[Ebonstorm]

I am still revising the Corva notes that I got back from you guys, so I thought I would go ahead and introduce a partner species that works with the Corva, the silcon-based Corva, planet-shapers and mechanical engineers.


The Mariovel
The second most influential race of the Old Galactics, the Mariovel are masters of industrial technologies and planet-shaping. A silicon-based race, they are an even-tempered and focused people with an unusual physiology.

Biology: Formed of crystal that coalesced around superhot sulfurous vents in their home oceans, the Mariovel began as single crystals structures that interacted with electrical signals in their electrically active oceans, and bound with other crystals with similar chemical and physical structures. These crystals grew more complex and over a period of 2 billion years developed rudimentary intelligences. Initially immobile, the Mariovel grew to immense size, similar to coral reefs on Earth. They maintained this size until a planetary catastrope reduced the depth of their oceans and their survivors were force above the seas for the first time. The introduction of new exotic radioactive matter (believed now to be a part of an exploding neutron star) caused a transformation in the species introducing a higher level of intelligence.

With chemical transformations in the lithosphere, differing electro-chemical crystalline structures competed for rarer materials and this competition also increased the overall species intelligence. The Mariovel learned to combine similar structures and these combined structures were more intelligent than their lesser combined brethren. Each 'cellular' structure can perform any process required by a 'single' body and the communal intelligence retains a sense of self, preferring to work with others who share its physical and 'quantum entanglement'.

The Mariovel developed tools that allowed them to harness more of the raw materials of their hellish world and their tool building allowed them greater mastery over their environment and later themselves. Resistant to heat and pressure, able to communicate using chemical, electrical, sonic and photoelectric means directed through their crystalline molecular structures.

Appearance: Appearing in a variety of sizes, shapes and textures, the Mariovel are as diverse as the chemicals that comprise their collective intelligences. They are capable of movement by extending pseudopods over land binding their molecular information into the strata of a planet and moving through the crust of the planet until they reform at their desired destination, or by breaking itself into a cloud of electrically charged dust and floating through the air. The Mariovel form is quite dynamic!

Physiology: A creature comprised of complex silicon and carbon molecular chains that uses environmental, radioactive and chemical energy to maintain its lifeforce. A member of the specie is capable of adapting itself to live in extremely hostile environments (as long as there is sufficient energy available to sustain it). With sufficient energy, the Mariovel are almost immortal, constantly renewing from the chemical and crystalline structures available to them from the environment. Since most worlds have silicon, the Mariovel can live on almost any world if they can bring their own energy sources. They have the ability to reduce their life activity until they resemble little more than stones if they should find themselves without sufficient energy to support themselves. This extended hibernation can last for millenia.

Technology: The technology of the Mariovel is crystalline in nature and they use crystal structures to move information, store and convert energy, and transform matter using fission and fusion. Their technology and physical abilities allow them to harness the energy of a world, both at the surface and at the core. They are extraordinary miners, immune to pressure and heat, and have as a culture, devised unique methods for creating worlds capable of being lived on by a variety of races. Their crystalline technology is used by the Hegemony for any number of computational devices and mechanical intelligences use them to augment their already considerable mental abilities. They also have an affinity for creating megastructures composed of complex crystalline structures. Many Corva vessels are composed of a single complex mega-molecular chain woven over a composite endoskeleton, making their ships incredibly structurally sound and nearly impregnable. It also allows the Mariovel to move their consciousness throughout the ship nearly instantly to see and repair damage.

Temperament: Highly intelligent, the Mariovel have developed unusual methods of intellectual development; one of its more signature methodologies is to have a single creature splitting its intellect into a multiple intelligences in order to have more than one point of view on a particular topic. Multiple members of the species can also perform a gestalt and merge their minds for an increase in processing capabilities. There are several subspecies variants of the Mariovel race based in different chemical and physical crystal structures, but they are overall more alike that different, with differences in culture on how to work and live with a world.

Culture: The Mariovel were not a star-faring race when they first encountered the Corva, but they had managed to send crystalline bundles to planets in their star system to colonize all of the worlds in their solar system. Once they had trade with the Corva, their additions to the computational abilities of the living ships of the Corva allowed the two races to achieve a level of interstellar travel that benefited both. Despite the Mariovel minor cultural groups, they are in a strong bond with the Corva with both groups gaining benefits from their relationships. The Mariovel consider planet-shaping a holy cause and enjoy the creation of new natural environments even if they cannot live in them easily. The Mariovel live on hundreds of worlds and asteroid habitats. They don't tend to live in more racial adapted environments unless they are able to utilize shield or advanced nanotechnology to protect others from their naturally radioactive and chemically active physiologies.


I dont have a character profile yet, but I would be interested in knowing what you think. Thanks again,

Thaddeus