Brovud

A silica-based species, the Brovud have been widely accepted as the first planet-based race to develop a form of space flight. While there are philosophers that argue that the Assembly, having been born in space, were the truly first of the space-faring beings, these claimants are generally roundly mocked for ignoring the "planet-based" portion of the Brovud's title.
With veins of silicon running through their amorphous bodies, the Brovud have no centralized intelligence. Instead, bioelectricity provided by the symbiotic lichens that grow within their bodies provide the needed energy to activate the silica structures that create the Brovud's higher thought processes. Subsisting on a steady supply of minerals and metals, the Brovud are functionally immortal, growing in size and intelligence until they have glut themselves on the world that they exist on. Often, to control their own size, a Brovud will carve a piece of themselves away. While this has the side effect of losing some of their mental prowess, it is seen as a necessary reproductive need. While the second chunk of the Brovud grows into a Brovud itself, even with two mouths to feed, the lesser mass means that each individual Brovud requires slightly less sustenance.
This planet-eating tendency is what originally forced them off of their homeworld many millenia ago. The pilot ritual, where one fledgling Brovud is chosen as the "pilot" for their colony ship, is as old as the species. The pilot sits in one place as nutrient-rich earth is brought to them as a decade-long feast. As the Brovud grows, it shapes itself into a hollow spike. Once the structure is complete, fledgling Brovuds -- carved from the elders -- are then placed into the seeding spike and hurled into space as living ships.

Physical Characteristics

The Brovud have no set shape. As they grow, they may take on any shape that they wish. While they're capable of growing to the size of planets, anything larger than a medium creature requires permission from the Galactic Beaureau of Megafauna to exist without imposed sanctions. Due to this, Brovuds generally maintain a size that's slightly larger than your average carbon-based life-form.
With the Galactic Exchange based on a crypto-based currency, silica and other precious materials always in demand. Brovud, thus, are often victims of crime and "organ harvesting" though they have no organs to speak of. While many are willing to murder a Brovud for their parts, this is still a capital crime within civilized space. However, enterprising sorts have found a different way to reach the same goal -- albeit slower.
As the Brovud eats, waste products are excreted onto the surface of its body, creating a scintillating skin of precious materials. Many corporations have taken to creating colonies of Brovud who maintain Mining Worlds as technicians. In exchange, all of the Brovuds needs are taken care of including regular harvesting of their skin, which is then turned into the very Mining Rigs that they're taking care of.

Brovud Focus

Environmental Native The Brovud are capable of surviving within a hard vacuum, requiring no oxygen or heat.
Natural Defenses The creature has a hard shell or sharp talons. The alien has a base Armor Class of 15 plus half their character level, rounded up.

Brovud Language

Despite their odd biology, the Brovud language is very similar to most carbon-based languages. Created naturally by the rubbing and vibration of various rocks within their body, the language itself has a very gutteral feel.