The Cunam Hahn

A hive of nest dwelling mammals, this single minded group of individual people are truly alien to anyone else, and for good reason. One, they are from below the surface of the southern pole, and two, they kill and eat anyone who gets too close to them. They dare not advertise their presence, yet.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Each Hahn has evolved to resist the brutal and bitter cold of their homeland in the south pole. Their noses and ears have withdrawn into the warmth of their flesh. Their extremeties are shorter and stubbier than what would be considered normal by hominids on the surface. Their eyes are somewhat over large, to accomodate their life in the dim light under the surface of the southern pole. Their skin is as white as the frost that so pervades their homeland, and has become a magnificently efficient heat exchanger, dispelling the cold that permanently permeates their pale, pale skin.

Biological Traits

Drones are by far the largest of the Cunam Hahn, averaging seven feet tall and circa three hundred pounds.

Genetics and Reproduction

Only the Queens can reproduce. The Drones are all male. All of the workers are infertile females, but can change into queens if the environment and population demand it.
The chosen males are groomed for the position for at least three months, physically catered to and given only exotic food and drink. Rare scented oils are rubbed liberally into the cold flesh of the male candidate, and they are given massages and Redux serums in exquisitely prepared drinks and finger foods.
The specifics of the mating ritual will not be gone into here; suffice it to say that the males do not survive past the first act, as their blood (all of it) is required to complete the very violent process, as laid out in their religious texts. They have to be very careful, for instance, during the part of the ritual that has come to be named the Epistolic Dememberment of the Gift over the centuries. So as not to lose too much blood to arterial spray, several funnel shaped holy instruments and sacred collection bowls are used, along with specific ceremonial poses, to direct the fluid to its final destination in her ceremonial bath tub.
Once the egg or eggs (they can spawn up to three eggs at a time, although it is rare) have been fertilized, and stored within the father's chest cavity, the mothers inter the still living head of the father into the wax walls of the nursery. Sealing them over with a substance that they make within their own bodies using candlewax, raw honey, yeast and confectioners sugar, the mothers charge the slowly fading head of the father to watch over the hive's nursery with the other dads' heads, and seal all of them into the walls together.
The smell is unpleasant while the wax is brewing; a cloying, yeasty smell completely alien to those outside of the hive's native ground in the thick ice of the southern pole.

Growth Rate & Stages

The Drones are considered to be "in their prime" while between 20-50 years old. The workers lose the ability to fly as they age, as their wings weaken and fall off, but when they enter their prime between fifteen and seventeen years of age, they begin to perform their tasks as laid out psionically by the Hive. 
One in one thousand fertilized eggs is a Queen. These are known immediately by the markings on the placental sack that surrounds and protects the roe-like egg, itself. They are taken to a special set of room in the hive and given very special treatment. The queens are the lifeblood of the hive; it is they who keep the legacy alive and thriving.
One in a hundred queens grows too large and bloated to move independantly. These are brood mothers. There will be no more than nine of them at a time. While queens can act and think independantly, unlike Drones, Brood Mothers' only motivation and goal is to bear children, and each of them is good for hundreds of ova at a time.
One of the queens in any hive will always have the position as Hive Mother. They do not relish the position; there is a lot of pressure. Every mind under her purview is available to her like an open filing cabinet.

Ecology and Habitats

The Cunam Hahn's ideal environs are -20°F to -60°F. They, themselves, use a base ten measuring system that they say is easier to do the math with.
They carve their hives from the glacial ice of the southern pole, shaping beds and even kitchen tables from the native ice. They live in small family units surrounding the eldest Hahn of the family.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Each Hahn needs half (.5) their Bodyweight (B) in ounces of water per day. For instance, if one were 200 pounds even, that would be: (200*0.5), equalling one hundred ounces of liquid water per day. Their caloric intake needs are also quite voluminous, needing to ingest 3% to 6% of their body weight per day. Many Hahn can go through a thousand clams in a single sitting.
Whales, seals, and walrus make up much of the diet of the Cunam Hahn. There is virtually no living thing growing in their homeland, so their diet consists almost entirely of protein and fat. They do relish and crave a type of seaweed that grows in the brief, dismally cold summer of their homeland, but that is probably more for the sense of euphoria it bestows.

Biological Cycle

Their natal care is very complex, but once they grow into pre teens, and straight on into adults, they live pretty straightforward lives. There is no gluttony, or lust. There is no avarice or greed. When they reach the age of sixty, they know their bodies will start to break down. Many Hahn take a traditional route and retire, tending to young and gathering food and water. 
They cannot let their bodies exceed 32°F for more than an hour, or they will perish. They have invented a solution to this, however. They possess thick cloaks and hoods, which act as an environmental protection system. They use magically cooled ceramic bricks, with a cyclically cooled set of tubing running throughout the garment. It radiates cold, if one gets close enough.

Behaviour

Drones work in groups of six called a cell. Each cell of drones is presided over by a worker. Cells group together to perform greater tasks as needed; two to six cells are called a gang. Seven to twelve gangs are called a force. Thirteen to twenty forces are called an excursion. Two or more excursions are an army.
Their ability to communicate mind to mind, and their centralized brain functioning, allow them a singleness of purpose and synchopated workflow never before seen in any group of individuals, yet it also makes them inflexible and ponderous tacticians.
When moving into an area, they will secure shelter, water, and food (in that order) before they begin any operation. They plan carefully, and will never purposefully abandon a member of their cell, although once dead they abandon the bodies where they fall.

Additional Information

Facial characteristics

Drones lack noses and ears in any traditional sense, and their mouuths are smaller than what most people in Pax, or Tellus, for that matter, would consider normal.

Workers

Geographic Origin and Distribution

The Southern Pole of Tellus.

Average Intelligence

Their 'intelligence' is a single mind driving the entire hive from the south pole. The drones use only this information in every aspect of their life. The workers are a little different, requiring some autonomy to have the fleibility to pivot when a cell needs to change tactics, or devise new ones. Queens all think independantly but can access the group consciousness at any point in time.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Their sight is multifaceted and broken in hundreds of images, but not because of their eyes. It is because of the peculiarity of their hive mind. They can see through all of the eyes of each Hahn nearby, making it almost impossible to surprise a single Hahn. Surprising a group of them, all together, is much easier. Which is to say, still nigh on impossible.

Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms

Their evolution has been unique. Their precursors somehow joined genetically with a hardy species of wasp that can eke out an existence in the pole during the summer months. The workers have very triangular faces, with antennae and wasp-like wings. They wear a helmet that offers their sensitive eyes and antennae protection. They will most often be seen hovering over their cell, directing the labor.

Civilization and Culture

Average Technological Level

Their technology is surprisingly sophisticated; as if the mind running the hive were a scientist.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

They communicate telepathically.

Tellus' Standard Reference

Cunam Hahn

A strange confluence of mammalian physiology and hive-mind psionics, the Cunam Hahn have been existing quietly for millenia. Laying low, waiting for the foresworn day.
That day came on 28 Fedus, 5427NG, when the ground opened up and hell erupted onto Tellus. They took that as a sign from Auril¹ to begin the process of expanding the hive.

ability score increase: Drone: +2 Str, +1 Con, -3 Cha. Worker: -2 Str, +2 Dex, +1 Cha. Queen: +4 Cha, -2 Str

age: 20-50 years old if out of the nest

alignment: Lawful Evil

Size: Large

speed: 30, Worker Fly Speed: 30

Languages: All (natural psionic ability, telepathically)

race features:
Immunity to Cold based spells, and areas of effect. Heal for half the COLD damage taken. Immunity to cold weather. Natural psionics.

Evovling into frost proof mammals means many physiologically unique changes to the subject's physique. These peoples noses and ears have retreated to avoid frostbite, and their extremeties are stubbier and shorter than what humans would think of as "normal" for the same reason.

Art by Mags Champ

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Human

Scientific Name

Frostolopithicus Hominenius Hummina Hummina Hummina

Origin/Ancestry

Precursor humans

Lifespan

Drones: Up to 100 years. Workers: 90-125 years. Queens: 75-100 years. Brood mothers: 100-200 years

Average Height

Drone: 7'2" Worker: 5'10" Queen: 6'3" Brood Mother: 9'-12' (completely sedentary)

Average Weight

Drones: 300 lbs Workers: 125 lbs Queens: 160 lbs Brood Mothers: 600-700 lbs

Average Physique

The drones all carry a layer of blubber, somewhat like that of a walrus. They are doughy, with rolls of fat, but with the skin stretched taut, seemingly to bursting.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

They are all pale, pale white. Like an albino albino, but with brown eyes. Their skin is prone to sunburn if their protective cooling garments are removed.

Related Organizations

• The Hive Mind

Discovered by

The Captain