Dryad

<-- Back to Sophonts Dryads are huge plant sophonts from the planet Dryex. They are gentle giants, preferring to sit and photosynthesis-meditate in deep thought rather than argue or fight or...anything, really. They also love to create things. They believe that the ability to create is a divine gift, and they do not like those who abuse or waste said gift.

The native name of the Dryads is unknown, because they are one of only a few species that communicate via an approximation of telepathy. This kind of communication can only be received by members of the same species. They achieve this by using the large sensory bulges on their heads, which contains receptors for various senses. Dryads are huge and incredibly strong. This, combined with their regenerative abilities and their love of creation, makes them excellent builders.

Biology
Dryads have photosynthetic leaf-structures on their heads, and their 'mouth' is a series of slits serving as air intakes to facilitate the process of endo-photosynthesis. Their huge, teardrop-shaped "eyes" are specialized refracting lenses over large patches of pinhole-camera pores packed full of photosensitive biochemicals derived from those that allowed phototropism, and their limbs are also derived from tropistic biochemicals that originally facilitated growth around objects.

Life Cycle
Adult dryads have flowerlike reproductive structures protruding from their heads, which are randomly pollinated by the various small macrofauna of Dryex. Once fertilized, the lightweight, bulbous flower bases detach from the adult dryad and become airborne, drifting until such time as the nymph (the term for a dryad seedling once it detaches) becomes large enough to root safely in the ground. Once rooted, the nymph is indistinguishable from the other plants except for the distinctive, broad leaves atop its head. The nymph remains rooted in the ground, absorbing nutrients and growing larger, until it reaches adolescent phase. The adolescent dryad then emerges from the ground, fully conscious, and assimilates into the society of the nearest settlement.