“Describe the myth surrounding a creature in your world.“
— Dimitris
Rimes
Rimes are described as human-like creatures who are unbothered by the lowest of temperatures. They are reported to appear frostburned on their hands, arms, legs and feet, while the rest of their body is covered in a thin, shimmering layer of ice. They can hover, but prefer to walk in the deep snow. They seem dead and otherworldly. (The reader my even compare them to fairies.)
Rimes do not exist in anything other than fairy-tales for the humans that live in bunkers, despite the stories Runners bring back.
Occasionally, when Runners venture out they report seeing these creatures, being attacked by them, or even being rescued. These stories are usually blamed on hallucinations caused by hypothermia, as many Runners that come back from an encounter with these creatures end up suffering from it. (The reader could compare these stories to modern or ancient fisherman’s tales.)
When a Rime is “born” they cause extreme weather events, such as ice storms and blizzards in the highest categories. Surprisingly, Bunker humans actually use Rime creation to explain weather to children, this is, of course, accidentally true on the human’s part, as many do not actually believe in Rimes, but they use this explanation until children are old enough to understand the science behind normal weather events.
Stories of Rimes are also used (in similar ways as the Boogie Man) to keep children from sneaking outside while they are still too young to understand the dangers associated with it. As many children in their youth believe themselves to be stronger than the cold, a scary story can help keep them inside.
One of the last myths associated with Rimes actually has no basis in truth. Since bunker humans consider themselves to be the last surviving people, when Runners see other humans (who do not wear clothes of a bunker house, and instead dress in furs and hide) outside, they have no explanation to it. These humans spotted outside are considered “Thawed Rimes” rather than actual humans. As no one can explain how they could look so unbothered by the cold.
In truth, these humans are decedents of bunker people that left the Underground hundreds of years ago, and mutated to better survive the cold.
“Thawed Rimes” are thought to be what a Rime becomes when their heart thaws or melts. Many Runners think a Rime “thaws” when a they save a human from death for the first time, as regular Rimes are usually reported to be very violent, these “Thawed Rimes” are more reserved and shy, and have never been reported to attack Runners.
Some Runners try to communicate with them, but because of their unwillingness to communicate back no attempt has ever proved successful. Some hypothesize that these Rimes are cast out of their communities for saving a human, and hold somewhat of grudge towards them for it, but are “human” enough not to take it out on the Runners. While others think they just can’t speak, or don’t understand human language.
Runners believe that these Rimes rely on the furs of animals to help keep warm, as some of their resistance to cold is lost due to their “Thawing”.