Friday, February 8, 2013

New Xenos: Rhea


RHEA - Rhea are those Emu whose delving into history has brought them closer to their ancestors, sometimes literally. Funerary ritualists, archaeologists and general experts of people past, these scholars find the concept of death fascinating: not the action, or killing, but what happens afterwards, to the Body, Soul, Memory, Belongings, Legacy. Rhea would much rather spend time with an ancient tome, or a mummified corpse, than another Xenos - when out of options, they'd converse with another Rhea, about death. Many Rhea have theories about the Xenos' closely guarded history, although no "papers" or stories have ever exited the parrots' archives - this has led to many rifts between the Rhea and the academic Parrots, who think their delving will uncover madness. Rumours of Rhea associating with, summoning, and even serving Lost are utterly unfounded. Although Rhea celebrate Death - dressing in funeral shrouds and removed plumage, adorning themselves with "memorial trinkets" and speaking on it with excitement - they cannot abide killing: they see Death as the act of coming to an end, to be remembered or forgotten, and intervening in this process can only cause Chaos.
Rhea culture is very basic, as opposed to the otherwise quite advanced and Idea-Song-Oriented Xenos Culture. Rhea live off herbs and distilled Emotion, often developed Alchymerically, much like their Moa ancestors. Their research is very hands-on, quite pre-Renaissance - lots of dissection and exhibition.
Rhea wear an object individual to each person they knew who has ever died. They do not see this as corpse-robbing, but hands-on research. Particularly well studied / elder / unfortunate Rhea are covered in small trinkets.
Rhea, like Emus, don't really do standard gender - they see others as either "Soft" or "Sharp", based on the image and reaction they portray. A Soft person drifts on through life leaving no marks, but a Sharp one leaves a mark. Soft subjects hold no interest for an amorous Rhea.

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