Social behavior

The Manjamaso aren’t a specie that has originally a need for social interactions. But as a specie who has always struggled, collaboration has been forced to assure the durability of the specie.

Before the hole, the Manjamaso was always endangered. Therefore, the Manjamaso had to quit the lone attitude of “every individual for themselves” that they adopt as soon as they leave the egg, to try to be more cooperative.

#### Meeting a new individual

At their primal stage, all encounters of a Manjamaso, with another Manjamaso or not, was a potentially dangerous one.

The Manjamaso would try to hide and stay undetected as much as possible to avoid contact and stick out their tongue to evaluate the danger and stay aware of their surroundings. If they are detected, the Manjamaso will then stand in front the other and adopt a defensive position, legs bent a little, scales closed as much as possible, tail low. If they feel like they can’t escape, they will try to attack as a last resort, after trying to either escape or dissuade the other.

The Manjamasos may not be cooperative by nature, they are not violent, especially towards another individual of their specie. That’s why, aside from the season of reproduction, one Manjamaso can try to gain the trust of the other by performing the coordinated dance. Which will lead to a special relationship if succeeded.

#### Relationships

They are three kind of relationships between Manjamasos.

The most common is a neutral relationship. A mix a fear of the unknown, but also respect, as the Manjamasos value life and nature under all their forms. This also applies to any of their family members, as for they are no boundaries between siblings or ancestors/progeny. Eggs are left alone and each individual grows up on their own.

After an encounter, if things go wrong, a relationship of rivalry could be created, with a will to show dominance on the other. To do so, the Manjamaso could try to tear off the tail of the other, which could either end with the acceptance of the domination of the one that loses their tail, or end in a mortal combat, which ends when one has died or is too wounded to keep on fighting.

The last relationship that could be observed among this specie is a temporary alliance for hunt or reproduction. If the dance succeeds, trust is established between two individuals. For some time, they will help each other hunt, fight, or protect eggs if needed. But as it is not in their nature to keep social, those relationships don’t last and they eventually part ways.

#### Special behaviors of the sedentary clan

With the apparition of the Hole and the immortality, a part the Manjamasos organized themselves in a society, which has multiplied the social interactions between the individuals of this specie and changed the way they communicate.

The relationships are either neutral, but with no fear of the other, or collaborative to help the society and find solutions to the problems the clan encounters.

The Manjamasos of this clan lost the habit of sticking their tongue out and never fully close their scale, as they live with no fear of the other.

Their sign language is way more developed, as a result of the increasing amount of social interactions. It has also become more expressive, as this part of the population values art greatly and uses themselves as a way to convey it. That’s also why dancing has stayed a way of bonding among them, as it expresses art but also brings them together.

If a disagreement happens between to of the members of the clan, the dominance is not shown through battle but depends on the knowledge of the individuals.

The sedentary clan has decided to value more the knowledge than the ability to survive in nature, which is why individuals tend to find attractive those who are the most knowledgeable about the Earth Mother.

#### Special behaviors of the nomad clan

The nomad clan decided to deny the other and stay true to their nature. Therefore, the way they communicate and the frequency of interactions is pretty much the same, but somewhat amplified.

As nature has changed and stopped the cycle of life according to them, they fear each other more than before, and always keep their tongue out and always keep their scales closed, even though it has no real purpose aside to show that they are wary of their environments and the others.

Ironically, the relationships have become even more powerful. It may be more complex to earn the trust of those Manjamaso, the bonds that are created are stronger. Partnerships can be born and partners will travel together to discover Earth Mother together and get as colorful as possible.

Rivalry also gets even more powerful. Rivalry between nomads but especially towards the other clan. The nomads feel superior, closer to nature and to what a Manjamaso should be. They feel like they act to find solutions while the others elaborate science and gather knowledge. The hate they have for them is so important that they can associate among themselves to try to attack the other clan and make them think and act the same way as them.

Another relationship that appeared among the nomads is a relationship of strong respect and overall dominance. A nomad Manjamaso who has shown that he has travelled a lot and that he has found solutions to the Hole will be considered as a savior or a leader, someone who has earned the right to be followed as a true child of Earth Mother.

### Communication

The Manjamaso don’t have developed vocal chords. Therefore, they can only produce little high pitched sounds that they incorporated in a sign language. This sign language is composed of different mimics, sounds made by their mouth and other sounds produced when they clap their hands together or against other parts of their body.

Before their hibernation, this sign language wasn’t very developed, as social interactions were rare aside from fighting and reproducing.

After the apparition of the Hole that marked the rising society of this part of the Manjamaso, the sedentary clan established a written language composed of symbols that equals the mimics of their sign language. They use the written language to communicate informations that they engrave in tablets of rock, used as panels or to keep solid traces of their art and writings.

As the cleavage happened and cycles after cycles, the two clans’ sign language evolved and became different. For the part of the Manjamaso that created their own society, this language is expressive and relies more on sounds and gestures.

The other clan’s way of communicating involves the look more than signs, as two individuals communicate first at long distance to evaluate the encounter. Sounds are only produced to scare others away, or produced out of suffering or satisfaction from sexual intercourse..