Nameks

This is the story-based description of Nameks. For their official character rules, go here.

Nameks are a highly unusual and pivotal people in the universe. Originating on a planet they named after their own race, their mostly green skin and reptilian features label them as alien anywhere else they go. Despite any misgivings or fear associated with their appearance, however, Nameks are an extraordinarily cultured race, and are almost all kind, intelligent, peaceful creatures. They are credited with the creation of the fantastical orbs of power known as Dragonballs, and are usually the only people permitted to become Kamis of various worlds.

Physical Description

Nameks are humanoid creatures, approximately in the same height and weight range as Humans. Their skin is smooth, with very tiny, grainless scales, and is always the same coloration of forest green. There are also areas (from the shoulders to the inside forearms, from the bottom rib to the coccyx, and from the inside thighs to the Achille's tendons) where the scales give way to a porous, tightly drawn, "underbelly"-style skin. Both types of skin have the same toughness as human skin. They bear a set of predatorial teeth, complete with a pair of long, sharp canines. Their fingers and toes are tipped in claws. They are bald, and each has a pair of bulb-tipped antenna, ranging between 4 and 12 inches long, projecting from either side of their foreheads. They have pointed, slightly elongated ears. Between their ears and their antennae, Nameks can hear exceptionally well, and can detect a wider spectrum of sounds than most animals on Earth. Their eyes are usually yellow or red, and are gifted at tracking unusually fast movement.

Reproduction

Nameks lack genitalia, and for that matter, they lack genders. Every member of their populace resembles a "male" bodily structure (as compared to Humans). Nameks reproduce asexually, by generating an already developing egg inside of themselves, and then birthing it approximately 1 week after conception through the mouth. The egg continues to develop without need of assistance for another 3 months before a baby Namek hatches from it. Namek bodies have no limit to the number of children they can produce, but can typically only generate one egg at a time. As soon as the egg is birthed, a new egg can be gestated.

Thus, within normal circumstances, it is completely impossible for a Namek to breed with any other creature.

Digestion

Nameks never need to eat to sustain themselves, and only require a very small amount of pure water every day. As such, they also generate no bodily waste, aside from sweat, which is also water. Despite this, Nameks are capable of eating and processing non-water materials. Little is known of the Namekian anatomy, but it is believed that the consumed material is absorbed completely and utterly into their bodies.

Circulation

Nameks are cold-blooded creatures, and posess a blue hue to the plasma running through their veins. However, they strangely lack the constant need to deliberately moderate their own body temperatures. They posess one heart. Nameks are believed to also consist partially of ancient, basic magical forces, though the typical ability for magic wielders to sense such energies falls short here. It is certainly a "reasonable" explanation for a variety of otherwise scientifically inexplicable phenomena in the Namekian body, such as their independence from sustenance, their miraculous ability to regenerate, and their aptitude for mythical responsibilities.

Regeneration

Perhaps the most phenomenal quality of a Namek is his unusual ability of complete mastery over his own body's material. Nameks can heal almost any physical wound imaginable, given time, including regrowing their entire bodies. They also posess the ability to spectacularly grow, shrink, and otherwise change the proportions of their bodies (or any portion thereof) without additional assistance, in moments. Nameks are generally immune to disease, as well. Namekian death only occurs from old age (most live to be several hundred years old), which is considered to be caused from a fading of the magical essence that may fuel them, from exhausting their spiritual willpower (such as through combat, or even from a devastating emotional loss), or after destroying a small gland located at the base of their brains, the source of their life and regenerative abilities.

Origins

Though they rarely speak of it themselves, Nameks were created by a race of demi-godly Dragons who once roamed the West Sector of the Universe. Before humankind had ever been conceived, however, almost all of the Dragons disappeared, leaving their mortal progeny to run things. Because even the Nameks had little contact with their creators, nobody but the Dragons themselves really know why the Nameks were created, or for what purpose. It is for this reason, however, that experienced Nameks in the throne of a Kami can create Dragonballs, which can summon the estranged spirits of Dragonkind to grant wishes to the one who owns them all.

The Nameks were originally created on the planet known as Namek, but in an enormous conflict between two legendary power wielders, Goku and Frieza, the green planet was destroyed. The surviving Namekian populace (restored from their casualties by the grace of Earth's dragonballs) were brought to Earth, and then taken to the planet New Namek, where they have since made their living, suffering and surviving successive attempts to steal their own spherical treasures by other, unscrupulous, alien races.