Amorphous Gloops, General

Amprphous Colloids, General

Despite the tales of Adventurers obsessed with danger, the great majority of ACs are quite placid, harmless or even beneficial, forming an important part of the food web. Still, may sorts of AC are quite dangerous; sometimes, even a beneficial AC becomes dangerous if mishandled; their attacks may actually be nothing more than active defense, or, they may be the result of extreme hunger.

Distinguishing Characteristics of Amorphous Colloids

Cohesively

How resistant is this variety of AC to being divided? Do the parts cling and knit right back together, does it come apart in jello-like chunks, or does it splatter about? ACs' names often indicate their level of cohesively. As a general guide, from which there are numerous exceptions, from most cohesive to least are gels, fluff, jellies, jams, oozes, puddings, mucks, crèmes, goops, tapiocas, sludges, scums, glops, slimes and puddles.

Splatterers have a very low cohesively. These highly divisible ACs are generally wetter and looser in composition. If struck with a blunt or crushing object, they splatter, forming several smaller but active individuals. Sharp edges or pointy objects go right through such ACs without any but token harm, if that.

Gelatinous, thicker sorts have just the opposite response; blunt or crushing blows are easily absorbed, while keen slicing edged hew off chunks. Again, pointy objects cause but token harm if any.

A few varieties of gloop are sufficiently coherent and tough that they can inflict damage by clubbing blows or suffocate by envelopment, but most rely upon other means of "active defense." Less cohesive sorts of ACs could be ruptured too easily if they tried enveloping, and could put little more force behind a direct blow than an overripe banana.

Divisibility

Is this AC a discrete individual (non-divisible), is it a colonial collective which can separate into several sections (partially divisible) or is it a non-nucleated AC of which every bit, no matter how small, remains fully functional (extremely divisible)? Many ACs are colloidal colonies of macroscopically undifferentiated gelatinous tissue. Some, however, especially the jams and the more elaborate "dessert" ACs, have distinct organelles and true organs suspended in their substance; this can greatly constrict their divisibility.

Parts cut off of non-divisible ACs generally shrivel up and die, or take at least a full day to recover and become new individuals (so this ins not relevant in the heat of battle); such chucks must be rejoined to the original body quite quickly, that is, if they can be rejoined at all.

Partially divisible ACs have a minimum size for severed parts which are to become new organisms. Those of appropriate or larger size may be fully functional immediately, or they may take a few rounds to recover and reorganize themselves.

Highly divisible sorts are often loosely knit to start with, and come to pieces readily. Being violently separated is often their primary means of asexual reproduction.

Fusion

Can several smaller individuals, such as severed parts, join to form a larger whole? Discrete individuals lacking significant regeneration abilities usually cannot, while colonial varieties almost always can. ACs with high levels of divisibility and fusion can be found in almost any size, as they can join and separate to suit their immediate needs.

Regeneration

Some ACs regenerate with astounding swiftness, especially under certain conditions. Given the right stimulus, they can grow exponentially, becoming either bigger, more numerous, or both with terrifying speed. The stimulus might be electricity, simple carbohydrates (such as sugar or petrol), or magical energies loosed for them to absorb (thus acting as a spell damper.)

Plasticity

Some ACs are fairly stable in form, but most have a fair degree of plasticity. The most elastic sorts will stretch if struck - but bounce right back in to shape unharmed. Many are capable of extreme deformation, willfully and without ill effect.

In addition to providing resistance to blows, elasticity may permit an AC to squeeze through exceptionally small apertures; even discrete internal organs (if they have any at all) may be deformed harmlessly. As an octopus is limited only by the size of its beak, the only truly hard part of its anatomy, being able to even deform its eyes when squeezing through an opening, so the most plastic of ACs, even if several tons in mass, may be able to insinuate themselves through the narrowest of narrow cracks or even, in extreme examples, through mere keyholes. Happily, most ACs are not quite that plastic.

A second aspect of plasticity may be termed sculptability. This is the ability of an AC to mold itself into a desired shape and retain that shape without external support. This is the quality an AC needs to mold a portion of itself in to a limb or organ not otherwise a permanent part of its composition, aside form the more amorphous pseudopodia. Sculptability also determines how far an AC can extend a portion of its mass without external support, as when reaching up towards a ceiling or across a chasm. A high level of sculpting can make for very effective camouflage by mimicking the AC's surroundings or objects that might be natural to those surroundings, especially when coupled with mutable color control.

Mobility

ACs are generally snail-slow, or even sessile, waiting for prey to come to them. Some can crawl at moderate speed, oozing forward or hauling themselves faster with higher traction pseudopodia. A few can whip very strong tentacle-like pseudopodia out to catch anchors and pull themselves forwards quite rapidly. Some "pseudo-digitigradia" ("false toe-walkers") can even lift their mass up on an array of stubby, temporary "legs." Many wait on cavern ceilings and drop down, fast as a falling stone.

Size

Most varieties of amorphous gloop may be found in any size, limited only by the local food supply and their ability to haul their bulk about. Many are less like a single organism than a colonial growth carpeting an area.

Defense, Attack, and Special Abilities

Sample mechanisms for protecting themselves and /or doing damage include acids or caustic bases, poisonous venom or spores, spore-darts, enervating heat-leeching or psychic draining; the range is quite varied, with some extremely exotic variations.

Some amorphous gloops ingest their prey directly; their "attack" is simply an enveloping that suffocates; the action of digestive secretions may have an added effect. Others have caustic acid or base secretions that they can apply externally, either by touch or by squirting; these can be used when in pursuit of prey, as a defense, or to dissolve materials blocking their passage. Some are able to emit clouds of vapor, either as a passive, camouflage defense, like a squid's ink cloud, or as a more active effect, such as a biting acid mist.

The abilities of "dessert class" amorphous colloids, developed by Hobbit chef-alchemists, can be bizarre in the extreme.

An interesting real example are the Difflugia, a genus of (real) protozoans related to the Amoeba but having a shell of cemented sand grains. Their shells are protection against inhospitable vageries of the environment as well as rendering the difflugia unpalatable.

Environment

A given environment will be more suitable for some sorts of ACs than others. Most, but not all, ACs are susceptible to dehydration. As a result, ACs are far more common - and far more diverse - in damp or humid environments. Few land-Folk realize that over 85% of all ACs are strictly aquatic. Specialized ACs adapt to drier climates with a variety of mechanisms. Hydro-gel tissues allow ACs to carry much water within themselves while waterproof outer membranes, thick and tough, minimize evaporation.

If the above direct links into the Book of Beings aren't working, try the front door; David C. Lovelace's website; check out his Book of Beings, under the Art secion, for a whole bushel of beasties - very nicely illustrated.

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Last update Apr 4, 2006