Thuraki

Appearance
The Thuraki are a strange xenomorphic race with an appearance similar to an anthro black jackal. They stand out from the earthen jackals in many ways, the most visable being their oversized draconic like claws, the triple pairs of fangs: a sabre pair, a large pair behind, and a normal sized pair behind that, and the long puffy tails similar to a feline as long as their bodies.

The most frightening and alien features do not show themselves unless a Thuraki is threatened, eating, or wishes to show them to another. Long, strong tendrils are hidden within their arms, able to be extended from the palms of their handpaws. Jaws that unhinge and extend further back in the head for swallowing larger prey and food, as well as a split lower jaw that can be spread almost like mandibles.

The skin, fur, and muscle on their tails can be pulled back like a sheath, revealing a bony weapon that ends with a spiney tip, which in some thuraki hold venoms unique to the individual. The tail can also be used as an efficiant weapon, used much like a scorpion would.

Their tendrils, which they call "tensa" can be used to grab things, wield weapons, or as weapons themselves. The tensa have a strong tip which allows them to be impaled into things, where they can then extra moisture in the form of blood or plant matter, which the Thuraki drink.

Their tongues are slightly forked and their eyes a solid color that glows in darkness, usually yellow, green, blue, or red. They have a third eyelid they use to protect their eyes from the harsh sunlight of their world and blowing desert sands.

Height
Males: 5'10"-7' on average

Females: 5'-6'5" on average

Weight
Males: 130-150lbs

Females: 100-130lbs

Lifespan
Males: 30 - 50 years average on their homeworld. 500+ within city confines and/or offworld.

Females: 50 - 80 years average on their homeworld. 500+ within city confines and/or offworld.

Childhood: 0-16 years of age, similar to humans. Aging slows afterwards.

Thuraki are a long lived race, although sadly rarely die of old age on their harsh desert homeworld. According to their history some elder Thuraki have lived millenia, although there is no way to confirm this.

Coloration
Thuraki are always a dark color close to black. Either pure black, blue-black, purple-black, or the rare crimson-black. Eyes are a solid color of either green, yellow, blue, or red. They do have irises that work similar to vulpines that are slightly darker than the rest of their eyes, but they are very hard to see outside of dim light. Some Thuraki magically tatoo their fur to show status, yellow or red markings denoting the leaders.

Culture and Behavior
The thuraki culture is one of harshness and survival. The race came into being on a harsh, hot, dry desert world where everything was unforgiving and water was scarce. Thuraki often formed tribes, battling with other races and tribes over lands with moisture filled plants and prey, or water sources. After they discovered underground caves hidden below the sands their race began to cast aside their internal differences and build in the safe confines of the earth.

The discovery of a large underground lake lead to treaties with the other sentient race on their planet, and the advancement of their culture and people. Their capital city was built around the lake where a King leads the people through example and prophecy.

The Thuraki are a shamanic race that worship the darkness, shadow, and space, attributing such aspects to one they call the Shadow Father. They pay respects to this figure in extravagent rituals often involving a great deal of blood and magical showmanship. They attribute their tendrils, or "tensa" as they call them to him, and revere the tendrils, keeping them clean and strong.

The prophets of their beliefes act as leaders and advisors to the race, answering only to higher prophets and then the king himself. They make rules and decisions, but the thuraki can and will stand against rulings they see as unwarranted and harsh, after which a majority vote will veto.

The thuraki have a strong respect for blood, often drinking it, using it in their magic, cooking, and everyday life. To them, blood is a life giving substance that would give moisture when nothing else can be found, which often sets them in bad image with other races. Moisture and water are of high value to them, and trinkets often hold small pools of various liquids to note their worth.

Thuraki crafts are strange stone workings using methods few other races have perfected, often weaving and molding stone threads into clothing, weapons, and tools in ways seemingly impossible. They are able to smelt a strange blue-black metal they call shadowthys from stone and metals, creating blades that litteraly humm when swung.

Population
Known Thuraki numbers within the Nexus: 5

Important Thuraki in the Nexus
Thanus

Aeia

Aerin

The Prophet

Axin