Subject: The Living Ships
From: CraigR <[email-masked]>

THE LIVING SHIPS

Living Ships are actually communities of several interlinked species within
each ship:  the dominant bioform (the Ta'hean), several support entities
(Ossehearn, Ossefaln, and Ossedrine) and, occasionally,
passengers/permanent inhabitants (Vreadul).

Individual ships themselves vary greatly in general layout, but most
consist of an inorganic structure that supports the organic and technical
components of the ships. I am presenting the ta'hean and the support
entities separately, because they can exist separately. As a unified ship,
they become a single entity.

THE TA'HEAN

The ta'hean comprise the primary biomass within each ship. Most of the
organic components of the Ships are a porous material similar to bioplastic
(I call it biocladding). The ta'hean, a liquid/gelatinous species, fill out
this biocladding, expanding/contracting where muscular movements are
needed, circulating like blood and acting as the nervous system throughout
the vessel (if you cut the biocladding, the ship will feel it and the cut
will bleed). Certain cavities, or nodes, exist throughout the biocladding
wherein ta'hean take on a more solid texture to provide central nervous
functions.

Ta'hean are a communal intelligence, and the only fully sapient portion of
the ship. Individual ta'hean can separate from the whole and be placed in
individual receptacles to perform functions that the ship as a whole cannot
manage. Although ta'hean memory exists within every bit of its biomass, a
separated ta'hean cannot permanently hold the complete experiences of its
origin ship. If it remains separate for too long (over the course of
years), it loses conscious memory of being part of the whole, retaining
only its "separate" experiences.

Advantages and Disadvantages for "whole" ta'hean (as part of a living ship)
are as follows:
Mindshare
   Global Consciousness		60
   Intelligent Drones		25
   Touch range only		      -15
   Less than 1000 drones		10
Doesn't Eat or Drink			10
Regeneration (1/hr)			25
Regrowth				40
Secret Communication			20
Telepathy Power 3 (weird band)	15
PK Power 1				 5
Teleport Power 1			 5
Unaging				15
Vacuum Support			40
Dependency:biocladding
  (Common, constantly)	      -25
------------------------------------------------
Total				      230

Advantages and Disadvantages for "separate" ta'hean (those that have
"forgotten" being part of the whole) are as follows:
Racial Memory				15
Unaging				15
Regeneration (1/hr)			25
Secret Communication			20  (although they may not realize it)
Doesn't Breath			20
Telepathy Power 3			15
PK Power 1				 5
Teleport Power 1			 5
Dependency:biocladding
  (Common, constantly)	      -25
-----------------------------------------------
Total					95

Note: For both types, further advantages could be added as part of the
"ship". These are merely the "base" template.

THE OSSEHEARN

The Ossehearn are the power supply and memory for the living ships. They
are millions of multicellular micro-organisms, each with only rudimentary
psionic potential, but capable of acting in gestalt, giving them vastly
increased powers. Ossehearn are not truly sapient. Each one has ESP Power 1
Telepathy Power 2 (touch range only), PK Power 1, and Teleport Power 2.
They have the natural skills of Autoteleport 15, Exoteleport 15,
Telerecieve 16, Telesend 16, Levitation 16, Telekinesis 15, and most have
learned PK Shield 15 over the years. 

Within the biocladding, there are nodes in which the ta'hean initiate
telepathic contact with the ossehearn. While not self-aware, the ossehearn
store pieces of information telepathically relayed to them in gestalt from
the ta'hean. Their telepathy is used only to maintain the gestalt with the
ta'hean. Within the gestalt, their PK and teleportation powers act as the
power systems of the ship, lifting the ship, providing FTL travel and
charging PK Energy banks (see GURPS Psionics p. 68 and GURPS Vehicles for
more information). 

OSSEFALN

The Ossefaln are the flesh and bone of the living ships. They are
essentially plants, taking in waste products generated by other parts of
the ship as well as external raw materials and generating biocladding and
nutrient stores for the other members of the symbiosis. These organisms'
waste-processes deposit extremely stable chains of molecules along the
structural members of the ship, adding to structural integrity. They are
considered to be psionic enhancers, but this is unproven (GM's discretion).

OSSEDRINE

The Ossedrine are the only members of the living ships that do not live
entirely within the biocladding. They are a group of several thousand
gnat-sized organisms that act (in their main function) as the immune system
for the ship. The also act as construction crews, guiding the growth and
shape of the ship, according to the ta'hean's needs. The ossedrine are
artists at completely changing the functionality of entire areas of
biocladding for the purposes of creating vehicular components (consider
them biomechanical components from GURPS Biotech).

VREADUL

Vreadul are permanent inhabitants upon the living ships. Most often they
are intelligent creatures who originated upon the planet where that
specific ship was created. They (or their ancestors, for older ships) are
often changed somewhat from their world's native inhabitants; given the
ability to telepathically communicate with the symbiosis; given other
abilities that suit their particular ship (extended life span, increased
G-tolerance, etc.).

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Craig Roth
http://www.io.com/~caroth/
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