Valware - 3. Race & Ethnicity

Pronunciation table

Latin	a	e	i	f	h	k	l	m	n	ń	o	r	s	t	u	v	w	y
IPA	/a/	/e/	/φ/	/h/	/i/	/k/	/l/	/m/	/n/	/ŋ/	/o/	/ɾ/	/s/	/t/	/u/	/β/	/w/	/j/

The People

• The Litorians call themselves nuńwu ań, which means simply "the people".

Anatomy and Physiology

• The Nuńwu are reptilian humanoids.
• The average height of the male Litorian is 1 m. (3.3'), with the females slightly shorter.
• In physical appearance, they look like human beings, with the following exceptions.

1. They are hairless.
2. The scleras are amber, the irises green. They can see into the infrared range. The eyes (ańi) have a tapetum.
3. They have no external ears. They have ear holes (fańa).
4. The smooth skin is green, darker in the males, lighter in the females. The skin of babies is dark blue and gradually becomes green as they grow older.
5. There is a slight sagittal crest (ofańe) to give greater strength to the temporal muscles.
6. There are three fingers (wewo) and a thumb (wuna) on the hand and four toes (fiwa) on the foot (ńasi).
7. The males' sex organs are internal.
8. There is no navel.
9. Although there are no breasts, the human-like chest contour is present because of the pectoral muscles.

• Dentition is the same as in Humans, except that the first premolars are canines: 2.2.1.3.
• They may engage in sex at any time, but the female is in estrus only in the fall. One child is born after a gestation of ten lunar months. The sex of the child is by chance as with Humans.
• The female's inability to produce eggs begins around the age of 40.
• The Nuńwu mate face-to-face and fertilization is internal. The females are ovoviviparous.
• The average life span of a Litorian is about 50 years.

Language, appearance, and ancestry

• There is only one language spoken by all the Nuńwu who live in the archipelago.

Occupations and Resources

• The Nuńwu are primarily fisher-gatherers.
• Wild fruits, nuts and grains are gathered in the fall. What fruit is not eaten fresh is dried for winter use. Fruit juice is fermented.
• They possess no domesticated animals.
• The men go on hunting expeditions from time to time and bring back meat from birds and reptiles.
• Another source of protein is the watercourses from which are obtained fish and crustaceans.
• In season, insects also are gathered and eaten.
• Wild honey (safu) is a source of sweetness.
• The Nuńwu possess a knowledge of the medicinal properties of plants and the women will forage for these as needed.
• Arts and crafts include the making of jewelry from stones and shells and of weapons and utensils from wood, stone and bone.
• The Nuńwu do not wear any type of clothing.

Valware - 4. Family