So the Uktena serpent was created by the Little Men (a race of, well, small human-like beings) after the Sun cursed them with a disease. The Little Men turned a human into the first Uktena serpent - a Cherokee word meaning "The Keen-Eyed" - to attack the Sun (it was unsuccessful).
In the Imgflip-bossfights canon, I've decided, Uktena Warriors (what Awenasa's species is called, even though not all of them are warriors) are hybrids of an unknown lizardman species and the Uktena serpents.
Uktenas have antlers, iridescent scales, and a crystalline crest on their heads - all things I knew about and transferred into Awenasa's design. What I didn't know about is that they usually have ring patterns down their bodies, like a corn snake or milk snake. I didn't do this for Awen, but Atakalu (I'd be surprised if anyone remembers him) does have a pattern like that. So my r̶e̶t̶c̶o̶n̶ explanation for this is simply sexual dimorphism - male Uktena Warriors have rings, females don't.
I also learned more about the crystal in their foreheads. It's called an Ulunsuti (meaning "Transparent"), and it has several unique powers.
1: It's able to emit a blinding light that hypnotizes (almost) anyone who sees it. Some can resist the pull, but more often than not it drives people towards the Uktena's throat instead.
2: Anyone who extracts an Ulunsuti from one of these serpents becomes the most successful person ever. The crystal is able to bring rain, create profitable businesses, generate luck, etc. I imagine these abilities transfer over to Uktena Warriors as well, though not as strongly.
3: The greatest ability of the Ulunsuti, however, is the gift of prophecy. Looking into the crystal will show a clear vision of the future. Uktena Warriors retain this ability as well, though again, not as strongly.
4: However, the Ulunsuti needs to always be tended to. It needs to be rubbed with the blood of a rabbit once every week, and with the blood of a deer twice a year. Since Uktena Warriors are carnivores, Awen doesn't need to worry about this. But for anyone who owns an Ulunsuti by itself, they still have to do this.
