Nai-Ran

Image by Midnight

Species Name: Ryashi

Home Planet: Appodorra

Starting Planet: Anywhere

Starting Power: 400-800

Appearance: Ryashi have the upper half of a human, however starting at the hips the rest of their bodies are that of a snake. They also have pointed ears. Other than that, their appearances vary quite a bit. Their skin color commonly varies on anything from a pale peach to a burnt sienna, but more outlandish colors aren’t unheard of depending on the region of Appodorra they come from. There’s no limit on the color of their hair, eyes, or scales.

Background: Appodorra is comprised mostly of a vast, arid desert with numerous mountain ranges dividing it into different regions. Bodies of water are few and far between. Ryashi get their fluids from the different species of plants that have evolved to withstand harsh climate and frequent sandstorms. Regions with large enough bodies of water are actually quite popular with intergalactic tourism. They tend to have sort of an ‘island paradise’ look and feel to them. Off-worlders are also attracted by the plethora of odd minerals and gemstones that are abundant in Appodorra’s crust. Tourism is how the planet gets a large portion of its resources. This is the main reason why the rulers of different regions have stayed so peaceful with each other during recent years.

In the past, it wasn’t uncommon for regions to go to war with each other over land or other random disputes. However, war isn’t really a selling point for people who are looking to relax and enjoy themselves, which severely cut into their imports and exports. While the peace can be uneasy at times, the leaders of each region agreed that whatever squabbles they had with each other wasn’t worth making the whole of Appodorra suffer for it. To incite war could very well turn the entire against a single region; nobody wanted to risk it.

Different regions are each ruled by a single figure decided by the citizens of said region. Whoever is chosen for the position generally stays in power until they pass on, willingly step down, or the people decide they are unfit to rule anymore. Once the current leader loses power, the next Ryashi in line for the position is one of their children; in most cases it’s the eldest. If the previous ruler had no children or if the citizens agree that the child isn’t qualified to lead, an entirely new candidate is sought out. The position isn’t all that appealing for most Ryashi. The leader may have been granted great wealth and social status, but there’s far too much pressure in making sure everything runs smoothly. After all, the leader is basically responsible for solving everyone’s problems. It’s a lot more than the average Ryashi wants to deal with.

The Ritual of Discovery is an ancient tradition that goes back much further than any Ryashi can remember. On brink of reaching adulthood, young Ryashi set out into the unknown to expand their horizons and prove that they can survive if left to their own devices in a foreign environment. Not only this, but it often means bringing back home something of value as well. Journeys last for at least several years. There have been a few occasions when the Ryashi in question didn’t return for decades, if he or she returned at all. Those that returned successful were praised by society and looked upon with respect. In the days of old, the Ritual of discovery involved venturing into unexplored parts of Appodorra. Now that intergalactic travel is fairly common, Ryashi are instead sent to other planets. At the present time the Ritual of Discovery is a bit of a rare occurrence. Society has evolved in a way that bravery and the ability to survive anywhere aren’t quite as valuable as they used to be. Over the years the custom has nearly died out and is now taken on in very rare circumstances or by only the most courageous of adolescents.

Name Pun Theme(s): Names are based on different types of cloth and fabric.
Examples: Nai-Ran(Nylon), Kan-Basu(Canvas), Rei-Su(Lace)
Clan names are based off of colors, generally different shades depending on the region the clan originates.
Examples: Rust(Rassuto), Marun(Maroon), and Cardinal(Kadinarru) are shades of red and would likely be from the same region.

Unique Characteristics:

Age - Ryashi can live up to 170 years.

Climate - Due to Appodorra’s hot climate, Ryashi have evolved in a way so that they don’t generate much body heat on their own. This makes operating in and adjusting to cold climates found on other planets rather difficult. Anything colder than a tropical climate makes them feel physically cold and give them the occasional case of the shivers. Anything colder than a temperate climate causes them to become sluggish and they may grow sleepy and run out of energy fairly quickly. On the plus side, they thrive in desert climates and barely even notice the intense heat. In hot climates, Serpentine Fury boosts their power by x5 instead of x4. In cold climates, it is instead only boosts their power by x2.

Muscular Tail - Ryashi tails are rather strong and are roughly eight times the length of the humanoid portion of their bodies. Only about a quarter of their tail’s length must remain on the ground in order to anchor themselves, but the rest of their length can be used to boost them up and allow them to reach long distances.


Transformations:

2x - Serpentine Fury
When a Ryashi reaches the level of Serpentine Fury, the changes in their visual appearance are very slight. Their canines grow into four inch fangs and their voice gains an unnerving, low-pitched second layer to it. This second layer sounds like it accents every word with a light hiss and makes almost everything they say sound slightly threatening. A Ryashi's ki surges wildly while in this state and sparks of energy are constantly seen floating around their form. This form consumes quite a bit of energy to use, and takes several extensive training sessions while in this form to not become completely exhausted after reverting from it. The modifier becomes x3 in hot desert-like climates. However, this form can't be accessed at all in cold climates.

6x - Serpentine Ascension
There is no difference visually between Serpentine Fury and Serpentine ascension aside from the fact that there are more sparks of the Ryashi's ki surging across their form, as well as an increase in their intensity. There's also no longer any worry about becoming exhausted from excessive use once they've reached this transformation. The modifier becomes x7 in hot desert-like climates. However, it instead drops to x3 when accessed in cold climates.