Telea (Tee-lee-ah)
Telea was a beautiful World that operates on a collectivist mindset. While it had a troubled history, it reached a place of peace and social equality. However, once The Web was constructed the delicate balance that they had cultivated was jeopardised. The sudden influx of new people and ideas into their cultural atmosphere began to disrupt the natural order of their society. Telea found themselves heavily opposed to the ideology and practices of Malum Auctori, Nurn and Donerth, and campaigned against their slow expansion into the other Worlds. Hostilities have only grown from there and now threaten to reach a breaking point.
Political and Social Customs
For a long time, Telean's social structure was a matriarchal monarchy. However, as the culture and intelligence of the Telean people grew, they began to question the position of the Queen and what qualified her to rule over them. This sparked a mass revolt across the different Hives and the Workers overthrew their Queens. However, for the Hive to survive it needed a Queen to continually lay eggs. Therefore, a fertile rebel bee (usually the leader) would take the Queen's place. This began a long period of revolution known as continual supersedure. Eventually, some of the Queens from the different Hives banded together and set up a democratic process in which a new Queen could be elected every five years. This also heralded the beginning of the Council of Queens. At this time the Workers (female bees) took charge of upkeep and maintenance of the Hive, raising the young, and defending the Hive from outside threats, whereas the Drones' (male bees) primary purpose was to fertilise the Queen, which would promptly kill them. This was the way Beehive society operated for hundreds of years without question until after the Medved Scourge began. Due to the creation of Mechs at the hands of the SSC defence of the Hive no longer had to be a Worker-exclusive task. This realisation prompted the Council of Queens to begin initiating a drive to have Drones begin piloting Mechs alongside Workers. This act was a successful one, and it was undeniable that the assistance of the Drones was instrumental in the defeat of the Medved. This prompted the Workers and the Council of Queens to consider the potential benefits of allowing Drones to participate in other aspects of society. These days, technology has advanced to a point in which Drones can inseminate a Queen or Worker without dying in the process. Insemination is a process whereby Drones must mate with a True Queen, and is simultaneously banned from mating with any Worker that is not the Queen. Workers and Drones now work alongside one another to the benefit of the Hive. Queens work to serve the Hive rather than rule it, and each Queen has a council of wise Workers and Drones to help inform her decisions.Exceptions
The above is generally true for the majority of Telean society, however there are some exceptions. The Timberland and New Formica are not True Hives in the way that they have no True Queen. Rather, they are societies built out of solitary Teleans choosing to band together to survive, and these cities are more akin to large scale communes. They do have elected Queens, but these Bees only act as ambassadors for their respective Hives and do not have the same level of power as True Queens. New Formica even set a new precedent a decade ago by electing the first ever Drone to become Queen and join the Council of Queens. Further, Wasp society is generally more traditional than Bee society, and Drones aren't yet afforded the same privileges as Workers. Their Queens also rule with an iron fist, and the Vespulan Queen (The Foundress) has supposedly been the Queen of Vespula since the very beginning of the Hive's existence. Finally, Pilgrim's Rest is a Hive that largely lends itself to Yilvykian culture more so than Telean culture due to the large number of Yilvykian refugees that have taken up residence there. It is the youngest of the Hives, as it has only been in operation for six years, and is overseen by the second Drone to ever be named Queen. It is also the only Hive who's Queen's council is not solely composed of Teleans (as some of them are Yilvykians).Pre-Web History
View full timeline in: History of Telea Telea's known history begins on the supercontinent of Apidae. The Teleans' bodies and intelligence was once comparable to that of common insects, however, in an event referred to as The Rasti by Telean historians all life on the planet began to grow in stature. The Teleans also came to form greater cognitive abilities than ever before and began to record history, develop a written language, and create art. However, The Rasti would also come to harm the Teleans. Telea is home to various megafauna that have consistently threatened the livelihood of the Teleans and their Hives. The biggest threat to them was the "Bol'shoy Medved", which roughly translates to "Great Bear". These towering giants roamed all of Telea, and the various Hives lived in fear of them. This fear was realised when a Medved attacked the Megachilidae Hive, decimating the city and leaving its residents either dead or scattered across the lands. After this attack the Council of Queens gathered together and deliberated on how best to deal with the Medved Scourge. They decided to combine their armies and their top engineers began constructing mechanised walking and flying weapons of war. Thus began the Svirepyy's Screeching Corpses also known as the SSC. For the next 300 years, the Council of Queens would wage war against the Medved until the only traces left of them were in Telean art and the bones left behind by their carcasses. However, some of the Bol'shoy Medved (specifically the Polyarnyy Medved) still live in the frigid north of Telea where the Telean forces can't reach them. With the bulk of the Medved now extinct, the Hives were able to expand their Hives, farms and population rampantly. Despite being one of the smallest beings on the planet, the Teleans became the dominant species from this point onward. After the defeat of the Medved, the Teleans were able to freely explore more of their World, and discovered the neighbouring continent Vespa. They met with the Vespulan and Crabro Wasps and came to an uneasy alliance. The Wasps seemed to have an uncanny fascination with the Bees' honey, and the Bees gladly gave them some as an act of goodwill. The Wasp's desire for the Bees' honey always kept the peace between the two species an uneasy one. Conflicts between the Telean Hives were few and far between, and were mostly petty disputes between the Wasp Hives and the Umbral Beehive and Svirepyy Roy. The only major conflicts in Telea since the Medved have been internal disputes between Queens and their Workers. There have been many major rebellions throughout Telean history, with the most recent one being within Melliferan. Since making contact with the other Worlds, there hasn't been any internal conflict within Telea.Post-Web History
During the period of communication, Telea primarily communicated with Yilvyke, Sani'Tatem, and Mundi. They came to respect their neighbours and their culture, collaborating with each of them quite heavily over the years. They bonded with the Sani'Tonians through their mutual use of mechs to fight against the hostile creatures on their respective planets. They even went as far as to send a replica of Mundi's Immensely-long-haul (ILH) ship to Yilvyke that carried important cultural items such as historical tapestries, royal jelly, honeycomb pieces, and SSC weaponry and machinery. Through these acts and many others, Telea earnt the respect and friendship of their closest neighbours. However, the Worlds that spanned further across the solar system were another story. Telea found themselves at odds with the cultural differences between themselves and the Worlds most distant from them. They believed that Chatibos emphasised individuality and profiteering to an extent wherein the many would consistently suffer. Further, Telea saw that Otiosus' pacifism invited weakness and corruption into their ranks, and advocated against it. They found Nurn to have a superiority complex that refused to make way for progress, that Malum Auctori's history and perceived colonial aspirations were a downright danger, and that Donerth lets them act like this without any resistance despite a supposed steadfast alliance between the three Worlds. However, while Telea had many misgivings about the distant Worlds they were willing to let them be and focus on uplifting themselves and their allies. And yet, the years passed by and Malum Auctori began establishing colonies on Chatibos, Mundi, and Donerth. They continued to ramp up their arms production and pushed more and more political pressure on Telea and Yilvyke. And so Telea began to make a stand. The Council of Queens combatted The Spider Alliance on the stage of intergalactic politics and the SSC began to ramp up production of mechs. They did this in conjunction with Yilvyke until The Split occurred. Now, tensions between Telea and Malum Auctori are at an alltime high. Sani'Tatem aids them from the sideline and Mundi is trying to calm both sides to no avail. Everyone knows that intergalactic war is to be waged, the only question is how long it will take.Species and Geography
Teleans are a bipedal species with a mostly humanoid frame, and average around a height of 5 to 6 ft. (excluding the Giants). Their bodies are typically a mixture of a yellow, black, and brown colouration. The insectoid bodies have a heavily scaled exoskeleton coating them, with a thick tuft of fur around their necks. They have five eyes: two large eyes on the side of their head and three smaller ones in a triangular shape on the upper centre of their forehead. Their eyes are all a single, solid colour, though this colour varies between individual Teleans; black and brown are the most common but their eyes can also be blue, yellow, silver, or pale green. They have two pairs of arms, but the second pair (located lower on the torso) are a lot smaller and are mostly used to reinforce and support the first pair. Teleans have a pair of wings on their back that help them hover and fly, though only the most experienced and athletic Teleans can fly faster than they can run. There are two major species of Teleans who currently populate the World. These are the Bees and Wasps, each occupying a different continent. The Bees occupy the larger continent, Apidae, and the Wasps occupy the island continent Vespa. The Wasps have a history of aggression waged toward the Bees and are suspected of numerous assassination attempts against the Queens of the Hives that rule close to the eastern coast of Apidae. However, no major conflicts arose due to the threat of the other Hives coming to the west coast's aid. It was generally believed that the Wasp hostilities could be diminished if their Queens were to be included in the Council of Queens. The offer was extended and accepted, and since then there have only been minor issues between Svirepyy Roy and Crabro. Apidae is a flourishing land. It generally consists of tropical, plains and mountain biomes, and it rarely has a spot of land that can't be used either for farming or settlement purposes. It consists of nine major settlements (city states) run by nine different Queens as listed below. Vespa is a desert island occupied by the Wasps. It is believed that there used to be a greater variety of Wasps on the island due to depictions of them in classical Vespulan art. The lands are littered with dead trees and crops, indicating a poorly tended land. The Bees have offered to lend the Wasps their farming techniques, but it has never been accepted by the Vespan Queens.Settlements
Telea consists of a series of city states known as the Hives that are each run by their own governing force. These city states are massive bee and wasp Hives, some as large as countries, that collectively house just over three billion Teleans (not including Vespan Hives). There are also small numbers of Teleans that live solitary lives outside of the following communities. These Nomads roam Telean landscapes, mostly keeping to themselves. They are either outcasts from the Hives or the remnants of Megachilidae Hive that refused to settle in another Hive (Leafcutter, Mason, Wool Carder, Nomad Bees). The following are major settlements on Telea:The Timberland
The Timberland is a beehive that is intertwined with a giant, looming, dead forest. These unnaturally large and hollowed out trees became the perfect home for the Carpenters, and has seen their society flourish. Their population has grown to be just shy of 200 million Teleans. Furthermore, within the past two centuries the Carpenters have been enacting an initiative to revitalise the area by growing living trees in uninhabited areas of the forest that have only begun to bear fruit recently. The Timberland does not have a True Queen, so their elections are purely a political affair. Finally, the Carpenters live in solitary quarters rather than communal ones.The Umbral Hive
The Umbral Hive is located further north than any other settlement. It is cold and dreary, but the Shadowed can handle the cold better than most Teleans. Still, in the chilliest of months a Hive-wide hibernation is enforced so as to not endanger any citizens by exposing them to the harshest elements that Telea has to offer. The Shadowed have a close relationship with their neighbours in Svirepyy Roy, and have partnered with them numerous times, especially during the period of time in which tensions were high between the Bees and the Wasps. Now, they seem to be one of the Hives that is most in favour of going to war with The Spiders. There are believed to be 400 million Shadowed in this Hive.Bumblebuzz
Bumblebuzz has proven to be the only beehive against the impending war with the Spiders. The Bumblers have historically been reluctant to engage in violence, and it seems that that virtue remains strong within Bumblebuzz's culture. In spite of this, the Teleans from this Hive are naturally more dangerous than their neighbouring bees, as their stingers are not barbed. Therefore, if the Bumblers chose to enact violence on another in this, it would not lead to their doom as it would with so many other Teleans. Bumblebuzz is the smallest Hive, totalling to a population of 40 million Teleans, and is largely ignored by the Council of Queens.Honeywell
Honeywell is famous for its vast and rich culture of artistic and agricultural pursuits. This has brought an abundance of diversity to the Hive, as Teleans from all across the World travel here so that they can hone their own crafts and bring their knowledge back to their homes. This also brings new knowledge to Honeywell and enriches their culture as well, with many of the Teleans who travel here for their education opting to remain within the Hive. Furthermore, ever since the construction of The Web many alien species with an interest in foreign arts and farming have also made this Hive their home. Their population now comes to a count of 450 million residents. Beyond this, Honeywell is the oldest Hive that still stands, whose architectural beauty is considered a Wonder of the Pontision System.Melliferan
Melliferan is the largest beehive on Telea with the largest population, coming to a total of 1.2 billion Teleans. This Hive has been responsible for facilitating trade in the past; both between other Hives and between Telea and the other Worlds within The Web. It was a Melliferan ILH ship that originally brought Telean goods to the Yilvykians prior to the completion of The Web's construction. The Ferans lead Telea's efforts in intergalactic politics, and are seen as representative of Telea to the masses of the Pontision System. The majority of Telean traders and ambassadors that have spread throughout the galaxy originate from this city. On the other hand, Melliferan was also the birthplace of The Miserly Ones.Svirepyy Roy
Svirepyy Roy hosts the largest militaristic force on Telea. Every member of the Hive is considered a member of the Svirepyy Roy military force, and the city is considered to have one of the largest standing armies in the galaxy at a size of 350 million Roy. The Roy were instrumental in the defeat of the Medved, as they were the Hive that began producing and implementing their Mobile Suits into their military. They formed the SSC (Svirepyy's Screeching Corpses) in conjunction with the Council of Queens, a government instituted program to counter the Medved. They have shared this technology with all of the Telean Hives and have even begun exporting them to other Worlds within the galaxy. Svirepyy Roy has been heading the training of Telean soldiers for the past handful of years, with many generals being sent to the various Hives of Telea by their Queen.New Formica
New Formica is an underground colony of solitary Teleans. The bees who call this Hive their home are known as the Miners, a nickname most likely derived from New Formica hosting the largest mine in all of Telea. The mine, known as the Great Apidae Depths, is so vast and expansive that its lowest point is 5km below the surface and stretches all the way to The Umbral Hive and Pilgrim's Rest, with many of the Miners living within the mine itself. It is believed that 10 million Miners live within the Great Apidae Depths, with the remaining 70 million remaining within the city itself. The resources gathered from this mine are instrumental in maintaining the World's position as a galactic powerhouse. It is believed that the mines were once made by an ancient Telean civilisation that the Miners simply came to occupy. New Formica is also notorious within Telean society for being the first Hive to elect a Drone as Queen, as much like The Timberlands they do not have a True Queen.Titan's Hand
Titan's Hand covers a large region in the mountain ranges of Telea, the heart of which hangs from a skeletal hand. The residents of this Hive are some of the most unusual and noticeable Bees on Telea due to their massive stature. They are known as the Giants, and have an average height of 10ft. for both their Drones and Workers. Further, their Hive is populated by 100 million Giants. Because of this, the Hive is structured unlike any other on Telea as they have to make extremely efficient use of the space that they have. They do not have private quarters and all live in extremely communal and crowded spaces. They utilise open combs rather than the domed and closed off Hives of other Telean cities, exposing their home to the elements and to predators more so than any other Hive. Due to this, the Giants are trained to be expertly coordinated in their defences, and if they are ever threatened it is said that the entire Hive will rally together to descend on their foes.Vespula
Vespula is one of the two Noble Paper Hives, the north-western city of Vespa and is thus located closest to the supercontinent of Apidae. Their history is relatively unknown, as Vespan society is notoriously secretive. Unlike other Telean Hives, in Vespula there are multiple Queens that assist in the growth and development of the city's population. However, only one of these Queens is a member of the Council of Queens: The Foundress. The Foundress is a Wasp shrouded in mystery, and is believed to have lived since the formation of Vespula. While the date of this Hive's construction is unknown, it is believed that this would make The Foundress' age well over a millennium. Vespula's population size is unknown.Crabro
Crabro is one of the two Noble Paper Hives, the south-eastern city of Vespa. Much like Vespula, the Hornets' (as they refer to themselves) history, population size, and military capabilities are relatively unknown with slight exceptions. They have the longest and most detailed history of violence against other Teleans, most frequently Svirepyy Roy. They have a history of conducting night raids on their enemies, utilising a subsect of their military known as the Provespa to instigate fringe attacks to weaken and agitate their foes. However, they now have a common enemy in Malum Auctori and the Spider Alliance. Out of all of the military presences in the galaxy the Mundians fear the harm that the Hornets could cause above all, not because of the strength of their force but because of the tactics they are willing to utilise and incorporate.Pilgrim's Rest
Pilgrim's Rest is the only Hive that is not mainly inhabited by Teleans. It is the youngest Hive as Pilgrim's Rest was originally developed as a Hive that could adequately home and house any form of alien life should they choose to relocate and migrate to Telea. However, ever since The Split it has predominantly become a refuge for Yilvykian asylum seekers, but it still accepts any wanderer. The Yilvykian inhabitants of Pilgrim's Rest are generally referred to as Myrmidons by the rest of their species, which has since expanded to include all residents of the Hive regardless of species. There are currently a little over 25 million Myrmidons. It currently is run by a Drone Queen, the second ever to exist, and he is the first Queen to ever employ an alien species as members of his inner circle. Due to the Hives' close relationship with the Yilvykians, Pilgrim's Rest has come to represent Yilvykians on an intergalactic stage and stands in for them during the annual Bridges and similar events.Important Figures
- Queen Cowen - The Melliferan Queen
- Queen Tsarina - The Queen of Svirepyy Roy
- Queen Maximilian - The Queen of Pilgrim's Rest
- Osmund Sabrina - The highest ranked SSC Lancer
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