The 'People' of Velcian Deluge

Plane: Bleakreed Hollow | Entry #4 | Subject: The Serelune — Primary Inhabitants
  Physical Description

The Serelune are tall, bipedal reptiles bearing close resemblance to the common Alligator mississippiensis, though more refined in proportion and posture.
Average height ranges from 5 ft 10 in to 7 ½ ft, with mass between 300 and 420 lbs—predominantly dense muscle rather than fat. The body tapers gracefully; despite their weight they move with smooth, deliberate rhythm.

The species retains the crocodilian tail, serving as both propulsive tool and counterbalance. When standing, they maintain a slight forward hunch to offset the tail’s mass, giving a distinctive silhouette reminiscent of a poised dancer rather than a brute. Skin texture is scaled but supple, varying from peat‑green to ash‑gray with faint blue iridescence along the spine ridges.

They reproduce by egg laying. No mammary glands are present.
A curious sexual adaptation is observed among certain females who pursue non‑Serelune partners: a pair of inflatable air bladders positioned at the chest cavity. These are filled manually each day through controlled inhalation. The resulting structures mimic mammalian breasts of subtle size but lack true biological function. Local accounts suggest these are maintained chiefly for the amusement or attraction of outside mates. Reaction among outsiders is mixed; local sentiment is indifferent.

----General Comparative Note: The Alligator

For readers unfamiliar, an alligator is a semi‑aquatic reptile possessing a flattened snout, scaled hide, and powerful tail, primarily native to warm wetlands of the mortal world. Replace the quadrupedal stance with upright gait, lengthen the limbs, and one arrives at the general form of the Serelune.

----Limb Structure and the Chorda Ante

The Serelune’s most remarkable biological feature lies in the forearms, which are proportionally long—reaching the knees when relaxed—and contain enlarged cartilaginous plates rather than conventional muscle sheaths.
These plates constitute the Chorda Ante, a natural instrument producing tones akin to keyed string percussion.

When struck, pressed, or flexed, each plate releases a distinct metallic pling, forming scales of resonance similar to a piano.
Regular maintenance includes the ritual application of aromatic oils. When properly lubricated, the Chorda Ante can sustain vibratory tones comparable to bowed strings—a violin timbre in smaller individuals, a cello depth in larger.
The tonal range depends upon plate thickness, hydration, and the individual’s overall health.

Daily practice is both recreation and devotion; music is interwoven with worship, courtship, and civic life. The sound of a Serelune at work or prayer is inseparable from the atmosphere of the Deluge itself—wet air, warm mist, and soft mechanical song.

---Locomotion and Posture

Legs are digitigrade, ending in webbed claws adapted for both submerged propulsion and land travel. Despite bulk, movement is silent. Observed stride length averages 0.9 m. Tail weight acts as a steadying keel in water currents.

-----Behavior Overview (Preliminary)

Social demeanor: gregarious, tactile, musical. Individuals display high tolerance for close proximity and frequent touch. Eye contact is prolonged and considered affectionate, not confrontational. Vocal tones (when not sung) carry melodic lilt; even ordinary speech is pitched.

Religious doctrine centers on love in all expressions—emotional, spiritual, and physical. Consummation is treated as a sacrament rather than taboo. Communal singing ceremonies replace structured temple worship.

-----Feathered Structures – Observed Pattern and Coverage 

At time of writing, I find myself seated far from their village, scrawling notes beneath a spiny-shed tree in the shadow of a bone lantern.
And in reviewing the page, I have come to a rather egregious oversight. One so obvious I feel embarrassed to record it after such length.

Feathers.
The Serelune are, without exception, feathered.

Not like birds. Not like reptiles. Not quite like anything I have seen.
The comparison most accurate would be to a vulture in texture, with water-resistant properties similar to that of the mallard duck.

These feathers are not uniform but rather exist in defined zones:

The collarbone and shoulders, with finer tufts radiating outward in thin rows

The back of the neck, tapering upward into crown-like ridges along the scalp

The entire spine, forming a criss-crossed overlay of broad and narrow feathers

Down the length of the tail, ending in a softened burst or fan, often dyed or ornamented

This plumage provides more than just protection—it is expressive. Some individuals fluff their collar when startled, or raise crown feathers in what I assume is delight. In times of sorrow, I have seen the tail fan close inwards, not unlike a wilted petal.

---Coloration and Variance

Perhaps most stunning are the colors.

Serelune feathers range wildly—sunset orange, acid green, rose pink, river blue, and more.
There is no clear correlation between color and gender, role, or age.
I have seen tiny elders with neon blue tail fans.
I have seen young lovers with dusky purple manes.
Colors appear to be inherited, though selective dying is also practiced in ceremonial contexts.

Notably, feather color does not fade with age.
Rather, graying occurs only through a degenerative condition known as:

CalciaLuma
A parasitic affliction carried by all Serelunes.
Dormant in most. Active only under specific, currently unknown triggers.

When active, the parasite alters feather pigmentation, dulling it in patches until the affected area becomes stiff, brittle, and eventually falls away.
The process is non-lethal but socially distressing.
Further documentation will be provided in a later entry.
-----Vocal Adaptation and Duality

The Serelune voice is… difficult to describe.
Under normal conditions, it carries a gravelled growl—as if each word were chewed through loose stones before release. It is not unpleasant, merely raw, and always thick with phlegmatic rasp.

However, during courtship behavior, this voice undergoes an unconscious transformation.

Without apparent effort, the Serelune’s throat tightens, the resonance climbs, and the entire tone shifts into liquid silk—resembling that of a younger human voice, often feminine in softness regardless of speaker’s gender.

This state, I am told, is involuntary. It occurs when a Serelune feels romantic longing, or senses mutual affection.

The effect is profound. Even outsiders have reported emotional sway at hearing these tones.
I, myself, once paused mid-sentence when spoken to in this state—momentarily uncertain if I were hearing a person or a stream playing music against its own stones.

This is no accident of nature. It is designed for love.
Their biology, their voice, their rhythm—it all leads toward connection. Toward the pursuit of mutual adoration, both physical and spiritual.

They sing not to perform.
They sing to find someone to hold.
-------------

I have discovered, after careful observation and several cups of mint broth, that the most powerful creature in the Divide may in fact be a stork girl named GalRee. Her tracking skills are unmatched, her sword is wooden but sharp in spirit, and her hat—made of old postage twine—grants her tactical superiority in nearly every game of reeds-and-feathers played this season.

She has appointed herself co-explorer.

This page is hers now.
------------

Editor’s Note: My sincere apologies for the above. I am currently… babysitting, as they say.
Or perhaps something closer to raising.
The two children from Reedlight Run who first attached themselves to me (likely out of pity) have since become fixtures of my life. The older one is—by all legal definitions—a grown man. The younger, GalRee, is not. She is however decidedly in charge.

Now then.
Let us speak of the Barlune.
---Introduction and Social Context

In many parts of the mortal world, individuals with dwarfism or non-standard growth patterns are too often subject to mockery or exclusion.
The Divide has no such tolerance for cruelty in this regard.
Here, difference is sacred, especially when it brings beauty.

The Barlune are a biological subspecies of the Serelune—distinct in form, function, and cultural placement.
They are not malformed, nor "lesser."
They are revere
----Physical Characteristics

Barlune average between 2 ft 9 in and 3 ft 2 in in height.
Their bodies are round—deliberately so—almost orbicular in profile. The chest cavity and abdominal section are composed primarily of lung tissue, granting them massive vocal capacity disproportionate to their size.

They possess no ChordaAnte; their arms are short, pudgy, and end in wide, webbed fingers. Legs are similarly thick and stumpy, yet surprisingly agile—especially in water. Locomotion resembles a low, determined waddle, sometimes accompanied by tail-assisted hopping in festive contexts.

The Barlune are often born without feathers, save for a fluff tuft atop the skull—this ranges in color from white to bright pink and is prone to dramatic stylings, often played for comedic or romantic effect.

Their faces are far more expressive than most crocodilian species, with long, wide jaws capable of open grins, cheek pouches for resonance, and fully visible eyebrow ridges. Smiling is frequent and highly communicative.

----Vocality and Sound

The Barlune voice is its own miracle.

At rest, their natural speaking tone resembles a froggish warble, nasal and high in pitch, accompanied by cheek-bounce and slight whistling. However, when focused—or excited—their lungs expand, and they are capable of producing tenor tones that resonate for miles.

Unlike the Serelune, whose romantic voice changes in response to emotional stimuli, the Barlune’s voice is always ready.
They sing with purpose, with power, and with clarity.
In fact, their songs are used across the Deluge as messenger calls, village alerts, and courtship introductions. It is not uncommon for a Barlune to serve as the heart of an entire community—voicing daily news through melody.

Despite their stature, they are regarded with deep respect, unshakable adoration, and often… a fair bit of romantic obsession from nearby species.

It should be emphasized once again:

Do not laugh at a Barlune.
Not unless they are laughing first.
And if they are singing?
Sit down.
You’re in church now.
.....
--------

---Current Demographic Crisis

Among all documented sapient species within the Divide, none face a reproductive collapse so pronounced as that of the Serelune and their subspecies, the Barlune.
The phenomenon is not recent; rather, it appears to have been unfolding slowly over centuries, unnoticed until now that the decline has reached visible thresholds.

Birth rates have fallen to near‑zero.
In most villages, a single clutch of eggs per decade is celebrated as a public event.
Even with a typical lifespan approaching two centuries, a generation is now expected to pass without offspring to succeed it.

----Cultural and Religious Response

The Serelune answer this calamity not with despair but with ritualized devotion.
Their theology equates love itself with vitality—the idea that affection and union can delay decay, both physical and spiritual.
Consequently, polygamous households are not only accepted but encouraged, their intimate lives considered acts of preservation rather than indulgence.

These unions are seldom private; group ceremonies and shared festivals have taken on the structure of civic duties.
The stated purpose is simple: to give love every possible chance to spark new life.
The emotional reality is more complex—an admixture of hope, fear, and quiet exhaustion that hangs in the music of every night.

A common belief attributes the infertility to outside contamination:
specifically to the Holokon confections imported from northern markets, sweetmeats laced with laudanum.
This “Candy Curse,” as they call it, has become both superstition and scapegoat.
Whether true or not, the notion persists that indulgence in mortal pleasures has dulled their sacred fire.

-----Social Impact and Psychological Burden

The decline has reshaped the Serelune identity.
Every song, every courtship, every embrace carries the weight of a species quietly fighting extinction.
Romance is no longer pastime; it is survival.

The tone of their ceremonies has shifted correspondingly. What was once play has become prayer.
One hears it in the music—melodies that begin joyful and end trembling.

I confess, as observer, a certain heaviness at witnessing a people so devoted to love, and yet denied the simplest reward of it.
It is a tragedy rendered gentle only by their refusal to surrender.




----The Barlune Condition

The Barlune, by contrast, are entirely infertile.
Anatomical study confirms the absence of reproductive organs; the internal cavity is dominated by lung and resonating cartilage.
They are, by all natural measure, non‑breeding offspring—perhaps an evolutionary cul‑de‑sac, perhaps something more deliberate.

Within Serelune doctrine, this condition is interpreted as divine punishment or martyrdom:
Barlune are seen as love given voice but denied seed.
They are excluded from the rites of fertility yet venerated as reminders of devotion’s purest form—affection without legacy.

Daily life reflects this paradox.
Barlune are well fed, well housed, and publicly adored, yet privately pitied.
Children are taught to weep for them in empathy, to offer apologies for a crime neither side committed.
The phrase “To cry upon a Chumba” has become a local idiom for expressing hopeless sympathy.

------Summary

The Serelune cling to love as cure; the Barlune embody love as loss.
Between them, the Deluge sings a hymn equal parts tenderness and extinction.