Pengumorph
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| Pengumorph | |
|---|---|
 A queen stalking through her hive | |
| Physical Description | |
| Height | 1m + |
| Weight | Varies with caste |
| Lifespan | 50 years+ |
| Skin Color | Black, Brown |
| Distinctions | Vicious predators biomechanical appearance caste system |
| Other Information | |
| Era | Modern Era |
| Subspecies | Various castes |
| Other Names | Bugs, Serpents |
The Pengumorph, known colloquially as the Alien, is a endoparasitoid extraterrestrial species native to an unknown planet outside of the Sol System. They are generally regarded as the most dangerous and deadliest species ever discovered.
Contents
History[edit]
Pengumorphs were discovered by Ed Island sometime in 2014, but exactly how and when is a closely-guarded secret by Ed Laboratories. After numerous losses of personnel, officials at Ed Laboratories soon realized the potential of the Pengumorph (then simply known as Specimen 08), and managed to procure a number of eggs for testing.
Characteristics[edit]
Pengumorphs are predatory creatures with no higher goals than the propagation of their species and the destruction of any life that could pose a threat to them. Aliens are eusocial, with a single Queen breeding a host of subordinate castes. The creatures are known for their potent acidic blood and their pharyngeal jaws, although their biological life cycle, in which their offspring are implanted inside living hosts before crawling out the throat, is in many ways their signature aspect.
When standing upright, the Aliens are vaguely penguin-shaped in form, though they adopt a more hunched, quadrupedal stance when walking or sprinting. They have a skeletal, biomechanical appearance and are usually colored in muted shades of black, brown or bronze. Aliens do not radiate heat, as their body heat matches the ambient temperature of the environment in which they are found. Additionally, adult Pengumorphs have the ability of running and crawling along ceilings and walls. They have great physical strength, having been shown to be capable of breaking through vent covers and welded steel doors, and even of breaking down reinforced pressurized doors.
Pengumorphs possess segmented, blade-tipped tails. The sharp tip closely resembles a slashing weapon, and can be used to impale victims. Also, most Pengumorphs have three fingers on each flipper, which appear long and skeletal. The Aliens' primary weapon is their inner jaw, which is powerful enough to smash through bone and metal. On several occasions, Aliens have been seen to suspend those that they kill from the ceiling through unknown means
Pengumorphs have elongated, cylindrical skulls, but possess no visible facial features other than their mouth. Adult Pengumorph creatures have a more textured head rather than a smooth carapace, which they eventually shed.
Through Ed Laboratories testing, it had been determined that while conventional ammunition could kill a Pengumorph, energy-based weapons such as lasers or plasma weapons were more effective due to their nature of boiling organic matter.
Blood and Secretions[edit]
Pengumorph blood is an extremely potent acid and is capable of corroding on contact almost any substance with alarming speed. It is dull yellowish-green in color, and seems to be ineffective against the Aliens themselves.
Drones can produce a thick, strong resin (secreted from their jaws, giving them the look of a slavering beast) that they use to build their Hives and to cocoon their victims. Some castes also have the ability to "spit" acid from their inner jaws, which is as potent as their blood.
Society[edit]
Aliens operate under a caste system, with groups of specialized individuals performing distinct tasks within the species. It is not clear to what degree these castes are subject to a social hierarchy, although certain Pengumorph types, notably the Queens, clearly exercise some degree of control and superiority over other more common variations.
While individual Pengumorphs have been known to operate independently, owing to their tendency to reproduce rapidly and in large numbers they are more commonly encountered in groups and often likened to an infestation owing to their tendency to spread and consume all suitable host organisms in an area. As with many other eusocial organisms, Pengumorphs, particularly in larger groups, with create a central nest or Hive in which they will reside, often overseen by an egg-laying Queen. Raiding parties will be sent out into the surrounding area to search for and capture more hosts, which will then be brought to the hive and used to create more Aliens. In larger infestations, smaller "satellite" hives may be created, with sizes ranging from just a few Pengumorphs to nearly being able to be considered independent hives themselves.
Life Cycle[edit]
The Pengumorph life cycle comprises several distinct stages: they begin their lives as an Egg (laid by a Queen), which hatches a parasitoid larval form known as a Facehugger, which in turn "impregnates" a living host with a tumor, that manipulates the host body's cells into creating a "Crawler". After a growth period of several hours, the Crawler climbs its way out of the host's stomach, and out through the mouth. This is usually fatal to the host due to the trauma induced by the Crawler, but they could survive if medical attention is found quick enough.
The Crawler then matures to an adult phase within a few hours, shedding its skin and replacing its cells with polarized silicon. Due to horizontal gene transfer during the gestation period, the Pengumorph also takes on some of the basic physical attributes of the host from which it was born, allowing the individual Alien to adapt to its host's environment. For example, a Puffle-spawned Pengumorph would more resemble a Puffle than a Penguin-spawned Pengumorph.
It is possible, if a Queen is present, for a Facehugger within an egg to turn into an adult Pengumorph, with the help of "Royal Jelly" produced by the queen. These "Pure Pengumorphs" are larger and stronger than Penguin-spawned ones, and are generally more aggressive.
Castes and Subspecies[edit]
As a highly adaptable species, Pengumorphs have many forms, depending on the host they come from.
Drone[edit]
The Drone is the most basic and common form of Pengumorph found in the Hive; the Drone form acts much like worker bees. The Drones main function is to keep the Hive functioning properly and to gather new hosts for other Pengumorphs. They are almost identical to Warriors in appearance with the exception of their smooth, domed skull, which is later shed. Instead of a large blade, their tails end in a stinger-like barb.
Worker[edit]
The Worker is a much smaller version of the Done and white in color, and are essentially a worker caste inside the Hive, tending to the Queen and moving her Eggs. They are rarely seen by penguins, as they almost never leave the Queen's side.
Warrior[edit]
The Warrior (also called the Soldier) is one of the primary assault castes of the Pengumorph. They are fast, reasonably tough, and savage combatants. Even in death the Warrior is dangerous, as its highly pressurized bloodstream will cause it to burst apart when killed and drench nearby enemies in acid. Warriors have ridged heads, as opposed to the smooth carapace of the Drone.
"Pufflemorph"[edit]
The Pufflemorph is a rare Pengumorph breed that is the result of a Puffle spawning an Alien. They are vary rare, as a Puffle is almost too small for a Facehugger to attach. They usually have the same position as Drones, due to their smaller stature. They posses scrawny limbs, and lack the large tails seen on other casts.
Queen[edit]
Queen Aliens are significantly larger and stronger than the basic Warrior, and other casts of Pengumorphs. They are approximately 10 feet tall at the hip and 27 feet in length, and overall resemble a skeletal T-Rex. The Queen's head is larger than other adult Aliens and is protected by a large, flat crest, like a crown, which can vary from Queen-to-Queen. Unlike other Aliens, the queen also has high heel protrusions from its feet.
Praetorian[edit]
The Praetorian is one of the final stages in the Pengumorphs life cycle, and as such are rarely seen. Named for the Penguin Empire guards that served a similar role, Praetorians serve as guards to their hive's Queen and unlike other Pengumorph types, Praetorians rarely operate outside their Hive grounds. They are among the largest and most powerful Pengumorph strains. They possess much more concentrated acidic blood, and they have been seen to produce a deafening scream that will summon additional Warriors to their aid.
Spitter[edit]
The Spitter, also known as the Ranger, is a caste of Pengumorph that, as its name implies, it attacks by spitting large quantities of acid at enemies, typically from some distance away. They are identified by yellow-green pouches along their sides, used to store acid.
Boiler[edit]
The Boiler is a caste of Pengumorph which possesses a unique form of attack, whereby it will forgo the typical melee or spitting attacks used by other Pengumorphs in favor of suicidally rupturing its own body, drenching nearby targets in huge quantities of acidic blood. Its body is horribly deformed, covered with boil-like pustules and lesions and being generally decrepit in appearance, which restrict the Boiler's movement to an awkward upright hobble. Most notably, they lack the ability to "see" like other Pengumorphs and are essentially blind, reacting instead to noise and vibrations in their environment. They spend much of their time crouched and immobile, resembling fossilized husks, but will awaken upon detecting nearby sounds and begin to search for the source.
Crusher[edit]
The Crusher, also known as the Charger, is a large Pengumorph breed. Its most notable features are its large head crest, which is said to be completely impervious to damage, and its habit of charging its prey to inflict massive blunt force trauma. It acts as something of a heavy unit for the Pengumorph, able to engage even armored vehicles with some success. They are usually spawned from larger creatures, such as Polar Bears, and are restricted to running on all fours.
Lurker[edit]
The Lurker is a caste of Pengumorph with a very similar appearance to a Drone. Lurkers are easily identified by their usually smooth head carapaces. Unlike the far more common Warrior caste which tend to employ direct assaults and swarm attacks, using sheer weight of numbers to overwhelm defenses and subdue their prey, Lurkers prefer to keep their distance and lurk in the shadows, only attacking when the time is right.
Flier[edit]
The Flier is a Pengumorph breed with the ability to fly. They are bred from a Tern or Skua being infected, and possess two large, bat-like wings instead of claws. A queen that molts from a Flier will also adopt these wings.
Trivia[edit]
- The Pengumorph's scientific name is Internecivus raptus, meaning "murderous thief".
- Hunter, at one point, had captured a Queen in an underground pyramid underneath Club Penguin Island, where Purebred Pengumorphs are hunted by him for sport.
- Ed Laboratories experiments on Pengumorphs, often trying to tame one, creating a docile Pengumorph.
- Currently, several EISC warships contain drop pods to use Pengumorphs as a form of biological warfare.
