Ralamians / Inquisitive but Aloof

There is no particular history of migration for Ralamians: families would travel with sistren tribes and settle among sistren tribes. Although they prefer a perfect balance of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure and windiness to keep bodies comfortable: If one of these meteorological variables is too low or high then others should compensate for that. Likewise they choose regions where continuous and extensive cultivation of silica-rich plants is simplistic whole year. Plenty of suitable soil is found in Eastern Feet Region.

When born, cells in Ralamian bodies are still soft and carbon-based, but after a couple months they get hungry and start absorbing high amount of silica, minerals and metals (latest substantially for bones), hence after toddlerhood Ralamian diet is composed mostly of just mentioned silica-rich plants. Food made of carbon-based meats and plants still can be consumed, but because Ralamians can’t digest it so easily they do so in lesser quantities and not for nutrients source, but just to add taste to a bland and small amount of products they really depend on.

After a few more months gem-like structures develop on joints and rib cage (primarily sternum area), and around skull. While first ones serve decorative purpose, gems located on sternum are external organs which crucial to release byproducts of breathing and hydration in Ralamian silica-rich bodies. Crystal (mostly quartz) formations start developing on these gemorgans through out the day, and every nights Ralamians would scrape these outgrowth as a hygiene process, like brushing teeth. If left unsupervised for too many weeks it can cause serious damage to the body; leaving without attention for even longer can result in death from intoxication.

Scalp produces different type of byproduct: wet on touch, soft and elastic homogeneous substance made of hydrogen-abundant radioloria-like cells; luminescent, harmless; functionally comparable to hair of other tribes. It can keep desired shape under a weak electrical current. Chunks of this mass can be detached and absorbed again before cells start dying. Coloration of this substance, as much as gemorgans, is affected by genetics and permanent, yet skin coloration is heavily ensued from ongoing selection of food and can be changed just in a few months depending on which type, and part, of silica-rich plants are regularly consumed. Thus it is also easy to discern when Ralamians are ailing or malnutritioned – their skin looses its hue and turn more ashen and pale.

With the specific from-birth diet Ralamian gems can become precious crystals, valuable enough to be turned into gemstones; after it became a wide understanding by the end of the Age of Crumbling Ralamians’ lives became valuable to [REDACTED] cruelty of the Hegemony... but these lives would last short, filled with a suffering as a stock for a single final purpose in mass generation of jewelry. For that Ralamians generally avoid these diets as a detest to the past, but still some risk to follow them for own beauty.

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Ralamians grow really fast until their bodies fully develop and reach a certain peak, then they look young forever as their aging process is differ from pure carbon-based sistren. Always their skin is smooth and movements are elegant. Yet come a time when they will begin dying as fast as they grew. In fact Ralamians have one of the shortest lifespans of all tribes – less than forty Meorenell years at best. Though, it is theorized that they perceive time at much slower pace that other tribes, based on cognitive speed and reaction time of Ralamian brains.

Just as cells continuously consume and recycle silicon atoms, they slowly turn heavier and brittle, and suddenly fail to sustain themselves as an organic being. First visible sign of final months in Ralamian life always starts with eyes – they begin to pale and loose inner glow, eventually crystallize; optic nerves follow; skin and flesh gets hoary as well; then crystallization process reaches brain and nerve system, at that point the rest of the body is already cracking, and eventually crumble to sand. A Ralamian dies as a person, but a body partially stays alive: cells of some organ tissues (lungs, heart, liver and bone marrow) keep growing as symbiotic colonies, creating lustrous crystal and metallic structures for a few more decades before fully mineralizing to a non-alive state naturally or under threats of nature.

It is really easy to identify Ralamian cemeteries when you see a field of crystal formations surrounded by ashes and dusts. In modern times these crystals can find their value for technological use, but it is illegal as well as immoral to collect and use them unless Ralamians themselves bequeath it, which some of them do so in prideful likeness to ancient words of Meora:“Take my body and prosper. Take my skin, my flesh, my bones, my tears – use it, to flourish. As your mother I order you, my children. As your mother I sacrifice myself for your thrive, my children.” Alike She allowed us to exploit Her being and not be ashamed nor feared, these Ralamians desire to aid Meority after own deaths in Her honor.

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Besides regular names, Ralamians have Inner Names – whispered only by intercessor in prayers to Meora when alone, for well-being of special someone, never for oneself. These names are so sacred to them that very often spouses and their children don’t know Inner Names of each other. It is the only time they talk about themselves in first person, which of course you will never hear; otherwise they always refer to themselves in third person.

Regularly you can hear Ralamians gently singing and humming; for a long time it was obscure even for them why they do it, but it was discovered that humming boosts Ralamian cognitive abilities, and tune changes directly depends on their thoughts.

Because of a powerful natural bioelectrical field it is possible for Ralamians to share thoughts and memories with each other (and at least somewhat read othertribe’s emotions) by linking nervous systems. Even children inherit memories of their mothers from during pregnancy period, hence Ralamians become ready and experienced for the world much earlier than sistren tribes. Coupled with accelerate growth, Ralamians regard each other as adults as early as six years.

Other tribes characterize Ralamians by solitary, stoic nature and equanimity, or sullen and morose, with tendency to keep secrets and refusing to communicate nor cooperate. They are indeed can be described as individualists and their first values are family-oriented at best, above nation and tribe interests. In truth many Ralamians just aspire for individual autonomy and aim to shape own, unique views on the world, to seek what others don’t. Which comes from an existential fear of their minds amalgamating and personalities stagnating through an entire tribe as an outcome of thought-sharing potential, even if they rejected to use it most of their lives. In conjunction with a lessen lifespans it shapes a specific loner mentality: very personally they are shy and timid, even docile, keeping themselves lone from other people and tempered somewhere behind, because sometimes an idea of mental homogenization so horrid they hermit themselves even from othertribe sistren. With such, achieving any close relationships with Ralamians means gaining their absolute trust in values and intentions.

Although, a lot of Ralamians spend their final year amongst own Elder Communities, where by excess use of bioelectrical field faculty they are advancing ideas they gathered through their short lives, committing to science, philosophy, experimenting and inventing; passing combined knowledge of decades through generations, often never to be seen outside but of their joint minds, kept secret and eventually forgotten anyway until someone else re-invents these thoughts again. Still, many scientific breakthroughs and discoveries, technological advancements and achievements are due to commitment of Ralamian Elders for the betterment of Meority. As their philosophers say: “Enjoy given life, but embrace inevitable end. Even if you live for yourself – submit upon death to other”.