Shoreminded

A mental condition that affects older generations of Rakuwa, causing their minds and memories to literally come and go with the tide.

Alas his thoughts now only return with the tide.

— common Rakuwan condolences

Shoremind is a mental condition that affects Rakuwa in their old age. The Rakuwa have a slightly different word for this (as they are unable to produce labial sounds) and call it Shoresouled instead. This condition affects memory and concentration and is linked with the coming and going of the tide. When there is a high tide, affected Rakuwa function normally, but as the tide retreats - so do their minds.

Transmission & Vectors

The shoremind condition is a genetic disease. There have been no recorded cases of unaffected Rakuwas "catching" shoremind from anyone else, and the condition has only been observed in crustacean species. Any other race claiming to be shoresouled is either lying or has another mental disability.

Cause

Rakuwa have a strange connection with the seas of Melior. The shoremind condition seems to only affect those who were hatched in saltwater.

Symptoms

Tide Height	Symptoms
High tide	Normal mind and memory functions. Ability to concentrate like any other day.
Falling tide	Mild forgetfulness and mixing up of names.
Low tide	Very poor concentration. Inability to recall memories. Symptoms are mild to severe.
Rising tide	Memories start to return with refreshing clarity.

Treatment

There is little that can be done to aid a shoreminded Rakuwa other than to make them feel comfortable and manage their symptoms as best they can. Due to the nature of this condition, they may forget to care for themselves and will need extra assistance.
Things that can drastically reduce the symptoms of the condition are:

• relocating to further inland (which may not be a choice for island dwellers)
• relocating to higher altitudes to be further away from the sea
• sleep and rest in a safe environment during low tides

If folks are fortunate enough to have a Shoremind Sanctuary nearby, they will receive the best end of life care there.

Prevention

The shoreminded condition can be prevented if both biological parents were hatched in freshwater. There is a significantly lower risk to hatchlings developing shoresoul if they are hatched and raised in freshwater until their first three moltings.

Cultural Reception

Many coastal settlements also use lunisolar calendars or calendars that display the moon phases to accomodate for the elderly Rakuwa who are afflicted with shoremind. There are two high tides and two low tides per day (sometimes these overlap into the following day). Careworkers and family members across Melior help the shoreminded and keep them safe as the tide washes away.
Many folk are very forgiving of the old Rakuwa and will go out of their way to make sure that they are safe and supervised during low tides. Not everyone is as accomodating though, there are some people who just ignore them completely and talk of them as useless beings.

Hey brinebrain, snap out of it!

— A common insult that is offensive to shoreminded individuals.

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Affected Age Ranges
75 - 100 year olds

Type

Mental

Origin

Natural

Cycle

Chronic, Acquired

Rarity

Common

Affected Species

• Rakuwan