sniffs,,, puts my mcbsona down
this is Tex Morpha!!! backstory + other lore under the cut - Please note that it does contain slight spoilers, and it will be a LONG read!!
Tex Morpha is a Lumen Cardbot [my own species] from the planet Illumachina, Planet Machina's sister planet.
Lumen Cardbots were formed when a massive block of Machinasium was planted within the core of Planet Illumachina, much like Machina. Before this, the planet was inhabited by beings made entirely of light - more specifically, a physical form known as hardlight. Once the Machinasium took over, these beings were transformed into mechanical creatures that still rely on light to function. Over time, a hierarchy formed within Lumen society based largely on physical traits. One of the most defining features is the set of flaps along their helm, known as Hardlight Antennas, with a Lumen having up to six max that vary in color, size, and brightness depending on type. Some Lumens are also formed with embedded crystals made of a denser, near-indestructible form of hardlight, with their size and amount carrying significant weight in status. Those with more antennas or larger crystals are often seen as higher ranking, typically taking on authoritative roles - similar to that of Machina's Star Guardians. More rarely, some Lumens are formed with a liquid state of light stored within parts of their frame, most commonly the stomach, inner thighs, or forearms, and in rare cases, the chest. These Lumens have transparent panels to display it, though they can be modified. Despite its appearance, this liquid isn’t used as fuel, but instead acts as a stabilizing base that maintains a Lumen’s structural integrity, and is highly toxic to any non-Lumen being.
Tex Morpha lived a comfortable life on Illumachina - or at least, they tried to. Living in the main city meant constant noise, crowds of higher-status Lumens, and nonstop chaos stacking on itself. What Tex wanted was something that made them feel important - something exciting, but without the attention. Through word of mouth, he found a program at a powerplant where participants worked to generate light through motion alone. Being faster than average for a terrestrial frame, she saw it as a chance at purpose. When they arrived, it quickly became clear it was more than expected. During their time there, Tex learned extensive science and engineering, surprising herself with how much she understood. By the day of the experiment, an overwhelming dread set in - like something would go terribly wrong. And it did. Machines overloaded due to lack of supervision, causing an explosion that killed everyone, including Tex - or so it thought. He instead awoke in a place that felt unreal, as the light forming his body dimmed, believing they had reached some form of afterlife before falling into an offline state. Years later, she woke on Planet Machina, with no clear idea how she got there. Since then, they’ve struggled to remain tangible - their body’s light weakened without Illumachina’s natural source. After enduring it for a long time, Tex created a device that supplies artificial light to sustain them, though it requires recharging, leaving him weak without it. On Machina, Tex struggled to conform with the Metal Cardbots who lived there, never quite fitting in with their customs or expectations. It did not take long to realize that they had arrived during the war between the Metal Cardbots and the Wild Cardbots, where danger and suspicion were everywhere. After just a few weeks, Tex learned that trying to conform would be impossible. Their best bet was to go into hiding and avoid pursuit.
