Trra

Trra are a race of insect brain parasites, that latch onto the chests of human-sized insects to control their minds. They emerged in the Tyiiztii subcontinent, a land of jungles and forests. Trra generally are very good at adapting to the norms of their surroundings. They pick up social cues quickly and are very good at blending into groups. Because of this they are conformists, but they can also be quite charismatic. Unfortunately, their innate creepiness makes this not very effective outside of their own societies.

Appearance
Trra themselves resembles two foot long isopods with long centipede-like legs. They have small eyes on the dorsal side of their bodies, as well as long prehensile antennae and their third set of legs, from the front, are reversed in direction and point towards the dorsal side of the Trra. These legs end in graspers rather than feet. Trra bond with hosts by having all of their longer legs wrap around the upper thorax of their host. Smaller feelers that line the underside of the Trra dig through seams in the carapace of the host and bond with the thoracic ganglia of the host. Trra can bond with a variety of hosts, provided that the host has a thoracic ganglia and is large enough to bond with, it is possible for it to be a host.

Natural Environment
Trra young need to be raised in mostly warm and moist environments but adult Trra can survive in most environments provided they have a way to regulate their body temperature as they are cold blooded. Cold can be quite deadly to unclothed Trra without a heat source close by.

Life Cycle and Reproduction
Trra hatch from clutches of eggs laid in empty hosts. In the first weeks of life they are small grubs and spend their time devouring the insides of the host. Between 2 and 6 Trra will out compete the others and grow big enough to leave the safety of the corpse, while the rest of the hatchlings starve to death or are devoured by the larger ones. Once they reach an appropriate size they pupate and turn into a hard chrysalis. After two months the Trra that laid them will be compelled at this time to return to the eggs. The adult takes the chrysalises to where it knows are sleeping hosts suitable for the young. It then secretes a hormone that encourages the young Trra to emerge, upon which it will crawl to the nearest host and bond with it.

Trra produce eggs throughout their lives. When it comes time to mate they find other Trra near the end of their host's life cycle and find a safe place for their eggs like a cave. They exit their hosts, leaving their eggs in the corpse. They then crawl to the other Trra's hosts to fertilize as many as possible.

Language
Trra speak in combinations of the few sounds they can make with their mouths as they don't have complex vocal cords, rubbing together different combinations of body parts like arms, feelers and chest parts, and sometimes scents, though those are more simple communications than with sound. When Trra speak it sounds like a flowing pattern of chirps, clicks, squeaks, trills, creaks, and snaps.

Subspecies(s)
Trra have different subspecies that depend on their host. In the Tyiiztii subcontinent there are 5 hosts, elaborated in the Beasts of Aursis page. They are the Mantae, Dynitae, and the Fomori Pedata, Vedata and Regalia. That is, giant mantis, giant scarab, giant ant worker, ant with wings and a stinger, and queen. Trra host influences the psychology of the Trra quite a bit, as the nervous system of the host is linked with that of the Trra. Trra'man are more patient, Trra'dyn are slightly slower but methodical, Trra'peda and trra'veda are more obedient, and Trra'rega are leaders and have a greater motherly instinct. Of course there are the physical differences as well but that is specific to each host.

Psychology
The mindset of the Trra has been shaped by their need to blend in with unbonded hosts, and their need to improve upon the reproductive success of their hosts.

Inherent Values
Trra value the ability to blend into a society and fit in. They value those that fit into their roles perfectly. This may or may not be individuals, or parts of a whole.

Inherent Fears
Trra fear being "found out" as a fraud or liar, and will try their best to get out of any position that seems like they will be "exposed". They also fear most slimes as that is also a symptom of a disease. They fear things that come down from above as birds are terrible predators of Trra younglings.

View of other races
The other races are usually frightening to Trra as most look like their natural predators, and are strange and fleshy compared to the hard chitin of Trra hosts. The other races look frightening, and Trra are wary to trust them since they lack the sign of sentience that a Trra on one's chest shows. They are particularly disgusted by Mendolias, who's slime looks like a carrier of disease. They feel more at ease when the other races where harder and smoother clothing like metal armors, as it resembles their own skin.

Magic
Like the other races the Trra's use of magic has a niche. Trra are skilled in biological magic, which is slower but has more permanent effect, strengthening muscles, growing bones, and healing people.

Magic Inheritance
Trra themselves do not have access to magic. It is only when they bond with Fomori Regalia that they exhibit any magical ability.

Magic Niche
Fomori Regalia (giant ant queens) had the inherent ability to use magic to alter other living being in small ways. Originally this was used to magically give Fomori Pedata (worker drones) sperm pouches and breeding glands, but under Trra control it has expanded to give Trra and Trra host's enhanced chitin, sharper weapons, and other biological advantages.