Cetosapiens

**Cetosapiens** *(Cetosapien cheirostoma)* are a Platian sapient that inhabits the vast seas.

## Etymology

The name "Cetosapien" is taken from latin words *"Cetus"*, meaning "whale" and *"Sapien"*, meaning wise.

## Evolution

Cetosapiens are grouped in family *Camptoglossidae*, a classification of infraorder *Cetacea* with the common trait of a highly flexible tongue. While they're the only living member of their family, their closest relatives are the *Delphinidae* (oceanic dolphins) which include the bottle-nosed dolphins and Orcas.

## Biology

### Anatomy

Cetosapiens have a similar anatomy to most cetaceans, with their skin colored blue on the top and white on the bottom. Their necks are much more flexible than other cetaceans, but they can't swim as fast to avoid injuring themselves. Their defining trait is their snouts, which are longer than ones in bottlenose dolphins and equipped with a pair of sturdy curved fangs. These snout traits combined with their prehensile tongue allow for a decently acute manipulation of objects. While much more limited than other sapients, they have since compensated this by their social behavior, equipping octopus gloves on their fins, or their use of magic for certain civilizations.

### Reproduction

Like all mammals in general, cetosapiens give live birth.

### Behavior

Cetosapiens are carnivores, typically eating small fish though sometimes they may go hunt larger fishes and even other cetaceans. They utilize tool use a lot in their hunts, which give them an edge over Orcas, whose territories often intersect.

### Society

Before the dawn of civilization, cetosapiens live in large social groups consisting of more than 20 individuals, led by an alpha male. The alpha male, together with the lower males protect the group from threats. A male also leads hunts, accompanied by several females. In addition of hunting, females also take care for their young.

Being naturally patriarchal resulted in many cetosapien nations to be ruled by a male, though some nations have defied this tradition and have a female as the leader instead.

## Subspecies

### Enchanted Cetosapiens

**Enchanted Cetosapiens** (*C. cheirostoma magicus*) are a subspecies of cetosapiens with the natural affinity towards magic. They possess purple eyes. All current enchanted cetosapiens wield the ability of **Telekinesis**, though there are legends of another group of enchanted cetosapiens proficient in **Hydrokinesis**, who went extinct during Herobrine's tyranny.

## Civilization Progress

Although many conventional materials can't be created because of water (eg fire and forging), this doesn't stop the Cetosapiens' civilization. They mainly use prismarine and bones to craft their weapons, armor, and technology, and also have found some ways to live fully in the ocean without the need to periodically resurface for air, such as by wearing an air filterer made out of a certain type of crustacean on their blowhole or by using bubble columns.

One certain Cetosapien faction, known as the "Baleen Kingdom" among the land sapients have managed to imitate and learn the Platian language after hundreds of generations, thus breaking the language barrier between cetosapien civilizations and land civilizations. As a result, the cetosapiens have since traded their sea commodities for materials they can't acquire underwater, such as metal equipment. This boosted the cetosapien civilizations to astounding levels, slowly making them very much comparable to the civilizations on land.