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| Details |
| Author: | Athena |
| Summary: | A study of survival mechanisms, and their implications for conservation strategies, of the Natalyah Kensington-Whit and the Lathrik Dinnsfield specimens, through an exploration of and insights into species origin and evolution in a comprehensive review of the mutualism between the two specimens. 4400~ words. Romantic subplot of the Red String Game plot. |
| Rating: | T for Teen |
Arc: The Red String Game
Elwynn forest has long been host to specimens of superficial variety that on closer inspection reveal a conformity arising from adaptations to their surroundings throughout several centuries, despite recent changes to their environments in the past decades. It is still rare for new adaptations to occur, due to the isolation and protective nature of the forest within the greater Stormwind Kingdom, which prevents most threats from growing beyond a critical evolutionary point, although there have been observable changes from the Defias infestation in particular in the past few years, and a near localized extinction event at the time of the Dark Portal’s opening.
Stormwind City is adjacent enough to Elwynn Forest that the general weather patterns and native species can be compatible for habitation, but for much of certain species life cycles, they have not crossed the territories of Stormwind City families.
However, with all species, there is always opportunity for spontaneous evolution. When this particular specimen of our current observation and subject of this paper, the Natalyah Kensington-Whit, was born with perceived deformities and deficiencies of an incomplete limb, it caused other internal shifts, and necessitated adaptations outside the usual behaviors and migratory patterns of the family and species she was born into.
The life cycle thus far of the Natalyah Kensington-Whit has been unusual for the species, some of which was due to individual achievements through deliberate personal alteration, and some through purposeful migration, and some of which was a product of external environmental factors.
But none have had as much of an overall benefit and complex behavioral change than the introduction of the specimen colloquially known as the Lathrik Dinnsfield (actually from the family of Farrens).
Initial investigation and observation would suggest an incompatibility between the two specimens, due to the Lathrik Dinnsfield’s preferences and behavioral traits meant for secretive actions, and choices of environments with a severe economical restraint for minimum survival prioritized over comfort or flourishing. While it has been observed that the Natalyah Kensington-Whit specimen prefers comfortable and enhancing, elevating environments, and is naturally inclined to form cooperative informational communications. But, objective data supports the theory that the two manage better together than individually in a form of mutualism that benefits both specimens.
Adaptation is a process that occurs for many reasons, sometimes due to external factors, but on occasion internal factors can play a significant part. Such is the case with the Lathrik Dinnsfield specimen, who was infected by an internal parasitoid in the early childhood stage of development (see Fig. 1a). There were noticeable alterations in visible traits, namely a purple series of circles that is not ordinarily, and should not be, present on the rest of the species, as well as other usual effects of a parasitoid to drain the host’s resources to feed the parasitoid (see Fig. 1b).
Fig. 1a
“I only remember pieces of it. I was…young,” Lathrik says. (An understatement.) “But from what Peril said, we never escaped to Lordaeron like many of the others. We hid, and… they found us. Our mother used some sort of dark magic to kill them all. I don’t know how she did it. I remember thinking we were safe, so I came out of hiding, but she… wasn’t the same.”
Natalyah frowns, and then her brows turn inwards and upwards in some sympathy, leaning into Lathrik, curling up against him in an offering of comfort. "Shadow magic?"
“Aye.” Lathrik shifts slightly, to better hold her. “Peril said she must’ve lost her mind, our mother. She did this to me. The curse. And then she left.”
Fig. 1b
Lathrik hesitates, then slowly lifts his shirt. A purple rune of some sort marks the skin close to his heart. “It feels like it has some sort of a link to her. It has to, if it will unravel on her death. I don’t know why becoming a paladin didn’t break it… but to hear it told, if it had, I’d be dead.”
This necessitated adaptive measures to continue to ensure the viability of the specimen’s growth and health, in structural (the wearing of shirts at all times, and limiting access to the torso), behavioral (worker positions with access to mana potions, and the drinking of mana potions regularly (see Fig. 2)), and physiological (the introduction of the paladin modification and subsequent alterations of the phenotype in young adulthood).
Fig. 2
Before stepping outside, Lathrik slips a mana potion from his pouch and drains it, tossing the bottle into the fireplace where it shatters.
Certain behaviors from these adaptive measures arose in isolation, but they were not inherently necessary, and some have been altered with the introduction of the Natalyah Kensington-Whit into the environment (see Fig. 3).
Fig. 3
By the third day, Natalyah has cleared out the entirety of the fireplace, and set a large bin intended for glass next to it with a large, bold lettered sign MANA POTIONS DO NOT GO IN THE FIREPLACE.
It is significant that the classification is parasitoid, and not symbiont, particularly in understanding the behavior patterns of the Natalyah Kensington-Whit. Although throughout the lifecycle of the Lathrik Dinnsfield there have been elements of possibly symbiotic elements in times of crisis that may or may not have preserved the life of the specimen, what prevents this from being a true symbiosis is the constant drain of resources from the host to the parasitoid is frequently what brings on the crisis, and the parasitoid is acting no more philanthropically than any other that wants a living host for a longer period of time.
Whether or not this was the intended function to infect the Lathrik Dinnsfield with a parasitoid, instead of a symbiont, is unknown, and requires further investigation to confirm (see Fig. 4).
Fig. 4
“I don't know what this was supposed to be, if she meant it to be like this or if it was something that went wrong, and twisted with Shadow. It was hardly a studied field back then, no one could blame her for faulty protocols in desperation. And I know that you can heal with shadow, in a strange way. It might not have been meant as a curse, but some sort of protection, and it backfired,” Natalyah says.
However, this is not the primary issue that must be addressed regarding the continued viability of the Lathrik Dinnsfield, as the parasitoid has altered recently to severely increase the drain on the host’s resources with what appears to be a mutation caused from an external source interfering with the structure of the parasitoid so that it no longer will halt its extraction before death of the host, as well as causing interference with visual processing and reasoning skills (see Fig. 5a, 5b, and 5c).
Fig. 5a
"What happened? You ran out of mana on a patrol or job?" Natalyah asks.
"Ren caught me strugglin' 'fore the shift started," Lathrik answers, resting a hand on her waist as he steps inside.
"Struggling with whom?" Natalyah asks, misunderstanding what the struggle was. "I can't smell anyone on you except me, you, and Ren. What attacked you? These don't feel like caster wounds," she says, although she's caught herself in the problem of healing the wounds that were evidence. But scent doesn't lie, and she knows what she smells.
"He was tryin' t'stack up on mana potions too quick," Reniya says, stopping in the living room. "Didn't go well for 'im, and that's when I walked into the picture. He had the nerve to tell me he was fine."
Fig. 5b
The moment the Hymn is over, Reniya cuts in with, "Lathrik can't see our faces."
Lathrik's eyes blink open. "Oi, Ren."
"I'm sorry mate, but that's bloody scary. Y'can't just leave that part off," Reniya says.
"You what?" Natalyah asks, and then becomes significantly less good at holding Lathrik up as she shimmers into her human form, balancing with difficulty. She raises a hand up to her face as if to confirm it's still there. She tries a [Dispel] on Lathrik, followed by a removal of disease, because why not.
Lathrik shakes his head in answer to her attempts. Her magic doesn't seem to find any holds. "It's only a few people," he says, as if trying to minimize it somehow. "You, Ren, Elle, and Hana are the ones so far. It's been… gradual."
Fig. 5c
By the time Natalyah enters the room, Lathrik is leaning over the sink, breathing heavily as if from a shock. "I… When I looked, I saw… Him. The assassin, the one from the Count's manor. He was where I should have been, and I wasn't…there. I think.”
Therefore, there must be a removal of the parasitoid to ensure the overall survival viability long term for the Lathrik Dinnsfield. Such considerations are a primary objective for the Natalyah Kensington-Whit, which requires an examination of the fitness and adaptability of the specimen for this endeavor.
Due to the aforementioned environment of Elywnn Forest, it should be understood that the developmental events of childhood to early adulthood of the Natalyah Kensington-Whit assumed a predicted pattern of adulthood, particularly in regards to nesting and clothing physiology for the physiological and psychological needs of the specimen (see Fig. 6).
Fig. 6a
Natalyah moves forward to the little shallow cave, and pulls out a semi-latticed weaving of branches, tossing them back and to the side. As promised, there are the trunks: two, heavy cedar chests. There's something vaguely funereal about them, the sort of chests that you might pack of someone's things after a death that you aren't throwing away, maybe for sentimental reasons, maybe just to pass on to the next generation when they come of age. It's unlikely either chest, if they were these sorts, contained anything like blankets or pillows or elements of comfort. Just dresses, maybe jewelry, finery that was saved in the attic for someone else.
However, no understanding of the Natalyah Kensington-Whit ontogeny is complete without due time spent to the significant alteration of the taxonomic classification of the specimen, on (at the minimum) a species level, with some consideration to there being possibly changes at the genus family level, from the homosapien to the worgen (proper scientific designation pending). Further study is needed on this scientific detail of where precisely the genetic change occurs in worgen. The introduction of the worgen species (and perhaps genus) has played a significant role in the habitation and behaviors, as well as accessibility of environments, of the Natalyah Kensington-Whit.
Nevertheless, neither the historical phylogeny nor worgen alteration of the Natalyah Kensington-Whit created a necessity for an adoption of an ideal adaptation or trait useful for the continued sustained ongoing viability of the Lathrik Dinnsfield with a potentially deadly parasitoid. Therefore, it has been observed that in the past eight months, the Natalyah Kensington-Whit has engaged in new adaptive behaviors, namely the use and control of the Light phenomenon, to enhance the mana and better optimized healing processes for the Lathrik Dinnsfield.
The preservation of the Lathrik Dinnsfield has become a crucial need of the Natalyah Kensington-Whit so that it may be understood that the specimen requires: nutrients, water, oxygen, shelter, space, and the Lathrik Dinnsfield.
In turn, the Lathrik Dinnsfield has subsequently developed a similar need regarding the continuation of the Natalyah Kensington-Whit, thereby creating an interdependence of survival of the two specimens (see Fig. 7a, 7b, 7c).
Fig. 7a
“You realize what you’ve done?” he finally asks. It’s rhetorical. He looks up at her, light brown eyes near overflowing with fondness. With love. “Natalyah, you’ve… become my heart. Suppose that means I’ll have to keep you around.” Though the last line is a light tease, there is something behind it, a desperate plea for her never to leave.
Fig. 7b
Lathrik shifts one hand to cradle her head, his thumb gently stroking her cheek. She can probably feel his heart, beating faster in anticipation. “’Talyah, I can take whatever you do to me,” he says seriously. “But I know that if you hurt me, it will hurt you, and that is something I will not allow.”
Fig. 7c
“If you start hurting yourself because of me, then I’m not really protecting you, am I? I’m just putting you at risk. And that means, it would be better for me to… not be near you. But, I don’t… want that, so please. Don’t do it.” His hands tremble slightly in his lap.
She sets her coffee on the nightstand, nearly not making it onto the surface properly with her shorter arms, but manages to avoid spilling coffee everywhere, and uses her newly freed hand to slide over his hands in his lap as she shakes her head. "I won't. I promise you, I won't. Not ever again. I don't want to hurt you, not ever." There's a shaking exhale against him, a shudder. "Even beyond that, I will try to stay safe, and I will ask for your help if I'm in danger of getting hurt. I just want the same chance to take care of you back. It matters to me."
Therefore, it can be understood that the prioritization of the continued well-being of the Lathrik Dinnsfield requires the same continued well-being of the Natalyah Kensington-Whit, which in turn necessitates that the latter specimen acquire sufficient fitness for the environment that all current research points to as being the most likely place for a potential removal of the Void Parasitoid: the Highlands.
The Highlands is currently undergoing an infestation of the invasive species of the Twilight’s Hammer, and it is suspected that among the infestation are other specimens of the Farrens family, including both the originator of the parasitoid, as well as the direct ancestors of the Lathrik Dinnsfield (and the Peril Farrens of the same family).
What is not required is the external clothing adornment of the Natalyah Kensington-Whit, the primary purposes of which were to fulfill an earlier psychological need, to react to various social environmental conditions, and to potentially attract a mate. All of these functions have already achieved their intended purposes.
It has been well documented that acts of apparent altruism in species can be observed to directly relate to necessary survival traits of a whole, where short term sacrifices can be seen as having long term evolutionary benefits, so much so that natural selection accounts for this, as Lordaeron naturalist and population geneticist W.D. Hamilton has noted in his formula underlying the theory of inclusive fitness of Hamilton’s Rule (r x B > C) which specifies necessary conditions for altruism, where r is the genetic relatedness of the altruist to the beneficiary, B is the benefit gained by the recipient, and C is the cost suffered by the donor undertaking altruistic behavior.
The altruism demonstrated in the Natalyah Kensington-Whit is mostly likely a spontaneous evolution from the genotype of the family of the specimen who have never exhibited any such trait, and who even rejected the reintegration of their offspring in perceived lack of genetic value (see Fig. 8). In fact, it may be possible that the evolution is in direct response to ensure better viability of this particular species.
Fig. 8
“Natalyah, you cannot possibly have expected us to just wait indefinitely for you to come back to do your duty,” her mother says, and Natalyah isn’t sure what hurts more, the words, or the genuine surprise and disbelief in her voice, as if Natalyah should have been intelligent enough to realize that her family would have disowned her in absence.
“Your sister made an excellent match, and the entitlement has been altered already for her and her son. There’s nothing to do. It would make no sense whatsoever to restore your position, especially now,” her father says, as if that was all Natalyah ever was, a placeholder for them to pass something down and now that she has disrupted the natural order, she has proven she is extraneous. “Natalyah, this isn’t your house anymore.”
The contents of the nesting trousseau are not valuable outside of the greater Alliance environment, given their structure tailored to an individual specimen, but the shape in general is not unique, and the sizing can be adjusted to adapt to various new ownership. The clothing’s arrangement and patterns are only significant for psychological reasons involving history with the particular article of clothing (see Figs. 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, and 9e).
Fig. 9a
Natalyah’s dress is about a decade out of date in fabric and style, but it fits her beautifully, black bodice and cerulean skirt, in inspiration from the blue morpho butterfly.
Natalyah clocks Lathrik’s look, and tilts up her left brow high. "If you're about to tell me my dress is clever without knowing why it is, you can hold that opinion to yourself. I've exhausted my patience on the subject." With…one? How short is her patience fuse?
Lathrik's smile widens in amusement. "A butterfly, isn't it? Whose noble ear did ye roast off for that comment? Wait, don't tell me. More fun to guess."
Natalyah does not do a great job at keeping her smile off her face, the mischievous curling of her lips giving her a sweet wicked look, before she tosses her hair to try to dislodge it.
Fig. 9b
Natalyah’s in a dress again, a mostly yellow and white knee-length tea-dress, with tiny touches of pink along the bodice, and at the top, a stark black line at her décolletage, in the style of the southern dogface butterfly, a common one among the open woodlands and short-grass prairie hills of Hillsbrad and the Arathi Highlands.
[…]
The suspicious look goes flat. “Sounds right,” Peril says. “I’ll have a look at my stock. But before I go, if you don’t mind me saying, Natalyah, your dress looks very reminiscent of the Southern Dogface butterfly.”
If either man wants to know what Natalyah's hundred watt smile looks like, they get to find out. She shifts to twirl her dress a little, and laughs, a charming little sound.
Fig. 9c
Natalyah’s dressed smartly in a green and light brown summer button up, mid-calf length, capped sleeves tea dress, and with the stripes of the brown marbled, the specific colors are reminiscent of the Malachite butterfly.
[…]
“Nonsense,” Peril says, straightening his shirt and fingering his hat. “What better time than now to greet the arrival of the Mysterious Malachite?” He tips his hat back so she can better see his eyes. “Was I right?”
Natalyah's laugh peals out of her, delighted, as she preens a little, shifting her hips to sway the dress ever so slightly, some of the shorter pieces of her hair floating around her head as she turns it in place, not unlike the slow float of the malachite. "Remarkable. It's the underside, so almost no one gets this one either. As a matter of fact, I picked a difficult one just to see if you'd get it. You don't disappoint, Peril."
Fig. 9d
It's a dress meant to evoke the Atala Butterfly, one of the most hazardous (ha ha), toxic butterflies in the world, so dangerous that even touching such a butterfly can cause swelling and blistering, and consuming them at all, neurological problems and death.
[…]
"But I can't walk in like this. You've made my dress into a hazard," Natalyah teases.
Lathrik’s smile widens into one of playful satisfaction at the word ‘hazard.’ “Have I,” he says. It’s not a question. It’s also the only urging he needs to fully remove the garment, sliding it down her body, his hand feeling her skin the entire way.
Fig. 9e
The dress is long, sleeveless, and belted, with a slit along Natalyah’s right leg. There's no dust sticking to the fabric, an expensive mageweave, and the colors of the Purple Emperor are still clear, the deep blue that shimmers iridescent purple as she moves, the bright white spots, and the noticeable orange at the hem, with the inside showing the soft dusky tan of the other side of the butterfly wings.
[…]
"Hey," Bertrand says, and grins as he holds the front door open for her, giving her dress an evaluating look. "Welcome, Purple Emperor. Don't tell Scilla, your majesty, give her a chance to guess too."
"I never tell," Natalyah counters, but she swishes the dress in a pleased sway.
The materials and preservation of these particular articles of clothing make them especially valuable for others seeking adornment-prioritized innovations, and will result in the highest exchange rate among the environments that the Natalyah Kengsington-Whit has access to within a short period of time.
There is no formal study to support the specific situation of prioritization of the Lathrik Dinnsfield over the accumulation of nesting materials and brightly colored markings that have historical value, but such circumstances are well-documented in broader studies, including that a mate is of higher value and significance over any particular singular innovation used for attraction or fitness signaling features.
Numerically the exchange of multiple adornments for a single set of gear is a reduction of overall materials, but the purpose of the newest acquisition is a hybridization of a protective system, and an external stimulation of mana for the wearer, with only a tertiary focus on a communication of status and identity (see Fig. 10).
Fig. 10
The robes are not at all like something she would have ever chosen to wear in her old life. The white, teal, and gold might have almost been the colors of the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, except there isn’t any black and the proportions of colors are all wrong for it. Melissa Blue Butterfly might have almost fit as well, but the blue is all wrong.
There is no way she can even pretend that this set is a butterfly unintentionally.
“This our premium set, with accredited testing for a minimum of restoration of 1000 mana units per 5 seconds while not under active combat conditions, and at least 50% of that while casting,” the saleswoman rattles off. “The circlet of faith’s glow can be turned off by deactivating it on the collar here. The recommended gems for a user have been pre-installed, but can be exchanged for others for an additional fee.”
Natalyah smooths a hand over the robe. Power radiates from the cloth, enchantments woven into the threads, sockets holding gems set into the shoulders that hum with magic. The hovering circlet above her head glows with pure channeling mana.
It looks like something a priest would wear.
“The enchantments can be varied for preference, between increasing power or regeneration. Environment proofing costs extra. We can tailor it to your measurements. We can have it all finalized within the week.”
“You will have it done for me by Friday morning, no later than 9am,” Natalyah says. Never let them know how desperate you are. Let them think you are simply a lady who wants things done on her time. It’s a lesson she learned more than once.
“Of course,” the saleswoman says smoothly, professional enough to not react to the tone. She is used to serving the elite.
It will barely be in time for the departure, but Natalyah will have it. This is what she can do for him. She needs to survive. This is her armor.
Although the external modifications of the appearance give the impression of a social group of priesthood, it should be noted that the Natalyah Kensington-Whit does not follow many of the behaviors or internal psychological systems of that group, despite usage of the physical systems.
It is not the first time the Natalyah Kensington-Whit has utilized these external Light and Shadow techniques for adaptive purposes, but in the past it has been assumed there are limitations to the environment this specimen can successfully navigate through. It took many years for independent ambulation to be achieved through the use of wooden poles of various shapes and sizes. These are reliable external sources, within reason, but they are points of vulnerability to certain skilled predators, and do not provide ambulation without the use of limbs committed to the motion.
Another ambulatory method had also been achieved with the worgen phenotype adaptation, although this method has disadvantages, especially with visibility angles and the method requiring substantial additional concentration to support the loss of manus-dependent casting for fully verbalized components, which are notably less effective in independently conducted studies.
There is, however, another potential solution, a possibility that became apparent under other circumstances that could be innovated and expanded upon to apply to other specimens (see Fig. 11).
Fig. 11
"No!" Natalyah shouts, her voice loud over the crowd, and as the drunken man shoves Lathrik, Natalyah stretches out her own hand, flinging intent and a desperate prayer out with it.
A shimmering brightness shocks into life around Lathrik, a shield that catches the droplets of water from the fountain on it, as Lathrik finds his feet suddenly on firm…air? The paladin is now floating a half foot above the water of the fountain base.
It is a measurable and observable phenomena, and all it requires for use by the Natalyah Kensington-Whit is to channel the correct internal and external behaviors, and then trust in the phenomenon. That is all the specimen must do to achieve this new form of ambulation, through which there will be new accessibility, and manus related freedom, leading to a significant enhancement of expected necessary tools. The drawback that the continuation of this technique can be interfered with through external damage is offset by the ease and quickness of a recast, and that previous agreements within the mutualism system account for an established reduction of damage the Natalyah Kensington-Whit will habitually sustain.
For the Lathrik Dinnsfield’s survival and well-being, as well as the necessary removal of the parasitoid that threatens both, there is nothing the Natalyah Kensington-Whit will not try (within the bounds of previously established acceptable behaviors, see Fig. 7c).
So it is here on this day, April 25th, Year 29 ADP, before the door of the current domicile environment of the two subjects of this paper, that it is observed that the Natalyah Kensington-Whit (the appearance of which is now significantly altered by a new external covering specifically constructed to aid in defense), the specimen understood to be the heart of the Lathrik Dinnsfield (see Fig. 7a), on behalf of the Lathrik Dinnsfield and in preparation for the current operation to remove the Void Parasitoid, performs the necessary manus-substitution verbal conjuration of the action commonly known Levitate, sets aside the wooden constructions for ambulatory aids, and takes a step up into the air, floating like a butterfly, in a leap of faith.