(Ether is the magical energy that fills the world)
Ghosts are a type of ethereal fauna that inhabit the irrealis form but are capable of transforming into the verus form. Ghosts are not human souls, although they can appear upon a person's death. Ghosts do not possess intelligence, even if all the characteristics are present.
- The irrealis form means that the creature exists in a space of the world inaccessible to the physical world.
- The verus form means that the creature exists in a space of the world accessible to the physical world. [[real and unreal world|^1]]
Biology
Morphology
Basal structure
Core - simultaneously the energy storage site, the brain, and the reproductive organ. Appears as a dimly glowing ball of blue or light blue.
Plasma - the shell surrounding the core, can take various shapes and expand to twice its original size.
Ostubes (from the Latin "os" - mouth, "tubus" - tube)** - an organ extending from the core beyond the plasma, appearing as a flexible hollow tube. The ghost receives nourishment through the ostubia.
Reproduction and Growth
Ghosts reproduce through the core. When sufficient energy is accumulated, the core creates small spores, which it deposits in a medium with sufficient ether. The spore then gives birth to a microumbria, a tiny nucleus without plasma. They live in the nutrient medium for several days. After a certain energy limit, the microumbria enters the larval stage, a ghost with plasma but small in size and incapable of reproduction.
Nutrition
The ghosts' primary source of nutrition is the ether in its various manifestations. Some ghost lines have taken human emotions as their primary source of ether.
Locomotion
The energy stored in the core allows ghosts to move through the ethereal medium, i.e., levitate, but at large sizes, this comes at a significant cost. They are capable of locomotion without flight; plasma motion allows them to roll like amoebas.
Taxonomy
Ghosts are not considered part of known life and are classified as a separate biota - vitairrealis
Ghosts are further divided into two clades:
- multinuclei - a ghost clade comprising six species. The main feature is that spores initially develop within the parent organism and only then separate.
- enaspyrinas - a clade with only one nucleus. enaspyrinas is further divided into two clades:
- ochisympages - ghosts that lack a solid structure in their plasma
- katharaderma - ghosts with a special mesh structure in their plasma "skin" that allows them to assume more distinct and "solid" forms.
ochisympages clades:
- pilaparva - the clade with the largest number of species (approximately 1000). This clade has the smallest plasma of all, which is why they lack ostubia, as they can feed directly. This clade was long believed to be basal, but modern research indicates this is a case of regression. They occupy a variety of niches.
- plasmamagnum - a clade with a very large plasma surface area, primarily inhabiting environments with little ether, where the plasma surface area allows them to absorb ether over a larger area. ___
katharaderma clades:
- margoclarus - the most common ghost clade in urban environments (after pilaparva), it has a standard structure except for the supporting plasma grid.
- imitatoridea - ghosts adapted to feed on emotions instead of ether. They are able to imitate various forms. Those clades that feed on grief or fear often take human forms, which is why ghosts appeared in popular culture.