Gemonyms

The gemonyms hail from the underground network of caves of [[Brink]]. They are small rabbit-like creatures whose most striking feature is the gems set in their bodies. They possess large eyes (to help them navigate in the dark), a short mane down their neck and strong back legs.

These gems have a variety of uses: they are bio-luminescent and can glow brighter at will, act as a second magical well to store magic, and facilitate the gemonym’s telepathy abilities. This telepathy, as well as echolocation, allows them not only to navigate their underground home easily but communicate with each other even when they’re apart. The damaging or destruction of these gems can lead to these abilities becoming weaker or even outright disappearing.

Gemonym Culture

The gemonym culture emphasizes pacifism, likely because life underground can be harsh and cooperation means more of the members of their species survive. Many conflicts are solved via simple communication or ritualistic duels. While rare, the need for true violence has come up and they have come up with a way to cope with the cognitive dissonance needed for it. A ritual is performed where they symbolically “shed their pacifism”, often signified by taking off their garb and changing to special “battle garb”. After the violence is done, they redress in their everyday clothes and mourn the fact they had to be violent at all.

Gemonym culture also, as already mentioned, loves its rituals. Even their courtship involved entire rituals revolving around gift-giving which gets progressively more and more elaborate and personal as the pair get to know each other. Also seen are elaborate rituals to the vast pantheon they worship which includes gods for almost every concept one can think of (and if a concept is “unclaimed”, sometimes they make up a god for it!).

Yet another big part of their culture is their love of stories, myths or legends. These often center of their gods and sometimes heroes, alluding to a mythic time long ago. Stories are often made up on the spot and its a popular game for a group to make up a story together, the next gemonym always making it more elaborate.

Gemonyms use magic easily, especially since they effectively have two magical wells; their internal one and the one provided by their gems. They imbue their tools with it to make them more effective and easier maintained.