Nara

**Nara** is a general term used to refer to the legless but armed sentient serpentine species and bipedal reptilian species most commonly found in Naja but also elsewhere in Jokaimi albeit rarely due to the Nara being an endothermic race. Nara when used in the racial sense refers to both Neis and Neh which are separate species though they are genetically related. Originally Neh were not considered to be Neis as they were believed to be the result of Neis and human interbreeding but over time both situation and biological knowledge led to acceptance of Neh as being distantly related to Neis via a common ancestor which diverged into the two extant paths of serpentine and reptilian that form the basis of modern Neis and Neh respectively. The terms Neis and Neh are still used to refer to the specific groups but Nara is a new term developed to create an alliance between the species. Within the Neis family there was conflict between different species such as the *Sei* and the *Aja,* to some extent these species divides continue to exist though nowhere near as harshly as they did when the Neis were divided amongst tribal and species lines. In modern times the Nara live in numerous cities much larger than any human settlements.

## Physiology

### Physical Description

#### Neis

Most Neis range from 5 to 7 metres long as measured from the top of the head to the tip of the tail along the spine. The majority of a Neis' body is in the tail section with more than half of the entire body being tail. Some species are larger with a range of 7.5 to 10 metres being noted though even in larger species, a size of above 8 metres is a rarity. The primary differentiating factors between snakes and Neis is that Neis are sentient, capable of speech, show a level of intellect similar to humans and most apparently have arms with functioning hands capable of using tools and performing fine motions, though they only possess eight fingers total with three fingers and a thumb on each hand. There do exist legless, armless lizards with vestigial arms but none have arms capable of tool use, they lack the level of intellect of Neis, do not possess fine motor control and lack opposable thumbs. Though some species of Neis possess hoods or frills, this is exclusive to certain species who are all grouped under the old tribal term of Aja, in a similar case not all Neis are venomous but the main venomous species, the Sei, are grouped under one tribal name rather than all venomous species being considered separate groups. The lumping together of mostly similar species was done culturally to encourage cohesion amongst the developing concept of the Nara.

#### Neh

Neh are, despite their reptilian nature, not dissimilar from humans. Neh show the same level of sentience, awareness and higher mental functions as humans. Neh are unlike the Neis in that they are bipedal, Neh developed along a reptilian evolutionary line whereas Neis developed from a serpentine line with both coming from a common ancestor a few million years ago. As with the Neis there are different Neh species, though the divisions are not pronounced culturally nor are they that significant. The most obvious difference is the presence or absence of a tail, other than that the differences are negligible and interspecies breeding is completely possible. As with Neis, sexual dimorphism as seen in humans is non-existent though Neh seem more culturally human as the majority of Neh do follow the gender binarism of humans mainly by their choice of attire, this is not to imply that they lack non-binaristic genders however, they are simply not as large a part of their culture as with Neis.

### Senses

Due to the Neis having opsins in their cones only capable of reacting to blue and green light, their vision is dichromatic. Vision varies from species to species as some are diurnal and others nocturnal but all species are dichromatic. The quality of Nara vision is substantially worse compared to a human, this is due to their reliance on smell over sight, using their forked tongues to understand the world around them. Unlike humans, Nara possess a vomeronasal organ (Jacobson's organ) to process smells and as such can smell-taste their food to an extent, contrary to the commonly held misconception that they cannot.

### Sex

Sex as a classifier is quite useless for Nara as they lack the explicit sexual dimorphism of humans, with recognition of a male or female only possible via licking and tasting the air to identify sex pheremones. Neis do not therefore have a male/female distinction since licking every other individual would be time consuming and considered rude, there has also been a consistent emphasis on perfumes to arouse others in Nara beauty standards which further nullifies any sex based distinction due to either male or female pheremones being used for quite some time with the aim of presenting as such. All Neis tell their species by pheremones though appearance is enough (the pheremones are a redundant evolutionary trait) along with their sex, age and reproductive capability. Due to longer females producing more eggs, a long female is preferred as is one who is in fit reproductive condition. In years gone by the Neis would partake in mating balls but this tradition weakened from both human interference and influence as well as female Neis gaining more civil rights. Due to the cloaca, the hemipenes is invisible which makes sex identification of a Neis impossible for both Neis and non-Neis alike. All of this sexual ambiguity means that the Neis are more gender based but this extends beyond male/female and into the territory of what we consider non-binary genders. Through human imperialism this was demonised and discouraged but the Neis are slowly coming to undo the human sex-gender conflation and the gender binarism they enforced.

### Mating and its Rituals

During mating a male exposes his hemipenes and inserts one into the female (or male) while they entwine their tails, some couples embrace their arms but this is purely a choice and not a necessity, as is entwining tongues, tongue entwining being considered a very romantic rather than sexual act. Upon insertion the penis will release sperm to fertilise the eggs which will later be laid and hatch. In the case of non-reproductive same sex intercourse, the anus is used in place of the vagina or a phallic impliment is used.

## Culture

### Family

Neis parents breed and then abandon their clutch well before hatching, the father leaving immediately (or a while after) breeding. The mother then lays the eggs and follows suit. Once the clutch has hatched, the newborns spend some time together, learning from each other, the survival rate from this period has been climbing over centuries as medicine and the like have advanced, this period lasts approximately seven years before full maturation. Some Nara raise their young as humans do but this is still extremely rare, mainly due to how long and hard the Nara fought to show that they are different from humans, specifically their Chū-Kata imperial controllers but that this difference did not make them lesser in any way, their parenting method being viewed as barbaric and primitive was a long standing reason given to justify the Chū-Kata's 'civilising mission'. Medical intervention in the formative years is not seen as a necessity due to the size of Nara clutches being more than enough to sustain the population, in fact if the clutches have too high of a survival rate, overpopulation would once again be a major issue (it was for a time) so Nara are understandably somewhat hesitant to breed non-stop lest reproductive legislation be reinstated. Hospitals do in fact have areas for clutches to be laid, these are not very common as the lower and middle class Nara cannot afford it and the upper class Nara find the generational difference due to a whole new generation of Nara interacting within themselves rather than with larger Nara society to be an insult to the traditions they hold dear, as such these areas are rarely used and usually the first to be replaced by other facilities. It is not uncommon to find Nara clutches buried outside cities in the sand but it is a much rarer sight to find clutches within cities as they can be stolen or simply stepped (or slithered) on, despite abandoning their young, the Nara do still care on a larger level about the survival of their species hence this practice. In recent times, breeding areas have been built to keep clutches safe but these are really only used by ill mothers as there is a risk of infecting other clutches and her yield may not survive at all due to the predators still present outside Nara cities.

### Names

Due to the familial structure of the Nara, surnames tying one to parents is not even a possiblity, a surname does not even apply to each clutch due to no parent being present to pass it down a generation, even in small communities, nobody watches intently to see who hatches to name them all after their clutch. Nara are known on a first name basis, where their first name is chosen (though in their formative years they may gain a nickname from their clutch as they spend these years together, they may choose to use or ignore this nickname). A psuedosurname system does exist but it is purely optional, where they are more closely tied to our idea of titles than surnames. Nara 'surnames' were given based on specific actions performed but are now given based on appearance (if notable) or other attributes of the individual in question, such as their scale colour (really only if it is notable for some reason), occupation, species (extremely rare now due to diversity in cities) or interest, Musician is a perfectly valid Nara 'surname' for example. 'Surnames' are still given based on deeds performed but this tradition has weakened considerably as Nara culture has become less and less war centric. To know the name is to know the individual with the Nara, that is to say you are what you're called and just hearing a name can give some insight into the kind of, for want of a better term, person one is. On a beuraucratic level, individuals are assigned a number for legal processing and avoiding confusion between individuals with the same name. Citizen numbers are assigned based on factors such as date of birth, place of birth and species followed by a unique individual numeric string for differentiating between members of egg clutches.

### Cities

*Main article: Nara Settlements*

Due to the nature of Naja as an arid desert, the Nara have developed cities both large and small, with rural communities being somewhat rare due to a lack of agrarianism, this is because of both the carnivorous nature of the Nara but also due to the lack of farming land. As a result of being carnivorous, one would think Naja must be full of industrial slaughterhouses but this is to ignore the fact that Nara are capable of surviving on a handful of meals a year, only eating every few months, their water intake is also minimal both of these factors lower their needs considerably. Each Nara is no longer required to hunt their own food but traders are known to make very little in the food and water market, unless they are selling to humans or other more mamalian species. Some traders only bring in one or two large shipments of food and water a year and make back their money with their customers all eating and drinking in and around the same time, while others bring in little bits of both all throughout the year, it depends ultimately on the trader in question. Despite the high area Nara cities occupy, population density is quite high in certain areas, especially in poorer districts, that being said the Nara have adapted to this lifestyle with shared dwellings being nothing unusual to them. A benefit of spreading outwards is that skyscrapers are not all that common, though cities do quickly become mazes of streets and alleys with Nara from opposite sides of a city possibly never meeting each other. There is also the issue of urban sprawl which interferes with the Seṡ but the topic of whether or not Seṡ are sentient or deserving of land is heated and ongoing. Most Nara cities, such as the capital, become more and more populated by the edges as the income level drops and residential areas become the majority, with commercial and governmental areas being most concentrated in the centre. Due again to the lack of a human familial structure, cheap housing for adolescent (post-formative) Nara is extremely commonplace, as is shared accommodation between friends to lower rent payments even further.

### Ethics

This is a rather difficult topic to cover, just as it is with human societies. In general, the Nara as a result of their sitaution (biological, sociologial and historical among others) value individuality above all else, with friends being as important to them as parents are to a toddler, this is due to the Nara also acknowledging that living without aid is a daunting task and so helping others whether it be in one's occupation or even informally as a friend or acquaintence, is essential to the continued operation of both Naja and the Nara as a race. Not all are cooperative, as is to be expected, Nara culture is just as complicated as human culture but the vast majority of Nara work together and respect boundaries, with racial and other divides being set aside (by most) though some are still sceptical of Chū-Kata, extending this suspicion to all humans as they do not see any difference between human races, again this is a minority as most do attempt to understand the eccentricities and complexities of the human situation.

### Clothing

*Main article: Nara Fashion*

Due to having no legs, Neis wear skirt and dress like garments to accommodate their tail though there are variations such as for Aja where the back opens wider than usual to accommodate the hood along with various coverings for their frill. Fashion has changed over time as it does for all species, one trend that appears numerous times is droopy sleeves and tassels along the bottom of the sleeve. Some Neis have fabric or chain that connects to the back of their torso garment, their elbow region or neck among other areas. Some nobility through history would intentionally prevent themselves from moving to denote their status in not needing to bring themselves to where they need to be but in modern times Neis leave their lower body exposed to allow for locomotion just as soldiers have always been required to. Another popular garment is similar to a corset or bustier but these are usually not worn for extended periods of time due to preventing direct contact with sunlight on skin depending on the materials used.

### Cuisine

Nara cuisine heavily emphasises armoas and smells over taste. Due to their carnivorous nature, Nara often use juices from plants and very limited quantities of ground leaves since anything more would risk becoming poisoned. Sauces and other additions to meals lean towards other animal products to produce smells such as the use of entrails, blood, rubbings from adrenal glands and other elements that would be present if the creature were to have been hunted by the consumer. For higher class meals, the animal may be skinned or otherwise prepared to ease the digestion process whereas lower class meals retain skin, fur and other difficult to digest components. Unlike humans, Nara swallow their food whole. Humans, especially Chū-Kata, viewed Nara eating habits as barbaric and savage though this prejudice has subsided over time, especially with the end of the Chū-Kata control of Naja.

### Ideal Partners

Neis express gender through clothing and mannerisms but this does vary from species to species, as an example it is considered very respectful (though also very traditional) for an Aja female to cover her hood but for a male Sei, longer venom teeth denote danger which is an appealing feature. Colouring one's scales is a Neis practise beyond species boundaries with it serving many roles throughout history from military to pure fashion, even in attractiveness with some Neis loving unnatural scale colour and others preferring darker or lighter scales along with countless other combinations and variants. In terms of beauty standards, Nara are primarily attracted on an olfactory basis, detecting pheremones that denote fertility. Perfumes are common and have been used for centuries to make indiviuals more appealing, they have also been used to aid in presenting male or female. Some perfumes intentionally play down sexual availability whilst others heighten it depending on the desired effect, this has led to perfume production being an important part of Naja's economy.

#### Net or Itla

Net and Itla are two different names for the sculptures of Inés' infinite heads that are spread across Naja. The Net or Itla (called Itla from here on)are used to place bodies into. Originally the bodies were left to slowly decompose naturally, other variants used a fire to speed up the process similar to cremation. The modern approach is to use acid which dissolves the bodies quickly, especially helpful considering the large population of Naja, the acid is viewed as being the venom of Inés and therefore is not seen as sacreligious. Before a body is given to Inés, the friends and those the departed cared for and about are allowed to take momentos to remember the deceased if they wish, these include small possessions, perhaps scales or a tooth and so on. Another method is to have a long tunnel go down as a throat of sorts which allows for more bodies to be put in, these bodies then naturally decompose into deep layers in the sand though acid is sometimes used to speed up the process if the throat is getting full. The issue of acid being used is an environmental one and is debated. Under Chū-Kata rule this centuries old practice was prohibited, deemed barbaric, outlawed, punished by torture and the Itla were destroyed, even the lrgest and most sacred central Itla in modern day Ái which is geographically in the centre of old Naja territory and where the old pre Chū-Kata capital was, was destroyed. With this sacred practice thought to be gone forever, it somehow prevailed through the use of hidden Itla. Due to the hidden Itla becoming more common out of necessity, the practice shifted somewhat and now there are two variations, Itla above ground in the sun where the sun god is said to bear witness as proof (known as sár) and Itla in underground temples where the dark is said to attract Inés more (known as ţith). Despite arguments between these two groups, there has been no armed conflict over such religious divides.

#### Death and Rebirth

The Nara share in their belief of Inés the Death Serpent. Itla are used to represent her infinite heads where she consumes the dead for them to be reborn as eggs around Naja. This view of all being related through death and rebirth is thought to be one of the main reasons why Nara are unusually friendly on a larger societal level (from a human perspective). The eggs of soon to be hatchlings are laid in specific areas called Net or Iner where they hatch amongst themselves, finding their place in Nara society as they grow. The god of death who upon the end of a life, swallows the corpse through one of his infinite heads when it is put into the mouth by way of a stone sculpture of his head, these heads are spread across Naja and have acid in them that dissolves the body. These bodies then undevelop and are laid in eggs by mothers across Naja. Inés is not so much a god of death as she is a god of death and rebirth, this view on death and how every individual is connected is believed to be part of why the Nara have such a strong sense of connection between each other on a larger societal level.

## Language

*Main article: Isetali*

Isetali is the primary language of communication between Neis and Neh alike. The most prominent feature of Isetali is its lack of round vowels, this is due to the limitations of Neis and Neh facial structure which lack lips with which to form these round vowels, as such Neis and Neh are unable to speak any other language without a severe accent. Isetali itself is an isolate with an analytical morphological typology and nominative accusative morphosyntactic alignment.

## Misconceptions and Jokes

### Misconceptions

Some believe that Nara are bad parents as they abandon their young before they hatch. The reason was originally biological as Nara needed to move on to survive and their young hatched ready to learn how to survive themselves but now it is cultural as to treat one's offspring as a human does is considered overbearing and is said to cause a lack of individuality in the children.

Neis are believed to be promiscuous due to mating balls but this is an old practise that is almost completely gone and had no element of promiscuity to it, this misconception is dangerous as it was commonly spread to justify Chū-Kata rule which remains a sore point for the Nara. The origin of this misconception's proliferation is usually attributed to the ethnographic film *Fuila na Bhirá* (Life in the Sand) by the Dírma filmmaker Prád Ó Lúig where Ó Lúig made Nara stage certain practices that were outdated during the film's creation. The film gained a popular following in Chū-Mèe, especially amongst conservatives and more apparently non-human hate groups. This misconception is not as politically charged now but it is still pervasive.

Chū-Kata neoimperialists still retain the belief that the Nara are evil entities whose existence is a blight on Jokaimi and an insult to their gods. This belief was devised, supported and perpetuated by Chū-Kata religious figures and institutions to justify Chū-Kata rule in Naja and the belief of human superiority over non-human races.

### Jokes

1: Nara are often said to be always happy as they lack lips, this gives the appearance of them always smiling.

2: How many Nara does it take to fill a room? Two, a mother and a father! (This joke stems from the large clutch sizes of Nara).

3: How many Neis can you fit in a palace? Half a tail! (This joke refers to the length of Neis tails and is often considered a variation of the previous joke)

4: A human and a Neis are in a restaurant, the waiter asks the Neis 'are you ready to order food?' and the Neis says 'no thanks I ate before I hatched'! (this refers to the extened periods of time Nara can go without food)