Monastery of Our Dread Queen

Hidden deep beneath the surface of Bataf is the **Monastery of Our Dread Queen**. A monastic temple dedicated to the goddess Tyoptera, all-queen of battle and kin. The exact location of the Monastery of Our Dread Queen is known only to the elites of Tyoptera's cult and to the thri-kreen, insect warriors born and trained inside of the monastery. The thri-kreen are seen as Tyoptera's most favoured and prestigious servants, and their well being is of high importance to the monks of the Monastery of Our Dread Queen.

## Structure

In the centre of the monastery stands the abbey church. Here the faithful praise to Tyoptera through ritualised combat and prayer. Attached to the church are the sacristy and cloister. The cloister surrounds a sand pit in which young thri-kreen can often be seen sparring. attached to the cloister are the warming room, refectory, kitchen, and armoury. On the second floor the dormitories can be found. To the left of the hall are the dormitories for the monks, and to the right are those for the thri-kreen. Reachable by a bridge from this floor and overlooking the surrounding farm land is the chapterhouse were ceremonies are held and rare dignitaries are received.

Bellow the church is a room filled with large crystal pods. Distinguished warriors of Tyoptera's flock are placed inside of these pods at the time of their death to be reincarnated into thri-kreen. These crystal pods regrow quickly when broken.

Outside the monastery are fields of farm land on which large mats of moss are grown. surviving on the little light that comes from the crystalline structure that brighten the cave inside of which the monastery stands. Mushroom are grown in the darker caves that extend of the main cavern. The monks combine these mosses and mushrooms with the light blue crystals to create a broth that is high in calories and quickly fills the stomach.

## Cult of Tyoptera

The cult of Tyoptera is one of warriors and hunters. Each member is constantly measuring their achievements to those of his peers, hoping to catch the eye of Tyoptera herself. Those that do become chosen, and are pushed to continue gathering more glory and prestige until they feel the end of their lives approaching. Those who grew too old before catching her eye retired to the Monastery of Our Dread Queen and take up the mantle of monk. Deeds worthy of praise inside of the cult are the ability to overpower a foe who is much larger than oneself, the ability to stand so still that a foe can look directly at you and not notice you, and the ability to command combined forces.

## Thri-Kreen

The bug-like thri-kreen are the chosen of Tyoptera, reincarnated into a more divine form closer to her own. When the dying chosen are put inside of the crystal pods, their soul reincarnates into a small larva that forms at the centre of their old body. The larva feeds on its old self's flesh until it fills the pod, at which point it begins to pupate. When the new thri-kreen emerges it has to prove its strength by breaking through both its pupae and its crystal pod. Those unworthy starve inside of their pod while those worthy of the next step in their reincarnation cycle break free as newly imaginal thri-kreen.

The new imagines receive new names while being raised by the monastery's monks in the art of war and battle. This training is more a type of reminder and a way to get the thri-kreen to become familiar with their new bodies as most retain the muscle memories from their previous live. After a decade of training a dozen of thri-kreen are chosen to go on a mission. They have to dig their way up to the surface and strike out, either individual or as a squad, to proof themselves worthy of Tyoptera. Only when they accomplish some deed of great renown will their reincarnation be seen as completed and will the thri-kreen be allowed to reclaim the previous name and titles of their old lives. Most thri-kreen keep their new names as a second or third name, as to not confuse the allies they made during their reincarnation.