Hive

## Geography

**The Hive** is a nation of sentient sculk creatures. The Hive maintains a limited collective consciousness in which certain drones are granted a measure of autonomy. Within The Hive every bit of sculk is interconnected, even most of its members are made out of this same substance. The Hive originates from a sculk infested cave. This cave was discovered by a team of explorers and researchers. These researchers never returned and shortly afterwards strange humanoid sculk entities were discovered Roaming the surrounding area. The fledgling Hive has newly emerged onto the surface in search of resources and land. It remains to be seen what fate they shall meet.

## History

The Hive was originally discovered in a cave around two hundred years ago by a group of explorers that referred to themselves as The Archivists. Hoping this would be their big break they set up camp and would dedicate their lives to studying this organism with brief periods back in town to resupply. After a short amount of time people began to notice that one by one The Archivists were slowly disappearing until eventually vanishing completely. Due to the incomplete study of this organism, it can only be speculated how The Archivists disappeared, but many who have gotten too close have noticed strange and twisted organisms around what used to be the research site. Those who have gotten close have also recounted an amorphous substance slowly engulfing the area and beginning to turn everything into more of itself.

## Taxonomy

The Hive is primarily composed of creatures that are now commonly referred to as “Sculklings” that are made of the same amorphous material discovered by the old research site. Sculklings appear roughly the same size as an average human with deep blue flesh spotted with patches of bioluminescent skin. To keep this flesh protected, Sculklings naturally produce thick bone-colored armor around important parts of its body such as; head, chest and even some part of their limbs. This armor also serves the purpose of holding the Sculklings biomass together. It is speculated that without this evolution The Hive would be completely incapable of producing new drones.

### Behavior

An excerpt taken from a rediscovered page of Archivist Terek Iraano states:

> “You would think something this docile would have completely died off by now, killed by mother nature. Yet here I stand observing this mass slowly consume the roots of a dripleaf plant, Its resilience is truly fascinating.”
>
>

Yet despite this, more recent observations have noticed the production of new Sculklings has increased and the Hive has moved on to hunting prey above ground as well. The only thing that still holds true is The Hive’s resilience, being able to adapt itself or the environment to better survive.

### Structures

The majority of a nest is made up underground chambers connected through a web of tunnels, above ground these chambers can be entered through spires constructed from The Hive's own flesh. Of these spires there will always be one larger one at the center that serves the purpose of connecting the nest to The Hive's greater synapse. Additionally it can act as spare storage or housing if the nest doesn't have enough biomass to produce new storage depots. In the event of an attack, the largest nests have been designed to have a large wall of flesh made for the purpose of keeping out intruders.

## Government

The Hive’s government consists of a chain of command that communicates through a central intelligence commonly known as a Hive mind but does have a caste structure based off of what job a Sculkling has.

### Hive Central Intelligence

Hive Central Intelligence (or HCI for short) acts as the brain of the Hive, taking in all information relayed through its synapse, and making critical decisions that ensures the Hive's survival. Once the HCI has made a decision it will send orders back through the synapse and down the chain of command.

### Catalyst

Catalysts act as regional governors for the Hive. Being the second highest in the command chain it is their job to command the Hive as dictated by the HCI

### Shrieker

Shriekers oversee day to day things within the Hive, typically being in charge of entire nests. Being in charge of an entire nest means dedicating resources to its construction, defense, as well as the maintenance of its population.

### Warden

In the event the Hive needs to defend itself biomass will be dedicated to members who have proven to be able to hold their own. The selected member of the Hive will undergo rapid biogenesis resulting in a much stronger soldier organism called a Warden. From here Wardens go on to organize and command lesser soldier organisms in the name of survival. Being elite warrior organisms, Wardens are often found at the center of larger Sculkling nests.

### Warrior

This Hive organism acts as militia, guarding their nest from unwelcome intruders. Though mostly for guarding occasionally Warriors can be sent on hunting expeditions to find new resources for the Hive.

### Drone

The most basic and numerous Hive bioform that has been discovered, yet the most adaptable. Hive drones take on much of the menial labor of the Hive but can be specialized into any of the other castes.