Nurlak
The nurlak are an ancient people whose history has become shrouded in mystery over time. The origin of the nurlak is unknown, though they are believed to be the oldest Sentient race on Demrefor, followed closely by zokex and humans.
Nurlak are best known for their extra limbs and ability to quickly adapt to unfamiliar environments and cultures.
Physical Traits
Av. Height: anywhere between 4’0” and 7’0”
The nurlak are a humanoid peoples with more arms than other Sentient races. They are physically varied, with a lot of different natural body types, skin tones, and hair and eye colours.
The most obvious nurlak trait are their four arms; one upper set joining at the shoulders like most other races, and one lower set joining just under the side of the breast. They have extra muscles under their pectoral muscles, but unless they tone them they are not very visible. There is also a chance that these muscles may develop fatty tissue and grow similar to a set of breasts, though this is rare.
Nurlak have four eyes. A larger, lower set of eyes and a smaller, upper set of eyes that make their foreheads seem larger. Their upper eyes are mostly near-sighted, and their lower eyes are generally far-sighted. Though not commonly done, some nurlak can teach themselves to blink each set of eyes separately from the other; some even being able to wink with each individual eye.
They have ears similar to a rodent or a horse’s ears, which vary in sound sensitivity and appearance depending on the individual’s family origins. These ears have no fur, like many other Sentients’ ears have, but are still very sensitive to certain pitches and used to express a variety of emotions.
Nurlak skin tones range from dark brown, to beige, to pale pink-white. They generally do not have skin tones outside of these; though some nurlak families have recessive genes from other races such as seces and dassens and will inherit colourful tints that make them look almost unnatural.
They have no limit to the colour their hair may be. Many nurlak are born with two natural hair colours (usually growing in gradients patterns) that make it look like they have dyed their hair.
Similar to their hair, nurlak eyes can be an amazing variety of colours. Some have multicoloured irises or coloured sclera, and some nurlak have even had their eye colours change completely during puberty.
Nurlak mouths tend to be compact with white or off-white teeth, though some may have bites that are slightly off or their may be teeth unaligned.
Sex and Gender
Nurlak women and nurlak men do not have many differences besides their reproductive organs. Though there are some subtle differences that are thought to be more typical of the different sexes, they are not defining features of a nurlak’s gender and can appear in either sex. However, many nurlak may accentuate these traits to appear more masculine or feminine.
Features considered more masculine by nurlak are broad shoulders, narrow hips, and more squared-off or sharp features. Meanwhile, more feminine-aligned features are broad hips and narrow shoulders, with softer facial features.
Though there are features considered masculine and feminine, they are not true sexual dimorphism and are encouraged more by social expectations than biological sex. The only true differences of a nurlak’s biological sex are organs that play roles in reproduction.
Breasts are one of these organs; being mostly developed by female nurlak and almost completely non-functioning in males. Though some exceptions have been known they are very, very rare.
Nurlak females are also known for having two clitoris; mirroring the two penises in nurlak males.
Male nurlak will only use one penis at a time and struggle to make both erect at once. Some have a preference to which penis they like to use; claiming it is more or less sensitive than the other. Rarely, some nurlak will be able to use both their penises at once. Most of these nurlak have been Star Seers and became famous among their tribes; often siring children to couples who struggled on their own.
Racial Variations
Two-Eyed Nurlak
The two-eyed nurlak are a variation of nurlak who naturally do not have the second set of eyes that most nurlak have; though they retain all other nurlak genetics and features.
They originated from Fallen Cloud but, otherwise, there is nothing remarkable about them.
Spider Nurlak
Spider nurlak are a race of nurlak who naturally have 6 arms, giving them a total of 8 limbs. Originating from Das these nurlak are thought to have both nurlak and dassen ancestors; with their extra limbs coming from the dassen wing genes mixing with the nurlak arm genes.
Much like dassens, spider nurlak have hollow fangs where their top canines would be. Unlike dassens, however, the venom glands of these fangs are active and produce a potent toxin with neurotoxic effects.
Another common trait spider nurlak share with dassens are their birthmarks; spider nurlak have birthmarks along their backs, mostly resembling the types of patterns found on the backs of spiders.
Common Disabilities and Health Issues
Imperforated Eyelids
Most nurlak have four eyes, though a common deformity leads to the one or more of their eyelids fusing and the skin closing-over before they are born.
This deformity is very easy to fix with surgical correction and most nurlak who are treated at birth do not lose sight in their affected eyes. However, If not treated they have a very high risk of the affected eyes becoming permanently blind, with medical intervention being recommended before they reach 10 months.
Congenital Amputation
The most common form of congenital amputation that nurlak are born with is the loss of both of their lower arms; though sometimes they may lose a single upper arm or leg.
This condition may also cause cleft lips or palettes, and may cause missing ears or a loss of digits in the hands.
Colour-blindness
Though colour-blindness in nurlak is no more or less common than in other Sentient races, it is known for working in a very unusual way in nurlak. Many nurlak who are born colour-blind are only colour-blind in a single set of their eyes, with the other set having regular colour vision unaffected by the condition.
Relationships and Life Stages
Life Stages
Nurlak usually only have 1 or 2 children at a time, with more than 2 children in a single pregnancy being rare.
The gestation of a nurlak pregnancy lasts a little under 8 months. Babies can survive premature births up to a month before their expected date, though the further from their expected date the less likely it is that the child will survive.
Nurlak children develop at an average rate. Most start puberty between 10 and 13 eclipses and finish development around 19 to 20 eclipses.
Lifespan Facts
• The average lifespan for nurlak is 100 eclipses.
• The oldest known nurlak died at 300 eclipses old. He was, however, bed-bound by the age of 140 due to an injury (although according to his journal, this didn’t bother him).
• The largest known nurlak pregnancy was in 8,320 AE when the Ka’te Spirit Caller, Seari Galan, gave birth to nonuplets.
• The number of children a nurlak will raise changes with the culture they live in, though the average is around 2-5 (or 6-10 in wolven countries).
Culture
The nurlak people are a very widespread race. Despite this they do not have many countries of their own and instead they prefer to integrate into other Sentients’ cultures. Nurlak tend to adopt the dominating culture of the country they are in and are said to be a generally agreeable and peace-loving people.
Nurlak are found in almost every culture, even being found in groups relatively cut off from the rest of the world such as the Nahee felinics. They have been known to take to the ocean; living on boats and adopting the cultures of the mer and seces people. Many nurlak have also been found living amongst Mystics who are, generally, otherwise unwelcoming to outsiders, and there is documented evidence that there are nurlak societies living outside the explored territories.
Although nurlak as a whole are usually peaceful and enjoying sharing food, drink, and jokes with those around them, some nurlak individuals have become infamous for their cruelty and violent criminal acts.
Nurlak Countries
Because of their tendency to integrate with other peoples, the few nurlak homelands on Demrefor that exist are at peace with most other countries and are used as trading hubs for countries that are not swapping goods directly.
One of the few nurlak homelands, Fallen Cloud, is considered the most successful farming culture on the planet. They are one of the few farms that mass-produces the cottonflower plant, and have trade routes to all major countries exporting food, clothes, and medicine.
Ancient Demreforians
Despite not having much unique culture of their own there is evidence that nurlak are one of the oldest, if not the first, sapient Demreforian species.
Ancient temples can be found over the entirety of the known world; including the unexplored territories. It is believed that nurlak were the creators of these temples due to the artwork inside: nurlak are the only recognisable people featured in the carvings and paintings, and although there are other animals in the art none are portrayed with the same respect that the nurlak are.
The only other creature displayed with any sort of reverence are the twelve-armed serpents, who appeared to be worshipped by the nurlak as gods.
Art of the serpents depict nurlak people donning serpentine skulls and transforming into great beasts. It is believed that these serpents were both the original incarnations of the undead burnsay, and also the physical form that the ancient nurlak gods took when communicating with their people.
Many ancient nurlak artefacts were uncovered with the discovery of Kal Korhalkrak, an ancient city that was found in I’reka after a platequake opened an old cave system that had been cut off for thousands of years.
The city is one of the best-preserved cities yet found, although it is a morbid sight: mummified nurlak people scatter the ground and the walls of Korhalkrak are covered in graffiti. Some of the graffiti has been translated from the old language. Most of the translated writings are things such as: ‘they’ve come for us,’ ‘they’re angry,’ and ‘I can’t breathe.’
The outside walls of the city’s temple depict a bloody slaughtering during a strange ‘harvesting’ ritual, where nurlak would kill animals and wear their skin. Not much else has been deciphered from the temple.
Language
Nurlak do not have their own spoken or written languages. The closest they have to their own unique language is Ancient Demreforian, which is believed to have originated from the nurlak, but it is no longer spoken or written as a common language.
Most nurlak will learn the language of the culture they are in or —if it is a nurlak-only culture— will simply speak International and nothing else.
Naming Conventions
Most nurlak will name their children based on the culture they are living in.
In some nurlak countries, parents used to smoke recreational drugs made from the cottonflower plant before naming their children. This is no longer the norm, though it still happens within in some families.
Common Religions
Nurlak usually believe in a mix of two or more of the common religions.
Other
The Self-Feeding Sickness
There is a rare nurlak illness known as ‘the self-feeding sickness’, which has only ever been known to occur in nurlak men. The origin of the sickness is unknown, but it is commonly introduced to nurlak through undercooked gryphon meat and then spread through bodily fluids. Poor hygeine is a major contributor for it’s spread.
It cannot be caught or spread by non-nurlak Sentients, but nurlak women can become hosts for the illness.
Once infected, a nurlak male may not show symptoms for anywhere between a week and a year, but the illness starts to show itself as an uncomfortable hot flush that has been described similar to insects under the skin. Once the illness progresses the nurlak will become increasingly paranoid, eventually becoming violent.
If left long enough without any form of treatment the man will begin to consume himself alive in a frenzied panic until he either dies or is restrained.
There are only two currently known treatments for the self-feeding sickness: a herbal tea made from cottonflower leaves and kakala root; and the lesser-used chino nigelle cure, made from uninfected blood and chino flore poison.
Misc
Nurlak people, unlike most other humanoid races, do not have left or right hand preferences. Instead, they are born preferring to use either their upper or lower set of arms.
Nurlak are often hired as babysitters; their extra limbs are thought to make it easier for them to care for children. This is especially common in wolven countries where families are large.
Nurlak play a large role in most racial origin stories including the Foxen, Rendi, Eala, and Dassen origins. They are also featured in The Forgetting alongside humans.
Since the early 10,000s, when there was a shortage of treatment for the self-feeding sickness and the most severe outbreak ever recorded ravaged the nurlak population, most nurlak families keep at least one cottonflower plant in their homes.
Nurlak can be found all over Demrefor, including in the unexplored territories. Many nurlak travelers have skirted the edges of the explored territories to trade. Some have been known to move into Sentient society, though most nurlak from the unexplored territories will eventually move on.