(A priest teaches Taruk's word in front of a shrine.) The Blatus Blatu (possessive: Blatoan, plural: Blatus) - 1. blessed, divine; 2. of good fortune Origin The Blatus are now a peaceful, placid race, but this has not always been the case. Before the First Priest (it's name was Bak) brought love and compassion into the world in the name of Taruk, the Blatus were a primitive, vicious race. Navigating the harsh, poisonous environment of their home planet Suul, survival meant meager numbers and brutal practices. The weak and wounded were killed or abandoned and tribal supremacy mattered above all else - usually at a cruel, barbaric price. As a child, three of Bak's tribemates began suggesting positive change. When they were executed by the tribal chief, Muka, for insubordanance, Bak traveled up into the nearby Gorges mountain with a heavy heart. He remained there for three days and three nights. When he returned to his tribe, he brought a message of tolerance and love from Taruk - a god that had made itself known to Bak. Muka was outraged and decided to kill Bak himself, but as he lifted up his ceremonial scythe in fury, the ground beneath them shook and trembled. The land split and spewed forth fiery vengeance into the sky. The tribe ran from the scene in fear, while Muka himself almost tumbled into the angry chasm that had appeared. While his guards had fled, Bak had remained behind to save the chief. They, too, then fled the scene for safety among the rest of the tribe. When the rumbling ceased and the fire subsided, the tribe returned to view the devastation. In place of destruction, however, they found healthy, clean soil - purified by the fire; and pure, bubbling water - sent up through the land and into the rifts that had formed. Muka gave thanks to Bak and Taruk, and declared that the tribe would settle upon this new, holy land immediately. This holy land came to be known as Taar. Further, he admonished his previous brutal, ignorant ways and proclaimed Bak the new leader of the Blatus. Biology The Blatus reproduce asexually, and as such, are single-gendered. Their reproduction usually comes as a surprise to a Blatu, and is a long, painfully excruciating process. One or more of the "bumps" on the surface of their skin will begin to stir before exploding out. Using the affected Blatu's biologic material, a new Blatu will form. This will leave the previous Blatu as nothing more than a pile of discarded skin. The newly formed Blatu(s) will have none of the knowledge their genetic donor possessed, and will be in an infantile state. The discarded skin will be added to the communal fertilizer as a thanks and honor to the deceased Blatu. It's rare for more than one Blatu to form at a time during reproduction. As such, Blatoan numbers are usually quite low when compared to other races. Typically, Blatus will reproduce from the ages of 20 - 30 years old. Any Blatus that exceed this age without reproducing are considered to be personally blessed by Taruk itself, and are inducted into the priesthood. If the Blatus do not reproduce and are left to age, they will typically die by age 150. If they live this long, they will be in a great deal of pain due to cellular deconstruction. /currently, the oldest living Blatu is 122. The Blatoan skin is thick and specifically designed to resist the effects of their poisonous planet's dangers. Likewise, their air intake sytem (they absorb and expel air throughout the surface of said skin) is able to filter clean air out of the toxic environment. The holy site of Taar is free of toxic air, because of the vegetation that sprouted on the site. They act as natural filters, similar to those in the Blatoan race. The Blatus possess no hands or feet, only tentacled appendages with powerful suction cups. This helps them to navigate the craggy landscape of Suul more easily. The Blatoan mouth is located where the humanoid face is usually found. Conversely, the single Blatoan eye is located wherein a humanoid digestive system might be found. The Blatoan digestive system is still relatively simple, capable only of digesting simple plants, microscopic organisms, and liquids (either pure, or those of fruit and other vegetation). Their diet consists mainly of the few crops and nutritive yields that they farm: Suul's Evening Bells - A semi-sweet fruit whose seeds cover its thin and delicate skin. The seeds are furry in appearance and highly fibrous. The center of the fruit is almost entirely a sugary liquid that provides sustenance to the plant. Bakus Bundles - An organic growth that grows on rock faces in the wild. It has been harnessed to grow in a bush-like formation by the Blatu. The oblong, fleshy growths of the Bakus Bundles actually contain a host of microscopic Bakus organisms (named for the priests). Extremely nutritious and delicious to the Blatus, the Bakus Bundles are mortally poisonous to any other race. Taar Tree Sap - A naturally occurring sap that pours from the bark of the Taar site trees once a year. In its natural form, the sap is highly poisonous, acting as a protective coating against the pests of Suul. The sap is bottled and aged for 15 years, after which the sap becomes quite edible and quite savoury. Religion and Society The Blatus are by and large communal - typically working toward the common goal of safety, security, and prosperity. They are, technically, led by the Bak priest (a ceremonial title). The rest of the Blatu priests are referred to as Bakus. The priests are more familiar with Taruk's teachings and they are able to counsel the other Blatus, but they still function proactively in society - farming, building, and helping the community. Besides clothing, there's no distinction in station. Typically, clothing depicts a Blatoan's role in the community. They are simple in appearance and woven from the common Tala fiber on Suul. Taruk teaches a simple, honest, community-led life. Peace, love, compassion, mercy, tolerance, and forgiveness are all tenants of its teachings. Valuing simplicity, the Blatus admonish all prideful decorations. They also believe such decorations take the focus away from Taruk's word. Simplicity also works well due to the drawbacks of their reproduction (wisdom is often lost abruptly). Historically, because decorations are taboo, there was no way to tell one Blatu from another. As their numbers grew, however, it became necessary to make allowances. The Blatu now design decorative headwear from the Tala fibre as soon as they're of a suitable age. They can either create headwear of their own design; or draw from the headwear or take on the very headwear of the Blatu that bore them. This also helps to give meaning and value to Blatu heritage. Because of Taruk's teachings, Blatus are not in the least hostile. They will defend themselves and their communities, but only from sources they deem as "unknowing aggressors." Historically, these aggressors would only have been animal life, but that has all changed recently. Present An unexpected visit from an Avian refugee named Fleetfeather created doubt in the Blatoan community about Taruk. Nonetheless, the Blatu and the Bak Sart welcomed Fleetfeather with open arms into the community. Sart and Fleetfeather bonded especially well. Grateful to his new friends, Fleetfeather revealed the secrets of the Avian FTL technology to the Blatus. He told them about the stars beyond, and about all the things he had seen. The young Blatus were curious of such journeys and resentful of Taruk for giving them doubt in its words. They wanted to go out into the stars to see what other lives might be led. The elder Blatu and Bakas were nervous about such rumblings in the community, which caused Fleetfeather to regret his arrival. But Sart was optimistic. The Bak Sart recalled Taruk's teachings, and with love in his heart, he allowed the children of the Blatoan community to go forth and explore their universe. He reassured his brethren that, though they might have doubt in Taruk, they should not doubt the love of the Blatu for them. Thus, the community was split: those that wished to remain in Taar on Suul, those that wished to explore the beyond, and those that wished to spread Taruk's teachings and children beyond Suul. As the first Blatu ship departed Suul with some trepidation, but certainly a lot of excitement, Fleetfeather looked to Sart in sadness. The Avian felt such immense guilt for bringing possible ruin to the Blatu's way of life. Bak Sart smiled at his feathered friend, however, and asked him a favor that he might alleviate his guilt. Fleetfeather solemnly agreed, and so it was that the two journeyed into the starry expanses themselves: seeking an end to Sart's hidden doubts. To sum up: The Blatus are now at odds with their faith, since other races exist without suffering. They wonder what kind of a god could give them the sort of life they have, and why. I will eventually add Fleetfeather's journal from first landing on Suul to being accepted into the Blatu community. Quickie FAQ So, why ISN'T this just a copypaste of Avians or Hylotl? Because the goal of the Blatus are to reconcile faith, hope, and doubt. They were designed to be a more positive look at religion should any player want one. The Avians (or at least, the Avians that are playable) have become atheists in response to the brutally of Kluex. The Blatus still value Taruk's teachings, but they must balance its words with their new knowledge. Basically, this race is a counterpoint to the Avians, should they be desired. If they resemble the Hylotl's philosophy, it's accidental. I drew more on the Amish/Mormons for this race. With "drew on" being the key phrase. Why include an Avian in their lore? To more visibly display that counterpoint, as well as to give some further depth to how Avian refugees must feel. It's very subtle, though, since it only involves Fleetfeather - the rest of the race won't be involved. I like dredging up depth for characters by using other characters in the process. It's just the way I write. Was this one of the races you mentioned in your Volans thread? It sure was! This is one of the serious ones. This one also isn't nearly as complicated as the Volans, so there won't be nearly as much writing. You're welcome.
Yay another race! These guys have a really neat design and biology, but their reproduction sounds really, really dangerous for them.
Yep! The reproduction isn't dangerous for the other Blatus, but it is lethal for the ones reproducing! I know it's kind of gruesome, but it's important for their motivation. So glad you like them, though! Thanks!
I went into this thinking it was gonna be a strange tentacle-fetish thing but this was actually quite great... Now the only question is why i clicked on the thread when expecting hentai...
That's a wonderfully terrible question. Perhaps I should change the title so that others aren't left wondering the same.
