FRIC — Viewing Species: ELEMER

A pod made of some kind of plastic, typically found near the Forested Laboratory in the wild. It has a dark-tinted window to the interior, but it's impossible see anything inside. It feels like it's filled with some kind of liquid, and there's a panel on it with glowing symbols. Perhaps this is some sort of mechanical creature?

The glowing symbols have changed since first acquiring the pod, perhaps suggesting that it's some sort of timer.

...

It approaches.

From the moment an ELEMER emerges from its pod in a burst of steam, their mission statement, their goal, their sole purpose in life... is mischief. They're a common sight in dense forests, especially near abandoned structures. They take great delight in inconveniencing all creatures, and since researchers set foot on planet Chroma, ELEMER seem especially interested in interacting with them specifically. A poorly prepared lone researcher will soon find their travel packs hanging from high branches, their snacks thrown about the forest floor, their tablets used as glorified mirrors for ELEMER to groom and admire themselves with, their weaponry emptied of its precious ammo to be used as 'decorations' for their well-hidden nests, and all sorts of things that would make most life forms throw their arms in the air and storm back home, unfulfilled. They can be interacted with safely, but it's very difficult to mitigate their overly curious "bullying" behaviors unless they're well trained and socialized from "birth."

ELEMER are made out of the same plastic-like material that their pods are, which make them well-insulated from the electricity that they generate everywhere but their back and the palms of their hands. They are omnivorous, and have been seen consuming a wide range of materials which curiously include biological matter. They also have remarkable regenerative capabilities as long as they have somewhere safe to run and hide; a damaged ELEMER will hide fully from view then emerge the next day with no signs of injuries.

Curiously, when raised by an experienced handler, ELEMER can be trained out of their default bad behavior. They're incredibly intelligent and can be taught how to perform tasks beyond simple tricks like "sit" or "stay." The full extent of this intelligence, and whether it could be used for proper communication between the two parties, is currently unknown.