The name "Srinala" is a blending of the Babelite words for Life (Rinala) and Death (Sunala), to make a hybrid word that implies a state of both at once. This is distinctly different from the concept of "undeath", or, that is, animated corpses produced as a result of necromancy, or found in the form of "ghosts" and "revenants".

In Babelite history, there have been claims of "miraculous" births, whereby a child would be born to the Eeee who was essentially comatose, forever sleeping, yet still living. Whatever historical basis there might be for such stories, the tradition has evolved that Life Magic has been used by "hedge wizards" amongst the Sunala priesthood to see to it that an Eeee child is born in the image of Sunala. Traditionally, this means having black fur, white head-hair, and pupil-less white eyes. (This would imply that the child so born is blind.) Also traditionally, the child's wings are shredded, preventing flight, and in the fashion of sacrificial maids who are compelled to hurl themselves off of cliffs or tall buildings.

Sometimes, the child is born in a comatose state, and is declared to be "Srinala" - both a title and name, for such a child born this way is not permitted to be known by any other name. Such a child is incapable of caring for herself, and is generally supported by magical means as well as dedicated care. She is considered to be a good omen and a bringer of blessings to the village ... or, perhaps more accurately, a boon to turn away curses from Sunala upon the village. At some point during young adulthood, the Srinala is to be sacrificed during a fortuitous alignment, usually as part of a magical ritual, to bring some sort of favor upon the people (or, again, to turn away curses). It is unthinkable that a Srinala should be allowed to turn old, or - more likely - to die of natural causes.

Srinala also occupy another role in the worship of Sunala, in that it is believed that they lack souls and therefore may serve as a vessel for the souls of the departed to inhabit, before they are taken into oblivion at last by Sunala. In the presence of a priestess, a Srinala may speak, purportedly possessed by a departed spirit, and offer counsel to the living. (College Esoterica writings on this phenomena subtly suggest that this may be an application of Life Magic to use the Srinala like a puppet of sorts, or perhaps that the priestesses may dabble a bit into other spheres of magic in order to get the desired result.) Beyond speaking, however, the Srinala is never supposed to be animate in any other way, for it is believed that would compromise their unique position on the threshold between life and death.