Quasi-Soul

Physiology:

Quasi-Souls are humanoid beings made out of a mesh of hard, jagged, and colored crystals. They are mysterious beings with incomplete souls. Quasi-Souls lack internal organs, and are unable to taste or smell. They see with crystalline eyes, and their bodies can reverberate sound waves, allowing “speech”. They “hear” by picking up foreign sound waves on their bodies. They do not eat, breathe, or even sleep. The uneducated would assume that they are some artificial construct. In truth, Quasi-Souls do not know their origin, or why they are in a kind of “limbo” with their own souls.

Quasi-Souls are human-like, with a head, neck, torso, and limbs. However, Quasi-Souls vary widely in the color of their crystals, their degree of fragmentation, and the density of their crystals. Their body structure itself can vary widely. For example, one Quasi-Soul can have crystalline “horns” or a crystalline “crown” on their heads. While it is relatively common for Quasi-Souls to have the common humanoid arms, hands, legs, and feet, many variations of these norms are also common. A Quasi-Soul can have scythe-like blades for hands, triple-jointed legs, and even crystalline tendrils for limbs, just to name a few.

Quasi-Souls are biologically immortal, and thus cannot die from old age, nor can they be infected by common diseases, or harmed by common poisons. They can only be killed by trauma.

A Quasi-Soul is able to transcend their limbo, by completing their soul or destroying what they have. Quasi-Souls can complete their souls, becoming Soulfuls. If a Quasi-Soul abandons their soul, they become Soullesses. Some Quasi-Souls, however, are perfectly happy with their limbo, and do not seek to risk themselves by attempting a transcendence.

Soulfuls look like “angels” made out of neon lightning, with large wings. Soulfuls, otherwise, pretty much entirely retain their color and shape that they had when they were in quasi form. In the process in which a Quasi-Soul becomes a Soulful, it usually begins with a gradual merging of their crystal, until one pivotal day, when their crystalline shell is broken in a flash of neon light and lightning.

Soullesses, on the other hand, are insane entities that seem to be made of neon fire. They retain their color and shape that they had in their quasi form. In the process in which a Quasi-Soul becomes a Soulless, it usually begins with a gradual shedding of their crystals, until one pivotal day, when their crystalline shell completely falls apart.

Psychology:

Every Quasi-Soul feels a sense of incompleteness and inferiority. They typically prefer to stay with others of their kind, and do not enjoy socializing with other beings. They feel a sharp envy towards other creatures, wishing that they themselves could join them in their complete wholeness (or emptiness).

Quasi-Souls detest sheer combat, believing that subtlety and tact can almost always lead to a better outcome.

Quasi-Souls themselves are very philosophical and enigmatic beings. It is quite typical for some Quasi-Souls to speak entirely in riddles and jumbled jargon.

The Quasi-Souls that wish to become Soulfuls believe that what soul they have is an asset, and that completing it is its own reward. The Quasi-Souls that wish to be Soullesses are typically insane cretins, believing that what soul they have makes them weak, and it must be purged.

Culture:

Quasi-Souls all seek to empower and hone their minds. They respect and enjoy art, and they also enjoy games of skill. Quasi-Souls are also very much fascinated with precious gems and crystals, believing all of these to be remains of the transcended. Quasi-Soul communities live in crystalline places, such as gem mines, living in homes and buildings carved out of the solid crystal.

Quasi-Souls do name themselves, but they do not feel that these names have any true meaning. Only when they can complete themselves, can their name have a true meaning. (Or, in the case of Soullesses, only when they purge themselves, can they finally abandon the naming facade.)

Quasi-Soul culture revolves around transcendence. Quasi-Souls that seek to hone their souls live in crystalline monasteries and commit themselves to strict codes. Occasionally, they travel in caravans, believing that helping others they meet will allow themselves to be helped.

Quasi-Souls that seek to lose their souls are reviled. They live in secrecy, committing horrible sacrifices and unspeakable evils, believing that the weakness they have will eventually be forced out by the horrendous acts. They occasionally travel in war bands, murdering and corrupting civilization, feeding the horror in their hearts.

Encounters:

Quasi-Souls sometimes leave their monasteries/cults for adventure. Quasi-Souls never do anything without purpose however, so they usually adventure to find their own way to transcend, believing that their conceived way is quicker and/or better.

A Quasi-Soul always attracts stares with its gleaming crystalline form. A conversation with a Quasi-Soul can always be an eye-opening experience…if the party can get past its odd manner of speaking and find the meaning in its words. Quasi-Souls, if they believe the party can assist them with their grand quest, do accompany them, and leave them when their usefulness seems to end.

Since Quasi-Souls prefer a relatively subtle approach, an adventuring party can easily step on the plans of a Quasi-Soul cult by sheer accident, and at the same time, win the glorious praise of a Quasi-Soul monastery. (Or vice-versa) While finding Quasi-Souls by accident can be relatively simple, finding one on purpose could be very difficult. Quasi-Souls prefer to blend in to the background and stay hidden. A party purposely trying to find a monastery or cult might come up empty-handed even after a long wild goose chase.