Aqwe (Ants)

Ants or Aqwe are a truly hive minded people, able to communicate with telepathy over almost unlimited distances. They are similar to the Wasps in many ways because of the hive-mindedness of their culture. But some differences exist as explained below. Ants are known as Aqwe in their native tongue.

Feral Information: Feral ants are oversized normal ants, ranging from the size of large dogs to large bears in size. These huge ants are the primary labour of the colony providing most of the muscle work involved in construction and mining operations. Loyal to their Drone handlers and all Elites and Warriors, Ferals are massively strong, owing to an ants natural strength compared to their size; the larger the ant the stronger they are. Some Feral ants are capable of flight, these are used as transports and for dropping troops into combat from surprising angles. Feral ants that have no commander became rabid without direction and will rampage until put down.

Drone Information: The middle ground between the Feral ants and the Elites, Drones are the servants and menial workers of a colony. Primarily the architects and miners they also create weapons and armour for the Elites and Warriors and special armour for Ferals to wear into combat. Capable of thoughts enough to do their jobs, all Drones are capable of combat and, indeed, seem to be in unlimited supply for the higher ups to throw at enemy forces. All Drones are connected by their hive mind, so alerting one will alert them all almost instantly, making their attacks coordinated to a scary degree. Labours, rank and file cannon fodder, Drones are as expendable as they are numerous, but are not to be taken lightly.

Elites and Warrior Information: Humanoid in appearance, Elite Ants posses four to six arms that are thin but strong. Some have human-like mouths, others may have mandibles on either side of their mouth, most Elites have retractable claws in their arms. Totally loyal to their colony's Queen, Elite and Warrior Ants are one in the same, as all Ants are trained to fight from birth, in a large variety of weapons. Elites act as field commanders and are often at the front line fighting with the more expendable Drones. A single Ant is a threat to even the best-trained human just based on their high amount of strength, however, they rarely fight alone and with their hive-minded telepathy their attacks are coordinated to a tee. Elite Ants never travel alone, always at least two more together when away from the Colony, and the rare lone Ant is likely an outcast and possibly going insane from being cut off from the Colony and hive mind.

Weapons and Armour: Ants use a variety of metals and fibers in their weapons and arms. A digging species Ants are great metallurgists, creating unique metals of their own that are incredibly sharp and durable. They will use the carapace of Feral Ants at times to create armour, but are more apt to use thin but flexible metals they create for their armour.

Magic: Ants do have the rare caster among their ranks and their skills and honed by other experienced magical Ants. Ant magic is general Fire based with some Earth mixed in. All Ants have telepathy based on their hive minds and this works over nearly infinite distances. They all also have great strength, and the larger the Ant the more strength they possess no matter how thin their bodies may look.

Hierarchy and Culture: Ants are totally loyal to their Queen and everything they do is for their Colony and Queen, individual needs are of no importance and Ants will throw themselves into danger and death if it is for the betterment of the Colony. Family is also unknown as all Ants are raised in large groups from hatching to becomes workers and warriors, depending on class, while Feral ants are tamed and made ready for labour work and construction jobs. When not in war most Elites are at the Colony helping to expand and create more, furthering the borders of the Colony, there isn't any thought that these jobs are below the Elites. While Drones and Ferals to most of the heavy lifting the Elites will plan out the jobs and make sure that they are going as planned and jump in to the work if needed, there is no laziness tolerated in the Colony, in fact it is grounds for capital punishment for an Ant to be caught being lazy.

Ants, however, are always looking to expand their territory and look for resources, so scouting teams of at least two or three Elite are always out looking for places to expand to.