Monstazoa - Classification

Archetypes

Classification of Monstazoa is split into twelve groups, all representing a different kingdom of creatures.

Once, a very long time ago, the lines between evolutionary families were clear. But the great wounding of the world has caused these lines to blur and form new, fantastic, and unprecedented ecological configurations over millions of years. The separation between these kingdoms is determined not by ancestry, but by collections of traits associated with the general idea of each type of animal-- the originals of which have been lost to time-- hence, the "Archetype" was coined.

Two species that are of the same Archetype may not be closely related at all, while two species of different Archetypes may be very close cousins. Species may also display more than one Archetype if it is unable to be cleanly categorized into a single group.

Mammalian "The Furred"
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Reptilian "The Scaled"
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Avian "The Birds"
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Piscan "The Fish"
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Insectoid "The Bugs"
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Vermiform "The Worms"
Possibly the simplest yet most optimized bodily form on the planet, Vermiform Zoa consist only of a limbless tube-- one hole in, one hole out. The tube body plan is so optimized that they can be found everywhere, and have been succesful since the dawn of time.

Plantlike "The Plants"
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Fungal "The Mushrooms"
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Microbial "The Bacteria"
As long as there are two cells left on the planet, someone is going to want someone dead. Microbial Zoa are so small that they're invisible to the naked eye, but even the smallest creatures have vast worlds of their own, and their behaviors have cascading effects on the macro world.

Paranormal "The Ghosts"
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Synthetic "The Robots"
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Abstract "The Unexplained"
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Roles

Monstazoa are defined by their lifestyles just as much as their appearances. There are eight major Roles, each describing a species' strongest or most notable form of influence on it's ecosystem. Some species are capable of fulfilling multiple Roles at once, or may be one of many different Roles based on the environment from which they originated.
Monstazoa display many complex interactions with each other based on thier Roles. For example, Hunters often have syngergistic interactions with Custodians, while Foragers are often particularly effective against Creators. Two kinds of Zoa that appear very similar may have very different ways of living, feeding, and socializing with other creatures. In a battle setting, Monstazoa of different Roles may strengthen or inhibit each other in unexpected ways.

[Creator]
Creators are named for their ability to create their own food. They absorb energy that is normally unusable to most life forms, such as light, heat, or electricity, and convert it into usable nutrients. They are usually immobile, multiply very easily, and have a vast presence across the landscape, serving as a consistent and rich source of nourishment for other Zoa. Plants that perform photosynthesis are considered the "beginning" of the food chain, passing energy from the sun onto other creatures.

[Forager]
Foragers are creatures that feed constantly in small portions. They can be seen roaming the landscape for edible bits and pieces throughout the entire day, scarecely resting. Some species are extremely active, eating massive amounts of food to fuel their constant activity, while others may live at a leisurely pace, perpetually snacking and conserving energy for emergencies. Foragers most often eat Creators and the byproducts of Creators, such as fruits and seeds, keeping plant and fungus populations in check.

[Hunter]
Hunters are creatures that feed sporadically in large portions. Hunters may sustain themselves on single large kills for days or months at a time, or on several small kills each day, but regardless of technique, this role is defined by highly structured periods of activity and rest. Hunters can be seen dedicating portions of their day to involved feeding, taking advantage of the most ideal conditions, then disappearing for long periods to recover. They are balancing forces that often prey on Foragers, preventing populations from exploding and decimating Creator populations.

[Custodian]
Custodians are the oppertunistic consumers of leftovers. They often have dynamics with Hunters and Foragers, following them and adapting to their schedules so that they may slip in afterwards and eat the parts of their meals that they left behind. Custodians are often capable of eating things that other creatures consider inedible and making use of resources that other creatures consider useless, living as a resourceful shadow of another and tidying all evidence of their activity.

[Passenger]
Passengers are creatures which inhabit the bodies of other Monstazoa. This includes the parasites, the illnesses, the benficial bacteria, the ghostly posessions, and even the thoughts and ideas. Passengers may take a parasitic approach where the host is harmed by their presence, or a mutualistic one where both the host and the passenger benefit, or something inbetween-- but without exception, Passengers absolutely require being inside or attached to a living counterpart in order to survive.

[Landscaper]
Landscapers are creatures who's natural behaviors cause massive changes to the abiotic landscape. This includes creatures which change the chemical composition of the soil, water, and air passively as a byproduct of their feeding, as well as those that conciously alter their surroundings by moving objects and building structures. The impact of Landscapers is sometimes so immense and intrinsic to the habitats in which they live that their actions go entirely unnoticed.

[Helper]
Helpers are creatures which exist as an essential component of another species' life cycle. This role can include pollinators who cross-pollinate plants as a byproduct of their feeding, farmers who purposely encourage the propogation of another species for some personal benefit, or even those whos shed shells or corpses serendipitously provide habitat for other species. Helpers are creatures of a highly diverse role that encompasses many completely unique interactions that occur nowhere else on the planet.

[Apprentice]
Apprentices are a unique role defined by their lack of ability to care for themselves. This category includes some juvenile growth stages who, at that point in their life cycle, rely on a parent to feed and protect them. It also includes domesticated species that exist virtually entirely in captivity and have no ability to survive outside of it, such as pets and livestock. Apprentices spur highly complex selfless behavior in other Zoa, who nurture their potential for an eventual reward, or sometimes for no personal benefit whatsoever.