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Post by Insano-Man on Sept 22, 2018 19:44:43 GMT -5
This topic is a child of the Paleworlders article directory.THE SKINNYThe paleworlders demonstrate one of the most fundamentally adaptive templates of any intelligent species on Set. While most appear as humanoids with a strong resemblance to redworlders, this is largely believed to be a coincidence. Their figure, diet, and various other core traits all depend strongly on their host, environment, and influences from their parents. It is to such a significant extent that it is generally believed that, under the right pressures, paleworlders could go on to imitate all life on Set. The common paleworlder is a tall, strikingly-thin humanoid, standing at 7' on average, with white, semi-translucent skin. Most of their body is covered in small, pin-sized pits, within which are sensory clusters. Their arms end in hands with three fingers and no distinct thumb, while their legs end in three toes splayed forward and to both sides. They feature a single, wide mouth on their head, spanning its entire width. They do not have eyes, ears, noses, or most other facial features. Paleworlders do not have distinct sexes and therefore do not have any distinct sexual characteristics. Many of these elements are subject to change depending on lineage. Paleworlder families that have shown a preference towards human hosts may develop additional digits on their hands and feet. Families that prefer humans and redworlders will steadily develop vague facial structures over successive generations. Preference towards a specific gender may result in muted replication of that gender's sexual characteristics. This subject is covered in greater detail in the paleworlders' Reproduction article.
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Post by Insano-Man on Sept 22, 2018 19:44:52 GMT -5
SKIN & INTERNAL STRUCTURES
The blood of paleworlders is a runny, viscous slime that is mostly bereft of color. Depending on oxygen content and recent meals, it may appear greyish, at highest metabolic value, or transparent, at lowest. Depending on the location of injury, a bleeding paleworlder may instead leave behind a yellow, gelatinous mucus. The mucus quickly hardens into doughy lumps as part of a clotting mechanism. The appearance and behavior is primarily a result of blood mixing with certain chemical compounds in the the deeper nutrient channels of the body.
Paleworlders lack most traditional internal organs. Their bodies are instead composed of a network of large, independent structures, termed "supercells". Supercells are linked together by an interconnected circulatory system and outer membranes. Each is capable of satisfying most of its own needs, including respiration, heat management, blood circulation, and nervous impulses. Only the brain and digestive tract are truly dependent on the others. Despite this, brain injuries remain as dangerous as they are to other species for many of the same reasons. Likewise, injuries to the digestive tract can cause cascading organ failures even in the absence of malnutrition.
Over each of these supercells is the skin of a paleworlder, a thin, translucent sheath that covers their entire body. Small pits serve as openings to sensory clusters beneath the surface. Each supercell has its own set of sensory clusters and associated pits, which results in noticeable flat spaces between different structures. These spaces mark areas of skin that have fused together in order to link the supercells below. Most are significantly thicker than the more sensitive skin over a supercell.
Each supercell is adhered to a framework of tissue roughly analogous to bones, by dense muscle and interconnecting blood veins. The bones themselves are fragile and spongy compared with human and redworlder counterparts. In spite of this, fractured bones are of limited consequence to most paleworlders. Most heal rapidly and few are critical to movement or posture. In addition, most supercells are capable of tensing in order to form a loose, internalized splint. In general, only fully broken limbs are debilitating. Likewise, the delicate nature of paleworlder bones means that many break during ordinary activities and go entirely unnoticed.
The brain of a paleworlder is located in the chest, where dense nerve cords branch out to the rest of the body. Paleworlder digestive tracts begin at their head, where the skull cavity is occupied by their stomach, and wind through their torso until terminating in their abdomen. Waste is excreted there through a small hole, roughly approximating in size and appearance to a human or redworlder navel. Small channels for extracted nutrients run out from the major structures of the digestive tract through the limbs. Most run parallel to major nerves.
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Post by Insano-Man on Sept 22, 2018 19:45:10 GMT -5
TEETH & VOCALIZATION
Paleworlder mouths are composed of a mix of reinforced bone and skin folds. Directly behind their lips is a large beak, made up of hardened bone. Alone, the beak has sufficient bite force to crush through most animal tissues, including human bones and pseudocrustacean shells. Behind the beak are three rows of individual teeth. They begin first with a single row of sharpened, needle-like teeth, meant to secure prey and food for repeated bites. Behind them is a row made up of incisors at its flanks and canines at its front. A widely-spaced row of molars and additional canines follows after.
Paleworlder teeth are soft and routinely replaced throughout their lives. Lost teeth are usually swallowed. By contrast, their beak is one of the hardest bones in their body. It does not replenish itself over time, and older paleworlders may lose the ability to properly chew hard foods. Roughly half of all paleworlders do not have the joints necessary to move their jaws laterally. Populations that emphasize humans or redworlders as preferred hosts are more likely to develop these joints.
Most paleworlders develop a structure similar to a larynx in their throat. This is especially prominent in lineages with a majority of human or redworlder hosts. It is roughly similar in function; it enables the individual to take in air and expel it to produce sound such as speech. This allows most paleworlders to speak languages such as English or Qashanish. Due to the structure of their mouths, however, paleworlders often struggle with some syllables. Despite this, many socialized paleworlders have achieved full fluency in one or both languages. As a consequence of their mouth structure, paleworlder voices are often described as avian, and are routinely compared to that of a parrot.
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Post by Insano-Man on Sept 22, 2018 19:45:20 GMT -5
PERCEPTION
In addition to managing their own homeostasis, the supercells of a paleworlder's body are able to directly perceive their environment. Stimuli is absorbed through the skin into each sensory cluster and resolved into useable information locally. Each sensory cluster is capable of processing only a single form of basic stimulus, such as light level or simple vibrations. Together, with other clusters processing other stimuli, paleworlders can perceive everything from ultrasound to infrared light. Many are even capable of sensing some forms of ionizing radiation, particularly those in orbit.
Paleworlder sensory clusters are at their most dense inside and around their mouths. Similar sensitive areas include the hands, feet, and the center of the back. These areas are noted for their rough appearance, usually likened to goosebumps. In addition, sensory clusters are not purely limited to the external surfaces of the skin. The limited set of body cavities in paleworlders are similarly covered in sensory clusters. Most individuals are able to perceive their body's internal environment. Paleworlders that suffer numerous internal injuries during their lifetimes may develop additional internal sensory clusters.
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