Ceteri
From KneeQuickie
Contents |
Anatomy
Ceteri are approximately humanoid, most standing between 6 and 7 feet tall. They have thick, rubbery, hairless skin in various shades of pale grey, oversize black eyes, long limbs and tails about as long as their bodies. Their build is very slight, partly due to lack of a fat layer, and would look deceptively fragile if not for the fact they also display a wiry musculature.
Hands and Feet
Ceteri hands and feet are overlarge by human proportions. Both have long, flexible digits ending in sharp claws, four on each hand/foot, including an opposable thumb on both hands and feet. The feet are adapted for bipedal walking, balancing the weight on the ball of the foot and the toes, and climbing. The hands are better adapted to fine work, though the feet are only slightly clumsier. Both hands and feet have an extremely strong and tenacious grip, for climbing, hanging and brachiation.
Tail
The tail is a little like a lizard’s, thicker at the base with a definite taper. It is also partially prehensile (i.e. it can be used to hang from or as an aid to climbing, but cannot be used for fine work). Ceteri also use their tails to balance when running, and as an important part of body language.
Eyes
Ceteri eyes proportionally about twice the size of human eyes, and somewhere between almond and diamond shaped. They do not have eyelids as humans do, but a series of three membranes of varying thickness and opacity that can be used to “blink” and keep the eye moist, block out overly bight light, and protect the eyes.
Ceteri eyes sense a wider range of elements than human eyes - they can see not only light, but also heat. They pay much less attention to colour than humans, though this may be psycological and/or cultural rather than a physical inability to percieve it.
Mouth
Ceteri have needle-like, backwards facing teeth that get replaced throughout an individual’s life. Their tongues are tubular and extremely flexible. The tongue, rather than the teeth, is used to masticate smaller and softer items of food (in the back of the mouth, by crushing food between the tongue and the palate); other things are swallowed whole.
Gizzard
Ceteri possess a specailised stomach lined with bony plates to masticate hard or tough food.
Gender
Ceteri young are born “genderless”, fully capable of developing into either a male or a female at adolescence. This development seems to be linked to the number of adults of either gender in the vicinity; any significant imbalance will be addressed by the developing generation to restore a roughly 50/50 split of males and females. Something similar happens in situations where adult Ceteri are forced to spend an extended time in single sex groups – a few will spontaneously develop into the opposite gender.
Sex and Reproduction
Ceteri use sex and sexual contact as a much more general method of social and personal bonding than humans. While there are many variations between cultures, generally neither homosexual relationships nor relationships between adults and adolescents are considered taboo, though relationships between close relatives (siblings or parent and child) or between adults and children are. While Ceteri can and do form steady relationships, these are most often based on close friendship with little expectation of sexual constancy.
When population pressure is too high, females do not conceive readily, or at all.
Young
Ceteri give birth to live young. The young are born very small, but grow quickly to a “child” size, after which their growth slows slightly until another spurt at adolescence. Babies are fed by the mother passing food they have already masticated to their mouths with her tongue (though in some cultures this is not practised, or not often, and food is prepared in other ways), but they quickly progress to eating soft foods without assistance.
Habitat
Most Ceteri live in the forests that cover Menducia’s northern continent. They build settlements in the canopy, but keep most of their domesticated animals and plants at ground level. They also come down to the forest floor to hunt, fish, and patrol their territory, but otherwise prefer to be above ground level.
Diet
Ceteri are omnivorous, and while they can digest most things they mainly eat fruit and meat, supplemented by fish and insect grubs. As they are unable to tear or chew food with their teeth, they swallow all but small, soft foods (such as small fruit and grubs) whole. Due to the angle of the mouth and throat, this is much easier if the head is thrown back to swallow. As this is a vulnerable position (exposing the throat), Ceteri find a secure place to eat, generally up high, and do so alone. It’s probably for this reason that, while there are plenty of examples of communal eating of easy to swallow items in Ceteri cultures, they universally lack examples of true communal meals.
Activity Pattern
Ceteri are crepuscular, meaning they are active at twilight. They could be described as nocturnal, but most “siesta” through the darkest and coldest part of the night, and sleep during the day. Though this is their natural pattern, they can adapt to diurnal living if necessary, such as when in human lands for extended periods.
