[Normal] Theoretical Alterations

[Sarias]

As the document was opened a brief notification from Lord Sarias would flicker before even the first page was visible. A short description of the Acolyte's writings being found competent for their position, having been admitted into the archives to display an example of someone either new or aspiring for Organic Alchemy's musins and considerations for projects. It was to serve as just that - an example that was well-constructed and judged acceptable for the aforementioned purposes. Whenever or not any of these aspirations were possible or even practical was left up to the reader to decide. 

OOC: Original Document
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZWLD...8KhbY/edit

Alchemical Alterations

Acolyte Sirak Sekker

Contents

• Introduction
  
• Chosen Beasts
  
• Genetic alchemy information
  
• What changes would I make on my chosen beasts to improve
  
• Effect of alchemy on said beasts
  
• Conclusion
  

Introduction
Over the course of this essay I, Sirak Sekker, Son of Merys and proud Sekker, will go over a selection of beasts from the publicly available beast index. Cover their strengths, weaknesses, as well as what genetic alterations I would make to improve upon their prowess in multiple areas. It should be noted that I am currently still only a novice and know little of Alchemy in comparison to my betters, but nevertheless will do my best to formulate my thoughts and present them in an appropriate format.

Beasts

• Vine Cat
  
• Tuk’ata
  
• Shyrak
  
• Zeldrate
  
• Zakkeg
  
• Dragon Snake
  
• Rancor
  

Genetic Alchemy

Alchemy is an incredible art that requires the utmost devotion and patience to fulfil, capable of a variety of scientific and force related feats. One such beautiful combination comes in the form of organic alchemy - the art of twisting, contorting and inserting genes inside living beings. With this you can seemingly design beasts past their natural limitations, capitalising on their strengths or resolving certain fatal weaknesses. Generally, to perform organic alchemy, a scholarly consistency and time learning are required before you can even make the tiniest of changes. Such examples may include lobotomies of the species you are changing and/or an in-depth study of the creature's biology. These are both important as to prepare the appropriate alterations you wish to bestow as well as make the effort in doing so significantly easier.

Then you are faced with the last hurdle of organic arts, control of the new “Sithspawn” like entity. Any and all sorts of alchemy are heavily corrupting and this does not exclude the subject you are changing, greatly affecting the animals behaviour. Making it an unpredictable and risky endeavour, proper arrangements and plans should be made with any significant changes to take this into account. Or you’ll soon be facing the monstrosity you just created in a fight to the death.

The length at which these feats can go depends on a variety of factors; like the alchemist's capabilities, the unique beast in question, the changes chosen/placed and so on. Apprentice Vipion noted that even as a pupil of the craft, she was capable of placing up to eight alterations on a single beast at one point. Though admitted that a majority of them were small and appearance related. This does beg the question, however, of how many changes one can make to a beast before it is no longer that species itself. How many planks can you replace on the ship before it is no longer the same ship - a good metaphor or this.


Analysis and Alterations

It was imperative for me that when figuring genetic alterations, I take into account the basis of what I’m working with. What strengths do they already have and what weaknesses could possibly be fixed or aided with alchemy, and so on.


Vine Cat



Pros:

• Strong and powerful due to their weight
  
• Razor sharp teeth and claws
  
• Tails for enhanced balance and movement
  
• Incredible adaptability
  

Cons:

• Lack of range in its attacks
  
• Large/heavy size counteracts possible advantage from camouflaged skin
  
• Heavy food requirements, possibly brought a species to extinction.
  

One change I would make would be to capitalise on its abrupt speed and pouncing capabilities by giving it a type of chameleon-like camouflage. This ability to blend in will give it the advantage of surprise against its prey and have it find greater use of its rapid attack capabilities and movement.

Looking back to one of the previously stated weaknesses, we find that the heavy-set nature of the beast may make it hard to stay quiet even with the new addition. The alteration of its hands/feet with padding and retractable claws may help this. Significantly quietening down the movements of the beast in stealth, similar to the Tooka cats of Tatooine.


Tuk’ata



Pros:

• Clawed paws for enhanced leaps and lunges
  
• Whip-like tail for balance and attack
  
• Strong spiked spine for defence and shock absorption
  
• Designed and bred for guarding
  
• Semi-intelligent for a beast, able to communicate
  

Cons:

• Specialised heavily into one thing - guarding.
  
• No impressive capabilities of stealth or ambush
  
• Durable but not particularly tough skin
  

Tuk’ata being primarily used as a guarding beast in the past, I wanted to take advantage of that idea and further increase their size and strength with Alchemy.

Thermal vision capabilities or enhanced senses may aid in defence against creatures of stealth - a technique the beast would be poor in himself.

Should the Tuk’ata be able to handle higher levels of corruption due to its nature, I would also further add some additional capabilities to its arsenal and general intimidation; like additional appendages, bodily spikes, ignited belching/breathing or even whip-like tentacles to its frame.


Shyrak



Pros:

• Movement/capability of flight
  
• Harder to hit than most creatures
  
• Enhanced sense of hearing and smell
  
• Works well in a flock/pack
  

Cons:

• Typically weak bodied and easy to hurt
  
• Doesn’t work too well alone
  
• Slow-moving
  

Increase the size of bones that are responsible for wing flap power and veracity. Training the Shyrak/s to fly in deep-dive manoeuvres to attack should create a more advanced assault capability in abrupt and speedily delivered bites.

A fast paced type approach means little attention to defence is needed.

Finally, I would further build upon the beast with deadly poison excretion upon either its body or spiked hands. To make the beast a deadly hit and run creature.


Zeldrate



Pros:

• Built for slickness and speed
  
• Camouflage skin-type
  
• Clawed hands and tusk like front teeth
  
• Cold blooded adaptability to heat (ask more about)
  

Cons:

• Low strength/power
  
• Fickle skin/lack of defences
  

Capitalising on what the beast very obviously is designed for as an ambush-styled predator is paramount. Its camouflaged skin and speedy aerodynamic body instil this idea. So, I would give the creature a more literal sense of camouflage - scales capable of adapting to the colours and general environment around it. Second, a paralytic poison excreted via pores on the body can help it make sure the first strike is likewise the last.

Lastly, tentacle-like appendages placed upon the back of the beast should give it an omni-directional option for attacking, as well as increased movement. Furthermore, a greasy type of substance that can either be belched by the creature or shot out as an excretion from one of said prior tentacle appendages will slow and lather its prey. Further boosting its ability to outmanoeuvre and capture them.


Zakkeg



Pros:

• Incredibly durable, “comparable to durasteel plating”
  
• Powerful and very heavy
  
• Spiked/knobbed body
  
• Indigenous to jungle planets, body type likely hard to ambush.
  

Cons:

• Not particularly built for speed nor marathon level endurance
  
• More efficient defence than its offence
  

Being likely unable to improve the Zakkegs speed much, I realised it best to instead increase its range. Improvements to the length of the arms and size will help in this endeavour, augmentation of its thus far impressively tough skin can always narrow the options of how an enemy could combat the Zakkeg.

Genetically modifying the creature's pre-existing spiked body to be capable of shooting those spikes out like darts in all directions fascinates me. Or even going as far as to manipulate the bones of the beast such that it has the ability to curl into a spiked ball and become a paragon of both offensive and defensive rolls.


Dragon Snake



Pros:

• Powerful tail
  
• Fast moving through water
  
• Long arms for grasping/digging
  
• Heavy with a lot of man-power
  
• Moderately durable scales
  
• Body capable of wrapping prey until asphyxiation or drowning
  

Cons:

• Poor land capabilities
  
• Not a lot of versatility/adaptability
  
• Poor reproduction efficiency
  

Here, I wanted a couple additions to the Dragon Snake that I thought would capitalise on both its body type as well as hunting technique. First, either a sonic or gas based attack from its mouth will be useful as both options travel faster through water than anything else, particularly with sound based attacks. Second, a pair of wings will increase the versatility of the beast and make it more capable and of use in land based scenarios/combat albeit with risk.

Rancor



Pros:

• Ridiculously powerful strength
  
• Heavy, hard to move
  
• Claws on long arms, razor sharp teeth
  
• Semi-sentient
  
• Tough skin capable of blaster deflection
  
• Some cases of night vision like qualities
  

Cons:

• Large target to hit
  
• Slower in comparison to some other beasts
  
• Larger eating requirement
  
• Limited range in attacks/defence
  

A large array of spikes upon the back should stop close quarters strikes and will halt a lot of flanks with the lightsaber. On its chest, a rib-cage like crater with one singular pore/blister to trap and drain entities that the rancor can shove in there could further prove useful in sustaining not only the rancors energy but perhaps lifeforce.

This new pseudo ribcage can then close when its prey is inside, practically acting as a death sentence. Should it still be capable of more alterations, then the further addition of tentacle organs around the crater could aid in the endeavour of grabbing prey to put inside.


Consequences/effects of alchemy on specimens

The greater extent of changes and how large they are will most-definitely corrupt whichever subject you are applying them to. We have already stated how corruption can have some occasional debilitating effects on the body as well as the mind and its behaviour. Yet through seeking the wisdom of those more experienced than me I have found a variety of other effects that myself and a surprising amount of others overlook. For one, their presence in the force is twisted to be larger, darker, and generally more noticeable than perhaps it would have been otherwise. This could prove depending on the scenario either a strength or more-often than not a weakness. As force sensitive enemies and particularly Jedi I suspect will smell the corruption from a parsec away.

An additional thing I found according to the assistant alchemy is that sometimes corruption can offer the subject a resistance to some force attacks. This could prove an incredible strength in dealing with force sensitive foes, as the force is one of if not the biggest strength of these types of opponents. To nullify active attacks or manipulation makes the beast much more formidable. I am curious as to if this can be enhanced further by inserting the genes of another animal such as the Ysalamiri when performing organic chemistry. Placing its force nullification/resistance on a more combat ready animal.

One last thing that’s quite noteworthy is that most beings that have extensive levels of alchemy performed on them like this are hence unable to provide offspring - that is to say, they are infertile. Apprentice Vipion suggested this to be the case for the most part, though it is not a rule of thumb as shown by some prior alchemically enhanced beasts over the years such as the Tuk’ata. Something of interesting consideration when thinking about the creation of new species or whether alchemy has an appropriate use on species that may be close to extinction.

Conclusion

This venture into creating an essay on the basics of organic alchemy has proved incredibly fruitful in expanding my knowledge and interest of the art. Through seeking out my superiors as well as dedicated study I have found new insight into what being a pupil of this art entails or requires, corrupting effects it may have on subjects, as well as wider expansion on my general knowledge of alchemy as a whole. I am not a fool to imply I know a great deal, I still have a significant amount of time and effort to go before I can call myself a pupil. I am privileged to have found time in talking to Lord Sarias and the assistant alchemist. But I suppose as with everyone else, you have to start somewhere. Post-essay I will likely follow up this interest by looking at the works of Sorzus Syn and the Dark Jedi, but that is a matter of another time and requires more than I could write here.