Natu : Anatomy of the Zhirr (brainstorming and detailing, to be updated)

[Ninja D!]

In keeping with the style I have been doing most posts related to this setting, I will start things off with what I have written in my 'idea notebook' or whatever you'd like to call it.

The lizard people of Natu, known as the Zhirr, do not have thumbs. The have three long and very flexible fingers. These fingers end in claws and have four bending points, whereas human fingers have only two. Zhirr are surprisingly coordinated with these unusual fingers and can accomplish nearly anything that humans could through the use of their hands.

To clarify, I mean that they do not have thumbs that are like human thumbs, though one finger may be placed differently than the other two so that it serves the same purpose. Also, when I say 'bending points', I'm only counting where the finger can bend not where it meets the hand. So you could say humans have three, depending on how you look at it and then the zhirr would have five.

I want to stick with this idea because I feel that it does two important things; First of all, it makes the zhirr seem much more alien and that is a very important point. I was considering making this setting human only and since I moved away from that, I want to ensure that any other race is very different, not just 'humans with pointy ears'. Second, I feel that the zhirr could use this anatomical trait in the sun worship in some way. I could see them relating each finger to a broad phase of the sun (dawn, day, and dusk).

I was also thinking that maybe where these fingers meet the hand, there should be a ball and socket joint, like the human shoulder. I'm not sure about that part yet.

The main reason this idea came about is that I wanted something unusual to be a part of the human culture of Natu. Something that could stand out visually about them, at least in the way that they dress. I decided that thumbs would be unique to humans in Natu and that the humans would think that makes them special and emphasize it with decoration.

Now any feedback anyone could provide on any part of this would be great.