Biology

### **Introduction**

The Novan population is a complex mix of races present in the old and now shattered Karnos Alliance. Affiliated to the predatory races, this alliance was reuniting most sentient carnivorous races. But unlike the old Alliance, the Nova also count omnivorous and herbivorous race members along its ranks, at the cost of some cultural, philosophical and physiological adaptations. The actual Novan population is about 42 million souls throughout the galaxy.

Today, a Novan can easily be mistaken for an individual belonging to a different galactic race, but some details can tip them off, as they often display trait that are foreign to said race. In truth, Novans form a specie of their own, borrowing, or more appropriately, retaining the appearance of its member's original race while they actually all have the same unique, uniformed biology, despite the incredible variety of appearance they can take.

### **Genetic History**

At the foundation of the Nova, the population did not existed as a single specie, but rather, as it is common within any federation, a cosmopolitan assemblage of mixed species that did not interacted with each other on a genetic standpoint.

During the early Novalian era, Novan scientists tried to overcome the biological difference in between some species in order for them to be able to share the same living habitat and ease cooperation. Its during that period that appeared the first altered species to better suit living together, such as same temperature range tolerance, same nutritional income and similar life quality improvements. The most extreme example is the apparition of water based Valkalies, a specie originally using ammonia as a biological solvent, after decades of researches.

Later in the Novalian Era, the process was extended to every member species and each of them received a specific gene therapy named NGA (Novan genetic adaptation). That time also saw the birth of the first hybrids, under the careful watch of scientists that built bridges in between close species and some new, specialized species such as Great Kynian based on Kynians and Lycans from several humanoid species.

During the Novan Era, The Novan Genetic Base (NGB) replaced the NGA, it altered physical, physiological and psychological characteristics of Novan individuals away from their original genus. NGB was describe as a symbolic percentage representing the visible trait expression of each genus within an individual. An individual having less than 30% expression toward any clear genus would have been classified as part of an Uncharted Novan Genus (UNG). Most conserved a similar appearance with their base genus, although sometime displayed traits belonging to other genus as they gradually raised in types. The main progress compared to the NGA, is that the NGB made all Novan altered genus compatible.

The different gradients of NGB of an individual are named “Types” and are going from I to III.

 I
metabolism and sharpen their instincts.
 II
individual the usual Novan aesthetics. Nova-born childs are Type II
 III
being killed in the process. Apparation of the "Novan mark" as mark of Adulthood

### **Novan aesthetics**

The Novan aesthetics appear when a Novan reach type II genetic alteration

* Horns are a very common, come in all shapes, size and number.

* All Novans display dark grey scleras, glowing iris and vertical slit pupils.

* Teeth and nails will grow longer and sharper, its especially significant for genus that don't display those trait naturally.

* Ears, fins and other appendages will grow longer and might adopt a pointy or streamlined shaped, , its especially significant for genus that dont display those trait naturally.

* Other than their natural genus skin type, Novans will often displays aesthetic or practical patches of feathers, scales, fur or spikes that are unusual for their genus.

* Compared to their natural genus colors and patterns, Novans will often display more complex patterns and a color pallet cover a wide variety of hues, saturation and lightness.

### **Biological uniformization**

Developed at the end of the golden age, and applied in its full extend after the end of the dark age, Novan Genetic Uniformization (NGU) is the final step. working just like NGB, it simply finish to close the gaps in between NGB genus and make the Nova a united specie. The gain of Novan aesthetics is only the visible part of the iceberg. Deep metabolic changes occur within the Novans as they get up the types. Everything from bone to muscle is slowly transformed from the original genus biotech to Novan biotech while the individuals might maintain their original appearance, they are no longer member of their original genus. their new biology and metabolism being the same as all other Novans.

The newly formed organisms now share biological traits such as:

- Water as biological solvent.

- Their oxygen rich blood appear purple unlike their unoxygenated blood that is more reddish. This is due to the collateral use of hemoglobin and hemocyanin in their oxygen transport cells (hemocytes). Their hemocytes do not need enzymes to speed up the formation of bicarbonates necessary for the Bohr effect to be efficient because of the normal high acidity of the blood. Instead, the lungs have a high pH that allow the maximum oxygen captivation and then the hemocytes use enzymes to avoid the contact of the hemoglobin with the blood until oxygen need to be dispersed.

- Their biology is endothermic, they generate they own body heat through metabolic process. Their metabolism reach maximum efficiency at the inner temperature of 45°C. Their temperature can however be drastically lower at the cost of metabolic efficiency and activity until they reach lethargy (25 °C) then stasis (20°C - 15°C). Their temperature can also evolve depending of their activity. Its one of the consciously affected parameter of their biology. While their anti-freeze protein do not lower their freezing point by much, it work in conjunction with protein ice-nucleators to regulate the freezing rate and thus act as a cryoprotectant, rendering them freeze-tolerant.

- Replacing a beating centralized heart is 4 major and 12 minor "cardiotharms", small, tubular organs, create a continuous and laminar blood flow without any pulse, using instead, asynchronous peristalsis across the numerous branched tubes forming the cardiotharm.

**Hybridization and aging**

While on their home world, the Yggdrazen, the Novans do not age in the same way other species does, their DNA being constantly renewed, it does not decay but instead, Drift. Each individual will see his DNA change as time pass, and with the naturally rapid regeneration of Novan biological tissues, their appearance will never be truly defined. This is a form of horizontal DNA transfer that replace aged DNA by taping into the Novan Pan-Biotech.

Affecting their appearance, drifting will often lead the individual to develop traits that are not from their original genus, and instead, of another Novan genus. This transformation is intimately weaved to the individual consciousness and unconsciousness as this link to the Pan-Biotech is maintained through arcana. Other parameters such as environment, job, physical activities and pack will dictated the direction taken by the drifting. Novans can change body type over the course of years if a major change of mind or function occurs. The early adulthood is one of the most common point of change, but if the current body match both mindset and function of the individual, major trait such as genus and body shape will overall stabilize.

As a direct consequence of this, each individual DNA is recorded at the rate of one sample every few years.

Out of the Yggdrazen, the DNA will only drift if exposed to similar amount of arcana, otherwise, it will start aging like normal DNA unless the individual is in biostasis. If an aged Novan get back to the Yggdrazen, is DNA will start drifting again, and thus, will be gradually repaired with enough time spent on the Yggdrazen (In about a full year, the DNA has drifted enough to be considered fully restored). If an aged Novan never get back to the Yggdrazen, they will simply die of natural conditions. It is to be noted that despite their hyper-metabolism being compensated by their arcana prowess, their lifespan rarely reach over 50 years once they are out drifting-able environment.

### **Reproduction**

The biological uniformization come with dire trade, while it allow different Novan genus to conceive a fertile descendant, it remove them the ability to have an offspring with a non-Novan.

### **Technological Augmentation**

Novans can receive technological or arcatechnological augmentation to increase their physical and cognitive abilities. Augmentations such as Neural User Display (NUD) is almost universal among Novans, granting them various tools and connection to the CORE. Upgrades of the NUD can be found depending of the individual's job, like neural interface to control the various Novan techs, advanced scanner or communications through neural channels. Other kinds augmentations are far less spread, Novans being reluctant to get visible ones, and in a more general manner, augmentations that serve to increase physical abilities. Unless its necessary for their job or cannot be achieve through biological improvement, Novans will find less acceptable those kind of augments. Rough and unaesthetic augments, and remotely junk-cyborgs are seen as a form of barbariousness.

**Terminology**

Novan Pan-biotech : Pan-genome of the Nova, sum of every gene sets present in Novan population

Novan Biotech : Core-genome of the Nova, gene set present in all Novan individuals independently of their genus.

Genus Biotech : Eco-genome of the Nova, gene set that might vary among Novan individuals, carrying genus traits.