Pikmin

Tiny, hapless little plant creatures which seem to have more trust than sense, Pikmin are small, multi-colored, humanoid shaped plants. While their existence is a bit of a secret, this is only because the discovery of these small creatures was relatively recent, found on a remote plateau on the plane of Arborea. The origin of these creatures, and the others which were found on the same plateau, is hotly debated. While some maintain that while new forms of life on Arborea can not occur naturally, and are only capable of being created by divine beings, no nature has yet stepped forward to claim responsibility for the creation of the plateau or its inhabitants.   The Natural Cycle After their discover, these small creatures, originally though to be a new race of humanoids, were discovered to originate from plant matter. Brought to life from one of any dozens of small, floating plants which greatly resemble flying onions, the pikman are tossed from their onion home with great velocity, causing them to bury themselves into the ground on contact. Assuming the lack of interference from predators or other creatures, the pikmin slowly gather energy from sunlight as other plants do, using leaves on their heads to gather solar energy. After feeding heavily enough on sunlight, this leaf begins to blossom into a flower, at which point the pikmin may remain in hibernation for days or weeks. Occasionally, once a pikmin has reached this flower stage, they will burst forth from the ground in large groups and leave the site of their birth, traveling to other far-off grounds to begin the cycle anew by creating a new onion.   Naturally Trusting Despite their plant-based physiology, the pikmin seem capable of some rudimentary intelligence, and have a natural understanding the predatory creatures in their surroundings which feed on them. Such predators seem to be both carnivorous and herbivorous species, as the pikmin fulfill the dietary needs of both through their strange and little-understood physiology. Approached by a creature of higher intelligence however, the pikmin react with unusual docility, making no move to defend themselves when directly touched or picked up. Indeed, through only basic interaction with a swarm of pikmin, these creatures can be easily tamed and directed into performing tasks of physical labor or rote activity. Why the pikmin respond so well to these demands is as yet unknown, but some scholars theorize the deity which originally created the pikmin intended to harness them as a source of easily-maintained labor.   Variety in Nature Though pikmin as a whole share many basic traits, such as their mostly-plantlike physical nature and their inherent trust of intelligent creatures, the coloration of individual swarms of pikmin seem to correlate with a greater variety of physical ability. Various pikmin seem to show a higher physical strength than others, while some variety are known to be naturally resistant, if not outright immune to some type of natural elements, including fire and electricity. What causes the differentiation between types of pikmin is currently unknown, but all pikmin from the same onion birthing-pod are of the same coloration and variety, and individual members of a pikmin variety show absolutely no difference or individuality from other members of the same type. Many different forms of pikmin have so far been discovered, with others theorized to exist, but the nine most common types are discussed here.   Through Fire and Flame Among the nine most well-known variety of pikmin, there are three kinds which are above all the most common, and some of these variety are even known among those who do not make the study of the planes their primary occupation. While pikmin found on the Material Plane are highly rare, they are not entirely unknown, and are most likely to be one of these three most common. Among those three are included the red pikmin, a variety which seem to prefer making their homes in dryer and dustier ground than other pikmin. Entirely resistant to all forms of flame, and in some cases known to even make their homes in desert sands, the red pikmin also show a slight increase in physical strength over others.     Shockingly Explosive Second among the three most common forms of pikmin are the yellow pikmin, which are slightly more diminutive than most other commonly found pikmin, and seem to be capable of jumping much higher distances, likely because of the difference in body weight. Beyond these basic physical traits, a yellow pikmin can also burrow faster than most other pikmin. This adaptation works in coordination with a strange slime leaked by these pikmin from their ear-like protrusions, which can be applied to mineral debris to form small orbs. The resulting items, when touched by matter other than further minerals or the slime-coated limbs of the yellow pikmin, explode with volatile force.     Depth of Mystery Among the most common form of pikmin, few are as obviously mystifying as the blue pikmin. Like other pikmin, the blue pikmin have a physiology which combines animalistic attributes with those of plants. But in the case of blue pikmin, these traits include those shown by both waterborne plants such as lotus flower and lily pads, and amphibious animals like frogs and salamanders. Additionally, these pikmin at first sight seem to have mouths, a trait lacking in other pikmin, who communicate through small humming noises originating from their central bodies. However, further inspection reveals these mouths to actually be a form of gills, which are the mechanism by which these pikmin are capable of breathing underwater for extended periods.     Spores of Necrosis While not truly as common as the main three varieties of pikmin, the form known as mushroom pikmin, or sometimes called puffmin, are in a sense just as common as any other form of pikmin. A puffmin is formed from the corpse of any other pikmin, in a process which causes the nervous system of the pikmin to blend with the spores of mushrooms or creatures similar to them, such as the pikmin's natural predator, the Puffstool. Once exposed to these spores, the pikmin loses the identifying features of its previous form, and its skin turns a dull purple-black color. These pikmin are more difficult to control than other pikmin, but not impossible, and have their own uses caused by the similarities they share with certain forms of undead.     Strength Beyond Expectation Beyond their difference in coloration, purple pikmin are also easily identified by their size, being nearly twice as big as the average pikmin, though still nearly too tiny to take easy notice of. This large size is a clue to the power of these pikmin, whose strength far exceeds those of those of the other types of pikmin. In fact, purple pikmin are so strong that a large group of them working in concert have been known to keep a grip on creatures as large as Minotaur's or trolls. This strength may also be key to the calmness which these pikmin show in occasions of danger, being much less prone to panic when faced with predators which outsize them (which is almost every creature that might want to hunt the pikmin.)     Vision Beyond Compare Perhaps one of the least common of all pikmin variations, the white pikmin are far smaller than other types of pikmin, being almost half the size of the larger purple pikmin. But what these smaller pikmin lack in size they greatly make up for with other natural defense mechanisms. White pikmin have large, compound eyes, which are capable of seeing incredibly well even in total darkness, and spotting even the slightest movement among the tall grasses of the pikmin's native habitat. These strange eyes appear to be almost magical in nature, and studies have shown the white pikmin are able to accurately discern and see through magical illusions and deception's with almost perfect accuracy. When their defense against ambush fails to provide protection, these pikmin also have a secondary defense mechanism in the form of a constant coating of poison on their skin, which slowly toxifies the inside of any creature foolish enough to eat the white pikmin. This poison coating can occasionally be offensive as well, poisoning creatures struck by their swarming attacks.     An Adaptation Beyond Normality Known for being without a doubt the strangest pikmin, the small creatures known as bulbmin aren't even guaranteed to be a variation of pikmin. While they share some social and physical characteristics with other pikmin, and are able to cooperat with other swarms of pikmin, the bulbmin are the juvenile form of a major pikmin predator which seems to have become host to a parasitic form of pikmin. Only found in dark caves, its been hypothesized these pikmin developed in response to a lack of sunlight. taking adaptations of their nocturnal predators for their own. Attempts to so far remove the parasitic pikmin from their hosts to verify the creatures as true pikmin have so far proven unsuccessful.     The Burden of Common Defense On first glance, these pikmin are easily mistake for a collection of rocks, and until they move, many individuals are unaware they're looking at a swarm of pikmin at all. Rock pikmin have sturdy bodies, and are totally immune to all crushing forces, no matter the strength behind them. Because of this, and their above average strength, it often falls on rock pikmin to come to the defense of weaker species of pikmin against predations of larger creatures.     The Elation of Superior Evasion Only barely larger than white pikmin, flying pikmin are gifted with small wings similar to those of gnats, capable of flight which can carry them great distances. Because of this, flying pikmin tend to act as scouts and messangers for other swarms of pikmin, their wings allowing them to avoid issues with terrain which would cause difficulties for other pikmin, though their flight does place them in easier reach of airborne predators.