Zos

The serpentine race of Eprea is that of the **Zos**. Known by the common Eprean as Tozra’s wrath.

## Zos

### Area(s)

Blackwater Marshes, Kuran Rainforest, Rahashi Desert, Dark Plains

## Settlements

**Halivaara** is a settlement within the **Rahashi Desert**, towards the edge where it meets with the **Dragonsong Woods**. The Zos within the settlement build their homes out of sandstone, with deep basements to retire into on hot days. Halivaara is considered the capital of the Zos, with it being the default place for Zos to travel to do trade.

**Kelneth** is a shared settlement between the Zos and **Pleot** within the **Blackwater Marshes**. The buildings within the settlement are built out of thick, hollowed out logs, with part of the homes being submerged into the water. It is common for the two races to use the submerged end of the home as the exit and entrance into their homes, with their primary way of traveling around the village being through the water.

**Leefside** is a settlement within the **Kuran Rainforest**, built towards the edge of the forest towards the coast. Most of the settlement is submerged deep under the water, with dam-like homes built on the top. Each home is covered with a thick covering of leaf litter and mosses. The Zos of Leefside dive deep into the waters, gathering the **seaweed** and thick **seagrass** that grows within them for **weaving**.

**Aysgarth** is a settlement within the **Dark Plains**, where the smaller species of Zos tend to go. They hide within the tall grasses, with their homes being built into trees with the doors hidden within the roots. The Zos of Aysgarth are very reclusive, typically only coming out to defend their homes or hunt.

## History

The Zos came to be around Ancient 1,985. The Celestial **Tozra**, who had been created from the hatred of Eprean’s during their civil war, sought out a way to bolster her armies. The **Celestial’s** eyes turned towards the snakes that slithered the lands, and she began to collect them and bring them back to her shrine.

Tozra forcefully experimented with her magic on the snakes, mutating them into more humanoid creatures with an unnatural strength to them and bending them to her will. The painful stress of the forced transition has caused the Zos to be naturally bitter and hostile towards other races, as well as their own race, with an extreme few retaining a calm spirit.

The first serpent to be turned was a serpent by the name of **Reyes**. They had turned their eyes towards Tozra, seeing the Goddess as a guide and a mentor in their newfound life. Tozra named Reyes as the first commander of the Zos army, giving them a heavy set of plate armor to allow Reyes to be at the frontlines as both a brave warrior and a leader.

The Great Plague and the Plagued War were set upon the **Alenos** by the ****Zos****, due to a misunderstanding between the two races. It was possible that malevolent Zos had staged the events leading up to the war, while the most neutral Zos were sent to the block as a result. Both sides had ended with heavy casualties and resulted in an unspoken hatred between the two races.

## Physical Appearance

Depending on the stage of mutation that the Zos is, their height can range anywhere from a foot (30.48 cm) to 20' (609.6 cm). Female sexed Zos are much larger than male Zos, however the males typically have longer tails than females. Zos living in areas richer with food resources tend to be much larger than others. Rarely, Zos can grow to extreme sizes through the blessing of **Tozra**, but at the cost of them dying at a much earlier age than their peers.

The Zos range from being Manna-like in appearance, with scales, clawed hands, and slit eyes, to having fully snake-like bodies with muscular arms. Highly colorful Zos are most sought after within their society, with unnatural hair colors and shimmering scales being considered a high beauty standard. Zos with oil slicked, iridescent, or holographic scales are believed to have come from royal descent. Zos with Albinism are believed to be able to see into the future.

The type of clothing a Zos wears depends on where they are from, but it is typically made up of colorful beads, a decorative loincloth, and a shawl.

### Life Span

The Zos lifespan typically lasts around 200 to 250 years, with their common age of death being around 200. They age at the same rate as the **Manna**.

## Culture

Being no strangers to war, it is common for the Zos to work with metals, creating unique style armors and weapons. After creating the weapons, they often enjoy testing them on other Zos villages, pillaging the resources and picking away the strongest fighters to bring into their own tribes. Many villages of other races do not see the Zos coming, with even the largest of them being extremely stealthy and able to camouflage into the landscape with ease. However, as Eprea ages and the races begin to work closer together, it isn’t as uncommon for Epreans to come across more friendly Zos.

Many Zos prefer to be underneath the cover of the night, due to it being cooler on their skin and allowing for them to be stealthier. Due to the Zos preferring to do their hunts and attacks underneath the cover of darkness, the Zos have taken on a nocturnal nature, with it being uncommon to see packs of them travelling during the day.

In the winter months, Zos have a hard time functioning as well as other **Zogardians** or **races**. They will typically find a tight space within their burrows, staying hidden for those months in comfort and warmth. Zos who do decide to venture out during the cold months can be seen donned in heavy coats and robes.

### Food

The Zos diet consists exclusively of meat, with their favorites being **rodents** and **birds**. Because of this, the Zos and **Ceardians** have a natural rivalry and hatred for each other. When hunting their prey, Zos prefer to work alone and take on an ambush style of attack.

Their hunts aren’t common, due to the fact that Zos only need to eat once every week or two, due to their slower digestive system.

### Trade

The **Halivaara** Zos often venture out from their settlement with caravans full of goods, delivering and trading a variety of goods all over the continent. They often pick up more supplies on their way to other settlements, or to **Chagos**, with their supply carts often being full of goods from all sorts of tribes and cultures.

### Worship

Due to the worship of **Tozra**, it is common for the Zos to take on names beginning with any letter within Tozra’s name, with no last names. The only time a Zos would be found with a name that did not fit their conventions would be if the Zos was of mixed heritage or had been raised outside of a traditional Zos settlement.

### Romance

Romance conventions for the Zos are strange and hard to figure out to the average Eprean. They do not typically mate for life, and tend to find a new mate every time a mating season comes around.

Zos women will decorate their bodies with piercings and jewelry to showcase their availability and interest in becoming a partner, while Zos men will be the ones to seek them out. If the male manages to impress the woman, the two will come together and form a family.

Zos do not get married, so it is common practice for Zos parents to only stick together for a few years before splitting off to find new partners. However, it is not unheard of for same-sex Zos to be together romantically for a long periods of time, or for a Zos to seek for those outside of their own race to be in devoted relationships with.

Zos can have children with **Manna**, other **Zogardian**, **Oril**, **Ceardian**, and **Vlennite**.

### Childcare

Zos parents raise their children together until they are able to take care of themselves, typically having around 5 to 10 children at a time. Most Zos will leave and split away from their partner once their children can fend for themselves, but in rare cases, Zos will keep their family close together.

### Death

Zos are typically regarded as the more hardened race when it comes to the topic of death. It’s rare to catch a Zos grieving, with many of them taking their deceased loved ones to a private area to set them aflame. The ashes are typically spread in their den, or condensed into a gemstone.

### Language

Zos means “Wrathful” in the Eprean language.