Venandi
The venandi are an ancient race with a rich history of service to others. They believe in their meritocracy and are militaristic by nature. That’s not to say that they’re ruthless, but that they value discipline, loyalty, and sacrifice. In fact, such attributes are part of what keeps them civil.
The venandi are territorial and aggressive by nature. Violence is often a mode of relief for them, but strategy and physical leverage is equally as important. While the ancient warriors of old still hold titles as the ISU’s military’s elite, the magistrati that lead the noble clans hold the reins of war.
But clans are also families, which means that a sense of belonging is paramount to each clan’s authority. In convergence between two people, where they share their genetic makeup through a lifelong coupling, the strongest genes win out. This means that across the universe at large, venandi are the dominant species. A non-venandi lover will always take on attributes of the clan, and so will their whelps.
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Facial Features
Venandi have bifurcated faces, divided into plates over the sides of their jaws, and splitting their lips into four. Their mouthparts, or mandibles, can pull away from the face and play an important role in expressions and body language by clicking against their teeth or jawbones, vibrating, or splaying wide to display their sharp teeth in anger.
Atop their heads is a crown of spires, bony protrusions that protect the soft back of the head.
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Physique
Broad, muscular backs with a waspish waist and narrow hips. Digitigrades, meaning their ankles are elevated off the ground. Three fingers to each hand with retractable talons.
Venandi don’t have skin or flesh, but rather overlapping plates that look and feel like velvety ballistic rubber or smooth onyx, creating matte/shiny patterns across their bodies. These plates are held together with a tough but pliable membrane that has no dermal tissue, but is rather more like a soft cartilage.
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Unique Anatomy
Black eyes with reflective, glowing irises
Two-tonal voices, in which their higher and lower vocal cords harmonize rather than creating a single sound like in human voices
All fangy teeth are visible when their mandibles are splayed open in challenge. Can unhinge jaw when threatened
Thermonuclear internal heat source, similar in many ways to how stars generate heat
Second diaphragm dedicated to the hrum, which kickstarts convergence
Auxillary heart adds a third patter to their heartbeats
