The Tuataras

Ruh Island by Naelin
The island of Ruh is inhabited by the Ruhk, a nation formed entirely by scaly societarians.   Though this trait is shared by the Kartian east of them, the people of Ruh are distinct from their neighbours by the phenotypes they might be born with.
One of these phenotypes is considered special by their people for the relationship they draw between its uniqueness and their ancient religion, the Cult to the Stars, and has been surrounded by speculation and mysteries for centuries, well past the great times of the Celestial Masters.
 

An Eye to the Stars

Though fairly rare, some scalies may be born with the form of a tuatara, similar to lizard phenotypes but distinct, among other smaller details, by a unique third eye located in the middle of their forehead.
This eye is small and underdeveloped, devoid of eyelids and covered by a thin layer of skin. Still, it is functional albeit to a simpler degree than the individual's regular eyes.   Astronomy has been a huge interest in Ruh, and was a sacred profession in the times of the Cult to the Stars.
It was during that period that Celestial Masters dictated that tuatara kids were sacred, spreading the belief that since they were born with an eye pointed directly to the stars, they had a special connection with the influence of the celestial bodies.   For this reason, parents of tuatara kids were offered to send their kids on apprenticeships to the best observatories, an honourable offer that was rarely declined. Celestial masters considered these kids to be critical aids to their learning, providing a connection to the celestial. Many of these kids turned into renowned astronomers, even though their third eye was never developed enough to be used directly with the telescopes.  

Myths

There were many theories about the significance of the kids' third eyes.
The most popular dictated that these kids held inside the power to connect to the cosmos and predict the actions of the celestial bodies, but that this ancient power was trapped in their mortal body and drained as the kid grew older and their eye got veiled.
Some believed that this connection would awaken in one of those kids with sufficient training in astronomy, eventually awakening a powerful being that would guide them to a brighter future in peace with the stars, perhaps even inheriting their immortality.  

Veiled

The special eye of tuatara kids doesn't shine bright forever, as it gets slowly covered by scales as they mature. Simple tests proved the eye to still be able to distinguish bright environments from dark ones behind this cover.   Celestial masters were divided on their opinions of this development, with one side proclaiming that the veiling of the eye should be prevented or reverted by surgical or other means, and another side seeing a lesson, a destiny or even a part of some larger prophesy in the veiling, speculating about the losing of innocence, the failure to completely connect with the astral, or growing past the need of their third eye to keep their special link.    

Current beliefs

Even after their religion fell out of favour (Due to their main dogma being challenged by the death of the star Vulkenar), the tuatara individuals were and are still considered special.   The birth of a kid of this phenotype is considered lucky for the parents and the entire family, to the degree that some people still try to pair up with the reproductive partner with the best potential to produce a tuatara baby.
Though the beliefs are less religious than they were before, these people still get privileged access to the astronomy field, and popularity among peers and potential mates.  

Mourning Vulkenar

Every 13th and 14th of Birthing the Ruhk celebrate the Eve & Mourning of Vulkenar, an event of gathering, retelling of stories and doing that what has been postponed for long.   The fame of tuataras as bringers of good luck is exacerbated during this event, and they are often adorned with traditional Ruhk jewellery and put in charge of receiving visitors in the island's observatories.

Trying for a Tuatara

The dying profession of fertility matchmaking is kept alive on the island of Ruh by their studies on the conditions needed to achieve a baby tuatara.   Initial investigation of the birth conditions of previous scalies born with tuatara phenotypes, assumed at first to be grouped with lizards, yielded at the start just further confusion as the kids seemed to be almost exclusively single children of low-fertility couples, with parents often being out of lizard groups, in two recorded cases having a Kartian immigrant of snake phenotype as a father.   During much of this time, the difficulty to categorize the elusive phenotype just added to its mystery and supposed special qualities.
 
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Fake third eyes

Since the tuatara phenotype looks otherwise fairly unimpressive and similar to many lizard phenotypes, it is not uncommon for regular people to try to pass as tuataras by emulating the skin pattern in the forehead that forms with the covering of the eye by using scarification.   Astronomers are not easily fooled by these tricks, though, since from early on they have documented the specifics of the phenotype to avoid any impostors.
 
Cult to the Stars
Organization | Nov 24, 2022

An old, lost Ruhk religion that inspired the nation's love of astronomy

 
Click here to learn about the real-world three-eyed tuataras!
The tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) is a real animal from New Zealand that is born with a real third eye on top of the skull called "parietal eye", which gets covered with scales as it grows. The exact purpose of this third eye is not confirmed.   Despite looking like a rather generic lizard, tuataras are on their own phylogenetic order, of which they are the only species alive.


Cover image: Banner Ruh by Naelin

Comments

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Dec 20, 2024 22:32 by Dr Emily Vair-Turnbull

What an interesting tradition - I like the idea of the eyes being veiled being seen as a loss of innocence. I like that it still continues in a way, even after the religion fell out of favour.

Emy x
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