The Cast
"Nature doesn't just adapt. Nature cheats, changes the rules, and slips out the back door with your wallet while you're still trying to figure out what the hell happened."
- Maren Ayers: StarCraft
"Nature doesn't just adapt. Nature cheats, changes the rules, and slips out the back door with your wallet while you're still trying to figure out what the hell happened."
- Maren Ayers: StarCraft
Overview
The Cast are a eusocial race of uniform organisms, thus the name "Cast".
Like normal swarming insects they have a Queen, a warrior and a worker class. However, they also possess the ability to assimilate other species into their own, adding variations to the normal "Cast" system.
With their development of genetic technology they created a template system for reproducing and replicating the different strains of needed Cast organisms, and the situation that the swarm finds itself in determined which Cast organisms are hatched.
They are an aggregate species, left to their own devices they will simply work for the good of the swarm and for the continuation of their species. They will build great hive like cities spanning deep underground and high into the sky, exemplifying their innovative construction abilities, however, whenever they are faced with an unfamiliar obstacle or challenge they have proven themselves experts in genetic manipulation, able to alter their larva and create new specialized cast creatures in response to their new environment.
When the occasion arises a new template will be created from scratch and they will base their society around the will of a single authoritative creature, referred to as a Nexus, Hierarch or Queen.
These creatures will lead the Cast during times of war, directing the swarms in tactics and strategy.
Like normal swarming insects they have a Queen, a warrior and a worker class. However, they also possess the ability to assimilate other species into their own, adding variations to the normal "Cast" system.
With their development of genetic technology they created a template system for reproducing and replicating the different strains of needed Cast organisms, and the situation that the swarm finds itself in determined which Cast organisms are hatched.
They are an aggregate species, left to their own devices they will simply work for the good of the swarm and for the continuation of their species. They will build great hive like cities spanning deep underground and high into the sky, exemplifying their innovative construction abilities, however, whenever they are faced with an unfamiliar obstacle or challenge they have proven themselves experts in genetic manipulation, able to alter their larva and create new specialized cast creatures in response to their new environment.
When the occasion arises a new template will be created from scratch and they will base their society around the will of a single authoritative creature, referred to as a Nexus, Hierarch or Queen.
These creatures will lead the Cast during times of war, directing the swarms in tactics and strategy.
Language
The Cast are an aggregate species of many different organisms and can communicate in many different ways, including verbally if physically able and if they know a language to speak.
Their language includes both sound and scent. Glands located in various places on their bodies can create remarkably complex instructions and will be used to leave signals to future raiding parties or mark territory.
While they have no written word. A scent mark on a tree could identify a human settlement nearby, its size, distance and direction and how much of a threat it is.
The majority of strains in the Cast are a hybrid of insectoid and reptile, with the advancement of Cast society and genetic technology they have included some strains based on common animals such as canines, lizards or even some common types of monsters. They generally have no knowledge of words or language so they often rely wholly on the hivemind to communicate through there pheromones.
Any sentient race assimilated into the Swarm retain any languages they knew in their previous life, plus the ability to communicate through pheromones.
Oftentimes the Nexus or Hierarch strains of a swarm, or the advisor casts, will be based on a highly intelligent creature that knows at least one language, depending on the needs of the swarm.
Their language includes both sound and scent. Glands located in various places on their bodies can create remarkably complex instructions and will be used to leave signals to future raiding parties or mark territory.
While they have no written word. A scent mark on a tree could identify a human settlement nearby, its size, distance and direction and how much of a threat it is.
The majority of strains in the Cast are a hybrid of insectoid and reptile, with the advancement of Cast society and genetic technology they have included some strains based on common animals such as canines, lizards or even some common types of monsters. They generally have no knowledge of words or language so they often rely wholly on the hivemind to communicate through there pheromones.
Any sentient race assimilated into the Swarm retain any languages they knew in their previous life, plus the ability to communicate through pheromones.
Oftentimes the Nexus or Hierarch strains of a swarm, or the advisor casts, will be based on a highly intelligent creature that knows at least one language, depending on the needs of the swarm.
Appearance
The Cast often appear in many uniform templates called "Strains"
A swarm will shape specific codes of genetic essence and store them in a gene library to be used over and over again as a "cast" for creating uniform drones of the Cast.
Each drone is designed and specialized for the greatest efficiency in dealing with certain tasks. Warriors are genetically optimized for combat at the expense of other proficiencies, Builders for construction or gathering and so on it goes and their physical appearance will follow suit with claws, limbs, spines, wings, fangs, mandibles, scales, shells, etc...
An infested creature will maintain a rough resemblance to the appearance they had before they were assimilated into the Cast. In addition they might gain whatever physical modifications are common in a specific swarm (i.e Chitin, scales, claws, gills, wings, etc...)
There is a difference between some creatures who are infested by the Cast.
A creature who has been infested by another Cast creature (Such as an Infester) generally becomes a mindless zombie with minimal physical alteration.
But an infested creature could also refer to a creature set aside for assimilation into the swarm, in which case they may aquire the appearance of an existing strain or have their appearance altered to include the traits of the strain they've been assimilated into.
A swarm will shape specific codes of genetic essence and store them in a gene library to be used over and over again as a "cast" for creating uniform drones of the Cast.
Each drone is designed and specialized for the greatest efficiency in dealing with certain tasks. Warriors are genetically optimized for combat at the expense of other proficiencies, Builders for construction or gathering and so on it goes and their physical appearance will follow suit with claws, limbs, spines, wings, fangs, mandibles, scales, shells, etc...
An infested creature will maintain a rough resemblance to the appearance they had before they were assimilated into the Cast. In addition they might gain whatever physical modifications are common in a specific swarm (i.e Chitin, scales, claws, gills, wings, etc...)
There is a difference between some creatures who are infested by the Cast.
A creature who has been infested by another Cast creature (Such as an Infester) generally becomes a mindless zombie with minimal physical alteration.
But an infested creature could also refer to a creature set aside for assimilation into the swarm, in which case they may aquire the appearance of an existing strain or have their appearance altered to include the traits of the strain they've been assimilated into.
Habitat
The Cast can adapt to live in nearly any habitat but they generally thrive in hot and damp conditions and will strive to provide such environments for their hatching chambers and gene pits.
Left unchecked in an environment that they've adapted to, an aggregation of Cast will begin to build a hive structure that tunnels deep into the earth and stretches high into the sky with tall skyscraper like structures.
The area around the hive is stripped of vegetation and other natural resources.
Without anything to check their numbers or expansion they could grow and grow until resources become scarce and they have a population explosion when they abandon their hive in a massive exodus.
The non-intelligent Cast creatures become uncontrollable and will surge across the land in a devouring mass until stopped.
The intelligent members of the cast will splinter into smaller groups and seek more fertile lands to start a new hive.
Left unchecked in an environment that they've adapted to, an aggregation of Cast will begin to build a hive structure that tunnels deep into the earth and stretches high into the sky with tall skyscraper like structures.
The area around the hive is stripped of vegetation and other natural resources.
Without anything to check their numbers or expansion they could grow and grow until resources become scarce and they have a population explosion when they abandon their hive in a massive exodus.
The non-intelligent Cast creatures become uncontrollable and will surge across the land in a devouring mass until stopped.
The intelligent members of the cast will splinter into smaller groups and seek more fertile lands to start a new hive.
Racial Traits & Weaknesses
As a race that is built around "change" it is difficult to determine concepts such as age and lifespan. From their existence as larva to their evolution into the mature form of any of the number of Cast strains, could only be a matter of minutes to hours.
As is the nature of aggregate species it is difficult to list everything that they are capable of, however there are a few categories that seem to be able to encompass and detail some of the base characteristics that the average Cast creature possesses.
As is the nature of aggregate species it is difficult to list everything that they are capable of, however there are a few categories that seem to be able to encompass and detail some of the base characteristics that the average Cast creature possesses.
The Hivemind: All Cast have highly attuned receptors for receiving and delivering instructions via pheromones enabling efficient communication over a large number of beings at distance.
In many ways this also functions as their own spoken language, however it encompasses a much wider functionality than even that.
Pheromones are mainly used for communication and identification in the swarm and are used to inform the swarm of the current needs of the hive. As with normal social insects, the directive pheromones from the queen are transmitted to the rest of the swarm by the creatures near her replicating and passing along the message to the rest of the swarm.
Their language includes both sound and scent. Glands around the neck and wrist can create remarkably complex instructions and will be used to leave signals to future raiding parties or mark territory. They have no written word. A scent mark on a tree could identify a human settlement nearby, its size, distance and direction and how much of a threat it is.
However, as this species has developed and grown in intelligence, they have adapted this basic functionary feature into a vast communications array capable of communicating complex instructions to millions of creatures spanning miles nearly instantaneously.
This allows them to coordinate the many components of their expansive society like a smooth machine, even without an authoritative creature physically present.
Genetic Fluidity: As a race they are highly adaptive. When introduced to a new or hostile environment a few may die, but it will not take long for the rest of the swarm to either adapt or find or create a way to overcome the danger.
In addition to their adaptable bodies they possess the ability to assimilate desired traits from the things they consume, either changing themselves or changing their larva to create a new sort of Cast with the desired traits.
What makes this adaptive race unique is their ability to create and store creature "templates" in their hives. This allows them to quickly reproduce certain kinds of Cast creatures that have evolved to a certain degree without having to force themselves through the same evolutionary paths over and over again.
Genetic Manipulation: As the Cast society has developed and intelligent creatures have been assimilated into the swarm, the Cast have been able to take their genetically fluid nature and modify themselves as desired, giving rise to their own form of technology and guided evolution.
It is because of this ability to manipulate their own biological functions that they have been able to come so far as a species.
Without it they would likely still be little more than an aberrant form of swarming insect.
Their modification to their bodies and pheromones has allowed them to produce far more complex abilities for their chemical method of communication, allowing them to interact with their own living technology and allowing the hivemind to ascend to a new and unprecedented level, allowing for a more cultured society to arise from their savage origins.
In many ways this also functions as their own spoken language, however it encompasses a much wider functionality than even that.
Pheromones are mainly used for communication and identification in the swarm and are used to inform the swarm of the current needs of the hive. As with normal social insects, the directive pheromones from the queen are transmitted to the rest of the swarm by the creatures near her replicating and passing along the message to the rest of the swarm.
Their language includes both sound and scent. Glands around the neck and wrist can create remarkably complex instructions and will be used to leave signals to future raiding parties or mark territory. They have no written word. A scent mark on a tree could identify a human settlement nearby, its size, distance and direction and how much of a threat it is.
However, as this species has developed and grown in intelligence, they have adapted this basic functionary feature into a vast communications array capable of communicating complex instructions to millions of creatures spanning miles nearly instantaneously.
This allows them to coordinate the many components of their expansive society like a smooth machine, even without an authoritative creature physically present.
Genetic Fluidity: As a race they are highly adaptive. When introduced to a new or hostile environment a few may die, but it will not take long for the rest of the swarm to either adapt or find or create a way to overcome the danger.
In addition to their adaptable bodies they possess the ability to assimilate desired traits from the things they consume, either changing themselves or changing their larva to create a new sort of Cast with the desired traits.
What makes this adaptive race unique is their ability to create and store creature "templates" in their hives. This allows them to quickly reproduce certain kinds of Cast creatures that have evolved to a certain degree without having to force themselves through the same evolutionary paths over and over again.
Genetic Manipulation: As the Cast society has developed and intelligent creatures have been assimilated into the swarm, the Cast have been able to take their genetically fluid nature and modify themselves as desired, giving rise to their own form of technology and guided evolution.
It is because of this ability to manipulate their own biological functions that they have been able to come so far as a species.
Without it they would likely still be little more than an aberrant form of swarming insect.
Their modification to their bodies and pheromones has allowed them to produce far more complex abilities for their chemical method of communication, allowing them to interact with their own living technology and allowing the hivemind to ascend to a new and unprecedented level, allowing for a more cultured society to arise from their savage origins.
Helpless Animals: The majority of the Cast are based on animals (generally drones) and have little to no intelligence outside of the collective.
They must be in nearly constant communication with the swarm to receive direction and instruction. Otherwise they revert to their basic instincts and go insane.
Most Cast creatures based on animals are only strong in great numbers.
While alone they shouldn't be underestimated, they are considerably weaker without a tactical advantage.
Achilles Heel: Due to the nature of the natural armor most Cast strains have, it is possible to find a weak point between their scales, chitin, fur or tough hide.
They must be in nearly constant communication with the swarm to receive direction and instruction. Otherwise they revert to their basic instincts and go insane.
Most Cast creatures based on animals are only strong in great numbers.
While alone they shouldn't be underestimated, they are considerably weaker without a tactical advantage.
Achilles Heel: Due to the nature of the natural armor most Cast strains have, it is possible to find a weak point between their scales, chitin, fur or tough hide.
Swarms & Hives
Hives are to the Cast what other races would call "cities".
Generally a hive is created and occupied by a swarm that has found an ideal location to build.
Left to their own devices, a swarm will find a location and build a hive city with their society based around the protection of the reproductive members of the swarm.
The Brood Mothers and Queens need to do very little to guide the swarm as instinct and nature compels the aggregate species to cooperate with each other to do whatever needs to be done, and the hivemind picks up where nature is lacking.
An individual swarm is generally led by a hierarch or nexus. They are a remote entity that can leave the hive to perform tasks away from the main body of the swarm.
With the genetic technology they have developed, the unattached swarm can become a mobile "hive" of its own, bringing with it all it needs to survive and carry out its purpose.
Generally a hive is created and occupied by a swarm that has found an ideal location to build.
Left to their own devices, a swarm will find a location and build a hive city with their society based around the protection of the reproductive members of the swarm.
The Brood Mothers and Queens need to do very little to guide the swarm as instinct and nature compels the aggregate species to cooperate with each other to do whatever needs to be done, and the hivemind picks up where nature is lacking.
An individual swarm is generally led by a hierarch or nexus. They are a remote entity that can leave the hive to perform tasks away from the main body of the swarm.
With the genetic technology they have developed, the unattached swarm can become a mobile "hive" of its own, bringing with it all it needs to survive and carry out its purpose.
The Sovereign Swarm
Leader: Havilah
Purpose: To serve the Queen
Members of the Swarm include:
Aethiri
Brakka
Kony
Scabbers
Purpose: To serve the Queen
Members of the Swarm include:
Aethiri
Brakka
Kony
Scabbers
The Swarm of Harvest
Leader: Ka'Gi
Purpose: To Harvest for the Sovereign Swarm.
Purpose: To Harvest for the Sovereign Swarm.
Racial Variants
The Cast form their broods around a strict hierarchy system, with the most evolved and intelligent generally occupying the upper echelons of Cast society.
Nexus Cast:
Lifespan: No member of this strain has yet to meet a natural end.
Diet: Omnivore.
Subraces: There are no known variants for this strain.
Description: The authoritative strain of organisms that use their higher intellects to lead the swarm in extreme situations that nature could not prepare them for.
They are highly evolved and possess higher reasoning and problem solving capabilities that make them the ideal leaders of the Cast.
These creature strains are most often based on one of the humanoid races, but due to their complexity their templates cannot be replicated.
Advisor Cast: WIP
Lifespan:
Diet:
Subraces:
Description:
Behemoth Cast:
Lifespan: 20-50 years.
Diet: Omnivore.
Subraces: Shield Drone
Description: Hulking Creatures of the Cast which generally serve as the tanks and heavy lifting wing of the Cast.
There are several different mutated variants of the Behemoth Cast that cover a range of necessities for the Swarm.
Leviathan Cast:
Lifespan: No member of this strain has yet to meet a natural end.
Diet: Omnivore.
Subraces: Burrower.
Description: Massive creatures of the Cast which generally serves the siege and transportation needs of the Swarm, utilizing massive creatures capable of great destruction or efficient travel.
There are several different mutated variants of the Leviathan Cast that cover a range of necessities for the Swarm.
Swarm Cast:
Lifespan: 5-10 years.
Diet: Carnivore.
Subraces: Infestors
Description: Small to Tiny creatures of the Cast which generally serve as the infiltration, scouting and sapping wing of the Cast.
There are several different mutated variants of the Swarm Cast that cover a range of necessities for the Swarm.
Tool Cast:
Lifespan: No member of this strain has yet to meet a natural end.
Diet: Omnivore.
Subraces:
Description: Utilitarian creatures of the Cast which generally serve as support structures, weapons and specialized tools wing of the Cast.
There are several different mutated variants of the Tool Cast that cover a range of necessities for the Swarm.
Warrior Cast:
Lifespan: 50-60 years.
Diet: Carnivore.
Subraces: Hunters
Description: Formidable creatures of the Cast which generally serve as foot soldiers, shock troopers, cannon fodder or the elite specialized warriors wing of the Cast
There are several different mutated variants of the Warrior Cast that cover a range of necessities for the Swarm.
Worker Cast:
Lifespan: 50-60 years.
Diet: Omnivore.
Subraces:
Description: Utilitarian creatures of the Cast which generally serve as builders, sappers, tunnelers, farmers and harvesters wing of the Cast.
There are several different mutated variants of the Leviathan Cast that cover a range of necessities for the Swarm.
Nexus Cast:
Lifespan: No member of this strain has yet to meet a natural end.
Diet: Omnivore.
Subraces: There are no known variants for this strain.
Description: The authoritative strain of organisms that use their higher intellects to lead the swarm in extreme situations that nature could not prepare them for.
They are highly evolved and possess higher reasoning and problem solving capabilities that make them the ideal leaders of the Cast.
These creature strains are most often based on one of the humanoid races, but due to their complexity their templates cannot be replicated.
Advisor Cast: WIP
Lifespan:
Diet:
Subraces:
Description:
Behemoth Cast:
Lifespan: 20-50 years.
Diet: Omnivore.
Subraces: Shield Drone
Description: Hulking Creatures of the Cast which generally serve as the tanks and heavy lifting wing of the Cast.
There are several different mutated variants of the Behemoth Cast that cover a range of necessities for the Swarm.
Leviathan Cast:
Lifespan: No member of this strain has yet to meet a natural end.
Diet: Omnivore.
Subraces: Burrower.
Description: Massive creatures of the Cast which generally serves the siege and transportation needs of the Swarm, utilizing massive creatures capable of great destruction or efficient travel.
There are several different mutated variants of the Leviathan Cast that cover a range of necessities for the Swarm.
Swarm Cast:
Lifespan: 5-10 years.
Diet: Carnivore.
Subraces: Infestors
Description: Small to Tiny creatures of the Cast which generally serve as the infiltration, scouting and sapping wing of the Cast.
There are several different mutated variants of the Swarm Cast that cover a range of necessities for the Swarm.
Tool Cast:
Lifespan: No member of this strain has yet to meet a natural end.
Diet: Omnivore.
Subraces:
Description: Utilitarian creatures of the Cast which generally serve as support structures, weapons and specialized tools wing of the Cast.
There are several different mutated variants of the Tool Cast that cover a range of necessities for the Swarm.
Warrior Cast:
Lifespan: 50-60 years.
Diet: Carnivore.
Subraces: Hunters
Description: Formidable creatures of the Cast which generally serve as foot soldiers, shock troopers, cannon fodder or the elite specialized warriors wing of the Cast
There are several different mutated variants of the Warrior Cast that cover a range of necessities for the Swarm.
Worker Cast:
Lifespan: 50-60 years.
Diet: Omnivore.
Subraces:
Description: Utilitarian creatures of the Cast which generally serve as builders, sappers, tunnelers, farmers and harvesters wing of the Cast.
There are several different mutated variants of the Leviathan Cast that cover a range of necessities for the Swarm.
History
There MIGHT exist in some forgotten tome aged beyond eligibility that MIGHT have some mention of the Cast's true origins as beings who came to Arethil from the stars.
That same tome, should it be intact enough, may also mention the event as a great apocalypse that swept the land and only the heroes of old had the power to defeat and imprison said race deep beneath the earth in the underdark.
The Cast race was re-discovered by ancient gnomes who delved too deeply into the earth and the magic of Entomancy. The well that gave birth to this new magic was a pit of entropy, a place of origins and change. They experimented with this substance and magic until they found a way to recreate the original Cast creature, Cast Prime as it were.
This resulted in the recreation of the swarm and nearly destroyed their civilization in the very ancient days of Belgrath.
The Cast burst from their caves in countless numbers, maddened by the magics that recreated them they attacked and consumed anything that challenged them, the strengths of their enemies became their own as they grew and expanded.
The Cast escaped captivity and seemed to regain a portion of their original sanity and instincts. They worked for the benefit of the whole. As they waged war with the gnomish nation and assimilated the strengths of their enemies there arose intelligence among the ranks of the Cast, individuals of the swarm who rose above the drones, their sentience allowing them to learn how to guide the very evolution of the Cast. Soon these sentient creatures grew in number to the great benefit of the swarm and a new hierarchy was able to be formed.
In those days of the bloody conflict the Cast have had victory and defeat, but eventually heroes once again drove them back to their caves where they were ultimately sealed away and forced into deep sleep with powerful enchantments and wards to entomb them.
Hidden in the warrens and tunnels below Arethil the swarm slept.
For centuries the swarm slept in a aestivated state deep in the caves where they were sealed across Arethil, indeed many of them would never awaken again. But the presence of the swarm even effected the underground plants and surrounding flora, instead of dying the swarm became flowers baring the spores of their rebirth. Over time these plants seeded and spread, effecting beyond their imprisonment. Affecting the water in one place, infecting the animals in another, tainting the air itself in another location...
Across Arethil these infested places are popping up, bringing about a plague that can't seem to be cured or healed by any known medicine or magic... Save fire.
That same tome, should it be intact enough, may also mention the event as a great apocalypse that swept the land and only the heroes of old had the power to defeat and imprison said race deep beneath the earth in the underdark.
The Cast race was re-discovered by ancient gnomes who delved too deeply into the earth and the magic of Entomancy. The well that gave birth to this new magic was a pit of entropy, a place of origins and change. They experimented with this substance and magic until they found a way to recreate the original Cast creature, Cast Prime as it were.
This resulted in the recreation of the swarm and nearly destroyed their civilization in the very ancient days of Belgrath.
The Cast burst from their caves in countless numbers, maddened by the magics that recreated them they attacked and consumed anything that challenged them, the strengths of their enemies became their own as they grew and expanded.
The Cast escaped captivity and seemed to regain a portion of their original sanity and instincts. They worked for the benefit of the whole. As they waged war with the gnomish nation and assimilated the strengths of their enemies there arose intelligence among the ranks of the Cast, individuals of the swarm who rose above the drones, their sentience allowing them to learn how to guide the very evolution of the Cast. Soon these sentient creatures grew in number to the great benefit of the swarm and a new hierarchy was able to be formed.
In those days of the bloody conflict the Cast have had victory and defeat, but eventually heroes once again drove them back to their caves where they were ultimately sealed away and forced into deep sleep with powerful enchantments and wards to entomb them.
Hidden in the warrens and tunnels below Arethil the swarm slept.
For centuries the swarm slept in a aestivated state deep in the caves where they were sealed across Arethil, indeed many of them would never awaken again. But the presence of the swarm even effected the underground plants and surrounding flora, instead of dying the swarm became flowers baring the spores of their rebirth. Over time these plants seeded and spread, effecting beyond their imprisonment. Affecting the water in one place, infecting the animals in another, tainting the air itself in another location...
Across Arethil these infested places are popping up, bringing about a plague that can't seem to be cured or healed by any known medicine or magic... Save fire.
Lore
The Cast takes the genetic information of their prey through consumption, and in doing so incorporate the desired strengths of the victim into themselves.
It's like their own form of magic, being able to alter genetic codes and steal them or add them to other creatures, using plant matter mixed with cast DNA to create myriads of living tools and weapons designed for general or specific purposes.
The swarms are as complex as their strange abilities and nature, but are capable of great diversity between different broods and swarms.
"a brood of chicks"
Cast: a creature made by shaping biomass or genetic strands in a template.
"bronze casts of the sculpture"
Colony: a community of Cast living close together or forming a physically connected structure.
"a colony of seals"
Drone: A generally low intelligence Cast creature adhering to a common template in a swarm or colony of Cast, which exclusively responds only to a hierarch.
Genetic Code: the nucleotide triplets of DNA and RNA molecules that carry genetic information in living cells.
Genetic Strands: a nucleic acid that carries the genetic information in cells and some viruses, consisting of two long chains of nucleotides twisted into a double helix and joined by hydrogen bonds between the complementary bases adenine and thymine or cytosine and guanine. DNA sequences are replicated by the cell prior to cell division and may include genes, intergenic spacers, and regions that bind to regulatory proteins.
Genetic Material: any material of plant, animal, microbial or other origin that carries genetic information and that passes it from one generation to the next. The information contained controls reproduction, development, behaviour, etc.
Hierarch: a chief priest, archbishop, queen, nexus, or other leader.
Hivemind: A unified consciousness or intelligence formed by a number of Cast individuals, the resulting consciousness typically exerting control over its constituent members.
"there is a Queen who controls the hive mind"
Swarm: A large or dense group of Cast.
"a swarm of locusts"
Queen: a reproductive or authoritative female in a colony of Cast creatures.
Swarm - The Birth Of A Race
Extermination Or Expansion
The Disappeared
Running to Nowhere
Skirmish for Taimin
False Sanctuary
Alone in the Chapel
Creatures:
Brakka
Worker Drone
Leviathan Drone
Behemoth Drone
Swarm Drone
Hemolisk Drone
Ka'Gi
Larva Drone
Minkk
Warrior Drone
Scabbers
Groups:
The Sovereign Swarm
The Swarm of Harvest
It's like their own form of magic, being able to alter genetic codes and steal them or add them to other creatures, using plant matter mixed with cast DNA to create myriads of living tools and weapons designed for general or specific purposes.
The swarms are as complex as their strange abilities and nature, but are capable of great diversity between different broods and swarms.
Notes
Brood: a generation of young Cast, produced at one hatching."a brood of chicks"
Cast: a creature made by shaping biomass or genetic strands in a template.
"bronze casts of the sculpture"
Colony: a community of Cast living close together or forming a physically connected structure.
"a colony of seals"
Drone: A generally low intelligence Cast creature adhering to a common template in a swarm or colony of Cast, which exclusively responds only to a hierarch.
Genetic Code: the nucleotide triplets of DNA and RNA molecules that carry genetic information in living cells.
Genetic Strands: a nucleic acid that carries the genetic information in cells and some viruses, consisting of two long chains of nucleotides twisted into a double helix and joined by hydrogen bonds between the complementary bases adenine and thymine or cytosine and guanine. DNA sequences are replicated by the cell prior to cell division and may include genes, intergenic spacers, and regions that bind to regulatory proteins.
Genetic Material: any material of plant, animal, microbial or other origin that carries genetic information and that passes it from one generation to the next. The information contained controls reproduction, development, behaviour, etc.
Hierarch: a chief priest, archbishop, queen, nexus, or other leader.
Hivemind: A unified consciousness or intelligence formed by a number of Cast individuals, the resulting consciousness typically exerting control over its constituent members.
"there is a Queen who controls the hive mind"
Swarm: A large or dense group of Cast.
"a swarm of locusts"
Queen: a reproductive or authoritative female in a colony of Cast creatures.
References
Roleplays:Swarm - The Birth Of A Race
Extermination Or Expansion
The Disappeared
Running to Nowhere
Skirmish for Taimin
False Sanctuary
Alone in the Chapel
Creatures:
Brakka
Worker Drone
Leviathan Drone
Behemoth Drone
Swarm Drone
Hemolisk Drone
Ka'Gi
Larva Drone
Minkk
Warrior Drone
Scabbers
Groups:
The Sovereign Swarm
The Swarm of Harvest
