Mathan

The Mathan are a species of highly intelligent bipedal bear, created by the God Viribus, one of the conjoined triplets who make up the God Tribien. They appeared on Azgaar in the region of Comhalla during the Age of Nature.

They are a sedentary and somewhat insular species, preferring the company of their own kin. Mathanians consider themselves as protective; most adults choose to become warriors or hunters. Of the three sentient Hallan species, Mathanians are the only who lack magical abilities. There is no recorded exception to their inability to learn spellcasting.

## Physiology

The Mathan has an average height of 9 ft 2 in for males, and 8 ft for females when standing up straight. An estimated average weight of males is 217kg, and females is 152kg. The Mathan have a hump at the top of their shoulder, which is made entirely of muscle, this feature having developed presumably for imparting more force in digging, which is habitual during foraging and also used heavily in den construction during breeding season.

Adults have massive, heavily built conclave skulls, which are in large proportion to their body. The forehead is high and rises steeply. Skull projections are more weakly developed in females than in males. Mathanians have very strong teeth: the incisors are relatively big and the canine teeth are large- the lower ones being strongly curved. The teeth reflect their dietary plasticity.

Mathanians have very large and curved claws. Those present on the hands being longer than those on the legs. They have opposable thumbs, which has aided their evolution into a sentient species. The paws on a Mathan are quite large. The feet have been found to typically measure 21 to 26cm, while the hands tend to measure about 40% less in length.

Mathan have long, thick fur, with a moderately long mane at the back of the neck. Their colours vary largely, from a dark brown to a muddy red to almost white. Very few display bicolouration, but if it appears, variation in colour can be visible across the neck, chest, muzzle and shoulders. In winter, their pelts thicken to prect them from the weather, and in summer, their fur is much shorter and sparser.

## Behaviour

The Mathan are an largely protective species, looking after their kin before all else; though, who they regard as their kin is not so easily defined, and they are frequently known to accept other species as their kin.

Females come into heat only once a year, for a brief time in winter. Their gestation period lasts around 6 months, meaning that all young produced by the Mathan are born in summer with their eyes open and with a full pelt of fur. A baby born in winter time has never been recorded. They cannot produce young by mating with any other species.

Communities are headed by a male Mathan or multiple male Mathans, whom are closely bonded, known as the Chomanndair.

## Culture

### Family Ties

The Mathan do not have a concept of family units: they do not marry, choose partners, and often do not know whom they are related to. Raising young is considered a community responsibility and an adult female is able to produce milk for any young in the community. The father's role ends at the conception of the child, and the mother's ends at the birth. The child is then given to the communities governesses to raise until they are old enough to recieve education and training for a profession. To a Mathan, their family consists of his or her peers, and they are highly protective of their community.

Mathanians usually do not associate mating with love, but more of a duty to their community. They do have the capacity to love, having friends and forming emotional bonds with one another. However, sexual intercourse is not a way they express it to each other. If a child is produced through mating for love, the parents are still expected to hand the child over to the governesses.

### Religion

The Mathan religion is a complex system of tritheistic beliefs and rituals that form an integral part of their culture.

They follow the doctrine of the God Tribien. Although they hold belief in the God Stallis and Goddess Fentire, they primarily adhere to the conviction of Viribus, God of Tenacity.

### Education

For the first 10 summers of a Mathan's life, they are taught by their governess a range of subjects, including hunting, crafting weapons and tools, farming and fighting. Once the young has reached their 10th summer, their governess assigns them to a professions which they were most proficient at. For the next 4 summers, the young shadows an expert in their designated professions. The young are then expected to begin working for the community once they have lived through 14 summers.

### Professions

Due to their stocky build, Mathanian males tend to train as warriors and hunters. Though some do have an affinity for bows and arrows or daggers, and follow the rouge specialisation, they are not very proficient at sneaking. Female Mathan can also specialise in all areas possible for males, but can choose to become a governess if they so wish. Males cannot become governesses.

When a Chomanndair is appointed, they choose a second, who is to assume responsibility of the community when they die.

## Relationship with other species

The breeding, maintenance, and slaughter of livestock, known as animal husbandry, is a component of agriculture that the Mathan employ after they transitioned to farming from the hunter-gatherer lifestyle. They herd Ruadh and Torc, while keeping Graineag and Babbits mostly as pets. The Passion Babbits are used commonly for entertainment purposes, as they are an aphrodisiac, the consumption of which has caused a massive decline in their population, leading them to become an endangered species.

Aside from the other two Hallan species, the Feidh and Mellta, the Mathan have never encountered any sentient species inhabiting the planet. They consider the Feidh and Mellta their kin, due to their religious beliefs.