Hashan

Hashan are a small humanoid species that resemble a cross between short human and otter. They typically build their communities on or near the shoreline of either fresh or salt water. They are as intelligent as humans, but lack their physical stature.

Hashan have short, rarely reaching more than 4 feet tall, with sleek and musclar bodies. Their body is covered in soft and insulated underfur, which is protected by an outer layer of oily guardfur. Their fur traps a layer of air keeping them warm and dry when they are under water. In addition a layer of blubber provides them with a hydrodynamic shape and buoyancy.

Their arms are slightly longer than a human of the same height, while their legs are shorter and thicker. A hashan's hands have longer fingers with heavy skin webbing between them. Their feet are not arched like other humanoids, but instead flat and wide. They use their feet act to act as flippers while they are in the water, but most of their feet is actually extended toes, they can curl them around like birds and grasp objects. When swimming their feet provide propulsion, while their hands and only used for quick directional control.

Their eyes are overly large and comprised almost wholly of iris. They are protected by a clear membrane which allows them to open their eyes safely under water. 2-3 inch whiskers extend from a jawline and snout that protrudes a few inches from their face. Their teeth resemble other humanoids, but also contain specialized serrated canines next to their incisors.

All hashan breathe air; although the garelli also have very simplistic gills. For the other hashan species, the males can spend 15-20 minutes below the water before needing a breath, while females can go for nearly 30 minutes.

Closely tied to a female's fertility cycle is their ability to naturally draw in and use power from the Shadow Realms. Like the natural magic of the True Elves, hashan females have a natural affinity for magic. For the hashan, this magic takes the form of control over the natural weather and water of Miranda.

During those months when a female is fertile her power grows. If she does not conceive a child her power returns to her normal strength, but if she is bearing a child then her power continues to grow. It will reach its peak around the time of her child's birth. As long as she continues to nurse her additional power will not diminish, but once her child is weaned it will return to her normal strength before she enters her normal fertility cycle.

Hashan males are incapable of using this magic, in fact they are typically unsuited to using any type of learned magic. The only exception to this rule is that males born infertile occasionally have a very small measure of a female's power. Males that have been rendered infertile can concentrate enough to learn spellcraft, but it is still difficult for them.

Most hashan will live approximately 50 years; although the garelli can live well into their 80s. Females will give birth to a single child and will nurse it for the first year of its life. They will physically mature during their fifth year and reach sexual maturity around their tenth year. Males are fertile for their entire life, while females are only fertile twice a year. A female's fertility cycle is not seasonal, but instead driven by her own internal clock.

During their first year children can stay underwater for only short periods of time as their blubber is not thick enough and their fur does not trap enough air to keep them warm. They are nursed for the first year of their life, quickly growing and building the blubber necessary to a life in and near the water.

Hashan communities are typically matriarchal and almost completed devoid of adult males. The females use their magical power to drive off the males once they have reached sexual maturity. Males will gather into small communities, mostly among the other races, but occasionally build male-only hashan communities. Males will often seek to gather as much wealth as possible before returning home. The males will use this wealth to court fertile females. As their wealth diminishes they will no longer be seen a suitable, so they will leave or be driven off.

The society created by females is traditionally driven by wealth and personal power. The stronger a female is in her power, the more likely she is to be courted by the best males. Additionally, younger women will often gather around her to find the best suitors for their affections. A females magical strength typically descended through her lineage the strongest of them typically come from a small number of families. Family ties among the females is very strong. Like a tree the most powerful families often have many weaker branch families that support the trunk family. Members of the trunk family have almost complete control over the branch families mating opportunities.

There are three major genus of hashan currently on Miranda. The Lasharni are the most numerous as well as widespread numbering about 20 million. There are also 500,000 Yvappi and 2 million Garelli.

The earliest known ancestor of the hashan appeared during the Age of Legends. It is not known who or what created the first hashan, but several new species have evolved from these early ancestors.

The fewest of the hashan, the yvappi live in the cold waters of the north. They are larger, often reaching 5 1/2 feet, and significantly heavier (~140 pounds) than any other hashan. Instead of the brown fur of the other hashan, the yvappi have mostly white or tan fur to better conceal them on the ice. Additional blubber and heavier fur help them survive the colder climes; although they still must rest for long periods of time to conserve their heat.

These are the most numerous of the hashan and can be found almost anywhere near water. It is the lasharni that are most well-known to other races as they gather in much larger communities, even building cities as large as other races. Their skin color is gray or black depending on the season and their fur coloration ranges from reddish-brown to brown and nearly completely black.

The physically smallest as well the as the smallest in number. The garelli have more simplistic lungs and thus cannot live fully out of water - instead they have gills on the sides of their trunk. Their bodies have the least amount of blubber, so they are live only along the equator and warm lakes. Their skin and fur tend to be completely black, with only a few patches of brown or green. Unlike the other species of hashan, the garelli still retain the sharp claws of their ancestors. Rarely do the garelli interact with other sentient species, preferring to live a solitary life except during mating season.