Zoshuku

Basic Information

Anatomy

Zoshuku are an example of an emergent intelligence. They have no defined body, but create a useful form based on their environment. Zoshuku take on the forms of species they most often interact with by way of a diplomatic gesture, designed to put them at ease.
The closest thing a zoshuku has to a recognisable organ is a hive of insects, whose various classes of 'worker', 'soldier', 'drone', 'nurse', and 'queen' maintain, defend, and rebuild the body, and store memories as chemical compounds encased in waxy cells somewhere within the body. These memories can be shared with other zoshuku and, although those who live and work with them may consider their friends and colleagues to be autonomous individuals, the distinction is not clear cut.
It should not be assumed that the intelligence of the zoshuku is a consequence of the insect colony; stripped on their hive, a zoshuku remains alive and cogent, but is unable

Genetics and Reproduction

In early spring (temperate zones) or at the end of the wet season (tropical zones), in the presence of certain environmental triggers, a mature zoshuku may choose to create an offshoot.
The insect colony will begin to accelerate reproduction and foster the development of a mature queen*, while the workers curate a collection of raw materials suitable for the creation of a new body. This process takes six to twelve weeks, depending on the activity level of the parent, and culminates in the creation of a 'child' colony containing approximately 15% of the insect population of the parent.

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* Healthy colonies may have as many as five perpetually immature queens as contingencies

Growth Rate & Stages

Youth (0 - 5 years)

Juvenile zoshuku function as an auxilliary element of their parent colony as they develop. They share thoughts, memories, and emotions with their parent until they reach a certain stage of development, whereupon they begin to exhibit independent thought and unique personality traits, and eventually leave of their own accord. This process is nonlinear and can be accelarated or delayed by multiple environmental factors, but generally takes less than five years.

Juvenile period (5 - 200 years)

After leaving their parent, zoshuku act as individuals, expanding their knowledge of the world and searching for possible new places to settle down. This is the life stage that most people will meet and imagine to be what a typical zoshuku looks like. During this life stage, the zoshuku grow slowly but steadily. Towards the last twenty years of this life stage, the zoshuku slows down, travels less, and becomes more introspective and less involved with the world.

Maturity (200 - 500 years)

After a certain point, a zoshuku will literally put down roots, permanently settling down and continuing to sit in one place. At this point, local seeds collected by the zoshuku begin to germinate and shrubs and trees begin to grow around them. After a few years, the zoshuku is surrounded by plantlife and they begin to resemble a small wood. At this point, they are still coherent and can hold prolonged conversations. Once the zoshuku is established in this new life stage, they begin producing offshoots to act as agents, tending to young plants, coppicing trees, preserving seeds, removing invasive species, and generally working to promote the health of their parent. Certain areas of the world are known to be host to acres of mature and elder zoshuku, growing together and intertwining until they are indistinguishable.

Elderhood (500 years onward)

As zokushu grow, their thoughts will begin to slow and scatter and they gradually become less responsive to overtures by other sapient species, but other zoshuku are still able to communicate through nonverbal means. The maximum age for zoshuku is not currently known, and zoshuku themselves consider questionsabout their age to be a 'curiosity of the flesh' to which they have no meaningful answer.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Zoshuku are able to both photosynthesise and digest organic matter. When choosing food, they tend towards extremely calorie dense material, especially fatty and sugary foods and liquids, and soft or rotten material.
As far as traditional foodstuff is concerned, fruit - juiced, overripe, candied, and preserved - and fatty meats, lard, and dripping are considered particularly desirable.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Worldwide, in tropical and temperate regions.
Not found in subarctic regions

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Zoshuku are capable of sharing thoughts and memories through a chemical exchange. This exchange is most effective via physical contact between hives, but is able to conducted via airborne pheremones.
Zoshuku have an innate sense of location and direction, and are able to approximate the passage of time without external reference.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

The zoshuku do not assign names to their young, identifying offshoots through chemical signatures indicating point of origin and lineage. Individuals who interact with non-zoshuku will permit themselves to be given names, for the ease of identification.

Gender Ideals

Zoshuku do not have a concept of gender.

History

Almost every part of the world has had stories of elusive hominids in remote locations, but efforts to find concrete evidence of their existence had always failed, leading many to speculate that the mysterious creatures - known regionally as swamp folk, shag apes, bog apes, forest folk, great folk, and pastmen - were some form of spirit or woll o' the wisp-like creatures who lure explorers to their deaths. In reality, many explorers were woefully ill-equipped to handle the hostile flora and fauna of these extreme environments.
First contact with the zoshuku was made in 4.849, when the individual who became known as Gohi Nenrun Pahya gave assistance to travellers lost in swampland in the Nasama Territories, Namatan. Prior to this, the zoshuku had been aware of other Thinkers - mostly Yutaaq and Ljudoy - in the region but had not made contact, as they did not recognise that they were sapient.

Scientific Name

bæga bændrulútæsochy

Lifespan

unknown