Evolvi

The Evolvi (taken from Latin *ēvolvī,* "I have evolved/unfolded") are the most populous humanoid species, and generally considered to be the dominant species, on the continent of Parvolon. Evolvi present mostly like humans, but have an additional animal or natural trait that separates them from others. These traits can include anything from most aesthetic features (like droopy ears or fur), to more useful or functional features (like a tail or wings)

## Abilities

The Evolvi have several gameplay traits for their species that distinguish them from others.

Ability Score Modifiers: The Evolvi are a highly-adaptive species, with major variation within their own kind. *+2* modifier to any ability score, or a *+1* to 2 separate ability scores.

Size: All Evolvi are medium size, with typical height variation from 6'6" to 4'. Evolvi weight is comparable to human weight, provided that the Inheritance does not significantly affect this.

Vision: Unless influenced by the Inheritance, Evolvi have average eyesight (no light sensitivity, no darkvision).

Speed: Base 30ft Evolvi movement abilities are often influenced by the Inheritance.

The Inheritance: The defining trait of the Evolvi, the Inheritance gives each Evolvi a unique set of abilities. Information on the gameplay mechanics of the Inheritance can be found in its own section.

Multicultural: Evolvi society is diverse and has never been fully unified. It can be presumed that any one Evolvi speaks two or three languages local to their region.

## History

The Evolvi species emerged as the result of interbreeding from many different human-like species. Human-like species that lived in the Greater Straits region had many of the mythical traits that current Evolvi have, but these features were the result of a person's birth rather than environment or choice. Over time, the various species interbred to the point that the boundaries between them began to blur more and more. Individuals had a very diverse genome and a bloodline of many different ancestors. This genetic exchange would be accelerated by the Great Freeze, forcing humanoid species in the Far North that could not adapt to the sudden temperature change into the Greater Straits region.

At one point in Late Prehistory, one individual was born with the *Inheritance* - the ability to choose which traits from their diverse ancestry to accept. This evolutionary breakthrough changed the region forever, with the Inheritance spreading rapidly in future generations. Soon, every human-like species in the area was either outcompeted in their environment by the Evolvi, or had become so mixed with them that they were essentially Evolvi themselves.

## Anatomy and Physiology

Evolvi have a physiology similar to humans, with the obvious exceptions for animalistic, natural, or mineral traits. They all have a humanlike head, body, two arms and two legs, but some have unique organs depending on their specific trait, such as horns, tails, or wings. Others have more animalized or mineralized versions of human organs and limbs, with different abilities available based on these adaptations.

The defining trait of the Evolvi, the Inheritance, develops as a child ages. Infants are born mostly identical to humans, albeit with more hair, but older children can begin to see their trait develop subtly. The Inheritance fully develops and becomes a permanent change during puberty, and is influenced mostly by an individual's diet. Addition early life hardships and environment factors contribute to the development of this feature. While the desired trait of the Inheritance can be changed during puberty, as soon as adulthood begins the feature becomes a set part of the person's body. Additionally, their body is adaptable to different food resources in childhood, and so adults are more limited in what they can eat in comparison to children.

As a result, Evolvi culinary practices are complex. Pulling two individuals out of two separate Evolvi societies would reveal a striking amount of variation between even their own kind in many aspects of diet and nutrition. Additionally, dietary restrictions are less strict in Evolvi, and what other species of Parvolon might consider *inedible* or *toxic* could be normal or even a necessary part of a certain Evolvi's diet. However, this contrasts with the variability in what is edible for different members of their own species. Evolvi have to be more careful about what they consume, as some rarer Inheritance variations make normal staple foods for most Evolvi unusable or even poisonous to others. *Petracessors*, Evolvi with mineral-like traits, have diets that are especially difficult to mesh with other Evolvi; as an example, the levels of salt they require for regular functioning pose a serious risk of *hypernatremia* (medical term, lit. "too much salt in blood") to other Evolvi.

While a decent minority of Evolvi have wings, these wings are generally less developed and less functional than other winged humanoids, such as the Avians and winged Dragonoids. Some individuals can only glide with their wings, and only a few that can achieve full flight are capable of matching or surpassing Avians in the skies.

As a result of their physiology, Evolvi medicine and healthcare is by far the most complicated of any species on the continent. Evolvi medicine is generally behind the understanding of other species' bodies, but Evolvi doctors generally have better practices than others, making fewer unjustified assumptions about the body and having higher standards of ethics and accountability.

## Culture and Society

Evolvi culture is incredibly complex, the most diverse in the world of Parvolon. This complexity is a direct result of three factors: the divergence of different groups within the Evolvi, the spread of Evolvi across the continent, and the frequent intersection of Evolvi culture with other species. Only the Evolvi nations border the other four major species in the modern day.

Evolvi, however, have strained relationships with their neighbors. While some Evolvi societies have taken a friendly stance towards interaction with other species, aggression (particularly in the Orcish subcontinent) is not a rare occurence. The Empire of the West and the Frontier Kingdoms from the Late Classical Period are examples of some of the most cruel Evolvi civilizations, but their oppressive nature would lead to internal division that greatly contributed to their downfall. Evolvi civilizations that have practiced intolerance outward have often quickly turned intolerance inward, with the collapse of these societies following close.

As such, most Evolvi nations are either small or have history defined by multiculturalism. Highly centralized government has historically been ***very unpopular*** in Evolvi lands, with leaders of large nations either appointing local governors to the edges of their domain or playing rebel whack-a-mole for the entire duration of their reign. Feudalism has helped to reestablish large nations in the rubble of the empires of the Late Classical Period, but the idea of an "Evolvi empire" has been fanciful in the geopolitical climate of the Evolvi for a long time.

The Greater Straits region is the ancestral home of the Evolvi, and has a long history as a center of civilization. Its geographical position and fertile land has made it the backbone of global trade, and it is one of the most densely populated regions of the world. While the region has remained majority Evolvi for most of its history, it has maintained a sizable minority of other species over time which is currently expanding as a result of mercantilism. Since in the Classical Period, the region has been a home of diverse thought and intersectional technology, with many of the world's technological revolutions growing out of the region.