Nhaga (also romanized as Naga) are one of the four intelligent races in the world of Project Windless and The Bird That Drinks Tears. They are cold-blooded, reptilian beings defined by one extraordinary cultural practice: during a coming-of-age ceremony, Nhaga remove their hearts, which grants them near-immortality and powerful regeneration.
Biology
Cold-blooded reptilian physiology
Vulnerable to cold northern climates due to their cold-blooded nature
After heart removal: near-immortal with powerful regenerative abilities
Before heart removal (or with heart intact): mortal and vulnerable
Heart Removal
The defining trait of the Nhaga is their coming-of-age ritual in which they remove their own hearts. A heartless Nhaga gains extraordinary regeneration and near-immortality, making them formidable. A Nhaga who still possesses their heart is far more vulnerable, an anomaly in their society.
This concept is central to the plot of The Bird That Drinks Tears novels: the replacement Nhaga envoy is unusual precisely because he still has his heart, making the escort mission far more dangerous.
Neereum
Nhaga communicate through a form of silent communication called Neereum. The exact nature of Neereum is not fully explained in available sources, but it appears to be a telepathic or empathic mode of communication distinct from spoken language.
Culture
Nhaga are described as ruthlessly dominant, brilliant, and isolationist. They dwell in the southern forests and jungles (the Kiboren forest in the novels) and have been largely isolated from the other races since an ancient war. Their intelligence and cold-blooded nature make them dangerous opponents and difficult allies.
In the Game
The snake-like antagonists seen in the Project Windless reveal trailer appear to be Nhaga. In the game's era (set 1,500 years before the novels) the Nhaga are one of the four factions in a continent-spanning conflict. The Hero King built a watchtower specifically to monitor Nhaga movements, suggesting they are a significant military threat.
Relationship with Other Races
Nhaga exist in deep tension with the other races. In the novels, Humans are known to hunt and eat Nhaga: a fact that makes cross-racial cooperation extremely fraught. The Rekon view them with wariness, and the Tokkebi maintain their own complicated relationship with the reptilian race.