Shrevei (sh-ree-ve-ay)
Singular – Shre. Plural – Shrevei

The Shrevei are medium to large sized reptilians, with a colored set of scalp, neck and spinal fronds, venomous bite and barbed tail with a predisposition for tribal societies based in arboreal or cliffside settlements. Omnivorous with a significant carnivorous lean they are ubiquitous inhabitants of tropical regions, temperate fjords, hills and islands.


Appearance and Anatomy:
Shrevei possess moderate height of about 4’2 to 6’6 (128-198cm) [average of 5’6 ie (168cm)] and body type similar to humans with long necks and short, quick stepped gaits which are balanced their slender, barbed tipped tails. Most have a lithe or muscular build as a consequence of their robust lifestyles, with thick limbs that culminate in talon tipped feet and clawed hands. Adorned with leathery, lightly scaled hides with a range of tones from granite gray, to sandy tan to cypress green, Shrevei skin tones are among the most varied of Tzim’s races with striking differences seen region to region.

Coloration and diet are intricately linked and a vital aspect amoung Shrevei. It is used to display role, fitness and most prominently - social status through the use scalp, neck and spinal fronds. These, fleshy, lightly scaled protrusions (ranging from finger length to a foot in length) that many other races would consider synonymous with hair, serve as reservoirs for bodily toxins. They are typically brightly pigmented as a result of a Shrevei’s diet, which may contain many poisonous fruits, vegetables alongside venomous creatures such as cone snails, pufferfish and similarly dangerous fare. Sequestering these otherwise lethal toxins in their fronds results in bright tones and startlingly bright colors – from vivid cyan to neon magentas and every blend between. The brightest and most striking colorations are often associated with high social standing or exceptional skill as hunters – a trait that must be continually refreshed through ingestion of difficult to acquire materials, lest then fade to dull, earthy tones. It is not unfamiliar for Shrevei to spend a week or more preparing their diets to give the most impressive array of colors during mating seasons.

Unsurprisingly, Shrevei possess venomous bites, as their sequestered toxins slowly migrate to venom glands in their jaws and near their barb-tipped tails. Their sharp fanged jaws possess two slightly hollow canines through which this they can inject their venom. However, these toxins are often harmlessly oozed into salvia streams where it becomes neutralized rapidly on exposure to air and bright light. A Shrevei who fails to replenish their venom stock through diet over time gradually loses their frond coloration and hazardous secretions.

Poisons and toxins are so prolific amoung the Shreveian diet as spices and preservatives (which kill insects and halt microbial growth that would spoil stored foodstuffs) that there are numerous tales of diplomats and travelers struck down by courtesy and kindness when offered lethal dishes by mistake. Most travelers tend to bulk up on antidotes before making extensive forays into Shreveian lands.

Shrevian males tend to be slightly smaller than females who often have heavier bone mass and fat stores – necessities for annual (biannual in some clades) mating seasons and egg layings, which usually give rises to 1-4 large eggs. Fertilization to hatching typically takes 3-4 months and is fairly regular. Eggs which fail fertilization or show distinctive abnormalities when checked by touchlight are reprocessed for food purposes – either animal feed or grisly omelets in times of famine.

Shrevei lifespans are usually on the order of 50-75 years. Access to adequate diet though, has been known to promote longer durations; especially among seemingly everlasting matriarchs. Juveniles reach maturity after roughly 8-10 years, but in most societies breeding rights only belong to those who have demonstrated some tradeskill competence or earned the privilege through hunting or war-making.



Habitat and Culture:
Shrevei tend towards tribal societies headed by an elder matriarch or patriarch and who shares leadership with a shaman, priest, or high hunter (or may occupy some or all of these roles at once). Larger kingdoms trend toward a feudal type system with more distinct divisions of power. Small groups tend to marry the role of hunter and militia to form temporary warbands but more established factions will usually have a set of career soldiers.

Uniquely, Shrevei prefer to build their settlements vertically. Shore cliff faces, mountain sides, steep hills and even tall jungle trees are a common staple. Equipped with claws capable of scaling otherwise inaccessible terrain or digging into soft rock – it is not uncommon to see a natural cave formation expanded to unexpected depths after only a few generations of habitation. Visitors often recount cliffs caves dotted with feather decorated mouths and connected by rungs of wooden walk ways – or spiraling skyward residences built among sturdy tree trunks vying for distant canopies. Natural defensive placement and socially imposed limit on expansion prevents otherwise fast breeding Shrevei from over extending themselves or outstripping their food supplies – while ensuring unexpected vacancies are quickly filled.

Breeding rights are typically reserved for those who have demonstrated their worth to the tribe by some significant accomplishment or deed and is synonymous with achieving adulthood. Such successes are rewarded in great ceremony. The exact qualifiers vary from tribe to tribe, but may range from a wildly successful hunt, a victorious return by a warband or even some marvelous work of craft by a tradesman. Populous or mixed-race kingdoms may do away with this requirement entirely, which often leads to social clashes between city dwelling Shrevei and their more ‘wild’ cousins.

When possible, eggs from multiple clutches are collected into a single place for incubation; so as to limit the tending time imposed on females when they have other more necessary roles. A designated elder usually has the honorific of Egg-Watcher – typically a matriarch or daughter thereof, who has the duty of keeping the unhatched warm, checking eggs by torchlight for deformity and is often the first thing that spawn see when entering the world. Small tribes tend to be very egalitarian, with all brood hatching together from the same collective clutch and considering one another family. Names are usually given by the Egg-Watcher or self-appointed at a certain age. Larger Shrevian towns often have multiple Egg-Watchers or hired egg nurses for specific clutches, depending on level of stratification.

Shrevei speak a litany of languages, although their most prevalent is Slithertongue – an unsurprisingly hiss, tooth and tongue heavy language heavy on consonants. Shore and island based societies often have a few speakers of Cardarii or Torvun – both aquatic languages whereas more terrestrial clades will adopt Mudtongue, Stonekin, or Dendralos – depending on the availability of neighboring races and their preference for conversing and trading rather than eating them.
Naming convention follows first body color, shape, behavior as a juvenilie, or a specific brood cycle if there were notable conditions. First names always contain at least one hard consonant regardless of length, and usually consist of two or three syllables or words combined together. Sitharis Ivoryscale might be an albino toned Shrevei, whereas Rockskipper may have had been oddly proficient at throwing stones as a youth. Surnames are not always given. Most Shrevei tend to append their clan names as titles which designate origin and pride. Targus Hooktail of the Copperscales who hails from the east is an immediate identifier - and might serve to differentiate from any other muddy-scaled Shrevei.

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Probably one of the more interesting races I had fun dabbling in. Fast breeding with emphasis on population control through social engineering, they were originally the brainfruit of watching wall lizards crawling on the brickwork outside the local university's Chemistry Dept, while doing alot of work with UV indicators.

Designed with superb skill by Mallory Hodgkin - aka Stablercake
It is an exquisite real media piece of phenomenal quality - the like and sort you can find more of at their site; http://mhodgkin.com/