#Mahweir

[alienarthouse]

Like the land plants of Earth, the Mahweir species engages in what is known as the “alternation of generations”, but with four forms instead of two. Essentially, each generation of this species produces offspring that differs in form and reproductive type from its parents. This has lead to the Mahweir being mistaken as four different species, but the fact that this cycle will always take place, without fail, is solid evidence of it being one species. We discuss the forms below.

(A) Terreids

The first form in the generational cycle of the Mahweir is known as a Terreid. This form is completely sessile, often found growing on the forest floor or on the trunks of trees. They consist of a mycelial network that grows beneath the ground or bark, and a mushroom-like fruiting body. This is a sporomycete generation, reproducing asexually and folding up its cap to release spores into the air during reproduction. Terreids were often assumed to be a non-intelligent form of Mahweir, but recent discoveries have found them capable of understanding language and even performing rudimentary forms of communication through connection to their mycelial networks. This had led to a shift in treatment of Terreids, once farmed as though they were unintelligent fungi.

(B) Aereids

Germinated from the spores released by Terreids, Aereids make up the next generational cycle. Gases stored in their cell’s vacuoles make them remarkably light, allowing Aereids to live an entire life suspended in the air. They maneuver themselves using feather-like fronds covered in millions of near-microscopic mycelial threads, allowing them to almost swim through the oxygen-rich atmosphere. They are sexually-reproducing gametomycetes, reproducing by injecting their zygotes into arthropods native to their planet. Despite their simple appearance, Aereids are shockingly intelligent, and capable of living for decades. In Mahweir cultures, they often serve as scholars, philosophers, and spiritual leaders.

(C) Canneir

The Canneir make up the next link in the generational cycle of Mahweir, living a unique experience compared to other generations, and oftentimes even between Canneir individuals. This is due to their nature as parasites; they are formed when Aereids inject developing zygotes into the arthropod-like animals of their homeworld. There they germinate, feeding upon the still-living animal as they develop an extensive mycelial network they will eventually use to puppet the exoskeleton left behind. They are asexually reproducing sporomycetes, releasing an explosion of spores upon their death. Canneir can possess any number of different arthropods, including the Zisk—this is often a source of controversy among sophonts, but it is often cited that it was only through the cooperation of the Mahweir and the Zisk queen Skychaser, who let Canneir parasitize her drones, that either species was able to achieve space travel. Canneir can live from only a few years to many decades, depending on the their host’s body’s ability to sustain them.

(D) Mahweir

Confusingly, the last form in the generational cycle are known as Mahweir. The name for this form became the colloquial name for the species largely because, when first encountered by the UFW, this form made up the majority of the space-faring population. Formed from spores released after a Canneir’s death, Mahweir initially resemble a sort of crab, with a small, tangled body of mycelium and a chitinous pseudoskeleton to support it. To survive, Mahweir bond together, entangling their grasping tendrils to form one larger super-individual. This connection goes beyond the physical, though: by undergoing a quick and simple process to fuse certain tendrils, Mahweir are able to directly connect their minds to one another. This process is like unfolding a piece of your brain and linking directly to another person’s. Mahweir may spend the majority of their life as one super-individual, or may live in many as it suits their needs. A Mahweir maintains their individuality of consciousness throughout this process, though extended fusion with other individuals can result in a sharing of memories and personality. Mahweir “Great Minds” take advantage of this quirk of biology to maintain living libraries containing thousands of years of memory and knowledge, which Mahweir individuals are encouraged to visit many times throughout their lives to upload and download new information with the mind. Mahweir are sexually reproducing gametomycetes, reproducing with others in a super-individual and spreading the zygotes through the air from structures grown on their backs. These zygotes remain inert until conditions are correct, after which they develop into Terreids, beginning the cycle again.

Two extra notes:

Mahweir are native to the same planet as the Zisk, sharing a long and sometimes fraught history with the other species.

Modern Mahweir super-individuals increase their mobility, function, and comfort when off-planet by living in mech suits. I’ll get around to drawing these soon.

The arthropod depicted in the above chart is a Fairy Hopper. They are roughly about the size of a medium-to-large Earth dog, with large, useless wings. Fairy Hoppers are secondarily flightless, instead using them for mating displays. They are domesticated by Zisk consorts as show animals, and make a common host for Canneir due to their durability lending a longer lifespan.