Animus Vitae

## Introduction

Animus Vitae or *Arath Borr*is the Garauth bornessence which can be used to feed and craft artifical bodies, consisting of countless cells of Animus Vitae. These bodies are essential to the Garauth and their Hollows and are extremly strong. They are formed from magical energies and are connected to the Maze of Shadows.

## Biology

Bodies formed from Animus Vitae consist of thousands of hyperadaptive cells. Unlike the cells of the living, these are based on silicon instead of carbon. Addionally, the cells do not need to reproduce themselfes since they constancly reform the molecues they consist of instead of dying from age and wear. Each of these cells concists of a core containing a small link to Arafel aswell as specific genetical information. The most parts of each cell are the fusioncores. These small organells consist of a doublemembrane and a core enabling small fusion reactions. This enables each cell to create any kind of molecule and siliprotein out of Hydrogen. The inner membrane is linked to the Maze of Shadows, abosorbing the heat and gamma rays and transforming them into magical energies. After the reaction is finished, carrierporteins transport the newly formed molecues into the next endoplasmic reticulum, where they can be transformed into any kind of compley siliprotein or molecule.

In the membrane of each cells, there are several organells which function similar to endoplasmic reticulums and store aswell are transform molecules. Should any cell be activated by the bodies instincts, they can differenciate themselfes within only a few seconds. Thanks to reforming silimolecues in the membrane, they can become as harder then steel, extremly flexible or soft and agile. They can even form temporary muslces, building and connection siliactin filaments with other cells. While they usually build harder, inner cells resembling bones and joints, they can move any part of their body freely, thus moving through the smallest columns when not hindered by dead flesh.

The veins of these artifical bodies move their location and size while moving. Their "blood" mainly consists of hydrogen and is mixed with nitrogen and special proteins avoiding it to explode or ignite during a battle. The hydrogen is extracted and moved into cells through carrierproteins, transporting them into fusioncores. This mixture is warm and moves through the body as gas. To keep it cycling through their body, they use a mix pressurebased suction forces and several small clumps of cells working like small lungs.

To feed their bodies, Lyches or Hollows either consume Hydrogengas over their skin or bathe in pools filled with bornenergy in its purest form.

Outer cells are usualy able to form sensors. These enable them to see light (normal, black and ultraviolett) aswell as radiation and heat. These maybe not have the same reach and accuracy as normal eyes but provide a sufficient 360° sight in the darkness of the underworld.

When creating a body made of Animus Vitae, Garauth create genetic information for the cells. Despite the genes necessairy for expression, proteinbuilding, adaption they also contain a "map" of the entire body. Should a Lych or a Hollows lose a limb, they can simply rebuild the parts necessairy through producing new cells. This takes several minutes and requires relativly big amounts of chemical energy.

Should a body lose its soul through rapid damadge or the destruction of mortal remains, it crumbles. This means that it looses its connection to the Maze of Shadows, thus causing the heat caused by fusioncores to flow unhindered. This causes the entire body to melt within a few seconds, leaving nothing behind but a chemical gunk. In some occasion the hydrogen within the body might react with oxygen which causes to body to burn or explode shorty after its destruction.

## Powers

Since the Animus Vitae is always connected to the Maze of Shadows, it can use its reality forming powers to enhance and fuel chemical reactions, enhancing the speed while losing almost no energy. The most important power they gain from this connection is to use cut between Arafel and their local reality to localy alter the flow of time, temperature and magnetic field.

Thanks to their ability to manipulate gravity, bodies made from Animus Vitae are able to run across walls and ceilings. Only the Garauth and a few gifted Revenants are able to use this ability to float and fly.

through changing the inner membran of their fusioncores and chains of conductive molecules they can use the energy resulting from metabolic activities to generate electricy. With this power then can shock enemies touching their skin or unleash devastating but uncontrolled surges. This, howevers, requires the bodycontroll of a Lych or a Revanant.

Each cell has also several ways to create bioluminescence.