Dr. Alset Niest
Character
Designation: Non-sentient
Homeworld: Selvaris
Language: None
Average height of adults: 0.1524 meters
Skin color: Pale white in adolescence, turns brown and tan at the point of 'adulthood'
Hair color: Translucent, derivative from spore placement
Breathes: Any atmospheric condition (I, II, and III), so long as oxygen is present
Strengths:
-It requires very little, in terms of conditions to grow
-Incredibly resilient to hostile atmospheric conditions
-Tastes incredible
Weaknesses:
-It's a mushroom
-Requires air dispersal for standard reproductive cycles
-Requires a sentient/fleshy body in order to produce in bio-engineered form, along with a implanted nutrient disk.
Distinctions:
-It's a fungal skin infection that can be mistake as an alien skin tag
-Once full grown, can be pulled from the skin and smoke. Basal chemical react to oxygen and ignite upon plucking.
Average Lifespan: 2 days from initial placement of spore and initialization of growth
Races: Standard and bioengineered variant
Estimated Population: Common on Selvaris, controlled by Shaper Caste.
Diet: Flesh and oxygen, prefers moist conditions but can grow either way. Sunlight not needed.
Communication: Don't communicate, except by spore dispersal by wind (only in natural variant).
Culture: They propagate, they bud, they die. Rinse and repeat.
Technology level: Umm, none?
General behavior: There's fungus among us! That's right, this acts purely like a fungal infection.
History: The Chazarillo, named after the Chazrach soldier, began it's life misunderstood and hated. Some believed it to be another plague, sent by the Gods, chastising the Legion on Selvaris for the slow acceptance of the more liberal interpretations of the Great Doctrine. Others believed that it was the natural culling of a weak and pathetic race, the Chazrach, for their sin of...being weak. What they didn't understand is that when a world is terraformed, or vong shaped, it can respond in impressive and unique ways.
The Batrachochytrium vostralis, nicknamed the Chazarillo, is a unique fungus if ever one was experienced. The initial phase of it's life is unknown, though we can only assume that it occurred in response to World-shaping - records proceeding the process of the Yuuzhan Vong on Selvaris hold no accounts of such a thing. It was discovered in a burial pit, among the dying of the Chazrach, who were growing uncontrollable legions of fleshy mushroom like masses. What was remarkable is that while the fungus was evidently causing the death of these sad beings, it was continuing to use the carcasses long after their departure. Now, I don't know how this came about, though I am morbidly curious - I suspect Sparkbee Honey - but a number of Warriors of the Legion discovered that when removed from the flesh, the spiney base of the Chazarillo will ignite. Upon later testing, we discovered an odd production of pyrophoric phosphorous, trace amounts to be sure.
Once ignited, the internal tubular canal of the fungus, through a pressure difference, will blow the smoke through the head and gills. It's during this time that the Warriors realized that the mushroom could be smoked. Upon inspection, it was revealed that the taste was similar to mixing scotch with hints of earth and a high caliber of oaken nuts, quite the sultry and herbal finish. Not that I would know, first hand.
Initial breakout had to be controlled through biological controls - mostly bugs based off the nang hul, that went unnamed in the annals of history for their limited use. However, the shapers took the opportunity to genetically modify this species from it original variant - leading to the truest form of the Chazarillo, that can be used as a biot when placed against the flesh of any sentient. Controlled, the object does little harm to the host, though it will naturally pull nutrients from the body to grow over the course of a 2 day period. Once ready, expressed by the production of 8 basal spines and a brownish color to the gills and sheath, it can be plucked form the skin - or broken, if that sits better. Immediately, just as the original Chazarillo, it ignites in response to oxygen and can be smoked. The biot is placed by manual injection of spore base, a disk like platform that stabilizes the fungus and allows for repetitive growth and initial required nutrient input from that singular space. This also prevents the spread of the species beyond this spot and the disk can be removed at any time, given the proper level of persistence and/or pain tolerance.
The warrior caste has glorified this fungus as a gift from Yun-Yammka, the Shapers thank their own ingenuity and God. I just wonder: what drives a species to such disgusting endeavors?
Notable Player-Characters: N/a
Intent: To make a Vong version of a Cigarra