I. Intro
The Shards are a race born from the deaths of stars. They are creatures born from the fire and chaos and dust left behind when stars go supernova and explode, thus releasing their energy and materials back into the universe that birthed them. Their true form is more like a blob of prescient energy, capable of thought and emotions, and they only take on humanoid forms when they discover a place that they would like to explore, in an attempt to blend in with the populace there.
II. Basic Biology
a. Characteristics
Shards have no defined gender upon birth. They can take on characteristics of both male and female at will. Generally, they do this whenever they find a mate/lover, and will take on the characteristics their partner wants the most. Their natural form is more like a formless blob of energy, leaving them capable of morphing into whatever shape that pleases them. They will often take on the form of whatever life happens to be wherever they choose to settle, but the differences can be quite obvious. However, once they settle on a “permanent” form, they can no longer return to being a formless blob of energy. The energy is converted into a physical appearance and presence, and this permanent form will no longer be pure energy; rather, it will have internal organs, skin, hair, scales, feathers - whatever species it is that they’ve decided to live among. They can still change their shape at will, though it’s more for aesthetic purposes than shifting to a completely new form. It takes less energy to change the shape of the eyes, nose, lips, and other physical features than it is to scrap an entire body and create a new one.
b. Lifespan
Shards can live for hundreds of thousands of years, just as their parent star did. At the end of their lifespan, if they’ve chosen a “permanent” humanoid form, they will begin to crystallize. Their flesh will harden until it resembles opals or cloudy quartz, and their internal organs will also become crystallized until they simply stop working. Slowly, they will become statuesque, finding it harder and harder to move, breathe, and eat, until finally they’re all crystal. Then, once the crystallization process is complete, they will shatter apart at the slightest touch and return to being stardust. This process takes several hundred more years to complete. However, they are susceptible to organ failure during this time, as well as the loss of limbs.
c. Reproduction
Shards cannot reproduce due to the way they were ‘born’. They have no real genitalia in their natural form. And while their permanent forms can take on the characteristics of male and female, the representational organs have no reproductive capability.
III. Culture
Shards never use ‘he’, ‘she’, ‘they’ pronouns in reference to themselves, but accept these pronounce in reference to them from non-Shards. Rather, they use ‘this one’ or ‘that one’ in reference to themselves. Shards are naturally wanderers and explore the expanding universe, content to remain on the fringes of known societies, unless something catches their attention and they wish to investigate it. They are not close social creatures within their own kind, but they will interact with each other if they happen to be in the same places at the same time. While mostly solitary after their birth, Shards will travel with each other if they run across others of their own kind, but there are no social structures or rules governing their society. They are individuals and are free to do as they please.
