Shal

The **Shal** are a porcine race of mammalians native to the planet Eezlub. This pernicious race, despite already having developed space travel, attempt to live "in league with the land". Adorning themselves with bones and planets, Shal tribes forgo all technology, often losing contact with society, creating many "lost" Shal tribes.

## Biology and appearance

The **Shal** are a porcine race of mammalians native to the planet Eezlub. Shal overall have a bombid body structure with two legs, two arms, a torso with a head and a tail. The torso is in a natural leaning forward position, giving Shal a permanent hunched over appearance. The tail is an extension of the spine and is roughly half of the body's length. At the end of the tail, there is three clawed digits that are capable of moving, allowing the Shal to use their tail as a "third arm". Shal are typically 1.2 meters in height and weigh 25 kilograms.

The Shal's head has a pronounced snout. The snout has a round nose with two large nostrils. Lower down, the jaw has two tusks that stick out at either side. These tusks are adept at digging in dirt or carving up trees. Shal have two outwards bulging eyes that can be various colors. All of these traits are typically hidden underneath the Shal's bone masks, which cover the whole head. Coming outwards from the head is a series of up to five back bone bumps, with serve a purely decorative nature.

Each of the Shal's stout arms has a hand with three clawed fingers. Shal have hooved feet with four claws. Shal have yellow skin with lime green patterning along the stomach and tail. There is also a tan-colored coat of fur along the back. The skin has a rough texture with many warts and bumps.

Shal reproduce frequently, giving birth to live young in groups of six. Typically, the first runts to emerge eat the smaller runts. The runts are fully mature by the age of 20. Like most mammalian species, female Shal possess six enlarged mammary glands and smaller tusks. Males have larger tusks and thicker hair along the back. Shal can live up to 75 years of age.

## Society and culture

Despite having already developed advanced technology long ago, most Shal attempt to live "in league with the land". This leads to various groups of Shal to take pilgrimages to uninhabited worlds to set up a tribal society. Commonly, Shal tribes live as primitively as possible, building simple huts and adorning themselves with bones and plants.

Due to being spread across the galaxy, the Shal populations of many planets have developed their own subcultures that vary wildly. Some retain the customs of their homeworld, others become completely isolated overtime, becoming "lost" tribes with their own culture.

Outside of the tribal colonies, Shal have a greedy nature, with a culture much like the Dallbash in which material gain is prized. Eezlub itself is an urbanized world, and a hub for entertainment venues around the galaxy.

The original language of the Shal is Tatchian, which has sprouted into many more languages across the many Shal colonies.

## History

The Shal originally evolved from a porcine species of herbivores on the planet Eezlub. They had developed space travel by 0 YBO, quickly joining the OGC and migrating to Osayr. This early access to Osayr allowed the Shal to spread across the galaxy.

Around 20 YAO, a group of Shal called the Collectists, who protested the ecological devastation on Eezlub and across the governments, staged a religious revolution across Shal culture. Over the course of two decades, Shal culture began to rapidly turn towards their ecologist nature. Following the Collectist takeover, with the conversion of 80% of the Shal population, the Shal began their practice of tribal living, with hundreds of colony ships traveling to remote uninhabited worlds.

Even now, Shal colonies are still sent out, with a particular recent focus towards Dead Space. The remainder of the Shal are still members of the OGC, with a Rector and several Parsons throughout galactic history.

## Shal in the galaxy

Despite the majority of their population journeying out on pilgrimages, the Shal remain a common species throughout the galaxy. Most Shal remain clustered in and around Eezlub, helping to ratify it's sleazy reputation. Hundreds of Shal tribes remain scattered across the galaxy, with more still being sent out. Many of these colonies have completely forgotten their origins over time, creating new cultures.

Shal are versatile, capable of being found in a variety of jobs. Most non-tribal Shal work in the entertainment industry. Elsewhere, the Shal tribes are completely isolated, with it's clansmen taking roles as farmers or hunters.