Plasmoid

Amorphous entities with no typical shape, Plasmoids are an unusual species of sentient Ooze. They have an innate ability to shape their bodies at will, and so they typically take on a form similar to the folk that surround them. They are able to produce strong and flexible limbs that are able to hold and manipulate weapons and tools, as well as pseudo-limbs with much more limited capability. With control over their form, they are able to squeeze through the tiniest of gaps.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Plasmoid do not eat, breathe and excrete waste in the typical sense - indeed, they lack any internal organs at all and their bodies are composed of cells, fibers, plasma-like ooze, and clusters of nerves. Instead, they consume food through osmosis, as an amoeba would, and excrete waste through tiny pores in their body. Likewise, they breathe through a different set of pores.

Biological Traits

At a young age, plasmoids are small creatures in the range of 2-3ft tall (whilst in a humanoid configuration). As they age, they replicate enough organic matter to form bodies up to 7 feet tall. It would be incredibly unusual for a plasmoid to sustain a body larger than this.

Genetics and Reproduction

When two plasmoid have an abundance of biological material in their bodies, they are able to sacrifice some of themselves and mix their genetic material to produce a whole offspring. These spheres of mixed biological matter, known as Boba, gestate for a period of 9 months as the genetic distinctiveness merges into a new being.

Dietary Needs and Habits

As they are unable to taste, Plasmoids are known for unusual eating habits. One man's trash is another man's treasure, or in this case, a plasmoid's lunch. They have somewhat of a reputation for scavenging food and aren't terribly picky. Their culture doesn't revolve around food as many others do, but some plasmoid have been known to take an interest in the processes involved in creating food.

Behaviour

Plasmoid tend to live in clan-like groups and rarely fight amongst themselves. The prevailing theory for this is that as they share so much genetic history with every other plasmoid, there is something in the very core of their genetic structure that codifies passivity between them.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Whilst they do not have sensory organs, such as eyes, the nerves in their bodies are able to detect light, heat, texture, sound, pain, and vibrations. They are also able to speak by forcing air out of tubular cavities that constrict to produce sound, much in the way a windpipe does, despite not having lungs, although they do not have a language of their own.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Some plasmoid are known for taking unusual names based on proper nouns in other languages, but because of their unusual sensory organs and unique way of creating speech these nouns often get twisted into something distinct and unique. For example, a plasmoid that loves gardening might choose the name Gardenia, but it would be pronounced Gaardaneeya.

Beauty Ideals

A typical Plasmoid is translucent grey in appearance, but they are able to absorb dyes through their pores and alter their colour to suit their tastes. They are also able to stiffen the outer layers of their bodies to maintain a human-like shape, which allows them to wear clothing and accessories. They typically adapt themselves to their surroundings, matching with local cultures rather than having a distinct fashion of their own.

Gender Ideals

The species does not have a concept of gender as they are asexual beings.

History

The origin of the plasmoid species is somewhat of a mystery, although it is believed that the original Plasmoid was an ooze creature that was given the blessing of sentience by Ghaunadaur (a god of aberrations, oozes and outcasts), Juiblex (the demon lord of Oozes and one of Ghaunadaur's aspects) or some other divine being. This happened such a long time ago, potentially in the Para-Elemental Plane of Ooze, that no such records of it exists and anthropological evidence is lacking for any early plasmoid cultures.
Once the creature had sentience, it is believed that it began to divide itself and propagate. These early spawn would be genetically identical to the original, but over time and multiple divisions they would become genetically diverse. Eventually, the plasmoid species lost the ability to reproduce in this manner, but they are still able to reproduce by mixing genetic material with another plasmoid.