Skulkers (Mechanica Symbiote) Physical Traits: -Spider like in appearance, they have eight mechanical legs with sharp points for burrowing into their target hosts. From tip to tip, laying flat, the creature only reaches between 9-13 inches in width, the core body being only around three or four inches wide. A long tail stretching out to anywhere between 1-1.5 yards, or roughly 1-1.3 meters, equipped with multiple needle like devices along the underside that are often tucked away for safety. The tail itself has a spine like appearance to it, but noticeably curved and ovalular, or in some cases flat and rectangular. Along the topside and legs, there is a thick layer of Nano Machines that form an almost jelly like substance to protect and help in assimilation of their target host. A single mechanical eye is placed directly in the front of the body and is capable of extending and moving in place to allow proper examination or viewing things in the distance. Pictures for Reference: Description: Assimilation: -These creatures require full physical bodies to truly survive longer than a month before they begin to slow down and wither away. They often are found looking for either willing or deceased hosts, latching onto the bodies through the nape of the neck. A series of needles and tubular devices are inserted into the spinal cord and brainstem. Through here a collection of Nanites is injected into the body, primarily through the brain's blood vessels and partially through the Spinal cord for proper control. Upon connection and the beginning of the process, it is typical that the hosts will enter an unconscious state should they be willing hosts, or begin to violently convulse should they be panicked and unwilling. Assimilation for a Deceased Host: -The process where the creature usually would render the host unconscious instead skips a step and begins to ‘Restart' the corpse, using a series of meticulous electric charges to jumpstart the brain and vital organs. As this happens, the series of nanites work to start putting the Respiratory and Circulatory system back into working order so that the brain begins to get proper blood flow. Of course, it doesn't need to be said that with a Deceased body this is a very slow process, having the need to preserve and repair any already decayed tissue. -While they are capable of Kickstarting a corpse to effectively revive it, the body itself has to be either preserved, as if it were taken to a Morgue, or recently deceased within at least a 12 hour time frame. Past this there would be too much decay for the Assimilation to take any kind of effect. As long as the body still has its vital organs, brain and Nervous System intact they are capable of kickstarting it. After Assimilation: -After the corpse/live host has been fully assimilated by the creature, there would be multiple immediate changes to both appearance and behavior. In terms of physical changes the eyes are often completely greyed out aside from the pupil and the body will also be noticeably paler and/or grey in terms of skin tone. After a day or two, depending on the size of the body, the blood within the now Assimilated person will be mixed thoroughly with Nanties, causing the pale, off grey, skin tone. After a week of Assimilation, the host body's organs are shifted and changed, the ones that are not vital to survival being manipulated, broken down and turned into more muscle for the host body to use. Along with turning Organs to Muscle, it also reinforces the hosts bones. Now, this being said, it does have levels. Example; An Assimilated Avian bone's will be SUPER strong, but for the Avian Species, seeing as their bones are naturally fragile, they would be about as strong as a human's or Apex's bones. A Human, Hylotl or Apex would all have increased bone density and strength being able to take more than a few hits and extra pressure before they'd finally snap. With Florans this would be the same as well, the various ‘Plates' they can develop on their body being a little more durable as well. Not bulletproof or energy proof, but not as easily broken or punctured. -On top of this, the creature releases a Dormant Unshackled A.I. hidden within its data banks, using a series of electric pulses to rewrite Synapses in the brain to add this budding mind into the returning brain function. Should the host be dead, then they will act as an undeveloped child trying to remember their words and how to walk. Behavior: Before Assimilation: -These mechanical creatures act on their own personal Survival, doing anything and everything in their power to ensure they acquire a host body. They won't directly attack anyone unless captured, cornered or threatened. Often times they will be skulking around morgues, crime scenes and public hubs, searching meticulously. The only instance in which they will out right attack someone is when they are nearing their final days and become desperate for a host body. After Assimilation: -If the host was previously dead, then the Skulkers will entirely usurp the mind and bodily controls of the host, turning themselves into a biomechanical robot with a unshackled AI. If the host was alive during the process then the Skulker will meld its mind and thinking with hosts, creating a coalition of minds. If the host is not strong willed or overly weak from the process of Assimilation, then the Skulker will become the primary thought process of the body, taking almost full control while the hosts mind is pushed back into the subconscious. Sadly, this is the one of the most common outcomes, deceased assimilation being the second. -The ones with living hosts will be able to move around, talk and act like your average person, but the ones who usurp a living host body can do the same, but at the cost of having to access the memories of those they took over. The ones who take over a corpse and revive are far more animal like than their living host counterparts, acting on instinct alone and using the body to keep themselves safe. They can learn to talk and act normal, but very slowly, and for the most part keep up their unrefined methods. -If the host survives the assimilation and doesn't get overtaken, their mind and the Skulker's AI will almost meld together so that the Host just thinks they are thinking/talking to themselves. But if they are overtaken, they will do their best to use the host's memories to assume a normal appearance and life. However, if this is the case, their reaction times will be dulled from a second to a few seconds, as they require sometime to process various actions. -However, while these creatures are capable of using their hosts to blend into their lives, if they feel as if they or their hosts are threatened, they will almost immediately become defensive. This can vary from simple overly cautious actions and harsh words to out right feral actions, outright attacking anything and anyone they deem as a possible hostile. This is even more so for the ones who've assumed control of a body, acting far more animalistic than their host would normally be. For the ones that have revived and began using a corpse, they are full on animals, acting more like a wild feral animal rather than a sentient being. Tamability: It tames you, if captured will often attempt escape through any means or simply let itself die. Where it is Found: Often found on Derelict ships, colonized planets, typically in the nooks and crevices. They favor cities, primarily less populated areas and morgues. Rarity: Rare In Civ Space and In Fringe. Diet: Host Body/Basic Nutrition for host Body. Products: If Caught and broken down, they have a hefty amount of Nanties to be reconfigured. Reproduction: Asexual- Skulkers with hosts will often build new Skulkers later into their lives if they are undiscovered. Upon gathering a host body, while genitals are left intact for sake of blending in, they are often sterile and unable to bear any kind of organic offspring. Size: Small Weight: Five to Eight Pounds Lifespan: 1 Month Without Host/60-150 Years With Host, sometimes longer if left isolated or obtain a peak condition body. Abilities: Without Hosts: Strengths: -Very quick and Agile-Multiple sharp edges for self defense-Strong limbs capable of incredible grip-Capable of climbing various surfaces and swimming through water.-Occasionally travel in pairs Weaknesses:-Easily driven off-Weak to direct striking damage or firearms. -Very short lifespan-No communication Symbiotic/Host Body Traits: Strengths: -Pain receptors are dulled in host body -Regeneration of damaged tissue is accelerated due to the copious amount of Nanites. -They are typically far stronger than the average of whatever species they take over, amplifying their already inherent abilities. -Do not tire easily, only stopping when their bodies start to become damaged from overuse. -Incapable of bleeding out unless self induced. -Longer lived Skulkers will have a more adept control over their nanites allowing for external use of them. Simple things like making some thin blades on the ends of their fingers for self defense or picking a lock of a door or container. But, this does mean they'll have to open a wound on their hands, or wherever they need. However, this does make the Skulker nauseous or dizzy after a while since the Nanites are effectively their blood and can even make them pass out if they aren't careful. It is the equivalent of bleeding out for them. -Due to the Nanites in the Bloodstream of the host, they are almost entirely immune to a variety of chemicals, diseases, drugs and other outside sources they haven't had previous exposure to, I.e Various Drugs, both prescription, illegal and over the counter, various disease such as the flu or head colds. Example, if the Host before hand was a drunk, they'd still be able to get tipsy, but never full on drunk. If it were a mind altering drug, it would be simulated, but not nearly as strong as it usually would be. This being said, the hosts are nearly immune to most poisons, toxins and diseases. Any previous experience with diseases will come around as a very light variant of the illness. However, Acids and flesh eating viruses are much harder to combat for them, as these instances attack from the outside and not the outside. The most they could do is slow the process once it got past the skin and beginning layer of muscle. Weaknesses: -Cannot regrow limbs that have been severed, can be reattached if the limb is recovered, but use is restricted for several minutes.-Too much damage causes them to slow down greatly so they can attempt to fix themselves.-Electricity is incredibly damaging, stunning and sometimes killing them outright if the voltage is continuous or just immense to begin with.-Any blows to the head, neck or spine stun and injure the Skulkers.-Direct Lethal damage to the original Skulker's will cause the immediate death of both them and their hosts. -Cannot assimilate anything without a Brain, Nervous System or that constantly changes shape, this includes Glitch, Nova kids, etc.-Requires the same Nourishment as any other person. -Forcefully assumed hosts have a less than average reaction time to most things, I.e. conversation, some simple motor functions, etc. Other: They can change hosts should their initial host become damaged, but their lifespan is barely restarted once they remove themselves. Any personality obtained before detachment is retained and often simulated through the voiceless machines actions. It IS possible for a Host's mind to come back if it was initially pushed back, either forcing a melding of minds or a severe case of split personality disorder. Dead host are Dead. There is no way for their minds to come back as the Synapses is already gone, and as this is not cloning, it will never come back. -In some rare cases with living and dead hosts, the signals between the nanites and the Skulker gets briefly skewed, causing them to scream out briefly, not in pain or any emotion, just a short vocal burst. Usually, they don't realise it until a few seconds later. -Should a Skulker survive getting hit with an EMP, the Skulker and the host will become permanently skewed in thought process, altering both the hosts personality and the Skulkers mindset. This can vary from complete insanity on both the Skulker and the Host to an Intense irrational paranoia. On the flipside, the changes can be minor as well, I.e developing a tick to bite their finger before they talk. -The Skulkers that bring up the dead can use body parts from other corpses to fix their bodies, but only if the other bodies are fresh or on the brink of decay. Skulkers that assume living hosts can do this as well, but often don't as they do not wish to be discovered. The same limits apply to the limb of whatever species it came from, Floran, Human, Apex, Etc.
