Dullamán

The elder ones

(Image from the https://sciencestruck.com)

Three thousand kilometers bellow the sea, in the ancient city of Rilmek, a living forest of kelp floats attached to giant moving oisters. Waiting, scheeming, slumbering. With the power and knowledge to rival gods, they will shatter time and space again to return to glory.

— Ancient inscription found in a seaside ruin - author unknown

The Dullamán are a race of highly advanced immortal jellyfish which gather and connect with each other into kelp like structures to share minds and knowledge. When in full capacity they have the ability to control the dna and behaviour of their own spores, using them to infect, mutate and control certain compatible species to do their biding.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Individually: Transparent small body with two yellow rough skinned floatation bladders. A large number of thin tendrils trail from it's body with functions varying between: speciallized nerve endings, poison poison barbs, spore delivery, hooking and traction and fine environment manipulation. Collectivelly: Gather in tall structures resembling kelp seaweed. Each individual connected to the the one bellow with its neural tendrils.

Biological Traits

capable of transdifferentiation in order to revert back to polyp in their adult (medusa) stage. They have no central brain but their nervous system extends to some of its tentacles and can integrate with the nervous system of other individuals forming a formidable computing machine with enough individuals. Their spores have evolved into retrovirus-like structures and the adults are able to program and tune the information in order to infect, mutate and control certain species.

Genetics and Reproduction

Spores are launched into the water when necessary. Two or more spores fuse and initially grow into a polyp like structure that settles into the dullamán structure where it connects to the neural network.

Growth Rate & Stages

Essencially immortal. Life starts as a polyp attached to the dullamán kelp structure. When an individual of the chain needs to be replaced, one of the polyps is excited and grows to medusa state with a few days. After 100 or so years of life, if not attacked the medusa reverts back to polip to correct growth related dna errors starting the process again

Ecology and Habitats

May survive under most aquatic environments but prefer warmer waters as it decreases their metabolic rate and increases their neural eficiency.

Dietary Needs and Habits

It is able of limited hunting due to it's venom, but it's main source of food is a parasitic relation with mutated drones (see culture)

Biological Cycle

Similar cycle as modern turritopsis species. In extreme conditions and when dna chains have decayed sufficiently, medusae revert to polyps. They are able to control the transformation back into medusae, only doing so in case of replacement or expansion.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Individuals members are considered unimportant, and are usually assimilated. A connected collective considers itself an individual. During interaction between two connected collectives, the larger "individual" takes charge, although tasks are divided according to computing power.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

within the sea near areas where spacial folding causes dimensional friction.

Average Intelligence

Individually: instinct level herd mentality Collectivelly: supercomputer level. upper limit is set by the relation between number of individuals and upper survivable water temperature.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Water pressure fluctuation, electric variation and advanced scent.

Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms

Parasitic relation with several species bioengineered by them, including the Portán (which they use as transport mules and protection), the Gliomach (which they use as heavy lifters and soldiers), the Oisaríi (Nautilus like beings used as food retrieval and storage).

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Collectives are designated according to relative geografical location. All the slaves of a certain collective are identified by the sound corresponding to the designation of the collective in charge.

Average Technological Level

Biotechnological engineering. Spacial folding obtained by retro-engineering.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Each collective houses the memories of each individual which is or was part of it. as a result the collectives remember events billions of years into the past, although memories that old tend to be faded, corrupted or lack consistency.

History

Originally evolved from certain species of jellyfish after the fall of mankind. Reached sentience levels of intelligence during earths first occupation by aliens. After the resonance event triggered by the aliens, the warmer waters allowed it to advance their civilization, aquiring the ability to infect, mutate and control marine species. After a new star captured the earth the spacial shock and increased levels of gamma radiation sent them into dormancy. Eventually woke up during the last eon and tried to trigger a resonance event which failed to complete and cause the Shattering. Currently trying to gather information and resources to trigger a new resonance event.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Usually considers other species potential slaves, but will engage in dialogue (through an engineered slave) with other sentient species. These dialogues serve as iformation or technological exchange, but it's main purpose is, in general, the manipulation of other to garantuee the survival of the collective.

Scientific Name

Turritopsis aeviternus

Lifespan

Immortal. 100 years in the medusa state

Average Height

30 cm

Average Weight

250 grams

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Outer skin is rough and leathery, similar to brown algae. inner layer of skin retains the flexibility and transparency of most jellyfish.