The Hive

The Hive is the collective name for the insectoid race that exists within the unclaimed Principalities. The Hive is made up of several subraces. The main bulk of the Hive is the Drones, who operate as the eyes, ears, hands, and mouth of the Hive. The Drones do not possess higher brain functions on their own. They are subservient to a Queen, who speaks through the Drones telepathically. It is not uncommon for several hundred Drones to be controlled by a single Queen. A third subrace, the Mites, are small and intelligent insects that tend to the Queen. They do not benefit from the telepathic control of the Queen, but are instinctively protective of their Hive Queen.

Drones vary in appearance based on the Hive and its Queen, but are typically bipedal and stand to a height of up to 8 feet. They often bear traits similar to grasshoppers, ants, wasps, and praying mantises. The Drones express sexual dimorphism, and a Queen almost always has a harem of eight or so males with which to breed and produce more offspring. These males are often exchanged out for males with sought-after genetic traits, and in some instances, males can be traded from one Hive to another to promote genetic diversity.

The Mites resemble beetles and tend to the Queen's every desire, such as managing and incubating eggs, feeding the Queen, and performing maintenance on the Queen's Chambers. They stand around four feet tall.

Queens are enormous, reaching lengths of up to 15 feet from head to abdomen. They are often immobile, and reside in complex labyrinths made to protect them from would-be invaders. Their abdomens are engorged, full of eggs for spawning. They otherwise resemble grasshoppers, ants, wasps, or praying mantises, and are known for being vastly intelligent.

It is thought that the Hive is comprised entirely of the broods of around two dozen Queens, so it often seems like Drones are familiar with nearly everyone, as all experiences the Drone has are shared and engaged in by the respective Queen.

Because of this telepathic connection, called The Wave, Hive Queens and their Drones are often employed by various governments to act as a primitive information network, for sending messages, hearing the news in other areas. In rare circumstances, Drones are used as spies, with another Drone relaying information to the employer.

The death of a Queen is often a matter of import to the world, since the Queens are so few. When a Queen approaches the end of its lifespan, she will select a female Drone to take her place when she passes. The female will return to the Hive, and will ingest a rare and potent jelly produced by the Queen, causing the Drone's form to begin shifting into that of a new Queen.

When a Queen is killed unexpectedly and with no replacement Queen on standby, the surviving Drones will revert to a state of pure instinct, no longer connected to the Queen's higher and advanced brain functions. Typically docile, these Drones are referred to as the Lost, and will wander until they can successfully connect to a new Hive and its Queen.