Hydon (high-don)

Hydons are humanoid in structure. Their eyes are always lizard-like, and they lack visible ears, instead having holes in the side of their head hidden by scales and hair. Normally, they have high muscle-to-fat ratios, and they are stocky and tall a majority of the time. However, thin hydons do exist, less-so in Riavelon and more-so in Serias. All hydons have high heat tolerance, for Riavelon's sweltering summers would need one to acclimate quickly.   Like figurins, they are capable of morphing parts of their bodies. However, unlike them, they cannot completely change their bodies. For example, a figurin would be capable of transforming their arm into a tentacle, while a hydon may only enlarge it. They can develop a tough shell hide in the heat of battle to protect themselves, or if fighting on the offensive, they may strengthen their arms and sharpen their nails to form claws. Wings may also sprout from their backs, becoming a secondary form of transport if land conditions become unfavorable.

Features that occur in many but not all hydons include: Forked tongues, scales on other parts of their bodies, horns, frills, markings, and fangs. There are no specific variations within the hydon species that feature these traits heavily. Instead, they randomly occur throughout each individual born.   Life expectancy has lowered significantly due to the nature of living in the Riavelon Empire, some hydons only living until fifty. In Serias, the life expectancy is marginally higher, many hydons living until two to three centuries. The reasoning is due to the frequent violence and sickness rampant in these countries, even in the nobility. Though the aid of healers and apothecaries helps reduce the number of casualties, there are simply not enough of them in these societies to help raise life expectancy. Sometimes, the rare individual of seven to eight centuries appears, however, instilling a little hope in the survival of the species.

Hydons may reproduce with the other three species of Neegavia, regardless of sex. Reproduction involving imugyohs is difficult but possible through other means besides physical. Conception is incredibly difficult and will never result in a hydon getting pregnant from minimal intercourse. Due to the long-lived nature of hydons, gestation periods are often around two to three years long depending on the individual. They do not menstruate.   AFAB hydons lack breasts, thus baby hydons are fed the same foods as their parents but in mashed form for easier consumption.

Hydons' growth rates are comparable to that of a human's until they reach twenty-one years old. They then age slowly for the next millennia, soon slowly turning more draconic until they eventually become a dragon. These dragons live only around two-hundred to three-hundred centuries before they eventually perish. They experience menopause around the fifth century.   Like a lizard, in areas dense with scales, hydons molt excessively for the first twenty-one years of their life. Afterward, the process slows down dramatically, and they only have to molt once every ten years.

Hydons, like lizards, live in warmer climates. If they must dwell in colder ones, they usually bundle up or perform magic to warm up the surrounding area. They can go for a long time without water, and likewise, they don't need to eat as much as well. Like humans, they're adaptable and can live essentially anywhere, excluding underwater or overhead unless there are structures made to support land-breathing creatures.

To support their more muscular bodies, hydons should eat more protein-rich foods, so they often settle down where the rabbit population is high. Many adore hunting and take it up as their job to support their communities, springing into action with their claws and pneuma on hand. Sometimes, entire hunting tournaments spring up thanks to this species' nature, and at the end of the day, everyone feasts on meals of gazelles and sometimes camels.

Hydons are noticeably more drowsy during the winter, but other than that, their biology is identical to that of a human's.

The current social structure today consists of the elected emperor, the elected government officials, upper class, middle class, and lower class. The upper class consists of entrepreneurs, merchants, archivists, armorers, and generals. Soldiers are a part of the upper-middle-class, not extremely rich, but their efforts are rewarded through other great benefits such as invitations to banquets or exemption from taxes. The middle class consists of stonemasons, weavers, masons, cobblers, locksmiths, and blacksmiths; it also includes jobs not included in this list. Finally, farmers, butchers, bakers, millers, and ropemakers reside in the lower class; it also includes other jobs unmentioned. In Hymn's Riavelon League, priests are not highly valued and sit firmly in the middle class.

Their faces echo the wide range of human characteristics, sometimes with scales, horns, or frills present.

Hydons mostly appear in Riavelon or Serias due to the two countries having good relations with one another. On rare occasions, one might encounter a hydon living on the beaches in Serpere Reefs territory.

The spectrum is comparable to humans.

A hydon's hearing is equivalent to that of a human's, perhaps hearing a little less frequencies in rare cases. They are capable of seeing a wider range of colors compared to humans, although not to the extent of saeols. In regards to scenting, their smell through their nose is not great, but their taste buds are main workers in this category. In addition to eating food, hydons will often stick our their tongues if they particularly need to sniff something out. Finally, their touch is comparable to a human's.   Every sapient species in Neegavia is capable of harnessing pneuma and converting it into matter or vice verse, otherwise known as magic.

Hydons living in Riavelon normally have fantasy names. On a cultural perspective, names tending to Yorùbá or Indian origin are also applicable. In some cases, names may originate from mythology, like Nidhogg. Such names normally originate from Norse Mythology, considering Lodur's name comes from it, and one could say that he is the ancestor to all hydons.

The Riavelon Empire thrives in recent times, representing the rebirth of the hydon spirit. Several hydon noble houses exist in Serias, too, further establishing the species' role in the world.

The more muscular someone is, the more they are to be considered attractive by hydons. Those who seldom exercise are seen as unattractive to most. It is not frowned upon in their societies to smell of sweat as it supports the notion that one is active. Scars are highly favored as well, showing off dedication to toughening oneself up. One important thing to note is that most aspects seen as unattractive in human society would not factor into theirs. For example, having food stuck between the teeth is often ignored.

Generally, there are no expectations on gender. Men may wear dresses, and women may wear suits, and vice versa. Generally, the most frequent type of clothing are loose tunics or dresses due to the searing heat. Many people might go shirtless as well.

Due to the low birth rates in hydons, in the past, they would forego courtship entirely and proceed to immediate procreation. This was for the survival of the species as they dwelt in the war-torn lands of the east and because of the rapid multiplication of the beasts. There was not enough time to meet someone to love and cherish for the rest of one's life, for that was an uncertainty they would even live long.   However, due to the intermingling of figurin and imugyoh cultures, more emphasis has been put into devoting oneself to a partner or partners, the latter more common. Usually, hydons favor partners who can prove themselves in a sparring match. If the two fight and it lasts for a decent amount of time, then the two will proceed to further conversation. In other circumstances, more scars present on someone's body means greater chance of finding a partner. However, this can quickly turn into a bad situation, and in recent times, this sort of attraction has been discouraged. It is encouraged to instead spend plentiful time with a prospect first instead of later.

No ceremony is performed for marriage. Rather, hydons prefer to keep their prospects open, especially considering the lingering attitudes of the past. This lack of jealousy between hydons helps the species to survive the turbulent times it experiences. Sometimes, hydons will not bother to cohabit with a loved one, instead staying with their family to seek out other interests. Few monogamous people exist in this species, but they tend toward the same lack of cohabitation unless their partner desires it. Due to the long-lived nature of the species, children are not generally encouraged unless in chaotic times. In those circumstances, people are encouraged to try for children as much as they can.   Regarding interspecies relations, hydons may participate in the marriage ceremony. They often bring with them salt to represent their hope for a joyous marital life or wine to signify hope for a peaceful future. They may cohabit with their partner(s) if they desire it.

Some of the first physical weapons were made by hydons, most notably swords, axes, and lances. The best weaponry hails from Riavelon itself, and many merchants come by to get their hands on these goods to make a profit overseas. Temporary living structures were optimized by this species as well, and the blueprints became highly sought after. Adventurers to this day still look at hydons' messy drawings as a point of reference. Most surprisingly developed was the use of medicines in absence of a healer. Due to their constant fighting, some hydons, on the side, prevailed with their knowledge of herbs and created poultices and salves to soothe aching or bleeding. They also encouraged cleanliness regarding such injuries, stating that one must remove all foreign debris before one can even attempt to proceed. The first methods of stitching were also developed early on, and though it is better to have a healer take care of bleeding, these methods proved life-saving in circumstances where such magic was unavailable.

Hydons developed Draco Lingua (Latin), one of the precursors to Neegavian. Only the older generations speak this language anymore, and due to their dwindling presence in the world, many are afraid that the language might go extinct. Anthropologists focus on recording it in papers and teaching the verbal forms to others.   The most commonly spoken languages in recent times is Neegavian, Riavesh (Hindi), and Edè Enìyàn (Yorùbá). Riavesh and Edè Enìyàn share similar writing scripts that differ in some ways but are identical in others.

It is not uncommon to be asked for a spar by a stranger. Hydons often see them as ways to bond with people as they learn whether they're impulsive, skittish, and other traits. Often, it is seen as rude to decline a request like this, but in recent times, this sort of peer-pressure has decreased.   It is not rude to leave dirt in the house. They do not bathe often due to the absence of water and people whose affinity is water, so a week or two often passes before they proceed with cleaning themself. In recent times, due to work being done to make the resource more valuable, many hydons spend more time bathing themselves. However, they still never consider it impolite to walk in with a smear on one's face.   Hydons are often disorganized and find it better to work this way than methodically. The reasoning is because they prefer to keep their options open as life Riavelon often proves unpredictable. If one suddenly cancels plans, the other party will usually never find it offensive and let them be. This nature often confuses the other species and leads to conflict in friendships.   Wasting food is seen as highly disrespectful in hydon society as is wasting water. Every piece of food shall be eaten no matter what, and parents often get upset with their children if they deny a meal. If someone states that they cannot eat everything, hydons will begin to regard them in lower esteem. Similarly, wasting water may land one in jail and bring on the wrath of the others. Because of its rarity in the canyons, every ounce of water is highly valued and used to the utmost ability. For example, if one bathes in water, then they will filter it of any particles and boil it, using it for meals or for farming. The hydons are a highly resourceful species avoiding waste whenever possible.

Light-weight wraps are frequently worn in the canyons of Riavelon. They prefer to feel as much of the air and sun as possible, as it helps them keep warm and prevent muscles spasms. Sometimes, they avoid wearing garments that wrap around the torso at all for maximum exposure to the climate. One can expect to see many people wearing skirts as a lower garment of choice. Clothing was often gray, yellow, red, or white, thanks to the color being natural or dyes being plentiful. Now that Riavelon has functioning maritime trade, more colorful clothes are making their way into the League.   In the mountainous region of Riavelon, hydons bundle up to the best of their abilities. Easily getting cold, they spend most of their time near the fireplace or eating hot soups. They seldom sunbathe up here due to the frigid temperature and despise snow. Nevertheless, they adapt to their conditions and make the best out of their situations.

After the death of Ignis, the old capital was destroyed by the following blast. The remains are often explored to potentially find secrets or lost relics, though as of right now, there have not been many discoveries. Abandoned areas include the labor camps, left there to remind the hydons of the past's horrors. Museums are being built as of right now near the sites to educate newcomers to Riavelon's troubled history. Populated areas include some of Riavelon's old fortresses, including Fort Ares and Fort Vascilly. Once outposts for soldiers to stay in and guard against intruders, some of these forts grew to become large towns with a bustling atmosphere. Trade routes leading to these towns are filled with traveling merchants, eager to get their hands on some gold.   Older than all of those are the rusty weapons remaining from the Age of Darkness. Though little of them remain, the few that do exist are preserved within the new capital's vaults. Old maps also remain from back in the day, detailing the layout of the old super continent prior to its split. Some wonder how people back in the day even understood them, considering their sketchiness. These are kept in museums located in the capital for all to admire.   Intangible are the practice regimens hydons developed to push themselves to the limit. These are spread throughout Serias and are prevalent through the noble population, seeing themselves as the defenders of the people. Some peasants follow them as well and ascend to knighthood if they're lucky.

During Fraenir's reign, holidays celebrating the crusaders were outright banned. However, under Hymn's rule, hydons may celebrate each of the four corresponding holidays: Opalquartz, Hundredth-Day-Walk, Day of Valor, and Crusader's Dusk. In particular, festivity is high during Opalquartz considering it celebrates the relationship between Freya and Spirit. However, in hydon culture, emphasis is not put on romantic love but rather bonds themselves. Friends spend a lot of time with each other on this day and focus on giving each other gifts. Family members go out together and feast on gourmet food if they can find a nearby eatery. Finally, strangers will often approach each other to participate in the festival, gifting each other cards and wine and creating platonic (maybe romantic) relationships.

Hydons will never speak over their superiors, even if they are normally loud. The act is seen as greatly disrespectful and isolates one from the rest of their town.   Sickly members of a town must not show themselves in public until they recover. This is to preserve the strength of the whole; in other words, they do not want anyone else contracting this person's illness.

When Lodur announced war against the rest of the world and sought to destroy all mortalkind, he split himself into three separate deities in addition to his already existing form: Azur, Iferclu, and Ignis. However, the opposing deities seized these children from him and raised them in his stead. Ignis, in particular, inherited his father's ambition and dreamed of leading a country by himself one day. Thus, when he reached an old enough age, and when the Acolytes felt like his life would not be in danger, Ignis set out into the world. He quickly established a following of both saeols and figurins who valued strength and loyalty above all else, and soon, his following grew large enough for him to establish his sovereign state: the Empire of Riavelon. The Empire further expanded as he and his people stormed the monster-ridden lands of his father and conquered them for themselves.   The lands, in constant conflict, seldom had farmers to feed the knights or masons to construct homes for them. These people lived as nomads, living off the wildlife they encountered on their travels and dwelling in temporary housing structures. Over time, the figurins and saeols bred together, and over the generations, they developed into hydons. Their low birth rates proved troublesome, especially considering the rate of how Lodur's beasts multiplied. However, in turn, they grew more bulky and resistant, thus curbing the amount of deaths. Thus continued the lives of the hydons, serving as the protectors to the other species, including the newly-arisen imugyohs.   Because saeols were a more scholarly-sort of peoples, the two species drifted away from each other. However, hydons and figurins frequently interacted with each other, in part due to their similarities and also because of the close bonds between Iferclu and Ignis. They also intermingled with imugyohs when they reached the surface, and it was due to a union between the two species that Freya was born. She inherited the strength of her draconic lineage and the wile of her serpentine ancestors. Becoming a figure of great renown, many hydons pledged themselves to her service as she fought in the frontiers of the Age of Darkness. Once deemed a suitable candidate for crusaderhood, she left them to join the other crusaders. Hydons honored her by picking up the ax and using it as their main weapon, for her handle on one reigned supreme and many wished to emulate her example. They also held tournaments, and the winners of these would be deemed Freya's Chosen.   Once the Age of Darkness came to an end, the Creator split the supercontinent into three; Riavelon was the one on the west. In a new era of peace, hydons continued strengthening themselves under Ignis' reign and cleared off the remnants of Lodur's beasts. Sparring became a favored activity within the species in place of actual fighting. Criminals were forced into gladiator matches for the entertainment of all, parents even taking their kids to watch. Over time, the country began to prioritize the strong over the weak, and thus, parents focused on making their children worthy fighters. Magic was barely considered in the Empire, and hydons only used it for masonry, baking, blacksmithing, and other sorts not involving violence. The military was heavily favored by the Emperor, taking on government roles and enforcing the law disproportionately on the weak. A new darkness overtook the sovereign state, Ignis at the helm. Too proud to realize the bloodshed spilled in his name, he stoked the fires of conflict further and promoted his supporters to higher positions.   Having seen this destruction, the Crusaders of Strength and Valor took it into their hands. Freya, disgusted at the state of Riavelon, distanced herself from the Empire and focused more on her oceanic roots. She cheered on Tempest and Sigi, who stormed the kingdom and slew militants who dare battle them. In some cases, if not enough soldiers were present, they would pit villagers against the crusaders. Eventually, the two reached the Emperor and murdered him, Tempest dying in the aftermath. All the country's infrastructure came tumbling down afterward. The military came at each other's throats to ultimately rule the Empire, foregoing their duty to make sure the citizens abode the law. The economy came crashing down, materials not worth anything at all. In desperation, peasants robbed and murdered to ultimately survive. Factions of sorts arose, led by the most heinous of individuals. In attempt to escape from the catastrophe, a mass migration from Riavelon to Serias occurred, resulting in the Kingdom's high population of hydons. Some tried to escape to Koyo illegally, but due to its new rules disallowing refugees, it sent them back to Riavelon where they would continue to live in horrific conditions.   Soon, a figure who resembled Ignis in many ways came to claim the throne. Iferclu's child, Fraenir, annihilated the opposition and reigned supreme over the land. His threats forced his enemies under submission, and those who dare commit crimes faced work-time in labor camps or execution. Now, the upper-class consisted of those who supported Fraenir's actions and sought to see his will through. Many hydons idolized Fraenir for his work to unify the Empire into one entity, and they adored the work he put in to rid the place of law-breakers. Other hydons missed the days of Ignis, where they could fight for fun and improve themselves physically. Finally, the minority hardly tolerated any of the two's reigns, seeing it necessary that mortals take control of the state. Hymn was one of these.   As someone of saeol-hydon descent, Hymn assembled the Freedom Fighters, and together, they traveled from the south of Riavelon to the capital. They freed the workers of a labor camp, took over Fort Ares, and restored the hope in the villagers' hearts. In regards to hydon participants, Adalia, sister of General Rivers and a member of the Rivers noble house, traveled to the canyons where the peasants lived. She accompanied a group of soldiers patrolling the desert but defected to the Freedom Fighters after some convincing. Arturia, though not hailing from Riavelon, came from a fallen noble house of Serias who descended from refugees from long ago. She valued chivalry above all else and spread her love of the arts to the rest of Riavelon's society. The most notable hydon of the group was Aenir, descendant of Tempest. A little scrawny compared to her brethren, she makes up for it with her agility and fantastical dances. Finally, General Indessa Rivers was a close ally to Fraenir himself, tasked with retrieving the circlet Moon from Tempest's resting place. After committing the heinous act of taking a hostage and murdering her, she failed to achieve her objective once one of the Freedom Fighters battered her down. She encountered them again once they reached the volcanic capital, where she met her doom at the hands of Hymn Moon.   In recent times, hydons starkly differ from their past counterparts. Instead of valuing strength above all else, they like to prioritize other activities as well. Thanks to Arturia's efforts, one can see many reading books or admiring art. Adalia's teachings of each magic affinity spread, and many harnessed the power of pneuma to better their lives. Aenir's dances inspired others to explore the humanities, choreographing complicated performances, acting in plays, and revitalizing street shows. However, the fighting spirit still remains in some, though, but not to the degree of the past. Civilians now train to protect each other from the invading Serian and Koyo armies. They work to build new structures supporting education, housing, and religion. Finally, they train to improve their own health rather than to be seen as more powerful than a rival.   Some elders might claim how better Ignis' reign was, but younger hydons claim otherwise. To live in a peaceful world is all they strive for, now, and they seek to spread these teachings through the rest of the land.

The legend of the five crusaders persisted even through Emperor Fraenir's reign. Though he tried his best to stifle any sort of discussion about them, people passed down their tales through word of mouth and written texts. Freya is the one who most aspire to be like, given that she is the only one with any sort of hydon heritage. She represents the vigor of the hydons with her prowess with an ax and her loud personality. However, at the same time, her wisdom and calculation represent the imugyohs, and both species highly praise her. No one knows where Fosite, her ax, lies to this day; however, many are on the search for it, including the Serias army and Serpere Reef researchers. They believe whoever comes to wield it will be blessed their entire life, that they will find true love in war like Freya did with Spirit.   The world legend goes like this:     In an age before time's existence   Life was stuck in a perpetual cycle   Between both destruction and creation   Our lives were naught to the gods       As the universe calmed from its chaos...   A darkness unrivaled threatened peace   The Creator, who put their faith in us   Gifted us a power once thought only divine   and saved us from the dark oblivion       Neegavia thus faced a rebirth.   And so...   As the Creator vanished,   Memories of Darkness faded away.