Gruakhai

Gruakhai are the largest species of kith, notable for their powerful, hirsute bodies. Contrary to their fierce, bestial appearance, they are some of the most reserved and calculating of kith.   Gruakhai mostly populate the taigas and forests which dominate the southeastern reaches of the greater continent of Mundus Major, which is considered their ancestral homeland. A separate group of gruakhai slaves later fought a successful revolt against the humans on Mundus Minor, and their kind now control much of the smaller continent.  

Description

The average gruakhai stands at a height of between 6 and 7 feet. Male gruakhai are generally taller, but less robust than the females of their species. Their bodies are almost entirely covered with thick fur, with the exception of their faces, the palms of their hands and the bottoms of their feet.   Gruakhai have long arms, with the fingertips generally landing at knee height in a standing posture. Their digits are tipped with strong claws, suitable for digging through snow and partially frozen ground. Their legs are likewise long and robust, ending in flat and wide feet, well adapted to traversing through snow, boggy ground and mossy forests. The soles of their feet are leathery and thick, and provide a great deal of grip in slippery conditions.   Gruakhai are considered mature around the age of 20, at which point they are expected to have learned their role in society, and accept the responsibility of taking care of their community. Their natural lifespan is typically between 50 and 70 years.  

Appearance

Features: Large, triangular ears overed in fur and tipped with tufts. Flat, upturned noses. Large mouths with thin lips and large teeth. Deep-set eyes and prominent brows.
Skin: Very little visible skin, but underneath the hair its color is tan to dark chocolate brown. Faces, palms and soles of the feet are lighter in tone, from light tan to even pale pink.
Hair: Dark brown, hazel, amber, straw, rarely black or bright white. Coarse and thick, straight or wavy texture.
Eyes: Large irises with round pupils. Green, gold, amber, silver, or hazel.
 

Personality

Gruakhai originate in the tundras and boreal forests of the world, and they are well adapted to the challenges of these cold regions. Their demeanor tends to be reserved, calculative and averse to making rash decisions or acting on impulse. Gruakhai are slow to develop trust, but know that quarrels must often be put aside to ensure common survival.  

Culture

The gruakhai species comprises of three distinct ethnic groups:

The Bothota, commonly called forest gruakhai are the oldest and most numerous of their species. They are the archetypal gruakhai who reside in the southern boreal zones, and have relatively little contact with the other kith in the solitude of their homelands. They worry little about events out of their reach.

The Kindushel, commonly called desert gruakhai are far more outward compared to their forest-dwelling cousins to the south. They stand at an important crossroads of trade, which puts them into contact with many different peoples. Their homeland is mostly comprised of cold, windswept desert highlands which bisect the continent. Being well adapted to the environment, the kindushel make for ideal caravan-runners in this hostile region.

The Ganeruru, commonly called northern gruakhai are the descendants of forest gruakhai who were forcibly brought to Mundus Minor by the ocean folk centuries ago. They were enslaved and forced to harvest lumber in the northern woods of the continent, a region considered near inhospitable by their masters. However, the gruakhai proved too well adapted to the vast, cold forests, and eventually waged a successful slave revolt against their former masters. Within a few generations they became the dominant kith on the continent. To this day, their culture is defined by this violent history.

 

Gruakhai society

Gruakhai communities tend to be comparatively small and rural, owing to the difficulty of feeding large populations of creatures their size. Their homelands are rarely suitable for farming, and most gruakhai communities rely heavily on fishing, hunting, foraging and animal husbandry. In warmer and more fertile regions, they also engage in agriculture, though rarely is it their main source of sustenance.   Such rural communities are known as clans, and are usually comprised of at least a dozen families. These families mostly look after their own, but the clan comes together in matters of communal construction, meting out justice and responding to external crisis. The clan has an elected chief and a priest, dedicated to whichever deity is deemed most relevant to the community's survival and well-being.   Walled, urban communities are rare, and usually come about when gruakhai need to work together with other kith. They are mainly formed around holy sites or important defensive locations. The Ganeruru are an exception to this, as they adapted to live in, and later rule over the towns and cities built by (or for) their former human masters.  

Gruakhai among other kith

The gruakhai tower over many of their fellow kith, and their bestial appearance is found intimidating by many. Due to their reserved nature and slowness to act when mistreated, gruakhai are often mistaken for being dumb or timid. However, those who are willing to look past these features will find the gruakhai to be intelligent, stoic and co-operative. They form lifelong bonds with those they deem trustworthy, and they are known to be reliable especially in times of need.   Their physiology makes gruakhai ideal builders, dockworkers, general physical laborers and (body)guards in the communities of smaller kith. Their great size sometimes proves challenging, as most kith dwellings are not built with gruakhai dimensions in mind.    

Religion

Gruakhai tend to be very utilitarian when it comes to worship of the gods, and they view their worship and blessings as a transaction, rather than devotion. They rarely shy away from serving the more malevolent deities, if doing so in in the community's best interest. However, the gruakhai way of life rarely gives them reason to serve Thurial, whose gruakhai devotees are very rare, but not unheard of. Likewise, the gruakhai are usually too dispassionate to be noticed by Gowyr or Gwilha.