Round 4
Location: Belgium
New Time Period: Atla ~ 563 Million years ago
13 million years later, this timelineโs version of the Shuram Excursion has peaked. Volcanic rifts caused continental crust extension of your worldโs version of Siberia, Baltica, and Laurentia paleocontinents from Supercontinent Pannotia. Very narrow seas start to form as the paleocontinents continue to pull apart from the Pannotian Geodynamic Magmacell, coinciding with drop sea levels to 60 meters above present day. This drop in sea levels is theorized to be from increasing ice accumulation at the poles, which may or may not be related with the Shuram Excursion, as sea levels normally rise with breakup of Supercontinents.
On this alternative Earth, super powered organisms have completely displaced ones without powers. Offshots of Firebending fungus have become the dominant land lifeform, completely replacing non-super powered microbial mats. They have begun a symbiotic relationship with Strengthening/Weakening (Other Organisms) ancient Desmid-like Plant cells, becoming far larger than what they were due to the unicellular Plant cells powers, and forming more complex tissue structures. Primordial superpower Plants similar to filamentous freshwater-based algae Spirogyra and Zygnema with different shaped Chloroplasts continue to become larger, yet still not as large as symbiotic superpowered Fungi with superpowered Plants. Primordial land plant ancestors similar to soil algae Klebsormidium and freshwater algae Charales have also started to make a mark.
Purple Protists have blossomed in the ocean after the bloom of multicellular super plants. Some of these Purple Protist suddenly gained prominence on the ocean floor due to their power of Healing Factor. These ancestral Eukaryotic organisms are neither Plants, Animals, or Fungi, and have gained their color due to Purple Sulfur Bacteria symbionts. However, they have far less Bacteria than one would expect, as these Bacteria seem to be different than the ones in the original timeline. On the ocean floor, these super Protist offshoots have congregated in unique polyhedral shapes, giving them their name, Polyhedromorphs. These Polyhedromorphic Purple Algae have nearly over run the native biota, attaching and covering nearly every non-algae macroscopic organism. This has inadvertently caused extinction of many offshoot organisms from the Mara Assembleage that could not cope up (minus 25% population to all surviving species).
Thus, this new Yunta Assemblage is dominated by sessile Polyhedromorphs. But this is not the whole story. Some organisms from the previous Mara Assemblage evolved to become more mobile in a variety of ways. It is clear that transition from sessile to active movement is occurring. None more apparent than the start of โfloatersโ, the first organisms in this new timeline to actively move between the upper and lower zones of the oceans. Also, some forms of life in the Yunta Assembleage are bioluminescent, and with others developing primitive eyes sight or guts. Super powered life is becoming complex faster than it ever did in the White Sea Assemblage of the original timeline.
What effects will with the powers of Prokaryotes bring into this equation?
Lantianelle laevis
The Controlling Super Power organism evolved a state of deep stasis in order to conserve resources and have heightened resistance to external events like food shortages or predator attacks. Even though truly mobile predators have yet to evolve. It also evolved a new stage, mobile spore-like drones to harvest corpses and protect colonies. This helped Lantianelle laevis against the onslaught of Purple Protist Polyhedromorphs (try to say this ten times fast) compared to other organisms. However, it also pushes away Flabellophyton Mystificus, and this protection did not extend as much to symbiotic partners Sprigginia floundersi and Xinuiningella rara and their offshoots. As a result, the sessile adult form has become more numerous in the mixed colonies, which also now includes the florescent Arborea elegans. Maybe there will be some beneficial interactions with Vendoconularia triradiata eventually.
| Power Level | Pop | Food Gathering | Health | Speed | Movement | Intel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3.4 | 5.5 | ? | 1 | 0 (1) | ? |
Xinuiningella rara
The sessile Firebending Fungus has become the first super powered organism to develop resistance against their own power, reducing competition between species individuals, and giving its spores better viability after literally exploding out from its parent organism. Perhaps more organisms will develop resistance to their own powers. Xinuiningella rara has also evolved a unique fire-based biology of movement used Steam Vacuoles that are cooled down using subcellular water tubules, although it is still slow at the moment. The organismโs Mycelium network has entered a symbiosis with the light bending Arborea elegans, which has given its some production of bioluminsecent Luceriferin with Luciferase in exchange for more resources. This has brought Arborea elegans and some of its offshoots into mixed colonies that include symbiotic Lantianelle laevis and Sprigginia floundersi. However, the sudden coating of Polyhedromorphs has left Lantianelle laevis in greater numbers due to its power set. Despite Xinuiningella rara abilities, the regenerating Purple Algae remains a persistent nuisance just out of burning range. Offshoots of Vendoconularia triradiata still ends up disrupting the Mycelium network, but less than before due to its new movement stage, with the greatest potential disruption besides Polyhedromorphs coming from offshoots of Sprigginia floundersi.
| Power Level | Pop | Food Gathering | Health | Speed | Movement | Intel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3.6 | 4.0 | ? | 1 | 0.5 | ? |
Spriggina floundersi
This Invisible Power organism now has segmented armor, much like early Arthropods in your timeline. This has given the organism better movement, allowing it to graze more Microbial Mats, continuing the ancient sea substrate revolution. With Arborea elegans and its offshoots producing biolumiscence, in addition to their light bending powers, Spriggina floundersi and its offshoots are able to react to the possible different colors and patterns of light from having primitive eyes. This may end up producing even more complex ecosystem interactions. Is the bioluninsesence attracting them? Repelling them? We will find out. At least the disruption of its Invisibility are less now due to Arborea elegans being included in mixed colonies and Xinuiningella raraโs Mycelium network, but it now has to also occasionally deal with sonics from Vendoconularia triradiata. The largest issue is the tough to eat Polyhedromorphs, which as reduce the overall population.
| Power Level | Pop | Food Gathering | Health | Speed | Movement | Intel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2.75 | 3.5 | ? | 1.5 | 1.7 | ? |
Flabellophyton Mystificus
The Attraction Power organism has developed a better primitive digestive system for digesting food. Interestingly, it has also developed the ability to detach from the sediment. This has helped against increased competition for food from mixed colonies of โarmโ organisms, making this organism come into greater contact with mixed colonies of Lantianelle laevis, Spriggina floundersi, Arborea elegans, and Xinuiningella rara. Perhaps attracted by the light bending and fluorescence of Arborea elegans. Unfortunately, the drones Lantianelle laevis tend to drive the organism away. Spriggina floundersi with its primitive eyes, seems to be curious about this strange starfish-like cone creature. The relationship with Arborea elegans, which can also detect light to an extent, seems to have become more neutral. Flabellophyton Mystificus now has greater contact with Vendoconularia triradiata, where they tend to avoid each other if they too close each other. Like other organisms of the Yunta Assemblage, this organism had to deal with the numerous Polyhedramorphs, and due to its attraction powers, has been hit harder than other organisms by the vast amount of Purple Protists.
| Power Level | Pop | Food Gathering | Health | Speed | Movement | Intel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2.5 | 4.5 | ? | 1 | 0.5 | ? |
Vendoconularia triradiata
The living sonicator organism has developed a middle buoyancy layer called the Mesoepiple, and simultaneously evolved a new life stage similar to sea jellies. This has made Vendoconularia triradiata the first plankton species in this new timeline. Floating to near the surface of the ancient Belgian ocean to catch more prey, but it moves very slowly in order to avoid potential issues with differences in water pressure. This also made it the first Animal organism to have contact with Super Plants in the form of Plant algae Charales. Some of this multicellular Plants are inadvertently ingested by the Echolocation (Sonic Scream) organism, while others end up being attached to it. Possibly bringing Strengthening/Weakening Power Plant cells back into the depths of the ancient Atla oceans. Being a planktonic species means it spends less time on the ocean floor, and does not have much contact with the offshoots of mixed fluorescent colonies of Lantianelle laevis, Spriggina floundersi, Arborea elegans, and Mycelium of Xinuiningella rara, or the offshoot colonies of Flabellophyton Mystificus. The multi-life stage organism tends to avoid drones of Lantianelle laevis, and seems to avoid Flabellophyton Mystificus more often as well. It was slightly less hit than others by the arrival and entrenchment of Polyhedramorphs due to the new lifestyle, but still gets weighed down quite a bit by all of the Purple algae being attached.
| Power Level | Pop | Food Gathering | Health | Speed | Movement | Intel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3.7 | 6 | ? | 1.2 | 1 | ? |
Arborea elegans
Arborea elegens managed to survive by creating a symbiotic relationship with the Mycellium network of Xinuiningella rara by giving some bioluminescent Luciferin with Luciferase in exchange for more nutrients. This has led to fluorescent multicellular organisms for the first time in this timeline, and surviving offshoots of Xinuiningella rara have started to use it. Because of this symbiotic relationship, the sessile passive nutrient absorbing organism has now become a part of the mixed colonies formed with Lantianelle laevis and Spriggina floundersi. The primitive light based communication by this organism, and the bioluminescence, have observed by Spriggina floundersiโs primitive eyes. While having a better relationship, the light based powers of this organism can still disrupt Spriggina floundersiโs Invisibility if felt threatened enough. Also applies to occasional interactions with the final sea-jelly stage Vendoconularia triradiata. Colonies of Flabellophyton Mystificus and it offshoots also now seem to have less antagonist relationship. Due to being sessile, it was one of the hardest hit by the arrival of Polyhedromorphs, which started to outcrowd the stabilizing population of this species. The organism still needs to increase the spread of species in some fashion, as the symbiotic relationship with the Mycelium might not be enough to keep this species alive for longterm.
| Power Level | Pop | Food Gathering | Health | Speed | Movement | Intel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2.4 | 3.0 | ? | 1 | 0 | ? |
Planet Conditions:
Mean atmospheric O2 content: ~8 vol % (~40% of modern)
Mean atmospheric CO2 content: ~4400 ppm (~15.8 times pre-industrial)
Mean surface temperature: ~21ยฐC (7.5ยฐC above pre-industrial)
Mean Sea level: +60m above present
Everyone has 2 Mutations.
Do you have suggestions on what we should rename Belgium?
Current list of all possible powers for Bosses as reference:
Animal/Fungus power list:
Hydrokinesis (Water bending), Earthkinesis (Earth/metalbending), Boil, Split, Freezing, Toxic Chemical Emission, Sediment Manipulation, High Food Efficiency, Forging Materials, Electric Generations, Hardening
Plant/Microorganism power list:
Magnetism Control, Phasing Ability, Gigantification, Minimization, Stun, Mimic, Entrance, Small distance teleportation, Resistance Enhancement, Strengthen/Weaken (active on other creatures), predation/carnovory, Rot, radiation emission, speed enhancement, phasing, foresight
Protist power list:
Airbending, Healing Factor, Super Intelligence, Internal Space (allows for greater internal volume in another dimension), Unstructure (become a hyperflexible jelly-like being, greatly reducing damage), Destruct (Self Destruction, far greater magnitude than normally possible), Silence (reduces sound propagation to zero), Blindness (reduces visual stimuli to zero within the target), Coast (Frictional coefficient drops to zero, allowing continued movement through a medium), Viscous (Turns the medium surrounding them into a non-neutonian fluid), Mark (At the creatures passing, will leave a permanent etch into their resting place, which can strengthen same-specie creatures living near it)