| Pronounced : / Shoo-na-mur / *Standing Height: 60cm (2 feet) – 120cm (4 feet) *Tail: 10 – 30cm *Ears: 20 – 60cm Language: ((Shumerian|Shumerian)) Home World: Hush Hush Occupied Worlds: ((Ziana|Ziana)) The Shunamir, are a young -possibly the youngest- ((Star Bound Shunamir|space-faring)) race. !!!Physical Ranging in size from 60cm to 120cm. The mir and na usually occupy the lower to middle end of the scale while the Shu have medium to taller range. The first thing a new observer will notice is that for much of the time Shunamir walk and run on all fours. This gait changes stopping and standing to talk or conduct bushiness. They can walk like this but the gait is much slower. Most of their bodies are covered in layer of thick but very soft and short fur. This fur is thinnest on their stomach area and ears. The thin fur on their ears allows for easy heat transfer due to the lack of sweat producing pores on most of their bodies. They have a stabilizing tail and long ears that are semi prehensile, and can range from 20 to 60 centimeters. Sometime in their evolution they were tree dwellers, using their ears and tails to swing through the branches. Today their ears are used for much less and have lost much of their dexterity in the general population. The Shunamir have the innate ability to see in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultraviolet|ultraviolet] spectrum. This sight slips into the 350 – 325 nm range. Their sensitivity to this range has caused some problems with their eyes upon leaving their homeworld, ((Hush|Hush)). Many Shunamir will be seen wearing glasses or goggles to correct their vision to the different levels of UV or lack of it when off their home world. The Shunamir, are laid out in 3 named genders. The male (((Shu|Shu))) female (((Na|Na))) and a third functional hermaphroditic gender (((Mir|Mir))) a combination of the first two and functional as both. This third results from a common birth defect also causing a lack of immunity to the ((Crimson|Crimson Virus)) in about 70% of cases. These three gender names lead to their race name, Shunamir, whose name in the Shumerian language is a term for everyone. ((Reproduction|Reproduction)) for Na and mir ends in the laying of an egg. The cycle for most of the species is 3 UEE Standard months. __Senator Bancheck__ ”Some may have heard ((Ashunamir|Ashunamir)) as the correct pronunciation; this is not the case and it is considered an insult for anyone but the holy ((mudí|mudí)) to use this name for the leader of the ((Hush Ascendent|Ascendant)). Please refer to them as Shunamir or Shuna in general conversation.” !!!Present Social Structure: After the creation of the first temple structure for the mir, the once nomadic people began to settle around ((Kararu|Kararu)). Presently the ((Clan|clan)) structure is intact, although some more progressive cities like ((Kadingir|Kadingir)) have a growing underclass of young people who are struggling to find an identity that breaks away from the traditional clan structure. These Shuna, often located in the under cities, are known as ((Unchained|Unchained)). The clans dominate most cities. And life is spent daily working for and working within that clan structure. Like a large family each clan takes care of its members and socializes at events with other members. Social events are usually unique to each city. Clans, while similar in structure, make each city unique and each shuna living in a city is always glad to venture and see what another city is doing bringing back ideas and stories for their clan members. The one holiday that brings all the clans and people of Hush together is the ((Star Celebration|Star Celebration)). !!!Family Structure: The change of the mir’s role in society has had a large effect on their family structures throughout history. Early in their tribal days, it is said that families lived together in large groups under one roof, growing and moving together. After the “”((Light of Anu|Light of Anu))”” came and mir were no longer integrated much into the family group, families began to take a new shape, with one Shu taking many mates. When the clans began to emerge, many went back to a larger group family ideal. These larger families were always of one tribe and a leader was often elected to govern the family. Currently, most families are much smaller, consisting of only two to four adults. ”Mir today must be turned over to the Followers of Light, some do slip through the cracks. Now, with such a well shielded city that the ((Vanduul|Vanduul)) left for the Shunamir, some have been rumored to live normal lives under the shield, safe from the crimson virus. These are known as ((Unbound|Unbound)), though there is little discussion of it in public. It has however been raised at meetings between governments and the UEE, now engaged in first contact negotiations. The Ascendant asks that any mir located in the ((Adar System|Adar System)) or UEE space be returned to the government for a reward.” !!Religious Hierarchy: !!!Choirs and Clan leaders: The ((Choir|Choirs)) are a job that is interviewed and hired for, where the amount of Choir members can is proportionate to the population in the ((warren|warren)). They are interviewed by the ((mudí|mudí’s)) and appointed. They in turn appoint new mudís when a new mir is discovered or if one can no longer serve. The ((Clan Leader|Clans leaders)) are an elected class, being elected from among the common citizens. They take their concerns to the appropriate Choir where their voice can be then represented before the mudís, or cleared up by the books of law. The Tribal leaders also function as a police force for their tribe, appointing deputy type positions among the populous as a paid position with only slightly more say to the Tribal leaders than the common citizen. Most criminals who are captured will be returned to and tried within their own Tribe. During the ((War of the Eleven’s|War of the 11s)), the Tribal leaders were used as generals on the battlefields. This was this way in past armed conflicts as well. !!!Mudís of Anu: The amount of mudís in any given temple is always double the number of mir in the inner sanctum, as one is alway on duty to attend to any needs outside the temple. Mudís live and work within the outer court walls and are made up of both shu and na they are appointed with a vote of the Choir members. The mudís only communicate with the mir and Ashunamir by notes or talking through a curtain of zallka light. They, like the populace, are granted no direct access to the mir. It is their job to elect the Ashunamir and interpret their instructions. They then carry the instructions to the Choirs. The mudís are allowed a normal social life outside of the temple; however, it is often hard if they are discovered to be a mudí. ”This description has some conflicts with common knowledge. The existence of the ((Ikkibu|Ikkibu)) would seem to describe a different amount of contact with the mir than described here.” !!!Ashunamir: This is the leadership role. There is only one Ashunamir at any time. The Ashunamir is an elected position, although the holder must be Mir. The mir were once thought to be sought after by Hush himself, the dark son of their god, Adar. The mir are very susceptible to the crimson virus due to their lack of antibodies at birth. To this day, they are still isolated, and this is beginning to become a matter of contention among some of the populous. After they are elected, they serve for life. Ashunamir hold absolute power, but their declarations are usually taken through many interpretations through the mudí level and eventually the Choirs. This process causes a distortion as to what the current consensus is in the lower orders. The Ashunamir oversees all official functions and celebrations from a large glass room above the outer court of the temple. Many times, this sphere is lit with zallka, giving it an awe inspiring glow. Life in the inner sanctum is a lonely one, served by other Mir and occasionally the child of a Mir who was born inside the protection of the Light of Anu. The Ashunamir is not permitted to mate or have a child. It is said that if the Ashunamir ever did have a child, that child would be pursued forever by the evil Hush. Because it is assumed all mir have the lack of immunity to Crimson, they are not to leave the inner sanctum. There can be anywhere from 8 to 30 mir in a temple at any given time, depending on the birth rate in the warren. !!!Crimson: Effect on Shunamir Crimson has had a huge effect on the Shunamir, both politically and religiously. As most fauna on Hush, Shunamir have a natural immunity to the virus that creates the conditions for the hush fungus to thrive. This virus may be worth more study, although the virus seems weak to many spectrums of light, it seems to be able to cross the plant animal barrier. This quality may be effective in fighting future plagues. After the zallka contaminated the atmosphere, the small change in reflected light caused the crimson to grow out of control. This was the beginning of the belief that the crimson had some benevolent evil purpose. Still, today, most Shunamir are not totally convinced that it is no more than a natural occurrence. !!!Zallpar and Zallka: Effect on Shunamir When ((zallpar|zallpar)) first arrived in greater quantity on the planet over 3000 years ago, it came as a devastating event with the addition of more crimson growth and large fireballs from the sky. The mudí soon learned that the light reflected off the crystalline and gaseous form of zallpar was effective in fighting the spread of the fungus. A mudí by the name of Adet, first put this into practice to protect the mir around 120 (Earth Standard Time). This worked by simply amplifying the light reflected through the gas. This was effective in disinfecting the outer body of those that passed through it. The gas form became known as the Light of Anu. Carriers of the virus were still able to infect others however, and strict policies were in play to protect the mir. Culturally, ((Zallka|zallka)) has had a large impact on their music development. Primitive Shunamir would gather around a large crystal and compose music. The crystal would sublimate into a shining gas around them. Today Zallka is used in power, battery and memory adaptations by all walks of Hush life. ” “Today these concerts are held in large circular stadiums. With the right glasses, a human can participate in the music and the art of the shining light of Anu.”” -Embassy Brochure |