Sangool Physiology and History
Introduction
“Elf Owls” is the man given name to the Sangool species. In more casual settings they can also be referred to as the more simple term “ownfolks”. However do not be mistaken as they are not at all related to elves, instead they are distant cousins of the Vampire family.
Physical appearance
Growth Basics
They are very similar to humans in terms of aging and growth but aren’t a 1 to 1 copy. Here are some notable milestones and facts:
As infant they have rather large bulbous eyes that remain closed around 2 ot 3 month after they are born.
During the toddler to child stage they slowly grow their distinctive scales on their hands and feet.
When their reach puberty they can start shapeshifting for the first time
From 25 ro 68 their physical growth tend to plateau just like humans but past the age of 70 Sangools might start growing in size again depending on their blood intake
Their hair turn white with age but the feathers they grow remain vibrant
Kherns
Sangools have very recognisable faces: the have a strip of very short hair growing along their nose, big pointed ears and sometimes leathery face patterns know as “kherns”. These marks around their eyes come in 3 shapes based on a set of gene. The skin insn’t just slightly darker, it is texturally different. While the majority of their skin is fairly human-like their knerns are more close to chicken combs in terms of thickness and texture.
Scales
The color and amount of scale growing on their limbs can change drastically just like for human and their body-hair (PS - Sangools can grow body-hair but it’s less common than for humans, also where-ever they grow hair they may also grow feathers!)
Variables outside of genetics can change one’s scales, for example not having enough calcium in early childhood could result in weak scale growth or high amounts of blood being ingested during early development could cause scales to grow in places they aren’t supposed to.
Teeth and Blood
Drinking blood is an important part of Sangool culture but unlike Vampires they do not need it to survive. It does help them live longer lives but without it they can still comfortably live up to 120 years (with a constant blood intake they can live up to 250).
In the past their diet was heavily meat based and they would very frequently bite preys to steal their blood, modern populations are more omnivorous and Blood-sucking is mainly done of very special occasions resulting in the current Sangool to have less pronounced teeth on average.
Blood drinking usually take place during the following events:
New year (any blood is accepted - animal or not)
Valentines Day (lovers drink each other’s blood)
Wedding (newly weds drink each other’s parent blood, or each other’s blood depending on regional traditions)
Birth of a child (baby will be bathed in a tub of animal blood and then fed a bit of it)
Various religious rituals
Various noble events
Shapeshifting
Sangool can turn into standard owls at will, this ability make them very desirable in domains such as scouting, message-delivery, hunting and even infiltration.
Being desired does not mean being treated well however. Countless Sangools have been taken against their will to be forced into labor. The use of Adamantite cuffs can force them to remain into whatever form their were in when the cuffs were locked onto them.
When switching form back and forth they do not have to dress and undress, their clothes remain with them, however some chose to take off some layers of clothes as some items can remain visible in own form which can make them too noticeable when the intent might be to blend in as an innocent feral owl.
Customs and culture
Scholar Tattoos
Scholars are individuals who are recognized as the most knowledgeable on a certain subject or extremely skilled at something deemed “of high standing”. Getting a scholar tattoo is not too dissimilar to receiving a diploma.
The design of these tattoos are not up to the scholar themselves but based on the Noble family they serve under or who recognized their research. Many noble families have been lost through the war and only 6 main families remain meaning there are 6 official tattoo designs currently in use.
Its very rare but not impossible for an individual to have a mix of two family tattoos. It would require someone to ear the scholar status in two different domain by two different family (you cannot be recognised by two different family for the same topic/skill)
Blood Pearls
Blood Pearls are the widest-spread cultural custom in the Sangool population. It’s very common to see Sangool with various jewelry that feature red tear-drop or round red stones.
These were originally made specifically for married women using the blood of their husband. They would poor blood onto a metal sheet, let it dry to then turning it into a powder they’d then mix with some resin to create the gems.
Nowadays anyone of any gender can be seen sporting these Blood Pearls (married or not) and they tend to be made with red powder substitute rather than real blood.
Union Necklace
This tradition used to go in pair with Blood pearls and were the husband equivalent of the drop earrings. While it never lost it’s marital meaning it’s rarely seen nowadays. Most Sangool have adopted the wedding rings tradition to show they are married.
The original design of the Union Necklace used to be a gold medal adorned with the person’s wife’s feathers, now they can also include Blood Pearls in their designs.
Owl Effigies
Sangool do not bury not cremate their dead. They instead practice a form of “sky burial” where bodies are left for the wildlife to eat and clean. Before doing so it’s common for the family of the deceased to gather blood and feathers to create “Owl Effigies” to memorialize them. Its a bit similar to how some human compress ashes of loved ones to create gem pendents.
Footwear
Having bird-like feet that can be used almost like hands, it makes sense for these folk to not wear shoes that would prevent them from doing so; especially common folks and children. Most of the time these people will instead wear things more akin to gloves (with or without fingers) on their feet.
Sangool nobles rarely show themselves using their feet to pick-up or grasp things but rarely wear proper/closed shoes either, they’d rather wear long pants, dresses or cloaks that completely hide their feet in social settings where the majority of the crowd is wearing shoes.
There are a rare few cases of “proper shoes” made and worn by Sangool but they are rather niche like Mud Sandals used by some swamp settlements or the uncomfortable but “visually attractive” Eastern Platforms.