Bothean societies
Bothea is a huge planet. It's almost four times bigger than the Earth. YVVOs are not as numerous as Humans, but they still are a lot and are present everywhere on the planet, no matter the environment. However, they don't all live in the same conditions; some are more archaic than others. Here are YVVO's life conditions, from the most archaic to the most developped.
Check also: Our pinterest boards with cities, towns and tribes' aesthetics!
Check also: Our pinterest boards with cities, towns and tribes' aesthetics!
Varveleilem
Varveleilem are a dragon-like species which inspired Yevatem for generations. So far, they appear to be the most archaic sentient species on Bothea.
They have no society, technology or clothes, and their social behaviour is the one of an animal; they have territories they'll defend with their life and will only meet when mating. They are present both in the desert regions and jungle ones, but they are absent from the undergrounds for a simple reason: they need to fly, and most of their preys are at the surface. They handle the warm weather of Bothea pretty well, and eat mostly meat and bones. Despite this animal behaviour, they are not considered as animals by Yevatem. Indeed, Varveleilem all have a telepathic power, and are able to communicate with it. They would rarely communicate words, but rather feelings and ideas through their thoughts. |
A Varveleil growing up among Yevatem will accept to wear clothes, accessories and even a saddle. It'll also accept to be bodypainted, tattooed, and to have its horns and spikes carved. During events, the Varveleil will act just like a Yevat, intelligent enough to use tool with its mouth and to enjoy the music. It'll also feel a Yevat's feelings and will react to sadness or joy, and will show empathy.
Wild Varveleilem remain heavily dangerous.
Legends say that they once embodied the "perfect civilization" but no remains of such a rumor could confirm it.
Wild Varveleilem remain heavily dangerous.
Legends say that they once embodied the "perfect civilization" but no remains of such a rumor could confirm it.
Tribes
A lot of Yevatem live in tribes. They are composed from 5 to 50 Yevatem in general, though variations may exist. They are present everywhere on Bothea, but are much more frequent in the equator's deserts.
Some tribes are sedentary; they will not build any house, but they will probably steal some Oyevat ruins to protect and live in. But most tribes are nomadic; talented travelers, they can get across many regions in a single lifetime. They're also famous for their ability to sneak and go unnoticed anywhere. Their level of technology is low. They will craft weapons and primitive tools using sticks and sharp stones, and they will wear animal skins and fur, if not nothing. Most of the tribes have a Velilyevat leader, who'll take the most important decisions, though it's not always true: indeed, the strength is an important value for tribes and if a regular Yevat can defeat the Velilyevat, he'll become chief in his stead (but Velilyevatem having wings, they often have the advantage in physical conflicts.) Most of the tribes prefer to remain alone and out or reach, and will show an aggressive behaviour. |
They are mostly hunter-gatherers, and only eat what they find. They'll cook their meat with campfires.
Most of their knowledge is oral. If they know a few glyphs, most of them don't know how to write, and don't want to.
They are famous for their shamanic rituals and their excellent knowledge of plant effects. If a regular Yevat shows powers, he'll become a shaman.
When two tribes meet, their leader will gift one or several young Yevatem to the other tribe, and they'll proceed to an exchange. Then, they'll leave in peace. It allows the tribes to renew their blood for mating, and to meet without aggressivity. If a leader think the trade is unfair, he'll attack the other tribe.
They are seen as great survivors, and strong warriors. They rarely, if not never, interract with more modern Yevatem.
Most of their knowledge is oral. If they know a few glyphs, most of them don't know how to write, and don't want to.
They are famous for their shamanic rituals and their excellent knowledge of plant effects. If a regular Yevat shows powers, he'll become a shaman.
When two tribes meet, their leader will gift one or several young Yevatem to the other tribe, and they'll proceed to an exchange. Then, they'll leave in peace. It allows the tribes to renew their blood for mating, and to meet without aggressivity. If a leader think the trade is unfair, he'll attack the other tribe.
They are seen as great survivors, and strong warriors. They rarely, if not never, interract with more modern Yevatem.
Caravans
Merchants caravans are probably the most useful Yevatem. They sacrifice comfort and knowledge to gather and trade objects. Without them, no new objects or materials can appear in a region. They are necessary for variety and renewal in Yevat societies, and they will mostly trade with towns and cities. They're also the main source of information spreading worldwide. If cities and towns were organs in a body, merchants would be the blood flows between them.
Their level of technology and the clothes they wear are really varied. It only depends on what they gather and what they trade! Most of them possess at least the minimum to travel: caravans, tents, and some bedplaces. They are very sociable and friendly, and will seek contact with anyone. If they can't trade with you, then they'll try to hire you! However, no matter how useful they are, they're often seen as stealers, destructors, or looters. Only a minority of them actually steals, but you know what we say: a rotten apple spoils the barrel. They're in general good negociators and will ask to trade anything for everything, and you're never done being surprised by their offers! "Do you want this ladder? I'll take your pretty horns in exchange! Oh don't show me the sad face, they will regrow." |
No one knows Bothea's roads better than them. If they are attacked by a tribe, they will probably have no fear to attack back - especially if this tribe seems to have interesting goods with them. They're not protected from attacks either, and they fear Valisem and Varveleilem. They always seek more protectors in their small pack.
If they can be hunter-gatherers, they mostly eat food they obtain through trading.
They're often compared to hybrids between civilized townsfolk and nomadic tribes. They're like a bridge between these two kind of Yevatem, who rarely have contacts. They can have a Velilyevat leader, but they don't think it's mandatory, and their leader will be - in general - the founder of the cavaran.
If they can be hunter-gatherers, they mostly eat food they obtain through trading.
They're often compared to hybrids between civilized townsfolk and nomadic tribes. They're like a bridge between these two kind of Yevatem, who rarely have contacts. They can have a Velilyevat leader, but they don't think it's mandatory, and their leader will be - in general - the founder of the cavaran.
Towns
The townsfolk are all sedentary, and live in small groups of 40 to 1000 Yevatem. They build their own houses, and are present everywhere on Bothea. Jungle ones will build their home in huge trees - the higher the better. Desert ones will prefer to dig in the underground - the deeper the better.
Every town is led by one Velilyevat. If a town has no Velilyevat, it'll ask for one in a neighbour town. It's rare for a town to have more than one Velilyevat but if so, they will apply the city scheme to lead. Towns' technology is pretty good. They have tools to gather and bend cold metal and thus, can craft many things. They also use a special kind of agriculture. They get most of their food through hunter-gatherers, but since they always hunt and pick food at the same places, they will tend to plant fruit trees both to gather more and to attract more animals. They will not have fields, but the area aroud their town will often be filled with fruit trees. They practice a kind of forest maintenance to make sure they never lack food. Moreover, they will plant a kind of cattail plant in humid areas to gather its fluff: with it, they'll make fine clothes such as dresses, silk thread, etc. Their level of technology and clothing can be compared to the medieval one, though their style will be different. |
Towns communicate and trade a lot with other towns and cities. A lot of young Yevatem will leave to live in the nearby town, attracted by new horizons, renewing the people they can mate with. They are not aggressive in general but they will have guardians to protect the town from external aggressions.
All Yevatem learn to obey their Velilyevat chief and to respect them. They believe that only Velilyevatem can have powers, and they almost deify them. If a regular Yevat claims having powers, he'll be seen either as a liar, either as a monster. Townsfolk will have notions of ethics and justice, and think that the whole town should raise a deyevat. They are united and in solidarity, and believe that unity is strength.
Townsfolk know how to write, and keep their knowledge by writing it on animal skins, stones, and sometimes parchment. The knowledge is often kept close to the Velilyevat, but anyone can have an access to it. It's also frequent for towns to have an area with public baths, since they have notions of hygiene and comfort.
All Yevatem learn to obey their Velilyevat chief and to respect them. They believe that only Velilyevatem can have powers, and they almost deify them. If a regular Yevat claims having powers, he'll be seen either as a liar, either as a monster. Townsfolk will have notions of ethics and justice, and think that the whole town should raise a deyevat. They are united and in solidarity, and believe that unity is strength.
Townsfolk know how to write, and keep their knowledge by writing it on animal skins, stones, and sometimes parchment. The knowledge is often kept close to the Velilyevat, but anyone can have an access to it. It's also frequent for towns to have an area with public baths, since they have notions of hygiene and comfort.
Cities
Cities are not so different from towns, except that they're bigger. They're always composed with more than 1000 Yevatem. They are often proud, and gather a lot of knowledge. However, it's harder for Yevatem from cities to access this knowledge. It is not rare to see foreigners reaching a city with the hope of studying many Yevat secrets there, but to be denied access to that knowledge if they're not judged worthy.
Cities are led by one, two or three Velilyevatem, plus a council. All the Velilyevatem live in the same place and if the chief takes decisions, it's never without the opinion of the coucil. The council is composed with every other Velilyevatem of the city. If they are really numerous, they can specialize into subjects, such as "leader of the protection," "leader of the food management,", "leader of the trades," etc. Their technology is far better than towns. They master forges and bend metal using heat, allowing them to create stronger and more precise tools and weapons. Their forges rarely turns off, and is often located under the public baths, so the water is hot. This is another notion of comfort! |
Their clothes and jewelry is also the best in the market. They have the finest dresses and hats, the prettiest crowns and necklaces. In that way, they're similar to the medieval era.
Cities also love to gather the most intelligent Yevatem. Bearers of knowledge, archaeologists, designers, crafters... they even have the luxury of developping a kind of philosophy. And if towns are united, cities are more... rivals. It's always about who will get the best clothes and arts or the more knowledge. And inside a city, dramas are not rare either, and games of power can exist. In other words, cities are the most developped societies a Yevat can access.
Cities also love to gather the most intelligent Yevatem. Bearers of knowledge, archaeologists, designers, crafters... they even have the luxury of developping a kind of philosophy. And if towns are united, cities are more... rivals. It's always about who will get the best clothes and arts or the more knowledge. And inside a city, dramas are not rare either, and games of power can exist. In other words, cities are the most developped societies a Yevat can access.
The exception of Oyevat ruins
Some tribes, towns or even cities prefer to live in more fancy places. The Oyevat ruins are places located anywhere on Bothea, whith remains from what used to be their ancestors ages ago. It can be remains of structures or spaceship wrecks. Yevatem living in these specific places have a free access to a lot of glass, metal, and more: it's rare, but not impossible for them, to find Oyevat objects, such as cables, test tubes, control console, etc. They will turn everything into new weapons or jewelry. It's also possible to find objects that Oyevatem used to wear - or at least they think so - such as crowns or even googles! These objects are very rare and worth a lot in trades. Oyevat ruins are places of choice to set up your town.
Lone souls
A Yevat or Velilyevat from anywhere and any kind of society can choose (or be constrained) to leave their current life. There could be many reasons: to be a valis, to feel a sudden curiosity for exploration, to be sick with an uncurable disease, to have a discord with others... Some Yevatem, even if they're born "noble" (from a city) can become a lone soul, and live alone in the wild of Bothea.
They will have the knowledge from where they're initally born. A lot of them quickly die, as Bothea is a dangerous planet when you live alone. But some survive and are seen as great survivors. Since it's hard to live alone in the wild, they often freak out Yevatem they meet. Sometimes, lone souls meet and form a new kind of clan. When these clans decide to be aggressive, they're one of the biggest threat of Bothea. |
Oyevatem
It's recommended to have played the first chapter of the main story before reading this paragraph, it includes spoilers!
Thousand of cycles ago, before the long night, Oyevatem had the most advanced technology known on every reachable galaxy and dimensions. They were able to manipulate DNA the same way they were coding their mech, resulting in a science of DNA manipulation and biomechanicals. The difference between flesh and mech was not a problem anymore, and they could create creatures such as robots made of flesh or thinking souls in a metal body. It's also said that they locked themselves into servers to live, or rather to hibernate, without a body. They had spaceships and could space travel, apparently without limits. They pretended to know how to use the lava core of a planet to have an unlimited source of energy.
Sadly (or luckily,) the Long Night destroyed everything they had, and almost got them extinct as well. They went missing for cycles and now, they're only the shadow of what they used to be. But will it last? They kept their knownledge, they kept their hierarchy and most important individuals, and they kept their rage and their need to consume. Oyevatem are slowly rebuilduing everything they've lost, and they're currently a very small society stuck on their own planet. |
They're led by a single leader, following a pyramidal organisation. Their leader has several lieutenants, and each of these lieutenants have their own underlings that they personaly chose. They don't use names, only titles describing their profession. Among Oyevatem, there's no place for feelings or individuals; they're all a part of a great whole that they must serve, and which they're proud to serve.
Their wings are not purely decorative; they have integrated hormone sacks inside. A single flip of the wing, and other Oyevatem know who they're talking with, and if it's an underling or a superior.
They're mostly receptive to other's scents and temperature, and they used to be ablecommunicate via the microships in their brains, although they now have to use their mouth all the time.
If they are wearing clothes, they are wearing useful ones. Some Oyevatem are fancier and love to wear clothes for the elegant aspect, but they're rare.
They're mainly living in the undergrounds of Bothea, but deeper than any Yevat could reach. It's impossible to say what they're eating, but rumors say that they would "feed" through pills or blood injections.
Their wings are not purely decorative; they have integrated hormone sacks inside. A single flip of the wing, and other Oyevatem know who they're talking with, and if it's an underling or a superior.
They're mostly receptive to other's scents and temperature, and they used to be ablecommunicate via the microships in their brains, although they now have to use their mouth all the time.
If they are wearing clothes, they are wearing useful ones. Some Oyevatem are fancier and love to wear clothes for the elegant aspect, but they're rare.
They're mainly living in the undergrounds of Bothea, but deeper than any Yevat could reach. It's impossible to say what they're eating, but rumors say that they would "feed" through pills or blood injections.