Itona

Itona

(E-Tone-a)

The Itona are rather large creatures that are completely hairless with a sleek pale leathery skin and pale bluish markings on their head and neck, their markings being unique for every individual of their species. They "stand" anywhere between 7and 8 feet tall, although "stand" being relative term in that the Itona have no lower legs but instead a long snakelike "tail", however this "tail"  forks towards its end with  twin prehensile tales that are used for grasping or as a foothold when climbing. Their upper body is built with four limbs one set stacked just above the other, their upper limbs are the closest thing you could consider to be legs as they are large bony spike like appendages used in part to propel the Itona forward as well as to assist in climbing. Their lower limbs are more like normal limbs however the hands only have one large middle finger and two thumbs on either side of their single finger, despite the simple looking design of their hands they are actually quite dexterous and nimble being able to Complete very intricate and delicate tasks. 

Their head and neck's are also rather snakelike however they have two pairs of eyes, each pair can move independently from their other set of eyes. (Their forward set of eyes can look down while their back set of eyes can look up at the same time) the flesh in their mouths along with their tongues and teeth are a dark gray almost black in color. their teeth are small, short , serrated  not unlike that of a shark, their tongues are long and prehensile they are also covered in a thick flexible armor like hide that they themselves cannot bite through. (Individuals have described it by saying "it feels like touching a wet leather boot")

 The Itona live deep beneath the earth of Titus in vast underground caverns and chasms, in these chasms they have carved rather large cities out of the very rock itself. Their cities and villages are deep beneath the ground to where even the sol light cannot reach, that being said however their homes are far from being pitch black for bioluminescent fungi,  algaes, crystals and even some creatures grow and dwell within their chasms and halls giving fertile light to where there should only be darkness. Down in the twisting caverns and chasms lies one chasm deeper, darker and larger than all the rest, to call it a simple cave is a vast understatement for it is a chamber so large it may as well be considered a Demi province,  also according to the Itona it is their place of origin and capital of their race, it is the deep province of  Vekk. Very few people from the Territhian surface have ever ventured forth to the depths of Vekk and fewer still have ever returned.

The deep province of Vekk is one of the more inhospitable places in all of Titus, it is a place that is always hot and more or less unbearably humid, were mushrooms grow taller than trees and forests twice as thick along with creatures straight from the nightmares of men. Eitheren fishers dot the landscape and crystalline spires along with bioluminescent fungal life give light to where there should be none. Venturing forth into Vekk feels like stepping into a completely new world full of mystery, wonder and no small amount of danger.

Most other races are rather wary of the Itona for the Itona are primarily a carnivorous people, That being said however the Itona do on occasion eat some of the fungi and mushrooms that grow in Vekk. the Itona's main means of hunting is either quietly sneaking up to their prey and ambushing it impaling it with their large bony Spike fore limbs or most popular amongst Itona is the use of traps such as snares, cages, and the like.

 but the reason for the concerns of others is that the Itona usually prefer to eat their food live sometimes even whole, they will eat anything from large insects, cave dwelling fish and amphibious creatures that dwell in the depths of Vekk however most recently they have come to enjoy the taste of mammals and other creatures from the surface as a delicacy. it is also worth noting that when they eat they do not waste a single bit of what they devour, they will eat the skin, flesh, fur, bones, and internal organs of the creature they consume.  

One of the most controversial acts the Itona perform is the act of ritualistic cannibalism upon the death of an individual. In Itona culture after one dies close family members and friends will gather at the deceased's residence to where they will hold a somber feast in remembrance of the deceased. A stone table is constructed within the home where the body of the deceased is placed, then after a small ceremony of burning incense and eulogy the friends and family members of the deceased will then proceed to devour the individual. In the Itona culture devouring the flesh of another allows that individuals soul to dwell within them so that their soul may live on. It is even believed amongst Itona that during conception the souls of individuals dwelling within them will be reincarnated into the children that are born. So in essence no Itona truly ever dies so long as the soul is reborn.

Despite the fact of them being carnivores and cannibals the Itona are generally very peaceful, polite and very forgiving creatures, in fact in their native tongue there is no such thing as an Itona insult or curses. Itona harbor no ill will towards other races in fact they are rather curious about others and their customs. However other races aren't fond of the Itona due to cultural differences and taboos such as their ritual cannibalism, but there are a few others in the Itona culture one in particular one would notice right away upon meeting an Itona which is that the Itona have no concept of personal space, they will stand mere inches away from you, they will touch, poke, and prod you out of sheer curiosity and think nothing of it.

The Itona as a whole are very skilled with the use of eitheren powers most notably of which is the art of telekinesis, (the ability to move objects both large and small from a distance.) It is also worth noting that Vekk has one of the highest concentrations of eitheren fishers which may explain the Itona's natural affinity for eitheren powers. In fact they are so adapted to the either that they are able to absorb eitheren powers, that is not only are they naturally resistant to eitheren powers but they are also able to dispel certain types of wards and spells.

In addition due to their naturally high levels of eitheren when they are severely hurt they enter into a regenerative trance like state to where their bodies heal at an accelerated rate however they are not conscious of their surroundings or able to move during this time.

Although the Itona do have some religious practices many wouldn't say that they have any real standing religion, instead they tend to adopt the religious practices and traditions of other cultures, usually "cherry picking" the customs they like most. So from city to city, village to village, and even household to household the customs and traditions can be vastly different from each other yet despite the differences the Itona still manage to get along with one another without issue. 

That being said however there are a few traditions and practices that transcend any belief systems that any of the Itona may practice. the belief in the reincarnated souls of their dead being one of these, in addition to that belief  the Itona also  believe that professions should be passed down through family lines to preserve the reincarnated souls "true destiny" of that profession so they may continue their work in their new life.

 They are typically very active as they require little sleep, an average Itona spends most of their free time in search of curiosities and new experiences for an Itona is naturally very curious of its surroundings. Typically if an Itona is curious about something they will go out of their way to satisfy their curiosity, to the dismay of other races that usually means something rather invasive and in some cases indecent.

You would not think it upon looking at their build but the Itona are rather adaptive swimmers, they can even hold their breath's minutes at a time before coming up for air and can move much more nimblely than any bipedal creature. There are also rumors that the Itona are able to swim through pools of either with little to no issue, however these rumors are more than likely to be false.

Because of Vekk's high concentration of eitheren fishers one of the major valuable exports of the Itona have to offer is their trade of eitheris stones, some of the rarest and most valuable stones come from the depths of Vekk, and not just simple run-of-the-mill white eitheris stones either, some of the most valuable Crimson and Violate eitheris stones and even blue along with the very rare green tint eitheris stones come from the bowels of the deep province. some of the most prized and renowned eitheris stones such as "The Heart Of Audicca" which is the largest radiant blue eitheris stone ever found measuring at 13 inches in diameter, The heart of Audicca  is proudly on display in the Lyros natural history Museum in the province of Aspana. 

However it's also worth noting that the Itona's most favored import that they are willing to pay handsomely for is nothing more than simple flowers, they ordered them in massive bouquets at a time. for whatever the reason may be they just enjoy flowers. One flower in particular that they truly adore is the pink morning glory, it's very common to see these flowers in either the homes of the nobility or even within the halls of libraries and ministries.

The Itona as a whole are naturally attracted to bright and exotic colors, most notably of which being shades of yellow, red, purple, pink, and especially Green. (as green as a particularly rare color in Vekk)

Accordingly with their fascination with bright colors the Itona are rather fond of wearing very bright and flamboyant clothing of many colors, some even decorate their bodies with a type of temporary skin dye made from various minerals, plant and fungal life. Having the brightest and most flamboyant colors decorating one's body is a high status symbol within the nobility and even within the civil classes. It's also worth noting that dark and/or drab clothing is considered borderline offensive in the Itona culture, that being said however black clothing and/or skin dye is considered to be very attractive and is a synonymous color of clothing/dye in districts of ill repute.

Even in the darkest depths of Vekk knowledge and understanding prevails as Vekk is home to some of the largest repositories of ancient tomes, scrolls, books and even stone etchings. The Itona pride themselves on the preservation of such material no matter how miniscule or even taboo and dangerous it may seem to others. It is rumored that deep in the libraries halls that there still remains ancient documents regarding the practices of necromancy and cronomancy, although these rumors are more likely to be false rather than true.

Many scholars, logicians and even weavers venture forth into the bowels of Vekk in search of the rarest and most valuable of ancient secrets and knowledge.

Even though the Itona are carnivores and vicious hunters, one cultural taboo forbids them from eating anything with horns or antlers, which is rather curious because there are only  one or two animal species with horns in the depths of Vekk and absolutely no creatures with antlers.  When asked for additional information as to why Itona do not eat creatures with horns and or antlers the Itona seemed perplexed by the questions and simply stated "it is just the way". Our logicians even contacted the Itona Ministries of scholars to try and find some answers to this riddle, despite our best efforts we were unable to find any form of tome, scroll, text or even simple legend or mythos pertaining to the matter. 

It is theorized that this behavior is some left over from an ancient religion possibly either revering or demonizing horns in some way and even perhaps that the Itona once lived upon the surface of Titus rather than beneath it. Whatever the case may be it is now lost to history with only theories and speculations remaining.

The Itona practice a form of physical and mental meditation by performing daily stretches and oppose assuming called "Fewa' Sai." Literally translating as "One In Balance" or just simply "Balance". Each of the poses is said to have specific physical benefits such as releasing pysical tension and correcting imbalances in the body. These poses and stretches can be done quickly in succession, creating heat in the body through movement or more slowly to increase stamina and perfect the alignment of the pose. There is no true ideal way to perform each pose as practices very from city to city. While performing these stretches the Itona simultaneously emit a rhythmic humming sound, each pose as its own specific "tune" that they hum throughout the duration of their pose. It is said that this humming keeps the mind in tune with the body  and keeps one's mind fresh and clear. Some individuals have adopted the practice of meditative stretching (mainly the Tau.) Repurposing the techniques for use by bipedal species. 

It is also worth noting that even though the Itona are forgiving they do not turn a blind eye to crimes, although rare criminal acts in the Itona culture do occur from time to time. "Crimes"in the Itona culture usually minor civil disputes or the like, once in a great while thefts also occur and even then these are typically extreme acts in forcing the issue in social disagreements between the two parties. The rarest crime in all the Itona culture is the act of murder, these heinous acts are usually committed by what the Itona call "Msa'git Kuur" the closest translation we have two that name would be "Those who souls are broken" or simply "Broken Souls" it is believed by the Itona that sometimes when one is reincarnated the soul of their old lives doesn't "agree" with their mortal form to where the soul abandons their mortal vessel and leaves behind an empty husk of an individual, in an event such as this it is believed that they start to exhibit things such as non-sociability, violent outbursts and actions, mental instability, and finally they lose all sense of right and wrong and begin developing a thirst for the lifeblood of other Itona  in the form of very violent murders along with other hideous acts.

The Msa'git Kuur aren't seen as being truly alive anymore by the Itona cultural system as they are believed to have no soul within them, so instead they are put down like animals practically on-site and their remains left untouched as they are considered to be "vile" in the eyes of the Itona people. Some are even captured and used for live at dissections and or experiments within  places of learning.

The Itona government is ruled by the "Nobility" which mainly consists of Soothsayers, Magi, Heralds, Judges, Advisers,   Librarians, Chroniclers, Scholars and Philosophers. Below the nobility is the "lower-class" citizens simply called "The Civility" these people mainly consist of Craftsman, Artists, Musicians, Tailors, Merchants, Jewelers and Blacksmiths, and Farmers. And the lowest class citizen only consists of slaves, If it be slave Itona or other races they are all equally lowliest.

All of the classes are led by a single ruling figurehead simply referred to as "The Oracle". Not much is known about the Oracle as very few even amongst Itona have been granted an audience with him let alone seen him. The Oracle's orders and laws are usually carried out by "The Heralds" the "right-hand men" of the Oracle as it were. 

It is unknown where the Oracle resides as Vekk does not have a capital city nor any true seat of government but instead has completely hidden their elected officials somewhere within the depths of Vekk, only appearing when situations call for it. It is fairly obvious to individuals when a herald of the Oracle is in their midst as they all were the emblem of the Oracle which is represented by a single blue elliptical pupiled eye.

Slaves in the Itona culture are usually criminals serving out their time as Vekk has no prisons nor holding cells, or simply people so far in debt and poverty that slavery is their only option to obtain food and shelter. Slaves are considered to be so lowly in the Itona culture that the Itona will put them to work in the hardest of conditions if it be farming, mining and building, it should also be known that as a slave nothing is sacred and that the Itona have put many a slave to work in the bordellos of Vekk giving their Masters much desired revenue, this not only goes for  Itona slaves but other races that have the misfortune of falling into the criminal justice system of the Itona and thus into the harsh treatment of slavery  in the depths of Vekk.

Typically the Itona are somewhat monogamous however there are a few rare instances of polygamous relationships within the Itona culture neither of which are frowned upon so long as there are no social issues within the family.

It's also worth noting that all of the Itona are hermaphroditic  in nature, however some Itona in recent years have taken an interest in "gender roles" in other races, even going as far as assigning themselves a gender of their preference and acting gender appropriately, or at least to the best of their abilities and understanding.

This behavior of selecting a gender is more predominant in the higher class of Itona such as ambassadors, and others amongst the nobility but much rarer amongst the lower classes.

Amongst the nobility "marriage" is usually prearranged before birth, usually this is for certain political footholds within families and or the preservation of lineage. In the lower classes however marriage is much more "open" as one can choose their mate however they can only marry within their profession. (i.e. marrying merchants with merchants and farmers with farmers.) 

Courtship is usually a relatively short process involving nothing more than one's personality and proof of lineage. There are no real ceremonies for "Marriage"within the Itona culture, more of one is just simply "with their mate" from now on. 

Normally conception takes anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, however gestation of their young takes little over a year before they are even ready to be "born". the Itona can lay anywhere from 1 to 4 eggs at a time. Typically however they tend to lay in pairs, laying just a single egg is rare at best.

The eggs will then be kept in incubation chambers within the home, the eggs will then Hatch several months later. Once hatched Itona Young are almost completely independent from their parents being able to feed and even "walk" on their own, this being said however the Itona young stay close to their parents throughout their childhood. Itona young grow quickly and reach adulthood by 10 years of age.