Koleos (Ko-lee-ohs)

The Koleos

The Koleos are a giant beetle species that have a symbiotic relationship with the plants they carry around on their backs. The Beetles help the plants propagate, and the plants provide the Koleos with a food source. The Koleos collect moisture from the fog that rolls over the wastes from the Plateau of Storms in the early hours since rainfall is so scarce in The Dust despite relative humidity. The Koleos that live near The Last Strands are quite diverse, whereas the Koleos that live in The Dust are far less. They are a hardy species that can survive on very little despite their massive size. Largely peaceful, the Koleos are very infrequently seen in any sort of violent capacity except when they have tournaments to secure the right to a mate. This does not mean that they will not carry weaponry, as they too are aware of the many dangers in Dunia. Some Koleos may appear like vibrant jewel beetles or ladybirds, some may resemble the mighty Hercules beetle, while others may look like the humble scarab beetle of Earth's deserts.

Subspecies

Ceros (Seh-rohs) - The Koleos subspecies that has massive horns on their heads with various shapes and sizes, the Ceros is a loyal defender of what little green is left on Dunia.
Khepori (Keh-poor-ee) - The Koleos subspecies that wanders the desert from place to place, trying to reverse the desertification of the planet.
Zurotzi (Zu-row-tzee) - The Koleos subspecies that are found near The Oases, they are colorful and have very pretty elytra (Outer shells). They work hard to keep the Oases clean.

Adaptations

Koleos, at large, have adapted to collect moisture from the atmosphere from channels on their exoskeletons. They use this moisture not only to hydrate themselves, but to also feed the plants they carry on their backs so they can get nutrients. Their shells are incredibly durable even when compared to most armor. When they molt, they are vulnerable and they have to be barren for a short period of time, where the molted Koleos is unable to carry its garden on its body. They will fashion tools and weapons out of their moltings by making a sort of epoxy adhesive out of mucus and binding multiple layers together, that once dried, is multiple times stronger than their own shells. Koleos are also very attuned to nature and are able to commune with the plants without magic.
Their diet is almost exclusively plants and edible fungi. If necessary, they will feed on other things, but it is generally frowned upon in their culture.
When it is too hot out, the Koleos will burrow underneath the sands to get away from the heat, with their plants on their shells still exposed above the sand. They will rotate their watch as they always travel in groups to protect themselves from potential danger.
Koleos offspring do not have a typical larval stage like most insects do, but instead have a nymph stage. Koleos nymphs are generally protected by the group and fed a mixture of fruits, grains, and plant foods high in protein to help build out their shells. Both males and females protect the offspring or 'younglings' as they are called in Koleos culture.
The Koleos can also attune to the Aetherion crystals.

Hollowing

A horrible affliction has spread through the Koleos populations, decimating their numbers after a particularly virulent strain of mind-controlling fungi propagated through their population like an epidemic. The Koleos are vulnerable to a species of fungi that targets them, altering their bodies and behavior. The fungi grow on the Koleos, resembling coral-like growths that glow with bioluminescent colors, and affect their minds and bodies. This fungus only really affects the Koleos.
How the fungi came to infect the Koleos is very unfortunate, as the parasitic fungi may have made its way onto the very plants that give them life. Maybe an unwitting host picked up an infected plant which transferred the fungus to their bodies.
The fungal infection turns the Koleos aggressive and alters their behavior. They become zombified and only come out at night due to the photosensitivity of the fungi. Their once-noble purpose of pollination is replaced by a relentless drive to infect more hosts, spreading the parasitic fungi further. In The Dust, the infected will burrow beneath the sand, and emerge at night, lighting up the landscape like a funeral procession of glowing infected. Voiceless, they trudge on towards whatever bright lights may appear to try and spread the fungi to other potential hosts.
The Koleos that succumb to the fungal infection become husks, their bodies littered near cave systems as they succumb to the relentless spread of the parasitic fungi. This affliction is known as "Hollowing," as the fungi eat the host from the inside out, leaving only lifeless husks behind.
This disease is preventable if the host quickly addresses it with antifungal treatments, but it also kills off whatever plants they might have on their bodies, becoming barren until their bodies' immune systems come back into balance, which can take months. All too many realize it too late as they are migrating long distance. Some address the threat of Hollowing with magic.

Technology

Koleos often eschew the use of conventional firearms, but will use other projectile weapons, such as the guided Splintergun, which fires fragments of semi-sentient, homing Aetherion crystals at targets, which can pierce the targets and shatter inside when they react magically to other Aetherion crystals making contact, causing a chain reaction. The other use that the Koleos have for Aetherion crystals are shield lattices that emit a magical barrier which can deflect attacks or even reflect them back at the attacker. The Koleos are very careful to extract the Aetherion crystals, and can commune with them, imbuing them with their thoughts. They use them to power their vehicles, though they revere them more than the Drakaan do.

Culture

The Koleos have a profound reverence for the plants that they harmonize with, bordering on religious. The larger the plants an individual carries, the more respect they command. Sometimes this leads to an individual becoming very sedentary or difficult to move. In some extreme cases, the amount of plants growing off of their bodies renders them mostly immobile. If a Koleos must rid themselves of their plants, they are temporarily barren. Being rendered 'barren' is a sign of infertility and somewhat of a mark of shame for those that have to undergo becoming barren for their own health, so treatment for some sicknesses can become stigmatized socially.
Koleos cuisine involves quite a wide variety of flavors from the foods they collect and harvest. They incorporate lots of different spices in their foods as a means of preserving it once prepared. Koleos vegetable curry is a very popular dish served at the Oases. It is a great insult to the hospitality of the Koleos if food is refused. Individual Koleos from different regions cultivate different fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices, so their cooking from region to region depends on the water availability and native plant species. Some recipes might call for specific tribes' offerings to complete the flavor and texture that one expects, so some go to great lengths to obtain these items.
"As we once were." is a common phrase referring to the land and plants reclaiming their bodies, that the Koleos will repeatedly utter at funerals after eulogies are given.

Architecture

A lot of Koleos architecture is designed around creating a sense of community so they often build spherical sleeping quarters surrounding a shaded commons area where cooking is done at a central sort of gazebo. They use large textile sun shades as a means of circulating air in hot climates. Everything is purposefully designed to minimize the distance needed to get to various facilities and to maximize interactions with other members of a Koleos community. Their structures are primarily natural materials found in the environment and turned into insulated adobe or plastered housing. The Koleos will use Aetherion crystals or other similar light sources for illumination. Their gardens take up the lion's share of a permanent settlement's land area, as do irrigation systems. They might use Drakaan moisture collection systems to help irrigate crops. Near the commons area, typically there is a bath house of sorts where they will take turns pouring water on one another's backs to help water the plants on their shells.

Unique Vehicles

The Koleos use modified Aetherion-powered Walker Landships to traverse the wastes when carrying large amounts of cargo, but otherwise do not design vehicles of their own.

Unique Weaponry

Splintergun
The Koleos splintergun is a repeater that launches semi-sentient homing Aetherion crystal shards that can supercombine and cause a chain reaction if enough Aetherion splinters hit. It is a weapon that only the Koleos are capable of using.
Fracture Cannon
The Koleos Fracture Cannon fires high velocity Aetherion crystals that have been altered to the point that they can bounce off of surfaces and burn flesh. The fracture cannon can also lob a cluster of Aetherion crystal fragments that act like a cluster grenade, sending rebounding fragments in all directions.
Lattice Shield
The Lattice Shield is a lightweight 1-handed gauntlet that can emit a magical field that covers a wide area and deflects projectiles back at the attacker. Deflecting with a lattice shield can be performed as a reaction as long as the shield has charges remaining. The Lattice Shield can provide temporary Full Cover in a 5x15 foot line for up to 1 minute but the wielder must remain stationary and not attack while this maneuver is being carried out. This can be done with the shield up to 5 times per day.

Species Features

Natural Armor Plating
Koleos' shells are naturally hardened and able to substantially reduce damage. While unarmored, natural armor plating confers Grade 2 armor effects, reducing damage by 2 per damage dice rolled in a physical attack.
Limited Flight
Koleos have limited flight time but can fly faster than they can walk. Outside of combat they have a flight duration of 2 hours. While in combat, they can fly at a speed of 40 feet per turn, for a duration of 4 rounds. If they were flying, they do not take fall damage from being forced to land. They can use this feature again after a short or long rest. While using this feature, they cannot gain height if wearing heavy or superheavy armor, but they can glide to safety.
Winged Burst
Koleos can use their wings to get a burst of speed in addition to their normal walking speed. They may add 30 feet to their normal move speed once in a turn, but will have to wait 2 additional turns before they can use this ability again.
Koleos Bountiful Harvests
Koleos can, once they hit level 3, use the GoodBerry spell as a ritual once per day. The food provided by the garden on their back can be of several varieties, up to the player's choice as to what varieties of plants they grow on the Koleos' back.
Wisdom of the Ancients
Koleos get a boost to Wisdom in PF2E or +1 to Wisdom in D&D 5E
Hardy Constitution
Koleos get a boost to Constitution in PF2E or +2 to Constitution in D&D 5E. Koleos get a free boost to a stat of their choosing in PF2E.

Subspecies Features

Ceros Horned Charge
After moving a minimum of 20 feet in a turn, a Ceros can add 1d4 Piercing to any melee attack. If the Ceros uses the Winged Burst ability and moves 40 or more feet, they can add 1d12 piercing damage to their melee attack. This attack ignores armor and cover.
Khepoori Grapple
Khepoori can perform a grapple as part of a melee attack, up to three times per long rest. While a medium or smaller target is grappled, you can throw them up to 5 + 5x Your Strength modifier in feet.
Zurotzi Airblast
Zurotzi can perform a winged air gust, which creates a 30ft, 10ft wide line that each creature in its area of effect must succeed on a strength saving throw or be pushed back 10 feet. The gust disperses gas or vapor, and it extinguishes candles, torches, and similar unprotected flames in the area. It causes protected flames, such as those of lanterns, to dance wildly and has a 50 percent chance to extinguish them. This can be performed as an action, up to three times per long rest.