Zhuni (Race)

A specific race of the Zhu species: Species info

Sketch Henry

The native people of Zhu Shang Qiao and majority of the mainland population are a race known as the Zhuni. Appearance wise they are very human, specifically appearing as humans from the region of East Asia. That appearance extends to the common aesthetic of many buildings and the majority of their clothing, resulting in the superficial feel of being in ancient china to travelers from Earth. The most major difference between humans and Zhuni is of course that that as Zhu, Zhuni have a different form of chi and extra senses built solely around energy. In general Zhuni are also physical greater than humans in every aspect, although with significant training a human could bridge the gap on most. They as a whole tend to look pretty fit, with the partial energy being state of their existence pretty much making even the unhealthy Zhuni rarely look it unless the result of a powerful poison or illness. When it moments of high emotion or stress their eyes tend to glow whatever color their chi tends to manifest itself as, their aura subtly becoming visible around them as well. Appearance wise the sexual differences between men and women are the same as with humans, though it mostly ends there. Physically speaking there is no difference between Zhuni men and women in regards to strength, speed, or toughness,; though the women tend to be lighter and thus easier to knock backwards. In regards to the Dantian women have a much wider center and their chi reserves go deeper on average, with men having a narrow dantian that makes using chi easier but normally weaker.

Zhuni have a very stable birth rate and although spikes occur they mostly keep around the same population for extended periods of time, with the majority of people almost always being in their teens and 20s. The average life expectancy is around 50 although through magic and chi control one can live to be hundreds of years old, it simply takes too much to be a practical solution to most. For the same reasons the physical effects of aging rarely show on Zhu outside of their 20s, their bodies keeping a mostly consistent form no matter how old they get and only the energy itself beginning to wear down. Most couples have their first child between the ages of 15 and 17 and another one shortly after; the Zhuni having a pregnancy (specifics on that will come later. It isn't like a human's) of only 4 months makes many births end up closer together then on Earth. The family duties are pretty evenly split although with the fathers normally having a much larger role than the mother while the first child is a toddler as she will be in the military and on active duty in most cases. A mostly matriarchal society (this extends to the most other Zhu races also), the Zhuni mothers are head of the household and tend to be who makes all the major decisions involving a family or clan.

Culturally they are a society that admires strength and martial prowess above most things, resulting in the highest levels of fame being that of great warriors and martial artists. To keep that focus all women are forced to undergo military training and brief service upon graduation from school, with men being able to choose if they want to. They are deeply entrenched in tradition and it shows in their extreme respect for their environment, animals, and the importance of family. They are bound by the concept of honor to such a degree that if known for having been dishonored you are treated as subhuman by many and stripped of your job in most cases. Entire books and branches of government exists to help define what things are dishonorable and honorable as well as to what degree since it is such an important part of life within the nation.

Hwang Ce Bio

Art by Henry

Hwang Ce is considered a living legend among not just his planet but any planet that knows about life beyond their own.  His raw power and dedication to knowledge is the cause of both great respect as well as great fear among civilizations, with just as many developing measures to fight him as those who wish to work with him. Initially an unremarkable scholar known more for fringe theories than anything else, the once low class Zhuni disappeared one day along with a young girl both returning over a decade later almost like different people.  He was much wiser than before and carried a powerful presence more befitting a noble than the commoner he was.  Most notably however was his new found power, his magic had grown immensely and he showed the School of Magi a strange substance, a creature that looked as if it was made of shadow but had an energy composition unlike anything anyone had ever seen.  The creature had bonded with his spirit and become a part of him, him claiming he was tapping into the power of existence itself through it.  Through his new power he was able to shed new light on the Universe as well as what the Zhu people refer to as the system.  With new found influence he began to travel the universe growing stronger and learning more, eventually the School of Magi retooling their entire methods of teaching and knowledge based on what he brought back, the ideas spreading across the universe as he brought new technology and mystic techniques across various planets and societies.  For 200 years he ushered in an era of progress across interstellar space, though recently his attention has drifted elsewhere.  Frequent meetings with the Seer Hirara indicate that something serious is going on, yet neither is speaking publicly about it. All people know is if Hwang Ce can't handle what is coming, then even the gods will wish to hide from the future.