Ulshari

Ulshari
Homeland	Delmora
Average Height	1.7-2 meters
Average Lifespan	150-250 years
Distinction	Thick-plated backs, smooth leathery skin, webbed hands, deep-water vision
Language	Ulsharin (Lake-Speech)

The Ulshari are an ancient, lake-dwelling species native to the Great Lake of Delmora. Unlike their riverborne counterparts, the Ruvin, the Ulshari prefer still waters, deep thought, and endurance over change. Their civilization thrives beneath and along the lake, where half-submerged temples and stone-built cities stand as monuments to history and patience.

Physically, Ulshari are tall and powerfully built, with thick, layered plating across their backs and shoulders. Their smooth, leathery skin keeps them from drying out, and their webbed hands and feet make them formidable swimmers. Ulshari possess deep-water vision, allowing them to navigate the lake’s darkest depths, and some bear bioluminescent speckles, which they use for underwater communication.

Biology and Physical Traits

Ulshari have evolved to thrive in both water and land, though they prefer the slow, deliberate movements of lake life.

Physical Characteristics

• Height: 1.7 to 2 meters (5'7" - 6'6")
• Build: Broad-shouldered, slightly hunched posture
• Skin: Smooth, leathery, in tones of blue-gray, moss-green, or dark brown
• Plating: Thick, shell-like ridges across their backs, shoulders, and forearms, providing natural armor
• Hands & Feet: Webbed digits for swimming and marshland travel, strong claws for digging
• Eyes: Large, reflective, adapted for low-light vision in murky depths
• Bioluminescence: Some individuals develop faint glowing speckles along their arms and neck, used for silent communication underwater

Senses & Abilities

• Deep-Water Vision: Can see in near-total darkness underwater.
• Stillness Adaptation: Can remain motionless for hours, blending into their surroundings.
• Echo Reading: Sensitive to vibrations in water, allowing them to sense distant movement or approaching threats.
• Extended Breath-Holding: Can remain underwater for 20-30 minutes before surfacing.

Culture and Society

Ulshari civilization is built around patience, memory, and resilience. They believe that history is like the lake—deep, layered, and holding all things beneath its surface.

Keepers of the Deep Memory

• The Ulshari do not record history on paper or stone; instead, they inscribe their stories on submerged obelisks, hidden beneath the lake’s surface.
• They believe that knowledge, like water, should be revisited and reinterpreted over time—nothing is absolute.
• The most respected individuals are the "Depthkeepers," those who guard and maintain the Sunken Archives—an underwater library of lost wisdom.

Builders of the Sunken Cities

• Ulshari do not build upwards—instead, their cities are half-submerged, with lower levels only accessible by diving.
• Their greatest stronghold, Varul’Kai, is an ancient stone city where only the temple domes rise above the surface.
• Their architecture is built to resist floods and erosion, using stone-carving techniques perfected over centuries.

A Passive but Unyielding People

• The Ulshari do not seek war, but they are impossible to uproot.
• If threatened, they vanish beneath the water, using the lake itself as their shield.
• Their warriors, the "Stoneguard," are trained to plant themselves in place and become an immovable defense.
• In times of crisis, they can collapse tunnels and underwater caverns, using water pressure and terrain manipulation to drown invaders.

Notable Settlements

• Varul’Kai – The capital city, where only the temple domes rise above the water.
• Kel’Ruun – A floating city of rafts and reed structures, home to the more nomadic Ulshari.
• The Archive Depths – The Sunken Library, where all Ulshari history is preserved underwater.

Spirituality and Beliefs

The Ulshari believe that all things settle in the deep—memories, spirits, and lost truths.

• "The Lake Remembers" → Ulshari believe that all voices and souls sink into the water, where they can be listened to by those who are patient enough.
• The Sunken Archives → A vast underwater labyrinth of carved records, holding generations of lost knowledge.
• The Vanished Elders → Legends tell of ancient Ulshari who disappeared beneath the depths, said to sleep in the trenches until they are needed again.

Technology and Warfare

Ulshari do not wage war in the traditional sense, but they are masters of terrain manipulation and passive defense.

• Stone-Fortified Cities → Built to last for centuries, even against floods or siege.
• Water Tunnels & Hidden Paths → Secret submerged routes allow them to move unseen beneath the surface.
• Echo Shields → Certain stone formations are designed to disrupt sonar and vibrations, making it difficult for outsiders to detect their movements.
• Trench Warfare → When attacked, Ulshari retreat to deep-water trenches, where only they can navigate safely.

Relations with Other Races

• Neutral Toward the Ruvin → They respect the Ruvin’s ingenuity but find them too impatient.
• Suspicious of Land-Dwellers → The Ulshari do not trust those who fear deep water.
• Enemies of the River Poachers → Those who disturb the lake are met with swift retaliation.