Post by Alex on Sept 27, 2009 1:09:01 GMT -8
Owner: Half-Life
Pronounced Zen!
Rather than being a planet or an artificial structure such as a space station, all of the locations of Xen are on the surfaces of (or within) asteroids ("islands") floating within a nebular void. There is water inside these islands, The majority of flowing water is red and greenish brown, however there are pools of blueish water that have a healing effect on whoever sits on them. The presence of any water proves that Xen can support life.
Compared to the gravitational pull experienced on Nu Earth, Xen is notable for having somewhat reduced gravity. However, given that Xen is comprised of low mass asteroids, it is surprising that there is any appreciable gravitational pull at all, let alone a pull strong enough to retain the breathable atmosphere encountered there. Another noticeable feature is that gravity is always directed downwards, rather than towards the asteroid, so that one can actually fall off an asteroid into the void below.
Ecosystem
The Xen asteroids are home to a wide variety of different plant and animal species, forming a complex ecosystem. Although resident in Xen, all of these species originate elsewhere (are part of the Half-Life).
Some species, such as barnacles, Bullsquid, Headcrabs and Houndeyes occupy niches similar to various carnivorous terrestrial animals (albeit with unusual anatomical or physiological features). However, even these creatures are dwarfed by the towering 6 meter high, four-legged invertebrate known as the Gonarch, which is the final stage of a Headcrab's lifecycle.
Seen frequently in Xen (and occasionally in Black Mesa, where they transport Alien Grunts) manta ray-like beings glide seemingly without effort through the void. These creatures come in two forms; one with a 'split' head and a double tail, and the other with a rounder head and a single tail. The beings appear to follow preset patterns of flight, and do not react to attack or contact with other organisms. However, they are capable of emitting beams of energy. It is uncertain whether these ray-like beings are living creatures or examples of war machines built around advanced biotechnology.
Other, more intelligent species, such as the Controllers and Alien Slaves, form part of an advanced alien civilization with other species, such as the Alien Grunts and Gargantua, composing their military. This civilization is controlled by several things, including a central intelligence, the Nihilanth. Although differing in many ways, the Controllers, Alien Slaves, Grunts and the Nihilanth share a common morphology that includes a seemingly vestigial third limb in the center of their thorax and vertically-opening mouths, showing us that they are all closely related.
A few creatures that appear in Xen are difficult to categorize as either fauna or flora due to their unusual appearance. Stationary bioluminescent stalks appear in large numbers throughout Xen and will retract when approached. The much larger and extremely aggressive (but rarely encountered) Tentacles share certain features with animals but also of plants and pose a major hazard to those who wander near their pits. There are also bizarre tree-like structures dotted around the landscape, which seem to be more sedate versions of the Tentacles. The "trees" sway gently and appear harmless when observed from a distance, but stab viciously at any creature that enters their immediate vicinity. There are also strange trampoline-like plants seen in Black Mesa and Xen and pit holes that blow out air.
Pronounced Zen!
Rather than being a planet or an artificial structure such as a space station, all of the locations of Xen are on the surfaces of (or within) asteroids ("islands") floating within a nebular void. There is water inside these islands, The majority of flowing water is red and greenish brown, however there are pools of blueish water that have a healing effect on whoever sits on them. The presence of any water proves that Xen can support life.
Compared to the gravitational pull experienced on Nu Earth, Xen is notable for having somewhat reduced gravity. However, given that Xen is comprised of low mass asteroids, it is surprising that there is any appreciable gravitational pull at all, let alone a pull strong enough to retain the breathable atmosphere encountered there. Another noticeable feature is that gravity is always directed downwards, rather than towards the asteroid, so that one can actually fall off an asteroid into the void below.
Ecosystem
The Xen asteroids are home to a wide variety of different plant and animal species, forming a complex ecosystem. Although resident in Xen, all of these species originate elsewhere (are part of the Half-Life).
Some species, such as barnacles, Bullsquid, Headcrabs and Houndeyes occupy niches similar to various carnivorous terrestrial animals (albeit with unusual anatomical or physiological features). However, even these creatures are dwarfed by the towering 6 meter high, four-legged invertebrate known as the Gonarch, which is the final stage of a Headcrab's lifecycle.
Seen frequently in Xen (and occasionally in Black Mesa, where they transport Alien Grunts) manta ray-like beings glide seemingly without effort through the void. These creatures come in two forms; one with a 'split' head and a double tail, and the other with a rounder head and a single tail. The beings appear to follow preset patterns of flight, and do not react to attack or contact with other organisms. However, they are capable of emitting beams of energy. It is uncertain whether these ray-like beings are living creatures or examples of war machines built around advanced biotechnology.
Other, more intelligent species, such as the Controllers and Alien Slaves, form part of an advanced alien civilization with other species, such as the Alien Grunts and Gargantua, composing their military. This civilization is controlled by several things, including a central intelligence, the Nihilanth. Although differing in many ways, the Controllers, Alien Slaves, Grunts and the Nihilanth share a common morphology that includes a seemingly vestigial third limb in the center of their thorax and vertically-opening mouths, showing us that they are all closely related.
A few creatures that appear in Xen are difficult to categorize as either fauna or flora due to their unusual appearance. Stationary bioluminescent stalks appear in large numbers throughout Xen and will retract when approached. The much larger and extremely aggressive (but rarely encountered) Tentacles share certain features with animals but also of plants and pose a major hazard to those who wander near their pits. There are also bizarre tree-like structures dotted around the landscape, which seem to be more sedate versions of the Tentacles. The "trees" sway gently and appear harmless when observed from a distance, but stab viciously at any creature that enters their immediate vicinity. There are also strange trampoline-like plants seen in Black Mesa and Xen and pit holes that blow out air.