Mysiloid
Roughly described as "Mushroom people", the mysiloids live up to both names quite well. They are a unisex organism that often gets attributed a gender only in social norms, and are native from the planet of Gelcynar. From Gelcynar, it is believed they were shaped by the system to thrive as a more fungal-like matter. Old reports suggest they were once quite malicious, and often intoxicated visitors, but this could be confusion with other material, or the air itself. Once peaceful transport was made, and they showed signs to be at peace, they became officially integrated as a distant contributor of the OA.
On their better strides, they are a culture now of pacifism and community impassioned ideals. They wander as hermits, and explorers, curious in similar ways - but with less use of tech - as the Vahamins. However, any time one passes away, they risk polluting the air into a toxic biohazard, and some fear this is actually a subversive conspiracy of theirs to travel and infect other worlds now that they're travelers. There remains some odd controversy to allowing them to flourish.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Their name speaks for much of how they appear. They are humanoid, often bipedal, with white-to-pale yellow or gray flesh, small black eyes, and any number of odd coverings. Many have cap-like heads that grow out and protect the body from too much sun and heat. Sometimes layers of moss, or smaller mushroom, and similar fungal life develops on them, or they even help cultivate almost like a clothing to wear. Their sizes vary greatly, often depending on the environment and population. The more urban ones tend to just stay small, sometimes only as big as a single meter in height, while others often who live on in isolated rural locals, may grow to be like large brutes at roughly 3-meters tall and quite bulky. Their appendages and flesh and slowly weld to earthly materials, sometimes doing so for days to absorb products from plant matter, ponds, etc.
Genetics and Reproduction
The Mysiloid reproduces asexually, by dying. Often a being will live for just a little beyond two decades, attach itself to an object, and begin to tear apart into a cloud of spores. These spores try to seek a spot to grow, and develop into more mysiloids that often retain fragmented traces of intelligence and memories of its parent. Dying doesn't always allow one to reproduce, either by some internal infection, or by product of a death far too premature, or under stressful damage like flames that would consume the spores before they could launch. However, this isn't to say one needs to be deliberate either, and killing one is considered almost akin to running the risk of killing a female spider that could house dozens of eggs. Some Vahamins have deliberately looked for a chemical to sterilize the mysiloid due to the fact their spores are also toxic to inhale, but this is naturally controversial.
Dietary Needs and Habits
They mostly feed on the environment itself. Water, plant, wood, etc. They don't eat processed foods, and at their most desperate in a city environment, will actually go out to purchase potted plants, fertilizer, or similar such ideas for consumption. They prefer to eat in darker or shaded places, and will sometimes attach themselves to a natural feeding spot for up to as long as a couple days, however they aren't beyond simply tearing things up and shoveling them in their mouth either - its just not considered as effective or authentic.
Additional Information
Uses, Products & Exploitation
It is often suggested they're used by some rebels and vandals as bio-hazards, killed to produce panic or terrorism. Its also theorized their chemicals can be used in drugs and medicine, but the science isn't too conclusive in one way or the other. However, science or not, the ryclin specifically seem to be oddly immune to direct consumption of the material, though not without some effect. Ryclins devouring a mysiloid experience a drug-like high, or buzz from the spores released internally. It is still hazardous for them to breath it in, but oddly they are more 'happily whoozey' from ingesting the being before it can release it. As such, occasionally Crashers or similar authority figures of the ryclin community are called on to "handle" a bad mysiloid, and there is some suspicion a few may illegally devour civilians for pleasure.
Civilization and Culture
Average Technological Level
Mysiloids use sparse technology, if any at all. Many will live somewhat like hermits, detached, with only the "essentials" that make them happy. Mysiloids would rather be bird watchers, than sports of fashion fanatics, and limits or differences in values like diets leave them at odds with both the ryclin and human culinary cultures. Their home world lacks almost any technology aside from the tiny researcher outposts developed, and it is a new enough concept for the few that live in cities at all to witness such communities. However it is a misconception to consider them primitive or stupid around such things, as they can quickly adapt to needs, and have had their share of odd ones that try to use weapons, transport, watch movies, or carry advanced medicine to help others, etc.
Lifespan
20-28 Years (as long as 40)
Average Height
1.2-1.7m (Can be much bigger in odd habitats)
Average Weight
30-70kg
Average Physique
Mildly stout. Often reinforced layers of tissue, but no such thing as actual lipid systems.
Geographic Distribution
Related Organizations
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