Ru Beetles

Basic Information

Anatomy

Ru beetles are quite large, often reaching 6 inches in length and over 3 in width. Their exoskeletons are curiously pitted and rather knobbly. Some scholars theorize that this rough texture helps them clamber over, under, and around each-other, as well as allowing them to maintain their position in a formation. On each shell there are also three minute gaps that lead to soft flesh. It is common for beetles to hook their legs into these gaps whilst in formation. Ru conglomerates have said this practice creates a psychic link between beetles that practice it, and that it is the key to forming Ru conglomerates in the first place. Ru legs (numbering six) are longer than those of most beetles, offering greater reach and flexibility.
Otherwise Ru beetles are very much like their more mundane kin. Their skeletal structure is on the outside, their flesh is on the inside, they have six legs, a head, and two sets of wings... all they truly lack are eyes.

Biological Traits

Ru beetles do not appear to have separate genders and there are no recorded examples of them altering themselves to fulfill specialized roles. In fact, the species as a whole displays a level of uniformity most scholars, earth mages, and physicians consider uncanny. For while there is a clear difference between the larger and stronger beetles found in urban centers and the starved, scrounging Ru found in the wasteland this disparity seems primarily linked to diet and little else. Ru from the wasteland brought to a large city typically grow to match their urban cousins within the space of a few weeks or more. Moving Ru from the city to a barren place with scant psychic energy causes them to adopt a greyish pallor and shrunken physique similar to natives of that region.

Genetics and Reproduction

In order to reproduce a Ru beetle must spend several days feeding on psychic energy, gorging itself to capacity before finally retreating to a nest and using the harvested energy to create a sort of cocoon. This mysterious tube of multi-hued webbing is thought to encase a deposit of psychic potential containing essence from the beetle that created it. Although the process is poorly understood it would seem that his psychic potential eventually coalesces into a brand new Ru beetle which then devours the cocoon and escapes. From gorging to incarnation the whole affair seems to require three to four weeks, with the gestation-incarnation consuming at least two.
Typically Ru conglomerates will disperse during "mating season" but construct their nests rather close to one-another's, ensuring that young Ru will not have to look very far for others of their kind to join up with.

Growth Rate & Stages

Ru beetles mature at a rate directly affected by the amount of psychic energy they consume. New-borns can become full-grown in a couple days if they find themselves in a densely populated human city or somewhere similar but those stuck in barren environments can require years to reach maturity.
When they are born Ru take on the coloration of the area immediately around them. If they join a conglomerate this natural camouflage begins to fade when they reach a few months of age, for at that point the combined strength of their conglomerate is usually more than enough to keep them safe.

Ecology and Habitats

Ru beetles prefer warmer climates. These can range from blisteringly hot locals like deserts to ones that are typically sunny like the planes of central Urkenthest. In the modern day, however it is unusual to find any but the smallest colonies of Ru beetles outside of major cities or other settlements. Psychic energy is their only required sustenance, and to their Mind's Eyes the vast urban centers of humanity and other races appear as feasts without end.
When compared to most other species Ru beetles have a rather low environmental impact. They sate their thirst with mental energy but are careful not to drain too much, cautiously maintaining their food sources. As creatures driven entirely by psychic activity they create no physical waste but do leave behind a few metaphysical footprints. Slight mental fatigue is an indication of their presence, along with the scraps of thought and memory they often leave floating in their wake.

Dietary Needs and Habits

As mentioned above, Ru beetles are beings that subsist entirely through the consumption of psychic energy. Hunting their food is a simple matter locating living organisms with any level of cerebral activity. Even simplistic creatures such as rats, foxes, snakes, and jackals can provide enough sustenance to satisfy a Ru conglomeration. However it requires a great many of these small sources to feed the entirety of a conglomerate, making beings with some measure of sentience or capacity for complex thought far more desirable. Individual humans, as an example, have more than enough surplus psychic energy to support full conglomerates. Some other species can sustain entire tribes.
While conglomerates (or even singular Ru beetles) in the wilds may fight others of their species for the right to sap the cerebral activity of a more lowly animal, no such conflicts exist within the homes of sentient life. There is more than enough to go around, and enough room to allow for a peaceful co-existence.

Biological Cycle

Although they will eventually perish somewhere around twenty-five years of age Ru beetles show little regard for time's entropic tendencies. Their physical forms remain strong and capable for most of their lives, while their faculties only grow in power and knowledge storing potential.
Hibernation is not typically needed as Ru beetles congregate primarily in warm and even arid environments.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Ru conglomerates have seen extensive use as spies, spymasters, guards, and interrogators throughout history. This is due primarily to their knack for reading minds and finding relevant information, as well as their highly mutable forms which can make acts of infiltration and general espionage significantly easier.

Facial characteristics

Ru beetles are one of the few species of insects that does not possess head. They instead feature a protrusion marking the front of their exoskeleton that bears a smooth, almost gem-like patch of chitin. This patch glows a golden yellow when the beetle feeds or uses its psychic abilities but remains a dull amber color otherwise.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Ru Beetles can be found in most hot or arid regions but are more common in the southern hemisphere.

Average Intelligence

On their own Ru beetles are about as intelligent as a cat if well fed, but conglomerations of beetles automatically combine the strength of their faculties to achieve an intellect that equals and even theoretically exceeds those of humans or elvenkind.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Ru Beetles cannot see in the conventional sense. They can communicate via pheromones, feel reverberations, and have exceptional hearing, but their lack of eyes makes them technically blind. However they do have a specialized organ that is seemingly unique to Ru beetles. Researchers have called it the "Mind's Eye" because of it's peculiar capability to tap into, spy on, and feed off of the psyche of nearby organisms. Using this organ, Ru beetles can absorb data from the senses of said organisms and use it to construct a mental map of the surrounding area. It is also possible for conglomerations of these beetles to detect various thoughts and emotions in sapient creatures targeted by this organ.

Lifespan

25 years.

Average Height

2.3 inches.

Average Weight

Three quarters of a pound.

Average Length

Six inches.

Average Physique

Ru beetles are remarkably sturdy and capable of supporting considerable weight for extended periods of time. This can be seen most clearly when looking at Ru conglomerates, which consist of many beetles stacked atop one-another. These conglomerates can form distinct limbs, grasp objects, and exert enough strength to pull themselves up and over short cliffs or other obstructions.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

For the first few months of their existence Ru beetles have the same coloration as the environment in which they were born, which is typically brown, tan, grey, or green. However after the afore-mentioned first months their carapaces begin to develop a curious pattern of colors that warps and shifts incessantly. This inconsistent set of markings only appears when the beetles are both alive and well-fed. Deceased or starving Ru beetles are colored a dull grey, perhaps indicating their lack of energy.

Related Ethnicities

• The Urken.