Akua

The drowned races of Galbar...

## Summary

The Akua, so-called the Drowned in mortal tongues, are the collective race of mortal species altered by Klaarungraxus for aquatic life. Though initially created from Night Elves, any mortal has the capacity to become Akua. As such, there are numerous Akuan species that live in co-mingled societies as one, indistinguishable people. All Akua speak a dialect of Deepspeak that does not carry any command over the waters they call home, though have the capability to learn as any other mortal race.

## Biology and Anatomy

Though no two Akua are exactly alike, there are a number of qualities common across the vast majority of individuals. All Akua enjoy hybrid lungs capable of breathing gaseous air as well as filtering oxygen directly from water, like gills. In humanoid Akua, born from those races with humanoid body plans, all four limbs are still present. Webbing, to assist with swimming, forms between digits as well as increased musculature due to lower strain on skeletal structure from an aquatic lifestyle. Akua primarily reproduce sexually, either keeping eggs internally or baring true live young. All Akua, regardless of racial progeny, are capable of reproduction with all other forms of Akua. As such, with time the Akua race will become increasingly more internally diverse with racial-progenitor qualities being eventually absorbed across the population as numerous, common phenotypes. Fin-like fronds often replace less hydrodynamic hair and fin-like protuberances frequently grow all across the body. Skin and scale color varies intensely, mirroring tropical fish in the range of colors that can be identified.

## Clades

Clades, sometimes classified as subspecies by non-Akua, are the broad racial progenitor groups that went through the process of "drowning" to become Akua. The process, either through direct Divine intervention or through other means (such as alterations by Ku, the Epicenter of Deepspeak) varies and can create highly distinct organisms or ones that more closely resemble their progenitor race. Conflict along clade lines has rarely occurred and is not a major source of population stress among Akua.

### Night Elves

As the first Akuan Clade, the night elven phenotype is the most common among Akua even long after the Primordial Age. They are superficially similar to the night elves of the surface in terms of similar skin colors, body structure, and eye color. All instances of hair commonly found on night elves are instead replaced by fin-like fronds and similar structures, producing similar silhouettes in terms of overall appearance.

### Humans

The humans of the second Akuan Clade were gathered to the sea not by request but by random happenstance. During the panic of Klaarungraxus, a number of coastal human communities were altered as an attempt to alleviate the manic energies building in the Ocean God. Akua showing human phenotypes tend towards more monochrome coloration than other clades but are prone to considerable differences in skin hue within that spectrum. As with night elves, they are similarly blessed with fin-like fronds and other structures in the replacement of hair, and males are known to grow beard-like structures as well.

### Goblins

Goblins of the Whakarongo lineage make up the third Akuan Clade and were altered by Klaarungraxus much in the same was as the first human Akua were; by sheer (un)luck. Dragged from the shores of Whakarongo, these pragmatic and social goblins were determined to be the ideal candidates for drowning. Goblins are blessed with (or suffer from) the most considerable physical changes among Akuan clades. They are notably more fish-like than their terrestrial goblin cousins, with facial structure altered and typically long ears replaced with fin like structures. Hands and feet are webbed and shoulders are often considerably larger than in normal goblins, producing highly developed forearm swimmers. Frond-structures are uncommon on goblin-phenotype Akua but can develop, particular with interbreeding.

## History

The Akua race was first born from the Night Elves of the southern islands in response to prayers given to save a lost tribe from the rages of the sun. In an attempt to solve their issues, one of the many-minds of Klaarungraxus created the solution of directly altering the forms of the Night Elves in question. By then further submerging them away from the sun, in an environment where its rays were less harmful, the ever present danger of Oraelia's creation would be largely muted.

Upon the completion of this act, the abducted Elven Akua found themselves deep within the embrace of Vo. Their memories, though mostly taken from them, told them of how they were saved. New names were provided for them in the dialect of Vonu created for their humanoid vocal organs and an in-born understanding of the language was gifted to them to further allow their race to flourish. With this knowledge of Klaarungraxus as their savior and the gifts provided, the newly minted Akuan race sets forth to colonize their new surroundings.

## Society and Culture

### Culture

Though primitive during the Primordial Age, Akua put great cultural emphasis on family ties (both through birth and adoption). As such, names were considered highly important, most notably for being gifted to the first Akua by their savior-God. Akuan names follow a simple structure; Given Name, Patro/Matronym, Honorific. As an example, Tane Tama’Mawar o’te’Tua-Kahau. Tane, the given name of the individual, Tama' indicating offspring of Mawar, and o'te' indicating honorific title Tua-Kahau, the First Drowned.

### Society

As of the Primordial Age, Akua resided in tribal structures led by chiefs, elder councils, or similar figures of influence. Primarily focused on survival, little of societal note was formed during this period.

### Language

Akua universally speak a dialect of Vonu, collectively referred to as Vonu'Ano or Vo'Ano. Though lacking the same capacity to affect the natural world, Vo'Ano is roughly intelligible by speakers of Vonu and vice-versa.

### Religion

The Akua worship a number of deities, often brought into their growing pantheon by new groups being brought into the race. At the time of their initial creation, Akua worshipped Klaarungraxus and Gibbou, Goddess of the Moon.