The Hive

The Hive is a roving tribe of Shirren occupying the stars near Chronus. They primarily a nomadic species, traveling the galaxy in large, organic ships, that seem to be as alive as its occupants. However, due to recent events, the Shirren had settled on one planet to make preparations for war and an invasion of Chronus. Their initial invasion was repelled by a combination of the Dark Fleet and the later intervention of the crew of the C.S.S. Venture.

## Background

The Hive is a group of Shirren who are unique in that their people are connected by a hivemind. All of their people share and hear each other's thoughts, and view themselves as part of a greater whole. The Hive are primarily followers of Hylax, the Forever Queen, and value their community and relationships with other races above all else. Their society is a matriarchy, with the primary ruler being a Queen who was also the mother of most of her people. The Hive traveled the galaxy, engaging in diplomatic relations and peaceful trade with the various species they came across.

Due to the events involving the Fifth Horsemen, when the gods fell, this included their goddess Hylax. No longer able to hear her voice as part of their Hivemind, their people began to panic, and turned to their guardian, the Firefly, for guidance. The Firefly revealed that the gods fell due to events on the planet of Chronus, and to avenge their fallen goddess, the Hive transformed from a peaceful group into one that was preparing for war. Those who questioned the planned invasion were imprisoned, banished, and forcibly disconnected from the Hivemind, which caused many of them to go mad.

With their goddess no longer able to guide them, the Hive began to stray from her teachings. While Hylax encouraged them to embrace their individuality, the Firefly viewed the Hivemind that connected his people as a source of powers, to ensure that all of his troops could communicate with one another on the battlefield, and would share in each other's rage and fury during their invasion.

Their first attack on Chronus was thwarted by the intervention of the Dark Fleet and a group of adventurers who would soon pilot the C.S.S. Venture. As the Hive prepared for a second assault, the C.S.S. Venture arrived on the planet they had settled and defeated the Firefly, ending his rule over their people, and returning control to their Queen. The Hive has since returned to their nomadic, peaceful ways, and with the gods returning to power, they once more hear the voice of their goddess.

## The Firefly

The Firefly is a powerful mage who serves as a guardian of the Hive. This term comes from both their appearance and their destructive abilities, as the Firefly wields powerful fire magic and glows on the field of battle. The Firefly is regarded as the leader of the Hive during times of war, and when their goddess Hylax vanished, he took control of every aspect of their lives and turned his peaceful people into a powerful invading force. He was a devoted follower of Hylax, and when his goddess vanished, he blamed the entirety of Chronus and viewed the planet as a threat not just to his people, but to the entire galaxy.

While the Firefly was once a noble figure in the Hive, the aftermath of losing his goddess turned him into little more than a vengeful warlord. That is not to say, however, that the Firefly had entirely forgotten who he was. His sister, who disagreed with the idea of invading Chronus, and a devoted follower of Hylax, chose to leave her people and disconnected herself from the Hivemind. Her goal was to warn Chronus, find heroes who could defeat her brother, and determine if Hylax had truly abandoned them.

Leaving the Hivemind drove her mad, and left her brother stricken with grief.

The Firefly ended up rescuing the crew of the C.S.S. Venture and protecting his sister from mercenaries that were hired to kill her and the entire crew. However, upon their next meeting, and seeing that nothing would quell his rage towards Chronus, the crew would fight the Firefly and defeat him in battle.[1]