The Fungi: RP-purebloods race!

[Rechkalov]

// K.I.S.S. uncompatible, I'm afraid

Context

Shrooms + AWESOME MIND POWERS

The insect kingdom is so damn parasites-rich! There actually even is a fungi that, upon infecting an ant, proceeds to make it kill itself and then takes over its body.

What I am proposing is a race heavily inspired by ophiocordyceps unilateralis, as that creepy thing is called.

The Fungi (as I am going to call them from now on) have been part of the fauna since the beginning of ages, and have developed on individual scale greatly. However, it was only when the Vaurca* appeared that they discovered a means of estabilishing a solid society (I will expand on that later on).

Themselves, they are but a heap of parasitic fungus, capable to move around on their own but lacking any means of physically manipulating objects.

However, they are extremely developed intellectualy; lacking any vocal apparatus, they were equipped for primitive communication by the means of directly sharing thoughts with others of their kind.

As their species evolved, they had not only formed highly advanced consciousness, but have mastered this talent so as to be able to reach out to any other being, regardless of race, as long as it does have anything resembling thought patterns of their own.

And to mess those thought patterns up, hurr durr!

* Originally intended to propose playable slimes, but parasites possibly have a bit more depth to their rationing and can be neatly introduced to our world along with the bugmen.

 

Life Cycle

At the end of their life, the dying Fungi will disperse a great cloud of spores, thousands to tens of thousands.

The couple of minutes following the 'departure' from the dying Fungi are crucial for the spores: unless they find a moist, warm place by some stroke of luck, they quickly fade away. That being said, that's what happens with most of them; in perfect conditions, a dying Fungi will spawn four to five of his kind, of which two on average make it to full adultery.

Note: There is a chance that the new Fungi (all of them, to make things fun!) will carry on its memories and experiences -though not necessarily the personality.

The following phase -while slower in comparison- is still considerably rapid; in a couple of hours, a Fungi 'larvae' will emerge and proceed to seek out a host.

- formerly, at the dawn of their history, the Fungi would make its way to the host's nerve center, neutralize it and assume its place.

Nowadays, they can nest wherever about the host, and only intervene with its life in necessary/as they see fit, thanks to their AWESOME MIND POWERS.

In the constant, unchanging conditions of the host's insides, the Fungi will mature and eventually emerge.

Adult Fungi don't really have anything like 'natural demise' and would be perfectly capable of living for hundreds of years, but they are extremely sensitive to changes in temperatures, even more so to heat and/or water deprivation.

 

Character

The Fungi are extremely intelligent and, above all, empathetic; with at least two more or less well constructed reasons to back such rationing up.

The first and most obvious one being that their ability to read people's minds makes it near impossible for them not to be able to relate to them, or perceive them as 'monstrous', alien - repelling (borrowing Card's reasoning here that, whom you understand, you cannot help but love the same way they love themselves).

Secondly, their lives being literally dependent on other beings, they have formed a great respect and appreciation for every form of life - recognizing themselves as parasites, their philosophy is that each and every life is precious and valuable (within the rational boundaries - that being said, they are not intended to be childish, naive pacifists: they cannot stand senseless killing, however, where 'senseless killing' stands for killing that isn't asolutely necessary for the survival of the killer. Example: a lion eating an antilope is acceptable. Waging a war about profits or ideologies is not, and is impossible for the Fungi to comprehend.).

 

History

The Fungi had been evolving for thousands of years, though they have very little to show for it; their form, and the primitive forms of most of the hosts available to them, put them at disadvantage in terms of civilization.

It was only with the appearance of the Vaurca, whose...hands...were capable of actual manipulation of objects, that they were able for the first time in their history to take a chance at physically creating and building (the nature of Vaurca also made it -after some time- possible for the two species to live in relative harmony, or so I'd imagine - seeing that their 'bodies' aren't necessarily linked with their essence).

- I would imagine their society to be small, possibly a single or a handful of cities, same goes for their fleets; however, technologically, they ought to be VERY advanced (or, maybe 'sophisticated' is a better fitting word), and very eager to exchange knowledge with anybody regardless of their advancement: they appreciate new perspectives on life just as much as they do new mechanisms.

// You could say their philosophy in this regard is pretty much 'There aren't more or less developed nations, only different cultures'

 

Gameplay mechanics

RPAryans, the ultimate roleplay race with very little actual gameplay mechanisms - and the few availale to them to be used with utmost caution

+ most conventional weaponry has no effect on them

+ can be carried around

+ capable of speaking into people's heads

- incapable of picking up objects

- extremely sensitive to high temperatures, water-deprivation (starvation mechanics) can be deadly over time

+ could be able to take control of another body (in case the body still hosts a player, the player's attempts at regaining control of himself would then function similarly to trying to break out of handcuffs)

Ideal Gameplay

- players in control of the Fungi would (apart from being carefully selected) preferably play either supportive roles (possibly closer to pAIs than chaplains or psychiatrists), or -should the body-controlling ability be used- extremely balance-disturbing roles, whether it be violent antagonists or this sort of 'neutral chaotic' antagonist who is trying to manipulate his way into control of the station by more or less legal means. Possibly some activists outraged at the treatment of slimes? Hue

In either case, they are obviously limited to a small number of professions, but then again, they do have a clear advantage in these roles.

I believe that, with the right players who would be able to keep in mind that they are supposed to make the game fun for others -more so than your conventional characters, I suppose- this could be entertaining.

But, preferably, they should be a "casually playable" race - meaning, available not only as antags, and so our first non-humanoid race with different approach at playing entirely.

Note: Though possibly not worth all the necessary effort. I'm not really sure to what degree it's possible to just rip-off from mechanics already present in game, or whether this would be one awful b*tch to put together.

Trash'd concept

Collective consciousness; the only fun thing about collective consciousness is that it's bunch of bodies, but only one mind. Having different players who may not even know one another play such an entity is, of course, ridiculous.

The alternative could be that each player would spawn in a pack, with three to four bodies (possibly of different types) that would function similarly to cleaning bots and the like; move about, do simple tasks. The player himself would then be capable of moving among those bodies, taking direct control of one at a time.

Pros: Rad! Also, death ain't that big of a deal.

Cons: "I am the Harbinger of your genetic destiny, Shepard."

[Guest]

While interesting, I don't think the Aurora universe at this time needs more races. The fact that the Vaurca is being produced and was even given a go-ahead before is a bloody miracle.

With the lore team being reprioritized, it's probably a good idea not to overwhelm them with supermassive and complex ideas right now.

[Guest]

Aren't cortical borers more or less exactly what you're describing?

[Rechkalov]

Aren't cortical borers more or less exactly what you're describing?

 

Whoa. Damn.

I'll admit I had to search them up - I've never met them, personally, and was not aware of them.

But, errr, yes. There are certainly some similarities... >.>

[Guest]

Could as well just rework the borers since they are pretty old. They are fun and need an update to be properly implamented into the game.

[Rechkalov]

In hindsight, the similarities between the Fungi and the Cortic Borers should make this easier, rather than anything.

Wink wink?

[Nik]

The thing is, nobody uses borers anymore cause they are shit. They are slow, easily killed, and lack any real threat once you ICLY recognize what they are.

Making them mushrooms would just make them more or less the same issue but with people now spacing themselves. Need I remind that they were intended to replace the Meme antagonist, which was also a massive failure.

[Guest]

Not to mention that it isn't easy nor manageable to make a whole new race altogether. The coders have a lot on their plate, and will almost always have a lot on their plate.

[Rechkalov]

The thing is, nobody uses borers anymore cause they are shit. They are slow, easily killed, and lack any real threat once you ICLY recognize what they are.

 

You are missing the point - we're not talking antagonists, but regular playable race, at last one that isn't humanoid and might be able to provide a new angle with regard to RP.

 

Not to mention that it isn't easy nor manageable to make a whole new race altogether. The coders have a lot on their plate, and will almost always have a lot on their plate.

 

That is a valid perspective, one that I am perfectly aware of ever since I have the access to the charts of all the stuff that should be done and isn't done.

[Rusty Shackleford]

I read "cordyceps" and immediately thought of these guys.

 

 

I don't even need to read the rest to fully approve of CLICKERS.

[VoltageHero]

While interesting, I don't think the Aurora universe at this time needs more races.

 

I agree with this.

[Nik]

A playable race that just absorbs another player, that sounds kinda awful all over the board, unless they are spawned as a race with the mushroom bits. Even then, it implies that the fungi essentially killed someone, and I doubt you'd want that aboard anyway.

[Rechkalov]

A playable race that just absorbs another player, that sounds kinda awful all over the board, unless they are spawned as a race with the mushroom bits. Even then, it implies that the fungi essentially killed someone, and I doubt you'd want that aboard anyway.

 

Sorry for bringing this up again, but REASONS

Uh, nope!

First point to make - it does say that the fungi nowadays have ways of not harming their hosts whatsoever, possibly even developed intentionally out of sheer respect for all life - an attitude that's developed from the undeniable fact that they themselves are parasites, and cannot feel entitled to living as a natural right like we might, since that would be an absurdity; to consider their lives "granted" while originally requiring others to die in the process of sustaining themselves.

(I thought I made it pretty clear that they were as pacifist as it gets?)

Furthermore -

Even then, it implies that the fungi essentially killed someone, and I doubt you'd want that aboard anyway.

It doesn't say anywhere that they kill sentient, civilized beings. Quite the contrary, if I remember correctly.

But you have in fact demonstrated why I considered them such a great addition to Aurora, specifically in the spheres which I feel are lacking - PHILOSOPHY.

A living fungi aboard implies there is a being that's killed to live, you say.

Alright.

How is it different from the Unathi swallowing monkeys whole?

Or any species eating meat, really?

Come on, guys! This could be fun!

Maybe. For some.

Perhaps not many. Igam Yute?