Chrysalis is a one-of-a-kind ship, a bizarre hybrid of an Explorer-class vessel and a new type of elven design, an organic ship similar to the elves' organic space stations. She was a project of the controversial elven group, Elven Balance Syndicate, or EBS, a group of elven scientists and druids who believe that the universe needs a balance between science and nature. They created Chrysalis as the perfect representation of that balance, working for nearly a decade on their organic station, Risengar. Their research finally developed Chrysalis, a ship which is not only alive, but can do what no other ship can do: procreate.

Of course, with the onset of the red Emperor and the drow's promotion to taking charge of the galaxy's police and military systems, the drow took interest in this project. Eventually, the drow sent a number of their scientists to take over the project and see that the result was used for the drow's benifit -- a warship which could perpetuate itselfa t no cost to its owners would be a powerful thing indeed. At first, the elves refused to let the drow take part in their experiment, EBS being a pacifist group (not to mention the elves' hatred for drow), but the drow forced their way into the project, and took control of it, forcing the EBS scientists to complete the project under drow command. Under the drow's instructions, the prototype was to be fitted with a weapon system upon emerging from the crystalline egg-like chrysalis from which she got her name.

The Chrysalis Project had a few enemies, however. One of the more conservative druid movements among the elves, the Movement for a Natural Universe, or MANU, a fierely fanatical anti-technology group, saw the project as the ultimate perversion of natural life, and opposed it violently, being known to even commit terrorist acts against companies whcih were known to support the project. The drow security on Risengar was enough to keep such a thing from happening onboard the station, though.

Unfortunately for the drow, however, everything has a weakness. The information about the project leaked as well to the Resistance movement, busily trying to prevent the drow (and their masters, the red dragons) from getting any more power. The Resistance sent a two-man team to Risengar, consisting of an expert thief named Eldon Thorngage and a Soulmech mechanist named Marcus Lear (scientists predicted that the Chrysalis-class ships would have a neurological link with Soulmechs). The two sneaked on board the station and managed to reach Chrysalis... just as a team of MANU terrorists set a bomb to destroy the station. Unable to defuse the bomb, Eldon and Marcus managed to escape in the newly-emerged Chrysalis, along with several of the EBS scientists. Taking the ship far away from the destroyed Risengar, the Resistance team laid low and hoped that the drow's anger would not come to them.

A Chrysalis-class ship has several advantages over the typical Explorer-class ship, on which its exterior and interior designs are based: first of all, it has a stronger natural protection against damage, and more hit points. Secondly, it can (to an extent) self-repair damage it takes -- in effect, it can heal itself. Finally, and most importantly, a Chrysalis-class ship is alive -- it is a living and sentient being, a fusion of technology and organic life. Through elven magic, similar to that used to create Soulmechs, a Chrysalis-class actually has a soul, a personality, and can reproduce itself. Chrysalis come in two genders, male and female. They reproduce through spores released into space, which does not involve physical contact, but they must have their owners' consent to reproduce. Though they are alive, Chrysalis are still subject to their makers' and owners' desires, and though they have a mind of their own, the orders of their owners can override their intentions, as put forth through the ship's controls.

It has been put forward that Chrysalis mgiht have some sort of mental connection with Soulmechs, as there are many similarities between the two races. In fact, Solmechs can communicate with Chrysalis in a way that other races cannot, a strange mental telepathic link that seems to develop between them. The first Soulmech to enter a Chrysalis will become linked to it in this way, a link which cannot be broken or changed except by the death of one of the parties. This link allows the Chrysalis to communicate telepathically with the Soulmech, and likewise. The drow have developed a program which would pair up Soulmechs and Chrysalis to forge an effective partnership between the two races.

Other races may communicate with their Chrysalis by speaking to it (the ship has audio sensors throughout the interior), or by interacting directly with the visual screen located in the crew lounge. This screen portrays the Chrysalis as a young human of its gender, and this manifestation can converse with the crew normally.

Though they are subject to their owners' control, a Chrysalis is still an individual creature, and sometimes has a will of its own. If it has not been bonded, or encountered its owner, or if no one is using its controls, it may act on its own accord. Soulmechs may ask it to do something, but unless it is controlled, its actions are still subject to its whim.


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