Varinns

Varinns
Biological Classification
Common Name	Varinns
Type	Unclassified
Physical Characteristics
Average Height	3.6 Metres
Skin Colour	Very light minty green & seafoam
Sexes	Sexless
Respiratory Gas	None required
Locomotive Method	Varies, generally bipedal.
Distinctions	Nucleus-based anatomy Extensive regeneration Adaptable outer body Fluctuating individuality Arguably hiveminded during Coalescence (before maturing) Capable of shapeshifting No facial features, yet still able to see.
Average Lifespan	Biologically Immortal (May still die from injuries)
Demographics
Inhabits	Varinn Empire
Population	7,8 Trillion
Distribution	Least Concern
Sociocultural Characteristics
Intelligence	Sapient, Sentient
Homeworld	Neirn

The Varinns are a carbon-based sapient species native to the planet Neirn located in the Gamma Quadrant of Unknown Space, from which they have expanded outwards into a large region of space nowadays known as the Varinn Empire. Physically Varinns are quite unique in comparison to most known intelligent species, possessing a singular core 'nucleus' located on the chest vital for maintaining all of their continued functions and a non-vital hologram-like outer body (which may resemble essentially any common species 'body type', though often vaguely 'humanoid-like') capable of processing all major senses (vision, touch, smell, hearing, limited telepathy, balance, proprioception, etc) capable of shifting in form to some degree and regenerating from nearly all damage given enough time and energy. Their complex anatomy, energy efficiency, and being unable of naturally reproducing) suggests they may not be a naturally evolved species. While Varinns are capable of speech in their language known as 'Varinnic', their 'nuclei' are capable of communicating telepathically via electromagnetic waves, making them able to communicate within short range without speaking vocally.

The outer bodies of Varinns are based on instructions preset within their nucleus despite being able to undergo temporary voluntary alterations (though to most this is non-permanent due to energy exhaustion), though despite being based on presets most Varinns have fairly distinct and unique physical forms due to the individual instruction-patterns being assembled differently when created. Instead of being born naturally via reproduction, Varinns are created artificially in resource-rich areas on planets named 'Nurseries', where growth-devices extract and utilise said resources to produce new nuclei. Upon initially being created, Varinns exist in a state known as 'Coalescence' where they lack most physical and personality distinctions, instead being solely focused on the needs they were programmed to address such as developing a newly colonized world or assisting against a threat. Coalescent individuals exhibit a series of unusual traits, such as being generally nonverbal (vocally at least, they still communicate via EM-Telepathy in incoherent and garbled sentences) and lacking a 'stable' outer-body (instead shifting erratically and often melding into other Coalescents when nearby due to being very synchronized). Once they have existed for long enough to having needed to adapt to several situations, Coalescent individuals usually develop a sense of individuality, allowing them to develop a more distinct outer body and personality as they reach a 'Mature' state, though some never undergo this process despite adaptations and others regress back into a Coalescent state. Coalescent individuals, despite being dedicated to addressing needs, are fairly unreceptive to issued orders, forcing the otherwise authoritarian and collectivist Varinn Empire to intentionally try encourage Maturation in order to ensure viable subjects.

Varinns are not biological unlike most known intelligent lifeforms, functioning akin to a middle point between wholly artificial entities and naturally evolved lifeforms (essentially, non-biological semi-organic lifeforms) as they remain individuals onto themselves with their own minds, thoughts, and desires contained within one body despite functioning off of a arguably hardware-like nucleus, though despite this they still possess a connection to the Noosphere. Varinn reproduction is quite distinct from other lifeforms as they do not undergo any form of sexual reproduction, instead Varinns are 'grown' in sites known as 'Nurseries' which create new Varinns out of natural resources present on planets where such locations have been set up, with planets capable of sustaining organic life being the most efficient at producing the highest quality Varinns despite said act of production draining them of natural resources. Nurseries can operate on planets for centuries while producing new Varinns as long as they have available room for new incubators to create more Varinns, though continued activity of Nurseries (Especially if a planet has multiple of them) eventually leads to all available resources on said planets being drained, stripping them of the ability to sustain life and ceasing the production of new Varinns.