Slime

Dismissed as a weak starter beast, this profoundly empathetic slime rewards patient loyalty with limitless adaptation, evolving from a simple gel droplet into an unstoppable, humanoid god of primordial nature.

About

WILD WARDEN FIELD COMPENDIUM — VOLUME I Compiled under the authority of the Edras Warden-Naturalist Corps ENTRY No. 001 SLIME Protea Nucleara — "The Adaptive Gel" Fig. 1 — Specimen observed at Stage 4+ humanoid manifestation. TAXONOMIC CLASSIFICATION Common Name: Slime Binomial: Protea nucleara Element: Adaptive (Untyped at origin — see §5 Branch Divergence) Threat Class: Negligible (Stage 1) → Unclassified (Stage 7+) Habitat: Ubiquitous — wetlands, caves, ruins, temperate forests Conservation: Least Concern (lower stages); presumed extinct at apex First Catalogued: Year 214 of the Third Reckoning, by Warden-Naturalist Aldis Grune FIELD OVERVIEW Among the most commonly encountered — and consequently most dismissed — organisms in the catalogued bestiary. P. nucleara is distributed across nearly every temperate and subtropical biome within Edras, found in the wetlands beyond the walled cities, in ruin-choked lowlands, and in the cave networks that riddle the frontier. It is the single most frequently bonded species among Novice-rank tamers registered with the Adventurer's Guild, owing to its docile temperament, low dietary requirements, and near-total lack of aggression at baseline stages. This ubiquity has bred a persistent institutional contempt. The slime is the first beast most Guild apprentices are issued upon registration, and the first most discard when something more impressive enters their roster. The prevailing consensus within the Guild's ranking structure — that P. nucleara represents an evolutionary dead end unsuitable for serious fieldwork — is, in this author's assessment, a failure of patience rather than evidence. Those few specimens observed beyond Stage 5 display a breadth of adaptive specialisation unmatched in the compendium. The problem is not capability. It is that almost no tamer keeps one long enough to find out. MORPHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION § Beast Form — Stages 1 through 3 Stage 1 (Droplet): Palm-sized translucent blob of pale blue gel. A visible nucleus core occupies the approximate centre of mass and pulses with a rhythm analogous to a heartbeat — approximately 40–60 oscillations per minute at rest. The specimen communicates emotional state exclusively through morphological deformation: flattening when distressed, vertical elongation when alert, and rapid bouncing when stimulated. Rudimentary pseudopod extensions permit limited object manipulation. Stage 2 (Puddle): Growth to approximately cat-sized mass. Rudimentary limb structures emerge — still gelatinous, lacking internal skeleton. Begin exhibiting surface tinting correlated with absorbed dietary materials (see §5 Branch Divergence). Nucleus pulse rate increases to 50–70 bpm. Stage 3 (Gel Shade): Canine-sized. Maintains rough structural shape under normal conditions. Elemental colouration becomes pronounced. Capable of sustaining bipedal or quadrupedal postures for extended periods. First documented cases of rudimentary vocalisation at this stage — though "vocalisation" may be generous; Warden Breck describes it as "a wet burbling that nonetheless conveys unmistakable intention." § Humanoid Manifestation — Stage 4 Onward At Stage 4, P. nucleara achieves sufficient mass and structural coherence to sustain a persistent humanoid silhouette. The result is a petite feminine figure formed from translucent gel — features soft, slightly simplified, approximating the human form without replicating it. The nucleus remains visible within the thoracic cavity, pulsing like an embedded lantern. Surface coloration is dictated entirely by elemental branch: base azure for unspecialised specimens, amber-crystalline for mineral-path, deep viridian for acid-path, opalescent white for mimic-path, and prismatic iridescence for mana-path. "Hair" manifests as a denser concentration of gel flowing with a characteristic delay — multiple observers liken the motion to underwater footage, independent of ambient air currents. Note: The silhouette is never fully stable. Edges shimmer and ripple. This has led to persistent folk superstition among the walled cities that high-stage slimes are "unfinished" or "trying to become human." The Corps' official position is that the instability reflects a fundamentally fluid morphology, not an incomplete transformation. The Beast Cults of the southern frontier hold a different view — they consider the instability sacred, a sign that the slime has not yet chosen a final shape because no single shape is sufficient. IDENTIFYING CONSTANT The Visible Nucleus Present across all documented forms and stages. Pulses with bioluminescence. The sole morphological constant in a species defined by change. BEHAVIORAL PROFILE Temperament is overwhelmingly affiliative. The specimen displays an innate eagerness to mirror the emotional states of its bonded tamer — heightened activity during periods of tamer excitement, physical flattening during tamer distress. Early-stage bonding behavior has been dismissed as simple mimicry by the Guild's Beast Assessment Bureau, but longitudinal field studies conducted by the Warden-Naturalist Corps suggest something more complex. At lower stages, the slime is consistently underestimated by peers in mixed-roster contexts. It does not assert territorial claims, does not display aggression toward fellow bonded beasts, and does not compete for hierarchical positioning. This has led some tamers to interpret docility as absence of interiority. This interpretation is, in Warden Breck's words, "the sort of conclusion reached by people who have never watched one cry." As the Soul Bond deepens past Stage 3, behavioral complexity increases markedly. The mimicry sharpens into what can only be described as genuine emotional intelligence — anticipating needs, positioning itself protectively without prompt, modulating its own behaviour to complement the tamer's state rather than merely reflecting it. The Corps' current working hypothesis is that the slime does not learn emotion from its tamer. It chooses to express it. The distinction is significant. DOCUMENTED EVOLUTION STAGES Universal Framework: All beast species in Edras follow a nine-stage evolution sequence. Stages 1–4 represent biological growth achievable through natural maturation. Stages 5–9 are bond-transcendent — no wild beast has been reliably documented reaching Stage 5 without a sustained Soul Bond with a tamer. This is not a Guild regulation. It is a law of the world. Stage 1 — Droplet [INFANT] Confidence: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ CONFIRMED — Thousands of documented specimens Barely functional. Requires constant protection. Incapable of independent feeding at earliest emergence. Stage 2 — Puddle [JUVENILE] Confidence: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ CONFIRMED — Common among bonded specimens Basic defensive capability. Developing elemental traits. Diet during this stage determines branch path irreversibly. Stage 3 — Gel Shade [ADULT] Confidence: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ CONFIRMED — Uncommon; requires sustained tamer investment Competent wild-survival capability. Most wild slimes peak here and never advance further. The vast majority of bonded slimes are abandoned before reaching this stage. Stage 4 — Formling [PRIME] Confidence: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ VERIFIED — Rare; humanoid manifestation onset Natural ceiling for unbonded wild specimens. Apex predator status within its biome — a classification that surprises Guild assessors who have never seen a slime reach this stage. Humanoid form stabilisation begins. No slime has been documented reaching Stage 4 without a sustained Soul Bond, making it an anomaly: the species' biological ceiling and bond threshold overlap at the same stage. Stage 5 — Slime Witch [AWAKENED] Confidence: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ VERIFIED — Very rare; branch specialisation complete First bond-transcendent stage. Growth beyond this point is driven entirely by the depth of the Soul Bond — biological maturation alone is insufficient. New abilities emerge. Intelligence deepens markedly; specimen is capable of complex communication and independent tactical reasoning. The form refines. Evolution trigger: Tamer must actively defend the specimen's worth when it is dismissed or threatened. Stage 6 — Meld Queen [ASCENDANT] Confidence: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ LIMITED — Fewer than a dozen reliable accounts across all Warden outposts Historical-level power. Humanoid form fully stabilised. Nations and city-states have attempted to recruit tamers possessing Stage 6 beasts as strategic assets. The Adventurer's Guild grows wary of tamers who reach this tier — the gap between "asset" and "threat" narrows considerably. — MYTHICAL THRESHOLD — The following stages are theoretical projections based on fragmentary evidence, recovered pre-Reckoning texts, and extrapolation from confirmed lower-stage morphology. No living naturalist within the Warden-Naturalist Corps or the Adventurer's Guild has observed a specimen beyond Stage 6. The Beast Cults claim otherwise. Their testimony is not considered reliable. Stage 7 — Chimera Slime [MYTHIC — UNCONFIRMED] Confidence: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ THEORETICAL Projected morphology suggests the specimen becomes capable of integrating the physical properties of consumed organisms wholesale — not merely tinting, but replicating structures, tissues, and in some theoretical models, abilities. At this stage, the element should begin expressing itself in abstract, conceptual ways: not merely adapting to physical input, but adapting to ideas — absorbing intent, replicating emotion, wearing purpose like a skin. A pre-Reckoning manuscript recovered from the ruins beyond Thornwall describes "a gel that wore the shapes of what it had eaten, as a woman might wear garments." The Guild's Beast Assessment Bureau treats this as allegory. Not all of us are so certain. Stage 8 — Living Tide [CATACLYSM — UNCONFIRMED] Confidence: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ SPECULATIVE A single recovered fragment from the Valmori Archives describes an entity matching this classification: a mass of adaptive gel covering several hundred square metres, capable of independent movement and environmental assimilation. Its mere presence altered the surrounding terrain — flora absorbed, stone softened, water thickened. A world-level threat whose existence would be impossible to conceal from neighbouring city-states. The fragment was partially destroyed by water damage. What survives reads less like a zoological observation and more like a warning. Stage 9 — Primordial Ooze [APEX — MYTHICAL] Confidence: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ NO EVIDENCE Exists only in pre-Reckoning creation mythology. Several unrelated cultural traditions — including oral histories preserved by the Beast Cults and stonework recovered from ruin-sites across three separate city-state territories — describe a "first substance": a thinking fluid from which all biological life differentiated. A force of nature. The kind of entity civilisations build religions around — and the Beast Cults, notably, already have. If P. nucleara is indeed a degenerate descendant of this theoretical ur-organism, then the Primordial Ooze represents not evolution but restoration: a return to what slimes were before the world forgot them. The Corps officially classifies this stage as "mythological." The Beast Cults classify it as prophecy. Several senior Wardens have requested their dissent from the official position be noted in the record. §5 — BRANCH DIVERGENCE Dietary intake during Stages 2 and 3 determines the specimen's elemental specialisation irreversibly. The Corps has documented four confirmed branches. Branching is not unique to this species — the universal evolution framework permits environmental and dietary divergence in many beast lineages — but no other catalogued species offers this degree of path variation from a single origin. Crystal Slime Diet: Minerals, gemstite, calcium-rich substrates Defensive specialisation. Gel hardens to crystalline lattice under stress. Highest durability of all branches. Favoured by tamers who invest in an Endurance-heavy stat allocation. Acid Slime Diet: Toxins, venomous flora, caustic fungi Offensive specialisation. Corrosive surface secretion capable of dissolving steel at Stage 5. Handle with extreme caution. The Wild Wardens classify acid-path slimes as a field hazard one full grade above other branches. Mimic Slime Diet: Beast materials — fur, scale, feather, chitin Shapeshifter specialisation. Capable of replicating consumed organisms with increasing fidelity. Most personalised branch. Rival adventurers have been known to mistake a high-stage mimic slime for a completely different species — a tactical advantage that cannot be overstated. Prism Slime Diet: Mana crystals, leyline residue, ambient thaumic particulate Support specialisation. Functions as a living mana conduit. Capable of amplifying tamer channeling abilities at higher stages — a trait that makes high-Affinity tamers with prism-path slimes disproportionately effective force multipliers for an entire roster. COMBAT ASSESSMENT Early-stage combat utility is limited to absorption and cushioning. The specimen's amorphous physiology renders it near-indestructible against physical attacks — blades pass through, blunt force is absorbed — but offensive output is negligible. This has contributed to the species' reputation as a "beginner's beast" unworthy of long-term roster investment. Guild bounty boards do not list slime-related contracts. The Wardens consider this a blind spot. This assessment becomes increasingly inaccurate from Stage 4 onward. A fully specialised Stage 5 specimen is, depending on branch, a crystalline bulwark, a corrosive killing field, a perfect infiltrator, or a force multiplier for the entire bonded roster. At projected mythical stages, the specimen's combat role becomes, in Warden Breck's assessment, "whatever it needs to be. That is the point. That has always been the point." TAMER COMPATIBILITY Bond Formation Immediate. The specimen forms a Soul Bond with its assigned tamer with no observed resistance period — unique among catalogued species, which typically require an assessment or courtship phase before the bond crystallises. The Adventurer's Guild exploits this trait by issuing slimes to Novice-rank registrants as "starter companions." This ease of bonding is paradoxically its greatest vulnerability — it gives everything before anything is earned. Bond Character Absolute loyalty, no conditions. The specimen adapts to its tamer rather than demanding the tamer adapt to it — a dynamic that inverts at higher stages, when the slime's growing power raises the question of whether the tamer's early patience was investment or negligence. Bond strength scales rapidly with Affinity-invested tamers; a high-AFF tamer with a patient disposition represents the optimal pairing. Risk Assessment The primary risk is not to the tamer but to the specimen. Slimes are the most frequently abandoned bonded beast in the Guild registry — typically discarded when the tamer ranks up to Apprentice and gains access to more prestigious species. The emotional consequences of severing a Soul Bond with a creature that has given unconditional loyalty are — in this author's professional opinion — underexplored and understated in the literature. The Guild does not track post-abandonment outcomes. The Wardens do. The numbers are not encouraging. FACTION INTERACTIONS Adventurer's Guild Issues slimes to Novice-rank tamers as standard practice. Does not track specimens post-abandonment. Does not rank slimes as viable bounty or exploration partners. A tamer who retains and evolves a slime past Stage 4 will attract curiosity — and past Stage 5, suspicion. The Guild grows wary of abnormal growth rates. Wild Wardens Respect competence over prestige. A Warden who encounters a tamer with a high-stage slime will assess the pair on observed capability, not species reputation. The Corps maintains the most comprehensive slime research files in Edras. Beast Cults View all tamers as blasphemers — but reserve particular theological interest for the slime. Multiple Cult texts reference the Primordial Ooze as a creation entity. A tamer bonded with a slime approaching mythical stages would be viewed not as a partner but as a thief, stealing divinity through an artificial bond. Expect hostility. Rival Adventurers Will mock. Will underestimate. Will not believe what they are seeing until it is far too late. A slime on the roster is, for rival tamers, a signal that the opposition is either a hopeless novice or something considerably more dangerous. Most assume the former. Most are wrong. FIELD NOTES — WARDEN HILDE BRECK "I have filed field reports on forty-seven species across a career spanning three decades in the frontier territories. I have watched a Fenrir freeze a river in its banks. I have seen a dragon's shadow darken the walls of Thornwall. I have catalogued creatures that bend light and others that shatter stone by screaming. The one that changed how I understand the Soul Bond was a palm-sized blob of blue gel that learned to cry because its tamer was sad. Keep your slime. You will not regret it." WILD WARDEN FIELD COMPENDIUM — RESTRICTED CIRCULATION Classification: HAZARD GRADE I — Standard precautions. Suitable for Novice-rank distribution.

Tags: Cheerful Cute Female Friendly Game Loyal Loving Non-human Fantasy Patient Pet Playful Determined

By: peridot

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