The Hive
The Origins of the Hive
Feared through the lands of the former Silver Moon Empire, the Hive is one of the many dread specters Icaruss released upon the world. But Icaruss did not create the Hive out of nothing. Contrary to popular belief, these gigantic insectoids did not originate from beneath the mountains of Cloosidian but, like so many others who have served Icaruss, in the wilds of the Badlands. The Hive of the Badlands, however, are unlike their twisted, mutated descendents. Icaruss corrupted them. The Hive of the Badlands, while deadly, have carved their own niche into the savannah.
The Hive make their home on the savannah. Though the bulk of their colonies reside underground, enormous towers rise up above the savannah like immense termite mounds, doorways to the world above. The Hive are fearsome, but they lack the array of resistances of their altered kin. All except for their resistance to mental attack granted by the strength of a joined consciousness under the Hive Mother, who unlike the others can communicate telepathically with those not telepathically bound to her. The Hive have formed a single expanded mind from a specialized form of the seventh gift which provides the colony with a telepathic bond. Unlike Icaruss's Hive, the Badlands Hive lack the gift of pyromancy.
Anatomy of the Hive
Although most Hive are from 2 to 6 feet tall, the only consistent physical attribute of the Hive is their green chitinous bodies, which form at adulthood. Otherwise, they come in a dazzling array of shapes which make each Hive member specially adapted to a specific task, and it is this adaptability that provides for their success. Out of all of the duties of the Hive, though, they are grouped into five general jobs.
Nurses are assigned the caretaking and feeding of the Hive larvae, as well as attending to the Hive Mother's care. Soldiers defend the Hive, workers, and Hive Mother from intruders as well as hunt for prey. Workers are generally about the size of humans; they maintain and build, clean and gather food, and perform odd jobs. Breeders spread to other Hives as Mothers or as Drones which fertilize the other Mothers.
The Hive Mother holds a vaguely humanoid form, although with an extra pair of arms. Her entire body is coated in chitinous armor from head to toe. On her back, as on the backs of the drones, are a pair of large, veinous wings.
