Gruppa

Basic Information

Anatomy

The species appears to be a large, gelatinous floating sack with tendrils hanging beneath ranging in length from 10 to 30 meters long and lacks a defined skeleton and nervous system. While it seems to be, and acts as one individual organism, it is actually a colonial-organism, made up of of many smaller, related animals that preform such specific functions that they are unable to survive alone and are referred to as zooid. Typically, each separate part of appendage of the colonial-organism is a zooid. For example, the bag is a separate animal from the tentacles, but the tentacles can only catch food, while the bag can process it and use the nutrients for itself and to the tendrilds below. The pollen-bud on it's back half is also a separate zooid from the bag and tendrils, as well, serving the distinct purpose of reproduction. Each individual zooid that makes up the Gruppa is formed and raised in the egg together before hatching.

Their 'bag' is an empty cavity surrounded by a smooth, nearly transparent membrane that holds gasses expelled by the zooids, and in turn keeps the creature afloat high in the air currents of the Planet of Mir.

Biological Traits

Gruppa typically live indefinitely, having the ability to regenerate damages to its form, rendering them biological immortal. The reproduce asexually, with the ability of fertilizing their own eggs with a pollen like substance. Being passive creatures, they typically follow air currents of Innerheart, and large groups of Gruppa can be seen where air currents tend to coalesce. It is also often a sign of heavy rain if they move into an area en masse suddenly.

Genetics and Reproduction

The Gruppa can reproduce asexually, and contain both sperm and eggs. When in large groups, the Gruppa will release a powder like dust, almost like pollen in nature that drifts among the air current until it lands on or near another Gruppa, at which point the pollen is moved into it's interior where it then fertilizes an egg.

Once the egg is fetilized, a period of 7 days passes while it begins to change into a form safer for survival outside of it's parent organism. After this period is up, the egg is dropped from the bottom of the bag and falls below, with a sticky, glue like substance allowing it to land and stay in one place and also protecting it from damage. 24 days later a infantile Gruppa emerges from the egg, and immediately begins to inflate its bag to rise into the air and begin its life.

Growth Rate & Stages

Egg State

Once and egg has been fertilized and released from a Gruppa, it will glide to the ground and attach itself where ever it lands. It exists in this state for 24 days, developing the individual organism required for the colony. By the end of this period of time, the egg has gone from being nearly tiny and unnoticeable to a sizable amorphous sack with noticeable movement. When it finally hatches, the adolescent Gruppa will begin to photosynthize and inflate its bag over several days until it takes to the air. This is the most dangerous time for infant Gruppa, as they cannot avoid obstacles above them, leading to the bags becoming punctured and left to 'dry out'. Due to the difficulties of surviving their hatching and living into adulthood and maintain adequate sustenance, only about 20% - 25% of hatch-lings make it. Many eggs are also consumed by local animals eager to take the opportunity of an easy meal, lowering the odds of survival even more.

Adolescence & Adulthood

Once the young Gruppa makes it into the air and above the tree-line, it will drift in the air currents and begin the typical life-cycle of it's species. While it's still relatively small in size, it will have fine bristles like barbs all over its bag in an effort to keep avian species from attempting to consume it. As the creature matures and grows to be full size, these bristles fall off of the bag while remaining on the tendrils hanging below. It typically requires only a few catches of live prey a month to sustain itself, and can often use it's photosynthetic abilities to limp itself along in times of food shortages.

Dietary Needs and Habits

The Gruppa is typically a carnivore, catching birds and other flying creatures in its tendrils for sustenance. The occurrence of a bird flying into these tendrils is often vary low, so to make up for the lack of prey in hard times, they've developed a way to gain energy from the sun similar to plants, using the large porous protrusion from the back of their bag to take in sunlight and process it into usable energy. This process of photosynthesis is very similar to that of plants and trees on the surface.

Predators

Gruppa are prayed on by large avian species such a hawks, eagles and a select few species of owl when in adulthood, as their bag loses its defensive barbs while thickening up. Such animals will typically bite and peck away in a touch-and-go manner, leaving thin spots on the bag of the animal.

In egg form is when the Gruppa is most vulnerable, with their eggs typically being located in open areas easily accessible by land creatures. Many species of animal will take the opportunity to feast on a Gruppa egg, such as bears, foxes, wolves, turtles, birds and other land dwelling omnivorous & carnivorous land mammals.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Southern Innerheart and into the Pits of Mir, most commonly found following air currents in the region. The colder climates of the norther regions are not sustainable to the Gruppa, as the change in temperature can be damaging to it's bag, rendering it ineffective and robbing them of their ability to float from the gas becoming denser in the cold air.

Average Intelligence

Being a passive, colony organism means that their is no measure of intelligence, as we know it, in these unique organisms.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

They react to external stimuli from their environments only and are mostly passive to their surroundings. A good example of when they are not is when a bird of other prey animal is caught in their hanging tendrils. They instantly react to the stimulus and begin to pull it up to the digestive area of the bag with the stinging barbs paralyzes the prey.

Sketch of a Gruppa by Gerrit Dodd

Scientific Name

Siphonophorae Photosynthi

Origin/Ancestry

Relentless Sea Man-o-War

Lifespan

Biologically immortal

Average Height

Height from the bottom of the lowest reaching appendage to the top of the bag is roughly 100-110 feet on average.

Average Weight

~90 lbs

Average Length

Average length of a Gruppa is 10-14 feet, from one end of the its bag to the other.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

The 'bag' of the creature is typically translucent, pink, blue with hints and shades of deep purple. Its tendrils hanging below and connected to the back tend to be shades of vibrant blue.