MJILIKAE
singular: MJILIKAE plural: MJILIKAE
pronounced like "je-LIE-kay"
SPECIES TYPE: alien, mammal-like, shapeshifter
LIFESPAN: near-human (~80-100 years)
REGION OF ORIGIN: aerthis, vyldes
THE SPECIES
Were-creatures that developed in the swamps of Aerthis. Rumors of hiveminds may or may not be founded in truth.
APPEARANCE
Mjilikae in beast form are bulky, heavily-furred creatures with a long snout, thick paws with opposable thumbs, and a large, bushy tail. Their ears are incredibly long, often standing upright and perky when at rest, and have a high degree of rotation. Tucked away inside their mouth is a proboscis-like tongue, several feet in length when fully extended.
Their fur is hydrophobic, and along with their bulk, is intended to aid them in powering their way through thick muck. Their snouts and tongues can root around in small crevices if needed, and their paws, while thick, are fairly dexterous even in beast form.
As one of the shapeshifter species of Nskanetis, as well as a genetic relative of the Arakantis, Mjilikae are capable of shifting from beast form to a more humanoid form, as well as half-step forms in between that retain traits of both. Much like the beast form, humanoid forms of Mjilikae are often bulky, muscular, or otherwise thickly-built.
In beast form, Mjilikae fur is typically greyscale or green - typically desaturated, not neon - and their skin is the same for the most part, though it can also take on neon greens and natural fleshtones shown in most earth mammals. In humanoid form, Mjilikae often have dark skin tones, though this is not an exclusive rule.
CULTURE
Mjilikae as a whole have had a rocky start that they've just started getting over, and can come off very brash as a result.
The species as a whole developed as a subspecies of Arakantis that fled after the Siege of Laugk Tj'is, and due to the proximity of the developing Mjilikae to the original attackers from the Siege, they were treated with suspicion. As a result, the developing culture and subspecies of Arakantis - now shunned by other neighboring Arakantis - closed itself off to others and developed on its own in the swamps of Aerthis.
The Mjilikae developed as a monarchy, and mainly kept to itself for the most part, though during the Phoenix Incident there were rumors that the reigning king, Tomavaan Enturci, had developed a method of enforcing a hivemind over the entire Mjilikae species. It has not been confirmed or denied whether this can be replicated or still exists in the Mjilikae species at all, though multiple reports from witnesses at the time of Tomavaan's death could confirm hive-like behavior.
Mjilikae have a much more relaxed social structure as of late, though occasionally major cities will lean towards a lax hierarchy, as it is what the citizens are used to. They are very open to other beings and cultures, but have a habit to come across as 'as harsh and coarse as the land they come from', dialectually more than anything.