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(OOC Notes: Black Mage Biology)
Jun. 8th, 2020 01:37 pm(Tracked this old thing down and reposted it here as well as going to put it in the reference. I may have to go over it someday, as I think I spotted at least one stupid mistake.)
Black Mage Biology: Caution! This little post of technobabble/biobabble contains a lot of big words and medical terms and the like. Most of the stuff you should be able to look up on Wikipedia, though. :)
Blood (Aka purple goo)
Black Mage blood is complex and very likely unique. Rather than relying on hemoglobin for transporting oxygen as in all other known vertebrates, their blood contains a mixture of haemocyanin and haemerythrin.
The blood plasma itself is much thicker than human normal, almost like a thick goo. This prevents wounds from freely bleeding and causes them to seal off quickly, an advantage for weapons as they could likely survive losing limbs without bleeding to death.
Because of the large size of hemocyanin, it is usually found free-floating in the blood, unlike hemoglobin, which must be contained in cells because its small size would lead it to clog and damage blood-filtering organs such as the kidneys. This free-floating nature can allow for increased hemocyanin density over hemoglobin and increased oxygen carrying capacity. On the other hand, free-floating hemocyanin increases viscosity and the energy expenditure needed to pump blood.
Haemerythrin, like the haemoglobin in humans, is a small molecule that must be confined to corpuscles in the bloodstream rather than allowed to float freely, but the haemocyanin is found floating freely in the blood plasma, as with the hemocyanin in horseshoe crabs.
Oxygenated haemocyanin is blue in color, deoxygenated is almost colorless. Haemeryhrtin is a violet to pink colour, and colorless when deoxygenated. This makes Mage blood clear in the veins and varying shades of purple in the arteries or when exposed to air.
If separated from the corpuscles, the plasma would be a bright blue due to the presence of the copper-based oxygen-carrier haemocyanin, while the iron based corpuscles would be a violet to pink color from the presence of haemerythrin.
There are normally equal parts haemeryhrtin and haemocyanin in any sample of blood, but this may vary slightly depending on the Mage's diet. An iron deficiency could lead to a decrease in haemeryhrtin, making the blood more blue in color. Likewise a deficiency in copper could cause a decrease in hameocyanin, and more magenta blood, but at the same time the other compound will try to compensate.
One advantage of these compounds is that hemocyanin and hemerythrin are not destroyed by carbon monoxide as is hemoglobin. Organisms with these kinds of blood pigments thus would not be poisoned by the gas, as humans are. I have found no reference as to whether there are any other gasses this combination would protect them against.
However a decided disadvantage is that the compounds are less efficient in carrying oxygen than hemoglobin, having only about 1/4 the ability. The mages partially compensate for this by the very thick nature of the blood, and by having a higher blood pressure than would be normal for a human. The greater density of the blood allows for it to be almost as efficient as hemoglobin, but means more energy is required for circulation.
Also the tetrameric hemerythin in Mage blood shows the same cooperative binding of O2 as is present in some brachiopods. Cooperative binding is achieved by cooperation between subunits: when one subunit becomes oxygenated it increases the affinity for oxygen of the other subunits in the complex. A similar cooperative formation is used with the units of hemocyanin. The hemocyanin is arranged in protein sub-complexes of 6 subunits (hexamer) each with one oxygen binding site, binding of oxygen on one unit in the complex would increase the affinity of the neighboring units. Hemocyanin oxygen-binding profile is also affected by dissolve-salt ion levels and pH.
Skeletal Structure (Using them to make wishes would be in bad taste)
At first glance the Mage skeleton appears not too dissimilar from a humans, except for the odd proportions. There are, however, some notable differences.
On closer observation the skeletal structure bears some similarity to that of birds. There is a pygostyle in place of the final few caudal vertebrae, uncinate processes on the ribs, a fused collarbone (the furcula or wishbone), and a keeled sternum. In the Waltzes, the keel of the sternum serves as an attachment site for the muscles used for flight. This is also true in the wingless Mages, even though their pectoral muscles are less developed. The skeleton on the whole is extremely lightweight, but strong enough to handle a good amount of stress.
As with birds, many of the bones are hollow, and some of these contain respiratory air sacs. The Waltzes would need hollow bones to in order to aid in their method of flight. The rest of the Mages would also benefit as hollow bones provide greater impact and stress resistance, yet at the same time these are also another factor in the poor physical strength. The leg bones of Mages are the heaviest, which gives them a low center of gravity. This helps keep them from being knocked over too easily, and in the Waltzes aids in flight.
Circulatory System (Possibly the least strange bit of them)
On the whole, the circulatory system is the part of them that differs the least from that of a human, with the exception of thicker walls to the arteries and veins and generally being more robust in order to handle the viscosity of the blood.
Respiratory System (Very like a bird's)
The mages have a highly efficient respiratory system that's much more similar to a bird's than a human's, consisting of lungs, air sacs and parabronchi. This helps to compensate for the lower transportation properties of the oxygen-carriers in their blood by increasing the effectiveness of getting the oxygen to the blood.
Digestive System (Remember, baby monotremes are called 'poggles')
They are monotremes, like the duckbilled platypus, and the digestive system is fairly simple. They also have a crop like most flying birds, which acts to store food.
Muscle Mass (Or the lack of it)
Mages don't have very much in the way of muscle, as their circulatory system would not be able to support the oxygen needs of heavy musculature.
The exception to this are the flight muscles present in the Waltzes. There are two ways they compensate for the oxygen demand. One is via the complex and more bird-like respiratory system. The second is that Waltz flight is not true flight. Close observation would reveal it to be more a form of gliding, heavily assisted by an instinctive use of magic. This also allows them to hover in midair in a way most birds could not. In a situation that stripped them of their use of magic, the Waltzes would only be able to glide short distances and flutter to the ground. This method has less oxygen demands than if they had to keep themselves aloft by wing effort alone. The wings themselves are used for steering and increase/decrease of altitude.
Blubber and Interstitial Fluid (Or why Mages are chubby, and why Black Waltz Two, and Three a bit as well, look like girls)
One would think this would make the Black Mages rather thin creatures. Yet only the Waltzes and Type B's look reletively thin, and even then not quite as much as the data would imply. Part of the mass is taken up by the air sacs of the respiratory system, but not nearly enough to account for the pear-shape of the Type A's or the extremely round Type C's.
The answer is exactly what it looks like. Mages, much like some semi-aquatic mammals such as seals, have a rather thick layer of blubber. This serves many purposes. The high insulative factor protects them from temperature extremes, and the cushioning layer also helps prevent internal damage from blows in combat. Also the layer stores an amazing amount of nutrients, keeping the Mages from starving when food resources are scarce.
Another attributing factor to their pudgey shape is that Black Mages have a high tendancy to retain water. The interstitial fluid that surrounds the internal organs and permeates the outer layer of blubber is similar in composition to the blood plasma, minus the large molecules of hemocyanin, but is much thinner.
The Mages are designed to retain water, storing the excess in the interstitial fluid. This, much like the layer of blubber helps in case of scarce food, acts much like a camel's method of water storage and allows them to go for long periods without water when none is available. When water is again available after such a period, they are capable of drinking very large amounts in order to replenish this store. Overall they would likely prefer a moisture-rich climate to a dry one, but would be capable of surviving in either. It would be very dangerous to a Black Mage to dehydrate due to the nature of their blood and circulatory system, as this would impede the transfer of nutrients between the blood and interstitial fluid, but this protective measure helps prevent that.
The different shapes of the wingless Mages show that the A's, B's, and C's were designed for slightly different uses. The round type C's carry the most blubber, while the B's are designed more for speed and are slimmer. A's, the earliest type, are somewhat in the middle. And it appears likely from his general shape that the prototype Vivi will eventually grow into a Type A. Waltzes, of course, have less of this layer as the wingless Mages, because weight had to be considered in order to allow them to get off the ground. The layer of blubber on Waltzes is thickest around the hips and thighs, similar to a slimmer variant on the proportions of a Type A. This, combined with the reasonably developed pectoral muscles may be why Black Waltz Two had a figure sometimes mistaken for feminine (Either that, or it's just because he was wearing a dress).
Skin (Or why Mages don't sunbathe)
Black Mages likely have a thick and slightly rubbery skin, similar to that found in aquatic mammals such as the dolphin or manatee. Likewise, it is probably on its own a greyish shade, with the presence of blood resulting in its apparent purplish color. This means, however, that they do not have melanin and would be prone to sunburn in much the same manner an albino would if it were not for the magically produced shadows that cover them.
Eyes (Big and glowing ;) )
My best guess so far is that Black Mages have very large compound eyes. Compared with single-aperture eyes, compound eyes have poor image resolution. Contrry to popular belief they don't give a bunch of small images, but instead a large pixelized view. However, they possess a very large view angle and the ability to detect fast movement and, in some cases, the polarization of light. These traits would be benificial to weapons that would need to seek out moving targets.
The glowing hides the seperate facets, making the eye appear as a solid glowing area. So far I have no explanation yet or parallel in Earth biology to correspond to Black Mages' eyes glowing, and the best I can say is it is likely related to their magic somehow, or perhaps part of a disguise effect akin to the shadows that cover the rest of them.
Reproduction (Do you still call someone 'Mister' if they lay eggs?)
Mages are egg-laying hermaphroditic monotremes capable of both parthenogenesis through self-fertilization and of taking on either the male or female role in sexual reproduction. They are iteroparous, following an annual breeding cycle with eggs laid during the warmest parts of the year. Mentally, they seem to be asexual, although this may just be the case with the factory-produced first generation due to the discrepancy between physical and mental age. Therefore they are more likely to reproduce via parthenogenesis, although this may eventually change as the members of the species become older. They will normally lay only one egg, and unless the mage is sterile the egg will always be fertile, either by sexual contact or self-fertilization. In the case of the latter, the resulting hatchling will be genetically identical to the parent.
However, other factors have to be right before an egg will start to form. If the mage is stressed, has a poor diet or is in a poor environment, or other situation non-conductive to breeding this will cause them to skip their breeding cycle. Also if they relocate to a new area, it may take them a year to acclimate to changes in the climate, and this will cause them to skip a cycle until the next spring. Since Black Mages are generally timid creatures and easily stressed, this keeps the breeding rate down. That they as yet remain unaware of their species' particular dietary needs is likely also a contributor. The Waltzes, being more resilient mentally to possible causes of stress are therefore more likely to breed, but remain fewer in number since the Waltz characteristics are genetically recessive. First generation Mages do not carry the genes necessary to have Waltz hatchlings, and only later Mages that have Waltz ancestry would carry the proper genes to potentially have a Waltz hatchling. Poggles, like baby seals, do not have the protective blubbery layer upon hatching, but should start to put on weight quickly with a proper diet.
Dietary Notes ('Healthy Food' takes on a whole new twist)
Mages probably need water and salt in higher amounts than a human to sustain their naturally high blood pressure. Also poggles should be given a nutrient-rich diet to build up their protective layer of blubber. A healthy diet for a Mage would be very unhealthy for a human - lots of sugar, salt, and fats, and they'd also need a source of copper. This may have been a bonus when they were used as disposable soldiers by the Queen of Alexandria, as they could have been fed things that would not have been considered fit for human consumption.
Psychological Observations (Docility, winged predators, and species pecking order)
Black Mages on the whole were not designed to be quick-witted creatures. Intelligence was hardly going to be a factor in their use, after all. On the whole, the average Black Mage is a docile, shy, and complacent creature that even when aware is far more suited to taking orders than to giving them. They are not stupid, however, with Vivi and Mr. 288 being examples of the most intelligent of their type, simply more introverted and contemplative. It is also possible to make one angry or get them to stubbornly refuse to do something - but doing so takes a lot more than the average human would tolerate. Since they were designed to attack in large groups, they also have a very well developed 'flocking' sense and even now tend to stick together.
Waltzes are an exception to this. Left aware and meant to be used as solo agents, they needed to be quicker witted and able to formulate and adapt plans under combat conditions rather than just do as they were told. Conversely, they do not have quite as much of the 'flock' instinct as their wingless kin - or if they do it's coupled with the sure knowledge that they're meant to be the ones leading the flock. This built-in species 'pecking order' has caused problems since the only Waltzes aren't yet adults, and the only adults are wingless Mages. The Mages have trouble going against instinct to actually tell the Waltzes to do or not do something, and the Waltzes instinctual reaction is to ignore any attempts to do so.
Black Mage Biology: Caution! This little post of technobabble/biobabble contains a lot of big words and medical terms and the like. Most of the stuff you should be able to look up on Wikipedia, though. :)
Blood (Aka purple goo)
Black Mage blood is complex and very likely unique. Rather than relying on hemoglobin for transporting oxygen as in all other known vertebrates, their blood contains a mixture of haemocyanin and haemerythrin.
The blood plasma itself is much thicker than human normal, almost like a thick goo. This prevents wounds from freely bleeding and causes them to seal off quickly, an advantage for weapons as they could likely survive losing limbs without bleeding to death.
Because of the large size of hemocyanin, it is usually found free-floating in the blood, unlike hemoglobin, which must be contained in cells because its small size would lead it to clog and damage blood-filtering organs such as the kidneys. This free-floating nature can allow for increased hemocyanin density over hemoglobin and increased oxygen carrying capacity. On the other hand, free-floating hemocyanin increases viscosity and the energy expenditure needed to pump blood.
Haemerythrin, like the haemoglobin in humans, is a small molecule that must be confined to corpuscles in the bloodstream rather than allowed to float freely, but the haemocyanin is found floating freely in the blood plasma, as with the hemocyanin in horseshoe crabs.
Oxygenated haemocyanin is blue in color, deoxygenated is almost colorless. Haemeryhrtin is a violet to pink colour, and colorless when deoxygenated. This makes Mage blood clear in the veins and varying shades of purple in the arteries or when exposed to air.
If separated from the corpuscles, the plasma would be a bright blue due to the presence of the copper-based oxygen-carrier haemocyanin, while the iron based corpuscles would be a violet to pink color from the presence of haemerythrin.
There are normally equal parts haemeryhrtin and haemocyanin in any sample of blood, but this may vary slightly depending on the Mage's diet. An iron deficiency could lead to a decrease in haemeryhrtin, making the blood more blue in color. Likewise a deficiency in copper could cause a decrease in hameocyanin, and more magenta blood, but at the same time the other compound will try to compensate.
One advantage of these compounds is that hemocyanin and hemerythrin are not destroyed by carbon monoxide as is hemoglobin. Organisms with these kinds of blood pigments thus would not be poisoned by the gas, as humans are. I have found no reference as to whether there are any other gasses this combination would protect them against.
However a decided disadvantage is that the compounds are less efficient in carrying oxygen than hemoglobin, having only about 1/4 the ability. The mages partially compensate for this by the very thick nature of the blood, and by having a higher blood pressure than would be normal for a human. The greater density of the blood allows for it to be almost as efficient as hemoglobin, but means more energy is required for circulation.
Also the tetrameric hemerythin in Mage blood shows the same cooperative binding of O2 as is present in some brachiopods. Cooperative binding is achieved by cooperation between subunits: when one subunit becomes oxygenated it increases the affinity for oxygen of the other subunits in the complex. A similar cooperative formation is used with the units of hemocyanin. The hemocyanin is arranged in protein sub-complexes of 6 subunits (hexamer) each with one oxygen binding site, binding of oxygen on one unit in the complex would increase the affinity of the neighboring units. Hemocyanin oxygen-binding profile is also affected by dissolve-salt ion levels and pH.
Skeletal Structure (Using them to make wishes would be in bad taste)
At first glance the Mage skeleton appears not too dissimilar from a humans, except for the odd proportions. There are, however, some notable differences.
On closer observation the skeletal structure bears some similarity to that of birds. There is a pygostyle in place of the final few caudal vertebrae, uncinate processes on the ribs, a fused collarbone (the furcula or wishbone), and a keeled sternum. In the Waltzes, the keel of the sternum serves as an attachment site for the muscles used for flight. This is also true in the wingless Mages, even though their pectoral muscles are less developed. The skeleton on the whole is extremely lightweight, but strong enough to handle a good amount of stress.
As with birds, many of the bones are hollow, and some of these contain respiratory air sacs. The Waltzes would need hollow bones to in order to aid in their method of flight. The rest of the Mages would also benefit as hollow bones provide greater impact and stress resistance, yet at the same time these are also another factor in the poor physical strength. The leg bones of Mages are the heaviest, which gives them a low center of gravity. This helps keep them from being knocked over too easily, and in the Waltzes aids in flight.
Circulatory System (Possibly the least strange bit of them)
On the whole, the circulatory system is the part of them that differs the least from that of a human, with the exception of thicker walls to the arteries and veins and generally being more robust in order to handle the viscosity of the blood.
Respiratory System (Very like a bird's)
The mages have a highly efficient respiratory system that's much more similar to a bird's than a human's, consisting of lungs, air sacs and parabronchi. This helps to compensate for the lower transportation properties of the oxygen-carriers in their blood by increasing the effectiveness of getting the oxygen to the blood.
Digestive System (Remember, baby monotremes are called 'poggles')
They are monotremes, like the duckbilled platypus, and the digestive system is fairly simple. They also have a crop like most flying birds, which acts to store food.
Muscle Mass (Or the lack of it)
Mages don't have very much in the way of muscle, as their circulatory system would not be able to support the oxygen needs of heavy musculature.
The exception to this are the flight muscles present in the Waltzes. There are two ways they compensate for the oxygen demand. One is via the complex and more bird-like respiratory system. The second is that Waltz flight is not true flight. Close observation would reveal it to be more a form of gliding, heavily assisted by an instinctive use of magic. This also allows them to hover in midair in a way most birds could not. In a situation that stripped them of their use of magic, the Waltzes would only be able to glide short distances and flutter to the ground. This method has less oxygen demands than if they had to keep themselves aloft by wing effort alone. The wings themselves are used for steering and increase/decrease of altitude.
Blubber and Interstitial Fluid (Or why Mages are chubby, and why Black Waltz Two, and Three a bit as well, look like girls)
One would think this would make the Black Mages rather thin creatures. Yet only the Waltzes and Type B's look reletively thin, and even then not quite as much as the data would imply. Part of the mass is taken up by the air sacs of the respiratory system, but not nearly enough to account for the pear-shape of the Type A's or the extremely round Type C's.
The answer is exactly what it looks like. Mages, much like some semi-aquatic mammals such as seals, have a rather thick layer of blubber. This serves many purposes. The high insulative factor protects them from temperature extremes, and the cushioning layer also helps prevent internal damage from blows in combat. Also the layer stores an amazing amount of nutrients, keeping the Mages from starving when food resources are scarce.
Another attributing factor to their pudgey shape is that Black Mages have a high tendancy to retain water. The interstitial fluid that surrounds the internal organs and permeates the outer layer of blubber is similar in composition to the blood plasma, minus the large molecules of hemocyanin, but is much thinner.
The Mages are designed to retain water, storing the excess in the interstitial fluid. This, much like the layer of blubber helps in case of scarce food, acts much like a camel's method of water storage and allows them to go for long periods without water when none is available. When water is again available after such a period, they are capable of drinking very large amounts in order to replenish this store. Overall they would likely prefer a moisture-rich climate to a dry one, but would be capable of surviving in either. It would be very dangerous to a Black Mage to dehydrate due to the nature of their blood and circulatory system, as this would impede the transfer of nutrients between the blood and interstitial fluid, but this protective measure helps prevent that.
The different shapes of the wingless Mages show that the A's, B's, and C's were designed for slightly different uses. The round type C's carry the most blubber, while the B's are designed more for speed and are slimmer. A's, the earliest type, are somewhat in the middle. And it appears likely from his general shape that the prototype Vivi will eventually grow into a Type A. Waltzes, of course, have less of this layer as the wingless Mages, because weight had to be considered in order to allow them to get off the ground. The layer of blubber on Waltzes is thickest around the hips and thighs, similar to a slimmer variant on the proportions of a Type A. This, combined with the reasonably developed pectoral muscles may be why Black Waltz Two had a figure sometimes mistaken for feminine (Either that, or it's just because he was wearing a dress).
Skin (Or why Mages don't sunbathe)
Black Mages likely have a thick and slightly rubbery skin, similar to that found in aquatic mammals such as the dolphin or manatee. Likewise, it is probably on its own a greyish shade, with the presence of blood resulting in its apparent purplish color. This means, however, that they do not have melanin and would be prone to sunburn in much the same manner an albino would if it were not for the magically produced shadows that cover them.
Eyes (Big and glowing ;) )
My best guess so far is that Black Mages have very large compound eyes. Compared with single-aperture eyes, compound eyes have poor image resolution. Contrry to popular belief they don't give a bunch of small images, but instead a large pixelized view. However, they possess a very large view angle and the ability to detect fast movement and, in some cases, the polarization of light. These traits would be benificial to weapons that would need to seek out moving targets.
The glowing hides the seperate facets, making the eye appear as a solid glowing area. So far I have no explanation yet or parallel in Earth biology to correspond to Black Mages' eyes glowing, and the best I can say is it is likely related to their magic somehow, or perhaps part of a disguise effect akin to the shadows that cover the rest of them.
Reproduction (Do you still call someone 'Mister' if they lay eggs?)
Mages are egg-laying hermaphroditic monotremes capable of both parthenogenesis through self-fertilization and of taking on either the male or female role in sexual reproduction. They are iteroparous, following an annual breeding cycle with eggs laid during the warmest parts of the year. Mentally, they seem to be asexual, although this may just be the case with the factory-produced first generation due to the discrepancy between physical and mental age. Therefore they are more likely to reproduce via parthenogenesis, although this may eventually change as the members of the species become older. They will normally lay only one egg, and unless the mage is sterile the egg will always be fertile, either by sexual contact or self-fertilization. In the case of the latter, the resulting hatchling will be genetically identical to the parent.
However, other factors have to be right before an egg will start to form. If the mage is stressed, has a poor diet or is in a poor environment, or other situation non-conductive to breeding this will cause them to skip their breeding cycle. Also if they relocate to a new area, it may take them a year to acclimate to changes in the climate, and this will cause them to skip a cycle until the next spring. Since Black Mages are generally timid creatures and easily stressed, this keeps the breeding rate down. That they as yet remain unaware of their species' particular dietary needs is likely also a contributor. The Waltzes, being more resilient mentally to possible causes of stress are therefore more likely to breed, but remain fewer in number since the Waltz characteristics are genetically recessive. First generation Mages do not carry the genes necessary to have Waltz hatchlings, and only later Mages that have Waltz ancestry would carry the proper genes to potentially have a Waltz hatchling. Poggles, like baby seals, do not have the protective blubbery layer upon hatching, but should start to put on weight quickly with a proper diet.
Dietary Notes ('Healthy Food' takes on a whole new twist)
Mages probably need water and salt in higher amounts than a human to sustain their naturally high blood pressure. Also poggles should be given a nutrient-rich diet to build up their protective layer of blubber. A healthy diet for a Mage would be very unhealthy for a human - lots of sugar, salt, and fats, and they'd also need a source of copper. This may have been a bonus when they were used as disposable soldiers by the Queen of Alexandria, as they could have been fed things that would not have been considered fit for human consumption.
Psychological Observations (Docility, winged predators, and species pecking order)
Black Mages on the whole were not designed to be quick-witted creatures. Intelligence was hardly going to be a factor in their use, after all. On the whole, the average Black Mage is a docile, shy, and complacent creature that even when aware is far more suited to taking orders than to giving them. They are not stupid, however, with Vivi and Mr. 288 being examples of the most intelligent of their type, simply more introverted and contemplative. It is also possible to make one angry or get them to stubbornly refuse to do something - but doing so takes a lot more than the average human would tolerate. Since they were designed to attack in large groups, they also have a very well developed 'flocking' sense and even now tend to stick together.
Waltzes are an exception to this. Left aware and meant to be used as solo agents, they needed to be quicker witted and able to formulate and adapt plans under combat conditions rather than just do as they were told. Conversely, they do not have quite as much of the 'flock' instinct as their wingless kin - or if they do it's coupled with the sure knowledge that they're meant to be the ones leading the flock. This built-in species 'pecking order' has caused problems since the only Waltzes aren't yet adults, and the only adults are wingless Mages. The Mages have trouble going against instinct to actually tell the Waltzes to do or not do something, and the Waltzes instinctual reaction is to ignore any attempts to do so.
