ALVARIA WORLDBUILDING: SPECIES
Threllys
Description: "Threllys" describes any sea-dwelling humanoids that can shed their tails for legs and transition to land. Some have hair in decorative patches or bright patterns on their scales. There are many different subspecies of Threllys, from the marlin-like Kajaudi to the eelish Morr, each with unique features. They can vary greatly in size, from less than a foot to over ten. They are also cold-blooded and have incredibly sensitive eyes with a protective film over them, perfect for seeing in the dark oceans.
Culture: Threllys culture can vary greatly based on the part of the sea they're from and the type of Threllys they are. Generally, they tend to value jewelry, focussing on stones and passed down through families. The sea is unforgiving; parents and children die more often than they do on land, so villages tend to act as large families, raising the young together and staying very close-knit. It is also divided distinctly between many deities that are very protective of their territories; the residents are aware of the deities that rule their home and often worship them and pray for protection. Gender roles are nearly nonexistant; male and female Threllys look and act incredibly similar. Land-dwelling species look down on Threllys and regularly disrespect them and their kingdoms.
Gryffonei: The Gryffonei are a species of bird-like humanoids that live in a free-floating kingdom above the clouds. They hunt the Threllys for sport, keeping them for display or cooking and eating the tails. Many Threllys are afraid to near the surface lest they be hunted. Gryffonei won't hunt land-dwelling Threllys.
Transition to land: The process of altering a Threllys's body to live on land is long and painful. They start by rubbing the top edges of their tails against rocks, stimulating the beginning of the process and loosening the tail. They consume great deals of food and spend more time near the surface as their breathing transitions from gills to lungs. They then find a sheltered place on land, their tails harden to a protective "cocoon" and they fall into a coma for the rest of the process. Legs grow withing the shell of the tail and other body systems readjust. Once the process is done, they wake and shed their tails (sometimes they don't come off nicely and must be cut), then all that's left is getting used to their new legs. (I had to simplify the process a lot for this brief description; I may cover it in more detail later.)
Examples of Threllys characters: Kheii Jahl, Qariev











