Dova / Resolute but Reckless

For being biologically close to aquatic creatures they cause qualms among other tribes, but today Dova are known as the Sea People and Ghosts of the Ocean – not in a foul way. Even so Dova openly show preying aggressiveness towards less intelligent species, they are actually one of the kindest of all tribes to others, cheerful and blithe in mind, holding heads high, altruistic and first to sacrifice themselves for another kin. Almost motherly they are protective of smaller sistren. Whence it often feels like they treat us as children, disregard our opinions as immature, and view all our actions as mere childsplay. They even accept hostility as easy as a game – once you declare Dova an enemy, then without question they will see themselves as your enemy, but they will not see you as their enemy, and so facile it is to end a conflict just by accept their friendly hand.

Along with the fact that even mainland Dova prefer to live by saltwater shores of open seas where other tribes don bother them, culturally they are somewhat separated from Meority: they not care for most technologies or science – utilize only very few most useful for them products, like diving gear, watercraft or basic tools; yet most visible difference and a way to understand Dova mindset is to become aware of their attire manners. They make own clothing from tanned and dyed fish skin or kelp fabric, which are very light in design but durable in water, it is primary functionality is to shade gills during swimming from dirt, self-designation purposes, a show of trophy or to maintain moisture on land. These clothes are so minimal and unseemly revealing in structure because Dova don’t recognize smaller sistern as those who appreciate muscles well enough since we will never be as physically powerful as Dova – for that they can be regularly seen as much as naked in public, because they don’t care what smaller sistren will sight, and when futales get blood pumping while bodybuilding, there is a lot to witness... The only time you see them wearing something really tangible is profession-related, and Dova do not care about many “peaceful” jobs of regular society, nor there is a tendency to remodel uniform designs for them.

Nevertheless, during early Age of Crumbling Dova contributed greatly to the people who lived around Sea of Birth, and other tribes commend them for it. At the times when survival was harsh and people begun were lingering into superstition, other tribes were telling stories to their kids about Ghosts emerging from seas, so they are not afraid to seek aid from the Sea People who come to help – who are to protect from evil creatures of the Ocean, to feed when you hunger, to help rebuild after disasters, and to force peace upon sworn enemies. Parables and myths of their deeds remain till this day, thus many folklore figures are based on ancient achievements of Dova kin.

One of such legendary folklore figures would be the generous Ghost of Grandma Zanada Graoza, a gift-giver emissary of Allmother. At the last night of every month she would reward virtuous kids who listen to their parent: emerging from earth and ground as if it is ocean itself and leaving presents under beds they sleep, but those kids who dare to stay awake would disappoint her and be dragged into bottomless abyss for punishment. So it became a long-lasting tradition for parents to reward their children under disguise of Grandma Zanada, and of course the more helpful and obedient kids were to parents, the great was “her” present.

At some point Dova too started to migrate and spread to other coasts and isles. A great deal remained on shores of Waist and Thigh regions to watch over other tribes, but a decent population was settled on Tail Archipelago. This was Her Crumbling Gorgeousness for the longest period, with many emergent problems. Aside from foraging of native stubborn trees, continuous large-scale agriculture was barely possible on grounds so unstable; no serious towns would stand for long before earth crack under them; and while fishing was already dangerous near these islands, it become even more straining when Serpent’s spawn begun setting lairs there. Other tribes adjourn any attempt to settle on Tail Archipelago even into current Age as now we recognize its perilous proximity to the Ocean of Mud... except for Dova: they are people of action and obstinate courage, yearning for risks and unpredictability, especially when it means to protect others. Dova spirit is obstinate, made of contest and rivalry against the nature and existence itself, challenging the tremendous or dying while trying – “The worth of our lives should be measured by scars” they say, and fortunately for them there is no greater challenge right now than the Ocean… and what slumber deep beneath it… Besides, they deserve to have at least some hunting grounds they can have all for themselves.

Dova of Tail Islands would organize as nomadic culture: a few villages were build with a handful of families to permanently live and take care of shores, while the rest would regularly move between these villages following seasonal fish migrations, forest fruitfulness and Envasion occurrences.

Although, as Dova populations grew, some clans decided to venture beyond. Other tribes and nations claim to be the first to settle by various coasts, but eroded sites of primal villages built by Dova ancestors can still be discovered in many secluded places, with no burial grounds or traces of mass extinctions found – Dova themselves believe that their ancestors didn’t find these beaches inspiring enough to stay there, so they returned until Meority grew big enough to re-settle.

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Massive frills, for which Dova are called Ghosts, are very light and have a natural use in water: while arms are mostly used to grab and hold onto prey before biting at it with deadly jaws, frills are lagging behind movement of the body to conceal limbs and disorient prey at the moment of an attack. Dova can propel themselves really fast by utilizing quick wavy mirrored movement of twin tails, and these motions together with frills make Dova visually longer and bigger, deceiving other predators on where to bite… before it is already too late.

On land Dova secrete oily sweat to protect dermis and scales from drying out. As they are in regular need for skin to be moisturized, Dova tribe don’t live in areas where they are not guaranteed to get access to saline water on demand, or at least humidity is high enough and rains are common, to stay on land comfortably for extended time. Temperature is not much of a problem for them, blubber layer may easily lose or gain fat to adjust for different biomes and seasons.

Dova do have a set of gills, but just to help them stay submerged for longer – not live underwater like some believe. They can freely swim deep for over an hour without relying on gills, and for almost three hours if actively use them (but with modern diving gear they can stay underwater indefinitely). Dova capable of that because their bodies maintain high amount of myoglobin, and a greater volume of blood than it actually seems, and since Dova depend on their twin tails to actively swim – these muscles accumulate more myoglobin to stay fresh for prolonged periods.

As a protection for vast and powerful circulatory system Dova developed strong immunity against many natural toxins, paralyzers and unnatural-made poison. Some ancient text say that Dova could consume Umbral Flesh that of Jealous Beastiary raw and survive. It is impossible to confirm if it is true, since practice of eating Serpent’s Offspring became forbidden long ago, but no one ever seen Dova to become Hellgrafted. Its like not just their minds reject negative emotions, but physique as well.

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Having mention that, the same antitoxin production inside Dova bodies wield a side-effect of overdosing organ systems with hormones for a very extended time, which of course forces drastically different psychological behavior between futales and females.

Futales feel rising urge to proof the quality of own might, to show themselves as the absolute hunters and protectors. When hormone dosage is low they just flex their muscles, test limitations of own physique or spar with each other; they of course do not care to challenge othertribe sistren, as they do not see them “dangerous” or “powerful” enough compared to perfect Dova physique. However, when hormone level is really high – Dova futales depart homes to hunt. They may swim for weeks and hundreds of kilometers to find the biggest ocean monster and then tote its carcass back to flaunt own performance, but if another futale brings a greater game – they may sail to hunt again for even bigger prey, missing for weeks again or dying deep in the Ocean, which they still accept as a fitting result to own weakness and inability to protect others from future dangers.

Females are prone to hunt for sea creatures themselves, but under hormonal high they feel an unstoppable urge to be mothers and nurture kids. However, if a Dova female yet childless, her brain will be wired to treat smaller othertribe sistren as own children. In this state she will mentally cling to one or two and be protective of them… very protective… too protective. If such Dova chooses you, her watch over your life will never end until it is as perfect as she deems, and then she will stay there forever to make sure it all remain perfect. She be very obsessed and jealous if you interact with anyone else, maybe for an exception of a spouse, but even then she might not like it and attempt to drive away the unworthy. At high level Dova females would not cosset you, but rather prefer to chain you to a wall in a hidden room somewhere in the forgotten lands, where no evil can find you and you can’t harm yourself; never leaving you alone, constantly looking at how you not being hurt, carelessly feeding you away from hunger, warming you with a hug of own body so you do not shiver from cold. Their motherly treatment will never end, but if it does – then it is just temporarily, because when next hormonal overdose happen she will keep looking for you and only you, in fear of missing her only dear “child”. Non of these are theories, considering a few infamous known cases... and who know how many more unknown cases.

Sober-headed Elders try to convince youngsters to reproduce first and only then care about bravery and challenges, yet as a result of these frequent and irregular hormonal spikes, where substantial number of young futales are absent during female estrus cycles or dying on hunts before passing down genes, while females themselves are missing somewhere taking care of othertribe “children”, Dova population is not only stagnated, but in the last two centuries it dwindled due to exponentially increased Envasions on Tail Archipelago and Dova inhabiting them. Today they are the smallest of Eight Sacred Tribes. In fact their numbers would already reach lower than that of some subservient tribes if not for Military Entente between Feet Republic and Free States of Tail Archipelago.