Moldchkin

*"In shrooms we stand, the spores we trust. We welcome thee to the embrace of the Evershroom, friend." -Florance Otto Valentina-Gorgonza*

## Demographics

### Language

Spoorish

The Moldchkins are a race of sentient mushrooms of two casts, Halfspores and Pureshrooms. Halfspores being turned individuals while Pureshrooms are a completed form of Moldchkin. The Moldchkins are primarily found on the megaorganism island in the south west, Insula Glomerorum.

## The Casts

### Pureshrooms

The Pureshrooms are completely comprised of mushroom biology from whichever subspecies they belong to (shelf, toad, lion's mane, ect.). They generally tend to fall into two categories, the Mycelians and Luffians.

##### Mycelians

The Mycelians are Moldchkins who's sup-species and adaptations contribute towards a higher strength, durability, and overall physical fitness. They tend to be bulkier in build and, depending on who you ask, a touch arrogant and prideful, sometimes even chivalrous.

##### Luffians

The Luffians are Moldchkins whose adaptations have specialized into intelligence, mystical arts, and overall mental fitness. They are often lankier in build and often times the bioluminescent or rarer subspecies find themselves in this cast. It is often found that Luffians come off as rather "exclusive" in their behavior and exhibit variations of anti-social behavior.

### Halfspores

Halfspores on the other hand were originally members of other races that have been infected and turned into a Moldchkin, they retain parts of their original form (human, beastkin, elf) in a ratio of original race to Moldchkin that varies case to case, but generally hovers around half and half in the beginning. Halfspores are one of the most varied groups of Moldchkins, combining both a host species and subspecies of Moldchkin. They often have the highest rate of mutations of all Moldchkins and are the biggest mixing pot of ideologies, skills, and capabilities. People often describe this type of Moldchkin the most accepting out of all, able to incorporate any belief or idea into their constantly mixing social landscape.

### Feral Moldchkins

There exists a subspecies of Moldchkins, simply known as feral, they inhabit the deep caves of Glomeror. They are a nonsentient mob which terrorizes the underground, it is thought that they are a precursor of the current Moldchkins spawned by the mechanisms of the island creature that managed to survive despite their primitive nature. Unfinished and simple, they attack at anything sentient and seek to incorporate others into their primitive hivemind. Any Moldchkin can become feral through two ways; suffering an infection from the ferals or what Pureshrooms describe as being "severed" from the Evershroom. It is known that the infection from a Feral Moldchkin is significantly more potent and dangerous, to both Moldchkins and non alike.

## Biology

### General Characteristics

As a general rule of thumb, no two Moldchkins look alike, as various factors like subspecies, adaptations, and host species all play a factor in the appearance and biology of any individual. However, you will see general characteristics pop up. Moldchkins often exhibit a large cap on the top of their heads similar to hair, shelf mushrooms along any flat area are common as well. Pureshrooms often fit into either tall and lanky, or short and stout, with a stem body, and will always have what is called a "stem", usually concealed in the palm of their hand, used to spread the Moldchkin Infection.

### Infection

The main threat the Moldchkins may pose to any warm-blooded creature, Moldchkin Infection. It is the evolutionary drive for the Moldchkins and the creator of all Halfspores. The infection, scientifically called Capitocorpis Fungemia, or colloquially called "caps rash", is a noncontagious bloodborne fungal infection primarily spread through a specialized organ called the "Stem" discreetly placed within all Pureshrooms' hands. There are alternative means of progressing or spreading the infection through certain rituals or procedures, however that will be expanded on elsewhere.

Through whichever means one contracts caps rash, most commonly through a casual handshake, the infection will lay undetectable for

### Adaptations

All Moldchkins are in a constant state of mutability, most adaptations fall under two paths, survival and specialization. Survival adaptations involve their biology changing to survive better in its environment, and happens without thought; whereas, specialization adaptations occur as a result of action and thought, whether that be through the activities or role one plays in the community or via moments of personal growth and change. There also exist moments of random unexplainable mutations, the benefit of which are unpredictable at best.

Typically, due to the wider pool of genes and biological turmoil they are under through their condition, Halfspores are known to have the highest rate of mutation and are known to specialize rather fast based on the profession or hobbies the host had in life such as a soldier being stronger, a smith with hammer shaped hands, or an artist oozing pigments. Pureshrooms still can undergo mutations, but are noticeably slower at this due to being in a kind of "complete" form.

#### Spores

One of the many curious adaptations Moldchkins have developed is their spores. Rather than a means of reproduction like normal mushrooms, they now serve as a means of communication and even manipulation. Normally, the spores are passively exuded to wordlessly communicate the needs of a Moldchkin to the island or fellow Moldchkin, and serve as a form of mild pacifying agent for Non-Moldchkins. Some Moldchkins are even known to possess the ability to harness a burgeoning field of "Spore Magic", grounded in certain foods one eats, they are able to produce fantastical effects with their spores, some having a wider arsenal than others while others lack this ability altogether.