Fighting Against Old Age with New Life

Recently, I took the time to document an emergency quarantine. Plenty of drama happened, with Pipit’s life force dipping down to 5% before he ate a radish and saved himself seconds before his death. It was not without a heartbreaking moment, though. My beloved Junco passed away at 9:23 from old age. An initial genetic analysis made me wonder if he would ever survive. Junco ate only a few times during his life, yet he was a happy little Norn. Five baby Norns could call him their father. His great journey turned into his last one. Manakin honored him by smiling and holding a carrot, just as Junco used to do. Farewell, my beloved friend.

In much happier news, there was a Grendel reunion in the music room! Adaon and Arianllyn hardly knew one another, particularly since one of them had already grayed out. In fact, they seemed rather agitated to meet up again. Perhaps there was a disagreement over how large a family they wanted to create. A little harp music and drum songs calmed them down. Nothing like a rather tuneless band to make everyone happy! I expected an immediate pregnancy, but Arianllyn wasn’t about to let Adaon back in her life.

Elsewhere in Albia, it looked like snow was falling! Niltava had an ample dusting in her hair as old age settled in. She looked like she was flinching from the hot fire, but it must have been the shock of realizing just how quickly her internal clock was tick-tocking away. I still never solved the mystery behind her constant flinching, although she got along quite well. It was when I pestered Niltava that she started her uncomfortable movements. Sometimes it’s best to just leave a Norn alone. However, I’ve failed at that many a time! She looked rather tiny in her shrunken body. Sometimes I wish all Norn breeds either shrunk or stated the same size.

It seemed like I left Manakin just a few minutes before, and an imposter had taken his place! This Norn was smaller and older… Yet he had the same eyes as Manakin. He was Manakin! Old already? He wandered up to the spot where Junco passed away, and I thought for a moment that he had seen a ghost to make him go gray a little early on. I was tempted to lead him back to the rest of the group, which had diminished considerably since the last tragedy. Yet this generation still needed to continue on, and there was only one way to combat the growing number of elderly Norns.

A new Norn was just what Albia needed! Meet Xenops, the son of Taran and Orddu. This made him a half-sibling to Whydah, but the conclusion of the last generation resulted in a single male among several females. There will be one final Norn added to this generation, who will be a full sibling to Whydah. Still, we’ve had a pretty good mix overall! Xenops was adorably colorful right out of the incubator. Maybe it was the loss of Junco that made me latch onto him, but I really fell in love with this little guy! Apart from joining this generation to represent his mother, he had a pretty good genetic basis. I like mutations, yet some genetically sound Norns help things stay in check.

Receptors

Chemical receptors define parameters for a certain chemical. When these parameters are met, an element in the Creature is affected. These genes can increase drives, define life stages, control fertility, and more.

Default: 237 Emb B MutDupCut Creature, Sensorimotor, Invol 4=’shiver’, chem=Coldness, thresh=141, nom=0, gain=255, features=Analogue
Mutation: 237 Emb B MutDupCut Creature, Sensorimotor, Invol 4=’shiver’, chem=Coldness, thresh=141, nom=1, gain=255, features=Analogue

This gene defines the parameters for when a Norn will shiver. In the default genome, this happens when coldness reaches a threshold of 141 units, and the nominal (or resting) value is zero. This is actually the same mutation carried by Whydah, though it is pretty minor. However, for both of them, the nominal value of one for this gene means that they are apt to shiver randomly. It hasn’t happened very often, but it is something to make a minor note of.

Xenops also had a genetic issue that wasn’t an actual mutation, but was quickly becoming more and more common. He only carried one part of the floating chemical emitter-receptor pair associated with glycogen and hunger. Effectively, he never felt hunger. This led to a very happy Norn, yet it wasn’t precisely ideal. Still, could Xenops look any more adorable than he did here? Even though he didn’t feel hunger, he was just about the best eater out there!

Meanwhile, the lack of males in the world finally gave the cursed Pipit an opening! He snuggled up with Towhee, who decided that he really wasn’t all that cursed after all. Soon, a little one was on its way into the world! Everyone was starting to fan out again, too. While the garden was the best place to be for a long time, everyone soon grew tired of it. The docks and island were suddenly appealing again! Some Norns and Grendels do enjoy staying rooted to one spot, yet I’ve found that groups tend to migrate together from time to time. Must have been Pipit’s plan all along to get the females to himself!

Back to Xenops! I had the luxury of spending a lot of his formative minutes with him, since the rest of my Norns were in good health and could actually take care of themselves. There was no need to take Xenops away from the learning computer, because he seemed to love the little area. It turned into his personal playpen, completely with toys and honeypots! What really got him excited was a musical instrument: Albia suddenly had its own master trumpeter! So cute.

To the high seas Pipit took Niltava! Where some Norns might have become seasick, she decided that it was a rather kind gesture. Pipit’s expression said it all: He was going to have another egg! All the work was put on the tired shoulders of Niltava, though I imagined she was silently excited for the event. There was no way Pipit was going to give up his position as the most popular male now! In fact, he really was the only eligible bachelor. Manakin was elderly and preferred to keep to himself, while the young Xenops was just a tiny baby. Pipit definitely came back from the brink of death for a purpose!

All of the Norn romance must have spread its magic to the tunnels of Albia, where my Grendels were hidden away. Adaon and Arianllyn still looked pretty upset with one another, but apparently it was still a loving relationship. Adaon’s old age had turned him into an ornery creature, but Arianllyn insisted that she only had good and loving intentions. When he accepted that fact and didn’t try to attack, they became expectant parents!