Carapacians

## Overview

The insectoid race of ant-like people spanning most arid areas across the planet, usually from arid badlands along the equator or other dry and hot locations. They built large underground cities in places like Death Valley in North America, the Gobi desert in Asia, and under the African Savannahs.

Their species is fantastic at teamwork and absolutely thrive in large households, they have an innate psychology of selflessness and community. Rarely ever having any forms of leaders they can be thought of as an almost "hive-mind".

## Physical Attributes

They are mostly small in stature ( tend to be around 4.5ft - 5ft ) but despite their small size they're still very strong. Internally they possess no bones but have a strong exoskeleton which is essential in their strength. They can usually lift up to 5 times their own body weight, which is impressive considering their dense chitin. This aids them in lifting large rocks and carrying heavy loads, they're born strong but can't train to get any physically stronger than what their exoskeleton can allow once they meet maturity.

They have large compound eyes which are prime for detecting light and having a large field of view, which aids them greatly when tunneling underground without light or when in their mines. Their alternative in the dark is their antennae, which are long enough for them to feel their surroundings in tight, dark areas.

On their hands and feet they possess hooked claws, which allow for them to easily grapple onto rock and dirt. This allows them to easily traverse underground without the need for scaffolding or ladders. They also possess large mandibles for best for grinding food but also has historically been used for inflicting deep wounds. Their mandibles are plenty strong enough to crack the exoskeleton of their own kind.

The carapacians reproduce by mating similar to most other species, but give birth via laying eggs. These eggs are soft and sticky, they clump together and are stored in mounted egg pods, which offer more structural support. The eggs eventually hatch out small larvae that eventually grow into infantile carapacians, they have a thin exoskeleton which slowly hardens overt time, allowing them to develop their muscles.

They have a diet best attuned towards fungi and meats, their communities mostly thrive off of various mushrooms and molds that they would nurture and fertilize. With modern trade, they produce large amounts of delectable mushrooms or medicinal types as well.

## Mystical Attributes

Most don't practice any forms of magic, but the ones that do are mostly focus on geomancy to be able to mine ores easily. Some also use forms of luximancy to illuminate dark caves as opposed to simply feeling around with their antennae, Most lighting within their settlements is usually bioluminescence from mushrooms specifically bred to glow brightly though.

They rely on physical practicality and their own teamwork in their daily life and work, rather than focusing on the mystical.

## Cultures and Races

### Sand Scribes

The short but hard working people of the arid parts of North America, living deep in modern cities built within the confines of valleys and badlands. They are pioneers of fungal agriculture, growing a multitude of various fungi and even growing mushrooms into their very homes sometimes. They light their cities with glowing mushrooms across every corridor, they have mushrooms magically bred to produce a charge which they use to power electronics as well. Their society relies on mushrooms more than any other race of Carapacians, they are the largest producers of mushrooms as well. Including the smuggling of hallucinogenic mushrooms, which is highly illegal.

They have unique funeral rituals where they burn the dead to loosen the chitin, which also strengthen its. The rest of the dead's body turns into ash, but the remaining carapace is fitted into ornaments or sometimes suits of complex armor and gifted to the family of the deceased.

The Sand Scribes fought alongside the Leales to the south after being trade partners for centuries, they helped them reclaim their capitol.

### The Elytra

The winged people of the Gobi Desert in Asia, they build almost all of their civilizations within tall mesas and plateaus to keep out intruders without the need of any forms of secure doors. The geological formations they live in are mostly hollowed out and supported by internal pillars, but underneath the formations is sprawling underground tunnels which can connect multiple allowing for sprawling underground cities with large secure entrances.

### Martials

The strict and orderly people of the African Savannahs, they live in deep underground towns connected by long tunnels with magical express ways allowing to transport of goods. The race act more as a single mass than individual people, they simply dont leave their colony. They have no individuality, living as one force; doing what's best for the colony as a whole. They tend to have no emotions outside of what would best effect their colony, this leads to one goal for them- to survive. This works well for them in modern times, due to the lack of raiders and they even trade with outside species for goods.

They live happily just existing and maintaining themselves, despite the lack of danger they're still very fortified and ready to defend themselves at all times. They're one of the few peoples of Earth who haven't had any significant changes in their culture throughout all of history. The livelihood of these people are almost like a modern time capsule, but sadly they have no tradition or recorded history due to it being viewed as not important to their survival.