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Ka'atha Background
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This article has little to do with the specifics of the language itself. It's more of an infodump about how these lizard people live.
This public article was written by [Deactivated User], and last updated on 16 Apr 2020, 19:11.

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Biology and Geography
The Ka’atha are a bipedal, human-sized chamaeleonid people who dwell on the northern archipelago of a vast sea. They have colorful, shifting skins and magnificent crests or even horns. The northern archipelago is characterized by small islands with fertile soil, volcanoes, and rocky coastline. Marshes, rainforests, and mangroves are all common terrain, and the Ka’atha are numerous. To the south are a related group, the Nu’usha, who are technically the same species but resemble desert-dwelling lizards. These islands are large, but primarily salt and sand, so the few organisms that live there are hardy. Most Nu’usha live nomadically, herding animals and hopping from oasis to oasis, or else in trading/fishing settlements along the coast. Nu’usha have a high sodium tolerance to help them survive on salty groundwater. There is overlap in their ranges. The overall temperature of the planet is quite warm, so ice is basically unknown.

Chamaeleonids are oviparous. Eggs are laid one, two, or even three at a time and take six months to hatch. The hatchlings mature at around 8 or 9 Earth-years of age and become adults on their 8th hatchday (which is closer to 9 years on Earth). This might seem young to humans, but the Ka'atha consider 40 years to be an old age, and few expect to make it to 50. The Nu'usha, who generally live in a harsh salt-desert region, have slightly shorter lifespans.

Trade
The two groups are joined primarily by trade. The Ka’atha export obsidian, lumber, and produce— this species is omnivorous and uses their tongues both to catch prey and pick tree fruit. No, this is not considered gross for other people to eat. The Nu’usha export salt, precious stones and metals, and animal products. Their animals and plants bear similarities to the organisms in our world, but are distinct. Take for example the Kosha, a creature similar to a sheep. Like a sheep, it has a soft fleece that can be shorn, but unlike a sheep, it is carnivorous and has paws. They have also domesticated insects that range from rabbit-size to horse-size.

In the Empire days, distinctively carved obsidian chips were used as currency. Most islands still accept chips and even mint their own, but because of the islands’ political organization they don’t really have a fixed value, may not be accepted at every location, and are prone to forgery. For this reason, most Ka’atha prefer to just barter and only use chips when they need to travel light. The system is on its way out.

History and Politics
The past is also apparent: grand ruins can be found in the deep desert and sinking into marshes, and bones as big as our tyrannosaurus rex have been unearthed in salt mines. There is no writing system, so the Ka’atha rely on oral accounts of these days, and of their history on the whole. For this reason, each island might have a radically different version of events.

According to Ka'atha tradition, before the world there was endless ocean. Then, a wave rose in the ocean and split into its component parts: salt and water. The water became Lali, and the salt became her mate, Laila. Laila shot his tongue into the water and pulled islands from beneath the sea. Lali shot her tongue into the sky and punched holes in the darkness, which became sun, moon, and stars. The children of Laila and Lali were Ka'a, Kai, Nu'ush (Nu'uth), and Nal. The descendents of Ka'a and Kai became the Ka'atha, while the descendents of Nu'ush and Nal became the Nu'usha.

The island political situation is complicated. For all thathas been said about the two races, and though there exists some prejudice between the two, the truth is most conflict is between islands and clans, rather than Ka’atha and Nu’usha. This is because most chamaeleonids tend to focus on identity at a familial/local level, rather than a national/ethnic level. Sure, there have been attempts on both sides to unify the archipelagos, but the longest-lasting empire, the Taki’iatha Empire, crumbled after about two hundred years, and this was almost three hundred years before the present. Since the Empire fell, islands have been mostly self-governing and cooperate through a loose trade confederation. When a meeting is called, however, representatives converge on the largest city on the largest southern island to discuss matters.

Arts and Sciences
Ka’atha enjoy art, music, and storytelling, and are known for their distinctive murals, which use a paint derived from a special kind of algae. Storytelling is so fundamental to Ka'atha tradition, both for historical and entertainment purposes, that it requires a unique register. Because of the warm climate, Ka’atha tend not to wear a lot of clothes. They adorn themselves with sashes, hats, and jewelry. They wear shoes when traversing wild terrain. Technologically, the coastal Ka’atha are a few centuries into learning how to forge metal, but have sophisticated designs as far as wood, clay, and stone go. They have long been traveling the sea, and have a variety of efficient boats, navigational tools, and other sailing supplies. There is a pearl and coral-diving industry in these areas in addition to fishing.

Ka'atha Groups
The coastal Ka’atha are a seafaring race. It is on this subset of Ka'atha that most of the language building will focus on, at least initally. The Ka’atha that live near the docks live in wooden or wattle-and-daub huts with stilts, while on the higher ground, rich people live in elegantly carved houses of stone. They eat more fish than insects and have the most contact with the Nu’usha of any other Ka’atha subgroup, which also leads to a higher proportion of biracial chamaeleonids. There are poor people in every situation, but Ka’atha on the whole tend to be wealthier than the Nu’usha, and coastal Ka’atha in particular tend to capitalize on interisland trade.

Inland Ka'atha are more isolated and show more variation in cultural and linguistic particulars. Consequently, these groups should be treated on a case-by-case basis. One thing that can be said, however, is that they don't often travel with the intention of coming back, and that they aren't as heterogenous as their coastal cousins.

Ka'atha typically live in multigenerational households and have a generational kinship system. This is reflected in language; for example, the word translated as "parent" refers to either biological parent, as well as aunts and uncles.

Ka'atha have a birthname, given by their parents, but shed when they come of age. This name is usually the name of a folk hero or virtue. Upon reaching adulthood, they receive two names: one given to them based on personality and achievements, and one they choose for themselves. The given name is used in formal settings, while the chosen name is used casually and more frequently. Ka'atha do not use family or tribal names, but on the rare occasion of duplicate names, they will append a descriptor for clarity's sake (Big Nal, Old Kai). If they leave their home community they may use a matronymic or append "of [island/village name]" to their first name according to preference (Gith Khinatha/Gith of Khina).
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