Cascatine

Cascatine was a silvery gray metallic substance prevalent throughout the Shimmering Seas. It could be found in deposits on the islands of the region, as well as in the saline-Cascatine water that made up the region’s oceans. Cascatine was also the main component of the implants in Biosynth bodies.

Name
The exact origin of the name “Cascatine” was unknown, but regional etymology suggested it came from early versions of Scattansa.

Properties
Cascatine usually appeared as a hard, dark silver metal. It was frequently found imbedded in rock formations on islands throughout the Shimmering Seas, and in lesser quantities as particles in saline-Cascatine water.

Cascatine’s primary use was as the core material used to create implants for Biosynth species. When gathered together in large amounts and placed in specific areas of a Biosynth’s organic tissue, Cascatine would react with movement and growth, and would rapidly fuse with the Biosynth’s flesh and began spreading throughout its body. During this process of integration with a Biosynth’s body, the Cascatine implants would change colors, giving Biosynths distinctly colored bodies. The range of possible color changes for the implants was species-dependent. Some Biosynth species, like Jidera and Shivvits, would appear relatively uniform in the color of their implants, whereas implants in species such as Threkshee and Scattans could change into a wider variety of colors. It was believed that every Biosynth had genetic markers present in their flesh, which Cascatine implants would detect, that determined the colors the implants would assume. Cascatine implants, once fully integrated into a Biosynth, would perform many tasks beneficial to the Biosynth such as temperature regulation, protection against contagions, digestion, and facilitation of the growth of the Biosynth into an adult.

Cascatine could be augmented with relative ease. Sentient Biosynths frequently chose to add upgrades to their bodies for various purposes. Many Starved Guns during the Scattan Wars weaponized their implants in order to justify higher payment for their services.

Cascatine’s relationship to Biosynth species was largely a mystery. Even under the most sophisticated studies conducted by Biosynth scientists of various species, Cascatine merely appeared an ordinary metal. Because of its obvious symbiotic qualities with Biosynths, however, it was often at the heart of Biosynth conflicts and wars, as control over a large cache of Cascatine could determine the future of the next generation of Biosynths. The wealthiest and most powerful beings in the Shimmering Seas were often in control of large reserves of mined or captured Cascatine.