Concerning Hoomans

Anatomy

Hoomans are a humanoid race with owl heads and other avian features. Among these features are short tails, though these are hidden under the cloaks they wear almost every time they are in public. Another noticeable distinction Hoomans have is the presence of feathers rather than hair or fur. This takes the form of down or "fuzz" rather than the plumage one thinks of when hearing the word "feather", though the head and tail bear feathers reminiscent of those allowing for flight in exception to this. The plumage and down are universally in various shades of brown, though the coloration is not uniform in the case of the former. Small patches of lighter or darker shades are found on the head.

There are some minor similarities to owls as well, including a greater-than-average neck-turning radius and particularly long legs compared to other humanoids.

The longer legs lend to Hoomans on average being taller than other races, though the strain on them leads to joint pains among other difficulties. As a result, it is quite common to see aging Hoomans bracing against objects or relying on a cane to reduce the burden on their legs. A few unfortunate souls even have to rely on wheelchairs. These wheelchair-bound Hoomans are often accompanied by a Bubon Toehound to keep them company when the youth are with their parents.

Female Hoomans (hereafter referred to as Femhoomans) lack breasts, as they do not nurse their young. It is perhaps worth noting that they have down on their chests, and Femhoomans take care in properly grooming their chest fuzz to provide premium snuggling experiences.

Attire

When Hoomans are publicly witnessed, it can be expected that all of them are wearing a hooded cloak in some way. The cloaks worn by Hoomans have their own differences between each other, but many elements are shared between them all.

In spite of their avian characteristics, Hoomans lack wings. Instead, the edges of their cloaks' sleeves are patterned in design and/or shape to give the impression they are wings. The sleeves are therefore long enough to extend at least as far as the wrist if not longer and are overall rather wide. Likewise, the cloaks themselves extend almost to the ankles.

Most cloaks are some shade of brown, though black or white cloaks are not unheard of in certain regions of /who/. Black cloaks are found in the fishing communities, while white cloaks are worn by the odd village here and there that relies extensively on potatoes and other crops.

The manner in which a cloak is worn varies as well; some treat it like a mantle and cover as much of the body as possible, while others leave it clasped at the base of the neck and keep it as open as practicable.

Every Hooman who has proven themself to be a respectful and responsible member of society is bestowed two feathers: One is from the parents, the other by the grandparent who oversaw their education. These feathers are from local owl species. Though typically fastened or pinned to the hood of their cloak, the feathers can acceptably be applied to anywhere within proximity of the head. Therefore, it is acceptable for a Hooman to have feathers in a hairband, on a necklace, or on any other accessory, as long as that accessory is worn at all times in public.

Before receiving their feathers, many younger Hoomans decorate their cloaks similarly to how feathers would be fastened or otherwise applied. Those who do so tend to adorn the clothing they're wearing beneath the cloaks after they're given their feathers.

The notion that Hoomans are cloak-only is a misnomer. What Hoomans wear beneath them is overall unremarkable, save for adult Femhoomans wearing tops that expose their chest fluff.

Any Hooman elected to the position of Ave or Skal is bestowed an object that allows for them to be identified from a distance, such as a unique helmet or a handheld trinket of some kind. If the object is to be worn, they are expected to wear it whenever executing their duties as Ave/Skal.

Household Composition

The average Hooman household is multi-generational, housing children, parents, and at least one grandparent.

Hoomans refer to their young as Hooties and a grandparent is called Hoojisan.

To support their households and community, male and female Hoomans see roughly even levels of employment. Unlike other humanoid races, Hoomans do not nurse their young. This allows the mothers to return to the workforce shortly after their children come about. This leaves any Hoojian in the home as the one responsible for raising the Hooties.

In addition to raising Hooties in their formative years, the Hoojisan is in charge of home upkeep. They often get Hooties involved in cleaning but leave them to watch most cooking endeavors until they've earned their first feather. If a Hoojisan is in poor physical condition (most common case of this being foot issues), the Hooties are much more involved and tend to learn cooking earlier, though they still do not have full responsibility over it.

In the event that a household loses its Hoojisan while it has Hooties who have not yet come of age, arrangements are made either to move the family into a relative's home that has a Hoojisan or for a Hoojisan who has no Hooties to educate to move in and take the previous Hoojisan's place.

There is regional variation in terms of household layout. Some are single-story while others have three floors. In multi-level homes, the Hoojisan's room is typically on the first floor while the parents live on the top floor. As the parents and grandparent are involved in different stages of the children's education, many homes place the children's rooms in between the grandparent's and parents', regardless of layout.

One thing that sees no variation among residential buildings in /who/ is the presence of a well-kept owl house in either the front or back yard. This owl house is checked every morning for signs of an owl's presence and are kept clean with great regularity. An owl leaving a feather in one of these houses is seen as a sign of good luck to the family, and reports of an owl staying in one for longer than a single night become the talk of the town.

Education

Interpersonal Relations

Observational Tendencies

Dietary Biology

Courtship and Intimacy

Details to be added February 2026

Criminal Punishment

Superstitions

beware the meem

Worship

Mooming

moom

Edit

Pub: 20 Sep 2025 10:38 UTC

Edit: 26 Sep 2025 05:48 UTC

Views: 5