Ectoplasm

Ectoplasms are blob-like, bioluminescent parasites. They can be found all across Legere, although they are far more common in colder regions. In Corgath, it is common to find ectoplasms gestating in basements and storage structures.
Ectoplasms on their own are completely harmless. An individual can touch or even ingest the creature on its own without consequence. However, they can become dangerous and problematic if they come into contact with a corpse (human or other). Ectoplasms can infest the dead body (colloquially called possession) and animate it by distributing itself through the remains. They attach themselves to the skeleton, and dissolve the remaining flesh for nutrients. From here, ectoplasms can use the body they have possessed to hunt for living prey to kill and transfer themselves into. This is the only way ectoplasms can reproduce; once enough mass has been digested from corpses and they are large enough, they will shed a portion of their gel-like body, which will gestate for anywhere between 2 days and a week, depending on size. After this gestation period, the shed portion will go on to seek out more dead bodies. Hence, ectoplasms must find, kill and digest more prey in order to reproduce.
Possessed creatures are easily identified, as their bodies are rotted, and the Ectoplasms’ teal coloured, glowing slime is visible ‘filling in the gaps’ in the body. It is possible for a dead creature to be possessed by multiple Ectoplasms, but it is an incredibly rare occurrence, and often requires the body of a very large creature. Ectoplasms can possess mollusks and other boneless creature, but will not be able to use the body once majority of its flesh has been digested.
As ectoplasm infestations can quickly become a major threat, an order of hunters was formed out of Corgath known as the Ghosthunters. They utilize special tools to eliminate Ectoplasms (which can be incredibly difficult if they are inside a tough host), typically weapons with specialized, semi-magical stone tips/blades that cause Ectoplasmic entities to shrivel up.

Lifespan

1 month

Average Height

15 cm

Average Weight

0.5 kg

Average Length

25 cm