Albetrudes are a very interesting species. They're plants, absorbing the sun through their skin and turning it into the nutrients that they need. They can survive mostly on sunlight, yet most prefer to eat as the tasting experience is quite delicious. They don't need to eat to survive but need sunlight to survive. Eating can substitute sunlight in times of desperation.
All Albetrudes are adorned with a gem. This gem determines their gender, not their genitalia, however, most Albetrudes would be described as "male." Some Albetrudes, such as Macromir, are born with a vagina. This only impedes slightly on their ability to reproduce. All Albetrudes are able to get pregnant, however, some, like Macromir again, can't get others pregnant.
The gem is very important to an Albetrude, it's size determines the size of the Albetrude. For example, Stone has a very small gem and stands only at 5'4". Meanwhile, Remus has a very large gem and stands at 6'1". Some Albetrudes are born with two gems, such as Nathan, Atticus, or Alphonse who has three. These Albetrudes would be considered intersex, only if the gems are different kinds. Nathan, Atticus, and Vladimir have Alexandrite and Peridot, two different gems, two different genders. Alphonse has Amethyst and Onyx, once again two gems, two genders. Gem location also matters greatly. For example, Macromir has his gem on his chest, making him a very strong Albetrude. Nathan has one on each wrist which allows him greater dexterity, it makes his hobby of throwing knives a breeze. Alistair has his gem on his forehead, allowing him many psychic powers, such as levitating things or teleporting himself.
The size and number of gems can also determine how powerful an Albetrude is. Remus has his gem as his brain, making him a very powerful Albetrude. He's so powerful, in fact, he has to take medicine to reduce his powers as he has the ability of intense telepathy which overwhelms him. His medicine reduces his powers immensely, allowing him to lead a normal life.
Alphonse is considered the most powerful Albetrude. His gem placement along with the size is perfect, not too big to disrupt him from leading a normal life like Remus, not too small to be useless like Stone's. He's the only Albetrude able to exist without his gems, he often travels in gem form as teleportation is harsh on his body. He has intense psychic powers, he's able to levitate objects, stop time, and teleport through time and space, unlike his father, Alistair, who can only teleport from place to place, not through time and space.
Mortality is a big topic among Albetrudes. No Albetrude has died of old age, and only one has died of sickness. Gem rot is the sickness at question. It happens when the gems begin to rot from the inside out. Without their gems, Albetrudes cease to function and return to a plant form. When an Albetrude dies they erupt into seeds and blossom into some kind of plant. This is what started the tradition of planting trees to signify someone's grave, people witnessed the Albetrudes erupting into plants and began planting a plant to signify someone's death. Usually, trees are planted where their bodies lay but a family may also plant a house plant of sorts to keep a piece of that someone with them.
When pregnant an Albetrude will spit up a seed. It's usually violent and hurts a bit but usually never results in death, it results in death in Sonya's case however with her being deformed. This seed can be planted or not. Albetrude pregnancies that are unwanted usually end with the seed being destroyed. This seed can be planted in a pot of soil and when the baby is ready the plant will be fully matured. This plant they grow into as a seed is usually the plant that they burst into when they die. Albetrudes grow like normal people for the first 30 years of their life and from there on out, they begin to age very slowly. Stone is 3005 years old and only just began having graying hair.
