CELLQUEST: RIP in Piece [DEAD due to inactive host]

[Sam B]

This is a game based on a series of topics that populated the GameFAQs message boards for the PC game 'Spore' years ago. It is a stat-based multiple choice type game or 'Choose Your Own Adventure', meaning all posters control a single character through a democratic process. The general theme of the game is a single-celled organism's journey from microbe to advanced multicellular lifeform, via souped up evolution through frequent and often unrealistic mutations. These evolution sequences make up a core part of gameplay as they are the primary means of character advancement, allowing you to gain better stats and new abilities to interact with competing species and your environment.

Info:
- As this is a CYOA, there is a single player character, whose actions are controlled collectively by all posters.
- My posts will be one of two kinds: Scenario posts or 'Acts', during which you vote on an action to be taken, and Evolution posts, which allow you to decide how your species will change.
- Anyone can vote, but each user can only vote once on any given action. However, you can use your vote on more than one choice, combining them into a single command.
- Usually I will include an option to make your own command, but will not edit my posts to include these user-made choices. So keep an eye out for your fellow player's suggestions, they still need votes to be used and may be more interesting or useful than the options I openly give.
- The success of your actions can depend largely on your stats, but in some situations I may use dice, or a random number generator in conjunction with those stats to determine the results of an action.
- You will have the opportunity to become a number of different types of animals, from bugs to mammals, possibly even plants, depending on your choices. (edit: the choice of phylum has been made at this point, but there is still plenty of customization to be done.)
- Character death is not the end of the game, as you can take control of another member of your species. However, there will be (possibly severe) penalties if you get yourself killed.

Stats list:

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Homeworld: The name of the planet you originated on.
Name: The specific name of you/your species.
Traits: Descriptors of your organism that may or may not grant certain benefits. Think of these as 'perks' that shape and strengthen (or weaken!) you.
Appearance: What you/your species looks like.
Environment: This is the kind of areas your species naturally lives in, and where you are more likely to find other members of your own kind.
Behavior: The way other members of your species act, as determined by your example.
Symbiosis: The type(s) of Symbiotic Relationship(s) your species is currently capable of. [M] denotes Mutualistic, [C] is Commensalistic, and [P] is Parasitic.
Diet: This is what kinds of things you (can) eat to survive. It can fluctuate a lot at the start of the game, but becomes harder and harder to change as you become more advanced.
Belly: One of your most important stats, this is your hunger and stamina, with 100% = Full and 0% = Empty. Strenuous tasks and the passage of time will lower your Belly and eating will increase it. Filling your Belly completely or allowing it to completely empty will have various effects on you.
Size is... well, your overall size and mass. Your total HP are primarily determined by this, as well as your capacity for more complex evolutions.
Sense (SNS) is how (and how well) you perceive the world around you.
Mobility (MOB) is your general ability to move. It represents your overall speed and flexibility.
Intelligence (INT) is your capacity for thinking and problem solving.
Attack (ATK) is a measure of your offensive prowess and ability to harm or damage other lifeforms.
Defense (DEF) is a measure of your defensive prowess, and ability to mitigate or altogether avoid damage to yourself.
Health Points (HP) are a measure of your current physical well being. If these reach 0, you are dead. They can be restored by filling your Belly or resting.

As the game progresses, you will also acquire Abilities and DNA Pts.
Abilities are skills or powers that you possess. They come in Active and Passive flavors. The former expend your Belly and can be used in and out of combat, while the latter provide a constant effect free of charge.
DNA Points (or Pts.) are spent to purchase upgrades for yourself when you evolve. You primarily gain these by eating.

The Arosian Bestiary; a Reference For The Amateur Xenobiologist: (list of encountered creatures)

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Introduction:
The player character's species is not the only one on their homeworld, and with all the strange, alien beasts encountered so far it can sometimes be hard to remember which one is which. This is a modest list of all the known beings that make up the ecosystem in our protagonist species' environment, with all the need-to-know information learned about them thus far. Creatures appear in the order of which they were first discovered.


Eletus
Appearance: [See current stats for details]
Diet: [See above]
Behavior: [See above x2 combo]
Description: The ever-evolving protagonist species whose actions are controlled by the voters in CELLQUEST. The entirety of this Bestiary is based upon this species' experience with other lifeforms, though it only contains information gathered from a fraction of Eletus-kind, and is hardly an adequate scientific resource.

Snakeweed Worm
Appearance: Very small, slender; resembles Purple Seakelp; no other distinguishable features.
Diet: Carnivorous.
Behavior: Aggressive.
Description: These small worms hide out in patches of Purple Seakelp, perfectly blending into the vegetation, where they prey on unicellular organisms and other very small creatures. Their bodies secrete a dangerous poison that damages health and paralyzes in large quantities.

Gutling Fish
Appearance: Small, basic fish-like body; transparent scales showing interior organs, musculature, etc; no eyes.
Diet: Herbivorous.
Behavior: Timid.
Description: Tiny see-through fish that seem to enjoy being around Purple Seakelp. They are very sensitive to movements in the water, but little else is known about them.

Aquapede
Appearance: Very large, long body with many jointed legs. Resembles a giant, sea-dwelling millipede.
Diet: Omnivorous.
Behavior: Docile, scavengers.
Description: Mysterious creatures that tend to stay in deeper and darker areas of the sea. They seem mostly harmless in spite of their massive size.

Feelerfish
Appearance: Small, generic fish bodies; tuft of thick, sensory tentacles where a head should be; a flat mouth is located at the neck, between feelers.
Diet: Omnivorous.
Behavior: Aggressive.
Description: These fish never travel alone, and use their highly advanced senses to locate and capture food wherever possible. Potentially very dangerous in large numbers, but has shown a tendency to flee when their senses are obstructed somehow.

Starbud Flower
Appearance: Flower of average size with six pointed petals that glow when active; has no stem, roots are connected directly to the flower's base.
Diet: N/A
Behavior: Parasitic. (Non-sentient?)
Description: While not exactly creatures, these plants are dangerous and devious enough to warrant an entry. They glow brightly from the seafloor to attract animals of sufficient size, upon which they launch and embed seeds into the unsuspecting beast. These seeds quickly grow into fully matured buds and will then live off the host's own nutrients as they produce their own seeds and spread them through contact with other creatures. It is unknown whether there is a difference between the Starbuds found on the sand and the ones living on creatures, or if they can all survive outside of a host.

Whiptail Shark
Appearance: Medium-sized shark with very long pectoral and dorsal fins; tapered tail which possesses no fins whatsoever, but is extremely flexible.
Diet: Carnivorous.
Behavior: Somewhat aggressive, cunning.
Description: These sharks have abandoned the old ways of chasing down fish and biting them to death in favor of developing the whip-like tail for which they are named. They use this flexible appendage to incapacitate and kill their prey, often employing a 'hit-and-run' method of combat. They are quite strong, and a serious threat even to creatures larger than themselves.

Masked Seatrout
Appearance: Long, somewhat slender fish of small to medium size; thick, stone-like plating covering entire head; greenish scales.
Diet: Geovorous.
Behavior: Docile, opportunistic.
Description: Reef-dwelling creatures that use their hard, rocky heads to defend themselves and aid in their frequent feeding on large rocks or their favorite food: The rare Crystal Coral. They are capable of very high speeds when agitated, making their Charging headbutts extremely dangerous.

Rockshell Hermit Crab (commonly RHC)
Appearance: Tiny crustaceans; hollowed out rocks of varying shape and size used for shells.
Diet: Omnivorous.
Behavior: Timid, scavengers.
Description: These crabs scurry around the ocean floor looking for food and small rocks to be made into shells. This unusual method of temporary housing protects them against normal predators, but has made them a target for several Geovorous species. As an evolutionary response to this predation, the Rockshell Hermit Crabs have developed the ability launch themselves at an extremely high speed using a unique a unique method of jet-propulsion created by their own bodies.

Poisonous Dead Mollusk
Appearance: Deep brown with lime green highlights; flat, slimy body with tiny barbs covering parts of it.
Diet: ???
Behavior: ???
Description: This mysterious creature was only seen once in the known history of the Eletus, as the creature's final moments in life were witnessed shortly before its untimely death upon contact with icy crust of the frozen ocean. The mollusk's body continued to leak a noxious poison of some sort after death, and its kind was never seen again on Aros.

???
Appearance: ??? (Tentacles?)
Diet: ??? (Carnivorous?)
Behavior: ??? (Cunning? Aggressive? ... Intelligent?)
Description: Some kind of seemingly predatory creature dwelling on the underside of the ice at the top of the ocean. Little is known about it, other than the fact that it nearly killed an entire colony of Eletus through the use of some kind of mind-numbing pheromone (or... Telepathy? Probably not.)

Sea-strider
Appearance: Small, vaguely cuttlefish-shaped bodies; numerous long, stiff, leg-like tentacles protruding from sides of body.
Diet: Herbivorous.
Behavior: Very intelligent, usually docile.
Description: A species of cephalopod that uses its rigid and powerful limbs to walk across the seafloor, though they may be capable of swimming as well. They are extraordinarily powerful, but rarely resort to violence except to defend themselves from would-be predators. Sea-striders are very complex animals, both mentally and physiologically, and there may be undiscovered traits about them not documented here.

Gloshell Crab
Appearance: Large, bulky, vaguely dome-shaped shell; many jointed legs and 3(?) claws protruding from underside; intricate biolumenescent patterns on surface of shell.
Diet: Carnivorous?
Behavior: Very aggressive, persistent.
Description: Not much is known about this predator, except that it is huge, very powerful and apparently willing to stalk its prey for extended amounts of time. It is surely a dangerous beast, to be avoided whenever possible.

Titan Eel
Appearance: Gigantic, snake-like body with features typical of most normal-sized eels; head possesses a pronounced underbite with vaguely claw-like lower 'lip'.
Diet: Carnivorous.
Behavior: Presumably aggressive.
Description: Rare, colossal fish that typically live in massive tunnels, usually located in otherwise solid stone and dug out by the resident Eel itself, though it is not too uncommon to find one making use of previously created burrows. These tunnels are often host to several unique species of plants and animals located only in areas occupied by Titan Eels, such as Titan Eel Moss.

Samurai Ray
Appearance: Flat, ray-shaped body covered in hard, overlapping armor segments; elongated pectoral fins fused to head; thin flexible tail with sharp, spade-shaped tip; fins and tail are exposed and not protected by body-armor.
Diet: Omnivorous.
Behavior: Unknown.
Description: These large rays are distant relatives of Whiptail Sharks, and their bodies are even more combat-oriented than their large-finned cousins. The Eletus have had very few (zero) experiences with these creatures, but they sure do look intimidating.

Insane Clownfish
Appearance: Large, grey fish-like body with a single fin running from the back of the head to the underside; intimidating black and white patterns on 'face'.
Diet: Herbivorous.
Behavior: Erratic.
Description: Big, primitive chordates who feed on certain types of slimy algae. They are usually docile, but if one is especially hungry or somehow provoked, the fish is capable of immense strength and will often commit random acts of violence until it either feeds or calms down.

Arosian Heatslug
Appearance: Small, stocky bodies that are typically a faded purple color with bright orange highlights; basic slug-like features.
Diet: Herbivorous.
Behavior: Skittish, idle.
Description: A dangerous species of Gastropod capable of producing extremely high temperatures from within their bodies. This ability naturally gives them a great resistance to heat, and it seems they are even able to boil the water around them without taking damage, though doing so appears to 'burn' up all of their energy, so to speak.

Unctuous Urchin
Appearance: Round, radially symmetrical bodies that are dark blue in color; covered in long, sharp spines.
Diet: Omnivorous.
Behavior: Timid, defensive.
Description: Invertebrates that live on the seafloor, moving very slowly and generally eating whatever scraps they come across. They can secrete a thick oily substance from their bodies which irritates the skin of most creatures and wards off predators.

Hydra Sea Turtle
Appearance: Basic sea turtle body and limbs; either two or three heads, depending on subspecies.
Diet: Herbivorous.
Behavior: Unknown.
Description: A reptilian species that dwells in mid-level ocean waters, but returns to the shore every breeding season to lay their eggs on the sandy beaches. They are very long-lived, like many other types of turtles, but not much else is known about them.

Elder Star
Appearance: Inconsistent; multitude of legs that grow in excess on seemingly random parts of the body, often hiding said body from view.
Diet: Carnivorous.
Behavior: (Very?) Intelligent.
Description: Starfish who are mysterious and horrifying in both their appearance and behavior. They can live for thousands of years, and possess advanced regenerative abilities to help them do so. Their unusual and impractical bodies severely harm their mobility however, and they are often small in size, making them a threat only to the slowest or stupidest creatures in the sea.

Landfish
Appearance: Slender fish-like body with normal fins on back and tail; pair of small jointed legs where pectoral fins would be; wide mouth.
Diet: Omnivorous, prefers meat.
Behavior: Territorial, somewhat cautious.
Description: Very primitive land-dwelling amphibians that have only recently emerged from the ocean. They still live very close to the sea, almost exclusively on beaches, and primarily feed on small fish or other unfortunate creatures that wash up on the shore.

Reef Wraith
Appearance: Transparent, almost to the point of being invisible; soft gelatinous body with many rows of cilia; radially symmetrical.
Diet: Carnivorous.
Behavior: Patient, cautious.
Description: Nocturnal predators that stalk the reefs of Aros for especially small prey, primarily fish larvae. Their transparency is their primary defense, which allows them to hide from almost all the other predators in their natural environment, but they are also capable of exceedingly fast movements when trying to escape from a very rare attack.

Arrowshark
Appearance: Small shark body with an elongated nose on the head; nose is equipped with four sharp keratin blades for cutting through flesh.
Diet: Carnivorous.
Behavior: Aggressive, somewhat cunning.
Description: Undersized predatory fish that generally prefer to hunt very large creatures that are slow and contain lots of meat. They use their spear-like noses in conjunction with their considerable mobility to pierce through their prey like a living arrow. Like the Reef Wraith above, this species only hunts at night.

Generic Reef Fish
Appearance: Somewhat varied; universally colorful and fishy.
Diet: Mostly herbivorous.
Behavior: Varied.
Description: A diverse group of fish consisting of many different, yet functionally identical species. These creatures make up a large portion of the animal population in all reefs on Aros, serving various roles in the ecosystem, the most obvious of which is providing food for the many carnivorous species in the ocean.

Beach Bug
Appearance: Large, somewhat rounded body covered by an exoskeletal shell; ten short legs; pair of feathery antennae on head; resembles a giant Mole Crab in general appearance.
Diet: Omivorous.
Behavior: Generally passive; scavengers.
Description: Contrary to their name, Beach Bugs are actually crustaceans of the Emerita (commonly known as Mole Crab) genus. On Aros, these creatures grow far larger than on any other planet. Unlike their otherworldly counterparts who burrow in the sand, these beasts scurry along the wash zone above ground, using their antennae to pull bits of detritus from shoreline into their ravenous mouths.

Spiky Barnacle
Appearance: Small and round shell body; covered in spikes of varying length and thickness.
Diet: Omnivorous.
Behavior: Virtually nonexistent.
Description: Extremely dull creatures that spend the vast majority of their lives attached to a rocky surface. They are a mild hazard to especially careless swimmers, but otherwise completely unremarkable.

Neon Tuna
Appearance: Long, brightly colored fish body; small finlets between the last dorsal/anal fins and caudal fin; large eyes.
Diet: Herbivorous.
Behavior: Curious, docile.
Description: A somewhat large species of fish that can be found all over the singular ocean of Aros. They are a valuable food source for many predators, and also very pretty to look at.

Electrovermis
Appearance: Long worm-like bodies; ring of hair-like appendages around head, and a single additional 'hair' at the tip of the tail; circular mouth filled with sharp teeth.
Diet: Carnivorous.
Behavior: Very aggressive, opportunistic, cunning.
Description: Vicious predatory creatures with unique cilia capable of generating powerful electrical shocks, which they use to prey on other lifeforms. They spend a large portion of their lives as larva buried in the sand, and a fully-grown Electrovermis is an extremely dangerous and effective hunter.

Cetusaur
Appearance: Very large porpoise-like bodies with elongated reptilian heads; six large flippers on sides; mouth with several rows of shark-like teeth.
Diet: Carnivorous.
Behavior: Unknown; presumably aggressive, intelligent.
Description: Big marine reptiles that have been seen traveling together in small groups. Not much is known about them, but they seem to be much more socially complex than the simple-minded fish they frequently prey on.

Armollusk
Appearance: Slug-like body with a smooth rounded shell covering most of it; muscular "foot" on underside like any other mollusk; sharp tooth-like radula hidden within mouth.
Diet: Omnivorous.
Behavior: Usually docile, but aggressive if provoked.
Description: This small but combat-apt species is potentially very dangerous to any creature that invokes their wrath, whether by swimming too close, or simply being an Armollusk's chosen meal for the day. There are few if any who can withstand their venom-coated radula, which they can voluntarily launch at high speeds even underwater.

Orb Jelly
Appearance: Spherical gelatinous body; two tufts of thin hair-like tentacles, one at either "end"; semi-transparent.
Diet: Carnivorous.
Behavior: Mildly aggressive; prone to live in large colonies.
Description: Tiny cnidarians that are rarely seen as individuals due to their tendency to flock to other members of their species. These conjoined colonies of Orb Jellies typically resemble a single ball-like entity covered by a mass of stringy tentacles, as each member positions its twin tufts to cover any weak spots in the formation. Their tentacles deliver an unpleasant "sting" on contact and can even kill in large numbers, which is something this species counts on for food.

Rocktopus
Appearance: Resembles a perfectly normal octopus with a body composed of smooth stones.
Diet: Geovorous.
Behavior: Very timid, cautious, cunning.
Description: The hard skin of a Rocktopus is not actually made of stone, but is has evolved to be almost indistinguishable from that material in both appearance and touch. These animals disguise themselves as loose rocks on the seafloor, but they will expel a cloud of ink and burrow away to a new hiding spot if they feel threatened. They are masters of illusion, but their incredibly durable (and flexible!) bodies make them hard to kill even when stealth fails.

Cradle Snake
Appearance: Very small; completely serpentine in appearance save for a pair of stunted legs near the hind end; somewhat spiky brow which protects eyes.
Diet: Carnivorous (exclusively eggs)
Behavior: Bold, opportunistic.
Description: An unusual predator that preys on the eggs of other, typically larger species. They are excellent burrowers, preferring to travel almost exclusively underground via complex tunnel systems that they dig out themselves.

Sap Fly
Appearance: Very large insectoid with wide dragonfly-esque wings on thorax and long, jointed legs; prominent mandibles on head.
Diet: Omnivorous.
Behavior: Aggressive predator, hive mentality.
Description: These gigantic ancient bugs make their homes in complex nests centered around the large, sap-leaking trees for which they are named. They hunt in large aerial groups, picking off small creatures from areas that they are most plentiful in and then carrying their prey away, presumably back to a nest for processing.

Bogtoad
Appearance: Big (by toad standards); stocky frog-like body with a wide, finned tail; pronounced fish-like mouth filled with teeth.
Diet: Omnivorous.
Behavior: Docile, slow to react.
Description: Lumbering amphibians that spend half of their lives as plant-eating tadpoles and the other half as large meat-eating quadrupeds. They have a tendency to breed in large numbers, and escape many predators by virtue of their excessive size alone.

Anabasis
Appearance: Small, slender and salamander-like body; four stubby legs ending in feet with webbed toes; prominent feathery gills on neck preceded by a ring of fleshy bumps.
Diet: Carnivorous.
Behavior: Aggressive pack hunter, curious; somewhat territorial.
Description: These creatures compete against Bogtoads for environmental dominance over Aros' swamps. They are vicious predators in spite of their unimpressive appearance, and are capable of functioning well both in and out of water.

Glintworm
Appearance: Long segmented body that varies in size; iridescent outer layer; pair of antennae on head; chaetae clusters along either side that form foot-like structures. (AKA "parapodia")
Diet: Geovorous.
Behavior: Timid burrowers; very low intelligence.
Description: The kings of worms on planet Aros that made an unfortunate choice during their many evolutionary advancements. They move fast and burrow well while also possessing senses far beyond many vertebrates, but their shiny chitinous shells and nutritious meaty segments make them a prime target for carnivores of all types.

Gulppy
Appearance: Tiny fish with enlarged caudal fin that varies in shape depending on subspecies; wide mouth with large "lips".
Diet: Herbivorous.
Behavior: Skittish; frequent schooling behavior.
Description: The Generic Reef Fish of freshwater ponds. Though these creatures are much smaller and more dull in color than their ocean equivalents, they just as varied, numerous and preyed-upon by bigger, more aggressive predators.

Akidasaurus (Commonly "Aki" or "Akis")
Appearance: Bulky quadruped dinosaur with short, powerful limbs; sharp bony growths protruding from leg joints, sides of head, tip of the tail, and along the spine.
Diet: Herbivorous.
Behavior: Docile if unprovoked; aggressively defensive grazers.
Description: Mid-sized prehistoric reptiles whose name means "spike-lizard" in an alien tongue. Appropriately so, the skeletons of these air-breathing creatures is adorned with numerous sharp spikes that stick out from various parts of their bodies, making them one of the least-favorite sources of food for even the most dangerous carnivore.

Milledon
Appearance: Crocodilian physiology; large body with four legs, a tail, and a long head; multiple rows of teeth within mouth; sharp claws on feet.
Diet: Carnivorous.
Behavior: Patient, very cautious/deliberate.
Description: Well-armed prehistoric killing machines that can thrive in almost any biome. They are a serious threat to most species, but their large size makes them very susceptible to Starbud infections, which goes a long way toward keeping their dangerous population in check.

Invertesaur
Appearance: Scaly quadruped with four thick, suction-tipped tentacles for legs; four smaller tentacles around head, which possesses a sharp beak at its center.
Diet: Carnivorous.
Behavior: Aggressive?
Description: Invertesaurs are spineless beasts that look like some horrific cross between a lizard and a squid. They prowl both the land and sea, alternating between an awkward imitation of walking and skillful displays of swimming depending on the environment. Each of their eight tentacles is equipped with clusters of small suckers at the tip, which are used to aid in walking with their primary limbs and feeding with their secondary ones.

FANART ZONE (aka EGOTRIP ZONE)

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volnrok:

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Eletus (cell stage):


Eletus (creature stage) VS. Electrovermis:

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Anatomically correct version:

Aleisha:

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Eletus (sea creature stage) + Starbud:


Eletus (early land creature stage):

Shrump:

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Eletus (early land creature stage):

Addendum:
To new users who may be just joining us: I like to think that it is probably NOT necessary to read through the entire adventure thus far (maybe just the 2-3 most recent updates) in order to understand what is currently happening and participate, though I'm no position to stop you if you really wanna sift through the whole topic. Although there may be occasional references to previous events, CELLQUEST has no deep, preplanned, convoluted or humorous plot. It is simply an interactive series of encounters and situations along the epic journey of an alien species and its quest for survival, progeny and evolution.

DEAD

[Sam B]

Prologue:

In the deepest corners of space, a large hunk of black rock hurtles through darkness. Its origins, irrelevant. Its purpose, a mystery. The meteor's journey has been long and monotonous, but its destination will soon be reached.

An unnamed planet draws near, and pieces of ice break off the rock's husk as it captured by the planet's gravitational pull. Its shell heats as the meteor gains momentum and launches towards the young world, carrying a payload of the utmost importance...

But a planet without form simply will not do. What sort of world will this space rock land on?

A. Garden
B. Glacier
C. Desert
D. Volcanic
E. Ocean
F. Mountainous
G. Gaseous

IMPORTANT: Special Voting Parameters: Vote for one main type and two sub-types to determine the nature of your Homeworld. (Example: Main: E. Sub: A.C.)
Majority vote after 3 posts, or however long it takes for a majority to exist, wins. I may up the the number of votes required to finalize an action later if this thing doesn't flop.

Suggestions for planet names will also be accepted and added to a tally for voting purposes.

[Ross_Varn]

Man I love Spore- at least the concept that it started with, although it really didn't pull off what I wanted from it. I always vaguely want to start a game like this. I'm not entirely sure where it would go though! Probably have to ask the Prof for that.

Are we filling that first stat sheet out?

First choice: (G)aseous. How many times do we see that one? Second: (C) for the wandering romantic alien beings, (A) for the mudane garden variety hero.

Oh, forgot about the name. How about... Aros.

[Supernerd]

I think that if everyone controls the same character, it belongs in the cradle.

[Knight_of_Hide]

Main: D (Volcanic) LavaBeings :o

Min: B (Glacier) F (Mountainous)

[dragonpaul99]

Main: (F) Mountainous

Sub: (G) Gaseous, (B) Glacier.

[ComiTurtle]

Main: Mountainous (F)

Subs: Garden (A) Ocean (E)

( Totally didn't pick that just to spell Fae. Nope. d: )

[Sam B]

With a score of 2-1 the winner are: F. Mountainous (Main Type) B. Glacier + A. Garden (Sub-Type)

Act:

A cold, rocky world floats along its slow orbit. It is far from its star and mostly barren, yet still there is life. Between the massive craggy stretches of blue-gray rock sits a ring of vibrant flora, coating the equator in a colorful hue of purples, yellows and greens. Near the planet's northern end a frozen sea stretches for miles, and the north and south poles are capped with ice, beneath which primitive sea-dwelling creatures struggle to survive the cold, harsh depths. It is a desolate world, but still, it will do.

The planet's thin atmosphere rages with storms befitting a young world, and through the clouds an interloper descends. Covered not in flames but in ice from the chilling blizzard, a great cratered rock from space pierces the thick shell of the frozen ocean. The breach is quickly sealed by the arctic storm raging above, and the rock quickly sinks to the seafloor, where what little life occupies this sea fights for survival. Having reached its destination, the meteor shatters, sending a cloud of foreign chemicals and microscopic organisms outwards.

In the space dust at the bottom of an icy ocean, a particularly bland microbe drifts aimlessly. You are now this microbe.

A flash of white light radiates from the meteor's core, briefly illuminating the black depths of the sea, not that you even notice. For reasons unclear to you, your entire body undergoes a rapid and major change. Within seconds your form has shifted into something entirely new.


What is your morphology?

A. Coccus (sphere shaped: gain Radial Symmetry trait; bonus to HP, DNA Pts.)
B. Bacillus (rod shaped: gain Bilateral Symmetry trait; bonus to Defense, Attack)
C: Spirillum (spiral shaped: gain Asymmetry trait; bonus to Size, Mobility)

~

Stats:

Homeworld: (Aros-1, first to 3 votes wins)
Name: (Suggestions: First to 3 votes wins)
Traits: Bacterium (You are an extremely simple cell with basic reproductive abilities)
Appearance: You are an amorphous, translucent unicellular organism.
Diet: --
Belly: --
Size: .01; You are small even by microscopic standards.
Sense: .1; Despite your complete lack of sensory organelles, you can 'feel' your immediate surroundings.
Mobility: .1; Through some inexplicable means you are able to move yourself ever so slightly.
Intelligence: 0; You lack a nucleus and are unable to even have proper instincts with which to act upon.
Attack: 0; The most dangerous thing you can do is shrivel up and die.
Defense: .1; You possess a very thin cell membrane.
HP: 10/10

[Ross_Varn]

We'll go for... C.

Let's hold off on the name at the moment! Heh.

[Kíeros]

I support the A. Coccus morphology.

[Knight_of_Hide]

Lets go for the Best option.

[ProfessorLizzard]

Oh gosh, I remember those topics, even though I never posted in them.

Still, this is more of an Adventure, so I am moving it to the proper subforum.

[Ross_Varn]

Alright, that's cleared up. Thanks, Professor.

[Sam B]

Yeah, thanks much, prof. It's so great that off-topic posts can be moved to their proper place instead of just being deleted like many of these old CYOA were on their original forum. Too many great adventures have been lost that way over the years at the harsh dictatorship known as GameFAQs.

Anyway, we've got ourselves a 3-way tie. Normally I would break one of these myself, but this decision is incredibly significant so I'll leave it to you guys.

Double edit: Thanks kier. Also, you're gonna need to change your vote or wait for somebody new to chime in to break that tie. Defending your vote is still fine, just letting you know that it doesn't add to the tally.

[Kíeros]

How you change the title: Edit the first post, advanced edit, and change the title their. Alternatively, in the forum itself (not the thread), click to the left of the title twice, and type it in.

Anyways, I believe A. Coccus is the best, as morphology allows us faster DNA points, which could be helpful later.

[Ross_Varn]

Come on, guys! Asymmetrical creatures! That thing Spore couldn't pull off! You know you want it.

[Aabcehmu]

I vote for C. Technically Spore does have asymmetrical capabilities, but it is prohibitively difficult to make anything more asymmetrical than a lobster.

[Sam B]

Looks like the C's have it.

Stats:

Homeworld: (Aros-1, first to 3 votes wins)
Name: (Suggestions: First to 3 votes wins)
Traits: Bacterium, Asymmetrical (Bonuses to Size & Mobility)
Appearance: You are a brown, spiral-shaped unicellular organism.
Diet: --
Belly: 100%
Size: 0.4; You are quite large for a cell.
Sense: .1; Despite your complete lack of sensory organelles, you can 'feel' your immediate surroundings.
Mobility: .4; You can move well for your size, but cannot fight the current.
Intelligence: 0; You lack a nucleus and are unable to even have proper instincts with which to act upon.
Attack: 0; The most dangerous thing you can do is shrivel up and die.
Defense: .1; You possess a very thin cell membrane.
HP: 10/10

Evolve:

Your cell wall stretches to obscene lengths and contorts into a tight tube twisting around itself. You would no-doubt describe the experience as extremely painful, if you were capable of feeling pain, and articulating those feelings into audible speech. After that unpleasant experience is over, your new Spirillum form makes you feel (and look) like a coiled spring, propelling yourself through the primordial ooze like a bullet. Additionally, your body has become a thick brown color, and you have lost your translucence.

All too soon after that little transformation, you feel your cell wall splitting in half as you involuntarily divide. Your other half drifts off in the current as you sit dead still, feeling a second wave of changes bubbling up from within your tiny form...

You have 5 DNA Pt(s).

Option(s):
A) Grow in size -- Size +0.4; Increases size and complexity, gain Nucleus (-2 Pts)
B) Gain Flagellum -- Mobility +0.2; Increases overall mobility and speed. (-1 Pt)
C) Gain S-layer -- Defense +0.2; Increases defense, can aid in feeding when upgraded. (-1 Pt)
D) Gain Stigma -- Sense +0.4; Gain the ability to sense light. (-1 Pt)
E) Gain Mouth Pore -- Attack +0.5; enables predation on other cells and aids feeding in general. (-3 Pts)
F) Develop Osmosis (Ability) -- Attack +0.1; enables predation on other cells and aids feeding in general. (-3 Pts)
G) Store Remaining DNA Pt(s)

Note: For Evolution sequences like this, pick a combination of letters that spends your DNA Pts, or saves (some) of them if you really want to. Majority vote rules as usual.

[Kíeros]

BDE seems to be the most efficient for what we want to do.

[Ross_Varn]

I'd say BDF, but it appears that'd be far less efficient. Ultimate carnivore go! Actually, I'm seconding DP. ABCD.

[dragonpaul99]

ABCD

Let's start with just having rudimentary intelligence for now. We can slaughter everything in due time.

[Aabcehmu]

I agree with the previous poster, and vote for A,B,C,and D.

[Sam B]

ABCD it is. Usually the voters in these spore games always went for the mouth before the brain. Really says something about human nature doesn't it? (It doesn't.)

Evolve:

Though your size was reduced to 0.1 from your cell division, you suddenly swell back up, becoming even larger than you were before. You are so big in fact, that it might be bad if you grew too much larger. Your cell membrane thickens and takes on a somewhat crystalline appearance, becoming a brand new S-Layer which will help protect you from other cells. A small tuft of wriggling Flagella sprout from what can now be considered you back end, greatly increasing the speed at which you can swim. At the other end of your body, a red stigma pushes itself onto the surface of your S-Layer, and you suddenly become aware of a faint light somewhere above you, but it seems so far away... Finally, you feel a slight sensation in the closest thing you have to a center in your twisted body as a nucleus is formed within you. Your Intelligence is now 1!

All this traumatic mutation and division has left you feeling very tired and hungry, or as close as a small cell like you can come to those feelings. In addition to the mysterious light above you, you can vaguely sense the many delicious and edible things nearby. Floating around in the underwater cloud of space dust and sand left over from the meteor impact, there is an ample supply of decaying plant matter as well as few particles of dead meat. Though the meat is disappearing fast as other cells in the immediate area race to eat it, you could probably make it to the bit nearest to you before the lone cell eating it finishes it all.

What do you do?
A. Eat some of the plant matter closest to you.
B. Go after the bit of meat closest to you.
C. Eat some of the mineral dust left behind by the meteor.
D. Forget about food and investigate the light.
E. Other: ___________________

Stats:

Homeworld: (Aros-1, first to 3 votes wins)
Name: (Suggestions: First to 3 votes wins)
Traits: Cell (You are full-fledged cell with a nucleus), Asymmetrical.
Appearance: You are a brown, slightly crystalline, spiral-shaped cell, with a tuft of flagella at one end and a red eyespot at the other.
Diet: Can eat almost anything.
Belly: 50%
Size: 0.5; Woah there tubby.
Sense: .5; Able to detect light, and sense nearby chemicals.
Mobility: .6; You can move quite well for your size, but cannot fight the current.
Intelligence: 1; You have a nucleus.
Attack: 0; The most dangerous thing you can do is shrivel up and die.
Defense: .3; You have a durable S-Layer, protecting you from basic attacks.

[Aabcehmu]

I vote for C, followed by D, if applicable. My reasoning being we've probably just expanded the majority of our own internal mineral resources in the construction of our S-Layer, and so it would helpful to regain those resources.

[Ross_Varn]

Crystalline, eh? Good point, Aabc. C.