The Ramaxi word death is, til. Legally, death is called a cessation, while the military employs the word termination. There are seven forms of til, with two barring the deceased’s flesh from harvesting; this passing on of DNA is called Recycling.
7 FORMS OF TIL
- Femaxic’til/Vomax’til (Natural Causes/Accidental)
- Cit’tilgul/Zish’tilgul (Legal Suicide/Private Suicide)
- Shish’tilgul (Homicide)
- Rod’ntil (voluntary Life for a Life)
- Gard’ntil (Legal Execution)
The most common form of death among femmar is Femaxic’til, a natural death attributed to an illness or an internal malfunction of the body or external forces beyond anyone’s control. Vomax’til means death by unnatural intervention, accidents of un/reasonable voluntary risk, and accidents following calculated or dangerous risk.
Legal suicide, or Cit’tilgul, holds a sacred place in Femarctic society and is most utilized by those who have lived past their prime in age and feel no longer helpful to their caste or citizenry. Legal self-terminations occur within licensed Recycle Centers, within rooms set up for the sole purpose of processing such a suicide.
Presentation is a formal, pod-oriented affair that often precedes Cit’tilgul. It is a solemn and respectful event that serves as a ceremonial farewell, where the dying and their closest relatives and friends gather. A licensed Recycle attendant oversees the post-ceremonial details, ensuring a dignified process.
Zish’tilgul, or private suicide before one has reached their prime, is a deeply taboo act in Femarctic society. It is considered selfish and bars a citizen from Recycle. The societal rejection of this form of death is so strong that it does not even warrant disposal by way of the Ramxtikon Ritual for damaged DNA. The body of a zishtilmar is abandoned on the surface, a consequence of defying the cultural norm.
Shish’tilgul is a wrongful death perpetrated by another citizen, who is a violation of Shishn’til, a belief held by the Original Subjects meaning “life in the same bone.” Those who commit Shish’tilgul without provocation (self-defense) face Isolation or execution (Gard’ntil .)
To cause the death of one of their own is unconscionable to the femmar. Cases of non-violent or provoked Shish’tilgul often lead to Rod’ntil. When life is taken inadvertently due to a citizen’s actions, the responsible citizen must offer her life as recompense. Rod’ntil spawned from the notion of Shishn’til. A citizen offers her life, thus retaining her right to recycle.
The origin of the word Rod’ntil is an amalgamation of the Russian word for family and the Ramaxi word for death.
Gard’ntil is a death sentence handed out via the Ramaxi P’uxial. Those found guilty of crimes against the citizenry that involve the loss of another life have the choice of Isolation or Gard’ntil. Those convicted of Gard’ntil cannot evoke Rod’ntil, as the citizenry penalizes the guilty party, negating the option of recompense since her life is no longer hers to give.
A gardntilmar’s flesh never recycles because Femarctic society considers those convicted as damaged and ineligible for salvage. The flesh of the damaged undergoes eradication via the Ramxtilkon Ritual.
FEMITOKON 