Hive Mind

The Hive Mind is a complicated psychic network which links the consciousness of every Webbling together, and is also a vital part of both their existence, and creation.

This network originates from the Webbling Queen who continuously, and subconsciously generates it, however the psychic pressure exerted directly from the Queen requires diluting and filtering by Chronicler Webblings first before other Webblings are able to safely use it.

### **Uses**

The Hive Mind has a number of functions, mainly:

* Neuron Resonance
* Communication
* Information Storage
* Consciousness Formation
* Reincarnation
* Body Automation
* Emergency Override

#### **Neuron Resonance**

Due to their physiology, Webblings are dependant on their connection to the Hive Mind to renew the neural patterns within their current body at regular intervals. This process is referred to as **neuron resonance** and it typically occurs every 12 hours, otherwise a Webbling will over a period of 24 hours, become progressively more incoherent and uncoordinated, before the body will inevitably expire.

The process itself is automatic and cannot be consciously felt by Webblings. While rate of neuron resonance occurs once every 12 hours depending on an individual’s biological clock, the Hive Mind will increase this rate to once every 30 minutes if it detects a loss in connection to a Webbling’s body. If needed, this process can also be manually triggered by Royals, Chroniclers, or the Queen.

During the time a body has lost its connection to the Hive Mind the consciousness of the Webbling is essentially duplicated, with one copy residing disembodied in the Hive Mind itself, and the other still in control of the body. However, if a connection is re-established to the Hive Mind the disembodied consciousness will override the one in the body, meaning no memories from the consciousness remaining in body are retained.

#### **Communication**

Each individual connected to the Hive Mind is able to communicate with any other individual also connected to the Hive Mind; the method of communication is generally split into three main categories:

**Direct:** Two individuals sending and receiving messages with each other exclusively.

**Group:** Multiple individuals sending and receiving messages to each other. These groups can be based on a local area, or a private group of specified individuals.

**Broadcast:** A single individual sends messages to every individual of a specified type, i.e., role, or at a location. This method is used sparingly due to its complexity, and to reduce psychic clutter.

In order to be able to find and communicate with specific individuals however, a Webbling will need to know the unique psychic pattern said individual produces within the Hive Mind, these patterns are referred to as **personal wavelengths**. These patterns can be sensed and memorised when in close proximity to an individual’s physical body, or an individual may consciously pass on a memorised personal wavelength to another individual.

If an individual does not want to be contacted by specific individual, or anyone, they can block specific, or all personal wavelengths, however Royal Guards, Royals, Chroniclers, and the Queen are able to override blocks should they need to. It should also be noted, due to the nature of the Hive Mind, Chroniclers and the Queen have access to all on going communications, however this information is usually handled subconsciously unless specific flags are raised, i.e., infighting, or warnings of potential danger.

#### **Information Storage**

A large portion of the Hive Mind is dedicated to **flagging**, **processing** and **storing** information gathered by those connected for the benefit of all Webblings.

**Flagging**

Individuals connected to the Hive Mind both subconsciously and consciously flag information to be processed. While conscious flagging involves an individual directly relaying information to a Chronicler, subconscious flagging triggers within an individual whenever they specifically encounter information new to them, or information which causes their attention levels to spike over their base threshold.

**Processing**

Any information flagged is then immediately sent to Chroniclers to check if it is accurate, as well as useful before being allowed to be stored; Any information not fitting both criteria is discarded, however information deemed useful but not accurate alerts Spy Webblings to investigate further.

Chroniclers typically have an area of expertise which attracts certain types of information to be processed by them, as they are typically faster at cross referencing certain areas within the various storage areas in the Hive Mind; although Chroniclers do also collaborate to process some multifaceted types of information.

**Storing**

While the methods of storage within the Hive Mind are complex, it has three known levels dedicated to storing information, **superficial**, **focused**, and **deep**; together these levels of storage are called the Genetic Memory Banks.

**Superficial storage** exists intangibly with its information being held as psychic energy within the Hive Mind. All information circulates within this level after being initially processed before moving to a more appropriate level of storage, however simple information is typically left in this level of storage, such as recent events, or species appearance and behaviours.

**Focused storage** exists as a physical archive of Memory Shards embedded in Hive Spires within Memory Chambers. Any information which doesn’t qualify for the deep storage is stored in this level of storage.

**Deep storage** exists also as a physical archive but of Deep Shards embedded in Deep Chambers. Complex information is stored in this level, such as molecular, and genetic sequences.

While permissions to access each level of storage varies, overall Chroniclers are responsible for both their maintenance, and ensuring the information stored is relevant.

#### **Consciousness Formation**

All Webblings first begin existence as a primal psychic essence within the Hive Mind, which over time develops into a new sapient consciousness. This process is referred to as **consciousness formation** and it typically involves a developing consciousness going through three core stages before becoming fully formed and moving onto the next stage in the Webbling life cycle. These stages are; **listening**, **mimicry** and **shadowing**.

During the initial listening stage, a developing consciousness will acclimatise themselves to the emotions, intentions, and sounds present within the Hive Mind.

Next in the mimicry stage the developing consciousness will attempt to repeat the various mental stimuli it’s exposed to in order to become competent at replicating them, Chroniclers actively filter out these repetitions from other Webblings to reduce psychic clutter.

Finally in the shadowing stage, the developing consciousness is able to create temporary psychic links with other living Webblings; this link allows the forming consciousness to feel the same physical stimuli as the living Webbling in order to acclimatise themselves to it, as well as observe various contextual behaviours. This process may occur many times with different living Webblings of different roles.

Once a living Webbling is linked with a developing consciousnesses they will be initially aware of a slight increase in psychic pressure, but otherwise be unaffected by the process. If the linked Webbling currently does not want to be shadowed they may request a reassignment to either a Royal or Chronicler Webbling.

It is a common occurrence that a developing consciousnesses will at some point attempt to shadow the Webbling Queen, however she will quickly reassign them to another living Webbling, as linking directly to the Queen for a prolonged period will lead to psychic damage.

After shadowing a number of Webblings the consciousness will eventually become sapient, after which the newly formed consciousness will be drawn into a dormant egg and progress through the next stages of the Webbling life cycle.

#### **Reincarnation**

So long as Webbling hasn’t been severed from the Hive Mind their conscious can be transferred into a new body. This process is referred to as **reincarnation** and it requires the latest body of a Webbling to expire before triggering.

As mentioned in the neuron resonance section, if a Webbling body is disconnected from the Hive Mind for over 24 hours, that body expires; after which the Webbling’s consciousness is eligible to be drawn into a dormant egg in a similar manner to final stage of consciousness formation.

However, during the process of growing a new body an imprint shard is introduced into the nursing pod. This imprint shard is specific to the Webbling being reincarnated and it allows the nursing pod to regrow the new body to the exact same state saved within the shard.

#### **Body Automation**

Those connected to the Hive Mind may project their consciousness outside of their body and interact with anyone else within the Hive Mind while their body continues out any work assigned to them, or while their body sleeps.

#### **Emergency Override**

In times of extreme danger to the Webb Star and its inhabitants, the Webbling Queen is able to take control of the bodies connected to the Hive Mind to nullify the threat.

### **Trivia**

* Webblings typically do not recall their experiences during consciousness formation.
* In recent times a teaching program called **Role Models** developed, this program allows volunteers to increase the likelihood of being shadowed by a developing consciousness.