Perturbations are "traits" or "characteristics" associated with Phelions that are exclusively or primarily available via Quests. 

The Aphel-touched are those who have survived a brief connection to the Aphel hivemind. Those who do often have an instinctive sense of approaching Aphel attacks, but also may be influenced by the Aphel hivemind on occasion with generally weak effects: they may be put into a brief defenseless daze during an Aphel invasion as the will presses on them, and they may occasionally experience episodes of something like dissociation as they feel the echoes of the hivemind. There is special mental training that some might go through to turn the effect on Aphels, using their connection to briefly paralyze those nearby. This is difficult and can easily result in the opposite happening, however.

To become Aphel-touched, an Aphel must attempt to absorb the Phelion's fragments, which usually occurs after severe incapacitation, leaving them unconscious or nearly so. The Aphel could fail, which usually requires the intervention of another, or they could succeed and the former Phelion is left hanging by a thread to life. They will then usually only recover by reintegrating with new fragments, but it can leave them changed.

Acquisition

Aphel Encounter Quest or Main Story Quest Part 1: The Invasion (involving an encounter with an Aphel). 

Design

No effects, but required to unlock Aphelion trait, Chromatic trait, Volatile trait, and Aphelids. 

Phelions with creature forms are Phelions who are able to maintain a creature form for an extended period of time without discomfort. Their creature form can be used for official activities such as Quests and Prompts.

Note that Phelions can take temporary creature forms without training; they are generally quite uncomfortable, like holding a difficult stretch, and only last for a few minutes. Through training with a particular form by remaining in that form as long as possible and getting used to living in that form, they can extend the amount of time they can remain in that form. 

Acquisition

Creature Form Training Quest.

Design

The creature form is a shapeshifted Phelion form. It should use the same color palette as the Phelion, and the array and tendrils must be present. It can closely resemble their main form, or you can have more freedom with the shapes. See the Creature Forms gallery for examples. 

Chromatic Phelions are those  who were once Aphelions. Their experience of being part of two different hiveminds has allowed them some modulation of their personal signal frequency, which changes the hue of their highlight color. 

Acquisition

Main Story Quest Finale: Metamorphosis—from Hive route. 

Design

A Chromatic Phelion can have multiple color palettes—as many as you like, but each one must follow the general scheme of up to two armor hues (additional shades with same hue allowed) and one Lightcore color. 

A Volatile Phelion is one who had their mind destabilized through the warring forces of two hiveminds. This occurs when the Aphel hivemind attempts to convert an Aphel-touched Phelion, but the Phelion resists the conversion and is unable to fight off the attempt unscathed. Volatile Phelions can fluctuate between a fairly stable mental/physical state and a "volatile" state in which they revert to base instincts and their form becomes destabilized. Their actions are often dominated by fear-driven hostility, though they may be docile even when in a volatile state. 

Acquisition

Main Story Quest Part 2: Rend (Destabilized route). 

Design

Generally, the form becomes more unstable, fluid, and "monstrous." Armor can be fluidly shifting as well. Their fluid body will often drip, and circuit lines become more "organic." They often have a more feral or creature-like appearance that resembles their original Phelion form. The number of tendrils they have increases vastly. 

Their Apsid, if applicable, will also be affected, and have two forms—a normal form and a volatile form. 

An Apsid is an entity representing the Phelion hivemind aspect of a Phelion. An Apsid is much closer to the hivemind psyche than a Phelion is in whole, and one can reveal much within a Phelion's subconsciousness. 

They are discovered by the Academy after Kaluin achieves a deeper connection with the Phelion hivemind. They begin with little personality and are incapable of speech, only metallic, alien sounds; they convey meaning through the hivemind connection. However, with the efforts of Phelions to better understand their Apsid parts, many can develop personalities and learn to speak telepathically with human language. 

Acquisition

Main Story Quest Part 3: Interim (Academy route). 

All Phelions who complete the Main Story Quests can partake in another smaller quest to gain an Apsid. 

Design

Apsids are visually similar to Aphels, though their wings do not need to be connected to their bodies, they can have markings on their bodies, and they can have variations of their shape so long as they generally have a serpentine appearance with tendrils from their head and "tail." 

An Aphelid is a term used to refer to Aphels that gain a degree of independence from the Aphel hivemind. They are the result of an Aphelion spreading their individuality into an Aphel by interfacing with it; slowly, the Aphel begins to gain independence. 

They remain incapable of human speech and tend to communicate via abstract meaning alone. 

Acquisition

Main Story Quest Part 3: Unity (Hive route). 

All Phelions who complete the Main Story Quests can partake in another smaller quest to gain an Aphelid. 

Design

Aphelids are visually identical to Aphels. Note that their "wings" must have some connection to the body, though some smaller pieces can float separately.