Zynima Network

Volons

A race known by few but feared by many of whom are aware of their existence, Volons are a species of volatile, shapeshifting monsters with no definite origin. Only a small portion are capable of rational thought, while the rest are angered by the most trivial nuisances and controlled by the sole idea of consuming others to survive. Often taking nightmarish forms, those without a functional conscience are extremely dangerous in any situation.

Stable vs. Unstable

"Stable" and "unstable" are the two classifications given to Volons of differing sentience and intelligence.

Unstable Volons comprise the vast majority of their species, making up at least 98% of their total population. This variety is highly dangerous and is rarely capable of any thought process besides what is required for survival. They have no regard for the lives of others, seeing other organisms merely as food instead of living creatures. The lowest forms of unstable Volons are most often seen as writhing masses of white matter that may include out-of-place features such as limbs and faces, but it's also possible to see unstable Volons with semi-coherent forms that allow them to move faster or hunt easier. A tiny percentage of unstable Volons may be able to comprehend other life and show signs of intelligence, but their ulterior motive will almost always be to hunt.

Stable Volons are the more civil of the two. Many of them possess intelligence, are capable of learning and breaking free of their primal mindsets, and often take more presentable forms. They are significantly less dangerous than their counterpart, and it's possible for one to safely live amongst other races, though it's also possible for a few of these Volons to return to a dangerous and unstable mindset if they're provoked. Stable Volons almost always prefer a humanoid form, but they can also consciously shift into more animalistic forms if they feel it would suit them best.

Aside from their classification as stable or unstable, they are also referred to with different titles depending on their size.

Biology

The most important detail about a Volon's biology is that they can freely manipulate their body's physical structure, allowing them to transform parts of their body into greatly different forms. As such, a Volon's appearance can vary wildly. Those with higher mental functionality are known to use their shapeshifting to mimic the appearance of other people, and they can be convincing enough to remain undetected unless someone already knows about their identity. They are also able to mimic vocals, but their ability to do so relies on how well they know their disguise and how familiar they are with the target's species in general.

However, their ability has its limitations: Volons can't transform into something that would disrupt their internal organs, or they could permanently injure themselves or even die. Depending on the scale of their transformation, it may take up to several seconds for them to shift forms, and they are also extremely vulnerable to any interruptions while doing so. The longer they remain in this "in-between" state, the more they experience what can be described as an intensifying head pain. If they continue transforming after this begins, the pain they experience can turn crippling to the point where they would hardly be able to function. The pain subsides over time, usually returning to a normal state within 30 to 60 minutes depending on the severity. Their ability to shapeshift into other entities is also limited by the physical matter comprising their body; they can only become so small or large before their molecular structure becomes unstable and they risk serious injury or death. For example, a Volon with a natural height of 8' could safely compress itself into a dense 5' form, or a lanky 12' form. Finally, Volons are incapable of perfectly imitating eyes; while some can come close, the revealing factor for many Volons is their lack of ability to replicate someone's eyes; they will always have cross shaped-pupils.

Volons are all almost always hungry. They have huge appetites, and are able to digest food several times more efficiently than a human can. Volons typically have two sets of teeth in their mouth, and a third set of teeth in the pharyngeal jaws in their throats. The amount of food Volons consume over a long period of time denotes how large they can become; though their size will begin to slowly decay if they starve, the size they can reach is essentially unlimited if their appetite goes unchecked for long enough. Volons require about as much sleep as humans do, though it's highly uncommon for a Volon to sleep for more than 3-4 hours at a time due to their constant need for sustenance.

Volons, by default, communicate with a series of violent screeches and growls. However, stable Volons are capable of learning incredible amounts of information if given enough time and resources; stable Volons have exhibited a large range of intelligence levels, from basic sapience to the comprehension of advanced topics such as language and mathematics.

Volons have an innate fear of fire, as they are extremely flammable and can ignite very easily. It is almost impossible to douse a Volon if one catches on fire.

Society

Because stable Volons are considered rare among their race, and unstable Volons are incapable of forming any kind of coherent social structure, society is effectively non-existent among their species.

In general, unstable Volons prefer cold, dark areas such as caves, and they usually converge loosely in the same general area if there are many in one location. Despite this, Volons still tend to be somewhat solitary, but fights over food are quite common. Cannibalism is usually not seen among them, but they are known to hunt one another in dire situations.

Without any civilization, stable Volons struggle to remain in that functional mindset. Since they suffer from isolation and generally higher moral senses, survival becomes very difficult without reverting to their primal behaviour.