Biology and Appearance
Neteris are a species of mammals whose forelimbs form webbed wings and who posses large ears and a tail. They tend to stand between 1.6 to 1.9 meters in height and have short hair that covers most of their body. They possess an excellent sense of smell and hearing, though their eyesight is adapted to darker environments so they have trouble seeing in brighter areas. Should their hearing be taken away, they will have far more difficulty getting around as they generally tend to rely on their hearing more than their eyesight to know what is around them.
The Neteris are primarily insectivores as insects and insect like species are the most abundant source of food on the planet. They also consume fruit and some larger animals, but with far less frequency. Most of the food they eat is raw, though there are some dishes that they create, specifically on celebrations and holidays, where the food is roasted. When they travel to other planets where the inhabitants are not familiar with their particular diet, they can appear to be picky eaters, very selective in what they do eat. Nevertheless, they do have a highly active metabolism which helps them to digest food quickly and deal with the toxins and acids in the foods they eat.
They tend to avoid colder regions, areas with ice and snow, as it makes them feel lethargic and sluggish. They can also have difficulty breathing on other planets with an atmosphere that has a far lower CO2 content than their own.
The Neteris were able to achieve a human form though use, initially, of splicing their DNA with that of humans in order to gain the ability to communicate with them more efficiently. Though the years, this change to their DNA has created a mutation which allows them, even without going to get their DNA spliced, to be able to change forms from birth. In their human form, the Neteris are a tall, pale skinned race with black or brown hair, though there are a few individuals with burnt orange highlights. They are also known to have eyes ranging in colour from red to brown, and have tapered ears. They also appear to be in very good physical shape. Though unable to fly in this form, they are still able to make use of ambient sounds to see their surroundings as they have no improvement or reduction in their other senses.
Life Cycle
There are seven notable events in the life cycle of Neteris : Birth, Naming Ceremony, Childhood, Adolescence, Adulthood, Mating, and Death.
Birth : From conception, it takes approximately six months before a Neteris is born. During pregnancy, the mother will be forbidden to change forms after the second month and unable to hunt for herself following the third month. The foetus is often quite active in the womb, kicking and stretching and moving about, and it is often quite painful, though also a source of pride; it is quite often said that the more the unborn Neteris moves, the stronger he will be, both mentally and physically. Newborn Neteris are called pups and the mother gives birth to anywhere from 1 to 3. They are born blind and unable to fly or change forms. However, a few months later, their eyes open for the first time and by the end of the year they are flying and beginning to learn how to hunt by accompanying and watching their parents and play fighting amongst themselves.
When breeding with other species, they have an easier time producing offspring with Flierie and Humans than when any other species. However, the offspring produced tend to have an increased chance of vision difficulties and the non-Neteris mother could experience complications during pregnancy.
Naming Ceremony : At 2 years of age, Neteris are named by their parents if they have demonstrated a satisfactory level of strength, independence and resourcefulness. It is when they enter society legitimately for the first time and fully accepted.
Childhood : Their childhood is relatively short, lasting until they are the age of 10 where they are considered to be teenagers. Childhood is a time of learning through experimentation. They study various subjects, not only in schools, but out in the fields, going to places and learning through simulations and mock exercises. Their fighting skills are continually tested and they are sent out on group hunts where they are expected to be able to be able to work together to bring down prey that is perhaps bigger and stronger than they are.
Adolescence : At 10 years old they reach their adolescence which is a time of further testing, not only by their teachers, but also by other Neteris they may come across in their daily activities. It is a time for developing wisdom and also a time of self-discovery. Adolescence is a time where Neteris start to figure out what they want to get from life and how they are going to attempt to achieve it. At 10 years of age, sexual maturity is also reached so it is a time to learn self-control as well. Both males and females give off pheromones that the other finds attractive and as sexual promiscuity is considered highly irresponsible and looked down upon, they must learn to control themselves or face reprisal and the possibility of bringing shame to their families by an unplanned pregnancy.
Adulthood : Neteris are considered full adults by 14 or 15 years of age. However, they often do not leave the family home unless they feel it is a necessity for their chosen profession or their job requires that they are often travelling. Adulthood is a time of continued education and training which continues well into their 50s and 60s.
Marriage & Mating : If a Neteris is married then he is not necessarily mated; but if one is mated, they are always married. The reason for this is that mating is an event that goes beyond the bonds that are formed in marriage. It is seen as the ultimate tying together of both body and soul to their other half. Their perfect soul mate. Once done it is irreversible and it is said that Eurwen and Charr tie the life force of the pair together so that they will be forever inseparable and will together in the next life. It is also a rare event among Neteris. There will be a subtle shift in pheromones once two individuals are capable of mating. It's said the smell is more stimulating and intercourse feels as though it has been heightened, while they develop a deeper understanding of each other. These changes will reach their height only if couple agrees to make it so by taking a blood oath. It is unknown if this can occur between a Neteris and a member of another race, though some speculate that if it happens it would be akin to a death sentence as the other would be unable to reciprocate.
Death : Death means going back to Charr. If mated, it means the second part of your life is about to begin. It is heavily ritualistic, though in recent years, some of the ritual has vanished and what remains the the necessity for the body to be buried in family crypts and no where else. For males, death usually occurs at 97 years of age, for females, death tends to occur around 103 years of age.
Society & Culture
In the early years, Neteris culture was one that revolved around battle, as it was a fierce competition for survival on the planet and it was also a source of honour and pride in their community, an honourable battle seen as sporting and pleasing to their god, Charr. These battles were not ones that were fought to the death or to destroy, but to prepare the body of and mind of a young Neteris to face the brutalities of their world and the harsh realities of survival on Teneost.
Those who were able to do well in the practice battles often became leaders of their respective communities, teachers and protectors. They were given a higher status than most, but this was a position that could be taken from them at any time. Neteris believed that it wasn’t the individual in a position of power that was important, but the position itself, so if anyone was undeserving of the position, they could easily be switched out. Furthermore, it was seen as a great dishonour if they brought shame to the position as it wasn’t just a black mark on the name of the individual, but a black mark on their society as a whole.
Though they are a society steeped in battle and the fight to survive, they are also one that has strong family ties. Families were not only those connected by blood, but could also inclue those who were adopted through specific rituals to bind someone, an orphan for example, to that family. These families are highly structured and ordered with more prominence being given to some over others. The reason being for this is both a combination of an individual’s position in battle and the contribution the family has made in the larger society.
Consequently, it is possible for a family which has very few strong fighters to still hold a respectable position if they have made great contributions — scientific, economic or otherwise — to the wellbeing of the group as a whole. Rivalries between these families tend to be rare as the one tenant that they must all work together as a group to do what is the most beneficial for Teneost. And bickering amongst the families certainly isn’t.
In addition to holding strong family ties, Neteris are also a species that, at one point in their history, was quite religious (see religion below). To this day, their gods are still worshiped, though not with as much fervour as before. However, as they still continue to feel a kinship with Charr, their culture is guided by his philosophy and principles. Consequently, Neteris put their own advancement ahead of other intergalactic interests.
In times of crisis, this philosophy entails that they will do whatever it takes to protect their home planet and ensure their species’ survival. If this means that they must assassinate someone who they believe is hindering their species’ success, they will do it. If it means backstabbing, extortion and slander, they will do it too. Whatever it takes for them to survive. However, if they could avoid having to kill one of their own species it should be avoided at all costs.
Law & Politics
There is one Ruling Family, called the Aristos, which tends to be composed of the best individuals on Teneost. It is not a family formed by blood, but by adoption. The head of this family acts as the spokesman for planet on the intergalactic scene (the Aristo). He or she can be replaced at any time if other Neteris believe that the Aristo is doing a poor job of representing them on the intergalactic stage. Typically, this position is held for life and before the Aristo passes, they must transfer the title on someone they deem worthy. However, this person does not necessarily need to be from the Aristos and cannot be a direct descendent by blood or adoption (until the ceremony takes place to bring him or her into the family).
The Neteris tend to be rather anti-establishmentarian, preferring to rely on themselves than any big intergalactic organization to keep them or their planet in check. They also believe that it is because of the Alliance that there will always be unrest in the galaxy. They tend to believe that the rules that they say are imposed for peace, order and good governance do more harm than good as it restricts individual freedoms and the possibility for an individual to fully realize their potential.
Along this line, notable individuals from Teneost tend to be bounty hunters, slavers, smugglers, pirates, and informational brokers… professions that often skirt the lines of legality or outright cross it. Though some may see this as evidence that Teneost is a planet of crooks and criminals, but Neteris believe that as long as there is a market for something and the individual doing the work does not show a marked disrespect for life, that it is acceptable. They also believe that the professions are useful and have their place in society. They do draw the line at murder as that requires an level of irreverence for life that they find abhorrent.
Capital punishment through beheading is seen as an acceptable punishment for murderers, however other crimes are dealt with along the lines of attempting to rehabilitate and reintegrate the offending party into society through the use of sessions involving the guilty and the offended party. Restitution is also a common remedy used.
Religion
Arefonis, the religion of the Neteris, is a ditheistic/bitheistic religion. It contains two main gods : Eurwen, the goddess of the day and Charr, the god of the night. These two gods, siblings, work in a dual partnership in ruling the universe and all that is in it.
Eurwen is described as being the younger sibling. A beautiful and vibrant female with wings that span all the colours of the visible and invisible spectrum. She is said to represent the light (feminine) side of nature. She is also the goddess who is said to play a part in the birth of each individual, their happiness and joy, the successes that come in life.
On the other hand, her elder brother Charr is said to have wings of a darker hue — where Eurwen may have shades of bright red in her wings, Charr would have dark red-brown. He is said to be equally handsome as his sister and to represent the darker (masculine) side of nature. He is the one called upon when there is a death, as they kill their prey, his name is invoked for a blessing and to give thanks for the meal.
These two gods strengthened and weakened each other, providing harmony and balance in the universe. It some ways, it can be said that this balance is what they revere. The phrase ‘where there is light, there is also shadow’, is one that each Neteris learns from the time they are little.
There is a naming ceremony when a Neteris has reached the age of 2. It is at this point where they believe the young will be given a blessing by both Eurwen and Charr; the age of 2 is chosen to represent the duality of their religion.
There is also a strong belief that if one is buried anywhere other than on home soil (be it Teneost or Lushore), their souls will be swallowed by Chaos — the force that is the originator of Eurwen and Charr. This is believed to result in a torturous afterlife where the balance between light and dark are torn asunder and the unfortunate has their soul ripped apart and healed in an endless cycle for all of eternity.
Religious symbol |
Eurwen |
Charr
Language
Their native language is one of differently pitched clicks and whistles. Some of these sounds are inaudible to human ears and so it might appear as though they are conversing telepathically save for the occasional click of the tongue or whistle.
Historically, there was no known method to transcribe these sounds to a written form as the cities and villages were close enough together that it was a simple matter of flying from one city to the other in order to send messages, or amplifying their voice in order for individuals who were some distance away to hear the message. These days, there is a written alphabet that is globally accepted, which contains several diacritic marks added to the flowing script to indicate the pitch of the sounds.
100
25
100
