Sproutling
Sproutlings are race of plant-like humanoids, native to rainforests and woodlands in the eastern Near Wilds.
Characteristics
Sproutlings are notoriously difficult to study, on account of their aggressive behaviour towards outsiders.
Sproutlings are plants. They are usually of similar build in humans, but can vary between 3 and 8 feet tall. They usually have thin, green skin, or sometimes blue or yellow, and grow foliage across their body, which may resemble flowers, leaves, moss, or vines. Sproutlings universally have claws, compound eyes, and usually lack noses, lips, or teeth. They do not appear to have biological sex. They can live up to 400 years if they do not die of external causes.
As plants, Sproutlings do not appear to possess a brain or central nervous system of any kind, and it is very possible for a Sproutling to survive decapitations. Sproutlings do not seem to naturally use language, though some have been able to learn one. Dissected specimens suggest that Sproutling sensory and motor processes occur through complicated chains of hormone release. Movement appears to be hydraulic rather than muscular.
Sproutlings from more temperate climates, such as in the jungles of Ferrol, are known to change appearance with the seasons.
Caste System
Sproutlings, in their natural habitat, live in tribes. Anthropologist Carmen Anducho, while living in one of these tribes in the eastern near wilds, identified that Sproutlings are capable of developing into three "castes" depending on the environment they reside in.
Sproutlings in a tribe are born as "followers", the most physically capable caste. Followers are largely unintelligent, and rely on the leadership of the tribe's heresiarch. Heresiarchs make up another caste, though all tribes will only ever have a single heresiarch at a time, followers developing into heresiarchs when there are none present.. Heresiarchs are significantly more intelligent, and are the only tribal Sproutlings Anducho found capable of learning language.
The last caste consists of what Anducho calls "savages". These develop when a follower is removed from their tribe and left without any other Sproutlings in their environment; this is what happens to Sproutlings who come or are brought to the Imperial States. Savages are intelligent as Heresiarchs, but are capable of functioning independently.
The development of a follower into a heresiarch or savage is irreversible.
Cultural Significance
Sproutlings are generally unheard of through the Imperial States, and when encountered, are generally thought to be some kind of magical creature.
Distribution
Sproutling tribes are generally found quite prevalently in the rainforests which make up the eastern Near Wilds, as well as in the jungles of Ferrol. Otherwise, they are not known to exist anywhere in the Imperial States.
That said, it is not unheard of to find Sproutlings living individually in the Imperial States, having either been taken from or kicked out of their tribe and being brought over or having travelled over themselves.