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Description

IWI

Attributes: By this point, it should go without saying that Skull Island is an extremely hazardous place; a primordial land of monsters in which man is not welcome. Yet, despite the odds, humanity has indeed managed to carve out a living within this dangerous and mysterious realm… At least, a type of humanity, for their long isolation and exposure to the accelerative mutational forces of the island have made the people that call themselves Iwi a species unto their own.

In terms of general morphology, Iwi are not very dissimilar from baseline humans, though there are a number of unique specializations. Generally, they are sleek and muscular; a plain result of their active and alert lifestyle. Motor control and reflexes seem to be slightly quicker than humans, however, making them far more agile than an average human counterpart. Their feet are elongated and sport opposable toes, essentially having re-evolved into dexterous grasping appendages seen in other extant great apes. To increase surface tension, their finger and toe prints are more deeply and roughly grooved, and possess fine hairs for extra traction, similar to geckos.

Their hearing is far sharper than baseline humans, extending to ultra and subsonic frequencies; very useful in detecting nearby kaiju. Additionally, their ears are very slightly offset from one another, allowing them to more accurately pinpoint the origin of a noise. Their vision is also far more adept in low-light conditions, and their pupils are wide, horizontal bars that can dilate to a much greater degree than human pupils.

Despite their sensitive hearing, Iwi themselves are actually mostly mute. Millenia of living as quietly as possible has atrophied their vocal organs to the point that speech is an impossibility for them. They instead rely on complex sign and body language for communication, as well as the most visually striking of their unique evolutionary mutations; their so-called “chromatophoric skin”.

These highly specialized epidermal cells are not analogous to the chromatophores seen in cephalopods, fish, and reptiles, but are heavily derived melanocytes, convergently similar to other color-changing structures. These cells are able to render an Iwi’s skin as anything from pale white to almost pitch black, with numerous shades of brown and grey in between. Under conscious control, they are able to form intricate patterns across their whole bodies, which they utilize for camouflage and communication.

History: Far back within the mists of man’s history, there was once a civilization that managed to achieve a global dominance and technological abilities unlike what is seen today. This vanished culture, nicknamed “Palearchs” by researchers, once shunned and avoided the mighty beasts we know today as kaiju upon their discovery that such things roamed and slumbered within the Earth. But eventually, they grew bold enough to experiment and attempt to master them. The forefront of this ideological push was the settlement of the accused Skull Island.

At first, their attempts seemed to work. They constructed vast buildings and walls all across the island, warding the creatures away through a variety of means, from sonic frequencies to chemical deterrents. They might have even dabbled in psychic control, using forbidden knowledge stolen from the terrible Winged Ones. With the island subjugated, they hoped to uncover the secrets of the kaiju for themselves. However, civil and moral unrest began to spread across their global civilization, weakening their hold and eventually resulting in a massive ecological backlash that ended the island outpost almost overnight.

According to Iwi legendry, the ancestors of Kong and the Tree Goddess, Biollante, took pity on the survivors, and with their help managed to gain a new foothold within the caldera of an old volcano. There, nestled between the lair of Kong and Biollante’s mountain, the people who would come to be the Iwi have lived ever since.

Technology: Technologically, the Iwi are an oddly mixed bag. They utilize simple stone and wood and/or woven tools and appliances for much of their daily routines. However, they have made a habit of gathering and salvaging wayward craft that happens to become wrecked upon the island. Over centuries, this has amounted to encompass modern ships and aircraft. These vessels are efficiently broken down, transported through a network of hidden tunnels, some underground, some within large hollowed vines (possibly of Biollante’s origin), and repurposed in various ways within their village. Many of their buildings are strange patchworks of ship, plane, or even submersible parts, held together with mud or stone bricks and cultivated vines. Indeed, the village does feature a working blacksmith complex, wherein such metals can be properly processed and reengineered.

Iwi have refined horticulture to fine art and powerful tool. They organize the growth of hard vines for construction, irrigation, and weapon-formation, harvest crops from vertical pastures upon the walls of the sinkhole home, light their homes with bioluminescent fungi and flowers, and possess extensive knowledge of herbal medicines grown in special protected areas. They even make use of secondary growths of Biollante, which they view as divine gifts. Extracted resin can be refined into healing or ritualistic brews, as well as hardened into effective shields and/or body armor. The seed pods of the great plant goddess also emit a pheromone that is repellant to most hypervorous creatures, and so the Iwi will craft charms containing such fragments to act as protective charms whenever they venture outside their village. The massive ring of thorny growths that surrounds the edge of the sinkhole is also confirmed to originate from Biollante, forged as an act of mercy following the self-sacrifice of a princess, if their folklore holds any credence.

In addition to these assets, the Iwi are not wholly ignorant of the ancient ways of their distant ancestors. Though they view such relics in a cautious, mostly negative light, they are in possession of a cache of mysterious stone and crystalline objects, salvaged and saved to preserve the mistakes of the past. Some of these objects, according to the few FATHOM agents who have managed to see them, may be information storage devices, psychic control units, or even energy-based weapons of some kind. Whatever they are, the Iwi insist upon keeping such devices sealed away except in times of dire need.

Culture: Iwi are deeply spiritual in their views of the magnificent and dangerous creatures they live among. They respect and honor many of the creatures as gods or nature spirits via pictographic artistry, offerings, and ceremonial dances. Kong and his kind are revered with particular significance, as are the goddesses Biollante and Mothra. Most larger kaiju specimens are seen as having their own role and purpose to serve in maintaining the balance of the world, even the Great Feared One of the Depths.

The whole of Iwi society is centered within a large, formerly volcanic sinkhole and its’ corresponding cavern system. Surrounded by steep cliff walls, the bottom is a fertile caldera wherein the Iwi Village sprawls amongst dense foliage. At the center of the village lay the remains of a mighty Skull Island Mammoth, within which elders and professionals hold counsel. A subterranean network of caverns acts as a natural drainage system, preventing flooding and providing the iwi with fresh water for themselves and their crops as well as ample fishing. Indeed, they have little need to venture far, and are mostly content living out their quiet lives within this shelter.

But the caldera cannot provide enough for all. Thus, organized hunting and observational parties are regularly organized and sent forth into the wilds of the island. These excursions perform two primary functions. Firstly, and most obviously, is to hunt for animal protein. These hunts are carefully organized, and are often orchestrated from the trees after separating and surrounding the target animal within a confined zone. Secondly, they are to make observations of the island in order to interpret the state and will of the kaiju they see as gods. With this knowledge, they may occasionally assist in ensuring the island’s turbulent ecology is kept in check, such as dealing with brewing hypervore nests before the likes of Kong, Gorosaurus, or Kamakuras take note, or culling local diseases before prey populations are badly damaged.

They also form direct symbiosis with certain species. A large colony of Altaroth ants lives within their caldera, and assist in crop management and honeydew production. Avisaurs are also commonly attracted to the caldera. These inquisitive and playful creatures may assist as lookouts during hunts in exchange for offerings of unusual fruits or fish. Playing with these creatures is also an effective way Iwi children can be trained for future hunts.

Human Relations: The Iwi are no strangers to dealing with baseline humans. Indeed, they would often come across castaways whilst salvaging what they could of wrecked vessels. These lost souls seem to have always been treated with a peculiar distant care that may border on indifference. They would treat survivors respectively for injuries and offer shelter, but should those survivors wish to attempt to leave (as was often the case), they would not try to stop them. They’d always warn, however, that such escapes tended to be ill-fated. Those that chose to stay would eventually be accepted in society once they found work within the caldera.

The modern era’s awareness of the monstrous island has made them aware that their days of isolation may be ending. They have cautiously agreed to share information with FATHOM, and even seem to be open to the idea of a permanent base upon the island, assessable to their village. They are still wary of giving away all secrets, though, especially in regards to technological relics of the past. Currently, preparations are well underway for the proposed FATHOM base, though they have also expressed concern over the growing unrest across the island as a result of Kong’s disappearance. They fear of possible ecological chaos, despite the Gorosaurs’ and Mothra Twins’ best efforts. Any further help or analysis is now much appreciated…

---------------------------------------------------
Iwi and all Skull Island native representations are copyrighted by...whoever owns them. Speaking of representation, what's your favorite depiction of the Skull Island natives in official media? Doesn't have to be limited to the movies if you're aware of some of the books and/or comics. These guys are also the next to last ones in the Races series. The last ones...won't be so friendly...

Description

IWI

Attributes: By this point, it should go without saying that Skull Island is an extremely hazardous place; a primordial land of monsters in which man is not welcome. Yet, despite the odds, humanity has indeed managed to carve out a living within this dangerous and mysterious realm… At least, a type of humanity, for their long isolation and exposure to the accelerative mutational forces of the island have made the people that call themselves Iwi a species unto their own.

In terms of general morphology, Iwi are not very dissimilar from baseline humans, though there are a number of unique specializations. Generally, they are sleek and muscular; a plain result of their active and alert lifestyle. Motor control and reflexes seem to be slightly quicker than humans, however, making them far more agile than an average human counterpart. Their feet are elongated and sport opposable toes, essentially having re-evolved into dexterous grasping appendages seen in other extant great apes. To increase surface tension, their finger and toe prints are more deeply and roughly grooved, and possess fine hairs for extra traction, similar to geckos.

Their hearing is far sharper than baseline humans, extending to ultra and subsonic frequencies; very useful in detecting nearby kaiju. Additionally, their ears are very slightly offset from one another, allowing them to more accurately pinpoint the origin of a noise. Their vision is also far more adept in low-light conditions, and their pupils are wide, horizontal bars that can dilate to a much greater degree than human pupils.

Despite their sensitive hearing, Iwi themselves are actually mostly mute. Millenia of living as quietly as possible has atrophied their vocal organs to the point that speech is an impossibility for them. They instead rely on complex sign and body language for communication, as well as the most visually striking of their unique evolutionary mutations; their so-called “chromatophoric skin”.

These highly specialized epidermal cells are not analogous to the chromatophores seen in cephalopods, fish, and reptiles, but are heavily derived melanocytes, convergently similar to other color-changing structures. These cells are able to render an Iwi’s skin as anything from pale white to almost pitch black, with numerous shades of brown and grey in between. Under conscious control, they are able to form intricate patterns across their whole bodies, which they utilize for camouflage and communication.

History: Far back within the mists of man’s history, there was once a civilization that managed to achieve a global dominance and technological abilities unlike what is seen today. This vanished culture, nicknamed “Palearchs” by researchers, once shunned and avoided the mighty beasts we know today as kaiju upon their discovery that such things roamed and slumbered within the Earth. But eventually, they grew bold enough to experiment and attempt to master them. The forefront of this ideological push was the settlement of the accused Skull Island.

At first, their attempts seemed to work. They constructed vast buildings and walls all across the island, warding the creatures away through a variety of means, from sonic frequencies to chemical deterrents. They might have even dabbled in psychic control, using forbidden knowledge stolen from the terrible Winged Ones. With the island subjugated, they hoped to uncover the secrets of the kaiju for themselves. However, civil and moral unrest began to spread across their global civilization, weakening their hold and eventually resulting in a massive ecological backlash that ended the island outpost almost overnight.

According to Iwi legendry, the ancestors of Kong and the Tree Goddess, Biollante, took pity on the survivors, and with their help managed to gain a new foothold within the caldera of an old volcano. There, nestled between the lair of Kong and Biollante’s mountain, the people who would come to be the Iwi have lived ever since.

Technology: Technologically, the Iwi are an oddly mixed bag. They utilize simple stone and wood and/or woven tools and appliances for much of their daily routines. However, they have made a habit of gathering and salvaging wayward craft that happens to become wrecked upon the island. Over centuries, this has amounted to encompass modern ships and aircraft. These vessels are efficiently broken down, transported through a network of hidden tunnels, some underground, some within large hollowed vines (possibly of Biollante’s origin), and repurposed in various ways within their village. Many of their buildings are strange patchworks of ship, plane, or even submersible parts, held together with mud or stone bricks and cultivated vines. Indeed, the village does feature a working blacksmith complex, wherein such metals can be properly processed and reengineered.

Iwi have refined horticulture to fine art and powerful tool. They organize the growth of hard vines for construction, irrigation, and weapon-formation, harvest crops from vertical pastures upon the walls of the sinkhole home, light their homes with bioluminescent fungi and flowers, and possess extensive knowledge of herbal medicines grown in special protected areas. They even make use of secondary growths of Biollante, which they view as divine gifts. Extracted resin can be refined into healing or ritualistic brews, as well as hardened into effective shields and/or body armor. The seed pods of the great plant goddess also emit a pheromone that is repellant to most hypervorous creatures, and so the Iwi will craft charms containing such fragments to act as protective charms whenever they venture outside their village. The massive ring of thorny growths that surrounds the edge of the sinkhole is also confirmed to originate from Biollante, forged as an act of mercy following the self-sacrifice of a princess, if their folklore holds any credence.

In addition to these assets, the Iwi are not wholly ignorant of the ancient ways of their distant ancestors. Though they view such relics in a cautious, mostly negative light, they are in possession of a cache of mysterious stone and crystalline objects, salvaged and saved to preserve the mistakes of the past. Some of these objects, according to the few FATHOM agents who have managed to see them, may be information storage devices, psychic control units, or even energy-based weapons of some kind. Whatever they are, the Iwi insist upon keeping such devices sealed away except in times of dire need.

Culture: Iwi are deeply spiritual in their views of the magnificent and dangerous creatures they live among. They respect and honor many of the creatures as gods or nature spirits via pictographic artistry, offerings, and ceremonial dances. Kong and his kind are revered with particular significance, as are the goddesses Biollante and Mothra. Most larger kaiju specimens are seen as having their own role and purpose to serve in maintaining the balance of the world, even the Great Feared One of the Depths.

The whole of Iwi society is centered within a large, formerly volcanic sinkhole and its’ corresponding cavern system. Surrounded by steep cliff walls, the bottom is a fertile caldera wherein the Iwi Village sprawls amongst dense foliage. At the center of the village lay the remains of a mighty Skull Island Mammoth, within which elders and professionals hold counsel. A subterranean network of caverns acts as a natural drainage system, preventing flooding and providing the iwi with fresh water for themselves and their crops as well as ample fishing. Indeed, they have little need to venture far, and are mostly content living out their quiet lives within this shelter.

But the caldera cannot provide enough for all. Thus, organized hunting and observational parties are regularly organized and sent forth into the wilds of the island. These excursions perform two primary functions. Firstly, and most obviously, is to hunt for animal protein. These hunts are carefully organized, and are often orchestrated from the trees after separating and surrounding the target animal within a confined zone. Secondly, they are to make observations of the island in order to interpret the state and will of the kaiju they see as gods. With this knowledge, they may occasionally assist in ensuring the island’s turbulent ecology is kept in check, such as dealing with brewing hypervore nests before the likes of Kong, Gorosaurus, or Kamakuras take note, or culling local diseases before prey populations are badly damaged.

They also form direct symbiosis with certain species. A large colony of Altaroth ants lives within their caldera, and assist in crop management and honeydew production. Avisaurs are also commonly attracted to the caldera. These inquisitive and playful creatures may assist as lookouts during hunts in exchange for offerings of unusual fruits or fish. Playing with these creatures is also an effective way Iwi children can be trained for future hunts.

Human Relations: The Iwi are no strangers to dealing with baseline humans. Indeed, they would often come across castaways whilst salvaging what they could of wrecked vessels. These lost souls seem to have always been treated with a peculiar distant care that may border on indifference. They would treat survivors respectively for injuries and offer shelter, but should those survivors wish to attempt to leave (as was often the case), they would not try to stop them. They’d always warn, however, that such escapes tended to be ill-fated. Those that chose to stay would eventually be accepted in society once they found work within the caldera.

The modern era’s awareness of the monstrous island has made them aware that their days of isolation may be ending. They have cautiously agreed to share information with FATHOM, and even seem to be open to the idea of a permanent base upon the island, assessable to their village. They are still wary of giving away all secrets, though, especially in regards to technological relics of the past. Currently, preparations are well underway for the proposed FATHOM base, though they have also expressed concern over the growing unrest across the island as a result of Kong’s disappearance. They fear of possible ecological chaos, despite the Gorosaurs’ and Mothra Twins’ best efforts. Any further help or analysis is now much appreciated…

---------------------------------------------------
Iwi and all Skull Island native representations are copyrighted by...whoever owns them. Speaking of representation, what's your favorite depiction of the Skull Island natives in official media? Doesn't have to be limited to the movies if you're aware of some of the books and/or comics. These guys are also the next to last ones in the Races series. The last ones...won't be so friendly...