User:Caelphon/Sandbox

Cultivation & Trading of Dionae on Moghes

Captured by Unathi upon the discovery of their “healing” capabilities to Moghes following its’ nuclear cataclysm, Dionae have become a valuable commodity across the Wastelands – leading to their cultivation and subsequent trafficking. Depending on the Clan, Dionae may either be seen as gifts of incredible value – or even those comparable to other Unathi and therefore find themselves accepted as a member of the Clan as individuals in their own right – this does not negate that Dionae from Moghes may have had a significantly different “upbringing” as opposed to its other barky kindred.

Cultivation

Similarly to Dionae in the Nralakk Federation, there exist individuals who focus on the tendering of nymph pods referred to as Bz’tnzai, when translated literally into Tau Ceti Basic meaning “Growers”, using Bz’ntzai Realms which exist merely as places of high radiation where maturation of pods occurs much quicker. Through this practice, the lifespan and health of Bz’ntzai are plagued by the byproducts of radiation exposure slowly resulting in a decrease of Unathite Bz’tnzai but instead being replaced by Dionae who have either been trained or taught through consumption of the deceased Bz’tnzai on the methods of cultivation. This has resulted in an increase of the Mourning Mass being found across Diona Bz'tnzai.

In particular, Clan Dorviza has become renowned through the Wastelands for their rearing of Dionae, and in particular, the methods they employ as to ensure a Gestalt is able to find itself managing the Wastelands, and its integration into the greater Hegemony; through specialising in the biomatter available to each cultivated Bz’ntzai Realms allowing “particular expertise” to be taught to Dionae subsequently also raising the value of the “commodity” where the Clan elects to instead gift or sell the Dionae as opposed to integrating them as a member of Dorviza. Oftentimes Clan Dorviza will utilize the Dionae as limbs – grafting them onto stumps where limbs existed previously, giving a new lease on life to those who previously found themselves confined to conventional means of living with their disabilities.

Though there exists purposeful cultivation of Dionae, there also exists natural cultivation, often by Dionae wandering the Wastelands electing to disgorge seeds in areas of particularly high radiation – recognising within themselves the possibility to clean the area as a way to offer assistance to the Unathi, but more so provide a stable and nutritious spawning area for the next generation of nymphs that its’ seeds will yield. These unkept cultivation areas often find themselves preyed upon by Siro circling overhead, or even Unathi that see an opportunity to capture and trade away the nymphs to ensure their survival as the Wasteland continues to grow and make life scarce.

Trading

Though there exist countless Gestalts that exist free of having been traded, there exist those that have had an upbringing subject to specific cultivation so that they may be traded away in exchange for particular commodities. This primarily occurs within the Wastes, with Clan Dorviza being the primary culprit for the advent of Dionae trading, there have been sightings of the trading extending into the eastern cities, in particular, Baandr, Res’karum and Mudki. However, the value is primarily dependent on what skills the Dionae has, with the continuously fluctuating value sometimes resulting in a Gestalt costing several Azkrazal and sometimes even just a few bottles of Xuizi Juice.

The trafficking conduct of those within the Dionae trade varies it primarily strays away from abusive treatment, mostly due to it resulting in less value gained when trading the Gestalt – where one has had their personality altered or injured to a degree that they no longer have usefulness to the one gaining the Gestalt. It primarily resembles as to how Unathi treat their domestic fauna such as the Tul.

Trading “Guilds” or “Clans”

Clan Dorviza is largely regarded as the leader of trading Dionae, utilizing those cultivated by its Bz’tnzai to those passing through the Oases – offering them as gifts to other Clans to ensure good relations and promote community among the population centres across the oases, but sometimes even exchanging them to get commodities that would otherwise not make their way to the Wasteland Clan’s little corner of the world, or in particular scarcity, such as S’erki Flowers or S’th Berries.

Reclaimers have been known to utilize the Dionae they have traded for to make more radioactive pre-war ruins safer to plunder, using the species' biological advantages of mimicry and soaking up of the dangerous elements to be able to claim riches that they assert as theirs. Outside of their use for scavenging, they have been also used to get into the nitty-gritty of the machinery utilized by the Reclaimers, oftentimes becoming engineers and members of the group as opposed to mere property, shifting into compartments that would otherwise cause a substantial loss of time for the Reclaimers had they had to search and eventually fix the problem.

Clan Vihnmes regularly utilizes their gifted Dionae from Clan Dorviza for menial work, and sometimes as glorified composters for the byproducts of their taverns – as well as their inns. Though rather demeaning, this is typically better than the hard labour that many Dionae found themselves put to work, cultivating or even maintaining what little agricultural sectors exist on Moghes – or moving large quantities of goods as glorified merchant wagons

Clan Ozeuoi takes advantage of the species’ ability to mimic shapes, structures, and knack for being able to learn from genetic material, to ensure their defences remain well-maintained and that their allies’ modes of transport see repairs where needed. Though their isolation has stunted the number of Dionae within the Clan, there still exists a number that seems to be consistently growing, with the Reclaimers making use of their existing relationship to pawn off any “unnecessary” Dionae to Clan Ozeuoi.

Clan Gawgaryn is also yet another group that finds themselves either stumbling on natural clusters or pillaging Dionae from their rightful Clans, to make use of them to assist in their raids and pillaging – in worse cases, as a way to taunt Unathi that they have kidnapped, claiming to throw them into cages of starved Gestalts with an insatiable hunger. Those that have been rescued, either through escaping or by being freed, sometimes reflect that there exist Voided Vocals and even Scarlet Scores within the confines of the Clan’s grips, offering a glimpse into the operations of Clan Gawgaryn that there exists truth of offering its unwilling or uncooperative hostages to starved Dionae.

Res’karum existing as a thorough-fare between the Zazalai Mountains has inevitably become a key player in Dionae trading, where within the city’s markets it isn’t uncommon to find Dionae being auctioned off to the highest bidder, with even peasants attempting to negotiate personal items with a willing merchant for a Nymph, sometimes entire livelihoods when concerning a Gestalt. Acclaimed as being “creatures of good fortune” due to their work in the Wastelands, and ability to be rather useful in almost any situation, some have found themselves becoming serfs to the peasants that acquire them – cleaning the home, or even maintaining its grounds. It isn’t unheard of either for those chartered by the Guilds to make their way to Res’karum to purchase Dionae, where the Guilds induct them into their specialities – in particular, the Miner’s Guild due to the lesser necessities, really only needing ultra-violet lights reasonably provided by Hephaestus Industries, in order to perform mining work.