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THE MATERIAL HUNT & VEGETARIAN LIFESTYLE

Eliza FergusonOctober 24, 2026

THE MATERIAL HUNT & VEGETARIAN LIFESTYLE

1. The Vegetarian Diet (Ua-wud)

  • The Concept of Tree-Meat: The Elizans are strict vegetarians. They combine the words Ua (Tree) and Wud (Meat) to form the concept of fruit, nuts, plant protein, and hearty roots.

  • The Persistence Forage: Because they don't eat animals, their legendary running stamina is used to track the shifting seasonal blooms across the vast Ua-ibu (Forest). They sprint great distances to harvest fresh Ua-wud from different territories.

  • Recontextualizing Nature: Because they do not eat flesh, animals like Wila (Fish) are not seen as a food source. Instead, fish are respected as sacred "water-keepers" that maintain the cleanliness of the vital Pa-pa-la (Rivers) they live alongside.

2. Hunting for Materials

  • The Purpose: While they are vegetarians, the Elizans are still active hunters. However, they hunt exclusively for the physical components needed to build their civilization.

  • The Scriptorium Hunt: Scribes use persistence hunting to chase swift, hard-boned forest animals across the Wibua (Plains/Sand) for hours. Once the animal collapses from exhaustion under the Ji(Sun), it is cleanly dispatched. The scribe harvests the heavy Shu-it (Bone) required to carve their precise, unbreakable tree-carving styluses.

  • The Runner's Gear: They hunt specific fast-moving mammals and reptiles for their hides. This leather is treated with oils from Ua-wud to create ultra-lightweight, flexible running sandals and protective chest wraps that won't tear when sprinting through sharp brambles.

3. The Ritual of Return

  • Feeding the Library: Because their religion is deeply tied to the life cycle of the forest, it is a strict cultural taboo to waste or abandon the animal's flesh.

  • The Organic Circle: After harvesting the necessary bones and hides, the remaining meat is buried directly beneath the roots of the grandest Ua (Trees). The Elizans believe this feeds the forest library, making the bark richer for carving and causing the trees to produce more abundant Ua-wud for the next generation.