Memory Tubes

Memory Tubes are ceremonial documentation storage for Shapeshifters. They are commonly used for personal legal documents and milestone achievements.

Design

MANUFACTURING PROCESS

Traditionally memory tubes are crafted by hand by specialised artisans, though with larger establishments (e.g. Education systems) memory tubes are machine made.
The tubes are kept to standardised size and weight perimeters to allow universal storage.

Raw materials & Components

Materials for the tubes can widely range from a combination of wood, metal, ceramics, glass or precious stone.

MECHANICS & INNER WORKINGS

Memory tubes commonly have three components: the decorated tube, the internal document and a plug to seal the tube.

More expensive or machine-made memory tubes may have additional components included within the tube, e.g. a complex twisting mechanism within a metal and glass tube to allow an individual to read its contents without opening it.

Cultural significance

HISTORY

The use of Memory Tubes can be traced back to ancient Shapeshifter civilisation as a reliable method of storing and preserving important documentation. Initially these tubes were simple and unadorned, however as the practice evolved, the tubes became smaller and more intricately decorated.
In the modern day, due to the digitalisation of information, memory tubes are used as ceremonial objects in which individuals are given a physical copy of an important document inside.

SIGNIFICANCE

Memory tubes are very important in shapeshifter culture, as it's a physical representation of their achievements. When given their first memory tube, shapeshifters are commonly gifted a specialised case to store them in.
Shapeshifters will also use memory tubes for important personal items like letters, maps, photos etc and will compartmentalise their cases to separate the official documents with the personal ones.
Outworlders will sometimes commission or craft memory tubes themselves to store important documents they've gained from other species.