Scorpisaïs
The different species and sub-species of sentient beings in Felarya. From giants to tinies, and preys to predators. From the ingenious Humans, to the reclusive Majuras, the noble Sphinxes, the mysterious Nemesises, the peaceful Gerridis or the fierce Crimson Maidens.
Scorpisaïs are tauric half-human half-scorpion beings. They scuttle on their eight legs throughout their domain, steadily giving chase to prey until they can catch them with their formidable pincers, situated below their upper human torso. They aren't picky about eating, and some don't have any qualms about devouring even one of their own kind if it is small enough. They can use their wicked stingers attached to their arching tails to paralyze larger creatures. Dosage can be controlled, from calming a raging opponent of similar size, to putting them instantly into a coma. Scorpisaïs are immune to their own kind's venom. In a duel they will mostly aim their attacks at their opponent's human body. They are tough and resilient however, possessing sub-dermal plating under the surface in many areas that would be considered a weak spot in human anatomy, making successful strikes a lot less damaging than they would be otherwise.
Scorpisaïs can also spit a highly acidic saliva from their mouths, that attacks flesh and light materials, causing very painful burns. Their weapons of choice are long tridents, used both to parry attacks and to strike with precision. With so many weapons at their disposal, Scorpisaïs are formidable opponents indeed. They are rather rare though, found mostly in places where they can reside over great tracts of territory, such as the Great rocky fields and Lamina. They are not a very friendly race in the least, widely seen as cranky and ruthless. The only way to make an ally of one is to defeat them in battle to gain their respect. Scorpisaïs often wear complex and beautiful tattoos on their skin, along with numerous scars from their past battles.
Pale Scorpisaïs
Pale Scorpisaïs live in forest environments and wear green colors on their carapace, instead of the characteristic black of their cousins. They grow thick hairs on the exterior of their limbs which resemble grass when they crouch down and hide, and their scorpion frame is smaller and lighter. They sport two small horns on their forehead as well, which are frequently used for headbutting.
These Scorpisaïs do not burrow, living as close to the surface as they can, and are far more tribal than the rest of their kin. They build their habitat often close to dense areas of trees, using wood and foliage to camouflage their homes to look like part of the landscape, like large round bushes around the base of trees. They are usually circular in shape, using the base of trees as the center pillar of the structure. It’s possible to spot their territory with a sharp eye, however. If you come across some wood sculptures in the wilderness, you might be close to one of their settlements. Indeed pale Scorpisaïs are excellent at carving out extremely elaborate wood sculptures in a remarkably short time. They use their pincers with amazing agility, carving the rough parts of the piece, then refining it with their human hands. Creating statues or totems is a staple of their culture and their homes are decorated with all sort of carved patterns and fine bas-reliefs.
Pale Scorpisaïs form a very oral based society; songs and stories are very important in their cultures and information of all kinds are passed down mostly by word of mouth. There are exceptions with papyrus made from native plants but they are rare. Pale Scorpisaïs love wind instruments such as panpipes, preferring them over percussion. Their music can be heard, flowing in the jungle, emphasizing melody and harmony over chest pounding music of their warlike cousins. They tend to favor ranged combat over melee, and are remarkable archers, very good at sensing their prey or opponents and where they will move next. This leads them to be highly accurate, including on quickly moving targets. Their interaction, ironically enough, is more friendly toward other species than any other kind of Scorpisaï.