#planet iridia

[chroniclingworlds]

Red Curtains

This massive Globulum is likely one of the first branches off the tree of life, but the modern versions are many times bigger than their tiny ancestors. These animals can reach lengths of several hundred feet, and their stinging tentacles may stretch up to 50 feet deep into the water. Most of these living curtains have positively buoyant gas sacs in their bodies, keeping them suspended at the surface while their tentacles drape down below them, trawling the waters for prey. Other species are neutrally buoyant, hovering in the water column. Although most species live at or near the surface, there are some known deep-sea species as well. All live in open water, far from land. While the toxins housed in their tentacles can kill many creatures, others have evolved to live alongside or even within these poisonous forests, keeping safe from predators and feeding on animals that may parasitize the curtains. In many ways, one curtain is an ecosystem in itself, hosting hundreds or even thousands of other animals that live nowhere else. These strange organisms grow continuously throughout their lives and can reproduce asexually by breaking off a segment of their body, which will grow into a new individual. They also reproduce by broadcast spawning, releasing both gametes into the water simultaneously. Although these curtains may form a seemingly impassable obstacle, they are actually quite delicate and watercraft will usually tear through them rather than going around. However, this is not detrimental to the animal as the two halves will regrow into new individuals.

[indie-ttrpg-of-the-week]

Lancer RPG

pfft, your mech is your dead mom's soul? well MY mech is co-piloted by Cthulhu!

Touchstones: Armored Core, General Mech Media

Genre: Mecha, Tactics game

What is this game?: Lancer is a tactical TTRPG focused on mechs, and the folks piloting them, with a sturdy "Gameplay over Realism" mentality to its game design

How's the gameplay?: Lancer is a tactical RPG using primarily d20s for attack rolls and other problem solving, it's primarily based on the tactical combat rules of Dungeons and Dragons 4th edition, however it is mostly its own thing, with new mechanics, simple but fun character creation, and a high focus on quick and aggressive combat rather than lengthy and Defensive combat. in effect imagine character creation as going to a subway (of mech parts) and picking your ingredients, with a mech's frame being your choice of bread, and combat as an SRPG of your choosing but everyone is in giant mechs

Out of Combat is a bit different, to the point where I didn't even bring it up during my first draft of this! the Out of Combat rules are deliberately bare bones, you can very easily insert straight up a different game in there, or mod it to be something else. But I wouldn't recommend it, as the rules by themselves are 100% useable, fun, and blend into the combat portions pretty easily, Lancer is fully aware of this, and the lack of out of combat depth is partially covered by the KTB book, which gives characters simple out of character skills

What's the setting (If any) like?: Lancer throws you into a world where mankind's either solved, or is close to solving, most of the issues back on earth... too bad we also colonized other planets 10k years ago! Now, while Earth thrives, planets outside of it struggle with poverty, imperialism, dictatorships, and human and non-human rights issues, Earth tries its best to help, but they're stretched very thin. Lancer also has many small details to its setting that are way too in-depth to get into right now, but a major one is the existance of non-human people, eldritch beings strapped to computers in order to create effective and fully sentient artificial intelligence

What's the tone?: Lancer's tone is generally speaking, hopeful. Empires are mighty, but there are people fighting, and they will be toppled, mankind's horrors have attempted to wipe out entire species, but survivors remain, and secretly thrive. While there is some doom and gloom and grimdark stuff, especially with how the highly unethical and wicked corporations are treated as necessary evils for enterprising pilots, but overall lancer is a setting where no matter how bad things get, there will always be hope

Session length: A few hours, it depends on how mean your GM is, generally speaking however combat heavy sessions will only run you around 2-3 hours, with RP sprinkled in between

Number of Players: I generally like to recommend around 4 or more, but I'm sure you can do it with less

Malleability: While lancer's mechanics are pretty hardset in its setting, the existance of Beacon RPG and how at its core its very much a Lancer hack does show that Lancer can be hacked into differing settings, a very popular one I've seen is Magical Girl Lancer.

Resources: Lancer's primary resource is Comp/Con, it effectively serves as a do everything tool for lancer, allowing you to manage characters, encounter, and homebrew, while also having a very slick and easy to use UI Lancer also has many pre-made modules, of... varying quality, Siren's song and Solstice rain are pretty good, Wallflower is very good but the encounters are of mixed quality, and it's not great for introducing people to the game in my experience

Homebrew is also fairly popular, new frames, NPC types, Bonds, and modules are all pretty popular, my personal favorite being Field Guide to Suldan and Field Guide to Iridia, I also enjoy Field Guide to Liminal Spaces though that one's a bit on the "Be Very Careful" side

Overall, lancer is effectively THE indie ttrpg, being quality, fun, and affordable, with the core rulebook being 100% free if you just wish to see the player-side content, it's a great time, and everyone who's interested in the indie ttrpg scene should check it out at least once

[charmixpower]

Hey! I finally finished this, take a looksie

Planet name - planet core - core form

Supra Magic Cores;

Graynor - core of Life - The Tree of Life

Magix - core of Magic - The Star of Magic

Iridia - core of Time - The Sands of Time

Ohm - core of Souls - The River of Souls

Periplia - core of Space - The Void of Space

Omega - core of Death - The Snake of Death

Basic Magic cores;

Romulea - core of Gas - The Shining Cloud of Romulea

Melody - core of Sound - The Singing Whale

Serenia - core of Weather - The Endless Storm

Thordal - core of Motion - The Preputial Spinning Wheel

Whispera - core of Darkness - The Black Hole of Whispera

Hypos - core of Mind - The Mirror of the Mind

Callisto - core of Heat - The Hearth of the Dimension

Domino - core of Fire - The Vortex of Flames

Syderia - core of Electricity - The Everlasting Ball Lighting

Lumenia - core of Stars - The Stars of Lumenia

Solaria - core of Sunlight - The Second Sun of Solaria

Koria - core of Willpower - The Tigers of Will

Andros - core of Liquids - The Heart of All Oceans

Nixie - core of Vapor - The Springs of Nixie

Linphea - core of Vegetation - The Flower of Nature

Tenesa - core of Animalia - The Giant Tortoise of Tenesa

Noctilucae - core of Moonlight - The Seventh Moon of Noctilucae

Eros - core of Emotions - The Heart of all Beings

Eraklyon - core of Gravity - The Rings of Eraklyon

Dolona - core of Stone - The Obelisk of Dolona

Hoggar - core of Metal - The Floating Ores

Dyamond - core of Crystals - The Crystal of Dyamond

Earth - core of Biomes - The Core of Earth

Karunda - core of Intuition - The Lake of Fate

No Magic cores;

Zenith - no magical core - The second planet of Syderia where they can control the climate without killing their planet

Pyros - no magical core - Where the survivors of Domino relocated to. Many people were off planet when the fall of Domino happened, and Pyros is an attempt to keep Domino culture alive

Relix - no magical core - Nicknamed the UnderRelm due to it being underground and its hostile design (steals and absorbs magic of outsiders), this was the home and base of operations of the Ancestral Witches. Abandoned and raided after the Ancestrals were locked away but a lot of the spells in the planet were too powerful to destroy

Espero - no magical core - Homes the magic council, Lightrock monastery, and other dimensional government buildings

[newculiacan]

In order:

Mia, alumni from Red Fountain and knight trainee for Light Rock. Her transition was a shock to no one. Shouji, fledgling wizard. Had his education delayed a few times by Valtor and is still salty about it. Mao-Lin, Fairy of Cats. From Melody. She sometimes trains cats to sing, but it’s not going well. Noir, Red Fountain student, studying weapon engineering and blacksmithing. Ken, Red Fountain student. Sorina’s younger brother who skipped a year of schooling and is the same year as her, much to her chagrin. Major siscon and does his best to drive off anyone who wants to date her, even more to her chagrin. Riley, Red Fountain student. One of the first female students admitted after Mia transitioned because if there was a woman alumni of Red Fountain around, they might as well. Puck, Fairy of Fun. Somehow enrolled at Alfea despite being much younger than their entry age. Will not explain how. Reba, the Phoenix Witch. She remembers all of her past lives and retains a much of her knowledge and skills. Has taken a liking to the Earth Witch aesthetic and will change the size of her hat brim so that it’s always on model. Legally obligated to go to school so she has a paper trail for planetary job stuff. Iridia, Elf Lorekeeper. She protects her planet’s Legendarium, which were meant to record past flora, fauna, and folklore. Student teacher at Alfea under Palladium’s care.

[eddysocs]

Supergirl OC Masterlist

Name: Gemma Ward

Face Claim: Lyndsy Fonseca

Love Interest: Lena Luthor

Fic Title: Turn To Gold

Plot Summary: Gemma Ward was a nobody. A teen comic book nerd turned woman who’d do anything to be like the superheroes she used to read about. When she comes across an ad from Luthor Corp, offering that very thing, she springs on the chance. Lex injects her with a serum and she becomes Gilded Glory. Lex is arrested soon after, and no one knew what he’d done for her. Now she lives in National City, aiding Supergirl and the DEO.

Name: Iridia Danvers

Face Claim: Tiera Skovbye

Love Interest: Nyxly

Fic Title: Imperfect

Plot Summary: Iridia Danvers has cast off her family and her supposed legacy. Ever since she came from Krypton with Kara she’s only ever wanted to be human. This begins by changing her name to Iris, her favorite earth flower. When she graduates from high school, that’s the last her sisters ever see or hear from her. That is, until Nyxly. With her psychic connection to Kara, Nyxly picks up on Kara thinking about her long lost baby sister, finds her and kidnaps her as leverage when trying to get the hope totem. But when Kara fulfills her end of the bargain, Nyxly still keeps her baby sister. Why is anyone’s guess.

Name: Neoma Gontru

Face Claim: Pom Klementieff

Love Interest: Winn Schott

Fic Title: Winn Or Lose

Plot Summary: Neoma has invented some of the most innovative computer systems on earth. Her secret? She’s not from here. Where she hails from, the technological advances she implements are rudimentary. But she’s good at what she does. One of the best, even on her home planet. And when she’s asked to come in and see what she can improve on at the DEO, she’ll find the one thing she’s always been looking for; a place and a person she can call home.

Name: Roxanne Elliott

Face Claim: Olivia Wilde

Love Interest: Cat Grant

Fic Title: Nine Lives

Plot Summary: When Kara becomes a journalist, naturally Cat Grant needs a new assistant. Enter Roxanne. She’s hired on the spot and in thrown into the demanding world of pleasing the queen of all media. When a near mishap reveals a power she didn’t even know she possessed, she won’t only be Cat's assistant, but also her next cover story. But will she ever be able to prove to Cat that she wants to be more to her than front page news?

Name: Shannon Henry

Face Claim: Tabrett Bethel

Love Interest: Alex Danvers

Fic Title: I Feel It Too

Plot Summary: A woman with psychic powers and kick ass training from a source she doesn’t reveal, Shannon follows a distress call to Central City and finds that the city isn’t in need of a hero. It has Supergirl. But something still feels off and this prompts Shannon to stay until she can pinpoint the threat. It’s only thanks to one Alex Danvers that she prolongs her stay indefinitely.

Name: Valencia Ashcroft

Face Claim: Skyler Samuels

Love Interest: Brainy

Fic Title: Blind Faith

Plot Summary: After what she refers to as an accident, Valencia was left blinded. When she accepted an experimental procedure developed by Lena Luthor, she regained her sight, but also gained exceptional night vision and cat like reflexes. When her new powers get out of hand, Lena will point her to the DEO where she’ll fall under Brainy’s tutelage.

Name: Veruca Vesper

Face Claim: Olivia Munn

Love Interest: Lex Luthor

Fic Title: The World Is Not Enough

Plot Summary: After working in genetic study for a while, Veruca sees a potential way to merge alien and human DNA to create a race of meta humans. When funding for her further study and experimentation is turned down time and time again, being called foolish and dangerous, she takes matters into her own hands, and tries the experiment on herself. She’s then imbued with the ability to conjure purple flames and wield some form of what she can only refer to as magic without further study of it. And when the idea of revenge on those who would not aid in her research lands her in hot water with Supergirl, she’ll be taken down, but not without being under the watchful eye of Lex Luthor, who will bring her back to her full strength. And together, they may prove to be an unstoppable team.

[thefoodwiththedood]

"Good Guys"

Here's another story from a bit ago, this time about Hatou and Eobea going on a diplomatic mission to Darkon III, and Hatou making a new friend! This is sort of a continuation of my stories "Strategy" and "Rising Phoenix," so for more context, you could read those first. Either way, let me know what y'all think of this!

Characters: Hatou Koros, Princess Eobea Xovrada, Oesta Varg, Chieftain Haeris Varg & Khosti Varg (who belong to @kaminoanbat)

Setting: 21 BBY, Darkon III

Word Count: ~2,300

“Must we do this?” Eobea whispered, just loud enough to be heard over the trumpets announcing her arrival. Her own procession was rather small, compared to the reception she’d been given: All around the walled courtyard of the palatial fortress where they’d landed, Mandalorian warriors stood at attention, their freshly-polished armor gleaming in the sun. At the end of the courtyard opposite her stood two more Mandos, an adult and a child, with their helmets at their sides and their own entourage at their backs. “I thought visits like this were reserved for planets with some…value to us”

Before Hatou answered, he held out his elbow, and her mechanical forearm hooked itself in the crook of it. “We’re here to encourage the people that Iridonia is with them, same as always,” he said as the two of them walked, “the Darkonan clans are good people, and even better warriors—if we can convince Clan Varg to join forces with us, the other clans will follow, and they could help us defend the other colonies from Separatist attacks''

“I can always rely on you to be optimistic, can’t I,” Eobea smiled,but the disdain was still palpable in her voice. “Maybe it’s just my ancestors talking—the ones who were murdered when the Mandalorians occupied Iridonia, you remember them—but I’m not so quick to trust. As I far as I know, Darkon III might just be the final holdout of those same invaders"

Thankfully, Eobea had said the last part just before coming into earshot of the Darkonan chieftain ahead of them. “Have faith, Princess,” Hatou reassured her, choosing his words carefully now that he could be heard, “It’s possible we may find some life-long allies today”

At the end of their long walk, Hatou and Eobea came face-to-face with a tall, middle-aged Zabrak clad in regal yet battle-worn armor. “It is an honor,” he began in accented Basic, his voice a strong, baritone rumble, “to welcome you to Darkon III, Princess Eobea. I am Haeris Varg of Clan Varg, Chieftain of the Darkonan Clans, and,” he paused only briefly, as he and the child at his side bowed respectfully, “your humble servant for as long as we may host you”

Eobea gave one final look to Hatou, before clearing her throat and replying. “You are very kind, Chieftain. I look forward to my stay here,” she lied, “and I look forward to discussing business—my father has assured me that you will be most indispensable allies''

“We always endeavor to be,” Haeris smiled—it could have been genuine enthusiasm behind that smile, or it could be as much of a put-on as Eobea’s. Neither she nor Hatou knew him well enough to tell, but they both wondered about it. “Ah, but in the meantime, allow me to introduce my family; this is my son, Khosti,” he swept an arm over the child at his side, and Khosti bowed once again. The boy was awfully mechanical in his movements, and he didn’t dare make eye contact with the Princess—clearly, he’d rehearsed this, or his father had made him. “And,” Haeris sighed, “though she’s running fashionably late, there’s also—

A sudden, roaring sound cut Haeris off mid-thought, and everyone in the courtyard looked up to see its source. A lone Mandalorian warrior rocketed across the sky, only to then circle back and finally stop just above Hatou, Eobea, and the Chieftain. Hovering in the air for only a second longer, she cut the engine in her rocket pack, falling several feet and hitting the ground on one knee. She rose to her feet slowly, removing her helmet and revealing the big, toothy grin she’d rode in with. “Hey, dad,” she spoke, tucking her helmet under her arm as she turned to face the Chieftain, “Sorry I was out, thought I’d take the scenic route back here. What’s…” she trailed off, apparently just noticing Hatou, Eobea, and the amount of people there in the courtyard with them. She studied Eobea in particular, her smile fading as she looked her up and down. “What’s with the Iridonians?”

“Oesta, please,” Haeris seethed, calling her attention back to him. He gave her a single, stern look, and she scowled back at him before relenting and taking her place at his right side. He took a deep breath before speaking again. “Oesta,” Haeris said again, this time introducing her to Hatou and Eobea, “is my eldest daughter, and will one day inherit my throne—if she can ever learn how a leader ought to act” Oesta rolled her eyes in response, before continuing to silently size up the Princess and her bodyguard.

If the mere prospect of working with Mandalorians wasn’t enough to sour Eobea’s view of this planet, the sheer disrespect from the Chieftain’s daughter might be. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Eobea lied again, trying and failing to mask her feelings, smiling so fleetingly she was bordering on curtness.

“Perhaps,” Hatou chimed in, rescuing Eobea preemptively from what surely would have been a long, uncomfortable silence, “I should take the Princess to her accommodations—allow us time to settle in, before our negotiations begin” He surreptitiously took her hand, and he could feel her relax slightly as their fingers interwove.

Haeris cleared his throat. “Yes, of course, please do—if you’d follow me inside, someone will show you to your rooms”

Hatou nodded, once again hooking Eobea’s elbow in his. The two of them followed the trio of Vargs and their entourage as they turned towards the large fortress, and Hatou almost caught Oesta studying him over her shoulder as they walked inside.

. . .

Hours later, Hatou found himself quietly slipping outside, sighing in relief as the brisk evening air hit his face. Even better than the air was the peace and quiet; to everyone’s surprise, Eobea’s opinions on the Darkonans began to sweeten over the course of the evening, and now she was happily—not to mention drunkenly, and loudly—wining-and-dining with the Vargs’ most senior clansmen. Hatou himself couldn’t partake, of course. His duties to the princess came first, and he needed to keep his wits about him. So, here he stood: a balcony overlooking the sea, lit by the light of Darkon III’s moons, leaning back against a railing and watching his charge through the giant glass door. She was having fun, clearly. That much made him happy.

“Hey” a voice suddenly spoke up to Hatou’s right, and he jumped in shock. He instinctively reached for his sword, but, upon turning to see the voice’s owner, he relaxed. It was just the Chieftain’s daughter—Oesta, if he remembered right—resting on the railing in the opposite corner of the balcony, looking at him with a sort of half-smile. Two drinks, one full and one half-full, were sitting on the wall at her side, evidently brought out from inside some time ago. “This kinda party ain’t your speed, huh?”

Hatou took a breath before answering, removing his helmet and holding it at his side. “No, not exactly,” he admitted, “And you?”

She smiled. “Not tonight. Kinda dreading having to talk to my dad after this morning, in the courtyard. Here, wanna drink? I was gonna have both myself but, now that you’re here,” she slid the full mug towards him, but with a small wave of his hand he refused it. “Yeah,” she continued, “Best to let him get all boozed up to soften that blow, y’know how dads are”

“Actually, I don’t,” he responded, “we’re very close, my father and I, we almost never fight”

Oesta raised an eyebrow, and her smile faded slightly. “Lucky you”

“I…” Hatou stuttered, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—”

“Must be nice,” she continued, interrupting him, “to be born into a thriving empire, to a parent who likes you just how you are, and to get to serve your planet’s royalty, that’s—”

“Iridia” Hatou interjected, interrupting her in turn. “I’m from Iridia, not Iridonia”

“...Oh” Oesta paused for a moment, silently retracting most of her prejudgements. “What’s the difference?”

“Iridia’s its own planet, a former colony just like Darkon,” Hatou said, his tone softening. In spite of his previous reservations, he decided to take the drink she’d offered him after all, and he paused to take a sip. “It’s beautiful, but not in the same ways as Iridonia. It has natural beauty, I guess. You go there, and it just feels warm and welcoming, like the planet itself wants to nurture you and take care of you. It’s motherly, in a way”

“Motherly…” Oesta replied, the word lingering on her lips a little longer than she’d meant it to. “It sounds nice. But then, if you’re from a colony, how’d you end up with...y’know…” she gestured towards the glass door, and the half-in-the-bag Princess seated inside.

Hatou smiled, unabashedly proud of what he was about to say. “Emperor Stotrau saw great potential in me, he said so himself. He needed a bodyguard for his daughter, and I was the best candidate, from Iridonia or otherwise. It’s a great honor”

“I’ll bet,” she said, her lips curling into a wry smile. “So, does he know you’re banging his daughter yet?”

Hatou, who was in the middle of taking another swig, nearly choked. Oesta tried and failed to stifle a laugh as he coughed, and it was several seconds before he even tried to speak. “I...we...well, see...who told you?”

“Well you did, just now” Oesta chuckled, earning a groan from Hatou as he realized his mistake. “I saw you two out in the courtyard, the way you calmed her down. Seems like she trusts you”

With a sigh, Hatou shook his head and smiled. No use denying it now. “The princess...Eobea...we were friends long before we ever, well...I don’t know, it just kind of happened” He felt himself blushing now, and moreso, he felt Oesta’s gaze on him. He turned away, just to spare himself a little embarrassment.

“No need to justify it, man, I get it—it’s your job to protect her 'round the clock, you two’re bound to get close like that,” Oesta smiled, taking another sip herself, “She’s cute, too. Total catch”

“It’s more than just physical” Hatou hadn’t quite meant to say that, but he couldn’t help justifying himself here. This was a talk he’d rehearsed many times, in preparation for the day when someone found out, when someone would question how a relationship between an Iridonian princess and a lowly soldier from the Colonies could ever work. Explaining it to a nosy Mandalorian was never in the plan, but oh well. “I mean...she values my company, and I enjoy seeing her happy. Every day I watch the stress she’s put under, the way she’s underestimated and put down, even by those who mean well. But she’s ambitious, smart, driven, more than any of them see. I want to help her succeed. I want to be there for her through good and bad times, and share in her triumphs. I don’t want her to be alone at the top, when she inevitably gets there”

Oesta’s smile faded as she listened, alternatively glancing at him, and through the window at the princess herself. “You’re really devoted to her, huh” she finally said, her tone an equal mixture of intrigue and confusion, with just a pinch of concern. “Does she feel the same way about you? Wanting you to succeed and everything?”

“Yes. Maybe. Well,” Hatou paused, considering the question. “I’ve never talked about this with her, not really. In our private moments, we’re more focused on...well... “

“Just having fun?” Oesta smirked, and in spite of himself Hatou smiled back at her. In the back of his mind, though, he was worried. He found himself mulling over that question in silence for a few moments—does she feel the same way about you? “I hope she does” Oesta spoke up, as if reading his mind. “You seem like you have a lot of love to give. Only fair for you to be with someone who gives it back”

“Yeah?” Hatou found himself looking at Oesta now, even as she was staring down into her drink. No one had said that to him before. Not even Eobea.

“Yeah” she looked up at him, their eyes meeting for the first time that night. “You’re a good guy. The galaxy needs good guys” Their eye contact held for all of five seconds, and when those five seconds passed, they both got the same feeling: either they looked away right then, or this night was going to take a new, serious, and probably wrong turn. They chose the former.

After another brief silence, spent largely with the two of them feigning great interest in opposite sides of the ocean view, Hatou regained his composure a little. “Thank you,” he finally said, “You’re very kind” Oesta responded with a barely audible mumble, which could have been anything from ‘You’re welcome’ to ‘Yeah, whatever’ to simply ‘mhm’, but whose sentiment was clear enough. Another, much longer silence followed, before Hatou finally downed the rest of his drink, sighed, and re-donned his helmet. “I...should probably get back inside, see how the princess is doing”

“Yeah...yeah, sure” Oesta muttered, re-donning her own helmet, mostly just as something to do. “Nice meeting you. Good luck with your lady, Sir...uh…”

“Hatou,” he finished. “Hatou Koros. And you’re—”

“Oesta...yeah” she said, the smile evident in her tone despite being hidden behind her helmet. Hatou had heard her name before, in the courtyard, but only from her father and only to scold her. Now, from her, the name sounded as it was meant to: strong, stable, and really kind of pretty. Even as Hatou was thinking this, Oesta was climbing up onto the balcony’s wall—and before he even registered that. she was hovering in the air with her jet pack. “See you around, Hatou” she said, rocketing away with the cold, seaborne wind. He watched her go, waving halfheartedly before sighing, standing up straight, and rejoining the party.

[khwatts]

🔥Promo Blitz🔥

#free with #KindleUnlimited

Title: IRIDIA ➜➜ http://amzn.to/2h3Kcvv

Series: Adamanta, Season 1 Episode 5

Author: T.Y. Carew & Ella Medler

Genre: Sci-Fi

#ebook #Goodreads #Amazon #MoBPromos #TBR #mustread #oneclick #1click

Hosted: (http://magicofbookspromo.blogspot.com) @MoBPromos

Add the book to Goodreads ➜ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36190598-iridia

‪

#‎Synopsis‬:

A team of humans is willing to face almost insurmountable odds to save the human race from annihilation. The search for Adamanta sends Xander's team to a planet locked in ice. But what else lurks under the surface? With the Beltine starting to realize the humans are using their precious metal in similar ways, they know they have to up their game. But how far will they go? Join the Adamanta team as they save some human refugees from a life of slavery and control.

Additional Books:

ADAMANTA: SEASON 1 Episodes 1-6 ➜➜ http://amzn.to/2zy7Rem

#Author info: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EllaMedlerAuthor Twitter: https://twitter.com/EllaMedler Amazon: http://amzn.to/2aYWJL4 Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5807129.Ella_Medler

[tech4u-blog1]

Small team, big robot

If you haveever watched Power Rangers or Battle of the Planets and thought "that'll never happen", prepare to be amazed as boffins have created robots that you can get to team up when they touch to make a bigger bot.

In a paper published in Nature, the mini-bots are able to work independently, or can team up without the potential problem of a single "head bot" failure bringing down the whole network.

Basically, the bots can all be the leader or a drone. Proximity causes them to nominate a leader and team up in a variety of shapes and combos.

"Take moving on a very rocky terrain, for example," lead author Marco Dorigo, a research director at IRIDIA, the AI lab of the Brussels Free University told Popular Science. "One alone would get stuck, but attached to each other they become more stable and they can move on the rough terrain."

Of course, we're far more interested in how this technology can be utilised in the next series of Robot Wars and how loud Jonathan Pierce's voice will go when they Megazord up, but that's just us. This is real science.

  The point of the experiment isn't even the teaming robots as such - it's the idea of handing off control for the greater good. Or as we humans call it, teamwork.

And there's enough intelligence that if the lead bot is unable to perform satisfactorily, he can be "relieved of command".

In this case, the bots communicate over good ol' WiFi, but in the future, they could link over Bluetooth mesh.

[chroniclingworlds]

Globulum

These are soft-bodied animals that are likely some of the first lifeforms to evolve on Iridia. The only hard part of their body is the tip of the syringe-like “arms” that pierce the skin of their prey to inject venom. They have no true eyes but they are covered in a layer of fine, hair-like cilia that detects any water movement, allowing them to pinpoint other animals with incredible accuracy. Most Globulum orders move by way of a water propulsion system that allows them to jet along at a steady pace, while others have lost it entirely in favor of other methods of locomotion. Pictured is a large “sailing” Globulum, which has a buoyant body and fleshy sail to drift along the ocean’s surface.

They have no “brain” but they contain several central nerve bunches that operate different parts of the body. Although they are grouped with the radial animals, this is a very diverse group of animals that display both radial and rotational symmetry.

[chroniclingworlds]

Pentacrusa

With five compound eyes and five tentacles, these pentaradial animals are some of the most successful organisms on the planet. Almost all of these animals have a shell or carapace made of a dense silica skeleton, with a fleshy mantle and tentacles underneath. These tentacles are often covered by a sticky mucus used to ensnare their prey. The mouth is located in the center of the tentacles, and contains a proboscis which delivers flesh-dissolving venom. Unlike the other groups of radial animals, these animals have fairly complex brains that are located behind each eye, connected by a ring of nerves and neurons. They have excellent eyesight and sense of smell but seem to have no ability to hear. This group is almost exclusively carnivorous, although there are a few species of omnivores. Many of these animals are highly social, living in herds or family groups. Pictured is a pack-hunting open-ocean species known for being highly intelligent.

Intriguingly, most species within the Pentacrusa have the ability to change sex, and incorporate this as part of their life strategy, switching from one to the other as they age.

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Trangles

Creeping slowly across the sand with their long arms, the Trangles sift through the seabed for edible material. Depending upon the size of the animal, this can be anything from microscopic organisms to plant matter to larger burrowing creatures. In the scene above, we can see a large Pyramoid and several comparatively tiny Sand Stars inhabiting a sand flat in the midst of a thriving silica reef. Although this is the most common place to encounter them and seems to be home to the largest variety of species, these creatures live everywhere from the sandy intertidal zone to the depths of the deep sea. Although the pyramidal body shape of many of these animals may seem awkward or unwieldy, it may serve a protective purpose, making it more difficult for predators to attack due to the rigid silica exoskeleton. While they may not look much alike, many of the coral-like animals pictured are the closest living relatives of the Trangles, having lost their three-sided symmetry but reinforcing their complex silica skeletons to help anchor them in place to the seabed while their cousins free-roam through their reefs.

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Jelly Rays and Orbfish

These two organisms are closely related, despite having very different life strategies. In the distant past, the ancestors of these creatures split into two unique body plans; one became a passive, planktonic hunter, using cilia to swim and casting two long tentacles out into the water to catch prey. The other became an agile swimmer with two fins, an aerodynamic shape, and primitive eyespots. The former are known as Orbs while the latter are referred to as Jelly Rays. Living all across the seas and found in almost all the zones of the ocean, these make up the bulk of species within the Globulum. They range from smaller than a human hand to larger than a great white shark, but all feed on plankton that they catch with their tentacles. Both produce bioluminescence, which allows them to attract their prey. The Jelly Rays are especially fascinating, as they have more advanced sensory organs than their relatives. With simple eyes and highly sensitive cilia that allows them to both feel and detect chemical signals, they can see obstacles and actively hunt. These are by far the most “advanced” Globulum, at least by vertebrate standards, and even seem to display curiosity towards Ixia-Dal and other organisms.

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Moss Crawlers

In the distant past, one lineage of Tribracha took a massive evolutionary leap, moving onto land. These small organisms now live across most landmasses, their bodies adapted to crawling along the ground and feeding on plants and organic matter. Although they live on land, they still have gills and must keep them wet, so they live much like the pillbugs of earth, surviving in moist soil and burrowing during periods of drought. There are thought to be thousands of species, and many are endemic to certain islands. Coming in many sizes, they range on average from less than a quarter of an inch to a few inches in armspan. One notable exception lives on the islands of Illidale, where isolation and lack of predators have resulted in some species growing up to a foot in size.

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Siphonoids

Related to the spoon-arms, these creatures have lost their paddles in favor of a faster and more efficient swimming system. They have adapted their water-pore into a jet propulsion system, allowing them to cruise along without expending much energy. To complement their active lifestyle, their eyes are more complex than other Tribracha and oriented forward to give them “trinocular” vision. Like their relatives, they feed on plankton, but have also been seen actively hunting small free-swimming animals. Fast and agile, they inhabit the open ocean and deeper coastal waters, traveling in groups that can number in the hundreds or thousands. Although they are much quicker than their cousins, their jet propulsion is still more primitive than the pelagic Pentacrusa that share their habitat, meaning they are a common prey item for these larger and faster predators. Although these animals can be found throughout the deep sea, most of their diversity is found in the sunlight and twilight zones.

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Sailboats

This aptly named variety of Globulum has evolved a unique life strategy. Their ancestors were free-swimming, jellyfish-like organisms, but all modern species have adapted into buoyant animals that sit at the surface of the water, using wind to push them along. They have tall, sail-like structures to catch the breeze, and some have evolved into truly massive creatures, taking advantage of the strong ocean wind to travel long distances. Because they travel by wind power, they often end up in large herds, sailing together through the sea. However, they do also have a “rudder” on their back that allows them to shift directions if they sense danger, including a collision with another individual or shallow waters. Their poisonous arms trail below them in the water, spearing prey that swims too close. Like their cousins the Red Curtains, large sailboats often have companions who stay close to them, feeding on parasites and sheltering from predators. The open ocean is much like a desert, and any floating object provides an oasis that quickly attracts a crowd. These animals have a special place in Ixia-Dal cultures, often revered as guides who show the way out of dangerous situations or spiritual guardians. It is likely that these animals inspired the designs of the first sailing craft, and even the floating cities of today bear a resemblance to them.

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Tribracha

This phyla has a body divided into three distinct lobes, making them trilateral. In the top center of their body is a pore that allows them to pump seawater into a hydraulic muscle system, reminiscent of echinoderms. In some more derived lineages, this has been adapted into a jet propulsion system for swimming. The bottom of each lobe is lined with small suction cups and sensory cilia for locomotion and grabbing prey. The mouth, which contains three grinding plates, is on the underside of the body. Depending upon the genus, these plates can be for grinding plant matter, tearing flesh, or sifting through mud and sand to search for nutrients. Pictured is a large scavenger species that lives in dense underwater forests.

There is a simple eye at the end of each lobe (or arm, depending on the species). Their eyesight is not great, and they typically find their way around with smell and touch. They have a highly distributed nervous system, with a primitive brain in each lobe as well as a ring of neurons in the central disk. Most of the Tribracha are small, encompassing many benthic and planktonic species. The Silica Reefs are actually grouped within this phyla despite their amorphous appearance, as their larvae are trilateral. Many other species of Tribracha have silica skeletons, but the reefs are by far the most complex example.