From: CraigR Subject: The Living Ships 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.). ******************************************************************* Craig Roth http://www.io.com/~caroth/ *******************************************************************