Fels (Species)

Description & Overview
Fels in International (Calou or Calu in modern Faunijan, Vwars in Drakana, Boryen in Rossa-Glavoik) are a sapient species of bipedal relic avialans originating from the tropical continent of Faunija. Their diverse civilizatons are present on at least three of Felvin's six continents. Along with their advanced tool-making behaviors and language systems they possess intricate three-fingered hands capable of manipulating a wide variety of objects. Their feet, while not quite as dextrous, still feature thumbs and are used almost as easily by the average cala (indeed, to make up for their low digit count many musical instruments are played with all four limbs). They have a small bill that commonly features false teeth-like ridges called rhamphotheca that are most abundant in Glavoiks, one of the few groups to readily eat meat.

Like other species in the Maniraptora phylogentic bracket, their endothermy is coupled with a coating of feathers-- mostly bodily contour feathers but also some down in their inguinal (read: crotch lol) regions. Typcal plumage is generally restricted to neutrals like brown or beige but can range from white to black and those of Lauthenel in Western Faunija often have gingery hues. Most exhibit at least a few streaks or spots on their chest and belly (as well as a lighter color) but horizontal barring or even nothing at all occur frequently enough. Males and females both typically feature at least two feathery protusians called "tufts" or "false ears" on the sides of their head but due to this being a sex-linked trait like human hemophilia, heterozygotic females (ZW versus ZZ of males) more commonly are born without them. Their tail bones are shorterned from that of their ancestors but are longer than Neornithes/true "Modern Birds" and often exhibit terminal and subterminal banding.

Taxonomic classification of Fels remains largely tentative. Currently, the species is divided into two subspecies marking the Faunijan and West Drakan natives as the "moon type" or "Shul" and the Glavoik and Muuskavies as their "sun type" or "Cer" counterpart (but each are sometimes called Faunijans and Glavoiks, with the latter usage more common). They are so-grouped because the shuls feature a more common genetic variation of assymetrical ears (a feature only known to exist in possibly nocturnal Troodontids and definitely nocturnal Tytonidae owls) while the cers have protective epicanthic folds and occular black patterns believed to lessen their eyes' exposure to harmful UV rays more present during the day. There are also more Faunijan societies that are predominantly nocturnal.

The general weight and height ranges are 12.5-18 kg and 0.8-1.12 m respectively. The Kashep of Central Faunija and Glavoiks tend to be tallest, while the Calamyu and Southern-Tlins of Faunija tend to be shortest but heights vary by individual with females marginally taller and bulkier on average.

Further Biology
-image of compared sun and moon type skulls with silohouette of expected plumage-

Skullu.jpg & other Nervous Structures
The brain of a Fel is proportionally large to their body lending to their enlarged cranium and neotenized face as well as their intellect. While overal comparable to that of a human's in function it features some structural differences.

A majority of executive tasks in a Fel's brain are undertaken in the nidopallium structure corresponding to a larger mammalian neostriatum, but behaving more like cerebal cortex of the human brain (as it presumably does with other intelligent maniraptora to a lesser extent). The HVC, a section responsible for language acquistion and use, is also found in this area encompassing the upper and middle regions of the brain and receives efference copies (basically body knowing/predicting an action it does e.g. why ticking yourself does not work well) as well as input from auditory nerves. Visual data are integrated

Senses
Their eyes are very large and while not entirely fixed in their skull, do not permit as much movement as most mammals. They are tetrachromatic possessing four cone types in each eye enabling them to see visible light as well as the lower end of ultraviolet rays. Sight is their most developed sense.

Fel's have a very weak sense of smell, weaker than that of a human. To save up space for their large eyes and brains olfactory abilties were shoved aside. They are often born

Hearing is marginally better than that of a human (up to 30 kHz in cers and 35 in shuls to the human 20 kHz and a similar enough low frequency range) but is mechanically far more intricate to make up for a purely internal ear. In fact, blind Fel have hearing that is appears to be far developed and some individuals have been proven to detect frequencies up to 65 kHz as well as an overall greater sensitivity to "quieter" sounds indicating that early cognitive development and brain plasticity affects the extent of this sense. Which implies it is more so limited by the fact the visual system is so large and "steals" would-be auditory neurons.

They are overally less sensitive to tactile sensations (with a few exceptions such as palms, face, and errogenous zones) but this fact is often hidden by their covering of feathers, which enable nuanced detenction of force.

Respiratory System
Incoming air is directly pumped into a the rear air sacs in the lower chest and then to the lungs (and from there to the front air sacs), creating a unidirectional airflow that travels in a true loop out to the mouth or nose. This maximizes gas exchange much more efficently than a typical mammalian system. These structures are limited to the thoracic cavity of Fels (as they are with flightless true birds) and are opperated by special muscles lining the trunk (they lack a true diaphragm). A four-chambered double-pump heart propels red blood cells to the lungs and throughout the body to provide needed oxygen to various tissues. Like reptiles and modern birdsbut unlike mammals their red blood cells retain a nucleus.

Digestive System
They have a stomach and a gizzard used to help grind up incoming food (particularly tough plants). Small pebbles are sometimes sold to assuage upset gizzards just as at one time they swallowed stones to assist digestion. However, since chewing isn't very possible with their mouth system tougher foods are rarely used in contemporary societies instead most serve meals including components like soups, juicy fruits, simple wafers, and various sauces or other suitable materials with a smoothie-like consistency. Otherwise, utensils are used to slice or dice their dishes.

Shul fels are almost always strictly herbivorous (but not necessarily obligate herbivores). Cers are more omnivorous.

Reproductive & Waste System
Sexual dimorphism in Fels is very slight and sex cannot be deduced upon hatching unless a chromsome test is taken (Of course, this has only recently become an option and this has lead to far less gendered societies than that of Earth's modern Western civilizations and many languages agree in terms of animacy rather than gender but those with gender classifications typically have a third gender reserved for prepubsecent individuals and even some adults depending on identity, etc).

As far as biology is concerned, however, there are generally two ranges of expected expressions with a few intersex conditions between (just as with humans). Fels with higher testosterone counts usually develop a deeper voice, a more lightweight build, a slightly shorter stature, and erectile tissue that is generally longer than that of those with higher estrogen counts. In contrast, those with more estrogen tend to be slightly taller and bulkier with wider hips and more elastic pelvic floor muscles coupled with more erectile tissue that remains internal. At a relaxed state, nothing but a cloacal slit shows in both. Unlike neorinthes however, they have an anus for digestive waste specifically.

Diseases & Disorders
Like most other organisms, Fels can be susceptible to various pathologies- both mental/neurological as well as somatic (though modern practice is beginning to not favor such a distinction as the brain is increasingly thought to be just as physical as the rest of the body). Particularly common are forms of bint, ranging from the equivalent of a common cold causing eye discharge instead of nasal (typically accompanied by a sore throat or loss of voice) to more dangerous flu strains. For every human disease there is generally a Fel approximant, though some obviously differ or manifest differently due to anatomical differences.

Also of note is their sensitivity to toxins due to their small size, poisons and antigens build up more quickly. This may partially explain why even in their big cities there is plenty of greenery to keep CO2 levels down.

Mythos & Spirituality
Fels live in a world where what is essentially magic (known as jur or "life force") is a common and accepted reality.

Because of this their relationship with spiritual belief systems is rather different from that of humans, especially since proof of the gods is much more  tangible across the population. And indeed, tangible proof of jur's many mechanisms exists through Jurans or Mages as well as the very existance of Juric Chimeras, a sort of mesh of various creatures established over the centuries as species with special characteristics (such as the ability to rapidly absorb the traits of the fauna around them within a generation or two when typical evolution is a much, much slower process) as well as a core twice the size of the average Fel's, enough to make up for lack of natal sapience (like familiars) and even allow for magic wielding. Two established chimeras are the Griffinsand the Drakanik's response to the power of Griffins, Dragons.

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Technology & History
Due to the presence of jur in the lives of Fels, technology has developed and continues to develop a bit differently from that of humans. Gunpowder has been developed but is rarely used and certainly no guns have been created yet medicene is nearly as advanced as it is among humans but tends to be more reliant on taking the needed compounds from natural materials rather than synesthizing them in a lab. Psychology as a serious field of science has existed relatively longer than it has in Earth's western societies and humanist therapy is commonly practiced in Faunija and to a lesser extent in Drakanik and Glavoika (Drakanik remains more superstitious and often calls for an almost Freudian practice).

Fels have built large cities in various environments. Most notably the port city of Fosor is like southern hemisphere New York and aside from its active port it boasts the second largest population of any single town at twenty-three million and is also more "green" than New York (owing to the much more sensitive respiratory system of the species as well as different ideals stressed by their religious sects there). The largest city is the Cliff Dwellings of Glavoika outside the country's political capital on a protected series of bluffs right off the mainland spanning many bustling miles with houses ranging from shanty to immense marble palaces. There, many griffins earn their living as an animal equivalent of a cab. Transporation largely remains wheeled but wthout electric or petrol-powered motors. In continental Faunija large ratites and terror birds are often used to pull smaller imports and individuals, leaving larger cargo to the ships at sea.

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