Chupian

A WIP for funsies by Sarc to practice wiki stuff. A species created by Sarcopholacooda involved in the 'Echoverse' or otherwise 'Sarcverse' in quests Team Port Echo, HURON, The Vitruvian, and titular Chupian Date Quest.

An adult chupian male (left) and female (right)

The CHUPIANs are the seventh species to be officially recognized by the Vaal-Gaar Constellation. Chupians are warm-blooded mammals native to the planet Alp Daga. When referring to natives from the planet itself, 'Alpas' is the general pronoun (like Terran to describe people from Earth, instead of Humans). Their role contrasts to other recognized species by assuming positions as peacekeepers and mediators within inner-Constellation conflicts. They are distinguishable by their tall stature and similarity to canines and camelids; such that they grow long necks and tails throughout their adulthood. They live in high areas--typically in settlements on the banks of mountains and rich green highlands; their fur coat can help withstand wet and below-freezing temperatures during the winter solstice and rainy seasons. They peacefully prosper among the rest of the galaxy as healers and recreational workers and are the fourth species to hold a seat in the Vaal-Gaar Constellation Council, a united federation of species and planets.

Biology & Physical Characteristics

Chupians typically stand over six feet tall, have two long, proportionately thick fingers and two opposable thumbs on each hand. Their distinctive features include long necks and tails, red sclera, and typically sporting thick white fur. Chupians carry a gene similar to albinism, thus explains the absence of color variation in their pelts and red eyes.

Due to the overabundance of moisture in Alp Daga's breathable atmosphere, most native fauna have adapted ways to prevent drowning from the gradual accumulation of water in their lungs. While short visits to Alp Daga is safe, outsiders may experience discomfort in their breathing within a decade of residence. Chupians have special thin fibers lining the inner walls of their lungs--their function is to collect moisture and transfer to a special sack separate from the organ. When this water-sack is full, the chupian may regurgitate to either spit out excess water, or even safely drink it, hence lungwater is commonly used to describe the fluid. While unappealing, it is generally safe to drink by other species for emergencies--as recounted by a lost Daatuteph excursion when a chupian offered his lungwater to save the life of a dehydrated traveler.

The secondary function of lungwater may originate from an ancestral reflex to blind predators during their animalistic stage. An innate chemical was added to further confuse and disorient the enemy, often by enlarging the blind spot or inducing visual migraines while the chupian escapes. Since then, the gland has been on its way to a vestigial status--although some individuals retain its potency.

Regurgitating water is an instinctive trait, and witnessed in newborns.

Growth and Physiology

• Short necks as infants, long necks as adults.
• Thanks to innovation in medicine and knowledge shared between outsiders, the life expectancy of a chupian can reach 120 (terran) years. Evolution, unfortunately, had not accounted this longevity in such a short timeframe and their continuous growth of the spine can lead to many geriatric problems. When in reality which humans live on average of 75 years, same for chupians who may live, on average, to be 90 or even 100.

Fur and Skin

Equatorian, Temperate, and Polar body types

Hydrophobic fur. Skin tightly knit. Chupians are fast swimmers. Quills that protrude from the top and back of their heads, smaller spikes trace down their back (usually ending at their shoulderblades). Equatorian chupians live in warmer climates by the equator. Their lack of fur show the wrinkly gray skin. Temperate chupians have cotton-like fur for highland atmospheres. Polar chupians have layers of fur to keep them from the cold.

Sex, Orientation, and Relationships

• Human-like genitals
• Marriages happen, however relationships lean more towards openness than closed. Chupians live in a predominantly matriarchal hierarchy, although males have their own small roles and hierarchies within the household and businesses. Royal subjects of the female sex can appoint males to sire their children, and will negotiate with the wife of the candidate despite what say the male has.
• All orientations are accepted between sexes/genders. It's also common in art and music for straight cisgender chupians to describe their love to individuals of the same sex without hinting sexual relations. Chupians may also describe the appeal of sexual intimacy with the same sex to be completely separate from actual practice. Outside species may handwave such confessions as 'no homo' but a chupian does not typically use such fallbacks.

History & First Contact

Chupians are the seventh species to be officially recognized by the Vaal-Gaar Constellation after its establishment, succeeding imortans and preceding tripods. However, their involvement with outside species has been recorded before the United War against the tripods before the Constellation was formed to prevent future galactic conflicts. Chupians volunteered in the United War as soldiers and, more importantly, healers and guides to safe havens. Their home planet was out of reach of the constant push of the tripods, allowing allies to retreat. There are several memorials and historic camps where troops rehabilitated.

Chupians were discovered by the gortians.

Pre-Constellation

Life was normal. Cities were abundant in the northern and southern tropics of Alp Daga before the first contact. Any further latitudes diminished in cities and held more isolated towns and villages.

First Contact

As part of the campaign to inhabit new worlds, the gortians discovered Alp Daga.

Nor-Nonhaal (Present Day)

Ever since the establishment of new colonies provided by the Constellation, there has been a new generation of chupians and a clash of cultures. Due to their upbringing, one could say the new generation of 'off-world' chupians have developed a rebellious phase in art, music, and even political stances both against Alpas and the decisions made by the Vaal-Gaar. While the Constellation doesn't penalize a chupian's right to expression--there have been sympathizers of modern tripods, and callouts of the gortian's unnecessary security and oppression thrust upon them due to a war long past. One group labeled 'Nor-Nonhaal', organized by the titular Januk Nor-Nonhaal, has been most effective with their radical messages due to terrorist tactics on gortian property. Another notable figure in the Nor-Nonhaal group was Januk's protégé Njar Cassan-Kodo who also has ties with the illegal space station HURON, which serves as a sanctuary for the group to hide from the Constellation and operate in secret.

Culture & Society

Chupian colonists have a rebellious nature, having been raised in an environment that shares many ideals and cultures of other species. While such nature can be innovative in its own right, it doesn't omit destructive acts against the Constellation itself, such as the formation of the Nor-Nanhaal terrorist group.

Names

• The most common surnames of chupians are hyphenated with their mother's first name pairing with the father's first name. As for orphans or those without knowledge of their real parents, there are often placeholder names (similar to John Doe or Jane Smith, although in this case it's Doe-John and Jane-Smith).

Traditional Female Names

Farah	Amama	Tarek	Sashi	Korra	Cassan
Magra	Sonjee	Nor	Yaara	Avyn	Sum
Njar	Cesil	Yeegd	Yamelle	Yenn	Tammei

Traditional Male Names

Dama	Deemus	Anjan	Syraki	Mar	Kodo
Nummax	Naast	Januk	Mali	Jafan	Boss
Nanhaal	Sambi	Petri	Vikta	Agon	Tork

Religion & Spirituality

There are many personifications of basic elements and ideals, but chupians have made personifications of very specific roles--such example being a god of 'the feeling you get when listening to nostalgic music or the beauty in realizing how small one's self is compared to the vastness of the universe'. While religion may be abundant, listed here are well-known figures. A majority of personifications are depicted as female, although there are male personifications however few.

• Ce'sil the Psychopomp Goddess: Not quite the goddess of death itself, she merely guides souls to their end. After death, a chupian will walk beside Ce'sil down a long hallway as an infant, watching portraits of their life while each step ages them by a year to the door of oblivion. It's often taboo among children to avoid hallways leading to shrines of Ce'sil.
• Goddess of fur and beauty: the fluffiest goddess of them all
• Goddess of snow and rain
• Poekkilope, the God of Frisson: The goosebumps, nostalgic, realization, or choking feeling such as when one listens to beautiful music, or experiences existential quandaries such as one's place in a vast universe. He's often depicted with happy tears staining his cheeks.

Old stories depict the first chupians to have been crafted from snow.