Common Morphs in Qhevak

"Morph" refers to any physical or otherwise system intended to play host to a intelligent entity. Due to it's status as host to a wide variety of posthuman factions, any complete guide to the diversity of morphs within Qhevak would last countless years, even ignoring additional complications added by swarm intelligence. Nonetheless, a number of clear common categories can be identified, as seen below:

# Synthmorphs

## Ems

"Em" in general refers to any synthetic intelligence derived from biological cognitive processes, ranging from converted former humans to more loosely biomemetic AGI systems. Ems are not pure software entities, and typically have specialized memristive physical network brains making use of ephaptic coupling to achieve a fully synchronized mindstate. Ems make up the majority of Qhevaks population, particularly the Oyuins (the Entangled could be considered Ems, though are more diverged from regular cognition than most), most of whom live in simulated environments full time. Ems typically run much faster than ordinary humans brains - from 2 to as many as 5 orders of magnitude with typical platforms, though they can slow themselves down to better communicate with slower entities if needed.

## Mechs

"Mech" refers to any fully robotic mobile platform designed to host and transport a single artificially intelligent (often Em) consciousness. These can range in size greatly, from tiny robotic beetles to multi-thousand ton interstellar gunships, though the vast majority are between 5-1000 kilograms. While a few mechs (mostly operated by younger Ems) mimic the human form, the majority have more divergent and clearly inhuman shapes - mechs built for practical tasks are generally more utilitarian, while personal mechs can take on a wide range of strange and artistic forms.

Mechs typically consist of a central processing pod surrounded by a number of manipulator appendages using artificial muscles, and are usually coated in a layer of smartmatter acting as a combination sensor/transmitter array and allowing for easy color changing. They tend to make up a plurality of the visible citizenry on most major habs - even many seeming nearbaselines are often just very human-looking mechs.

# Biomorphs

## Nearbaselines

Nearbaseline is a not particularly strict term referring to the variety of bioaugmented individuals with augments insufficient to classify them as more than a subspecies of their original race. This is an inevitably wide class, including baseline-identical individuals with superbright genemods, various low level fict augments (such as elves, vampires, and catgirls), and low level aesthetic modifications. Given Qhevak's status as a transbaseline sanctuary and the prevalence of low level genetic augments in the known galaxy, almost no true baselines exist in Qhevak - the total number is estimated to be under ten thousand.

From a practical perspective the nearbaseline form is mostly economically obsolete in the modern economy - nevertheless it still remains relatively popular, mostly among newer residents of Qhevak and Archeofuturists. The ability of space habitats to self-sustain fully independently allows less economically efficient societal forms to still remain feasible, and nearbaselines still have a practical role in giving a human face for Qhevak to outsiders.

# Other

## Ficts

Fict morphs encompass all augments intended to replicate the attribute of fictional entities, whether mechanical or biological. Less dramatic fict augments, as seen above, can often overlap with Nearbaselines, and more extensive ones (particularly those aiming to replicate various fictional robots) can often overlap with synthmorphs. Most fict morphs are only adopted long-term by extreme enthusiasts, though a number have reached more mainstream popularity - elven ficts in particular are one of the most common types of nearbaseline in the Community.

Dragon ficts, while much less common for long term adoption, are far and away one of the most popular sights for tourists. Fully biological engineered dragons tend to weigh around a ton, and can attain flight unaided in lower gee environments and in one gee with minor synthmuscle augments. Full mech dragons can get much larger, with the largest being Ancaglon, a 1,600 ton monster that continuously circumnavigates Ullr's atmosphere at Mach 6.

## Kumihos

The technoprimitivist hunters of the Kumiho clade take a number of forms, varying widely depending on role.

The hunter forms of "civilian" Kumihos living in Qhevaki spinhabs are usually mostly biological, typically lacking much synth augmentation aside from a standard (rarely used) neural lace and medical nano. These vary widely - the most common are usually lithe and wolflike, massing between twenty-five and two hundred kilograms with four to six limbs, though bearish forms are also common among mamalian Kumihos. Other forms can run the gamut from saurian and sharklike beings to massive insects, fict predators like dragons, yrthaks and griffons, and even full on cyborg predators hunting prey with railguns and laser guided missiles - these are generally considered revisionists by most.

Hounds of Tindalos combat forms tend to be mostly synthetic for practical reasons, though they usually take very biomimetic forms.