The development of the Napth Braincase ran in parallel with the Lavans-type synthoid, as the container that would directly house the brain of the crippled Iromakuanhe and control a biomechanical body of a compatible make. In effect, while the artificial body would replace the destroyed body of the user, it would be the braincase that protected the very essence of a person and allowed them to continue their surrogate existence safely.
After its completion and that of the body it was designed to fill, both projects found themselves being used in a variety of ways originally not conceived. The Lavans body type eventually saw used as a unit that would house NI and allow them to be integrated into the civilian population and promoted the creation of good natural Iromakuanhe/NI relations, while the Napth saw usage as something less humanitarian.
Although it was possible to reverse aging through genetic therapies and restore the ailing to full health and reverse the ravages of time, there were eventual limitations on the ability of such treatment. And such, some people, who had been hasty in turning back the clock and keeping a facade of youth for a dozen decades now found that their bodies could no longer be returned to youth without the treat of physical and genetic damages. Using unlicensed alterations, the restorative properties of the specialized healing agents and Prajna variants used in the suspensotory fluid for the braincases offered the possibility of clinical immortality, allowing a single being to continue to live across many bodies.
The Napth is an artificial life support and neural interface system developed specifically for the mind of an Iromakuanhe, when regenerative treatments proved ineffectual to sustain, or repair their damaged bodies. Itself, the case appears as nothing more then a conformal shell with connectivity for body transplantation, built-in life support functions to sustain the mind and to protect it from harm.
The Napth does its best to mimic the confines of a self-sufficient skull. The interior includes several connection and injection points for outside support. Near the bottom for connecting the case to the spinal column of the recipient body to allow for near full connectivity and support to be shifted to the body. Nutritional support for the brain is obtained from a few of these injection points, they connect directly to the brain, and into the case itself feeding a low yield solution that inter-mixes with the artificial cerebrospinal fluid and Prajna.
An artificial version of the natural cerebrospinal fluids found within the body have been injected into the case along with a direct feed into the body's main Prajna producing organ. The Prajna once circulating within the spinal fluid helps to refresh it, and regenerate the brain should it suffer any form of blunt force trauma and bruising or other forms of damage. Due to the low prajna content however regeneration is slower, but still significantly faster then normal biological means.
In between transplants, the brain is put into medically induced coma to conserve oxygen and other resources extending it from days to weeks. It also serves the purpose from sparing the individual from complete sensory depravation which could destabilize the individual in question.
Appearance wise, the Napth is fairly utilitarian. Being an opaque conformal Strodirn shell that encases as well as protects the brain. The exterior shows indentations for any exterior devices that maybe required, as well as a larger connection port situated on the bottom for hooking up to the spinal column.
The Napth is a buffer that is meant to render the usage of a biomechanical body such as the Altjiran Lavans-type Synthoid possible for a natural-born Iromakuanhe. Through surgery, the brain of that person can be salvaged and introduced into a new body. It is offered for free to victims of war, government employees who have been crippled during service and retiring NI, and is not restricted from purchase by the main populace.
Although not especially popular, the braincase may be purchased and transferred to by a private individual at a rate of roughly 30 000 KD to 90 000 KD. Illegally modified units are not commercially available, but are theorized to cost up to twenty to fifty times as much due to the rarety of materials and expertise to perform such modifications.