Novakid physiology(open for discussion)

The Novakid phenomenon

Preface
Out of all the sapient species in the known galaxy, the Novakid are without a doubt the most mysterious.
Their true origins remain unknown, as this information has long been lost due to the fact that they have little desire to record their history.

Similar to the Glitch, it is very likely that the Novakid are in fact an artificial lifeform. By all accounts, scientists unanimously agree that Novakids, shouldn't exist. They are an anomaly, inexplicable by the laws of nature and modern science alike. Thus one must keep in mind that this theory on the Novakid physiology is largely based on observation and speculation from multiple sources and its accuracy is therefore not guaranteed.

General physiology
Novakid are often compared to stars, as they are comprised of plasma, however they also share a lot of similarities with single-celled organisms.
As such we can divide their body in three primary components: a nucleus or brand, the cytoplasma and a membrane or shell.

Other aspects of their physiology that are highly anomalous are that they do not "breathe, nor possess any semblance of a skeletal structure to provide stability to their form or muscles to allow for mobility. It has often been speculated that the brand regulates the flow of plasma within the Novakid’s shell, in order to allow for stability of form and mobility.

As a result, Novakid possess below average physical strength and agility. However, this is offset by their above average dexterity and endurance as a result of their mental acuity and the amount of energy a Novakid readily has at its disposal.

The brand
Due to the nature of the Novakid physiology, it is impossible to properly analyse the properties of their brands. Autopsies of deceased specimens have also not provided us with much insight, due to the dramatic effect a Novakid’s death has on the brand.

The brand is a dense metal object, situated in the centre of their head.
Many researchers speculate that it is responsible for most, if not all, of the Novakid’s life functions.
It is constantly charged with a vast amount of energy, and is responsible for the manipulation of a Novakid’s plasma. It seems to be composed of a solid core, with a seemingly liquid outer layer.

The brand generates an electromagnetic field and its charge is opposite to that of the Novakid's cytoplasma.

The cytoplasma
The plasma contained within a Novakid's shell is called "the cytoplasma".
It provides the Novakid with a vast amount of energy, which is depleted over time.
However, through absorption of various plasma mixes, it is possible for a Novakid to recover lost body mass.

Novakid constantly lose energy, by result of their bio-luminescence, warmth, mobility, plasma depletion, regeneration and more. The colour of a Novakid's cytoplasma is defined by the quantity and quality of their plasma, which is determined by the durability of their brand.

Despite the previously established fact that a Novakid doesn’t possess a skeletal structure or muscles and therefor possesses below average strength and agility, they are rather dextrous when it comes down to it, a skill most likely the result of their mental quickness.

The plasma within a Novakid’s shell is converted into energy over time to provide the brand with the energy it needs to sustain a Novakid’s functions. Novakid always have a significant amount of energy available, granting them above average endurance, however they will reach a point of physical exhaustion, where they need to convert some of their plasma into energy in order to recover. Effectively this seems to mirror the process of resting in other species.

A Novakid’s plasma is similar to that of a star’s, in terms of makeup.
However, their plasma is also considered to be “low energy plasma”. This means that it has a lower amount of electrons and is also significantly colder than the plasma observed from stars. Despite this, Novakid still possess a lot of potential energy in their plasma.

The cytoplasma has highly conductive qualities and its charge is opposite to that of the Novakid's brand.

The shell
The membrane, which functions as a selective barrier that restricts the passage of particles, keeping them either inside or outside the Novakid's body, is referred to as "the shell". This shell, which is regulated by the Novakid’s brand, is an incredible insulator in terms of heat and radiation. It makes the amount of energy a Novakid loses in the form of warmth rather minimal and thus allows them to interact with other lifeforms without either burning them to a crisp or irradiating them. However, a Novakid still exhibits an above average body temperature, reminiscent of the feeling one has when basking in the warmth of sunlight.

Despite the shell being a good insulator of warmth and radiation, it is also a strong conductor of electrical charge. Due to the conductive qualities of a Novakid's plasma, running a small electrical current through their shell, allows a Novakid to alter the shape of their membrane. This in turn allows them to change their appearance, similar to changing hairstyles in humans. This faux-hair is referred to as the corona. However, the brand is quite sensitive to electrical and electro-magnetic disruptions. Therefore it is possible to knock out a Novakid with a moderately strong Taser or a small EMP device.

The shell functions as an exoskeleton, both serving as a protective layer and playing an important role in the mobility of a Novakid. Additionally it should be noted that a Novakid is able to survive in a vacuum without any problems, however, should their shell become compromised, it’d cause them to lose their plasma at a more rapid, violent rate, increasing the damage they sustain from these wounds. Therefor it is advisable for Novakid to use EVA-suits regardless when travelling through a vacuum.

Senses
Novakid are also anomalous in how they sense the world around them.
They do however possess a sense of hearing, sight, touch and somehow they also seem to possess some sense of taste.

Hearing:
Novakid receive sensory information through their brand.
It analyses sound waves and deciphers them, similar to ears in organic creatures.
It is unclear how Novakid is able to analyse this form of sensory information.

Sight:
Yet again, it is unclear how the brand is capable of doing this.
However, it is clear that Novakid are able to tell apart shapes and colours just as well as any human could.

Taste and Smell:
Novakid, through the absorption of plasma, experience a sense of taste, determined by the properties of the plasma they absorb.
They are also capable of “smelling” plasma, through absorption of diffused plasma particles.
The only proof to support this sense of taste is the testimony of the Novakid.
These senses however seem to be limited to interaction with plasma.

Touch:
It is speculated that When a Novakid's shell touches an object, a very minor electrical charge is sent to the brand, providing it with sensory information, resulting in their sense of touch.

Another theory is that the brand is able to sense resistance on a Novakid's shell, as it is formed by an electromagnetic field by the brand, its sense of touch being a result of a slight disruption of that field.

Despite there being different theories on how this process would work, Novakid have been shown to experience a sense of touch. Additionally, when a Novakid becomes damaged, they also receive sensory information in the form of pain.

Speech:
A Novakid’s brand emits a series of pulses in rapid succession, which in turn causes vibrations in plasma and create soundwaves. The bursts of energy causes their face to pulse in brightness.

Metabolism
Novakid do not metabolise in a traditional sense.
Their process of catabolism, the breakdown of molecules to obtain energy , is rather unique in that it allows the Novakid to gradually convert their plasma into energy.
However, this plasma acts not only as a fuel to allow the Novakid to live, it also makes up most of its body mass. This plasma is depleted through the result of mainly two factors: providing the brand with enough energy to allow them to function and regeneration.

Novakid society revolves around harvesting plasma from nebulae and mining asteroids.
They distil and imbibe these substances ("moonshine" if mixed with regolith; "sunshine" if without). These products come in a variety of shapes, some of which resemble alcoholic beverages and cigars.

Novakid ought to take care when absorbing these substances, as the absorption of plasma in high quantities will affect the mental state of a Novakid in different ways, determined by the properties of the plasma mix they imbibe.

Mental capabilities
Though they have a good intuition and aptitude for learning, they are extremely lacking in patience and attention span to the point of making them terrible students and teachers. As a result, only a small fraction of each generation’s knowledge is passed on to the next - the rest of it constantly being re-discovered or re-invented.

The Novakid as a race have reached a technological equilibrium centred around steel and combustion. Any "space-age" technology introduced to them would be forgotten within 3-4 generations, and a "stone-age" community of Novakid can be expected to catch up to the rest of the population within 10 generations.

Despite a the Novakid’s extensive lifespan, they frequently tend to forget skills, knowledge and memories of past acquaintances, after a few decades. While some may see this as a regretful aspect of their lives, due to the fact that some Novakid come to outlive their friends from other species with a more modest lifespan, it is sometimes regarded as somewhat of a hidden blessing to not have to experience the desperation of outliving one’s loved ones.

One field of craftsmanship the Novakid are almost universally proficient in however, is the occupation of a gunsmith. Despite the Novakid’s flaws in terms of technological expertise, they’re rather capable of producing firearms that are quite efficient, given the technological level of the Novakid they’re produced by. It is a field which has seen much innovation as a result of the Novakid’s repeated endeavours to create more fascinating firearms.

Aging and healing
Due to their physiology, Novakid are immune to any disease, poison, venom and they are very resistant to radiation and heat. Additionally they possess a long lifespan which averages between 400 and 500 years. However, despite this, the Novakid are still among the most vulnerable species in the galaxy, at least physically.

When a Novakid’s shell is compromised, it will lose an amount of plasma, depending on the size and quantity of breaches within the shell. Multiple breaches and larger breaches will lead to more plasma loss, as the membrane will take longer to close up.

If a Novakid’s brand is destroyed, or if the wound is too severe, causing them to lose too much plasma over a short period of time, they will enter a state of shock and die as a result.
If a Novakid loses a limb as a result of an injury, the shell’s first priority is to close the wound.
This will result in the Novakid’s limb to be reduced to a stump, until the brand has regulated the flow of plasma within the shell to regenerate the arm and gradually restore the original form of the shell. This is a slow process, which can take up to a week in order to be completed.

When a Novakid “bleeds” plasma, it quickly disperses into the air, causing minor burns.
If a Novakid experiences a considerably of plasma loss, they will lose consciousness, as the brand focuses its energy on regulating the flow of plasma within the Novakid and restoring the presumably badly damaged shell.

The amount of plasma a Novakid's body can hold is determined by the quality of their brand.
As previously mentioned, the Novakid’s brand will deteriorate as a result of a Novakid being damaged, which causes the brand to go into overdrive in order to restore the Novakid’s shell.
Additionally, a Novakid’s brand will also gradually deteriorate over time, as a result of direct energy conversion, the process which converts a Novakid’s plasma into energy.

Effectively this means a Novakid will "age" as a result of their brand deteriorating over time.
The age of a Novakid, is determined by the state of their brand, which in turn also defines the quantity and quality of the plasma held within their shell.
Towards the end of its life, the Novakid’s brand loses potency and the magnetic membrane grows weaker. The plasma is more loosely contained, and the elderly Novakid takes on a larger, duller appearance and a reddish hue (derogatory term: "red giants").

Once a Novakid's plasma has been depleted to the point where they are unable to sustain their life functions, the energy contained within their brand and cytoplasma combusts, leaving only a twisted metal symbol and a warm flash of light around the area of death.

Gender and reproduction
A Novakid's gender is decided by ionic charge of their brands and plasma.
It should be noted that the charge of a Novakid's brand is opposite of that of its plasma.
A male specimen will possess a positively charged brand, complemented by negatively charged plasma.
A female specimen will possess a negatively charged brand, complemented by positively charged plasma.

Like other species, Novakid are capable of love and are able to reproduce sexually.
It has been remarked that the Novakid, among all the sapient lifeforms in the known galaxy, may exhibit the most spectacular method of reproduction.

After an intense process of procreation, which involves its parents mixing their plasma together at a high temperature, under high pressure conditions, both parents also yield a small amount of metal within their shell, which creates a new brand.
The brand then claims the plasma mixture as its own and a Protokid (which hardly resembles a mature Novakid) is born.

A Protokid possesses a unique, unfinished brand, colloquially referred to as a “Proto-brand”.
It will mature into a Novakid after having obtained sufficient materials to finish its brand and increasing the quantity of the plasma within their bodies.

The Protokid possesses a primitive mind. It is bonded with its parents, as it seems to comprehend their wishes and obediently follows them, until maturing and becoming fully sapient. A Protokid’s parents are required to raise their Protokid, as they are very dependent on their parents to acquire sufficient materials in order for them to mature.

These Protokid are herded into various nebulae, where they absorb stray plasma in order to mature into Novakid. This phenomenon is similar to historical records of cowboys migrating populations of cattle through what is often referred to as “The Wild West”, on the human’s planet Earth.

 

Summary:

• Novakid are weird.
  
• Novakid are like single-celled organisms: 1 core, internal plasma, within a membrane.
  
• These parts are called: brand, cytoplasma, shell.
• They do not breathe, possess no skeleton or muscles.
• They have below average strength and agility.
• Novakid are immune to any disease, poison, venom and they are very resistant to radiation and heat.
• Posses a significant amount of kinetic energy, above average endurance and they also possess above average dexterity as a result of their mental acuity.
• Brand is located in the centre of the face. It is responsible for most, if not all the Novakid's functions. Generates a magnetic field to form the shell and possess an electrical charge opposite of the cytoplasma.
• Cytoplasma is the main "mass" of the Novakid body. Provides the Novakid with a lot of energy.
• Novakid possess a particular form of regeneration, which is quite useful, as their mysterious nature makes it impossible to perform medical procedures, as well as the fact that they're made of /plasma/. I recommend at least reading the chapter on Novakid aging and healing.
• Novakid age as a result of their brand deteriorating as a result of the plasma being converted into energy for the brand, getting wounded, regeneration and other life functions. (However they have a long lifespan which averages out between 400 and 500 years.) I recommend at least reading the chapter on Novakid aging and healing.
• The shell functions as a barrier. It is a good insulator for heat and radiation. Despite this Novakid still have above average body temperature. Novakid are also bio-luminescent.
• Blunt force damage to the brand, a powerful electrical shock (tazer) or small EMP will knock out a Novakid.
• Novakid can survive in a vacuum, but this will cause them to be more vulnerable as they will lose more plasma as a result of their shell being compromised.
• Novakid possess a sense of sight touch, hearing and are able to speak through a series of small pulses in rapid succession. These also cause fluctuations in the brightness of their face.
• Novakid society revolves around gathering plasma, distilling and imbibing it, mixing it with metals and other elements mined from asteroids. (Moonshine (with regolith), starshine (just plasma).)
  Consumption of plasma allows them to recover lost body mass in their cytoplasma.
  These products come in different shapes, generally similar to alcoholic beverages and cigars.
  Consuming too much at once will affect a Novakid's mental state: "drunk/stoned".
• Novakid are really smart. >< Novakid have short attention spans. => Bad students, but evolve rapidly.
• Novakid generally perform high quality craftsmanship when it come to their gunsmiths.
• When a Novakid dies, its a result from them running out of plasma or from a damaged brand, they will dissipate into a warm flash of light and they will leave a twisted metal symbol on the area of their death.
• Novakid have genders. => Determined by the charge of their brand. + is male, - is female.
• Novakid procreation: parents yield some metal and some of their cytoplasma, the mixture will become a Protokid. (Infantile Novakid)
• These Protokid will be herded by its parents or other Novakid to absorb stray plasma from dead stars, nebulae, where they will mature and become Novakid.

Currently this is the third draft.
I'd still appreciate more feedback.​

 

Some aspects of Bietol's creation are illogical and unbalanced for RP, whereas some aren't.
I believe it makes more sense to give the Novakid this unqiue form of metabolism, where a protokid is required to absorb quite a large amount of materiels before it can mature. Then it becomes a Novakid and possesses its maximum lifespan of 200 years.
As a Novakid lives his life, moving, losing heat energy, getting wounded and regenerating and potentially after reproducing once or twice, their lifespan reaches its end. This averages at an effective average age of 80 years.
Novakid are similar to stars, suns and single-celled organisms, however that doesn't mean they would live for 5000 years.
Similarly, Florans are similar to plants or suns, but they are drastically different physiologically, thus they wouldn't live as long as some trees. (1000years) That would be a bit insane.

Another option I had in mind is that the original Novakid are born from a dying star, and that the plasma within their shells originates from a nebula that was formed as a result. This would mean these Novakid have an incredible long potential lifespan, however, considering the size of a Novakid and the fact that they don't have their own gravitational field (aka there's not that much plasma in their shells that they would gain their own gravity) it is implied that they do not have /that/ much plasma within them. But if we disregard that, if the original Novakid have lifespans of 5000 year, and they lose some of that lifespan after they reproduce, that would eventually lead to their extinction, as plasma is lost over time and no amount of "eating" could possibly counteract this process.

I decided to not bother too much with the details of realism in that sense and chose for a relatively short lifespan(200years) and a design wherein the protokid reaches maturity once it has acquired enough materiel to be "fully charged".
I also think that Novakid don't possess a sense of smell or taste.
I also think they are very resistant to heat, vacuum and potentially radiation. Whether or not they would be able to approach a star without dying is something I don't know for certain, it would be interesting if Novakid were able to approach a star, so their protokid could partake of its plasma.
However interesting that sounds, I don't know if people would like that, considering that being within touch-distance of a star would destroy most things, allowing Novakid to survive this would make them nearly god-like in that aspect. But then again, they are made of plasma to begin with...
So perhaps there's some point to that. I'd argue that their shell is an insanely effective thermal isolator, but it is quite fragile to "touch damage".

I guess my main argument against Novakid eating in a convential matter is this:
We know that their brands and plasma contain an incredible amount of energy.
Thus the amount of energ they would gain from eating, would be totally neglegible comparitively, unless you want Novakid to eat as much as the Sayains from DBZ, and even that is just totally senseless.


(a bunch of pseuo-science on plasma in DBZ)
It just makes more sense to me that a Novakid starts off with an insane amount of energy, which they will eventually run out of and then end up dying.

Yes, I think if they were to absorb oxygen from the atmosphere, they would just smother everyone around them and they would burn through a lot of gases in the air.

I don't think being immune to radiation is a "valid" or necessary strength for the race, however you make a good point in the sense that it may not make sense for them to be harmed by radiation. I'll rethink this.

A Novakid can't extend its lifespan by any means, as the brand and quality of its plasma constantly detoriate slightly.
However, a warmer climate will cause them to lose less energy in the form of heat, thus slowing their "natural" aging process slightly, whereas they lose more heat energy in colder climates, which will in turn speed up the aging process slightly. These processes are neglegible from a mechanical standpoint, but they should be kept into consideration when a Novakid settles to live somewhere or where a Novakid likes to visit.

Well not in all areas, they are immune to diseases, poisons, possibly most toxic substances and radiation.
They would by weaker in terms of strength and are generally vulnerable to "touch-damage", specificlaly slashing and piercing damage.
They do regenerate, but this lowers their lifespan. And if the wound is too overwhelming fo the brand to regenerate or if the brand is destroyed (headshot) the Novakid will die regardless. Medical attention for Novakid makes no sense, as they are made of PLASMA and developing medical technologies for a creatue made of PLASMA, whose main organ is always submerged within that plasma, making it impossible to analyse it or to operate on a Novakid, is impossible. I've also heard ideas of Novakid having special "bandages", clamps that pull the shell shut to avoid them losing their plasma. I'd argue that they'd have to regenerate where you can actually see it happening; otherwise plasma would escape too rapidly and in case they do lose a lot of plasma this will have severe consequences for their lifespan if they do not just die outright.

I'll have to put a lot of thougt into Novakid regeneration so that it makes sense and isn't too exploitable in an unhealthly manner for combat RP.
(Powergaming)

It's a bit similar to Florans in that sense. But yes, the Novakid aren't known for their scholars.
However their culture favoring gunsmithing technologies would allow for some proper gunsmiths that don't forget their inventions after a week, because despite a Novakid's low attention spans, I'd argue that some aspects of their lifestyle do remain somewhat consistent.

I hadn't thougt of that yet. That makes some sense, however, it's not very...
Functional. Instead of them being weightless, I'd argue that the density of the plasma within their shell gives them some mass, and in turn, some weight. However, they weigh a lot less than the other races. Which works as both an advantage or disadvantage, depending on the context.
I.e: in physical combat you'd like some weight behind your push or punches, as Novakid possibly possess less physical strength, their decreased weight aids in allowing them to jump and be able to move in an agile manner. I'd also argue that Novakid prefer to dress lightly. (also prefer light armour)

No cybernetics, it's impossible for scientists to properly analyse a Novakid's "nervous system", and we're not even sure if they possess one that is anywhere near similar enough to work with cybernetics AT ALL.
I'd argue that regeneration works somewhat like this:
1. A wound occurs, the shell is punctured/ripped or otherwise compromised.
2. Plasma bleeds out from the Novakids wounds, dispersing into the atmosphere or being pulled into a vaccuum.
3. The brand suffers damage as a result of this plasma loss.
4. The brand registers the disruption of its EM-field and attemts to re-establish it.
5. The shell is sealed once more. If a Novakid's limb or a part of its original shape has been severed, it will not magically regenerate it instantly.
A Novakid's form will be temporarily alterd, they'd have a stump instead of an arm for a while.
6.The shell will gradually extend and regain its original shape, and the plasma within the Novakid's shell will shift to support this.
7. A Novakid will have fully recovered, unless there is lasting damage to their brand or there is an issue with their plasma.
(I.e: players can play a Novakid with a severed arm if they want to, but there's no cybernetics, so that's a good idea, sadly)
8. A Novakid's lifespan will have shortened.
(This doesn't mean much mechanically, but it's something to be kept in mind for RP purposes)
9. Feedback to the brand and the "tactile" sense will make the Novakid experience pain.

You mean: "Electro magnetic field".
If Novakid can survive in the vaccuum of space and if they would be able to survive incredible temperatures (near a star), they wouldn't be able to travel through a planet's stratosphere because of friction. They'd POP. They'd also POP if they were near a solar flare, as it'd mess with their EM-field.

Spaceships will be properly isolated as well, so they wouldn't suffer from entering another planet's EM-field.
A planet's EM-field is relatively stable and doesn't affect a small EM-field like that of a Novakid's brand after it has safely arrived on the planet.

Star people cowboys.
They have a certain flair, I'm focusing on their physiology for now.
The appeal of a race isn't only determined by their physiological abilities.
Considering the anomalous nature of the Novakid "organism" and their potential immunities to raditation, vaccuums, heat, diseases, poisons, hazardous substances, etc...

It'd only make sense to also attribute them some disadvantages in terms of physiological strength and healing process.

Not necessarily, it's just different from a conventional existance.
I wouldn't want them to live extremely long, making them similar to elves in that way, because they didn't have that same feel to them.
I don't think Novakid would mind not being able to smell or taste things, as these concepts are foreign to their existance anyway.
It's like pitying a cat for not being able to attend university.
It doesn't comprehend, so it doesn't care.

 

This would be true if Novakid burned everything around them to a crisp.
Their shell is sufficiently isolated to allow the plasme to retain most of its heat, losing only a slight amount of heat constantly, as a part of their "aging"-process.
Thus the plasma doesn't need a constant amount of fuel to burn in order to maintain its heat and to maintain its form of matter.
(Plasma is a result of matter reaching an incredible high temperature and is similar to super-heated gas, but it's not the same as gas)

 

Can the people who vote on the poll also comment an explanation for their vote?
I'd appreciate the feeback/arguments/reasonings behind it.

 

Fair enough, but stars are significantly larger than Novakid, they possess more "fuel/energy".
They're also not /alive/.

 

Honestly, the shell itself isn't that special.
Plasma is super-heated gas(sorta), it's the 4th form of matter.
The EM-field generated by a Novakid's brand creates the shell, which I believe is composed from a mixture of metal and highly concentrated plasma, which takes on a solid form as a result of the density/pressure of the materials.
As such, it's an incredible isolator and is resistant to extremely warm temperatures.
It functions as a membrane, to allow the protokid to absorb plasma and metal in order to mature into Novakid.

 

Novakid are beings made from energy.
Their brands possess a powerful charge and their body mass consists from super heated plasma.
The amount of energy that is to be gained from eating is neglegible when compared to the amount of energy a Novakid has stored within its body.

The amount of energy their body possesses is so vast that the most major forms of energy loss are due to wounds (plasma leakage) or reproduction(plasma & other materiels are lost).

I don't think it'd make sense for them to have caloric intake, to sustain their body funtions, as they are largely made from plasma. In comparison, energy that is to be gained from food is ridiculously insignificant. It doesn't matter how much energy you think their brand and other life functions use, caloric intake wouldn't help a lot.

 

I believe that, in chucklefish's canon, not our server canon necessarily, the Novakid are remnants/shards of whatever divine being created the universe and banished the giant tentacle monster into the Arc.
So yeah, sorta intelligent design, or at least not a product of evolution or nature. They're "supernatural".

I think it just simplifies things a bunch by saying Novakid have a set amount of energy in their bodies.
The whole battery metaphor and them living their lives shortens their potential lifespans.

It just adds a layer of semi-logical design to the workings of their race.
It's more... Graceful, I suppose?
I also had this idea of Novakid shepparding large herds of Protokids into nebulae(remnant of dead stars), which would allow them to absorb its plasma in order to mature into Novakid.
Sorta fits the cowboy theme, with a weird twist xD

 

Nah, supposedly they're able to regenerate any part of the shell and cytoplasma, by shifting their plasma around.
The brand is pretty much the only organ. Their nervous system and other functions are also regulated by the brand, by interactions within the plasma and the shell, but Novakid are super mysterious.