Death in Femarctic Society

Death in Femarctic society is called til and is referred to as ending  or an end (civilian) a cessation (legal) or a termination (military). There are six forms of til, with only two barring the deceased’s flesh from being used in the creation of the next Ramaxian Generation.

This passing on of DNA is called Recycling.

  • Ramaxic’til/Ramax’til (Natural Causes/Accidental)
  • Cit’tilgul (Legal Suicide)
  • Zish’tilgul (Private Suicide)
  • Shish’tilgul (Homicide)
  • Rod’ntil (voluntary Life for a Life)
  • Gard’ntil (Legal Execution)

Ramaxic’til is the most common form of death among femmar. It is attributed to an illness or an internal malfunction of the body, or external forces beyond anyone’s control. Ramaxic’til is death by natural intervention, or accidents of un/reasonable voluntary risk, and accidents following willful or dangerous, risk.

Cit’tilgul has a sacred place in society; it is performed by those that have lived past their prime in age, and feel that they are no longer of use to their caste, or the citizenry. These self-terminations are carried out in licensed Recycle Centers, medical offices set up for the sole purpose of processing such elder suicides. Cit’tilgul, prefaced by a formal pod-oriented affair called a Presentation, can be somber or festive, with citilmar given a chance to say goodbye to relatives, and friends. Only those closest to the dying will attend the Ceremony, carried out by licensed attendants.

Self-Termination, before one has passed their prime in age, is taboo. This act, called Zish’tilgul, is considered selfish and isn’t rewarded with recycle, nor does it warrant the honor of the Ramxtikon. Bodies of the zishtilmar are left abandoned on the surface; only those that terminated their lives during the Sister Suicides were given a burial on the surface, by their pods.

Shish’tilgul, the unlawful killing of another citizen that poses no physical threat to you, is a violation of Shishn’til; an ideal developed by the original subjects meaning “life in the same bone.” Shish’tilgul is punishable in most cases with Isolation. In many cases, it leads to Gard’ntil (see below), with the option of Rod’ntil.

  • To harm another, or cause the death of one of their own, is unconscionable. Those guilty must offer Rod’ntil; a concept spawned from the notion of Shishn’til. When life is taken inadvertently due to a citizen’s actions, it’s the duty of the responsible citizen to offer her life as recompense. She that offers her life as recompense thus retains her right to recycle, the ultimate goal for every femmar. 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 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. This punishment isn’t considered Rod’ntil because it is the citizenry penalizing the guilty party; the option of recompense isn’t hers by being convicted of a crime without admitting to the offense. A gardntilmar’s flesh never recycles, because the citizen is considered damaged, and not eligible for salvage. The flesh of the Damaged undergoes eradication via the Ramxtikon Ritual.