N'sgaytsian

"Once, our race was honourable. We sailed the stars in ships that we built with the gods own gifts. But then, we settled down on this planet. We changed with the seasons. We lost everything. But we adapted. Our bodies became resistant to all manner of plagues. Our skin withstood storms of plasma and bullets. We are not Sangheili. We are above them. And so, strike, my fellow warriors. Let us put an end to this abomination!
-Savu 'Gafum, N'sgaytsian warrior, leading his SOS strike force against a covenant Kraken walker.N'sgaytsians are a sentient reptilian species native to the planet Armadillo. A subspecies of the infamous sangheili, N'sgaytsians are far less developed, with the species being divided into small nomadic tribes. Incredibly resilient to disease, N'sgaytsians are considerably bulkier than the baseline species, with physical strength outmatching that of the Jiralhanae, and rivalling that of the Mgalekgolo. By 2558, the Swords Of Sanghelios had a small complement of N'sgaytsians, led by Savu 'Gafum, a highly accomplished blademaster.
== Species History ==
=== Creation ===
The N'sgaytsians were previously Sangheili warriors of a covenant fleet sent to investigate the planet that would become Armadillo. After recovering the Forerunner weaponry and mining equipment that the fleet was sent to retrieve, the crew of a single ship decided to remain on the planet, with it having reminded them of Sanghelios. As this ship contained a clan that had been exiled from Sanghelios, several civilians were aboard. Over time, the planet reformed the crew's descendants, with them being changed into a more durable species suited to desert existence.
=== War of Beginnings ===
The War of Beginnings was a disastrous conflict early in N'sgaytsian history. One of the ancestors of Savu 'Gafum, Ortion 'Gafum, split off from the baseline clan along with a large group of warriors in order to explore the planet. Since this was not sanctioned by the clan's Kaidon, this was taken as an act of betrayal. A large force was sent to intercept this group. This group fled the clan for months, until a confrontation finally occurred. The battles that followed destroyed the majority of the N'sgaytsian plasma weaponry, and created a fractured people. The grand stronghold that they once occupied fell to the ground, thus forming small, nomadic clans. Eventually, all memories of being part of the covenant faded from the N'sgaytsians, and the stories of spaceflight were simply referred to as "The Time Before".
=== Reformed Roamers ===
Throughout the hundreds of years that followed the war of beginnings, new beliefs were formed, with the forerunners still venerated as gods, but with significance taken off the search for the halos. A certain form of belief was created around the elephant sized grantine reptiles. Because of the toughness of their natural armour, it was believed that they were created by the Forerunners as guard dogs of a kind, with grantine plates being highly prized for armour. Over time, the foundling cultures learned of the alien Axtri'calli, settling in the ruins of some of their cities. Nevertheless, the N'sgaytsians regressed until they were nothing more than cultured predators, following the moa herds, and training the insectoid Desert Rippers as attack dogs. While their culture regressed, their bodies developed until their skin was resistant to bullets, and they were immune to most diseases, including the flood.
=== First Encounter With Humanity ===
Eventually, humanity settled on armadillo, establishing small outposts, and large enclaves. Curious about what these new arrivals were, clan 'Gafum sent a single warrior to investigate. After investigating a convoy from house Grayson, this warrior dropped towards the convoy, attempting to communicate with these new creatures in Sangheili. However, as these settlers were still wary given the circumstances that they had arrived on the planet in, and given that none understood the Sangheili tongue, they attempted to kill this warrior, firing away with MA2C assault rifles and M295 DMRs. This scout dodged the first volley, and proceeded to attack. To the settlers horror, the N'sgaytsians skin was bulletproof, with a full burst from an MA2C barely managing to pierce it's skin. This warrior made short work of the settlers; however, he refused to kill one, given as they were wounded and killing a wounded foe was dishonourable in N'sgaytsian culture. This settler survived to tell stories of his encounter, but they were scarcely believed, with the N'sgaytsians becoming a legend akin to the bigfoot over time. This prevented outright attacks throughout the early days, but tales persisted of unlucky travellers caught in a sandstorm running into those creatures.
=== Human-Covenant war ===
Although armadillo was uninvolved with the Human-Covenant war, this explained certain things about the origins of the N'sgaytsians, with videos of Sangheili warriors in the middle of combat drawing attention. Soon, attempts to hunt the elusive species down began. These attempts usually failed, however one did not. Three explorers from house Shander found the ruins of an Axtri'calli city, with them being knocked out shortly afterwards. When they came to, four N'sgaytsian warriors had tied them up. They were intending to use them as bait for a grantine hunt, with the elephant sized reptiles having encroached on N'sgaytsian territory. However, when more than expected were discovered, three warriors and two humans were killed, leaving the final N'sgaytsian, a young warrior named Savu 'Gafum, to free the remaining captive, arming them with a spear. After a time, they managed to slay the grantine alpha, with Savu marking the human survivors chest in grantine blood, signifying a mark of adulthood. This human was the first non-N'sgaystain inductee into 'Gafum, with him being the one of the tribes hunter-gatherers. 
=== Postwar Period ===
After the end of the Human-Covenant war, N'sgaytsians began to branch out, with several leaving armadillo. One such individual was Savu 'Gafum, leaving with a group of N'sgaytsians and offering their services as mercenaries. This group eventually joined the Swords of Sangheilios, with 'Gafum leading the group. At least one N'sgaytsian was a member of the Kra'dossh Insaali, as a member of the galactic guns for hire. This mercenary was later killed by an Axtri'calli gladiator on the Insaali capital world. They were highly sough by the office of naval intelligence as assassins because of their bulletproof skin, and certain houses on armadillo hired N'sgaytsians as enforcers. 
== Culture, Society and Religion ==
=== Culture ===
"Us N'sgaytsians crave a challenge, so we slay the fiercest of beasts so that N'sgayts finds us ready when he returns". -From the Teachings of N'sgayts, one of the few known pieces of N'sgaytsian literature.Culturally, N'sgaytsians are very similar to Sangheili, with certain modifications given their environment. After the disastrous War of Beginnings, a leader named N'sgayts arose among the shattered people, offering guidance in ways to survive while honouring the Forerunners. Over time, the culture of the Sangheili changed, with certain precepts changed. The most notable were these:
* 1: Battle the fiercest of animals in order to prove your worth. The grantines of this world are a worthy challenge.
* 2: Honour the Forerunners as you wish, but never doubt the fact that they left their gifts to their children. These are for you to use and create.
* 3: Honour remains a top part of our society, so never kill an enemy that cannot fight back. If one is wounded, leave them to die. Killing a wounded foe is a cruel act.
* 4: Take only what you need, as this is what the desert provides. Never any more, never any less.
These precepts established N'sgaytsian society. In it, there are no established gender roles. A crafter, warrior, or clan leader is as likely to be female as male. The N'sgaytsians, like their Sangheilian cousins, believe in the divinity of the Forerunners, but do not view them as omniscient or omnipotent. Instead, they believe they left their technology behind to aid their children, with an N'sgaytsian having no qualms about destroying a Forerunner artifact in order to harvest it's metal. This is magnified by the fiercest of their warriors, who wield blades crafted from Forerunner alloy. This enables them to pierce the incredibly thick plates of grantines, which parts of their culture have also developed around. For a youngling to pass into adulthood, they must first kill a grantine and mark their chest with it's acidic blood. If they do not show signs of the visible pain that this causes, they are marked as adults and typically pass into the ranks of the warriors/hunter-gatherers. Failures can repeat this test, but more than five failures relegates them to the ranks of the crafters. Grantine plates are incredibly tough and are commonly used to create armour. Unlike most species, N'sgaytsians have no reservations about eating the flesh of sentient creatures, with the N'sgaytsians simply considering them a more difficult form of prey. This meant that any human victims of sandstorms were sometimes consumed by the N'sgaytsians; however, sentient eating usually isn't resorted to unless the tribe is in dire straits. In matters of death and corpse disposal, bodies are often burned, with their ashes being scattered on the wind. Days of prayer are then taken, with thanks to the Forerunners being given. Unlike their Sanheili cousins, the N'sgaytsians are a primitive species, with weaponry being limited to spears, swords, bows and crossbows. However, these weapons are not poor quality, and some tribes have rediscovered the art of metalsmithing. Armour is often made of desert ripper chitin, and in rare circumstances, grantine plates. This armour serves more as insulation than protection, with their skin being bulletproof. Children are raised and treated as younglings until the age of sixteen, when they are required to kill a grantine and prove their worth. Education is often based off the ways of the desert, with them being taught how to survive. Regardless, N'sgaytsian society is fairly open ended, with them adopting members of other species who can withstand their harsh lifestyle. Several humans have joined N'sgaytsian tribes over the years, and these inductees are treated as full blooded members of the tribe. Being human is no blemish against a warrior, so long as they are every bit as strong and cunning as their N'sgaytsian kin. 
=== Religion ===
To the N'sgaytsians, Forerunner worship is a large belief system. They do not search for the Halo array, however, believing that the Forerunners would not want others to ascend with them. However, belief in the Forerunners is largely negated by belief in N'sgayts. After his sacrifice to allow the dwindling race to survive, it is believed by the N'sgaytsians that he joined the Forerunners, and will someday return in the form of a god. In this god form, he will lead the race to safety, allowing them to find a lush world ripe with life, largely similar to heaven in Christianity. This belief even has some sway over humans living on Armadillo.
== Physiology ==
"In all my travels throughout the galaxy, I have never met a species as resilient as the N'sgaytsians. Their bodies are incredibly resilient, their immune systems resistant to all manner of diseases... including the plague. They are clearly the epitome of a survivor species, which is fitting given their role as desert wanderers. So, I believe that they would be impressive as warriors. If only they had a shred of ambition...
-Orosan Frotalkii, Axtri'calli scout.
Befitting the harsh environment in which they live, N'sgaytsians are highly resilient to heat, with them being able to raise or lower their body temperature at will in order to cope with heat changes. Their skin, interestingly, is bulletproof, with the magazine of an MA2C Assault rifle barely being able to cause lasting damage. Concentrated fire from high calibre weapons such as BR55 battle rifles and M6G Magnums can cause serious bleeding, which can kill. Their immune systems are honed to near perfection, being immune to cancer. One thing of note is that they are immune to the flood due to an interesting quirk in their bodies. As soon as flood super cells enter their bodies, the immune system recognises them as a disease and destroys them, preventing death and mutation. However, N'sgaytsian carcasses can be infected, due to the death of their immune systems. Unlike the Sangheili, N'sgaytsian males only have two mandibles, with them being more useful in a practical setting. Females retain four mandibles, with them retaining them because of a genetic mutation early in their development. Like Sangheili, they have purple blood, and two hearts, with them retaining the majority of sangheilian organs. The physical strength of the N'sgaytsians is incredible, far outweighing that of the Sangheili and and Jiralhanae, and rivalling that of the Mgalekgolo gestalts. This is likely because the harsh environment accelerated their evolution, thus creating a subspecies more suited to the hellscape of Armadillo. N'sgaytsians are noticeably uncomfortable in cold environments, with sweating occurring rapidly. This is due to the fact that the species as a whole had existed on armadillo for hundreds of years and so was not used to such climes. Younglings are born with protective scales across their bodies, as for the first few years of their life their skin is hypersensitive to anything, with bleeding happening easily. Like their Sangheili cousins, N'sgaytsians have no external sex organs, laying eggs instead of giving birth to live young.
== Trivia ==
* None of the artwork belongs to me. Links to the sources can be found Here and Here.
* Influences for the culture of the N'sgaytsians include the piglins from minecraft, the tusken raiders (Sand People) from star wars, Kobolds from dungeons and dragons, and sangheili (No surprise there :) )
Category:Species
Category:Sangheili