| Class: | Planet-sized fleshy entities |
| Hab: | Orbiting stars; possibly interstellar space as well |
| Fre: | Mercifully, extremely rare |
| Num: | 1-20? (Limited sample known.) |
| Lair: | 100%; it IS its home |
| Size: | Planet-sized |
| Move: | As planet or comet; degree of speed / direction control unclear, more likely for deep space "drifters" |
| Def: | Shear mass; tough flesh, psychic influence |
| Att: | Unclear; possibly subtle psychic domination, dream-influencing |
| Int: | God-like but asleep |
| Spec: | Worshipped |
| Posns: | Not exactly; it could be considered territory with a world's worth of "incidentals" inside |
There are, circling distant suns, whole covens of creatures vast as planets. Some believe that such vast being could not exist, that the very laws of physics forbid it. Perhaps the stars they circle are not quite in our universe but in parallel universes, similar, and all too accessible, where the laws of physics have been tortured to accommodate them. Perhaps creatures such as these bend the laws of physics to suit their wills.
For all intents and purposes, these last creatures are self-contained worlds, worlds composed of living flesh. Horrifically, biologists studying them keep pointing out features indicating that these are not adult forms but larvae.
Psychic probing has determined that the larvae are vastly intelligent; we give thanks to learn that they have never wakened. Still, the very dreams of such vast minds intrude upon our reality and trouble us.
Colonies have been set up between the continent-wide sheets of chitin or deep in the strange organs of these world-beasts. These were intended only as temporary scientific outposts, but weird cults developed, worshiping these "larvae of the gods." Some outposts have been abandoned, or destroyed; the colonies adhering to the developing doctrine of the Servants of the Beasts, as they call themselves, officially deny responsibility, but the fall of those "heretical" outposts fans the flames of their faith.
Within the bodies are labyrinths of flesh, unfathomable organs tortured in to bizarre forms. The function of most is unknown, and perhaps unknowable. Some parts are believed to be vestiges of previous growth stages while others are though to be but vaguely suggested organs that will not develop until the beasts' next life-stage - whatever that may be. Much of these innards are curiously navigable, to a depth of several miles, as thought the beast were designed to accommodate a range of "tenants." Some believe it can sense the needs of its "tenants" and is reformulating portions of its interior appropriately, for better or for ill. If so, then some of the structures observed may be vestiges of modifications made for earlier tenants.
Endo-biology takes on a whole new meaning here. The beasts appear to have been discovered and colonized by previous waves of civilization. Some of the endo-fauna may be descended from previously sapient species now degenerate. Other such beasts may have come on their own while the ancestors of others were surely bright by someone, aeons past. There are constant rumors of entire hidden civilizations, populated by species of previous tenant races, but documentation is lacking.
SEE Flesh Environments, General.
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