On the Nature and Usage of Chuubanite in /meat/
By: Scribe R, Archivist M
Nature and Procurement of Chuubanite
Chuubanite of all forms is known to be a very volatile substance. It actively seeks to bind with other, more mundane substances to assume a more stable form. The substances are often enriched in the process, either having their innate properties enhanced or gaining new properties. In both cases, the change in properties appears to be based on the form of chuubanite infused. It has been proposed that each form of chuubanite is instinctively linked to a particular deity or pantheon, with many, but not necessarily all countries organising themselves around the chuubanite and their related goddesses as their predominant religion. Whether this hypothesis is true or not is beyond the scope of this study. However, the connection is seen as truth in the land of /meat/, and their religious society makes extensive use of chuubanite-infused material.
Chuubanite native to /meat/ is known to have a particularly high affinity with living or at least once-living material. That said, the majority of raw /meat/ chuubanite is nonetheless procured from underground chuubanite deposits and veins. Many practitioners of /meat/ religion, including Archivist M, believes these chuubanite veins are crystallised blood of the gods, although this interpretation is far from universal even among the clergy. Regardless, once they are mined from the ground, the high affinity between /meat/ chuubanite and organic material is utilised to enrich and infuse it through their peculiar rituals.
The first step is to convert raw chuubanite ore into a relatively edible form. This is usually done by grounding it down into sand and dirt, before mixing it with other fine minerals, herbs, and water to produce a dough-like substance. Once it is dried, using either sunlight or fire, the resultant "mud cookie" is fed to human beings selected to be future sacrifices. Despite the disagreeable taste and lack of obvious nutritional values, it appears that such chuubanite-infused food can be digested by the eaters. Once released inside their body, the higher affinity of /meat/ chuubanite allows it to bind with various body parts instead.
Once a prospective human sacrifice is deemed ritually permissible, they are taken to one of /meat/'s most (in)famous rituals to be sacrificed. While human sacrifice itself plays a central role in /meat/ religion, the rituals also serve as a way to harvest the chuubanite-rich body parts as a macabre method of refinement. Despite the stereotype of barbarity and primitiveness, the highly-refined rituals prove no less effective than more conventional chuubanite enrichment processes.
Chuubanite Use in Equipment and Accessories
Once the nature of /meat/ chuubanite and its refinement system is known, /meat/'s inclination towards tools made of human body parts become much more logical and practical. The infusion of chuubanite results in products made of human body parts becoming significantly more durable than their mundane counterpart. Cuirasses made of boiled leather is a staple among the more militant part of /meat/ society, and it is often reinforced by a combination of metal and human bones. These bones, in addition to being fortified with chuubanite, are also shaped to fit their purpose. According to Archivist M, this is done by a specialised class of clergy called the fleshwrights, who are adept in the gruesome art of systematically breaking the bones of humans, aligning them in the desired way, and letting them heal in their new form. This process is helped by a combination of the unique effect of /meat/ chuubanite, and more mundane medicine that promotes the regrowth of bones.
In addition to the passive effect of chuubanite infusion, it is believed that /meat/ chuubanite in this form can be further activated by the consumption of chuubanite-infused flesh by the wearer. This purportedly has the effect of warding oneself against harm from pathogens, poison, and even fear. However, this effect proves to be difficult to observe in isolation. It is entirely possible that this supposed effect is instead caused by other coinciding circumstances, such as the consumption of chuubanite-enriched flesh, exposure to passive chuubanite radiation, or even manifestation of their belief.
Chuubanite Use in Consumables
Another major use of chuubanite-infused flesh is a craft commonly called fleshgrafting. The exact process of this ritual is deemed a secret to outsiders, and none of the known recipients of fleshgrafting in contact agrees to divulge their experience. However, the effect of fleshgrafting is more commonly known: it has the ability to significantly enhance the rate of natural healing. Depending on the quantity and quality of flesh used, as well as other forms of medical care administered, a grievous wound that would normally take years to heal can be healed within months, even weeks, with possibly better results than without fleshgrafting. However, fleshgrafting in itself does not appear to significantly increase the limit of natural healing, and wounds that would normally unable to heal naturally would not be healed by fleshgrafting alone. While Archivist M is unwilling to divulge their secrets, there appears to be a positive correlation between the amount of chuubanite in the flesh used and the healing result. However, barring direct examination of the secretive process, cooperation from many more patients will be required for further analysis.
As observed in the magical forest of /risu/, plants growing in chuubanite-enriched soil tend to absorb some amount of it during its natural growth, leading to a similar enhancement effect for its byproducts. The same process can also be observed in /meat/. Chuubanite-enriched blood, as well as flesh that are deemed of insufficient religious values, is commonly used to produce fertiliser in /meat/, which is then used to grow specific plants with desired properties. Although compared with chuubanite found in /risu/ and /rose/, /meat/ chuubanite has a lower affinity with plants, its innate tendency to bind with living material results in the plants grown on them still absorbing a noticeable amount of chuubanite. Primarily used to grow herbs and shrooms, their effect is enhanced due to their binding with chuubanite. Compared with other chuubanite-enriched medicine and drugs, /meat/ chuubanite appears to also enhance their duration, both within the human body and when exposed to the elements. It is theorised that the effect is related to /meat/ chuubanite's affinity to organic substances increasing their stability and duration of stay within the human body.
While such unique properties make /meat/ a major producer of powerful medicine and drugs, they are also utilised in /meat/'s own kind of warfare. Ground herbs and shrooms are often mixed with gunpowder and packed in small containers of clay or metal, which are then used as ammunition for slings. Despite the seemingly primitive weapon, at trained hands their range is comparable to light firearms used by the majority of the world. Apart from the obvious power of gunpowder, fortification of the drugs mixed in allows a sufficient amount of them to survive the explosion, causing it to be dispersed in a small area in the form of smoke. Effective for up to a minute before inhalation, and several more minutes after inhalation, they often have a strong hallucinogenic effect. Preliminary experiments with samples provided by Archivist M suggest that compared with other forms of chuubanite, /meat/ chuubanite is much more likely to cause hallucinations pertaining to blood and gore. It is suggested that a similar effect can be observed by consuming the wine confiscated from Scribe T, but further analysis of both samples will be necessary to determine if they share the same origin. Regardless, while the use of such auxiliary weapons by /meat/ soldiers is to compensate for their particular kind of warfare, the potential of deploying psychotropic weapons against enemies at a distance, particularly in a fortified position, should not be easily overlooked.
Miscellaneous Observations
A small proportion of /meat/ inhabitants is born with an intriguing condition, known locally as "Mai's blessing". Named after one of the goddesses of the /meat/ pantheon, this blessing is supposedly an imperfect replication of her superhuman regenerative ability. Individuals with Mai's blessing has a significantly higher physiological endurance towards injuries and shocks, as well as a remarkably higher limit for their natural healing. Given enough time and care, it is said that those with Mai's blessing can regenerate lost arms and legs, although injuries incompatible with life, such as total cranial destruction, can still kill the "blessed" individual, and the biological healing of major brain injuries still leave many deprived of intelligence and sapience.
Although their base recovery speed appears similar to normal humans, this blessing proves tremendously useful when combined with the aforementioned fleshgrafting. Despite the high maintenance, fleshgrafting on those with Mai's blessing can recover from injuries otherwise fatal at seemingly superhuman speed. As such, those found with Mai's blessing are often inducted into /meat/'s military institution. Those with the mental fortitude and martial aptitude forms the backbone of /meat/ military, while those deemed incapable are sent away. Archivist M is unwilling to disclose their exact fate, although it is believed that the majority of them are reduced to some kind of compost livestock, where their regenerative body is used as a source of high-quality human flesh. However, there are some blessed ones who managed to escape the fate of war and husbandry. In fact, Archivist M also bears Mai's blessing, but is elevated from such terrible fate by becoming part of the clergy.
The exact nature of Mai's blessing is still a mystery, even among /meat/ clergy, as demonstrated by their repeated, failed attempts to induce Mai's blessing within the population. As confirmed by extended experiments personally conducted with Archivist M, Mai's blessing also makes one barren. While this might be considered beneficial for some, it also means the blessing is non-hereditary, excluding the possibility of selective breeding. Despite rumours of offspring born between individuals sharing the same blessing, I have failed to find concrete proof of such occurrence.
According to M, some has suggested a possible correlation between /meat/ chuubanite, or a hypothetical Mai variant of it, and Mai's blessing. However, past experiments on population with artificially elevated chuubanite content in diet has failed to result in a significantly higher percentage of blessed birth. A similar hypothesised connection between the manifestation of the blessing and actions like injuries, ritual participation, and abstract measures like religiousness has also not been proven as of now. Luckily, the /meat/ clergy has generously allowed my stay in their land to be extended in exchange for my assistance in their future endeavours.
Conclusion
I've decided to accept their invitation. I'm sure the chief scribe will understand the importance of my mission. Not just the pursuit of knowledge regardless of its form, but also the mutual benefits our brotherly countries. Contrary to rumours of /meat/ being a country of uncouth savages and cannibals, their wisdom and beauty, despite the exotic form, is second only to us, and are worthy of study and further cultivation.
I can only implore my friends back on the home island to be more open-minded towards our friends and allies. However, I know it's difficult to understand the intricate nature of /meat/ culture. As such, Archivist M once again offers to help me in my research. Attached with this report is the highest quality of chuubanite-enriched meat I'm allowed access to, personal courtesy of the delectable Archivist M.
The beauty of the flesh needs to be witnessed and savoured in person, after all.