Iolenka

Physiology
The Iolenka are a race of large hyper-intelligent gastropod mollusks resembling something of a cross between the Terran slug and a hermit crab. The Iolenka, unlike snails of said planet, do not possess a physiological connection with their shells, but use them instead for protection much like a hermit crab as well as to contain personal technological epicenters. The body of the Iolenka has the texture and structure of a gastropod, but has a slightly more gelatinous quality to it, capable of passing objects through its membrane and extending out psuedopods that possess a surprising degree of dexterity. They consume nutritious items by dissolving them within this membrane. Thankfully for everyone around them, their body texture is opaque enough that this process isn't visible. Despite possessing no visible mouth or vocal cords, they can project a voice to those around them seemingly through some form of advance one-way telepathy.

Iolenka have no biological sex, instead reproducing by any number of individual organisms depositing a portion of their body mass together. Within a few hours, the membranes fuse to create an opaque but pliable shell, and the body mass within liquifies and combines. Over a gestation period of 47 standard days, the liquid slowly forms an embryo (or several, if there were enough parents) and the Iolenka young hatches from the shell. Asexual reproduction is possible, but incredibly frowned upon and seen as the height of narcissism in Iolenka culture.

Culture
The Iolenka are a highly competitive society, basing much of their opinions of other cultures by their degree of technological advancement. The Iolenka pride themselves on the complex tech centers contained within their shells and use these as class symbols within their society. This is largely in part due to the belief that their pseudo-god, Essaran, requires them to progress further in technology in order to build them a worthy body they can possess in order to enter the living realm. Essaran's will stands as a massive part of the Iolenka's culture, and they will do anything they believe will give them more favor when Essaran enters the living realm.