Domis

Domis are a fictional intelligent species commonly used in speculative fiction and world-building projects. They are typically portrayed as a nocturnal, subterranean people who develop extensive tunnel networks and city-states.

Biology: Domis range from 1.4 to 1.8 meters tall, with slender builds. Their skin tones vary from slate gray to copper-brown. They possess large eyes adapted to dim light, broad hearing, and a keen sense of touch. Many Domis communicate through a combination of vocal, facial, and pheromone cues.

Society and culture: Domis organize in decentralized councils and guilds; leadership tends to be by consensus or rotating offices rather than fixed monarchies. Clans provide social support, with strong emphasis on memory, lineage, and oral history.

Technology and economy: They mine minerals, farm fungi and hardy crops in underground farms, and engineer tunnel networks with measured ventilation. Their energy systems rely on geothermal heat and bioenergy; trade routes connect surface-friendly outposts to subterranean hubs.

Language and writing: The Domic language family includes several dialects; it features consonant clusters and a set of click-like phonemes; writing is often carved in bone, stone, or wood and used for legal and historical records.

In fiction and media: Domis have appeared in novels, tabletop RPG campaigns, and video games as a culturally rich but secretive society with advanced engineering. They are used to explore themes of adaptation, memory, and community.

Reception and influence: As a fictional construct, the Domis provide a flexible platform for world-building and ethnographic storytelling, allowing creators to model subterranean civilizations and their interactions with surface societies.