Templaros

The Templaros are a rarity amongst intelligent life, not only for being a synthetic race but also for being a protist. The kingdom protista, through panspermia, had colonized hundreds of worlds, but has deigned to evolve intelligence only once. Where the mammals^[1] produce conscious beings in every other order, the Hyaleans^[2], Plazmoans^[3], and other kingdoms have evolved intelligence as well. Save for kingdom monera, the protists never had the chance to evolve intelligence on their own. That was, until, the discovery of Ulviroastrapeorionis morpheus.

U. morpheus is a species of algae who, like many in its order, exhibits cooperation. Existing somewhere between a colony organism and a plant, U. morpheus created volumes of water, usually in puddles or sectioned-off portions of lakes and rivers, in which the colony resided. In the unique evolutionary history of the species, it had developed the means to use Thaumaturgy, and the required consciousness needed to sustain it. For brief periods, the colony would wake up, use its magic to kill passing fauna, and slowly feed on the remains. These heterotrophs, gaining energy from both sunlight and predation, became widespread around the Metaisochona region of Eos.

U. hecate is a synthetic variant of U. morpheus, awake for half the time rather than briefly as in nature. The result is massively increased metabolism and nutritional needs, but in modern society, this represents no issue. U. hecate, by itself, would hardly be able to function, but through the use of a custom-made robotic shell, U. hecate has become a widespread intelligent species going by the common name Templaros.

Robotic Shell

The Templaros were originally weapons of war, created to bolster the dwindling ranks of Magi in Gran Rubedo. They had long since left this role, now free to customize their shells as cultures evolved. The bipedal robot remains the most convenient body plan for the Templaros, especially those trying to fit into a bipedal society, and remains widely available. Numerous quasi-governmental organizations, representing various Templaro nations and groups, create large numbers of shells and the parts for them.

In poorer areas, the Templaros had hardly changed since their inception, some even uncovered and raided old Rubedan depots to get parts on the cheap. In large cities, the Templaros are as diverse as robots can be. Whether embracing a minimalist design exposing themselves to direct sunlight or covering themselves in layers of armor, Templaros generally make sure to be identifiable as Templaros rather than mere machines. This not only make them safer, but also allows them to identify one another.

Biology

The Templaros are a part of the order Ulvoeumetacles, occupying the same class as various seaweeds and multicellular aquatic species. Other relatives include more common single-celled salt and freshwater algae. The order itself is quite the lonely one, with only a handful families and a total of ten genera total. U. morpheus and U. hecate are the only species in their genus and family.

U. morpheus takes on the form of a dense cloud of identical algae, which constitute a diffuse brain. Electrical signals and hormones propagate through the algae coordinated by certain helper cells functioning as an immune and digestive system. Every so often, the helper cells coordinate a twenty-fold increase in density, contracting the algae into a clump about the size of a fist. This clump, now much more capable of thought, was far too energy-hungry to sustain for long periods. It's one advantage is the ability to use thaumaturgy. To hunt, they release small bursts of heat, light, and radiation, a potent weapon used even in modern warfare. A byproduct of this congregation is sapience, but as fundamentally asocial beings, they exist without language. U. morpheus experiences this sapience like a dream, a means to use magic rather than an end itself.

U. hecate was heavily modified to understand a fundamental concept, "other." Mating only took place between gametes or asexually and was autonomous, meaning that U. morpheus had no concept of the importance of others. It was quite easy to coax U. hecate into a social existence. The first batches were raised quite like children, without the knowledge to control their synthetic exoskeletons or interact with their peers. As they learned to value one another, manipulate the environment, and most importantly follow orders, they soon proved a terrifying force. Their behavior came across as strange, their movements uncanny, and their straightforward communication style disconcerting.

The formative years of a new Templaro is very important. If they remain alone, they tend to prefer solitary existences hunting for their food. They never master language as well. Without access to an exoskeleton, they never develop the means to intuitively control one, leading to delayed or permanently stunted motor skills. Locomotion and language are not an intrinsic parts of their biology, but something that must be built from the ground up.

Multiple governments, mostly associations of Templaros, fund the creation of new Templaros as well as their schools. For the first ten years of life, they usually stay close to mature Templaros, not parents but mentors who volunteer to raise the next generation. After this crucial developmental period, the Templaro has learned enough to enter the world as an individual. This is considered "adulthood," and, although the degree of neural plasticity declines after this point, maturity is a life-long process. The oldest Templaros, some reaching nearly 300 years, mastered communication and motor skills beyond most other species.

↑ Class in the Animal Kingdom in the Eukayrote Domain, Ma'eau Sphere.
↑ Kingdom in the Lattyote Domain, Ma'eau Sphere. Has two intelligent species.
↑ Kingdom in the Eukaryote Domain.

[1] Class in the Animal Kingdom in the Eukayrote Domain, Ma'eau Sphere.

[2] Kingdom in the Lattyote Domain, Ma'eau Sphere. Has two intelligent species.

[3] Kingdom in the Eukaryote Domain.

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[2]

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