Appearance and biology

• Both takmar and xtauh bear a fair resemblance to European dragons of Earthly lore. They have two forelimbs that can be used as either arms or legs, two hindlimbs that are exclusively legs, and a pair of batlike wings. They do not have horns.
• Rather than ears, they have long, thin, flexible structures sprouting from the sides of the head, above and well behind the eyes (you can call them antennae for convenience). They hear very well underwater, but above it not quite as well as humans. The positions of the antennae play a very large role in facial expressions.
• Their eyes are catlike, with vertical pupils; the irises are usually lighter-colored, in blues, greens, or golds. They have very good vision in low light.
• A range of scale colors are possible in each species, but they are much less strongly correlated with the idea of race than in humans; subpopulations are much more distinguishable by body proportions and facial structure.
• When moving around on the ground, they prefer to go on all fours. Using only the hind legs frees up their hands, but it stresses the spine and limits how fast and nimble they can be; running on two legs for any length of time is a clumsy process for all but those trained for it. Members of both species can fly, though they aren't long-distance fliers and tire easily; they can only carry a little bit of weight while in the air.
• They are an egg-laying species; one to three eggs is normal. Females have some ability to affect the timing and choice of sperm in fertilization. Nests differ in construction depending on climate and cultural practice but generally rely on covering eggs with some material that preserves warmth and prevents them from drying out.
• Females are bigger than males - taller, longer, and generally more muscular. They tend to have bolder differences in color than males, who are more typically restricted to different shades of the same color. They're more stable on their feet than males, but the opposite is true of airworthiness.

Society and behavior

• Females are generally more territorial and status-conscious than males. Females have drab-colored status markings that can change in shade depending on how she perceives her own rank in society; someone with very dark markings is either a leader of her community or thinks very, very highly of herself. Males tend to be somewhat more egalitarian and communal among those they're close to.
• The sex ratio of the population as a whole is skewed; there are about two males to every female. Polyandry is common in almost all cultures, as is a taboo about a female revealing the paternity of any of her children. In many cultures, the principles of biological paternity are not publicly acknowledged at all, and many men have no idea what the exact connection between sex and children is.
• Most settlements are based around clusters of matriarchal families and their properties, though a small but significant percentage of the population - overwhelmingly male - migrates in groups across the landscape. Because of this population distribution, political power tends to concentrate in female hands despite the larger male population.
• Most cultures do not require clothing for modesty's sake; nudity taboos are rare. Clothes exist, but are used for protection or ornamentation.
• Both species have an innate capacity to sense emotional and other subjective states. Because of the disruption this can cause in the close quarters of a settlement, most societies with any significant population density have a taboo against failing to shield empathic output while in public; this is the closest equivalent to human nudity taboos. Shielding requires a certain amount of emotional control, and in certain mental conditions one's emotions can be exposed to those within sensing radius.
• They are good swimmers and like being in the water, but can get very nervous about water in which they cannot see clearly, whether because of depth or cloudiness.

• Takmar are considerably bigger (usually 2.5 to 3 meters long) than xtauh (1.75 to 1.9 meters long) and more solidly built; xtauh are typically rangier. Xtauh typically have shorter, blunter muzzles.
• Xtauh come in colors of a brown-red-yellow spectrum, either slightly glossy or, less commonly, reflective in a metallic or pearlescent way. Takmar have both of these, but in addition they have the third option of a blue-green-purple spectrum. Color inheritance is… complicated, so children can come out with a color that doesn't closely match that of either biological parent.
• The antennae of takmar extend backward and curve slightly upward, while those of xtauh extend out to the sides and arc upward before reaching a downward curve at the tips. The ways the two species position them for expressions of mood are analogous to each other, but because the actual organs are differently shaped, the same expression will look very different. This plays a large role in the difficult relations between the species.
• Takmar are more environmentally sensitive, especially to moisture. They dehydrate easily, and their preferred habitats all have high humidity, precipitation, or bodies of available water, preferably all three. A takma in an arid environment must drink and bathe frequently to remain healthy. The bodies of xtauh use moisture more efficiently and with the proper lifestyle they can live in arid environments without bathing. Takmar also have less tolerance for the cold than the xtauh, though this is easier to mitigate through clothing, fire, etc.
• Takmar, though perhaps a bit less cooperative than humans, understand a concept of a rightful authority that should be obeyed, and will form hierarchies that allow efficient organization. By contrast, xtauh are more clannish, are far more inclined to take orders only from those that are known to them and who they feel are qualified to give them, and are more willing to question orders. Their societies and groups tend to be small-scale and to depend heavily on popular support.
• Though takmar are generally more technologically advanced than xtauh, the latter are more widely spread across the continent of Sekhaa and may actually be more numerous. Xtauh do, however, have a longer history with enchanting, which they have been using to leapfrog in capability in recent cycles.

• In areas where xtauh and takmar live in the same region, they have historically tended not to get along. This has a lot to do with the clashing perceptions of facial expressions and different approaches to society mentioned above, but even more to do with takma settlers seizing riverside land that once belonged to the xtauh, driving the latter into the desert.
• Takma and xtauh are, broadly speaking, sexually compatible, though how likely they are to mate is widely variable depending on individual tastes, relative sizes, and other considerations, and interspecies relationships, especially consensual ones, are relatively rare. Hybridization is possible, but erratic; many hybrids are dead in the egg, and many of those that hatch have health problems that result in an early death. Some do survive to a functioning adulthood, however, usually with greater size and strength than a xtauh and greater tolerance for dry conditions than a takma, though many will have oddly formed antennae with hearing problems.

• Orghysh are sort of what you'd get if you took the body of a gorilla, replaced the hair with scales, added a tail, a long neck, and a smallish pair of wings, and swapped the head out for that of a slender-snouted crocodile. They have thick bodies, and long, wiry arms. Most adults stand between 1.9 and 2.1 meters tall.
• They are bipedal; they may rest some of their weight on their knuckles while standing still, but make little use of their arms when walking. Despite having wings, they cannot fly; the wings serves only to regulate body heat and as display elements.
• Orghysh colors fall mainly into a brown-yellow-buff color spectrum. Red scales occur, but only on certain parts of the body or in response to certain physiological triggers. The scales may be either glossy (analogous to one of the types found in takmar and xtauh) or matte and muted. They generally have vaguely linear, olive-colored markings around the eyes and on the forehead; these are the equivalents of female status-markings in the other two species, but in the orghysh they can be found in both sexes and do not vary with social status.
• Their eyes are catlike, with vertical pupils; the irises tend to be green, gold, or brown.
• Like the takmar and xtauh, the orghysh have antennae as hearing organs and a major component of facial expression. Those of the orghysh extend from the sides of the head, just behind the cheekbones, almost straight backwards.
• There is a vocal sac beneath the muzzle that can inflate to add volume or timbre to the voice.
• They are an egg-laying species, usually only one at a time but occasionally two. The raising of young is generally done collectively.
• Males are, on average, slightly larger than females, with larger wings and more prominent fangs, while females have larger and more complicated vocal sacs.
• They are somewhat more environmentally flexible than the takmar, in that they do not require high humidity or immersion in water per se, but as they rely on fish for a large amount of their protein, they are not often found away from bodies of water capable of supporting them. They are also not well adapted for cold. That said, the main reasons for their restricted habitat have to do with interspecies competition and a psychological discomfort with terrain where it is not possible to see for long distances.
• Like the takmar and xtauh, they have an affinity for water and are good swimmers, but can get very nervous about water in which they cannot see clearly, whether because of depth or cloudiness.

• The orghysh have an empathic sense similar to those of the other two species, but unlike them use it mainly for intraspecies communication. They typically do not shield themselves unless in the company of someone they do not yet trust.
• The ratio between the sexes is approximately equal. Though there is some division of labor based on sexual differences, in general there is an expectation that if something needs to be done, then anyone that's suited may do it.
• Marriage is unknown, and for the most part so is any concept of fidelity or romantic love. Two orghysh may particularly enjoy one anothers' company, but they think of this as something like being best friends; whether or not they are having sex is, at most, only loosely related.
• They have a strong sense of community identity and loyalty. Tribes live and travel together and members are expected to be tightly integrated, participating in both the activities and the decisions needed to keep the tribe and its members alive. To leave one tribe for another is a major and solemn life change, usually done in the context of finding a mate or better use of one's skills; to strike out on one's own is extremely rare and usually a sign of mental disturbance. Exile is generally the most terrible punishment.
• Orghysh are generally less competitive than humans are. Individuals within a tribe may vie for popularity or influence, but usually in an understated, friendly manner.
• Orghysh are much more prone than the other two species to ascribe sentience or souls to other beings, particularly those with nervous systems well-developed enough to make an empathic impression. Unlike the takmar and xtauh, there are several domesticated or semi-domesticated animals that accompany orghysh as beloved pets.
• Orghysh prefer to minimize the death or pain they cause to other sentient beings. Though they must hunt and fish in order to live, when they must take neurally advanced prey they seek to make death quick. Orghysh rarely kill each other; when tribes feel obliged to fight over territory or resources, they usually resort to ritual combat between champions or counting coup. For reasons related to empathic shielding, takmar and xtauh may not receive the same consideration.
• There are relatively few orghysh, and those tribes that remain free of outside influence maintain a nomadic, stone-age existence. Those that have attached themselves to takma society in some fashion are usually form an at least partially segregated underclass.