Mythrigals

by Antoine Chassagnard


Homeworld: Sappurin IV

Appearance and Biology: Mythrigals are full symbionts, two species who have evolved together to the point where they can no longer survive separately. The "root" of a Mythrigal is a nonsentient, telepathic and almost immobile plant, named by scientists an M alpha. The rest of a Mythrigal individual are the "mobiles," a semi-intelligent type of rodent (named M beta by scientists), a colony of which exists symbiotically around every M alpha.

An M alpha usually measures between 45 and 70 cm in height and about two-thirds of that in width. It resembles a wrinkled green pepper with tentacle-like leaves (usually four or five, and around 50 cm long) at its base and summit. The root is capable of slow movement on these leaves but usually relies on mobiles to carry it. Like the Columi, most of the root's body is brain matter plus some other organs. Despite this large volume of neural tissue, the root is not intelligent; the brain seems to act only as a telepathic "switchboard" and long-term memory storage. Roots have only a limited sense of touch and a "smell" sense that is used when putting down taproots.

Each Mythrigal also consists of as few as five, or as many as fifty, rodentoid M beta mobiles. These are telepathically linked to the M alpha; normally this is at a low level, no more than a sense of the mobile's location, but a single mobile can "borrow" the thought processes of the entire Mythrigal, making it temporarily much more intelligent. Mobiles cannot communicate directly with each other, nor with other Mythrigals (each colony-entity has its own "frequency"). The nature of the link does not allow sensory impressions like sounds or images to be transmitted, only concepts (e.g. "it's a picture and it's very beautiful." or "it's browny-grey and very, very big and dribbly with an enormous mouth and huge teeth and gigantic hands and a small tail and it's got a ring in one ear and it's making a very loud roaring sound and it's stomping towards me." or "PAIN!"). Finally, the maximum range for this link is about a hundred meters; if a mobile passes beyond this limit, it ceases to be a part of the Mythrigal. The simpler types of mobile will act like the animals they are and/or go into shock and eventually die. Only the 'independent' type (see below) retains enough intelligence to reestablish contact or find a new colony (in the case of the death of its root).

In addition to the telepathic link, Mythrigal colonies are joined by pheremones emitted by the root that regulate the hormones of their mobiles.

Most types of mobiles breed among themselves to produce juveniles, which are born live and are about one or two cm long. After a month, during which time they grow to five or six cm, they undergo a metamorphosis into their adult form. The transformation itself is a rather anticlimactic thing: no cocoons, no webs, no heaps of slime left all over the place. They simply develop into one of the following types:

  1. Drone. Drones are fairly large (70 cm on average) and strong, with dextrous legs and paws. However, their brains are much less developed - a nut-sized collection of reflexes and an oversized lobe which serves as a specially tuned telepathic receiver. Drones have the intelligence of an average hive animal (such as ants or bees), which can if necessary be overridden by the M alpha. This allows the Mythrigal to control the drone's actions directly, but since there is no direct sensory feedback, the Mythrigal must rely on another source to know the effects of it's actions - usually an independent (see below). The duties of a drone are those of basic maintenance: carrying the M alpha, gathering food, those rare cases where active defence is necessary, those even rarer cases when the Mythrigal has decided to take offensive action, and generally carrying and crafting and digging and running around looking busy. Drones tend to stay fairly close to their root. If separated, or if the root dies, they will go wild and then die within a week.
  2. Independent. Independents are exactly that, capable of making their own decisions under normal circumstances. They have the intelligence of clever (but nonsentient) pets, meaning they can recognise threats, friends and such, and are capable of remembering and understanding simple instructions, warning their M alpha of something suspicious (for rebroadcasting), or even exploring, searching for something or following someone and remembering the layout of the land. If drones are the Mythrigal's hands, then independents are their eyes and ears (and sometimes other, more unusual sensory organs). As mentioned, independents are the only type that can survive the loss of its root but will try to find another colony as soon as possible; alone, they will usually die in a year. Physically, they are small, about five cm long (they do not grow after metamorphosis), and have a flap of skin between their forelimbs and rear, effectively allowing them to fly like bats - during metamorphosis, their limbs move out to the sides of their body, making them ungainly on the ground but graceful in flight. Independents can choose not to transmit their thoughts, and they cannot be directly controlled by the root.
  3. Messenger. Mythrigal telepathy does not work between individuals, or from root to root or mobile to mobile. This means that a specialised form of mobile is required to act as a sort of telepathic relay whenever two Mythrigals wish to communicate. Messenger brains are not unlike the root's, with areas for reception, interpretation, translation, transmission and even broadcasting (useful if the Mythrigal is just "calling out" to see if someone's there). An M beta messenger is essentially a highly specialised brain and a few vital organs attached to a solid skeleton (for strength, you know), giving it the look of a fat sausage on legs. Messengers aren't very active; when they aren't being used by the Mythrigal, they apathetically sit in one place, occasionally being fed by the drones. Since the introduction of Mythrigals into galactic society a bit over a millennium ago, messengers have evolved new systems of communication, such as sound, for dealing with non-telepathic species. Since this is a relatively recent mutation, it is still fairly unstable: messengers with the ability to vocalise will have many different tones and sorts of voices. Most of these messengers have little control over what their voice sounds like, but some have learned the trick: these ones make very good mimics.
  4. Spawn. Mobile reproduction has already been discussed. Roots use a different method, which is actually very simple, but appears really gross to some other species. A mobile of the "spawn" type seems to eat a part of the two M alphas involved before wandering of to die somewhere. In fact the spawn doesn't actually "eat" the root, it simply stores a sample of genetic material from each in a nutrient-filled pouch in its abdomen. There the samples combine to create a seed which feeds off the nutrients supplied by the spawn while it finds a suitable place for the future Mythrigal to grow. Once the place is found, the spawn dies and its body provides an initial source of nourishment for the new root until it starts to fend for itself. Spawns look similar to drones, but smaller and chubbier, and are about as intelligent (that is, not very).

Temperament: As a whole, Mythrigals are a calm, contemplative lot. In the 1000+ years since they were discovered, Mythrigals basically have kept to themselves. On the other hand, they have an understanding of the use of quick action that most purely plant life forms lack. As with any species, individuals can vary widely. The combined instincts and drives of the root and the drones make up a Mythrigal's base personality. Independents display more of an inquisitive and daring streak, mischeivous at times, though they can also stay immobile and alert for long periods. Neither messengers, which are merely "mouths" for the Mythrigal, nor the instinct-driven spawn have any personality to speak of.

History and Culture: The Mythrigal species is an old species but a primitive one, having just reached the feudal level on the technology scale. The original plant/animal pairing is often considered to have started when the proto-mobiles, who were still a separate species, began harvesting pollen from the proto-roots, thereby supplying themselves with food and more efficiently pollinating distant roots. Similar plant/animal relationships can be found throughout the galaxy. The next step occurred when the M betas began developing sentience, changing from hunter/scavengers into harvesters. Naturally enough, their favourite harvest was the roots. The next step is less well understood by scientists (even Mythrigal ones), but it seems that the plants started developing telepathic abilities to keep from being eaten. This theory is hotly disputed, with the two sides being "it's just plain unrealistic!" and "have you got a better idea?" What is known for certain is that within a few thousand years at most, the development of individual sentience among the rodents came to a screeching halt, and an extreme reliance on the abilities of the plants to relay thought patterns throughout the group appeared and became firmly rooted in the M beta genetic code. From then on, the evolution of the Mythrigal colony-entity continued in the same way as it does with most species, if somewhat more slowly, to finally produce the species as it is today.

Modern-day Mythrigal society could best be described as unexciting. They live in small independent farming communities, with the occasional village razzia when circumstances justify it. The Mythrigal do not have any truly dangerous predators, so farming, artwork, pottery and cooking take up most of their time. Mythrigal cuisine is generally considered unappetising or downright disturbing by offworlders (usually involving the food being kept in warm, damp places for a fortnight or so to 'ripen up' before it's actually served), but it is their artwork which really earns the Mythrigals the money they need to pay Imperial taxes and buy things for the community. A Mythrigal work of art will usually be made to appeal to all their senses. Because of this, Mythrigal art is sought after not only by posh Core-Worlders with more money than sense, but also by species with perceptions beyond the galactic norm (Shards, Gotals or those with cyber-enhancements). In fact, it is often said that Humans can only grasp a fraction of the beauty of Mythrigal art, and that only species with broader senses, such as Gotals, can properly appreciate it (and even they miss some of the subtleties of scent).

Politics: The largest organised group in Mythrigal society is the village. Mythrigals co-operate due to their complementary skills, with decisions made in common. Elder Mythrigals, while not assigned a particular rank or title, are given more respect and their opinions bear more weight, since they are considered to have more experience. Similarly, Mythrigals who have spent some time offworld are also respected for this, though not as much as the elders.

Technology: At first sight, Mythrigal technology looks typical for their social level of development: simple farming tools, usually made of wood or baked clay, though some villages have started experimenting with metals. Mortality rates from diseases and accidents are high, though perhaps not quite as high as might be expected of a primitive culture. On deeper examination though, their breeding of livestock and crops has progressed all the way to early biotechnology. Mythrigal bioproducts were once commonly used in the sector, due to overall good quality, but since the Clone Wars the Mythrigals have stopped advertising their continuing work in this field.

Though surrounded by the more "advanced" Galactic civilization, the Mythrigals would much rather be allowed to evolve at their own pace and keep their own ways (and secrets). So far, because most Mythrigals do not object to the presence of offworlders on their planet, they've been left to do so.

Trade and Technology: The main export of Sappurin IV is artwork produced by the natives, purchased by traders in small quantities, to be resold either directly and piece-by-piece to wealthy or discriminating art-lovers, or passed further up the chain of art distributors. Some Mythrigals have in this way become quite famous off-world, while they might not even be known in the neighbouring village or have ever left the planet. Mythrigals are not stupid, however, and charge a hefty fee for their handiwork when selling to offworld traders. Some astute cargo captains have therefore decided to deal not in Mythrigal art but in Mythrigal pottery. After all, they can fairly easily claim that "the pot your Excellency is admiring has, I am assured, a quite unique electromagnetic signature, and would be the glory of any hallway it was placed in," and young bored aristocrats usually never bother to check up whether the pot is indeed a dazzling masterpiece of radiatory artwork, or just a second-hand water-jug used around the farm.

Mythrigals in the Galaxy: As stated earlier, Mythrigals often prefer to spend their lives on their homeworld, living as they always have and interacting with the Outside when it decides to pay them a visit. As with most species though, occasionally a Mythrigal will feel the call of wanderlust. These travelers usually adapt very easily to modern technology (although it must be noted that no Mythrigal has ever brought any offworld technology back to Sappurin IV). Of these wanderers, some decide after a few years that they have seen enough and want to return home to their previous lives, and some decide that they would rather spend their life among the stars. Those who have settled offworld usually find work in jobs where their creativity and radically different thought patterns give them an advantage over single-organism species - usually administrative posts in medium-sized but ambitious corporations.



Attribute Dice: Root: 7D+1 Drone: 5D Independent: 6D Messenger: 5D+2 Spawn: 4D+1
DEXTERITY 1D 2D+2/5D 3D/4D+2 1D/3D+1 1D/3D
KNOWLEDGE 2D/4D+1 -- -- 2D* --
MECHANICAL +2/3D -- -- -- --
PERCEPTION -- +1/1D 2D/5D 1D+1/3D+1 1D+2/4D
STRENGTH 2D 2D/5D 1D/2D+1 1D+1/3D 1D+2/3D+1
TECHNICAL 1D+2/3D+2 -- -- -- --

Note: Juveniles have 1D in all skills and attributes, and a ground move rating of 1 or 2.

Special skills:
Influence: there are two versions of this skill: one for drones and one for independents. This skill is used more for record-keeping than anything else: in each case the number of dice in that skill is the maximum number of that type of M beta that can be influenced by the group mind (i.e. a Mythrigal with 5D, 5D+1 or 5D+2 in Drone Influence will include up to 5 drones. When the skill progresses to 6D, the Mythrigal will be able to grow a new drone, bringing the total to six.) Drone Influence starts at 2D (granting 2 drones) and Independent Influence starts at 1D (granting 1 independent). These skills are not part of any sub-unit of the Mythrigal, but belong to the group mind as a whole (in practice, they are usually noted on the part of the sheet reserved to CPs, FPs, DSPs and Force sensitivity).
Dexterity: Flying: used by independents.

Special abilities:
Multi-organism species: If you want to play a Mythrigal properly, each mobile and the root will need its own stats (it wouldn't do to have your only Basic-speaking messenger hit by a landspeeder would it?). Consider a whole Mythrigal to be one person when handing out CPs. Similarly, the entire Mythrigal shares CPs, DSPs etc. but not wounds. This also means that it is possible for two or more units (mobiles and/or the root) to combine their actions without needing a command roll.
Borrowing skills: Whenever a roll needs to be made by an mobile, the Mythrigal can either use the mobile's skill (if it has the appropriate skill) or use another mobile's skill via the root, at -1D, or even use the knowledge stored by the root (treat as a normal skill, also at -1D). Any purely physical skill, or a purely physical use of any skill, such as Stamina, or Beastriding for the purpose of determining travel-sickness, can NOT be borrowed in this way. The borrowing penalty is cumulative with any other penalties the Mythrigal might be experiencing.

Example: Reem, an overconfident Mythrigal, is trying to cheat in a game of sabacc. She plays her card-chips with a drone. Since she has no sensory feedback from the drone, she cannot tell it what course of action to take. She has to let the drone use his own skill to decide (not a good idea: he has gambling 1D+1). After having lost 65,000 credits in the first six rounds (it's a fairly high-stakes game) and lulled the other gamblers into ignoring "the womp rat," Reem discreetly peeks at their hands with an independent to find out what they are. The independent manages this without being noticed. Unfortunately for Reem, he is in a playful mood, and decides to have a little fun, so a few inexactitudes slip into his description of the other gamblers' hands. Since Reem now knows (or thinks she knows) the contents of every hand, including her own, she can use the gambling skill of a much better trained independent (6D+2, -1D for playing through the root) for the next roll (here she is rolling an independent's skill through a drone, but only thanks to the sensory feedback from another independent). Of course, the round doesn't end quite as she expected...

Independent flight: Independents can fly due to a flap of skin extending from their lower limbs to their uppers.
Messenger languages: Each messenger can learn one language only (as a specialisation), using whatever form of communication is appropriate. For difficult cases, improvise; for example, speaking Ithorian will probably require two messengers and an extra roll to co-ordinate them. They are limited in the other skills they can learn as well - only running, command, con, sneak, bargain, persuade, swimming, and stamina.
Compound intelligence: Each unit of a PC Mythrigal, the root and each mobile, only receive 3 extra dice to hand out among their attributes.
Pain sense: When a mobile is hurt, its pain is rebroadcast through the network at a reduced level - uncomfortable, but not incapacitating (don't forget this one, GMs).

Story factors:
Sense of humour: Independents occasionally indulge in practical jokes which the rest of the Mythrigal would probably not appreciate if it knew about them (but it doesn't have to, right?)
Weird: Most single-bodied species consider the Mythrigals rather strange, and vice-versa. Many mistakenly think that a Mythrigal is just the root, and that the mobiles are merely accessories or pets.

Move: Root: 1/3, drone & spawn mobiles: 8/10, independent: ground 2/4 flying 25/30, messenger: 4/6
Size: Root: 60 cm, drone: 70 cm, independent: 5 cm, messenger: 30 cm, spawn: 50 cm.



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