Back to Species of Karkaana VoanPronunciation hint
Depending on region and language, the word Voan may be pronounced as one of the following:
/voh-ann/ as they typically use themselves.
/vahn/ as is common among Lae.
/vun/ in Rankan language.
¶ Appearance
There is no one way to describe a Voan. Foreign to Karkaana, this unique species of apparently amorphous entities took many forms. Keenly attuned to underlying forces of the universe, as well as the more primal natural energies, these creatures had the capacity to become powerful indeed. Their malleable shapes were typically inspired by their immediate surroundings, but it was not a rule once it came to the older, more capable specimens.
A fledgeling Voan is born to a vaguely reptilian appearance which could be considered similar to a komodo dragon and typically remains this way until a time where they desire to explore different shapes, or are taught to do so.
Primordial Voan skin is leathery and waxy to the touch, with certain parts of their apperance covered with what one could consider analogous to hair. This cover is vaguely reminiscent of sea anemone and ranges in size from little viscous bumps to longer strands of pliable tissue with the consistency of molten glass. As mentioned, however, the Voan easily shed the primordial form as they are attuned to their environment.
Their journey begins thus, and they continue growing in both physical size and power for as long as they live. Being malleable as they are, their environment can strongly affect their appearance and shape. An example would be where a Voan in contact with stone or rock may become attuned to it and mimic its appearance and properties. It should be noted that the source of their form may just as well be a living creature, thus a fledgeling Voan which comes in contact with a rankan may exhibit rankan features. In theory, were one to grow completely unchanged, they would retain their reptilian shape.
It isn't unusual for Voan to be the source of myth and legend, as the stories of demonic or otherwise powerful creatures were frequently crafted after them. Some of the more powerful Voan even leaned into and embraced this kind of folklore in order to pose as deities and pursue their own goals and agendas.
¶ Society
Very few Voan are known to exist on Karkaana, and many of those who do remain reclusive and difficult to spot. With the ease at which they blend with the environment, it's typically almost impossible to find them without the employ of invasive procedures.
Considered to be a solitary people who very rarely if ever interact amongst each other, the Voan don't seem to have a great interest in sharing space with others of their kind. Even fledgeling Voan tend to separate from their parent as they become adult and self-sufficient. It is unclear whether this behavior is inherent to their biology or learned through societal forces. In either case, they do not seem to express the need for companionship of their fellow kind.
¶ Gender and Sexuality
The Voan categorically do not observe gender in any distinct form. While some of their species may adopt aspects of gendered appearance or roles based on the environment they live in, they do not seem to actively engage with it outside of such social situations.
From a purely biological standpoint, any Voan can produce offspring with another by exchanging genetic material within specific contexts. It is an absolute requirement for both participants to willingly proceed with the process, as they themselves control the exchange. Not only that, but a Voan must be mature enough to learn how to perform this function as it is executed deliberately and manipulated on a very low level. This process is called blending.
It is then not unexpected that the Voan typically copulate through an intermediary. Two such forms of reproduction exist: cogenital which involves another species and primordial through a sac of genetic material which later forms into an egg. Both these forms of reproduction, however, have very low chances of success as even minor damage to the genetic material will fail to produce living offspring.
That's to say, despite their aversion to others of their kind, surprisingly many Voan tend to lead active sexual lives, typically with other intelligent species they encounter. Such unions can and do produce offspring between the Voan and the other species, this offspring is called Hanoan or more typically Voanborn.
For a pure Voan to be conceived requires the additional genetic material from at least one more Voan partner, but as stated before this is very rare, both due to sensitivity of the genetic material as well as Voan not commonly interacting amongst one another. Some non Voan cults specifically seek out members of the species to mate with in an effort to produce more purebred Voan, this is considered a severe breach of trust and is intensely frowned upon by most Voan.
¶ History
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