species:yelk
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species:yelk [2022/01/30 18:51] conan created |
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| ====== Yelk ====== | ====== Yelk ====== | ||
| - | The Yelk are a race of sentient fungi, occupying the caves of [[:system:Fornax#Fornax XII]] in the [[:sector:Veil Sector]]. The surface of Fornax XII is periodically bathed in lethal radiation from its star, but life thrives in tunnels carved by rivers into the calcium-rich rock that is abundant on the planet. The Yelk evolved as an extremely cooperative society to exploit resources and protect themselves from predators, and were making the first steps towards interplanetary spaceflight when their radio signals were discovered by the Ascendancy in 3294PT. Due to the [[:timeline#First Tulaki Invasion]] occurring at the time, the majority of contact between Terrans and Yelk was visits by independent traders and scientists, most with separatist leanings. The Yelk were among the initial signatories of the Sovereign Worlds Charter in 3370PT. | + | [{{:species:armoured_yelk_byagentbsmith.jpg?200 |<html><font color=black>A Yelk's fungal physiology makes them very tough. When supplemented with armour they are virtually unstoppable</font></html>}}]The Yelk are a race of sentient fungi, occupying the caves of [[:system:Fornax#Fornax XII]] in the [[:sector:Veil Sector]]. The surface of Fornax XII is periodically bathed in lethal radiation from its star, but life thrives in tunnels carved by rivers into the calcium-rich rock that is abundant on the planet. The Yelk evolved as an extremely cooperative society to exploit resources and protect themselves from predators, and were making the first steps towards interplanetary spaceflight when their radio signals were discovered by the Ascendancy in 3294PT. Due to the [[:timeline#First Tulaki Invasion]] occurring at the time, the majority of contact between Terrans and Yelk was visits by independent traders and scientists, most with separatist leanings. The Yelk were among the initial signatories of the Sovereign Worlds Charter in 3370PT. |
| Physiologically, Yelk are quite resilient. Their bodies are highly homogeneous, and their flesh dense and spongy. They do not have bones or many of the muscular tissue in other species, and their flexible bodies move via a network of fluid-filled chambers, which can empty and fill in by contracting and expanding. This fluid network doubles as a nutrient circulatory system, and areas can be sealed off in response to injury - the substance is affectionately known as "Yelk Milk" by Free Union physicians. Their fluid-filled and pale flesh leads them to be sensitive to bright light and dry conditions, and they tend to prefer dim, moist environments. | Physiologically, Yelk are quite resilient. Their bodies are highly homogeneous, and their flesh dense and spongy. They do not have bones or many of the muscular tissue in other species, and their flexible bodies move via a network of fluid-filled chambers, which can empty and fill in by contracting and expanding. This fluid network doubles as a nutrient circulatory system, and areas can be sealed off in response to injury - the substance is affectionately known as "Yelk Milk" by Free Union physicians. Their fluid-filled and pale flesh leads them to be sensitive to bright light and dry conditions, and they tend to prefer dim, moist environments. | ||
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| ===== Appearance ===== | ===== Appearance ===== | ||
| - | Yelk have the basic form of humanoids, but there the comparison ends. Externally, they are entirely white-fleshed, often described as "looking like a button mushroom", although some exposed parts may have become beige or brown due to UV light exposure triggering a protective melanin coating. | + | [{{ :species:yelk_in_forest_e2.jpg?200|<html><font color=black>The pale, subterranean Yelk often stand out starkly in wooded environments</font></html>}}]Yelk have the basic form of humanoids, but there the comparison ends. Externally, they are entirely white-fleshed, often described as having "skin like a button mushroom, in colour and texture", although some exposed parts may have become beige or brown due to UV light exposure triggering a protective melanin coating. |
| Most Yelk have visual sensory organs that outwardly resemble eyes, but work on a fundamentally different principle. Effectively their "eyes" are openings to inner sensory pits - the pupil is a tube-like gap that can be opened, closed and moved along with the outer surface of the "eye". The opening and closing of the "iris" modulates the amount of light entering the sensory pits, and the movement of the "eye" allows the Yelk to focus on different things in front of them without having to move their entire head. Yelk "eyes" are in essence finely manipulable areas of outer flesh with a sphincter-like opening to vary the amount of light entering the sensitive sensory pit behind it. The sensory pits are darkened, hemispherical structures with an array of photosensitive cells on their surface. Yelk vision is tuned for the dark environments of the caves where they evolved, and is often overloaded in brighter surface environments. As such, many Yelk cover their sensitive eyes with sunglasses or a thin gauze when in bright conditions. With practice and time, Yelk eyes can acclimatize to brighter conditions, and those who have done so go without protective coverings. Uncommonly, some Yelk do not possess outer eye structures at all, and have their sensory pits on the outside of their face - in these cases, they have fairly smooth skin where their eye-analogues would otherwise be. | Most Yelk have visual sensory organs that outwardly resemble eyes, but work on a fundamentally different principle. Effectively their "eyes" are openings to inner sensory pits - the pupil is a tube-like gap that can be opened, closed and moved along with the outer surface of the "eye". The opening and closing of the "iris" modulates the amount of light entering the sensory pits, and the movement of the "eye" allows the Yelk to focus on different things in front of them without having to move their entire head. Yelk "eyes" are in essence finely manipulable areas of outer flesh with a sphincter-like opening to vary the amount of light entering the sensitive sensory pit behind it. The sensory pits are darkened, hemispherical structures with an array of photosensitive cells on their surface. Yelk vision is tuned for the dark environments of the caves where they evolved, and is often overloaded in brighter surface environments. As such, many Yelk cover their sensitive eyes with sunglasses or a thin gauze when in bright conditions. With practice and time, Yelk eyes can acclimatize to brighter conditions, and those who have done so go without protective coverings. Uncommonly, some Yelk do not possess outer eye structures at all, and have their sensory pits on the outside of their face - in these cases, they have fairly smooth skin where their eye-analogues would otherwise be. | ||
species/yelk.1643568717.txt.gz · Last modified: 2022/01/30 18:51 by conan
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