Lithon (species)

The **Lithon** (pl. *Lithoi*) are an intelligent species that inhabit the planet Lithos, which resides in the Andromeda Galaxy. Extensive accounts of the species, its origins, and its anatomy have been given by the Empresses, and these accounts have been backed by rigorous experimentation on the Empresses themselves.

## Evolution

The primary ancestor species to Lithoi were the **Smagái** (singular *Smaga*). Initially simple, unintelligent microorganisms, they grew intelligent over eons. Alongside them another species diverged, the **Dynamoi** (singular *Dynamo*), that grew in size and intelligence over time.

For both species, their primary anatomy consisted of a hard outer shell and an interior consisting primarily of a fluid substance called **Dyname**. Dyname is intimately tied with the mysterious quantum *dynamon* field and is thought to contain intelligence in its very essence.

The two species lived together and benefited from each other, eventually evolving into a symbiotic organism. These symbiotic organisms are known today as **Phelithoi** (literally "Pre-Lithoi").

Despite Smagái and Dynamoi individually possessing roughly the intelligence of a dog, Phelithoi were far more intelligent than the sum of their parts.

## Phelithon

It is not known exactly how long ago the first Phelithoi came to be, but by 100 thousand years ago they had built a great empire on Lithos and throughout the Porios system, with aspirations to go beyond.

One day, a great war happened between the Phelithon. Of many thousands only a few survived. All these survivors scattered across the cosmos except for one: **Modozath**.

### Modozath

Modozath was a brilliant inventor and well-known among her people. She was working on anatomical enhancements and light-speed travel when the war happened. When it was over the other survivors used her technology to flee far away.

However, Modozath could not let go of Lithos. Out of her grief and loneliness, she created the **Theon**; 6 beings based on Phelithon biology but enhanced with her inventions. Soon Modozath grew mad with power and tasked the Theon with re-creating her people's empire in her own image. To assist her further, the Theon created a whole society of weaker, lesser beings and ensnared them in a caste system upheld by fear and violent displays of power.

*As far as this whole story and canon goes, she is the most powerful being of all, above Smenaer and Óasmae and all the Theongorai. In a way she is a god, worshiped by the inhabitants of Lithos and feared by those who betrayed her.*

## Anatomy

### Physiology

There are two main components to a Lithon body.

The first are hundreds of trillions of Smagái, sometimes simply called **nanoparticles.** Each is just 250nm across, a consistency comparable to smoke.

The second is a central Dynamo, which functions as a combined brain and heart.

Nanoparticles would be unable to form a coherent individual without the central dynamo, but with it an individual can control the movement of every nanoparticle with incredible accuracy. As such, Lithoi can change the color, texture, and shape of their bodies in just about any conceivable fashion.

### Destruction

The shells of modern Lithon nanoparticles cannot break except under the most extreme forces.

One of those forces is Gamma radiation. When exposed to it Dyname tends to swell to hundreds of times its typical volume and solidify. Since nanoparticles contain so much of it, they will burst open and throw out their puffy contents like a popcorn kernel, except on a far smaller scale. Solid Dyname is unusable, as it's undergone a chemical transition that is still poorly understood even by Lithoi.

The reaction is extremely rapid, violent, and exothermic, usually causing combustion of any gas surrounding it, but lasting at most 3 to 5 seconds.

Although only a short exposure time (less than half a second) is required to initiate the reaction, the total power required is enormous. Only Lithos is known to possess the technology required to generate it for long enough.

### Reproduction

Modern Lithoi as created by the Theon are non-biological. They cannot be born but are rather created in laboratories.

The creation of a Lithon involves the pairing of a dynamo with nanoparticles. These come from unbound, uncoordinated clouds of nanoparticles called "Quarries", so-called because like carving stone from a quarry on Earth, whole individuals are "carved" from them on Lithos.

These quarries are replenished by "incubators"; machines built to take advantage of the natural, unorganized Dyname found throughout the Porios system.

### Language

Lithoi have language, the Lithon language, but produce speech in a slightly different way from humans. They speak through a) the pure tonal vibration of nanoparticles, and b) the creation and manipulation of cavities (to modify the pure tones into various other sounds) in their body. Though this sounds in principle like human speech, their anatomy allows for many more varied sounds.

To create these cavities, they must expel or rearrange mass. Those who do this recreationally (for example to create internal organs) sometimes choose an object that fits with their personality or even create a whole other individual. For example, Smenaer normally manifests a book or multiple books (usually unopenable).

### Fusion

Lithoi can also choose to merge with other individuals, combining into a single mind and body. This process is called by many names such as fusion, agglomeration, coalescence, etc. Óasmae is one such individual, being a fusion of the individuals *Óassos* and *Maeos*.

## Culture

Today, Lithos operates under a very strict caste society led by a council of 6 known as the ***Theongorai***. These *Theoi* are treated as godlike and dictate society to a hair’s breadth. Each controls a different aspect of society, from the military to Lithon production, and each represents specific emotions and personalities.

### Theongorai

* **Vukéah** (Vukhia) - The oldest; assists in the oversight of all operations.
* **Oratah** (Oretha) - Manages the colonization of new worlds.
* **Qeteh** (Gethe) - Manages production of new Lithoi.
* **Làvarah** (Luvara) - Manages caste separation and propaganda.
* **Levèsàqah** (Lephoga) - The youngest; Created specifically for the colonization of Earth once it was discovered that life resided on its surface, she assisted the other Theoi with this unusual situation. She mysteriously disappeared not too long before the start of the Úrelnear.

Above them all is **Modozath**, the queen of all Lithoi. Far older than even the oldest Theon, her influence runs deep among Lithoi and even the Empresses fear her. One rumor is that parts of her reside on every Lithon colony, even Earth, always watching.

The castes on Lithos are arranged generally from those of the highest "caliber" to those of the lowest. Those who are low live to serve those above them, and those who are higher live to serve both those above and be served by those below. From the moment of their creation, Lithoi are conditioned to follow these rules without question. The punishment for free thought, insubordination, or behaving in any way unintended for their caste is death.

## Thuphagos

**Thuphagos** is a "group mind" that arose from the ability of Lithoi to communicate telepathically with eachother. This communication isn't words but rather thoughts, feelings, memories, and other information.

Through the dynamon field, Lithoi communicate at speeds faster than light. By emitting *dynamons*, they can encode bits of information in the particle's spin and charge. This method of communication has existed since before the first Phelithoi.

These communications can be in a chain or in a network, with each individual representing a "node" in that network. One is able to choose to close or open a connection to a single node, several nodes, or the entire network.

When a Lithon's dynamo is destroyed, the nanoparticles become unbound. However, they continue to emit a constant "noise" of information to the network. This information is extremely hard to contain once transmitted but will lose its strength as it's passed around. Even the echoes of noise from eons past can be heard by Lithoi as "whispers" in the background of Thuphagos.

One way to get around this would be to destroy the nanoparticles themselves, but due to rarity of dyname this is not ideal.