Ri'uvek

The Ri’uvek are a humanoid, sapient species adapted to subterranean living.  The most noteworthy civilization of this species developed in the caves of the tropical rainforest on Continent #6.

They were created by zajakin.

## Biology

The Ri’uvek have a similar anatomy to that of humans, but due to lack of pigmentation, have pale skin, white hair, and blue eyes.  They are of a short stature (averaging around 1.5m) and have thin, elongated limbs.  They weigh, on average, around 60 kg.  The Ri’uvek are sexually dimorphic, and have an average lifespan of around 70 years.

Ri’uvek are troglophiles that live between the cave twilight zone and the transition zone. Their eyes have vertical pupils and *tapeta lucidum* for enhanced night vision. To help overcome their lack of sight in the deeper areas of the cave, the Ri'uvek compensate with an increased sense of smell and hearing. Additionally, they are covered in thin hairs (*vibrissae*) which allow them to feel vibrations in the air, alerting them to any movement or objects around them.

The Ri’uvek engage in free-running sleep, i.e. sleeping and waking via their own internal circadian rhythms rather than depending on the *zeitgeber* of light.  As such, they are often technically cathemeral, with active periods occurring sporadically throughout the day and night.

Ri’uvek have adapted to the low-oxygen environment via molecular changes to the hemoglobin protein; but young children, the sickly, and the elderly are often situated near the twilight zone of the cave where oxygen is more prevalent.

## Physiology

### Behaviour

Due to cave acoustics and the Ri’uvek’s hypersensitivity to sound, they rarely speak. Instead, they communicate via touch with a system of tactile taps, strokes, and pats, with subtle vocalizations and lingual/bilabial clicks used for emphasis. As such, communication is usually one on one. This leads to many second-hand accounts as news is passed down the grapevine, as it were. It is therefore seen as a cultural imperative to pass on information. The Ri'uvek's excellent memory helps lessen the risk of distortion to the facts as they are passed on from individual to individual.

Leaders and storytellers often grant an audience in larger caverns where they speak aloud to the gathered community.

Ri’uvek are generally very cooperative and amenable with one another, as they live in close proximity and often share resources with one another. Special attention is given towards the young, sick, and elderly; but many able-bodied adults will gladly work together towards a common goal.

### Diet and Feeding Patterns

The Ri’uvek are omnivorous.  They have a slow metabolism and retain a decent layer of adipose tissue as energy reserves due to the scarcity of food.  Their diet includes the cave-fish and other stygofauna that live in groundwater/subterranean lakes. In addition to this, they will occasionally travel outside of their cave homes to hunt/forage for more food. When they do go to the surface, they do so at night to protect themselves from the sun’s harsh rays. Ri'uvek will often hunt/forage for large amounts of food and share their excess with others in their community -- sometimes for trade, sometimes in charity, depending on the situation and relationship between those involved.

### Social and Territoriality

The Ri’uvek live in a fairly communal society.  Within a single cave network, individual families or other small groups may choose to inhabit a single room together.  Otherwise, larger groups sleep and/or spend their time intermingled with others in the larger caverns. Many of these large, communal caverns are used as gathering places for trade and socialization.

While each cave network comprises a single community, the relationship between cave networks is often an amiable one.  While most individuals chose to live within a single cave network throughout their lifetime, some choose to relocate to other cave networks.

### Mating and Reproduction

The Ri’uvek are sexually dimorphic, with the reproductive process analogous to that of humans.  Ri’uvek generally have one child per pregnancy, with multiple births (i.e., twins, triplets, etc.) being incredibly rare.

Ri’uvek are monogamous, but do not have a formally recognized institution for marriage.  A couple will simply choose to become mates, a bond that often lasts for life.  The resulting child of a male and female coupling is raised by the parents until reaching maturity (between ages 13-15 for females and 14-16 for males).  However, other adults often help care for the children in their community, especially those of blood relation and close friends.

### Intelligence

Ri’uvek have an intelligence level comparable to humans.  However, their more primitive lifestyle and their laconic nature lead many to think them simple-minded.  The Ri’uvek do not have complex writing system, rather, a simple set of carved runes which can be read via touch.  As such, the Ri’uvek have a strong sense of memory and rely on oral tradition to pass down information.  Their intelligence is primarily displayed through their strong recall ability and exceptional problem-solving skills.

## Culture

One noteworthy civilization of the Ri’uvek was an alliance of three cave networks (Rakezu, Devri’en, and Lohgu) in the mountains of Continent #6 known as the Rakezu Nav.

## History

The Ri’uvek share an common ancestor with Humans and Bawa. The Ri’uvek’s forebears found shelter in caves, slowly making their way further underground into the labyrinthine cave networks.