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| Umbriel; A tiny world basks in the warm red glow of a dying sun. | |||||||||
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| Topic Started: Nov 26 2014, 06:12 PM (8,964 Views) | |||||||||
| Picrodus | Nov 26 2014, 06:12 PM Post #1 | ||||||||
:Ominous Wind:
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Three billion years in the future the sun has swelled up as a red giant to the orbit of Earth and nothing is left of the inner systems former glory. The once lush planet Earth now a burnt cinder orbiting only about 13 million miles from the sun. However there is still a shelter in the solar system where life has taken hold. However because of the red sun's massive and super heated form, this haven no longer exists in the inner system but the outer system. Towards the end of the age of humanity 3 billion years ago the humans set up ark ships that which were in fact glorified seed banks meant to seed the many future water worlds of the outer solar system in hopes that in the far future they would wake and colonize these worlds. These ships blasted off from Earth off towards many targets in the outer solar system where they would bury themselves in the primordial wasteland of the planet/moon that was their target and await the time when the shipboard sensors detected an atmosphere suitable for life to inhabit. Although feeble atmospheres did form on a few worlds of the outer solar system, only one ark stood the test of time and remained functioning throughout the eons. As can be expected from technology. Who expects 100% efficiency from machines especially ones that are now billions of years old. The ark that stood the test of time was one located on Umbriel, a moon of Uranus. Umbriel by this point had formed a feeble atmosphere with oxygen, and useful amounts of carbon dioxide due to large deposits in the ice and primordial outgassing, as well as a few other trace elements. Its loss of atmosphere was also almost negligible due to its orbit lying within the gargantuan magnetosphere of its parent. The Ark ships carried two components. One component, or the first stage, was to release seeds of trees, plants, and crops kept fresh by the ship when enough carbon dioxide was found to be present. After the plants were released they would work to create a sustained biosphere and with that a stable atmosphere and eventually produce enough oxygen for animals and humans to be released from the ark as stage two. Sadly, (or not depending on your view) there was never enough oxygen/atmospheric pressure for stage two to be initiated. Because of this life on Umbriel has not turned out the way the terrans expected. Here the plants took a very shocking turn in evolution. Now Umbriel is a world dominated by a new type of creature. Umbriel is a rather cold world with the climate being retained at about 50° fahrenheit at the most and -30° at the least. Because of this, of the plants released only the hardier mountain dwelling species survived. With the most successful being Conifers, it is no surprise that they gave rise to the new creatures. The Planimals. Umbriel rolls on its side through the universe due to it orbiting on the equatorial plain of a planet with a 97 degree axial tilt. Its poles alternating between 40 years of day and 40 years of night. The trees and plants, to escape either extreme, would follow the terminator by developing movement or risk death. The development of locomotion was the first step towards becoming Umbral animals. And many plants did die in the early stages of colonization. However this terminator was extremely forgiving, taking 40 years to switch from pole to pole. Plant seeding occured 500 million years ago when Umbriel was still warming. The current date is 3 billion years hence. The earliest divergent Conifers developed locomotion by dragging themselves along by their roots which remained underground. They were the first plants to do so though other groups later followed suit and broke the barrier into becoming more than plants, they were planimals. Similar locomotion can be seen in today's primitive monopedal fur trees. When the humans created these Arks they imagined that they would wake up to beautiful worlds prime for colonization ripe with crops to upstart civilization once again. Unfortunately a less than useful species took the dominant role...and on a world colder than they had expected.... Welcome to Umbriel the Conifer moon!
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 My Deviantart A work in progress. Other Liked Quote: "The "habitable zone" will expand along with the Sun. This will warm once-frozen planets and their moons, bringing a brief springtime after a 10-billion-year winter." | |||||||||
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| Victorbrine | Apr 21 2016, 08:50 AM Post #46 |
Adult
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Assuming that the footage would be from aliens discovering our solar system or future humans. Footage sped up could be just for the movement of those creatures. Or I assume everything on this moon is slow? |
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“There's a tree," Starflight said, jumping to his feet. "In the forest." "No way," Glory said. "A tree in the forest?” "Ce corps qui s'appelait et qui s'appelle encore le saint empire romain n'était en aucune manière ni saint, ni romain, ni empire." -Voltaire "So if you wake up in the morning and it's a particularly beautiful day you'll know we made it." -Capa "One of those capsules hit a wing." Victor said. "Had to do an emergency landing." He pointed to a crumpled plane a couple dozen meters behind him and shrugged. "Not my most elegant landing." -me in Flisch's story "Spec Evo: Void Entry" (Act 3) "but by rule 34 of the multiverse, if it exists, there’s a world full of it." -Tet "I must ask you to leave now." -Everyone (not realy though) in Flisch's story "Spec Evo: Void Entry" Projects Status My Blog (SE Blog) Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyBzYPIsLp0uHoPtT6ZEyww | |
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| Picrodus | Apr 21 2016, 11:03 AM Post #47 |
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:Ominous Wind:
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Yeah Victorbrine, everything on the moon is this slow. I would rather such a story be told by the species rising to sapience. Outside interactions aren't really in the cards right now. Also, since they all move so slow, slow movement is not recognized as slow to the native lifeforms. It would be to us because we have the capability to move so much quicker. I made the analogy of Umbriel's size to them, as being the same size as Earth to us. It is all about perception. As they move so slow, distances seem so much greater. What we perceive as hundreds of miles, will feel like thousands to those that can only move one mile in 7 hours. |
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My Deviantart A work in progress. Other Liked Quote: "The "habitable zone" will expand along with the Sun. This will warm once-frozen planets and their moons, bringing a brief springtime after a 10-billion-year winter." | |
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| Victorbrine | Apr 22 2016, 06:58 AM Post #48 |
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Adult
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So if they see a formula 1 they would think its speeding at... let's say 60% the speed of light or sound? Well that's interesting. |
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“There's a tree," Starflight said, jumping to his feet. "In the forest." "No way," Glory said. "A tree in the forest?” "Ce corps qui s'appelait et qui s'appelle encore le saint empire romain n'était en aucune manière ni saint, ni romain, ni empire." -Voltaire "So if you wake up in the morning and it's a particularly beautiful day you'll know we made it." -Capa "One of those capsules hit a wing." Victor said. "Had to do an emergency landing." He pointed to a crumpled plane a couple dozen meters behind him and shrugged. "Not my most elegant landing." -me in Flisch's story "Spec Evo: Void Entry" (Act 3) "but by rule 34 of the multiverse, if it exists, there’s a world full of it." -Tet "I must ask you to leave now." -Everyone (not realy though) in Flisch's story "Spec Evo: Void Entry" Projects Status My Blog (SE Blog) Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyBzYPIsLp0uHoPtT6ZEyww | |
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| Adman | Apr 22 2016, 07:52 AM Post #49 |
Totally not lamna
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I'm really curious as to how the volant lifeforms on Umbriel move around, seeing how slowly their earthbound counterparts move about. Would they be passive gliders, or active fliers? Also, will you be covering ecosystems on Umbriel? Edited by Adman, Apr 22 2016, 09:40 AM.
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Projects and concepts that I have stewing around Extended Pleistocene- An alternate future where man died out, and the megafauna would continue to thrive (may or may not include a bit about certain future sapients) Inverted World- An alternate timeline where an asteroid hit during the Barremian, causing an extinction event before the Maastrichtian. Dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and notosuchians make it to the present, along with a host of other animals. Badania- Alien planet that has life at a devonian stage of development, except it exists in the present day. Ido- Alien world where hoppers (derived flightless ballonts) and mouthpart-legged beasts are prevalent. Leto- Life on a moon orbiting a gas giant with an erratic orbit; experiences extremes of hot and cold. The Park- ??? Deeper Impact- a world where the K-Pg extinction wipes out crocodilians, mammals, and birds; squamates, choristoderes, and turtles inherit the earth. World of Equal Opportunity- alternate history where denisovans come across Beringia and interact with native fauna. Much of the Pleistocene fauna survives, and the modern humans that end up crossing into North America do not overhunt the existing animals. 10,000 years later, civilizations exist that are on par with European and Asian societies. The Ditch- Nothing is what if seems.. | |
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| Picrodus | Apr 22 2016, 03:53 PM Post #50 |
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:Ominous Wind:
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To be honest with you, I do not yet have a concrete example drawn on which I hope to base the Volant forms off of as of yet. For now such things are relegated to the depths of my imagination. Though you may like to know that I am currently developing the sapients of this world and their relatives for which I do have art in the works. Also, on the subject of ecosystems, that will come about, but I am not exactly sure when. Though I do know that before any updates devoted to ecosystems are posted, that I would first like to update my world map more to both my own liking as well as ease of viewing. |
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My Deviantart A work in progress. Other Liked Quote: "The "habitable zone" will expand along with the Sun. This will warm once-frozen planets and their moons, bringing a brief springtime after a 10-billion-year winter." | |
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| Adman | Apr 23 2016, 11:32 AM Post #51 |
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Totally not lamna
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Well I might be wrong, but I was personally thinking that the volant forms could be related to such creatures like the trolls, since they seem to be the most active terrestrial lifeforms on Umbriel. They could also have root-derived wings, with some form of structural support so they can maintain their shape even if they are damaged, though that might require the evolution of an Umbrielian lifeform that can move its roots above ground. Or they could just use modified cones to glide from place to place.
Edited by Adman, Apr 23 2016, 12:30 PM.
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Projects and concepts that I have stewing around Extended Pleistocene- An alternate future where man died out, and the megafauna would continue to thrive (may or may not include a bit about certain future sapients) Inverted World- An alternate timeline where an asteroid hit during the Barremian, causing an extinction event before the Maastrichtian. Dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and notosuchians make it to the present, along with a host of other animals. Badania- Alien planet that has life at a devonian stage of development, except it exists in the present day. Ido- Alien world where hoppers (derived flightless ballonts) and mouthpart-legged beasts are prevalent. Leto- Life on a moon orbiting a gas giant with an erratic orbit; experiences extremes of hot and cold. The Park- ??? Deeper Impact- a world where the K-Pg extinction wipes out crocodilians, mammals, and birds; squamates, choristoderes, and turtles inherit the earth. World of Equal Opportunity- alternate history where denisovans come across Beringia and interact with native fauna. Much of the Pleistocene fauna survives, and the modern humans that end up crossing into North America do not overhunt the existing animals. 10,000 years later, civilizations exist that are on par with European and Asian societies. The Ditch- Nothing is what if seems.. | |
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| Picrodus | Apr 27 2016, 01:53 AM Post #52 |
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:Ominous Wind:
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Yithicus: The Yellow Tapestrithicus The Yithicus pictured above is seated upon its knee facing forward, tenting up its blubbery rolls that sag down to the sides. The reproductive cones are smartly hidden beneath the rolls in an effort to keep them warm. Note the texture of the needles, much like a rug in fact. Characterized by a proportionately large headcone bare only at the very tip, and a shaggy, blubbery body, the closest affective approximation is that of a Terran seal. Pictured here is the Yellow Tapestrithicus. Just one of a few successful lineages of Tapestrithicines that populate the twin lakes of Vuver and Setibos, the Yellow Tapestrithicus (Yithicus) is a highly intelligent animal. Capable of both advanced problem solving and all around higher thought in general. The Yithicus are most commonly found on the North Shore of Lake Setibos. It is here that they carry out their entire life; a life that occurs completely within the confines of Lake Setibos. The Yithicus, like all Umbral life, has only one limb and as such is considered monopodal. In particular the limb of the Yithicus has a forward facing knee joint that allows it to both propel itself “quickly” through the water as well as giving it the ability to hold its massive bulk erect on shore (but for a few seconds) for the purpose of scanning the area for danger and potentially for the possibility of foraging nearby. The Yithicus is effectively landlocked simply because it cannot overland great distances. Being Restricted to Lake Setibos for the entirety of its existence, one must realize that the Yithicus must endure the grueling 42 year winter caused by the onset of Umbriel’s night side. Few denizens of Umbriel’s surface are capable of such a feat and this is where the unique adaptations of the Yithicus excel. Year-round the Yithicus maintains a thick blubbery coat with the texture of a coarse tapestry or rug. (Owing to the species’ name.) This structure is made possible by the slow metabolism of the Yithicus counterbalanced by the large amounts of food that it conusumes. That along with the fact that any Yithicus is bound to be blubbery anyways, simply due to evolutionary adaptation. It is sure to consume as much floral and faunal matter as possible before the onset of winter, whether hungry or not. Although none of this would matter but for the fact that the rolls of “skin” and “fat” that the Yithicus maintains is not for the sake of rotundness or even insolation in and of itself. (Although insolation is part of it.) The rolls of the Yithicus are a way to provide increased surface area on its midsized frame for more stomatal muscle to form. The Yithicus’ rolls will even help it to stay warm through the process of increased physical exertion on the muscle. This is done by way of undulation caused by the expansion and contraction of the muscle. Although there is still a thick layer of blubber under the muscle that will indeed help to insulate the Yithicus in the dead of winter. During the winter, the muscle can even be excited without the consent of the sun by way of sticking to shallow water in areas of strong current and allowing debris and the strong current itself to caress the muscle and massage it. Causing it to expand and contract in a soothing rhythm that lulls the Yithicus into its months of hibernation, nestled in close proximity of its colony in order to share warmth. None of the Yithicus, any of them, no matter how well equipped for the winter’s harshness, could survive without the occasional meal. It is here that they use a cavity, within their headcone, that has stored food inside slowly rotting as the season passes by. They turn to this cavity only in times of dire need, perhaps only up until the point of starvation by death. As should this be depleted completely before the season is over, the individual Yithicus could most certainly perish. |
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My Deviantart A work in progress. Other Liked Quote: "The "habitable zone" will expand along with the Sun. This will warm once-frozen planets and their moons, bringing a brief springtime after a 10-billion-year winter." | |
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| Dapper Man | Apr 27 2016, 01:57 AM Post #53 |
* I am fed up with dis wuurld *
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This is one of my favorite projects, Pic! |
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Speculative Evolution: Manitou; The Needle in the Haystack. | |
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| Picrodus | Apr 27 2016, 02:15 PM Post #54 |
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:Ominous Wind:
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I do currently have some ideas bumping around for Volant forms. Hopefully they will come soon. Time permitting. Thanks Saessy, I'm glad you like it. I just need to get the refurbished world map out so that I can further organize the project. That way it could be more enjoyable. Something like that. Though that is probably exaggerating it a bit  I really couldn't tell you exactly. My brain isn't really mathematical. |
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My Deviantart A work in progress. Other Liked Quote: "The "habitable zone" will expand along with the Sun. This will warm once-frozen planets and their moons, bringing a brief springtime after a 10-billion-year winter." | |
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| Zorcuspine | Apr 27 2016, 11:11 PM Post #55 |
Enjoying our azure blue world
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Glad to see this project growing in popularity, it's certainly one of the most unique ones out there. 
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| Victorbrine | Apr 28 2016, 06:50 AM Post #56 |
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Adult
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Neither mine I kinda suck at math
Edited by Victorbrine, Apr 28 2016, 06:50 AM.
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“There's a tree," Starflight said, jumping to his feet. "In the forest." "No way," Glory said. "A tree in the forest?” "Ce corps qui s'appelait et qui s'appelle encore le saint empire romain n'était en aucune manière ni saint, ni romain, ni empire." -Voltaire "So if you wake up in the morning and it's a particularly beautiful day you'll know we made it." -Capa "One of those capsules hit a wing." Victor said. "Had to do an emergency landing." He pointed to a crumpled plane a couple dozen meters behind him and shrugged. "Not my most elegant landing." -me in Flisch's story "Spec Evo: Void Entry" (Act 3) "but by rule 34 of the multiverse, if it exists, there’s a world full of it." -Tet "I must ask you to leave now." -Everyone (not realy though) in Flisch's story "Spec Evo: Void Entry" Projects Status My Blog (SE Blog) Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyBzYPIsLp0uHoPtT6ZEyww | |
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| El Dorito | Apr 28 2016, 08:23 AM Post #57 |
chlorinated opthalmic trigonometric shape of conspiracy and dank memes
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I still really don't understand this that well, but it is probably one of the most ballsy projects here(for lack of a better word) and I'm starting to become fond of it. I'm not sure how a moon so small would be able to sustain an atmosphere or water though. |
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I REGRET NOTHING What if denizens of the United States call themselves 'Americans' so as to avoid being called USAliens? DeviantArt: EL-D0rito My Projects: Atlantis: The Next Union On hold until I regain interest. Argus: The Cyber-Planet Will be rewritten and redone almost completely | |
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| Picrodus | Apr 28 2016, 11:55 AM Post #58 |
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:Ominous Wind:
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My post here on Umbriel's worldhouse roof does its best to explain atmosphere and water retention. It is an artificial phenomena caused by the very same ship that brought the Terran life to Umbriel. |
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My Deviantart A work in progress. Other Liked Quote: "The "habitable zone" will expand along with the Sun. This will warm once-frozen planets and their moons, bringing a brief springtime after a 10-billion-year winter." | |
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| Picrodus | Apr 29 2016, 01:25 AM Post #59 |
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:Ominous Wind:
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The Tundric Flone One of just three Umbral groups to achieve a volant way of life, the Flones (pronounced flow-ns) may not look capable, upon first glance, of powered flight. However, all such doubts go away upon the realization that these are denizens of Umbriel, not Earth. In fact, the surface gravity of Umbriel is a measly .023 percent of Earth’s gravity. Problematic for animal life sure, what with the ease of muscular atrophy. It is lucky then we see, that the inhabitants of today’s Umbriel are in fact descendants of Earthly conifers. Their version of musculature evolving independently of the fauna of old Earth; in Umbral gravity no less. As such, flight in Umbral gravity is achieved with ease. A simple strong yet precise flap of the branches when not anchored to the ground by roots, assures a quick and easy escape to the sky. Though the air itself is thin, the Flones cope with ease. As gravity, not the air, is master here. Flones are most likely to occur in the windy plains of Albreich, and in some species the Kanaloan and Minepan tundras. Although in the case of the tundras they are often restricted to the eastern and westen edges where permafrost does not obstruct their roots. Much like buzzards the Flones are lazy fliers. Spending most of their time in the air, out of the reach of much fiercer predators. Though due to the laws of gravity they must land, and land they do. Often on rock outcroppings or perhaps on a particularly docile Doldrum tree in order to rest. In fact, Flones have been known to actively form a parasitic relationship with the more massive beings of Umbriel, both feeding on them and using them as roosts; a hard thing to find in the windswept plains or tundra. Flones nest in small colonies of up to 50 individuals. It is here that they act communally to defend their offspring from other aerial predation. Mothers and fathers paired monogamously working in tandem with the greater whole to ensure a better chance at survival for their egg-like offspring. Which, like any other Umbral animal must be planted in order to gain nutrients to grow into infancy. Masters of their domain the sky, few aerial predators are large enough or brazen enough to take on an adult Flone. With a branch-span of 13 ft. (3.96 meters) they may seem lazy, forgiving giants with all that time they have, slowly, economically, burning energy garnered from ground, flesh, and the sun. Quite an efficient lifestyle they have. With so much extra energy it is unwise to challenge its patience, as after it has finished whooping the sorry intruder, it has plenty of energy to spare. Of course the individual pictured above is a member of one tiny group in the greater diversity of Flones, what with their volant abilities allowing them to cover such vast distances in such short time, a very successful lineage indeed. |
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My Deviantart A work in progress. Other Liked Quote: "The "habitable zone" will expand along with the Sun. This will warm once-frozen planets and their moons, bringing a brief springtime after a 10-billion-year winter." | |
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| Rodlox | Apr 29 2016, 04:14 AM Post #60 |
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Superhuman
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Flones are cool; I don't have a Flone (but i'd like one) a combination of the image and part of the text, made me wonder if - at least in part - Flones stay up in the air because their cones (and-or their "fur") catches the wind...would that work for a gliding Flone or a young Flone? just wondering. a brilliant bit of evolutionary radiation, Flones are. looking forwards to more, in any Umbriellian biome. |
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.---------------------------------------------. Parts of the Cluster Worlds: "Marsupialless Australia" (what-if) & "Out on a Branch" (future evolution) & "The Earth under a still sun" (WIP) | |
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