Araan

The Araan are a race of humanoid beings with bodies made entirely out of Sculk. They possess an average lifespan of 40 years, however the ability to reform their bodies from patches of Sculk makes them functionally immortal. 
The first Araan originated in in the Shurdal Peninsula of northwestern Talasi some 4,000 years ago, during the height of a prehistoric kingdom that has long since ceased to exist. In that time, around three hundred people were ritualistically sacrificed to the kingdom's pantheon of gods in order to gain their favor. However, they all mysteriously returned from the dead, and fled to the mountains. From there, the religion of Skaalka was established, and the Araan would later descend from the mountains to lay waste to the kingdom, leaving only the underground Ancient Cities behind.
== Anatomy and Life Cycle ==
Araan are neither born nor created; they are converted. The process that goes into making someone an Araan is a ritual, now a common practice in Skaalka, that binds the person's soul to the Sculk, so that the soul isn't just consumed and left in stasis within the mold. After the ritual is complete, the new Araan is able to sprout from the mold. If the Araan dies, they can just create a new body. 
An Araan retains the appearance and physique they had prior to their conversion, with the exception that their eye color becomes blue or cyan. However, bodily modification through fleshcraft is common in Araan cultures, so individuals may alter themselves far beyond what they originally looked like.
The internal anatomy of an Araan consists of an exoskeletal system, much like an insect's, that lies just underneath the skin. It is not as sturdy as regular bones, but it is capable of healing much more quickly. The circulatory and digestive systems present in most humanoids are instead replaced by a single system. The main organ is both a heart and a stomach, which pumps a black fluid that contains enzymes to break down food and convert it into energy for the body.
An Araan's soul is not present within its body; it remotely controls it from the mycelial network of the Sculk. When an Araan's body dies, its consciousness returns to the mycelial network, while the body will crystalize and crumble into Echo Shards over the span of a week. The Araan can immediately sprout a new body from the Sculk, or it can choose not to and simply remain within the mycelial network.
Category:Races