Mewei

The Mewei are a bipedal humanoid species that inhabit Nufano, though they originate from a lost binary world in the Pyxis Globula. Mewei are a very tall and wiry people, with large lapine ears and a stump tail further increasing their height. Most uniquely, they are a monogender species : all Mewei are feminine in appearance, though perhaps not in demeanour. This is made possible as Mewei give birth to their own progeny through self-fertilizing mechanisms that are poorly understood, but are believed to be rooted in societal pressures. All Mewei have white hair naturally, though the vast majority choose to dye it in a variety of bright and unnatural hues complimenting their greyish skins. Mewei live up to 300 cycles, and many still remember the time before the Great Jump. They tend to isolate amongst their own kind, where they have a heightened need for stable social relationships, though they can also engage in diplomacy where the need arises.   Millenia ago, the destruction of the ancient Mewei twin-world at their own hands during a dreadful ideological war shaped the subsequent cultures of the lapine folk. Ever since the cataclysm, Mewei societies have favoured social harmony and the acquisition of knowledge, tampered with restraint and enforced mindfulness. In seclusion from the rest of Tau Elpis, they set their Domain to become the caretakers of the wild mangrove world Nufano, which they hope to grow into a beautiful garden world some day.  

Origins

  The Mewei peoples lived as disparate nation-states on the twin-world Munda, until the development of fission weapons and an ideological war between Munda and its twin-moon led to ecological collapse and the near-destruction of the Mewei as a species. Rising from the ashes, the survivors huddled around Wellkeepers and Matriarchs, who soon shaped surviving societies and guided them across the wastes of their former lush world. The First Domain was soon proclaimed as a community of communities, one that would resume space exploration and defend the Mewei from the local Oberon threat, millenia before their eventual Incursion. Their collective near-death experience turned the Mewei into an ecologically and technologically cautious people, who heeded their elders and where only a few carefully groomed Matriarchs, raised as leaders of the Domain, were allowed unchecked agency over their own destinies. Nevertheless, a head start over other civilizations in Tau Elpis ensured their technological edge for much of the First Domain's existence.   Aware that the Oberon defeated early into their space forays was but a vanguard of a calamity to come, the Mewei sought for some way to escape the Globula, eventually stumbling upon the Boshaari , who had discovered an Embassy Ark and secretly planned to recommission it. When the Incursion started in earnest, the lush worlds of the Domain resisted the invaders and even pulled a few phyrric victories protecting Boshaari space, all to stall the Oberon so that a few chosen Mewei could flee aboard the Ark on their one-way jump towards Tau Elpis.  

Mindset

  The Mewei folk are generally introspective, community-minded, and respectful to Matriarchs and their elders, whose wisdom is revered by younger people. Their sense of interdependance plays a role into much of what they do, and Mewei spend long periods of time before collectively deciding on important decisions. There is no urgency, either, for Mewei live long lives, unbothered by the system beyond their skies. There are a few who urge the Mewei to rouse themselves and industrialize, but their voices are generally shunned, and such Mewei generally leave Nufano to seek abode elsewhere. Arcane is a taboo subject to many Mewei, as is a long list of forbidden technology, and many other species consider the Mewei to be rather self-righteous when it comes to matters of scientific ethics. As future scientific or community leaders, Matriarchs are encouraged to be impulsive think outside of the box, but this is the exception; whilst most Mewei are naturally very curious, as children they are taught the stories of the twin-world, and must learn to exercice patient restraint.  

Culture

  The majority of Mewei, simply called farara (homeworlders) are citizens of the Mewei Domain, and pride themselves in their seclusive, tight-knit communities on Nufano . Amongst the farara culture, one can distinguish Mewei who live sedentary lives in cities or settlements, and nomadic Mewei who form and disband big communities over the building of infrastructure projects.   It is estimated that a fifth of Mewei belong to the Boshaari ara'balai culture, as full-fledged citizens of the Council. These Mewei generally follow Boshaari customs, and would easily find themselves strangers on Nufano.   Whether farara or ara'balai, Mewei are highly spiritual, if not always conventionally religious. They generally believe that each habitable world is a Goddess, and that upon death a Mewei's soul strengthens the collective unconscious of the planet they inhabited. For this reason, few Mewei born on Nufano elect to leave and form other communities on other worlds, and fewer still elect to live in the black of space, where the environment is hostile and death might mean the irreversible loss of one's soul.  

Statblock

                     

Size	Medium
Lifespan	300-350
Magic Ability	Up to 10% of the population show an ability to perform Spellweaving, and these are taken as children to be educated by the Sisters of the Greatwood.
Crownworld	Nufano
Major Faction	Mewei Domain
Language	Meweskijesik
Average height	6′0″‒9′0″ (1.82‒2.74 m)
Average weight	200‒264 lb (90‒120 kg)
Skin colour	Typically ranges from pale white to dark grey, typically hairless
Hair colour	Always white but often dyed
Eye colour	Blue/Teal/Green

 

Racial Bonus

  All Mewei : +2 INT, +2 STR  

Racial Foci

 

Keen Senses

Mewei have amazing senses, and gain a +1 level bonus to Notice skill checks.  

Disease Resistance

Mewei immune systems are far stronger and smarter than most, and thus Mewei do not suffer much from allergies, poison, or disease. They also recover from such ailments twice as fast. This seems to apply to Psionic Metadisease as well.  

Names

  Mewei tend to sport two names : their given name, and the name of the community into which they were born. Community names are seldom used, and usually only exist to differentiate between two similarly named Mewei. (For ara'balai Mewei, see the Boshaari article.)  

Given Names

  Phel   Nenva   Ljrt   Falma   Vever  

Community names

  Vholvanal   Frjn   Rhazol   Fezlipher   Sare  

Adventuring

  There are a few reasons for Mewei to wander :

• They are a Matriarch or a True Seeker on a quest for technological or cultural enlightenment.
• They are a Valekeeper, sent by the Domain on a secret mission, or by the Coalition to protect the secret at Outpost X-5
• They are a solarian, member of the Swords of Rava, setting to right wrongs and spread their religion anew.
• They are a far trader looking for profitable trades and relics.
• They resent the inward, crystalline Domain lifestyle and want to experience something else.