The ThriKreen

Language: Primitive Underdark (unknown translation)

General Info

ThriKreen are a unique race that classify into two separate races, one we classified as the “Mountain Men” a far more dangerous sub-race that with its vantablack carapace and more intimidating size. And then the more common ThriKreen who we believe to be the original race. Though as later research would prove the ThriKreen we know in the modern era from Death's Hammer for example, were only one of a larger group of hive mutations. Thus it is believed that the true ThriKreen origin species will never be discovered as over the years certain traits seemed to remain dominant while others were rooted out. A vicious race who had the utmost efficiency in mind, each queen is considered to be on the same level as an adult dragon for capabilities in intelligence and wisdom. Said to be the longest lived species and power, the ThriKreen never truly vanished from history, only lay dormant deep beneath our feet.

Signed Ki "The Monsterous Five's Biggest Fan"

City info

Here we shall list the specific city info if any is listed for the cities history.

First Age

Singleblade Hive

Noted as creatures that seem to resemble larger ThriKreen with extremely well muscled torso's and bright white dragon bone like carapace. They are distinct in the fact that their left or right arm grows a single long blade that is said to be unbreakable even by magic, the forearm is encased in this thick dragon bone like carapace and at the back vents can be seen allowing for the air to travel right through the forearm. We believe in the modern era, that this is where the nickname of Screaming Blade came from for the first ThriKreen king. Art idea: https://i.pinimg.com/564x/38/bd/50/38bd50b30a8f816accf119dd30a0c2a2.jpg

Longbrain Hive

A hive most noteably used as an intelligence hive amongst the kings ruling caste. It is believed that this hive, though known for its massive size, is extremely fragile as the majority of their body is a single brain. Allowing for the creatures to both craft and invent at amazing speeds, although they are noted as having extremely high magical potentcy, the creatures themselves do not have any natural magic that they seem to know. Art idea: https://i.pinimg.com/564x/d1/7a/87/d17a87232e6dbf9dd1369973ca55eb1e.jpg

Vulture Claw Hive

Noted as the densest and strongest of the first age hives, the creatures seem to be more closely related to more modern deep underdark variants of the species. The Vulture Claw hive was noted for its large pincer that it would use to break through iron and bronze armor. It was also noted that the claw could be fully extended and used as a sword of sorts that would puncture and pull into the creature. It is also noted that the most prominent of the clan have the largest vulture claws and the darkest of carapace. It is also believed that this hive specifically specialized in armor as the carapace seemed to be made of a natural dark iron like metal that sucked in all the light from around the creatures. Art idea https://i.pinimg.com/564x/39/1a/9e/391a9eadb3b1531aa12176c6a274da9a.jpg

Deep Heat Hive

A hive noted specifically for its beetle like appearance, and its love for nesting near extreme heat sources. Believed to consume the magma from the earth, the creatures seem to enjoy digging deep within the crust of the world to find these large heat sources. Though many have been seen hunting other creatures in the areas such as deep dragons, fire elementals and the occassional primitive proto-fiend. This hive specializes in metal item crafting and processing, and seems to collect gemstones all over their bodies as they dig. Creating many bright and shiny armor sets that with time are just naturally peeled away from the Deep Heat ThriKreen during there molting season. Art idea https://i.pinimg.com/564x/90/2a/dc/902adcc433c275c42e38d5f5272e7874.jpg

Worm Ravager Hive

Known to share common ancestry with a Purple Worms, these ThriKreen have adapted from eating, hunting and domesticating the species to a certain degree deep within the ThriKreen mountains. Considered the most dangerous of the clans for their extreme focus on the warrior like customs of raiding, attacking, and looting. The Worm Ravager hive seems to be the only ThriKreen that stay above the underdark and within the large mountain ranges. Creating massive holes in the mountains with intricate paths all throughout their hive. These ThriKreen seem to make up the bulk of the species population in the first age. Art idea: https://i.pinimg.com/564x/43/1c/98/431c9801cf48077bd5633aa433e8f4b9.jpg

Age of Tears

We have confirmed the location of 37 hives throughout history, however, at this time we can only confirm the location of 7.

Red Eyes Hive

Known location is the southern tip of drafika, it currently holds 3,500 drones, warriors and elite guard. Known specifically for their red eyes.

The Clear Skinned Hive

The northern tip of drafika is where this hive makes it's home, numbering in the tens of thousands they are the largest of the three hives in drafika. However it should be noted that a ratio of seven to one has been confirmed for drones to warriors. Making the hive extremely weak in it's combat capabilities.

Glow Skin Hive

The last of the three we know of in drafika has a strange phenomenon that allows them to shoot out radiant beams from their body. However the hive has been reduced to less then a hundred after what seems to have been a strange war between all the hives in drafika.

The Dragons Hive

Known to live far beneath the lands of Olympia in the heli territory is this hive in which seems to devour and resemble dragons. They are known as a deep dragon predator and are considered the most dangerous of the current known hives. They number in the millions as they are unopposed on the continent as all other hives seem to have been assimilated. Giving them a total of twelve queens that we know of.
The other three are the Traditionalist Hive, the Glimmering Wing Hive, and lastly the Devouring Hive. Each of which are under close supervision by the champions of pyrus since their creation. As each are considered artificial hives for study. No other known info has been provided to the public then this.

Technology periods

Here we shall discuss the main technological discoveries by this race.

Gemstone Plating

Known to have been one of the first species to create gemstone plating through the usage of carapace molting in the first age. These gemstones were noted on occasion for being enchanted with runes drawn into them to copy Jotun raiders. These gemstone platings were known to be heat immune and even keeps the user warm in the coldest of mountains. The materials though seem to directly come from the Deep Heat Hive.

Hierarchy

Here we shall discuss how the overall ladder of power is designed in this races territories.

Thri-Kings

Said to be born once every hundred years, a Thri-King was noted for being as large as a hive queen. Each with far more physical capabilities and intelligence than any hive queen, allowing for them to dominate the hive almost immediately upon birth. However, it should be noted that each hive has the same expectations of birth. Which means that each hive will birth a Thri-King every hundred years or so, and they will usually be killed by each other if multiple reach maturity. Though more often then not, the Thri-Kings are killed within their infancy by the reigning king should he find out. Some have managed to escape, but few ever do. Noteably, those that escape tend to become adventurers wandering the world in search of a new hive they artificially build like humanoid family packs.

High Queens

Noted as being about twice as large as other hive queens, a high queen is believed to be the result of one hive queen dominating another. When two hives go to war with each other it is believed that in rare cases the hive queen will choose to spare the defeated queen and attempt to dominate them through psionic abilities or intelligence. As the two wills fight, if a hive queen successfully dominates multiple other hive queens she will begin to mutate. Notably becoming taller and wider, allowing for her to give birth to more powerful guards, drones and explorers. It is also believed that especially powerful high queens can increase their chances of giving birth to Thri-kings by quite a substantial margin. Some researchers believe that the increased rate can be down to every twenty five years, and each having unique and more powerful mutations to allow the bloodline to grow.

Hive Queens

It is said that every twenty five years a new hive princess is born and either killed or kills their hive queen to take their place. Each time this happens, if the hive queen survives it is said her guards become stronger and more intelligent. Allowing for far greater power amongst the ranks of her hive without any change in her control. As it is believed that even if a royal guard ,drone or even thri-king were to attack his mother hive, the hive queen can release a pheromone to simply put them to sleep or to calm them down. Allowing for the hive to survive even in the greatest of peril without a threat of civil war. Each hive queen however is noted to have their own individual coloration, mutation and personality. With individual hatred between hives being as common amongst thrikreen as they are amongst vedan.

Royal Guards

A rare breed of thri-kreen that can be born or evolved into or so it is said. The royal guard is said to accompany the birth of an individual thri-king. However the royal guards are as easily remarked to the hive queen if the thri-king is slain. Allowing for many cases of large royal guard amounts amongst the hive queen and high queens. Each noted to be about half as strong as their thri-king as they seem to grow in power as their thri-king does. Though they can grow on their own, this only happens if their thri-king is slain and they are remarked to a hive queen. They say that once a thri-king is dead, the royal guards will begin to develop their own personalities and ways of thinking. Allowing them more freedom amongst the hive while still feeling drawn to the hive that they have marked onto. If they do not remark after the death of a thri-king, it is said that royal guards can be found wandering the wilds by themselves. Fighting creatures and people alike until they are slain or someone defeats them in battle to claim them as their own.

Guards

The less common ThriKreen who are noted for their larger size and who tend to stand in a caste of their own rank amongst the drones. These guards while able to think freely, seem to follow orders passed down by the hive queen without question. As these orders arrive psionically, they make sure to enforce and protect the drones as needed.

Drones

The common term used amongst the ThriKreen who are born without any greater power then the rest of their hive. While capable of some thought, few are capable above following simple one worded orders when not connected to a hive queen. These thrikreen can be easily identified, as many of them will look similar to the majority of the hive. And can be found typically working alongside slaves and beasts of burden doing every day work. When at war between two hives however, it is found the drones are used as a sort of unthinking death squad. Causing many hives to have drones that number in the tens of thousands.

Explorers

A term used for those amongst the drones born without a link to the hive queen. Typically marked to the hive queen, these rare drones are born with enough intelligence to seek freedom amongst the rank and file. Explorers will usually get remarked to there hive queen upon adulthood to force them back into the hive. They are then used by the hive queens typically as scouts as they are as intelligent as a royal guard, but as weak as a drone. Thus making them fantastic scouts who seek out rare sources of food and water deep in the underdark.

Nobility

Here we shall discuss notable noble houses through the time periods.

Clack-Uhrack "The Screaming Blade" of Hive Singleblade

Known as the first ThriKreen to develop wings amongst the many clans, his rule seemed ordained from the start. Upon the hatching of Clack-Uhrack it is stated that a large meteor could be spotted in the sky glowing a bright purple and signaling the coming of a great king to the thri-kreen queens. Appearing with a purple metal like carapace, Clack-Uhrack would continue to grow in strength as the years went on. Being gifted in the roguish arts and psionic magic, Clack-Uhrack would gain his name by slaying a rogue elder brain dragon who would attempt to take over his hive once having broken free from Zebrel's control. The young warrior proved his ability and was recognized by the other hives one by one after that as each refused to send a warrior to challenge his dominance. The young king was gifted his title and full control of the hive through his five main queens, creating a power structure that allowed for lesser queens to flourish and hives to specialize. It is believed that Clack-Uhrack, even now in his mid years, will continue to accomplish even greater deeds of glory. As his many hives grow, and the hunger for new industry and farm lands increases, Clack-Uhrack is left with no choice but to go to war in the first age. Many have noted his natural hatred for elder brain dragons after what he saw the creatures could do, but with hordes of enemies at his border, the ThriKreen king finds himself surrounded by enemies. Art Idea https://i.pinimg.com/564x/de/f6/f0/def6f0d9a6f4b882f93dbb08906821f0.jpg

Notable Nobles

First Age

High Queen Tal'al of Hive Singleblade

Known as "The Booming Queen" high queen Tal'al was noted for her massive size even amongst hive queens. From birth Tal'al managed to squish her hive queen mother immediately after hatching. It is said that from then on Tal'al would give birth to only the largest and strongest amongst the ThriKreen. As she grew, so did her appetite for both exotic food and territory. Having managed to conquer the majority of the southern ThriKreen lands that once belonged to a Pseudotroll tribe, Tal'al is believed by many of the other hive queens to be the true power behind the throne. With her own personal army taking away half of her "sons" hive queens and almost his entirety of royal guards. Known for her love for exotic meats, it is believed that the Singleblade hive would be far more capable if not for their hot tempered and gluttonous queen. though even Clack-Uhrack would not dare to speak against his hive queen, for she knew how to bring him down with her pheromones and was quick to remind him as such.

Thri-King Klakgul of Deep Heat Hive

Known as the "Rainbow Shell" for his glamorous shell that glimmered even in the darkest caves. Said to be twice the size of Clack-Uhrack and far stronger, the young Thri-King stands about five years junior to the current Thri-King. Allowed to live due to his excellent craft and love for battle against physically strong opponents. Many believe that Klakgul could be acting dense to subvert his death while he grows stronger every day. Though others state that his denseness shows for his lack of interest in taking the throne from Clack-Uhrack even when the two fought and Clack-Uhrack was left near death. The honorable warrior seemed to strangely allow the Thri-King to continue living and instead chooses to fight as a vanguard at every battle.

Royal Guard Gulpok of Worm Ravager Hive

Said to be a cunning druid who serves as Clack-Uhracks personal mage and healer. Gulpock is depicted as more worm then ThriKreen as he stands with a dark purple shell, and at twice the height of any other royal guard. Mostly caused by his long neck, the strange looking druid has spindly arms and legs that potrude just enough to keep him upright. Though noted as the "Purple Haze" on the battlefield, the strange druid seems to have a love for using cruel nature magic to cause the greatest of suffering to all those who oppose him on the battlefield. Including those amongst other hives and his own when given the chance.

Military

Here we will discuss any specific military information

Clack-Uhrack "The Screaming Blade" of Hive Singleblade

Noted as having an army of 5 high queens, twenty hive queens, 200 royal guards, 4 Thri-kings vassals, twelve thousand guards, 100 explorers, and around fifty thousand drones that can be mobilized at any time.

Wars

Here we shall discuss the notable wars for each period and who they were against.

Events/Holidays

We shall begin to discuss notable holidays and events in this culture. Explaining further on where they come from and what goes on during them.

Marking

A term used by the ThriKreen to mean locking a scent of home or parentage. Like many reptile hatchlings, ThriKreen when born believe that the first female they see is their hive queen or mother for the humanoids out there. This can also be done amongst their royal guard, however they seem to come pre marked from the hatching to a Thri-King. Thus to slay their Thri-King and then defeat them nonlethally to show kindness is the only way to tame the wild creatures. This is believed to work on any ThriKreen that has broken from the hive.

The Great Hunger

Said to happen at the beginning of every Gordiklan (spring in common), this strange migration of hives is one of the greatest fears on the continent of olympia. As the thrikreen seem to gather with many of the hive queens having given birth to their largest batches of hatchlings through the winter. These hive queens begin to plan their raids on all the lands around them. Like locusts, they hunt, devour, and destroy everything around them to bring back to their hives. They will spend all the Swedean (summer in common) doing so, until right before Caessinta (fall in common) when the hunger finally ends. And the many drones and guards begin to return to the hive to prepare and expand during the Caessinta and Moitolin (winter in common).

Krak-Rul

Known more commonly to mean "Dominated" was a term used for the events that would happen at the end of a war between two hives. If the hive queen chose to instead dominate their opponent rather then just kill them and take the land for themselves. Which would lead to the need of further births and time, many would choose instead to Krak-Rul or use psionics or intelligence to dominate the other through a test of wills. The one that lost would be forced into the hive of the winner and no longer able to rebel.

Religious beliefs

Here we shall discuss the different religious beliefs in this races history throughout the periods.

Thri-Kings

Religiously speaking the thrikreen never did worship any creature. No churches were founded, no cults created, though the thri-kings did have god like control over the entirety of the hives within his domain. Once dominated, the Thri-King could order all but his hive queen who gave birth to him, to die, and all would willingly without hesitation do so. Thus many historians have depicted the thri-kings as gods.

Hive Queens

Similar to the thri-king, a hive queen had the same level of god like powers over there hive. If they said jump, the hive jumped, if they said fight, the entire hive would break out in a rage. Thus was the power of those with the ability to birth entire armies.

Known diseases

Here we shall discuss known diseases to be active and/or discovered or cured during the different time periods of these races

Yek-ulg

A disease known to translate roughly into common as "Yellow Fever" it is believed that those with this disease would feel their body overheat within days sometimes hours after contracting the disease from another. As they overheated their body would turn yellow, and their eyes would begin to look goldish, until the body overheats and perishes. This disease was said to be commonly found in the water pools within the underdark.

Har-Derth

Roughly translated to "Hard Breath" the term seemed to be for those who had been bitten by flea like creatures and began to lose their dexterity. As each day passes after contracting the disease the infected find themselves harder and harder of breath doing simple tasks. Though said to be extremely rare, upon a few days to a couple weeks a ThriKreen would find it difficult to stand and would perish from hunger as they lay starving to death.

Other Characters of note

Here we shall discuss other characters of note directly influence this race.

Death's Hammer

Noted as the champion of Logulthis The Beyond God of Death, Death's Hammer is said to have once been part of a hive during the age of monsters. In which he would break free to later join the infamous Monsterous Five noted as heroes in the modern era for their slaying of an ancient threat. Though in their era considered dangerous, Death's Hammer was noted as pragmatic and literal. While a threat to any adventurers looking to slay it, Death's Hammer was noted for being willing to sell magic items they had crafted to those they considered worthy. Some historians believe that Death's Hammer was actually a Thri-King that would go on after becoming a world savior to found his own hive through the capture and subjugation of his home lands. Few though truly know, if you want to see his adventures and how he became Death's Hammer, check out the link here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuxtBjd2NiSiaUwfIctWcc9Ecst2gFIVq

Anatomy

Here we shall both provide a design as well as an explanation of the anatomy of the race in question. Race info can be found in savage species page 222
(image of race)

Ability score increase

Gaining a +2 in dex and a +1 in either wisdom or strength

Age

ThriKreen are a unique species in that they age quite quickly, having half the average lifespan of a human. Many Thri-Kreen drones never live beyond their thirties as they find themselves in multiple battles and the body is worked until it can no longer function. However, Thri-Kreen guards, queens and kings are noted for having up to four hundred years of lifespan as the treatment of the body and natural growth from the food availability become more prominant for the individual.

Phenotypes

ThriKreen come in every shape and size that there are insects in the real world. However specifiying that arachnids are included amongst the ranks, though extremely rare due to the amount of mutations needed to create a creature that is known for it's even higher intelligence. With coloration ranging just as far. Most commonly adopting coloration similar to local fauna to their hive.

Height and Weight

ThriKreen similarly to their phenotype explanation do come in every shape and size. Starting out on average as 5ft tall at the shortest, and then ranging all the way to 20ft tall in some cases. With weights ranging to be as little as fifty pounds for the weaker hives, to the massive 1'500 pounds of High Queen Tal'al of Hive Singleblade.

Alignment

Thrikreen typically stand chaotic neutral, doing whats best for their hive and not thinking much else of it.

Speed

The average ThriKreen walking speed is 40ft per six seconds.

Founding

Here we shall explain when the race came to be, how it came to be, and whom it is credited to and where.
Founded is a word that we use most commonly for kingdoms and nations even amongst single city nations. The ThriKreen do not fit this qualification for the term, as they were at best a loose group of hives forced into a singular direction every hundred years or so. However, as most races would treat them as a nuisance it should be noted that they historically would manage to outlast any other kingdom. Believed to have been created in the First Age as a cruel joke by the Beyond Gods themselves. Few who believed this and met a thrikreen would live to state the truth. And that truth was how the ThriKreen were more a plague then a joke. As if sent to wipe out the worlds population through consumption and expansion. Many believed that the nonstop infighting amongst the Thri-Kings was all that kept the hives busy and away from attacking others. Or so that was the case until the birth of Clack-Uhrack "The Screaming Blade" of Hive Singleblade. After his rise to power the thrikreen began to organize, with new openings and strange catacomb like cities popping up at the entrances. Each leading deep into the underdark and near the hives outer territory. It is said that once these strange cities began to grow, the thrikreen would historically for the first time begin sending envoys and offering terms to there neighbors. Almost as if a new level of intelligence was finally behind the nation, Clack-Uhrack "The Screaming Blade" of Hive Singleblade would show his abilities as he forced all other hives to serve his plan. Will a permanent kingdom be crafting by Clack-Uhrack "The Screaming Blade" of Hive Singleblade or will he fall like the countless other Thri-Kings before him, that is the question we look to find out.

Info to still be edited