Concordian Xenobiology

In 1807, mankind was first lifted from the surface of our planet by the considerable and brilliant efforts of mister Gordon Balfour. A mere 69 years later, we were allowed to step from our planet, into the stars, an opportunity afforded us by the monumental works of engineers and physicists too numerous to give proper credit to all. The gate now offers an invitation to the more natural sciences. An invitation to a greater understanding of the origins of life, different species, and our place in the universe. An invitation to an altogether alien and exotic biosphere, seemingly in no way connected to our own. And an invitation to search for the underlying, deepest laws of biology and evolution that dictate the very origins of life itself by means of comparing two wholly separated occurrences of life in this cosmos.

Life on Minor has come to be in a fundamentally different way than our own, and yet draws strong parallels to it. It is theorized that terrestrial life has always been Carbon-based, with water as its main solvent. Meaning, the chemicals and components that make up all life on our Earth are bonded together by carbon atoms, with water carrying biological functions within its bodies.

Preliminary findings indicated that certain lifeforms on Minor are also (at least partially) Carbon-based. The large prevalence of surface water in Minor’s oceans, and the not insignificant amount of water in its atmosphere in the form of gas (see ‘Expeditions in The Cloud Forests of Inner Sequoyah Territory’ (1903) by Carlos & Henrietta Mistral), make this the most plausible solvent to support life. However, after nearly three decades of access to this biosphere by a large number of, shall we say, 'enthusiastic' researchers with varying degrees of qualifications, our catalogue of known species has expanded (and is continuing to expand) to a size that we have not yet quantified. Nevertheless, some truly remarkable findings are coming to light.

First off, not all life on Minor relies on Carbon, nor does it rely on water as a solvent. Predominantly fauna and microorganisms in the far south of Atlantia seem to be Silicon-based, and use Sulfuric Acid as its solvent, almost fully reliant on the volcanic expulsions that are so prevalent there. Specimens of this sort are also found in the more acidic ocean currents, despite Sulfuric Acid reacting violently with water, it seems these aquatic lifeforms have found a way to keep the two elements wholly separate within their bodies, and produce or otherwise come by the chemicals they need. By far the largest specimens so far recorded being fully Silicon-based, Sulfuric Acid dependant lifeforms are paradoxically the ones living in the mysterious depths of Minor’s turbulent oceans. Mention must also be made of fully Silicon-based mega-flora and -fauna on the dangerous unclaimed continent of Ogygia, which we will go further into later in this publication.

Furthermore, many lifeforms throughout the entirety of Minor, both flora and fauna, appear to be both Carbon, and Silicon based. This manifests itself in a variety of unexpected ways hitherto thought impossible. Most prominently, a single lifeform can be part Silicon-based and Sulfuric-Acid dependent, part Carbon-based and water-dependant, and hybrid Silicon-carbide based (which often is also water-dependant). The complex parallel systems within these lifeforms operating on completely different chemical compositions have both been described as ‘staggeringly elegant’ by some, and ‘a total blasted mess’ by others. What follows is a gross simplification with many exceptions, merely meant as an introduction to the complex world of Minorian-based Xenobiochemistry.

For fauna, it has generally been observed that musculature and sensory organs are often carbon-based, having evolved in a similar way to our own lifeforms. These parts being carbon based have also given rise to the new and wholly ill-advised culinary form of Xenogastronomy. In the case of skin, armor, or other forms of dermatological material this is most commonly found to be Silicon or Silicon-Carbide based. A side effect, or perhaps the intended effect of this, is the formation of crystal-like patterns on the skin of many creatures, which sometimes have been observed to be both hard to penetrate and able to have an effect similar to photosynthesis. Organs one might classify as brains are also often Silicon or Silicon Carbide based, as well as outer protrusions such as claws, arms or other limbs. It is noted that specimens composed of a large amount of Silicon seem to produce, hold, and expel a high charge of electricity, far exceeding that of earth-based lifeforms; in some cases a thousand-fold or even more. Notable examples of these are the awe-inspiring ‘Pseudodrachen’, found amongst the massive peaks of Causeria, or the small and fast creatures named ‘Buzzers’ by the colonists who first came across them.

Likewise, flora on Minor behaves according to similar principles. Inner workings and more flexible parts are oft Carbon based, whereas outer extremities often rely on Silicon. One notable and increasingly widely known example of this is Polycapsa Neoforensis, or, the Three-Budded-Hillflower as it is locally known. Some of it’s leaf-like appendages catch and focus sunlight into the inner parts of the plant, pointed outward rather than upward so as to focus more of the morning and afternoon sun, as the daily eclipse is experienced strongly in the areas where this plant is found. These leaves have very thin crystalline structures on their surface. Other parts of the plants are softer and seem to exist entirely for reproduction. They are theorized to expel spores, somewhat comparable with flowering plants on earth. Notably, the spore producing parts are fully carbon based and theoretically suitable for human consumption, whereas the leaf-like parts might cause internal organ damage and digestive issues.

We hope this very brief overview of the way native lifeforms on Minor are composed provides the reader with a sense of wonder and curiosity, and perhaps understanding on how greater knowledge of life on Minor could lift the veil on some of the mysteries surrounding life on Earth which we seek to expound in the rest of this work.