I was just wondering, the Lucidians, unlike other races, are inorganic, so how would breeding or interbreeding for that matter work for them? I thought it would be cool if my Viscanti character had Lucidian features.

Chunks of them fall off and grow into little Lucidians

um, theres some debate about that.

from what we know for sure. Lucidians are crystaline forms infused with magic and splintered from the elder god Xyl. It can be assumed this magic changes the structure abit. they have internal organs and blood and need food and air like the other races. so just extrapolating from this i'd say Lucidians are a form of mineral like substance which shares organic features. like growing and requirement for food and sunlight. However does that mean they can interbreed. Well lets see, i'd say that since all the elder-gods are composed from the same aetheric substance but make their forms as they wish then when you get right down to it all of the splintered races should be able to interbred with little trouble. Dunno how this applies for humans and the transformed races.

so in short i'd say yes you could have other races with lucidian like features, possibly.

but in the case of the Viscanti which are ordinary races, or the descendant of the ordinary races who were caught in the taint you could simply say you are a Lucidian Viscanti, the desedant of some unlucky Lucidians who we're caught in the taint and therefore transformed easy.

and yes I think about lucidians to much.

I believe it's been said that humans are capable of breeding with any race. Also, I wouldn't really call silicon inorganic, there's at least one species of grass that uses silicon in its structure. I'd say lucidians are very similar to that, which is why they're resistant to cutting yet vulnerable to bludgeoning. Of course, I could be wrong about everything, but that's what makes the most sense to me. Also, please note, that lucidians can get their body pierced just like everyone else, and there is a good deal of magic involved in their make-up. I believe Eyod covered everything else.

By definition, organic life has a carbon base/backbone. If that isn't there, it isn't organic.

Oxford English Dictionary (www.oed.com)

Definition of Organic (a, and n)

A. adj. I. General uses.

1. Anat. Designating the jugular vein. Obs. rare.

2. a. Biol. and Med. Of a part of the body: composed of distinct parts or tissues (obs.); of, relating to, or of the nature of an organ or organs. Later (Med.): producing or characterized by structural or other pathological change in an organ or organs (now esp. the brain) (cf. FUNCTIONAL a. 2a); not psychogenic.
b. Having organs, or an organized physical structure; of, relating to, or derived from a living organism or organisms; having the characteristics of a living organism. Cf. INORGANIC a. 1a.

3. a. Serving as an instrument or means to an end; instrumental. Obs.
b. Relating to an instrument or means. Cf. ORGANON n. 2. Obs. rare.
c. Math. Of the drawing of a curve: performed by means of instruments; mechanical. Chiefly in organic description. Cf. earlier ORGANICAL a. 2b. hist.
Chiefly with reference to Isaac Newton.

4. Of or relating to a musical instrument or technique. a. Resembling a musical organ, or the tones of an organ; organ-like. Obs.
b. Early Music. Relating to the organum (ORGANUM n.1 4). Obs. rare.
c. Ancient Greek Music. Of or relating to musical instruments; instrumental. Obs. rare.

5. a. Belonging to or inherent in a living being; constitutional; natural. Also in organic-feeling adj. Now rare.
b. Linguistics. Basic to the form of a wrod; not introduced by inflexion. Now disused.
c. Belonging to the constitution of an organized whole; structural.

6. Of or relating to an organized structure compared to a living being. a. Of, relating to, or characterized by connection or coordination of parts into a single, harmonious whole; organized; systematic.
b. Law. Constitutive; that establishes or sets up; stating the formal constitution of a nation or other political entity. Chiefly in organic law.
c. Econ. organic composition of capital, the composition of capital expressed in terms of the value of the means of production and the value of wages (see quot. 1887).
d. Designating a work of art in which the parts seem naturally or necessarily coordinated into the whole; (Archit.) (in the writings of Frank Lloyd Wright) designating a style which attempts to make a unity of a building and its setting and environment; (also, more generally) designating any of various styles in which the character of buildings is more or less reminiscent of a living organism. Cf. METABOLISM n. 1d.
e. Characterized by continuous or natural development; (Business) designating expansion generated by a company's own resources, as opposed to that resulting from the acquisition of other companies.

7. Chem. a. Originally: relating to or designating compounds which exist naturally as constituents of living organisms or are formed from such substances (all of which contain carbon and hydrogen). Later: of, relating to, or designating any compounds of carbon (other than certain simple compounds such as oxides, carbides, carbonates, etc.), whether of biological or non-biological origin. See also organic chemistry, sense 9. Cf. INORGANIC a. 1b.
b. Of an element: contained in organic compounds.

8. Of, relating to, or derived from living matter. a. Of a fertilizer or manure: produced from natural substances, usually without the addition of chemicals.
b. Of a method of farming or gardening: using no chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or other artificial chemicals. Also designating a farmer or gardener utilizing such a method, or a farm on which the method is employed.
c. Of food: produced without the use of artificial fertilizers, pesticides, or other artificial chemicals.


Narsrim, your definition is number 7 of 8, and that's just in section 1 of the OED (it has a section 2 too, but I couldn't be bothered to carry on cut and pasting). Just thought I'd rain on your parade a bit.

Ta.

Pah, I was going to say that!

I think Lisaera or someone actually said that's what happens. Might not have been her, can't remember who.

The backbone thing seems wrong. There are many creatures without backbones. The carbon thing just seems like an outdated term left over from old biology theories.

Carbon backbone meaning that the fundamental molecular basis of the organism is a carbon structure...

And Aiakon, take an organic or biochem class. Organic means "carbon based."

Anything with carbon in it is said to be "organic."

Anything that lacks carbon is "inorganic."

If something is silicon based and not carbon based it is by definition, "inorganic."

I believe I've expressed a similar sentiment before: especially in a magical based environment, everything does not have to match up with textbook biology. As such, it would be silly to assume that lucidians couldn't be silicon-based; indeed, it makes more sense than saying they are cell-based, and if they aren't cell-based, then of course they're not technically alive. But, I digress. Lucidians should, in my opinion, be able to reproduce with any other species, because even if they cannot do so physically, it should pose little difficulty for them to magically impregnate someone, or vice-versa.

it'd be real neat to find/artificially-create silicon based life. imagine how slowly it's chemical proscesses would be though...
i don't think that even if we made some or found some we'd be able to see if it's allive or not in our lifetime.

I don't care, actually. I was simply making it clear that a silicon based lifeform is not an organic lifeform.

Heh yes that makes much more sense now . It was the '/' that fooled me. That, and it's late. Or early, depending on how you look at it.

Cry, Quidgy, your question made me sad and throw up a little.

I guess I did pay attention in chem class.

Just adding totally useless item to this discussion:





For the real world Narsrim is right (untill we find a silicon lifeform that walks and talks). In lusternia however I'd say Lucidians are organic too even without the carbon.

yes I'm bored and am looking on the net for the most stupid things.

Lucidians eat, sleep, and bleed... so I imagine they have little crystalline fun parts to go along with it. They're just as alive as any other race, just not as obviously so.

Wrong.
Carbon based lifeforms are just the only "organic" substances we know of, if that was in deed the only qualifying reagent then diamonds snfd graphite would be organic. If anything silicon based life forms are just as viable as carbon based ones from a chemical stand point, with a little prodding they can make the same rediculouly large chains that carbon makes, and these carbon chains is what makes life possible. Just becouse all organic organisms we "know" of are based on carbon does not mean that this is the qualifying factor. Believe me.

...Why are we arguing chemistry in a FANTASY world?