[i]This post was edited because its original size was too big, so is now split into two separate posts but has more info in both[/i] Today we will discuss how everyone's favorite maggot-swallowing warmongers, the Hive, grow. [b]Morphs and Rank:[/b] To begin, back before the Hive accepted the Worms, there were only four forms they could be found in: basic form for the young, Mother form for those wishing to consume the Mother jelly and become birth-givers, Knight for those brave enough, and the King form reserved for the single ruler. Each was and still is born a female and changes to male if the Knight or King form/Morph is taken on. Those who didn't wish to be a Mother or Knight probably remained in base form. The proto-Hive (as we call the Hive before they were Hive. Krill is also suitable as they were amongst the several hundred species of Krill on Fundament) used to only live for 10 years unless they became Mothers, who had much longer life spans. Now that they have become symbiotic with the Worms their rate of growth is based off of killing rather than age, so they change Morphs once they reach a certain power. From Verse 1:6 (Fragment VI) of the BoS we know that it was possible to grow too old to become a Mother. I've seen it argued that lower-ranking Hive like the Thrall are mindless and of no sentience. This is false. Hive gain skill, power, and intelligence as they kill more and more. All Hive are sentient, some are just still learning. Humans send their kids off to school, Hive send their children off to the killing grounds. Now here are the current forms the Hive can be found in. [i]Thrall:[/i] with their thin, scrawny frames and dry, bone-white skin these enemies strongly resemble skeletons. Skeletons with pointed teeth, three long claws on each hand, and bloodlust. Thrall are how all Hive start after passing the larvae stage, and as far as we can tell are all female. Thrall are like the children of the Hive, not having learned very much from their limited kills, but dumb definitely is not a word to describe them. Eager is much better, but even so some Thrall are still observant and crafty enough to exert patience and surprise in battle. Thrall keep enough of their tithe to grow, and the rest goes to the Acolyte above them. On the subject of Cursed Thrall: these Thrall seem to be selected from among the ranks and changed in a way very similar to the method of selecting and creating Ogres. Only instead of torturing and growing them, they appear to infuse these Thrall with a large amount of energy that the Cursed Thrall can release on command, detonating themselves [i]Acolytes:[/i] once Thrall have grown enough they begin to grow armor of bone and are given Shredders to wield rather than claws. Acolytes have grown smarter to where they can operate rather well in battle, not throwing themselves out into firing range like the Thrall that seek so ecstatically to kill and grow, and are actually allowed superiority to command a few Thrall beneath them. They are believed to be all female like the Thrall. Acolytes keep enough of their tithe to grow and the rest goes to the Knight or Wizard above them. [i]Knights[/i]: the morph taken on by the warriors amongst the Hive once they grow enough. Knights are centuries old and have grown a thick covering of bony armor. They wield either Boomers or Cleavers and have learned enough to lead swarms of lesser Hive into battle. They are capable of both outsmarting and outperforming many opponents. As far as we can determine, all Knights are male, although Xivu Arath took on the Knight Morph and is still referred to as female in the Books of Sorrow. Knights keep enough of their tithe to grow and the rest goes to the Hallowed Hive above them. [i]Wizards[/i]: the morph taken on by those amongst the Hive who wish to be Mothers and intellectuals. It is not known if they still have to consume the Mother jelly to change to this form. Wizards give birth to massive hordes of Thrall and study ways to use the Darkness, attack the Light, and create abominations. Basically Warlocks, only less scary. Wizards wield only their voices and mastery of Hive magics in battle and have learned enough to lead swarms of lesser Hive into battle, and in the case of older and more powerful Wizards, entire armies. They are capable of outsmarting and outmaneuvering many opponents. All Wizards are female. Wizards keep enough of their tithe to grow and the rest goes to the Hallowed Hive above them. [i]Ogres[/i]: Ogres are not a Hive morph, but rather Thrall that we're selected to be tortured and experimented on to be turned into killing machines. They operate on hate and pain and are tortured with Light, so enemies like Guardians are always their first target. They are the most lacking in intelligence of the Hive, but I'm pretty sure that if you were raised on pain, torture, and hate you also wouldn't think about strategy nearly as much as "I see Light so I'm gonna kill it". Their only objective is to kill, and their rage makes them uncontrollable. [i]Hallowed[/i]: lesser Hive that have proven themselves with great feats. Hallowed Hive keep enough of their tithe to grow and the rest goes to the Ascendent above them. [i]Hated[/i]: there is only ever one Hive Knight presented with the rank of Hated at a time. Hated is the highest position any lesser Hive can obtain, and their blades are stained green from the executions of Hive deemed Forsaken by the Wizards. [i]Ascendant[/i]: these Hive have killed so much that they have become ontological and defy physics. They can create Tears, have their own Throne Worlds, and are more intelligent, skilled, and powerful than almost any adversary. Ascendent Hive receive tithes from all those below them and only have a few Ascendent at most above them to send their own tithes to. [i]King Morph[/i]: reserved for the current ruler of the Hive, only one can possess this form at a time as far as we know. The King is explicitly male, but we do not know what the King Morph originally looked like due to the fact that Oryx has frequently altered his form over the centuries, even growing wings for himself. Oryx is the first and only King to have a Worm and a life span longer than 10 years (note that Oryx was originally a female named Aurash, but upon taking up the title of King of the Hive became a male named Auryx, then further went on to Oryx after adding the Taken King to his list of titles). Oryx is the pinnacle of the Hive society, and although his sisters and their broods do not fall under his rule, he still holds precedence over them as the eldest of siblings and as the most powerful. __________________________________ Link to Hive Sects post: https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/224020240/0/0 For a post going into detail on Hive Ogres, including the traits of the Unborn and Reborn, check out this post by Muzzy: https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/223882379/0/0 And for more of my work, please look at my Archive: https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/217384398/0/0