Ghor Ka Bloodscale

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Ghor Ka Bloodscale
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Fauna
Official Name Ghor Ka Bloodscale
Common Nicknames Redscales, Mirahati
Classification Lesser Race
Habitat Hadaria
Domesticated Yes
Current Status Rare

The Ghor Ka Bloodscale is a species of diminutive lizardmen that fall behind the line of an intelligent Race. Most likely a failure of Allar alchemical manipulation of their own Race long ago, these creatures now live in the wilds in tribes made up of their immediate family. They’re known not only for their creation of simple tools but also for their ability to be turned into menial servants in the halls of the wealthy in Hadar society. Fiercely territorial, these lizardmen will assault anyone who crosses into their land with stones and teeth.

History

The origins of the Ghor Ka Bloodscales is unknown, lost to even the Allar who largely interact with them. A number of theories exist, the most prominent being that they emerged from whatever ancient situation caused Kelahiran to be adopted among the Allar. The idea goes that somewhere in this experimentation with children, a substance was used that stunted the young Allar, which proved resilient and binding into the blood of the creatures the Allar now call the Mirahatai. Another theory suggests that the Ghor Ka were a former subspecies of Allar who chose to abandon the practice of Kelahiran, which, while it did free them of their dependence on alchemy, led to their Race reverting to a state they existed in before the experiments with their eggs and offspring began. The last most believed theory is that the Ghor Ka Bloodscales were the result of some event unknown during the course of the Sendrassian Civil War, possibly involving Magic, which forever corrupted and stunted a group of Allar into the creatures seen today. Many Allar favor the first theory, while Elves and arcane theorists favor the third, with the middle theory something only recently proposed and gaining traction among the scholars of the Regalian Empire. Ultimately, where the Ghor Ka emerged is unknown and does not matter to most given that whenever it was, it does not account for any lacking trait or spread of the Bloodscales in the modern day.

Following the Sendrassian Civil War, a not insignificant number of Ghor Ka Bloodscales fled with the non-Void Allar into Hadar, where the Slizzar noted the creatures with fondness. There are some who believe the Ghor Ka was already in Hadar before the arrival of the Allar, with vague claims of contact with the little lizardmen speaking of such truths, but this is ultimately unknown. Additionally, a massive exodus, or perhaps a final wave of an ongoing spread out along the eastern coastline of Sendrass, led to the Ghor Ka populating a number of coastal holds well away from the practical territory of the Sendrassian Empire. For many years, the Ghor Ka Bloodscales remained populous. Some were “domesticated” and kept as servants or entertainers to the Digmaan, while others went to live in and around Allar settlements, apart yet interacted with, while yet more shunned contact with the outside, even though the Allar and Slizzar often appeared similar to Ghor Ka Bloodscales. Ultimately, it was the Chrysant War that ended this vast spread. The species’ resemblance to Allar paired with their homes commonly existing along coastal waters proved disastrous for the Ghor Ka Bloodscales, whose numbers took a dramatic drop during the Regalian invasion. Another issue was and still is the pollution of waters due to alchemical warfare, which have driven many Ghor Ka to flee into the wild, though smaller tribes still manage to survive on the coast. With the arrival of Ailor interests in recent years, the skin of the Ghor Ka Bloodscale has become a valuable export from Hadar due to its bright coloration, and unscrupulous Allar hunters will not hesitate to earn a fair price from the pelts they can bring in. However, the Ghor Ka Bloodscales on Sendrass remain populous, some even seen to exist on the coastline of nearby Solangeria, with recent sightings showing corrupted, but still identifiable Ghor Ka serving the Sendrassian Allar in the 308 to 309 AC invasion of Hadar. Ultimately, the animals are rare in wider Aloria, though they will likely survive as strong as ever.

Physical Appearance

Ghor Ka Bloodscales can be best described as small lizard men with brilliant crimson scales, standing at a meager three to four and a half feet. Their head is reptilian, featuring a long muzzle, sharp teeth occasionally protruding from a wide mouth with bulbous eyes that possess a fused eyelid allowing for pinhole vision. These peculiar eyes are also capable of moving entirely independently from each other. A bony ridge runs along the center of their skull and vanishes after the top of their head. They have a short neck connecting this head to the rest of their body. Ghor Ka Bloodscales are generally bipedal, with two upper limbs close to arms and two strong legs capable of supporting the body’s weight. However, they will commonly drop down onto all fours to crawl faster, while using their mouths to either hold their tools, or to be the tool when attacking. Each limb is tipped by four webbed fingers with small black claws. Their body then ends in a long tail that can reach up to two feet long, though it often curls up and appears smaller than it actually is. It is also capable, much like the hind legs, of supporting the entire body weight, though only for short periods. The Ghor Ka Bloodscale’s body is covered in bright red scales, with the only other colors being the black of the bony skull ridge, the black of the claws, and the cream underbelly the animal possesses, which extends onto the base of the tail for a few inches. This underbelly is also far smoother than the scales on the rest of the body.

Diversity

The Ghor Ka Bloodscales of Hadar have been shown to have some minor diversity, however this is not down gender lines since they lack sexual dimorphism and have equal birth numbers. Instead, it appears to be based on geography. Those of Sendrass appear to often be on the larger spectrum of the species, while those of Hadar are often on the shorter side. Additionally, those of the coastlines and riverbeds have lighter tones to their underbellies and red coloration, while those away from the shoreline have darker shades to both.

Lifespan and Development

Ghor Ka Bloodscales are born in clutches of four or five eggs close to sources of water. These brown eggs, speckled with red blotches, hatch after four to five months of incubation. Mothers will protect the eggs only until the eggs hatch, at which point the children must learn to fend for themselves within their tribe, the mother, father and others only doing them the service of not eating them immediately. The hatchlings must ultimately survive the wilderness while engaging in the hunt. Because their scales are soft at this time, they are very vulnerable to the dangers of the wild. Most Ghor Ka take up to a year or more before they grow to at least a foot tall, in a stage considered their “teenage” period. At this stage, they gain more social respect among the tribe, who sometimes share extra meat and materials with them should they know they will put what has been given to good use. Ghor Ka Bloodscales reach their full size at around the third year of their life, and are thought to live for up to fifteen years in the wild. Unfortunately, they do not make it past ten if held in captivity.

Mental Overview

Ghor Ka Bloodscales are in a curious position of being much smarter than the majority of animals of Aloria, but lacking the intelligence of any of the accepted Races of the world. Feats of their limited intelligence include the creation and use of flint tools, ability to count to ten, a language consisting of different gurgling sounds, the creation of primitive clothing from animal skins, and a writing system of eight different characters. In captivity, Ghor Ka Bloodscales are often trained to do simple tasks like sweeping the floor or carrying a tray of food. However, they often retain a wild nature and must be shown acts of force to keep them in line. Despite regular attempts, it is clear that they are unable to speak any other known languages or remember names. While these creatures can be made docile, they are naturally quite violent to outsiders and are known to bite and claw at things they do not understand. This makes stumbling upon a pack of them a hazardous situation to those not prepared for their animal-like ferocity. The Ghor Ka Bloodscales seem to respect strength, and ultimately, those in their society with many kills, or fearsome hunts, are greatly honored with leadership and power.

Territory and Groupings

Both males and females mark territory along rivers and the coastlines with pheromones specific to their genetic family. Ghor Ka Bloodscales live in groups of ten to thirty consisting of their extended family on the banks of rivers, along the coast, though other recent populations now survive inland. Their small territories are often quite easy to see as they are dotted with underground burrows, often very disorganized from the surface, but following a regimented pattern underground. Ghor Ka Bloodscales are known to be fiercely territorial to the point where trespassing on their land will cause the entire family to rally and attack until the trespasser flees or dies. Skirmishes between families are commonplace, though the borders of territories often remain the same. Tribes are led by the strongest and most powerful in Ghor Ka society, with “old age” seeming to not affect the relatively short-lived species.

Trivia

  • One of the most intelligent Ghor Ka Bloodscales ever known to exist was named “Nestor” and was kept in the Imperial Menagerie of Regalia until it died at the age of twelve. A gift to Emperor Justinian II after the Chrysant War, Nestor could juggle three balls while balancing himself on a forearm. It also had a knack for escaping in its youth, getting out of three separate cages before age tempered him.
  • Ghor Ka Bloodscales are known to have a perpetually grumpy face to fit their attitudes. One thing that makes them laugh is seeing others harmed.
  • It is rumored that the Ghor Ka Bloodscales that came with the Sendrassian Allar had streaks of purple and orange in their scales, making their pelts highly sought after if this is true.

Accreditation
Writers HydraLana
Processors WaterDruppel, LumosJared
Last Editor HydraLana on 01/3/2024.

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