Zombie

Zombies are an infestation species native to Minecraftia.
== Biology ==
=== Anatomy and Physiology ===
The entirety of the zombie species can take the form of various species, but their original form is humanoid. They can only take the form of another life form if that life form is killed and assimilated by their species. The victim's DNA will completely change to that of a zombie. This is due to a virus embedded within a zombie's cells, completely converting the body composition.
Some zombies, such as pack leaders, appear to be wearing armor, which, in reality, is actually an exoskeleton.
Zombies are genetically immortal. The oldest known zombie was believed to be over 100 thousand years old.
=== Reproduction ===
Zombies reproduce by a method known as "seeding", where they intentionally place multiple spores into the ground or floor, until they grow into full zombies. Normal zombies can only seed themselves, whereas a pack leader can seed normal zombies and pack leaders. 
If a Hive Mind is ever present at any time, pack leaders can seed Hives, massive, structure-like organisms that produce zombies at an even faster rate.
== Types ==
=== Drone ===
Drones are average zombies that have little value in zombie society, and seldom will drones collaborate without the leadership of a higher caste. Drones can spawn with leather and chain mail armor, but this does very little for the zombie besides protection.
=== Villager Drone ===
Villager drones were added when the zombies first encountered villager humans for the first time. The villagers' genome was relatively simple compared to other organisms. As a result, they were incorporated into the Zombie Genome, since they could be produced in only half the time it takes to produce normal drones.
=== Husk ===
Husks are a subspecies of zombies bred to survive in broad daylight. They were used by the Hive Mind to populate Minecraftia's deserts, and at the end of the Notch-Herobrine War, billions, or even trillions, of them were scattered across various desert and volcanic worlds.
Despite being pure zombies, husks cannot merge to form a Hive Mind.
=== Drowned ===
The Drowned are the result of thousands of years of evolution. They were first encountered by the United Human Government within the watery depths of Neptune, and rediscovered by Herobrine's scouts. The zombie pack leaders then incorporated the Drowned DNA into the Zombie Genome, and were now able to produce zombies that could breathe underwater. Drowned are often utilized for more stealthy military strikes.
=== Brutalizer ===
Brutalizers are larger zombies roughly the size of iron golems. Due to being slightly larger than normal, their seeds usually take a full month to fully develop. In fact, many zombie packs may not produce brutalizers unless a Hive Mind is present. During the era of the first Hive Mind, there were hundreds of thousands of brutalizers already produced.
=== Giant ===
Giants are towering, powerful zombie bosses bred to cause extensive damage when brutalizers are not strong enough. Though not locked, their seeds take a full year to develop. Most zombie packs barely last a few months, due to being hunted by humans as well as pack-on-pack conflicts. As a result, giants are usually only seen when there is a Hive Mind present.
=== Uber Zombie ===
The uber zombie results when a zombie comes into contact with lava or water. However, this genome is locked and only activated by the Hive enzyme produced by pack leaders upon the birth of a Hive Mind.
=== Spore Launcher ===
Spore launchers are a subspecies of zombie that are actually the descendants of infected Volcanae, a prehistoric Minecraftian species. They were used to launch spores to distant locations across the world, and were thus needed by the zombie. As a result, they were encoded into the Zombie Genome. 
=== Travel Pods ===
Travel pods were developed before the destruction of the first Hive Mind. They were constructed using rotten flesh and dead biomass from their enemies. The pods, surprisingly, became living creatures, and were incorporated into the Zombie Genome. They are capable of Warp travel, which is the primary reason that Herobrine used them during the Notch-Herobrine War.
=== Hive ===
Hives are a unit-producing structure capable of producing zombies of any kind, save for alphas. They can produce thousands of zombies in just minutes, whereas it takes 12 hours for zombie seeds to grow. Hives can only be present if there is a Hive Mind. If the Hive Mind is destroyed, the Hives will become sterile, and die later on. Occasionally, the remains of Hives can be found in various places around the world.
=== Phantom ===
In recent centuries, the zombies seem to have acquired a new zombie subspecies - the phantom. The true nature of their pre-assimilation state is unknown, though they are believed to have originated from one of the worlds in the Necros Sector. Phantoms are winged creatures that act as a pseudo-command strain. A single phantom can control at most 100 zombies, and pack leaders can control as many phantoms as they wish. This has allowed for individual packs, who once could only consist of a few thousand or less, to grow rapidly to hundreds of thousands or even millions in size.
=== Pack Leader ===
Pack leaders are the most common and probably most well-known breed of zombie. They are distinguished by their gold exoskeletons. They can seed drones and other pack leaders. They also can maintain control over a few thousand drones, but not over each other. It isn't usually uncommon for different packs to collaborate, but it also isn't uncommon for packs to wage war over one another. With the recent addition of the Phantom to the zombie genome, pack leaders can extend the range of their control and drastically increase the size of their packs, even rule entire worlds if given enough time.
=== Master ===
Zombie masters are higher-ranked than pack leaders. Each one is able to command hundreds of pack leaders, thus leading hundreds of thousands or even millions of drones. Wars escalate between masters, but there has been at least 1 documented alliance between at least 10 masters.
=== Alpha ===
Probably one of the most powerful ranks in their society, the alpha is distinguished by a blue exoskeleton, which is very similar to diamond armor. They can maintain command over at least 1 thousand masters, therefore commanding millions of zombies. Multiple alphas have been documented over time, and there appeared to be a large concentration of them during the Notch-Herobrine War. This is most likely due to the presence of the hive mind on Antimacassar. Following the destruction of the hive mind, most of the existing alphas were destroyed, either by the Alliance or by rivaling alpha packs. Some managed to survive and rule entire worlds, though why they choose not to create another hive mind is currently unknown. It is very likely that the remaining alpha pack leaders are becoming even more independent and wish to rule rather than be ruled. 
Since the destruction of the hive mind, alphas have been known to command even larger armies, even controlling entire systems. Union scientists speculate that the zombie race is somehow evolving, as even the sizes of packs and master packs have begun to increase. 
=== Hive Mind ===
The Hive Mind is the penultimate command strain in the Zombie Genome. It results when millions of zombies merge together, forming a large mass. In early Minecraftia, the zombies did not merge until their population was in the millions, when the first alpha needed to unite the zombie species. 
If zombies begin merging before their population reaches the millions, it will form a Proto-Hive. This compound mind will exert its control over all local zombies, but cannot produce zombies. When it is fully grown, the new Hive Mind will unlock the pack leaders' hive production gene, allowing them to spawn hives.
Sometimes, more than one Proto-Hives may exist at the same time. If this is the case, all of the Proto-Minds begin extending tendrils and connecting, therefore creating the Node Intelligence. Each Node can control all local zombies in their designated area, and as they obtain more biomass, they eventually can merge together into a larger and even more potent-minded Hive Mind.
Upon completion, the creature will grow in size. Oftentimes, much of this mass is stretched for miles underground, though one Hive Mind grew even more massive on the surface of Antimacassar.
== Hierarchy ==
The zombie race has various types of ruling hierarchies, many of which are very common among an average mob world.
=== Warband ===
Without the guidance of a pack leader or more advanced mind, zombie drones are almost completely independent, not being intelligent enough to lead or follow. However, some drones are known to form temporary alliances known as warbands. If one zombie can manage to assimilate at least 2 thousand creatures, it may evolve into a pack leader and form a more organized pack.
Warbands are often weak and only number in the tens or less.
=== Platoon ===
Phantoms have weak psychic grasp and can only control 100 zombies at a time. These groups are known as platoons. However, platoons do not last long on their own, as a Phantom's mind is not as complex as that of a pack leader, thereby limiting its cognitive thought processes.
=== Pack ===
When a gold-plated pack leader is present, it can maintain a psychic hold on the minds of some of its kin. This weak beacon of control is known as a pack mind, as opposed to a hive mind. While packs can number in the hundreds or even thousands, the mind of a pack leader is only so powerful. The birth of Phantoms will allow for packs to increase in size. Some of the pack's new seeds can grow into new pack leaders, therefore splitting entire packs in half. Sometimes, the new pack leaders make allies with their spawn-fathers, but the rest of the time, the birth of new pack leaders results in pack wars.
=== Master Pack ===
The silver-plated master pack leader is rarely spawned within normal packs, but when it is, it can rally an even larger army, consisting of thousands or even millions. Sometimes, it may be at this stage when the zombies have the coordination to create a new hive mind by merging their biomass together. 
=== Alpha Pack ===
The largest of all independent hierarchies, alpha packs consist of several billion zombies, led by a blue-plated alpha. The alpha is even rarer than its master pack brethren, though during the hive mind stage there can be more present. 
Alpha pack leaders may find themselves ruling entire worlds or even entire systems. Even rarer, they may live on worlds with another alpha. In the years following the war, it was frequent to find entire alpha packs at war over entire planets or even entire star systems.
Alpha packs are rare, and some of the remaining alpha packs lay claim to entire planets, ruling their own mini-empires respectable to themselves.
=== Semi-Coordination ===
When zombies begin to merge their biomass, they create a compound intelligence that lays dominion over the local zombie packs. Some members of the packs will have to continue merging their bodies with the compound creature to accelerate its growth and development, until it grows into a fully-fledged hive mind.
=== The Hive Mind Stage ===
Upon the birth of a hive mind, all zombies in existence, regardless of their location in the universe, owe their allegiance to their new master. Pack leaders now have the enzyme necessary to produce hives and build armies at twice the speed. Alphas are now easier and faster to produce, and whole armies continue to grow in size and strength. Rarer breeds such as brutalizers, ubers, and giants may start to appear.
When there is a clear threat to the hive mind, the alphas will send their entire armies to the hive mind's location in travel pods. The alphas will remain on their respective planets to maintain control of their empires.
Once the hive mind is destroyed, the alpha backs will retain their individuality, and begin to turn on their fellow brethren. This causes entire zombie colonies to die within a few weeks, as a result of civil wars between alpha packs. Category:Species
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