The Absolute State of /vnug/

The Absolute State of /vnug/ is a country located in the deepest jungle among the tallest mountains of Viti. Like many other countries in Viti, it is a theocracy dominated by the churches dedicated to the goddesses of the land, several of which are said to be physically present in this world. Aligned with the world-spanning Church of Unicorns, /vnug/ is also a heavily matriarchal society that does not recognize the legitimacy of male deities, and most important roles in society and religion are held by females.

Society

“All decent folk find the common rat repulsive. Harbinger of disease, it scavenges on our waste-heaps and frightens our children. How immeasurably worse then is the [salamoim] — standing on its hindlegs in a foul parody of a human. Rats as tall as a man, and blessed with the most vile intellect and cunning. They are the dark side of our soul, come to destroy us for our sins.” — Albrecht of Nuln

/vnug/ is widely considered to be a xenophobic society distrusting of outsiders, further reinforced by the dominance of the native salamoim, a humanoid species with rat-like characteristics. Short and driven by emotions, they are blessed with several animalistic features at the price of lacking human restraints and reasons. It is said that their blood grants them an above-average hot-headedness and healing factor, leading to some merchants and alchemists attempting to harvest them as ingredients for medicine.

Salamoim has a heightened level of metabolism, and despite their lower-than-average body temperature, often feels warm to the touch due to their constant need to dispose of waste body heat. This is especially apparent in the tropical lowlands, where the humid environment makes cooling especially difficult. Because of that and their lack of concern for human-like morality, salamoim is known for wearing revealing clothes and short pants to facilitate the cooling of their body, especially the thick, semi-digitigrade legs as their muscles are constantly in use to maintain their posture.

As creatures of darkness, salamoim has an elevated sense of smell and touch, in exchange for their sensitivity to sunlight. Their skin, while naturally pale to the point of having a blue-ish tint, tans easily, and their already weak eyesight worsen when exposed to direct sunlight. However, their ability to sense the body heat of their warm-blooded prey nonetheless make them a dangerous opponent to humans, and they are known to roam their wooded territories, hunting any intruders under the cover of the night.

Like many social animals, salamoim have a natural desire to establish a dominance hierarchy when interacting with others, whether they be fellow salamoim or humans. Perhaps to compensate for their short statue, salamoim often try to present a superior and dominating image when encountering humans, and when challenged, they are prone to resort to violence to maintain their position. It is believed that such mental peculiarity plays a role in the turbulent nature of salamoim society.

Despite having a similar digestive system as humans, salamoim are considered to be facultative carnivores similar to dogs and bears. They rely on meat to provide the majority of their calories and nutrients, although they are known to supplement their diet with other animal products and fruits. Although capable of digesting starch and thus theoretically able to survive on a vegetarian diet, salamoim has an innate dislike towards it. At the same time, it is reported that some salamoim, especially hunters, warriors, and those of higher social status, engage in the consumption of human flesh, as their more animalistic nature does not carry the same inhibition as their human counterpart. Their more robust digestive system and innate resistance towards many diseases also allow them to consume raw meat more efficiently and safely.

Dinglehoppers

Dinglehoppers (koltatym) refer to the numerous wandering adventurers and mercenaries within /vnug/ society. Due to the hostile environment of the misty forest and the infested underground, /vnug/ is a heavily martial society, and the impulsive nature of the native salamoim results in the people being in a constant state of strife. As such, many individuals, ranging from noble offsprings not expected to inherit much, to indebted servants escaping from their predicament, opted for the perilous lifestyle of a sellsword, offering their service to the highest bidders.

As an unofficial social group with no barrier of entry beyond the will and means to fight, dinglehoppers include everyone from highly skilled, magic-wielding warriors to undisciplined armed mobs. They often travel between settlements dotting the dark woods and the cavernous highlands, seeking any employers who have a need of their skills. While many dinglehoppers are proficient in different crafts, they are most known for their propensity for violence. Although many prefer to claim that they are serving the common goods by defending the people against the fierce monsters and outsiders, or lending their strength to right wrongs, in reality many dinglehoppers are not concerned by the morality of their contract, or make copious use of mental gymnastics to justify fighting against any enemies their employers desire.

Due to their itinerant lifestyle, dinglehoppers’ wealth is limited to what they can carry on them. This, combined with the dangerous and often lethal lifestyle, means many dinglehoppers prefer to dress in gaudy, opulent manners mimicking the refined garments of human high society. Although deemed impractical by many, dinglehoppers who thrive in the blood-soaked battlefield long enough to earn their pay tend to be more than skilled enough to compensate for their unusual choice of fashion.