Vessels - L.U.C.A

The L.U.C.A are an example of vessel beings, and are probably the most extravagantly adapted, with wholly unique traits and abilities. As an intelligent being designed for a presumably hostile and unstable world, the L.U.C.A were an attempt to 'cover every eventuality’ biologically speaking, making them able to adapt to any environment found in the future to a greater degree even than humanity. As a result, the L.U.C.A are born with an incredible ability to rapidly heal from injuries and illnesses, achieving in hours what might take a human days or even weeks to recover from, with sufficient availability of food. In addition to this, they have a staggering degree of control over their own metabolism, both consciously and unconsciously. This makes them able to take in huge amounts of food to fuel their abilities, or slow themselves down to near suspended animation in times of famine. Lastly, and most fantastically, L.U.C.A are actually able to adjust their own morphology on a genetic level, hence their designation - free from the confines of anatomy. These changes are typically small and gradual, instinctively activated in response to external stimuli. However, through intense focus, some examples have demonstrated a degree of conscious control over the mutations they develop. Like all creations of project Vessel, the L.U.C.A contain the beacon genes embedded in their DNA, from which the complete human genome can be sequenced.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Individual L.U.C.A specimens vary greatly in anatomy, but in their most basic state they all exhibit the same traits. They have mostly human skeletal structures and muscle distributions, but they have a segmented carapace covering their hands, feet, forearms and lower legs. This carapace is a mixture of bone and keratin, with an iridescent layer on the outside. Their ears are much longer and more pointed than in normal humans, and they have a pair of insectoid antenna just above them. Most unique about their anatomy are the huge mandibles, reminiscent of a stag beetle's, mounted stop their heads. They are independently mobile and quite strong, but have no connection to the L.U.C.A's digestive system.

Genetics and Reproduction

L.U.C.A, unlike some other Vessel species, are fully fertile and are able to breed with each other and done other surviving humans.

Ecology and Habitats

Theoretically able to survive any environment

Dietary Needs and Habits

The L.U.C.A can metabolise nearly any organic material, and can quickly adapt to digest anything they are not able to naturally. Their calorific requirement varies wildly with the availability of food, but is stable at around that of humans, provided they have no need to accelerate their metabolism.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

L.U.C.A exhibit all the same senses as ordinary humans, though their innate mutative nature means that the quality of these senses and the spectrum within which they operate varies from individual to individual. They also have an additional sense, afforded to them by their antennae. As a result they are able to detect pressure changes in the air around them, giving them an advanced spatial perception.

Scientific Name

Homo Artificialis mutafabrica

Origin/Ancestry

Because they contain the complete human genome, the human aspects of their appearance manifest a combination of a huge variety of human ethnicities. Because of this L.U.C.A can look radically different as adults, but there are few examples alive