Razaran

The Razaran are a race originally created by genetic modification of Aseyans. They are parasitic creatures that subsist by burrowing into other sentient beings and taking over their brains, and subsequently their bodies. This kills the previous owner of the body and gives complete control of it to the Razaran. They dominate the Razarihm, an empire spanning several galaxies.

Characteristics

Biology

The Razaran parasite is a small, triopod lifeform with dark black skin that leaks a corrosive black substance. They have large brains at the back of their body, fronted by a single, glowing eye which has a hard, sharp tentacle below it and two longer, soft tentacles to it's sides. Razaran are usualy about 25 centimetres long with 15 centimetre tentacles. They cannot survive outside of a host body for more than a few hours. They require a sentient host body and take control of them by burrowing into the creatures body and attaching to the host's brain. Over a period of several hours, the Razaran will consume and replace the original brain and infect the body with a virus that modifies it's cells to allow the Razaran to morph the body at will. The wound left by the creatures entry fills with a black fungal material which will then slowly spread across the body. Hosts who have been inhabited for many years will often be covered in criss-crossing lines of fungus and will usually have been heavily modified to suit the Razaran's needs. Although the host's consciousness is destroyed the Razaran will absorb some of it, such as basic instincts and taste in food recreation and mates, so as to improve it's ability to use the host for prolonged periods of time.

Reproduction

Although Razaran have no gender, they reproduce sexually via their hosts. The Razaran within it's host will create a set of eggs which it will store somewhere in the host's body. These are then fertilised by a second Razaran either through the host's natural sexual processes, if the two hosts are compatible, or through more artificial means. The fertilised eggs are then either carried by the host they were created in or transferred to a female of the host's species, which can be possessed or not. Razaran usually form monogamous relationships for life and, contrary to popular belief, do have an emotional connection with their children.