Bungai

The Bungai are a race of plant-like humanoids created by the wizard scholar and scientist lloh.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The Bungai are omnivorous humanoid plants. Most Bungai resemble the humanoid races of Faerun, most commonly halflings or humans; most display plantlike features such as hard wood for bone structure, bark like skin or mold covering their body. The tops of their heads come in many varieties as well, from bark-like protrusions to nearly any plant or mold one could imagine often in a style reminiscent of other humanoid hairstyles or hats. Their skin comes in almost any color you could imagine, and surely they come in any color that a plant does, from daffodil yellow, to a deep forest green, rose red, or bark brown, you can find Bungai with the appearance to match.
Bungai don't have hearts; golden sap moves through their veins instead of blood. Bungai use photosynthesis as as "meditative supplement" but most of their nutrition comes from food like any other race. They have fully functioning digestive systems and excrement similar to mulch. When Bungai are injured, they heal at the same rate as the race the particular Bungai is most similar to. When Bungai heal, tendrils wrap over the wound while their skin re grows, leaving no scar.
Bungai can have a variety of forms and abilities and through experimentation and artificial selection it is possible to breed in or out certain desired or undesired traits.

Biological Traits

The Bungai borrow much from the humanoid races they are based on. However, when it is time for a Bungai to die they return to the plants that formed them. Once they reach the end of their lives they can undergo a process Iloh described as "becoming geophilous" where they will take root and become normal plant or organism of the variety they take traits from. A more tree like Bungai will become a tree, a Bungai that takes traits from mold will become a mold, etc.

Genetics and Reproduction

Bungai are created in one of two ways:

1. A specially created seed created and enchanted by a wizard is planted in soil of good quality. In this case when the seed is planted it will grow a flowering plant of a single color. The plants have buds that grow to a size equivalent to encompass the Bungai were it sitting in a fetal position. Once the Bungai is fully formed, the flower blossoms in a quite lovely bloom as the Bungai emerges imbued with life.
2. A longer lived adult Bungai may grow sprouts anywhere on their body and those sprouts will occasionally drop seeds/fruit/spores where they travel and if allowed to take root and grow for a few months until strong enough to hoist themselves from the ground.

Growth Rate & Stages

The lifespan of a Bungai will vary from the soil it is grown in, a Bungai grown in poor soil will not live long, a Bungai grown in good quality soil may live to a maximum of 100 years. The Bungai take between 3-6 months to grow from the seed stage into their full adult form and from there show no visible signs of aging until they hit the final 10 years of their lifespan. Over the last 10 years of a Bungai's life, their hair, skin and eyes take on an autumn color of yellow, orange, red, purple, or brown.

Ecology and Habitats

Bungai are fairly hardy but thrive in any environment the plants that make them up do. For example, a Bungai who is primarily composed of bark would thrive in places bark would but can still survive in areas bark would not.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Bungai require sustenance as most other humanoid species do such as humans or halflings.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Between themselves Bungai will sometimes form groups called a patch. Within a patch Bungai withhold nothing money, items, weapons, opinions, assistance, medical aid all is rendered to the group first before the individual. Sometimes Bungai will accept other creatures humanoid or otherwise into a patch, so long as it is intelligent enough to understand its responsibility to the group. If one is brought in and proves unable to adhere to the rules of the patch it can be removed with no ill will intended. Due to this communal style of living, should a contributing member of a Patch commit some form of wrong, they are not blamed for it unless it brings harm upon the Patch as a whole, in which case the entirety of the Patch may be punished or just that one member.
Currently, the existing tribe of Bungai are building a central home for themselves close to Dunderheap. They refer to this place as Mother Patch. Once they begin spreading out, their intention is to expand and build more smaller patches but keep their spiritual ties to their Mother Patch. The Mother Patch does not have many rules in place as of now, they try and foster peace with the Ondonti as they're sharing land and their smaller numbers mean they should avoid larger conflicts. They refer to Bungus as both their liberator and leader, rallying behind him as they're still pretty new to the world and he was their race's firstborn. They are endeavoring to multiply by planting more of themselves and everyone is chipping in to build a big house for them all to live in. Their latest goal on top of that is to breed Giant Space Hamsters as Bungus brought 3 from Realmspace that they keep in a makeshift pen due to their size.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Currently, they are only located at their Mother Patch near the keep of Dunderheap.

Average Intelligence

Bungai on average are not very smart. They tend toward neutral and evil alignments but it is not impossible for one to be good. Whether good or evil, Bungai tend to fall more toward the chaotic side but not elusively.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Bungai's perception abilities are usually equivalent to the race the Bungai is based off of, however, it can vary wildly through experimentation.
All Bungai through special breeding have the ability to communicate telepathically with any creature within 30 feet that speaks the same language. This communication is one way, though a Bungai using it with another Bungai can carry on full telepathic communications.

Civilization and Culture

History

The Bungai were created by the scientist and wizard Iloh. The first born of the Bungai was Bungus, who rebelled, bit off part of Iloh's finger and ran off. Iloh would create more Bungai, eventually even creating one in dragon form called Mordremoth. Eventually, Bungus would return to his birthplace as part of the adventuring group ISIS. ISIS would battle and defeat Iloh and Bungus would become the leader of the Bungai. He would order them to begin work on building a new civilization for themselves, with him acting as their leader.

Historical Figures

Iloh: Their creator and former master.
Bungus: The firstborn, savior and now leader of the Bungai.
Mordremoth: The Bungai dragon.
Caithe: Iloh's former "favorite" and den mother.

Scientific Name

Plants

Lifespan

Unknown

Average Physique

On average, most Bungai are either of the humanoid or halfling variety. A humanoid Bungai will take the average physique from humans and a halfling Bungai will take its average physique from halflings.

Geographic Distribution

• Dunderheap

Discovered by

lloh