Viridanthozoa

Viridantozoa (also known as Viridan) is a silicon lifeform that closely resembles a crystaline variant of Earth's coral. Naturally green, this coral is molded for use as shelter by the Albinid and their evolutionary ancestors. The primary component of Silicon Mountain, viridanthozoa is the most abundant lifeform in the sulphuric super-lake.

Biology and anatomy
Composed of microscopic polyps, the viridanthozoa utilize a venomous cell in which to debilitate and digest plankton-sized silicon floaters.

Viridanthozoa are hermaphroditic - releasing a mixture of sperm and egg forming a planula, which attaches itself to the host substrate, tephra.

Relationship with Albinid
The evolutionary ancestors of the Albinid used the pockets of viridanthozoa as shelter from predators. With the viridanthozoa safeguarding their youth, the Albinid ancestors thrived. In the beginning the Albinid ancestors would make slight modifications to the green crystal pods in order to accommodate their vast brood.

These modifications continued as the viridanthozoa were molded to suit their Albinid inhabitants as they evolved with their ascent toward the surface. The Albinid ancestors evolved to suit each ecosystem they ascended to.

Properties and attributes
Viridanthozoa replicates quite fast. Albinid chemical engineers have devised a way to further increase this growth rate with the application of a virus. This virus lays dormant in the lab-created viridan until triggered. Within battle the viridanthozoa can be used in a number of ways. A combatant may drop a small slab of the modified organism at his feet. Once activated, the virus will super-accelerate the growth of the slab into a shield.

Albinid mechanical engineers have developed floater-controlled constructs that grow in-battle - increasing its power as it grows each turn (if able.)