Fiction:Xerlag Swarm

"We are the Swarm. Numberless...merciless."

- Overqueen Nyxia

The Xerlag Swarm is a terrifying and ruthless amalgamation of biologically advanced, arthropodal bioforms. Dedicated to the pursuit of genetic perfection, the Swarm relentlessly hunts down and assimilate advanced species across the galaxy, incorporating useful genetic code into their own. They are named "the Swarm" per their ability to rapidly create strains, and the relentless assaults they employ to overwhelm their foes.

Operating as a hive mind-linked chain of command, despite being notoriously cunning and ruthlessly efficient, the majority of Xerlag species have low intelligence; becoming mindless beasts if not connected to a hive-cluster, broodmother, or other command entity.

Primarily situated within the 's Segmentum Exterioris, and are universally feared, hated and hunted by the local civilisations and pirate forces for the extreme danger they represent.

Broods
Birthed by individual Broodmothers, a [Name] Brood is the collective consiousness of a Broodmother's spawn, controlled by its Broodmother. Each Brood is unique to itself, possesing a variety of evolved traits and mutations not seen in other broods, though much overlap exists between bioforms in each Brood.

Creep
An immense superorganism similar to fungi, Xerlag Creep is an unsual, viscous substance described by  Marines to be 'thick and slimy'. If left unchecked, the spread of Creep can consume an entire planet within days. This proliferation may be observed in real time, as the substance can coat several miles of terrain in mere hours.

Creep is an estential part ofXerlag Hive Clusters, and required for the survival of all but a few key structures, which generate Creep themselves.

Hive Formations
Xerlag Hives are immense Xerlag superorganisms, built up by a variety of organic structures that produce assosiated bioforms. The largest and most important of these structures within a Hive Cluster is the Hatchery.

Hatcheries perform three vital functions that no colony can survive without: producing the creep, which most structures require in order to be built, giving birth to larvae that can mutate into the various bioforms comprising a brood, and digesting organic matter so that it may be repurposed to feed the Swarms non-combat bioforms, such as Drones, as well as new mutations. In addition, the hatchery is one of the only structures that can be mutated without pre-existing creep, producing its own once formed.

Queens
Queens are the lifeblood of a Xerlag Brood, and carers for a Hive Cluster. The largest Queen in a Brood is typically the Broodmother, with lesser Queens showing less independance than their mothers. A Broodmother typically posseses the capabilities of complex problem solving, learning, the ability to command broods and multiple focuses, which all lesser Queens lack.

The Overqueen is the most powerful Broodmother in the Swarm, and holds a leadership role over all other Broodmothers, and their lesser Queens, thus giving the Overqueen control of the entire swarm.

Like all ground-based Xerlag bioforms, queens move faster across Creep than normal ground. However, their legs are designed so that their movement is impaired when crossing non-Creep covered areas; they 'skate' over creep, which, per the design of said legs, makes crossing over normal terrain more difficult. Ankoran scientists speculate that this is to keep more intelligent queens within the vicinity of their hive and reduce the incentive for them to wander off on their own.

Triva

 * The Xerlag Swarm are inspired by the Zerg from Starcraft, and Tyranids from Warhammer 40K.


 * The name 'Xerlag' was suggested by Parazrael.