Na'Quahesto

The Na'Quahesto (singular Quahesto), also known as the Quahestos, are a race of reptilian intelligent creatures which dwell in the deserts and mountains of Kalzuranur. Though they do not predate the Human presence in the country entirely, as the Surqan river has been populated by Humans since time immemorial, for the most part they predate the Human presence in the rest of Kalzuranur beyond the Surqan.

A notable amount of Na'Quahesto converted to Nakkalism throughout the ages, but the majority of the race follows their ancestral religion, Napachetlan.

## Name

Although the Na'Quahesto speak several languages, these are all closely related and they call themselves by the same name in each language. Unfortunately, however, the etymology of the name Quahesto is utterly unknown. In Kalzuranuri, the species is called *Nakamishrim* (singular *Nakamishra*), which roughly means "scaled men".

In official Imperial documents, the species is known by its Nesarian name, *Cuesta* (plural *Cueste*), which is simply an Elvicised corruption of *Quahesto*.

## Physical Appearance and Traits

The Na'Quahesto have a humanoid shape, and essentially resemble anthropomorphic lizards. Their heads mostly resemble those of monitor lizards, and similar to monitors they have long tongues which they use to smell with - though this is a supplement to their noses and is not the only way they can smell. Na'Quahesto have strong and mostly prehensile tails, but unlike most other lizards these do not grow back if torn off.

Na'Quahesto are typically classified as ectotherms. They do have some ability to keep themselves warm through shivering and internal metabolism, but must still supplement this with environmental heat (i.e. the sun) in order to maintain the optimum body temperature. Their ability to regulate their temperature is merely sufficient to stop them from dying in abnormally low temperatures - but even so, they are far less capable of tolerating low temperatures than any other intelligent species and will perish from hypothermia much quicker than any other. Guidelines from the Imperial health ministry advise Na'Quahesto to avoid environments with an ambient temperature lower than -10 degrees celsius and to simply avoid the entire southern half of Inecuria during winter, but even well above this temperature (beginning at roughly 10 degrees and below), Na'Quahesto will suffer from fatigue, difficulty recalling memories and mild depression.

On the other hand, Na'Quahesto are much better adapted to survive higher temperatures, being totally unfazed by conditions that could give a Human heatstroke. Historically, they made extensive use of this for military purposes, often fighting during the hottest times of the day when Humans and Sand Elves had serious difficulty in combat but the Na'Quahesto were untroubled.

The Na'Quahesto can be split into two distinct sub-races, the Na'Topektan (singular Topektan, lit. "mountain-dweller") and the Na'Iketan (singular Iketan, lit. "sand-dweller"), who dwell in the mountains and desert respectively. They are primarily distinguished through colour; Na'Topektan have blue to grey-blue scales and maroon eyes, whereas Na'Iketan have gold to golden-brown scales and amber eyes. Both sub-races have a significantly lighter-coloured front (which would be the underside were they quadrupedal), often coming close to white, and a darker back.

One can also tell the two sub-races apart through their stature, as Na'Topektan are shorter and stouter than the taller and slimmer Na'Iketan - though even the Na'Iketan stand shorter than Humans, the males coming to an average of 5 feet tall and the females 4 feet 8 inches. Though they are smaller than Humans, they have proportionally more powerful muscles, meaning they are approximately just as strong. The Na'Topektan, as a result of their bulkier frame, tend to be more capable of withstanding low temperatures than the Na'Iketan, as their shape loses heat less quickly - but, as mentioned before, they are still not well-adapted for the cold.

Both sub-races have a transparent third eyelid to keep out sand and dust, but this feature is more substantial in the Na'Iketan than the Na'Topektan; their third eyelid is thicker, providing more protection, but as a result it is a little harder to see through and provides less clear vision.

Both races of Na'Quahesto have a lifespan of approximately 70 years, somewhat below that of the neighbouring Humans, but it is debated whether this is due to genetic or environmental causes. There have been no intelligence studies on Na'Iketan, but those conducted on Na'Topektan found their IQ to be around 100, which is more or less the same as the average of Inecurian Humans.

### Reproduction

Na'Quahesto do not reproduce by copulating, and they can successfully mate without having any physical contact between a male and a female at all. In order to mate, a female lays her eggs and then has them fertilised by a male, who delivers a sperm package into the egg with his retractable penis-like appendage - which is possible at this stage because the eggs do not develop hard shells until roughly half an hour after they have been laid. Neither party experiences sexual pleasure whilst doing this. Females lay between one and three eggs approximately once every three months, and most Na'Quahesto have the practice of eating these eggs if they are not fertilised.

The lack of physical contact between male and female and the total absence of sexual pleasure is a possible reason for why the Na'Quahesto, whilst certainly experiencing some type of physical attraction, do not have any concept of modesty and do not feel sexual attraction in the same way other intelligent species do. They simply do not have any sense of lust or sex-related shame. As a result, Na'Quahesto do not see it as strictly necessary to attain privacy before mating (though most do still prefer have privacy), and they wear clothes for purely functional purposes and not to cover their bodies; subsequently, they very often go partially or even fully nude.

Other species are somewhat fortunate in the respect that whilst the presence of the Na'Quahesto being unashamedly nude may be discomforting, the Na'Quahesto males have completely retractable sexual organs and the females do not have breasts (there is no need for them as they lay eggs), meaning that one experiences far less embarrassment seeing them naked than they would with other species, since very little is visible.