Malibelly
Malibelly is the informal term used of the bodily condition many ryclins (And Taur*) can go through as they devour whole Malicite stones. Its almost like prey-belly, except what's really happening is the malicite they consume cannot be functionally distorted or exchanged for common caloric energy. However its extremely malleable, to the point that on surviving the unusual properties (that would kill most other species), the stones melt down until the body puts them away as stored macro-nutrients. Essentially every bit of the malicite they eat turns into body-fat. However the body-fat is still, functionally malicite, while materially hanging on them as denser fatty tissue. Unlike a prey-belly or even natural fattening, the malicite will not be removed unless its artificially purged/extracted, or expended and burnt up in mana form. A small rare-find, or low consumed mass won't go noticed until an expert figures it out or tracks mana distortions to the ryclin's body, but the term is used well on an unusually heavy load of the material to the degree the ryclin is visibly fatter and bulked on a good sum of it.
The most remarkable changes are:
- A ryclin's weight is increased, often feeling 25% heavier than gains from actual fat. Heavily obese ryclin may struggle a lot to adapt, but can eventually walk with the most observed weight seen on an individual.
- During digestion of high contents, gastric noises are as loud as a crowded prey-belly while eerily more still. Once finished, the material clouds and moves close together in near unison, and heavy loads can conclude in jutting or "bouncy" growth-spurts. Often a ryclin may sleep through this whole phase, but if not taken together with a traditional meal, may be viciously hungry during the process.
- While the fatty layer is soft and malleable, its tougher to the touch. If the specimen has a sizeable amount of true fat-tissue, then the malibelly still supercedes it closer to the surface. An actual prey-belly is harder to distinguish or judge under heavy malibellies, but ironically may assist the ryclin and wear down its struggles.
- Some very fair-skinned ryclins, and white bellies may see some discoloration or darkening.
- Mild mana sensitivity, and able to naturally nullify certain surrounding mana projections.
- May cause discomfort to far more mana-sensitive individuals. Tikerin are typically the first to face downsides of being in close company.
- Can discharge dark mana. This may "activate" the fat to have mild-to-strong rumblings, and churning. Ryclins can rarely use dark mana in a subtle or 'stealthy' way despite being uniquely able to conceal it in their belly.
- The inability to use traditional mana spells, even if one was adapted to it prior to bellying-down malicite. In fact, unusual magic-oriented ryclin may feel off-balanced and mildly sick for a little while as their body adjusts.
- Avid consumers will get more voracious and hungry, as the body actually loses mild nutrients to digest the crystal, and often craves fueling its wider girth and strength to carry its burden. Exerting mana through the body and spending it makes them even hungrier than already stated, sometimes even without burning any worth in mass, but the anticipation of it.
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