Kingdom of Psionic Bugs [Archive] - Wizards Community

Kingdom of Psionic Bugs [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Rechan
11-18-07, 12:01 AM I know when you read that, you thought "Been done: Tri-Keen, Dromites".

Except that I'm pondering something for a home brew setting, something a little bit larger, methodical, and dangerous. Tri-keen/Dromites meet Starship Troopers, say.

For the homebrew, one of the countries starts a war with creatures Below, and the creatures Below come up and kick the country's sorry butt and take it over. I decided that the Creatures Below would be a kingdom of psionic insects.

I've decided to split the Kingdom into caste based on species. My problem is, how many Castes or Bug-species shoudl I put in, before it gets explicit? Thusfar I have:

Ants or Bees - Workers.
Roaches - Foot soldiers.
Beetles - Elite guard, artillery (bombadeer), and heavy siege hitters.
Wasps - Enforcers, peace keepers, cavalry.
Mantis - Assassins, spies (I had originally considered them "Bishops", but thought the eyes and ears of the kingdom was far more fitting of a mantis).
Moths/butterflies - Speakers, Diplomats, Communications, anything that involves a "face".
Spiders (Either the leaders, or the lorekeepers and merchants).
XXX - Leaders/Queens/Kings.

Are those too many? Would it be better to condense it down to three Caste bug species (Soldier, Worker, Leader)? I want to avoid going locko and just adding in too many.
Ettin
11-18-07, 12:25 AM Well, you certainly do have quite a few castes, and a different insect for each one. This could be cool, but you might consider narrowing down the amounts of insect races. Having bigger roaches being the foot soldiers and the smaller ones be the workers for example. Another thing to consieder is your mix of flying and nonflying insects. Not as big of a deal with wasps and bees since some species do live underground I think, but butterflies? You said that you wanted " something a little bit larger, methodical, and dangerous". Butterflies don't seem to fit the bill. Just a couple of suggestions.
HernetheHunter
11-18-07, 12:53 AM Are you saying Mothra did not kick A$$?

I agree with Ettin though, Too many different varieties of insect. Maybe choose one species that is the conquerer and have different castes of that species and throw in a few others that may have been dominated in the past by thier growing empire and hence have lower positions in that society.

sorry off on a tangent

What was the name of that movie with the roaches that evolved to prey on man, with a human looking camouflage?
Kesthol
11-18-07, 01:30 AM I would suggest that you try using a model based off an ant colony (such as army ants) with a multitude of castes--soldier, scout, worker, nurse, janitor, etc--of different sizes and abilities (but all one 'race'). You could concieveably use any sort of insect and work out its castes. Just becase the insect you decided use doesn't actually follow the 'army ant colony' in real life doesn't mean it wouldn't work well in your game. You should also consider which castes have reproductive abilities (as the rarity of reproductive castes affects the enitre nature of the society). A 'queen-drones-sterile workers' society is like the standard ant colony or beehive--the 'monarch' controls the behavior of the entire society. A 'reproductives-spellcasters-warriors-workers' system may be closer to what you are after; here, the spellcasters would probably rule, while the reproductives enjoyed a lavish lifestyle, the warriors would be the 'working middle class', and the workers would provide the basic labor of keep the society.

For example:
I, myself, have a strong preference for beetles. If I wanted to make a society of insects with a high predilection for being the secluded scholars/mages/psionicists, I may make a small number of castes of lightning bugs (which may be bioluminescent and/or electrically charged)--a reproductive caste (the worker caste), a psionic caste, and mage caste; the psionic caste and mage caste compete for dominance, while the reproductive caste tries to not take sides in this contest.

If I wanted to make a 'race' of evil, assassin-like insects, I would develop a few castes of poisonous cockroaches (of sizes tiny, small, and medium--all castes may reproduce); the society is set up in a tribal fashion (the strong rule). To twist it, I might make the small-sized caste have some inherent powers that allow it to normally dominate the society.

As a recommendation, beetles, centipedes, spiders, scorpions, or roaches might fit the best with what you are considering.
Amaril
11-18-07, 09:28 AM One could always choose aberrations with psi-like abilities that simply look like insects. Mindshredders from MMIII work really well for that; they have spell-like abilities that could be given psionic counterparts.
Rechan
11-18-07, 11:59 AM I would suggest that you try using a model based off an ant colony (such as army ants) with a multitude of castes--soldier, scout, worker, nurse, janitor, etc--of different sizes and abilities (but all one 'race').
I had considered doing that. The one real flaw I feel is that there's such visual variety and aesthetic in the insect world that limiting to one Race would be disappointing from a visual standpoint. I mean, how can you smoosh "It has wings and a stinger" "Big, solid and tank-ish" and "willowy and scythe-like blades" into the same "race"? But then, I think you Might be able to get away with that - in the termite colony, the workers look different than the soldiers. Some radically different development from the castes is intriguing.

I was partially envisioning an insect-like version of the Hindu Caste system, so the one or two different species purely as a "We kicked your butt and now you're our servant" caste really works as the the "Untouchable" caste.

At the same time, I don't want these things to come across as dripping evil. They, after all, are in control of a surface human kingdom, and aren't ravaging it. It's probably a more LN (but alien) strict society. They would be possible as a PC race (Well, perhaps one or two of the Castes).

=Not as big of a deal with wasps and bees since some species do live underground I think, but butterflies? You said that you wanted " something a little bit larger, methodical, and dangerous". Butterflies don't seem to fit the bill. Just a couple of suggestions.
That's actually the point. They take up the positions in society because they are not overtly threatening. They're pretty, weak, and they want you to think that. Because they're telepaths.

What was the name of that movie with the roaches that evolved to prey on man, with a human looking camouflage?
Mimic.
HernetheHunter
11-18-07, 08:38 PM Mimic!
You are correct and if I recall they made several horrible sequels.

You could also make an insect that evolves. What I mean is an insect race that goes through transformations based on some unknown criteria through a psychic cocoon of some sort. That way you could have flying warriors evolve from beetle or termite-like creatures. Your mantis like assassins and whatnot. Maybe the evolution is based on abilities and needs approvals from a governing body or just the environment and temperature the eggs were kept in...
Rechan
11-18-07, 08:52 PM What I mean is an insect race that goes through transformations based on some unknown criteria through a psychic cocoon of some sort. That way you could have flying warriors evolve from beetle or termite-like creatures. Your mantis like assassins and whatnot. Maybe the evolution is based on abilities and needs approvals from a governing body or just the environment and temperature the eggs were kept in...
Hmmmm. That actually has some potential.

It's actually an idea similar to "Reincarnation". Except that it's literal. You toil away, do a good job for the Colony, and after x years, you earn the right to transform, moving up the caste ladder.

Although I wouldn't make every metamorphasis take the same track. Tank beetles don't become wasp cops and then assassins and finally the leaders. The wasps might become assassins, the workers may become beetle warriors, and they eventually reach the same general destination.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Rechan 11-18-07, 12:01 AM	I know when you read that, you thought "Been done: Tri-Keen, Dromites". Except that I'm pondering something for a home brew setting, something a little bit larger, methodical, and dangerous. Tri-keen/Dromites meet Starship Troopers, say. For the homebrew, one of the countries starts a war with creatures Below, and the creatures Below come up and kick the country's sorry butt and take it over. I decided that the Creatures Below would be a kingdom of psionic insects. I've decided to split the Kingdom into caste based on species. My problem is, how many Castes or Bug-species shoudl I put in, before it gets explicit? Thusfar I have: Ants or Bees - Workers. Roaches - Foot soldiers. Beetles - Elite guard, artillery (bombadeer), and heavy siege hitters. Wasps - Enforcers, peace keepers, cavalry. Mantis - Assassins, spies (I had originally considered them "Bishops", but thought the eyes and ears of the kingdom was far more fitting of a mantis). Moths/butterflies - Speakers, Diplomats, Communications, anything that involves a "face". Spiders (Either the leaders, or the lorekeepers and merchants). XXX - Leaders/Queens/Kings. Are those too many? Would it be better to condense it down to three Caste bug species (Soldier, Worker, Leader)? I want to avoid going locko and just adding in too many.
Ettin 11-18-07, 12:25 AM	Well, you certainly do have quite a few castes, and a different insect for each one. This could be cool, but you might consider narrowing down the amounts of insect races. Having bigger roaches being the foot soldiers and the smaller ones be the workers for example. Another thing to consieder is your mix of flying and nonflying insects. Not as big of a deal with wasps and bees since some species do live underground I think, but butterflies? You said that you wanted " something a little bit larger, methodical, and dangerous". Butterflies don't seem to fit the bill. Just a couple of suggestions.
HernetheHunter 11-18-07, 12:53 AM	Are you saying Mothra did not kick A$$? I agree with Ettin though, Too many different varieties of insect. Maybe choose one species that is the conquerer and have different castes of that species and throw in a few others that may have been dominated in the past by thier growing empire and hence have lower positions in that society. sorry off on a tangent What was the name of that movie with the roaches that evolved to prey on man, with a human looking camouflage?
Kesthol 11-18-07, 01:30 AM	I would suggest that you try using a model based off an ant colony (such as army ants) with a multitude of castes--soldier, scout, worker, nurse, janitor, etc--of different sizes and abilities (but all one 'race'). You could concieveably use any sort of insect and work out its castes. Just becase the insect you decided use doesn't actually follow the 'army ant colony' in real life doesn't mean it wouldn't work well in your game. You should also consider which castes have reproductive abilities (as the rarity of reproductive castes affects the enitre nature of the society). A 'queen-drones-sterile workers' society is like the standard ant colony or beehive--the 'monarch' controls the behavior of the entire society. A 'reproductives-spellcasters-warriors-workers' system may be closer to what you are after; here, the spellcasters would probably rule, while the reproductives enjoyed a lavish lifestyle, the warriors would be the 'working middle class', and the workers would provide the basic labor of keep the society. For example: I, myself, have a strong preference for beetles. If I wanted to make a society of insects with a high predilection for being the secluded scholars/mages/psionicists, I may make a small number of castes of lightning bugs (which may be bioluminescent and/or electrically charged)--a reproductive caste (the worker caste), a psionic caste, and mage caste; the psionic caste and mage caste compete for dominance, while the reproductive caste tries to not take sides in this contest. If I wanted to make a 'race' of evil, assassin-like insects, I would develop a few castes of poisonous cockroaches (of sizes tiny, small, and medium--all castes may reproduce); the society is set up in a tribal fashion (the strong rule). To twist it, I might make the small-sized caste have some inherent powers that allow it to normally dominate the society. As a recommendation, beetles, centipedes, spiders, scorpions, or roaches might fit the best with what you are considering.
Amaril 11-18-07, 09:28 AM	One could always choose aberrations with psi-like abilities that simply look like insects. Mindshredders from MMIII work really well for that; they have spell-like abilities that could be given psionic counterparts.
Rechan 11-18-07, 11:59 AM	I would suggest that you try using a model based off an ant colony (such as army ants) with a multitude of castes--soldier, scout, worker, nurse, janitor, etc--of different sizes and abilities (but all one 'race'). I had considered doing that. The one real flaw I feel is that there's such visual variety and aesthetic in the insect world that limiting to one Race would be disappointing from a visual standpoint. I mean, how can you smoosh "It has wings and a stinger" "Big, solid and tank-ish" and "willowy and scythe-like blades" into the same "race"? But then, I think you Might be able to get away with that - in the termite colony, the workers look different than the soldiers. Some radically different development from the castes is intriguing. I was partially envisioning an insect-like version of the Hindu Caste system, so the one or two different species purely as a "We kicked your butt and now you're our servant" caste really works as the the "Untouchable" caste. At the same time, I don't want these things to come across as dripping evil. They, after all, are in control of a surface human kingdom, and aren't ravaging it. It's probably a more LN (but alien) strict society. They would be possible as a PC race (Well, perhaps one or two of the Castes). =Not as big of a deal with wasps and bees since some species do live underground I think, but butterflies? You said that you wanted " something a little bit larger, methodical, and dangerous". Butterflies don't seem to fit the bill. Just a couple of suggestions. That's actually the point. They take up the positions in society because they are not overtly threatening. They're pretty, weak, and they want you to think that. Because they're telepaths. What was the name of that movie with the roaches that evolved to prey on man, with a human looking camouflage? Mimic.
HernetheHunter 11-18-07, 08:38 PM	Mimic! You are correct and if I recall they made several horrible sequels. You could also make an insect that evolves. What I mean is an insect race that goes through transformations based on some unknown criteria through a psychic cocoon of some sort. That way you could have flying warriors evolve from beetle or termite-like creatures. Your mantis like assassins and whatnot. Maybe the evolution is based on abilities and needs approvals from a governing body or just the environment and temperature the eggs were kept in...
Rechan 11-18-07, 08:52 PM	What I mean is an insect race that goes through transformations based on some unknown criteria through a psychic cocoon of some sort. That way you could have flying warriors evolve from beetle or termite-like creatures. Your mantis like assassins and whatnot. Maybe the evolution is based on abilities and needs approvals from a governing body or just the environment and temperature the eggs were kept in... Hmmmm. That actually has some potential. It's actually an idea similar to "Reincarnation". Except that it's literal. You toil away, do a good job for the Colony, and after x years, you earn the right to transform, moving up the caste ladder. Although I wouldn't make every metamorphasis take the same track. Tank beetles don't become wasp cops and then assassins and finally the leaders. The wasps might become assassins, the workers may become beetle warriors, and they eventually reach the same general destination.