The Cirque Condensed: Pharmia

Pharmia are biomechanical beings that are native to the Vaast and subsequently Vossilor. They are vaguely humanoid in form and tower over the other Sophonts of the Cirque. They are an eccentric and philosophical people, they are incredibly hospitable towards other Sophonts as long as that kindness is reciprocated.

Biology

There are two known subspecies of Pharmia:

Pharmakose are generally regarded as being the closest to being humanoid a Pharmia can get and easily blends in with non-pharmia with minimal shape-shifting. They are the most common sub-race in the modern day.

Ealter are the original species of pharmia. They are heavily armored compared to the other two sub-species and are often much larger in stature. Ealter are more suited to a life out in outer space or low to no oxygen and zero gravity settings. Ealter tend to be more nomadic and live on their own rather than join a commune.

Anatomy & Morphology

Head

• Pharmia have sharp and durable teeth, adapted for tearing and scraping flesh off the bone as well as crushing metal and minerals.
• Their cheeks are 'open' making their faces look skeletal, with a thin muscle flap covering and sealing their mouth. (Humanoid trait)
• Their eyes are incredibly light sensitive, with dark grey/black scleras, granting them vastly improved vision at night. Some Pharmia are even considered to be blind in daylight depending on their eye sensitivity.
  • Pharmia irises slowly lose their color as they age, stress and blindness can speed up this process.
  • Blind Pharmia rely on their auxiliary senses and latent reality warping abilities to construction mental images of their surroundings.
• Pharmia have a crop organ in their neck for temporary food storage, mineral deposits naturally form and breakdown. This is how Pharmakose in particular receive the bulk of their mineral dietary needs.
• Their primary pheromone/hormone gland is located in their necks.
• Pharmia have proboscis like tongues which they consume their food through, which is a direct extension of their digestive track.
• Pharmia do not have hair, it's actually soft almost fluid like metallic tendrils/strands that mimic hair can be styled like hair too.

Limbs

• Can have multiple limbs and are able to fold in 'extra' ones at will.
• Pharmia have six-fingers and mostly symmetrical hands; two thumbs and 4 fingers.
  • Fingers and toes have claws, which are direct extensions of bone, can be sharpened or dulled.

Organs

• A Pharmia's lungs are very adaptable and can breathe in clean waters as well breathe through their skin.
  • Ealter can live in the harsh vacuum of space but struggle in oxygen rich environments.
  • Pharmakose enter into a lower state of living and will actively seek a way to escape the vacuum of space after a short period of time.
• Pharmia are capable of homeostasis, however, in very hot environments they start to slow down due to over-heating. Pharmia prefer cold environments due to their high body temperature.
• All Pharmia have breasts and can nurse their young. Their breasts are actually venom-sacs that fill with a neurotoxic venom that is neutralized to produce a nutrient rich 'milk'. They lack proper nipples, instead they pump out their venom/milk via their tongues.

Body

• Pharmia have very flexible skin, muscles, and skeletons; the extent varies between the two subspecies.
• Pharmia can shape-shift, though within their total body mass in order to blend in with humanoid species or to fit into smaller spaces.
• Pharmia have metal-based flesh and blood, causing their skin to be impossible to pierce through normal methods.
• Due to the composition of their flesh and blood, it is highly caustic and prone to becoming radioactive if the individual spends extended time in space. This radioactivity is contained by their skin, and is only lethal when outside of their body.
• Pharmia have a thick layer of fat over their muscles for protection and insulation, they tend to be very muscular under their fat.
• The cowls, clothes and other fabric like features are flesh (metallic but pretty soft to the touch, a matte sort of texture).

Life Expectancy

Pharmia are technically 'Immortal' and live very long lives. Pharmia die when their biological and mechanical systems become damaged beyond repair. Should only one of their two vital systems become damaged beyond repair, a Pharmia will still be considered dead as they cannot live without both systems and they will be humanely euthanized.

If biological systems are damaged resulting in death: pharmia who aren't completely dead become withered, body without soul, and their mechanical systems will continue to function. If mechanical systems are damaged then the biological systems will continue to function until they reach a critical point of failure resulting in a slow painful final death, thankfully the Ergo has checked out at that point however it is considered inhumane to allow their body to suffer like that.

Genetics & Reproduction

Pharmia are a single sex species and are capable of asexually and 'sexually' reproducing.

Dietary Needs & Habits

Both Pharmakose and Ealter are opportunistic carnivores but naturally need a diet that consists mostly of minerals and metals due to their biomechanical nature.

Pharmakose primarily eat a diet mainly consisting of proteins. They cannot properly digest most plant-matter and their bodies reject it if eaten in large quantities. Most pharmia can stomach plant matter if eaten with other foodstuff or provided proper probiotics.

Metals and certain minerals are their primary diet, as it was what their ancestors ate. Though it's not preferred by Pharmakose, instead they prefer a obligate carnivore diet with mineral supplements, consuming other biomechanical and the occasional organic organisms.

Food is eaten through their tongue, which is very prehensile and has an opening at the tip which can expand to allow for larger pieces of food to be eaten.

Culture

Gender Ideals

Fashion

Pharmia can and do wear actual clothes, preferring lose and minimal outfits so they can still shapeshift. Their natural bodies are pretty ornate on their own so they try to accent it rather than cover it up completely.

Factions

Anathema

The Anathema is the preferred name of the decentralized Pvailian civilization in Vossilor and is the largest one.

By the virtue of being decentralized, not all Pharmia in Vossilor associate themselves with the Anathema, with the most well known example being the Moiz Voss.

Ors Furies

Ors Furies (the Furies) of Vossilor are a notorious group of independent Banshees in the Anathema's academic sphere.

Moiz Voss

The Moiz Voss (The Daughters of Mother Voss) believe themselves to be the direct descendants of Voss, the fabled Mother of all Pharmia. They believe all Pharmia should strive to uphold and share their perception of reality. While it is a major taboo to forcefully impose one's perception of reality onto another Pharmia, Moiz Voss has shown themselves to more than willing to break this taboo when the opportunity shows itself leading them to have a negative reputation in the Anathema to say the least.

Language: Pvailian