however, the ambitions of many zoaen civilizations grew, for they wanted to create majestic cities, verdant gardens, and wondrous works that might reach the far away worlds themselves. Their command over veltron magic, keen architectural sense, and exotic technologies weren't for nothing. Since the habitability of a given area didn't matter nearly as much to them, many zoaen began making plans for journeying to and establishing settlements in what promised to become new homelands. As they did so, they formulated their militaries, built their engineer cores, and restructured their governments into a civilization better suited for such ambitious work. The long migration and uncertainty of their predecessors from the Underworld had at last come to an end; the time for work had arrived.   The urni proved themselves not only steadfast allies, but genuine friends throughout this time. While their migratory lifestyles didn't make for sedentary settling, capable hands and minds were more than willing to help the zoaen build their cities. In turn, the mysterious wares of the zoaen, as well as their own esoteric knowledge, became valuable secrets shared with the urni tribes. As what may happen in such times, there were even urni or zoaen who joined in marriage, tying the fates of their peoples together.   The vampyr, by contrast, were a largely sedentary people, tied to their own cities and settlements. If the urni came and left with the dusk, the vampyr were islands in seas of hostility. The zoaen, in turn, laughed and simply built tunnels toward the vampyr settlements from their own. While such distances were formidable, the zoaen were still people descended from the Underworld. These relatively deep yet secure tunnels would become massive trade arteries between their respective civilizations, and one of the greatest gifts the zoaen ever offered the vampyr; even if the underground was an uncomfortable place to them.   And so, learning and coming to terms with Veltrona's surface, the zoaen built mighty underground cities, fashioning towering citadels that stretched above their homes, glimmering with blackstone and exotic forms. Though the zoaen had become known, to some extent, to the circles of power in other civilizations, their black citadels were the first overwhelming proof of a new contender arising from the veltron. In part thanks to their remoteness, few were willing to bother with the emergence of a sudden force they didn't understand. Others, however, saw opportunity, and so brought war to the zoaen to destroy or plunder them.   They welcomed them all, and showed clearly in no uncertain terms they weren't pushovers to be trampled upon.   Thus marks the new era of the zoaen on Veltrona's surface, a civilization as any other, for all the good and evil that which entails.      

Biology

Anatomy and Physiology

A metamorphic species, the zoaen are shapeshifters with a certain fungibility to their physical form. As such, identifying a zoaen is done more through patterns of characteristics than the specific physical form itself, but a general analysis based on a 'human-like' zoaen is used as the standard for consideration. The zoaen themselves are a cosexual species—every member capable of bearing or siring young—with individuals typically gravitating toward one sexual role or another depending on their prospective relationship(s) or gender identity.   Humanoid zoaen have a head, torso, two arms with five fingered hands, and two legs with five toed feet. They have no face or bodily features of any kind, closer in form and appearance to a featureless doll than a living being. Similar to their common comparison of the slime, zoaen have fluid-like bodies with an inky-black, semi-translucent 'flesh' that has a texture similar to gelatin. Their 'internal organs' are their actual true form, resembling a mass of organic crysium tendrils, spirals, branches, and other shapes. In the words of one scholar, "... the zoaen seem to be the like the starry night sky itself captured inside the body of a peculiar slime.".   While a truly complex and beautiful appearance, the practical reality is that the zoaen's interior crysium is both nervous system and organs alike. Because of their shapeshifting nature, their surrounding gelatin flesh is effectively a kind of shell or barrier used to protect themselves. By reforming their internals, their flesh too changes, and so they can adopt an almost limitless variety of shapes and forms. The only critical limitation is that of their crysium neural structure itself, for zoaen cannot take any shape beyond what this structure supports. This is the principle distinction between their species and slimes, as in contrast to the zoaen’s stark size limitations, slimes possess a singular 'nuclear core' and limitless growth potential depending on how much an individual consumes.   With the zoaen’s morphic nature in mind, it becomes easier to understand how their practice of 'mask wearing' became a universal invention among every culture of the species. The zoaen sense of self is highly transformative and requires great will power to maintain. To overcome this hurdle, they adopted wearing a mask to act as their physical and conceptual 'anchor'. In ancient traditions, their first masks were that of animal skulls, but as civilization developed, they became increasingly elaborate works of art, with specific materials used in a mask’s construction often being as indicative of lineage and ethnicity as the zoaen underneath. It is an unusual case of a species' created wares becoming an important part of their physiological behavior, but it mustn't be overlooked. To the zoaen, their mask is as vital as their organs.   As a zoaen’s mask is made, not grown, it comes in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and makes. There are many cultural ideas and notions surrounding it as a result, but for the purposes of anatomy, it is the only non-transforming part of their body; similarly to the beak of an octopus. The first mask a zoaen gets is typically one made specifically for them by their parents, while different masks may be inherited or worn later in life. Undergoing the transition from one mask-identity to another, however, is a mentally demanding ordeal for any zoaen, and a significant move in their life. It’s akin to reinventing one’s entire identity rather than simply a change of clothes as other species might first imagine. Similarly, having their mask destroyed constitutes an actual medical emergency for most zoaen, as it can result in extreme mental stress, trauma, and suffering to the point of death if it's not handled swiftly.   Because of their metamorphic nature and ability to shift their physical forms around, the exact idea of where the orifices and various bodily functions go is ... malleable. In many cases, zoaen will leave such functions recessed into their bodies until such a time they're necessary to use. For the purposes of gender identity, particularly when in humanoid form, they'll more readily exhibit related traits for easier identification. For other purposes, such as eating, excreting, etc, they'll form the appropriate openings and organ placement as needed. Eating, at the least, is incredibly slime-like in that once something is 'ingested', its simply broken down and absorbed by their body as a whole.    

Appearance

Frontrunners for one of the most unique peoples on Veltrona, the zoaen are described by other species as resembling anything from 'living stars captured in jelly' to 'beautiful lights from the deepest oceans'. To most, the zoaen possess an otherworldly beauty that is almost like an abstract art piece in motion, captivating the eyes with their bewildering yet dazzling bodies and natural bioluminescence. The only downside for most people is that, since the zoaen principally live underground, in dark areas, and/or anywhere without sunlight, they can be kind of startling to suddenly 'run into' for places usually considered uninhabited. This isn't helped by other species sometimes encountering particular zoaen who choose to adopt bodies that are further away from the familiar humanoid shape, leading some to confuse the more esoteric-looking zoaen for some kind of animal instead at first glance.   Although compared to gelatin, the actual texture, structure, and feel of the zoaen body is truly one-of-a-kind. It is rigid yet soft, malleable yet resistant to tear, easy to harden and soften, and many more unusual characteristics coming together in one material. To even describe it as flesh is inappropriate and more a convenience done for common understanding rather than technical accuracy. While it continues to baffle scholars on how to understand it fully, given the fact that zoaen flesh dissolves upon death and loses all of its peculiar qualities. Those of more intimate proclivities insist on its 'supernatural comfort' and 'perfect feeling', making it a somewhat contentious topic.   Zoaen themselves cannot fully turn their exterior 'skin' opaque, and there is a natural balance around 40%-to-60% translucency. While at the thinnest places of their body one can see through to their ‘inner organs’, generally their central crysium structure is both dense and radiates enough ambient light that the zoaen are not fully transparent. It is because of this translucency that zoaen are directly harmed by sunlight, since it essentially fries their central crysium structure while also tearing apart their delicate skin.   Their central crysium structure itself can integrate many different types of mana, paradoxically bringing them into a harmony that usually doesn't exist very easily in most living creatures on Veltrona. This in turn affects the coloration of their central crysium structure, allowing the zoaen to blend many different colors into fantastical hues, shades, and vibrancy. While there are practical purposes for this harmony, such as more varied mana to fuel magics, the shape and coloration of the crysium structure itself is also a kind of ‘visual fingerprint’ and form of identity for an individual zoaen, becoming integral to how they’re seen as an individual. When combined with their unique and specific mask, and general bodily size, this is how many zoaen obtain their sense of individual 'identity' in their societies.   Given their metamorphic nature, the zoaen do not have growths like hair, scale, or chitin. They can, however, somewhat shapeshift to create similar appearances, or vestigial limbs that act in a similar way. One such popular example of this behavior is for a zoaen to shapeshift a mimicry of locked hair, wherein very small, but roughly finger-wide 'locs' come out of their 'head' with a very minimal amount of central crysium structure supporting them. These locks then form one of the more consistent ‘hairstyles’ the zoaen make to imitate other species. Combined with their distinctive masks, they're often compared to dolls in some form, being both similar yet different.    

Natural Abilities

Limited Shapeshifting – Zoaen can reconfigure their bodies into all kinds of shapes, but their appearance and nature generally remains the same. Their configuration potential is limited by their internal central crysium structure, which functions as their nervous system and organs. E.g, a zoaen might reconfigure into a long tube maybe ten feet long, but they'll never grow any longer or larger as that is their neurological limit, and generally cannot change color or texture.   Herbivore – Zoaen subsist entirely off of mana-rich plant matter, fungi, and similar foodstuffs, with the likes of animal meat being corrosively toxic to their digestive system.   Crysium Physiology – Zoaen are crysium-based lifeforms, and so have a much closer and intimate connection to crysium, thus also to mana, as a result.   Adaptive Senses – The zoaen themselves do not have eyes, ears, noses, etc, but instead replicate their perception of that information through their bodies. In simpler terms, their entire being can see, hear, smell, feel, etc, in a way that is simply incomprehensible to everyone else. The physical appearance of these body features are just for cosmetic's sake.   Cosexual – Zoaen simultaneously possess female and male reproductive organs, selectively choosing which when fulfilling reproductive encounters. They cannot self-fertilize.    

Diet

The herbivorous diet of the zoaen was one that distinguished them in the Underworld, and a major force in driving their technological innovations. Their desire for varied foods and complex flavors pushed the Underworld's ecology to its limits, and so they became proficient farmers, gardeners, and tenders as a result. In many ways, the zoaen are ravenous eaters who enjoy nearly everything they can actually digest, so it is more personal and cultural preferences, as well as what is available, that limits their dietary intake.   Generally speaking, mana-enriched foods are their most ideal choices, so anything that naturally (or easily) synergizes with mana is preferred. The next range of choices are usually energy-rich foods, such as high calorie potatoes or tubers, dense yet sweet fruits, aspected fungi, crunchy nuts, etc. The third order of foods is that of animal produce, such as milk, cheese, oils, etc. To the zoaen digestive system, animal products are the utmost limit, and some are more or less sensitive to such foods; similar to how someone with lactose intolerance may withstand drinking milk or eating cheese, or be completely incapable.   All other foodstuffs really depend on their parent culture, as they are generally edible, but their arrangement or consideration is more important. The zoaen do not waste anything when eating, effectively consuming even the most inedible parts of plant matter. Some scholars fear that if their species ever developed a truly omnivorous diet, the only thing they might not eat is solid rock itself.   For most zoaen cultures, the bulk of their diet is crops and forage that grow in their subterranean settlements Surface crops familiar to the Overworld are also grown by the zoaen, but generations of crossbreeding and alterations have dramatically changed them Consequently, zoaen-grown crops are favored by those with higher mana-intake requirements and avoided by those who, having weak constitutions, may suffer or even die from eating them.  

Life Cycle

Infancy & Childhood

The zoaen's unique physiology begets a unique beginning. In a process similar to fission or budding (depending on who is asked), new zoaen grow within their mother and continue to do so for a few years, developing from a fetal state to something toddler-like. Generally around the 5th year they're actually 'born', where they separate from their mother and are given their newborn's mask. In doing so, they are essentially born as physically capable children, able to walk and navigate their environment like any human five year old, essentially skipping past the stage of infants or toddlers as most other species experience. These 'newborn' zoaen are fully capable of moving, very limited shapeshifting, and eating solid foodstuffs with lower mana/energy intensities.   The greatest struggle for the newborn zoaen is that—despite physical capability—they're mentally undeveloped and have very little sense of personal identity, requiring their parents to teach them social, emotional, and language skills from scratch. This mental hurdle is critical for them to pass through, as what foundations are laid at this stage will have dramatic effects on them later on. Thus, zoaen parents are extremely particular about controlling their children's environment in this time, guiding them along self-development in their cultural ways, and ensuring their highly capable offspring don’t harm themselves. With time, effort, and great care, children zoaen develop their sense of self, and soon great curiosity about the world.   In total, from pregnancy to 'birth', then the establishment of the self, a zoaen child takes about 7-to-8 years before they're ready to be introduced to their community beyond their immediate kin. At such a stage, they're placed into play groups of similarly aged children, to which they'll continue developing social and playing skills, basic cognition, and many other aspects of childhood growth. From this point onward, zoaen child-rearing is generally comparable to most other species, minus the fact their children love to morph into all kinds of shapes and pull pranks. They do, however, develop somewhat slowly by comparison, taking until their 20th-or-so year before adolescence proper begins.  

Adolescence

Adolescence itself is marked by the smooth, homogeneous, and tendril-like crysium of a zoaen child starting to fork and branch, much like a tree. As their central crysium structure begins to grow in size and complexity, their overall state of being advances closer and closer to the zoaen concept of maturity and adulthood. Simultaneously, their mental capabilities improve through life experience, physical maturation, and education, giving them the power to better morph and adapt themselves as they wish. This time period of self-exploration, learning, and growth is where many young zoaen explore their world, find their likes and dislikes, and firmly establish their identity as a person. Since physical maturation is easier to track than mental, generally speaking this adolescent period continues until their 40s or 50s. Final maturation is indicated by their central crysium structure no longer growing in any way, thus reaching their 'full potential'.    

Adulthood

Different zoaen cultures use their own measures for determining when a zoaen child comes of age. In addition to physical age and maturity, an adolescent zoaen must usually go through various tests, attain certain social achievements, and generally succeed in demonstrations of competency in the skills expected of an adult. For their species, where one's sense of self and mental fortitude are far more important than in other species, there is great importance on ensuring every zoaen has a robust sense of self, developed mental faculties, adherence to cultural norms, and similar qualities. Those that fail, even if they are physically mature, are considered childish or otherwise still ‘immature’, and are treated as such by their community.   It is only when a zoaen is capable of passing these social rites that they are granted access to the responsibilities and privileges of adulthood. For those zoaen who are born with developmental or cognitive disabilities, suffer physical or mental disorders, or have simply sustained great trauma, they’re usually evaluated by their cultures on a scale accounts for these differences. Nevertheless, an individual zoaen is always closely intertwined with their communities, and it is always considered a part of growing up to find their place in society and the world at large.   With both physical maturity and mental fortitude, as well as social recognition as an adult thereof, zoaen live the rest of their lives in a prime physical state. One's overall age is usually determined by the complexity of their central crysium structure, as well as its energetic properties and structural integrity. Much like how, in humans for example, old age results in changes to their skin and hair, old age to the zoaen results in fractures and splintering of their central crysium structure. In many cases, this deterioration is entirely cosmetic or superficial, but some disorders may arise from much more serious deterioration. Otherwise, in a physical sense, they're still in a 'prime state', just bearing the crysium splintering as well-earned marks of age and time. As such, a zoaen’s ‘clarity’ can be a quick way to roughly determine their age, as a younger zoaen with less crysium splintering will appear more translucent than an older zoaen with more crysium splintering, as the fine fathering of their crysium structures will refract more internal light than those of younger zoaen, giving them a ‘cloudier’ appearance.  

Old Age & Death

Old age itself doesn't lead to physical or mental decline for the zoaen, but their final death occurs from something usually called 'the crumbling'. The exact cause of it isn't known, even to them, so calling it a kind of 'metabolic failure' isn't entirely correct, either. However, in the days leading to their age-related death, zoaen become instinctively aware of their central crysium structure beginning to 'crumble'. Internalized mana burns up, crysium shatters and disintegrates into their gelatin-flesh, and their overall existence begins to diminish like a dying flame on a candle. While health monitoring might forewarn of such an event, its suddenness is nonetheless greatly distressing, as is the feeling of one's own existence literally falling apart.   With only days left, a zoaen will be in a flurry of activity as final banquets, meetings, and time with loved ones is spent. The exact rituals vary, and since death itself isn't a surprise, many people are often prepared for the last, great gasp of someone's life. Such times are spent in the best ways possible for many, or as warriors may do, a final journey into the unknown, paving the way such others may continue onward.   As the last of the central crysium structure crumbles and disappears, the zoaen dies, and their gelatin flesh loses cohesion and dissolves away. If not caught in time, their flesh will disperse so much as to be effectively gone, leaving nothing at all behind except the face mask they once wore. How this dissolved flesh is treated varies, though if it is kept at all, it may be put into a burial urn to which their mask is then affixed to. Otherwise, the mask itself may be treated as a sort of tombstone and either buried or kept in the family as per their traditions. Some zoaen cultures treat their ancestors' masks as inheritable identities, so it may be prepared for passing down as well.    

Anaxials, Hybrids, and Variants

Anaxials

Zoaen anaxials are truly wondrous sights, melding both human and zoaen anatomy in ways some consider far more extreme than other anaxials. Zoaen central crysium structures intertwine with human bones and organs, leading to unusual combinations of both. Similarly, their gelatin flesh and human flesh merge into a seamless harmony that exposes their interior body to varying degrees. Given the random nature of anaxials, the formulation of these traits is truly one-of-a-kind, resulting in incredibly unique physiology and appearances. Unfortunately, for some, it can also look deeply disturbing and profoundly unnatural to non-anaxial and zoaen alike.   A human dame will only be pregnant with their zoaen anaxial offspring for the typical nine month gestation period typical to humans, and will give birth to a newborn who is more like a human infant in terms of its physical development. Consequently, zoaen anaxials are the only zoaen who experience what humans would consider to be the ‘typical’ stages of infancy and toddlerhood. A fact that a human’s zoaen partner and their kin may find extremely novel and alarming.   With their unique heritage, zoaen anaxials are often likened to some kind of perverse form of undead because of their appearance. Their exposed internal organs, musculature, bones, and flesh is an unsettling sight to many people, especially those who aren't used to seeing internal anatomy laid bare in the living. However, zoaen anaxials do not have the exact same interior physiology as their human kin, either. Their hearts, lungs, digestive tract, etc, may be randomly supplanted or even fully replaced by their central crysium structure's equivalent. In fact, their own (very) limited shapeshifting means they can adjust their organ's positions, if not their entire structure, as well as changing their physical composition. Some have equated the sight similar to aquariums or glass-sealed displays, possessing wondrous clarity and macabre spectacle.   The rigidness of an anaxial’s inherited human biology means that zoaen anaxials do not possess the same capability for extreme shapeshifting that their zoaen kindred can employ. If a zoaen anaxial, for example, has an arm that is mostly morphing gelatin, then they can change it much like their zoaen parent would be able to, for the most part. If another anaxial, however, has that same arm except it's mostly human flesh, then they cannot change much or even any of it without risking actual physical harm to themselves. Thus, the exact morphability of a given zoaen anaxial depends entirely on the random composition of their individual body.   All zoaen anaxials, regardless of composition, are born herbivores like their sire.    

Hybrids

Among the many possible hybrids that exist on Veltrona, zoaen hybrids are virtually indistinguishable from the main species proper. They instead gain a certain proclivity and ease with which they can assume certain forms and shapes. For example, a zoaen hybrid born from a jiuweihu sire would not be born with skin and fur, but have a much easier time morphing features resembling that jiuweihu, such as humanoid body, pawhands/feet, tails, and ears. The ease to which this morphing preference allows them to take shapes is difficult to overstate in its value, as morphing itself is physically demanding of the zoaen.   That said, zoaen hybrids also tend to readily inherit mana-affecting properties or behaviors, such as the unique nature of dragonkind. These properties affect their central crysium structure and behavior more directly, resulting in unique expressions and forms even to their own kind. Although, those unfamiliar with the zoaen have no ability to distinguish that fact. This does usually mean they inherit more biased relationships with mana or certain forms of magic, for better or worse.    

Variants

There are no known variants of the zoaen on the surface, but historical record of their own making does indicate there are many factions of them who remained in the Underworld proper. Those who came to the surface were, essentially, refugees of varying kinds that banded together. While the possibility of extant zoaen variants still technically exists, until such time a significant effort is made to find them in the Underworld, their fate remains unknown.      

Sociology

Cultural Universals

The zoaen are an expressive species, being vocal, physically animated, and vibrantly bioluminescent . Among nearly every known zoaen culture on the surface, their general physical form is categorized into two distinct approaches based on ‘how much changes’. The broader form changes are things like entire limbs, anatomical shape, and overall composition. Minor form changes are more aesthetic-related aspects, such as finger-sized shapes, hair-like imitations, scale or fur mimicking growths, and the like. Since morphing consumes as much energy as it does, the zoaen do not morph their shape thoughtlessly, but it is still a tangible part of their expression and day-to-day lives.   The bioluminescence zoaen exhibit is, in itself, another majorly important method of expression and communication universal amongst the species. Through particular control of their central crysium structure and the energy it produces (or even just by experiencing enough raw emotion), they can consciously intensify or dim their glow, alternate the wavelengths in different areas, and essentially create dynamic light-based expressions. The intuitive nature of this control and the complexity that they can employ with this light-based expression is enough the zoaen essentially use it as part of its own ‘light-based’ language.   Light-based languages are found in every zoaen culture, often comprising the very first language they learn in their lives, and then going on to learn verbal languages later on. For those zoaen who only grew up among their own kind in particularly isolated cultures, they may not even know vocal languages at all. In a roundabout way, the zoaen have to learn a lot of things other species take for granted from their own biology already handing the answers to them.   As a consequence of their capacity to use their entire bodies as sensory organs, the zoaen care a lot about every aspect of their environment as a result. Aromatics clog their gelatin flesh, dust-strewn environments grate on them like sand in the eyes, loud or cacophonous noises blind them, and many other forms of sensory input which other species can easily tolerate vastly overstimulate the average zoaen. Learning to handle the particulars of their environments is an important skill every zoaen comes to mistress in their own ways. Even then, however, they do have a sensitivity to rapid or extreme changes in the environment, as it affects them more 'severely' than most other species.   Because all zoaen gain a mask at birth, it is a very common focal point in their cultures that unites them. As the mask is both their mental anchoring point as well as solid, physical representation of their 'self', it is treated with more reverence than even their own bodies. In a sense, their mask is their soul, and so disrespecting, damaging, or otherwise, to it is a grievous injury and offense at the same time. Similarly, to be allowed to touch a zoaen's mask is a sign of great intimacy and respect. It's often such that a face morph of their body kissing somebody else's is 'less' of an intimacy than touching the mask(s) itself. For most other species, though, the mask is more an object worn by a person, so this is a constant point of cultural confusion and sometimes conflict.    

Lingual Characteristics

The first form of language the zoaen learn comes from their bioluminescence—so-called ‘optical language’—so brightness, intensity, oscillation, etc, are important qualities to how they communicate. Since very few species on Veltrona can do so naturally (the abysids notably among them), it's considered an obscure language even if the zoaen themselves don't particularly hide it. Other people can learn some of the broader, more clear signs of language (such as bright flashes being excitement/exclamation), but without using a very specialized tool or form of magic, cannot really communicate back using it.   In regards to more 'conventional' language, as expressed through vocalization using sound, the zoaen find it a troublesome thing to learn at first. Verbal communication relies on a number of intricacies their bodies do not support naturally, so it is the definition of a 'learned skill'. They have a much easier time learning how to 'hear' and understand language than speak it themselves. Although they spent time trying to develop body morphs to properly communicate, it's always been a troubling (and sometimes strange looking) barrier to them when it comes to communicating with non-zoaen species. Through the help of the lindwurms, however, the zoaen were able to learn an alternative method: conveyance of meaning.   By conveying themselves instead, zoaen could more easily communicate with others, lessening their need to imitate sound-creating mouths or organs. Despite it being a much more difficult method to learn, conveyance allowed the zoaen to connect and understand each other, as well as the species of the Overworld, much more intimately, so it became massively more popular. By combining it with their own bioluminescent communication, they inadvertently created an entirely new method outright: the usage of light itself to convey information from one soul to another.   The end result would become their famous 'haunting speech', where the reverberating echo of words, stirred by their bioluminescence, would 'haunt' a person. It is, in some ways, compared to whale song and shermadi underwater vocalization, perhaps due to the gelatin-like bodies of the zoaen themselves. While it's debated if such could be called their 'true' voice, there is no denying its ethereal beauty.    

Arts and Beauty

The zoaen sentiment of 'smooth, yet jagged' and 'solid, but moving', are the two most common ideas that depict the breadth of their unique artistic views within their various cultures. For a species that doesn't have the traditional sensory organs of most others, their approaches are as similar as they are alien. To the zoaen mind, color is as much something 'seen' as 'felt'; something that tingles their 'eyes' but also caresses their 'skin'. This greater level of information complexity means the things they do perceive end up presenting 'a lot more' detail to them. Hence, to the zoaen, the works of many other peoples are understandable in both their traditional way as well as the zoaen way of seeing things.   Their own works, however, can and do regularly appear as bizarre at the least, if not downright esoteric and incomprehensible otherwise. In the simplest concepts possible, zoaen combine geometric complexity with the real shapes of nature, becoming fusions of both dictated by artistic whim. Then, the addition of color (or even just other materials) adds another layer that transcends the mere notion of what it is 'seen'. Music, similarly, is often constructed in ways that do not necessarily mesh with two ears nicely, creating harsh or head-ache inducing noises as much as sonorous harmonies of the most peculiar quality. In many ways, for those who are not zoaen themselves, their arts are both complex and mysterious, only revealing a portion of what they are to people who simply lack the senses to fully comprehend.   This same notion often extends into their concept of beauty, which blends physicality and personality together. In a roundabout manner, personality is the core of zoaen aesthetic beauty, and everything else serves as an expression thereof. Given their own morphological nature, the forms a given zoaen takes are, themselves, expressions of personality. Since their forms can change so easily, what matters more is one's adherence to a form as a personality characteristic—akin to actors in theater play with a preferred ‘archetype’. This means certain shapes, gestures, and morphs are associated with certain ideas in their cultures. Angular forms, for example, are both very difficult to maintain and generally hostile or 'strong' presenting, so it is usually flashed as a form of emoting rather than maintained (unless they're angry for a longer period of time).   For non-morphing people (or 'solids'), the zoaen struggle to disassociate form with personality, which can complicate interspecies relations. To some zoaen, the fixed form is seen as a prison that traps creativity, while to others it is a burden that a person is galvanized by. Still, as most forms of life on Veltrona are that of the solid variety, it is a point of constant cultural contention, curiosity, and contemplation.    

Magic and Technology

In part due to their crysium nature, the zoaen have a much better intrinsic grasp on the nature of mana, though ironically face great difficulties in the formulation of magic itself. The essence of the eclipse is relativity and fungibility, bending otherwise unbendable rules, changing outcomes in paradoxical ways, and many contrivances thereof. Zoaen-created magics focus on harnessing the paradox in particular, creating seemingly illogical or impossible processes that nonetheless produce a viable and predictable outcome. This 'enigmatic magic' is not entirely unheard of, but their proficiency and expertise in such a topic is worlds beyond most other cultures known on the surface.   As such, the forms it takes on, and the creations it inspires, are as inexplicable and alien as many other aspects of the zoaen. Melting water with greater durability than steel, iron that flutters and creates wind, or veltron that bends in upon itself in spatially-impossible ways, are such examples of transformative incomprehension. Many of these forms of enigmatic magic are temporary in nature, with only those of a structured nature leaving an existence that 'persists'.   These strange structures, however, are a major core of most zoaen technologies in its myriad forms: Parallel helix funnels that melt ores, separate impurities, and create ingots in one process. Bind-fusing fibers woven through opposing angles that create solid, yet morphable fabrics. Elevation machines that move one in any direction desired, yet gravity always pulls downward. The unique way that the zoaen have chosen to approach problems which other contemporary civilizations on the surface of Veltrona have solved using different paradigms is, itself, a source of great mystery and wonder to everyone else when studying zoaen magic and technology.   To the zoaen, however, such complex solutions are, in their own words, "quite fun".    

Religion and Philosophy

To the many cultures of the zoaen, their goddesses have ever been those known through 'sight/feel', hidden in the stone, and are seen as the keepers of the unknown. The goddesses are guides, guardians, and nurturers, offering respite in the unforgiving clamor of the Underworld. At the same time, there are those the zoaen offer particular respect—even revile—for they are great and terrible forces who do not care for anyone's beliefs. The priestesses, and the many religions thereof, arose to channel these great forces, establish understanding, and obtain a safe foothold in their contentious world through appeasing or warding off a goddess and her influence.   These relationships and their understandings would collide with zoaen contemplation and philosophy. While the two sought the same general ideas (survival, safety, prosperity, etc), the dichotomy between the reality of the Underworld and the myriad divinities or heavenlies about it became a constant source of friction. To the morphable zoaen and their good-natured curiosities, the harshness of such an environment demanded uncompromising answers. Ones that, even when they found them, never sat well with them, either.   It would be, upon reaching the surface of Veltrona, and their gradual changing of the generations, that the zoaen began dreaming new ideas and possibilities. A harsh surface in many respects, but also safer, and with greater prosperity waiting. An even more mysterious realm farther beyond, that of the Dark Ocean, and its endless mysteries. To the zoaen, it was a breath of fresh, alien air that invigorated them in a way they hadn't felt in living memory. The solemnity of the Underworld faded, offering them instead the hope of an unlimited future, but one they had to grasp themselves.   It would be a journey no less strange to their goddesses, who long existed within the Underworld, but never the surface. Zoaen religions are nominally defined by which particular goddesses they’re most concerned with, such as those who protect wayfarers in the dark. With the unique challenges of the Overworld presenting never-before-seen problems, their goddesses have had to change in accordance to these struggles.   Unfortunately, evil too, has followed the zoaen. Even the legendary Forsaken, Hojijiran, Of Embracing Emptiness, has chased after the migrating zoaen, reaching the Overworld for the very first time. No one knows how it travels with such ease, but even its fearsome power is stymied by the overbearing sunlight. Such light, in fact, seems to even actively harm Hojijiran, driving it off with incredible ease and making it that much more wary. In the face of that never-before-seen weakness, the zoaen have been inspired to develop weaponized light—somehow—to create something that might finally, truly kill the profane Masktaker.    

Science and Spirituality

To the zoaen, science is certainty in an uncertain world. Rules, logic, reasoning; these things are guides that provide the tools to which understanding can be achieved. But, they're both limited and ever-changing, destroyed by the unknown only to be remade by the survivors of such encounters. It is a bloody thing, steeped in histories of fear, terror, and the desperation to save their own kindred. With success, however, came confidence and reassurance. Thus, if for sheer practicality and no other reason, the zoaen had little tolerance for nonsense that couldn't survive the perils of the Underworld.   Perhaps one of the most notable (or at least, obvious) innovations of zoaen science is that of ‘morphing metal’. By employing ideas inspired from their own physiology, they combined magic with design to create semi-transformable metals. By reconfiguring in pre-designed ways, these metals could become entirely new structures, shapes, and purposes, allowing them to compress multiple designs into one universally adjustable one. Although usually much more dense, the spatial savings offered by such capabilities were tremendously valuable in the Underworld, and continue to be useful even on the surface of Veltrona herself. That said, the actual magical arts that control morphing metals are so bizarre and specific to the zoaen that no other civilization has figured out how to use it either.   Wariness perhaps best describes their relationship with the unknown, particularly things of a more spiritual nature. The ebb-and-flow between reason and belief ever contrasted harshly to mystery and danger, favoring caution over adventure. It generally led to a more insular and guarded worldview, but with the establishment of civilization and religion, the zoaen found some bravery in adventuring once more. In the end, the zoaen hated the thought of others suffering as much as they had, or still did in some ways. What acts of kindness they received only taught them that, with power themselves, they too could give such kindness to others.   The advent of their arrival to the Overworld only vindicated such ideas, for the zoaen found just as many other peoples seeking peace, albeit in very different ways. War and conflict weren't new to them in the slightest, but compared to the fierce territoriality of the Underworld, it was far more comfortable. And, even when other people saw the zoaen as that same unknown they'd once feared, the Overworlders' bravery in overcoming it to meet the zoaen all the same proved inspirational.      

Psychology

Rest and Sleep

For the zoaen, who experience everything around them simultaneously, stress is a constant fact of life. While all of them adapt and learn to deal with that, when it comes to resting, they have high needs to achieve it. Everything—sound, light, texture of surfaces, the air itself, etc—needs to fall in a particular range of sensory information for them to start 'relaxing'. Generally, this means stagnant information such as an unchanging environment, or one of very consistent and minimal disruption. A gentle breeze to a zoaen is still 'comfortable', but it is somewhat 'louder' than most people experience with their skin.   Music is one of their preferred accompaniments, as it provides both stagnant consistency as well as varying degrees of pleasurable sensation. If musicians aren’t present for some reason, special devices built to purpose can suffice. A popular one is the water-driven yiituana, which oscillates mana between depleted crysium crystals to create a resonating ‘song’. This usually coincides with running water through tiny channels and aqueducts, and the noise thereof being cacophonously ‘soothing’. These ideas embody the uniquely styled zoaen resting areas, which are often dark, musical, and full of watery pools or streams that they lounge or even sleep within. Such conditions are actually quite hazardous to most other peoples, so it's not really recommended to try them without help.   A sleeping zoaen can be quite hard to identify, as they 'lock in' a given form while unconscious. Many have to sleep with this in mind, even morphing into an ideal 'sleeping form', such as a multi-faced sphere of some variety. Their bioluminescent behavior evens out, becoming a consistent and dull glow occasionally interrupted by strobes or flares of light from autonomous processes or unconscious thoughts happening. If one isn't expecting to find a sleeping zoaen, they're often confused for bizarre crysium deposits submerged in fluid. No one is really certain if another species' miner actually tried mining a sleeping zoaen, but it's a popular enough myth they're all afraid of it.    

Consciousness and Thought

It has been consistently difficult determining the exact characteristics of zoaen cognition. They largely fall within human averages, and so are comparable to most everyone on Veltrona, but with unique advantages in spatial awareness, sensory processing, and anatomical control. That is, the things their physiology are very good at is mirrored in their cognition capabilities as well. Their crysium nature also lets them sense and control mana much more easily than most other species, though not to the extent of being called natural prodigies. In another sense, it's hampered by their eclipse-aspected nature affecting their concepts of magic into their bizarre and enigmatic forms.   Given their highly unique nature, the formulation of thought itself is also curious. A zoaen's central crysium structure is everything vital to them, so each part is equally one function as it is others: digestion, memory, sensing, thinking, etc. If any particular part is damaged or even destroyed, it directly impacts their 'brains' and thus their existence as a person. Because of this, they are even more vulnerable to bodily harm that penetrates to their crysium.   The loss of their central crysium structure in any form deteriorates their existence, but how and why is unique to every individual. Were it not for the surprising durability of their gelatin flesh, they would be a supremely fragile species—even the ability to ‘heal’ their own crysium doesn’t necessarily restore lost memory. Regaining functionality itself often requires rehabilitation, and in more extreme cases, a zoaen may even have significant personality change. Thus, there is always great fear around this particular type of harm.    

Motivation and Emotion

To the zoaen, with all their desires and driving forces like other people, 'safety' is perhaps their greatest motivation. It is a sort of intrinsic concern that the baarham themselves would understand as the prey response harbored within those commonly predated upon. While theirs is not nearly as great as the baarham, the zoaen are a species who were often near the bottom of the hierarchy in the Underworld. Only innovation and cleverness saw them rise upward, viciously carving out their domain with a ferocity greater than their ancient enemies. Though the Overworld zoaen are increasingly distant from such history, it nonetheless lingers deep in their collective psyche.   In this respect, the zoaen's often extreme responses to perceived threats becomes much more understandable. Managing these responses, as well as developing coping strategies or methods of de-escalation are important cognitive lessons each of their cultures regards highly. There's some debate over how 'innate' this reaction truly is, as generational changes in Overworld zoaen have seen it diminish more and more. Given the zoaen's overall lifespan, some draconic scholars have wondered if it's simply an extremely long-form version of ingrained cultural trauma instead.   It's a difficult topic to speak for certain, even among the zoaen, given they are an emotionally vibrant species. Self-control is an important hallmark of one's own capability, which leads into a paradoxical situation of them sometimes appearing too reserved despite their own strong inclinations. For zoaen raised in less-strict or expecting environments, their colorful displays of both language and emotion may seem surprising to those more familiar with the stereotypically reserved zoaen social approach. In some ways, they both understand and get along with the karsoru particularly well, if not to nearly the same extremes as them.    

Sexuality and Love

Because of both their cosexual and morphological nature, zoaen sexuality is better described as more personality attraction with supplemental physiological ones. Within their own species, form and personality are intertwined, one expressing the other, so attraction encompasses both rather uniquely. For other species, particularly the solid ones, their stagnant forms are much harder for the zoaen to separate out from the inner personality someone may have. In a sense, a particular species evokes a particular idea, but trying to figure out the personality as 'separate' from that idea is where they struggle. It can and does easily come off as stereotyping, or even prejudice, and zoaen have to work on overcoming it.   One shouldn’t underestimate the importance of the many loves to the zoaen. The tangible bonds between themselves and others are the very connection to which their civilizations largely exist by. Family and friends are close and highly regarded, even to the point of them adopting common behavior / morphological traits. Imitation, after all, to the zoaen is a form of reverence, respect, and assertion of those other traits being 'better' than their own. The exact meaning varies depending on the type of relationship, with those knowing each other more identifying by common features they choose to wear.   Romantic love is where many zoaen exhibit the greatest changes. In most zoaen cultures, courtship consists of showing one's own strengths, weaknesses, and capability of co-mingling with their intended partner, thus combining their own lives together into a new one with each other. This measurement is mirrored from their very bodies to their thoughts, ideas, way of life, and so on. The level of change a relationship induces within the zoaen partaking in it can appear more extreme to most other species, but to the zoaen who navigate change routinely, it is nowhere near obsessive or debilitating. Perhaps the best way it's usually described is, "finding a melody we sing together", or "building a house from, and with, each other".   One of the greatest signs of affection, trust, and/or intimacy is for one zoaen to touch another's face mask. Though it's not a sensory object in the mundane sense, the zoaen's metaphysical connection to their mask likens it to their very soul being touched. Short of reaching inside their bodies and touching their central crysium structure itself, there is nothing more profound to them. Hence, it is very awkward for them to see other species kiss or touch each other's face, as they liken it to their face mask being touched usually.   Such awkwardness is one of many, as the zoaen struggle to comprehend the ways of solid people. Static sexual expressions, locked gender portrayal, the binary sexual spectrum itself—all ideas they recognize, but not in how ‘firm’ they are. If a zoaen is an entire orchestra, a solid partner is perhaps one or two instruments by comparison. Courtship is that much harder as the solid partner doesn’t as easily match the ‘orchestration’ of the zoaen, making them harmonizing together that much more challenging.      

Society

Social Mannerisms

Knowledge and adherence to systems of etiquette is the bedrock of zoaen behavior, a singular defining point to which their cultures branch off of like a great tree. The very nature of etiquette demands expectations of those who uphold it, placing both mental burden and cognitive shaping upon them. Even at its most arbitrary existence, it provides structure to the otherwise naturally fluid zoaen mind, which is prone to wandering, reforming, or changing more destructively than creatively. In many ways, these systems are as vital to their species as their face masks are, providing unerring certainty in a world that could become anything.   The exact form a system of etiquette takes, thusly, is quite literally embodied within its people, who take on morphs associated with that etiquette's ideals. Its overall seriousness varies, but one should expect zoaen to be somewhat rigorous where their etiquette is concerned. Such sentiments mesh well with cultures of Honokom and Nerzin, who are well-known for their greater demands in strict adherence and formal comportment as a norm. That said, what the zoaen consider etiquette is, as with much about them, uniquely different, so the there is still some friction even between these cultures.   One easy example is that of ‘fixed form’, where a particular form is expected in a specific situation. To solid peoples, their ideas of ‘proper posture’ are limited by their very nature, so such changes are often quite minor. To the zoaen, they may have to literally morph their entire body into a specific shape, expending both great energy and mental stress in doing so. The Uk-tuq-tur tribe of Nerzin, for example, has its people take on a rectangular shape when someone of high status is present. Though a simple shape, the high demand for firm edges and corners presents incredible strain to the zoaen, and serves as a demonstration of their personal skill. Solid peoples are expected to ‘square up’ as much as possible, but are generally seen as less-capable no matter what they do.   When time and circumstance allow for it, though, the zoaen love to engage in whatever social antics are available, and are a naturally gregarious species. In this respect, they're really not that different from other social species, if one looks past unique aspects such as ‘fluid tunnels’ they use to navigate from area-to-area much like how solids would use walkways or roads. The specifics vary, but zoaen congregate around things that resonate with their sense of self. Warrior zoaen might be taken with certain performing arts, music, and physical training regimens, for example, so usually include such things in their day-to-day lives. After all, this sort of routine establishes and reinforces their sense of self, so there is much more ritualistic importance to it than may be obvious at first.   Interspecies mingling is particularly challenging, especially for younger zoaen who haven't developed good internal sensibilities yet. There are, after all, challenges when another species' preferences result in something 'overbearing' to the zoaen's uniquely sensitive senses, or when a zoaen’s method of self-expression either baffles or completely goes over their head. For most, learning to deal with these differences and find appreciation (or at least, tolerance) is something only lived experience can give.    

Gender

Zoaen are a gender fluid and often bigender people, dynamically changing between one identity to another as their lifestyles, whims, or circumstances dictate. It is, much like their bodies, an active choice as much as instinctual preference. In simpler terminology, zoaen cultures typically conceive of gender as a spectrum, and an individual’s place on that spectrum is usually determined by how much one associates to a given portion of it. This is further complicated by their cosexual nature allowing for unique expressions which other, binary-locked species do not have. For example, a 'male' zoaen fulfilling the 'father' role culturally, but chooses to be the offspring-bearing parent, thus physiologically performing the 'female' or 'mother' role. The zoaen don't care for (or even understand) trying to segregate such roles in the first place, since a father bearing the offspring is no less valid to them than a mother siring them.   As the case often is, other species scholars scream whenever zoaen gender theory or politics comes up, as the wide-range of cohabiting and contradictory terminology drives them insane.   The zoaen themselves do not really exhibit gender-specific cultural norms, as what few do exist within different cultures are normally related to offspring rearing or childcare. They do find the gender politics of other species as a whole to be both fascinating and bizarre, though it's essentially the same view they have about the 'solid form' in general. There is, however, a surprising demand for them in the role of surrogates, as their own reproductive ease allows them to fulfill such labor without nearly any associated issues.    

Kinship and Ethnicities

Though morphological, some parts of the zoaen do remain relatively 'stable', and that is exclusively their central crysium structure. 'Bloodline' relations usually find out through study of each other's structure, as it will exhibit particular shapes or behaviors associated to one's parents. For the zoaen, they do not have recessive traits that might emerge later on, but each generation exhibits an immediate change as a result of their parents. Thus, over time, a lineage's 'appearance' may change, but it is visually easy to track from generation-to-generation as long as the parents are known. Ergo, it is easy to tell who one's children are, or who legitimate they may or may not be.   As such, kinship groups determine their direct relations and usually branch off from there. Tribes are more the norm among the zoaen, usually as a result of one, two, or a few families coming together for common cause. These coordinated groups care for, protect, and sometimes marry among themselves, but will eventually branch out for new marriage opportunities. As a result, differing clans establish blood relations and political alliances, which eventually become the fabric of societies at large.   Broader ethnic groups usually identify by particularly common central crysium structure expressions, such as having a certain quantity of 'curved hooks' or 'branching trees with exactly five offshoots'. This conjoins with the particular color of their crysium as well, and the two together are generally reliable enough for identification purposes. Other ethnic qualifiers usually come in the form of particular lingual quirks and/or morphological preferences, which would allow a zoaen to mingle better in that given group. The Nuk of Aerthen are one example of zoaen defined by their red-orange crysium and sharp, ‘barbed hook’ like crysium, and are usually seen as a people of great posture and bravado. The Cyilap of Sa-kemet, with their yellow-blue crysium and flowing, tendril-like crysium are seen as a very insular people, and usually have serious, intense demeanor that contrast their round and bulbous forms.    

Governments and Politics

Age itself is usually associated with wisdom, strength of character, and other estimable qualities. To the zoaen, their elders are seen as the most effective leaders as they have lived through much and possess more practical experience than the younger, less 'stable' folk. Gerontocracy usually encapsulates this approach, though its accuracy is debatable as their species does not experience noteworthy physical decline with age. Nonetheless, respect for one's parents, one's elders, and those of age and capability are the norm to the zoaen. Something of a shift occurred when more stable sedentary cities and the like arose, where intellectuals had the time and safety to pursue knowledge. Expertise, unfortunately, has always collided with elderly wisdom, and so the two sides often feud with one another.   In general, zoaen governance in many of their societies shifted from autocratic and authoritarian models to more democratic ones over the ages, with representative democracy as the present most popular and common form. This change followed their overall increase in population size, newfound settlements, and general rise in prosperity. Unfortunately, personality cults tend to be a problem, especially from leaders who have proven track records and great age behind them. These elders can command great respect and influence, even when not in direct governance, giving them an incredible amount of soft power. Infighting is quite the norm, especially with different ideological factions vying for dominance.    

Trade and Economics

Zoaen economies typically function in a mixed capitalist model, favoring the exchange of goods or currencies in order to facilitate trade and services. Government forces usually have to step in or regulate, especially as clans or factions of common interest try to fix prices or control resource flow. It is a troublesome situation intertwined with zoaen usually believing personal effort and accomplishment should allow them to dictate their worth. At the same time, however, the government is nominally responsible for ensuring the prosperity of the people, and more importantly, their protection from evil.   On the whole, the zoaen do not mind trading with other species, and even find their wares particularly exotic and desirable. Their greater economic preference is for semi-processed goods, whose compact form makes it convenient for transport to their own facilities. There, their esoteric and arcane methods will transform these otherwise mundane materials into zoaen-specific technologies. Artistic wares, in particular, fetch high prices, as the zoaen find them pieces that capture alien perspectives they themselves can't even imagine. By trying to understand them, they themselves build understanding of the world, and so their intellectuals consider such objects as quite valuable.   For the other species, however, zoaen technologies are as strange as they are hard to work with. While presenting untold possibilities and promises, at the same time they struggle to make such bizarre innovations actually work. For common service technologies, like water purification, the zoaen themselves are often still needed in order to maintain such exotic creations. As is more the case, their technology is seen as neat or fun in a novel sense, but not really useful to the average person. Scholars, scientists, engineers, mages, and the like, however, lose their minds trying to uncover the secrets of zoaen craftswomanship.    

Interspecies Relations

Overworld zoaen have, over the generations, built of all sorts of relationships with the likes of the vampyr and urni, who they consider 'allied peoples'. Although friendly and on good terms with the lindwurms, such people are by their nature few and far between, and usually quite a minority no matter where they go. As an extension, though, the zoaen tend to have a better relationship with dragonkind as a whole—at least those who value their lindwurm kindred. Wokma, in particular, are another kind of dragon who've gotten on with the zoaen. In fact, the wokma consider the zoaen as one of the species closest to actually 'understanding' them.   They do, however, tend to have more adversarial relationships with most of the day-dwelling species. Since the zoaen themselves are nocturnal to avoid sunlight, their preference for doing things happens when everyone else is sleeping. Some diurnal-adapted zoaen do come about, as 'night owls' happen to day-dwellers, but the threat of sunlight is ever-present. When combined with the common cultural fears of things that dwell in night and darkness (which the vampyr themselves are all-too-familiar with), it can be hard to form lasting or meaningful relations with other species.      

Associated Articles

Notable Civilizations

   

Notable Characters

Hojijiran, Of Embracing Emptiness

   

Design Notes