Of all the strange creatures of Atreia, perhaps none is more mysterious than the little Shugo.
These shrewd merchants ply their trade across all Asmodae. They have established a merchant empire in the Abyss. It seems they even trade in Elysea as well.
Yet what is known about these beady-eyed, bushy-tailed enigmas?
The history of Shugos is shrouded in darkness. While obviously they dwelt alongside Humans in ancient Atreia, the poor historical record of the Drakan Age has left few sources to tell us about them.
One account mentions a merchant traveling through town, "...a straynge, furrie Fellowe, castynge about Nervos Glanses and repeatynge, 'Nyerke, nyerke.'"
Historical sources from the Millennium War imply that Shugos were considered untrustworthy, as they were thought to be selling weapons to both Humans and Balaur.
It is this historian's contention that this was merely prejudice speaking. What weapon could the Shugos have that would have been powerful enough to interest the Balaur?
Evidently Shugos, unlike most Sapiens, were on both sides of Atreia when it was split by the Cataclysm.
One of the greatest mysteries of the Shugos is why they did not evolve into separate forms as Humans did. An Asmodian Shugo is not stronger than an Elyos Shugo, nor does the Elyos Shugo lack fur.
Perhaps the Shugo had discovered a method of traveling from one side to the other before Humans did?
Shugos are secretive about their culture and rituals. Therefore, we can only speculate as to what Shugos do when no Humans are around.
Shugo society is organized around merchant clans rather than the smaller family groups common among Humans. Some sources refer to a "Great Company" at the core of Shugo moral philosophy.
A Shugo will never cheat another Shugo, but taking advantage of other races seems to be encouraged. Some say the Shugos make themselves appear less intelligent than they are to deceive Humans.
All kinds of wild rumors about the Shugo have found currency over the years. Some go so far as to say that Shugos are responsible for all evil in the world.
Some particularly vicious rumors claim that Shugos drink the blood of Human infants. This historian cannot stress enough how untrue this is.
Shugos are pure-hearted free spirits, utterly incapable of anything sinister.
